At the same time a modal distinction may be perceived and ought to be observed between the coming of the kingdom of God or the doing of his will and these other accidents or other aspects of the same: by which the former would appear more general or abstract: being the form under which the accident is now considered.

By what is prayed therefore in this clause, " Thy kingdom come," or "Thy will be done," as to the coming or doing-may be understood the Prevalence of such kingdom or will-of the law and the gospel-of Christian modes, or the sum of Christian principles with their consequences. We cannot better express our good will or liking toward any order, kingdom or modes than by praying sincerely for the prevalence of the same among us; except it be, by striving as well as praying for it: and therefore by no means whatever, no-not even in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, can we more effectually acknowledge our Lord's principles and authority than by joining with him in the sincere, hearty and affectionate use of this divine petition,-understanding it in the sense aforesaid as referring to the eternal and immutable course of righteousness which he received from his Father; as he tells his countrymen-" He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard of HIM. (They understood not that he spake to them of the Father,*.) When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things;" (John viii. 26, &c.;) and again, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (Ib. iv. 34.)

For the kingdom which our Lord both prayed for himself, and directed his followers to pray for, could never be meant to centre in himself though described in the modes that he taught and practised, or lived; as he said, “I

• Unfortunately for the majority of his countrymen then, and from that sime.

seek not mine own glory: there is One that seeketh and judgeth." (John viii. 50.) Praying himself and teaching others to pray, saying, " Our Father, which art in heaven; hallowed be THY name, THY kingdom come, THY will be done," was not like praying for his own kingdom and credit; neither could he have been supposed to mean this, if he had not even named the Father. For we shall not often find among the vainest, and he was not one of them, a man vain enough to give out a prayer for his own consequence. He only meant to pray for the auspicious reign of God upon earth, and for his ascendancy in opposition to other principles; which are not to come, like the kingdom of God, being here already-the worse our luck! as you might think only from the list that I have had occasion to give of these same principles-rejected branches, as our Saviour calls them, (Ib. xv. 6,) before now though I did not make my list any longer than I could help. And with regard to the Son's own principle or beginning; as he knew that he came from God, so he knew that the kingdom of God came with him; and all his words bespeak it; as e. g. to the Jews, "I AM COME IN MY FATHER'S NAME, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (Ib. v. 43.) "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." (Luke xi. 20.)

Moreover; as our Lord could not mean to pray for the coming of his own personal dominion merely, so neither could he for that of any particular people or place; as of angels and their habitation for instance. The daily petition that we are taught by Christ to make for the kingdom of God, relates to the power and effect of that kingdom, not to any particular apparition; and would be unintelligible if we meant by kingdom a country or people it would be the same in that case, as if a Jew in

* In Christian Modes, Vol. III. p. 437.

Jerusalem or any where else should pray for the kingdom of Israel or Samaria to come to him, or if a man living at Ephesus should pray that the kingdom of Judea might come where he was. Understanding the case however aright; like the double contingency of a kingdom as it is, and of the same as it should be; we may conceive a great propriety in praying that the kingdom of God may come to us; as we do in the latter sense; amounting to a radical reform of the government within us. For although we feel by very unequivocal tokens that the kingdom of God is always with us, and there is no denying its constant preeminence; we still do not consider that its rule is always of the same even and pacific character here as above which induces the wish and humble petition to our heavenly Father, that his kingdom may come and continue in earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN; not more showy or striking than it is, but more rational aud benign. And therefore, when our Saviour promised a sight of the kingdom to some of his disciples in their life-time, it was not literally that of a kingdom coming with power-like the triumphant entry of a victorious people within the borders of a vanquished, or, as it is said, entering "into the lodgings of his borders," (Kings II. xix. 23,) as many would like to see it; but coming* " IN power:" (Mark ix. 1) in the power to do many things which could not otherwise be done, and the will of God especially, if it would even be otherwise so much as desired.

The kingdom of God is found to come at once both silently and effectually,-silently, as it comes without observation; and effectually in the power it confers to do wonders for mortal men, as labourers or workers together with God; (Cor. I. iii. 9; Ib. II. vi. 1 ;) or "as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." (Eph. vi. 6.) And if we succeed not in doing, yet sincerely wishing to do his will may be accounted something

• N.B. 1 duváμu, and not ix, nor rv: like the word of grace, and not like an ecclesiastical commission.

wonderful for men who were "dead in trespasses and sins." For wishing and praying are nearly synonymous: wishing is silent prayer; and praying silently for the kingdom of God and his righteousness must needs seem wonderful for those who formerly "had their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Ib. ii. 3.)

Not that wishing alone, or without the objects now mentioned, is wonderful. For wishing itself would seem as natural as breathing; since we could not live, if we did not sometimes wish to eat: but it is wishing so wisely, and so differently from our habit. And as wishing to eat after trouble or sickness may be a sign of returning comfort or health to the natural man, so wishing for all that superior rectitude which is understood by the Kingdom, the Will, and the Word-of God is to the spiritual man, or to the spirit that was " dead in trespasses and sins" as aforesaid. This is a sign of recovery that ministers are happy to perceive in those of whom they have charge: they are glad of such an opportunity to set before them the spiritual food which God has provided for their eternal sustenance, and especially in the flesh of his dear Son, Jesus Christ, "the lamb without blemish and without spot:" as the servants of David, when he was so sadly cut down for the loss of his child-and still more perhaps for his own guiltiness in that respect, were glad to observe his recovery by the comfort of the Holy Spirit: "and when he required, they set bread before him; and he did eat." (Sam. II. xii. 20.) So once only at the sound of Elijah's voice "the soul of a child came into him again; and he revived." (Kings I. xvii. 22.) In a material respect we can conceive the effect, if not the manner of the coming of a new principle, or the restoration of an old-in the body; as of the natural panacea, for example in a body

• Vis medica naturæ.

like Naaman's; when his leprosy was discharged, and his flesh brought again "like unto the flesh of a little child:" (Kings II. v. 1, &c. :) and from the effect of such restoration in this respect we may conceive by analogy that of the Kingdom of God or his Will coming or being restored and set up again in the spiritual and intellectual depart

ment.

It would appear at first sight, as if the clauses under consideration were pure zeal for the honour of the Deity: but these observations shew them to have an equal reference at least to our own honour and happiness,-that if we succeed in the prayer of our petition we may be reinstated every way, and enjoy by God's grace the part of serving him upon earth with the same zeal and intelligence with which the holy angels serve him in Heaven: and if it be not too honourable a part ever to be enjoyed in this abject state; which may be worth trying by ways and means: and that is

§ 2. The part of Practice.

For if the kingdom of God comes without observation, we still must not expect it to come to us without help; v. g. the help of our prayers, the help of striving for ourselves, the help of striving for others,-but chiefly, the help of our common Saviour and Redeemer: "the Son of man, who is come (as he says) to seek and to save that which was lost." (Matt. xviii. 11.) For interested as the Deity necessarily is in the welfare of his creatures, and anxious as he declares himself to be for the salvation of man in particular, he still has limited the ways and means of effecting this object for himself: and there are but two generally, to our finite conception at least, in which an object so worthy of his sublime attributes can possibly be accomplished. A monstrous portion of his rational subjects, and man among the rest, having abused that freedom which was their highest endowment, and perverted the opportunity given them for a willing obedience to his most righteous laws, the Creator and Governor of the