~------------------------------------~--------------- - · 370 Book IV. Looking unto ::fefns. Chap.r.Sect.~ --------------------------------- phefied, and in the dayes of thefe Kings /lull! the qod ofheaven fi:t up a King dome, which fba!l never bedeflro;ed; now what was th.s Kingdome, but the Kingdomeof grac:? it is by an Hebraifme called the Kingdome oft-leaven, that 1s, an heavenly Kingdome, the Jewes ex.peCl:ed the Meiliah, and dreamed of an oucward glorious, and pompous Kingdome; now faith {ohn , the Mdiiah is come, and his Kingdome is come, but 'tis not an earthly, but an heavenly Kingdome, and therefore reprnt. 4· Sometimes it is taken for the preaching of the Gofpel . or for the preaching of the Kingdome of grace, and mercy of God in Chrifr unto men, q. d. 0 Sirs ! /oolz;d9out you, then's now a di(covery made of the glory andgrace Gj God in another way then tvfrJormtrly, and therefore prepare for it, repent. 5. Sometimes it !s taken for the Go- {pel of Chrifr, as it is publifhed and preached unto all nations . ob terve, I do not only fay for the Gofpel as it is preached; but a~ it is preached to the Gentiles, or among all nations;· and this fhewes how proper and pregnant an argument this was to enforce the doctrine and practice of repentance upon the Jewes, becaufe the calling of the Gentiles was ne10re at hand, which would prove their rejection and cafl:ing off, if they did not r.epent. Oh how feafonable is this Sermon to us? Chrifl:ians! hath not the Kingdome of heaven approacht unto us? take the KingdomeofheavenfonheKingdomeofglory, arewe not neareto the doore ofglory, to the confines of eternity? wh.. t is our life, b11t a vapour that IIP}etlreth f or a little time, anc! afttr it var.ifbeth sway? we know not but 'ere the Sun have run one round, our fouls may be in that world of fouls,. and fo either in heaven, or hell. Or take the Kingdome ofheawn for the Church of .Chrifr, and what expeCtations have we now of the flourifhing !tate of Cbrifis Church here upon earth? then }hal! the t·hildren of Ifrael 11nd {11dah beg:uhcreti tGgether- for gredt fb,J!/ be the day of { ez.- reel, Hof. r. r r. a time is at hand, that Ifrarl and { ud.1h iliall be ealled tov.ether, that the fulnefs of the Gentiles !ha:J Gvme in. ~ ' and what is this but the great d ;y of 'fe:~:.rul? Oh then what manner of perfons oughr we to be? how fpiritual? how heavenly. mir.ded ? A rife, arift,fl;:rkf tjf th)' d:.jf ,for thy ili;ht iJ comir.g, fjnd thegLrpf the Lo;·J is rijing upon. thee. Or, rake the Kingdome of Jmrven, . for the pp:aching, of the Gofpel of grace, mercy andgoodnefs
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