The staves of beauty & bands opened in a sermon preached at Yarmouth, August…The staves of beauty & bands opened in a sermon preached at Yarmovth, August…

First, He Feedeth and Ruleth his poor Flock with his Staff called Beauty, his Word, Ordinances, and Government, being, as glorious things in themselves, so the special Beauty and Honour of the Church that enjoy them. Thus among the people of the Jews, the^a Ark and the Tabernacle are called their Glory; in which respect the^b Apostle saith, That unto Israel did pertain the Adoption, and the Glory, because the Covenants, the Law, the Service of God, and the Promises were theirs: As to external Pomp and Splendour, ⟨p. 3⟩the great^c Monarchies of the world went far beyond them, (for they were the •ewest of all People:) but herein was their Preeminence, and Primogeniture, (as the Lord saith, Israel is my ^dfirst horn) herein was their^e double portion above all other Nations, that they had the Oracles of God committed unto them, that they were entrusted with the^f Custody of that^g honourable Law, which as the Apostle saith, was ^hholy, just, and good. And in like manner in the Christian Church, the Gospel, which is theⁱ Law of Christ, is called by the Apostle a^k glorious Gospel, because it is the^l Riches and the Salvation of those that enjoy it; insomuch that the very feet of those that bring glad Tidings thereof, are said to be Beautiful,