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 apprehensions of his Sovereign power, majesty, and gracious condescension; as also to pray with, and for others.
In this prayer we are taught to begin our prayers with a preface, and therein to make an explicit mention of the 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. lxvii. 1. And elsewhere, O God! thou art my God, Psal. lxiii. 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 name 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, O 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 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. lxiii. 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 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.”