A godly and learned treatise of prayer which both conteineth in it the doctrine of prayer, and also sheweth the practice of it in the exposition of the Lords prayer: by that faithfull and painfull servant of God George Downame, Doctr of Divinity, and late L. Bishop of Dery in the realm of Ireland.

The order.

THis petition is a consequent of the former: For then doth God reigne in the hearts of men when they subject and submit themselves to his will. Therefore as in the former petition we desired that the Lord would reigne in us, so here we pray that we may shew our selves to be his subjects by per∣forming his will. For these two are relatives; if he our King, then we his subjects. And therefore here∣by we may discern whether the Lord doth reigne in us, if we have a true desire and endeavour to do his will. And therefore our Saviour Christ, Matth. 6. 33. as he doth bid us to seek first and principally the kingdome of God, so also his righteousnesse.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, will, signifieth three things: either 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which willeth; or 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the •…•…illing; or 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the thing willed.

1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which willeth, in the creatures is the faculty of the mind whereby it willeth: But in God, whose nature is most simple, and in whom there is nothing which is not himself, it is his es∣sence. In this sense, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dei e•…•… es•…•…entia Dei v•…•…∣lens, the will of God is the •…•…ssence of God wil∣ling.

2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the willi•…•…g, in the creatures is the act or function of willing proceeding from the faculty: But in the Lord both the act of willing and the faculty whereby he willeth is his essence. There∣fore as his essence is one and eternall, so his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his willing, is one and eternall, and without succes∣sion. And therefore whatsoever God hath willed, doth, or shall will, that he willeth with one and the same everlasting act of willing. For as u•…•… actu in∣telligendi unóque intuitu omnia intelligit; so also uno act•…•… volendi omnia vult qua vult: for as with one act of understanding and one view he understandeth all things, so with one act of willing, he willeth all that he willeth. Out of which appeareth the unchange∣ablenesse of his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his willing. For whereas in ours there is a change, when either we will that which before we did not, or leave to will that which before we desired; God by one eternall act of wil∣ling willeth all things, and therefore neither begin∣neth to will that which before he did not, nor lea∣veth to will that which once he willed. The consi∣deration whereof ought to be 1. A stay and com∣fort

to Gods children in any distresse, seeing there doth nothing happen unto them which the Lord hath not willed from everlasting, and that for his glory and their good; 2. An argument of thanks∣giving unto the Lord, who before we were willed so well unto us; 3. A confirmation of faith in his pro∣mises, because wh•…•… he loveth he loveth to the end; neither is he as man that he should repent. For how∣soever repentance be sometime ascribed unto him, yet this and the like passions 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are spoken after the manner of men, but must be understood according to the majesty of God. And as sometimes repentance is affirmed of God, so also many times it is denied. Where it is de∣nied, it is to be ascribed to the immutability of his will; where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is affirmed, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 acti•…•…is, to the efficacy of his action.

3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the thing willed, which o•…•…ten∣times in the Script•…•…re is called his will, John 6. 39, 40. 1. The•…•…. 4. 3. And in this sense the testament is called the will of the testatour.

The thing that God willet•…•… properly and per se is* 1.1 good, howsoever unproperly & by accid•…•…nt he wil∣leth that which is evil (non quid•…•…m faoere sed, fieri) not to do it but to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it to be done, as it is r•…•…ferred to good ends, vi•…•…. his glory and our good. Bonum est esse malum, It is good there should be evil, that both the glory of Gods •…•…cy in saving •…•…s and of his justice in p•…•…ishing o•…•…r sinnes in Christ might ap∣pear: But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Lord willeth not it, but the end: as when a man is content that some part of •…•…is body should be seared, he doth not properly

desire the searing of the part but the health of his body.

The things willed are either God himself* 1.2 and those things which pertein to himself, as his glory, &c. or the creatures, and such things as be∣long unto them. Himself he willeth most proper∣ly: for if bonum cognitum, known good, be the pro∣per object of will, then primum & supremum bonum, the first and supreme good, which is himself, is most properly the object thereof. His creatures he wil∣leth and such things as concern them as means refer∣red to this end, Rom. 11. 36. Prov. 16. 4. Himself he willeth by absolute necessity, not indeed of con∣straint but of nature: for most willingly he willeth. His creatures he willeth most freely, having liberty either to will them or to nill them. Howbeit things willed come to passe by necessity, not absolute but ex hypothesi voluntatis Divinae, on the condition of Gods will. Now God willeth the means, not there∣by to perfect the end, which is himself, or to pur∣chase any good to himself: for he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, most perfect, and doth not stand in need of any of his crea∣tures, Psal. 16. 2. but he willeth them propter se com∣municandum, that they by the communication of himself unto them may be perfected. Omnia ordi∣nantur infinem ut à fine perficiantur, All things are or∣dained unto an end that from the end they may be perfected. So that he willeth and willeth well to his creatures for their good and not for his own: which commendeth the riches of his love towards us.

But to proceed; Those things that God willeth

concerning his creatures are either quae fieri vult de creaturis, aut quae fieri vult à creaturis, the things that he will have done concerning the creatures, or the things which he will have done of the creatures: the knowledge of both which must be sought after so farre forth as it hath pleased him to reveal the same or promised to reveal it, Deut. 29. 29. Rom. 12. 2. That which is voluntas beneplaciti concern∣ing the creatures is the will of his good pleasure; which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Matth. 11. 25, 26. and decre∣tum Dei, the decree of God. The which is partly secret, which the Lord will not have foreknown; and therefore we must religiously adore it, not cu∣riously search it, Rom. 11. 33, 34. Acts 1. 7. John 21. 23. partly revealed. And this decretum Dei, decree of God, is either universall, concerning the govern∣ment of the world; or more speciall, concerning the salvation of the elect or damnation of the repro∣bate. The former revealed in part, both beforehand to the Prophets, and also by the events: the latter revealed by his Sonne in the Gospel, John 6. 40. Eph. 1. 5. What this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, good pleasure, of God is, not onely towards the elect in generall but also to∣wards himself, every Christian ought to know. For besides that it is declared in the Scriptures, sealed by the Sacraments, confirmed by his daily benefits, the holy Ghost also revealeth this knowledge unto us, 1. Cor. 2. 10, 12. Rom. 8. 39. Gal. 20. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 5.

The will which God willeth to be performed of us, is voluntas signi, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which is well-pleasing, Col. 1. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which is acceptable, Ephes. 5.

10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, That will of God which is good, acceptable, and perfect, Rom. 12. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This will we are bound to know, Eph. 5. 17. because he hath revealed it in his word, be∣cause we are to practice it, and according to it as the rule of justice are to frame and fashion our wills; not onely to will the same things, but also after the same manner, with love unfeigned; to the same ends, seeking the glory of God, and the good of our bre∣thren. And of this will doth our Saviour speak.

This in generall is whatsoever the Lord requi∣reth of us either in the Law or Gospel: But more specially there are some branches thereof recorded in the word of God. As, it is the will of God that so many as shall be saved, being adulti, come to age, shall come unto knowledge of his truth, 1. Tim. 2. 4. that a sinner should convert unto him, Ezech. 33. 11. that we should believe in Christ, 1. John 3. 23. that we should be thankfull unto him for his mercies, 1. Thess. 5. 18. that we should be sanctified, 1. Thess. 4. 3. and by weldoing stop the mouthes of the ignorant, 1. Pet. 2. 15. that we should patiently and chearfully suffer affliction, Matth. 16. 24, 25.

Unto this will of God are opposed the flesh, which is enmity against God, the desires of the world, the will of Satan, which is sinne, and what∣soever is an enemie to the performance of this will. And therefore as we are taught to pray that Gods will may be done, so also that these things which be contrary and are impediments may be remo∣ved.

Thy will: which is not onely just, but also the

rule of all justice: Not our will, nor the will of Sa∣tan, or of the world. For here we are taught to pray, that our words and our lives may be framed according to the will of God, which is the rule of justice; and that we may have grace to deny our selves and our own will, renounce the desires of the world, & resist the will of the devil; that he would create new hearts in us, and establish us by his free Spirit; that we may will and desire such things as are acceptable unto him. And surely if our Saviour Christ, whose will was pure, said, Not my will but thine be done, how much more ought we so to de∣sire?

Fiat, be done.] But here it may be demanded,* 1.3 Whether the will of the Lord be alwayes perform∣ed* 1.4 or not: and if it be, to what end serveth this prayer? and if not, how can that be verified, Isai. 46. 10. Consilium meum stabit, & omnem voluntatem me∣am faciam, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my will?

The will of God is diversly taken in the scriptures:* 1.5 For sometime it signifieth the decree of God, whereby he willeth simply and absolutely: Which is called voluntas Absoluta, Beneplaciti, Consequens, Efficax & Invicta, the Absolute will, of his Good, pleasure, Consequent, Effectuall, and Unresistable. This will of God is alwayes performed, Psal. 115. 3. Quaecunque vult facit, he doth whatsoever he will: and 135. 6. Isai. 46. 10. Omnis mea voluntas fiet, All my will shall be done. Neither is any thing able to resist this will, Isai. 14. 26, 27. Rom. 9. 19. Which also is proved by his omnipotencie. And therefore

we may truly say that voluntas Dei est omnium re∣rum necessitas, the will of God is the necessity of all things; and that in respect hereof all things come to passe necessarily, howsoever in respect of secondary causes some things are necessary and some contin∣gent. And this will is so effectuall and invincible that whatsoever happeneth cometh to passe accord∣ing to the will of God, who worketh all things accord∣ing to the counsel of his will, Ephes. 1. 11. yea, the very enemies of God when they do most oppose themselves against the will of God, do unwittingly perform it, Acts 4. 28. But hence arise two ob∣jections;

1. If that which the wicked do happen accord∣ing* 1.6 to the will of God, how can they be said to sinne?

Sinne is not the transgression of the secret and* 1.7 hidden will of God, which cannot be hindred, but of the revealed will of God, which he hath pro∣pounded as a rule to square our actions by: and therefore sinne is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the transgression of the law: Ad legem & testimonium, To the law and testi∣mony.

2. If all things come to passe as God hath willed* 1.8 and decreed, then sinne also: and how then is not God the authour of sinne?

Some things God hath decreed to do; some* 1.9 things he hath decreed to suffer to be done: Of those things which he hath decreed to do, his will is the efficient cause; as of his creatures, and all good things: Of those things which he hath onely decreed should be effected by such and such causes, his

will is not the cause, as namely sinne. And howso∣ever sin is evil, yet it is good that sinne should be, for the manifestation of the glory both of the mercy of God and also of his justice: and therefore though the Lord doth not velle peccatum per se, will sinne properly by it self, yet he doth will it per accidens, by accident, as it is referred to good ends. Again, sinne may be considered as it is malum culpae or ma∣lum poenae, an evil of fault or evil of punishment. Sinne as it is a punishment is a work of justice in him that punisheth: for it is just that he that doth com∣mit malum culpae, the evil of fault, should suffer ma∣lum poenae, the evil of punishment: as it is therefore a punishment, i. a work of justice and not sin, it is wil∣led of God the authour of all good. In sin as it is ma∣lum culpae, the evil of fault, three things do concurre: actus, macula, & reatus, the act, stain, & guilt. The acti∣on is materiale peccati, the matter of sin: the corrupti∣on is formale peccati, the form of sin: reatus est obligatio ad poenam, the guilt is the obligation to punishment; the which is just as the punishment it self. The action as it is an action severed from the corruption is good: Omne ens quatenus ens est bonum, Every being as it is a being is good: and God is the authour of it; for in him we live and move and have our being, Acts 17. 28. But of the corruption wherewith the action is stained God is not the cause. For unto every action concurreth the first cause and some se∣condary cause depending from him, as being the instrument of the first: The which instrument be∣ing bad (as many times it is) there is a double work in the action: one of the first cause, good;

the other of the instrument, evil. God then is the cause of the action, but not of the corruption; but yet useth, ordereth, disposeth the corruption of the instrument for the execution of his own good work. When the Lord gave his Sonne to death, he used Judas as his instrument. The action is the de∣livering of Christ: which as it came from God, was a most glorious work, John 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32. But quem Deus tradidit Judas prodidit, whom God delivered Judas betrayed. When God will chastise his servant, he useth some wicked man as his instru∣ment to afflict him: This affliction, as it cometh from God, is castigatio, a chastisement: but, as from the instrument, persecutio, rapina, &c. persecution, rapine, &c. A man that rideth on a lame horse is the cause why he goeth, but not why he halteth. A∣gain, Deus non est autor ejus cujus est ultor, God is not the authour of that of which he is the punisher and revenger.

Thus we see that howsoever God doth volunta∣rily permit sinne, and also useth, ordereth, and dis∣poseth the same to good ends (for such is his wis∣dome that he knoweth how to use that well which is evil) yet he cannot be said properly to will sinne, which he hateth; or to be the authour of it, which he revengeth. For this priviledge Gods will hath, Whatsoever it willeth it is therefore good: but sinne as it is sinne cannot be good.

But to return to my purpose: That this absolute* 1.10 will of God be performed we need not to pray, un∣lesse it be to shew our affection to Gods glory, and conformity & submission to his will: As in the time

of affliction, The will of the Lord be done. Neither in∣deed doth our Saviour speak of it; as appeareth by the clause following, in earth as it is in heaven.

Secondly therefore, the will of God which he requireth to be done of his creatures, quatenus prae∣cipit vel prohibet, so farre forth as he commandeth or forbiddeth, which is therefore called voluntas Revelata, Conditionalis, Signi, Antecedens, Inefficax, non quatenus promittit vel minatur absque conditione, est decreti revelatio, the Revealed will, Conditio∣nall, of the Signe, Antecedent, Inesficacious, not as he promiseth or threatneth, and without condition, is the revelation of the decree.

Now the word of God is called voluntas signi, the will of the signe, because it signifieth what our duty is, and what is acceptable unto God: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and conditionall, because it doth not shew simply what God will have done, but upon condition: Si* 1.11 vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata; Si vis servari, crede, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the com∣mandments; If thou wilt be saved, believe: and in∣efficax, uneffectuall, because it is not alwayes per∣formed: Fit voluntas Dei de omnibus, non ab omni∣bus, The will of God is done concerning all, though not of all.

To do the will of God, is in respect of the matter, to perform that which he commandeth, after the same manner, to the same end that he appointeth: but if you look into our weakenesse, this doing of Gods will by us is especially to be understood of the will and endeavour, which the Lord in his chil∣dren accepteth as the deed. Precamur & optamus, ut

non tantùm faciat Deus quod vult, sed nos facere pos∣simus* 1.12 quod vult: We pray and wish not onely that God do what he will, but that we may be able to do what he will.

Whereas therefore this will of God is con∣temned of men, oppugned by the flesh, the world & the devil, and yet must of necessity be obeyed of us, if either we would be subjects of the kingdome of grace or inheritours of the kingdome of glory, great cause there is why we should instantly make this prayer, &c.

In earth] that is, by us men on earth, and con∣sequently, as Paul speaketh Tit. 2. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in this present world. So as Oecumenius saith on that place, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, For this life susteineth the fight; but the life to come shall receive the reward. In this life eternall life is ei∣ther won or lost: In this life we must do the will of God, or else we shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven, Matth. 7. 22. According to that which every man doth in the flesh shall he be judged, 2. Cor. 5. 10. And therefore whilest we have time let us do good, re∣membring* 1.13 that the Lord hath placed us here on the earth for a short time to do his will: which time if we let passe without repentance, and turning to God, and doing his will, afterwards it will be too late.

As it is in heaven] that is, as the Angels in heaven do perform it. And they perform Gods will, Psal. 103. 20, 21. 1. Scienter, knowingly. 2. Sincerely and uprightly. 3. Willingly and chearfully. 4. Rea∣dily, expecting the beck of the Lord, Matth. 18.

For which cause they are said to stand before the Lord, Dan. 7. 10. Revel. 5. 11. 5. Speedily, without de∣lay: For which cause wings are attributed unto them. 6. Fully, and not by halves. 7. Constantly, till the Lord bid them cease. 8. Faithfully, doing all to Gods glory, assuming no glory to themselves, Revel. 19. 10.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] As, here signifieth not equality but simili∣tude; as 1. John 3. 3. For if we should understand it of equality, we should pray for an impossibility, Eccles 7. 20. No man on the earth doth good, and sinneth not. True it is indeed, that we should con∣tend and aspire towards angelicall perfection; al∣though whilest we are on the earth we cannot at∣tein thereunto.

In this petition therefore we pray that we may perform the will of God on earth after an heaven∣ly and angelicall manner.

Of this obedience there are two degrees: the mat∣ter and manner. First we will speak of the obedi∣ence it self; and then of the manner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  All that God willeth is properly good.
• * 1.2

  Of the things which God willeth.
• * 1.3

  Quest.
• * 1.4

  Whether Gods will be alwayes done.
• * 1.5

  Answ.
• * 1.6

  How can the wicked sin, seeing they do Gods will?
• * 1.7

  Answ.
• * 1.8

  How sinne is by Gods decree.
• * 1.9

  Answ.
• * 1.10

  Gods secret and absolute will is not here meant.
• * 1.11

  John 6. 4•…•….
• * 1.12

  Cyprian.
• * 1.13

  Gal. 6. 10.