give it footing more and more every day though the Revelation be obscure in many things yet this we may gather out of it clearly that when the vialls begin to be powred out the truth shall grow up to the confusion of its enemies as on the other side wee see severall effects of Gods providence against the Kingdome of Satan and Antichrist that where we see the false Religion hath received some blowes we may assure our selves a further ruine will certainely follow as they said of Haman If Mordecai be of the seed of the Iewes Hest 6.13 before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile against him but shalt surely fall before him If Religion be of the seed of Christ the daughter of God false Religions that once begin to fall shall not prevaile but shall surely fall before it Vse 1 It discovers the folly of those that set themselves against Gods people and Gods causes let them take heed what they doe such set themselves against Christ and his Kingdome and their attempts shall not prosper Iob 9.4 Hath any man hardned himselfe against God and prospered I must say to such as Abijah did to Ieroboam Ye think to withstand the Kingdome of the Lord 2 Chr. 13.8 Let us not thinke we shall be able to withstand the Kingdome of Christ hee is able to breake through all oppositions hee can crush his enemies thou shalt breake them with an iron rod thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessell Ps 2.9 the Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorow Kings in the day of his wrath Ps 110.5 Kings that be his enemies It was part of Moses Song touching the enemies of Israel the people shall heare and bee afraid Exod. 15.14 sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed trembling shall take hold of the mighty men of Moab the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away feare and dread shall fall upon them for the Lord reignes for ever and ever Because Christ reignes such shall be the end of all his enemies however they may flourish for a time Oh! feare to oppose Christ in his Gospel in his people in his causes Isa 45.9 Woe unto him that strives with his Maker let the potsheards strive with the potsheards of the earth Let man strive with man and Prince fight with Prince that 's but dashing one earthen pitcher against another but let us take heed of ingaging Christ against us woe to him that strives with Christ 't is dangerous setting our selves against his Kingdome or his people or his causes lest as in this mountaine in Gods Church the hand of the Lord shall rest so Moab all the enemies of Christ be troden downe under him as straw is trodden downe for the dunghill Isa 2â— 10 Vse 2 Here 's matter of great encouragement to those that with upright hearts side with Christ and set in to advance his Kingdome they shall prosper in the worke We must not be troubled though we finde great enemies and great oppositions let us not value religion and the cause of Christ any whit the cheaper because so much set against The Romanes held their land about the City of Rome at as deare a rate when Hanniball besieg'd it as they did before Prize Religion as high in times of trouble as in times of peace Wee must not look only at the present proceedings our spirits must not rise or fall onely as wee see a floud or an ebbe in the handling of Gods causes but consider the end as David speakes of the upright man Psal 31.37 mark his end the end of that man is peace Whatever the present condition should prove to bee of Christs Kingdome yet the end of it will be peace and happinesse to Gods people At Cannae the Romanes went to congratulate the Consul that fled from the battaile because hee signified thereby that the state of things was not yet so desperate but he durst live We should not despaire of the state of Gods Church and Religion though we should see them brought to great straits It may be we shall not see the prosperity of Gods Church in our dayes yet here 's comfort enough to know the work shall go on It is a worke in Christs hand and a worke God takes pleasure in Isa 53 10 and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Rev. 1.16 Christ who holds the stars in his Right hand the Angels of his Church to preserve them does certainly hold the Church it selfe for whose good his Ministers are in his right hand to preserve her whatever oppositions be made against her At Antioch if I mistake not the Ecclesiasticall story sayes there being an Earth quake wherby many houses fell and the people terrified with it being ready to forsake the city one had a vision that he faw a man comming to him who commanded him to write upon every house Christus nobiscum Christ is with us stay here and so it ceased thus we should do when we consider the tottering estate of religion remember Christ is with us be not affrighted forsake it not if God be for us who can be against us if Christ be in the ship with us it cannot sink But especially it may be high encouragement to you Honourable and beloved you are they that must help up Christ into his Kingdom in the midst of these great oppositions that are now made against it we the Ministers of God can but encourage strengthen you as the Prophet Haggai and Zachary Gods Prophets were with the Princes helping them Ezr. 5.2 helping them with their prayers and helping them with their instructions touching Gods will and helping them with their exhortations to stirre them up but the work is chiefly yours you are to encounter Christs enemies the sword of justice is put into your hands to cut down all oppositions If your hearts be upright with God that your consciences assure you you seek Gods glory and the advancement of Christs Kingdom not your selves nor your own ends you have as much encouragement as can be you go on in a work that shall be carried up against all oppositions Heb. 11.27 Should visible means faile yet as there is an invisible God who may be seen by the eye of faith so there are also invisible means the power of Christ shall rest upon those that work his works and stand up faithfully in his causes Should you be left fewer then you are yet if you can but resolve when others forsake Christ to say truly Lord we will never forsake thee and do it not only say it some have said it and yet with Peter gone away and deserted the cause there is then no reason why you should fear Christ can work by few as well as by many Christ when men faile will tread the wine-presse alone when the day of vengeance comes Isa 63.3 4.
Die Mercurii 26. Octobris IT is this day Ordered by the House of Commons That Sir Francis Knollis doe returne thanks from this House to Doctor Temple for the great paines he took in the Sermon he preached at the entreaty of the said House at St. Margarets in the City of Westminster this present day of publick humiliation and that he be desired to print his Sermon And it is Ordered that no man shall presume to print it but he who shall be authorized under the said Doctor Temple 's hand writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint SAMUEL GELLIBRAND to print my Sermon THO. TEMPLE CHRIST'S GOVERNMENT In and over his PEOPLE Delivered in A SERMON Before the Honourable House of COMMONS At their late publick and solemne Fast Octob. 26. 1642. BY Thomas Temple D. D. and Minister of the Church of Battersea in Surrey Published by Order of that House PSAL. 97.1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof LONDON Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1642. To the Honourable House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT BEing called to this service by your command I could not think of a fitter subject more seasonable to the times and your places then this touching the Kingdom of Christ first to set before you the chiefe employment God cals you to and the duty lies upon you in it that is to study all the waies by which Iesus Christ may be best setled in his throne and his government most spread throughout these parts of the world where your work lies Secondly to hold out unto you the great encouragement to so great a work in which you are sure to meet with so great oppositions to let you know God himself will carry it on and Christs government shall be established notwithstanding the rage of people and the plots of Princes against the Lord and his Annointed If you go on in this cause with upright hearts there is no reason your spirits should faint or your hands slacken in fear of the issue you are on a rising side and in a work that will improve it self And indeed you have need of encouragement even from heaven to go on in the work of reformation of the Chuch and of establishing Christs government amongst us where the endeavours of many are so mighty to oppose it and their tongues so malignant to disgrace it But while your hearts are faithfull with God resolve to goe on with Gods work knowing you must passe through evill report as well as good report 2. Cor. 6.8 They who are called to great works must be willing to sacrifice all estate credit life in the cause of God so we keep faith and peace with God and doe not shipwrack a good conscience it matters not much what else we lose If Christ carry you through the work here he is all-sufficient to reward you hereafter The Lord make all great mountaines that lie in your way Iac. 4.7 to the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ as plaines before you Rev. 2.2 and in the end reward your works and your labour and your patience So praies From my Study in Battersea Nov. 6. 1642. The unworthiest of the servants of Christ in the work of the Lord THOMAS TEMPLE A SERMON Preached before The Honourable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT At the publick Fast Octob. 26. 1642. PSAL. 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion THis second psalme is an exact description of the Kingdome of Christ as it was prophesied of by David who was himselfe a type and figure of Christ in his Kingdome and the Father of him according to the flesh which as it appeares out of the frame of the whole psalme so we finde this Psalme clearly expounded of Christ and his Kingdome by the Apostles in the new Testament First where mention is made of the Heathens rage and the Kings of the earth bandying against the Lord and his Annoynted v. 1.2 this is by the whole Colledge of Apostles and Disciples expounded of Christ Act. 4.25.27 Secondly where it is said thou art my son this day have I begotten thee v. 7. this is also plainly expounded of Christ not of his birth as it seemes to be meant upon the first view but of his resurrection from the grave which is as it were a new begetting Act. 13.33 A fit subject of our meditations as in all other so especially in these times Christ as he stands to us in this relation of a King we are all willing to looke upon Christ as he stands in the relation of a Priest offering himselfe in sacrifice for our sins so desiring him as a Saviour to save our soules wee lesse delight to eye him as a Prophet revealing Gods will to us little careing to know him but wee commonly hate to thinke upon him as a King as not easilie subjecting our selves to be governed by him I shall therfore crave your attention while I unfold to you this peice of Scripture The Psalm consists of three main parts First it sets forth the mad and furious councells and attempts of wicked people against Christ Act 5.39 affectasse ferunt regnum celeste gigantes who feare not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the old Giants fighters against God himselfe their rage and malice is bent even against the God that made and redeemed them why doe the Heathen rage Ver. 1.2 and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the earth set themselves the Rulers take councell together against the Lord and against his Aancynted Secondly it sets forth Gods establishment of Christ in his Kingdom notwithstanding all the attempts of wicked men against him yet nothing shall overthrow his Kingdome but on the other side be shall breake his enimies in peices yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 3. ver 6. It conteynes an exhortation because wee cannot overthrow Christs Kingdom therfore to entertaine it in our hearts to serve him and feare him as wee seare to be destroyed and desire to be blest Be wise now therfore ver 10. O yee Kings be instructed yee Iudges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling The words of my text you see are the second part of this Psalme and have their dependance upon the former that notwithstanding all the machinations of wicked people God will have a King to rule in his Church which no power of man shall ever overthrow I shall observe to you three particulars out of this Scripture the King his Throne his Settlement in his Throne 1 The King as ver 7. Jesus Christ God the Son the second person in Trinitie God over all blessed for ever 2. his Throne where hee sitts or his Kingdome where hee reignes with the qualification of it his holy hill of Sion Mount Sion was a high mountaine in Jerusalem
people an employment he might well think too great for himself Samuel withall told him that God should turne him into another man if God turne us into other men 1 Sam. 10.6 and give us strengths suitable no works God cals us to shall be difficult to us God set the Israelites in a troublesome way to Canaan through the mountains and desarts but because he withall gave them his cloud by day and his pillar of fire by night to lead them they were able to break through all difficulties and all incumbrances so long as God gives us his own presence to go before us and his strengths to enable us we need not be troubled at the greatnesse or harshnesse of duties It should be ours which was St. Augustines resolution da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis so long as God gives strength for duties let us not be troubled whatever God requires of us 3. In cherishing the seeds of grace till they bee brought to a further perfection grace is but small at first 't is not with the trees of righteousnesse as it was with the trees of Paradise made perfect at once grace is but like the graine of mustardseed the least of all seeds easily kild like a scintilla a spark of fire easily quencht The devill and the world and our owne lusts are the thornes that choak our graces the stones that hinder their radication the birds of prey that devoure them while they are in the seeds wee have need of an over-ruling power to draw them forth and perfect them This is a work Christ takes into his own hand as his hand plants and sowes so it is his hand that waters and gives the encrease Mat. 12.20 He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax untill he bring forth judgement unto victory so farre from breaking a bruised sinner so farre from quenching the heat of grace that once begins to smoak and kindle that on the other side he will carry up the work by his own speciall strength he will cherish the seeds of grace till that holy frame of grace begun in our souls be brought to such a heigth and compleatnesse that Gods Kingdom in us shall be victorious over all opposite corruptions 4. In giving new supplies of his spirit till he bring his people to glory 't is not enough for us to have grace begun but there must be new supplies of grace continued to us 't is not only the sending of an influence from the Sun to the earth but the continuing of that influence every day must continue life in the creatures there must be a preserving power of grace from Christ as well as a begetting power Psal 73.24 as David speaks Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell and after receive me to glory We have need of a continuance of Christs counsell and direction here in the way of grace before we be received to glory There be many passages of difficulty and danger we meet with in the course of our lives in which we shall stick if Christ should not be always by us to carry us thorow The first grace given us will not perhaps be sufficient to carry us thorough great temptations and great afflictions A child may walk in a smooth way without help but not in a rugged the first measures of grace may enable us to go thorough smooth wayes of Christianity where little danger or difficulty is but when it comes to a rugged way a great triall a great temptation wee have then need of new strength Christ is like other Kings in this 't is not enough for him only to conquer but he must fortifie and continue garrisons to maintain his conquests Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ saies St. Peter who hath begotten us to a lively hope of an inheritance and who are kept by the power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 through faith unto salvation Christ does not only beget us but also keep us by his own power through faith to salvation 5. In purifying the heart and subduing our lusts that 's the description of the comming of Christ in his Kingdom of grace he shall come as refiners fire Mal. 3.2 and as fullers soap as the fire refines the silver and takes away the drosse and as the soap rinses out spots and staines so shall Christ refine and purge his people Mat. 3.11 he shall baptize with the holy Ghost and fire and whose fan is in his hand wash throughly and destroy corruptions even as fire destroys all that stands before it Christs work while he was upon earth was exercised much in this in casting out devils if I cast out devils by the spirit of God Mat. 12.28 then is the Kingdom of God come unto you so it holds still when the Kingdom of God comes unto us there will be a casting out devils by the spirit of Christ sin will be dispossest of its former holds lust will be subdued in us When Christ comes into the heart he comes with the power of a King and the strongest lusts the most giant like corruptions shall not stand before him as David has an expression Lift up your heads O ye gates and be lifted up ye ever lasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Psal 24.7 who is this King of glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battell When the King of glory Christ the glorious King mighty in battell comes into our hearts no doores of our lusts shall be able to keep him out Mich. 7.19 He will subdue all our iniquities every lust that it shall not reigne in us Sin shall not have deminion over you Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace If we were only under the law we should have no power against our lusts but because we are under grace under the government of Christ who rules us by the grace of his spirit therfore sin shall not have dominion over us sin shall be subdued under us Look how a conquering King comes into an enemies countrey he puls down all strong holds and breaks the power of an enemy such is the entrance of Christ as King into the heart there may bee some scattering troops the Cananites may be left in the land but all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong holds are pul'd down 2 Cor. 10.4 Christ breaks the strength of sin that it shall not reigne in us 6. In creating inward peace and joy and comfort it is the office of a King to keep his subjects in a joyfull a peaceable a flourishing condition The Kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink things externall but in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Christ is first Melchisedec King of righteousnesse his government a righteous government and then King of Salem King of peace a government accompanied with abundance of inward joy and peace As
of Moab would have had him curse Israel Deut 23.5 the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing to thee because the Lord thy God loved thee if wee be such as God loves Christ will turne all cursings into blessings all things shall be blest to us nothing curst to us Fourthly In settling an externall ecclesiasticall policy as Christ is King of his Church he will have his Church governed in his own way not according to the fancies and inventions of man Wee must not deny that to Christ in government of his Kingdom which wee yeild to all earthly Monarchs in the government of theirs when Christ after his resurrection continued forty dayes upon earth among his disciples speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 1.3 wee cannot think he would omit the giving of rules for the framing of the regiment of his Church And when S. Paul tels the Elders of Ephesus he had not shunned to declare to them the whole councell of God Act. 20.27 wee must take it in pursuance of those directions himself and the rest of the disciples had received from Christ for the government of his Church What this frame of Church policy is which hath bin so long in dispute and is yet sub judice will be more proper for a Synod then a Sermon to consider of I only hint this but leave it to that grave consultation you have already designed not doubting your honourable care in hastning that work which must undoubtedly conduce much to the advancing and setling Christs Government more exactly among us 2. Reasons of the point Let us consider the reasons why God would have such a solemne administration of a kingdom by Christ First In respect of Glory that might accrew both to Christ the Son and to God the father In respect of Christ that he might receive the honour due to his deity which the work of humiliation might take from him though he were the true God Phil. 2.6 equall with the Father yet taking upon him the forme of a servant that he might be fitted to humble himselfe to the death of the Crosse this humiliation made the world that knew him not strip him of his glory they accounted him a divell a glutton a malefactor crucified him between two theeves Objiciunt nos honorem deferre homini crucifixo mysterium hujus rei ignorantes Iust Mart. put a crowne of thornes upon his head in derision and ever after derided the Christians that they beleived in a crucified God Christ must now be repayred in his honour therfore God appoynts him to be King of his Church that he may be advanced in their eyes who had so much vilified him the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment that is the dispensation of all government to the Son Iohn 5.22 that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father as the world vilified him as a malefactor they might now acknowledg him God equall with the Father and honour him with the same honour wherewith they honour the Father greatly exalted because greatly humbled the stone which the builders refused 1 Pet. 2.7 is made the head of the corner In respect of the Father that he might have the more glory from such a solemn administration of a kingdom by Christ as God was more glorified by giving Christ to be a Redeemer by finding out such a way of saving sinners where God became man and two natures the divine and humane united together Christ taking flesh and suffering then if he had saved his people any other way without Christ so now it would bring more glory to God by exalting Christ as King and giving him the solemn administration of a Kingdom then if God should have governed his people in the generall way as he governs the world God has highly exalted him Phil. 2 9 11. and given him a name above every name that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father That 's a main end why Christ who was first humbled was after exalted the glory of the Father that solemn administration of the Kingdom by Christ brings more glory to the Father Secondly in respect of Gods people none so fit to be King to any people as such a one who is allyed to them and may be the more tender of them As God gave the precept touching a King for the Israelites they must choose one from among their brethren Deut. 17.15 so Christ therefore fittest because our brother he took our nature upon him and became Immanuel God with us God one of us of the same flesh and blood with us t is the same in this which the Apostle speaks touching the fitnesse of Christ's being made high Priest for us because having taken our nature Heb. 5.2 and being compast with infirmities he is likely to be the more compassionate to us 't is fittest Christ should be our King that having the same nature with us and compast about with our infirmities he might exercise the more tendernesse towards us as knowing best our frailties and the weaknesses of our natures a King of our brethren is fittest for us Thirdly In respect of Gods enemies and ours the more to awe them when they shall see him reigning over them whom they derided see him glorious in the administration of a kingdom and all power over them who once crucified and yet doe daily crucifie him see Christ King of such whom they persecute and fight for them and judge their cause whom they afflict 't is said of the wicked of the world when they see the son of man comming in the cloudes in the day of judgment they shall mourne feare him as a terrible judge Mat. 24.30 ready to take vengeance on them who have used him so despitefully it must needs be the same here Ipse erit judex qui sub judice stetit ut videant impii ejus gloriam in cujus mansuetudinem saevierunt Prosp Sent. 337. though in a lesse degree what can more awe and terrifie wicked people then to know Christ reignes he sits heere as King to observe them to judge them to plague them whose person they have so much vilified whose honour they have so much laid in the dust whose servants they have so persecuted whose cause they have so much opposed Fourthly in respect of a suitablenesse betwixt the works of redemption and government it were unequall Christ should redeem us and not govern us unjust that we should serve any other then him who hath laid down the ransome for us There is jus redemptionis in this he who ransoms a slave ought to have his service if Christ while we were slaves of the devill hath ransomed us and bought us with a price the price of his own blood 1 Pet. 1 18. it is equall we should serve him give him the service both of our bodies and spirits
on the top whereof was a strong Fort which the Jebusites kept by force from Israel till Davids daies who after tooke it and fortified it and called it Davids Cittie 1 Chron. 11.4 Neere unto which was mount Moriah 2 Chron. 13 1. Neh. 11.1 Isa 52 1. Ioel 3.17 Psal 78.68 Isa 2.3 Isa 60.14 Heb. 12.22 Rev. 14.1 where Solomon after built the Temple Wherupon Jerusalem was called the holy Cittie and Sion named the holy mountaine which God loved and from which the the Law should come forth and thence a type and figure of Christs Church 3. The settlement of this King in his Throne yet have I set my King how great soever the oppositions made by wicked men be yet his throne is firmely established The results of all which are these which I shall present in this order Observ 1 Christ the second person of the Trinitie is by the designation of his Father appointed to be King of his Church a King to rule and governe all those whom hee hath redeemed to be a people for himselfe Observ 2 The Kingdome of Christ shall overtop the plots of wicked men and be established firmely notwithstanding all their oppositions Observ 3 The Church of God where Christ sitts and reignes as King must be a holy Church These are the three mayn branches which spring from this stock the three mayn streames which flow from this fountaine The first Christ the second person c. Observ 1 For the better understanding of which wee must know there is a twofold Kingdom of God the one generall termed the Kingdome of power and providence wherby Dan. 4.35 as God the Creator he governs the world and all things in it The other speciall wherby as God the Redeemer hee exerciseth an administration of rule and government over the elect by a speciall name called the Kingdome of Christ in which he dispenses to his children both grace and glory Whence though the division be usuall into the Kingdom of grace and the Kingdom of glory yet they are not two Kingdomes but parts of one and the same Kingdom of Christ When therfore wee speake of Christs Kingdom wee meane not that which he hath by nature the government of which is universall over all the world and doth agree to him as hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God coessentiall with the Father But that Kingdom which he hath by speciall designation from his Father and which is appropriated to him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man God with us cloathed in our flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ the mediator and which he dispences as he is the governour and head of that people which he hath by his own bloud purchased to be a peculiar people unto God from the rest of the world This the Scriptures set forth plentifully unto us in those severall expressions of giving all things into Christs hand of committing all judgment to him of Crowning him of putting all things under his feet Into whose hand hath he given all things that concerne the Church into the hand of Christ to be dispensed by him he loveth him and hath given all things into his hand Iohn 3.35 To whom hath he committed all Judgment to the Son to him he hath committed the dispensing of that power which belongs originally to himself the Father judgeth no man Iohn 5.22 but hath committed all judgment to the Son Who is the crowned King of Gods people Christ under him all things are put in subjection he hath Crowned him and put all things under his feet Heb. 2.7 See what a glorious description of Christs designation to this Kingdom we have Isa 9.6 7. unto us a child is borne unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderfull couneellour the mightie God the everlasting father the Prince of peace of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Iudgment with Iustice from henceforth even for ever Hee who is God the Son the second person in Trinity the child borne for our Redemption upon his shoulder is the Government laid as he first bare upon his shoulder his Crosse so now he beares the government of his Church upon his shoulder which he purchased by his Crosse He is not only Christ the Saviour but also Christ the Lord Luke 2 1◠set upon the Throne of his father David for ever In the further opening of which poynt I shall first shew you the quality of this Kingdome of Christs Secondly the grounds and reasons why God would not governe his people in the generall way as he governs all the world but would have such a solemne administration of a Kingdom by Christ First The quality of Christs kingdom the quality of Christs Kingdom as Samuel when he annoynted Saul King told the people the manner of the Kingdom so wee are here to inquire the manner and quality of the Kingdom of Christ The Scriptures set it forth under two notions first that it is a Kingdom in us Secondly a Kingdom over us Christ reigns in us Christ reigns over us Christ reigne in us Dan. 7.13 1 Christ reignes in us this is that which was typified in Daniels vision I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the son of man and there was given him Dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people and nations and languages should serve him what kind of Dominion and Kingdom was this in which all nations languages should serve Christ not an earthly Kingdom no that Kingdom which was given to the son of man in that vision it was a spirituall kingdom the seting up of the Scepter of Christ in our hearts my Kingdom is not of this world it is in the world but not of the world Iohn 18.36 it is a government erected in the hearts of Gods people The Kingdom of God is within you every holy heart is Christs throne where he sits Luke 17.21 the forces of the Gentiles shall come in unto him Isa 60.5 In former times Christs Kingdom was confined to Iudea but since Christs comming the Gentiles are called the forces of the Gentiles the maine strengths and greatest parts of the Gentiles at some time or other shall acknowledge Christ That was the voyce of the seaventh Angell that sounded Revel 11.15 the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of Christ those kingdoms which were but kingdoms of this world earthly kingdoms that knew none but an earthly King and yeilded no obedience but an externall obedience now become the kingdoms of Christ submit themselves to the Gospel of Christ advance his Scepter among them and yeild obedience to his lawes it is true all persons of all nations receive not Christ as King but there is no
but to have a nearer communion with them Secondly in having a fellow feeling with them of their miseries every member of the body hath a sense of the injuries the other members suffer There be certain trees whose leaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Al. Strom. l. 2. if cut or toucht the other leaves contract themselves and for a space hang downe their heads such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a consent of spirits as Clemens cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. ibid. there should be betwixt all the children of God If the man that is in us be spirituall that humane affection which is in us naturally is turned into a brotherly affection as being partakers of the same spirit T is said of Hypocrates twins they laught together and wept together as there will bee a rejoycing with them that rejoyce so there will be a mourning with them that mourne a contracting our spirits with sorrow a hanging down of the head in sense of our brethrens miseries T was the sin of the people for which God threatens them that they lay upon beds of ivory and eat the lambs of the flock and chanted to the sound of the violl Am. 6.6 and drank wine in bowles and annointed themselves with chiefe ointments but were not grieved for the afflictions of Ioseph What nation deeper drencht in this sin then wee have been we have long seen our brethren in France in Germany and now in Ireland wallowing in their blood Each of those Kingdoms ready to crie out with the Church was ever sorrow like my sorrow Is it nothing to you Lam. 1.12 all ye that passe by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath O hath not the wrath of God gone over those Countries like waves rolling one after another billow upon billow the famine after the sword and the plague after the famine may not we tell our children Ioel 1.3 and our children tell their children and their children another generation that which the palmer worme hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the canker worme eaten and that which the canker worme hath left hath the caterpiller eaten have greater judgements been recorded to posterity then have been executed upon these nations insomuch as all their plenties are devoured what the sword hath left the famine has destroyed and what the famine hath left the plague has consumed Are not the judgements upon our brethren in Ireland such as may well make our eares tingle to heare them Iet 19.3 doe we not now see them as the afflicted Saints are described imprisoned stoned sawen asunder slain with the sword Heb. 11 3◠wandring about upon the cold mountains and desarts naked and starving at best in sheep-skins and goat-skins destitute afflicted tormented lying comfortlesse in dens and caves of the earth wives abused before their husbands faces virgins deflowred women with childe ript up poore infants snacht from their mothers breast and dasht against the stones here some lying naked perishing with cold there others starving with hunger the land that was as the garden of Eden now become a barren wildernesse Ioel. 2.3 that brings forth nothing but thorns to crown Christ with as St. Chrysostome speaks of the land of Iudea or nothing but monsters of men that delight to have their hands in the bowels and bathed in the blood of the Saints of God everywhere misery and all the direfull effects of the desolations of warre this I say have wee not long seen and yet ubi viscera where are our bowels yearning upon these afflictions of our brethren may I not say 2 Cor. 6.12 in the Apostles words are we not straitned in our own bowels are not our bowels shut up against our brethren how few of us that leave off any pleasure or take any the least time more to mourne in private for these afflictions of Ioseph are we not as wanton and full of jollity and good fellowship as formerly as if these miseries we see upon others did not at all concerne our selves they who are not sensible of the miseries of their poor brethren 't is a sign they are not subjects of the kingdom of Christ Christ himself hath compassion upon us Heb ◠2 who are his members in our miseries there is no affliction upon Gods people but God is afflicted with them in all their afflictions he was afflicted Es 63.9 Non perdit viscera pia mater ecclesia Aug. ho. 27. Heb. 13.3 1 Pet. 3.8 The Church our mother hath bowels of compassion towards her children and shall we have no sence of our brethrens miseries not be afflicted in their afflictions not remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being also in the body Bee all of one mind saies the Apostle having compassion one of another love as brethren be pittifull If we love as brethren we shall have these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these bowels of compassion and pitty one towards another when it is well with them we shall rejoyce as the people of Roma did for Germanicus when they heard he was recovered they went about singing The City is safe our Country safe because Germanicus is safe Then we shall rejoyce and sing Our City our Country our persons Salva Roma Salva patria salvus est Germanicus we are all in a happy condition when our brethren and our Religion and the Church of God is in peace but till that be done till God make our Ierusalem a quiet habitation till God lift up the heads of our brethren againe and give the Gospel a free progresse againe and make Religion flourish again and set up the Kingdome of Christ and his Ordinances againe in their beauty and power and purity in other Nations as well as our owne we must mourne with them that mourne and weep with them that weep and be afflicted in the afflictions of Gods people if wee be not it is a signe wee are not members of the same body nor Subjects of the same King 3. In relieving their causes and persons with the strength of their owne persons and substance brethren and fellow-subjects must contribute to the reliefe and deliverance of those who are of the same bloud and of the same profession with themselves Wee must doe here as Iesse said to David 1 Sam. 17.18 Goe look how thy Brethren fare Wee should be alwayes eying our Brethren the people of God Psal 41.1 to see how they fare consider the poore as the Psalmists expression is that we may relieve them in their distresses Gen. 14.14 Abraham ventured his owne person and all his Family for the redemption of his Brother Lot Saul and all the Israelites hazarded themselves for their fellowes the Inhabitants of Iabes Gilead In the time of persecution 1
Sam. 11.8 the Disciples every man according to his ability sent reliefe unto their Brethren which dwelt in Iudaea Act. 11.29 Nay the Macedonians went in this beyond their ability 2 Cor. 8.3 more then their estates would beare and they that were of the same faith all that beleeved sold their possessions for the supply of the needs of the rest of the Faithfull Act. 2.44 and such contributions they used to make in those dayes that every man had sufficient neither was any among them that lacked for as many as were in possession of Lands and houses sold them and brought the prices and laid them downe at the Apostles feet Act. 4.34 and distribution was made to every man according as he had need 'T is not enough to say wee are all subjects of Christs Kingdome in words but we must shew it in deeds otherwise it is but as Saint Iames speakes a vaine expression to say to one that is naked and destitute of food Depart in peace bee warmed and be filled Iam. 2.16 and yet not give them those things that are needfull for them If we serve Christ wee must love him if we love Christ then as he laid downe his life for us so must wee be content upon a necessity to lay downe our lives for the Brethren But much more then whoso hath this worlds goods and sees his brother hath need and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1. Ioh. 3.16 'T will be a sad evidence against us in the day of Judgement if we neither feed the hungry nor cloath the naked Mat. 25.43 and t is a terrible threatning Iam. 2 1◠hee shall have judgement without mercy who shewes no mercy Doe not delude thy soule Divitias dispergendo pauperibus abjecerunt talimodo in coelestibus thesauros tutius condiderunt Aug. prob ep 121. in accounting thy selfe a member of Christs body a Subject of Christs Kingdome and yet see another member another Subject perish before thine eyes and not relieve him but shutst up thy bowels of compassion against him Clemens tells us of the Elephants if one fall into a Ditch and cryes out the next that heares him presently gathers all the Heard and help him out If any poore brother be in distresse and cannot relieve himselfe Strom. l. 1. Cyprianus Christianus factus omnem substantiam suam pauperibus erogavit Hier. the whole Society must doe it Great are the exigences of our poor Brethren at this time in Ireland there is Christ naked and Christ hungry and Christ in prison and Christ ficke Christ in his poor Subjects Let us cloath Christ and feed Christ Reponam hunc thesaurū universum apud creatorem liberis autem meis relinquā thesaurum ipsum creatorem quod cùm dixisset erogavit omnia paupetibus Drus Haeb. Apo. Mat. 21.3 and redeeme Christ out of the hands of his enemies Let us not now looke upon our Cold with a covetous eye nor keep it with a griping hand nor be nice of our persons when Christ hath need of us and our wealth as Christ said when he sent for the Asse say The Lord hath need of him and they will let him goe When the Lord hath need of our persons and need of our purses let us let them goe be free in the causes of Christ we are not his Subjects if we helpe not him nor our fellow-subjects I know I shall easily have a pardon from you Honourable and Beloved if I be an earnest Advocate in these causes of Christ for which you have shewed your selves already so faithfull and zealous the Lord reward you for your care but give me leave onely to put you in remembrance of this as the Vision appeared to Saint Paul There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him Act. 16.9 come over into Macedonia and helpe us Christ hath long appeared to you and called for your help for Ireland the Lord I say will reward you for what helpe you have already afforded them but I beseech you let every Fast day wee keepe for them put you in mind of their pressing miseries and their bleeding condition which now begins againe to be desperate Let mee say to you in the words of the men of Gibeon to Ioshuah Iosh 10.6 Slacke not thy hand from thy servants come up to us quickly and savt us and helpe us As Salomon speakes of a word fitly spoken or spoken in season Prov. 25.11 it is a word upon its wheeles as the Originall inforces so it is with a worke a worke done in season it is a worke upon its wheeles an excellent worke that goes on to purpose Vse 3 If Christ be our King let me then stirre you up in a word of exhortation to performe the duty of good subjects unto Christ to helpe Christ into his Throne and maintaine him there and that partly in respect of our selves partly in respect of others 1. In respect of our selves to Crowne Christ in our owne hearts to set up his Kingdome within our selves the Kingdome of God is within you to set it up in our hearts we easily desire Christ a Saviour to save us but not a King to governe us Wee are ready to cry out with the Disciples Mat. 14.30 Lord save us we perish but as ready againe to say with the wicked Citizens Luk. 19.14 We will not have this man to reigne over us Alas wee must not expect Christ should be a Saviour unlesse he be received as a King as Iephtah answered the Elders of Gilead Why come you to me now when you are in distresse Iudg. 21.7.9 if the Lord deliver your enemies before me shall I be your head Wee must not fly to Christ onely in the time of our distresse when our sinnes presse us and we see the mouth of Hell open to swallow us up unlesse withall when Christ hath delivered us from our spirituall enemies wee be contented to take him for our head for our Lord to rule and governe us as well as for our Saviour to save us O let us crowue Christ in our hearts not doe as the Jewes did set a crowne of thornes upon his head but set a Crowne of Gold upon his head a Crown of Soveraigntie acknowledge him our Lord and King feare and obey him Crowne him as Iehoiada and the people crowned King Ioash 2 King 11.11 12. they crowned him and compast him about with their swords in their hands ready to fight against all his enemies Set up Christ in the throne of thy heart and hold thy sword in thy hand to fight against all Christs enemies all thy own lusts thy rebelling affections that fight against Christ the King of thy soule 2. To help to advance Christs Kingdome in others to helpe to lift up Christ and to set up his Scepter over all the World God has promised to give Christ the Nations for his
inheritance and the uttetmost parts of the Earth for his possession 't is a great work to bring people into Christ to set up his Kingdome so as Christ may come to inherit the Nations and to possesse the uttermost parts of the Earth every one must come in to help in this worke When the Tabernacle was to bee made every one that was of a willing heart brought his offering some gold some brasse some scarlet Exod. 35.5 some Goates hayre every man according to his ability When the Temple was to be built every one set to his helping hand Salomon prepared gold Hyram sent Cedar Trees some were hewers in the mountaines some bearers of burthens every one contributed according to his quality it must be so here in the advancing of Christs Kingdome 't is the great worke God hath designed us for every one must set to his helping hand according to his ability and the meanes and opportunities God presents to him Christ is King yet hee hath many enemies labour to keep him out of his Throne 't is our part to helpe him in Christ is ill handled by enemies at home in private contriving plots against him Act. 5.39 O for some Gamaliels to give seasonable counsell to take men off from plotting against Christ He is worse handled by enemies abroad in publike there he is not onely plotted against but already upon the Crosse looke into Germany looke into Ireland we may easily with Thomas beleeve him to be there we may see the print of his nayles in his hands and in his feete and may put our fingers into those ghastly wounds are already made in his body and his Members Mat. 27.59 O for some Iosephs of Arimathea to take him downe from the Crosse All persons are called in to this worke People Ministers Magistrates Kings themselves As they are Monarchs they are offended if any thing be done against Monarchy let them bee carefull of Christs Monarchy he is King of Kings they are all called in to serve Christ in this Psalme Vers 10.11 Give me leave Honourable and Beloved to set before you in a few words three Kingdomes which are maine impediments to the advancement of this Kingdome of Christs the Kingdome of sin the Kingdome of Satan and the Kingdome of Antichrist 1. Rom. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kingdome of sin Sin is a King Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Let it not play the King among us beware of suffering any sin to be countenanced among us suffer not sin to be enacted by any Law nor to receive countenance from misconstruction of Lawes sinnes may bee committed in secret and none can prevent them but it will lye upon the Magistrates when publike avouched sinnes are not set against Idolatry was wont to be in corners and by stealth how open of late in England how much justified by many how many things pleaded for it how tollerated in Ireland even to the destruction of that poore land how publike drunkennesse and uncleannesse in Saint Pauls time they that were drunke were drunke in the night 1 Thes 5.7 that was the modesty of those times though they went on in a course of sinne they chose darknesse to cover their sinnes It is a shame to speake of those things which are done of them in secret shamefull things Eph. 5. â—2 but yet done in secret How shamelesse are people in these dayes how are all principles of common modesty as well as common honesty extinguisht in them that they commit sinne in the very face of the Sunne and blush not a shamelesse generation that declare their sinnes as Sodom and hide them not Es 3.9 a desperate and hopelesse state of people that are not onely past feare and sorrow but also past shame Ier. 8 i3 Set against this Kingdom of sinne if Lawes be wanting let them be made if made see to the execution let not sinne reigne among us so open so uncontrouled publike sinnes are in the way of a judgement from God 'T was a judgement upon David and his house that his wives should be prostituted in the face of the Sun 2 Sam. 12 1â— Hos 4.17 and that Ephraim should go after idols and be let alone in their idolatry There are three things worthy the consideration how they may be supprest 1. The bacchanalia that numerous issue of Taverns and Ale-houses so infinitely degenerated from their first institution that they are become the nests and harbourers of all sin and disorder 2. The lupanaria houses of uncleannesse cages of uncleane birds 3. The theatra theaters and stages where profannesse and vice is thought to be indeed satyrically whipt and presented that it might be hated but is rather so personated and acted as people become more in love with it T is true it will be hard to finde out waies of suppressing these publick places of drunkennesse uncleannesse profannesse which are indeed the seminaries and nurseries of all disorders and the bane of the Church and Common-wealth Yet certainly there may be a greaâ— reformation wrought let them have a place in your thoughts in due time these are mighty enemies to Christs Kingdom and Ministers finde unspeakable impediments to the progresse of religion and the course of their ministry from these Secondly Eph. 6.12 the kingdom of Satan Satan is a king he is the ruler of the darknes of this world that labours to keep all under a spiritual Aegyptian darknes that labours to blind the minds of people in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of those that beleeve not 2 Cor. 4.4 't is a mighty policy of Satans against Christs Kingdome to labour that people may be kept in ignorance that dumb dogs may be set up that will never open their mouths to teach knowledge and that the means may be kept from the Church that so worthy men may not be brought in who consider the Labourer is worthy of his hire Looke to this when time shall be see that there be a candle in every candlestick that is able to give light a pastor in every flock that is able to feed and let there be such encouragements as may enable men to go on comfortably and chearfully in the work there hath been already much said in this argument by others I shall not need to say more in it Thirdly the kingdom of Antichrist he is a King nay a God who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God 2 Thes 2.4 so as he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God the oppositions Christs kingdom receives from Popery are notorious to all as there was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 6. something that was an obstacle that hindered the full revelation of the working of the mystery of iniquity in the Apostles dayes the Kingdom of the Emperours hindering the advancement of the kingdom of Antichrist so now Popery that
is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high and spreading power of the kingdom of Antichrist is a mighty impediment to the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ The way then to set up Christs Kingdom is to pull downe Antichrists there is a promise that Christs shall stand for ever but Antichrists shall have a fall and that the raising of Christs to its highest pitch shall be by the ruines of Antichrists After the prophecy of the fall of the whore Rev. 18. Rev. 19. Rev. 20. and the destruction of the beast followes the description of the glorious Kingdom of Christ It is with those two Kingdoms as with the scales in the ballance when the one goes down the other goes up or as it was with the houses of Saul David the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker 2 Sam. 3.1 but the house of David stronger and stronger the Kingdom of Christ goes up by Antichrists going down that waxeth stronger and stronger as this waxeth weaker and weaker Beware then of the connivence at Popery tollerations of Idolatry false worship downe with these cast Antichrist out of his saddle wherein he has sate too fast among us that Christ may better get up into his Stirrup to ride about conquering his enemies And let all you doe in these particulars be done 1. With faithfull resolutions to lay downe all your own ends and interests and to seek Gods glory 't was the Apostles complaint All men seeke their owne things Phil. 2.21 but no man the things of Iesus Christ So t is still we more seeke our owne things then those that belong to Christ and his Kingdome this should be the maine aime of every of us whatsoever falls to our selves to looke to this to doe our duty to Christ if that be not proposed first as our main end we shall never prosecute it cordially they are the prime principles of Christianity to deny our selves and take up the Crosse and follow Christ Mark 8.34 If these things be not first resolved on to lay downe our selves and to be contented with Christs Crosse and Christs yoake and that forme of Christs government which he has set downe in his Word and not what our selves fancie and to suffer what he will have us and to follow him whether he will carry us we shall doe little for the setting up of his kingdome while our thoughts are turn'd wholly on our selvs and our own interests and raising our owne fortunes wee easily forget Christ and fetting up his Kingdome 2. With zeale to God Ratione rerum agendum est non libidine Salv. de gub RescuÌ„re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione confligat Aug. de util cred In causa religionis nobis nihil ex arbitrio nostro indulgere licet sed nec eligere q od aliquis ex arbi rio suo in duxerit Teri. not to do things in a formall way only as willing to comply with the greater and leading part swim with the stream go with the crowd but to doe every thing you doe out of love and zeale to the cause you take in hand as being Gods cause When you goe about to reforme the House of God to doe it not because you are offended with this or that or this or that pleases your humour better but because God is offended with it or God is pleased with it that you may say truly as David and Christ both spake The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up not my owne humour but zeale to Gods glory and the glory of Gods House that there is in the heart a * Ignis quidam flagran assimi amoris Aug. Rom. 12.11 Nen me dâ—seret Deus si nihil fingâ— si offiâ—io ducor si veritatem amo si amiciriam diligo si multum metuo ni fallor Aug de util â—red fire of burning love kindled and flaming in you to God and his cause When you goe on in any other service to God to doe it with fervencie Be fervent in the spirit serving the Lord that will go thorow with the work God will not forsake you in it when done not out of formality but out of zeale and sincerity to Gods cause 3. With unity of affections as minding the same thing nothing more hinders the advancement of Christs Kingdome and Causes then divisions among his people The wicked unite themselves strongly against Christ Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck against Israel Herod and Pontius Pilate made friends that they might oppose Christ The multitudes all against the Apostles the Princes set themselves and take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed they unite themselves that there may bee no peace to Gods Church Vnitatem procurant ne pax sit How should Gods people unite themselves for Christ and goe on as the Israelites did to revenge the sin of the Benjamites Knit together as one man as we pretend to have the same head Iudges 20.11 and the same causes so we should have the same heart and the same ends A Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand if the Subjects of Christs Kingdome be divided 't is the way to ruine the cause and pull downe the Kingdome All the Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem should be like the Citizens of an earthly City that is compacted within it selfe Ierusalem is a City compacted within it selfe Psal 12â— 3 stand close to one another in honest causes Psal 133.1 Gen. 45.24 Exod. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2.1 'T is pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity Brethren must not fall out by the way Fellowes must not be at variance The Spirit of God descended upon the Disciples when they were with one accord together in one place Peace among our selves is a means to advance righteousnesse in the world there is a sweet conjunction of these noted in Scripture Righteousnes and Peace have kissed each other follow peace and holinesse Psal 85.10 Heb. 12.14 Heb. 7.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ciem Al. Str. l. 5 Christ is said to be King of Righteousnesse and King of peace as 't is said of Numa he erected a Temple of Faith and peace peace among your selves will be a meane the better to advance faith and holinesse in the Church If we would doe great things for Christ we must be like-minded of one accord Phil. 2.2 of one minde as division is a work of the flesh while one sayes I am of Paul another I am of Apollos are ye not carnall 1 Cor. 3.3 Concâ—rdia res parvae creseunt discordia magnae dilabuntur Gen. 15.10 11. Psal 80.6 so it layes us open to great inconveniences discord drawes ruine upon great undertakings the ravenous birds came downe upon Abrahams Sacrifices when divided Priam and his sonnes laught at the divisions of the Grecians Thou makest us a strife unto our Neighbours and our enemies laugh among themselves Single Christians may doe something towards the
discharge of their duty to God but there is no noble enterprize to be waded thorow so as to doe any great matter for the setting up Christs kingdome in the midst of so great enemies and so great oppositions if it be not undertaken with united strengths of many To close this point I shall adde some few meditations as strong allectives to draw you up both to crowne Christ in your owne hearts and to help to set up the Kingdome of Christ abroad in the world 1. The honourablenesse of this subjection to Christ there is no service to the service of a King what then to him who is King of Kings but further God will make it an honourable service by stamping a speciall honour upon them who in serving God honour him Them that honour me 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour 't is a word out of the mouth of God if any man serve me him will my Father honour 't is a word out of the mouth of Christ Ioh. 12.26 And if you put the question which Ahasuerus put to Haman What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour What shall the honour be wherewith Christ will honour those that be his subjects Rev. 1 6 Ma. 25. Rev. 2.10 the Scriptures tells us he will make us Kings and there is a Kingdome provided for them and a Crowne to be set on their heads What subject has such a Lord Kings doe much for their Servants but they never set a Crowne upon their heads Pharoah made Ioseph the greatest in the Kingdome according to thy word shall all the people be ruled yet he reserved the Soveraignty to himselfe Ben 41.10 in the Throne I will be greater then thou but Christ casts his owne Honour upon us makes us Kings not to reigne for a yeere or a day but to reigne with him for ever and ever Let the force of this motive be that which Balak put to Balaam Rev. 22.5 let nothing hinder thee from comming to me for I will promote thee to very great honour Num. 22.16 Let nothing keep us from comming in to Christ for hee will promote with very great honor all those who come into this subjection to become servants of Christ 2. The profitablenes of this subjection Iob. 21.15 't was the profane question of wicked persons What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if wee pray unto him And the wicked conclusion of a rebellious people It is vaine to serve God and there is no profit that we have kept his ordinances Gods people know Mal. 3.14 there is no such service as the service of Christ no such promises 1 Tim. 4.8 no such gaine as in godlinesse Godlinesse is great gain and hath promises of this life and of that to come If ever wee expect things by promise from God so as to have a blessing in them and not a curse we must serve Christ in the wayes of godlinesse that has the promise of this life as well as of that to come All blessings come where Christs Kingdome comes Mat. 6.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First seeke Gods Kingdome and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be added to you they shall be cast in as an overplus to the bargaine Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Es 65.13 my servants shall sing for joy of heart but yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit That 's the preheminence Gods Servants have above Gods enemies they have a greater portion of outward blessings even in this life onely where God for some particular reasons sees fit to alter the course of his ordinary dispensations But then further in the life to come he that is the servant of Christ receives not only the advantage of his service here but withall a glorious reward of it hereafter hee who hath his fruit unto holinesse shall have his end ever lasting life Rom. 6.22 Let the force of this motive be that which Abner proposed to the men of Israel why they should crowne David and receive him for their King because the Lord hath spoken of David saying by the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hands of the Philistines 2 Sam. 3.18 and out of the hands of all their enemies So here crowne Christ in thy heart receive him as thy King labour to advance his Kingdome among others because God hath said by him hee will save thee and all the Israel of God from their sins from the Devill from hell Set a crowne upon Christs head here in thy heart he will crowne thee with all temporall blessings in this life and set a crown of glory a crown of immortality on thy head in the life to come 3. The necessity of this subjection to Christ and of setting in to the work of advancing Christs Kingdom in the world in case we would not be miserable in this life and that to come No blessing upon a Land where Religion and Christs Kingdome flourish not 't was when Obed Edom entertained the Arke of God 2 Sam. 6.11 that God blest him and all his house Religion is the mother of all blessings like the Heavens it has an influence upon all things here below it bindes all blessings together as it is said of Minerva's Buckler made by Phydias he wrought it so artificially that having set his owne name in the midst of it it could never be taken out without breaking the whole frame All blessings are bound up in Religion and the Gospel and Christs government among us if you take away these you break the whole frame of blessings If the Palladium be once lost Troy is lost steale away Christ and the Gospel and Religion from us we are lost and all blessings lost Without that we shall have a curse in all we enjoy I will curse your blessings Mal. 2.2 God curses those things to us which we enjoy not in the blessing of the Gospel Woe to them sayes God when I depart from them Hos 9.12 If ever Christ depart from us 't will be woe to us When the Arke of Gods presence was taken from the Israelites then Ichabod the glory of Israel departed The Arke of Gods presence 1 Sam. 4.22 his presence in his ordinances in the Gospel if that be taken from us the glory departs from England no more glory no more blessing 'T is the reason of the dissolution of States and Kingdomes Religion first fals before the Common-wealth fals The Kingdom of Iudah lasted longer then the Kingdom of Israel because Religion and the worship of God was more carefully preserved there 2 Chro. 26.2 When the messengers of God were mockt and his words despised and his Prophets misused that is when Religion
as the Moon the fuller the Sun shines upon her the brighter she is the more the Sun is turned from her the darker she is yet at other times she has many obscurings But though she may have lesse glory she shall never be wholly destroied Mat. 7.25 The Church is the house founded upon the rock when the winds blow and the floods descend it shall stand it shall not fall as founded upon a rock so upon the rock of rocks Christ himself Mat. 16 18. upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall never prevaile against her Shake her they may and give her a wound in some of her members as now the Church bleeds at one veine in Germany at another in Ireland at severall veines in severall parts of the world As Pheti us notes touching the calumnis cast upon Basil by Philost orgius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Re. 11.11 yet she shall lift up her head again and shall be healed in her wounds and like the two witnesses slain in the streets after a time she shall live again the spirit of life from God shal enter into her and great fear shall fal upon them that see her Fourthly see it in Gods cause whatever is undertaken in Gods cause though sometime it may seem to faile in particular persons the cause of the poor in perverting of judgement the cause of religion by the insolence of persecutors and tyrants yet in other respects it does certainly prevaile 1. By a retribution of vengeance upon the heads of those that set to overthrow the cause of God Abel perished in Gods cause and yet even in the death of Abel Gods cause prevailed by bringing down vengeance upon Cain the murtherer the blood of thy brother crieth to me from the ground Gen 4.10 and therefore now thou art cursed from the earth The Martyrs perished in the cause of God and yet even in their deaths that cause prevailed by bringing vengeance upon the persecutors I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held and they cried with a loud voice how long O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.10 Wee need not doubt this prevailing of the cause of God in our neighbouring Kingdom how ever it may seeme for the time to goe downe in the barbarous and bloudy destruction of that poore people whose bloud cryes so loud from the ground as God cannot but curse the murtherers and whose soules under the Altar cry so loud as God cannot but judge and avenge their bloud on them who have so inhumanely and so unmercifully shed it 2. By way of improvement that cause prevails that improves it selfe by the opposition and violence it suffers under Gods cause like Sampson is victorious even then when we think it has received its deaths wound and like the Camomill Es 53.10 Ex. 1.12 Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses Est 8.16 Da. 6.26 Ezr. 6.6 it spreads more by being trampled upon or like the fire the more it is smothered and kept in by violence for the time the more forcible it breaks out and heats afterwards In shedding the bloud of Christ the cause of God seemed to suffer but you know what an improvement it received by it that bloud was it that was the fruitfull field of such a seed unto God 't was making his soul an offering for sin that made him see his seed In Egypt the cause of God seem'd to suffer when the children were commanded to be destroyed and their burthens were doubled yet we know that decree increased the people and doubling of their taskes hasted their deliverance By the oppositions of Haman the cause of God got better footing And by casting Daniel into the Lions den God came everywhere to be more feared and worshipt by a publike decree By the oppositions of Tatnai and Shetherboznai the building of Gods house prospered In burning and tearing the martyrs in the primitive times and in Q. Maries dayes the cause of God seemd to suffer yet we know how Martyrdom improves it the bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church that is as the Bishop of Valence * To the King of France in a conference at Fountain Bleau So Tert. ad Scà p Quisque enim tan tam tole rantiam spectans ut aliquo scrupulo percussus onquirere accenditur quid sis in causa Et ubi cognoverit veritatem ipse statim sequitur once explained it people by seeing the sufferings of the Martyrs came more to look into and understand that profession then formerly they had done which made them with so much patience indure such torments and so at length to imbrace the same like the generating of the Phoenix out of the ashes not the egges of the Damme Out of the ashes of a few Saints multitudes of professours arise I shall present you these few grounds of this truth reasons of the point to be inlarged in your owne private meditations 1. The genius of Religion it is of a flourishing and improving nature As one said of Anthony that was at oddes with Augustus compound with him for his genius goes beyond yours The genius of Religion goes beyond that of all its opposites It was first in families after in Cities and so by degrees spread it self over the world The image in Nebuchadnezzars vision was smitten by a stone cut out without hands Dan. 2.34 35. and the stone that smote the image became a great Mountaine and fill'd the earth You have the interpretation of this in the following verses the Image in its severall parts represented the 4. Monarchies of the world which should all bee destroyed by a fift Kingdome which Christ should set up which should so improve it selfe from a small beginning as quickly to fill the whole earth notwithstanding all oppositions made against it 2. The power of Christ he is able to set up his colours and his Scepter there where no earthly King dares set his foot Pritannotum in accessa Romanis Joca Christo verò sub aita 'T was Tertullians observation Britaine was a place which the Romanes could not at such a time possesse and yet it was subdued to Christ Look by what motives people are brought in to Christ you must needs acknowledge a strong working power above all the strengths of men done by such contrary wayes to flesh and bloud If wee will follow Christ and be heyres of heaven Wee must deny our selves and take up our Crosse and suffer persecution and be hated for his name sake and hate father and mother c. and yet by these and the like motives more are brought in to Christ and submit to his Lawes then by all the rewards could be proposed to them 3. The course of Gods providence which shall still uphold it so as to