Christians tho not to busy or uncharitable Surmises yet to a prudent Examination of Men that deal with them in the concernments of their Souls And more especially if they challenge the Graces and Truths we have received and pretend to outdo and blast the Labours of such we have profited by as if none but they could be Instruments of conferring Grace or investing us in the priviledges of the Church This Examination is frequently enjoined 1 John 4. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 21. God hath given us a Rule to judg of Men and Doctrines by and some degree of Abilities to judg of them by that Rule It is true Paul as an inspired Person had an extraordinary Spirit of discerning which ordinary Christians cannot pretend to Nevertheless God hath appointed private Christians to try all Doctrines by the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. and directed our Judgment of men by their Fruits Matt. 7. 16 20. As men we are not utterly incapable to compare and judg of these as Believers there is an additional fitness for it by the Life and anointing they have received This spiritual Life is not so void of Sensation but that the Ears can try Words and God's promise is a security that the Anointing shall prevent their finally erring in fundamental Truths 1 John 2. 27. These things must excuse any Christian from blindly giving up his Faith or Hope to such who can most daringly pretend to Dominion over them He ought to plead a Judgment of Discretion as his right in what concerns his own Faith and Practice And tho some whose designs be thereby justly suspected decry this private Judgment let not us be discouraged from the use of it For it is a more publick Judgment if true than the mistaken Sense of a whole Council It 's what distinguisheth us from Bruits in our deliberate Acts. Yea they that condemn it are forced to use this private Judgement in the choice of their Church and Guides But I shall wave any further regard to the Connexion of the Text with the rest of the Chapter and improve it as a Rule to judg our own State by under this plain Position Doct. The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power With what concern ought we to attend to a Truth which is designed to discriminate the very Professors of Christianity And which implies that many such Professors are deceived in their chief concernments in Religion as being content without that Power wherein the Kingdom of God consisteth Yet what is more usual with fallen Man than to debase Religion to what his own Lusts and Fancy will prescribe He is scarce perswadeable that God will exact more from him than a carnal idle spirit is disposed to allow We are content that some external Homage be paid to the Almighty and that some sleight attempts and attainments be intended but we confine our religious endeavours within those limits not regarding that real godliness consists chiefly in such dispositions and acts as express the supreme interest of God in the Soul and the effectual energy of his Grace and Power in a renewed mind The Text tends to awaken deep convictions in you That God hath not admitted vain man into the Consult about the Nature or Standard of his Kingdom nor will he model the Statutes of it according to a Sinner's Judgment and Hopes but whether they will be his Subjects or continue their Rebellion his Kingdom truly is and will shortly appear to be not in Word but in Power I shall give you 1. Some account of what is intended by the Kingdom of God. 2. I shall under the same Heads explain how it is not in Word but in Power and evidence the truth of the Doctrine I begin with some account of the Kingdom of God. This hath various acceptations in Scripture and denotes several things more than is designed by this Kingdom in my Text as 1. Gods Providential Government over all things This is that Kingdom which ruleth over all He hath not so left the Creatures to their own Conduct but that he secureth his blessed ends by his management of them This is that Dominion to be subject to which no mans consent is asked to which all are obedient against their repugnant inclinations and deepest contrivance Sinners in their utmost neglects of the revealed will of God yea in their most notorious violations of them are subject to this Providence and serve its purposes Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder thereof thou shalt restrain By this Kingdom 's influence it is that blessed Effects do oft proceed from dismal Causes and what seems very destructive doth contribute to the best event We may well say of this Kingdom it is in Power it being the irresistible execution of what the Divine Will hath decreed yea is the effective will of the Supreme Disposer of all things 2. The glorious State Rewards and Priviledges of God's Subjects in the highest Heavens That 's the Kingdom of glory and completes the things begun in this Kingdom of Grace There God ruleth and is obeyed in a manner incomprehensible to us We shall be Subjects and yet Kings Rev. 1. 6. We must always pay our homage but in Princely Robes Bodies and Souls will bear an amazing resemblance of Christ our Head. And tho the Divine Essence whose glory all the Mediatoral Contrivances of Christ's Kingdom referred to will be all in all yet we shall behold in the Humane Nature of Christ as great manifestations of God as Men or Angels were capable of the divine glory shineth in the face of Christ above all other things and he seemeth designed to be a Mediator of fruition for the improvement of the Glory of Angels as well as the other glorified Subjects of that Kingdom The Glory of God doth lighten that Heavenly City and the Lamb is the light thereof By all our present improvements we labour for and hasten to that Kingdom and therein terminate all the blessed methods we are under in this our lower state But the Kingdom of God which my Text refers to is the Moral Government of God among men on Earth especially as he is King Redeemer in and by the Lord Jesus There be three things belonging to this Kingdom which are severally called by this same term the Kingdom of God and each of them may well be intended by the Holy Ghost in my Text. I. The Gospel which containeth the Laws Institutions and Charter of this Kingdom II. The Graces and Actings which qualifie men as Subjects of this Kingdom and express God's Authority over them and their Loyalty to Him. III. All true Believers who are the real Subjects that make up this Kingdom I might insist on some other things but these will be of greatest use to us and are principally intended I. The Kingdom of God is the Gospel which containeth the Laws Institutions and Charter of our King Redeemer So it 's taken Mat. 21.
What profit will you reap by Orthodox Principles while you are Hypocrites in Heart Church-Membership will expose to the forest rebukes for if the Children of the Kingdom perish they are cast into outer darkness At last pity your selves Why should you be at any pains if you will not do enough to bring you to Heaven Can any thing this side Glory be the Reward you intend by being Religious Why then will you not be so Religious as to obtain that Glory Oh! mock God no longer delude thy own Soul no more thou art almost a Christian be altogether so or the Convictions and Helps that have almost persuaded thee will aggravate thy ruin when thou fallest into Hell from a pitch so much higher than the Atheist and Pagan 3. Very plausible Appearances of Religion may be without this Power Men may appear sincere to others yea to themselves and yet be Hypocrites There is a very probable Form without the Power of Godliness Every living Grace hath its dead Image thy Heart may be hard when Groans abound thou may'st cry loud and oft to God and thy Soul never pray thy Affections may be on Earth when thy Eyes are lifted up to Heaven So inward is the Life of Grace and so deceitful are our Hearts that we can say of the seemingly greatest Christians but as Peter did of Silvanus a faithful Brother as I suppose For the Supposition may regard that as well as the uncertainty of his being Peters Messenger Yea we are so subject to deceive our selves that we have need to pray with David Lord search me and try me Alass How many with Alexander may have great Zeal and want Integrity Promise much and perform the contrary You will be found Virgins with Lamps and yet want Oyl seem lively Saints and be dead Sinners We may with bleeding Hearts consider that very many have been not far from Grace and yet never attained it because some one Lust opposed it or some one Idol prevented it It 's a great thing to be truly Religious The best natural Temper the most splendid Acts the exactest Profession are not infallible Evidences of a Mans being truly Pious but are separable from saving Grace You have need therefore of the strictest care and jealousie in dealing with your Hearts Oh! look to it that your Religion hath in it the undoubted Characters of a spiritual Life and of Gods Kingdom being set up in you in its very Power The hardest task is to arrive at this Power of Godliness to get Carnal-self dethroned and the Government of Christ chearfully submitted to This Kingdom in its Duties and Priviledges hath been long preached to you now God is importunate that you exclude not your selves from the Rewards of it by Rebelling against the Laws and Terms of it Were you acquainted with the Nature of Christs Kingdom it would soon be desirable The King is our rightful Lord and not an Usurper He hath the tenderness of a Father is infinitely Wise and Good He admits all his Subjects to the State of Children yea the Dignity of Kings All the Laws of it refer to our Good and tend to our Perfection and whatever is required of us he is present to assist us in yea ready to forgive all Weaknesses consistent with sincere Endeavors And can you refuse this easie Yoak of Christ from day to day Will you refuse this that you may continue Slaves to the Devils and Servants to your Lusts Oh! that even now you were made willing and able to submit to Christ and inspired with that Divine Nature which agrees to this State that is even the heavenly Kingdom begun Oh! perish not in your Misconceits and wilful Disobedience after all these Pleadings 3. Improve in the Power of Religion if you have attained to any degree of it There are remains of Weakness and Disloyalty in the best of us and so there 's place for our utmost Endeavors to become more suited to this happy State in our Temper and Behaviour How much are we short of our Fellow Subjects in Light Strength and Love We are come to mount Zion the City of the living God to an innumerable Company of Angels to the Church of the First Born and the Souls of just Men made perfect We serve the same Lord we partake of the same Nature are admitted to the same Relation and we expect the same Glory which our King doth design us to as well as them And must not these things cause a Blush in us that we are so remiss in our Improvements Can they fail to awaken our Souls to proceed from strength to strength Therefore let Mortification be your work while any Lusts remain Be more Spiritual in every Duty more Renewed in your Minds and let all your Works be more perfect What should be so much your concern as that the Laws of Christ have a more absolute Authority in you that Gods Image impress the whole Man and your Souls be more enlarged and listed up in all the ways of this Kingdom Rest not till you find Christ Rules alone and that you entirely live to Christ under the very constraints of Love to Him. How happy will you be when the very Peace of God rules in your Hearts yea so rule as that it restrains all that may interrupt it and command to all that can express and maintain it When this is your Frame your Delights will be more refined you will now live much nigher to God your exceeding Joy and have an abundant Entrance to his Pallace above when a few Days are over Resolve then that you will still grow up into Christ till nothing inspires you but his Life and nothing be done by you but what is Loyalty to Him. 4. Visibly express the sincerity of your Subjection to God and the Efficacy of his Grace in your Souls This is incumbent on all Christians but I shall apply my self more especially to you that are Magistrates and the occasion of this Assembly You do profess your selves real Subjects to Christ evidence then that real Christians are more fitted to serve their Generation than other Men. Let Christ Govern by all your Power and his Interests be advanced by you to the utmost of your Talents Convince the World that nothing can allure or affright you from exact Obedience to Christs Laws and Fidelity to his Concerns Christs Eye is on your Hearts and Behaviour in your present Circumstances The Eyes of many of very different sorts are on you yea the credit of Religion is concerned in your Behaviour And it 's but a few Days when you must with awakened Spirits review your present Actings it may be under afflictive Dispensations when thrust off your present Stage But certainly when you come to die and appear before the Tribunal of the Lord your Judge Therefore create not bitter Reflections by selfish Aims sinful Neglects or unbecoming Deviations A tormenting Conscience in that Day will not be
The Kingdom of God in Power A SERMON Preached before the RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir JOHN SHORTER Knight Lord Mayor OF THE CITY of LONDON AT GROCERS-HALL November the 20th 1687. By Daniel Williams Minister of the Gospel Published by his Lordships Command LONDON Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard and Tho. Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultry 1688. To the Right Honourable Sir JOHN SHORTER Knight Lord Mayor OF THE CITY of LONDON My LORD WHen your Lordship desired me to Preach before you the improvement of it to the greatest usefulness was my concern To this end it was needful to fix on Subjects suitable to an Auditery so promiscuous none occurred to me so conducive to my purpose as this which led me to deal with all men in things most important to their Eternal Condition and yet to mind your Lordship and Brethren of somewhat referring to your present Office. The second Subject I Preached on was pursuant to this viz. The Dedication of our Lives to Christ and his Interests from Phil. 1. 21. After I had Preached the Second time I was surprised with a Request of your Lordships and some of the Aldermen to Publish both these Discourses but there wanted not many Reasons which prevented any design of Compliance with that desire tho enforced by your undeserved respects to one so much a Stranger But finding some few days past that after all my care to obviate any such snrmises some passages in that Second Sermon are misrepresented as irritating of the Church of England I am inclined to Publish very soon that Second Discourse if I may prevent or remove any such offences which are now at least more fatal than any Imprudent Propagators thereof do apprehend Being thus disposed to publish the last I am obedient to your Lordships repeated intreaties in sending out the First Sermon in its order Tho two days being all the time I had to prepare either of these Discourses and absence from my Library limiting me to the use of no Book besides the Bible are my just Apology for some defects in them yet I must say that I have delivered nothing but what I believe to be the Will of God and had my helps or abilities been more considerable I would not debase matters of so great concernment by vain Sallies of Wit nor deaden their common use by laborious Periods or a lighter Stile The Institutions of God have their proper decency and are best managed by a tendency to Spiritual Ends and general Edification The substance of the Account of the nature of the Kingdom of God I give in Scripture-words tho chiefly for greater Conviction yet also that none may arraign it as Cant without ridiculing the Divine Oracles which surely must command dread in all who esteem themselves by a Christian Name I believe Your Lordship in calling us Nonconformists to preach before you and we in undertaking that Labour can have no Turn to serve besides the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom and the revival of the Power of Godliness so much degenerated into Formality among all Parties We value Capacious Places no otherwise than as an opportunity for this and now we enjoy such we desire no attempts for more Splendid ones to the offence of any Perhaps Your Lordship may share in our wonder at the silly Descants of some on our Persons and Performances in this Liberty We must needs be Tradesmen because we have preached so long without Publick Sallary Our Sermons are Cant because we use Scripture-Expressions though in their proper sense They are Enthusiastick if we say any thing of Heart-work or the Spirit 's influence We do nothing but whine and make faces if we appear in the least moved by what we say and believe or seem concerned to prevail with our Hearers We do ill to preach now we do not suffer by it though they know we thought it our Duty when we paid so dear for it Or at best that Contingent Events should supersede our Labours as a prudential Act when we are under a solemn dedication to the Work of Christ as Ministers and our Labours to bring the Souls of men under the power of Truth will prove the best security to the Professors of it when great Offers and awakening Fears will trample on the clearest Notions of an Vnregenerate Heart But I enlarge too far Your Lordship 's acting the part of a Christian Magistrate is recompence for whatever Censures you undergo the World is not yet of the temper to speak well of all that do well and Christ exempts not the Vsefullest from hardships on this lower stage Peace of Conscience in having performed our Duty and the Testimony of Christ to our Faithfulness in the Great Judgment is all the Comfort a Christian can now be sure of and what he ought to be contented with There are many Prayers sent to the Throne of Grace for Your Lordship That you may want neither Wisdom nor Steddiness in a Place so Eminent and Circumstances so perplexing That Promise which hath somewhat of a Rule in it is applicable to you The Integrity of the Upright shall guide them That you may find this accomplished to Publick Conviction and a Comfortable Event of your Present Employ is the unfeigned Desire of Your Lordship's most humble Servant Daniel Williams A SERMON Preached before the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord Mayor c. 1 COR. IV. 20. For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power THE Apostle in the latter part of this Chapter doth more than hint at some Attempts against the credit of his Person and Ministry the Men he points at as guilty of this design did not only wear a Christian Name but pretended to a more than common Zeal and Light while they imputed to the Apostle some contemptible plainness and remisness He not only vindicates himself but threatneth an Enquiry into these plausible pretences of theirs resolving on that Enquiry to determine whether that extraordinary Profession was expressive of the power of Godliness or only a dead Image and whether the improved Doctrines they boasted of were the great essential Tâ—uths of the Gospel and those delivered in a manner conducive to the advancement of Gods Kingdom This is the sense of v. 19. My Text is a Reason of that designed Enquiry and the force of it as a Reason lay in these Implications All this noise may be without any Substance the Power of Religion lies in somewhat above these pretences the Kingdom of God which is the only valuable Concern consists not in Externals but in the Power of Religion and it 's most suspicious that these censorious Pretenders who obstruct my Ministry are little sharers in or Friends to the Kingdom of God after all this fair shew in the Flesh. On these accounts the Apostle's search in order to a Judgment of these mens Profession and Doctrines was justifiable and necessary And his Practice with the Reason of it calls all
43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you that is the Gospel But when I use the word Gospel I do not mean the Gospel in opposition to the Mosaical dispensation as it is oft used The Gospel Administration in this sense is often called in the Evangelists the Kingdom of Heaven as being a fairer more full and powerful Edition of the Institutes of this Kingdom than was published before tho yet the Kingdom commenced and had its essential Laws and Rules long before Christ's coming But I mean the Gospel as a Law of Grace in opposition to the Law of Works delivered to man in his Innocent State. To direct your conceptions in this important Truth You must consider 1. That God had and exercised a Supreme Authority over men as he was their Creator He enacted Laws for our observance well becoming his Nature to injoin and our Condition to obey For some time we continued Loyal in Adam our common Head but by his fall Mankind became rebellious against God and by the Penal Sanction of the law of Works and the Rule fixed for man's propagating his Condition with his Nature we lost our original power to obey and forfeited our right to all that Good which was promised to perfect obedience Yea are exposed to the utmost misery in that Curse denounced against the least sin This is the condition of all men as related to God as our Creator though he has lost nothing of his right to command or punish his Rebellious Creatures How justly might our injured Lord have confined our state to these methods Who might complain if God had finally executed that judgment which past on all men unto condemnation The irremediable state of Devils on their Rebellion may awaken Mankind to ascribe all new overtures for happiness to the riches of the Grace of God. Yea every part of that Curse which exerts its self by any degree of misery in Soul or Body should convince us that it 's of meer mercy we are not bound in chains to the judgment of the great day 2. Immediately after the fall God erected a new Kingdom in and by Christ as Redeemer In the Curse denounced against the Serpent he opened a door of Grace to sinful Man. He treats with us in order to our recovery and resolved eventually to save the Elect yet this was to be in no other way but by becoming subject to the Rules of this new Kingdom This Kingdom is owing to Christ as the procuring Cause and the management thereof was deputed to him He managed it in a variety of successive administration as Lawgiver he enacted Terms of life Rules of practice Directions for Worship and Discipline among his Subjects He published blessed Promises and denounced Threats against the unperswadeable No man was ever saved but by the Rules of this New Kingdom and owes it to the Grace and Merits of Christ though every dispensation did not give equal notices of Him or that explicite knowledge of God-man Redeemer notwithstanding that Sacrifices pointed to Him and sundry Prophetick Revelations foretold Him. 3. All Mankind are under all the Laws of this Kingdom as far as they can attain to the knowledg of them They are obliged to obey the terms of Life which are injoined by the Redeemer in their respective Age and Place Life is offer'd to them and they are saveable on those terms Sinners now act a new Rebellion as well as bind the first Curse on themselves when they refuse obedience to the Remedial Law. Yea they aggravate their ruine by their wilful obstinacy which is a great part of the undoing-impotency of Mankind Awful is that complaint of Christ wherein he leaves the blood of lost man on their own heads Ye will not come to me that ye may have life Refusers of Christ add to their Rebellion against the Creator most notorious disloyalty against the Redeemer who hath an additional claim to dominion over us For We are bought with a price and therefore should glorify him with our bodies and our souls which are his And he had a respect to this new acquired Authority in his death for to this end he died and rose again that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living All of us are further engaged to observe all the Laws of his House the Rules of Worship and Practice yea every Institution of his There is an amazing Sovereignty in the different promulgation of these to the World but to give my sense thereof would exceed the limits of one Discourse II. The Kingdom of God denotes the graces and actings which qualify men as Subjects of God's Kingdom and express God's Authority over them and their Loyalty to him Thus you must understand that Scripture The Kingdom of God is not in meat and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost q. d. The dominoin of God over Christians and their loyal state of obedience to God lieth not in your poor differences about meat or such low matters Therefore judg not others who may differ from you nor be you satisfied with your own usages in these less momentous things as an evidence of your Christian state God's Kingdom is in far higher matters even in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost How can any man after so plain a signification of the Divine Will place all his Religion in trifles or sacrifice the undoubted Concernments of God's Kingdom to disputable things of far less moment Peace alone by this Text is more valuable than all the things for which some have long divided the Church This is the Kingdom of God as erected in the heart and is inclusive of whatever denotes sincere subjection to Christ. To this belongs every Grace which is essential to a real Christian and all those acts which are necessary to express the prevalency of such Graces over all opposite Vices and Defects This Kingdom is advanced to the degrees of mens improvement in the Divine Life and the Dominion of God over their Designs and Actings III. The Kingdom of God is used for all true Believers who are the real Subjects that make up this Kingdom These are they in whom the former Graces abide and do acknowledg the Authority of the Lord Redeemer They are all translated into the Kingdom of Christ. By their consent to the terms of the Gospel they who were Aliens are Naturalized and the Outlawry is reversed which stood against them as Rebellious Subjects This Kingdom is of the same extent with the Church Mystical and as these Subjects multiply it is enlarged It 's true that all who credibly profess subjection to Christ are Parts of this Kingdom as it 's visible and external they are Subjects in the judgment of Charity and as to external Privileges This Christ asserts in that Parable The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net cast into the Sea and gather'd of every kind which when it was
God. That is Baptism lieth in the Souls true Correspondence to and Performance of our Baptismal Profession and Vows and not a meer sprinkling of water in an external act of the Minister Receiving the Lords Supper is not the bare partaking of the Consecrated Elements but Communion with our Crucified Christ by Faith and Love under the quicknings of the Spirit Joh. 5. 53 63. We see that God chiefly regardeth the inward Worship of the Soul and not bodily performances The same power extends to every thing wherein Religion is concerned if this Kingdom of Grace obtaineth in the Soul Gods Authority is set above our wills humours and lusts Satan is dethroned Sin hath not Dominion over us Rom. 6. 6 14. Spiritual things are relished above sensitive good we are brought to live to God and not to carnal self and there is an impartial respect to all Gods Commandments Psal. 18. 22. To finish this particular this Kingdom consists of Holy Inclinations in the Heart and implies a degree of strength to act those Inclinations Here are not faint Velleities and uneffectual Desires or Complaints but a Spirit of Power of Love and a sound Mind whereby Temptations are in a good measure resisted and Holy Actions performed This is the Model of the Kingdom this his Gospel Injoineth this his Grace Effecteth and any thing below it would not improve a Sinner to the Holiness our Redeemer designed reconciled Sinners to God's Kingdom never hath place where any of these Essentials are wanting or where there is only some dead form of them 3. Believers who are the Subjects of Gods Kingdom are not meer Professors of Christianity but truly Regenerate and Practical Christians They are of another spirit than what they once were or the rest of the World continue yet to be their extraction is higher being born not of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but of the will of God They have far different apprehensions of Spiritual objects than a carnal mind is capable of these practically know the great things of God in a Spiritual evidence being taught by him as the truth is in Jesus They are a people made willing in the day of God's power Then a mighty Arm subdued their obstinacy without violence silenced their prejudices and made them obedient by agreeable inclinations to the Law and powerful convictions of God's Authority and Goodness Their Religion is not in empty speculations As every truth tends to practice so they feel the power of Truth The objective Glory of Christ transformeth them into the same Glory in their measure They walk with God whom the world knows not they live above what Sinners dote on to please and honour God is their governing-aim To keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and men is their exercise and working out their Salvation is their chief business while as Pilgrims here they are waiting for the expected Inheritance These live the life of Christ are acted by his Spirit which dwells in them by an abiding Relation and are appointed for his glorious purposes They are not Hypocritical pretenders tho censured as Cheats by such men whose Corruptions represent all better pretences as Hypocrisie How much do the Conceptions Designs Experience Attainments and Actings of these men exceed the rest of mankind There is more Piety in many of their common Actions than in the Religious Performances of others these are they whom the Apostle describes as a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people fit and designed to shew forth the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Can any of you doubt these express Characters of all sincere Christians Of these and only these Christs Kingdom doth consist There are such persons in the World or God hath no Kingdom in it Such as are wholly otherwise in their Temper and Actings are Rebels and Aliens in Gods esteem and declared incapable of Eternal Glory Perhaps some of you may Prophanely Scoff at this account as if it were impossible to be thus Sincere and Spiritual or it were needless to be thus Pious Just Temperate or Heavenly-minded but be it known to you that you will shortly be convinced your selves ought to be such men and passionately wish all this could have been truly said of you I have designedly given the Character of the Subjects of this Kingdom in Scripture-Expressions lest any should esteem it a Fancy which they owe not that regard to as to judge of themselves by it But I hope you cannot shut your eye against the Testimony of God nor put any Gloss on those Scriptures which can prevent your suspecting your own Condition Must not you think now how few are Members of this Kingdom How unlike am I to these Subjects of Christ when I never found any of these things nor proposed them to my self as things necessary to be attained by me What a change must there be in my Heart and Life before such a wretch can be meet to be partaker of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light as every real Christian is It remaineth that I apply more particularly such things as you have heard of the Nature and Power of this Kingdom 1. What you have heard of the Gospel may direct us in our judgment of a Gospel Ministry We Ministers are appointed by Christ to persuade Sinners both to yield subjection to God Redeemer and then to walk in all due Loyalty towards Him all our Administrations must be managed by those Laws which respect our Office otherwise we affront the Lord Jesus in whose Name we act and become useless to Men for whose good we are designed The matter of our Preaching ought to be the Gospel even the Kingdom of God and the things which concern our Lord Jesus Christ the manner ought to be such as most conduceth to render it effectual to those Ends for which it is published Ministers are to do their utmost that this Gospel may come not in Word only but in Power and that all may be brought to a compliance with it Therefore we ought not to make State Affairs human Conceits or dictates of Men the matter of our Preaching the Rules of the Covenant of Works nor the Law of Nature as under a respect to that Covenant are not to be urged by us tho the Law of Nature as a rule of our Actions is still of force in this Kingdom of God Redeemer and so must be insisted on The great things we ought to persuade are the things God hath made the terms of Life to redeemed Man. The methods of Reconciliation must be intended for God now dealeth with Men not only as his rational Creatures but as fallen Sinners under new Overtures for Life Sinners must be directed by us to Christ as He on whose Shoulders this New Government is and in whom there is Grace Strength and Pardon which our Apostacy made impossible
by the Law of Works The great Doctrins of Regeneration Repentance Faith in Christ love of God and sincere Obedience as explained by the Gospel Standard are the things to be urged as conditions of Salvation should we mistake these Terms of Life or neglect to persuade your Compliance therewith other things would be vain and leave you dead in your sins What profit is it that you learn and do all things else if you submit not to the Terms of the Gospel For this is the lowest Rule of Gods judgment by which the salvation of any sinner is possible He will judge the secrets of all men by the Gospel The manner also of a Ministers preaching of these Truths is considerable We should publish these in the greatest Evidence and in a way most probable to be attended with the influence of the Spirit Much of that divine Power which persuades you is exerted in fitting the Preacher to plead with you Ministers of the Gospel are therefore to avoid the enticeing words of mans wisdom and must preach in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power We must represent things in the greatest plainness urge Gospel Arguments with the fullest Evidence and Importunity approving our selves to every mans Conscience to the utmost for their Conviction and Persuasion It 's not invaluable to you that the Minister in all his work is under the power of what he preacheth and doth all in a humble dependance on the blessing and power of the Holy Ghost This Ministry answers the Gospel description this hath a tendency and fitness to subdue Souls to Christ this is that the Lord Jesus who ordinarily works according to the aptitude of means doth usually bless Such a Ministry is a sign that God intends the enlargement of his Kingdom and according to what appears of it among us we may expect proportionable Effects The Lord bring the vain Minds of Hearers to approve this sort of Preaching and convince us Ministers of all levity and mistakes in our Ministration 2. What you have heard of the nature of Grace and Loyal Actings towards Christ may sharply reprove all such who seem by Principle to place Religion in any thing short of this Power It 's needful they lock up the Scriptures those Royal Statutes of Christ who dare place Christianity in external Rites tho the Heart and Life be unsanctified It s Disloyalty to Christ to exchange his Institutions for human Inventions Yea it 's Disloyalty to exclude internal Worship for external and define Graces and spiritual Acts by no more than a dead Image of them How must they debase Religion who commend Pomp for spiritual Devotion and make carnal Observances serve instead of Gospel Faith and Love Surely they little regard the Authority and Constitutions of Christ who account Attrition to be Repentance and represent Pilgrimages Confession Penance and blind Obedience to the Church c. too like an Atonement for the absence of the essential Terms of Life What can more expresly contradict Mens pleasing God by meer external Acts or Profession than my Text doth But alas the Doctrin of Opus operatum is too natural to a dead sinner to be confined within the Walls where first avowed All are too apt to throw off Duties as a Penance and think the eternal Spirit is satisfied with bodily Homage Many judge that Ordinances edify them as a meer Charm without any due exercise of Soul in them A mistake in this essential Point is the reason also why many jear at the Graces of God promise Life to a just and civil demeanour and scoff at Holiness as Preciseness The like Effects of a carnal Spirit is Mens esteeming Regeneration to be no more than external Baptism when that is but a visible Representation of the nature of it and a Seal and Instrument of investitute in Gospel Blessing on supposition that we are inwardly Regenerated What a gross conceit is it that Conversion is but a turning from a gross Infidels State by a bare external Profession of Christianity tho the mind be still unrenewed and the Heart unimpressed by a divine Principle From these Sentiments Men ridicule all Pretences to those things which the Scriptures expresly declare concerning every Believer as praying in the Spirit Communion with God Union to Christ Spiritual Joy c. tho the things are intelligible by any that are judicious and experienced by such as have any converse by Faith with God and spiritual Things It 's pity that a prophane Spirit should arraign the Matters peculiar to a Life so far above its self especially when God hath told us A natural man cannot know the things of God because they are spiritually discerned But whilst they must be foolishness to them Wisdom will be justified by its Children as better Advocates and fitter Judges Nevertheless the Devil attains a destructive End by these Notions for his Dominion is supported and poor sinners are secure in a State of Rebellion against Christ whiles they flatter themselves as Subjects to him because they do a few trifles which neither Satan nor their Lusts forbid and Custom Interest or natural Conscience persuade to How will any Soul among you who stands guilty of this Charge dare to look the Blessed Redeemer in the Face What terror will surprize you when you are accused by him as disloyal in your very Principles and asserters of that for Religion whereby Gods Sovereignty over the Heart is excluded and all real actings of Grace unprovided for You have reproached that which God lays the greatest Stress on which his Kingdom chiefly consists in and his Saints most value themselves by Before I proceed to the Exhortations I design it 's needfull to insert two Cautions that may obviate our abuse of this Subject 1 Caution Do not deny this Power of Religion concerning any Person or Party without manifest Grounds Charity binds you to think all are truly Religious that profess to be so unless their Defects or Works palpably blast their Pretences or their Profession be nullified by a direct contradiction As the power of Religion should not be sacrificed to a Ceremony so lesser Faults do not warrant us to accuse men as wanting the power of Godliness Whatever is consistent with the habitual subjection of a Soul to Christ cannot justifie our excluding that Soul out of Christs Kingdom We may say yea must affirm of Men differing from us in many things The same Christ is their Lord and ours Peace and Love are essentials in Christs Kingdom and shall we challenge our own interest by being censorious or enviously narrow the Dominion of our Blessed Redeemer 2 Caution Despise not the external Institutions of Christ under pretence of this Power the Power and Spirit of Christ concur with his Ordinances and the life and vigor of our Graces are exerted in those Ordinances and nourished by them That Spirit is a delusion which puts Men above divine Appointments and the Guilty are as truly
countervailed by any present Advantage You are employed in a time that may evidence the utmost which a Christian can do or endure But whatever may be your Exercise let it be seen that you serve Christ with the same honourable Thoughts of him and Devotedness to him as ever You have the same Lord whose Laws Authority and Interests do not vary with the uncertain Motions of this lower World and whose Concerns are of an infinitly higher Nature than the poor and perishing Toyls of Mortals That I may improve and enforce this Exhortation Consider 1. As Christians and as Magistrates you are the Subjects of Christ and so owe the utmost Fidelity and Serviceableness to him If you are real Believers you are of his Kingdom and that admits none that will not serve Him without Limitations Duty and Gratitude binds you to act with a Supream regard to Christ and to all others only in subordination to Him. You must with Joshua follow him fully It ill becomes you to consult with Flesh and Blood. For did not you Covenant thus with Christ Lord do but save me and I solemnly surrender my self to thee What tho his Service may expose you to some Acts of Self-denial doth not he deserve that from you Shall a dying Christ endure so much for you and will you think a little Contempt too much to bear for him Doth not He in the midst of his exalted Glory in the Heavens intercede for you And can you in a little painted Honor forget to plead his Cause Shall your Mite which also is His be unimployed for Christ who daily lays out his Power Wisdom and Fullness for every Believers use As you are Magistrates you are appointed to the Service of this Redeemer All Power and Judgment is committed to him Magistracy is his Ordinance and should be executed in Christs behalf as well as the Ministry He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and hath appointed the Rulers of the Earth work in his Kingdom whether they attend it or no. Magistrates have the Sword as Ministers have the Word they have the Coercive Power we the Persuasive and Christ will as truly bring the unfaithful Magistrate to an account for his Neglects and Mistakes as the unfaithful Minister 2. Your Sovereign Lord will prosper you according to what he designs to effect in your Day and by your Hands You serve him who manageth all by his Providence and hath chalked out in his Purpose what shall be executed in every Age. De jure the Kingdoms of the Earth are his from the First but from Age to Age he is advancing Mens acknowledgment of his Dominion and erecting a holy Government in the World on the Ruins of Satans Kingdom He hath a Kingdom which all the Powers of Hell shall not extirpate the ruder beginnings of nor prevent its utmost growth This Kingdom lies in the Dominion of Light over Darkness Truth over Error Holiness over Sin pure Gospel-worship over corrupt Worship and the Interests of Jesus over all Rivals It includes the devotedness of earthly Powers to Christs Service and a national Dedication to him as Supream Lord. This Kingdom he enlargeth in set times and towards the latter Days more eminently upon the desolations of Paganism and Antichristianism This happy time I live expecting and rejoyce in some hopeful tho awful Prognosticks of It pleaseth Christ more eminently to employ his real Subjects as his Instruments to advance his Interests by and they shall not want an Anointing to fit and succeed them let the Work seem never so hard and the Success never so improbable It 's not in you or me to allot our selves our Day or Work we must take that as our great Disposer hath allotted This only is incumbent on you that you fill up your Places and see that Christ wants no Service he calls you to and qualifies you for It 's not without his Counsel that you are at this Season in the Magistracy this he appointed you to and hath some design to scrue by you And tho it now appears not what may be the Influence or Event of this Surprize leave that to him whose Counsels are a great depth and doth nothing in vain yea hath ordinarily some great things to do by such whom he signally calls to an opportunity of Service You ought therefore to do what good your Hand finds to do from day to day and that with all your might Resign up your selves to his Conduct and be faithful in present Trust within the bounds of your Places Keep innocent in all your VVays suppress all Sin and advance Righteousness Whiles you are thus Exercised you may expect the Presence of God with you and have a considerable Influence in whatever work Christ hath now in hand Others may little esteem any Usefulness of this Kind but what to a discerning Christian can be more pleasing than contributing any thing to Christs Interests What can be more honourable than to be one of them whom Christ designs in that account They that are with him are called and chosen and faithful 3. The Kingdom of Glory is reserved and will be certainly bestowed on all such as are Loyal to Christ in all their present Trust. They that follow the Lord shall Reign with him Will you repent present Hardships when you stand about the Throne Can you grudge him a few days Service who hope to be ever with him Will you not in those Rivers of Pleasures even relent that your Service was no greater You will wish Oh that I had exceeded the utmost which I did best perform That I had been entrusted with Opportunities for more difficult work It 's no such wonder the damned should have lived to themselves and guide their Course by secular Interests But that the Heirs of Glory should be afraid or ashamed of their Fidelity to Christ would be strange Must not these things reallized by Faith endue you with new Vigor Oh! therefore gird up the Loins of your Minds be prepared to endure Reproach and any Evil that may attend you Be fortified against all Allurements be not of them that are corrupt with Flatterys which sometimes are more ensnaring than Frowns Whatever others choose see that in all your perplexing Doubts you be most sollicitous What now would Christ have me to do And let your Determinations be fixed by the Light you gain thro that Enquiry Examin your Duty as under the Eye of Christ and resolve in it as Men persuaded that your Happiness or Misery depends only on his Favor or his Frowns and that he will deal with you according to your Faithfulness to him He will not put you off with vain Hopes or an imaginary Kingdom if his Grace rule in you and you express it in your Station by a Carriage becoming the Living Subjects of this Kingdom of Grace FINIS Prov. 11. 3. Job 12. 11. Psal. 103. 19. Psal. 76. 10. Rev. 1. 6. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Joh. 32. 1 Cor. 15. 28. Rev. 21. 23. Mat. 21. 43. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 5. 16 18. John 5. 40. 1 Cor. 6. 10. Rom. 14. 9. Rom. 14. 17. Col. 1. 13. Mat. 13. 47 48. Rev. 15. 3. Isa. 33. 22. Rev. 3. 2. 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Rom. 1. 16. 1 John 5. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Eph. 4. 24. John 14. 23. Joh. 4. 24. Psal. 62. 8. Isa. 29. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2 Tim. 1. 7. John 1. 13. Eph. 5. 4. Psal. 110. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Mat. 2. 9. Col. 1. 12. Act. 28. 31. Act. 19. 8. Rom. 2. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 4. Col. 2. 18 19 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Luke 7. 35. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Act. 28. 19 20. Rom. 2. 16. Joh. 3. 36. Mal. 1. 14. Exhort 2. Mot. 1. Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Luke 19. 17. Mat. 11. 23. Mat. 8. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 12. Jer. 42. 5. 2â— Act. 20. 25. Heb. 12. 22 23. Psal. 84. 7. Psal. 43. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 11. Josh. 15. 8. Gal. 1. 16. Dan. 7. 14. Isa. 49. 7. Zech. 14. 9 16 19. Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 11. 32. Rev. 17. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Dan. 11. 32.