A SERMON Preached at the TEMPLE, THE SUNDAY After the CHURCH was Opened; being then newly Repaired, Adorned and Beautified at the Joint Expense OF THE TWO Honourable Societies.  
By JOHN STANDISH, D.D. and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty.  How Dreadful is this Place! Surely this is none other but the House of GOD, Gen. 28.17. 
LONDON, Printed by Henry Clark, for Robert Clavel at the Sign of the Peacock at the West-End of St. Paul's, MDCLXXXIII.   

To the Honourable S R ROBERT SAWYER K T, THE KING'S Attorney General.  
SIR,  
THis Discourse was meant honestly, (at least) and so far from the least thought of giving just Offence, that an awful regard of God, and a due respect to man, are the two main wheels it moves upon, for it was designed chief to assert, and maintain that Reverence which Men of all Nations and Languages have ever with one consent agreed to be due to the House of God, the Place where his Honour dwelleth; and next to that, to congratulate and applaud the the voluntary, seasonable, and exemplary Zeal of those two Honourable Societies, who being grieved to see their Zion lying (somewhat) in the dust, spared for no cost or charges to renew the Youth, and add more Grace and Beauty to that incomparable Monument of ancient Piety.  
Before I made one step towards drawing the Platform thereof, I considered with myself that the Subject was a little nice, and the Age we live in not a little captious; and therefore resolved to take better Judgements than my own along with me, lest I should be new and singular in my Notion, or be thought to lean wholly to my own understanding, against Solomon's express and safe Caution. For this end and reason I consulted and perused some of the best Authors thereupon, and of our own Church, and chose to speak their sense (and that in their own very words sometimes) that I might neither stand nor fall alone, nor want sufficient Bail in case of an Arrest upon an Action of Scandal.  
This abundans Cautela notwithstanding, some of my Hearers (as it should seem) were offended at me, and others more by hear-say, as if I had gone beyond my line, stretched a point of the Divine Law, and transgressed the bounds of Modesty, Truth, and Soberness.  
I must confess Sir I do hold Sacrilege to be not only a Sin, but one of the first Magnitude, and if any man be contentious, whose interest bids him think otherwise, we have no such Custom, nor the Churches of God.  
I acknowledge further (if that be my crime) that I do restect upon those late goodly Reformers of ours, who presumed to buy and sell our Churches with their appurtenances, as guilty of that sin; but that, not so much to rub up an old sore, as to prevent a new wound, and dishearten allwise men from invading the Church's patrimony for the future.  
Bolder Strokes than these, or more unwary Passages I do not find in the whole Peice; and therefore lest a groundless noise should grow into credit to mine and my Functions prejudice, as unpolished as it is, I am forced to make it Public, without any manner of alteration, diminution, or addition of one syllable therein, excepting only the marginal Quotations.  
And now Sir, since You were pleased to give yourself the trouble of reading over my Notes, and to declare you found nothing in them but what might admit of a very fair construction, I take the humble boldness to send them abroad under your Patronage; not doubting but that, as it is the business of your high Place, and Royal Trust, sometimes to implead and prosecute the Guilty, (as you are Procurator Caesaris, in the old Roman style) so you are ever at leisure to acquit and protect the Innocent.  
In the number of which I presume to reckon,  
Sir, Your Unworthy Servant, JOHN STANDISH.   
St. JOHN, X. XXII. 
And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication, and it was Winter.  
IT was great Insolence in those modern Jews to make the House of Prayer a Shop of Merchandise, 
St. Mat. 21.13.  a Den of Thiefs; and yet they have been quite outdone in Profaneness of late years by some professed Christians, who turned the TEMPLE of GOD, 
St. Paul's Lond.  not only into an EXCHANGE for men, but a STABLE for horses too: as if they meant to fulfil that Prophecy over again in the Literal sense, 
St. Mat. 24.15.  of the Abomination of Desolation standing where it ought not.  
Sacrilege (however condemned by Divine, Civil, Saxon, Canon, Statute and Common Law) was then thought a piece of Religion, an infallible sign of a Godly man; and he was strongest in the faith, who believed no after-reckoning for it; they went for the strongest Christians, who could swallow down, and without the least reluctancy of Conscience, digest the Fattest Consecrated morsels; it was then deemed no more robbery to strip the Spouse of Christ both of her Dowry and Beauty, than for the Israelites of old to borrow Jewels and earrings of the Egyptians though by Gods express Command. 
Exod. 11.2.  They made no more scruple of pillaging Churches, than Dionysius did of the spoiling the Temples of Idols; who said pleasantly of Aesculapius his golden Beard he had cut off, 
Lactant. De Diu. Instit. L. 2. c. 4.  that it did not become him by any means, because his Father Apollo wore none; and then stripped Jupiter himself of his Vest of Gold, saying, that was to heavy for Summer, and too cold for Winter; and one of Broadcloth would better serve him for all weathers.  
Nor may we suppose the Rapes then committed were only the extravagant heats of some vulgar Fools; for (not to mention that face of Authority, those higher Powers, or forces rather, that set them on work) the Wise Assembly of Divines at Westminster, seem to be much of the same opinion in their Annotations upon the Bible: wherein we do not find a syllable of any such sin as Sacrilege under the Gospel; they either did not believe it, or else thought it not seasonable to declare it, (when never more need) how loudly soever Saint Paul makes the challenge, 
Rom. 2.22.  thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacrilege? The Argument seems to proceed a Minori, and then the Latter must be the greater sin of the two; for Idolatry is at the worst but worshipping a false Deity, whereas Sacrilege is an owning indeed, but withal, a contemning, invading, and robbing of the only true GOD.  
In the mean while they thought much to allow our Temples any more Holiness than their common Kitchens, or Parlours at best: they turned God and his Service out of possession to make room for Baal Berith, 
Judges 8.33.  that Idol of the Covenant: they profaned our Altars with the unhallowed Sacrifices and strange fire of the Sons of Corah, and furiously decried all reverence in the house of God for Superstition.  
But blessed be Almighty God, who hath long since miraculously confuted their abominable Principles, and Practices, and vindicated the Honour of his own Reverend Name; 
Psal. 111.9.  who hath signally approved the pious bounty of such as loved our Nation, 
St. Luke 7.5.  and built us Synagogues, by driving those zealous Money-changers out of his Temple, and restoring the Holy Place to that Primitive use, those sacred Offices for which it was at first designed and set apart by solemn Dedication.  
Now from these words of the Evangelist, I shall endeavour to resolve these three Inquiries. 

1. What Feast of Dedication is here spoken of?  
2. By what warrant the Jews did of old, and Christians do since, Dedicate Places to God's Service?  
3. How far forth, and in what sense places thus Dedicated are to be esteemed Holy?    
I. I begin with the first, What Feast of Dedication is here spoken of? the reason of the doubt is, because we read of three several feasts of Dedication kept by the Jews at divers times, and different occasions. The first was at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, the solemnity & magnificence whereof you may see at large, 1 Kin. 8. The 2d. was, of the second Temple rebuilt out of the Ruins of the first, by Zerubbabel, after the Jews return from their Captivity at Babylon, the story whereof is recorded, Ezra, ch. 6. and then besides those, we read of a third Dedication of the Temple and Altar by Judas the Maccabee, after Antiochus Epiphanes had defiled and profaned them with Idoll-sacrifices and all uncleanness, 1 Maccab. c. 4. Now that the Feast of Dedication here spoken of, was the last of these, that by Judas, is most evident by these two Reasons.  
1. It not where appears that either of the two former Feasts were annually renewed, or observed any more than once; but of the last we find expressly that Judas and his Brethren ordained that the days of the dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from year to year, by the space of eight days, 1 Macc. 4.59.  
2. Admitting (though we need not) that the dedication of the first or second Temple, or both, might be commemorated by an annual feast (notwithstanding all records are silent in the case) yet that this Feast here spoken of, must needs be meant of the dedication of the Altar, is further evident from the circumstance of time, not omitted by our Evangelist. [And it was Winter.]  
Which punctually accords with the first Institution hereof in the forecited place, 
1 Macc. 4.  where it is said to be in the Month Casleu, their ninth Month, answering to our December; whereas Solomon's Temple was dedicated in Autumn, in the Month Ethanim, near our September, 1 Kings 8. And the second Temple in the Spring, in their twelfth Month, called Adar, (as we read, 1 Esdras 7.5.) that is about our March.  
The first, and least material Enquiry being t●●s briefly, and fully resolved, I proceed to the Second.  
II. By what Warrant the Jews did of old, and Christians do since, Dedicate places to God's service?  
And in order to our resolution hereof, it will not be amiss to premise and observe, that both Jews and Christians did and have all along de facto erected and dedicated certain Places for GOD'S Public Worship.  
1. It is without dispute, and generally acknowledged, that the Jews had many other places dedicated to God's service, (besides the Temple) which, from their religious Assemblies there held, they commonly called Synagogues. Of these their own Writers tell us, there were 480 in Jerusalem, and as many with proportion, in other Cities. The Temple was as it were, the Cathedral, or Mother-Church, Synagogues much like our Parish-Churches, or Chappells of Ease. and this only difference is to be noted between them, that the Ceremonial Service of God, by Sacrifice, Oblations, etc. was confined to the Temple, and unlawful any where else; but his Moral service was common to all Synagouges, as well as the Temple. For there the Law was solemnly read and expounded to the People, and the People's prayers offered unto God. The only mention made of Synagogues in the old Testament, 
Ps. 74.7, 8, & 84.13.  is in the Psalms, where they are styled Sanctuaries; though the Talmud-Doctors extend that Precept to them also, 
Levit. 19.30.  Ye shall observe my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary. Whereupon Philo calls them places of secondary holiness, to wit, in respect of the Temple, by virtue and in imitation whereof, they were set apart and dedicated to an holy use. But then the new Testament is so plain and frequent in telling us that they had divers Synagogues in all their Cities, and daily paid their reverence thereto, as also of our Saviour's often resorting thither to expound the Law, and teach the people, that it were superfluous to enlarge further on this Particular.  
Whether in imitation of the Jews, or from a Principle of their own natural Law, teaching them, that whatever God they worshipped, they must have some convenient place to do it in, is uncertain: but this is most certain, that the very Heathen themselves did generally erect Magnificent Temples and Altars, not only at Rome, Ephesus, and Athens (where one we find inscribed TO THE UNKNOWN GOD) and other famous Cities, but almost every where throughout the World. Only some wandering Scythians are said to have none; the reason was because they had no Houses of their own, but like savage creatures, rambled daily from one place to another. And of all other Sects of Philosophers, only the Stoics forbade building of Temples, either out of derision of that vulgar error, that Deities were kept prisoners and confined within those Walls; or else out of the singular dissenting humour of that Sect, whereby they counted the general practice of others a laudable and sufficient ground for their contrary opinion,  
But then, 2. The practice of Christians is most clear from the best Historians, that they built and separated places for God's public Service from time to time, when the persecutions of the Age did not restrain them.  
Saint Luke observes that in the Apostles days they broke Bread, 
Acts 2.  that is, celebrated the Holy Sacrament from house to house. Beza may be my Author, that He there means Houses set apart to that purpose: And yet Dr. Hammond hath more probably conjectured, that the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in the House, that is the House of God, the Temple, where (the same Saint Luke had said before) they were continually; 
St. Luke 24.  and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or upper room where the Apostles were assembled, Acts 1.13. was one of those Chambers belonging to the Temple (spoken of in 1 Chron. 28.11.) which they devoted to the public exercise of their Religion, till the Jews maliciously turned them out. However it is reasonable to believe that those vast sums of money laid down at the Apostles feet were not so wholly expended upon the poor, 
Acts 4.35.  but a competent part was reserved to maintain the Decency of God's Service in the Sanctuary. It is more than probable from Saint Paul's words, that there was a Church built at Corinth early, 1 Cor. 11.22. Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the Church of God, and shame them that have not? for not only the opposition between private Houses and the public Church, but also the difference between shaming the poor, and despising the Church, seems to require, that Church there signifies the Place, and not the People; the most that can be urged to the contrary is, that the Tyranny of those times would not probably suffer them to erect many Churches, but that they were necessitated to make use of some convenient Room in an ordinary House some times for their Religious Worship. What then? it does not follow, but that those Rooms were presently separated from all former and common uses, and thenceforth became Holy Places.  
That succeeding ages, were never without decent places for Divine Service, is questioned by none but a few Enthusiasts that cite Arnobius and Lactantius their writings in defence of Christianity against the Gentiles, because they say, the Christians had then no Temples: but the fallacy lies in the word Temples signifying Stately Fabrics, built to magnify their religion, which they were not in a condition to compass then, their purses running low, and their Profession being discouraged by the hi●● Powers. But all this while they can be no more supposed to have wanted places for their Assemblies, than to have been no Christians. And yet by these men's good leave, the Christians had their Basilica or Temples long before Constantine's time, as Eusebius and others do assure us, which were demolished under Dioclesian. Nay Lactantius himself somewhere speaks of such an one in Nicomedia; Ego cum in Bythinia oratorias Literas docerem, contigit ut codem tempore Dei Templum everteretur— that is, in the same persecution. He that would be further satisfied in this matter, may consult Eusubius his Eccl. History; 
Lab. 10. ch. 3.  where he will find, that when that dreadful storm was blown over, and the Churches had rest, and peace, Temples were presently rebuilt out of the ruins of their old Foundations, and high Festivities appointed at their Eucoenia, or new Dedication, which by the tenure of his relation appears to have been a most ancient Custom, being in all places (as it were) naturally observed. No cost was spared to show their cheerful affection, no thing was thought too dear to part with for so laudable a work; the whole World seemed to triumph in having occasion to pour out their gifts for so blessed a purpose. That forward devotion, 
1 Chron. 29.  those freewill offerings which David once rejoiced exceedingly to behold in the Jews on such an account, was then every where visible amongst the Christians. The same Author tells us, that when Constantine had finished a magnificent House for God's Service at Jerusalem, the greatest part of the Bishops in Christendom met together, at his summons, for the more solemn Dedication thereof. As it grieved David's royal heart to think, that Himself should dwell in an House of Cedar, and the Ark of God still remain within Curtains; 
2 Sam. 7.2.  So this pious Emperor convinced the World by his Example, as well as Edict, that it was a ridiculous fancy in men to think that God should delight to dwell beggarly, and took no pleasure in their services, unless performed in some ordinary Barn, or thatched Cottage. And certainly it is most suitable, decent and fit for the greatness and Majesty of Jesus Christ, (who is now no longer in the form of a servant, 
Philip. 2.7.  but Lord of all) and the sublimity of his Gospel, to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, 
1 Chron. 16.29.  unless we think as meanly of him, as the Apostate Julian's Officers did, who when they saw the vast price of the vessels belonging to his service, said blasphemously, what a deal of do and charge is here for the honour of Mary's Son? or are content (which David scorned) to serve God with that which costs us nothing. 
2 Sam. 24.   
Now the matter of fact being so fully evident, it will be no great difficulty to resolve the Question de Jure, by what right and warrant both Jews and Christians have in their several times devoted and set apart places for the divine worship? supposing there be no express Command in God's Law for it, either in the Old or New Testament, what then? That there is no Caveat put in against it, is sufficient to authorise an action laudable in its self, nay directly tending to the advancement of God's Glory, and necessary to the preserving of the well-being of his Church; and to scruple the lawfulness of such an act for want of a positive command, were to question whether God gave his Law to reasonable or unreasonable creatures. Besides there is an implicit command at least, and God would never have enjoined all the Jews to reverence his Sanctuaries, were they to have but one, that is, the Temple; nor can it be imagined that an Ocean should be contained in a narrow Bucket; I mean that the Children of Israel who were as the Sands of the Sea for multitude, 
Isai. 10.22.  could all find room in one Temple, of no great confines: or be reasonably expected to have recourse thither from the remotest parts of Canaan to pay their daily devotions. No; they were required to be at Jerusalem only at some high Feasts, (such as that of the Passover) for they had Synagogues at home wherein to celebrate their ordinary service; and therefore, we may observe that when the veil of the Temple was rend in twain, to let out the ceremonial Law, 
St. Matt. 27.  as now become useless, and the Temple itself at length destroyed by Titus, Synagogues for Gods moral service remained still, and they were the true, and more immediate Exemplars of our Churches. Thus the Communion of Saints being one Article of the Christian Faith, they believe themselves bound to assemble together frequently for the exercise of their common Christianity, consisting chief in public prayers and the Eucharist, which they can no more perform without convenient places for those holy uses, than a man can be supposed to walk without legs, or fly without wings. And hence they Judge themselves obliged to found and consecrate Churches to maintain and credit their Religion, as well as provide for the poor members of their own Body, those living Temples. S. chrysostom truly construes the reason why our Saviour would not suffer Mary Magdelen to be reproved for her sumptuous expense upon his Body and Person, 
St. Matt. 26  which might have done much good among the Poor, to be this, that his Disciples might understand themselves to be bound to maintain the means and decorum of God's service as well as the Poor that attend upon it; wherefore the manner is, and ever hath been, to warm the House of God in a full body with solemn Prayers, when it is newly finished, and Dedicate it to his worship, to maintain in the minds of men a due reverence to those sacred Offices which ever after shall be performed therein.  
Quest. If it be demanded, by what right or title Places and Things after their Dedication and Consecration (which are both Acts of Man) become presently Holy? I answer,  
Answ. 1 1. 'Tis by the same reason that Persons solemnly deputed to minister and attend upon Holy Offices, are thence denominated Holy.  
2. Places and Things so qualified, are holy, because thereby the property is altered, they are no longer men's, but Gods own Houses and Goods; we can no longer call ourselves Masters of those things we have already passed away freely by deed of Gift. If it be urged, that all these things were Gods before, as he is universal Monarch, and we cannot properly be said to give Him what was already his own. I Answer,  
3. That God indeed is absolute Lord of all, yet he hath given the Earth to the Sons of Men, and granted us a particular propriety to the use of those things; and this is that we out of pious ends return to God again, receding from that Right, and freely and solemnly excluding ourselves and all other men from any future title thereunto. But,  
4ly, and Lastly, as under the Law, 
St. Matt. 23.19.  the Gift was sanctified by the Altar, so amongst Christians; all their acts of Piety and Charily, whether public or private, are sanctified and accounted holy by God through the Cross of Christ typified by their Altar, but more lively represented and commemorated in our Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is the chief part of God's Service under the Gospel, and proper only to Christians; and so I pass on to the third and last Enquiry.  
III. How far forth Places so Dedicated aught to be esteemed Holy? In answer to which I say,  
1. There is no man so absurd and ridiculous as to think Churches capable of that Holiness whereby Christian Souls are made Holy. For Holiness in men is a part of the Image of God, once defaced, but since renewed and stamped again upon his reasonable creatures; and to imagine Wood and Stone capable of receiving the least Impression of the Divine Image, the darkest resemblance of his Infinite Perfections, were the ready way to Idolatry. And therefore,  
2. The Holiness we ascribe to the Houses of God, (common to all other consecrated Things, Times, and Persons) is merely Relative and Ecclesiastical; the formal reason whereof, is, their deputation to the Holy Ordinances of Divine Service. For here daisy Prayers are made to the Father of Mercies; here Thanks and Praise are solemnly offered for all his Benefits; here his Holy Word is read and preached for our edification and comfort; here that Tremendum Evangelii Mysterium (as St. Austin calls the Sacrament of our Lord's Body and Blood) is often celebrated; and in reference to these Spiritual Duties, the Place itself is deservedly reputed and styled Holy.  
Now this Holiness and Majesty of the Place hath, in regard of us, great virtue, force, and efficacy.  
For 1. It requireth of us a negative reverence due thereto, that men should abstain from all light, vain, or secular businesses therein, from which it was sequestered by its first Dedication.  
As for things morally evil in themselves (such as lying, stealing, kill, blaspheming, etc.) they are unlawful to be done in any place, but most of all in God's House, the profanation whereof adds a new circumstance, an eminent aggravation to the Sin. One fearful instance of this nature, our Saviour chargeth those Jews, as answerable for; namely, the death of Zacharias, not only a Priest, a holy Person, (but to add more weight to the fact still) slain between the Temple and the Altar too, 
St. Matt. 23.35.  in an holy place, And I doubt amongst other circumstances of the late Scotish Covenant (besides that it was peccant in the matter and substance) that will one day be found to be none of the least, that it was generally taken in Churches. But I must vindicate these sacred places not only from sinful and unworthy actions, but from such as are of an indifferent nature also, lawful enough elsewhere, but profane, if done in the House of God, set apart for holy offices. And our Saviour's own Example is my warrant for it, 
St. Matt. 21.12.  who drove all the Buyers, and Sellers, and Trapezytes out of the Temple; thereby intimating, that even civil traffic and commerce (though in order to sacred ends, for the Sheep and Oxen, sold there, were for Sacrifice) defileth his House of Prayer.  
2. Besides this Negative, there is also a positive reverence due to the House of God. Our Church hath well provided, that by the reverence of our outward gestures at the divine service, our inward and hearty duty to God and his ordinances, should be expressed and maintained. And so much is implied in St. Paul's own precept, Glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit, 
1 Cor. 6.20.  which are Gods. They are a little too superstitious, who will allow the Church to be no longer an holy place, than whilst the Saints are in it; as if they carried away the Holiness thereof home with them. Ye know, all men stand bare in the Chamber of Presence, though the King be absent; how much more reason than have we to express our humility and subjection to the supreme MAJESTY of Heaven, who is never absent, but always present here, even in the Intervals of his daily Service.  
To all this I add, that the Holiness of consecrated Places and Things is such, that it is no less than Sacrilege to apply them to any profane use. Quod semel dicatum est Deo, amplius ad profanos usus transferri non debet;— was once current Law amongst Christians. And Things given to the Church, were said of old to be consigned in manus mortuas; to intimate, that the Clergy had no more power to alienate them the Jure, than a dead man hath de Facto. 
Dr. Bas. of the Sacr. pag. 86. Hag. 1.6. Dr. Bas. p. 118. Sr. H. Spelm. de nov. tem. Eccles. p. 88 & Cl. Spelm. to the Reader. p. 45. Reyner. fol. 127.  So that let modern projectors (says one) build Babel's never so high, if they be reared on the ruins of Zion, 'tis putting their Gains into the Prophet's Bag with Holes; both Fabric and Founder will sink together at last, and come to nothing. And it is observed by Him and other modern Authors, that many of those Families who purchased Abbey-Lands, are since extinct, or their Lands sold to buy Bread. However thus much I am assured of, 
Levit. 27.28.  that men were free by the old Law, to devote their Lands to the Lord, or keep them to themselves; but when once they had devoted them, they themselves could not call them back, under a Curse. Nor can I find any great difference between the sin of Achan, Josh. 7.21. and that of Ananias & Saphira, Act. 5.3. for they are convicted by the Apostle there, not only for lying to the holy Ghost, but for keeping back part of the price of the Land, given to maintain the Church in the communion of God's Service. From whence it followeth, that, that which is consecrated to God's Service under the Gospel, is Anathema, for the same reason as under the Law, because the thing is accursed to them that withdraw, and rob God thereof.  
And now what remains, but that we make some practical Inferences upon this whole matter. And,  
1. From the first Enquiry resolved, I infer, That if the Temple and the Altar were Dedicated by Judas and his Brethren, and commemorated by an Annual Feast, and that approved also by our Saviour's own presence as it, though it pretended to no more than humane Institution: then let no man charge us with superstition, if we upon occasion follow their Example, to maintain and cherish in the minds of men that reverence due to Places consecrated to God Almighty's Service, and to the holy Offices to be performed therein.  
2. From the Second, I infer, That if the piety and Bounty of others have built, repaired, and adorned Places for our Religious Assemblies, we should be beyond parallel Ingrateful to them, (not to say contemptuous to God, should we not remember them concerning this, 
Prov. 31.31.  and suffer their own works to praise them in the Gates. Say not thou (says Solomon) what is the cause that the former days were better than these? 
Eccles. 7.10.  for thou enquirest not wisely concerning this. Times have sometimes changed for the worse; but that they must needs do so always, is no good consequence; for I must observe (in spite of all popular murmurs and clamours to the contrary) that the former days we spoke of, 
P. 1.  were far worse than These, as in many others, so in this respect also, that the sober & wiser part of men amongst us now do not only abhor Popish Idols, but detest Fanatic Sacrilege too. They take more solid pleasure and satisfaction in building and adorning Churches, than any of those blind Zealots did in plucking them down as cumbering the ground. And this King's Reign is likely to be as famous to after-ages for their Repairing, and Restauration, as that Rebellion was for their ruin. And blessed be the Lord God who hath put it into your Hearts also vindicate the Honour of his House and Name, and to Dedicate part of your substance to his Sanctuary (of your own mere motion, and good will) in restoring this Sacred, Ancient, Curious Pile to, yea and beyond its primitive Lustre, that your Second Temple also might be more glorious than the first, even in the literal sense. Hereby all the world may see, and know that you have a due and just sense of Gods discriminating Mercy, in sparing this his House out of two several consuming Fires, that more than threatened it; as if He had said to them both, thus far shall ye go and no farther; and to the destroying Angel, It is enough, stay now thine hand! 
2. Sam. 24.   
And may this goodly Structure be still Armour of proof against all future Casualties to transmit your Praise and Bounty to all posterity; but chief to preserve God's Glory and Worship in the beauty of Holiness, even till that general Conflagration of all things, when this great Machine of the World shall be dissolved, and Time itself shall be no more, but go out like Fire, and be extinguished in the bottomless Ocean of Eternity!  
3. And lastly, from the last Enquiry resolved, I infer, that, if these consecrated Places be Holy, then let us beware of polluting or profaning them in any wise. Put off thy shoes from thy feet, (says God to Moses) for thou standest on holy ground. Ex. 3.5. And his Command by Solomon, reacheth us also, 
Eccles. 5.1.  Keep thy foot when thou goest into the House of God. A Motto generally written over the door of the Synagogue, saith Buxtorf. The very Heathen Idolaters were not without some sense of this; for when the Ark of God was by the Philistims set in the Temple of Dagon, Dagon fell down; and because by that mischance Dagons' head and hands were cut off by the threshold of the door, therefore neither Priest, nor People durst ever tread on that threshold more. 
1. Sam. 5.  And of the many typical precepts in Leviticus, that the Israelites should wash and cleanse themselves by divers cenemonies before they enter into the Sanctuary, we ought to make this Moral, that Christianity requireth us to wash our Souls from all that filch of lust and passion before we presume to enter into the Holy Place. Be we therefore more ready to hear (says Solemon) than to offer the sacrifice of fools, 
Eccle. 5.1.  who are rash, heady, and presumptuous, and think their Sin is expiated for, though they never think to change their wicked minds. For they that come hither with malicious hearts, and polluted hands, and bring their Gift to the Altar with so little 
St. Matt. 5.  Charity that they are ready (like Cain) to sprinkle it with their Brother's Blood, do make the House of prayer a Den of Thiefs indeed, and turn the Church of God into the Devil's Chapel, 
Revel. 3.9.  the Lords Sanctuary into the Synagogue of Satan.  — Procul, O Procul ite prophani.— 
But let us all rather approach the Holy Place with holy and humble hearts, and pay our Devotions to Almighty God, not in word and tongue only, 
St. John 4.23.  but in Spirit and Truth, as becometh those who are living Temples of the Holy Ghost; that so our daily Sacrifices may be as sweet Incense, our Sins pardoned, our Prayers, Alms, and Persons accepted, and all our hearty performances Crowned at the last day with an Euge— well done good and faithful Servants, 
St. Matt. 25.23.  enter ye into the Joy of your Lord: even that Sanctum Sanctorum, that everlasting Temple not made with hands, there to sing eternal hallelujahs to the Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and all through the mercy and Merits of our only Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, to whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be all the Dominion, Power and Glory now and ever, Amen,  
FINIS.