a Greater and more Glorious Kingdom in Heaven St Aug. And I l'e trouble you with no more Expositors thinks He spake of His Church which is His Kingdom and not so properly of this world because it is here only in Pilgrimage and a state of Probation and shall not be Perfect and Triumphant untill it be seated in Heaven But as I told you before the meaning is plain enough My Kingdom is not of this world i. e. 'T is not of the same Nature and Quality with the Kingdoms of this world It consists not as they do in Outward Pomp and Grandeur but is of a Spiritual and Heavenly Temper That this is the true meaning of the words will appear First From the manner of its Institution which was not like that of the Kingdoms of this world in the servile Submission of men or any Bloudy Conquest over them He arrived at Sovereignty without Raising of Armies or Fighting of Battels neither did He measure the Greatness of His Kingdom from the Bodily Strength the Numbers of His Subjects or the Largeness of his Territories But contrariwise His Kingdom was founded in the submission of the soul He set up His Standard in the Inward Man And His Power was chiefly manifested in the Noble Conquests which He wrought over the Rebellious Wills and unruly Affections of men And this mighty work He effected after a spiritual manner By the Reasonableness of His Doctrine and the Exemplariness of His Life By the Majesty of His Miracles and the Energie of His Spirit By strict Fastings and fervent Prayers and all other severities of an Holy Life Lastly by Attesting the Truth and Dignity of His Kingdom by His Bloud And thus the Kingdom of Christ in a short time spread its Triumphant Arms throughout the world It took Possession in all the Kingdoms of the world But dispossess'd none of the Kings of the earth of their Dominions It committed an holy violence upon mens minds but left their Bodies and Estates free It conquer'd Kings and subdued their Subjects and yet at the same time establish'd the Crown upon the Head of the one by making Obedience an indispensable Duty in the other Secondly This will appear from the manner of its Administration As His Kingdom was at first founded so was it Govern'd in a manner different from the Kingdoms of this world The Obedience of His Subjects proceeds from a Principle of Filial Love not of Servile Fear He secures them in their Allegeance by His Invisible Power but never constrains them by any Visible Force He Raised no Taxes for the support of His Government but Religiously paid them where they were due He Enacted no Penal Statutes Leading to Pecuniary Mulcts or Corporal Punishments but yet He submitted to those Laws and enjoyned His Followers to do the same His Court was so far from being crowded with Ministers of State that sometimes He had no Attendants at all And when He had any they were of no higher rank than poor Fishermen He was so far from being Ministred unto that He became the Servant of All so far from being served upon the Knee that He Kneeled down and wash'd His servants feet so far from sending forth Embassadors to negotiate the Affairs of this world that He strictly commanded His Disciples to leave them All whenever they Hinder or stand in Competition with the Concerns of His Kingdom Lastly so far from Constituting Judges with the Power of Life that He Himself was sentenc'd to the most Ignominious Death Briefly as His Kingdom was Spiritual so were all His Affairs transacted after a Spiritual manner I speak not this with the least reflection upon the Greatness of the Kings of the earth or the Laws and Proceedings of their Courts of Judicature whose unhappy Circumstances are often times such that they cannot assume to themselves too much of outward state to retain the Obedience of their good nor enact too severe Laws to reclaim the Licentiousness of their bad Subjects But only to shew the difference of the Kingdoms of this world and that of the Gospel in the Administration of their Affairs Thirdly This will appear from the manner of subduing His Enemies As He Governs His Subjects so he Conquers His Enemies after a Spiritual and Heavenly manner not by the material but the sword of the spirit His weapons are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan As the Enemies of His Kingdom are chiefly the Invisible Powers of Darkness Legions of Devils and Armed Fiends so He conquers them by the Light of His Word and the mighty Power of His Spirit By the Ministry of Angels He countermines the devices of Satan The Captain of our Salvation trusted not in His sword or spear In His Armoury are found none of the bloudy Engines of War His Victories consisted not of slaughter'd bodies but vanquish'd spirits For He wrestled not against Flesh and Bloud but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickednesses in High Places Which sometimes He Exorciz'd by the Power of his Word sometimes He cast out by Fasting and Prayer always subdued by Proportioning His weapons to the strength and cunning of His Adversaries And thus Briefly we have seen in what Respects Christs Kingdom is said not to be of this world In Respect of its Institution Administration and the manner of conquering its enemies And now upon a review let us consider First whose Kingdom they belong to who propagate Christ's after another manner than 't was at first founded by Him Who under pretence of Zeal for the Kingdom of Heaven disturb the Kingdoms of the earth who to Proselyte Souls exercise unheard of Cruelties and Injustice over the Bodies and Estates of men who found Christs Kingdom in Bloud and make the Prince of Peace the Author of unnatural War Who out of needless Fears and self-created Jealousies of losing their Religion are guilty of such Practises as not only the Christian but even Natural Religion Detests and Abhors I hope all men will grant that the Peace of the Government is of far greater concern than the Toleration of this or that private Opinion in matters of Religion For by disturbing that the Innocent are often involv'd in Temporal miseries the Disturbers themselves if they perish in the Rebellion are in danger of eternal damnation But sure I am no man shall be call'd to an Account hereafter for not publickly exercising his own Private Opinions in opposition to the establish't Religion of the Land and which is by Him confess'd to hold all the Fundamentals of Salvation and to be free from any damnable errour Briefly the Christian Religion as it is Instituted by Christ is the greatest security to Temporal Governours And if it be made use of to the prejudice of the present Possessor or his Lawfull Successor 't is then abused the Author of it betrayed and the Great Design of it perverted
Character which they had fram'd of their Messias therefore they would not submit their Stubborn Necks to his easie Yoke the Romans afterwards thought to have ruined His Kingdom by a total Massacre of his Subjects and they also pretended reasons of State But the true reason was they could not comply with the Doctrine of the Cross which they thought would interrupt their pleasures and Eclipse their Greatness And at this day how is the world divided about the great Business of Salvation The Turks would ascribe this glorious work to their false Prophet Mahomet and the Jews expect Salvation from an imaginary Messias yet to come and Christians are too much divided amongst themselves But after all Christ will accomplish the End of His coming into the world which was to bear Testimony to the truth He will distinguish between the true and the false Believers And His Kingdom shall at last shine forth in an utter Abolition of the Kingdom of Darkness I have only this to add further Be the times never so perilous our dangers never so great next the Protection of the Almighty a Christian Holy Life our stedfast Obedience to the King Conformity to the Church will be found our surest Refuge For the King cannot will not forsake that Faith of which He is the glorious Defender nor those Subjects who by the Tenure of their Religion think themselves obliged to defend Him with their Lives and Fortunes And of this we as well as the rest of the Nation have had a very late confirmation in His Majesties Gracious Reply to that Eloquent and truly Loyal Speech made in behalf of the University To which His Majesty was pleased to answer That He was fully satisfied of the Loyalty of the University and that He did not at all doubt but we would always act according to what we there declared His Majesty likewise told us That He would constantly Own and Defend the Church of England as by Law established This He bid us be assured of for He would be as good as His word whatever Representation either had or should be made of Him to the contrary Being farther pleased to add That there was no other Church in the world that Taught and Practised Loyalty so conscientiously as that did O Let us and all that hear me this Day make good this gracious Opinion which His Majesty hath conceiv'd of Us and Our Church That so both King and People supporting each other and Both uniting in an Holy Conspiracy for the good of the Church We may yet Emerge a Glorious Flourishing Kingdom to the utter Disappointment and Confusion of all our Enemies whether Papists or Fanaticks whom God in his infinite Mercy either convert or in His Infinite Power bring to Condigne Punishment that so Justice may be no Longer Obstructed but that Righteousness and Peace may joyn in an Holy Kiss Amen The End Joh. 18. 35. Job 1. 22. Isa 53. 9. Luk. 23. 47. Heb. 1. 23. Joh. 18. 37. John 19. 11. 2 Cor. 10. 4. Eph. 6. 12. 1 John 4. 3. Luk. 3. 14. Rom. 13. 4. Tert. De Ido Cap. XIX Isa 2. 4. Micah 4. 3. Judg. 5. 23. Psal 105. 15. Rom. 13. 5. James 1. 27. Dan. 6. 16. Dan. 3. 20. Matth. 16. 18. Rom. 132. Matth. 5. 10. Matth. 10. 18. Matth. 5. 9. Mark 12. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 2. Luk. 19. 22. Isa 49. 23. Matth. 10. 18. Luke 12. 4 5. Matth. 10. 16. Act. 23. 6. Psal 145. 13. Psal 149. 8. Matth. 4. 9. Psal 2. 2. Luk. 19. 14. John 18. 37.
being surfited with Plenty do we nauseat the Blessings of his Majesties happy Restauration We have indeed had our Portion in this Life And our Kingdom seems to have been too much of this world Our present Distemper proceeds from a Fullness of Humors and Rankness of Bloud Now if we would take the Gentlest way of Cure we are not to let out but correct and sweeten the Bloud And this in a Moral sense cannot be done but by Mortification by strict Fastings Watchings and Prayers Our Kingdom is not of this world and all that we have to do in it is to promote the Peace and Prosperity of it so long as we continue in it and to secure our own eternal wellfare when we go out of it The Founder of this our Kingdom spent much of his time in solitude prayer and abstaining from the common converse of the world When He was fullest of business He often went into solitude for Prayer And when He was on the last Stage of His Life even at Jerusalem He retired to the Mount of Olives to betake Himself to Private Prayer and was apprehended performing the Duty of solitary Prayer Let us in Imitation of Him and in Conformity to the Laws of His Kingdom Betake our selves frequently to solitary Prayers And in our Devout Recesses and Holy Retreats from the Noise and Impertinent business of this world Let us commend our Souls to God And in our prayers bewail more especially our sins of Murmuring and Ingratitude the Cause of our present Distractions and which will if not repented of Involve us in a more Terrible Destruction than the utmost Rage of our Enemies is able to effect But most especially let us pray for the safety of His Majesties Sacred Person and the Long continuance of His Life for the Peace of Jerusalem and the Prosperity of Sion That He would confound His Enemies and make all His Royal Friends to Rejoyce That He would deliver the Innocent from the Oppressor and bring the perjur'd man to condign punishment That He would preserve the purity of the Religion establish'd amongst us from Superstition and Enthusiasm In a word That He would infuse Grace into all our Hearts that we may in all things walk worthy of our High calling and shew our selves Loyal Subjects of Christs Kingdom by our stedfast Obedience to our Supreme Governour the King and to all Subordinate Magistrates as sent and Commissioned by Him That so with St Luke whose Praise is in the Gospel and all the Glorious Army of Saints and Martyrs we may at length Arrive at the Kingdom of Heaven Amen The End A SERMON Preach'd before the University OF CAMBRIDGE St John 18. 36. If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be deliver'd to the Jews IN the former part of the verse Christ declares his Kingdom not to be of this world which Declaration is here confirm'd by a reason drawn from the Nature and Practice of the Kingdoms of this world which should be to defend their Kings as to the immunity and safety of their Sacred Persons so likewise in the free exercise of their just Rights and Prerogatives whensoever one or the other shall happen to be invaded either by Faction from their own Subjects or Violence from forein Enemies Kings by their Coronation Oaths have made themselves Accountable to God Almighty and Him alone if they fail in their Duty of defending the Liberties and Properties of their People for which reason they ought to be the more circumspect in their ways for as much as the Divine vengeance is more to be dreaded than any which the strongest arm of flesh can inflict And the People have indispensably obliged themselves by Oaths of Allegeance and Fidelity to afford them such Assistance both from their Persons and Estates as shall be judged convenient and necessary for the maintaining their Crowns and Dignities In this mutual Assistance and Confidence of each other consists the Beauty Strength and Safety of Government Without which a King would be no better than a piece of Gaudy Pageantry set up to be gaz'd on and pull'd down by every Caprice of the Multitude And the People would be depriv'd of the Benefits which they might reasonably expect to enjoy under the Government Our Saviour then infers by a Logick very proper and concluding If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be deliver'd to the Jews If the Kingdom which I have been promoting ever since I was born into the world but more especially these three last years of my Reign were of the same nature with the Kingdoms of this world then would my Subjects draw their swords in my just defence and not suffer me to be thus basely betrayed and deliver'd into the hands of my insulting Enemies the Jews The words then of my Text without force or wresting afford these three following Positions 1. That 't is Lawfull and the Duty of Christians to draw their swords in defence of their Sovereign 2. That 't is not Lawfull but highly impious in Christians to Rebel against their Sovereign or disturb the Government under the specious pretence of defending their Religion 3. That 't is the Duty of Christians patiently to suffer for their Religion if it be their Lot to fall into persecuting times and this in most cases the best and in some the only Remedy left them 1. I begin with the First Position That 't is Lawfull and the Duty of Christians to draw their swords in Defence of their Sovereign If my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be deliver'd to the Jews Whereby the King of Heaven and Prince of Peace approves of the Practices of the Kings of the earth who have their Guards to defend their Sacred Persons Their Armies to oppose and subdue their Enemies Whereby He gives a Commission to all Christians to fight for their Lawfull Sovereigns and to lay their Enemies prostrate at their triumphant feet It was therefore a rash Determination in Tertullian from our Saviours command to St Peter to sheath his sword to infer it unlawfull for Christians at any time to draw theirs And 't is highly culpable in his followers from this one instance to conclude all warfare Criminal as if Christ had hereby disbanded all Christian Soldiers What is this but to make Christianity a prey to the Unsatiable a laughing-stock to the Insolent to prostitute the Lives and Fortunes of Christians to the pleasure of the Outragious and to make Christian Kings of all men most despicable if it were not Lawfull for them to repel Injuries by open Force when all other means prove ineffectual This were to deprive Subjects of the opportunities of shewing their Loyalty of the Rewards due to those who bravely venture their Lives to relieve Widows Orphans or any that are unjustly opprest to defend Churches and the Sacred Revenue from avaricious and sacrilegious Hands
Secondly Whose Kingdom do they belong to who negotiate the affairs of Souls after another manner than Christ did Who aim at Superiority in the Church with a Design to Lord It over Christs Flock and exercise Tyranny over the Consciences of men Who take upon them the Ministerial Function to gratifie their Avarice and Ambition and make the Patrimony of the Church subservient to base Secular ends Who if once arriv'd to a pretended unappealable degree of Hierarchy presently exalt themselves above all that is called God These are so far from being Faithfull Subjects of Christs Kingdom that they are the very enemies of Christ For if the Governours of the Church of Good Shepherds become Ravenous Wolves And instead of Reducing the Strays to the Flock in the Spirit of meekness they shall by their Pride and Haughtiness Drive the Sheep from thence what a sad account will they have to make hereafter to the Great Shepherd of Souls How guilty the Pope and his Ecclesiasticks have been of this Charge I shall not need declare But so long as the Governours of the Church execute their High Calling according to Christs Prescript the Practice of the Apostles and Primitive Bishops with Humility Sobriety Hospitality Gravity and Moderation there is yet great hopes that the Governed the People may yet bring forth the blessed Fruits of Love Peace Joy Obedience Long-suffering Goodness Faith Meekness and Temperance Thirdly Let us enquire whose Kingdom they belong to who would destroy all those whom they account the Enemies of Christs Kingdom with other weapons than He hath allowed of Of all Feuds those about Religion are the fiercest And therefore 't is well the Captain of our Salvation hath told us what kind of Armes we are to use in its Defence otherwise the Christian Camp through the Perversness of the Commanders had made but one common Field of Bloud Lukewarmness in Religion or an Indifferency to All Religions is as bad as if we profess'd none at all To maintain our Religion by Cruelty or Injustice is worse than if we profess'd none at all He who denies a God only proclaims himself a Fool But we want a name to distinguish him by who makes God the Author of Impieties or his Religion a Countenancer of Injustice He who out of Zeal to God robbeth Caesar of his Dues were it in his power would de-throne God and set himself up in His Room Jesus answer'd My Kingdom is not of this world What then shall we think of His pretended Vicar who impudently claimeth a Right to all the Kingdoms of this world Who whilst he hypocritically stiles himself a servant of the meanest of the servants of Jesus Christ Usurps the Power of deposing Kings and disposing of their Kingdoms To deal sincerely with you I think this Impious Practice to be one of the most Irrefragable Arguments to prove him to be The Anti-Christ That whereas some have taken a great deal of Pains to prove Him so from the obscure Prophecies of Daniel And others with great Labour and Difficulties have applied all the Phaenomena and Characters of the Apocalyptical False Prophet to the Pope This is a more sure and compendious way of stamping upon him the Mark of the Beast Christ was both a King and a Priest His Priestly Office in the most solemn manner He conferr'd upon the Apostles His Kingly He left where He founded It Delegated by His Father upon the Emperours of the world and confirm'd that Delegation to us by His own Obedience to Them Now then if the Pope out of Great solicitude for the Churches committed to His charge makes any unjust Attempts upon their Regalities He strikes at the Kingly Office of Christ and endeavours Solvere Jesum the Dissolution of Jesus as the Vulgar Translation and those Greek Copies it follows have it Now since He dares not pretend to this Power immediately from Christ for He cannot find any such Donation amongst all the Rights He pretends to as St Peters Successor His Indirect Power and in Order to Spirituals will not serve his Turn For to suppose the worst That the Kings of the earth should stand up and take Council together to destroy Christs Kingdom shall therefore his Holiness add Impiety to their madness by Deposing them and absolving their Subjects from their Obedience If he does he is so far from being Christs Vicar That he is a Barabbas and though he may escape as Barabbas did Punishment in this Life yet that eternal Vengeance which pursues Robbers and Murtherers will overtake him in the other All that the Governours of the Church can do in this Extremity is to Advise Admonish Rebuke with all Gravity and Humility to set before them the Folly and Danger of such Councils and the certain Destruction which always attends them And if such with all other Christian means prove ineffectual they having discharg'd their Duty must commit Themselves and Their Cause to God in Tears Fasting and Prayers And in those very Prayers they must remember more especially their Persecutors Lastly if God so willeth in a Patient suffering the Loss of Life These are the only justifiable weapons by which the Church of Christ opposeth Her Enemies And now give me leave in a few words to bring all home to our selves None of us have been so closely Immur'd in our Studies but we must have observ'd something of the present State of Affairs How that our Church hath two Potent and Restless Enemies to Encounter the Romanists and the Presbyterians with all the Inferior Sects that fight under their Banner We have been sufficiently Alarm'd by the Hellish Plots of the one And we have by sad Experience felt the unsupportable Tyranny of the other Yet God forbid that we should serve Them as they would do Us Defend Our Religion by the same unwarrantable Practices by which they would Destroy It. The Reformed Religion of the Church of England as it has the most of Primitive Purity in worship Doctrine and Discipline so hath it of Christian Loyalty of any other Religion in the world And 't is our Happiness to live under as Gracious a Prince as ever Sway'd the English Sceptre since the Conquest Who has through his whole Reign been more Tender of the Liberty and Property of the Subject than of his own Prerogative Whence then these Hideous Murmurings and Complainings in our Streets Whence these Daily Outcries and Fears of being led into Captivity Are they not from hence that there are a sort of restless ungratefull people amongst us who under pretence of Securing the Protestant Religion would ruine the Church of England the best and surest Guard against Popery Who by wheadling the People with the specious Names of Liberty and Property would undermine Monarchy the strongest bullwark against Tyranny and Arbitrary Power But is it possible that the same cheats should pass twice upon a Nation in the same Age Have we so soon forgot the Miseries and Desolations of the late Usurpation or