MY Text is Mandatum reverendi locum, quia sanctus est, saith CajetanCajet. in loc. Di­onysius Carthus. Cornel [...]à [...]ap. Ru­pert. Hug. Vict. Tostat.: A man­date enjoyning a reverentiall distance unto the place, where typically God the Sonne was represented, where literally God Himselfe was present; either in his owne Per­son, or by the mediation of an Angell: Holinesse becommeth thy house for ever, saith David Psal. 93.5.: so [Page 2] doth reverence, and lowlinesse too, keep thy foot there­fore, when thou goest to the house of God, saith Salo­mon Ec [...]les. 5. [...].: for surely the Lord is in this place, though I knew it not, saith Iacob Gen. 28.16.. God came indeed to him in a dreame but if we dreame while we are here, he will not come so to us. O let us come, saith the Prophet Psal 9 [...].6., but let us fall downe too: he commands our faith, but loaths our incivility, and loves neither a distrustfull servant, nor a sawcy one. He is here indeed, and be not too ventrous, lest thou feel him: Draw not nigh hither, put off thy shooes, &c.

Where you may observe,

First, a distinction in consecrated places: some consecrated to such a height, some not consecrated so high; the presence of the Lord in all, but not the same degrees of his presence in all: for, although one be ho­ly and the other, one is not so holy as the other. Put off thy shooes where thou art (this being an outward Ceremony of ordinary use in their devotions, through those Eastern parts, whereby they testified the inward humiliation of the mind: commanded Ioshuah Iosh. 5.15. in expresse terms elswhere, and Moses here; and by the rules of equipollency, according to that exposition of the Rabbins Pet. Cun. de rep. Heb. l. 2. c. 12. Ainsw. in loc. in the next book, others be­sides: in continuall observation among the PriestsExod. 30.19. Com. à Lap. in loc. of the Iewes, and from thence, perchance (as Proco­pius So the Saracens. Tostat. in loc. Hence prov [...]rbially used, [...], &c. So others with Procop. in Exod. 3. Graeci [...]ficuli discal­c [...]ati ad sacra com­meabant. and others tell us they used it) derived to the Gentiles: for why should any slave be more vile in the sight of his lord, than we in the presence of our God?) 'tis holy there: but come not hither though thy shooes be off, 'tis holier here: the greatest re­spects thou canst give, are little enough for the place where thou art; and too little for the place where I [Page 3] the am: thou maist not tread on that ground with thy shooes on, nor on this though thy shooes be of.

[...]econdly, The reason of this distinction: no inhe­rem essentiall preeminence, flowing from the nature and position of the place; but a relative Per solutionem cal­ceamenti demonstrat sancti praesentiā. Pro­cop. in Exod. 3. Solve calceamen­ta propter loci san­ctitatem & Dei, sed unde terra illa sancta? quia de­putata ad apparitio­nem illam, & my­sterium, & collo­cutionem sanctam, & dationem legis. Dionys. Carthus. in loc. Hierusalē dicta sancta, quòd in ea Templum, &c. Brent in loc. Vt reverentiam exhi­beret divinae Ma­jestati quae in loco hoc praesentiā ex­hibebat, ut{que} mag­na animi veneratio­ne ad percipiendū Dei accederet ora­culū Cornel. à Lap. in loc. Sanctified by the presence, and apparition of God. Ainsw. in loc. The meaning of that ce­remony, Exod 3.5. Ios. 5.15. was to shew reverence to the place where God did manifest his presence. Mason of Fast. c. 3. accidentall preminence, arising from a peculiar dispensation of his esidence, and graces in the place. GOD was by his power and presence where Moses was, and he spake to him there; delivering his Commission in t [...]is Chapter, arming him with miracles to speed it in the next: and this was enough to supererogate a greater reverence to this place than another, be­cause GOD was more present in this place than in another: thy shooes might become that, thy bare feet best suit with this; and yet draw not too nigh the bush for all that; for even this deportment is not low enough to come thither, because that inf [...]nitude is more presentiall there. The Son of God was here in an allegory: for ignis in rubo Deus in car­ne, say some of the Fathers: the fire in the bush is God in the flesh: and ignis in rubo Deus in Virgine, the fire in the bush is God in the Virgine Bern. Serm. de beat. Mar. in illud Apocal. 12. Signum magnum apparuit. Theodoret. Nyssen. Orat. De Christi Nativitate., say others. And the Son of God was here without an allegory, either in his owne person according to many of the ancient: I am come downe to deliver them, saith this apparition at the eighth Verse: and none of the Persons came downe for our spirituall deliverance, whereof this temporall redemption of Israel out of Egypt was a Type, but he: or by the deputation of an Angell, Greg moral. l. 28. c. 2. &c. as the most. For although Cornelius à Lap. will have us Quia communis est Theologorum cum S. Dionysio c. 4. Coel. hierar: sententia, omnes Dei apparitiones in V. T. factas esse per Angelos. Cornel. à Lap. in loc. [Page 4] grant him, out of Dionysius the Areopagite, the all apparitions of GOD in the Old Testament wer by Angels; yet is he as willing to grant us out of others, that all those Angels Multi Patres in omnibus appariti­onibus V. T. re­praesentatum fuisse filium. Ibid. Iust. Cont. Tryyh. Tert. li. 2. Cont. Mar. Hilar. lib. 4. de Trin. Ambros. de fid. Chrys. in Act 7. were Proxies, and Depties for CHRIST. Which may bee the reason per­chance, why the same vision, that is stiled anCorn à Lap. ibid. An­gell in one verse of this Chapter, in all the rest; the LORD; to shew, that, if this were not that Angell of the covenant in the Prophet, yet was it at least au­ctoritate Deus, though obsequio Angelus, as the Iesu­ite Exod. 3.2. An Angell and the Lord, &c. v. 1.4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 18. An Angell, Act. 7.30, 53. speakes; in the person of an Angell, the repre­sentation of GOD. Approximation and neernesse was permitted there, remotenesse and distances re­quired here. He might use adoration in that place, he must only use it towards this, because God was there more than ordinary, hee will have more re­spects than ordinary: thy shooes are too uncleane for that place, thy bare feet not cleane enough for this.

Thirdly, the illation upon this reason: A propor­tionable adoration to those different degrees of conse­cration: either in respect of the body, from the lite­rall sense: adoration in conjunction, with that place, in it; put off thy shooes there: Adoration in opposition to the other place, towards it; come not nigh here. Or, in respect of the soule, from the tropologicall Dead Skins the materials of those, to shew i [...]o Aegypt he was to go, though he were sent thither to die. Ambros. in Luc. Brent. in Loc. The signe of giving up an interest ei­ther of possessions by an ordinary transaction: O [...] of the mariage bed by divorce, Ruth. [...].7. Deut 25.9. Ve­terum est consue­tudo, ut si sponsum sponsa repudiare vellet, discalcearetur ille, & hoc esset signum repudii. Proinde Moses excalcea [...]i jubetur, ne ad ecclesiam, quae in rubo significabatur, & quasi sponsus calceatus accederet-hoc Christo servabatur qui verus sponsus, cujus non sum dig­nus solvere corrigiam calcei. Rab. Maur. in Loc. Exuere calceos, id est, Sordes. Calvin. Gallas, &c. The guise of a Penitent, 2 Sam. 15.30. Ezek. 24.17. Esay 20.2, 4.: put off thy shooes then out of a due respect unto me in the place where thou art: and, at this remove, in a more humble adoration, prostrate thy selfe to­wards [Page 5] the place where I am; and joyne thy heart with thy knee too; be that which thou doest, the messenger of what thou meanest; nor let thy body adore me, but in the company of thy minde, joyne soule and body in this Humiliation: 'tis holy where thou hearest me speake: but 'tis holyer from whence I speake; that is too cleane for thy Shooes, and this for thy feet.

These are the measures of your patience, and this time: for the better spending whereof, that ho­ly God, to whom all consecrated places are hallow­ed, instruct me rightly to put the difference betwixt holy and prophane, the neglect whereof made God so angry in Ezekiel Ezek. 22.26., and you rightly to observe it: which leades mee to the distinction of consecrated places, and my first generall.

1 'Tis observable, that in those solemne appariti­ons of God: to Abraham, upon Mount Moriah, where the Passion of Christ was represented in a Type: and to Moses upon Mount Sina, where the Conception According to that Hymne in the Church: Rubum quem viderat Mo­ses incombustum, conservatam agno­vimus virginita­tem, Sancta Dei genetrix. Similiter Procop. in Exod. of Christ was represented in a Type: and to David in the Threshing floore of Araunah, where the intercession of Christ was represented in a Type: some of them being in that place, where the Temple was to be built, asIoseph. Ant. l. 1, c. 14. l. 7. c. 14. that to Abraham and David upon Moriah: other, where the Tabernacle was commanded to be built, as that to Moses on Sina; there was a distinction of persons enjoyned, in respect of places; which, in some proportion, answered to the distinction of persons and places, in the Tabernacle and the Temple, I and the Lad will goe yonder, saith Abraham: I the Sacrificer, and the Lad the Sacrifice; the Court of the Priests: [Page 6] but abide you here, 'tis not for you to goe so farre; the Court of the people, Gen. 22.5. Moses was a Type of our Redemption by Christ, delivering Israel out of Egypt: and Iosuah was a Type of our sal­vation by Christ, bringing Israel into Canaan (for the sonne of man was to effect both by the power of the Sonne of God) and yet put off thy shooes saith God to either; because neitherMoses being not the first-borne, nor extraordinarily called then: Iosu­ah, though the first-borne, yet suspended altogether then, by the separation of Levi. had power to execute the Priest-hood then: the place where ye stand is Holy, Moses before his consecration may be there: the place where I am is holyer, Moses after his consecration, is scarce holy enough to be here; and as Moses un­derstood his distance, so did Iosuah too, for he did so: in the fifth of that story, at the fifteenth verse: God afterwards designes Moses to the employment Moses and Aa­ron among his Priests, Psal. 99. Exod. 40. where be is commanded to do the acts of conse­cration. of a Priest, that was before a ruler of the people; and to shew the neerenesse of his person, gives him a neerenesse of place: there is one stand for the Layty, another for the Clergy, and yet both with­out the Mount, in the 19. of Exodus. Verse 21, 22, 24. Aaron with Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy Elders (all of them being Priests by inheritance, or destination) may as­cend up the Mount, but not up so high upon the Mount, for Moses alone shall come neere the Lord: (into the Sanctuary they may come, they may not come into the Oracle,) in that very Chapter, after which a Mandate is given by GOD for the ordering of the Tabernacle, the foure and twentieth of this story, at the first and second verse. Lastly, David erects an Al­tar upon Moriah, being then the possession of Araunah, as formerly Abraham had done: consecra­ted it was by the sacrifices of both, and the appari­tions of God to both, and in both represented the [Page 7] satisfaction and mediation of Christ; where he that provided for the building of the Temple, observes the same distance, which was observed in the Taber­nacle and the Temple, the Altar built neare the place where the Angell stood, but not in it, 2 Sam. 24, 16, 18.

Nor was the direction particular in this behalfe, but universall and generall: a distinction of holi­nesse in their persons Exod. 29. Leviticus 8. Numb. 8.: a distinction of holinesse in their garments Exod. 28. & 29.: a distinction of holinesse in their sacrifices Lev. c. 1. c. 2. c. 3.: a distinction of holinesse in the orna­ments Exod. c. 26. c. 27. c. 35. c. 36. c. 37. c. 38.: a distinction of holinesse in the furniture of the Temple: some holy; most holy othersExod. 30.10, 29.. Ger­shoms charge holier than Meraries, and Coaths than Gershoms, and the charge of Aarons family than eithers Numb. 3,. The whole Camp is holy, andNumb. 5. therefore no unclean person must be in this: the Tabernacle holier than the Camp, and therefore the Levites Num. 1.50.51. c. 4. alone must pitch round about that: the Sanctuary holier than the Tabernacle, and therfore the Priests Levit. 21.6. onely must enter there; and into the Tabernacle without washingExod. 30.20, 21, but not into this: the Oracle holier than all, and therefore none must approach here, but Aaron himselfe, that is holiestNumb. 17.8. Exod. 39.30. Num. 35.28. of all, and that but once a yeare neither, and that not without lotionsHeb. 9.3, 7., and propitiatory vestments, and mysti­call sprinklings, bloud in one hand to appease God, and a censer presenting a cloud of incense, as it were, to hide him from God in the other.

Nor did this distinction expire with the Taber­nacle, but lived also in the Temple; for as Moses Heb. 8.5. went by a patterne before, so did Salomon 1 Paralip. 28.6.12, 19. and Ezra Ezra 2.63. Nehem. 7.64, 65. c. 8.3. after: which the Iewes were so carefull of, [Page 8] that when Pompey to his own ruine, as it appeared by the sequele, invaded the Sanctuary, the nativesIoseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 8. more deplored the discovery, than the spoile there­of: Nicanor in the Macchabees 1 Mac 7.42. being punished by the God of Israel, S. Steven Acts 6.13., and S. Paul Acts 24.12. c. 21, 28, 29. in the Acts, accused by the people of Israel, (and their ac­cusation had been just, had it been true Acts 24.13 c. 21 29.) for not observing the distinction of those courts: and, in that warre against Antigonus, Herod protested, he had rather hazard his kingdome [...]. Io­seph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 28., than this; while the Temple was building at his owne expence, ne­ver comming within those forbidden lists, but en­trusting the charge with the Priests; and inscribing the sentence of death over the gates against those aliens, that should break in within the ranges, as Io­sephus Antiq. l. 15. c. 14. Women in the se­cond court not per­mitted the same place with men. 1b. relates, not observing thus an humble distance to the place.

And must God lose part of his honour from us, by sending his Sonne to us? or must there be lesse holinesse in the Church, where he was in truth and substance sacrificed by himselfe, than where he was sacrificed in a type or shadow, by Aaron in the Tem­ple? Certainly no. Our Saviour tels us in the Gospell, the Temple is holierMat. 23.17, 19. than the gold, and the Altar than the gift; and, by expulsing those exchangers and hu [...]sters, though for the service So Comment. in loc. Gualther Mar. 11.15. Marlor. Mat. 21.12, 13. thereof, beyond the very utmost borders The same call it there atrium, that is, atrium populi, or Salomons porch, 2 Paralip. 6.13. Acts 3.11. into this the people one­ly resorted, and far­ther than this wee read not that our Saviour came, be­ing not of Levi, but of Iuda, a Priest after the order of Melchisedech; not after the order of Aaron, for of Iuda Moses spake no­thing concerning the priesthood, Heb. 7.14. Spelm. de non tem. Eccles. &c. of the San­ctuary; and at no other times, than after his Ioh. 2.14 Mat. 21.12. Marlorat. in loc. bap­tisme, and before his passion Ioh. 2.15. Spelm. de non tem. Eccles., at the entrance, and ac­complishment of our redemption; and, when those Mat. 21.13. Luk. 19 46. Mar 11.17. Esa. 56.7. as the same and others collect thence. [Page 9] legall sacrifices, their doves and oxen were before ejected; and from that place, where the Christian Church was best represented, their instructions and customary devotions being performed here, which were to last after Christ; their types, which were to expire with Christ, within; shewes, that this di­stinction should extend as farre as the benefit of his Passion or Baptisme did, and live as long as Orato­ry or Gospell. Wherefore as the Christians in af­ter-ages distinguished their Oratories into anVid. Godw: Ant. l. 1. c. 1, &c. Atri­um, or Church-yard, a Sanctum, or Church, a San­ctum Sanctorum, or Chancell: so did they conceive a greater opinion of sanctity in one of them, than in the other; and in one place of them, than in an­other, having an altar here, answerable to an oracle, or ark, a mercy-seat there; and, that it might appeare this discrimination was not temporary, but continu­all, pointed their Churches Eastward, and looking towards the Temple. Church-yards they thought prophaned byAug. Serm. de temp. to. 10. 214. All immodest beha­viour prohibited here, Articl. 1634. n. 52. Statut. Syno­dal. com. n. 36. apud Carranz. p. 64 [...]. sports; but the Churches themselves even by their feasts of 1 Cor. 11.12. Triclinium epula­rum, Hieron. in loc. Phot. Nomoc. Tit 5. c. 2. Out of a Councell of Gan­gra and Carthage. Artic. 1580. n. 61. Art. 1634. 63. Can. 1571. n. 20. 88. charity: the wholeGothi Roma capta ad Ecclesiam confugientibus pe­per [...]erunt. Cornel. à Lap. in Numb. 25.15. Phot. No­moc. Tit. 5. c. 2.25. Tit. 8. c. 22.26. Tit. 8. c. 13.27. Tit. 8. c. 19. rep. 28 Tit. 8. c. 7.32. Tit. 8. c. 12. rep. 1 Mac. 10.83. c. 5.43. 2 Mac. 4.33. cir­cuit both before, and after Christ, was priviledged for refuge; but the inviolablest Sanctuary of all was that, which was nearest to the Exod. 21.14. 1 Reg. 2.28. holiest of all: none out of the communion of the Church per­mitted to lie there, without Nullus laicus in Ecclesia sepeliatur, nisi in communi coemiterio. Con­cil Tribur. c. 17.: and few in the commu­nion of the Church admitted here, within Nullus laicus in Ecclesia sepeliatur, nisi in communi coemiterio. Con­cil Tribur. c. 17.; any con­secrated ground preferredPaulinus demands whether the holinesse of the place availes the dead, and S. Aug answers him de cur. pro Mort. ad Paulin. c. 4. Augustines body translated from without the doore into the North porch of S. Peter & S. Paul, Bed. l. 2. c. 3. hist. Edelburg translated in like manner, l. 3. c. 8. B. Aydans bones translated to the Altar, c. 17. as also B. Cedda's. c. 23. for interment before that which was not consecrated; & that in a higher esteem, whichPaulinus demands whether the holinesse of the place availes the dead, and S. Aug answers him de cur. pro Mort. ad Paulin. c. 4. Augustines body translated from without the doore into the North porch of S. Peter & S. Paul, Bed. l. 2. c. 3. hist. Edelburg translated in like manner, l. 3. c. 8. B. Aydans bones translated to the Altar, c. 17. as also B. Cedda's. c. 23. was in a higher degree of consecration; andPaulinus demands whether the holinesse of the place availes the dead, and S. Aug answers him de cur. pro Mort. ad Paulin. c. 4. Augustines body translated from without the doore into the North porch of S. Peter & S. Paul, Bed. l. 2. c. 3. hist. Edelburg translated in like manner, l. 3. c. 8. B. Aydans bones translated to the Altar, c. 17. as also B. Cedda's. c. 23. [Page 10] that in the highest, which was nearest the Al­tar. [...] and [...] had their stationsCod. Can. Eccles, univers. Can. 11, 12, 14, 26, 41, 44, 45. Iustell. not. p. 159, 166. ex Greg. Thaumatourg. Ba. sil. Harmenopul. Schol. Graec. Har­menopuli. Tertul. Synes. Theoph. A­lex., [...] and [...], had theirs: their fideles venturing not [...], as Theodoret Lib. 5. cap. 18.; or [...], as some Councels in Binius To. 1. part. 1. p. 158, &c. speake; beyond those railes or cancelli (whence the name of Chauncell was derived) which distinguished the nave, or body of the Church from the Oracle, or Chauncell. None out of orders, no not at the Communion, came with­in these (whence arose that distinction in the anci­ent Church betwixt the communion of the Clergy, S. Ambrose told Theodosius being in the Church, [...] (intri cancellos, saith the interpre­ter) [...]. Theodo­ret. l 5. c. 18. and the Laity, being not different in substance, as an ignorant Romanist urges for the restraint of the Cup, but in place) nor all within orders, neither with­in those regions beyond these (for the verySand. relat. pag. 173. Grecians themselves haue their Tables inclosed with great mystery from the people, at this day,) the inferiour degrees communicating within the first, the higher alone within the second: in the Chancell the rest, the Priests onlyPhot. Nomoc. tit. 3. c. 7. tit. 13. c. 27. Concil. Laod. c. 19 Tolet 4. c. 17 at the Altar. So that, although they carefully provided for a due respect to other parts of their Churches, forbidding either to buildPhot. Nomoc. tit 2. c 1, 2. tit. 3. c. 14. on or neare them, to passe or carry through them, as ourMar. 11.16. Saviour also in the Gospell did; to prophane the for­mer soile of any Church by secular uses, after, in a more convenient si [...]e, they had built another, to open shops and stalls upon the doores and wals of God (for if he would not be troubled with the noise of hammers, while his Temple was building, he will not be troubled with the noyse of hammers about it, when it is built) yet was there a more aw­full reverence commanded to this part, being bar­red from the ordinary view, which made them so [Page 11] passionatelyNeque hic re­rum finis erat: nam & Sanctuarium in­gressi sunt milites: quorum aliquos scimus nullis ini­tiatos mysteriis, & viderunt omnia quae incus erant: quin & sanctissi­mus Christi san­guis, sicut in tali tumultu contingit, in praedictorum militum vestes ef­fusus est. Chrys. Epist. 1. Innocent. Rom. Episcopo. complaine, when the outrages of those Pagan times brake in upon them, with the1 Sam. 6.19. Bethshemites, and discovered what they might not see: the same distinction being observed by the Gen­tiles besides: for they had theirIul. Poll. l. 1. c. 1. &c. [...] and their [...], their [...] and their [...], as appeares by their own antiquities, and Historians: all the par­ticulars whereof might be justified by severall au­thorities, wer't not for the losing of my Sermon in my quotations.

Cursed be the man, saith the Councell ofCod. Can. Eccl. univers. p. 40. [...]. Phot. Nomoc. tit. 5. c. 1. tit. 13. c. 33. Gangra, that teacheth the contempt of the house of God. The curse is 1300 yeares old at least: and yet, 'tis to be feared, lives still, to condemne a distemper of zeale in our later times. For how have the same which aim­ed at a parity in Church-men, sided also for a parity in the Church; and, from a parity in the Church, risen to a parity of all places with the Church; that the Temple of God is the world, and to build is to confine him, as Iohn Hus And anciently othe [...]s also. V. Ve­del exercit. in Ig­nat. Ep. ad Magnes. c. 4. Test. of the true Church. p. 130. &c. did? ye take too much upon you, seeing all persons are holy with the rebels Numb. 16.3. here; and to what purpose is this wast, seeing all places are holy, with the traitour Mat. 26.8. there? ye are a royall Priesthood in Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2.9., all Priests; and therefore a Priestly Kingdome in Moses Exo [...]. 19.6., all Kings: no difference be­twixt him that sacrificeth, and him that sacrificeth not; the pulpit, and the tables end; the belfrey, and the altar. And to shew they are [...], those that make merchandise of the Word of God in Saint Paul 2 Cor. 2.17., have retailed their Divinity in some parts, by the strike and the scales, the peck and the pound, preferring ware-houses before Churches. What? despise ye the house of God, saith the Doctor 1 Cor. 11.22. of [Page 12] the Gentiles? Some do, and some do not: but where­in have we despised it, say they? In that ye say, the ta­ble of the Lord is contemptible; saith the Prophet. Psalms of degrees we read of; because, 'tis said, they were sung upon those degrees or ascents unto the Tem­ple; and as there were degrees without the Temple, so are there degrees within the Temple too: different re­spects due to places, for different degrees in the pla­ces; the neglect therefore of respects to the Table, was a contempt of the Table, Mal. 1.7. But blessed be God, who, as formerly he bestowed Kings King Ethelbert built S. Pauls in London, & S. An­drewes in Roche­ster. Bed. hist. l. 2. c. 3. &c. up­on this land to raise his Churches, so hath he raised us Kings, to preserve his Churches: els, that curse on Israel, in Hoseah Hos. 10.1. L [...]ppi & tribulus ascendisset super aras., had been ours perchance ere this: The thorne and the thistle had come upon our Al­tars; we might have met in caves and chambers stil, as the Primitive Christians somtimes did; for though we would allow the Lord heaven for his throne, we would scarce allow him earth enough for his foot­stoole: and the Magistrate might have cause to en­joyne the carriage of padles Deut. 23.14. againe, even when we walk within the courts of God. Damascen De imag Orat. 3. tels us of a judgement upon the violaters of one Oratory by death: and Bede Hist. l. 4. c. 25. tels us of a judgement upon the violaters of another Oratory by fire. He is the Lords annointed, saith David, and therefore God forbid we should touch the King: and this is the Lords annoin­ted V [...]tion used in Consecration. Gen. 35.14 c. 28.18. Exod. 40.9. Mi [...]m. Fel. Octav. &c. too; and therfore God forbid we should wrong the Church: for as a disresp [...]ct to the Cha [...]re of State reflects upon the King, because he is represented there: so doth a disrespect to the Church reflect upon God, because he is there: the same God through every part therof, but not in the same manner through eve­ry [Page 13] part thereof. For as there are different degrees of sanctity in them, so is there a different dispensation of his presence in them too: which leads me to the rea­son of this distinction, and my second generall.

2. In every consecration there is livery and seisin, giving and taking possession; giving possession by man, and taking by God, and although man take not possession alwayes immediately by himselfe, but me­diately, sometimes by a proxe: or, though, immedi­ately by himselfe, he is not personally alwayes present, but for the most part onely relatively there: God al­wayes takes possession immediately by himselfe, and is alwayes in an especiall manner, personally present, where hee takes possession too: the difference be­twixt ordinary and extraordinary consecration; con­secration by donation from man; and consecration by assumption or reservation from God; lying princi­pally in this: that his presence followes that; but his presence makes this: there 'tis a consequent, and here an antecedent to consecration. For example: God [...]ppeares to Iacob at Luz, in the eight and twen­tieth of Genesis: 'twas there he saw the Angels as­cending and descending, that thorow-fare be­tw [...]xt earth and heaven, Verse 12. and thereupon, surely the Lord is in this place, saith he, Verse 16. What ther [...]? how dreadfull is it therefore, seeing the house of God maste [...] [...]inely be, where God cer­tainly [...]s, and the Gate of H [...]ven, from whence our prayers [...]re [...]ryed by the Angels into Heaven? Verse 17 [...] will hee ever est [...]em it lesse, and the [...] Pillar where he intends an Altar, Verse [...] property of the place is alter'd, so is [...] L [...]z [...]o [...]ce, 'tis Bethel now, [Page 14] Verse 19. and in this house of God shall his vowes and devotions be performed unto God, the presence of God in that place inferred a consecration of the place, at the last verse of that Chapter. Nor was this the illation of Iacob onely here, but elsewhere of God himselfe: the Lord appeared by an Angell unto David, and the Lord commanded David by a Pro­phet, goe, reare an Altar there, 2 Sam. 24.18. The Lord appeared by an Angel unto Moses in Sina, and neere Iericho unto Iosuah: the story of Iosuah as­sures us, God was in an especial manner present there: and the story of Moses assures us, God was in an especiall manner present here, inaccessible [...]. Ioseph An­tiq. l 3. c. 4. [...]. l. 2. c. 5. it was, both for the steepnesse, and the height, and the fearefull residence of God in the Mount. Moses was the [...]. Ibid. first in those parts, that ever invaded it, saith Iosephus; and the people durst not doe so much, after hee had often Exod. 3.1. c. 19.3, 20, 24. done so: afarre Exod. 20.18. off they are placed, and when they were sanctified too; and yet even here they seeme too neere. Moses's adventure passeth not without aIoseph. Ant. l. 2. c. 5. check, though afterwards he received the Law, and now an embassy, from hence; and when he returnes from Aegypt, his offence must be expiated by sacrifice. God tels him the place is ho­ly, because his presence made it holy: for as the judge­ment seat is, where sits the Iudge; so where the Lord is, there is an Altar and an Oracle.

And as the presence of God precedes consecration in those examples, so doth it follow in others. A place there was for Adams devotions and his families, which Cain, as the usuall idiom of Scripture is, cals the face 1 Chron. 16.29. Ion. 1.3. Exod. 23.17. Walk. of sacril. &c. of God, according to the opinion of seve­rall Divines; and which face Abel enjoyed, God te­stifying his presence, as Theodotio [...]. Mar. Sept. renders, by firing his sacrifice, Gen. 4.5, 14. A tabernacle is erected for Israel in the wildernesse, and the same God, which commanded it to be consecrated, took possession of it, as soone as it was consecrated, Exo. 40.34. a Temple is erected for Israel in Canaan: Solomon 2 Chron. 6. 1 Reg. 8. [...]. Ioseph. Ant. l. 8. c. 2. implores Gods especiall mercies, and his especiall assistance, and his especiall presence to such as should performe their Oraisons in, or towards that place, at the conse­cration; and all these follow upon the consecration 2 Chro. 5.13, 14 1 Reg. 6. 13. c. 9.3., 2 Chron. 7.1. Whether therefore it be ordinary, or extraordinary, wheresoever a consecration is, there God especially is, by a peculiar dispensation of his gracious and mercifull presence: so was he to Abra­ham and Iacob by his covenant and promise, so to Moses and Iosuah by his commission and assistance, so to that whole Nation by his immediate direction and audience, in the Tabernacle and the Temple.

And, as there was a greater communication of the divine presence in these places, than in others (whence that erection 1 Reg. 8.38, 42, 44, 48. 2 Chron. 6.25, 34. Dan. 6.10. of Altars, to continue his residence, where God appeared once; that praying of their living, and that placing of their deadThe Patriarchs i [...] Hebron lie North and South, and Hebron is South from Ierusa­lem. Bed. hist. l. 5. c. 18. &c., with their faces towards the Temple; that appellation of presence, or shew bread The Sept. call them [...]. The Heb. face bread., that expression of the Tem­ple by the face Esa. 37.14, 15. c. 66.23. 1 Sam. 10.25. Exod. 23.17. of God: of frequenting his Courts byEsa. 37.14, 15. c. 66.23. 1 Sam. 10.25. Exod. 23.17. comming before the Lord: those apparitions of [Page 16] God To Abraham & David, Gen. 22. 2 Sam. 24. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 7. c. 10. l. 1. c. 14. [...]., where the Temple was to be built; that sere­nity of the weather, never rayning in [...]. Ioseph. Ant. l. 15. c. 14. the day time, but in the night, as their historian relates, while the Temple was to be re-built; & that departure of God, by a voice in the Temple from God [...] Ioseph de Bell. Iudaic. l. 7. c. 12., before the finall de­struction of it, under Titus Vespasian;) so was there a greater communication of the same presence in some parts of those places, than in others: and there­fore, though the glory of the Lord filled both theExod. 40.35 38. Ezek. 43.5. c. 44.4. Tabernacle and the Temple, yet it filled not all alike: for wee reade of the place of his Throne Ezek. 43 7., and of the soles of his feet: a place where he walkt Deut. 23.14. Esa. 37.14, 15. The Cherubins fa­ces were inward. 2 Chron. 3.14., and a place where he sate Deut. 23.14. Esa. 37.14, 15. The Cherubins fa­ces were inward. 2 Chron. 3.14.; a place of his being, and a place of his rest Num. 10.35, 36. Psal. 132.8. Psal. 76.3. Psal. 87.2. 1 Sam. 4.7, 8. This shall bee my rest for ever., a Tent and a mansion Num. 10.35, 36. Psal. 132.8. Psal. 76.3. Psal. 87.2. 1 Sam. 4.7, 8. This shall bee my rest for ever. house; that as the earth, in comparison of this, saith Iosephus [...]. Antiq. l. 3. c. 5., and this as the heaven, in comparison of that: the Lord of Israel indeed may bee elsewhere, but the glory of1 Sam. 4 22. Israel is here: and, although God may there meet with Moses, here Moses shall bee sure to meet with God, Exod. 30.16.

And as that distinction in holy places continued after Christ, so did the reason of that distinction too: the whole indeed is the house of God, so the Apostle cals1 Tim 3.15. it: because, although the Lord bee without these Walles, he is more within; as we are not pre­sumed to be so much abroad, as at home: and there­fore God is not only present extraordinarily himselfe there, as the decrees, the general opinion of Divines, with the formes of consecration shew: but, also, as a learnedB. Montag. Invoc. Saints p. 153. sparsim. to the end of that Treatise. Prelate of this Land hath, out of the [Page 17] ancient, collected to my hands, according to that representation of this truth, in Iacobs Ladder, he is present also, by his Ministers and Angels.

And yet, though the Church conceived him to bee present in all parts of this house, it conceived him to bee more present in one part of this house, than in another. Which was the reason; that, not­withstanding the distribution of the Sacrament might be in other parts, the consecration was in one; where our Liturgy also hath enjoyned the second Rubric. before the Communion, and Churching. service to bee read; and after Childe-birth, the presentation of thankesgivings, and oblations: and all this, in respect of that peculiar dispensation of his presence in this division of the Church; as with­in the vayle, in that division of the Temple; having an Altar here answerable to a Mercy-seat there: as also, in respect of that union betwixt this place and his humane nature, that and his divine: for, as I like not Berengarius Sensualiter. de consecrat. dist. 2. c. 2. Ego Berenga­rius, which the glosse likes not. that said, he is sensually; nor Pe­ter Carnaliter & corporaliter. Vit. Pet. Mart. per Iosi­am Simlerum prae­fix. Com. in Gen. Martyr, whom he that writes his life tels us he said, he is carnally, and corporally there: because I like Saint Ambrose Quid quaeris na­turae ordinem in Christi corpore, cùm praeter natu­ram sit ipse Domi­nus natus ex Vir­gine? Ambros., and Lombard Si quaeris mo­dum quo id fieri potest, respondeo, mysterium credi salubtiter potest, investigari salubri­ter non potest. Lomb. sent. 4. d. 11. a. 3. He gives this rule, but in this argument observes it not, as he should., and Bucer His counsell to P. Martyr, ut in causa Coenae Dominicae, obscuris quibusdam & ambigu­is dicendi formulis uteretur. Vit. P. Martyris per Ios. Simler. praefix. comment. in Genes., and Roffensis De potestat. Pap. in temporalibus. Praefat., and Harding Harding ibid. Salubriter credi potest, fideliter quaeri non potest. Those at Oxford in their dispu [...]ations with Cranmer, out of Da­mascen. and Lanfrank. Iuell. vit p. 105. Which these were not so carefull to observe nei­ther, determining the modus too farre. in this respect, who advise in this argument, forbearing the determina­tion of the manner, to clothe out phansies in gene­rall, and indefinite expressions: as I like not those that say he is bodily there, so I like not those that say [Page 18] his body The Armenians. Brer. Enq. c. 24. and some mentioned by Theodoret. dial. 3. qui carnis verita­tem negantes, Eu­charistiam respue­bant, &c. is not there, because Christ Mat. 26.26. Mark 24.22. Luke 22.19. Iohn 6.53. saith 'tis there; and S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.16. c. 11.24. saith 'tis there; and the Church of England Eng. Liturg. Ar. ticl. 28. saith 'tis there; and the Church of Roffens. praefat. citat. [...]. Damas­cen. de def. & de imag. Concil. Eph. Cod. Can. Eccles. ant. Rom. p. 100. Zonar. in Can. Ap. 3, 4, 8, 9, 31.19. Concil. Laod. [...]. Chrys. tom. 5. orat. 55. [...]. p 566. 581. tom. 3. in 1 Cor. 10. orat. 24. [...]. tot. The Altar cloth scarlet. Objected to Peter, [...]. Conc. Constantinop. Gen 5. sub Me [...]m act. 5 God ever said 'tis there; and that truly, and substan­tially, and essentially, as the confessions of all the re­formed Harmon. Con­fess. Churches speak: and that not only by way of representation, or commemoration, and yet with­out either con Roffeas. Praef. cit., sub, or trans, which the ancient Church said not: by a reall, and neverthelesse, which the ancient Church said, a spirituall, and mysticall, and supernaturall presentation, and exhibition. For why should our Saviour bid us take, what he would not have us receive? We must believe 'tis there, we must not know how 'tis there: our faith may see it, our sense cannot, 'tis a mystery, they all say; and 'twere no mystery, if 'twere knowne: his presence they determined, the manner of his presence they de­termined not: they said he is there, and they said the Lord knowes how. For why should we seeke him naturally in the Communion, whom naturally we cannot find in the wombe of the Virgin.

Which beliefe of theirs, concerning the verity of Christs being in the Sacrament, occasioned also those frequent expressions of that place and mystery amongst the Ancient, by the names of Sacrifice and Altar. So the Apostles usually in their Canons Ap. Can. 3, 4, 5.9. &c., and those too, which are undoubtedly theirs: so the same in those constitutions Ap. Const. l. 8. c. 13. &c., which by many are thought to bee theirs. So Clement Clem. Ep. 1 Cor. p. 58, 53., in his Epistle [Page 19] to the Corinthians: so the Councell of Ancyra Conc. Ancyr c. 1 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.15, &c, of Neocaesarea Concil. Neocae­sar. c. 9 13. &c., of Gangra Cō. Gang. c 4. &c, of Laodicaea Concil. Laod. c. 19, 44, 49, 56, 58, &c., the Nicene Concil. Nicen c. 5, 11, 13, 18, &c. and the Trullan Concil. Trull. c. 3. Councels; so the Nomo­canon Nomoc. Plot. tit. 2. c. 3. c. 15.7. tit. 12. c. 8. tit. 13 c. 17, &c. tit. 3. c. 1, 4, 8, 9. tit 12. c. 6, 9. tit. 1. c. 14, 22, 20., the Code of the universall Cod. Can. Eccles. univers. c. 84, 123, 148, &c., the African Cod. Can. Eccles. African. c. 4, 8, 7, 10, 11, 14, 37, 41, 70, 74, 103, &c., the ancient Cod. Can Eccles. antiq. Rom. p. 109, 375, 435, 455, 439, 402, &c. Romane Church. So as many of the ancient Ignat. Ep. Smyrnens. p. 168. [...]. p. Ephes. p. 218. [...]. Ep. Tars. p. 27. [...]. At the first planting of the Faith in this Land Altars built of stone. Bed. hist. l. 1. c. 30. l. 2. c. 14. Chrys. writing against the Gentiles, useth the largenesse of Christs kingdome, for an argument to convince them, on that of our Saviour Mat. 16. Super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam me­am. Orat. 61. Quod Christus sit Deus, contra Iudaeos & Gentiles, tom. 6. p. 634. [...]▪ Divinis reconciliari altaribus. Lomb. Sent. 4. d. 20. a. 6. Bed l 1 c 15, 20 27, 30. l. 2. c. 1 3, 20. l. 3. c. 2. l. 4. c. 2. l. 5. c. 20, 21, 17, 18. The high Altar. l. 5. c. 11. [...]. Phot. No­moc. tit. 13.17. The Donatists enemies to Altars Optat. l. 1. Aug. to 10. hom. 50. Ad hoc Altare quod nunc in Ecclesia est in terra positum, terrenis oculis expositum, ad mysteriorum signa­cula celebranda, multi etiam scelerati possunt accedere ad illud autem Altare, quod praecur­sor pro nobis introivit Iesus, nullus eorum accedere poterit. Lutherani non horrent altaris, oblationis{que} nomen Pelarg. The side fract. panis Euchar p. 66, 69 Massaliani sive Euchetae Templorum, & Ararum adjecêre contemptū Damasc. de haeres. hujus s [...]ficij caro & san­guis, ante adventum Christi per victimas similitudinum permitteba [...] [...] Aug de Civ. Dei. l. 17. c. 20. Habemus & Altare, Heb. 13. of this. Answer to Cardinall [...] reply p. 6, 7. by the Bishop of Winchester. And therefore the name of Priest as usuall C [...] Can. Eccles. Rom. Can. Ap. c. 5.7.9.47. Proleg. in 4. univers. Concil. Concil. Ancyr. c [...] Concil. Antioch. c. 1.17, 19. Concil. Laod. c. 3, 5, 13, 19, 42, 54, 55, 101, 102, 103, 111. Concil. Chalced. c. 26. p. 133. Conc. Sard. c. 11, 13. Concil. Carthag. c. 3, 15, 24, 6 14, 20, [...]2, 3 [...], 41, 53, 64 Ejusdem Cod. p. 369, 371, 376, 379, 388, 389, 391, 394, 395, 396, 397, 400, 4 [...]5, 401, 415, [...] [...]21, 423, 424, 425, 434, 435, 437, 440, 449, 463, 464, 477, 478, 479, 480, 482, 483, 484, 485, 490, 491, [...], [...]93, 498, 499, 500, 503, 505, 511, 512, 513, 522, 539, 540, 544, 547, 549, 552, 556, 558, 570, 571, 573▪ [...]74, [...]79, 580 581 180, 181, 208, 210, 230, 278, 314, 315, 244, 348, 357, 363, 316, 318, 319, 321, 325, 330, 332▪, [...]36, [...]38, [...], 441 342, 343, 367, 368, &c. And the same are as numerous in the [...]e [...] these. [...] of prayer for diverting Gods visitation, Edit. 1625. p 3, 4, 30, 31, 56, 57, 58, 59, 70, 71, 72, 79. Articl. Edit. 1580. 17, 23, 24. Articl. Edit. 16. 34. 4, 5. The form of prayer for d [...]rting Gods visitation, in the yeare of our Lord, 1636. And in as many places as the other. Chrys. Liturgie, with the other, know no other expression for such, but [...]; and those have read none of the ancient, that have not read this. [Page 20] as I have read; wherein, as farre as I have per­used, I believe a man may safely vie places, and in many allow twenty for one. And so Ignatius in severall Epistles: which makes me the more won­der, Vedelius Apolog. pro Ig­nat. c. 4. Exercit. in Epist. ad Magnes. c. 4. Exercit. in Ep. ad Philadelph. c. 18 He strives to cor­rupt Epist. Ephes. by fo [...]sting in [...]. Mar. & not. crit. p. 140. should have the face to deny the use of these words with any of the Primitive times, unlesse his exercitations were ready, before his Au­thor was read.

And were there no other reason to warrant the especiall dispensation of his favour and presence, in this place, besides this; I see no reason any should stick at this: seeing 'tis just that place should have a pre-eminence above the rest, from whichChrys. shewes all benefits and mercies to be dis­pensed to us from the death of Christ, which is represent­ed there. In 1 Cor. 10. Hom. 24. E­thic. vertue, and efficacy is derived to the rest: for the Word which we preach is not operative, but through the merit of that sacrifice: nor those streames of rege­neration pure and cleane, any thing regenerative at all, unlesse first bathed and washed in his bloud. Nor can any say, this grace of his extraordinary residence, and assistance or operation which we pre­sume here, is greater than Ecclesiasticall Writers or­dinarily ascribe to those parts our Saviour in his Humanity conversed principally in, to those things he used, or were used against Damascen. de fid. Orthod. l. 4. c. 16. de imag. &c. & def. Bed. Eccles. hist. Chrys. tom. 6. Orat. 61. Quod Christus Deus, contra Iudaeos & Gentiles. p. 631, 632. Damasc. de imag. Orat. 1. p. 705, 706, 707, 721, 722, 723, 724. him: no more than his garment had, in Saint Marke Mar. 6.56.; or his spittle, in Saint Iohn Ioh. 9.6.; no more than the rod of Moses in Exodus Exod. 7. & 14.; the mantle of 2 Reg. 2. Eliah, or the bones of 2 Reg. 13.20. Eli­sha in the Kings: no more than the handkerchiefe of Saint Paul in the 19.Acts 19.12. of the Acts, or in the 5. the Acts 5.15. shadow of Saint Peter.

I need not range for an Application, because the Lord hath brought it to my hands. Many people shall say, come, let us goe up to the mountaine of the [Page 21] Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach us his wayes, and we will walke in his paths; for out of Sion shall the Law of the Lord goe forth, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem. A prophecie it is of the Church: and it is in our power to fulfill this prophecie, by our comming to the Church: many people shall say; (and ô that many people may ever say so) come, let us go from strength to strength, as David Ab acie in aci­em. Iun. & Trem. de bande en bande. Fre. Bib. [...]. Sept. Sen. de vir­tute in virtutem. Vulg. id est, à coetu uno sacro ad alte­rum, ad exercen­dum publicè to­tum Dei cultum. Metaphora à re militari. Iun. & Trem. in loc. speakes; that is, de acie in aciem, say in­terpretersAb acie in aci­em. Iun. & Trem. de bande en bande. Fre. Bib. [...]. Sept. Sen. de vir­tute in virtutem. Vulg. id est, à coetu uno sacro ad alte­rum, ad exercen­dum publicè to­tum Dei cultum. Metaphora à re militari. Iun. & Trem. in loc.: from the violence, and assault of one holy assembly to another. Let our hallelujahs be sent up like the roaring of the Sea, and our Amens like a clap of thunder, as Saint Hierom relates of the Primitive Christians: for thus is the Church an ar­my with banners in the Canticles, and no way but thus. Let us not only invade God by our single devotions, but by our united cries beleager and besiege him. 'Tis the mountaine of the Lord, because he builds on a Rock that layes his foundation here; and, he that doth not, builds on the sand, and 'tis the house of the Lord, whom we shall find no where, if not here; because to pray, in Gods language, is to meet Iob 20.15. Sept. Sen. with God; and he that pretends businesse to keep him­selfe from hence, [...]. Chrys. 10.5. orat. 13. p. 72. saith something is more necessa­ry than he, he will teach us his wayes here, and he will give us grace to walk in his wayes here too: because he that comes not willingly to Church, must go unwillingly to hell; saith that fearefull proverbe in Bede Bed hist. l. 5. c. 15, which he warrants by as fearefull an ex­ample. There is a balme justified by someGoclen, &c., which cures at any distance; but this balme of Gilead doth not: it must be applied to the wound, not to the sword; nor can a Sermon have any influence on such [Page 22] as are not there. The wedding is prepared, goe ye therefore into the high-wayes, and bid to the wedding, goe not into their Chambers, but unto their wayes, where men are to be, not where they are not to be at such times; bid those ye find there, but bid not those ye find not there, saith our Saviour Matth. 22.8. in the Gospell. For, as when we receive summons from our Superiours, the messenger seeks us not in idling places, pursues us not into the fields, comes not to our sports to warne us, but to our houses, there reads his message, as if we were there, because we should be there, and then, without any further enquiry, departs, fastning the Script upon our doores. In like manner, the Priests are Gods Am­bassadors, saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5.20.: they are his messengers, saith Malachi Mal. 2.7.: God supposeth every man at home, and so do they; because at all consecrated houres, they are presumed to have no houses, but such. Out of Sion shall the Law of the LORD goe forth, and the word of the LORD from Ierusalem: from Sion in Ierusalem; but not from Ierusalem without Sion: from his Temple where he especially is, but not so out of his Temple, where he so especially is not, Esa 2.3.

We find no stately Churches in the first ages after Christ, meaner Oratories we find: no such [...]. Ignat. Epist Magnes. Ar­nob. cont. Gent. l 6. Minut. Octav. vid. Vedel. in Ep. Mag­nes. c 4. Rev. 12.6. Altars as the Heathens had, had the Christians: nor no such Temples then. The Woman was in the Wildernesse, in those Pagan times, and who looks for state, or costlinesse there? Had those happy soules been blest with such, as we, by the gracious wisdome of a Religious Prince, and the carefull devotion of those Governours under him, enjoy: the ebbe would not [Page 23] have beene formerly so low, when the Organ was so high: Canonicall houres had beene more canoni­cally kept; nor would those seats have beene so lanke at prayer, whose originall and fundamentall businesse is nothing but to pray, their midnights would have more filled such, than our noones. What shall be the signe, that I shall goe up to the house of the Lord, saith Hezekiah 2 Reg. 20.8, 9.? Shall the shadow goe for­ward ten degrees, or goe backward, saith Esaiah? The Sunne is too fleet for our zeale already, our Re­ligion is too long divided betwixt the combe and the glasse, to pray at that rate: and therefore, if the Sun go forward, 'tis a signe we shall not go up; bid the Sun go backward, and then perchance we may. The Pelagians said, there is no sin but by imitation: but, if this had ruled us, that had not beene: for I would all of us sailed by this Card, and all our light were borrowed from this Sunne: Whom remember, O my God, Nehem. 13.14. concerning this, and wipe not out the good deeds that he hath done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof: blessed are they that dwell in thy house, saith David, and therefore blessed be he. God loves an early devotion, and an humble too: We will come, saith the Psalmist, and we will fall low besides: for, as we may appeare in a Court; and yet, by the omission of our service, may be judged not to be there: so if we neglect our homage, we are absent, though we are here: by which I am con­veighed to the illation upon this reason, and my last generall.

3 The assumption flowes so naturally from the postulata or lemmata, that I might conclude as Ma­thematicians use; with a constat quod erat demonstran­dum; [Page 24] wer't not my resolution to prescribe for the one, as well as for the other; that, as the Church of England assumes the same premisses, so doth she in­ferre the same conclusion the Church of God hath ever done before. A different holinesse confest there is of places: and 'tis confest too, this ariseth from a different presence of God in places: and there must follow therefore, as by the learned 'tis confest be­sides, a different respect towards those places: else were there not a suitablenesse betwixt honour and merit, which naturall justice requires; nor should we weigh out our distances so evenly to God, as we doe to man: as the King shines more or lesse up­on men, we more or lesse regard them, and measure out a different rate of honour or worship, according to that different proportion of either which he be­stowes. We reade of civill respects from Abra­ham Gen. 23.7. to Ephron, from his servantGen. 24.26. to him, from Ia­cob toGen. 33.3, 6, 7. Esau, from theGen. 41.45. c. 37.8, 9, 10. c. 42.6. c. 43.27, 29. c. 50.18. Egyptians to Ioseph, from Ioseph Gen, 49.9. to Iacob, from Moses Exod. 18.7. to Iethro, from Ruth Ruth. 2.10. to Boaz, from Iudith toIudith 10.20. Holofernes, from Solomon 1 Reg. 2.19. to Bathsheba, from Ahazias 2 Reg. 2.15. c. 1.13. Ambassa­dor to Eliah, from Saul to1 Sam 28.14. Samuel, from Nebu­cadnezzar Dan. 2.46. to Daniel. And we reade of loyall re­spects from David 1 Sam. 24.10. to Saul; from Araunah 2 Sam. 24.20. 1 Paralip. 21.21., and Abigail 1 Sam. 25.24, 41, and the Amalekites 2 Sam. 1.2., and Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9.6, 8., and the Woman2 Sam. 14.4. of Tecoa, and Ioab 2 Sam. 14.24., and Shi­mei 2 Sam. 19.18., and Chusi 2 Sam. 18.2., and Ahimaaz 2 Sam. 18.28., and Bathsheba 1 Reg. 1.16.31., and Nathan 1 Reg. 1.23., to David, and from Adoniah 1 Reg. 1.53. to So­lomon; nor to their persons alone, but to their pour­traitures The lowlinesse of the Sultans homage to the Caliph of Egypt. Guil. Tyr. the violation of Theodos. statues, how dangerous. Chrysost. [...]. Congeyes perform­ed to Iulians. Naz. Invect. [...]. Damasc. orth. fid. l. 4. c. 3., their robes, their armes royall, their chaires of State, their Chambers of Presence, because as the King is represented in his Nobles, so God is in the [Page 25] King. And we read of reverentiall respects to the Tabernacle, and [...]. Damascen. orth. fid. l. 4. c. 12, 16. Orat. 1. de i­mag. Orat. 2. de i­mag. Orat. 3. de i­mag. in 24. seve­rall places at least of those orations. [...] In Mich. Comnenus Calend. Phot. No­moc. tit. 7. c. 1. Con­cil 7 Gen. Nicen. Phot. de synod. Num. 22.31. Bed. hist. l. 1. c. 18, 29, 30. l. 3. c. 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 29 l. 4. c. 10, 30. Phot. Nomoc. tit. 8. cap. 1. tit. 7. cap. 1. tit. 9. c. 27. tit. 13. c. 23. Damasc. de dormit. Dei ge­netricis. Ser. 2. & Ser. 1. ci [...]. fin. in in­ventione capitis Praecursoris. pag. 608. Confess. p. 675. [...], and that [...]. Chrys. Liturg. vid. caeteras Graecorum Litur­gias. the Temple, and the Crosse, and the Gospels of CHRIST: for as persons and things have ever beene in a Religious or civill esteeme, so have Religious and civill persons ever esteemed them: and one Starre differeth from another no more in height, than in glory. Nor is all this to in­sinuate the derivation of Gods honour upon any besides God (God divert that damnable Idolatry as far from me, as hee hath done from the Church of God) [...], saith Damascen Damascen. Orat. 1. de imag.. Some have a civill respect, others a Religious [...] in Ignat. Ep. Tars. [...], Damascen. O­rat. 2. de imag. & [...], &c. Ibid. A reverence to the place where God did manifest his presence. Mason. of fast. c. 3. p. 22. Reverentia vel honor religiosus —debetur omnibus ijs quae propriè spectant ad cultum— And 'tis religious too, not only quia imperatur à re­ligione, but also because fundamentum habet in relacione rei aut personae alicujus ad reli­gionem, & cultum sacrum. Ames. de Conscient. l. 4. c 31. §. 1. Honor ille qui Deo debetur, non potest ipsi debito modo exhiberi, nisi cum singulari reverentia tracte [...]tur ejus instru­menta; propter arctam illam connexionem & relationem, quae inter actum aliquem, & instrumenta actus intercedit. §. 2., but the Lord only a divine: for, as the infinitude of his na­ture cannot be comprehended under the same kinde of being, so neither can it be comprehended under the same kinde of worship with a creature: but on­ly to shew, by what naturall and rationall proporti­ons, the Church rose by way of supereminency, as the Schooles speake, from a relative respect of di­vine things, to an absolute respect of the divine Es­sence; and from a just valuation of Man, to a right estimate of God. We seldome finde adoration un­der the Law (the strictest time against superstition of any) without prostration of the body, and inclina­tion too: so did Lot Gen. 19.1.; so did Abraham Gen. 18.2.; so did his [Page 26] servantGen. 24.26, 48, 52.; so did Israel Exod. 4.31. c. 11 8. c. 12.28. c. 20.5. c. 23.24. c. 24.1. c. 33.10. Nehem. 8.6. Iudith 6.14.; so did Moses Exod. 34.8.14. Numb. 16.4.22, c. 20.6.; so did Ioshuah Ios. 5.15. c. 6.6.; so did David 1 Sam. 28.41. 1 Reg. 1.47.; so did Ezekiel; so did Daniel Dan. 6.10.; so did Maccabeus 1 Mac. 4.55. 2 Mac. 10.4.; and therefore by a Metonymia signi, and a Senecdoche partis, through those sacred volumes, this is frequently used alone Exod. 4.3 1. c. 11 8. c. 12.28. c. 20.5. c. 23.24. c. 24.1. c. 33.10. Nehem. 8.6. Iudith 6.14., to designe the whole service of God; as, if all were out, if this were not in: which was done with their faces towards the mercy seat, at the gate they shall worship God, saith Ezekiel Ezek. 46.2, 3. Domus oraculi di­citur, quod versus eam à sacerdotibus & populo orare­tur. Tostat. in 3 Reg. 6. q. 13. The entrance of the Tabernacle towards the East. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 3. c. 5. Moses commanded them, when they came to Canaan, [...]. l. 4. c. 8. [...]. l. 8. c. 2. The lavers of the Temple [...]. c. 2. [...]. l. 11. c. 5.: because the gate was over against GOD; the Temple being built in a length, Ezek. 44.4. and the entry before the Oracle (which from their constant manner of praying that way, thence had the Oracle Ezek. 46.2, 3. Domus oraculi di­citur, quod versus eam à sacerdotibus & populo orare­tur. Tostat. in 3 Reg. 6. q. 13. The entrance of the Tabernacle towards the East. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 3. c. 5. Moses commanded them, when they came to Canaan, [...]. l. 4. c. 8. [...]. l. 8. c. 2. The lavers of the Temple [...]. c. 2. [...]. l. 11. c. 5. its name) and this as well without the land,Levit. 6.1. 1 Reg. 19.18. Psal. 94.6. Esa. 17.7, 8. c. 46.6. c. 36.7. c. 27.13. c. 60.13, 14. c. 66.23. Mic. 6.6. 2 Reg. 18.22. Psal. 138.2. as within; so Salomon 1 Reg. 8. in his prayer pre­sumed; and Daniel Dan. 6.10. in his prayer did so: and that, although the Iewish Tabernacle and Temple, whither their eye directed their Oraisons, were engraven with Cherubims 1 Reg. 6.35. Exod. 36.35. too. And all this; because, 'tis facies mea, my face, in Esaiah Esa. 66.23. here: and Vestigia pedum meorum, my steps thereEsa. 60.13, 14.. 'Tis coram Domi­no, before the Lord, Damasc. Orth. fid. l. 4. c. 17. de i­mag. orat. 1. de i­mag. orat. 2. in one place of Ezekiel Ezek. 46.3., and glo­ria Domini, the glory of the Lord, in anotherEzek. 44.4. The courts of my ho­linesse, Esa. 62.9.. Ye shall reverence my Sanctuary, I am the Lord: I am the Lord that am there, and therefore ye shall doe your reverence there; [...], not [...]: nor to the place so much, as to me that am presentiall in that place, Levit. 19.20. Which was the reason of [Page 27] that forced prostration also of Dagon, before the Arke in Samuel Dagon found in Azotus [...]. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 6. c. 1. 1 Sam. 5.4.; and that constant performance of Israels obeysance in the Wildernesse Exod. 4.31. c. 11.8. c. 12.28. c. 20.5. c. 23, 24. c. 24.1. c. 33.10. c. 34.8, 14. Numb. 16.4.22.45. c. 20.6. 2 Reg. 18.22. 1 Paralip. 16. 29. towards the Mount, and the Tabernacle, the fire, and the cloud, the Oracle and the Altar.

Nor was this guise of their devotion recorded only as a Practice under the Law; but as a prediction concerning the Gospell: so the Prophets, and more especially that Evangelist Esa. 17.7, 8. c. 66.23. amongst the Prophets: The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the firre-tree, the Pine-tree, and the Boxe together, to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee; and all they that de­spised thee, shall bow themselves downe at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the holy one of Israel. A place of glory it shall be, because it is my Sanctuary; and a place of humility, because I am in my Sanctuary; a place of beauty, and yet a place of bowing and bending too, Esay 60.13, 14.

The converted Gentile falling downe in the Church will worship, saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 14.25.: and the con­verted Iewes falling downe did worship, say the E­vangelists Luc. 15.19. c. 5.12 Ioh. 9 38. Acts 10.25.: and the departed soules, falling downe, shall worship, saith the Apocalypse Apoc. 3.9. c. 4.10. c. 5.14. c. 7.11. c. 11.1.16. c. 15.4.. The first be­fore an invisible, the rest before a visible presence of God. For the foundation of this homage is not grounded upon the visibility of it, but the truth: whether hee bee seene or not seene, where he thus is, he is thus to be served: as he that sees not, is not lesse neglectfull in the omission of his observance, if he know the King is there, than he that sees his [Page 28] presence, and observes it not: a Bartimaeus that cannot discerne, than a Mordecai that out-faces him.

And in this beliefe, as the Primitive Christians used prostration to God at their Eucharisticall devo­tions; so did they, at their ordinary too. For that sawcinesse and familiarity of faith was not in fashi­on then, which brings men to Church without joynts, and sends them from Church without hearts; as if they onely came to keep company, and to sit with God. We find [...], a kind of wor­ship at the Communion, in Cyrill Cyrill Catech. 5. of Ierusalem: and [...], a downe right worship in Eusebius Exaltata mente adora corpus Dei tui. cit. per Iuel. conc. ad Paul. cruc. vit. per Humphred. Emissenus, Theodoret [...]. di­al. 2., Augustine Nemo carnem illam manducat, nisi prius adorave­rit. Aug. in Psal. 98, and Chryso­stome [...]. Chrysost. in 1 Cor. hom. 24. Ethic.. We finde the neglect of the respect con­demned in the Begardi and Beguinae, at a generall councell in Vienna Apud Carranz. Sum. Concil. 16. p. 435. Odon. Paris. Statut. Synod. ibid. p. 639.: because 'tis [...], it deserves this respect in the Nomocanon [...]. Phot. Nomoc. tit. 2. c. 2. schol. of Pho­tius. For our addresse must be with dread and hor­ror, [...], saith that Rhetoricall Bishop Chrys. 1 Cor. 10. hom. 20. Ethic.. Because he shall depart hence, without joy, that comes hither without feare. More yet, we have [...], an honour due to the Altar, in Ignatius [...]. Ignat. Ep. Ta [...]s., and adgeniculari aris, a kneeling to Al­tars, in Tertullian A part of pennance Presbyteris advolvi, aris adgeniculari, omnibus fratribus legationes deprecationis suae injungere. Tertull. de poenit.; and [...] [...]. Patriarcha commotae plebi. Act. 5., ado­ration of the Altar, in that generall Councell of Constantinople under Menna: and reverentiam alta­ribus [Page 29] exhibendam, a reverence to Altars, in the Syno­dals of Odo Odon. Paris. Sta­tut. Synod. apud Carranz. 16. p. 638, 639.. We have [...], a sa­lutation of the Table in Dionysius [...]. Dio­nys. Areop. hierar. c. 2., and [...], a Veneration of the Table in Damascen [...]. Damasc. de imag. Orat. 1. [...]. Orat. 2.. We have [...], the Scarlet of the venerable Altar, in one CouncellObjected to Pe­ter, [...]. Con. Con­stantinop. Gen. sub Menna. act. 4.; and divina al­taria, the divine Altars in anotherConcil. Carthag. apud Lomb. sent. 4. d. 20. a 6. Divi­nis reconciliari al­taribus.. We meete with [...], a bowing of the head, in that donati­on fathered upon Constantine Constantine bestowed those priviledges on Rome— [...]. Constant. Donat. apud Schol. in Phot. Nomoc. tit. 8. c 1.: and [...], an exaltation of the soule, through the humi­liation of the body, out of an awfull reverence to­ward that place, in the life of Mary [...]. vit. Mar. Egyp. apud Da­masc. de imag. Orat. 3. the Aegyptian. Wee meete with Theodosius cleaving to the dust, in Theodoret l. 5. 18. Ed. Steph.; and the Grecians treble prostration, from their Liturgies Sands relat. p. 173, 174. [...]. In severall places of Chrysost. Liturg. Vid. caeteras Graecorum Liturgias., and such as have been among them; and Gorgonias falling before it, in her sick­nesse, as to a common Physitian, which resided there, in Nazianzene Naz. Orat. in Gorgon.: which was the onely rea­son of that fearefull judgement, upon a disrespect of this place, in the storyTheodor. l 3. c. 11, 12. of the Church before: and may be one reason of that generall custome of praying Eastward Nomoc. Phot. tit. 3. c. 1. tit. c. 5. Damasc. Orth fid. l. 4. c. 13. Orat. 1. de imag. Orat. 2. de imag. histor. p. 896. vid. Ral. l 1. par. 1. c. 3. §. 3., which continues in so many places, unto this day.

And whosoever thinkes not this prescription long enough, had need write annalls ancienter than the world. Since hath Ecclesiasticall adorati­on [Page 30] ever beene in use: and I wish, those seditious Corahs of our Israel, would raise no contradiction against that authority, which God hath justly be­stowed upon his Kings, and their Churches (for to curse God, and the King, in Esaiah Esa 8.21., goes together: because he that doubts not to do one, will undoubt­edly do the other) but of this date: or that they could shew so quiet and interrupted a possession, such a time out of mind, for the best lands, and Charters they have.

Feare not therfore to tread in the same steps with the Church of England, because this treads in the same steps the Church of God ever did before. Those sainted times loved him too well, to love any thing like him; and although they gave a Religious Reve­rence unto those places, they terminated that religious reverence in God, not in the places: [...], saithDe Orthod. fid. l. 4 c. 12. Damascene. The house of God was honoured for God, th [...] Throne for the King, the Altar for the Sacrifice: as Alexan­der adoring Gods name in Iaddus Iaddus being in al his Priestly robes, [...]. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 11. c. 8. mitre, adored God alone, neither Iaddus, nor his mitre: and he that re­spects a house for the owners sake, respects not his house, but him, so much they said; but to justifie the practice of our Church, I need not say so much. For, as although the humane nature of Christ receive all from the divine, we adore the whole suppositum in grosse, which consists of the humane as well as the di­vine: so, because of Gods personall presence in the place, we adore him, without an abstraction of his Per­son from the place. 'Tis not the Altar we worship, but the Lord towards the Altar: no prostration to a false God, but a prostration before the true God: pulveri­satio [Page 31] nihileitatis nostrae, as à Kempis upon another occa­sion speakes, an acknowledgement of our vilenesse, and Gods infinitenesse; of our originall out of dust, and our re­solution into dust; a confession of His being there, and our humiliation to Him that is there: an adoration of him that is not seene, looking on that which is seene: no Altar against God, but as that in Iosuah Ios. 22.25. was an Altar for God; nor an Altar of any strange worship, but of witnesse. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse, saith David Psal. 96.9.; 'tis a place of holinesse, and therefore no Layfee for Mammon: and a place of beauty, and therefore no resort for our pollution. 'Tis Bethel the house of God, frequent it we must for his sake: and Bethlem, the house of bread, frequent we must for our owne. Here dwels our Physitian, ô let us run to the God of our health, as David cals him, and here en­campes our general, ô let us flie to the God of our strength, as Moses; this is [...] in Damascene [...]. Da­masc. Orat. 1. & 2. de imag.; a universall anti­dote that never failed, no languishing soule miscarried: and this is [...], in Iosephus The Cuthites or Samaritans accused the Iewes, that they built a Temple [...]. Ios. An­tiq. l. 11. c. 4., an impregnable fort, that never was taken yet (the same word in Hebrew [...]. Joseph. Antiq. l. 7 c. 3. signify­ing the Temple, and safety too) no distressed soule perished there. Antiochus Eupator indeed besieged Iudas Maccabe­us Id. l. 12. 14. thus, with what successe the story tels, because he might as well have besieged him in heaven, as there: for who can be blockt up here, that converseth with the Lord which is every where? or want succours, that maintaines correspondence, and intercourse with God? Ho, every one that thirsteth, saith the Prophet; nay, every one that is hungry, and every one that is sickly, and every one that is in distresse, and every one that is in debt, and every one that is discontented too. Behold the Altar, and the Sa­crifice; a Lamb in a thicket, Christ intangled in a Crown of Thornes: the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sins of the world, and therefore ours: that hath wiped out all our [Page 32] scores, hath stricken all our Tallies; that brake the bars of hell by his descent into hell, and opened the gates of hea­ven by his Ascension. O let us enter therfore into these Courts with thanksgivings, and into these gates with praise: enter with preparation, as unto God; for he that comes hither as he is, goes away as he was; and enter with reverence, as in the presence of God; for he that prayes, as if God were not here, when he hath prayed, shall finde him no where. Enter with our soules, because God loves no sacrifie but the heart: and enter without our sins, because God heares not Vs, if we hearken not to him. Enter all eare, while God speakes to us; all heart and tongue, while we speake to God; because, if the heart go one way, and the tongue another: if we turne this house into an exchange or a stewes, by thinking in this house, on our gaines or our lusts; we defile not the Temple, as Antiochus Ioseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 16., by engraving the simili­tudes of uncleane beasts on these doores, but by bringing them within. Enter by the humiliation of our soules, and enter with the prostration of our bodies; because as this, without that, is a dead oblation; so that, without this, is a maimed one. Adaman Bed. hist. l. 5. in Bede tels, in his discourse of holy places, from the mouth of a Bishop, who had beene there: that in a Church erected in that place, from whence our Saviour ascended, there rushed annually in those times, a violent gale of winde from heaven upon Ascension Day, which forced all those it found standing, to fall prostrate on the earth. I doe not justifie the relati­on, and yet 'tis ancient; only I wish, that when we come hither, we need no winde from heaven to humble us here: but that falling downe by the dejection of our bodies, we may rise up by the exaltation of our soules, and living in his feare, may dye in his favour: which the Father of mercies grant us all, for the merits of his Sonne, to whom, &c.