A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 17
THE LIVING TEMPLE. A Sermon preached at the Readers Feaſt in the Temple Church. THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON.
2 COR. 6.16.
For yee are the Temple of the living God.
Right Honourable, Right Worſhipfull, &c.
COnſecrate your hearts to the ſervice of God, and dedicate your eares to his holy Word, For yee are the Temple of the living God. If the heathen Orator making an Oration in aede Concordiae (a Temple conſecrated to their goddeſſe Concord) uſed the place for a Topick, and drew an argument from the houſe inſcription where they met, to perſwade peace and concord: and the Apoſtle himſelfe tooke the advantage of the title of an Altar at Athens to declare unto them the true God, whomaAct. 17.23. I found an altar with an inſcription, To the unknowne God. they ignorantly worſhipped: and in his Epiſtle to Philemon alludeth to the name of his unthrifty ſervantbforeign ab foreign proſum. Phile. v. 11. I beſeech thee for my ſonne Oneſimus, which in times paſt was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. Oneſimus, aſſuring him that howſoever in former time he had beene unprofitable, yet that hee ſhould now prove foreign, according to his name Oneſimus, profitable to both of them: I perſwade my ſelfe it will not be offenſive to you to heare a lecture read upon your name, and many holy duties enforced from the ſacred appellation in my text, wherewith your honourable ſociety is graced, that you may bee indeed what you are called, The Temple of the living God.
This text of the Temple admitteth of a like diviſion to the partition of the Temple of Solomon, which was into three roomes or ſpaces:
1 Atrium, the outward court.
2 Sanctum, the holy place.
3 Sanctum ſanctorum, the holy of holies.
1 In the outward court the people ſtood.
2 In the holy place the Prieſts offered their daily ſacrifice.
3 In the holy of holies the high Prieſt appeared once a yeere.
1 Yee are, reſembleth the outward court, where the people were.
2 Temple, the holy place.
3 The living God, the moſt holy. The Temple of God is holy, but the God of the Temple is infinitely more holy.
In paſſing through theſe ſpaces and partitions, let the eye of your religious obſervation fall upon
1 The proper title of the Elect, Temple.
2 The proper owner of the Temple, God.
3 The proper attribute of God, Living.
1 For expreſſeth and preſſeth a reaſon, What agreement, &c. For.
2 Yee ſpecifieth the perſons.
3 Are pointeth to the time.
4 The Temple is the title of Gods children.
5 Of God is added for diſtinction of Temples.
6 Living is adjoyned for diſtinction of Gods.
1 There are many who deſerve to bee called cages of uncleane birds, or rather ſtyes of uncleane beaſts, than Temples, Yee are the Temple.
2 There are Temples of Idols, or rather Devils, not of God, Yee are the Temple of God.
3 There are gods not living, Yee are the Temple of thee living God.
Here is a ſweet cluſter of the grapes of the vine of Engaddi.
1 Preſſe the firſt grape, and it will yeeld this liquor, That Chriſtians may not communicate with Idolaters, nor conſort with prophane perſons: For.
2 Preſſe the next grape, and it will yeeld this juice, That holineſſe to God is the Impreſe of the regenerate: Yee.
3 Preſſe the third, it yeeldeth this, That there are Saints upon earth, viz. in truth and ſincerity, though not in perfection: Are.
4 Preſſe the fourth, it yeeldeth this, That the whole company of true believers make but one Holy Catholike Church; Temple not Temples: The Temple.
5. Preſſe the fift, it yeeldeth this, That reverence is due to the ſervants of God, that ſanctity is in them, and ſafety with them. Of God. The Temple of God carrieth with it all three: and to whom indeed is due more reverence, in whom ſhineth more ſanctity, with whom is found more ſafety than Gods ſecret ones, who as ſtones coupled together, and built upon the corner ſtone Chriſt Jeſus, riſe up towards heaven, and become a holy temple of God?
6. Preſſe the laſt, and it yeeldeth this, That the God whom we Chriſtians ſerve is the onelyonly true living God, and ſource and fountaine of all life; which hee conveigheth to us in a threefold channell,
1 The broader of nature:
2 The narrower of grace:
3 The overflowing and everſpringing of glory.
For: The reaſon ſtandeth thus. Separate your ſelves from wicked and profane perſons, For yee are a Temple. Secondly, keep your ſelves from dead and dumb Idols, For yee are the Temple of the living God.
Doctr. 1 Firſt, this (For) perforce draweth us from all familiar company and intimate converſation with men of a leud, diſſolute or profane carriage;cEpheſ. 5.11. Have no fellowſhip with them, ſaith the Apoſtle: elſewhere,dAct. 2.40. Save your ſelves from them, ſaith Saint Peter: Come out from among them, and be you e2. Cor. 6.17, 18.ſeparate, and I will be a Father unto you, and you ſhall bee my Sonnes and Daughters. It was an abomination by the Law to touch any dead thing,fLev. 22.4. Whoſoever toucheth any thing that is uncleane by the dead, &c. and are not they that live in pleaſure and ſenſualityg1 Tim. 5.6. dead while they are alive? but ſhe that liveth in pleaſure is dead whileſt ſhee liveth. Shee is no loyall wife that delighteth in company diſliked by her husband, though but upon ſuſpition. How can the ſonne but incurre his fathers diſpleaſure, who entertaineth ſuch gueſts with all love and kindneſſe whom his father hateth, and forbiddeth them his houſe? Thoſe who are of worth ſeek to preſerve their credit and good name as a precious oyntment, which is ſoone corrupted by the impure ayre of naſty ſociety. For ſuch a man is deſervedly eſteemed to bee, with whom hee ranketh himſelfe: but corrupting the ſoule is farre worſe than tainting a good name; and who is there almoſt that commeth faire off from foule company? hee cannot but learne evill by them, orhEpictet. foreign. ſuffer evill of them. Man in Paradiſe might be like the plants of Paradiſe, of which Athanaſius reporteth that they imparted an aromaticall ſavour to the trees neere adjoyning: but ſince man was caſt out, the corruption of his nature maketh him reſemble rather the wan and withered vine in the Poet, which tooke away the freſh colour and ſap from the neighbour vine; iJuven. ſat. 1. Dedit haec contagio labem, &c.Uva que livorem conſpectâ ducit ab uvâ.
It is true, Bonum eſt ſui diffuſivum, Goodneſſe is of a communicative nature; but ſince our fall wee are not ſo capable of receiving good as evill. The example of an evill man ſooner corrupteth a good man, than a good example converteth an evill man. The weake and watery eye is not ſtrengthened by looking on a quicke or ſtrong eye; but on the contrary, many a ſtrong and dry eye by looking on a watery eye waters it ſelfe. The ſound man by lying with the ſicke loſeth his health, yet the ſicke man by lying with the whole man gaineth not his health; the exchange is not mutuall. If you mingle bright and ruſty metall together, the ruſty will not become bright by it, but on the contrary the bright ruſty; ſo, ſaithkSenec. ep. 7. Rubiginoſus comes etiam candido ſuam affricuit rubiginem. Seneca, a ruſty companion rubbeth ſome of his ruſt upon a man of faire conditions, yet the man of faire conditions imparteth none of his candor to the ruſty. The diſeaſes of the minde are more taking than the diſeaſes of the body; let us therefore take heed how wee come within the breath of a man who is of a rotten heart, and corrupt conſcience. If Joſeph living in Pharaohs Court learned to ſweare by the life of Pharaoh, and the people of God being mingled with the heathen learned their workes: beware how you touch pitch leſt you bee defiled, and bird-lime leſt you bee entangled. Socrates was wont to ſay to Alcibiades, ſometime the paragon of beauty both of body and minde, when hee met him among Gallants like himſelfe, I feare not thee but thy company: and SaintlAug. confeſ. l. 2. c. 9. Eamus, faciamus, pudet non eſſe impudentem. Auſtine in his Confeſſions with teares complaineth of the helliſh torrent of evill company, wherewith hee was carried away oftentimes, and fell into many a dangerous gulph: I had not the power to ſtay my ſelfe, ſaith hee, when they called; Eamus, faciamus, Let us goe, let us doe ſome noble exploit, or brave pranke of youth: nay, they ſo farre wrought upon mee, that I was aſhamed of my ſhamefaced modeſty, and bluſhed that I was not paſt bluſhing. You that are Gods choſen make choice of your company, let all your delight bee, with holy David, mPſal. 16.3.in ſuch as excell in vertue, and have holineſſe to the Lord engraven in their breaſts. For yee are Temples, therefore bee yee ſeparate from profane perſons.
Doctr. 2 Yee are the Temples of the living God, meddle not therefore with dumb and dead Idols. If Idolatry bee the ſpirits adultery, and Gods wrath againſt Idolaters is jealouſie, and his jealouſie burneth like fire downe to the bottome of hell; I ſhall not need by arguments to deterre any underſtanding Chriſtian from comming within the verge of ſo dangerous an impiety, the guilt whereof lyeth not onelyonly upon thoſe whoſe ſoules and bodies have been agents in Idols ſervices, but alſo all thoſe who by any ſpeeches, acts, ſignes, or outward geſtures, give any allowance or countenance thereunto.nAmb. ep. 31. Pollui ſe putabat ſi aram vidiſſet. Conſtantine the Emperour thought himſelf defiled if he had but ſeen an heatheniſh altar:oPſal. 16.4. David if he had but made mention of an Idoll; their offerings of bloud I will not offer, nor take their names into my mouth. Saint Paul permitted not the Corinthians to taſte of any dainties that were ſerved in at the Idols table. Let them therefore beware of ſome fearfull judgement of God, who without any calling or commiſſion, out of meere curioſity, enter into the houſe of Rimmon, and behold thoſe Idolatrous rites wherewith Romiſh ſuperſtition hath corrupted the pure worſhip of God. How can they bee there with them without offence? If they joyne not with theſe Idolaters in cenſing, bowing before, offering unto, and kiſſing their Images, in calling upon Saints, and praying for the releaſing of ſoules out of Purgatory, they give offence to them: if they joyne with them, they give greater offence to the Church of God, and not onelyonly receive apHom. againſt rebellion the Pope is called the Babyloniſh beaſt. marke from the beaſt, but a grievous wound. The Corinthians, whom S. Paul in theſe words plucks, as it were, violently out of the idols Temple, had as colorable a pretence as theſe Naamans can have. They pleaded that they went not to the idols temple to worſhip, but to make merry with their neighbors, and feede their bellies with the idols relicks; theſe in like manner ſay that they reſort not to places where Maſſes are ſaid to worſhip the wafer, or breaden god, but to feede their eyes with their gariſh ſhewes, and pleaſe their eares with their exquiſite muſicke. They proceeded farther in their defence, alledging that they knew the idoll was nothing, and in their eating of things offered to it, they had no relation to the Paynim deity, nor purpoſe to worſhip it, but the true God, whoſe creatures they received with cheerefulneſſe and thankſgiving. And is not this the faireſt gloſſe they ſet upon their foule and ſcandalous practiſe in preſſing into Popiſh chappels, that they know the ſacrifice of the Maſſe is nothing, neither doe they any reverence at all to image or picture, but to God, to whom they pray againſt thoſe ſuperſtitions even when they are at them? But what doth the Apoſtle anſwer to the Corinthians? viz. That though the idoll bee nothing in it ſelfe, yet ſith it is a ſuppoſed Deity in the minde of the Idolater, who intendeth a religious worſhip thereunto, in keeping thoſe heatheniſh feaſts, a Chriſtian may not joyne with him in the outward action of his idoll ſervice (whatſoever the intention be) without receiving a foule ſtaine both in his conſcience and in his good name. To lift up the heart to God when they fall downe with their body before the Hoſte or Image, will no more acquit them from idolatry, than it will cleare a woman from adultery to thinke upon her husband when ſhee proſtituteth her body to the impure ſoliciter of her chaſtity. Neither is it eaſie to ſever the ſoule from the body in one and the ſelfe ſame act, asqAug. confeſſ. l. 6. c. 8. Alypius ab amicis violenter in amphitheat um adductus, dicens, ſi corpus meum in illum locum trahitis, numquid & animum? adero ita que abſens, & ſic & vos & illa ſuperabo: ille diuclauſis oculorum foribus, interdixit animae ne in tanta mala procederet, utinam & aures obturaſſet, nam quodam pugnae caſu curioſitate victus, aperuit oculos, & percuſſus eſt graviore vulnere in animâ quam ille in corpore. Alypius found by his woefull experience; who being violently drawne by his friends into the Romane Theater, thus reaſoned with himſelfe: What though you have drawne my body into this place? you ſhall not draw my ſoule: ſeeing you will have it ſo, I will ſtay with you, but I reſolve to be abſent when I am preſent, and ſo I will deceive you and them. According to which his firme purpoſe, hee kept the liddes of his eyes ſhut, that his ſoule might not, as it were, goe out of them, and gad after theſe vanities: And it had beene happy for him, ſaith Saint Auſtine, if hee had locked up the gates of his eares alſo; for on the ſuddaine hearing a great ſhout and applauſe, ere hee was aware hee opened his eyes, and by ſeeing that bloody ſpectacle received a deeper wound in his ſoule than the hurt Fencer in his body. Is it not to bee feared that as therGen. 30.39. And the flockes conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattell ring ſtreked, ſpeckled, and ſpotted. ſheepe which conceived before the coloured roddes brought forth ſpotted lambes, ſo the prayers and meditations which are conceived before idols, will receive ſome impreſſion from the image, and bee tainted with idolatry, or ſpotted with ſuperſtition? Was it unlawfull for the Corinthians to partake with idolaters in meats offered unto idols, and can it bee lawfull for theſe men to communicate with Papiſts in prayers offered unto them? If they anſwer, they pray to Saints, and before images and not idols; let them know that any image or creature to which religious worſhip is given, thereby becommeth an idoll. If Saint Cyprians zeale tranſported him not too farre, when hee peremptorily determineth there can bee no ſociety betweene faith and perfidiouſneſſe, or betweene the true and falſe worſhip of God. If theſ2 Cor. 6.14. What fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe? &c. Apoſtle alloweth of no more communion betweene Chriſtians and Idolaters than betweene righteouſneſſe and unrighteouſneſſe, or light and darkeneſſe, ortVer. 15. Chriſt and Belial; certainely all Interimiſts, and Pſeudo-Caſſanders, and catholike Moderators of theſe times, who goe about to bring Chriſt and Antichriſt to an enterview, ſodder unity and ſchiſme, piece faith and hereſie, and make the Whore of Babylon and Chriſts ſpouſe good friends, are like to have a hard taske of it. For what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? but yee are the Temple of God.
Doctr. 3 Yee. The light of the ſunne is common unto all, but not his influence: in like manner there are certaine enlightning gifts which are not denied to the unregenerate, but the ſanctifying, and ſaving graces of the ſpirit are peculiar to Gods children. God forbiddeth in the Law the annointing any thing with the holyuExod. 30.33. oyle, ſave the things that are there ſpecified; he maketh it death to put that holy oyntment to any common uſe, and ſhall wee thinke that hee will ſhed the oyntment of his ſpirit into any impure or prophane heart? will hee caſt his pearle before ſwine? The piety of Paynims is Necromancy or Idolatry, of Heretickes is Will-worſhip, of Hypocrites is Formality, of Schiſmaticks is Faction. There can be no true devotion without illumination of the underſtanding, and renovation of the will, and purifying the heart by faith; there is no Temple of God which is not built upon the corner ſtone Chriſt Jeſus. Ye, and none but ſuch as ye are. The Church in the ſong of Solomon is compared to a*Cant. 4.12. A garden encloſed is my ſiſter, my ſpouſe a ſpring ſhut up, a fountaine ſealed. garden encloſed, or a fountaine ſealed. The prophane and ungodly drinke not of the river of her pleaſures, they taſte not of her delicate fruits, they who overcome not eat not xApoc. 2.17.the hidden Manna: as they partake not of the Spouſe her graces, ſo neither have they any right or title to her titles. They are no Temples, but rather ſtyes; no dove-cotes, but cages of uncleane birds; no habitations for the holy Ghoſt, but rather haunts of uncleane ſpirits. They indeed live and move in God, for out of him they cannot ſubſiſt; butyGal. 2.20. Nevertheleſſe I live, yet not I but Chriſt liveth in me. Rom. 8 9. 2 Cor. 6.16. God himſelfe liveth and moveth in the godly; God is in all places, and abideth every where; yet heezEpheſ. 3.17. dwelleth onelyonly in the hearts of true believers: For they and they onelyonly are the Temple of the living God.
Doctr. 4 Are. In the Romane Kalendar no Saints are entred till many miracles be voiced upon them after death; but in Gods Regiſter wee finde Saints in the Church on earth, among theaRom. 1.7. Romanes, b1 Cor. 1.2.Corinthians, cEph. 1.1.Epheſians, dPhil. 1.1.Philippians, ateAct. 9.32. Lydda, and elſewhere. But what Saints, and how? Saints by calling, Saints by a holy profeſſion, and blameleſſe converſation; Saints by gratious acceptation of pious endeavours, rather than of performances; Saints by inchoation, Saints by regeneration of grace, Saints by daily renovation of the inward man, Saints by devotion and dedication of themſelves wholly to God, Saints by inhabitation of the holy ſpirit in them, which maketh them a holy Temple of the living God. In this life we are f1 Cor. 3.23.Gods, for all things are yours, and you are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods; in the life to comegApo. 21.22. And I ſaw no Temple therein, for the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the Temple thereof. God is ours. In this life wee are Gods Temple, but in the life to come God is gApo. 21.22. And I ſaw no Temple therein, for the Lord God almighty and the Lambe are the Temple thereof.ours. Now God dwelleth with us, and is but ſlenderly entertained by us; but there wee ſhall dwell with him, and have fulneſſe of all things, yet without ſatiety or being cloyed therewith.
Doctr. 5 The Temple. Not the Temples, but the Temple. Gen. 1.1. foreignAs the learned Hebricians from the conſtruction of the noune plurall with a verb ſingular, as if you would ſay in Latine, Dii or Numina creavit, gather the trinity of perſons in the unity of the divine nature; ſo from the conſtruction here of a ſingular adjunct with a ſubject plurall, wee may inferre the plurality of the faithfull in the unity of the Church. For wee that are many yet are truely one, many graines one bread, many ſheepe one fold, many members one body, many branches one vine, many private oratories or chaplets but one Temple. The parts of the Catholike Church are ſo farre ſcattered and diſſevered in place that they cannot make one materiall, yet they are ſo neare joyned in affection, and faſt linked with the bonds of religion, that they make but one ſpirituall Temple. They are many ſoules, and muſt needs have as many divers naturall bodies; yet in regard they are all quickned, guided, and governed by the ſame ſpirit, they make but one myſticall body, whoſe head is in heaven, and members diſperſed over the earth. Can unity bee divided? If wee are rent in ſunder by ſchiſme and faction, Chriſt his ſeameleſſe coate cannot cover us all. The Philoſophers finde it in the naturall, the States-men in the politicke, and I pray God wee finde it not in the myſticall body of Chriſt,hCyp. de ſimplic. prel. A velle radium à ſole, diviſionem lucis unitas non capit, ab arbore frange ramum, fructum germinare non poterit, à fonte praecide rivum, prorſus areſcet. That diviſion tends to corruption, and diſſolution to death. Plucke a beame if you can from the body of the ſunne, it will have no light; breake a branch from the tree, it will beare no fruit; ſever a river from the ſpring, it will ſoone bee dryed up; cut a member from the body, it preſently dyeth; caſt a pumice ſtone into the water, and though it bee never ſo bigge, while it remaines entire, and the parts whole together, it will ſwimme above water, but breake it into pieces, and every piece will ſinke: in like manner the Church and Commonwealth, which are ſupported, and as it were borne up above water by unity, are drowned in perdition by diſcord, diſſention, ſchiſme, and faction. It is not poſſible that thoſe things which are knit by a band, ſhould hold faſt together after the band it ſelfe is broken. How can a ſinew hold ſteddy the joint if it bee ſprayned, or broken, or cut in ſunder? Religion (beloved brethren) is the band of all ſociety, the ſtrongeſt ſinew of Church or Commonwealth; God forbid there ſhould bee any rupture in this band, any ſprayne in this ſinew. The husbandman hath ſowed good ſeede, cleane and picked in this Kingdome for more than threeſcore yeeres, and it hath fructified exceedingly ſince the happy reformation of Religion in theſe parts; O let no envious man ſow upon it thoſe tares which of late have ſprung up in ſuch abundance in our neighbour countries, that they have almoſt choaked all the good wheat. Let no roote of bitterneſſe ſpring up in our Paradiſe, or if it bee ſprung, let authority, or at leaſt Chriſtian charity plucke it up. Wee are all one body, let us all have the ſame minde towards God, and endeavour to the utmoſt of our power toiEph. 4 3. preſerve the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace, that our ſpirituall Jeruſalem may reſemble the old Byzantium, the ſtones whereof were ſo matched, and the wall built ſo uniformely, that the whole City ſeemed to bee but one ſtone continued throughout. It was the honour of thekPſal. 122.3. Jeruſalem is builded as a City that is compacted together. old, let it bee alſo of the new Jeruſalem, that it is a City at unity in it ſelfe.
Doctr. 6 I have held you thus long in the Porch, let us now enter into the Temple. Glorious things are ſpoken of you, O ye choſen of God, yee are tearmed veſſels of honour, lights of the world, a choſen generation, a royall prieſthood, a peculiar people, a celeſtiall ſociety; yet nothing ever was or can be more ſpoken to Your endleſſe comfort, and ſuperexcellent glory, than that you are Children of the Father, Members of the Sonne, and Temples of the holy Ghoſt. Seneca calleth the world, Auguſtiſsimum Dei Templum, a moſt magnificent Temple of God; David, the heaven; Solomon, the Church; Saint Paul, the Elect in the Church; and in a ſenſe not altogether improper, we may tearme the world, the Temple of the Church, the Church the Temple of our bodies, our bodies the Temples of our ſoules, and our ſoules moſt peculiarly the Temples of the living God: becauſe God dwelleth & remaineth in our ſouls, our ſouls in our bodies, our bodies in the Church, the Church in the world. There are many other reaſons of this appellation, but the Apoſtle dwelleth moſt upon this of dwelling. Where God dwelleth there is his Temple, but he dwelleth in our hearts by faith, we are therefore his Temple. If exception bee made to this reaſon, that dwelling proveth a Houſe, but not a Temple,lCal. in hunc locum. De homine ſi dicatur hic habitat, non erit protinus templum, ſed domus prophana, ſed in Deo hoc ſpeciale eſt, quod quemcunque locum ſuâ dignatur praeſentiâ, eum ſanctificat. Calvin anſwereth acutely, that if wee ſpeake of the habitation of a man, wee cannot from thence conclude that the place where he abideth is a Temple: but God hath this priviledge, that his preſence maketh the place whereſoever hee reſideth neceſſarily a Temple. Whereas the King lyeth there is the Court, and where God abideth there is the Church. It might bee ſayd as truly of the ſtable where Chriſt lay, as of the place where God appeared to Jacob, This is the houſe of God, and the gate of heaven. Here I cannot but breake out into admiration with Solomon, and ſay,m1 Kin. 8.27. The heaven of heavens cannot containe thee, O Lord, and wilt thou dwell in my houſe, in the narrow roome of my heart? Iſocrates anſwered well for a Philoſopher, to that great queſtion, What is the greateſt thing in the leaſt?nIſoc. ad Dem. foreign. The minde, ſaid hee, in mans body. But Saint Paul teacheth us to give a better anſwer, to wit, God in mans ſoule. And how fitly hee tearmeth here believers the Temple of God, will appeare moſt evidently by paralleling the inward and outward Temple of God, the Church and the ſoule.
1 Firſt, Churches are places exempt from legall tenures and ſervices, and redeemed from common uſes: in like manner the minde of the faithfull and devout Chriſtian is after a ſort ſequeſtred from the world, and wholly dedicated to God.
2 Secondly, Temples are hallowed places, not by cenſing, or croſſing, or burning tapers, or healing it over with aſhes, and drawing the characters of the Greeke and Hebrew Alphabet, after the manner of popiſh conſecration; but by theoJoh. 17.17. Word and Prayer, by which the faithfull are alſo conſecrated. Sanctifie them, O Lord, with thy truth, thy Word is truth.
3 Thirdly, Temples are places of refuge and ſafety; and where more ſafety than in the houſhold of faith? God ſpared the City for the Temples ſake, and hee ſpareth the whole world for the Elects ſake.
4 Fourthly, the Temple continually ſounded with vocall and inſtrumentall muſicke; there was continuall joy, ſinging, and praiſing God: and doth not the Apoſtle teach us that there ispEph. 5.19. joy in the holy Ghoſt, and continuall melody in the hearts of beleevers?
5. Fiftly, in the Temple God was to beeqPhil 3.3. worſhipped: and Chriſt teacheth that the truerJohn 4.24. worſhippers of God worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth: and Saint Paul commandeth us toſ1 Cor. 6.20. worſhip and glorifie God in our body and ſpirit, which are his.
6. Sixtly, doe not our feet in ſome ſort reſemble the foundation, our legges the pillars, our ſides the walls, our mouth the doore, our eyes the windowes, our head the roofe of a Temple? Is not our body an embleme of the body of the Church, and our ſoule of the queere or chancell, wherein God is, or ſhould be worſhipped day and night? The Temple of God is not lime, ſand, ſtone, or timber, ſaithtLact. divin. inſtit. l. 5. c. 8. Templum Dei non ſunt ligna & lapides, ſed homo qui Dei figuram geſtat, quod Templum non auro, & gemmarum donis, ſed virtutum muneribus ornatur. Lactantius, but man bearing the image of God: and this Temple is not adorned with gold or ſilver, but with divine vertues and graces.
If this be a true definition of a Temple, and deſcription of the Ornaments thereof, they are certainly much to be blamed, who make no reckoning of the ſpirituall Temple of God, in compariſon of the materiall: who ſpare for no coſt in imbelliſhing their Churches, and take little care for beautifying their ſoules: Hoc oportet facere, & illud non omittere; they doe well in doing the one, but very ill in not doing the other. It will little make for the glory of their Church to paint their rood-lofts, to engrave their pillars, to carve their timber, to gild their altars, to ſet forth their croſſes with jewells and precious ſtones, if they want that precious pearle which the rich Merchant man ſold all that hee had to buy: to have golden miters, golden veſſels,Mat. 13.46. golden ſhrines, golden bells, golden ſnuffers and ſnuffe-diſhes, if as Boniface of Mentz long agoe complained, Their Prieſts are but wooden or leaden. SaintuAmb. Auro non placent quae auro non emuntur. Jnven. ſat. 11. Fictilis & nullo violatus Jupiter auro. Ambroſe ſaith expreſly, That thoſe things pleaſe not God in, or with gold, which can bee bought with no gold. In which words hee doth not ſimply condemne the uſe of gold or ſilver in the ſervice of God, no more than Saintx1 Pet. 3.3. Peter doth in the attire of godly Matrons, (Whoſe adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire, and wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparrell: but let it be in the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is in the ſight of God of great price,) but he & Lactantius both ſpeak comparatively, and their meaning is, that the chief adorning of Churches is not with the beauty of colours, but of holineſſe: not with the luſtre of pearles and precious ſtones, but with the ſhining of good workes: not with candles and tapers, but with the light of the Word: not with ſweet perfumes, but with a ſavour of life unto life. It will bee to little purpoſe to ſticke up waxe lights in great abundance in their Churches, after they have put out the pure light of Gods Word, or hid it as it were under a buſhell in an unknowne tongue. Rhenamus reporteth that hee ſaw at Mentz two Cranes ſtanding in ſilver, into the belly whereof the Prieſts by a device put fire and frankincenſe ſo artificially, that all the ſmoake and ſweet perfume came out at the Cranes beakes. A perfect embleme of the peoples devotion in the Romiſh Church: the Prieſts put a little fire into them, they have little duplicate page duplicate page warmth of themſelves, or ſenſe of true zeale: and as thoſe Cranes ſent out ſweet perfumes out at their beaks, having no ſmelling at all thereof themſelves; ſo theſe breath out the ſweet incenſe of zealous praiers and thankſgiving, whereof they have no ſenſe or underſtanding at all, becauſe they pray in an unknowne tongue.
And ſo from the holy place, the Temple, I come to the Holy of holies, the owner of this holy place, the
Doctr. 6 Living God. The Apoſtle ſo ſtileth God here in my Text, to terrifie the Corinthians from provoking him either to jealouſie by their Idolatry, or to anger by their impure converſation with the Gentiles; whoſe gods were dead and ſenſeleſſe ſtockes, not able to apprehend, much leſſe revenge any wrong offered unto them by their worſhippers; and therefore they might bee bold with them, as the Philoſopher was with Hercules, putting him to his thirteenth labour in ſeething his dinner: and Martial with Priapus, in threatning to throw him in the fire if hee looked not well to his trees: and*Eraſ. apoph. l. 5. Jovi Olympio detraxit magni ponderis amiculum, dicens, aeſtare grave, hyeme frigidum: Aeſculapii auream barbam detraxit, quod negaret decorum patrem Apollinem imberbem, ipſum barbatum conſpici. Dyoniſius with Aeſculapius, in cutting off his golden beard, alledging for it, that it was not fit the ſonne ſhould have a beard ſeeing the Father had none: but let Chriſtians take heed of the leaſt provocation of the living God,xHeb. 12.29. for hee is a conſuming fire. A childe may play at the hole of a dead cockatrice, and a ſilly woman may ſtrike a dead lion, but who dares handle a live ſerpent, or play with the paw of a ramping and roaring lion? how much more fearfull by infinite degrees a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God, who with the breath of his mouth is able to blow downe the whole frame of nature, and deſtroy all creatures from the face of the earth! There is ſpirit and life in this attribute living, which comprehendeth in it all that wee can comprehend, and all that wee cannot comprehend of the Deity. For the life of God is his beeing, and his beeing is his nature, and his nature is all things. When wee call upon the living God, wee call upon the true God, the everlaſting God, the Father of ſpirits, the Author of life, the Almighty, All-ſufficient, All-working God; and what is not compriſed in all theſe? The more excellent the nature is of any thing, the more excellent is the life thereof: as is the life of beaſts than of trees, of men than of beaſts, of Angels than of men. What then may wee conceive of the life of God himſelfe? from whence hee hath his name in Greeke, foreign: and becauſe it is his chiefeſt attribute, hee moſt frequently ſweareth by it in holy Scripture, As I live ſaith the Lord.
This attribute, living, is applyed to God in a threefold regard:
1. To diſtinguiſh him from the falſe gods of the Gentiles, which were dead and ſenſeleſſe ſtockes, bearing for the moſt part the image of a dead man, deified after death.
2. To repreſent unto us the ſprightly and actuous nature of God, which is alwayes in action, and ever moving in it ſelfe.
3. To direct us to the Fountaine of life, from whom all life is derived into the creature by a threefold ſtreame, of
1 Nature,
2 Grace,
3 Glory.
1 Firſt, the true God is ſtiled the living God in oppoſition to the heathen Idols, which were without life, ſenſe, or motion: they had eyes and ſaw not, eares and heard not, hands and handled not; whereas the true God hath no eyes, yet ſeeth; no eares, yet heareth; no hands, yet worketh all things. The heathen Idols were carried upon mens ſhoulders, or camels backs, as the ProphetyEſa. 46.1.2.3. Eſay excellently deſcribeth the manner of their proceſſion: but contrariwiſe, the true God beareth his children, and ſupporteth them from the wombe even to their old age, and gray haires. Mothers and nurſes carry children but for a ſhort ſpace, God beareth his children all the dayes of their life. The heathen gods, as SaintzL. 1. de civit. Dei, Ne que enim homines a ſimulachtis, ſed ſimulachra ab hominibus ſervabantur, quomodo vero colebantur ut patriam cuſtodirent & cives, quae ſuos non valuere cuſtodire cuſtodes? Auſtine obſerveth in the ſiege of Troy, ſaved not them that worſhipped them, but were ſaved by them from fire and ſpoyle; whereupon hee inferreth, What folly was it to worſhip ſuch gods for the preſervation of the city and countrey, which were not able to keepe their owne keepers? but the true God preſerveth them that ſerve him, and hideth them under the ſhadow of his wings.
2 God is called the living God, becauſe hee is all life, hee underſtandeth and willeth, decreeth and executeth, beginneth and endeth, obſerveth and ordereth, appointeth and effecteth all things: hee whirleth about the heavens, raiſeth ſtormes and tempeſts, thundering and lightning in the aire, hee moveth upon the waters, and ſhaketh the pillars of the earth, hee turneth about the whole frame of nature, and ſetteth all creatures on work: in a word, as Triſmegiſtus excellently expreſſeth this truth,foreign, and foreign. He potentiateth all acts, and actuateth all powers.
3 Living, becauſe hee giveth life to all that enjoy it, and preſerveth alſo it in them to the period thereof ſet by himſelfe. All other living creatures, as they have but one ſoule, ſo they have but one life: man to whom divers Philoſophers aſſigne three ſoules, hath a threefold kinde of life,
1 Vegetative,
2 Senſible,
3 Reaſonable.
But over and above, every faithfull man hath an eſtate of three lives in Gods promiſes:
1 The life of nature (which implyeth the former three) at our entrance into the world.
2 The life of grace at our entrance into the Church,
3 The life of glory at our entrance into Heaven.
Nature is the perfection of every creature, grace the perfection of nature, glory the perfection of grace. The life of nature is given to us to ſeek the life of grace, which bringeth us to the life of glory. That God is the author of the life of nature, nature her ſelfe teacheth;aAct. 17.28. In him wee live, &c. as ſome of your Poets have ſayd. In ipſo vivimus, In him wee live, move, and have our being. That hee is the author of the life of grace, Saint John, whoſe name ſignifieth grace, teſtifieth;bJoh. 1.2. In ipſo vita erat, In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light ſhined in darkeneſſe, and the darkneſſe comprehended it not. Laſtly, that hee is the author of the life of glory, Chriſt who is the way, the truth, and the life, declareth, ſ…ying,cJo…. 11.25. I am the reſurrection and the life, whoſoever believeth in mee, though hee were dead, yet ſhall hee live. There remaineth nothing to the illuſtration of this point, but the removing of an objection which ſomewhat cloudeth the truth. For thus a man may argue; If God, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, is the Well of life, in which there are the three ſprings abovenamed, one above the other, then is life conveighed to all creatures according to the capacity of their nature, and conſequently all may truely and properly bee ſaid to live; how then is life appropriated to God, and God by this attribute, living, diſtinguiſhed not onelyonly from fained deities, which were no creatures, but alſo from creatures which are not God? I grant that other creatures live, and that truely and properly. For the Angels live in heaven, the Birds in the ayre, the Fiſhes in the ſea, Men and Beaſts in the earth, the Divell and damned ghoſts in hell; but none of them live the life of God: their life differeth as much from his, as their nature from his.
1 His life is his nature, theirs the operation of their nature; the life of Angels is their contemplation, of Divels is their torment, of Men is their action, of Beaſts their ſ…e and motion, of Plants their growth; in briefe, Hee is life, they are but living.
2 His life is his owne, he liveth of himſelfe, and by himſelfe, and in himſelfe; their life is borrowed from him, as all light is from the ſunne.
3 His life is infinite, without beginning or ending; their life is finite, and had a beginning, and moſt of them ſhall have an end, and all might, if he had ſo pleaſed.
4 His life is entire altogether, and perfect, theirs imperfect, growing by additio… of dayes to dayes, and yeeres to yeeres.
5 His li…e is immutable, theirs mutable, and ſubject to many alterations and chang…s.
To dr…w towards an end; you heare what You are, not prophane or common houſes, but the Temple; not the Temple of Divels, but of God, ye… the living God: marke I beſeech you what will enſue upon it.
Uſe. 1 If the …thfull are the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, to robbe or ſpoile any of them muſt needs bee ſacriledge in the higheſt degree. To aſſault and ſet open Gods houſe, what is it but after a ſort to offer violence to God himſ…fe, and commit a worſe burglary than that which our lawes condemne …th death?
2 If … Saints of God are the Sanctuaries of the moſt High, what need they … …he ungodly purſue them fearefully to flye, and baſely to ſeeke to … perſon for ſ…ccour, o… place for refuge? They carry a ſanctuary about … of their bodies. Why ſhould they take ſanctuary who are … ſ…nctu…ry oftentimes to ſave the greateſt offenders from God… … ▪ Such a ſanctuary was Noah to the old world, Lot to …, Saint John to thoſe that were in the houſe, Saint … were in the ſhippe with him. So ſoone as Noah left the … entr… into the Arke, the world was drowned; ſo ſoone as Lot lets God … and …led … Zoar, Sodome was burned with fire and brimſtone from heaven: ſo ſoone as Saint John left the bath where he met Cerinthus the Hereticke, and got out of the houſe, the houſe fell downe: ſo ſoon as the Chriſtians were ſafe at Pella out of Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem was deſtroyed. The houſe of Obed-Edom was bleſſed for having the Arke in it; and thrice happy are thoſe houſes which have many of theſe Temples in them.
3 If Gods choſen are his moſt holy Temple, they muſt not admit Idolaters into their communion, nor profane perſons into their houſes; for this were to ſet open the Church of Chriſt to Belial, and to entertaine Gods enemies in his owne houſe.
4 Are our bodies and ſoules the Temple, and our faculties and members the Chappels of the holy Ghoſt? how holy then ought wee to be in our inward and outward man? how pure in our ſoules, and cleane in our bodies? What a horrible and abominable thing were it for a man to doe any notorious villany, or commit any filthineſſe in the Church upon the Communion Table? the ſavage Gothes, and barbarous Infidels would not doe ſo wickedly. Can we poſſibly beleeve that we are the Temple of the living God, if wee bee ſo diſſolute, and impure, and profane as ſome are? Know wee not that ſo oft as wee ſweare vainly, and uſe curſes and execrations, wee profane Gods Temple? ſo oft as wee draw bloud of our brother wee pollute it? ſo oft as wee corrupt him wee deſtroy it? ſo oft as wee defile our bodies with fornication, or our ſoules with Idolatry, wee commit filthineſſe, and practiſe wickedneſſe in the Temple of God, in the preſence of God, even under his eye? Men and brethren, in this caſe what ſhall we doe? for who hath not in ſome kinde or other polluted Gods holy Temple, his ſoule and body? Lactantius giveth us the beſt counſell that may bee,dLact. de ira Dei, c. ult. Mundemus hoc Templum, Let us cleanſe and purifie this Temple which wee have defiled. You will ſay, How is this to be done? Gorrham anſwereth you out of the Law.
1 The pavement, according to the rites preſcribed by Moſes, was to be broken up, and all dead mens bones caſt out: let us in like manner breake up the ground of the heart, and caſt all dead workes out of our conſciences.
2 It was to bee ſwept all over, and waſhed: let us in like manner waſh our inward Temples with tears, and cleanſe them with hearty repentance, and godly ſorrow for our ſinnes.
3 It was to be ſprinkled with bloud: let us in like manner through faith ſprinkle our conſciences with the bloud of the Lambe.
4 It was to bee perfumed with ſweet odours and incenſe: let us in like manner perfume our inward Temple with zealous prayers, and ſighes for our ſinnes. When God ſhall ſee his Temple thus purified, his houſe thus prepared for him, hee will returne into it, and dwell in it againe, and take delight in it, and enrich it daily more and more. I will locke up the gates of this Temple with the golden Key of*Lact. l. de ira Dei, c. ult. Sit Deus in nobis, non in templo, ſed in corde conſecratus; mundemus hoc templum, quod non fumo nec pulvere, ſed malis cogitationibus ſordidatur; quod non cereis ardentibus, ſed claritate & luce ſapientiae illuminatur; in quo ſi Deum ſemper crediderimus habere praeſentem, cujus divinitati ſecreta mentis pateant, ita vivamus ut propitium ſemper habeamus, & nunquam vereamurs iratum. Lactantius: Let God bee conſecrated, or ſet up by us, not in the Temple, but in our hearts, and let us carefully cleanſe this Temple, which is ſoyled and blacked, not with ſmoake and duſt, but with impure thoughts and earthly deſires: which is not enlightned with burning tapers, but with the light and brightneſſe of wiſdome: in which if wee beleeve that God is continually preſent, to the beames of whoſe divine eyes the inmoſt Cloſets of all hearts lye open: let us ſo live that wee may ever enjoy his favour, and never feare his wrath.
Gracious Lord, who haſt placed thy Tabernacle in the midſt of us, in our hearts, conſecrate them, wee beſeech thee, for holy Temples unto thee; ſprinkle them with thy bloud, cleanſe them by thy grace, enlighten them with thy Word, ſanctifie them with thy Spirit, adorne them with thy gifts, and fill them with thy glory. O thou who dwelleſt in the higheſt heavens, come downe and viſit thy lower houſes, our bodies and ſoules, dedicated unto thee, take a lodging with us for a while in our earthly Tabernacles; and when we muſt leave them, receive thou us into thine everlaſting habitations. So be it. &c.