The Beauties of Bethel, Treatise · Question 1
Psal. 84. 10.
For a day in thy courts is better then a thousand: I had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse.
THE Prophet Dauid being through the practise and tirannie of his enemies debarred frō all accesse vntounto the publick worship & seruice of God, amongst the rest of the people of God, he maketh a mournfull and greeuous complaint of this his banishment, in the former part of this Psalme, accounting his estate in this regarde, more miserable then some of the bruite creatures themselues, which had liberty to build their nests, and lay their young neere the altars of the Lord, which benefit now he was depriued Verse. 3.of. And recounting with himselfe the condition of such persons as then enioyed those liberties & priuiledges, hee pronounceth vponupon them one blessednesse in the neck of another; yea if with much inconuenience, through Vers. 4. 5.drought and wet, which are signified by the valley of Mulberries, and the raine couering the pooles; yea with much toile and difficulty they could enioy Vers. 7. 8.such an earthly happinesse. In the second part of the Psalme, hee lifteth vp an earnest request vntounto the Lord, to turne his eare, vers. 8. and his eye vntounto him, vers 9. that so he would be pleased to draw him out of this necessitie: of which prayer this verse containeth one reason. In which consider two things; first the meaning, second the doctrines.
First by the Courts of God, and The meaning.the house of GOD, is meant all one thing: And although by the house of God is meant some-time the Church triumphant, Iohn 14. 2. In my fathers house are many mansions, that is, in heauen where the Saints enioy the presence of GOD: and some-times the Church Militant, 1. Tim. 3. 15. That thou mayest know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God, which is the Church of the liuing God. Yet here is it taken in neither of those sences, but more specially signifieth such a part of the Church militant, as where Gods people hauehave obtained liberty and freedome to worship God purely; ioyning together in the confession of their sinnes, and of their faith, in hearing the worde, receiuing the Sacraments, publicke prayers, &c. Thus Salomon calleth the Temple the house of GOD almost twentie times, in 1. Kings 8.
Thus Dauid here calleth the tabernacle, first the Courts of God, alluding to the stately courts of Kings, in which were sundry courts, and among them one for the people to assemble into, seperate from the Sanctuarie: and secondly the house of God.Exo. 29. 45
First because herein the Lord had promised to dwell among his people, euen as a man dwells in his house continually. For which cause the Arke, (a signe of his presence) was set in the Sanctuarie, which the Lord calleth by his owne name; Ioshua 4, vers. 13. Fortie thousand went before the Lord to battle against Iericho, that is before the Arke of the Lord. 2. because hee especially reueiled himselfe here, and gaue speciall testimony of his presence vntounto such as purely sought him, in ye excercises of his worship. For where can a man be either sooner or surelier found then at his owne house? hence was the place of Gods worship called the face of God, which wee are commanded to Psal. 27 8.seeke, from which Caine was cast out. Not that in such places were any false Gen 4. 14vizors or formes whereby God might bee remembred: but because his pure worship, praescribed by himselfe, and accordingly by his children performed, is that ordinance, in which his face is seene glorious, and not out of it.
In this Court of God, in this house of God, Dauid wished hee might alwayes dwell, and that neither 1. vnaduisedly, as Peter in Christs transfiguration. Maister it is good being here: let vsus make three tabernacles: but hee wist not Luk. 9. 33.what he said. Neither 2. formally or for fashion, but most affectionately: yea so ardently that the very vehemencie of his desire, conflicting with deniall of it, brought leannesse into his flesh, drynesse into his bones, and consumption into his parts; for so much the word foreign in the second verse implyeth; that he was euen wasted with the sighing & groning out these most inward desires of his soule: nor yet 3. doth he propoūd his wish in simple forme of speach, for that would not serue him to expresse more then ordinary affectiō: but as one most superlatiuely affecting aboue all other things this one; he instituteth a double comparison. The former is drawne from the consideration of the time. One day spent in these Courts of GOD, is better then a thousand elsewhere: as though he had said. It were no great difficulty for me being a King and the head of all Israell, to passe the whole terme of my life in the Pallaces of the mighty, and in aboundance of earthly pleasure; If I could (with the most of the world) account these the matters of highest honor, and truest happinesse. But might I obtaine one day, that is, neuer so little a time of the daies of my pilgrimage within thy Courts & tabernacle: where with the rest of thy people I might ioyne in ye pure worship of thy name; I would account my selfe more honorable & happy, then to spend thousands of dayes in the company of the prophane, although neuer so great. The latter comparison is drawne from consideration of the estate & condition of men: of whom some are in eminent place and dignity, some in meaner and baser degree. Dauid although he had good experience of both: yet with all his soule, hee would make exchange of all his greatnesse & glory, with a meane and contemptible outward estate; so be hee might enioy God in his ordinance with it. And therefore although he was a king, yet all that greatnesse did not so take vp his heart, neither lift it vp: but that he could be contēted, nay desirous to be a doore-keeper in the house of God, rather then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse; resoluing that he would rather hold the meanest roome in the tabernacle; then without it to possesse the highest place of the earth: for where Gods tabernacle is not, there can be nothing but tabernacles of wickednesse. It may be true here which some lerned obserue, that Dauid in mention of a doore-keeper in Gods house, had respect vntounto the Chorits, to whose custody this psalm was comitted for their incouragemēt against the contempt of lewd men: but whether he had or no, their office being to keepe the doores of the tabernacle, the truth 1. Chr. 9. 17 & cap. 26. 1is, he yt had preferred the very sparrows and swallows aboue himselfe, in this regard that they might resort to the tabernacle, & make their nests there; did much more account the Chorites far more happie then himselfe, because they by their office were tied to be euer, day & night in their courses about the tabernacle: wc priuiledge himselfe in this his flight (whether before Saul or Absolon) could not enioy. Thus the Prophet enforceth his request and petition vntounto God: that therefore he would please to vouchsafe him a comfortable returne vntounto the holy exercises of religion, that he might pertake in the publick duties thereof with his people: because hee accounteth this blessing the greatest happines vpō earth, yea next to heauen it selfe, although 1. neuer so little a while. 2. in neuer so meane a condition. So much of the meaning: the instructions follow. It is a note Doctr. 1.of a good heart, to account the wante of the word and ministery, the greatest The want of the word most lamentable of al wants.want and heuiest burthen of al other. Dauid for such affections was called a man after Gods owne hart: so earnest and so frequēt they were with him: in Psal. 27. 4. he was in many wants, was driuen from house and home, yea destitute of all earthly comforts: yet he felt none of thē in comparrison, neither wished the supply of any of them: But one thing he wanted, which he desired of the Lord, euen that hee might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his life, to behold the beauty of the Lord & to visit his temple. And this was not so peculiar vntounto this man of God; but that it is cōmon also with other ye Saints of God. Ieremy bewailing ye estate of the Iewes in captiuity, Lamen. 1. 4.beginneth his lamentatiō there where was greatest matter of mourning. The waies of Sion lament because no man commeth to the solemne feastes, all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh: Infinite were the ruths which were vppon the citty besides, in al that eighteen monthes while the siege continued, as plague; famine, in which the pittifull women were glad to seeth and eat their fruite, and children of a span long: and Josephus. antiq. Iud. lib. decimo. cap. decimo.wherin those that were arraied in scarlet were glad to imbrace the dung: much more lamentable was that blood-shed when Ierusalem was taken, the Kinges son slaine before his face; yea the King him-selfe taken, his eies put out, his Ier. 52. 6. 11. 13.feet put in fetters, and him-selfe carried to Babel. Infinite and vnspeakable was the losse both of the Cittie & Temple, when both of them were burnt downe, almost to the ground: and yet the Prophet conceiuing of these as farre lesser euils, mentioneth none of them, vntill he hath groned out most pittifull complaints, for that the worship of GOD was ceased among his people, and that which was a place of Gods presence, & delight; was now become a den of heathenish Idolatry. The like wee see in Dan. 9. 1. 2. 16.Daniel, who when by reading in books he vnderstood that the terme of this captiuity was accomplished: he turned his face vntounto the Lord, and sought by prayer, and supplication with fasting, & sack-cloth and ashes; that the Lord would turne away his anger, and wrath from the Citty of Ierusalem, and in that long prayer hee intreateth not, that he with his people might bee returned into their former possessions and inioy their houses, landes, orchards, vineyards and commodities: but the greatest losse of all seemed to eat vp all the remembrance of these, euen the fayling of Gods publike worship amongst them; this was wholy in his eie, and this took vp all his requests. He prayeth indeed for the Cittie Ierusalem: But because it was Gods holy mountaine Vers, 16. and because it was the Cittie where-vponupon his name was called. Vers. 18. 19. yea herein he could neither contain, nor yet scarce expresse his seruency, but with strong cryes intreated the Lord, for the Lords sake, that is, for his Christ sake, he would cause his face to shine vppon his sanctuary which then lay waste: and this may be obserued not onelyonly in the Prophets of the Lord, but also in the Lords people, who, how-soeuer before their captiuities it was hard to say whether they more despised Gods holy ordinances, or imbraced their outward profits; yet in their afflictions & wandrings in strange countries, the Lord taught them this wisdom: that they looked not so much to their land and country as to Psal. 137. 1. 5. 9.the Temple, to Ierusalem, to Sion.
Now who can deny that those are good hearts which are thus disposed, Why a good heart so esteemeth it.for 1. they are such as highly prize, and worthyly esteem these ordinances of God, as the holy meanes to beget and confirm faith in the soules of beleeuers, yea the meanes whereby ordinarily the fellowship of the Saints with God, and their mutuall Communion one with an other is heere begun in the Kingdome of grace, and shall be perfected in the Kingdome of glory. 2. they are such as see the necessity of Gods ordinances in the Ministry: in the want of we, people must needs perish; as such as want both ye rule and guide to direct & lead them vntounto true felicity. 3. They are such as hauehave tasted (in som measure) how sweet ye Lord is in these ordināces; or els could they neuer thirst after the liuing God: they hauehave met with God in Sion who hath enlightned their minds, perswaded their harts; cōforted their consciences; furnished thē with coat-armor of proof, against satans subtilties and batteries, fortified them against their owne weaknesses, supplyed them with preseruatiues against the poison of euill example, which as a corrupt ayer infecteth not a few: beutified them with the graces of faith, hope, louelove, humilitie, patience, sobriety and the rest, clothed thē with the righteousnes of Christ whom their faith hath clasped and wil not let go, in comparison of whom al gain is losse, and al abundance meer necessity and beggery.
This doctrine serueth to reproue a nū ber Vse. 1. Vndervaluers of the word reproued.of men who account of the word and the ministry of it so meanly, as the things which they can be best without: and therfore where God in mercy hath vouchsafed them, many esteem of them as a sixt fingar, a superfluity, a burden: & speake of them as the vnthankful Israelites of Mannah: we see nothing but this Mannah there is too much preaching, and what should so much of it do? And againe where God in iudgement hath denied this blessing of a faithful Ministery vntounto a people, it is neuer asked after: but in many ignorant townes and parishes, scarce shal we heare of a man that stirres vp himselfe to seeke after God. In the want of neuer so base an outward commodity, men can complaine, yea and lay their counsels and purses together, to get their want supplied in season. Hence is it that men are much in such complaints. Oh we want such a commoditie in our country, such a benefit in our parish, such a necessary in our houses, and will be diligent with much money to redeeme it! but neuer a word of the want of instruction, of the want of a painfull teacher, of the want of the knowledge of God, of the want of the practise of piety either in the parish, or in the familie. Which argueth the fleshlinesse of mens hearts, which in their desires can soare no higher then earth and things below. A pitifull thing it is that in the dayes of such grace, a man may ride so many miles together, and behold so many people as sheepe dispersed without faithfull shepheards, to bring them into the folde of Christ, or as so many goodly fields ready and white vntounto the haruest, and yet scarce any labourer to inn them, and bring them into the barne of Christ: of whom a mā may say, to the sorrow of his soule, as Christ of Ierusalem, yt the things of their peace are hid from their eies: & further many who are not without all knowledge nor the means, but take themselues to hauehave better part in Christ then the former, may here finde the vnsoundnesse of their soules: for many reputed christians because they are not only within the visible church, but pertak also in al the outward exercises of religiō, hear the word read, preached, receiue the sacraments, contēt themselues in these works done, without any great inward affection to any of them: men they are of great indifferency; if they be vnderunder the ministery, they see good reason to submit their outward man vntounto it, & to giuegive it now and then some good words, and vponupon occasion a meals meat: if it were absent they could also vppon short warning frame themselues to indifferency, & carry the matter without much impatiēce: wc if euer they had intertained in such affection as they that hauehave tasted the sweetnes of God in it; they would wish to want the aire to breath in as soon as these sweet meanes no lesse necessary to a comfortable christian life then the aire to a natural.
To such men therfore I say, that lette Vse. 1.them make what profession they wil; let them reioice in the peace and liberty of the church: if in the church inioying the word and exercises of religion thou prizest any thing in the world aboue them in thy affection; yea if any thing be so sweet vntounto thy taste as these bee; thou now by vnderunder-valuing these vnvaluable priuiledges of Gods people declarest thy selfe (for all thy profession) to bee no better then cockle in the field, or chaffe on the floore of Christ. And againe if in the want of these holy ordinances of GOD; thou esteemest not (with Dauid) that the greatest want is vppon thee that can befall thee; thou art but an vnsound member; yea rotten at the coare of thy heart.
This doctrine teacheth further yt it is a iust cause of mourning when the word Vse. 2. Lament the want of the word abroad.& Ministery either decay amongst any people or are interrupted, for this bringeth the greatest want that any people can be exposed vntounto: the dissoluing of the ministrie is the peoples decay, Prou. 29 18. Where vision faileth, people perish. Hosee. 4. 6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Can there by any greater losse then the losse of a mans soule? or can there bee a greater want then for a man to be starued to death? or if this losse, this want, be brought vponupon any man, can any recompence bee made vntounto such a party answerable vntounto either? what a griefe then should it bee to a godly heart to see whole townes lye vnderunder that curse of God, Amos 8. 11. euen vnderunder a famine, not of bread and water, but of hearing the word of the Lord? for although religion and exercises of it bee safe in the places where wee dwell, yet if the absence of it else-where greeue vsus not, we lay not to heart the distresses of Gods people as we ought, our bowels are too ayery, wee are too priuatly minded, and further if we heare or see any faithfull ministrie interrupted, wee must lament that the free passage of the Gospell is hindered: that that meanes wherein the Lord conueyeth all his goodnesse into faithfull soules is taken away, and so a doore opened to all iniquitie: yea a flood-gate vntounto all impiety. If any mans outward estate were broken, his wealth by force and violence snatched out of his hands, here would be sence and sorrow (more then inough) for the losse: shall then thy inward state be crackt? the liberties of the ministerie, and of the assemblies be infringed? the sanctuarie of God desolate? the exercise of pure religion together with Gods worship be hindred or abolished, and all this cause no sorrow, nor set any griefe to thy heart? Is this such a dispositiō as becommeth him who professeth himselfe to be the Lords? no surely: for such (as they hauehave cause) fill their mouthes with complaints of the desolations of Sion. Psal. 79. 1. 10 & 74. 1. 2. 6.A iust cause of sorrow was it to Dauid, when he saw the enemie lift vp axes, and hammers to breake downe the carued worke of the Sanctuarie. As iust a cause when such a man as Ioseph shall be euill intreated, who hath beene a meanes to releeue a whole towne in the time of famine. If at any time by their or such other meanes Sion shall sit in the dust; the childen of the Church must shew their compassion in their mothers miserie, weeping when shee weepeth, and no more bee able to reioyce in her sorrow, then the Iewes could compose themselues to sing Hebrew songs in Psal. 137.Babilon, when they remembred Sion.
Eli a good old man (notwithstanding his weaknesse towards his sonnes) when the Arke was carried to the battaile against the Philistines, it is said his heart feared for the Arke of God, (1. Sam. 4. 13.) and when tidings came that the battaile went against Israell, that Hophni & Phineas his sonnes were slaine and the Arke taken: it is sayd when he heard of the Arke he fell from his seate and brake his neck: it was not the sorrow for his sonnes, but for the Arke that brake his heart, that it failed him. Hee had likewise a good daughter in law Phineas his wife, who when she heard of all these tidings, the text noteth also of her, that it was not the death of her father, her brother, nor her owne husband all at once, yt so went to her heart: but this was it which her minde and tongue ranne vponupon, and made her refuse all comfort; because the Arke of God was taken, and the glory was departed frō Israel. vers. 21.
The like is worthy noting in that faithfull Captaine Vriah, who when he was called and commanded by Dauid to goe home and eate and drinke and company with his wife, hee vtterly refused, because the Arke, and Israell and Iudah were in tents, and his Lord Ioab and his seruants in the open fields: and therefore hee could take no delight in any thing at home, because it was not well with the Arke and Israell abroad. 2. Sam. 11. 11. Euen so should wee neuer thinke our selues well, when it is not well with the Church, nor when the Gospell runneth not with free passage: which consideration should abate much of our present carnall reioysing in, as it did in worthy Vriah.
Daniel was well enough, highly in fauour with the King, had libertie of conscience euen in that Idolatrous kingdome, to worship the GOD of Israel purely, he was in no bondage nor affliction: but yet so long as GODS people were in calamitie Gods temple in desolation, Gods worship in contempt, he could not but sorrow, fast and pray in their behalfe. The like wee read recorded of that faithfull captaine Nehemiah, he was a great man in the Court of King Artaxerxes, in an office very honorable and neere the Kings person, for he was his Cup-bearer; yet when enquiring of his people, he found they were in great misery and reproche, and that the wall of Ierusalem was broken downe, and the gates of it burned with fire, his zeale stirred vp exceeding sorrow, euen such as hee could not hide, but that the King (before whom no mournefull spectacle might come) did read the deepe sorrow of his heart in his countenance: his owne aduancement and honour could not comfort him, so long as hee saw God dishonored abroad, the Citie dedicated to his name, now defaced by Heathen Princes: that religion which by himselfe was prescribed to serue him by, now decayed, and that people which was his owne peculiar, now to become seruants to strange Lords. Nehem. 13. wherein wee read our owne lesson, that our selues enioying the pretious libertie of our assemblies, we ought to pitty the distresse of our countrymen, who sit still in the shadow of death, & by our prayers and best meanes, to releeue them, groning out the desires of our hearts, and that all Israell, euen in our owne country, might be saued.
Thirdly, if the want of the word, and exercises of it, be the greatest want of 3. Vse.all other: then such as hauehave it must be wise hearted to make precious account of it: and while they enioy it, store Make much of the ministerie setled.them-selues with such necessaries as shall after-wards besteed them. Men are not so carelesse as to forget or fore-slack their markets vponupon the market day: neither neede many spurres to reserue some-thing (as wee say) against a rainie day.
Why then doe not such as professe themselues the children of wisdome, fore-cast and prouidently fore-see their future necessities? especially seeing this ouer-sight will cost them so many teares, so much sorrow as their spirits shall scarce bee able to sustaine them. How is it that we hauehave not the wisdom of men in vsus ▪ to say within our selues, a rainie day may be vponupon vsus or euer we be aware: it may be the sorrows of our mother the Church are not farre of: perhaps a famine of the word; a want of the ministerie; a black darknesse like that of Aegipt is neerer vsus then we thinke off. For we hauehave seene as bright gleames as ours ouer-cast: yea as cleare sunnes of the Church set and fallen in the firmament, as that in the light of which wee now walke: witnesse the Churches of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, the seauen Churches in lesser Asia, all which were farre afore vsus in the Gospell: but now vnderunder the Turke and Pope are sunke to hell, in the profession of Mahometisme and Anti-christianisme: yea of golden Candle-stickes which once held out the glorious Gospell and word of truth, are become the very cells and dennes of diuells. Or if the Lord for his owne name and truths sake, forbeare the remoouing of our Candle-sticke, yet the sorrowes of mine owne soule may come vponupon mee, as the trauell of a woman: the Lord may let loose, and set my sinnes in order before mee to the breaking of my heart; and vexe mee with fearefull visions: or else sicknesse may assaile mee, and bring mee downe to the gates of death; my owne deaths day, and consequently my iudgement day is at doore, and cannot bee farre off. Let now eueryevery Christian well bethinke himselfe, whether in any of these straites hee shall not need oyle in his lampe: whether hee shall hauehave no vse of faith, of direction, of comfort, of patience, of sence of Gods louelove, of assurance of pardon of his sinne, of strength against such temptations, as hee (perhaps) neuer buckled withall before. I assure thee that which thy owne experience shall at that time become thy mistresse in: that whensoeuer the Lord shall begirt thee, and lead thee into any of these conditions; if the word bee not thy comfort, thou art sure to perish in thy trouble; and that all thy life had beene time little enough, to hauehave furnished thy selfe against that day, yea if thou hadst begun to bee heauenly couetous, when thou beganst first to breath.
Wouldest thou then be armed against sinne, superstition, heresie, popery in thy life time; and close vp thine eyes in that holy religion of GOD which thou hast learned, and beene brought vp in: yea if times and religion should alter? Wouldest thou not in the day of thy sorrow be found vnfurnished, and nakedly layde open to all terrors of conscience, accusations of sinne, and temptations of Sathan? Wouldest thou not bee giuen vp to impatience, to a sence of Gods wrath, to shutte vp thy dayes in an horrible apprehension of an hell in thy soule afore-hand? Oh then now while God offereth his grace in the ministerie of the word, acknowledge the acceptable time and day of saluation: laye holde vponupon wisdome while shee calleth; giuegive her answer while shee yet knocketh; open the doore of thy heart, to giuegive the best enterteinment thou canst to this deare Daughter of GOD: Store thy soule with knowledge; but especially with faith and good conscience.
Make roome in the house of thy hart by remouing all the trash in it, such as is infidelity, impenitency, earthlynesse, voluptuousnes and whatsoeuer sauoureth of the flesh: then lay vp in it prouision for thy necessity; that it may become a little granary, or treasury to which thou maist alwaies resort, when either the publike meanes may faile thee, or thou maist bee debarred from them. Be dilligent in gathering this Mannah while the sixe dayes last, before that day come wherein though thou seekest it, yet shalt not finde it. In these seauen yeares of plenty, lay vp (like a prouident Ioseph) for thy selfe corne for the seauen yeares of famine: wherein seauen leane kine shal eat vp the seauen fatte kine, and bee neuer the fatter. Passe not thy Summer singing with the foolish Grashopper, but with the Emmet prepare thy Winters store. When Agabus prophesied Pro 30. 25.of a famine, Act. 11, 28. the bretheren were carefull to prouide against it: so thou now hearing that a time of dearth will come, in which thou shalt stand in need of great store of grace; get thee a stocke before hand to spend vponupon; least when the time ouertaketh thee vnprouided, Store thy selfe while thou hast the word.thou begin to late to houle and say: O the time was when I had the Word, the Sacraments, the Ministry, whereby I might hauehave not meanely inriched my selfe, and hauehave bene able to hauehave bene helpful to others, rather then my selfe to be vtterly destitute of prouision in such times as this is: and this is my griefe, I had warning that these daies of straightnesse would come vppon me. Alas that euer I should so hauehave lost my time, that euer I should hauehave refused wholesome counsell: oh that I might once more inioy the meanes againe! Oh for one day in the courts of Gods house! I would neuer neglect so great saluation.
And herein the folly of our nature bewrayeth it selfe that we are wiser in the want, then in the fruition of good things; and that we cannot so rightly prize a present benefite, as sighe after it when wee hauehave negligently depriued our selues of it.
Caine cared not for the worship of The folly of such as slip their oportunity herein.God all the while he was in his fathers familie, till hee was cast out of it; and then too late he cryed out, that he was cast out from the face of God. Esau contemned his birth-right and blessing till it was bestowed, and then could seeke it with teares when it was too late. Saul forceth not of Samuels prayers for him till the Lord was departed and had cast him off. The Prodigal son careth not for the dainties of his fathers house, till he was driuen to feed among Swine; and then he can desire to bee among his fathers herd-men. The prophane of the world take daies with the Lord: If they can be at leysure to heare him another time with Festus, so it is, but for the present they cannot intend it. Many Professors wil not foule their dainty feete now for the word; who I doubt not would afterward seeke the blessing (if God should once deny it) & yt with tears: the case being ye same with vsus as somtimes it was with Israel when Number. 14. 40.they had with GODS Commandement all the incouragements which Moyses could vse to speed them forward vntounto Canaan; they would not go, but back again into Egipt in al the hast: the text saith they refused ye land, v. 21. But when once sentence was past, that they should neuer see yt good land. Thē they rose vp early in the morning, & were ready to go to the place which the Lord had promised: now was there no stay with thē: neither ye Lords reuealed wil, nor Moyses perswasion could so pale them in or preuaile with them, but that they presumed obstinatly to go forward. The same people before the captiuity, had the Temple, the Arke, the Sacrifices, the Oracles, they cared not greatly for them; it seemes the times were much like ours wherein to call men to the house of God, to speake of Pastors, preaching, Scriptures and holy exercises is to glut and surfet men, and so driue them from the louelove of all: but the time commeth on, that the Lord requireth this contempt wc they dearly buy, hee casteth them among Idolaters, and Scoffers, by which humiliation Psal. 137. 1.he bringeth backe things past to their remembrance. By the riuers of Babel we sat and wept in remembrance of Sion. What Sion? their cheekes were dry ynough before: but now in Babell they can weepe, now away with musicke, now can the harpes hang vppon their willow trees without a finger to touch them; neither their sweet melody of instruments, nor their pleasant walks, nor their christall riuers can affect them with ioy, seeing they were now banished and excommunicate from the publike exercises of religion before the Lord at Sion. And it were to be wished Vers. 44.that euen such as belong to the Lord did not vnderprize such gratious pledges of Gods presence in the presence and plentifull fruition of them; who yet can with sighs mourne after them, being withdrawne from their eyes, no otherwise then when all Israel lamented after the Lord when the Arke was in Kiriath-iearim, 1. Sam. 7. 2.
The Lord Iesus woing his Church most louingly intreateth entrance into her. Open vntounto mee my well beloued for my head is full of dew, &c. Oh no shee hath putte of her caules, shee will not disease her selfe so farre as to put them on; shee hath waesht her feete, and meaneth not to foule them: while shee may hauehave Christ at the threshold she giues her selfe leaue to sleepe a little Cant. 5. 2. 3.longer, & in her sleep she slips that most sweete oportunity: Christ leaues her to her ease which might not be dislodged: but shortly after her soule awaking, and shee bethinking her selfe of her vnkind answer, steps to the doore to let him in; but he is gone in displeasure; now her heart is gone with him and smiteth her more then before; she seekes him, but finds him not; calleth him, but receiueth no answer: he is too neere to be let in and receiued while hee is at the doore; and therefore shee must trudge vp and downe after him, with much labour, & more greefe, inquyring of eueryevery one she meeteth, whether they hauehave met with him whom her soule loueth or no. By which example seeing that too much of this folly is boūd vp in the harts of the best of vsus; let vsus striue to become more wise-harted in intertaining our priuiledges whilst they be offerd.
The Centurion could say when Christ was dead; this was the son of God, hee should hauehave said so when he was aliue. Let vsus acknowledge Christ while he is present, & reioice in Gods face, in the assemblies, in the ministry, least whē our vnthankfulnes hath fortified them, wee lament the losse when it cannot be supplied: & this is the rather to be thus vrged Ier. 7. 13.and beaten vponupon; because it is with many a mā, as it was with the people of Act. 20. 24.Ephesus: whē Paul was taking his leaue of the Elders of Ephesus, he told them that he knew they should see his face no more: thē they wept abundantly, but especially were sorry at these words, that they should see his face no more, euen so a number of men are neuer sorry nor weepe, are without al affections to the Ministry & Ministers, til they be taking their leaue and say they shall see their face no more; and then they wish that they had taken more good by their presence; and then if occasion were offred again they would be more careful, and not forslow such oportunities: these consideratiōs are so much ye more seasonable to you the present hearers, yt now at the first entrance of this blessing you may lay hold of it, so as your increase in the end may be much more abundant.
The second point of instruction out of the word, is this: that it is a note of a Doctr. 2.good man more to reioice in the prosperity of the Church and the holy exercises of A good heart reioiceth in the prosperity of the Church & Ministery.the ministry, then in al the delights among the sonnes of men besides. For who can condemne in this holy man of God such an holy desire as this is? Nay who can deny but that our affections & wishes ought to be in some measure sutable vntounto his? And therefore that it is our part with him, to prefer the reioycing and comfort of one day within the Church, aboue a thousand elsewhere, not excepting the Pallaces of Princes: yea and that wee might bee so happy in the fruition of this desire, to choose a very meane estate with it, rather then the most glorious condition of the earth without it.
But what moued the prophet Dauid, Ques.or what did he see or find in this assembly, or in the Ministery that could so rauish and affect him? For men of common eies cannot see any such extraordinary thing in them so violently to draw them; it may seem there was some secret force, which drew out such affectionate desires in him.
It was indeed a secret force of the spirit of GOD, from whom such setled Ans.and sanctified desires can only proceed: and yet wee may not conceiue such to bee immediate motions, and vngrounded flashes, but such as the Spirit raizeth by meanes: Both first causing the beauty of GODS house to appeare bright to their eyes: and second, reuealing to them the priuiledges which Gods people there partake, and cannot againe meete with them in any society besides.
The former appeareth, Psalm, 27. 4. One thing I desired of the Lord, and I will desire it, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life.
But what mooued Dauid thus to wish this one thing? That I might see the beauty of thine house: and although the beautie of the Sanctuary so farre forth as it was externall, in regard of the matter, of the forme, of the whole ordination of it: yea and all the vtensils euen to the very pinnes of it, which all were of the Lords owne inuention & institution, and might therefore hauehave drawne carnall mindes vntounto it (as at this day the sensible and plausible splendor and beauty of the Church of Rome doth many superstitious people) yet was neuer any good and sincere heart (such as Dauids was) satisfied with externall things in Gods worship: well knowing that as God is a spirit; so nothing is there pleasing vntounto him which is not spiritual: there are therfore other beauties which the stranger entreth not into ye beholding of; yea such as cānot be beheld but with eyes as cleare as christall.
Quest. What are the beauties you speake of? Answ. They may be reduced Beauties of the house of God.vntounto these two heads: They are seene partly in respect of the parties present: and partly in the things performed in such holy assemblies.