I. *Chief Governors are to take chief care for public acts of piety. aGod himself beareth witness to Abraham's care herein. bIt was also a charge which God expressly gave to Jacob: whereof he took especial care. Where we read of altars built to worship God, we shall find them erected by chief Governors: such as cNoah, dAbraham, eIsaac, fJacob, and others, who in their life time were of highest authority in the Church of God. So other acts of piety were ordered by them under God. gMoses ordered all the duties of piety in the wilderness. David in time of hwar and ifamine sought the Lord: and kin time of plague built an altar to pacify Gods wrath. Yea he lbrought the Ark to arresting place: mappointed the orders and offices of Priests and Levites, and nmade the pattern of the Temple. Solomon his son obuilt the Temple, pmade all the holy vessels appertaining thereto, and qdedicated the same. Asa rreformed religion, and sentered himself with his people into a covenant with God. Jehoshaphat tsent Levites into his cities to teach the people: and in fear of danger uproclaimed a fast. xJoash took order for repairing the Temple. yHezekiah, zJosiah, and aNehemiah purged corruptions crept into the Church, redressed abuses, and bcaused the holy feasts of the Lord to be observed. Thus Christian Emperors, 27Kings, and other supreme Governors in their dominions, have accounted it a duty belonging unto them to take care of the Church of Christ, and to appoint orders for matters of religion and piety. Constantine the Great, who was the first Christian Emperor, being established in his royal government, cmade laws for the peace of Christians, and a free profession of their religion, and worshipping of the Lord Jesus Christ. dHe rooted out idolatry every where: and eopposed himself against the errors and heresies that had crept into the Church. fHe convocated the ⟨p. 324⟩first general Council at Nice, and sate President therein. gHe built and adorned many Churches. hHe wrote sundry letters to Bishops time after time, for well ordering matters of piety and Church-affairs. iHe promoted sundry Bishops to their places. kHe was careful to see the Lords Day sanctified. lHe caused piety to be observed, and God to be worshipped in his armies. He procured the holy Scripture to be dispersed every where. In fine, he maketh this profession of himself.
I. *CHiefe Governours are to take chiefe care for publique acts of piety. aGod himselfe beareth witnesse to Abrahams care herein. bIt was also a charge which God expresly gave to Iacob: whereof he tooke especiall care. Where we read of altars built to worship God, we shall find them erected by chiefe Governours: such as cNoah, dAbraham, eIsaac, fIacob, and others, who in their life time were of highest authority in the Church of God. So other acts of piety were ordered by them under God. gMoses ordered all the duties of piety in the wildernesse. David in time of hwarre and ifamine sought the Lord: and kin time of plague built an altar to pacifie Gods wrath. Yea he lbrought the Arke to aresting place: mappointed the orders and offices of Priests and Levites, and nmade the patterne of the Temple. Salomon his sonne obuilt the Temple, pmade all the holy vessels appertaining therto, and q
- *See §. 73.
- aGen. 18. 19.
- b—35. 1, &c.
- c—8. 20.
- d—12 8.
- e—26. 25.
- f—33. 20.
- gExo. 3 5. 1, &c
- h2 Sam: 5. 19.
- i—21. 1.
- k—24. 25.
- l—6. 17.
- m1 Chro. 23. & 24. & 25. & 26.
- n1 Chro. 28. 11.
- o2 Chro. 3. 1.
- p—4. 1, &c.
- q—6. 1, &c.
- r2 Chro. 14. 3, &c.
- s—15. 12.
- t—17. 7.
- u—20. 3.
- x
