Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 1 · Part 24
Now to the opening of these words, of the reason, For thine is the Kingdome, Power and Glory, for euer.
Quest. What are we here to vnderstand by the word, Kingdome?Gen. 14.19. Gen. 17.1. 1 Cro. 29.11.
Ans. Absolute soueraignety, and right ouer all things, in which respect God is the absolute Lord, & owner of all things that are: and hath also soueraigne and absolute authoritie duplicate page duplicate page ouer all things, ruling and gouerning them, and bringing them into absolute subiection as it pleaseth him.
Question. What are wee here to vnderstand by the Word Prayer?
Psal. 115.3. Mat. 3.3.Answ. Omnipotence, Almightinesse, whereby God is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will, and whatsoeuer is a worke of power, and is able to doe more then either he doth or will doe.
Question. What are wee here to vnderstand by the word Glory?
Psal. 29.2. Psal. 96.7. Luk. 2.14.Answ. Fulnesse of Maiestie, brightnesse, excellencie and worthinesse, to which all honour, praise, glory, and high estimation is most due, and most properly belonging, and to be giuen.
Que. What is here meant by the word (Thine,) thine is Kingdome, thine is Power, thine is Glory?
Iud. vers. 8. Psal. 62.11. Dan. 2.37.Answ. Thus much; that Kingdome, Power and Glory, doe belong to God particularly and alone, and to none other originally and absolutely though these Attributes bee communicated to some creatures; as to Angels, and to Princes, and Magistrates, as Gods Vicegerents on Earth; yet God alone hath them originally of himselfe, and absolutely without dependance.
Quest. What is here meant by the word for euer, or for ages.
Answ. For euer, or for ages, here signifies, not as sometimes in the Scripture it doth,1 Tim. 1.17. Reuel. 1.4. a certaine and distinct time, but eternitie: and by these words for euer, or for ages; is meant that Kingdome, Power and Glory, doe belong to God eternally without beginning or end. Isa. 41.4.
Obiection. Satan hath a Kingdome contrary to Gods Kingdome, and hence he is called the God of this world: 2 Corin. 4.4. and the Prince that ruleth in the Ayre. Ephes. 2.2. and in his practise he continually rebells against Gods will reuealed: and therefore Gods Kingdome is not absolute.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus: though Satan and his Angels, and all other his instruments doe oppose against Gods Kingdome, and against his will reuealed in his Word;Iob 1.12. Iob 2.6. yet God ouer-rules them and restraines them at his pleasure, and most wisely disposeth of all their oppositions and workes, to his owne glory and the good of his people, and their owne ruine.
Obiect on. Satan hath power to sinne which is not from God, therefore Go… alone hath not all power.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; to sinne is no power but rather a want of power, and sinne is from impotencie and weakenesse, and not from power; & all the strength & power that Satan hath in mouing, stirring, or working, is of God and from God.
Quest. What are the things offered from those words, Thine is Kingdome, power and glory for euer, being rightly vnderstood as they hauehave been opened?
Answ. Either some speciall things, or things more generall.
Quest. What are the speciall things offered from those words, Thine is the Kingdome, power and glory for euer, being vnderstood, as before they hauehave been opened?
Answ. They are two things: First, arguments seruing to strengthen and to suppo…t our faith in prayer: and secondly, a forme of praising God, to whom we pray.
Of these in order.
Quest. What are the arguments seruing to strengthen and to support our faith in prayer, contained in these words, Thine is Kingdome, Power and Glory, for euer?
Answ. They are foure. 1. from the Kingdome of God. 2. from the power of God. 3. from the glory of God. 4. from the eternitie of his Kingdome, Power, and glory.
Quest. How doth Gods Kingdome, his absolute soueraigntie and right ouer all things, serue to strengthen and to support our faith in prayer?
Answ. Thus: the due consideration of it makes vsus in our prayers, to rest and relie on God our Souraigne Lord and King, as most willing to dispose of all things for our good: as we promise to our selues peace, protection, welfare, and the benefits of subiects from earthly Kings being good, whose subiects we are: so we duly considering that God is the absolute Lord and King in Heauen and Earth, wee thereupon perswade our selues that he will procure all good to vsus, who liue vnderunder his gouernment and are his subiects. And so is Gods Kingdome his absolute soueraigntie and right ouer all things, a notable proppe to our faith in prayer. Psalme. 5.2. Psalme. 29.10. The Lord remaineth a King for euer; then he subioynes: verse. 11. The Lord shall giuegive strength vntounto his People, the Lord shall blesse his People with peace. Psalme. 84.3. O Lord God of Hosts, my King and my God. the Verse. 8. O Lord God of Hosts, heare my Prayer?
Quest. How doth Gods power, his omnipotencie, his almightinesse serue to strengthen and to support our faith in Prayer?
Answ. Thus; the due consideration of it, makes vsus in our Prayers to rest and to relie on God, as most able to doe vsus good, as most able both to giuegive vsus all good things we craue at his hands in the name of Christ, according to his will, both for our soules and bodies, and also to auert and turne away from vsus all those euils wee pray against; for it is not enough that God hath Kingly authority ouer all things, vnlesse he hath also power of working all things for our good: a King may hauehave a large heart to wish well to his Subiects,om. 4.20.21. phes. 30.20. and yet hauehave weake hands, and bee vnable to doe them good: but God being our Soueraigne Lord and King, and also Almightie, the consideration of it is a speciall proppe to our faith in Prayer. Genesis. 18.14. Sarah is stird vp to beleeue the promise. So Ieremiah. Jeremi. 32.2. Behold I am the Lord God of all Flesh: Is there any thing too hard for mee. So the Virgin Mary. Luke. 1.37.
Question. How doth Gods glory, his fulnesse of Maiestie, brightnesse, excellencie and worthinesse; to which all honour, praise, glory, and high estimation is due, serue to strengthen and to support our faith in prayer?
Answ. Thus: the due consideration of it makes vsus rest and relie on God for the hearing of our prayers, and for the granting of our lawfull requests,Psal. 65.1.2. as a thing standing with the gory of his great name; it being Gods honour to heare and grant the requests of his Children; and to blesse them with all good things spirituall and corporall, the consideration of it is a speciall proppe to our faith in prayer.
Quest. How doth the eternitie, the euerlastingness of Gods Kingdome, Power, and Glory, serue to strengthen and to support our faith in prayer?
Answ. Thus: the due consideration of it makes vsus in our prayers to rest & relie on God for the hearing of them, & for the granting of our lawfull requests at all times, and in what state or condition soeuer we be; in health, in sicknesse, in prosperitie, in aduersitie, or in any affliction of body or minde. For God hauing absolute soueraigntie ouer all things, and being almighty and a most glorious God, it standeth with the glory of his great name, to blesse his Children with all good things; and Kingdome, Power,Ps. 145.1…. to. the end. Isai. 40.27 to 3… and Glory belonging to him eternally and for euer, wee can at no time sue to God for fauour, mercy, grace, or good things spirituall or corporall in vaine, wee suing to him as wee ought: and so the consideration of the eternitie of Gods Kingdome, Power, and Glory, is a speciall prop to strengthen and to support our faith in prayer.