so he hath ordained not that we should doe them at hap hazard and without order but at certaine determined daies times Where also by whō he will have them executed himself hath defined according to his supreme will But where hath the Lord defined these things unlesse he hath left us to the Analogy of the Old Testament It followes in the text alledged There I will come unto thee and blesse thee In the Place where the Lords Memoriall is where his Colours as I may so speak are displayed and set up there in a speciall manner he vouchsafes his presence with the sons of men to blesse them or to speak rotundè Where his memoriall is there His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SHECINAH or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as the Hebrew Masters terme it that is His GLORY The Gentiles ascribed the presence of their gods to the places where Images and Statues were erected consecrated for them But such personall similitudes the God of Israel abhorres and forbids to be made unto Him yet promiseth his presence in every place where the Memoriall or record of his Name shall be but of his owne appointment not of mans devising For thus I suppose is the text there to be understood and to be construed by way of Antithesis or opposition You shall not make with me gods of silver nor gods of gold An Altar onely of earth or of stone shalt thou make unto me to offer thy Sacrifices upon For in every place where I shall record my Name I will come unto thee and blesse thee And here take notice that for this reason the Tabernacle of the Lord was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of meeting not of mens meeting together as is commonly supposed when we translate it Tabernacle of the Congregation but of Gods meeting there with men I have a good author for it For so the Lord himself gives the reason of the name in three severall places of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you See Exod. 29. 42. ‑ 30. ‑ 36. Num. 17. 4. and Masius in Ios c. 18. SECTION 2. THus WE have seene what is the condition and property of that Place which in my Text is called Gods House But before I proceed to speak of the Duty of those who come thither which was the second thing I propounded there is one thing yet to be cleared concerning that which I last mentioned namely How God is said to come unto to be present with men in one place more than another seeing his Presence fils every place heaven being his throne and the whole earth his footstoole For although we read often in holy Scripture of such a SHECINAH or specialitie of the divine presence and have it often in our mouthes yet what it is and wherein the Ratio thereof consisteth is seldome if at all enquired into When we speak of Churches we content our selves to say that Gods speciall presence there is in his Word and Sacraments But though it be true that the Divine Majesty is there specially present where his Word and Sacraments are yet seemes not this speciality of presence to be the same with his Word and Sacraments but a diverse relation from them This may be gathered in some sort out of those words of Exodus whereupon we have so long dwelt as where the recording of Gods Name and his coming thither are spoken of as two but is more strongly evinced by such instances of Scripture where the Lord is said to have been specially present in places where this Record of his Word and Sacraments was not as for example to Moses in the Bush to Iaacob at Bethel and the like The true Ratio therefore of this SHECINAH or Speciality of divine presence must bee sought and defined by something which is common to al these and not by that which is proper to some onely Well then to hold you no longer in suspense this Specification of the divine presence whereby God is said to be in one place more than another I suppose under correction to consist in his traine or retinue A King is there where his Court is where his traine and retinue are So God the Lord of Hosts is there specially present where the heavenly Guard the blessed Angels keep their sacred station and rendevous That this is consonant to the revelation of holy Scripture I shew first from the collection of inference which the Patriarch Iacob makes upon that divine vision of his at Bethel where having seen a ladder reaching from heaven to earth and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it Surely saith he the Lord is in this place and I knew it not How dreadfull is this place It is no other but the House of God even the gate of heaven that is Heavens Guildnall Heavens Court namely because of the Angels For the Gate was wont to be the Judgement Hall and the Place where Kings and Senators used to sit attended by their guard and ministers Secondly I prove it from that interpretative expression used in the New Testament of the Lords descent upon Mount Sinai when the Law was given intimating that the specification of the presence of the Divine Majesty there also consisted in the Angelicall retinue there encamping For so St. Steven Act. 7. 53. You who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it St. Paul twice First Gal. 3. 19. The Law was added because of transgressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator And againe Heb. 2. 2. hee cals the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word spoken by Angels Howbeit in the story it selfe we find no such thing expressed but onely that the Lord descended upon the Mount in a fiery and smoking cloud accompanied with thunders and lightnings with an earthquake and the voice of a trumpet VVhence then should this expression of St. Steven and the Apostle proceed but from a supposition that the speciall presence of the Divine Majesty wheresoever it is said to be consisted in the encamping of his sacred retinue the Angels for that of himself hee who filleth the heaven and the earth could not descend nor be in one place more than another Yea all the Apparitions of the Divine Majesty in Scripture are described by this retinue That of the Ancient of dayes coming to judgement Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him to wit of Angels VVhence we reade in the Gospell that Christ our Saviour shall come in the glory of his Father that is with an host of Angels as the Holy Ghost himselfe in the same places expounds it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Glory here signifies the presence of the Divine Majesty In the same style of the same Appearing prophecieth Enoch the seventh from Adam in the Epistle of St. Iude. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the Lord cometh with his holy Myriads or ten thousands For so it ought to be rendred and not as we have it with ten thousand of his Saints VVherefore here the vulgar Latine comes nearer which hath Ecce Venit Dominus in sanctis millibus suis A like expression whereunto of the Divine presence we shall find in Moses Blessing Deut. 33. The Lord saith he came from Sinai unto them .i. unto Israel and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran he came with his holy ten thousands or holy myriads for so it should be translated then it followes from his right hand went a fiery law for them From whence perhaps that notion of the Jewish Doctors followed by St. Steven and the Apostle that the Law was given by Angels had its beginning And thus you have heard out of Scripture what that is whereby the speciall presence of the Divine Majesty is as I suppose defined that is wherein it consists namely such as is applyable to all places wherein hee is said to be thus present even to Heaven it selfe his throne and seat of glory the proper place as every one knowes of Angelicall residence Now according to this manner of presence is the Divine Majesty to be acknowledged present in the Places where his Name is recorded as in his Temple under the Law and in our Christian Oratories or Churches under the Gospell namely that the heavenly Guard there attend and keep their rendevous as in their Masters House according to that vision which the Prophet Isay had thereof Isay 6. I saw the Lord saith he sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his traine filled the Temple Lxx and Iohn 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Angels and Seraphims his stipatores as may be gathered from that which immediately followes where it is said The Seraphims cried one unto another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of hoasts the whole earth is full of his Glory This King Agrippa in Josephus intimates in that Oration he is said to have made unto the Jewes a little before that fatall siege dehorting them from rebelling against the Romans Where speaking to the people hard by and in view of that sacred Temple he hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call to witnesse your sacred Temple and the holy Angels of God namely which encampe there The same is imployed in that of the 138. Psalme according to the translation of the Lxx. and Vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In conspectu Angelorum psallam tibi adorabo ad Templum sanctum tuum confitebor Nomini tuo .i. Before the Angels I will sing praise unto thee I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name And according to this sense I understand that of Solomon in this Book of Ecclesiastes within a two or three verses of my Text concerning vowes to bee made in Gods House When thou vowest a vow deferre not to pay it Better it is thou should'st not vow than vow and not pay Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou BEFORE THE ANGEL It was an errour that is Let not such a foolish excuse come from thee in the house of God before the holy Angels For note that the word Angell may be taken collectively for more than one For this cause all the curtaines of the Tabernacle were filled with the pictures of Cherubins and the wals of Solomons Temple within with carved Cherubins the Ark of the Testimony overspread and covered with two mighty Cherubins having their faces looking towards it and the Mercy-seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with their wings stretched forth on high called Heb. 9. 5. The Cherubins of glory that is of the divine Presence all to signifie that where Gods sacred Memoriall is the ensigne of his Covenant and commerce with men there the blessed Angels out of duty give their attendance Nor is it to be overpassed that the Jews at this day continue the like opinion of their moderne places of worship namely that the blessed Angels frequent their assemblies and praise and laud God with them in their Synagogues notwithstanding they have no other memoriall of his there than an imitative one onely to wit a Chest with a volume or roll of the Law therein in stead of the Ark with the two Tables For thus speaks the Seder Tephilloth or Forme of prayer used by the Jewes of Portugal O Lord our God the Angels that supernall company gathered together with thy people Israel here below doe crowne thee with praises and all together doe thrice redouble and cry that spoken of by thy Prophet Holy Holy Holy Lord God of hoasts the whole earth is full of his glory They allude to Isayes Vision of the Glory of God above-mentioned You will say Such a presence of Angels perhaps there was in that Temple under the Law but there is no such thing in the Gospell No why Are the Memorials of Gods Covenant his Insignia in the Gospell lesse worthy of their attendance than those of the Law or have the Angels since the nature of man Jesus Christ our Lord became their Head and King gotten an exemption from this service Surely not St. Paul if we will understand and beleeve him supposes the contrary in his first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. vers 10. where treating of a comely and decent accommodation to be observed in Church assemblies and in particular of womens being covered or veiled there he enforces it from this presence of Angels For this saith he ought the woman to have a covering on her head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the Angels namely which are there present For otherwise the reason holds not that she should more be covered in the Place of Prayer than any where else unlesse the Angels be more there than elsewhere This place much troubleth the Expositors But see what it is to admit a truth for now there is no difficulty in it And that the ancient Fathers conceived no lesse venerably of their Christian Oratories in this particular than the Jews did of their Temple appeares by St. Chrysostome who is very frequent in urging an awfull and reverent behaviour in Gods house from this motive of Angelicall presence As in his Homily 36. in 1 Cor. where reproving the irreverent behaviour of his Auditory in that Church in talking walking saluting and the like which he saith was peculiar unto them and such as no Christians elsewhere in the world presumed to do he enforces his reproof with words that come home to our purpose Non tonstrina inquit neque unguentaria of ficina neque ulla alia opificum qui sunt in foro taberna est Ecclesia sed Locus Angelorum Locus Archangelorum regia Dei ipsum coelum The Church saith he is no Barbers or Drug-sellers shop nor any other crafts-mans or merchants workhouse or warehouse in
the market place but the place of Angels the place of Archangels the palace of God heaven it selfe And in his 4. Hom. de incomprehensibili Dei natura towards the end Cogita apud quem proximè stas quibuscum invoces Deum scil cum Cherubim cum Seraphim cum omnibus coeli Virtutibus animadverte quos habeas socios satis hoc tibi sit ad sobrietatem cum recorder is te corpore constantem carne coagmentatum admitti cum Virtutibus incorporeis celebrare omnium Dominum Think neare whom thou standest with whom thou invocatest God namely with Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Power of heaven consider but what companions thou hast let it bee sufficient to perswade thee to sobriety when thou remembrest that thou who art compounded of flesh and bloud art admitted with the incorpore all Powers to celebrate the common Lord of all But all this you will say the Angels may doe in Heaven well let it be so yet is it not altogether out of our way but the next places I shall bring will not be so eluded Namely that in his 15. Homily upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes against those that laughed in the Church Regiam quidem ingrediens habitu aspectu incessu omnibus aliis te ornas componis Hîc autem verè est Regia planè hîc talia qualia coelestia rides Atque scio quidem quod tu non vides Audi autem quod ubique adsunt Angeli maxime in Domo Dei adsistunt Regi omnia sunt impleta incorporeis illis Potestatibus When thou goest into a Kings Palace thou composest thy selfe to a comelinesse in thy habit in thy look in thy gate and in all thy whole guise But here is indeed the Palace of a King and the like attendance to that in heaven and doest thou laugh I know well enough thou seest it not But heare thou me and know that Angels are every where and that chiefly in the house of God they attend upon their King where all is filled with incorporeall Powers The like unto this you shall find in his 24. Homily upon the Acts of the Apostles Knowest thou not that thou standest here with Angels that with them thou singest with them thou laudest God with hymnes and dost thou laugh See the rest I will alledge but one passage more of his lest I should grow tedious and that is out of his 6. Book de Sacerdotio not very far from the beginning where speaking of the time when the holy Eucharist is celebrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he Then the Angels stand by the Priest and the whole Quire resounds with celestiall Powers and the place about the Altar is filled with them in honour of him who is laid thereon that is of his Memoriall Compare with it a like passage in his 3. Hom de incompreben sibili Det natura Item Hom. 1. de verbis Isaiae St. Ambrose acknowledgeth the same in c. 1. Luc. Non dubites assistere Angelum quando Christus assistit Christus immolatur Yea Tertullian in whose time which was within 200. yeares after Christ some will scarcely beleeve that Christians had any such places as Churches at all if I understand him intimates as much in his lib. de Oratione c. 12. where reprehending the irreverent gesture of some in sitting at the time of prayer in the Church Siquidem saith he irreverens est assidere sub conspectu contraque conspectum ejus quem cum maximè reverearis ac venereris quanto magis sub conspectu Dei vivi ANGELO adhuc ORATIONIS adstante factum illud irreligiosissimum est nisi exprobramus Deo quod nos oratio fatigaverit If it bee an irreverent thing to sit in the sight and before him whom thou in a speciall manner honourest and reverencest how much more is it an act most irreligious to doe it in the presence of the living God the ANGEL OF PRAYER yet standing by unlesse we upbraid God that wee have wearied our selves with praying Marke In the presence of the living God the Angel of prayer standing by that is in the presence of the living God specified by his Angel the latter being an explanation of the former It is like unto that in this chapter of my Text Say not thou before the Angell It was an errour yet I beleeve not borrowed thence forasmuch as the Lxx whose translation Tertullian was onely acquainted with and every where followes have no mention of Angel in that place but of God rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Say not before the presence of God Which shewes how they understood it I cite the passages of these Fathers thus at large lest I might to some seeme to broach a novelty And though some of those of St. Chrysostome be hyperbolically expressed yet for the maine and substance of what he intended I beleeve it to bee true and ground my beleefe upon the authority of St. Paul before alledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of the Angels If any shall say whatsoever were then they will not beleeve there is any such kinde of presence in our Churches now I must tell them If it be so it is because of our irreverent and unseemly behaviour in them which makes those blessed spirits loath our companie For though they be invisible and incorporeall creatures yet can they not look into our hearts that is God their Masters prerogative but are witnesses of our outward behaviour and actions onely and it was a case of externall decorum wherein the Apostle mentions this presence of theirs for a motive or reason For this cause ought the woman to have a covering on her head because of the Angels For they love not to behold any thing that is uncomely and unbeseeming but flye from it and if we lose their company the best members of our congregation are wanting Thus you have heard what is the dignity and prerogative of Gods House Who now that considers and beleeves this and there was a time when it was beleeved will not say with the Patriarch Iacob when he saw the Angels ascending and descending at Bethel Quam reverenda sunt haec loca How reverend are these places For every Place where the Name of God is recorded is Bethel where the Angels of God are ascending and descending that is God in a special manner present and meeting with men How seemly therefore orderly and awfully should we compose our selves in them how reverent should our manner be at our coming into them which is the second thing I propounded to speake of Thus much therefore of Gods House I come now to the Duty of those who come thither Looke to thy feet when thou comest to the House of God SECTION 3. LOOK TO THY FEET 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the Cethib or textuall reading hath it the Masorites in the margine note another reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number But which way soever of