Heavens Treasury Opened

HEAVENS TREASVRY OPENED, In a fruitfull exposition of the Lords Prayer.

IN the prayer are three things observable.

1. The preface, Our Father.

2. The prayer it selfe, divided into six petitions.

3. The conclusion of Faith in the word Amen, the soule goes up to heaven and followes the petition, p. 2Hallowed bee thy Name, let it bee Lord as thou maist have glory; looke as a man that darts an arrow, hee puts the utmost of his strength to it, so the word Amen speeds all the rest, and brings a good issue to the soule by all.

First, For the preface, and there wee must examine in generall 2. things.

1. The sence and meaning of the words.

2. What ground of encouragement it affords us to seeke God.

1. And first observe the partie sought to, he is our Father.

2. The excellency of him, which art in Heaven.

p. 33. The interest we have in him: he is our Father.

Q. Why, or in what sence, is God called a Father?

A. 1. Hee is the Father of Christ by eternall generation.

2. Hee is the father of men two wayes.

1. By creation. So the Scripture runnes Iob. 1.6. the Angels are called the Sons of God, because they were created by God, hee is a Father thus to the Just and the unjust, Psal. 139. 14. I am wonderfully made, saith the text.

2. By adoption & grace, in that, hee doth freely take us to bee his sons in Christ, hee puts us into p. 4the right of his children, as a man puts a stranger into the right of his son: and thus God is a Father to his chosen onely that looke what Christ hath, they have, Rom. 8.17. If Sons, then Heires, and Gods chosen children: both these wayes God is our Father.

Q. Doe we onely pray to the Father in that wee say our Father?

A. No: we pray not to the Father onely, but wee pray to the whole Trinity, wee make mention of the Father onely: yet we must direct our prayers to one God in three Persons in that Godhead; however wee mention not all, p. 5yet wee direct to all, all our petitions; the reason is this.

Rea. Because otherwise wee should have made an Idoll of God, I say conceiving but of one person we make an I doll of God, and call not on him as hee is.

p. 5Q. How may wee apprehend of God aright in prayer?

A. Thus: as God hath revealed himselfe in his word, so wee apprehend him, not putting any Image at all upon him: as Instance thus two wayes.

1. Hee that creates all, governes all, knowes all, sees all, by whom I live, moove and have my being, p. 6to that God I pray. The Scripture hath revealed God thus, that he fills heaven and earth, &c. to that God then that is thus infinite, to him I call now, not to a blinde Image, but to an all-seeing God I come.

2. Instance thus. Looke abroad into the creatures, and in all you shall see a power and a goodnesse: now from whence came this power? The power of beasts, came not from the power of trees, and the like: but ther was a first power, which gave al power to the creatures; the Creatour is infinitely more powerfull the the creatures. There is goodnesse also p. 7in the creatures: but all that came from the first goodnesse that let out it selfe. Now that which let forth it selfe to the creature is in the Creator infinitely above the creature, that is the Lord: thus you must quit your selves of an Image; he that gives all is above all; God gives all, therefore is above all, and to that God I put up my petition.

Q. Why doe wee not mention the Son and the holy Ghost, as well as the Father?

A. Because the Father is the first person in the Trinity, and the fountaine from whence all good flowes; The Father p. 8works of himselfe, the Sonne of him, the Holy Ghost from them both; therefore we mention him onely, though wee may mention the other.

Q. How doth this word Father help a man to call on God by prayer?

A. When we conceive of God as a Father, it puts us in mind of his mercy, that hee will pity us; as a Father will easily bee reconciled to his sonne and will spare him, though he be a prodigall, yet his father will passe by all. So I pray to a father: did I pray to a Iudge, that would condemne me, or an enemy that would not be reconciled unto mee, little p. 9hope had I to speed, because I wronged him, [Luke 15.] yet I will arise and goe to him, for, [Psal. 103.] As a father pittieth his sonne, so God pittieth them that feare him. Hee is my child saith God, though stubborne, and I must looke to him. When a mans rebellions witnes against him, and Sathan vexeth him, and saith, what? thou think to have mercy, and art so vilde? True, saith the soule, I am naught, but I goe to a Father: if a child doe but aime at a thing, the father accepts; if hee speake but halfe a sentence, the father interprets it: so this is the great encouragement of the faithful, to go to God, p. 10that notwithstanding so many failings, and though he be so dead and so barren, yet a father beares al; The Lord interprets all, though but broken speeches, yet God accepts and regards all, wee have a father to goe to, that is willing to passe by many failings.

p. 102. As we have a ground of pitty; if it be but a sigh, hee receives it, so this may perswade us of the willingnesse of God, to help us. If a man were to goe to him that is hard hearted, little hope had hee to speed …