[7.] Christ is not received and entertained as Lord and King, but where his laws are obeyed : Col. ii. 6, ' As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.' If you receive him as Lord and King, so also obey him. And Heb. xii. 28, * We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.' In this prayer, first, we say, ' Thy kingdom come,' and then presently we add, ' Thy will be done.' We do but prattle over the Lord's Prayer, and say it with our lips only, until we are resolved to do what God would have us to do — love and hate, fear and rejoice, as God directs. Until we are brought to this frame, we do not in good earnest say, ' Thy king- dom come.' An earthly king will ' do according to his will : ' Dan. xi. 3. So Christ stands upon his will in his law. If you have taken God for your God, and Jesus Christ for your King, then say, with David, Ps. cxliii. 10, ' Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God.' It is a universal maxim, ' His servants you are whom you do obey.' Where is your obedience ? If subjects of grace, ' Every thought is brought in subjection :' 2 Cor. x. 5. You will watch not only against your irregular actions, but every thought which lifts up itself against the obedience of Christ. There will be a greater tenderness upon us not to break any of the holy laws which belong to Christ's government. Hereby you may know whether you come under another king, Do you fear a commandment ? That is the description of a good man : Prov. xiii. 13. It is not he that feareth a punishment, but he that feareth a commandment, when the heart is brought under an awe of Christ's laws ; so that when a man is tempted to sin. Oh, I dare not ; the Lord hath commanded me the contrary. This is more than if a flaming sword stood in his way. When we have such workings of heart when we are tempted to this and that sin, so when we are doing any duty, though irksome to flesh and blood, yet it is the will of my Lord, to whom I have entirely given up myself in a way of subjection ; this is a sign you are brought under his government.
[8.] None can obey his laws but by the virtue and power of liis Spirit. The new covenant, it is not only a law, but ' the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ.' So it is called by the apostle, Eom. viii. 2. It is not a bare literal command that shall urge us to duty ;
104 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 10
but it givetli streiigtli and efficacy to the heart. Other kings, they give laws, that men may keep them by their own strength ; but now Christ, he would be owned as a king, not only in a way of subjection, but establish a constant dependence. He is a king, not only to require, but to give repentance, Acts v. 31 ; not only to make a law, but to write and work a sense of this new covenant-gift upon the heart, Heb. viii. 10. He doth not only set up his ordinances, laws, constitutions, but there is power goeth along with the dispensation of this kingdom, and thereby we are fitted and enabled to love, serve, and please God ; and then are we under the kingdom of God, when we are under the spiritual power of it. It is not only necessary to obey his laws, but that we do it by virtue of his power and Spirit: ' The kingdom of God stands not in word, but in power,' 1 Cor. iv. 20. That we may both acknowledge his authority and wait for his strength. This is a true submission, when we look for all from him, and serve him in the strength of his own grace.
[9.] All those that act through the virtue and power of his Spirit, they do unfeignedly seek his glory, and make Christ to be not only their principle, but their end ; for having a new principle, they have a new tendency; acting in the power of the Spirit, their hearts are carried out to seek Christ's interest and Christ's glory. AVhen they can say with the apostle, Phil. i. 21, ' To me to live is Christ,' when their whole business is to set up Christ. AVe set up ourselves in the room of Christ, if he be not at the end of all: 2 Thcs. i. 11, 12, ' That God might fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power, and that Christ may be glorified in you.' If you have the power of Christ's kingdom, this will be the immediate result and issue of it, that Christ may be honoured and set up, not only as a lawgiver and fountain of grace, but as the last end. If to us to live is Christ, then is the kingdom of God come into our heart. For this we pray, that the Lord would so break the yoke and govern- ment of Satan, that we may receive the Lord Jesus into our heart, that we may come under the awe of his laws, and in the power of his grace may seek his kingdom and glory.