Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Ver. 10. Thy kingdom come] Thy kingdom of power and providence; but especially enlarge thy kingdom of grace, and hasten thy kingdom of glory. The Jews pray almost in every prayer, "Thy kingdom come," and that Bimheroth, Bejamenu, quickly, even in our days. But it is for an earthly kingdom; that which the apostles also so deeply dreamed of that our Saviour had very much ado to dispossess them. For most absurdly and unseasonably many times they would ask him foolish questions that way, when he had been discoursing to them of the necessity of his own death, and of their bearing the cross. Yea, St John very wisely interrupts him, Mark 9:34; Mark 9:37,38, one time among the rest, as weary of such sad matter, and laying hold on something our Saviour had said by the by, tells him a story of another business. They were besotted with an odd conceit of honours and offices to be distributed here among them, as once in David's and Solomon's reign. And what shall we think of their opinion, that not content to affirm that after the fall of Antichrist, the Jews shall have a glorious conversion, and the whole Church such a happy halcyon as never before; but also that the martyrs shall then have their first resurrection, and shall reign with Christ a thousand years Revelation 20:4. Piscator holdeth, they shall so reign in heaven. Alstedius not only saith they shall reign here on earth, but beginneth his millenary about the year of our Lord 1694. Let our hearts' desire and prayer to God for Israel be that they may be saved, Romans 10:1. Let us also pity and pray for such poor souls in Asia and America as worship the devil; not inwardly only, for so too many do among us, but with an outward worship. And this we should the rather do, because divines think that when all Israel shall be called, and, as it were, "raised from the dead," Romans 11:15; Romans 11:26, when those "two sticks shall be joined into one," Ezekiel 37:16, then shall many of those deceived souls that never yet savingly heard of God have part and portion in the same resurrection.
Thy will be done] God's will must be done by thee, ere his kingdom can come to thee. If thou seek his kingdom, seek first his righteousness. If thou pray, "Thy kingdom come," pray also, "Thy will be done." Pray it and do it; for otherwise thou compassest God with lies, as Ephraim did, Hosea 11:12. Now the will of God is two-fold, secret and revealed, whatever Siguardus blasphemeth to the contrary. a His revealed will again is four-fold: 1. His determining will concerning us, what shall become of us, Eph 1:5
2. His prescribing will, what he requires of us, Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:1,21. His approving will, by the which he graciously accepts and tenderly regards those that come to him in faith and repentance, Mat 18:14
4. His disposing will, and this is the will of his providence, 1 Corinthians 1:1; Romans 1:10. Now we should resign ourselves over to his determining will, as the highest cause of all things; rest in his approving will, as our chiefest happiness; obey his prescribing will, as the most absolute and most perfect form of holiness; and be subject to his disposing will, being patient in all trials and troubles, because he did it, Psalms 39:9. David hath this commendation, that he did all the wills of God (Θεληματα), Acts 13:22. And it is reported, saith Mr Bradford, that I shall be burned in Smithfield, and that very shortly. Fiat voluntas Domini. Ecce ego, Domine, mitte me. "The will of the Lord be done," said those good souls in the Acts, when they saw that Paul was peremptory to go up, Acts 21:14. This third petition, "Thy will be done," &c., was the last text that ever Mr Beza handled, and thereupon died; and departed rather than deceased (deficere potius quam desinere visus est. Melch. Adam.), to do God's will more perfectly in heaven, as he had done to his power on earth. They that thus do and suffer the will of God, are his Hephzibah, My delight, Isaiah 62:4. And it should be our constant care so to apply ourselves thereunto, that God may take pleasure in us, as in men after his own heart, and say of us, as he did of Cyrus, He is the man of my will, that executeth all my counsel, Isaiah 46:11. This is to set the crown upon Christ's head, Song of Solomon 3:11. Yea, this is to set the crown upon our own heads, 2 Timothy 4:8,9 .
In earth as it is in heaven] By those heavenly courtiers. The crowned saints have no rest (and yet no unrest), crying, "Holy, holy, holy," &c., Revelation 4:8. They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, with Usquequo, Domine? "How long, Lord?" &c., Revelation 6:10. Which words also were Mr Calvin's symbolum, that he frequently sighed out, in the behalf of the distressed Churches. As for the glorious angels, though they excel in strength, yet they do God's commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word, Psalms 103:20. They rejoice more in their names of service than of honour, and ever stand before the face of our heavenly Father, as waiting a command for our good, Matthew 18:10; and so willing of their way that Gabriel is said to have come to comfort Daniel with weariness of flight, Daniel 9:21. They do the will of God: 1. Cheerfully; whence they are said to have wings, six wings a-piece, Isaiah 6:2; Isaiah 2:1,22. Humbly; therefore with two they cover their faces. 3. Faithfully, without partiality; with two they covered or harnessed their feet. 4. Speedily and zealously; with two they fly abroad the world upon God's errand, and for the good of them that shall be saved, Hebrews 1:14, burning and being all on a light fire, with infinite love to God and his saints, their fellow servants, Revelation 22:9, whence they are called seraphims or burning creatures. 5. Constantly: Jacob saw them ascending, to contemplate and praise God, and to minister unto him, Daniel 7:10. He saw them also descending, to dispense God's benefits and to execute his judgments, Revelation 15:6. This they do, 1. Justly; whence they are said (there) to be clothed in pure white linen. 2. Diligently and constantly; therefore they have their breast girded. 3. Purely, and with faith, in receiving God's commandments: therefore are they said to have golden girdles. Go ye now, and do likewise; otherwise ye may be as angels, for gifts and good parts, and yet have your part with the devil and his black angels.
a Sunt qui voluntatis divinae distinctionem in revelatam et arcanam, quasi ipsius diaboli crepitum blasphemare audent. Sic Siguardin, admen. Christ.