11Io GodsTemple tobe re. uereeced,dc why. Vpon the Tuefday after haue fuited withhis goodneffe togiue them death. The fourth reafon (which all doe touchvpon) was,The difrefpedandirreue- rence which wasfhewne to this his Temple;afinne which God dorhhardly par- don: And therefore it wasfaid vntoIeremie,Pray not thereforefor this People. And hee prefently giues the reafonwhy, It bath committedmany outrages in my Hosje. Saint lames aduifeth, That the Sickeshould call vnto the Pricfts, to get them to pray vntoGod forhim ; butfor him that fhouldcommit wickednes inhis Tem- ple, God vil leththe Prophet leremie , that hee fhould not fo much aspray for them. AndSaint Paul faith, Thatthofe who fhall violate the Templeof God, God (Balldeflroy them. Great is the refpeEt whichGod requirethto behad tohis Temple. Firft, In regard of his efpecialland particularprefence there. Saint vtufren faith, That Dauiddid pray be fore theArk Juia ibi f cratior & commendatior prafentia Domini trot. For euermoreGodmanifefts himfelfe more inhis Tem- ple than anywhereelfe ; that place beeing like u'rofes his Bufh,orlacobs ladder., being therefore fo much the moreholy, byhowmuch themore hedoth there manifeft himfelfe,&c. Secondly,He fhewes himfelfe there more exorable,andmore propitious to our prayers : According to that requeft ofsalamon in the dedicationof the tem- ple, That his tares may be thereopened. And it was fitit fhould befo , as Saint Ba. fil hashnoted it ; for that,Prayer is amoll nobleaEt,and thereforeas it requiresa molt noble place, folikewifethe greater fauourappertaineth vnto i t. Thirdly,For that Chrift is there prefentin his bleffed Sacrements.Andthere- fore (as Saint Chryfoflona hath obferued it) there muff needs be there agreat com- pare of coeleftiall Spirits ; for where theKing is,there is theCourt. Fourthly,For to ftirrevp our deuotion, byioyning with the congregationof theFaithfull.Anda learned manfaith,That the Temples &Houfes of God did put anew heart and new affeétionsintomens brefts. What then fhall become of thofe who refufe there publique places ofpraying and prayfing of God, and make ita DenofTheeues,workingall impietieand wickednefie in thefefacred Affemblies c The laft reafonof our Sauioursbeing fo angrie,was, To fee the couetoufnefTe that was in his Minifters. Nothingmooues Gods patience more thanthe coue- toufnefTe ofPriefts,efpecially whenthey fhalmakeabenefit to theirpurfe from the bloudof the Alter.Notableis that place ofBalaam, whenhewent tocurie the People ofIfraell, the Airewhich carried himthither was willing to fhew him his errour, Godopening his mouth,and making his tongue to fpeake, And Saint Auflen ftrucken into amafement atthe rareneffe thereof, confefreth, That he knows notwhat greaterwonderthan this could poffiblybe immagined, than that theProphet fhould not bee affrighted hearing anAfreto openhis mouth and reprooue him. And he renderstwo reafons forit : The one, That Sorce- ries and Witcheries were fo commonin thofedayes ; for therewas not anyna- tion that had not it's Magiciansand Sorcerers,as Trifinegi us in 'Egypt ; Zoro- afles inPerfia;orpheus in Greece;befidesmanySybels indiners other countries. Theother, That he was blindedwith thatgood round fummeofmoneywhich hewas to receiue out ofhand ; [Flabentespretiumdiuinationisinmanibus] kingBa- lack'sMefi'engers hadfo greafed his fit's with goodgold that heeminded not that fogreat amiracleasthe talkingof his Beaft. And this is athing worthy the noting, ThatSaint Hieromeand Saint Auffendoe not onelymake hima Prophet, but aholy Prophet, and that his couetoufneffe had thus miffeled him. And as Saint!
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