A Century of Sermons, Sermon 16
THE SIXTEENTH SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation.
MAT. iv. 9.
All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me.
St. Luke more largely renders it thus, chap. iv. 6.
All this power Will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is deliver'd unto me, and to whom ſoever I will give it: if thou therefore Wilt Worſhip me all ſhall be thine.
YOU heard before what vaſt ſums of wealth the great Prince of the riches of this World did commend out of his moſt abundant, but deceitful liberality to our Saviour: all theſe things will I give thee. Solomon had a mighty Tribute, 666 talents of gold yearly, and ſilver as the ſtones of the ſtreet: all his veſſels were of pure gold, ſilver was not anything accounted of in the daies of Solomon. Yet the whole revenue of Solomon was but beggerie to thoſe comings in which Satan promiſed in this place, haec omnia, whatſoever the globe of the earth conteins without exception, or deduction. But as if the Tempter would exceed himſelf, and riſe above all expectation, his mouth ſpeaks greater things by far in that which follows now to be handled, than in thoſe particulars which I opened before, for he will engage to make our Saviour Lord of all the Kingdoms in the World, all this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, he ſhould have that into the bargain. Pompey the great, ſaith Livie, made the Romans Lords of ſo much land by his ſucceſsful victories, that unleſs he had taken ſo many captives, as he did, the land could not have been till'd and occupied: and again he made them Lords of ſo many captives, that unleſs he had ſeiz'd upon ſo much land, the captives could not have been received and harbour'd. So the Devil offer'd our Saviour ſo much wealth, that unleſs he had promis'd to give him all the honour of the world, it could not have been ſpent; and again he offer'd him ſo much honour, that unleſs he had promiſed him all the wealth in the world it could not have been maintein'd.
But what will all this come to? here's a ſhower of wealth and glory pour'd down, what thunderbolt comes after it? timeo Daneos, & dona ferentes, ſhut the gift out of doors till ye know the condition, why it ſhould be receiv'd: a wiſe man will be as careful leſt any thing ſhould be baſely given him, as he will be circumſpect that nothing be unjuſtly taken from him: for many times the intent of pernicious liberality is to make a man incur the fouleſt ſins in the world to avoid ingratitude. The woman had a cup of gold in her hand, but it was full of abomination, Rev. 17.14. ſo the purpoſe of this great gift is to take the Devils Damm with a Dowry, to be raiſed up on high above all the Dominions of the Earth, ut lapſu graviore ruat, then to fall down from that height, and to commit Idolatry. What were the ſeveral particulars which I charged upon the whole Text the laſt time, it will be fit for me to repeat, and for you to hear. Firſt, wherein the forcible enticement of this laſt Tentation conſiſts in giving a ſpeeding word I told you, and very provocative, dabo I will give thee. Secondly what, and how much he would give, and that's twofold: Firſt, as a Mammon of iniquity, all riches and poſſeſſions that the eye could ſee, and, as a Lucifer of pride, the power of all the Kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them. Thirdly, he ſhews Chriſt his evidences, quo jure, by what right and authority he can make over all this unto him, in thoſe words for that is deliver'd unto me, and to whomſoever I will give it. Fourthly and laſtly, every bait hath his hook under it, this promiſe hath a moſt impious condition annext unto it, if Chriſt will fall down and worſhip him.
I have ſpoken of the former part of the gift which this inſolent Braggart made oſtentation to beſtow, he would put all the riches of the world into one donative, and confer it upon our Saviour. I will look back no farther upon that which I have deliver'd already: but the other half of his gift, to which now I muſt proceed, ſmels more rank of boaſting; for if it pleaſe you, he will turn all the Kingdoms of the world into one Monarchy, and ſettle it upon Chriſt, all this power will I give thee, and the glory of them. This will bring his ends to paſs indeed, or nothing: he that will not be bought with honors, no not with great advancements, no not with Princely Royalties to ſwarve from righteouſneſs, you may turn him looſe againſt all the enticements of Hell, for a Chriſtian that is unvanquiſhable. But the Tempter hath ſound out by long experience, that ſuch pure matter is rarely to be found in the droſs of this world: he ſees that men do ſeldom deny him any thing, if he can accompliſh the deſires of their aſpiring thoughts: He makes good bargains of his petty promotions, how much more of his greateſt? There are enough, and too many, that for a little command, a vulgar title, for a mean remove will turn their backs to God, and their faces to Satan. There are undergrowing ambitions, which ſhall not need to be carried to the top of a mountain, and have Kingdoms ſhewn unto them; let them be lifted but to the loweſt Steeple in a Dioceſs, and they will commit Simony, and forſwear it: To be a Ruler over thouſands will ſhake an ambitious mans honeſty very far to compaſs it, nay to be a Ruler over ten, which is the lag end of all honor, ſome will violate their conſcience rather than go without it: what if it were to be but Doeg, the chief Heardſman of Saul, to have the greateſt ſuperiority over beaſts; Why Doeg was both a promoter and a blood-ſucker for that contemptible promotion. The twelve Diſciples, Chriſt himſelf walking juſt before them, fell out among themſelves into hot words and contention, quis eſſet major, which of them ſhould be the greater. If one had been the greateſt, as in very good ſenſe they were all equal, what ſhould he have got by it? to be the chief over eleven, that had left all, and were worth nothing. If the Tempter be aware of this, as our infirmities are not hid from him, that men will tread virtue under foot, to crawle up to a petty advancement, then he would eaſily think this provocation in my Text were irreſiſtable; all this power and glory will I give thee, and all the Kingdoms of the world.
If Balaac will ſay to ſome, I will promote you to great honor, as he did to Balaam, all the Angels of heaven ſhould not hinder them from going to it: ambitious perſons will break through the hedg of all honeſty for a title of high preeminence, and when their indirect courſes carry them down to the deep, their fancie flatters them, that they go up like Elias in a whirl-wind to heaven. There was nothing hanging with Chriſt upon his Croſs, except a title over his head, Jeſus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. And why a great title crucified with him? though he deſerved that Inſcription, and a far greater than Pilat or all the world could invent, yet above all the ſins of men, ambition, and great titles, which too often are obtained by crooked courſes, they deſerve to be crucified. Mans thoughts fly upward like the ſparks from the fire. Core and Dathan cannot endure to be leſs than the greateſt. Every man would be a Moſes in the Common-wealth, every man an Aaron in the Church. Brethren forget brethren in way of Soveraignty, as Joſeph's brethren did conſent to kill him, or ſell him away, rather than bow unto him. Abſolon, a Son and Subject, abjures his duty to his Father, and his Prince. Athaliah defrauds her own child, to get the ſupreme authority in her own hand. This ſtrugling for greatneſs, eſpecially for a Crown and Scepter, hath occaſion'd more iniquity, more flagrant ſins, than any one ſtorm that ever was rais'd. Si violandum eſt jus, regni cauſâ violandum, ſayes C. Caeſar: he would do no body wrong for leſs than to gain a Kingdom: but he thought it impoſſible for a man to temper himſelf in that tentation, that had opportunity.
And why ſhould the appetite of ſupreme honor bewitch a man ſooner than any thing elſe from the fear of God, and draw him from it? becauſe power and glory are two ſuch ſpecious and attractive things, which are intrinſecal to the dignity of Princes: and Satan, I warrant you, did not forget to caſt thoſe two words in Chriſts way, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them. There is power in Princes as well to advance where they like, as to puniſh offendors; and reaſon good they ſhould be ſerv'd with all humble reverence, and have the higheſt glory on earth aſcrib'd unto them, becauſe they are ſet over us for our good to maintain publick peace and true religion. The power which Pharaoh had, oh how it pleaſeth an hauty ſpirit! he tels Joſeph what he would do for him in this phraſe, without thee ſhall no man lift up his hand, or his foot in all Egypt, Gen. xli. 44. or that majeſtical terror which Nebuchadonoſor put upon all that were under him, nothing more greedily ſought for. Says Daniel to Belſbazzar, The moſt high God gave Nebuchadonoſor thy Father a Kingdom, and glory, and honor: whom he would he ſlew, and whom he would he kept alive; whom he would he ſet up, and whom he would he put down, Dan. v. 19. Satan knew that to manage ſuch power as this is a whetſtone able to ſet akeen edg upon any mortal appetite. But if any one love to govern with a ſoft hand, and affect not the execution of that awful power, to put terror upon inferiours, yet the glory with which Soveraignty is beſpangled, will rob a man of his heart, and ſteal it from him. Who would refuſe to be a Solomon? his Palace was beyond all buildings; his Throne ſo coſtly,1 King. x. 20. that there was not the like made in any Kingdom: the Meat of his Table, the Attendance of his Miniſters, and their Apparel, the Queen of Sheba had never ſeen or heard of the like. Such pomp as this would make a man believe he had built his neſt in the ſtars. Satan thought his tentation ſtruck home, when he promiſed ſuch glory as this unto our Saviour. How much more was this motion moſt perſwaſive when he beleaguer'd him with this offer, to pluck the faireſt feather out of every Monarchy, and inveſt him with it? where there was any power, or any glory fit for his wiſh, it ſhould be caſt upon him. David had a Kingdom of much power, yet of little glory; for his reign was full of trouble and rebellion. Hezekiah had a Kingdom of much glory; great treaſures, great magnificence in his houſe; yet it was of ſmall power, for he was an Homager and a Tributary to the King of Aſſyria; and he ſent him word,2 Ki. xviii. 14. that which thou putteſt upon me I will bear. But the Tempter ſays, none of theſe defects ſhould trouble Chriſt, he would cull out for him all the choice and deſirable things, the power and the glory: as the Poet ſaid of his Stilicho, the good things which were ſcattered and divided in many hands, in te juncta fluent, they ſhould all meet in him, as in their center.
Though the ſpiders web be made on the top of the houſe, yet it is quickly ſwept away: ſo all ambitious thoughts which ſcale up upon the Devils ladder are quickly diſmounted, if you will remember, that no man can ſubſiſt on high who hath the plummet of iniquity to weigh him down: though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he ſhall periſh for ever like his own dung, he ſhall fly away as a dream, yea he ſhall be chaſed away as a viſion of the night, Job. xx. 8. When Herod ſat in his Majeſty, but was exalted againſt God in the pride of his heart, an Owl preſented it ſelf before him on the top of his Throne, foreign, as Homer calls it,Iliad. ω. a bird of fatal prediction, and Herod himſelf took it for a preſage of ſome ſudden and miſerable death; and ſo it came to paſs. Methinks every one that hath hoiſted himſelf into advancement by impiety, ſhould often ſee ſome ſuch diſmal Owl before him, an infallible preſager of great misfortune; for God will be glorified in their ruin, that did not account his ſervice before all things to be their glory, and the glory of the world. O what an happy thing it is, when God ſhall call a dignified and an honorable perſon his friend! as it is in the Parable, friend ſet up higher: but I will never clamber up by baſe and ſinful arts, that God ſhall ſay, art thou aſcended higher O mine enemy? God hath taught us to pray, My will be done, and mine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory: in the Devils Academy the leſſon goes thus, worſhip me, and let my will be done, and thine ſhall be the Kingdom, the power, and the glory. Satan cares not to whom he paſſeth away that Doxologie, that chain of praiſe and honor, which belongeth to God, Kingdom, power, and glory; for he pointed to the Kingdoms of the world, they were included in the gift, and ſaid, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, as who ſhould ſay, if Chriſt would make a God of him, he would make a God of Chriſt: ka me and ka thee: fall down and worſhip me, as if I were a God upon earth, and thou ſhalt have Kingdom, power, and glory, as if thou wer't God in heaven. This Satan ſpake not of himſelf, but like Caiaphas, he prophefied he knew not what. I muſt not forget where one good turn hath deſerv'd another, much after this example. The Conclave of Cardinals, that know the Pope to be juſtly no more than a Biſhop of one Dioceſs in Italy, enſtile him above Caeſar, and all free Monarchs that are anointed Kings: and the Pope to requite it, knowing the Cardinals in their original to be but Pariſh-Prieſts of Rome, hath given them precedency above all Princes, mulus mulum ſcabit. This is my Text directly borrowed to make that match, if you will fall down and worſhip me, ye ſhall have power and glory.
But to return: Get thee hence Satan, ſayes our Saviour in the next verſe, or as He chides in St. Luke, Get thee behind me Satan: He is behind all the ſervants of God, in many degrees worſe than the meaneſt Chriſtian: it cannot be in the capacity of ſuch an underling to be the Patron of honor: Medice cura teipſum; why doth he not recover the glory which himſelf hath loſt, if he be an advancer? beſide, ſuch an ambitious ſpirit, if he had any thing to give, would never part with his Royalty; or if he had ends to communicate and impart, for certain he would paſs over David, Hezekiah, Joſiah, that brake down Groves and Images, and uſed all hoſtility againſt his Idols. Away with ſuch a giver. He that ſeeketh honor and a bleſſing with it, let him ſeek it of the Lord, and look upon himſelf with that comfort that David did, when God had brought him from following the Ewes great with young, to ſet him with the Princes of his People; David ſings it merrily, Pſal. iii. 3. Thou art my worſhip, and the lifter up of my head. As for Simon Magus that grew great with Nero by Sorcery;2 King. xvi. and Ʋrijah the Prieſt, who wonn King Ahaz favour for prophaning the Altar of the Lord, and Rhehoboams young Courtiers that ſwayed all by flattery, and giving evil counſel; every dignity that ſuch men get ſhall be an evil deſtiny unto them; for God is a jealous God, and will deface that Coat of honor, where the Devil was the Herald, that ſold it for iniquity. And whereas the wickedly advanced takes it upon Satans word, that power and glory ſhall be the ſupporters of his Eſcutcheon, it ſhall be much otherwiſe in the proof. Is it power they look for? God wot it ſhall be thraldom. Falſam ſpondet potentiam. Qui facit peccatum ſervus eſt peccati, ſayes St. Auſtin. There is no ſuch ſervitude in the world as to be ſold over to ſin; and his ſervants ye are to whom you obey. Is it glory they hunt for? but it will fall out to be their deſcription which the Apoſtle makes to the Philippians, whoſe glory is their ſhame: Either their memorial ſhall periſh with them, or their infamy ſhall be depainted in ſome better hiſtory to after ages. To conclude this point, ſtop your ears at ſuch promiſes as kingdom, and power, and glory, and pay ſuch ſacrifices of praiſe to him that ows them. I will magnifie thee O Lord my King, ſaid David, Pſal. cxlv. and at the 12 verſe, he ſpeaks it open, that thy power, thy glorie, and mightineſs of thy Kingdom might be known unto men.
Thus far I have proceeded to ſhew, that promotion, eſpecially to the nobleſt, honors, to power and glorie, is a fiery dart ſo dangerous to ſpeed, that Satan ſeldom caſts it in vain. Then imagin how far he hoped to prevail, when he drew his arrow to the head, and ſollicited Chriſt with the promiſe of all the Kingdoms of the world? All this power will I give thee, and all the glory of them. A magnanimous lye, and he that would ſtudy for ſuch a thing could not tell a louder. Though by preſtigiation, or ſome hidden art, he could ſhew all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye, yet it is not ſo eaſie a task, with his leave, to give all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye: he muſt have a ſtrong ſtomach, and a moſt robuſtious belief, that could concoct this opinion, that all the Rulers of the earth, even the mighty Roman Monarchs, the greateſt of all Princes in that age, would ſubmit their Crowns, and take law from another at the firſt asking, and never draw ſword for it, nor give battel to reſiſt it. It was a ſhort Motto which Pompey gave touching his ſpeedy victories in Aſia, yet the work was longer a doing than ſo; Veni, vidi, vici, he came towards them, and looked them in the face, and vanquiſht them. Yet Satan pretended to make briefer work than this Motto; execrable ſpirit, he dares to aſſume that which is proper to the Almighty, to ſpeak the word, and the whole World ſhould have a new face of government; and that he could remove Kings, as Chriſt ſaid his Diſciples by faith ſhould remove mountains, be thou caſt into the ſea, and it ſhould be gone. Perhaps he remembers how ſuddenly himſelf was depoſed from glory; I ſaw Satan fall like lightning, ſayes our Saviour, which flaſheth through the air, and is out before you could think of it: and when God pleaſeth all the Kingdoms of the Earth ſhall have as ſudden a tranſmutation, when he ſhall come in glory, and take all power and dominion into his own hand, to judg both the quick and the dead. But in the mean time the Thrones of Kings are eſtabliſhed in Heaven, the powers that are they are from God, and it is not in the ſtrength of Satan to confuſe thoſe Governments which God hath put in order; therefore he is a lyar with an hyperbole of impudencie, to ſay, all this power will I give thee, &c.
Yet by theſe words Ambition is accuſed to be an unſtinted ſin, for why ſhould Satan offer all, but that he knows it to be an unlimited paſſion, which is not ſatiated with one Crown, but would ſubject every corner of the world unto it ſelf. The Sun can endure the Moon to partake with it in giving light unto the earth, the Sun to govern the Day, and the Moon to govern the Night, but amongſt theſe proud imperious Spirits, ſome can endure no Superiour, and ſome no equal. Every one that is not their Vaſſal is held their Enemy. Fire is a raging Element, and would turn all other Elements into it ſelf if God ſhould not temper and aſſwage it: So if God ſhould not raiſe up Adverſaries to oppoſe ſome mens Ambition, they would bruiſe the four quarters of the world with a rod of Iron. Is it not enough to write this word under a terreſtrial Sphere for an Empreza of large Dominions? Sol mihi ſemper lucet, it is always day in ſome of his Realms, if the Sun ſet in one of his Kingdoms, it is ſhining in another; Is not this enough I ſay? But further to betray a mind that aims at all, theſe Letters were engraven upon a Gate at Rome at a ſolemn time of Triumph, Ʋnus Deus, unus Papa, unus rex catholicus. I will not interpret them out of Latine, for I hope they ſhall never be turned into Engliſh; I think if God ſhould create a new earth, which never was made before, ſome would lay claim to it. As Fr. Victoria, and ſundry other Divines ſtretcht their learning to prove it out of the Goſpel that the whole Tract of America, poſſeſs'd before by millions of Owners, but newly diſcovered to Europe, did every whit belong to the King their Maſter. The cares, the anxieties, the watchings that a good Ruler ſuffers, to keep a ſmall part of the earth, which God hath given him, in Juſtice, and the love of true Religion: The Eagerneſs, the Fury, the Phrenſie that the Ambitious hath to claſp and compaſs all that God hath made here beneath, which is more wide and ample by far than it is poſſible for one mans forcaſt and providence to keep in order. None ſhall be more willing than Satan to make one man Lord of all, for that is the ready way to mar all: And when that enemy of our peace hath ſtoln away our content, he cares, not what we compaſs, though it were all the power and glory in the world; for without it we ſhall ſeem loſers to our ſelves, and ſuch as are always wanting. When Eve was Lady and Miſtreſs of the whole world without a Competitor, yet becauſe there was a Godſhip higher than that eſtate ſhe was not ſatisfied with her portion, but would try concluſions to be like unto God knowing good and evil. But to contract this Point, I give it this minatory farewel: He that extends his Ambition to get all power and all glory, he that knows no top in that honour that he would mount to, ſhall be caſt down into miſery that hath no bottom, into the bottomleſs pit.
It is but late that I told you in a former Sermon upon this Text, that when the Tempter made an overture to Chriſt of all the Riches in the Univerſe, that the gift was not more ſpacious than unjuſt: for it cannot be ſuppoſed how one man ſhould be ſeized of all that is in the world by his proper right, but by ejecting all Poſſeſſors in the world, and reſpectively every private man, from that Inheritance which he held before. And that the wicked one may be conſtant to himſelf, at all times alike ſtark naught, he deals worſe in this half of his liberality than in the former; for if he intend to make Chriſt the Catholick Monarch of the world, and give him all the power and glory of it, it muſt need fall in that all the Kings and Princes of the world muſt be depoſed from their Soveraignty, and ſtrike ſail to the new erected. A diſcovery not to be paſſed in ſilence; It hath been defended by many Pens of late, that Gregory the Seventh was the firſt that ever broach'd the Doctrine and Practice together, that the Anointed of the Lord might be unking'd, and ſtript of all their Royaltie by the effulminations of the Romans Pontife. Loe you now that the learned of the Proteſtants ſhould be ſo much over-ſeen in Antiquity, for here is a Claſſical Author in my Text that holds that opinion about a thouſand years, a little over or under, before Hildebrand had his honour. For that Gregory the Seventh flouriſhed much about a thouſand years after Chriſt, that very time which the Spirit of God ſaid ſhould be fulfilled, and then Satan ſhould be let looſe after that one thouſand years for a little ſeaſon. But, as I ſaid, Hildebrand was not the firſt broacher of that diſloyal Paradox, here is his chief in my Text; and to confirm what I ſay, Matthew Paris, our own Hiſtorian of great fame, avers, that the ſaid Pope at his death (which was in baniſhment) cried out of his own wicked ways, and treacherous Principles againſt his Lord the Emperour, and confeſſed that the Devil ſet him on to diſturbe the whole world with mutiny.
Yet how little the Succeſſors in the Papacy have profited by his repentance I will tell you by that which is diſputed daily in the School of one Tyrannus, that I may allude to that of St. Luke, Acts xix 9. Thoſe Dogmatiſts are divided three ſeveral ways: Some conſciencious Romaniſts have taught that the Pope may not at all intermeddle with the diſpoſition of earthly Kingdoms, either to reſtrain or depoſe Princes though tyrannical, or heretical, or blaſphemous: Their converſion is to be zealouſly prai'd for, in the mean time their yoke is to be born with patience, and we muſt kiſs the ſcourge of God. The Sorbon Divines of Paris do generally carry this badge, and the Proteſtant Churches unanimouſly ſpeak this Language. The ſecond Tenent is that the Temporal Soveraignty of the whole world is inherent in the Office of Chriſts Vicar, as they call him, to give, change, alter, or confirm the Titles of particular Princes, as his infallible judgment ſhall lead him. Let every brain that is not diſtempered judge what a Doctrine this is. Non ſani eſſe hominis non ſanus juret Oreſtes. The third Tenent which Cardinal Bellarmine and the Jeſuitical Pack maintain, is a modification of the former. The Pope hath no temporal Soveraignty at all annexed by vertue of the Papacy; but Indirectè & in ordine ad ſpiritualia; indirectly, and to remove the impediments of the common good, eſpecially of the Church, he might ſend to the people by his Briefs that they owe no ſubjection to a wicked King; that he could take off their Oath of Fealty, and free them from Perjury, that he hath power to excommunicate ſuch Princes, and tranſlate their Kingdoms from them to ſuch as he ſhall adjudge to be more Catholick. Whether he will arm the Son againſt Father, the Brother againſt the Brother, a Rebel againſt his true King (all theſe have been done) why it lies In ſcrinio pectoris, he may collate the Dominions of ſuch Princes on whom it liketh him. Pray you how much doth this opinion differ from the ſecond? You may eaſily find, it is but white money turned into Gold, and comes all to one payment. For the Biſhop of Rome is made the Judge himſelf when a Kingdom wants a fit Governour for the good of the Church, for the wholſom adminiſtration of Juſtice; ſince therefore all Regal Authority hangs upon Papal diſcretion, it comes all to one paſs with that moſt impudent ſecond opinion, which ſays, the Power and glory of the Kingdoms in the world are abſolutely in his donation.
It is no toying in ſo main a cauſe as this, which concerns the Crowns and Scepters of all Sacred Princes therefore I will demonſtrate that I plead againſt them according to the charge of their own Bill. Thus Baronius, to begin with him, who ſpeaks his mind in theſe words for his holy Father, Annal. tom. an. 1074. Num. 56.whom our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the King of glory hath conſtituted a Prince over all the Kingdoms of the world. Auguſtinus Triumphus, All Power and Royalty is ſubdelegated from the Pope to other Princes. No man can give him any Soveraignty which he had not by right before. Nec Conſtantinus dedit quicquam Sylveſtro, quod non prius erat ſuum, ſays he; The Canoniſts talk of Conſtantines donation to Sylveſter, giving him the temporal Principality of Romania, he gave him nothing but that which was his own before, that, and all beſide, was St. Peters Patrimony. And ſome of them ſtake Scripture to prove it, but moſt untowardly; as, that all power is from God, therefore all power Regal and Imperial from Chriſts Vicar. Yet more ſiniſtrouſly from thoſe words, If I be lifted up I will draw all men after me; that is, if I had an Army ſtrong enough I would recover all the Seigniories of the earth into mine own hand. Practice is a plainer Argument than Book-words; I will ſatisfie you then in that. Alexander the Sixth (a giver that will do but ſmall credit to the gift) but ſuch as he is, take him with all his faults, he beſtowed the whole Weſt-Indies upon Ferdinand King of Spain, Ex merâ liberalitate & motu proprio, as the Patent ran. Their own Hiſtories ſay, that Athabaliba, King of Peru, maintained his Royalty by fighting againſt that Grant till he was taken Priſoner in Battel, and then cried out, that Pope could have no vertue, or reverence to the God of heaven that gave away another mans Dominions from him: but I will bring the caſe home. That Bull which Pius the Fifth ſigned with his own Seal, wherein he excommunicated the moſt bleſſed Queen Elizabeth, hath this Line in it touching his own authority to uſe that incomparable Lady ſo unchriſtianly, Hunc unum ſuper omnes gentes, & omnia regna principem conſtituit; God had conſtituted him over all Nations, and over all Kingdoms. O what vaulting ſpirits are theſe which run in the Veins of wretched man? This forgetful Prelate, grant him his own asking, from whence his original came, and it is from a moſt humble Apoſtle, whoſe actions being all of them recorded, not any one do lean toward Soveraignty or Principality: Yet his Succeſſor in challenge exalted above all that is called God will be a parallel Line, and ſide with him in my Text, who makes nothing to diſpoſe of all the Regal Dignities in the world, All this power will I give thee, &c.
Let this be enough which I have ſaid, to have been diſcourſed upon the immenſity of that honour which Satan challenged to be in his Juriſdiction; I proceed to ſhew upon whoſe ſhoulders he would be content to lay it, upon our Lord and Saviour, Tibi univerſam hanc poteſtatem. As for the thing it ſelf, he wiſht that Chriſt had it in good earneſt, I make no doubt of it, namely, that his fortune had been to be an earthly King, to be a Caeſar Caeſarum, the Conquerour of all the Dominions in the world, rather than ſuch a one he ſuſpected him for, that Meſſias that came to redeem his People, and to invite the Nations far and wide over all the earth to the fear of the Lord. Let him be all in all in a temporal Kingdom, rather than Saviour, that came to erect the ſpiritual Kingdom of faith, to the ſubverſion of the powers of darkneſs. Conceive now unto your ſelves as if he had ſpoken more largely on this wiſe, to Chriſt: I find you hungry and forlorn in this Wilderneſs, neither train to attend you, nor food to cheriſh you. Alas that ſuch a one as you ſhould be thus negglected 'tis pity; you are not honoured enough according to the great gifts of ſanctity that are in you. Why, you are worthy to be Lord of the whole world, if promotions went by deſert. And will you live in Famine, and Scorn, and Humility, and at laſt be crowned with thorns, and crucified? Nay, follow my directions, and you ſhall be crowned with Gold, and ſway the whole Univerſe with a Scepter, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them. It came to paſs with our Saviour after this Propoſition as it befell chaſte Joſeph in the houſe of Potiphar: He would not be incontinent, yet upon defamation of incontinency he was clapt up in Irons: So Chriſt would no ſuch Kingdom as Satan offered, yet upon ſuſpicion that he went about to make himſelf a King, his death was contrived, and his accuſation laid before Pilate, he that maketh himſelf a King is not Ceſars friend. I have often both read it, and ſeen it, that Pride, Vain-glory, Faction, and I know not what, have been laid to the charge of the Innocent by ſome uncharitable mouths, who have ſpread it ſo far, that for all their innocency they could never wipe off the ſtain: Many times the more they decline thoſe crimes, the more occaſion is taken to accuſe them. Every thing that Paul could ſay, or do to purge himſelf, wrought him envy and miſreport, that he was turbulent, and a mover of ſedition. He could never ſhake it off with all his meekneſs and modeſty. Well, if miſchief and defamation muſt have their courſe, the remedy is eaſie, though it be deſperate, commend your innocency to God. The Lord of life himſelf was haunted with a wrong opinion, from the time that Satan made this motion to his death, that he had a purpoſe to be a Monarch, and to diſplay his Banner againſt Ceſar in the quarrel of the Jews for their ancient liberty. The people would have made him a King, Joh. vi, and he hid himſelf out of the way; yet that would not acquit him; his very Diſciples not ſeldom, but even till after his Reſurrection, till they ſaw him taken away to heaven, lookt for honourable command, and ſuperiority under him. It coſt the ſweet Babes of Bethlem their lives that the Wiſemen of the Eaſt called him a King. It loſt him his own life (as I toucht upon it before) that the children of Jeruſalem entertained him with that acclamation, Bleſſed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, Luk. xix. 38.
That queſtion was and is ſcandalous to the Jews, was and is a ſtumbling-block to ſome Gentiles, what manner of Kingdom belonged to Chriſt as he was man. Before ever the Magi of the Eaſt ſaid, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? The Angel upon the firſt tidings of his Incarnation told the bleſſed Virgin his Mother, The Lord ſhall give unto him the Throne of his Father David. And he ſhall reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there ſhall be no end, Luk. i. 32. From hence ſome Papalins (whom I formerly refuted) ſtile him a Temporal King, who bequeathed all his Dominions to his chief Apoſtle St. Peter, and he to one that is his Succeſſor, if it pleaſe God, in all but his Sanctity. Then the perfidious Jews object, ſince the Prophets ſay, that the Meſſias ſhall be a King, and ſit upon the Throne of David, the Meſſias is not yet come, becauſe Chriſt did not triumph and exerciſe Lordly authority upon the Throne of David. To draw out truth againſt both theſe at once like a two edged Sword, I lay down theſe three things: 1. That neither the Prophets, nor St. Luke do teach that Chriſt had a Temporal Kingdom. 2. That he had Dominion given to him by his Father over all earthly things, but not by way of ruling all things like a King in his Kingdom. 3. In moſt proper and ſafe conſtruction we muſt ſay, his was a ſpiritual Kingdom.
I will be brief in all theſe, eſpecially in the former: To make much ado that Chriſt had no temporal Kingdom, were to light a Candle at Noon-day. The caſe is clear; for I hope we will believe him rather than his enemies. Theſe are his words, Joh. xviii. 36. My Kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my ſervants would fight for me, that I ſhould not be delivered to the Jews, but my Kingdom is not from hence. He meant, ſay ſome Papalins, that the world gave him no Kingdom, neither choſe him a King, yet he doth not deny but he received an earthly Kingdom from God. A moſt empty Objection: For Pilate ſate his Judge to examine if he made himſelf a King to injure Ceſar. The ſame Pilate liked his anſwer ſo well, that he told the Jews he found no fault with him: But would Pilate have put it up, if he had anſwered no better? That he claimed a Kingdom indeed by a right and title derived from heaven, frivolous, and the Cavil of the Jews comes to nothing, that God would ſet the Meſſias upon the Seat of his Father David. Stretch not the Phraſe too far, and the meaning is: 1. The Meſſias ſhould come out of Davids Loins. 2. And be a King as David was. 3. Not after that way, an earthly Potentate, but after a more noble, glorious, perfect way than ever David governed. And I pray you how could it be, that he ſhould be a King over Judah and Iſrael as David was, when that Kingdom was taken away from Davids houſe before Chriſt was born; and a Propheſie denounced it ſhould never return to that houſe again. So it was foretold to Jeconiah, Jer. xxii. 30. Write this man barren, there ſhall be no man of his Seed to ſit upon the Throne of David, and to have power any more in Judah. In a word, Scripture elſewhere ſhews, that to ſit upon Davids Seat, was to have the Jews ſubject unto him, not after a carnal way, but to be worſhipped of them in ſpirit, and to enjoyn them to keep his Laws and Commandments for their ſalvation. So it is, Hoſ. iii. 5. They ſhall ſeek the Lord their God, and David their King, and ſhall fear the Lord and his goodneſs in the latter days.
Secondly, I ſaid, Chriſt had Dominion given to him by his Father over all earthly things, but not by way of ruling all things like a King in his Kingdom, for by uniting the Humane Nature to the Godhead, through the admirable influence of that Hypoſtatical Union: So the very Manhood was made Lord over all things, according to thoſe places, Mat. xi. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: And in theſe laſt days he ſpake unto us by his Son, whom he made Heir of all things, Heb. i. 2. And that you doubt not, how he had power over all things as being man united with God, he whoſe name was called the Word of God, had a name written on his thigh King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. xix. 16. Super femur; mark that, Ʋpon his thigh, that is, upon his Humane Nature. Now this in him was of a more eminent and ſublimed condition than all Regal Authority on the earth. It came to him the moſt glorious way that ever was, by the Hypoſtatical Union; not by Conqueſt, Inheritance, Election, Donation, or any earthly ſort. 2. His power reacheth not only to command the outward actions, but the very thoughts and conſcience. 3. He is over things ſenſible and inſenſible, Men and Angels, quick and dead, heaven and earth and the very Regions of darkneſs. 4. When men die their glory periſheth with them, but of this mans Kingdom it is often teſtified there is no end: Yea, after his death he roſe again, and then began his Dominion to be moſt abſolute by many exteriour works. It was his pleaſure oftentimes to exerciſe this power, and priviledge, even while he debaſed himſelf in all humility. Did he not conſent to the deſtruction of the Gadarens Swine, and curſe the barren Figtree? Becauſe his juriſdiction extended to any thing in the world. Did he not ſend for the Aſs and the Colt with abſolute command? ſaying no more, but the Lord hath need of them. Did he not charge the Souldiers to let his Diſciples alone? And no man toucht them. All theſe are Arguments of indefinite authority.
But this Government, which is moſt ample, perfect, eternal, was not after a Regal way, as David and Solomon were Kings in Iſrael. It was not contrary to the Rulers of the earth, uſurping any power, to thwart and controule theirs, but a tranſcendent exaltation above them, and above all things viſible and inviſible, yet withal he was moſt obedient and ſubject unto them, paying Tribute unto Ceſar, and medling with no Humane Laws, to divide their Inheritance that were contentious. If he had profeſſed himſelf an earthly King, it had hindred the work which he had in hand, to perſwade men to the contempt of honour and glory: Yet having all power given him of his Father it argued the more humility, that he made himſelf ſubject to moſt vile men, therefore it is put into the Creed, that he ſuffered under Pontius Pilate, meaning that he took his death with patience under the authority of a moſt unjuſt Governour.Aug. Serm. 29. in Jo. Therefore St. Auſtin endites theſe words as from our Saviours mouth; Hear me Jews and Gentiles, hear me Circumciſion and Uncircumciſion, hear me all ye Judges of the world, Non impedio dominationem veſtram in hôc mundo; Enjoy the Principalities of this world unto your ſelves; I do not hinder them.
In the third Concluſion I determined, how in moſt proper and ſafe conſtruction we muſt ſay, that Chriſts Kingdom was a ſpiritual Kingdom. I have ſet my King upon my holy hill of Sion, Pſal. ii. 6. The Pſalm ſpeaks of a ſpiritual Sion, as St. Auſtin notes, becauſe it is termed an holy Sion, therefore it muſt be underſtood of a ſpiritual King. His Unction, was not that Coeleſtial, and not Corporeal? With my holy oyl have I anointed him, with the grace of Unction. Such as the Unction is, ſuch muſt be the Kingdom, a ſpiritual Kingdom; His Prieſthood was not carnal, ſuch as Aarons was; but ſpiritual, ſuch as Melchiſedechs was: Like as was his Prieſthood, ſo was his Kingdom. Thoſe whom God had given him, What were they? His Diſciples, that never forſook him, thoſe that were born again of the Spirit. His Subjects were Spiritual, therefore his Kingdom could not be Terreſtrial. The Law of Moſes was carnal, ſo it was eſteemed imperfect, and is diſannulled; the Law of Chriſt, which is ſet up inſtead of it, is the Goſpel, which preſcribes a reaſonable and an holy ſervice: Where the Law of Chriſt is ſpiritual, his Kingdom muſt needs be within us, it is a Ghoſtly Kingdom. Finally, all the good things thereof concern the Spirit, grace, peace of conſcience, remiſſion of ſins and eternal life. Says Fulgentius, Serm. de Epiphan.the Gold which the wiſe men of the Eaſt offered him in his Cradle ſhewed him to be a King, but not ſuch a King as will have his Image and Superſcription in the Coin, but ſuch a one as ſeeketh his Image in the hearts of the Sons of men. After the Angel had ſaid, The Lord would give him the Throne of his Father David. Mark how divinely the words are qualified in the next verſe, And he ſhall reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there ſhall be no end. He ſhall reign, and did reign here, not in regno ſed in domo, in no Monarchy, but in a Family, in the houſe of Jacob, that is, in the houſhold of the Faithful; for alas they are but a Family to the potent multitudes of Unbelievers. One queſtion before I ſhut up the Point. Chriſt was promiſed to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, Principally to Abraham. What means the Angel then to omit Abraham and Iſaac, and to ſpeak of one and no more, that he ſhall reign in the houſe of Jacob? Why, the houſe of Abraham had Iſmael as well as Iſaac, but Iſmael was the Seed of the bond-woman, which figured thoſe that pertained not to the freedom of the Spirit. The houſe of Iſaac had Eſau as well as Jacob, Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated. He reigned not in all the houſe of Iſaac. But all the twelve Sons of Jacob were Circumciſed, all bleſſed, all repreſented the Church, all heirs of the Promiſe; and becauſe Chriſts Kingdom was totally ſpiritual in the Faithful and Elect; the Angel very properly delivered his Errand, that He ſhould reign in the houſe of Jacob.
This laſt part of my Sermon was very neceſſary to be inſiſted upon, that our Lord Chriſt inveſted himſelf with no ſuch honour as Satan tendred to him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them. Yet he had a Kingly Office, adjoyned both with Prieſtly and Prophetical Offices. Thoſe are holy Functions, the Devil likes not them, he never ſpoke of them. Nay, let us have the Prieſthood to ſerve God, or let us take nothing without it. St. Peter tells us, we ſhall be Regale Sacerdotium, a Royal Prieſthood. We ſhall have a Kingdom and a Prieſthood combined together, far exceeding all the power and glory which mortal men do manage. Run fervently to the end of the Race, and you ſhall have the prize. Deus vult omnes ſuos athletas coronari, ſays St. Hierom, God will have all that try Maſteries for his ſake receive the Laurel, and the Crown of Victory. Every Saint hath his Kingdom, who is cloathed with immortality, and honour to live with the Lamb of God for evermore. But you will ſay, What, Abraham a King? Moſes a King? Peter and Paul Kings? Where are the Nations which they govern? Where are their Subjects? Regnum eſt ubi nulli inimico ſubjicimur, non quia populus nobis ſubjicitur. A full anſwer, it is a Kingdom becauſe all our enemies are trodden under our feet, not becauſe any of the Bleſſed are Liege-men and Vaſſals unto other. In the fruition of that Kingdom a main part of the Soveraignty will be, that he ſhall be trodden under our feet, who is ſo impudent and audacious in my Text to offer all the Kingdoms in the world. God repleniſh us with the Kingdom of his grace in this life, and exalt us to his Kingdom of glory hereafter. AMEN.