DAVID'S DESIRE TO GO TO CHURCH: as it was published in two Sermons in St Maries in Oxford.  
The One the fift of November in the Afternoon to the University 1609. the Other on Christmas Day following to the Parishioners of that place.  
By JOHN DAY Bachelor of Divinity, and one of the Fellows of Oriell College.  Basil in Psal. 115. Audite vos Ecclesiam relinquen●es, & in domibus communibus diversantes, miserabilia pretiosi corporis fragment●, quòd preces ac vota in medio jerusalem redderé oportet, hoc est Ecclesiae Dei. 
AT OXFORD, Printed by joseph Barnes. 1612.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Mr Dr BLENCOW Provost of Oriell College, the Fellows, & Students there:  
WITH THE RIGHT Worshipful, the Worshipful, and the rest of the Parish of St Maries,  
GRACE. BE WITH YOU and peace from God our Father, & from the Lord jesus Christ.   

THE EPISTLE Dedicatory.  
RIGHT Worshipful, & you the rest Beloved in our Lord. That which the Apostle said concerning Wives of being subject to their 
a 1. Pet. 3.1  Husbands that even they which obeyed not the word might without the word have been won by the conversation of the wives, while they beheld their pure conversation which was with fear: may with good congruity be said to Protestant-Christians, of often frequenting Church-Service, that even they which obey not the word (I mean Roman-Catholickes) may without the word be won by the conversation of such Protestants, while they be hold our pure conversation which is or aught to be with fear. Howbeit such hath been the coldness of a many in this kind, the averseness of others unless there be Sermons to, the connivance even of Pastors, I, and soothing their Flock in this sin, that the People who by their conversation should have converted others unto us, are themselves now in these days converted unto them, and a many of us the Ministers that hoaped of much interest of bringing souls unto God, stand now in doubt of losing the very 
b Etiam de sort nunc venio in dubium miser, Terent. Ad●lph. Act. 2 sc. 2.  principal itself. I pray God 
c 2. Tim. 4.16.  saith the Apostle in a case of less moment, that it may not be laid to their charge. Doubtless among all the oversights to be laid to the charge of us Protestants, this of frequenting God's house no better is not the least, especially now in these times when the Lord our God hath done so miraculously so much for us, and when his honour (as it were) lies at the stake, and the fruit that we bring forth makes his name (I would I might not say) blasphemed among the Papists.  
The consideration hereof Right dear and dearly Beloved Christians, hath caused me as at the first to preach these two Sermons, the one to the University, the other to yourselves: so now to set them forth only and wholly to yourselves, that as one of them was the very first Sermon that ever I preached unto you since I came to be your Pastor, so it might remain unto you for ever as a testimony of my care of you, and not perish with me when I am gone as did a many good words in this kind with my worthy Predecessor Mr Wharton.  
Were this your Parish of that nature that others be, & the Pulpit not so often, and necessarily to be supplied by the University as it is, perhaps I would speak thence unto you more often than I do, but since I cannot what I would, I will now do what I can, even preach unto you 
d Evangelizo manu & scriptione Raynold. de Rom. Eccles. Idol Epist. ad Comit. Essex.  by writing, and it grieveth me not (as 
e Phil. 3.1.  speaks the Apostle) to write the same things to you, and for you it is a sure thing.  
When our Saviour was risen again from the dead and Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre, & by reason of the Angel's countenance that had descended from heaven, it should seem they were somewhat frighted, Fear ye not 
f Mat. 28.5  saith the Angel, for I know that ye seek jesus which was crucified: he is not here for he is risen, as he said, Come see the place where the Lord was laid, And go quickly, and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the dead: and behold he goeth before you into Galilee: there ye shall see him: lo I have told you. I doubt not Beloved, a many of you are as desirous to find jesus as ever those women were, especially in this age when so many Romish Sable Catholics, so many English Browne-Schismatickes so verify our Saviour's words, 
g Mark. 13.21.  Lo here is Christ, or to he is there, as it is in Saint Marks Gospel. I know I am not fit to be likened to the Angel, but yet may I say what did the Angel Lo I have told you, and as our Saviour 
h Mat. 11.14.  said in another case of john the Baptist, And if ye will receive it, this is Elias: so I in this case, And if ye will receive it, this is the truth I have here delivered in these Sermons.  
Wherefore as the Prophet Esay 
i Esay. 30.21.  said to the jews, Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way walk ye in it, when thou turnest to the right hand, and when thou turnest to the left: so assure yourselves that now in this Age when there is so much turning on the Right Hand, and on the Left, this is the Word your ears have heard, and I ingenuously profess that after so many years spent in this famous University in reading Old and New writers (you know whose 
k Mat. 13.15.  precept it was) if either of the other ways, or any other had appeared unto me better, for the better directing of your Souls, or doubtless I would have proclaimed it to you upon the house top, having had so many opportunities, or I would at leastwise at this time have utterly abstained from printing This: a labour (believe me) not the least, and now as the world goeth not so necessarily to be undertaken.  
I had purposed to have put you in mind, of the place of abode God hath given you, even in the eye of this University (the University the eye of the Land) as though his meaning were you should be examples to all about you, how they also like you should frequent his House: of Church-Service and of Sermons how they are both (if well performed) like Rahel, & Leah (but Leah without a blemish) which twain did build the house of Israel and multiplied the heirs of the promised land: of being to be as loath to lose the one at any time whatsoever, as a many are or seem to be, to lose the other, the profit being incomparable that accrueth unto us by either: of being much more hard to Pray, than it is to hear a Sermon, and therefore how it behoveth us to come the oftener to show our willingness to undergo the greater pains in God's Service: but I am now, even very 
o Octob. 15. 1612.  now, surprised with the news of her death, who was unto me in her life the only jewel of this world. I had thought that She also should have had the perusing of these Sermons, and have seen in St Anstens Mother (twice mentioned in the former of them) the true similitude of herself. But God hath now disposed otherwise, and given her the place already, which this Book would but have guided and directed her unto, and well am I worthy to lose the benefit of so good a Reader as She would have been, who have suffered it so long to lie hidden by me as it hath. O my dear and worthy Mother what shall I say concerning thee? I might say of thee as 
l Muliebri habits, virili fide, anili securitate, materna charitate, christiana pietate, Aug. Confess- l. 9 c. 4.  St Austen of his Mother, Thou wert of a womanly carriage but of a manly faith, thou wert fraught with an aged tranquillity of mind, with motherly love and Christian affection. I might say of thee as Nazianzen of his 
m Nazian Epitaph. Patris.  Mother: As the Sun beams are fair and clear in the morning and grow brighter and warmer towards noon, even so my Father's wife, showing forth the pleasant first fruits of godliness at the beginning, afterwards shined out with greater light. I might say of thee as did St 
n O vera matter, adamant fortier, melle dulcior, flore fragrantior Ambros. de jacob. & vita beata. l. 2. c. 12.  Ambrose of the Mother in the Maccabees, O truest Mother, stronger than Adamant, sweeter than Honey, more fragrant than the Rose. But I will now say nothing of thee, only this will I say of myself, I that have said so much upon the seven & twentieth Psalm the fourth verse, the subject of this book: must turn me now unto another Text, and meditate another while upon the 
o I went heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother. Ps. 35.14.  five & thirty Psalm the fourteenth verse, the project perhaps of another book.  
Pardon me Beloved if I have as you see thus left you a while, & paid this tribute of these few lines to the true Sovereign of my Love, I now come unto you again, and speak again unto you but in that which hereafter followeth, and which in part you have heard already, in part you shall now hear.  
Your no less loving, than loved Pastor, JOHN DAY.   

DAVID'S DESIRE to go to Church. 
1. Serm.   
IT is 
a 2. Sam. 7. ●  recorded of king David, Right Worsh: Men, Fathers, & Brethren, beloved in our Lord & Saviour, that when he sat in his own house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies round about him, how he desired as S. Stephen speaketh Acts the seventh, at the six & fortieth verse, that he might find a tabernacle for the God of jacob. I will relate it to you in David's words, Lord saith 
b Ps. 132.1.  David, or whosoever else was the author of that Psalm, Lord saith he, remember David, and all his trouble: how he swore unto the Lord and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of jacob, I will not come within the tabernacle of my house, nor climb up into my bed, I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, not mine eye lids to slumber, neither the temples of my head to take any rest, until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of jacob. All this in the second of Samuel the seventh chapter and second verse, is thus epitomised: The king said unto Nathan the Prophet, Behold now, I dwell in a house of Cedar trees, and the Ark of God remaineth within the curtains. His meaning was that since all fell out so favourably, with such correspondence to his desires, since he had so much rest from all his enemies, & God was the author of all this, he would now be grateful again to that God, not so much in words which are but wind, as in very truth and real deeds, such as might be testimonies thereof both to the time then present, and to after ages that were to come. Behold now, I dwell in a house of Cedar trees and the Ark of God remaineth within the curtains. It was as if he had said, God hath bestowed a house on me, I will bestow a house on him too, he hath given me rest from all mine enemies, I will give him a kind of rest too, he shall not be from 
c 1. Chron. 17.5.  tent to tent, and from habitation to habitation as he hath been hitherto. A princely mind and meditation, a resolution fit for him who was to be the man after Gods own heart, 
d Sam. 13.14.  as Samuel the Prophet avouched of him.  
The former part of this day now newly spent and gone, hath by the silver tongue of one of the chiefest & 
e M.D Rives Warden of New College  sweetest singers in this our Israel put us in mind of like benefits received on our parts from God above: of setting at home here in our own houses, every of us under our own vine: of a singular rest given unto us from all our enemies round about us. This day, this very day, it was more than miraculous that God did for us, it was in truth a heap of miracles, as first the preserving of our bodies and goods, secondly the prolonging of our lives, thirdly the saving of our whole Realm, four the protection of true Religion, and all these then and at that time when safety itself might safely have sworn that she for her part could not have saved us. David on a time near to danger spoke most significantly when speaking of it unto jonathan, As the Lord liveth, & as thy soul liveth 
f 1. Sam. 20.3  saith he, there is but a step between me and death. Anacharsis the Scythian speaking of those that sailed by sea, and hearing that a ship was but four fingers thick at the most, then are there but four fingers, 
g Diog. Laert tit. in Anach  saith he, between them and death. At another time being demanded who were more in number the living or the dead: tell me first, 
h Diog. Laert Ib.  quoth he, among whether of them you reckon those that travel by sea: his meaning was that howsoever they seem to live, to move, and have a being, yet they might with good congruity be accounted even for dead, for nothing so full of casualties as the 
i Nihil tam capax fortuitorum quàm mare. Tacit. Annal. l. 14.  sea and that in the turning of a hand.  
Upon how ticklish terms we stood this very day when time 
k Novemb. 5 1605  was, the more we muse of it the more we may, & how might all & every of these speeches here rehearsed have been verified of us. A step of that wretched miscreant might irrecoverably have laid all our honour in the dust, a very finger of his might have done it. Our adversaries abroad that saw the case wherein we stood, how did they news it to one another that we might be now accounted dead. A 
l Discourse of this late intended treason. Fol. F. 3.  Terrible Blow was now at hand, we had all and every of us but one neck, and that neck of ours was now on the block. The horror whereof if we would conceive let us but imagine another Fauks in some one of the vaults here about, as many barrels, as much powder, and that which then matched both barrels and powder. Doubtless we are never better affected unto God than when we pray: we are now in the house of prayer, & prayer you know was the last, the very last thing we did, yet should we all of us now miscarry and in this very in stant of time be snatched out of the world and have the sudden death of those of whom Elihu in job 
m job. 34, ●0. Tremel.  speaketh momento moriuntur, they are gone in a trice, or as speaketh the 
n 1. Cor. 15 5●.  Apostle S. Paul, In momento, in ictu oculi, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, how unpreparedly might we all go to appear before that throne where this day we should receive every of us our last doom. And yet we are but a handful to the 
o See the B. of Linc. Answer to a nameless Cathol. p 360. 361.  house full of them that should have miscarried, and yet they though well affected no doubt as men in civil affairs might be, yet somewhat perhaps behind ourselves in respect of the soul's business we are about.  
But it is not now of this point I point now to speak, my intent and purpose is to speak of the Thankfulness and Gratitude we are to perform to God for this, not so much in words which are but wind, as in very truth and real deeds, such as may be testimonies thereof both to these times now present, and to after ages that are to come. What hath the Lord preserved our honour? We will also preserve his. Hath he made our households like 
p Ps 107.4.  flocks of sheep? We will endeavour in like manner to furnish also his house: be it early, be it late, it shall not for our parts, be so naked as it hath been hitherto.  
To the producing of which effect in every of us here present, be we of the one Corporation or of the other, of the one or other sex, I have at this time brought unto you a certain passage of David's Psalms, that as David is the man who puts us in mind of this gratitude, so he might instruct us in the manner to how this gratitude should be performed, not in finding out new places for the Temple of the Lord, new habitations for the God of jacob (there is no such necessity now a days) but in maintaining the old places, the old habitations of the God of jacob, and that by tendering there our continual presence at the usual times of Divine Service.  
The words I have chosen to this purpose are in the fourth verse of the seven and twenty Psalm, and parcel of the words this very night to be read at Evening Prayer: which will cause me also in reading them to follow the translation we then use, not that which is usual in our Bibles though the difference in this verse be but small. The words are these: One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his Temple.  
IN which words without curiosity of giving every hen her own egg, as Pliny 
q Plin. hist. nat. l. 10. c. 15.  tells us of one that was able to do it with his hens, may it please you to observe with me two special points as here they lie, First a Petition of the Prophet david's, Secondly the Reason of that petition. The Prophet's Petition in these words One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life: the Reason of it in these, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his Temple. The Petition we shall best consider of, if so be we consider therein the Matter of it, and the Manner of making it. The Manner of making it in these words, One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require: the Matter of it in these, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. But it is with this Matter & Manner here as it was with Thamar's 
r Gen. 38.28.  twins, the Manner shows itself first, but the Matter must first be handled. First and foremost therefore of the Matter, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Wherein for our better proceeding I shall observe unto you three points, first, what kind of house this was, secondly, what it was to dwell in it, thirdly, the conveniency of dwelling there. And of every of these in their order, & every of these in these words, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. First therefore of the house, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord.  
As the Lord God out of the whole mass of mankind hath reserved to himself some whom he calleth his Elect, of times and seasons some his Saboths, and solemn Feasts, of servants and attendants some his Ministers, & Priests, of goods and wealth that men enjoy, some his Tithes & Oblations, so out of the habitations of the sons of men some he hath reserved which he calls his House & Temple. Now what kind of house this was, what better instruction may be had then from the owner of it himself. The owner of it was the Lord, who though he 
s Esay. 66●  said when time was, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool, where is that house that you will build unto me, and where is the place of my rest? that is, as St Steven 
t Act. 7.49.  interprets it, what house will ye build for me, or what place is it that I should rest in? Yet a house he had, & a place there was, not so much to rest himself in, as where his people might rest there hopes to hear daily and duly from him. The very first mention of this house is made in the book of Exodus, where he calleth it a Sanctuary, when speaking unto Moses, They shall make me, saith he, a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them. 
u Exod. 25.8.  True it is that long before some speech there was of God's house, as in the book of Genesis, how fearful 
c G●. 28.17  saith jacob is this place? This is no other but the house of God: and 
x V 22.  again a little after, This stone which I have set up as a pillar shallbe God's house: but where mention was first made that it should immediately be gone in hand withal, & a special name given unto it whereby perpetually it should be called, that as I said was first in Exodus where the Lord himself calls it by the name of a Sanctuary. It is called in the same place an 
y Exod. 25.10.  Ark beside, and a 
z V 19  Tabernacle, which three names howsoever severally distinguished among themselves, are but the divers appellations & names of this house, as first for the Sanctuary, Psalm the seventy third at the fifteenth verse, Then thought I saith the Prophet to understand this, but it was to hard for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God: secondly for the Ark, Psalm the hundred thirty second at the eight verse, Arise O Lord into thy resting place, thou, and the Ark of thy strength: thirdly for the Tabernacle, in the 
a Ps. 27.5.  next words to this my text, He shall hide me in his Tabernacle, yea in the secret of his dwelling shall he hide me. Now as in a material and worldly building we then know it best when we know the several rooms of it, and to what use each room serves, so let us see in the sacred Scriptures and other writers besides what is said of these three rooms, in regard whereof this house of God was called by these names.  
First then concerning the Tabernacle we shall find it recorded 
b Act. 7.44. Exod. 25.40. Heb. 8 5.  that it was the Lords own invention, and how he showed a pattern of it in the mount; 
c joseph. Antiq. l. 3. c ●.  that after it was once reared it saved Moses his long journeys up to mount Sinai, the Lord as it were taking the pains to come down to him: lastly, that the cloud of the Lord was 
d Exod. 40.38.  upon it by day, and fire was in it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys, whereupon an ancient Father, 
e Clem. Alex. Orat. Adhor. ad Gentes.  this cloud, saith he, waited on the Hebrews like a 
f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  handmaid, and as for the fire it was, saith the same Father, a 
g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  token of grace and fear too, if so be they would obey then was it light to lead them, if not but they would be wayward, then was it fire to consume them.  
Secondly concerning the Ark we shall fiind it recorded in holy scripture that it was styled and called by Gods own peculiar 
h Ios. 4.13. 2. Sam. 6.2,  name: that when it was borne on the Priest's shoulders, the feet of them that bore the Ark were no sooner dipped in Iordans water but jordan was driven 
i Ios. 3.15.  back, the mountains skipped like 
k Ps. 114.3.  rams, & the little hills like young sheep: that it was the cause of the falling down of 
l Josh. 6.4.  jericoes' walls: that when it was brought into Dagons' house, 
m 1. San. 5.3.  Dagon was overthrown: that 
n V 9  when it came into Gath, it made havoc of God's enemies, 
o Ps. 78 67.  it smote them on the hinder parts and put them to a perpetual shame: that when it came to Ekron, it did as much unto the 
p 1. Sam. 5.11  Ekronites: that when the milk kine brought it home it 
q 1. Sam. 6.12  guided the kine in that their journey, it was as the rudder in a ship which though it be behind, yet directeth all afore: lastly we shall there find that when the men of 
r V 19  Bethshemeth pried into it over boldly, it slew above fifty thousand at one time, so exasperated was the Lord against them. All that afterwards happened by it, as the 
s 2. San. 6.7.  slaying of Vzzah but for touching it, the blessing of 
t V 11.  Obed Edom for entertaining it, and some other things beside, I now omit at this time as being done by all likelihood after the composing of this Psalm and therefore not likely that the Prophet here had any relation to these events.  
Thirdly concerning the Sanctuary we shall find it recorded there, what precious jewels that had in it being the cabinet as it were and casket of them, as first, this aforesaid 
u Heb. 9.4.  Ark and all the sacred things therein contained, the golden pot wherein was Manna, and Aaron's rod that had budded, and the Tables of the Testament: secondly, the golden 
c Heb. Ib.  Censer: thirdly, the mercy seat of 
x Exod. 25 17.  gold: four, the 
y V 18.  Cherubins of gold too: fifthly, the 
z V 38.  dishes, cups, cover, and 
a V 31.  candlesticks of gold. We shall find it recorded there that the Lord from thence gave forth his 
b Exod. 25.22. Numb. 7.89  Oracles, and told all things unto Moses concerning the children of Israel. We shall find it recorded there that the high Priest went into it 
c Heb. 9.7. Levit. 16.33.  once every year to make an atonement both for himself, for the Priests, and for the People. Lastly we shall find it recorded there that it was 
d Heb. 9.3.  called Sanctum Sanctorum, that is, The holiest of all, for so is the Hebrew phrase in stead of the superlative, like as our Saviour is 
e 1. Tim. 6.15.  called in holy Scripture, Rex Regum & Dominus Dominantium, that is, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, according to that dialect.  
And these are the excellent things recorded of that house, whereunto as this our Prophet no doubt had special reference here in these words, so they may serve us as a draft in some sort to know what manner of house this was. There are that 
f joseph. Antiq. l. 3. c. 8.  compare this house to this great world wherein we live, for it being divided say they into three parts the Outward Court, the Inward, and the Sanctuary: two of them signify the Earth, & the Sea, wherein all kind of creatures are, and such were the Outward and Inward Court: the third part which was the Sanctuary signifies Heaven say they which was reserved for God alone in like sort as the Heaven is not to be come unto by men. In my conceit it may more fitly be compared to the little world of man, as man in holy 
g Thess. 5.23.  Scripture is said to have a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit: the Soul being taken as 
h Dicitur anima dum ●●getat, spiritu● dum contemplatur. Aug de Sp. & Anim. l. 1 c. 13.  sometime it is for the will & affections, the Spirit for the understanding. First then concerning the Tabernacle, that I resemble to the Body, my reason is, for that so oftentimes in holy 
i 2. Cor. 5.4 2. Pet. 1.13. 2. Pet. 1.14.  writ we find this Body of ours resembled to a Tabernacle. In this Body is a Soul, and in that Tabernacle an 
k Exod. 40 3.  Ark, which Ark containing principally the Two Tables of stone the ten Commandments, what may we better resemble them unto then to the will and affections over which they bear the sway. The Sanctuary I may well resemble unto the Understanding, though as the chiefest room in this house it passed indeed all understanding. Nor may it seem strange that the Temple here should thus be compared unto man, seeing man so often times in holy Scripture is called the Temple of God. Know ye not 
l 1. Cor. 3.16.  saith the Apostle, that ye are the Temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy, for the Temple of God is holy which ye are. And again in another 
m 2. Cor. 6.16.  place, ye are the Temple of the living God: whereupon Tertullian very elegantly, Being all of us, 
n Tertul. de cultu Fam. Eius templi Aeditu●, & Antistes P●dicitia est.  saith he, the Temple of God, the P●rson & Prelate of that Church is Chastity, which will not suffer any unclean or profane thing to be brought into it, lest that God that doth inhabit it should utterly leave the place by reason of such pollution. But thus much of his house. Now let us see what it is to dwell in it, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord.  
Hannah the mother of Samuel when she had been long barren, & it was often cast her in the teeth, she vowed a vow & 
o 1. Sam. 1.11  said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look on the trouble of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but give unto thy handmaid a man child, them will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, & there shall no raiser come upon his head. Her meaning was that he should be brought up in the house of the Lord in Shiloh, there to do the Lord that service that Eli the Governor should enjoin him. All things happening to her desires, that is the Lord looking on her trouble, & remembering, and not forgetting her, & giving unto her a man child indeed, she gave him indeed unto the Lord, he became a Nazarite, and a Levite, and dwelled in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. But this is not the dwelling here meant in this place. This kind of dwelling was for Prophets indeed, and for the Children of the Prophets, howbeit David though he were a Prophet, yet had he beside an other calling, and by reason of that calling could not thus dwell in this house. The dwelling then that David meant was in all public assemblies both at Morning and Evening Sacrifice to tender his presence to the Lord, to sort himself with those who 
p Ps. 121.1  gladded him so much when as they said unto him we will go into the house of the Lord, to be always praising of the Lord in those Assemblies according unto that in an other of his Psalms, 
q Ps. 84 4.  Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alway praising thee. And this because he could not now perform by reason of his banishment how dry was his soul within him, & what bitter moan doth he make, 
r Psa. 42.2.  My soul saith he is a thirst for God, yea even for the living God, when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? I, for his banishment had bearest him of the exceeding solace he there took, he prefers before himself those very fowls of the heaven, before which our 
s Mat. 10.31.  Saviour in another case would have preferred him so much, The Sparrow 
t Psa. 84.3.  saith he hath found her a house, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young, even thy altars O Lord of hosts, my king, and my God. I know there are of the 
u Calvin & Tremell in hunc loc.  Interpreters that take these words otherwise, but since our Church thus readeth them▪ I for my part am contented in this case not to vary from the Church. But to return unto my purpose.  
To approach continually then unto the Temple, and thither continually to repair was the dwelling no doubt here meant; to dwell, to reside continually there, not to come for a spurt, or a fit, as you heard this word Dwelling descanted upon by 
c Mr Doct. King. Vice-chancelor of Oxford and De●ne of Christ-ch. in a latin Sermon at the beginning of the Term, upon Ps 91.1  one of the worthiest amongst us in another dialect not long ago. And thus dwelled Anna here the daughter of Phanuel, who is said in the second of 
x Luk. 2.37  Luke for the space of fourscore and four years not to have gone out of the Temple; not that she was there always, but often saith 
y Lyra & Beda in hunc loc.  Lyra, and venerable Bede to the same purpose, not that she was never absent no not an hour, but for that she was often in the Temple. And the same S. Luke speaking of our Saviour's disciples after they had seen him ascended into heaven, They returned 
z Luk 24.52.  saith he to jerusalem with great joy & were continually in the Temple praising and landing God. Thus S. Austin's mother in her time to might be said to dwell in God's house, whereunto sh● came so duly and truly twice a day, that she in thy Scriptures 
a A●g. Confess. l. 5. c. 9  saith S. Austen, might hear O God what thou saidst to her, and thou in her prayers what she said to thee. In a word, such were the Christians the same S. Austen speaks of in another place whom he calleth the Emmets of God, Behold the Emmet of God 
b Aug. in Psal. 66.  saith he it riseth early every day, it runneth to God's Church, it there prayeth, it heareth the Lesson read, it singeth a Psalm, it ruminateth what it heareth, it meditateth thereupon, and hoardeth up within itself the precious corn gathered from that barn flower. And thus much for the dwelling here, now concerning the conveniency of dwelling in this place in as much as he desired it for term of life. All the days of my life.  
Many and manifold are the cares that are taken by mortal men concerning their habitations if so be they have purse-opportunity either to purchase, or to rend them. Some like the City best, some the 
c Horat. Epist. l 1. Ad Fuscum. Virg. Georg. l. 2.  Country, some one 
d Hor Carus l. 1. Od. 7:  Coast, some an other, and yet when all comes to all, nor City, nor Coast, nor Country whatsoever that continually can content them. Variety of houses in every age hath been a great salve for this soar, that as he 
e Terent. Eunuch. Act. 5. sc. 6.  said in the Comedy when they are weary of one house they may presently walk unto another. Even Princes themselves have this variety how well accommodated soever their Palaces be, and no house of theirs so gorgeous, so glorious whatsoever, but should they be tied unto it continually, it would seem a Prison rather than a Palace. It seems it was not so with the lords house in this place, for a Prince here is so desirous to live therein continually, as that he wished there to dwell all the days of his life: and therefore in one of his Psalms, I will dwell 
f Psa. 23 6.  saith he in the house of the Lord for ever, and again in another 
g Psa. 61.4.  place, I will dwell for ever in thy Tabernacle, He could have been contented it seems to have set up his rest there, like as the Lord 
h Ps. 132.15  speaks of Zion, This shallbe my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have a delight therein. This it was in effect that Zacharias john Baptists father did aim at long after when speaking of the effect of our redemption by our Saviour, that we 
i Luk 11.74  saith he being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And here Beloved let us admire the great goodness of our God and his exceeding mercy towards us, who speaking to us when time was in so great anger and indignation, 
k Gen. 3.17  Cursed is the earth for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of they life (for in that he spoke it to our first father Adam he spoke it to us to) doth sweeten as it were this curse again by taking us into his own service, and in that service to remain with him all the days of our life. Wherein what do we else but even set at his own table, either as 
l 1. Sam. 20 27.  David did at saul's, or 
m 2. Sam. 9 7.  Mephibosheth at david's. It was a vain hope of Lamech therefore who upon the birth of Noah his son, this son 
n Gen 5.29.  saith he shall comfort us as touching the earth which the Lord hath cursed: it is the son of God only that so can do, and so shall it be done unto us if so be we endeavour to serve him all the days of our life. I end this point with the words of Peter which he spoke unto our Saviour, somewhat unadvisedly I confess in the case he then spoke them but for our purpose very fitly, Master 
o Mat. 17.4  saith Peter it is good for us to be here, right so say I, it is good indeed for us to be here, and therefore let us here be all the days of our life. And thus much of the Matter of the Prophets Petition here, now as touching the Manner of making it which I told you was in these words, On thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, wherein I consider these points: first that he made it his Chief Desire and that in these words, One thing have I desired: secondly, his Constancy in it & that in these, I desired of the Lord: not I desired of thee o Lord as if he had spoken it in private, but I desired of the Lord in the third person, and therefore speaking no doubt to others, even to all who should ever have the perusing of this Psalm. And of each of these in their order, and first of making it his Chief Desire, One thing have I desired.  
David's desire for it was One thing here, is not so to be understood as if it therefore were but One, or the only thing he did desire. This very Psalm dispelleth that conceit for there are even in this Psalm divers and sundry desires beside: as first to have 
p Psa. 27.7.  mercy upon him, and to forgive him; secondly, not to 
q v. 9  hide his face from him: thirdly, to 
r v. 11.  enlighten his understanding that he might tread his ways aright: four, to 
s v. 12.  deliver him from the malice and maliciousness of his Adversaries: over and above a thousand desires and petitions beside, both in this his book of Psalms, in the book of Samuel▪ and else where. It is nor therefore to be said of this One as speaks the Apostle to the 
t Eph. 4.4.  Ephesians, of one body; one spirit, one hope of our vocation, or in the words immediately following, 
V 5.  one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; or as it was said of our Saviour's coat that it could not have been Tunioa unless it had been 
c D. playferes Pathway to Perfection pag. 130.  unica, that is, one or else none; or, as Ruffinus 
x Cypr. in. Symb. sine Ruffinus.  speaks of that Son in the firmament which is so only one that there cannot be another, or a third to bear him company: 
〈…〉 vel 〈…〉 ●ddi 〈◊〉 possit.  no it is not such a one, the meaning therefore is that he principally desired this one thing, that he specially & chief would require it, like as our Saviour 
y 〈◊〉. 20. ●●.  saith of Mary's choice One thing is needful: Mary hath chosen the good part, and yet was Martha her sister to have a child's part to. For if so be a cup of cold water only given to one of our saviours little ones in the name of a Disciple should not lose a 
z Mat. 10. ●●.  reward, how great a reward was hers to be that gave so great entertainment to our Saviour and that in the name of a Saviour to? For that she believed in him now it is more than manifest, in respect her Brother Lazarus had now been 
a joh. 12.2.  raised from the dead. But thus much briefly for the eminency of the Prophets desire here in this place. Shall we now see his constancy in it? Or was it with him as with the Poet, 
b Horat. Ep. ●. 1. ep. 1.  quod petijt spornit, was the wind afterwards in another quarter? No, in no wise, & therefore to the preterperfectence he addeth the future here, which I will require: 
c Virg. Aen. l 4.  Mens immota manet, his mind was steadfast, it was like Queen Elizabeth's Semper eadem, Ever and never but the same. Which I will require.  
It was our Saviour's question concerning the 
d Mat. 11.7  Baptist what went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? And what 
e Greg. in Evang Hom 6.  saith S. Gregory is understood by this reed, but only a carnal mind which accordingly or as it is hoist up by favour, or by slander depressed down, yields presently itself or to the one or to the other. The author of the imperfect work upon Matthew gives the reason, A reed 
f Chris. Ob. Impers. in Mat. Hom. 26.  saith he, is a void and empty thing, having in it nor strength, nor vigour, & therefore is it driven with every wind, right so a carnal man saith he that hath no pith of faith within him, no strength nor virtue of truth whatsoever temptation comes upon him, it not only bruiseth, but breaks him to. The Baptist by our Saviour's testimony was no vegetable of this nature, he was a huge high oak rather as 
g Et quantum v●rtice ad auras Aethereas tantum radice in tartara tendens Virg. Aen. l 4.  deep in the root as he was high too, able to withstand any tempest whatsoever. And as it was with john the Baptist so was it before with this our Prophet, whom no adversity could drive from the love he bore to this house. He was affected it seems to this desire as was 
h Cic. de Clar Orat. & de Orat. & Orat ad Brut.  Demosthenes to Action, or S. Austen to Humility, he gives it the first and second, and third place too, he hath and will desire it. 
i Aug. ep. 56  For as the learned 
k Barth. Traheron upon john. joh. 1.15. & v. 30.  Interpreters gather of those words of john the Baptist, This is he of whom I spoke, that he had before made many Sermons concerning jesus, so in that the Prophet here saith, One thing have I desired, it may probably be gathered that he had desired it often times before, so that he is nothing like the inconstant man. The inconstant man, 
D. Hals Ch●ract. l. 2.  saith a worthy writer of our age, treads upon a moving earth and keeps no ●ace. It is a wonder if his love or hatred last so many days as a wonder. His heart is the Inn of all good motions, wherein if they lodge for a night it is well, by morning they are gone, and take no leave, and if they come that way again they are entertained as Guests not as Friends. It was not thus with this our Prophet, He was like the round world rather even so sure that he could not not be 
m Ps. 93.2.  moved: He was like those heavenly Orbs above that keep an 
n Arist de Col. l. 2. c. 6.  uniform course and station: in a word, He was like unto his Pattern whose image he was, the eternal God, of whom it is said in Malachy, I am the Lord. I change not, Malachy the third at the sixth verse. And this was the Prophet's Constancy, a virtue so virtuous, that as it was said of the Stoics that they were Mares Philosophorum, the Male Philosophers of all the rest (but it was said but by a 
o Sen. Quod in Sapient. non cadit iniur●●.  Stoic) so no virtue without this virtue but is as it were a Widow.  
p M. D. Eeds his Iter Bore●●●.  Viduata Philemone Baucis, 
one that hath lost her true Philemon indeed. Witness the three Theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, and what are they without this Constancy? Witness the four virtues 
q Quae quasi origines & cardines sunt amnium Vir●urum. Aug. de Spir. & anim. l 1. c. 4  Cardinal, justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude, & without Constancy what are they? The Intellectual and Moral Virtues are as Thomas 
r Th. Aquin. 〈◊〉 2●. in P●●l.  Aquinas tells us reduced to these seven▪ & therefore if these without Constancy are no more, no more are they. Nay are they not harmful rather, 
s 2. Pet. 2.21  sure I am St Peter saith tha● better it were not to have known the way of righteousness, then after we have known it to turn from the Commandment given unto us. Howbeit h●●e we must have special care that we take not Quid pro Quo, one for another as many do. It is easily done, and often, & never more often then now a days. The Pastor of souls, 
Greg. Past. Cur. Part. 2. c. 9  saith St Gregory, is to know (& so is the Flock to) that vices a many times do hear themselves as virtues. Thus Covetousness cloaks itself under the name of Thrift and Parsimony, and contrariwise riotous spending under the name of Liberality. To much pity a many times is thought to be Piety, and unbridled Anger the virtue of Zeal. A headlong Action is accounted quick dispatch, and to be to too tardy in performing aught a high point of singular wisdom. The vice that bears itself as the virtue of Constancy, no vice any virtue more, is the vice of Self will and Obstinacy, a sour and a sullen vice, & that which hath blasted so many hundreds of our age both on the right hand of us, and on the left, Schismatics and Papists. But utterly to avoid this mock virtue, this 
u Virg. Aen. l. 7.  Allecto in deed in another's likeness, the safest and surest way, is to have good ground for what we do, not a particular spirit with the one, or the Religion of our Fathers, and Mothers, and Forefathers with the other. It is a good thing, 
c Gal. 4.18.  saith the Apostle, to love earnestly always in a good thing. And this good ground the Prophet had, the Law of the Lord was his direction, and for he was so stable and steadfast in the same, the virtue which he had was not vice in virtues robes, it was virtues own self the virtue of Constancy. And thus much of his Constancy in this his desire, come we now to the Manifestation of this his desire to the world which I told you was in these words, I desired of the Lord.  
There is a piece of a verse in ●●id more canonical with a many, ●●e I am more powerful than all the verses or chapters either concerning the contrary throughout the whole Bible; 
x Ovid. Trist l. 3. Eleg. 4.  Benè qui latuit, benè vixit. He that lurks well, lives well, as if the Lord had sent us into the world to play all hid. I grant the times may be such as may cause us to betake ourselves to such a kind of retired life, or to play least in the world's sight, even as those Christians of old time, of whom the Apostle to the 
y Heb. 11.38.  Hebrews, They wandered in wildernesses, & mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth: but to do it now in these days, or to keep our Consciences to ourselves, or not at all to employ the Talents that God hath committed to our charge, is ungratefully to liken these times to the ticklish times of Nero, wherein sloth 
z Tacit. vit. Agric.  saith Tacitus was a virtue▪ and to do nothing the greatest wisdom of all. Such wizards in the end will play but wily beguily with themselves, who while they proceed in silence as 
a Qui dum iwenes ad se ●●ctutem, se●es propè ad ipsos exactae ●tatis terminos per silentium veniunt. Tac. Ib.  speaks the same author from young men to aged, from aged to the grave, are like to make the next step from thence to hell if so be they be not there before. 
b Mat. 25.30.  Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness, there shallbe weeping & gnashing of teeth. True it is, it is the heart that God requireth for his service, but he requires withal the Tongue to, & if we think this tongue of ours is not to be employed in public Assemblies as well as at home, let us remember what was said to Meroz by the Angel of the Lord, Curse ye Meroz 
c jud. 5.23.  said the Angel, curse the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty. Our Prophet you see in this place was far from this sin, he proclaimed to all the world of what religion he was. He stuck not to tell it unto others, & to acquaint all men living with the desire of his heart, especially all such as should have or the hearing, or seeing, or singing, or saying this Psalm. He doth 
d Pers. sat. 2.  Aperto vivere voto, he regards not who hears him, he believed, & 
e 2. Cor. 4.13.  therefore spoke, he spoke, and in speaking proclaimed it to the world. And thus much of the manifestation of this his petition to the world, and consequently of the Petition itself, namely of the Matter of it, as also the Manner of making it. We are now to come to the second point to wit the Reason of this Petition, which I told you was in these words, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his Temple. Wherein I thought to have observed to you these points: First, his Contemplation, and that in these words, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord: Secondly, his Action, & that in these, To visit his Temple: Thirdly, the joining of both together & that in the particle [And] To behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and, to visit his Temple. His Contemplation in respect of the Soul, his Action in respect of the Body, the joining of both together in respect of both combined together, Body and Soul. But this were to enter a new Ocean, a word of exhortation therefore and so God willing an end, One thing have I desired of the Lord etc.  
OF all the days in the week there is special notice taken of one day as very dismal to the Irish, and in a manner fatal to them. This day 
f ●●ani●●urst. ●o Reb. Hi●●rn. l. 3.  they say is Tuesday, for upon a Tuesday they lost Limmirick, upon a Tuesday they lost Wexford, upon a Tuesday they lost Waterford, and upon a Tuesday again they lost Divelin. I and at a fift time too upon a Tuesday it was, that they had a great overthrow the Earl of Tumond that then was being chief of all their troup●. But whatsoever may be said of that day concerning the Irish, sure I am that of this day a Tuesday too when 
g In the year of our Lord 1605.  time was, and of an other day in this month, it may be said of us English, that we have received two as great Blessings from the immediate hand of God, as ever did nation in this world or ever is like to do to the world's end. I mean the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign of happy memory, the Seavententh of 
h In the year of our Lord 1558.  this month, & that which this fifth day we have celebrated, the Continuing of King james his. Which two days the Seavententh and Fift might they parley with one another as Plutarch 
i Plut. Quest Rom. qu. 25.  reports the Holy day and the Worky day once did, and the Seavententh should say as did the Holy day, unless I had been so happy, thou hadst never been: how might this Fift reply again, but if so be I had not been, thou hadst never been so happy. For indeed had not this day been, what should it have profited us to have lived in prosperity some forty years there about, and at the last to have been a byword to all the nations of the world. Would it not have been said of our Land as was sometimes of jerusalem, but of jerusalem overthrown, 
k jer. Lam. 2.15.  Is this the Country that men call the perfection of beauty, & the joy of the whole earth? Might not our Mother this little Island have said, 
l jer. Lam. 1.15.  The Lord hath trodden under foot all my valiant men in the midst of me, he hath called an Assembly against me to destroy my young men, the Lord hath trodden the winepress upon the Virgin the daughter of England. Might not the survivors of us have said, but alas who should have survived? but yet if any should, might they not have said with the 
m jer. Lam. 4.20.  same Prophet, The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in the nets, of whom we said under his shadow we shall be preserved? But thanks be to our God, there are even in that Prophet other words which better fit us, and may be said and spoken of us; which this our Island may also speak, and we the Inhabitants may speak also, 
n jer. Lam 3.22.  It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. I will speak it Beloved again, 
o Virg. Aeneid. l. 3.  Et repetens, iterumque, iterumque monebo and 
p Matt. 11.15.  he, that hath ears to hear let him hear, It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not.  
Such the mercies of the Lord towards us & his compassions so great, what greater recompense to be made him then to perform that very thing which the Prophet in this place doth desire, Even to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life. What will ye say in these Churches? or in such as are inferior unto these? I, even in these Churches, or in such as are inferior unto these, even where soever the Lord shall place us, & the lot of this world shall hereafter fall upon us, the meanest of which and respect their beauty with the right eye of understanding in deed, and not salomon's Temple in all its glory, much less this Tabernacle here, arrayed like one of them. For what was all they had but shadows of what we do, that House in truth, and in the eye of faith, was but a Cottage unto ours. Wherefore as 
q Hieron. ep. ad Laetam et ep. ad Saluinom ex Turtull. ad Martyr.  St jerom in another case, Si tanti vitrum quanti margaritum, If so be glisse, saith he, be so much to be esteemed, of what estimation is a Pearl to be, so say I in this case, if this our Prophet were so enamoured with so very a Glass as that was (I speak it by way of comparison) how should we be with our Pearls, and that so orient as ours are. Nor let me now seem contrary to myself for that I call that Tabernacle a Temple of glass in respect of our Churches, seeing it is in that respect that I only call it so, as a candle in respect of a lamp, 
r Hieron. Apol adverse. jovin.  saith St jerom, is nothing to be accounted of, a lamp in respect of a star why it gives no light at all, compare the star, with the Moon and the star is obscure, set the Moon, again by the Sun, and the Moon shines never a whit, lastly compare the Sun and Christ together, saith he, and what is the Sun but mere darkness: and so was the candle of this Tabernacle in respect of our Lamp, the lamp of this Tabernacle in respect of our Star, the star of this Tabernacle in respect of our Moon, the Moon of this Tabernacle in respect of our Sun, in a word the Sun of this Tabernacle in respect of our Christ, or which is all one in effect our Christian Congregations. And do we yet doubt to make them our chief desire? In making them our chief desire we may happily get more by it then indeed we do desire. You know what was said to Solomon when he asked wisdom of the Lord. Because, 
s 1 King. 3.11.  saith the Lord, thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long life, nor riches, nor the life of thy enemies, behold I have done according to thy words, and I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both Riches, and Honours, and so forth. Thus fell it out with St Austin's mother too, she desired that she might but see her Son a Christian Catholic before her death (mark I pray you the phrase of those times, a Christian Catholic, whereupon 
t Baron. Annal. Tom. 1. fol. 310.  Pacianus, Christian is my name, saith he, Catholic my surname, and St Austen elsewhere, by the goodness of Christ, 
u Aug. ep. ●07.  saith he, we for our pares are Christian Catholics, not the only style now adays a Catholic Roman, or no Catholic) but she but desired to see him a Christian Catholic before her death, and my God, 
b Aug. Confess. l. 9 c. 10.  faith she to her Son S. Austen, hath given me more abundantly than I desired, even to see thee his servant, and to contemn all the felicity of this world besides. God indeed is no niggard he gives sometimes before we ask, sometime more than we ask, always as much, and that or in the same kind that we ask it, or else in some other much more behoveful and necessary for us.  
But we must be Constant in this desire. But alas when he that wrote of Constancy became 
x just. Lips.  himself so inconstant, and so many hundreds after him as little constant as he, and some even of our own selue● as constantly inconstant as they, what shall I say of Constancy when so many flock-meale fall away. Beloved, I will say as once our Saviour said 
y joh. 6.67  What will ye also go away? Why but whether? Or to whom? Here are the words of life eternal: 
— 
z Horat. Epist. l. 1. ep. 〈◊〉 Bu●●●●.  Quod quaeritis hîc est,  
Est Vlubris animas si vos non deficit aequu●.  not the meanest Church in this our Land but will afford you much more comfort in the service of our God, than the goodliest Synagogue this day or at S. Omets', or at Rome. Nor would I have you think I speak altogether unexperienced in this comparison.  
a Virg Aeneid. l. 11.  Vidimus o Cives Dio●●dem; Argivaque castra, 
I have seen Beloved; seen I have, though not the Popish 
b Mufftie apud Turcas Sacerdotum supremus ut apud nos Rom. Pont. Busheq. ep. 1.  Mufftie himself, yet his Pavilions and his Tents, I mean a many Assemblies and Congregations of his where I am sure but as few words as Porpheries predictables with understanding; if the Apostle S. 
c 1 Cor. 4.19.  Paul were not mistaken, would to those Assemblies have done more good, than those many thousands that then were uttered by so many Black Birds there, so many Parrots, so many Crows, and Pies, not understanding what they said or sung, the similitudes are 
d Aug. in ps. 18. Expos. 2  S. Austin's. And now I have said thus much let me go a little further, and speak unto you a little more concerning those our Adversaries, upon whom had I looked with a carnal eye, I should say I confess, as did those Spies 
e Num. 13.32.  we be not able to hold out against them for they are stronger than we all the people that we s●● there are men of great stature. Giants they are, the sons of Ana●, and we to them but Grasshoppers. But the Lord that gave meat that time an others gates eye to behold them with, puts another message into my mouth, & as a learned Divine 
f M. Gossen in his Trumpet. of war, p. D. 5. b.  speaks of Caleb that he had not asheepes' eye as the other Spies, but the eye of a Lion, and how he passed by that people with an honourable scorn: right so say I with 
g Num. 14.9.  Caleb, Rebel not you against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of that Land for they are but bread for us, their shield is departed from them, and the Lord is with us fear them not.  
The greater cause have we to proclaim this desire of ours unto the world maugre all the banded Forces of all the Romanists whatsoever, who what have they Pamphletted against our 
h How lets 9 Reasons why Catholics may not go to Church, answered by D. Fulcke and M Wyburne.  Public Service, or our Religion therein contained which hath not been fully answered, or at least wise may be, and that in the turning of a hand. Their Proofs are 
i dorman's proof of certain Articls in Religion reproved by M. Nowell.  reproved, their Disproofes confuted, their Rocks undermined, their 
m Stapletons' Differences and Fortress of the faith, answered by D. Fulke.  Fortresses overthrown, 
k Dorman's disprove of M Nowel● reproof confuted by M. Nowell.  their 
n Heskins' Parliament repe●led by D. Fulke.  Parliaments repealed, their 
o ●istons Challenge answered by D Fulcke, and Oliver Carter.  Challenges answered, their 
p Marshal's Reply to M Calfeth answered by D Fulcke.  Replies rejoined unto, their 
q Harding● Rejoinder to M. jew, answered by M. Deering.  Rejoinders disjointed. True it is they rest not satisfied, nor is it likely they ever will, 
l Sanders Rock of the Church undermined by D Fulcke.  Rana, saith St Austen, est loquacissima vanitas, nothing so full of tattle as Folly, and that, saith he, was signified by the Frogs of Egypt.  
But happy it were with us had we in this point of Church Service the Romanists only our only Adversaries. Cassius and his Complices we could deal withal well enough, but what shall we do when our own Mother's Children lift up the heel against us, and so vilify our Church Service especially in their practice, that unless there be a Sermon with it, we shall seldom or never have their company. 
r 2. King. 6.21.  Shall I smite them Fathers & brethren? shall I smite them? They are flesh I confess, of our flesh, and bone of our bones: Why, but shall I let them go then, and die in their error? that were a cruel kind of compassion, let their error die in them rather, Moriatur error, vivat homo, saith St Austen, 
s Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 31.  slay the error, save the man. And will you then behold their error? O, say they, unless there be Sermons, what beauty is there in our Churches? why should we take so much pains to go so often unto them? The Scriptures that there are read we can read ourselves at home, we can pray those Prayers at home too, have we but the Psalter & Bible in our houses, what beauty have we not that there is to be had? So say they indeed that little know or what is Beauty, or what is Service, or what are Sermons, or the Minister of God, or in truth these Churches. For if so be they did, would they thus speak? would they huddle up together so many Solecisms? would they first compare their Houses to the proper & peculiar House of God? themselves unto his Ministers? their private prayer to the Public? and debase Public Prayer so much as to make it so much inferior unto Sermons? why what other Gospel preach our Sermons then that which our Service delivers to them? If in their own house where 
t Mat. 18.20.  but two or three be gathered together, the Lord (it may be) is in the midst, how much more when we are such troops & multitudes in Church Assemblies? when we there set by 
u Marc. 6.40.  rows, by hundreds, and by fifties? If he or she may compare themselves, I, their very Children to the Priest, or Minister, because they can read aswell as he, so many a Butcher among the jews was as able as the Priest himself to have killed a Calf, or an Ox, and was it as lawful therefore and fit for him to have sacrificed the same? Lastly, if so be the Lords House be of no more value with thee than thine own, take heed the Lord another day leave thee not altogether to thine own, when there shall be no Prince in this our Israel, but every man doing that which is best in his own eyes, when there shall be no Priest, but every man of a Religion that he hath forged in his own brain, and which is the consequence of both these when we shall be no People neither, but 
c Virg. Aen. l. 1.  Relliquiae Danaûm, the Relics, and Remnant of a People, when a man shall be more precious than fine Gold, and above the wedge of the gold of Ophir, I mean in respect of the rarity of them as speaks the Prophet 
x Esay. 13.12.  Esay in another case.  
But I am persuaded better things of you Beloved though I now thus speak, the rather for that a many of you (I may say it of my own experience) visit so well the Lords house at the usual times of Divine Service, so that I may now say as said the Apostle in his 
y 2 Thess. ●. 4.  Epistle to the Thessalonians, We are persuaded of you through the Lord that you both do, and will do the things which we warn you of. 
z Rev. 22.11.  He that is righteous let him be righteous still, & he that is holy let him be holy still. 
a Gal. 6.9.  Let us not be weary of welldoing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. And that shallbe, and it shallbe then▪ when we shall not hereafter on our deathbeds depart as one 
b  n●n ex vita sed ex domo in domum vid●retur migrare Corn. Nepos in vita Attic  speaketh out of this life, but out of one house into another, that is when upon the parting of Body and Soul we shallbe sped from this House of Prayer here on earth, to that higher house above, the House of Praises in Heaven, where 
c Ambros. Te Deum.  with Cherubins & Seraphins continually crying Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Saboth, we shall all of us be satisfied with the 
d Ps. 36.8,  plenteousness of that house. I will ●●d with that of Austen who ending a Tract of his with the words of this my Text doth thus descant thereupon, Let thy Soul 
e Aug. in Evang joan. Tract 3.  saith S. Austen say, One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, even that I may dwell in the ●●use of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair● beauty of the Lord. Fear not saith S. Austen, that thy continuance ●h●re, will br●●d a fulsomness in thee. Such a pleasure of beau●y shall it be that it shall be● always in thy ●ie and yet shalt thou never be satisfied with it. Or rather to speak the Truth saith he, thou shalt ever be satisfied and never to. For if I should only say thou shalt never be satisfied, than mights thou fear some hunger to ensue, if I should say only thou shalt be satisfied, then mightst thou on the contrary fear there should be some fulsomness, where nor fulsomness shallbe, nor hunger, I faith he for my part am ignorant what to call it. But howsoever I am ignorant, yet hath the Lord sufficient to give and to bestow on us, which we are ignorant how to call, and yet believe that we shall receive it.  
The same Lord so bless us, and the seed that hath been sown, that with you of the poorer sort the 
k Mat. 13. ●2.  Cares of this world, with you of the wealthier, the deceitfulness of your riches, with either of you of either sort the lusts of other things grow not up like thorns and choke it.   

Erratum.  
Pag. 28. lin. 10. amend it thus:  
Secondly, his Constancy in it & that in these, which I will require: Thirdly, his Manifestation of it to the world, and that in these, I desired of the Lord: not I desired of thee O Lord.   

DAVID'S DESIRE to go to Church. 
2. Serm.   One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple. Psalm. 27. ver. 4. 
IT is not long since Right w o● and dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ, that my course coming in order to execute the Priest's 
a Luk. 1.8.  office before the Lord in this kind, I made my choice of these few words to be entreated of at that time. When by the assistance of the same Lord having multiplied the self-same words into as many more words as took up the space of a whole hour, there was yet behind some overplus, such as at that time could not be disposed of, and therefore reserved by me till some fit opportunity. Which opportunity now come by reason of the Solemnity of this Day which requireth at our hands a more than ordinary respect, I am now come with that overplus & as it were the 
b Ne velut semesas verborum nostrorum epulas reliquisse videamur. Ambros. de Penitent. li. ●. c. 1.  fragments that were left, that nothing be lost as speaks our Saviour, john the sixth at the twelve verse.  
When first I handled then these words, you that were present may remember, you that were not are now to know, that I then divided the same into two especial points. First into a Petition, secondly, into the Reason of it. The Petition in these words, One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dries of my life. The Reason of it in these, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple: In treating of the Petition, I observed the Matter of it, and the Manner of making it. The Manner of making it in these words, One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require: the Matter of it in these, Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. In the Matter of the Petition I handled these points, First, what kind of house this was; Secondly, what it was to dwell in it: Thirdly, the conveniency of dwelling there. In the Manner of making it, these; First, that it was his Chief Desire: Secondly, his Constancy in it: Thirdly, th● Manifestation of it to the world: and thus far I then proceeded.  
That which remained then behind, and with the which I am now come, and of the which you are now to hear, is the Reason of the Petition, and it is as I said in these words, To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple. In which words may it please you to observe with me these two points: First, what this Fair Beauty was: Secondly, the Power and Force that this Fair Beauty had. What this Fair Beauty was we shall thoroughly observe if so be we do observe how it consisted in two points. First, in regard of the Parties that were present in that house: Secondly, in regard of the Things performed by those Parties. The Parties present in that house was first the Lord himself: Secondly, the Priests: Thirdly, the People. The Things performed was the public solemnity of the worship of God, both in the Word and Sacraments, & Sacrifices, & Prayer, and Praises. And of every of these in their several order, & first of the Presence of the Lord.  
Anaxagoras being demanded to what end and purpose he was borne, his answer 
c Lactantius ●●st. l. 3. c. 9  saith Lactantius was, to behold the Heavens and Sun in the firmament. Which answer of his saith Lactantius is of all men much admired, and accounted to be a speech well befitting a Philosopher I, saith he, for my part am quite of an other mind, and persuade myself that the party not knowing in that case what to say, thought good to say somewhat yet lest he should have been thought by his Opponent to have been put to a non plu●. For indeed to say the truth saith Lactantius, in so few words then uttered, how many solecisms shall we find, & those no mean ones neither? As first in that he referre● the whole duty of man only to the eye of man, to the mind of man nothing at all, and how if Anaxagoras had been blind saith he, should he thereupon have had in this world nothing to do? Again saith Lactantius the other parts of the Body had they no offices to perform? Besides that the chief Sovereignty seems rather in the ears saith he then in the eyes, because Learning & Wisdom may be obtained by the ears only, by the only eye they cannot be. That which Lactantius there aims at, namely that the Creator of Heaven should have been respected not the Creature which was Heaven, at least wise before the Creature, is respected no doubt by our Prophet here, in regard of whom it principally is that he acknowledgeth here so fair a beauty. For what is it that makes the Court more glorious than all places and assemblies in the Land beside, Is it not the presence of the King? Doubtless where the King is, there is the Court, as it was told Commodus the Emperor 
d Meredian l. 1.  there was Rome where the Emperor was. Now that the King of Kings here was, witness that of the Book of Numbers wherein it is 
e Numb. 7.89.  said that wh● Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with God, he hard the voice of one speaking unto him from the mercy seat that was upon the Ark between the two Cherubins. Hence that of this our Prophet in another of his 
f Psa. 80.1.  Psalms, Here oh thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest joseph like a sheep, show thyself also thou that settest upon the Cherubins. And again in another 
g Psa. 99.1.  Psalm, The Lord is King be the people never so impatient, he setteth between the Cherubins be the earth never so unquiet. And as in these two Psalms he is said to set, so in other places of holy Scriptures he is said to dwell between the Cherubins, both these terms Setting & Dwelling signifying unto them his presence there. Not that he sat or dwelled there in truth and in very deed, as we in our tongue understand or Setting or Dwelling, yet that he was as really there present in that place, as themselves were in the seats they sat on, or in the houses where they dwelled.  
Concerning the Priests that here were present though the beauty they had was nothing comparable to this beauty, yet considered in itself it was a Beauty no doubt exceeding gracious & glorious too. They were the 
h Deut. 33.8.  holy one of God, and had a● Moses saith the urim and Thummim, that is, Light and Perfection, the one signifying their Knowledge, the other their Life and Conversation. Of Priests were two sorts the High Priest and the Rest that were inferior unto him. Concerning the glory of the High Priest we shall the better conceive what it was, if so be we call to mind what the son of Syrac said concerning one of them namely Simon the soon of Onias. He was, 
i Ecclus. ●0. 6.  saith the son of Syrac, as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the Moon when it is full, and as the Sun shining upon the Temple of the most High, & as the Rainbow that is bright in the fair clouds, and as the flower of the Roses in the spring of the year, and as Lilies by the springs of waters, and as the branches of the Frankincense tree in the time of Summer, as a fire and incense in the Conser, and a● a vessel of massy gold set with all manner of precious stones, and as a fair Olive tree that is fruitful, and as a Cypress tree which groweth up to the clouds. When he put on the garment of honour and was clothed with all beauty he went up to the holy Altar & made the garment of holiness honourable. Concerning the glory of the other Priests which were inferior unto him we may make an estimat by that which there followeth. When he took the portions out of the Priests hands he himself stood by the hearth of the Altar compassed with his brethren round about as the branches do the Cedar tree in L●banus, and they compassed him as the branches of the Palm tree. So were at the sons of Aron in their glory & the oblations of the Lord in their hands before all the Congregation of Israel. In a word, the jews they were 
f Levit. 20.24.  separated as God's peculiar people from all other people beside, and the Priests as more peculiar unto God were 
g 〈◊〉. 8.14.  separated from the jews.  
Concerning the presence of the People, if so be in civil Societies whereas they are orderly pyld together and they are not a tabble or a rout, it is no small beauty which in such Societies is to be seen, how much more was the beauty in those Assemblies in so peculiar a People as that was. One Timotheus a Captain of Athens being demanded by Themistocles what was the greatest joy that ever he had in all his life, It was, 
h Ae●ian. l▪ ●3. c. 43.  saith he, when in the Olympian games beginning to play my Prize, the whole Theatre there present beh●ld me with their eyes. And famous is that of the Senators of Rome, who when the Gauls had taken their City, and now were entered into the Senate, They 
i Liv. Dec. 1 l 5.  seemed unto them at the first like the Images of the Gods, of such a goodly presence they were. The order observed in these Assemblies as it was far beyond those, so was the Beauty no doubt far faierer, a worthier object to the eye. It is well seen o God, 
k Ps. 68.24.  saith David, how thou goest, how thou my God and King goest in the Sanctuary. The Singers go before, the Minstrels follow after, in the midst were the Damsels playing with the Timbrels, Nor was it prejudicial to this beauty that there was perhaps in those Assemblies much cockle among the wheat, the bad among the good, all as speaks the 
l Rom. 9.6.  Apostle St Paul, not being Israel that were of Israel, nor all of them Children because they were the seed of Abraham: seeing it was in respect of the better part that this beauty here was thus accounted of. Like as we say in our Creed, The holy Catholic Church, notwithstanding there are too many neither Catholic therein, nor Holy. But thus much of the Persons, the Parties here present.  
The Things performed in these Assembles wherein this Beauty did consist, was as I said the Public Solemnity of the honour and service of God, both in his Word, & Sacraments, and Sacrifices, and Prayer, and Praises; and indeed admirable was the beauty in every of these particulars being beheld with spiritual eyes. As first & foremost in the Word, to consider how the eternal God at 
m Heb. 1.1.  sundry times & in diverse manners spoke unto them by the Prophets. Secondly, in the Sacraments, to consider how the same God did bind himself unto them, even as the Debt or bindeth himself by bond unto his Creditor, or man to man by way of Indenture. Thirdly in the Sacrifices to consider what was due unto the sins themselves committed▪ I say themselves committed, and yet 

n Ovid. Met l. 15.  Placidum pecus, inque tuendos  
Natum homines,  the mild and gentle Sheep, Animal sine fraud, dolisque, the innocent & harmless Ox, they forsooth must die the death. Fourthly in their Prayers, how they needed not now make such Apologies as Abraham did unto the Lord, 
o Gen, 18.27  Behold now I have begun to speak unto my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes: and again, 
p V 30.  Let not my Lord now be angry that I speak: and yet again, 
q V 32.  Let not my Lord now be angry and I will speak but this once: no they might now talk their fill with him, every Morning, every Evening, both at their Morning and Evening Sacrifice. Lastly in their Praises to consider how they 
r Ps. 150.1.  praised God in his holiness, praised him in the firmament of his power, praised him in his noble acts, praised him according to his excellent greatness, praised him in the sound of the trumpet, praised him upon the Lute & harp, praised him in the Cymbals & Dances, praised him upon the strings and Pipe, praised him upon the well tuned Cymbals, praised him upon the loud Cymbals. Indeed it was a good thing as 
s Ps. 147.1.  said the Psalmist to sing praise unto their God, yea a joyful and pleasant thing it was to be thankful. And thus much of the Fair Beauty in respect of the Things performed in those Assemblies: now as touching the Power and Force this Fair Beauty had, which was as you may remember the second point to be observed.  
Concerning the Power & Force of this Fair Beauty here specified, we shall take a scantling thereof, if so be we do consider how it ravished this our Prophet, Body, and Soul. First his Soul, and that by way of Contemplation, To behold the Fair Beauty of the Lord: Secondly his Body, & that by way of Action, To visit his Temple: Thirdly in that it caused him to join them both together, & that in the particle, And To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple. And of every of these in their order, & first that his Soul was ravished by way of Contemplation. To behold the fair beauty of the Lord.  
Great is the Power of Beauty though it be but worldly beauty such as is the beauty of women▪ Is not the king 
t 1. Esd. 4.28.  saith Zorobabel great in his power? Do not all regions fear to touch him? Yet I saw him and Apame the king's concubine, the daughter of the famous Bartacus, sitting on the right hand of the king. And she took the crown of the king's head, and put it upon her own, and struck the king with her left hand. Yet in the mean season the king gaped and gazed on her, and if she laughed at him, he laughed, and if she were angry with him he did flatten her that he might be reconciled with her. The sons of God 
u Gen. 6.7.  saith the Scripture saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them wives of all that they liked. Behold 
c Gen. 12.11  saith Abraham to Sara I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon, therefore it will come to pass that when the Egyptians see thee they will say she is his wife, so they will ki●● me but they will keep thee a live. Now if so be in worldly beauty which is but a superficial colour only covering the blood, skin, & bones, things most hideous to be beheld, & that which Diseases some times, always Age doth deform, 
d Fl●vit ut in speculo ruga● adspexit aniles Tyndaris. Ovid. Metam. l. 15  the power and force thereof is so great, what may we think of this Beauty which was ever the self same, as fresh in David's times as it was in the time of Moses, and in the times of the Prophets after, as in David's long before, nay much more fresh & glorious, having a most beautiful Temple to adorn it, the Temple of jerusalem. Howbeit here we are to note that the beauty here specified was not outward so much as within, and therefore needed an inward eye, the eye of Contemplation. The King's daughter 
e Ps. 45.14.  saith the Prophet is all glorious within, quite contrary to worldly beauty. Worldly beauty as you hard even now reacheth no further than to the skin, to the outward Superficies, It may be fair without and foul within, much like to the Egyptian Temples which were marvelous beautiful without, but within instead of a God, they had a Crocodile, or a Cat, or some strange serpent more meet for a cave, or a den, I for a dunghill saith an ancient 
f Clem. Alex Paedag. l. 3. c. 2.  Father then for a place so gorgeous. It was not so with this Temple. There was beauty without i● deed, but more, much more within, and therefore not to be seen with corporal eyes so much, such as are common to us with Flies, & Gnots, as with the eye of understanding, even with those eyes as speaks 
g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Theod. Grae● Affect. C●r●● Ser. 11.  Theodoret, which faith hath put into our heads. And thus much for the Prophet's eye, the Eye of Contemplation: not the eye he beheld when time was the beauty of 
h 2. Sam. 11.2.  Bathsheba with, no he was now blind on that side, but the eye of the mind, and of the soul, To behold the fa●re beauty of the Lord. The thing I noted here was that it ravished his Body to, and that by way of Action, & that in causing him to take the pains to go himself in person thither, and therefore now concerning his body: To visit his Temple.  
The word Temple in this place doth not argue that this Psalm was made after the building of the Temple, & that consequently it was none of david's, the Temple in David's time not being built, for even long before this time it was 
i ●. Sam. 1.9  said of Eli the Priest, that he sat upon a stool by one of the posts of the Temple. It is by a kind of figure then that it is termed here the Temple, like as S. Jerome upon Ezechiel, we in steed of the city Noah 
k Hieron. in Ezech. l. 9 c. 30.  saith he, have translated it Alexandria; for that it was afterward so called; and S. 
l Aug. de Consens. Evang. l. 2. c. 17.  Austin to this purpose, we hear that Christ's disciples were bidden to the marriage at Cana in Galylie, not that they were his disciples then and that at that time, but that they were afterwards so to be. But now concerning the Action of visiting the Temple.  
The verb To visit being a frequentative intimates unto us the frequency of the Prophet David's going to that Temple, his frequency of going thither the fervency of his desire. Concerning his frequency of going thither it was well observed by the 
m Arist. Eth. l. 1. c. 7.  Philosopher that a habit is not gotten by one only action, no more the●●ne swallow as he speaks in an other case, or one fair day makes a summer. I●●as well observed by him in 
n Ethic. l. ●. c. 4.  another place, that it is not the multiplicity of actions neither that doth denominate the party virtuous but if he do them virtuously: as a iust man if he do just things justly, a temperate man if he do temperate things temperately. In regard whereof the 
o Vid. jewels Defence of the Articles. Art. 5. Diu. 5 and M. Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. Sect. 62.  Canonists were wont to say that God was the rewarder of Adverbs, not of Nouns, and our Saviour to this purpose, 
p Mat. 6.22  If thy eye be single, thy whole body shallbe light, but if thine eye be wicked them all thy body shallbe dark: that is as S. Austen 
q August. de Serm. Dom. ●● Monte. l. 2  interprets it, such shallbe thy deeds as thy intention is to do them. These two points the one of Multiplicity the other of Quality, are both of them intimated here in this single sole word of Visiting: To Visit implieth both; First it implies a Frequency of going to the Temple, as if the Prophet had meant his feet should even wear out the very steps of the door. Secondly, it implies his Fervency of spirit which manifestly showeth that what was done was done religiously. And this it is that must be done, and it must be done thus, that must be held to be such an action as the Prophet protesteth here he would perform. If either of these two want, or Frequency, or Ferventi●, it makes us like a bird that hath but one only wing, well we may hop to Church, but fly thither we cannot, we shall never be able as speaks the 
r Esay. 60.8  Prophet, to fly thither like a cloud, and as the Doves to their windows.  
The joining of both these puts me in mind of the third point, namely how this our Prophet joineth likewise together, Contemplation and Action both, & that in the particle [And] To behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his Temple: so that he seems not to say as 
s Mach. Comment. l. 2. c. 2 & l. 3. c. 3.  Machavel in another case, Divide & Impera, divide them and master them both: but as it was 
t Quintil. Inst. l. 6. c. 4.  said of the Ship rather, Si dividi●, per di●: If ye once divide it, you mar all. And therefore what the Apostle 
u 1. Cor. 7.1.  saith of married folks, Defraud not one another except it be with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and again come together that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency, may not unfitly be applied as to the two lives the Contemplative and Active in general, so to this Contemplation and Action of the Prophet here in particular. Our Souls and Bodies are 
c Caro atque Anima velut quadam lege sociantur coniugii. Ambr. de Abrah. Patriarch. l. 2. c. 6.  Man and Wife as it were, so lovely linked together that till death itself departed them, no Divorce betwixt the both. With consent indeed they often times 
b 1. Cor. 7.5.  defraud one another, that so they may give themselves to fasting and prayer, and what is this but the Life Contemplative? But afterwards they come together again, and are careful for things convenient for them, and this is the Life Active. These two several lives the Active and Contemplative have had their several well-willers from the beginning of the world to this day, while some preferring the one Life, some the other, have wholly addicted themselves or to the one, or to the other. Much I confess may be spoken in the behalf of either of them, but when all comes to all, the Life that joins them both together and unites these two Roses, the White as it were and the Red, is the Life in my opinion best accepted with God and man. I appeal in this case to Antiquity itself, which took such strict order that very Monks who had betaken themselves to Contemplation, should not be 
d Vid. A●g. de Opere Monach. Tom. 3.  labourlesse notwithstanding; I they were to work with their own hands, & that to get their own living. Howbeit the Action here meant by the Prophet in this place, is not an Action of this nature, it was to use his feet not his hands, especially his hands in a Mechanical kind of sort. It was indeed to use those feet of his to the often coming to the Temple, and not upon the wagging of a straw, or to absent himself from thence, or to make of his own house a Chapel of ease. Hence it is that he so often 
e Ps 26.12.  voweth unto God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving in the Congregation, that he so 
f Ps. 134.2.  earnestly exhorteth others to sing praises to the Lord in his Courts, in his 
g Ps. 134.3.  Sanctuary, before the 
h Ps. 30.5.  Memorial of his Holiness, and so much complaineth of his own uncomfortable exile, 
i See M Hoeker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. Sect. ●4.  wherein although he sustained many most grievous indignities, and endured the want of sundry both pleasures and honours before enjoyed, yet as if this one were his only grief and the rest not felt, his speeches are all of the heavenly benefit of 
k Ps. 27. 4.4●.4.84.1.  Public Assemblies, and the happiness of such as had free access thereunto. And as the Prophet here in this place thus joineth them together, so doubt less no good Professor that lived in those times but also did the like, joining and coupling both together, least with idle Contemplation without coming at all to Church Assemblies he might vanish away in his speculation, or coming to Church Assemblies without the benefit of Contemplation he should be like to those who 
l Esay. 29.13.  came near to the Lord with their mouths, and honoured them with their lips, but their heart was far from him. And thus much of the Reason of the Prophet's Petition in this place, the Beauty of the Church that so much moved him to be so desirous to go to Church. Now to apply what hath been spoken, and to make such use of it as is fit, & to come to the mark itself whereat I first aimed when I first made choice of this Text. To behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple.  
Little wrong was done to Saul by the woman of Israel when they made it the burden of their song, 
m 1. Sam. 18.7.  Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand. The unlike deserts of these two Princes, 
n M.D King on jonas. Lect. 1.  saith a worthy Divine of our days, might justly admit an unlike commendation. Our Saviour in the Gospel indeed 
o Luk. 5.39  preferreth old wine before new: but in the same Gospel if we mark it, he preferreth the New 
p Luk. 7. ●8.  Testament before the old. There is no greater Prophet than john, 
q Mat 11.11.  saith he, among them that are begotten of women, nevertheless he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he, the kingdom of God being there taken as the kingdom of heaven, Matthew the third at the second verse, and the Gospel of the kingdom, Matthew the fourth at the three & twenty verse, and the word of the kingdom, Matthew the thirteenth at the nineteenth verse, in a word, as our Saviour meant when he said, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a Nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof, Matthew the one and twentieth at the three and fortieth verse.  
These things thus, Beloved, it shall be no disparagement to the Temple here in this place, if so be we prefer before it the Beauty of our Temples. The Beauty I told you of this Temple consisted in two points, First in regard of the Parties that there were present: Secondly in regard of the Things performed in those Assemblies. The Parties present were first the Lord himself, than the Priests, then the People. The Things performed in those Assemblies was the Public Solemnity of God's worship both in the word, and Sacraments, and Sacrifices, and Prayer, and Praises: and doth not the Church of God whereof our Assemblies are every of them parts and parcels, of the self same nature the Church is, even the meanest Assembly that is (so it be a Congregation) doth not the Church I say so far excel that Synagogue as the Sun in his brightness the meanest star? Begin we first of all with God's presence, and is it not more in Christian Assemblies than it was to the israelites in that Temple: At sundry times and in divers manners 
r Heb. 1.1.  saith the Apostle to the Hebrews God spoke in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets, in these last days he hath spoken to us b●●is Son: & never spoke Prophet 〈◊〉 ●●ke the Son, john the seventh 〈◊〉 ●e six and fortieth verse. O but you w● say God himself spoke to Moses, Moses hard his 
s Numb. 7.89.  own voice: I grant he did; and was not the same voice of the same God hard also in the new Testament first upon the baptism of our Saviour, Matthew the third at the seventeenth vers, secondly, at another time john the 12 at the eight and twenty verse? True it is, it was at those times, it was then, it is not now, howbeit as S. Austen in the matter of the Tongues, To one that should say 
t Ang. de Temp. Ser. 188.  saith he if thou hast received the Holy Ghost why then speakest thou not as did the Apostles with diversity of tongues, thou mayst answer him again, yes, I speak with diversity of tongues, for I am in the body of Christ that is the Church, which speaketh with such diversity: right so may we say in this case, no particular Church whatsoever but in regard this was spoken to our Saviour Christ the head thereof, but hath the benefit of those words, and may be said to have hard the voice of God.  
Now as we have God the father here, the first Person in Trinity, so have we here God the son to, even as he testified of himself, where two or three 
u Mat. 18.20.  saith he are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Not as he was in the midst between the two thieves, giving influence to the one, and none at all to the other, Luke the three & twentieth at the three and fortieth verse, but as he was in the midst of the 
c Luk. 2.46  Doctors, or in the midst of the 
x Luk. 24.36.  eleven Apostles, or if not so personally for he is now at the right hand of God, & there setteth as speak the 
y Mark. 16.19.  Scriptures, yet as he was in the midst of the candleslickes Revelation the first at the thirteenth verse.  
Over and beside the Son of God, we have God the holy Ghost to, of whom our Saviour himself said, that he should abide with us for ever, and is therefore called by Tertullian, The 
z Tertull. de Vir. Veland.  Vicar of Christ upon earth. True it is they had in their Temple this Trinity as well as we, the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, for they were but one God both then, & now, & ever; but come to the manner of their being there, & being with us in our Assemblies, and it was a riddle to the jews, we that have ploughed with 
a judg. 14.18.  Sampsons' heifer, that is, with the holy Scriptures, have easily found it out. You shall hear Dichers & Delvers saith 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Theodor. ad Graec. Infid. Ser. 5.  Theodoret of the Christians in his time, and he spoke it not in scorn neither, reasoning about the Trinity.  
Over and beside the Holy Trinity, we have the Angels to, here present, in regard of whom the Apostle in his Epistle to the 
c 1. Cor. 11 10.  Corinthians, The woman ought to have power on her head, that is, to have her head covered, because of the Angels. Nor are they present only as Spectators, but they assist us after a sort, I they solace themselves in the beauty of this house according to that of St 
d 1. Pet. 1.12.  Peter, The which things the Angels desire to behold: speaking of the mysteries published in the Gospel. The word 
e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza. in 1. Pet. 1.12.  Beholding there used, being the same that was used of himself when he looked so diligently into the 
f Luk. 24.12.  sepulchre, and the Apostle alluding thereby as it is thought to the figure of the Cherubins that were so fashioned by the hand of the work man, as if they had 
g Exod. 25.20.  looked into the Ark.  
Concerning the other Parties that were present, namely the Priests and People, how infinitely in each of them do we Christians out strip the jews? First concerning our Priests they are not in deed so gorgeous in attire as they were, but being Ministers of better things, how are they more beautiful notwithstanding? How beautiful 
h Rom. 10.15.  saith the Apostle are the feet of them wh●ch bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? And St chrysostom, he compares them in one 
i Chrys. de Eucharist. in E●●●n.  place to the Angels, in another 
k Chrys. de S●●ced. l. 3.  place he prefers them far before them. To them saith he that inhabit the earth and are conversant therein, is committed the dispensing of those things which are in heaven. They have that power given unto them which he never gave to Angels, no not Archangels themselves.  
Concerning the People, they indeed were a Nation, but they were but one Nation, we the whole world. And therefore as our Saviour 
l Mark. 28. ●9.  said to his disciples, Go and teach all Nations, so they went and taught them severally; 
m See Eus●b. l. 3. c. 1. & Hieron. Catal. script. Ecclesiast.  S. john the Asians, S. Andrew the Achaians, S. Matthew the Ethiopians, S. Philip the Phrygians, S. Bartholomew the Indians, S. Thomas the Parthians, and so forth, their sound 
n Rom. 10.18.  saith the Apostle went out through all the earth, and their words into the end of the world. Or if so be they went not to all places in their own proper persons, as S. Austen 
o Aug. ep. 80  seems to be of opinion, yet hath every Nation now, or at the least wise hath had the benefit of that doctrine which the Apostle delivered to those nations that in their own persons they then visited. We may well add unto this point that peculiar honour and testimonial that is given unto Christians in that they are said so 
p 1. Cor. 3.16. 2 Cor. 6.16  many times to be themselves the Temple of God, I every of them in particular in regard of their 
q 1. Cor. 6.19.  bodies to be the Temple of the holy Ghost. But thus much of outstripping them in regard of the Parties present: that we no less outstrip them to, in regard of the Public Solemnity of God's worship, namely in the Word, and Sacraments, and Sacrifices, and Prayer, and Praises, remaineth now to be declared, & first concerning the Word.  
First then concerning the word, they had Moses I grant, and they had the Prophets. Moses as speaks Theodoret, who was the 
r Theodoret. ad Graec. Infid. s●r. 2.  Ocean of Divinity, and instructed mouth to mouth as it were by God himself; the Prophets, who were the floods and so many rivers as it were derived from him. Moses he delivered them the Law, the Prophets they were the Interpreters of that Law. Both Moses and Prophets so complete at that time for the salvation of the jews, that that of Abraham unto Dives concerning the salvation of his brethren then living, 
s Luk. 16.29.  They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them, was an argument that would not admit of any reply that Dives made. For when he answered thereupon, 
t v. 30.  Nay Father Abraham, but if one come unto them from the dead, they will amend their lives, the Patriarch holds himself to his first resolution, 
u v. 31.  If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead again. Now if they were then taught so wholly and perfectly by Moses & the Prophets alone, how much better is our case who have the Apostles, and Evangelists annexed unto them? Moses and the Prophets indeed being a light as S. Peter 
c 2. Pet. 1.19.  speaketh, that shineth in a dark place, but the Apostles, and Evangelists as the day star arising in our hearts. And thus much of the Word.  
How far we outstrip them in the Sacraments S. 
d Aug epist. 118. & de Doct. Christ. l. 3. c. 9  Austen will bear us witness, who speaking of theirs, and ours; we, saith he, are not pressed with the heavy burden they were, but our Lord & his Apostles have delivered unto us a few Sacraments in steed of many, and the same in performing most easy, in signification most excellent, in observation most reverend, and he nameth in that place Baptism and the Supper. True it is the Apostle 
e 1. Cor. 10 1.  saith, they were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; and again, 
f v. 3.  they did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink▪ for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them and the rock was Christ, howbeit this which the Apostle saith is in regard of the substance & effect of the Sacraments, the signification of our Sacraments is much more clear than theirs was.  
In our Sacrifices we are farther before them then in our Sacraments, having had in our church the self same Sacrifice really acted, whereof all their Sacrifices were but shadows. For if the blood of Bulls, 
g Heb. 9.13  saith the Apostle, and of Goats, and the ashes of an Haifer sprinkling them that are unclean, sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And again a little after, The law, 
h Heb. 10, 1  saith he, having the shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those Sacrifices which they offer year by year continually sanctify the comers thereunto. 
i v. 4.  For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins. Now if so be we would know the virtue of our Sacrifice, though it were but one, their Sacrifices being many, with one offering, 
k v. 14.  saith the Apostle, hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified. And he had said a little 
l Heb 9.27.  before As it is appointed unto men that they shall once die & after that cometh the judgement, so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many. And comparing his Priesthood with theirs, Among them, 
m Heb 7.23  saith he, many were made Priests, because they were not suffered to endure by the reason of death, but this man because he endureth ever, hath an everlasting Priesthood. And again a little after, 
n Heb. 7. 2●.  Such a High Priest it became us to have which is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, which needed not daily as those High Priests, to offer up Sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the People's, for that did he once when he offered up himself. Comparing then those Sacrifices with this of ours, I may say of them as did Theodoret of the like offered by the Gentiles, they were such kind of Sacrifices as were fit for 
o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Theodoret. ad Graec. Infidel. Ser. 7.  Hucksters and Butchers to make.  
Lastly concerning Prayer, wherein I comprehend with the 
p Zanch. de Redemp. l. 1. c. 19  Learned not only the ask of things needful for us, and deprecation of things hurtful, but the confession of our sins, the praises of God, and giving thanks for benefits received at his hands, how far we outstrip the jews, witness that of the Prophet Malachi, who comparing both together theirs & ours, From the rising of the Sun, 
q Malac. 1.11.  saith he, unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles, & in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name, & a pure offering. Now what is this Incense but Prayers, for so the Holy Ghost himself interprets Incense, Revelation the fift at the eight verse. And that this Pure Offering is the same, witness that of Tertullian 
r Tertul. advers. Marcian. l. 4.  a Pure Offering, that is, a Pure Prayer from a conscience that is pure, for if so be, as speaks the same Father in another 
s Tertul Exhort. ad Cast.  place, the Conscience blush, Prayer itself will blush too. I but you will say, since these our Prayers must needs taste of the cask from whence they come, and the cask is very impure be it the Conscience, or the Heart of man, how can they be the Pure Offering here spoken of in this place? I answer according to Scripture that there is in heaven a certain 
t Rev. 8.3.  Angel, it is indeed our Saviour Christ, that goes and stands before the Altar having a golden Censer and much odours given unto him that he should offer with our prayers. Howsoever then as proceeding from our selue, s they are tainted and corrupt, yet are they sweetened by burr Saviour, provided that they be infirmities only that taint them not loud crying sins, for if they once come to that pass, then farewell all approaching and appearing in God's sight. When you shall stretch out your hands, I, saith the 
u Esay, 1.15  Lord, will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers I will not hear: the reason he gives immediately, for your hands are full of blood; and yet immediately after that too, as if he were loath to give even such an utter repulse, Wash you, 
c 〈◊〉. 16.  saith he, make you clean, take away the Evil of your works from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, and so forth, Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins were as crimson they shall be made white as snow, though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wool. And to this end and purpose hath the Church of God for this sixteen hundred years and upward been in her several Congregations continually on her knees. We come by troops, 
x Tertul. Apol. l. 1. c 39  saith Tertullian, that being banded as it were together, we may be supplicants enough, not so much to beseech, as to besiege God with our prayers. This force to God is most acceptable. The sound of men, women, children, & infants, 
y Basil Hexam Hom. 4.  saith St Basil, praying in the Church together, seems like the sound of the waves beating against the sea shore. 
z Hieron. in 2. Prooem. ad Gal.  St Ierom, he likens it to the noise of Thunder, and in another place discoursing of the Funerals of Fabiola, The Psalms, 
a Hieron. ad Ocean. Epitaph. Fabiol.  saith he, did sound a loud, and the Haleluiah that was sung did shake at that instant the golden ceilings of the Temple with the noise it made.  
But of all the Beauties in our Church nothing so beautiful indeed as the Beauty of our Saviour. He was, saith 
b Aug in Ps. 44.  St Austen, a beautiful God, he was the word that was with God, he was beautiful in his mother's womb, where he lost not his Divinity, and yet he took Humanity on him. He was beautiful being borne an Infant, because when he was an Infant, when as he sucked the dug, and was carried in his mother's arms, the heavens spoke, the Angels praised him, the stars directed the wise men to him, he was adored in the manger being to be meat convenient for the mouths of gentle Beasts. And this is that fair beauty which we celebrate this day. This day it was that having made for himself a Tabernacle, as speaks Theodoret, in the womb of the Virgin, he issued forth from thence both 
c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Theodoret. de Grac. Affect. Ser. 6.  a visible man, and a God to be adored. Born of the substance of the Father before all worlds, but assuming that of the Virgin Mary which did appear to the world. Borne, saith the same Father, as it were this day, and yet from all eternity. Born of his Father, 
d Aug de Temp. Ser. 12  saith St Austen, without a mother he created every day, borne of his mother without a Father he hath consecrated this day, so that whereas, saith he, in the world's beginning man was made to the likeness of God, the case is altered now at this time, for this day God is made to the likeness of man. Nor let it seem incredible, saith the same 
e August. de Temp. Ser. 181.  Father, that he should be borne of a Virgin, who out of the Virgin earth made the first man that ever was.  
These the Beauties of our Church, and of every our several Congregations, what remaineth but our desires in respect of them be such as was the Prophets concerning the Temple, namely to behold there these fair beauties, and to visit these places, that if so be that Beauty were so powerful with the Prophet which was so far inferior unto ours, ours with us should be more powerful as being far more beautiful and so far superior unto theirs. Let it ravish then our Souls by way of Contemplation, and like a load stone draw our Bodies to by way of Action to these places, and let us join here Body and Soul by Contemplation and Action both Let us not take as God's name, so not his beauty in vain, if so be the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his 
f Exod. ●0. 7.  name in vain, how will he judge those another day that so much contemn this his Beauty?  
And to the better effecting hereof let us come often to this House, and as the word used here is a frequentative, so let our deeds be frequent to. To come not at all with the Popish Recusant, or but monthly with the false hearted Protestant, or in the forenoon or afternoon only with the half Christian, or when Service is half done with the careless gospeler, or when there is a Sermon only with the Precisian, are vices all of a quality, though not all of the self same quantity, all able to drown us though not all after one sort. The Precisian he is drowned as it were in rose water, Moses and the Prophets are nothing with him here, unless forsooth they be interpreted: The careless gospeler in a bowl of water, a little serves his turn: The half Christian in mud & water: The false hearted Protestant in a river of water, but the Recusant he that will never be here, and that utterly shuneth these Assemblies, he is drowned in a sea of water, drowned in deed as are the rest, but the manner of his drowning more dreadful, so much the farther from all hope as he will needs be far thest from all help. If now you demand of me how often you should come hither. I answer even as often as this Beauty here is to be seen in the Public Service of our God. Whether on the Saboth day, or on 
g Nostri dies festi in 4ᵒ praecepto nomine Sabbathi comprehensi. Zanch. de Redemp. l. 1 c. 9  Holy days, or even on the week days to, specially Masters & Mistresses of families, unless as 
h Zanch. Ib. qu. 2.  Zanchius well states the question, our sickness is such as that we cannot come, or our affairs of such importance that we may not defer them till an other time. He that at every time else comes when ever opportunity is offered, it is a sign he is enamoured with this Beauty of the Lord, and he that with this Beauty is so enamoured in this world, shall an other day behold his fairer Beauty, and visit his other Temple in the world to come. Of which Beauty, & which Temple to speak in S. Austin's 
i August. de Tripl. Habitac. c 4.  phrase, whatsoever a man shall say it is as it were but a drop in comparison of the Sea, & a spark in respect of a fire. For how, saith the same 
k Aug. in Ps. 85.  Father, should it possibly come into the tongue of man, that could never come as yet into the heart of man. It being an invincible truth which the Apostle 
l ●. Cor. 2.9  S. Paul delivereth, The things which eye hath not seen, neither ear hath hard, neither came into man's heart, are, which God hath prepared for them that love him.  
The same God so bless us and the seed that hath been sown, etc.  
FINIS.