The Beauties of Bethel, Treatise · Answer 1 – Question 2
The persons present; are, first; GOD 1 the presence of God.himselfe: whence such places are called Bethells, as Dauid here thy house: thy courts: and are no other then the presence chambers of this euerlasting King of glory. Here he sitteth in a chaire of Estate, as formerly he sate between the Cherubins: How can it then bee but that the glory of the Lord should fill eueryevery such house of his, as once it did the Temple 1. King. 8. 11. or where can a faithful soule more securely, more ioyfully rest it selfe, then in Gods owne resting place?
Secondly, Christ himselfe is heere present: Math. 18. 20. Reue. 1 17. Luk. 2, 96. 2. The presence of Christ.for wheresoeuer two or three are gathered togither in his name, he is in the midst of them. Hee walketh in the midst of the seauen golden Candelsticks: And no where else (if hee bee missing) can his parents and kindred finde him then in then Temple.
Now is not this a greater beauty then any which can else-where bee espied? wherein the second Temple passed the glory of the former: & yet ours exceed the second! For how could the second Temple wanting 1. Gods presence between the Cherubins. 2. the Vrim and Thumim. 3. the inspiration & raizing vp of extraordinary prophets. 4. the Arke it selfe the seat of God, which was taken in the captiuity. 5. fire from heauen to consume their sacrifices: how could (I say) the second Temple wanting all these, be truly said to exceed the glory of the former, which had thē al? But only in regard of Christs bodily presence which by entring into it was to beautifie it? And yet the effectuall presence of his spirit now with vsus, is farre more powerful and glorious, then was his bodily presence in that Temple.
Now seeing that Christ is the churches welbeloued, and is more then other Cant. 5. 9. 10.welbeloueds, euen the cheefe of ten thousand; and hath not left vsus direction to meet him any where, saue in the tents of sheapheards, and in the steps of the flockes: Cant. 1. 7should any christian soule (which is knitte vntounto him in spirituall wedlocke; the contract beeing alreadie made, and the daye of their marriage apointed, and approching) desire any socyetie more then his? Nay ought not euerie beleeuing soule to wish one houre spent in his socyetie and fellowshippe, rather then ten thousand with any besides? So as hitherto Dauid was not wide in his wish and reioycing.
Thirdly, the holie spirit of GOD is present in our assemblies; most plentifullie 3. The presence of the holy spirit of God.pouring out of his full buckets the treasures of wisdome and grace; yea the variety of graces accompanying saluation. Neither doth this spirit ordinarily display him-self else-where: who although hee bloweth where hee listeth in regard of the free and vndeserued graces which hee poureth out: yet is it ordinarily by meanes of the Word, Sacramentes, Prayer, Censures publikely exercised and administred according to the will of God.
Hence is it that wee reade still of the VVord and Spirit: and water and the Spirit ioyned together, because the spirit ordinarily putteth forth the grace of regeneration in the meanes of the word and sacraments. Now who hath not good cause, to wish (if not all his time) yet the most of it there spent; where by the worke and presence of the spirit, he may so happily inrich himselfe vntounto life euerlasting, rather then else-where, where is nothing but spiritual pouerty, nakednesse, and beggery?
Fourthlie, the holie Angels of God are here present in our assemblies. Whence 4. The presence of the Angells.the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 10. wisheth the woman to hauehave power ouer her head because of the Angells: that is, the woman in the congregation must couer her head, as for other reasons, so for this which is not the leaste; in that the Angels are present, and behold the order and behauiour of men & women. But why are the Angells present wil some say? I answer not onelyonly in way of Ministery and seruice vntounto the Lord, vntounto the elect, and vntounto his Ministery, sundry waies both assisting and helping it forward, and withstanding such enmities as otherwise resist it: but also after a sort to solace, and reioyce them-selues in the beauty of GODS house, so 1. Pet. 1. 12. VVhichWhich things the Angells desire to behold; speaking of the foreign desirous to stoope downe.Misteries published in the Gospell.
To which maketh that interpretation of the place in Hebrews. 12. 16. Yet once more will I shake not the earth only, but also heauen. The meaning of which words by the iudgement of some excellent Diuines, is this: that the voice of God in the deliuery of the law did cause the men on earth that hard it to quake and tremble; but now in the preaching and deliuery of the Ghospell, the verie Angells in heauen, are after a sort shaken beeing rauished & rapt into the admiration of it. Are there then such beauties in the assēblies as that very Angels themselues admire? & shall not men for whom they were instituted seek both to espy, & be affected with them? and who can b…ame him that can come to prize these beauties aboue all that the earth can afford besides? Seeing the Angells themselues who are stript frō all earthly desires and delights, are said to admire these, but neuer the other: such a man indeed is come nere to Angelical perfection. Fiftly, The Saints of God here present Psal. 16, 3 Psal. 122. 4 5. The presence of the Saints of God vponupon the earth.themselues in whō al our delight ought to be. For as the Tribes of the Lord vsed to goe vppe to his house, that they might worship before him in his Tabernacle & temple: euen so now the people of God assemble themselues in our congregations to the same purpose. Now when I say the people of God, I mean not al hand ouer head, who promiscuosly come together; not withstanding they all are his people by right of creation and preseruation, & yet of them some are openly & professed prophane ones; Neither all those who ioyne in externall profession and exercises of religion: of whom yet many are not inwardly purged: in which sence the old world called them sonnes of GOD. That is, all the posterity of Seth and Enosh, opposed to the daughters of men voyde of all religion and pietie. But I meane those of GODS election; that are called of his purpose, that hauehave obtayned merciemercy, and who proceede on in the waies of sanctification vntounto saluation.
These are called in Scripture an holie people, a chosen generation, a people by purchase, the doue of Christ, his vndefiled, his treasure: and their propertie is described, that they flye as a clowde, and flocke as the Doues vntounto Isay. 60. 8these windowes. Which prophesie although it bee properlie to bee vnderstood of the vniuersall and generall calling and concurse of the Gentiles vntounto the Church, who should come with such celerity and swiftnesse as if a cloud were with violence of windes carried from one side and region of heauen to the other; and in such flockes and multitudes, as if a whole flight of piegeons (driuen either by tempest, or by an Eagle, or some other birde of prev) should scoure vntounto their columbarie, and rush into the windowes: yet this propertie is so peculiar vntounto persons once called and conuerted, as by which the holie Ghost pleaseth to expresse them, rather then by any other title, that they are such as flocke to the windowes of the Church, by which the Lord conueyeth to his people his light of instruction, of consolation, of grace, of glory. So else-where, the scriptures note them to bee such as seeke the Lord in his ordinances, such as seeke the face of the Lord, such as call one another to the house of the Lord, and such as cheerfully and couragiously march on, and will not giuegive out, vntill they meete the Lord in Sion.
Obs. If it be here obiected, that these are but a few in comparison of the multitude which resort vntounto the house of God: who belong no otherwise vntounto him, then reteiners vntounto their Lords or maisters, they weare his cloath, and now and then giuegive some formall attendance, but are no houshold seruants.