the young Lion with the Calfe c. 6. Take heed of imprudency in choosing and imploying of instruments for the establishing the Kingdome of Christ the greatest shew and profession of zeale is not alwayes the programe of the greatest zeale As a man of a calm constitution may seeme to have more patience then another which yet is not patience but mildnesse of temper So a cholerick disposition may appear to be zeale but it is only a natural and earthly not a spirituall and heavenly fire Again he that hath most true zeal and holinesse to make him a spirituall Souldier hath not alwayes the best abilities for a temporall warre It is a great mistake and the mother of much confusion to take grace for gifts or gifts for grace A man may have great gifts and abilities which the Lord will blesse for the benefit of his people and yet have a small measure of grace for his own comfort and salvation And a man may be a very gracious man and yet no more skill to be a good Souldier then to bee a good Shooe-maker It was said of old that then it is well with Kingdomes and Common-wealths when either Philosophers reigne or they that reigne are Philosophers We may say that it is a happy thing when such men are imployed as have best gifts and grace whether it be in the time of peace or war 7. Take heed of fainting and wearying in setting up of the Kingdome of Christ the Lord hath made you instrumentall in laying the foundation ye must persevere till the head stone be brought forth with shoutings otherwise it will be said that these Kingdomes did begin to build but were not able to finish the work Sometimes weaknesse may appeare in one Army and sometimes in another out the cause is the same and with God Almighty there is no shadow of change his power is not greater one day then another for the infinitnesse of Omnipotencie admitteth of no degrees Pilate protested three times that he found no fault in Christ and endeavoured for satisfying his own naturall conscience to set him free but in end lest he should be reputed an enemy to Caesar he delivered him to be crucified Darius laboured all the day long till the setting of the Sun to deliver Daniel but overcome with opportunity he condemned him at last to the den of Lions We may change the Kingdomes of the world may change but the Cause and Truth of Christ abide the same without change throughout all generations My exhortation therefore is that you beware of selfe Respects of Indifferency of Division of Delayes of Discouragements of Imprudency and of Inconstancy and that you give your selves to Sincerity Zeal Unity Diligence Magnanimity Prudence and Perseverance that yee may be the choyce and blessed Instruments of God for the establishing of the Kingdome of his Son our Saviour in the Land The last use is for Consolation which is not repugnant to true humiliation I will not trouble you with the generall Doctrine of such benefits and comforts as we are made partakers of by the Princely office of Christ for it were long to shew how by the vertue of this his office hee applieth unto us all that he hath done and suffered that the Kingdomes of the world may be our Lords and his Christs and he reigne over them for evermore and communicates with all true beleevers this grace to be Kings with him to reigne over their own lusts which is greater then any earthly conquest He that ruleth his own spirit is better then he that winneth a Citie to reigne over the world which still lieth in wickednesse and to reign over Satan the Prince of this world and worker of all mischiefe if we find nothing of this we beleeve nothing of the Kingdome of Christ if we endeavour not the sense and experience of this communion our faith is but imagination But leaving these generals I would upon this ground give you some comfort for the Cause and work in hand and it is this First If it be the cause of Christ which we maintain Next if we be the servants and people of God seeking his honour and endevouring that his Kingdome may come why may we not be comforted in this That Christ is our King and will one way or other vanquish and subdue all our enemies I will use but two reasons for it one is from the great and glorious victories that he hath in former times obtained over so mighty-enemies for the comfort of his people if we do but remember what great things he hath done since the beginning of this warre we should deny our own experience if we doubt for afterward The other is when we consider what is said in the end of the prayer which he taught his Disciples Thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory If we pray and endeavour that his Kingdome may come if we desire the Crown to be put on his head and the Scepter in his hand we may be confident of successe Because his is the Kingdome he is bound by right to fight for to defend and to deliver his own subjects that are fighting for his Kingdome His is the power in heaven and in earth over Angels over Devils over Armies of men and over all Creatures And his is the Glory the honour of his own actions will return upon himselfe The first that he is our King teacheth us that by office he ought to save us The second that he is able to do it because power is his And the third that he will do it because it will be dishonour to this Name to suffer his Cause and People to perish and it will be his glory to save them And that not onely in this world but when we go hence The penitent Malefactor on the Crosse cried out Lord remember me when thou commest into the Kingdom we may rather with greater confidence say Lord remember us when now after victory over Satan the World and Death thou dost possesse thy Kingdome The time permitteth not to proceed to the other two branches of the Text and therefore here I cease * ⎠* FINIS
King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord of all By these Titles is he known in the way of eminencie What is most eminent in Rulers Princes or Kings all their excellencies and flowers of perfection are most eminently and egregiously found in him in the way of negation all their errors infirmities and imperfections which are many and too many are farre from him and in the way of causation as they speak for with him is the originall and prime cause of all that is excellent in them Secondly by the many great and glorious promises and prophesies of the Kingdome of Christ which cannot be reckoned up so many are they in this shortnesse of time and are to every one that readeth the Prophesies of the old Testament so obvious Thirdly the same is manifest by the administration and execution of his office in giving lawes unto his people and executing them in giving gifts unto his servants for the good of his people in ruling his people by his Word and Spirit in defending and delivering them from their enemies and in subduing and destroying their enemies in the end Fourthly the same is evident also by the homage and honour which the whole Church militant and triumphant give unto him And I beheld and I heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne and the living Creatures and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are of the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5.11 12 13. It requireth an heart ready to indite and a tongue as the pen of a ready Writer to set forth the praises of this King Psal 45.1 Only three things I would say from the descriptions which we have in Scripture One is that the Kingdome of Christ was first made known to the Church when the promise was made to our first parents The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 The second is that since that time till this day he hath been reigning in the midst of his enemies not onely after his coming in our flesh but before the times of the Patriarcks and Prophets and ever was known to the subjects of his Kingdome The third is that his Kingdome hath been sometimes more obscure and under a cloud as in the times of the old Testament howsoever even then his hand was stretched out in delivering his people out of Egypt in leading them through the wildernesse and possessing them in the land of promise And at the time of his suffering howsoever the beames of his bringhtnesse did shine through the dark cloud at other times the lustre and brightnesse thereof hath been more apparant as at the time of his exaltation Thou art my Sonne this day this day of thy glorious resurrection have I begotten thee fulfilled the decree and declared thee to be the Sonne of God A Commentary whereof we have Phil. 2.9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earch and things under the earth And that every tongne should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father And Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men These were his servants who were sent forth to preach and proclaim him to be King And although men ought to be sparing in determining the manner the measure the time and indurance of a greater glory of the Kingdome of Christ on earth to come yet have we reason to hope for great things at the bringing in of the ancient people of God but ought so to hope for it that for the present we may behold Christ reigning in his spiritual Kingdome and to take heed that the expectation of that which is future be not a prejudice to that which is present and is come to passe in our dayes more then in former times Some perhaps may think that this is no great matter or deep mystery since no man can acknowledge Christ to be the eternall Sonne of God but he must also confesse that he is King and Lord and that all honour and Titles of honour are due unto him To which I answer first that there be many whatsoever for their credit they may professe to the contrary who do not in their hearts beleeve that the Lord God as a great King ruleth the world for they fight against the light of Nature and abuse their power and policie no lesse then if they could rule the world without God God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 Secondly a man may know that God is King and Ruler and yet be ignorant that Christ God and Man is King Nature which teacheth that there is a Godhead leadeth also to a providence but the other is a grand mystery which cannot be conceived but supernaturally Thirdly we are to understand that Christ hath a twofold right unto his Kingdome one by nature as he is God the other by donation as he is Man To me is given all power in heaven and in earth so that the man Jesus Christ which is a great mystery and which the world beleeveth not hath prerogative and power above all creatures in earth and in heaven above all Nobles Princes and Kings and which is more above all Angels Principalities and Powers Having thus shewed that Christ hath a Kingdome which made him to say My Kingdome I would now make some use of this point but that I conceive it to be more convenient first to speak of the quality of the Kingdome of Christ and having joyned both together That he is a King and that his Kingdome is not of this world to give the uses of both at once The quality then of the Kingdome of Christ negatively is this That his Kingdome is not of this world it is not an earthly or worldly Kingdome and therefore by consequence must be a spirituall and heavenly Kingdome As it is a Kingdome it hath many things common with the Kingdomes of the world both the one and the other are of God both for God and his glory both for the good of the people This being a perpetual difference between a Tyrant a King that a Tyrant conceiveth the people to be for him and his ends but a King knoweth that he is set over the people for their good both have their Lawes and rule by them both have their enemies which oppose and disturb their peace But this is the great
A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE ABBEY-CHURCH AT Westminster Wednesday the 28. of May 1645. Being the day appointed for solemne and publick humiliation BY ALEXANDER HENDERSON Minister at Edenburgh MAT. 6.10 Thy Kingdome Come LONDON Printed by F. N. for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings-head 1645. To the Christian Reader NOt any desire or confidence of mine owne but submission and obedience made me first preach and now print this Sermon Not any opinion or esteeme I have of it but example and custome have moved mee to set some words before it These have I directed generally to the Christian Reader that I may not onely include the Noble Lords of Parliament if any amongst them shall be pleased to looke this way but may also invite all other Christian Readers and such I wish all Readers to be to bestow some of their most serious thoughts upon so precious and excellent a subject as is the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is here but generally hinted and briefly touched but is represented to the life in Scripture and to the full treated and debated by Divines Jesus Christ by vertue of the three Offices of his Prophesie Priesthood and Kingdome is made unto us of God Wisdome and Righteousnes and Sanctification and Redemption His sufficiency and sutablenesse to be unto us a Saviour consisteth in the dignitie of his Person and in his willing undertaking and faithfull administration of these his Offices The Summe of the Grace given us through communion with him is comprised in these inestimable benefits Without the one he could not be a perfect Saviour without the other our salvation cannot be perfect It hath been of old and is at this day a just complaint that of the Offices of Christ his Kingdome is least considered of and most mistaken Which as it is dishonour to his Name so is it a mightie hinderance to the comfort of some to the sanctification of others and to the salvation of many and is a maine cause of the many disorders and scandals in the Church of Christ The Papists will have their Pope by reason of the Kingdome of Christ to be the head and which is the same the King of the Church and at least in ordine ad spiritualia to be the head and King of the Kings of the Earth A seect of Politicks which subject Religion to Policie and Christ to the world will have the supreame civill power at least in ordine ad temporalia to be the Head and King of the Church And both the one and the other doe turne the Kingdome of Christ into a worldly Kingdome Ignorant and carnall Professors are content to be served with Christ as a Prophet to teach them and a Priest to satisfie and make intercession for them but are not willing to serve Christ as their King that he may rule over them And many modest and peaceable Christians suffer themselves to be robbed or cousened if not of the one halfe yet of a necessary and large part of the Kingdome of Christ while they either satisfie themselves with the internall influence of Christ their Head upon their own spirits or give way to such as for their owne ends would have them beleeve that the whole administration of the Kingdome of Christ is internall not distinguishing betwixt that which is spirituall and that which is internall nor considering the externall administration of the Kingdome of Christ although it be in this world yet to be spirituall and heavenly and not of this world Judicious Martin Bucer in the beginning of the Reformation wrote to pious Prince Edward the sixt two books of Church-policie to which he prefixeth the title De Regno Christi of the Kingdome of Christ The complaints powred forth by him at that time against the wise-men of this world and the common sort of people as enemies to Christs Kingdome may be now renewed and with new aggravations so rare a thing is it in any age to finde a people disposed to receive the whole Kingdome of the Sonne of God It should not seeme strange that formerly such as desired to decline the one extreame of Prelaticall tyranny having nothing to stay them in their way nothing in the middle to rest upon and to associate themselves unto did run to the other extreame of popular Anarchy But now when from the mercy of God by advice of the Assembly and Authoritie of Parliament the case shall be changed and a remedy provided the people of God will know where to fix their judgement and choice Can any wise-man imagine that such a Chaos of Anarchy Libertinisme and popular confusion as now covereth the face of this Kingdome and wherein all errors and sects cover their Heads under the Catholick Buckler of Independency that such a Tohu Vavohu can be the face of the Kingdome of Christ or the work of the new Creation of which it may be said And God saw that it was good Can any of the godly think that the Kingdome of Christ draweth the minds of men from the humble exercise of faith to the ambition of new and vaine opinions that it transformeth Religion into fancy vertue into speculation zeale into contention truth into policy and charitie into faction Doth not the present posture of Religion and the constitution of the Church which yet is not so Independent as it is by some desired to be call as loud for a Reformation and for setling of Religion as the former did before a Reformation was begun And may wee not say that wee have spent our strength in vaine and purchased our misery at a great price if wee shall rest where wee are that is in Independency I should not exceed if I should say Were wee all agreed in all things except in the point of Independency wee would quickly run againe into divisions And that nothing in a Family in a Citie in a Kingdome in a State or in a Church hath more need of Reformation then that Independency which all men in all Societies naturally love and seek after The Government of the Church by subordination of Assemblies hath endured much opposition and many tryals and is at this day set upon at all hands yet is the Proverbiall speech of the Hebrewes verified concerning it Myrtus stans inter urticas Myrtus tamen est vocatur Myrtus The myrtle standing amongst nettles is for all that the myrtle and is so called And necessitie will drive all that love the preservation of Religion and peace of the Church unto this shelter and sanctuary at last although in faire weather some kicke against it and would not onely pull at the branches but pluck it up by the roots When after all these tempests and troubles the Kingdome of Christ is uniformly setled in the Land Christ Jesus will be seene in his beautie and strength his people will be filled with truth and peace and the
difference that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world For first Christ being called before Pilate and being demanded whether he was a King answered That his Kingdome was not of this world therefore his Kingdome is not a temporall and earthly Kingdome nor would Pilate have pronounced him innocent and guiltlesse if he had made any claime to Caesars Kingdome This is very strongly proved by the following words If my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews which yet maketh nothing against the taking of Armes by such as are in authority for the defence of Religion and the just Liberty of the Professors thereof Secondly Christ refused to be a King when it was offered unto him and told his Disciples That the Kings of the Nations have dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority but that it should not be so with them but that whosoever would be great among them must bee their Minister Matth. 20.25 Thirdly he refused to be a Judge of secular quarrels or a divider of inheritances Luke 12.14 He came from heaven for things divine to work upon the consciences of men and was appointed to be Judge of quick and dead but never medled with the office of a temporall King Fourthly he acknowledged that Caesar was King saying Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars Nor did the Prophets prophesie of any earthly Kingdome of Christ For the Kingdome that they prophesied of was to bee established and confirmed by him but the Kingdome of Judea was ruined and overthrown for refusing him to be their sprituall King There shall not a stone be left upon a stone in Jerusalem the chiefe Citie of that Kingdome because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation saith Christ This yet appeareth further if we consider the qualities of these two kinds of Kingdomes more particularly The Kingdomes of the world endure but for a time and the periods and endings of them are matter not onely of discourse before they come but of tragedies after they are come but the Kingdome of Christ shall not be destroyed for ever And of his Kingdome there shall no end Dan. 2.44 After his departure out of the earth his Kingdome was in the greatest strength and in a most flourishing condition he then was gloriously manifested to be a King The Kingdomes of the world are governed by the rules and counsels of humane prudence and policie but the Kingdome of Christ by lawes of another kind by the simplicity of the Gospel which to the naturall man is foolishnesse The Kingdomes of the world are supported by taxes and tributes ceasments and subsidies but no such thing in the Kingdome of Christ The Kingdomes of the world consist in riches honour power of men externall splendor and earthly greatnesse but in the Kingdome of Christ poverty and humility triumph over the world under the Standard of the Crosse The Kingdomes of the world have carnall weapons and strength of Armes to pursue their ends but the weapons of the Kingdom of Christ are spiritual to procure spirituall obedience unto him Many such differences may be observed by which we may clearly perceive that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world Yet one thing we must remember for preventing mistakes and which being rightly taken understood would put an end to many of the questions which are so much debated at this time about Chruch-government It is this That we are to distinguish between that which is of this world and that which is externall and visible in this world The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world yet some part of this Kingdome is externall and visible in this world for there be two parts of the spirituall administration of Christs Kingdome the one is the internall operation of the Spirit accompanying the externall means which are his Ordinances appointed by himselfe and his owne authority the other is the externall dispensation of these means and Ordinances by such officers as are called the Ministers of the Kingdome of Heaven This doth appertaine to the Kingdome of Christ and shall continue no lesse then the former till he render up the Kingdomes into God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 This part of the administration of Christs Kingdome although it be externall yet it is not of this world but spirituall for it comes from the Spirit and is done by the gifts of the Spirit The Word and Sacraments which are the matter of it are things spirituall for the manner of doing it is by the evidence of the Spirit the spirits and souls of men are the object of it the end thereof is spirituall edification and the effect the ministery of the Spirit So that in this respect also the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but a spirituall Kingdome in both parts of the administration theoreof The Text thus expounded is a fountaine full of springs of Doctrine As first that although Christ was a King a Governour and Commander as hath been formerly shewed and was a Prophet also and it may be now exercising that office and testifying of his own Kingdome before Pilate yet is it no warrant for Captaines or Commanders to preach the Gospel and to become Prophets because first he was a spirituall King and Commander and not a temporall and next because he had a speciall calling The Apostle Rom. 10.14 telleth us that men cannot preach unlesse they be sent And this calling the Apostle judgeth to be so necessary that the Son of God would not undertake that charge without a singular vocation Heb. 5. Although a private man who runneth unsent and an Ambassador who is authorized and sent speak the same things yet the one wants the authority which the other hath Secondly although Jesus Christ knew well that all that he could say was not able to deliver him from death or to do any good to the heart of Pilate for his conversion yet he findeth himself bound to answer calumnies and unjust accusations and to give a testimony of the truth And so must the servants of God do although their words do no more but serve to blindfold and indure blind and hard hearts yet must they speak out the truth It was the practice of the Prophets Apostles and holy Martyrs and in this as in other things Ministers and all others who have by their place any calling to give testimony to the truth must do their duty committing the event unto God Thirdly although Christ at this time was brought very low in the eyes of the world yet he spareth not to speak of his Kingdome and to call himself a King Humiliation and exinanition is in it selfe no derogation to right but the right is the same in the estate and case of humiliation and in the estate and case of exaltation the case may change and the estate be altered but the right is without change and standeth unalterable So was it with
and when the estate of the Church was corrupt many things were allowed or permitted as in the times of Eli and Samuel which in other cases were not lawfull 3. We are to distinguish betwixt the supream Civill power of the Magistrate about matters of Religion or things Ecclesiasticall and the ultimate and highest jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall in matters of this kind the one is not onely lawfull but necessary as a principall point of the Magistrates duty the other doth not belong to the Magistrate or any civill authority but to the Church and authority Ecclesiasticall To assume ordinarily after religion is setled the last resolution and highest jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall in matters of Religion unto which formall and legall appeales shall be made in Church matters from the Assemblies of the Church is more I hope then needeth to be feared from the wisdome piety and justice of the honourable Houses of Parliament They have in their great wisdome piety and justice removed Church-men from their Senat and will neither have Prelats nor Pastors to sit with them in that supream civill Court They have abolished high Commissions and Star-chambers and therefore will not intermeddle unlesse it be at extraordinary times and in extraordinary cases with Church matters It cannot be denied but persons distressed by Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction may by way of complaint although not by way of accusation expresse their unjust sufferings to whatsoever kind of persons private or publick in Church or State and each one is to bear the burthen of another much more therefore may they flie to the supream civill authority not to this end that the cause be recognosced by them but if need be and they find it necessary they may desire or command the same to be resumed and examined again of new but this Christian way of complaining maketh nothing for any formall or legall appeal from one kind of authority to another Appellations must be from the inferior to the superior in the same kind Before I proceed there is one objection to be removed If the power of the Church be not above the State in civill matters nor the power of the State above the Church in matters of religion if the Kingdoms of the world be not subordinate to the Kingdome of Christ and if the Kingdome of Christ be not subordinate to the Kingdomes of the world then it will follow that they are equall that they are parallell and collaterall and therefore will be emulous and jealous one of another and will strive one against another For answer This objection savoureth of much malice against the Ministery of the Gospel and which is suppressed against the Kingdome of Iesus Christ It is not unlike the speech of the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin against the building of the Temple at Jerusalem unto the Lord God of Israel This Citie is a rebellious Citie and hurtfull unto Kings and Provinces It hath made insurrection against Kings and rebellion and sedition hath been made therein Ezra 4.15 The practises of such are not unlike the practises of the enemies Nehem. 4. who by craft by rumors and by hired prophesies would have terrified Nehemiah and others that were with him from building the walls of Jerusalem Their calumnies are not unlike that of Haman Esther 3. There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of the Kingdome and their laws are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them In a time of reformation when the Temple or walls of Jerusalem are to be builded there be ever some Rehums and Shimsaies some Sanballats Tobiahs Gashâ—…es or Hamans that endeavour to hinder the work It is a matter of humiliation that there are any such in this land and wil prove greater matter of humiliation if they shall have their desire But the wisdome and vigilancy of the honorable Houses of Parliament will take heed unto and note such unhappy instruments that their wicked desires be not satisfied It cannot be denied but there is some kind of mutuall and reciprocall subjection or subordination of the one authority and government unto the other such as useth to be must needs be in all such societies as have divers ends before their eyes those who command in respect of the one end must obey in respect of the other such as obey in respect of the one end must command in respect of the other When a company of Souldiers entreth into a ship to fight against the enemy at sea in so far as they are in the ship and within boord they are to be governed by the master of the ship who is to command all in matters of navigation but as they are Souldiers fighting against the enemy they must obey their own Captain and be directed by him He that commanded in the one respect although a Generall or a King must obey in the other respect nor is it any derogation but wisdome to do so When the son is a Consull and the father a private man the son obeyeth the father as his father and the father obeyeth the son as his Consull or Magistrate And thus in divers respects there is a mutuall subordination yet is there no such equality as to make the two Governments jealous one of another for there is a threefold difference betwixt them which being well observed will cure all this unnecessary and groundlesse jealousie one is in respect of God to whom both are subject another in that respect which the one of them hath to the other and the third is in respect of the people concredit unto them In respect of their subjection to God the one is subject as a deputed and inferior Lordship or Dominion the other is subject as a ministery or service Christ onely being Lord of his Church The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called Benefactors But yee shall not be so Luke 22.25 26. Domination is forbidden Church-men Ministration is commanded It is one thing to be a Viceroy and another thing to be a Legat or a Stewart Christ hath Legats to declare his wil but hath no Deputies or Vicegerents In that respect which the one hath to the other we may observe this difference that the subordination of the Minister to the Magistrate is to the Magistrate himself as to the Vicegerent of God of whose power he doth participate but the subordination of the Magistrate to the Minister is not to the Minister himselfe but to Jesus Christ whose servant he is Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 In respect of the people under their charge every soule is subject to the higher powers but the Church onely is subject to the Ministery they have nothing to do with those who are without and which is
a main difference the flock under their charge is dealt with by them not by way of command or compulsion but by moving intreating and perswading them to receive the commandements of Christ They are therefore no other then fire-brands and instruments of division that would raise jealousies of this kind betwixt these two kinds of government both which are appointed of God to serve for the good of the people of God each in its own way Whatsoever hath been or can be spoken against Church-government may as wel be spoken against the Gospel and Kingdome of Christ and the contest is not properly betwixt the Magistracy and the Ministery or betwixt Civill and Ecclesiasticall authority but betwixt the Kingdomes of this world and the Kingdome of Christ which is a great unhappinesse and the cause of a world of miseries unto the Kingdomes of this world wherein the ambition of Church-men transforming the Kingdome of Christ into an earthly Kingdome and cloathing the Church with the pomp of the world beareth a great part of the guiltinesse if both were kept within the just limits and moved within their own spheares their motions and influences might be comfortable to the souls and lives of the children of men I come now to the third use which is Correction against such as say with those Citizens Luke 19.14 We will not have this man to reigne over us There be many divers sorts of enemies in the kingdom of Christ that say so some open professed enemies such as are Pagans Jews Turks some more secret dissembled enemies who under the pretence of the doctrine of Christ oppose him and his Kingdom such as have been false Christs and are this day Antichrist with all his members and followers Hereticks Schismaticks Politicks and all worldly meer naturall men And there be many sundry causes that draw them into by-parhs and make them run into errors greater or lesser but it may be coafidently a vouched that the main cause by which Satan prevaileth upon the corrupt heart of man to make him an enemy to Christ and his Kingdome is the dislike he hath of this principle and fundamentall of Christian Religion That the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world All men naturally love the world and the things of the world which are the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life and finding that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world nor doth promise unto them the things of this world but that it is a spirituall Kingdome binding up their spirits and interdicting their hearts the love of the world it must of necessity follow unlesse the light and power of the Spirit of Christ shine in their minds and work upon their hearts that either in profession or in hear or both either more or lesse they prove enemies unto Christ especially in that which would break the bond that tieth them fast to the world If men might be pleased to examine themselves narrowly and descend into their own hearts they would find that their hearts deceive them and while they seem to others to themselves to be despisers of the world they are either by covetousnesse or vaing-lory or love of carnall liberty or some other such tie intangled and keeped fast by the world and are either directly or indirectly drawn to oppose the Kingdome of Christ He that will consider the grounds of Paganisme Judaisme and Turcisme and for what reason they doe not receive Christ when he is offered unto them shall find this to be a principall cause He that will search into the histories of particular heresies and schismes wil often meet with this and find the world in the bottome of the hearts of men I do not speak of the simple seduced people but of the wisest and learnedest of their seducers and of the great wits of the world which make the world their Idoll and bow down before it But leaving this I come to the fourth use for instruction in such duties as are required of us all at this time and after a speciall manner of those that are in high places First of all seeing the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but is a spirituall Kingdome it is a necessary duty to study the nature and search into the mysteries and secrets of this Kingdom The kingdome of Satan and Sin have many deeps and secrets the Kingdomes of the world have their secrets of policie and government and the Kingdom of Christ hath greater secrets and more hid mysteries Great ones in the world know many things of the mystery of Iniquity and of the secrets of Kingdoms and States of the world but the truth is many of them are ignorant of the mysteries of the Kingdome of Christ The Princes of this world whether Princes for knowledge as the Philosophers were or for power and greatnes as the Nobles and great ones be do not know those mysteries for had they known them they would not have crucified the King of glory But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him which the Apostle speaketh of the Kingdome of grace in this world 1 Cor. 2.8 9. Natural reason calleth for fit instruments for every work and the matter well prepared to work upon but the Apostles were neither noble nor learned but poor and simples and the world altogether indisposed to receive them being at that time as much as at any time before or since full of learning of power and of policie yet they went on subduing conquering and bringing all unto the obedience of the Gospel of Jesus Christ The laws of this kingdome were in stead of revenge Love your enemies in stead of lust Look not on a woman to lust after her in stead of covetousnesse Forsake all instead of ambition Deny your selves And yet the supernaturall lawes by the Spirit and power of the great Law-giver were setled and written in the tables of mens hearts The promises of reward were not worldly pleasures or ease but let every man take up his crosse and follow me All things in this kingdome were above the reach of naturall reason yet the spiritual man by a new faculty created of God knoweth the deep things of God and judgeth all things Some Divines have observed seven things in the passion of Christ altogether contrary to the judgement of the naurall man the greatest impotency and weaknesse in him who was omnipotent the greatest suffering in that was impassible the greatest foolishnes according to the judgement of men in the deepest wisdome greatest poverty in the God of all riches greatest shame in the greatest glory and majesty greatest dereliction and forsaking in the most perfect union and great severity of the Father against his Son in the greatest love of the Father to the Son in the very time of his suffering Many more might be
added in the administration of the Kingdome of Christ after his ascension into heaven both at the first planting of the Gospel in the primitive times and in the time of reformation of Religion in divers Kingdomes and Nations And therefore as naturall sense correcteth the errors of our imagination and maketh us see the folly of our fancies and as naturall reason correcteth the errors of our sense and maketh us judge otherwise then our sense teacheth so must the divine power and superior faculty of faith correct the errors of our naturall reason If we will acquaint our selves with the secrets of the Gospel and with the proceedings of the Kingdome of Christ we begin no sooner seriously to think upon them but we seem to our selves to be transported and carried to another world and are constrained to acknowledge and confesse to the glory of God that flesh and blood doth not reveale these things unto us The second duty required of us is this When the Lord hath opened the eyes of our understanding to behold somwhat of the secrets of this spiritual Kingdome we are to draw neere to joyn our selves unto it and become the subjects of Jesus Christ To which purpose it is necessary to expresse the matter briefly that we first know our estate by nature all of us by nature being subjects yea slaves to the Kingdome of Sin and Satan no man is excepted Kings Princes Nobles as base slaves this way as any other although walking in gold chains Next that we acknowledge Christ to be King and Lord of his people putting our confidence in him as having all sufficiencie for life liberty salvation and every good thing yea endevouring to feele the Kingdome of God within us and his Scepter set up in our souls formerly tyranized over by strange Lords And thirdly that we make a resignation of our selves in all humility and obedience to do his will for it is the quality of his subjects to be a willing people or a people of willingnesse Psal 110.3 If every one of us had many wills we ought of sacrifice them all and turn each one of them in a willingnesse to serve him According to this is it that his people are called Amminadib or my willing people Cant. 6.12 The word used to expresse willingnesse signifeth Generosity or Noblenesse opposed to Churlishnesse Isa 32.5 The vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the churlish said to be bountifull Nabal shal not be called Nadib The true subjects of Christ were they never so meanly born although like the wretched infant described Ezek. 16. yet being born again they deal nobly with him but others whatsoever be their extraction and were they never so nobly descended they deal but churlishly with Christ A noble man that giveth not himselfe willingly and cordially to the Son of God accounteth it not his chiefest honor to be a subject of his Kingdom in Scripture language is not a Nobleman but a Nabal a Churle and surely to deal churlishly with Christ who hath been so benigne and bountifull unto us and is so worthy to be served is the most base churlishnesse and the greatest churlishnesse in the world If we would consider what we are without him what we may be through him and that there is a necessity either to be the slaves of sin or to become the subjects of Christ yea either to be his free subjects or his bound-slaves and captives we would willingly offer our selves in this day of his power The third duty is when we are acquainted with the nature and secrets of the Kingdome of Christ and are now become his willing subjects then to be zealous in using all good means each one according to his place for advancing and establishing the kingdom of Christ A point very necessary to be considered because as Herod and all Jerusalem with him were troubled when they heard that the King of the Jewes was born So are great ones that are in authority and the multitude of the people much troubled when they heare of the Kingdome of Christ Kings and great ones because they conceive the advancing of Christs Kingdome to be a diminution of their greatnesse and power wherein they bewray both their ignorance and ingratitude ignorance of the nature of his kingdome which is spirituall not only in the internall but externall part of it He that would establish a spirituall Kingdom doth not take away but on the contrary doth both confirm and sanctifie the temporall Kingdome wherein it is established The Son of God never imposed such a hard condition to Kings and Nobles that were to become Christians as to forsake their crowns and dignities except in their affection and in comparison of the excellency of the Kingdome of Christ Ingratitude not only because by him Kings reigne but Jesus Christ having proclaimed a Jubilee a great liberty to Kings Kingdomes from the tyranny the servitude the usurpations and impositions of the Pope This is all the thanks that they return that they either put away the Gospel from themselves and their Kingdomes or will receive but so much of it as they think meet which is rather to reigne over Christ then that Christ by his Scepter reigne over them As for the multitude of the people they have no desire to heare of the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ because they are afraid of poverty and other such miseries as may be brought upon them by innovations measuring all by their worldly gain and ease and considering no other wayes of changes but as they import some earthy benefit to their own privat So was Jerusalem troubled when Christ was born so were the Gadarens when he came into their countrey It cannot be denied but the Lord hath done a great work in this land yet there be many of all ranks that wish it had never been begun by reason of the trouble and losses they have sustained not considering nor knowing that a little of God and of Christ and of his Spirit and of the Word and of the Ordinances is much more then the greatest things of the world and that it is better to suffer with the people of God and for God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season When things are equally ballanced the worst things of Christ that is his crosse and sufferings is better then the best things of the world Upon the contrary therefore I shall desire these seven things about the Kingdome of Christ and the matter of religion may be diligently taken heed unto 1. Take heed of selfe respects these are of two sorts one is privat when men look so much to themselves that they forget the publick or if they look to the publick and seem to be zealous about it it is alwayes with reflection upon their own privat were the circumference never so wide themselves are the center and all the lines of their actions have their concentration there Privat spirits are evill spirits whether they