9thly, Love to all that are related to us as children of the same Father, is another child-like disposition. In like manner our love to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, is a temper becoming the children of God; and, indeed, it is no other than a loving God in them, as we behold his image instamped upon them; and hereby we express the high esteem we have for regenerating grace, whereby God is denominated our common Father; and we, being acted by the same principle, are obliged and inclined to love as brethren. Thus they who love God, are induced to love his children, as the apostle says, Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him, 1 John v. 1. and he also assigns this as an evidence that we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren, chap. iii. 14. Thus concerning our drawing nigh to God, as to a Father, as we are taught to do in this prayer.
2. We are directed, in this prayer, to draw nigh to God, as being in heaven; which is the most glorious part of the frame of nature, in which his power, wisdom, and goodness is eminently displayed, as he designed it to be an eternal habitation for the best of creatures, to whom he would discover more of his glory than to any others; and in this respect it is called his throne, Acts vii. 49. And this leads us,
(1.) To have high and awful thoughts of the majesty and greatness of God, whom all the hosts of heaven worship, with the utmost reverence, and are satisfied with the immense treasure of his goodness. We therefore take occasion from hence to admire his infinite condescension, that he will look upon creatures here below; thus Solomon, in his prayer says, Will God, indeed, dwell on the earth? behold the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, 1 Kings viii. 27. will he therefore look down upon those, who are so mean, deformed, and destitute of his image, as we are, who dwell in houses of clay, and deserve to be banished out of his sight?
(2.) It should also be improved by us to teach us humility and modesty, in our conceptions and discourse, concerning God, and divine things: It is but a little that we know of the affairs of the upper world, and the way and manner in which God is pleased to manifest himself to his saints and angels there; and we know much less of his divine perfections, which the inhabitants of heaven adore, being sensible of the infinite distance they stand at from him, as creatures, upon which account they cannot comprehend, or find out the Almighty to perfection; and shall we pretend to search out the secrets of his wisdom, or express ourselves in prayer, as though we were speaking to one that was our equal, or could fathom the infinite depths of his unsearchable counsels? Thus Solomon’s advice may be well adapted to this case, Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few, 1 Kings viii. 27. We are not to think that we may say what we please, or be rash and inconsiderate in what we say, when we are before the Lord; for he is in heaven: And when it is farther inferred, that therefore our words should be few, that is, we should not think that the efficacy of our prayers depends upon the multitude of our words; or if we speak more or less to God, our expressions ought not to be bold, rash, hasty, or inconsiderate, but with a becoming decency and reverence, as those who are speaking to the majesty of heaven.
(3.) It should put us upon meditating frequently on the glory of the heavenly state, as those who hope at last, to be joined with that happy and numerous assembly, who are, in God’s immediate presence, in heaven: and therefore our conversation should be there; and we should profess ourselves to be sojourners here on earth, seeking a better country, looking and waiting for the glorious appearing of the great God, our Saviour; and hoping, that when he comes, he will receive us to heaven, where our hearts are at present, as our treasure is there.
3. We are, in this prayer, farther taught, that it is our duty to pray with, and for others, as we say, Our Father: Hereby we signify our relation to, and concern for, all the members of Christ’s mystical body; therefore, if we do not join with others in prayer, we are to have them upon our hearts, who are the objects of Christ’s special love and care. This argues, that we have a sympathy with all those who are exposed to the same wants and miseries with ourselves; and we take a great deal of delight in considering them as subjects of the same common Lord, joining in the same profession with ourselves; concerning whom, we desire and hope that we shall be glorified together.
Moreover, if we join with others in prayer, so that the whole assembly make their supplications by one that is their mouth, to God; this is what we call social worship: Therefore it is our duty to pray with, as well as for others; and in this case we must take heed that nothing be contained in united prayer, but what the whole assembly may join in, as being expressive of their faith, desires, or experiences; otherwise there cannot be that beautiful harmony therein, such as the nature and design of the duty we are jointly engaged in, calls for: and this is agreeable to social or united prayers, in which all the petitions are to be adapted to the particular case of every one who addresses himself to God, how numerous soever the worshipping assembly may be; and therefore we are obliged to make use of that mode of expression, in which we are taught to say, Our Father.
Thus our Saviour directs us how we should begin our prayers to God; and, inasmuch as this ought to be reduced to practice, I shall give a summary account of what is contained in this preface; that we may be furnished with matter taken from thence, in order to our addressing ourselves to God in prayer, in a way agreeable thereunto, when we come into his presence with such a frame of spirit as the importance of the duty requires; accordingly we are to express ourselves to this purpose, “O our God, we desire to draw nigh to thee with a becoming reverence, and an awful sense of thine infinite perfections: When we consider thee as a jealous God, and ourselves as sinful, guilty creatures, we might well be afraid to come before thee; but thou hast encouraged us to approach thy presence as to a Father, in, and through the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore we come with an humble boldness before thy throne of grace, confessing that though we are called thy children, we have been very undutiful and rebellious against thee, and therefore unworthy of that relation or of the inheritance which thou hast laid up for those whom thou hast ordained to eternal life. Thou, O Lord, hast established thy throne in the heavens, where there is an innumerable company of angels and spirits of just men made perfect, who all behold thy face, and are made completely blessed in thine immediate presence: As for us, we dwell in houses of clay; but we earnestly beg that we may be made meet for, and then admitted into that happy society, that we may worship thee in a more perfect manner than we are capable of doing in this imperfect state. May all the powers and faculties of our souls be renewed, and influenced by thy holy Spirit, that we may have our conversation in heaven, whilst we are here below, and in all things, may be enabled to approve ourselves thy children, have a constant sense of duty, and the manifold obligations thou hast laid us under, that we may love, delight in, and submit to thee in all things, and have a fervent zeal for the honour of thy name as becomes thy children, that we, together with all thy faithful servants, may be under thy safe protection here, and be received to thy glory hereafter.”
Quest. CXC.
Quest. CXC. What do we pray for the first petition?