us to 1. Observe and watch against the Divell world flesh and their temptations 2. To shut the corporall and spirituall eyes and senses against the baits of sinne and temptations of Satan and take heed especially of most dangerous sins as presumption despaire oblivion c. II. Of defence taking the whole armour of God Eph. 6 13. the 1. Shield of faith 2. Helmet of salvation 3. Sword of the Spirit 4. The word of God 5. Breastplate of righteousnesse c. III. Of deliverance by Christ and taken hold on by faith and effectually applied proved in true repentance and humility whereby rest and peace to the soule 14. What is here then desired All things that may confirme and strengthen us in goodnesse and to the resisting and extinguishing of evill 1. As Gods graces both preventing subsequent persevering with us to the end 2. A illumination of our spirit to discern what is good 3. As stedfastnesse of â—aith and that spirituall armour to resist temptations and evill 4. As comfort of his Spirit unto us in this life by turning evill to good unto us in humiliation of us In making us more carefull In estranging our affections from sin In privation of power to sin In preventing herein eternall death 5. Patience under the crosse c. 6. Everlasting life and blessednesse hereafter 15. What prayed against 1. Against sollicitation to sin in any degree as evill suggestion counsell consent delight c. 2. Against disertion and forsaking of God or his forsaking and leaving us 3. Against sin it selfe and the adjuncts of it oblivion of God presumption obduration despair 4. Against grievous and long afflictions and calamities 5. Against sudden death or strange and fearfull death or dangers and trialls 6. Against everlasting death and hell and our arch enemy the Divell 16. What expressed in the letter 1. The deprecation against all leading into temptation or evill 2. The Petition for deliverance from evill sin temptation 3. The intercession for others as well as our owne deliverance from evill defence against temptation 17. What intimated I. A confession of Gods power graces and free Spirit that is able ready and willing to aid us Our weaknesse and frailty ready to be tempted and overthrowne of evill Our duty to seek to him for his graces and so decline temptation and evill II. A thanksgiving and praises for 1. His graces we have had experience of Assistance in temptations and giving a happy issue to many of them 2. Many deliverances of us and others and that full deliverance the Saints enjoy 3. Our hope of full deliverance being freed from sinne hereafter in life everlasting 18. How summe you it up together in order 1. Our confession of Praises to God that he is only our Lord and Redeemer powerfull and able and willing and ready to deliver Our weaknesse that we poore creatures subject to many temptations and calamities Our duty therefore O Lord we looke to the hills whence our helpe and defence 2. Our Petition that thou O Lord wilt be a Tower of defence our Castle and defendor from temptation our deliverer from evill 3. Our intercession to him to deliver Israel from all her sinnes 4. Our deprecation against all the wicked men and instruments of the Divell temptations c. All evill remove O Lord lying lips and a deceitfull tongue and a heart that is froward all ungodlinesse and wrong all evill c. 5. Our thanksgiving and praises for our selves that have received many graces deliverances and best things as faith c. Others with us and bewayling our unfaithfulnesse and forgetfulnesse Our blessed hope of Saints that thou givest us and life everlasting promised The happinesse that thy Saints enjoy in thee O Lord eternally SECT 7. The Conclusion The conclusion with the reason and Analysis of the same wherein is shewed what is to be understood by Kingdome power and Glory so in their eminency excellency heere taught to him to bee ascribed and are now and ever shall be by all creatures most certainely to all eternity to be attributed which may teach all Kings Princes and Potentates as well as all other the aithfull and servants of God how zealously they ought to remember to set forth his glory in which conclusion the whole prayer seemes epitomized and included in assurance and confidence of which our zealous and faithfull prayers and praises as else diversly and for good respects used and here explicated as added Amen 1. VVHat is the conclusion added For thine is the Kingdome power and glory for ever and ever Amen whereby we acknowledge God both able to doe all hee will and willing to doe all for his glory which only we desire in all the Petitions and therefore in assurance to be heard in our just desires we say Amen 2. Why is it added As a very fit conclusion to prayer in the forme of praise and thanksgiving to him for so we acknowledge him the only powerfull King worthy to be praised and that there is no end of his greatnesse and honour and withall intimate our desire of his honour and that glory unto which all things are directed as to their end and it selfe without end even for ever and ever we give thanks for our and others good in it included and rejoyce in the same in that hope and assurance resting confident of his favour as our God and King as well as Father in Christ and in that desire of his glory thus conclude the thanksgiving and praises againe with prayer saying So be it 3. What herein contained A most firme reason of our faith and assurance as well as thankfulnesse drawne from 1. The object or matter ascribed Kingdome power and glory 2. The action or ascribing it Thine is the Kingdome power and the glory 3. The circumstance of the eternity of it for ever and ever certainty of it Amen 4. How a reason of our faith and assurance For that he whom we pray unto is so great and powerfull and glorious a God and King as to whom both 1. All Kingdome Power and Glory over all is due and to be ascribed 2. It is ascribed by all tongues and hearts both of men and Angels 3. It is ever and shall be acknowledged either by the good to their comfort or others to their condemnation 4. It is so certaine as truth it selfe for he hath said it that will doe it who is Yea and Amen 5. How a reason of our praise and thanksgiving Because who is more worthy to receive praise and thanksgiving then this our God whose Kingdome power and glory is so established in the heavens and whole truth endureth for ever in heaven 6. What meant by Kingdome His dominion and government absolute over and above all both generally in the world Specially over his Church in grace glory as in the second Petition more amply expressed 7. What his power His Almightinesse able to doe all that he pleaseth That we can desire That shall be good
words which was both spoken by God himself and written in the Tables and that two severall times laid up in the Arke and recorded for publique testification by Moses also to teach the people and so the very letter and words by how much more dignified the more and above all others to be received and esteemed 7. How did God speake it Not onely by his Prophets and servants and dictate of his Spirit as other Scriptures so also holy and sanctified but this with his owne voice in audience of Israel to their terror in power and great glory that they were amazed and fled againe and with so much the more feare and reverence to be received 8. How is the 20. Chapter of Exodus urged As the duplicate probation from testimony of holy Scripture also where it is recorded with all the circumstances of the preparation and delivery of the same 9. What circumstances There in that 20. Chapter and the precedent Chapter set forth As 1. the preparation after the manner of those times with great purifying washing and cleansing the bodies and thereby signified the soules purity required to receiving that holy Law and so teaching us what preparation for it c. 2. Charge not to presume beyond certaine markes and bounds set on paine of death to signifie these bounds of the Law transgrest much more meriting death 3. The Lords 1. descending with great terror the trumpet sounding earth quaking lightning flying abroad that Moses trembled and the people fled for feare to shew and signifie how awfull regard to be had thereof Secondly the Lords speaking with so great power and majesty that people also feared so exceedingly that they prayed Moses thence forward to speake to them lest hearing Gods voice they should die Thirdly the Lords writing the Lawes with his owne finger in the Tables of stone shewing their stony-heartednesse and that nothing but Gods finger was able to imprint them there all for the more reverence and that we be not negligent of his most holy lawes 10. How is it called the law of Moses As by him recorded yea and the Tables by him received from the Lord and so of him noted these circumstances also there 1. His fasting forty dayes at the receiving therof to shew with what penitence abstinence and humility it ought to bee received by us and as Christ also to the promulgation of that better law fasted also forty dayes 2. His zeale for Gods honour against the peoples idolatry in so much that he brake the Tables as they their faith to God 3. His glorious aspect and face shining so at receiving of the Law that the people were not able to behold him to signifie the honour of his ministry from God and the blindnesse of the Jews that had not power neither to looke the Law or Moses in the face to see the end of the Law and looke upon the Messias as they ought unlesse the Lord take away the vaile of blindnesse from their eyes and heart 11. Why are the words double so of speaking and saying To signifie and shew not onely the speaking or pronouncing was from God to dignifie the words but saying as establishing with authority and commanding thereby requiring awfull obedience to the same 12. Which is Moses preface Intimated in the former and almost in the same words expressed thus God spake all these words saying Exod. 20. 1. 13. What to be observed For the most part as in the former preface so here to be noted The author God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He spake and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law written wherein the universality all and not onely part thereof regularity reduced to words these words spoken heard written and recorded The authority whereby as spoken for declaration established for confirmation saying I am c. 14. Which is the third preface Gods own as immediately prefixed to that first Commandement and so by some called a reason of the Command and in these words I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of c. 15. Is it then a reason or preface It may well be both a preface taken from the reason of enforcing their obedience and so it is a Preface as it is prefixed to the Commandement Reason in respect of the obedience urged 16. Is it a preface to the first onely or all the Commandements To the first primarily as either immediately prefixed or as the first Commandement is the chiefe and ground of all the rest To the residue of good consequence as respecting them also and enforcing obedience to them all 17. VVhat observe you in that preface The Lords name the author and so the authority I am c. Attribute requiring reverence Lord thy God Actions of deliverance enforcing duty and obedience Which brought c. 18. VVhat is his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah rendred the Lord I am the Lord taking it for his name and thereby manifesting himselfe to the Fathers in his mighty power essence and majesty and in that veneration held with the Jewes that in latter times they forbearing to speak or pronounce it they lost the true genuine pronunciation and spake read Adonai or Lord for it so it was called Ineffabile and Tetragrammaton as written with those foure letters the principall Matres Lectionis as it were whereof the Jewes writ many rare and excellent observations though in abstruse divinity and so by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name is understood of this most high and holy name 19. VVhat noted you in it These things especially and usually 1. The originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also that other name of God or essence as originall of all being 2. Letters first of aspiration doubled in it as from whom all life and breathing derived and proceeding Secondly of it the formatives of the tenses as comprehending all time past present and future shewing his eternity 3. Signification in the highest degree substance essence or being as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or super substantia as it is said to the first and last who was and is and is to come yet semper eidem the same 4. Manifestation of it to Moses and the Fathers for a blessing and comfort and so is it to all them that are his and that may know him and call upon his name 20. VVhat learne we hence His great authority and awfull reverence to his most holy name and majesty 21. VVhat Attributes Of Thy God or strength Thy deliverer or defence So appropriating his goodnesse in mercy and deliverance to his people Israel 22. But is not God also his name It is but as Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more peculiarly assumed to himselfe in testification of his Majesty and particular revelation of himselfe to Abraham Moses and the Fathers so more especially accounted his and God betokening his goodnes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying his strength
or recreation allowed Yes we have liberty to refresh and cheare our selves with those things that may comfort our weak nature and make us more able or disposed to celebrate the day as a festivall and day of joy unto the Lord for so it is and the Prophets expresse it so and as we have flesh about us as well as spirit and a body of dust the Lord who knoweth this our weaknesse appointeth the best things of the earth if we serve him for our comfort as in Paradise so on his Sabbath even to our bodily delight as the comfort of the soule so farre forth as it may helpe not hinder the hallowing of the day and expresse a holy not heathenish feast or drunken Bacchanalia on this day 49. How is that to be understood As that we may use to our comforts both the creatures by eating and drinking to make it a festivall day Musicke and godly singing or mirth to make it a joyfull day Other such like delights and recreations to refresh our spirits in honest manner whereby to be more cheerfull able to spend the allotted and best parts of the time in those holy duties appointed and so those delights to be a means to further these duties and without all excesse scurrility and prophanenesse which else may prove both an abuse of them and the Sabbath 50. What is the opposite part or vice hereunto opposed The not setting apart a rest or the pollution abuse and prophanation of that rest and day of the Sabbath 51. How not setting apart a day of rest Either in setting out none at all in effect or by not resting from sinning perturbation of the soule ordinary workes or worldly thoughts as they ought to doe or in stealing a part from God by their allotting unnecessarily 1. Early mornings workes to hinder the due observation 2. Part of the day or sometimes chiefe part of the day to other occasions 3. Latter businesses even to be set in hand before the Sabbath ended as too frequent instances may be given in worldings hying to fayres and markets before the Sabbath ended Carriers Millers Shop-keepers Alehouses Tavernes and others no necessity urging but filthy lucre stealing a part if not wholly prophaning the Lords day against which many good Lawes have by good Princes beene enacted though too often the more the shame slenderly executed 52. How to be remedied If good Lawes well enacted were by good Magistrates carefully executed as we read in some Councells decreed the goods to be forfeited as Concilio Dingulonencsis Canon 13. and by Leo and Authemius the persons to be proscribed whereby they were out of the lawes and Princes protection and the goods forfeited 53. How is the farther abuse and prophanation By abusing that rest and day of Sabbath to any evill end as superstition in Jewish abstinency from necessary things to be done for the better sanctification thereof Any Idolatrous fashion Idlenesse only and in doing no good which is worse then bodily labour and this Sabbatum Asinorum or of beasts Vanity or prophane sports which hinder holy duties and sanctification worse also then honest labour this onely Sabbatum tituli bare name of Sabbath Sinne as to gluttony exccesse drunkennesse and the like spending the best day in the worst exercises or wasting idly on the Sabbath what gotten the weeke which is Sabbatum Satanae the Divells holyday and they his slaves that use it 54. How is the heynousnesse of this sinne intimated 1. By Gods strict penall law enacted against it the offendors to dye the death Exod. 31. 15. 2. By that laws execution on him that gathered but sticks Num. 15. 32. 3. By Gods sending the people into captivity for it that the land might keepe her Sabbath that they his people had broken Jerem. 25. 4. Gods providence to have it observed that the day before only no other sent and allowed double Manna Exod. 26. 5. And lastly God and all good mens execrations of it and Prophets exclamations against it as Nehemiah also threatning the Merchants Nehemiah 13. 55. How is it then generally or commonly prophaned 1. Either by labours and journying that are not of necessity and might be avoided 2. By idle resting and sitting at home or other absence from publicke duties 3. By sinfull and vain spending the time allotted to holy duties in wicked manner 4. By suffering others especially those under the authority of Master or Magistrate to offend therein 56. What is the issue generally hereof By neglecting Gods ordinance and herein honour both good order overturned Good duties of all sorts neglected Magistrates and Superiours with God contemned Inferiours by prophanenesse come to misery Gods blessings alienated c. and his judgements assuredly appropriated to the offenders 57. What is the second part of the duty in sanctifying the Sabbath To remember it or mindefully with care and conscience to prepare for it and set about it 1. Seene in removing impediments 2. Using all good helpes 3. Convenient preparation to both the publicke and private duties to be performed by both 1. Ministers 2. People in the celebrating and being present at the celebration of divine Service and publicke worship of God in his Church performing the divine offices or officiating there with helping and assistance in the same 58. What is it to remember To take speciall note of this Commandement as begun in Paradise sanctified by God and now renewed in Christ c. To take speciall note of the duty enjoyned sanctifie the time the Sabbath ourselves to bee prepared And so remember all the dayes of the week so to labour that we may rest and sanctifie this The day before as a parasceve or halfe holyday begin to prepare ourselves to the sanctification of this The last Sabbath how we profited what wee learned and how to improve it in this 59. What impediments to be removed Of workes and labour that would importune us to neglect it worldly cares and distractions and specially sinne and vanity with sleepy drowsinesse of devotion and idlenesse perswading us to absent our selves from holy duties and stay at home 60. What helpes to be used Holy meditations of the benefit institution and command of the Sabbath and blessings attending the same as well as reading conference c. 61. What preparations else Fitting our bodies to the outward rest and presenting our selves and those that belong to us at the Church as our minds to the holy actions and present devotions in such preparation yeelding our presence both of body and minde even to all both publique and private duties of the Sabbath 62. What private duties Those preparations going before and good exercises and actions following the publique duties as also the ordinary meanes of sanctification private prayer reading and meditation Workes of charity and mercy Outward almes visiting the sicke c. peace-making Inward to the soule instruction reproofe exhortation comfort counsell c. 63. What publique The ordinary duties of the Sabbath in the publique worship
with a leud disposition is though in it selfe godly to that depraved humor but an occasion of rebelling and rebellious headstrongnesse and scorning in impatiency and impotency with spurning against it and disobedience 6. But obedience to the Law is true justice Yes for the man that doth those things shall live in them Levit. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Rom. 10. 3. Luke 10. 28. 7. But none may be justified by the Law No yet not because the Law is not perfect or not able to justifie for the Law is perfect holy just and good but because we are not able to justifie it for the Law is spirituall but wee carnall Rom. 7. 12. c. 8. Why can none fulfill it Because wee are all sinners and deprived of grace as of the glory and image of God Rom. 3. 23. yea sin is in the very regenerate Rom. 7. 20. 9. What is the use of the Law 1. To teach us these things and the excellency of Law and Law-giver 2. To shew us what true righteousnesse is 3. To humble us and shew us our weaknesse and infirmitie 4. To stir us up to better duties and seek Christ and his power and grace so to bring us to him 5. To direct us being in him how to live acceptably in striving to walke in the same 10. How is this use of the Law then branched Into the civill and spirituall use thereof both in respect of reprobate or righteous 11. What the civill use To shew the difference betweene good and evill and what the acceptable will of God is and to leave all without excuse 12. What the spirituall use To the reprobate not only to leave them without excuse but even to 1. Shew their sin in the full extent and so to make them appeare more ugly and deformed that are by nature void of good 2. To harden them that whereas they cannot performe it take occasion thereby to bring forth more evill and so to them the letter killeth and kindling the heat of sinne in them maketh it more strong 13. Why should they be condemned since they are not able to performe it We are not to looke that we are able but what we ought to doe not what In 1. Our corruption we want but 2. What we received in our creation that is what the Lord gave us and the Lord requiring but his owne we being not able the fault is in our selves 14. What the use to the children of God Twofold Either 1. Before they be converted to humble them and shew them their owne weaknesse whereby they may feele the sweetnesse of Christ in deliverance from the torments of hell deserved which unlesse humbled by the Law we could never be sensible of but feeling it desire the release and so a Schoolemaster to bring us to him And yet more 2. After they be in Christ for a rule of righteousnesse and godly obedience to bridle the affections while we strive for perfection 15. What is then further expressed in this preface First the caution for our more due consideration of these things and our weake estate and inability to performe the duties in the law required in those first words My good childe know this that thou art not able to doe c. 16. How is our inability seene In that we are not able as of our selves to think a good thought much lesse to doe a good deed as of our selves since our depraved nature in Adams fall is not only deprived of all goodnesse but enclined and prone to all evill 17. Was no man ever able to performe them None except Adam in his state of innocency and Christ who was both God and Man 18. How is the estate of man to be considered 1. In his first creation and estate of innocency able to fulfill them as them in Gods Image righteousnesse and true holinesse 2. In his fall and nature as now it is depraved and deprived of all goodnesse and so not able to fulfill it 3. In his new birth and regenerate estate in Christ yet so not able perfectly to fulfill the law but failing in many things yet in some measure yeelding acceptable obedience 19. How was that perfection in Adam seene As he was perfectly good created in the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse having his soule endued with divine knowledge free will and affections holy in integrity and innocencie 20. How the depraved nature of man As he is corrupted in his powers of body and soule and his 1. Understanding darkned full of ignorance and error 2. His will crooked and contrary to the will of God 3. His affections impure and so bad that nothing so good but it will loath or hate it nothing so bad and vile but they will wish and seek it 4. His weaknesse such that no power to any good in thought word or deed 5. His strength of corruption so great that it will turne best things into ill to its self and good things into occasion of falling the graces of God into wantonnesse 21. How this more manifested In that they in this estate are compared to blind and deale and worse things even filthinesse it selfe so Job 14. 4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse and Rom. 7. 18. In me dwelleth no good thing and David There is none that doeth good no not one they are all corrupt and become abominable destruction and unhappinesse is in their waies and the way of peace they have not knowne yea the unregenerate do nothing but sin and their best actions and waies but sin and to death 22. How those in estate of grace Yet they cannot perfectly fulfill the law but faile in many things as Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all for though there be sincere and sound obedience from the heart and guided by Gods Spirit yet it is but imperfect obedience while the corrupt nature in the old man cleaveth so neer to us and is not quite expelled but hindreth many a good worke whence the combat betweene the flesh and the spirit when not the good that wee would but the evill that we would not is done Rom. 7. 21. and so like Schollars practised in Christs Schoole in these exercises of grace there will be faults in our doings easily found we are not skilfull to the full or masters in the art of godlinesse while we are in viâ here only we shall be in patriâ when all imperfection shall be done away 23. Are none then perfect here Not absolutely but a kinde of perfection is attributed to the godly 1. As perfectio partium opposed to hypocrisie so sincere and true godlinesse as in David Josiah and others 2. Though not perfectionem graduum or an absolute fulfilling of the law and all righteousnesse without failing in any thing for this is in no man to be found of all the sons of Adam that are only men so rejected 1. Pelagianisme that gave perfection to mans naturall faculties and freewill 2. Semipelagianisâ—e
Father c. as let thy name be sanctified by all 12. What farther intimated Very apparantly also a I. Confession of a 1. Due to God to have his name hallowed 2. Duty of our selves and others to sanctifie the same 3. Defect that it is too often and ordinarily prophaned and so we pray for reformation II. A deprecation against that abuse and prophanation and that God will be pleased to vindicate his honour III. Profession of praise and thanksgiving for that measure of grace whereby we are able to desire this That hope we have to have it performed by our selves and others 13. How summe you up all these together I. Our confession of a 1. Due it is sit O Lord that thy name should receive the glory and be sanctified 2. Duty of our selves others it is just O Lord that we should give thee praise 3. Defect it is too manifest O Lord that thy name is not honoured as it ought to be but by us and others too much dishonoured and prophaned II. Our petition O Lord let thy name be hallowed by us III. Our intercession we pray not only for our selves but O Lord let thy name be hallowed and sanctified by us all and thy glory among all Nations IV. Deprecation we beseech thee to vindicate thy name and honour and let not thy name be prophaned by the enemy V. Our thansgiving for this well disposednesse to his honour that it hath pleased thee O Lord to give us this grace Our hope in respect of our selves and others that thou O Lord hast ordained thy name by us and many others to be hallowed 14. What the second petition That Gods Kingdom may come the number of true beleevers encreased the Kingdome of grace enlarged and his Kingdome of glory hastened 15. What the order of it That after Gods name sanctified his glory desired and advanced his Kingdome and power of grace is thereby promoted extolled within us in our heart by faith and the working of his good Spirit to the subduing of sinne and all that is against God and without us in the world in which Kingdome we and all that are his may readily obey him and doe his will both men on earth with willingnesse as Saints and Angels in heaven with all readinesse joy and alacrity 16. What parts of this petition Two the 1. Object Gods Kingdome 2. Action to come 17. What meane you by his Kingdome That mighty power and infallible providence seen in guiding governing and directing all things to good end for his glory and we use to shew a threefold Kingdome of his as of I. Power in his universall Kingdome the world unto which all creatures are subject both men and Angels yea and Divels and this Kingdome Gods fold and field and draw-net c. as in the Parables and the parts both 1. Good and bad sinners and others 2. Wicked men and tyrants 3. Who are the tares drosse chaffe goats cockle and the like c. 4. As the godly the sheep and the like wheat gold c. and all shall bow under Gods hand II. Grace in his Church militant on earth of which only the godly are subjects as the wheat gold sheep that shall be severed from the tares and chaffe drosse and goats 3. Glory in the Church triumphant in heaven in the which Angels and Saints or soules of the just after the separation are his subjects 18. What meane you by the action come That his Kingdome may be 1. Erected where it is not 2. Continued and confirmed where it is 3. Restored where it is decayed 4. Encreased and enlarged by his effusion of his graces more abundantly 5. Perfected in us and our translation to felicity 6. Consummate in all and in due time compleat to his glory in eternity 7. Universally ruled and guided according to his good pleasure and will 19. How make you application particularly of the action to the object For the universall Kingdome that it may be so universally governed and if it be his good will all Turkes Pagans Infidels and Hereticks converted or confounded all evill men reduced to godlinesse tyrants and persecutors tamed the Divell and his wicked instruments brideled that his power may be seen in all things and celebrated by all and his good pleasure performed 20. What for his Kingdome of grace That it may be erected where it is not both in our hearts by faith and praces of his Spirit and in all places of the world where it is not or where it never was planted so among the heathen and to the ends of the earth that they may glorifie God with us 2. That it may bee continued and strengthened by his gracious presence and blessings where it is both within us in our hearts and without us where ever in the world 3. That it may be daily encreased and enlarged by more abundant measure of his graces and effusion of his Spirit into our hearts and upon all flesh to his more honour and praise and more and more willing obedience 4. That it may be restored where ever by Satans malice decayed whether within us by temptations of sinne from the world the flesh or the Divell or without us in any others or in the vastity of those decayed but sometime flourishing Churches where Gods honour did formerly stand and as among the Turkes and Jewes at this day in that wonder of the world Jerusalem and her Sion now under Turkish bondage and slavery those famous Churches in Asia Greece and Alexandria now oppressed by savage Barbarisme and Mehometicall insidelity and tyranny and where ever else the true faith now oppressed or opposed that God will be graciously pleased to relieve and restore it 21. How for the Kingdome of glory That as begun in grace in us and others by the power and earnest-penny of his Spirit and gracious revelations of his presence that it may be more perfected by our translation to that beatificall vision of his glory and for as much as it is daily tending to more perfection in the encrease of the number and approaching of the determinate consummation that finally he will hastening the marriage of the Lambe consummate and make compleat that number and give them full complement of all joy in eternity that all Saints and Angels together in fullest happinesse and felicity may set forth and enjoy his glory everlastingly 22. What is the Scepter of this Kingdome of God The power of Gods Spirit ruling every where most perspicuously and over all creatures universally as more particularly by grace in his Church militant and in most excellent glory in his Church triumphant 23. What instruments doth God exercise in it Even all creatures generally as instruments of his glory so shall the very Divells be wicked men and tyrants though unwillingly and constrained godly men more willingly and with readinesse and joy Saints and Angels most willingly cheerfully and speedily and more particularly seen by us in this Kingdome of grace 1. All good Kings and
consecration of it and holy Abraham comming neare Mount Morijah where he was to offer maketh such difference and distinction of the persons places and things I and the lad saith he will goe yonder the sacrificer and sacrifice to the Altar shewing the Court of the Priests but stay you here designing as it were the Court of the people and to Moses was it spoken from God Exod. 3. 5. Come not nigher put off thy shooes for the place c. as if he should say it is holy there by my presence being so neare put off â—hy shooes therefore but come not nigher though thy shooes be off it is holier here the best respects are little enough for the place where thou art and too little for the place where thus am being ignis in rubo Deus in carne Christus in virgine come now to his Church you must not tread on that ground with thy shooes on nor on this though thy shooes be off thy shoos are too uncleane for that place and thy bare feet not cleane enough for this as a learned Divine of our Church well notes on the place 56. And how since the Law was it observed In like manner such reverentiall distance and degrees as we may not thinke Gods honour lesse or his holinesse and presence more alienated from his Church since his sending his Son in the flesh then before rather more illustriously to all intents there manifested in that house and Church of his where the very Pascall Lambe was sacrificed in truth substance by himself then where onely in types and shadowes by another viz. Aaron and his sonnes in the Temple especially since we see and heare that Evangelicall Prophet among many others so triumphantly proclaiming it Esay 60 1. 3. 13. c. concerning Christ and his Church and in him and it verified Arise shine thy light is come the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee the Gentiles shall come to thy light Kings to the brightnesse oâ— thy rising thy gates shall be open the glory of Lebanon shall come to thee c. they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the Holy One of Israel thy wals shall be salvation and thy gates praise the Lord shall be thy everlasting light and thy God thy glory all spoken of the glory of the Church in the abundant accesse of the Gentiles and great blessing by the presence of the Messias and graces of God powred out and appearing on her as throughout all the Chapter is plentifully declarâ—â— so the converted Geâ—â—iles with the Jewâ—s fallin â— downe in the Church shall all worship acknowledging Gods presence and the beauty of â—olinesse most effeâ—tâ—â—lly powerfully there yea even to admiration in most joyfull and glorious manner or more ample mâ—â—ner and measure then ever before shewne as now manifested in substâ—nce what before by 〈◊〉 types shadowed and according to the practice of the people of God have the Gentiles received to grace and engrafted into Christ followed their steps kept their reverentiall distances and degrees not presuming with pâ—arisaicall arrogancy but in humilâ—y and lowly manner in those consecrated and holy places taught â—o tender their devoâ—ions for so testifie all priâ—itive times before ever that sawcinesse and fâ—iniliarity of faith that would bring in coâ—fusion and â—hrust all things out of order among Schismaâ—ickes and factious persons grew to be fancâ—d or iâ— fashion 57. They intend perhaâ—s with more freedoâ—e and boâ—â—ly to come and performe those acts of divine worship there And well may they so they doe it with more humility tâ—ught in the Publicaâ— where no lesse the proud deportment of the Phaâ—isee was withall pointed at and reproved and we may note that as well as O come let us sing unto the Lord a venite exultemus be to be found to invite us to diligence and alacâ—ity with boldnesse in the action so there is also a venite adoremus Let us worship and fall downe before the Lord our Maker let us bow downe yea fall downe before him and fall low on our knees before his foot-stoole to teach us â—umility and shew our duty for he that requires a diligent servant desires also a dutifull one and he that loves a duâ—ifull and diligent servant loaâ—hs a malapert and saucie one and who can be too lowly in his presence looke to Daâ—ia and other holy mens deportment before him and if we humble our selves so to Kings or our fellow servants here on earth as is fitting and by Gods word approved with what humility should we that are but dust and ashes appearâ— before him there or how can we too much expresse lowlinesse that he so loveth for he regarded the lowlinesse of his 〈◊〉 whom therefore all generations do now call blessed leaving the proud and mighty in the â—maginations of their owne hearts exalted the humble and meek yea still scorning the proud giveth grace to the humâ—le and heareth their prayers when they call upon him 58. How groweth yet this distinction of holinesse and degrees of it in such manner in the holy places or things As the presence of the Lord may be understood to be there and his graces dispenced by or in the same but not in the same degree in all of them whereby though one be holy and the other yet not one so holy as the other as was in effect spoken to Moses from God to this purpose the place where thou standest and hearest me speake is holy but this â—olier from whence I speake that too cleane for thy shooes this for thy bare feet therefore come not â—igher thus where God was more then ordinary he required respects more then ordinary thy shoos are too uncleane for that place and thy bare feet though they are permitted there are not cleane enough for this so the reason of this distinction hence to be gathered not any inherent essentiall preeminence of the place or thing but relative arising from some peculiar dispensation of his presence beneficence and graces there or in them whence came the distinctions in divers degrees according to the degrees of such dispensation of graces observed and severall consecrations of holy things places and persons in or under the Law and before and of our Churches since and all parts of them and other things according to the same respects that are moral and unchangeable for the substance of them the types now vanished under the Gospel and indeed for the excellencie and eminencie of their use in divine worship worthy to bee reverenced and so distinguished as from all antiquity we have received them and thus for holy places have we the Church-yard as consecrated ground in a first degree the Church it selfe Chancell and holy Table in their order in higher and different degrees of reveâ—entiall respects ever acknowledged till the fuâ—y or frenzie of Novelists disturbed it and answerable to this in other matters observed 59. In what other matters Both times persons and things consecrate