THE lord's prayer.
Matt. vi. 13. For thine is the kingdom, and the potver, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
ON a review of the Lord's Prayer, we cannot but be thankful that such a summary is here given us, not only because we are hereby instructed what to pray for, but are assured that, great as the petitions are, they shall all be granted, if we offer them up in faith. The conclusion of the prayer which we have now read, is not contained in St. Luke's Gospel. But we must remember, that the prayer was given to the dis- ciples at two difi'erent times, and on different occa- sions : and that in the one it might be contained, though it might be omitted in the other. Doubts indeed have been suggested whether it originally formed any part of the prayer before us : but, whilst the Latin versions and fathers omit it, it is found in most of the Greek manuscripts, and is quoted by most of the Greek fathers : from whence the translators of our Bible have admitted it as a part of the sacred text ; as we also may safely do on their authority. Certain it is that there is in these words a perfect cor- respondence with the prayer itself; and that they admirably express the feelings of a devout soul. This may be understood in a twofold view ;
I. As a devout acknowledgment —
It is often called a doxology, or an ascription of
praise to God : and in this view we may observe concerning it,
1. That it accords with many other passages of Holy Writ—
[Such effusions of praise are frequent in the Holy Scrip- tures : indeed the very words appear to have been taken from that thanksgiving of David, which he uttered when both he and his people had been consecrating their offerings to the Lord
for the building of his temple^ In the New Testament
such doxologies abound. The Apostles frequently interrupt the thread of their argument, (if it can be called an interrup- tion,) by breaking forth into rapturous expressions of praise and thanksgiving*^; and more frequently conclude their epistles with such tokens of grateful adoration ''. Sometimes also we find, that, after pouring out their souls before God in prayer, the Apostles address their thanksgivings to him, just in the way that we are taught to do in the prayer before us'^. The propriety therefore of addressing God in this manner is evident, since it is sanctioned by the example of the saints in all ages.]
2. That it is well calculated for the use of the Christian Church —
[Every work of God, whether animate or inanimate, ren- ders unto him a tribute of praise : the beauty and order of the whole creation, and the adaptation of every thing to its proper end, declares aloud the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of the Creator. But the people of God must be active in rendering praise to him ; according to that distinction of the Psalmist, " All thy \\or]s.s praise thee, O God; and thy saints shall bless thee^." The redeemed of the Lord are called upon to testify their obligations to him in this manner day and night^: it is " comely" for them so to do*?, and, " if they should hold their peace, the very stones would cry out against them." And where shall we find words more proper for our use? They are so concise as to be easily remembered, and so comprehensive as to include every thing that we could wish to say. They are, in fact, an epitome of that song which saints
and angels are singing in the realms above ^ — and, if we
offer them in a becoming manner, we shall have an earnest and foretaste of the heavenly bliss.
a 1 Chron. xxix. 10 — 13. Recite the passage. ^ Gal. i. 5. 1 Tim. i. 17.