A51845:219
A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer
A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer by ... Thomas Manton.
London: printed by J.D., 1684
AN EXPOSITION OF THE Lord's-Prayer. › Our Father, which art in Heaven.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. You will wonder at it, you will behold it as an excellent Privilege, if you consider the Nature of the Privilege it self; To be Sons and Daughters of God, to be able to call God Father. This was Christ's own Title and Honour. When God had a mind to honour Christ, he proclaims it from Heaven, Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. Surely, if our Hearts were as apprehensive of heavenly Privileges, as they are of earthly, we would admire it more. Earthly Alliance, how is it prized! If a great Man should match into our Blood and Line, what an Honour and Glory do we reckon it to us! 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a King's Son in Law? Do we account this a small Matter, to be related to Kings, and Princes, and Potentates? No, no; we have high thoughts of it: And is not this an excellent thing, to be Sons and Daughters of God? In all other Cases, if Men have Children of their own, they do not adopt: God had a Son of his own, in whom his Soul found full Delight and Complacency; yet he would adopt and take us wretched Creatures, he would invest us with the Title of Sons. And shall it be said of this and that Believer, Here's the Son of God? O behold what manner of Love! &c.
3. Then do but consider the Consequents of it, ⟨p. 85⟩both in this Life, and the Life to come. In this Life, what Immunities and Privileges have we? Free Access to God; we may come and treat with him when we please, as Children to a Father, when we stand in need of any thing. We have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Rom. 8. 15. If we ail any thing, we may go to our Father, and acquaint him with our Case and Grief. And we shall have a Child's Allowance here in the World: The Heirs of Glory are well provided for in their Non-age; they have a Right to a large Portion, all the good Things of the World, Meat, Drink, Marriage; such Things they have by a Son's Right: They have a Right to the Creature, in and by him who is Heir of all Things; so they are established in their Right which Adam lost.