Die Mercurii 26. Octobris.  
IT is this day Ordered by the House of Commons, That Sir Francis Knollis do return thanks from this House to Doctor Temple for the great pains he took in the Sermon he preached at the entreaty of the said House, at St. Margaret's in the City of Westminster, this present day of public humiliation; and that he be desired to print his Sermon. And it is Ordered, that no man shall presume to print it, but he who shall be authorized under the said Doctor Temple's hand writing.  
H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

I appoint SAMUEL GELLIBRAND to print my Sermon.  
THO. TEMPLE.   

CHRIST'S GOVERNMENT In and over his PEOPLE.  
Delivered in A SERMON Before the Honourable House of COMMONS, At their late public and solemn Fast, Octob. 26. 1642.  
BY Thomas Temple D. D. and Minister of the Church of Battersea in Surrey.  
Published by Order of that House.  PSAL. 97.1. 
The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof.  
LONDON, Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Churchyard, 1642.   

To the Honourable House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
BEing called to this service by your command, I could not think of a fit subject, & more seasonable to the times and your places then this, touching the Kingdom of Christ: first, to set before you the chief employment God calls you to, and the duty lies upon you in it, that is, to study all the ways by which jesus Christ may be best settled in his throne, and his government most spread throughout these parts of the world, where your work lies. Secondly, to hold out unto you the great encouragement to so great a work, in which you are sure to meet with so great oppositions; to let you know, God himself will carry it on, and Christ's government shall be established, notwithstanding the rage of people, and the plots of Princes against the Lord and his Anointed. If you go on in this cause with upright hearts, there is no reason your spirits should faint, or your hands slacken in fear of the issue: you are on a rising side, and in a work that will improve itself. And indeed you have need of encouragement, even from heaven, to go on in the work of reformation of the Church, and of establishing Christ's government amongst us, where the endeavours of many are so mighty to oppose it, and their tongues so malignant to disgrace it. But while your hearts are faithful with God, resolve to go on with God's work, knowing you must pass through evil report as well as good report. 
2. Cor. 6.8.  They who are called to great works, must be willing to sacrifice all, estate, credit, life, in the cause of God: so we keep faith and peace with God, and do not shipwreck a good conscience, it matters not much what else we lose. If Christ carry you through the work here, he is all-sufficient to reward you hereafter. The Lord make all great mountains that lie in your way, 
jac. 4.7.  to the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ, as plains before you: 
Rev. 2.2.  and in the end, reward your works, and your labour, and your patience; So prays,  
From my Study in Battersea, Nou. 6. 1642. The unworthiest of the servants of Christ in the work of the Lord, THOMAS TEMPLE.   

A SERMON Preached before The Honourable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT, At the public Fast, Octob. 26. 1642.  PSAL. 2.6. 
Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.  
THis second psalm is an exact description of the Kingdom of Christ, as it was prophesied of by David, who was himself a type and figure of Christ in his Kingdom, and the Father of him according to the flesh: which, as it appears out of the frame of the whole psalm, so we find this Psalm clearly expounded of Christ and his Kingdom by the Apostles in the new Testament. First, where mention is made of the Heathens rage, and the Kings of the earth bandying against the Lord and his Anointed, v. 1.2. this is by the whole College of Apostles and Disciples, expounded of Christ, Act. 4.25.27. Secondly, where it is said, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, v. 7. this is also plainly expounded of Christ, not of his birth, as it seems to be meant upon the first view, but of his resurrection from the grave, which is as it were a new begetting, Act. 13.33. A fit subject of our meditations, as in all other, so especially in these times, Christ, as he stands to us in this relation of a King. we are all willing to look upon Christ, as he stands in the relation of a Priest, offering himself in sacrifice for our sins, so desiring him as a Saviour to save our souls: we less delight to eye him as a Prophet revealing Gods will to us, little caring to know him: but we commonly hate to think upon him as a King, as not easily subjecting ourselves to be governed by him. I shall therefore crave your attention, while I unfold to you this piece of Scripture.  
The Psalm consists of three main parts: First it sets forth the mad and furious counsels and attempts of wicked people against Christ, 
Act 5.39. affectasse ferunt regnum celeste gigantes.  who fear not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, like the old Giants, fighters against God himself: their rage and malice is bend even against the God that made and redeemed them: why do the Heathen rage, 
Ver. 1.2.  and the people imagine a vain thing? The Kings of the earth set themselves, & the Rulers take council together against the Lord and against his Aancynted. Secondly, it sets forth God's establishment of Christ in his Kingdom; notwithstanding all the attempts of wicked men against him, yet nothing shall overthrow his Kingdom, but on the other side, be shall break his enemies in pieces: yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. 3. 
ver. 6.  It contains an exhortation, because we cannot overthrow Christ's Kingdom, therefore to entertain it in our hearts, to serve him and fear him, as we sear to be destroyed and desire to be blest: Be wise now therefore, 
ver. 10.  O ye Kings, be instructed, ye judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  
The words of my text, you see, are the second part of this Psalm, and have their dependence upon the former, that, notwithstanding all the machinations of wicked people, God will have a King to rule in his Church, which no power of man shall ever overthrow. I shall observe to you three particulars out of this Scripture, the King, his Throne, his Settlement in his Throne. 1 The King, 
as ver. 7.  Jesus Christ, God the Son, the second person in Trinity, God over all, blessed for ever. 2. his Throne, where he sits, or his Kingdom where he reigns, with the qualification of it, his holy hill of Zion: Mount Zion was a high mountain in Jerusalem, on the top whereof was a strong Fort, which the Jebusites kept by force from Israel till David's days, who after took it and fortified it and called it David's City. 
1 Chron. 11.4.  near unto which was mount Moriah, 
2 Chron. 13 1. Neh. 11.1. Isa 52 1. joel 3.17. Psal. 78.68. Isa. 2.3. Isa 60.14. Heb. 12.22. Rev. 14.1.  where Solomon after built the Temple. Whereupon Jerusalem was called the holy City: and Zion named the holy mountain, which God loved: and from which the the Law should come forth: and thence a type and figure of Christ's Church. 3. The settlement of this King in his Throne, yet have I set my King, how great soever the oppositions made by wicked men be, yet his throne is firmly established. The results of all which are these, which I shall present in this order.  
Observe. 1 Christ the second person of the Trinity is by the designation of his Father, appointed to be King of his Church: a King to rule and govern all those whom he hath redeemed to be a people for himself.  
Observe. 2 The Kingdom of Christ shall overtop the plots of wicked men, and be established firmly notwithstanding all their oppositions.  
Observe. 3 The Church of God, where Christ sits and reigns as King, must be a holy Church.  
These are the three main branches which spring from this stock, the three main streams which flow from this fountain. The first: Christ the second person etc.  
Observe. 1 For the better understanding of which, we must know, there is a twofold Kingdom of God: the one general, termed the Kingdom of power and providence, whereby, 
Dan. 4.35.  as God the Creator, he governs the world and all things in it. The other special, whereby, as God the Redeemer, he exerciseth an administration of rule and government over the elect, by a special name called the Kingdom of Christ; in which he dispenses to his children both grace and glory. Whence, though the division be usual into the Kingdom of grace, and the Kingdom of glory, yet they are not two Kingdoms, but parts of one and the same Kingdom of Christ. When therefore we speak of Christ's Kingdom, we mean not that which he hath by nature, the government of which is universal over all the world, and doth agree to him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God coessential with the Father: But that Kingdom which he hath by special designation from his Father, and which is appropriated to him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man, God with us, clothed in our flesh, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Christ the mediator; and which he dispenses as he is the governor and head of that people, which he hath by his own blood purchased to be a peculiar people unto God from the rest of the world. This the Scriptures set forth plentifully unto us in those several expressions of giving all things into Christ's hand, of committing all judgement to him, of Crowning him, of putting all things under his feet. Into whose hand hath he given all things that concern the Church? into the hand of Christ, to be dispensed by him, he loveth him, and hath given all things into his hand. 
john 3.35.  To whom hath he committed all Judgement? to the Son; to him he hath committed the dispensing of that power which belongs originally to himself, the Father judgeth no man, 
john 5.22.  but hath committed all judgement to the Son. Who is the crowned King of God's people? Christ, under him all things are put in subjection, he hath Crowned him, and put all things under his feet. 
Heb. 2.7.  See what a glorious description of Christ's designation to this Kingdom we have, Isa. 9.6, 7. unto us a child is borne; unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called, wonderful, couneellour, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace. of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgement & with justice, from henceforth even for ever He, who is God the Son, the second person in Trinity, the child borne for our Redemption, upon his shoulder is the Government laid: as he first bore upon his shoulder his Cross, so now he bears the government of his Church upon his shoulder, which he purchased by his Cross. He is not only Christ the Saviour, but also Christ the Lord, 
Luke 2. 1●  set upon the Throne of his father David for ever.  
In the further opening of which point, I shall first show you the quality of this Kingdom of Christ's. Secondly, the grounds and reasons why God would not govern his people in the general way, as he governs all the world, but would have such a solemn administration of a Kingdom by Christ.  
First, 
The quality of Christ's kingdom.  the quality of Christ's Kingdom: as Samuel when he anointed Saul King, told the people the manner of the Kingdom, so we are here to inquire the manner and quality of the Kingdom of Christ. The Scriptures set it forth under two notions: first, that it is a Kingdom in us; Secondly, a Kingdom over us: Christ reigns in us, Christ reigns over us.  

Christ reign in us. Dan. 7.13.  1 Christ reigns in us: this is that which was typified in daniel's vision, I saw in the night Visions, and behold one like the son of man, and there was given him Dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people and nations and languages should serve him. what kind of Dominion and Kingdom was this, in which all nations & languages should serve Christ? not an earthly Kingdom: no, that Kingdom which was given to the son of man in that vision, it was a spiritual kingdom, the setting up of the Sceptre of Christ in our hearts; my Kingdom is not of this world: it is in the world, but not of the world: 
john 18.36.  it is a government erected in the hearts of God's people. The Kingdom of God is within you; every holy heart is Christ's throne where he sits, 
Luke 17.21  the forces of the Gentiles shall come in unto him. 
Isa. 60.5.  In former times Christ's Kingdom was confined to judea; but since Christ's coming the Gentiles are called the forces of the Gentiles: the main strengths and greatest parts of the Gentiles at some time or other shall acknowledge Christ. That was the voice of the seaventh Angel that sounded, 
Revel. 11.15.  the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of Christ: those kingdoms which were but kingdoms of this world, earthly kingdoms, that knew none but an earthly King, and yielded no obedience but an external obedience, now become the kingdoms of Christ, submit themselves to the Gospel of Christ, advance his Sceptre among them, and yield obedience to his laws; it is true, all persons of all nations receive not Christ as King: but there is no nation, but hath or shall have Christ's Throne set up among them, Christ shall have some subjects there: some in the household of Caesar; 
Phil. 4.22.  all the Saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household, though not Caesar himself, yet there were Saints in his household that acknowledged him. 
Acts 8. 2●.  In the Court of the Queen of Aethiopia one Eunuch that embraced the faith, as God promised of old, turn, 
ser. 3.14.  O backsliding children, I am married to you, I will take you one of a City, and two of a family, and bring you to Zion: so now, if God call not all, yet he will call some in every place, here one and there one, here one in a family, and there two in a City, and bring them to Zion. And there are several acts, wherein this kingdom of Christ's, that is within us, consists.  
1. In giving his people laws of life, and governing by them: as there is in every King a legislative power, a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to make and establish, and publish laws; such a power, but fare greater has Christ to make and establish laws for the government of his people: this is called by the Psalmist, the sending forth of the rod of Christ's strength out of Zion: 
Psal. 110.2.  which the Prophets Esay and Micah both expound touching the law, which is the strength of a King, Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from jerusalem. 
Isa. 2.3. Mica 4.2.  But further, here is the act and exercise of Christ's government in giving laws, not that he gives any laws, but that he gives laws of life. Christ might give us such laws, as God says he gave the rebellious Israelites for their sins, 
Ezek 20.25.  Statutes that were not good, and judgements whereby they should not live: whether it be meant the ceremonial laws that were unprofitable to lead them to heaven, or what other laws soever, precepts God gave them that were in some respect or other not good for them, statutes in which they could not have life: such Christ might give us now, statutes and precepts that are not good, that might be burdensome or unprofitable, not leading to life. But the laws Christ gives, they are laws leading to life, 
Ezck. 20.11. Levi. 16.5. Gal. 3.12.  statutes and judgements, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 'tis true indeed, by the corruption of our natures, the law may prove to our destruction, 
Tom. 7.10.  the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death; for sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Though the law per se of itself leads and is ordained to life, yet the corruption of nature, stirring up the heart to break the law, does thereby ex accidenti and occasionally turn the edge of the law against us to condemn us, which would have been to save us. 
Rom. 7.12.  The law is holy, and just, and good: since Christ's laws are holy laws, the end of which is to work holiness in us; and just laws, which prescribe nothing but what is equal for all to obey; and good laws, setting forth the goodness of God to us in them, and winning us to goodness by them; they must needs be acknowledged laws of life in themselves, such as lead to life if kept, as for that end proposed by Christ, not to lead to our destruction.  
2. In working graces in the hearts of his people: Christ may give laws, but if withal he work not grace in our hearts, if he give not power to keep those laws, we shall never observe them; it is therefore a second part of his Office as King, to give us grace and strength to do what he proposeth to us to be done. A wicked man, in whose heart Christ has not yet set up his Kingdom, looks upon Christ's laws as strange things, as God speaks by the Prophet, I have written to them the great things of my law, 
Hos. 8.12.  and they were accounted as a strange thing: such a man looks on Christ's laws as strange things that concerned him nor, things he neither can, neither hath any will to do: but when Christ comes, as a King, to such a man, he puts an inward love and inclination into his heart to those laws, and a strength to keep them. That is part of the new covenant, which God makes with us, and Christ enables to keep, I will put my laws into your minds, 
I●r. 31.33. Heb. 8.10.  and write them in your hearts. God's laws are at first out of the minds of people, they are only written in our books: when Christ comes to us as a King, those laws he writ with his own finger upon Mount Sinai in tables of stone, he now writes with the finger of his spirit in the tables of our hearts: those laws which he put into the Ark, there to be laid up for ever, he now puts into the Ark of our hearts never to be forgotten. This is the excellency of Christ above Moses: Moses is but the servant of God's house, 
Heb. 3.5.  Christ the Son is the commander in and over the house: Moses sets the laws before us, Christ over awes and enables the spirit to keep them. Moses prescribes the fear of God to us, 
Deut. 6.13.17.  You shall fear the Lord your God: Christ as a King strikes powerfully a fear into us, 
jer. 32.40.  I will put my fear into your hearts. Moses commands us to love God, thou shalt love the Lord thy God: 
Deut. 11.1.  Christ enables to love him, 
Deut 30.6.  the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 2.19.  The circumcision of the heart is God's work, as the circumcision of the flesh is man's. Moses commands to walk in God's statutes, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, 
Deut. 10.12.  but to fear the Lord, and to walk in all his ways: but when the spirits of natural men cannot comply with holy laws, Christ enables them, 
Ezel. 11.29.  I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, 
Eze●. ●6. 26.  and do them. Christ not only sets the ways before us, but withal causes us to walk in them, gives us natures suitable and spirits agreeable to those ways, such as shall delight in them. If we were to do God's works by man's strength, we should give but an ill account of our performances: we should have no strength for them, no delight in them: but Christ strengthens us, 
Phil. 4.13.  I can do all things through Christ strengthening me: nay Christ, who works the very works in us, not I, but the grace of God in me. 
1 Cor. 15.10.  The new man under the new covenant, hath new strengths: as when Samuel went to anoint Saul King over God's people, an employment he might well think too great for himself, Samuel withal told him, that God should turn him into another man: if God turn us into other men, 
1 Sam. 10.6.  and give us strengths suitable, no works God calls us to shall be difficult to us. God set the Israelites in a troublesome way to Canaan, through the mountains and deserts; but because he withal gave them his cloud by day, and his pillar of fire by night to lead them, they were able to break through all difficulties, and all encumbrances: so long as God gives us his own presence to go before us, and his strengths to enable us, we need not be troubled at the greatness or harshness of duties. It should be ours, which was St. Augustine's resolution, da Domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis, so long as God gives strength for duties, let us not be troubled whatever God requires of us.  
3. In cherishing the seeds of grace till they be brought to a further perfection: grace is but small at first, 'tis not with the trees of righteousness, as it was with the trees of Paradise, made perfect at once: grace is but like the grain of mustardseed, the least of all seeds, easily killed, like a scintilla, a spark of fire easily quenched. The devil, and the world, and our own lusts, are the thorns that choke our graces, the stones that hinder their radication, the birds of prey that devour them, while they are in the seeds: we have need of an overruling power to draw them forth and perfect them. This is a work Christ takes into his own hand; as his hand plants and sows, so it is his hand that waters and gives the increase. 
Mat. 12.20.  He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, until he bring forth judgement unto victory: so fare from breaking a bruised sinner, so fare from quenching the heat of grace that once gins to smoke and kindle, that on the other side he will carry up the work by his own special strength, he will cherish the seeds of grace, till that holy frame of grace begun in our souls be brought to such a height and completeness, that God's Kingdom in us shall be victorious over all opposite corruptions.  
4. In giving new supplies of his spirit, till he bring his people to glory: 'tis not enough for us to have grace begun, but there must be new supplies of grace continued to us: 'tis not only the sending of an influence from the Sun to the earth, but the continuing of that influence every day, must continue life in the creatures: there must be a preserving power of grace from Christ, as well as a begetting power, 
Psal. 73.24.  as David speaks, Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after receive me to glory. We have need of a continuance of Christ's counsel and direction here in the way of grace before we be received to glory. There be many passages of difficulty and danger we meet with in the course of our lives, in which we shall stick, if Christ should not be always by us to carry us thorough. The first grace given us will not perhaps be sufficient to carry us through great temptations and great afflictions. A child may walk in a smooth way without help, but not in a rugged: the first measures of grace may enable us to go through smooth ways of Christianity, where little danger or difficulty is: but when it comes to a rugged way, a great trial, a great temptation, we have then need of new strength. Christ is like other Kings in this, 'tis not enough for him only to conquer, but he must fortify, and continue garrisons to maintain his conquests. Blessed be God the father of our Lord jesus Christ, says St. Peter, who hath begotten us to a lively hope of an inheritance, and who are kept by the power of God, 
1 Pet. 1.5.  through faith unto salvation. Christ does not only beget us, but also keep us by his own power through faith to salvation.  
5. In purifying the heart and subduing our lusts: that's the description of the coming of Christ in his Kingdom of grace, he shall come as refiners fire, 
Mal. 3.2.  and as fullers soap: as the fire refines the silver and takes away the dross, and as the soap rinses out spots and stains, so shall Christ refine and purge his people: 
Mat. 3.11.  he shall baptise with the holy Ghost and fire, and whose fan is in his hand: wash throughly and destroy corruptions even as fire destroys all that stands before it. Christ's work while he was upon earth, was exercised much in this, in casting out devils, if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, 
Mat. 12.28.  then is the Kingdom of God come unto you: so it holds still, when the Kingdom of God comes unto us, there will be a casting out devils by the spirit of Christ, sin will be dispossessed of its former holds, lust will be subdued in us. When Christ comes into the heart, he comes with the power of a King, and the strongest lusts, the most giant like corruptions shall not stand before him: as David has an expression, Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be lifted up ye ever lasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in: 
Psal. 24.7.  who is this King of glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. When the King of glory, Christ the glorious King, mighty in battle comes into our hearts, no doors of our lusts shall be able to keep him out. 
Mich. 7.19.  He will subdue all our iniquities; every lust, that it shall not reign in us: Sin shall not have deminion over you, 
Rom. 6.14.  for ye are not under the law but under grace. If we were only under the law, we should have no power against our lusts; but because we are under grace, under the government of Christ, who rules us by the grace of his spirit; therefore sin shall not have dominion over us, sin shall be subdued under us. Look how a conquering King comes into an enemy's country, he pulls down all strong holds, and breaks the power of an enemy: such is the entrance of Christ as King into the heart, there may be some scattering troops, the Canaanites may be left in the land, but all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong holds are pulled down, 
2 Cor. 10.4.  Christ breaks the strength of sin, that it shall not reign in us.  
6. In creating inward peace, and joy, and comfort: it is the office of a King to keep his subjects in a joyful, a peaceable, a flourishing condition. The Kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink (things external) but in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost: 
Rom. 14.17.  Christ is first Melchisedec King of righteousness, his government a righteous government; and then King of Salem, King of peace, a government accompanied with abundance of inward joy and peace. As peace is that crowns all other blessings, so Christ knowing the excellency of this, and that none could give it but himself, did therefore, when he was to leave the earth, promise this as a fruit of his Kingly office to leave his disciples this legacy of peace, 
job. 14.27.  peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, it is Christ's peace, not the worlds: in me ye shall have peace: 
joh. 16.33.  if Christ speak a word of peace to our hearts, if he give us an answer of peace, as joseph said to Pharaoh, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace; then though we have tribulations in the world, we shall be of good cheer, we shall have comfort enough, Christ as King hath overcome the world, and will settle peace in us; that's the expedience of Christ's goingfrom us, that he may send us the comforter; it is expedient that I go away, for if I go not away, the comforter will not come; 
john 15.7.  but if I depart, I will send him unto you: being in the administration of his kingdom he sends comfort. There is no having peace, nor joy, nor comfort, but from Christ, who as King is only able to allay all storms and troubles, which the devil and our own consciences for sin raise within us. It is with inward peace as it is with the outward, if he give quietness, who can make trouble: 
job 34.29.  if Christ work quietness, if he make a calm in the spirit, if he rebuke the winds and the sea, 
Mat. 14.32.  nothing from the world can raise a tempest.  

Christ's reign over us. Mic. 4.7. Luke 1.33.  2 Christ reigns over us: the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion, he shall reign over the house of jacob. not only in us, but over us; not only in us for his glory, but over us also for our good. This is termed by the Psalmist, a sitting on the right hand of the Father, 
Psal. 110.1.  the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand: a phrase to note the actual administration of his kingdom, that as a king he sits in great power, judging among his enemies and governing his people. And there are also several acts wherein the exercise of this part of his kingdom over us consists:  
First, in suppressing the enemies of the Church: that is the power that God gives to Christ as King of his Church, to rule in the midst of his enemies: 
Psal. 110.2.  and the promise God made to Abraham, 
Gen. 22.17.  that his seed should possess the gate of his enemies. While God's people keep covenant with God, they shall be secure, the lily shall grow up among the thorns: 
Cant. 2.2.  and there shallbe no enchantment against jacob, 
Numb. 23.23.  no divination against Israel; Christ settles his Church so strong, that the gates of hell shall never prevail against her, 
Mat. 16.18.  she may be assaulted and shaken, but never conquered: as the Romans lost some battles, but they never lost a war; God's Church may have some foils, but she shall be always the conqueror in the end. God commands deliverances for his people; thou art my King, 
Psal. 44.4.  O God, command deliverances for jacob: 'tis the comfort of God's people to know, so long as Christ stands, 
1 Sam. 8.20  his Church shall not fall: the people thought themselves safe when they had a King to fight their battles; so long as we have Christ to fight our battles, we need not fear; if Christ be for us, none can be against us.  
Secondly, in bestowing all blessings upon us: in him shall all the nations of the earth be blest: 
Gen. 22.18.  all who are blest, are blest in Christ, who is the King, commanding blessings upon his people; blessings spiritual, blessed be God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, 
Eph 1 3.  who hath blest us with all spiritual blessings in Christ: he the head and fountain of all spiritual blessings, blessings temporal; as joseph was a type of God's Church, all those blessings which jacob prophesied should come upon the head of joseph, shall through Christ come upon the head of the Church, the blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the deep that lie under, the blessings of the breast, and the blessings of the womb, 
Gen 49.25.  unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, they shall be upon the head of joseph, upon the head of the Church; and at last, the blessing of eternal glory in heaven, 
Rev. 1.6.  when Christ shall with himself make all his people who serve him here, Kings to reign with him there for ever.  
Thirdly, In sanctifying all conditions, and ordering and turning all to the best for his own people: there is no condition, prosperity, adversity, health, sickness, life, death, but it would be hurtful to us, if Christ did not sit as King to moderate and sanctify it to us. We know, 
Rom. 8.28.  says the Apostle, all things work together for the good of them that love God, who are called according to his purpose; how comes it that all things work together for their good who love God and are the called of God, more than for theirs who love him not, and are not called of him? that affliction is sanctified to the one and not to the other? as S. Aug. says, you may observe in the same fire the gold sparkles and gathers lustre, 
abunoigne aurum rutilat & palea sumat.  when the stubble consumes and vanishes to smoke? because Christ sits as King to order every thing for the best of his own subjects, and to turn every thing for the worst to his enemies; Christ does for us here as he does for us in heaven; Irgoe to prepare a place for you: 
joh. 14.2.  so here 'tis Christ's work to prepare places and conditions for his people, to sanctify every thing to them. As on the one side he curses all to his enemies, I will curse your blessings; 
Mal. 2.2.  there is a secret curse goes along with all those things they count their greatest blessings: so on the other side, he blesses all those things to his children, which they might conceive to be curses to them and to make most against them. jacob when he saw joseph lost, and Simeon left bound in Egypt, and Benjamin to be carried from him, he straight concluded, all these things are against me: 
Gen. 42.36.  when yet all made for him, and preservation of himself and the life of his family in Egypt. 
Gen. 45.5.  joseph thought his own casting into prison would have proved his ruin for ever; 
Gen. 39.20.  when yet God made it the means of his greatest advancement. The jews thought the plot of Haman would have been their confusion, when yet God so ordered it as the day intended for their destruction, was turned to them from sorrow to joy, 
Hest. 9.22.  from mourning into a good day; Moses notes it touching Balaams curse, with which Balak King of Moab would have had him curse Israel, 
Deut 23.5.  the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing to thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee: if we be such as God loves, Christ will turn all curse into blessings, all things shall be blest to us, nothing cursed to us.  
Fourthly, In settling an external ecclesiastical policy: as Christ is King of his Church, he will have his Church governed in his own way, not according to the fancies and inventions of man. We must not deny that to Christ in government of his Kingdom, which we yield to all earthly Monarches in the government of theirs, when Christ, after his resurrection continued forty days upon earth among his disciples, speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God; 
〈◊〉 1.3.  we cannot think he would omit the giving of rules for the framing of the regiment of his Church. And when S. Paul tells the Elders of Ephesus, he had not shunned to declare to them the whole council of God, 
Act. 20.27.  we must take it in pursuance of those directions himself and the rest of the disciples had received from Christ for the government of his Church. What this frame of Church policy is, which hath been so long in dispute, and is yet sub judice, will be more proper for a Synod then a Sermon to consider of. I only hint this, but leave it to that grave consultation you have already designed, not doubting your honourable care in hastening that work, which must undoubtedly conduce much to the advancing and settling Christ's Government more exactly among us.  
2. 
Reasons of the point.  Let us consider the reasons why God would have such a solemn administration of a kingdom by Christ:  
First, In respect of Glory that might accrue both to Christ the Son, and to God the father.  
In respect of Christ, that he might receive the honour due to his deity, which the work of humiliation might take from him; though he were the true God, 
Phil. 2.6.  equal with the Father; yet taking upon him the form of a servant, that he might be fitted to humble himself to the death of the Cross; this humiliation made the world, that knew him not, strip him of his glory; they accounted him a devil, a glutton, a malefactor, crucified him between two thiefs, 
Objiciunt nos honorem deferre homini crucifixo mysterium hujus rei ignorantes, Iust. Mart.  put a crown of thorns upon his head in derision, and ever after derided the Christians, that they believed in a crucified God. Christ must now be repaired in his honour; therefore God appoints him to be King of his Church, that he may be advanced in their eyes who had so much vilified him: the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement, that is, the dispensation of all government, to the Son, 
john 5.22.  that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father: as the world vilified him as a malefactor, they might now acknowledge him God equal with the Father, and honour him with the same honour, wherewith they honour the Father: greatly exalted because greatly humbled, the stone which the bvilders refused, 
1 Pet. 2.7.  is made the head of the corner.  
In respect of the Father, that he might have the more glory from such a solemn administration of a kingdom by Christ: as God was more glorified by giving Christ to be a Redeemer, by finding out such a way of saving sinners, where God became man, and two natures, the divine and humane united together, Christ taking flesh and suffering, then if he had saved his people any other way without Christ: so now, it would bring more glory to God, by exalting Christ as King, and giving him the solemn administration of a Kingdom, then if God should have governed his people in the general way, as he governs the world. God has highly exalted him, 
Phil. 2 9, 11.  and given him a name above every name, that every tongue should confess, that jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. That's a main end, why Christ who was first humbled, was after exalted, the glory of the Father; that solemn administration of the Kingdom by Christ brings more glory to the Father.  
Secondly, in respect of God's people; none so fit to be King to any people as such a one, who is allied to them, and may be the more tender of them: As God gave the precept touching a King for the Israelites, they must choose one from among their brethren: 
Deut. 17.15.  so Christ therefore fittest because our brother, he took our nature upon him, and became Immanuel, God with us, God one of us, of the same flesh and blood with us, 'tis the same in this, which the Apostle speaks touching the fitness of Christ's being made high Priest for us, because having taken our nature, 
Heb. 5.2.  and being compassed with infirmities, he is likely to be the more compassionate to us: 'tis fittest Christ should be our King, that having the same nature with us, and compassed about with our infirmities, he might exercise the more tenderness towards us, as knowing best our frailties and the weaknesses of our natures; a King of our brethren is fittest for us.  
Thirdly, In respect of God's enemies and ours; the more to awe them, when they shall see him reigning over them, whom they derided; see him glorious in the administration of a kingdom and all power over them, who once crucified, and yet do daily crucify him, see Christ King of such whom they persecute; and fight for them and judge their cause, whom they afflict: 'tis said of the wicked of the world, when they see the son of man coming in the clouds in the day of judgement, they shall mourn; fear him as a terrible judge, 
Mat. 24.30.  ready to take vengeance on them, who have used him so despitefully: it must needs be the same here, 
Ipse erit judex, qui sub judice stetit, ut videant impii ejus gloriam, in cujus mansuetudinem saevierunt. Prosp. Sent. 337.  though in a less degree; what can more awe and terrify wicked people, then to know, Christ reigns, he sits here as King to observe them, to judge them, to plague them, whose person they have so much vilified, whose honour they have so much laid in the dust, whose servants they have so persecuted, whose cause they have so much opposed.  
Fourthly, in respect of a suitableness betwixt the works of redemption and government: it were unequal Christ should redeem us, and not govern us: unjust, that we should serve any other, then him who hath laid down the ransom for us. There is jus redemptionis in this, he who ransoms a slave, aught to have his service: if Christ while we were slaves of the devil, hath ransomed us and bought us with a price, the price of his own blood, 
1 Pet. 1 18.  it is equal we should serve him, give him the service, both of our bodies and spirits, because they are now his, 
2 Cor. 6.20.  and no more our own. It were unequal, we should expect redemption from him, and yet not yield obedience to him: that is the very end of our redemption, 
Luke 1.72.  that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. Here we should take St. Peter's rule to Ananias, touching the possession he had sold: Why hast thou kept back part of the price, while it remained unsold, was it not thine own? it was thine own, 
Acts 5.3.  thou mightest have done with it as thou pleasedst: but having sold it to God, why dost thou now keep back that which is Gods? while we were our own, we might dispose ourselves according to our own wills; but now Christ having bought us, what right have we to keep back from Christ that which is Christ's? if we belong to God by the right of purchase, why should we defraud God of his due? while we were Satan's, we might give unto Satan the things of Satan, serve him whose we were: but now being God's purchase, we ought to give unto God the things of God, serve him whose we are.  
Use 1 If Christ be King of his Church, let God's people comfort themselves in this, that Christ reigns, that Christ sits as King among us. The use David makes of this doctrine, 
Psal. 97.1.  The Lord reigns, what then? let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof. We that live here in the Isles, have not we a portion in this joy and comfort, that we know Christ is King, and reigns among us; let the earth rejoice, and the multitude of the Isles be glad. Indeed if God's people consider, they are but a little flock of kids among many lions, 
1 Kings 20, 27. Mat. 10.16. Cant. 2.2.  a few sheep among many wolves, a single lily among many thorns: if they consider, what machinations, what pernicious plots are daily contrived against them: if we had not this to support us, to know Christ is King, that he order all for the best for us, subdues our enemies, protects us from plots of malignant persons, preserves us in the midst of greatest dangers, it might well cast us into despair of ever holding up our heads with comfort. But when we remember that Christ sits as King among us, he is above in heaven, and laughs at the plots of wicked men, 
Psal. 2.4.  the Lord has them in derision: men may be busy in contriving, but Christ is as busy in defeating: here is a glorious beam of comfort breaks in upon us under this notion of Christ's being King, his reigning in the midst of his people. Comfortably may we apply that of the Prophet, look upon Zion, the City of our solemnities: 
Isa. 33.20.  thine eyes shall see jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken: but there the glorious Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers; for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law giver, the Lord is our King, he will save us. When we look up to Christ, and meditate with ourselves, is not Christ our judge, is not he our lawgiver, is not he our King? he will save us; we may with comfort look upon Zion the City of our solemnities, and shall see our Jerusalem again a quiet habitation. I shown you before, it is one of the prime acts of Christ's Kingly office to preserve his subjects: if we break not covenant with him, he will help us: and why should we not then boldly say, if the Lord be our helper, 
Heb. 13.6.  we will not fear what man can do unto us: then we fear when we know we have many enemies, and few helpers: but if Christ be our King who can help us, why should we fear what man or devil, or powers of darkness can do unto us.  
Use 2 It informs us in this, how we should live one towards another, as subjects of the same King: the mystical body of the Church bears analogy with the politic body of the State: subjects, as they are knit under one head, so they should be of one mind, and have one heart: and that chief in three particulars.  
First, in love, and keeping communion one with another: union with Christ the head, will produce communion with the members, we have fellowship one with another. 
1 john 1.7.  There be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain things which are common among Christian friends: 
Arist. Pol. l. 2. c. 3.  a community in goods, all that believed were together, 
Acts 2.44. Ex substantia familiari fratres sumus. Tert ap. adv. gent. c. 39  and had all things common: a community in counsels, contributing helps of advice upon occasions offered: a community in intelligences, the Churches in the Acts held intelligence together, and the Ecclesiastical stories tell us, at Lions in France the Saints were wont to send to the Saints in Phrygia, 
Omnia apud nos indiscreta sunt praeter uxores. Tert. ap. adv. gent. c. 34. Occultisse notis & insignibus noscunt & amant mutuò penè antequ●m noverint. Man. Ejusmodi vel maximè dilectionis operatio notam nobis inurit penes quosdam, vide, inquiunt, ut invicem se diligant Christiani. Tert ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Al. paed. l. 3. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Greg. Naz. de Nonna Orat. 11.  concerning the affairs of the Church: all things they had common; but especially a communion of conversation, a delight in the society one of another. 'Twas a saying of a Heathen in the primitive times, what strange people these Christians are, they are as well acquainted in half an hour as others are in half a year. We want this communion among us; we keep communion with any kind of people, rather than with the Saints of God. We every day say, we believe a communion of Saints, but we make it in our practice rather a chimaera then a thing real; we delight not in it. O this strangeness and loathness to society with good men, it is not agreeable with that heavenly conversation Christians should have. This should be the ligament of Christians society, their relation to Christ, as they are fellow Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, and the household of God, and knit together under one King. We should desire to keep the same company here, we shall do hereafter in heaven: there our company shall be God and the Saints; so it should be here. 'Tis true, civil commerce may be kept with all, but we ought to distinguish in choosing our companions, that when we die we may only change our place, not our company: if here we enjoy the presence of God, and society of the Saints, our change will be but easy; when we go hence, we go but to have a nearer communion with them.  
Secondly, in having a fellow feeling with them of their miseries: every member of the body hath a sense of the injuries the other members suffer. There be certain trees, whose leaves, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Al. Strom. l. 2.  if cut or touched, the other leaves contract themselves, and for a space hang down their heads: such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a consent of spirits, as Clemens calls it, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. ibid.  there should be betwixt all the children of God. If the man, that is in us, be spiritual, that humane affection, which is in us naturally, is turned into a brotherly affection, as being partakers of the same spirit. 'tis said of Hypocrates twins, they laughed together, and wept together: as there will be a rejoicing with them that rejoice, so there will be a mourning with them that mourn; a contracting our spirits with sorrow, a hanging down of the head in sense of our brethren's miseries. 'twas the sin of the people for which God threatens them, that they lay upon beds of ivory, and eat the lambs of the flock, and chanted to the sound of the viol, 
Am. 6.6.  and drank wine in bowls, and anointed themselves with chief ointments; but were not grieved for the afflictions of joseph. What nation deeper drenched in this sin, than we have been? we have long seen our brethren in France, in Germany, and now in Ireland wallowing in their blood. Each of those Kingdoms ready to cry out with the Church, was ever sorrow like my sorrow? Is it nothing to you, 
Lam. 1.12.  all ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath. O, hath not the wrath of God gone over those Countries, like waves rolling one after another, billow upon billow; the famine after the sword, and the plague after the famine? may not we tell our children, 
joel 1.3.  and our children tell their children, and their children another generation: that which the palmer worm hath left, hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left, hath the canker worm eaten; and that which the canker worm hath left, hath the caterpillar eaten: have greater judgements been recorded to posterity, then have been executed upon these nations? insomuch as all their plenties are devoured: what the sword hath left, the famine has destroyed; and what the famine hath left, the plague has consumed. Are not the judgements upon our brethren in Ireland, such as may well make our ears tingle to hear them? 
jet. 19.3.  do we not now see them as the afflicted Saints are described, imprisoned, stoned, sawen asunder, slain with the sword, 
Heb. 11. 3●.  wand'ring about upon the cold mountains and deserts naked and starving, at best in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, tormented, lying comfortless in dens and caves of the earth? wives abused before their husband's faces, virgins deflowered, women with child ripped up, poor infants snatched from their mother's breast, and dashed against the stones: here some lying naked perishing with cold, there others starving with hunger? the land that was as the garden of Eden, now become a barren wilderness, 
joel. 2.3.  that brings forth nothing but thorns to crown Christ with (as St. chrysostom speaks of the land of judea) or nothing but monsters of men, that delight to have their hands in the bowels, and bathed in the blood of the Saints of God? everywhere misery, and all the direful effects of the desolations of war? this, I say, have we not long seen? and yet ubi viscera, where are our bowels yearning upon these afflictions of our brethren? may I not say, 
2 Cor. 6.12.  in the Apostles words, are we not straitened in our own bowels? are not our bowels shut up against our brethren? how few of us that leave off any pleasure, or take any the least time more to mourn in private for these afflictions of joseph? are we not as wanton and full of jollity and good fellowship as formerly, as if these miseries we see upon others did not at all concern ourselves? they, who are not sensible of the miseries of their poor brethren, 'tis a sign they are not subjects of the kingdom of Christ. Christ himself hath compassion upon us, 
Heb ●. 2.  who are his members, in our miseries: there is no affliction upon God's people, but God is afflicted with them, in all their afflictions he was afflicted; 
Es. 63.9. Non perdit viscera pia mater ecclesia. Aug. ho. 27. Heb. 13.3. 1 Pet. 3.8.  The Church our mother hath bowels of compassion towards her children, and shall we have no sense of our brethren's miseries, not be afflicted in their afflictions? not remember them that are in bonds as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity, as being also in the body? Be all of one mind, says the Apostle, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful: If we love as brethren, we shall have these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these bowels of compassion and pity one towards another, when it is well with them we shall rejoice, as the people of Roma did for Germanicus, when they heard he was recovered, they went about singing, The City is safe, our Country safe, because Germanicus is safe: Then we shall rejoice and sing, Our City, our Country, our persons, 
Salva Roma, Salva patria, salvus est Germanicus.  we are all in a happy condition, when our brethren and our Religion and the Church of God is in peace, but till that be done, till God make our jerusalem a quiet habitation, till God lift up the heads of our brethren again, and give the Gospel a free progress again, and make Religion flourish again, and set up the Kingdom of Christ and his Ordinances again in their beauty and power and purity, in other Nations as well as our own, we must mourn with them that mourn, and weep with them that weep, and be afflicted in the afflictions of God's people, if we be not, it is a sign we are not members of the same body, nor Subjects of the same King.  
3. In relieving their causes and persons with the strength of their own persons and substance: brethren and fellow-subjects must contribute to the relief and deliverance of those who are of the same blood, and of the same profession with themselves: We must do here, as jesse said to David, 
1 Sam. 17.18.  Go look how thy Brethren far: We should be always eyeing our Brethren, the people of God, 
Psal. 41.1.  to see how they far, consider the poor, as the Psalmists expression is, that we may relieve them in their distresses. 
Gen. 14.14.  Abraham ventured his own person and all his Family, for the redemption of his Brother Lot. Saul and all the Israelites hazarded themselves for their fellows; the Inhabitants of jabes Gilead: In the time of persecution, 
1 Sam. 11.8.  the Disciples, every man according to his ability sent relief unto their Brethren which dwelled in judaea: 
Act. 11.29.  Nay, the Macedonians went in this beyond their ability, 
2 Cor. 8.3.  more than their estates would bear; and they that were of the same faith, all that believed sold their possessions for the supply of the needs of the rest of the Faithful: 
Act. 2.44.  and such contributions they used to make in those days, that every man had sufficient, neither was any among them that lacked, for as many as were in possession of Lands and houses, sold them, and brought the prices, and laid them down at the Apostles feet, 
Act. 4.34.  and distribution was made to every man according as he had need. 'Tis not enough to say, we are all subjects of Christ's Kingdom in words, but we must show it in deeds; otherwise it is but as Saint james speaks, a vain expression, to say to one that is naked and destitute of food, Depart in peace. be warmed and be filled, 
jam. 2.16.  and yet not give them those things that are needful for them: If we serve Christ, we must love him; if we love Christ, then as he laid down his life for us, so must we be content upon a necessity to lay down our lives for the Brethren; But much more then, whoso hath this world's goods and sees his brother hath need and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 
1. joh. 3.16.  'Twill be a sad evidence against us in the day of Judgement if we neither feed the hungry nor  the naked, 
Mat. 25.43.  and 'tis a terrible threatening, 
jam. 2. 1●.  he shall have judgement without mercy who shows no mercy. Do not delude thy soul, 
— Divitias dispergendo pauperibus abjecerunt, & talimodo in coelestibus thesauros tutius condiderunt Aug. prob. ep. 121.  in accounting thyself a member of Christ's body, a Subject of Christ's Kingdom, and yet see another member, another Subject perish before thine eyes and not relieve him, but shutst up thy bowels of compassion against him. Clemens tells us of the Elephants, if one fall into a Ditch and cries out, the next that hears him presently gathers all the Herd and help him out: If any poor brother be in distress and cannot relieve himself, 
Strom. l. 1. Cyprianus Christianus factus omnem substantiam suam pauperibus erogavit. Hier.  the whole Society must do it. Great are the exigences of our poor Brethren at this time in Ireland, there is Christ naked, and Christ hungry, and Christ in prison, and Christ ficke, Christ in his poor Subjects: Let us cloth Christ and feed Christ, 
— Reponam hunc thesaurum universum apud creatorem liberis autem meis relinquam thesaurum ipsum creatorem quod cùm dixisset, erogavit omnia paupetibus. Drus. Haeb. Apo. Mat. 21.3.  and redeem Christ out of the hands of his enemies. Let us not now look upon our Cold with a covetous eye, nor keep it with a griping hand, nor be nice of our persons, when Christ hath need of us and our wealth, as Christ said, when he sent for the Ass, say, The Lord hath need of him, and they will let him go: When the Lord hath need of our persons, and need of our purses, let us let them go, be free in the causes of Christ; we are not his Subjects, if we help not him nor our fellow-subjects. I know I shall easily have a pardon from you (Honourable and Beloved) if I be an earnest Advocate in these causes of Christ, for which you have showed yourselves already so faithful and zealous, the Lord reward you for your care; but give me leave only to put you in remembrance of this, as the Vision appeared to Saint Paul, There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, 
Act. 16.9.  come over into Macedonia and help us: Christ hath long appeared to you, and called for your help for Ireland; the Lord, I say, will reward you for what help you have already afforded them: but I beseech you, let every Fast day we keep for them put you in mind of their pressing miseries and their bleeding condition, which now gins again to be desperate; Let me say to you in the words of the men of Gibeon to joshuah, 
Iosh. 10.6.  Slack not thy hand from thy servants, come up to us quickly and saut us and help us. As Solomon speaks of a word fitly spoken or spoken in season, 
Prov. 25.11.  it is a word upon its wheels, as the Original enforces: so it is with a work, a work done in season, it is a work upon its wheels, an excellent work, that goes on to purpose.  
Use 3 If Christ be our King, let me then stir you up in a word of exhortation, to perform the duty of good subjects unto Christ, to help Christ into his Throne and maintain him there, and that partly in respect of ourselves, partly in respect of others.  
1. In respect of ourselves, to Crown Christ in our own hearts, to set up his Kingdom within ourselves the Kingdom of God is within you, to set it up in our hearts; we easily desire Christ a Saviour to save us, but not a King to govern us: We are ready to cry out with the Disciples, 
Mat. 14.30.  Lord save us, we perish; but as ready again to say with the wicked Citizens, 
Luk. 19.14.  We will not have this man to reign over us. Alas, we must not expect Christ should be a Saviour, unless he be received as a King, as jephtah answered the Elders of Gilead, Why come you to me now when you are in distress, 
judg. 21.7.9.  if the Lord deliver your enemies before me, shall I be your head? We must not fly to Christ only in the time of our distress, when our sins press us, and we see the mouth of Hell open to swallow us up, unless withal, when Christ hath delivered us from our spiritual enemies, we be contented to take him for our head, for our Lord to rule and govern us as well as for our Saviour to save us: O let us crowue Christ in our hearts: not do as the Jews did, set a crown of thorns upon his head, but set a Crown of Gold upon his head, a Crown of Sovereignty, acknowledge him our Lord and King, fear and obey him: Crown him as jehoiada and the people crowned King joash, 
2 King. 11.11, 12.  they crowned him and compassed him about with their swords in their hands, ready to fight against all his enemies: Set up Christ in the throne of thy heart and hold thy sword in thy hand to fight against all Christ's enemies, all thy own lusts, thy rebelling affections that fight against Christ the King of thy soul.  
2. To help to advance Christ's Kingdom in others, to help to lift up Christ and to set up his Sceptre over all the World. God has promised to give Christ the Nations for his inheritance, and the uttetmost parts of the Earth for his possession: 'tis a great work to bring people into Christ, to set up his Kingdom, so as Christ may come to inherit the Nations, and to possess the uttermost parts of the Earth, every one must come in to help in this work. When the Tabernacle was to be made, every one that was of a willing heart brought his offering, some gold, some brass, some scarlet, 
Exod. 35.5.  some Goat's hair; every man according to his ability. When the Temple was to be built, every one set to his helping hand, Solomon prepared gold, Hyram sent Cedar Trees, some were hewers in the mountains, some bearers of burdens, every one contributed according to his quality; it must be so here in the advancing of Christ's Kingdom, 'tis the great work God hath designed us for, every one must set to his helping hand according to his ability, and the means and opportunities God presents to him. Christ is King, yet he hath many enemy's labour to keep him out of his Throne: 'tis our part to help him in.  
Christ is ill handled by enemies at home in private contriving plots against him: 
Act. 5.39.  O for some Gamaliels to give seasonable counsel to take men off from plotting against Christ. He is worse handled by enemies abroad in public, there he is not only plotted against, but already upon the Cross, look into Germany, look into Ireland; we may easily with Thomas believe him to be there, we may see the print of his nails in his hands and in his feet, and may put our fingers into those ghastly wounds are already made in his body and his Members: 
Mat. 27.59.  O for some josephs' of Arimathea to take him down from the Cross. All persons are called in to this work, People, Ministers, Magistrates, Kings themselves: As they are Monarches, they are offended if any thing be done against Monarchy; let them be careful of Christ's Monarchy, he is King of Kings, they are all called in to serve Christ in this Psalm. 
Vers. 10.11.   
Give me leave (Honourable and Beloved) to set before you in a few words three Kingdoms which are main impediments to the advancement of this Kingdom of Christ's, the Kingdom of sin, the Kingdom of Satan, and the Kingdom of Antichrist.  
1. 
Rom. 6.12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  The Kingdom of sin: Sin is a King, Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies: Let it not play the King among us, beware of suffering any sin to be countenanced among us, suffer not sin to be enacted by any Law nor to receive countenance from misconstruction of Laws; sins may be committed in secret and none can prevent them; but it will lie upon the Magistrates, when public avouched sins are not set against: Idolatry was wont to be in corners and by stealth; how open of late in England, how much justified by many, how many things pleaded for it? how tolerated in Ireland, even to the destruction of that poor land? how, public drunkenness and uncleanness? in Saint Paul's time: they that were drunk, were drunk in the night: 
1 Thes. 5.7.  that was the modesty of those times, though they went on in a course of sin, they chose darkness to cover their sins: It is a shame to speak of those things which are done of them in secret, shameful things, 
Eph. 5. ●2.  but yet done in secret. How shameless are people in these days? how are all principles of common modesty, as well as common honesty extinguished in them? that they commit sin in the very face of the Sun, and blush not: a shameless generation, that declare their sins as Sodom and hid them not: 
Es. 3.9.  a desperate and hopeless state of people, that are not only past fear and sorrow, but also past shame. 
jer. 8. i3.  Set against this Kingdom of sin; if Laws be wanting, let them be made; if made see to the execution; let not sin reign among us so open, so uncontrolled: public sins are in the way of a judgement from God: 'Twas a judgement upon David and his house, that his wives should be prostituted in the face of the Sun; 
2 Sam. 12. 1●. Hos. 4.17.  and that Ephraim should go after idols and be let alone in their idolatry.  
There are three things worthy the consideration, how they may be suppressed. 1. The bacchanalia, that numerous issue of Taverns, and Alehouses, so infinitely degenerated from their first institution; that they are become the nests and harbourers of all sin and disorder. 2. The lupanaria, houses of uncleanness, cages of unclean birds. 3. The theatra, theatres and stages, where profaneness and vice is thought to be indeed satirically whipped and presented, that it might be hated; but is rather so personated and acted, as people become more in love with it. 'tis true, it will be hard to find out ways of suppressing these public places of drunkenness, uncleanness, profaneness, which are indeed the seminaries and nurseries of all disorders, and the bane of the Church and Commonwealth: Yet certainly, there may be a grea● reformation wrought: let them have a place in your thoughts in due time: these are mighty enemies to Christ's Kingdom, and Ministers find unspeakable impediments to the progress of religion and the course of their ministry from these.  
Secondly, 
Eph. 6.12.  the kingdom of Satan: Satan is a king, he is the ruler of the darkness of this world: that labours to keep all under a spiritual Egyptian darkness, that labours to blind the minds of people, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of those that believe not: 
2 Cor. 4.4.  'tis a mighty policy of Satan's against Christ's Kingdom, to labour, that people may be kept in ignorance, that dumb dogs may be set up that will never open their mouths to teach knowledge: and that the means may be kept from the Church, that so worthy men may not be brought in, who consider, the Labourer is worthy of his hire. Look to this, when time shall be, see that there be a candle in every candlestick that is able to give light, a pastor in every flock that is able to feed: and let there be such encouragements as may enable men to go on comfortably and cheerfully in the work: there hath been already much said in this argument by others; I shall not need to say more in it.  
Thirdly, the kingdom of Antichrist: he is a King, nay a God, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, 
2 Thes. 2.4  so as he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God: the oppositions Christ's kingdom receives from Popery, are notorious to all: as there was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver. 6. something that was an obstacle, that hindered the full revelation of the working of the mystery of iniquity in the Apostles days, the Kingdom of the Emperor's hindering the advancement of the kingdom of Antichrist: so now Popery, that is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high and spreading power of the kingdom of Antichrist is a mighty impediment to the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ. The way then to set up Christ's Kingdom, is to pull down Antichrists: there is a promise, that Christ's shall stand for ever, but Antichrists shall have a fall; and that the raising of Christ's to its highest pitch, shall be by the ruins of Antichrists. After the prophecy of the fall of the whore, 
Rev. 18. Rev. 19 Rev. 20.  and the destruction of the beast, follows the description of the glorious Kingdom of Christ. It is with those two Kingdoms, as with the scales in the balance, when the one goes down, the other goes up: or as it was with the houses of Saul & David, the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker, 
2 Sam. 3.1.  but the house of David stronger and stronger: the Kingdom of Christ goes up by Antichrists going down; that waxeth stronger and stronger, as this waxeth weaker and weaker. Beware then of the connivance at Popery, tolerations of Idolatry, false worship, down with these, cast Antichrist out of his saddle, wherein he has sat too fast among us, that Christ may better get up into his Stirrup, to ride about conquering his enemies: And let all you do in these particulars, be done.  
1. With faithful resolutions to lay down all your own ends and interests, and to seek God's glory: 'twas the Apostles complaint, All men seek their own things, 
Phil. 2.21.  but no man the things of jesus Christ: So 'tis still, we more seek our own things then those that belong to Christ and his Kingdom, this should be the main aim of every of us, whatsoever falls to ourselves, to look to this, to do our duty to Christ; if that be not proposed first as our main end, we shall never prosecute it cordially, they are the prime principles of Christianity, to deny ourselves and take up the Cross and follow Christ: 
Mark. 8.34.  If these things be not first resolved on, to lay down our selves, and to be contented with Christ's Cross, and Christ's yoke, and that form of Christ's government, which he has set down in his Word, and not what ourselves fancy, and to suffer what he will have us, and to follow him whether he will carry us, we shall do little for the setting up of his kingdom, while our thoughts are turned wholly on our selus and our own interests and raising our own fortunes, we easily forget Christ and fetting up his Kingdom.  
2. With zeal to God; 
Ratione rerum agendum est, non libidine, Salu. de gub. Rescunre, causa cum causa, ratio cum ratione confligat, Aug. de util. cred. In causa religionis, nobis nihil ex arbitrio nostro indulgere licet, sed nec eligere q od aliquis ex arbi rio suo in duxerit. Teri.  not to do things in a formal way only, as willing to comply with the greater and leading part & swim with the stream, & go with the crowd; but to do every thing you do out of love and zeal to the cause you take in hand as being God's cause. When you go about to reform the House of God, to do it, not because you are offended with this or that, or this or that pleases your humour better, but because God is offended with it, or God is pleased with it, that you may say truly, as David and Christ both spoke, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; not my own humour, but zeal to God's glory, and the glory of God's House, that there is in the heart a 
* Ignis quidam flagran assimi amoris, Aug. Rom. 12.11. Nen me d●seret Deus si nihil fing●, si offi●io ducor, si veritatem amo, si amiciriam diligo, si multum metuo ni fallor. Aug de util. ●red.  fire of burning love kindled and flaming in you to God and his cause: When you go on in any other service to God, to do it with fervency, Be fervent in the spirit, serving the Lord: that will go thorough with the work, God will not forsake you in it, when done, not out of formality, but out of zeal and sincerity to God's cause.  
3. With unity of affections, as minding the same thing; nothing more hinders the advancement of Christ's Kingdom and Causes, than divisions among his people: The wicked unite themselves strongly against Christ, Gebal and Ammon, and Amaleck against Israel; Herod and Pontius Pilate made friends, that they might oppose Christ: The multitudes, all against the Apostles; the Princes set themselves and take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed; they unite themselves that there may be no peace to God's Church. 
Vnitatem procurant, ne pax sit.  How should God's people unite themselves for Christ, and go on as the Israelites did to revenge the sin of the Benjamites, Knit together as one man; as we pretend to have the same head, 
judges 20.11.  and the same causes, so we should have the same heart and the same ends. A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; if the Subjects of Christ's Kingdom be divided, 'tis the way to ruin the cause and pull down the Kingdom. All the Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem should be like the Citizens of an earthly City, that is, compacted within itself, jerusalem is a City compacted within itself; 
Psal. 12●. 3.  stand close to one another in honest causes: 
Psal. 133.1. Gen. 45.24. Exod. 2.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2.1.  'Tis pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity; Brethren must not fall out by the way; Fellows must not be at variance: The Spirit of God descended upon the Disciples, when they were with one accord together in one place. Peace among ourselves is a means to advance righteousness in the world, there is a sweet conjunction of these noted in Scripture, Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other; follow peace and holiness; 
Psal. 85.10. Heb. 12.14. Heb. 7.2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ciem Al. Str. l. 5  Christ is said to be King of Righteousness and King of peace, as 'tis said of Numa, he erected a Temple of Faith and peace; peace among yourselves will be a mean the better to advance faith and holiness in the Church. If we would do great things for Christ, we must be , of one accord, 
Phil. 2.2.  of one mind; as division is a work of the flesh, while one says I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollo's, are ye not carnal? 
1 Cor. 3.3. Conc●rdia res parvae creseunt discordia magnae dilabuntur. Gen. 15.10, 11. Psal. 80.6.  so it lays us open to great inconveniences; discord draws ruin upon great undertake; the ravenous birds came down upon Abraham's Sacrifices, when divided. Priam and his sons laughed at the divisions of the Grecians, Thou makest us a strife unto our Neighbours, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Single Christians may do something towards the discharge of their duty to God: but there is no noble enterprise to be waded thorough, so as to do any great matter for the setting up Christ's kingdom in the midst of so great enemies, and so great oppositions, if it be not undertaken with united strengths of many.  
To close this point, I shall add some few meditations as strong allectives to draw you up, both to crown Christ in your own hearts and to help to set up the Kingdom of Christ abroad in the world.  
1. The honourableness of this subjection to Christ; there is no service to the service of a King; what then to him, who is King of Kings? but further, God will make it an honourable service by stamping a special honour upon them, who in serving God, honour him; Them that honour me, 
1 Sam. 2.30.  I will honour, 'tis a word out of the mouth of God; if any man serve me, him will my Father honour, 'tis a word out of the mouth of Christ. 
joh. 12.26.  And if you put the question, which Ahasuerus put to Haman, What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour? What shall the honour be wherewith Christ will honour those that be his subjects? 
Rev. 1 6 Ma. 25. Rev. 2.10.  the Scriptures tells us, he will make us Kings, and there is a Kingdom provided for them and a Crown to be set on their heads. What subject has such a Lord? King's do much for their Servants, but they never set a Crown upon their heads: Pharaoh made joseph the greatest in the Kingdom, according to thy word shall all the people be ruled; yet he reserved the Sovereignty to himself, 
Ben 41.10.  in the Throne I will be greater than thou: but Christ casts his own Honour upon us, makes us Kings, not to reign for a year, or a day, but to reign with him for ever and ever: Let the force of this motive be that which Balak put to Balaam, 
Rev. 22.5.  let nothing hinder thee from coming to me, for I will promote thee to very great honour: 
Num. 22.16.  Let nothing keep us from coming in to Christ, for he will promote with very great honour all those who come into this subjection, to become servants of Christ.  
2. The profitableness of this subjection; 
job. 21.15.  'twas the profane question of wicked persons, What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him? And the wicked conclusion of a rebellious people, It is vain to serve God, and there is no profit that we have kept his ordinances. God's people know, 
Mal. 3.14.  there is no such service as the service of Christ, no such promises, 
1 Tim. 4.8.  no such gain as in godliness, Godliness is great gain, and hath promises of this life and of that to come: If ever we expect things by promise from God, so as to have a blessing in them and not a curse, we must serve Christ in the ways of godliness, that has the promise of this life as well as of that to come. All blessings come, where Christ's Kingdom comes; 
Mat. 6.33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  First seek God's Kingdom and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added to you: they shall be cast in as an overplus to the bargain; Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; 
Es. 65.13.  my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit. That's the pre-eminence God's Servants have above God's enemies, they have a greater portion of outward blessings even in this life, only where God for some particular reasons sees fit to alter the course of his ordinary dispensations.  
But then further in the life to come, he that is the servant of Christ, receives not only the advantage of his service here, but withal a glorious reward of it hereafter, he who hath his fruit unto holiness, shall have his end ever lasting life. 
Rom. 6.22.   
Let the force of this motive be that which Abner proposed to the men of Israel, why they should crown David and receive him for their King, because the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, by the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hands of the Philistines, 
2 Sam. 3.18.  and out of the hands of all their enemies: So here, crown Christ in thy heart, receive him as thy King, labour to advance his Kingdom among others, because God hath said by him he will save thee and all the Israel of God from their sins, from the Devil, from hell. Set a crown upon Christ's head here in thy heart, he will crown thee with all temporal blessings in this life, and set a crown of glory, a crown of immortality on thy head in the life to come.  
3. The necessity of this subjection to Christ, and of setting in to the work of advancing Christ's Kingdom in the world, in case we would not be miserable in this life and that to come.  
No blessing upon a Land where Religion and Christ's Kingdom flourish not; 'twas when Obed Edom entertained the Ark of God, 
2 Sam. 6.11.  that God blest him and all his house. Religion is the mother of all blessings, like the Heavens, it has an influence upon all things here below; it binds all blessings together, as it is said of Minerva's Buckler made by Phydias, he wrought it so artificially, that having set his own name in the midst of it, it could never be taken out, without breaking the whole frame: All blessings are bound up in Religion and the Gospel and Christ's government among us: if you take away these, you break the whole frame of blessings: If the Palladium be once lost, Troy is lost: steal away Christ and the Gospel and Religion from us, we are lost and all blessings lost: Without that we shall have a curse in all we enjoy, I will curse your blessings: 
Mal. 2.2.  God curses those things to us, which we enjoy not in the blessing of the Gospel. Woe to them, says God, when I depart from them: 
Hos. 9.12.  If ever Christ depart from us, 'twill be woe to us. When the Ark of God's presence was taken from the Israelites, than Ichabod, the glory of Israel departed: The Ark of God's presence, 
1 Sam. 4.22.  his presence in his ordinances, in the Gospel, if that be taken from us, the glory departs from England, no more glory, no more blessing. 'Tis the reason of the dissolution of States and Kingdoms, Religion first falls, before the Commonwealth falls. The Kingdom of judah lasted longer than the Kingdom of Israel, because Religion and the worship of God was more carefully preserved there. 
2 Chro. 26.2.  When the messengers of God were mocked, and his words despised, and his Prophets misused; that is, when Religion was wholly decayed, and God's Kingdom of grace cast down; then God brought a desolation upon the State. The four Monarchies in Nebuchadnezars' vision were all to have a fall, because they had nothing of Christ's Kingdom in them. There is a necessity for Kingdoms to be subject to the Kingdom of Christ in respect of happiness in this life.  
But further, a necessity for all in respect of the life to come: unless we be Christ's subjects, we must be Christ's enemies, and so shall be miserable everlastingly; bring these mine enemies and slay them before me. 
Luke 19 27.  God will slay everlastingly those that are his enemies and will not be his subjects. The nation & kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish. 
Isa. 60.12.   
Indeed, if we could escape Christ's wrath, it were not so much, if we did not come under his yoke. But who shall escape his wrath, that lives not under his law? 
Ezek. 22.14.  Can thy heart endure, or thy hands be strong, saith the Lord, in the day that I shall deal with thee? if Christ come to deal with us in wrath, as with his enemies, whose hands can be so strong as to grapple with Christ? what will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation, 
Isa. 10.3.  which shall come from fare, to whom will ye fly for help, and where will ye leave your glory? If Christ look upon us as enemies, who can protect us, what shall become of all our glories, what good will they do us in the last day?  
Think upon this, you that fear not God, you that have not yet taken Christ for your King: if thou wilt not suffer him now to rule in thee, he will, whether thou wilt or not, rule over thee: and which is best, to choose a King voluntarily, that will rule thee in love, protect thee, bless thee, crown thee in heaven; or to have a King serve to thee against thy will, that will rule thee in wrath, and destroy thee. Certainly, such a one will Christ be unto thee, if we suffer him not to rule us with a golden Sceptre, he will break us with an iron rod. 
Rev. 19.15.  Let this work upon us to take David's advice, he was a King himself, and yet a subject of Christ's; Christ was David's son, and yet he was David's King: Be wise now therefore, O Kings, be instructed ye judges of the earth, 
Psal. 110.1.  serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling; kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little: blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 
Psal. 2.10, 11, 12  This is true wisdom, if Christ will honour us, bless us, save us in case we serve him, and certainly destroy us in case we serve him not: then serve the Lord with fear, kiss the son lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way: when his wrath is kindled but a little, they shall find a blessedness who serve him and put their trust in him.  
Observe. 2 The Kingdom of Christ shall over-top the plots of wicked men, and be established firmly, notwithstanding all their oppositions. There are two things God usually does for this end. 1. He prevents the oppositions, that they shall not take effect. or, 2. Though plots may take the effect intended, yet God so turns them, that out of them shall spring the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. See it in the particulars.  
First, in the Kingdom of grace within the hearts of God's people: as temptations are the devils great batteries, whereby he labours to overthrow our graces; so God makes those temptations the means of improving and perfecting our graces. 
Rev. 3.10.  God not only keeps from the hour of temptation, 
1 Cor. 10.13.  and in the hour of temptation, but makes temptations the improvers of grace. Peter, and David, and job by their trials, and their falls had an improvement in their faith, and repentance, and love, and obedience, and their other graces. It is a general rule for all trials, by temptation as well as affliction, when God's children are tried, 
job. 23.10.  they come forth like gold, more glorious and beautiful in their graces, and more fit for the service of their Master.  
Secondly, in the Gospel and Gods truths: a great and effectual door was opened to S. Paul in preaching the Gospel, 
1 Cor. 16.9.  though there were many adversaries. The Gospel is the rod of Christ's strength sent out of Zion; such a strength as whereby his government shall be set up in the midst of his enemies: we can do nothing against the truth, 
Psal. 110.2.  but for the truth, seems to be a strange paradox: 
2 Cor. 13.8.  not that morrally a man may not oppose God's truths, many do; but that no opposition shall prevail, so as to destroy it: 
Is. 40.8.  the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Obscured it may be for a time, like the Sun under a cloud; but it will in the end break out again, and shine the brighter. 
Multorum improbitate depressa veritas emergits Cic.  If the devil raise up a Zedekiah, a falls Prophet, to push at truth with horns of iron; God will raise up a Micaiah, a true Prophet, to maintain it: if the devil raise up an Elymas, a sorcerer, to pervert the good ways of God, God will raise a Paul, a true Apostle, to stand up in the defence of them: if the devil raise up Arius, and Pelagius, and Nestorius, & other Heretics, to destroy truths; God will raise up his Athanasius, and Augustin, & other godly champions for the clearing of them. Popery, and Arminianism, and Socinianism may now overspread the world for a time, as Arianisme once did in Athanasius days, when his complaint was, that the whole world was become Arian: 
Re. 13.3.  so now the world may wonder for a time after the beast, and worship the beast; yet if they be not of God, as no errors are, according to Gamaliels' argument, 
Act. 5.39.  they will not stand: errors will be, like a mist, in time dispelled, and the Sun of truth stand firm in the firmament of God's Church. How oft hath the Gospel enlarged itself by oppositions? the Rulers forbidding the Apostles to preach, made them more bold: 
Act. 4.29. Act. 8.4.  and the dispersion of the Disciples spread the Gospel, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. The three children's casting into the fiery furnace brought forth that notable decree for the worship of God. 
Dan. 3.29.   
Thirdly, in God's people: the state of the Church is indeed various, 
O●scura videtur Ecclesia in tempore peregrination is ivae, Ep 209  like the Moon, sometimes in the full, sometimes in the wane, ofttimes in the change. The Church, says S. Augustin, is here in her pilgrimage, and is therefore the more obscure. If at sometimes she seem glorious, as she receives influence and light from Christ the Sun; as the Moon, the fuller the Sun shines upon her, the brighter she is; the more the Sun is turned from her, the darker she is; yet at other times she has many obscuring. But though she may have less glory, she shall never be wholly destroyed. 
Mat. 7.25.  The Church is the house founded upon the rock, when the winds blow, and the floods descend, it shall stand, it shall not fall: & as founded upon a rock, so upon the rock of rocks, Christ himself; 
Mat. 16 18.  upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against her. Shake her they may, and give her a wound in some of her members, as now the Church bleeds at one vein in Germany at another in Ireland, at several veins in several parts of the world; 
As Pheti us notes touching the calumnis cast upon Basil by Philost orgius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Re. 11.11.  yet she shall lift up her head again, and shall be healed in her wounds, and like the two witnesses slain in the streets, after a time she shall live again, the spirit of life from God shall enter into her, and great fear shall fall upon them that see her.  
Fourthly, see it in God's cause: whatever is undertaken in God's cause, though sometime it may seem to fail in particular persons, the cause of the poor in perverting of judgement, the cause of religion by the insolence of persecutors and tyrants, yet in other respects it does certainly prevail.  
1. By a retribution of vengeance upon the heads of those, that set to overthrow the cause of God: Abel perished in God's cause: and yet even in the death of Abel God's cause prevailed by bringing down vengeance upon Cain the murderer, the blood of thy brother crieth to me from the ground, 
Gen, 4.10.  and therefore now thou art cursed from the earth. The Martyrs perished in the cause of God, and yet even in their deaths that cause prevailed by bringing vengeance upon the persecutors: I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, and they cried with a loud voice, how long, O Lord holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth. 
Rev. 6.10.  We need not doubt this prevailing of the cause of God in our neighbouring Kingdom, how ever it may seem for the time to go down in the barbarous and bloody destruction of that poor people, whose blood cries so loud from the ground, as God cannot but curse the murderers; and whose souls under the Altar cry so loud, as God cannot but judge and avenge their blood on them who have so inhumanely and so unmercifully shed it.  
2. By way of improvement; that cause prevails that improves itself by the opposition and violence it suffers under. God's cause, like Samson, is victorious even then when we think it has received its death's wound; and like the Camomile, 
Es. 53.10. Ex. 1.12. Cum duplicantur lateres, venit Moses. Est. 8.16 Da. 6.26. Ezr. 6.6.  it spreads more by being trampled upon; or like the fire, the more it is smothered and kept in by violence for the time, the more forcible it breaks out and heats afterwards. In shedding the blood of Christ, the cause of God seemed to suffer; but you know what an improvement it received by it, that blood was it, that was the fruitful field of such a seed unto God; 'twas making his soul an offering for sin that made him see his seed. In Egypt the cause of God seemed to suffer, when the children were commanded to be destroyed and their burdens were doubled, yet we know that decree increased the people, and doubling of their tasks hasted their deliverance. By the oppositions of Haman the cause of God got better footing: And by casting Daniel into the Lion's den, God came everywhere to be more feared and worshipped by a public decree: By the oppositions of Tatnai and Shetherboznai the building of God's house prospered: In burning and tearing the martyrs in the primitive times, and in Q. Mary's days, the cause of God seemed to suffer, yet we know how Martyrdom improves it, the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church, that is, as the Bishop of Valence 
* To the King of France in a conference at Fountain Bleau. So Tert. ad Scàp. Quisque enim tan tam toll. rantiam spectans, ut aliquo scrupulo percussus & onquirere accenditur quid sis in causa Et ubi cognoverit veritatem ipse statim sequitur.  once explained it; people by seeing the sufferings of the Martyrs, came more to look into and understand that profession then formerly they had done, which made them with so much patience endure such torments, and so at length to embrace the same; like the generating of the Phoenix, out of the ashes not the eggs of the Dam: Out of the ashes of a few Saints multitudes of professors arise.  
I shall present you these few grounds of this truth, 
reasons of the point.  to be enlarged in your own private meditations.  
1. The genius of Religion, it is of a flourishing and improving nature: As one said of Anthony that was at odds with Augustus, compound with him, for his genius goes beyond yours: The genius of Religion goes beyond that of all its opposites. It was first in families, after in Cities, and so by degrees spread itself over the world. The image in Nebuchadnezars vision was smitten by a stone cut out without hands, 
Dan. 2.34, 35.  and the stone that smote the image became a great Mountain, and filled the earth: You have the interpretation of this in the following verses, the Image in its several parts represented the 4. Monarchies of the world: which should all be destroyed by a fift Kingdom, which Christ should set up, which should so improve itself from a small beginning, as quickly to fill the whole earth, notwithstanding all oppositions made against it.  
2. The power of Christ, he is able to set up his colours and his Sceptre there where no earthly King dares set his foot. 
Pritannotum in accessa Romanis Joca, Christo verò sub aita  'Twas Tertullia's observation, Britain was a place which the Romans could not at such a time possess, and yet it was subdued to Christ. Look by what motives people are brought in to Christ, you must needs acknowledge a strong working power above all the strengths of men, done by such contrary ways to flesh and blood: If we will follow Christ, and be heirs of heaven, We must deny ourselves, and take up our Cross and suffer persecution and be hated for his name sake, and hate father and mother, etc. and yet by these and the like motives more are brought in to Christ and submit to his Laws, then by all the rewards could be proposed to them.  
3. The course of God's providence, which shall still uphold it, so as to give it footing more and more every day: though the Revelation be obscure in many things, yet this we may gather out of it clearly, that when the vials begin to be poured out, the truth shall grow up to the confusion of its enemies; as on the other side, we see several effects of God's providence against the Kingdom of Satan and Antichrist: that where we see the false Religion hath received some blows, we may assure ourselves, a further ruin will certainly follow, as they said of Haman, If Mordecai be of the seed of the jews, 
Hest. 6.13.  before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him: If Religion be of the seed of Christ, the daughter of God, false Religions, that once begin to fall, shall not prevail, but shall surely fall before it.  
Use 1 It discovers the folly of those that set themselves against God's people and Gods causes; let them take heed what they do, such set themselves against Christ and his Kingdom and their attempts shall not prosper: 
job 9.4.  Hath any man hardened himself against God, and prospered? I must say to such as Abijah did to jeroboam, Ye think to withstand the Kingdom of the Lord: 
2 Chr. 13.8.  Let us not think we shall be able to withstand the Kingdom of Christ, he is able to break through all oppositions, he can crush his enemies, thou shalt break them with an iron rod, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: 
Ps. 2.9.  the Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorough Kings in the day of his wrath, 
Ps. 110.5.  Kings that be his enemies. It was part of Moses Song touching the enemies of Israel, the people shall hear and be afraid, 
Exod. 15.14.  sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina, the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed, trembling shall take hold of the mighty men of Moab, the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away, fear and dread shall fall upon them, for the Lord reigns for ever and ever. Because Christ reigns, such shall be the end of all his enemies, however they may flourish for a time. Oh! fear to oppose Christ in his Gospel, in his people, in his causes. 
Isa. 45.9  Woe unto him that strives with his Maker, let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth. Let man strive with man, and Prince fight with Prince, that's but dashing one earthen pitcher against another, but let us take heed of engaging Christ against us, woe to him that strives with Christ; 'tis dangerous setting ourselves against his Kingdom, or his people, or his causes, lest as in this mountain, in God's Church the hand of the Lord shall rest, so Moab, all the enemies of Christ be trodden down under him, as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. 
Isa 2●. 10   
Use 2 Here's matter of great encouragement to those that with upright heart's side with Christ, and set in to advance his Kingdom, they shall prosper in the work. We must not be troubled though we find great enemies and great oppositions; let us not value religion and the cause of Christ any whit the cheaper, because so much set against. The Romans held their land about the City of Rome at as dear a rate, when Hannibal besieged it, as they did before. Prize Religion as high in times of trouble as in times of peace. We must not look only at the present proceed, our spirits must not rise or fall, only as we see a flood or an ebb in the handling of God's causes: but consider the end, as David speaks of the upright man, 
Psal. 31.37.  mark his end, the end of that man is peace. Whatever the present condition should prove to be of Christ's Kingdom, yet the end of it will be peace and happiness to God's people. At Cannae the Romans went to congratulate the Consul that fled from the battle, because he signified thereby, that the state of things was not yet so desperate, but he durst live: We should not despair of the state of God's Church and Religion, though we should see them brought to great straits. It may be we shall not see the prosperity of God's Church in our days: yet here's comfort enough, to know the work shall go on: It is a work in Christ's hand, and a work God takes pleasure in, 
Isa. 53 10  and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 
Rev. 1.16  Christ, who holds the stars in his Right hand, the Angels of his Church, to preserve them, does certainly hold the Church itself, for whose good, his Ministers are in his right hand, to preserve her, whatever oppositions be made against her. At Antioch, if I mistake not, the Ecclesiastical story says, there being an Earth quake, whereby many houses fell, and the people terrified with it; being ready to forsake the city, one had a vision, that he faw a man coming to him, who commanded him to write upon every house, Christus nobiscum, Christ is with us, stay here, and so it ceased: thus we should do, when we consider the tottering estate of religion, remember Christ is with us, be not affrighted, forsake it not, if God be for us, who can be against us? if Christ be in the ship with us, it cannot sink.  
But especially it may be high encouragement to you (Honourable and beloved:) you are they that must help up Christ into his Kingdom in the midst of these great oppositions that are now made against it: we the Ministers of God can but encourage & strengthen you, as the Prophet; Haggai and Zachary, God's Prophets were with the Princes helping them: 
Ezr. 5.2.  helping them with their prayers, and helping them with their instructions touching Gods will, and helping them with their exhortations to stir them up; but the work is chief yours, you are to encounter Christ's enemies, the sword of justice is put into your hands to cut down all oppositions. If your hearts be upright with God, that your consciences assure you, you seek God's glory, and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom, not yourselves, nor your own ends, you have as much encouragement as can be; you go on in a work that shall be carried up against all oppositions. 
Heb. 11.27.  Should visible means fail, yet as there is an invisible God who may be seen by the eye of faith, so there are also invisible means: the power of Christ shall rest upon those that work his works, and stand up faithfully in his causes. Should you be left fewer than you are, yet if you can but resolve, when others forsake Christ, to say truly, Lord we will never forsake thee, and do it; not only say it: some have said it, and yet with Peter gone away and deserted the cause: there is then no reason why you should fear, Christ can work by few as well as by many: Christ, when men fail, will tread the winepress alone, when the day of vengeance comes, 
Isa. 63.3, 4.  and the year of his redeemed one's comes, then, if there be none to help, his own arm will bring salvation. Do you what you can in a right way for God's causes & Christ's Kingdom; and when you can do no more, stand still and look on with grief, that you can do no more; and if you can contribute nothing else, yet date lachrymulam, shed a tear: God puts the tears of his people into his bottle, and in his time tears shall be like the water that turns and drives the wheel; God's work shall go on, and your tears shall help to drive it on, as well as your noblest works. It was God's word in a work that met with greater opposition than yours now can: 
Exod. 14.13.  stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. It may be your strengths of the arm of flesh may yet be too great for God to work by: the Lord saveth, not by sword, 
1 Sam. 17.47.  nor by spear, for the battle is the Lords. Gideon had too many, while he had above three hundred: 
jud. 7.4  greatness of outward strength eclipses and darkens the glory of Christ's power in saving: when God seethe that his people's power is gone, 
Deut. 32.36.  than he strikes into the work and more shows himself. Let us not limit the holy One of Israel, neither to means, nor to times: whether there be many or few that stand up in God's causes, we are sure of this, Christ shall reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. We look too much on the instruments, 
1 Cor. 15.25.  & are ready to cry out, if the foundations of the earth be shaken, what shall the righteous do? you are they that are our foundations, 
Ps. 11.3.  you the preservers of the fundamental laws of the state and the preservers of the fundamental laws of the Church; if you be shaken, it will indeed be a sad time to God's righteous people; yet let not that affright us neither, we have a stronger foundation, fundamentum fundamenti, the foundation of the foundations; the head stone of the corner, the rock upon which the Church is built, which shall never be shaken. Go you on therefore, and let every one faithfully do his duty to Christ and leave the issue to God.  
To conclude all; this day is a day of humiliation, and therefore a day of covenanting with God. O that I might now engage you all here present this day in this covenant, to take Christ for your King into your own hearts, and then to set faithfully to this work of undertaking his causes against all those great oppositions which every day show themselves, when jehojada made the covenant with the Lord, 
2 King. 11.17.  that the people should be the Lords people, 'twas to this end, that they should undertake the Lords causes against the Lords enemies, for presently they broke down the house of Baal, and his altar, and his images, and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the altar. Let us make such a covenant to be the Lords people, and so to undertake the Lords causes, as Scipio once held the point of his sword to the breasts of many gallants that were flying out of Italy, and made them swear upon that sword, that they would not desert the cause: God has great causes now, Christ was never more engaged in great affairs then at this time: O that I might persuade all that profess themselves God's people, to engage themselves to Christ; to make vows betwixt God and their own souls upon these sacred truths, this book, never to desert Christ's causes, but as faithful subjects of his Kingdom, do all they can, notwithstanding all oppositions, to make Christ's Kingdom flourish through the world, 
judg. 5.23.  and remember Meroz curse upon those that come not to the help of Christ against the mighty. Christ can carry on his work without us: but if we do not our part, deliverance shall come some other way, as Mord●cai told Queen Hester, 
Est. 4.14.  but we shall be destroyed; the curse will be upon every of us, that set not in every one in his way, and as God calls him to it, to set up Christ in the midst of his enemies.  
FINIS.