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THE
I. O. R. D*S ºr Aºº-
-L-L-------
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETI,
------au-street, Neº-or-


TH-
ºoº-oºs º AºE. R.
Little boys and girls are in general
taught to say the Lord's Prayer almost
as soon as they can speak, and this is
very right, for Christ himself, when upon
earth, taught his disciples this prayer,
and told them, ‘After this manner there-
fore pray ye.” These words teach us what
we are to pray for; and if we examine
their meaning, we shall find that they
include more than we at first suppose.
The Scripture tells us that all have
sinned against God, that we stand in need
of His mercy and forgiveness, and that
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is God
equal with his Father, came down from
heaven and suffered upon the cross, that
those who feel their need of His salva-

- Lord's prayer. [100
tion may obtain pardon through His
blood, and be sanctified by God, the
Holy Spirit.
May God, the Holy Spirit, teach and
direct us aright; may he teach you, my
dear children, to understand the mean-
ing of this prayer, and enable you to
pray, using these words, or others of
the same meaning, so that your prayers
may be heard and answered, even as
our blessed Saviour promised, when he
said, “Ask and yeshall receive.”
I will now try to explain what is the
*eaning of the words in this prayer.
Dun Farº which ºr in Heavrº.
God is our Farººn, as the Creator of
all men. For as such, He is the Father
-
º










101. tonn's prayer. º
of all. But He is more particularly the
Father of those who believe in the Sa-
viour and love him, because Jesus
Christ was his beloved Son. See Matt.
iii. 17, and John, ºvi. 27. And all who
belong to Christ are united to him, and
one with him, as he said. John, xiv.
20. 23. But those who love sin, and de-
light in doing wrong, cannot call him
their Father. Christ said to such people,
* Ye are of your father, the devil.
John, viii. 44. -
My dear children, who do you wish
to call your father? Do you not wish
to be the children of God? Then pray
that you may be able to know the Sa-
viour and believe in him. It is written,
* as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the Sons of
God: even to them that believe on his
name." John, i. 12.
When children have a kind father,
they go to him without fear, asking for
what they want, and are sure they will
have it, if it is proper for them. The
Bible tells us that the Lord is merciful
and gracious, and as a father pitieth
his children, so the Lord pitieth them
that fear Him and he is more tender
than any earthly parent can be, for we
are expressly told that our heavenly fa-
ther is ready to dous good, and to bless
-














s Lord's prayer. L102
us with all spiritual blessings. Matt. vii.
11. Also remember the greatness of God.
Children are commanded, “Honourthy
father and thy mother;” but how much
more honour is due to God, who is above
all things; before whom angels and
saints in heaven bow, crying, day and
might, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord
God Almighty.”
HAL Lowen ºr rºy NAME. This pe.
tition is placed first, to show that our
first and chief desire should be that
God may be glorified. We are to glo-
riſy Him in our hearts, by holy and re-
werend thoughts of Him; in our words,
by always speaking of Him in a solemn
manner, in our actions, by endeavour-





103) Lond's prayer. º
ing always to do what is right, and ac-
cording to His will.
I fear there are a very great number
of children who do not know this, or
think about it; but as soon as they have
repeated the Lord's Prayer they rise
from their knees, think no more about
God, talk foolishly or profanely, and do-
what is wicked. My dear children,
have you done so? Pray that you may
be kept from acting so in future.
Thy Kingdom conic. This means the
spiritual kingdom of Christ. By nature
our hearts are subject to the prince of
this world, even the devil, and delight in
sin and folly. But Christ came from
heaven to set us free from this bondage.
and bring us into the liberty of his chil-
dren. Now who are happiest—those
who delight in what is evil, (are full of
wrath, strife, and other wicked works,)
or those in whom the fruits or effects of
the Spirit are manifest, (love, joy, peace,
long-suffering gentleness, goodness, &c.?)
How do you wish your companions,
and brothers, and sisters, to behave to
you? Remember that you are to do to
others as you wish them to do to you;
and unless your hearts are changed by
the power of divine grace, unless Christ
is pleased to set up his kingdom in your
heart, casting out every thing that is
s Lond's prayºn. [104
contrary to His will, you cannot have
peace or happiness. Pray, them, that
His kingdom may come.
Tºny will be none in pantº as it
is in Heaven. Did you ever get into
trouble by wanting your own way, in-
stead of doing as your parents and
teachers bid you ! My dear child, give
me an honest answer, and I am sure you
will say, “’Yes, a great many times.”
* God's will is done in heaven ºthere
is no opposition to it there. Angels
delight to do His will. And it would be
the same on earth if we were not sinners
by nature and practice. All sin is diso-
bedience to the will of God “ This is
his commandment; that we should be-
lieve on the name of his Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another.” Unless
our hearts are changed, we shall not de-
sire to do this, but shall be satisfied to
continue doing the will of Satan: “be-
ing led captive by him at his will,”
“hateful and hating one another.”
How necessary, then, is what we ask
for in this petition :-Thy will be done.
It includes, 1st. A desire to know the will
ºf God, as the Psalmist prayed, “Teach
me to do thy will;" or, as St. Paul,
when converted, asked, “Lord, what
will thou have me to do?"













loan's prayer.
- - -
--- ------
2d. A heart (or desire) to do it. A
person once was teaching a child the
Lord's prayer, and when he came to this
petition, the child would not say Thy
will be done, but chose to say “My will
be done.” Perhaps you have not been
quite like this child: you have not re-
fused to say to God, Thy will be done;
but what has been your conduct Have
not you desired to do your own will ra.
ther than the will of God? O beware
of saying one thing with your lips, while
you desire another in your heart –this
is mocking God. Those who really love
Christ, desire to do. His will; they do
not only say so with their mouths, but
the earnest wish of their hearts is, * 0.
that there were such a heart in me to









10 Lond's prayer. [106
fear God, and to keep his command-
ments always!" Deut. v. 20.
3d. For strength to do the will of God
We are notable of ourselves to do what
is pleasing in his sight, but our Saviour
worketh in His people both to will and
to do of his good pleasure; so if your
heart really desires to do his will, you
will look to our blessed Saviour for
power, and he will give you grace and
mercy in time of need. This petition
also asks for submission to the will of
God, that we may learn to bear any
troubles or trials he may see good to
send us, without murmuring, knowing
that it is his will, and for our good, that
we may not be unhappy if things do not
prove just as we wish.
Give us this pay nun daily enrad.
This petition states our dependence on
God for food, and all the blessings and
comforts we enjoy. Man, as a fallen
creature, having broken God's com-
mands, does not deserve any of the
blessings of this life. The earth was
cursed for man's sake, Gen. iii. 17. and
all our employments in this world are
attended with toil and difficulty. What-
ever we receive is from the free and un-
deserved bounty of God. Let us be
thankful to him for it. He knows what
is for our good better than we do.
107] Lord's prayer. 11
| - º
Also observe we are to pray for daily
bread, not for weekly, or monthly, or
yearly bread, but for daily bread; this
is to teach us the necessity of looking to
God daily for what we need, and relying
upon His word that he will give us all
that shall be for our good, without anx-
ious cares as to what may happen to us
at some future time.
This petition follows the one in which
we pray that God's will may be done.
This may teach us that whatever is the
will of God, and for his glory, is to be
asked for, and sought to be done by us
before those things which only concern
ourselves. Remember our Saviour's
words: “Seek ye first the kingdom of














12 lonu's prayer. [108
God and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you.”
But, above all, remember you daily
need spiritual blessings, and ask for
food for your soul as well as for your
body. Christ is to the believer's soul
what bread is to the body. He is the
bread of life; by thinking upon Christ,
and his sufferings for us, we feed upon
Him, and our souls are strengthened
thereby; we are enabled to love Him
more, and to serve Him better.
Ann Forgive us our pºsts (or of:
fences) as we Forgive our prerors,
(those who offend against us.) Thispe-
tition is joined to the last by the word
Ann, which may teach us that without
the forgiveness of sins the comforts of
this life can do us no real good; “for
what is a man profited if he gain the
whole world and lose his own soul?”
Every man is a sinner. So every one
that wants daily bread, also wants daily
pardon.
How can we obtain this pardon't Not
by any thing we have done or can do,
but by the free forgiveness alone which
the Saviour obtained for all who feel
need of salvation, and call upon him.
The more we feel our need of this
salvation, and its value, the more we
shall desire to show our thankfulness for
109] Loºp's PRAYER. 13
it, by showing mercy even as we have
received it.
Suppose one of your little companions
was to come to you and say, “I have
torn your book, but I did not mean to
do it; I hope you will forgive me;” what
would you say? Would you be very
angry, and say, “I will never lend you
any thing again!” although you knew
it was not done on purpose? Think!
how would you like to have any body
else speak so to you, if you had been in
his circumstances?
This petition teaches us the necessity
of a forgiving temper. Not that our
kindness to others deserves forgiveness
from God, but we cannot expect pardºn
from God while we refuse it to those who
ask for pardon from us. Then pray that
you may be enabled by our Saviour tº
forgive others, and that God will not re-
ject your prayer for pardoning mercy.
Ann LEAD us not into rºtation,
ºut nºtiºn us rºom. Evil. Those who
love Christ, will pray to be kept from
sinning again; they know that then
hearts are naturally inclined to evil;
they feel the power of temptation, and
pray to be kept from it. Temptation is
any thing which tries you, and proves
what is in your hearts. Satan, or the


















14 Lond's prayer. [110
Evil One, “goeth about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour,”
and he is ever ready to lead you into
evil. He wishes to cause you to desire
something that is wrong, or makes you
ready to do something naughty, to be
unkind, or passionate. This petition is,
that you may be kept from giving way
to these things. My dear children,
when you feel these evil tempers and
desires coming, pray and look to our
Saviour directly for grace to oppose and
conquer them. We are told to resist
this evil one, “being steadfast in the
faith;" that is, believing that Christ
came to subdue sin, to deliver from the
power of it, as well as to justify us from
the guilt of it. He told his disciples,
“Without me ye can do nothing.” So
of ourselves we have not power to re-
sist temptation, but we are told that we
have a High-priest who can be touched
with a feeling of our infirmities, (that is,
our Saviour) and to come “boldly to
the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need.” If you really desire to be kept
from evil you will try to avoid it, by
keeping away from the company of
naughty children, and by shunning those
things or persons which you know will
lead you to do wrong.
111] Lond's pºwer. it,
The conclusion of this prayer is, For
THINE IS THE RINGDOM, AND THE POWER,
AND THE Glory, For ever, AMEs. This
shows why we should pray to God, and
why we may hope to be heard. We pray
to Him, because he is Loºp or ALL; and
we hope to be heard, because he has
power over all, and because he glories
in being gracious and merciful.
My dear children, the next time you
repeat this prayer, I entreat you to think
what the different petitions mean. Be-
ware of moºing God, by praying to Him
with your lips, while your heart is far
from Him. Can you call Him your Fa-
ther, while you do not desire to obey
Him? Can you desire that His name
should be kept holy, while you delight
in sinning against Him? Will you say
that you desire his will may be done,

15 Lond's prayers. [112
while you do not care about it? Will
you ask Him for your daily bread, while
you never feel thankful for the mercies
you enjoyſ Will you ask him to forgive
your sins, while you never think about
their guilt? Will you pray to be kept
from temptation, while you give way to
every evil temper and desire, without
seeking for grace and strength to resist
them 1
0, my deal child, think about these
things; you are not too young to die,
and if you die without having loved
Christ, where will you go toº You
cannot expect to go to heaven. Can
you bear to think of going to hell, with-
out desiring to escape? Christ said,
* Suffer little children to come to me.”
He is ready and willing to hear you:
think about these things, pray to Him
for a new heart, and that you may love
Him and seek to do His will.