Burroughs - BS2705.4 B87 1653

Goffel-Coriverfatiox. That they thou Id not imhrace it,that's not fo much won- der ; but that they fhould hate it,and perfecute it,and rejec`y it ; there appears their wickednefs. You will fay, How Both it appear ? From my Doctrine it appears thus : IfChrifts kingdom be not a kingdom of this world,it woulddo men no hurt at all, it no waywould hinder any lawful comforts or honors here in this world ; it is not oppofite unto the Kingdoms of the world, that is, fo as to hinder any thing that is good in the world, the kingdom of Chrift may be fet up, and the world need be never the worfe for it. Indeed, it doth oppofe the wic- kednefs of the world, but it Both not oppofe any thing that they dare fay themfelves to be good. Herodperfecu- ted Chrift, becaufe he heard a King ofthe Jews was born : But it was without caufe ; Jefus Chrift He did not come to take the Kingdom of Herod away from him : The Kings of the Earth (the text faith) they conspire together, and are engaged againft Chrift : it is their wickednefs ; Chrift, He doth not envy themor their Kingdoms, they may live and be the Kings of the earth flit!, and yet the kingdom ofJe- fus Chrift may go on ; the truth is, that the kingdom of Jefus Chrift Both not entrench upon any Civil Liberty of men, and it's their hatred to it, that makes them think it cannot hand with Civil Peace ; the kingdom ofChrift may be fet up, and Civil Liberty maintained, You may have your eflates Etill. and yet have the kingdom ofChrift, and youmay Le in place of Rule and Government, and have outward honors (till, and yet beof the kingdom of Chrift. It's true, ifyou be brought into the kingdom ofChrift; perhaps God may call you fometimes to ff lri ge but then it is fo as you will bewilling to it, you call'd to fuffering, but you than fee caufe to be willing to it, you fhall have as much good by what you Puffer, as . you have lofs of outward comforts : but this I fpeak, that the kingdom of Chrift intrenches not upon any Civil Li- berties of men they may enjoy all their lawful comforts, their Oates, their Rule, their Government : and yet King- the

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