O how little is this confider'd by us, whilft we live careletly, and take our Pleasure, making it the end of all we do to please our felves, and behaving our felves fo loofly, as if Chrift's only Bufinefs into the World had been to deliver us from the Damnation which we deferved for our Sins, but not to give us any Laws to live by. I fay, this is not confidered as it ought to be, for if it were, we could not live at the Rate we now do, that is, as moft of us live, quite contrary to the Laws Chrift has given us, and which are the Laws of his Kingdom, and yet hope to be faved by him. If we will not go blindly or madly on to our own deftruction, we must remember that we still live as much as ever in the Kingdom of God, and are the Subjects of Chrift who is now our King, and cannot be faved by him without a conftant Obedience to him. 3, Seeing that the state of Chriftians under the Gospel is not only a Kingdom, but the Kingdom of Heaven, and of God: We learn hence, that our Conversation here on Earth ought to be an Heavenly Conversation, and a Godly Life. It is not an Earthly Kingdom, fuch as the Jews look'd for in the Meffiah, wherein they hoped to enjoy great Plenty of all Earthly Things, to Lord it over their Enemies, and to live free from all Worldly troubles and vexations; and because they found not the Holy Jefus when he came, a likely Perfon to put them into fuch a profperous Condition, were therefore offended at him, and rejected him; and for the fame reafon he hath fo few Followers now. No, as he told the Jews very plainly, his Kingdom is not of this World. Job. 18. 36. neither cometh it with Obfervation. Luk. 18. 20. that is, it is not visible and obfervable, fervable, as Secular Kingdoms are for outward Pomp and Splendor, but it is commendable for its Purity, and is altogether Spiritual and Heavenly. The King of it is now gloriously reigning in Heaven, fitting at his Father's Right Hand in Celestial Power and Majefty; The Laws of it are Spiritual, reaching the Heart and Spirit in Man, which no Human Laws can touch; the Power whereby he reigns and governs the Hearts of Men, is the fecret and invifible power of the Holy Ghoft, by whom we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature, and the end of it is to make us Spiritually minded. Rom. 8. 6. which is Life and Peace; to purge our Hearts and Affections from every thing that is Earthly and Fleshly, crucitying the Flesh with the Affections and Lufts, crucifying the World to us, and us unto the World. Gal. 6. 14. So that henceforward we no more know Chrift after the Flefh. 2 Cor. 5. 16. for any outward Worldly advantages that we hope to have by him, — but as glorified in Heaven, and thence by the power of his Holy Spirit, transforming us into his own Image daily more and more, and by all Heavenly Vertues implanted in us, daily cleaning and renewing our Natures to render us meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light: purifying us, as himself is pure, that we may be able to fee him as he is, in the perfection of Holinefs. Hence it is, that the Apoftle faith of himself, and all fincere Chriftians, Phil. 3. 10: Our Converfation is in Heaven, whence also we look for the Saviour our Lord Jefus Chrift. We live as Citizens of Heaven, for there we hope to live with Chrift our King, and therefore all our Bugnefs is to learn to live fo as we must do there, if we shall live there at all. Not as fome do, mind 2 ing Earthly Things, whofe End, he tells us, v. 19. is deftruction. In short, Heaven is the Chriftians Country, he is but a Stranger and Pilgrim upon Earth, and counts himself not at Home till he come to Heaven. Whilft we are converfant in the Body we are abfent from the Lord. 2 Cor. 5. 6. Therefore faith St. Paul v. 8. we are willing rather to be abfent from the Body, and to be prefent, or at Home with the Lord. Having therefore thefe Promises, let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holinels in the Fear of God. C. 7. I. O how little is this confidered by us, that as many as are Chriftians live already in the Kingdom of Heaven. For no other is the Kingdom of Chrift, but the Kingdom of Heaven which is begun on Earth, but perfected in Heaven. The Marriage betwixt Chrift and his Church, the Bridegroom and the Bride is made here, the Marriage Feaft is held in Heaven. Tho' therefore the Lives of Christians cannot be by reason of our imperfect ftate fo perfectly holy as in Heaven; yet muft they be Heavenly, that is, holy, in as great a degree as Earth will admit of, even boly in all manner of Converfation, tho' not in the highest degree of perfection. 1 Pet. 1. 15. in Thought, in Word, in Deed, as it is written, be ye Holy, for God is Holy. And we were redeemed from our vain Converfation received by Tradition from our Fathers, with the precious Blood of Chrift, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without Spot. v. 18, 19. How can we think of all this (who profess our felves Chriftians, or the Subjects of the Holy and Heavenly Jesus) without Blushing and Trembling, when we reflect upon the ordinary course of of our Lives? Alas, what is there that favours of Heaven about us? Are we not rather afham'd, that any thing fhould appear in our Converfation that looks Heavenly? Do not we strive quite contrary to the Apostles rule, Rom. 12. 2. to conform ourselves, even as much as we can or dare to this World, inftead of being transformed by the renewing of the Spirit of our Mind, that we may prove what is that good and perfect, and acceptable will of God: For, I. What is the Law we govern ourselves by? Is it the will of Chrift, or is it not rather every one's own Will and Pleafure? Is it not every one's Humour and Luft? Now none of these are of the Father but of the World, 1 John 2, 16. 2. What are the Patterns of Imitation, that we propound to our felves to live by? Are they Heavenly or Earthly: Are we followers of God as dear Children, walking in love, Eph.5, 1. Take we care that the fame mind be in us, that was in Chrift Fefus, Phil. 2, 5. who made himself of no reputation. We pray that God's will may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven; but are we not a great Ideal more follicitous to follow the Cuftoms of Men in the World, than the example of the Holy Angels in Heaven? 3. What's our great delight? Is it in Holiness and Heavenly purity; and fuch Spiritual Exercifes as tend towards Heaven? Or is it not rather in fulfilling the Lufts of the Flesh, and in thofe vain Pomps and Vanities of the World, which in our Baptifm we renounce ? 4. What is our chief defire and hope, and end which we principally aim at in all we do? Do we feck thofe things which are above, where Chrift fit. fitteth on the right hand of God? and fet we our Affections on things above, and not on things on the Earth? Col. 3. 1, 2. Alas, who aims at any thing almoft, but the things on Earth? What a buftle is about the Kingdoms of this World ? And what Contrivances have we to come to a full fhare of the Wealth, and Honours, and Pleafures of this World? What doth the Rich and Great Man ftrive for, but to have more of this World than others? And what doth the Poor and Meaner Man labour for, but to get as much of this World as he can? O, how few are they, who are all their Life time ftriving to enter in at the ftrait Gate? Who are labouring night and day for the Meat that perifheth not, but endureth unto everlasting Life? And where then are Christians, the Subjects of Chrift in the Kingdom of Heaven? Matt. XXV. 1. This Kingdom of Heaven fhall be likened to ten THE He number of thefe Perfons with whom the Church, or Members of it is here compared, is not, I think, at all confiderable in this place; it is not used to fignifie any Mystery in Religion, or to inftruct us in any point of Faith or Duty. But because the number of Virgins to wait on the Bride at fuch Marriages was ufually ten; therefore our Saviour mentions this number and if they had ordinarily been of any other number greater or lefs, he would have fo expressed himself. That which is here confiderable, is the quality of the Perfons, they are Virgins Chaft, undefiled Maidens; that is, at the Bride groom's |