task to inquire what its divine Author intended to teach us in its several parts, that so we may address it to God with understanding, and in the exercise of those sentiments that are expressed in it.

It consists, as you know, of three parts: a preface, petitions, and a doxology.

The preface, "Our Father, who art in heaven," brief as it is, presents the strongest encouragements to prayer, and is admirably adapted to awaken all those affections that will make us pray acceptably. Of all the magnificent titles invented by poets or philosophers, in honour of their gods, there is none which conveys so grand and lovely an idea as this simple name of Father. Can we say to God, Our Father, without feeling our hearts swell with gratitude, for all that goodness which this name brings to our remembrance; for that kindness which called us into being; for that protection and support which he hath ever given us; for that adoption through Jesus Christ, and renewal by his Spirit, by which Christians peculiarly become his children? Can we say to God, Our Father, without being animated by a tender confidence in his mercy; by a persuasion that he is ready to hear our reasonable requests, to give us all that is really good, and to avert from us all those evils which we may ignorantly desire; with a heartfelt joy that we are not obliged to address a severc and inexorable tyrant, or a cold, insensible stranger, unconnected with us, and indifferent to our necessities; but the kindest, the most affectionate, the most merciful of parents? Can we say to God, Our Father, without being inspired with a filial reverence, with a child-like fear of his displeasure, with a desire of obeying him in all things, with a zeal for his honour, and a wish to resemble him? Can the soul

remain unimpressed by a solemn awe, when it remembers that this our Father is in heaven, seated on a throne far above all height, possessed of unlimited power, and managing the universe at his pleasure? Can any care, or fear, or inquietude; can any thing inconsistent with the sublimest trust, agitate the soul of the believer, when he considers that God, his Father, pities his distresses, and desires his felicity; that God, his Father in heaven, can accomplish all his wishes, and give him a happiness beyond his thoughts or his hopes?

When such affections as these are excited in our hearts, our zeal, our love, our reverence must compel us to cry out, "Hallowed be thy name."

The name of God means here God himself, his person, and his attributes. The expression is used in the same manner in numberless other places of holy scripture, where to fear, to bless, to call upon the name of the Lord, signify to fear, to bless, to call upon the Lord. Perhaps this peculiar phraseology resulted from a circumstance which you must often have noticed when perusing the Old Testament. We find there that when God made any remarkable promise to his people, or performed splendid miracles in their behalf, he very frequently took a particular name confirmative of this promise, or significative of these miracles. In consequence of this, it was natural that God, and the name of God, should be used as convertible terms. We hallow this name, that is, we sanctify, or glorify God, when we entertain in our hearts proper sentiments of his nature and perfections: when we consider him as infinitely removed from unrighteousness; as never beholding it in his creatures with approbation; as in no case the author of sin; as perfectly great, and just, and good. We

hallow this name, that is, we sanctify or glorify God, when we express these sentiments by our lips, and on all fit occasions praise and bless him. We hallow it when our lives correspond with these expressions of our lips, and these sentiments of the heart. When we utter this petition, then we pray that God may be revered, adored, and magnified by all intelligent creatures, and especially by men; that they never may think of him but with solemnity of soul; that they never may speak of him but with the profoundest veneration; that this humble and fervent devotion may animate all the homages that they pay to him, and may shine through their whole lives.

If we thus hallow the name of God; if we have this lively, effectual, and solemn belief of his holiness, his hatred of sin, his justice, and his goodness, we shall desire to become his subjects; we shall say with sincerity, "Thy kingdom come." God is the sovereign of the universe. His sceptre extends over all the works of his hands, from the archangel that stands next his throne, to the imperceptible mote that floats in the air. To this his natural dominion the petition does not refer. This kingdom has endured since nature sprang into existence, and it will ever continue undisturbed. With regard to it we may say, with the Psalmist, "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice;" but we cannot say, Thy kingdom come." There is, however, another dominion exercised by God; that in which, by his Spirit and his gospel, he rules over the hearts of voluntary subjects. This dominion is unacknowledged by many of those who are under his natural government. We pray that it may be extended to all mankind, and have no other limits than the world.

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But however glorious may be the kingdom of God upon the earth, it endures but for a time; however happy may be its subjects, they, like the rest of mankind, must submit to the stroke of death. But at this they repine not; for they know that in the regions of bliss, to which they pass through the tomb, the kingdom of the same God to whom they were in subjection below, flourishes in glory and perfection; they know that there they shall submit to his authority with still more entire devotion, and triumph in their king with still higher transports. To this final and complete establishment of the kingdom of God we ought to look forward when we say," Thy kingdom come."

But how shall we obtain a share in this blissful kingdom? How shall we secure that acquittal of our Judge, "Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ?" The Saviour himself informs us, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven." For this qualification he bids us to pray in the next petition," Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." There are two principal lights in which we may consider God; as the sovereign disposer of all events, and as our most holy ruler and lawgiver. When viewed in the first of these characters, we perform his will when we bear with resignation and suffer with patience whatever sorrows he sends us; when even under the severest strokes of his rod, we check the tears of impatience and the murmurs of despair, and exclaim in the words. of our Saviour, "Not my will, but thine be done;" when submissive to the authority, and confident of the wisdom and goodness of our God, afflicted but

not rebellious, we say with Eli, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." But though in this petition we implore this temper of soul for ourselves and for all men, yet this is not its chief design. The blessed angels, who are here proposed for our examples, can have no opportunity of thus submitting to the will of God in a state where no affliction can ever assail them, no distress ever agitate the sacred tranquillity of their souls. But in that species of obedience to the will of God, which consists in performing the commandments that, as our lawgiver, he has given us, they serve as the most illustrious patterns to us. And though we can never, whilst on earth, attain to that perfection of obedience which distinguishes the angelic host, yet we ought to strive, as we here pray, that ourselves, and all men, by whom the earth is now inhabited, or who shall hereafter possess it, may perform the commands of God with so much readiness, universality, ardour, joy, and perseverance, that our obedience may become a lively, though imperfect image of that with which the blessed spirits execute the orders of their Lord.

Hitherto the petitions that our Saviour has prescribed are such, that the purest spirits could join with us in presenting them to our common Father. But the Saviour knew, that while we were on earth, it was necessary for us to form supplications unsuitable to the state of those happy and holy beings. These supplications are three, and refer to the three parts of our life: we are needy and dependent-we must then implore relief under our present temporal necessities. We are sinful-we must then seek from his mercy the remission of our past offences. We are frail-we must then desire grace from on high to arm us against our future temptations.