practice: Because it is a strong presumption in favour of some forms of Prayer, that the Son of God hath both taught one in exprefs words, and requir'd his followers to use it. But the whole body of antient interpreters, and the fober part of the modern are agreed, that this command of our Saviour extends not only to the fubject matter, but to the form of words here fet forth. This interpretation feems most agreeable to the gracious defign of our Saviour in this place, which was to give his followers the comfort of praying both with confidence and propriety, and of addressing the King of Heaven in those words his Son had taught.

However it must be observ'd, that tho' prejudice and obftinacy have occafion'd this dif pute, yet the inaccurate reading of the English version hath in a great measure continued it. The words after this Manner, might easily lead an unlearned perfon to think, that they were only a general direction to pray to that or the like effect. Whereas if the Greek (Tws) had been tranflated thus pray ye, or ye shall thus pray, I would charitably believe there would have been no controverfy upon this fubject. This is farther confirmChap. xi. ed from the parallel place in St. Luke, where there feems no difcretionary liberty left to

y. 2.

men,

men, either to use or not to use this form, but they are pofitively required when they pray to fay, Our Father, &c.

This preface then means an express order to use the following form, and to make it not only a model of our devotions, but a part of them. The words naturally lead to this sense; and the conftant practice of the Church in all ages fhews, that they were always fo interpreted. The primitive Chriftian's us'd the Lord's Prayer in their daily fervice; and, as St. Auftin obferves, call'd it for that reason the daily cleansing, and the daily healing. They fanctify'd their own pious compofures by the more perfect one taught by their Master, and never failed to - offer up this Prayer at the celebration of the holy Communion. It was joyn'd to the Prayer of Oblation; and, as far as we can judge at this distance, was employ'd in no

a

a Sic docuit Apoftolos fuos ut quotidiè in corporis illius facrificio credentes audeant loqui, Pater nofter. Hieron. lib. 3. adv. Pelag. Oratio quotidiè dicenda eft vobis, cùm baptizati fueritis, in ecclefiâ enim ad altare Dei quotidiè dicitur dominica oratio ut audiant illam fideles. Aug. Homil. Orationem verò dominicam idcirco mox poft precem dicimus, quia mos Apoftolorum fuit ut ad ipfam folummodo orationem oblationis hoftiam confecrarent. Greg. Mag. epift. Εἶτα με' ταῦτα τὴν εὐχὴν λέγομρ ἐκείνην ἣν ὁ σωτής παρέδωσε tois dixérois aut pallas. Cyril. Hierof. Catech. 5.

other part of the fervice. So great veneration was conceiv'd for this excellent form, that those that were not yet admitted into the Church by Baptifm, or excluded from it by just cenfure, were not admitted to joy' in it. And therefore it was made a part of thofe more folemn offices, from which excommunicated or unbaptized perfons were excluded. b He must have been a true dif ciple of his Saviour that could then be allow'd to pray publickly in those words he had taught; and must be thought to have both the faith and the practice of a Chriftian, to claim fo much hope as he doth in this Prayer. The discipline of the African Church, as we learn from St. Auftin, was to deliver to the Catechumens, in Paffion week, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer; and to require an account of them the week following, which was the usual season of Baptism. The adult perfons then to be baptized were carefully instructed in both thefe offices, that when they were admitted to the whole fervice (as they never

ا,

Β Ὅτι το πισοῖς αὕτη ἡ προσευχὴ προτήκε, καὶ οἱ νόμοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας διδάσκεσι καὶ τὸ προοίμιον τῆς οὐχῆς, ὁ γδ αμύητο εκ ar diyanto waltex xaλer Tor bedr. Chryfoftom. Hom. in Matth. Orabant utique jam fideles jam Apoftoli, nam ista oratio dominica fidelibus magis datur. D. Aug. adv. Pelag.

were

were before Baptifm) they might profess their faith with more judgment, and their hope in this Prayer with more fincerity and comfort. It was fitting that fo much reverence should be fhewn to a form so perfect in its matter, fo excellent in its teacher, and fo comfortable; in its use. The antient Church had reason to exclude all but her true members from partaking in this Prayer, the fuccefs of which is only founded in the reconciliation to God by his Son. The baftening of God's Kingdom, the forgiveness of our trefpasses, and the deliverance from our Spiritual enemies, are only due to us as Chriftians, by virtue of our relation to our Lord Jesus; the blessings here ask'd for do fo much exceed both human merit and understanding, that they could neither be discover'd without the preaching, nor claim'd without the fatisfaction of a Redeemer.

It is farther obfervable, that as we in this Prayer profess the faith and the hope, fo likewise do we promise the practice of a Chriftian. Every article of it is a lesson of some virtue, and supposeth our own honest endeavours to improve those spiritual perfections for which we here pray. The Lord's Prayer is not only a direction to our defires, but a

rule of behaviour; and, as a primitive father obferves, contains an abridgment of all the Gospel precepts.

In fhort, it fets forth the full extent of our hope, and the conditions of it; and fhews in one short view, both what we are entitled to ask by the merits of our Saviour, and what we are oblig'd to do by the rules of his Gospel.

I shall therefore endeavour, by God's bleffing, to explain the meaning and practical uses of the feveral parts of this excellent Prayer, and shall confine the present discourse to these introductory words,

Our Father which art in Heaven.

In which words two things are to be confider❜d.

Firft, What is meant by calling God our Father in heaven.

c Compendiis paucorum verborum quot attinguntur edicta Prophetarum, Evangeliorum, Apoftolorum, fermones Domini, parabolæ, exempla, præcepta, quot fimul expunguntur officia? Dei honor in patre, fidei teftimonium in nomine, oblatio obfequii in voluntate, commemoratio fpei in regno, petitio vitæ in pane, exomologefis debitorum in deprecatione, folicitudo tentationum in poftulatione tutela. Tertull. de Oratione.

Secondly,