one Altar or erect any other to any sinful end Thus we shall finde the ten tribes carrie towards their brethren they are so farre from condemning complaints of this nature and contending for the liberty of the men that they take notice of rumours and are ready to fire their beacons on a bare report see v. 11 12 they heard say and begin to stir yet they run not rashly upon a bare report to ruine their brethren but send chosen men to require and receive an account of the work in hand by them suspected to be sinful Altar-building who returning satisfied in themselves do also satisfie the Congregation so that the first thing to be done is to search out the certainty of the thing that by sinful silence occasioned by non-observance they indulge not building Altars besides the Altars of God on the one hand or on the other run rashly on the ruine of their brethren condemning without conviction the generation of the innocent in a just action Secondly they must sensibly affect themselves with the nature of the sin and the sad aggravations thereof The hiding of sin under the tongue shews that it is sweet in the mouth Job 20.12 13. and resolved to be kept and spared Sins aggravation is the soules exasperation against it wherein it is extenuated the heart is not affected with sorrow for it or zeal against it Nehemiah seeing to the reformation of the Sabbath of the Lord Ne. 13.17 heighâ—ens the sin to his own and the peoples sense What evil is it that you do did not your fathers thus did not God bring all this evil for this sin will ye yet bring the wrath of God on us So the sincere worshippers of God in the text contending against the suspitious act aggravate it very much calling it a trespasse committed a turning away from the Lord rebellion against God and their brethren considering it to be a provocation of divine wrath Vers 16 17 18. of this chap. parallelling it with Achans sinne and making it the more grievous because of the hand of God yet on them for the late sinne of Baal-peor in resisting the sinne of Altar-building we must then not abate but aggravate the sinful nature thereof for aggravations extract sorrow and emulate zeal Thirdly seasonably caution and seriously counsel the desistance of so sinful a designe all meanes must be used to cure the wound before it be pronounced immedicabile vulnus ense recidendum incurable for although to suffer obstinacy against advice were sinful indulgence yet to strâ—ke precipitately without solid conviction and serious counsel to desist is no better then Papal tyranny Sincere worshippers must in contending for Gods Altar be actuated by Gods counsel to give first and second admonition before the rejection of an heretick Tit. 3.10 and imitate the pattern of Gods patience in warning and wooing before they war sin persisted in against counsels and cautions pleads the equity and necessity of justice and severity whilest the pursuit of iniquity without these preventing means bears the complexion of passionate and prejudged executions and therefore the ten tribes though assembled with sword in hand and purpose in heart to correct this supposed sinne check their courage and command a stay to their proceedings till they counsel their brethrens ceasing from so sinful a designe by the embassie of Phinebas and his associates Fourthly speedily accommodate our brethren with a removal of what ariseth from our selves as an accidental temptation to the sinne and may safely be removed self-interest is alwayes a sad obstructer of sincere contentions for Gods worship when self-denial sets Gods Altar above all our own enjoyments and commands a condescension of the lowest and hardest suffering tearms that may anticipate positive and direct sinne Sincere worshippers must have a Pauls spirit to become all things to all men that all men may in sincerity obey the Gospel of Christ who will rather never eat flesh then any shall thence take occasion to refuse or recede from Christianity who will â—ather labour with his hands then that the burthen of Gods worship shall make it be distasteful though he have power to expect if not exact maintenance and like unto the tenne Tribes in the Text who will rather though to the diminution of their already divided inheritances admit another division and allow * Credibile est plerasque tribus non nimis laxe habitavisse cum tot passim essent Cananaei tamen gentem ob hominum multitudinem à râ— pecuniaria copiosissima sedibus atque possessionibus recipere sibique urbes atque agros quae illis attribuunt detrahere malunt quam ut adeo tradita religionis jura mutari aut pollui ab illis paucis tribubus sinant Mas in Jos 22.19 a portion for their brethren then that they shall divide from the Altar of God Knowing that it is better for them to admit poverty then profanenesse Groundlesse scrupulosity sometimes doth as in the case in the Text it was conjectured to have done engage men to schisme and separation from the sincere worship of God therefore wherein the pretended cause though clearly accidental may with some disadvantages as to our own enjoyments be removed the care of such as contend for the conservation of the Altars of God must be to see it done and condescend to the same that thereby they may shew to the silencing of the sinners it is simple purity of Gods worship they pursue The fifth and last duty inferred from this very story to be done by sincere worshippers of God in their contending for the Altars of God is zealously to resist the sinne of Altar-building this is the part of their duty the loud cries of general liberty amongst us doth decrie yet it must be done * Non dubium est quin sancto zelo excanducrint non omnibus quidem datus gladius in manumsed Pro sua quisque vocatione et officio viriliter constanter studeat purum religionis statum contra omnescorruptelas Calv. in text every one being bound in his proper place and according to his capacity to approve themselves true attendants on Gods Altar and Sanctuary by withstanding sinne in the genus of it and so in every particular species eminently attempting to restraine schisme from the Church and sad apostasies from the worship of God Although we do not see or say that strangers to the God and Altar of Israel were to be by force compelled to become proselytes to their religion and to worship at their Altar yet what is clearer in all the story of the Church then that they were to be * Judaei neminem proselytum faciebant donabantâ—e jure suae gentis nisi prius sâ—se circumcidisset Legem Mâ—sâ—s recepisset eorum sacrificiis communicasset Pet. Mart. loc Com. p. 204. restrained from worshipping at any other Altar or any other god in the midst of them how much more cleare is it that all defection or
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
not of any ordinarily built or used Hence when David was banished from Jerusalem wâ— read of his panting thirstie desire of returne for the Sanctuary sake but not of his rearing any Altar elsewhere It was his sad affliction to want worship at Gods Altar is would have beene his sinne to set up an Altar in a strange place Secondly The Altars that at any time were erected were able to plead extraordinary and immediate command from God on extraordinary and emergent occasions of this nature was Abrahams Altar in mount Moriah and Gideons Altar called Jehovah Shalom Judges 6.24 and Davids Altar in the threshing-floore of Araunah the Jebusite 2 Sam. 24.25 Extraordinary precepts cannot be ordinary proofs Thirdly These were temporarie and transient passed away as soone as they had served the special occasion for which they were erected so that God had but one permanent abiding Altar at which he was constantly worshipped Lastly Though these Altars were various and distinct in matter yet they were one for object and forme of Divine service and if God dispence with the matter by an immediate command it will be no warrant ordinarily to set up different matter of divine worship The second thing I would premise is by way of admonition when thou resistest sinful Altars keepe ranke and order step not out of thy place and calling invade not the Ministers Chaire with authority to reprove and excommunicate nor yet the Magistrates Throne to draw the sword of vengeance and drive a present precipitate warre against brethren In thy place observe the sin mourne under it admonish brethren of it wait with patience and in peace to see what the Princes and Priests of Israel will do against it It is true in the text under consideration all Israel were up in armes with sword in hand and purpose in heart to resist the sinne but observe Joshuah and Phinehas the Princes and Priests of the Lord summon to it and lead them in it Israel might never stirre to warre till summoned by the sounding alarms of the Num 10. silver trumpets they rose not to warre against the Altars of Baal when Solomon was addicted to a sinful Toleration If God give Magistrates up to a sinful indulgence of false Altars it is thy duty to sit in peace and by secret mournings to resist the sinne thy irregular insurrection will be the sinne of thy soul and shame of thy profession Courteous Reader let me therefore charge thee to performe the practices of piety with a spirit of peace and to keep thy owne compasse in expression of thy zeale to Gods Altar I will hold thee no longer but to let thee know that if any shall charge this Sermon with violence and bitternesse it is nothing but what is expected and therefore was endeavoured to be declined as farre as was consistent with Ministerial plainnesse and zeale and the charge being groundlesse will not be regarded by the Author who hath taken it up for a lamentation that our dayes denominate zeale violence and lukewarmnesse moderation contending for connivence at and indulgence of positive sinne and endeavouring to extend Toleration of all religions so farre that Schismes Errors and Heresies may not only be exempted from the Magistrates sword and Churches Censures but even Ministerial reproof and private Christians complaint So commending thee to the consideration of thy duty hereby declared and both it and thee to the grace of a jealous God I subscribe my self Thine to serve thee at Gods sincere and single Altar Z. C. Errata PAge 6 line 1 woid read would p 16 l 7 for defecton defection p 47 l 25 for Congregration r Congregation p 49 l 20 for consent r consent p 50 l 4 r not se p 71 l 5 r as if p 79 l 14 for Aretius r Acesius p 80 l 5 for sot is r it p 105 l 13 their of r of their p 111 l 21 concernig r concerning p 120 l 10 word r wordie p 112 l 4 immoderatly r immediately p 138 l 11 unifermity r uniformity p 150 l ult set r let The INDEX The Saints zeal against sinful Altars in which you have this Doctrine THe building Altars besides the Altar of Gods is a sinne to be seasonably seen unto by sincere worshippers at Gods Altar Page 9 This is illustrated by shewing 1. The signification of the word Altar p. 10 to p. 20 2. Several wayes of building Altars besides Gods Altar as Materially Page 20 Objectively Page 23 Formally Page 24 3. Severall duties of sincere worshippers 1. Seeing the sinne Page 31 2. Sensibly affecting themselves with it Page 32 3. Seasonable caution and counsel Page 33 4. Speedy removal of temptation Page 34 5. Zealous resistance Page 36 The Doctrine is proved by shewing the sinfulnesse of the sin in respect of the grounds of it 1. Shameful novelty Page 41 2. Swelling pride Page 46 3. Self-advancement and advantage Page 52 Sinful acts of it 1. Receding from the Lord. Page 59 2. Renddring mans will the rule of divine worship Page 63 3. Rebellion against God and the Church Page 69 Sad effects of it 1. Rending from the Church Page 73 2. Running God upon straits Page 79 3. Rendering Gods worship vile Page 86 4. Reviving the Lords fury Page 88 Aggravating properties Singularity of the subjects Page 91 Sin agninst standing counsel Page 92 Shuts Gods eares Page 93 The Doctrine is applied by way of examination in which you have the Characters of sinful Altars by the concomitants of it 1. Doctrines dissonant to truth Page 100 2. Publike astrological predictions Page 103 3. Separation from the Church Page 117 4. Enmity to such as minister at Gods Altar Page 121 5. Dispensation of divine worship without due call Page 126 6. Doleful contests for universal Toleration Page 129 Enquiry whether as sincere worshippers we have done our duty for Gods Altar Page 132 Humiliation provoked by considering 1. We sin under strokes of Gods fury Page 136 2. Vnder a solemne Covenant Page 138 3. It will subject us to severe judgements Page 140 4. It is a symptome of Gods departure Page 141 The second Use of the Point is exhortation to such as seeme to build Altars To admit enquiry and to give to brethren a chearful account of their actions Page 143 To such as have forsaken Gods Altar to returne to it againe Page 147 To such as yet worship at Gods Altar To stick to it to stand up for it against all opposition Page 150 Fraterna Correptio OR SAINTS ZEALE Against Sinful Altars JOSH. 22. the latter end of the 19. verse Rebel not against the Lord and rebel not against us to build an Altar besides the Altar of the Lord. SIncerity in the Lords Worship being alwayes suspicious of mixture corruption or apostasie doth instigate and bring forth a zealous resistance of every thing that beares but the shew of innovation This we may finde very fully manifested by the ten tribes of Israel that had passed over
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
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
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