of misery the Apostle exclaims: " Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death." [1]
The misery of our condition, it is true, strikes us at once of itself, but, if contrasted with that of other creatures, it strikes us still more forcibly. Although irrational and even inanimate, they are seldom seen to depart from the acts, the instincts, the movements imparted to them by nature, so as to fail of obtaining their proposed and determinate end. This is too obvious in the irrational portion of creation, in beasts, fishes, and birds, to require elucidation; but if we look to the heavens, do we not behold the verification of these words of David? " For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in the heavens." [2] Constant in their motions, uninterrupted in their revolutions, they never depart in the least from the laws prescribed by the Creator. The earth, too, and universal nature, as we at once perceive, adhere strictly to, or, at least depart but very little from the laws of their being. But, unhappy man is often guilty of this deordination: he seldom realizes his good purposes, but generally abandons and despises what he has well commenced: his best resolutions, which pleased for a time, are often suddenly abandoned; and he plunges with blind precipitancy into designs as degrading as they are pernicious. What then is the cause of this misery and inconstancy? Manifestly a contempt of the divine inspirations. We close our ears to the admonitions of God, our eyes to the divine lights which shine before us, our hearts against those salutary precepts which are delivered by our heavenly Father.
To paint to the eyes of the faithful the misery of man's condition, to detail its various causes, and to point out the remedies prescribed for its removal, are, therefore, amongst the objects which should employ the most zealous exertions of the pastor; and, in the discharge of this duty, his labour will be not a little facilitated by pressing into his service what has been said on the subject by St. Chrysostome and St. Augustine, men eminent for sanctity; and still more by consulting our exposition of the Creed. Who so abandoned as, with a knowledge of these truths, and aided by the preventing grace of God, not to endeavour, like the prodigal son mentioned in the Gospel, [3] to rise from his abasement, and hasten into the presence of his heavenly Father and king? [4]
Having explained these matters, the pastor will proceed to point out the advantages to be derived by the faithful from this petition, and the objects for which it sues. This becomes the more necessary, as the words, " kingdom of God," have a variety of significations, the exposition of each of which will not be found without its advantages in elucidating other passages of Scripture, and is here indispensably necessary.
