THE LORD'S PRAYER.

SERMON VII.

SERM.

VII.

LUKE Xi. 2.

Our Father.

THIS prayer, penned by our Saviour Christ in the behalf of His disciples and His Church unto the end of the world, standeth first upon an invocation, then upon certain petitions.

The invocation is the style or word of salutation, wherein we call upon the Majesty of God. The petitions contain the sum of those things we seek for at the hands of God.

That which we have generally to note out of this preface is, that this is one benefit which God vouchsafeth us, that we may pray unto Him and be heard; whereby we are to conceive of Him that He is not like the great monarch to whom no man might presume to speak, except he "hold out his Est. 4. 11. golden sceptre" to him, as it is in Esther. The heavenly Majesty vouchsafeth every man this honour to speak to Him, and the golden sceptre of his word doth allure us thereunto.

Secondly, it is a greater benefit to pray to God on this manner, that is, by the name of Father; and therefore by Isa. 65. 24. that which He promiseth the faithful," Before they call I will hear them," we are taught that we are so assured of God's goodwill and favour towards us, even before we open our mouths to ask any thing of Him, that we doubt not to call Him Father; from whence we may reason as the Apostle doth, Rom. 8.32. "Seeing He hath given us His Son, how shall He not with Him give us all things?" So seeing God taketh us for His children, how shall He deny us any thing whereby He may shew Himself a Father?

In the first, we consider the perfection of God's goodness in these words, "Our Father." In the second, the excellency of His power, expressed thus; "Which art in Heaven."

Both these are attributed unto God, not only of the Christians but even by the heathen that are strangers to the Church, for they attribute this unto God, that He is optimus maximus; and therefore where these two doubts arise in our hearts, Domine si vis, "Lord, if thou wilt," and Domine si Mat. 8. 2. quid potes, they are both taken away by these two attributes. Mark 9.22. By that term which setteth out the perfection of God's goodness, He assureth us that He is willing; and by that which expresseth the excellency of His power, we are taught that He is able to perform our requests.

His goodness giveth us fiduciam, that in regard of it we may "boldly.come to the throne of grace."

The consideration of God's power breedeth in us devotion and reverence for both must be joined together; neither fear without the consideration of His goodness, nor bold confidence that is not tempered with a dutiful regard of His power, is acceptable to Him.

So that which we learned in lege credendi, that God is the Father Almighty, is here taught again in lege supplicandi, where we are instructed in our prayers to ascribe both these unto God; first, that He is "our Father," secondly, "our heavenly Father."

The consideration of these two are the pillars of our faith, and there is no petition wherein we do not desire that God will either shew us His goodness or assist us with His power, and no psalm or hymn that is not occupied in setting forth one of these.

The titles which express God's goodness have two words; the one a word of faith, the other a word of hope and charity.

Of both these words of Pater and noster Basil saith, that here Lex supplicandi non modo credendi sed operandi legem statuit,The law of prayer doth not only establish and confirm the law of belief, but of working also;' for where in the word "Father" is expressed the love of God to us, it comprehendeth withal the love we bear to Him.

Where we call God "our Father," and not my Father,'

Heb. 4.16.

VII.

SERM. therein is contained our love to our neighbour, whom we are to love no less than ourselves: "Upon these two hang the Law and the Prophets."

Mat. 22.40.

Again, the word "Father" is a word of faith, and "our," a word of charity; and the thing required of us in the New Gal. 5. 6. Testament is, fides per charitatem operans, "faith which worketh by charity."

So that in these words, "Our Father," we have a sum both of the Law and the Gospel.

Christ might have devised many more magnificent and excellent terms for God; but none were apt and fit for us, to Lu. 11. 13. assure us of God's favour. Our Saviour saith, that earthly fathers which many times are evil men have notwithstanding this care for their children, that if they ask them bread they will not give them a stone: "much more shall our Heavenly Father give us the Holy Spirit if we ask it."

Wherefore Christ teaching us to call God by the name of "Father," hath made choice of that word which might serve most to stir us up unto hope; for it is magnum nomen sub quo nemini desperandum, 'a great name under which no man can despair.'

There may seem an opposition to be betwixt these words "Father" and "our," if we consider, first, the majesty of God, before Whom the hills do tremble, and the Angels in heaven cover their faces; secondly, our own uncleanness and baseness, both in respect of the mould whereof we be made, which Gen.18.27. made Abraham confess himself unworthy "to speak unto God, being but dust and ashes ;" and also in regard of our pollu tion of sin, in which regard we are called the slaves of sin, and children of the devil.

Joh. 8. 34, 44.

Domin. post init.]

Herein we find a great distance between God and us; and so are we far from challenging this honour to be the sons of [De Orat. God in regard of ourselves. Who durst,' saith Cyprian, 'pray God by the name of Father, if Christ our advocate did not put these words in our mouths?' He knoweth how God standeth affected towards us for all our unworthiness, and therefore seeing He hath framed this petition for us, we may boldly as He commandeth say thus, "Our Father."

Therefore, albeit of ourselves we cannot conceive hope that God is "our Father," yet we may call him Father by the

authority of Christ, and say with Augustine, Agnosce, Domine, stilum Advocati Filii Tui, Lord, take notice of the style of our Advocate, Thy Son.'

We know not God's affection towards us, but by Christ we take notice of Him, for He hath "declared Him" unto us; and Joh. 1. 18. being taught that God in Christ vouchsafeth to admit us for

His children, "we do with boldness come to the throne of Heb. 4. 16. grace."

Therefore we have thankfully to consider unto what dignity

we that live under the Gospel are exalted, not only above the patriarchs in the time of the Law, but above the heavenly Spirits.

Before the Law was given, Abraham saith, "Shall I speak Gen. 18.27. to the Lord?" In the Law Christ saith, Ego sum Dominus Deus Ex. 20. 2. tuus: then He was not called "Father." But if we ask that question which the Apostle maketh, "To which of the Angels Heb. 1. 5. said He, Thou art My Son?" it will appear that God hath honoured us in a degree above Angels, for that He giveth us leave to call him "Father."

Thus we see what pre-eminence we have from God, above, as well the saints on earth in time of the Law, as the heavenly Angels; that we may not only pray, but pray thus, "Our Father."

In the word "Father" we are further to note, not only that God is the cause of all things, for that He bringeth forth all things, but also His σтоpyn voin, or natural affection,' to those things that are produced.

God's paternity is, first, generally to be considered in all creatures, which for that they have their being from God, He

is said to be their Father: so Job called God Pater pluvia Job38.28. "the Father of the rain." Also He is called Pater luminum, Jas. 1. 17. and this is a motive sufficient to move God to be favourable

to our prayer, if there were no more, that we are His creatures: so David spake, "Despise not the work of Thine own hands." Ps. 138. 8. But men have another use of God's paternity; for whereas of other things God said, Producat terra, when man was to be Gen. 1. 11. created He said, "Let Us make man," giving us to understand [Gen. 1. 26.] that howsoever other creatures had their being from God mediately, God Himself would be his Father and frame him immediately with His own hand.

SERM.

Secondly, when God created man according to His own VII. image, He breathed into him life immortal, He gave him the sparks of knowledge, and indued his soul with reason and Pro. 20. 27. understanding, in which regard it is called "the candle of the Lord."

[Joh. 3. 3, 5.]

Thirdly, when man was fallen from his first estate, God opened to him a door of repentance, which favour He hath not vouchsafed to the Angels that fell; and so we may crave God's favour, not only as we are the works of God's hands, but as we are His own image.

Fourthly, God is "Our Father," as we are Christians. That Deu. 32. 6. which Moses saith, "Is He not thy Father?" and, "Doubtless Isa. 63. 16. Thou art our Father," is to be understood of our generation; but we have a second birth, called åvayévvnois, or ‘regeneration,' which setteth us in a degree above mankind, and makes us not only men but Christians; which if we be, then we are the sons of God, not as the rain or lights, or they that are Joh. 1. 13. created to the image of God, but for that we are "born of God,” that is, "born again of the water and of the Spirit," without which regeneration no entrance is "into the kingdom of God.” And our dignity in being the sons of God, in these three 1 Cor.6.20. sorts, is to be considered: first, in that we are the "price" of Christ's blood. Secondly, we have characterem, that is, the Acts 11.26. stamp' of the sons of God, when we are "called Christians." 1 Cor.3.16, Thirdly, we are "the temples of the Holy Ghost;" by means whereof He giveth us holy desires, and maketh us sorry that we have offended His Majesty. The assurance of this is that which the Apostle calleth "the Spirit of adoption,” Which He sendeth into the hearts of Christians, to certify them both Rom. 8. 1. that they are the sons of God, and may call Him "Father,” in a double sense, both in respect of nature and grace; not only by generation, but by regeneration.

17; 6. 19.

In the natural affection that God beareth us, we have two

things; 1. the immutability of it, 2. the excellency.

God doth teach us, that His love to us is unchangeable, in this, that He expresseth it by the name of "Father;" Nam pater etiamsi offensus est pater, et filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius, A father though offended is a father, and a son though naught yet is a son.'

The master may cease to be a master, so may a servant;