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Subjects; living promiscuously together; cannot properly be
term'd a Kingdome。 Besides; the Apostles; when they askt our
Saviour; Whether he would at that time when he ascended into
heaven; restore the Kingdome unto Israel? did openly testifie;
that they then; when CHRIST ascended; thought the Kingdome of God
not to be yet come。 Farthermore; the words of CHRIST; My Kingdome
is not of this world; And; I will not drinke; &c。 till the
Kingdome of God come: And; God hath not sent his Son into the
World; to judge the World; but that the World through him might
be sav'd。 And; If any man heare not my words; and keepe them; I
judge him not; for I came not to judge the World; but to save the
World。 And; Man; who made me a judge or divider betweene you? And
the very Appellation of the Kingdome of Heaven testifies as much。
The same thing is gathered out of the words of the Prophet
Jeremiah; speaking of the Kingdome of God by the new Covenant;
They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour; saying; Know
the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them; to
the greatest of them; saith the Lord; Jer。 31。 v。 34。 which
cannot be understood of a Kingdome in this World。 The Kingdome of
God therefore; for the restoring whereof CHRIST came into the
world; of which the Prophets did Prophesie; and of which praying
wee say; Thy Kingdome come; (if it must have Subjects locally
separated from Enemies; if judicature; if Majesty; according as
hath beene foretold;) shall begin from that time; wherein God
shall separate the Sheep from the Goats; wherein the Apostles
shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel; wherein CHRIST shall
come in Majesty; and glory; wherein Lastly; all men shall so know
God; that they shall not need to be taught; that is to say; at
CHRIST his second comming; or the day of Judgement。 But if the
Kingdome of God were now already restor'd; no reason could be
rendered why CHRIST having compleated the work for which he was
sent; should come againe; or why we should pray; Thy Kingdome
come。
VI。 Now; although the Kingdome of God by CHRIST to be
establisht with a new Covenant; were Heavenly; we must not
therefore thinke; that they; who beleeving in CHRIST would make
that Covenant; were not so to be govern'd here on the Earth too;
as that they should persevere in their faith; and obedience
promis'd by that Covenant。 For in vaine had the Kingdome of
heaven beene promis'd; if we were not to have been led into it。
But none can be led; but those who are directed in the way。
Moyses; when he had instituted the Priestly Kingdome; himselfe
though he were no Priest; yet rul'd; and conducted the People all
the time of their Peregrination untill their entrance into the
promis'd Land。 In the same manner is it our Saviours office (whom
God in this thing would have like unto Moyses) as he was sent
from his Father; so to governe the future Subjects of his
heavenly Kingdome in this life; that they might attaine to; and
enter into that; although the Kingdome were not properly his; but
his Fathers。 But the government whereby CHRIST rules the
faithfull ones in this life; is not properly a Kingdome; or
Dominion; but a Pastorall charge; or the Right of teaching; that
is to say; God the father gave him not a power to judge of Meum
and Tuum as he doth to the Kings of the Earth; nor a Coercive
power; nor legislative; but of shewing to the world; and teaching
them the way; and knowledge of Salvation; that is to say; of
Preaching; and declaring what they were to doe; who would enter
into the Kingdome of Heaven。 That CHRIST had receiv'd no power
from his father to judge in questions of Meum and Tuum; that is
to say; in all questions of Right among those who beleev'd not;
those words above cited doe sufficiently declare: Man; who made
me a judge; or divider betweene you? And it is confirm'd by
reason; for seeing CHRIST was sent to make a Covenant between God
and men; and no man is oblig'd to performe obedience before the
Contract be made; if he should have judg'd of questions of Right;
no man had been tyed to obey his sentence。 But that the
discerning of Right was not committed to CHRIST in this world;
neither among the faithfull; nor among infidels; is apparent in
this; that that Right without all controversie belongs to Princes
as long as it is not by; But it is not derogated God himselfe
derogated from their authority; before the day of Judgement; as
appeares by the words of Saint Paul; speaking of the day of
Judgement; Then commeth the end when He shall have delivered up
the Kingdome to God even the Father; when He shall have put downe
all rule; and all authority; and Power; 1 Cor。 15。 ver。 24。
Secondly; the words of our Saviour reproving James; and Iohn;
when they had said; Wilt thou that we call for Fyer from Heaven;
that it may consume them (namely the Samaritans; who had denyed
to receive him going up to Jerusalem) and replying; The Son of
Man is not come to destroy soules; but to save them; And those
words; Behold I send you as Sheep among Wolves; Shake off the
dust of your Feet; and the like; And those words; God sent not
his Son into the world; to judge the world; but that the world
through him might be sav'd; and those; If any man heare my words;
and keep them not; I judge him not; for I came not to judge the
world; & c。 doe all shew; that he had no power given him; to
condemne or punish any man。 We reade indeed that the Father
judgeth no Man; but hath committed all judgement to the Son; but
since that both may; and must be understood of the day of future
judgement; it doth not at all repugne what hath beene sayed
before。 Lastly; that he was not sent to make new Lawes; and that
therefore by his Office; and mission; he was no Legislatour
properly so called; nor Moyses neither; but a bringer and
Publisher of his Fathers Lawes; (for God only; and neither
Moyses; nor CHRIST; was a King by Covenant) is collected hence;
that he sayed; I came not to destroy (to wit the Lawes before
given from God by Moyses; which he presently interprets) but to
fulfill; And; He that shall break one of the least of these
Commandements; and shall teach men so; He shall be called least
in the Kingdome of Heaven。 CHRIST therefore had not a Royall; or
Soveraigne power committed to him from his Father in this world;
but consiliary; and doctrinall onely; which himselfe signifies;
as well then when he call his Apostles; not Hunters; but Fishers
of men; as when he compares the Kingdome of God to a graine of
mustard seed; and to a little Leaven hid in meale。
VII。 God promis'd unto Abraham first; a numerous seed; the
possession of the Land of Canaan; and a blessing upon all Nations
in his seed; on this Condition; that he; and his seed should
serve him; next unto the seed of Abraham according to the flesh;
a Priestly Kingdome; a Government most free; in which they were
to be Subject to no humane power; on this Condition; that they
should serve the God of Abraham on that fashion which Moyses
should teach。 Lastly; both to them; and to all Nations; a
heavenly; and eternall Kingdome; on Condition that they should
serve the God of Abraham; on that manner which Christ shou