A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

Our Father, which art in Heaven.

I Have insisted upon the foregoing Verses, which do concern the Duty of Prayer; let me now come to the Lord's-Prayer it self. This Prayer was formed and digested by Christ, and therefore to be highly esteemed by Christians. Jesus Christ, who was the Wisdom of God, he knew both our Necessities, and the Father's good Will towards us; and therefore surely he would give us a perfect Form and Directory. We are not absolutely tied to this Form; we do not read that it was ever used by the Apostles, tho we have many of their Prayers upon Record, in the Acts, and in the Epistles, yet ⟨p. 74⟩they plainly differ as to the Construction of the Words. And this very Prayer is diversly set down by the Evangelists themselves. Mat. 6. 11. Give us this day our daily Bread; it is in other Words, Luke 11. 3. Give us day by day our daily Bread. And, v. 12. And forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors; in Luke 11. 4. it is, And forgive us our Sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. But however, tho we are not tied to this Form, yet I think it may be humbly used: for Christ taught his Disciples how to pray, while as yet they were in their Ignorance and Tenderness, and had not received the Spirit. And God usually puts Words into Sinners Mouths; Hosea 11. 2. Take with you Words, and say unto him, Receive us graciously. Look as Joseph is said to feed his Father, and his Brethren, as a little Child is nourished, as it is in the Margin, (there is not only Food provided, but it is put into their Mouths) Gen. 47. 12. So did Christ teach his Disciples to pray, not only as directing them what they should pray for, but putting a Form of Words into their Mouths.