The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James, Meditations on psalm · Part · Meditation 4
The 4. meditation.
v. 1. I reioyced, when they said vntounto me. Let vsus goe vp into the house of the Lord.] This princely prophet reioyceth in the publike and peaceable exercise of religion,The ioy of christian assembli…. that the people of God had now free recourse vntounto the house of God. And indeede, this is a benefit wherein all Christian people are much to ioy, that they are not exiled from Gods house, but may chearefully and quietly thither assemble.
1. So saith the prophet Dauid, Blessed are they, that dwell in thy house, they will euer praise thee, Psal. 84. 4. Therefore our Sauiour noteth this, as a fearefull signe of future miseries, when they shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place: then let them that be in Iudea flie vntounto the mountaines, Math. 24. 15. When the holy place of Gods worship beginneth to be desolate and forsaken, what comfort can elswhere be expected?
2. Therefore Dauid desireth this as first and principall aboue all other, that he might dwell in Gods tabernacle all the daies of his life, Psal. 27. 4. And he professeth, that he had rather be one day in Gods courts, then a thousand els where, Psal. 84. 10. And he powreth out his heart for griefe, when he remembred how he had gone vp with the people to Gods house, as a multitude keeping a feast, Psal. 42. 4. but now was tossed from place to place, and banished from that place of ioy and comfort.
3. The people of God flocking togither to Gods house, are resembled to doues, that flie in at their windowes, Isa. 60. 8. & as birds, that flicker to their nests, Psal. 84. 3. So euen as the sparrowes and swallowes beeing chased, doe resort vntounto their nests; so the house of God is a place of rest to a troubled soule. And as in the poole of Bethesda, the lame and diseased, when the waters were stirred by the angel, found remedie for their disease: so in Gods house the waters of life doe issue forth to the health of all, that thirst after them.
4. Great cause then hauehave the people of God to frequent the Lords Sanctuarie: because the Lord sitteth betweene the Cherubins, Psal. 99. 1. Gods way is in the Sanctuarie, Psal. 77. 13. Gods power and beautie are in his Sanctuarie, Psal. 96. 6. who then would not desire to enioy God… presence; to behold the beautie of his face; to see the Lord in his word; to tast him in the sacraments, to feele him by the operation of his spirit, to talke with him by praier?
5. Wherefore we all this day are much bound to giuegive thankes to God, that in his merciemercy still graunteth vsus to hauehave free accesse to his temple.4. Benefit, fre… accesie to God… house. This gratious entercourse of religion, we had iust cause in respect of our sinnes to feare, least it might hauehave beene stopped: but God hath giuen vntounto his gospel in this land an open doore againe, which should hauehave beene for euer shut vp vntounto vsus, if the Popes curses, and Papists wishes, and Iebusites practises could hauehave preuailed. How good yet and louing is God to Israel? in many countries to this day Gods house is desolate, and his true worship abolished: they which feare God are driuen to heare the word in corners, in woodes and solitarie places: O therefore let vsus reioyce in England, that we may safely goe vp to Gods house. Some, while they hauehave beene seruing God in his house, hauehave beene robbed and spoiled at home: some in the Church hauehave beene put to the sword, the house hath beene fired ouer their heads; their blood shed in the sanctuarie, as the Galileans blood was mingled with their sacrifice, Luk. 13. 1. Thus we read that 20. thousand Christians in Nicomedia were burnt,Euseb. l. 8. c. 6. beeing all assembled in the Church to celebrate the natiuitie of Christ, vnderunder the cruel persecution of Dioclesian: Thus cruell Miniers,Fox p. 952. col. …. commaunded his captaine Iohn de Gaxe, to put diuers of the Merindoliās to the sword, which were gathered togither in the Church: Hierome also maketh mention in his time,Hiero ad Gerontia…. how that at Ments in Germanie, the cittie beeing taken, diuers thousands were slaine in the Church. Thankes be to God wee neither feele, nor see any of these euils. Wherefore my brethren, let vsus louelove Gods house, and make much of this blessing, while we may: let no man contemne or neglect the holy assemblies; let not any worldly businesse drawe vsus from the house of praier, let not vaine pleasure hinder vsus. How many are there, that of purpose put off their iourneys to the Lords day, thinking the time gained, that is spared from the exercises of religion? How many, that sit quaffing and tipling, trifling and toying, when they should present themselues before God? Let these things be nowe amended, and let vsus begin to reioyce, that the Gospel hath yet a free passage among vsus; and lay we vp in our store-house plentie of spirituall instruction against the euill day: The wise man sendeth vsus to the Pismire, Goe to the Ant thou sluggard, behold her waies and be wise, Prou. 6. 4. which similitude Augustine doeth very fitly thus explicate: Vide formicam Dei, surgit quotidie, currit ad Ecclesiam Dei, audit lectionem, recondit intus grana electa de horreo. in Psal. 66.Behold Gods Ant, he riseth daily, goeth to Church, heareth the word, laieth vp the cheifest cornes, &c. The time of winter commeth, some euill or crosse befalleth him, modo intus formica comedit labores aestat is; now he doth within to himselfe enioy the gatherings of summer. Let vsus in like sort learne wisdome of the Ant, nowe while we may, to lay vp store of spirituall foode in the granaries of our hearts, that we may be prouided against the time of dearth & famine come.