A86523:269
A brief exposition of the Lords PrayerA briefe exposition of the Lords Prayer
A brief exposition of the Lords Prayer: wherein the meaning of the word is laid open to the understanding of weak Christians, and what the carriage of their hearts ought to be in preferring each petition. / By Mr. Tho. Hooker preacher of Gods word.A briefe exposition of the Lords Prayer: wherein the meaning of the word is laid open to the understanding of weake Christians, and what the carriage of their hearts ought to be in preferring each petition. / By Mr. Tho. Hooker preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Moses Bell for Benjamin Allen, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, as we have not from our selves, but from God; so also that we have is mixed with a great deal of spleen. Though some compassion yet ⟨p. 63⟩mingled with a great deal of envy; though some mercy, yet mingled with a great deal of cruelty; and a great deal of darkness with this little star-light: but the Lord hath all love without any hatred; all mercy without any cruelty; there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him. Now the soul saith, Lord, if I that have a great deal of malice can forgive my brethren, then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleen (if men humble their souls before thee) wilt forgive?
Secondly, as we have not from our selves, but from God; so also that we have is mixt with a great deale of spleene. Though some compassion yet ⟨p. 63⟩mingled with a great deale of envie; though some mercy, yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty; and a great deale of darknesse with this little starre-light: but the Lord hath all love without any hatred; all mercy without any cruelty; there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him. Now the soule saith, Lord, if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren, then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleen (if men humble their soules before thee) wilt forgive?
Thirdly, that mercy that is in us it is but little, but it is infinite in the Lord; what we can do is but the first fruit, a drop, a grain, a mustard-seed, but abundant in the Lord. Then the soul saith, Lord, thou art boundless and bottomless in mercy, how much more wilt thou forgive? True, LORD, the talents and debt whereby we are engaged unto thee are many and great; but if we poor creatures that have but from the Fountain, and that we have is mingled with a great deal of malice, and that but a drop, and yet can forgive; how much more thou that hast all first from thy self, and purely without all mixture of envy, and in an infinite abundance? how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt? therefore LORD forgive us, for we forgive others.