The saints sacrifice

O how enamoured should we be with such places! If we be where we cannot come to them, nor join with Gods Saints in worshipping the Lord, how should it grieve us? No place in the world, were it every way as fair, as fertile, as pleasant, as profitable in all earthly commodities, as Eden, or Paradise was, should give us content, if Gods ¹house be not there: if no place be there for Saints to assemble together to worship God. In nothing is any part of the earth made more like to heaven, then in having Gods house situate on it. The Prophet fore-told that the mountain of the Lords house should be established in the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills. Why should it not be accounted the hill of hills, where there is such plenty of all delectable things: where there is such a plenitude of plenty? It is an hill of peace, an hill of joy, and hill of life, an hill of glory. We count cities and towns that have Kings and Noblemen's houses in them, happy, by reason of the great provision, and all manner of commodities that are brought to them. Much more happy may we account those cities and towns where are many houses of God: if indeed they be true houses of God. External buildings made with stone or brick, timber, lead, iron, and other such materials, though never so pompous and glorious without and within, can not justly be accounted Gods houses, if Gods people assemble not in them to worship God, if Gods ordinances be not there duly observed, if there be no prayers made to God, no Word of God preached, no Sacraments administered, no divine discipline exercised in them. But where these are, there are Gods houses. And happy are the places where Gods houses are.

O how enamoured should we be with such places! If we be where we cannot come to them, nor joyne with Gods Saints in worshipping the Lord, how should it grieve us? No place in the world, were it every way as faire, as fertile, as pleasant, as profitable in all earthly commodities, as Eden, or Paradise was, should give us content, if Gods ¹house be not there: if no place be there for Saints to assemble together to worship God. In nothing is any part of the earth made more like to heaven, then in having Gods house scituate on it. The Prophet fore-told that the mountaine of the Lords house should be established in the top of the mountaines, and exalted above the hils. Why should it not be accounted the hill of hils, where there is such plenty of all delectable things: where there is such a plenitude of plenty? It is an hill of peace, an hill of joy, and hill of life, an hill of glory. We count cities and townes that have Kings and Noblemens houses in them, happy, by reason of the great provision, and all manner of commodities that are brought to them. Much more happy may we account those cities and townes where are many houses of God: if indeed they be true houses of God. Externall buildings made with stone or bricke, timber, lead, iron, and other such materialls, though never so pompous and glorious without and within, can not justly be accounted Gods houses, if Gods people assemble not in them to worship God, if Gods ordinances be not there duly observed, if there be no prayers made to God, no Word of God preached, no Sacraments administred, no divine discipline exercised in them. But where these are, there are Gods houses. And happy are the places where Gods houses are.