8 Aug 1815

Jug True

History

(2)

Kingdom first temporal then spiritual

When once the adjunct spiritual was applied to the word kingdom as its subject—when once the idea of an imagined life and that an eternal one was substituted to that actual and experienced life which death terminates—in every thing that is said of it brings contradiction and inconsistency in the train of it.

In a temporal kingdom—in every real kingdom to reign is the lot of but one—to serve, the lot of every one else: in the spiritual kingdom, reigning is the lot of every man while, obedience, to other than the King of Kings the lot of no man.

Being a kingdom the spiritual kingdom was to be full of power, glory, dignity in every shape observable and imaginable its power and its glory are sounds with which at every turn the ears and the eyes of the faithful are filled—This power, by whom is it to be held and exercised? by all alike. This glory who are they who are to be [...?] with it ? by all alike: a blaze of light is spread by the painter upon the ready canvas—and in every thing but the danger like mouths in the flame of a candle, are alike fluttering in it. Crowns of glory are lodged in the imaginary Jewel Office: and for each believer’s head there is one of these crowns—for no one the least speck or splinter him than on any other. Power in one part implies subjection in another: In this spiritual kingdom power is the lot of all, subjection the lot of none. In the very Glory the idea of distinction is contained and involved. Glory is nothing unless distinction be a part of it: distinction in the kingdom of heaven there is to be none.

From the words kingdom, power and glory the only sense which like the word spiritual, was struck upon it, was ever supposed to be contained in it, being then struck out; what sense then remains them? exactly none, There are so many empty sounds or characters from which all signification having been plucked out nothing but vacuity remains. Yet of these sounds and characters empty as they are, more are loudly called upon to take for them the ground of all their actions. To these empty sounds and characters they are required to sacrifice all their substantial all their real interests.