A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING at White-Hall, the third of December.  
By Robert Skinner Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY.  
Published by His MAJESTY'S command.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON, Imprinted by I. L. for Andrew Hebb. 1634.   
PSAL. 96. VERS. 9 
O worship the Lord, in the beauty of Holiness.  
INTERPRETERS vary about the occasion of this Psalm: Some referring us to the placing of the Ark of God, in the city 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 Ark, we have it expressly 1. Chron. 16. And (all inducements according) why might it not serve and be sung, as well in the Temple, as before the Ark? and in the second Temple, as well as in the first? which occasioned the seventy to inscribe it as they did, A Song 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, after the Captivity, upon the restauration of the house of God. It matters not whether exposition we take; all give equal light to my Text; show us what to understand by the beauty of Holiness, even the solemn place of his holy service whom we are to worship; O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness.  
In the words at first hearing, four 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 special place of this worship, recommended unto us by two properties: for first it is an holy place, in atrio Sancto, a place of Holiness; Then it is a beautiful place, in decore Sanctitatis, in the beauty of Holiness. FOUR We meet with a strong persuasion; an earnest entreaty, Thus in this place to worship the Lord: O worship the Lord, etc.  
We see therefore what we must do; we must worship: And whom we must worship; the Lord; And where the Lord will be worshipped, in his holy place: that if either beauty here, or sanctity, or duty, or the Lord by his presence can win upon us, we will be worshippers all; the powerful1 example of a King, the awful 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 beauty of Holiness.  
What, first; Adorate Dominum: where, afterward: worship the Lord we 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 honour to another, according to his worth; secundum excellentiam according to some excellent worth: For worship is not due to any, but to that which is well worthy and that is of eminent worth: To worship one that is no way eminent, nor in any sort above us, is an act of unworthiness, nor do we so much honour him, as dishonour ourselves: ye may call it baseness, or flattery, or pusillanimity; to all which, true worship is a stranger. Honour and Worship, in the judgement of S. Paul, belong to some certain 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 rank, that are supereminent.  
True, we are taught by the same Apostle, In giving honour, to go one before another: but we shall find it to hold upon this ground, That in lowliness of mind each esteem other better than themselves, Phil. 2. He must be our better, so we must esteem him, (for some grace or other) we cannot so properly honour him else; and if not honour him, much less adore him: for adorare is a great deal more than honorare: Ye may honour him for his singular gifts whom ye never saw, by a gracious tongue, or some honourable favour; but to adore, is so fare to honour, as to bow down before him: As when David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself before King Saul, 1. Sam. 24. And Nathan the Prophet bowed himself 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; briefly, to acknowledge another's exaltation, by our own humiliation.  
For, that I be not long in laying a foundation, there is ever employed in Adoration a threefold act: first, an apprehension of some excellency or other; for if no kind of preeminence be apprehended, we do not adorare, but adulari, worship we know not what; whereas all true worshippers are ready to say as our Saviour to the woman of Samaria, We know what we worship, joh. 4.22. Nor is it sufficient to apprehend what is excellent, but we must acknowledge also what we apprehend; and our acknowledgement must be serious, and unfeigned: there will be otherwise, in stead of Adoration, plain derision.  
Nay, moreover it is not complete worship, without a clear Demonstration of our subjection: 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 Wisemen, that took so long a journey to worship, and knew the right form we may be sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They fell down and worshipped, Matth. 2.11. And let me tell you, this was the manner of old when they came into the Sanctuary; Venite adoremus, O come let us worship and fall down; yes, and when they went out from the Sanctuary too; good Hezekiah and all his company, 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, etc.  
Dominum, the Lord, even the Lord that made us, and not we ourselves, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lord Paramount, Lord of Lords, and God of Gods, even jehovah, the Lord Almighty; And none I hope is so graceless, as to stick at his worship: All will adore their Maker and Redeemer, the Author and preserver of all things. Certainly, 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 do their homage, Worship him all ye Gods, Psal. 97. Not any Saints above: They all cast down their crowns and fall down and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, Rev. 4.10. Nor any Saints below: They daily cry out with the Prophet; Exalt the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool 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 worm to the most glorious Angel; 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 near unto the Lord; for if to be near about a gracious King, be justly counted a singular grace, what an honour must it needs be, to be joined to the Lord, 1 Cor. 6. to adhere and cleave to the King of Kings; to go boldly to the throne of grace, and all this is daily done by adoring: We see then the duty is general, All are to worship, the Lord all, and that because he is Lord of all.  
A chief point will be, for the manner, how: for we may not imagine, when the Prophet enjoins us to worship the Lord, that his meaning is, we should worship him ad libitum, every one his own way, according to his own fancy: Indeed we would have it so; are strangely taken with our own inventions; and were we at a Lose, 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 own once) one seditious, a second ridiculous, a third blasphemous; and yet (if ye believe them) all true worshippers, for all that.  
No, but Dominus the Lord, the very Name puts us in mind how he will be worshipped; with what preparation, and with what devotion: Do but remember what a Lord, and then resolve what kind of worship will suit him best. If such a Lord as none like him, fit his worship should be such, as none the like. As no Lord equal to him, so no worship equal to his: No, but as we are praise him, so we are to worship him; both according to his excellent greatness, Psal. 150.  
All Lords have one sort of worship, or other; Sovereign Lords ad terram usque, down 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 Civil re-respects: because indeed, their highest jurisdiction, 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 do, Luk. 12.4. But the Lord here, hath absolute power over soul and body and all we have, and so we to worship him with all: our soul he inspired, our body he ordained, our worldly goods what we have, he gave unto us; and our worship should be answerable: shall I show you how?  
As briefly then as may be;  
God is a spirit (saith Saint john) and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth: joh. 4. and look we well unto it, there is no deceiving him; for He searcheth the heart, and tryeth the spirits, jer. 17. He is styled by Moses, the god of all spirits, and all spiritual worship is due unto him: So peculiar is it to the Creator as uncommunicable to any creature. Nor Saints, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers have any Dominion over the soul, to save or to destroy it, and therefore the bowings, and bend of the soul 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 humility, or too much flattery, clear it is, they that do it, rob God of his honour; which he tells us he will 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 we worship God with our bodies, is it not also in a singular way? else it is not as it should be; for Nathan to bow himself before the Lord, and to bow before the King was it all one think we? True, his body was the same, and his bowing much alike, but infinite odds in his Adoration: Before the King as the Lords anointed, as the supreme minister of God for the Common good, In our Church's 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 certain circumscriptions, of time, and place, and occasion; But before the Lord, unrestrainedly, in all places, at all times, upon all occasions: whereby we confess his illimited power his eternal essence, his ubiquitary presence; when we worship the Lord without bodies, it ought to be with a special Adoration: Quoniam si honos idem tribuitur allis, 
Lib. a. Instit.  ipse omnino non colitur, A 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 copartner, 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 sacrilege them to offer him a sharer.  
Now for our Temporal estate, Adorate Dominum extends and comes up to that also: Honour the Lord with thy substance; so we are commanded, Pro. 3.9. and good reason for it; for the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, Pro. 10. And without this blessing, in vain were it to rise up early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of carefulness. And though the World be unapt to believe it (incredulous ever in what is chargeable) the Lord expecteth we honour him as well with our personal estates, as with our persons: And how may that be? By giving to the Lord in a proper way; by devoting some part of your plenty and superfluity to those sacred uses which redound immediately to God's glory.  
The truth is, the Prophet chiefly intends it here; the words immediately afore my Text are, Bring, an offering, and come into his Courts: an Oblation was ever of old accounted a part of Adoration; but I forbear: Bring and offer are no pleasing words, I know, though it be to the Lord; Take away, and hold fast, without any thought of restitution, this is the manner of too many, that yet would be thought to deal very worshipfully too; to worship God as well as the best, when they spoil him of that should maintain his worship. And will a man rob God? Mal. 3. Yes, and make the World believe they do it for his honour: but their doom follows, without repentance; Cursed with a curse, vers. 9 But I leave them to the mercy, of God: And it is high time I left this Point. I have done with the Act and the Object, Worship the Lord; only remember, I beseech you, How we must worship, and how the Lord; it follows Where the Lord will be worshipped: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  
In his holy Courts, in his holy Sanctuary, in his glorious magnificent Sanctuary; Thus, Interpreters : But Vatablus joins with the Chaldee, and our Translation follows both, In decore sanctitatis, in the beauty of holiness: And the Scripture calls the Sanctuary itself, the beauty of holiness, because it was full of beauty and holiness. So (if ye mark it) the Points are three: The Lord will be worshipped in a certain place, proper for his worship; And the most proper place, is a sacred place, or a place of Holiness; And a place of Beauty, as well as Holiness: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  
And it is well we are directed to a certain Place: for should the Place be uncertain, our Service would be as uncertain as the Place. Time and Place have been ever of singular moment in God's Service: Were no Time prescribed, It were much to be doubted When: and were no Place appointed, it were hard to say, where we would worship: We may justly fear it, were no place assigned, adorate Dominum would be soon out of Date; For who would think to worship, when he saw not where?  
We may note it successively in all ages never any took 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 meet 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. expressly 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 read that Rebeckah went to inquire of the Lord; quò perrexit? whither went she may we think? even to the place of his holy worship; where the Lord would answer her, Gen. 25. And had not father jacob his Bethel, named by himself, the house of God, and the gate of heaven, Gen. 28.  
When afterward the Children of Israel were upon often remooves in the wilderness, 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 settled state, in the days of King David, his religious heart could no longer endure the Ark should abide within Curtains, when he dwelled himself in a house of Cedar, 2 Sam. 7. And thereupon he vowed a vow unto the mighty God of jacob, Psal. 132. But Solomon built him an house, Act. 7.47. And now the Lords people come hither all, whether to receive instruction, or express devotion; Here they address their vows, 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 local Adoration? no, but in his infancy it pleased him, to be presented in the Temple. And at twelve years old to dispute in the Temple, Luk. 2. And after his baptism, he daily taught in the Temple, and preached in the Synagogues. After his ascension where were his Apostles? but continually in the Temple, Luk. 24. Or where were the faithful? but daily with one accord in the Temple, Act. 2.46.  
Now when the Temple was demolished by Titus Vespasian, 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 Paul's time; for see I pray you, what disparity he puts betwixt ordinary houses, and the house of God: What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in, or despise ye the Church of God? 1. Cor. 11. Again, Let your women keep silence in the Churches, and let them ask their husbands at 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 succeeding Ages, all testimonies are superfluous; the furious edicts of persecuting Tyrants for rasing and ruinating Churches, abundantly show 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 sacrilege, endeavoured presumptuously this last age, to lay desolate and waste, 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 Barn, or a Shop, or a Wood: no, but the Prophet hath told us where; and the practice of the Saints make it manifest, that before the Law, under the Law, and under the Gospel, there have been ever due to the celebration of God's worship sequestered places, either Altars, or Tabernacles, or Temples, or Churches, or Chapels, or the like; that we 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 Holiness; and a beautiful place, the very beauty of Holiness,— O worship, etc.  
In atrio Sancto, or in Sanctuario, In his holy Courts, or in his holy Sanctuary; for who can doubt but the beauty of Holiness must needs be holy? And that apparently in a double regard: First, because the place of God's 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 Chapels 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, be sequestered now by solemn consecration, as well as heretofore. For wherefore I pray you, did Solomon dedicate the Temple? and after him Ezra the Priest upon the restauration? And the Priests again under judas Maccabeus, when it had been polluted? Or wherefore did jacob consecrate a pillar of stone by pouring oil upon it; Gen. 28. Did the Lord command him, or Solomon, or any of them all? where? it will no where be found. It was rectified reason, and godly wisdom, which directed them by a public dedication, as it were by a public declaration, to manifest to the world the religious conveyance of Sacred places, to Sacred uses; And than it follows, 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 again, because our Lord God, most holy, doth inhabit and possess them, as his proper Mansion, or dwelling 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 he else by that sacred inumbration, but take as it were Livery 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 between the Cherubins, Psal. 80. by our Saviour, Who so shall swear by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein, Matth. 23.21.  
And can any Christian doubt, whether he be present in our Christian Congregations? where holy Prayers are poured forth, his holy Gospel preached, his holy Sacraments administered, his most holy Body and Blood communicated. Is it not deep infidelity and heresy, to think Christ to be absent from his Body and Blood? Most certainly present he is, though not by his glorious, yet in a singular way, by his gracious presence. Ye 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 himself is with them, Revel. 21. Holy then we see, because the Lord is there by his holy presence.  
And now it gins to be open day with us, we may clearly perceive, why the Prophet would have us worship rather in the place of holiness than elsewhere: Because the Lord is sure to be found there. And we are to seek the Lord, as well where, as while he may be found. Where will ye inquire of the Master, but at his House? And the House of God is the House of Prayer, Esa. 56. Where shall ye hope to find the King, so soon 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, job on the Dunghill, jeremy in the Dungeon, Daniel in the Den, jonas 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 do, that is destitute of holy hands? What else, but to the Temple with the Publican? There he shall meet with holy hands, in the holy Assembly, and may speed the better, be graciously accepted for their sakes, as jobs friends for his sake, job 42. In my devotions, let me join with the righteous, and then his prayer (I shall hope) will make way for mine: Nay, and how shall my charity be augmented, my zeal kindled, my faith confirmed, when I hear the whole congregation, quasi manu factâ, to implore and send up an army of prayers, 
Tertull.  for the pardon of my sins: 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 than we should worship there.  
And so often as we worship there, would God we would remember where we are, that the place whereon we stand is holy ground: It was certainly part of the Prophet's meaning, that the very name of Holiness should make us beware of profaneness. He terms it rather a place of Holiness, than the Tabernacle, or the Temple; to put us in mind of that venerable, grave, religious behaviour, evermore requisite and expected here. For Holiness becometh thy House, O Lord, for ever, Psal. 93. to put us in mind to look well to our feet when we go to the House of God, Eccl. 4. To our Feet, 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 whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, would he not, think we, have silenced our praters in the House of Prayer, and have charged our Church-walkers to leave the Church? Antiquity so understood it, I am sure; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Hom. 36. in 1. Cor.  In the Church unlawful even to speak but to a neighbour (saith S. Chrysostome) and much more unlawful to contrive & drive a Bargain 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 uncivil contestations?  
But was not Antiquity too precise? No: they knew Religion is upheld by nothing more than Reverence; that we can never be too clean in the Sanctuary, nor too holy in the place of Holiness, where we are to meet with our Maker, and to worship the Lord most high, and most holy. Let us pass on now from this holy place (as it is holy) and behold it a while as beautiful; for beautiful it is, as well as holy, even the beauty of Holiness; O worship etc.  
Expositors find themselves at a loss, and therefore strive to make it up as they may, by various expressions. Some say, in Sanctuario magnifico, in the stately Sanctuary: Some, in magnificentiâ Sanctitatis, in the sumptuousness or magnificence of Sanctity: Some, in splendore Sacrarii, in the splendour or glory of his holy Place: Some, in decore Sanctitatis, in the comeliness or Beauty of Holiness. 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 most fit Place this to worship the Lord in: O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness.  
But is not our Prophet mistaken here? Or is not this combination made up of inconsistents? For, can Holy and Stately, Beauty and Sanctity, run in a Line? Yes, may and aught, as much as may be: and where they part and go asunder, both abate of their perfection: for as nothing magnifies Greatness, more than Godliness; so nothing sets off Godliness, more than Greatness. Poor and godly, are as little esteemed of the many, as poor and wise; and ye know what the Wise man says and shows too, The poor man's wisdom is despised, Eccl. 9.16. And on the other side, what is a great ungodly man (without amendment) but like a great unsound Cedar, every day fit and fit for the fire? But where Greatness and Goodness, Highness and Holiness, Sanctity and Sublimity meet, there God's worship is in the full, there God is magnified indeed; and we cannot but hope, the Lord will go on to magnify with the full measure of his Blessings.  
And we shall quickly perceive God's worship to be advanced as well by the dignity of the place, as the person: And it will not do amiss, to appeal in this case to common experience; for do we not find ourselves otherwise affected, when we come into a naked, deformed, ruinous Temple, adorned with nothing but dust and cobwebs, and when we come into a goodly reverend beautiful Church, wherein we may behold on every side remarkable testimonies of devout Magnificence? Doth not the very Fabric and fashion, and solemn accommodation beget in our hearts a religious regard, and venerable thoughts?  
True, a sort of Christians there are, so transelementated and refined, as to despise all succours and supplies of this kind, as matter of distraction, and palpable inducements to superstition: Talk, as if God regarded no longer any other Temples, but the bodies and souls of his Saints. And we cheerfully profess, we can never too carefully preserve, the inward beauty of these living Temples; for that is the beauty of Holiness indeed; and if any man shall pollute this beauty, or defile this temple, him shall God destroy, 1. Cor. 3. But how the inward grace of these living Temples, should be thought prejudicial to the outward grace of the beauty of Holiness, is I confess beyond my capacity.  
For whether we look back to the manner of God's Service under the Law, or to the choicest times under the Gospel, we shall soon discover Beauty and Holiness sweetly accorded, till the love of the World had gotten the upper hand of the love of God. For first, what can we almost imagine, more rich and gorgeous than the Tabernacle was? wherein all the Instruments and Utensils 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 Queen of Sheba beheld it, the majestical beauty 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 laid, the Fathers and ancient men mourned and wept, because it was like to be less 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 Solomon, 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 (think we) the Founders of Churches in Christendom a special Eye to his glorious Majesty, for whose service they were erected? yes verily: This made Constantine the Great, and justinian the Emperor, and Charles the Great, and Charles the fourth, to honour the Gospel of Christ with so many stately monuments of their piety all the world over: Saint Cyrill describing one of them in Jerusalem, calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Catech. 14.  A Church all adorned and embossed with silver and gold. And Eusebius reporting of the spacious and beautiful Church at Tyre, which was built anew by the famous B. P. Paulinus, says, the lustre 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 beauty than ever before; alleging 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 be praised in the City of our God, Psal. 48.1.  
But yet it must be granted, this Christian zeal for the beauty of Holiness, was not every where alike; decency and comeliness in all the houses of God, but— Magnificentia Sanctitatis, this state of Holiness; Holiness in state, was not usually seen, save in Cities and populous Places, whither huge multitudes resorting, very ample, and capacious Receipts were requisite, which anon by the bountiful largition of devouter Christians, became as sumptuous as capacious: and there was no iniquity in such inequality; For the beauty of Holiness doth well admit of Magis and Minus; worship, and Holiness, and beauty, like the three Graces, should go hand in hand; but yet so, as where more worshippers, there more holiness, and then more beauty there, as a kind of portion and dowry of Holiness.  
The jews had their beauty of holiness more conspicuously in the Tabernacle and the Temple; but Christians more especially in their Diocesian and mother Churches; even ever since the Gospel and Christian Faith were well settled; And it is strange to read how the jews did excel in bounty, for better preserving that eminent beauty; 
Exerc. pag. ●84.  For as Casaubon and Cuneus have faithfully collected, all, even they also of the dispersion, 
P. Cun. lib. 2. cap. 12. & 23. Ex joseph. lib. 16. cap. 10.  from all parts and quarters sent yearly Contributions to Jerusalem for the maintenance of the Temple; Because they delighted in the stones thereof, and had pity on the dust thereof, Psal. 102.  
And here I cannot but congratulate the present times, wherein the Beauty of Holiness in City and Country seems to revive and flourish as never more: It argues Religion hath life in it, and that we are in love with Religion: And I beseech you give me leave to condescend a little to particulars, and to magnify 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 King's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, Ezra 7.27. And blessed be those many Worthies which have strengthened the hands of the workmen, to take away the reproach from Israel by removing the abomination of desolation. And blessed be all that encourage the work by their cheerful beneficence, even to the poor widow, that shall cast in her two mites; Let them prosper upon earth, and let their names be recorded in the Book 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 beauty of Holiness; Howsoever this shall be 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 unfeigned esteem of Holiness, of our love to God, of our zeal for his Gospel, than thus to reach out a liberal hand to the supportation, and a bountiful hand to the exornation of that sacred edifice, where from age to age beyond all discovery, Holiness hath had her habitation? As for Tatnai, and Shetherbosnai, and Sanballat, open or clandestine enemies to the beauty of Holiness, Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy name, O Lord; That we, and they, and all that lay claim to true Holiness, may prefer the beauty of Holiness before all other beauties, and with clean hands, and pure hearts, delight to worship the Lord, in the proper place of his Worship, the beauty of Holiness. I have done at last with the properties of the place, Holy, and beautiful; Now follows the Prophet's entreaty which I shall treat of in very few words, and so conclude; O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness.  
Take it jointly together, and it is not more a Precept than a Prayer; a very emphatical obsecration, full of holy importunity, and which argues in our Princely Prophet an extraordinary love to the Place and the Service here commended; that his chief delight was there: For, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, Ps. 84. And how disconsolate, when he was driven thence? Woe is me. that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, and to have my habitation among the Tents of Kedar, Ps. 120. seems to envy the  Birds; The Sparrows and Swallows 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 go into the House of the Lord, Ps. 122. It joyed him to be seen, In medio Ecclesiae, in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee, Ps. 22. He would pay his Vows (in an exemplary way) in the presence of all his people, Ps. 116. And we cannot otherwise understand him here; Come children, harken unto me, do as ye see me do; 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 Regal Precepts and Edicts, than his Presence and Practice; Now blessed are the people that be in such a case.  
Look we then to the practice of King David, what he was wont to do in God's House, and we shall soon discern why he 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 inquire in his Temple, Psal. 27. And he tells us, he could not be satisfied, till he went into the Sanctuary of God, Psal. 73. For the Sanctuary of old was the set place for satisfaction in doubtful cases, even from Moses to David;— omnis populus qui habebat aliquam quaestionem, Exod. 33. All that had aught to say, any doubt to be resolved, resorted thither for expedition: Prince and People, all without exception.  
And now it is a clear case, it might well import him as a King to be earnest in this point, that his people would go and receive instruction in public, in the place appointed, the right place; because Conventicles, and private meetings, under colour of Religion, too often serve unto dangerous practices; Seditious opinions, and turbulent positions have been ever first invented and vented in private. There it is, that peremptory pens, and saucy tongues are thought conscientious, because audacious, and he commonly reputed the best man, that is the worst subject.  
Or consider him (if ye please) as a Prophet: so I am sure he could not be too earnest for worship in public: For the only way this, to preserve Religion and the truth untainted, to have Holiness duly taught, in the beauty of Holiness. Your intermingling and adulterate doctrines have been still begotten in private, and have passed by piecemeal from the Chamber to the Chapel, and so to Church; For when or where I pray you, did the envious man sow his tares? it was, dormientibus hominibus while men slept; in all likelihood in some private meeting about midnight, when the watchmen of Israel were asleep. We 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 precedent for professors of the Gospel? Let them appeal then (if they will) from David, to the son of David our blessed Saviour. And how stood he affected? That he was all in all for the public, most manifest it is by the good confession which he made, joh. 18.20. I spoke openly to the world, I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the jews daily resort, and in secret have I said nothing. Hear 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 mean while.  
For that our Saviour could not away with this Parlour-preaching, and these Chamber-congregations, plain it seems by that charge which he left to his Church, Matt. 24.26. If they shall say unto you, behold he is in the desert, go not forth: behold he is in the secret chambers, believe them not. For I beseech you where hath been the meeting place of our Anti-Canonicall Canonists, and where have they enacted their Antisynodicall Sanctions, but, in deserto, or in Cubiculo? there is therefore no believing them. Alas, when they have set up once in private, the great idol of their own imaginations, & have consulted their grand Oracle, I was saying, at the Idols table, they will not stick to say and decree any thing. No appealing then from David to the son of David in this case, both are for the public, for the solemn assembly both, for the Temple and the holy place, the beauty of Holiness.  
And now, represent we David to our thoughts as a King or a Prophet, we must needs confess that this entreaty here is to singular good purpose, that it makes very much for truth, and unity, and piety. Now the God of peace and truth lead us into all truth, and bring us unto that peace which passeth all understanding; bring us all in mercy from the beauty of Holiness in the kingdom of Grace, to the Holy of Holies in the kingdom of Glory. Amen.  
FINIS.