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which the nature of the thing requires. They also take occasion from hence, to warn others, lest they be entangled in the same snare, out of which they have escaped; or, if fallen, to recommend to them those methods of divine grace where they I have been recovered. This improvement the Psalmist made of the dealings of God with him, when he speaks of his being brought out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; his feet set upon a rock, and his goings established; he adds, many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord, Psal. xl. 2, 3. And when God's people have been greatly dejected under the troubles they have met with; he has over-ruled this for the restoring comforts to them, and then enabling them to comfort others, in like afflictions, which, as the apostle expresses it, redounds to their consolation and salvation, 2 Cor. i. 6. Thus concerning the first petition of the Lord's prayer, as it is explained in the answer before us.

We shall now consider how it may be reduced into practice, that we may be directed in our addressing ourselves to God in those things that concern the glory of his name. Accord.

ingly, it is as though we should say, "We adore thee, O our "God, that thou hast been pleased to make such discoveries "of thyself to thy people, as thou hast done in all ages; and "in particular, we give thanks at the remembrance of thine "holiness: Thou mightest, indeed, have glorified thy name in "the everlasting destruction of the whole race of fallen man; "but thou hast sanctified thy name, and advanced thy perfec"tions in bringing about the work of our redemption by a "Mediator, in which justice and mercy are met together, ❝righteousness and peace have embraced each other; and "thou hast hereby a greater revenue of glory redounding to "thy name, than by all thine other works, or than could have "been brought to thee by the united services of the most ex"cellent creatures. We also bless thee that thou hast been "pleased to make those bright discoveries of thyself in thy 66 word, which thou hast magnified above all thy name; that "thou hast given us thy gospel, and all the ordinances and "means of grace, that hereby thou mayest gather to thyself a people out of the world, who might be holy in all conversation, as thou who hast called them art holy. We confess, "that we have not sanctified thy name as we ought, nor at"tended on thine ordinances with that reverence and holy fear "that is due to thy divine Majesty, for which thou hast testi"fied thy displeasure against us, in withdrawing thy presence "from thine own institutions. We acknowledge that herein "thou art righteous, and hast punished us less than our ini "quities have deserved; for thou mightest have removed thy "candlestick out of its place, or taken thine ordinances from

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"us, as thou hast done from many, who once worshipped thee,

as we do at this day, but are now wholly estranged from thee. "Revive thy work, O Lord, we beseech thee, and hereby sanc"tify thy great name: Let thy word have free course, and be glorified: Set up thy standard against every thing that op66 poses thine interest in the world; send forth thy light and "thy truth, whereby the ignorant may be instructed in the “ way of salvation by Christ. Give a check to that atheism, "profaneness, and irreligion that abounds among a professing "people; and let all the dispensations of thy providence have "a tendency to bring about the work of reformation, that there"by thou mayest be glorified, and thy people enabled, more " and more, to sanctify thee in every thing, whereby thou ma"kest thyself known.".

QUEST. CXCI. What do we pray for in the second petition? ANSW. In the second petition, [which is, Thy kingdom come,] acknowledging ourselves, and all mankind to be, by nature, under the dominion of sin and Satan; we pray that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed, the gospel propagated throughout the world, the Jews called, the fulness of the Gentiles brought in, the church furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances, purged from corruption, countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate, that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted; that Christ would rule in our hearts here, and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him for ever; and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.

In this petition therupposed, relating to the sovereignty and

dominion of God over men, and the position that it meets with, which, how great soever it be, shall not hinder its advancement in the world.

II. There are several things which we are directed to pray for, relating thereunto.

I. As to those things that are supposed, we may consider, 1. That God is a great and glorious King. This is the necessary result of his being the Creator of all things; from whence arises an universal propriety in them, and a right to dispose of them at his pleasure, in the methods of his provi

dence, so that he can no more lose his right to govern the world, than he can cease to be God. It may be farther observed, that the subjects governed are intelligent creatures; for, though all other things are upheld by him, and made use of to fulfil his pleasure; yet they cannot be said to be under a law, or the subjects of moral government. Therefore God is more especially related to angels and men as their King; and as to that branch of his government, which is exercised in this lower world, it principally respects men. Now when God is said to be their King, the exercise of his dominion is variously considered, according to the different circumstances in which they

are.

(1.) As men, they are the subjects of his providential kingdom; in which respect they are not only the objects of his care and common goodness, which extends itself, as the Psalmist says, to all his works, Psal. cxlv. 9. or, as he gives to all, life and breath, and all things, Acts xvii. 25. But, whatever he does in the world, is, some way or other, designed for their use or advantage, either as subservient to their happiness, or as objects, in which they behold the glory of his divine perfections that shines forth therein; and, in this respect, as the God of nature, he is King over the whole world, whose glory infinitely surpasses that of the greatest monarch on earth. When men are said to have dominion, they derive it from his will and providence: It is also limited; whereas his is universal. And they are accountable to him for the administration of that authority, which he commits to them: But he giveth no account of his matters to any one; inasmuch as there is none superior to him. Moreover, there are many flaws and imperfections in the government of the best kings on earth; because their wisdom, holiness, power, and justice are imperfect; and sometimes the most desirable ends are not attained thereby : But, on the other hand, the divine government is such as tends to set forth God's glorious perfections, and answer the highest ends, to wit, the advancement of his own name, in promoting the welfare of his creatures. We may also observe, that the greatest potentates on earth, are not only mortal, but their government is often subject to change, and liable to be resisted and controuled, by other kings like themselves: Whereas God has none equal with him; therefore his government cannot be controuled; and being all-sufficient, he cannot be destitute of what is necessary to fulfil his purpose, or advance his glory. Again, none but God has a right to give laws to the consciences of men; and, indeed, no government is properly spiritual, and such as reaches the heart like his; nor does the honour that is due to any other, contain in it, the least right to divine worship or adoration which belongs only to him. 3 C

VOL. IV.

(2.) As God has a peculiar people in the world, who are the objects of his grace, these are the subjects of Christ's mediato rial kingdom, in which respect he is styled King of saints. This is not only a divine honour which we ascribe to him; but it belongs to him in particular as our Redeemer: and so it is to be understood whenever he is called a King in scripture, as denoting that kingdom which he has received from his Father; whereas his right to govern the world, which is styled his pro vidential kingdom, necessarily belongs to him as God, and is no more conferred upon him by the will of his Father, than his divine nature or personality: We do not therefore pray in this petition, that he would govern the world; for we may all well address ourselves to him, that he would be an infinite Sovereign, and act agreeably to his divine nature, which he cannot but be and do. But the kingdom which is here intended, which we have a more immediate regard to, as the subjectmatter of this petition, is, that which belongs to him as Mediator, which he received from the Father; who is said, in this respect, to have set him as his King upon his holy hill of Zion, Psal. ii. 6. concerning whom it was foretold, that the govern ment should be upon his shoulder, Isa. ix. 6. This is therefore not only an honour, but an office which he is invested with, having received a commission from the Father, to execute it; and whenever he is said to do any thing in the methods of his providence, which have an immediate reference to the salvation of his people, it contains in it the exercise of his dominion, or is a branch of the glory of his Mediatorial kingdom; and this is what we have a peculiar regard to, when we desire that his kingdom may come. In this respect we pray, that all the dispensations of his providence may tend to the application of that redemption which is purchased for his people; and in particular, that he would subdue them to himself, take possession of their hearts, govern them by his laws, defend them by his power, restrain and conquer all their enemies, and, at last, admit them to inherit 'he kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

In the New Testament Christ's kingdom is generally taken for the gospel-dispensation; in which he is represented as sitting on a throne of grace, and sinners are invited to come and bow down before him, and receive the blessings that he encourages them to expect, as their merciful Sovereign. This kingdom of grace shall not cease to be administered by him, till all his redeemed ones are made willing, in the day of his power, and, pursuant thereunto, brought into a better world; and then it will receive another denomination, as called, the kingdom of heaven. It is true, the gospel-dispensation is often so called in the New Testament, as it respects the adminis

tration of his gracious government begun and carried on in this world; whereas, in heaven, it will be administered in a - most glorious manner, agreeably to that state of perfection to which his saints shall be brought; But these things having been particularly insisted on under a foregoing answer, in which Christ's Kingly office was explained *; we shall pass them over at present, and proceed to consider another thing supposed in this petition, viz.

2. That though God be the only supreme and lawful Sovereign, yet there are some who pretend to stand in competition with, and usurp that dominion which belongs only to him. Accordingly man no sooner rebelled against him, but he was under the dominion of sin, and was inclined to serve divers lusts and pleasures, and willingly gave himself over as a vassal of Satan, who, from that time, was styled the prince, or god of this world, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, John xii. 31. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Eph. ii. 2. We must not suppose that he has the least right to this kingdom, or dominion, in which he sets himself against the divine government; yet sinners who rebel against God, are said to be Satan's subjects. Where the gospel is not preached, he reigns without controul; and false churches, that oppose the faith contained therein, are called, Synagogues of Satan, Rev. ii. 9. and, indeed, in all those places, where Christ's kingdom of grace doth not extend itself, there persons are said to be subjects of Satan's kingdom; which is opposed to it. These two kingdoms divide the world; therefore, when we pray, that Christ's kingdom may be advanced, this includes in it an earnest desire, that whatsoever has a tendency to oppose it, may be ruined and destroyed. And this leads us to consider,

II. What we are to pray for in this petition. Here let it be observed, that we are not to pray, that God would govern the world, or exercise his providential kingdom, for that he cannot but do; neither are we to pray that Christ's kingdom may come, in the same sense in which the church prayed for it, before the gospel-dispensation, which is called his kingdom, was erected; since that would be, in effect, to deny that there is such a kingdom; or, that our Saviour has a church, in which he exercises his government in the world: Nevertheless, we are to pray, that God would eminently display his perfections for the good of his people, in his providential government of the world, and over-rule all the dispensations thereof, for the advancement of his own name, and the happiness of his church and people; and though (as we have but now observed) we are not to pray that the gospel-dispensation may be erected;

* See Vol. II. Quest. XLV. page 353.

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