Mat. VI. 10.] the lord's prayer. 97
are united to Christ ; and Christ intercedes for ns, and will brint^ us to God again. And in this spiritual manner is tliis kingdom carried on. So that if we would enter into this kingdom, we must go to God the Father, and confess we are rebels and traitors, but desire ho would not enter into judgment with us, but seek to be reconciled to God the Father. Now, as God bade the friends of Job to go to Job, chap. xlii. 8, so God sends us to Christ, in whom alone he is well pleased with the creature. If we go to the Son, he refers us to the Spirit, to be reclaimed from our impurity and rebellion. If we go to the Spirit, he refers us to Moses and the prophets, pastors and teachers ; there we shall hear of him in Christ's way, and there we feel the rod of Christ's strength, the efficacy of his grace put into our hearts.
Thus are we brought into his kingdom, and made to be a mystical body and spiritual society, in whom Christ rules ; and there we come to enjoy those freedoms I spake of ; and our obedience to this king- dom is carried on in a spiritual manner. In worship, we give our homage to God ; in the word, we come to learn his laws ; in the sacraments, we renew our oath of allegiance to this king ; in alms and charity, we pay him tribute; in prayer, we ask his leave, acknowledg- ing his dominion ; and praise, it is our rent to the great Lord, from whom we hold all things. And thus is Christ's kingdom carried on in a spiritual manner.
Use 1. The use is to press you to come under this kingdom. Consider Avhat God hath proffered to draw yow. off from your carnal delights and sinful pleasures : no less than a kingdom to bear you out, to call you off from your sins. Oh, do not answer, as the olive-tree and the vine in Jothf/m's parable : Judges ix. 9, ' Shall I leave my fatness, and go to be promoted over the trees ? ' God comes to a worldling, and makes him a proffer of this blessed state, which is represented by a kingdom. Shall I leave all my sports and worldly hopes ? (according as the man is affected) . Shall I renounce my pleasures, live a strict and austere life ? Must I leave off projects, saith a worldling, and depend upon the reversion of heaven ? Oh, con- sider it is for a glorious kingdom. Men will do much for an earthly crown, though lined with cares, — for this golden ball, which all hunt after, and doth occasion so many stirs in the world. Turn your ambition this way. You may aspire to a crown, to the kingdom of heaven, without the crime of treason. This is a faithful ambition : it is indeed treason against the kingdom of heaven, not to look after this crown, and plot, contrive, and act, and offer violence for the obtaining of it. And, therefore, come under this kingdom ; if you do not, you will be left under the power of a worse : 2 Chron. xii. 8, God saith, he would give them up to the king of Egypt ; why ? ' They shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries : ' that they might see what difference there is between serving God and serving otiiers. If you refuse God's government, you are under a worse, under sin, and the power of dark- ness ; you are under your own lusts ; nay, and by a just judgment God may give you over to live in bondage to unmerciful men. How many kings and lords doth he serve that will not serve one Lord ?
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98 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI, 10.
Oh, therefore, renounce those other lords that have dominion over you, and come under this kingdom wliich God hath set up. Use 2. To press the children of God : —
1. To walk worthy of the gospel : it is a kingdom. The apostle hath an exhortation and chai-ge to this purpose: 1 Thes. ii. 11, 12, ' That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.' Walk in obedience to Christ, that is one thing. Christ is a king by a natural right ; God hath chosen him, God hath set him upon his holy hill : ' The Lord hath made him to be head over all things,' Eph. i. 22. Nay, the church chooseth Christ : ' They shall appoint to themselves one head,' Hosea i. 11. And, therefore, for you that are called to his kingdom and glory, that have entered into covenant with Christ, that have subscribed to him as head and king ; for you to be disobedient, give way to sin, it is worse in you. ' Will ye go away also ? ' saith Christ to his disciples. Christ hath a right to reign over wicked men; but you have actually chosen him. Treason is less culpable in those which have not submitted to a power and prince, and owned him for their king, than in those that have sworn faith and allegiance. You have passed under the bond of the holy oath ; ' God hath called you to his kingdom and glory ; ' there- fore you should be more obedient than to allow a disloyal thought or rebellious lust against Christ.