A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

I answer; A Child of God may have the Effects and Fruits of Adoption, yet not always the feeling of it, to witness to him, that God hath taken him into a Child-like Relation to himself. Certainly, they are in a very uncomfortable Condition, for they want an Help in Prayer. Doubtless thou art our Father; O what an Advantage is that! How much of Eloquence and Rhetoric is there in that, when we can speak to God as a Father! Yet they are not to neglect their Addresses to God; for this is a means to obtain the Spirit of Adoption. Luke 11. 13. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him. Therefore in what ever Condition we be, we must pray; otherwise we shut the Door upon our Hopes. You continue the Want upon your selves, and so wholly detain your selves in a comfortless Condition.

I answer; A Child of God may have the Effects and Fruits of Adoption, yet not always the feeling of it, to witness to him, that God hath taken him into a Child-like Relation to himself. Certainly, they are in a very uncomfortable Condition, for they want an Help in Prayer. Doubtless thou art our Father; O what an Advantage is that! How much of Eloquence and Rhetorick is there in that, when we can speak to God as a Father! Yet they are not to neglect their Addresses to God; for this is a means to obtain the Spirit of Adoption. Luke 11. 13. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him. Therefore in what ever Condition we be, we must pray; otherwise we shut the Door upon our Hopes. You continue the Want upon your selves, and so wholly detain your selves in a comfortless Condition.

There is a fourfold spiritual Art we must use in Prayer, when we have not the Sense of our Adoption, that we may be able to speak to God as our Father.