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 [Page 2] but the shew of innovation: This we may finde very fully manifested by the ten tribes of Israel, that had passed over 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 [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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 [Page 5] out the feared differences that might grow by the distance of their possessi­on; from v. 21. ad 30.

5 ^ly. 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.

6 ^ly. The peoples denomination of their fi­nished Altar, according to their declared end of its erection, v. 3 [...], 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 [...] ­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 [Page 7] 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 [Page 8] 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 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 [Page 9] 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 [Page 10] 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 [Page 11] 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 [Page 12] Christ, Habemus Altare, vi­delicet Christum & sacro­sanctum ipsius sa­crificium. Hun. in loc. Inep [...]i sunt qui hinc alta [...]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 [...] qui ad convivium nupt [...]ale, id est, ad Alta [...]e Domini aut ebrio­sus, aut adulter, &c. praesumit accedere. Qui agnoscens rea­tum suum ipse se ab Altari Eccl [...]siae subtraxerit: ab aeterno illo & coelesti convivio excommunicari penitus non time­bi [...]. 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 [Page 13] paine of heresie to be received, Ad Al­tare visi­bile quod in Eccle­sia ponitur multi sce­le [...]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 foràs elata com­busserunt. Atha. ep. ad solitariam vi [...]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 we do not take the word Altar in the Doctrine: for though the Sacraments be parts of the divine [Page 14] 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 quàm 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 [Page 15] 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 cu [...]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 [Page 16] 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 [Page 17] 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 [Page 18] 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 Ca [...] Par. Aretius & Dionys. Carth [...]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 [Page 19] 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 Al­tar besides the Altar of God; for that to build a sinful Altar besides the Altar of God, is in the language of the Psalmist to defile our selves with our own works, and to go a whoring after our own inventi­ons: it is to refuse to own the object to be the Author of divine Worship, to be regulated by any other Law, then our own reason dictates, and will determines, Religio supra statu­tum, quae in praeceptis humanis fundata & ex [...]is pendet ac consti [...] ­tur. and so to set up against God and his people, that [...], superstition and wil­worship which the Apostle [Page 20] dehorts the Christians from, Col. 2.23. and this was a sin not only committed under the Law and Levitical Worship of God, but may also be committed un­der the Gospel: I, and hath been; for the Fathers in the primitive times were wont to observe and declare the Arrians, Novatians, Donatists, and other schisma­tic [...]l hereticks disturbing the peace of the Church, corrupting the doctrine of faith and Worship of God, Altare adversus Altare erigere, to build Altars besides the Altars of God. And that you may the better understand the same, I shall briefly shew you how Altars may be built, either materially, objectively, or formally.

First, Altars may be built against the Altars of God materially, as when any o­ther matter it innovated and introduced into the Lords Worship, as an essential part therof, which the Lord himself never prescri­bed or required: and thus under the Law, the Jewes are sadly complained of, and condemned, for the multiplying of their Altars as their Cities, J [...]r. 11.13. and according to the multitude of their fruit, Hos. 10.1. which were no other [Page 21] then material organs of divine Wor­ship, distinct from that one, by which a­lone God would be adored: such as these were Jeroboams two Altars at Da [...] and Bethel, and such as generally all the usurping Princes of the ten tribes of Israel, and some of the Kings of Judah did erect. And under the Gospel we may observe the guilt of this sin charged on such as called themselves true, but are branded for false Apostles, 2 Cor. 11.13. in that they imposed on the Christians Circumcision, and the Le­vitical Law as essential parts of Gods Worship, whilest it was a matter in ab­rogating and abolishing, though it had formerly been established: such are canti­ously seen unto by the Church at Antioch: and considerately condemned by the Councel of the Church convened at Jeru­salem: Acts 15.24. for that they troubled the people of God, and [...], Unde argumen­ta [...] a­pud dialecticos s [...]nt ar­gumenta ad destru­ctionem. Lorin. subverted their souls from the pro­per prescribed Worship of God. These Saint Paul in all his Epistles, to Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, or others, writes against, as sub­verterers [Page 22] of the sincere Worship of God received, and Innovators of their own inventions and impositions, therefore called a will-worship, Col. 2.23. This innovation or rather reten­tion of the matter of Levitical Worship under the Gospel, is by the Authour to the Hebrewes, set in a diametrical op­position (thorough the whole Epistle) to the Gospel-Altar of God, and decla­red to be so sinful, as was inconsistent with participation in the Christians Altar, in Heb. 13.10. Thus also the Papists innovating the crossing ceremony, sancti­fying water, the five sacraments, sacri­fice of the Altar, the Ave Maria, pray­ers to Saints, and the like matters, as essential parts of divine Worship, do clearly in the very matter build Altars be­sides the Altars of God: so that if the Mi­nisters of God do offer unto God any other matter as acts of divine Worship, their Ministery will not sanctifie their a­ction, but their innovation makes them subject to the guilt of Altar-building, whilest the matter of their offering be like to the fire of Nadab and Abihu, strange fire before the Lord. Lev. 10.1, 2.

Secondly, this sin of building Altars, [Page 23] besides the Altars of the Lord, may be committed objectively, when the ve­ry material Altar continuing, is diveried from its proper object, unto such, as not being Gods, cannot be the object of divine Worship: as when the Temple is used to idolatry, the incense of the Lord is smoaking before idols, the sacrifices of God are offered unto Baal, and the like; all which, though in themselves the very Altar and proper matter of the Lords divine Worship: yet not being duly tendred to him, is the building of an Altar besides his Altar; this sin was committed by Manasseh, in diverting the Temple to idolatry: and is expresly di­gitated to Ezekiel, when God shewes him the defilements of his Sanctuary, the cloud of incense ascending before the ima­ges, and the twenty five men worshipping, not God, but the Sun, Ezek. 8. And of this God complaineth, (viz.) that they had defiled his Sanctuary, when they brought in their idol-service into his holy place, Ezek. 5.11, 23, 38. for the Temple of Jerusalem was not the Temple of the Lord, whilest diverted to idols, any more then the temples of Apollo, or other heathenish gods are such, when by Chri­stians [Page 24] they are disposed into convenient places, for the Assemblies of Gods peo­ple to worship in: so that now under the Gospel, to give divine Worship to any but the true God in Christ, is to build Altars against him, and destroy his; for though prayer be a part of Gods Sacrifice and Worsh [...]p, yet it is not so, nay, it is opposite thereunto, if Da­rius the King, the Lady Mary, Peter, Paul, or any other Saint whatsoever be the object thereof: and so the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, a great p [...]rt of Gods Gospel-Altar, ceaseth so to be by the of­fering it unto God, as one to be appea­sed, satisfied and reconciled by a sacri­fice; and not as one already satisfied and appeased; nay, it is by the change of the object, changed in its owne na­ture, and of Divine made will-wor­ship.

Thirdly, Altars may be built besides the Altars of God, formally: when the very Altar, sacrifice, incense, and every matter of the Lords Worship is retained, and performed to the very object of divine Worship, the true God in a false manner of administration: matter mis­carrying in the forme is changed, as to [Page 25] its nature; for the axiome is true, that forma dat essentiam: the forme deno­minates the thing [...], according to that which it is, distinguisheth it from other things, and indeed makes it to be what it is; for the matter is indeed the principium passivum, capable of be­ing whatsoever the forme doth make it; being the principuum acti­vum: Forma est Principi­um activum pe [...] quam res est, distinguitur ab aliis, denominatur, & operatur. and thus the slaying of beasts by private men is no more then a moral act of slaughter, which when done by the Priest, is the re­ligious act of Sacrifice: and so under the Law, Sauls offering of beasts in sacrifice, is so far from being divine Worship, that it is denominated disobedience, because not done according to the pre­scribed forme of God, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23 who not only or­dains the matter of his Worship, but also the manner and forme thereof: and in this sense the sin of Corah and his company may be said to be the erecting of an Altar besides the Lords Altar, when by the gathering of a guedah or Congregation out of the Congregation, they did separate from the Church of God, and on the pretence of Piety cry­ing [Page 26] up all the people as holy, invade the Ministerial despensation of God without due forme and order: whereby they pro­voked the Lord to vindicate the for­mal administration of his Ordinances by the severity of his judgements on them, Numb. 16 Psal. 106.16, 17. and by his Statute concerning their censers, that they should be plates of memorial, that no stranger, not of the seed of Aaron formally called, pre­sume to celebrate divine Worship: and their sin the Apostle Jude in his general Epistle notes, to have been committed under the Gospel; and in all the action we finde no change of the matter, but only the miscarriage of the manner in a separate way, by such as were not for­mal Ministers. An act like unto this was that of Ʋzzahs, in 2 Sam. 6.8. in lay­ing hold upon the Ark of God not for­mally called: the danger of religions ruine will be no warrant for men not for­mally called to it, ministerially to support and save it.

The great aggravation of Jeroboams sin and evidence of his Altars to be a­gainst the Altar of God, was his expulsion of such as were formally called to cele­brate divine Worship, and establishing [Page 27] of his usurped Magistracy, by an usurped Ministery, ( for he that would, made himself a Priest, to administer sacred actions contrary to Gods standing Law, and signal severity on Corah and his company for this sin) as we at large see in 2 Coron. 13.9, 10. whilest Abijah declareth Judah to retain the truth of Gods Worship and Altar, not only in the matter and object, but the forme and manner thereof by the standing Mi­nistery of God. And as we finde the pri­vation of the forme under the Law in sa­cred dispensations, to be principium transmutationis, the changing of the na­ture of the Ordinance of God, from holy to profane: so also we shall see it to be under the Gospel; for though ad­juration in the Name of Jesus be in it self a sacred action, yet when disorderly and precipitately without Legitima autem no­minis Dei & Christi in­vocatio est, quae side diri­gitur, nec excedit voca­tionis metas. Calv. in loc. for­mal authority used by the Exorcists, it will provoke the devil himself to justifie the power of Jesus and Paul, but to torment these u­surping Intruders, Acts 19.13, 14, 15, 16. The neglect of the formal admini­stration of the Lords Supper in the [Page 28] Church of Corinth, will engage a sincere Paul to affirm positively, it is 1 Cor. 11.20. Ne­gat eos tunc edere Coe­nam Dominicam quia il­legitimè edere, sit non edere. Par. in loc. not to eate the Lords Sup­per at all; for the forme destroyed the entity which must be restored by a for­mal returne to the first sa­cred institution: and I cannot but ob­serve the care and paines taken by the Authour of the Epistle to the He­brewes, in asserting the formal inaugu­ration, and exercise of the Lord Jesus in the work of the High Priest towards God, that he might convince the Jews that he was no usurping Impostor, but really and formally the High Priest ex­pected, especially in the fifth chapter of the Epistle.

So that hereby we may see that men may provoke God by their own inventi­ons, and go a whoring after their own wayes, in not only adulterating the mat­ter, but also the very manner of the Lords worship: and this must needs be a grie­vous sin in Altar-building, to make Gods Altar to stand against it self, nay, whilest it seemes to be (and so is more apt to se­duce,) what indeed for want of ministe­rial authority, and formal dispensation [Page 29] it is not: thus the Assemblies of the Novatians, Donatists and Arrians, though using Word, Prayer and Sa­craments, were denominated builders of Altars: for that action, which is sa­cred in the hands of a Minister, is but common in the hands of private men: the Lords Supper duely administred by a lawful Minister thereun [...]o ordained, will be but at the best a Corinthian love-feast in a John of Leydens hand: and Ba­ptisme a sacred signe and sealing part of Gods Worship, when administred by a lawful Minister in the Assemblies of Gods people, will be (to use, but not to own the Anabaptists phrase) but baby-washing by a Midwife, and but meer washing of the body by the lowest of the people, renouncing or never receiving Ministerial authority: preaching of the Word, the great part of Gods publick worship in the mouth of a Minister, will be but the simple speaking of things as good or true, but not as engaged by of­fice to enforce with authority by a pri­vate man. Having thus given you to see what I understand by Altars, and the different wayes whereby they may be [Page 30] built, besides the Altar of God. I shall close this first part of the illustration of the Point, with this sad observation which I cannot be silent in, viz. that the cor­ruption of our nature and times is apt to carry us from one extream to another. Whilest we are reforming material in­novations, As the learned Didoclavi­us, alide Cather­wood did denomi­nate the late corru­ptions of the Church of England. we run after a superstitions manner of administration of sacred worship; and though we lately, and yet loudly cried for the purity of Gods Altar, yet we are apt to destroy the power, by taking away the Priestly mi­nisterial authority thereof, which must concur to make actions sacred, and parts of divine worship.

I come now in the next place to shew you what must be done by sincere wor­shippers of God, that they may dis­charge their duty of s [...]eing to this sin of Altar-building, in the resolution of which I shall dictate some few directions from the precedent in this chapter; wherein if we observe the carriage of the ten tribes on this conceived act of Altar-building, we shall finde these duties to be done by such as would see to this sin.

First, they must satisfie themselves of [Page 31] the certainty of such an act to be in agitati­on; they must take cognizance of the fact before they condemn it: they must have eares and eyes open to attend to reports, and observe actions; and hearts rightly acted to apprehend and deter­mine the nature of such things as they hear and see; they must not shut their eyes at all affairs abroad because of their own liberty at home: nor live at peace themselves, and leave all others to serve God as they list; but knowing that there is but one God, and one Altar or way of worship, they must see whether all that call themselves by the Name of the God of Jacob, do wait on him at that 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 [Page 32] 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 heigh [...]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 [Page 33] 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 str [...]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 [Page 34] 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 [Page 35] Gospel of Christ; who will rather never eat flesh then any shall thence take occa­sion to refuse or recede from Christianity: who will [...]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 r [...] 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 [Page 36] 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 [Page 37] Judaei neminem proselytum faciebant donabant [...]e jure suae gentis nisi prius s [...]se circumcidisset, Le­gem M [...]s [...]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 [Page 38] 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 dis­p [...]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 [Page 39] 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 [Page 41] 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 p [...]aestans affert se contem­plandum, acriter & attente ip­sum int [...]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 [Page 42] 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 [Page 43] the pretence of antiquity, whilest their common captious calumniating question against the true Churches doctrine and worship of God is, Where was Protestant religion before Luthers time? this sinful frame of spirit, this shame­ful inconstancy of the soule in its ob­ject and wearinesse of any thing, though in it self never so good, when a little old is clearly in Scripture dictated to be the cause or reason of building Altars against the Altars of God. God expressely char­ged it on the Jews, that being more no­vellous then other Nations they had changed their glory into that which would not profit, Jer. 2.11. When thou didst nothing else but build other Altars unto Idol-gods: which in this very regard, to note this very ground of following them, by forsaking God, are called new gods, that came newly up, whom their fathers feared not. As in Deut. 32.17. And when God calls them off from this sinne of Altar-building, we may finde him correcting their no­velty, as that which led them into the sin, by calling on them to enquire after the good way, and the old, and walk therein, Jer. 6.16. and many times he [Page 44] 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 [Page 45] 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, tam­ (que) 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: [Page 46] 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 [Page 47] 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 [Page 48] 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 increasing mer­cies in after-ages, so also did increase this sinne of Altar-building causing the sad complaints of the Prophets in Hos. 10.1. [Page 49] according to the multitude of fruit they have increased their Altars. Through­out the Old Testament, whensoever God by his servants reproves this sin, he aggravates the same by the expr [...]ssi­ons of their pride, as in Is. [...]5. from the 2. to the 7. verse. And in the New Testa­ment, we finde Apostates, Seducers, Innovators in to the Lords Word and Worship, stigmatized with this brand of pride; the Apostle Paul, descri­bing such as labour to draw aside silly women, and to set up their own Altar, saith of them among other properties that apt them for this work, that they are proud, heady, high-minded, in 2 Tim. 3.2, 4. and in his first Epistle, the sixth chapter, the third and fourth verses, notes, that such as teach oth [...]rwise, and consent not to wholesome doctrine, are puft up, knowing nothing, and that he may clearly, evidence that this proud proper­tie produceth a declining of the Altar of God, and building others, he la­bours to anticipate this sad effect by a necessary caution concerning the cause, in such as take the charge of the Churches of God, Non [...] s [...]d: [...] pr [...]hibet apostolus, quales e­tant Cate­ [...]humeni. Calv. 1 Tim. 3.6. where he adviseth, that a Bishop be not a novice, [Page 50] ungrounded in the principles of Reli­gion, and that for this very cause, lest he be proud, and so fall into the snare of the devil. The Apostle Peter, in his se-second Epistle, the second chapter, sets out seducers with the same characters, They speak evil of dignities, and of what they know not, and speak great swelling words of vanity. And Jude omits not this propertie, when he asserts them to despise Governments, and to speak evil of dignities, to speak proud things; and analogically asserts their way to be the gain-saying of Corah. But to close up what might be more largely spoken to evidence this gracelesse propertie, to be the ground of this grand iniquity, that might appear grievous in the eyes of the sincerely gracious; I will only adde this one general observation, (viz.) the sin of Altar-buildng never was so e­minently acted in the Churches of God, before or since the Gospel preached, Christ come in flesh, as when the peace and prosperities of the world had procreated and matured pride. In the Church of the Jews it is evident, whilest they were beset with wars and troubles, though by some men and at some times [Page 51] this sin was acted, yet Solomons peace, plenty and glory, was attended with the eminencie of encreasing various and glorious Altars, to Ashteroth and Mil­com, and the gods of the Nations, to which his wives were related. And in the Christian Church, As Pau­lus Samo­satenus, who ha­ving un­justly gained riches, and puffed up with pride; usurp'd se­cular dig­nities, and made him­self a lof­ty seat and state­ly throne, after the manner of the Prin­ces of the world, ex­acting o­beisance from the people by check and reviling termes: not much unlike John of Leyden. who knowes not that the ten pressing persecutions did generally by the humility of the Church­es, conserve purity of Word and Ordi­nances, notwithstanding the sometime endeavours of particular hereticks, to subvert the same until the Churches peace and prosperity, conferred by Con­stantine the Christian Emperour, gave occasion for the proud man of sin to appeare, and advance his abominations, increasing his Altars, to the very casting down of the Altar of God, in the greatest part of the Christian world, giving the Church, on sad experience to complain the truth of that saying, re­ported to be heard from heaven; Hodie venenum infunditur in Ecclesiam, Now is the poison of pride poured into the bo­some of the Church: nay, my brethren, [Page 52] it is well, if we finde not on serious ob­servation, this sin to be admitted and ad­vanced by such, as present prosperity and external glory hath lifted up. And so I have done with the second ground of Altar building, which must needs evi­dence it to be exceeding sinful, whilest acted from such vile principles: I now passe to the third and last ground of this sin: and that is

Third ground of Altar-building. Self-advancement and advantage: that cursed principle, which is inconsistent with sincere affections to God and his worship: which hurrieth a man forward by right or wrong, to establish his own glory, and possesse himself of creature transitory enjoyments: this is that which will make a man active for God, and his Altar, so long as ambitious self can in that way obtain its object: but that once missed or obtained, affections abate, nay, are altogether alienated from the wayes of God: this useth Religion on a Machivilian account, to e­stablish their own throne, and keep up their own glory; so that whatsoever is but serviceable to this base end, though but for a season, that shall be embraced and advanced. In a word, [Page 53] this is that cursed principle decried by Christ, in such as take upon them the Profession of his Name, as that which unsits them for adherencie to his Altar: yet this we shall finde clearly to be a ground of this grievous sin of Altar-building, if we do but consider, how the wages of unrighteousnesse engaged Ba­laam, to go contrary to Gods Will, and by building many Altars in different places to attempt the cursing of Israel, contrary to Gods declared pleasure, as in Numb. 22.23. chap. is to be seen; in which regard seducing Apostates, under the Gospel Altar-builders, acted by this principle of self-advantage and advancement, are said to follow the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of un­righteousnesse, 2 Pet. 2.15. and to be cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages, Jude 11. so also we shall finde this principle provoking this sin of Altar-building in Jeroboam, when he rebelled against the house of David, and made Israel to sin in the same way with himself: if we do but observe the Holy Ghost expressely noting his ere­ction of a usurped Ministery, to this ve­ry end, that he might stablish his u­surped [Page 54] Magistracie, and his setting up his Altars at Dan and Bethel, to be grounded on his desire and design, to settle the Crown on his rebellious head; for, saith the text, Jeroboam thought in his heart, If this people go up and do sacrifice at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even to Rehoboam King of Ju­dah, so shall they kill me, and go again to Rehoboam: whereupon the King took coun­sel, &c. 1 Kings 12.26, 27, 28. et ad finem capitis: for usurpers know, that the sincere Worship of God teach­eth due subjection to their lawful So­veraignes: this self-establishment is de­clared to be the cause of Ahaz sinful Altar-building: who (his faith not fix­ed in the living God of Israel) feared his approaching fall, and hoping to e­stablish his throne, built Altars to the gods of Damascus; as we see, 2 Chron. 28.23, 2 [...]. This cursed principle of self-advancement 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 [Page 55] 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 [Page 56] Orig.) [...], ideo ap [...] ­stolus uti­tur plurali numero, ut o­stendat, se­ductores illos non uno ava [...]itiae morbo laborare n c unam duntaxat artem cal­lere, divi­tias p [...]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 Gen. hist. of Turks. Ma­melukes, and [...]. 107. [...]. 91. the latter set up by Cara Rusthemes, a Doctor of the Mah [...]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 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 [Page 57] Altar, and abhorring the Christian to which he was educated: self-esta­blishment in his treacherously obtained Empire, was the principle that enga­ged 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 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 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 [Page 58] 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 [Page 59] 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, [Page 60] 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, and to enjoy his people by, so that if any do objective­ly depart from God, by changing their God, they will be justly charged, not only to depart from God, but also to wor­ship idols, to change their god [...], to for­sake the fountain of living waters, and [Page 61] to dig cisternes that hold no water, Jer. 2.11, 13. and therein they commit two evils; but if they refuse to worship God at his Altar, [...]nd according to his own declared Will, if they corrupt the matter of Gods Worship, or adulterate the forme of their administration, they are justly charged with a going from God: thus God by the Prophet Isaiah, in chap. 65.11. chargeth the people with a forsaking him, in that they forget his holy mountaine: and by the Prophet Malachi, chap. 2.8. he upbraids the Priests with a departing out of his way, for corrupting of his Covenant and do­ctrine: and the Authour to the He­brewes exhorts to a constant adherence to the administrations of Gods Wor­ship, according to the Gospel-forme, denominating the declining of it, a de­parting from the living God, Heb. 3 13. In Altar-building, as in other actions, there is considerable the terme from which before, the terme to which they move, and so the first act in this grie­vous sin is in Scripture-phrase in the Old and New Testament, denominated a forsaking of God in [...]he complaints of the sincere, as, 1 Kings 19.10. the [Page 62] chsrges of the sinne by the Prophets, 2 Chron. 12.5, 24.20.24. Isa. 1.4. and by the confessions of the penitent, Iudg. 10.10. Ezr 9 10. when Reheboam rea­dy to joyn battel with Ieroboam declares the grounds of his confidence, amongst others this is not the least, that they by changing the matter of divine Worship, 2 Chron. 13.10, 11. or the Priestly forme of administration, ordained of God, and so proceeding to the sin of Altar-building, they had not forsaken their God, as had the ten tribes: and in the very story to which our text refers, we finde the suspected Altar-building branded with this epi­thete, a turning aside from following the Lord, Josh. 22.16, 18, 23. And un­der the Gospel such as turn from the truth to innovations, are said to depart from the faith, 1 Tim. 4.1. to forsake the way of truth, 2 Pet. 2.15. and to de­part from the living God, Heb. 3.12. So that Gods charge upon the Altar-building Jewes may be charged on all Altar-builders, As a wife that treacherous­ly departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt with me, Jer. 12.20. Is it not a vile thing, sinful and sadly provoking amongst men, for souldiers to forsake [Page 63] their colours, children their Parents, and wives their husbands? how much more vile must that sin be, whereby creatures forsake their Creator, the redeemed de­part from their Redeemer? they that are naturally bent to pursue solid satisfying comforts, forsake the fountain of living waters: nay; and how foolish must it be to provoke, by turning from that presence from which we cannot flee? moun­taines and hills, hell and darknesse can­not hide, and that power which we can neither resist nor escape, but it will fol­low the sinful Altar-builders that for­sake him, to cover them with shame, and to write them in the dust, Jer. 17.13. Thus then by this first act, we canot but see this sin to be so very sinful, and to be speedily seen to by sincere Worshippers of God.

The second act in Altar-build­ing is, the rendring our own wills the rule of the Lords Worship, and a­gainst the expresse prohibition a do­ing that which is right in our own eyes, and so sinfully subjecting a divine ob­ject to the obedience of humane plea­sure: and a soveraign God and Creator to such matter and measure of service, as suits to the fancie of a fraile, ignorant, [Page 64] sinful creature to yield: which is in its nature so vile and shameful, that it may make every soul that seriously consider­eth it, to blush and tremble to think that fraile man should once presume to pre­scribe obedience to be yielded to a great God: whilst nature it self teacheth, that all superiour objects of service and obe­dience must dictate the Laws, Deut. 12.8. and pre­scribe the forme in which they will ac­quiesce and receive content. Is it not below supream authority, to see the Lawes despised, and obedience yielded according to the subjects fancie? What father could brook his sons obedience according to his own will? what Ge­neral would relish his armies subjection after its own conceit? Obedience after the will of the subject is the subversion of authority and supremacy, and exemption from the charge of rebellion in every acti­on, though never so vile. How much lesse shal the God of Heaven endure to be dis­robed of his Soveraignty, in being denied the Prerogative of prescribing his wor­ship, service and obedience? This God would not admit in the evil Angels, but for their attempt thereof, cast them into utter darknesse. And if God would not [Page 65] leave man to the libertie of his will, in the obedience he should yield his Crea­tour in the estate of his innocencie, when he was in a capacity of yielding perfect and pleasing obedience, but would proclaim his Soveraignty by the prescription of some special act of o­bedience, as the approvement of his due subjection, how much lesse shall the sons of men think to satisfie his Will, by following their own inventi­ons since their fall, with the attempt of which, to everlasting reproach humane nature stands stigmatized, as the thing which cast the same out of hap­pinesse? We shall finde God so exact in his service, that he constituting Israel his chosen people to beare his Name a­mongst other Nations, Mosem in cultu Dei eri­gendo De­us astrin­xit ad Coe­leste exem­plar, ut nihil formaret in terra, nisi quod congruum es­set archetypo ex coelis exhibito. Non habiturus id gratum aut ratum quicquid ex sito cerebro praeter illud effinxisset. Pa [...]. in loc. Nunc de forma agitur, etiam re­rum externarum ad cultum Dei pertinentium, quam no­luit Deus humano arbitrio relinquere, sed eam ipse praescri­b [...]re & determinare. R [...]vel. in Ex. leaves them not to worship him according to their own will, but gives them lawes, and statutes, and ordinances, and by his terrible ap­pearance on Mount Sinai: his severe, [Page 66] judgements, and serious charge of Mo­ses, engageth them to the observance thereof: nay, so exact is he in his wor­ship and service, the very instruments and forme of the administration, that he gives Moses a patterne of the Ta­bernacle, and all other things, requiring and straitly charging every thing to be done according to the paterne shewed in the Mount, Exod. 25.9, 40. Heb. 8.5. the due observance of which, ap­proved Moses faithful in Gods house. It is the observation of Dr. Willet, that the forme of the Tabernacle is not left to the will of man, Willet. Hexapla in Exod. p. 595. no not to the judgement of Moses; to teach us that God will not be worshipped with will-morship, accord­ing to the devices and inventions of men, but as himself 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 [Page 67] 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, [Page 68] 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 [Page 69] 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 [Page 70] 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 [Page 71] 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 [Page 72] 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 rebellion? for most clement Princes must needs with a severe hand chastise rebellion: such is the vile nature of re­bellion, that found in children against the Parents, by Gods Ordinance among the Jewes, the subject of it must be sto­ned with stones, Deut. 21.18, 19, 20. And when Moses would exalt Gods mercies to Israel, he aggravates their un­worthinesse by charging them to have been a stiffe-necked and rebellious peo­ple, Deut, 9.6, 23, 24. And Samuel charging Saul with this guilt, asserts re­bellion to be as the sin of witchcraft for its vile nature. And when Jerusalems e­nemies would make her vile, they wil de­nominate her a rebellious City, Ezra 4.12, 15. And did ever any yet rebel a­gainst the Lord and prosper? let the se­vere [Page 73] judgements of God upon Judah and Israel for their rebellions witnesse. Whil'st then this sin of Altar-building ap­pears so vile, not only in the ground, but also the acts thereof, let all sincere wor­shippers at Gods Altar consider, whe­ther their loyalty to their great Crea­tor, and gracious Redeemer do not engage them in their places, to see to so great and crying a sin.

The third thing that may evidence building Altars, beside the Altar of God, to be a sin exceeding sinful, is the sad effects thereof, which we cannot but ex­pect to be exceeding sad and bitter, whilest the root and branches thereof are so exceeding vile; for the fruit must needs be suitable to the tree that beares it: and those are these foure.

1. A rending from the body of the Church, a withdrawing from the com­munion God himself hath set us in; a making a schisme and rent in the Church of God: as Diodate notes, a severing our selves from the communi­on of the Church: in which alone is the true service of God, and the participa­tion of his grace and Covenant, that sad effect of sins Soveraignty among the Co­rinthians, [Page 74] 1 Cor. 3.4. which is so evil, that the Propagators thereof are to be declined, Rom. 16.17. which violates unity, and deprives the Church of that blessed fruit of the Spirit: this is that which as nature condemnes in the body, so the Gospel in the Church, 1 Cor. 12.25. which when making factions and parties in the Church, as sedition in a Common­weale, is dangerous, and many times de­structive, being attended and seconded with envies, strifes, hatred and the like; yet this evil fruit springs from Altar-building as its sad effect, as is evident in the story under consideration, wherein it is clear, that the two Tribes suspected the act in hand to be to this end, to with­draw from any longer communion with their brethten, and to worship God di­stinct and by themselves: which they desire to prevent by rather giving them inheritances on the same side of the river with them, See more of this schisme, Mr. Hol­linsworths Rejoynder to Mr. Eaton, and Mr Tailors Reply. then the division of portions should divide their piety and joynt at­tendance on Gods Altar: So Corah and his company did rend themselves from the body of the Church, and make a fearful division in refusing to keep com­munion with the people of God, ac­cording [Page 75] to his appointed administration, in Numb. 16. when they were about to erect their Altar against Gods: what a sad rent from the Church did Ie­roboams Altar-building make? not to this day semented, though sought after by such as earnestly supplicate the accom­plishment of the gracious Promise of God, that the stick of Ephraim, and the stick of Judah shall become one in his hand, in Ezek 37. from 16, to 21. In which is to be noted that the accomplishment thereof, is promised to be accompanied with the abolishment of their Altar-building sin, and unity in Gods wayes and worship, v. 22, unto the end of the chapter: which grievous rent from the communion of the Church, a burden not to be borne by the sincere worship­pers at Gods Altar, provokes (as I be­fore noted out of Mr. Cotton, His Ex­position on Canticles.) that pathetical prayer to be directed to the true Church and Altar of Christ, in Cant. 1.7. that they might be deliver­ed from the danger thereof: nay, it per­swaded not only the Priests and Levites to prefer the Altar and Church of God above their suburbs and possessions, but also all such as set their heart to seek the [Page 76] Lord, to run the hazard of going to Ierusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord with their brethren, 2 Chron. 11.13, 14, 16. This sad effect doth the Spirit witnesse to follow this sin, nay, flow from it under the Gospel; The Apostle Paul, Acts 20.30. foreseeing the appearance of seducers, Apostate-Altar-builders, that would innovate doctrines and formes of worship, contrary to Christs institution, chargeth the Elders of the Ephesian Church to see to this sin, at least that their members be not seduced; urging this sad effect as a swaying reason, They shall draw aside many disciples after them: from the communion of the Church, [Ut ab­ducant] ab Ecclesia­stica uni­tate: [post se] ad inhaeren­dum eo­rum erro­ribus. Dyo­nys. Car­thus. in loc. Abstra­here autem significat inani gloria tumidos compellere se­ctatores in sua nomina jurare. Aret. in loc. as did Novatus vid. Euseb. l. 6. c. 4. Religionum Confusio dissipat Ecclesiae consensionem. Mas. in Text. saith one, or make sects, saith another; and the Apostle Peter, in the second Epistle, the second chapter, the third verse prophesies, false teachers should be in the Christian Churches, which building their owne Altars of damnable doctrines, many should follow their pernicious wayes, speaking evil of the way of truth: for the confusion of Religion must needs be [Page 77] destructive to the concord of the Churches, which God witnessed by con­stituting one only Altar for all his peo­ples attendance, with one only forme of administration, and this cannot but be seen in the Apostles dayes, by such as shall seriously observe the Apostolical redargution of schismes and seducers, characterizing false apostles, charging the Churches to observe and decline them, as those that make divisions and trouble them: frequent commendations of the union and communion of the Church and disciples, and fervent per­swasion to, and prayers for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: which all suggest to us, and clearly imply, that this sin of Altar-building by will-wor­shippers, was in act to the dividing of the members from the body in their ve­ry dayes, and who is there, that look­ing into Ecclesiastical story, Dyonys. Bi­shop of A­leaxndri [...], his Epistle to Nova­tus recited by Eusebi­us. Pam­phil. l. 6. c. 45. or tran­slat. 44. sees not the sad rentings from, and confusions in the Church, effected by the Altar-building (of doctrines) dissonant to truth, and the Altar of Christ, propagated by the many hereticks of the primitive times, as No­vatus, whom Dionysius in his Epistle to him chargeth with a renting and divi­ding [Page 78] from the Church, as a sin most grie­vous, counting the suffering for the u­nity of the Church a more glorious mar­tyrdome, then the sufferings for not sacri­ficing to devils? for this is suffered for one soul, that for the universal Church. So also the Donatists, Manichees, Pau­lus Samosatenus, of whom the Synod of Antioch sadly complaine, that the Church was so rent, See their Epistle in Euseb. l. 7. c. 30. that faith and religion was run, into great spite, hatred, and slander, by reason of his swelling pride, as also by the Arrians, which filled the whole Christian world with confusion and division; some taking this side, and some that; some communicating here, and some there, e­ven to most bloody persecution of the true sincere Ministers and people of God, the which schisme, how sadly complain­ed of by Athanasius the good Bishop of Alexandria, how earnestly endeavoured to be cemented by Constantine the good Emperour, and how strongly it reigned to the checking of the Churches com­forts, and clouding of the glory of the the Gospel: Eusebius at large de­clareth, in his first and second books of Ecelesiastical history; but may not the separations from the communion of the [Page 79] Church, and sad schismes amongst our selves, produced by such as are of late ri­sen up to build Altars of innovated do­ctrines, contrary to the doctrine of Christ, call us back from wandring so far to seek confirmation of this sad effect of so grievous a sinne, and provoke us with shame and sorrow, to own the evident effect upon our own sad experience, and set to our seales, that of a truth Altar-building against Gods Altar is an odious, because a Church-renting sin? Socrates Scholacti­cus, Eccl. hist. l. 1. c. 10 for to how many may we say, as Constantine the Em­perour to Aretius the Novatian Bishop, Why sever ye your selves from the commu­nion of the faithful? whose answer may occasion our reply as his: Provide you a ladder to climbe into Heaven a­lone.

The second effect which must needs also shew the building Altars, beside the Altar of God, to be exceeding sinful, is (to speak with due reverence) a run­ning God upon straits, concerning the dispensations of his Providences, and the administration of his judgements or mer­cies; not that God is in his nature capable of such want of wisdome, who is the most wise, and readily disposeth all [Page 80] things according to the counsel of his own will: or weaknesse of power to effect and bring about his purpose, whose power is like himself, and not to be re­sisted as that is, should make him to doubt or dispute what to do, Luctatur in Deo hinc justi­tia & ira adversus peccata, quae atro­citer pec [...] cantes a­trociter puniri & perdi po­stulat: il­linc im­mensa mi­sericordia & bonitas, quae non vult mor­tem pecca­toris, sed ut conver­tatur & vivat. Pa [...]. in Hos. 11.8 Hac particula ostendit Deus quid meriti sunt Israeli [...]e, & jam se propensum esse ad sumendam poenam quâ dignisunt: non tamen id sine poenitentia vel saltem dubitatio­ne. Calv. in l [...]. whether to strike or spare the sinner. But to speak to our capacity, such may be sometimes the effects of divine Providence, that to us God may seem to be in a strait, and, as it were, in doubt with himself; his justice provoked by the sin, putting for­ward to punish the sinner; and his mer­cies desiring repentance and deliverance, pleading for suspence or abatements of the afflictions striving together, make God (as it were) cry out, What shall I do unto thee? how shall I give thee, up E­phraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Wherein though this Altar-building Israel had deserved to be made as Admah and Zeboim for their sinne, yet God doth seemingly dis­pute [Page 81] with himself, how should he do it to them: in Hos. 11.8. such another strait God seems to be in, when he stands over Jerusalem with his how long? and when shall it once be? as in Jer. 13.27. where he cri [...]s out of this sin of Altar-building, I have seen thine adulteries and neighings, the lewdnesse of thy whore­domes, and thy abominations on the hills in the field [...]; Wo unto thee, O Ierusalem! as if he should have said, I have seen all Altars, and am ready to strike and pu­nish thee severely for them: but yet he checks himself, and bids a stay to his ju­stice, with a wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? I would faine have my hand stayed, at last, even at last before the stroak that is up, fall: and as mercie and justice, those different properties in God, are (to speak with re­verence of a God not in the least subject to passions) set, as it were, opposite by this sin; so also we shall see a seeming strife betweene Gods purity, that cannot en­dure iniquity, and divine glory which he will not in the least give to another, and promise performance, faithfulnesse: for the sin being acted, God forsaken, his Law declined, and mans will and inven­tions [Page 82] advanced, then Gods purity pro­vokes divine justice to strike with such language as this; ‘I am holy, I cannot endure sin, yet it is acted against me; If sentence be not speedily executed, the heart of men will be fully set in them to do wickedly; patience will but pro­voke their prophanenesse, they being so corrupt as to abuse it, Eccles. 8.11. will be as it were driven to sin by it, nay, they will make divine silence an argu­ment of sins allowance; and when they sleight my service, and set up their owne inventions, and yet go on and prosper, and I hold my tongue, they will say, I am altogether such an one as them­selves; arise, justice, let me not be re­puted the Author or indulger of such disobedience, set their sins in order be­fore their eyes, Psal. 50.21. Nay, though they being dearest Davids, doth not their sin give occasion to mine enemies to blaspheme? should I suffer Jedidiah, my beloved one, to increase his worship at Idol-Altars, and corrupt, nay, de­cline mine and his posterity to possesse his Kingdome? will not the Heathen say, I am not pure and holy, for I in­dulge their sin? Do not the lewd lives [Page 83] of Christians cause the Heathen to re­proach the Gospel of my Sonne, and to say my doctrine dictates such things as nature will blush to see? as if nature (which I made) were more pure then my selfe; shall I be silent and not cor­rect the impieties of my people, which make Heathen Romes Senators when they see my holy Word, to question whether it be my Law: Shall my divine nature be blasphemously denied by an Apostate Julian, or Arius, and I not be avenged? Shall the perfidious and per­jurious deeds of my Christian people deny me to be a God, and provoke this Turkish appeale to my purity, pro­ducing the league sworne in my name, and broken by them?’

Behold, thou crucified Christ, this is the league thy Christians in thy Name made with me, As did A­murath sixth King of the Turks a­gainst U­dislaus king of Hungary & Folonia, when he took absolution from his oath from Cardinal Julian, and fought against the Turks, contrary to the league sworne. See Turk. Hist. p. 297. which they have without cause violated; now if thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dreame, revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name, and me; and shew thy power on thy perjurious peo­ple, who in their deeds deny thee their God.

And shall I not arise to chastise them? will not the honour of my holy Name and nature by severe judgements for their unholinesse on those my people, who will not shew it by their conformi­ty, obeying my Lawes, and fearing to of­fend my pleasure: be vindicated from the blasphemous thoughts of mine ene­mies?

Unto which Gods power, glory, and faithfulnesse standing up, do (as it were) answer and plead, True O Lord, most ho­ly, thy pure nature stands justly offend­ed, thy people are by their Altar-build­ing made naked in thy sight; they have moved thee to jealousie with that which is not God, Deu. 32.21 22. or of God: it may be just that the fire kindled against them in thy wrath, should burne unto Hell, and that therein for their sin, thou mayest scatter them into corners, and make their re­memberance for to cease, and thereby vindicate the glory of thy purity, and shew thy selfe a sin-hating, Exod. 32.22, 23. by being a sin-revenging God; but what shall be­come of thy faithfulnesse? the glory there­of will be lost in the midst of the Hea­then. O remember thy promise, Lord, thy promise made to Abraham, to Isaac, [Page 85] and Jacob; and let not the Heathen say thou hast spoken what thou wilt not per­forme, thou art not as man that thou shouldst lie, nor the sonne of man that thou shouldest repent: O let the mouth of Balaam witnesse to a cursing Balak, that thou hast said it, and thou wilt do it; thou hast spoken it, and thou wilt make it good, Numb. 23.19. ‘How shall the Heathen also blaspheme thy power, and say, because thou wast not able to bring to passe thy begun mercy, and give them the promised land: thou hast slaine them in the wildernesse? Numb. 14.16. For, Lord, the Nations consider not the cause, nor accknowledge thy justice, but reproach thy power, and promise, and say, For mischief thou hast begun to shew them mercy: Nay, they will not only reproach thy power and promise, but rob thee of thine honour, and the glory of thy justly inflicted fu­ry; the rod will rebel against the hand that useth it; if now, and so severely thou strike with it: consider, Lord, make not a full end of this rebellious Altar-building generation; for the enemies will behave himselfe proudly, and say, My hand, and not the Lord, Deu. 32.27 hath done [Page 86] all this:’ so that sinne doth not onely make Gods Word to fight against it self in promises and threats, but also the very properties of the Lord: how sad must it be unto an ingenuous child to see fury and mercy, power and pitie, justice and compassion at the same time to shine in the bosome of a tender father? how vile then must this sinne be which runs God on such straits, when as much as in us lies, we labour to confound the very God of Wisdome, and set unity at enmity, making the Divine nature, as it were, to warre against it self? And hence it is that the properties of God are many times pleading expostulations with God, modo admonentis de benignitate, by way of hum­ble minding God of his owne nature in the prayers of his owne people, fearing or feeling the fiercenesse of his fury.

The third effect is, a rendering the worship of God vile in the eyes of the hea­then which know him not: by this sinne the enemies of the Lord have occasion to blaspheme the Name and ways of God, to reproach the Gospel and Doctrine of Jesus Christ: for in Altar-building men run from God, and actually speak the language of the Apostate covenant-corrupting [Page 87] Jewes, It is in vaine to serve God, and what profit have we that we have kept all his Ordinances? Mal. 3.14. and attribute the peace and plenty Gods patience indulgeth, unto the Queene of Heaven, and their shameful impieties, Jer. 44.17, 18. and therefore God com­plains, that when his people built Altars unto Baal, they did not know that God gave her corne, and wine, and oyle, and multiplied their silver and gold, Hosea 2.8. And God aggravates this sinne ever with the mention of his mercies, where­by he declares how little cause they had so really to vilifie his wayes and wor­ship, by departing from them: their re­bellion against his will and words, must needs bespeak his yoake to be heavie and servile bondage, which is indeed per­fect freedome, and his tender reigne o­ver his people, to be fierce and cruel. The Schismes and sad Divisions produced by this sinne, give occasion to such as know not the doctrine of unity, to charge the wayes and worship of God with the natural production thereof, never con­sidering how they are the fruits of sinne, not of Gods sacred Altar. How hath Sa­tan and his wicked instruments taken oc­casion [Page 88] to reproach vilifie, and blaspheme the wayes and worship of God from the lewdnesse of some that professe it in all ages; do not the Papists generally calum­niate the Reformation of the Church with the charge of division and novelty, and the like? because some professing to it have divided from the Church, and propagated their Altar-building-princi­ples: so that every observant eye cannot but see that Altar-building, besides the Altar of God, makes Gods Altar, Word, and Worship, as Simeon and Levi, their cursed act on the circumcised Scheche­mites, made good Jacobs savour to stink among the Canaanites and Perizzites: in which regard it lies on the sincere wor­shippers of God with constancie to ad­here to Gods Altar, and with courage to suppresse others in their places, as be­comes the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The fourth and last effect of this sinne of Altar-building, which may render it exceeding vile, is, a reviving of the Lords fury: for these are the Altars of Bethel which God will visit, Amos 3.14. This is the sinne that is written before the Lord as with a pen of iron, and point of a dia­mond, Jer. 17.1, 2. This is the setting of [Page 89] post by his post, and threshold by the Lords threshold, to the defiling of Gods holy Name till the subjects be consumed in his anger, Ezek. 43.8. This is the setting up the Altar of jealousie to the provoking of God to depart from his Sanctuarie, Ezek. 8.6 This is the following new gods to the kindling of a fire in his wrath, which shall burne to hell, Deut. 32.21, 22. In a word, this is the golden Calfe, which turnes patience (to speak with reverence) into such rage, that a Moses prayer can hardly binde from destroying, Exod. 32.8, 9, 10. and the rebellion so highly pro­voking that a God most gracious, in all affliction afflicted, in pitie and love sa­ving and redeeming, being by it vexed in spirit, becomes an enemie, Isa. 63.9. How did Corah and his company by their but formal Altar-building, schismatical with­drawing from the administrations of di­vine worship, provoke the Lords wrath to the causing of the earth to open her mouth and swallow them up alive? How did Solomons Altars stir up divine displea­sure, to the rending away ten Trib [...] from his Kingdome, not to this day re­stored? What sad monuments of divine justice and fury hath it made Jerusalem [Page 90] and Samaria: it were easie to evidence the increasing property of this sin; but this may suffice to such as do but consider the fiercenesse of the Lords fury, which will make the mountaines to melt, and hills to shake, Mic. i. 4. and Kings of the earth to tremble; for who can stand before his frown, much more fatal then the frowne of the most cruel Turkish tyrant threatening present death? Can this Lion roare, and the beasts of the earth not tremble? Amos 1.2. If while his wrath is kindled but a little, they be happy that trust in Christ; what terrour must possesse them that by their Altars-building are naked before it; Psal. 2.12. Exo. 32.25 so that the sinne must needs be vile, to be avoided, and seasonably seene to, that is so highly displeasing unto God.

I have now done with the third thing in the discovery of the sinfulnesse of building Altars beside the Altar of God, (viz.) the vile effects which spring from it: which tasted by serious contemplati­on, cannot but render it bitter in the mouth, and excite sincere worshippers of God against it; I shall only adde one thing more to the aggravation of its vile­nesse, and that very briefly, and so passe to the Application of the Point, viz. the aggravating properties.

The first aggravating property that may render Altar-building to be exceed­ing vile, is, the singularity of the subjects. Singularity is not savoury in any; it many times springs from pride, and bespeaks an evil disposition: this sinne is many times acted by Gods people only, who know the true God, and have worship­ped at the true Altar: this sin God him­self aggravates with this very property, in Jer. 2.11. expostulating with them, Hath any Nation changed their gods, though they be no gods? and yet my people have changed their glory for that which will not profit: and, Isa. 65. v. 5. the rebelli­ous people which follow their owne thoughts, and burne incense upon Altars of Brick, have their sin aggravated by their singularity; they say, Stand by thy selfe, come not neare me, I am holier then thou: as that which makes a smoak in Gods nostrils, and a fire to burne all the day: so that this addes much to this vile sinne: The isses of Chittim, and coast of Kedar will not afford a parallel, or shew such a thing: for whilst the Ephesi­ans suspecting any innovation against their Diana, run together with great zeal crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, [Page 92] and readily contend for their Idol-god­desse and superstitious worship, as re­solved not to change, though for a bet­ter; and the Athenians, though given to novelty, think Paul odious in seeming to set forth new gods: the people of the true God are only seene to change some­times the object, but many times the Al­tar the true God hath prescribed to be worshipped at.

The second aggravating propertie of Altar-building is, that it is committed a­gainst standing directions, dictated Lawes and Ordinances, Gods revealed will and pleasure concerning his Altar and Wor­ship: as it is Israels glory, that no Nati­on is so great a Nation that hath such Statutes and Judgements, Deut. 7. as all the Law of the Lord their God; so it is laid on them as the greater duty to take heed to themselves, and to keep their soul dili­gently, that they forget them not, but teach them to their sons, & sons sons, and observe to do them; it is also their great aggravation, Acts 17, 13 that they forsake the Cove­nant of their God, go away from his Statutes, forget his Lawes, cast off his Commandments, to create to themselves an Altar and Worship according to their [Page 93] owne inventions: and though the A­thenian ignorance may extenuate their superstitious worship at the Altar to the unknown God: yet now light is come abroad, and God calls to repentance, they must walk as children of the light; for ignorance can now be no plea, where prescript rule is proposed: now as re­bellion against a Kings Proclamation, and disobedience against a fathers declared will, so is this Altar-building hainous and abominable, because against directions ex­hibited.

The third aggravating property of this sinne of Altar-building, is, that it shuts Gods eares against prayer. What is spoken of sinnes in general, in Isa. 59.2. Your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not heare: is applicable, nay, applied to this sinne in special, where God not only de­clares that when Israel, his Altar-building people, did cry to him in their trouble, he would not hear them, Ier. 11.11. but al­so prohibits the Prophets praying; Thou shalt not pray for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: and that is urged with a therefore, (viz.) because, accord­ing to the numbers of the streets of Ierusa­lem, they have set up Altars, ver. 12, 13. [Page 94] Let me alone, Moses, was the angry voice of God, produced by the Calf, and Al­tar at Horeb, Exod. 32.10. How just is it with God to deny the Petitions of them, that deny prescriptions from him in the way of his owne worship? Prov. 1.25, to 33. For as children when stub­bornly following their own Si cursum vitae nostrae propriis consiliis regere vo­lumus, & religionis fideique neg [...]tium secundum ratio­nem nostram instituere, idem nobis accidit quod pueris quos parentes primum docent incedere, &c. Lav. in Prov. 1.31. wills fall into harme, their cries are not compassionated by the tender parent: so deales God with his stubborne people that make their wills the way or rule of his divine worship.

I have now done with the Doctrinal consideration of the Point, and shall leave it to the judgements of the sincere worshippers at God [...] Altar, to consider whether a sinne springing from such causes, exercised in such acts, producing such effects, subject to such aggravations, be not exceeding sinful; and if but suspe­cted to be undertaken, sufficient to stir the zeale of the ten tribes, to the resist­ance thereof, much to be seene to, sorrow­ed for, and soone suppressed, where it is, [Page 95] really, and indeed acted: I shall now briefly apply to our more particular in­struction.

The first Use of the point may be of enquiry and humiliation, to put us apon the search whether in the midst of us we may not see some of our brethren, pro­fessing the same, and who have worship­ped in the same Gospel-worship with our selves, to withdraw from the Altar of God, and erect Altars after their owne inventions; which if we finde, our hearts should be heavie in us, and our eyes filled with tears: as humbling our selves for so grievous a guilt: and upon enquiry, he that is not wilfully blinde, cannot but see beyond the river in the Church of Rome material, besides formal Altars built besides the Altar of God: five Sacra­ments innovated which God never insti­tuted: objects of divine adoration ad­vanced, never by the Lord, or themselves allowed: Sacrifices presented for sinne, which God never prescribed: offices and orders of holy men and women main­tained, which in the Canon of Scripture are never mentioned, nor by the same warranted: principles pressed as matters [Page 96] of faith necessary to salvation, and that on the paine of being branded with He­resie, such as were never found in the Apostles Creed; but repugnant to it, prayers, penance, and many the like practices performed with much devoti­on, which are not only not warranted, but condemned in Scripture as supersti­tious, and will-worship, and dissonant to reason in the very light of nature; all which may be matter of mourning to e­very gracious heart to see, although in a subject somewhat remote: but more e­specially if when in mercie God hath de­livered us from serving at, or suffering for not serving at such Altars as did our progenitors; and whilest we our selves professe a reformation of the Altar of God, Gospel-worship and Ordinances, we shall even at home finde Altars of an­other kinde erected, and erecting: it may be some casting off Gods Altars of Gos­pel-Ordinances, not worshipping in any external and formal administration, but by their owne pretended spiritual, super­natural, celestial way of omitting all du­ties which God hath prescribed, giving God only (if indeed ever) the privat retire­ments and inward actings of the soul in­stead [Page 97] of Word and Sacraments; which is no lesse then down right profanenesse, and (if any worship) a will-worship of their owne invention for it, never was of divine prescription. But in such also as professe to God and his Altar; I feare we shall finde upon serious enquiry, Al­tars at least formally, if not materially built besides the Altars of God: which if any do not discerne, I shall say for their conviction, as Samuel to Saul: What meaneth the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare? 1 Sam. 15.1 [...]. So say I, if we all cleave close to the Altar of God, what meanes the gathering of Church­es in the midst of us: the distinct and opposite Assemblies: the Church-Cove­nant made a dore of admission into Church-membersh [...]p, even unto the bap­tized into one body: the cry of men a­gainst the Ministerie as Antichristian: and the Assemblies of Christians reform­ed, as Babylonish whores: the lowest of the people making themselves Mini­sters: with the cry, that All the Lords peo­ple are holy: and the very opposition of Gods owne Ordinances (as to the mat­ter of them) in the different formes of [Page 98] administration? Do we not see some dipping in rivers and standing pooles, whilest others are baptizing in places of publick worship: some breaking bread in distinct societies, shutting the doore on such as themselves cannot deny to be by Baptism actually consecrated Church­members (if that be which cannot be de­nied, the doore of admission) but also not ejected, nay, themselves being wit­nesses, sincerely, godly, and savingly re­lated to Christ, though not conforming to their separate constitutions, whilest others administer the Lords Supper to the Lords people as such, though not in such a Church-way? nay, my brethren, may not we see principle against princi­ple, preaching against preaching, prayer against drayer, thanksgiving against thanksgiving, and Fast against Fast? as if we were resolved to confound the ve­ry God of wisdome with our divided worship of him: in which opposition both cannot be the Altar of God, the one must needs be our owne threshold and post set by Gods threshold and post in the Lords Temple: both cannot plead divine prescription, and therefore the one must needs be humane invention [Page 90] and superstition, whatever cry of holi­nesse and sanctity go before it, or ac­company it: now, which of these diffe­rent administrations are the Altar of God, and which the Altar against the Altar of God, I will not determinately pronounce, lest I be reputed censorious, and charged with violence and bitter­nesse, the common reproach of such as sincerely reprove the erroneous princi­ples and practices of our dayes: but to the exciting of the humiliation required, and the quickening of sincere worshippers of God to their duty, I shall briefly direct to the object by some few Characters, the usual concomitants of Altar-build­ing, that wheresoever we see such con­comitants, we may conclude, or at least be jealous, that they are the people acting the sinne of Altar-building: and if any mans conscience shall inferre the conclu­sion from such premises rationally pro­posed, I desire them to observe the counsel of the Apostle James, to be swift to heare, slow to speak, slow to wrath, know­ing that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of malicious­nesse, and receive with meeknesse the Word [Page 100] that is graffed in you, which is able to save the soule, James 1.19, 20, 21. Con­sidering the observation of a Reverend Expositor on the text, Mr. Mant. on James 1 Caracter. the worst thing we can bring to a religious controversie, is anger: the first character of Altars be­sides the Altar of God is, doctrines dis­sonant to the truth of God: for principles must needs square the practice and Altar-building must needs be theoretical be­fore it be practical: hence commonly called our owne inventions and imagi­nations so denominated from the cor­rupted understanding acting the same: The first prophane Altar that ever Israel are noted to provoke divine wrath with­all, was erected with the dissonant do­ctrine, These are thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee out of Egypt, Exod. 32.4. And throughout the whole History of the Altar-building of the backsliding Jewes we shall finde when ever the Priests offered unto Baal, the Prophets did prophesie lies in the Lords Name: If they do but formally build Altars, inva­ding the Priesthood, and corrupting the administration of divine worship, it must be ushered in with the doctrine of the peoples holinesse, and Moses and Aarons [Page 101] ambition, as did Corah and his company under the Gospel; this sinne is general­ly denominated mans doctrine, another gospel, the bringing in of damnable doctrine, divers and strange doctrines, by which such as follow them are said to be perver­ted and turned aside from the Gospel & doctrine of Christ: and this is observable, that the Apostle dehorting from divers strange doctrines, enforceth his dehorta­tion with this reason, We have an Alter, &c. Heb. 13.9, 10. As if he would have said, These divers and strange doctrines are Altars against that Altar we have re­ceived and owned: and when the Fathers (as was before noted) said of Hereticks, that they built Altar against Altar, it was occasioned by their cursed doctrines; so that where we see any with Arminius ad­vance mans free will against Gods free grace; or with Socinus teach our repen­tance to be Gods acquittance against the propitiatory satisfying (to divine justice) property of the blood of Christ: With the Familists, Seekers, or Anabaptists, to teach immediate Inspirations and Reve­lations of a pretended spirit, to be equal to, nay, above the authority of the Scrip­tures: With the Arians, to deny Christ [Page 102] his divine nature: With the Seekers to deny Gospel-Ordinances in the matter, or with Anabaptists in the manner of their administration: With the Separa­tists, to teach that pollutions are suffici­ent ground of separation from true Churches, though retaining fundamen­tals: that Baptisme is not sufficient to admission to Church-membership with­out the Congregational Covenant; that the holinesse of men, as Saints, meerely Saints, is a sufficient authority to invade the Ministerial function, and the like; there we may see, and with sorrow say, Altars are in building against the Altars of God: for these principles being op­pugnant to the rules of the Lords wor­ship, must needs lead to practices oppo­site to his prescribed performances: this Character is so commonly the concomi­tant of Altar-building, that many times the professors of this sinne conceale from their disciples the absurdest of their do­ctrines, till by some of lesse concern­ment they are made Skepticks in Religi­on, and so capable of admitting any do­ctrines: and when they dictate any, it is only as present light, which they may op­pose shortly: as much as may be decli­ning [Page 103] the teste and trial of the Word, that they may be usually and well called (by the epithete Tertullian gave them) Luci­fugae Scripturarum, shunners of Scriptures light.

The second Character of Altar-build­ing, as many times it's concomitant, 2. Charact. and indeed cause, tis the publike exhibiti­on of Astrological predictions, a religion amongst the Heathen, whose Altars stand opposite to the Altar of God; and wil­ling to be received as an Art among Chri­stians and professed people of God, but could never finde entertainment but un­der the defection from Gods true wor­ship and the erection of Idolatry and Su­perstition: Starrie prophecies were ever more suitable for Egyptian and Babylo­nish idolaters then Israel-worshippers at Gods Altars: never shall we read the same acted or allowed in Israel but in Altar-building dayes, and by Altar-build­ing Princes; and as it rose with this sinne, it fell with the same, being both toge­ther removed by religious Altar-reform­ing Princes: and usually the Prophets of God were found in Jerusalem the place of Gods Altar whilest Soothsayers and false Diviners were in Samaria the Al­tar-building [Page 104] Citie: the Prophet Isaiah joynes Iacobs being full with the manners of the East, Deute. 18.10, 11, 12. Isa. 44.25.57.12, 13, 14 and Sorcerers of the Phili­stines: with their being full of Idols, as the causes of Gods desertion of them, Isa. 1.6. Not to stand upon the several upbraiding expostulations of God with his owne people and other Nations for attending to the divined lies of their Magicians, Soothsayers, Star gazers, and monethly Prognost cators: I shall only desire you to observe that which seemes a very observable evidence of this con­comitant Character (viz) Gods promise in the restoration of his Church by Christ to cut off Enchanters, and that they should have no more Soothsayers: is joyned with the reforming of his owne Altar by cut­ting off their Idols and turning them from worshipping the work [...] of their owne hands, Mic 5.12, 13. Not only under the Law was this found to be a concomitant (if I may not say cause) of the many Altars against God, but also under the Gospel Soothsaying, Starrie Prediction, Astrological Prophecies will appeare an attendant on, or indeed rather a prepa­rer and precu [...]sor of Errors, Heresies, Schismes, and saddest corruptions in the [Page 105] doctrine and worship of God that Gos­pel Altar at which we worship: a wit­nesse hereof may be the Jewes, who in their blindnesse retaining Moses against Christ, are by the Apostle hinted to be opposite to the Altar of God, Heb. 10.13. Do not the dictates of their Starre-numbring Cabalists obdurate them in their superstitious way? Their false Pro­phets sometimes heighten their hopes of the approach of their fantastical Messiah (as did Abraham the Jew, assuring them that the time of his coming should be in 1464.) to the hardening their of hearts a­gainst the true Messiah already come: un­to which we may adde the experiences of the Primitive Church in the Hereticks that rose up to corrupt the Word of truth: if we consider those sorts of He­reticks, (viz.) Simonianists, Cleobianists, Dositheans, Gortheans, Menandranists, Carpocratians, Marcionists, Valentinians, Basilidians and Saturnilians) in the Pri­mitive times noted to bring in the false Christs, false Prophets, false Apostles, renting asunder the Church with their false doctrine against God and Christ; which Thebulis at Jerusalem received and began to propagate. Euseb. Eccl. hist. l. 4. c. 21. What a line of [Page 106] Astrology may be seene in their princi­ples, attributing the production of many and various things, to many and various powers: advancing their owne divinati­ons above Scripture-Divinity: and their Magical practices and enumerations to the astonishing of their auditors; nay, this line is not only to be seene in, but as it were to lead unto their corrupting principles and practice. Euseb. Ec­cles. hist. lib. 4. c. 21. Socra. Sch. lib. 1. c. 27. Euseb. in Eccles. hist. lib. 4. c, 11. We might here­unto adde Manes, the author of the Ma­nichees, the founder of the Heresie of two beginnings, who taught the wor­shipping of the Sunne, and the like princi­ples, properly flowing from starrie divina­tion: and Marke the knowne Magician, confuted by Jrenaeus, who baptized in the name of the unknowne father of all things, and in the truth mother of all things, &c. A clear Altar against Gods Altar. But to what purpose should we send so farre to finde Heresie attended with Ne­cromancie, when nearer home in later years it hath beene, and is the great in­strument to advance the Mahumetan and Popish superstition? who knowes any thing of the Papal stories, that knowes not this to have beene the step to ad­vance the man of sin, and that Astrolo­gical [Page 107] conclusions, starrie predictions, and magical actions have not only beene countenanced and allowed, but also stu­died and advanced in their order of ex­ercises: To the further evidencing its ex­istence in the Church; we might muster up the censures of free Councels and Eccle­siastical Assemblies: the condemnations of it by the Primitive Fathers: the wholesome Lawes, Imperial, Civil, Ecclesiastical a­gainst Diviners, Astrologers, and the like: the variety of punishments, as banishment, imprisonment, confiscation, death to the professors, or indulgers of starrie predictions, and confessions of some of their owne professors: all which do not only evidence its existence in, but also danger to the Christian Churches in the fulnesse of what is reported to have beene confessed by one Cornelius Agrip­pa, once an Arch-Magician, who bewail­ing his mis-spent youth in this Art, saith, They that professe to it, feare not to teach most pernicious Heresies and Infidelities: whilest they professe with impious temerity, that the gift of Prophecie, the power of Re­lig [...]on, the secrets of conscience, the com­mand over Devils, the vertue of miracles, the efficacie of supplications, and the state [Page 108] of the life to come, do all depend on the Starres are vouchsafed by them, and may be knowne by them. But thus much may be sufficient to evidence its concommi­tancie with this sin of Altar-building, both before and since Christ came in the flesh, and to give us cause, if we finde the same to shew it selfe in the midest of us (as it usually puts up in troublesome times and places, as most suitable to their doubtful destinies) to suspect Altar-building to attend it: but upon serious search, and diligent observation we shall easily see to the sadning of pious spirits, not only hath Astrology appeared under our confusions and commotions, but al­so not been rebuked, but rather indulged and countenanced, I, and by too many received to the emboldening of its pro­fessors with wonted impudency to enter the lists, and engage the contests for di­vining, predicting Astrology, so often foyled by Civil and Ecclesiastical cen­sures in the Church; nay, and by Hea­thens themselves, strangers to the Church: their raging arguments produced against arguments of reason and Scripture: the reviling tearmes against Divines and Mi­nisters of the Gospel, not only now li­ving [Page 109] to defend divine providence from their starrie encroachments, but even such as are long since rotted in the grave, doing what in them is, to the killing of their labours, which do live, and will live to their conviction and confusion: their declared enmity to Religion, pub­lishing and predicting as the pretended influence of the Starres, the variety of confusions and sad divisions concerning it: evermore prophesying evil to the Truth according to the wonted practice of its professors: and their blazing forth the least of failings; (nay, sometimes imagined) in Divines, to the rendring of their persons and function vile: whilest they sound the trumpet of their owne praise, often recollecting those things they have seemingly foretold, and have accidentally come to passe, but burying in oblivion their never accomplished pre­dictions (which may set Mercury on) work, as Seneca once wittily fancied, to intreat the gods to abridge the life of Claudius, if for no other cause, yet of ve­ry pitie and compassion to the poore A­strologers, as the great Plague threatened to be in London 1652. who had already beene taken with so many lies from year to year, that if the destinies were not more favoura­ble [Page 110] then their ground was, sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever:) of which, if a man should, as it is reported of the Lord of Arundel, note but their yearly Almanacks with repugnant notes at the beginning, they would oftentimes prove more true then such predictions. These things I say are not to be past without observation as the evidence of that height of their existence and coun­tenance in the midest of us (which may create our jealousie, if I may not say con­clude) the sin of Altar-building to be on foot among us: Astrological impositi­ons upon the peoples faith, lately started up with peremptorinesse and impudence; with the peoples apt reception thereof, as more infallible Prognostications of the government of the world and Church then either Scripture-prophecie or pro­mise provoked a reverend Divine to re­deeme time from his more serious studies to the posing and puzling of the Magi­cal-Astrological-Diviner: Mr. John Gaule his Magastro­mancer, posed and puzled: see his Epist. to the Reader induced by this very reason, conscience of duty (to use his owne words) to stand up, to speak a word for God, Christ, the holy Ghost, Church and Saints against a presse and pest of Ma­gical, magephemerical, magnastrological, [Page 111] &c. of books of late crept, nay, crouded in amongst us, to the dishonour of God, de­nying of Christ, despighting the Spirit, cau­ponizing of the Word, disturbing the Church, subverting of Religion, distract­ing of the State, scandalizing weak Chri­stians, and seducing of common people, yea, to the promotion of Idolatry, Superstition, Heresie, Schisme, &c.

We see then, my brethren, this sinful Art of Starre-divining, as a concomitant of the sin after which we are enquiring, to be too evident in the midest of us: I shall a little, and very briefly note to you the fitnesse of this sinful Art, to chara­cterize the sin of Altar-building, that to the quickening of your affections, you may more seriously heed it, though it hath beene but seldome hinted: and that in noting its nature, and the Churches ob­servation concerning it.

First, as for its nature: not to stand upon it as erroneous, and heretical as it is in it selfe, the rules of it, and inferences from the same became directly contrary to the doctrine of faith: not its aptitude to engage needlesse scrupulosities and superstitious observations of this as omi­nous, and that as lucky, to the enslaving [Page 112] a mans will in every action to the obser­vation of every circumstance, and subje­ction to the Starres: nor yet of its uncer­tainty, whereby the event sometimes falls contrary to the prediction, as Firminus, a friend to Saint Augustine found in observation of the fate of two children borne in his house, at one and the same moment, which yet was calculated by the starres to be the same, but by the Law and custome of the Countrey pro­ved quite contrary: I shall only note its nature in relation to this sin; and we shall finde it of a suitable nature to receive and propagate innovations and false will-worship, not only as it is Skeptical, cer­taine in nothing but the uncertainty of their owne assertions: but also as it di­sposeth the Stars and Celestial bodies into the chaire of divine providence, whilest, as was before noted, it placeth all, even se­crets and supreme happinesse in the power of the Planets, which doctrine must needs set them as objects of admira­tion, and so of adoration: a very natu­ral way to build Altars objectively, by giving the worship and honour of the Creator and disposer of all things to the creatures: without doubt this was to the [Page 113] Jewes as to other Nations, the leading principle to worship the Queene and the hoast of Heaven, nay, further, dictates a doctrine of universal Toleration of all religions: never in the least admitting any limitation or restraint which might be of too sad a reflection upon it self: Hence Ptolomy saith, that the disposition or in­clination which divers Countries have to worship one God before another, cometh from the constellation of the Planets: as Jupiter and Saturne make a Jew: Mars a Persian to worship the fire; Mercury a Christian: and with the Moon an Antichrist: so that whilest this sinful Prognosticating Art makes the Planets the authors, it must needs make them indulgers and approvers of the exercise of all religions, or religious formes, though never so repugnant and inconsistent each to other: (this is sure the reason why Astrologers have in our late dayes Prognosticated very often the liberty of all religions to be exercised, and no Discipline for the restraint there­of ever spoken for by them:) and is a fit foundation to build many Altars upon, as observed experience hath too clearly evi­denced, for as an every dayes Sabbath [Page 114] is no Sabbath, so an every way of worship without confinement to divine pre­scription is no way of true worship un­to God; for novelty will be building when at liberty: And Astrology it selfe may by this meanes come to be an Altar, a religion as it was among the Hea­then.

And lastly, it's enmity to Christian Re­ligion, which nature must needs render it very capable of introducing another, though directly opposite: this enmity is evidenced by that antithesis it hath ever stood in to Religion by the Magical ope­rators, and planitary predicters, notori­ous malice and envie in defaming, dis­gracing, calumniating, deriding, con­temning, opposing the Ministers of the Gospel: and predicting frequently the decayes of the encouragements; nay, and the very falling of their calling, (promi­sed to be perpetuated till the Church be perfect in heaven: Lord How­ard in his Defensa­tive a­gainst poy­son of sup­posed pr [...] ­phecie [...]. ch. 22. p. 111.) nay, not only is their enmity against the instruments, which must hold up and continue the Al­tar of God, Christian Religion, but by their fatal (yet hitherto false) predicti­ons against Religion it self; for in the first beginning and tender spring of faith [Page 115] the observers of the Planets gave out in their Pamphlets, That the Name of Christ should not be had in honour at the uttermost above two hundred yeares, which falling out by tract of time to be an egregious lie, Albumazar (to keep his disciples in life) adjourned the destructi­on of our Religion two hundred years higher, supposing undoubtedly this should be the utmost stint and period of our continuance, which (maugre their malice) continueth to this day, and shall continue; so that we see sufficient in its nature to make it a character being so ca­pable of being a cause of Altar-building.

But let us passe on to the Observati­tions of sincere worshippers of God concerning it: and what wise observer is or ever hath beene in the Church of God to whom it hath not appeared that those Astrological artists ever were more rife in Heathenish then in Christian, in Popish then in Protestant, in former then in later times? that they were al­wayes most busie in turbulent, distracted times and places, where wars domestick or forreigne, fitted people for sedition, faction or schisme, &c. that the proper [Page 116] fruits of their Schooles, Societies, Reli­gion, Practice, and Profession, were the nourishing of Nations in Idolatry, Sor­cery, Superstition and Impiety: that men of the greatest learning, wisdome, ver­tue, conscience and piety, have not deri­ded and despised them whilest men of the contrary disposition have feared their Prognostications, and believed their Predictions: but to close up all of much that might be observed, that when and wheresoever their Divinations and Pre­sagings were most received: it was not a fearful presage of a decay of Religion, and of a declining Church: in a word, that the Word Church, or true Religion of God never flourished, or was establish­ed in any Kingdome or Nation where Magicians, Diviners, Sooth-sayers and Astrologers were countenanced or con­nived at; nay, where they were not con­demned and suppressed.

Now, my brethren, these things con­sidered, I leave it to every unprejudiced man to consider whether the acting, ad­vancing, seeking to, or suffering in si­lence, Astrology, and its Predictions; give not just cause to Ministers of the Gospel to complaine of, and cry out a­gainst [Page 117] superstition, innovations, Altar-building against Gods Altar, as the sad attendant on, or effect of Star-gazing? and wheresoever we see in divided par­ties exerc [...]sing distinct practises, this Art to be owned, allowed, pleaded for, and believed; there we may conclude a just suspition at the least of their departing from the Lord and his worship, to fol­low their own inventions.

The third Character as the constant concomitant of Altar-building, is, dange­rous separations from the union of the Saints and body of the Church of God. This is that which I have before noted to be the sad effect of this sin, whether mate­rially or formally acted, as we have in­stanced in Corahs and his company's ga­thering a Congregation, and disjoyning themselves from the Camp of Israel: Jeroboam and his subjects separation from the Temple, not to this day cemented by many evidences and instances under the Gospel. Well may I then call that a concomitant, which was before pro­ved an effect of the sin, and well may that be a character, which is both a con­comitant and effect of Altar-building: and now (my brethren) I would I could [Page 118] say with the Apostle, I rejoyce to see your order and stedfastnesse in the faith: your order in orderly union, every member keeping its proper place without ambi­tion or murmuration, and all keeping close in that one body into which we were all baptized, but alas! (horresco re­ferens) I speak it to our shame and sor­row this day in the sight of God, What man that can but halfe see, seeth not fa­ctions, schismes, and sad divisions to en­crease in the midest of us? some men not only professing to this Minister, and cry­ing him up, not only above, but against other Ministers; and others owning that, and adhering to him and his princi­ples, making them matters of faith, be­cause spoken by him, rather then ground­ed on the Word: so that some are of Paul, some of Apollo, as if neither them­selves, nor the Ministers were of Christ: these contentions, strifes, divisions, the Apostle doth not only not commend whilest he dehorts from such dissensions, but expressely condemnes them as car­nal: and seemees to hint the same to be a setting of them as objects of their faith, worship, and so Altars against Christ the true Altar of them all: whilest he expo­stulates, [Page 119] Is Christ divided? was Paul cru­fied for you? either were ye baptized into the name of Paul? rejoycing he had baptized few among them, lest they should say he baptized in his owne name: which expostulations are vehement affirmations, that such as de­nominate themselves by the name of their Teachers, as having their persons in admiration, though never so eminent; Cujus nomi­ne in religi­one censeri volumus ab eo redēptos ejusque nos proprios esse profitemur, baptismus est sacra­mentum confoedera­tionis cum eo in cujus nomen ba­ptizamur. Par. in loc. to divide Christ, to owne their Teachers, as their Saviours and Redeemers, and such into whose name and profession they were baptized, 1 Cor. 12.13, 14. not only are we (I say) thus divided in our profession of relations to this and to that Minister: but also in Church-way, some of Independent Church-wayes, some of Arminian, some of Socinian, some of A­nabaptistical, some of Seekers, and it were well if some were not professedly of ranting Churches and Assemblies; all which separate from the body of the Church, refusing to worship God with thē in way of ministration by him prescri­bed, by it practized: and such as do so divide, never yet disproved the same, ei­ther in matter or forme, notwithstand­ing their calumniating charges of all out [Page 120] of their way, though baptized, and appro­ved pious, as in wayes and hedges with the Heathen: as the members of the scarlet-coloured whore: brats of Baby­lon, subjected to Antichristian Ministery, out of the way of Christ, and there­fore to be gathered into a Church way: and exchange their baptismal admission into the Church for an admission by a Congregational Covenant; a word: pro­fession of the faith which is not in them; and engaging to joyne in such Assemblies, and be edified in their principles of new light, though never so contrary to the old light of Scriptures; nay, and unde­tected, and so subject unto changes: nay, let the several subdivisions, and with­drawing of members from collected se­parate Churches: the many Sects and sorts of Churches that have appeared and beene professed since the first rent from the body of the Churches in the Nation by the old Brownists, and of late Inde­penden [...]s, be a witnesse of this sad effect and concomitant which so clearly chara­cterizing the sin (whilest, as I before no­ted, all of these Sects and sorts that thus separate themselves from the Church, cannot be all, or any of them the way of [Page 121] Gods worship, who is one, and will be worshipped by his owne way, in his own Church.) may irritate our jealousie, may as premises lead us clearly to infer the conclusion that Altars are built, and in building against the Altar of God, with which our heart is to be affected, and our selves humbled before God, as becomes sincere worshippers at his Altar.

The fourth Character found to be the constant concomitant of building Altars against the Altars of God, is deadly en­mity to the Ministers of God which wait up­on Gods Altar. In all Religions, the Priest, or Priestly Office, (as essential to the support of the Altar-worship) is ever advanced, protected, and provided for by the friends, supplanted, opposed and de­stroyed by the enemies of such Altar-worship: and it is to me very observable, that Gods charge of constant waiting at his Altar, goes not without a Take heed thou forsake not the Levite all thy dayes, Deut. 12 19. So that Altar-Ministery, and the Altar it self, whether true or false, do alwayes stand together: what rebellious innovation read we in the story of Altar-building Israel, not accompani­ed [Page 122] with a resistance of the Ministery ap­pointed to wait at Gods Altar: the re­bellion of Corah and his company char­geth Aaron as well as, nay, more immo­derately then Moses, to have taken too much upon him: 2 Chron. 11.13, 14. the unjust affectation of the Priesthood is eminently reproved by Moses, and confuted by the miraculous budding of Aarons rod: and their Cen­sers beaten into plates: Jeroboam sets not up false Altars at Dan and Bethel without suspending the Ministers of Gods Altar ab officio & beneficio, 1 Kings 31.4. 1 Kings 18.19. from their work and wages, and the stretch­ing forth of his hand against the Pro­phet of God sent from Jerusalem: A­habs Altars and Idolatry is not acted without an Elijah's complaint, 2 Kings 10 2 Chron. They have broken downe thine Altars, and slaine thy Prophets: and if ever false Altars are subverted, and the Altar of God resto­red, if but by the seeming zeale of Jehu, or the sincere zeale of Elias, the Priests of Baal must be the sacrifice, that the Priests of God may be restored. 29.13.4 15.3. It is record­ed to the everlasting honour (and to the lustre of the reformation) of Asa, He­zekiah and Josiah, restorers of Gods true Altar, that they set the Priests and Le­vites [Page 123] (Ministers of the Altar) in their places, and provided their full mainte­nance to their encouragement; putting a period to the sad complaint that Israel had now for a long season beene without the true God, and without a Priest to teach, and without Law; not only do instances a­bound thus under the Law, (which we use the more, because of the proper use of Al­tars under it) but also under the Gospel. Is it not clear to every reasonable obser­vant eye; that the Jewish and Paganish Priests opposed by themselves, and pro­voked others against the Apostles of Christ? Do not the Apostolical Epistles demonstrate the deadly enmity of the false Apostles against the true Apost [...]es, calumniating them, subverting their Mi­nistery, and disswading from their main­tenance; necessitating their boasting beyond their purpose: and pleading in the defence of Ministerial mainte­nance, as by the Altar-rule it was requi­red, when themselves had sufficient and abounded? Did not the rage of Paganish persecution pursue an Ignatius or Policar­pus, and such Ministers of the Churches as the principal objects? will not an A­postate Julian subtilly labour to subvert [Page 124] the worship of Christ, by substracting the Ministerial maintenance: subverting the Schooles of their qualification, and by universal toleration, supplanting their Ordination of Ministers. If ever Arrius will build his Altar of denying Christ his Divinity, Athanasius must be the obj [...]ct of his opposition: so on the other hand, if a Christian Constantine will owne and advance the Altar and worship of God in Christ, he will court and comfort, che­rish and support the despised and deject­ed Ministers thereof; largely allowing of himselfe, and providing for their sub­sistence and encouragement: for super­sticious seducers, and will-worship-inno­vators know the Ministers of the Gospel to be like the Dog in the Fable, defend­ing the sheep from dissipation and de­struction by their wolvish property: and the sincere worshippers of God well know that God will not be enjoyed im­mediately, having appointed a Moses a Mediatour, nor can we expect the tender of divine worsh p in his immediate pre­sence, who hath appointed an Ordinance of intercourse betweene himselfe and his Church; the Ministery of his Altar, which he hath promised to vindicate and [Page 125] preserve to the end of the world: when ever he promised the communications of himself to, or the acceptation of worship from his Church: so that enquiring after the actors of this sin of Altar-building, we must observe who they are that express enmity, not to the persons of particular Mi­nisters only, but to the Ministery of Gods Altar, making it a sufficient guilt, odium, and object of enmity to be denominated a Minister; let us take notice who decline and despise it; Who are they that make this Office the object of railing and re­viling, denominating it Antichristian, needlesse, imperious, proud, insulting, enslaving men to needlesse nicity, and cruel bondage, and all because it corrects their errour, curbs their superstition, and commands in the Name of the Lord their obedience to divine prescriptions: who they are that raise persecution a­gainst, and with railing tearmes render Ministers as Ministers vile in the eyes of men; and by pretended revelations and prophecie decry the Office, saying, This Antichristian Order and its Ordination to this Office must meet with a period: proclaiming liberty to Christians as Christians to invade this Sacred Functi­on, [Page 126] and to speak in the Name of the Lord uncalled, and unqualified, and that provoke by principles, petition, or pre­tended example to destroy and have di­verted the maintenance of such as wait on the Altar, designed to them both by God and man: these, I say, that thus ap­pear deadly enemies to the Instrument of divine worship, the Ordinance of waiting at Gods true Altar, the Gospel-Ministery, although with seeming sanctity, and a shout of saintship, cannot be excused from just ground (of suspition at the least) of building Altars besides the Altar of God.

The fifth Character as the concomi­tant of building Altars besides the Altar of God, is, the dispensation of divine wor­ship, without the divine stamp of a due Call and Ordination: God never yet appoint­ed Altar-worship without an Altar-of­fice, which might not be common to e­very one, nay, which no man must take upon him, but he which is called of God, as was Aaron. Heb. 5.4. If Ministery be as (it can­not be denied) a distinct Office under Law or Gospel, it must needs have a due Inauguration thereunto; for as in a State an every mans Magistracie is a no Magi­stracie; [Page 127] so in the Church an every mans Ministery is no Ministery: a sinful seeking of the Priests Office, upon the pretence of the peoples holinesse, to be witnessed against by the plates of their censers, and the budding of Aarons rod is suitable to Corahs separate rebellion: a Whosoever will, let him bring a bullock, and conse­crate himself a Priest, is a fit Canon of Je­roboams constituted Altar-worship at Dan and Bethel: the high-way to bring the lowest of the people into the Priests Office. When did false Prophets run so fast unsent by the Lord, but when the Al­tars of Israel were increased like the streets in Jerusalem? Not to multiply needles in­stances in this clear case, let the observati­on of the Churches of God in al ages wit­nesse the usurpation of the Ministerial Function never to be found in the Church whilest the doctrine and worship of Christ was preserved pure and uncorrupt­ed, and never out of the Church when and where false doctrines and superstiti­ous innovations did abound: the promise of Christ concerning the restoring of his Altar and worship came not without a promise to vindicate this Office from the invasion of the uncalled trades-man [Page 128] to the shameful conviction which shall extract his owne confession: I am no Prophet, I am an husbandman men taught me to keep cattel from my youth, Z [...]ch. 13.5. If therefore we would finde who they are that sinfully build Altars, we must consider who they are that preach and practise ministerial discharges with­out due Ordination; who they are that countenance and contend for this usur­pation, counting it a glorious liberty that every man may lay his hand on his own head, and speak in the Name of the Lord: were the Lord as eminent and immediate in his vindicative stroaks for this sin un­der the Gospel, 2 Sam. 6.8 as under the Law, how many Ʋzzahs would be found dead for their uncalled setting hand to hold the Ark of Gods worship, notwithstanding the pretence of necessity: How many Ʋzziah-like leprous foreheads would be found amongst us, 2 Chr. 26.17, 18, 19. of such that by at least eighty Ministers of the Lord have beene warned; it is not for them, but for the Ministers of the Gospel to offer unto the Lord. But I shall conclude this Character as a just cause to irritate our humiliation before the Lord with that observation of reverend Doctor [Page 129] Hall upon a case not much unlike this, though something different: It is a dan­gerous thi [...] in the service of God to decline from his owne institutions; we have to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his owne worship (in matter and forme) just to require what he hath prescribed, and powerful to revenge what he hath required.

The sixth and last Character which I shall note to you, Blow at the root Observ. 8. p. 157. and I will but briefly note it, is doleful contests for universal Tolerotion of all religions, which (a wi [...]e observant) notes is nothing else but the putting of the true Religion out of all protection, whilest therein Satan labours to exempt, priviledge, and for ever to secure his Agents and Brokers (the Se­minaries and Teachers of soul-murther­ing doctrines) from being molested, dis­couraged and disturbed in his work by any Government and Discipline Eccle­siastical or Civil; whereby the hands of all in power are bound up (or rather cut quite off) that they may never be a­ble to serve God as they ought in the protection and propagation of his Gos­pel and worship: who seriously considers the strict Lawes the Lord left the Jewes [Page 130] for the keeping of them to his true Altar, and sees not universal liberty leading from the same, to be sinful: nay, who considers mans novellous nature, and sees not a necessity of being kept to some one Religion by authority, knowing men are naturally bent to mint Gods services in their owne braine, and to go a whoring after their owne inventions, to the building of Altars beside the Altar of God: Was this sinne ever acted in Israel, where the sword was sharp and severe against innovations? The same may be demanded concerning the Christian Churches, and upon the contrary, was not this impiety evermore the effect of impunity and universal liberty?

I have done with the first part of the enquiry, whether in the midest of us Al­tars may not be seene besides the Altar of God? which we have too much cause to conclude in the affirmative: I have also noted the concomitants as Chara­cters of this sin, so that the subjects of dangerous doctrine: of divining predicti­ons: of dangerous separations: of deadly enmity to Gospel-Altar-Ministery: of di­spensing divine worship without due call: and of doleful contests of Toleration of all [Page 131] religions; may justly be more then su­spected abettors, advancers, if not actors of Altar-building: and who those are, I leave to the observation of the wise, whose eyes are in their head: and passe forward to the second matter of enqui­ry in order to our humiliation.

The second thing to be enquired, for the defect of which we are to be hum­bled in the presence of a God of jea­lousie, is, Whether the sincere worshippers have or do according to their duty see to this sinne of Altar-building? wherein we might enquire after their sensible obser­vation of, and affectation with the sin: their seasonable caution, and serious counsel to desistance; their speedy ac­commodations of their brethren in mat­ter of accidental temptation: and their zealous resistance of the sin according to their places, which was before noted to be acts of this duty in the religious Israelites: but instead of a spirit faith­fully discharging these duties, it were well, if to our griefe, and Gods great dishonour, some that have, and eminently do professe to the worship of the true God in truth, and whose places more e­minently engage their priority in su­specting [Page 132] and seeing to innovation, su­perstition Altarbuilding were not to be seene.

First, staid by their self-interest from furious driving (with a seeming zeale for the Lord of Hosts) against the Al­tars and Priests of Baal, suffering Jehu-like, Jeroboams Calves at Dan and Be­thel, and the high places thereof to stand unremoved and unrebuked, if not un­observed as to their sinful nature, so soone as the house of Ahab is subverted and themselvs established in the high pla­ces of the Kingdome: as if Prelatical in­novations and superstitious ceremonies were to be destroyed as obstructors of their honour and high enjoyments, not as of a sinful nature of humane inventi­on, and against divine prescription: a­las! how many may we fear are so blind­ed with golden thrones and great reve­nues, rhat they cannot see (or rather will not) and so deasned that they cannot hear the reports of Apostasie, backsli­ding, error, heresie, and erected in­novations, whereby they depart from the Lord to build Altars besides his Altar.

Secondly, if they be seene and heard, [Page 133] are not some that should be covered with shame, and sit in sorrow for so grievous a guilt, and greatly provoking sin: re­joycing and readily solacing themselves, and with Altar-building Israel, Ex [...]. 32.18 shouting not for grief, but great joy: counting, and calling it a glorious liberty of con­science: reputing the time of the Tolera­tion thereof the glory of Gospel-dayes, rebuking the rebukers of so grosse pro­fanenesse; nay, and what is worst of all, with brazen faces, and as given up to strong delusions, think they do God good service that so do: pressing into the pre­sence of God with solemne praises, as if God were an object of confused ad­ministrations: Contem­plation on the golden Calfe. and direct opposite wor­ships: May we not with sorrow consider with Doctor Hall, that it is a miserable thing for Governours to humour people in their sins, and instead of ma­k ng up the breach, to enlarge it? Do we not know that sin will take heart by the approbation of the meanest looker on? but if authority once second it, it growes impudent.

Thirdly, some seeing the sinne, and saying in their hearts, would it might not be, remaine sinfully silent, not consider­ing [Page 134] that the wicked are apt to interpret the silence of God himself as an argu­ment of allowance: Psa. 50.22 and that he that sees the wickednesse of the wicked when du­ly called to speak, and warnes not from the same, Ezek. 3.18. Acts 2.26. is chargeable with the guilt of the sin, and responsible for the blood of the sinner: How farre is this from an Apostolical spirit, who will speak, though by speaking they create ene­mies?

Fourthly and lastly, see we not some speaking against the sin, yet slack in their rebukes, much below the zealous resist­ance of the Jewes in the text, who mince not the matter, but in down-right termes discover the nature of the sin, and denominate it a rebellion against God and us: and dictate the aggravati­ons therof to render it vile, and not only so, but with sword in hand, and resolu­tion in heart to reduce them to obedi­ence, warne their desistance, but how many Superiours are l ke old Eli in their rebukes? It is an evil report that I heare of you, my sons, do not so evil against the Lord. Is it not sad to see in very many families, wives, children, servants sinful­ly following innovations and humane [Page 135] inventions against the truth and worship of God with the silence, or at the best but slack rebukes of their husbands, pa­rents and masters? whose sovereignty exercising its just severity, might be an instrument of keeping them more close to the Altar that is of divine prescripti­on. It will be no excuse in the day of the Lord, for our neglect or coole, luke­warme discharge of our duty, to say we looked for God to reduce them into o­bedience to his owne will, when God hath invested us with authority, as in­struments to this end: since God him­selfe expects this from man, why should man expect it from God? We might re­member, though God could as easily have prevented and redressed the Altar at Horeb by an immediate hand, yet he sends Moses downe the Mount to do it, by shewing his severity: severe expressi­ons of anger against Altar-building, do very well become and suit with the meek­est Mo [...]es.

I have done with the enquiry, I shall leave to your serious and second thoughts how to finde out the guilt and subjects thereof, only if such guilt be found in the Churches of God in the midest of us: [Page 136] that Altars be built, or in building a­gainst the Altar of God, and not regard­ed or seene unto: it is to us matter of mourning; and to the exciting your hu­miliation, give me leave to suggest to you two or three considerations as so many aggravations of this evil so vile in its nature, as hath beene evidenced: but as to us will be found thereby much more vile and grievous.

The first thing that may excite our sorrow is such a motive as is in the story under consideration: viz. It is a sinne committed whilest [...]od is striking for late iniquity: Is the iniquity of Peor, too lit­tle for us from which we are not cleans­ed to this day, although there was a plague in the Congregation of the Lord? Josh. 22.17. What a vile nature have we, that whilest our wounds are greene for a past, to run upon a new rebellion? did not our late dayes abound with supersti­ous innovations, giving cause to the Pa­p [...]sts insultingly to say, we were posting towards Rome? were not many pious people burdened in themselves to see Surplice-service, Altar-bowing, Eastern-worship, and the like, introduced to, and imposed on the Church as absolute [Page 137] parts of divine worship? Were not ma­ny faithful Ministers for their non-ob­servance of such will worship suspended, silenced, and for their zealous resistance many wayes afflicted? Was not the Lord provoked? did not his displeasure arise? have we not felt the weight of his stroke, and smart of his rod? are our wounds yet healed, our desola­tions repaired, and our glory restored? O then may it not be grief and heavi­nesse of spirit to see some so soone to be turned from innovations of ceremonies to the bringing in of innovated do­ctr [...]nes, from such as were but circum­stantial, and conserved the substance of divine worship, to those that are funda­mental, in danger to subvert the whole frame of the divine Altar of Gospel-worship? O how sad is the echo that (methinks) I hear uttered from heaven against England, Why should you be smitten any more, ye revolt more and more.

The second thing that may affect our hearts, and engage our hearty humilia­tion before God for the sin of Altar-building may be this; that if it be found in the midest of us unresisted, it is a sinne [Page 138] committed under a solemne Covenant, wherein we stand obliged to the Lord, and with chearful hearrs and hands lift­ed up to the most high God, have sworne,

That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of God, en­deavour in our places, &c. the preservati­on of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, &c. And to bring the Church­es of God in the three Kingdomes, to the nearest conjunction and unifermity in Religion, in Confession of Faith, Forme of Church-government, Directory for worship, and Catehizing, &c. Artic. 1.

Secondly, We shall in like manner with­out respect of persons, endeavour the extir­pation of Popery, Prelacy, &c. Supersti­tion, Heresie, Schisme and Prophanenesse, and whatso [...]ver shall be found contrary to sound doctrine, and the power of godlinesse, &c. that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdomes. Ar­tic. 2.

Whatsoever is conceived, and hath beene pleaded by some for the cessation of the obliging power of some Articles in this Covenant, yet I keow not any that have denied its obligation, and yet [Page 139] binding force in these Articles, and to these duties, unlesse it be such as profane­ly jesting with the whole, have called, or counted it an Almanack out if date: whilest therefore we are under the Oath of God, may we not be covered with shame to see it broken? Oh, can we with comfort remember our past condemnati­on of Vowes violation, and dispensations from the obliging power of Oaths in others, and run our selves under the same guilt? O perfideous Nation that will keep no promise made, though to the God of faithfulnesse! O perjurious people, whom sacred bonds cannot binde, nor solemne Oath oblige! Can you without blushing look upon the Co­venant hanging in the places of Assem­blies, it may be many of your names subscribed to it, as an evidence of your solemne obligation by it: and remember that whilest you have sworne uniformity, you propagate, or at least indulge mul­tiformity of Religion? whilest you have sworne the extirpation of Baals Altars, do you countenance or carry on the e­rection of Sup [...]stition, Heresie, Schisme? whilest you have sworne to endeavour that the Lord m [...]y [...] one, and his Name [Page 140] one: Do you cast his worship accord­ing to your wills, and cast off his owne standing rule, and indulge mens wor­shipping him, and professing his Name according to their corrupt fancies, pre­tended to be conscience? think you not God to be a God of jealousie, that will, and of power that can avenge the quar­rell of his Covenant? Against what sin hath his severity beene expressed so much as those sins that have beene acted after, and against solemne Oaths? Let us with sorrow and shame remember that the Lord was wroth with Israel, and put them out of his sight, because they for­sook his Statutes and his Covenant: and made Calves, and built Altars unto them contrary to his commandments, 2 Kings 17.15, 16, 17. and their obliging oaths.

But thirdly, we have the more cause to be humbled before the Lord, for that the severe judgements of God may seize upon us, and we have cause with feare to expect them: I have before noted that Altar-building doth incurre Divine displeasure, and subject a people to the fury of the Lord: how may we mourne to see the sin acted and allowed, which [Page 141] is the sad omen of approaching mi­serie.

Fourthly and lastly, this may affect our hearts, and fill us with sorrow, that sinful Altar-building is a sad provoker and symptome of the Lords departure; Jer. 6.8. the last, but heaviest of his judgements. God will stay and threaten many miseries before it come to a least my soul depart from you: I cannot but much observe the words of Phineas in this story, when the two tribes and halfe vindicated themselves from the jealousie of their justly suspicious bre­thren concerning their Altar-building, Rectè colli­gunt alle­gati seho­v [...]m apud Israelitas presentem [...]sse quia [...]e igionis consensus adhuc ab ipsis colitur Mas. [...]n loc. This day I perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not done this trespasse, Josh. 22.31. which words do clearly imply, that Altar-building against Gods Altar, is an undoubted argument, not only of Gods future, but present ab­sence: for if by unity and consent in divine worship Gods presence be ar­gued; by the rule of contraries, dif­ference in, and dissent from divine wor­ship must needs argue his absence: Con­trariorum contraria est ratio: Contrary reasons enforce contrary assertions. O then, my brethren, is it not a woe to us, [Page 142] that God is departed from us, certain­ly Gods departure in respect of his counselling, sin curbing, guiding and di­recting presence, is a sad presage of his departure in respect of his blessing, preserving, protecting presence: the fi­nall absence of God is hell it self: then every with-drawing of himself must be a spark of that fire: Happy is the man or place with whom God stayes to chide; for whilest he stayes to reprove, there is favour in displeasure; but when he leaves either man or Church, there is no hope but of sin and vengeance▪ the withdrawing of divine presence is notbing else but the presence of his wrath: O can we read the Schismes, Errours, Heresies, and many innovati­ons in the midest of us; those sad ef­fects and symptomes of divine with­drawing, as written in most legible characters without grief in our hearts, and tears in our eyes; nay, with a loud cry of golden liberty, and glorious times? O let us smite upon our thigh, and say, What have we done? Let us sit in the dust and sigh: Let us call for the mourning women, that they may lament: considering that the most [Page 143] heart-piercing and doleful tune that ever Altar-building Israel did lament­ingly expresse as the very height of their maladies and calamities, was the Comforter that should relieve my soul, is farre from me, Lam. 1.16.

The second Use that I shall make of the Point, is of exhortation unto such as professe (but are suspected in the Church of God) to be sincere worshippers of God: and unto them I would in the Name of the Lord de­sire to think well of their brethrens jealous enquiry after their courses, and suspition of their rare and unusual pra­ctices springing from unknowne princi­ples: and with a spirit of meeknesse beare their just reproofes and Christi­an cautions, composing themselves to give an account unto their brethrens demands, and readily to declare the grounds and reasons of their more then ordinary undertakings: I do not de­ny but just actions may be unjustly suspected and condemned to be sinful: but if this jealousie can plead igno­rance, it will thereby expect justifica­tion rather then censure: animosity of spirit, and outcries of violence and [Page 144] bitternesse against the modest demands of jealousie doth very much argue guilt: for it is an observation as true as com­mon, Innocencie fears no trials. We shall finde an example in this very story worthy imitation, the ten tribes and a half heating of an Altar-building-work, by their Ambassadours make a severe expostulating, reproving de­mand of the ground and end of so sudden, strange, unconsulted, and un­declared action: yet we here have no complaints of violence, bitternesse, or censoriousnesse, but a speedy and meek submission to their brethrens demand, readily declaring their motive to this work (viz.) to engage posterity to Gods Altar before the Arke, their end in the erecting this Altar to be, that it may be a witnesse of their relation to the God of Israel: Where is the spi­rit of brethren which should engage a ready satisfying of the suspitious de­mands of brethren? Where is the spi­rit of due subjection to the authority of the Churches, which should declare principles and practices, and submit them with meeknesse unto triall? If brethren stand at distance from such [Page 145] and expressed offence against their singu­lar unusual courses, may they not reflect upon themselves, and conclude it to be a self created crosse, whilest in pride or peevishnesse they refuse to declare and submit to censure the ground and end of their strange proceedings? Have not ma­ny a Phinehas both joyntly and singly de­sired of separating congregational bre­thren, a platforme of their pretended way of Christ, a sum of their setled prin­ciples to which they would stick, without making new light old: an expresse of the rules drawn from Scripture, which shall regulate their practice and proceedings so different from their brethren, if I may not say dividing from the body of the Church of God; that they might be com­pared with the patterne in the Mount, the Scriptures of God, by which all the way of the Churches must be judged? O that I might once more intreat in the name of the sincere worshippers at Gods Altar, though not so immediately delegated as was Phinehas, or some of the Ministers of Gods Gospel-Altar that have demanded it) that they would at last (after all their protestations, that they would walk clos­est with Ch [...]ist according to Gospel-rule, [Page 146] and Apostolical practice: their solemne promise to their brethen, the perform­ance of which hath been long, though in vaine expected:) approve their brotherly affection, and a due subjection to the au­thority of the Churches of Jesus Christ, by drawing up a plat-forme of the way in which they walk: accommodating their brethren with the principles that rule their practice, submitting the same with alacrity, and meeknesse, unto trial: that an inability or unwillingnesse to di­scover the same, stirre and strengthen not suspition, and give us cause to conclude them Lucifugae Scripturarum, decliners of trial. Let me once more note to them this is necessary, that their principles may justifie or condemne the practice of some that have taken up the profession of Christ in their way; for if we must gather their principles from present practice: their gathering Churches out of Church­es: their covenant-admission into Church-membership: their private mens preach­ing and administration of Sacraments, with the Schisme they have made from that one body in which they were bapti­zed: we cannot but be jealous with a ho­ly jealousie, that they do at the least for­mally [Page 147] build Altars against the Altar of God.

The second exhortation which may rather be a dehortation, is unto such as are turned aside from the holy com­mand, and do either materially, as the Pap [...]sts and others; or formally, as con­gregational Separatists, build Altars be­sides the Altar of God: in the Name of the Lord desist your work, stay your pro­ceeding, cease to build; for your work will finde no acceptance with the Lord. Shall I use to you the dialect in the text, Rebel not against the Lord and against us (your brethren,) to build you Altars beside the A [...]tar of the Lord. Consider that al­though Gods patience may long beare, and whilest you offer Incense to the Queene of heaven, and corrupt the wor­ship of a holy God, you may have plen­ty of victuals, you may be well, and see no evil; yet fury will be provoked, and take away corne, and wine, and oyle, &c. Hos. 2. Consider, and lay it seriously to heart, that offering false fire to the true God, and adoring a false god, are Homo­geneal, of the same nature, Altars against God: God is provoked to jealousie by the rivality of false worship, as well as of false gods.

I shall not I hope againe need to open the fury of the Lord provoked by, and ex­pressed against this sin: only let me in ge­neral note to you, that God hath resolved to cover Altar-builders with shame, and fill them with blushing, notwithstanding his long silence he hath resolved that they shall be ashamed of their strange sa­crifices, Hos. 4.19. and of the Oaks which they have made, and the gardens which they have chosen, Isa. 1.29. Know, that if any will presume to step out of his calling, and speak in the Name of the Lord, uncalled; that God hath said, who both can and will see it done: The Prophet shall be asha­med every one of his Vision; and in their shame shall say, I am no Prophet, I am an husbandman; for men taught me to keepe cattel from my youth, Zech. 13.4. I cease to admire, & cannot but adore the just deal­ing of a righteous God, that the doctrine & practice of the Nicolaitans was usually an attendant, or effect of the Heresies and Innovations of the Primitive times, and that sinful separations and Altar-build­ing innovations in matter or in forme, hath produced indulgence of filthy and abominable Ranting principles and pra­ctices in our dayes: when I seriously con­sider [Page 149] that sad denunciation of this shame­ful judgement in Hos. 4.12, 13, 14. The spirit of whoredome hath caused to erre, and they have gone a whoring from un­der their God, they sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burne Incense up­on the hills under the Oaks, &c. Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome, and your spouses shall commit adultery: I will not punish your daughters when they com­mit whoredome, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are sepa­rated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots. Take heed lest God say unto you, as he once said unto Ephraim, be­cause they have multiplied Altars to sinne, Altars shall be unto them to sin, Hos. 8.11. For pretended piety in the increase of Altars may be justly punished with obdu­racie in the sin, that God may say, Seeing they will introduce sinful innovations contrary to divine prescriptions, they shal so do to their shame and sin. The Lord perswade the hearts of such as superstiti­ously build Altars in matter or forme be­sides the Altar of God, to returne and sincerely speak the language of repenting Ephraim, What have I to do any more with Idols? So, what have we to do any more [Page 150] with Altars, Innovat [...]ons, humane inven­tions? we will wait on, and follow after divine prescriptions.

The third and last exhortation is, to such as are sincerely, and indeed worship­pers of God at his own only Altar, hold­ing fast the Covenant of God walking according to divine commandment, and keeping communion with the Churches of God; them I would exhort in the Name of the Lord to stick close to the Altar of God, and set your selves in your several places against such as build Altars against Gods Altar: Let not your souls be unstable in the wayes of the Lord, de­clining divine prescriptions, and embra­cing humane inventions, and superstiti­ous innovations: Let the world witnesse you to be conformable Non-conformists, who not conforming to some Canons and Customes of the Churches, contrary to, and inconsistent with the Canon of Scripture, yet readily conforme to the worship in matter and forme, composed according to the patterne in the mount, the Word of God, conserving the unity of, and communion with the Churches of God, that continue the Altar according to divine prescription: set your zeale a­gainst [Page 151] superstition, rushing from extreme to extreme, schismatical societies, and he­retical principles, and practice; proclaime sincerity, and not schisme; following 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) [Page 152] 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 [Page 153] 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 [Page 154] 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 [Page 155] 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 thr [...]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 und [...]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 [Page 156] doctrine of Jesus Christ, Ferus in Decla. in Josh. 22. Vtinam ta­lis zelus in nobis esset, & quidem non unum [...]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 [Page 157] 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 [Page 158] 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 [Page 159] 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.