An Exact collection of farewell sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy,…An Exact collection of farewel sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy,…

1. It is not now in the times of the Gospel in any mans power to set apart a place for Religious duties, so as that it should be unlawful upon a due occasion to use it for civil employments, or that it should be always unlawful to alienate to other uses, besides those uses that are Divine; the Bread and Wine sanctified by Gods own institution by the Minister, after the public use and administration of them in the Ordinance, are not only holy but they may be eaten in a civil use and way as our ordinary and common food: The Synagogues among the Jews were as holy as our Churches, they were for holy duties, as Prayer, Preaching and the like, and dedicated to Gods Worship, and yet you must know there are civil employments used in those places after the Religious Worship was done; and therefore in Matth. 23. 34. saith our Saviour, some of them you shall scourge in your Synagogues. Hence we use to keep Courts and Consistories in Churches amongst us, and some of them none of the best, and and we use here among us in this City constantly in our Churches, (and I doubt not but it is lawful) for an Alderman in his Ward to meet about secular business, as to choose Common-Council-men, or the like. But where there hath been a dedication of a place to Gods worship, it is only God that can make it so holy, as that it should be sinful to employ it to other uses, and if the Governors of the Church upon due occasion and reason shall substitute other places more fit then the former for Divine Worship, then the former places may return to their former proper uses; but it is not so in things consecrated by God: If the Font, Table, or Pulpit wax old, they may be laid aside and looked upon as common ⟨p. 296⟩things, and may be used for other employments; and suppose the Surplice be a lawful garment in Gods worship, (which yet I am persuaded none of you believe) doubtless it is not to be burned when it is old and past wearing, and the ashes put into a pot or some such like thing, and be buried under the Altar, but it may be used as other linen may. And so the common Utensils, as the Cup and the like, when they are come to be old, they may be used to other employments without fear of sin.

1. It is not now in the times of the Gospel in any mans power to set apart a place for Religious duties, so as that it should be unlawful upon a due occasion to use it for civil imployments, or that it should be alwaies unlawful to alienate to other uses, besides those uses that are Divine; the Bread and Wine sanctified by Gods own institution by the Minister, after the publick use and administration of them in the Ordinance, are not only holy but they may be eaten in a civil use and way as our ordinary and common food: The Synagogues among the Jews were as holy as our Churches, they were for holy duties, as Prayer, Preaching and the like, and dedicated to Gods Worship, and yet you must know there are civil imployments used in those places after the Religious Worship was done; and therefore in