4. All that are duly called of God to the place of kings, and judges, and rulers of families, are relatively sacred, as their offices and they are of God and for him, and devoted to him.
5. Temples and other utensils designed by God himself, are holy, as related to him by that designation.
6. Temples, utensils, lands, &c. devoted and lawfully separated by man, for holy uses, are holy, as justly related to God by that lawful separation. To say as some do, that They are indeed consecrated and separated, but not holy, is to be ridiculously wise by self-contradiction, and the masterly use of the word holy, contrary to custom and themselves.
7. Ministers are more holy than temples, lands, or utensils, as being nearlier related to holy things. And things separated by God himself are more holy than those justly separated by man. And so of days.
8. Things remotely devoted to God, are holy in their distant place and measure; as the meat, drink, house, lands, labours of every godly man, who with himself devoteth all to God; but this being more distant, is yet a remoter degree of holiness.[462]
[Sidenote: Uncovered in church and reverent gestures.]
II. Every thing should be reverenced according to the measure of its holiness; and this expressed by such signs, gestures, actions, as are fittest to honour God, to whom they are related; and so to be uncovered in church, and use reverent carriage and gestures there, doth tend to preserve due reverence to God and to his worship, 1 Cor. xvi. 20.
[462] Mark vi. 20; Col. i. 22; Tit. i. 8; 1 Pet. i. 15, 16; iii. 5; 2 Pet. iii. 11; Exod. xxii. 31; 1 Cor. i. 1-3; vi. 9-11; Heb. xii. 14; Tit. iii. 3, 5, 6; ii. 13, 14; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9; Exod. xix. 6; Rom. i. 1, 2; 1 Cor. iii. 17; vii. 14; Zech. ii. 12; Hag. ii. 12; Luke i. 71, 72; Ezra viii. 28; ix. 2; Numb. xxxi. 6; vi. 8, 20; Lev. xvi. 4, 33; Exod. xxix. 6, 33; Psal. lxxxix. 20; Numb. xxxv. 25; 2 Tim. iii. 15; Isa. lviii. 13; Psal. xlii. 4; 2 Pet. i. 18, 21; Psal. lxxxvii. 1; Numb. v. 17; Exod. iii. 5; 1 Sam. xxi. 5; Neh. viii. 9-11.
Quest. CLXXI. _What is sacrilege, and what not?_
_Answ._ I. Sacrilege is robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy things. And it is measured according as things are diversified in holiness; as,
1. The greatest sacrilege is a profane, unholy alienating a person to the flesh and the world, from God, and his love, and his service, who by baptism was devoted to him. And so all wicked christians are grossly sacrilegious.
2. The next is alienating consecrated persons from the sacred work and office, by deposing kings, or by unjust silencing or suspending true ministers, or their casting off God's work themselves. This is far greater sacrilege than alienating lands or utensils.
3. The next is the unjust alienating of temples, utensils, lands, days, which were separated by God himself.[463]
4. And next such as were justly consecrated by man; as is aforesaid in the degrees of holiness.
II. It is not sacrilege, 1. To cease from the ministry or other holy service, when sickness, disability of body, or violence, utterly disable us.
2. Nor to alienate temples, lands, goods, or utensils, when Providence maketh it needful to the church's good: so the fire in London hath caused a diminution of the number of churches: so some bishops of old, sold the church plate to relieve the poor: and some princes have sold some church lands to save the church and state in the necessities of a lawful war.[464]
3. It is not sacrilege to alienate that which man devoted, but God accepted not, nor owned as appropriate to him (which his prohibition of such a dedication is a proof of). As if a man devote his wife to chastity, or his son to the ministry, against their wills: or if a man vow himself to the ministry that is unable and hath no call: or if so much lands or goods be consecrated, as is superfluous, useless, and injurious to the common welfare and the state. Alienation in these cases is no sin.
[463] Rom. ii. 22; 2 Pet. ii. 20-22; Heb. vi. 6, 7; x. 26-29; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16; Lev. xix. 8; Heb. xii. 16; Acts v. 5, &c.; Ezek. xxii. 26; xlii. 20; xliv. 23.
[464] Matt. xii. 5.
Quest. CLXXII. _Are all religious and private meetings, forbidden by rulers, unlawful conventicles? Or are any such necessary?_
_Answ._ Though both such meetings and our prisons tell us how greatly we now differ about this point, in the application of it to persons and our present case, yet I know no difference in the doctrinal resolution of it among most sober christians at all (which makes our case strange).
For aught I know, we are agreed,
I. 1. That it is more to the honour of the church, and of religion, and of God, and more to our safety and edification, to have God's worship performed solemnly, publicly, and in great assemblies, than in a corner, secretly, and with few.[465]
2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the rulers allow the church such public worship.