Reflections on the regard due to the one thing needful. 91 CVIII. Luke shall not be taken shall not be finally taken away from her, I would SECT. away from her. not now hinder her from pursuing; but rather invite thee to join with her in her attention to it, though the circumstances of our intended x. 24 meal should not be so exactly adjusted as thy fond friendship could desire. IMPROVEMENT. So steadily and zealously did our blessed Lord pursue his work, verse with such unwearied diligence and constant affection! No sooner 38, 39 is he entered into the house of this pious friend, but he sets himself to preach the word of salvation, and is the same in the parlour which he had been in the temple. O Mary, how delightful was thy situation! Who would not rather have sat with thee at the feet of Jesus, to hear his wisdom, than have filled the throne of the greatest prince upon earth! Blessed were thine eyes in what they saw, thine ears in what they heard, and thine heart in what it received and embraced, and treasured up as food which would endure to everlasting life! How unhappily was her good sister deprived of the entertain- 40 ment of these golden moments, while hurried about meats and drinks, and tables with their furniture, till she lost, not only her opportunity, but her temper too; as it is indeed hard to preserve it, without a resolute guard, amidst the crowd and clamour of domestic cares! Happy that mistress of a numerous family, who can manage its concerns with the meekness and composure of wisdom, and adjust its affairs in such a manner as that it may not exclude the pleasures of devotion, and cut her off from the means of religious improvement! Happy the man who, in a pressing variety of secular business, is not so cumbered and careful as to forget that one thing which is absolutely needful; but resolutely chooses this better part, and retains it as the only 41, 42 secure and everlasting treasure! Oh that this comprehensive and important sentence were ever before our eyes! Oh that it were inscribed deep upon our hearts! One thing is needful. And what is this one thing, but the care of the soul? what, but an humble attention to the voice and the gospel of Christ? Yet, as if this were of all things the most unnecessary, for what poor trifling care is it not commonly forgot? yea, to what worthless vanity is it not daily sacrificed? Let the ministers of Christ, let the friends of souls in every station, exert themselves, that all about them may be awakened duly to regard this great interest; accounting it their meat and their drink to promote it. Let them be always solicitous that neither they nor others may neglect it for the hurries of too 92 Christ being asked by his disciples to teach them to pray, SECT.busy a life, or even for the services of an over officious CVIII. friendship. SECT. Luke xi. 1 2 SECT. CIX. Christ being entreated by his disciples to teach them to pray, repeats, with some additions, the instructions and encouragements relating to that duty which he had formerly given in his sermon on the mount. Luke XI. 1-13. LUKE XI. 1. OUR Lord then leaving Bethany, went on LUKE XI. 1. AND it came to his way; dividing his time, as usual, be- pass, that as he tween the care of teaching his numerous fol- was praying in a certain place, when he lowers and the exercises of secret devotion. ceased, one of his And as he was one day praying in a certain disciples said unto retired place, when he had ended, one of his dis- him, Lord, teach us ciples said to him, Lord, we desire thou would. to pray, as John also taught his disciples: est teach us to pray, and give us some short form which may be proper for our frequent use, as John also taught his disciples, and other leading men of the several religious sects among us have taught theirs. And he said to them, When you pray, you may 2 And he said un use that form which I before have given as a to them, when ye comprehensive model and directory for prayer, pray, say, Our Father (see Mat. vi. 9-13, Vol. I. p. 231, & seq.) and say in your addresses to God, "O God of the spirits of all flesh," who dwellest in the high and holy place, with humble reverence we bow before thee, and with a filial confidence in thy mercy, and mutual love unto each other, we would look up to thee as to our God and Father, who with the most amazing grace and condescension art ready to attend unto the supplications of thy children from thy * As John also taught his disciples.] Many learned men suppose that the Jewish masters used to give their followers some short form of prayer, as a peculiar badge of their relation to them. This John the Baptist had probably done, though we know not now what it was. And in this view only can we suppose the disciples could now ask Jesus to teach them to pray; for it is not to be thought that in the three preceding years of his ministry he had not often given them instructions both as to the matter and manner of prayer. In this sense Mr. Joseph Mede and Dr. Lightfoot understand the request and answer before us; and I have never met with any thing upon it which has given me more satisfaction. See Mede's Works, p. 1, 2, and Lightfoot's Hor. Hebr. in loc. O God, &c.] I think it but justice to the reverend Mr. Godwin to let the reader know that this paraphrase on the 24, 34, and 4th verses was written by him. I had here only given a translation, having paraphrased this excellent prayer before in Vol. I. sect. xl. the notes on which may be consulted here. repeats the form of prayer he had given them before. 93 which art in heaven, throne in heaven: we adore thee as possessed SECT. hallowed be thy of infinite perfections; and as our first concern CIX. name: thy kingdom come: thy will be is for thy glory, we offer it as our first request, Luke done, as in heaven, May thy name be every where sanctified; may xi. 2 so in earth: thy perfections be displayed through all the world, and be regarded with the highest veneration! And, that the honour of thy Majesty may be thus exalted, May thy kingdom come which thou hast promised to establish under the Messiah; may thy victorious grace be universally triumphant over all thine enemies, and thy people be willing in the day of thy power! And, as an evidence of its efficacy on the hearts of men, May thy holy will be done, as it is constantly in heaven, so likewise upon earth; and be as cheerfully submitted to, as fully acquiesced in, and readily obeyed in all things, as it is possible for us, in this imperfect state, to imitate those heavenly spirits who delight in doing thy commandments, and 8 Give us day by hearkening to the voice of thy word! During 3 day our daily bread: our continuance here on earth we would not be solicitous to seek great things for ourselves, but humbly beg that thou wouldest give us day by day our daily bread, and wouldest supply us, as our wants return upon us, with such a competent provision of the necessaries of life as may enable us to serve thee acceptably, and to attend without distraction and uneasiness to 4 And forgive us the performance of our duty. And, though 4 our sins, for we also the guilt of our iniquities might justly separate forgive every one that is indebted to between thee and us, and withhold good things us and lead us not from us, we earnestly entreat thee to extend into temptation, but thy mercy to us, and to forgive us all our sins ; deliver us from evil. for even we, the bowels of whose mercy cannot be compared with thine, are willing to forgive every one that is indebted to us, and desire to pardon all that have injured us: and, to prevent us for the time to come from falling into sin, bring us not into circumstances that will expose us to the danger of temptation, nor suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear; but keep us by thy grace from all iniquity, and rescue us from the power of the evil one, that he may never triumph in our 94 He encourages them to importunity in prayer. SECT. fall, and we may finally be saved from all the Luke I have nothing to set and say, Trouble me not : the door is now shut, and my in bed; I cannot rise And when he thus had taught them what they 5 And he said unwere to pray for, in order to excite and encour- to them, Which of age them to a believing importunity in prayer, friend, and shall go you shall have a he said to them, Who is there of you that has not unto him at midobserved the efficacy of importunate requests? night, and say unto him, Friend, lend If, for instance, he shall have a friend, and shall me three loaves; go to him at midnight, and knock at his door, and say to him, Friend, I desire thou wouldest 6 lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine, who 6 For a friend of was benighted on his journey, is just come to my mine in his journey house, and, being altogether unprovided, I have is come to me, and nothing to set before him for his refreshment: before him: 7 And he from within, instead of granting his 7 And he from request immediately, shall at first be unwilling within shall answer, to do it, and answer him, and say, Do not disturb me at so late an hour; for the door is now shut and fastened, and my children are with me children are with me in bed and asleep; so that I cannot rise to give and give thee. 8 thee what thou askest. Yet if he still go on to 8 I say unto you, press him that he would consider his necessity, Though he will not and comply with his request, Itell you, Though because he is his rise and give him, he would not rise and give him the loaves that he friend; yet because desired, because he was his neighbour and friend, of his importunity, yet on account of his importunity, as he continues he will rise and give him as many as he knocking, and will take no denial, he will at needeth. length get up and give him as many as he wants. 9 Now then, if one who was at first unwilling to 9 And I say unto regard his friend was overcome at last by his you, Ask, and it shall continued earnestness, and yielded to his im- and ye shall find: be given you; seek, portunity, much more will God, who is infinitely good and rich in mercy, though he may not see fit to answer you immediately, be certainly prevailed upon at length to give you what you stand in need of, if you continue to be earnest and importunate in your prayers to him and I say therefore to you, Whatever mercy you desire to obtain, ask it of God with a continued fervency, and it shall assuredly be given you seek it with diligence, and you shall find it; and if it be a while delayed, knock with Who is there of you that has not observed the efficacy of importunate requests?] The words in the original do not make a complete grammatical sen tence: but such accidental inaccuracies are sometimes to be found in the most approved authors. The sense is not the less plain. God is much readier to give good things than men are. eth; and he that 95 Luke knock, and it shall be an earnest importunity at the door of Divine SECT. opened unto you. mercy, and it shall at length be opened to you. cIX. 10 For every one And the success of others may encourage you that asketh, receiv- to this, as what indeed has been confirmed by xi. 10 seeketh, findeth; happy and constant experience: for every one and to him that that asks, with an unwearied fervency, receives; knocketh, it shall and he that diligently seeketh, findeth; and to be opened. him that knocks again and again, though for a while there may be some delay, it shall at length be opened. (Compare Mat. vii. 7, 8, sect. xlii.) And, further to assist your faith on these 11 ask bread of any of occasions, reflect upon the workings of your you that is a father, own hearts towards your offspring, and conwill he give him a stone? or if he ask a sider, What father is there among you, who, if a fish, will he for a fish son of his shall ask him for bread, will give him give him a serpent? a stone? or if [he ask] him for a fish, instead of 12 Or if he shall a fish will give him a serpent? Or if he ask him 12 ask an egg, will he for an egg, will be so unnatural as to give him offer him a scorpion? a scorpion? and, in the room of what is necessary for the support of life, will offer him a 11 If a son shall thing that would be useless or injurious to him. 13 If ye then, be. If you then, who are, at least comparatively, 18 ing evil, know how evil, and perhaps some of you inclined to a to give good gifts unto your children; penurious and morose temper, yet know how how much more to give good gifts to your children, and find your shall your heavenly hearts disposed to relieve their returning neFather give the Holy cessities by a variety of daily provisions; how Spirit to them that much more shall [your] heavenly Father, who is ask him? infinitely powerful and gracious, and who him- IMPROVEMENT. WELL does this petition become every disciple of Christ, Lord, ver. 1 teach us to pray! Thou hast taught us by, thine example, and by the precepts of thy word; teach us also by thine Holy Spirit! Excellent is this form of sound and Divine words, which our great Master here recommends. God forbid, that any of his followers should censure their brethren, who think it still proper to use it, not only as a directory, but as a form too, though per |