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
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
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
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
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