Of 4e Kingdom of God. 163 prehendeth the whole plan of chriflianity, S ER M. its laws, and the benefits it conferreth on VI. thofe who by faith become the fubje is of `'VJ Chrift, and are governed by him. I come, in the fecond place, to confider wherein the apoftle faith the kingdom of God doth not confifl, namely, meats and drinks, or other things of a parallel nature. When he declareth what the kingdom of God is or is not, he meaneth the effential parts of the gofpel conftitution, which have an immediate neceffary conne ±ion with its principal defign. In Elates and kingdoms there are fundamental laws, on the prefer-. vation and obfervance whereof the publick good, the end of government, dependeth ; and without which the liberty of the fub- je 1, and the rights of the fovereign cannot be maintained. If any one would defcribe the conftitution, he mull reprefent it as con - filling in thefe, not in appointments of a far inferior confideration which do not affect the being of the fociety. And thus the apoftle's defign is to thew wherein the effence of chriflianity doth not, and wherein it doth lie ; he faith, not meats and drinks, which were the matters in difference among the chriftians of that age, and fo the argument M z is
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