apparitions of the fancy, raised by the special and extraordinary operation of God, thereby to make His presence and commandments known to mankind, and chiefly to His own people. But the many places of the New Testament, and our Saviour's own words, and in such texts, wherein is no suspicion of corruption of the Scripture, have extorted from my feeble reason an acknowledgment and belief that there be also angels substantial and permanent. But to believe they be in no place, that is to say, nowhere, that is to say, nothing, as they, though indirectly, say that will have them incorporeal, cannot by Scripture be evinced.

On the signification of the word "spirit," dependeth that of the word "inspiration; " which must either be taken properly; and then it is nothing but the blowing into a man some thin and subtle air or wind, in such manner as a man filleth a bladder with his breath; or if spirits be not corporeal, but have their existence only in the fancy, it is nothing but the blowing in of a phantasm; which is improper to say, and impossible; for phantasms are not, but only seem to be, somewhat. That word therefore is used in the Scripture metaphorically only as (Gen. ii. 7) where it is said that God "inspired" into man the breath of life, no more is meant than that God gave unto him vital motion. For we are not to think that God made first a living breath and then blew it into Adam after he was made, whether that breath were real or seeming; but only as it is (Acts xvii. 25), "that He gave him life and breath;" that is, made him a living creature. And where it is said (2 Tim. iii. 16), “ All Scripture is given by inspiration from God," speaking there of the Scripture of the Old Testament, it is an easy metaphor to signify that God inclined the spirit or mind of those writers to write that which should be useful, in teaching, reproving, correcting, and instructing men in the way of righteous living. But where St. Peter (2 Pet. i. 21) saith, that "Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit," by the Holy Spirit is meant the voice of God in a dream or vision supernatural, which is not "inspiration." Nor, when our Saviour breathing on His disciples, said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," was that breath the Spirit, but a sign of the spiritual graces He gave unto them. And though it be said of many, and of our Saviour himself, that He was full of the Holy Spirit; yet that fulness is not to be understood for "infusion of the substance of God, but for accumulation of His gifts, such as are the gift of sanctity of life, of tongues, and the like, whether attained supernaturally or by study and industry; for in all cases they are the gifts of God. So likewise where God says (Joel ii. 28), "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions," we are not to understand it in the proper sense, as if His Spirit were like water, subject to effusion or infusion; but as if God had promised to give them prophetical dreams and visions. For the proper use of the word "infused," in speaking of the graces of God, is an abuse of it; for those graces are virtues, not bodies to be carried hither and thither, and to be poured into men as into barrels. In the same manner, to take "inspiration" in the proper sense, or to say that good "spirits" entered into men to make them prophesy, or evil "spirits" into those that became phrenetic, lunatic, or epileptic, is not to take the word in the sense of the Scripture; for the Spirit there is taken for the power of God, working by causes to us unknown. As also (Acts ii. 2) the wind, that is there said to fill the house wherein the apostles were assembled on the day of Pentecost, is not to be understood for the Holy Spirit," which is the Deity itself; but for an external sign of God's special working on their hearts, to effect in them the internal graces and holy virtues He thought requisite for the performance of their apostleship.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Of the Signification in Scripture of Kingdom of God, of Holy, Sacred, and Sacrament.

THE "Kingdom of God," in the writings of divines, and specially in sermons and treatises of devotion, is taken most commonly for eternal felicity, after this life, in the highest heaven, which they also call the kingdom of glory; and sometimes for the earnest of that felicity, sanctification, which they term the kingdom of grace; but never for the monarchy, that is to say, the sovereign power of God over any subjects acquired by their own consent, which is the proper signification of kingdom.

To the contrary, I find the kingdom of God" to signify, in most places of Scripture, a "kingdom properly so named," constituted by the votes of the people of Israel in peculiar manner; wherein they chose God for their king by covenant made with Him, upon God's promising them the possession of the land of Canaan; and but seldom metaphorically; and then it is taken for "dominion over sin; " (and only in the New Testament ;) because such a dominion as that, every subject shall have in the kingdom of God, and without prejudice to the sovereign.

From the very creation, God not only reigned over all men "naturally " by His might; but also had "peculiar" subjects, whom He commanded by a voice, as one man speaketh to another. In which manner He "reigned over Adam, and gave him commandment to abstain from the tree of cognizance of good and evil; which when he obeyed not, but tasting thereof, took upon him to be as God, judging between good and evil, not by his Creator's commandment, but by his own sense, his punishment was a privation of the estate of eternal life, wherein God had at first created him; and afterwards God punished his posterity for their vices, all but eight persons, with an universal deluge; and in these eight did consist the then "kingdom of God."

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After this it pleased God to speak to Abraham, and (Gen. xvii. 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 himself 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 memorial, and a token of this covenant, He ordaineth (Gen. xvii. 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 God's positive law; for to the law moral he was obliged before, as by an oath of allegiance. And though the name of "King" be not yet given to God, nor of "kingdom" to Abraham and his seed: yet the thing is the same; namely, an institution by pact, of God's peculiar sovereignty over the seed of Abraham; which in the renewing of the same covenant by Moses, at Mount Sinai, is expressly called a peculiar "kingdom of God" over the Jews and it is of Abraham, not of Moses, St. Paul saith (Rom. iv. II) that he is the "father of the faithful;" that is, of those that are loyal, and do not violate their allegiance sworn to God, then by circumcision, and afterwards in the "new covenant" by baptism.

This covenant at the foot of Mount Sinai, was renewed by Moses (Exod. xix. 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 ye shall be a peculiar people to me, for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a sacerdotal kingdom, and an holy nation." For a "peculiar people," the vulgar Latin 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. ii. 14), where he saith, alluding to that place, that our blessed Saviour "gave himself for us, that He might purify us to himself a peculiar," that is, an extraordinary, "people" for the word is in the Greek Teplovσios, which is opposed commonly to the word émiovotos; and as this signifieth ordinary, "quotidian," or, as in the Lord's Prayer, "of daily use;" so the other signifieth that which is "overplus," and "stored up," and "enjoyed in a special manner;" which the Latins 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 special 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.

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The same is again confirmed in express words in the same text, "Ye shall be to me a sacerdotal kingdom, and an holy nation." The vulgar Latin hath it, regnum sacerdotale, to which agreeth the translation of that place (1 Pet. ii. 9), Sacerdotium regale, "a regal priesthood;" as also the institution itself, by which no man might enter into the sanctum sanctorum, that is to say, no man might inquire God's will immediately of God himself, but only 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 only, that was to inform the people of God's will; nor any convocation of priests ever allowed to enter into the sanctum

sanctorum.

Again, the title of a "holy nation" confirms the same; for "holy" signifies that which is God's by special, not by general right. All the earth, as is said in the text, is God's; but all the earth is not called "holy," but that only which is set apart for His especial service, as was the nation of the Jews. It is therefore manifest enough by this one place, that by the 'kingdom of God," is properly meant a commonwealth, instituted by the consent of those which were to be subject thereto, for their civil government, and the regulating of their behaviour, not only towards God their king, but also towards one another in point of justice, and toward other nations both in peace and war; which properly was a kingdom 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. viii. 7), when the Elders of Israel, grieved with the corruption of the sons of Samuel, demanded a king, Samuel displeased therewith, 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.

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"When ye

Again (1 Sam. xii. 12), where Samuel saith to the people, 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 civil state of their commonwealth.

And after the Israelites had rejected God, the prophets did foretell His restitution; as (Isaiah xxiv. 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 expressly of his reign in Zion and Jerusalem; that is, on earth. And (Micah iv. 7), "And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion ;" this Mount Zion is in Jerusalem, upon the earth. And (Ezek. xx. 33), "As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you; and (verse 37), "I will cause you to pass 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 i. 32, 33), "He shall be great, and be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." This is also a kingdom upon earth; for the claim whereof, as an enemy to Cæsar, He was put to death; the title of His cross was, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews;" He was crowned in scorn with a crown of thorns; and for the proclaiming of Him it is said of the disciples (Acts xvii. 7), "That they did all of them contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying there was another king, one Jesus. The kingdom therefore of God is a real, not a metaphorical kingdom; and so taken, not only in the Old Testament but in the New; when we say, "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory," it is to be understood of God's kingdom, by force of our covenant, not by the right of God's power; for such a kingdom God always hath; so that it were superfluous to say in our prayer, Thy kingdom come," unless it be meant of the restoration of that kingdom 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 kingdom of heaven is at hand;" or to pray, "Thy kingdom come," if it had still continued.

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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 ecclesiastical government. This they have observed, that instead of a "sacerdotal kingdom," translate, "a kingdom of priests;" for they may as well translate a royal priesthood," as it is in St. Peter, into a "priesthood of kings." And whereas, for a "peculiar people," they put a "precious jewel," or “treasure,” a man might as well call the special regiment, or company of a general, the general's precious jewel, or his treasure.

In short, the kingdom of God is a civil kingdom; which consisted, first, in the obligation of the people of Israel to those laws, which M oses should bring unto them from Mount Sinai; and which afterwards the high priest for the time being, should deliver to them from before the cherubims in the sanctum sanctorum; and which kingdom having been cast off in the election of Saul, the prophets foretold, should be restored by Christ; and the restoration whereof we daily pray for, when we say in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come;" and the right whereof we acknowledge, when we add, For thine is the kingdom, 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 God's government, is to be in the "kingdom of graee,' because God hath gratis given to such the power to be the subjects, that is children, of God hereafter, when Christ shall come in majesty to judge the world, and actually to govern His own people, which is called "the kingdom of glory." If the kingdom of God, called also the kingdom of heaven, from the gloriousness and admirable height of that throne, were not a kingdom which God by His lieutenants, or vicars, who deliver His commandments to the people, did exercise on earth; there would not have been so much contention and war 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.

Out of this literal interpretation of the "kingdom of God," ariseth also the true interpretation of the word "holy." For it is a word, which in God's kingdom answereth to that, which men in their kingdoms use to call "public," or the "king's."

The king of any country is the "public" 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 sovereign, is the nation of that sovereign, that is, of the public person. So the Jews, who were God's nation, were called (Exod. xix. 6) “a holy nation." For by "holy," is always understood either God himself, or that which is God's in propriety; as by public is always meant, either the person of the commonwealth itself, or something that is so the commonwealth's, as no private person can claim any propriety therein.

Therefore the Sabbath, God's day, is a "holy day;" the temple, God's house, "a holy house;" sacrifices, tithes, and offerings, God's tribute, "holy duties;" priests, prophets, and anointed kings, under Christ, God's ministers, "holy men;" the celestial ministering spirits, God's 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 commandment, of "having no other gods but Him." kind is God's nation in propriety: but the Jews only were a "holy nation." Why, but because they became His propriety by covenant?

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And the word "profane" is usually taken in the Scripture for the same with "common ;" and consequently their contraries, "holy" and "proper,' in the kingdom 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 wordly designs, and wholly devoted and given themselves to God. In the proper sense, that which is made "holy" by God's appro priating or separating it to His own use, is said to be "sanctified" by God, as the seventh day in the fourth commandment; and as the elect in the New Testament were said to be "sanctified" when they were endued with the spirit of godliness. And that which is made "holy" by the dedication of men, and given to God, so as to be used only in His public service, is called also "sacred," and said to be consecrated, as temples, and other houses of public prayer, and their utensils, priests, and ministers, victims, offerings, and the external matter of sacraments.

Of holiness" there be degrees: for of those things that are set apart for the service of God, there may be some set apart again for a nearer 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