University of Virginia Library

A Meditation when one entreth into the House of GOD, the Church, on the LORD's Day.

What Rev'rence, what Awe and Dread
Upon my Soul should be,
When in this Place thou hast decreed
For thine to worship thee?
This is thy House; this is the Gate
Of Heaven, and no less;
Here in this Place I ought to wait
For thy pure Righteousness.
Thy Presence thou hast promised
To thine own People here;
Thy Majesty I ought to dread,
And to approach with Fear:
For thou art holy, just and true;
And thy great Pow'r extends
Above whatever Mortals knew;
Thy Faithfulness ne'er ends.
Thou ne'er delights in Wickedness,
Nor yet in Sinners Death;
But rather that in Righteousness
They seek to thee by Faith.
Thou art a Spirit; and all those
That mint to worship thee,
Should worship thee (the Scripture shows)
In Truth and Puritie.
This is the Place thou hast ordain'd
Where we thy Face should seek:
Forbid, O Lord, it be profan'd
By ought that I shall speak.
Thy Presence did the Temple fill,
Of old, as I do read;
And lo, this is thy Temple still;
Then ought not I take Heed
How I behave before and in
Thy Presence, that's divine?
Lest with my Tongue or Heart I sin,
Lord keep me still as thine.
How dreadful is this Place which thou
Hast set apart to be
Thy Place of Worship? Yea, and how
Well reverenc'd by me?
When Moses in the Wilderness
The burning Bush beheld,
A Sight so great and glorious,
That him with Wonder fill'd.
But, when he came to understand
What in the Bush he found,
He loos'd his Shoes, at thy Command,
Because 'twas holy Ground.
Such Reverence becomes all those
That would approach to thee;
Therefore, O Lord, my Heart dispose
To worship rev'rentlie.
Meek Moses did both quake and fear
Thy Presence to behold;
Ought I not then, much more, forbear
To tamper, or make bold?
Lord help me to approach to thee
In thine abundant Grace,
That I may worship rev'rentlie,
When in thy holy Place.
Here ought no idle Talk be heard;
No Sport or Pastime made,
Where God is only to be fear'd,
And still in Rev'rence had.
Here we are to expect to hear
God's Word, and feel his Spirit,
With holy Awe, and filial Fear,
Thro' Jesus Christ his Merit.
How great Ingratitude appears,
When we profane God's Day,
To gratify our carnal Ears
With idle Talk or Play?
Much more when in his holy Place,
If we give Way to these,
We cannot see his gracious Face,
When we him thus displease.
Six Days for Labour God allows,
And sinless Recreations;
But, on the Seventh, to pay our Vows
With pure Ejaculations;
And in his Temple to attend
His Worship rev'rently;
So, persevering to the End,
With all Humility,
LORD grant I may, with Solomon,
My Foot still keep with Care,
When holy Ground I enter on,
Within thy Temple fair;
More ready still to hear, than give
The Sacrifice of Fools;
And guide me, while on Earth I live,
By thy unerring Rules.
Restrain my Mouth, lest any Time
Too rash I chance to be;
Lord keep my Heart from hasty Crime
Of Utterance 'gainst thee:
For thou in Heav'n art, and I
Upon this Earth am now;
Therefore, within thy Sanctu'ry,
Lord grant my Words be few.
Fools never do consider where,
Nor unto whom they speak;
For always they are void of Fear;
All Rev'rence they neglect.
A Wedding, or a Country Fair,
And God's House are the same;
To see, and be seen, is their Care;
No more's at Heart with them.
They chat and tattle idle Tales;
Their Neighbours Fame defames;
This World's God o'er them prevails;
Their Hearts ascendant claims.
Such shall, at last, be made to see
Their Evils; in the End,
Wrath on their Heads shall poured be,
And no Time left to mend.
Lord give me Grace, that I may shun
Th' Assembly of that Kind,
That divine Favours I may win,
And after, Glory find.
In Hopes of this, for Jesus Sake,
To God I'll render Praise;
And, thro' his Grace, I'll ever make
God's Sabbaths holy Days.