A Complete collection of farewell sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…

3. The third thing I deny is this, That there is no place so holy as to exclude another place from being as holy in a way of proper sanctity and holiness, which we have been now opening. God now makes not one place properly more holy than another; there is not now properly any Religious difference of places. We have not now the precept of God to sanctify and separate one place from another, to prefer one place before another; we have not now the miraculous Presence of God, his appearing as at the Bush. God hath not given us under the Gospel those Symbols of his standing Presence and Residency, as by the Ark, and ⟨image 38⟩Mercy-Seat, and Altar of old, he gave unto his People. And as for his Ordinances, if they make a place holy in regard of performance of Duty to God there, and his spiritual presence in that place, then my Parlour, Chamber, or Closet are holy where I use to pray; and where God doth afford his assisting blessing, and comforting presence: So that if you make the spiritual presence of God to make a thing holy, in regard of Gods spiritual presence going along with those services, then your Houses are holy, and the Field is holy where you walk when you meditate, and praying by the River side makes it holy: Humane Consecration makes no place truly holy. If the spiritual presence of Christ makes one place more holy than another, then the Communion-Table and Font are more holy than any other place in the Temple. And so when Gods presence hath been enjoyed at the Font, that is more holy than the Communion-Table; and so when the presence of God hath been enjoyed at the Communion-Table, that is more holy than the Font, and so you must bring in Judaism. If the presence of God makes a thing holy, a new Communion-Table, upon which the Sacraments was never administered, cannot be so holy as the old Table. Nay, by this the mouths of the Communicants are holy, having eaten the Bread, and drank the Wine which was dedicated to an holy use, and so it will be sinful for you to eat any other food. I conclude all with this, That the difference and holiness of Religious places in the times of the Gospel, is not given, but taken away by the Gospel, 1 Tim. 2.8. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. You may pray, and that with as much acceptableness to God in one place as in another, John 4.21