Gill John the Lord s Prayer

8/13/2019 Gill John the Lord s Prayer

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Book III Ch 6

Of the Lord's Prayer

The whole Scripture directs to and furnishes with matter for prayer; but more particularly theprayer which is commonly called "The Lord's rayer"! may be considered as a directory to it; andso it seems to be desined by our Lord! when he says! "#fter this manner therefore pray ye"! insuch a brief and concise manner! in a few comprehensi$e e%pressions! in words to this purpose! orto the sense followin; which he directed to in opposition to the many words! much speakin! and$ain repetitions of the Scribes and harisees; indeed! the e$anelist Luke has it! "&e said untothem! when ye pray! say"! the followin words! that is! "after this manner"! or to this sense! as it ise%plained in atthew! where both the introduction to the prayer! and the prayer itself! are morefully e%pressed; for that it was not intended as a prescribed set form! in so many words! is clear;since then it would not ha$e been $aried! as it is by the two e$anelists! by whom it is recorded;for thouh they both aree in the main! as to the sense! yet not in the e%press words( the "fourth"petition is in atthew! ")i$e us this day our daily bread"! which is a petition for present supply; inLuke it is! ")i$e us day by day our daily bread"! which is a prayer for a continued supply! for thefuture as it may be needed! as well as for the present( the "fifth" petition is e%pressed in atthew!"*ori$e us our debts"! and in Luke! "*ori$e us our sins"; in atthew it is! "as we fori$e"; inLuke! "for we also fori$e"( and the do%oloy! which atthew i$es at lare! is wholly left out inLuke; "*or thine is the kindom"! +c, #nd that it was not understood by the disciples as a form ofprayer to be used by them as such! seems e$ident; since we do not find that they e$er so used it;but a most e%cellent summary of prayer it is! for its bre$ity! order! and matter! and a pattern of itworthy to be followed; and it is $ery lawful and laudable to make use of any sinle petition in it!either in the e%press words of it! or to the sense of it; and e$en the whole of it! pro$ided a formal

and superstitious obser$ance of it is a$oided! as used by the apists, The matter of it is $ery fulland comprehensi$e; by one of the ancients -./ it is said to be!

00a bre$iary of the whole ospel;''

and by another -1/!

00a compendium of hea$enly doctrine,''

It may 2ustly be preferred to all other prayers! because of the author! order! and matter of it;thouh not to the sliht and nelect of other petitions the scriptures furnish us with( there were aset of men in the twelfth century! called Boomiles! who amon other odd notions! had this! thatonly the Lord's prayer was to be reckoned prayer; and that all other was to be re2ected as $ainclamour -3/( the Socinians say -4/! this prayer is an addition to the first command of the law; andwhich with other thins! add to the perfection of the law! which they suppose to be imperfect until

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Christ came! and as if such prayer was unknown to the 5ld Testament saints; but thouh thisprayer is not formally! and in so many words! e%pressed in the 5ld Testament! yet it is materially!or the matter of it is to be found there; especially in the salms of a$id! of which this prayer maybe said to be the "epitome"! as the salms may be considered and made use of as a "commentary"on that; it is indeed! the summary of the prayers and petitions used by ood men! in and before thetimes of Christ -7/! selected and put toether! and inserted in this prayer by him in this manner! asa directory to his disciples; in which may be obser$ed! a preface! petitions! and a conclusion! witha do%oloy,

., # preface! "5ur *ather which art in hea$en"; in which the ob2ect of prayer is described! by hisrelation to us! "5ur *ather"! and by the place of his habitation! "which art in hea$en",

.a, *irst! by the relation he stands in to us! "5ur *ather" which may be understood of )od!essentially considered; of the Three ersons in the )odhead! who are the one )od! the Creator!and so the *ather of all; in which respect this term! "*ather"! is not peculiar to any one person in

the eity! but common to all three! bein e8ually "Creators"! 9c .1(. as in the oriinal; and so areaddressed as the one )od! Creator! and *ather of all! Isa 64(: al 1(. and in this sense e$eryman! ood and bad! reenerate and unreenerate! may use this prayer! and say! "5ur *ather"( orelse this is to be understood of )od personally! that is! of one erson in the )odhead! e$en of)od the *ather! the first erson! who stands in the relation of a *ather in a special sense! the*ather of our Lord


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.a1, It tends to encourae us to use freedom with him! as children with a father; to pour out oursouls before him! and tell him all our mind and all our wants; and "where the Spirit is"! as a Spiritof adoption! cryin! "#bba"! *ather! "there is liberty",

.a3, It will ser$e to i$e us boldness at the throne of race! and a fiducial confidence that we shallha$e what we ask of him! Lu ..(.3,

.a4, The idea of )od as our *ather! e%cites in us! and inspires us with sentiments of thetenderness of his heart! of his pity and compassion! and of the reat lo$e and affection he bearstowards us! and therefore cannot deny us any ood thin needful for us! s .3(.3 Isa 63(.7!.6Lu .7(1!11 1Th 1(.6,

.a7, It cannot but fill us with ratitude for the many fa$ours which he! as a kind indulent *ather!has bestowed on us; ha$in nourished and brouht us up! fed us all our li$es lon! clothed us! and

pro$ided e$erythin for us! and protected us from all e$ils and enemies; and we may say! witha$id! "Blessed be the Lord )od of Israel! our *ather! for e$er and e$er?" .Ch 1@(.,

.a6, This may teach us sub2ection to him! the *ather of Spirits! and submission to his will! in allthins we ask of him! Lu 11(41,

.a=, #ddressin him as "our *ather"! instructs us to pray for others as well as for oursel$es! e$enfor all saints; for all the children of )od! to whom he stands in the same relation! bein the *atherof us all! 9ph 4(6,

.b, Secondly! the ob2ect of prayer is described by the place of his habitation and residence; "whichart in hea$en"; see s .13(., >ot that )od is limited! included! and circumscribed in any place! forhe is e$erywhere! and fills hea$en and earth with his presence; but as such is the weakness of ourminds that we cannot concei$e of him but as somewhere! in condescension thereunto he isrepresented as in the hihest place! in the heiht of hea$en; for as he is the hih and lofty 5ne! hedwells in the hih and lofty place; hea$en is his throne! the habitation of his lory! where is hispalace! where he keeps his court! and has his attendants; and so is e%pressi$e of the reatness ofhis a2esty! and therefore he ouht to be approached with the hihest re$erence; and such a $iewof him will lead us to some of the di$ine perfections! which reatly encourae in the work ofprayer; as the omniscience and omnipresence of )od! s ..(4 ..7(3 .37(7!6 and "since )od is in

hea$en"! and we "upon earth"! our "words should be few"! but full! and be e%pressed with reatlowliness and humility! with reat modesty and selfabasement! as bein "but dust and ashes" whospeak unto him! 9c 7(1 )e .:(1= and the consideration of his bein in hea$en! should draw offour minds from the earth! and all terrestial thins! and from askin them! and teach us to lookupwards! to )od in hea$en! and seek those thins which are abo$e! from whence comes e$eryood and perfect ift; and since our *ather is in hea$en we are directed to pray unto! we shouldlook upon hea$en! and not this world! as our nati$e place; if we are born aain! we are born fromabo$e! are partakers of an hea$enly birth! and of an hea$enly callin! and should seek the better

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country! the hea$enly one; our con$ersation should be in hea$en! and our hearts be where ourtreasure is; our *ather is in hea$en! and our *ather's house and mansions of bliss in it are there;there is our portion! patrimony! and inheritance, *rom the preface I pass to consider!

1, The petitions in this prayer! which are si%! some make them se$en; the first three respect thelory of )od( the other our ood! temporal and spiritual,

1a, The first petition is! "&allowed be thy name"; which teaches to bein our prayers with thecelebration of the name of )od! and with a concern for his lory! and as the end for which he hasmade all thins; nor will he i$e it! nor suffer it to be i$en to another; this we should ha$e in$iew in all we do! and in whatsoe$er we ask of him; this should be uppermost in our minds! thathis reat name be lorified!


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sanctify him when they make him their fear and dread! and lo$e his name! >u 1(.1 Isa :(.3 s7(.. and when they show a reard to his word! worship! and ordinances; "which is but ourreasonable ser$ice"! Eo .1(. and when they study to promote holiness of life in themsel$es andothers! 1Co =(. .e .(.7!.6 t 7(.6 and are careful that the name of )od may not beblasphemed throuh them! or on their account( and whereas nothin is more contrary to thesanctification of the name of )od! than the profanation of it! by takin it in $ain! by swearinfalsely by it! and by the horrid oaths and cursins of wicked men; it is sanctified when maistratespunish for these thins! ministers in$eih aainst them! and e$ery ood man discountenances anddiscouraes them( and in the use of this petition we pray that the lory of )od may be more andmore displayed and ad$anced in the world! in the course of his pro$idence! and the dispensationsof it; that his word may run and be lorified! in the con$ersion and sanctification of sinners; andthat there may be an increase of holiness in all his people; and that all profanation of the name of)od amon men! may be pre$ented and remo$ed,

1b, The second petition is! "Thy kindom come"; the ebuchadneDDar did! that the most &ih ruleth in it! to the terrorof the wicked inhabitants of it! and to the 2oy of the rihteous! s @=(. @@(., But rather the ospeldispensation! often called the kindom of )od! and of hea$en! may be meant! which when thispetition was directed to! was not yet come! thouh near,


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it appeared more manifest! when he was made and declared Lord and Christ! and multitudes in theland of


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The rule of doin the will of )od! as e%pressed in this petition! is! "as it is done in hea$en";meanin not the starry airy hea$ens! thouh the inhabitants of them do the will of )od! in theirway! in a perfect manner; the sun knows! and punctually obser$es! its risin and settin! and themoon its appointed seasons of chane and full! of increase and decrease; and the planetary orbs

keep their stated courses; sun! and moon! and stars! praise the Lord! as they are called upon to do!and e$en the meteors in the air! s .4:(3!:, But rather the third hea$ens are meant! the inhabitantsof which are lorified saints! the spirits of 2ust men made perfect! and are perfect in theirobedience! and the holy anels! who may be chiefly desined; these readily! cheerfully! and$oluntarily "do the commandments of )od! hearkenin to the $oice of his word"! at once to fulfilit; so in this petition it is desired! that saints do the will of )od! "not by constraint! but willinly";at least not by any other constraint but that of lo$e; anels are thouht by some to be called"seraphim" from their flamin lo$e and burnin Deal for the lory of )od; saints are desirous ofbein fer$ent in spirit! ser$in the Lord! and that in sincerity! in sinleness of heart; anels do thewill of )od speedily! and without delay! hence wins are ascribed unto them! and )abriel is saidto fly with the Lord's messae to aniel; so saints desire! with a$id! "to make haste! and not

delay" to keep the commandments of )od; and not some of them only! but all; not a part! but thewhole will of )od! s ..@(6!6.!.1: anels do the will of )od constantly! they always behold theface of our *ather in hea$en! and ser$e him incessantly! day and niht; and saints would! as theyshould! be "stedfast! immo$eable! always aboundin in the work of the Lord"; and thouh theycannot! in the present state! do it perfectly! as the anels do! yet they are desirous of it! and reachtowards perfection; and when the kindom of Christ comes on earth at his appearin! then willthis petition be fulfilled,

1d, The fourth petition is! ")i$e us this day our daily bread"; by which is meant! either spiritual orcorporal food( some understand it of spiritual food; as the word read! preached! and heard! whichis that to the soul as bread is to the body! refreshin! nourishin! and strenthenin; and the

ordinances! called the oodness and fatness of the Lord's house! particularly the Lord's Supper!the bread of the eucharist; but that was not instituted when this directory was i$en; and when itwas! was not to be administered daily; rather Christ! the bread of life! with respect to which thedisciples made a re8uest to Christ similar to this petition; "Lord! e$ermore i$e us this bread?" butit seems best of all to understand it of corporal food! which sense the order of the prayer directsto; and which! if not intended! would be imperfect; since then there would be no petition in it fortemporal mercies! which yet is necessary, "Bread"! with the &ebrews! includes all the necessariesand con$eniences of life; see )e 3(.@ 1:(1 the epithets of it are! "our" bread and "daily" bread(ours! not by desert! for we are not worthy of the least mercy; not what we ha$e a natural riht to!and a claim upon; #dam had a rant of all ood thins! sinnin! all were forfeited; men incommon now en2oy them! throuh the indulence of pro$idence; only belie$ers in Christ ha$e a

real and proper riht unto them; which they ha$e throuh interest in him! and by bein coheirswith him( ours! what we ha$e in a lawful way! by inheritance from our parents! by leacies fromour friends! by our own labour and industry! and in a way of lawful trade and commerce( "ours"!and not another's; not what is ot from others! neither by fraud! and is the bread of deceit; nor byforce and rapine! and is the bread of $iolence and oppression; nor by theft! and is the bread ofwickedness; nor en2oyed in sloth! and is the bread of idleness; such bread is not ours! butanother's; and! indeed! to li$e upon alms! is to li$e on another's bread; and thouh lawful! is notdesirable! but to be deprecated; ")i$e me neither po$erty"! +c, and when we are directed to pray!

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i$e us our bread! we are tauht to pray for others as well as for oursel$es; that our fellowcreatures and fellow Christians miht ha$e bread as well as oursel$es; e$en "the conreation ofthe Lord's poor"! s =4(.@ the other epithet! "daily" bread! the word used! for it is only in thisplace! and differently rendered; in the Syriac $ersion! "The bread of our necessity"! or indience!what is "necessary for the day"! as the ersic $ersion; and seems to be the same


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1e, The fifth petition is! "#nd fori$e us our debts! as we fori$e our debtors"; by debts are meant"sins"! as appears from Lu ..(4 where the same petition is! "*ori$e us our sins"; these are called"debts"! not as owin to )od; it is obedience we owe to )od! and in case of sin! satisfaction to hislaw; and in failure of obedience! and not makin satisfaction! we owe a debt of punishment! andbecome liable to the curse of the law! to eternal death! which is the waes and demerit of sin; andthese debts are numerous! we owe ten thousand talents or more! and cannot answer to one debtof a thousand( men are incapable of payin their debts themsel$es! nor can any creature pay themfor them; and so are liable to a prison, Christ only is the surety of his people! he has undertook topay their debts! and has blotted out the hand writin aainst them, #nd when we are directed topray for the fori$eness of these debts! or sins! it supposes a sense of sin! and of the uilt of it!chareable upon us; and likewise an acknowledment of it! which )od re8uires! and we areencouraed to i$e; since if we confess our sins! )od is 2ust and faithful to fori$e them; also asense of our inability to pay our debts! and of others payin them for us( and by application to)od for the fori$eness of sins! it shows that we belie$e that )od can fori$e sin; and he only! asindeed none can but himself; and he fori$es sin freely and fully; we not bein able to pay! hefrankly fori$es! and e$en all trespasses! and that for Christ's sake! on account of his bloodshed!and satisfaction made( and therefore there is encouraement to pray for the fori$eness of sin! as

a$id! aniel! and other saints did! and as Christ's disciples and followers are directed to; that is!for the manifestation and application of pardonin race; which is all that can be meant! and wewant; it is not a re8uest that Christ may be sent aain to pay our debts for us! and his blood beshed aain for the remission of sins! or a new act of pardon pass in the mind of )od; but that wemay ha$e a fresh application of pardon! already procured and passed; and this we are to pray fordaily! since we are daily sinnin! in thouht! word! and deed; and therefore fori$eness is to beprayed for! as fre8uently as we pray for our daily bread! with which petition this is 2oined,

The reason or arument made use of to enforce this petition is! "as we fori$e our debtors"; or! asLuke has it! "for we also fori$e e$eryone that is indebted to us"; pecuniary debts are to be

fori$en when the debtor is unable to pay; and criminal debts or sins! and in2uries committed byone Christian aainst another! are to be fori$en! as Christ has fori$en them( not that ourfori$eness of others is! the cause of )od's fori$eness of us; for the mo$in cause of )od'sfori$eness is his free fa$our! race! and mercy; it is accordin to the multitude of his tendermercies! and accordin to the riches of his race; and not the deserts of men; the meritoriouscause of it is the blood of Christ! shed for the remission of sins; and the satisfaction of Christ! forthe sake of which they are fori$en, >or is our fori$eness of fellow creatures the model of )od'sfori$eness of us; there is no perfect comparison between them! much less an e8uality, )odfori$es as Lord of all! and who has an absolute power so to do; but men fori$e those who aretheir e8uals! and sinners like themsel$es; )od fori$es for Christ's sake! and upon a satisfactionmade; but men without! and at most upon repentance; )od fori$es reat sins! and! indeed! allmanner of sin; but what man fori$es are tri$ial offences! in2uries to their persons or properties;but not sins committed aainst )od, But this is an arument taken from )od's own race! in thehearts of his people! and as an e$idence of it; that if he has i$en them such race as to fori$etheir fellow creatures and Christians! then they may hope and e%pect! that he who is the )od of allrace! and from whom they ha$e recei$ed theirs! will fori$e their sins! of his rich race! and forChrist's sake; the reasonin is much the same with that in Lu ..(.3, >or is it to be e%pected! that)od should fori$e us our sins without our fori$in the sins of others; nor can we put up such apetition without fori$in others; see t 6(.4!.7 .:(1:37 r ..(17!16,

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1f, The si%th petition is! "Lead us not into temptation! but deli$er us from e$il"! which some maketo be a "si%th" and "se$enth"; but they seem to be two parts and branches of the same,

1f., *irst! "Lead us not into temptation", There are $arious sorts of temptation,

1f.a, Some are of )od! as! by en2oinin thins hard! difficult! and tryin; so )od tempted#braham! by orderin him to take and offer up his son! on one of the mountains he should showhim! whereby he tried his faith in him! his lo$e and obedience to him! and his fear and re$erence ofhim! )e 11(..1 and sometimes by layin afflictions upon his people; which! thouh they causehea$iness! should be accounted 2oy; because they try and pro$e faith and patience! whereby theybecome more illustrious and precious! .e .(6!=


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lo$e of which detracts from the lo$e of )od; not only the pleasures of sin! to which few ha$e thecourae of oses! to prefer afflictions with the people of )od; but e$en lawful recreations menare tempted to carry to an e%cess; nay! the $ery necessaries of life! table mercies! pro$e a snare;the ood thins of life are abused in their usin, Some temptations arise from what may be calledthe e$il thins of the world; as po$erty! which may be a temptation to steal! or to do thinsunwarrantable! either to pre$ent it! or to relie$e under it, #nd afflictions of $arious sorts! underwhich e$en ood men may be tempted either to nelect! o$erlook! and sliht them; or to faintunder them! and to murmur and repine at the hand of )od upon them, The customs of the world!which are usually $ain and sinful! are $ery ensnarin; and therefore the apostolical ad$ice is! "Benot conformed to this world! but be transformed"; and it is no wonder that worldly and fleshlylusts! or that the sinful thins in the world! the lust of the flesh! the lust of the eyes! and the prideof life! should be enticin and ensnarin! and which! by promisin liberty! make men the ser$antsof corruption, There are temptations to ood men from the men of the world; by whom they areenticed to 2oin them in thins sinful! and whose con$ersation and e$il communications corruptood manners,


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kindom and the power! and the lory! for e$er"; see .Ch 1@(.. and these may be considered asso many reasons! pleas! and aruments! for obtainin the thins re8uested! and to encourae faiththerein; "*or thine is the kindom"! of nature! pro$idence! race! and lory; and so all thinsappertainin thereunto! are at the dispose of )od( "and the power"; to i$e daily bread! to fori$esin! to preser$e from temptation! to support under it! and deli$er out of it( "and the lory"; arisinfrom all this! to whom alone it is due; and to be for e$er i$en( "#men"! a note of asse$eration ofthe truth herein contained; and used as an assent to the petitions made! and as a wish for thefulfilment of them; and as e%pressi$e of faith and confidence! that they would be answered,

-./ Tertullian, de 5ratione! c, ., -1/ Cyprian, de 5rat, omin, p, 167, -3/ &armenopulus apudAitsii 9%ercitat, 6, de 5rat, omin, s, 1:, -4/ Cateches, Eaco$, u, %i%, and %%, -7/ 5f the#reement between them see )ill on "t 6(@" and followin! in which I ha$e the happiness toaree with those celebrated writers! Aitsius in 9%ercitat, 6, de 5rat, ominic, s 31, + Jitrina deSynao, $et, l, 3, par, 1, c, :, p, @61, et c, .:, p, .@@, -6/ T, Bab, Beracot, fol, 4, 1, -=/"uos mille annos liati Satanae in ecclesiae historia non in$enio; nun8uam enim tamdiu liatusfuisse $idetur diabolus," Aitsii 5rat, ominic, 9%ercitat, @, s, 14, p, .7., -:/ GHo epi th ousia

hmwn armoDwnGH! Suidas in $oce! GHepiousio$GH,

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Gill John the Lord s Prayer

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