1. The Coherence
Your] This word puts us in mind that there are two kingdoms: one God's, and that is the kingdom of heaven: the other the devil's, called the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13). For when all had sinned in Adam, God laid this punishment on all, that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator, they should be in bondage under Satan: so that by nature we are all the children of wrath, and the devil holds up the scepter of his kingdom in the hearts of men. This kingdom is spiritual, and the pillars of it are ignorance, error, impiety, and all disobedience to God, in which the devil wholly delights; which also are as it were the laws of his kingdom. Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine that the devil should rule in their hearts: they spit at the naming of him, and say that they defy him with all their hearts: but whereas they live in sin, and practice it as occasion is offered, though they cannot discern of themselves, yet they make plain proof, that they live in the kingdom of sin and darkness, and are flat vassals of Satan, and shall so continue till Christ the strong man come and bind him, and cast him out. And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselves. Therefore our Savior in this petition teaches us to consider our natural estate, and to pray that he would give us his Spirit to set us at liberty in the kingdom of his own son.
Kingdom] God's kingdom in Scripture is taken two ways. First generally, and so it signifies that administration by which the Lord governs all things, yea, even the devils themselves. Of which kingdom mention is made in the end of this prayer. And in Psalm 97:1: The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice. Again, it is taken more specially, and then it signifies the administration of Christ the head of the church, in which he frames men by his word and Spirit to the subjection of the same word. And so it is taken in this petition.
In a kingdom there are four things to be noted. 1. There must be a king. 2. There must be subjects. 3. There are laws. 4. Authority.
In this kingdom Christ is the king: it is he to whom the Father has given all authority, in heaven and earth.
In this kingdom all are not subjects, but such as are willing to give free and frank obedience to God's word; or at the least though their hearts be not sound, make an outward profession of it.
The laws of this kingdom are the word of God in the books of the old and new testament. Therefore it is called the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13), the Gospel of the kingdom (Mark 1:13), the rod of his mouth (Isaiah 11:4), the arm of God (Isaiah 53:1). As a king by his laws brings his people in order, and keeps them in subjection; so Christ by his word, and the preaching of it, as it were by a mighty arm, draws his elect into his kingdom, and fashions them to all holy obedience.
The power and authority is that by which Christ converts effectually those which are to be converted by the inward operation of his Spirit, and glorifies himself in the confusion of the rest.
Kingdom being taken thus specially, is also twofold. The first is the kingdom of grace, of which mention is made (Romans 14:17): The kingdom of God stands not in meat and drink, but in righteousness: that is, the assurance of our justification before God in the righteousness of Christ; peace of conscience, which proceeds from this assurance; and joy in the Holy Spirit, which comes from them both. In this kingdom all men live not, but only those that are subject to Christ, obedient to the laws of his kingdom, and ruled by his authority, and are continually taught in his word by his Spirit. But those that refuse to live according to the laws of this king, and choose to live at their own liberty, are in the kingdom of darkness, that is sin and Satan.
The second is the kingdom of glory in heaven, which is the blessed estate of all God's people, which God himself shall be all in all to them. And the former kingdom of grace is an entrance and preparation to this kingdom of glory.
Come] God's kingdom comes, when it takes place and is established and confirmed in men's hearts, and made manifest to all people, the impediments being removed.
Question: This coming implies a stopping: but how should God's kingdom be hindered? Answer: Kingdom in this place is not taken for that absolute and sovereign power of God by which he rules all things, for that cannot be hindered; but for the kingdom of grace, which in the using of the outward means, as ministers, word and sacraments, may be hindered by the devil, the world, and man's corruption.
