Our Father, which art in Heaven. — APPLICATION.

Use: If it be a great advantage in prayer, to take up God under the notion and relation of a Father, then those that would pray aright, let this instruct and quicken them above all things. Clear up your adoption, that you may be able to call God Father, for otherwise when you come to pray, it is a very lie to God. As (Acts 5:4) when Ananias spoke false to the Apostle, Peter said to him: You have not lied to men, but to God. Why? Because he knows all that is done in the world. But much more do they lie to God here; this is a very disgrace and blasphemy, a contumely, rather than a prayer and supplication, when you will come and make God to father the devil's brats. When you that live in sin, and have no reverence and awe of God upon your hearts, shall come and pray to him, this is a lie, which is told to the very face of God.

But if this be a truth, that all those which would pray aright must clear up their adoption, and get a sense of it, then here will doubts arise. Therefore, here I shall handle three cases.

1. What shall natural men do? Must they desist from prayer? For they have no right to it.

2. What shall they do, which have not as yet received the testimony of the Spirit? For a child of God may have the right of children, yet have not a sense of his adoption.

3. What are the evidences by which our adoption may be cleared up to us, how we may know we are taken into a child-like state?

First: What shall natural men do? Must they desist from prayer? For they have no right to it.

I answer: You may see here the miserable condition of wicked men, how much they are bound to pray, and yet what an impossibility lies upon them of praying aright. Certainly none should desist from this duty of prayer, because they cannot perform it aright; for though we have lost our power and fitness, yet there is no reason God should lose his right, and his power to our obedience. There is an obligation and precept from God, as a Father by creation, upon all mankind; all which are reasonable creatures, they are to own God as a Father in this way. I say, prayer is a homage we owe to God by natural right; therefore no doubt wicked men do sin, when they cease to pray. It is one of the accusations brought against natural men, and is an aggravation of their sin. (Psalm 14:1) They do not call upon God. (Romans 3:10) it is applied to natural men. This is the misery they have subjected themselves to, that their prayer is turned into sin. As a natural man must not omit hearing, because it is a means to bring him to be acquainted with God, though he cannot hear in faith, so he must not omit prayer, because it is one means to bring us to own God as a Father by adoption. A man is not to turn the back upon him, but call him Father, as well as he can. (Jeremiah 3:19) But I said, How shall I put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? And I said, You shall call me my Father, and shall not turn away from me. Better to own God any way, than not to own him at all, than not to inquire after him; to own him rationally, if not spiritually; to own him by choice, if not out of sense. If we cannot come and clear up our title to this great privilege by the Spirit of adoption, yet any way, you shall not turn away from me. We should not shut the door upon ourselves. It is required of a natural man, being weary of his sins, to flee to God in Christ Jesus, for his grace and favor, that he might become his God and Father.

Secondly: What shall they do, which have not as yet received the testimony of the Spirit, that do not know their adoption?

I answer: A child of God may have the effects and fruits of adoption, yet not always the feeling of it, to witness to him, that God has taken him into a child-like relation to himself. Certainly, they are in a very uncomfortable condition, for they want a help in prayer. Doubtless you are our Father — oh, what an advantage is that! How much of eloquence and rhetoric is there in that, when we can speak to God as a Father! Yet they are not to neglect their addresses to God; for this is a means to obtain the Spirit of adoption. (Luke 11:13) He will give the Spirit to them that ask him. Therefore in whatever condition we be, we must pray; otherwise we shut the door upon our hopes. You continue the want upon yourselves, and so wholly detain yourselves in a comfortless condition.

There is a fourfold spiritual art we must use in prayer, when we have not the sense of our adoption, that we may be able to speak to God as our Father.

1. Disclaim, when you cannot apply. When you cannot clear up your own relation and interest, then disclaim all other confidences. If you cannot say, Father, yet plead fatherless. (Hosea 14:3) In you the fatherless find mercy. Come as poor, helpless, shiftless creatures; seek peace and reconciliation with God in Christ. It may be, God may take you into his favor; he is a Father of the fatherless.

2. Own God in the humbling way; learn the policy of the prodigal (Luke 15:18-19): Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son. This is the policy and art of a humble faith, to call God Father. As Paul catches hold of the promise on the dark side, Jesus Christ came to save sinners; and presently he adds, of whom I am chief. So when a believer can come, and say, Lord, I am not worthy to be called your son, make me as one of your hired servants.

3. The third policy we should use in prayer, is, to call him Father in wish — Optando, si non affirmando: if we cannot do it by direct affirmation, let us do it by desire. Let us pray ourselves into this relation, and groan after it, that we may have a clearer sense that God is our Father in Christ.

4. Faith has one art more: it makes use of Christ Jesus. God has a Son, whose name signifies much in heaven; therefore if you cannot come to him as your Father, come to him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:14). For this cause I bow my knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let Christ bring you into God's presence. He is willing to change relations with us. Take him along with you in your arms; go to God in Christ's name: Whatever you ask in my name, shall be given to you.

Thirdly; But what are the evidences by which our adoption may be cleared up to us? How shall we know that we are taken into a child-like state?

1. Consider, how it is brought about. How do we come to be related to God by Christ Jesus? By receiving Christ, as he is offered in the Gospel (John 1:12). To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. It is a prerogative, and special grant, those which receive Christ, even those that believe in his name, that is, those who out of a sense of their own need, and sight of Christ offered in the promise, do really consent to take him, for the ends for which God offers him, to wit, as prince and Savior, that he might give you repentance, and remission of sins, not in pretense, but in your hearts: these have full liberty to call God Father, to come to treat and deal with him; though they have not a sense of the blessedness of their state, for this follows believing: After you believed, you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13-14).

2. There is a witness which is given to the saints, that the thing may not be always dark and doubtful: the Holy Spirit is given as a witness. If you would know whether or not you are the children of God, see that of the Apostle (Romans 8:16): The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. As under the Law, in the mouth of two witnesses every doubtful thing was to be established (Deuteronomy 17:6). So here, the Spirit bears witness, together with our spirits, that we are the children of God. Our spirits alone may be lying, deceitful; we may flatter ourselves, and think we are the children of God, when we are children of the devil. All certainly comes from the Holy Spirit; and therefore the great question which is traversed to and fro in the heart, is, Whether we be God's children? What is the Spirit's witness?

(1.) He lays down marks in Scripture, which are the ground and decision of this debate; for the Scriptures are of the Holy Spirit's inditing, and so may be said to bear witness. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: Whoever does not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother (1 John 3:10). Thus the Spirit bears witness to our spirits, by laying down such marks, as we by our own spiritual sense, and renewed conscience, feel to be right within ourselves. And this is the main thing called the witness of the Spirit.

(2.) He works such graces as are peculiar to God's children, and are evidences of our interest in the favor of God: and therefore it is called, the sanctification of the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and the renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Look as John knew Christ to be the Son of God, by the Spirit's descending and abiding upon him (John 1:32). So by the Spirit's work, and the Spirit's inhabitation, we know whether we are the children of God, or not; whether we dwell in God, and God in us, because of his Spirit that he has given us, that is, because of those graces worked in us. And this is called the seal of the Spirit; for the Holy Spirit, stamping the impress of God upon the soul, working in us an answerable likeness to Christ, is said to be the seal; then we have God's impress upon us.

(3.) The Spirit goes further; he helps us to feel and discover those acts in ourselves. There is a stupid deadness in the conscience, so that we are not always sensible of our spiritual acts. Hagar saw not the fountain near her, until God opened her eyes: So we may not see the work of the Spirit, without the light of the Spirit. We cannot own grace in the midst of so much weakness and imperfection, there is a misgiving of conscience; therefore the Spirit of Sanctification is also a Spirit of Revelation (Ephesians 1:17). The author of the grace, is the best revealer and interpreter of it: He works, and he gives us a sight of it. As a workman that made a thing, can best warrant it to the buyer; he knows the goodness and strength of it, and how it is framed and made: So the Holy Spirit, which works grace, he reveals and discovers this grace to us.

(4.) The Spirit helps us to compare them with the rule, and accordingly to judge of their sincerity. The Spirit opens our understandings, that we may be able to discern the intent and scope of the Scripture, that so we may not be mistaken. We must plow with God's heifer, if we would understand the riddle. In your light, we shall see light. We shall be apt to misapply the rule, so as to judge of our own actions. I lie not, the Holy Spirit bearing me witness; when he had spoken of some eminent thing worked in him (Romans 9:1). We are apt to lie, and feign and misapply rules, comforts, and privileges: But now the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirits, by this means we come to have a certainty. There are so many circuits, wiles, turnings in the heart of man, that we are not competent judges of what is worked in us; therefore it is usually ascribed to the Spirit to be the searcher of the heart. Where shall I go from your Spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7)? You have not lied to men, but to God (Acts 5:4). The Holy Spirit is rather spoken of, than any other person, because it is his personal operation to abide in the hearts of men, and to search and try the reins: It is more particularly ascribed to him, though it belongs to all the persons.

(5.) As the Spirit helps us to compare that which is wrought with the rule, the impression or thing sealed with the stamp or the thing sealing; so he helps us to conclude rightly of our estate: For many times when the premises are clear, the conclusion may be suspended, either out of self-love, in case of condemnation; or out of legal fear and jealousy, in case of self-acquitment. Therefore the conclusion is of the Holy Ghost (1 John 4:13): "Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." There's a great deal of ado to bring us to heaven with comfort. There needs a person of the Godhead to satisfy us, as well as to satisfy God, and help us to determine concerning our condition.

(6.) He enlivens and heightens our apprehensions in all these particulars, and so fills us with comfort, and raises our joy upon the feeling of the sense of the favor of God; for all this is the fruit of his operation. Therefore it is said (Romans 5:5): "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us." Those unspeakable glimpses of God's favor, and sweet manifestations of God's love in the conscience, which we have, these are given by the Holy Ghost. There is not one act of the soul, but the Holy Ghost has a stroke in it for our comfort, in every degree, all comes from God. So that if you would know what the witness of the Spirit is, consider, What are the marks in Scripture? What graces are wrought in your hearts? How does the Spirit help you to discern those graces, to compare them to the rule, to make accordingly in these things a determination of our condition? And what joy and peace have you thereupon wrought in your hearts by the Holy Ghost? For an immediate testimony of the Spirit, the Scripture knows of no such thing. All other is but delusion, besides this.

(3.) There are certain fruits and effects, which do more sensibly evidence it to the soul. What are those fruits of the Spirit of adoption in our hearts, by which we may further evidence it, whether we are the children of God, or no?

(1.) In prayer, by a kind of naturalness or delight in this duty of holy commerce with God. (Romans 8:15) "We have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6) "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." And (Zechariah 12:10): "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace, and of supplication." Wherever the Spirit of God is dispensed, and dwells in the hearts of any, the heart of that man will be often with God: The Spirit of grace will put him upon supplication; he will be often acquainting God with his desires, wants, fears.

(2.) You will be mainly carried out to your inheritance in heaven. Those which are the children of God, do look after a child's portion; and will look for an estate in heaven, and cannot be satisfied with present things. Worldly men, they have their reward (Matthew 6:2). They discharge God for other things; if they may have plenty, honor, worldly ease, and delights here, they never look after heaven. As a servant has his reward from quarter to quarter, but a child waits until the inheritance comes: So when we are begotten for this lively hope, when there is a heavenly-mindedness in you, this is a fruit of the Holy Ghost wrought in the heart, by which you might know you are the sons of God. (Romans 8:23) "Having the first-fruits of the Spirit, we groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

(3.) By a child-like reverence and dread of God; when we are afraid to offend God. (Jeremiah 35:5-6) The sons of Rechab, their father had commanded them that they should drink no wine; now says God by the prophet, "Set pots full of wine, and cups, and say to them, Drink wine": That is, present the temptation. No, they would not; Our fathers have forbidden us. So, when a child of God is put upon temptation, his heart recoils, and reasons thus; How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? I dare not, my Father has forbidden me. There is an awe of his heavenly Father upon him. (1 Peter 1:17) "If you call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work; pass the time of your sojourning here in fear."

We now come to speak of the possessive particle, [Our] Father. The word is used for a double reason: 1. To comfort us in the sense of our interest in God. 2. To mind us of the common interest of all the saints in the same God: It is not my, or your Father only, but our Father.

First; Observe the great condescension of Christ, that poor creatures are allowed to claim an interest in God. If Christ had not put these words in our mouths, we never had had boldness to have gone to God, and said, Doubtless, you are our Father. But he which was in the bosom of God, and knew his secrets, has told us, it is very pleasing to God, we should use this compellation to him. This is a privilege which cannot be sufficiently valued, if we consider, 1. The unworthiness of the persons which enjoy it; poor dust and ashes, sinful creatures, that were children of the devil, that we should lay claim and title to God for our Father! And, 2. If we consider the greatness of the privilege itself: O behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called his children! (1 John 3:1). We think it much, when we can say, This field, this house is mine; but surely this is more, to say, this God is mine.

Again; Observe here, that interest is a ground of audience. So Christ would have us begin our prayers, Our Father; God's interest in us, and our interest in God. God's interest in us: When Christ mediates for his disciples, he says (John 17:6), "Yours they were, and you gave them me." And David (Psalm 119:94), "I am yours, save me" — that's his argument; the reason is, because God, by taking them for his own, binds himself to preserve and keep them. Every body is bound to look to his own. He that provides not for his own, is worse than an infidel. Now what a sweet thing is it, when we can go to God, and say, we are yours. So it is the same, as to our interest in God; it is an excellent encouragement. (Psalm 42:11) "Hope in God," says David to his soul; why? For he is my God. And elsewhere, reasoning with himself (Psalm 23:1), "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" — first, his covenant interest is built, and then conclusions of hope. So (2 Samuel 30:6), David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. It is sweet, when we can go to God, as our God. Luther was wont to say, God was known better by the predicament of relation, than by his natural properties. Why is interest such a sweet thing? Because by this relation to God, we have a claim to God, and to all that he can and will do. God has made over himself, quantus quantus est, as great as great he is, for his use and comfort. Therefore the Psalmist says (Psalm 16:5), "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup." A believer has as sure a right and title to God, as a man has to his patrimony, to which he is born. Look as the right any Israelite had to that share which came to him by lot; so we may lay claim to God, and live upon his power and goodness, as a man does upon his estate.

Well then, labor to see God is yours, if you would find acceptance with him. It is not enough to know the goodness and power of God in general, but we must discern our interest in him; that we may not only say, Father, but Our Father. It is the nature of faith, thus to appropriate and apply. (John 20:28) "My Lord, and my God." How is God made ours? How shall we know it, that we may come and lay our claim to him? Behold, Christ teaches us here to say, Our Father, by taking hold of his covenant; and this is God's covenant notion, I will be your God, and you shall be my people. When we give up ourselves to be God's, then he is ours. Resignation and appropriation go together. I am my Beloved's — there's the resignation of obedience; and he is mine — there's the appropriation of faith. A believer cannot always say, God is his, but, I am yours; however it be with him, he would be no others but the Lord's. If he cannot say, he is God's, by an especial interest; yet he will be God's, by the resignation of his own vows. He knows God has a better right and title to him, than he has to himself.

Quest. But how shall we know that we do indeed resign up ourselves to God?

I answer; When we make him our chief good, and our utmost end — that is, when we sincerely choose him for our portion, and set apart ourselves to act for his glory.

1. When we choose and cleave to him, as our all-sufficient portion: "The Lord is my portion," says my soul (Lamentations 3:24). Sometimes the Lord speaks to us, "I am your reward, I am your salvation" (Psalm 35:3). So the soul speaks to God, "You are my portion." When we cleave to God, "He is my portion for ever" (Psalm 73:25). "Whom have I in Heaven but you?" etc. When our souls are satisfied in God, having enough in him; this is to give up ourselves to him.

2. When we set apart ourselves to his use, to live and act for his glory; this is also entering into covenant with God. As in that formal matrimonial covenant, that was used between the prophet and his wife (Hosea 3:3), "You shall not be for another man, so will I also be for you" — so in the covenant, we resolve to renounce all others, and to live and act for God. "The Lord has set apart him that is godly for himself" (Psalm 4:3). When we are thus set apart for God, to serve him, and glorify him, by this special dedication of ourselves to his use; this is the act of grace on our part. We were God's by election; but he comes and takes possession for himself by the Spirit, and then the soul sets himself apart for God.

Secondly; That all the saints have a common interest in the same God; therefore Christ taught us to say, Our Father. They have one Father, as well as one Spirit, one Christ, one hope, and one heaven (Ephesians 4:6). Doubtless, it is lawful to say, My Father. Some have disputed it, because they suppose this expression is used to signify Christ's singular filiation; Christ could only say, My Father. But it is lawful, provided we do not say it exclusively, and appropriating it to ourselves. But here Christ, when he gives us this perfect form and pattern of prayer, teaches us to say, Our Father. As the sun in the firmament is every man's, and all the world's; so God is every single believer's God, the God of all the elect. But why would Christ put this in this perfect pattern and form of prayer?

1. To quicken our love to the saints in prayer. When we come to pray, there must be a brotherly love expressed; now that's a distinct thing from common love: "Add to brotherly kindness, charity" (2 Peter 1:7). When we are dealing with God in prayer, we must express something of this brotherly love: How must we express it? In praying for others, as well as for ourselves. Necessity will put men upon praying for themselves; but brotherly love will put them upon praying for others. Wherein must brotherly kindness be expressed in prayer? In two things:

(1.) In a fellow-feeling of their miseries, in being touched with their necessities, as we would be with our own. To be senseless, it is a spiritual excommunication, a casting ourselves out of the body. Members must take care for one another. We must be grieved with their pains: Who is offended, says the apostle, and I burn not? If there be any power in such a confession, or title of a Father, we must be wrestling with God, how well soever it be with us, remembering we speak to him, in whom others have a joint interest with ourselves.

(2.) It must be expressed, in wishing the same good to others, as to ourselves. Many that pray in their own case, with what earnestness and importunity are they carried out! But how flat and cold in the case of others! Now a good Christian must be as earnest with God for others, as for himself. Look what earnestness and heedfulness of soul he shows, when he puts up prayers for himself; the same must he do for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). Self-love and self-respect must not breathe only in our prayers; they must be carried out with as much earnestness, as if we would go to God in our own case.

Again; as it shows us what brotherly love we should express in prayer; so it checks many carnal dispositions, which we are guilty of, and Christ would mind us of them. It checks strife and contention; we are brothers, have one common Father. Every where meekness and love, it is a qualification for prayer. Let the husband live with his wife according to knowledge, that their prayers be not hindered (1 Peter 3:7). If there be such brawls in the family, how can the husband and wife call upon God with such a united heart as is requisite? So (1 Timothy 2:8), I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. Not only lift up pure hands to God, and that without doubting; there must be confidence in our prayers: but that is not all, but without wrath; there must be nothing of revenge and passion mingled with your supplication. And then it checks pride and disdain. Christ teaches all, in all conditions, whether masters or servants, fathers or children, kings or beggars, all to say, Our Father; for we have all one Father. You have not a better Christ, nor a better Father in Heaven, than they have. The rich and the poor were to give one ransom under the law (Exodus 30), to show they have all the same Redeemer. The weak should not despise nor disdain the strong, nor the rich be ashamed to own the poor as brothers. We should never be ashamed to own him as a brother, whom God will own as a son.