In earth as it is in heauen.
1. The meaning.
HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition, Thy will be done: nowe we are to speake of the condition, which shewes in what manner we should doe it. For the question might be howe we would doe Gods will: and the answer is, that his will must be done in earth as it is in heauen.
Heauen] By heauen here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed, and the elect Angels, Psal. 103.20. Praise the Lord ye his angels, that excel in strēgth, that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his word.
Earth] By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth, because all other creatures in their kind obey God: onely man he is rebellious and disobedient. Then the meaning is, Let thy will be done by vs men on earth, as the Angels and Saints departed doe thy will in heauen.
Question. Doe wee here desire to doe the will of God in that perfection it is done by Angels? must we be as perfect as they? Ans. The words here vsed in earth as it, &c. doe not signifie an equalitie (as though our obedience could in this life bee in the same degree of perfection with Angels) but a similitude standing in the like manner of obedience. Now it may be asked in what man∣ner do the angels obey God? Ans. They do the will of God willingly, speedi∣ly, and faithfully: and this is signified in that they are said in the scriptures to be winged, and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly father. And this is the manner in which wee desire to performe Gods will.
2. The wants to be bewailed.
VVE are here admonished to bee displeased with our selues, for our slacke and imperfect obedience to God, & for our hypocrisie, pri∣uie prid, presumption, deadnes of spirit, and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will. There is no seruant of God, but hath wants in his best workes, so we must vnderstand Paul, when he saith, To will is present with me, but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good. Rom. 7.18. Where he signifies thus much in effect, that hee could beginne good things, but not perfect them, and goe through-stitch, as we say. When the godly doe good workes, as heare, speake gods word, pray, praise God, &c. they perform things acceptable to God: but in these actions they finde matter of mourning: namely, the imperfection of the worke: therefore Dauid praieth, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant. And here we may see how farre wide the Church of Rome is, that holdeth good works to be any way meritorious, that be euery way imperfect. If the men of that church had grace, they might see that the corruptions of the flesh were as gyues and fetters about their legges, that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commande∣ments, they are constrained to halt downe right, and to traile their loynes after them.
3. Grace to be desired.
THe grace here to be desired, is sinceritie of heart, or a readie and constant purpose and indeauour not to sinne in any thing, but to doe Gods wil, so