1. The Meaning

The uses of this point are manifold.

- 1. First, whereas we are taught to come to God as to a father, and therefore in the name of his Son our Savior Christ, we learn to lay the first ground of all our prayers, which is to hold and maintain the union and the distinction of the three persons in Trinity. This being the lowest and the first foundation of prayer, it is requisite that all which would pray aright, should have this knowledge, rightly to believe the Trinity, and to know how the three persons agree, and how they are distinguished, and the order of them, how the father is the first, the Son the second, the Holy Spirit the third: and therefore how the father is to be called upon in the name of the Son by the Holy Spirit. By this, the prayers of God's church, and the prayers of heathen men are distinguished, who invoke God as creator out of the father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And hence it is manifest, that ignorant and simple people which do not so much as dream of the union, distinction, and order of the persons in Trinity, make but a cold and slender kind of praying. - 2. Secondly, we may learn hereby that we are not in any way to invoke saints and Angels, but only the true Jehovah. The reason stands thus: This prayer is either a perfect platform for all prayers, or not: to say it were not, were an injury to our Savior Christ: to say it is so, is also to grant that it does fully set down to whom all prayers are to be made. Now, in these words there is set down no invocation but of God alone. For in prayer to be termed, Our father is proper to God, Isaiah 64:16. You are our father: though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel know us not: yet you, O Lord, are our father and redeemer. Papists therefore that are the great patrons of invocation of saints, in their reformed breviaries and missals, deal very foolishly: for first they pray to Mary, that she would pray to Christ for them, and when they have so done, like conjurers they come to Christ and pray to him that he would accept Mary's prayer for them. - 3. Thirdly, we learn that there can be no intercessor between God and us, but only Christ. For here we are taught to come to God not as to a judge, but as to a kind and loving father. Now he is a father to us only by Christ: as for Angels and saints and all creatures, they are not able to procure by any means, that God should become a father, no not so much as to one man. - 4. Again, if the God to whom we pray be a father, we must learn to acquaint ourselves with the promises which he has made in his word, to quicken our hearts in all our prayers to him, and thereby to gather confidence to ourselves and persuasion that he will grant our requests. For this word [Father] implies a readiness and willingness in God to hear and be merciful to our prayers. And a father cannot but must needs make promise of favor to those that be his children, and therefore it cannot be that he should call God his father truly, which has not in his heart this assurance, that God will fulfill all his promises made to him. Promises made to prayer, as these and such like, are to be marked, as follow, 2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people among whom my name is called upon, do humble themselves, and pray, and seek my presence, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear in heaven, and be merciful to their sins. 2 Chronicles 15:2. The Lord is with you while you be with him, and if you seek him, he will be found of you. Isaiah 65:34. Before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear. Matthew 7:7. Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened. Luke 11:13. If you which are evil can give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that desire him. Romans 10:12. He that is Lord over all, is rich to all that call on him. James 4:8. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. - 5. If God be a father who is called upon, then prayer is the mark of God's child. Saint Luke and Saint Paul set out the faithful servants of God by this mark, Acts 9:14. He has authority to bind all that call on your name. 1 Corinthians 1:2. To them that are sanctified by Jesus Christ, saints by calling, with all that call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And contrariwise, Psalms 14:4. it is made one of the properties of an Atheist, Never to call on the name of God. And such persons as neither will nor can, or use not heartily to pray to God, they may say that they are persuaded there is a God, but in their doings they bear themselves as if there were no God. - 6. He which would pray aright, must be like the prodigal child, that is, he must not only confess his sin, saying, father, I have sinned against heaven, and against you, etc. but also have a full purpose never after to offend his father. For how can a child call him father, whom he cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions? He cannot do it, neither can any father delight in such a child: therefore in prayer we must call to mind our wickedness and rebellions against our heavenly father, and with the Tax Collector in heaviness of soul say, Lord be merciful to me a sinner. He which can truly do this, is a kind child. If we consider ourselves as we are by nature, we are the children of the devil: no child so like his father as we are like him, and in this estate we continually rebel against God: for the devil has all the heart, our whole joy is to serve and please him. A man that is to pray must think on this, and be grieved thereat. And happy, indeed a thousand times happy are they, who have grace given them to see this their state and to bewail it. And further, it is not sufficient to confess our sins against our merciful father, but we must set down with ourselves never in such sort to offend him again, and to lead a new life. This point is very profitable for these times. For many there be when any cross or sickness comes on them, will pray and promise repentance and all obedience to God's word, if it shall please God to deliver them: but this usually is but in hypocrisy, they dissemble with God and men. For when their sickness is past, like a dog that has been in the water, they shake their ears and run straight with all greediness to their former sins. Is this to call God father? No, he that does this shall not have God to be his father: but the man that is wounded in his soul for his offenses past, and carries a purpose in his heart never knowingly and willingly to offend God again. - 7. Lastly, here we are to observe, that he which would pray, must be endued with the spirit of adoption: the actions whereof in the matter of prayer are twofold. The first to move the heart to cry and call on God as a father. It is no easy thing to pray: for to a man of himself it is as easy to move the whole earth with his hand: how then comes it that we pray? It is a blessed work of the spirit. Romans 8:15. We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, that is, father. And Romans 8:26. Likewise the spirit helps our infirmities: for we know not what to pray as we ought: but the spirit itself makes request. And Zechariah 12:10. the Holy Spirit is called the spirit of grace, and deprecations or prayers. Well then, the man that would pray, must have God's spirit to be his schoolmaster, to teach him to pray with groans and sighs of the heart: for the words make not the prayer, but the groans and desires of his heart: and a man prays for no more than he desires with the heart, and he which desires nothing prays not at all, but spends lip-labor. The second work of the spirit, is to assure us in our consciences that we are in the state of grace reconciled to God. Romans 8:16. The spirit of adoption bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of invocation is very necessary: for he which wants this assurance, if he be secure and numbed in his sins, will not, and if he be touched in conscience for them, for his life dare not call God father. Also this refutes the opinion of the church of Rome, which teaches, that man is to doubt whether he be adopted or no. For how can a man truly call God father, when he doubts whether he be the child of God, or no? It is a miserable kind of praying to call God father, and withal to doubt whether he be a father. Indeed it is true that doubts will often arise, but it is our duty to strive against them, and not to yield to them. Indeed but (say they) to be certain of God's mercy is presumption. I answer, if it be presumption, it is a holy presumption, because God has bidden us to call him father.