difference that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world For first Christ being called before Pilate and being demanded whether he was a King answered That his Kingdome was not of this world therefore his Kingdome is not a temporall and earthly Kingdome nor would Pilate have pronounced him innocent and guiltlesse if he had made any claime to Caesars Kingdome This is very strongly proved by the following words If my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews which yet maketh nothing against the taking of Armes by such as are in authority for the defence of Religion and the just Liberty of the Professors thereof Secondly Christ refused to be a King when it was offered unto him and told his Disciples That the Kings of the Nations have dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority but that it should not be so with them but that whosoever would be great among them must bee their Minister Matth. 20.25 Thirdly he refused to be a Judge of secular quarrels or a divider of inheritances Luke 12.14 He came from heaven for things divine to work upon the consciences of men and was appointed to be Judge of quick and dead but never medled with the office of a temporall King Fourthly he acknowledged that Caesar was King saying Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars Nor did the Prophets prophesie of any earthly Kingdome of Christ For the Kingdome that they prophesied of was to bee established and confirmed by him but the Kingdome of Judea was ruined and overthrown for refusing him to be their sprituall King There shall not a stone be left upon a stone in Jerusalem the chiefe Citie of that Kingdome because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation saith Christ This yet appeareth further if we consider the qualities of these two kinds of Kingdomes more particularly The Kingdomes of the world endure but for a time and the periods and endings of them are matter not onely of discourse before they come but of tragedies after they are come but the Kingdome of Christ shall not be destroyed for ever And of his Kingdome there shall no end Dan. 2.44 After his departure out of the earth his Kingdome was in the greatest strength and in a most flourishing condition he then was gloriously manifested to be a King The Kingdomes of the world are governed by the rules and counsels of humane prudence and policie but the Kingdome of Christ by lawes of another kind by the simplicity of the Gospel which to the naturall man is foolishnesse The Kingdomes of the world are supported by taxes and tributes ceasments and subsidies but no such thing in the Kingdome of Christ The Kingdomes of the world consist in riches honour power of men externall splendor and earthly greatnesse but in the Kingdome of Christ poverty and humility triumph over the world under the Standard of the Crosse The Kingdomes of the world have carnall weapons and strength of Armes to pursue their ends but the weapons of the Kingdom of Christ are spiritual to procure spirituall obedience unto him Many such differences may be observed by which we may clearly perceive that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world Yet one thing we must remember for preventing mistakes and which being rightly taken understood would put an end to many of the questions which are so much debated at this time about Chruch-government It is this That we are to distinguish between that which is of this world and that which is externall and visible in this world The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world yet some part of this Kingdome is externall and visible in this world for there be two parts of the spirituall administration of Christs Kingdome the one is the internall operation of the Spirit accompanying the externall means which are his Ordinances appointed by himselfe and his owne authority the other is the externall dispensation of these means and Ordinances by such officers as are called the Ministers of the Kingdome of Heaven This doth appertaine to the Kingdome of Christ and shall continue no lesse then the former till he render up the Kingdomes into God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 This part of the administration of Christs Kingdome although it be externall yet it is not of this world but spirituall for it comes from the Spirit and is done by the gifts of the Spirit The Word and Sacraments which are the matter of it are things spirituall for the manner of doing it is by the evidence of the Spirit the spirits and souls of men are the object of it the end thereof is spirituall edification and the effect the ministery of the Spirit So that in this respect also the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world but a spirituall Kingdome in both parts of the administration theoreof The Text thus expounded is a fountaine full of springs of Doctrine As first that although Christ was a King a Governour and Commander as hath been formerly shewed and was a Prophet also and it may be now exercising that office and testifying of his own Kingdome before Pilate yet is it no warrant for Captaines or Commanders to preach the Gospel and to become Prophets because first he was a spirituall King and Commander and not a temporall and next because he had a speciall calling The Apostle Rom. 10.14 telleth us that men cannot preach unlesse they be sent And this calling the Apostle judgeth to be so necessary that the Son of God would not undertake that charge without a singular vocation Heb. 5. Although a private man who runneth unsent and an Ambassador who is authorized and sent speak the same things yet the one wants the authority which the other hath Secondly although Jesus Christ knew well that all that he could say was not able to deliver him from death or to do any good to the heart of Pilate for his conversion yet he findeth himself bound to answer calumnies and unjust accusations and to give a testimony of the truth And so must the servants of God do although their words do no more but serve to blindfold and indure blind and hard hearts yet must they speak out the truth It was the practice of the Prophets Apostles and holy Martyrs and in this as in other things Ministers and all others who have by their place any calling to give testimony to the truth must do their duty committing the event unto God Thirdly although Christ at this time was brought very low in the eyes of the world yet he spareth not to speak of his Kingdome and to call himself a King Humiliation and exinanition is in it selfe no derogation to right but the right is the same in the estate and case of humiliation and in the estate and case of exaltation the case may change and the estate be altered but the right is without change and standeth unalterable So was it with
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
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 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