Sermons on the Lord's Prayer/Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
"Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven."—Matthew vi. 10.
What is the Lord's will? His will is that man should be happy in heaven to eternity. This is his will, because the Lord's essential nature is Love; and love wishes the happiness of its object; and Divine love can look to nothing less than the eternal happiness of its object; and man, as an intelligent being, is the chief object towards which the love of the Creator is directed. Therefore, the happiness of man to eternity is the end, or supreme desire, or, in other words, the will, of the Lord. And as heaven is the place or state, in which man is destined, if good, to live to eternity, therefore man's happiness in heaven is the thing to which the Lord chiefly has regard.
In this view, then, for man to pray that the Lord's will may be done, is evidently most reasonable; for it is in truth but praying that man himself may be happy to eternity. And so far, indeed, it may be said that man's will agrees with the Lord's will; for every man wishes to be happy.
Ends, however, even Divine ends, cannot be attained but by means. The Lord is indeed omnipotent, but yet he must exercise his omnipotence according to the laws of Divine order, for to act otherwise would be to act in opposition to his own Divine Wisdom which provided those laws, and thus to act against himself,—which is impossible; and it would also be to act in opposition to the nature of things, which would also be to act against himself, for from him the nature of things was derived. The Divine end, therefore, in regard to man, namely, man's eternal happiness, cannot be attained but by the orderly means: and consequently, as God wills the end, he also wills the means. The next inquiry, then, is, what is the Lord's will in regard to the means of effecting man's salvation or everlasting happiness.
The essential and the only means, by which man can attain heavenly happiness is by his coming into a state of love and goodness; for love is the essential principle of the heavenly state, and carries with it heavenly happiness: and the reason it is so, is, because heaven is an image of God himself, and God is love. The means again by which man can come into a state of love and goodness, is by keeping the Divine commandments; for the sole object of these is to teach love and goodness, and how to attain it. The Lord said, "The first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with the whole heart and soul, and mind, and strength; and the second is like unto it, to love thy neighbor as thyself; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Thus the end and sum of the commandments, and of the whole Divine Word, is to teach man to love God and his neighbor.
The conclusion is, that while the Lord's will, as to end, is man's eternal happiness in heaven,—his will, as to means, is that man should come into a state of love and goodness,—and his will, again, as to the means of that means, is, that man should keep the commandments revealed and taught in the Divine Word; for the Lord has given that Word to man, for "a lamp to his feet and a light to his path," in his journey through the world. The sum of the whole, then, is, that it is the Lord's will that man should learn the Divine commandments and keep them: love, and, together with it, heavenly happiness, will necessarily be the result: as the Lord said, "he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:" "and," he added, "my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him:"[1] and where the Lord's abode is, there is heaven.
But this point, namely, that the Lord's will is, chiefly, that man should live according to the Divine commandments,—will be seen more clearly by considering in what manner the keeping of those commandments tends to produce that state of love in the heart, which is the essence of the heavenly state. It is effected in this way. In the first place, the Divine commandments forbid the indulgence of every feeling or inclination that is opposed to love, whether towards God or man. The commandment, for instance, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," when understood in its full spiritual sense, forbids not only all blasphemy or levity in speaking of God, but also all thought or feeling of irreverence towards him or of murmuring at his providences,—in a word, all that stands opposed to the love and worship of him. He, then, who keeps this commandment, by resisting every such evil feeling, thought, or word, when tempted to give way to it, will have such evil removed from his heart by the Lord, and the opposite good implanted in its stead. So, the commandments, "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not bear false witness," and the rest,—forbid, in their full comprehension, every kind of hatred and ill-will, every evil act, word, or thought in regard to the neighbor. Whoever, then, keeps these commandments, by resisting all such evil deeds, thoughts, or feelings, when temptations to them arise in the heart, will have those evils removed by the Lord, and in their place will find a spirit of love and kindness towards the neighbor implanted and continually increasing, till he comes at length into that full state of love which constitutes heaven in the soul: and then, after death, he will enter into heaven and into the full enjoyment of its eternal delights.
Thus it may be seen, how keeping the Divine commandments tends to bring man into that state of love and goodness, which is the essence of the heavenly state. Since therefore, it is the Lord's will that man should come into that state of love, it must be his will that he should keep the Divine commandments, which is the means and the only means of attaining that state. This, then, in fine, is the Lord's will, namely, that man should keep the commandments of the Word; and this is the will alluded to in the text, where it is said "Thy will be done."
But we are now to inquire, in the second place, what is to be understood by the words "on earth, as it is in heaven." These words have two senses,—a general sense, referring to the whole world and all mankind, and a specific or particular sense, in which they refer to the individual man. Let us consider first the particular sense.
By the terms "heaven" and "earth," when used in reference to the individual man, are signified, in the internal sense of Scripture, the spiritual and the natural minds,—heaven, the spiritual mind, and earth, the natural mind. This is the signification of those terms in the first chapter of Genesis, which, in the spiritual sense, treats of the new creation or regeneration of man. By the "earth without form and void" (or, as it should be rendered, "empty and void"), is signified the natural mind of man before regeneration, when it is in its natural evil state, and devoid of goodness and truth. By "the firmament" or "expanse," afterwards mentioned, is signified the spiritual or internal mind, which in the process of man's regeneration is formed by the Lord, and filled with goodness and truth, and through which the earth or natural mind is afterwards brought into order and regenerated, also. The same is the signification of the terms "heaven" and "earth," in the command uttered by the Lord, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, but in heaven." The "treasures" here mentioned signify spiritual treasures, which are the knowledges of truth. To "lay them up on earth," is to hear spiritual truths, and receive them merely into the natural mind, or the memory, whence, if they rise no higher, they will be soon dissipated and cast out by the evils of the heart, bursting forth from within—which evils are signified by the "moth and rust that corrupt" and the "thieves that break through and steal." But to "lay up treasures in heaven," signifies to receive those truths into the internal or spiritual mind, which is effected by practicing and living according to them; and when thus elevated, they cannot be cast out or destroyed, but remain for ever, and establish heaven in the soul.
The reason why by "heaven" is signified the internal or spiritual mind, is, because that mind or that part of the mind is formed after the image of heaven, and constitutes heaven with man. There reside all heavenly thoughts and affections; there dwell the angels, who, as the Psalmist says, "encamp round about those that fear the Lord, and deliver them." This region of the mind, indeed, may be said to belong to heaven and not to the world; it is wholly spiritual, and consequently cannot be opened or fully enjoyed whilst man remains in the natural world; but, after death, when he throws off the body and enters into the spiritual world, then he comes into the full perception and sense of the heavenly thoughts and affections that fill that mind, and they constitute his heaven within.
The reason that "earth" sisfnifies the external or natural mind, is because this region of man's mind is earthly and natural, and formed of and filled with ideas and affections that are derived from and have reference to the natural world. This degree of the mind is for man's use while he lives in this lower world; and while he remains here, it is fully open and active, and his delights and enjoyments are either wholly derived from, or greatly modified by, the thoughts and feelings in this part of his mind. But after death, it is shut, inactive, quiescent; and the thoughts and feelings that constitute the natural mind are no longer of service, except as a motionless basis, on which spiritual thoughts and affections rest.
Now, the work of regeneration consists chiefly in bringing the earthly or natural mind into subjection to, and agreement with, the spiritual or heavenly mind; and when this is effected, the Lord's will is done "in earth as it is in heaven." It will be seen, that when there are good and truth in the internal mind—when good is desired, and truth is understood and loved—then in will and in thought, and thence in purpose and intention, man keeps the Divine commandments,—and thus, the Lord's will is done in man's "heaven"—that is, in his internal or spiritual mind. Now, the great work to be accomplished is, to cause this good and truth to come down and fill the earthly or natural mind also; and in this, as before said, chiefly consists the work of regeneration. And this descent of good and truth takes place, just in proportion as evils and falses are cast out of the natural mind, and thus room is made for good and truth to enter. And this casting out of evils and falses can be effected only by combat, which man must carry on, as of himself, yet looking to the Lord for help. When any evil passion or disorderly inclination rises in the natural mind,—then, remembering the Divine commandment which forbids that evil, the understanding of the spiritual mind, watching from above, sees it, and perceives it to be evil and contrary to the Divine commandment; and the will of the spiritual mind, loving good as it does, hates and grieves at this rising evil; and thus the man is incited to resist and struggle against it; and if he then make the effort to overcome it, looking to the Lord at the same time for aid, he will be enabled to conquer it, and cast it out; or, what is the same thing,—when man striving thus, as of himself, has conquered it, the Divine Spirit from the Lord coming down from within, will cast it out of his heart. This evil being thus cast out of the natural mind, the good affection or love which is the opposite of that evil, flows down from the internal or spiritual mind, and takes its place. And thus the natural mind is so far regenerated, and brought into agreement with the spiritual: and the Lord's will, so far, "is done on earth as in heaven."
The work of regeneration consists of a series of such temptations, combats, and victories. Consequently, it is a gradual work, not accomplished in a day or a year; but with the spiritual man, it is constantly going on, and is continued throughout his life in the world. He is, if faithful, becoming daily and weekly more and more purified from evils and falses; his natural mind is coming more into a state of agreement and conjunction with his spiritual mind, and both with the Lord. The Lord's will with him is constantly more and more perfectly done "on earth as in heaven." The good and truth that he internally thinks and wills, he is enabled to bring more and more into life and act, into look, word, and deed. Thus, the kingdom of heaven is becoming established within him; the laws of heaven, which are the Divine commandments, are becoming the laws of his life; the truths of heaven are more and more enlightening his understanding, and the loves of heaven filling and warming his heart. Thus, he is becoming prepared for the heavenly state; and when at length the Lord sees that it is the full time, the purified spirit is withdrawn from the material body, and enters into a state of spiritual and celestial blessedness; it comes into association with the spirits of just men made perfect, who have done their work and gone before; it is among beatified spirits, itself a beatified spirit. The battle has been fought and the victory won, and now he receives the crown: the hours of labor and struggle are over,—the hour of reward and glory has arrived. And who can tell that reward,—who can conceive that glory? Thousands of years and of ages of peace, delight, and joy are before that blessed spirit. He has reached the happy land and the blissful fountains. Earth and its cares are left below and behind him:—heaven and its everlasting joys are before him, to be more and more deeply enjoyed for ever. He hears the joyous salutation, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Such is the consequence of regeneration! Such is the reward held out to him, who is willing to "fight the good fight" and overcome. This, then, is what above all things is to be desired—and this, therefore, is what before all things we need to pray for—namely, that the Lord's will with us may be done, as in our "heaven," so in our "earth;" that is, that our natural mind may be brought into subjection to and agreement with, our spiritual mind; in other words, that we may be regenerated. This is the summum bonum—this is the great good to be sought—this should be the chief object of our prayers and efforts. For all things depend on this; all joys, all delights, all happiness, all that is worth existing for, through the ages of eternity, depend on this,—our regeneration. For regeneration is the being brought into heavenly order; it is the re-forming of the soul into God's image and likeness, which it was intended to be; it is the preparation of the mind for the reception of all the delights that fill heaven, of all the joys that flow from the exhaustless fountain of joy—the Lord himself. Without this preparation, those joys cannot be received or perceived by man's spirit; without this reformation, man cannot he gifted with the eternal happiness which the Lord longs to confer upon him; without such regeneration,—without being born again, no man, it is written, can "see the kingdom of God. If a happy life, then, not for this world only, but for the endless ages of eternity, be a thing most desirable, and to be earnestly prayed for and sought for,—then do we need earnestly to pray and to strive for that which is the only means of attaining a happy eternal life, namely, our regeneration.
When, then, we utter in prayer the words, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven," we are to look up to the Lord Jesus Christ, and pray that the good which is from him in our spiritual mind, may be brought down into our natural mind and purify it; we are to entreat him to help us in the labor and struggle for our regeneration; to aid us in fighting with our spiritual foes; to deliver us from the evil passions and inclinations—the love of self and love of the world,—to which we are so prone; and that in their stead, good and kind affections and pure desires may be received, and that thus his will may be done in us; and so we may be prepared to enjoy his kingdom hereafter, and to receive the fulfilment of his Divine promise, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things."[2]
But we have now, in the last place, to consider the words of this petition in their general sense, in which they have reference to mankind at large. In this sense, the prayer, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (or, as it would be more exactly rendered, "Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also upon earth"), is an expression of earnest desire that the state of love and peace, which prevails in heaven, may also come to earth, and that the world may be brought into heavenly order; that mankind may be delivered from their present sins and sufferings, troubles and disorders, public and private; and that the earth may again become what it was in the beginning, and what it was by its good Creator intended to be,—a lower heaven: that just as in an individual man, while regenerating, the earthly or natural mind becomes purified from evils and falses, and thus the good descending from the heavenly or spiritual mind enters into and occupies it, and forms it into a likeness of itself, and thus in him earth becomes an image of heaven,—so, in general, and with mankind at large, we are to pray that evil and its attendant falsity may be put away, and that then love and truth descending from heaven may take their place,—and so the lower world may become a likeness of the upper,—the earth, an image of heaven.
But how is this to be accomplished? It is to be accomplished with the world in general, precisely in the same way that it is accomplished in the little world of an individual mind: indeed, the work will be effected with mankind at large, only in proportion as it is effected with the individuals of whom mankind is composed. To regenerate the world, you must regenerate the individuals that constitute the world: goodness and truth will increase and be established in the world at large, only in the degree that they are established in the minds of individual men. There is no such thing as regenerating the world in general, and yet leaving the individuals in their natural unregenerate state. Yet it seems to be a kind of feeling or fancy with some, that such a thing can be done. Or, at least, we often see schemes proposed and attempted, for making the world good and happy, while the inner world of men's minds is left unchanged. But such schemes have ever failed, and must ever fail. For they are founded on utterly mistaken views of human nature; they rest upon the idea that man's heart is by nature good, whereas, as God's Word and all experience prove, it is, as at this day inherited, selfish and evil: they go on the presumption that the disorder and suffering in the world are chiefly the result of circumstances and external condition, whereas in truth they spring from a poisonous root within. The effect may, indeed, react upon its cause and increase it; the disordered external condition which first sprang from the selfishness and evil within, may and in all probability does react and increase that selfishness. Yet man's inherited propensity to evil exists independently of external circumstances, and is, in fact, the true cause of all the disorder and misery in the outward world. The way to cure the disease, is not to heal over the surface, while the corruption remains within, ready at any time to burst forth again, but to cure the internal system; "cleanse, first, said the Lord, that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside may be clean also." The only way to purify the stream, is to cleanse the fountain; the only way to reform and regenerate the world, is to regenerate the minds and hearts of individuals,—which is to be done according to the laws of Divine order, and the commandments of God's Word. The Lord's will must be done on earth as in heaven, in the manner before described, namely, in the mind of each individual, before it can be done with mankind in general: peace and love must be established in the world within, before they can appear in the world without.
But can our prayers, it may be asked, contribute anything towards the attainment of this most desirable end? Can our daily offering up in an earnest spirit the petition that the Lord's will may be done on earth as in heaven, have any effect in causing that happy state to come upon the world. It is to be answered, that doubtless it may have such an effect, at least, in some degree,—upon the principles and in the manner explained in the preceding discourse, namely, that there being no space in the world of mind, the love and warmth dwelling in the heart of one uttering a prayer may be communicated so as in some degree to influence the spirit of him or them for whom the prayer is uttered. "The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man," says the apostle, "availeth much."[3] But there is one certain way, in which we can do something and perhaps much for the amelioration of mankind and the regeneration of the world: and that is, by regenerating that part of the world which lies absolutely in our own power—namely, ourselves. We are each a part of the world and of mankind, and, by regenerating our own minds, we regenerate a portion of the world. And who can tell, moreover, the influence we may extend around us: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump:" the influence of one good man is incalculably great. If every individual of the thousands and tens of thousands, who daily or weekly utter the prayer that the Lord's kingdom may come, and his will be done on earth as in heaven, would strive to cause this effect to take place in himself by laboring in the work of his own regeneration, and thus causing the Lord's will to be done in earth as in heaven with himself individually,—soon would there come a change over the face of the world; soon would evil deeds decrease, with the quenching of the evil fires from which they spring—and soon, too, would disorderly external institutions and circumstances begin to disappear, and good and happy ones take their place; till, by and by, as foretold, "all things would become new," and the earth "be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."