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 lietli upon them of praying aright. Certainly none should desist from this duty of prayer because they cannot perform it aright, for though w-e have lost our power and fitness, yet there is no reason God should lose his right and liis power to our obedience. There is an obligation and precept from God, as a father by creation, u])on 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 cloubt 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 : Ps. xiv. 1, ' They do not call upon God.' Ptom. iii. 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
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50 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 9.
must not omit liearing, 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 : Jer. iii. 19, ' But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations ? And I said. Thou shalt call me, My Father, and shalt 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, j^et any way ' Thou shalt 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 fly to God in Christ Jesus, for his grace and favour, that he might become his God and Father.
Secondly, What shall they do which have not as jet 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 adop- tion, yet not always the feeling of it, to witness to him that God hath 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 thou art 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 xi. 13, ' He will give the Spirit to them that ask him.' Therefore, in what- ever 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 thou canst not say Father; yet plead fatherless: Hosea xiv. 3, ' In thee 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 favour. He is a Father of the fatherless.
[2.] Own God in the humbling way. Learn the policy of the prodi- gal : Luke xv. 18, 19, ' Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.' This is the policy and art of a humble faith, to call God Father. As Paul catcheth hold of the promise on the dark side : ' Jesus Christ came to save sinners ;' and presently he addeth, 'whereof I am chief:' so a believer may come and say, ' Lord, I am not worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants.'