Babington - Houston-Packer Collection BV4655 .B23 1615

4 profitable Expoftion 2. PETITION. The fecond Petition. Thy kingdome come. Aging befoughtthe LORD in the former Petition , that his name might be halowed, that is, that that Maieflie, andholinelfe which is in himfelfe,that Iullice,mercie,& power, which he ihew- eth in his worker, andthattruth, wifedonie, and goodneire which is; in word, With all' other vertues genesally, whatloeuer com- prehended in his nature, and fit for the knowledge andvfe of man, might be more and moredayly knowèn of men, and receiue arnongft vs that dread, honour, and reuctence that is fit for fuch a name both in word and workc;thotightand deed, andeuery way: it fitly followeth;inthe fecond place, to bc(eech the fame LORD to graunt way and meanes , whereby-that fame fhall be effected and broght to patle, namely, that his Kingdome maycome. For if the Lord rule and raigne.invs.,and ouer vs, it (hall be fo. And if he do not, it fhall not be fo. No we _fhall befn farre from fandifying his name, that for want of,his kingdome ïn,vs, Satan Than ere& his kingdomi in vs, the etretts I hereof fhall bee great and grieuous pollutions of his name. Whereforethe order is moaconuenient and good. The wordes of the Petition are few and eafily -vndcr(lood, if wee marke them. For the Kingdome of G O D is the ruling and raigning of God in the hearts of men, and the cominingof thisKingdome, is beginning,increafng, and con- tinuing of it in vs. So thy Kingdome come,tiis in effedthus much , as iTwee f)iould fay : O LORD ere& and begin, O Lord increafe and propagate , O Lord e(lablith and euercontinue in our hearts thy rule and and gouernment, to the death of finne,and life of righteoufnetre, thetrue effeas of thy ruling euer Which yet is notfo plaine as itwill be, when we haueconfidered of the feuerall members implied in thefe words. For wee mull vnderfland, that when wee are taught to pray for thisKingdome of God, all the meanes whereby it is effeeted in vs, are included to be prayed for, as alfo all flops and lets, enemies, and bin- Pot., dranees whatfocuerwithflanding this Kingdome, prayed'again(l, that they may beremooued and taken away. To be then as plaine as I can, the Kingdome of e Gra- God is fayd to bee of three fort!, to wit; of power, of grace, and Of Glorie. The R g-S Kingdome of power is that Soueraigntiewhich the Lord path ouer all the things num t +r. in, this world, direfting, guiding, ruling, difpofing of etiery one of them as his Glo- goodpleafure is, andcaufing all the creatures inthe world, yea, all the .wordes, Zr". works, and thoughts of men, to ferue to his glory, wifedome, and will, whatfoe- uer is intended by man, or any meanes tothe contrary, which the heathenshaue called d ethnic , or intuitable neceffitie. This Kingdome is not heere meant, when wee pray , Thy Kingdome come. For the Lord neuer bath, neither euer Farm. willleefe this Kingdome, that is, as I fay, this authoritie, and power oiler all thinges, to make them ferue to his pleafure, and to bring to paire what he will hale, whereby wee fhould neede to pray for it, that it may come Of this Kingdome may it be fayd, that is in the Pfalme : Whatfoeseer pleafed the Lord, Pfal. t 3 5.6. that did he, in heauen and inearth, in the Sea, and in all deaptha. For it fubie leth, as you fee, to the LORD, all thefe, and all their works whatfoeuer. And then what is exempted outof this Kingdome of power, if Heauen, earth, Sea, and deepes be ruled by it Yet flayeth not the Prophet fo, but prooueth by examples what bee bath fayd, and afrirmeth it of the LORD, that het bringeth vppe the Clowdes fronrtheendes of the Earth, and maketh thelight- ning with the raine : that hee draweth foorth thewindes out of his treafures : that

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