Saviour in this petition is, that the king- affliction, without murmuring or fainting,
doni of grace may increas-^, that it may here is the kingdom of grace increased.
come more into us. And this may answer a question.
Quest. Why do we pray, thy kingdom come, when the kingdom of grace is already come into the sold ?
Ans. Though the kingdom of grace be alrc.idy come into us, yet still we must pray, ' thy kingdom come,' namely that grace may be increased, and that this king- dom may flourish still more in our souls. Till we come to live among the angels, we shall need to pray this prayer, " thy king- dom come ;" Lord, let thy kingdom of grace come in more power into my soul ; let grace be more augmented and increased.
Quest. IVhcn doth the kingdom oj' grace increase in the soul ? When is it a Jlotcrish- ing kingdom ?
Ans. 1. Wlien a Christian hath further degrees added to his graces ; there is more oil in the himj), his knowledge is clearer, his love is more inflamed ; grace is capable of degrees, and may rise higher as the sun in the horizon. It is not with us as it was with Christ, who received the Spirit with- out measure, John iii. 31. Christ could not be more»holy than he was; but our grace is rece|)tive of further degrees, — we may have more sanctity, — we may add more cubits to our sj)iritual stature.
A. 2. Then the kingdom of grace increas- cth, when a Christian hatli gotten more Ktrength than he had, Job xvii. 9., " lie that liath clean bands shall be stronger and stronger." In the Hebrew : " He shall add to his strength." A Christian hath strength to resist temptation, — to forgive his ene- mies,— to suffer aflliction. 'Tis not easy to suffer; a man must deny himself before he take up the cross. Tiie way to heaven is like the way which Jonathan and his ar- mour-bearer had in climbing up a steep place, 1 Sam. xiv. 'L, " There was a sliarp rock on the one side, and a shar]) rock on
What mighty strength of grace had he who told the emperor Valentinian, you may take away my life, but you cannot take away my love to the truth !
A. 3. Then the kingdom of grace increas- eth, when a Christian hath most conflict with spiritual corruptions, — when he not only abstains from gross evils, but hath a combat with inward, hidden, close cor- ruptions, as pride, envy, hypocrisy, vain thoughts, carnal cohfidence, — these arc spi- ritual wickednesses, and do both defile and disturb, 2 Cor. vii. L, "Let ns cleanse our- selves from all filtliiness of the flesh and spirit." Which shews there are two sorts of corruptions, one of the flesh, the other of the s})irit. When we grieve for and com- bat with spiritual sin — as being the root of all gross sins — then the kingdom of grace increaseth, and spreads its territories in the soul.
A. 4. Then tlie kingdom of grace flourisli- eth, when a Christian bath learned to live by faith. Gal. ii. 20., " I live by the faith of the Son of God." There is the habit of faith, and the drawing of this habit into exercise. For a Christian to graft his liope of salvation, only upon the stock of Christ's righteousness, and make Christ all in jus- tilieation,-^to live on the j»romisos, as a bee on the flower, and suck out the sweetness of them, — to trust God where we cannot trace him, — to believe his love through a frown, — to persuade ourselves, when he hath the face of an enemy, vet he bath the heart of a Father, — when we are arrived at this, here is the kingdom of grace flourishing in our souls.
A. 5. When a Christian is arrived at holy zeal. Numb. xxv. 13. Phinchas was zeal- ous for his God. Zeal is the flame of the affections, it turns a saint into a seraphim ; a zealous Christian is imj)aticnt when God is dishonoured, Rev. ii. 2.; he will wrestje
OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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mth difficulties, lie will swim to Christ through a sea of blood, Acts xxi. 13. Zeal loves truth when it is despised and 0])poscd, Ps. cxix. 12G, 127., " They have made void thy law, therefore I love thv command- ments." Here is grace increasing like the sun in the horizon. Zeal resembles the Holy Ghost, Acts ii 3., " There ap- peared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." Tongues of fire were an emblem of that fire of zeal, which the Spirit poured on them.