and Obedience under Gofpel-Knowledge, and therefore the greatest that is attainable by us.

3. The Adminiftration of this Kingdom will differ very much from that of the Kingdom of the Gospel. Here we are governed by fuch Laws of God as are fuitable to our State and Condition. We are obliged to live by Faith in him whom we do not fee, to hope for a Promise which we do not enjoy, to commemorate our Lord, from whom we are abfent, by the holy Rites of the Chriftian Sacrifice. But now when we fhall fee him whom we do believe, the Law of Faith will be at an end, because there will be no more Ufe for it. When we fhall enjoy what we now expect, Hope will be no more a neceffary Virtue and Divine. Grace. When we fhall fee and ever dwell with Jefus, the Feaft of his Sacrifice in Remembrance of him will be at an end for ever; and instead of all thefe Temporal. Laws which are fuited to our prefent State, God will govern us by the Eternal Laws of Righteoufnefs and Godliness, all well understood by all the Subjects of the heavenly Kingdom. The Mofaick Difpenfation was imperfect, and the Jews were cumbred with many pofitive Laws and Ordinances, which almoft clouded the Rules of intrinfick Goodness. The Chriftian Dispensation is more perfect than that was, and confe

quently

quently has very few pofitive Laws, but abounds with the plain Rules of moral Piety and Virtue. The Kingdom of Heaven will be the most perfect Adminiftration of all, and then all Sacramental and Temporary Institutions fhall ceafe, and Eternal Laws of Goodness and Righteousness fhall fully come in place. And therefore the Apostle tells us, that Charity, which contains all these Laws, fhall never fail, and hath upon that Account the Preheminence above Faith and Hope, 1 Cor. 13. 8. which will be of no Use when they have once conducted us to the heavenly Kingdom. Thè Types of the Law were of no Ufe when they had once brought the believing Jews to the Faith of Chrift, and the Society of his Church. So neither fhall Faith and Baptism, and the positive Ordinances of the Church, be of any Use when they fhall have brought us to the Kingdom of Heaven, when that which is perfect is come, and that which is in part fhall be done away. Thus alfo God now governs us by the Precepts of his Word, delivered at firft by the Word of Christ, then by his Apoftles, now written down in the holy Books; he inftructs us by the Ministry of Men, he conveys the Knowledge of his Will to us by Human Traditi on, and difpenfeth his Grace by the external Miniftrings of the Gofpel. But what the Apoftle faid of thofe extraordinary Means

L

Means of communicating Divine Knowledge in his Time, Whether there be Prophecies, they shall fail, whether there be Tongues, they fhall ceafe, is true of all thofe Methods of Inftruction now nam'd, that they shall cease too, and we shall be more immediately taught of God, and more directly influenced by his Divine Spirit, and made to understand by Things themselves,

Furthermore, The Kingdom of Grace is established upon the Sacrifice of Chrift's Death, and all our Prayers, and Worship, and Thanksgivings, are as yet accepted by God no otherways than thro' the Interceffi on of our Mediator, who is Christ the Lord. And this is one plain Reason why the Kingdom of the Gospel is called the Kingdom of Christ. But now when the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter fhall appear, it will be adminiftred another way. For when the End is come, Christ fhall deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, 1 Cor. 15. 24. that is, he fhall deliver up his mediatory Kingdom, as being now fully accomplish'd, in the perfect Redemption and Salvation of all his fincere Children and Followers, when he shall have conducted them into his Father's House, perfectly cleanfed and purified from all Sin, fhining with Innocence and Righteousness, without Spot or Blemish, with glorified Bodies, for the Ha bitation of immortal. Souls: He fhall then need

need no farther to intercede for them in Right of his Death, he fhall have no more Cause to interpofe in their Behalf, as their High Prieft, to atone for their Sins, or to gain Acceptation of their Perfons by his Merits. But all the Power to which he was exalted for the Sake of his Church, the Power of his Royal Priesthood, he will lay down at the Feet of the Father, having fully accomplish'd the End for which it was given to him, and then fhall all Obedience, and Praise, and Thankfulness, be given immediately to God, without need of Sacrifice, or Mediation, or High Priest. And thus in the Kingdom of Glory, which will be adminiftred in a yet more Divine Way than the Kingdom of Grace is, God will be all in all, as the Apoftle fpeaks. He will immediately fill the Hearts of all Good Men with all Divine Grace, Goodness, and Joy, and immediately receive from them all poffible Teftimonies of Love, Thankfulnefs, and Obedience. Chrift fhall reign till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet, the laft Enemy that shall be deftroyed is Death, and that is to be deftroyed by the Refurrection, and then fhall the Kingdom be delivered up to the Father, that is, there fhall be an End of the mediatory or facerdotal Kingdom of Chrift, and God will be obeyed, and honoured, and worshipped, without any need of Sacrifice or Mediator. k 2

4thly's

4thly, and laftly, The Duration of this Kingdom will beEternal in that State wherein it fhall be established by Christ at the Haft Judgment. For Chrift is not to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, till he hath faved all to the uttermost that come to God by him, till he hath fet them out of all Danger of their Enemies; whereas the best Men here are in a Lapfible State, and had need be often called upon to take heed left they fall. But the Reward of our Perfeverance in this State will be a Kingdom that cannot be fhaken, an Everlasting Kingdom.

And thus much concerning the Nature of that Kingdom, which is to commence at the fecond coming of Chrift.

The fecond Point was this, to fhew how it appears to be a fit Matter for our Prayer. For we are fure that it will come, and that God hath appointed the Time when it shall begin.

In anfwer to this, it must be laid down for a Rule, that we may pray for those Things that will certainly come to pass. And then the Meaning of fuch Prayer is this, that we earnestly defire to see thofe Things which we pray for. And therefore when we pray that the Kingdom of God may come, we do in effect fay, that what God hath promifed we do heartily wish and defire. And thus when God had promifed a great Bleffing to the Jews Abfolute

ly,