The spirituall man's directorie guiding a Christian in the path that leads to true blessednesse in his III. maine duties towards God : how [brace] to believe, to obey, to pray [brace] : unfolding the [brace] Creed, X. Command., the Lords prayer / by that reverend and faithfull minister of Gods word Mr. William Fennor ...

Q. 139. Why our Father, not my Father?

A. We may pray also my Father, Luk. 15. 18. and we are taught to doe so in private, Math. 6. 6. for, first, Nature teacheth that the creature should have a particular propriety in God, whom it cal∣leth upon, Jon. 1. 6. Secondly, we have need of a particular propriety in God, that we may streng∣then our Petition, Luk. 15. 19. Thirdly, that we may come thankfully before him, Rom. 1. 8: Fourthly, that we may come with filiall affecti∣ons, and never run away from him, Ier. 3. 19. but our Saviour puts it in the Plurall number, first,

because wee are to pray with others, Acts 20. 36. Secondly, wee are to Pray for others, Iam. 5. 16. Thirdly, to teach us to love one another, and not to deale unbrotherly one with another, Mal. 2. 10 Fourthly, to shew us that God is universally a Father to all his elect, and he is not like an earth∣ly father, that hath but one Blessing, or few bles∣sings, Gen. 27. 38. nay, though all the company that joyne with us in Prayer, be not adopted un∣to God; yet if two or three be the mouth of the company, may pray Our Father, Isa. 63 16. the meeting is denominated a congregation of Saints from them two or three, Psal. 149. 1. there is a communication of Phrases; the mouth of the assembly knowing there be some wicked, though some bee not; yet by the communication of phrases, hee may say, We have done wickedly, though neither himselfe, nor many of the com∣pany have done so, Nehem. 9. 33. Besides, God is in a generall sence the Father of such as are rebellious, Isa. 1. 2. and they may equivocally be said to be in Christ, Iohn 15. 2.