he shall bring them down before thy face so shalt thou drive them out and dâ—stroy them quickly as the Lord hath said unto thee What more violent what more irresistible what more terrible than fire O how much therefore dos it concern us to set up that God as the great object of our fear who hath armed and commanded this dreadful creature the fire to destroy us in many or in most of our outward concernments as to this world Jer. 10. 11. At his wrath the earth shall shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Job 13. 11. Shall not his Excellency make you afraid and his dread fall upon you Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Hab. 3. 5. Before him went the Pestilence and burning coals went forth at his feet Verse 16. When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entered into my bones and trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble Ah London London it highly concerns thee to tremble and quiver and stand in awe of that great and glorious God who hath sent so many thousands to their long homes by a sweeping Pestilence and who hath by a dreadful fire turned thy ancient Monuments and thy stately buildings into a ruinous heap That Christian is more worth than the Gold of Ophir who fears more the hand that hath laid on the fiery Rod than the Rod it self That prudent and faithful Counsel which the Prophâ—t Isaiah gives should alwayes lye warm upon every burnt Citizens heart Isâ— 8. 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread But The fifth Duty that lyes upon those who have been burnt up is to be conâ—ented with their present condition When The Poets bring in the feigned Gods each one conâ—â—nt with his 〈◊〉 Office 〈◊〉 Estate 〈…〉 Miâ—eâ—va with Sciencâ—s 〈◊〉 with Eâ—â—onence 〈◊〉 with â—â—ve Juâ—iter â—ith Hâ—aven and Plâ—â—o with Hell a mans mind is brought down to his means all is well Contentation of mind under all the turns and changes of this life makes a Believer Master both of the little and great world of unruly desirâ—s within himself and of temptations in the world without Contentment â—n a mans presenâ— coâ—dition will yield him a little Heaven in the midst of all the great Hells that he meets with in this world Contentation is a hidden treasure that the Believer will carry with him to the third Heaven where an exceeding weight of glory and contenâ—ation with full satisfaction to his desiâ—es will be added to that little stock of contentment that he has obtained in this world Contentation in every condition is no other but the House of God and the gate of Heaven as Jacob once speaks of that gracious manifestation of God Gen. 28 God dwells in a contented heart and a contented heart dwells in God Contentment is that Porch wherein the Believer waits for an entrance into an house not made with hands but one eternal in the Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1. O labour much with God that your hearts may be brought fully under the power of these divine commands 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be withâ—ut covetousness or without the love of Silver as the Grâ—ek word siâ—nifies and be content with such things as you hâ—ve Contâ—nsi praesentibus So Beza and others be content with things preâ—ent The believing Hebrews had been plundâ—â—ed â—f â—ll they had in this world when the Apostle gâ—ve forth this Royal command Hâ—b 10. 34. and yet the Apostle requires them â—o be content 'T is as much the duty of a Christian â—o be â—ontent when he has nothing as when all the world smâ—les upon him Christians are Souldiers Strangers Travellers Pilgrims and therefore it concerns them to make shift with little things yea with any thing in this world The Israâ—lites had no gay clothes nor no new clothes in their wilderness condition but God made their old clothes to be all clotheâ— to them and that was enough Jacob did not indent with God for Junkets or Ornaments but for food and rayment Gen. 28. 20. If God will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on then shall the Lord be my God Nature is content with a little Grace with less though nothing will satisfie those mens hearts whose lusts are their Lords We shall never want a penny in our Purses to bear our charges till we get to Heaven and therefore let us be content with our present portion in this world Phil. 4. 11 12. I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content I know how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to he hungry both to abound and to suffer need In these words you have first the vicissitude of Pauls outward condition at one time he abounds at another he is abased at one time he is full and at another time he suffers need 2. You have the sweet and gracious composure of his spirit and this is expressed in two singular acts The first is his contentation of mind in all conditions I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content The second is his prudent and pertinent comportment with his present condition I know both how to be abased and how to abound 3. You have the way how he attained this contentation of mind in all condititions I have learned saith he I am instructed this lesson of contentment he did not learn at the feet of Dr. Gamaliel but in the School of Jesus Christ Contentment in every condition is too high a lesson for any effâ—ctually to teach but Jesus Christ O Sirs in the grave it is all one who hath had all and who hath had none What folly is it to lay up goods for many years when we cannot lay up one day for the enjoyment of our goods Christ who never mis-called any calls him fool who had much of the world under his hands but nothing of God or Hâ—aven in his heart Zâ—pirus the Persian was contented to sustain the cutting off his Nose and Ears and Lips to further the enterprise of his Lord Darius against proud Babylon So Christians should be contented to be any thing to do any thing or to suffer any thing to further or promote the glory of God in this world All this whole world is not proportionable to the precious soul All the riches of the Indies cannot pacifie conscience nor secure eternity nor prevent death nor bring you off in the day of Judgement and therefore be contented with a little All the good things of this world are but cold comforts they cannot stretch to eternity they will not go with us into another world and therefore why should the want of
Joh. 20. 19-26 Acts 20 7. And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until midnight 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 1 Cor. 11. 23. But Eighthly Consider such things as are named the Lords in Scripture are ever of the Lords institution As the Word of the Lord 1 Tim. 6. 3. The Cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 27. The Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 20. And so the Lords Day Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day Now why does John call it the Lords day but because it was a day known to be generally kept holy to the honour of the Lord Jesus who rose from death to life upon that day throughout all the Churches which the Apostles had planted which St. John calls the Lords day that he might the better stir up Christians to a thankful remembrance of their Redemption by Christs Resurrection from the dead But Ninthly Consider that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath is one of the best signs in the Bible that God is our God and that his sanctifying work is past in power upon us Ezek. 20. When the primitive Christians had this question put to them Servasti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords day answered Christianus sum omittere non possum I am a Christian I cannot but keep it 20. And hallow my sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God So Exod. 31. 13. Speak thou also unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Look as Circumcision and the Passeover were signs that the Jews were in Covenanâ— with God so likewise was the Sabbath Ezek. 31. 13. and because it was a sign of the Covenant between God and them Vers 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant God tells them that they must observe it for a perpetual Covenant and hence it was that when they violated the Sabbath God accounted it the violation of the Covenant between him and them The sanctifying of the Sabbath in the primitive times was the main Character by which sincere Christians were differenced from others they judged of mens sanctity by their sanctifying of the Sabbath And indeed as there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a prophane heart then the prophaning the Sabbath so there cannot be a greater argument or evidence of a gracious heart then a right sanctifying of the Sabbath But Tenthly Consider a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will 10. be a most sure and certain pledge pawn and earnest of our keeping of an everlasting Sabbath with God in Heaven Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Gr. a sabbatism an eternal rest a sabbath that hath no evening Now mark if this Sabbath be a sign and pledge of Heaven then we must keep it till we come there For if we lose the pledge of a benefit we lose the evidence of that benefit whereof it is a pledge A man that is in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. he is in Heaven on the Lords day there cannot be a more lively resemblance of Heaven on this side Heaven then the sanctifying of the Sabbath in a heavenly manner What is Heaven but an eternal Sabbath And what is a temporal Sabbath but a short Heaven a little Heaven on this side Heaven Our delighting to sanctifiâ— Gods Sabbath on Earth gives full assurance to our faith grounded upon Gods infallible promise that we shall enter into Gods eternal Rest in Heaven for so runs the promise Isa 58. ult Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The former part of the verse relates to earthly blessings but these words I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father that is with a heavenly inheritance for what is the heritage of Jacob but Canaan in the Type and Heaven it self in the Antitype But should I thus sanctifie the Sabbath should I be sure of going to Heaven yes for so it roundly follows in the next words The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it But Eleventhly Consider that of all days God hath put the highest honour upon his Sabbaths by appointing his precious Ordinances in a special manner to be used on those days The Sabbath is a gold Ring and the Ordinances are as so many costly sparkling Diamonds in that Ring All the works of the new Creation are commonly wrought on this day this is the joyful day wherein ordinarily God gives spiritual sight to the blind and spiritual ears to the deaf and spiritual tongues to the dumb and spiritual feet to the lame That Exod. 12. 42. is here applicable It is a night to be much observed to the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Egypt this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their generation Those that are new-born are commonly new-born on this day and therefore 't is a day to be much observed to the Lord. Those that are converted are ordinarily converted on this day and therefore 't is that day of the Lord that ought to be observed by all the converted Israel of God Those that are edified are commonly most edified on this day O the sweet communion O the choice converse O the singular discoveries O the blessed manifestations O the excellent enjoyments that Christ vouchsafes to his people on this day O the discoveries of Grace O the exercise of Grace O the increase of Grace the progress in Grace O the comforts of Grace that God vouchsafes to his Chosen on this day Experience shews that the right sanctifying of the Sabbath is a powerful means under Christ to sanctifie us and to increase our faith and raise our hope and inflame our love and to kindle our zeal and to enlarge our desires and to melt our hearts and to weaken our sins But Twelfthly and lastly Consider this that a right sanctifying of the Sabbath will cross Satans grand design it will spoil his plot his master-piece Satan is a deadly enemy to the right sanctifying of the Sabbath witness the many temptations that many Christians are more troubled with on this day then they are on any other day in the whole week and witness the many vain wandring and distracting thoughts that many precious Christians are more afflicted with on this day then they are on all the days of the week beside and witness that high and hot opposition
Pet. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 2. 10. James 1. 1â— 1 Pet. 5. 4. White Stone that none knows but those that are the favourites of Heaven To have time to make sure a City that hath foundations a Kindgom that shakes not Riches that corrupt not an inheritance that â—adeth not away a house not made with hands but one eternal in the heavens To have time to make sure to your selves a Crown of Righteousness a Crown of Life a Crown of Glory a Crown of immortality are mercies bâ—yond all the expressions and above all the valuations of the Sons of men The Poets paint Time with wings to shew the volubility and swiftness of it Sumptus pretiocissimus tempus time is of precious Sophocles Phocilides cost saith Theophrastus Know time lose not a minute saith Pittacus Aelian gives this testimony of the Lacedaemonians That they were hugely covetous of their time spending it all about necessary things and suffering no Citizen either to be idle or play Titus Vespasian having spent a day without doing Suetonius any man any good as he sate at Supper he uttered this memorable and praise worthy Apothegme Amici diem perdidi My friends I have lost a day O Sirs will not these poor Heathens rise in Jâ—dgement against all those that trifle and fool and sin away their precious time Take heed of crying cras cras to morrow to morrow O play not the Courtier with your precious souls the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and supps late and goes to bed late and repents late Remember that Manna must be gathered in the morning The Orient Pearl is generated of the morning dew There is nothing puts a more serious frame into a mans Spirit than to know the worth of his time 'T is very dangerous putting off that to another day which must be done to day or else undone to morrow Nunc aut nunquam Now or Never was the saying of old If not done now it may never be done and then undone for ever Eternity depends on this moment of time What Beroaldus speakâ— of a Fool who cried out Oh Repentance Râ—pentance where aâ—t thou where art thou Repentance would not many a man give for a day when it is a day too late Whilst many blind Sodomites have been groping to find a door of hope God has rained Hell out of Heaven upon them The seasons of Grace are not under your locks and keyes Many thousand poor sinners have lost their seasons and their souls together Judas repented and Esau mourned but neither timely nor truly and therefore they perished to all eternity The damned in Hell may weep their eyes out of their heads but they can never weep sin out of their souls nor their souls out of Hell c. O that the flames of London might be so sanctified to every poor sinner who have had their lives for a prey in that doleful day that they may no longer neglect those precious seasons and opportunities of Grace that yet are continued to them lest God should swear in his wrath that they should never Heb. 2. 3. Heb. 3. 18. enter into his rest O Sirs yet you have a world of gracious opportunities and O that God would give you that heavenly wisdom that you may never neglect one gracious opportunity though it were to gain a whole world God by giving you your lives in the midst of those furious and amazing flames has given you time and opportunity to secure the internal and the eternal welfare of your precious and immortal souls which is a mercy that can never bâ— sufficiently prized or improved But Secondly What a mercy was this to poor doubting staggering Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames For by this means they have gained time to pray down their doubts and to argue down their doubts and to wrestle and weep down their doubts c. Christ ascended to Heaven in a cloud and the Angel ascended Acts 1. 9 10. Judg. 14. 20. to Heaven in the flame of the Altar 'T is ten to one out this had been the case of many doubting trembling Christians had they dyed when London was in flames I know 't is good getting to Heaven any way though it be in a whirlewind of affliction or in a fiery Chariot of temptation or in the flames of Persecution or in a cloud of fears doubts and darkness but yet that man is more happy that gets to Heaven in a quiet calm of inward peace and The whole Scripture saith Luther doth principally aim at this thing that we should not doubt but that we should hope that we should trust and that we should believe that God is a merciful a bountiful a gracious and patient God to his people in the fair Sunshine of joy and assurance 'T is a good thing for a man to get into a safe Harbour though it be in a Winter night and through many Storms and tempests hazards dangers and deaths with the loss of Masts Cables and Anchors but yet he is more happy that gets into a safe Harbour in a clear calm fair Sun-shiny day top and top-gallant and with Colours flying and Trumpets sounding The prudent Reader knows how to apply it O that al poor doubting Christians would seriously lay this to heart viz. That for them to have time to have their judgements and understandings enlightned their doubts resolved their objections answered their consciences setled and their souls assured that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and them is a mercy more worth than all the world But Thirdly What a mercy was this to poor languishing declining and decaying Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London was in flames There werâ— a great many in London who were fallen from their first love and whose Sun was set in a cloud There were many whose Graces were languishing whose comforts were declining Rev. 2. 4. whose souls were withered and whose communion with God was greatly impaired Many within and without the Walls of London had a Worm knawing at the root of their Graces they had lost their spiritual rellish of God of Christ of Ordinances as dying men lose their rellish Dying men can rellish nothing they sip or eat or drink they had lost theâ—â— spiritual strength and they knew it not as Sampson had lost hâ—s natural strength and knew it not O what an Image of deaâ—â— Judg. 16. 20. was upon their highest professions Now for these men to livâ— for these men to have time to get their Graces repaired their comforts revived their spiritual strength restored their soulâ— fatned and their communion with God raised O what a matchless what an incomparable mercy is this But Fourthly What a mercy was this to poor clouded deserted and benighted Christians that they have had their lives for a prey when London
of them that it was the Lord that had stirred his wrath and indignation against them and yet they wilfully and desperately shut their eyes against all the severities of God and would not behold that dreadful hand of his that was stretched out against them O Sirs God looks upon himself as reproached and slandered by such who will not see his hand in the amazing Judgements that he inflicts upon them Jer. 5. 12. They have belied the Lord and said it is not he or as the Hebrew runs he is not Such was the Atheism of the Jews that they slighted divine warnings and despised all those dreadful threatnings of the Sword Famine and Fire which should have lead them to repentance and so tacitely said the Lord is not God such who either say that God is not omniscient or that he is not omnipotent or that he is not so just as to execute the Judgements that he has threatned Such belie the Lord such deny him to be God Many feel the rod that cannot hear it and many experience the smart of the rod that don't see the hand that holds the rod and this is sad How can the natural man without faiths prospective look so high as to see the hand of the Lord in wasting and destroying Judgements By common experience we find that natural men are mightily apt to father the evil of all their sufferings upon secondary causes sometimes they cry out this is from a distemper in nature and at other times they cry out this is from a bad Air Sometimes they cry out of the malice Plots envy and rage of men and at other times they cry out of Stars Chance and Fortune and so fix upon any thing rather than the hand of God But now a gracious Christian under all his sufferings he overlooks all secondary causes and fixes his eye upon the hand of God You know what Joseph said to his unnatural Brethren who fold him Gen. 45. 7. for a slave Non vos sed Deus 'T was not you but God that sent me into Aegypt Job met with many sore losses and sad crosses but under them all he over-lookt all instruments all secondary causes he over-looks the Sabeans and the Chaldeans and Satan and fixes his eye upon the hand of God The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be Job 1. 21. the name of the Lord. Judas and Annas and Caiaphas and Pilate and Herod and the bloody Souldiers had all a deep hand in the sufferings of Christ but yet he over-looks them all and fixes his eye upon his fathers hand The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it This cup was John 18. 11. the cup of his sufferings Now in all his sad sufferings hâ— had still an eye to his Fathers hand Let us in all our sufferings write after this Copy that Christ has set before us But of this I have spoken very largely already and therefore let this touch suffice here Secondly Labour to justifie the Lord in all that he has done Say the Lord is righâ—eous though he hath laid your City desolate When Jerusalem was laid desolate and the Wall thereof broken down and the Gates thereof were burnt with fire Nehemiah justifies the Lord Chap. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou Nâ—hâ—m 1. 4. So Maâ—â—â—câ—us the Emperour justified God when he saw his Wife and Children butchered before his eyes by the Trayâ—or Phocas and knew that hâ—mself should soon after be stewed in his own Broth cryed out Just art thou O Lord and just are all thy Judgements hast done right but we have done wickedly The same Spirit was upon Jeremiah Lam. 1. 1 4 8. How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people Hâ—w is she become as a Widow She that was great among the Nations and Princâ—ss among the Provinces How is she become tributary The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her Gates are desolate her Priests sigh her Virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his commandment The same Spirit was upon David Psal 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy Judgements are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me So Psal 145. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works This Maxim we must live and dye by though we don't alwayes see the reason of his proceedings 'T is granted on all hands that voluntas Dei est summa perfectissima infallibilis Regula divinae justitiae Deus sibi ipsi lex est The will of God is the chiefest the most perfect and infallible Rule of Divine Justice and that God is a Judge to himself Shall Gen. 18. 25. not the Judge of all the earth do right In this Negative question is emphatically implyed an Affirmative Position which is that God above all others must and will do right because from his Judgement there is no appeal Abraham considering the Nature and Justice of God was confidently assured that God could not do otherwise but right Hath God turn'd you out of house and home and marred all your pleasant things and stript you naked as the day wherein you were born yes Why if he hath he hath done you no wrong he can do you no wrong he is a Law to himself and his righteous Will is the Rule of all Justice God can as soon cease to be as he can cease to do that which is just and right So Psa 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him Righteousnâ—ss and Judgement are the habitation of his throne Clouds and darâ—nâ—ss notes the terribleness of Gods administrations though God be very terrible in his administrations yet righteousness and judgâ—ment are the habitation of his Throne It hath been a day of Gods wrath in London a day of trouble and distress a day of wasting and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds Zeph. 1. 15. and thick darkness as it was once in Jerusalem yet righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne or as it may be translated are the foundation of his Throne Gods Seat of Judgement is alwayes founded in righteousness So Daniel 9. 12. And he hath confirmed his words which he spake against us and against our Judges that judged us by bringing upon us a great evil for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem Ver. 14. The Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice God is only righteous he is perfectly righteous he is exemplarily righteous he is everlastingly righteous he is infinitely righteous and no unrighteousness dwells in him There are four things that God can't do Psal 92. 15. Job 36. 23. 1. He can't lie 2. He can't die 3. He ca'nt deny himself Nor 4.
Maâ—k 16. 11. And Secondly There was a place where the Priests executed their Ministry which was holier than that that the people stood in and is therefore called the Holy Place Lev. 16. 30. And Thirdly There was a place which the High Priest might only enter into and that but once a year anâ— that is called the Holy of Holies the holiest place of all Heb. 9. 3. But now since the death of Christ there is no place in the world that is holier than other The prayer of faith is as powerful and as prevalent with God in one place as in another Paul describes the faithful to be such as call upon 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Matth. 18. 20. God in every place And I will saith he that men pray every where And where two or three saith Christ are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them That every place should be free for the people of God to worship the Lord in was foretold by the Prophets as a singular privâ—lâ—dge that should come to the Church in the dayes of the Gospel Zeph. 2. 11 And men shall worship him every one from his place even all the Isles of the Heathen That is all Countâ—â—ys though not encompassed with the Sea for the Jews â—aâ—lâ—d â—ll Lâ—â—ds Islands whither they could not come but by Waâ—â—r Mâ—n should worship not only at Jerusalem as oâ—â—â— but in all plâ—ces They should lift up pure hands and hearts without wrath or doubting both in Church and 1 Tim. 2. 8. Chamber any place whatsoever shall be a sufficient Oratory so that God be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Mal. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place not in Judaea only incense shall be offered unto my name Here thâ— Prophet frames his words to the capacity of the peoâ—le and by the Altar and Sacrifices he meaneth the spiritual service of God which should be under the Gospel when an end shall be put to all these Legal Ceremonies by Christs only Sacrifice and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts The poor blâ—nd bâ—sotted Jews thought that God was so tyâ—d to them that if they did not worshâ—p him at Jerusalem he would have no service nor worship in the world But God tâ—lls them that they were under a very high mistake for he would take care of his own name and glory For from the rising of the Sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great that is the knowledge of it and of the right worship of it among the Gentiles this is an excellent Prophesie of the cutting off the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name My Worship saith God shall not be confined to Judaeâ— or Jerusalem See Isa 66. 19 20. Chap. 60. 8. and Chap. 19. 19. or the Temple but in every place I will have a people that shall worship me and that shall be still offering of prayers and praises and thanksgivings to me Christ by his death hath taken away all difference of places And indeed it was but necessary that when the body was come the shadow should cease Yea since Christs death all difference of persons is taken away For in every Nation under heaven such Act. 10. 34 35. Gal. 3. 28. as fear God and work righteousness are accepted of him There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bend nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus And therefore all difference of places must needs also be taken away for this difference of places was as a partition wall between the Jews and the Gentiles Now mark since the Ephes 2. 14 15. destruction of the Temple and City of Jerusalem the Lord hath not sanctified any other place in the world or consecrated it to a more holy use than the rest and it is only Gods institution and word that can make any thing or any 1 Tim. 4 4 5. place holy Nothing can make any place or any thing else holy but the Ordinance and institution of God It is Judaisme it is a denying of Christ to be come in the flesh to hold or affirm that one place is holier than another I know the Papists put more holiness in some placâ—s than thâ—y do in others for they hold that it is more advantagioâ—s 〈◊〉 the dead to be buried in the Church-yard than out of it And in the Church more than in the Church-yard and in Chancel more than in the Church and nâ—ar the high Alâ—ar more than in any other place of the Câ—ancel and all out of a superstitious conceit that these places are consecrated and hallowed that they are holier then other places are But Christians that live undâ—r a bright shining Gospel understand the folly and vanity of these mens spirits principles and practices Such as are wise in heart know that since Christ by his death hath taken away all religious difference of places England is as holy as Canaan and London as Jerusalem and our houses as the Temple Ne. 12 27 28. Psal 30. Title A Psalm aâ—d Soâ—g at the Dâ—dication of the housâ— of David While the Ark brought the Plague every one was glad to be rid of it but when it brought a blessing to Obed-Edom they looked upon it as worthy of entertainment Many will own a blessing Ark a prosperous truth but he is an Obâ—d-Edom indeed that will own a persecuted tossed banished Ark. Under the Law they were wont to dedicate their houses and consecrate them to God before they dwelt in them Deut. 20. 5. And the Officers shall speak unto the people saying what man is there that hath built a new house and hath not dedicated it by Prayers Hymns and other holy solemnities let him go and return to his house lest he dye in the battel and another man dedicate it Now thouâ—h this were done in those times with sundry ceremonies which are now abolished yet the equity of the duty still remains And doubtless the best way for a man to bring down a blessing upon himself and his house is to dedicate himself and his house to God 2 Sam. 6. 11. And the Ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-Edom the Hittite three moneths and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his houshold Versâ— 12. And it was told King David saying the Lord hath hlessed the hâ—use of Obed-edom and all that pertaineth to him because of the Ark of God In this Scripture you see that when men do any thing to the advancement of Religion or to the furtherance of Gods Worship and Service he takes it kindly at their hands The meanest service that is done to Christ or his Church hath a Patent of eternity Again in this Scripture you may run