other Circumftances. So far was he himself from meddling with these Matters, that he would not fo much as determine a Controversy between two Brethren about a Piece of Land, left he fhould be faid to take upon him the Office of a Judge. He, tho' he was, as I faid, the King of the World in a spiritual Senfe, yet, being born a Subject as to his human Nature, he was as obedient to the Laws, and Customs, and Conftitutions of the State where he lived, as the meaneft Subject. And as he behaved

himself, fo did he command all of his Religion to behave in Imitation of him. So likewife did his Apoftles exhort, to give to all Men their Due; to fubmit to every Constitution of Man for the Lord's Sake; to obey those who had the Rule over them; and to continue in that Condition, or that Calling, wherein they were called to be Christians.

Now if this be a true Representation of Christianity, as without doubt it is, then we may justly make three Inferences from hence:

1. First, how much they are to be blamed who forfake their Callings and ordinary way of living upon a Pretence of a purer Religion; who will needs be fo holy, and fo much above the Pitch of other Chriftians, that they will have nothing to do with the World, or the Things that concern it. Of this Sort are fome of our

Enthufiafts, who wholly neglect the Bufinefs of their Callings under a Pretence of Religion, and run up and down from House to House, from Meeting to Meeting, for the gratifying their Fancies, and propagating those religious Notions which have poffeffed their Heads. But as for their Domestick Concerns, their Families, their Children, or Servants, or the Employments by which they should get their Livelihood, these are quite neglected and laid afide. And of this Sort likewife are thofe Perfons among the Romanifts, who, upon Pretence of Devotion, refufe a Calling whereby they may be in a Capacity of doing Service to their Country, or leave their Calling after they have entered into it, and retire into Monafteries to live at their own Eafe, and to be free from the Cares and Troubles of this World. Both thefe Sorts of Perfons are to be blamed. They do not confider the Nature of the Chriftian Religion, which is to make Men Holy in their Perfons and in their Lives, but not in the least to take them off from their worldly Callings, or from using thofe Talents which God hath given them for the Benefit of the Country where they live. They do not confider the Obligation they have to the publick Society whereof they are Members, which is injured by thefe Kinds of Practices: For hereby they are not only render'd useless to the Commonwealth, wherein, if they followed

an

an honest Calling, they might be very ferviceable; but they do oftentimes a great deal of Mischief to it, by unfettling and fubverting other Men, and filling their Heads with abundance of foolish Notions and Scruples in Religion, which are dangerous to Government, and the publick Peace and Happiness. And as for their better ferving God, by thus leaving their Callings, it is a mere Preterce. For he ferves God beft who doth moft Good in the World. But that is not to be done by throwing up our Callings, but by honeftly, and induftriously, and labouriously profecuting them. He ferves God the beft, who doth it most univerfally and effectually. Not he, who fpends the moft Time in praying, or reading, or hearing, tho' all these be neceffary Duties, and without which it is impoffible for a Chriftian to live as he should do; but he, who together with the Performance of thefe Duties, takes care to express a diligent and laborious Charity to the Publick: To fet an Example of Innocence and Virtue, and a religious Converfation in a Life of Bufinefs and Action: To be useful to his Family, to his Friends, to his Neighbourhood, to the whole Kingdom; in educating Children, doing Offices of Kindness and Charity as he hath Opportunity; ferving his Generation in the diligent Management of thofe Parts and thofe Talents that God hath given him in fome lawful useful

Employment, to the publick Advantage, This is that Courfe of Life which moft expreffes Religion, and moft tends to the Glory of God, it being a Practice of our SaMat. 5. viour's great Precept, that we fhould let our Light fhine before Men, that they may fee our good Works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven.

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2. If Christianity has made no Alteration as to the natural and civil Relations and Obligations that Men have to one another, but hath left these as it found them, then they are much mistaken who plead it as a Part of their Christianity to be exempt from Obedience and Subjection to the Powers and Magiftrates of this World; that upon this very Account, that they have the Honour to be the Servants of Chrift, think themselves perfectly discharged from any other Mafter or Governor. This, tho' it be as wild a Principle, and as oppofite to Christianity as can enter into the Mind of Man, yet there have been, and it is to be feared there ftill are, who call themselves Chriftians, among whom it hath found Entertainment. And here there are two Sorts to be taken notice of, and to be reproved. [1.] Thofe who account it an Infringement and Violation of the Privileges which Christ hath conferred upon them, to be in Subjection to any one at all. Of this Kind were fome of the Anabaptifts in Germany, and our Fifth-Monarchy Men They will

I.

have no King but Jefus: All fecular Government is an Ufurpation upon the Lord's People. Let Chrift be set upon his Throne, and down with all unchriftian Magiftrates, whether Ecclefiaftical or Civil. All the Lord's People have equal Privileges, and therefore away with all Degrees of Superiority and Inferiority. Chrift hath bought them with a Price, and therefore they muft not be the Servants of Men, but ought to ftand faft in the Liberty in which Chrift hath fet them free, and not again be entangled in the Yoke of Bondage. [2.] Others there are who do not carry this levelling Principle fo high, but yet hold fo much of it as will neceffarily render Government a precarious Thing, and not fail to embroil the World in Confufion. They are not against Magiftrates, but against all wicked ungodly Magiftrates. They are not against fome Mens having greater Honour and greater Eftates than others; but they are against the Honour and Riches of the Profane. Their Principle is, that the Right which any Man hath to a Crown, or to an Office, or to an Estate, is altogether founded in his being godly and gracious, and of the right Religion. But if he be a wicked Man, or an Opposer of Chrift's true Religion, he forfeits all his Right and Title to whatever he had, and not only may, but ought to be difpoffeffed of it, tho' it be never fo effectually fecured to him by the Laws of

the