GODS HOUSE, WITH The nature, and use thereof, as it ought to be understood and respected by Christians under the Gospel.  
By Simon Gunton M. of Art.  Par domus est Coelo, said minor est Domino. marshal. lib. 8. Ep. 28. Offendi quamvis quosdam suspicer his quae dicimus; said quia veritas magis quàm offensio cogitanda est, dicam. Salvianus de Guber. l. 7. 
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Dring, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the George in Fleet-street, near Cliffords-Inne, 1657.   

To The Illustrious ESME, Duke of Richmond and Lenox, Earl of March, Lord Darneley, Baron of Leighton, Settrington, &c. His Grace.  
My Lord,  
YOu being now, in your tender years, to think of erecting the building of an holy and religious life; may your Grace vouchsafe me leave to present you with one ston towards the foundation thereof. Which ston( to speak without glory or ostentation, in my own handiwork) is not much unlike the Sun, endowed with these two properties, of Light, and Heat; with the one, to illuminate your understanding in the nature of Gods house; with the other, to warm you affection, and inflame your devotion thereunto. If you shall be careful of taking this ston into your foundation, the structure, with all the ornaments thereto belonging, will the more happily proceed; for God, whose house you love, 
Psal. 20.2  will sond you help from his Sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Sion, where by you shall be able unto, and successful in every good work. I cannot, but Joresee, and therefore take the boldness to forewarn you, that in this distracted age wherein you are fallen, you may meet with many Architects, who will quarrel with this ston, as offensive and scandalous, and so propound other models unto you; But, My Lord, the wisest, and most religious Master-builders have gone this way, making the house of God a principal part of their religion, seeking to Gods Oracles there, and thirsting after the waters, 
Chap. 47.1.  which( like those in Ezekiel) issue forth from thence, they have been refreshed, and strengthened in the progress of an holy life.  
The presumption of Dedicating this poor Treatise to your tender hand, is, in some measure, to testify my obligations to your most Noble Parents; in whose debt, being as deeply engaged, as Philemon was in St. Pauls, 
Phil. 19.  to owe them even my own self, for their vouchsafing me an harbour, when I was well nigh sunk by the common tempest; I could do no less, then offer as a weak testimony of my due thankfulness unto them, in you their son, and hopeful heir, as of their Estate, so of their virtues. Your favour therefore, My Lord; I humbly crave in the acceptance, diligence in the perusal, and observance of what is thus presented; And this. upon an humble assurance given, that what shall be wanting on my part, in this, or any other actual endeavours to serve you, shall be supplied by my daily prayers for you,( that, as God hath dignified you with the title of worldly Grace, so he would be pleased to sanctify you with his Grace which is heavenly, adding to your shining in worldly honour, ability to shine in an holy life, that hereafter you may shine in eternal glory) as, My Lord,  
Your Graces most humbly devoted servant S. G.   

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Errata.  
page. 8. line 11. then, red there. 22. l. 11. places. r. palaces. 27 in the margin r. Petrarch Ep. 59. l. 17. before, r. under. 120. l. 14. hearts, r. hats.   
Eccles. 5.1. 
keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God.  
KING Solomon, as he was Structor Templi, the builder of the Temple, so is he Instructor ad Templum, an instructor unto the Temple, teaching us here, how to prepare and qualify ourselves in our addresses to that holy place, Custodi pedem, &c. Keep thy foot, &c. Some perhaps will think of this text in these present dayes, 
2 Cor. 18.14.  as the Corinthians thought of S. Paul, as if the line reached not unto them, and so with a spirit of evil affection they will reject it, as the devil did our Saviour, 
Mat. 8.26.  What have we to do with thee? but with this difference, that, whereas the devil said, Art thou come to torment us before the time? they say, Art thou come to torment, and trouble us after the time? Now that the Law, and ceremonies are abolished, the types, and figures fulfilled, why should any disturb the minds of men with Temples, or any services therein to be performed? But such must know that this text of Scripture lives still, extends itself unto us, and is written for our instruction, as I hope will appear in the pursuance of it.  
And, by the way, the consideration of the Penman may add much to the confirmation of this truth. For Solomon may be looked upon, as a moral writer, seeing all his writings clearly seem to us, as of perpetual necessity, and obligation: wherein he differeth from the other writers of the old Testament: Moses wrote of many things historically, as done before, of many types, and ceremonial services to bee accomplished, and fulfilled in after ages, when their substance( Christ) should appear; the Prophets also foretold many things which should come to pass: But Solomon not so, his writings,( those which Divine Providence hath preserved to these our dayes, in his books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles) have little,( if any thing at all) either of Histories, Types, or Prophecies, but consist of such matter as is moral, and not to be out of date, in any age, from the first publication thereof, to the worlds end. Whence we may conclude, that like our Saviour's Vigilate, Mar. 13.37. this text is spoken to all, even to us under the Gospel, Custodi pedem, &c. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the House of God.  
In prosecuting of the words we shal observe this method.  

1. To speak of Gods house, simply by itself.  
2. Of our access thereunto implyed in the word goest, When thou goest.  
3. Of the manner of our access, how it ought to be done implyed in keep thy foot.   
The first thing is Gods house Satan, the enemy of God, and his religion hath ever been busy to raise disputes, and contentions about things pertaining to Gods service: Amongst the rest, the house of God( by his secret inflammations, & suggestions) hath been the subject of much controversy, some contending against the necessity; others, against the dignity thereof: Therefore, as the Prophet Ezekiel was charged by God, to show his contemporaries, the house, that they might be ashamed of their iniquities: So shall I( I trust by Gods help, and direction) attempt, to represent unto this present age, the nature of our Christian Churches; that if mens hearts be any thing capable of being affencted with shane, they may so be, for their vile opinion of, and contemptuous carriage towards, these sacred buildings. Here then we shall take into consideration two things.  

1. The Necessity.  
2. The Dignity of Gods House, as it is by the good providence of God established for his Churches benefit under the Gospel.   
For the necessity, this is not on Gods part, he having no need of any such house here on earth, no, nor of any in heaven neither, wherein to shrowded his Divine majesty; but the necessity of houses for God here on earth, is on our part; as God himself hath been pleased to manifest, and confirm to the world by clear demonstration of his wisdom through many generations. For, although God, for a long time, suffered his people to be without a temple, and put it not into any of their hearts to build him one, but every one served him in their own houses, or built altars unto God in such places as themselves thought fitting; yet, when once God had brought his people out of egypt, and gathered them into an entire body, he appoynted them to build him a tabernacle; which still, was but an ambulatory, or moving house, and to continue for a time: until the dayes of Salomon, 
Deut. 12.10, 11.  when the kingdom of Israell was settled, and Jerusalem in their quiet possession, then would God have a more fixed and immovable habitation to be erected. To this refers that 2 Sam. 7.6, 7. That God dwelled not in any house, since he brought the children of Israel out of egypt, unto that day, but walked in a tent, and tabernacle: And spake not a word to any of the tribes of Israel to build him an house: But now that God, by his most wise providence, had fitted the time, the place, and the person, for this work, then, and not before, would he have his house established in a fixed place, and upon a more solid foundation.  
This Temple of Jerusalem sustaining its fate in several successive ages, and at length arriving at its perod, our Christian Churches,( as it were by an hereditary right) have succeeded thereunto, in its rights and privileges: Seeing then the wisdom of God hath thought it necessary that there should be Churches in the world. Why should any man, by thinking them unnecessary, dare to seem wiser then God?  
The necessity of Churches may be illustrated by these particulars.  
First, that they are necessary for the more open declaration, & public manifestation of Gods religion, & the several truths appertaining thereunto. No sooner had God given his people a law, and rules for his service, but the next thing he appointed them, was the providing a certain place, wherein his service was to be performed, and where his people might serve him in a public way: Not any longer to serve him in corners; or onely in private families,( every one performing divine offices, accordingly as they were taught, either by natural illumination, or paternal education) but by positive rules, and precepts, in a place elected, and chosen by God himself. Which public administration of divine service is a strong argument for the truth, and sincerity thereof: therefore our Saviour, to vindicate his word from suspicion of falsehood, 
joh. 18.20.  tells Pilate, that he spake openly to the world, he ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resorted, and in secret he said nothing. In like manner S. Paul, before Festus, 
Act. 26.26  maintained the sufferings of Christ, that they were not done in a corner, but in a public place, and at a public time; where, and when they might be witnessed by a general concourse of people.  
Truth is always qualified with an holy ambition of public view, when falsehood in a sneaking way seeks after private opportunities: Truth loves the light, falsehood desires darkness. ( Noctem peccatis, et fraudibus objice nubem.) 
Hor.  least by the light it should bee discovered. Truth comes boldly in aream into Gods theatre, when falsehood creeps into private houses, and then scatters her poison: for so the Apostles describeth the practise of false teachers, 
Advers. Val. mihi. pag. 643.  and seducers, 2 Tim. 3.6. that they creep into houses. But Tertullian was well resolved himself, and so resolves us, Abscondat se serpens quantum potest, totamque sapientiam in latebrarum ambagibus torqueat, Let the serpent conceal himself as much as he can, and writhe or insinuate his wisdom in the concavities of his secret lurking places, nostrae columbae domus simplex, etiam in aed●bus semper a●ertis, et ad lucom, the house of our dove is an honest house, always with open buildings, and to the light; nihil veritas erubescit, nisi solummodò abscondi, Truth blusheth at nothing, but to be concealed: thus Tertullian. To whom if we may join the testimony of an heathen, 
mihi. p. 23  that of Protagoras in Minutius Felix will fit close and clancular seducing spirits, although he was ignorant of the true God, his worship, and temple, yet supposing his religion to be true he describes the nature of such as sought to withdraw the Athenians from it, that they were Latebrosa et lucifuga natio, in publico muta, in an gulis garrula templa ut busta despiciunt, a lurking and lighthating nation, mute in public, streperous in corners, despising temples. This charge I say may be laid upon schismatical, and seducing spirits under the gospel, it being as fit for them, as their clothes are for their backs.  
And yet this does not cast the least ray of approbation upon heresy, and falsehood, though it prosper so far, as sometimes to get into the temple and to expel truth from thence, which is now compelled to change fortunes, and to betake itself ad crypta, to secret places, & comers, and glad of that too, rather then to be extinct, whilst falsehood with an open andacious face appeareth like an angel of light, railing & inveighing against truth, boasting itself of that which it is far from. Such changes have been seen in the world: the holy altar may be contemned, and neglected, 
2 King. 16.  whilst one from Damascus shall have the favour to be employed: falsehood may possess the pulpit, and truth for a time be put to silence. The people of God may sometimes be forced to assemble themselves in corners, and secret places, like the Disciples, Joh. 20.19. for fear of their enemies, and yet their way of worship, and serving of God, is honest, and true for all that.  
Neither does this justify the idolatrous religion of the heathen, who have their diabolical services( for their idols are no better then devils) performed in their temples, 
1 Cor. 10.20.  as solemnly, and publicly, as Gods service is in his house: for the devil is but Simia Dei Gods ape and in this strives to imitate God, to have all things performed to him as they are to God himself, in his house: And yet falsehood is falsehood, though never so public, though done in the light, yet it is not one jot removed from a dead of darkness. And let these things happen as it shall please God to permit, still the divine truths of God, leading men in the ways of saving health, must be public, at such times, and in such places as God shall ordain and for which purpose there is a necessity of Churches.  
Secondly, Churches are necessary for unity, which is an essential property of the Church, Caut. 6.9. not that the whole catholic Church dispersed in several countries upon the face of the earth, should necessary convene into one place( which cannot possibly be effected) but that every particular congregation of Gods people, whom he hath gathered into one City, or society should have a Church to assemble themselves in, to the service of God, for the representation of that Unity which the Church in general hath appendent to it: As there is Unity in God, so is there in his service, as concerning the substance of it: One Lord, one Faith, &c. Eph. 4.5. And consequently there ought to be unity of persons in the house of God, all particular persons to be then present, with one accord, as one man, to worship this one God, and to profess this one faith. Insomuch that whosoever shall( in a schismatical way) withdraw himself from the public assembly of Gods people in his house, does thereby disclaim his interest in the Unity of Gods Church. Whether or no heathen men have had any apprehensions of this Unity, I will not determine; but sure I am, some of the wiser, and more religious even amongst them, have thought it necessary to serve their Gods at all times 〈◇〉, 
Isocr. ad daemon.  but especially then, when the city was assembled for that purpose: which we may take with better assurance from a Christian pen, 
Ignat. ad magnets.  〈◇〉. &c. All of you as one man, repair to the temple of God. Nor are we destitute of apostolical precepts, which may add to the confirmation of this, for the Apostle exhorts us, Heb. 10.25. that we forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. As therefore the Apostle else where asserteth the Unity of the natural body, notwithstanding that it is compacted of many members, So the convention of many particular persons in Gods house, constituteth one body of an assembly; whereby the universal Church is represented, as an Epitome of the greater Volume; or the City Jerusalem portrayed in the compass of a tile by the prophet Ezekiel. Chap. 4.1.  
Thirdly: Churches are necessary for the corroboration, and strengthening of prayer: for, where many are gathered together to pour forth one prayer to God with a full torrent of devotion, the conjunction of so many must needs prevail the more strongly with him; for seeing Gods will not deny the request of one single person praying in private, much less will he deny the prayers of a multitude in his house. And to this prevalency of prayer in the Church, something more may be added from the nature of the place, not, as if the place itself, did, or could confer any operative virtue to prayer, but in regard of Gods acceptation, who( without question) is more inclinable to hear such prayers as are made in his house( it being the place upon which his Name is called, and which himself hath been pleased to style, The house of prayer) than in any other place whatsoever.  
Neither doth it gainsay, that God heareth prayers in private, as our Saviour prescribeth our duty herein, and promiseth audience at Gods hands; 
Mat. 6.6.  Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward the openly: for, if God do thus 'tis his mercy: And must his mercy prejudice himself? Must he be affronted by us because he carries a clear brow to private devotions? Must our eye be evil because he is good? Must Gods public be disparaged, and leveled with other places because God heareth us in our private closerts? I would not willingly have religious duties to jar one with another, Comparisons are odious, & most of all dangerous in matters of religion: yet so far as they may be innocent, and free from casting the least blemish upon private devotion, public prayer is to have the precedency: Many are to be preferred before one. Therfore, as Eliah upon this ground, offered to the Priests of Baal, 
1 King. 18.25.  because they were many, though indeed their devotion was worse then his, how much more then may the prayers of many being offered to the true God, be preferred before the prayer of any single person in private, and be respected before it? Besides, the more effectual prevailing with God by prayer, 
Lyserus in conten. Harm. them. Col. 166.  which cannot be tanto effectu quanto in caetu Ecclesiastico, with so powerful effect as in a Churchassembly: Seeing that Propter reverentiam loci, or ationes fierent ibi magis exaudibiles ex devotione or antium, saith Aquinas, 
12 ae 102. 4.2.  For the reverence of the place( that is, the relation which it hath unto God, and the respect which God beareth unto it) prayers are there more easi to be heard, 
Gerson de vit. clear.  from the devotion of the supplicants. And reason itself may prompt us to conceive no less, if like reasonable men we will but harken unto it, that when Gods work is done in Gods place, and according to Gods mind, it must needs find a fairer acceptance at Gods hand: public prayers in Gods house, having Gods stamp more perfectly upon them, they must needs pass for the more currant coin in his sight.  
Fourthly, Churches are necessary for the signification, and representation of higher things, to wit of heavenly. It hath been Gods ordinary way( whilst men have lived in the world, and in the flesh) to teach so as is most infinuating, and perceptible to frail nature, and that is, Per typica ad vera, 
Irenaeus lib. ●. c. 18  per temporalia ad aeterna, per carnalia ad spiritualia, per terrena ad coelestia: by typical things leading us to true things, by temporal things to eternal things, by carnal things to spiritual things, 
In Psal. 27 4.  and by earthly things to heavenly things. Terrenis documentis Deus ad se deducit, God draweth us to himself by earthly documents saith Mr. Calvin. And of this nature is the Church, and house of God here on earth; this the type, that above in heaven, the substance. The temple of Jerusalem, Gods first fixed house, may seem to have a twofold typical relation to Gods house in heaven, à parte post, as it was made, 〈◇〉, a representative of that which was before it, the heaven of heavens created from the beginning. Wisd 9.8. Or, a parte ante as it was a praecursory figuration of heaven, as it shall succeed to the fruition of Gods people, when these earthly houses of God, with all earthly things shall arrive at their eternal period, Whence the Apostle, Heb. 9 24. calleth the temple, & in it our Christian Churches, 〈◇〉, figures of the true: And what can be more plain? Aquinas( in the place cited before) varies a little from this yet declareth it significantly enough: God( saith he) had 2. houses under the law, the tabernacle which was movable, and the temple which was immovable: the tabernacle was a type of the Church militant, the temple, of the Church triumphant.  
And to that temple of Jerusalem do our Christian Churches succeed, in being types, and figures of that building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2. Cor. 5.1. do we see then our christian temples, fairly built, decently adorned, and beautified? do we see them replenished with militant saints, worshipping God, and resounding his praises? as our Saviour  told Nathanael, Joh. 1.50. we shall see greater things then these, Gods true, & heavenly house, shining with the glory of God, and of the lamb where the triumphant Saints sing, 
Rev. 21.23.  Alleujah's to the praise of God for ever, and ever.  
As then it is not for men to stay their contemplation here at Gods earthly house, but to carry it further to the house of God which is heaven, so neither is it for them, so to look upon the substance, as to neglect the shadow, which God hath appointed as a methodical way of proceeding in the pursuance of heavenly salvation And let the world look to it, least the slighting, & contemning of the figure, prove to the overthrow, and miscarriage in the fruition of the substance. These things, soberly weighed, will gain assent to the necessity of Churches.  
Now because it is not to bee expected that this necessity should bee supplied after a miraculous manner by God himself, as if he should sand his houses from heaven, or make them to arise out of the earth, but his will herein is to be promoted by the devotion of men, for Nos jussa capessere fas est. God may command, but it is men that must put his commands in execution: We shall therefore examine the auxiliaries by which this necessity of Churches is to bee supplied. Where wee shall take a survey of three sorts of men.  

1. Builders.  
2. Prophaners, or destroyers.  
3. Repairers, of the House of God.   
For the builders, we cannot but think them highly accepted with God himself, and that he looks upon their benevolence with a cheerful aspect, if we shall trace the good pleasure of God herein, since the first revelation of all: for, as soon as Gods mind to have an house was made known to the Israelites, and God had issued forth his commands for their contribution of such materials as they had, 
Exod: 35.  and were fitting for the work, the people did it readily. 
Exod. 36.6.  And such were their redundant liberality at that time, that they brought more then enough; insomuch, that Moses was constrained to make, as it were, a statute of mortmain, to restrain the peoples liberality, that they should bring no more. Wee shall hardly find amongst us Christians a a parallel to this: How far are we( or at least would bee) of having a surplusage of contribution towards Gods House? The Israelites were not so open handed, but we are as close fisted; their excess was not so much, but our defect would be as great, if the building of a Church were proposed to us. Not so with the devout people of God, when the Tabernacle had run its race, and the time of its dissolution was now at hand: for King David, out of an holy indignation, that Gods house should be inferior to his, and that he should dwell in an house of Cedar, and the ark of God remain within curtains, did therefore resolve, to have it otherwise: to see what perturbation of mind he suffered out of an holy zeal for a place for this tabernacle, 
Psal. 132.  that he bound himself with an oath, he would not go into his own house, nor climb up into his bed, until he had brought God himself also to his resting place: But now his devotion would travel a further stage in making provision for a better house, one that should be permanent, and more magnificent, thereupon he made those large preparations, as are recorded in the 22. and 29. Chapters of the first book of the Chronicles.  
And although this holy devotion attained not to its wished effects, for Davids own hand to accomplish the work, God having decreed other wise, in regard Davids hand had  shed much blood, yet was it highly pleasing and acceptable unto God, who commended him for having it in his heart. 1 Kings. 8 18.  
Unto David succeeded Salomon his son, who was encouraged by his father David, & the appointment of God himself, to the building of the temple which he finished in the space of seven years, although he was thirteen years in building an house for himself: the reason whereof, is conjecturable of itself, as well as declared by Josephus, that Salomon was more active, and zealous to go on with Gods house, than his own, therefore he employed more men for the more quick dispatch. How little conformity to this holy zeal of Salomon is to be found in these latter ages of the world? How quickly can we rear up stately houses & places for ourselves? How careful are we to consult with architects, & to employ workmen of all sorts to dispatch our own houses? but, if a Church were to be built, we double and triple the prolongation: In so much( to our shane be it spoken) that if any building goes but slowly forward we say proverbially, it goes on like Church work. But if we did consider, that God is still the same God, and that there is still the same general end, to wit, the glory, and service of God, & the same obligations lying upon us, as was upon his people in Salomons dayes, we would surely prefer holy devotion before worldly pomp, Gods service before worldly necessities, feeding-places for our soul, before sleeping places for our bodies, and so proceed with more vigour, and expedition in God's, then our own dwellings.  
This act of building an house for God, may more particularly be considered, as an act  
First of devotion; it being an excellent signal, a clear light discovering, an inward fervour and heat of holy devotion towards the advancement of Gods worship, and service, when men are forward in erecting an house for that use.  
Secondly, as an act of gratitude, and thankfulness, by making a retribution unto God, for those manifold blessings, and for that portion of worldly goods which he is pleased to bestow. Such gratitude we find in Abraham, who no sooner received a promise from God that his seed should possess the land of Canaan, but he builds an altar there Gen. 12.7. And the like in Jacob, who, when he hath covenanted with God, and expressed the conditions on Gods part, of Gods keeping him in the way he should go, giving him bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that he might come again to his fathers house in peace, amongst the obligations on his part, this was one, The ston which he had set up should be Gods house. Gen. 28.22. The same resolution of gratitude towards God we find also in Moses, who, in the name of all Israel, promiseth this, Exod. 15.2. He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation. So great a mercy was it for God to be their God, and so highly did Moses account of it, that he thought the preparing him an house was the best requital. In Davids time, David himself & his captains, having achieved( through the help of God) many victories, What harvest should God reap of those favours but the contribution of much of those spoils which they had taken, towards his house. 1. Chron. 26.27? And if our hearts were touched with any true desire of being thankful to God, and of honouring him with our substance, 
Prov. 3.9.  who hath so much honoured and enriched us with his worldly blessings; this of contributing towards an house to his name, and for his service, is a dable way, Melius est hoc facere quàm repositis opibus incubare. Better it is to do this, then to hover over our wealth in our private chests: Thirdly: we may look upon it, as an act of wisdom, and prudence: What greater wisdom then to promote Gods service? wherein Salomons wisdom shined more glorious then in all his external dispensations: and as if this were the principal end for which God made him so wise, they are joined together by Hiram king of Tyre, 2 Chron. 2.12. And also in point of prudence, what greater, then for a man to provide for his own good, by first making provision for God? He that would establish his own house, let him first take care for an house for God, and his desires shall have a sure and full accomplishment, whereof David received a promise from God. 2. Sam. 7.11. The Lord telleth thee, that he will make thee an house.  
These things were done( as we may say) in the morning of religion; and religious ages sucessively following, have not neglected to follow them: but we in the evening, are so much declined from the exemplary piety of our forefathers, that the sparks of devotion towards Gods service, of thankfulness to God for his benefits, of wisdom, and prudence for our own Good, lie butted in the ashes of impiety, ingratitude, and improvidence, and I fear, utterly extinct, in regard wee are now more ready to plunder God himself, and to dispossess him of what he hath already; then wee would be of promoting the building of Churches, if so good a work had been reserved for these our dayes. But we come to consider the second sort of men, and those are,  
Prophaners, and Destroyers: we put them together; in regard, like Simeon and Levi, they are brethren in iniquity, professed enemies to the house of God. These are the Antipodes of Religion, walking with contrary steps to all former practitioners of true devotion and piety. David was so highly affencted with an holy zeal to the house of God, 
Ps. 69.71.  that it did even eat him up: but these have a zeal that eateth up Gods house. In Solomons time it was a glory to men to be excellent artificers for the adorning of Gods house; 
Psal. 74.5.  but these break downthe carved work thereof of with axes, and hammers. Our Saviour scourged, & ejected the money changers out of the temple, but these are ready to change the temple itself into money. 
Fetrararoh. up. 13. sine Tit.  Quàm diversi mores, quàm adversa aedificantium, et evertentium mens? How divers are the manners of men, and how contrary a mind is there, in the builders, and destroyers, of Gods house?  
But perhaps it may seem to some a very strange thing, that Gods house should come to be destroyed: Is God unable to preserve his own dwelling from violence, and ruin? Hath the parable any place here, 
Luk. 11.22.  that a stronger then he cometh, and forcibly entereth his habitation? God forbid that any should think so: But let God have the glory of his justice, and man the shane of his iniquity, by Gods being unwilling to defend his own house, but rather suffering wicked men to enter, and spoil his dwelling place, the sins of the people provoking God thereunto unto, and making themselves unworthy of the coutinuance of so great a blessing. It was for the sin of Eli, and his wicked sons, that he was threatened with the sight of an enemy in Gods habitation. 1 Sam. 2.32. God himself also made a premonitory declaration unto Solomon, that when he had cast out of his sight the house which was hallowed to his name, and if the passers by should ask wherefore God had done so, it should be answered, because they had forsaken the Lord their God. 1 Kings. 9.8.9 10. It was again thereatned in the dayes of josiah, 2 Kings. 23.27. that God would cast off the house, of which he had said, His name should be there. And by the prophet jeremy, that God would do to his temple at Jerusalem, as he he had done to his tabernacle in Shiloh in the dayes of Eli: jer. 7.12, 13, 14. and. 26 6. Ezekiel also was a trumpet to denounce the same threatening. Chap. 7.20, 21, 22. To which we will add the prophet Hoshea, by whom, Chap 8.1. God also forewarned his people that the enemy should come as an eagle against his house; swiftly, and greedily to prey upon it. And when these premonitions were come to pass, the people themselves confessed the only cause thereof to be their sins against God. Ezra. 5 12. All which testimonies may assure us, that God, for his part, would have been willing and watchful in securing his dwelling place from rapine and violence, but being provoked by sin, he withdrew his merciful protection, and gave it up to the spoil.  
Neither doth God himself suffer any detriment, or loss hereby, he is not the poorer for his enemies plundering of his house: for as he is not enriched by having an earthly habitation furnished with good things, so he is not empoverished though all be taken away: but men who lately were happy,( if they could have seen it) in the fruition of Gods house, & liberty to serve him there, are now bereaved of that which was, and might still have been their greatest comfort, and glory. So that the loss wholly lights upon men, if God profane his Sanctuary, 
Eze. 24.21.  the excellency of their strength, the desire of their eyes, & that which their soul pitieth. And now their joy being extinguished by this shower of Divine indignation fallen upon the Sanctuary, the unhappy sons of men may lament their own misery with formerly distressed Israel. Lam. 2.7. The Lord hath abhorred his Sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces, they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemme feast: And again. Isa 64.11. Our holy, and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire. When God suffereth it thus far, melius carendo, quàm fruendo, men come to know the comfort, & excellency of Gods house, better by wanring it, then by former enjoyments: their eyes may be open when the beloved object is taken away. But what for the profaners, and destroyers of Gods house? must they bless themselves in this great impiety with a happy fruition of what they have done to Gods habitation! Let them see to that: their doom is signed in heaven: If they be but abettors approving, and secretly rejoicing at what others have done, 
Ezek. 25.3  though perhaps themselves might act nothing in it, yet with the Ammonites, for criing, Aha, against Gods Sanctuary, when it was profaned, they may be punished for it. And for such as are actors, the justice of God will at one time, or other, find them out, and sue them for those dilapidations. God, when he entereth into judgement, will make the cause of his house, his own; Although his enemies rage be against the stones, 
Athanastom. 2. mihi. pag. 263. D.  and timber, Perinde tamen puniri, ac si contra Deum ipsum audacter se efferant: yet they shall be punished, as if they had audaciously opposed themselves against God himself. 
Pierius. Hierogl. l. 5. cap. 14.  Some writ of Diana, that she was much incensed against Menalippus, and Camethus for violating her temple: If any such thing were done to that fictitious goddesse, she could not revenge her own cause; but the punishment of those men must come from some other hand. But we are sure, and are confirmed by concurrent testimonies in several ages, and places, that the true God will not suffer the violaters of his temple to go unpunished. 
Dan. 5.  Ask Belshazzar, if his abusing the holy vessels of Gods temple, 
2 Cn. 22.1.24.7.  did not procure the hand to writ bitter things against him. Ask the sons of Athaliah, if they prospered with their plundered holy goods. 
joseph Ant. l. 14. cap. 12.  Ask Crassus what he thought of pillaging the temple at Jerusalem, when he went to war against the Parthians, and he can say no less, then, that the overthrow of his army was the effect of that sacrilege. ask Antiochus, of whom it was prophesied. Dan. 8.11. that he should take away the daily sacrifice, and cast down the place of the Sanctuary, which he did, how be thrived with the spoils, and profanation of God house, and he will refer you to his own confession. 1 Mac. 6.12, 13. & 2 Mac. 
Niceph. l. 16. c. 11.  9. Ask the Vandals, who, when they warred in afric, and brought horses into the Christians Churches, 
Theodoret.  and were within a little time utterly over thrown by the Moores, 
Niceph. l. 10. c. 29.  if the profanation of those holy plaees was not the most probable cause of their ruin. Ask julian, who pissing against a Christian Altar, and was presently smitten with a sore disease in his secret parts, whereof he died, 
See S. Hen. Spelmam de non tem. Eccl. And the preface by his son. M. Clem. Spelm.  if he was not punished in his kind. Ask many sad presidents of persons, and families recorded in our own Chronicles, if demolishing, spoiling, and profaning of Churches, have not brought many heavy judgments upon the actors, and their posterity, to root them out from the face of the earth. And if notwithstanding these clouds of witnesses, mens stomacks will still be hungry as to long after Churches and Church goods, Ask but the Apostle, and he will say; If any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy. 1 Cor. 3.17. And this in as high indignation( if not higher) as he punisheth other sins: for it is not unworthy of our observation, that our Saviour Christ did never manifest his anger in so high a degree, as when he saw the Temple profaned by those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, 
joh. 2.15.  and the money changers; for then he made a scourge of small cords, and with it, he draw them out of the temple: By which act of his, if we will not learn to take heed of profaning Gods house, we may fear the execution of Rehoboams threatening, in stead of a whip to be chastised with scorpions: If any credence may be given to Mr. Bucer, who sadly complains of that which we account a light thing; 
De reginim. Christi. l. 1. c. 10.  Quàm horrendam illi faciunt Divinae Majestati contumeliam, qui templa Domini habent pro deambulacris locisque tam profanis, ut in illis, quaevis impura, & profana cum similibussuis garriunt, & pertractent. Haec certè tanta est Domini numinis contemptio, ut ea, vel sola pridem meriti sumus omninòde terra exterminari, & suppliciis gravissimis mulctari. What an horrid despite do they offer to the Divine Majesty, who make Gods Temple their walking places, and use him so profanely, as that they discourse, and handle impure, and profane matters therein, with such as are like themselves. This surely is so great a contempt of the Divine Majesty, as that for it alone we have deserved to bee banished from our country, and to be punished with most grievous punishments.  
The third sort of men are the Repairers, and Restorers of Gods house, wherein he that labours( let me bee bold to say) may be accounted Gods benefactor, 
2 Chron. 24.16.  and have Jehoiada's commendation applied to him, that he doth good, both towards God, and towards his house. When the house of God hath lain desolate, or is run to ruin, and decay, the hearts of such as fear God, and bear good will to his service, is much affencted with sorrow, and it pitieth them to see Gods house lye in the dust: Then do they, with Daniel pray, 
Psal. 102.14. Dan. 9.17  that God would make his face to shine upon his Sanctuary, that it may be restored to its ancient use, and beauty. And then will God have mercy upon his dwelling place, either by preserving it from utter desolation, or by granting unto it a gracious resurrection. But this is to be effected by the devout liberality of men: and God doth therefore work a time, and opportunity for this holy business, which men may not neglect without further displeasing of God, and provocation of his further wrath. That of Salomon, Eccles. 10.18. may be as properly applied to this as any other sense: Through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through: It being a dangerous idleness that suffereth the house of God to be full of holes, chinks, and crannies, through which the wrath of God may distil, and drop upon their heads. 
Ezr. 7.23  And why should there be wrath? &c. So that the only way to prevent this evil, is to repair those ruins.  
It was laid to the charge of the city of Rome by one of their own Poets that their slackness in repairing they ruined Temples, was the cause of their calamities.  
Delicta majorum immeritus lues 
Horat. Od. 6. lib. 3.   
roman; donec templa refeceris  
Aedesque labentes deorum, &c.  
And the same is charged upon Gods people by a divine Prophet, Hag. 1.9. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little, and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, And why? saith the Lord of hosts, Because of my house that is wast &c. Justly might the land be desolate, when Gods house, through the slothfulness of men, lay desolate: Justly might God cause the earth to withhold her fruits, when the hearts, and hands of men withhold the fruits of their pious liberality for the repairing of Gods dwelling place: 
1 Sam. 2.30.  for those that honour God, God will honour, and those that are free-hearted towards God, shall find God so towards them again. So that there is no better way of stirring up Gods beneficence, then by contributing( or rather retributing) of our substance to the house of God. 
Luk. 7.5.  The Jews moving our Saviour in the behalf of the Centurion, used this argument, He hath built us a synagogue: which argument surely hath not lost its force in the sight of God, in behalf of any that shall raise God a dwelling place, or restore the breaches thereof. If therefore we desire that God should be liberal to us, it is expedient that we incite, and nourish Gods liberality with our own: If we desire to receive from the good hand of God, blessings, either corporal, or spiritual, 'tis a good way to respect the house where they are to be obtained; that, as is said Isay. 65.8. of the cluster, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it, may we say of the house of God, Destroy it not, suffer it not to go to ruin, or decay, for there are blessings in it, and it is the only place, which we, and all that we have do fare the better for: For, if God blessed the house of ob Edom for the residence of the ark there, 
2 Sam. 6.11.  why may not Gods house be a cause of blessing to that people amongst whom it is built? 
judge. 17.13.  Or, if Micah concluded from the proper person officiating in God service, Now will the Lord do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest: Why may not the people of God assure themselves of Gods goodness towards them, when they have a peculiar and proper place for God to dwell among them, and where they may meet with God to desire such blessings as God will give in that place? 
Beru. mihi Col. 413. D  Mons iste mons uber, bonorum omnium cumulus, mons voluptatis aeternae domus Dei est: that mountain is a fruitful mountain, a treasury of all good things, a mountain of eternal pleasure is the house of God. And whosoever loveth it shall inherit that promise. Psal. 65.4. to be satisfied with the goodness of Gods house, even of his holy temple. If then we shall rightly consider the manifold necessities which daily lye upon us, those on our part towards God, that we duly serve and worship him; and those on Gods part towards us, that he daily preserve and bless us, we shall easily see a necessity of Gods house. And such a necessity, 
Luk. 10.43.  that, as our Saviour said to Martha, One thing is necessary, may we say of the house of God, One place is necessary: there being no such necessity of any place, or building whatsoever, as there is of an house for God: And it were better that we should have no houses for ourselves to dwell in, then that God should want an habitation wherein to reside amongst us, and wherein( as once the tabernacle served for that use. Exod. 29.43.) we may meet with God, to converse with him, and to exchange, officia pro beneficiis, our services for his blessings. This, because we shall have occasion to resume, ere we end our discourse, we shal here finish our first consideration, The necessity of Gods house.  
The next thing to be examined, is, The Dignity of Gods house, Concerning which there is no small controversy, or agitation amongst men: For as we red, Cant. 5.9. the daughters asked this question concerning Christ, the Churches beloved, What is thy beloved more then another beloved? So many ask concerning Gods house, What is it more then another place? And which is more to be wondered at, this question is not only discussed betwixt Christians and the general rabble of heathen men( for even amongst heathens some have been found so devout in their way, that they have had a reverend esteem of the houses of their own gods) but betwixt Christians on both sides is this matter debated, and by the one part resolved for the negative: 
Salvian. de guber. lib. 3.  which is no new, but an old error, there having been such many yeeres ago, Qui ecclesias minoris reverentiae habent, quàm cujuslibet minimi, ac municipalis judicis domum, who had Churches in less reverence, and esteem, then the house of an inferior judge, or magistrate. And which is yet more to be wondered at, the men of our times that oppose the dignity of Churches are not of the lewd, and more debauched sort of people; but men professing religion, and godliness, and would be thought the only religious people in the world: These contend amain for Gods Time and nothing at all for his Place: but against it: Crying up the Sabbath( which in Gods name let them do) but crying down the Temple: 
In hoc mayor offensa est, quod portem sententiae sacrae pro commodorum nostorum utilitate deligimus, partem pro Dei injuria praeterimus. Salvian. l. 3. mihi. p. 77. Mal. 1.10.  When it is not lawful to separate those whom God hath joined, 'tis done, not considering the offence of mutilating Scripture, which commandeth that due reverence be given to both, Levit. 26.2. ye shal keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary. And which may stretch our admiration further still, amongst these men which oppose the Dignity of Churches, are found priests & ministers, who are the proper officers to serve in these places, and by which they have their means of livelihood: Serving at the altar, and living by the altar, and to debase the altar! not opening nor shutting the doors of Gods house for nought, and yet to open them so for nought, as to let in naughtiness, profaneness, and parity with other common places. Let the world judge how conspicuous this offence is in them above Christians of the ordinary, or common sort. And surely this very thing deserves a serious disquisition, whether, amongst the many errors of us priests, and ministers, which have brought the late pressures more heavily upon us, then any other persons, or calling whatsoever, this may not go for one, the contempt of Gods house: some by their perverseness debasing it, others by their supinenesse nor defending it, if this amongst our other defaults to God, hath not caused him to debase us, and denuding us of patronage, and protection, hath exposed us to the wills of them that hate us. 
1 Sam. 2.17.  And no marvel, if we having made the table, and house of God contemptible, Mal. 1.7. shall be made by God contemptible also, Mal. 2.9. If we shall so demean ourselves, as, with the sons of Eli, to make men abhor the offering of the Lord, and to despise the service of God in his house, which besides other ways, is done by undervaluing the house, it is but just with God to make men abhor, and despise us: If we kindle a fire to consume the glory of the temple, the fire of Gods displeasure doth justly consume our glory.  
But what is it concerning Churches that is thus impugned? 'Tis their sanctity and holinesse: for, as God once complained. Ezek. 22.26. They put no difference betwixt the holy, and profane: So may he do now, there being no discrimination acknowledged betwixt the houses of God, and our own houses. Many there are, who, though they coldly assent to the Necessity of Churches, yet they hotly oppose their holinesse. And yet this is a thing which devout heathens have not denied to the temples of their idol gods, 
Cic. de nat. deorum. l. 1  as the roman orator pleads for them, and reproves the profaner sort, who were contrary minded, Non Egyptij, non Syri, uec ferè cuncta Barbaries: firmiores enim videas opiniones de bestijs quibusdam, quàm apud nos de sanctissimis templis: Not the Egyptians, nor Syrians, nor all the Barbarous nations would do so: for we may see amongst them more reverend opinions of some certain beasts, than there are amongst us, of our most holy temples. I would this could not be charged upon us Christians.  
And upon this ground could not those heathens endure that their temples should be profaned, or polluted. Pueri sacer est locus, 
Pers. Sat. 1  extrà Meiete. Boyes, the place is holy, therefore piss without, said an ancient Poet. And of lat one of our own country-men being a prisoner in Sally was scourged for this default: 
james Wadsworth in his Spanish pilgrim. p. 41.  for as he returned from the fountain with water, and chancing to make his own water against the Church wall, a Moore seeing him, presently made towards him, and asked him, whether it was the custom of his country so to do, if it was, it was not the custom of theirs, and thereupon beat him, till he left him half dead. But this, which Saracens and Barbarous Moores, out of a venerable respect to their Churches have abstained from, is too commonly committed amongst us Christians, who boast that we only have the knowledge of the true God amongst us; and though to his Name, and service alone these sacred buildings are erected, and dedicated, yet are they unworthily profaned, vilified, and branded with ignominious speeches, defamations, nicknames, and the defenders of their holinesse charged with Superstition.  
But if it were soberly considered, that the contempt of Gods house reflects upon God himself, it would surely then be of better famed, and reputation: for, if under the law the saying, that the table of the Lord was contemptible, was a polluting of Gods name. Mal. 1.12. why should not Christians think that the reproach of Gods house under the Gospel, is so to? And if it was once accounted blasphemy to speak against the temple. Act. 6.13. why should it not still be so accounted?  
And verily it was so( or little less then so) accounted, when in the council of Gangra above thirteen hundred yeeres ago, a Canon was enacted, If any man shall say the house of God is contemptible, &c. Let him be accursed. St. Paul appearing before Festus, acquitted himself from saying any thing against the Temple. Act. 25.8. And how the revilers of Christian temples will answer it to God, Let them see to it.  
The spirits of contradiction now reigning in the world, and like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and of the beast, Rev. 16.13. are ten croaking against the holinesse of our Christian temples, have hereby gotgotten great advantages against the gospel: for First, they have disturbed the peace of the Church, kindling a fire of dissension within her bowels. 2. They have caused schisms in the Church, withdrawing many from the Communion of saints in the public, and appointed place. 3. They keep infidels, and heathens from the Church, making them to despise our Christian religion, because we despise our Churches. 4. It hath opened a door to Sacrilege, that the abominination of desolation may enter, and stand in the holy place: for, the debasing of Gods house, in saying, that it is no better then other houses sharpeneth the stomacks of covetous men to hunger after it, and wideneth their throats to swallow the materials, and appurtunances thereof, with as little reluctancy, and regret of conscience, as if they had pulled down but one of their own houses. And these spirits are now much manifested in the world: for it appears by clear testimonies in several places, that the premises of their arguments against Gods house, conclude with self-interest, and desire of the things there to their own use; goodly stones, and timber ready squared will serve to build houses for themselves, and there are few that embrace the premises, that Gods house is not holy, but they are ready to put the conclusion also in practise, therefore, why may it not be pulled down? If God himself lay at the mercy of these men, they would soon take his earthly habitation from him, and the opinion of Gods house not being holy, will beget an opinion of their own innocency in so doing. It was once a sad complaint against the house of Judah. Jer. 12.9. that Gods heritage was unto him, as a speckled bide, or as Junius reads it Digitata, a bide with fingers, or talons. gripping and raking from God all they could: I wish it were not so with us.  
But let us hear what can be said against the holinesse of Churches: for we will do the adversary that right which Felix did to S. Paul, Act. 26 1. in permitting him to speak for himself: where we shall produce only such arguments as have most colour, and show of reason, which are these three.  
The first objection against the holinesse of Christian temples is taken from the consideration of Salomons temple in Jerusalem. This, as once it was a place of defence, being a strong citadel in that city,( for it held out stoutly against the Romans when all the city besides was taken) so is it now made a place of offence, to beat down the holinesse of Gods houses under the gospel, that they should not be partners with it in holinesse. The holinesse of that temple is undeniable, and no man of reason will dare to dispute against it, in regard the Scriptures do in many places call it holy: but against the holiness of our Christian temples, it is argued, That the temple of Jerusalem was typical, and so to cease, and be destroyed, and with it, the holinesse thereof, so that there remaineth no more holinesse in Churches under the Gospel.  
As concerning the typical nature of that Temple, wee will not altogether deny, that, that temple might be a type of Christ, or of his Church under the gospel, 
Wil. Guild in his Moses unveiled. p. 175.  although it will not be hard to prove it by just particulars, yet to demonstrate which only are so, and no less, will not be easy: for although many things might be alleged as carrying decent conveniencies, and resemblances, yet whether they were therefore types, is still doubtful, and requires a clearer evidence, then bare saying. It is not to be denied that the services, and sacrifices of the temple were most of them typical, and figurative; but as to the fabric of the temple itself, and the holinesse thereof, we cannot assent that these were so typical, as to have their period at Christ, but conceive there is reason enough to make us believe they were moral, and to continue under the gospel, as we shall show anon.  
And as for the destruction of the temple, it was not to come to pass by virtue of the ceremonial law, as if any precept obliged the Iewes to forsake or ruinated the temple, as, at Christ they were to lay aside their legal ceremonies, and sacrifices; only it was to be abolished as to the present use, so that those ceremonial rites, and services were no longer to be observed, nor those kinds of sacrifices to be offered therein, when Christ, the substance of them all, was come, and had offered himself: but yet that temple was to be destroyed( as liable to destruction, which afterwards seized upon it) by the justice of God: Not to cease then, and utterly to be abolished by Christ, but at him and by him to receive a kind of regeneration( as we may so say) and thenceforth to serve, and continue to a new use, to wit an Evangelical; that now, new, and spiritual sacrifices should be offered therein unto God, whose house it was still to continue: the besom which swept away the ceremonial law, having no power to abolish Gods name called thereon, nor Gods propriety therein, nor that service unto which it was now to be translated.  
For first; Seeing it was prophesied, Isa. 56 7. Mine house( still it was Gods house) shall be called an house of prayer for all people: for the Gentiles as well as the Jews; what likelihood was there, that it should be abolished when the Gentiles were converted, and called? What entrance, or admission could therebe for them into an abolished temple? Would God prepare them a place, and call them to it, and when they were converted, take it away that they should not find it?  
Secondly, Our Saviour himself saith, Mat. 5.17. That he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it: He came not then to destroy the temple, but to terminate and fulfil, only the ceremonial use thereof.  
Thirdly, He saith again, Mar. 13.14. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not. Therefore the fabric of the temple should not have been made desolate, nor been destroyed.  
Fourthly, If it should have been destroyed, it would most probably have been so at Christs death, and then have received its doom in some eminent and extraordinary way, as God the owner thereof should have pleased: but all the violence it suffered at the death of Christ, was the renting of the veil, signifying Christs entrance into the Holy of holies; but as for the temple itself, that stood, and continued firm in all the parts thereof, to serve for further use under the Gospel.  
Fifthly, legal persons were not destroyed, to wit, the priests, but they ceased as to their levitical offices, and ministrations, and were capable of being translated into the Evangelicall priesthood, if our Saviour should have thought fit to call any of them thereunto; as some among the Ancients say, that James the brother of our Lord was of the Priests race: 
Epiphan. haer.  and afterwards Barnabas a Levite was called, and employed, Act. 4.36. & 13, 2. If then legal Persons were not destroyed, Why should the place?  
'Tis true, the Temple was destroyed; but, as we have said, not from any terminative necessity of the ceremonial law, but by the justice of God, inflicting his wrath upon his rebellious people. And this was done forty years after our Saviours passion( God forbearing them so long as he did their forefathers in the wilderness) by the wicked Jews themselves, 
Psal. 95.  opposing the Roman Government, and making the Temple their last refuge and sanctuary; 
Lib. de pec. mer. cap. 4.  the Romans also helping forward the destruction thereof. So that, as St. Austin disputeth against the Pelagians, that, if Adam had not sinned, he should not have dyed, out of any necessity of nature but would have continued immortal; so may we say of the Temple, If the Jews had not sinned, if they would have received Christ as their messiah, and Saviour, walking according to his new, and Evangelical way, and their children after them in the same manner; they might have been possessed of their city Jerusalem, and the temple therein might have flourished, and continued an house of prayer, to this very day. But as hath been said before, God gave up his house to the spoil for the sins of his people; so did he now, for the iniquity of this generation. And although the high Priests, and Rulers, with the generality of the common Jews, filled up the measure of their Fathers, and outwent them in iniquity by crucifying the Lord of glory; yet, as God, before he destroyed Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, 
2 Chron. 36.15.  having compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place, sent his Prophets unto them summoning them to repent, which had they done, neither their city, nor temple had been destroyed; so did he to this generation, call them by his own son, and he by his Apostles, to repentance; the accomplishment whereof might have preserved their city, and temple from destruction by the Romans.  
Neither would that Temple, so continuing, have been devested of its holiness, that it should have remained naked, and bare, at the coming of Christ, by whom things were to be made, rather better, then worse; for it would have seemed a strange thing, that the Temple should, at Christ's coming, have degenerated, from an holy, into a profane or common place, and be degraded to a parity with other dwelling houses, which, before the coming of Christ, it was far from. The Temple, for its part, might have wished, that Christ should rather not have come at all, then to come to its detriment, and loss.  
That therefore which a mind, soberly devout, may admit, and aclowledge, is, that holiness, during the law, was limited, and confined to the temple at Jerusalem, but by the coming of Christ, it became dilated, and diffused to all Christian Temples wheresoever they were to be erected throughout the world, to the name of God, and his service. And to this we may apply that of our Saviour to the woman of Samaria, joh 4.21. The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father: 
superstition Superstes. pag. 7.  Not that these words should lay all places level in regard of holinesse, to which they look not, as not in the letter, so not in the sense, but rather import a liberty drawing near of worshipping God in Christian Temples all the world over: As if our Saviour had said, Ye Samaritans confine your worshippers to this your own temple, and the Jews theirs, to their temple at Jerusalem; but it will not be long ere the servants of God shall be freed from these engagements, and have Temples in their own countries, where they may offer up such spiritual sacrifices as shall be proper, and agreeable to Gods religion, refined to a higher perfection. And this liberty would procure great ease and facility to the people of God, in his service and worship; that, whereas under the law, the Jews were bound to repair at certain times of the year unto Jerusalem, from their several countries into which they were dispersed, as may appear, Act. 2.5. Now, by the coming of Christ, they should be free, serving God at home, with less labour and expense, having Temples of their own wherein to perform divine offices. So that those words of our Saviour seem to have so little relation to the period of holiness in Jerusalems Temple, as that rather on the contrary, they may be thought to insinuate a participation of holiness( though perhaps not caused in all equal respects) in our Christian Churches with that temple at Jerusalem.  
A second Objection against the holinesse of Churches, is, the silence of the Scriptures, especially of the new Testament wherein( as it is said) there is nothing to prove that our present Christian Churches are holy. Whether this be true, that nothing is to be found in the new Testament to prove our Churches holy, neither directly, nor by consequence we shall examine anon, when we shall make our answer an argument on this behalf.  
But some object, That our Churches were built by Papists. This indeed is objected by some of the more ignorant sort, who think our Protestant religion of the Church of England, to consist in so direct an opposition to Popery, as that what ever the Papists do, must be disallowed, & the contrary done, for fear of being popishly affencted;( a superstitious fear which too many are infected now adays) but none of any reasonable learning dare object it. And this argument fights not so much against the holinesse, as the very essence, and use of many of our late built Churches. If the original of Churches in this nation was examined, no doubt, but some would be found to have been built by the ancient Britains, before ever the Bishop of Rome executed( or pretended to execute) any authority here, which was not till Austin the Monk was sent hither by Gregory the first, who when he came( not to plant, but rather to restore the Christian religion) he found many Churches already built, and himself might be a means of adding more to the number. But afterwards upon the multiplication of inhabitants, and the growth of religion, the Saxons, and Danes having successively subdued this kingdom, these two nations were both of them great Church-builders, the Danes building their Churches with blunt steeples, and the Saxons with spires: Now if any will question the religion of these people in those dayes, it may be easily shewed, that upon their couversion to the Christian faith which they received here in England, they were not in all equal respects subject to the Roman Sea, so, as is claimed in these our dayes; and besides that, the Romish religion was not then by many degrees so corrupt, as now it is. After the coming in of the Normans, the number of Churches still increased, whose particular founders must be clearly convicted of Popery, else the argument is not good against the Churches which they built. But many Churches in this kingdom have clearly had Protestant founders, having been built by pious and devout men, since our late casting off the Romish usurped supremacy, and since our reformation from their errors: so that the argument strikes not, at all our Churches; but those before Popery, and those since Popery, must be exempted, if the Objectors will be honest, and do them right, and not condemn all for the supposed faultiness of some, especially seeing the objectors are not able to separate betwixt the sheep and the goats, to show particularly which Churches are liable to their exception.  
And yet, as to the Objection, if it should be granted, that all, or some of our Churches have been built by as corrupted Papists as ever were, yet this hindereth them not from being employed to the worship and service of God, in a way more pure, and more agreeable to Gods word and will, then that of the Papists is.  
In the primitive times of the Church, honest, and good Christians made no scruple of converting heathen Temples to the service of the true God: neither their Founders, nor their former Use were thought sufficient crimes against them, if conveniency and necessity required that they should be employed a better way. Many Jewish Synagogues were not so abrogated with the law, but that they were translated into Christian Churches, 
Mihi to m. 2 pag. 19.  as Athanasius writeth, & is evident by the like examples in our own nation. And for idolatrous Temples of the heathen, their translation into Christian Temples is evident enough by variety of testimonies, wherein S. Austin is as clear as can be desired, Alia falsorum numinum templa dirui, alia in meliorem usum commutari consuevêre. They appointed some of the temples of the idol gods to be destroyed; others to be converted to a better use. And in his 50 Epistle to Publicola, he testifieth the translation of such buildings from an heathenish to a Christian use. Again, in his 154 Epistle to Bonifacius, speaking of this kind of translating of buildings, he compareth it to the conversion of men, Hoc de illis fit, quod de ipsis hominibus; cum ex sacrilegis & impiis in veram religionem mutantur. It is with them, as it is with men, which being sacrilegious and wicked, 
Bosius de Cruce. pag. 481.  they are changed into the true religion. Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria, converted an egyptian Mithrium, or Temple, into a Christian Church. 
Eips. de mag. Urbis Rom. pag. 128.  Boniface the fourth of that name, Bishop of Rome, obtained of the Emperour Phocas, that he might make a Christian Temple of the Pantheon, 
W. Tho. Hist. Ital. fol. 189.  which had been erected to the honour of all the gods. The Temple of Hercules in milan, was also translated in like manner. And if the records of our own nation do not deceive us, 
Florus Hist.  Lucius the first Christian King of this land, converted all the idolatrous Temples to a Christian use, and placed over them three Archbishops, and eight and twenty Bishops. Afterwards when Austin came into this land to repair the decay of Christianity. Gregory the first, then Bishop of Rome, writeth to Melitus an Abbot, that Austin should destroy the Idols of England, but suffer their Temples to remain, 
Ep. 71. lib. 9.  giving this reason for it, Nam gens illa verum Deum cognoscens, ad loca quae consuevit, familiariùs occurrit. The nation being brought to the knowledge of the true God, will come more familiarly to those places to which they were accustomend. Then let our Churches be built by whomsoever, 
Pol. Synt. Col. 646. 2. D. Zepperus de leg. forens. lib. 4. c. 7.  and to what use soever, Possunt à Christianis repurgata converti, they may be purged by Christians, and converted to the service of God. Templa etiam si in abusum conversa sub Papatu fuerunt, solus tamen illorum abusus corrigi debet. Although Churches under the Papacy were abused, yet the abuse only ought to be corrected: And blessed be God, we have seen our English Churches( if built by Papists) purged from the dregs and pollutions of Popish services, with which in former ages they were most miserable defiled. And if, as I have said, it should be granted, that our Churches had such Romish founders, we might then look upon it as a mercy from God towards the reformed religion, that as once he brought his people Israel to houses which themselves builded not, Deut. 6.11. So hath he provided for us, that our Churches should be built to our hand, and cost us nothing: foreseing the coldness of these last dayes, that if the building of Churches had been deferred until now, they would scarce have ever been built, many hands would have shrunck from so general a work, as is now established amongst us; especially they who declaim against our Churches, and decline them, as being built by Papists; they, of all others, would have been most backward to set them up.  
In these arguments lieth all the strength of that opposition which is now made against the holiness, and use of our Christian Churches, and we hope they have received a reasonable satissaction. Our endeavour must now address itself to the affirmative part, to examine what may be said in defence of this holiness, if possibly to settle the opinion thereof in the minds of sober Christians, that there may be no scruple, nor further disputes about it.  
Where, in the first place, an argument in defence of this holiness may be drawn from the name, and nature of sacrilege. The Greeks call it 〈◇〉, and the latin, Sacrilegium, which is nothing else but a taking away of any thing that is Sacred, or Holy: And such things only are those that be dedicated to God, and his service, the taking away whereof is sacrilege; Now such a sin there is under the Gospel, Rom. 2.22. therefore there are such things under the Gospel. And if Lands, Money, Chalices, or other materials dedicated to Gods house and service be holy: What should hinder the House itself from being holy?  
A second argument may be drawn from Gods propriety in these our Churches, which are built and dedicated to his name. God hath a two-fold propriety in the things of this world. First, a general or universal propriety, Domini est terra, The earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof, Psal. 24.1. Secondly, a special or peculiar propriety, which is either by Gods own election, when he chooseth and designeth any thing for himself; or, by the gift of men, when men express their religious and devout thankfulness unto God, by giving him a portion of such good things as they have received from him: And, what is thus given to God, becomes his by a more peculiar and special interess then it was before. For, as God, though he might justly challenge all the cattle upon a thousand hills for his own, Psal. 50.10. yet such among them as were the male firstlings, or by the owners free will designed for sacrifices, these were Gods more then the rest, So likewise other things being made Gods this secondary way, he hath in them a double interest and propriety. And this may yet more fully appear in that of David, 1 Chron. 29, 14. Of thine own have we given thee: first it was Gods own by way of universal right, and he gave it to David, then David gave it again to God; whereby that which was so given, became Gods after another manner then it was before.  
And this special propriety which God hath in things, is that which altereth the nature of the things themselves( as now of Gods possession) and maketh them to become holy, which, whilst they were Gods, by general propriety onely, they were not.  
The things then, which either God himself made choice of for his, did thereby become holy, Exod. 13.2. Josh. 6.19. Luk. 2.23; Or which the devotion of men consecrated to God, as the Vessels of the Temple for which there was no express command, became holy also, Ezra. 8.28. So likewise did a house or a field, the consecration whereof was onely voluntary on mans part, Levit. 27.14, 16, 21, 28. As also the Nazarites, for so long time as their vow lasted, Numb. 6.8. And this shows a plain difference( necessary to be taken notice of) betwixt God and man, in relation to the possession of things: that God is another manner of Proprietary then man can be making those things which are his, by this peculiar right to be holy, which the possession of men cannot do: for, flocks and herds, gold and silver,, are not holy whilst they are mans, but if once they become Gods, they are thenceforth holy: The stateliest palace of the greatest earthly king, is not holy although it hath so royal and magnificent an owner; but if once an house be built, and dedicated to God, and his service, it is holy, from Gods propriety therein. As it is with times: of those dayes which are in themselves common, if any day be set apart by the people of God, for thanksgiving, or humiliation, that separation to such an holy use, sanctifieth the day, and maketh it holy: sanctify a fast, Ioel. 2.15. So it is with places, the house which is set apart for Gods service becometh a sanctified and holy place.  
This may make very fair towards the satisfying an Objection which is urged by some, who, although they grant the house of God to be holy, yet it is with a limitation, during the service of God there: for God( say they) cometh to meet his people in his house, and Gods presence there, at that time, sanctifieth the place; but, the people of God dissolving, and the congregation breaking up, they, and God, after a manner part, and so the hosiness of the place for that time ceaseth: 'Tis true, that God meeteth his people, when they convene in in his House, thus far we all agree: but if it be observed from Exod. 20.24. that the recording of Gods name upon his House, and his coming thither to meet with his people, 
M. Yates in his Ser. pag. 2.  are two distinct things, it may be concluded, that Gods name and propriety are sufficient for the sanctifying his House, even in those distances of time when there is no celebration of any public service, the place being still the House of God, dedicated to his name and service, and so retaining that propriety whereof we now speak, it is, by virtue of that, set in a capacity of holiness. And is not the sabbath day holy even in those vacant hours, when there are no religious offices performed, either public or private, but people are employed about necessary affairs, as feeding themselves or their cattle or other things which God himself is pleased to dispense with? Why then not the same also with Gods place, in vacancies of divine service?  
If it be further demanded, why there should be any such dedications under the gospel, when the scriptures of the new Testament do neither require any such, nor signify Gods acceptation thereof? It may be demanded again, Where do the Scriptures forbid them to be done, or condemn them being done? Under the law, mens hands were tied behind them, that they might not erect houses for God in any part of the world, save onely the Temple at Jerusalem; but now that law is ceased: If therefore, Jacob, before there was any law had power to destinate an house for God which he did( though it was but an altar) Gen. 28.22. Why have not the people of God, after the law, power, to appoint houses for God, in such places as are judged meet and convenient? To Jerusalem we need not, and indeed we cannot repair: the Temple there, is not; and the city is in the possession of infidels. Yet if it were not so, neither that temple, nor city, nor country, would suffice for the whole Church dispersed all the world over: How miserable therefore would the Church be under the Gospel, if it were not necessary and expedient to erect Houses for the service of God elsewhere? Must the whole Christian Church rue the iniquity of the Jews, as to be deprived of places for Gods worship, because the Jews by their sins brought desolation upon their own temple?  
A third Argument may be drawn from the typical nature of the temple: I mean not, that which was ceremonial, to continue to the coming of Christ, and then to end, but as the Temple may be thought to have respect to the state of glory, and is no other then a type and figure of heaven itself, as hath been touched before: for that house is 〈◇〉, 
Templum omne coeli figuram servat. Nicaetas in Greg. Naz. Orat. 41.  The true tabernacle, Heb. 8.2. And this House is the type of that. Now, what manner of place is heaven? Is it not an holy place suitable to him that dwelleth therein? And is it not therefore convenient that that holy place should be typified by a place which is holy also? Must not the House of Gods gracious presence have some affinity with that of his glorious presence? Shall not Gods House in viâ, come as near as may be to that in patriâ? Otherwise, if our Churches were not holy, there would be no proportion, nor resemblance betwixt the type and the thing, the shadow and the substance, which is not probable. If then the Temple at Jerusalem( as once it was holy) should have so put off its holiness at Christ, as that he being come, it should be such no longer, and consequently our Christian Temples should not be holy: What a great chasm or distance would there be betwixt the shadow and the substance, the typical and true Temple? Reason therefore may admit, as apparent enough, that the type should retain its holiness until the substance comes; and so our earthly houses of God to be holy unto the worlds end, when grace shall end in glory, and the number of Saints being completed, the whole Church shall be clothed upon with that house which is from heaven. 
2 Cor. 5.2.   
Far be it, that we should deny Christ to be the substance of the law, that is of the transient types, figures, and shadows thereof; but this doth not hinder heaven from being the substance of our Christian Temples, nor the holiness of that place from inferring the holiness of these.  
A fourth Argument may be drawn from the Authority of pious and learned Divines, who have not onely called the house of God, holy, but asserted its being so which might( if they did not lean too much to their own wisdom) satisfy the mindes of other men, and make them acquiesce in the judgement of such eminent lights of the Church: for we may well think that men so divinely inspired, would not have done so, 
Contra cells. mihi pag. 535.  but out of a full persuasion that it is so. Origen taxeth Zeno the critic, for saying, Pro sancto non habendum quod strux●rint homines, It is not to be accounted holy which is built by the hands of men which Origen would not have done, 
De vit. Const. c. 1. De gub. l. 3 pag. 88.  if himself had not been of the contrary opinion. Eusebius calleth the Churches of his time, Sacras Aedes, Holy houses. Salvianus, Sacraria, Sacred, or holy places, St. 
Mihi Col. 346. D.  Bernard applieth that of Psal. 93.5. Holiness becometh thine house for ever: to this purpose also, An vero domum Dei quis dubitet samctam esse, de quâ legitur, Domum tuam decet sanctitudo? Will any doubt( saith he) that the house of God is holy, 
Can. 39. apud Theod Bnlsamon.  of which it is said, Holiness becometh thine house for ever? The council of Trullo calls Churches, 〈◇〉, holy places, and 〈◇〉, 
Canc. 7. Can. 13. apud. Bais.  Venerable houses. Another council calls them 〈◇〉, sacred, devoted, or holy houses.  
WE come now in the fifth and last place to examine, Whether or no, any places may be produced out of the Scriptures, especially the new Testament, to prove the holiness of our Christian Temples. Where; first, that of our Saviour in St. Matthew, Chap. 24.15. offereth itself: When ye shall see the abominations of desolation stand in the Holy place: where our Saviour speaketh of the temple at Jerusalem, calling it holy when the abomination of desolation seized upon it, which was forty years after his passion, and when the temple was not Jewish, but christian: If then the temple retained its holiness after Christs death, then consequently our temples may be holy also. If it shall be replied, that the word holy in our Saviours speech, is to be understood of the Temple, at that time when he spake those words, as if he had said, In that place which now is holy; for as yet the temple had not partend with its holiness, Christ being not yet offered up: It may be answered, that the word holy there, is to extend further then our Saviours death, to that very time when the Romans came against the city Jerusalem, and the temple in that fatal storm became desolate; as may appear by the words otherwise expressed by St. Mark, Chap. 13.20. When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not: So that the temple ought not to have been destroyed, neither the Jews, nor the Romans, ought to have done any violence to it, but it ought to have been preserved from violation on both sides, because, as St. Matthew hath it, It was the holy place. The next place, is that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 3.17. The temple of God is holy: where perhaps some will snatch the words, and presently run with them to the next, where the Apostle particularly mentioneth the personal, or spiritual temple, the Corinthians themselves, and affirm this to be the only Church which is holy, but the words assert not any holiness in the local, or material temple: To those that shall say thus, we answer, that the Apostle first asserteth a general truth in a general proposition, Whatsoever is the temple of God, it is holy; and then he applieth this general to a particular consideration in a spiritual sense, to intimate, that as the material temple is holy, by being dedicated to Gods service, even so the spiritual Church in Corinth, was, and ought to be, by being redeemed from the world, and giving themselves up to the service of God. So that, grant the Corinthians to be an holy temple, as every other particular Church is, 1 Pet. 2.5. yet those words of St. Paul are so far from denying the holiness of Gods material house, that, by way of allusion, or similitude, they strongly confirm it. And so expositors upon the place, have respect to both senses. Est quidem in material templo quaedam sacramentalis sanctitas: There is, saith Aquinas, a certain sacramental holiness in the material temple. And with him agree, Gualterus, Peter Martyr, Estius. And no doubt many more, if it were necessary to produce a cloud of witnesses, for the strengthening of this argument.  
A third place is that of the Apostles, Heb. 9.24. Christ is not ascended into the holy places made with hands. The original is onely 〈◇〉, Holies, without expressing the word, Places, which yet is to be understood, as the words following, made with hands, will demonstrate, Here then the Apostle maketh mention of holy places, and what places can they be thought to have been, if they were not temples and Churches? And although the words may seem to have a primary respect to the temple of Jerusalem, 
Calv. in loc.  which was yet standing, Sanctum pro Sanctuario, the Holy, being put for the Sanctuary: yet is it worthy of our observation, that that Temple is called Holy by the Apostle under the Gospel, as still retaining its property of holiness after Christ's death, which it had before. And if there were then any other Temples, or Churehes built elsewhere in that early age of Christianity, 
M. mead  as Divines of no mean account affirm, this saying of the Apostle may have respect to them also: And had these our Churches present, been erected in those dayes, they might have then more unquestionably come in for their share in that Scripture, which nevertheless they have not lost, by their being like St. Paul, born out of due season, erected many ages after the writing of that Epistle; but, as the temple at Jerusalem was holy under the Gospel, even so are our Churches also: for, according to the Apostles rule, Rom. 11.16. If the first fruits be holy, the lump also is holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches; the temple of Jerusalem being the first fruits, and the root( as we may say) of all our Christian Temples, ours do certainly participate with that in holiness, as having the same efficient, material, formal, and final cause, to wit, the service and worship of God: in every Evangelical respect so agreeing are they with it, that it would be strange if they should disagree in this of holiness. Neither are there wanting the judgments of pious and judicious men, 
Sr. H. S. denon Tem. Eccl. p. 16.  who apply those words of the Apostle to this purpose, inferring the holiness of our Churches from the holiness of the Temple, 
C. Dow. Disc. of the Sab. p. 38.  under the notion of first fruits and lump, root and branches, as if the temple at Jerusalem were the one, and our Christian Churches the other.  
Having thus produced our arguments, for the holiness of our Christian Churches, it is now expedient to explain what kind of holiness it is which we affirm to be in these places, the right apprehension whereof will put fair( if men will be satisfied) to the end of controversy in this matter.  
The word Holy, is of a various sense, and signification, which many restraining to one, to wit, that holiness which is by the sanctifying grace of Gods holy spirit, whereof the material house of God not being capable, they cannot therefore conceive how it should be holy.  
The Greek hath two words for holy, 〈◇〉, and 〈◇〉; this latter is commonly applied to the Temple, which is called in scripture, 〈◇〉, the holy place: though sometimes the word 〈◇〉, which is commonly used in another sense, is given to the Temple, Mat. 24.15. The latin having also two words, Sacer, and Sanct us, useth them also as the Greeks do theirs: And how either of these words may be applied to the house of God, may be cleared by this distinction: that there is a three-fold holiness, Primitive, Derivative, and Relative. The Primitive holiness belongeth to God alone, who is holy in himself; holiness being an essential, pertaining to his divine nature, eternal, and inseparable: whence the blessed Angels which wait about his throne, cry continually, 
Isa. 6.3. Reu. 4.8.  Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. No creature either in heaven, or earth, is holy after this manner, Gods essential holinesse being incommunicable. Secondly, There is a derivative holiness, which properly belongeth to the reasonable creature, Angels and men they only being capable thereof: this is wrought by the power of Grace, bringing them into a similitude, and likeness with God, making them holy, as he is holy: though there may be some difference betwixt Angels, and men, both in respect of the quality, and also of the degree of holiness, Angels having it in an higher measure then men, and theirs being natural, they retaining still that holinesse wherein they were first created; and mans being restaurative, and( as we may say) at the second hand, which is not much to be stood upon in this place. Thirdly, There is a Relative holinesse, which every thing hath that is dedicated to Gods worship and service, and which, by such dedication becometh Gods: And this is the holiness which we ascribe unto our Churches, as having a nearer relation unto God, then profane or common places may challenge. As we see in persons, that some are regenerated unto God, and so become his more peculiarly, then they were before, by Gods universal propriety; and so are called unto holinesse: So( the comparison is St. Austins before) may we say of places, that such as are separated from common use to the service of God, have a kind of regeneration passed upon them, whereby they partake of this Relative holinesse: for, having such relation to God, as the recording his name upon them, their being called his houses, and dedicated to his service, they may justly be called and accounted holy.  
And this giveth Churches the pre-eminency above all the stately buildings in the world; Let Eustathians, and Fratricellians belch out against them such unworthy comparisons as I shall not foil my paper with; the stateliest royal palace that ever was inhabited by any earthly Monarch, the most glorious chamber of presence that ever was dignified with the throne of human majesty, may not compare with one of Gods houses. And the voice speaking to the mountains, Psal. 68.16. Why leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in:( for the fruitful mountains of Basan had not such cause to leap and triumph, as mount Sion had) will say as much for the house of God: Why do ye magnificent structures of earthly Kings, exalt yourselves for your richness, glory, and beauty? This is Gods house, of more honourable relation then you by far, replenished with treasures, inestimably transcending yours, and beautified with the glorious rays of a divine presence, which you could never show. And surely, they, whose religious hearts God hath wrought to an upright apprehension of the quality of his house, do from hence admire, and cry out with David, Psal. 84.1. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts? Amiable, not onely in respect of outward splendour and beauty, which certainly is not displeasing, but acceptable unto God, when he beholdeth the devout liberality of his people in taking care for the decency of his dwelling place, and would also be an external motive, affectus, 
Calvin. in Psa. 27.4.  & vota fidelium ad se rapere, to draw the affections of the faithful to a devout contemplation of the place. Though this be so much neglected by too many, that they care not how sordidly and sluttishly the house of God lieth, 
Act. 19.35.  which thing they will not endure in their own houses: Diana shall have her 〈◇〉, such worshippers as will keep her temple comely, and handsome, whilst the true God shall have few that will take care for his: Saint jerome praiseth Nepotian being dead, 
Epist. 3. ad Heliod.  that he was careful the altar should look bright, the walls of the Church should be without dust and cobwebs, and the pavement clean swept; which cleansing is a kind of sanctification of Gods house, 2 Chr. 29.16, 17, 18. But it is to be feared, that too many now living in the world, will not leave behind them this commendation, that their name may be precious to posterity. But Amiable also in respect of those spiritual excellencies with which it is endowed, that divine and angelical presence wherewith it is frequented, those heavenly privileges which God by his Divine Charter hath conferred upon it: These make the house of God more Amiable then the royal'st Seraglio in the world. And well may the house of God have this esteem amongst men, when surely it is so with God himself, 
Psal. 87.2  who, as he loved the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob, so he beareth a dearer affection and respect to the houses called by his Name, and dedicated to his service, then he doth to any other buildings whatsoever.  
Thus having spoken of the house of God simply by itself, we proceed to the next: Having said what is necessary for the information of our judgement, we shall take into consideration the things conducing to practise, whereof the first is our access to the house of God, implyed in the word, Goest.  
When thou goest. 
COncerning this Access unto, and visitation of, the house of God; It is the best piece of service that our feet can do us, to carry us to this holy place, and there are no footsteps so well spent, as those in resorting thither: and how good a thing would it be, 
1 King. 2.2  if the words of David, I go the way of all the earth, were true in this sense, that it were the general practise of the world, to visit the dwelling place of the true and only God? 
Joh. 12.31 2 Cor. 4.4.  Then would not the devil be the prince of this world, nor the god of this world, but his kingdom would be trampled under foot, and his 〈◇〉, 
Ignatius ad Ephes.  his fiery darts of sin wherewith he so much poisoneth the world, would all be repelled, and extinguished. Then would religion reign inwardly in mens hearts, and flourish outwardly in holy and righteous actions. This the devil knoweth well enough, and therefore is he busy to instill poisonous infections into mens judgements concerning the nature of Gods house, and to cast impediments in the way whereby to hinder them in their due addresses thither: nay, to suggest arguments unto them, whereby to defend the omission and wilful neglect of this holy practise. Sometimes he telleth them that God is omnipresent, as well in one place as another, that he is no respecter of places, but all places are to him alike; which argument he put into Jeroboams head, who( as Josephus witnesseth) used it to withdraw the Israelites from serving God in his appointed temple at Jerusalem, to worship the calves which he had set up in Dan, and Bethel: the common argument which is used by many in these our days. And when the subtle serpent hath beguiled men with this deceitful argument, making them to neglect and despise all addresses to the house of God; his next step is to instigate and exasperate them against such as desire to be religious, to scoff at these, to revile, and malign them, endeavouring by this means, either to impede accesses to Gods house, or to root out the persons who desire to retain the religious practise thereof. Murmurant iniqui, & ingrati, & illo nefario spiritu, altius obstrictiusque oppressi, 
Aug. de Civit. Dei. lib. 2. c. 28  quòd populi confluunt ad ecclesias casta celebritate: Wicked and ungrateful men, being more deeply and straitly bound by that wicked spirit, do murmur, because the people of God flow to their Churches with a chast celebrity. Religion is the devils eye-sore, and this particular duty of frequenting Gods house, as great a mote in his eye as any other; no marvel then, if he chafe at this way, and both by himself and instruments oppose and obstruct it all he can. We red, that God himself was twice an hindrance to his peoples entering into his dwelling place, Exod. 40.34, 35. and 1 King. 8.10.11. For such was the extraordinary manifestation of Gods presence at those times, that it would have been high presumption for any, even for Moses and the priests themselves to have attempted entrance: when, like the fly approaching too near the flamme, they might have been consumed by the fire of divine indignation: But how often doth Satan with his wil●ss hinder men in the pursuance of this religious practise? how many impediments doth he cast in their way? how many excuses doth he furnish them withal? Like those in the Gospel, Luke 14. Sometimes matters of profit, sometimes pleasures and recreations, sometimes they are indisposed, sometimes they cannot, sometimes they will not go to Gods house, 
De Guber. lib. 6.  Nos ecclesiis Dei ludicra anteponimus, &c. Spernitur Dei templum, & coucurritur ad theatrum, as Salvianus complained. We preserre sports before the Churches of God, the temple of God is despised, and we run to the Theatre. But any of these things are so far from excusing us, as that they shall rather condemn us before God, who for this neglect will kindle his wrath against us, as he did against the house of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 28.16. For how can we think, that God should bear the contempt of so great mercy? Mercy I call it, for so it is, and a very great mercy too, that God should vouchsafe his people a set place for his worship, with liberty and opportunity of making their addresses thither: for, when God promised his return to Jerusalem with mercies, the first and chiefest particular in his promise, was, that his house should be built, Zech. 1.16. as if all other blessings were the attendants and consequents of this. And this mercy he hath vouchsafed unto, and for a long time continued upon us, denying it to many places and ages, far more zealous and religious then we: the Saints in other ages, and places being persecuted and banished from the public service of God, have been constrained to exercise it in woods, and deserts, in dens and caves of the earth, and many times in their own private dwellings to assemble themselves together, like the Disciples, joh. 20.19. for fear of their enemies, that in comparison of our dayes of freedom with theirs of restraint, we may take up our Saviours words, Mat. 13.17. Many Prophets, and righteous men have desired to see those things which we see, and have not seen them. King David apprehended it as a great mercy from God, when by reason of Absaloms conspiracy, being driven from Jerusalem, and Zadok the priest taking the Ark with him, David commanded Zadok to carry it back again, making this conclusion to himself, If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, 
2 Sam. 15 25.  he will bring me again, and show me, both it, and his habitation: God hath not so separated betwixt his house and us, but he sheweth us his dwelling place, and giveth us liberty of making addresses thereunto; yet we consider it not that we might make ourselves a delight unto him: We neglect his house, and passe-by hours of Gods public service, as if they were but of indifferent necessity. And it were but just with God, if, for this our neglect, he should bereave us of this mercy, by setting over us a wicked Ahaz, 
2 Chron. 24.28. Neph. lib. 7. c. 3.  that should cause our Temple doors to be shut up, or a cruel Dioclesian; that should enact our Churches to be leveled with the ground: and Gods anger to be greater yet in depriving us of entrance hereafter into his heavenly habitation: Nor can we expect other at Gods hand, then hereafter to be excluded from the glory of Gods presence there: for, if we refuse to enter into Gods earthly house when the doors are open, how can we hope to enter into his heavenly house, when the doors are shut? 
Luk. 13.25.  If we will not enter when we may, we shall not enter when we would.  
If then any of us have been slacken in this duty heretofore, let us become the more diligent hereafter: If we have despised, or hated the holy place, let us reverence and love it the more; as once God appointed an atonement, and reconciliation of his house to himself, Levit. 16.16. 2 Chron. 29.21, 22. Ezek. 45.20. So let us be reconciled to it, both in our affection, and practise of due frequenting, rejoicing with devout David, 
Psal. 122.1.  when they say unto us, We will go into the house of the Lord. This we would most cheerfully do, if we considered the benefits which thereby would accrue unto us: Gods house is his fountain, his treasury, his shop, where all blessings corporal and spiritual are to be obtained at his hands: If we want the knowledge of God, and his ways, Gods house is a School, and God himself our teacher, Isa. 2.3. And thither did David repair for resolution in that which did so much puzzle him, to wit, the prosperity of wicked men, Psal. 73.16, 17. If we have enemies that threaten us, Gods house is a Sanctuary, whither king Hezekiah resorted to procure Gods protection against Sennacherib, 2 King. 19.14. What ever else we want, is there to be had, for God is ready to impart his good things unto us. Although it be true, that God doth every day dispense his heavenly commodities, as it were by retail, to a petitioner that prayeth in his private closet; yet in his house he imparteth them by wholesale, many things to many persons atonce the fatness of which house shall abundantly satisfy every one that desireth to partake thereof. 
Psa. 36.8   
And on the contrary, to the neglect of Gods house, the abundance of iniquity that now reigneth amongst the generality of men, may be imputed; swearing, lying, pride, envy, malice, drunkenness, fornication, disobedience, blood, &c. because men care not for visiting Gods courts, that he may keep them from these sins, and bestow upon them such graces and virtues, as are contrary. There was no other reason of Thomas his wanting faith to believe the resurrection of Christ, 
Joh. 20.44.  then his not being with the other Apostles when Christ appeared unto them; for had he then been with them, he had believed as they did.  
Thus having seen the necessity of visiting Gods house, in the word, Goest; we shall enter upon the consideration of the third and last thing, to wit, The manner of our address, showing how we ought to prepare, and demean ourselves, according to the purport of the words, Keep thy foot. Solomons parents were careful to give him religious education: his mother did her part, Prov. 31.1. The prophecy which his mother taught him. But this of an holy address to the house of God, 
1 Chro. 28.  he learned from his father David, who not only instructed and encouraged him in the building of the temple, but also gave him example of a right address thereunto by his own religious practise, which he expresseth in allusion to this of Solomon, Psal. 26.12. My foot standeth in an even place, I will praise God in the congregation. Before he would adventure to join himself with the public assembly to praise God, he would see that his foot should stand upright. Not that he looked so much to his bodily foot, but to his whole self, soul and body, with all that belonged thereunto: for so the word foot doth commonly signify in scripture, as goings, and footsteps signify our ways. And how necessary David thought a due preparation to the house of God to be, may appear by that prayer of his, Psal. 43.3.4. that God would sand out his light, and his truth: And to what end? To led him, and bring him unto Gods holy hill, and to his tabernacles; then would he go to the altar of God, &c. Gods light, to give us a true understanding of the duty of going to his house; and truth, to enable us with a practical performance of such qualifications as are necessary thereunto, are things worthy that we should pray for them.  
Now, the better to understand the particular qualifications of our duty herein, we shall dispose them into three sorts.  

1. Such as are necessary when we go, or enter.  
2. Such as are necessary whilst we continue there.  
3. Such as are necessary when we depart, and go out thence.   
The necessary when we go, or enter into Gods house, are four.  
1. Zeal. This is the spirit that giveth life and motion both to soul and body, when we visit Gods courts; without this we come but like dead men, and so are like to offer but dead sacrifices: which David, not being ignorant of, would frame his heart to a due preparative temper, before he appeared before God in his house; 
Psa. 26.8, 44, 2.  Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. When Abraham went to offer up his son Isaac, 
Gen. 22.6  he took fire along with him: such a fire is Zeal which actuates the sacrifice, making it acceptable unto God, who is so much the more pleased, by how much the fire of zeal is the more fervent. Amongst other things which the queen of Sheba saw in Solomons court, which so wrought upon her admiration, that there was no more spirit in her, 
1 Kin. 10.5.  one was the ascent whereby King Solomon went up to the house of the Lord: A zealous and fervent address to Gods house highly takes with God himself, and his holy Angels, heaven itself is warmed with delight at the fire of true zeal, in the hearts of such as come into Gods house. It is not for us then to come with could and frozen hearts, no nor with a lukewarm indifferency, but with hearts zealously affencted to converse with God.  
2. Holiness; Which is very necessary in regard we go to appear before the holy God, who will be sanctified in all that come nigh him: 
Levit. 20.3.  and seeing God is holy, the duties holy, the place holy, there is great reason the persons should be holy also. Jacob knew full well how necessary cleansing was before an appearance before God; therefore he commanded his family to make themselves clean, and then to go up to Bethel, Gen. 
Exo. 30.20, 21.  35.2, 3. The Priests under the law washed themselves before they ministered in their office; so it befitteth every one that intendeth to visit Gods courts, to cleanse himself from the filthiness of sin and iniquity; a thing which holy David was careful to do, Psal. 26.6. I will wash mine hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord Without this washing, a man is not fit to come into Gods presence, who will be more highly displeased with such impure intrusions, 
1 Sam. 27  then Achish king of Gath could be with Davd, when he connterfeited madness before him, letting the spittle fall upon his beard. And we find Gods displeasure upon record, wherein he sharply rebuked his people Israel for presuming to enter into his house, being so unqualified through their sins, jer. 7.9.10. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal. and walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name? And again, jer. 11.15. What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many? He chargeth them likewise by Ezekiel, Chap. 23.39. When they had slain their children to their Idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it, and lo, this they have done in the midst of mine house. This is the grand pollution of Gods house; though the other, the employing it to secular affairs, be bad enough, as our Saviour rebuked the Jews for making his Fathers house an house of merchandise, a den of thieves, 
Joh. 2.16. Mat. 21.19.  yet to come with feet defiled with the filth of sin this is well worse: for that introduceth only human affairs, elsewhere lawful, but this brings in the works of the devil, no where lawful: And how can God take this? If the Jews themselves should be so jealous of their temple; that they denied entrance to a gentle, and therefore persecuted St. 
Act 21.29  Paul upon a supposal of his bringing in Trophimus an Ephesian; how may God himself be incensed, if men having the devil, and his works upon them, shall bring them into his house? nay, do we not find God himself manifesting his dislike, when his own people brought into his sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in his sanctuary to pollute it, Ezek. 44.7? How much more then will the bringing in of Satan, and his works, dislike him? Let us then look to our feet, that we may have them holy at our entrance into Gods house. 'Tis strange to see how careful we are of our bodies, and the garments wherewith we are clothed: they must be in all points of neatness, and handsomeness, complete, A la mode: we wash, we brush, we consult with our looking-glass. striving to prevent shane in the sight of men, and as St. Austin speaks, Si macula in vest, aut corpore apparet, non audes intrare; si vero sordida mens & conscientia, nihil times: If a spot appear in our garments, or faces, we are afraid to enter; but if we have a mind never so sordid, a conscience never so polluted, we fear nothing: we set less by shane, and rebuk in the sight of God, then of men; and prefer outward decency in our appearance to human presence, before the beauty of holiness in our hearts in the presence of God, and his holy Angels. We should not be thus ill affencted, thus stupidly insensible, thus rashly presumptuous towards Gods divine presence: But, as holiness becometh Gods house, which before we have applied to the place; so here we may also fitly apply it to our persons, to our hearts and consciences when we come into it. Even Heathens who were any thing devout in their idolatrous worship, would teach this at their entrance into their Temples. 
Pers. Sat. 2.   
Compostum jus, fasque animo, sanctosque recessus Mentis, & incoctum generoso pectus honesto. Haec cedo ut admoveam templis.  
3. Reverence. This is twofold; Spiritual, and Corporal. The Spiritual is an aweful and dreadful apprehension of the heavenly Majesty of God before whom we present ourselves: and is necessary in regard of that infinite disproportion which is betwixt God and us: He, the Great and glorious God of heaven and earth; We, dust and ashes; 
Psal. 2.11  He, the Creator; We, the poor Creatures. Therefore ought we to serve him with fear, and rejoice with trembling. We must take heed that we be not surprised with such heedlessness, as to say with Jacob, Gen. 28.16. Surely the Lord is in this place, and we know it not, but to remember what he said upon his better thoughts, How dreadful is this place, this is none other but the house of God. And if Iosephs brethren were afraid, being brought into Iosephs house, Gen. 43 18. We, upon due consideration of ourselves, have more cause to fear, when we come into the house of God.  
Secondly, There is a corporal reverence to be practised as well as the other, and that is in presenting ourselves after an humble manner with bodily adoration unto God, before whom we make our appearance. This is as much Gods due, as any other duty belonging unto him from us: And if we present ourselves before his Majesty, as Deucalion and Pyrrha are described to have done to their goddesses.  
— Procumbit vterque  
Pronus humi, 
Ovid. Met. 1.  gelidoque pavens dedit oscula saxon.  
Both of them fell prostrate upon the ground, as it were kissing the stones: Or, as the Emperour Theodosius entred the Church at milan, prostrate upon the ground, 
Theodorat. Hist. Ecc. l. 5.  using those words, Psal. 119.25. Adhaesit pavimento. My soul cleaveth unto the ground: Or, as those devout Christians in Salvianus his time, 
Lib. 6. mihi p. 226  Ad domus Dominicas currimus, corpora humi sternimus, We run to Gods houses, we straw our bodies upon the ground: I know not who( unless the profaner sort of men) would condemn us for it. God himself would not, for he requireth bodily adoration at our hands, nor the devout saints of God, for they invite, and incite one another, Psal. 95 6. O come let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. Nay, this ought to be considered in our going to Gods house, that it ought to be one main end thereof; therefore the ancient Church resolved, 
Psa. 132.7  We will go into his tabernacles, we will worship at his footstool: And holy David going thither, performed this duty, 2 Sam. 12.20. He came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: Whether at that time he did any thing else, we will not inquire, but this of adoration he did, and if he did no more then worship, it was surely accepted of God. Elkanah the Father of Samuel went yearly to Jerusalem to worship: 
1 Sam. 1.3.  And although the word worship there may imply in a general sense, whatsoever service was then to be performed, as necessary( the word being in many places of scripture taken in the largest sense) yet the Text seemeth to restrain it to this particular of bodily adoration, as if this were,( if not the only, yet) the chiefest end of Elkanah's going thither. He went, ut adoraret, saith the vulgar latin, That he might worship: But Junius more clearly, and nearly, ad incurvandum, that he might crook or bow his body to God, as the Original implieth. If then the devout people of God have made this a principal end of their going to Gods house; Why should not we also do the same? Is it enough to say, We go to hear, or to pray? Must we be all on the taking hand with God, and never on the giving? 
Mr. John Fox the famous compiler of our English Church Chronicles though otherwise no conformist to the discipline and ceremonies, yet he is reported never to have entred any Church without expressing solemn reverence therein. M. Fuller l. 9. p. 76.  And what shall we give, if not bodily worship, which is as suitable with the majesty of God, as agreeable with his revealed will, and as acceptable in his sight, as any other service performed by us in his house. So that we will not fear to say, that whosoever resolveth to make his address to Gods house, and doth not propound the performance of an humble bodily adoration, to be one of those ends for which he goeth thither, he doth not go so prepared and qualified as he ought to be: he considereth not aright, either God, or himself, and so doth not take heed to his foot.  
It is worthy to be considered by us, how that our acceptation, or rejection at Gods hand, dependeth upon our deportment before him, therefore we cannot but think an humble and sincere bodily adoration, to be a principal means of procuring Gods favour, and contrarily, a rude rushing into his divine presence, a provocation of his displeasure. The two captains which came to the prophet Elijah, 
2 King. 1.9.10, 11, 12, 13, 14.  in a bold and saucy way; Thou man of God, the King hath said, Come down, met with fire from heaven, which consumed them and their companies, for their peremptory way of demanding: when he that came after a lowly manner, found favour, and was not onely spared, but obtained his request: And why this( by way of similitude) should not be appliable to us when we come into Gods house, to present ourselves there before his terrible Majesty, I know no reason. 
Corn. Agripa. de occult. Philosoph. l. 3. c. 4.  For, as one saith, Nihil Deo magis displicet, quàm negligi, quàm contemni; nihil magis placet, quàm venerari, quàm adorari: Nothing doth more displease God, then to be neglected, and contemned; and nothing doth more please him, then to be reverenced and adored. A clear testimony whereof may seem to have been given, 
Rev. 1●. 1  when a holy Angel commanded St. John to measure the Temple, and them that worshipped therein; signifying that both the place, and persons were so respected by God, as that his provident care should be over them, to preserve them.  
4. The fourth thing, necessary in our going into the house of God, is Humility; that we divest ourselves of all opinion of merit and worthiness to come before his presence, attributing those gracious opportunities to Gods free grace and mercy. Holy David, a man after Gods own heart, might as far have pleaded his own worth to enter into Gods courts, as ever any might have done; but he knew well enough that this would not do, therefore he resolved to go the other way, Psal. 5.7. As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy. For the best of us all have nothing in ourselves, to justify our appearance before God in his house, but the mercy and goodness of God himself, who is pleased to command us this duty, and to promise his acceptance, otherwise it were high presumption in us, and we might suffer for so doing. Gods presence is more choice, and dangerous, than that of those ancient Persian Monarchs; 
Esth. 4.11  but his holding forth the golden sceptre of his mercy, is our warrant and encoura gement. What the Centurion said to our Saviour, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, 
Mat. 8.8.  may every one of us convert, and say to God, We are not worthy to come under thy roof, for we have no apparel, no endowments of our own, suitable with thy glorious presence, unless thou please to cover our deformities with thy wings of mercy: If thou hadst not made the posts and doors of thy house of the Olive-tree of mercy and peace, 
1 King. 6.31, 32, 33  we should not be able to set our foot over thy threshold. These are the duties of entrance into Gods house.  
The next are the duties of continuance therein.  
When Satan, the enemy of religion, seeth, that notwithstanding his temptations to the contrary, 
job. 1.6.  we are resolved to visit Gods house, then, as in the days of job, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan also came among them: So will he go along with men to the house of God, 
Joh. 2.16. Mat. 21.79.  to pervert, and disturb them, that their being there may be fruitless and dangerous, it being his aim, that they should be not onely not the better, but the worse, by bringing them into all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. Therefore ought we to remember in whose presence we are, Gods, 
Pro. 5.14  and his holy Angels, and answerably to demean ourselves. Whatsoever defects steal at this time upon us, God seeth them, and they cannot be concealed from him. Some writ of the image of juno, 
Lucian de dea Syria.  that it cast a continual eye upon him that came to worship her, Si adstiteris, te aspicit, si transeas, visu te sequi tur, &c. If a man stood still, it beholded him, if he passed forward, it followed him with her eye. But this of an image was an imaginary conceit: 'tis onely true of the only true God, whose eye is so constantly fixed upon every particular passage of our deportment, that nothing passeth from us, of which it doth not take notice. And by sad experience the servants of God, even they do too often find encroachments upon them, where by they are seduced, and perverted in the performance of holy duties in Gods house; 
Lib. de Consci. cap. 6.  St. Bernard, sensible thereof, doth heavily complain, Vae mihi, quia ibi pecco, ubi peccata emendare debeo: Woe is me, because I sin even in that place where I ought to amend my sins: So subtle is the Serpent in Paradise, Satan in Gods house, that he instilleth his poison to annul the balm of devotion. And besides, he hath a coadjutor, a way-ward nature, a fleshly heart within us, that is not onely weak to bear the burden of Gods service in his house, but adverse, ready at every turn to snuff at it, and cry, 
Mal. 1.13.  What a weariness is it? and so to turn aside to by-actions, or entertain what ever is secretly suggested to the heart. Our care therefore must be so much the more, that we suffer not ourselves to be carried away with any sinful or impertinent behaviour, lest we violate the eye of Gods holiness, and so, like the Corinthians, come not to Gods house for the better, 
1 Cor. 11.17.  but for the worse, depriving ourselves of that mercy which we came to receive.  
The ordering then of our deportment before God in his house, may be reduced unto these particulars, that we ought to order 
Our thoughts,  
Our words,  
Our gestures.   
For our thoughts, we must be careful not to have them wandring and extravagant, but attentive, and fixed upon those duties which we come about. It is a thing much to be desired, and surely by diligent exercise, in an acceptable measure to be obtained, for us to have such command over our hearts, our worldly cares, and thoughts, that as Abraham said to his servants, 
Gen. 22.5.  Abide ye here with the Ass, and I, the lad, will go yonder and worship, and come again unto you: So, for us to discharge at the present all secular cogitations, until we go to the house of god; and having performed our duty there, to resume them again. So that whilst we are in Gods house, our care must be to have our hearts there, and not like the Jews, who drew nigh unto God with their mouth, and honoured him with their lips, but their hearts were far from him: coming before the prophet, 
Isa. 29.13 Ezek. 33.31.  as the Lords people, and hearing his words; but yet they would not do them, for their heart was gone after their covetousness. This must needs be unpleasing to God, and not onely as improfitable, but as dangerous to ourselves, as if we came not to Gods house at all. And although we be liable, even at this time( and perhaps more especially at this time then others) to many avocations, and diversions of our thoughts, which in the words of St. Austin deserve an humble confession, that God may pardon it, Ausus sum in celebritate solemnitatum tuarum, 
confess. lib. 3. c. 3.  intra parietes ecclesiae tuae, concupiscere, & agere negotium procurandi fructus mortis: We are bold in the celebration of Gods solemn service, within the walls of his Church, to covet. and to do the work of procuring death unto ourselves: yet a godly sorrow for it, and a careful endeavour to avoid it, will be a means of procuring mercy at Gods hand, that our service shall not be so frustrated, but that we shall have his gracious acceptation, and obtain those blessings which we stand in need of Onely I say, we must keep our hearts with all diligence, shutting the door, that no extraneous cogitations may enter; and if either before, at, or after our entrance into Gods house, they shall knock for admission, then to answer them, with Nehemiah, We are doing a great work, 
Chap 6.3.  so that we cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst we leave it, and come down to you? Our hearts are now for businesses of another nature, and we must, with Gods people, think of his loving kindness in the midst of his Temple: 
Psa. 48.9.  This is a fit and proper subject for our hearts to be conversant about, whilst we are before God. And this may seem to have been represented in the building of our Churches, where we commonly see the windows built so high from the ground, that one standing upon the ground, cannot look out of them, unless it be to behold the sky; the pious builders intimating thereby, that, as our eyes are contained within those walls, and debarred from beholding outward objects, so should our hearts be restrained in the performance of our service there before God.  
Secondly, We must be careful of our words, that we abstain from impertinent discourses and speeches, which in Gods house can scarcely be innocent, though elsewhere they may: If at any time we ought with David to keep our mouths as it were with a bridle; 
Psal. 39.1  now especially is the time when we are before God: We must take heed that we grace not Gods ear with breaking the harmony of holy reverence and devotion, by untuning our tongues with impertinent language, not relating to the duty proper for the place, and presence: 
Psal. 29.9  In his temple doth every man speak of his honour. Confession of sin, thanksgiving, singing of psalms, these are duties quadrant with Gods house and presence, and therefore ought not to be profaned with idle whisperings, or secular discourses. The Romans( though heathens) were careful to avoid these in their idolatrous solemnities; for one, speaking of the cruelty of Tiberius Caesar, 
Tac.  useth these words, Inter sacra, & vota, quo tempore etiam verbis profanis abstinere mos esset, &c. Such was the cruelty of that man, that men were seized upon at their solemn devotions, at which time it was the custom to abstain from profane and common language. If these people were so careful of not mingling their secular discourses with their religious rites, should not we Christians take heed of speaking the language of Ashdod, and Canaan, or intermixing speeches of other businesses, whilst we are before the only true God, in the house which is called by his name? Shall our God be a better God then theirs; and shall we serve him worse then they did theirs? Did they bridle their tongues at the times of their public devotions, and shall we let ours go loose? No sure: but, as God hath laid a restraint upon our tongues, not to speak our own words upon his sabbath, his holy day, Isai. 58.13. So, questionless he doth, that we speak not our own words in his holy place.  
The third thing requiring our circumspection in Gods house, is our gestures and actions: these ought to be so soberly composed, as to evidence the inward reverence, attention, and devotion of our hearts: not loose, or wanton, as the custom of too many is, who consider not where they are. 'Tis a sad thing to see many of our Christians assemblies so different and disagreeing in their behaviour, as if, like that rude Ephesian rout, 
Act. 19.32.  the greater part knew not wherefore they were come together; some gazing about them, some ordering their bravery, some nodding, some sporting, with many other impertinencies, to trifle out the time of divine service. If a Christian should go into a Turkish Temple, at the time of their solemnities, he should see them otherwise composed, immovable, 
Busbeq. Ep. 3.  Quasi in solo succrevisse viderentur, as if they grew to the ground whereon they stood, without making any noise, turnings, or writhings of the body, this way or that way: But, if a Turk should come into one of our Christian Churches, and should behold such a medley of postures, and gestures, as are far discordant from the work we have in hand; the Apostle lets us know what would be his answer; He would say, 
2 Cor. 14.23.  we were mad: In boasting so much of our Christian Religion, of having the knowledge of the true God, and the only way of his worship; yet we make no semblance thereof, when we are before him in his honse, but as if God were our equal, and we hail fellow well met; we express neither gravity, nor reverence in the presence of his Glory. This is not the way to invite a Turk to embrace our Christian Religion, but rather to make him scorn and detest it.  
And having here an opportunity to takenotice of putting on our Hats in the Church, we shall not let it pass without a word or two. It hath indeed almost a general approbation and practise, and more of late then formerly, for persons of all sorts to do that in the house of God, which they will not dare to do in the private houses of their superiors: the meanest menial servant will be covered at his Masters elbow in the Church, which, at home( his civility is such) he forbears, so that his earthly Master fares the worse for the presence of his heavenly Lord. And besides: covering, and uncovering the head, is practised with such partiality in respect of religious duties, that if they were catechised about it, could not be answered with any reason: At the singing of a psalm the head is unvered, and covered at the reading of a Chapter: At the prayer before the Sermon, off goes the hat, and on again when the Sermon begins: Why there should be this partial respect to religious duties, I wish some body would satisfy.  
But if we, through the whole service, be before God in his house, and his presence be any motive to reverence, the head( sure) ought to show it as well as our tongues, knees, hands, or any other member; And if this reverence be to be practised at any religious duty, why should it not be at all? For the service of God which we come about, is either in speaking unto God, or hearing him speak unto us; and, if his speaking to us be of as great concernment as our speaking unto him, why should we not express as much reverence at the Sermon, as at the prayer, at the reading of a Chapter, 
Dr. Forbs Irone cum. p. 350.  as at the singing of a psalm? We reverence( saith a learned person of the Kirk of Scotland) the reading of the sacred Scripture, 
Discedite templo, Et velate caput Ovid, Met. 1.  hearing it with our heads uncovered; that is, honouring God speaking to us, with an adorning gesture. Nor is this more then the Scriptures will justify: If a man pray, or prophesy with his head covered, 1 Cor. 11.4. he dishonoureth his head; that is, Christ, by whom we have access into Gods presence: And if Christ be thereby dishonoured, God himself is so likewise. But the four and twenty Elders would not be guilty of this dishonour, therefore they uncrowned their heads, casting their crowns before the throne, Rev. 4.10. What? was their God of greater glory and majesty then ours? Or, are our hearts better then their crowns? Or, are we in Gods house more accepted to a parity, or familiarity with God, then those elders were in heaven, that we should not make our heads do reverence to God as well as they? It is a custom used by the Kings of Spain, to make some of their Nobles Grandees and those Grandees are privileged to put on their hats in the Kings presence. But if men will be Gods Grandees, they must be of their own creation, for God never made them so; though every sordid rustic doth now adays presume upon this, and thinks himself a goodly fellow in so doing; yet the four, and twenty Elders would not do it. And certainly the sober Christian doth ever desire, that Gods will may be done in earth, as it is in heaven; that God may be had in reverence by those that stand before him in his earthly house, as he is said to have been by those elders in his heavenly.  
And so we come in the last place to our Exitus, our going out of the house of God. This we must also have a care of, for we may not think that this text brings us to the house, and then leaves us at the threshold, but rather it goes along with us, until all our service be performed, and we depart from before the Lord: therefore, 
Chap. 44.5.  as the prophet Ezekiel was charged to mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the Sanctuary: so this Text of Salomon may counsel us to keep our foot, not onely at our entering into Gods house, but also at our going forth. There was a custom amongst the Jews, that when the high Priest, upon the day of expiation, having fulfilled his course, was come out of the Temple, his friends went home with him to make merry, and to congratulate his safe return from the temple: Our departure also deserveth due consideration; for, as it is Gods mercy that we came into his house; so is it also that we come out in safety, in regard, if God should be extreme, he might consume us upon the place for our unworthiness when we entred, or for our failings when we were there, and so our devotion might have a sad conclusion: Thus God dealt with Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, 
Levit. 10.  they came on, but came not off, for God consumed them by fire: In the like manner fared Zacharias, 
Luk. 1.  he went into the temple, safe and sound, but came not out so, for he was smitten dumb: Such measure might God meet unto us, either driving us out of his house in his anger, as he speaks, Hos. 9.15. or showing some evident token upon us of his displeasure, for many things which he might lay to our charge, both without and within his house; but if we have a safe and happy egress, this is Gods mercy, & we may rejoice at it. The consideration of this, may be one special duty at our going forth of Gods house. To which we may add two more.  
Adoration, which, as it was the Aspha, so, if we make it the Omega of our service, no doubt but God will be pleased with it. Humbly on and rudely off, suits not with the dignity of a great man; much less with the Majesty of the great God of heaven and earth. Nor is this a new thing, that it should be attached for an innovation: for it was practised in the dayes of king Hezekiah, in that famous solemn sacrifice, 
2 Chron. 29.28, 29.  when, both the King, and the congregation worshipped at the beginning and end of the sacrifice: which, how convenient and commendable it is to be still practised by our Christian assemblies in Gods house, to the honour of God; 
Constitut. & Can. of 1640. Can. 7.  may appear by the judgement and joint consent of many reverend and learned men convened together: who ( to use their own words, which reach higher then their own times) thought it very meet and behoovfull, and hearty commending it to all good and faithful people, members of this Church, that they be ready to tender unto the Lord the said acknowledgement, by doing reverence and obeisance, both at the coming in, and going out of the said Churches, Chancels, or chapels, according to the most ancient custom of the Primitive Church, in the purest times, and of this Church also for many years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Seeing then; there is evidence for an after-adoration to be performed unto God, and hothing material to be said against it; Why may we not, nay, Why should we not practise it, when we go out of Gods house? This our egress may( not improperly) be termed the foot of our service, and therefore we ought to take heed to it, as to our foot; in the more proper sense of the text.  
Repentance, and Reformation, is the other thing, that, as we ought to come in holy, so likewise to go out holy, not having contracted new iniquity to ourselves in the holy place, nor returning again to our former sins, which we left( or ought to have left) behind us; 
Salvian. lib. 3. mihi p. 89.  Qui ingreditur ad placandum, non debet egredi, ad exacerbandum, He that entereth in, to appease God, ought not to go out to provoke him: having purged ourselves by our appearing before God in his house, we must not, with the Dog, return to our vomit of sin again: having washed ourselves, we must not, with the swine, return to our wallowing in the mire; having in Gods house implored, and obtained mercy in the deliverance of our souls from former iniquities; we should think, as if God were giving us such a charge, as Abraham gave his servant concerning his son Isaac, Beware, 
Gen. 24.6 Heb. 6.5.  that thou bring not my son thither again: Beware you bring not yourselves into the land of sin again, from which I have delivered you: Having in the temple tasted the good word of God, we should thenceforth stop our ears against all temptations to sin. Some writ, 
Ad richom. pag. 13. Num. 85.  that when our Saviour preached according to that Luk. 11.27. He sate upon a ston, and that this ston was never afterwards covered with dust, sand, or snow; so clean, and unspotted from the world should we preserve ourselves, having been purified in the house of God. The neglect of this, will make us more obnoxious to Gods wrath then we were before; for if we null our late purification in Gods house, 'tis so high a contempt of his mercy, that we shall leave to ourselves nothing but a fearful looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation which will devour us. 
Levit. 23.43, 44, 45.  The house which retained the plague, after that the priest had taken pains with it, by taking away the infected stones, scraping the house, and spreading it with new plaster, was adjudged to be pulled down, stick and ston, and carried forth out of the city: In like manner, If we shall still retain our old sins, notwithstanding that we have been in Gods house, where God himself, by the ministry of his priest, hath taken pains with us, rebuking our evil ways, calling us to repentance, offering his mercy, threatening his justice, 
Ezek. 24.13.  directing us how to walk; Thus purging us, and we are not purged: What can we expect but a casting out into outer darkness?  
We see then how nearly it concerns us, after our performance of holy duties before the holy God, in his holy house, to be careful of leading a holy life: which if we shall do, that God, whom we have served and worshipped in his house, will open the windows of heaven, and shower his blessings upon us wheresoever we go; As we have been careful in a devout respect to his house, of our coming in, and going out, so will he preserve our going out, and coming in; withholding no good thing from us, and suffering no evil to come nigh us. Thus may God, and we, maintain a mutual respect to each other, so long as we live in this world, and when God shall please to take us hence, he will bring us into his heavenly house, where we shall not go forth; but be in the presence of his glory, singing with Angels and Saints, Allelujah's, to his most Blessed name, for ever and ever.  
Tri-Uni Deo  
Adoratio, Benedictio  
In utrâque doom.    

Christian Reader, If thou art not better furnished, thou mayest, at the taking thy place in Gods house, humbly on thy knees use this short prayer.  
O My Gracious God, and merciful Father, I, a poor wretch composed of sinful dust and ashes, do most humbly beseech thine infinite Goodness to forgive my sins, which make me unworthy of appearing before thy most Holy presence; and to sanctify me so with thy Grace, that the service which at this time I shall perform unto thee, may be holy and acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ my Saviour.  
Amen.   

Or this.  
O Lord, the great God of heaven and earth, which hast commanded us to come into thine house, there to worship thee, to call upon thy Name, to praise thee for thy benefits, and to hear thy word. Vouch safe unto me thy heavenly Grace, that with the spirit of devotion, holiness, attention, and reverence, I may at this time, be in thy presence, and receive from the riches of thy goodness such things as thou knowest necessary both for my soul and body, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.  
FINIS.