The Saints Sacrifice, Section 119
§. 119. Of delighting in Gods houſe.
IIII. *§. 115:OƲr delight must be in Gods Church. It was uſuall with the Prophets familiarly with much delight to direct their ſpeeches to Ieruſalem, and to Zion as types of Gods Church, after this manner, aPſal. 122. 2.Our feet ſhall ſtand within thy gates, O Ieruſalem: b—9.I will ſeeke thy good. c—137. 5, 6:If I forget thee O Ieruſalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth: If I preferre not Ieruſalem above my chiefe joy. Then eſpecially did they cheerefully manifeſt their mind to her, when they had good tidings to tell her, thus, dIſa. 52. 1.Awake, awake, put on thy ſtrength, O Zion: put on thy beautifull garments O Ieruſalem, the holy city, &c. eZac. 9. 9.Rejoyce greatly, O daughter Zion, ſhout O daughter of Ieruſalem: behold thy King commeth unto thee, &c. In her miſery they could not refraine teares: for thus they ſay, fPſal. 137. 1.We wept when we remembred Zion. gLam. 2. 11.Mine eyes do faile with teares, my bowels are troubled, my liver is powred upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. This compaſſion in miſery is a great evidence of much love and delight: whereupon it is ſaid, hPſal. 102. 14.Thy ſervants take pleaſure in her ſtones, and favour the dust thereof. Yet a greater evidence thereof are the many paſſionate words which are uſed in reference to her, as i—26. 8.love of her, k—27. 4.deſiring and l—84. …:longing after her, m—ibid:fainting for her, n—106. 5.rejoycing and glorying in her.
All things that may work true delight are in the Church. Therfore the Holy Ghoſt hath ſet her forth by moſt amiable titles and ornaments, as oPſal. 45. 9, 13Queene, Kings daughter, pIer. 31. 4.Virgin, qRev. 21. 2.Bride adorned for her husband, rCant. 4 8.Spouſe, ſRev. 19. 8.Wife, tCant. 1. 8.Faireſt of women, uPſal. 45. 13. Intrinſecus ſui viri dignitate ornata eſt Eccleſia: Aug. adverſ. Iud. l. 1. c. 22.All glorious within, her clothing alſo of wrought gold. Within the Church is adorned with the dignity of her husband.
In the Temple which was a type of the Church, typically were prefigured ſuch things as are of force to draw a mans mind, and heart thereunto.
Prerogatives of the Church typified in the Temple.1 God did there in a moſt gracious manner repreſent himſelfe ſitting on a aExo. 25. 22.mercy-ſeat. So as in the Church is bHeb 4. 16.a throne of grace whereunto we may go boldly, that we may obtaine mercy, and find grace to helpe in time of need.
2 VnderUnder this mercy-ſeat was an bExo. 25. 21.Arke, which, being a kind of cheſt, prefigured that in the Church are all Gods treaſures to be had. Chriſt is this Arke. cCol 2. 3.In him are hid all Gods treaſures.
3 There was an High-Priest, who appeared before that mercy-ſeat, dExo. 28. 29.to beare the names of the children of Iſrael for a memoriall before the Lord continually, and eLev. 16. 17.to make an attonement for all the Congregation of Iſrael. Chriſt Ieſus is that true High-Prieſt, who continually fHeb 9. 24.appeareth in the preſence of God for us: and g1 Ioh. 2. ….is the true propitiation for our ſinnes.
4 There was an hExo. 38. 1, &c.altar for all manner of offerings; and i—30. 1, &c.for ſweet incenſe: prefiguring that God who accepteth the ſacrifice of his Sonne for our ſinnes, accepteth our freewill offerings, and by the ſweet ſavour of the incenſe of Chriſts interceſſion, is well pleaſed therewith.
5 There was a kExo. 25. 23.table to prefigure an holy communion lLuk. 22. 30.betwixt the Lord and his people.
6 There were mExo. 25. 37.lights, n—30.bread, o—30. 18, &c.water, to ſhew that in the Church there are meanes to enlighten us, to feed us, to cleanſe us, and to do all things requiſite for us.
7 pExo. 26.Out of the outward court there was paſſege into the holy place, and c…t of it into the Sanctum Sanctorum the most holy place, to ſhew that firſt we muſt be in the Church in the number of thoſe who profeſſe the true Religion, ſo may we come by the grace of effectuall calling to be Priests unto God, and having ſerved our time to enter into the true heavenly holy place.
Non ſufficit dicere, locus habitationis Dei▪ ſed locus habitationis gloria Dei. Aug. Enar. in Pſal. 25.Not without cauſe therefore doth the Pſalmiſt ſtile the Church (Pſal. 26. 8.) The place where Gods honour dwelleth. He thought it not enough to ſay, The place where God dwelleth, but where his honour dwelleth, which maketh much to the glory of the Church.
Doe not theſe things make the Church worthy to bee ſought after to be loved, to be delighted in? Many, many more are the prerogatives thereof which make it moſt amiable; but theſe may be ſufficient to ſuch as are not of a Stoicall diſpoſition, very blockes, ſenſible of no delightſome object.
The affection of our Prophet towards Ieruſalem, the Church of God, is even for imitation worthy of all due obſervation: that our hearts alſo may be ſo enamoured with her, as not to think or ſpeake of her, but with delight.
For this purpoſe two points ſhall briefly be declared.
1 How ſuch a delight may be wrought.
2 How it may be manifeſted.
To worke it,
How delight in the Church may bee wrought.I Be well inſtructed in thoſe priviledges and prerogatives which make the Church worthy to be delighted in. Thus will thy delight be more ſolid and ſtable.
2 Oft meditate thereon, ſo will thy delight be the more inflamed: Serious meditation on that which works affection, is as bellowes to a fire, it enkindles it, and makes it flame out.
3 With-draw thy heart from other contrary objects which worke a corrupt delight therein. As the heart of him that is ſet on ſtrange women, will thereby be alienated from his wife: So delight in the world and the vanities thereof will dimme, yea cleane put out our delight in the Church.
Evidences of delight in the Church.II. To manifeſt thy delight in the Church,
1 Be aPſal. 122▪ 2.a member of that bleſſed communion.
2 Be b—1.a companion of the other members thereof.
3 c—5.Let her praiſes be ever in thy mouth.
4 d—6.Pray for her peace.
5 e—9:Seeke her good.
6 fAct. …. 8.Rejoyce in her proſperity.
7 gPſal. 137. 1.Mourne for her miſery.