L'se l.v/. See what the state of nature is, it is a " kingdom of darkness," and it is a bewitching darkness, John iii. 19., " Men loved darkness rather than light:" as the Athlantes in Ethiopia curse the sun. Such as are still in the kingdom of darkness, tremble to think of this condition; this darkness of sin leads to the "chains under darkness," Jade 6. What comfort can such take in earthly things? The Egyp- tians might have food, gold, silver, but they could t;d<e but little comfort in them, while thev were in such darkness as mifrht be felt: so the natural man mav have riches and friends to delight in, yet he is in the kingdom of darkness, and how dead are all these comforts ? Thou who art in the kingdom of darkness, knowest not whither thou goest. As the ox is driven to the sham- bles, but l;e knows not whither he goes, so the devil is driving thee before him to hell, but thou knonest not wliither thou goest. Shouldest th<<u die in thy natural estate, w hile thou art in the kingdom of darkness, blackness of darkness is reserved for thee, Jude 13., ''Tttwhom is reserved the black- ness of darkness for ever."
Use 2d. Let us pray that God will bring us nut of this king(h»m ol" darkness. God's kingdom of grace cannot come into our hearts till first we are brought out of the kingdom of darkness, 1 Col. i. 13. Why should not we strive to get out of this king- dom of darkness ? Wlio would desire to stay in a dark dungeon ? O fear the " chains of darkness," Jude 6. These chains are God's power binding men as in chains ua-
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OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRA\ER.
der -wTatli for ever. O pray that God will deliver us out of the kingdom of darkness ! 1st. Be sensible of thy dark damned estate, that thou hast not one spark of fire to give thee light. 2d. Go to Christ to enlighten thee, Eph. v. 14., " Christ shall give thee light ;" he will not only bring thy light to thee, but open thine eyes to see it. That is the first thing implied, " thy kingdom come ;" we pray that we may be brought out of the kingdom of darkness.
II. The second thing implied in " thy kingdom come," we do implicitly pray a- gainst the devil's kingdom, we pray that Satan's kingdom may be demolished in the world. Satan's kingdom stands in opposi- tion to Christ's kingdom ; and when we pray, " Thy kingdom come," we pray a- gainst Satan's kingdom. Satan hath a kingdom ; he got his kingdom by conquest ; he conquered mankind in paradise. He hath his throne. Rev. ii. 13., " Thou dwell- est even where Satan's seat is." And his throne is set up in the hearts of men ; he doth not care for their purses but their hearts, Eph. ii. 2. Satan is served upon the knee. Rev. xiii. 4., " They worshipped the dragon," that is, the devil. Satan's empire is very large ; the most kingdoms in the world pay tribute to him. Satan's kingdom hath two qualifications or charac- ters :
1st. It is regnum nequitice, — a kingdom of impiety.
2d. It is regnum servitutis, — a kingdom of slavery.
1. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of impiety ; nothing but sin goes on in his kingdom; murder and heresy, lust and treachery, oppression and division, are the constant trade driven in Satan's kingdom ; Satan is called " the unclean spirit," Luke xi. 24. What else is propagated in his kingdom but a mystery of iniquity ?
2. Satan's kingdom is a kingdom of sla- very. Satan makes all his subjects slaves. Peccati reus dura dccinonis ti/ravnide Icnetur Muis. Satan is an usurper and :i tyrant ; he is a worse tyrant than any other. (].) Other tyrants do but rule over the bodv, but Satan's kingdom rules over the soul ; Satan rides some men as we do horses, (2.) Other tyrants have some pity on their
slaves ; though they make them work in the gallies, yet they give them meat, and let them have their hours for rest, but Sa- tan is a merciless tyrant, he gives his slaves poison instead of meat, he gives them " hurt- ful lusts" to feed on, 1 Tim. vi. 9., nor will he let his slaA^es have any rest, he hires them out in doing his drudgery, Jer. ix. 5., " They weary themselves to commit iniqui- ty." When the devil had entered into Ju- das, he sends him to the chief priests, and from thence to the garden, and never let him rest till he had betrayed Christ, and hanged himself. Thus Satan is the Avorst tyrant ; when men have served him to their utmost strength, he will welcome them to hell with fire and brimstone.