of our nature; and, for this end, daily presents objects to our imaginations, that are agreeable to the desires of the flesh; and these are received with pleasure and delight, whereby a snare is laid for the ruin of the soul, so that it becomes more and more alienated from the life of God; and not only indifferent, as to matters of religion, but utterly averse to them. This is the reason of all the dishonour that is brought to God in the world; whereby it appears, that his will is not done therein, as it ought to be.

Moreover, as the will of man sets itself against the commanding will of God, so it expresses the same aversion to his providential will; which is not said indeed, to be done, but it ought to be submitted to, by us. We are as much inclined to find fault with what God does in the world, as we are to rebel against his law. This appears in our being discontented and uneasy with the allotments of providence, especially when we are under the afflicting hand of God; whereby we are apt to charge him as dealing hardly with us, because we have not those opportunities, we desire, to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, or some check is given to our corrupt appetites or inclinations. How ready are we to complain of injuries done us, as though God were obliged to give us whatever we would have, how contrary soever it may be to our real good and advantage, as well as his own glory! Of this we have many instances, in the perverse behaviour of the children of Israel in the wilderness, who were frequently complaining of the hardships they endured; and, by their murmuring against God, provoked him to send those terrible judgments which, as they might have foreseen, would be the consequence thereof. This is the most unreasonable behaviour towards him, who has a right to do what he will with his own, and directly contrary to that temper of mind which the gospel suggests; whereby we are taught, in whatsoever state or condition of life we are, therewith to be contented. It is, in both these respects, that we are instructed, in this petition, to pray, that the will of the Lord may be done. Which leads us to consider,

II. The subject-matter of what we are taught to pray for in this petition, when we say, Thy will be done. And,

1. With respect to God's commanding will, we are to pray, that he would incline and enable us to yield obedience to it; and accordingly,

(1.) We are to be earnest with him, that he would remove the ignorance and blindness of our minds, that we may see a beauty and glory in every thing that he commands; for, next to the Sovereignty of God, which is the first motive hereunto, the excellency of what he commands is to be considered as an inducement to obedience. Therefore we are to be convinced,

that his law is holy, his commandment holy, just, and good, Rom. vii. 12. or, that duty and interest are herein inseparably connected, so that the one can never be secured without the other. This is the work of the Spirit of God, when he directs and leads us in the way wherein we ought to walk.

(2.) We are to pray, that God would take away the obsti nacy and perverseness of our wills, that our obedience may be matter of choice, and performed with delight, otherwise it cannot be pleasing to him; and accordingly we are to pray,

[1.] That it may be performed with the utmost sincerity, as approving ourselves not to men, but God, who searcheth the heart; and that it may proceed from a principle of spiritual life and grace, and be done with a single eye, to his glory, whose we are, and whom we desire to serve.

[2.] We are to pray, that our obedience may arise from a filial fear of God, and a love to him, and not barely a dread of punishment, or fear of his wrath, as the consequence of our rebellion against him; or from a mercenary frame of spirit, that looks at nothing farther than some advantages which we expect to receive from him; and that it may also proceed from a sense of gratitude for the many benefits which we receive from him, whereby we are, as it were, constrained to do his will.

[3.] This obedience ought to be universal, with respect to the matter thereof, and constant, with respect to our perseverance therein. We are not to choose to obey some of the divine commands, and refuse others; or to perform those duties which are most easy, and reject those that are difficult; or to obey the will of God, so far as it comports with our secular interest, and indent with him to be excused in those things that are inconsistent therewith: but we must leave it to him alone, to prescribe the matter of duty, and express an entire compliance therewith, whatsoever it be that he requires. Thus the Psalmist says, Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments, Psal. cxix. 6.

Moreover, this obedience must be constant, without our growing cold and indifferent therein, or desisting from it, according as our condition in the world is altered, as though we had nothing to do with God and religion, but when we are under some pressing difficulties; for that is to set our faces heaven-ward for a time, and afterwards to draw back unto perdition.

(2.) We are to pray that God would enable us to submit to his disposing will, as being satisfied that all the dispensations of his providence are right; and accordingly to say, with David, Here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him, 2 Sam. xv. 26. This consists,

[1.] In maintaining a quiet, easy, composed frame of spirit, fitted for the exercise of religious duties, though under trying dispensations of providence.

[2.] When we justify God, and lay the blame on ourselves, whatever afflictions we are exercised with. Thus the Psalmist speaks of himself as deserted, and God as far from helping him, he acknowledges the equity of his dispensations, when he says, Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel, Pal. xxii. 1. 3. or, as he elsewhere expresses himself, The Lord is upright, he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him, Psal. xcii. 15.

[3.] When we are disposed to bless God, at the same time, when he takes away outward mercies, as well as when he gives them: Thus Job, when he was stripped of all he had at once, says, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord, Job i. 24. We are now to consider,

. III. The manner in which the will of God is to be done: Accordingly we are taught to pray, that it may be done in earth as it is in heaven; not that we are to suppose that the best of saints can arrive, while in this world, to the perfection of the heavenly state; so that it is possible for them to do the will of God in the same manner, or degree, as it is done in heaven: Therefore the particle AS respects similitude, rather than equality, and all that we can infer from hence is, that there is aome analogy or resemblance between the obedience of the saints here, and that of the inhabitants of heaven. This implies in it a desire,

1. That it may be done with great humility and reverence. Thus the angels, who have the character of Seraphims, are represented, in that emblem or vision which the prophet Isaiah saw, of the Lord sitting on his throne, Isa. vi. 1, 2. and the Seraphims attending him, as having their faces covered with their wings, in token of reverence and humility. And others are described as casting their crowns before the throne, Rev. vi. 10. intimating, that all the glory that is put upon them, is derived from him that sits on the throne, and that their honour is not to be regarded or mentioned, when compared with him who is the fountain thereof.

2. This expression farther implies in it a desire to do the will of God with all cheerfulness. Some think that this is intended in the vision which John saw concerning the seven angels, who were employed to inflict the seven last plagues on the church's enemies, when they are represented as doing it with harps in their hands, and as singing the praises of God at the same time, Rev. xv. 1-3.

3. We are said to do the will of God on earth, as it is done by the angels in heaven, when we do it with faithfulness: Thus

when they are represented as ministering to God's people, and, as such, having the charge over them to keep them in all their ways, they are spoken of as doing this faithfully; as it is said, They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone, Psal. xci. 11, 12.

4. The angels are farther represented as a pattern of diligence in doing the will of God: Thus it is said of the angel Gabriel, that when the word of command was given him to carry a message to Daniel, he fled swiftly, being expeditious in fulfilling the work he was employed about, Dan. ix. 21.

5. They are said to do the will of God, with zeal and fervency; and, for this reason, some think they are called, in the scripture but now mentioned, seraphims; or, as they are elsewhere styled, A flaming fire, Psal. civ. 4.

6. The angels are said to do the will of God sincerely: Thus the inhabitants of heaven are represented, as having no guile found in their mouths, and being without fault before the throne of God, Prov. xxii. 2.

7. They are said to do the will of God with constancy: Thus we read of them as serving him day and night in his temple, chap. vii. 15. and the angels, which are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto the heirs of salvation, are said always to behold the face of God in heaven, Mat. xviii. 10. that is, they never give out, or are weary of his service: We have herein an excellent example set before us, and are exhorted to pray, that in our measure we may yield the like obedience to God, though we fall very short of doing it, as they do who are in a perfect state. We are therefore herein taught to lift up our hearts to God, in a way of adoration, confession, and supplication, q. d. "We acknowledge, O Lord, that thou "hast a right to the obedience of all creatures, and hast been pleased to give them thy law as the rule thereof. It is our "glory, as well as our happiness, to be thy servants; for thy "law is holy, thy commandment holy, just and good: But we " acknowledge and confess before thee, that we have rebelled "against thee, and have refused to yield obedience to thy "commands: And when we behold the universal corruption "of human nature, we blush and are ashamed to think how "little glory is brought to thy name, by the service and obe"dience of thy creatures here below. In heaven thy will is "done perfectly, by those who serve thee with the greatest de"light and pleasure; but on earth thou hast but little glory; "it is an instance of condescending goodness that thou hast "not, long since, abandoned and forsook it, and thereby ren"dered it like hell: But, we beseech thee, take to thyself thy great power, and reign in the hearts of men; subdue their "wills thyself, that they may cheerfully and constantly obey

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"thy commanding will, and submit to thy providential will, "as being satisfied that all thy dispensations are right, and "shall tend to thy glory, and the welfare of all that fear thy "name."

QUEST. CXCIII. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? ANSW. In the fourth petition, [which is, Give us this day our daily bread,] acknowledging, that in Adam, and by our sin, we have forfeited our right to all the outward blessings of this life, and deserve to be wholly deprived of them by God, and to have them cursed to us in the use of them; and, that neither they of themselves are able to sustain us, nor we to merit, or by our own industry, to procure them, but prone to desire, get, and use them unlawfully; we pray for ourselves and others, that both they and we, waiting upon the providence of God from day to day, in the use of lawful means, may, of his free gift, and, as to his fatherly wisdom shall seem best, enjoy a competent portion of them, and have the same continued and blessed unto us in our holy and comfortable use of them, and contentment in them; and be kept from all things that are contrary to our temporal support and comfort.

N order to our understanding this petition, we must first consider what is meant by bread. Some have thought that our Saviour hereby intends spiritual mercies, as denoting that bread which is suited to the necessities of our souls, and particularly that we may have an interest in Christ, who is called, The bread of life, John vi. 35. The living bread which came down from heaven, ver. 51. But though it must be allowed, that this is a blessing far exceeding all those that are of a temporal nature, as much as the happiness of the soul is preferable to that of the body; and it is, doubtless, to be made the subject of our daily and importunate requests to God, q. d. give me an interest in Christ, or else I can have no delight or pleasure in any of the enjoyments of life: Yet this does not seem to be intended by our Saviour in this petition; but that bread which we pray for has a more immediate respect to the blessings of this life, which, according to the scripture-mode of speaking, are often set forth by bread. Thus God tells Adam, after his fall, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Gen. iii. 19. by which we are to understand, that he should take a great deal of pains to provide for himself the necessaries of life. So when God promises outward blessings to his people, he tells them, that bread shall be given them, and