A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

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. John 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 ⟨p. 206⟩Souls we entertain him; and with a willing Resignation we give up our selves, not only by a Consent of Dependence, 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 entered into his Kingdom.

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.