----- -·--- - . Exceters in S.Johns. I : A h>th any Land. The fervice in the one performed by a few men, mortall, linfull, the ; bloud ofbeal\s fhed upon the Altar: In the other, performed by our eternal! HoghPriel\,afterthat higher order of Mtlchiftdtc; offering up his o\vne mo{\ precious bloud for our redemption. In that, Chri{\ Jefus was obfcurely figured: In thtS, really exhibited, borne, living.. dyihg, riling, afcending, preached, bekeved, lived; Etery way therefore both in efficlenr,matrer,duracion, extenc, fcrvice ,Majorglaria. Let no man tell me now of that jufi wonder of the world, the Jewifh Temple; 1 white Marble withom,lined with Gold within, Brazen pillars, Golden vdfels, coflly vailes, an,High- Prie{\hoodfetforth with preciou': Stanes, rich_ R~be~, cxquilite Perfumes, curious Mulicke, and what ever that ancoent goooly m{\muoon had ureand B admirable; !fay; the t..lay ofthe Gofpell, is more wonhthen the marble of the Law; Evanoelicall Bra!fc, more worth than legall Gold; the ragges of the Evangelicall Priel\ 0 hood, more excellent than the robes ofthe Leviticall. In fhorr; the belt of the · I Law is not comparable to the b:tfe{\ of the Gofpell. Ioh» Baptijl was the Iantll ofboth Tel\amems 1 he was to the Chtorches,as Noah was ' to the Worlds; he faw both the firfi, and the latter. It is a great word that our Savi1 our faith ofhim, that among{\ thofe which were borne, or rather (as ours reod it better) begotten ofwomen, there did not a greater than he arife: but it is agreater word that he fpeakesof the Children of the new Teftament, that theleafl in the Kingdomc I of Heaven is greater tGan he: I fiand not upon examining the comparifon, whether 1 C itberationtf:nfltt4tis, or officii; it makes either way for my purpofe, therefore was Johnfogreat,becaufe hewasthelaftofthcLaw,and thcfirlt o!theGofpell: andthe old rule is, minimrtmmaximimajtu t.ft maximo minimi; therefore is the lea it in the Kingdome ofGrae< greater the he, becaufe he is all, what IolliiWOS halfe; wholly undtr that Evangtlium Regni, which is ~ble to advance him to a greater perfeClion, than that HarbingerofChril\. What a favour then is it (Right Honourable and beloved) thl' God harh referved us to thefe better dayes of his Gofpell, wherein the helpes of falvation are morecleere,obvious, effettuall; wherein, as the glory ofthe!atter Houfe exceeded theformer ; fo the meanes of that incomprehcnfible glory of the houfe oot I made with hands, eternall in the Heavens, lie more open unto us ( What fhould we · doe, but both mi, and fmi, gladly ufe, and fweedy enjoy this unfpeakeable bleffing, ID which God hath kept in !lore for us, and walke worthy offo incompnable a mercy? 1 The old Jewes lived in the dawning ofthe day J wherein they had but a glimmering of that Sun, which would rife. We live after the high nooru: of that happy day. 1t we walke not a.nfwerable to fo great a light, what can we lookc for, but uttt:r darkneffe~ , YeOu\l nowgive me leave (Right Honourah\e) to carry thefe words in a meeranalogie to' the prefcm occafion. The Temples under the Law, were both a figure, and a pmerne of the Churches under the Gofpell. Wilhin this roofe under which we now fland here, was both the former, and the latter houfe; and even inthefe watls I doth God make his words good, That the glory of this latter Houfe 01all be greater E thon of the former. The fir{\ foundation of it was, no doubr, both pious and cich. I 01all not need to ferch the Pedegrees ofit from Saint John Baptift in Jerufalem, nor to difcourf• of either the devotion, or wealth of that religiouOy-military Order, for whom thefe {\ones were firfi laid. Imagine the Altar never fa gay, the Imagery never fo curious, the Vdlments never fo rich, the Pillars, Walls, Wind owes, Pavement, never fo exquilire; yet I d~re boldly fay, this prefem glory ·of this Houfe in this comely whiteneffe, and well-contrived coarctation, is greater than the former. What care I ( Nay, what doth God care!orthe worke of a L•pidary, or Painter, or Mafon-: One zealous Prayer, one Orthodox Sermon, is a more glorious furniture, th•n all the precio11s rarities of Mechaniq'IC excellencies. I doe mofl willingly (as what good heart doth not!) honour the venuous aClions, and godly intentions ofour worthy forefathers, which (no doubt) it bath ple>fed God in mercie to accept and crowne; but withall it mu{\ be yeeldcd, that they lived under theryrannou• injurie and 11furpation o£ thofe Pharifees, who kept the keyes ofknowledge at their owne girdles, and would neither draw for them, nor fuffer them to \ Idraw for them[elves. Ble!fed be God for better condition•; the Well of life lies open I __ L___ __ _ Tt 3 · to
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