An exposition on the Lord's prayer with a catechistical explication thereof, by way of…

Secondly, If thou art mean and low in the World, this should teach thee to be well content with thy present State and Condition, for God is thy Father, and a Father to thee equally with the greatest. There is not the highest person upon Earth, but if he belong to God, prefers that Relation above all his other Titles: If he can write Prince, King, or Emperor, and can afterwards subjoin a Child of God, all his other Titles stand but for a Cypher with him. This, O Christian, how mean, how despised soever thou art, this is thy Privilege, and a Privilege it is that equals thee with David, with Solomon, and with all the great ones of the Earth, that ever laid down their Diadems and Sceptres at the feet of God. What says the Apostle? Gal. 3.28. There is neither bond nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus.

Secondly, If thou art mean and low in the World, this should teach thee to be well content with thy present State and Condition, for God is thy Father, and a Father to thee equally with the greatest. There is not the highest person upon Earth, but if he belong to God, prefers that Relation above all his other Titles: If he can write Prince, King, or Emperour, and can afterwards subjoin a Child of God, all his other Titles stand but for a Cypher with him. This, O Christian, how mean, how despised soever thou art, this is thy Priviledge, and a Priviledge it is that equals thee with David, with Solomon, and with all the great ones of the Earth, that ever laid down their Diadems and Scepters at the feet of God. What says the Apostle? Gal. 3.28. There is neither bond nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus.

Thirdly, Since when we Pray we must say, Our Father, this teacheth us, to interest one another in our Prayers. Our Father would not have us selfish so much as in our Prayers, but in the very entrance into them, we are put in mind of the Communion of Saints, to beg those Blessings for all that belong to God which we ask for our selves; for as Christ hath made us all Kings, so he hath made all Priests to God and his Father: Now the Office of a Priest is Intercession: And therefore when we go to God, we should bear upon our Breasts the Name of our Brethren, and present them before God, through the Intercession and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Great High-Priest, that both we and they may be accepted of God. And this we ought to do both in public and private. It is true, in our secret Prayers we may pray particularly for our selves,