The Holy Arbor, Chapter 3 · Section 3
§. 3. Our Father.
CHriſt Jeſus onelyonly is the Son of God by Nature, for which cauſe he is called the onelyonly begotten Son of the Father, Joh. 1.18. And we are Sons onelyonly by Adoption and Grace; and therefore when we call God Father, we muſt not think any thing ſingularly of our ſelves, as if he were our Father ſpecially, but the common Father of us all that believe: And we ſay, Our Father, not My Father, becauſe we ought to pray for all the children of God, as well as for our ſelves. And here obſerve, That here and always the Name of Father, as alſo the Name of God, when it is oppoſed to the Creatures, is taken eſſentially, not perſonally; but when it is put with another perſon of the Godhead, it is taken perſonally. Our Father] that is, O Lord God, thou art the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and in him our moſt merciful Father, by Adoption and Grace; yet here again obſerve, That we do not here pray to the Father onelyonly, but to the whole Trinity: yet as the firſt Perſon is the eternal Fountain of the Deity, we pray to the Father, by the Son, through the Holy Ghoſt; nor may it ſeem ſtrange, that Chriſt, who as he is Man is our Brother, and is not aſhamed to call us his Brethren, Heb. 2.11. is called our Father; for as he is God, he is our Father, and therefore called, The Father of Eternity, Iſa. 9.6.
Chriſt by this word [Our] in the very Proeme of his prayer, doth admoniſh us of mutual love;
1. Becauſe there is no true praying without the true love of our Neighbor, neither can we be perſwaded that God heareth us.
2. Becauſe without the love of our Neighbor there is no true faith, and without faith there is no true prayer.
Chriſt willeth us to ſay [Our Father] not [My Father] for theſe Reaſons:
1. Thereby to raiſe in us a confidence and full perſwaſion that we ſhall be heard; for becauſe the whole Church doth with one conſent pray unto him, he doth not reject her for his Promiſe ſake.
2. To teach us that we hold each member of the Church as our brother, Gen. 13.8.
3. That in prayer we muſt conſider Chriſt and his Church as one body, and make him our Father, who is the Father of Chriſt our elder brother; his by generation, ours by regeneration; his by Nature, ours by Grace.
4. That we muſt pray as well in charity for others, as for our ſelves, James 5.16. Now they whom we are to pray for, may be diſtinguiſhed into this rank or order:
1. All ſuch as are effectually called by the preaching of the word.
2. For all ſuch as God in his eternal ſecret Counſel hath appointed unto life, but are not yet called from their wandrings to be of one ſheepfold under one Shepherd, Joh. 17.20.
3. For particular perſons, of whom we have received benefit, under whoſe Government we live, or which be more dear or near unto us in the fleſh, 2 Cor. 9.12.
4. For ſuch as whoſe neceſſity is more ſpecially made known unto us, as of danger or diſtreſs, Jam. 5.14.
5. For men generally of all eſtates and conditions, 1 Tim. 2.3. as Jews, Turks, Heathen, and ſeduced Papiſts.
6. For our Enemies, and thoſe that hate us, Matth. 5.41.
God the Father is the Father
1. Of Chriſt
1. By Nature, begetting him as he is the Son, of his own Subſtance, before all worlds, by communicating unto him his whole Eſſence or Godhead.
2. By the Grace of perſonal Union, as Chriſt is Man; for the Manhood of Chriſt doth wholly ſubſiſt in the Godhead of the ſecond Perſon: and therefore Chriſt, as he is Man (not his Manhood, which is a Nature, not a Perſon) may well be called the Son of God.
2. Of us, not by Nature, or in regard of perſonal Union, but by the Grace of Adoption in Chriſt, Gal. 4.4, 5. And this Grace we receive when we truly believe in his Name, Joh. 3.12. Gal. 3.26.
The Name of Father in this place is taken Eſſentially, for theſe Reaſons; viz.
1. Becauſe the Name of Father is not here put with another perſon of the Godhead, but with the Creature of whom he is invocated.
2. The invocating of one perſon doth not exclude the others, when mention is made of their eternal and outward works.
3. We cannot conſider God the Father, but in the Son the Mediator.
4. Chriſt hath taught us to invocate him alſo, and he giveth the Holy Ghoſt; For we have received, not the ſpirit of bondage to fear again, but the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; And the ſame Spirit beareth witneſs with our ſpirits, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.15, 16.
Again, God is called Our Father,
1. In reſpect of our Creation, Luke 3.38.
2. In reſpect of our Redemption, and receiving into favor by his Son our Mediator, for whoſe ſake we are adopted.
3. In reſpect of our Sanctification, or Regeneration by the Holy Ghoſt in Chriſt.
The Inſtructions ariſing from this Title Father here given to God:
1. We muſt hence learn whom to direct our prayers unto, not to Saints, Angels, or any other creature, but to God alone, for theſe Reaſons:
1. Becauſe this is a perfect patern of true prayer, wanting no direction for the right performance of this part of God worſhip.
2. Becauſe God onelyonly is the Author and giver of all good things, Jam. 1.16. therefore we muſt ask them of him alone.
3. Becauſe the Lord onelyonly, who is Infinite and Omnipotent, can hear all mens prayers at all times, and in all places.
2. We may hereby ſee in what order we muſt direct our prayers unto God the Father, in the Mediation of the Son, by the Aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt; neither ſevering the perſons from the Godhead, nor the Godhead from the Perſons, whereof the Father is firſt, the Son is the ſecond, the Holy Ghoſt the third in order, though not in time or greatneſs. Thus muſt we worſhip him, even one God in three Perſons, and three Perſons in one God.
3. In this Title Father, we ſee the true ground of that boldneſs wherewith Gods children come before God in prayer; namely, that intereſt in the Covenant of Grace in Chriſt, in whom God is become their Father.
4. We are hereby taught how to diſpoſe our ſelves towards God when we come before him in prayer, namely, as children; and this ſtands eſpecially in four things:
1. In due reverence both of heart and geſture.
2. In true humility, from our hearts renouncing our own merit, and our own wills, and relying wholly on Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and on the will of God in him.
3. In true contrition and ſorrow of heart for our own ſins, whereby we have offended God, who hath been ſo gracious and merciful a Father unto us in Chriſt.
4. In a ſound purpoſe of heart to break off the courſe of all ſin, and to walk before God in new obedience to all his Commandments.
The Inſtructions ariſing from the words Our Father.
1. We muſt apply to our ſelves all the Promiſes of God in Chriſt touching Righteouſneſs and life everlaſting; for he that makes them is our Father, therefore they belong to us that be his children.
2. This teacheth us when we pray, to be mindeful of Gods whole Militant Church and People.
3. Hence we learn how we muſt come affected towards our Brethren, when we pray to God, namely, lovingly and peaceably, as to children of the ſame Father.
4. Here we ſee that all true Believers, whether high or low, poor or rich, are in equal condition in regard of God, for here Chriſt teacheth every one to ſay, Our Father.
Hence it followeth, That wicked men living in ſin cannot pray, all their ſuppoſed praying is but a vain beating of the Air with a ſound of words; neither ſhall they ſpeed otherwiſe then Eſau did, though they cry aloud with ſtrong and bitter cryes; yet pray they ought, it being a common duty required of all men; but pray they cannot, yea they ſin if they pray, ſuch a maze or labyrinth doth ſin bring them into; but true Believers with confidence approach the Throne of Grace, and in an holy boldneſs ſay, Our Father.
Father, a word of Faith doth ſeem to be,
And [Our] no leſs importing Charity:
The one proclaims, If thou wilt live, Do this;
The other ſays, Believe, and thou haſt bliſs.
The Law and Goſpel both compriſed be
In this moſt happy ſhort Epitomy.
Bleſs'd Savior, in two words thou haſt taught us all
We can thy Love, or our Salvation call.
This doth with mutual tenderneſs combine,
As thou art Ours, ſo grant we may be Thine.