BRIEF NOTES ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. MATT. VI. 9-13; LUKE XI. 2—4. BY THE REV. J. KNAPP, INCUMBENT OF ST. JOHN'S, PORTSEA. IN attempting a short exposition of the Lord's Prayer, it is taken for granted, that prayer is acknowledged as a precious privilege, and as a necessary characteristic of the saints of God. Without at this time dwelling upon the nature and character of prayer, we would the rather strive to show how beautiful a model and example the Saviour has given to his Church, and how in this LORD'S PRAYER, God being our Teacher, we are instructed how to ask much in few and simple words. It was an ordinary custom among the Jews, for Rabbis of note to give their followers form of prayer; we are not therefore surprised at the request which his disciples made to Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke xi. 1). Jesus was at this time a recognised teacher, and numbered a considerable body of acknowledged followers. The LORD'S PRAYER is composed of seven distinct petitions, three of which respect God's glory and kingdom, and four of which relate to the needs and requirements of men. We have to do at the present time with the first of these petitions, "OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME," and it will conduce to the bringing out of the beautiful truth which underlies these words, if we consider briefly and Testament, however, has developed a more glorious relationship. The title of sons of God" is one which prophets and righteous men under a former dispensation, never aspired to. Traces indeed were not wanting of the intention of our glorious Jehovah towards his believing people, (Isa. i. 2, Isa. lxiii. 16, Mal. i. 6); but still under the old dispensation, Israel, though a child, differed nothing from a servant; but was under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the Father (Gal. iv. 2, 3). But now, blessed be God, under a clearer revelation, we are taught He is the Father of every true believer in his Son Christ Jesus, and that to all those to whom it is given to believe in Jesus, power privilege are also given to become the sons of God (John i. 12); not that the act of believing constitutes them sons—far from it; they were always sons, in the mind and the intention of Jehovah, (Ephes. i. 5); they were loved by him from eternity; and BECAUSE they are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, bringing him to them, the consciousness of their privilege; making them sensible of their adoption into the family of God, and enabling them to say, "ABBA! FATHER!" (Gal. iii. 6). Thus it is through the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the soul, that the believer calls God-FATHER; and hence, if any man have not the Spirit of God, he is none of his (Rom. viii. 9). And 1. THE PERSON. "Our Father" is here note, the children of God manifest the object of prayer. As the great their divine relationship by conformity Creator of all things, God may well be to his likeness. Because he is holy, they termed the Father. He is the " Father are holy also. They are predestinated of spirits;" thrones, principalities, and to be conformed to the image of the dominions, owe their existence to Him: first-born, Jesus. As he is in the light so do they, through grace, walk also in the light. What a blessed privilege does this truth open up to us-what relationship is sweeter or more binding than that of Father? upon whom should we depend for daily food, if not upon our Father? Before whom can we lay our daily needs,-to whom can we go in all our sorrows and distresses if not to him, as to a kind and loving Father? In the hardest straits that can befal us-in the sorest trials and direst per 1. THE PERSON. In .בני אלהים while angels are said to be a general sense, He is the Father of all plexities,- -no barrier can prevent our access to him: not only at stated times, or at certain intervals, but under all circumstances, and at all times, may we make our request known to our Father and our God. How sweet thus to approach our covenant Jehovah; there is no fear mingled with the believer's coming to a throne of grace, perfect love hath cast out fear, for fear hath torment; therefore does he say-" ABBA-FATHER!" our hearts may be humbled upon our approach to the throne of grace: hence another scripture saith, "God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." Oh! if the Majesty of the Creator, and the meanness of the creature, were ever kept in view, when men come into the presence of the Most High, what an amount of idle verbrage would be refrained from, and how less frequent would be the mark of that commandment which says, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." But our Lord would also teach us in this prayer, to set our affections on things above. Is our Father in heaven, above-then thither should our hearts ascend. The very prayer teaches heavenly mindedness. We lift up our thoughts to Him (Psal. xxv. 1), that our souls may soar heavenwards. Our treasure is above; then thither should our hearts ascend. Our Father is there; our home is there; our inheritance is there; our everlasting rest is there; to heaven therefore should we lift our hearts. Our Saviour teaches a blessed lesson of Catholicity in this prayer. There must be no selfishness in our approaches to a throne of grace. The Saviour would teach us to cultivate largeness of heart in our very prayers. There is but one family of which God is the Father, and Christ the first-born: one family, some of whom have entered into glory, and some are still below (Ephes. iii. 14, 15). We realize the communion of saints each time we approach the mercy-seat. The very prayer the Lord Himself has taught us, reminds us that we are but individual members of the one great body of which Jesus is the Head and Chief (1 The PETITION.-HALLOWED BE THY Cor. xii. 12-27). NAME. In this prayer for the sanctificaMultitudes use this prayer; the lantion of the name of Jehovah, we are taught guage of sons is upon their lips, but the enmity of aliens still remains within their hearts. Multitudes say, "Our Father," but it is a taking the name of God in vain; for none can use the language of children except it can be said of them, They were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." II. THE PLACE" IN HEAVEN." Note, God is everywhere; He is a Spirit, and fills all space. "Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord." "Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord." Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him. Still while earth to cultivate deep views of his majesty, his greatness, and his holiness. As children should we come into his presence without fear, having boldness to enter, by the new and living way; but at the very threshold, like Moses and like Joshua, we should pause and recollect that the place whereon we stand, is holy ground. The word which is here translated, "Hallowed" (ayaonra), is the same word rendered elsewhere in the New Testament by the term sanctified, and (e. g..) John xvii. 17, Rom. xv. 16, 1 Cor. i. 2, 1 Tim. iv. 5). We cannot pray that God may be hallowed, for he is the fount, the essence, and the fulness of all sanctification: but is his footstool, HEAVEN is his throne we pray that his name may be hallowed ; (Psal. xi. 4). It is in HEAVEN the angels and in doing so, we pray that his great do always behold the face of our Father name may be manifested, acknowledged, (Matt. xviii. 10). Here the glory of Je- loved, reverenced, and feared among men. hovah shines forth. Here the Majesty If we are "to sanctify the Lord God of Jehovah is manifested. Here in his in our hearts," (1 Pet. iii. 15), then also presence is fulness of joy. Here at his should the prayer for the sanctification right hand are pleasures for evermore. of God's most holy name be upon our And yet while he dwells in heaven, the lips: for indeed, none can pray hallowplace of his highest glory, he dwells ined be thy name," whose hearts have not the humble and contrite heart (Isaiah been previously hallowed by the Spirit lvii. 15). How wonderful and yet how of our God. Then, and only then, shall blessed! we be able to give, thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (Psal. xxx. 4). Our Lord would have us recognize heaven as the dwelling-place of God, that In this the first petition, that God's great name may be sanctified, we are It is in their seeking for, and desiring taught that the desire for God's glory the supreme glory of Jehovah, that we must ever be uppermost in the Christian most resemble, and catch the spirit of soul; in all our prayers that must have the worshippers above.Holy, holy, precedence before our individual wants: holy, is the cry of angels before the throne. God glorified FIRST, man blessed after--EVEN SO, FATHER, is our response bewards. It is in such lifting up of the low, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. soul in prayer, that prayer partakes of the nature of praise. SEE THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER DYING! A SOLDIER was wounded in one of the battles of the Crimea, and was carried out of the field; he felt that his wound was mortal-that life was quickly ebbing away-and he said to his comrades who were carrying him, "Put me down; do not trouble to carry me farther; I am dying." They put him down, and returned to the field. A few minutes after an officer saw the man weltering in his blood, and asked him if he could do anything for him. "Nothing, thank you!" "Shall I get you a little water ?" asked the kind-hearted officer. write. But there is one thing for which I would be much obliged: in my knapsack you will find a Testament-will you open it at the 14th of John, and near the end of that chapter you will find a verse which begins with Peace,' will you read it?" The officer did so, and read the words, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid." "Thank you, Sir," said the dying man; I have that peace; I am going to that Saviour; God is with me; I want no more," and instantly expired. Extract from a Speech of the Rev. Mr. Saffery, at the Religious Tract Society, Bath, Feb., 1856. TESTIMONY OF AN OLD DISCIPLE. I WAS very pleased to see the Magazine | would fail, I think, and they are so yesterday, as I finished the last on the last Sabbath. I was wishing for it, as I derive much comfort from the contents; but I sometimes think it is too good to be true for such a poor worthless worm as I. Then I fly to the word, and find it is so. I can believe for others, but am so out of love with myself, that if it was not for the blood, and the witness within, I should be wretched indeed. But He sometimes Takes my soul ere I'm aware, But for such blessed visits, my faith, short; but the Magazine abounds with THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. "To whom we gave subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you." Gal. ii. 5. GOD the Holy Ghost had made this dear be honest in and for the truth's sake, man of God honest for and in the truth. and shun not (whether it please or disA most decided man was Paul, contend- please) to declare the whole counsel of ing ever at all times, and in all places, God, having the glory of God in view, (whether at Jerusalem, Galatia, or round and the well-being, comfort, joy, and about unto Illiricum, fully preaching the establishment of the household of faith; gospel of Christ), for the faith once de- and I do hope and trust that the good livered unto the saints, yielding to none, old miscellany, the Gospel Magazine, as being not afraid of a man that shall die, it hath, so may it continue to contain or of the son of man which shall be made and advocate the truth of the Gospel, as grass. But in the face of the hottest and its Editor be preserved from persecutions, and the most virulent per- the contagion of this Rome-supportsecutors, even beasts at Ephesus, ex-ing and Christ-despising day and geneclaims, "But none of these things move ration. me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. 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." Bearing such wonderful sayings, one cannot but pray with Kent.ated according to the purpose of him, Such labourers send to thine elect, The truth of the Gospel then is, as to sum and substance, Christ is all and in all, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. All communicable grace and glory, all the yea and amen promises; yea, the whole of our immense and immeasurable blessedness, and salvation, centres in him, in whom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestin who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. The glorious Three in Jehovah are co-equal, co-essential, and co-eternal, and have loved the elect with an everlasting How opposite to the false apostles at love, and are jointly engaged towards Galatia, and the temporizors of our own the persons of the predestinated, and day; who indeed are of a kin-blending have a mutual interest in them, and are law and gospel together; the legal co-alike concerned for their present and venant with the covenant of grace, unit-everlasting well-being. More they caning the seed of the bond woman with that not love them, less they will not upon of the free, though the Lord hath said, "Cast out the bond woman and her son, for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman; understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm; "from such turn away." A yea and nay, diluted Gospel, may now-a-day be had at the corner of almost every street, which indeed is no Gospel at all; but a meagre vamped-up productions of men's fancy, who are destitute of the truth, and are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. no consideration. Oh! the mercy, who can fully conceive it, and this great, this unalterable love to the church is all expressed in Christ; in him they were chosen, in him adopted, in him accepted, in him they were blessed with all spiritual blessings, and this before the foundation of the world. Yea, from boundless everlasting past, and mus tremain to everlasting future, in indissoluble union and glorious oneness with him, who is one with the Father and the Holy Ghost, over all, God blessed for evermore. Amen. In consequence of Jehovah's foreNotwithstanding this, awful as it is, views of the fall, a covenant was obour God has his reserved army, his seven tained betwixt the eternal Three conthousand which have not bowed the knee cerning the salvation of his chosen ones, to the image of Baal, a remuant accord-in which mercy and truth met together, ing to the election of grace, who dare to righteousness and peace kissed each other. Wisdom drew the adorable plan, | his lips like lilies dropping sweet smellhow we should be raised up above, and being myrrh, yea, he is altogether lovely, yond all the ruins, consequences, and a sea of sweetness without a drop of gall, direful effects of the fall; by the under-"This is my beloved and this is my takings, and suretyship engagements of friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem." their eternally glorious Head and Husband, who, becoming their Sponser, engaged to become incarnate, take our flesh, to be made of a woman, and thus become God with us. Immanual, Ishi, by whose obedience unto death, even the Ideath of the cross, would thus save them in Himself, and by Himself alone, without our co-adjutorship with an everlasting salvation; whose precious blood hath removed everlastingly all their sin, and whose spotless righteousness justifies their persons eternally. In this way then the adorable Three have manifested their love to the elect of Adam's race, in election, in salvation, in regeneration, effectual calling, final perseverance, and eternal glory. These grand and inestimable truths comprise the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, and these are set before us in the word, so clearly, so freely, so fully, that he that runs may read, and the way-faring man, though a fool (yet guided by the Spirit) shall not err therein. For unto such, and such only, are the mysteries of grace revealed, but unte others in parables, even so Father," &c., and to have these mighty truths brought home to our hearts in demonstration and power, is heaven upon earth in experience. When this is the case, (though at times savingly withheld, "that the trial of your faith," &c.,) it constitutes the most precious moments of the child of God upon earth, and we say "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and of silver." "How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth, more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb." Therefore the mouth from whence they flow is most sweet, such a mass of grace poured into his lips, so that he spake, and continues to speak, bless his dear name, as never man spake; his cheeks are as a bed of roses, as sweet flowers, As our apostle knew the preciousness of these invaluable truths, can we wonder at his being so indignant against those false apostles who would adulterate them, and set them aside? He could not, nor would he bear with them, no, not for an hour. Who of the blood-bought family but must admire the man, and approve his decision? As the above is a compendium of that Gospel which the Master and the whole college of apostles preached, O ye ministers of my God, ye watchmen upon the walls of our spiritual Jerusalem, ye heralds of Zion's king, flee the temporizing spirit of our day. And say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid, but lift up your voice like a trumpet, "And comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." Contending earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints, that the truth of the gospel may (gloomy as are the times) continue with us. The Lord Jehovah pour of his Spirit both upon his ministers and people, that his one church may revive as the corn, and grow as the vine, the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon, and " may the mouths of all those who speak lies be stopped." Amen. The Lord of all lords bless the above truths to those of his elect family, who may read them, and graciously grant to his chosen Israel a continuation of the truth of the Gospel, pure, unadulterated, and uncorrupt, for the glory of his own most adorable name, the praise of his grace, the comfort, edification, and profit of the church of the first-born, which are written in heaven. So prays one who rejoices in Zion's prosperity, though in himself the unworthiest, but " grace of God, I am what I am," and to Him everlastingly be the whole, the entire praise. W. BIDDER. BIBLE-WORDS. No. 5. the DEAR FRIEND,-Our next word is Rev. | and the end, He would have us ever xxi. 6, "I will give," as if our precious looking to Him, as Saviour would say to us, that now standing, as we do, between "the beginning Our never-failing Treasury filled |