theÌ„selues haue this variety how well accoÌ„modated soeuer their Pallaces be and no house of theirs so gorgeous so glorious whatsoever but should they be tyed vnto it continually it would seeme a Prison rather then a Pallace It seemes it was not so with the Lordes house in this place for a Prince here is so desirous to liue therein continually as that he wished there to dwell all the daies of his life and therefore in one of his Psalmes I will dwell f Psa 23 6. saith he in the house of the Lord for ever and againe in another g Psa 61.4 place I will dwell for ever in thy Tabernacle He could haue beene contented it seems to haue set vp his rest there like as the Lord h Ps 132.15 speakes of Sion This shal be my rest for ever here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein This it was in effect that Zacharias Iohn Baptists father did aime at long after wheÌ„ speaking of the effect of our redemption by our Saviour that we i Luk 11.74 saith he being delivered out of the haÌ„ds of our enemies might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And here Beloved let vs admire the greate goodnesse of our God and his exceeding mercy towards vs who speaking to vs when time was in so great anger and indignation k Gen. 3.17 Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of they life for in that he spake it to our first father Adam he spake it to vs to doth sweeten as it were this curse againe by taking vs into his owne service and in that service to remaine with him all the daies of our life Wherein what doe we else but even set at his owne table either as l 1. Sam. 20 27. David did at Sauls or m 2. Sam. 9 7. Mephibosheth at Davids It was a vaine hope of Lamech therefore who vpon the birth of Noah his sonne this sonne n Gen 5.29 saith he shall comfort vs as touching the earth which the Lord hath cursed it is the sonne of God only that so can do and so shall it be done vnto vs if so be we endevour to serue him all the daies of our life I end this point with the words of Peter which he spake vnto our Saviour somewhat vnadvisedlie I confesse in the case he then spake them but for our purpose very fitly Master o Mat. 17.4 saith Peter it is good for vs to be here right so say I it is good indeed for vs to be here and therefore let vs here be all the daies of our life And thus much of the Matter of the Prophets Petition here now as touching the Maner of making it which I told you was in these words On thing haue I desired of the Lord which I will require wherein I consider these points first that he made it his Chiefe Desire and that in these words One thing haue I desired secondly his Constancie in it that in these I desired of the Lord not I desired of thee o Lord as if he had spoken it in private but I desired of the Lord in the third person and therefore speaking no doubt to others even to all who should ever haue the pervsing of this Psalme And of each of these in their order and first of making it his Chiefe Desire One thing haue I desired Davids desire for it was One thing here is not so to be vnderstood as if it therfore were but One or the only thing he did desire This very Psalme dispelleth that conceite for there are even in this Psalme diverse and sundry desires besides as first to haue p Psa 27.7 mercie vpon him and to forgiue him secondly not to q v. 9. hide his face froÌ„ him thirdly to r v. 11. illighten his vnderstaÌ„ding that he might tread his waies aright fourthly to Å¿ v. 12. deliuer him from the malice and malitiousnes of his Adversaries over and aboue a thousand desires and petitions besides both in this his booke of Psalmes in the book of Samuel and els where It is nor therefore to be said of this One as speaks the Apostle to the t Eph. 4.4 Ephesians of one body one spirit one hope of our vocation or in the words immediatly following V. 5. one Lord one Faith one Baptisme or as it was said of our Saviours coate that it could not haue bin Tunioa vnlesse it had beene c D. Playfers Pathway to Perfection pag. 130. Vnica that is one or els none or as Ruffinus x Cypr. in Symb. sine Ruffinus speakes of that Sonne in the firmament which is so only one that there cannot be another or a third to beare him company 〈…〉 vel 〈…〉 â—ddi 〈◊〉 possit no it is not such a one the meaning therfore is that he principally desired this one thing that he specially chiefly would require it like as our Saviour y 〈◊〉 20. â—â— saith of Maries choice One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part and yet was Martha her sister to haue a childs part to For if so be a cup of cold water onely giveÌ„ to one of our Saviors little ones in the name of a Disciple shoulde not loose a z Mat. 10. â—â— reward how great a reward was hers to bee that gaue so great entertainement to our Savior and that in the name of a Saviour to For that shee beleeved in him now it is more then manifest in respect her Brother Lazarus had now beene a Ioh. 12.2 raised from the dead But thus much briefly for the emineÌ„cie of the Prophets desire here in this place Shall we now see his constancy in it Or was it with him as with the Poet b Horat. Ep. â— 1. ep 1. quod petijt spornit was the winde afterwards in another quarter No in no wise therefore to the preterperfectence he addeth the future here which I will require c Virg. Aen. l 4. Mens immota manet his minde was stedfast it was like Queene Elizabeths Semper eadem Ever and never but the same Which I will require It was our Saviours question concerning the d Mat. 11.7 Baptist what went ye out into the wildernesse to see A reed shaken with the wind And what e Greg. in Evang Hom 6. saith S. Gregorie is vnderstood by this reed but only a carnall minde which accordinglie or as it is hoysed vp by favour or by slander depressed downe yeeldes presentlie it selfe or to the one or to the other The author of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew giues the reason A reed f Chris Ob. Impers in Mat. Hom. 26. saith he is a voide and emptie thing having in it nor strength nor vigor therefore is it driven with every winde right so a carnall man saith he that hath no pith
a Soule and in that Tabernacle an k Exod. 40 3. Arke which Arke containing principally the Two Tables of stone the ten CommandemeÌ„ts what may we better resemble them vnto then to the will and affections over which they beare the sway The Sanctuarie I may wel resemble vnto the Vnderstanding though as the chiefest roome in this house it passed indeed all vnderstanding Nor may it seeme strange that the Temple here should thus be compared vnto man seeing man so often times in holy Scripture is called the Temple of God Knowe ye not l 1. Cor. 3.16 saith the Apostle that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which ye are And againe in another m 2. Cor. 6.16 place ye are the Temple of the living God wherevpon Tertullian very elegantly Being all of vs n Tertul. de cultu Fam. Eius templi Aedituâ— Antistes Pâ—dicitia est saith he the Temple of God the Pâ—rson Prelate of that Church is Chastitie which will not suffer any vncleane or prophane thing to be brought into it least that God that doth inhabit it should vtterly leaue the place by reason of such pollution But thus much of his house Now let vs see what it is to dwell in it Even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord. Hannah the mother of Samuel wheÌ„ shee had beene long barren it was often cast her in the teeth she vowed a vow o 1. SaÌ„ 1.11 said O Lord of hosts if thou wilt look on the trouble of thy handmaid and remember mee and not forget thy handmaid but giue vnto thy handmaid a man child theÌ„ will I giue him vnto the Lord all the daies of his life there shall no raiser come vpon his head Her meaning was that he should be brought vp in the house of the Lord in Shiloh there to do the Lord that service that Eli the Governor should enioin him Al things hapning to her desires that is the Lord looking on her trouble remembring and not forgetting her giving vnto her a man childe indeed shee gaue him indeed vnto the Lord he became a Nazarite and a Levite and dwelt in the house of the Lord al the daies of his life But this is not the dwelling here meant in this place This kinde of dwelling was for Prophets indeed and for the Children of the Prophets howbeit Dauid though he were a Prophet yet had he besides an other calling and by reason of that calling coulde not thus dwell in this house The dwelling then that David meant was in all publike assemblies both at Morning and Evening Sacrifice to tender his presence to the Lord to sort himself with those who p Ps 121.1 gladded him so much when as they said vnto him we will goe into the house of the Lord to be alwaies praising of the Lord in those Assemblies according vnto that in an other of his Psalmes q Ps 84 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will bee alwaie praising thee And this because he coulde not now perfourme by reason of his banishment how dry was his soul within him what bitter moane doth he make r Psa 42.2 My soule saith he is a thirst for God yea even for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presence of God I for his banishmeÌ„t had berest him of the exceeding solace he there took he prefers before himself those very fowles of the heaven before which our Å¿ Mat. 10.31 Saviour in another case woulde haue preferred him so much The Sparrow t Psa 84.3 saith he hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where shee may lay her yong even thy altars O Lord of hostes my king and my God I know there are of the u Calvin Tremell in hunc loc Interpreters that take these words otherwise but since our Church thus readeth them I for my part am coÌ„tented in this case not to vary from the Church But to returne vnto my purpose To approach continually then vnto the Temple and thither continually to repaire was the dwelling no doubt here meant to dwell to reside continually there not to come for a spurt or a fit as you heard this word Dwelling descanted vpon by c Mr Doct. King Vice-chancelor of Oxford and Deâ—ne of Christ-ch in a latin Sermon at the beginning of the Tearme vpon Ps 91.1 one of the worthiest amongst vs in another dialect not long ago And thus dwelt Anna here the daughter of Phanuel who is said in the secoÌ„d of x Luk. 2.37 Luke for the space of fourescore and foure yeares not to haue gone out of the Temple not that she was there alwaies but often saith y Lyra Beda in huÌ„c loc Lyra and venerable Bede to the same purpose not that shee was never absent no not an howre but for that she was often in the Temple And the same S. Luke speaking of our Saviours disciples after they had seen him ascended into heaven They returned z Luk 24.52 saith he to Ierusalem with great ioy were continually in the Temple praising and landing God Thus S. Austens mother in her time to might be said to dwell in Gods house wherevnto shâ— came so duely and truely twise a daie that shee in thy Scriptures a Aâ—g Confess l. 5. c. 9. saith S. Austen might heare O God what thou saidst to her and thou in her praiers what shee said to thee In a word such were the Christians the same S. Austen speaks of in another place whom he calleth the Emmets of God Behold the Emmet of God b Aug. in Psal 66. saith he it riseth early every daie it runneth to Gods Church it there prayeth it heareth the Lesson read it singeth a Psalme it ruminateth what it heareth it meditateth therevpon and hourdeth vp within it selfe the precious corne gathered from that barne flowre And thus much for the dwelling here now concerning the conveniency of dwelling in this place in as much as he desired it for tearme of life All the daies of my life Many and manifolde are the cares that are taken by mortall men concerning their habitations if so be they haue purse-opportunity either to purchase or to rent them Some like the City best some the c Horat. Epist l 1. Ad Fuscum Virg. Georg. l. 2. Country some one d Hor Carus l. 1. Od. 7 Coast some an other and yet when all comes to all nor City nor Coast nor CouÌ„trey whatsoever that continually can content them Variety of houses in every age hath been a great salue for this soare that as he e Terent. Eunuch Act. 5. sc 6. said in the Comedie when they are wearie of one house they may presentlie walke vnto another Even Princes
and againe f v. 3. they did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spiritual drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rocke that followed them and the rocke was Christ howbeit this which the Apostle saith is in regard of the substāce effect of the Sacraments the signification of our Sacraments is much more cleere thē theirs was In our Sacrifices we are farther before thē then in our Sacraments having had in our church the selfe same Sacrifice really acted whereof al their Sacrifices were but shadowes For if the blood of Buls g Heb. 9.13 saith the Apostle and of Goates and the ashes of an Haifer sprinckling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purg your conscience from dead works to serue the living God And againe a little after The law h Heb. 10 1 saith he having the shaddow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can neuer with those Sacrifices which they offer yeare by yeare continually sanctifie the commers therevnto i v. 4. For it is impossible that the blood of Buls and Goats should take away sinnes Now if so be we would know the vertue of our Sacrifice though it were but one their Sacrifices being many with one offering k v. 14. saith the Apostle hath he consecrated for ever thē that are sanctified And he had said a little l Heb 9.27 before As it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die after that commeth the iudgement so Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many And comparing his Priesthood with theirs Among them m Heb 7.23 saith he many were made Priests because they were not suffered to endure by the reason of death but this man because he endureth ever hath an everlasting Priesthood And againe a little after n Heb. 7 2◠Such a High Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens which needed not dayly as those High Priests to offer vp Sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the Peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe Comparing then those Sacrifices with this of ours I may say of them as did Theodoret of the like offered by the Gentiles they were such kind of Sacrifices as were fit for o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. ad Graec. Infidel Ser. 7. Hucksters and Butchers to make Lastly concerning Prayer wherein I comprehend with the p Zanch. de Redemp l. 1. c. 19. Learned not only the asking of things needfull for vs and deprecation of things hurtfull but the confession of our sins the praises of God and giving thanks for benefits receaved at his hands how far we outstrip the Iewes witnes that of the Prophet Malachie who cōparing both together theirs ours From the rising of the Sun q Malac. 1.11 saith he vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles in every place Incense shall be offered vnto my name a pure offering Now what is this Incense but Prayers for so the Holy Ghost himselfe interprets Incēse Revelation the fift at the eight verse And that this Pure Offering is the same witnesse that of Tertullian r Tertul. advers Marcian l. 4. a Pure Offering that is a Pure Prayer frō a conscience that is pure for if so be as speakes the same Father in another ſ Tertul Exhort ad Cast place the Conscience blush Prayer it selfe will blush too I but you will say since these our Prayers must needes tast of the caske from whence they come and the caske is very impure be it the Conscience or the Heart of man how can they be the Pure Offering here spoken of in this place I answer according to Scripture that there is in heaven a certaine t Rev. 8.3 Angel it is indeed our Saviour Christ that goes and stands before the Altar having a golden Censer and much odours given vnto him that he should offer with our prayers Howsoever then as proceeding from our selue s they are tainted and corrupt yet are they sweetned by bur Saviour provided that they be infirmities only that taint thē not loud crying sinnes for if they once come to that passe then farewell all approching and appearing in Gods sight When you shall stretch out your hands I saith the u Esay 1.15 Lord will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare the reason he giues immediatly for your hands are full of blood and yet immediatly after that too as if he were loath to giue even such an vtter repulse Wash you c 〈◊〉 16. saith he make you cleane take away the Evill of your workes from before mine eies cease to doe evill learne to doe well and so forth Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimsen they shall be made white as snowe though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And to this end and purpose hath the Church of God for this sixteen hundred yeares and vpward beene in her severall Congregations continually on her knees We come by troups x Tertul. Apol l. 1. c 39. saith Tertullian that being banded as it were together we may be supplicants enow not so much to beseech as to beseige God with our prayers This force to God is most acceptable The sound of men women children infants y Basil Hexam Hom. 4. saith St Basil praying in the Church together seems like the sound of the waues beating against the sea shore z Hieron in 2. Prooem ad Gal. St Ierom he likens it to the noise of Thunder and in another place discoursing of the Funerals of Fabiola The Psalmes a Hieron ad Ocean Epitaph Fabiol saith he did sound a loud and the Haleluiah that was sung did shake at that instant the golden seelings of the Temple with the noise it made But of all the Beauties in our Church nothing so beautifull indeed as the Beauty of our Saviour He was saith b Aug in Ps 44. St Austen a beautifull God he was the word that was with God he was beautifull in his mothers wombe where he lost not his Divinity and yet he tooke Humanity on him He was beautifull being borne an Infant because when he was an Infant when as he suckt the dug and was carried in his mothers armes the heavens spake the Angels praised him the starres directed the wise men to him he was adored in the manger being to be meat convenient for the mouthes of gentle Beasts And this is that faire beautie which we celebrate this day This day it was that hauing made for himselfe a Tabernacle as speakes Theodoret in