It is an evidence that men are not aware […] those things, which they ought to remember, whenever they come to hear the Word of God dispensed in his Name. Its a sign that they do not consider of the dreadful place and presence which they are in. We may say of a solemn Church-Assembly as Jacob speaketh concerning that place where the Lord appeared to him, Gen. 28. 17. He was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place, this is none other but the House of God. There is a special presence of God in Church Assemblies, which maketh such places to be holy, and therefore dreadful. Its true, that in these days, one house is as holy as another. But it is also true, that in whatever house God is worshipped, during the time of worship, there is a special presence of the Lord there, and therefore during the time of worship, the place in holy. Hence reverence in Behaviour is required of men whilst in such places. It was said to Moses, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, h. e. show reverence as to thy outward behaviour, (for putting off the shoe was, and is at this day amongst the Eastern Nations, like putting off the hat with us) for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground; namely, because of a special presence of God which was in that place at that ⟨p. 207⟩time, Exod. 3. 5. So there is in Church Assemblies: if men are so irreverend there as to fall asleep, and it may be to put themselves into sleeping postures, it is a sign that they consider not this. The presence of Holy Angels is awful. Yet such a presence, there, in Church Assemblies. Hence the House of God is said to be the Gate of Heaven, Gen 28. 17. In old time, Princes kept their Courts in the Gates of the City, and there they had their Ministers and Servants to attend them. Thus the Lord doth as it were sit upon his Throne, in Church Assemblies, and there are Holy Angels attending him in those Gates of Heaven. The Apostle therefore Exhorts men and women to behave themselves with all due reverence and circumspection, in the solemn worship of God, because of the Angels, 1 Cor. 11. 10. Angels come down from Heaven, into our solemn Assemblies, and observe not only how Ministers Preach, but how People hear; who attends, and who doth not attend, who sleeps and who keeps awake. When People sleep at Sermons, it is a sign that they consider not of this as they ought to do.
It is an evidence that men are not aware 〈…〉 those things, which they ought to remember, whenever they come to hear the Word of God dispensed in his Name. Its a sign that they do not consider of the dreadful place and presence which they are in. We may say of a solemn Church-Assemby as Jacob speaketh concerning that place where the Lord appeared to him, Gen. 28. 17. He was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place, this is none other but the House of God. There is a special presence of God in ChurchAssemblies, which maketh such places to be holy, and therefore dreadful. Its true, that in these dayes, one house is as holy as another. But it is also true, that in whatever house God is worshipped, during the time of worship, there is a special presence of the Lord there, and therefore during the time of worship, the place in holy. Hence reverence in Behaviour is required of men whilest in such places. It was said to Moses, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, h. e. shew reverence as to thy outward behaviour, (for putting off the shoe was, and is at this day amongst the Eastern Nations, like putting off the hat with us) for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground; namely, because of a special presence of God which was in that place at that ⟨p. 207⟩time, Exod. 3. 5. So there is in Church Assemblies: if men are so irreverend there as to fall asleep, and it may be to put themselves into sleeping postures, it is a sign that they consider not this. The presence of Holy Angels is awful. Yet such a presence, there, in Church Assemblies. Hence the House of God is said to be the Gate of Heaven, Gen 28. 17. In old time, Princes kept their Courts in the Gates of the City, and there they had their Ministers and Servants to attend them. Thus the Lord doth as it were sit upon his Throne, in Church Assemblies, and there are Holy Angels attending him in those Gates of Heaven. The Apostle therefore Exhorts men and women to behave themselves with all due reverence and circumspection, in the solemn worship of God, because of the Angels, 1 Cor. 11. 10. Angels come down from Heaven, into our solemn Assemblies, and observe not only how Ministers Preach, but how People hear; who attends, and who doth not attend, who sleeps and who keeps awake. When People sleep at Sermons, it is a sign that they consider not of this as they ought to do.
