Mat. VI. 6-S.] exposition of the lord's prvAYER. o7
cern between lusts and groans, words and affections, and such words as are the belches of the flesh, and such as are the breathings of the spirit.
[2.] There is his fatherly care , for it is said, ' Your Father knows what things you have need of.' He knows what pincheth and press- eth you. It is said, 1 Pet. v. 7, ' Casting all your care upon him, for he caretli for you.' It is not said, that he maij take care of you, but he doth take care. God is aforehand with us, and our carking care doth but take the work out of God's hand which he is doing already. Our cares are needless, fruitless, burthensome ; but his are assiduous, powerful, blessed. A small matter may occasion much vexation to us, but to him all things are easy. Upon these considerations, ' We should be careful for nothing, but make known our requests unto God :' Phil. iv. 6. Praying for what we want, and giving thanks for what we have ; ' For your Father knoweth you have need of these things :' Mat. vi. 32. His fatherly love w^ill not suffer him to neglect his children or any of their concernments. Therefore, if you have a temp- tation upon you to anxiety and carefulness of mind, and know not how to get out of such a strait and conquer such a difficulty, remember you have a father to provide for you : this will prevent torment- ing thoughtfulness, which is good for nothing but to anticipate your sorrow.
[3.] The next is, his readiness to help. This should be deeply im- pressed upon your minds, and you should habituate these thuuglits, how ready God is to help and to run to the cry : Ps. xxxii. 5, ' I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou for- gavest the iniquity of my sin.' Before his purpose could be brought to pass : Isa. Ixv. 24, ' Before they call, I will answer, and whiles they are yet speaking, I will hear.' So Jer. xxxi. 20 : 'I heard Ephraim bemoaning himself,' &c. God's bowels were troubled presently. He is more ready to give than you to ask. This will help and direct you mightily in the business of prayer ; for God hath a care for his chil- dren, and is very ready to help the weak, and relieve them in all their straits.
Thirdly, For directions about our affections in prayer : three things are required, viz., fervency, reverence, confidence.
1. Fervency. That usually comes from two grounds, a broken- hearted sense of our wants, and a desire of the blessing we stand in need of. For the broken-hearted sense of our wants, especially spiritual. Weaknesses are incident to the best. All Christians have continual need to cry to God. We have continual necessities both within and without. Go cry to God your Kather without affectation, but not without affection, and seek your supplies from him. Let me tell you, the more grace is increased, the more sense of wants is increased ; for sin is more hated, defects are less borne. And then, there must be a desire of the blessings, especially spiritual ; our needs must stir up fresh longings and holy desires after God : Mat. vii. 7, ' Ask, seek, knock ; ' Luke xi. 8, ' For his importunity, he will rise and give.' We spend the earnestness of our spirits in other matters, in disputes, contests, earthly pursuits ; our importunate earnestness luns in a worldly channel. No, no ; it must be from simplicity and sincerity,
38 INTRODUCTION. [Mat. YI. 6-8.
pouring out your hearts before him ; no sacrifice without fire : James V. 16, ' The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'
2. Eeverence. A reverent respectful carriage towards our heavenly Father: Ps. ii. 11, 'Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.' Mark, there is in God a mixture of majesty and mercy ; so in us there must be of joy and trembling, God's love doth not abase his majesty, nor his majesty diminish his love. We ought to know our distance from God, and to think of his superiority over us ; therefore we must be serious. Eemember, ' God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him,' Ps. Isxxix. 7.
3. With confidence : Eph. iii. 12, ' In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.' There is boldness in pouring out our requests to God, who will certainly hear us, and grant what is good. We must rely upon his goodness and power in all our necessities. He is so gracious in Christ that he will do that which is best for his glory and our good, and upon other terms we should not seek it. If you would not turn prayer into babbling, much speaking to afi'ectation of words, take heed of these abuses, and labour to bring your hearts to God in this manner.
AN EXPOSITION
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Owr Father lohicli art in heaven.
I HAVE insisted upon the foregoing verses, which do concern the duty of prayer ; let me now come to the Lord's Prayer itself. This prayer was formed and indited by Christ, and therefore to be highly esteemed by Christians : Jesus Christ, who was the wisdom of God, he knew both our necessities and the Father's good-will towards us ; and there- fore surely he would give us a perfect form and directory. We are not absolutely tied to this form. We do not read that it was ever used by the apostles, though we have many of their prayers upon record in the Acts and in the Epistles ; yet they plainly differ as to the construc- tion of the words ; and this very prayer is diversely set down by the evangelists themselves: Mat. vi. 11, 'Give us this day our daily bread ; ' it is in other words, Luke xi. 3, ' Give us day by day our daily bread ;' and ver. 12, ' And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors ; ' in Luke xi. 4, it is, ' And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.' But, however, though we are not tied to this form, yet I think it may be humbly used ; for Christ taught his disciples how to pray while as yet they were in their ignorance and tenderness, and had not received the Spirit. And God usually puts words into sinners' mouths : Hosea xi. 2, ' Take with you words, and say unto him, Eeceive us graciously.' Look, as Joseph is said to feed his father and his brethren as a little child is nourished (as it is in the margin), there is not only food provided, but it is put into their mouths. Gen. xlvii. 1 2 ; so did Christ teach his disciples to pray, not only as directing them what they should pray for, but putting a form of words into their mouths, in this prayer there are three parts observable : —