Encænia the Feast of Dedication, celebrated at Lincolnes Inne, in a sermon there vpon Ascension day, 1623 : at the dedication of a new chappell there, consecrated by the Right Reuerend Father in God, the Bishop of London / preached by Iohn Donne ...

IOHN 10.22 . And it was at Ierusalem , the Feast of the Dedication ; and it was Winter ; and Iesus walked in the Temple in Salomons Porch .

SAint Basill in a Sermon vpon the 114. Psalme ; Basill . vpon the like occasion as drawes vs together now , The consecration of a Church , makes this the reason and the excuse of his late comming thither to doe that Seruice , that he stayd by the way , to consecrate another Church : I hope euery person heere hath done so ; consecrated himselfe , who is a Temple of the Holy Ghost ; before hee came to assist , or to testifie the consecration of this place of the Seruice of God . Bern. Ser. 1. Nostra festiuitas haec est , quia de Ecclesia nostra ; sayes Saint Bernard . This Festiuall belongs to vs , because it is the consecration of that place , which is ours , Magis autem nostra , quia de nobis ipsis : But it is more properly our Festiuall , because it is the consecration of our selues to Gods seruice . For , Sanctae Animae propter inhabitantem Spiritum ; your Soules are holy , by the inhabitation of Gods holy spirit , who dwells in them . Sancta corpora propter inhabitantem animam ; Your Bodies are holy , by the inhabitation of those sanctified Soules . Sancti parietes , propter Corpora Sanctorum . These walles are holy , because the Saints of God meet here within these walls to glorifie him . But yet these places are not onely consecrated & sanctified by your comming ; but to bee sanctified also for your comming ; that so , as the Congregation sanctifies the place , the place may sanctifie the Congregation too . They must accompany one another ; holy persons and holy places ; If men would wash sheep in the Baptisterie , in the Font , those sheep were not christned . If prophane men , or idolatrous men , pray here after their way , their prayers are not sanctified by the place . Neither if it be after polluted , doth the place retain that sanctitie , which is this day to be deriued vpon it , and to bee imprinted in it .

Our Text settles vs vpon both these considerations , The holy place , Diuisie . and the holy person . It was the Feast of the Dedication : there 's the holinesse of the place ; And the holy person , was holinesse it selfe in the person of Christ Iesus , who walked in the Temple in Salomons Porch . These two will bee our two parts : And the first of these wee shall make vp of these pieces . First , we shall see a lawfull vse of Feasts , of Festiuall dayes . And then of other Feasts , then were instituted by God himselfe ; diuers were so ; this was not . And thirdly , not only a festiuall solemnizing of some one thing , at some one time , for the present , but an Anniuersary returning to that solemnitie euery yeare ; And lastly , in that first part , this Festiuall in particular , The Feast of the Dedication of the Temple : that sanctified the place , that shall determine that part . In the second part , The holinesse of the person , we shall carry your thoughts no farther , but vpon this , That euen this holy person Iesus himselfe , would haue recourse to this place , thus dedicated , thus sanctified : And vpon this , that hee would doe that especially at such times , as hee might countenance and authorise the Ordinances and Institutions of the Church , which had appointed this Festiuall . And this , sayes the Text , he did in the Winter : First , Et si Hiems , though it were Winter , hee came , and walked in the Porch , a little inconuenience kept him not off : And , Quia Hiems , because it was Winter , he walked in the Porch which was couered , not in the Temple which was open . So that heere with modestie , and without scandall he condemned not the fauouring of a mans health , euen in the Temple , And it was at Ierusalem , the Feast of the Dedication ; and it was Winter ; and Iesus walked in the Temple in Salomons Porch .

In our first part , Holy places , 1. Part. Festa . wee looke first vpon the times of our meeting there , Holy dayes . The root of all those is the Sabboth , that God planted himselfe , euen in himselfe , in his owne rest , from the Creation . But the root , and those branches which grow from that root , are of the same nature , and the same name : And therefore as well of the flower , as of the root of a Rose , or of a Violet , we would say , This is a Violet , this is a Rose : so as well to other Feasts of Gods institution , as to the first Sabboth , God giues that name ; hee cals those seuerall Feasts which he instituted , Sabboths ; enioynes the same things to be done vpon them , inflicts the same punishments vpon them that breake them . Leuit. 23. So that there is one Moralitie , that is the soule of all Sabboths , of all Festiualls ; howsoeuer all Sabboths haue a ceremoniall part in them , yet there is a Morall part that inanimates them all ; they are elemented of Ceremonie , but they animated with Moralitie . And that Moralitie is in them all , Rest : for if Adam could name creatures according to their nature , God could name his Sabboth according to the nature of it , and Sabboth is Rest . It is a Rest of two kindes ; our rest , and Gods rest . Our rest is the cessation from labour on those dayes ; Gods rest , is our sanctifying of the day : for so in the religious sacrifice of Noah , when hee was come out of the Arke , Genes. 8. God is said to haue smelt , Odorem quietis , the sauour of rest : vpon those dayes we rest from seruing the world , and God rests in our seruing of him . And as God takes a tenth part of our goods , in Tythes , but yet he takes more too , he takes Sacrifices , so though he take a seuenth part of our time in the Sabboth , yet he takes more too , he appoints other Sabboths , other Festiualls , that he may haue more glory , and we more Rest : for all wherin those two concurre , are Sabboths . Vacate & videte quoniam ego sum Dominus sayes God . First vacate , Psal. 46.10 rest from your bodily labours , distinguish the day , and then videte , come hither into the Lords presence , and worship the Lord your God , sanctifie the day : And in all the Sabboths there is still a Cessate , Leuit. 23. and a Humiliate animas , bodily rest , and spirituall sanctifying of the day . Holy dayes then , that is , dayes seposed for holy vses , and for the outward & publike seruice of God , are in Nature , and in that Morall Law which is written in the heart of man . That such dayes there must be is Morall ; and this is Morall too , that all things in the seruice of God bee done in order ; and this also , that obedience be giuen to Superiours , in those things wherein they are Superiors . And therfore it was to the Iewes , as well Morall , to obserue the certaine dayes which God had determined , as to obserue any at all . Not that Gods commandement limitting the dayes , infused a Moralitie into those particular dayes : for Moralitie is perpetuall ; and if that had been Morall , it must haue been so before , and it must bee so still ; Gods determining the dayes did not infuse , not induce a Moralitie there , but it awakened a former Moralitie , that is , an obedience to the commandement , for that time , which God had appoynted that for them ; for this Obedience , and Order is perpetuall , and so , Morall . We depart therfore from that error , which those ancient Heretiques , the Ebionites begun , and some laboured to refresh in Saint Gregories time , and which continues in practise in some places of the world still ; To obserue both the Iewes Sabbath , and the Christians , Satterday , and Sunday too ; because the Sabboth is called Pactum sempiternum : Exod. 31. for to that any of Saint Augustines Answeres will serue ; either that it is called euerlasting , because it signified an euerlasting rest ; ( where be pleased to note by the way , that Holy dayes , Sabbaths , are not onely instituted for Order , but they haue their Mystery , and their Signification ; for Holy dayes , ( as the Text calls them there ) and New Moones , Col. 2.16 . and the Sabboth , were but shadowes of things to come : ) or else the Sabboth was called euerlasting to them , because it bound them euerlastingly , and they might neuer intermit it , as some other ceremonies they might . But their Sabboths bind not vs ; we depart from them who thinke so ; and so we doe from them , who think we are bound to no Festiualls at all , or at least to none but the Sabboth . For God requires as much seruice from vs , as from the Iewes , and to them hee enlarged his Sabboths , and made them diuers . But those were of Gods immediat institution : but all that the Iewes obserued were not so ; and that s our next consideration , Festiualls instituted by the Church .

Sine Mandato . At first , when God was alone , it is but Faciamus , let vs , vs the Trinity make man . This was , when God was , as we may say , in Coelibatu . But after God hath taken his spouse , maried the Church , then it is Cadite nobis vulpes , Cant. 2.15 doe you take the little Foxes , you the Church ; for our vines haue grapes ; the vines are ours ; yours and mine sayes Christ to the Church : and therfore do you looke to them , as well as I. The Tables of the law God himselfe writ , and gaue them written to Moses : he left none of that to him ; not a power to make other Lawes like those lawes : but for the Tabernacle , which concern'd the outward worship of God , that was to be made by Moses , Exod Iuxta similitudinem , according to the paterne which God had shewed him . God hath giuen the Church a paterne of Holy dayes , in those Sabboths which hee himselfe instituted , and according to the paterne , the Church hath instituted more : and Recte festa Ecclesiae colunt , Aug. qui se Ecclesiae filios recognoscunt : They who disdaine not the name of sonnes of the Church , refuse not to celebrate the daies which are of the Churches institution . There was no immediate commandement of God for that Holy day , which Mordechai , by his letters establish'd ; Ester 9.23 but yet the Iewes vndertooke to do as Mordechai had written to them . There was no such commandement for this Holy day , in the Text ; and yet that was obserued , as long as they had any beeing . And where the reason remaines , the practise may ; The Iewes did , we may institute new Holy dayes . And not onely transitory daies , for a present thanks giuing for a present benefit , but Anniuersaries , perpetuall memorials of Gods deliuerances . And that s our next step .

Anniuersaria . Both the Holy dayes , which we named before , which were instituted with out speciall Commaundement from God , were so . That of Mordechai , he commanded to be kept euery yeare for two dayes , and this in the Text , Iudas Maccabeus commanded to be kept yearely for eight dayes , which was more then was appoynted to any of the Holy dayes , instituted by God himselfe , for the Festiuall alone . According to which paterne , Felix . one Bishop of Rome , ordained that the Festiuals of the Dedication of Churches should bee yearely celebrated in those places ; Greg. and another extended the Festiuall to eight dayes ; at least at the first dedication thereof , if not euery yeare : that God might not onely be put into the possession of the place , but setled in it . God by Moses made the children of Israel a Song , because , as hee sayes , Deut. 31.19 howsoeuer they did by the Law , they would neuer forget that Song , & that Song should be his witnesse against them . Therefore would God haue vs institute solemne memorialls of his great deliuerances , that if when those dayes come about , we doe not glorifie him , that might aggrauate our condemnation . Euery fift of August , the Lord rises vp , to hearken whether we meet to glorifie him , for his great deliuerance of his Maiesty , before he blest vs with his presence in this Kingdome : and when he finds vs zealous in our thankes for that , he giues vs farther blessings . Certainly he is vp as early euery fift of Nouember , to hearken if we meet to glorifie him for that deliuerance still ; and if hee should finde our zeale lesse then heretofore , hee would wonder why . Gods principall , his radicall Holy day , the Sabboth , had a weekly returne ; his other Sabbaths , instituted by himselfe , and those which were instituted by those paternes , that of Mordechai , that of the Maccabees , & those of the Christian Church , They all return once a yeare . God would keepe his Courts once a yeare , and see whether wee make our apparances as heeretofore ; that if not , hee may know it . Feastes in generall , Feastes instituted by the Church alone , Feasts in their yearely returne and obseruation , haue their vse , and particularly those Feasts of the Dedication of Churches , which was properly and literally the Feast of this Text. It was the Feast of Dedication .

Encaeuia . As it diminishes not , preiudices not Gods Eternitie , that wee giue him his Quando , certaine times of Inuocation , God is not the lesse yesterday , Temple . and to day , and the same for euer , because wee meet here to day , and not yesterday , so it diminishes not , preiudices not Gods Vbiquitie and Omnipresence , that wee giue him his Vbi , certaine places for Inuocation . That s not the lesse true , that the most High dwells not in Temples made with handes , Acts 7.48 . though God accept at our hands our dedication of certaine places to his seruice , & manifest his working more effectually , more energetically in those places , then in any other . for when we pray , Our Father which art in Heauen , It is not ( sayes Saint Chrysostome ) that wee deny him to bee heere , Chrysostome . where wee kneele when we say that Prayer , but it is that we acknowledge him to be there , where he can graunt , and accomplish our prayer . It is as Origen hath very well expressed it , Origen . Vt in melioribus mundi requiramus Deum : That still wee looke for God in the best places ; looke for him , as he heares our petitions , here , in the best places of this world , in his House , in the Church ; looke for him as he graunts our petition , in the best place of the next world , at the right hand , and in the bosome of the Father . Deut. 30.13 When Moses sayes that the word of God is not beyond Sea , he addes , It is not so beyond Sea , as that thou must not haue it without sending thither . When he sayes there , it is not in heauen , he adds , not so in heauen , as that one must goe vp , before hee can haue it . The word of God , is beyond Sea , the true word , truly preached in many true Churches there , but yet we haue it here , within these Seas too ; God is in Heauen , but yet hee is here , within these walles too . And therefore the impietie of the Manicheans exceeded all the Gentiles , who concluded the God of the Old Testament to be an impotent , an vnperfect God , because hee commaunded Moses first to make him a Tabernacle , and then Salomon to make him a Temple , as though he needed a House . God does not need a house , but man does need , that God should haue a House . And therefore the first question , that Christs first Disciples asked of him , was Magister , vbi habitas , they would know his standing house , where he hath promised to bee alwaies within , and where at the ringing of the Bell , some body comes to answere you , to take your errand , to offer your Prayers to God , to returne his pleasure in the preaching of his Word to you . The many and heauy Lawes , with which sacred and secular stories abound , against the prophanation of places , appropriated to Gods seruice , and that religious custome , that passed almost through all ciuill Nations , that an oath , which was the bond between man , and man , had the stronger Obligation , if that were taken in the Church , in the presence of God , ( for such was the practise of Rome towards her enemies , Tango aras mediosque ignes , to make their vowes of hostility in the Church , and at time of diuine Seruice , ( and such is their practise still , they seale their Treasons in the Sacrament ) such was Romes practise towards others , and such was the practise of others towards Rome , ( for so Anniball sayes , that his father Amilcar swore him at the Altar , that he should neuer bee reconciled to Rome , ( And such is your practise still , as often as you meet here , you renew your band to God , that you will neuer bee reconciled to the Superstitions of Rome ) all these , and all such as these , and such as these are infinite , heap vp testimonies , that euen in Nature there is a disposition to apply , and appropriate certaine places to Gods seruice . And this impression in nature is illustrated in the Law , as the time , so the place is distinguished , Yee shall keepe my Sabboths , Leui. 19.30 there is the time , and you shall reuerence my Sanctuary , there is the place . But that they may be reuerenced , that they may bee Sanctuaries , they are to be sanctified ; and that s the Encaenia , the Dedication .

Euen in those things which accrue vnto God , and become his , Encaenia . by another title , then as he is Lord of all , by Creation , that is , by appropriation , by dedication to his vse and Seruice , There is a Lay Dedication , and an Ecclesiasticall Dedication . I hope the distinction of Laytie , and Clergie , the words , scandalize no man . Luther , and Caluin too might haue iust cause to decline the words , as they did ; when so much was ouer-attributed to that Clergie which they intend , as that they were so Sors Domini , the Lords portion , as that the world had no portion in them , and yet they had the greatest portion of the world ; and howe little soeuer they had to doe with God , yet no State , no King might haue any thing to doe with them . But , as long as we declare , that by the Layetie we intend the people glorifying God in their secular callings , and by the Clergie , persons seposed by his ordinance , for spiritual functions , The Layetie no farther remoou'd then the Clergie , The Clergie no farther entitled then the Layetie , in the blood of Christ Iesus , neither in the effusion of that blood vpon the Crosse , nor in the participation of that blood in the Sacrament , and that an equall care in Clergie , and Layetie , of doing the duties of their seuerall callings , giues them an equall interest in the ioyes , and glory of heauen , I hope no man is scandaliz'd with the names . The Lay Dedication then is , the voluntary surrendring of this piece of ground thus built , to God . For we must say , as Saint Peter said to Ananias , Acts 5.4 . Whiles it remain'd , was that not your owne ? and now , when that is raised ( sauing that there was Dedicatio Intentionalis , a purpose from the beginning to appropriate it , to this holy vse ) might you not , till this houre , haue made this roome your Hall , if you would ? But this is your Dedication , that you haue cheerfully pursued your first holy purposes , and deliuer now into the hands of this seruant of God , the Right Reuerend Father the Bishop of this See , a place to be presented to God for you , by him , not misbecomming the Maiestie of the great God , who is pleased to dwell thus amongst vs . What was spent in Salomons Temple is not told vs . What was prepared , before it was begun , is such a summe , as certainly , if all the Christian Kings that are , would send in all that they haue , at once , to any one seruice , all would not equall that summe . They gaue there , till they who had the ouerseeing therof , complain'd of the abundance , and proclaim'd an abstinence . Yet there was one , who gaue more then all they ; for Christ sayes the poore widdow gaue more then all the rest , because she gaue all she had . There is a way of giuing more then she gaue ; & I , who by your fauours was no stranger to the beginning of this work , and an often refresher of it to your memories , and a poore assistant in laying the first stone , the materiall stone , as I am now , a poore assistant again in this laying of this first formall Stone , the Word & Sacrament , and shall euer desire to be so in the seruice of this place , I , I say , can truly testifie , that you ( speaking of the whole Societie together of the publike stock , the publike treasury , the publike reuenue ) you gaue more then the widow , who gaue all , for you gaue more then all . A stranger shall not entermeddle with our ioy , as Salomon saies : strangers shall not know , how ill we were prouided for such a work , when we begun it , nor with what difficulties we haue wrastled in the way ; but strangers shall know to Gods glory , that you haue perfected a work of full three times as much charge , as you proposed for it at beginning : so bountifully doth God blesse , and prosper intentions to his glory , with enlarging your hearts within , and opening the hearts of others , abroad . And this is your Dedication , and that which without preiudice , and for distinction , wee call a Lay Dedication , though from religious hearts , and hands .

There is another Dedication ; Ecclesiastica that we haue call'd Ecclesiasticall , appointed by God , so as God speaks in the ordinances , and in the practise of his Church . Haereditary Kings are begotten & conceiu'd the naturall way ; but that body which is so begotten of the blood of Kings , is not a King , no nor a man , till there bee a Soule infused by God . Here is a House , a Child conceiu'd ( wee may say borne ) of Christian parents , of persons religiously disposed to Gods glory ; but yet , that was to receiue another influence , an inanimation , a quickening , by another Consecration . Oportet denuo nasci , holds euen in the children of Christian parents ; when they are borne , they must be borne again by Baptisme : when this place is thus giuen by you , for God , oportet denuo dari , it must be giuen againe to God , by him , who receiues it of you . It must ; there seems a necessitie to be implied , because euen in Nature , there was a consecration of holy places ; Iacob in his iourney , Gen. 28.20 . before the Law , consecrated euen that stone , which he set vp , in intention to build God a House there . In the time of the Law , Num. 7.1 . this Feast of Dedication , was in practise ; first in the Tabernacle ; that and all that appertain'd to it , was annointed , and sanctified : So was Salomons Temple after ; so was that which was reedified after their return from Babylon , and so was this in the Text , after the Heathen had defiled and profan'd the Altar thereof , and a new one was erected by Iudas Maccabeus . Thus in Nature , thus in Law , and thus far thus in the Gospell too : that as sure as wee are that the people of God had materiall Churches in the Apostles first times , so sure we are , that those places had a Sanctitie in them . If that place of Saint Paul , 1 Cor. 11.22 Despise yee the Church of God ? be to be vnderstood of the locall , of the materiall Church , and not of the Congregation , you see there is a rebuke for the prophanation of the place , and consequently a sanctity in the place . But assoone as the Church came euidently by the fauour of Princes , to haue liberty to make lawes , and power to see them practised , it was neuer pretermitted to consecrate the places . Before that , we find an ordinance by Pope Hyginus ( he was within 150. after Christ , and the eighth Bishop of that See after Saint Peter ) euen of particulars in the Consecrations . But after , Athanas . Athanasius in his Apologie to Constantius , makes that protestation for all Christians , That they neuer meet in any Church , till it bee consecrated : And Constantine the Emperour least hee should be at any time vnprouided of such a place , ( as we read in the Ecclesiasticall story ) in all his warres , carried about with him a Tabernacle which was consecrated : In Nature , in the Law , in the Gospell , in Precept , in Practise , these Consecrations are established .

Vsus . This they did . But to what vse did they consecrate them ? not to one vse only ; and therfore it is a friuolous contention , whether Churches be for preaching , or for praying . But if Consecration be a kind of Christning of the Church , & that at the Christning it haue a name , wee know what name God hath appoynted for his House , Domus mea , Domus orationis vocabitur . My House shall bee called the House of Prayer . And how impudent and inexcusable a falshood is that in Bellarmine , That the Lutherans and Caluinistes doe admit Churches for Sermons and Sacraments , Sed reprehendunt quod fiant ad orandum , They dislike that they should be for Prayer : when as Caluin himselfe , ( who may seeme to bee more subiect to this reprehension then Luther ) ( for there is no such Liturgie in the Caluinists Churches , as in the Lutheran ) yet in that very place which Bellarmine cites , sayes Conceptae preces in Ecclesia Deo gratae ; and for singing in Churches , ( which in that place of Caluin cannot be only meant of Psalmes , for it was of that manner of singing , which being formerly in vse in the Easterne churches , S. Ambrose , in his time , brought into the Church of Millan , and so it was deriud ouer the Western churches , which was the modulation and singing of Versicles and Antiphons and the like ) this singing , sayes Caluin , was in vse amongst the Apostles themselues , Et sanctissimum & saluberimum est institutum . l. 3.20 . § 32. It was a most holy and most profitable Institution . Still consider Consecration to be a Christning of the place ; and though we find them often called Templa propter Sacrificia , for our sacrifices of praier , and of praise , & of the merits of Christ , and often called Ecclesiae ad conciones , Churches , in respect of congregations , for preaching , and often call'd Martyria , for preseruing with respect , and honor the bodies of Martyrs , and other Saints of God , there buried , & often , often , by other names , Dominica , Basilica , and the like , yet the name that God gaue to his house , is not Concionatorium , nor Sacramentarium , but Oratorium , the House of Prayer . And therefore without preiudice to the other functions too , ( for as there is a vae vpon me , Si non Euangelizauero , If I preach not my selfe , so may that vae be multiplied vpon any , who would draw that holy ordinance of God into a dis-estimation , or into a slacknesse , ) let vs neuer intermit that dutie , to present our selues to God in these places , though in these places there bee then , no other Seruice , but Common prayer . For then doth the House answere to that name , which God hath giuen it , if it be a house of Prayer .

Modus . Thus then were these places to receiue a double Dedication ; a Dedication , which was a Donation from the Patron , a Dedication which was a consecration from the Bishop , for to his person , and to that ranke in the Hierarchy of the Church , the most ancient Canons limited it ; and to those purposes , which wee haue spoken of ; of which , Prayer is so farre from being none , as that there is none aboue it . A little should be said , ( before wee shut vp this part ) of the manner , the forme of Consecrations . In which , in the Primitiue Church , assoone as Consecrations came into free vse , they were full of Ceremonies . And many of those Ceremonies deriu'd from the Iewes : and not vnlawfull , for that . The Ceremonies of the Iewes , which had their foundation in the prefiguration of Christ , and were types of him , were vnlawfull after Christ was come ; because the vse of them , then , implyed a deniall or a doubt of his being come . But those Ceremonies , which , though the Iewes vsed them , had their foundation in Nature , as bowing of the knee , lifting vp the eyes , and hands , and many , very many others , which either testified their deuotion that did them , or exalted their deuotion that sawe them done , are not therefore excluded the Church , because they were in vse amongst the Iewes . That Pope whom we named before , Hyginus , the eighth after Saint Peter , he instituted , Ne Basilica sine Missa consecretur . That no Church bee consecrated without a Masse . If this must binde vs , to a Masse of the present Romane Church , it were hard ; and yet not very hard truely ; for they are easily had . But that word , Masse , is in Saint Ambrose , in Saint Augustine in some very ancient Councels ; and surely intends nothing , to this purpose , but the Seruice , the Common Prayer of the Church , then in vse , there . And when the Bishop Panigarola sayes in his Sermon vpon Whitsunday , that the Holy Ghost found the blessed Virgin and the Apostles at Masse , I presume hee meanes no more , then that they were mett at such publique Prayer , as at those times they might make . Sure Pope Clemens , and Pope Hyginus meane the same thing , when one sayes Missa consecretur , and the other Diuinis Precibus : One sayes , Let the Consecration bee with a Masse , the other , with Diuine Seruice ; the Liturgie , the Diuine Seruice was then the Masse . In a word , a constant forme of Consecrations , wee finde none that goes through our Ritualls : the Ceremonies were still more or lesse , as they were more or lesse obnoxious , or might bee subiect to scandalize , or to be mis-interpreted . And therefore I am not heere either to direct , or so much as to remember , that which appertaines to the manner of these Consecrations ; onely in concurring in that , which is the Soule of all , humble and heartie prayer , that God will heare his Seruants in this place , I shall not offend to say , that I am sure my zeale is inferiour to none . And more I say not of the first Part , The Holy place ; and but a little more , of the other ; though at first it were proposed for an equall part , The Holy Person , That at the Feast of the Dedication , Iesus walked in the Temple in Salomons Porch .

2. Part. In this second part , wee did not spread the words , nor shed our considerations vpon many particulars : the first was , Jesus in Templo . that euen Iesus himselfe had recourse to this Holy place . In the new Ierusalem , in Heauen , there is no Temple . Apo. 21.22 I saw no Temple there sayes Saint Iohn : for the Lord God Almightie , and the Lambe are the Temple of it . In Heauen , where there is no danger of falling , there is no need of assistance . Heere the Temple is called Gnazar , 2. Paral. 4.9 that is Auxilium : A Helper : the strongest that is , needs the helpe of the Church : And it is called Sanctificium , by Saint Hierom , Psal. 78.69 . a place that is not onely made holy by Consecration , but that makes others holy by GOD in it . And therefore Christ himselfe , whose person and presence might consecrate the Sanctum Sanctorum , would yet make his often repayre to this Holy place ; not that hee needed this subsidie of Locall holinesse in himselfe , but that his example might bring others who did neede it ; and those who did not ; and , that euen his owne Preaching might haue the benefite and the blessing of Gods Ordinance in that place , hee sayes of himselfe , Math. 26. Quotidie apud vos sedebam docens in Templo , and Semper docui in Synagoga , & in Templo ; as in the Actes , the Angell that had deliuered the Apostles out of prison , sends them to Church , Actes 5. Stantes in Templo loquimini plebi . The Apostles were sent to preach , but to preach in the Temple , in the place appropriated and consecrated for that holy vse and employment .

Tempus . He came to this place , and he came at those times , which no immediate command of God , but the Church had instituted . Facta sunt Encaenia , sayes the Text ; It was the Feast of the Dedication . Wee know what Dedication this was ; That of Salomon was much greater ; A Temple built where none was before ; That of Esdras at the returne was much greater then this , An intire reedification of that demolished Temple , where it was before . This was but a zealous restoring of an Altar in the Temple : which hauing beene prophaned by the Gentiles , the Iewes themselues threw downe , and erected a new , and dedicated that . Salomons Dedication is called a Feast , 2 Chr. 5.3 . a Holy day : by the very same name that the Feast of vnleauened bread , and the Feast of the Tabernacle is called so often in Scripture , Ezra 6.16 . which is Kag . The Dedication of Ezra is sufficiently declared to bee a solemne Feast too . But neither of these Feastes , though of farre greater Dedications , were Anniuersarie ; neither commanded to be kept euery yeare ; and yet this , which was so much lesser then the others , the Church had put vnder that Obligation , to bee kept euery yeare ; and Christ himselfe contemnes not , condemnes not , disputes not the institution of the Church . But as for matter of doctrine hee sends euen his owne Disciples , to them who sate in Moses Chayre , so for matter of Ceremony , he brings euen his owne person , to the celebrating , to the authorizing , to the countenancing of the Institutions of the Church , and rests in that .

Now it was Winter , sayes the Text : Etsi Hyeme Christ came et si Hyems , though it were Winter ; so small an inconuenience kept him not off . Beloued , it is not alway colder vpon Sunday , then vpon Satterday ; nor at any time colder in the Chappell ; then in Westminster Hall . A thrust keepes some off in Summer ; and colde in Winter : and there are more of both these in other places , where for all that , they are more content to be . Remember that Peter was warming himselfe , and hee denyed Christ . They who loue a warme bed , let it bee a warme Studie , let it bee a warme profit , better then this place , they deny CHRIST in his Institution . That therefore which CHRIST sayes , Pray that your flight bee not in the Winter , Mat. 24.20 . nor vpon the Sabboth ; we may apply thus , Pray that vpon the Sabboth ( I tolde you at first , what were Sabboths , ) the Winter make you not flie , not abstaine from this place . Put off thy shooes , Exod. 35. sayes God to Moses , for the place is holy ground . When Gods ordinance by his Church call you to this holy place , put off those shoes , all those earthly respects , of ease or profit , Christ came , Et si Hyems .

But then , Quia Hyems , Quia Hyems Because it was Winter , Hee did walke in Salomons Porch , which was couered , not in Atrio , in that part of the Temple , which was open , and expos'd to the weather . We doe not say , that infirme and weak men , may not fauour themselues , in a due care of their health , in these places . That he who is not able to raise himselfe , must alwayes stand at the Gospell , or bow the knee at the name of Iesus , or stay some whole houres , altogether vncouered heere , if that increase infirmities of that kinde . And yet Courts of Princes , are strange Bethesdaes ; how quickly they recouer any man that is brought into that Poole ? How much a little change of ayre does ? and how well they can stand , and stand bare many houres , in the Priuy Chamber , that would melt and flowe out into Rhumes , and Catarrs , in a long Gospell heere ? But , Citra Scandalum , a man may fauour himselfe in these places : but yet this excuses not the irreuerent manner which hath ouertaken vs in all these places ; That any Master may thinke himselfe to haue the same libertie heere , as in his owne house , or that that Seruant , that neuer puts on his hat in his Masters presence all the weeke , on Sunday , when hee and his Master are in Gods presence , should haue his hat on perchance before his Masters . Christ shall make Master and Seruant equall ; but not yet ; not heere ; nor euer , equall to himselfe , how euer they become equall to one another . Gods seruice is not a continuall Martyrdome , that a man must bee heere , and here in such a posture , and such a manner , though hee dye for it ; but Gods House is no Ordinary neither ; where any man may pretend to doe what he will , and euery man may doe , what any man does . Christ slept in a storme ; I dare not make that generall ; let all doe so . Christ fauoured himselfe in the Church ; I dare not make that generall neither : to make all places equall , or all persons equall in any place .

T is time to end . Basil . Saint Basill himselfe , as acceptable as hee was to his Auditory , in his second Sermon vpon the 14. Psalme , takes knowledge that hee had preached an houre , and therefore broke off : I see it is a Compasse , that all Ages haue thought sufficient . But as we haue contracted the consideration of great Temples , to this lesser Chappell , so let vs contract the Chappell to our selues : Et facta sint Encaenia nostra , let this be the Feast of the Dedication of our selues to God . Christ calls himselfe a Temple , Soluite templum hoc : Iohn 2.19 . Destroy this Temple . And Saint Paul calls vs so twice ; 1 Cor. 3.16 . & 6.19 . Know ye not that ye are the Temples of the Holy Ghost ? Facta sint Encaenia nostra : Encaenia signifies Renouationem , a renewing : Aug. and Saint Augustine sayes that in his time , Si quis noua tunica indueretur , Encaeniare diceretur . If any man put on a new garment , hee called it by that name , Encaenia sua . Much more is it so , if wee renew in our selues the Image of God , and put off the Olde man , and put on the Lord Iesus Christ . This is truly Encaeniare , to dedicate , to renew our selues : NaZian. and so Nazian ▪ in a Sermon , or Oration , vpon the like occasion as this , calls , Conuersionem nostram , Encaenia , our turning to God , in a true repentance , or renewing , our dedication . Let mee charge your memories , but with this note more , That when God forbad Dauid the building of an House , Because hee was a man of blood , at that time Dauid had not embrued his hands in Vriahs blood ; nor shed any blood , but lawfully in iust warres ; yet euen that made him vncapable of this fauour to prouide God a house . Some callings are in their nature more obnoxious , and more exposed to sinne , then others are : accompanied with more tentations ; & so retard vs more in holy duties . And therefore as there are particular sinnes that attend certaine places , certaine ages , certaine complexions , and certaine vocations , let vs watch our selues in all those , and remember that not only the highest degrees of those sinns , but any thing that conduces therunto , prophanes the Consecration , and Dedication of this Temple , our selues , to the seruice of God ; it annihilates our repentance , and frustrates our former reconciliations to him . Almighty God worke in you a perfit dedication of your selues at this time ; that so , receiuing it from hands dedicated to God , hee whose holy Office this is , may present acceptably this House to God in your behalfes , and establish an assurance to you , that God will be alwayes present with you and your Succession in this place .

Amen .