we do not take the word Altar in the Doctrine for though the Sacraments be parts of the divine worship yet I shall not limit and bound the word Altar to the place and ordinary instrument of their use for I shall say of Tables in private places as Bullinger of fixed Altars or rather Tables so called I condemn them not being used to the proper end and in a right manner Only the conveniencie of publick Instruments kept in publick places to publick ends duly preserved I am so far from restraining the terme Altar to signifie that instrument we vulgarly call the Communion Table that I shall with Peter Martyr confesse the catachrestical use of it by the Fathers Dicta hujusmodi non aedificârunt plebem sed potiùs illam ad Judaicos Ethnicos ritus impellebant cum caecâ quâdam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam à Judaeis quà m ab Ethnicis Altaria alios ritus mutuarentur Pet. Mart. loc Com. p. 897. and acknowledge words of this nature thus used may not profit the people but accidentally draw them to have too reverend an esteem of Jewish Heathenish and let me now say Popish rites the sense not being understood in the use of the word Having refused the proper sense of the word Altar and that restrict improper figurative sense used in past ages of the Church we come now to consider it in a second improper signification in which we shall find it used in Scripture and that is in a metonymical and synechdochical sense of the word Altar which being but an instrument though a principal one of the Worship of God under the Law is put for the whole and every part of it and being the signe of it is often used to expresse divine Worship signified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word in the text est sacrificium vox Hebraea speciatim atque propriè de sacrificatione generatim pro toto cuâ—tu usurpatur cujus praecipua fere olim pars fuit sacrificium Vid. Stuch. de sacrificio so that we must note the Altar used in that sense that a learned man affirmes Sacrifice to be used both words coming from the same root in the Hebrew which signifies to sacrifice and so the Altars are called Sacrificatories and that is for the whole Worship of God of which the sacrifice on the Altar was a chief part The word Altar thus put to expresse the Worship of God Synecdochicè potest intelligi quòd cultum divinitùs institutum exturbaverint protriverint novo idololatrico invecto Par. in Rom. 11.3 we shall finde in many places of the Old and generally used so in the New Testament as 1 Kings 19.14 Elijah his complaint of Ahabs breaking down the Altars of God which though it be by some understood literally in its proper sense yet by others it is expounded that he demolished the Worship of God and thus generally the defect on of Gods Worship is called a casting off and forsaking the Altars of God and reformation a restoring of the same and from this metonymical and synechdochical sense it comes to be metaphorically used to expresse the Worship of God under the Gospel wherein these instruments of Worship are not at all used and so in those Prophecies which predict the Propagation of the Gospel and the Worship of God we finde promised the Temple and the Covenant of the Priesthood to be restored Haec omnia quae de Altari de votis sacrificiis hic dicuntur non sunt intelligenda Leviticò sed Evangelicè Propheta Leviticis verbis significat ea sacra quae Evangelio Christi docentur Bren. in loc and the Altars of God to be erected as in Jer. 33.17 18 21. So also the Lord promiseth to set up his Altar in Egypt as in Isa 19.19 and that the Egyptians should offer sacrifice unto him v. 21. which must needs be understood of the Gospel Worship which should be and hath been received in Egypt and not in that literal sense apprehended by Onias the High Priest and urged as the great argument to perswade and indeed did though with a cleare reluctancy of his own thoughts prevaile with Ptolemy Philometor then King of Egypt Altatis autem nomine utitur ad designandum velut à signo cultum Dei quod sacrificia oblationes exercitia essent pietatis Calv. in loc to build a Temple there and according to their zealous ignorance to accomplish this Prophecie as he pretended although they never proved the accomplishment of this Prophecie in the Egyptians speaking the language of Canaan crying to the Lord and offering sacrifice and oblations unto him as also bringing in the Assyrian to joyne with them and Israel as the third partie all which are promised to be the concomitants of this Altar-erection and therefore must confirm the former sense of the word Altar as taken for the Gospel-worship of God so it is also used in the 56. chapter of this same Prophecie of Isaiah the seventh verse * Calv. in loc Brent etiam where God promiseth the sacrifices of the stranger to be accepted on his Altar that is the worship they shall do unto him through Christ and thus also in the New Testament the Worship of God is expressed by this word Altar as 1 Cor. 9.13 10 18. wherein he teacheth that such as are employed in the Worship of God must be maintained by it and that such as eate of the sacrifice offered to idols partake in the worship of idols and so the word Altar must needs signifie the Worship of God in Matth. 25.3 wherein our Saviour by a kinde of * Loquitur more seculi quando oblationes omnis generis sacrificiorum adhuc in usu erant totum verò Dei culium comprehendit externum Gualt in loc sic Caâ—â— Par. Aretius Dionys Carthâ—s Jewish manner of speaking shews the necessity of brotherly agreement before an approach to God in any act of divine Worship and thus is Jesus Christ evangelically dispensed the Altar of which the subjects of Legal and Levitical dispensations cannot partake Heb. 13.10 so that thus you see the word Altar though a legal terme yet capable of an Evangelical signification not only as it hath been used by the Professors of the Gospel to expresse and signifie the Table on which the bread and wine is set in the Lords Supper but also as it signifies the whole Worship of God and in this sense I understand it in the doctrine and shall desire to be understood in the whole discourse about it for as the Worship of God was amongst the Jewes corrupted and declined by the building of any Altars besides the one only Altar prescribed by the Lord so under the Gospel all innovation of principles and practices over and above below or beside the prescribed Worship of God in his Word I conclude to be a rebelling against the Lord and his People by building an
Tabernacle and afterwards by Solomon in the Temple which as Piscator observeth laid a necessity on the ten tribes to make war with the two tribes by reason of which they did not consult whether they should do it or no but the manner how to manage it so that the standing Ordinance of God for adherencie to one only Altar as the * Voluit Deus unicum tantùm esse altare in suo populo ut esset typus unici Mediatoris Christi tum ut esset nervus unitatis in Religione Par. in loc signe of one only Mediatour and the bond of unity in Religion was by the ten tribes contended for when they conceived their brethrens erection of another Altar in a place distinct from that prescribed by the Lord to be the violation thereof and this occasioned the dehortation in the text Rebell not against the Lord nor rebel against us by building you an Altar besides the Altar of the Lord. So that from the words thus generally considered and briefly opened I shall commend to your Christian and serious consideration this general Observation or Point of Doctrine Erection of Altars besides the Altars of God Doct. is a sin to be seasonably seen unto by the sincere Worshippers of God The zealous discharge of this duty by Hezekiah and Josiah 2 Kings 18.4.23.12 in the demolishing of Altars besides the Altar of God and reducing the people to the unity of worship is in sacred Records specially mentioned as the lustre of their religious reforming times 1 Kings 15.14 whilest the neglect thereof is singled out and set up as the black butt of blemish to religious Asa Amaziah Azariah and Jotham 2 Kings 14.4.15.4 35. sincere Worshippers of God But for the more full prosecution of this truth I shall propound this method to speak to you by way of Illustration Confirmation and Application First by way of Illustration and shall endeavour to open to you two things First how Altars may be said to be built besides the Altars of God and that even in Gospel-dayes Secondly how and wherein sincere Worshippers of God are to act and approve their duty in seeing to this sin of Altar-building First then to speak to the first of these viz. how Altars may be built even under the Gospel besides the Altars of God I shall desire you to consider the terme Altar is in Scripture-phrase properly or improperly and figuratively significant 1. In a proper sense it signifies organum divini cultûs praecipuum the chief instrument of the divine worship ordained to be built before the Tabernacle or in the Temple on the which the Priests were to wait that they might offer the sacrifices the people were bound to present in that very place of which we reade in Deut. 12. where God commands an Altar to be built and the people to worship him there even an instrument of his worship and thus it is generally read in the Old Testament for that very instrument of Gods worship in this sense the Heathens generally use the word and thing and the Papists contend for the same thing by imposing on us the proper and restrict sense of the word perswading and practising the building of Altars distinct places of divine worship for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be offered on whence they call that Ordinance the sacrifice of the Altar What man of but mean capacity and knowledge in the Scriptures observing the Lord Jesus the Antitype of both Sacrifice and Altar sees not their assertion as well as argument to be Jewish but I intending an illustration not confutation This having been by many of the Learned confuted shall not stand upon or spend time to do it only I desire you to note that in this proper sense God under the Gospel requiring no sacrifices requireth no Altar of stone or brick or the like matter to be built unto him Heb. 13.10 but a sincere and spiritual apprehension and adherence to Christ Habemus Altare videlicet Christum sacrosanctum ipsius sacrificium Hun. in loc Inepâ—i sunt qui hinc altaâ—ia lapidea vel lignea in Templis Christianorum requirunt Par. in Heb. as our real and proper Altar as wel as sacrifice to which every believing soul is privilegio not officio a spiritual Priest to offer prayer praises c. unto God 1 Pet. 2.5 So that to build material Altars of wood stone and the like must needs be a sin to be seen unto and withstood as opposite to Christ our one only Altar unto God and that to contend for Altars in this sense is so farre from my intent that I with Pareus declare them foolish and simple that so do 2. In an improper and figurative sense the word is more strictly and allegorically used by the Fathers as Augustine Optatus and others Ecce qualem Ecclesiae sententiam audire merebit â— qui ad convivium nuptâ—ale id est ad Altaâ—e Domini aut ebriosus aut adulter c. praesumit accedere Qui agnoscens reatum suum ipse se ab Altari Ecclâ—siae subtraxerit ab aeterno illo coelesti convivio excommunicari penitus non timebiâ— Aug. in Christum De signis ejusdem fractis Aug. ad Bon. ep 50. when they do by this word denominate the Table Instrument or seat on which the bread and the wine at the Lords Supper was placed the Altar and so did vulgarly call that Ordinance the Sacrament of the Altar the which terme of theirs the Papists taking advantage or occasion by labour to justifie their Altars impose it on us on paine of heresie to be received Ad Altare visibile quod in Ecclesia ponitur multi sceleâ—ati accedere possunt ad illud coeleste quo praecursor pro nobis introivit Iesus nullus eorum accedere possunt Aug. de necessitate poenitentiae Hom. 1. much advancing the Fathers above the Scriptures authority the which their persons and judgements were subject to and whosoever observes the expressions of the Fathers doth clearly see the opposition of Altar in the Temple to our Altar in Heaven the denomination of it the wedding Supper and in expresse termes sometimes the Table and the Lords Supper cannot but confesse that they did allegorically use the terme Altar and in their complaints of the furious carriage of the Donatists and Arrians cry out of their breaking down of the boards of the Altar and many times expressely of the tables and burning the wooden board c. for many of them at last seeing the corruption which began to grow by the use of the word Altar Subscellia thronum mensam ligneam Tabulis Ecclesiae caetera quae poterant forà s elata combusserunt Atha ep ad solitariam viâ—am agentes quid est Altare sedes corporis sanguinis Christi where the thing was denied did more warily and improperly use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a table for the place of the elements so that in this sense
Jordan and possessed the promised land on that side if we observe their zealous carriage grounded but on a supposition and suspecting jealousie towards their brethren of the two tribes that did abide on the other side of Jordan which in this Chapter is at large declared The Chapter is as the Book Historical and containes in it these two parts First is Joshuah's religious dismission of Reuben Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh to their allotted portion of the promised land wherein after the commendation of their past obedience ready attendance on their brethren he sends them away with a solemn charge to continue their obedience to Gods Commandments and their constant adherence to him with all their heart and soule unto the 9. verse The second part declares the Consequents of their return and they are two as the most considerable Conseq 1 First the work begun by them in their return to their possession and that is the building of a great Altar like unto the Altar of God A thing that might well provoke jealousie v. 9 10. Secondly the wise carriage of their Conseq 2 brethren towards them and theirs towards their brethren on the jealous apprehensions of the work begun by them and this is to the end of the chapter And in their mutual carriage we may observe these things 1. The nine tribes and halfe observe it they heard it and heed it v. 11. 2. Prepare a power and purpose a positive resistance of it if found to be as they suspected v. 12. 3. Presently dispatch Phinehas with ten Princes to demand an account of their work and weighty reasons that might induce to it as also to caution and counsel their desistance and cessation v. 13 14. who coming to them discharge their duties and execute their commission these wayes First by representing to them the apprehensions of their brethren concerning their Altar-building v. 16. Secondly by rendring the sin vile in their sight if they had intended it as was feard by aggravating the same by the sin of Achan and Baal-Peor for which sins the wounds received were yet green v. 17 18 and 20. Thirdly requiring by their authority a cessation from so sinful a work and propounding an expedient to the conceived cause v. 19. 4. A pathetical religious and brotherly answer of the two tribes and the halfe unto the message received from their brethren wherein they though building an Altar yet do not stubbornly deny to give their brethren an account of their proceedings therein but do First by a solemn appeal to God protest that it was not as was suspected by their brethren to separate from them or set up a place for the Lords worship not by him commanded or to commit idolatry Secondly they publish the very grounds and reasons inducing and end whereunto they built their Altar after the fashion of the Altar of God viz that it might be a monument of their obedience and relation to the Lord as also an engagement to posterity to worship the same God at his own appointed place shut out the feared differences that might grow by the distance of their possession from v. 21. ad 30. 5ly The pleasant departure of the messengers satisfied in the answer received and cheared by this evidence of Gods presence and mercy v. 30 31 32. 6ly The peoples denomination of their finished Altar according to their declared end of its erection v. 3â— 34. The chapter thus opened you may see the words of the text to fall under the ten tribes apprehension of the work of the two tribes and message delivered by Phinehas and the ten Princes and they are an authori â—tive dehortation wherein we may observe these two parts 1. The suspected sin dehorted from to build an Altar besides the Altar of the Lord. 2. The serious reasons exhibited to enforce it which are two setting out the nature of the sin as it is a rebellion against God Us his People If time would admit and it were now convenient I might from the distributed parts of the chapter infer many useful Conclusions and necessary Doctrines but that I decline as a work more proper to the exposition of the whole chapter then indeed to any one thing chosen to be spoken to in it I might also if I delighted in the mincing of the words into many parts observe many particulars as 1. The dehorters the ten tribes by their Priest and Princes 2. The dehorted the two tribes and half 3. The matter from which they are dehorted from building an Altar besides the Altar of God 4. The manner of the dehortation with the reasons enforcing it From these several parts I might infer so many several Conclusions and speak to them particularly but my designe and desire is to lay before you the sinfulness of the sin of Altar-building suspected by the ten tribes to be in act in the two tribes and therefore I shall desire you to look on the words as an abstract of the whole carriage of the ten tribes towards the two tribes on a conceived guilt or a compendious manifestation of their sincerity to and zeal for the true Worship of God against the supposed defection of their brethren As for the explication of the words there is in them little or no difficulty as for what might be said to shew this sin to be a rebellion against God and against his people I shall God willing speak to it in the doctrinal prosecution of the truth to be inferred only I shall desire you to take notice that from this history is by the general judgement of Expositors inferred the Magistrates power in punishing hereticks and apostates and duty to preserve uniformity of divine worship nay hereby is justified the making war against such as make defection from the Altar of God Piscator saith It was Piety in the ten tribes that they resolve to make war with the two tribes for their defection from the true God The Assembly of Divines say Such was their zeal Annot. that they had rather hazard their lives then suffer Gods true Religion to be corrupted for God had ordained there should be but one place for publick worship and service and but one Altar The Geneva and Dutch Annotatiors approve the war Not to note any thing out of Popish Writers as Vatablus Cafetan Cornelius A Lapide Masius and others who generally justifie the war and with Ferus say They sent messengers to try the crime and bring to repentance and were ready if the two tribes obeyed not armis discernere to decide the matter by warre and this is necessary for you to take notice of that God had ordained a station for his worship as well as for his people and determined one special Altar to be erected to which he bound his people to bring all their offerings and by a positive Law prohibited the erection of any other Altar as in Deut. 12. is to be seen at large then that which was built by Moses before the
hath appointed the which we may also infer from Davids care concerning the edification of the Temple when he not only leaves his charge on Solomon his son to do this work intended by himself but also to do it according to the patern he delivered him By some Prophet of God who revealed all that should be done to the Temple as he had anciently told Moses the form of the Tabernacle Diod. in loc enforcing his charge with this very reason All this God made me to understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the work of this patterne 1 Chon 28.11 12 19. therefore called the paterne of all that was with him by the Spirit by all which we may see the Soveraign God challenging which is his due the prerogative of prescribing his own worship and the very instruments and forme thereof yet such is the vilenesse of corrupt nature that though God complain of the sin in the Jewes that their feare of him was taught by the precepts of men Is 29.13 and Christ chargeth and aggravateth their sin by the same asserting that in vain men worship him teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Mat. 15.9 that the sons of men are apt to measure the worship they will yield to God by the rule of their own will in which regard sinful Altar-builders are in Scripture-phrase commonly said to forsake the Covenant Deut. 29.25 1 Kings 19.10 and Commandments of God Ezra 9.10 and Law of the Lord Jer. 9.13 the right way 2 Pet. 2.15 and to follow their own inventions after which to the provocation of divine justice they go a whoring as Psal 106.29 39. of which God will take vengeance Psal 9◠8 in which regard the Apostle Paul calls seducements from the truth of the doctrine of Jesus Christ though upon never so eminent pretences of Piety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or will-worship Opera hominum nominat omnes cultus quos sinc mandato Dei instituunt in quibus cultum aliquem religionis collocant bonâ aliquâ ut loqui solent intentione Mal. in loc Col. 2.23 the which he condemns and cautions Christians to take heed of as having only a shew of wisdom but being indeed sinful fooleries so that thus we see men whose spirits are subjects to motion à quo ad quem being in the first act loosed from the Altar and Worship of God in the sin of Altar-building not capable of living without some religion or other In the second act consult their own inventions and erect an Altar and Worship unto God according to their own will although to the shame of men it be registred in sacred record that God made man upright and he sought out many inventions Eccl. 7.29 Thus then I have done with the second act of Altar-builders Erat rectus conditus homo ab initio sed curiositate sua Dei verbo non contentus sibi malum ascivit toti posteritati Mer. in loc the rendering their own wills the rule of their obedience and now passe to the third act The third act is rebellion against God and against the authority to which God hath committed the charge of his Altar and to stand on the proving this at large were but time and paines spent in vain whilest I should but do what is done already for having cleared the two former acts of this sin viz. that it is a recession from God and rendering our own wills the rule of divine worship I have cleared the premises which must needs enforce this Conclusion for these two are the integral and essential parts of rebellion according to which it is denominated for when men go from the Covenant and Commandments of God what do they otherwise then stand opposite to him with a stubborne will uttering the rebellious language of the rebellious Gentiles in Psal 2.3 Let us break his bands in sunder and cast his cords from off us and those rebellious Citizens spoken of in the Parable in Luke 19.14 whose message was We will not have this man to reign over us and hence the words which in the * As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Leigh Crit. sacr Bux Lex Scapulae The Septuagint do so use it See also Mr. Medes Apostasie of latter times p. 5. where he interprets Apostasie to be a rebellion against God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek and Hebrew are commonly used to signifie rebellion are also used to signifie defection delinquencie and Apostasy or turning aside from God so that these several words in our language are and may be synonom◠or of the same signification to expresse the same sin and hence also all rebellion is said to be a defection from the superiours to whom they owe subjection yet might I give instances in Scripture where this sin is called a rebellion and stubborne opposition of God as Corah and his company Numb 16 17. ch and Jeroboam nay all the Altar-building Princes of Judah and Israel are said to rebel against the Lord when they follow after idols in the acting of this sin but why go I to look instances at this distance when the very text denominates it thus saying Rebel not against the Lord and rebel not against us only this you may take notice of in the text that the terme Rebel not against the Lord comes from the same root in the Hchrew from which is derived Nimrod the name of that great Hunter before or as Augustine Hierom and others of the Ancients against the Lord if he were so called from his Apostasie defection and rebellion his rebellion was so great as that his name is proverbially given to every rebellious tyrant by way of allusion to him he is noted to be the head of that rebellious work against God which we read of in Gen. 11. and that from a very probable conjecture seeing in Scripture that place of Babel is called his Kingdome Gen. 10.10 his rebellious act was this very sin of Altar-building if as Hugo notes he was the first bringer in of idolatry Hugo in Annot. in Gen. Joseph antiq c. 5. p. 9. teaching men to worship the fire or as Josephus that he excited men to contemn God and follow fortune in their own united power and so was the first founder of idolatry of whose minde is Dr. Willet Willets Hexa in Gen. 10.9 conceiving him to be the same whom forreigne story calls Belus and makes the first founder of their Babylonian Monarchy of whom the Gentiles in the Easterne parts of the world called their idols Belial Beelzebub Belphegor You see then clearly that Altar-builders by departing from God and following their own ways do rebel against the Lord which must needs render the sin exceeding vile in the eyes of such as are the Lords subjects for what spot of infamie and reproach can be cast on the sons of men more odious and hateful then rebellion what is so immediately and highly provoking unto Soveraignty as