ought to be, we are not fit to use this Prayer.

And in particular, he that can in good earneft and with Integrity offer this Petition to God, must be a Man that impartially loves God's Truth, that is careful to be informed in it, and refolved to retain it, fo that neither Perfecution nor any Worldly Intereft fhall ever make him to forfake it; he must have a deep Senfe of the Sin and Scandal, and the pernicious Confequences of caufing Rents and Divifions in the Church of God; he must be endued with a ftrong Faith, and with a great Charity; and then he must not be One that only talks of Religion, but that applies it to his Actions, to the very Thoughts, and Purposes, and Inclinations of his Soul, making it his Bufiness to conform himself, both without, and within, to the holy Chriftian Doctrine he hath received, endeavouring alfo to promote true Religion and Piety amongst others, as Members of the fame Body, and being watchful and careful for the Good of his Brother's Soul: And then he must be of a peaceable and charitable Difpofition, and muft himself live by the Rules and Precepts of Chriftian Love, as being one that expects and longs for a Time of univerfal Concord and Good-will amongst__Men, Such a one is qualified to fay this Prayer, Thy Kingdom come. And if we be not thus

qua

qualified, at leaft let the Ufe of this Prayer lead us to these Things.

And now, Beloved, the Meaning of this Petition, as it regards God's Kingdom, or the Kingdom of Chrift in this World, is well expreffed in feveral Prayers of our Church, particularly that God would have Mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels and Hereticks, and take from them Ignorance, Hardness of Heart, and Contempt of his Word, and fo fetch them home to his Flock, that they may be faved amongst the Remnant of the true Ifraelites, and be made one Fold under one Shepherd. This is the Meaning of the Petition with refpect to the Propaga tion of God's external Kingdom. With refpect to the internal, the Sense of it is expreffed in these Words, That God would keep his Houshold the Church in continual Godliness, that it may be devoutly given to ferve him in good Works, to the Glory of his Name. And again, we pray for the coming of Chrift's Kingdom in both these Refpects more generally when we beseech God for all forts and Conditions of Men, that he would be pleased to make his Ways known unto them, and his faving Health unto all Nations; and more particularly when we pray for the good Eftate of the Catholick Church, that they may agree in the Truth of God's holy Word, and live in Unity and godly Love, and bold the Faith in the Unity

of the Spirit, in the Bond of Peace, and in Righteoufnefs of Life:

And thus, O Lord, let THY KINGDOM COME. Let it be as univerfal as the Prophets foretold it fhould be, and extend to every Corner of the Earth, and let it reach every Man's Heart and Soul. And may the Days come, when no Perfecution, Divifion or Schifm, no Evils or Troubles of any Kind, fhall be known in it. And may none who are called by thy Name hinder this coming of thy Kingdom by any Scandal, or by refifting the Power and Efficacy of it in himfelf.

A

And thus much fhall fuffice to be difcourfed on this Petition, Thy Kingdom come, as it means that Kingdom which Christ was to plant in this World.

I proceed in the fecond place to confider this Petition, as it is meant of that KINGDOM, into which his true Followers fhall be all admitted at the End of all Things, after the Refurrection, and the laft Judg

ment.

This fecond Notion of the Kingdom, of which this Petition is to be understood, is grounded upon thofe Places in the New Teftament, where the State of good Men after the Refurrection of the Dead is called the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom prepared for the Righteous from the beginning of the World,

and

and an everlasting Kingdom. And this is what we ufually call the Kingdom of Glory, as the Society of Chrift's Church here on Earth is called the Kingdom of Grace.

Now in fpeaking to this I fhall endeavour to fhew,

First, In What Refpects this KINGDOM, agrees with, or differs from, the Kingdom of Chrift upon Earth.

Secondly, How it appears that the Coming of this Kingdom is a fit Matter of Prayer.

Concerning the Former,

1. As the Kingdom of Chrift upon Earth is a Society governed by Divine Laws, fo will the Kingdom of God in Heaven be, and his Subjects there will be no less obliged to Service and Obedience than they are here; and this is plain, because the Nature of a Kingdom of neceffity implies Government on the one fide, and Subjection on the other. St. John tells us, that the Saints of God worship him, Rev. 4. 10. And because the Angels of God do his Will in Heaven, which is mentioned in the next Petition of this Prayer, the Saints fhall be idyo, equal to the Angels in this refpect; therefore Service and Obedience will by them alfo be performed according to the Pleasure of their great Creator.

2. As the Kingdom of Chrift upon Earth is a Kingdom of Grace, fo alfo will be that

of

of the Kingdom of Glory; for God will Then manifeft more of his Goodness and Grace towards his Servants chan Here they are capable of; There they fhall be finally and abfolutely, Here they are but conditionally forgiven and juftified; There they fhall be fet free from all Dangers and Enemies, Here they are to encounter and conflict with both; fo that it will be a Kingdom of greater Grace than this.

3. As the Kingdom of Chrift was planted in the World by the first coming of Christ, fo fhall the Kingdom of God in Heaven be opened at Chrift's fecond coming to judge the World, and to accomplish the Salvation of his People from all their Enemies, that to him we may owe the Beginning, the Continuation, and the Perfection of our Redemption.

But now the more Remarkable Differences between thefe Two Kingdoms, which the Scripture takes notice of, are these Four. They differ,

耳。 In refpect of their Subjects.

2. In refpect of the Degrees of Divine Communication to the Subjects thereof. 3. In refpect of the Manner of their Adminiftration. And,

4. Of their Duration,

The Two Kingdoms differ,

1. In refpect of the Subjects of them. The Kingdom of God in Heaven will con