· o~ the LOrd's Prayri._; Firjl, To admire his Infinite Condefcenfion, and out own Unfpcakahle eriviledge and D ign ity, 1 John 3· 1. Bcba!J.wbat manner of Luve the Father b.ah bcflowcd upon .ut; zbar we jhould be coiled tbe Sons of God. , ln~eed for. God to be a FaJ ber by Creation and Providence th(lugh It be a Mercy' yet lS no rnviledge ; for m that Scn{c he IS Parens Rerum, 'the common Parent vf ail Things, yea, the F.uhe; ot Devils rhcmfelves and of thofe Wretch ::s who are as wlcked, and fhalt be as m1ferable1 <iS L~cvils~ But that God !hould be rhy Fdlber by Rcgmeration and .JJ.doption; rhat he i)lould m1ke the\! ·his Son through his only Begotten Son; that he !hould rake up lOch Dirt and Fil th as thop art, and lay it in his Bofom; thn he fhould t&ke Ali ens and Suangers near. unto himlett: and ~dopt Enemic:s and _Rebels into hi~ Fa~1 il y , . Kegi: fier thdr Names in tht: Book .cf L1fe, makt them Hens of G)ory, Co hmrs wtrh J <..~ fus Cb!lU. h!s E1crnal Son, as the .Apojlfe admiri-ngly , reCounts ir, Roill. 8. I 7· Thif if both .ll1ert:y alzd /11iraclc together. ... . .. . • . · ·' Secondly, It 010uld teach us to walk worthy of thts Hi.gh and Ho1ourable Rda~ion into which we are taken· and to dern~a!'l our tdve!:. as CIHid.ren ought ro do, 1n all rlo~ lv Obedience w his Co~mand s , with Fear and Reverenct: to his Authori ty, and an liuD;lble S11bmiffion to t:is Will. This God ChJllenget~ at our Hands, as being our, Fatbtr, Mal. 1. 6. if 1 b~ a ~.:r ber where _is m~ne Honour? And, J P.et. 1•. 17. if we call on the Father, pafs the nmc of yourJo;ournmg her_e m fear. And llk\!Wi ft: hy g ~ v~ ing thee leave to Sdl ~ him by this Nlme of Fatber., he puts thee in remr.:mbrancc that thou iboulddl endeavour by a Holy Life and Convetfmon to be like thy Futber , and fo approve it eo thine own Confcience; and w all others, that thou art indeed a Child, a Son of God. . ._ . , . Thirdly, Is God thy Father? This then m,ay gtve us abundance of Affurance that. we £ball rccdve at his H<~ nds wbac we ask if it be good for us; and if it b.e not we have no ReillOn to complain that we are not heard) unlefs he fho~ld rum ,our :Pray· .-ers into .Curf~s. And 1his vt: rv Confideration feems to be the, Rea for. why our Savi· our chuh: th rhis among alt God's Tides and .Amibutes to prefix before-this Prayer: And indeed it is the moft pro.per Name by which we can Stile God in our Prayers un- . ~o him:; for this Name of FJtbcr emh0ldcns Faith, and is a'i a Pl<::dge and. Pawn be. foreh:md that our Requefis {hall be 'hea rd ;~.nd g1ante.d; and theref Jre our Sd.viour: tOt tht: Confirmation ~t ouf Faith atgues very ftrongly from this very Titl e of FatbM- ~atth. 7: 9, i.o) it. What Ma.n_is tbtre _of you, .wboni if hi~ Son ask bim for Breal, , tcdl be f:We hzm a St011c? Or if be ask a Fl[b, wzll he gwe hmt a Scrpcr.t? If ye Jben ~t being evil knoWhow to give good Things whciz your Children ask them~ how tracb more fhall my Ember grvcgood Tkings to them that ask bim? Indeed it is a roofr encr)u raging AJ-gNmcnt; for if th..: Rowels of an Earrhly Parent; who yt:t many tim-:::s is humorous, and whofe t ~ndcreft Mercies are but Cruelt_ies in ~efpta of God; if his Compafilons will not fufret his Children to be defeated i~ their reafooable and r.ecdfary R<q., !ls ~ hew much lefs will Gnd, who is Love and G.\Jndpejs itfelf, and wbr, h"h infpired all ..Farent:1l .l\.ffe8:ions inco mher Fathers, ruffer his Cbi!dr&tl to return afbam•.d , when they br-g of him thcfe Thihgs wh~ch are moft agreeabl.e to his Will, and w (heir Wams ~ What doft thou then, 0 Chtifr ian, complaining of thy Wants, and figbi ng under thy Burtbens? Is nor G...d thy .Eathcr? Go and boldly lay open thy Cafe ur.ro him:; his Bowe!s will ce ~ taln1 y rowl and ytrn· towards thee. Is it Spiritual Bleffiogs thou wan[~ e(l ? Spread thy Reque!\s b'fore him; for as he is thy Father, fo he is the God of ·all Grace, and will give unto thee of his Fuloefs; for God loves that his Children lhonld be like'him. Or is it Temporal Mercies thou wanteft? Why, ht is d1y Fa· . tber, and he is <he F•rbcr cf 1Hercies, and the God of all Cemfort: And why lhouldeit .t~ou go fo d"jdlcd and diii:onfolate who haft a fat/m fo able and !o willing to re- ~leve and fupply thee? Only beware that thou askefi not Stones for Bread, nor Scor~ pions for Fijh, :-~nd then as~ what rhou wilt for thy Good and thou ibalt retdve it. Fourrj;ly , Is G.od thy_ Father.~ This then may encourtJf.e us ~P, ain.fl Dcfpait·under the Jenfc •f our manifold ~rns agornft God, and Departures from lmn; for he will certainly recc:tve us upon our Rc;pentance and Retu~ning to him. This v::ry Apprehen{ion was . ,tbat whicb v!f~ught upon Jbe Prodigal, Luke 1 ;. 8. _I v:i/1 arife andgo to my F,>tber. 'the Conbderauon of our own Guilt and V1lenefs, wuhout the Confidera rion of, God's infinite Mercy, tc.nds cnly ro widen the Brc::ach between bim and us; for thofe that _ are altoger h<r hopelefs. will Sin the more implacably and bittetly againli Gnd ;•like t~ofe the r; , opbet .ment~ons~_Jcr. 2. 25. Tbat }aid there wa.r no f!opc, ond tberefort toey would per(ijl m zberr Wrckcdnefs. But now to confider that God is our Fatber, · - • an~
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