Page:The rock of wisdom.djvu/36

 short, the carnal mind is enmity against God, the will of the flesh is directly contrary to the will of God, but it accords with the will of Satan, sinners being led captive by him at his will.

How necessary then is this petition, "thy will be done," it includes first a desire to know it, as the Psalmist's prayer 143 c. teach me to do thy will for thou art my God, or as converted Saul said Lord, what wilt thou have me to do. Second: a heart to do it and a heart on which God has written His laws. I remember a person who told me when he was teaching his children to say this prayer, and when he came to this petition, thy will be done, the child refused to say it, and would have it, my will be done; this poor simple child was far more honest than many of us who say thy will be done, and yet determined to follow our own will; but the real christian's desire in heart is, oh that there was such a heart in me, to fear God and keep his commandments always, Deut. 5 c. 17, 20 vs. We pray for strength to do the will of God, for to will may be present and yet how to perform that which is good, we may not find; but knowing that the Lord worketh in his people both to will and to do, we here ask by prayer that he would make us perfect in every good work, to do his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ; this petition also includes holy submission to the will of his providence, however afflicting, and that we may learn to bear it without murmuring, knowing that it is his will and for our good ; we pray for grace to do all this, in imitation of the spirits of the just men made perfect, and if the sinless angels in heaven say "God's will be done in heaven," the angels that excel in strength to do his commandments hearkening to the voice of his word, they do it humbly, cheerfully, dilligently, constantly, and so do glorified saints in heaven for there his servants shall serve him. "Give us this day our daily bread;" this petition implies our dependence on God for our food and raiment, and all support and comforts of life; man as a fallen creature has forfeited the good things of this life and deserve to be deprived of them all, the earth was cursed for man's sake, therefore in sorrow and labor he eats, but it is through the goodness of God that he has power to labor, and that