Sect. 1. Of the Addrefs or Preface. "Our Father, which art in Heaven. Catechift. The Parties who are to pray, and they who are to be prayed for, are all who are capable of any Benefit by our Prayers; even ourselves and others, as the first Word (Our) in this Addrefs imports. We must all pray to God, both for ourselves, and one another. As we muft love our Neighbour, i. e. all others, as ourselves; fo likewife we must pray for them according to what they are: For Sinners, as Sinners; that they may repent and be converted: For Saints, as Saints; that they may increafe and abound in Goodnefs: And for all Men, as Men, that they may be good, and happy. And though we may pray fpecially, both for ourselves, and certain others; yet the Good of the whole Community, the Church, and all Mankind, must be principally regarded by us, even in thefe fpecial Prayers, without any Partiality, or felfish narrow Minds. The Perfon to whom we must address ourselves in Prayer, is God our Father, even our Maker, our Redeemer, and Regenerator who is also described to us, by his Excellency (in Heaven:) His being our Father befpeaks his Readiness and Will to help us : And his being in Heaven, his All-fufficiency and Power. The Vaftnefs, Sublimity, and Glory of the Heavens, tell us, that he who dwelleth there, and rules over all the World, must needs be abfolutely fit, and fufficient to hear 2 Our Father. hear and help us. And hereby we are also taught, how we ought to approach unto him. As he is our Father, in, and thorough Christ, we may come with a Childlike Boldness, unto his Throne of Grace, to obtain his Grace and Mercy, in our time of Need. But withall, our Accefs muft be, with Fear, Reverence, and Humility, remembering that he is in Heaven, and we on Earth. The Questions and Answers. Q. What is the Preface to the Lord's Prayer? Q. Who do you understand by the Father, in this Place? A. God himself, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; and when it fignifieth the first Perfon, it excludeth not, but implyeth the other two. Q. Is God our Father? A. Yes. If.lxiii. 16. Doubtlefs Thou art our Father. Q. But how is he our Father? Is he indeed the Father 1. Of all Men, by Creation and Redemption? Q. Hath God a Fatherly Love, and Pity to fuch as fear and love him? A. Yes. For, as a Father pitieth his Children, even fo is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. Pf. ciii. 13. Q. What do thefe Words (Our Father) here import? Do they not import and teach us 1. To whom 2. For and with whom 3. And how } Q. 1. To whom must we make our Prayers? To whom we Muft it not be unto God only? A. Yes. For must pray. there is none which is our Father in Heaven, befides him. 2. Muft we pray for others, as well as ourselves, For and and in Confent or Union with them? A. Yes, with whom: For we are all Fellow-Members of one Body, or Society. Rom. xii. 5. And must 1 Tim. ii. 1. 3. How, and in what Manner? Muft we not In what do this 1. With an holy Confidence in God's Fatherly 2. With humble Reverence? A. Yes. For Manner Q. What do you mean by faying, God is in which are Heaven? Is he not every-where prefent, even in in Heavgp. Earth, and in all Places? A. Yes. Pf. cxxxix. 7. Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither fhall I fly from thy Prefence? Q. But Applica ion. Q. But when it is faid, that God is in Heaven, do's it not import, :: 1. That he is there in an eminent and glorious act Catechift. God who is infinite, and un- Let this then teach us to direct our Affetions thither; and not fet them on things below. Though God is here on Earth, as well as he is in Heaven; yet he will not be unto us our Felicity, here on Earth, or be fo fully enjoyed here, as in Heaven he is enjoyed. Our Souls fhould afpire therefore, in all our Prayers, towards Heaven, there to fee and enjoy him perfectly, in that Region of Blifs and Glory. Sect. 2. Of the three firft Petitions that more immediately relate to God. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy, King "dom come. Win be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven do ༢༣ ༠༨༩༠ Catechift. The Petitions contained in this Prayer, are equally divided, as it were into two Tables, like thofe of the ten Commandments, concerning God and Man; The one being for his Glory, the other for our own Good. The Firft of thefe Petitions is, Hallowed be thy Name). And herein the Name of God denotes, not only the proper Notices or Appearances of God to Men, in his Titles, Attributes, Ordinances, Words and Works, whereby he is pleafed to make himfelf known, unto us, but alfo God himTelf, as fo notified and made known. And to hallow his holy Name, is to glorify him as God, in all thofe things wherein he appeareth to us: Whether they be thofe Signs that reprefent him to our Minds, or our inward Conceptions of him received by those Signs, And fo here we pray, that both ourfelves and others might have a right Efteem and Knowledge of his moft High and Holy Majefty, and might glorify him accordingly, in all our Thoughts, Words and Works. The Second Petition is, (Thy Kingdom come.) The Kingdom of God, as it fpecially relates to Men, is either his Kingdom of Grace here in this World, which he exerci Q 4 feth |