The Saints Sacrifice, Section 117
§. 117. Of Gods houſes.
II. *§. 115.PLaces ſet apart for Gods worſhip are Gods houſes. More then five hundred times is this title houſe of God, or houſe of the Lord, in holy Scripture attributed to places deputed unto divine ſervice. And becauſe worſhip is done to God, not onelyonly in materiall Temples, but alſo in the communion of Saints, yea and in the bodies and ſoules of particular Chriſtians, they alſo are called aHeb. 10 21.—3. 6. Gods ſpeciall preſence in places where he is worſhipped.Gods houſes.
1 Though the Lord in his infinite eſſence be every where preſent, bIer. 23. 23, 24.filling heaven and earth: and have cPro. 15. 3.the eyes of his providence in every place beholding the evill and the good: yet d1 King. 9. 3. Mat. 18. 20.the ſpeciall preſence of his grace and favour abideth in the places where he is truly and and duly worſhipped. Theſe places therefore are to him as Kings palaces and houſes: which moſt properly they account their owne.God provides for the places of his worſhip
2 Gods greateſt care is over theſe places. He bringeth light into them by his word: he beautifieth them by his ordinances: he continually repaireth them, and keepeth them from ruine by holy diſcipline. In them are the treaſures of his graces. Orders, Offices, All needfull proviſion, The bread of life, The wine of ſpirituall conſolation and other like bleſſings of an houſe are there. There God dines and ſuppes with his people. All things fit for an houſe are there; which, whoſoever obſerveth, cannot but ſay of ſuch a place, it is the houſe of God.
3 God is very jealous over ſuch places. He cannot endure to have them defiled, profaned. It was one cauſe of the 2 Chro 36▪ 14. Admiration at Gods houſes on earth. Pſal. 81. 1, &c.Iewes captivity, that they polluted the houſe of the Lord.
O how enamoured ſhould we be with ſuch places! If we be where we cannot come to them, nor joyne with Gods Saints in worſhipping the Lord, how ſhould it grieve us? No place in the world, were it every way as faire, as fertile, as pleaſant, as profitable in all earthly commodities, as Eden, or Paradiſe was, ſhould give us content, if Gods Quidni moxtium mons ubi tam m…l iplex omnium delectabilium copio, ubi copiarum omnium plenitudo? Erit enim mons pacis, mons gau dij, mons vitae, mons gloriae, &c. Ber. Serm. de verb. Pſal. 23houſe be not there: if no place be there for Saints to aſſemble together to worſhip God. In nothing is any part of the earth made more like to heaven, then in having Gods houſe ſcituate on it. The Prophet fore-told that the mountaine of the Lords houſe ſhould be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountaines, and exalted above the hils. Why ſhould it not be accounted the hill of hils, where there is ſuch plenty of all delectable things: where there is ſuch a plenitude of plenty? It is an hill of peace, an hill of joy, and hill of life, an hill of glory. We count cities and townes that have Kings and Noblemens houſes in them, happy, by reaſon of the great proviſion, and all manner of commodities that are brought to them. Much more happy may we account thoſe cities and townes where are many houſes of God: if indeed they be true houſes of God. Externall buildings made with ſtone or bricke, timber, lead, iron, and other ſuch materialls, though never ſo pompous and glorious without and within, can not juſtly be accounted Gods houſes, if Gods people aſſemble not in them to worſhip God, if Gods ordinances be not there duly obſerved, if there be no prayers made to God, no Word of God preached, no Sacraments adminiſtred, no divine diſcipline exerciſed in them. But where theſe are, there are Gods houſes. And happy are the places where Gods houſes are.
Exhortation to dwell where Gods houſe is.Ye that deſire to dwell in cities or townes, be ſure that Gods houſes be in thoſe cities or townes. What are beſt ordered companies without the communion of Saints? What the beſt merchandizes without ſuch as are brought from the celeſtiall Canaan? What all ſort of wares without ſuch as the wiſdome of God ſetteth out?
And ye that deſire to have your houſes ſtand by themſelves in the open aire, bee ſure that an houſe of God be ſo neare them, as on all occaſions ye may reſort to them. What is the ſweeteſt aire without the breath of Gods Spirit? What the moſt fertile ſoile without the fruitfull word of God? What the cleareſt ſprings and brooks without the current of grace? What the beſt growne woods without Gods plants? What the moſt melodious ſinging of birds without Saints ſinging hymnes and ſpirituall ſongs, making melody to the Lord in their hearts? What all country or city commodities without divine ordinances? But in Gods houſes (rightly and juſtly ſo called) are all theſe to be had. There is a kind of fatneſſe of Gods houſe, that is a fulneſſe and ſweetneſſe, whereby all that duly frequent the ſame, ſhalbe ſatisfied. Be therefore, if poſſibly ye can, where Gods houſe Pſal. 36. 8. Pſal. 84. 4.is. Bleſſed are they that dwell there. The Pſalmiſt in a rhetoricall amplification of this point ſeemeth to envy the ſparrowes and ſwallowes which rooſted and built their neſts about —3▪the houſe of God whereunto he could not come, though his ſoule longed and even fainted for it.—2:
Direction to ſuch as enjoy a free liberty of Gods houſe.Finally, ye that have that favour and honour to dwell where Gods houſe is, eſteeme it as a great favour and high honour: and teſtifie as much by your anſwerable cariage.
1 Frequent Gods houſe on all occaſions. The Chriſtians of the purer primitive times of the Church, continued daily Act. 2. 46.with one accord in the Temple. This one thing did the Man Pſal. 27. 4.after Gods owne heart deſire, and profeſſeth more and more to ſeeke after it, even to dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the daies of his life: that is, as an inhabitant to have recourſe unto it on all occaſions. For, ſaith he to the Lord, I have Pſal. 26. 8.loved the habitation of thy houſe, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
Eccl. 5. 1.2 Keepe thy foot when thou goest to the houſe of God: that is, keepe thine heart, which is to thy ſoule as thy foot to thy body, to carie it this way and that way. Go therfore to Gods houſe with a well prepared heart. There is he preſent, who ſearcheth and trieth the heart.
3 At the very entring into Gods houſe, let an holy trembling and awfull feare poſſeſſe thy ſoule. The great God, the Gen 28. 16, 17King of glory is there. When Iacob by a divine viſion, which was ſhewed him in a place where he ſlept, perceived that the Lord was in that place, hee was afraid and ſaid, How dreadfull is this place? This is none other but the houſe of God.
4 When thou art there, keepe thy thoughts from wandring. Let not thy ſoule be fixed on any other thing then on God, and his holy ordinances which thou performeſt, leaſt Iſa. 29 13thou be reckoned in the number of them, Who draw neare to God with their mouth, and with their lips do honour him, but have removed their heart farre from him: and ſo thy ſervice be rejected of God.
Ioh. 2▪ 14, &c5 Prophane not Gods houſe with Merchandizes, for which Chriſts indignation was ſo incenſed againſt the Iewes in his time, as with a ſcourge he drave them out. Prophane it not with worldly communications, or actions: much leſſe with any impious or unrighteous words or deeds.
6 Pervert not Gods houſe by making it a pretext for any impiety or iniquity. As if having Gods houſe by thee, thou ſhouldeſt thereby be juſtified, or bolſtered up againſt evill. Ier. 7. 9, 10.Will ye ſteale, commit adultery, ſweare falſly, and walke after other gods, and come ſtand before me in this houſe (ſaith the Lord) which is called by my name, and ſay, we are delivered to do all theſe abominations?