A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

(1.) Carnal Self. By a foolish Mistake we take our Lusts to be our selves. Col. 3. 5. Mortify your Members here upon Earth: And these Members he makes to be Fornication, Uncleanness, and the ⟨p. 132⟩like. Our Sins are as dear to us, as any essential or integral part of the Body; they are our Members. Now these should have no room in our Prayers at all, tho usually they have the first place. Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your Lusts. Our Prayers should be the Breathings of the Spirit, and usually they are but the Belches and Eructations of the Flesh. And for these it is we are so instant and earnest with God. We would have God bless us in some revengeful and carnal Enterprise. We deal with God, as the Thief that lighted his Candle at the Lamps of the Altar: So many would make God a Party in their carnal Designs. Prov. 21. 27. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is an Abomination; how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked Mind? It is an Abomination, when it is at the best; but when he hath an ill Aim, then it is an Abomination with a witness. Foolish Creatures vainly imagine to entice Heaven to their Lure. Balaam buildeth Altars, and sacrificed, out of hope that God would curse his own People, and engage in Moab's Quarrel; like the Man in the Gospel, that would make no other use of Christ, than to compose his civil Difference: Luke 12. 13. he comes to him as a Man of Authority, Master, speak to my Brother, that he divide the Inheritance with me. We all look upon God, tanquam aliquem magnum, (as Austin said he did in his Infancy) as some great Power, that would serve all our carnal Turns. In this Sense, we make God to serve our Sins, Isa. 43. 24. when we would have God to contribute to our Lusts; to our Pride, Wantonness, Revenge. This is such a foolish Request, as if a Wife should ⟨p. 133⟩beg of her Husband, to give her leave to go on with her Adulteries. Survey all the Petitions which are in this present Platform of Prayer, there is not one that is calculated for such an evil purpose, as our Revenge, Pomp, Pride, Pleasure. Carnal Self surely must give way to God.