An Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Objection and answers 1
Object. But againſt all this Diſcourſe, this mighty Objection may be Levyed; How can this Prayer be look'd upon as the Prayer of the Kingdom, or ſo Great a Standard of Prayer, or Comprehenſory of it; that hath not the leaſt mention of the Great Prince Meſſ…ah, or of his Redemption, which is both the Fundamental Point of Prayer, and of the Kingdom? How can this poſſibly be Reconcil'd with All that hath been ſaid of this Prayer?
There are Two Great Anſwers to be given to this, and ſuch as will excedingly Eſtabliſh it.
Anſw. 1 There can be no more certain, and Demonſtrative Argument, That This Prayer was never intended by Chriſt, as a Form, or that we ſhould place a Devotion in the Repetition of it; For then could it have wanted the Name of Chriſt, the Mediation of Chriſt, the Blood and Redemption of Chriſt, or the Expreſs Mention of the Spirit, which is that Supream Good Thing; being One with God, and with Chriſt, which proceeds from the Father, and Takes of Chriſts, and Gives it to us; which we ſhould, according to our Lord's Doctrine of Prayer, in ſo near Neighbourhood to this Prayer, be ſo moſt earneſtly importunate for?
But now if This Prayer be ſuch a Standard of Prayer, as is to be underſtood and apprehended in the whole Latitude of the Word of God; All leads to Chriſt, and to the Eternal Spirit, to the Redemption, Blood, and Mediation of Christ, as the Foundation of All.
And it was an End worthy of ſuch an Omiſſion of the Expreſs Name of Chriſt, and of the Spirit, to keep us from Reſting in this Prayer, as a Form, and to caſt us upon the whole Word of God, that we might pray after that manner, and that we might Read, or Expound that Prayer by it, whenever we pray.
Anſw. 2 This Prayer is Full of the Kingdom of Chriſt; No Word of it, but is Full of it, and cannot be underſtood, but with the Knowledge of the Kingdom. Now the Kingdom being the Kingdom of Meſſiah, of the Redeemer, and the Petitions being ſo adjuſted to that very Kingd…m of Meſſiah, and of his Redemption; The Petitions cannot be underſtood but with the Knowledge of Chriſt, and of his Name, and of his Redemption. So that though there be no Expreſs Mention of Chriſt, nor of his Redemption, yet by ſearching the Senſe and Meaning of each Petition, according to the Word of God, we muſt needs find it all there.
And ſo proportionably, it may be ſaid, with Relation to the Spirit of God. The Kingdom is a Kingdom of the Spirit poured out, according to Eſay 59. Laſt. Every Petition therefore muſt needs be full of the Spirit, of the Promiſe of that poured out; even as it is Full of the Kingdom, when it is ſearch'd and underſtood, according to the whole Word of God.
Anſw. 3 The Prayers that we find in the New Teſtament, after this Prayer given, cannot but be Expreſſive of this Prayer, and drawn out of it; elſe Chriſt did not Teach to pray in This Prayer; For to Teach his Diſciples to pray, and they not to pray according to it, muſt be either an Inſufficiency in the Manner of Chriſt's Teaching to pray, or elſe a Great Diſobedience, or at leaſt Neglect, for his Servants not to pray according to that Prayer. Now it is moſt evident, The Prayer of Chriſt, in his Mediation, John 17. although it be indeed Tranſcendent to our praying, as to thoſe things proper only, and peculiar to Chriſt, and his Mediatorſhip in it; Yet it is inſtructive to us, how to draw near to God in Christ, and to form our Approaches through him; And All the Prayers we find in the Apostles, muſt have the Lines, and Spirit of this Prayer in Them; elſe Chriſt Taught not to pray, when he Taught to pray; or he Taught to pray to no purpoſe.
Now All Thoſe Prayers being Full of Chriſt, and Full of the Spirit, we hereby know certainly, This Prayer muſt needs be ſo alſo in the Bottom of it, and therefore muſt be Explicated according to All thoſe Prayers; and we are ſent by it to Them.