rebellion for most clement Princes must needs with a severe hand chastise rebellion such is the vile nature of rebellion that found in children against the Parents by Gods Ordinance among the Jewes the subject of it must be stoned with stones Deut. 21.18 19 20. And when Moses would exalt Gods mercies to Israel he aggravates their unworthinesse by charging them to have been a stiffe-necked and rebellious people Deut 9.6 23 24. And Samuel charging Saul with this guilt asserts rebellion to be as the sin of witchcraft for its vile nature And when Jerusalems enemies would make her vile they wil denominate her a rebellious City Ezra 4.12 15. And did ever any yet rebel against the Lord and prosper let the severe judgements of God upon Judah and Israel for their rebellions witnesse Whil'st then this sin of Altar-building appears so vile not only in the ground but also the acts thereof let all sincere worshippers at Gods Altar consider whether their loyalty to their great Creator and gracious Redeemer do not engage them in their places to see to so great and crying a sin The third thing that may evidence building Altars beside the Altar of God to be a sin exceeding sinful is the sad effects thereof which we cannot but expect to be exceeding sad and bitter whilest the root and branches thereof are so exceeding vile for the fruit must needs be suitable to the tree that beares it and those are these foure 1. A rending from the body of the Church a withdrawing from the communion God himself hath set us in a making a schisme and rent in the Church of God as Diodate notes a severing our selves from the communion of the Church in which alone is the true service of God and the participation of his grace and Covenant that sad effect of sins Soveraignty among the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.4 which is so evil that the Propagators thereof are to be declined Rom. 16.17 which violates unity and deprives the Church of that blessed fruit of the Spirit this is that which as nature condemnes in the body so the Gospel in the Church 1 Cor. 12.25 which when making factions and parties in the Church as sedition in a Common-weale is dangerous and many times destructive being attended and seconded with envies strifes hatred and the like yet this evil fruit springs from Altar-building as its sad effect as is evident in the story under consideration wherein it is clear that the two Tribes suspected the act in hand to be to this end to withdraw from any longer communion with their brethten and to worship God distinct and by themselves which they desire to prevent by rather giving them inheritances on the same side of the river with them See more of this schisme Mr. Hollinsworths Rejoynder to Mr. Eaton and Mr Tailors Reply then the division of portions should divide their piety and joynt attendance on Gods Altar So Corah and his company did rend themselves from the body of the Church and make a fearful division in refusing to keep communion with the people of God according to his appointed administration in Numb 16. when they were about to erect their Altar against Gods what a sad rent from the Church did Ieroboams Altar-building make not to this day semented though sought after by such as earnestly supplicate the accomplishment of the gracious Promise of God that the stick of Ephraim and the stick of Judah shall become one in his hand in Ezek 37. from 16 to 21. In which is to be noted that the accomplishment thereof is promised to be accompanied with the abolishment of their Altar-building sin and unity in Gods wayes and worship v. 22 unto the end of the chapter which grievous rent from the communion of the Church a burden not to be borne by the sincere worshippers at Gods Altar provokes as I before noted out of Mr. Cotton * His Exposition on Canticles that pathetical prayer to be directed to the true Church and Altar of Christ in Cant. 1.7 that they might be delivered from the danger thereof nay it perswaded not only the Priests and Levites to prefer the Altar and Church of God above their suburbs and possessions but also all such as set their heart to seek the Lord to run the hazard of going to Ierusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord with their brethren 2 Chron. 11.13 14 16. This sad effect doth the Spirit witnesse to follow this sin nay flow from it under the Gospel The Apostle Paul Acts 20.30 foreseeing the appearance of seducers Apostate-Altar-builders that would innovate doctrines and formes of worship contrary to Christs institution chargeth the Elders of the Ephesian Church to see to this sin at least that their members be not seduced urging this sad effect as a swaying reason They shall draw aside many disciples after them from the communion of the Church * Ut abducant ab Ecclesiastica unitate post se ad inhaerendum eorum erroribus Dyonys Carthus in loc Abstrahere autem significat inani gloria tumidos compellere sectatores in sua nomina jurare Aret. in loc as did Novatus vid. Euseb l. 6. c. 4. Religionum Confusio dissipat Ecclesiae consensionem Mas in Text. saith one or make sects saith another and the Apostle Peter in the second Epistle the second chapter the third verse prophesies false teachers should be in the Christian Churches which building their owne Altars of damnable doctrines many should follow their pernicious wayes speaking evil of the way of truth for the confusion of Religion must needs be destructive to the concord of the Churches which God witnessed by constituting one only Altar for all his peoples attendance with one only forme of administration and this cannot but be seen in the Apostles dayes by such as shall seriously observe the Apostolical redargution of schismes and seducers characterizing false apostles charging the Churches to observe and decline them as those that make divisions and trouble them frequent commendations of the union and communion of the Church and disciples and fervent perswasion to and prayers for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace which all suggest to us and clearly imply that this sin of Altar-building by will-worshippers was in act to the dividing of the members from the body in their very dayes and who is there that looking into Ecclesiastical story Dyonys Bishop of Aleaxndriâ— his Epistle to Novatus recited by Eusebius Pamphil l. 6. c. 45. or translat 44. sees not the sad rentings from and confusions in the Church effected by the Altar-building of doctrines dissonant to truth and the Altar of Christ propagated by the many hereticks of the primitive times as Novatus whom Dionysius in his Epistle to him chargeth with a renting and dividing from the Church as a sin most grievous counting the suffering for the unity of the Church a more glorious martyrdome then the sufferings for not sacrificing to devils for this is suffered for one
soul that for the universal Church So also the Donatists Manichees Paulus Samosatenus of whom the Synod of Antioch sadly complaine that the Church was so rent See their Epistle in Euseb l. 7. c. 30. that faith and religion was run into great spite hatred and slander by reason of his swelling pride as also by the Arrians which filled the whole Christian world with confusion and division some taking this side and some that some communicating here and some there even to most bloody persecution of the true sincere Ministers and people of God the which schisme how sadly complained of by Athanasius the good Bishop of Alexandria how earnestly endeavoured to be cemented by Constantine the good Emperour and how strongly it reigned to the checking of the Churches comforts and clouding of the glory of the the Gospel Eusebius at large declareth in his first and second books of Ecelesiastical history but may not the separations from the communion of the Church and sad schismes amongst our selves produced by such as are of late risen up to build Altars of innovated doctrines contrary to the doctrine of Christ call us back from wandring so far to seek confirmation of this sad effect of so grievous a sinne and provoke us with shame and sorrow to own the evident effect upon our own sad experience and set to our seales that of a truth Altar-building against Gods Altar is an odious because a Church-renting sin Socrates Scholacticus Eccl. hist l. 1. c. 10 for to how many may we say as Constantine the Emperour to Aretius the Novatian Bishop Why sever ye your selves from the communion of the faithful whose answer may occasion our reply as his Provide you a ladder to climbe into Heaven alone The second effect which must needs also shew the building Altars beside the Altar of God to be exceeding sinful is to speak with due reverence a running God upon straits concerning the dispensations of his Providences and the administration of his judgements or mercies not that God is in his nature capable of such want of wisdome who is the most wise and readily disposeth all things according to the counsel of his own will or weaknesse of power to effect and bring about his purpose whose power is like himself and not to be resisted as that is should make him to doubt or dispute what to do Luctatur in Deo hinc justitia ira adversus peccata quae atrociter pecâ—cantes atrociter puniri perdi postulat illinc immensa misericordia bonitas quae non vult mortem peccatoris sed ut convertatur vivat Paâ— in Hos 11.8 Hac particula ostendit Deus quid meriti sunt Israeliâ—e jam se propensum esse ad sumendam poenam quâ dignisunt non tamen id sine poenitentia vel saltem dubitatione Calv. in lâ—â— whether to strike or spare the sinner But to speak to our capacity such may be sometimes the effects of divine Providence that to us God may seem to be in a strait and as it were in doubt with himself his justice provoked by the sin putting forward to punish the sinner and his mercies desiring repentance and deliverance pleading for suspence or abatements of the afflictions striving together make God as it were cry out What shall I do unto thee how shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim Wherein though this Altar-building Israel had deserved to be made as Admah and Zeboim for their sinne yet God doth seemingly dispute with himself how should he do it to them in Hos 11.8 such another strait God seems to be in when he stands over Jerusalem with his how long and when shall it once be as in Jer. 13.27 where he criâ—s out of this sin of Altar-building I have seen thine adulteries and neighings the lewdnesse of thy whoredomes and thy abominations on the hills in the fieldâ— Wo unto thee O Ierusalem as if he should have said I have seen all Altars and am ready to strike and punish thee severely for them but yet he checks himself and bids a stay to his justice with a wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be I would faine have my hand stayed at last even at last before the stroak that is up fall and as mercie and justice those different properties in God are to speak with reverence of a God not in the least subject to passions set as it were opposite by this sin so also we shall see a seeming strife betweene Gods purity that cannot endure iniquity and divine glory which he will not in the least give to another and promise performance faithfulnesse for the sin being acted God forsaken his Law declined and mans will and inventions advanced then Gods purity provokes divine justice to strike with such language as this I am holy I cannot endure sin yet it is acted against me If sentence be not speedily executed the heart of men will be fully set in them to do wickedly patience will but provoke their prophanenesse they being so corrupt as to abuse it Eccles 8.11 will be as it were driven to sin by it nay they will make divine silence an argument of sins allowance and when they sleight my service and set up their owne inventions and yet go on and prosper and I hold my tongue they will say I am altogether such an one as themselves arise justice let me not be reputed the Author or indulger of such disobedience set their sins in order before their eyes Psal 50.21 Nay though they being dearest Davids doth not their sin give occasion to mine enemies to blaspheme should I suffer Jedidiah my beloved one to increase his worship at Idol-Altars and corrupt nay decline mine and his posterity to possesse his Kingdome will not the Heathen say I am not pure and holy for I indulge their sin Do not the lewd lives of Christians cause the Heathen to reproach the Gospel of my Sonne and to say my doctrine dictates such things as nature will blush to see as if nature which I made were more pure then my selfe shall I be silent and not correct the impieties of my people which make Heathen Romes Senators when they see my holy Word to question whether it be my Law Shall my divine nature be blasphemously denied by an Apostate Julian or Arius and I not be avenged Shall the perfidious and perjurious deeds of my Christian people deny me to be a God and provoke this Turkish appeale to my purity producing the league sworne in my name and broken by them Behold thou crucified Christ this is the league thy Christians in thy Name made with me As did Amurath sixth King of the Turks against Udislaus king of Hungary Folonia when he took absolution from his oath from Cardinal Julian and fought against the Turks contrary to the league sworne See Turk Hist
Fraterna Correptio OR THE SAINTS ZEALE AGAINST SINFUL ALTARS Delivered in a SERMON Preached on a day of Humiliation for the Errors Heresies Schisms of our times and Nations By Z.C. Minister of the Word Utinam talis zâ—lus in nobis essâ—t quidem non unum Altare erectum videmus sed innumera Ferus in declâ—m in Iosh 22 Because Ephraim hath made many Altars to sin Altars shall be unto him to sin Hosea 8.11 And they arose and took away the Altars that were in Ierusalem 2 Chron. 30.14 We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate who serve the Tabernacle Heb. 13.10 Imprimatur Edm. Calamy London Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Robert Gibbs in Chancery lane near Serjeants-Inne 1655. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Mr. Daniel Andrewes Esquire ALDERMAN of the Honourable City of LONDON Right Worshipful DEdications of Books being a custome no lesse commendable then common did engage my prefixing of your worthy name to this small Treatise and simple I dare not so call it for the matter declared in it but the management of it by the Author Sermon preached in obedience to the commands of Church-Officers some moneths since and now published to the provoking of more general zeale against sinful Altars then our times afford Worthy Sir the aimes propounded to my self in this present Dedication are such as are common to all Dedications First to expresse my thankful acceptance and acknowledgement of your undeserved respect to me a meere stranger in your frequent attendance on my Ministery and fervent expostulations with some in my behalf in matters wherein I have been concerned and many other wayes expressed Secondly and chiefly to excite your zeal for and engage your attendance on Gods one only Altar distinct from nay in opposition to all false Altars of human erection Sir I do not in the least tax you of lukewarmnesse or suspect your recession from Gods Altar no my self and many others that minister to the Lord having observed your constant attendance on the Ordinances of the Gospel your countenance to the Ministers of the Gospel your complaints against the Errors Heresies and Schismes of the times with your careful turning away from such as innovate new and false principles and practices of Divine worship must needs bear witnesse that you are very fit to be one of the ten Princes of our English Israel to be delegated to expostulate with separate brethren concerning their seeming at least building of an Altar against the Altar of the Lord. Sir though I speak this without flattery yet I cannot but observe you obnoxious unto danger and a fit object of the Apostles Caution Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall â—or 10.12 and that not only as you are a man subject to infirmity as are your brethren but also as you are eminent by your place a Ruler in our Israel capable of being more serviceable to God whilest you stand and to Satan if you fall We see Corahs rebellion and formall Altar-building-sin drew in two hundred and fifty Rulers famous in the Congregation and men of renowne Satan well knowes he is a meane man that drawes not after him some Clients and that the multitude like Bees follow their master Hence his policie is to make the Leaders of the people leaders of them into sin May I therefore be bold to commend to your reading this small Treatise as an antidote to temptation and guard against all the assaults of Satan by which he may labour to batter in pieces your present zeale to the Lords Altar And now Sir I cannot passe over the third common aime of Dedications wherein you may be serviceable to the Author nay to God and the soules of men that is that your eminent Name may commend this poore Sermon to publick acceptance and your report of the words of the Lord therein spoke may provoke a desire in others the Rulers of this sinful Citie to read and hear it Sir it is worth observation that Baruchs roll written against Altar-building Jerusalem Jer. 36.13 114 15 16. from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah by the favour of Michaiah the son of Gemariah the son of Shaphan obtained an audience from all the Princes nay an accesse into the presence of the King of Israel If in this respect this small Tract may become a Baruchs roll It may be they will present their supplications before the Lord and returne every one from his evil way for great is the anger and the furie that the Lord hath pronounced against this people Sir I will no longer trouble you but leave it under the shadow of your Worships favour not doubting your readinesse to cover the infirmities of it and its Author with your scarlet robe and beg of God that it may be useful to your counsel and comfort in constant attendance on and contentions for Gods one only Altar This Sir shall be the daily prayer of him who is SIR Yours to serve you in all Gospel-Altar-ministrations Z. C. TO THE Reader Courteous Reader THou hast here a Sermon some monetths since preached at the command of some in authority in the Church on a day of Humiliation for the spreading Errors Heresies and Scismes of our place and times It was then by some sincere worshippers at Gods Altar desired to be made more publike but was by the Author denied and adjudged to remaine in silence yet revived importunity hath reversed that sentence and presented it to thy view and censure if thou hast as doth become the sons of Zion beene observant of what hath past in our English Israel thou canst not but have seene Church against Church Ministery againe Ministery Baptisme against Baptisme Fast against Fast and Thansgiving against Thanksgiving some worshipping God one way â—thers in a way direct contrary Certaine it is both cannot be the way of the Lord one must be humane invention will-worsâ—ip an Altar against Gods Altar and sâ— the object of zealous resistance receive then this small Tract as that which may by the grace of God be in some measure useful to discover the sinful Altar and direct thy duty towards it Two things I desire to premise to thee at the entrie of the work The first is an answer to an objection of which in the preaching of the Sermon I had not time to take notice neither have since as I might have done inserted it but think convenient to note to thee in this place It is this If God will be worshipped at one only Altar how came it to passe that the Patriarchs and holy men of God did worship at various and distinct Altars To this I answer First these various and distinct Altars were used before God had pitched his Tabernacle and the visible Arke of his presence and fixed his Name and people in a setled station such were the Altars of Abraham and the Patriarchs in their pilgrimage and travels but when God had setled Israel we read
sufficient to evidence its concommitancie with this sin of Altar-building both before and since Christ came in the flesh and to give us cause if we finde the same to shew it selfe in the midest of us as it usually puts up in troublesome times and places as most suitable to their doubtful destinies to suspect Altar-building to attend it but upon serious search and diligent observation we shall easily see to the sadning of pious spirits not only hath Astrology appeared under our confusions and commotions but also not been rebuked but rather indulged and countenanced I and by too many received to the emboldening of its professors with wonted impudency to enter the lists and engage the contests for divining predicting Astrology so often foyled by Civil and Ecclesiastical censures in the Church nay and by Heathens themselves strangers to the Church their raging arguments produced against arguments of reason and Scripture the reviling tearmes against Divines and Ministers of the Gospel not only now living to defend divine providence from their starrie encroachments but even such as are long since rotted in the grave doing what in them is to the killing of their labours which do live and will live to their conviction and confusion their declared enmity to Religion publishing and predicting as the pretended influence of the Starres the variety of confusions and sad divisions concerning it evermore prophesying evil to the Truth according to the wonted practice of its professors and their blazing forth the least of failings nay sometimes imagined in Divines to the rendring of their persons and function vile whilest they sound the trumpet of their owne praise often recollecting those things they have seemingly foretold and have accidentally come to passe but burying in oblivion their never accomplished predictions which may set Mercury on work as Seneca once wittily fancied to intreat the gods to abridge the life of Claudius if for no other cause yet of very pitie and compassion to the poore Astrologers as the great Plague threatened to be in London 1652. who had already beene taken with so many lies from year to year that if the destinies were not more favourable then their ground was sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever of which if a man should as it is reported of the Lord of Arundel note but their yearly Almanacks with repugnant notes at the beginning they would oftentimes prove more true then such predictions These things I say are not to be past without observation as the evidence of that height of their existence and countenance in the midest of us which may create our jealousie if I may not say conclude the sin of Altar-building to be on foot among us Astrological impositions upon the peoples faith lately started up with peremptorinesse and impudence with the peoples apt reception thereof as more infallible Prognostications of the government of the world and Church then either Scripture-prophecie or promise provoked a reverend Divine to redeeme time from his more serious studies to the posing and puzling of the Magical-Astrological-Diviner Mr. John Gaule his Magastro-mancer posed and puzled see his Epist to the Reader induced by this very reason conscience of duty to use his owne words to stand up to speak a word for God Christ the holy Ghost Church and Saints against a presse and pest of Magical magephemerical magnastrological c. of books of late crept nay crouded in amongst us to the dishonour of God denying of Christ despighting the Spirit cauponizing of the Word disturbing the Church subverting of Religion distracting of the State scandalizing weak Christians and seducing of common people yea to the promotion of Idolatry Superstition Heresie Schisme c. We see then my brethren this sinful Art of Starre-divining as a concomitant of the sin after which we are enquiring to be too evident in the midest of us I shall a little and very briefly note to you the fitnesse of this sinful Art to characterize the sin of Altar-building that to the quickening of your affections you may more seriously heed it though it hath beene but seldome hinted and that in noting its nature and the Churches observation concerning it First as for its nature not to stand upon it as erroneous and heretical as it is in it selfe the rules of it and inferences from the same became directly contrary to the doctrine of faith not its aptitude to engage needlesse scrupulosities and superstitious observations of this as ominous and that as lucky to the enslaving a mans will in every action to the observation of every circumstance and subjection to the Starres nor yet of its uncertainty whereby the event sometimes falls contrary to the prediction as Firminus a friend to Saint Augustine found in observation of the fate of two children borne in his house at one and the same moment which yet was calculated by the starres to be the same but by the Law and custome of the Countrey proved quite contrary I shall only note its nature in relation to this sin and we shall finde it of a suitable nature to receive and propagate innovations and false will-worship not only as it is Skeptical certaine in nothing but the uncertainty of their owne assertions but also as it disposeth the Stars and Celestial bodies into the chaire of divine providence whilest as was before noted it placeth all even secrets and supreme happinesse in the power of the Planets which doctrine must needs set them as objects of admiration and so of adoration a very natural way to build Altars objectively by giving the worship and honour of the Creator and disposer of all things to the creatures without doubt this was to the Jewes as to other Nations the leading principle to worship the Queene and the hoast of Heaven nay further dictates a doctrine of universal Toleration of all religions never in the least admitting any limitation or restraint which might be of too sad a reflection upon it self Hence Ptolomy saith that the disposition or inclination which divers Countries have to worship one God before another cometh from the constellation of the Planets as Jupiter and Saturne make a Jew Mars a Persian to worship the fire Mercury a Christian and with the Moon an Antichrist so that whilest this sinful Prognosticating Art makes the Planets the authors it must needs make them indulgers and approvers of the exercise of all religions or religious formes though never so repugnant and inconsistent each to other this is sure the reason why Astrologers have in our late dayes Prognosticated very often the liberty of all religions to be exercised and no Discipline for the restraint thereof ever spoken for by them and is a fit foundation to build many Altars upon as observed experience hath too clearly evidenced for as an every dayes Sabbath is no Sabbath so an every way of worship without confinement to divine prescription is no way of true worship unto God for novelty will be building when
may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdomes Artic 2. Whatsoever is conceived and hath beene pleaded by some for the cessation of the obliging power of some Articles in this Covenant yet I keow not any that have denied its obligation and yet binding force in these Articles and to these duties unlesse it be such as profanely jesting with the whole have called or counted it an Almanack out if date whilest therefore we are under the Oath of God may we not be covered with shame to see it broken Oh can we with comfort remember our past condemnation of Vowes violation and dispensations from the obliging power of Oaths in others and run our selves under the same guilt O perfideous Nation that will keep no promise made though to the God of faithfulnesse O perjurious people whom sacred bonds cannot binde nor solemne Oath oblige Can you without blushing look upon the Covenant hanging in the places of Assemblies it may be many of your names subscribed to it as an evidence of your solemne obligation by it and remember that whilest you have sworne uniformity you propagate or at least indulge multiformity of Religion whilest you have sworne the extirpation of Baals Altars do you countenance or carry on the erection of Supâ—â—stition Heresie Schisme whilest you have sworne to endeavour that the Lord mâ—y 〈◊〉 one and his Name one Do you cast his worship according to your wills and cast off his owne standing rule and indulge mens worshipping him and professing his Name according to their corrupt fancies pretended to be conscience think you not God to be a God of jealousie that will and of power that can avenge the quarrell of his Covenant Against what sin hath his severity beene expressed so much as those sins that have beene acted after and against solemne Oaths Let us with sorrow and shame remember that the Lord was wroth with Israel and put them out of his sight because they forsook his Statutes and his Covenant and made Calves and built Altars unto them contrary to his commandments 2 Kings 17.15 16 17. and their obliging oaths But thirdly we have the more cause to be humbled before the Lord for that the severe judgements of God may seize upon us and we have cause with feare to expect them I have before noted that Altar-building doth incurre Divine displeasure and subject a people to the fury of the Lord how may we mourne to see the sin acted and allowed which is the sad omen of approaching miserie Fourthly and lastly this may affect our hearts and fill us with sorrow that sinful Altar-building is a sad provoker and symptome of the Lords departure Jer. 6.8 the last but heaviest of his judgements God will stay and threaten many miseries before it come to a least my soul depart from you I cannot but much observe the words of Phineas in this story when the two tribes and halfe vindicated themselves from the jealousie of their justly suspicious brethren concerning their Altar-building Rectè colligunt allegati sehovâ—m apud Israelitas presentem â—â—â—sse quia â—e igionis consensus adhuc ab ipsis colitur Mas â—n loc This day I perceive that the Lord is among us because ye have not done this trespasse Josh 22.31 which words do clearly imply that Altar-building against Gods Altar is an undoubted argument not only of Gods future but present absence for if by unity and consent in divine worship Gods presence be argued by the rule of contraries difference in and dissent from divine worship must needs argue his absence Contrariorum contraria est ratio Contrary reasons enforce contrary assertions O then my brethren is it not a woe to us that God is departed from us certainly Gods departure in respect of his counselling sin curbing guiding and directing presence is a sad presage of his departure in respect of his blessing preserving protecting presence the finall absence of God is hell it self then every with-drawing of himself must be a spark of that fire Happy is the man or place with whom God stayes to chide for whilest he stayes to reprove there is favour in displeasure but when he leaves either man or Church there is no hope but of sin and vengeance the withdrawing of divine presence is notbing else but the presence of his wrath O can we read the Schismes Errours Heresies and many innovations in the midest of us those sad effects and symptomes of divine withdrawing as written in most legible characters without grief in our hearts and tears in our eyes nay with a loud cry of golden liberty and glorious times O let us smite upon our thigh and say What have we done Let us sit in the dust and sigh Let us call for the mourning women that they may lament considering that the most heart-piercing and doleful tune that ever Altar-building Israel did lamentingly expresse as the very height of their maladies and calamities was the Comforter that should relieve my soul is farre from me Lam. 1.16 The second Use that I shall make of the Point is of exhortation unto such as professe but are suspected in the Church of God to be sincere worshippers of God and unto them I would in the Name of the Lord desire to think well of their brethrens jealous enquiry after their courses and suspition of their rare and unusual practices springing from unknowne principles and with a spirit of meeknesse beare their just reproofes and Christian cautions composing themselves to give an account unto their brethrens demands and readily to declare the grounds and reasons of their more then ordinary undertakings I do not deny but just actions may be unjustly suspected and condemned to be sinful but if this jealousie can plead ignorance it will thereby expect justification rather then censure animosity of spirit and outcries of violence and bitternesse against the modest demands of jealousie doth very much argue guilt for it is an observation as true as common Innocencie fears no trials We shall finde an example in this very story worthy imitation the ten tribes and a half heating of an Altar-building-work by their Ambassadours make a severe expostulating reproving demand of the ground and end of so sudden strange unconsulted and undeclared action yet we here have no complaints of violence bitternesse or censoriousnesse but a speedy and meek submission to their brethrens demand readily declaring their motive to this work viz. to engage posterity to Gods Altar before the Arke their end in the erecting this Altar to be that it may be a witnesse of their relation to the God of Israel Where is the spirit of brethren which should engage a ready satisfying of the suspitious demands of brethren Where is the spirit of due subjection to the authority of the Churches which should declare principles and practices and submit them with meeknesse unto triall If brethren stand at distance from such and expressed offence against their singular unusual courses may they not
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