2. What happiness it is calculated to produce —
[Let these petitions be answered; let this state of things prevail ; let the Messiah reign in the hearts of all mankind ; let the example of angels be emulated by every human being. Will any one say, that this would lessen the happiness of the world ? Will any one say that he even feels a doubt upon the subject? No: we are all convinced in our consciences, that in jjroportion as we approximated to the holiness of angels, we should also participate their bliss. See what it is that occa- sions by far the greater part of misery in the world : " Whence spring wars and fightings amongst us, but from the lusts which war in our members?" It is to the same source that we must trace the greater part of our bodily disorders and our mental troubles. Sin is the parent of misery in ten thousand different forms : and it is religion alone that can heal the wounds which sin has made. If any who profess religion are not happy, the fault is not in religion, but in them : they have either erro- neous notions of God's kingdom, or a partial regard for his will. Let them only possess the dispositions implied in these prayers, and they will have a very heaven upon earth p.]
0 Prov. xviii. 1. v See Isai. Ix. 19, 20.
190 MATTHEW, Vl. 11. [1315.
THE lord's prayer.
Matt. vi. 11. Give us this day our daily bread.
IN those petitions which relate to the glory of God, that occurs first which is the most comprehensive and the most important : in these which relate to the welfare of man, a different order is observed. The comfortable support of our bodies, instead of being of chief importance, is, when compared with spiri- tual blessings, quite insignificant. Yet is a petition respecting that with great propriety placed first ; be- cause, unless our bodies be preserved in life, there will be no further scope for the communication of grace on God's part, or the exercise of it on ours. The subject of this petition indeed is such, as many would think scarcely worthy of a place in so short a summary of prayer as that before us : but our Lord did not account it so ; and therefore we should not.
That we may form a right judgment concerning it, let us consider,
I. The import of this petition —
There are two things in it which call for explanation :
1. The general scope of it —
[Some have thought, that, because Christ is represented as " the bread of life" which every one must eat, we are here taught to pray for the knowledge and enjoyment of Him : whilst others have thought, that the prayer referred to the sacramental bread, which in the primitive Church was par- taken of daily by the whole body of believers. But neither of these interpretations accords with the terms in which the petition is conveyed. The plain and literal sense of the words seems to be that which was intended by our Lord. It may be thought strange indeed, that, when three petitions only are suggested for the welfare of man, one of them should be con- fined to his bodily concerns. But it must be remembered, that those are the concerns in which we are most apt to over- look the interpositions of Heaven ; and consequently, that we particularly need to have this very direction given us. Nor is it a small matter to acknowledge the agency of God in things of such apparently inferior moment : for it leads us to
1315.] THE lord's prayer. 191
realize the thought of an overruling Providence in every thing, even in the death of a sparrow, or the falling of a hair of our head.]
2. The particular limitations contained in it —
\The thing which we pray for, is limited to the necessaries of life. This is the general acceptation of the term " bread" in Scripture : it comprehends all the things which are needful for the body, but not any luxuries or superfluities. Doubtless those necessaries will vary according to our rank and situation in life, and according to the numbers we have dependent on us for support : and what would be a superfluity under some circumstances, would be no more than absolutely necessary under other circumstances : but, due respect being had to these things, this must be the limit of our requests. If we ask for any thing, " to consume it upon our lusts, we ask amiss ^"