Amen

1. The meaning.

We have heard the preface, and the petitions what they are: Now followeth the third part, which is the assent or testification of faith, required in prayer, in this word Amen. And it contains more than men at the first would imagine: It signifies Certainly, so be it, or, it shall be so (2 Corinthians 1:20). It is often taken for a bare assent of the people, saying Amen to the Minister: but in this place it contains more: for every point in this prayer, is not only a direction for public prayer, but for private also, and must be said as well of the Minister, as of the people. Now then, there being two principal things in prayer: the first a desire of grace: the second faith, whereby we believe that God will grant things desired. The first is expressed in the six petitions: The latter is set forth in this word Amen, carrying this sense in effect. As we have craved these things at your hands, O Lord, so we do believe, that for Christ his sake, in good time you will grant them to us. Therefore, this part is more excellent than the former, by how much our faith is more excellent than our desire. For in this word is contained the testification of our faith, whereas the petitions are only testifications of our desires. And as it is in the end, so also it is the seal of our prayers, to make them authentical, and it is to be used (as I take it) not only for this end, to answer the Minister, but also to testify our faith, for the things desired.

2 Grace to be desired.

Hereby we are taught, what grace we are to show in prayer. We must labor to give assent to God's promises, when we pray, and strive against doubting and unbelief. Mark 9:11: Lord, I believe, Lord help my unbelief. Psalm 42:11: Why are you cast down my soul? and why are you [illegible] within me: wait on God.

Many there are, that will stand upon the strength of their faith, and plead for themselves, that they never doubted, but they are far wide: for true faith, being imperfect, is always accompanied with doubting, more or less. Therefore, the heart which feels no doubting, is not filled with faith, but with presumption. As for them, which are molested with doubtings, and complain of them, they have less cause to fear, for as fire and water do never strive till they meet, no more does doubting and unbelief, till faith come into a man.

To conclude, we see what an excellent work prayer is, in which, two most excellent graces of a Christian man be showed forth: hungering after mercy and faith: this might move men to learn to pray, prayer being the exercise of grace.

Of the use of the Lord's prayer.

The principal use of the Lord's prayer is, to direct God his Church, in making their prayers in all places, at all times, and upon all occasions, though their prayers should be innumerable: and unless they be framed after this, they cannot be right.

In the using of it for direction, there be three things required. 1 The first is, the knowledge of the Lord's prayer, and all the parts thereof. He that would pray by it, must understand the meaning thereof, the wants therein to be bewailed, and the graces to be desired, for which end it has been expounded. 2. Knowing this, there is in the second place required thus much skill, that he be able to refer every want and grace to one of the six petitions: for example: feeling in himself pride of heart, he must be able to say, this is a want in the first petition: and feeling a rebellion and slowness in doing God's commandment, he must be able to say, this is a sin to be prayed against in the 3. petition. Thus, every want he must refer to his proper head; again, he must refer every grace to be desired, to one of the six petitions: is strength in temptation to the sixth; assistance in God's providence to the fourth; knowledge of God to the first, etc. and so in the rest. 3. In the third place, he must before he pray, consider what be his wants and imperfections, which most trouble him, as also the graces which he would obtain: then, for the helping of his memory, he must go to the petitions, and he must set those things first in his mind, which do concern the first petition; and those which concern the second petition, must have the second place in his mind and so he must proceed in order as shall have occasion. Thus a man keeping in mind the order of the petitions as they stand, shall be able by referring every grace and want to his proper head, to make a distinct prayer, and to vary it as time, place, and other occasions shall move him.

Quest. Must we of necessity follow all the petitions in conceiving a prayer? An. No, but only those which do principally belong to the time, place and occasion; as Paul makes a prayer (Colossians 1:9-10) and all the points of it may be referred to the third and last petitions.

Again, a Christian man may make an excellent confession of his sins by this prayer, if he shall, keeping the order of the petitions, confess and bewail the sins which every petition requires us to pray against: and it serves to make a thanksgiving to God: Thus, let a man remember all the graces which he has received from God: let him then refer them to the petitions, and give thanks to God after the order of them, turning every petition into a thanksgiving.

Of the circumstances of prayer.

Quest. 1. Whether a man is to use a voice in prayer? Ans. In public prayer it is requisite that there be a voice, for the Minister is the mouth of the people, and to the prayer which he conceives, they give assent. For private prayer, using of a voice is convenient: yet so, as it may be done in silence. 1. the Lord gave us the voice, as well as the heart to bless him withal (James 3:9). 2 God created the tongue as well as the heart, and so will be praised by both. 3 The voice often stirs up the heart; and again, the vehemence of affection does often draw out a voice: the voice then in private prayer is requisite, yet in some cases may be omitted, for it is not absolutely necessary. Moses and Anna prayed in silence.

Quest. 2. What gesture is to be used in prayer? The word does not afford any certain direction. Our Savior and his Disciples prayed in diverse gestures, kneeling, standing, groveling, looking to heaven, looking down to the earth, sitting, lying, etc. (Luke 11:41; Acts 7). God respects not the gesture, but the affection of the heart; yet two things must be always in the gesture: 1. that it be comely. 2. that it do fitly express the affection of the heart; as when we ask mercy, to look to heaven, when we bewail our sins, to look downward, etc.

Question. 3. What place must we pray in? The place is set down (1 Timothy 2:8): we may pray in all places, of which there is no difference. Some will say, that in the time of the Law, the Tabernacle and Temple were places for divine prayer. The Temple and Tabernacle were types of Christ, and his Church, and the unity of it: but now, we having the thing itself, signified thereby, may pray in all places. Our Savior prayed in the wilderness, on the Mount; Peter on the house top; Paul by the sea shore: yet so, that public prayer must be used in public places, as churches, chapels, etc. not because in them is more holiness, but for order's sake.

Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for prayer? Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), that is, upon all occasions, or when a man begins any business, whether it be in word, or deed (Colossians 3:17), or as Daniel, who prayed three times every day (Daniel 6:11), or as David, who prayed at evening, morning, and noontide (Psalm 55:18), and seven times a day, namely, many (Psalm 119:140). Thus we shall pray continually. Every day affords three especial occasions. 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning. 2. The receiving of God's creatures at noontide. 3. The going to rest at night.

Of God's hearing our prayers.

Hitherto we have spoken of the making of prayer to God: a word or two of God his hearing our prayers.

Question. How many ways does God hear men's prayers? Two ways. The first in his mercy, when he grants the requests of such as call upon him in the fear of his name. Secondly, he hears men's prayers in his wrath. Thus he gave the Israelites quails according to their desire (Psalm 78:29, 30, 31). Thus often men curse themselves, and wish that they were dead: and accordingly they have their wish.

Quest. 2. Why does God defer to hear the prayers of his servants?

1. To prove them by delay. 2. To exercise their faith. 3. To make them acknowledge, that the things which they receive, are God's gifts, and not from themselves. 4. That graces quickly given might not be lightly esteemed. 5. That a hungering after grace, might be sharpened and increased.

Quest. After what manner does God hear his servants' prayers? Two ways. First, by granting the thing which was asked according to his will. Secondly, by denying the thing desired, and by giving something proportional to it. Thus God denies temporary blessings, and in the room thereof, gives eternal in heaven. Thus he refuses to remove the cross from his servants, and gives in stead thereof strength and patience. Christ prayed that the cup might be removed. It was not removed, but he in his manhood was enabled to bear the wrath of God. When

- ded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, - 19 And know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all fullness of God. - 20 To him therefore, that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, - 21 Be praise in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all generations for ever, Amen.

The Exposition.

These words contain two parts, a prayer, and a thanksgiving. In the prayer these points are to be marked. First, the gesture; I bow my knees, whereby Paul signifies, his humble submission to God in prayer. Secondly, to whom he prays. To the Father; who is described by two titles: the first, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that by nature, as he is God, and as he is man, by personal union. The other title: Of whom the whole family which is in heaven and earth, is named: in which words, is set down a description of the Church, first it is a family, because it is the company of God's elect children, under the government of one Father (1 Timothy 3:15). It is called the house of God (Ephesians 2:19). They that believe, are said to be of the household of God. Secondly, the parts of the Catholic Church are noted, namely, the Saints in heaven departed, and saints living on earth. Thirdly, it is said to be named of the Father of Christ, because as the Father of Christ, is the Father of this family; so also this family is called by him (Genesis 6:2; Daniel 9:18). Thirdly, the matter of the prayer stands of four most worthy points.

The first, is strength, to bear the cross, and to resist spiritual temptations (verse 16), where this strength is set out by diverse arguments. First, that it is the mere gift of God, that he would grant you. Secondly, the cause of strength, by his Spirit. Thirdly, the subject or place, where this strength must be, in the inner man: that is, in the whole man, so far forth, as he is renewed by grace (Ephesians 4:24). The second is, the dwelling of Christ, by faith in their hearts: faith is, when a man being seriously humbled for his sins, is further in conscience persuaded, and resolved of the pardon of them, and of reconciliation to God. Now where this persuasion is indeed, there follows necessarily, Christ's dwelling in the heart, which stands in two things; the first, is the ordering and ruling of the thoughts, affections and desires of the heart, according to his will, as a master rules in his house: the second, is the continuance of his rule. For he cannot be said to dwell in a place, who rules in it but for a day.

The third, is the knowledge, and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatness of God his love in Christ, an effect of the former (vers. 18, 19). The words are thus explained. Rooted and grounded. Here the love of God, wherewith he loves the elect, is as a root and foundation of all God's benefits; election, vocation, justification, and glorification. Men are rooted and grounded in love, when God's spirit assures their hearts of God's love, and does give them some inward sense and feeling of it. For then they are as it were sensibly put into the root, and laid on the foundation. With all Saints: Paul desires this benefit, not only to the Ephesians, but also for all the faithful with them. What is the length, the breadth. Here is a speech borrowed from Geometricians, and it signifies the absolute greatness, or infiniteness of God's love, and that it is like a world, which for length, breadth, height, and depth, is endless. Here note the order of receiving grace. First, Christ dwells in the heart by faith. Secondly, then comes a sense and feeling of God's love, as it were, by certain drops thereof. Thirdly, after this, arises a plentiful knowledge, and apprehension of God's love, and as it were the pouring out of a sea into a man's heart, that for greatness, has neither bottom nor bank. And know the love of Christ, these words (as I take it) are an exposition of the former, for to comprehend the love of God, is nothing else, but to know the love of Christ: considering, that all whom the father loves, he loves them in Christ. Which passes knowledge: that is, which for the greatness of it, no man can fully know.

The fourth thing, is the fullness of God's graces (verse 19). Here the fullness of God, does not signify the fullness of the Godhead, or divine nature, but the perfection of the inner man, which shall not be till after this life. Now follows the thanksgiving, or the praise of God (ver. 20, 21), containing these points. 1. The matter of praise, his power and bountifulness, whereby he can work exceeding abundantly, above all we ask or think: and both these are not only to be conceived in mind, but also may be felt in the heart, according to the power that works in us. 2. The form of praise, glory to God by Christ, as all benefits are received from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God, the Church. 4. The continuance of his praise, through all generations for ever.

The Exposition

*Philip. 1.* 9. AND this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and all sense. 10. That you may discern things that differ: to the end, you may be pure and without offence, to the day of Christ. 11. Filled with fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.

This prayer contains three parts. In the first, Paul prays for increase of love in the Philippians, whether it be to God or to men (verse 9), and he shows the means of increase, which are two: knowledge and sense or feeling. For (to go backward) the more a godly man feels God's love, and has experience of God's word in himself, the more he knows God's word, and perceives his love to him: the more he is assured of God's love, the more he loves God again, and his neighbor for his sake.

The second thing prayed for, is the gift of discerning, whereby men know what is true, what false, what is to be done, what to be left undone: the ends of this gift are two. The first, that by means of it, they may be pure or sincere: that is, keep a good conscience before God and men, in their lives and callings. The second is, to be without offence: that is, innocent, giving no occasions of evil to any, and not taking them offered by others: and the continuance of these is noted, to the day of Christ, which is the time in which he comes to us, either by our death, or by the last judgment.

Thirdly, he prays, that they might abound in good works, which are described by a similitude; fruits of righteousness: Christians being fruitful trees (Ezech. 47:12; Esay. 61:3). 2. By the cause efficient, which are by Christ. 3. By the end, to the glory and praise of God.

The Exposition.

*Colos. 1.* 9 I cease not to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10. That you might walk worthy of the Lord, and please him in all things, fructifying in all good works, and increasing in the acknowledgment of God. 11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power, to all patience, and long suffering with joyfulness. 12 Giving thanks to the father, which has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his own son.

These words contain a prayer and a thanksgiving. In the prayer, three things are asked. The first is the increase of the knowledge of God's revealed will in his word, and he divides it into two parts: Wisdom, which is not only to know God's word, but also to apply it to every action, for the right and holy performing thereof: and spiritual understanding: which is, when men by the assistance of God's spirit, do conceive the will of God in general, without applying.

Secondly, Paul prays for the fruits of this knowledge, which are four. 1. To walk worthy of God, as good servants do, who in their apparel, gesture, and all their doings, [⟨1… pages missing⟩]