10., " Who is this King of glory? Tho Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." He hath internal glory, P«. xciii. 1., " The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty." Other kings have royal and suinj)tuous aj>- parel to make them appear g'orious to the beholders, but all their magnificence is bor- rowed ; but God is clothed 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, Ps. Ixxxix. 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 liath a pre-eminence above all other kings for majesty. Rev. xix. 16., " He hath on his vesture a name Avritten, i^Rex licgwn,) KING OF KINGS." He hath the highest throne, the richest crown, the larg- est dominions, and the longest possession, Ps. xxix. 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 imme- diate tenure from this great King, Pro v. viii. 15., "By me kings reign;" and to this Lord Jehovah all kinjjs must jrive ac- count, and from God's tribunal there is no appeal.
Use \st. Branch 1. If God be so great a' King, and sits King for ever, then it is no disparagement for us to tserve him. Deo scrvirc est tcgiiare; it is an honour to serve a king. If the angels fly swillly ujjon tho King tif heaven's message, Dan. ix. 21.,. then well we may look upon it as a favour to be taken into his royal service. Thco- dosius thought it a greater honour to bo God's servant, than to br an em])eror. It
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OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
is more honour to serve God than to have him ; he can make the dry bones live, Ezek. kino-s serve us. Every subject of tliis king xxxvii. 10. As a King he can command,
is crowned with regal honour, Rev. i. 6., " And hath made us kings." Therefore as the queen of Sheba, having seen the gloiy of Solomon's kingdom, said, " Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee," 1 Kings x. 8., so, happy are those saints who stand before the King of heaven, and wait on his throne.
Branch 2. If God be such a glorious King, crowned with wisdom, armed with power, bespangled with riches, then it shews us what prudence it is to have tliis King to be ours; to say, as Ps. v. 2., " My King, and my God !" It is 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 mountain without hands, which smote the image, Dan. ii. 34., was an emblem (saith Austin) of Christ's monarchical power, conquering and triumphing over his ene- mies. If we are on God's side, we are on the strongest side; he can with a word de- stroy his enemies, Ps. ii. 5., " Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath ;" nay, he can with a look destroy them, Job xl. 12., " Look upon every one tiiat is proud and bring liim low." It needs cost God no more to confound those who rise up against him, than a look, a cast of his eye, Exod. xiv. 24, 25., " In the morning watch the Lord looked to the host of the Egyptians, thi'ough 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. Use 2d. Of Exliortation.
Branch 1. If God he so glorious a King, full of power ami majesty, let us trust in nim, Ps. ix. 10., " Tliey that know thy name will put their trust in thee." Trust him with your soul ; you cannot put this iewel in safer hands. And trust him with church and state affairs ; he is King, Exod. XV. 3., " Tiie Lord is a man of war." He can make bare bis holy arm in the eyes of all the nations. If means fail he is never
and as a God he can create sah^ation, Isa. Ixv. 18., " I create Jerusalem a rejoicing." Let us trust all our affairs with this great King. Either God can remove mountains or can leap over them, Cant. ii. 8.