II. Let us come to the circumstances of the petition, ' In earth, as it is in heaven.'
124 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 10.
First, The place, wherein also the persons are noted, in earth, that is, by the men which live upon earth. Why is this mentioned, on earth f
[1.] The earth is a place of our exercise and trial, and now is the time to show our self-denial and our obedience to God, to deny our own will and do the will of God : John xvii. 4, ' I have glorified thee upon earth.' This is a work that must not be suspended until we come to heaven ; it will not be thankworthy then, when there is no inter rujjtion, no trouble, no molestation there : but here, ' I have glori- fied thee on earth,' where so few mind the work, and where there are so many distractions and temptations to divert us.
[2.] The earth is the only place where tliis work is begun, or else it shall never be done hereafter : instance in anything that is the will of God. Here we must believe, or there we shall never enjoy : Luke ii. 14, ' Peace upon earth.' Now God ofFereth grace, and now it is his will we should come out of our sins, and accept of Christ to the ends for which he hath appointed him. And here we must be sanc- tified, else we shall be filthy for evermore. Corn grows in the field, but it is laid up in the barn, Now is the time of minding this work, here upon earth.
[3.] That while we are upon earth, we might long for that happy estate we shall have in heaven, wherein we might serve God. There- fore Christ in his prayer would have us think how God is glorified and obeyed there, that we might send u}) hearty wishes after that perfect estate, when we shall serve God without weariness, and with- out distraction.
[4.] Upon earth, to show that we pray not for those in the other world, but for those upon earth. We do not pray for the saints departed, they are out of harm's way, past our prayers, being in their final estate. We pray not for the dead, but for the living. Thus for the first cir- cumstance in this petition, the place where.
Secondly, There remains nothing but the last, and that is the man- ner how this is to be done : ' As it is in heaven.' Chrysostom ob- serves that this clause may be referred to all the former petitions : ' Hallowed be thy name upon earth, as it is in heaven ;' ' Thy king- dom come upon earth, as it is in heaven.' But certainly most proper it is to the matter in hand. But what is the sense ? How is God obeyed in heaven ?
There are in scripture three heavens, the airy heaven, the starry heaven, and the heaven of heavens. In all these heavens God's will is done, • God is obeyed in the lower heaven, you shall see in Ps. cxlviii. 8, 'fire, hail, snow, and vapours, stormy winds, fulfilling his word.' Winds and storms, and all those things which seem to be most tempestuous and unruly, to be the disorders of nature, they are at God's beck. Then in the starry heaven, ver. G, ' He hath made a decree which shall not pass:' they are under a law and statute, and are not exorbitant and eccentric, do not alter their path ; the sun riseth, sets, and knows the just point of his compass. But it is chiefly meant of the heaven of heavens, where angels and blessed spirits are, and they obey God perfectly : Ps. ciii. 20, 21, ' Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments,
Mat. VI. 10.] the lord s prayer. 125
hearkening unto the voice of liis word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure.' The angels do his commandments, and are hearkening to the voice of his word, are at God's beck, to be sent up and down, to ascend and descend as God will have them ; so with respect to this doth Christ say, ' Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.'
But here, again, why is this added, As it is in heaven ?
1. To sweeten our subjection to God's will. We upon earth are not held to a harder law and task than they in heaven. The angels, they are not sui juris, at their own dispose : they have many privileges above man, yet have no exemption from homage and duty to God. They have an exemption and freedom from trouble, and sickness, and disease, and the necessities of meat and drink, and all the molestations and infirmities of the flesh which we lie under, but are not freed from the will of God, but they obey his command- ments, hearkening to the voice of his word. These courtiers of heaven are servants of God, and fellows with us in the same obedience ; none is too great to obey God. The angels, which excel in strength, they obey his will, and so must we ; nay, they obey his will with a holy awe and fear, that they may not displease him in the least ; for it is said of Michael the archangel, Jude 9, that 'he durst not bring against the devil a railing accusation, but said. The Lord rebuke thee.' He had not boldness to speak one uncomely word, or one unseemly word, to do anything that was displeasing to God.