God is more honoured or dishonoured in our Religious actions, then in all the actions of our lives; in them we do directly and immediately pretend his Honour and Service, and therefore if we do not walk in them watchfully, and intend them seriously the greater is our sin. For a trespass committed against holy things, the Jews were to bring a Ram to be valued by the shekel of the Sanctuary; for a trespass against their brethren, a Ram was required, but no such valuation expressed; whence Origen infers, Aliud est peccare in sanctis, aliud extra sancta: It is one thing to sin in holy things, another thing to sin beside them, and he urgeth that place in Samuel, 1 Sam. 2.25. If a man sin against another man the Judge shall judge him, but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat ⟨p. 109⟩for him? Lev. 5.15. and 6.6. When men are some way off in a Kings eye, they will be comely in their carriage; but when they come into his Presence-chamber to speak with him, they will be most careful: Because Saints are always in Gods sight, their constant deportment must be pious and seemly, I have kept thy precepts, for all my ways are before thee, Psal. 119.68. But because the Ordinances of God are the very face of God, and they who worship him therein do solemnly appear before him, therefore at such seasons they are bound to be most holy and serious, Exod. 23 17. Psal. 42.2. The saying of the Sage Orator hath some weight, 1Worship the gods at all times especially in public; that is in their sacrifices. God is very curious how men carry themselves in his Courts, and commandeth thee Reader, be to eminently pious when thou appearest in his presence. Do but observe under the Law how choice he was about all things relating to his Worship; the Tabernacle must be made of the best wood, the purest gold, the finest linen, and every part and pin of it done exactly according to Gods own precept; the persons called to set it up must be rarely gifted and singularly endowed for that very purpose. He that offereth sacrifice must be without blemish, For whatsoever man he be that hath any blemish, he shall not approach, a blind man, or a lame man, or he that hath any thing superfluous, or a flat nose, or he that is broken faced, or broken handed, or crooked backed, or a Dwarf, or that hath any blemish in his eye, or the scurvy, or is scabbed;
God is more honored or dishonoured in our Religious actions, then in all the actions of our lives; in them we do directly and immediately pretend his Honor and Service, and therefore if we do not walk in them watchfully, and intend them seriously the greater is our sin. For a trespass committed against holy things, the Jews were to bring a Ram to be valued by the shekel of the Sanctuary; for a trespass against their brethren, a Ram was required, but no such valuation expressed; whence Origen infers, Aliud est peccare in sanctis, aliud extra sancta: It is one thing to sin in holy things, another thing to sin beside them, and he urgeth that place in Samuel, 1 Sam. 2.25. If a man sin against another man the Judge shall judge him, but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat ⟨p. 109⟩for him? Lev. 5.15. and 6.6. When men are some way off in a Kings eye, they will be comely in their carriage; but when they come into his Presence-chamber to speak with him, they will be most careful: Because Saints are always in Gods sight, their constant deportment must be pious and seemly, I have kept thy precepts, for all my ways are before thee, Psal. 119.68. But because the Ordinances of God are the very face of God, and they who worship him therein do solemnly appear before him, therefore at such seasons they are bound to be most holy and serious, Exod. 23 17. Psal. 42.2. The saying of the Sage Orator hath some weight, 1Worship the gods at all times especially in publick; that is in their sacrifices. God is very curious how men carry themselves in his Courts, and commandeth thee Reader, be to eminently pious when thou appearest in his presence. Do but observe under the Law how choyce he was about all things relating to his Worship; the Tabernacle must be made of the best wood, the purest gold, the finest linnen, and every part and pin of it done exactly according to Gods own precept; the persons called to set it up must be rarely gifted and singularly endowed for that very purpose. He that offereth sacrifice must be without blemish, For whatsoever man he be that hath any blemish, he shall not approach, a blinde man, or a lame man, or he that hath any thing superfluous, or a flat nose, or he that is broken faced, or broken handed, or crooked backt, or a Dwarf, or that hath any blemish in his eye, or the scurvy, or is scabbed;
- 1Isocrat. ad Demon.
