A godly and learned treatise of prayer which both conteineth in it the doctrine of prayer, and also sheweth the practice of it in the exposition of the Lords prayer: by that faithfull and painfull servant of God George Downame, Doctr of Divinity, and late L. Bishop of Dery in the realm of Ireland.

What kingdome here signifieth.

But first of his kingdome: Which here signifieth 1. generally the universall kingdome of God, which some call the kingdome of his power, whereby he ruleth and governeth all things, Psal. 103. 19. 2. Chron. 20. 6. and in regard whereof the right of all things belongeth to him, Deut. 10. 14. Psal. 24. 1.

This then teacheth us two things: 1. That our heavenly Father is the absolute Lord and owner of all his creatures; who as he is the Creatour so is he also the possessour of heaven and earth: in whose hand all good things are to bestow as it pleaseth him. This therefore must encourage us with assu∣rance of faith to make our requests to our heavenly Father, of whom we cannot ask any good thing, whether spirituall or temporall, which is not his to bestow. And therefore it is well said of Seneca, Au∣dacter Deum roga, nihil eum de alieno rogaturus, Ask boldly of God, seeing thou canst ask nothing of him which belongeth to another. 2. That our heavenly Father is the sovereigne King and abso∣lute Lord and Governour over all his creatures, ruling the good, and overruling the evil; to whose

commandment all the good creatures obey, and at whose beck they are ready to do us good: And as for the wicked either men or angels; they are so overruled by the almighty providence of God, that when they seek to annoy us, they are against their purpose made the instruments of God to do us good.

And whereas our Saviour teacheth us to say,* 1.1 Thine is the kingdome, we are to observe that the kingdome of government which Kings and Princes have, it is the kingdome of God; whose ministers and leiutenants they are, Rom. 13. 4. by whom they reigne, Prov. 8. 15. and from whom all authoritie is, Rom. 13. 4. Which as it must teach them to subordinate their government unto the Lord, and in him to rule their subjects, because the kingdome which they exercise is not theirs but Gods, their judgement is not theirs but the Lords, 2. Chron. 19. 6. so doth it teach all subjects to be subject to their governours so farre forth as they are subordinate to the Lord; because in obeying them they obey the Lord, and in resisiting them they resist God, Rom. 13. 2. But if Magistrates and Kings shall leave their order, in commanding that which God forbiddeth, we are bound to be subordinate to our supreme King, whose the kingdome is, in whom onely we are to obey the inferiour governours, Ephes. 5. 21. that so far forth as in obeying them we obey also the Lord, for better it is to obey God then men, Acts 4. 19. & 5. 29. And as to obey an inferiour Magistrate which rebelleth against his Prince, is to rebell with him; so to obey a Prince or Magistrate rebelling

against God, in that wherein he rebelleth, that is, in unlawfull things which he commandeth, it is also to rebell against God. So that not onely good but also evil Princes and Magistrates are to be obeyed; but neither good nor bad, unto evil.

More especially the kingdome of God is the* 1.2 kingdome of grace in this life, and the kingdome of glorie in the life to come. In the former the Lord communicateth grace to his servants, ruling in them by his word and Spirit: In the latter he com∣municateth glory to his Saints, vouchsafing unto them the fruition of himself, who shall be to them all in all. Do we therefore desire grace in this life or glory in the life to come? God is the King of grace and of glory: let us sue to his throne of grace; for he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold srom them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84. 11.

Vses.

1. If God be our King, we are to be encouraged in all our necessities to call upon him: For it is the property of good kings to heare the suits of their subjects, and to relieve and defend them.

2. If he be the absolute Lord of all his creatures, and all things whatsoever be in his power and possession, then ought we not to be distrustfully carefull, but to cast our care upon God and to de∣pend upon him. The earth is the Lords, and all that* 1.3 therein is. He is a Father that is rich towards all those which put their trust in him.

3. If God be our King, our duty is to obey him, and to behave our selves towards him as dutifull

subjects. Why call ye me Lord, saith our Saviour, and do not the things which I command you?

Notes

• * 1.1

  What is meant by, thine is the kingdome.
• * 1.2

  The king∣dome of grace and glory.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 24. 1.