A86523:79
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.
First, in all services a man should not be quiet in ⟨p. 17⟩his affections and endeavours till he comes to the highest pitch, that is, Gods glory. All actions are in the way one towards another; as a pair of stairs, one goes from another and above the other. A man should go higher and higher till Gods glory mounts and surmounts them all. As a Minister first studies to teach the people, that they may be informed, but why informed? that they may appear to be Christs, and that Gods grace may appear in their conversations: the soul never rests till it be here. A man goes to prayer in his Family, and why so? that he may show God in his courses. The servant sends for his wages, and so is gone, and where is God all this while? This should be our desire, that in all our actions God may be discovered to be the Author, and to have the honour of all.
First, in all services a man should not be quiet in ⟨p. 17⟩his affections and endeavours till he comes to the highest pitch, that is, Gods glory. All actions are in the way one towards another; as a payre of stayres, one goes from another and above the other. A man should goe higher and higher till Gods glory mounts and surmounts them all. As a Minister first studies to teach the people, that they may bee informed, but why informed? that they may appeare to be Christs, and that Gods grace may appeare in their conversations: the soule never rests till it be here. A man goes to prayer in his Family, and why so? that he may shew God in his courses. The servant sends for his wages, and so is gone, and where is God all this while? This should be our desire, that in all our actions God may be discovered to bee the Author, and to have the honour of all.
Secondly, the soul must be sure not to go beyond Gods glory; as thus, a Minister preacheth that the people may be instructed, and he be honoured as well as God, this is to be above God: A man prays to honour God, and that it may be known he is a glorious professor, thus; A man is above God as a Bird steps from one bough to another, till it come to the highest, and then it flies away: So we step up to Gods glory and go beyond it, we would have God glorified to glorify us; but this is hypocrisy, to have God honoured that we may be secretly base: This is the deepest dishonour to God, and he will be revenged of them one day, and pluck his praise out of their bowels. The three Wise men would not stay till the star stood and went no further: