it up in Gods stead but you do more then so you exalt it above God you pretend to make it do what God will not do what Christ cannot do you make it a real Antichrist For Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil and to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself And if you make the Ark a Sanctuary for Malefactors you set it up in opposition to Christ and provoke him to Arm himself as it were against it in vindication of his own glory Upon this very account it was that he delivered the Ark under the Law into the hands of the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. and Jer. 7.3 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place but trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord as if that had been a threefold fortification to secure them against all possible calamity But ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear faâ—sly and burn incense unto Baal and waâ—k after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations is this house that is called by my name become a den of robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I put my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel c. That Ark which was the visible Symbol of his presence and the especial Instrument of his worship and service they set it up in opposition to his glory they would have it patronize their sin and protect them in their impenitâ—ncy against Gods severe judgements and this provokes God to give it up to be defiled by reproach and prophanation Let this be a Caveat to you therefore not to over-value or deifie the Ark of God 2. And yet you must take heed you do not undervalue and blaspheme it not vilifie the solemn service of God perform'd about it This was the sin of Michal the Daughter of Saul she looked thorow a window and saw David clothed in his linen Ephod and dancing after the Musick before the Ark of the Lord and she despised him in her heart 2 Sam. 6.16 yea her heart was swell'd so big with pride and indignation that it could not contain if self within any bounds of moderation it burst out into obloquy for she reproach'd him as a vain and shameless fellow Ver. 20 But David had enough to say for his own vindication that he did thus humble himself it was only in the presence of the Lord who had exalted him and it is very fit that the Majesty of earth should be laid in the dust before the Majesty of heaven and to despise any person for doing God reverence argues an opinion that God may have too much honour that the Solemnity of his worship may be too great for his excellency and transcend the merits of his divine Attributes and that a less devotion will serve his turn But this casteth so dark a reflection upon Gods glory that his patience cannot brook it and therefore the prophaness of Michal's heart and the petulancy of her bitter tongue is punish'd with a barren womb a great reproach in that Nation or if she be with child as some think she was she shall not give birth to it but with the loss of her own life for because of this her carriage towards David upon this occasion Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death 2 Sam. 6.23 And yet it is no Paradox to say we have many of Michal's breed at this day amongst us such as have made a mock at the linen Ephod derided Church-musick designed to celebrate Gods praises scoffed at the very Hymns and Prayers and blasphem'd the whole Solemnity of Gods most sacred worship Have not the servants of the most high God been publickly reviled by the title of Baal's Priests for their reverent attendance upon this service of Gods Ark hath not the establish'd Form of Liturgy been vilified by the name of pottage not only in the foul leaves of Scurrilous Pamphlets but likewise in the mouths of railing Rabshakehs more foul and prophane then they But we cannot be transported with amazement at these things being premonished by the Spirit of Prophesie in the holy Apostles that there should come and that more abundantly in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 But does not this filthy dirt that is thrown upon the Ark of God dash and bespatter the Majesty of God himself yes surely for Christ saith He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me such as despise the Ministry that attends upon the Ark they despise not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 the reproaches of them that reproach the Ark of God do fall upon God himself And because they were guilty of Michals sin have they not met with Michals curse too Give them O Lord what wilt thou give them give them a barren womb and dry breasts Hos 9.14 Have they not all been barren that scoffed at the solemn service of Gods Ark either their Conceptions have proved abortive or if the children have come to the birth yet there hath been no strength to bring forth or if they have been delivered yet those breasts that should have suckled the off-spring of this scoffing Mother have proved dry and so the production like the seed sown by the way side hath dwindled away for want of nourishment This was acknowledged in a Sermon preached before that remnant of the House of Commons Jan. 27.1646 7 six year ago saith the Preacher after this Parliament had sate awhile Mr. Jo. Arrow-smith his great wonder in Heaven pag. 36. it was generally believed that she he alludes to that woman which was a Type of the Church Rev. 12.1 was fallen into her travel And in the midst of all those sorrows which have befallen England since her friends encouraged themselves with this hope that the quicker and sharper her pains grew the liker she was to be speedily delilivered of that man-child which was by them so greedily expected But behold as if all these had been but forerunners of her labour not bearing-throws she continues still in pain insomuch as they begin now to think she hath not gone her full time and earnestly to desire she may because they fear nothing more than an Abortive Reformation for so they called they knew not what the thing they projected to build upon the ruines of Gods Church amongst us Remember Michal Remember Sauls daughter her sin and her judgement too and scoff no more at the Solemn Worship and Service
a great light God had not dealt so with other Nations Here was a comely as well as a convenient Tabernacle for the Ark of God and God was worshipped in the beauty of holiness And God was not at all behind hand with us in the reciprocation of kindnesses there was never so low an ebb in us by our making out sallies of devotion upon him but there came as high a tide upon us flowing back from him What we paid the Ark of God in reverence and duty was infalliby return'd in a compensation nay with a surplusage of blessings As long as our English earth continued to pay a worthy homage unto heaven the Heavens were not only constant to involve and incircle us but they never fail'd to protect and shelter to feed and to cloath us with suitable applications of the most enriching influences Other Nations had Mines which they digged with much pain and peril in the earth but we had Mines in heaven treasures that never fail'd to supply not only our needs but our very pomp and curiosity It was our felicity that God had made out that experiment to us which he speaks of by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.10 Prove me now if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it We had pregnant evidence of this goodness of the Lord toward us which makes one that might have made a better use of it observe that God has dealt by way of prerogative with this English Nation But we perverted Gods gracious dispensations turning his blessings into aggravations of our crimes and making our felicity serve only for a reproach to our ingratitude For like Israel we waxed fat and kicked our Manna a spiritual food that came down from heaven prepared for us by the Ministry of those Angels that presided in the Church at the Reformation because it was common and our daily bread it became loathsome to us We grew wanton and having taken a surfeit of the bread of life we long'd for quails to be brought us out of forreign Countries We thought Abana and Parphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel Men grew precise and squeamish they would not wash and be clean unless they might have Cisterns of their own hewing out nor drink of the water of life though it ran never so freely unless it were conveyed to them in new Pipes of their own casting Some there were that did strictly hold themselves to the Form of godliness the Solemn Worship of God established in the Church who notwithstanding in the looseness of their lives did shamefully deny the power thereof Others there were that did pretend to be so over-born with the power of godliness that they would allow no Form at all for the regulation and exercise of it All the innocent Ceremonies that had constantly attended the solemn devotions of pious Antiquity were look'd upon as the very dress and trimmings of Hypocrisie Reverence in Gods Worship was accounted superstitious and the holy Incense of Morning and Evening Prayers no better then abomination Even such of the people which make up the greatest number of its adversaries as never had judgment or wit enough to understand it had yet malice enough infused into them to deride and scorn the Holy Service of the Church And as an evidence that this disease was grown desperate our greatest quarrel was at those Physitians whose practice and prescriptions were the most probable means to reduce us to our Christian temper When I consider the carriage of the people Israel under Gods gracious dispensations 2 Chron. 36.15 16. methinks I see the Character of our English Nation in these late years The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was noremedy For when the Patient grows so raving so out of temper as to strike his Physitian and throw away his Antidotes there remain no ordinary methods that can cure him And then the Bedlam and the chain the whip and the skrews all the violences of a severe discipline are the best instances of our kindness Such was the condition of Israel Hosea 4.1 2 4. The Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priest When sin begins to spread amongst a people what remedy does Almighty God use to apply to heal and stop it there is the Authority of a Judge to oppose it and the Reprehension of the Priest to give a check to it But when God does inhibite these his Officers from using their Authority and exercising their Jurisdiction 't is a sign that people is grown obstinate shameless and incorrigible When they grow so insolent as to contradict the Priest in his own office wherein doubtless he is Gods Vicegerent that people is past Grace as it runs in the ordinary Channel and unless God useth some other methods of Discipline there is no hopes of their amendment So it follows in the Prophet Hosea 4.5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day When they had the clear light of heaven shining round about them the light of knowledge and the light of comfort and prosperity in this noon-day Thou shalt stumble and fall saith the Lord and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night the false Prophet shall be benighted and lose himself in the darknesse of his own vain imaginations and I will destroy thy Mother saith the Lord the Church and Nation from whose womb thou hast had thy birth in whose bosome thou hast had thy breeding and to whose blessings thou owest the procurement of thy prosperity We may make England the Scene of that Prophesie as well as Jerusalem for the whole Tragedy hath been acted over in all its parts amongst us with a full solemnity God he took notice of our misdemeanours under his most gracious dispensations towards our Superiours his Vicegerents both Civil and Ecclesiastical and he was wroth and upon so great provocations as we were guilty of he did to us as he had done to Israel He delivered our strength into Captivity and our beauty into the Enemies hands That Ark that Form of Gods Worship that had procured such miracles of mercy for us in 88. and at the intended powder-plot That Ark whose virtue had been so often tryed to good effect in times of war pestilence and famine And our Beauty that Form of Solemn
more use and therefore they were not only to be laid aside as dead and unsavoury but also to be avoided as pestiferous and destructive And especially it is to be most studiously avoided that they be not obtruded or observed out of any opinion of necessity according to that of the Apostle Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for that did imply that Christ was not yet come in the flesh and so overthrew the faith But for those other Ceremonies which were not typical but modes of decency instituted to adorn the solemnity of Gods publick worship being essential to the external beauty of it these are not to be condemned as unlawful upon the meer account that they were a part of Moses's Discipline Nay seeing God requires still to be worshipped in the beauty of holiness and will have all things in his Church performed decently and in order and yet hath not in the New Testament determin'd the particulars wherein that Order Decency and Beauty shall consist but hath left it to the Care Prudence of the Governours to whom he hath committed the Keys of his Kingdom how can they discharge their duty better in the particular determination hereof then by a compliance with the wisdom of God and the practice of Christ in his Institutions in holding an Analogy with such Laws and Directions as were given or at least allowed by God himself to his Church of the Old Testament so far forth as there is equity and a parity of Reason for it Upon these grounds we may safely conclude that the Tabernacle of the Christian Church wherein the Ordinances of the holy Gospel are to be preserved ought to have her Solemnities decent trimmings as well as that of David's pitching And what sort of these Solemnities are most suitable we have very fair insinuations in the Scripture of the New Testament in those frequent allusions to the solemn service of the Tabernacle as Rev. 21.2 3. where St. John's vision of the new Hierusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband is expounded in the next Verse by this remarkable acclamation Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Upon the whole matter therefore it is evident that it is not an Hierarchy that is a sacred Government consisting of Bishops Priests and Deacons setled in a state of inequality and subordination nor an establish'd Liturgy consisting of set Forms for the administration of the several parts of the holy Office nor a linen Ephod or Surplice nor a Quire with a pair of Organs nor reverend gestures in our attendance upon it it is none of these that will overthrow our present Church or drive away the Ordinances of Gods worship from us no more then the like did drive that Ark and Tabernacle from the people Israel If these be the gray hairs which some that pretend to be more quick-sighted discern upon the Gospel upon the matter Christ himself hath stuck them there and if the Bridegroom himself be pleased to see his Spouse wear these marks of Antiquity it becomes us who are her Children to reverence such for her gray hairs rather then reproach her for them Certainly whatever that means this is not a setting up of Gods Ark in the House of Dagon but in that decent Tabernacle which David out of a true devotion and by the direction of Gods Spirit hath prepared for it 2. But have we not other Prognostications of our approaching ruine and the removal of Gods Ark as a prolusion or preface to it what think you of the discontentments and divisions that are in the Nation is not that an Omen that does boad as much for Christ himself hath said That a Nation divided against it self cannot stand But let me awaken your attention to consider how unjust how unreasonable some men are in their complaints and accusations First they themselves raise the discontentments make and foment Divisions in the Kingdom and then they make those Divisions the Prognostications of the ruine of it This is just like the practice of Barabbas make the insurrection first and then commit Murder in that insurrection * Mar. 15.7 Here lies all the difference there the Felony was committed but upon a single person here 't is upon Christs Church and three whole Kingdoms But if men were wise Ibid. Vers 11. if they would not cry out to have Barabbas acquitted and Jesus delivered up to be crucified if they were considerative and would obey the voice of God and hearken to their lawful Guides and Governours they might easily with Gods blessing prevent this mischief Take away the tale bearer saith Solomon and strife will cease you have heard of Sanctuary-sins of Church and Sermon-sins and such there are indeed there are Pulpit-tale bearers too that make it their design and practice to raise and foment jealousies to sow the seeds of discontent and sedition and if they may not be allowed to Act this part upon the publick Stage then they creep into houses and find it a matter of much advantage though of no great difficulty to triumph over such silly souls as are willing to be led captive But God hath provided for his Church a sufficient remedy against this mischief an Antidote against such infusions Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18. it is your part and duty as far as in you lies to apply this remedy and make use of the Caution 3. But is not the Ark in great danger of being lost amongst us upon another account is not that an unchurching of a people when they want the power of the Ministry a soul-searching Ministry when we want a faithful Minister to go before us I must confess we have extream need of such a Ministry such as will not draw a fair skin over our old sores but will take pains and be faithful to launce our impestum'd Ulcers and Probe them to the very bottom for there lies very much Pride and Hypocrisie Schism and Sedition Malice and Treason in our hearts it lies so neer unto our eyes we cannot see it it is so natural so customable to us we have no sense or feeling of it Away then with those false Prophets that have dawbed so long with untempered morter that have strain'd at a Gnat and swallowed Camels that have preach'd Placentia and sew'd Pillows under mens Elbows and cry'd peace or go up and prosper when the design was flat Rebellion and yet they humour'd the inclinations of the people calling them blessed â€
perform'd before the Ark of God that is our Second Caveat 3. You must not invade and prophane the Ark God would not allow that any person should Minister about the Ark but such as were of the Tribe of Levi and duly ordained and ballowed for that service Every man might expect a blessing from the Ark but every man might not officiate about it at his own pleasure the highest Gifts gave him no Commission procured him no Authority for this work without a special Consecration for no man taketh this honour unto himself Heb. 5.4 but he that is called of God as was Aaron without this warrant the greatest Zeal though directed by an eminent degree of knowledge in the management of this sacred Function had been no better then a Sacrilegious prophanation When the Oxen stumbled and shook the Ark UZzah put forth his hand out of devotion without all peradventure to uphold it that it might not be overthrown but his good meaning would not excuse his rashness for whether his hand and shoulder withered or he were struck suddenly with a thunder-bolt I shall not take upon me to determine but this I am assured of upon the Credit and Authoriâ—y of the holy Story thaâ— the anger of the Lord was kindled against UZZah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Eli trembled for fear of the Ark. Shall I give you Mr. Calamy's Application of this accident We have had great disorder heretofore saith he and God is now punishing us for that disorder there were abundance of well-meaning men that usurping the Ministerial Office and forsooth they were afraid the Ark was falling and they laid to their shoulders but their touching the Ark undid the Ark and themselves too and brought a scandal on the Gospel This is Mr. Calamy's Application But if we examine the matter thorowly we shall find him with many others that inveighed fiercely against such as usurped the Ministerial Office involved in the same guilt with UZZah and consequently they fall under the same condemnation For what was Uzzah's crime Oz a percussus est quòd attigisset arcam Domini Id enim ne Levitis quidem fas erat Arcam enim ab illis tantùm gestari non contingi aut spectari oportuit saith Peter Martyr Uzzah was smitten In 2 Sam. 6.6 7 8. because he touch'd the Ark of God for the Levite's Office was to carry the Ark but they were under a severe prohibition neither to touch it not to look into it for so the Lord had ordained Numb 4.15 When Aaron and his Sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary as the Camp is to set forward after that the Sons of Kohath shall come to bear it but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die and Ver. 20. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die But it might have been alledged on the behâ—lf of Uzzah that what he did was upon an extraordinary occasion in a case of necessity and out of zeal to save the Ark from falling Ibid. but as Peter Martyr hath very well observed his touching the Ark is assigned by many as the cause why he was so suddenly smitten Sed erat alia causa prior major quòd ille arcam imposuisset in currum dedisset causam huic necessitati But there was another a former and a greater cause for it his putting the Ark upon a Cart and so betraying it to that danger and necessity So the English Annotations The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah because he had caused his holy Ark to be carried in a Cart which they should have born on their shoulders and for touching it with his hand being but a Levite and no Priest On 2 Sam. 6.7 The Levites might not be their own Carvers in the holy function might not invade what part of it they had a fancy to no Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden †Numb 4.19 If they had an ambition to usurp any other part of the sacred Office that was not so assigned them by their Superiours though they did create a present necessity for it yet that necessity of their own making could not justifie them in such their Sacrilegious Usurpation And this is directly the Case of the Presbyterians It was their duty we confess to bear the Ark of God to Minister unto it in some parts of the sacred Office such as were assigned them by their Superiours but they could not keep their hands off the Ark their ambition spur'd them on to Usurp other parts of that Office to lay on hands for the Ordination of others lest forsooth the Ark of Gods worship should fall to the ground for lack of a Ministry to attend it which they had no Commission for no Warrant at all but a pretended necessity of their own making by pulling down Aaron and his Sons the holy Order of Bishops who alone were invested with that power So that these Presbyterians have followed Uzzah in the imitation of his errour and temerity and hath not a suitable judgment overtaken them a punishment Analogical to that of Uzzah are not those hands that were stretched out without any Authority to perform this Office are they not withered hath not the anger of the Lord as Mr. Calamy in part confesseth smitten them for this Sacrilegious Usurpation we see they are dead before the Ark in this capacity and therefore you must not invade and profane the Ark that is the third Caveat 4. You must not slander and belie the Ark. There are and have been in all Ages false Prophets who have suggested their own Dreams Fancies and Designs for the Oracles of God The Prophets Prophesie lies in my name as the Lord himself complains by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 14.14 I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake I unto them they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Jâ—r 14.14 and Chap. 23 16 17. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts hearken noâ— unto thâ— words of the Prophets that prophesiâ— unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of their own heart and not ouâ— of the mouth of the Lord they say still unto them that despise me the Lord hath said ye shall have peace and they say unto every one that walketh after the stubbornness of his own heart No evil shall come upon you And hath not the lying spirit given out his Oracles by the mouths of a multitude of such Prophets amongst us in these times of our distraction One of them gâ—ve out this for an Oracle * Mr. John Goodwin's Anti-Caval See Dr. Ham. of Resisting the lawful Magistrate c. pag. 22. c. about 18 or