entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the evelasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Christ is here a King He rules in his Church in a spiritual way but when this world is done He shall be a King and if you be now godly you shall have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Mark when a Beleever dies he goes into the Kingdome of Jesus Christ he goes but from one administration of it to another but still he is in the same Kingdom of Christ here 's the difference between the death of the men of the world and the death of the Saints the men of the world they are of the world and they are under the kingdom of darkness and when they die they go to the kingdom of darkness and the Saints they are now under the kingdom of Christ spiritually and when they die they go to another administration of the kingdom of Christ and the more godly men are the more abundant entrance shall they have into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Now suppose his Excellency that hath done so much service for the kingdom when he shall come What an entrance will be made for him into the City Every man that is a free subject may come freely into the City no body may wrong him and he shall enjoy the Liberty of the City but he hath not that Abundance Entrance into it as a man that hath done much for the kingdom we live in So now every godly man or woman if they have but the least degree of grace they shall come into the Kingdom of Christ I but those that are powerfully godly burning and shining lamps and have been very active and faithful to the death when they die the Gates of Heaven shall be set wide open and they shall have an Abundant Entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ FINIS THE MISERY OF THOSE MEN THAT HAVE THEIR PORTION IN THIS LIFE PSAL. 17. 14. From men of the world who have their Portion in this Life THis Psalm is Davids moan unto God under Sauls persecution without doubt the Psalmist aims at Saul in it In it we have these four things 1. He appeals unto God to judg the righteousness of his heart towards Saul verse 2. Let my sentence come from thy presence from Saul and his Courtiers there comes a hard sentence they call me Traitor they call me Rebel but Lord leave me not unto their sentence let my sentence come from thy presence that I know will be another sentence than what cometh from them for thou hast proved me and tried me and findest nothing in me That is the first thing 2. His prayer to God to keep him in his way his going and his footsteps from sliding verse 5. Lord whatsoever the wrath of Saul be against me yet let neither that nor any other thing put me out of thy way but keep my heart close unto thee and keep my paths in thy way let not my footsteps so much as slide from thee for Lord they watch for my halting if they can find but the least slip from me they take advantage of it to the utmost and I am a poor and a weak creature therefore Lord help me that my footsteps may not slide 3. He prayes for deliverance verse 7. Show thy marveilous loving kindness to me Lord my straights they are marveilous I know not what to do whither to turn me but my eyes are towards thee as straights are marveilous so let the loving kindness of God be marveilous towards me and keep me as the apple of thy eye O Lord unto them I am but as a dog a vile creature in the eyes of Saul and those about him but blessed be thy Name I can look up to thee and know that I am deer unto thee as the apple of thy eye All the Saints of God are dear to God at all times but the persecuted Saints they are the apple of Gods eye If at any time they are dear to God then especially when they are most persecuted now they are the apple of his eye and the apple of an eye is weak and little able to resist any hurt but so much the more is the man tender of the apple of his eye The Saints are weak and shiftless for themselves but the Lord is so much the more tender over them and one Argument that the Psalmist uses in praying against his enemies in this and a special one because they prospered so much in this world they are inclosed in fat and have their hearts desire and thou fillest their bellies with thy hid treasure they leave to their babes they have their portion in this life Lord keep me from them 4. He doth professes is resolution yet notwithstanding all the dangers he was in to go on in the waies of God and expects a gracious issue But I saith he will behold thy face in righteousness indeed I cannot behold the face of the King without danger to me there are a great many that run to kill me and they desire his face but though I cannot see his face yet Lord I shall behold thy face I will behold thy face and it shall be in righteousness I will still keep on in the waies of righteousness and when I awake for I beleeve that these troubles will not hold long I shall not sleep in perpetual sleep but I shall awake and be delivered and then shall I be satisfied with thy likeness There shall be the manifestation of thy glory to me that shall satisfie me for all the trouble that I have endured for thy Names sake that my soul shall say I have enough and this is the sum of this 17. Psalm Now the words are â—â—ad unto you they are a description of Davids adversaries implying an argument why he would be delivered from them they are described to be men of this world they are only those that were adversaries to him And a comfort it must needs be to the Saints of God to see that none are their enemies but the men of this world men of this world who have their portion in this life they have somewhat here and here is all they are like to have 1. It implieth the Argument why he would be delivered Lord deliver me from them because they are men of this world who have their portion in this life Wherein doth consist the force of this Argument where lies the force of this Argument that he would be delivered from them because they were men of this world that have their portions in this life It consists first in this Lord They care not what injustice they do they have no regard to any thing but in this world therefore be it right or wrong may they have but their lusts in this world that is all they care for Lord deliver me from such men 2. Here is
miscarrying there it is over I blesse God that is over for that now my obedience it is not that I might work out and earn salvation but my obedience to God now is being set safe upon the shore that I might live to the praise of the grace of God that hath delivered me from al danger of miscarrying and hath set me with Jesus Christ in heavenly places I am now already set in heavenly places with Jesus Christ and as sure of Heaven for so a Believer may come to be as if so be that I were there already and so I am now to begin the life of Heaven to be blessing and magnifying God not in word only but in my life therefore am I to hold forth the glory of God in my life and Conversation that I might blesse and magnifie the Name of God that hath delivered me from darkness and hath translated me into the Kingdom of his dear Son and upon these terms do I serve God now I do not serve God as one that is in hazard for ever to miscarry and out of a base and slavish fear lest I should miscarry I do endeavor to work out my salvation but it is as one that is redeemed and delivered from eternal misery yea I now begin to joyn with the Saints and Angels that are in Heaven that are there magnifying God and shal be to al eternity praising of Him for His free grace towards them surely this Conversation should be in a higher degree of holiness than the Conversation of Adam could be even in Paradise Yet still remembring this we cannot in this life attain to such a Conversation as to be without mixture of evil but we should be more spiritual and heavenly in our waies we have more cause to be so than Adam had in his innocency and we do not walk answerable to the Gospel except our hearts do rise in a more spiritual and heavenly way than his heart could rise when it came new out of the hand of his Creator That 's the first consideration of the Law as it was a Covenant of life to him and al man-kind in him Oh that as we go along we would but consider what cause we have of humiliation then Oh how far are our Conversations short of that that becomes the Gospel if it should rise to so high a pitch as this is that hath been mentioned Secondly Consider we the Law as in the administration of it to Moses and so to the people of the Jews The administration of the Law to them it was under another notion it was to bring them to Christ and that they might come to see their inability of keeping of that Covenant and come to understand Christ so much the more and to be driven unto Christ by having the Law presented to them God did never intend by giving of the Law to the people of the Jews that it should be a Covenant of eternal life to them indeed there was this in the administraon of it somewhat different from us some special Covenant about their living in Canaan and about mercies in that promised Land beyond that that we have in the Law as we find in the new Testament they I say had this annexed to it The Law that was first given unto Adam and written in his heart afterwards even obliterated then it was transcribed by the same hand in tables of stone and given unto them chiefly to shew them their misery and their need of Christ to be a preparation for Christs coming into the world and with this one addition beyond what we have in the new Testament that there was a temporal Covenant annexed unto it that concern'd their living prosperously in the Land of Canaan so far we are delivered even from the Law as it was given by Moses that is from the connexion of the Covenant that was added unto the delivering of the Law concerning their happy and comfortable condition in the Land of Canaan upon the keeping of their Law but now how ever it was certainly that Conversation that becomes the Gospel should be beyond what could be even from godly men in the time of the Law As first The Law to them it was given under low Promises their promises were but very low that were under the Law It 's true they had somewhat of the Gospel that we have but extream darkly and very little that they knew of it but the chief Ministration of God towards them was then in a legal way and that had but low promises as their living in Canaan you shall find generally al the promises that are annexed to the Law even by Moses it is but that they shall prolong their daies in the Land the Lord their God shall give them That they should be blest in their basket and store their Promises were under Heaven-Promises Promises of this life only and therefore it could raise them but to a very low degree of holiness Secondly Their Ordinances were but poor and mean and beggerly in comparison of our for so the Gospel cals them Col. 2. They were but beggerly rudiments which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed on them untill the time of reformation Heb. 9. 10. They had an earthly Tabernacle a worldly Sanctuary Heb. 9. 1. c. Thirdly The burden of them under the Law was very great they were under a heavy yoke burden that did bow them down A man that is under a heavy burden it makes him stoop bend in the back he cannot stand so upright nor fast as others that have no such weight upon them Fourthly The administration of the Law was with Thunder and Lightning very terrible It made even Moses quake and tremble as the Author to the Hebrews speaks Fiftly Their spirits were very servile under the Law they were subject to bondage even all their daies God so ordered things as to carry on his people even in a very servile way they were but mean servants then hewers of wood and drawers of water But now under the Gospel First our Promises are far better and our Covenant better in Heb. 8. 6. there the Apostle compares their Condition and ours Who serve saith he unto the example and shadow of heavenly things There was but the shadow of heavenly things the Gospel hath the Heavenly things themselves and they are but the shadow for so you have it in Heb. 10. 1. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things They had but a shadow of good things to come and not the very image it self As Moses was admonish'd of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount And then in Heb. 8. 6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry that 's Christ By how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant
His subjects every subject of Christ hath his will and heart subdued to Jesus Christ It is not so in this world men may be subject to the Kings of this world meerly by constraint because they dare not do otherwise many Kings in this world have subjects whose hearts are not with them who love them not the Kings of this world they rule only the outward man But Christs Kingdom is another kind of Kingdom He rules in the hearts of men there is His Throne in the wills in the affections of men in the consciences of men Christ swaies His Scepter in mens souls men by conquest they subdue subjects to themselves Christ he subdues too in a way of conquest but he doth not subdue the outward man so much as the inward man the will is subdued to Christ He swaies His Scepter in their hearts this is a great mystery of godliness the swaying of the Scepter of Jesus Christ in the hearts of the Saints and therefore the Scripture tels us That the Kingdom of God is within us it is an inward Kingdom That 's the third thing wherein the difference between Christs Kingdom and the Kingdoms of the world consists Fourthly The Laws of Christ are Spiritual Observe the difference between the Laws of Christ in the government of His Church and the Laws that are for the government of the world it will be of very great use for you to know The Lord in His Providential Kingdom appointing Magistrates to govern here in the world in His room He leaves them to make Laws according to the general rules of prudence and justice such Laws are sufficient for the governing of the outward man and for the attaining to a Civil end for which their government is appointed But now Jesus Christ in His Mediatory Kingdom in His Church He makes all the Laws Himself He doth not leave it unto the Church to make new Laws according to the rules of their own prudence what they conceive to be fit in way of prudence no but they must fetch the Laws out of His Word and impose none but the same Laws that are in His Word they must have a Scriptum est it is written here are these and these texts of Scripture for what is enjoyned nothing must be added unto what He hath in His Word revealed only there are Divine Laws for the government of His Church now 't is true that the Church because they are a society of men they have some things natural and some things civil among them so far as they have need of natural and civil helps so far there may be Laws made according to rules of prudence and justice and Magistrates may come in to be helpful to the Church so far as they have need here of natural and civil helps as a society of men But now to speak properly to that which belongs to them meerly as they are the Church of Christ besides that that they have need of as they are men and natural and civil societies I say what belongs to them meerly considered as a Church of Christ they are to be governed only by the Laws of Jesus Christ who is the only Law-giver only by the Laws of the Word and there is not that liberty of making new Laws in the Church as there is of making new Laws in the Common-wealth and State and that 's a great difference between the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdoms of this world That 's a fourth The Laws are different The Laws are different not only that they are by Divine revelation in the one and left to humane prudence in the other But 2 ly in the one the Laws bind conscience in the other they do not they do not bind conscience any further than the nature of the thing that is required binds except it be in case of scandal and contempt so our Divines that have been the most orthodox have gone that the Laws of men in the State they bind not conscience that is if a man should not do the thing that is required he should in conscience be bound over to eternal death for not doing it this is a very hard bondage a cruel yoke but thus if the thing that is required be right and just then the nature of the thing may bind conscience for then there comes in a Law of God if the thing be just and right that is required or however if I know nothing to the contrary but it may be just and right I must not break the Laws of man so as to give scandal or in a way of contempt but if it be privatly so as it be no scandal nor no contempt and the nature of the thing bind me not then my conscience is not bound over as guilty of eternal death if so be I do not every thing that man requires But now the Laws of Christ they are such as bind conscience as they come from him he is such a King that I say because they come from him and from his Will though we see no reason in the matter of the thing though they have nothing in the nature of the thing but meerly the Will of Christ it 's enough to tye conscience and to bind us even upon pain of eternal death to obedience Fiftly Christs Kingdom is not of this world That homage that the Saints do unto Christ it is not worldly but spiritual the Worship of Christ and the Ordinances of Christ they are not worldly but spiritual Now the Kings of this world they may appoint what kind of worship they please that is what Ceremonies they will whereby their subject should tender up their homage to them and now men have ventured to be so bold with Christ the King because men may tender up their homage unto their earthly Kings by any waies invented of their own therefore they have thought that they might presume to tender up their homage to Christ their spiritual King by any waies of invented worship and therein was a great error they lookt upon the Kingdom of Christ only in a carnal way whereas the Kingdom of Christ is such as all our homage that we tender up to Him must be Spiritual it must be Heavenly it must be from Heaven it must be from Christ Himself it must be from some Institution and Appointment of Jesus Christ and the more the kingdom of Christ doth prevail the more Spiritual shall that homage be that the subjects tender up to Him therefore you shall find that when the holy Ghost speaks of the Kingdom of Christ in the new Testament with reference unto that which was then in the old Testament He calls even those waies of worship in the old Testament worldly in comparison of the worship and homage that the Saints tender to Christ in the new Testament as in Gal. 4. 3. Even so we when we were children were in bondage under the elements of the world The ceremonies of the Law are call'd here the elements of
Christ they may be under penalties You think that those that are beleevers cannot be chastised for their sin as if there were no penalties in Christs kingdom I confess they are delivered from the penalties of the Law But Christs inflicts penalties as he is King there may be penalties in Christs kingdom And the right understanding of this would much help us in that point Whether Beleevers may be chastised for sin or no though they be Beleevers Oh they will say No. Why Because Christ hath satisfied the Lawfully and how can God require it in them I confess the Law cannot I but Jesus Christ in His administration as He is King not as He is the Judge of the Law but as He is the King over them He may inflict chastisements upon them they may in Christs kingdom have some chastisements they cannot be carried out of that kingdom to have the chastisements of the Law but in Christs kingdom Jesus Christ many times inflicts spiritual chastisements upon them by hiding his face from them for sin and by many spiritual discertions and such men as are but by outward profession under the kingdom of Christ and do seem to be His Subjects and are not so indeed the Lord inflicts spiritual judgments upon them as hardness of heart blindness of mind reprobate sences and I beseech you observe it The Lord Christ doth not so much observe the way of outward judgements upon wicked men that are in the bosom of the Church as He doth observe to inflict outward judgments upon the Heathens and others that are out of the bosom of the Church no Christ hath other manner of punishments for those that are in the Church though now and then Christ doth inflict outward judgments upon them but the main thing that Christ looks at in His Church is To reward with spiritual rewards as righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost and the like so He doth inflict spiritual punishments Those that are professors in the Church naught and vile it may be God may prosper them for a while as well as others outwardly Oh but the punishments of Christ in His kingdom they are spiritual your souls are bound over to eternal death your hearts are hardned your consciences are benum'd and that 's more dreadful wrath a great deal than if the Lord Christ should punish your bodies or take away your estates those are punishments in Christs providential Kingdom but the penalties as Christ is the King of the Church they are ever spiritual punishments which we should more fear and tremble at a great deal Thus the kingdom of Christ is not of this world Now I should have shewed you how this kingdom of Jesus Christ will certainly prevail in the world let the world do what they can In the 2 d Psal Yet have I set My King upon My holy Hill It will at length prevail over all the world and bring under all the kingdoms of the world to it but when it hath done so then there shall be a new world Certainly there is a time that Christ shall have the kingdoms of this world to reign over them in another manner than now He hath and that is at the end of the world I will give you a Scripture or two about that Revel 11. 15. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever That is He shall subdue the kingdoms that were of this world and then He shall reign He shall reign for ever and ever Now they are the kingdoms of this world but when He reigns it is in this manner that is here spoken of it is in another world as appears in Heb. 2. 5. For unto the Angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak Here the Apostle shews that Christ is above the Angels for he hath not put in subjection the world to come unto the Angels therefore there is a world to come wherein Christ shall have a further dominion than yet he hath and Adam was a type of Jesus Christ in this Adam he had the command of this present world Now in this world Christ doth rule but in the midest of his Adversaries but there is a time coming that Christ shall have all under him as Adam in his innocency had the whol world under his feet And Christ doth promise unto his people in the 3. of Revel 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Mark it seems there is a Throne of Christ yet that hath not been for here 's a promise that he will set them upon his Throne as he sits upon his Fathers Throne Now Christ rules together with his Father but saith he You that are my Saints and my Subjects now you shall sit upon my Throne I but you will say That is in Heaven in Heaven indeed the Saints shall reign Nay It connot be meant of a kingdom wherein the Saints shall sit eternally with Christ in Heaven I might give you many Scriptures for that but I will only give you one Scripture 1 Cor 15. 28. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him that God may be All in All. Here he tells us that there is a time that God shall be All in All both unto Christ and unto His Saints yea and you shall find in this chapter that Jesus Christ shall give up the kingdom unto the Father speaking of the time of the resurrection When all shall rise again and when that shall come the kingdom shall be delivered up unto the Father so that this is a time before the general resurrection that Christ shall sit upon the Throne there is yet a time between this and the Saints being in Heaven when the Saints shall sit upon Christs Throne as he upon his Fathers in another manner than now they do Therefore surely Christ shall have the kingdoms of this world subdued unto him in another manner than yet he hath and for the proof of it do but reade the 7 th chapter of the book of Daniel and you shall find abundant of proof there shall be abundant deal of glory in that kingdom of his there he shall have attendants to purpose thousand thousands administred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Christ and though there was a Judgment and the Books were brought yet its apparant afterwards that the Scripture speaks of a time that should be before the Saints should come to Heaven for he saith this That as concerning the rest of the Beasts they had their Dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season Therefore it is not meant at that time when the
Saints shall ascend up into Heaven with Jesus Christ for the Beasts had their lives prolonged for a season and time after that But saith he in the 18. ver The Saints of the most High shall take your Kingdom and possess it for ever even for ever and ever And in the 21. ver I beheld and the same born made war with the Saints and prevailed against them until the Ancient of daies came and Judgment was given unto the Saints of the most High and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom And then in the 27. ver And the Kingdom and dominion and the greatest of the kingdom under the whol Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him What Dominions shall there be when the Saints are in the highest Heavens to serve and obey Christ He means the Dominions that are here upon the earth shall serve and obey Christ Therefore the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world nor be said hereafter to be such a world as this is but when there shall be another world then Christ shall have a kingdom that shall have such glory as shall be apparent to all and such a Kingdom as the Kings of the earth shall come and bring their glory to it as in 21. of Revelations you shal find that it 's said of the Kings of the earth Reade but that description of the glorious condition of the Church of God there and you shall see this true And the Nations of them which are saved shal walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor to it But that is in another world not that world that Christ speaks of here in this place of John Only now do but consider a little of the excellency of this point by way of preparation to you for the next time It would be a notable Scripture to take off our hearts from all the things of this world The right understanding of this would spiritualize the hearts of the Saints would take away the offence of the Crosse of Jesus Christ would help them to carry themselves through this world with a great deal of joy and triumph and not much to regard how things go here below I through the mercy of God am brought into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ And I find the whole tenor of Scripture carries it so that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world but in a spiritual way Oh then let me have spiritual mercies let me enjoy Jesus Christ in way of His spiritual Kingdom and farewell the world and all things under Christ Truly Christians are not acquainted with this point of the spiritual Government of Jesus Christ in His Church and how God the Father hath so ordered things that In this world Christ should have a Kingdom but not Of this world And blessed are they that have by the holy Ghost an enlightning to understand this Mystery to see the reality of it indeed That the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world SERMON II. JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world MAny particulars I past over the last day briefly which I told you would need some further explication I 'le give you some few things about that then proceed to Aplication of al The Priviledges of this Kingdom of Christ they are not of this world I 'le name a principal one and this is the priviledg of al that are under the Kingdom of Christ That all businesses transactions between God and them are in the Court of Christ the Mediator They are not in the Court of exact severe justice but they are to be tried for their eternal estates for all they do in the Court of Christ in his Kingdom which is a mighty priviledg the Saints have As kingdoms have several priviledges 't is a greater priviledg to be tried in one kingdom than in another All men and women in their natural estate not under the kingdom of Christ they are to be tried in the Court of Justice i. e. the Court of Gods providential kingdom and there they are either to be acquitted or condemn'd by the Law that 's the way of Gods proceedings towards those that are under His providential kingdom only to be dealt withal according to the Law But al those that are under the kingdom of Christ have all their businesses in reference to God tried in another Court tried in the Court as I may so call it of the Gospel in the Judicature of Jesus Christ for Christ He is as Mediator to them He is the Judge to pass all sentences concerning them and the right understanding of this would much help in the point of Beleevers being chastised for sin it 's true they are not chastised by judgement out of the court of Law as other men are but they are chastised by Christ that hath the Judicature committed to Him and the Administration of all things especially concerning His Church and People and by a sentence from Him chastised not by a sentence from the Father as He is the Judge of all flesh proceeding according to the Law This is the main thing which we spake to before But yet there are divers other things 2 ly That all that are in Christs Kingdom are Free-men they are delivered from bondage all that are out of this Kingdom are bondslaves they are under the prince of this world that is the Devil and in slavery unto him they are all as vassals under the Law in bondage and have no other spirit but a spirit of bondage in them they are slaves to sin they are under the curse of the Law But now being brought to the Kingdom of Christ they are made free they are free Denizons of Heaven 3 ly And then from hence follows in the third place All that are in Christ's Kingdom have the priviledg of a free-trade to Heaven they have free traffick to Heaven there is now a blessed intercourse between Heaven and them that they have by being subjects of this Kingdom As we know the subjects of this Kingdom have many freedoms that forreigners have not that those that belong to another Kingdom have nothing to do with So the subjects of Christs Kingdom have a freedom of coming into Gods presence of trading to the promised Land that others have not others are cast out of Gods sight and cannot trade to Heaven so as beleevers do that are brought under the Kingdom of Christ 4 ly By vertue of this Kingdom they come to have right unto all the Ordinances of Christ And only by this we come I say to have right unto them so as to be our own Indeed Christ for the sake of such as are His Elect Ones that He intends to bring into His Kingdom He sends forth His Word the preaching of the Word unto them
the joy of the holy Ghost means till it comes under the kingdom of Jesus Christ it 's the priviledge of the kingdom of Christ to bring spiritual peace which passeth all understanding and joy in the holy Ghost Ninthly This is a priviledg in the kingdom of Christ That all that are in His Kingdom have right to all the gifts and graces of all the Saints in the world Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephus or Life or Death all is yours for you are Christs and Christ is Gods They have I say right to all all the gifts of all the Ministers of the world and the graces of all the Saints they work for good unto them Tenthly and lastly They are all Heirs of Christ with an immortal Crown of glory that is laid upon Heaven for them Thus Christs Kingdom is not of this world the priviledges of it are beyond the worlds which can only be seen by the eye of faith for they are spiritual and glorious priviledges Quest If you ask me why it is that God the Father would not have His Son to have his kingdom in this world Certainly God might have given to Christ all the Government of this world might have made Him the great Emperor to have rul'd in an external way and all His Subjects to have been in pomp and glory here below but God would not have the kingdom of His Son here in this world for these reasons Ans First Because that hereby He would confound the wisdom of the world and shew the vanity of all the things of this present world and the folly of the hearts of men that are set upon the things of this world we look upon these things as great things but God hath shewed that he doth not look upon them as great matters but as things that have little value and excellency in them and therfore He would not have His Son to have His kingdom here of this world surely if there were such excellent things here as men dream of then undoubtedly Christ should have had His Kingdom of this world but that God might confound all the glory and non-plus the wisdom of this world therefore he would go another way to work God would so order things that He would fetch about the glory of his Name and those great things that he did intend from all eternity He would fetch them about in a way that should be hidden from the eyes of the world in a way that should appear contemptible in the eyes of the world and he would by this rebuke and shame all the pride folly and vanity of the world there is no greater rebuke of the pride folly and vanity of the world than in my Text here that saith The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world Secondly Because the Lord delights so much in the exercise of the graces of His Spirit the spiritual workings of the hearts of His Saints there 's nothing that is ab extra from God that is more delightful to Him than the exercises of the graces of His Spirit in the hearts of His Saints excepting what is in the Person of Christ himself nothing more pleasing in all the works that ever God made in which He takes more pleasure than in the exercise of faith and of humility and of patience and the like and the holiness of His Saints Now the less the Kingdom of Christ is of the world the more bright and glorious do the graces of the Saints appear the more do they come to be exercised had the Saints a worldly glory and pomp here their graces would not shine forth so eminent there would not be such a spiritual lustre and shine upon them but now that God may exercise especially the grace of faith and humility and patience and self-denial and brotherly love which are so precious to Him therefore God hath so ordered things that the Kingdom of His Son should not be of this world but it should be spiritual it may be you think it a sad affliction that you have not those comforts that you see others have in the world you have not such estates and bravery as others have brave dwellings costly furnitures and fine cloaths as others have and you cannot provide for your children as they do I but is there the exercise of faith in God in the want of these things the exercise of humility self-denial of patience know that these are more glorious things than if thou didst sit upon a Throne with a Crown of gold upon thy head and a Scepter in thy hand and al the people prostrating themselves before thee this were all but a childish vanity in comparison of the exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit thou hast that that is more excellent in the eyes of God and of His Son and in the eyes of the blessed Angels far more excel lent than these outward pompous glorious glittering vanities that are here when thou findest by experience that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world Oh then think that surely God delights much in the exercise of the graces of His Spirit in His Saints And this is the reason why he would not have the kingdom of Christ to be of this world Thirdly and lastly Therefore He would not have it to be of this world that hereafter when the Lord shall come to fetch out all his glory from those things that seem to be the most contrary that his power and wisdom may be more glorious and appear more evidently that his glory may be more conspicuous as certainly it will hereafter at the great Day when the issue of all the great designs that God had in sending of Christ into the world when the issue of all shall come and be accomplisht then the Name of God will be so much the more honorable to all eternity because He hath wrought out such glorious things from that which did seem to the eye of flesh to be so mean and contemptible APPLICATION But by way of Application and that shall be built upon the consideration of the point more generally and upon the Reasons that are named why the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world From hence follow thus much in the first place That if the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then there is a happiness beyond the things of this world to be had that we must certainly conclude and determin If we beleeve this point That Christ Kingdom is not of this world we must lay down this for a certain and infalible ground that we may build upon That there is a happiness to be attained unto that is beyond this world for surely there is a good in the of Christ there is somewhat beyond this world for the souls of the children of men to look after as their cheef good as their happiness that 's a confectory that follows from it The Kingdom of Christ whatsoever it be it 's a glorious Kingdom it is the Kingdom of
the world and as Christ saith Wo to the world because of offences so wo to the world because of this great offence Christs Kingdom being so spiritual hence it is that the world receives Him not in 1. John 10. And so in John 14. 17. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Mark the world cannot receive the spirit of Truth the world receives not Christ and it cannot receive the spirit of Truth If you speak of the world to men then they savor of those things come to a man and tell him of a good bargain on the Exchange he will listen to you and remember what you say but come and speak to him of the great things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ of the glorious priviledges of that kingdom only there 's a sound in the air and it passeth away and takes no impression at all on the heart of one that is carnal 1 John 4. 5. there you have this exprest fully the very guize and way of a carnal heart They saith the text are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them those that are of the world they speak of the world and discourse of the world and savor the things of the world and the world heareth them but now let a man come and tell them of things that are heavenly of a goodly Pearl of Jesus Christ they savor not those things and they hear them not Oh! 't is from hence that men come not into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ because it is not of this world What 's the reason that there are more comes into the Kingdom of Antichrist than into the Kingdom of Christ Revel 13. 3. The whol world wandered after the beast saith the text because they are of the world and Antichrist doth set up a worldly kingdom instead of Christs kingdom and men that are of the world they flock after Antichrist and hence it was that your great rich men in places where the Gospel hath not been they were Papists or Popishly affected so that therefore the Papists make outward prosperity to be one badge or sign of the true Church hence it is that Popery is so sutable to worldly hearts and the holy Ghost prophesied before hand that the whol world should follow Antichrist only here and there a few poor ones Jesus Christ chuses out of this world to follow him for His Kingdom is not of this world One Particular more in a word seeing the Kingdom of Christ is not of the world then a worldly heart is the most unbeseeming thing in one that professeth himself to be a Christian of any thing that can be in the world If Christs Kingdom be not there certainly thy heart should not be there Thou that professest thy self to be of the Kingdom of Christ which is spiritual and heavenly and yet thou a worldly earthly heart I say it is the most unbeseeming thing that possibly can be what for a Professor of Religion to have an earthly covetous worldly heart By that that I have already spoken in shewing the vanity and the evil of the world and the great evil of loving the world were enough to strengthen this use but now that that I intended should have been to speakesp ecially to those that are Christians that have hopes that God hath made them partakers of Jesus Christ and would be loth to lose their hopes in the good things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ for 10000. worlds yet there doth remain much worldliness in their hearts to this day surely this not beseeming one of the profession that thou makest it is no honor unto thy King the Lord Jesus Christ worldly Professors they are great dishonors to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ when there shall appear no difference between those that we account to be men of the world and such as we hope are chosen out of the world Oh! how is Christ dishonored by this Look but upon the lives of Christians that profess Religion and one would think that the Kingdom of Christ were a Kingdom of this world rather than any thing else for I say to outward appearance though it may be Christ may see some integrity within the heart yet to outward appearance there is even almost no difference between them and the men of the world It doth become Christians to live so in their whol course as to make it appear that they are men and women above the world whose Conversations are in Heaven that they do beleeve the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that is not of this world SERMON III. JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world WHAT this Kingdom of Christ was and how different from the kingdoms of this world we have already opened unto you The fourth Use which we are to proceed in is If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world then of all dispositions a worldly spirit is most unsutable to those who profess themselves to be of the Kingdom of Christ Certainly then such as are Beleevers that are come under the Kingdom of Christ they must not be of earthly hearts We find the Apostle in the Epistle of the Ephesians doth rank Covetousness and Uncleanness together and saith of them both in the 5. Chapter 3. Verse Let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints So that a covetous heart after the things of the world it is such a disposition as it should scarce be named among Saints no more than whoredom they should abstain from it as from whordom as it becometh Saints It is the most uncomly thing for a Saint of God one of the Kingdom of Christ to have a covetous heart for the things of the world that possibly can be As it becomes them it doth not become you And Luther that was a great man for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ he is bold to profess it That of all sins he was scarce ever tempted to that sin he found nothing tending almost that way though it 's true there 's no sin but we have the seeds of it in our hearts but yet he found his spirit most above that worldly sin because he was so much taken up with Jesus Christ And indeed the more any soul is taken up with the excellency of Christ and with the glorious things of His Kingdom the more vile will the things of the world be to them We look not at the things that are seen saith the Apostle they are not things to be looked at But at the things that are not seen And in the 6. of the Gal. 14. ver The Apostle Paul that was the great man for the promoting of Christ in the world and the setting up of His Throne he professes That he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him That is he look't upon the world but as a crucified thing What esteem would you have of a man that is hanging upon a
you live in that your consciences condemns you for A Heathen would not do it a Heathen would not wilfully live in a sin that his conscience tells him is a sin manie of the Heathens came to that And what way have you made in profession Perhaps you have seemed to be in the School of Christ manie yeers and others take you for a forward Professor and yet your conscience tells you that you live in some sins that are known sins to you but because they are secret and none knows them but your self therefore you have continued in them and ventured upon them hoping of Gods pardon being perhaps but one and no great one I say in this you are beneath the light of Nature and therefore you are far from having your Conversations such as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ This Conversation of yours is not such as becomes the light of Nature divers Heathens would abhor such Conversations in Christians yea if it were among themselves and they would hardlie companie with you there are manie that make profession of Religion that I say if they lived among Heathens Heathens would not keep companie with a great part of this Kingdom yea and of most Congregations and therefore they should not think much though they may not be admitted into such a near communion as the Lords supper Q. You will say then But what is that Conversation becoming the Gospel that is beyond the light of Nature First The light of Nature teaches to worship a God That many of you do you worship God But this is that that becomes the Gospel of Christ To worship honor God as a Father as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ this goes beyond the light of Nature in that particular not only I am convinc'd that there is a God that He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and my Creator and therefore I 'le worship Him but I do not do that that becomes the Gospel of Christ til I get my self to this That I am able through the grace of the Gospel to worship God as a Father reconciled to me in Christ and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and so do I come and present all my services unto God This few of our Civil men do yet your Civil men will make a profession of the Gospel too and your Civil men they worship God but it is in a meer natural way The God of Heaven and Earth that made them is to be worshiped they can say their old Catechism Q. Who made you A. God Q. Wherefore did he make you A. He made me to serve Him c. I but doest thou when thou comest to serve and worship the Lord look upon God as a Father reconcil'd in Christ and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and so doest thou tender up all thy services to God Thou art not raised to that that becomes the Gospel of Christ except thou doest thus worship God in this way that 's that which becomes the Gospel of Christ and know that all other worship that thou tenderest up to God meerly as God is Creator God that made thee and therfore thou must serve him I say al that worship if thou goest no further God rejects it indeed we are to worship God as a Creator God would have that I but if He hath not that and the other too and if He have not both he will not accept of one for the first is included in the second but the second is not included in the first A man that worships God as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ he doth worship God as a Cretor too but a man may worship God as a Creator and not at all be acquainted with Him as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus and therefore till the Lord in the Ministrie of the Gospel hath been pleased to shine in upon thy soul as a Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and thou comest to worship God thus or at least this is the endeavour of thy soul that thou maiest worship God in this way thou art not satisfied in worshiping God after the other way because he made thee and thy heart works after this indeed I have not got this full assurance that he is my Father but this is that my heart is unsatisfied untill I have got it and I cannot be quiet in anie other kind of worshiping God till I find some abilitie to tender up all to him as a Father and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I say till thou comest to this thou doest not in that particular worship God as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ And so in the point of Justice thou doest give every one his own I but this is beneath that that is required in thy dealing with men according to the Gospel of Christ If you reade the 5. of Mat. there you shall find when Christ comes to preach what he requires he raises the point of Justice beyond doing as we would be dealt with saith Christ there You have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despightfully use you and persecut you this is higher than meerly to be just and for one man not to wrong another you shall have manie men say Who is able to say black is mine eye I live and no bodie can say I wrong them you think this is an excellent Conversation it 's true it is good in its kind and it were good if all Professors of Religion could say they live so that no body can charge them for unjust dealings I but this doth not rise to that height to be the Conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ you must come to this height to love your enemies and to bless them that curse you you must do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Can you find this this is somewhat like the Gospel of Christ this is somewhat more than to do no wrong to others And to do as we would be done to we must go higher we must not onlie set this as a pattern I 'le do as I would be done by No But I 'le labour to do to another as God hath done to me This is higher that 's thus hath God shewed Himself gracious unto me I 'le labour to do that good to others as much as I am able even as God hach done to me You have for that those two Scriptures Ephes 4. 31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one towards another tender hearted forgiving one another The light of Nature now will justifie all this But mark the conclusion Even as
did enlighten us in the things of the Gospel that we have been brought to beleeve it 's a Scripture that would mightily work upon our hearts to live godlily and holily The grace of God that bringeth Salvation what doth it teach us Not to be licentious and vain and slight and bold in our sinful courses but teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Mark it is not enough to live soberly not to be a drunkard to live righteously that is not to wrong any body many think that 's enough But mark indeed the light of nature as I told you would teach us that but now the grace of God that bringeth Salvation teacheth us more To deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly and that in this present world though we live in the midst of a wicked tempting world yet to live godly And what 's the great argument in the Gospel to cause us to live godly in this present world Looking for the blessed hope Oh we look for a blessed hope that the Gospel reveals Oh we did not understand this hope this blessed hope till the Gospel was preached to us but since we apprehend a blessed hope the holy Ghost hath raised in our hearts a blessed hope of glorious things What glorious things Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ We have some little glimps of the great God when we set forth to Sea and launce into the deeps we see the glory of the great God who rideth upon the wings of the wind and whom both the Winds and the Seas obey Oh but we look for another manner of the glorious appearing of the great God than ever yet hath appeared I beseech you consider of this text God did never appear great and glorious in comparison of what he will appear and blessed are those whose Conversations shall be such that can look upon the face of this great God with joy when He shall appear in glory we look for this blessed hope and then when this great God shall appear in His glory then we shall have our blessed hope and this teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts the knowledge of this Oh do you look to be saved have you a blessed hope and do you expect the appearing of the great God in glory hath the Gospel revealed these things unto you O let this that the Gospel reveals teach us to deny all ungodliness and all worldy lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world But there are yet some other things that the Gospel holds forth that are very remarkable for the furtherance of our godly Conversation in this world and if we would live as becomes the Gospel we must have a right understanding of these things or else we shall never sute our selves to the Gospel except we do therby apprehend these great points that are published to us in and by the Gospel As now this is a great point That the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world The Gospel holds forth this to us that Jesus Christ the Son of God having taken our nature upon him he is a great King He hath a Kingdom but He hath a Kingdom that is not of this world neither is Christ of this world nor His Kingdom of this world nor the Saints those that are the Subjects of His Kingdom are not of this world the right understanding of this would much help us in our Conversations and a Conversation beseeming this would much honor the Gospel First We shall shew how the Gospel holds forth this That the Kingdom of Christ is not in this world mark those Scriptures in John 18. 36. Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Therefore as if he should say you must not wonder or think much that I am thus apprehended and delivered up to men that they do with me what they please though I be the great King of my Church appointed by my Father yet my Kingdom is not of this world and I came not hither for pomp and glory The glory of Christ in His Kingdom here is Spiritual Indeed when this world shall be at an end then Christ will appear gloriously though the Scripture speaks of a world hereafter wherein Christ shall appear gloriously but whether personally or otherwise that we speak not of But that Christ shall appear a glorious King even in the world not this world but upon the earth and yet the Scripture speaks of that as another world a new Heaven and a new Earth but for the present for that that the Scripture cals this world we must not expect a pompous and glorious Kingdom till ther ebe a new world till there be new heavens and a new earth this the Gospel holds forth Whereas the people of the Jews they thought as soon as the Messias came He presently should be an outward Monarch in outward pomp and glory no saith Christ this world must pass away first I must come first and reign spiritually in another way and for my Kingdom there is a time for the glory of it to appear when another world shall come but while this world lasts never expect any such outward pomp and glory in the way of my Kingdom I have a Kingdom indeed here in this world but it is not of this world I have a Kingdom wherein I reign spiritually in the hearts of my people there I have set up my Throne and therein I have writ my Laws by which I guide and order all things for their eternal salvation but my Kingdom is not of this world yea and he saith likewise in John 8. 23. I am not of this world neither And John 15. 19. for John that beloved Disciple who lay in the bosom of Christ he knew much of the mind and heart of Christ and was much instructed in this mystery and indeed none of those that did converse with Christ knew more of the bosom of Christ than John did If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world So that as Christ is not of the world so the Saints are not of the world in the 17. of John 14. I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world Mark as I am not of the world so they are not of the world thus Scripture is cleer that neither Christ nor his Kingdom is of this world and therefore beleevers are not of this world And hence then what Conversation becomes this Gospel of Christ even a Conversation sequestred
on in the Gospel What is it Let me labor to serve it whatsoever in me lieth Now if you reade in the Gospel you shall find that the Design that God hath it is To purchase to Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works to promote holiness and godliness that we being redeemed from the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the daies of our lives This is the Design that God hath I see that Mankind is fallen from me and the people in the world are generally fallen into wickedness the whole world lieth in wickedness over head and ears in sin but I would have holiness advanced I would have my Image renewed I would have a peculiar people that might live for ever to serve and worship me Here 's the Design of God Oh let me now serve this design of God and labor to do all that I can to serve and honor and blesse and magnifie that God that hath wrought such glorious things for us as He hath wrought in the Gospel And as Christ saith in Mat. 3. when He came to be paptized of John It becomes us to fulfill all righteousness Now shall the Lord Jesus Christ Himself say thus It becomes us to fulfill all righteousness surely then it becomes you to fulfil al righteousness Would you walk as becomes the Gospel Give up your hearts strength and endeavors what possibly you can to fulfill all righteousness do not say Why should I do thus and why need we be so forward and strict Oh remember the text If any talk of too much strictness and too much forwardness then answer thus I heard in such a place such a Text opened and applied to me that my Conversation must be as it becomes the Gospel and certainly let me do what I can I cannot do so much but that the Gospel will require ten thousand times more than I can do and therfore I do endeavor to walk as becoms the Gospel And I hear that Christ Himself saith that it became Him to fulfil all righteousness And why should not I walk as Christ Himself walked O my life hath bin too vain heretofore my heart hath been dead and I have not been quickned up so as to walk worthy of the Gospel but for the time to come my care and endeavor above all things in the world shall be That I may honor this glorious GOSPEL of Jesus Christ from whom I do expect to have such glorious things hereafter Consider now what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in these things that you may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST SERMON I. IF you please to reflect back upon the last daies Exercise when we finished that Scripture in the Philippians that teaches us to walk as becomes the Gospel in the prosecution of which we shewed what it was the Gospel principally did hold forh unto us and what Conversations ought to be in the Professors of it sutable unto those things the Gospel holds forth and among those this was one particular of great moment that we did then but hint out unto you in a word or two That the Kingdom of Christ was not of this world They are Christs own words Now because it is a consideration of very great use I would be loth the benefit of it should be lost therefore I have now pickt out that to speak to more largely and to open the meaning of it unto you from this Scripture JOHN 18. 36. Jesus answered and said My Kingdom is not of this world THE words are a part of the story of Christs arraignment before Pilat Behold here the King of Heaven and Earth stands arraigned at the Barr of a wicked man In this Arraignment we find a special Charge which his Adversaries bring against Him which was this THAT HE MADE HIMSELF THE KING OF THE JEWS He was an enemy to Government The usual charge that the world hath had against the Saints that they are enemies to Government They fare no worse here than Christ did Pilat requires of him to answer to the Charge whether it were so or no that He hath made Himself a King Now you shall find in the answer of Christ He doth not deny the thing but implicitly grants it neither doth he answer him fully to his mind but saith My Kingdom is not of this world My Kingdom As if he should say I acknowledg that I have a Kingdom as mean and low as I am brought now though I stand here before you as a despised man a Carpenters son yet I confess I have a Kingdom but it is not of this world Not of this world He doth not say not IN this world but saith it is not OF this world it is not a worldly Kingdom We have in the words these two things First That Christ hath a Kingdom Secondly What kind of Kingdom Christs is Not of this world I shall not here speak much unto the former and so to handle the common place of Christs Kingly Office but only hint it to you as it makes way to the latter there we shall stay a while Christ he hath a Kingdom He is anointed by the Father to be King as well as Priest and Prophet of His Church Psal 45. 6. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter that Psalm is a Prophesie of Christ And in the 19. of Revel 16. Christ is there called The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Christ God-man is the King of Heaven and Earth Christ God-man is the King of Angels and over all the World and we must know Christ as a King and act our faith upon him as a King or else we know Him not aright we have not the true work of faith except I say our faith act upon Him as a King as well as a Savior In Acts 2. 36. God hath made Him saith the text both Lord and Christ Mark He it not only Christ but Lord and Christ though it is true that in the word Christ all His Offices are implyed which signifies anointed to them all but yet this is expressed by its self Lord and Christ for indeed properly He is Christ unto His Church but He is also Lord over all the World in some sense But then you will say How doth He say that His Kingdom is not of this world if He he Lord over all the world Now that I might come to that point that I have chosen the text for we are to know that Christ hath a double Kingdom First Together with the Father He hath a Providential Kingdom as I may so say for distinction sake Secondly He hath a Mediatory Kingdom as Divines call it First A Providential Kingdom together with the Father whereby He mannages all the affairs of the world I say God-man the second Person in Trinity doth mannage all the affairs of the world His Scepter ruleth over all as
God did make all things by Christ so He doth govern all things by Him if God had not deputed the second Person in Trinity God man the Mediator to have been the Governor of all things the holiness and justice of God according to the Covenant of works by which he had to deal with man would have destroyed the world upon mans sin had not the ordering and governing of the world been put into the hand of the second Person in Trinity God-man the Mediator for though he was not manifested in the flesh He had not actually taken our humane Nature upon Him yet He was look'd upon as God-man with the Father even before the foundation of the world was laid and so all things were committed to Him And hence the world notwithstanding the sin that hath been in it hath been preserved so as it hath been to this day Christ therefore hath a Providential Kingdom together with the Father and so he is King not over the Churches only the King of the Saints but He is over all the Heathen over all the world from the rising of the Sun to the setting thereof And the Civil Magistrate as I may so say is the Deputy of Christ in this his Providential Kingdom Gods Vicegerent upon Earth all Magistrates whatsoever are Officers subordinate under Him But now there 's another Kingdom of Christ that this Scripture speaks of My Kingdom is not of this world That is the Kingdom of the Mediator as Divines calls it that more properly concerns His Church in the execution of His Mediatory Office Now this Kingdom of Christ it was ever since there was a Church but it was very dark under clouds and curtains the glory of it was little till the second Person came to be manifested in the flesh then indeed this Mediatory Kingdom of Christ came to be revealed abundantly more cleerly than before and Christ exercised it more fully this is that which the Scripture so often in the Gospel cals the Kingdom of Heaven Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand 't is not of this world but it 's cal'd the Kingdom of Heaven the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ is not of this world there 's a great deal of difference between a worldly kingdom and this Kingdom of Christ And that 's the subject that I am now to open to you How Christs Kingdom is not of this world the vast difference between worldly kingdoms and Christs Kingdom which you will find to be a point of very great use First Christs Kingdom hath not that pomp and glory that bravery and galantry that the Kingdoms of the world have you know in the Kingdoms of the world there 's a great deal of outward pomp and glory Bernice and Agrippa they came in great pomp the text saith the Kings of the earth have glorious attendance Christ hath no such thing His attendance was a few poor Fisher-men Kings have great Courts and crouded with Courtiers His Court was but small only a few of such kind of men mean and contemptible taken from the hedges and out of the high waies They have sumptuous Pallaces Christ had not a place to hide His head here in this world He saith himself that the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not wherewithal to hide His head and yet a great King for all that Surely it was not of this world The Kings of the earth have all kind of delicates that this world can afford they carry things in great state It was not so with Christ Zech. 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly Oh Daughter of Zion shout Oh Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the foal of an Ass He comes lowly and mean the way of Christ in this His kindom is a way of humility and outward meanness and lowliness it is a way of outward contempt scorn and dirision this is the way of the kingdom of Christ by poverty and lowliness He would overcome the world not by bravery and magnificence nor by great pomp and glory He doth not dazle the eyes of men by such means but His glory consists in self-denial in emptying of Himself in becoming poor therfore His Kingdom is not of this world Luke 17. 20. The Kingdom of God saith the text there comes not with observation that 's the word the meaning of it is this It is not a thing that by any outward pompous Ceremonies can be observed Now Kings when they go from one place to another by their attendance and by a great many ceremonies that are used for the setting out of their pomp and glory they are taken notice of and observed you may know the King comes here say the people when they see such things But saith the text there The Kingdom of God comes not by observation there 's no such outward pomp and glory there 's nothing but outward meaness and baseness to the eye of the flesh in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ He that is in Himself the most glorious King and from whom all other Kings have their power yet He hath a Kingdom that is not of this world that hath nothing but meaness poverty and lowliness that doth appear in it to the eyes of men Secondly The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world in regard of His Subjects Look what subjects Christ hath they are such as are not of this world So Christ tels His Disciples as you may find in the 17. of John I am not of the world and you are not of the world Kings they have for their subjects Nobles Peers and great Personages especially those that are near about them but now the subjects that Christ hath for His Kingdom for the generality of them they are of the poor mean base contemptible men of the world such as are look'd upon as the off-scouring of all things these are His subjects as in the second of James 5. verse Hearken my beloved brethren Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom The poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom they are the great hears even the poor of this world You know what an offence it was unto the Jews say they Do any of the Rulers beleeve in him but this multitude which is accursed A company of poor women illiterat people they flock after Jesus Christ The subjects of Christ are men chosen out of this world he himself appeared not with the glory of the world And secondly His subjects are men chosen out of the world Thirdly The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world that is the rule that Christ hath in His subjects and over these His subjects in this His Kingdom it is not of this world the rule it is spiritual It is principally upon the hearts the wills the consciences of those that are
of this world John 8. 23. Are all the good things that the Father hath to cōmunicate of this world and not Christ Himself of this world Let me tell you Christ is the greatest gift that ever was given or possibly could be received and yet Christ is not of this world therefore there is somwhat else besides the things of this world that God hath for some of the children of men that He intends good unto Ninthly The Saints are said not to be of this world Joh. 15. 19. 17. 14. If they be not of this world then their happiness is not here God hath other happiness for them than that which is here Tenthly The Scripture makes it to be a sign of a child of wrath that he walks according to the course of this world in 2 Joh. 2. this is enough to describe a child of wrath Eleventhly It 's made a sign of one that is an enemy to God and that 's hateful before God that is a lover of this world Jam. 4. 4. And 1 Joh. 2. 15. He that loves the world the love of the Father is not in him and the friendship of the world is enmity to God saith the Holy Ghost in those two Scriptures If so be that in the world there were the special things that God hath to communicate to the Children of men certainly then God would have his people to love the world He would say Love these things for these are the fruits of my favor and love these are part of the riches that I have to communicate to those that I intend good to and therefore delight in these expatiate your heart in these Oh me saith the holy Ghost whosoever loves the world is an enemy to God And if the love of the world be in you the love of the Father is not in you surely then here are not the things that God intends for the children of men Twelfthly The world is that that shall be condemned 1 Cor. 11. 32. That ye may not be condemned with the world that notes that God intends to condemn this whol world all these things are under the sentence of death and all the men of the world are condemned before God and therefore these are not the things that men should so much look after to make them happy Thirteenthly Take all the world together the Scripture speaks by way of supposition That a man may gain the whol world and yet his soul be lost for ever If one man could get all the world in to his possession and thereby lose his soul it would be an ill bargain the world then hath no such excellency in it as we should place our happiness in it God hath something else for His people than these things that are at the best under Moon-vanities Fourteenthly If Christs Kingdom is not of this world then certainly those that are of the world are not of His Kingdom for these two cannot stand together that Christs Kingdom should not be of this world and yet that these that are of the world should be of his Kingdom if such as are of the world are none of his kingdom then certainly a worldly man or woman is not of the kingdom of Christ Christ owns them not as under His kingdom they are Vagabonds and Runnagates not under the protection of Jesus Christ not partakers of any priviledg of Jesus Christ Quest You will say to me How should one know when a man is a man of this world The Scripture makes a plain distinction of some that are of this world and some not the best of all you will say they have hearts worldly enough and they desire to have the comforts of this world as well as others well though there are some yet we had need look to our selves to examine whether we be of the world yea or no for there lies thus much upon it that if we be of the world we are not of the kingdom of Christ now I would give you but these three notes of a man of the world Answ The first is this One that is a man of the world is such an one as could be content if God would let him live here in this world and enjoy what he doth he would be content for to live here for ever and could be satisfied though he never enjoyed any thing from God but what he hath received here if he might alwaies bold it Here 's an evident Argument of a man of the world I mean such a man as hath health of body in this world he hath for outwards as much as the world can afford any man that for the properness of his body his comliness his health he hath as much as the world can give he hath convenient dwelling with all accommodations belonging thereunto and he hath the comings in of the world as much as his heart can desire he hath his wife and children about him in which he hath a great deal of delight and content now I would but put it to this man What sayest thou would not this satisfie thy heart if thou mightest alwaies be here alwaies have thy house and gardens and walks and these comings in that thou hast now that thou mightest fare deliciously every day and have the sweet and fat of the world would it not satisfie thy soul though God should never give thee any thing else but this I beseech you in your own thoughts answer even to God this question and seriously look into your hearts for you may know very much of your hearts upon the answer to this question you may come to know what is like to become of you for ever even from the answer that your consciences would give to this question That man or woman whose conscience tels them that this would satisfie then we may conclude that surely that man or woman is of this world because the things of this world would be enough for his portion But now take a man or woman that is chosen out of this world that is of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ unto whom the Lord hath made known the things of another world and the excellencies of Jesus Christ and such a one though it had ten thousand times more than it hath though it had what possibly can be imagined it would say Lord it 's true I am unworthy of the least crum of bread that I eat or of the least drop of water but yet it is not all the world nor ten thousand worlds can satisfie my soul for the portion of it It is nothing but thy self the unsearchable riches in Jesus Christ those blessed things that thou hast revealed in that glorious kingdom of thy Son it 's only that that can satisfie my soul for the portion of it and if thou shouldest say well thou shalt have all the things in this world for thy portion and enjoy them for ever I should account my self in a miserable condition for thou hast revealed better and higher things to my
seditious this separation from the world it cannot be born there is nothing more provokes the world than separation from the world and therefore no mervail though the people of God be hated in the world and looked upon as the ringleadees of sedition they are separated from the world and translated into another kingdom into a kingdom that is not of this world 7. Vse From hence may appear the wickedness of the world that they should reject Christ and His Kingdom That they should not 〈…〉 it that 's not so much wonder but that they shouâ—◠〈◊〉 it and persecute it and reject it there appears their wickedness You will say How doth it appear From my Doctrine it appears thus If Christs kingdom be not a kingdom of this world it would do men no hurt at al it no way would hinder any lawful comforts or honors here in this world it is not opposite unto the kingdoms of the world that is so as to hinder any thing that is good in the world the kingdom of Christ may be set up and the world need be never the worse for it Indeed it doth oppose the wickedness of the world but it doth not oppose any thing that they dare say themselves to be good Herod persecuted Christ because he heard a King of the Jews was born But it was without cause Jesus Christ He did not come to take the Kingdom of Herod away from him The Kings of the Earth the text saith they conspire together and are engaged against Christ it is their wickedness Christ He doth not envy them or their Kingdoms they may live and be the Kings of the earth still and yet the kingdom of Jesus Christ may go on the truth is that the kingdom of Jesus Christ doth not intrench upon any Civil Liberty of men and it 's their hatred to it that makes them think it cannot stand with Civil Peace the kingdom of Christ may be set up and Civil Liberty maintained You may have your estates still and yet have the kingdom of Christ and you may be in place of Rule and Government and have outward honors still and yet be of the kingdom of Christ It 's true if you be brought into the kingdom of Christ perhaps God may call you sometimes to suffering but then it is so as you will be willing to it you shall never be call'd to suffering but you shall see cause to be willing to it you shall have as much good by what you suffer as you hav◠〈◊〉 of outward comforts but this I speak that the kingdom of Christ intrenches not upon any Civil Liberties of men they may enjoy all their lawful comforts their Estates their Rule their Government and yet the Kingdom of Christ may flouriâ—â—â— Now what a wickedness is this When as Chriâ—â—â— would come and set up His Kingdome without any prejudice at all unto the worldly Kingdoms and yet they cannot endure it You would account that an ill neighbour if you should come and live by him and no way prejudice him and yet for all that he would malign you because you do but live by him thus it is with the world they do malign Jesus Christ for living but by them indeed if a neighbor comes and will intrench upon your ground and liberties you cannot bear it Jesus Christ doth not do it One would wonder sometimes why wicked men should be so opposite against men when they come under the Kingdom of Christ more than before I appeal to you when God converts a wife to be under the Kingdom of Christ Doth that take her off from subjection to her husband let me assure you it makes her to acknowledge her husband to be Lord more than before indeed if when the wife were converted it did take the wife from subjection to the husband then there were some reason why the husband should storm at it but when the more the wife is under the Kingdom of Christ the more doth she acknowledg the authority of of her husband over her and so for servants I confess if the bringing of them by the Word under the kingdom of Christ did take them off from their obedience to their Masters and Mistrisses then there were some ground to oppose them from going to hear the Word but when your conscinece tell you that the more they go to hear the Word and are wrought upon by the Word they are the more obedient to you why should you hate them then why should you so malign Christs Kingdom when as Christs Kingdom would help you I appeal to the consciences of divers Masters You have one servant that is prophane another cannot lie in his bed in the morning but he must come to â—â—ar the Word now if you had Trust to commit to one of them so that your whol Estate lay upon it Which of these two would you trust your consciences would tell you that that servant that is come under the Kingdom of Christ were rather to be trusted so that you would trust him in a case of great trust and 〈◊〉 your conscieaces tell you that you hate that servant more than the other Now here 's the wickedness of men that they do hate the Kingdom of Christ though the Kingdom of Christ doth not intrench upon them Oh let Christ alone with his Kingdom and do not oppose Him He will not oppose you in any thing that you can desire as a rational man And for the outward Government Christ would have no man to be compel'd to it but those that are convinced that it is the best way He gives no such rules to force any man if you think the Government is to strickt for you that you cannot live under it indeed there may be something used as a natural help some outward means used to take men off from their wantonness and wilfulnes but now if it appear that you desiring to know which is the best way and endeavoring to know and after your desires and endeavors you cannot be convinced that this is the way that you should walk in Christ gives no rules to compel you but if you belong to God He is content to stay till the Word and Spirit â—â—all convince you to come under His Government Oh! why should you be against it then when it forces you not to come into it Oh! be not such an enemy to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ but let those that beleeve another way is the way wherein they come most under the Kingdom of Christ and enjoy 〈◊〉 â—ommunion with Christ let them alone in that way especially when they live peacable with you and are every way useful as much as your hearts can desire in all civil things living neighborly lovingly and faithfully with you in all things why should you malign them because you know there is some other way wherein they may enjoy more sweet communion with Jesus Christ than your selves do That 's the seventh Use which shews the wickedness of the world
in opposing the Kingdom of Christ when as it is not of this world it is not that that doth intrench upon their worldly priviledges 8. Vse Hence this Kingdom if it be not of this world then it doth not depend upon 〈◊〉 world become of the world what will the Kingdâ—â— of Christ will go on Men are afraid Oh! if the Enemies should prevail and overcome and take away our Civil Rights Oh then the Kingdom of Christ what will become of that Let us not be too solicitous about that for the Kingdom of Christ is of another world there is no such dependance of the Kingdom of Christ upon the Kingdoms of this world but though they were broken the kingdom of Christ would subsist We indeed should labor to preserve our Civil Liberties as much as we can yea and our Civil Liberty in exercise of Religion in a War-like way and I should wonder that any should mistake in that when as this hath been so declared from the beginning of the War to this time that we may fight for the Civil Liberty we have to the peacable practice and profession of our Religion so far we may and that hath been the ground of our War had we indeed liv'd in such a Country as the Christians in 〈◊〉 primitive times where the Governors and the generâ—â—â—ty of the Country had been against it then indeed the taking up of Arms might have been very questionable but now when we live in such a place where our Civil Laws are for the protection of us in the practice of our Religion if any will come and disturb us we may take up Arms because we have a right to the profession of it by the Laws of the kingdom 〈◊〉 have to our Houses Lands and Estates but that by the way But that 's the thing I aim at in this use that though our Civil Right should be lost yet the kingdom of Christ would go on for all that Heb. 12. 28. this is a kingdom that cannot be shaken At those times when the Magistrates were the greatest enemies unto the kingdom of Christ yet even then the kingdom of Christ went on as fully as ever it hath done since that time but the Magistrates may be helps and there is a promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church but yet so it fell out that at the first when the Church was in its infancy that it did thrive as much when Magistrates and Civil Power was against it as ever it hath done since and thereby Christ would shew us that His Kingdom doth not depend upon this world but the Kingdom of Christ doth stand and will stand and it doth and will prevail to the end of the world The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it it shall be more than conqueror and this is a great comfort to the Saints 9. Vse If the kingdom of Christ be not of this world but of another then hence we collect the absolute necessity of living by faith Christians had need then have a principle of faith to live by for their greatest good is in things that are beyond this world their very King that they obey is a King that cannot be seen by the eye of sence nor by the eye of reason they had need have an eye of faith to behold their King in his glory The Throne of this King of Saints is not a visible Throne to be seen by the eye of sence and reason but by the eye of faith The Priviledges that we speak of are â—ot to be seen and enjoyed by sence and reason but by faith And so the Ordinances of this Kingdom and the Laws and Statutes of it they are Spiritual and must have faith to close with them and all the comforts of this Kingdom must be drawn in by faith therefore it is of absolute necessity that the Saints should exercise much faith in their lives that they should live continually by faith As the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by faith and not by sight It is not by Sight we walk indeed all the good things that there are in the kingdoms of the world they are seen by sence and reason reason and sence is enough to order us in the matters of the kingdoms of this world but now the kingdom of the Son of God that we are translated into it 's a Spiritual an Heavenly kingdom so that the Saints must walk by faith and not by sight therefore my brethren labor to strengthen faith and act your faith and live upon faith exercise faith in all your waies make much of grace and faith or you will never have much good in the Kingdom of Christ but that grace will help you comfortably to enjoy and spiritually to improve all the good things in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to an everlasting advantage 10. Vse If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then the greater mercy to thy soul that ever thou wast brought under this Kingdom of Christ Oh! thou maiest look back unto thy former time and know that thou hadst a worldly heart worldly apprehensions thy spirit was worldly altogether for things of the world taken with the pomp and glory and the pleasures of this world How comes it to pass that thou shouldest have a Heavenly Kingdom reveal'd to thee Whence was it that ever Jesus Christ should be known to thy soul that was so worldly so drossie so earthy a soul thou wast as deep rooted in the world it may be as any and yet that the Lord should cull thee out of the world and reveal such a Kingdom to thee that is such a mystery as the Princes of the world have not known that thou that art a poor creature shouldest come to understand the â—â—alities of Christ that the wise and learned men of the world have not known Oh! the Free Grace of God to thee and not unto the world As Judas not Iscariot said How is it that thou revealest thy self to us and not unto the world how comes it to pass that such wise men that bear sway in the world they have very poor and low and mean and contemptible thoughts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ they look upon it but as a meer notion and a conceit of men and the rather because they see but a few poor people that are but of mean parts that do imbrace such a way upon that they contemn it and through the worldly wisdom that they have they come to undervalue it Oh! then bless God that ever he should chuse such a poor weak wretch as thou art for to make known the things of the Kingdom of Christ unto and therfore of al men you rich covetous men they are hardest to be wrought upon by the Ministry of the Word When Christ Himself was preaching it is said in Luke 16. 14. That the Pharisees who were covetous they derided Him they blew their noses at Him for that