j' + CM~ ~r~;~ h~ '~~:li::::::~,~~:;.~ m''"' <b<Gor,J the K~gdom,(which~at.I3: is call'd the K_ in~dPm of HetWen, ~nd compa;ed m a draw-net) for how can It be hkeumo ten Vug1ns? nor yet the Internal Kmgdo11 of grace fer up in the hem of every believer (which is called agrain of Mu!hrdfeed, Mat.q.) for howcan any fooli!h Virgins be there? or what !hare have they in that? Therefore I conceive 'tis clear, chat by the Kingdom of Heaven here, is meant the external Kinodom of Chriil: in thi< world : that is, the viiible Church, or the eftate of the ~iiible Church, which is frequently called in Scripture, the Kingdomof Heaven, as, Mat.8.u. &zi.43· In which Kingdom fome are wife, Jome fooiilh, all profelfe Chrift, look for the coming of Cbrill:, fo.r · ~alvation fro:n Chrifi, the eitate of this, viflble Church Jhal! be like ten Doa. t. Rtaf I. Vugms. · SECT. II. AND hence I !hall note this one thing. That the vijible Ch~~rch of God rm eiiTth, ejpecial!J in the times ofthe GofPel, is tl:e Kingdom of Heaven upon earth. For look ul:'on the face of the whole earth, there you may fee the Kingdoms of men, and the Kingdom of Satan,fin and death, which the Apo!He faith, Rom. 5. Teia eth over all men ; here is only the Kingdom of He,wen, upon earrh, v1 ".t,. in ~he vifibleChurch; 'tis not the place only which makes either Heaven or Hell, (though there is a place for both) but rhe Gate principally makes both, one may be in Hell upon emh, as Chrifi was in his bitter agony, and aman may be in akind of HeJven upon earth, as Chri!t rels his hearers, that the J(i,gdPm of Heaven wiU at f.and ; a man m~y be under the Kingdom of Satan and darknefie upon earth, Col.r.q. which is a kind of Hell; and why not as well under the Kingdom ofGod on earth, which is a kind of Heaven, dpecially (I fay) now under the Gofpel , wherein the Lord bath begun to fulfil, chat which was but only promifed under the Old Te!tament to be fulfilled in the fourth and lalt Monarchy, (Dan.2.44.) in the time of the New: In the fiate of Chrill's vilible Church, which lhould by little and little beat down all other Kingdoms of the world. SECT. III. I. B 'Ecaufe the fame King that is reign~ng in Heaven, is reigning here, is pre- . fent here,Pfa. z .6 .And here the Sarnts are commanded to rejoyce,to !hour, and to be glad with all cheir hearts, becaufe of the prefence of this their King among them, Zeph.J.I4,I5· 'Tis true indeed he is King o~er all the world; che immediate execution of all Gods common, as well as lpecial provtdence, is put into the: hand of this King, the Lord Jefus. But as for his Enemies, and other creatures, he reignes over them a' a King of power, but he reignes no~ for rhem alfo as a King of Grace and love, for thus he reignes among his people in his Church, Dem. 33 .z6,z 7. The Lord is prefent with every one of his people, [everally, but much more joymly, when two or three of them are met together ~n his Name. z. Becaufe here are the Lawes of Heaven, Heb.1z.z5. Take heed (fJ2Caking of the Mini!try of the Gofpel in the Churches) that ye refufe not to hear hrm who fpeakech from Heaven, which Lawes are not only here promulgated (as they be among the enemies of this Kingdo:n) but accepted and received alfo, without which Lawes what Kingdom could there be? Chrill's Kingdom in this world is neither tyrannical, nor arbitrary, to govern without Law; no, no, but if be be our
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