صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

thou hast, in the various dispensations of thy providence; and in all thine holy institutions, set forth the glory of thy perfections that thou mayest be adored and magnified by thy creatures; this we own with thankfulness at the same time that we desire the continuance thereof. And when we pray, Give us daily bread; we do, in effect, acknowledge the bounty of his providence, from whence we receive all the comforts of life, and the large share thereof, which he has communicated to us, whereby our wants have hitherto been supplied. This, I say, is an implicit direction for thanksgiving. But if our Saviour had designed that it should be a perfect form of words, to be used without varying in the least from them, he would have given us some more full and direct account of what sins we are to acknowledge, and what mercies we are to thank him for, which is more plainly contained in some other scriptures, than it can be supposed to be in this prayer; therefore, it seems to be principally designed as a rule for our direction what we are to ask for; or how that part of prayer, which includes in it petition, ought to be performed, agreeably to the mind and will of God.

Moreover, there is no explicit mention of the Mediator, in whose name we are to pray; nor of his obedience, sufferings, or intercession, on which the efficacy of our prayers is founded, which our faith is to have a great regard unto. These things therefore are to be supplied by what we find in other parts of scripture, all which, taken together, give us a perfect directory for prayer; though neither this, nor any other prayers used in scripture, sufficiently appear to have been designed as a form of words which we are to confine ourselves to, without the least variation from them.

As to what is observed in the latter of the answers, under our present consideration, viz. that the Lord's prayer is not only for direction, as a pattern, but may be used as a prayer, provided it be done in a right manner. It is granted that the Lord's prayer is of use, as a pattern and rule for our direction, in common with all other prayers contained in scripture; but the main difficulty relating to this matter, is, whether our Saviour designed that his disciples, and the church, in all following ages, should confine themselves to the words thereof, so far as that the mode of expression should not be, in the least, altered, or any thing added to the petitions contained therein, how agreeable soever it be to the sense, and words of scripture. This does not seem to have been his intention therein; and, as it will not be denied by any, that every one of the petitions contained in it, may be interspersed and joined with other petitions to God in prayer, so, when this has been done, or, at least, the sense thereof expressed in other words, it will

[ocr errors]

be very hard to prove that it is absolutely necessary that these petitions should be recollected, and prayed over again, in the same method in which they are laid down in this prayer, barely for the sake of our making use of it as a form; especially if this is not expressly commanded by our Saviour, as it does not sufficiently appear to be, if what was before observed be true, that those words, When we pray, say, Our Father, &c. implies nothing else but, pray after this manner.

However, I would be very far from censuring or blaming the practice observed by many of the reformed churches, who conclude their ex tempore, or premeditated prayers with it, provided it be done with understanding, reverence, and suitable acts of faith, as any other petition contained in scripture may be made use of by us in prayer; not only in words agreeable thereunto, but in the express words thereof. The principal thing that I would militate against, is not so much the using the words, as doing this in a formal way, supposing that the bare recital of them doth, as it were, sanctify our other prayers; which, though very agreeable to the sense thereof, are, as some suppose, rendered so incomplete, that they will hardly be regarded by God without it. And I cannot but conclude the Papists highly to blame, who think the frequent repetition of it, though in a tongue unknown to the common people, is not only necessary, but, in some measure, meritorious. And the practice of some ignorant superstitious persons, who think that it may be made use of as a charm; and that the words thereof repeated, as the Jews of old did their Phylacteries, as a means to drive away evil spirits, is not only to be disapproved, but it is a vile instance of profaneness, very remote from the design of our Saviour in giving it.

QUEST. CLXXXVIII. Of how many parts doth the Lord's prayer consist?

ANSW. The Lord's prayer consists of three parts, a preface, petitions, and a conclusion.

QUEST. CLXXXIX. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?

ANSW. The preface of the Lord's prayer [contained in these words, Our Father which art in heaven] teacheth us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and our interest therein, with reverence, and all other child-like dispositions, heavenly affections, and due ap

prehensions of his Sovereign power, majesty, and gracious condescension; as also to pray with, and for others.

N this prayer we are taught to begin our prayers with a

name of God, and some of his divine perfections. The preface to this prayer is contained in these words; Our Father which art in heaven. In which we may observe, that we are to draw near to God with reverence, and suitable apprehensions of his sovereign power, majesty, and other divine perfections, and with an holy confidence of his fatherly goodness; and that we are to pray with, and for others, which may be inferred from his being styled, Our Father; by which we are instructed to begin our prayers with some expressions of reverence, agreeable to the nature of the duty that we are engaged in, whereby we express the sense we have of his essential or relative glory, of which we have various instances in scripture, wherein God's people, in addressing themselves to him, have made mention of his glorious names, titles, and attributes, in variety of expressions. Thus David, in his Psalms, that contain the matter and form of prayers, sometimes begins them with the name of God, to whom they are directed; as when he says, God be merciful unto us, and bless us, &c. Psal. Ixvii. 1. And elsewhere, O God! thou art my God, Psal. Ixiii. 1. And sometimes he makes mention of his name Jehovah; which we translate Lord: Thus he says, O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, &c. Psal. xxxviii. 1. And elsewhere, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength, Psal. xviii. 1. And, O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy nume in all the earth, Psal. viii. 1. And Solomon begins his prayer at the consecration of the temple; Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above, or earth beneath; who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart, 1 Kings viii. 23. And Ezra begins his prayer, O my God! I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God! Ezra ix. 6. And Daniel expresses himself thus, in the preface to his prayer, Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant, and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments, Dan. ix. 4. These are all expressions, that denote reverence, and adoration; which, together with other instances of the like nature, are of use for our direction, as to what respects the preface, or beginning of our prayers to God; but the preface to the Lord's prayer is somewhat different; in which we are taught,

1. To address ourselves to God as a Father; which relation includes in it,

(1.) Something common to mankind in general; in which

[ocr errors]

respect we are to adore him as our Creator, our Owner, and Benefactor, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, Acts xvii. 28. as the prophet says, Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us? Mal. ii. 10. And elsewhere it is said, He formeth the spirit of man within him, Zech. xii. 1. upon which account he is called, the God of the spirits of all flesh, Numb. xvi. 22. and, the Father of spirits, Heb. xii. 9.

(2.) God being a Father to his people, sometimes denotes that external covenant-relation which they stand in to him, as a people called by his name, favoured with the means of grace, and as such, the objects of that care and goodness, which he is pleased to extend to those whom he governs by laws given by special revelation from heaven, and encourages to wait on him in those ordinances, in which they may hope for his presence, and also promises all saving blessings to those that give up themselves to him by faith. In this sense we are to understand those scriptures, in which God says, Israel is my son, even my first-born, Exod. iv. 22. And, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me, Isa. i. 2. And, Wilt thou not, from this time cry to me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth, Jer. iii. 4.

(3.) The relation which God stands in to his people, as a Father, is sometimes taken in the highest sense, as implying in it discriminating grace, or special love, which he is pleased to extend to the heirs of salvation. Thus he is called so by right of redemption; in which respect Christ is styled, The everlasting Father, Isa. ix. 6. as being the Head and Redeemer of his people. And the church says, Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting, chap. Ixiii. 16. And believers are called his children by regeneration; in which respect they are said to be born of God, John i. 13. and to be made partakers of a divine, 2 Pet. i. 4. that is, an holy and spiritual nature, which had its rise from God, when he was pleased to instamp his image upon them, consisting in holiness and righteousness. They are also called the children of God by adoption; thus he is said to have predestinated them to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, Eph. i. 5. and they are said to receive the adoption of sons, Gal. iv. 5. and as such, have a right to the inheritance of children, Rom. viii. 17. compared with Col. i. 12.

These various senses in which God is said to be a Father to man, may 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 VOL. IV.

Z z

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 cove nant-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 effec tual 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 in cludest us in the number of those who are thy children as favoured with the gospel, we humbly take leave, upon this ac count, 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. (a)

As for those who are God's children in the highest sense, by

(a) Qu. For Father is designed in its appellative sense, and our as a covenantplea.

« السابقةمتابعة »