The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 9
ROM. 8.38, 39.
I am Perſwaded— Nor Principalities.
BY Principalities I underſtand (as I ſhewed in the Explication) the Magiſtrates, Princes, Rulers of the Kingdoms of this world, with their ſubjects, Armies, Aſſociates, whereby they become potent enemies to the Church, which is the Kingdom of Chriſt.
Doct. None of the Princes or Principalities of the Kingdoms of this World ſhall be able to ſeparate.—
What great oppoſition the Princes and Principalities of the World have made at all times againſt the Church, and how much perſecution the Church hath ſuffered under them, how much Saints have been endangered thereby to Apoſtacy and ſo to a ſeparation from their Communion with God in love, is upon record in Scripture.
How much the Church, the Kingdom of Chriſt and his Saints under the Old Teſtament, ſuffered from the Principalities of the Kingdoms of the World appears Pſal. 2.2. How often are Kings ſaid to be aſſembled againſt Sion, Pſal. 48.4. How oft did Chriſt put them to …ight with their Armies, Pſal. 68.1…,14. deſtroy them, Pſal. 136.17.18. No ſooner did Chriſt appear under the New Teſtament, but the Principalities of the World roſe up againſt him, Acts 4…25, 26. what began in his Perſon, would be continued in his Saints, Luke 21.12. what firſt befel the Apoſtles, was continued to the Churches for three hundred years, under the Principalities of the Roman Heatheniſh Empire, when the Church after many pangs, and hard Travel, had brought forth the Man-Child, Chriſt myſtical in the Romans Empire, No ſooner were the Principalities of the Empire turned Chriſtian, but they turned Arrian, and raiſed a new and more fierce perſecution againſt the Saints that kept the Teſtimony of Jeſus.
Here Chriſt ſent in the barbarous Nations to ruine the perſecuting Chriſtian Empire, and they brake the Weſtern part of it in the European World, into ten Kingdoms, which helped the Church againſt the flood of Arrian perſecution, Rev. 12.16. But then they ſet up Antichriſt, and with one minde theſe ten Kings give their Power,— Rev. 17.12, 13, 14. and how much ever ſince the Saints of God have ſuffered under the Principalities of theſe ten Kingdoms is notoriouſly manifeſt.
What will be the fate of the Saints of the Church and Kingdom of Chriſt, under all or any one of the Principalities of thoſe Kingdoms, while devoted to Antichriſt, is clear. Let us conſider what are the grounds of this great oppoſition the Princes, Principalities and Lords of the Kingdoms of this world make againſt Jeſus Chriſt and his Saints.
Reaſ. 1. Chriſt and his Church; Chriſt and his Saints which are his ſubjects are a Kingdom, a great Principality, ſet up by the God of Heaven, in the days and …n the midſt of the Kingdoms of the …orld, Dan. 2.44. Therefore no won…er …t finds ſuch oppoſition; If one Kingdom be ſet up in the midſt of another, there will be continual Conflicts between the Princes and Principalities of both: be…ween the Principalities of the world on the one ſide, and Chriſt and his Saints on the other; for every Kingdom, Parem …nec patitur nec ſuperiorem, can brook no Competitor in it ſelf, much leſs a Superior.
Secondly, the Kingdom of Chriſt is of a growing, increaſing property, Iſa. ….7.
It enters upon the World by Conqueſt, and where it conquers it goes forth conquering,—Rev. 6.2. and never leaves till the ſeventh Angel ſounds, Rev. 11.15.
God the Father hath given Chriſt a Kingdom, Pſal. 2.6. a Kingdom that is extended over all the Kingdoms of the world, verſe 8. by the irreverſible decree of God he ſhall rule them by a Scepter of grace as ſubjects, or with an iron Rod …s Rebels, v. 9. no wonder its ſo much …ated and oppoſed.
Thirdly, it is Regnum Crucis, the Kingder of his Patience, Rev. 1.9. It began in …re form of a ſervant, the firſt Throne on which it was ſet up was a Croſs; the firſt Crown that was beſtowed on it was a crown of thornes, and no way into this Kingdom but by many afflictions, Acts 14.22.
The Prince of this Kingdom was the Lord of Glory, whom the World knew not, and therefore crucified in the ignominy of a ſervant, 1 Cor. 2.8. for they knew him not: The Nobles and ſubjects of this Kingdom, are none of the wiſe, mighty and noble of the world, but … 1. Cor. 1.26, 27. The great Royalties, and preſent Rewards of this Kingdom are two, afflictions and perſecutions, Luke 22.28, 29. O… how contrary is this to the luſts, pleaſures, ſenſual delights, the Principalities of the Kingdoms of this world, their only value.
No wonder therefore if the Kingdom of Chriſt and his Saints, be vilified, ſlighted, oppoſed, derided, perſecuted by the great, the mighty, the Principalities of the Kingdoms of this world.
Fourthly, it is Regnum Nihilitudinis, A Kingdom of Self-denial; To which the Principalities of the World are moſt abſolutely averſe. God hath ſworn every knee ſhall bow to him, Rom. 14.11. not only of the meaneſt, but of the higheſt Potentates in the World; He hath commanded Kings to Kiſs;— Pſal. 2.11. He will have Kings to bring Preſents to him; Kings muſt throw down their Crowns at his feet; Kings muſt have their Wills in ſubjection to his Will; all their luſts to be his Vaſſals; to be ſubdued, ſpoiled, condemned and crucified by him; No wonder they ſay, We will not have this Man Reign overus.
Fifthly, it is an inviſible Kingdom unconſpicuons, not attended with outward pomp and viſible glory, as the Kingdoms of the world, which glory is yet but a Magical Inchantment, which Satan the old Magician and god of this World hath put upon it, Mat. 4.8. Chriſts Kingdom is not attended with worldly Pomp or Glory, Luke 17.20, 21. it is within you; The Church, the Kingdom of Chriſt is all glorious within: The Principalities of Chriſts Kingdom are Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14.17▪ all internal things.
The ſubjects of this Kingdom are put to walk by ſaith, not by ſight, to believe things they have not ſeen, to hope for things they know not; the Kingdom of Chriſt in appearance is an ignoble thing.
Sixthly, it is a heavenly and ſpiritual Kingdom; it is not of a worldly Conſtitution, John 18.36. its frequently called, The Kingdom of Heaven. Its foreign, is in Heaven, Phil. 3.20. All its Laws from Heaven, all its ſubjects gathered out of the Kingdoms of this world, and tranſlated into the Kingdom of Gods dea… Son, Col. 1.13. no wonder the Powers of Hell, and the Principalities of this World oppoſe it.
Now, I ſhall ſhew, that no Principalities of the world ſhall be able to ſeparate the Church from Chriſt, or the Saints in the Church.
Firſt, the Church hath Emanuel, God with us, Iſa. 8.10. and in him more for her, then are againſt her, 1 John 4.4. The world hath Power, therefore her Principalities are called Hornes, Zach. 1.18. Rev. 17.12.
Jeſus Chriſt is furniſhed with all Power, …niverſal Power, Power and not weakneſs, no Power without him, and what can any Power do againſt him.
The World and its Principalities are furniſht with Wiſdom and Policy, much is ſpoken of the Wiſdom of the World, Pſal. 83.2, 5. Chriſt hath all the Treaſures of Wiſdom,— Col. 2.3. Wiſdom by fooliſhneſs, to bring to nought the underſtanding of the Prudent. The World hath malice, J…. 17.14.
Chriſt hath more love, love that amounts to a jealouſie, if Chriſts love … angred, diſpleaſed; woe to them th… ſtand in oppoſition againſt him, Zach. 1.14.
Secondly, becauſe Chriſt ruleth ſtill, though in the midſt of his enemies, Pſal. 110.2. The Church of Chriſt which … his Kingdom is like a Garriſon beſieged round about with enemies, but is invincible by all oppoſitions, for Chriſt r… leth in the midſt of her and her enemies. He will rule in the ſpight of all his enemies, and will rule ſecurely in the midſt of them, none can ſeparate believers believers from Chriſt, who cannot firſt lead Chriſt captive, or ſeparate Chriſt from them.
Thirdly, becauſe Chriſt is both King of Saints▪ and King of Nations, Jer. 10.7. Rev. 15.3. This renders him and his Saints invincible, Rev. 17.14. Chriſt is an immortal King, 1 Tim. 1.17. ſo is his Kingdom, that which breaks in pieces,— Dan. 2.4….
1. Uſe. This informs us, that how contemptible ſoever the Church ſeems, and how inconſi…erable ſoever Saints appear, yet there is ſomething …ormidable in them, would elſe the Principalities of the World, bend all their Power, Wiſdom, Malice againſt them?
The Church is not only the object of the malice, but of the fear of the higheſt Potentates of the world, the hatred of the world againſt Saints, is not like that with which a man hates a Toad, he can eaſily cruſh, but that with which a man hates a Lyon, by whom he doth fear to be devoured.
Have we not ſeen the Principalities of the world muſtering their ſtrongeſt Armies, engaging all their Allies, and Confederacies, laying deep Plots, and Confederacies, and againſt the poor Saints of Chriſt: Certainly there is ſomthing formidable; The Church is ſaid to be terrible,— Can. 6: 10. This is the Preſence and Appearance of God in them, Pſal. 14.5.
2. Uſe. Then Saints may well pray for their enemies, as Chriſt commands them, though the greateſt, the mightieſt, the Principalities of the World; for though they may exerciſe much malit… towards them in their leſſer Concer… ments; they can never hurt them in their Communion with God, nor ſeparate them from Jeſus Chriſt, therefore the Apoſtle ſtrengthens Chriſts Exhortation, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2.
Beſides, ſuch as now may exerciſe enmity againſt Chriſt are under great Promiſes in the laſt day; Kings ſhall bring Preſents as Teſtimonies of their Homage, Pſal. 68.29. thoſe that have perſecuted the Church, ſhall miniſter to her glory, Iſa. 60.3.— 10. Thoſe King that made Warr with the Lamb, Goſhall make hate the Whore, — Rev… 17.16. And its ſaid, Kings ſhall bring their glory into the New Jeruſalem, Rev… 21.24.
3. Uſe. How much ſhould this engag… Saints to be faithful to Chriſt, in the high… eſt oppoſitions from the higheſt Power and Principalities of the World, for he is faithful to them, engages with them, and for them, and will bring them off invulnerable, invincible, Rev. 17.14.— for they that are with him are faithful.
Reſolve never to leave Jeſus Chriſt, who hath engaged that none of the mightieſt oppoſitions of the world ſhall ſeparate you from him.
4. Uſe. This may ſerve to ſtrengthen our faith, and quiet our fears concerning the iſſues of all the Councils, Endeavors, Projections, of the great Polititians and Principalities of the Kingdoms of the World; nor murmure againſt the wiſe diſpenſations of God thereby, though ſometimes they ſeem ſevere to his Church.
Nothing more unquiet then a Rock in the ſea, becauſe ever aſſaulted with winds and waves, yet nothing more ſafe nor immoveable.
God hath gathered believers into Communion with himſelf; he hath founded this Communion on a Rock, viz. the love of Ieſus Chriſt, nothing more unquiet becauſe this Rock is aſſaulted in the midſt of ſeas, winds and ſtorms of perſecutions. yet nothing more ſafe, more inviolable, becauſe founded on à Rock