Page:Sermons on the Lord's Prayer.djvu/67

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

ner 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."[1] 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