the coming of his everlasting kingdom, the kingdom of glory in heaven,
which is the continuation and perfection of the kingdom of grace an
earth. Consequently this, as well as the preceding petition, is offered
up for the whole intelligent creation, who are all interested in this
grand event, the final renovation of all things, by God’s putting an
end to misery and sin, to infirmity and death, taking all things into
his own hands, and setting up the kingdom which endureth throughout all
ages.
Exactly answerable to this, are those awful words, in the prayer, at
the burial of the dead; “Beseeching thee, that it may please thee of
thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect,
and to hasten thy kingdom: that we with all those that are departed, in
the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and
bliss, both in body and soul, in thy everlasting glory.”
9. _Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven._ This is the
necessary and immediate consequence, wherever the kingdom of God is
come: wherever God dwells in the soul by faith, and _Christ_ reigns in
the heart by love.
It is probable, many, perhaps the generality of men, at the first view
of these words, are apt to imagine, they are only an expression of, or
petition for resignation; for a readiness to suffer the will of God,
whatsoever it be concerning us. And this is unquestionably a divine and
excellent temper, a most precious gift of God. But this is not what we
pray for in this petition, at least not in the chief and primary sense
of it. We pray, not so much for a passive, as for an active conformity
to the will of God, in saying, _Thy will be done on earth as it is done
in heaven_.
*How is it done by the angels of God in heaven? Those who now
circle his throne rejoicing? They do it _willingly_; they love his
commandments, and gladly hearken to his words. It is their meat and
drink to do his will; it is their highest glory and joy. They do it
_continually_; there is no interruption in their willing service.
They rest not day nor night, but employ every hour (speaking after
the manner of men; otherwise our measures of duration, days and nights
and hours, have no place in eternity) in fulfilling his commands, in
executing his designs, in performing the council of his will. And they
do it _perfectly_. No sin, no defect belongs to angelick minds. It is
true, _the stars are not pure in his sight_, even the morning-stars
that sing together before him. _In his sight_, that is in comparison of
him, the very angels are not pure. But this does not imply, that they
are not pure _in themselves_. Doubtless they are; they are without spot
and blameless. They are altogether devoted to his will, and perfectly
obedient in all things.
*If we view this in another light, we may observe, the angels of God in
heaven, do _all_ the will of God. And they do nothing else, nothing but
what they are absolutely assured is his will. Again, they do all the
will of God, _as_ he willeth, in the manner which pleases him, and no
other. Yea, and they do this, only _because_ it is his will; for this
end and no other reason.
10. When therefore we pray, that the _will of_ God may _be done on
earth as it is in heaven_, the meaning is, that all the inhabitants
of the earth, even the whole race of mankind, may do the will of their
Father which is in heaven, as _willingly_ as the holy angels: that
these may do it _continually_ even as they, without any interruption of
their willing service: yea, and that they may do it _perfectly_; that
_the_ God _of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may
make them perfect in every good work to do his will, and work in them
all which is well-pleasing in his sight_.
In other words, we pray, that we and all mankind, may do the whole will
of God in all things: and nothing else, not the least thing but what is
the holy and acceptable will of God. We pray that we may do the whole
will of God _as_ he willeth, in the manner that pleases him: and lastly,
that we may do it, _because_ it is his will: that this may be the sole
reason and ground, the whole and only motive of whatsoever we think, or
whatsoever we speak or do.
11. _Give us this day our daily bread._ In the three former petitions,
we have been praying for all mankind. We come now more particularly to
desire a supply for our own wants. Not that we are directed even here,
to confine our prayer altogether to ourselves: but this and each of the
following petitions may be used for the whole church of _Christ_ upon
earth.
By _bread_ we may understand, all things needful whether for our souls
or bodies: τὰ πρὸς ζωὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν· _the things pertaining to life
and godliness_. We understand not barely the outward bread, what our
Lord terms _the meat which perisheth_; but much more the spiritual
bread, the grace of God, the food _which endureth unto everlasting
life_. It was the judgment of many of the antient fathers, that we are
here to understand, the sacramental bread also: daily received in the
beginning by the whole church of _Christ_, and highly esteemed ’till
the love of many waxed cold, as the grand channel whereby the grace of
his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God.
_Our daily bread._ The word we render _daily_ has been differently
explained by different commentators. But the most plain and natural
sense of it seems to be this, which is retained in almost all
translations, as well antient as modern: what is sufficient for this
day; and so for each day, as it succeeds.
12. _Give us._ For we claim nothing of right, but only of free mercy.
We deserve not the air we breathe, the earth that bears, or the sun
that shines upon us. All our desert, we own, is hell. But God loves us
freely. Therefore we ask him to _give_, what we can no more _procure_
for ourselves, than we can _merit_ it at his hands.
Not that either the goodness or the power of God is a reason for us
to stand idle. It is his will, that we should use all diligence in all
things, that we should employ our utmost endeavours, as much as if our
success were the natural effect of our own wisdom and strength. And
then, as tho’ we had done nothing, we are to depend on him, the giver
of every good and perfect gift.
*_This day._ For we are to take no thought for the morrow. For this
very end has our wise Creator divided life into these little portions
of time, so clearly separated from each other: that we might look on
every day, as a fresh gift of God, another life, which we may devote to
his glory; and that every evening may be as the close of life, beyond
which we are to see nothing but eternity.
13. _And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass
against us._ As nothing but sin can hinder the bounty of God from
flowing forth upon every creature, so this petition naturally follows
the former; that all hindrances being removed, we may the more clearly
trust in the God of love, for every manner of thing which is good.
_Our trespasses._ The word properly signifies _our debts_. Thus our
sins are frequently represented in scripture: every sin laying us under
a fresh debt to God; to whom we already owe, as it were, ten thousand
talents. What then can we answer when he shall say, _Pay me that thou
owest_? We are utterly insolvent: we have nothing to pay: We have
wasted all our substance. Therefore if he deal with us according to
the rigour of his law, if he exact what he justly may, he must command
us to be _bound hand and foot, and delivered over to the tormentors_.
Indeed we are already bound hand and foot, by the chains of our own
sins. These, considered with regard to ourselves, are chains of iron
and fetters of brass. They are wounds wherewith the world, the flesh
and the devil, have gashed and mangled us all over. They are diseases
that drink up our blood and spirits, that bring us down to the chambers
of the grave. But considered, as they are here, with regard to God,
they are debts immense and numberless. Well therefore, seeing we have
nothing to pay, may we cry unto him, that he would _frankly forgive_
us all.
The word translated _forgive_, implies either to forgive a debt, or
to unloose a chain. And if we attain the former, the latter follows of
course; if our debts are forgiven, the chains fall off our hands. As
soon as ever, through the free grace of God in _Christ_, we _receive
forgiveness of sins_, we receive likewise _a lot among those which
are sanctified, by faith which is in_ him. Sin has lost its power: it
has no dominion over those, who _are under grace_, that is, in favour
with God. As _there is now no condemnation for them that are in_
Christ Jesus, so they are freed from sin as well as from guilt. _The
righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them_, and they _walk not
after the flesh but after the Spirit_.
14. _As we forgive them that trespass against us._ In these words our
Lord clearly declares, both on what condition, and in what degree or
manner we may look to be forgiven of God. All our trespasses and sins
are forgiven us, _if_ we forgive and _as_ we forgive others. This is
a point of the utmost importance. And our blessed Lord is so jealous,
lest at any time we should let it slip out of our thoughts, that he not
only inserts it in the body of his prayer, but presently after repeats
it twice over. _If_, saith he, _ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._ Secondly,
God forgives us, _as_ we forgive others. *So that if any malice or
bitterness, if any taint of unkindness or anger remains, if we do not
clearly, fully, and from the heart, forgive all men their trespasses,
we so far cut short the forgiveness of our own. God cannot clearly and
fully forgive us. He may shew us some degree of mercy. But we will not
suffer him to blot out all our sins, and forgive all our iniquities.
In the mean time, while we do not from our hearts, forgive our
neighbour his trespasses, what manner of prayer are we offering to
God, whenever we utter these words? We are indeed setting God at open
defiance: we are daring him to do his worst. Forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us! That is in plain terms,
“Do not thou forgive us at all: we desire no favour at thy hands. We
pray, that thou wilt keep our sins in remembrance, and that thy wrath
may abide upon us.” But can you seriously offer such a prayer to God?
And hath he not yet cast you quick into hell? O tempt him no longer!
Now, even now, by his grace, forgive as you would be forgiven! Now have
compassion on thy fellow-servant, as God hath had and will have pity on
thee.
15. _And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Lead
us not into temptation._ The word translated _temptation_, means trial
of any kind. And so the English word temptation was formerly taken,
in an indifferent sense: although now it is usually understood, of
solicitation to sin. St. _James_ uses the word in both these senses;
first, in its general, then in its restrained acceptation. He takes
it in the former sense when he saith, [98]_Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation; for when he is tried_, or approved of God, _he
shall receive the crown of life_. He immediately adds, taking the word
in the latter sense, _Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted
of_ God: _for_ God _cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own
lust_, or desire, ἐξελκόμενος, drawn out of God, in whom alone he is
safe, _and enticed_, caught as a fish with a bait. Then it is, when
he is thus _drawn away and enticed_, that he properly _enters into
temptation_. The temptation covers him as a cloud: it overspreads his
whole soul. Then how hardly shall he escape out of the snare? Therefore
we beseech God, _not to lead us into temptation_, that is (seeing God
_tempteth no man_) not to suffer us to be led into it. _But deliver
us from evil_: rather, _from the evil one_; ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Ὁ Πονηρός
is unquestionably _the wicked one_, emphatically so called, the prince
and god of this world, who works with mighty power in the children
of disobedience. But all those who are the children of God by faith,
are delivered out of his hands. He may fight against them: and so he
will. But he cannot conquer, unless they betray their own souls. He may
torment for a time; but he cannot destroy; for God is on their side,
who will not fail in the end, _to avenge his own elect, that cry unto
him, day and night_, “Lord, when we are tempted, suffer us not to enter
into temptation. Do thou make a way for us to escape, that the wicked
one touch us not.”
16. The conclusion of this divine prayer, commonly called the doxology,
is a solemn thanksgiving, a compendious acknowledgement of the
attributes and works of God. _For thine is the kingdom_; the sovereign
right of all things that are, or ever were created: yea, thy kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
_The power_: The executive power, whereby thou governest all things in
thy everlasting kingdom, whereby thou dost whatsoever pleaseth thee, in
all places of thy dominion.――_And the glory_; the praise due from every
creature, for thy power and the mightiness of thy kingdom, and for all
thy wondrous works, which thou workest from everlasting, and shalt do,
world without end, _for ever and ever! Amen._ So be it!
I believe it will not be unacceptable to the serious reader, to subjoin
A Paraphrase on the _Lord’s Prayer_.
FATHER of all, whose powerful voice,
Call’d forth this universal frame,
Whose mercies over all rejoice,
Thro’ endless ages still the same.
Thou by thy word upholdest all;
Thy bounteous Love to all is shew’d,
Thou hearest thy every creature call,
And fillest every mouth with good.
In heaven thou reign’st, enthron’d in light,
Nature’s expanse beneath thee spread;
Earth, air, and sea before thy sight,
And hell’s deep gloom are open laid.
Wisdom, and might, and love are thine;
Prostrate before thy face we fall,
Confess thine attributes divine,
And hail the sovereign Lord of all.
Thee, sovereign Lord, let all confess,
That moves in earth, or air, or sky,
Revere thy power, thy goodness bless,
Tremble before thy piercing eye.
All ye who owe to him your birth,
In praise your every hour employ:
Jehovah reigns! Be glad, O earth,
And shout ye morning-stars, for joy.
Son of thy Sire’s eternal love,
Take to thyself thy mighty power;
Let all earth’s sons thy mercy prove,
Let all thy bleeding grace adore.
The triumphs of thy love display;
In every heart reign thou alone;
’Till all thy foes confess thy sway,
And glory ends what grace begun.
Spirit of grace, and health, and power,
Fountain of light and love below,
Abroad thine healing influence shower,
O’er all the nations let it flow.
Inflame our hearts with perfect love,
In us the work of faith fulfil:
So not heaven’s host shall swifter move
Than we on earth to do thy will.
Father, ’tis thine each day to yield
Thy children’s wants a fresh supply;
Thou cloth’st the lillies of the field,
And hearest the young ravens cry.
On thee we cast our care; we live
Thro’ thee, who know’st our every need;
O feed us with thy grace, and give
Our souls this day the living bread.
Eternal, spotless Lamb of God,
Before the world’s foundation slain,
Sprinkle us ever with thy blood,
O cleanse and keep us ever clean.
To every soul (all praise to thee)
Our bowels of compassion move:
And all mankind by this may see
God is in us; for God is love.
Giver and Lord of life, whose power
And guardian care for all are free;
To Thee in fierce temptation’s hour,
From sin and _Satan_ let us flee.
Thine, Lord, we are, and ours thou art;
In us be all thy goodness shew’d;
Renew, enlarge, and fill our heart
With peace and joy and heaven and God.
Blessing and honour, praise and love,
Co-equal, Co-eternal, Three,
In earth below, in heaven above,
By all thy works be paid to thee.
Thrice holy, thine the kingdom is,
The power omnipotent is thine;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never-ceasing glories shine.
SERMON XXVII.
UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
DISCOURSE VII.
MATT. vi. 16, 17, 18.
_Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may
appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their
reward.
But thou when thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face:
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly._
1. IT has been the endeavour of _Satan_ from the beginning of the world,
to put asunder what God had joined together; to separate inward from
outward religion, to set one of these at variance with the other. And
herein he has met with no small success, among those who were _ignorant
of his devices_.
Many in all ages, having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,
have been strictly attached to the _righteousness of the law_, the
performance of outward duties, but in the mean time wholly regardless
of inward righteousness, _the righteousness which is of_ God _by faith_.
And many have run into the opposite extreme, disregarding all outward
duties, perhaps even _speaking evil of the law and judging the law_,
so far as it enjoins the performance of them.
2. It is by this very device of _Satan_, that faith and works have been
so often set at variance with each other. And many who had a real zeal
for God, have for a time fallen into the snare on either hand. Some
have magnified faith to the utter exclusion of good works, not only
from being the cause of our justification (for we know that a man is
_justified freely by the redemption which is in_ Jesus) but from being
the necessary fruit of it; yea, from having any place in the religion
of _Jesus Christ_. Others, eager to avoid this dangerous mistake, have
run as much too far the contrary way; and either maintained, That good
works were the cause, at least the previous condition of justification;
or spoken of them as if they were all in all, the whole religion of
_Jesus Christ_.
3. In the same manner have the end and the means of religion, been
set at variance with each other. Some well-meaning men, have seemed
to place all religion, in attending the prayers of the church, in
receiving the Lord’s Supper, in hearing sermons, and reading books
of piety: neglecting mean time the end of all these, The love of God
and their neighbour. And this very thing has confirmed others in the
neglect, if not contempt of the ordinances of God; so wretchedly abused
to undermine and overthrow the very end they were designed to establish.
4. But of all the means of grace there is scarce any, concerning
which men have run into greater extremes, than that of which our Lord
speaks in the above-mentioned words, I mean religious fasting. How have
some exalted this beyond all scripture and reason? And others utterly
disregarded it? As it were, revenging themselves, by undervaluing, as
much as the former had overvalued it. Those have spoken of it, as if it
were all in all; if not the end itself, yet infallibly connected with
it: These, as if it were just nothing, as if it were a fruitless labour,
which had no relation at all thereto. Whereas it is certain the truth
lies between them both. It is not all; nor yet is it nothing. It is not
the end, but it is a precious means thereto; a means which God himself
has ordained; and in which therefore, when it is duly used, he will
surely give us his blessing.
In order to set this in the clearest light, I shall endeavour to shew,
first, what is the nature of fasting, and what the several sorts and
degrees thereof: secondly, what are the reasons, grounds and ends of
it: thirdly, how we may answer the most plausible objections against
it: and fourthly, in what manner it should be performed.
I. 1. I shall endeavour to shew, first, what is the nature of fasting,
and what the several sorts and degrees thereof. As to the nature of it,
all the inspired writers, both in the Old Testament and the New, take
the word, to fast, in one single sense, for not to eat, to abstain from
food. This is so clear, that it would be labour lost to quote the words
of _David_, _Nehemiah_, _Isaiah_, and the prophets which followed, or
of our Lord and his apostles; all agreeing in this, that, to fast, is
not to eat for a time prescribed.
2. To this, other circumstances were usually joined by them of old,
which had no necessary connexion with it. Such were the neglect
of their apparel, the laying aside those ornaments which they were
accustomed to wear: the putting on mourning, the strewing ashes
upon their head, or wearing sackcloth next their skin. But we find
little mention made in the New Testament, of any of these indifferent
circumstances. Nor does it appear that any stress was laid upon them,
by the Christians of the purer ages; however some penitents might
voluntarily use them, as outward signs of inward humiliation. Much
less did the apostles or the Christians cotemporary with them, beat
or tear their own flesh. Such _discipline_ as this was not unbecoming
the priests or worshippers of _Baal_. The gods of the Heathens were but
devils; and it was doubtless acceptable to their devil-god, when his
priests [99]_cried aloud, and cut themselves after this manner, till
the blood gushed out upon them_: but it cannot be pleasing to him, nor
become his followers, who _came not to destroy mens lives, but to save
them_.
3. As to the degrees or measures of fasting, we have instances of some
who have fasted several days together. So _Moses_, _Elijah_ and our
blessed Lord, being indued with supernatural strength for that purpose,
are recorded to have fasted without intermission, _forty days and forty
nights_. But the time of fasting more frequently mentioned in scripture,
is, one day, from morning till evening. And this was the fast commonly
observed among the ancient Christians. But beside these, they had also
their half-fasts (_Semi-jejunia_, as _Tertullian_ stiles them) on the
fourth and six days of the week (Wednesday and Friday) throughout the
year: on which they took no sustenance till three in the afternoon, the
time when they returned from the public service.
4. Nearly related to this, is what our church seems peculiarly to
mean by the term _abstinence_: which may be used when we cannot fast
entirely by reason of sickness or bodily weakness. This is, the eating
little; the abstaining in part; the taking a smaller quantity of food
than usual. I do not remember any scriptural instance of this. But
neither can I condemn it. For the scripture does not: it may have its
use, and receive a blessing from God.
5. The lowest kind of fasting, if it can be called by that name, is
the abstaining from pleasant food. Of this we have several instances
in scripture, besides that of _Daniel_ and his brethren: who from
a peculiar consideration, namely, that they might [100]_not defile
themselves with the portion of the king’s meat_, nor _with the wine
which he drank_, (_a daily provision_ of which _the king had appointed
for them_) _requested_ and obtained of _the prince of the Eunuchs,
pulse to eat and water to drink_. Perhaps from a mistaken imitation
of this, might spring the very ancient custom, of abstaining from
flesh and wine during such times as were set a-part for fasting and
abstinence. If it did not rather arise from a supposition that these
were the most pleasant food, and a belief, that it was proper to use
what was least pleasing, at those times of solemn approach to God.
6. In the _Jewish_ church, there were some _stated_ fasts. Such was the
fast of the seventh month, appointed by God himself, to be observed by
all _Israel_, under the severest penalty. [101]_The_ Lord _spake unto
Moses saying, on the tenth day of the seventh month, there shall be a
day of atonement; and ye shall afflict your souls――to make an atonement
for you before the_ Lord _your_ God. _For whatsoever soul it be that
shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among
his people._ In after ages several other _stated_ fasts were added to
these. So mention is made by the prophet _Zechariah_, of the fast, not
only [102]_of the seventh_, but also of _the fourth, of the fifth, and
of the tenth month_.