The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. What is the true use of the Lord's Prayer.
Qu. 1. WHat is Prayer?
A. It is Holy Desires expressed or actuated to God, (with Heart alone, or also with the Tongue) including our penitent Confession of sin, and its Deserts, and our thankful acknowledgment of his Mercies, and our Praising God's works and his Perfections.
Q. 2. What is the Use of Prayer? Seeing God cannot be changed and moved by us, what good can it do us, and how can it attain our ends?
A. You may as wisely ask, what good any thing will do towards our Benefit or Salvation which we can do, seeing nothing changeth God. As God who is one, maketh Multitudes of Creatures; so God who is unchangeable maketh changeable Creatures; and the Effect is wrought by changing us, and not by changing God. You must understand these great Philosophical Truths, that, 1. All things effect according to the Capacity of the Receiver. 2. Therefore the various effects in the World proceed from the great variety of Receptive Capacities. The same Sun-beams do cause a Nettle, a Thorn, a Rose, a Cedar, according to the seminal Capacity of the various Receivers. The same Sun enlightneth the Eye, that doth not so by the Hand or Foot, or by a Tree, or Stone: And it shineth into the House whose Windows are open, which doth not so when the Windows are shut; and this without any change in it self. The Boatman layeth hold on the Banck, and pulls as if he would draw it to the Boat, when he doth but draw the Boat to it. Two wayes Prayer procureth the Blessing without making any Change in God. First by our performing the condition on which God promiseth his Mercy. Secondly, By disposing our Souls to receive it. He that doth not penitently confess his sin, is unmeet for Pardon. And he that desireth not Christ and Mercy, is unmeet to be partaker of them. And he that is utterly unthankful for what he hath received, is unmeet for more.
Q. 3. Who made the Lords Prayer?
A. The Lord Iesus Christ himself, as he made the Gospel; some of the Matter being necessary yet before his Incarnation.
Q. 4. To whom and on what occasion did he make it?
A. To his Disciples, (to whom also he first delivered his Commands) upon their request that he would teach them to pray.
Q. 5. To what Use did Christ make it them?
A. First, To be a Directory for the Matter and Method of their Love, Desires, Hope and Voluntary choice and endeavours; And, 2. To be used in the same Words when their case required it.
As Man hath three Essential Faculties, the Intellect, Will and Vital executive Power; so Religion hath three Essential parts, viz. To direct our Understandings to believe, our Will to desire, and our Lives in practice.
Q. 6. What is the Matter of the Lord's Prayer in General?
A. It containeth, First, What we must desire as our End: And Secondly, What we must desire as the Means; premising the necessary Preface, and concluding with a suitable Conclusion.
Q. 7. What is the Method of the Lord's Prayer?
A. I. The Preface speaks, 1. To God as God: 2. As our reconciled Father in Christ, described in his Attributes, by the words [which art in Heaven] which signifie the Perfection of his Power, Knowledge, and Goodness, and the Word Father, signifieth that he is Supream Owner, Ruler and Benefactor.
2. The word [Our] implieth our Common Relation to him as his Creatures, his Redeemed and Sanctified Ones, his Own, his Subjects and his Beneficiaries or Children.
II. The Petitions are of two sorts (as the Commandments have two Tables:) The first proceed according to the order of Intention, beginning at the highest Notion of the ultimate End, and descending to the lowest. The Second part is according to the Order of Execution and Assecution, beginning at the lowest means, and ascending to the highest.
III. The Conclusion enumerateth the parts of the ultimate End by way of Praise, beginning at the lowest and ascending to the highest. The Method throughout is more perfect than any of the Philosophers Writings.
Q. 8. Why do we not read that the Apostles after used this Prayer?
A. It is enough to read that Christ prescribed it them, and that they were Obedient to him. We read not of all that the Apostles did.
2. This is a Comprehensive Summary of all Prayer, and therefore must needs be brief in the several parts: But the Apostles had occasion sometime for one branch and sometime for another, on which they particularly enlarged, and Seldom put up the whole matter of Prayer all at once.
3. They formed their Desires according to the Method of this Prayer, though they expressed those deres as various occasions did require.
Q. 9. Is every Christian bound to say the Words of the Lords Prayer?
A. The same answer may serve as to the last. Every Christian is bound to make it the Rule of his Desires, and Hopes, both for Matter and O…der: But not to express them all in every Prayer. But the Words themselves are apt, and must have their due reverence, and are very fit to summ up our scattered less ordered Requests.
Q. 10. But few Persons can understand what such generals comprehend.
A. 1. Generals are useful to those that cannot distinctly comprehend all the particulars in them. As the General knowledg that we shall be happy in Holy and Heavenly Joy with Christ, may comfort them that know not all in Heaven that makes up that happiness, so a General desire may be effectual to our receiving many particulars. 2. And it is not so General as [God be merciful to me a Sinner,] an accepted Prayer of the Publican, by Christs own Testimony. There are six particular Heads there plainly expressed.