Secondly, I would remark, that the several parts of this prayer are disposed in the wisest and most becoming order. It is addressed to God, our heavenly Father': his honour and veneration are therefore, fitly, first considered. We pray, that his name may be hallowed by men, his kingdom enlarged, and his will done upon earth, with the same alacrity as it is done in heaven. And, having thus declared our zeal for God's glory, we next pray to him for a supply for our own wants and infirmities, as well for the body as the soul: that he will supply our daily necessities with daily support; that he will forgive us those past sins, which wound and la cerate our consciences, and guard us from those future assaults, which may endanger our virtue. And, lastly, we acknowledge his power to do all this, by declaring him the sovereign Lord, to whom belongs the kingdom, power, and glory, for ever and ever.

After these two general remarks, let us proceed to consider the several parts, of which this excellent prayer is composed.

It begins with a prefatory address to God, in these comprehensive words, "Our Father, which "art in heaven." This leads us to consider him, to whom we address ourselves,

First, As the great Author of the universe, who formed the heavens and the earth, who appointed the revolving succession of times and seasons, who created beasts and creeping things, and, above all, who called man into life, the best and noblest of his works; who formed him in. his own image, and gave him dominion over all the rest of the creation.

Secondly, As the Preserver of all-and of man above all, who most wants his support. Every man feels the superintending hand of God, from his youth up-through his providence he has been held up, ever since he was born; every man, therefore, should gratefully own it, when he calls upon God by this title.

In these two senses, of a Creator and Preserver, God is a common Father to all. The scattered tribes of Israel, the untutored savages and remotest nations, however disjoined by situation, or diversified by culture, are all the children of his care and love: in the language of the prophet, "they have all one. Father, one "God hath created them.". But we have a peculiar and more distinguished title to call him our Father: for, to the Christian he is a Father indeed; having given to him a power, in a more especial manner to be called the child of God,

through

through faith in Christ Jesus. We had, indeed, before, the common right to call God our Father; but it was, then, a name surrounded with inexpressible terror:-we were the guilty offspring of a rebellious parent, and, therefore, dared not to look up to our heavenly Father with comfort; but, through the blood of his dear Son, being now reconciled to him, we approach him with humble confidence, and are enabled to cry out, in the language of reconciliation, "Abba, Father."

But, whilst we are thus addressing him under the endearing title of a Father, it cannot escape our notice, that the following words, "which art "in heaven," at the same time, lead us to re member him also under the awful title of a GOD. He is, indeed, our Father, but he is our Father, who is in heaven :-He is that high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity:-heaven is his throne, and earth his footstool. Not that God is limited to any particular place; for he filleth all space, and is present every where, nor are the heaven of heavens able to contain him: but he is called our Father in heaven, because there he more immediately dwells in light inaccessible; there is the throne of his glory, from whence his commands are issued, and from which

he

he looketh down upon the children of men, and considereth all their works.

Upon the whole, then, every Christian, who addresses himself to God under the character of his Father in heaven, must be understood to speak this language:

I apply myself to thee, O God, as the Creator of the world, who formedst all things by thy power:-I apply myself to thee, O God, as the great Parent of the universe, who calledst me and all mankind into life, and still continuest to preserve and support me by thy providence: I apply myself to thee, O God, as the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, who formedst the gracious plan of man's redemption, and vouchsafest to pardon my sins, through the allsufficient merits of thy dear Son:-I tremble, indeed, at thy majesty, because thou art in heaven, and I on earth:-I fear to approach thy presence, because thou art a God, and I am a poor worm of mortality:-yet thy love emboldens me to draw near thee with faith:-I come to thy altars with filial confidence, because thou condescendest to acknowledge thyself my Father.

And

And what then are the affections and sentiments, which this awful address ought to suggest to every one that uses it?

First, then is God the Creator of the world, and all that it contains? How little reason, then, have we to overvalue ourselves on account of any thing we possess in it? How will all our boasted accomplishments shrink into nothing, when we consider, that they are only the gift of God, bestowed upon us without any merit or concurrence of our own. We are the clay, and he is the potter, and we all are the work of his hands, who called us from nothing into existence; who called us from mingling with the clods of the valley, to the powers of reason and the hopes of immortality. Let us, therefore, adore the hand that made and fashioned us, and let us not presume to make idols of ourselves, or vainly fancy, let our station or abilities be what they will, that we are any thing better than sinful dust and ashes.

Secondly, Were the God to whom we are commanded to address ourselves, a hard and severe master, were he extreme to mark what is done amiss,-we should all of us draw near him with terror; since all of us have offended him too often, and have much to be pardoned. But, blessed

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