instruments of so good a work especially such as remove impediments out of the way shall against all envy and aemulation have their own testimony and honour according to the Hebrew Sentence Nisi ipse elevasset lapidem non fuisset inventa sub eo haec margarita if the stone had not been lifted the pearle had not been found under it Die Mercurii 28. Maii. 1645. IT is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament that Mr. HENDERSON who preached this day before the LORDS in Parliament is hereby thanked for the great paines he tooke in his Sermon And is desired by their Lordships to print and publish the same which his not to be printed or reprinted by any but by Authority under his own hand Jo Browne Cler Parliament ERRATA PAge 5. line 10. read forth p. 10. l. 9. for indure r. obdure p. 22. l. 26. r. naturall l. 28. r. him p. 25. l. 11. r. clownishnes A SERMON PREACHED Before the Right Honorable House of LORDS JOHN 18. 36 Jesus answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iewes But now is my Kingdome not from hence 37 Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Iesus answered thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I borne and for this cause came I unto the world that I should beare witnesse of the truth every one that is of the truth heareth my voice IT is acknowledged and universally confessed that Justice or Righteousnesse is a noble and most excellent vertue When the diâ—pute was betwixt Justice and Fortitude Righteousnesse and Courage whether of the two should have the first place both of them being most noble Vertues Justice was preferred because Courage without Justice is of nouse but if all men were just there should be no need of Courage or Fortitude This Justice is a constant and perpetuall will of giving unto every one his due it rendreth to the inferiour what is due to him to the equall what he ought to have and to the superiour but most of all to God and to his Sonne Jesus Christ who are supream what belongeth to them There be in these dayes many complaints of the want of military skill and courage for the truth and cause of God but the complaint of the want of Justice is more just For if all men were just the former complaint would be silenced And there be many complaints of inferiors of equals and of superiors that they receive not that which belongeth unto them but the Sonne of God who is supream and soveraigne above all may more justly complaine that he getteth not his right which is the greatest injustice in the world and the cause of so great injustice amongst men And therefore the cause of the great wrath of God which to deprecate and to turn away we are humbled before God and doe afflict our souls this day Oh that the conclusion might be a resolution in all according to their places and callings to render unto Christ his own right This parcell of Scripture containing the answer of Jesus Christ unto Pilate before whom hee witnessed a good confession holdeth forth his right for being accused by Pilate of the highest degree of ambition sedition and rebellion and indeed of no lesse then laese-Majestie he desendeth himselfe by discovering the causes of these Tragedies and by revealing the mysteries of his Kingdome confessing that he was indeed a King but withall shewing that his Kingdome needed not to be formidable either to Pilate to his master Tiberius or to any in authority because his Kingdome was not of this world This he maketh manifest from the common condition and manner of earthly Kingdomes and Kings which have their Souldiers and Guards that fight for them and defend them from violence but he maketh not use of any this being the end of his Kingdome that the truth of the Gospel may prevail and reigne in the hearts and lives of men against the tyranny of darknesse and lies Nor should it seeme any thing strange that hee hath so many adversaries and his Kingdom findeth so great opposition in the world there being so few whether of the Church or State that submit themselves to be captived and ruled by the truth none are subjects of his Kingdome to obey his voyce but such as by regeneration are the children of the truth which is parallell to what he saith Matth. 11.19 But wisdome is justified of her children There be four principall points aimed at in the Text First the dominion and soveraignty of Christ My Kingdome Secondly the condition and quality of the Kingdome of Christ negatively expressed as best serving his present intention My Kingdome is not of this world Thirdly the end and use of his Kingdome that the truth may have place among the children of men for their salvation and eternall happinesse To this end was Iborn and for this cause came I unto the world that I should be are witnesse unto the truth Fourthly the subjects of the Kingdome of Christ such as heare the voyce of Christ and obey his will Every one that is of the truth heareth my voyce The knowledge of the first is necessary that the Son of God may have his due and we may be humbled for not rendring it unto him The knowledge of the second is necessary that Kings Princes and great ones in the world may have what is due unto them lest from their unjust suspitions and evill grounded jealousies they become enemies to the Kingdome of Christ and that they may be humbled for lodging any such thoughts or fears in their hearts The third is necessary to be knowne that we may have the benefit intended for us in the Gospel and be humbled that we have not endeavoured as we ought to find the comfort and power of the truth in our hearts and lives And the fourth is necessary that wee may henceforth shew ourselves to be the children of truth and willing subjects of the Kingdome of the Sonne of God That Jesus Christ is not onely our Prophet revealing unto us the whole will of God by the Law discovering unto us our sinne and wretchednesse and by the Gospel righteousnesse and life and our Priest by himselfe offered in a sacrifice purging us from sin and arraying us with long garments clean and white which is the righteousnesse of the Saints but that as our supream Lord and King by his mighty power and soveraignty he ruleth in us and over us conserveth and maintaineth our blessed estate thus revealed and purchased against all enemies is a truth as necessary for us to know but never enough acknowledged so very much insisted on in Scripture as may appeare First by the Titles of honour and dignity put upon him A Commander a Captain a Ruler of Governour a Prince Michael the great Prince a King the Prince of the Kings of the earth the
A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE ABBEY-CHURCH AT Westminster Wednesday the 28. of May 1645. Being the day appointed for solemne and publick humiliation BY ALEXANDER HENDERSON Minister at Edenburgh MAT. 6.10 Thy Kingdome Come LONDON Printed by F. N. for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings-head 1645. To the Christian Reader NOt any desire or confidence of mine owne but submission and obedience made me first preach and now print this Sermon Not any opinion or esteeme I have of it but example and custome have moved mee to set some words before it These have I directed generally to the Christian Reader that I may not onely include the Noble Lords of Parliament if any amongst them shall be pleased to looke this way but may also invite all other Christian Readers and such I wish all Readers to be to bestow some of their most serious thoughts upon so precious and excellent a subject as is the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is here but generally hinted and briefly touched but is represented to the life in Scripture and to the full treated and debated by Divines Jesus Christ by vertue of the three Offices of his Prophesie Priesthood and Kingdome is made unto us of God Wisdome and Righteousnes and Sanctification and Redemption His sufficiency and sutablenesse to be unto us a Saviour consisteth in the dignitie of his Person and in his willing undertaking and faithfull administration of these his Offices The Summe of the Grace given us through communion with him is comprised in these inestimable benefits Without the one he could not be a perfect Saviour without the other our salvation cannot be perfect It hath been of old and is at this day a just complaint that of the Offices of Christ his Kingdome is least considered of and most mistaken Which as it is dishonour to his Name so is it a mightie hinderance to the comfort of some to the sanctification of others and to the salvation of many and is a maine cause of the many disorders and scandals in the Church of Christ The Papists will have their Pope by reason of the Kingdome of Christ to be the head and which is the same the King of the Church and at least in ordine ad spiritualia to be the head and King of the Kings of the Earth A seect of Politicks which subject Religion to Policie and Christ to the world will have the supreame civill power at least in ordine ad temporalia to be the Head and King of the Church And both the one and the other doe turne the Kingdome of Christ into a worldly Kingdome Ignorant and carnall Professors are content to be served with Christ as a Prophet to teach them and a Priest to satisfie and make intercession for them but are not willing to serve Christ as their King that he may rule over them And many modest and peaceable Christians suffer themselves to be robbed or cousened if not of the one halfe yet of a necessary and large part of the Kingdome of Christ while they either satisfie themselves with the internall influence of Christ their Head upon their own spirits or give way to such as for their owne ends would have them beleeve that the whole administration of the Kingdome of Christ is internall not distinguishing betwixt that which is spirituall and that which is internall nor considering the externall administration of the Kingdome of Christ although it be in this world yet to be spirituall and heavenly and not of this world Judicious Martin Bucer in the beginning of the Reformation wrote to pious Prince Edward the sixt two books of Church-policie to which he prefixeth the title De Regno Christi of the Kingdome of Christ The complaints powred forth by him at that time against the wise-men of this world and the common sort of people as enemies to Christs Kingdome may be now renewed and with new aggravations so rare a thing is it in any age to finde a people disposed to receive the whole Kingdome of the Sonne of God It should not seeme strange that formerly such as desired to decline the one extreame of Prelaticall tyranny having nothing to stay them in their way nothing in the middle to rest upon and to associate themselves unto did run to the other extreame of popular Anarchy But now when from the mercy of God by advice of the Assembly and Authoritie of Parliament the case shall be changed and a remedy provided the people of God will know where to fix their judgement and choice Can any wise-man imagine that such a Chaos of Anarchy Libertinisme and popular confusion as now covereth the face of this Kingdome and wherein all errors and sects cover their Heads under the Catholick Buckler of Independency that such a Tohu Vavohu can be the face of the Kingdome of Christ or the work of the new Creation of which it may be said And God saw that it was good Can any of the godly think that the Kingdome of Christ draweth the minds of men from the humble exercise of faith to the ambition of new and vaine opinions that it transformeth Religion into fancy vertue into speculation zeale into contention truth into policy and charitie into faction Doth not the present posture of Religion and the constitution of the Church which yet is not so Independent as it is by some desired to be call as loud for a Reformation and for setling of Religion as the former did before a Reformation was begun And may wee not say that wee have spent our strength in vaine and purchased our misery at a great price if wee shall rest where wee are that is in Independency I should not exceed if I should say Were wee all agreed in all things except in the point of Independency wee would quickly run againe into divisions And that nothing in a Family in a Citie in a Kingdome in a State or in a Church hath more need of Reformation then that Independency which all men in all Societies naturally love and seek after The Government of the Church by subordination of Assemblies hath endured much opposition and many tryals and is at this day set upon at all hands yet is the Proverbiall speech of the Hebrewes verified concerning it Myrtus stans inter urticas Myrtus tamen est vocatur Myrtus The myrtle standing amongst nettles is for all that the myrtle and is so called And necessitie will drive all that love the preservation of Religion and peace of the Church unto this shelter and sanctuary at last although in faire weather some kicke against it and would not onely pull at the branches but pluck it up by the roots When after all these tempests and troubles the Kingdome of Christ is uniformly setled in the Land Christ Jesus will be seene in his beautie and strength his people will be filled with truth and peace and the
a main difference the flock under their charge is dealt with by them not by way of command or compulsion but by moving intreating and perswading them to receive the commandements of Christ They are therefore no other then fire-brands and instruments of division that would raise jealousies of this kind betwixt these two kinds of government both which are appointed of God to serve for the good of the people of God each in its own way Whatsoever hath been or can be spoken against Church-government may as wel be spoken against the Gospel and Kingdome of Christ and the contest is not properly betwixt the Magistracy and the Ministery or betwixt Civill and Ecclesiasticall authority but betwixt the Kingdomes of this world and the Kingdome of Christ which is a great unhappinesse and the cause of a world of miseries unto the Kingdomes of this world wherein the ambition of Church-men transforming the Kingdome of Christ into an earthly Kingdome and cloathing the Church with the pomp of the world beareth a great part of the guiltinesse if both were kept within the just limits and moved within their own spheares their motions and influences might be comfortable to the souls and lives of the children of men I come now to the third use which is Correction against such as say with those Citizens Luke 19.14 We will not have this man to reigne over us There be many divers sorts of enemies in the kingdom of Christ that say so some open professed enemies such as are Pagans Jews Turks some more secret dissembled enemies who under the pretence of the doctrine of Christ oppose him and his Kingdom such as have been false Christs and are this day Antichrist with all his members and followers Hereticks Schismaticks Politicks and all worldly meer naturall men And there be many sundry causes that draw them into by-parhs and make them run into errors greater or lesser but it may be coafidently a vouched that the main cause by which Satan prevaileth upon the corrupt heart of man to make him an enemy to Christ and his Kingdome is the dislike he hath of this principle and fundamentall of Christian Religion That the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world All men naturally love the world and the things of the world which are the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life and finding that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world nor doth promise unto them the things of this world but that it is a spirituall Kingdome binding up their spirits and interdicting their hearts the love of the world it must of necessity follow unlesse the light and power of the Spirit of Christ shine in their minds and work upon their hearts that either in profession or in hear or both either more or lesse they prove enemies unto Christ especially in that which would break the bond that tieth them fast to the world If men might be pleased to examine themselves narrowly and descend into their own hearts they would find that their hearts deceive them and while they seem to others to themselves to be despisers of the world they are either by covetousnesse or vaing-lory or love of carnall liberty or some other such tie intangled and keeped fast by the world and are either directly or indirectly drawn to oppose the Kingdome of Christ He that will consider the grounds of Paganisme Judaisme and Turcisme and for what reason they doe not receive Christ when he is offered unto them shall find this to be a principall cause He that will search into the histories of particular heresies and schismes wil often meet with this and find the world in the bottome of the hearts of men I do not speak of the simple seduced people but of the wisest and learnedest of their seducers and of the great wits of the world which make the world their Idoll and bow down before it But leaving this I come to the fourth use for instruction in such duties as are required of us all at this time and after a speciall manner of those that are in high places First of all seeing the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but is a spirituall Kingdome it is a necessary duty to study the nature and search into the mysteries and secrets of this Kingdom The kingdome of Satan and Sin have many deeps and secrets the Kingdomes of the world have their secrets of policie and government and the Kingdom of Christ hath greater secrets and more hid mysteries Great ones in the world know many things of the mystery of Iniquity and of the secrets of Kingdoms and States of the world but the truth is many of them are ignorant of the mysteries of the Kingdome of Christ The Princes of this world whether Princes for knowledge as the Philosophers were or for power and greatnes as the Nobles and great ones be do not know those mysteries for had they known them they would not have crucified the King of glory But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him which the Apostle speaketh of the Kingdome of grace in this world 1 Cor. 2.8 9. Natural reason calleth for fit instruments for every work and the matter well prepared to work upon but the Apostles were neither noble nor learned but poor and simples and the world altogether indisposed to receive them being at that time as much as at any time before or since full of learning of power and of policie yet they went on subduing conquering and bringing all unto the obedience of the Gospel of Jesus Christ The laws of this kingdome were in stead of revenge Love your enemies in stead of lust Look not on a woman to lust after her in stead of covetousnesse Forsake all instead of ambition Deny your selves And yet the supernaturall lawes by the Spirit and power of the great Law-giver were setled and written in the tables of mens hearts The promises of reward were not worldly pleasures or ease but let every man take up his crosse and follow me All things in this kingdome were above the reach of naturall reason yet the spiritual man by a new faculty created of God knoweth the deep things of God and judgeth all things Some Divines have observed seven things in the passion of Christ altogether contrary to the judgement of the naurall man the greatest impotency and weaknesse in him who was omnipotent the greatest suffering in that was impassible the greatest foolishnes according to the judgement of men in the deepest wisdome greatest poverty in the God of all riches greatest shame in the greatest glory and majesty greatest dereliction and forsaking in the most perfect union and great severity of the Father against his Son in the greatest love of the Father to the Son in the very time of his suffering Many more might be
the young Lion with the Calfe c. 6. Take heed of imprudency in choosing and imploying of instruments for the establishing the Kingdome of Christ the greatest shew and profession of zeale is not alwayes the programe of the greatest zeale As a man of a calm constitution may seeme to have more patience then another which yet is not patience but mildnesse of temper So a cholerick disposition may appear to be zeale but it is only a natural and earthly not a spirituall and heavenly fire Again he that hath most true zeal and holinesse to make him a spirituall Souldier hath not alwayes the best abilities for a temporall warre It is a great mistake and the mother of much confusion to take grace for gifts or gifts for grace A man may have great gifts and abilities which the Lord will blesse for the benefit of his people and yet have a small measure of grace for his own comfort and salvation And a man may be a very gracious man and yet no more skill to be a good Souldier then to bee a good Shooe-maker It was said of old that then it is well with Kingdomes and Common-wealths when either Philosophers reigne or they that reigne are Philosophers We may say that it is a happy thing when such men are imployed as have best gifts and grace whether it be in the time of peace or war 7. Take heed of fainting and wearying in setting up of the Kingdome of Christ the Lord hath made you instrumentall in laying the foundation ye must persevere till the head stone be brought forth with shoutings otherwise it will be said that these Kingdomes did begin to build but were not able to finish the work Sometimes weaknesse may appeare in one Army and sometimes in another out the cause is the same and with God Almighty there is no shadow of change his power is not greater one day then another for the infinitnesse of Omnipotencie admitteth of no degrees Pilate protested three times that he found no fault in Christ and endeavoured for satisfying his own naturall conscience to set him free but in end lest he should be reputed an enemy to Caesar he delivered him to be crucified Darius laboured all the day long till the setting of the Sun to deliver Daniel but overcome with opportunity he condemned him at last to the den of Lions We may change the Kingdomes of the world may change but the Cause and Truth of Christ abide the same without change throughout all generations My exhortation therefore is that you beware of selfe Respects of Indifferency of Division of Delayes of Discouragements of Imprudency and of Inconstancy and that you give your selves to Sincerity Zeal Unity Diligence Magnanimity Prudence and Perseverance that yee may be the choyce and blessed Instruments of God for the establishing of the Kingdome of his Son our Saviour in the Land The last use is for Consolation which is not repugnant to true humiliation I will not trouble you with the generall Doctrine of such benefits and comforts as we are made partakers of by the Princely office of Christ for it were long to shew how by the vertue of this his office hee applieth unto us all that he hath done and suffered that the Kingdomes of the world may be our Lords and his Christs and he reigne over them for evermore and communicates with all true beleevers this grace to be Kings with him to reigne over their own lusts which is greater then any earthly conquest He that ruleth his own spirit is better then he that winneth a Citie to reigne over the world which still lieth in wickednesse and to reign over Satan the Prince of this world and worker of all mischiefe if we find nothing of this we beleeve nothing of the Kingdome of Christ if we endeavour not the sense and experience of this communion our faith is but imagination But leaving these generals I would upon this ground give you some comfort for the Cause and work in hand and it is this First If it be the cause of Christ which we maintain Next if we be the servants and people of God seeking his honour and endevouring that his Kingdome may come why may we not be comforted in this That Christ is our King and will one way or other vanquish and subdue all our enemies I will use but two reasons for it one is from the great and glorious victories that he hath in former times obtained over so mighty-enemies for the comfort of his people if we do but remember what great things he hath done since the beginning of this warre we should deny our own experience if we doubt for afterward The other is when we consider what is said in the end of the prayer which he taught his Disciples Thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory If we pray and endeavour that his Kingdome may come if we desire the Crown to be put on his head and the Scepter in his hand we may be confident of successe Because his is the Kingdome he is bound by right to fight for to defend and to deliver his own subjects that are fighting for his Kingdome His is the power in heaven and in earth over Angels over Devils over Armies of men and over all Creatures And his is the Glory the honour of his own actions will return upon himselfe The first that he is our King teacheth us that by office he ought to save us The second that he is able to do it because power is his And the third that he will do it because it will be dishonour to this Name to suffer his Cause and People to perish and it will be his glory to save them And that not onely in this world but when we go hence The penitent Malefactor on the Crosse cried out Lord remember me when thou commest into the Kingdom we may rather with greater confidence say Lord remember us when now after victory over Satan the World and Death thou dost possesse thy Kingdome The time permitteth not to proceed to the other two branches of the Text and therefore here I cease * ⎠* FINIS
King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord of all By these Titles is he known in the way of eminencie What is most eminent in Rulers Princes or Kings all their excellencies and flowers of perfection are most eminently and egregiously found in him in the way of negation all their errors infirmities and imperfections which are many and too many are farre from him and in the way of causation as they speak for with him is the originall and prime cause of all that is excellent in them Secondly by the many great and glorious promises and prophesies of the Kingdome of Christ which cannot be reckoned up so many are they in this shortnesse of time and are to every one that readeth the Prophesies of the old Testament so obvious Thirdly the same is manifest by the administration and execution of his office in giving lawes unto his people and executing them in giving gifts unto his servants for the good of his people in ruling his people by his Word and Spirit in defending and delivering them from their enemies and in subduing and destroying their enemies in the end Fourthly the same is evident also by the homage and honour which the whole Church militant and triumphant give unto him And I beheld and I heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne and the living Creatures and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are of the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5.11 12 13. It requireth an heart ready to indite and a tongue as the pen of a ready Writer to set forth the praises of this King Psal 45.1 Only three things I would say from the descriptions which we have in Scripture One is that the Kingdome of Christ was first made known to the Church when the promise was made to our first parents The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent Gen. 3.15 The second is that since that time till this day he hath been reigning in the midst of his enemies not onely after his coming in our flesh but before the times of the Patriarcks and Prophets and ever was known to the subjects of his Kingdome The third is that his Kingdome hath been sometimes more obscure and under a cloud as in the times of the old Testament howsoever even then his hand was stretched out in delivering his people out of Egypt in leading them through the wildernesse and possessing them in the land of promise And at the time of his suffering howsoever the beames of his bringhtnesse did shine through the dark cloud at other times the lustre and brightnesse thereof hath been more apparant as at the time of his exaltation Thou art my Sonne this day this day of thy glorious resurrection have I begotten thee fulfilled the decree and declared thee to be the Sonne of God A Commentary whereof we have Phil. 2.9 10 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earch and things under the earth And that every tongne should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father And Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men These were his servants who were sent forth to preach and proclaim him to be King And although men ought to be sparing in determining the manner the measure the time and indurance of a greater glory of the Kingdome of Christ on earth to come yet have we reason to hope for great things at the bringing in of the ancient people of God but ought so to hope for it that for the present we may behold Christ reigning in his spiritual Kingdome and to take heed that the expectation of that which is future be not a prejudice to that which is present and is come to passe in our dayes more then in former times Some perhaps may think that this is no great matter or deep mystery since no man can acknowledge Christ to be the eternall Sonne of God but he must also confesse that he is King and Lord and that all honour and Titles of honour are due unto him To which I answer first that there be many whatsoever for their credit they may professe to the contrary who do not in their hearts beleeve that the Lord God as a great King ruleth the world for they fight against the light of Nature and abuse their power and policie no lesse then if they could rule the world without God God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 Secondly a man may know that God is King and Ruler and yet be ignorant that Christ God and Man is King Nature which teacheth that there is a Godhead leadeth also to a providence but the other is a grand mystery which cannot be conceived but supernaturally Thirdly we are to understand that Christ hath a twofold right unto his Kingdome one by nature as he is God the other by donation as he is Man To me is given all power in heaven and in earth so that the man Jesus Christ which is a great mystery and which the world beleeveth not hath prerogative and power above all creatures in earth and in heaven above all Nobles Princes and Kings and which is more above all Angels Principalities and Powers Having thus shewed that Christ hath a Kingdome which made him to say My Kingdome I would now make some use of this point but that I conceive it to be more convenient first to speak of the quality of the Kingdome of Christ and having joyned both together That he is a King and that his Kingdome is not of this world to give the uses of both at once The quality then of the Kingdome of Christ negatively is this That his Kingdome is not of this world it is not an earthly or worldly Kingdome and therefore by consequence must be a spirituall and heavenly Kingdome As it is a Kingdome it hath many things common with the Kingdomes of the world both the one and the other are of God both for God and his glory both for the good of the people This being a perpetual difference between a Tyrant a King that a Tyrant conceiveth the people to be for him and his ends but a King knoweth that he is set over the people for their good both have their Lawes and rule by them both have their enemies which oppose and disturb their peace But this is the great
Christ and so is it in the cause of Christ with the Church of Christ and every beleeving soul Fourthly as there be many things that are of this world so there be other things that be not of this world A truth which all will acknowledge in respect of this world and the world to come but it holdeth also in this present world wherein there be some things that are of it and somethings that are in it but not of it The Kingdome of Christ which hath many mysteries many parts many priviledges many lawes many subjects is of this kind The naturall man seeth no more in the world then what he conceiveth to be of the world but the spirituall man judgeth all things And what the eye of the naturall man seeth not what his eare heareth not and what his reason understandeth not because it is spirituall and cannot be discerned but spiritually that the spirituall man perceiveth and receiveth with all his heart and is no lesse assured of the infallibility thereof then of what he perceiveth by sense or reason he knoweth what he beleeveth and that he is not deceived about it But passing over all these and other the like particular doctrines which cannot at this time be prosecuted I come to the necessary uses of that main and principall doctrine intended in the Text and laid open by that which hath been spoken That Christ Jesus the Sonne of God hath a Kingdome in this world and that this Kingdome is a spirituall Kingdome and not of this world The first use shall be for Information in the point of agreement and difference betwixt Civill and Ecclesiasticall power the Kingdomes of this world and the Kingdome of Christ the Magistracie and the Ministery First both the one and the other is from God In the State there be superiors and inferiors the Lord who hath appointed in nature the tall Cedar and the low Shrub growing at the root of it the Elephant and the Mole the Eagle and the Wren the great Leviathan and the smaller Fishes hath also in policie appointed Kings Princes and Nobles to rule and governe and others of lower condition to honour and obey In the Church some to teach and rule and others to be taught and ruled by them Anabaptists I speak of such as are not novices but are acquainted with the deeps of the profession and other such masters of confusion do not distinguish betwixt the common and particular vocations of Christians betwixt a Christian equality and a Civill or Ecclesiastick inaquality All Christians having alike pretious faith in respect of their common dignity and vocation as they are Christians and are in Christ are equall amongst themselves there is neither Master nor Servant bound nor Free King nor Subject Pastor nor people but all are one in Jesus Christ but this hindereth not an inequality in Civill or Ecclesiasticall respects God who hath appointed them to be equall the one way hath also appointed an inequality equality amongst them the other way Notwithstanding this agreement betwixt the Magistracie and Ministery in respect of their Author yet is there here also some difference betwixt the one and the other for Magistracy proceedeth from God the Creator and Ruler of the world and therefore doth belong unto and is to be found amongst all sorts of people in all Nations that live in any civill society But the Ministery is the Ordinance of Christ the Mediator hath not place but in the Church of Christ Again Magistracie and Civill government in the generall is from God and is ordained of him But the particular different formes of Civill government are from men and yet all of them lawfull Whence it followeth that Civill power is not absolute but limited First by the will of God whose Minister the Magistrate is And next by such lawes and limitations as are agreed upon to be the foundation of that power It is not so with the Ministery For not onely is the Ministery in the generall the ordinance of Christ but all the speciall kinds of Ministers are appointed by him An humane creature in the State is not unlawfull but to be or appoint an humane creature in the Church is unlawfull A difference which Politickes and Church-men who love preeminence above their brethren are never enough moved to acknowledge Nor have the Ministers of Jesus Christ any limitations from men all their limitation is from Jesus Christ whose Ministers they are There is also a second thing wherein the Magistracy and the Ministery doe agree It is true indeed that the Magistrate is more about things externall which concern this present life and the Minister about things spirituall which concern the soule and life eternall yet is there nothing so Ecclesiasticall but it belongeth some way to the Magistrate he being keeper of both Tables Nor is there any thing so secular but it concerneth the Ministery in so far as secular things fall under obedience or disobedience to God For the word of God is extended to all causes all persons all conditions of life all which are to be ruled by the Word And this Word is to be expounded and must be particularly applied by the Ministery But while both are about the same things causes and persons it is in a very different way the power of the one is but Ministeriall the weapons of his warfare are spiritual not carnall but the power of the other though in respect of God whose Minister he is it be Ministeriall yet in respect of his subjects and inferiors it is Magisteriall and hath authority to compell and coerce The Magistrate may not go to the Pulpit to preach or minister the Sacraments nor may he as he is a Magistrate exercise Ecclesiasticall discipline but ought by his authority to command all these necessary duties to be done And the Minister may not ascend to the Tribunall to judge civill or criminall causes yet ought he to teach and in the Name of God exhort that justice be done to all by which every one may have that which is due unto him We may say with Bernard that the Church hath two Swords the Spirituall and the Temporall but in a different sort the use of the spirituall and the benefit of the temporall We may also say that the Civill power hath two swords the Temporall and the Spirituall but in a different manner the use of the temporall and the benefit of the spirituall When these two Swords are put in good hands and wisely managed it goeth well both with Church and State with Truth and Peace with Religion and Righteousnes The Magistracy and the Ministery are not unfitly compared to the two principall faculties of the soule of man the Will and the Understanding man being as well a Republick as a little world the will of man hath two acts one which is her proper and essentiall operation it is called actus elicitus as to will to nill or to suspend the other is called actus imperatus
produced by another power whether of the body or of the soule as by the Understanding at the commandment of the Wll For the Will may command the Mind or Understanding quoad exercitium although not quoad specificationem The Magistrate hath actum elicitum as his proper operation about civill matters as his proper object but in spirituall things not so He may neither preach nor minister the Sacraments nor exercise discipline yet hath he actum imperatum he may and ought by his place to command Ministers to do all these duties And if he be negligent in this he sinneth against God Upon the other part the Minister may not judge civill or criminall causes nor performe the proper offices of the civill power yet as the Minister hath actum elicitum for performing of spirituall duties so hath he although not actum imperatum yet actum excitatum for exciting and in the name of Christ exhorting and charging the Civill Powers to the performance of their duty This generall use of Doctrine may be brought neerer home by the following use which is for reproof of two main errors which at this time make a great deal of trouble in the Christian world and which being once removed there might be greater peace and quietnesse in Churches and Common-wealths The one is of the most unjust tyrannous claim made by the Pope of temporall dominion over the whole world or at least to intermeddle with the affaires of Princes and Kingdomes in reference to the Church or as the Papists expresse themselves in ordine ad spiritualia For the Pope not contenting himselfe with the transcendency of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over the whole Church though he hath no warrant for it in his boundlesse and endlesse ambition did climb yet higher and partly by the favour or foolishnesse rather of Christian Princes and partly by his own fraudulent and violent dealing as the son of him who hath been a murtherer a lier from the beginning hath set himselfe up first amongst and next over the greatest Princes and mightiest Emperours to dispose of their Crownes and Dignities at his pleasure which is the mark and character of him who is spoken of by the Apostle 2 Thess 2.4 Who sitteth in the Temple of God as God shewing himself that he is God and opposing and exalting himselfe above all that is called God As the Text sheweth that Christ was no earthly King that he left no Regal power to Peter and therefore the Pope can have no temporall power as the Vice-gerent of Christ so the supream power to dispose of Kingdomes and temporall things in reference to things spirituall and the lawfulnesse of civill dominion which the Pope claimeth by the donation of Princes are overturned by the grounds laid in the Text The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world About this point there be three things which may astonish our hearts and indeed are matters of admiration one is the wonderfull patience of God suffering that man of sin so long to rage and to be drunk with the blood of the Saints which should make us to say with the Spirit and Bride Come Lord Jesus come quickly the sins of that Sea are long since at the height Lord why tarriest thou Never since the beginning of the world was there such an example of divine patience Learned men have applied themselves to search into the causes of the so long continuance of the Sect of Mahomet and conceive that the detestation of Idolatry and of persecution of the Gospel are two principall causes thereof the contrary whereof is found in the Church of Rome which makes the patience of God so much the more admirable A second is that he who calleth himself the servant of servants doth make himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and yet the Kings and Lords of the earth do still give their strength and power unto the Beast and lie under his yoke drunk with the wine of his fornications nor will they yet awake after so full a discovery of that mystery of iniquity which is from the spirit of slumber in the justice of God possessing their spirits And the third is that such Kings and Kingdomes as are begun to hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked doe suffer themselves by whatsoever tentations or worldly respects to be divided or retarded in accomplishing the work And here we have just reason to lament that the work of God maketh so slow progresse in this Land And it may be unto us this day just cause of deep humiliation that our sins in former times and since the beginning of this work of Reformation are such as make obstruction unto it The Lord I confesse hath done much already especially in removing the Prelats and other members of that Popish Hierarchy who had transformed the Kingdome of Christ in this Island into a wordly Kingdom very conform unto the Pope the head of the Hierarchy In this England hath as great cause to rejoyce as any Nation under heaven because never any nation hath felt more of Popish and Prelaticall tyranny then England and that both of old and of late witnesse your own Histories There is also another error to be reproved which is upon the other hand and may be called a new Papacy the former error is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Court-parasites politicians and such other enemies to the Kingdome of Christ would introduce into the reformed Churches ascribing to the highest civill authority or to the supream Magistrate the same place in the reformed Church within his dominion that the Pope hath in the Roman Church and making him head of the Church by which the Pope is changed but not the Papacy the Dominator but not the Domination Nor is there any difference but 1. that this opinion maketh as many Popes as supream Magistrates which would cease if Caesars or Emperours as of old did rule the world 2. That it will be acknowledged that such civill Popes are subject to error which is no great difference for the chiefest Doctors in the Roman Church do admit that the Pope may erre and for this cause will have him subject to generall Councels For clearing of this great difficulty and that we may give to Caesar what is Caesars unto Christ and his Ministers what belongeth to them we are to observe these three distinctions 1. We are to distinguish times in the times before the Law the Civill and Ecclesiasticall power might be in one person as in Melchisedeck Job c. not so after the Law when the Republick and Church of Israel were once constitute and setled The Lord that maketh Summer to succeed after Winter the day after the night and youth after infancy would have it to be so The saying of the wise Physitian Vindiceanus quia ego non jussi belongeth to God in matters of this kind August Epist 5. 2. We are to distinguish between cases in extraordinary cases
and when the estate of the Church was corrupt many things were allowed or permitted as in the times of Eli and Samuel which in other cases were not lawfull 3. We are to distinguish betwixt the supream Civill power of the Magistrate about matters of Religion or things Ecclesiasticall and the ultimate and highest jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall in matters of this kind the one is not onely lawfull but necessary as a principall point of the Magistrates duty the other doth not belong to the Magistrate or any civill authority but to the Church and authority Ecclesiasticall To assume ordinarily after religion is setled the last resolution and highest jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall in matters of Religion unto which formall and legall appeales shall be made in Church matters from the Assemblies of the Church is more I hope then needeth to be feared from the wisdome piety and justice of the honourable Houses of Parliament They have in their great wisdome piety and justice removed Church-men from their Senat and will neither have Prelats nor Pastors to sit with them in that supream civill Court They have abolished high Commissions and Star-chambers and therefore will not intermeddle unlesse it be at extraordinary times and in extraordinary cases with Church matters It cannot be denied but persons distressed by Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction may by way of complaint although not by way of accusation expresse their unjust sufferings to whatsoever kind of persons private or publick in Church or State and each one is to bear the burthen of another much more therefore may they flie to the supream civill authority not to this end that the cause be recognosced by them but if need be and they find it necessary they may desire or command the same to be resumed and examined again of new but this Christian way of complaining maketh nothing for any formall or legall appeal from one kind of authority to another Appellations must be from the inferior to the superior in the same kind Before I proceed there is one objection to be removed If the power of the Church be not above the State in civill matters nor the power of the State above the Church in matters of religion if the Kingdoms of the world be not subordinate to the Kingdome of Christ and if the Kingdome of Christ be not subordinate to the Kingdomes of the world then it will follow that they are equall that they are parallell and collaterall and therefore will be emulous and jealous one of another and will strive one against another For answer This objection savoureth of much malice against the Ministery of the Gospel and which is suppressed against the Kingdome of Iesus Christ It is not unlike the speech of the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin against the building of the Temple at Jerusalem unto the Lord God of Israel This Citie is a rebellious Citie and hurtfull unto Kings and Provinces It hath made insurrection against Kings and rebellion and sedition hath been made therein Ezra 4.15 The practises of such are not unlike the practises of the enemies Nehem. 4. who by craft by rumors and by hired prophesies would have terrified Nehemiah and others that were with him from building the walls of Jerusalem Their calumnies are not unlike that of Haman Esther 3. There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of the Kingdome and their laws are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings laws therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them In a time of reformation when the Temple or walls of Jerusalem are to be builded there be ever some Rehums and Shimsaies some Sanballats Tobiahs Gashâ—…es or Hamans that endeavour to hinder the work It is a matter of humiliation that there are any such in this land and wil prove greater matter of humiliation if they shall have their desire But the wisdome and vigilancy of the honorable Houses of Parliament will take heed unto and note such unhappy instruments that their wicked desires be not satisfied It cannot be denied but there is some kind of mutuall and reciprocall subjection or subordination of the one authority and government unto the other such as useth to be must needs be in all such societies as have divers ends before their eyes those who command in respect of the one end must obey in respect of the other such as obey in respect of the one end must command in respect of the other When a company of Souldiers entreth into a ship to fight against the enemy at sea in so far as they are in the ship and within boord they are to be governed by the master of the ship who is to command all in matters of navigation but as they are Souldiers fighting against the enemy they must obey their own Captain and be directed by him He that commanded in the one respect although a Generall or a King must obey in the other respect nor is it any derogation but wisdome to do so When the son is a Consull and the father a private man the son obeyeth the father as his father and the father obeyeth the son as his Consull or Magistrate And thus in divers respects there is a mutuall subordination yet is there no such equality as to make the two Governments jealous one of another for there is a threefold difference betwixt them which being well observed will cure all this unnecessary and groundlesse jealousie one is in respect of God to whom both are subject another in that respect which the one of them hath to the other and the third is in respect of the people concredit unto them In respect of their subjection to God the one is subject as a deputed and inferior Lordship or Dominion the other is subject as a ministery or service Christ onely being Lord of his Church The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called Benefactors But yee shall not be so Luke 22.25 26. Domination is forbidden Church-men Ministration is commanded It is one thing to be a Viceroy and another thing to be a Legat or a Stewart Christ hath Legats to declare his wil but hath no Deputies or Vicegerents In that respect which the one hath to the other we may observe this difference that the subordination of the Minister to the Magistrate is to the Magistrate himself as to the Vicegerent of God of whose power he doth participate but the subordination of the Magistrate to the Minister is not to the Minister himselfe but to Jesus Christ whose servant he is Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 In respect of the people under their charge every soule is subject to the higher powers but the Church onely is subject to the Ministery they have nothing to do with those who are without and which is
be in Church or Parliament and I may adde that they are foolish spirits seem they never so wise for being once imbarked how shall they hope to escape if the publick shall perish Another sort of selfe respect is publick which may seem a paradox and yet is it a certain truth when men would draw all to the Parliament not only negotia Regis Regni the matters of the King and Kingdome but negotia Jehovae Ecclesiae the matters of God and the Church Many things indeed may yea must be done pro tempore and in this corrupt state of the Church but it is the worst kind of sacriledge to take the power which Christ hath given to the Church and put it in the hands of the State 2. Beware of luke-warmnesse and indifferency in matters of Religion that we be not like Gallio that cared for none of these things or like Pilate in this place who spoke so coldly of the truth What is truth He declared by his question that it was a thing he cared not for or like Saul I Sam. who when he had commanded to advise with the Oracle of God what he should do yet before he received an answer led forth the Army into battell It is a rare thing in great men to take Religion to heart and to be solicit about it There may be here a twofold indifferency one is when matters of Religion come in debate we care not what way they go nor to what side they be determined The other is that having past an Ordinance we care not what become of it whether it be put in execution or not or whether it be spoken or written against or not which is nothing else but a vilifying of the Ordinance of God and the prostituting of that authority which God hath put upon men unto contempt and reproach 3. Take heed of division the most destructive thing both to your selves and the cause that can be There be many causes of division from Satan who is a factious and schismaticall spirit from the world which delighteth to run in divers channels and from our selves every man having a seed of division in his own heart It is true that all men by nature love unity as well as being for unity preserveth but all men through the corruption of nature incline to division and destruction yet there be some spirits whose predominant it is to be hereticall schismaticall and factious and it is as naturall to such to delight in divisions as it is for others to wallow in uncleannesse or excesse If we will have the Kingdome of Christ setled these are to be noted and either avoided or kept in order otherwise there will be no end of division in the State and of schisme in the Church And take heed of division from the Kingdome of Scotland with whom ye are so neerly united both by nature and covenant were I there I would say no lesse unto them in relation to this Kingdome There be some pernitious instruments who bufie themselves in fishing of faults and use the damnable art of Tyberius he was earnest to have a Virgin strangled some mention particularly the daughter of Sejanus others as Suetonius more indefinitly speake it of Virgins but because it was not lawfull amongst the Romans to strangle a Virgin he will have them first defiled by the Executioner and thereafter strangled Immaturae puellae quia more tradito nefas esset virgines strangulari vitiatae prius a carnifice dein strangulatae I leave it to your own application It is knowne amongst the people that he that would kill his Dogge can easily find a staffe and it is not unknown to the State that they who would be rid of a good subject or servant can easily lay treason to their charge But so long as that Nation abideth constant to the cause of God and honest in their endeavours towards you ought they to be so talked of as they are by many If in saving themselves and serving you they should be disabled from saving themselves and serving you ought ye to adde affliction to the afflicted When the truth which is the daughter of time shall appeare I hope men will be ashamed of their speeches and eat up their own words and therefore I will speak no more of this sad subject 4. Beware of delayes and procrastinations in setling of Christs Kingdome The setting up of the Discipline and government of the Church had been a more easie work long ago then it is now and is more easie now then it will be afterward For the longer we go down by the river side wee will find it grow the deeper broader and parting if selfe in more divided channels Had the Discipline and Government of the Church been set up at first it would have proved very serviceable to the Parliament and saved them much labour in the doing of their work The ordinances of Christ have much power and strength in them and they are accompanied with many blessings The spirituall and secular Arm like the two Arms of the body when both are stretched out and exercised are very effectuall for the publick good 5. Beware of discouragements from the power of the world the Kingdomes of the world or any other kinds of oppositions whatsoever while ye are about the building of the House of God and establishing of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ If the enemies had been able to hinder it it had never found any setling on earth Principalities and powers in high places the Kingdomes of this world and the spirits of men have been alwayes bent against it no power no plot or policy hath been or wil be unassaied Beside many particular hinderances of the setling of Religion in particular places and Nations do but lift up your eyes and look back to the course of the world in the generall In the first Monarchy we find a fiery Furnace in the second a den of Lions in the third the madnesse and fury of Antiochus justly surnamed Epimanes which exceeded the former two and in the fourth Monarchy the ten Persecutions ten times more bloody and grievous then all that went before The Kingdoms of this world are resembled by most bloody monstrous wild beasts Dan. 7. and by mountaines that are full of wild beasts because of their craft and cruelty against the Kingdome of Christ Psalm 76.4 Cant. 4.8 But we may bee comforted by that Zach. 4.7 What art thou O great Mountain And I may adde All yee wild Beasts Be not troubled with the feares of the Kingdomes of the world in building the Kingdome of Christ For my part I think it nothing strange that the world and the God of this world stand in a continuall opposition It is a greater wonder that any especially of great Ones are found to have any courage for the Kingdome of Christ It is a miracle which we heare of Isai 11. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard with the Kid and