Our FATHER. (10) to Our FATHER. (12)

Our FATHER. (10)

over disease; The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint: Isa. 1.6. As black Vapours rising out of the earth cloud and darken the Sun, so the Sins of People in our Age like Hellish Vapours cast a cloud upon Gods glorious name. O that our Eyes were like Limbecks, dropping the water of holy tears, to consider how Gods name, instead of being hallowed, is polluted and profaned: And may not we justly fear some heavy Judgments? Can God put up our affronts any longer? Can he endure to have his name reproached? Will a King suffer his Crown-Jewels to be trampled in the dust? Do not we see the symptoms of Gods Anger, do we not see his Judgments hovering over us? Sure God is whetting his Sword, he hath bent his Bow, and is preparing his Arrowes to shoot: Qualis per arva Leo fulvam minaci fronte concutiens jubam. Sen. Trag. The Body Politick is in a Paroxism, or burning Fit, and may not the Lord cause a sad Phlebotomy? Seeing we will not leave our Sins he may make us lose our Blood. May not we fear that the Ark should remove, the Vision cease, the Stars in Gods Church be removed, and we should follow the Gospel to the grave? When Gods name which should be hallowed is profaned among a People, it is just with God to write that dismal Epitaph upon a Nations Tomb, The Glory is departed. And that I may speak to the Consciences of all, and deal impartially, it were well if only the profane party were guilty; but may not many Professors be called to the Bar, and indited of this, that they have dishonoured Gods name; 2 Chron. 28.10. Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? Are there not the spots of Gods Children? Deut. 3[gap].5. If you are Diamonds have you no flawes? Have not you your vanities? If your Discourse be not profane is it not vain? Have not you your self-seekings, rash censures, indecent dresses? If the wicked of the Land swear, do not you sometimes slander? If they are drunk with wine, are not you sometimes drunk with passion? If their sin be blaspheming, is not your sin murmuring? Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord? The sins of Gods Children go nearer to his heart than the sins of others: Deut. 32.19. When the Lord saw it he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons and daughters. The sins of the wicked anger God, the sins of his own people grieve him; he will be sure to punish them; Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. O that our head were waters, that we could make this place a Bochim, a place of weepers, that Gods Children might mix blushing with tears, that they have so little hallowed, and so much eclipsed Gods name. Truly Gods own People have sinned enough to justifie God in all his severe actings against them.

VSE III. Of Exhortation. Let us hallow and sanctifie Gods Name: Did we but see a glimpse of Gods glory, as Moses did in the Rock; the sight of this would draw Adoration and Praise from us; could we see God face to face, as the Angels in Heaven do, could we behold him sitting on his Throne like [gap] Jasper-stone, Rev. 4.3. we should presently at the sight of this glory do as the twenty four Elders; Rev. 4.10. They worship him that liveth for ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power. That we may be stirred up to this great Duty, the hallowing, adoring and sanctifying Gods name; consider,

1. It is the very end of our Being: Why did God give us our Life, but that our living may be an hallowing of his Name? Why did he give us Souls but to admire him, and Tongues but to praise him? The excellency of a thing is, when it attains the end for which it was made: The excellency of a Star is to give Light, of a Plant to be Fruitful; the excellency of a Christian is to answer the end of his Creation, which is to hallow Gods name, and live to that God by whom he lives. He who lives, and God hath no honour by him, buries himself alive, and exposeth himself to a Curse. Christ cursed the barren Fig-tree.

2. Gods Name is so excellent that it deserves to be hallowed: Psal. 8.9. How excellent is thy name in all the earth: Psal. 104.1. Thou art cloathed with honour and majesty. As the Sun hath its brightness whether we admire it or no, so Gods Name is illustrious and glorious whether we hallow it or no. In God are all shining perfections, Holiness, Wisdom, Mercy: He is worthy to be praised: 2 Sam. 22.4. God is dignus Honore, worthy of Honour, Love, Adoration. We oft bestow Titles of Honour upon them that do not deserve them; but God is worthy to be praised; his Name deserves hallowing; he is above all the Honour and Praise which the Angels in Heaven give him.

3. We pray Hallowed be thy Name; that is, let thy Name be honoured and magnified by us: Now if we do not magnifie his Name, we contradict our own Prayers.

To say, Hallowed be thy Name, yet not to bring honour to Gods Name, it is to take his Name in vain.

4. Such as do not hallow Gods Name, and bring revenues of honour to him, God will get his honour upon them; Exod. 14.17. I'll get me honour upon Pharaoh. Pharaoh would not hallow Gods Name: Who is the Lord that I should obey him? Well saith God, if Pharaoh will not honour me, I will get me honour upon him. When God overthrew him and his Chariots in the Sea, then he got his honour upon him. Gods Power and Justice were glorified in his destruction. There are some whom God hath raised to great Power and Dignity, and they will not honour Gods Name, they make use of their Power to dishonour God, they cast reproach upon Gods Name, and revile his Servants; well, they who will not honour God, he will get his honour upon them in their final ruine. Herod did not give Glory to God, and God did get his Glory upon him: Acts 12.23. The Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms.

5. It will be no small comfort to us when we come to dye, that we have hallowed and sanctified God[gap] Name: It was Christs comfort a little before his Death; Ioh. 17.4. I have glorified thee on the earth. Christs redeeming Mankind was an hallowing and glorifying of Gods Name; never was more Honour brought to Gods Name than by this great undertaking of Christ: Now here was Christs comfort before his Death, that he had hallowed Gods Name, and brought Glory to him. So what a Cordial will this be to us at last, when our whole Life hath been an hallowing of Gods Name; we have loved him with our Hearts, praised him with our Lips, honoured him with our Lives: We have been [gap], to the praise of his glory, Eph. 1.6. At the hour of death all your earthly comforts will vanish; to think how rich you have been, or what pleasures you have enjoyed upon earth; this will not give one dram of comfort: What is one the better for an Estate that is spent? But now to have Conscience witnessing that you have hallowed Gods Name, your whole Life hath been a glorifying of him, what sweet peace and satisfaction will this give? That Servant who hath been all day working in the Vineyard, how glad is he when evening comes that he shall receive his pay! Such as have spent their Lives in honouring God, how sweet will Death be when they shall receive the recompence of Reward. What comfort was it to Hezekiah when he was on his Sick-bed, and could appeal to God, Isa. 38.3. Remember, Lord, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. I have hallowed thy Name, I have brought all the Honour I could to thee, I have done that which is good in thy sight.

6. There is nothing lost by what we do for God; if we bring Honour to his Name he will honour us. Honour is [gap]. Arist. As Balac said to Balaam, Numb. 22.37. Am not I able to promote thee to honour? So if we hallow and sanctifie Gods Name, is not he able to promote us to Honour? 1. He will honour us in our Life. (1.) He will put honour upon our Persons: He will number us among his Jewels, Mal. 3.17. he will make us a Royal Diadem in his hand, Isa. 62.3. he will lift us up in the eyes of others; Zach. 9.16. They shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up, as an ensign of glory: He will esteem us as the cream and flower of the Creation; Isa. 43.4. Since thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable. (2.) God will put honour upon our Names; Prov. 10.17. The memory of the just is blessed. How renowned have the Saints been in all Ages who have hallowed Gods Name: How renowned was Abraham for his Faith, Moses for his Meekness, David for his Zeal, Paul for his Love to Christ, their Names as a precious Oyntment send forth a sweet perfume in Gods Church to this day. 2. God will honour us at our Death; he will send his Angels to carry us up with triumph into Heaven; Luke 16.22. The beggar dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom. Amasis King of Egypt had his Chariot drawn with four Kings which he had conquered in War; but what is this to the Glory every Believer shall have at his Death, he shall be carried by the Angels of God. 3. God will put honour upon us after Death. (1.) He will put Glory upon our Bodies: We shall be [gap] as the Angels, not for substance but quality, our Bodies shall be agile and nimble; now our Bodies are as a weight, then they shall be as a wing moving swiftly from place to place; our Bodies shall be full of clarity and brightness, like Christs glorious Body; Phil. 3.21. The Bodies of the Saints shall be as Cloth dyed into a Scarlet colour, made more illustrious; they shall be so clear and transparent, that the Soul shall sparkle through them as the Wine through the Glass. (2.) God will put Glory upon our Souls: If the Cabinet of the Body shall be so illustrious, of what orient brightness shall the Jewel be? Then will be the great Coronation-day, when the Saints shall wear the Robe of Immortality and the Crown of Righteousness which fades not away. O how glorious will that Garland be which

is made of the Flowers of Paradise! Who then would not hallow and glorifie Gods Name, and spread his renown in the World, who will put such immortal Honour upon his People, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive.

7. Vlt. Such as do not hallow Gods Name, but profane and dishonour it, God will pour contempt upon them; though they be never so great, and though cloathed in Purple and Scarlet, yet they are abhorred of God, and their name shall rot. Though the name of Iudas be in the Bible, and the name of Pontius Pilate be in the Creed, yet their names stand there for Infamy, as being Traytors to the Crown of Heaven; Nahum 1.14. I will make thy grave for thou art vile. It is spoken of Antiochus Epiphanes, he was a King, and his name signifie[gap] Illustrious, yet God esteemed him a vile Person; to show how base the wicked are in Gods esteem, he compares them to things most vile; to chaff, Psal. 1.4. to dross, Psal. 119.118. and the filth that fomes out of the Sea, Isa. 57.20. and as God doth thus vilely esteem of such as do not hallow his Name, so he sends them to a vile place at last. Vagrants are sent to the House of Correction; Hell is the House of Correction which the Wicked are sent to when they dye. Let all this prevail with us to hallow and sanctifie Gods Name.

Quest. What may we do to honour and sanctifie Gods Name?

Answ. Let us get, 1. A sound Knowledge of God. 2. A sincere Love to God.

1. A sound Knowledge of God: Take a view of his superlative Excellencies; his Holiness, his incomprehensible Goodness. The Angels know God better than we, therefore they sanctifie his Name, and sing Hallelujahs to him; and let us labour to know him to be our God; Psal. 48.14. This God is our God. We may dread God as a Judge, but we cannot honour him as a Father, till we know he is our God.

2. Get a sincere Love to God: A Love of Appretiation, and a Love of Complacency to delight in him; Iohn 21.15. Lord thou knowest I love thee: He can never honour his Master who doth not love him: The reason Gods Name is no more hallowed, is, because his name is no more loved. So much for the First Petition.

MATTH. vi.10. Thy Kingdom come.

A Soul truly devoted to God, joyns heartily in this Petition, Adveniat Regnum tuum, Thy Kingdom come: In which words this great Truth is implyed, that God is a King; he who hath a Kingdom can be no less than a King; Ps. 47.7. God is King of all the earth: And he is a King upon his Throne, Psal. 47.8. God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 1. He hath a Regal Title, High and Mighty; Isa. 57.15. Thus saith the high and lofty one. 2. He hath the Ensigns of Royalty, his Sword; Deut. 32.41. If I whet my glittering sword: He hath his Scepter, Heb. 1.8. A scepter of Righteousness is the scepter of thy Kingdom. 3. He hath his Crown Royal; Rev. 19.12. On his head were many crowns; he hath his Iura Regalia, his Kingly Prerogatives; he hath power to make Lawes, to seal Pardons, which are the Flowers and Jewels belonging to his Crown. Thus the Lord is King.

And 2. He is a great King: Psal. 95.3. A great King above all Gods. He is great in and of himself, and not like other Kings, who are made great by their Subjects. That he is so great a King appears; 1. By the immenseness of his Being, Ier. 23.24. Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord. His center is every where; he is no where included, yet no where excluded; he is so immensly great, That the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, 1 Kings 8.27. 2. His greatness appears by the effects of his Power; He made heaven and earth, Psal. 124.8. and can unmake it. God can with a Breath crumble us to dust; with a Word he can unpin the World, and break the Axle-Tree of it in pieces: He pours contempt upon the mighty; Iob 12.21. He cuts off the spirit of Princes; Psal. 76.12. He is Lord Paramount, who doth whatever he will: Psal. 115.2. He weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a ballance. Isa. 40.12.

3. God is a Glorious King; Psal. 24.10. Who is this King of Glory, the Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory. He hath internal Glory; Psal. 93.1. The Lord reigneth, he is cloathed with majesty. Other Kings have Royal and Sumptuous Apparel to make them appear glorious to the beholders, but all their Glory and Magnificence is borrowed; but God is cloathed with Majesty, his own Glorious Essence is instead of Royal Robes: and he hath girded himself with strength. Kings have their guard about them to defend their Persons, because they are not able to defend themselves; but God needs

no guard or assistance from others. He hath girded himself with strength. His own Power is his Life-guard; Psal. 89.6. Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord, who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? God hath a prehiminence above all other Kings for Majesty: Rev. 19.16. He hath on his vesture a name written, Rex Regum, King of Kings. He hath the highest Throne, the richest Crown, the largest Dominions, and the longest Possession; Psal. 29.10. The Lord sitteth King for ever. Though God hath many Heirs, yet no Successors. He sets up his Throne where no other King doth; he rules the Will and Affections, his Power binds the Conscience; Angels serve him; all the Kings of the Earth hold their Crowns and Diadems by immediate tenure from this great King; Prov. 8.15. By me Kings reign; and to this Lord Iehovah all Kings must give account, and from Gods Tribunal there is no appeal.

Our FATHER. (11)

VSE I. Br. 1. If God be so great a King, and sits King for ever, then it is no disparagement for us to serve him; Deo servire est regnare: It is an Honour to serve a King. If the Angels fly swiftly upon the King of Heavens message, Dan. 9.21. then well may we look upon it as a favour to be taken into his Royal Service. Theodosius thought it a greater Honour to be Gods Servant than to be an Emperour. 'Tis more Honour to serve God than to have Kings serve us. Every Subject of this King is Crowned with Regal Honour: Rev. 1.6. Who hath made us Kings. Therefore as the Queen of Sheba having seen the Glory of Solomons Kingdom, said, Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, 1 Kings 10.8. so, happy are those Saints who stand before the King of Heaven, and wait on his Throne.

Br. 2. If God be such a Glorious King, crowned with Wisdom, armed with Power, bespangled with Riches, then it showes us what Prudence it is to have this King to be ours: To say as, Psal. 5.2. My King and my God. 'Tis counted great Policy to be on the strongest side; if we belong to the King of Heaven we are sure to be on the strongest side: The King of Glory can with ease destroy his Adversaries; he can pull down their Pride, befool their Policy, restrain their Malice. That stone cut out of the Mountains without hands, which smote the Image. Dan. 2.34. was an emblem (saith Austin) of Christs Monarchical Power conquering and triumphing over his enemies. If we are on Gods side we are on the strongest side; he can with a Word destroy his enemies, Psal. 2.5. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath; nay, he can with a Look destroy them; Iob 40.12. Look upon every one that is proud and bring him low. It needs cost God no more to confound those who rise up against him than a look, a cast of the eye; Exod. 14.24. In the morning watch the Lord looked to the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire, and troubled their host, and took off their chariot-wheels. What Wisdom is it then to have this King to be ours; then we are on the strongest side.

VSE II of Exhortation.

Br. 1. If God be so Glorious a King, full of Power and Majesty, let us trust in him; Psal. 9.10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: Trust him with your Soul; you cannot put this Jewel in safer hands; and trust him with Church and State Affairs: He is King, Exod. 15.3. The Lord is a man of war; he can make bear his holy Arm in the eyes of all the Nations. If means fail, he is never at a loss, there are no impossibles with him; he can make the dry bones live: Ezek. 37.10. As a King he can command, and as a God he can create Salvation; Isa. 65.18. I create Ierusalem a rejoycing: Let us trust all our affairs with this great King. Either God can remove Mountains, or can leap over them; Cant. 2.8.

Br. 2. If God be so great a King, let us fear him; Ier. 5.22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord? Will ye not tremble at my presence? We have enough fear of Men. Fear makes danger appear greater and sin lesser; but let us fear the King of Kings, who hath power to cast Body and Soul into Hell; Luke 12.5. As one wedge drives out another, so the fear of God would drive out all base carnal fear: Let us fear that God whose Throne is set above all Kings; they may be Mighty, but he is Almighty. Kings have no Power but what God hath given them; their Power is limited, his is infinite. Let us fear this King whose eyes are as lamps of fire; Rev. 1.14. The mountains quake at him, and the rocks are thrown down by him; Nahum 1.6 If he stamps with his foot, all the Creatures are presently up in a battalio to fight for him. O tremble and fear before this God. Fear is Ianitor Animae, it is the Door-keeper of the Soul, it keeps Sin from entring; Gen. 39.9. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

3 Br. If God be so Glorious a King, he hath jus virae & necis, He hath the power of Life and Death in his Hand. Let all the Potentates of the Earth take heed how they employ their Power against the King of Heaven; they employ their power against God, who with their Scepter beat down his Truth, which is the most Orient Pearl of his Crown; who crush and persecute his People, which are the Apple of his Eye, Zach. 2.8. Who trample upon his Laws and Royal Edicts, which he hath set forth, Psal. 2.3. What is a King without his Laws: Let all that are invested with worldly Power and Grandeur, take heed how they oppose the King of Glory: The Lord will be too hard for all that come against him, Iob 40.9. Hast thou an Arm like God? Wilt thou measure Arms with the Almighty? Shall a little Child go to fight with an Arch-angel. Ezek. 22.14. Can thy Heart endure, or can thy Hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee? Christ will put all his Enemies at last under his Feet, Psal. 110.1. All the Multitude of the Wicked, who set themselves against God, shall be but as so many Clusters of ripe Grapes to be cast into the Wine-press of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by him till their blood comes forth. The King of Glory will come off Victor at last; Men may set up their Standard: but God alwaies sets up his Trophies of Victory; the Lord hath a golden Scepter and an iron Rod, Psal. 2.9. Those who will not bow to the one, shall be broken by the other.

4. Br. Is God so great a King, having all Power in Heaven and Earth in his Hand; let us learn Subjection to him. Such as have gone on in Sin, and by their Impieties hung out a Flag of defiance against the King of Heaven. Oh come in quickly, and make your Peace, submit to God; Psal. 2.12. Kiss the Son least he be angry. Kiss Christ with a Kiss of Love, and a Kiss of Obedience, obey the King of Heaven when he speaks to you by his Ministers and Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5.20. when God bids you fly from Sin, and espouse Holiness, obey him, to obey is better then Sacrifice: To obey God (saith Luther) is better then to work Miracles. Obey God willingly, Isa. 1.19. That is the best obedience that is chearful; as that is the sweetest Honey which drops out of the Comb▪ Obey God swiftly. Zech. 5.9. I lift up mine eyes and behold two Women, and the wind was in their Wings. Wings are swift, but wind in the wings denotes great swiftness; such should our obedience to God be: Obey the King of Glory.

Vse III. Comfort to those who are the Subjects of the King of Heaven; God will put forth all his Royal Power for their Succour and Comfort.

1. The King of Heaven will plead their Cause; Ier. 51.36. I will plead thy Cause, and take Vengeance for thee.

2. He will protect his People; He sets an invisible guard about them, Zech. 2.5. I will be a Wall of Fire to her roun[gap] about. A wall, that is defensive, a wall of Fire, that is offensive.

3. When it may be for the good of his People, he will raise up deliverance to them; 1 Chron. 11.14. The Lord saved them by a great deliverance. God Reigning as King, can save any way; by contemptible means, the blowing of Trumpets, and blazing of Lamps, Iudg. 7.20. By contrary means, He made the Sea a wall to Israel, and the waters were a means to keep them from drowning: The Fishes B[gap]lly was a Ship in which Ionas sailed safe to shore. God will never want ways of saving his People: Rather then fail the very Enemies shall do his Work. 2 Chron. 20.23. He set Ammon and Mount-Seir one against another: And as God will deliver his People from Temporal Danger, so from Spiritual, from Sin, and from Hell, Iesus hath delivered us from Wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1.10.

Vse IV. Terrour to the Enemies of the Church. If God be King, he will set his [gap]tmost strength against them who are the Enemies of his Kingdom, Psal. 97.3. A Fire goes before him, and burneth up his Enemies round about.

1. He will set himself against his Enemies: He will set his Attributes against them, his Power and Justice; and who knows the power of his Anger, Psal. 90.11.

2. God will set the Creatures against them; Iudg. 5 20. The Stars in their course fought against Sisera. Tertullian observes that the Persians fighting against the Christians a mighty Wind arose, which did make the Persians Arrows to fly back in their own Faces. Every Creature hath a Quarrel with a Sinner. The Stone out of the Wall, Hab. 2.11. The Hail and Frost. Psal. 78.47. He destroyed their Vines with Hail, and their Sycamore Trees with Frost.

3. God will set Men against themselves; 1. He will set Conscience against them; and how terrible is this Rod, when turned into a Serpent: Melancthon calls it Erinnys Conscientiae, a Hellish Fury: It is called Vermis Conscientiae, the Worm of Conscience, Mark 9.44. What a Worm did Spira feel in his Conscience; he was a Terror to himselfe

The worst Civil Wars are between a Man and his Conscience. 2. God will set the Diseases of Mens Bodies against them, 2 Chron. 21.18. The Lord smote Iehoram in his Bowels with an incurable disease. God can raise an Army against a Man out of his own Bowels: He can set one Humour of the Body against another, the heat to drie up the moisture, and the moisture to drown the heat; the Lord needs not go far for Instruments to punish the Sinner, He can make the joints of the same Body to smite one against another; as Dan 5.6. 3. God will set Mens Friends against them; where they used to have Honey they shall have nothing but Aloes and Wormwood. When a mans ways please the Lord, he shall make his enemies to be his friends, Prov. 16.7. But when he opposeth God, he maketh his Friends to be his Enemies. Commodus the Emperour his own wife gave him poison in perfumed Wine. Sennacherib's two Sons were the death of him, 2 Kings 19.37. 4. God will set Satan against them. Psal. 109.6. Let Satan stand at his Right hand. What doth Satan at the Sinners Elbows? 1. He helps him to contrive Sin. 2. He tempts him to commit Sin. 3. He terrifies him for Sin. He that hath Satan thus standing at his Right hand, is sure to be set at Gods Left hand. Here is the misery of such as oppose Gods Royal Scepter, he will set every thing in the world against them: If there be either Justice in Heaven or fire in Hell, Sinners shall not be unpunished.

Vlt. If God be such an absolute Monarch, and Crowned with such Glory and Majesty, let us all engage in his Service, and stand up for his Truth, and Worship; dare to own God in the worst Time; He is King of Kings, and is able to reward all his Servants: VVe may be Losers for him, we shall never be Losers by him; we are ready to say as Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25.9. What shall I do for the Hundred Talents? If I appear for God I may lose my Estate, my Life? I say with the Prophet, God is able to give you much more then this; He can give you for the present inward Peace, and for the future a Crown of Glory which fades not away.

Quest. What Kingdom doth Christ mean here?

Resp. Negat. 1. He doth not mean a Political, or Earthly Kingdom. The Apostles indeed did desire, 1. Christs Temporal Reign, Acts 1.6. When wilt thou restore the Kingdom to Israel. But Christ said his Kingdom was not of this world, Ioh. 18.36. So that when Christ taught his Disciples to pray, Thy Kingdom come, he did not mean it of an Earthly Kingdom, that he should reign here in outward Pomp and Splendor. 2. It is not meant of Gods Providential Kingdom; Psal. 103.19. His Kingdom ruleth over all; that is, the Kingdom of his Providence: This Kingdom we do not pray for, when we say Thy Kingdom come; for this Kingdom is already come: God exerciseth the Kingdom of his Providence in the World, Psal. 75.7. He putteth down one, and setteth up another: Nothing stirs in the World, but God hath an Hand in it; He sets every wheel a working; He humbles the Proud, and raiseth the Poor out of the Dust, to set them among Princes, 1 Sam. 2.8. The Kingdom of Gods Providence ruleth over all; Kings do nothing but what his Providence permits and orders, Act. 4.27. This Kingdom of Gods Providence we do not pray should come, for it is already come: What Kingdom then is meant here, when we say, Thy Kingdom come? Answ. Positively, there is a twofold Kingdom meant here. 1. The Kingdom of Grace, which Kingdom God exerciseth in the Consciences of his People; this is Regnum Dei [gap], Gods lesser Kingdom, Luke 17.21. The Kingdom of God is within you. 2. The Kingdom of Glory, which is sometimes called the Kingdom of God, Luke 6.20. and the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5.3. When we pray thy Kingdom come, (1.) Here is something tacitly implied, That we are in the Kingdom of Darkness; 1. We pray that we may be brought out of the Kingdom of Darkness. 2. That the Devils Kingdom in the World may be demolished. (2.) Something positively intended, Adveniat Regnum Gratiae & Gloriae, 1. We pray that the Kingdom of Grace may be set up in our Hearts, and encreased. 2. When we pray Thy Kingdom come, we pray that the Kingdom of Glory may hasten, and that we may in Gods good time be translated into it: These two Kingdoms of Grace and Glory, differ not specifically, but gradually, they differ not in nature, but only in degree; The Kingdom of Grace is nothing but the inchoation or beginning of the Kingdom of Glory; the Kingdom of Grace is Glory in the Seed, and the Kingdom of Glory is Grace in the Flower; the Kingdom of Grace is Glory in the Day-break, and the Kingdom of Glory is Grace in the full Meridian; the Kingdom of Grace is Glory Militant, and the Kingdom of Glory is Grace Triumphant: There is such an inseparable Connexion between these two Kingdoms Grace and Glory, that there is no passing into the one Kingdom, but by the other. At Athens there were two Temples, a Temple of Virtue, and a Temple of Honour, and there was no going into the Temple of Honour, but through the Temple of Vertue: So the Kingdom of Grace and Glory are so close joyned together, that we cannot go into the Kingdom of Glory, but through

the Kingdom of Grace. Many People aspire after the Kingdom of Glory, but never look after Grace; but these two which God hath joyned together may not be put asunder: The Kingdom of Grace leads to the Kingdom of Glory.

1. I begin with the first thing implyed in this Petition, Thy Kingdom come: It is implyed that we are in the Kingdom of Darkness; and we pray, that we may be brought out of the Kingdom of Darkness; the state of Nature is a Kingdom of Darkness: 'Tis a Kingdom; Sin is said to reign, Rom. 6.12. and 'tis a Kingdom of Darkness. It is called [gap], The power of darkness, Col. 1.13. Man before the Fall was illuminated with perfect knowledge, but this light is now eclipsed, and he is fallen into the Kingdom of Darkness.

Quest. How many wayes is a Natural Man in the Kingdom of darkness?

Answ. 1. He is under the darkness of Ignorance; Eph. 4.18. [gap], Having the understanding darkened. Ignorance is a black vail drawn over the Mind. Men by Nature may have a deep reach in the things of the World, but ignorant in the things of God. Nahash the Ammonite would make a Covenant with Israel to thrust out their right eyes; 1 Sam. 11.2. since the Fall our left eye remains a deep insight into Worldly matters, but our right eye is thrust out, we have no saving knowledge of God: Something we know by Nature, but nothing as we ought to know; 1 Cor. 8.2. Ignorance draws the curtains round about the Soul: 1 Cor. 2.14.

2. A Natural Man is under the darkness of Pollution: Hence sinful actions are called works of darkness, Rom. 13.12. Pride and Lust darken the Glory of the Soul: A sinners heart is a dark conclave, it looks blacker than Hell.

3. A Natural Man is under the darkness of Misery; he is exposed to Divine Vengeance; and the sadness of this darkness is, that Men are not sensible of it; they are blind, yet they think they see: The darkness of Egypt was such thick darkness as might be felt, Exod. 10.21. Men are by Nature in thick darkness, but here is the misery, the darkness cannot be felt, they will not believe they are in the dark, till they are past recovery.

Our FATHER. (12)

VSE I. See what the state of Nature is; it is a kingdom of darkness, and it is a bewitching darkness; Iohn 3.19. Men loved darkness rather than light: As the Athlantes in Aethiopia curse the Sun: Such as are still in the kingdom of darkness tremble to think of this condition; this darkness of sin leads to the chains of darkness, Iude 6. what comfort can such take in earthly things? The Aegyptians might have Food, Gold, Silver, but they could take but little comfort in them while they were in such darkness as might be felt; so the Natural Man may have Riches and Friends to delight in, yet he is in the kingdom of darkness, and how dead are all these comforts. Thou who art in the kingdom of darkness knowest not whither thou goest. As the Oxe is driven to the shambles, but he knowes not whither he goes; so the Devil is driving thee before him to Hell, but thou knowest not whither thou goest. Shouldst thou dye in thy Natural estate while thou art in the kingdom of darkness, blackness of darkness is reserved for thee; Iude 13. To whom is reserved blackness of darkness for ever.

VSE II. Let us pray that God will bring us out of this kingdom of darkness. Gods Kingdom of Grace cannot come into our hearts, till first we are brought out of the kingdom of darkness: Col. 1.13. Why should not we strive to get out of this kingdom of darkness? Who would desire to stay in a dark dungeon: O fear the chains of darkness; Iude 6. these chains are Gods Power, binding Men as in chains under wrath for ever. O pray that God will deliver us out of the Kingdom of darkness. 1. Be sensible of thy dark damned estate, that thou hast not one spark of fire to give thee light. 2. Go to Christ to enlighten thee; Eph. 5.14. Christ shall give thee light. He will not only bring thy light to thee, but open the eyes to see it. That is the first thing implyed, Thy Kingdom come, we pray that we may be brought out of the Kingdom of Darkness.

2. The second thing implyed in Thy Kingdom come, we do implicity pray against the Devils Kingdom, we pray that Satans Kingdom may be demolished in the World. Satans Kingdom stands in opposition to Christs Kingdom, and while we pray, Thy Kingdom come, we pray against Satans Kingdom. Satan hath a Kingdom; he got his Kingdom by Conquest; he conquered Mankind in Paradise. He hath his Throne; Rev. 2.13. Thou dwellest where Satans throne is; and his Throne is set up in the hearts of Men; he doth not care for their Purses but their Hearts, Eph. 2.2. Satan is served upon the knee, Rev. 13.4. They worshipped the dragon, that is, the Devil. Satans Empire is very large; the most Kingdoms in the World pay Tribute to him. Satans Kingdom hath two qualifications or characters.

• 1. It is Regnum Nequitiae, a Kingdom of Impiety.

• 2. Regnum Servitutis, a Kingdom of Slavery.

1. The Kingdom of Satan is a Kingdom of Impiety: Nothing but Sin goes up in his Kingdom, Murder and Heresie, Lust and Treachery, Oppression and Division are the constant trade driven in Satans Kingdom: Satan is called the unclean Spirit, Luke 11.24. what else is propagated in his Kingdom but a mystery of iniquity.

2. Satans Kingdom is a Kingdom of Slavery: Satan makes all his Subjects slaves; Peccati reus dura Daemonis tyrannide tenetur, Muis. Satan is an Usurper and a Tyrant, he is a worse Tyrant than any other. 1. Other Tyrants do but rule over the Body, but Satans Kingdom rules over the Soul; Satan rides some Men as we do Horses. 2. Other Tyrants have some pity on their Slaves; though they make them work in the Gallies, yet they give them meat and let them have their hours for rest; but Satan is a mercyless Tyrant, he gives his Slaves poyson in stead of meat, he gives them hurtful lusts to feed on: 1 Tim. 6.9. Nor will he let his Slaves have any rest, he tires them out in doing his drudgery; Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. When the Devil had entred into Iudas, he sends him to the High Priests, and from thence to the Garden, and never let him rest till he had betrayed Christ, and hanged himself. Thus Satan is the worst Tyrant; when Men have served him to their utmost strength, he will welcome them to Hell with Fire and Brimstone.

VSE. Let us pray that Satans Kingdom set up in the World may be thrown down. 'Tis sad to think that though the Devils Kingdom be so bad, yet that it should have so many to support it. Satan hath more to stand up for his Kingdom than Christ hath for his. What a large harvest of Souls hath Satan, and God only a few gleanings. The Pope and the Turk give their power to Satan. If in Gods visible Church the Devil hath so many Loyal Subjects that serve him with their Lives and Souls, then how do his Subjects swarm in places of Idolatry and Paganism, where there is none to oppose him, but all vote on the Devils side. Men are willingly slaves to Satan; they will fight and dye for him; therefore Satan is not only called the Prince of this world, Iohn 14.30. but the God of this world, 2 Cor. 4.4. to show what power Satan hath over Mens Souls. O let us pray that God will break the Scepter of the Devils Kingdom, that Michael may destroy the Dragon, that by the help of a Religious Magistracy and Ministry the Hellish Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness may be beaten down. Satans Kingdom must be thrown down before Christs Kingdom can flourish in its Power and Majesty.

2. When we pray, Thy Kingdom come, here is something positively intended:

• 1. We pray that the Kingdom of Grace may be set up in our hearts and encreased.

• 2. That the Kingdom of Glory may hasten, and that we may in Gods due time be translated into it.

I begin with the First, The Kingdom of Grace. When we pray, Thy Kingdom come, we pray, 1. That the Kingdom of Grace may come into our hearts: This is Regnum Dei [gap], Gods lesser Kingdom; Rom. 14.17. The Kingdom of God is righteousness. Luke 17.21. The kingdom of God is within you.

Quest. 1. Why is Grace called a Kingdom?

Answ. Because where Grace comes there is a Kingly Government set up in the Soul. Grace rules the Will and Affections, and brings the whole Man in subjection to Christ. Grace doth king it in the Soul; it swayes the Scepter, it subdues mutinous Lusts, and keeps the Soul in a Spiritual Decorum.

Quest. 2. Why is there such need that we should pray that this Kingdom of Grace come into our hearts?

Resp. 1. Because till the Kingdom of Grace come, we have no right to the Covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Grace is sweetned with Love, bespangled with Promises; the Covenant of Grace is our Magna Charta, by vertue of which God passeth himself over to us to be our God: But who are Heirs of the Covenant of Grace? only such as have the kingdom of Grace in their hearts; Ezek. 36.26. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; there is the kingdom of Grace set up in the Soul; then it followes, ver. 28. I will be your God. The Covenant of Grace is to an ungracious Person a sealed Fountain, it is kept as Paradise with a Flaming Sword, that the Sinner may not touch it; without Grace you have no more right to it, than a Farmer to the City Charter.

2. Unless the Kingdom of Grace be set up in our hearts, our purest Offerings are defiled; they may be good as to the matter but not as to the manner, they want that which should meliorate and sweeten them under the Law. If a Man who was unclean by a dead body did carry a piece of holy flesh in his skirt, the holy flesh could not

cleanse him, but he polluted that: Hag. 2.12. Till the kingdom of Grace be in our hearts, Ordinances do not purifie us, but we pollute them; the Prayer of an ungracious person becomes sin; Prov. 15.8. In what a sad condition is a Man before Gods kingdom of Grace be set up in his heart; whether he comes or comes not to the Ordinance, he sins: If he doth not come to the Ordinance he is a contemner of it, if he doth come he is a polluter of it. A Sinners works are opera mortua dead works, Heb. 1.6. and those works which are dead cannot please God; a dead Flower hath no sweetness.

3. We had need pray that the kingdom of Grace may come, because till this kingdom come into our hearts we are loathsome in Gods eyes; Zech. 11.8. My soul loathed them. Quanta est faeditas vitiosae mentis. Tully. An heart void of Grace looks blacker than Hell: Sin transforms one into a Devil; Iohn 6.70. Have not I chosen twelve, and one of you is a devil. Envy is the Devils eye, hypocrisie is his cloven-foot; thus it is before the kingdom of Grace come. So deformed is a Graceless person, that when once he sees his own filth and leprosie, the first thing he doth is to loath himself; Ezek. 20.43. Ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils. I have read of a Woman who alwayes used flattering glasses, by chance seeing her Face in a true glass, in insaniam delapsa est, she ran mad. Such as now dress themselves by the flattering glass of presumption, when once God gives them a sight of their filthiness, they will abhor themselves; Ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils.

4. Before the kingdom of Grace comes into us we are Spiritually illegitimate, of the Bastard brood of the Old Serpent; Iohn 8.44. To be illegitimate is the greatest infamy; Deut. 23.2. A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation. He was to be kept out of the holy Assemblies of Israel as an infamous Creature: A Bastard by the Law cannot inherit; before the kingdom of Grace come into the heart, a person is to God as one illegitimate, and so continuing he cannot enter into the Congregation of Heaven.

5. Before the kingdom of Grace be set up in Mens hearts, the kingdom of Satan is set up in them: They are said to be under the power of Satan; Acts 26.18. Satan commands the Will; though he cannot force the Will, he can by his subtle temptations draw it: The Devil is said to take men captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. the Greek word [gap] signifies to take them alive, as the Fowler doth the bird in the snare. The sinners heart is the Devils Mansion-house, Matth. 12.44. I will go to my house. It is officina Diaboli, Satans shop where he works; Eph. 2.2. The prince of the air now worketh in the children of disobedience. The members of the Body are the tools which Satan works with: Satan possesseth Men. In Christs time many had their Bodies possessed; but it is far worse to have their Souls possessed: One is possessed with an unclean Devil, another with a revengeful Devil. No wonder the Ship goes full sail when the Wind blowes; no wonder Men go full sail in sin, when the Devil the Prince of the Air blowes them: Thus it is; till the kingdom of Grace come, Men are under the power of Satan, who like Draco writes all his Lawes in blood.

6. Till the kingdom of Grace comes, a Man lyes exposed to the Wrath of God; And who knowes the power of his anger? Psal. 90.11. If when but a spark of Gods Wrath flyes into a Mans Conscience in this Life it is so terrible, what then will it be when God stirs up all his anger. So unconceivable torturing is Gods Wrath that the wicked call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from it; Rev. 6. 1st. The Hellish torments are compared to a fiery lake, Rev. 20.15. other fire is but painted in comparison of this: And this lake of fire burns for ever, Mark 9.44. Gods breath kindles this fire, Isa. 30.33 and where shall we find engines or buckets to quench it? Time will not finish it, tears will not quench it. To this fiery Lake are Men exposed till the kingdom of Grace be set up in them.

7. Till the kingdom of Grace come Men cannot dye with comfort; only he who takes Christ in the armes of his Faith, can look Death in the face with joy. But it is sad to have the king of Terrors in the Body, and not the kingdom of Grace in the Soul. 'Tis a wonder every Graceless person doth not dye distracted: What will a Grace-despiser do when Death comes to him with a Writ of Habeas Corpus? Hell followes Death; Rev. 6.8. Behold a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed him. Thus you see what need we have to pray that the kingdom of Grace may come. He that dyes without Grace, I may say as Christ, Matth. 26.24. It had been good for that-man he had not been born. Few do believe the necessity of having the kingdom of Grace set up in their hearts, as appears by this, because they are so well content to live without it. Doth that Man believe the necessity of a Pardon that is content to be without it? Most People if they may have Trading, and may sit quietly under their Vines and Fig-trees, they are in their kingdom, though they have

not the kingdom of God within them. If the Candle of Prosperity shine upon their head, they care not whether the Grace of God shine in their hearts: Do these Men believe the necessity of Grace? Were they convinced how needful it were to have the kingdom of God within them, they would cry out as the Jaylor, Acts 16.30. What shall I do to be saved?

Quest. 3. How may we know that the Kingdom of Grace is set up in our hearts?

Answ. It concerns us to examine this, our Salvation depends upon it; and we had need be curious in the search, because there is something looks like Grace which is not; Gal. 6.3. If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Many think they have the kingdom of Grace come into their heart, and it is only a Chimera, a golden dream: Quam multi cum vana spe descendunt ad inferos! Aug. Zeuxis did paint grapes so lively that he deceived the living birds. There are many Deceits about Grace.

Deceit 1. Men think they have the kingdom of Grace in their hearts because they have the means of Grace; they live where the silver trumpet of the Gospel sounds, they are lift up to Heaven with Ordinances; Iudg. 17.13. I have a Levite to my priest; sure I shall go to Heaven. The Iewes cryed, Ier. 7.4. The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord; we are apt to glory in this, the Oracles of God are committed to us, we have Word and Sacrament: Alas, this is a fallacy, we may have the means of Grace, yet the kingdom of Grace may not be set up in our hearts; we may have the kingdom of God come nigh us, Luke 11.20. but not into us; the sound of the Word in our ears, and not the savour of it in our hearts. Many of the Iewes, who had Christ for their Preacher, were never the better: Hot clothes will not put warmth into a dead Man. Thou may'st have hot clothes, warm and lively Preaching, yet be Spiritually dead: Mat. 8.12. The children of the kingdom shall be cast out.

Deceit 2. Men think they have the kingdom of Grace set up in their hearts, because they have some common works of the Spirit.

(1.) They have great enlightnings of mind, profound knowledge, and almost speak like Angels drop'd from Heaven; but the Apostle supposeth a case that after Men have been enlightened, they may fall away. Heb. 6.

Quest. But wherein doth this illumination come short?

Answ. The illumination of Hypocrites is not vertual, it doth not leave an impression of Holiness behind; 'tis like weak Physick that will not work. The mind is enlightned, but the heart is not renewed. A Christian is all head, but no feet, he doth not walk in the wayes of God.

(2.) Men have had convictions and stirrings of Conscience for sin, they have seen the evil of their wayes, therefore now they hope the Kingdom of Grace is come; but I say, convictions though they are a step towards Grace, yet they are not Grace. Had not Pharaoh and Iudas convictions? Exod. 10.16.

Quest. What makes convictions prove abortive, wherein is the defect?