which would indispose you for the enjoyments of the divine life; and remember, that by intermitting the exercises of the heavenly life you rob yourselves of its pleasures.

If any of you, by sloth, carnal indulgences, or any other means, have lost that liveliness and joy in God and religion, which you once had, call to mind whence you are fallen, and what you have lost, and repent, and set yourselves to do your first works, and regain your first love, that you may recover your former joy. Thus, from time to time, you should recollect yourselves, examine the state of your souls, repair any decays, correct any slips you have made, and stir up yourselves to take hold of God and his strength. You have always reason to suspect, that things are greatly amiss within you, when you can take as much pleasure as usual, or more, in other things, but not in God or religion. Oh, seek then to have the joy of the Lord for your constant food and strength; that, under its influence, you may mount up with wings as eagles, and be ripening fast for perfect union, love, and enjoyment in heaven.

Delivered at a Concert of Prayer.

MATTHEW vi. 9, 10.

Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

THAT divine form of devotion, of which these words are a part, is equally distinguished for its brevity and fulness, its plainness and grandeur, its universal suitableness and importance. In these several respects, it unspeakably transcends the highest productions of man. While it unites the interests of heaven and earth, of time and eternity, in six short petitions; it is remarkable that three of these, which compose the first part of the prayer, centre in one great object, viz. the declarative glory of God, consisting in the universal prosperity of his kingdom, and advanced by the general obedience, order, and happiness of his moral subjects. And as the beginning, so the conclusion of this devout summary, is consecrated to this object; for it closes with ascribing the kingdom, the power, and glory to the Deity; and by its significant amen, it sums up the feelings of the petitioner in a strong desire and assurance, that God will manifest this his power and glory in the universal establishment of his spiritual kingdom.

The words, then, which I have placed at the head of this discourse, and which comprise the first and crowning part of this perfect model of supplication, are eminently suited to the present occasion; which is not only

a season of united prayer, but is expressly devoted to the object here recommended, viz. the advancement of Christ's kingdom in our world. That our prayers on a subject so sublime and interesting, and our future conduct pursuant to them, may be properly directed and animated, let us attend to the leading instructions, suggested to us in the concise, but weighty petitions above recited. "Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."

As names are employed to signify, or convey the knowledge of things, so the name of God, in the text, signifies the Deity himself, as made known by his word, institutions and works. When God was pleased, at the request of his favourite servant, to proclaim his name and to show his glory; these were the ingredients of that comprehensive display-" The Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty." This divine name, announced to Moses, and more obscurely published by the ancient prophets, is fully illustrated by Jesus Christ, by the whole series of his actions, sufferings and doctrines; which unitedly exhibit the rich and endearing mercy of Jehovah, in connexion with his awful majesty, justice and truth. While the law and gospel thus publish the name of God, his various works of nature, providence and grace, by harmonizing with and fulfilling his word, add lustre and confirmation to every part of his revealed name, and spread abroad its glory, as the earth and planets receive and reflect the splendour of the sun.

Accordingly, God's name is hallowed or consecrated, when it is conspicuously and eminently honoured; just

as the consecrated persons and things under the law were peculiarly dignified by their separation to holy purposes. To pray, therefore, for the sanctification of the divine name, implies a request, that the various attributes, which compose this name, may be displayed and extolled by the whole created universe: in particular, that intelligent creatures, especially the human race, may unitedly offer to their Creator those inward sentiments and outward expressions of veneration and love, which are most suitable and honourary to so glorious an object, and which best comport with the various discoveries of his character; and finally, that he would make all things, even the partial and temporary evils of our system, ultimately conduce to the greatest glory of his name.

The two next clauses of the text, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," are intimately connected with the first, as means with the end. By God's kingdom here is intended, not his general providential government, which has been erected and administered from the creation, and whose coming therefore is not an object of prayer; but his mediatorial and gracious kingdom. This comprehends that external administration, by which he calls men to the profession of the true religion, and gives them outward laws, ordinances, and privileges; also that internal dominion, by which he effectually subdues, sanctifies, and comforts their hearts, and which the apostle accordingly describes, as consisting in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and finally, that heavenly state of glory, which is the perfection of the two former; for the kingdom of God on earth, both in its visible and invisible duties and blessings, is but a handmaid, or a preparatory discipline to the kingdom of heaven.

When, therefore, we pray that God's kingdom may come, we request the universal spread of the gospel, both in its external and inward dispensation, and the consequent reign of virtue, peace, and felicity, through the whole family of mankind. We ask the full accomplishment of the great plan of mediatorial mercy, not only in the expected glory of the latter days, but in the far more glorious and happy state of things which will finally succeed. And since the honour of a king as well, as the beauty and happiness of his empire, greatly depends on the prompt and entire obedience of his subjects; we pray that the will of our divine Sovereign may be done on earth, as it is in heaven; that is, that it may be performed by us, and by mankind at large, in a manner resembling, as nearly as possible, the obedience of celestial spirits; with the same speed and alacrity, purity and exactness, humility and veneration, constancy and fervour,

As these several petitions thus point to the work of redemption, or the Christian interest, and pray for its general triumph; so they remarkably suit each successive period, or varying condition of the church, from the beginning to this day. During the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations, the coming of God's kingdom under the promised Messiah was the immediate and great object of prayer to the Old Testament saints. When the Messiah appeared, and began to erect his gospel kingdom, the immediate object of the petitions before us, as presented to, and used by, his primitive disciples, was the extension of this new dispensation from Judea throughout the world. We, in this later period of the world, being presented by the word and providence of God, with the near prospect of a still more glorious dispensation of grace, in a far more general