A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

(4.) The Duration, For ever; all Excellencies which are in God, they are eternally in God. God is an infinite, simple, independent Being, the Cause of all things, but caused by none; therefore he was from Everlasting, and will be to Everlasting: Psal. 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World: even from everlasting, to everlasting, thou art God. If there were a time when God was not, then there was a time when nothing was; and then there would never have been any thing, unless nothing could make all things: therefore God is eternally glorious, for whatever is in God, is originally in himself, and absolutely without dependence on any other, to everlasting. How loosely do Honours sit upon Men? Every Disease shakes them out of their Kingdom, Power, and Glory; and within a little while the State, Show, and all the Command of Earthly Kings will fade away, and come to nothing. Governors and Government may dye, Principalities grow old and infirm, and sicken and dye, as well as Princes; Kingdoms expire, like Kings, and they like us. Psal. 82. 6, 7. I have said, ye are Gods, and all of you are Children of the most High: But ye shall dye like Men. But thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Psal. 45. 6. His Kingdom, and Power, and Glory, they are without beginning, and without end. Now this is also a ground of Confidence and Dependence upon God. Earthly Kings when they perish, their Favourites are counted Offenders. 1 Kings 1. 21. When my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers, that I and my ⟨p. 517⟩Son Solomon shall be counted Offenders. When other Governors are set up, they and their Children will be found Offenders. But our King lives for ever, therefore this should encourage us to be oftener in attendance upon God, performing it with all Diligence and Seriousness, rather than court the Humours and Lusts of earthly Potentates, who die like one of the People, and leave us exposed to the rage and wrath of others that do succeed them: But God is the same that ever he was, to all those that ever called upon his Name. God is where he was at first; I AM, is his Name; there is no wrinkle upon the Brow of Eternity. His Arm is not short, that it cannot save; or his Ear heavy, that it cannot hear,