SERMON V.
"Give us to-day our daily bread."—Matthew vi. 11.
This petition, when viewed in the light of the internal sense, is most comprehensive: it means, Give us, O Lord, every moment, all things we need for the body and the soul.
The expression "to-day" signifies, in the spiritual sense, perpetually, every instant, and also to eternity. That such is the signification of "to-day" and "daily" in the Word, is evident from the fact that in the Israelitish or representative Church, the daily offering of a lamb was called a perpetual burnt-offering.[1] The same truth may be seen from the fact that, in the spiritual sense, by day is signified state: thus, "today" or "this day" signifies "in this state." Keeping before us this signification of "to-day," we may offer up the prayer, in the evening as well as in the morning, in sickness or in health, in trouble or in joy: in all it is applicable: for the petition is, that in this present state, whatever it be, whether of mind or of body, we may be gifted from the Lord with all things needful for us.
It may be remarked that the phrase "our daily
