A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

Doct. 3. We are not only to look to this, that his Will be done, but to the Manner how it is done.

It is not for the Honour of his Majesty, to be put off with any thing; we must serve him with all our Mind and Strength. Mal. 1. 14. When ye brought that which was torn, and lame, and sick; should I accept this of your Hands? saith the Lord. I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen. We are to aim at the highest manner of serving God. There is an ardent Desire in the Saints to be perfect: If by any means they would attain to the Resurrection of ⟨p. 300⟩the Dead. Phil. 3. 11. That is, that happy and sinless State they shall enjoy hereafter. The Manner is more considerable than the Work it self. A Man may sin in doing good, but he cannot sin in doing well; therefore the Manner is that which is mainly stood upon in Scripture. God doth not only look that we pray, but it must be fervent effectual Prayer, not a drowsy Devotion; not only that we hear, but take heed how we hear; not only that we serve him, but serve him instantly; not only run, but so run. The great thing that is put into the Balance of the Sanctuary, when God comes to weigh the Actions of Men, what doth he consider? He weighs the Spirits; Prov. 16. 2. All the Ways of Man are right in his own Eyes; but the Lord weigheth the Spirits: That is, he considers with what frame of Heart, and in what manner we go about any thing we do for him. And therefore this is the main thing we should look after, in what manner we serve him; even as the Angels do in Heaven; not in an ordinary, but perfect manner.

It is not for the Honour of his Majesty, to be put off with any thing; we must serve him with all our Mind and Strength.