A Letter to Sir Benjamin C. Brodie in Reply to His Letter in 'Fraser's Magazine'.
Author: William Sharp
Publisher: General Books
Published: 2012-01-01
Total Pages: 92
ISBN-13: 9781458914064
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1861 Excerpt: ... LECTURE V. Matt. V. I I.-- Give us this day our daily bread' THIS petition commences what Calvin calls the second table of the Lord's Prayer. Hitherto, occupying, as is most fitting, the first place in the prayer, have been petitions relative to God, His glory and kingdom; now, in the second part, there are petitions for ourselves. The first division of the prayer says, Thy name, Thy kingdom, Thy will; the second part says, Give us, forgive us, lead us, deliver us. This is the true order of prayer--first, God and His glory; secondly, man and his interests. In this second table, the first supplication is for Daily Bread. Bread--life's commonest necessity, that for which man first cares and craves. In eminent harmony with that religion which the Lord Jesus taught, this prayer is most practical. The Divine Founder of Christianity, who took not on Him the nature of angels, but took on Him the seed of Abraham, being made like unto His brethren, could, therefore, fully sympathise with everything that is in, or really belongs to man. He could say, with a comprehensiveness and depth of meaning such as the Roman poet never knew, I am a man, and deem nothing that is human foreign to me. Therefore, that religion which our Lord gave, continually recognises and provides for all that is truly human in man. They mistake greatly who imagine that Christianity is merely contemplative, visionary, transcendental. It is most practical. True, its promises reach away beyond time, its hopes are radiant with a mysterious glory, it discourses of eternity and immortal life; yet its mission is to accompany man in the thoroughfares of business and in the fields of pleasure, to deal with everyday wants and life's commonest relations. Like the ladder of the patria...
