Quest. But how shall we know that we do indeed resign up ourselves to God ?
I answer. When we make him our chief good and our utmost end — that is, when we unfeignedly choose him for our portion, and set apart ourselves to act for his glory.
1 . When we choose and cleave to him as our all-sufficient portion : ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul,' Lam. iii. 24. Sometimes the Lord speaks to us. : 'I am thy reward, I am thy salvation,' Ps. xxxv. 3. So the soul speaks to God : ' Thou art my portion.' When we cleave to God, ' He is my portion for ever,' Ps. Ixxiii. 25 ; ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? ' &c. When our souls are satisfied in God, having enough in him, this is to give up ourselves to him.
2. When we set apart ourselves to his use, to live and act for his glory, this is also entering into covenant with God. As in that formal matrimonial covenant that was used between the prophet and his wife, Hosea iii. 3, ' Thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee ;' so in the covenant we resolve to renounce all others, and to live and act for God : ' The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself,' Ps. iv. 3. When we are thus set apart for God, to serve him and glorify him by this special dedication of ourselves tohis use, this is the act of grace on our part. We were God's by election ; but he comes and takes possession for himself by the Spirit, and then the soul sets himself apart for God.
Secondly, That all the saints have a common interest in the same God ; therefore Christ taught us to say, ' Our Father.' They have one Father, as well as one Spirit — one Christ, one hope, and one heaven: Eph. iv. 6. Questionless, it is lawful to say. My Father. Some have disputed it, because they suppose this expression is used to signify Christ's singular filiation: Clirist could only say, My Father. But it is lawful, provided we do not say it exclusively, and
56 AN EXPOSITION OF [Mat. YI. 9.
appropriatinc: it to ourselves. But here Chri^^t, wlien he giveth us this perfect form, teacheth us to say, ' Our Father.' As the sun in the firmament is every man's, and all the world's, so God is every single believer's G-od — the God of all the elect. But why would Christ put this in this perfect pattern and form of prayer ?
[1.] To quicken our love to the saints in prayer. When we come to pray, there must be a brotherly love expressed ; now that is a distinct thing from common love: 'Add to brotherly kindness, charity,' 2 Pet i. 7. When we are dealing with God in prayer, we must express somewhat of this brotherly love. How must we express it ? In pray- ing for others, as well as for ourselves. Necessity will put men upon praying for themselves, but brotherly love Avill put them upon praying for others. Wherein must brotherly kindness be expressed in prayer ? In two things: —
(1.) Jn a fellow-feeling of their miseries, in being touched with their necessities, as we would be with our own. To be senseless, it is a spiritual excommunication, a casting ourselves out of the body. Members must take care for one anotlier. We must be grieved with their pains. ' Who is offended,' saith the apostle, ' and I burn not ? ' If there be any power in such a confession or title of a Father, we must be wrestling with God, how well soever it be with us, remember- ing we speak to him in whom others have a joint interest with our- selves.
(2.) It must be expressed in wishing the same good to others as to ourselves. Many that pray in their own case, with what earnestness and importunity are they carried out ! but how flat and cold in the case of others ! Kow, a good Christian must be as earnest with God for others as for himself Look, what earnestness and heedfulness of soul he showeth when he puts up prayers for himself ; the same must he do 'for all saints:' Eph. vi. 18. Self-love and self-respect must not breathe only in our prayers ; they must be carried out with as much earnestness as if we would go to God in our own case.
[2.] Again, as it showeth us what brotherly love we should express in prayer, so it checketh many carnal dispositions which we are guilty of, and Christ would mind us of them. It checks strife and conten- tion ; we are brethren — have one common Father. Everywhere meek- ness and love : it is a qualification for pra^'cr. ' Let the husband live with his wife according to knowledge, that their prayers be not hindered : ' 1 Pet. iii. 7. If there be such brawls in the family, how can the husband and wife call upon God with such a united heart as is requisite ? So, 1 Tim. ii. 8, ' I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.' Not only lift up ' pure ' hands to God, and that ' without doubting ; ' there must be confidence in our prayers. But that is not all : but ' without wrath ; ' there must be nothing of revenge and passion mingled with your sup- plication. And then it checketh pride and disdain. Christ teacheth all, in all conditions, whether masters or servants, fathers or children, kings or beggars, all to say ' Our Father ; ' for we have all one Father. Thou hast not a better Christ, nor a better Father in heaven, than they have. The rich and the poor were to give one ransom under the law, Exod. xxx., to show they have all the same