It has been observed that the word our, beginning this prayer, beautifully intimates, that in our private supplications love to man and love to God should be inseparable. In the secret chamber we should not forget our social condition. By the endearing appellation of Father, the infiniteness and awfulness of the Deity are brought down to a level with our finite minds and timid faith. From Jesus we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we can cry, Abba, Father, before the dread majesty of the Sovereign of the universe. Which art in heaven. Boundless, pure, tranquil, glorious, like the spread ing skies above us, is the Being whom we worship. But more than this. He dwells not peculiarly in the material heavens any more than elsewhere. He dwells in the spiritual heaven, of which the sky is but an emblem; the heaven of spirituality, holiness, love, and mercy. Those who imitate him, as dear children, are entering into the same heaven of blessedness. Hallowed be thy name. May thy name be sanctified, or mayest thou be revered. This is the first petition. It is a prayer that idolatry, profaneness, and blasphemy may come to an end, and that the true worship of God may be established throughout the world. 1 Peter iii. 15; John iv. 21, 23.

10. Thy kingdom come. The kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom or reign of the Messiah, are equivalent terms. This second petition means, therefore, May the reign of truth, the sway of the Christian religion, be extended everywhere; may Jesus Christ rule as the moral King, the spiritual sovereign of the globe.

The Jews were accustomed to say: "He prays not at all in whose prayer there is no mention of the kingdom of God.". Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Better, on earth. Religion may have spread the knowledge of God everywhere, and yet his will may not be perfectly obeyed. This is a supplication that the diffusion of truth may be followed by the pievalence of a heavenly obedience to the truth, and to God. In using these words, we pray that men, like angels, may submit their wills to the will of God; obey his laws; and yield, and yield cheerfully, to the wholesome chastenings of his Providence. "This comprehensive petition is the most humble, as well as the most prudent, that can be offered up from the creature to the Creator; as it supposes the Supreme Being will do nothing but what is for our good, and that he knows better than we ourselves what is so."

11. Give us this day our daily bread. The first three petitions are for the world; that the true worship of God, the knowledge of his will, and obedience to his commands, may be universal. The last three petitions of the Lord's Prayer relate to the temporal and spiritual wants of ourselves. The first is for temporal good, and decides the question, whether it is right to pray for any such blessing. Bread stands here for food, clothing, and whatever we need in the flesh. This prayer reminds us that our daily blessings, as well as the sublime promises of eternity, descend from the Father on high. The prevalent anxiety and worldliness with which men labor for riches and renown are rebuked here; for only one petition

13

relates to temporal favors, and that, to good of the humblest, though most necessary kind, daily bread; whilst the other five requests are for spiritual objects. Prov. xxx. 8. This day. Or, according to Luke, xi. 3, day by day. - Daily. The original word is not used in the Classics, or the Scriptures, except here and in the parallel place in Luke, and its meaning is therefore doubtful. The most probable sense is either necessary or sufficient.

12. Forgive us our debts. Remit our offences. Faults and transgressions are called debts. The same figure of speech in some particulars prevails in our language. One man is said to owe another a favor, or an apology. It is observable here, that our sins are forgiven directly by God, upon the fulfilment of the conditions he has imposed, and that nothing is said, or anticipated, relative to their being forgiven by any intervention of the blood of an innocent being, shed to placate the divine wrath. As we forgive our debtors. This is stated as the condition on which we may trust to be forgiven. Not that repentance and reformation are not necessary for forgiveness, but that a merciful disposition in us qualifies us preëminently for the reception of mercy from God. With what face can a harsh and unforgiving man pray for pardon, when by the very act he becomes, as it were, his own accuser? It becomes us ever to recollect that we stand in the same relation to God as offenders, as those who trespass against us do to us; nay, rather, that none can have offended against us by any comparison so deeply as we have offended against God, and none can have that

Amen.

need of our mercy that we have of the divine mercy.

13. Lead us not into temptation. This is a Hebraism, meaning, suffer us not to fall into trials that will lead us into transgression. The trials of life are the school of virtue. But the spirit of this petition is, that we may not encounter temptations too strong for our virtue; may not be abandoned, unprotected, to the assaults of evil; may not run recklessly and needlessly into any occasion of sin. 1 Cor. x. 13. How beautiful and appropriate is such a supplication for those hemmed in on all sides by moral dangers and difficulties, and liable at every moment to overstep the sacred limits of virtue! The sense of our exposed moral situation will render this a hearty, frequent, and earnest petition. But deliver us from evil. Or, the evil one; as it is customary in the Scriptures to personify evil, and call it a person. This is a prayer that we may be emancipated from sin and its miseries, and that the natural evils of life, sickness, misfortune, bereavement, may redound to our spiritual good. How great a petition! It is that we may attain spotless virtue and perfect happiness. For thine is the kingdom, &c. The for implies, that as God is all-powerful and glorious, the King over all, he is able and disposed to grant the foregoing petitions. His power can supply every present and future want. His glory is to do good to his creatures. We can therefore approach him in a glad confidence that he hears and answers our prayers. The word Amen signifies so be it, being derived from a Hebrew verb, meaning to be true, faithful. The people

16 Moreover, when ye fast, be

are supposed to have responded this word at the close of the prayers of the minister, in the Jewish synagogues. The same custom appears to have prevailed among the early Christians. 1 Cor. xiv. 16. This doxology, or ascription of praise, is not found in Luke xi. 4, appended to the Lord's Prayer. The manuscripts of the best authority do not contain it, and it is not cited by the most ancient ecclesiastical writers. It occurs however in some of the early versions. Griesbach, in his critical edition of the New Testament, decides against its genuineness. The first English version, by William Tyndale, leaves it out; also the French version of Sacy. On the whole, it is probable that it was interpolated from the Jewish or Christian liturgies. But it harmonizes nevertheless with the preceding prayer, and forms an appropriate and sublime conclusion.

His

14. Christ enforces this truth often and urgently. Matt. xviii. 21-35; Mark xi. 25, 26; Luke vii. 40-48, xvii. 3, 4. He beautifully exemplified his forgiving disposition to his enemies even on the cross. disciples breathed the same merciful spirit. Acts vii. 60; Eph. iv. 32; Col. iii. 13. The forgiveness of enemies is one of the surest tests of a Christian character. And those who call themselves Christians might take a valuable lesson even from the followers of Mahomet; that with greater light they should not prove to be of a worse temper. When a brutal man had struck an Arabian philosopher, instead of a blow he received from the good man this melting appeal: "Were I vindictive, I should return outrage for outrage.

not, as the hypocrites, of a sad

Were I an informer, I should accuse you to the Calif. But I had rather pray God to grant that in the Day of Judgment I may enter into heaven with you.". Your heavenly Father "We are

will also forgive you. not, however, to understand hereby that the practice of this or any other single duty can obtain God's favor, where other Christian virtues are neglected: for, though negative precepts are absolute, yet affirmative promises admit of this limitation, if no other condition of salvation be wanting.'"

15. To make the injunction more impressive, he states here negatively what he had laid down in the last verse affirmatively. This is a common method in the Bible. Deut. ix. 7; Is. iii. 9, xxxviii. 1; Jer. xxix. 11. We are all sinners against God, needing, and professing to desire forgiveness from him, and dependent on his mercy for pardon. How unsuitable, then, that our fellow-men, who may have done us wrong, and who may be in our power, should find in us an unforgiving spirit! If they implore mercy in vain from us, how can we expect to receive mercy from God?

16. Jesus continues an application of the same principle to Fasting. Reality and sincerity alone could make this external observance of any value in the sight of God. In this passage he neither enjoins nor prohibits fasting, except so far as verse 17 may be viewed as sanctioning the observance. Christ does not refer here, probably, to the regular Jewish fasts, but to those voluntary and frequent ones, in which seekers after a reputation for piety were accustomed to make a show

of their austerities. Some fasted twice a week. Luke xviii. 12. And some even went so far as to do it four days in a week. At these times, besides abstinence from food, they practised austerities upon their bodies, beating and wounding themselves, and disfiguring their faces. Without their customary bathings, perfumes, and anointings, their personal appearance was squalid. Their hair and beards were left uncombed, and the whole garb was unsightly. Sad countenance. Or, according to the derivation of the word, look not sourly, or like a Scythian or Tartar. This morose and gloomy expression was assumed by the hypocritical Pharisees for appearance's sake. — They disfigure their faces. They destroyed the natural appearance of their countenances by neglecting their usual dress and cleanliness, and affecting great sorrow and penitence. Such fasting had no reality, and therefore no acceptableness with God. Is. lviii. 5. No severer condemnation is pronounced by Jesus upon any class of sinners than upon hypocrites. They convert the noblest things, even the observances of that religion which they disobey, into instruments of selfaggrandizement. But they have their reward; the miserable reward of supposing they have enjoyed the reputation of that virtue which they do not possess, when in reality they are understood, most likely, by men, and certainly by God, in their actual character. It has been said that the hypocrite is like the waterman, who looks one way and rows

another; the true Christian, like the traveller, has his journey's end in his eye.

17. Anoint thine head, and wash thy face. That is, affect nothing, observe your customary habits of dress and ablution. Fast in heart, not in appearance. Orientals daily wash and anoint themselves with fragrant ointments, except at times of grief and humiliation. Deut. xxviii. 40; Ruth iii. 3; 2 Sam. xiv. 2; Dan. x. 3; Mark xiv. 3; Luke vii. 46. This practice is rendered necessary by the warmth of the climate, and the looseness of the attire of the people. Of course the direction of Jesus is not literally applicable now. His aim was not to define the mode of keeping a religious ceremony, but to teach the worth of reality and substance contrasted with Pharisaical hypocrisy.

18. Openly. This word, according to Griesbach, is spurious, and should not be admitted into the text. It was probably first placed in the margin by some transcriber, as affording an antithesis to seeth in secret, and was afterwards copied into the body of the page.

19. In the following verses to the end of the chapter, lessons of faith in Providence, and freedom from anxiety about life and its circumstances, are beautifully taught. These lessons were highly appropriate to the disciples of that time, to the Apostles, who went forth poor to preach the Gospel. Yet they are good now; they are the salt of that wisdom which is never spoiled by keeping, but which is

fresh through all ages. Treasures. In the east, the most valuable possessions often consisted of the productions of the earth, the precious metals, and numerous suits of clothing; which, as fashions are not there fluctuating as here, retained their full value for years. Gen. xlv. 22; Judges xiv. 12; 2 Kings v. 5. Moth. A small insect which eats and destroys clothing. Rust. Canker, or what consumes either grain or metals. Their gold and silver would rust, their grain be blighted, and their garments motheaten. James v. 2, 3.- Thieves break through. Or, dig through the walls of a house to commit burglary. This precept is also found in Luke xii. 33, 34, and John vi. 27. It is not to dissuade from industry and frugality, but from absorption in the pursuits of wealth as the chief good. The phrase is a Hebraism, for instances of which see Hos. vi. 6; Matt. ix. 13; Acts v. 4. A positive and negative expression are united to give the idea of preference, not to express an absolute value. So here. The idea is, Do not lay up for yourselves earthly so much as heavenly treasures. Man, made for immortality, made to be a child of heaven, and companion of angels and cherubim, must, to be happy, live to God and eternity; that is his nature, his element. Otherwise he is like a plant, with its branches as well as roots growing into the ground; like a bird, created for the ample scope of heaven, tamely creeping on the earth as a reptile. Let him soar upward.

20. Earthly treasures are perishable, therefore they should hold a subordinate place; heavenly treasures are incorruptible, therefore they should be supremely loved and sought after. Men are anxious to make provision for their old age; how much more should they gather riches for an everlasting future! Treasures in heaven. What are they? Let our Saviour answer. Matt. xix. 21. Let Paul answer. 1 Tim. vi. 17-19. Charity, good works, a pure heart, a finished Christian character, love; these are treasures, above gold or diamonds; richer than East or West; lasting for ever; glorious to behold; happy to possess and enjoy. We may be poor in anght else, but we may all be rich in soul, rich towards God, rich for the life to come. Let us covet, as no miser ever did his yellow dust, that eternal inheritance laid up for the good in the regions of the fairer world.

21. There will your heart be also. A profound truth. Everybody has some treasure, something he esteems, desires, and loves; some thing to which his heart turns, as the needle to the pole. If we have a treasure, and our heart is not with it, it is no treasure to us. A real treasure draws the affections after it. Luke xii. 34. Happy will it be for us when we shall see that virtue, goodness, God, heaven, are such treasures as are worth all our desires, hopes, and efforts. Laying up our treasures in heaven, our hearts will spontaneously be drawn up thither.