Chapter: CHAPTER XXXV. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF KINGDOME OF GOD, OF HOLY, SACRED, AND SACRAMENT




Kingdom Of God Taken By Divines Metaphorically But In The Scriptures

Properly

The Kingdome of God in the Writings of Divines, and specially in
Sermons, and Treatises of Devotion, is taken most commonly for Eternall
Felicity, after this life, in the Highest Heaven, which they also call
the Kingdome of Glory; and sometimes for (the earnest of that felicity)
Sanctification, which they terme the Kingdome of Grace, but never
for the Monarchy, that is to say, the Soveraign Power of God over
any Subjects acquired by their own consent, which is the proper
signification of Kingdome.

To the contrary, I find the KINGDOME OF GOD, to signifie in most places
of Scripture, a Kingdome 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 Gods promising them the
possession of the land of Canaan; and but seldom metaphorically;
and then it is taken for Dominion Over Sinne; (and only in the New
Testament;) because such a Dominion as that, every Subject shall have in
the Kingdome of God, and without prejudice to the Soveraign.

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 commandement to abstaine from the tree of cognizance of
Good and Evill; which when he obeyed not, but tasting thereof, took upon
him to be as God, judging between Good and Evill, not by his Creators
commandement, but by his own sense, his punishment was a privation of
the estate of Eternall life, wherein God had at first created him: And
afterwards God punished his posterity, for their vices, all but eight
persons, with an universall deluge; And in these eight did consist the
then Kingdome Of God.




The Originall Of The Kingdome Of God

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." 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 periousios, which is opposed commonly to the word epiousios: 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 Kingdome 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 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.

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 Kingdome there shall
be no end." This is also a Kingdome upon Earth; for the claim whereof,
as an enemy to Caesar, 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 Caesar, saying there was another King, one Jesus. The
Kingdome therefore of God, is a reall, 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 Ecclesiastical
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 of 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 Lieutenant,
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 Spirituall Jurisdiction, nor any King have
denied it them.

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 Coelestiall 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 designes, 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 Temples 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 certain
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 Allegeance, 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 Passover; nor
are there any other in the New Testament, but Baptisme, and the Lords
Supper.

 Revealing the truth--although not in so many words--to Dr. Barlow really shakes Alek up, so Deryn comforts him as he cries and tells her about his parents. Deryn realizes who Alek must be, although he hasn't told her yet. As they talk, Deryn hints at--and Alek acknowledges--his true identity. Alek tells Deryn the whole story of why it was such a big deal for his father to marry a non-royal and about why he can't inherit anything. Alek feels he's responsible for the family squabble, and in turn, the war. Deryn tries to convince him that this is nonsense, but he's not convinced. She also tells him he's more than just a prince--he's her friend. Sniff. A message lizard summons Alek to help translate as the crew tries to attach the walker's engines to the ship. Alek gives Deryn a hug before he leaves, and Deryn realizes she really liked that hug. You know, in a more-than-friends kind of way.

