"Turners of the world upfide down," as their enemies represented them; and the godly martyrs of all ages, fo many felf-murtherers; for they might juftly be ef teemed refifters of worldly authority, fo far as that authority concerned itself with the impofition of religion, because they refused the conformity commanded by it, even to death.

And it may not be unworthy of Cæfar's confideration, that from these proceedings people are tempted to infer, there is nothing in religion but worldly aims and ends; because fo much worldly power is abufed, under the name of religion, to vex and destroy men for being of another religion; and that he hazards the best hold and obligation he hath to obedience, which is confcience. For where they are taught only to obey for intereft, duty and conviction are out of doors. By all means let confcience be facred, and virtue, and integrity (though under diffenting principles) cherished: charity is more powerful than feverity, and perfuafion than all the penal laws in the world.

Laftly, To the reproach of this course with wife men, it hath never yet obtained the end defired; fince, inftead of compliance, the difference is thereby widened, and the fufferers are pitied by fpectators, which only helps to increase the number of diffenters; for whoever is in the wrong, few think the perfecutor in the right. This, in all ages, having been the issue of fevere profecution of diffenters for matters of religion, what a cruel, troublesome, thankless, fuccefslefs office is it for Cæfar to be employed in? May he take better measures of his authority and intereft, and use his power to the encouragement of all the virtuous and induftrious, and juft punishment of the lazy and vicious in all perfuafions; fo fhall the kingdom flourish, and the government prosper.

Church power fuppofeth a church firft. It will not be improper therefore to examine; firft, What a fcripture New-Teftament - church is;' and next, What is the fcripture power belonging to fuch a church. A fcripture-church, as he may be called

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visible,

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vifible, is a company or fociety of people, believing, profeffing, and practising according to the doctrine and example of Chrift Jefus and his apoftles; and not according to the Scribes and Pharifees, that "taught for "doctrine the traditions of men." They are fuch as are meek in heart, lowly in fpirit, chafte in life, virtuous in all converfation, full of felf-denial, k longfuffering and patient, not only forgiving, but loving their very enemies; which answers Chrift's own character of himself, religion, and kingdom, which is the most apt diftinction that ever can be given of the nature of his church and her authority, viz. "My kingdom is not of this world." Which well connects with "Render unto Cæfar the things that are "Cæfar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

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It was an answer to a very fufpicious queftion; for it was familiarly bruited that he was a king, and came to poffefs his kingdom, and was, by fome, called the king of the Jews.

The Jews being then fubjected to the Roman empire, it concerned Pilate, Cæfar's deputy, to understand his pretenfions; which, upon better information, he found to center in this, " "My kingdom is not of this "world, else would my fubjects fight for me.". As if he had faid, Thefe reports are a mere perverfion ⚫ of my peaceable and self-denying intentions; an inC famy invented by malicious Scribes and Pharifees, that they might the better prevail with Cæfar to facrifice me to their hatred and revenge.'

I am Cæfar's friend; I feek none of thefe king<doms from him; nor will I fow fedition, plot or confpire his ruin; no, let all men render unto Cæfar the things that are Cæfar's: that is my doctrine; for I am come to erect a kingdom of another nature than that of this world, to wit, a Spiritual kingdom, to be set up in the heart; and confcience is my throne, upon that will I fit, and rule the children of

⚫ wrongs;

• men in righteousness; and whoever lives foberly, righteously, and godly in this world, fhall be my good and loving fubjects. And they will certainly make no ill ones for Cæfar, fince fuch virtue is the end of government, and renders his charge both < more eafy and fafe than before. Had I any other defign than this, would I fuffer myself to be reproached, traduced, and perfecuted by a conquered people? Were it not more my nature to fuffer than revenge, would not their many provocations have ⚫ drawn from me fome inftance of another kind than the forbearance and forgiveness I teach? Certainly, ❝ were I animated by another principle than the per'fection of meekness and divine sweetness, I should not have forbidden Peter fighting, faying, "Fut up thy fword," or inftruct my followers to bear but have revenged all affronts, and, by plots and other ftratagems, have attempted ruin to my enemies, and the acquifition of worldly empire; and no doubt but they would have fought for me. Nay, I am not only patiently, and with pity to enemies, fenfible of their cruel carriage towards me for my good-will to them, whofe eternal happiness I only feek; but I foresee what they farther intend against me: they design to crucify me: and, to do it, will rather free a murderer, than spare their Saviour. They will perform that cruelty with all the aggravation and contempt they can; deriding me themfelves, and expofing me to the derifion of others: "they will mock my divine kingfhip with a crown of thorns, and in mine agonies of foul and body, for a cordial, give me gall and vinegar to drink. But, notwithstanding all this, to fatisfy the world that my religion is above wrath and revenge, I can forgive

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'them."'

48.

And to fecure Cæfar and his people from all fears of impofition, notwithstanding my authority, and

• Titus ii 12. ? Mat. xxvi. 52.

Luke xxiii. 34. Mat. xxvi, 53.

a Mat. xxvii. 20, 27, 29,

the

the many legions of angels I might command, both to my deliverance, and the enforcement of my meffage upon mankind, I refolve to promote neither with worldly power; for it is not of the nature of my religion and kingdom. And as I neither • affume nor practise any such thing myself, that am ⚫ the great author, promoter, and example of this holy way; fo have I not only never taught my disciples to live or act otherwife, or given them a power I refuse to use myself, but exprefly forbad them, and • warned them, in my instructions, of exercising any the least revenge, impofition or coercion towards any. This is evident in my fermon preached upon the mount, where I freely, publickly, and with much plainnefs, not only prohibited revenge, but enjoined love to enemies, making it to be a great token of true discipleship to fuffer wrongs, and conquer cruelty by patience and forgivenefs; which is certainly very far ⚫ from impofition or compulfion upon other men.

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Furthermore, when I was ftrongly bent for Jerusa• lem, and fent meffengers before to prepare fome en• tertainment for me and my company, in a village belonging to the Samaritans, and the people refused, because they apprehended I was going to Jerufalem, <though fome of my difciples, particularly James and John, were provoked to that degree, that they asked me, if I were willing that they should command fire from heaven to deftroy thofe Samaritans, as Elias • in another cafe had done; I turned about, and rebuked them, faying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit "ye are of; for I am not come into the world to "deftroy mens lives, but," by my peaceable doctrine, example, and life," "to fave them.

At another time, one of my difciples relating to me fome paffages of their travels, told me of a cer⚫tain man they faw, that caft out devils in my name; and because he was not of their company, nor fol

• Mat. v. 44, 45, 46, 47. * Luke ix. 53, 54, 55, 56. "Luke • lowed

ix. 49, 50.

lowed them, faid he, we forbade him; as if they 'thereby served and pleafed me; but I prefently teftified my diflike of the ignorance and narrownefs of their zeal, and, to inform them better, told them, they should not have forbid him; for he that is not against us is for us.'

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My drift is not opinion, but piety: they that cast out devils, convert finners, and turn men to righteousness, are not against me, nor the nature and religion of my kingdom, and therefore ought to be 'cherished rather than forbid. That I might fuffi⚫ciently declare and inculcate my mind in this matter, I did at another time, and upon a different occafion, preach against all coercion and perfecution for matters of faith and practice towards God, in my parable ' of the fower, as my words manifeft, which are thefe ; "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which "fowed good feed in his field; but while men flept, "his enemy came, and fowed tares among the wheat, "and went his way but when the blade fprung up, " and brought forth fruit, there appeared the tares alfo; "fo the fervants of the houfholder came and faid, "Didst thou not fow good feed in thy field? From "whence then hath it tares? He answered, An enemy "hath done this: the fervants faid unto him, " Wile "thou then that we go and gather them up? But he "faid, Nay, left while ye gather up the tares, ye root alfo the wheat with them; let both grow togeup "ther till the harvest, and in the time of harvest I "will fay to the reapers, Gather ye together first "the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, "but gather the wheat into my barn."

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And that I might not leave fo neceffary a truth 'mif-apprehended of my dear followers, or liable to any mif-conftructions, my difciples, when together, defiring an explanation, I interpreted my words • thus:

Mat. xiii, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.

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