Preached Auguii 17. 1662. 79 cil-menor the like. But where there hath been a dedication of a place to Gods worfhip, it is onlyGod that can make it fo holy, as that it fhould be finful to employ it to other uCes, and- if the Go- verriours of the Church upon due occafion and reafon (hall filloiL- tute other places more fit than the former for Divine Worfhlp, then . the former places mayreturn to their former proper ufes; but it is not fo in things confecrated by God : If the Font, Table, or Pulpit, wax old, they may be laid aide and looked upon as common . things and may be ufed for other employments; and fuppofe the. Surplifs be a lawful garment in Gods worfhip (which yet I am per- fwaded noneof you believe) doubtlefs it is not to be burned wherk it is old and pail wearing, and the afhes put into a pot or Come. filch like thing, and be buried under the Altar, but it may be ufed as other linnen may. And Co the communion Utenfils, as the Cup, and the like, whenthey are come to be old, they may be ufed for o- ther imployments without fear of fin. And therefore it is an ex cellent fpeech of one ; faith he, So to Confecrate moveableor im- imoveable goods, as that it fhould be a fin for the Church to ufe- them in any fecular imployments, it is an execrable and abomina- ble Superftition : God hath not ConCecrated any thing in the Gofpel fo, as that it is a fin to ufe it otherwife. It was a fin in them to make ufe ofthe Cups in the Temple in any fecular way, but it is. not fo for us : the reafon is becaufe thofe things were let-apart by Gods own Inflitution : but there can be nothing foConfecrated by- men, as that it may not be made ufe of in fecular things without fin. 2. A fecond thing I deny is, That no place now is in the tim e of theGape' bath filch an holinefs either from Inflitution or Life, as to fanaifie or make more acceptable or effeEtual the Services there- in performed : This is not in the time of the Gofpel ; God is pre- fent at places of Religious performances, not with refpeec unto the Place, but the performance by him inftituted and. enjoyned ; and therefore hedoth not lay, Where two or three are met together will be in the midjof thatplace,but among them. Godwill be prefent in the place for the duties fake, not among them-for the places fake, but the duties fake in the place,to biers theordinance for his ownin- flitutions fake. Prayers & other duties in the Ceremonial Lawwere regarded for the Places fake, but now we mull abhor this piece of Judaifin : For a man to fet apart by Conlecration; that this Place makes the duty any thing,the more excellent,or. acceptable to God, this is to make the Traditions of men equal to the Inftitution of God.The Temple fanetifled theDuty ,but not the Synagogueik the: Altar did fanrifle the Gft,and the Perron 8 Service,becaufe it was by;
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