LECTURE XXX.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name.

HE Prayer, which our bleffed Saviour taught

For no

And

This Difciples, doth not need to be explained, as being, in itself, and originally, obfcure." Words could be more intelligible to his Apoftles, than all thofe, which he hath ufed throughout it. even to Us now, there is Nothing that deferves the Name of difficult; notwithstanding the Diftance of Time, the Change of Circumftances, and the different Nature and Turn of the Jewish Tongue from our own. But ftill in order to apprehend it fufficiently, there is requifite fome Knowledge of Religion, and the Language of Religion. Befides, as we all learnt it when we were young, whilft we had but little Underftanding, and lefs attention; it is not impoffible, but fome of us may have gone on repeating it to an advanced Age, without confidering it near fo carefully as we ought. And this very Thing, that the Words are fo familiar to us, may have been the main Occafion, that we have fcarce ever thought of their Import. Now we are fenfible it would be a great Unhappiness to have our Devotions as the Church of Rome have the principal Part of theirs, in a Language that we could not understand. But furely it is as great a Fault, if, when we may so easily understand them, we do not; or if, though we do understand them, when we think of the Matter, we think about it fo little, that, as to all good Purposes, it is much the fame with praying in

an unknown Tongue. The Lord's Prayer, in itself, is very clear, very expreffive, very comprehenfive. But all this is Nothing to us, if we fay it without knowing, or without minding, what we fay. For how excellent Words foever we ufe; if we add no Meaning to them, this can be no praying. And therefore, to make it really beneficial to us, we must fix deeply in our Thoughts, what it was intended by its Author to contain.

Now it confifts, you may obferve, of three Parts. I. An Invocation, or calling upon God. II. Petitions offered. III. Praifes afcribed to Him.

The Invocation is in these Words, our Father, which art in Heaven. And, few as they are, they express very fully the Grounds on which Divine Worship ftands.

As the whole World derives its Being from God, He is on that Account ftiled, the Father of all, But as rational Creatures are produced, not only by Him, but in his Image and Likeness, He is in a ftricter Senfe the Father of thefe. And therefore Angels and Men are called in Scripture, what the Animals beneath them never are, the Sons, and the Offspring of God 3 which Senfe the Prophet faith, O Lord, thou art our Father, and we are all the Work of thy Hand". Now as our Creator, he is evidently not only our Father, but alfo our Sovereign Lord.

: in

A fecond Title God hath to this Name, from that fatherly Providence and Goodnefs, which he exercises every where continually and of which Mankind hath large Experience; not only in the many Enjoyments, Comforts, and Deliverances, that He grants us, but even in the Afflictions which He fends us, always for our Benefit; then more especially dealing with us as with Children, whom He loveth s

But there is yet a third Reafon, why we call Him our Father, peculiar to us as Chriftians; and founded

1 Eph. iv. 6, 4 Ifa. Ixiv.8.

2 Job i. 6. ii. I. 5 Heb. xii. 5, &c..

xxviii. 7..

3 Acts xvii. 29.

on

on our being united by Faith to his Son our Head", and begotten again, through his Gospel, to a lively Hope, to an Inheritance referved in Heaven for us: Privileges fo invaluable, that though He is doubtlefs a Father, and a tender one, to our whole Species, yet his Word fpeaks of Us, as the only Perfons, in Comparison, that have a Right to confider him in this View. As many as received him, that is, our bleffed Saviour, to them gave He Power to become the Sons of God; even to them that believe in his Name". The Lord is good to all: but fingularly good to thofe, who become, by the Influences of the Chriftian Covenant, fingularly fit Objects of his Goodness. They have Promiles of the greatest Bleffings, to which Nothing, but Promife, can intitle: Pardon of Sin, Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, and Life eternal; by which laft they are made, in the happiest Senfe, the Children of God, being the Children of the Refurrection. Let us learn then, as often as we fay, Our Father, to magnify in our Souls, that gracious Re deemer, who hath made Him fo to us, more than He is to others. Let us often repeat the thankful Reflection of St. John, Behold what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the Sons of God": and joyfully argue, as St. Paul doth, If Children, then Heirs; Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Chrift 3.

Thus then the Words, Our Father, exprefs not only the abfolute Authority, but the unfpeakable Goodness of God and the next, which art in Heaven, acknow, ledge his Glory and Power.

I have already obferved to you, in explaining the fixth Article of the Creed, that as God cannot but be, fo He cannot but be every where: for there is Nothing in any one Part of Space to confine his Prefence to that, rather than to any other. Befides, his Providence is continually acting every where: and wherever He acts,

He is. Therefore Solomon juftly declares, The Heaven and Heaven of Ileavens cannot contain thee'. But ftill the Scriptures reprefent Him as manifefting the more vifible Tokens of his inexpreflible Majefly in one peculiar Place where He receives the Homage of his holy Angels, and iffes forth his Commands for the Government of the World. This they call his Throne 2, and Tabernacle in Heaven: of which the earthly Tabernacle of Mofes was defigned to be a Figure; being directed to be made according to the Pattern, fhewed him in the Mount". That earthly Tabernacle was honoured for a long Time with fplendid Marks of the Divine Refidence: on which Account, even after they were withdrawn, the Jews would be apt to confider God as dwelling at Jerufalem in his Temple, and fitting between the Cherubim. But our bleffed Lord, being about to abolith the Mofaic Ordinances, enlarges the views of his Difciples, and raifes them to that higher Habitation of inconceivable Glory, to which they fhould hereafter be admitted; and on which they were in the mean while to fet their Hearts, as the Seat of all Bleffedness.

But further, being in Heaven denotes likewife the almighty Power of God: agreeably to that of the Pfalmift, Our God is in the Heaven: He hath done whatsoever He pleafed. For as a higher Situation gives a íuperior Strength and Command; and accordingly in all Languages, being exalted or brought low, fignifies an Increase or Leffening of Dominion or Influence: fo re-. prefenting God, as placed above all, is defigned to exprefs, in the ftrongeft Manner, that His kingdom ruleth

over all'.

When therefore we call upon our Father which is in Heaven, we profefs to God our Belief, that He is the Author and Preferver of the Univerfe, who governs all Things with paternal Care; but extends his Favours

I 1 Kings viii. 27 3 Heb. viii. 1, 2. 6 Pfalm cxv. 3.

2 Chron. ii. 6. vi 18.

4 Heb. viii. 5. 7 Pfalm ciii. 19.

5

2 Pfalm xi. 4.

Pfalm xcix. 1.

especially

efpecially to thofe, who by imitating and obeying Him fhew themselves his true Children; and therefore moft efpecially to fuch, as having acquired, by the Merits. and Grace of his Son, the neareft Relation and Refemblance to Him, have thereby a Covenant-Right to an eternal Inheritance in that bleffed Place, where He exhibits his Glory, and reigns, poffelfed of fovereign Authority, and boundless Glory.

Now applying thus to God, under the Notion of our Father, is excellently fitted to rentind us, both of the dutiful Regard, which we ought to have for him, as He himself pleads, If I be a Father, where is mine Honour? and alfo, of the Kindnefs, which we may expect from him, according to our Saviour's Reasoning, If ye, being evil, know how to give good Gifts unto your Children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him? Nor is this Expreffion lefs fitted to admonith us of copying the Goodnefs, which we adore; and exercifing Mercy and Bounty towards all our Fellow-Creatures, as far as we can, that we may be, in this excellent Senfe, the Children of our Father, which is in Heaven: for he maketh his Sun to rife on the evil and the good; and fendeth Rain on the just and on the unjust. And this Admo nition is greatly ftrengthened, as each of us is directed to addrefs himself to God, not as to his own Father merely, but as to our Father, the common Parent of Minkind. For there is inexpreffible Force in that Argument, Have we not all one Father, hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously, or in any Refpect unjustly or unkindly, every Man against his Brother ? And yet with greater Force ftill doth it hold, to prevent mutual Injuries or Unkindnefs among Chriftians: who being in a much clofer and more endearing Sense, Children of God, and Brethren one to another, than the rest of the World; furely ought never to be, what they are too often remarkably deficient in, that reci

7

6 Matt. v. 45.

procal