Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	earth_n	heaven_n	triumphant_a	4,101	5	10.5762	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73284	Profano-mastix. Or, a briefe and necessarie direction concerning the respects which wee owe to God, and his house even in outward worship, and reverent using of holy places. Shewing chiefly when, and how, wee ought to enter; how to behave our selves being entred, how to depart; as also, how to esteeme of Gods house at every other time. Written out of a true and sincere intent to reduce the disordered and factious, to a better order then either their neglect, stubbornnesse, or scrupulositie can purchase for them. / By Iohn Swan curate of Duxford S. Peters.	Swan, John, d. 1671.	1639 (1639)	STC 23513; ESTC S106202	33,675	74

the Consecration thereof might bee but in one wherein stood the sacred Altar or holy Table which was answerable to that Mercie-seate in the division of the Temple upon which it was a custome to lay the booke of the holy Gospels in stead of the two Tables of the Law and wee have there the holy Eucharist although the Pot of Manna be not now And well might they imirate such a platforme For as the Christian Religion is come in place of the Iewish so are our Churches come in place of theirs Their Tabernacle was a patterne of their Temple and their Temple a type of our Churches even as all their service was a type of our Christ as a learned Doctor hath delivered Saint Iohn is witnesse to it for though the Revelation be very misticall yet seeing the visions of things appertaining to the Christians doe so frequently allude to the fashions of the Iewes it is easie to bee gathered that hee insinuates how wee are surrogated into their roomes for whom the Temple was built and so are to cast the forme of our Churches after that fashion yea and setting aside their Types and Figures which were fulfilled in Christ to serve God in our Holy places and upon our Holy dayes as they did in and upon theirs I may therefore conclude that still there ought to be a place of Majestie which by the Ancients was called either Sacrarium or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last of which two words properly signifying a Christian Altar sheweth that the appellation of the place was derived from thence that is the Altar sometimes gave the name to the whole place of Majestie yea and sometimes as some affirme to the whole Chancell it selfe though that only within the Raile were properly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrarium And as for the Antients Ignatius is an early one among them Hee lived in the dayes of Saint Iohn and writing no Prophesie might speake that plainly which Saint Iohn as 't was delivered to him expressed mystically Or if you will that I open the matter more fully then take it thus viz. that because Saint Iohn alludeth to the customes of the Iewes and delivers his Prophesie to the Christians and speakes as if his Visions were represented to him in the Heavens it is as if it should be said Gods Church is in it selfe but one though the parts bee two Militant and Triumphant And therefore as the Church of the Iewes was ordered according to the manner of these Visions So ought the Church of the Christians in all and every of the Congregations appertaining to her And as it ought so it was in those her dayes of greatest puritie striving thereby to keepe as neere a resemblance of the one part of Gods Church with the other as shee possibly could whether in the Heavens or on the Earth And in this the * At the 35. page of his booke authour of the Holy Table though perhaps beyond the intention gives us his voice For speaking of the Kings Majesties Royall Chappell which is ordered according to the manner of those forenamed Visions hee hath these words I hope saith hee I shall over live and die in an awfull and reverend opinion of that Sacred Oratorie the vivest resemblance I know upon the earth of that Harmonie of the Cherubins wee looke for in the Heavens Thus he And it was truly spoke Wherefore it is the more to bee admired that hee should east any scornes or slights upon it afterwards and not rather bee delighted to see all other of Gods houses ordered according to so good a patterne for what better Harmonie can there bee then that the Church on Earth conforme her selfe to the Church in Heaven And that thus shee hath done in the dayes of old both before and after Christ shall bee declared As for example First of all in the Heavens S. Iohn witnesseth that hee saw a Throne and one that sate upon it So in the Temple as formerly in the Tabernacle was a Mercie seate the sacred Monument of Gods presence there And in the first Christian Churches a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrarium inclosed with a Raile for the Holy Table the signe likewise of his Residence Secondly in the Heavens the Presbyters or 24 Elders had the preheminence of comming neerest to the Throne So in the Tabernacle and Temple as formerly at Mount Sinai the people might not enter into the Courts of the Priests Nor in the Primitive times was it lawfull for any Lay-man to come within the bounds of the Altar Nulli omnium qui sit in Laicorum numero liceat intra sacrum Altare ingredi saith the 96 Canon of the sixt Councell of Constantinople The passages likewise betweene Saint Ambrose and the Emperour Theodosius mentioned by Theodoret in his fifth booke and seventeenth Chapter besides other testimonies make it manifest And last of all In the Heavens hee saw the Elders and foure living creatures fall downe and worship before the Throne Revelat. 19.4 So in the Tabernacle and Temple holy men used to worship toward the Mercie seate as they had done before towards the Cloud Yea and so also in the first Christian Churches they used to worship towards the Altar or Holy Table For the Greeke Liturgies tell us of a threefold prostration that was made before it Nay sooner yet for Reverence done at it may be found by the learned even in the dayes of that Antient already mentioned I meane Ignatius Ignat. ad Tarsens Act. 11.26 who was made Bishop of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians not above seven and thirtie yeares after Christs Passion hee was one of Saint Iohns scholars Tertul. de Paenit c. 9. and died a godly Martyr Tertullian who was flourishing about 163 yeares after the said Passion doth likewise testifie that the Penitents used to fall on their knees before it But did they therefore worship it It were a shamefull accusation to say they did A man when hee sayes Grace before his Table or kneeles before his Bed or other place when hee makes his private prayers may as well bee said to worship either his Table or Bed as these men bee said to worship the Altar Or thus Daniel may as well bee accused for turning his face towards Ierusalem David for looking towards the Temple of Gods Holinesse the People for directing their aspect towards the Cloud Nay the very Saints and Angels for falling downe before the Throne as they accused who prostrate or bow before the Altar For as Daniel being in captivitie although hee turned his face towards Ierusalem when hee prayed prayed not to it nor David made the Temple of Gods Holinesse the object of his adoration nor the people in the Wildernesse judged the Cloud to bee adored nor the Saints and Angels in Heaven worshipped the Throne although they fell downe before it So in bowing or falling downe before Gods Altar it is not the Altar Soerat lib. 1.

as holy as the Table for this is the highest advancement that a Christian hath and although the Lord bee present in all his holy Ordinances yet here more specially insomuch that the Holy Table or Altar must upon necessitie bee evermore taken as the great signe of his presence as carrying with it the highest relation thereunto Shall we come into these houses saith one and neere those places as wee come into a common Inne or Ale-house is there no respect no regard to be shewed in the one above the other I thinke reason and discretion will teach us the contrarie For as another also speakes it is just that that place have a preheminence above the rest from which vertue and efficacie is derived to the rest for all benefits and mercies to bee dispensed to us come from the death of Christ which as is most certaine is represented there This place therefore may bee well esteemed as a Mercie Seate where God according to his being in such holy places may bee said to sit graciously reconciling a sinner to himselfe by the bloud of his Sonne For though in Baptisme there bee some externall resemblance of Christ crucified yet here more fully and therefore specially commanded to bee done in memorie of his Passion Yea here I say the speciall place of Majestie and that so as it may be well esteemed as a Mercie seate For in briefe that I may recapitulate the summe of all First as even that thing or place which is dedicated to the highest office in our worship or to the most sacred Mysterie of our religion must needs be the Most holy although not by any internall inherent qualitie infused transforming the nature of it but by an externall adherent qualitie in relation to the businesse about which it is used or for which it is set apart So also secondly In what part or place wee have the most lively demonstration of his Presence there must be the very highest degree thereof and so the highest Court of or for his Holinesse wherein the resemblance or Monument of his Residence standeth not as an Image but as a signe or testimonie even as the Arke was the signe of his presence in the Temple For now the greatest signe of Gods residence in his holy place is the Altar or Holy Table call it which you will even as the Arke was heretofore the signe of his presence in the Temple Toward this part therefore I say a more awfull reverence is required then towards or in any other part beside For in a word to shut up this although it were griefe enough to the ancient Christians to see any part of their Churches violated or prophaned by the Pagans yet that they should violate this Holy Place was a great Cordolium indeed and did augment their sorrow to the very full Whereupon Saint Chrysostome complaines after this manner writing to Innocent the first Bishop of Rome Neither was here saith he an end of those things for the Souldiers entred even into the very Sanctuarie Some whereof wee know were not so much as initiated in Divine Mysteries and there they saw those things which were within Yea and the most holy bloud of Christ was spilt upon the garments of the foresaid Souldiers as it falleth out in such a tumult And thus much for Reverence in entring THE next concernes our Deportment being entred all the time the Service is in doing Now this must bee such as becommeth those who either speake unto God or have God speaking unto them For as in hearing God commeth neere unto us so in Prayer we come neere unto him And if so as so it is then surely bold and lazie postures are unsufferable and irreverent gestures more then unseemely Some may not sit when others stand or scorne to bend when others kneele 1 Cor. 11. ● Saint Paul who would have all things to bee done decently and in order forbids the covering of the head and would that hee who made the whole man should bee worshipped of the whole For as wee must shew our faith by our workes in like manner our inward humiliation devotion and honour to our God must bee sure to appeare in our * 1 Cor. 6.20 outward gestures and comely postures at his holy service God expects that we serve in both soule and body For as the second without the first is a dead oblation so the first without the second is but a maimed offering Which agrees to that of Saint Paul in another place With the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10.101 and with the tongue hee confesseth Or more plainly to that of David Oh come Psal 95.6 let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lordour Maker Or if you will to that of Saint Paul yet once againe saying Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee give up your bodyes as well as your soules a living sacrifice The second Precept speakes as much For if wee may not bow unto an Image because God is a jealous God then without question we must in such parts of his service as require it bow and fall downe when wee worship Him Did not the Divell therefore thinke it a great point of honour to have our Saviour shew his worship and reverence towards him by falling down in worshiping of him He did not say It sufficeth if thou wilt but inwardly adore me Math. 4.9 But All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee And in heaven Revel 4.10 as Saint Iohn saw it represented to him is not God worshipped by the bowings or fallings downe of those that bee there Verely as I have already shewed Heaven is alwayes like it selfe The Church Militant is a kind of heaven upon earth and therefore the Congregations in it must imitate the Assemblies which are Triumphant Here wee must take no knowledge of either Father or Mother Master or Dame or other of our Betters so as wee leave Gods service and rise from our knees to honour them For they that doe thus seeme to say to God Almightie Stay a while I shall bee for thee againe anonne My Master and Mistris are not yet in their seates I am now standing up unto them and will by and by kneele downe againe unto thee But whoever they bee who have used to doe thus must if they doe as they ought doe so no more For if they doe they preferre the Creature before the Creatour and reverence their Master above their Maker For 't is a Rule that when the dutie which wee owe to God and the dutie which wee owe to Man stand in competition both together we must then leave all Father and Mother Master and Mistris to waite upon God Have yee not houses to eate and to drinkein Despise yee the Church of God saith the Apostle although in another case So may I say in this There bee other times and other places to shew your dutie and respect