know not that divines have considered it as particularly referring to the other great benefit annexed to the Holy Communion, the remission of sins; but as it appears, from what has been already advanced in this Section, that the fourth clause, and indeed the whole of the prayer was, with great appearance of reason, appropriated to the Sacrament; I have no hesitation in saying, that this clause must have a particular reference to remission of sins, as annexed to the worthy reception of the Eucharistical elements. It is placed next to the petition for the Bread of Life, or Grace; and the juxta-position and connection by a copulative conjunction, induce me to think, that our Saviour meant to combine, in these two clauses, the two great benefits of the Sacrament, Grace and pardon. This interpretation of both clauses, appears to me to display a connection, a harmony, a beauty, and an importance in the prayer, adequate to the dignity of its Author.

SECTION XIII.

Farther Considerations on referring the Petition for Bread, in the Lord's Prayer, to the Bread of Life, spoken of in St. John's Sixth Chapter,that is, to the Bread of the Eucharist, or to Divine Influence.

IN their journey through the wilderness, during forty years, the Jews had been fed from Heayen with manna: it was perfectly natural, therefore, that a people, on whom so miraculous a supply. must have made a deep and indelible impression, should give the name of Bread from Heaven to all influence and assistance which they believed divine. It is no wonder that our Saviour, addressing a people, whose minds were so strongly impressed with the idea of heavenly food, should call the celestial favours, which he had to bestow on them, by the name of Bread ; a figure which, from its familiarity to their minds, almost ceased to be figurative. No wonder he taught them to pray for spiritual or heavenly succours, under the name of Bread, that manna which their forefathers received from Heaven, at once nourishing their bodies, and confirming their faith. He condescended to assume the very name himself, and to say, "I am the Bread of Life." To the minds of the Jews, there

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could be nothing harsh in this metaphor: it was their perverseness only which led them to understand the term in the gross and literal sense. could not, without peculiar perverseness or stupidity, misunderstand it in the prayer of our Lord; because it was accompanied with an epithet (rendered from the Hebrew Epiousios) which at once shewed that it was to be considered as the food necessary to spiritual existence : ousia, whence the epithet is derived, being not the proper word for the life of the body, but the life of the soul.

And this leads me to a farther consideration of the epithet Epiousios, which I translate," necessary for spiritual essence." The word ousia, from which it derives its meaning, signifies, Being, Essence; not temporary life, like that of the body, but pure indissoluble essence; the essence of the soul, and of the Deity, who was accordingly called by the word, from which ousia is immediatly derived, • QN-I am; that is, pure essence, not subject to mortality, but existing from everlasting to everlasting.

The artos epiousios, in the Lord's Prayer, means a participation of this Bread of Life, this Divine Essence. According to Anastasius and Cyrillus, ΟΥΣΙΑ εστι πραγμα αυθυπαρκτον μη δεόμενον ετερου μέρος την εαυτου συστασιν. Ousia, Essence, is that which exists from itself, unindebted to any other for its subsistence. It is TO ON, Pure Being.

But supposing for a moment, which I cannot however believe, that Epiousios is derived from arty, it will then signify future, that Bread which we are hereafter to taste in Heaven. There seems to be an antithesis between σημερον, and tovelov, which is the only thing in my mind that leads to this interpretation. It may then be translated thus: "Give us this day a foretaste of that Bread which is reserved for us in a future.” Allowing this to be the true translation, as some learned men have thought, the sense will still be equally favourable to my interpretation of spiritual Bread, or divine Grace : "Give us now on earth that spiritual Bread which in Heaven is to be the food of our souls hereafter." It can scarcely be understood of to-morrow's bread, as some have interpreted it ;-for it seems strange to say, give us this day the bread of to-morrow. And, besides, our Saviour has expressly said, "Take no thought for the morrow, neither what ye shall eat, nor what ye shall drink; for your Heavenly Father knoweth ye have need of all these things ;" and (as must be intended) will mercifully supply them without your importunate solicitude.

If Epiousios were properly translated daily, in St. Luke, where the prayer is differently worded, the clause would run thus: "Give us daily our daily bread," which would be tautology; but " Give us from day to day that heavenly bread, which is

necessary to sustain the spiritual life bestowed as the peculiar privilege of his religion,” is a petition which elevates the mind with sublime devotion; and of a piece with the whole form of supplication.

This spiritual food, there is no doubt, is every day given to them who ask it with faith, and true penitence. "If ye," says our Saviour, "being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." And he himself has taught us to ask our Father, our Heavenly Father, for the Holy Spirit in the form prescribed, under the figurative appellation of Bread. But it is probable, that larger portions of grace are bestowed, in a rite of his own institution, when worthily performed, than by prayer alone.

He has instituted and ordained a holy mystery, as a pledge of his love; in which, while we receive the created food and refreshment, bread and wine, according to his institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, we become partakers of his most blessed body and blood, that is, his Divine nature, emanating into our very souls, by the Holy Spirit, and feeding them, as they may require, from time to time, new strength and refreshment. We there receive the artos Epiousios, the Bread of Life.

The Oriental people, it is well known, expressed their religious ideas by strong figures, originally