INTERPRETERS vary about the occasion of this Psalme: Some re­ferring vs to the placing of the Arke of God, in the citie of David; when with great solem­nity it was brought from the house of Obed-Edom: Some resolving it was or­dered to be sung at the finishing of the Temple: but others, when the Temple was re-edified after the Captivity. And the truth is, all three opinions may well consist, and be true all. For that it was sung at the placing of the Arke, we have it expressely 1. Chron. 16. And (all in­ducements [Page 2]according) why might it not serve and be sung, as well in the Temple, as before the Arke? and in the second Temple, as well as in the first? which occasioned the Seventie to in­scribe it as they did, A Song [...], after the Captivity, upon the restauration of the house of God. It matters not whether exposition wee take; all give equall light to my Text; shew us what to vnderstand by the beauty of Holinesse, even the solemne place of his holy service whom we are to worship; O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holinesse.

In the words at first hearing, foure particulars are observable. I. An hum­ble, devout, religious act: Adorate, wor­ship: II. the proper and peculiar ob­ject of this Act: Dominum, the Lord. III. The speciall place of this worship, recommended unto us by two proper­ties: for first it is an holy place, in atrio Sancto, a place of Holinesse; Then it is a beautifull place, in decore Sanctitatis, in the beauty of Holinesse. IIII. We meete [Page 3]with a strong perswasion; an earnest entreaty, Thus in this place to worship the Lord: O worship the Lord, &c.

We see therefore what we must doe; we must worship: And whom we must worship; the Lord; And where the Lord will bee worshipped, in his holy place: that if either beauty here, or san­ctity, or dutie, or the Lord by his pre­sence can winne vpon vs, wee will bee worshippers all; the powerful1 exam­ple of a King, the awfull incitement of a Prophet (both in the Text) shall in­cline our hearts, and bend our knees, and direct our steps, O worship the Lord, in the beautie of Holinesse.

What, first; Adorate Dominum: where, afterward: worship the Lord wee must; So we are commanded; but we cannot worship him aright, before we rightly conceive what it is to worship: Now take it at large, and to worship truly, is to give honor to another, accor­ding to his worth; secundum excellenti­am according to some excellent worth: For vvorship is not due to any, but to [Page 4]that which is vvell worthy and that is of eminent vvorth: To worship one that is no way eminent, nor in any sort a­bove us, is an act of unworthinesse, nor doe we so much honour him, as disho­nour our selves: yee may call it base­nesse, or flatterie, or pusillanimitie; to all which, true worship is a stranger. Honour and Worship, in the judgement of S. Paul, belong to some certaine per­sons; Honour to whom Honour belongeth, Rom. 13. And who are they? eminent at least: nay, but the highest Honour is not due, save potestatibus supereminen­tibus, to those of the highest ranke, that are supereminent.

True, wee are taught by the same Apostle, In giving honour, to goe one be­fore another: but wee shall finde it to hold upon this ground, That in lowli­nesse of minde each esteeme other better than themselves, Phil. 2. Hee must bee our better, so wee must esteeme him, (for some grace or other) wee cannot so properly honour him else; and if not honour him, much lesse adore him: for [Page 5] adorare is a great deale more than hono­rare: Yee may honour him for his sin­gular gifts whom yee never saw, by a gracious tongue, or some honourable favour; but to adore, is so farre to ho­nour, as to bow downe before him: As when David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe before King Saul, 1. Sam. 24. And Nathan the Prophet bowed himselfe before King David, with his face to the ground, 1. King. 1. To adore then, is to honour in the highest degree, that is, with the lowliest expression; briefely, to acknowledge anothers ex­altation, by our owne humiliation.

For, that I be not long in laying a foundation, there is ever implyed in Adoration a three-fold act: first, an apprehension of some excellencie or other; for if no kinde of preeminence be apprehended, wee doe not adorare, but adulari, worship wee know not what; whereas all true worshippers are readie to say as our Saviour to the wo­man of Samaria, We know what we wor­ship, Ioh. 4.22. Nor is it sufficient to [Page 6]apprehend what is excellent, but wee must acknowledge also what wee ap­prehend; and our acknowledgement must be serious, and unfained: there will be otherwise, in stead of Adoration, plaine derision.

Nay, moreover it is not complete wor­ship, without a cleare Demonstration of our subiection: without genufle­ction, or prostration, or some other in­clination or submission of the body. The very word here doth import as much: for the word in Hebrew (so often rendered by adorare) properly signifies incurvari, to assure us, our ado­ration is lame and imperfect, unworthy the name, without an outward mani­festation: And we may note it in the Wise-men, that tooke so long a journey to worship, and knew the right forme wee may bee sure [...], They fell downe and worshipped, Matth. 2.11. And let me tell you, this was the manner of old when they came into the Sanctuarie; Venite adoremus, O come let us worship and fall downe; yes, and [Page 7]when they went out from the Sanctua­rie too; good Hezekiah and all his com­panie, when they had made an end of offe­ring, bowed themselves and worshipped, 2. Chron. 29. ver. 29. And now percei­ving what it is to worship, let us further consider whom we are to worship; O worship the Lord, &c.

Dominum, the Lord, even the Lord that made us, and not we our selves, [...], the Lord Paramount, Lord of Lords, and God of Gods, even Iehovah, the Lord Almightie; And none I hope is so gracelesse, as to sticke at his worship: All will adore their Maker and Redee­mer, the Author and preserver of all things. Certainely, none are exempted or quit of his worship: Not the Angels in heaven; of them it is written; And let all the Angels of God worship him, Hebr. 1. Not any that are called Gods on earth; they are all commanded to doe their homage, Worship him all yee Gods, Psal. 97. Not any Saints above: They all cast downe their crownes and fall downe and worship him that liveth for ever [Page 8]and ever, Rev. 4.10. Nor any Saints be­low: They daily cry out with the Pro­phet; Exalt the Lord our God and fall downe before his footestoole for the Lord our God is holy, Psal. 99. There can be no question, all are to worship, à vermiculo ad Angelum, from the basest worme to the most glorious Angell; from him that sitteth on the throne, to her that grindeth at the Mill, all come under Adorate Dominum; And know they must, in adoring the Lord, they honour themselves; approaching thereby, and drawing neere unto the Lord; for if to be neere about a gracious King, bee iustly counted a singular grace, what an honor must it needs be, to be joyned to the Lord, 1 Cor. 6. to adhere and cleave to the King of Kings; to goe boldly to the throne of grace, and all this is daily done by adoring: Wee see then the dutie is generall, All are to worship, the Lord all, and that because he is Lord of all.

A chiefe point will be, for the manner, how: for we may not imagine, when the Prophet enjoynes us to worship the [Page 9]Lord, that his meaning is, wee should worship him ad libitum, every one his owne way, according to his owne fan­cie: Indeed wee would have it so; are strangely taken with our owne inventi­ons; and were wee at a Loose, what a various prodigious worship would be found amongst us? For the manner, one sitting, another standing, a third kneeling, a fourth walking, a fifth lea­ning: For the matter (when their tongues were their owne once) one se­ditious, a second ridiculous, a third blasphemous; and yet (if yee beleeve them) all true worshippers, for all that.

No, but Dominus the Lord, the very Name puts us in minde how he will be worshipped; with what preparation, and with what devotion: Doe but re­member what a Lord, and then resolve what kinde of vvorship vvill sute him best. If such a Lord as none like him, fit his vvorship should be such, as none the like. As no Lord equall to him, so no vvorship equall to his: No, but as [Page 10]we are praise him, so vve are to vvor­ship him; both according to his excellent greatnesse, Psal. 150.

All Lords have one sort of vvorship, or other; Soveraigne Lords ad terram usque, downe to the ground. Thus to the King, and thus to the man whom the King will honour, Hest. 6. But when all is done, all is but bodily worship, and that too Civilly intended, in Civill re­respects: because indeed, their highest Iurisdiction, jus vitae & necis, extends no further, is confined to the body: They have power only (saith our Saviour) to kill the body, and after that, have no more, that they can doe, Luk. 12.4. But the Lord here, hath absolute power over soule and body and all we have, and so we to worship him with all: our soule he in­spired, our body hee ordained, our worldly goods vvhat vve have, he gave unto us; and our worship should bee answerable: shall I shew you how?

As briefely then as may be;

God is a spirit (saith Saint Iohn) and they that worship him must worship in spirit [Page 11]and in truth: Ioh. 4. and looke vve vvell unto it, there is no deceiving him; for He searcheth the heart, and tryeth the spi­rits, Ier. 17. He is styled by Moses, the god of all spirits, and all spirituall wor­ship is due unto him: So peculiar is it to the Creatour as uncommunica­ble to any creature. Nor Saints, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers have any Dominion over the soule, to save or to destroy it, and therefore the bowings, and bendings of the soule be­long not to them; Nay but all religious Divine, devout Adoration of the spirit or in the spirit, is entirely to be offered to the Father of spirits. If imparted to any other, sive humilitate nimiâ, De C. D. lib. 10. cap. 4. sive a­dulatione pestiferâ (as Saint Augustine speaks) whether by too much humili­tie, or too much flattery, cleere it is, they that doe it, rob God of his honour; vvhich he tels us he vvill not endure: I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven Images, Esai. 42.8.

And when vve vvorship God vvith [Page 12]our bodies, is it not also in a singular vvay? else it is not as it should be; for Nathan to bow himselfe before the Lord, and to bow before the King was it all one thinke vve? True, his body vvas the same, and his bowing much a­like, but infinite ods in his Adoration: Before the King as the Lords anointed, as the supreme minister of God for the Common good, In our Churches phrase—In thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed word and ordinance. But be­fore the Lord; as the work of his hands (and that by a word of his mouth) in a plenary subjection as well for being, as well being: Before the King, with­in certaine circumscriptions, of time, and place, and occasion; But before the Lord, unrestrainedly, in all places, at all times, upon all occasions: whereby we confesse his illimited power his e­ternall essence, his ubiquitary presence; when we worship the Lord without bodies, it ought to bee with a speciall Adoration: Quoniam si honos idem tri­buitur allis, Lib. a. Instit. ipse omnino non colitur, A [Page 13]good rule it is in Lactatius, If the same worship be given to any other, God is not worshipped at all; What King will admit of a sharer or co-partner, in his tribute or Homage? and what saith the Prophet? I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 1.14. It were sa­criledge them to offer him a sharer.

Now for our Temporall estate, Ado­rate Dominum extends and comes up to that also: Honour the Lord with thy sub­stance; so vve are commanded, Pro. 3.9. and good reason for it; for the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, Pro. 10. And vvithout this blessing, in vaine vvere it to rise up early, and sit up late, and eate the bread of carefulnesse. And though the World be unapt to beleeve it (incredu­lous ever in vvhat is chargeable) the Lord expecteth vve honour him as vvell vvith our personall estates, as vvith our persons: And how may that bee? By giving to the Lord in a proper way; by devoting some part of your plentie and superfluitie to those sacred uses vvhich redound immediately to Gods glory.

The truth is, the Prophet chiefely in­tends it here; the vvords immediately afore my Text are, Bring, an offering, and come into his Courts: an Oblation vvas ever of old accounted a part of Adora­tion; but I forbeare: Bring and offer are no pleasing vvords, I know, though it be to the Lord; Take away, and hold fast, vvithout any thought of restituti­on, this is the manner of too many, that yet vvould bee thought to deale very worshipfully too; to vvorship God as vvell as the best, vvhen they spoyle him of that should maintaine his vvorship. And will a man rob God? Mal. 3. Yes, and make the World beleeve they doe it for his honour: but their doome fol­lowes, vvithout repentance; Cursed with a curse, vers. 9. But I leave them to the mercie, of God: And it is high time I left this Point. I have done with the Act and the Object, Worship the Lord; onely remember, I beseech you, How vve must worship, and how the Lord; it followes Where the Lord vvill be vvor­shipped: O worship the Lord in the beautie [Page 15]of holinesse.

In his holy Courts, in his holy San­ctuarie, in his glorious magnificent Sanctuarie; Thus, Interpreters varie: But Vatablus joynes with the Chaldee, and our Translation followes both, In decore sanctitatis, in the beautie of holi­nesse: And the Scripture calls the San­ctuarie it selfe, the beautie of holinesse, because it was full of beautie and holi­nesse. So (if yee marke it) the Points are three: The Lord will be worship­ped in a certaine place, proper for his worship; And the most proper place, is a sacred place, or a place of Holinesse; And a place of Beautie, as well as Holi­nesse: O worship the Lord in the beautie of holinesse.

And it is well we are directed to a certaine Place: for should the Place be uncertaine, our Service would be as un­certain as the Place. Time and Place have beene ever of singular moment in Gods Service: Were no Time prescri­bed, It were much to be doubted When: and were no Place appointed, it were [Page 16]hard to say, where we would worship: Wee may justly feare it, were no place assigned, adorate Dominum would bee soone out of Date; For who would thinke to worship, when hee saw not where?

We may note it successively in all ages never any tooke upon them to worship the Lord, but the place was resolved on. Can we imagine, but Cain and Abel had where to bring their sacrifices? And they that called on the name of the Lord, Gen. 4. had a place for their meetings, a meete place. After the flood Noah had his Altar where to adore, Gen. 8. And so had Abraham his; even where the Lord appeared unto him, Gen. 12. expresly cal­led the place of the Altar, Gen. 13. Isaac also erected an Altar, and there he called on the name of the Lord, Gen. 26. And when we reade that Rebeckah went to enquire of the Lord; quò perrexit? whi­ther went shee may wee thinke? even to the place of his holy worship; where the Lord would answer her, Gen. 25. And had not father Iacob his Bethel, na­med [Page 17]by himselfe, the house of God, and the gate of heaven, Gen. 28.

When afterward the Children of Is­rael were upon often remooves in the wildernesse, the Lord ordained them a mooveable Tabernacle; to which every one resorted that sought the Lord, Exod. 33.7. and it was therefore called, The Tabernacle of the Congregation. But when the Church began to be happy in a setled state, in the dayes of King David, his religious heart could no longer endure the Arke should abide with­in Curtaines, when he dwelt himselfe in a house of Cedar, 2 Sam.7. And thereupon he vowed a vowe unto the mightie God of Iacob, Psal. 132. But Salomon built him an house, Act. 7.47. And now the Lords people come hither all, whether to re­ceive instruction, or expresse devotion; Here they addresse their vowes, com­mence their prayers, present their obla­tions before the Lord; And this was the manner, till Christ came in. the flesh.

And what? when our Lord was in­carnate, did he ever disallow of this lo­call Adoration? no, but in his infancie it pleased him, to bee presented in the Temple. And at twelve yeeres old to dispute in the Temple, Luk. 2. And after his baptisme, he daily taught in the Tem­ple, and preached in the Synagogues. After his ascention where were his Apostles? but continually in the Temple, Luk. 24. Or where were the faithfull? but daily with one accord in the Temple, Act. 2.46.

Now when the Temple was demo­lished by Titus Vespatian, not a stone left upon a stone, as our Saviour had foretold, Then Christian Churches be­gan to be frequent, which yet were ex­tant afore in Saint Pauls time; for see I pray you, what disparitie hee puts be­twixt ordinary houses, and the house of God: What? have yee not houses to eate and to drinke in, or despise yee the Church of God? 1. Cor. 11. Againe, Let your women keepe silence in the Churches, and let them aske their husbands at [Page 19]home, 1. Cor. 14. Now let Saint Ignatius speak for the next Generation — [...], and, [...], All to one place, all to the Temple of God, in his undoubted. Epistle to the Magnesians. As for succeding Ages, all testimonies are superfluous; the furious edicts of persecuting Tyrants for rasing and rui­nating Churches, abundantly shew how Churches did abound. And is not this enough, to put to silence those un­reasonable men with their sectaries that survive, who in the height of malice and sacriledge, endeavoured presump­tuously this last age, to lay desolate and wast, all the Synagogues of God in the land? What should the Prophet have said to such a generation? O worship the Lord; Where? no matter where: in a Barne, or a Shop, or a Wood: no, but the Prophet hath told us where; and the practise of the Saints make it mani­fest, that before the Law, under the Law, and under the Gospell, there have beene ever due to the celebration of [Page 20]Gods worship sequestred places, either Altars, or Tabernacles, or Temples, or Churches, or Chappels, or the like; that wee are justly directed by the Prophet here, to a proper place,; Let us now de­scend to the properties of the place; And an holy place it is, a place of Holinesse; and a beautifull place, the very beautie of Holinesse, — O worship, &c.

In atrio Sancto, or in Sanctuario, In his holy Courts, or in his holy Sanctua­ry; for who can doubt but the beautie of Holinesse must needs bee holy? And that apparantly in a double regard: First, because the place of Gods wor­ship was hallowed ever, and set apart to holy uses; for so were Altars afore the Law, and after them the Taberna­cle, and after that the Temple; And by the same right Churches, and Chap­pels at this Day. The dedication of the Tabernacle, we have at large let down, Numb. 7. The dedication of the Temple, 1 Kings 8. And it stands with all good reason and religion, that houses of God, [Page 21]be sequestred now by solemne conse­cration, as well as heretofore. For wherefore I pray you, did Salomon de­dicate the Temple? and after him Ezra the Priest upon the restauration? And the Priests againe under Iudas Macca­beus, when it had beene polluted? Or wherefore did Iacob consecrate a pillar of stone by powring oyle upon it; Gen. 28. Did the Lord command him, or Salo­mon, or any of them all? where? it will no where be found. It was rectified rea­son, and godly wisedome, which dire­cted them by a publique dedication, as it were by a publique declaration, to manifest to the world the religious con­veiance of Sacred places, to Sacred uses; And then it followes, that as Bethel of old, and the Sanctuary: so likewise our Bethels are holy, being solemnly hallow­ed and devoted in the name of God, and to the glory of God, as they were.

Holy againe, because our Lord God, most holy, doth inhabite and possesse them, as his proper Mansion, or dwel­ling [Page 22]House; for did he not take posses­sion, when the Cloud covered the Tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Taber­nacle? Exod. 40.34. What did hee else by that sacred inumbration, but take as it were Liverie and Seisin? And just so it was at the finishing of the Tem­ple: The glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord, 1. Kings 8. And they were thereupon called and counted his dwel­ling Place for ever after; by David, O thou that dwellest betweene the Cherubins, Psal. 80. by our Saviour, Who so shall sweare by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein, Matth. 23.21.

And can any Christian doubt, whe­ther hee bee present in our Christian Congregations? where holy Prayers are powred forth, his holy Gospel prea­ched, his holy Sacraments administred, his most holy Body and Blood commu­nicated. Is it not deepe infidelitie and heresie, to thinke Christ to bee absent from his Body and Blood? Most cer­tainely [Page 23]present he is, though not by his glorious, yet in a singular way, by his gracious presence. Yee may as well (saith S. Chrysostome) shut God out of Heaven,S. Chrys. horn. 36. in 1. Cor. as exclude him hence. For [...], this indeed is Heaven upon Earth; and here the Tabernacle of God is with men, and God himselfe is with them, Re­vel. 21. Holy then wee see, because the Lord is there by his holy presence.

And now it begins to be open day with us, we may clearely perceive, why the Prophet would have us worship rather in the place of holinesse than else­where: Because the Lord is sure to be found there. And wee are to seeke the Lord, as well where, as while hee may be found. Where will yee enquire of the Master, but at his House? And the House of God is the House of Prayer, Esa. 56. Where shall yee hope to finde the King, so soone as in his Court? So the King of Heaven will be found [...], in his holy Court, above any other place.

True, the Lord will be found of his humble devout servants in what place soever; and I would have nothing un­derstood, to the prejudice of private prayer: For Moses in the Sea, Iob on the Dunghill, Ieremie in the Dungeon, Daniel in the Den, Ionas in the Whale, the Children in the Furnace, S. Peter and Paul in Prison, calling upon God, were heard, as S. Basil noteth. And there­fore the Apostle would have men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, 1. Tim. 2. Yes, every where, with holy hands. But are holy hands every where? What shall the sinner doe, that is destitute of holy hands? What else, but to the Tem­ple with the Publican? There he shall meete with holy hands, in the holy As­sembly, and may speed the better, be graciously accepted for their sakes, as Iobs friends for his sake, Iob 42. In my devotions, let me joyne with the righ­teous, and then his prayer (I shall hope) will make way for mine: Nay, and how shall my charitie be augmented, [Page 25]my zeale kindled, my faith confir­med, when I heare the whole con­gregation, quasi manu factâ, to im­plore and send up an army of prayers, Tertull. for the pardon of my sinnes: For thus it is ever in these sacred mee­tings; All for every one, and every one for all, that God may be gracious and have mercy upon all; great rea­son then we should worship there.

And so often as we worship there, would God wee would remember where we are, that the place whereon we stand is holy ground: It vvas certain­ly part of the Prophets meaning, that the very name of Holinesse should make us beware of prophanenesse. He termes it rather a place of Holinesse, than the Tabernacle, or the Temple; to put us in minde of that venerable, grave, religious behaviour, evermore requisite and expected here. For Ho­linesse becommeth thy House, O Lord, for ever, Psal. 93. to put us in minde to looke well to our feete when wee goe to [Page 26]the House of God, Eccl. 4. To our Feete, not to make that a walking place; and to our Tongues, not to make that a talking place; and to our Eyes, not to make that a gazing place. And he that whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, would he not, thinke we, have silenced our praters in the House of Prayer, and have charged our Church-walkers to leave the Church? Antiquitie so understood it, I am sure; [...],Hom. 36. in 1. Cor. In the Church unlawfull even to speake but to a neighbor (saith S. Chrysostome) and much more unlawfull to con­trive & drive a Bargaine there, as if at a Mart or common Market: And how unsufferable then, that the Church should be made a place of rude con­tentions and uncivill contestations?

But was not Antiquitie too pre­cise? No: they knew Religion is upheld by nothing more than Re­verence; that wee can never bee too cleane in the Sanctuarie, nor [Page 27]too holy in the place of Holinesse, where we are to meete with our Ma­ker, and to worship the Lord most high, and most holy. Let us passe on now from this holy place (as it is holy) and behold it a while as beau­tifull; for beautifull it is, as well as holy, even the beautie of Holinesse; O worship &c.

Expositors finde themselves at a losse, and therefore strive to make it up as they may, by various expressi­ons. Some say, in Sanctuario magni­fico, in the stately Sanctuarie: Some, in magnificentiâ Sanctitatis, in the sumptuousnesse or magnificence of Sanctitie: Some, in splendore Sacra­rii, in the splendour or glory of his holy Place: Some, in decore Sancti­tatis, in the comelinesse or Beautie of Holinesse. Now put them together, and the Place recommended, is holy, comely, stately, sumptuous, glorious; not more holy, than comely; nor more sacred, than sumptuous: A [Page 28]most fit Place this to worship the Lord in: O worship the Lord in the beautie of Holinesse.

But is not our Prophet mistaken heere? Or is not this combination made up of inconsistents? For, can Holy and Stately, Beautie and San­ctitie, runne in a Line? Yes, may and ought, as much as may be: and where they part and goe asunder, both a­bate of their perfection: for as no­thing magnifies Greatnesse, more than Godlinesse; so nothing sets off Godlinesse, more than Greatnesse. Poore and godly, are as little estee­med of the many, as poore and wise; and yee know what the Wise man sayes and shewes too, The poore mans wisdome is despis'd, Eccl. 9.16. And on the other side, what is a great un­godly man (without amendment) but like a great unsound Cedar, every day fitter and fitter for the fire? But where Greatnesse and Goodnesse, High­nesse and Holinesse, Sanctitie and Sub­limitie [Page 29]meet, there Gods worship is in the full, there God is magnified indeed; and wee cannot but hope, the Lord will goe on to magnifie with the full measure of his Bles­sings.

And wee shall quickly perceive Gods worship to be advanced as well by the dignitie of the place, as the person: And it will not doe amisse, to appeale in this case to common experience; for doe vvee not finde our selves otherwise affected, vvhen vve come into a naked, deformed, ruinous Temple, adorned with no­thing but dust and cobwebs, and vvhen vve come into a goodly reve­rend beautifull Church, wherein we may behold on every side remarke­able testimonies of devout Magnifi­cence? Doth not the very Fabricke and fashion, and solemne accom­modation beget in our hearts a religi­ous regard, and venerable thoughts?

True, a sort of Christians there are, [Page 30]so transelementated and refined, as to despise all succours and supplies of this kinde, as matter of distraction, and palpable inducements to super­stition: Talke, as if God regarded no longer any other Temples, but the bodies and soules of his Saints. And we cheerefully professe, wee can ne­ver too carefully preserve, the inward beautie of these living Temples; for that is the beautie of Holinesse indeed; and if any man shall pollute this beautie, or defile this temple, him shall God destroy, 1. Cor. 3. But how the inward grace of these living Tem­ples, should be thought prejudiciall to the outward grace of the beautie of Holinesse, is I confesse beyond my capacitie.

For whether wee looke backe to the manner of Gods Service under the Law, or to the choisest times un­der the Gospel, wee shall soone dis­cover Beautie and Holinesse sweetly accorded, till the love of the World [Page 31]had gotten the upper hand of the love of God. For first, what can wee almost imagine, more rich and gor­geous than the Tabernacle was? vvherein all the Instruments and Vtensils were of pure Gold, even to the Snuff-dishes, Exod. 25. And after­ward, the Temple what was it else; but very matter of wonder and asto­nishment? a glorious Spectacle of admiration to all the World. When the Queene of Sheba beheld it, the majesticall beautie and service there­of so filled her heart, that there was no more spirit in her, 1. Kings 10.5. And very memorable it is; when the foundation of the later House was layd, the Fathers and ancient men mourned and wept, because it was like to be lesse glorious than the first, Ezr. 3.12. Now what might be the reason of this incredible magnifi­cence in the first, or of this religious emulation in the second Temple? Take the reason from King Salomon, [Page 32]who had studied the point; The house which I build is great, for great is our God above all Gods, 2. Chron. 2.5. And if — quia magnus Deus, be a good argument, the Lord at this day, is as great as ever, and then is this argu­ment as good as ever.

And had not (thinke wee) the Founders of Churches in Christen­dome a speciall Eye to his glorious Majestie, for whose service they were erected? yes verily: This made Con­stantine the Great, and Iustinian the Emperour, and Charles the Great, and Charles the fourth, to honour the Gospell of Christ with so many state­ly monuments of their pietie all the world over: Saint Cyrill describing one of them in Hierusalem, calles it [...],Catech. 14. A Church all adorned and embossed with silver and gold. And Eusebius reporting of the spacious and beauti­full Church at Tyre, which was built anew by the famous B. P. Paulinus, [Page 33]sayes, the lusture and splendour was such — [...],Lib. 10. as made beholders amazed to behold it. And generally thus it was, wheresoever Churches of note were repaired (which infidels had desola­ted) they evermore added— [...],Euseb. lib. 10. a more exquisite beau­tie than ever before; alleadging for themselves, by way of encourage­ment, The glory of the latter house, shall be greater than that of the former; Hag. 2. and that of our Prophet, Great is the Lord, and greatly to bee praised in the Citie of our God, Psal. 48.1.

But yet it must bee granted, this Christian zeale for the beautie of Holinesse, was not every where a­like; decencie and comelinesse in all the houses of God, but — Magnificen­tia Sanctitatis, this state of Holinesse; Holinesse in state, was not usually seene, save in Cities and populous Places, whither huge multitudes re­sorting, very ample, and capacious [Page 34]Receits were requisite, which anon by the bountifull largition of de­vouter Christians, became as sump­tuous as capacious: and there was no iniquitie in such inaequalitie; For the beautie of Holinesse doth well admit of Magis and Minus; worship, and Holinesse, and beautie, like the three Graces, should goe hand in hand; but yet so, as where more worshippers, there more holinesse, and then more beautie there, as a kinde of portion and dowrie of Ho­linesse.

The Iewes had their beautie of ho­linesse more conspicuously in the Ta­bernacle and the Temple; but Chri­stians more especially in their Dioce­sian and mother Churches; even ever since the Gospell and Christian Faith were well setled; And it is strange to reade how the Iewes did excell in bountie, for better preserving that e­minent beautie; Exerc. pag. [...]84. For as Casaubon and Cuneus have faithfully collected, all, [Page 35]even they also of the dispersion,P. Cun. lib. 2. cap. 12. & 23. Ex Ioseph. lib. 16. cap. 10. from all parts and quarters sent yeerely Contributions to Hierusalem for the maintenance of the Temple; Because they delighted in the stones thereof, and had pitie on the dust thereof, Psal. 102.

And here I cannot but congratulate the present times, wherein the Beautie of Holinesse in Citie and Countrey seemes to revive and flourish as never more: It argues Religion hath life in it, and that wee are in love with Religion: And I beseech you give mee leave to condescend a little to particulars, and to magnifie the Lord in the words of Ezra the Priest. Bles­sed be the Lord God of our fathers who hath put such a thing as this in the Kings heart, to beautifie the house of the Lord which is in Hierusalem, Ezra 7.27. And blessed bee those many Worthies which have strengthned the hands of the workemen, to take away the re­proach from Israel by removing the abomination of desolation. And blessed [Page 36]be all that incourage the worke by their cheerefull beneficence, even to the poore widow, that shall cast in her two mites; Let them prosper upon earth, and let their names be recor­ded in the Booke of Life. And oh how were it to be wished, that they which were at laying the first stone, might live to behold the consumma­tion. That they, and all the Benefa­ctors, and above all our most gracious Zerubbabel, might (when all is fi­nished) worship the Lord, in that beautie of Holinesse; Howsoever this shall bee written for the generations to come, and the people which shall be crea­ted shall praise the Lord for this ho­nourable onset. For what can make a more honourable testimony, or tru­er evidence, of our unfeined esteeme of Holinesse, of our love to God, of our zeale for his Gospell, than thus to reach out a liberall hand to the supportation, and a bountifull hand to the exornation of that sacred edifice, [Page 37]where from age to age beyond all discovery, Holinesse hath had her habitation? As for Tatnai, and She­therbosnai, and Sanballat, open or clandestine enemies to the beauty of Holinesse, Fill their faces with shame, that they may seeke thy name, O Lord; That we, and they, and all that lay claime to true Holinesse, may pre­ferre the beauty of Holinesse before all other beauties, and with cleane hands, and pure hearts, delight to worship the Lord, in the proper place of his Worship, the beauty of Holi­nesse. I haue done at last with the properties of the place, Holy, and beautifull; Now followes the Pro­phets entreaty which I shall treate of in very few words, and so conclude; O worship the Lord in the beauty of Ho­linesse.

Take it joyntly together, and it is not more a Precept than a Prayer; a very emphaticall obsecration, full of holy importunitie, and which argues [Page 38]in our Princely Prophet an extraor­dinarie love to the Place and the Ser­vice here commended; that his chiefe delight was there: For, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, Ps. 84. And how disconsolate, when hee was driven thence? Woe is mee. that I am constrained to dwell in Me­sech, and to have my habitation among the Tents of Kedar, Ps. 120. seemes to envie the filly Birds; The Sparrowes and Swallowes may lay their young even by thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God: nor so desirous though to be there alone, but there with his people; I was glad when they said unto me, We will goe into the House of the Lord, Ps. 122. It joyed him to be seene, In medio Ecclesiae, in the midst of the Congregation will I prayse thee, Ps. 22. Hee would pay his Vowes (in an exemplarie way) in the presence of all his people, Ps. 116. And wee cannot otherwise under­stand him here; Come children, [Page 39]hearken unto me, doe as yee see mee doe; adorate and adorabo went to­gether, we may be sure: And a bles­sed sight it was, to see Religion coun­tenanced, and the people religious, not more by his Regall Precepts and Edicts, than his Presence and Practice; Now blessed are the people that be in such a case.

Looke we then to the practice of King David, what he was wont to doe in Gods House, and wee shall soone discerne why hee is so earnest to send us thither. Thither went Da­vid as well for resolution as devotion: and his religious attention, was a good part of his adoration there; I will hearken what the Lord God will say, Psal. 85. Et quaeram in Templo ejus, and I will enquire in his Temple, Psal. 27. And he tells us, hee could not be satisfied, till hee went into the Sanctuary of God, Psal. 73. For the Sanctuary of old was the set place for satisfaction in doubtfull cases, e­ven [Page 40]from Moses to David; — omnis po­pulus qui habebat aliquam quaestionem, Exod. 33. All that had ought to say, any doubt to bee resolved, resorted thither for expedition: Prince and People, all without exception.

And now it is a cleere case, it might vvell import him as a King to be ear­nest in this point, that his people vvould goe and receive instruction in publique, in the place appointed, the right place; because Conventicles, and private meetings, under colour of Religion, too often serve unto dangerous practises; Seditious o­pinions, and turbulent positions have beene ever first invented and vented in private. There it is, that per­emptory pens, and sawcie tongues are thought consciencious, because au­dacious, and hee commonly reputed the best man, that is the worst subject.

Or consider him (if yee please) as a Prophet: so I am sure he could not be too earnest for worship in pub­lique: [Page 41]For the only way this, to pre­serve Religion and the truth untain­ted, to have Holinesse duely taught, in the beautie of Holinesse. Your inter­mingling and adulterate doctrines have beene still begotten in private, and have passed by peece-meale from the Chamber to the Chappell, and so to Church; For when or where I pray you, did the envious man sowe his tares? it was, dormientibus hominibus while men slept; in all likelihood in some private meeting about mid­night, when the watchmen of Israel were asleepe. Wee may not doubt, but peace and truth both depend up­on it, that we assemble to worship the Lord, in the proper place of his worship.

But David (they will say) though a King and a Prophet, was under the Law, and is he a fit president for pro­fessours of the Gospell? Let them ap­peale then (if they will) from David, to the sonne of David our blessed Saviour. And how stood he affected? [Page 42]That he was all in all for the publique, most manifest it is by the good con­fession which he made, Ioh. 18.20. I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whi­ther the Iewes daily resort, and in secret have I said nothing. Heare this, you that love to whisper it in a corner; that stand so much for Privatus ali­quis, a private spirit, or a private bro­ther, in a private place: how direct­ly contrary are you to Christ? you for-omnia Christ for-nihil in occulto, good Christians in the meane while.

For that our Saviour could not a­way with this Parlour-preaching, and these Chamber-congregations, plaine it seemes by that charge which he left to his Church, Matt. 24.26. If they shall say unto you, behold hee is in the desart, goe not forth: behold he is in the secret chambers, beleeve them not. For I be­seech you where hath beene the mee­ting place of our Anti-Canonicall Ca­nonists, and where have they enacted their Antisynodicall Sanctions, but, in [Page 43]deserto, or in Cubiculo? there is there­fore no beleeving them. Alas, when they have set up once in private, the great idoll of their own imaginations, & have consulted their grand Oracle, I was saying, at the Idols table, they will not sticke to say and decree any thing. No appealing then from David to the son of David in this case, both are for the publique, for the solemne assembly both, for the Temple and the holy place, the beautie of Holinesse.

And now, represent we David to our thoughts as a King or a Prophet, we must needs confesse that this en­treatie here is to singular good pur­pose, that it makes very much for truth, and unitie, and pietie. Now the God of peace and truth leade us into all truth, and bring us unto that peace which passeth all understand­ding; bring us all in mercy from the beautie of Holinesse in the kingdome of Grace, to the Holy of Holies in the kingdome of Glory. Amen.