O Lord, our God, doubtless you are our Father, though Abraham
A PARAPHRASE ON THE ) LORD S PRAYER A paraphrase on the Lord's Prayer, in Scripture expressions. The Lord's prayer being intended not only for a form of prayer itself, but a rule of direction, a plan or model in little, by which we may frame our prayers; and the expressions being remarkably concise, and yet vastly comprehensive, it will be of good use sometimes to lay it before us, and observing the method and order of it, to dilate upon the several passages and petitions of it, that when we use it only as a form, we may use it the more intelligently; of which we shall only here give a specimen in the assistance we may have from some other scriptures.
1. OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN O Lord, our God, doubtless you are our Father, though Abraham be ignorant ofus, and Israel acknowledge us not; you, O Lord, are our Father, our redeemer, your name is from everlasting; And we will from this time cry unto you, Our Father, you are the guide of our youth. Isaiah 63:16. Jeremiah 3:4.
Have we not all one Father, has not one God created us? You are the Father of our spirits, to whom we ought to be in subjection and live. Malachi 2:10. Hebrews 12:9.
You are the Father oflights, and the Father ofmercies, and the God of all consolation: The eternal Father, of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things. James 1:17.
Isaiah 9:6. Romans 11:36.
You are the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose glory was that of the only begotten of the Father, who is in his bosom, by him as one brought up with him, daily his delight, and rejoicing always before him. Ephesians 1:3. John 1:14, 18. Proverbs 8:30.
You are in Christ our Father, and the Father of all believers, whom you have predestinated to the adoption of children, and into whose hearts you have sent the Spirit of the Son, teaching them to cry,
Abba, Father. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God;
That the Lord God Almighty should be to us a Father, and we should be to him for sons and daughters; And that as many as receive Christ, to them you should give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which are born not of the will of man, but of God, and his grace. Ephesians 1:5.
Galatians 4:6. 1 John 3:1. 2 Corinthians 6 (v. 18). John 1:12, 13.
O that we may receive the adoption of sons, and that as obedient and genuine children we may fashion ourselves according to the example of him who hath called us, who is holy; and may be followers of God as dear children, and conformed to the image of his Son, who is the first born among many brethren. Galatians 4:5.
1 Peter 1:14, 15. Ephesians 5:1. Romans 8:29.
Enable us to come to you with humble boldness and confidence, as to a Father, a tender Father, who spares us as a man spares his son that serves him; and as having an advocate with the Father, who yet has told us, that the Father himselfloves us. Ephesians 3:12.
Malachi 3:17. 1 John 2:1. John 16:27.
You are a Father, but where is your honor? Lord, give us grace to serve you as becomes children, with reverence and godly fear.
Malachi 1:6. Hebrews 12:28.
You are a Father, and if earthly parents, being evil, yet know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more shall our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Lord, give us the spirit of grace and supplication. Luke 11:13. Zechariah
We come to you as prodigal children that have gone from our Father's house into the far country; but we will arise and go to our
Father, for in his house there is bread enough and to spare, and if we continue at a distance from him, we perish with hunger. Father, we have sinned against heaven and before you and are no more worthy to be called your children, make us even as your hired servants. Luke 15:13, 17, 18, 19.
You are our Father in heaven, and therefore unto you, O Lord, do we lift up our souls. Unto you lift we up our eyes, O you that dwellest in the heavens: As the eyes of a servant are to the hand of his master, and the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress, so do our eyes wait upon you, O Lord our God; a God whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, and yet whom we may have access to, having a high-priest that is passed into the heavens, as our forerunner. Psalm 86:4. Psalm 123:1, 2.
1 Kings 8:27. Ephesians 3:12. Hebrews 4:14. Hebrews 6:20.