CHRIST'S KINGDOM EXALTED:

BEING

A

SHORT ESSAY

IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE EARTH,

AND

TO DISCOURAGE UNHOLINESS,

UNGODLINESS,

AND

UNBELIEF.

THE PREFACE.

Christian Reader,

order to promote and exalt the kingdom of the dear Son of d, (according to the gift and measure of grace received) I s concerned to write the following tract at sea; and considng the evil tendency of the belief and principle which hath erspread a great part of the professors of christianity, that cannot be free from sin in this life, and that it is contrary the doctrine of the holy scriptures of both the Old and ew Testament, I could not be easy in my mind, without opsing such a dangerous tenet; for if we believe that we must vays sin, this being a sinful faith," according to our faith, it will be unto us ;" and if we die in our sins, Christ hath d us, "Where he is gone, we cannot come." And holy recd informs us, "That no unclean thing can enter God's king

m."

I have, also, for the satisfaction of the true christian bever, collected the following texts of holy scripture, which aintain the doctrine of holiness and perfection; and directly pose that evil principle, and that doctrine, that we can never free from sin in this life.

Walk before me, and be thou perfect. Gen. xvii. 1.

Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Lev. x. 2.-xx. 7.-xi. 44, 45.

And ye shall be holy men unto me. Ex. xxii. 31.

Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation. Gen.

. 9.

Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Heb. xii. D. 14.

We should be holy, and without blame before him, in love. Eph. i. 4.

To present you holy, unblamable, unreprovable, in his sight, Col. i. 22.

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, or the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Cor.

ii. 17.

So be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is vritten, Be ye holy, for I am holy. 1 Pet. i. 15, 16.

What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. 2 Pet. iii. 11.

13.

Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. Deut. xviii.

The Lord said, Job was perfect and upright. Job i. 1. 8. Be ye therefore perfect, (the words of Christ). Mat. v. 48. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. John xvii. 23.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them who are perfect. 1 Cor. ii. 6.

11.

Finally, brethren, be perfect, be of one mind. 2 Cor. xiii.

That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Col. i. 28.-iv. 12.

Now the God of peace, &c. make you perfect in every good work. Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

That ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James i. 4.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. vii. 1.

Unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. iv. 12, 13.

This we wish, even your perfection. 2 Cor. xiii. 9.

Let us go on to perfection. Heb. vi. 1.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom. xii. 21.

Ye have overcome the wicked one; (this is twice repeated in one chapter.) 1 John ii. 13, 14.

Ye are of God, and have overcome. 1 John iv. 4.

Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world, &c. 1 John v. 4, 5.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life. Rev. ii. 7.

He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev. ii. 11.

To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna. Rev. ii. 17.

To him that overcometh, will I give power over the nations. Rev. ii. 26.

He that overcometh, the same shall be cloathed in white raiment. Rev. iii. 5.

Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. Rev. iii. 12.