And thus did the convinced Christian in St. Paul's discourse, when he came into the church where they were prophesying in a known language: The secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face he will worship God.'1 12. It was no unhandsome expression of reverencing God's sanctuary, that pious people ever used, in bestowing costly and fair ornaments upon it; for so all the Christians did. As soon as themselves came from contempt and scorn, they raised Christian oratories to an equal portion of their honour; and by this way they thought they did honour to God, who was the numen of the place. Not that a rich house or costly offertory is better in respect of God, for to him all is alike, save that in equal abilities our devotion is distinguished by them; and be the offering never so contemptible, it is a rich devotion that gives the best we have: because (although if all the wealth of the Levant were united into a present, it were short of God's infinity; yet) such an offertory, or any best we have, makes demonstration, that if we had an offering infinitely better, we should give it, to express our love and our belief of God's infinite merit and perfection. And therefore let not 'the widow's two mites' become a precedent to the instance and value of our donation; and because she, who gave no more, was accepted, think that two farthings is as fit to be cast into the corban as two thousand pounds. For the reason why our blessed Saviour commended the widow's oblation was for the greatness of it, not the smallness: she gave all she had, even all her living,' therefore she was accepted. And indeed, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. since God gives to us more than enough, beyond our necessities, much for our conveniency, much for ease, much for repute, much for public compliances, for variety, for content, for pleasure, for ornament, we should deal unworthily with God Almighty, if we limit and restrain our returns to him, by confining them within the narrow bounds of mere necessity. Certainly beggarly services and cheapness is not more pleasing to God than a rich and magnificent address. To the best of essences the best of presents is most proportionable. And although the service of the soul and spirit is most delectable and esteemed by God; yet because our souls are served by things perishing and material, and we are of that constitution, that by the body we serve the spirit, and by both we serve God; as the spirit is chiefly to be offered to God, because it is better than the body, so the richest oblation is the best in an equal power and the same person, because it is the best of things material and although it hath not the excellency of the spirit, it hath an excellency that a cheap oblation hath not; and besides the advantage of the natural value, it can no otherwise be spoiled than a meaner offering may, it is always capable of the same commendation from the piety of the presenter's spirit, and may be as much purified and made holy as the cheaper or more contemptible. God hath not any where expressed, that he accepts of a cheaper offering, but when we are not able to give him a better. When the people brought offerings more than enough for the tabernacle, Moses restrained their forwardness, by saying it was enough; but yet commended the disposition highly, and wished it might be perpetual. But God chid the people when they let his house lie waste without reparation of its decaying beauty; and therefore sent famines upon the land, and a curse into their estate, because they would not, by giving a portion to religion, sanctify and secure all the rest. For the way for a man to be a saver by his religion is, to deposit one part of his estate in the temple, and one in the hands of the poor; for these are God's treasury and stewards respectively. And this is laying up treasures in heaven' and besides that it will procure blessing to other parts, it will help to save our souls; and that is good husbandry, that is worth the saving. 13. For I consider that those riches and beauties in churches and religious solemnities, which add nothing to God, add much devotion to us, and much honour and efficacy to devotion. For since impression is made upon the soul by the intervening of corporal things, our religion and devotion of the soul receives the addition of many degrees by such instruments; insomuch that we see persons of the greatest fancy, and such who are most pleased with outward fairnesses, are most religious. Great understandings make religion lasting and reasonable; but great fancies make it more scrupulous, strict, operative, and effectual: and therefore it is strange, that we shall bestow such great expenses to make our own houses convenient and delectable, that we may entertain ourselves with complacency and appetite, and yet think that religion is not worth the ornament, nor our fancies fit to be carried into the choice and prosecution of religious actions with sweetness, entertainments, and fair propositions. If we say that God is not the better for a rich house or a costly service, we may also remember that neither are we the better for rich clothes; and the sheep will keep us as modest, as warm, and as clean as the silkworm; and a gold chain or a carkenet of pearl does no more contribute to our happiness than it does to the service of religion for if we reply, that they help to the esteem and reputation of our persons, and the distinction of them from the vulgar, from the servants of the lot of Issachar, and add reverence and veneration to us; how great a shame is it, if we study by great expenses to get reputation and accidental advantages to ourselves, and not by the same means to purchase reverence and esteem to religion; since we see that religion, amongst persons of ordinary understandings, receives as much external and accidental advantages by the accession of exterior ornaments and accommodation, as we ourselves can by rich clothes and garments of wealth, ceremony, and distinction! and as in princes' courts the reverence to princes is quickened and increased by an outward state and glory, so also it is in the service of God. Although the understandings of men are no more satisfied by a pompous magnificence than by a cheap plainness, yet the eye is, and the fancy, and the affections, and the senses: that is, many of our faculties are more pleased with religion, when religion by such instruments and conveyances pleases them. And it was noted by Sozomen concerning Valens the Arian emperor, that when he came to Cæsarea in Cappadocia, he praised St. Basil their bishop, and upon more easy terms revoked his banishment, because he was a grave person, and did his holy offices with reverent and decent addresses, and kept his church assemblies with much ornament and solemnity. 14. But when I consider that saying of St. Gregory, "that the church is heaven within the tabernacle, heaven dwelling among the sons of men," and remember that God hath studded all the firmament and paved it with stars, because he loves to have his house beauteous, and highly representative of his glory, I see no reason we should not do, as Apollinaris says God does, "in earth do the works of heaven;" for he is the God of beauties and perfections, and every excellency in the creature is a portion of influence from the divinity, and therefore is the best instrument of conveying honour to him, who made them for no other end but for his own honour, as the last resort of all other ends for which they were created. 15. But the best manner to reverence the sanctuary is, by the continuation of such actions which gave it the first title of holiness. 'Holiness becometh thine house for ever,' said David. Sancta sanctis, holy persons and holy rites in holy places. That as it had the first relation of sanctity by the consecration of a holy and reverend minister and president of religion, so it may be perpetuated in holy offices, and receive the daily consecration by the assistance of sanctified and religious persons. Foris canes, dogs and criminal persons are unfit for churches the best ornament and beauty of a church is a holy priest and a sanctified people. For since angels dwell in churches, and God hath made his name to dwell there too, if there also be a holy people, that there be saints as well as angels, it is a holy fellowship and a blessed communion: but to see a devil there, would scare the most confident and bold fancy, and disturb the good meeting; and such is every wicked and graceless per : |