Of this kingdom we pray:

1. That it may please God of His gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of His elect, and to hasten His kingdom.

2. That the kingdom of this world may "become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ."-Rev. xi., 15.

3. That we, with all those who have departed this life in the true faith of his holy name, may see him for ever and ever in his eternal and everlasting glory.-Rev. xxii., 17, 20.

CHAPTER VI.

THE THIRD PETITION FOR GOD'S GLORY.

66 THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."

This petition expresses the matter and manner of our obedience to God.

I.-The Matter of Our Obedience to God.

It is that God's will may be done, and not ours.
This we ask because our Heavenly Father knoweth
infinitely best what is good for us, and because He
requires obedience to His will—e.g. :

"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."-St. Matt. vii., 21.

This will may be learnt, in some measure, from the works of His Providence (Acts xiv., 17; Rom. i., 20), or the promptings of conscience (Rom. ii., 14-15); but it is clearly revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures.

The will of God refers to His secret and revealed will.

1. His Secret Will.

This secret will or purpose of God is that whereby He, in the beginning, created all things, and still ordereth all things-e.g.:

"He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand, or say unto him. 'What doest thou?'"-Dan. iv., 35.

This will is hidden from us it is unsearchable anj past finding out.-Rom. xi., 33.

It requires from us "patient submission."

We must :

(1) Humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.-1 Peter v., 6.

(2) Cheerfully resign ourselves, and patiently suffer whatever He may order for us.

The following are examples of such submission:

(1) Jesus Christ, in his agony in the garden, prayed—

"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."-St. Matt. xxvi., 39.

(2) Eli-e.g.:

"It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good."-1 Saml iii., 18.

(3) Paul-e.g.:

"Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done."-Acts xxi., 13-14.

2. His Revealed Will.

This will we may learn:

(1) From the Ten Commandments (Exod. xx.), and various other portions of God's word, "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."Titus ii., 12.

(2) From the life and example of our Blessed Lord, who calls us to be holy even as He is holy.-1 Peter i., 15.

It requires from us "active obedience."

We must, therefore, pray God:

(a) To teach us to know His will; and

(b) That knowing it we may be enabled to do it.-Ps. cxliii., 10; Phil. ii., 13.

II. The Manner of Our Obedience to God.

God's will is to be done in earth, as it is done in heaven by the angels. The angels are constantly engaged in His service, keeping His commandments, and hearkening unto the voice of His word.-Ps. ciii., 20.

Their service or obedience we are to imitate, because it is 1. Perfect

"They do his commandments and hearken unto the voice of his word."-Ps. ciii., 20.

2. Zealous-e.g.:

"Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire."-Pa. civ.. 4.

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3. Quick and ready-c.g.:

"Every one had four wings; every one went straightforward; they ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning."-Ezek. i., 4-14.

4. Reverent-e.g.:

"The four and twenty elders fell down before him, and cast their crowns before the throne."-Rev. iv., 10.

5. Persevering-e.g.:

"They serve him day and night in his temple.”—Rev. vii., 15.

CHAPTER VII.

THE FIRST PETITION FOR MAN'S WANTS. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD."

I.-The Prayer.

1. For Bread-i.e.

For food to support and sustain the body. Bread, being the most common and useful nourishment of the body, is often used in the Scriptures to signify all kinds of necessary food-e.g.:

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread."-Gen. iii., 19. "If God will give me bread to eat."-Gen. xxviii., 20.

The word here includes all things needful for the body, such as food, clothing, shelter, and all outward comforts necessary to preserve life and health.

2. For our Bread-i.e.:

For food, clothing, &c., that has been obtained honestlye.g.:

"Now, them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread."-2 Thess. iii., 12.

3. For our Daily Bread-i.e.:

For food convenient for present needs—e.g. :

"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me."-Prov. xxx., 8.

4. For this Day's Bread.

We are not to ask for superfluities-not to seek "to have much goods laid up for many years;" but we are to ask, day by day, for each day's needs. We are not to be over anxious about the morrow (St. Matthew vi., 25-34), for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

II.-The Teaching of the Prayer.

1. We are taught

That, while casting all our cares upon God, for He careth for us (1 Peter, v. 7), and, while laying aside every anxious care, "we should endeavour to gain a

livelihood:

(1) In an honest way.

"This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."-2 Thess. iii, 10-12.

(2) Avoiding slothfulness-e.g.:

"Not slothful in business."-Rom. xif., 11.

(3) Looking up to God for His blessing.

"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread."-Prov. xxviii., 19

2. We are taught to acknowledge :

(1) That we obtain all good things from Him.-Psalm civ., 27-29; St. Matt. vii., 11.

(2) That His good creatures are sanctified to us.

"For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."-1 Tim. iv., 4-5.

(3) The necessity of praying for spiritual food.

"Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”→ Deut. viii., 3.

The spiritual food and life should be desired above earthly food-e.g.:

"I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."-Job xxiii., 12.

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you."-St. John vi., 27.

"

'My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven."-St. John vi., 32.

Christ tells us that He is himself the sustainer of this spiritual life, in St. John vi., 35-e.g. :

"I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.'

This sustenance is to be obtained

(a) By a diligent use and study of God's word.

(b) By steadily and constantly using the appointed means of grace, such as public and private prayer, &c.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SECOND PETITION FOR MAN'S WANTS.

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US."

I.-The Prayer.

For forgiveness of our debts (St. Matt. vi., 12), sins (St. Luke xi., 4), or trespasses (St. Matt. vi., 4). We thus confess our sinfulness, and that we have trespassed or wandered away from the strait and narrow way which leadeth unto life, and have contracted debts which we are quite unable to pay.

1. The necessity of obtaining forgiveness:

Because the wages of sin is death (Rom. vi., 23), even the second death, to which we are exposed, for we can make no satisfaction for our sins.

2. The manner of obtaining forgiveness:

(1) Through Christ only, who has saved us by His grace.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."-Acts iv., 12; and v., 31.

(2) By asking God, through Christ, in faith, with a deep sense of our need of pardon-e.g. :

"Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. Iv., 7.

3. The nature of the forgiveness required:

(1) That God would not exact of us the penalty of sin.*—e.g. : "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark íníquities, O Lord, who shall stand?"-Ps. cxxx., 3.

(2) That He would accept of Christ's satisfaction for us.*—e.g. : "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”— 2 Cor. v., 21.

(3) That He would for Christ's sake discharge us from the debt.*-e.g.:

"And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."- Ephes. iv., 32,

* Oxford Catechism,