After this, it pleased God to speak to Abraham, and ( Gen. 17. 7, 8.) to make a Covenant with him in these words, I will establish my Covenant between me, and thee, and thy seed after
thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God to thee, and to thy seed
after thee; And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a
stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. In this Covenant Abraham promiseth for himselfe and his posterity to obey as God, the Lord that spake to him: and God
on his part promiseth to Abraham the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. And for a memoriall, and a token of this Covenant, he ordaineth (verse 11.) the Sacrament of
Circumcision. This is it which is called the Old Covenant, or Testament; and containeth a Contract between God and Abraham; by which Abraham obligeth himself, and his posterity, in
a peculiar manner to be subject to Gods positive Law; for to the Law Morall he was obliged
before, as by an Oath of Allegiance. And though the name of King be not yet given to God, nor of Kingdome to Abraham and his seed; yet the thing is the same; namely, an Institution by
pact, of Gods peculiar Soveraignty over the seed of Abraham; which in the renewing of the
same Covenant by Moses, at Mount Sinai, is expressely called a peculiar Kingdome of God over the Jews: and it is of Abraham (not of Moses) St. Paul saith ( Rom. 4. 11.) that he is the Father of the Faithfull; that is, of those that are loyall, and doe not violate their Allegiance sworn to God, then by Circumcision, and afterwards in the New Covenant by Baptisme.
That the Kingdome of God is properly his Civill Soveraignty over a peculiar people by pact.
This Covenant, at the Foot of Mount Sinai, was renewed by Moses ( Exod. 19. 5.) where the
Lord commandeth Moses to speak to the people in this manner, If you will obey my voice
indeed, and keep my Covenant, then yee shall be a peculiar people to me, for all the Earth is
mine; And yee shall be unto me a Sacerdotall Kingdome, and an holy Nation. For a Peculiar people, the vulgar Latine hath, Peculium de cunctis populis: the English Translation made in the beginning of the Reign of King James, hath, a Peculiar treasure unto me above all Nations; and the Geneva French, the most precious Jewel of all Nations. But the truest Translation is the first, because it is confirmed by St. Paul himself ( Tit. 2. 14.) where he saith, alluding to that place, that our blessed Saviour gave himself for us, that he might purifie us to himself, a
peculiar (that is, an extraordinary) people: for the word is in the Greek
which is
opposed commonly to the word
: and as this signifieth ordinary, quotidian, or (as in
the Lords Prayer) of daily use; so the other signifieth that which is overplus, and stored up, and enjoyed in a speciall manner; which the Latines call Peculium: and this meaning of the place is confirmed by the reason God rendereth of it, which followeth immediately, in that he
addeth, For all the Earth is mine, as if he should say, All the Nations of the world are mine; but it is not so that you are mine, but in a speciall manner: For they are all mine, by reason of my Power; but you shall be mine, by your own Consent, and Covenant; which is an addition to his
ordinary title, to all nations.
The same is again confirmed in expresse words in the same text, Yee shall be to me a
Sacerdotall Kingdome, and an holy Nation. The Vulgar Latine hath it, Regnum Sacerdotale, to which agreeth the Translation of that place (1 Pet. 2. 9.) Sacerdotium Regale, a Regal
Priesthood; as also the Institution it self, by which no man might enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum, that is to say, no man might enquire Gods will immediately of God himselfe, but
onely the High Priest. The English Translation before mentioned, following that of Geneva, has,
a Kingdom of Priests; which is either meant of the succession of one High Priest after another, or else it accordeth not with St. Peter, nor with the exercise of the High priesthood: For there
was never any but the High priest onely, that was to informe the People of Gods Will; nor any
Convocation of Priests ever allowed to enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Again, the title of a Holy Nation confirmes the same: for Holy signifies, that which is Gods by speciall, not by generall Right. All the Earth (as is said in the text) is Gods; but all the Earth is not called Holy, but that onely which is set apart for his especiall service, as was the Nation of the Jews. It is therefore manifest enough by this one place, that by the Kingdome of God, is properly meant a Common-wealth, instituted (by the consent of those which were to be
subject thereto) for their Civill Government, and the regulating of their behaviour, not onely
towards God their King, but also towards one another in point of justice, and towards other
Nations both in peace and warre; which properly was a Kingdome, wherein God was King, and
the High priest was to be (after the death of Moses) his sole Viceroy, or Lieutenant.
But there be many other places that clearly prove the same. As first (1 Sam. 8. 7.) when the Elders of Israel (grieved with the corruption of the Sons of Samuel) demanded a King, Samuel
displeased there-with, prayed unto the Lord; and the Lord answering said unto him, Hearken
unto the voice of the People, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Out of which it is evident, that God himself was then their King; and Samuel did not command the people, but only delivered to them that which God from time
to time appointed him.
Again, (1 Sam. 12. 12.) where Samuel saith to the People, When yee saw that Nahash King of the Children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a King shall reign over us,
when the Lord your God was your King: It is manifest that God was their King, and governed
the Civill State of their Common-wealth.
And after the Israelites had rejected God, the Prophets did foretell his restitution; as ( Isaiah 24. 23.) Then the Moon shall be confounded, and the Sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts
shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; where he speaketh expressely of his Reign in Zion, and Jerusalem; that is, on Earth. And ( Micah 4. 7.) And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion: This Mount Zion is in Jerusalem upon the Earth. And ( Ezek. 20. 33.) As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and a stretched out arme, and with fury powred
out, I wil rule over you; and (verse 37.) I will cause you to passe under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant; that is, I will reign over you, and make you to stand to that Covenant which you made with me by Moses, and brake in your rebellion against me in
the days of Samuel, and in your election of another King.
And in the New Testament, the Angel Gabriel saith of our Saviour ( Luke 1. 32, 33.) He shall be great, and be called the Son of the most High, and the Lord shall give him the throne of his
Father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his King dome there
shall be no end. This is also a Kingdome upon Earth; for the claim whereof, as an enemy to
Cæsar, he was put to death; the title of his crosse, was, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews; hee was crowned in scorn with a crown of Thornes; and for the proclaiming of him, it is said of
the Disciples ( Acts 17. 7.) That they did all of them contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying there was another King, one Jesus. The Kingdome therefore of God, is a reail, not a
metaphoricall Kingdome; and so taken, not onely in the Old Testament, but the New; when we
say, For thine is the Kingdome, the Power, and Glory, it is to be understood of Gods Kingdome, by force of our Covenant, not by the Right of Gods Power; for such a Kingdome God alwaies
hath; so that it were superfluous to say in our prayer, Thy Kingdome come, unlesse it be
meant of the Restauration of that Kingdome of God by Christ, which by revolt of the Israelites
had been interrupted in the election of Saul. Nor had it been proper to say, The Kingdome of
Heaven is at hand; or to pray, Thy Kingdome come, if it had still continued.
There be so many other places that confirm this interpretation, that it were a wonder there is
no greater notice taken of it, but that it gives too much light to Christian Kings to see their
right of Ecclesiasticall Government. This they have observed, that in stead of a Sacerdotall
Kingdome, translate, a Kingdome of Priests: for they may as well translate a Royall Priesthood, (as it is in St. Peter) into a Priesthood of Kings. And whereas, for a peculiar people, they put a pretious jewel, or treasure, a man might as well call the speciall Regiment, or Company of a Generall, the Generalls pretious Jewel, or his Treasure.
In short, the Kingdome of God is a Civill Kingdome; which consisted, first in the obligation of
the people of Israel to those Laws, which Moses should bring unto them from Mount Sinai; and
which afterwards the High Priest for the time being, should deliver to them from before the
Cherubins in the Sanctum Sanctorum; and which Kingdome having been cast off, in the
election of Saul, the Prophets foretold, should be restored by Christ; and the Restauration
whereof we daily pray for, when we say in the Lords Prayer, Thy Kingdome come; and the
Right whereof we acknowledge, when we adde, For thine is the Kingdome, the Power, and
Glory, for ever, and ever, Amen; and the Proclaiming whereof, was the Preaching of the
Apostles; and to which men are prepared, by the Teachers of the Gospel; to embrace which
Gospel, (that is to say, to promise obedience to Gods government) is, to bee in the Kingdome
of Grace, because God hath gratis given to such the power to bee the Subjects (that is, Children of God hereafter, when Christ shall come in Majesty to judge the world, and actually
to govern his owne people, which is called the Kingdome of Glory. If the Kingdome of God
(called also the Kingdome of Heaven, from the gloriousnesse, and admirable height of that
throne) were not a Kingdome which God by his Lieutenants, or Vicars, who deliver his
Commandements to the people, did exercise on Earth; there would not have been so much
contention, and warre, about who it is, by whom God speaketh to us; neither would many
Priests have troubled themselves with Spiritual Jurisdiction, nor any King have denied it them.
Holy what.
Out of this literall interpretation of the Kingdome of God, ariseth also the true interpretation of the word HOLY. For it is a word, which in Gods Kingdome answereth to that, which men in their
Kingdomes use to call Publique, or the Kings.
The King of any Countrey is the Publique Person, or Representative of all his own Subjects. And God the King of Israel was the Holy one of Israel. The Nation which is subject to one earthly Soveraign, is the Nation of that Soveraign, that is, of the Publique Person. So the Jews, who
were Gods Nation, were called ( Exod. 19. 6.) a Holy Nation. For by Holy, is alwaies understood, either God himselfe, or that which is Gods in propriety; as by Publique, is alwaies meant either
the Person of the Common-wealth it self, or something that is so the Common-wealths, as no
private person can claim any propriety therein.
Therefore the Sabbath (Gods day) is a Holy day; the Temple, (Gods house) a Holy house; Sacrifices, Tithes, and Offerings (Gods tribute) Holy duties; Priests, Prophets, and anointed Kings, under Christ (Gods Ministers) Holy men; the Cœlestiall ministring Spirits (Gods
Messengers) Holy Angels; and the like: and wheresoever the word Holy is taken properly, there is still something signified of Propriety, gotten by consent. In saying Hallowed be thy name, we do but pray to God for grace to keep the first Commandement, of having no other Gods but
him. Mankind is Gods Nation in propriety: but the Jews only were a Holy Nation. Why, but because they became his Propriety by covenant?
Sacred what.
And the word Profane, is usually taken in the Scripture for the same with Common; and consequently their contraries, Holy, and Proper, in the Kingdome of God must be the same also. But figuratively, those men also are called Holy, that led such godly lives, as if they had forsaken all worldly designs, and wholly devoted, and given themselves to God. In the proper
sense, that which is made Holy by Gods appropriating or separating it to his own use, is said to be sanctified by God, as the Seventh day in the fourth Commandement; and as the Elect in the New Testament were said to bee sanctified, when they were endued with the Spirit of
godlinesse. And that which is made Holy by the dedication of men, and given to God, so as to
be used onely in his publique service, is called also SACRED, and said to be consecrated, as
Temples, and other Houses of Publique Prayer, and their Utensils, Priests, and Ministers,
Victimes, Offerings, and the externall matter of Sacraments.
Degrees of Sanctity.
Of Holinesse there be degrees: for of those things that are set apart for the service of God,
there may bee some set apart again, for a neerer and more especial service. The whole Nation
of the Israelites were a people Holy to God; yet the tribe of Levi was amongst the Israelites a
Holy tribe; and amongst the Levites, the Priests were yet more Holy; and amongst the Priests,
the High Priest was the most Holy. So the Land of Judea was the Holy Land; but the Holy City
wherein God was to be worshipped, was more Holy; and again, the Temple more Holy than the
City; and the Sanctum Sanctorum more Holy than the rest of the Temple.
Sacrament.
A SACRAMENT, is a separation of some visible thing from common use; and a consecration of it
to Gods service, for a sign, either of our admission into the Kingdome of God, to be of the
number of his peculiar people, or for a Commemoration of the same. In the Old Testament, the
sign of Admission was Circumcision; in the New Testament, Baptisme. The Commemoration of it in the Old Testament, was the Eating (at a certaine time, which was Anniversary) of the
Paschall Lamb; by which they were put in mind of the night wherein they were delivered out of their bondage in Egypt; and in the New Testament, the celebrating of the Lords Supper; by
which, we are put in mind, of our deliverance from the bondage of sin, by our Blessed Saviours
death upon the crosse. The Sacraments of Admission, are but once to be used, because there
needs but one Admission; but because we have need of being often put in mind of our
deliverance, and of our Alleagance, the Sacraments of Commemoration have need to be
reiterated. And these are the principall Sacraments, and as it were the solemne oathes we
make of our Alleageance. There be also other Consecrations, that may be called Sacraments,
as the word implyeth onely Consecration to Gods service; but as it implies an oath, or promise
of Alleageance to God, there were no other in the Old Testament, but Circumcision, and the
Passeover; nor are there any other in the New Testament, but Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
CHAP. XXXVI.
Of the WORD OF GOD, and of PROPHETS.
Word what.
WHEN there is mention of the Word of God, or of Man, it doth not signifie a part of Speech, such as Grammarians call a Nown, or a Verb, or any simple voice, without a contexture with
other words to make it significative; but a perfect Speech or Discourse, whereby the speaker
affirmeth, denieth, commandeth, promiseth, threatneth, wisheth, or interrogateth. In which sense it is not Vocabulum, that signifies a Word; but Sermo, (in Greek
) that is, some
Speech, Discourse, or Saying.
The words spoken by God, and concerning God, both are called Gods Word in Scripture./1 Tim.
4. 1.
Again, if we say the Word of God, or of Man, it may bee understood sometimes of the Speaker,
(as the words that God hath spoken, or that a Man hath spoken: In which sense, when we say,
the Gospel of St. Matthew, we understand St. Matthew to be the Writer of it: and sometimes of
the Subject: In which sense, when we read in the Bible, The words of the days of the Kings of
Israel, or Judah, 'tis meant, that the acts that were done in those days, were the Subject of those Words; And in the Greek, which (in the Scripture) retaineth many Hebraismes, by the
Word of God is oftentimes meant, not that which is spoken by God, but concerning God, and
his government; that is to say, the Doctrine of Religion: Insomuch, as it is all one, to say
and Theologia; which is, that Doctrine which wee usually call Divinity, as is
manifest by the places following [ Acts 13. 46.] Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing you
put it from you, and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life, loe, we turn to the Gentiles.
That which is here called the Word of God, was the Doctrine of Christian Religion; as it appears
evidently by that which goes before. And [ Acts 5. 20.] where it is said to the Apostles by an Angel, Go stand and speak in the Temple, all the Words of this life; by the Words of this life, is meant, the Doctrine of the Gospel; as is evident by what they did in the Temple, and is
expressed in the last verse of the same Chap. Daily in the Temple, and in every house they
ceased not to teach and preach Christ Jesus: In which place it is manifest, that Jesus Christ was the subject of this Word of life; or (which is all one) the subject of the Words of this life eternall, that our Saviour offered them. So [ Acts 15. 7.] the Word of God, is called the Word of the Gospel, because it containeth the Doctrine of the Kingdome of Christ; and the same Word
[ Rom. 10. 8, 9.] is called the Word of Faith; that is, as is there expressed, the Doctrine of Christ come, and raised from the dead. Also [ Mat. 13. 19.] When any one heareth the Word of the Kingdome; that is, the Doctrine of the Kingdome taught by Christ. Again, the same Word,
is said [ Acts 12. 24.] to grow and to be multiplyed; which to understand of the Evangelicall Doctrine is easie, but of the Voice, or Speech of God, hard and strange. In the same sense the
Doctrine of Devils, signifieth not the Words of any Devill, but the Doctrine of Heathen men
concerning Dæmons, and those Phantasms which they worshipped as Gods.
The Word of God metaphorically used, first, for the Decrees and Power of God.
Considering these two significations of the WORD OF GOD, as it is taken in Scripture, it is
manifest in this later sense (where it is taken for the Doctrine of Christian Religion,) that the
whole Scripture is the Word of God: but in the former sense not so. For example, though these
words, I am the Lord thy God, &c. to the end of the Ten Commandements, were spoken by God to Moses; yet the Preface, God spake these words and said, is to be understood for the Words of him that wrote the holy History. The Word of God, as it is taken for that which he hath
spoken, is understood sometimes Properly, sometimes Metaphorically. Properly, as the words, he hath spoken to his Prophets: Metaphorically, for his Wisdome, Power, and eternall Decree, in making the world; in which sense, those Fiats, Let their be light, Let there be a firmament,
Let us make man, &c. [ Gen. 1.] are the Word of God. And in the same sense it is said [ John 1.
3.] All things were made by it, and without it was nothing made that was made: And [ Heb. 1.
3.] He upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power; that is, by the Power of his Word; that is, by his Power: and [ Heb. 11. 3.] The worlds were framed by the Word of God; and many other places to the same sense: As also amongst the Latines, the name of Fate, which signifieth
properly The word spoken, is taken in the same sense.
Secondly, for the effect of his Word./Acts 1. 4. Luke 24. 49.
Secondly, for the effect of his Word; that is to say, for the thing it self, which by his Word is
Affirmed, Commanded, Threatned, or Promised; as [ Psalm 105. 19.] where Joseph is said to
have been kept in prison, till his Word was come; that is, till that was come to passe which he had [ Gen. 40. 13.] foretold to Pharaohs Butler, concerning his being restored to his office: for there by his word was come, is meant, the thing it self was come to passe. So also [1 King. 18.
36.] Elijah saith to God, I have done all these thy Words, in stead of I have done all these things at thy Word, or commandement: and [ Jer. 17. 15.] Where is the Word of the Lord, is put for, Where is the Evill he threatned: And [ Ezek. 12. 28.] There shall none of my Words be prolonged any more: by words are understood those things, which God promised to his people.
And in the New Testament [ Mat. 24. 35.] heaven and earth shal pass away, but my Words shal not pass away; that is, there is nothing that I have promised or foretold, that shall not come to passe. And in this sense it is, that St. John the Evangelist, and, I think, St. John onely calleth
our Saviour himself as in the flesh the Word of God [as Joh. 1. 14.] the Word was made Flesh; that is to say, the Word, or Promise that Christ should come into the world; who in the
beginning was with God; that is to say, it was in the purpose of God the Father, to send God the Son into the world, to enlighten men in the way of Eternall life; but it was not till then put
in execution, and actually incarnate; So that our Saviour is there called the Word, not because he was the promise, but the thing promised. They that taking occasion from this place, doe
commonly call him the Verbe of God, do but render the text more obscure. They might as well
term him the Nown of God: for as by Nown, so also by Verbe, men understand nothing but a part of speech, a voice, a sound, that neither affirms, nor denies, nor commands, nor
promiseth, nor is any substance corporeall, or spirituall; and therefore it cannot be said to bee
either God, or Man; whereas our Saviour is both. And this Word which St. John in his Gospel saith was with God, is [in his 1 Epistle, verse 1.] called the Word of life; and [verse 2.] the Eternall life, which was with the Father: so that he can be in no other sense called the Word, then in that, wherein he is called Eternall life; that is, he that hath procured us Eternall life, by his comming in the flesh. So also [ Apocalypse 19. 13.] the Apostle speaking of Christ, clothed in a garment dipt in bloud, faith; his name is the Word of God; which is to be understood, as if he had said his name had been,