ThekingdomthereforeofGodisareal，notametaphoricalkingdom；
andsotaken，notonlyintheOldTestament，buttheNew。Whenwesay，“Forthineisthekingdom，thepower，andglory，“itistobeunderstoodofGod’skingdom，byforceofourcovenant，notbytherightofGod’spower；forsuchakingdomGodalwayshath；sothatitweresuperfluoustosayinourprayer，“Thykingdomcome，“unlessitbemeantoftherestorationofthatkingdomofGodbyChristwhichbyrevoltoftheIsraeliteshadbeeninterruptedintheelectionofSaul。Norhaditbeenpropertosay，“Thekingdomofheavenisathand“；ortopray，“Thykingdomcome，“ifithadstillcontinued。
Therebesomanyotherplacesthatconfirmthisinterpretationthatitwereawonderthereisnogreaternoticetakenofit，butthatitgivestoomuchlighttoChristiankingstoseetheirrightofecclesiasticalgovernment。Thistheyhaveobserved，thatinsteadofasacerdotalkingdom，translate，akingdomofpriests：fortheymayaswelltranslatearoyalpriesthood，asitisinSt。Peter，intoapriesthoodofkings。Andwhereas，forapeculiarpeople，theyputapreciousjewel，ortreasure，amanmightaswellcallthespecialregimentorcompanyofageneralthegeneral’spreciousjewel，orhistreasure。
Inshort，thekingdomofGodisacivilkingdom，whichconsistedfirst，intheobligationofthepeopleofIsraeltothoselawswhichMosesshouldbringuntothemfromMountSinai；andwhichafterwardsthehighpriest，forthetimebeing，shoulddelivertothemfrombeforethecherubiminthesanctumsanctorum；andwhichkingdomhavingbeencastoffintheelectionofSaul，theprophetsforetold，shouldberestoredbyChrist；andtherestorationwhereofwedailyprayforwhenwesayintheLord’sPrayer，“Thykingdomcome“；andtherightwhereofweacknowledgewhenweadd，“Forthineisthekingdom，thepower，andglory，foreverandever，Amen“；andtheproclaimingwhereofwasthepreachingoftheApostles；andtowhichmenarepreparedbytheteachersoftheGospel；toembracewhichGospelthatistosay，topromiseobediencetoGod’sgovernmentistobeinthekingdomofgrace，becauseGodhathgratisgiventosuchthepowertobethesubjectsthatis，childrenofGodhereafterwhenChristshallcomeinmajestytojudgetheworld，andactuallytogovernhisownpeople，whichiscalledthekingdomofglory。IfthekingdomofGodcalledalsothekingdomofheaven，fromthegloriousnessandadmirableheightofthatthronewerenotakingdomwhichGodbyHislieutenantsorvicars，whodeliverHiscommandmentstothepeople，didexerciseonearth，therewouldnothavebeensomuchcontentionandwaraboutwhoitisbywhomGodspeakethtous；
neitherwouldmanypriestshavetroubledthemselveswithspiritualjurisdiction，noranykinghavedenieditthem。
OutofthisliteralinterpretationofthekingdomofGodarisethalsothetrueinterpretationofthewordholy。ForitisawordwhichinGod’skingdomanswerethtothatwhichmenintheirkingdomsusetocallpublic，ortheking’s。
Thekingofanycountryisthepublicperson，orrepresentativeofallhisownsubjects。AndGodthekingofIsraelwastheHolyOneofIsrael。Thenationwhichissubjecttooneearthlysovereignisthenationofthatsovereign，thatis，ofthepublicperson。SotheJews，whowereGod’snation，werecalledaholynation。*ForbyholyisalwaysunderstoodeitherGodHimselforthatwhichisGod’sinpropriety；asbypublicisalwaysmeanteitherthepersonortheCommonwealthitself，orsomethingthatissotheCommonwealth’sasnoprivatepersoncanclaimanyproprietytherein。
ThereforetheSabbathGod’sdayisaholyday；theTempleGod’shouse，aholyhouse；sacrifices，tithes，andofferingsGod’stribute，holyduties；priests，prophets，andanointedkings，underChristGod’sministers，holymen；thecelestialministeringspiritsGod’smessengers，holyangels；andthelike：andwheresoeverthewordholyistakenproperly，thereisstillsomethingsignifiedofproprietygottenbyconsent。Insaying“Hallowedbethyname，“wedobutpraytoGodforgracetokeepthefirstCommandmentofhavingnootherGodsbutHim。MankindisGod’snationinpropriety：buttheJewsonlywereaholynation，。Why，butbecausetheybecamehisproprietybycovenant？
AndthewordprofaneisusuallytakenintheScriptureforthesamewithcommon；andconsequentlytheircontraries，holyandproper，inthekingdomofGodmustbethesamealso。Butfiguratively，thosemenalsoarecalledholythatledsuchgodlylives，asiftheyhadforsakenallworldlydesigns，andwhollydevotedandgiventhemselvestoGod。Inthepropersense，thatwhichismadeholybyGod’sappropriatingorseparatingittohisownuseissaidtobesanctifiedbyGod，astheseventhdayinthefourthCommandment；andastheelectintheNewTestamentweresaidtobesanctifiedwhentheywereenduedwiththespiritofgodliness。Andthatwhichismadeholybythededicationofmen，andgiventoGod，soastobeusedonlyinhispublicservice，iscalledalsosacred，andsaidtobeconsecrated，astemples，andotherhousesofpublicprayer，andtheirutensils，priests，andministers，victims，offerings，andtheexternalmatterofsacraments。
Ofholinesstherebedegrees：forofthosethingsthataresetapartfortheserviceofGod，theremaybesomesetapartagainforanearerandmoreespecialservice。ThewholenationoftheIsraeliteswereapeopleholytoGod；yetthetribeofLeviwasamongsttheIsraelitesaholytribe；andamongsttheLevitesthepriestswereyetmoreholy；
andamongsttheprieststhehighpriestwasthemostholy。SothelandofJudeawastheHolyLand，buttheHolyCitywhereinGodwastobeworshippedwasmoreholy；andagain，theTemplemoreholythanthecity，andthesanctumsanctorummoreholythantherestoftheTemple。
Asacramentisaseparationofsomevisiblethingfromcommonuse；
andaconsecrationofittoGod’sservice，forasigneitherofouradmissionintothekingdomofGod，tobeofthenumberofhispeculiarpeople，orforacommemorationofthesame。IntheOldTestamentthesignofadmissionwascircumcision；intheNewTestament，baptism。ThecommemorationofitintheOldTestamentwastheeatingatacertaintime，whichwasanniversaryofthePaschalLamb，bywhichtheywereputinmindofthenightwhereintheyweredeliveredoutoftheirbondageinEgypt；andintheNewTestament，thecelebratingoftheLord’sSupper，bywhichweareputinmindofourdeliverancefromthebondageofsinbyourblessedSaviour’sdeathuponthecross。
Thesacramentsofadmissionarebutoncetobeused，becausethereneedsbutoneadmission；butbecausewehaveneedofbeingoftenputinmindofourdeliveranceandofourallegiance，thesacramentsofcommemorationhaveneedtobereiterated。Andthesearetheprincipalsacramentsand，asitwere，thesolemnoathswemakeofourallegiance。Therebealsootherconsecrationsthatmaybecalledsacraments，asthewordimpliethonlyconsecrationtoGod’sservice；
butasitimpliesanoathorpromiseofallegiancetoGod，therewerenootherintheOldTestamentbutcircumcisionandthePassover；norarethereanyotherintheNewTestamentbutbaptismandtheLord’sSupper。
WHENthereismentionofthewordofGod，orofman，itdothnotsignifyapartofspeech，suchasgrammarianscallanounoraverb，oranysimplevoice，withoutacontexturewithotherwordstomakeitsignificative；butaperfectspeechordiscourse，wherebythespeakeraffirmeth，denieth，commandeth，promiseth，threateneth，wisheth，orinterrogateth。Inwhichsenseitisnotvocabulumthatsignifiesaword，butsermoinGreeklogosthatis，somespeech，discourse，orsaying。
Again，ifwesaythewordofGod，orofman，itmaybeunderstoodsometimesofthespeaker：asthewordsthatGodhathspoken，orthatamanhathspoken；inwhichsense，whenwesaytheGospelofSt。
Matthew，weunderstandSt。Matthewtobethewriterofit：andsometimesofthesubject；inwhichsense，whenwereadintheBible，“ThewordsofthedaysofthekingsofIsrael，orJudah，“itismeanttheactsthatweredoneinthosedayswerethesubjectofthosewords；andintheGreek，which，intheScripture，retainethmanyHebraisms，bythewordofGodisoftentimesmeant，notthatwhichisspokenbyGod，butconcerningGodandHisgovernment；thatistosay，thedoctrineofreligion：insomuchasitisallonetosaylogostheou，andtheologia；whichisthatdoctrinewhichweusuallycalldivinity，asismanifestbytheplacesfollowing：“ThePaulandBarnabaswaxedbold，andsaid，itwasnecessarythatthewordofGodshouldfirsthavebeenspokentoyou，butseeingyouputitfromyou，andjudgeyourselvesunworthyofeverlastinglife，lo，weturntotheGentiles。“*ThatwhichisherecalledthewordofGodwasthedoctrineofChristianreligion；asitappearsevidentlybythatwhichgoesbefore。AndwhereitissaidtotheApostlesbyanangel，“GostandandspeakintheTemple，allthewordsofthislife“；*2bythewordsofthislifeismeantthedoctrineoftheGospel，asisevidentbywhattheydidintheTemple，andisexpressedinthelastverseofthesamechapter。“DailyintheTemple，andineveryhouse，theyceasednottoteachandpreachChristJesus“：*3inwhichplaceitismanifestthatJesusChristwasthesubjectofthis“wordoflife“；or，whichisallone，thesubjectofthe“wordsofthislifeeternal“thatourSaviourofferedthem。SothewordofGodiscalledthewordoftheGospel，becauseitcontaineththedoctrineofthekingdomofChrist；andthesamewordiscalledthewordoffaith；*4thatis，asisthereexpressed，thedoctrineofChristcomeandraisedfromthedead。Also，“Whenanyoneheareththewordofthekingdom“；*5thatisthedoctrineofthekingdomtaughtbyChrist。Again，thesamewordissaid“togrowandtobemultiplied“；*6whichtounderstandoftheevangelicaldoctrineiseasy，butofthevoiceorspeechofGod，hardandstrange。Inthesamesensethedoctrineofdevils*7signifiethnotthewordsofanydevil，butthedoctrineofheathenmenconcerningdemons，andthosephantasmswhichtheyworshippedasgods。