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taught by it to address God, not, each of us, under the title of my father, but all of us collectively, as our common father. Doubtless this was designed to keep habitually before our minds the brotherhood, in which we stand to one another and to all mankind: a sentiment, than which none can be more powerful as a restraint from injuries, and as an incentive to friendly offices. It also tends to moderate the arrogancy of the rich and the powerful, and to prevent the despondency of persons in lowly circumstances; without giving any occasion to the one, to aspire to what is beyond their sphere; or to the other, to apprehend any insecurity thus accruing to their just and reasonable rights. And further, it admonishes Christians, to consider their fellow Christians, and even all mankind, as entitled to an interest in their prayers: and a regard to this property of the duty before us, cannot fail to be a help in the exciting of the benevolent affections; and the securing of the performance of benevolent actions; as there may be ability, and as opportunity may offer.

"Hallowed be thy name:" This clause cannot be fully understood, without reference to that peculiarity in the language of scripture, according to which the name of God is commonly expressive of his nature or attributes. Doubtless "the name" as it here stands, applies to the titles by which the great Being spoken of is designated in discourse. But it extends further; and is comprehensive of his perfections.

In the former sense of the word, the state of mind suited to this part of the prayer, frowns disallowance and abhorrence on every profanation of the name of God. This is so much the case, that it would not be rash to apply to any who may use this petition, while they live in such a practice, the saying of the Psalmist it being considered not as imprecatory, but as prophetick" Let his prayer be turned into sin."* Even of those who are innocent of this enormity,

* Ps, 109. 7.

but who can hear it, without having their ears offended and their hearts wounded; it is difficult to conceive, that they can join in the petition before us, with sensibility suited to the spirit of it.

Still, the subjects principally contemplated in the petition, are the attributes of God. Of these, some are of his essence, and are incommunicable to his creatures; as his eternity, his immensity, and his infinity: which we hallow, or treat as holy, when we not only think and speak of them with the profound. est reverence, but avoid to speculate curiously or boldly, on subjects bearing relation to them; being under the influence of the spirit of that saying in scripture" Secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children."* Of the latter sort, are what may be called the communicable attributes of God; as his goodness, his justice, his truth, and the like. Of these, a portion may belong derivatively to his intelligent creatures. In them, however, such properties dwell imperfectly; either because they fall short of what they ought to be, as is the case with the children of men, in their best estate; or because, supposing them to be without imperfection in this sense, they would fall short of the perfection which is possible, and may be conceived of, This we suppose to be the condition of the holy angels; and that above which, created being cannot rise. Now the hallowing of the name of God, with a reference to the latter class of attributes here spoken of, is not only the thinking and the speaking of them with reverence, but the accompa nying of this with desire to be more and more conformed to a resemblance of them, and to be "perfect, as our Father who is in heaven is perfect."+

We may remark a use in making the present petition the first of the petitions in the prayer. It has à tendency, not only to shed its sanctifying influence on all which are to succeed, and to cause them to be put

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up in such a manner, as that God may be thereby glorified, but to sustain as the end of all our actions, "the glorifying of God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are God's."*

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From the honouring of God as he is in himself, the prayer proceeds to make an object of the honouring of him in the world. Thy kingdom come:" Here are two particulars to be considered-What is meant by the kingdom of God-and what by the object of the petition-its coming.

The expression, the kingdom of God, may describe the sphere of his power extending over universal nature. In this sense, it already "ruleth over all."+

The same is descriptive of his providential rule; whereby he orders all events, to the final accomplishment of his eternal purposes; making the actions. of his creatures subservient thereto, and very often in contrariety to their designs. This is a source of much satisfaction to all godly persons; especially under the unwelcome events of life; bearing up their souls on the wings of the assurance, that "the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."+

But notwithstanding the certainty of what has been stated, the words must be understood in another sense in the petition; because in the senses given, the kingdom of God was always in existence, and is always progressing. By the expression, then, is here meant, the dispensation of grace-the state of things taking place under the immediate government of the Messiah-in short, the Church, to be begun and to continue militant on earth, until it shall be finally triumphant in heaven. There is no distinction here made, between a visible and invisible Church; because there is seen no ground for it in the Scriptures. An essential difference of character, doubtless there is, in the subjects of this spiritual kingdom; and the same was described to us by our Lord, under the 'Rev. xix. 6.

* 1 Cor. vi. 20. † Ps. ciii. 19.

difference between the wheat and the tares in the same field. As the field was not to be neglected on account of the tares, which were to be bound in bundles for the burning, before the gathering of the wheat into the barn; so the disciples of Christ were fitly taught to pray for the beginning and for the increase of his Church; however clearly it must have been foreseen, that many would belong to it in name only.

The question remains-What do we pray for, in the petition concerning this "kingdom," that it may "come?" It may be conceived of, as relating to four different states of the evangelical dispensation; to be applied to them, according to the measures of divine grace manifested in them respectively.

In the least perfect sense, the kingdom of God took place, with the preaching of the Messiah in person. Accordingly, the Baptist began his ministry with announcing-"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."* Conformably to this, we find Christ himself soon after declaring in person" If I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." To the same idea refers what is again said by our Lord in Luke xii. 21. "Behold the kingdom of God is among you:" which is here quoted agreeably to the reading in the margin of our Bibles; it being conceived to be the most correct.

Next, the coming of the kingdom of God, is the organization of the Church and its increase, which took place immediately after our Lord's ascension. That the Apostles considered the kingdom as existing in their day in a less degree, however it were to be looked forward to in a higher measure of manifestation; is evident from such places, as where St. Paul speaks of God's having "translated believers into the kingdom of his dear Son;" and where he says "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power:" wherein he opposes to the vain boasts of † Col. i. 13.

Mark iii. 2. § 1 Cor. iv. 20.

Mat, xii. 28.

certain judaizing teachers, the miraculous works of the authorized apostles of Christianity.

The third sense, connects the subject with the crisis which took place at the destruction of the Jewish state and polity; when the wall between the Jews and the Gentiles was completely broken down. For until then, the legal dispensation stood in full force, in rela tion to the subjects of it within the boundaries of Judea. The present connexion is conspicuous in the passage at large, of which a part was the last quoted from St. Luke. The coming of the kingdom of God, is there made coincident with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies: and the same must have been within the contemplation of our Saviour, when he said "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man be come."*

The last and highest sense of the word, is as applied to the consummation of the evangelical dispensation, when it shall cease on earth, to be continued in heaven. Thus St. Paul, although speaking sometimes of a kingdom begun already, speaks also of "Christ's judging of the quick and the dead, at his appearing, and his kingdom." And this is the kingdom, of which the same apostle speaks as to be "given up to the Father at the end, when God shall be all in all."

From this view it appears, that the contemplated subject is the same, in different degrees of advancement. Until the last stage of it, "the evil will be ever mingled with the good," as the twenty sixtharticle of our Church expresses it: but then, the sheep, will be separated from the goats; and, as is said-"There shall have been gathered out of the kingdom all things which offend and they that do iniquity." If, in the mean time, it should be thought too great a concession to ungodly and licentious persons, and even hypocrites, to acknowledge them in the character of subjects of Christ's kingdom; the answer is, that this is not conceded to them, as a privilege; but rather not denied to them, 1 Cor. xv. 28,

* Mat. x. 23. § Mat. xiii. 41.

t1 Tim. vi. 14.

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