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be thy name; thy kingdom' cóme; thy will' be

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dòne in earth, ás-it-is' in heaven.- Gíve-us

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between them, as well as by the manner of delivering them. The first three petitions (more properly, expressions of adoration, submission, and obedience), which relate to the hallowing of our heavenly Father's name, the coming of his kingdom, and the fulfilment of his will, require, on account of their dignity, a firmer and louder tone, than will be proper in pronouncing the three subsequent petitions, which are confined to our individual wants. In the Doxology, the full swell of the voice, expressive of praise and adoration, may be justly resumed.]

--which-art-in-héaven] If the invocation is considered to consist of two propositions, 'Our Father,' and 'which art in heaven,' a pause must be introduced between them. But if it is equivalent only to 'O heavenly Father,' this meaning will be best conveyed by connecting the words 'Our Father' with the following words, thus: 'Our Father-which-art-in heaven.-All stress upon the verb 'art' must be carefully avoided; at the same time, the words must not be corrupted into 'which-urt,' as occasionally happens.]

—which art in heaven-] A considerable pause should be made after the word 'heaven.' The introduction of a long pause after the commencing invocations in prayers, has a solemn effect, and helps to rouse the attention and devotion of the congregation.

-thy kingdom' cóme] This sentence is terminated with the rising inflection, for the purpose of more closely connecting the three first sentences, which constitute a distinct portion of the prayer, and which indeed are connected in subject. The words are sometimes improperly read thus: 'thy`-kingdom'this mode suggests an antithesis which has no ex

come

istence.]

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thís-day' our daily bread; and forgive-us our

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tréspasses, ás wè-forgive them' that trespass

-thy will be done] Sheridan thinks "that the verb 'be,' requires particular stress, as well as a pause before it, to correspond with the emphasis and pause at the word 'come ;' and that as the optative' may' is omitted, the emphasis should be transferred to the auxiliary 'be,' as it is in all other cases."-The pause may be proper; but the reason assigned for giving stress to the verb 'be' is unsatisfactory. For if the optative 'may' were retained in the sentence 'may thy will be done,' the stress would not fall upon may,' but upon 'will' and 'done;' therefore the omission of the optative can make no difference in the position of the inflections. Some readers suppose that an antithesis is contained in the present clause (may) "thy will be-done in earth, as it is (done) in heaven." But in the original there is no antithesis of this kind, (the words being simply "as in heaven,") therefore none should be introduced into our English version.]

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-thy will be done in earth] The pause which some readers make after 'done,' instead of after' earth,' tends to obscure the meaning. It is apt at first to excite the idea, that as the words thy will be done' form complete sense, therefore the sentence is finished. This mode of reading is adopted probably from observing the arrangement of the words in the Greek both of St. Matthew and St. Luke, which is followed in our English version of the latter evangelist: 'Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.' The version of the same words in St. Matthew, which is used in the Liturgy, is less literal, but more easy and perspicuous.]

Give us this-day] This sentence, says Sheridan, is generally read thus: 'Give us this day our daily bread.' Here the emphasis on the word 'day' is unfortunately placed, both

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against ùs; and lead-us-not' into temptation,, bút' deliver-us from èvil.-(*) For thine' is the

with regard to sound and sense. The ear is hurt by the immediate repetition of the same sound in the word 'daily.' Neither is the true meaning conveyed; for this is a prayer to be daily used, and a petition to be daily preferred, composed for our use by Him, who bade us take no thought for the The real sense will be best shewn by placing the inflection on the word 'this,' rather than on 'day.'

morrow.

-our daily bread] The word 'bread' must be understood to imply more than is expressed: Give us this day not luxuries nor superfluities, but our daily breàd; that alone, in meat, drink, and clothing, which is absolutely necessary for us.' The word bread' here becomes strongly emphatic, and requires to be pronounced with the falling inflection, agreeably to Rule xxii. But according to the explanation given in our Church Catechism, 'bread' implies "all that is needful both for our souls and bodies." This extended signification seems necessary to be included; for without it, the use of the petition in the form given by St. Matthew 'this day,' instead of 'day by day,' according to St. Luke, can scarcely be proper in the mouths of all those whose immediate bodily wants have been actually supplied. It would be superfluous to ask for what the providence of God has already given. If this extended meaning of 'bread' is admitted, the word becomes strongly emphatic, and the falling inflection is absolutely necessary. See remarks under Rule xxii.]

-forgive us] Sheridan justly observes that it is absurd and puerile to lay the accent on the first syllable of' forgive,' instead of the last, for the purpose of producing an opposition hetween the words 'give' and 'forgive,' where no such opposition is intended.

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-forgive us our trés passes] Us' and 'our' admit of

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kingdom, and the power, and the glory,, for

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being made emphatic, but do not require to be so. They would demand this distinction, if the expression were in a more antithetical form: Do thou forgive us our trespasses,' &c.; but the original will not allow such a translation.]

-as wè-forgive them] If, according to the direction of Sheridan and others, strong emphasis is given to the particle as,' it will seem to imply something contingent and conditional, and to be equivalent to according as :'—' according as we hereafter forgive,' instead of 'like as we now forgive (dpíɛμev.) If 'as' (c) be taken to signify 'for,' in agreement with the parallel place in St. Luke, for we also forgive,' (see Whitby in loco,) still less reason will there be to make 'as' emphatic.]

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-trespass against ùs] The stress is sometimes laid upon against,' and not upon us.' By this mode, the implied antithesis passes unobserved: "Forgive us our trespasses (against thee,) as wè forgive them that trespass against us."— Those who think that the pronoun 'us' is not emphatical, should place the stress upon 'trespass,' and not upon' against:' 'trèspass-against-us,' and not trespass against-us.' The latter mode, by adopting on the word against' the strong emphasis, suggests the absurd meaning-' as we forgive them that trespass (not fór us, but) against-us.']

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-And lead-us-not] If the negative is separated from the verb in the following manner, "Léad-us' nòt-into temptation," we are naturally induced to expect, that the following member would be,' but lead us into something else.' The real contradistinction is between 'temptation' and 'evil.'"Leadus-not into temptation; but (if we must be thus tried,) deliver

us from evil."-The better to convey this meaning, a slight pause may be introduced after 'but.']

For thine is, &c.] The fine close of this admirable prayer, says Sheridan, is often changed in its movements, from the solemn and majestic, to a comic and cantering pace: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever and ever.”—This effect is rendered still more unpleasant, when the last word receives the rising inflection; for then, three similar pairs of inflections are often heard in close succession: "For thìne is the kingdom, and the pòwer and the glóry, for èver and ever." But by pausing after the word 'thine,' and separating the other members of the sentence, the movement becomes forcible and dignified.

Mr. Wright justly remarks, that in pronouncing the Doxology, some readers practice another fault, equally unpleasant to the ear as that mentioned by Sheridan; viz. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory," &c. giving the conjunction emphatic force.

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For EVER and EVER.] The first ever' comprehends the whole duration of time; the second 'ever' the whole of eternity. Both words require considerable emphasis.

THE RESPONSES.

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Priest. O Lord, open thou our-lips;

Ans. And our mouth' shall show forth thy' praise.

open thou-our-lips] In the common way of reading this sentence, with the stress upon the word 'open,' the address

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