The Sermon on the Mount (Continued); Giving of Alms; Prayer

Notes

Prayer.

Notes

The Lord's Prayer.

Notes

1. "In the secret place of prayer, where no eye but God's can see, no ear but His can hear, we may pour out our most hidden desires and longings to the Father of infinite pity; and in the hush and silence of the soul, that voice which never fails to answer the cry of human need, will speak to our hearts."—"Mount of Blessing," page 128.

2. Study well the instruction of our Saviour, and the prayers recorded in the scripture. This passage does not forbid public prayer; for our Lord prayed in public, as did His servants. Public prayers should on all ordinary occasions be short. Let the long prayers be in secret. Come to God with humility, with a sense of utter unworthiness, and of His holiness, and mercy. Thank Him for His goodness. Praise Him for His love and mercy. Ask in simple faith as we need, but always according to His will. Do not often repeat the name or titles of Deity, nor speak to the great God as you would to your human neighbor. Holy reverence becomes the Christian; and this is fitting to the most implicit faith.

3. There is a story of a knight in olden time who went to an aged pastor to ask his blessing before he went to avenge himself on his enemy. The pastor said, "Son, on one condition I bestow my blessing; kneel and pray with all thy heart our Lord's Prayer after me." The knight did so until he came to the petition for forgiveness, and then paused. The good man bade him continue. The knight said he could not. "Then," said the aged man, "I can not bestow my blessing." Again and again the old man repeated the prayer, and the knight followed him until he came to that petition. Finally, the words broke his heart, and he followed the prayer clear through. "Now, my son," said his counselor, "I will bless thee on thy mission." "I have none," replied the knight; "I have no enemy to avenge."

4. "Anoint thine head, and wash thy face,—these were forbidden in the Jewish canon on days of fasting and humiliation; and hypocrites availed themselves of this ordinance that they might appear to fast. Our Lord, therefore, cautions us against this; as if He had said, Affect nothing, dress in any ordinary manner, and let the whole of thy deportment prove that thou desirest to recommend thy soul to God, and not thy face to men."—Clarke.