The Holy Arbor, Chapter 3 · Section 11
§. 11. For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for ever. Amen.
THis Concluſion is added as a Reaſon of all the Petitions, to ſtrengthen our Faith, that God being both able and willing, doth grant all our Requeſts made unto him in the Name of Chriſt, and therefore in the end we poſt-adde a note of Confidence, and ſay, Amen; which is originally an Hebrew word, yet uſed in all Languages: It ſignifieth Truth or Faith; the uttering of it after a Prayer, implieth an Aſſent unto the Prayer, together with carneſtneſs of deſire, and Faith for the obtaining that which is prayed for. Thus the people were commanded to ſay, Amen, Deut. 27.15, &c. and accordingly was it practiſed, Neh. 8.6.
For thine is the kingdom] that is, both general over the World, and ſpecial over thy Church and Choſen; both thy Kingdom of Providence and of Grace: And in this faith do we pray unto thee, ſubmitting our ſelves as thy Liege-people.
The Power.] that is, The Almighty power, whereby thou art able to do all things whatſoever thy people ask and beg of thee; there is nothing out of thy power, but we are without all power and might in our ſelves to help our ſelves, therefore our eyes of Faith wait upon thy power.
And the Glory] that is, Thou ſhalt make thy glory ſhine more and more in being beneficial unto us, thy Faith and Religion ſhall be the more eſteemed and reverenced, the end of all that thou doſt for us ſhall be thine eternal praiſe; thine is the excellency and majeſty, which Property rightly and onelyonly belongs to thee, thou alone having an abſolute Soveraignty over all things, and Power anſwerable to diſpoſe and govern them at thy pleaſure; yea, we give thee all glory in confidence of thy goodneſs, and ſay, Amen, in token that we verily believe it ſhall be ſo with us as we crave, and do with all fervency beg, O Lord, let it be ſo, do thou ſubſcribe to our deſires, and ſay, So be it.
Theſe words are a Reaſon of the former, touching which we muſt obſerve two things in general:
1. That they are not a Reaſon to move God, whoſe will is unchangeable, but to perſwade the childe of God who prayeth thus, that God will grant his requeſts.
2. That this Reaſon is not peculiar to the laſt Petition, but general, belonging to them all.
The Reaſons for the propping of our faith and aſſurance in our prayers, contained in this concluſion, are taken
1. From the Kingdom of God; a good King delights in the welfare of his Subjects, how much more doth the King of kings, who is Goodneſs it ſelf, in the happineſs of his? He will hear, defend and preſerve his Subjects.
2. From the Power of God, being mightier then all our Enemies, which joyned with his Soveraignty and Goodneſs, we need not fear though we were in the paws of Lyons, or the mouth of the Grave.
3. From his Glory, which is the end or final cauſe of our Requeſts, for we deſire theſe things for his glory, therefore will he grant whatſoever in our prayers may redound to his honor and glory.
4. From the eternity of his Kingdom, Power and Glory, being for ever and ever; therefore he cannot be weary of our prayers, no time can period his goodneſs.
5. From our confidence expreſſed in the laſt word, Amen; for the Lord will grant unto us whatſoever we believe ſhall be granted, when we ask.
The Kingdom of God is twofold:
1. The Kingdom of his Providence, whereby he rules and governs all things in heaven and earth, even the Devil, and all his Angels and Inſtruments.
2. The Kingdom of Grace, whereby he governs his Church by his Word and Spirit, and both theſe are here to be underſtood.
Further, Gods kingdom in this place imports,
1. That he is All-ſufficient of himſelf to do all things whatſoever, needing no help or inſtrument beſide his Soveraign will, Gen. 17.1.
2. That he hath an abſolute Soveraign Right, Title and Intereſt, to and in all things in heaven and earth.
3. That he hath Soveraign Rule and Authority over all things in heaven and earth; yea, over Hell it ſelf, and all the powers and principalities thereof, governing all things whatſoever as he pleaſeth, and bringing them into an abſolute ſubjection.
The kingdom is here called God's, and appropriated to him alone, for theſe Reaſons:
1. To ſhew that God hath his Kingdom of himſelf and from himſelf alone; thus the Kingdom of Grace and Providence are both his.
2. To diſtinguiſh God from earthly Kings; for though they have a Kingdom, Power and Glory, yet they have all theſe from God, not of themſelves, and onelyonly for a certain limited time; but God hath them all of himſelf alone, not from any other, and that for ever and ever.
Thine is the Power] that is, Gods Power is his own, of himſelf alone, not received from any other, to diſtinguiſh the true God from all Creatures, who have it not of themſelves, but from God. By power is meant an ability in God, whereby he can do whatſoever he will: For the better conceiving whereof, obſerve theſe two things:
1. That God is not onelyonly powerful, but even Power it ſelf in regard of his Nature, as he is Goodneſs, Wiſdom, &c. Angels and men are called powerful, as receiving power from God; but God onelyonly is Power it ſelf, becauſe his Nature is Infinite in power, as in all his other Properties.
2. That Power and Will in God are one and the ſame: for our better conceiving of them, they may be diſtinguiſhed, but in themſelves they differ not; for Gods willing of a thing is the effecting & doing of it: It is not ſo in us, for we will many things that we cannot do, but whatſoever God willeth, that he doth.
By appropriating glory to God is here meant,
1. That God hath made all things for his own glory, Prov. 16.4.
2. That whatſoever we ask, are means of his glory, Joh. 12.28.
3. That the things we ask, ſhall be referred to his glory, 1 Cor. 10.31.
The Reaſons why Gods Kingdom, Power and Glory is ſaid to be for ever and ever:
1. Becauſe in themſelves they are everlaſting, Pſal. 45.6. & 102.28. & 145.13.
2. Becauſe of us they ſhould never be forgotten, Pſal. 145.2, 3.
3. To diſtinguiſh it from earthly Dominions; all which have their periods, both in Government and Governors, Pſal. 119.96. Iſa. 40.6.
4. To ſhew forth the dignity of Gods Church and his Children, who have a Father whoſe Kingdom is everlaſting, and everlaſtingly ſhall raign with their Father in his Kingdom of Power, Glory and Eternity.
Of this word Amen, there is a double uſe:
1. To expreſs our deſire and wiſh, that we may be heard.
2. To teſtifie our faith in the aſſurance of receiving thoſe things that we crave; both which are to be practiſed in prayer, and are expreſſed by Chriſt, Mat. 11.24.
From the union of the word Amen, with our Petitions, we learn
1. That every childe of God may believe particularly and certainly the pardon of his own ſins, and endeavor to attain thereunto, if as yet he cannot.
2. That all prayer ought to be made in a known tongue, for elſe the Aſſent and Affiance of the heart cannot be given together.
This Concluſion of the Lords Prayer, thus conceived and underſtood, is uſeful to us many ways:
1. For a ground of truſt and confidence in God in all diſtreſſes; for as the Kingdom is his, we are his Subjects, and he is willing to help; as the Power is his, we are aſſured he is able to help us; and as the Glory is his, he will ſhew mercy to his people, and hear their prayers, Pſal. 50.15.
2. To teach us, that Prayer and Thankſgiving muſt alway go together.
3. To ſhew us a way how to obtain our requeſts in prayer; we muſt confeſs our own unworthineſs, and give all Praiſe, Glory and Honor to God.
4. To let the proudeſt of us know, that God is to be feared above all Creatures.
5. To move us to love God, and to yield all chearful obedience to him.
The Reaſon why there is here mention made onelyonly of theſe three Properties of God, is (as ſome think) to point out the three Perſons: For the Kingdom is Chriſts, 1 Cor. 15.35. Power, the Holy Ghoſts, Rom. 15.13, 19. and Glory, the Fathers, Rom. 6.4. though indeed we may not limit our conceit of them, but underſtand them in prayer, as of the Trinity of Perſons in the Unity of the Godhead, ſo of the Unity of the Godhead in the Trinity of Perſons.
Our Father which in Heav'n art, Thy Name ſtill
Be hallowed; Thy Kingdom come; Thy Will
Be done in Earth as 'tis in Heaven: Give us
This day our daily Bread; And forgive us
Our Treſpaſſes, as thoſe forgive do we
That Treſpaſs againſt us: And let's not be
Into Temptation led; but deliver
Ʋs from all evil: For thine for ever
The Kingdom, Power and Glory is. Amen.
The Kingdom, Power and Glory is. Amen.