The fecond thing to be confider'd in this appellation is, that we acknowledge this our Father to be in heaven.

The Scriptures to accommodate themselves to human conceptions, talk of heaven as the place of God's more immediate refidence. It is therefore call'd there his throne, and his dwelling place. The tabernacle under the Law was in this refpect the pattern of things in the heavens; and that Schechinah, or glorious appearance that conftantly attended it, was defign'd to poffefs the Jews with God's more especial presence in that place. They from hence feem to have conceiv'd a vain notion, that all worship was confin'd to Jerufalem, and that their Prayers were not fo well affur'd of acceptance from any other place. Our Saviour therefore to oppose this narrow opinion, requires us to pray to our Father in heaven; fhewing by this, that our petitions have equal accefs to him from all places.

By declaring him to be in heaven, and yet commanding us to fend up our Prayers thither he reminds us of that Omnipresence that fills all things. The good man is from hence affur'd that he hath a fanctuary near at hand in providence, and that he hath an Almighty Protector conftantly within call. Where

Wherever he goes he is affur'd that he is at no great distance from his God, and that he hath allowance to approach him at all times, and from all places. His petitions are not fo many fruitless unheard wifhes; but they are fent to one, whose Majesty fuffers him not to be unable to hear, nor his Goodness unwilling to help.

But farther, this acknowledgment of our Father in heaven fhews his great kindnefs in fuffering us to approach him. It is no fmall condefcenfion for a great God to attend to the requests of his creatures, and though he be on high to behold the things that are done on earth. When we thus pray we are reminded that we, fo diftant in ftation and fo unprofitable in our fervice, are yet allow'd to fend up our low requests to heaven, and are affur'd there of a favourable hearing. How great is both the honour and the comfort, that that God, who is fo far above all things, is ready to hear the Prayers of his indigent and diftrefs'd fervants, and when he hears their prayers will help them. His Majefty doth in this refpect fet off his condefcenfion; and we with more gratitude call God Father, when we at the fame time believe him to be in heaven. In short, by calling God our Father we exprefs the greatness of those bleffings we have receiv'd; and

by profeffing this our Father to be in heaven, we own the great dignity of the person that hath conferr'd them upon us; and the fenfe of both thefe together will naturally prepare our hope, reverence and attention, to fend up the following Prayer.

I now proceed to the practical uses that arise from calling God our Father in Heaven.

The first practical use arifeth from the word Father, which familiar name naturally promifeth all reasonable hope of fuccefs. The other titles by which God chofe to be call'd under the old Law being drawn from his power and fuperiority, carry'd fome fort of diffidence along with them.

The names of God, Lord, Lord of Hofts, Jehova, did in their natural import exprefs his Majefty diftinctly from his Goodnefs, and were therefore only qualify'd to raife in the minds of his worshippers terror without hope, and reverence without comfort. But the word Father, which our Saviour directs his disciples to use, expresses all that mercy he reveal'd by his preaching, and feal'd by his blood. The Chriftian is hereby bid to hope in the entrance of his Prayers, and to promise himself all the tenderness that fo near a relation includes. This is prov'd

by

by our Saviour from a familiar instance of an earthly father, who without either goodness or discretion is very fuccefsfully provident for his craving children. If ye being evil know Luke xi, how to give good gifts to your children, how 13. much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to thofe that ask him?

The bounty of an infinite Being to undeferving creatures, must arife from fuch motives as promise its continuance. It is not like the uncertain friendship of mortals, built upon capricious humours, or purchas'd by the mercenary prospect of returns. Neither gratitude nor expectation can have any place with God, but these his favours flow from an unchangeable goodness, and an unweary'd delight in making his creatures happy. They could have no claim upon him when he created them out of nothing; and now that they are made, what are all their returns of praise and thanksgiving (and thofe are all the returns they can make) but fo much breath spent upon themselves?

Now if we confider the mercy of God in this light. (and the expreffion of Father naturally leads us to do fo) we have the utmost encouragement to ask, as St. James directs, James i. with faith, nothing wavering. The confideration of fo much paft goodness gives a fure profpect

C 3

6.

profpect of its continuance, and is a reasonable argument that God will not defert his own work. To pray therefore with faith and hope, is the character of a Christian in the Gospel, because all diffidence of God doth in effect difown his mercy, and gives the lye to this familiar and encouraging appellation. The Prayers that are clogg'd with diftruft, never reach heaven; and the doubtful worfhippers call God Father, without meaning, or effect. They difayow the relation which they bear to him when they have not that reasonable confidence in his mercy, which their adoption or fonfhip carries along with

it.

In fhort, the redemption of the world which we profefs by calling God our Father, promises all the encouragement that creatures can expect. This includes in it fo many bleffings, that there is not any thing that deferves our Prayers,

Rom. viii, fore it is ask'd for.

32.

but is even granted beHe that spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all; how fhall he not with him freely give us all things?

The second practical use that ariseth from hence is, that we are here directed to call God our Father, in common with all Chriftians.

The