A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 45
CHAP. 45.
Of the ſecond Petition.
The meanes whereby Gods name is hallowed, viz. his kingdome,
In this world, wherin we pray for thoſe things which cōcern
the gouernmēt of the world.
the gouernmēt of the Church.
In the world to come.
MATTH. 6. 10. Thy Kingdome come—
Q. HItherto of that Petition which concerneth the glory of God it ſelfe: it followeth to ſpeake of them which concerne the meanes of his glory. Which is the first of theſe?
A. Thy Kingdome come.
Q. What is meant by the Kingdome of God?
A. Either his aPſal. 103 9. Dan. 4. 32.generall Kingdome, that hee exerciſeth ouer all the creatures; or his ſpeciall Kingdome, whereby he ruleth his elect, which is the Kingdome of grace in this world, & of glory in ye world to come.
Q. Are both theſe Kingdomes vnderſtood here?
A. Yea, but eſpecially the latter.
Q. What is meant by the word Come?
A. That we may feele the comfort and benefit of being ſubiects in this Kingdome.
Q. What doe wee deſire concerning the generall Kingdome?
A. That as the Lord doth gouerne aIob. 9. 8. Pſal. 66. 7. & 97. 1. & 104. 3. Mat. 6. 13. Ioh. 17. 2.all creatures, bEſay 10. 5. 15. Act. 4. 28.euen wicked men, and cIudg. 9. 23. 1. King. 22. 22. Iob. 1. 12.the diuels themſelues: ſo that this his gouernment dJob. 1. 21. 2. Sam. 16. 10.may bee rightly acknowledged by our ſelues and all men; and that aRom. 8. 28. 1. Cor. 3. 22.thereby all things may bee ſo ordered, as may beſt ſerue for his owne glory, and the good of his Church.
Q. What doe wee deſire concerning the Kingdome of Grace?
A. Firſt, that it aEſay 2. 2.may here in this world bee inlarged, and bPſal. 1 22 6.continued in a peaceable eſtate, gouerned by Chriſt the head of the Church; to the perfect ſaluation of the elect, and the vtter deſtruction of the reprobate, whether open rebels, or hypocrites and hollow-hearted Subiects, and that by ſuch means as himſelfe hath appointed.
Q. What great need is there, that wee ſhould pray for the comming of this Kingdome?
A. Becauſe in regard of the kingdome of Satan Mat. 12. 24. 25. Epheſ. 6. 1…. Reuel. 2. 10.and darkneſſe, which oppoſeth ſtrongly againſt this kingdom; as alſo in regard of the world and the fleſh, that in like manner are oppoſite thereunto, with all their might and ſtrength. Galath. 5. 16. 17. Rom. 8. 7 Ioh. 15. 18. 19. and 16. 33.
Q. Why, all men naturally abhorre Satan, euen to the very name of him.
A. They doe in words and ſhew; but when they doe his will, liue vnderunder his lawes, delight in his workes of darkneſſe, ſubiect themſelues to Antichriſt, and other inſtruments of his, aIoh. 8. 44. Epheſ. 2. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 26.they are found indeed to louelove him as their father, & honour him as their Prince, whom in words they would ſeeme to abhorre: for as they approch vntounto God with their lips, and hauehave their hearts farre from him; ſo in their lips they are far from bMat. 15. 8. Ier. 12. ….Satan, but neare him in their hearts.
Q. What be the meanes, by which our Sauiour Chriſt doth gouerne his Church in this world, and which in this petition we pray for?
A. Inward, and outward.
Q. What be the inward meanes we pray for?
A. That aEpheſ. 1. 17. Philip. 1. 19. 1. Theſſ. 1. 5.God would giuegive his holy ſpirit, as the chiefe and principall worker, whereby our Sauiour Chriſt gathereth and ruleth his Church, conueying his ſpirit of knowledge and of good motions vntounto his people; and conſequently, we pray againſt the motions bRom. 7. 24. 2. Cor. 12. 8.and tentations of Satan, and of our owne fleſh.
Q. What are the outward meanes we pray for?
A. Thoſe, whereby the ſpirit is conueyed: viz. the word, and the dependances thereof (the Sacraments, and diſcipline of the Church).
Q. What pray we for concerning the word?
A. That it being aPſal. 110. 1. Eſay 11. 4. Mark. 1. 14.the ſcepter of Chriſts kingdome, (bMat. 13. 19. and called the word of the kingdom, and the kingdome of heauen cMat. 9. 38. 2. Theſſ. 3 1. 2.) may be plentifully and freely preached eueryevery where. And that, that onelyonly hauing place, all traditions and inuentions of men may be reiected.
Q. What pray we for concerning the Sacraments?
A. That as they are the ſeales of Gods promiſes, and of the couenant of grace; ſo they may bee both miniſtred and receiued in that pureneſſe and ſincerity, which is according to his word; and that all falſe Sacraments and ſacrifices may bee put vnderunder foot, and abandoned out of the Church.
Q. What pray wee for concerning the diſcipline of the Church?
A. Firſt, that not onelyonly priuate perſons, but the whole Church may bee ruled by the line of Gods word; that ſo, well doers may bee aduanced, and euill doers cenſured and corrected, according to the degree of their fault: and therefore that all impunitie, or tyrannous tortures of conſciences may be taken away.
Secondly, that God would furniſh his Church Rom. 12. 68. Epheſ. 4. 8. 11. 12.with all ſuch officers as he appointeth; that being endued with ſpeciall gifts, may be both able and willing to execute their charge diligently and faithfully.
Thirdly, that where theſe things are onelyonly begun, they may bee perfected, and that eueryevery Church may be poliſhed and garniſhed, that Sion may appeare in her perfect beautie; and aRom. 10. 1. & 11. 12. 15.ſo the Iewes may bee called, and ſo many of the Gentiles as belong vntounto Chriſt; and bMat. 5. 44. Deut. 33. 11.the contrary enemies may bee either conuerted or confounded.
Q. With what affection ought wee to pray for the kingdome of grace?
A. With a ſorrowfull heart, out of the ſenſe and feeling of our ſpirituall bondage vnderunder Satan and ſin: b euen as poore captiues are alwaies labouring to bee freed of their bolts, and to be at liberty.
Q. What pray you for concerning the kingdome of glory?
A. That we may hauehave our title and intereſt therin, and that Chriſt would haſten his comming for the elect ſake, who with ſingular louelove and affection long for Reuel. 21. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 8.it, ſaying: Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly. Which day vntounto the wicked is a day of darkneſſe, wrath, and vengeance. Amos. 5. 18. Reuel. 6. 16. 2. Theſſal. 1. 8. and therefore there is no cauſe why they ſhould deſire it; but to the godly a day of comfort. Luk. 21. 33. Luk. 2. 29.