serve for our direction when we style him, _Our Father_, in prayer.
Unregenerate persons, when they pray to God, can ascend no higher than
what is contained in their relation to him as a God of nature, and of
providence; who are obliged to adore him for the blessings which they
have received from him, as the effects of common bounty, which include
in them all the blessings which belong to this life, together with his
patience, forbearance, and long-suffering, which delays to inflict the
punishment that sin deserves. Therefore, when they say, _Our Father_,
they acknowledge that they derive their being from him, and though they
cannot lay claim to the benefits of Christ’s redemption, yet they
confess their obligations to God as their Creator; and consider him as
having given them souls capable of spiritual blessings, and themselves
as daily receiving the good things of this life from him, and dependent
on him for those things that tend to the comfort and support of life.
They also stand in need of those blessings which are suited to the
nature of the soul, and consequently beg that they may not remain
destitute of those things that may conduce to their everlasting welfare;
and therefore they may use the Psalmist’s words, _Thy hands have made
me, and fashioned me: Give me understanding, that I may learn thy
commandments_, Psal. cxix. 73.
As for those who are God’s children, by an external covenant-relation,
there is something more implied therein, than barely their being
creatures; for herein they are led to adore him for those discoveries
that he has made in the gospel, of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ,
who calls and invites sinners to come to him, and encourages them to
hope, that those who are enabled to do so in a right manner, he will, in
no wise, cast out; therefore, when they call upon God as their Father in
prayer, it is, in effect, to say; Lord, we cannot conclude ourselves to
be thy children, as redeemed, effectually called and sanctified; nor can
we lay claim to the inheritance laid up for thy saints in heaven; yet we
are encouraged to wait on thee in the ordinances of thine appointment,
and to hope for thy special presence therein, whereby they may be made
effectual for our salvation. We are, indeed, destitute of special grace,
and cannot conclude that we have a right to the saving blessings of the
covenant; yet, through thy great goodness, we still enjoy the means of
grace. We have not been admitted to partake of Christ’s fulness, nor to
eat of the bread of life; yet we are thankful for those blessings of thy
house, which thou art pleased to continue to us; and since thou still
includest us in the number of those who are thy children as favoured
with the gospel, we humbly take leave, upon this account, to call thee
our Father, and to wait and hope for thy salvation, and continue to
implore that grace from thee, which will give us a right to the best of
blessings that we stand in need of.[113]
As for those who are God’s children in the highest sense, by redemption,
regeneration, and adoption, they may draw nigh to him, with an holy
boldness; for these have, as the apostle expresseth it, the _Spirit of
adoption whereby they cry, Abba, Father_; they have reason to adore him
for privileges of the highest nature, that he has conferred upon them,
and to encourage themselves that he will bestow upon them all the
blessings they stand in need of as to this, or a better world. These may
draw nigh to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and their
interest therein; which they ought to take notice of and improve, in
order to their drawing nigh to him, in a right manner, in prayer, as
well as to induce them to behave themselves, in the whole course of
their conversation, as those who are taken into this honourable relation
to him. Accordingly,
[1.] This should raise their admiring thoughts of him, that they, who
were, by nature, strangers and enemies to him, should be admitted to
partake of this inestimable privilege; as the apostle says, _Behold what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God!_ 1 John iii. 1.
[2.] We should also take encouragement from hence, to hope that he will
hear and answer our prayers, though very imperfect, so far as it may
tend to his glory and our real advantage. Thus our Saviour says, _If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how
much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to
them that ask him?_ Matt. vii. 11. Do we pray for spiritual blessings,
such as the increase of grace, strength against corruption, and to be
kept from temptation, or falling by it? we have ground to conclude that
these shall be granted us, inasmuch as they are purchased for us by
Christ, promised in the covenant of grace, as we have the earnest and
first-fruits of the Spirit in our hearts, whereby we are sealed unto the
day of redemption. And when we pray for temporal blessings, we have
reason to hope they shall be granted, if they be necessary for us, since
our Saviour says, _Our heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all
these things_, Matt. vi. 32.
[3.] This should excite in us those child-like dispositions, which are
agreeable to this relation, not only when we draw nigh to God in prayer,
but in the whole conduct of our lives. And it includes in it,
_1st_, Humility and reverence, which is not only becoming those who have
an interest in his love, and a liberty of access into his presence, with
hope of acceptance in his sight; but it is what we are obliged to, as
his peculiar people, and a branch of that honour which is due to him as
our God and Father. Thus he says, by the prophet, _A son honoureth his
father_, Mal. i. 6. whereby he intimates that this is the character and
disposition of those that stand in the relation of children to him. And
the apostle argues from the less to the greater, when he says, that _we
have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of
Spirits_, Heb. xii. 9.
_2dly_, Patience under rebukes, considering our proneness to go astray,
whereby we not only deserve them, but they are rendered necessary; and
especially when we consider that they flow from love, and are designed
for our good; as the apostle says, _Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth_, ver. 6.
_3dly_, Another child-like disposition is being grieved for our Father’s
frowns; especially that we have incurred his displeasure by our
misbehaviour towards him; and it contains in it a readiness to confess
our faults, and a carefulness to avoid them for the future.
_4thly_, Contentment with the provision of our Father’s house, whatever
it be. We shall never, indeed, have the least cause to complain of
scarcity, as the returning prodigal in the parable says, that even the
_hired servants of his father, had bread enough, and to spare_, Luke xv.
17. It can hardly be supposed that he who is at the fountain head, can
perish for thirst; nevertheless, though we are not straitened in God,
yet we are often straitened in our bowels, through the weakness of our
faith, when we are not inclined to receive what God holds forth to us in
the gospel; and then we are discontented and uneasy, while the blame
lies at our own door; whereas, if we behaved ourselves as the children
of such a Father, we should not only be pleased with, but constantly
adore and live upon that fulness of grace that there is in Christ; and
whether he is pleased to give us more or less of the blessings of common
providence, we should learn, _in whatsoever state we are, therewith to
be content_, Phil. iv. 11.
_5thly_, Obedience to a father’s commands, without disputing his
authority, or right to govern us, is another child-like disposition.
Thus when we draw nigh to God as to our Father, we are to express a
readiness to do whatever he requires, whereby we not only approve
ourselves subjects under a law, but, as the apostle styles it, _Obedient
children_, as being _holy in all manner of conversation_, 1 Pet. i. 14,
15.
_6thly_, Another disposition of children is, that they have a fervent
zeal for their father’s honour, and cannot bear to hear him reproached
without the highest resentment. Thus the children of God, how much
soever they may be concerned about their own affairs, when injuriously
treated by the world, are always ready to testify their utmost dislike
of every thing that reflects dishonour on him, or his ways.
_7thly_, Another child-like disposition is love, which the relation of a
father engages to. Thus when we draw nigh to God as our Father, we
express our love to him, which is founded in his divine excellencies,
which render him the object of the highest delight and esteem.
_8thly_, He that has a child-like disposition, retains a grateful sense
of the obligations that he is under to his Father. Thus we ought to be
duly sensible of all the favours which we have received from God, which
are more than can be numbered; the contrary hereunto, is reckoned the
basest ingratitude and disingenuity, altogether unbecoming the temper of
children. Thus Moses says to Israel, _Do ye thus requite the Lord, O
foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy Father who hath bought thee?
hath he not made, and established thee?_ Deut. xxxii. 6. A believer’s
obligations to God are so very great, that he cannot look back upon his
former state, or consider what he was, how vile and unworthy of any
regard from him, how miserable and unable to help himself, when he first
had compassion on him, without seeing himself under the strongest
engagements to be entirely, and for ever, his; which is a becoming
behaviour towards such a Father.
_9thly_, Love to all that are related to us as children of the same
Father, is another child-like disposition. In like manner our love to
the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, is a temper becoming the
children of God; and, indeed, it is no other than a loving God in them,
as we behold his image instamped upon them; and hereby we express the
high esteem we have for regenerating grace, whereby God is denominated
our common Father; and we, being acted by the same principle, are
obliged and inclined to love as brethren. Thus they who love God, are
induced to love his children, as the apostle says, _Every one that
loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him_, 1 John
v. 1. and he also assigns this as an evidence that _we are passed from
death to life, because we love the brethren_, chap. iii. 14. Thus
concerning our drawing nigh to God, as to a Father, as we are taught to
do in this prayer.
2. We are directed, in this prayer, to draw nigh to God, as being in
heaven; which is the most glorious part of the frame of nature, in which
his power, wisdom, and goodness is eminently displayed, as he designed
it to be an eternal habitation for the best of creatures, to whom he
would discover more of his glory than to any others; and in this respect
it is called his _throne_, Acts vii. 49. And this leads us,
(1.) To have high and awful thoughts of the majesty and greatness of
God, whom all the hosts of heaven worship, with the utmost reverence,
and are satisfied with the immense treasure of his goodness. We
therefore take occasion from hence to admire his infinite condescension,
that he will look upon creatures here below; thus Solomon, in his prayer
says, _Will God, indeed, dwell on the earth? behold the heaven, and the
heaven of heavens cannot contain thee_, 1 Kings viii. 27. will he
therefore look down upon those, who are so mean, deformed, and destitute
of his image, as we are, who dwell in houses of clay, and deserve to be
banished out of his sight?
(2.) It should also be improved by us to teach us humility and modesty,
in our conceptions and discourse, concerning God, and divine things: It
is but a little that we know of the affairs of the upper world, and the
way and manner in which God is pleased to manifest himself to his saints
and angels there; and we know much less of his divine perfections, which
the inhabitants of heaven adore, being sensible of the infinite distance
they stand at from him, as creatures, upon which account they cannot
comprehend, or find out the Almighty to perfection; and shall we pretend
to search out the secrets of his wisdom, or express ourselves in prayer,
as though we were speaking to one that was our equal, or could fathom
the infinite depths of his unsearchable counsels? Thus Solomon’s advice
may be well adapted to this case, _Be not rash with thy mouth, and let
not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in
heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few_, 1 Kings
viii. 27. We are not to think that we may say what we please, or be rash
and inconsiderate in what we say, when we are _before the Lord; for he
is in heaven_: And when it is farther inferred, that _therefore our
words should be few_, that is, we should not think that the efficacy of
our prayers depends upon the multitude of our words; or if we speak more
or less to God, our expressions ought not to be bold, rash, hasty, or
inconsiderate, but with a becoming decency and reverence, as those who
are speaking to the majesty of heaven.
(3.) It should put us upon meditating frequently on the glory of the
heavenly state, as those who hope at last, to be joined with that happy
and numerous assembly, who are, in God’s immediate presence, in heaven:
and therefore our conversation should be there; and we should profess
ourselves to be sojourners here on earth, seeking a better country,
looking and waiting for the glorious appearing of the great God, our
Saviour; and hoping, that when he comes, he will receive us to heaven,
where our hearts are at present, as our treasure is there.
3. We are, in this prayer, farther taught, that it is our duty to pray
with, and for others, as we say, _Our Father_: Hereby we signify our
relation to, and concern for, all the members of Christ’s mystical body;
therefore, if we do not join with others in prayer, we are to have them
upon our hearts, who are the objects of Christ’s special love and care.
This argues, that we have a sympathy with all those who are exposed to
the same wants and miseries with ourselves; and we take a great deal of
delight in considering them as subjects of the same common Lord, joining
in the same profession with ourselves; concerning whom, we desire and
hope that we shall be glorified together.
Moreover, if we join with others in prayer, so that the whole assembly
make their supplications by one that is their mouth, to God; this is
what we call social worship: Therefore it is our duty to pray with, as
well as for others; and in this case we must take heed that nothing be
contained in united prayer, but what the whole assembly may join in, as
being expressive of their faith, desires, or experiences; otherwise
there cannot be that beautiful harmony therein, such as the nature and
design of the duty we are jointly engaged in, calls for: and this is
agreeable to social or united prayers, in which all the petitions are to
be adapted to the particular case of every one who addresses himself to
God, how numerous soever the worshipping assembly may be; and therefore
we are obliged to make use of that mode of expression, in which we are
taught to say, _Our Father_.
Thus our Saviour directs us how we should begin our prayers to God; and,
inasmuch as this ought to be reduced to practice, I shall give a summary
account of what is contained in this preface; that we may be furnished
with matter taken from thence, in order to our addressing ourselves to
God in prayer, in a way agreeable thereunto, when we come into his
presence with such a frame of spirit as the importance of the duty
requires; accordingly we are to express ourselves to this purpose, “O
our God, we desire to draw nigh to thee with a becoming reverence, and
an awful sense of thine infinite perfections: When we consider thee as a
jealous God, and ourselves as sinful, guilty creatures, we might well be
afraid to come before thee; but thou hast encouraged us to approach thy
presence as to a Father, in, and through the merits and mediation of our
Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore we come with an humble boldness before
thy throne of grace, confessing that though we are called thy children,
we have been very undutiful and rebellious against thee, and therefore
unworthy of that relation or of the inheritance which thou hast laid up
for those whom thou hast ordained to eternal life. Thou, O Lord, hast
established thy throne in the heavens, where there is an innumerable
company of angels and spirits of just men made perfect, who all behold
thy face, and are made completely blessed in thine immediate presence:
As for us, we dwell in houses of clay; but we earnestly beg that we may
be made meet for, and then admitted into that happy society, that we may
worship thee in a more perfect manner than we are capable of doing in
this imperfect state. May all the powers and faculties of our souls be
renewed, and influenced by thy holy Spirit, that we may have our
conversation in heaven, whilst we are here below, and in all things, may
be enabled to approve ourselves thy children, have a constant sense of
duty, and the manifold obligations thou hast laid us under, that we may
love, delight in, and submit to thee in all things, and have a fervent
zeal for the honour of thy name as becomes thy children, that we,
together with all thy faithful servants, may be under thy safe
protection here, and be received to thy glory hereafter.”
Footnote 113:
Qu. For _Father_ is designed in its appellative sense, and _our_ as a
covenant-plea.
Quest. CXC.
QUEST. CXC. _What do we pray for the first petition?_
ANSW. In the first petition [which is, _Hallowed be thy Name_,]
acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in
ourselves and all men to honour God aright, we pray that God would,
by his grace, enable and incline us, and others, to know, to
acknowledge, and highly to esteem him, his titles, attributes,
ordinances, word, works, and whatsoever he is pleased to make
himself known by, and to glorify him in thought, word, and deed;
that he would prevent and remove atheism, ignorance, idolatry,
profaneness, and whatsoever is dishonourable to him; and, by his
over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own
glory.
Having considered the preface to the Lord’s prayer, the next part of
which it consists, is petitions; and these are six, which are laid down
in this method.
1. We are taught to pray for what concerns God’s glory, which is the
highest and most valuable end; and therefore ought first to be prayed
for: And this is the subject-matter of the three first petitions.
2. We are directed to pray for what respects our own advantage, which is
contained in the three last petitions, in which we are directed to pray
for outward blessings, as in the fourth petition, and then for
spiritual, without which outward blessings would afford us no relish or
savour, nor render us truly happy. These spiritual blessings include in
them either forgiveness of sin, and this we pray for in the fifth
petition; or our being sanctified and delivered from the prevalency of
corruption and temptation, together with all the evils that sin exposes
us to; this we pray for in the sixth petition. That which we are more
particularly to consider in this answer, is, what we are taught to pray
for in the first petition, which is contained in these words, _Hallowed
be thy name_. By the _name_ of God we are to understand every thing, by
which he is pleased to make himself known to his creatures, as when he
discovers himself in his divine perfections, which are either essential
or personal, absolute or relative; and in his glorious titles, as the
Lord of Hosts, the God and Rock of Israel, the hope of Israel, the God
that cannot lye, the Father of mercies, the God of all grace and glory,
the preserver of man; which have all a tendency to raise in us the
highest veneration for, and esteem of him. He has also made himself
known by his ordinances, words, and works: These are the subject-matter
of this petition; and when we pray that they may be sanctified, we are
not to understand hereby that they may be made holy; but that the
holiness and glory thereof may be demonstrated by him, and that we may
be enabled to adore and magnify him agreeably thereunto.
Now the name of God may be said to be sanctified either by himself or by
his people in different respects; accordingly,
I. We pray that God would sanctify, that is, demonstrate the glory of
his own name, or proclaim and make it visible to the world, so as to
excite that adoration and esteem which is due to him. His name, indeed,
has been eminently glorified in all ages, in the various methods of his
providence and grace; whereby his power, wisdom, and goodness have been
illustrated in the eyes of angels and men; and, in all his works, he has
appeared to be a God of infinite holiness: We therefore pray that he
would continue to glorify these perfections, and enable us to improve
the displays thereof to our spiritual advantage.
This is a subject of the highest importance, without which we cannot
give to God the glory due unto his name; therefore, as praise is joined
with prayer, it is necessary for us to take a view of the various ways
by which God has manifested the glory of his holiness. We might here
consider how he did this in his creating man at first, without the least
blemish or disposition in his nature to sin, and enstamped his own image
upon him, which principally consisted in holiness, which was the
greatest internal beauty and ornament that he could be endowed with.
But that which we shall principally consider, is, how the holiness of
God is demonstrated in his dealings with fallen man. His suffering sin
to enter into the world, was not inconsistent with the holiness of his
nature, since his providence, as has been observed elsewhere, was not
conversant about it, by bringing any under a natural necessity of
sinning; and therefore there is not the least ground to charge him, with
being the author of sin. We now proceed to shew how the holiness of God
was glorified in the dispensations of his providence towards fallen man,
and in the methods he took in order to his recovery.
1. The holiness of God was glorified, or he sanctified his great name,
in the dispensations of his providence towards fallen man, before he
gave him any hope of salvation. It cannot be supposed that this
rebellion against, and apostacy from God, should not be highly resented
by him; accordingly we read of his proceeding against the rebel as a
judge, charging his crime upon him, and passing sentence pursuant to the
demerit of his sin; and all the miseries that we are exposed to, either
in this life, or that which is to come, are the result of the display of
his holiness, as a sin-revenging Judge. As soon as ever our first
parents sinned against him, he charged the guilt thereof on their
consciences, and thereby filled them with a dread of his wrath: Hence
proceeded an inclination to flee from his presence; and when they heard
the voice of the Lord coming to call them to an account for what they
had done, they were afraid.
This is God’s usual method in dealing with sinful creatures: He first
convinces them of sin by the law, and awakens the conscience, so that
his terrors are set in array against it round about, before he speaks
good and comfortable words by the gospel: And by this means he
sanctifies his name, and thereby discovers his infinite hatred of all
sin: but we shall principally consider,