St. John, xviii. 36. ‘Jeſus anſwered, My Kingdom is not of this World.’

ONE of thoſe great Effects, which length of Time is ſeen to bring along with it, is the Alteration of the Meaning annexed to certain Sounds. The Signification of a Word, well known and underſtood by Thoſe who firſt made uſe of it, is very inſenſibly varied, by paſſing thrô many Mouths, and by being taken and given by Multitudes, in common Diſcourſe; till it often comes to ſtand for a Complication of Notions, as diſtant from the original Inten⯑tion of it, nay, as contradictory to it, as Darkneſs [4] is to Light. The Ignorance and Weak⯑neſs of Some, and the Paſſions and Bad Deſigns of Others, are the great Inſtruments of this Evil: which, even when it ſeems to affect only indifferent Matters, ought in reaſon to be op⯑poſed, as it tends in it's nature to confound Men's Notions in weightier Points; but, when it hath once invaded the moſt Sacred and Im⯑portant Subjects, ought, in Duty, to be reſiſted with a more open and undiſguiſed Zeal, as what toucheth the very Vitals of all that is good, and is juſt going to take from Men's Eyes the Boundaries of Right and Wrong.

The only Cure for this Evil, in Caſes of ſo great Concern, is to have recourſe to the Ori⯑ginals of Things: to the Law of Reaſon, in thoſe Points which can be traced back thither; and to the Declarations of Jeſus Chriſt, and his immediate Followers, in ſuch Matters, as took their Riſe ſolely from thoſe Declarations. For the Caſe is plainly this, that Words and Sounds have had ſuch an Effect, (not upon the [5] Nature of Things, which is unmoveable, but) upon the Minds of Men in thinking of them; that the very ſame Word remaining, (which at firſt truly repreſented One certain Thing,) by having Multitudes of new inconſiſtent Ideas, in every Age, and every Year, added to it, becomes it ſelf the greateſt Hindrance to the true underſtanding of the Nature of the Thing firſt intended by it.

For Inſtance, Religion, in St. James's Days, was Virtue and Integrity, as to our ſelves, and Charity and Beneficence to others; before God, even the Father. Ja. i. 27. By Degrees, it is come to ſignify, in moſt of the Countries throughout the whole World, the Performance of every thing almoſt, except Virtue and Charity; and particularly, a punctual Exactneſs in a Regard to particular Times, Places, Forms, and Modes, diverſified according to the various Humours of Men; recommended and practiſed under the avowed Name of External Religion: Two Words, which, in the Senſe fix'd upon them by many Chriſtians, God hath put aſunder; and [6] which therefore, no Man ſhould join together. And accordingly, the Notion of a Religious Man differs in every Country, juſt as much as Times, Places, Ceremonies, Imaginary Auſterities, and all other Outward Circumſtances, are diffe⯑rent and various: Whereas in truth, thô a Man, truly Religious in other Reſpects, may make uſe of ſuch Things; yet, they can⯑not be the leaſt part of his Religion, properly ſo call'd, any more than his Food, or his Rai⯑ment, or any other Circumſtance of his Life.

Thus likewiſe, the Worſhip of God, to be paid by Chriſtians, was, in our Saviour's time, and in his own plain Words, the Worſhip of the Father in Spirit and Truth; and this de⯑clared to be one great End propoſed in the Chriſtian Diſpenſation: The Hour cometh, and now is, when the true Worſhippers ſhall Worſhip the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father ſeeketh ſuch to worſhip him. John iv. 23. But the Notion of it is become quite another thing: and in many Chriſtian Countries, that which [7] ſtill retains the Name of the Worſhip of God, is indeed the Neglect, and the Diminution of the Father; and the Worſhip of other Beings beſides, and more than, the Father. And this, performed in ſuch a manner, as that any indif⯑ferent Spectator would conclude, that neither the Conſciences nor Underſtandings of Men, neither Spirit nor Truth were at all concerned in the Matter; or rather, that they had been baniſh'd from it by an expreſs Command. In the mean time the Word, or Sound, ſtill remains the ſame in Diſcourſe. The whole Lump of indigeſted, and inconſiſtent Notions and Pra⯑ctices; Every thing that is ſolemnly ſaid, or done, when the Worſhip of God is profeſs'd, is equally cover'd under that general Name; and, by the help of uſing the ſame Original Word, paſſeth eaſily for the Thing it ſelf. Again,

Prayer, in all our Lord's Directions about it, and particularly in that Form, which He himſelf taught his Followers, was a calm, un⯑diſturbed, Addreſs to God, under the Notion of [8] a Father, expreſſing thoſe Sentiments and Wiſhes before Him, which every ſincere Mind ought to have. But the ſame Word, by the help of Men, and voluminous Rules of Art, is come to ſignify Heat and Flame, in ſuch a manner, and to ſuch a degree, that a Man may be in the beſt Diſpoſition in the World, and yet not be devout enough to Pray: and many an honeſt Perſon hat been perplex'd, by this Means, with Doubts and Fears of being uncapable of Praying, for want of an intenſeneſs of Heat, which hath no more relation to the Duty, than a Man's being in a Fever hath, to the Sincerity of his Profeſſions, or Addreſſes to any Earthly Prince.

Once more, the Love of God, and of our Saviour, was at firſt, in his own Words, and thoſe of St. John, many times repeated, the keeping his Commandments, or doing his Will. Joh. 14. 15, 21, 23. ch. 15. 10. I Joh. 2. 5. ch. 5. 3. II Joh. 6. But the Notion of it was, it ſeems, left very jejune; and ſo hath been improved [9] by his later Followers, till the ſame Name, ſtill kept up in the Language of Chriſtians, is far re⯑moved from the Thing principally and firſt in⯑tended; and is come by degrees to ſignify a violent Paſſion, Commotion, and Ecſtaſy, vent⯑ing it ſelf in ſuch ſort of Expreſſions and Diſ⯑orders, as other Paſſions do: and this regulated and defined, by ſuch a Variety of Imaginati⯑ons, that an ordinary Chriſtian, with the ut⯑moſt Sincerity in his Heart, is filled with no⯑thing but eternal Suſpicions, Doubts, and Perplexities, whether he hath any thing of the true Love of God, or not.

I have mentioned theſe Particulars, not only to ſhew the Evil it ſelf; and to how great a Degree the Nature of Things hath ſuffered in the Opinions of Men, by the Alteration of the Senſe of the ſame Words and Sounds: but to give you Occaſion to obſerve, that there can be no Cure for it, in Chriſtians, but to go back to the New Teſtament it ſelf; becauſe there alone we ſhall find the Original Intention of ſuch Words; [10] or the Nature of the Things deſign'd to be ſig⯑nified by them, declared and fixed by our Lord, or his Apoſtles from him, by ſome ſuch Marks, as may, if we will attend to them, guide and guard us in our Notions of thoſe Matters, in which we are moſt of all concern'd.

It is with this View, that I have choſen thoſe Words, in which our Lord himſelf decla⯑red the Nature of his own Kingdom. This Kingdom of Chriſt, is the ſame with the Church of Chriſt. And the Notion of the Church of Chriſt, which, at firſt, was only the Number, ſmall or great, of Thoſe who believed Him to be the Meſſiah; or of Thoſe who ſubjected themſelves to Him, as their King, in the Affair of Religion; having ſince that Time been ſo diverſified by the various Alterations it hath undergone, that it is almoſt impoſſible ſo much as to number up the many inconſiſtent Images that have come, by daily Additions, to be united together in it: nothing, I think, can be more uſeful, than to conſider the ſame thing, [11] under ſome other Image, which hath not been ſo much uſed; nor conſequently ſo much defa⯑ced. And ſince the Image of His Kingdom, is That under which our Lord himſelf choſe to repre⯑ſent it: We may be ſure that, if we ſincerely examine our Notion of his Church, by what He ſaith of his Kingdom, that it is not of this World, we ſhall exclude out of it, every thing that he would have excluded; and then, what remains will be true, pure, and uncorrupted. And what I have to ſay, in order to this, will be comprehended under Two General Heads.

I. As the Church of Chriſt is the Kingdom of Chriſt, He himſelf is King: and in this; it is implied, that He is himſelf the ſole Law-giver to his Subjects, and himſelf the ſole Judge of their Behaviour, in the Affairs of Conſcience and Eternal Salvation. And in this Senſe therefore, His Kingdom is not of this World; that He hath, in thoſe Points, left behind Him, no viſible, humane Authority; no Vicegerents, who can be ſaid pro⯑perly to ſupply his Place; no Interpreters, upon [12] whom his Subjects are abſolutely to depend; no Judges over the Conſciences or Religion of his People. For if this were ſo, that any ſuch abſo⯑lute Vicegerent Authority, either for the making new Laws, or interpreting Old Ones, or judging his Subjects, in Religious Matters, were lodged in any Men upon Earth; the Conſequence would be, that what ſtill retains the Name of the Church of Chriſt, would not be the Kingdom of Chriſt, but the Kingdom of thoſe Men, veſted with ſuch Authority. For, whoever hath ſuch an Authority of making Laws, is ſo far a King: and whoever can add new Laws to thoſe of Chriſt, equally obligatory, is as truly a King, as Chriſt himſelf is: Nay, whoever hath an abſo⯑lute Authority to interpret any written, or ſpoken Laws; it is He, who is truly the Law-giver, to all Intents and Purpoſes; and not the Perſon who firſt wrote, or ſpoke them.

In humane Society, the Interpretation of Laws may, of neceſſity, be lodged, in ſome Caſes, in the Hands of Thoſe who were not originally [13] the Legiſlators. But this is not abſolute; (nor of bad Conſequence to Society: becauſe the Le⯑giſlators can reſume the Interpretation into their own Hands, as they are Witneſſes to what paſſes in the World; and as They can, and will, ſenſibly interpoſe in all thoſe Caſes, in which their Interpoſition becomes neceſſary. And therefore, They are ſtill properly the Legiſlators. But it is otherwiſe in Religion, or the Kingdom of Chriſt. He himſelf never interpoſeth, ſince his firſt Promulgation of his Law, either to convey Infallibility to Such as pretend to handle it over again; or to aſſert the true Interpretation of it, amidſt the various and contradictory Opi⯑nions of Men about it. If He did certainly thus interpoſe, He himſelf would ſtill be the Legiſla⯑tor. But, as He doth not; if ſuch an abſolute Authority be once lodged with Men, under the Notion of Interpreters, They then become the Legiſlators, and not Chriſt; and They rule in their own Kingdom, and not in His.

[14] It is the ſame thing, as to Rewards and Pu⯑niſhments, to carry forward the great End of his Kingdom. If any Men upon Earth have a Right to add to the Sanctions of his Laws; that is, to increaſe the Number, or alter the Nature, of the Rewards and Puniſhments of his Subjects, in Matters of Conſcience, or Sal⯑vation: They are ſo far Kings in his ſtead; and Reign in their own Kingdom, and not in His. So it is, whenever They erect Tribunals, and exerciſe a Judgment over the Conſciences of Men; and aſſume to Themſelves the Determination of ſuch Points, as cannot be determined, but by One who knows the Hearts; or, when They make any of their own Declarations, or Deciſions, to concern and affect the State of Chriſt's Sub⯑jects, with regard to the Favour of God: this is ſo far, the taking Chriſt's Kingdom out of His Hands, and placing it in their own.

[15] Nor is this matter at all made better by their declaring Themſelves to be Vice-gerents, or Law-makers, or Judges, under Chriſt, in order to carry on the Ends of his Kingdom. For it comes to this at laſt, ſince it doth not ſeem fit to Chriſt himſelf to interpoſe ſo as to prevent or remedy all their miſtakes and contradictions, that, if They have this power of interpreting, or adding, Laws, and judging Men, in ſuch a ſenſe, that Chriſtians ſhall be indiſpenſably and abſolutely obliged to obey thoſe Laws, and to ſubmit to thoſe Deciſions; I ſay, if They have this power lodged with them, then the Kingdom, in which They rule, is not the Kingdom of Chriſt, but of Themſelves; He doth not rule in it, but They: And, whether They hap⯑pen to agree with Him, or to differ from Him, as long as They are the Law-givers, and Jud⯑ges, without any Interpoſition from Chriſt, either to guide or correct their Deciſions, They are Kings of this Kingdom; and not Chriſt Jeſus.

If therefore, the Church of Chriſt be the King⯑dom of Chriſt, it is eſſential to it, That Chriſt himſelf [16] be the Sole Law-giver, and Sole Judge of his Subjects, in all points relating to the favour or diſpleaſure of Almighty God; and that All His Subjects, in what Station ſoever They may be, are equally Subjects to Him; and that No One of them, any more than Another, hath Authority, either to make New Laws for Christ's Subjects; or to impoſe a ſenſe upon the Old Ones, which is the ſame thing; or to Judge, Cenſure, or Puniſh, the Servants of Another Master, in matters relating purely to Conſcience, or Salvation. If any Perſon hath any other Notion, either thro' a long Uſe of Words with Inconſiſtent Meanings, or thro' a neg⯑ligence of Thought; let Him but ask Himſelf, whether the Church of Christ be the Kingdom of Christ, or not: And, if it be, whether this Notion of it doth not abſolutely exclude All other Legiſla⯑tors and Judges, in matters relating to Conſcience, or the favour of God; or, whether it can be His Kingdom, if any Mortal Men have ſuch a Power of Legiſlation and Judgment, in it. This En⯑quiry will bring Us back to the firſt, which is the only True, Account of the Church of Christ, or [17] the Kingdom of Christ, in the mouth of a Chri⯑ſtain: That it is the Number of Men, whether Small or Great, whether Diſperſed or united, who truly and ſincerely are Subjects to Jeſus Chriſt alone, as their Law-giver and Judge, in matters relating to the Favour of God, and their Eternal Salvation.

II. The next principal point is, that, if the Church be the Kingdom of Chriſt; and this King⯑dom be not of this World: this muſt appear from the Nature and End of the Laws of Chriſt; and of thoſe Rewards and Puniſhments, which are the Sanctions of his Laws. Now his Laws are De⯑clarations, relating to the Favour of God in ano⯑ther State after this. They are Declarations of thoſe Conditions to be perform'd, in this World, on our part, without which God will not make us Happy in that to come. And they are almoſt All general Appeals to the Will of that God; to his Nature, known by the Common Reaſon of Man⯑kind; and to the imitation of that Nature, which muſt be our Perfection. The Keeping his Com⯑mandments is declared the Way to Life; and [18] the doing his Will, the Entrance into the King⯑dom of Heaven. The being Subjects to Chriſt, is to this very End, that We may the better and more effectually perform the Will of God. The Laws of this Kingdom, therefore, as Chriſt left them, have nothing of this World in their view; no Tendency, either to the Exaltation of Some, in worldly pomp and dignity; or to their abſo⯑lute Dominion, over the Faith and Religious conduct of Others of his Subjects; or to the ere⯑cting of any ſort of Temporal Kingdom, under the Covert and Name of a Spiritual one.

The Sanctions of Chriſt's Law are Rewards and Puniſhments. But of what ſort? Not the Re⯑wards of this World; not the Offices, or Glo⯑ries, of this State; not the pains of Priſons, Ba⯑niſhments, Fines, or any leſſer and more Mode⯑rate Penalties; nay, not the much leſſer Nega⯑tive Diſcouragements that belong to Humane So⯑ciety. He was far from thinking that Theſe could be the Inſtruments of ſuch a Perſwaſion, as He thought acceptable to God. But, as the [19] Great End of his Kingdom, was to guide Men to Happineſs, after the ſhort Images of it were over here below; ſo, He took his Motives from that place, where His Kingdom firſt began, and where it was at laſt to end; from thoſe Rewards and Puniſhments in a future State, which had no relation to this World: And, to ſhew that his Kingdom was not of this World, all the San⯑ctions which He thought fit to give to His Laws, were not of this World at all.

St. Paul underſtood this ſo well, that He gives an Account of His own Conduct, and that of Others in the ſame Station, in theſe words, Knowing the terrors of the Lord, we per⯑ſwade men: whereas, in too many Chriſtian Coun⯑tries, ſince his days, if Some, who profeſs to ſuc⯑ceed Him, were to give an Account of their own Conduct, it muſt be in a quite contrary ſtrain; Knowing the terrors of this World, and having them in our power, We do, not perſwade men, but force their outward Profeſſion againſt their inward Perſwaſion.

[20] Now, wherever this is practis'd, whether in a great degree, or a ſmall, in that place there is ſo far a Change, from a Kingdom which is not of this world, to a Kingdom which is of this world. As ſoon as ever you hear of any of the Engines of this world, whether of the greater, or the leſſer ſort, you muſt imme⯑diately think that then, and ſo far, the King⯑dom of this world takes place. For, if the ve⯑ry Eſſence of God's worſhip be Spirit and Truth; If Religion be Virtue and Charity, un⯑der the Belief of a Supreme Governour and Judge; if True Real Faith cannot be the effect of Force; and, if there can be no Reward where there is no Willing Choice: then, in all, or any of theſe Caſes, to apply Force or Flat⯑tery, Worldly pleaſure or pain; is to act contrary to the Intereſts of True Religion, as it is plainly oppoſite to the Maxims upon which Chriſt founded his Kingdom; who choſe the Motives which are not of this world, to ſup⯑port a Kingdom which is not of this world. And indeed, it is too viſible to be hid, that [21] wherever the Rewards and Puniſhments are changed, from future to preſent, from the World to come, to the World now in poſſeſſi⯑on; there, the Kingdom founded by our Sa⯑viour is, in the Nature of it, ſo far changed, that it is become in ſuch a degree, what He profeſſed, His Kingdom was not: that is, of this world; of the ſame ſort, with other Common Earthly Kingdoms, in which the Rewards are, Worldly Honours, Poſts, Of⯑fices, Pomp, Attendance, Dominion; and the Puniſhments are, Priſons, Fines, Baniſh⯑ments, Gallies and Racks; or ſomething Leſs, of the ſame ſort.

If theſe can be the true ſupports of a King⯑dom which is not of this World; then Sincerity, and Hypocriſy; Religion, and No Religion; Force, and Perſwaſion; A Willing Choice, and a Terrified Heart; are become the ſame things: Truth and Falſhood ſtand in need of the ſame methods, to propagate and ſupport them; and our Saviour himſelf was little acquainted with [22] the Right way of increaſing the Number of ſuch Subjects, as He wiſhed for. If He had but at firſt enlighten'd the Powers of this World, as He did St. Paul; and employed the Sword which They bore, and the Favours They had in their hands, to bring Subjects into his King⯑dom; this had been an Expeditious and an ef⯑fectual way, according to the Conduct of ſome of his profeſſed Followers, to have had a Glorious and Extenſive Kingdom, or Church. But this was not his Deſign; unleſs it could be compaſ⯑ſed in quite a different way.

And therefore, when You ſee Our Lord, in his methods, ſo far removed from Thoſe of Many of his Diſciples; when You read Nothing, in his Doctrine about his own Kingdom, of ta⯑king in the Concerns of this World, and mix⯑ing them with thoſe of Eternity; no Commands that the Frowns and Diſcouragements of this preſent State ſhould in any Caſe attend upon Conſcience and Religion; No Rules againſt the Enquiry of All His Subjects into his Original [23] Meſſage from Heaven; no Orders for the kind and charitable force of Penalties, or Capital Puniſhments, to make Men think and chuſe aright; no Calling upon the ſecular Arm, when⯑ever the Magiſtrate ſhould become Chriſtian, to inforce his Doctrines, or to back his Spiritual Authority; but, on the contrary, as plain a De⯑claration as a few Words can make, that His Kingdom is not of this World: I ſay, when You ſee this, from the whole Tenor of the Goſpel, ſo vaſtly oppoſite to Many who take his Name into their Mouths, the Queſtion with you ought to be, Whether He did not know the Nature of his own Kingdom, or Church, better than Any ſince his Time? whether you can ſuppoſe, He left any ſuch matters to be decided againſt Him⯑ſelf, and his own Expreſs profeſſions; and, whe⯑ther if an Angel from Heaven ſhould give you any Account of his Kingdom, contrary to what He himſelf hath done, it can be of any Weight, or Authority, with Chriſtians.

I have now made ſome ſuch obſervations, [24] drawn from the Church being the Kingdom of Chriſt, and not of any Men in that Kingdom; from the Nature of his Laws, and from thoſe Rewards and Puniſhments, which are the San⯑ctions of thoſe Laws; as lead us naturally into the true Notion of the Church, or Kingdom, of Chriſt, by excluding out of it every thing in⯑conſiſtent with His being King, Law-giver and Judge; as well as with the Nature of His Laws, and of His promiſes and Threatnings. I will on⯑ly make Two or Three Obſervations, grounded upon this: And ſo conclude. And

1. From what hath been ſaid it is very plain, in general, that the Groſſeſt Miſtakes in Judg⯑ment, about the Nature of Chriſt s Kingdom, or Church, have ariſen from hence, that Men have argued from Other viſible Societies, and Other Viſible Kingdoms of this World, to what ought to be Viſible, and Senſible, in His Kingdom: Conſtantly leaving out of their Notion, the moſt Eſſential Part of it, that Chriſt is King in his own Kingdom; forgetting this King himſelf, becauſe [25] He is not now ſeen by mortal Eyes; and Sub⯑ſtituting Others in his Place, as Law-givers and Judges, in the ſame Points, in which He muſt either Alone, or not at all, be Law-giver and Judge; not contented with ſuch a Kingdom as He eſtabliſhed, and deſires to reign in; but ur⯑ging and contending, that His Kingdom muſt be like Other Kingdoms. Whereas He hath poſitive⯑ly warn'd them againſt any ſuch Arguings, by aſſuring Them that this Kingdom is His Kingdom, and that it is not of this World; and therefore that No one of His Subjects is Law-giver and Judge over Others of them, in matters relating to Salvation, but He alone; and that We muſt not Frame our Ideas from the Kingdoms of this World, of what ought to be, in a viſible and ſenſible manner, in His Kingdom.

2. From what hath been ſaid it appears that the Kingdom of Chriſt, which is the Church of Chriſt, is the Number of Perſons who are Sincere⯑ly, and Willingly, Subjects to Him, as Law-giver and Judge in all matters truly relating to [26] Conſcience, or Eternal Salvation. And the more cloſe and immediate this Regard to Him is, the more certainly and the more evidently true it is, that They are of his Kingdom. This may appear fully to their own Satisfaction, if They have recourſe to Him himſelf, in the Goſpel; if They think it a ſufficient Authority that He hath declared the Conditions of their Salvation, and that No Man upon Earth hath any Authority to declare any other, or to add one tittle to them; if They reſolve to perform what They ſee, He laith a ſtreſs upon; and if They truſt no mortal, with the abſolute direction of their Conſciences, the pardon of their Sins, or the de⯑termining of their Intereſt in God's favour; but wait for their Judge, who alone can bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs.

If They feel themſelves diſpoſed and reſolved to receive the Words of Eternal Life from Him⯑ſelf; to take their Faith from what He himſelf once delivered, who knew better than All the reſt of the World what He required of his own Subjects; [27] to direct their Worſhip by his Rule, and their whole practice by the General Law which He laid down: If They feel themſelves in this diſpoſition, They may be very certain that They are truly his Subjects, and Members of his King⯑dom. Nor need They envy the Happineſs of Others, who may think it a much more evident Mark of their belonging to the Kingdom of Chriſt, that They have other Law-givers, and Judges, in Chriſt's Religion, beſides Jeſus Chriſt; that They have recourſe not to his own Words, but the Words of Others who profeſs to interpret them; that They are ready to Submit to this In⯑terpretation, let it, be what it will, that They have ſet up to Themſelves the Idol of an unin⯑telligible Authority, both in Belief, and Worſhip, and Practice; in Words, under Jeſus Chriſt, but in deed and in truth over Him; as it removes the minds of his Subjects from Himſelf, to Weak, and paſſionate Men; and as it claims the ſame Rule and Power in his Kingdom, which He him⯑ſelf alone can have. But,

[28] 3. This will be Another obſervation, that it evidently deſtroys the Rule and Authority of Jeſus Chriſt, as King, to ſet up any Other Authority in His Kingdom, to which His Subjects are indiſpenſably and abſolutely obliged to Submit their Conſcien⯑ces, or their Conduct, in what is properly cal⯑led Religion. There are ſome Profeſſed Chriſti⯑ans, who contend openly for ſuch an Authority, as indiſpenſably obliges All around Them to Unity of Profeſſion; that is, to Profeſs even what They do not, what They cannot, believe to be true. This ſounds ſo groſsly, that Others, who think They act a glorious part in oppoſing ſuch an Enormity, are very willing, for their own ſakes, to retain ſuch an Authority as ſhall oblige Men, whatever They themſelves think, though not to profeſs what They do not believe, yet, to forbear the profeſſion and publication of what They do believe, let them believe it of never ſo great Importance.

Both theſe Pretenſions are founded upon the miſtaken Notion of the Peace, as well as Authority [29] of the Kingdom, that is the Church, of Chriſt. Which of them is the moſt inſupporta⯑ble to an honeſt and a Chriſtian mind, I am not able to ſay: becauſe They both equally found the Authority of the Church of Chriſt, upon the ruines of Sincerity and Common Honeſty; and miſtake Stupidity and Sleep, for Peace; becauſe They would both equally have prevented All Reformation where it hath been, and will for ever prevent it where it is not already; and, in a word, becauſe both equally deveſt Jeſus Chriſt of his Empire in his own Kingdom; ſet the obedience of his Subjects looſe from Him⯑ſelf; and teach them to proſtitute their Conſciences at the feet of Others, who have no right in ſuch a manner to trample upon them.

The Peace of Chriſt's Kingdom is a manly and Reaſonable Peace; built upon Charity, and Love, and mutual forbearance, and receiving one ano⯑ther, as God receives us. As for any other Peace; founded upon a Submiſſion of our Honeſty, as well as our Underſtandings; it is falſely ſo [30] called. It is not the Peace of the Kingdom of Chriſt; but the Lethargy of it: and a Sleep unto Death, when his Subjects ſhall throw off their relation to Him; fix their ſubjection to Others; and even in Caſes, where They have a right to ſee, and where They think They ſee, his Will otherwiſe, ſhall ſhut their Eyes and go blind⯑fold at the Command of Others; becauſe thoſe Others are not pleas'd with their Enquiries into the Will of their great Lord and Judge.

To conclude, The Church of Chriſt is the Kingdom of Chriſt. He is King in his own King⯑dom. He is Sole Law-giver to his Subjects, and Sole Judge, in matters relating to Salvation. His Laws and Sanctions are plainly fixed: and re⯑late to the Favour of God; and not at all to the Rewards, or Penalties, of this World. All his Subjects are equally his Subjects; and, as ſuch, equally without Authority to alter, to add to, or to interpret, his Laws ſo, as to claim the abſo⯑lute Submiſſion of Others to ſuch Interpretation. And All are His Subjects, and in his Kingdom, [31] who are ruled and governed by Him. Their Faith was once delivered by Him. The Condi⯑tions of their Happineſs were once laid down by Him. The Nature of God's Worſhip was once de⯑clared by Him. And it is eaſy to judge, whe⯑ther of the Two is moſt becoming a Subject of the Kingdom of Christ, that is, a Member of his Church; to ſeek all theſe particulars in thoſe plain and ſhort Declarations of their King and Law-giver himſelf: or to hunt after Them thro' the infinite contradictions, the numberleſs per⯑plexities, the endleſs diſputes, of Weak Men, in ſeveral Ages, till the Enquirer himſelf is loſt in the Labyrinth, and perhaps ſits down in De⯑ſpair, or Infidelity. If Christ be our King; let us ſhew our ſelves Subjects to Him alone, in the great affair of Conſcience and Eternal Salvation: and, without fear of Man's judgment, live and act as becomes Thoſe who wait for the appear⯑ance of an All-knowing and Impartial Judge; even that King, whoſe Kingdom is not of this World.