seeking for the Kingdome, and crucified, was the true CHRIST, and King promised by God, and sent from his father to renew the new Covenant between them and God, both the Evangelists doe shew
(describing his Genealogie, nativity, life, doctrine, death, and resurrection) and by comparing the things
which he did, with those which were foretold of him, all Christians doe consent to.
IV. Now from this, That CHRIST was sent from God his Father to make a Covenant between him and
the people, it is manifest, that though Christ were equall to his Father according to his nature, yet was
he inferior according to the Right of the Kingdom; for this office to speak properly, was not that of a
King, but of a Vice-roy, such as Moyses his Government was. For the Kingdom was not his, but his
Fathers; which CHRIST himselfe signified when he was baptized as a subject, and openly profest,
when he taught his Disciples to pray, Our Father, Thy Kingdome come, &c. And when he said, I will not drink of the blood of the grape, untill that day when I shall drink it new with you in the Kingdome of my
Father, Mat. 26. vers. 29. And Saint Paul. As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christs, who beleeved in his
coming; Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even his Father,
&c. 1. Cor. 15. vers. 22, 23, 24. The same notwithstanding is also called the Kingdome of Christ: for both the Mother of the sonnes of Zebedie petitioned Christ, saying, Grant that these my two sonnes
may sit, the one on thy right hand, the other on thy left, in thy Kingdome, Mat. 20. vers. 21. And the
Theef on the Cross, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, Luke 23. vers. 42. And
Saint Paul, For this know yee, that no whormonger, &c. shall enter into the Kingdome of God, and of
Christ, Ephes. 5. ver. 5. And elsewhere, I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing, and his Kingdome, &c. 2 Tim. 4. ver. 1. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke, and will Preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdome, ver. 18. Nor
is it to be marvelled at, that the same Kingdome is attributed to them both, since both the Father, and
the Son, are the same God; and the new Covenant concerning Gods Kingdome, is not propounded in
the Name of the FATHER, but in the name of the FATHER, of the SON, and of the HOLY-GHOST, as of one God.
V. But the Kingdome of God, for restitution whereof CHRIST was sent from God his Father, takes not
its beginning before his second comming, to wit, from the day of Judgement, when he shall come in
Majesty accompanied with his Angels: For it is promis'd the Apostles, that in the Kingdome of God,
they shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the
Sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel, Mat. 19. ver. 28. which is not to be done till the day of judgement; CHRIST
therefore is not yet in the throne of his Majesty, nor is that time when CHRIST was conversant here in
the world call'd a Kingdome, but a regeneration, that is to say a renovation, or restitution of the
Kingdome of God, and a calling of them who were hereafter to be receiv'd into his Kingdome; And
where it is said, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall
separate them one from another, as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goates, Mat. 25. ver. 31.
we may manifestly gather, that there will be no Locall separation of Gods Subjects from his Enemies,
but that they shall live mixt together untill CHRISTS second comming. Which is also confirm'd by the
comparison of the Kingdome of heaven, with wheat mingled with Darnell; and with a net containing all
sorts of fish. But a multitude of men, Enemies and Subjects, living promiscuously together, cannot
properly be term'd a Kingdome. Besides, the Apostles, when they askt our Saviour, Whether he would
at that time when he ascended into heaven, restore the Kingdome unto Israel? Did openly testifie, that
they then, when CHRIST ascended, thought the Kingdome of God not to be yet come. Farthermore,
the words of CHRIST, My Kingdome is not of this world; And, I will not drinke, &c. till the Kingdome of God come: And, God hath not sent his Son into the World, to judge the World, but that the World
through him might be sav'd. And, If any man heare not my words, and keepe them, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the World, but to save the World. And, Man, who made me a judge or divider
betweene you? And the very Appellation of the Kingdome of Heaven testifies as much. The same thing
is gathered out of the words of the Prophet Jeremiah, speaking of the Kingdome of God by the new
Covenant, They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all
know me from the least of them, to the greatest of them, saith the Lord, Jer. 31. v. 34. which cannot be understood of a Kingdome in this World. The Kingdome of God therefore, for the restoring whereof
CHRIST came into the world, of which the Prophets did Prophesie, and of which praying wee say, Thy
Kingdome come, (if it must have Subjects locally separated from Enemies, if judicature, if Majesty,
according as hath beene foretold,) shall begin from that time, wherein God shall separate the Sheep
from the Goats; wherein the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel; wherein CHRIST shall
come in Majesty, and glory; wherein Lastly, all men shall so know God, that they shall not need to be
taught, that is to say, at CHRIST his second comming, or the day of Judgement. But if the Kingdome of
God were now already restor'd, no reason could be rendered why CHRIST having compleated the work
for which he was sent, should come againe, or why we should pray, Thy Kingdome come.
VI. Now, although the Kingdome of God by CHRIST to be establisht with a new Covenant, were
Heavenly, we must not therefore thinke, that they, who beleeving in CHRIST would make that
Covenant, were not so to be govern'd here on the Earth too, as that they should persevere in their faith,
and obedience promis'd by that Covenant. For in vaine had the Kingdome of heaven beene promis'd, if
we were not to have been led into it. But none can be led, but those who are directed in the way.
Moyses, when he had instituted the Priestly Kingdome, himselfe though he were no Priest, yet rul'd,
and conducted the People all the time of their Peregrination untill their entrance into the promis'd Land.
In the same manner is it our Saviours office (whom God in this thing would have like unto Moyses) as
he was sent from his Father, so to governe the future Subjects of his heavenly Kingdome in this life,
that they might attaine to, and enter into that, although the Kingdome were not properly his, but his
Fathers. But the government whereby CHRIST rules the faithfull ones in this life, is not properly a
Kingdome, or Dominion, but a Pastorall charge, or the Right of teaching, that is to say, God the father gave him not a power to judge of Meum and Tuum as he doth to the Kings of the Earth; nor a Coercive power; nor legislative; but of shewing to the world, and teaching them the way, and knowledge of Salvation, that is to say, of Preaching, and declaring what they were to doe, who would enter into the
Kingdome of Heaven. That CHRIST had receiv'd no power from his father to judge in questions of
Meum and Tuum, that is to say, in all questions of Right among those who beleev'd not; those words above cited doe sufficiently declare: Man, who made me a judge, or divider betweene you? And it is
confirm'd by reason; for seeing CHRIST was sent to make a Covenant between God and men, and no
man is oblig'd to performe obedience before the Contract be made, if he should have judg'd of
questions of Right, no man had been tyed to obey his sentence. But that the discerning of Right was
not committed to CHRIST in this world, neither among the faithfull, nor among infidels, is apparent in
this, that that Right without all controversie belongs to Princes as long as it is not by, But it is not
derogated God himselfe derogated from their authority; before the day of Judgement, as appeares by
the words of Saint Paul, speaking of the day of Judgement, Then commeth the end when He shall
have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father, when He shall have put downe all rule, and
all authority, and Power, 1 Cor. 15. ver. 24. Secondly, the words of our Saviour reproving James, and
John, when they had said, Wilt thou that we call for Fyer from Heaven, that it may consume them
(namely the Samaritans, who had denyed to receive him going up to Jerusalem) and replying, The Son
of Man is not come to destroy soules, but to save them; And those words, Behold I send you as Sheep among Wolves; Shake off the dust of your Feet, and the like; And those words, God sent not his Son
into the world, to judge the world, but that the world through him might be sav'd; and those, If any man heare my words, and keep them not, I judge him not, for I came not to judge the world, &c. doe all shew, that he had no power given him, to condemne or punish any man. We reade indeed that the
Father judgeth no Man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son, but since that both may, and must
be understood of the day of future judgement, it doth not at all repugne what hath beene sayed before.
Lastly, that he was not sent to make new Lawes, and that therefore by his Office, and mission, he was
no Legislatour properly so called, nor Moyses neither, but a bringer and Publisher of his Fathers
Lawes, (for God only, and neither Moyses, nor CHRIST, was a King by Covenant) is collected hence,
that he sayed, I came not to destroy (to wit the Lawes before given from God by Moyses, which he
presently interprets) but to fulfill; And, He that shall break one of the least of these Commandements, and shall teach men so, He shall be called least in the Kingdome of Heaven. CHRIST therefore had not
a Royall, or Soveraigne power committed to him from his Father in this world, but consiliary, and
doctrinall onely; which himselfe signifies, as well then when he call his Apostles, not Hunters, but
Fishers of men; as when he compares the Kingdome of God to a graine of mustard seed, and to a little
Leaven hid in meale.
VII. God promis'd unto Abraham first, a numerous seed, the possession of the Land of Canaan, and a
blessing upon all Nations in his seed, on this Condition, that he, and his seed should serve him; next
unto the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, a Priestly Kingdome, a Government most free, in
which they were to be Subject to no humane power, on this Condition, that they should serve the God
of Abraham on that fashion which Moyses should teach. Lastly, both to them, and to all Nations, a
heavenly, and eternall Kingdome, on Condition that they should serve the God of Abraham, on that
manner which Christ should teach. For by the new, that is to say, the Christian Covenant, it's
covenanted on mens part, to serve the God of Abraham, on that manner which JESUS should teach:
On Gods part, to pardon their sinnes, and bring them into his caelestiall Kingdome. We have already
spoken of the quality of the heavenly Kingdome above in the 5. Article; but it is usually call'd,
sometimes the Kingdome of Heaven, sometimes the Kingdome of Glory, sometimes the life Eternall.
What's required on mens part, namely to serve God as CHRIST should teach, containes two things,
Obedience to be performed to God, (for this is to serve God) and Faith in JESUS, to wit, That we beleeve JESUS TO BE THAT CHRIST who was promis'd by God: for that only is the cause why his
Doctrine is to be followed, rather than any others. Now in holy Scriptures, Repentance is often put in
stead of Obedience, because Christ teacheth every where, that with God the Will is taken for the deed;
but Repentance is an infallible sign of an obedient mind. These things being understood, it will most
evidently appear out of many places of sacred Scripture, that those are the Conditions of the Christian
Covenant which we have nam'd, to wit, giving remission of sins, and eternall life on Gods part; and
Repenting, and Beleeving in JESUS CHRIST, on Mens part. First, the words, The Kingdom of God is
at hand. Repent yee and beleeve the Gospell, Mark 1:15. contain the whole Covenant: In like manner
those, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day;
and that repentance, and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations,
begining at Jerusalem, Luke 24. vers. 46, 47. And those, Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come, &c. Acts 3. vers. 19. And sometimes one part is expresly propounded, and the other understood, as here, He that beleeveth in the Sonne, hath
everlasting life; He that beleeveth not the Sonne, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3. vers. 36, Where Faith is exprest, Repentance not mentioned. And in CHRISTS preaching,
Repent, for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand, Mat. 4:17. Where Repentance is exprest, Faith is understood. But the parts of this new Contract are most manifestly, and formally set down there, where
a certain Ruler bargaining as it were for the Kingdom of God, asketh our Saviour, Good Waster, what
shall I doe to inherit eternall life, Luke 18. v. 18. But CHRIST first propounds one part of the price, namely observation of the Commandements, or obedience, which when he answered that he had kept,
he adjoynes the other, saying, Yet lackest thou one thing; Sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the
Poor, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven, and come, follow me, v. 22. This was matter of Faith.
He therefore not giving sufficient credit to CHRIST, and his heavenly Treasures, went away sorrowfull.
The same Covenant is contained in these words: Hee that beleeveth, and is baptized, shall be saved,
he that beleeveth not, shall be damned, Mark 16. vers. 15, 16. Where Faith is exprest, Repentance is supposed in those that are baptized; and in these words, Except a man be born again of water, and the
Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, John 3. vers. 5. Where to be born of water, is the same with regeneration, that is to say, Conversion to CHRIST. Now that Baptisme is required in
the two places cited just before, and in divers others, we must understand, that what Circumcision was
to the old Covenant, that Baptisme is to the new: Seeing therefore, that was not of the Essence, but served for a memoriall of the old Covenant, as a Ceremony or signe (and was omitted in the
wildernesse) in like manner this also is used, not as pertaining to the Essence, but in memory, and for
a signe of the New Covenant which wee make with God; and provided the will be not wanting, the Act
through necessity may be omitted; but Repentance and Faith, which are of the Essence of the
Covenant, are alwayes required.
VIII. In the Kingdome of God after this life there will be no Lawes; partly because there is no roome for Lawes, where there is none for sinne; partly because Laws were given us from God, not to direct us in
Heaven, but unto Heaven. Let us now therefore enquire what Laws CHRIST (establisht not himselfe,
for he would not take upon him any Legislative authority, as hath been declared above in the sixth
Article, but) propounded to us for his Fathers. Wee have a place in Scripture, where he contracts all the
Lawes of God publisht till that time, into two Preceps, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine
heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy minde: this is the greatest, and first Commandement. And the
second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe. On these two Commandements
hangs all the Law, and the Prophets, Mat. 22. vers. 37, 38, 39, 40. The first of these was given before by Moyses in the same words, Deut. 6. vers. 5. And the second even before Moyses; for it is the
naturall Law, having its begining with rationall nature it selfe. And both together is the summe of all
Lawes: for all the Lawes of divine naturall worship, are contained in these words, Thou shalt love God; and all the Lawes of divine worship due by the old Covenant, in these words, Thou shalt love thy God, that is to say, God as being the peculiar King of Abraham, and his seed; and all the Lawes naturall, and civill, in these words, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe. For he that loves God and his
neighbour, hath a minde to obey all Lawes, both divine, and humane. But God requires no more than a
minde to obey. Wee have another place, where CHRIST interprets the Lawes, namely, the fifth, sixth,
and seventh entire Chapters of Saint Matthewes Gospell. But all those Lawes are set down, either in
the Decalogue, or in the morall Law, or are contained in the faith of Abraham; as that Law of not putting away a wife is contained in the faith of Abraham: for that same, Two shall be one flesh, was not delivered either by CHRIST first, or by Moyses, but by Abraham, who first publisht the Creation of the
world. The Lawes therefore which CHRIST contracts in one place, and explaines in another, are no
other than those to which all mortall men are obliged, who acknowledge the God of Abraham. Beside
these, we read not of any Law given by CHRIST, beside the institution of the Sacraments of Baptisme,
and the Eucharist.
IX. What may be said then of these kinde of Precepts: Repent, Be Baptized, Keep the
Commandements, Beleeve the Gospell, Come unto me, Sell all that thou hast, give to the Poor, follow
me, and the like? We must say that they are not Lawes, but a calling of us to the faith, such as is that of Isa. Come, buy wine, and milk without monie, and without Price, Isai. 55. vers. 1. Neither if they come not, doe they therefore sinne against any Law, but against prudence onely; neither shall their infidelity
be punisht, but their former sinnes. Wherefore Saint John saith of the unbeleever, The wrath of God
abideth on him; he saith not, The wrath of God shall come upon him; And, He that beleeveth not, is already judged; he saith not, shall be judged, but is already judged. Nay it cannot be well conceived, that remission of sinnes should be a benefit arising from faith, unlesse we understand also on the other side, that the punishment of sinnes is an hurt proceeding from infidelity.
X. From hence, that our Saviour hath prescribed no distributive Lawes, to the Subjects of Princes, and
Citizens of Cities, that is to say, hath given no rules whereby a Subject may know, and discerne what is
his owne, what another mans, not by what forms, words, or circumstances, a thing must be given, delivered, invaded, possest, that it may be known by Right to belong to the Receiver, Invader, or
Possessour, we must necessarily understand that each single subject (not only with unbeleevers,
among whom CHRIST himselfe denyed himselfe to be a judge and distributer, but even with
Christians) must take those rules from his City, that is to say, from that Man, or Councell, which hath
the supreme power. It followes therefore, that by those Lawes, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not
commit adultery, Thou shalt not steale, Honour thy Father and Mother, nothing else was commanded,
but that Subjects, and Citizens, should absolutely obey their Princes in all questions concerning Meum
& Tuum, their own and others Right. For by that Precept, Thou shalt not kill, all slaughter is not prohibited; for he that said, Thou shalt not kill, said also, Whosoever doth work upon the Sabbath, shall be put to death, Exod 35. vers. 2. No, nor yet all slaughter the cause not being heard; for he said, Slay every man his Brother, and every man his Companion, and every man his Neighbour, Exo. 32. v. 27.
And there fell of the People about three thousand men, v. 28. Nor yet all slaughter of an innocent
Person; for Jephte vowed, Whosoever cometh forth, &c. I will offer him up for a burnt offering unto the Lord, Jud. 11. vers. 31. and his vow was accepted of God. What then is forbidden? Onely this: that no
man kill another, who hath not a Right to kill him, that is to say, that no man kill, unlesse it belong to him to doe so. The Law of CHRIST therefore concerning killing, and consequently all manner of hurt
done to any man, and what penalties are to be set, commands us to obey the City only. In like manner,
by that Precept, Thou shalt not commit adultery, all manner of Copulation is not forbidden, but only that of lying with another mans wife; but the judgment which is another mans wife, belongs to the City, and
is to be determined by the rules which the City prescribes: This precept therefore commands both male
and female to keep that faith intire which they have mutually given, according to the statutes of the City.
So also by the precept, Thou shalt not steal, all manner of invasion, or secret surreption is not
forbidden, but of another mans only. The subject therefore is commanded this only, that he invade not,
nor take away ought which the City prohibits to be invaded or taken away; and universally not to call
any thing murder, adultery, or theft, but what is done contrary to the civill Lawes. Lastly, seeing CHRIST
hath commanded us to honour our Parents, and hath not prescribed, with what Rites, what
appellations, and what manner of obedience they are to be honoured, it is to be supposed that they are
to be honoured with the will indeed, and inwardly, as Kings and Lords over their Children, but
outwardly, not beyond the Cities permission, which shall assign to every man (as all things else, so
also) his honour. But since the nature of justice consists in this, that every Man have his own given him, its manifest, that it also belongs to a Christian City to determin what is justice, what injustice, or a sinne
against justice; Now what belongs to a City, that must be judg'd to belong to him or them who have the
Soveraigne power of the City.
XI. Moreover, because our Saviour hath not shewed Subjects any other Lawes for the government of a
City beside those of nature, that is to say, beside the Command of obedience, no Subject can privately
determine who is a publique friend, who an enemy, when Warre, when Peace, when Truce is to be
made; nor yet what Subjects, what authority, and of what men, are commodious, or prejudiciall to the
safety of the Common-weale. These, and all like matters therefore are to be learned, if need be, from
the City, that is to say, from the Soveraign powers.
XII. Furthermore, all these things, to build Castles, Houses, Temples; to move, carry, take away mighty
weights; to send securely over Seas; to contrive engines, serving for all ma