as we have a Cause to present to God There the High-Priest he entred with the Blood of Beasts but we enter by the Blood of the Son of God O what a great Privilege is this that we have a Father in Heaven In this respect the Holy Place is now open to us Tho we have not a personal Access till Death yet by the Blood of Jesus we may come with Boldness presenting our selves before the Lord with all our Wants and Desires The great Distance between Heaven and Earth shall not hinder our Communion with God if we have a Friend above Therefore it is very comfortable now to say Our Father which art in Heaven that is our gracious and reconciled Father in and by Christ. APPLICATION If we have a Father in Heaven let us look up to Heaven often 1. If we have a Father in Heaven and a Saviour at his right-hand to do all things that are needful for us let us look upon the aspectable Heavens with an Eye of Sense with our bodily Eyes It is good to contemplate the Glory of the heavenly Bodies or the Outside of that Court which God hath provided for the Saints It is not an idle Speculation I press you to The Saints of God have thought it to be worthy of their Morning and Evening-Thought It is notable David doth in two Psalms especially contmeplate Heaven 〈◊〉 seems to be a Nightly the other a 〈◊〉 Meditation The Night-Meditation you have Psal. 8. 3. When I consider thy Heavens the Work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained David was got abroad in a Moon-shining Night looks up and had his Heart affected But now the 19th Psalm that seems to be a Morning-Mediation he speakds of the Sun coming out like a Bridegroom from his Chamber in the East and displaying his Beams and Heat and Influences to the World and then saith he v. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God Morning and Evening or when ever you go abroad to see the Beauty of the outward Heavens say I have a Father there a Christ there this is the Pavement of that Palace which God hath provided for the Saints Christians it is a sweet Meditation when you can say He that made all Things is there It will be a delightful profitable thing sometimes with an Eye of Sense to take a view of our Father's Palace as much as we can see of it here below 2. Let me especially press you to this with an Eye of Faith to look within the Vail and when ever you come to pray to see God in Heaven and Christ at his Right-hand The great Work of Faith is to see him that is invisible and the great Duty of Prayer is to get a Sight of God in Heaven and Christ at his right-hand What Stephen did miraculously or in an Extasy we must do graciously in Prayer Now it is said of Stephen Acts 7. 56. Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right-hand of God There is a great deal of Difference about Stephen's Sight How the Heavens could be opened for they are solid Bodies and cannot be divided fluent Air and so come together again How he could see the Glory of God with his corporal Senses which is invisible How he could see Christ at such a Distance the Eye not being able to reach so far Some think it to be a meer intellectual Vision or a Vision of Faith that is he did so firmly believe and had the Comfort of it in his Heart as if he had seen it with his Eyes So they think Stephen saw the Glory of God and Christ at his right-hand as Abraham saw Christ's Day and rejoiced that is he saw it by Faith Some think it to be a Prophetical Vision by seeing those things objected to his Fancy by imaginary Species as Isaiah saw God in a Vision Isa. 6. and as Paul's Rapture Some think it a Symbolical Vision that he saw these thing represented by some corporeal Images as Iohn saw the Holy-Ghost descending in the form of a Dove Some think his bodily Eyes did pierce the Clouds and got a sight of the Glory of Christ. Whatever it be there must be such a Sight in Prayer something answerable to this in a spiritual way this must ever be done Psal. 5. 3. I will pray saith the Psalmist and look up There is a looking up required in all Prayer a seeing the invisible God by Faith If you would have God look down upon you from his holy Habitâ—tion you must look up with an Eye of Faith and converse with God in Heaven Psal. 63. 4. I will lift up my Hands in thy Name If you would have God look upon you with an Eye of Compassion you must look up and see Christ at his right-hand by an Eye of Faith 3. Let us love our Father love God in Christ and love the Place for his sake where his Residence is 1. Love God in Christ. Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee When God hath been so gracious to you Christians if I had no other Argument to press you to love god but that he which is in Heaven offereth to be your Father in Christ Jesus it might suffice because it is a great Condescension that the God of Heaven will look upon poor boken-hearted Creatures that he whose Throne is in Heaven would look upon him that is of a trembling Spirit Isa. 66 2. That the high and lofty One that dwelleth in the high and holy Place will look to him that is of a contrite Heart Isa. 57. 15. That he that is the Lord of Heaven and Earth will be our Father and own us and bless us A great Condescension on God's part and a great Dignity also is put upon us and how should our Hearts be affected with it Therefore though there be a great Distance between Heaven and Earth it should not lessen our Affections to God He is mindful of us visits us at every turn we are dear and tender to him therefore let the Lord be dear to you The Butler when he was exalted forgot Ioseph but Christ is not grown stately with his Advancement He doth not forget us O let not us forget God Let us manifest our Love by being often with him at the Throne of Grace with our Father which is in Heaven A Child is never well but when in the Mother's Lap or under the Father's Wing So should it be with us with an humble Affection coming into the presence of God and getting into the Bosom of our heavenly Father Never delight in any thing so much as conversing with him and serious Addresses to him in Prayer Again 2. Love the Place for his sake God is there and Christ is there We have cause to love the Place for our own sakes and in a short time if you continue patient in well-doing you will be with God It is not only God's Throne but it is your
and Place of our Rest to which we are all tending Col. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those Things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right-hand of God We come to our Father which is in Heaven He will have his Residence there that our Hearts might be there Therefore the main things we should seek of God from Heaven are Saving-Graces for these come down from above from the Father of Lights Jam. â— 17. We have liberty to ask Supplies for the outward Life but chiefly we should ask spiritual and heavenly Things Mat. 6. 22 â—3 Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these Things What then First seek the Kingdom of God c. If we have to do with a heavenly Father our first and main Care should be to ask Things suitable to his Being and his Excellency If Children should ask of their Parents such a thing as is pleasing to their Palate possibly they might give it them but when they ask Instruction and desire to be taught that 's far more acceptable to them When we ask Supplies of the outward Life Food Raiment God may give it us but it is more pleasing to him when we ask for Grace In every Prayer we should seek to be made more heavenly by conversing with our heavenly Father 5. It giveth us ground of Confidence in God's Power and absolute Dominion over all Things for God is in Heaven above all created Beings Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in the Heavens and doth whatsoever he pleaseth So 2 Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in Heaven And rulest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen And in thine hand is there not Power and Might so that none is able to withstand thee O what an Advantage is this in Prayer when we think of our All-sufficient God who made Heaven and Earth and hath fixed his Throne there What can be too hard for him 6. Here is Encouragement against carnal Fear Whatever the World doth against us we have a Father in Heaven and this should bear us up against all their Threatnings and Oppositions When there were Tumults and Confusions in the World it is said Psal. 2. 4. But God which sits in Heaven shall laugh them to Scorn An earthly Parent may have a large Heart but a short Hand tho they may wish us well yet they cannot defend us and bear us out in all Extremities But our Father in Heaven will laugh at the Attempts against his Empire and Greatness Thus considering God absolutely it is an Advantage to reflect upon him as a Father in Heaven But I suppose this Expression hath respect to a Mediator Therefore Secondly Let us look upon God with respect to a Mediator for so I think we are chiefly bound to consider our Father in Heaven because of Christ which sits there at his right-hand Heb. 8. 1. It is said there He sate down on the right-hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary O this is comfortable to think of In Heaven we have a Saviour Jesus Christ representing our Persons and presenting our Prayers to God by which means God is reconciled and well pleased with us So that our Duty in Prayer is to look up to Heaven and to see Christ at God's right-hand as or High-Priest mediating for us that we may be accepted with God A notable Resemblance we have between God's Presence in the Tabernacle or Temple and God's Presence in Heaven In the Temple you know there were three Partitions There was to outward Court and the Sanctuary as the Apostle calls it where the Table of Shew-bread was set and there was the holy Place the Holy of Holies Just so in Heaven there are three Partitions there is the Airy Heaven and the Starry Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens The lower Heaven which answers to the outward Court the Starry Heaven which answers to the Sanctuary and the Heaven of Heavens which answers to the Holy of Holies by a fit Analogy and Proportion Well In the Holy of Holies saith the Apostle there was the Golden Censer and the Mercy-Seat Heb. 9 4. There you find God conspicuously manifesteth his Presence and give Answers to his People At the Mercy-Seat there will I answer thee saith the Lord So here in this Heaven of Heavens there 's a Mercy-Seat there 's a Throne of Grace and there God will answer We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of Need. Heb. 4. 16. Into this Holy of Holies none but the High-Priest did enter and that once a Year after the Sacrifice of Atonement for the whole Congregation then the High-Priest was to come into the Holy of Holies he as to pass through the Vail with Blood and with sweet Incense in his hand Just thus is Jesus entred into the Heaven of Heavens for us he is gone there to present his Blood and Sufferings to appear before God for us to present himself as a sweet-smelling Sacrifice Heb. 9. 24. Eph. 5. 2. Now the High-Priest when he went with this Blood into the Mercy-Seat he went in with the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulder and Jesus also doth appear before God for us representing our Persons continually before his Father Now about the Mercy-Seat there were Cherubims and Figures of Angels just about the Ark there they stooped down to shew the Angels do attened about the Throne to dispatch Messages abroad into the World and convey Blessings to the Saints There is a Throne of Grace a Mercy-Seat a Mediator there Angels at God's Beck ready to send up and down to and fro for the good of the Saints And mark not only hath Jesus this Liberty to enter into this Heaven of Heavens but all the Saints have a Liberty to enter and that not only at Death but in their Life time for saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus All of us not only when we die and personally go to God do we enter into the Holy of Holies but now we have Boldness It relateth to Prayer for the Word signifieth Liberty of Speech This Holy of Holies which was closed and shut up against us before is opened by the Blood of Jesus the Vail is rent and now all Saints have a Privilege to come freely to converse with God It is good to observe the Difference between the Holy of Holies and the Heaven of Heavens The Jews their Sanctum Sanctorum was earthly but our Holy of Holies is heavenly Into theirs which was as it were God's Bed-chamber the common People were not admitted none but the High-Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies But now into ours all Believers may enter and converse with God There the High-Priest could enter but once a Year Now we may come to the Throne of Grace as often
was the Will of their Father and they would keep to the Will of the Dead Ier. 35. 14. But now the Lord seeth whether his Will be kept yea or no. Prov. 15. 3. The Eyes of the Lord are in every Place beholding the Evil and the Good Where ever you are God is with you As the Prophet said to Gehazi Went not mine Heart with thee 2 Kings 5. 26. meaning his prophetical Spirit The Lord's Spirit goeth along with us where ever we go he observes what we do When Jesus Christ was in the Throng he saith Who is it that toucheth me He was sensible Virtue passed out from him when one touched him by Faith So in the Throng of Creatures we depend upon God he knows what Virtue goeth out to preserve thee and me in Being These are fit Instances to ingenerate in our Minds a sense of God's Omniscience 2. He will severely punish Iam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy There are many Law-givers in the World that have Power of Life and Death but that 's only of Life Temporal But there is one Law-giver that can reward with eternal Life and punish with eternal Death So God truly and properly hath the Power of Life and Death Therefore since he can punish so severely we should not stand out against God's Will Many times the doing God's Will is irksom to Flesh and Blood but remember Hell will be worse When we press Men to Faith Repentance and new Obedience and tell them this is the Will of God concerning you that you do believe in Christ walk holily and humbly with God what saith the Man Shall I mope my self and sit mourning in a Corner and spend my Life in a dark melancholy manner in going from one Duty to another This is far better than to sit howling under the Wrath of God for evermore For Directions If you would do the Will of God then 1. There must be some solemn Time of resigning and giving up thy Will to him Naturally we are averse Now whosoever is brought unto God he comes and lays down the Weapons of his Defiance at God's feet God hath a Right to us and he will have this Right confirmed by our Grant and Consent Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God There cannot be a more acceptable Sacrifice to God than the Resignation of our own Will to him See how Paul comes and layeth down the Buckler when God had him under Acts 9. 6. And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do There will be a time when you will solemnly give up the Keys of your own Hearts to God and bid him come and enter Paul that now did nothing but threaten and breath out Terror to the Children of God when God had humbled him then he lies at God's Feet When you are truly humbled you will desire God to come and take possession of your Hearts and resolve to come under his Yoke Mat. 11. 28. Take my Yoke upon you and you shall find Rest for your Souls Christ will force it upon none In the Matrimonial Contract Consent is not to be forced Take my Yoâ—e 2. When you give up your selves to God it must be without Bounds and Reservations That ye may stand perfect and compleat in the VVill of God Col. 4. 12. That was his Prayer for them And Acts 13. 22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a Man after my own Heart he shall fulfill all my VVill. We should so perfectly obey as if we had no Will of our own not reserving a Property in any thing Our Thoughts are not our own to dispose nor our Desires nor Delights but as God will The least Sin reserved is a Pledg of the Devils Interest and Right in us And therefore give up all to God resign up your selves wholly to him as remembring that every Motion every Thought every Affection is under a Rule and in every Action we should say Will God have this to be done yea or no 3. There are some special Things concerning which God hath more expresly signified his Will and given special Charge and these we should make greatest Conscience of how distasteful soever they be to Flesh and Blood or prejudicial to our own Interest For Instance Concerning Repentance and turning from Sin Ezek. 33. 11. you have God's Oath that he delights in it As I live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the VVicked but that the VVicked turn from his way and live And God would not have any to perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. This is the Will of God he hath told you what a great deal of Pleasure he takes in Repentance that you should come and mourn over your Sins and bewail your Straglings When a prophane Esau knew what his Father desired he takes his Bow to go and kill Venison When we know any thing more pleasing to God ' we should do it And then he takes pleasure also in the Work of Faith believing in Christ. Iohn 6. 29. This is the VVork of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent And 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ. Therefore we should be much in the Work of Faith and in receiving Christ that we may accomplish the good pleasure of God in us It is very pleasing to God we should thus repent believe and return to him The very first Motion how welcome is it to the Lord Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin So Luk. 15. 20. the Father ran to meet him when the Prodigal thought of returning So that you should live a sanctified Life 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the VVill of God even your Sanctification That you should walk holily God hath expresly declared his Will Then for Duties of Relations God takes a great deal of pleasure in Obedience to Magistrates Parents Masters 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the VVill of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Then that we should observe Providences ever be in a thankful frame 1 Thess. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the VVill of God in Christ Iesus concerning you It is a great Rebellion and Disobedience not to obey God's solemn Charge 4. We should be willing to obey God whatever it cost us The least Sin is not to be committed to avoid the greatest Trouble You would think it were a small Sin for Moses to tarry in Pharaoh's Court where he might be helpful to the People of God yet he chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season Heb. 11. 25. 5. For the
and grow weary of the Devil's Government tho it be but out of a Principle of Self-love Isa. 26. 13. O Lord other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Yea but as soon as we begin to have any serious thoughts of that miserable State in which we are Satan interposeth dealing with us as Pharaoh did with the Israelites The Israelites complain their Bondage was very sore what doth Pharaoh He doubles the Burthen Exod. 5. 17. You are idle c. So that out of Bondage of Soul they would not hearken to Moses Just so Satan deals with us When Souls begin to be serious and to leave off fleshly and worldly Lusts and to give up themselves to God that they may be directed in the way of Holiness and obtain eternal Life then he doubles our Burthens Corruptions are never more stirring than after some Conviction Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came Sin revived and I died not only as to a deeper sense of the Guilt of it but as to its strugling for Life The Bullock at the first yoaking is most unruly so we which are unaccustomed to the Yoke when we begin once to take it upon us there 's a mighty backwardness Fire at first kindling makes abundance of Smoke so when Conviction is stirring Corruption is more exaâ—perated The Devil is very jealous of the first Beam of Light which breaks into the Heart and of every Ordinance which conveys it therefore sets Corruptions at work that it may appear to be a vain hope of ever escaping his Clutches So Men are tired and give over and think it is to no purpose But if Light increases to more Trouble the Devil seeks to elude the Importunity of it by delay as Pharaoh put off Moses and Aaron still by delay Or else by compromising and compounding the Business as Pharaoh when he saw the People would go God would have them go then they shall not go far Exod. 8. 28. So if Men will be thinking of Christ's Service and coming under his Government they shall go but not far they shall come and pray and come and hear now and then and make a general Profession but not too far in Christ's Quarters he is afraid of that Just as Pharaoh stood hucking still They must go a good way into the Wilderness otherwise it should be an Abomination to the Egyptians yet their little Ones must stay If People will not only hear and pray but begin to reform and cleanse their Lives yet he must have a Pledg some Lust as a Nest-Egg left in the Heart some darling Sin that must keep up the Devil's Empire Then they must leave their Herds then leave their Flocks no not a Hoof. Ah! how long is it when we are under this Power of Darkness ere we are free and get rid of the Government of Satan 6. We can never be sure that Satan is wholly cast out until Christ be seriously received and entertained as Lord and King until he dwell and rule in the Heart by Faith Alas there may be some Brabble now and then between us and our Sins and some partial Dislikes but until you heartily consent to take another King that you will be governed and ordered by you are not his subjects but remain in the same State Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name We are Children of the Devil before under his Standard and Government but when we receive him then we are under another King another Power When we receive what God offered receive Christ as Lord and King when the whole Soul opens the Door to Christ that the King of Glory may come in and dwell with us and reign over us then is his Kingdom set up The first Offer of the Gospel is Christ as Prince and Saviour Acts 5. 31. And the main thing the Business sticks at is Christ's Regal Power Luke 19. 14. We will not have this Man to reign over us Now when we receive him with all our Hearts and tho before we had but mean thoughts of him now he begins to be welcome to us and with the dearest Embraces of our Souls we entertain him and with a willing Resignation we give up our selves not only by a Consent of Dependance to rest upon him for Reconciliation with God but by a willing Subjection to obey him and give up the Keys of the Heart and lay them at Christ's Feet as Paul Acts 9. 16. Lord what wilt thou have me to do When you desire nothing more but that his Kingdom might come the King of Glory himself than that he might bring Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost until then you are not entred into his Kingdom 7. Christ is not received and entertained as Lord and King but where his Laws are obeyed Col. 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him If you receive him as Lord and King so also obey him And Heb. 12. 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 Kingdom come An earthly King will do according to his Will Dan. 11. 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 Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God It is an universal Maxime His Servants you are whom you do obey Where is your Obedience If Subjects of Grace Every Thought is brought in subjection 2 Cor. 10. 5. You will watch not only against your irregular Actions but every Thought which lifts up it self 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. 13. 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 O 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 tho irksom to Flesh and Blood yet it is the Will of my
Lord to whom I have entirely given up my self 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 his 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 Rom. 8. 2. It is not a bare literal Command that shall urge us to Duty but it giveth strength 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 Dependance He is a King not only to require but to give Repentance Acts 5. 31. not only to make a Law but to write and work a sense of this new Govenant-Gift upon the Heart Heb. 8. 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. 4. 20. That we may both acknowledg 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 when they can say with the Apostle Phil. 1. 21. To me to live is Christ when their whole Business is to set up Christ. We set up our selves in the room of Christ if he be not at the end of all 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. That God might fulfill 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 Law-giver 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 Government of Satan that we may receive the Lord Iesus 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 To conclude All this Grace is offered to you if you refuse the Offer your Condition is worse than if it had never been tendred to you The Lord hath sent his Son to help you out of the Power of the Devil and bring you in Heart and Life again to himself if you refuse this then This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light John 3. 19. The Lord Jesus when he comes in flaming Fire to render Vengeance it shall be upon them that do not obey his Government 2 Thess. 1. 8. that did not acknowledg God to be their Sovereign There will be a sore Vengeance on them which had the Gospel tendred and this wonderful Provision brought home to them and left to their Choice and yet have turned their Backs upon it Secondly We beg the Continuance of it that he would maintain this Kingdom in our Heart and preserve us in this State for those which can call God Father are still to say Thy Kingdom come It is not enough to go to Christ to begin it but to carry it on and to keep and preserve us unto his heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 18. That we may not revolt to the Devil's Side after we have chosen God for our God and so our latter End be worse than our Beginning Thirdly We pray for the Increase of it that it may get ground more and more There are some Reliques of the Kingdom of Darkness yet left and there is something wanting to the Kingdom of Grace we are troubled and molested still Tho Sin doth not get the Throne tho the Regency of it is cast down yet it is not cast out in regard of Inherence Sin shall not have Dominion over you that is all we can hope for Rom. 6. 14. We cannot hope for an Extinction of Sin but only that it shall not have Dominion As the Beasts in Dan. 7. 12 tho their Dominion was taken away yet their Lives were prolonged for a season and time The Reign Power and Dominion of Sin is taken down yet it continues for our Exercise and Molestation Now we desire he might rule in us by his Grace and that of the Increase of his Government there may be no End II. For the Kingdom of Glory which in this private Consideration as it concerns each Person is to begin at Death And when we desire the coming of the Kingdom of Glory we do two things we express our Readiness for it or our Desire after it 1. Our Readiness for it at least the Kingdom of God is ready for us if we were ready for it as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 5. God is ready to judg but we are not ready to be judged And therefore we read of the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for us and of Men prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven It is prepared for the Saints Mat. 25. 34. A Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And the Saints prepared for it Rom. 9. 23. Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory And this is that which the Apostle gives thanks for unto the Father which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. Before we come to Heaven there is a Right to Heaven we are made meet more mortified and weaned from present Things often in Communion with God here and so for ever with the Lord hereafter We are still to have our Eyes to our Rest and happy State that we may be made ready for it We express our Readiness or we beg it 2. That we may express our Desires after the Enjoyment of it A Christian is to desire the Company of Christ. Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And he is to hasten the coming of the Day of God 2 Pet. 3. 12. Now because this cannot be but by our Death therefore here we may examine a Case or two Case 1. First about longing for Death Is it lawful to desire Death The Law doth not