shall we pretend to boast of our strength? Or, again, are we every moment liable to fall ourselves, and shall we be severe to the slips of others, who are men of like passions and infirmities with ourselves? No: rather let our own weakness teach us caution and humility :-let our own past frailty and errors teach us to extend that compassion and indulgence to others, which we ourselves stand daily in need of from God; and, whilst we pray to God that we fall not into temptation, let us pity, not condemn, those who have been tempted above what they were able to bear.

As our Saviour begins this divine prayer with an address to God as our Father, who is willing to grant what we ask; so also he fitly concludes it with an acknowledgement of his universal power, to shew that he is able to do it: "For "thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the "glory, for ever and ever.”

It must, indeed, be owned, that this conclusion is not in St. Luke, and probably was not originally in St. Matthew, and, therefore, we find it commonly omitted in our church liturgy: however it is certainly of very ancient use, and very properly expresses the universal sovereignty and power of him to whom we pray." For

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"thine is the kingdom:"-And whither shall we go, where this kingdom of God is not visible? If we endeavour to fly from him, he filleth all space, and, therefore, is ever near us. "Am I a God at hand," saith the Lord,

"and not a God afar off?"-" Can any hide "himself in secret places, that I shall not see "him? Do not I fill heaven and earth ?"

If we think, again, that time will blot out crimes from his memory, we deceive ourselves in vain: for he filleth all time, and inhabiteth eternity. To him past, present and future are visible at one all-comprehensive view; and, therefore, nothing can escape his notice.

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His, too, is the power, and from him all is derived. The strongest arm would wither, and the noblest genius dwindle into idiotism, in one moment, without his support and aid. We talk, indeed, of chance, nature, destiny and fortune; but these are idle words, without meaning and without propriety. God is the masterspring of all in the sublime language of scripture, "his incorruptible spirit is in all things :" -he forms the light and creates darkness:-the stars obey him in their courses :-at his command, the sea and its proud waves are stayed. If man be the only rebel amidst the creation, he

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has the more reason to take shame to himself, and to be humbled in the dust before the Lord his maker.

His, too, is the glory; the glory of whatever is good and exellent in the world, the glory of whatever we either do or enjoy. To him, therefore, man should think it his highest honour to submit to him kings should bow their sceptres with reverence and gratitude: to him angels and seraphs should stoop, and cry out, Thine is the glory for thou art worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

With trembling feet, and at an awful distance, I have thus far presumed to follow the steps of Omnipotence, and to explain the divine language of Him, who spake as never man spake: it now only remains, therefore, for me briefly to recall to your memories the substance of what I have before said in a more full and comprehensive manner, and to give what I conceive to be the sense of this divine prayer, in a short paraphrase upon it.

Thou, God,-who art our Father, and therefore most willing, who art in heaven, and there

therefore most able, to relieve the wants of thy distressed children upon earth; I acknowledge thy divine power and authority, with all the reverence and humility becoming a wretched and sinful creature: yet, emboldened by that paternal kindness, by which thou hast permitted me to cry, Abba, Father, I dare to look up from earth to heaven;-to raise my voice in prayer, from this region of sin and misery to that throne of ineffable majesty, on which thou hast been seated from all eternity.

But, let me not presume to utter my own wants, till I have first expressed that veneration, which is due to thy adorable essence and attributes: may, therefore, thy name be hallowed! may it never be uttered but with pure and hallowed lips! may it be known and adored by all the nations of the world! may thy divine majesty be above all things glorified and honoured! and may whatever more immediately relates to thee or thy service, ever be treated with becoming decency and respect!

Yet, where, alas! is that decency and respect to be found? where, rather, is not thy name despised, and thy authority trampled upon, by open wickedness or secret hypocrisy, by careless indifference or avowed infidelity? To correct, therefore,

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fore, this rebellious temper of thy presumptuous creatures, may thy kingdom come! Make all the world to acknowledge the kingdom of thy dear Son, by embracing his doctrine, and obeying his precepts; rule in our hearts by thy kingdom of grace, that we may live as becometh the Gospel of Christ; and hasten thy kingdom of glory; that, when this life is ended, we, with all those that are departed in the true faith and fear of Christ, may reign with thee in glory for And in order to this, may thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven! May we patiently suffer whatever thou art pleased to lay upon us, in our passage through this vain and transitory world; ever looking up to our great Exemplar, who, in the midst of agony unsupportable, was enabled to cry out, Not my will, but thine be done! And may thy frail creatures on earth, in proportion to their strength and abilities, endeavour to execute thy commands with the same faithfulness and alacrity, as they are done by thy holy angels and ministers in heaven; who cease not, day and night, to encircle thy throne, and are ever on the wing to perform the sacred mandates of their great Master.

But, though we cannot be thus perfect in our obedience, yet we know, thou wilt not be extreme to mark what is done amiss ;-thou wilt

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