may be more known, and honoured, and glorified, by all His intelligent creatures. In fact it is the very petition which the Lord Jesus Himself puts up on another occasion, " Father, glorify thy name." (John xii. 28.)
We are next taught to pray that God's kingdom may come : "Thy kingdom come." In so sajring, we declare our desire that the usurped power of Satan may speedily be cast down, — that all mankind may acknowledge God as their lawful King, and that the kingdoms of this world may become in fact, as they are in promise, the kingdoms of our God and of His ChrisHk. The final setting up of this kingdom has been long predicted, even from the day of Adam's fall. The whole creation groans in expectation of it. The last prayer in the Bible points to it. The canon of Scripture almost closes with the words, " Come Lord Jesus." (Rev. xi. 16 ; Gen. iii. 15 ; Rom. viii. 22 ; Rev. xxii. 20.)
We are taught, thirdly, to pray that God's will may be done : "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." In so saying, we express our longing desire that the number of God's converted and obedient people on earth may greatly increase, that His enemies who hate His laws, may be minished and brought low, and that the time may speedily arrive when all men shall do their willing service to God on earth, even as all the angels do in heaven. (Hab. ii. 14 ; Heb. viii. 11.)
Such is the first division of the Lord's Prayer. Its marvellous fulness and deep importance cannot be over- rated. Blessed indeed are those Christians who have learned that God's name is far more honourable than that of any earthly potentate, — God's kingdom the only