SERM. down, and the Kingdoms of the World became VI. the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ (b), according to the Prophecies concerning the Reign of the Meffiah, that there should come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse, which fhould stand for an Ensign of the People; to it should the Gentiles feek, and his Reft Should be glorious (c), and the Completion of them began then to take Place, when our Saviour faid, The Law and the Prophets were until John, but fince that Time the Kingdom of God is preached, and every Man preffeth into it (d); the legal Difpenfation is now drawing to an End, the Gospel is promulgated, and free to be embraced by all Men; thofe, who were afar off, are brought nigh, and made the People of God, though before the Subjects of the Prince of Darknefs,----and when he attefted to the Jews, Behold the Kingdom of God is within, or among you (e) and threatened them for their Contempt of him and his Gospel, that the Kingdom fhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof (f).

IT

(b) Rev. xi. 15.
(d) St. Luke xvi. 16.
(ƒ) St. Matth. xxi. 43.

(c) Ifai. xi. 1, 10.

(e) St. Luke xvii. 21.

Ir is this Kingdom, which St. Paul tells the Romans (g), is not Meat and Drink, but Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft,---it is neither God's natural, nor his moral, nor his political, but his spiritual Kingdom, where he reigns in the Hearts of the Faithful by his Word and Spirit, and conducts them by the Means of his Grace to the Hopes and Fruition of Glory ;---this is alfo frequently called in holy Scripture, the Kingdom of Heaven, as well because the divine Founder of it came down from Heaven, as because it leads all his true Members to Heaven, emphatically called the Kingdom of Glory, though in reality the Kingdoms of Grace and Glory are one and the fame Constitutions, only compofed of different Parts, having Grace for its Way, and Glory for its End.

BUT if we confider them more diftinctly, we fhall find the former to confift of Duty and Labour, the latter of Honour and Reward; the former may be accounted God's Kingdom in its Minority, growing towards Perfection, and the latter by the Wisdom of Counsel and Action arriv'd at its Meridian

(g) Rom. xiv. 17.

SERM.
VI.

SERM. dian of Brightnefs; the former is like a VI. Nation labouring and ftruggling with the

Miseries and Defolations of War, harraffed at home with Infurrections, threatened from abroad with Invafions, where without are Frightnings, within are Fears: But when these Contests and Convulfions are over, and all Enemies, both foreign and domestick are fubdued, then appears the latter in all its Glory; Peace and Society fucceed, Crowns of Victory are worn, and eternal Triumphs are celebrated in the Regions of Blifs. Then fhall God's glorious Kingdom be display'd in its utmost Luftre, into which all good Men, all, who are cloathed with the Righteousness of the Saints (b), fhall gain Admittance, fhall enjoy perpetual Reft and Felicity, and reign with God their Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, for ever and ever.

THUS fays the Almighty Conqueror, who has the Keys of Hell and of Death, To him that overcometh will I grant to fit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame and am fct down with my Father in the Throne (i), but to all the Workers of Iniquity, he fays, There fhall be Weeping and gnashing of Teeth, when ye shall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets

(b) Rev. xix, 8,

(i) Rev. iii. 21.

Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and your felves SER M. thruft out (k).

AND here we have a View of that Kingdom of God, which is principally intended in the Text, and is the State of Happiness inconceivable and everlasting referved for the Righteous in Heaven, the Seat of God's infinite Majefty and Glory, where fuch, as shall be found worthy of it, fhall partake of the utmost Degrees of Bleffednefs, as immense and inexhaustable, as the Fountain they flow from, even the Divine Power and Goodness.

Now the certain Road to this Kingdom of Glory lies through this Righteoufnefs, and none but the Righteous fhall enter into it: Hence arifes the Ufefulness of an Enquiry into the Meaning of his Righteousness, leaft by mistaking our Way, we never finish our Journey beneficially, nor arrive at the blifsful Regions of Eternity.

IT is obfervable, that what we are called upon to feek in this Refpect, is not our own Righteoufnefs, but God's; that Righteousness, which he has demanded by Precept, and enforced by Example; and hereby we are to understand, not a moral, nor a legal, but an Evangelical Righteoufnefs, a zealous

(k) St. Luke xiii, 28.

VI.

SERM. zealous and hearty Attachment to the Doctrines VI. and Duties of the Gofpel in their genuine Sense and utmost Extent. The Laws of God's Kingdom, under which we live, are the Laws of Chrift, and not those of Mofes, or of Nature; and the Conduct of its Subjects must be regulated by the Christian Religin, as it stands distinguished from the Ind the Jewish.

THE latter, indeed, however eagerly contended for through the ftrong Frejudices of Education in the Infancy of Chriftianity, has been entirely given up for many Ages by all, except a fmall Remnant of the antient Jews, who remain as a standing Evidence of the Truth of the Gofpel.

BUT the former, that is Natural Religion, finds many Advocates, and under that Cloak do Infidels generally fhelter themfelves: All the Righteoufnefs they feek, is only the Righteoufnefs of Heathens, and they prefer the Dawn of Reafon, before the Sunshine of Revelation. They boldly claim it as the original Privilege of their Being, to chufe their own Method of Salvation,--prefume to dictate to their Maker, and expect to be admitted to Mercy on fuch Terms, as they think fit to mark out to themselves.

THUS