reflect upon themselves and conclude it to be a self created crosse whilest in pride or peevishnesse they refuse to declare and submit to censure the ground and end of their strange proceedings Have not many a Phinehas both joyntly and singly desired of separating congregational brethren a platforme of their pretended way of Christ a sum of their setled principles to which they would stick without making new light old an expresse of the rules drawn from Scripture which shall regulate their practice and proceedings so different from their brethren if I may not say dividing from the body of the Church of God that they might be compared with the patterne in the Mount the Scriptures of God by which all the way of the Churches must be judged O that I might once more intreat in the name of the sincere worshippers at Gods Altar though not so immediately delegated as was Phinehas or some of the Ministers of Gods Gospel-Altar that have demanded it that they would at last after all their protestations that they would walk closest with Châ—ist according to Gospel-rule and Apostolical practice their solemne promise to their brethen the performance of which hath been long though in vaine expected approve their brotherly affection and a due subjection to the authority of the Churches of Jesus Christ by drawing up a plat-forme of the way in which they walk accommodating their brethren with the principles that rule their practice submitting the same with alacrity and meeknesse unto trial that an inability or unwillingnesse to discover the same stirre and strengthen not suspition and give us cause to conclude them Lucifugae Scripturarum decliners of trial Let me once more note to them this is necessary that their principles may justifie or condemne the practice of some that have taken up the profession of Christ in their way for if we must gather their principles from present practice their gathering Churches out of Churches their covenant-admission into Church-membership their private mens preaching and administration of Sacraments with the Schisme they have made from that one body in which they were baptized we cannot but be jealous with a holy jealousie that they do at the least formally build Altars against the Altar of God The second exhortation which may rather be a dehortation is unto such as are turned aside from the holy command and do either materially as the Papâ—sts and others or formally as congregational Separatists build Altars besides the Altar of God in the Name of the Lord desist your work stay your proceeding cease to build for your work will finde no acceptance with the Lord. Shall I use to you the dialect in the text Rebel not against the Lord and against us your brethren to build you Altars beside the Aâ—tar of the Lord. Consider that although Gods patience may long beare and whilest you offer Incense to the Queene of heaven and corrupt the worship of a holy God you may have plenty of victuals you may be well and see no evil yet fury will be provoked and take away corne and wine and oyle c. Hos 2. Consider and lay it seriously to heart that offering false fire to the true God and adoring a false god are Homogeneal of the same nature Altars against God God is provoked to jealousie by the rivality of false worship as well as of false gods I shall not I hope againe need to open the fury of the Lord provoked by and expressed against this sin only let me in general note to you that God hath resolved to cover Altar-builders with shame and fill them with blushing notwithstanding his long silence he hath resolved that they shall be ashamed of their strange sacrifices Hos 4.19 and of the Oaks which they have made and the gardens which they have chosen Isa 1.29 Know that if any will presume to step out of his calling and speak in the Name of the Lord uncalled that God hath said who both can and will see it done The Prophet shall be ashamed every one of his Vision and in their shame shall say I am no Prophet I am an husbandman for men taught me to keepe cattel from my youth Zech. 13.4 I cease to admire cannot but adore the just dealing of a righteous God that the doctrine practice of the Nicolaitans was usually an attendant or effect of the Heresies and Innovations of the Primitive times and that sinful separations and Altar-building innovations in matter or in forme hath produced indulgence of filthy and abominable Ranting principles and practices in our dayes when I seriously consider that sad denunciation of this shameful judgement in Hos 4.12 13 14. The spirit of whoredome hath caused to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God they sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burne Incense upon the hills under the Oaks c. Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome and your spouses shall commit adultery I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery for themselves are separated with whores and they sacrifice with harlots Take heed lest God say unto you as he once said unto Ephraim because they have multiplied Altars to sinne Altars shall be unto them to sin Hos 8.11 For pretended piety in the increase of Altars may be justly punished with obduracie in the sin that God may say Seeing they will introduce sinful innovations contrary to divine prescriptions they shal so do to their shame and sin The Lord perswade the hearts of such as superstitiously build Altars in matter or forme besides the Altar of God to returne and sincerely speak the language of repenting Ephraim What have I to do any more with Idols So what have we to do any more with Altars Innovatâ—ons humane inventions we will wait on and follow after divine prescriptions The third and last exhortation is to such as are sincerely and indeed worshippers of God at his own only Altar holding fast the Covenant of God walking according to divine commandment and keeping communion with the Churches of God them I would exhort in the Name of the Lord to stick close to the Altar of God and set your selves in your several places against such as build Altars against Gods Altar Let not your souls be unstable in the wayes of the Lord declining divine prescriptions and embracing humane inventions and superstitious innovations Let the world witnesse you to be conformable Non-conformists who not conforming to some Canons and Customes of the Churches contrary to and inconsistent with the Canon of Scripture yet readily conforme to the worship in matter and forme composed according to the patterne in the mount the Word of God conserving the unity of and communion with the Churches of God that continue the Altar according to divine prescription set your zeale against superstition rushing from extreme to extreme schismatical societies and heretical principles and practice proclaime sincerity and not schisme following
was it which did actuate the spirit of Jehu with readinesse and resolution to do the work of the Lord to the demolishing of the house and destruction of the Priests of Baal so as to call Jonadab to see his zeal for the Lord of Htstes so long as this work of the Lord was concurrent with and conducing to his own establishment but when these two may be divided and distinct his zeal abates and himself can follow the way of Jeroboam to own the Altars at Dan and Bethel 2 Kings 10. As under the Law we finde expressely the sin of Altar-building to be the sad fruit of self-advancement so we shall see clearly that from the same root doth it also spring under the Gospel all declinings of the Altar of Gods true worship wayes and doctrine and following after innovated principles and practices those false and opposite Altars spring and get strength if we do but seriously observe the Apostles characterizing deceivers seducing Apostate Altar-builders to be lovers of themselves proud high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.2 4. such as count gaine godlinesse * Quaestum esse pietatem sic resolve pietatem esse quaestum vel artem quaestuosam quia scilicet totum Christianismum lucro metiuntur Calvin loc 1 Tim. 6.5 such as have hearts exercised with might and strength as the Orig. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo apâ—stolus utitur plurali numero ut ostendat seductores illos non uno avaâ—itiae morbo laborare n c unam duntaxat artem callere divitias pâ—rfas nefásque congeroudi ac simpliciores pecunia emungendi Ger. in loc with covetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 Such as followed the way of Balaam and were cast away with the wages of unrighteousnesse as I noted before nay the Apostle Peter affirmes that through covetousnesse they make merchandise of soules 2 Pet. 23. And St. John in his third Epistle the ninth vetse notes Diotrephes corrupt practice to spring from this that he loved to have the preheminence Should we unto these clear Scripture-instanced-evidences adde examples out of other histories who shall observe the devil exciting his Turkish instruments to crown apostacy from the Christian Religion with the honourable order of (a) Gen. hist of Turks Mamelukes and (b) â— 107. â— 91. the latter set up by Cara Rusthemes a Doctor of the Mahâ—metane Law Janizaries but must needs conclude advancement to be the proper way to seduce a selfish spirit from the Altar of God This was the very ground which led (c) In p. 337. Mahomet the first Turkish Emperour to faile the hopes of his mother and the expectation of the Christians by embracing the Mahumetane Altar and abhorring the Christian to which he was educated self-establishment in his treacherously obtained Empire was the principle that engaged (d) In p. 144. Michael Paleologus to subject the Christian liberty the Greek Churches did enjoy unto the Antichristian yoke and Papal tyrannie of Gregory the tenth nay we might shew that the desire of being reputed a Saint and shame of being shut out of communion with the Church was that which gave occasion to (e) Euseb Eccl. hist l. 4. c. 11. Marcion his heretical Altar-building and the proud affectation of the dignity of a Bishop was the cause of (f) Lib. 6. c. 42. Novatus sinful separation and uncharitable opinions What shall we say of Cerinthus Samosatenus Manes Arrianus c. those great Altar-builders against Gods Altar is it not easie to see self-advancement to have been the bellowes which did blow their false fire nay will not our own experience of the pride and self-advancement of the Authors or Indulgers of innovated principles and practices clearly evidence this sin of Altar-building to be the fruit of that bitter root and so to be exceeding vile and to be seen unto by the sincere worshippers And thus I have done with the first thing propounded to set forth the vile and sinful nature of Altar-building against Gods Altar which unlesse men may gather grapes of thistles and figs of thornes sincere worshippers of God cannot but conceive to be exceeding vile and sinful whilest the odious and bitter fruit of shameful novelty swelling pride and self-advantage and advancement I now come to shew the second thing that sets forth its vilenesse viz its sinful actings which if we finde but answerable to the grounds of it must needs render it a sin so grievous that it is not only to be difrelished but with all power in their proper places to be resisted by the sincere worshippers of Gods Altar and in this sinful work the Actors contract upon themselves the guilt of a threefold sinful acting 1. A receding from God 2. A rendering our wills the rule of divine Worship And 3. A rebellion against the divine Majesty The first sinful act in building Altars besides the Altar of God is the receding from tht Lord a forsaking of and departing from God not only when we directly and immediately change the object and set up Altars unto strange gods stocks and stones idols which are no gods which must needs be granted to be the effect of a receding from the Lord but when we withdraw from the matter or forme of Gods worship even then we may be and are justly said to depart from the true God To withdraw from God and to embrace another object in his stead are two distinct acts and ever distinctly noted in Scripture with distinguishing termes the one may be done where the other doth not immediately if ever follow for as a wicked wife may depart from her husband most treacherously and yet marrieth not another so may men depart from God and not so much as embrace any divine object in the room thereof but with Atheists say in their heart There is no God nay usually the departing from God in declining his Altar and Worship goes before and is the way to embracing strange gods or entertaining meer Atheisme this the Church wanting the Ordinances Altar and true Worship of the true God was afraid of Brightman Cotton on the place as some note in the dayes of Jeroboam when she prayes and cries earnestly to know where the flocks of God did rest urging the argument of her present danger Why should I turne aside by the flocks of thy companions so calling themselves Cant. 1.7 and the ten tribes of Israel by Jeroboam were drawn from God before they worshipped at Dan and Bethel for the receding from the cause must needs be a refusing of the effect denial of Gods Altar is the declining of communion with God As in the Ordinances and at the Altar of God men are said to draw nigh unto the Lord to appear before him or in his presence as Levit. 10.2 Psal 42.4 so the turning from them may be justly termed a turning from the Lord being a declining of that matter and that forme God hath prescribed himself to be enjoyed
p. 297. which they have without cause violated now if thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dreame revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me and shew thy power on thy perjurious people who in their deeds deny thee their God And shall I not arise to chastise them will not the honour of my holy Name and nature by severe judgements for their unholinesse on those my people who will not shew it by their conformity obeying my Lawes and fearing to offend my pleasure be vindicated from the blasphemous thoughts of mine enemies Unto which Gods power glory and faithfulnesse standing up do as it were answer and plead True O Lord most holy thy pure nature stands justly offended thy people are by their Altar-building made naked in thy sight they have moved thee to jealousie with that which is not God Deu. 32.21 22. or of God it may be just that the fire kindled against them in thy wrath should burne unto Hell and that therein for their sin thou mayest scatter them into corners and make their rememberance for to cease and thereby vindicate the glory of thy purity and shew thy selfe a sin-hating Exod. 32.22 23. by being a sin-revenging God but what shall become of thy faithfulnesse the glory thereof will be lost in the midst of the Heathen O remember thy promise Lord thy promise made to Abraham to Isaac and Jacob and let not the Heathen say thou hast spoken what thou wilt not performe thou art not as man that thou shouldst lie nor the sonne of man that thou shouldest repent O let the mouth of Balaam witnesse to a cursing Balak that thou hast said it and thou wilt do it thou hast spoken it and thou wilt make it good Numb 23.19 How shall the Heathen also blaspheme thy power and say because thou wast not able to bring to passe thy begun mercy and give them the promised land thou hast slaine them in the wildernesse Numb 14.16 For Lord the Nations consider not the cause nor accknowledge thy justice but reproach thy power and promise and say For mischief thou hast begun to shew them mercy Nay they will not only reproach thy power and promise but rob thee of thine honour and the glory of thy justly inflicted fury the rod will rebel against the hand that useth it if now and so severely thou strike with it consider Lord make not a full end of this rebellious Altar-building generation for the enemies will behave himselfe proudly and say My hand and not the Lord Deu. 32.27 hath done all this so that sinne doth not onely make Gods Word to fight against it self in promises and threats but also the very properties of the Lord how sad must it be unto an ingenuous child to see fury and mercy power and pitie justice and compassion at the same time to shine in the bosome of a tender father how vile then must this sinne be which runs God on such straits when as much as in us lies we labour to confound the very God of Wisdome and set unity at enmity making the Divine nature as it were to warre against it self And hence it is that the properties of God are many times pleading expostulations with God modo admonentis de benignitate by way of humble minding God of his owne nature in the prayers of his owne people fearing or feeling the fiercenesse of his fury The third effect is a rendering the worship of God vile in the eyes of the heathen which know him not by this sinne the enemies of the Lord have occasion to blaspheme the Name and ways of God to reproach the Gospel and Doctrine of Jesus Christ for in Altar-building men run from God and actually speak the language of the Apostate covenant-corrupting Jewes It is in vaine to serve God and what profit have we that we have kept all his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 and attribute the peace and plenty Gods patience indulgeth unto the Queene of Heaven and their shameful impieties Jer. 44.17 18. and therefore God complains that when his people built Altars unto Baal they did not know that God gave her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied their silver and gold Hosea 2.8 And God aggravates this sinne ever with the mention of his mercies whereby he declares how little cause they had so really to vilifie his wayes and worship by departing from them their rebellion against his will and words must needs bespeak his yoake to be heavie and servile bondage which is indeed perfect freedome and his tender reigne over his people to be fierce and cruel The Schismes and sad Divisions produced by this sinne give occasion to such as know not the doctrine of unity to charge the wayes and worship of God with the natural production thereof never considering how they are the fruits of sinne not of Gods sacred Altar How hath Satan and his wicked instruments taken occasion to reproach vilifie and blaspheme the wayes and worship of God from the lewdnesse of some that professe it in all ages do not the Papists generally calumniate the Reformation of the Church with the charge of division and novelty and the like because some professing to it have divided from the Church and propagated their Altar-building-principles so that every observant eye cannot but see that Altar-building besides the Altar of God makes Gods Altar Word and Worship as Simeon and Levi their cursed act on the circumcised Schechemites made good Jacobs savour to stink among the Canaanites and Perizzites in which regard it lies on the sincere worshippers of God with constancie to adhere to Gods Altar and with courage to suppresse others in their places as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ The fourth and last effect of this sinne of Altar-building which may render it exceeding vile is a reviving of the Lords fury for these are the Altars of Bethel which God will visit Amos 3.14 This is the sinne that is written before the Lord as with a pen of iron and point of a diamond Jer. 17.1 2. This is the setting of post by his post and threshold by the Lords threshold to the defiling of Gods holy Name till the subjects be consumed in his anger Ezek. 43.8 This is the setting up the Altar of jealousie to the provoking of God to depart from his Sanctuarie Ezek. 8.6 This is the following new gods to the kindling of a fire in his wrath which shall burne to hell Deut. 32.21 22. In a word this is the golden Calfe which turnes patience to speak with reverence into such rage that a Moses prayer can hardly binde from destroying Exod. 32.8 9 10. and the rebellion so highly provoking that a God most gracious in all affliction afflicted in pitie and love saving and redeeming being by it vexed in spirit becomes an enemie Isa 63.9 How did Corah and his company by their but formal Altar-building schismatical withdrawing from the administrations of divine worship provoke the Lords
authority of the Scriptures With the Arians to deny Christ his divine nature With the Seekers to deny Gospel-Ordinances in the matter or with Anabaptists in the manner of their administration With the Separatists to teach that pollutions are sufficient ground of separation from true Churches though retaining fundamentals that Baptisme is not sufficient to admission to Church-membership without the Congregational Covenant that the holinesse of men as Saints meerely Saints is a sufficient authority to invade the Ministerial function and the like there we may see and with sorrow say Altars are in building against the Altars of God for these principles being oppugnant to the rules of the Lords worship must needs lead to practices opposite to his prescribed performances this Character is so commonly the concomitant of Altar-building that many times the professors of this sinne conceale from their disciples the absurdest of their doctrines till by some of lesse concernment they are made Skepticks in Religion and so capable of admitting any doctrines and when they dictate any it is only as present light which they may oppose shortly as much as may be declining the teste and trial of the Word that they may be usually and well called by the epithete Tertullian gave them Lucifugae Scripturarum shunners of Scriptures light The second Character of Altar-building as many times it 's concomitant 2. Charact. and indeed cause t is the publike exhibition of Astrological predictions a religion amongst the Heathen whose Altars stand opposite to the Altar of God and willing to be received as an Art among Christians and professed people of God but could never finde entertainment but under the defection from Gods true worship and the erection of Idolatry and Superstition Starrie prophecies were ever more suitable for Egyptian and Babylonish idolaters then Israel-worshippers at Gods Altars never shall we read the same acted or allowed in Israel but in Altar-building dayes and by Altar-building Princes and as it rose with this sinne it fell with the same being both together removed by religious Altar-reforming Princes and usually the Prophets of God were found in Jerusalem the place of Gods Altar whilest Soothsayers and false Diviners were in Samaria the Altar-building Citie the Prophet Isaiah joynes Iacobs being full with the manners of the East Deute 18.10 11 12. Isa 44.25.57.12 13 14 and Sorcerers of the Philistines with their being full of Idols as the causes of Gods desertion of them Isa 1.6 Not to stand upon the several upbraiding expostulations of God with his owne people and other Nations for attending to the divined lies of their Magicians Soothsayers Star gazers and monethly Prognost cators I shall only desire you to observe that which seemes a very observable evidence of this concomitant Character viz Gods promise in the restoration of his Church by Christ to cut off Enchanters and that they should have no more Soothsayers is joyned with the reforming of his owne Altar by cutting off their Idols and turning them from worshipping the workâ— of their owne hands Mic 5.12 13. Not only under the Law was this found to be a concomitant if I may not say cause of the many Altars against God but also under the Gospel Soothsaying Starrie Prediction Astrological Prophecies will appeare an attendant on or indeed rather a preparer and precuâ—sor of Errors Heresies Schismes and saddest corruptions in the doctrine and worship of God that Gospel Altar at which we worship a witnesse hereof may be the Jewes who in their blindnesse retaining Moses against Christ are by the Apostle hinted to be opposite to the Altar of God Heb. 10.13 Do not the dictates of their Starre-numbring Cabalists obdurate them in their superstitious way Their false Prophets sometimes heighten their hopes of the approach of their fantastical Messiah as did Abraham the Jew assuring them that the time of his coming should be in 1464. to the hardening their of hearts against the true Messiah already come unto which we may adde the experiences of the Primitive Church in the Hereticks that rose up to corrupt the Word of truth if we consider those sorts of Hereticks viz. Simonianists Cleobianists Dositheans Gortheans Menandranists Carpocratians Marcionists Valentinians Basilidians and Saturnilians in the Primitive times noted to bring in the false Christs false Prophets false Apostles renting asunder the Church with their false doctrine against God and Christ which Thebulis at Jerusalem received and began to propagate Euseb Eccl. hist l. 4. c. 21. What a line of Astrology may be seene in their principles attributing the production of many and various things to many and various powers advancing their owne divinations above Scripture-Divinity and their Magical practices and enumerations to the astonishing of their auditors nay this line is not only to be seene in but as it were to lead unto their corrupting principles and practice Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4. c. 21. Socra Sch. lib. 1. c. 27. Euseb in Eccles hist lib. 4. c 11. We might hereunto adde Manes the author of the Manichees the founder of the Heresie of two beginnings who taught the worshipping of the Sunne and the like principles properly flowing from starrie divination and Marke the knowne Magician confuted by Jrenaeus who baptized in the name of the unknowne father of all things and in the truth mother of all things c. A clear Altar against Gods Altar But to what purpose should we send so farre to finde Heresie attended with Necromancie when nearer home in later years it hath beene and is the great instrument to advance the Mahumetan and Popish superstition who knowes any thing of the Papal stories that knowes not this to have beene the step to advance the man of sin and that Astrological conclusions starrie predictions and magical actions have not only beene countenanced and allowed but also studied and advanced in their order of exercises To the further evidencing its existence in the Church we might muster up the censures of free Councels and Ecclesiastical Assemblies the condemnations of it by the Primitive Fathers the wholesome Lawes Imperial Civil Ecclesiastical against Diviners Astrologers and the like the variety of punishments as banishment imprisonment confiscation death to the professors or indulgers of starrie predictions and confessions of some of their owne professors all which do not only evidence its existence in but also danger to the Christian Churches in the fulnesse of what is reported to have beene confessed by one Cornelius Agrippa once an Arch-Magician who bewailing his mis-spent youth in this Art saith They that professe to it feare not to teach most pernicious Heresies and Infidelities whilest they professe with impious temerity that the gift of Prophecie the power of Religâ—on the secrets of conscience the command over Devils the vertue of miracles the efficacie of supplications and the state of the life to come do all depend on the Starres are vouchsafed by them and may be knowne by them But thus much may be
ground of suspition at the least of building Altars besides the Altar of God The fifth Character as the concomitant of building Altars besides the Altar of God is the dispensation of divine worship without the divine stamp of a due Call and Ordination God never yet appointed Altar-worship without an Altar-office which might not be common to every one nay which no man must take upon him but he which is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 If Ministery be as it cannot be denied a distinct Office under Law or Gospel it must needs have a due Inauguration thereunto for as in a State an every mans Magistracie is a no Magistracie so in the Church an every mans Ministery is no Ministery a sinful seeking of the Priests Office upon the pretence of the peoples holinesse to be witnessed against by the plates of their censers and the budding of Aarons rod is suitable to Corahs separate rebellion a Whosoever will let him bring a bullock and consecrate himself a Priest is a fit Canon of Jeroboams constituted Altar-worship at Dan and Bethel the high-way to bring the lowest of the people into the Priests Office When did false Prophets run so fast unsent by the Lord but when the Altars of Israel were increased like the streets in Jerusalem Not to multiply needles instances in this clear case let the observation of the Churches of God in al ages witnesse the usurpation of the Ministerial Function never to be found in the Church whilest the doctrine and worship of Christ was preserved pure and uncorrupted and never out of the Church when and where false doctrines and superstitious innovations did abound the promise of Christ concerning the restoring of his Altar and worship came not without a promise to vindicate this Office from the invasion of the uncalled trades-man to the shameful conviction which shall extract his owne confession I am no Prophet I am an husbandman men taught me to keep cattel from my youth Zâ—ch 13.5 If therefore we would finde who they are that sinfully build Altars we must consider who they are that preach and practise ministerial discharges without due Ordination who they are that countenance and contend for this usurpation counting it a glorious liberty that every man may lay his hand on his own head and speak in the Name of the Lord were the Lord as eminent and immediate in his vindicative stroaks for this sin under the Gospel 2 Sam. 6.8 as under the Law how many Vzzahs would be found dead for their uncalled setting hand to hold the Ark of Gods worship notwithstanding the pretence of necessity How many Vzziah-like leprous foreheads would be found amongst us 2 Chr. 26.17 18 19. of such that by at least eighty Ministers of the Lord have beene warned it is not for them but for the Ministers of the Gospel to offer unto the Lord. But I shall conclude this Character as a just cause to irritate our humiliation before the Lord with that observation of reverend Doctor Hall upon a case not much unlike this though something different It is a dangerous thiâ—â— in the service of God to decline from his owne institutions we have to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his owne worship in matter and forme just to require what he hath prescribed and powerful to revenge what he hath required The sixth and last Character which I shall note to you Blow at the root Observ 8. p. 157. and I will but briefly note it is doleful contests for universal Tolerotion of all religions which a wiâ—e observant notes is nothing else but the putting of the true Religion out of all protection whilest therein Satan labours to exempt priviledge and for ever to secure his Agents and Brokers the Seminaries and Teachers of soul-murthering doctrines from being molested discouraged and disturbed in his work by any Government and Discipline Ecclesiastical or Civil whereby the hands of all in power are bound up or rather cut quite off that they may never be able to serve God as they ought in the protection and propagation of his Gospel and worship who seriously considers the strict Lawes the Lord left the Jewes for the keeping of them to his true Altar and sees not universal liberty leading from the same to be sinful nay who considers mans novellous nature and sees not a necessity of being kept to some one Religion by authority knowing men are naturally bent to mint Gods services in their owne braine and to go a whoring after their owne inventions to the building of Altars beside the Altar of God Was this sinne ever acted in Israel where the sword was sharp and severe against innovations The same may be demanded concerning the Christian Churches and upon the contrary was not this impiety evermore the effect of impunity and universal liberty I have done with the first part of the enquiry whether in the midest of us Altars may not be seene besides the Altar of God which we have too much cause to conclude in the affirmative I have also noted the concomitants as Characters of this sin so that the subjects of dangerous doctrine of divining predictions of dangerous separations of deadly enmity to Gospel-Altar-Ministery of dispensing divine worship without due call and of doleful contests of Toleration of all religions may justly be more then suspected abettors advancers if not actors of Altar-building and who those are I leave to the observation of the wise whose eyes are in their head and passe forward to the second matter of enquiry in order to our humiliation The second thing to be enquired for the defect of which we are to be humbled in the presence of a God of jealousie is Whether the sincere worshippers have or do according to their duty see to this sinne of Altar-building wherein we might enquire after their sensible observation of and affectation with the sin their seasonable caution and serious counsel to desistance their speedy accommodations of their brethren in matter of accidental temptation and their zealous resistance of the sin according to their places which was before noted to be acts of this duty in the religious Israelites but instead of a spirit faithfully discharging these duties it were well if to our griefe and Gods great dishonour some that have and eminently do professe to the worship of the true God in truth and whose places more eminently engage their priority in suspecting and seeing to innovation superstition Altarbuilding were not to be seene First staid by their self-interest from furious driving with a seeming zeale for the Lord of Hosts against the Altars and Priests of Baal suffering Jehu-like Jeroboams Calves at Dan and Bethel and the high places thereof to stand unremoved and unrebuked if not unobserved as to their sinful nature so soone as the house of Ahab is subverted and themselvs established in the high places of the Kingdome as if Prelatical innovations and superstitious ceremonies were to be
after purity in divine worship and not faction to have been the cause of that non-compliance which exposed you to the unjust charge of Puritanisme and separation from the Temple and Altar of God Oh be perswaded to shake hands with such as shake hands with God and his worship If any will cry the people are all holy to the decrying of Gospel-Ministery conclude them too prophane for you to joyne with Let not example or eminent professions of piety perswade you to receive principles or practices unproved Be sure to follow the counsel of God to go forth by the footsteps of the flocks and to feed their kids beside the shepherds tents when you are in danger to turne aside by the flocks of Altar-building companions for unity to and as Diodate notes imitation of the true Churches of Christ is a preservative against Apostasie to Idolatry If the ten Tribes would drive to the Altars at Dan and Bethel draw with the Levites and all that set themselves to seek the Lord to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord at his own Altar though with the losse of your Cities Suburbs and sweet enjoyments though Israel play the harlot let not Judah offend come not to Gilgal to transgresss nor to Bethaven to swear by the Lord put your selves in dayes of general Apostasie to be hid amongst the thousands of the Lord that bow not the knee to Baal and under the protection of that God that can restraine the fury of the fire and rage of roaring Lions when let loose against his servants for their adherencie to his Altar and worship manifest your selves approved in the Lords Sanctuary now Heresies are abroad to a discovery of the unfound Will it not be an answer of confidence and comfort to the Lords demand in a day of general defection and dolor 1 Kings 19.10 The children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant broken down thine Altars and slaine thy Prophets and I even I only am left alone Is not constant adherencie to the sincere worship Altar of God commended to us by a cloud of witnesses who suffered most exquisite torments for the same not only by the Jews and Pagans professed enemies to the Altar of God but also by the Donatists Navatians and Arrian Heretiques apostatized from the truth of divine worship besides Papists and Germane Anabaptists who baptized such baptismo flaminis with fire as would not be according to their fancie baptized baptismo fluminis with water so that you see the counsel of God and cloud of witnesses in the Church charging you to take heed of will-worship humane inventions Altar-building beside the Altar of God Not only are you to be exhorted to stick close to the Altar of God and take heed of declining to or turning after false Altars but also in your places according to your capacity set your selves against the sin of Altar-building sensibly observing sadly bewailing and speedily suppressing the sin in such as act or advance it Never let it be said that professed worshippers at Gods Altar shut their eyes at the increase of Altars against God and remaine silent under the sleighting of divine prescription and sinful innovating of superstitious matter or formes in the Lords service Sad is the age in which we live for that Christianity must be approved by apologizing for nay appearing in the defence of universal liberty of all or any way of divine worship and moderation made to consist in a mincing and extenuating of this sin of Altar-building nay in a positive silence as concerning it as if Moses heart might not be soft towards Israel whilest his fury is hot against their Calfe and Altar or Paul let his moderation be known to all men and yet fervently ejaculate a Would they were cut off that trouble the Churches by their Altar-building superstitious doctrines Be not deceived my brethren sins complaint of violence and bitterness must be no check to sincere zeale what if many things accompany Altar-building which are of the Lords own drawing and directing Halls Contemplations on the Calfe at Horeb. may not Moses more hate the golden Calfe wherein is engraven the Idolatry of the Israelites then honour the Tables of stone wherein God had engraven his Commandments and long more to deface the Idol then care to preserve the Tables What soul knowes the right nature of zeale and subscribes not to that unquestionable truth that every man quoad captum in their places according to their powers are bound to defend the Altar of God against all contrary Altars of humane erection considering the sword put into the hand of the Magistrate the censures into the power of the Church not only to be used against sins of the second but also of the first Table and see not sufficient reason to set it self against much lesse to countenance and indulge such as set their post by Gods post their threshold by the Lords thrâ—shold The general commands of God to destroy the Altars and places built against his with the exemplary zeale not only under the Law but also undâ—r the Gospel of Civil as well Ecclesiastical powers may be forcible inducements to the resistance and restraining of Altars against Gods as of Constantine Theodosius Valentinianus and others expressely decreeing that in all places and throughout every City the Temples be shut up and liberty be denied to wicked men to have accesse thither to commit Idolatry as also that men be restrained from making sacrifice whereby they restrained false Altars though I confesse they compelled not to the Altar of God Bulling 2. Decade 7 and 8. Ser. I shall never owne or indulge such Papal cruelty as did drive with whips the Pagan Natives in America to the font to be baptized before they were catechized in and convinced of the doctrine of Jesus Christ Ferus in Decla in Josh 22. Vtinam talis zelus in nobis esset quidem non unum â—ltare erectum videmus sed innumera divine worship yet I wish Ferus wish that men in power in republiques might imitate the Magistratical zeal of these Emperours in nor only restraining Heathenish but also Arrian Heretical Altars and contending for unanimity in divine worship among such as have laid hold on Gods Covenant are professed members of the Church and that the authoritative Assemblies of the Churches would follow the foot-steps of the Apostolical Councel at Antioch against the Altar of Circumcision the Synods in Asia at Ancyra at Antioch in France held against the Montanists Altar-building Heretiques when and where they excommunicated Montanus Synods at Rome in Anno 246. and 254. against Novatus and his Heresie at Antioch to the suppressing and condemning the Heresie of Paulus Samosatenus and of the Nicene and other Councels against the Arrian Heresie and also the authority that Jesus Christ hath left in his Church to the rejecting of Altar-building Heretiques after the first and second admonition the charge of particular Elders of the Churches is charged on the Elders of Ephesus in them on all others to look to the Churches of God committed to their charge that they follow not seducers which may arise from among themselves to draw aside disciples after them Let us take heed of adding silence or sinful indulgence of Altar-building as the more sad symptom of Gods departure to the too many eminent and too evident signes thereof extant in the midest of us what a black but of blemish was it to Asa Amaziah and other reforming Kings of Judah That the high places were not removed but the people yet did sacrifice Will it not then be registred to all succeeding ages to the infamie of our begun Reformation that Altar-building was acted by some eminent zealots therein and superstitious doctrines and practice eminently indulged by universal Toleration The late liberty of innovating superfluous and superstitious ceremonies consistent with the substance of divine worship though unfit to be annexed was reputed a posting towards Popery but I am sure suffering and not suppressing Schismes all sorts of doctrines though never so dissonant to divine dictates and liberty to embrace any religion without the establishing the Lords Altar is will be found to be the high-way to Atheism The Ministers of the Gospel generally throughout the Nation not many yeares since acted by a spirit of zeale did * Their Attestation to the solemn League Covenant against Errors Heresies Sschissmes and the toleration thereof declare against Schisme Errours Heresies and the protection thereof by universal Toleration Oh my brethren take heed you lose not your first love be intreated in the fear of the Lord to know the authority with which Christ hath invested his Churches and entrusted you to the defending of his Altar when Magistrates will not nay it may be there is no Magistrate for to do it unite you together in the fear of the Lord exhibit and exercise the Discipline of the Lord in the midest of his people Let not the bounds of Suspension and excommunication be utterly removed as if never placed by the Lord about his holy Mount Let the men of the world see that Christ can have a Church in a Nation formally no Nation but a Chaos of confused people second your attestation with a first and second exhortation to Altar-builders if they will not cease follow them with rejection and cutting off from the Sanctuary of God Consider seriously that if the having in the Church them that hold the doctrine of Baalam and of the Nicolaitans and suffering the woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce the Lords people be the few things that God hath against us we shall have cause to fear that we shall follow the seven Churches of Asia in their sad rejection for following them in sinful Toleration Let therefore the Priests and Princes nay all the people of Gods Israel say to such of their brethren as they suspect to depart from the Lord nay and according to their capacity labour to effect it that they may not rebel against the Lord and against us to build an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS
backsliding from the worship and Altar of God by such as were joyned under the visible administration of his Covenant was with a Spirit of zeal and a strong hand to be restrained Is not this in this very story so very clear that he that runs may read See we not the people of the ten Tribes generally assembled with power in hand and purpose in heart to impede the suspected sinne and so to keep in due order of attendance on Gods Altar Is it not to this end that God hath invested his Church with authority and censures and requires the due execution thereof that by fear men may be forced from sinne Is not the cutting off the troublers of Gods Church rejection of hereticks casting off and delivering up to Satan for the buffetting of the flesh the very act of this resistance Was it not the discharge of this duty that emulated the Apostles in their dayes 1 Cor. 5. and succeeding faithful Ministers of the Gospel by the Authority of Christ to withstand the false Apostles Gal. 5.12 Tit. 3.10 and seducing teachers of their times as sinful Altar-builders that this lies as a duty on the authority of the Church is generally granted by all even by such as deny the same to be a duty in the Magistrate which at this time is not my part or purpose to dispâ—re having been done by more able men and that very fully that onely which I would dictate is that in general every professed sincere worshipper of God is to approve himself such not onely by cautionating against or counselling from but also in his place and according to his capacity in contending against the sinne of Altar-building as private Christians by friendly objurgations and discountenancing the same even by drawing from communion and otherwise when duly called Ministers of the Church by reproving condemning and censuring nay if thereunto called defending the place of Gods worship against their entrance into the same to correct their sin as did Alexander that famous Bishop of Constantinople and undergoing not onely censures of bitternesse and violence but even banishments and saddest sufferings as did Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in withstanding the Arrians and when I consider Christian Magistrates waiting on the Altar of God by the fulnesse of their power and influence of their authority on the sons of men to be in the sittest capacity to manage to the purpose this resistance I cannot see whatever others say to the contrary how to exempt them from the approving themselves sincere worshippers at Gods Altar by the faithful and zealous discharge of this duty Thus then I have done with the second thing to be illustrated and have shewed you what duties he on the sincere worshippers of God in seeing to the sin of Altar-building and you see they must 1. See it 2. Be sensibly affected with it 3. Speedily cautionate from it 4. Seasonably remove accidental occasions as farre as may be 5. Zealously resist when other means will not availe that so they may not share in their guilt I now come to the confirmation of the Point thus illustrated by giving the reasons of it The reasons why the building of Altars besides the Altar of God is to be so seasonably seene unto by the sincere worshippers of God I shall briefly comprehend under one general head and that is this To build Altars besides the Altar of God is a sinne exceeding sinful it is sufficient to emulate a sanctified heart against it to assert it simply to be a sin though of the lowest order for saving grace doth militate against sinne as such not as it is more or lesse grievous yet how much more fervently and fully will it bend it self against sinne as it appears aggravated vile and exceeding sinneful more eminently and immediately dishonouring God provoking fury scandalizing religion and sadly dividing the Churches of God of which nature to the emulating of zeal and engaging the strength of sincere worshippers of God against it I shall labour to let the people of God see this sinne of Altar-building to be and that in the consideration of the grounds actings effects and sad aggravations thereof F rst Altar-building besides the Altar of God will appeare a sin exceeding sinful if we consider the sinneful grounds from whence it springs and ariseth amongst others we may specially take notice of these three common causes thereof First shameful novelty that frame Ground 1 of spirit which for its vilenesse is noted to be the effect of idlenesse and want of serious imployment which might six * Variam dant otia mentem the soul this is that frame of Spirit which renders a man weary of every thing though in it self never so good whereby men become Athenians to give up themselves to things as they are new rather then as they are good and enquire after Pauls Doctrine as new Acts 17.19 and so suitable to their curiosities rather then as true and saving to their souls the which although noted as an occasion of Pauls preaching yet is taxed as an evidence of their vanity who minded nothing else but novelties which might be vanities according to the Greek proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novelties commonly are vanities This is that shameful sinne which brings a distaste on the most pleasont object * Apparet etiam quare tantopere novae res placeant quoniam mens cum primum quippiam nobile ac pâ—aestans affert se contemplandum acriter attente ipsum intâ—â—etur quo cognito de studio remittit ideo voluptas definit verum si priori objecto aliquid recens supponatur denuo intelligentia contendit studium ea contemplando voluptas redit atque hoc pacto semper rebus novis obiectamus Pet. Mart. loc com p. 330. and placeth affection on that which is more base a disposition more fit for babes and children then men of discretion who should embrace by reason this novelty is the mother of sedition in States and Republicks which a wise Lycurgus will labour to anticipate by his perpetual absence from his Lacedemonian subjects engaged to constancy of obedience till his return and chiefest polliticians by assenting to Plato his directions and seeing that ne quid in rebus ad religionem attinentibus innovetur that novelties in religion be not admitted In a word such is the vilenesse of this novellous temper that Satan cannot endure his wayes and doctrines to be charged with novelty which he therfore cloaks with the plea and brings in with the loud cry of Antiquity whilest he makes the truths and wayes of God distastful with the charge of * Paulus Samosatenus cast the Psalmes out of the Church as new found figments of late Writers Euseb Hist lib. 7. cap. 29. novelty which need no clearer proof then the Papists contention for their shameful absurdities and horrid innovations with the pretence of antiquity whilest their common captious calumniating question against the true Churches doctrine and
worship of God is Where was Protestant religion before Luthers time this sinful frame of spirit this shameful inconstancy of the soule in its object and wearinesse of any thing though in it self never so good when a little old is clearly in Scripture dictated to be the cause or reason of building Altars against the Altars of God God expressely charged it on the Jews that being more novellous then other Nations they had changed their glory into that which would not profit Jer. 2.11 When thou didst nothing else but build other Altars unto Idol-gods which in this very regard to note this very ground of following them by forsaking God are called new gods that came newly up whom their fathers feared not As in Deut. 32.17 And when God calls them off from this sinne of Altar-building we may finde him correcting their novelty as that which led them into the sin by calling on them to enquire after the good way and the old and walk therein Jer. 6.16 and many times he pleads his antiquity as a Creator and as their Redeemer to confirm against Babylonish idolatry and curb their novelty in acting this sinne thus and to this end is God opposed to idols with expostulating tearmes Have ye not heard hath it not beene told you from the beginning have you not understood from the foundations of the earth that I as the everlasting Creator of all things am the sole and onely object of Altar-worship * Non habetis novitium Deum sed eum ipsum qui Abrahamo Mosi patribusque ab initio patefecit certe non parva hinc confirmatio accedit quod vetustas doctrinae nobis constat quae per tot secula inter fideles continuata est Calv. in loc Isa 40. from ver 18. to the end of chap. 41. at large to be seen and so also we shall finde the sin of Gospel-Altar-building in turning away from the doctrine and worship of the Gospel to be expressely grounded on and flowing from this shameful novellous property the Apostle useth no enigmatical tearmes when he makes this sinful base disposition and its effects the argument to excite faithful Ministers of Christ to approve themselves sincere worshippers of God by zealous and diligent preaching in season and out of season for the time will come when men having itching eares given wholly to novelty not to be pleased for their delicacy will turne from the Altar of God not enduring sound Doctrine but will set up new Altars according to their own lusts by the heap of teachers gotten to themselves * Causam tanti mali dum vult assignare eleganti Metaphora utitur qua significat tam delicatis auribus mundum fore tamque rerum novarum perperam cupidis ut varios sibi magistros accumulet atque ad nova identidem figmenta circumferatur Calv. in loc 2 Tim. 4.3 4. So that shameful novelty to be the ground of this grand iniquity we see clearly and positively asserted in Scripture to which we might adde the experimented disposition of such in all ages of the Church of God who declining the sincere Word and worship of the Lord and dividing from the society of sincere worshippers have by the distastes of found doctrines and inconstancy in their own opposed principles and practices embracing and with zeale advancing for truth to day that which with no lesse zeale shall be condemned for errour to morrow increasing to themselves teachers and desirous to heare every one speak though they will know none to be over them in the Lord being in a word apt to try all things but never to determine any thing to hold it fast as good approve themselves men acted by no other principle then novelty but thus much may suffice I hope to convince that Altar-buildings many times comes from this very ground shameful sinful childish novelty which as you heard is so vile as to make a people to decline their God long nay alwayes enjoyed and approved merciful and gracious to them to imbrace those novellous vanities which are but momentany and with which they were not acquainted but I must passe to the consideration of the second ground or cause of Altar-building which we shall finde no lesse sinful to the aggravation of this effect Ground 2 The second ground of Altar-building is swelling pride that diabolical disposition that put the evil Angels on an opposition of their Creator from their very beginning to build their own Kingdome that high frame of spirit which admits no peeres much lesse superiours that boundlesse property that cannot endure to be prescribed by any rules or confined within any banks which advancing its own inventions will contend with men nay as much as may be with their sovereigne Creatour for Mastery to which nothing but singularity and superiority can give satisfaction In a word that cursed principle which sucks nourishment from Gods greatest mercies and most gracious favours and when strengthened thereby manageth a resistance of his sacred pleasures and struggles to seat it self in the divine chair much more easily to prescribe the form and bounds of that obedience which it will yield this is a root so notoriously vile that none will own it but where it reignes be ready to excuse I and with seeeming zeal condemne it its evil nature is so fully known as well by the light of nature and long experience as by the law of God that to enlarge on the discovery of its vilenesse were almost lost labour yet from this odious and abominable root doth spring this cursed branch of Altar-building which must needs savour of that seed it doth extract this was the principle that put forward Corah and his company to gather a Gnedah out of a Gnedah a Congregation out of a Congregration and to build an Altar against the Altar of God by declining nay diverting the formal administration of divine worship in the hand of Aaron Num. 16. for we see not that they went about to renounce the material Altar of God who can observe their stubborn refusal to come when Moses called with a proud though unjust recrimination on Moses their puffed up spirits expressed in their plea of universal holinesse with which they being too highly affected durst argue against order and priority and think al above them to take too much upon them who can consider the severity of Gods judgement and their censers made signes and monuments of caution to humility for future generations and not be clearly convinced that pride was the root of all their evil of sinne which caused their sorrow Moses charged this sin of Altar-building in the declining of the Altar of the true God and setting up Altars to their new gods to be the overflowing effect of the Jews swelling pride when he digitates the time of this abomination to be when Jesuron was waxed fat and expressely notes to have been the cause thereof Deut. 32.15 16 17. And as this evil disposition drew strength from God