And now if I should put into this scale the whole Oeconomy of the Jewish discipline their Oblations and Incense their New Moons and Sabbaths their calling of Assemblies for Feasts or Fasts and their Prayers too as Isai 1.11 they would for want of mercy be found too light To what purpose are they saith God v. 11. Who hath required this at your hands v. 12. Bring no more vain Oblations incense is an abomination to me I cannot away with it it is iniquity even your solemn meetings ver 13. they were esteemed but mock services by God for want of mercy to their Brethren Two other instances I shall add because they seem of great weight First That of Circumcision which is called Gods Covenant with Abraham by which he promised to be his God and the God of his seed Gen. 17.10 and the Apostle-calls it a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 And as God instituted it so he commanded the observation of it by a severe Sanction The Vncircumcised was to be cut off Gen. 17.14 And the Rabbies tell us that as God appointed destroying Angels to that end so he assigned guardian Angels to every one that was Circumcised Certain it is that they bearing the marks and tokens of Gods Covenant in their flesh did boast themselves to be Gods peculiar people And as our Apostle intimates they preferred it to the Cross of Christ which the Apostle though he himself was Circumcised abhors with an absit Gal. 6. ver 14. But it was a saying among the Jews that Circumcision was equal to the keeping of the whole Law and that Heaven Earth could not stand if Circumcision were omitted therefore they made the eight days before Circumcision to be a preparation for that solemnityat which they invited their friends as witnesses and Sponsors for the child that he should observe the Statutes of the God of Israel and in the later times had always an empty Chair set for Elias expecting that he should descend from Heaven to be a witness of the Circumcision and yet in truth it was as the Apostle saith a a burthen which neither they nor their Fathers could bear and therefore God himself dispensed with the use of it to this people forty years together in the wilderness Acts 15.10 and though St. Paul was Circumcised and to make his own and Timothy's ministry the more acceptable to that people Acts 16.1 took Timothy and Circumcised him yet he teacheth them that if they were Circumcised i. e. with an intention to obtain Salvation by the works of the Law Christ should profit them nothing And Galatians 6.15 to them that were in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availed any thing neither uncircumcision but a new creature by which he understands Gal. 5.6 faith which worketh by love And in the 1 Cor. 7.19 a keeping the Commandments of God so that circumcision was not to be contended for when the propagation of the Gospel or Charity came into competition with it A second instance shall be that of the Jewish Sabbath of the profanation whereof the Pharisees complained to Christ of his Disciples Matth. 12.2 and for whose vindication our Saviour urgeth again the right understanding of this Text v. 7. If ye had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless Many of Christ's Disciples as well as himself were circumcised and so obliged to sanctifie the Sabbath according to the Commandment and great were the punishments which God threatned and inflicted on the transgressors such as struck a terror to them which made them run into superstition insomuch that they would not go out of their places nor dress their meat nor carry a stick nor defend themselves against their enemies on that day And the crime for which the Disciples were complained of was rather for transgressing their tradition than any precept of God for if the fault was their walking through the Corn-fields it doth not appear that they exceeded 2000. Cubits which was allowed by them for a Sabbath-days Journey if plucking the ears of Corn that was approved by the Law Deut. 23.25 If for eating which seemeth most probable because our Saviour answered the objection by the instance of David's eating the shew-bread yet being hungry their necessity might excuse them nor was this forbidden though perhaps contrary to a superstitious practice of theirs for which the Heathen upbraided them i.e. their Sabbath-days Fasts therefore Christ vindicates them as guiltless upon the plea in the Text I will have mercy c. As if he had said You Pharisees do not understand the substantial and spiritual part of your own Law for as long as there is not contumacy or contempt in the neglect of Ceremonial Precepts but the excuse of a just necessity or the rational consideration of a greater good to out-weigh that neglect God will not impute it as a sin Of this our Saviour convinceth them by the instance of David v. 4. and of the Priests in the Temple profaning the Sabbath by dressing the Sacrifices for they were wont to say In the Temple there is no Sabbath If then the service of the Temple excused the Priests for profaning the Sabbath the service of Christ who tells them of himself that he was greater than the Temple v. 6. might excuse his Disciples who being Prophets and Preachers of the Kingdom of Heaven were greater than the Priests of the Law as our Saviour said of John the Baptist Matth. 11.11 Now a Prophet even under the Law was above the Law of the Temple and might sacrifice in any place as Elias did and therefore it could not be unlawful for Christ's Disciples so earnestly attending his work that they became hungry having no other provision to eat a few grains of Corn for their present relief Again our Saviour tells them v. 8. that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath which that he speaks of himself as the Messias who had power to abrogate and alter the Sabbath is the opinion of some though not so clear because Matth. 16.20 he would not have it yet known that he was the Messias and if our Saviour had made this his argument he needed not to have used any other Others therefore think that by the Son of Man is meant every Son of Man for Christ himself was not blamed but his Disciples whom he pronounceth guiltless for this reason The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath which S. Mark expresseth more plainly to this purpose Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man and so the argument stands thus That which was made for another thing is to give place to that for which it was made but the Sabbath was made for man ergo c. Now though the Jews were so superstitious that even in the time of the Maccabees they would not defend themselves against their enemies on the Sabbath-day yet shortly after they began to grow wiser and would not only
pray against their Governors and Brethren instead of praying for their Enemies and use less reverence to the God of Heaven than to mortal Men it is as clear as any demonstration in Euclide that they have not the spirit of God to assist them in that duty wherein they are most confident of it that for the reason given in the 2d part of the Text because they are sensual The second part of the Character That sensuality is the ground of separation notwithstanding the pretences of the spirit will be no difficult task to prove and therefore I shall not take into the personal impurities of some deluded Sectaries and thence reflect upon the whole Party which is their own practice but a pitiful one for Si insectari personas sit causae deploratae indicium eorum causa est deploratissima but shall only consider the principles on which they act the means which they use and the ends which in all Ages they have designed all which will prove them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be sensual The signification of which word will best appear by the Antithesis in the Text for if they have not the spirit of God to authorize or act them in what they do it must be from some lower principle and that is either corrupt and carnal reason for right reason is from God or from meer sensuality that is such sentiments and motions as are common to the Beasts with us In this sense Tertullian being yet a Montanist who called themselves Spirituales used the word against the Catholicks whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which St. Jude more plainly expresseth by walking after their own lusts for in such Men v. 18. both Reason and Religion are made subservient to the sensual faculties of the Soul to promote worldly and carnal interest There is in the will and affections of such Men a vicious inclination to make provision for the flesh to fulsil the lusts thereof Now the lusts of Men are by St. John distinguished into three sorts the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life the three Idols of the worldlings under the names of Pleasure Prosit and Honor which though every one cannot pursue severally at once yet as opportunity serves they are well-willers to them all And certain it is as both the Scripture and Philosophy observes our Lusts do make us degenerate into Beasts and as the Beasts differ in their dispositions according to their several kinds so do sinners according to their several lusts resemble some beasts more than others Quem non vincit gula vicit philautia some are like Swine for their filthy conversation others like Goats and Satyres for uncleanness others like Foxes and Wolves for subtilty and cruelty and in uno homine mille ferae When Reason it self as well as the irascible and concupiscible faculties of the Soul are acted by the sensual and fleshly appetite no Beast is more hurtful and brutish than a Man And now I have but one supposition to be granted and I hope our greatest Enemies will be so charitable as not to deny it That in the Church of England we do profess a sound Faith and may lead a godly life This I will not take pains to prove now having spoken to it at large I only add this That I believe as many Learned and Pious Men have both by their Lives and Deaths their Pious Works and Writings as much honoured and defended the Church of God Militant and are now added to the Church Triumphant from the Church of England since the Reformation as from any National Church of the like extent ever since the Apostles days nor did any of the noble army of Martyrs and Confessors now in Heaven hold Communion with a better established Church while they were Militant here below We want nothing but humble devout and thankful hearts to make us an happy People To which end I recommend to you the advice of St. Augustine to Dioscorus disswading him from curious questions If any saith he shall propose to you questions of subtilty tell them It is not your study if they ask What then is it that you do study Answer them thus I have learnt how without the knowledge of such things a Man may be happy Now if we may not only communicate with this Church without sin but have all things necessary to a holy and happy life administred it must be levity and inconstancy some carnal sensual or worse designs that hurry us to a Separation I wish they that have been chief actors would examine their Consciences what they have added to their own inward peace and spiritual comforts by all the troubles and distractions which they have occasioned to their Brethren and where they think the account of all the rapine bloudshed and confusion besides the present hatred and fierce animosities that have so long overflown us and now threaten another Deluge will be charged at the last day But to my purpose which is to prove Sensuality to be the ground of Separation De unitate Ecclesia S. 8. Let no Man think saith St. Cyprian that good Men can be drawn from the bosome of the Church the Wind cannot dissipate the solid Wheat to which St. Augustine adds that by the very act of separating we shew our selves to be Chaff and no Wheat But that I may as much as is possible remove all prejudice against my discourse I shall first acquaint you with what the Scripture says concerning Separatists The first were the Pharisees whose Motto was Stand off I am holier than thou who challenged not only the Keys of Knowledge but of Heaven also to let in and shut out whom they pleased insomuch as they said that if but two Men of all the World were to be saved one of them must be a Pharisee what painted Sepulchres doth our Saviour discover them to be proving them to be guilty of greater sins denouncing against them greater judgments Matth. 23. and representing them at a greater distance from the Kingdom of Heaven than Harlots and Publicans St. Paul gives the like description of some in the Church of Rome Rom. 16.17 18. Mark them that cause divisions among you Why what of them they are Gnosticks Men of more than ordinary Knowledge and Piety No says the Apostle if you do inspect them narrowly you shall find that though they pretend the Kingdome and Scepter of Christ they do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and that by vile arts too for with good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple The like Persons we find in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 3.3 whom St. Paul chargeth with carnality and proves it too There are among you envying and strife and divisions and can you deny that you are carnal No conclusion can result more naturally from proper premises than this of being carnal where envy
unity and rent the Body of Christ is the judgment of all sober Christians Our Saviour did not withdraw himself and his Disciples from the Jewish Synagogues because there was a High-Priest and the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses Chair A tolerable Sore is better than a dangerous remedy Mr. Hooker Nor did the Apostle perswade the Christians to forsake the Church of Corinth wherein were many profane Persons and great abuses but he disswaded them from their divisions which had given occasion to those scandals And if the Church in imitation of her Master do retain some sinful persons in her Communion in hope to reform them it is no charitable course to seduce her Disciples as here the Pharisees did Why eateth your Master with Publicans and Sinners If the Church did impose such Sacrifices as the Church of Rome doth for the Living and the Dead a few Pence at the Pope's shrine for Sins past present and to come if it did require that daily Mock-sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Mass of which they themselves can have no great esteem seeing they order it to give place to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worship of the Cross on a certain day set apart for that end on which saith Durand Rationale l. 6. c. 77. Horâ nonâ convenit ad adorandam crucem vacare they must be wholly intent upon the Worshipping of the Cross as if that were indeed the Altar that did Sanctifie the Sacrifice or if they did impose such gaudy and numerous Ceremonies as should quite hide and obscure the substance of Worship and Devotion that it might be said of the Church as the Poet says of his gaudy Girl Pars minima est ipsa puella sui Then we might have cause not only to recede but to resist as the Martyrs did but to contend as Hugh Broughton and Mr. Ainsworth did to Separation and enmity upon a needless controversie whether Aarons Ephod were of a Blew colour or Sea-water-green and Tragoedias agere in nugis to act Tragedies upon no other ground than our own fears or jealousies and to use our Christian Brethren as the Heathen did their Predecessors wrap them up in the skins of Wolves or Bears by defaming slandering and condemning them as Profane and Antichristian persons and then bait and devour them this is to deal worse with them than the Pharisees did with Christ Suppose there were a better Government and discipline revealed than ever yet was known or practised in the Church suppose the Presbytery were agreeable to the pattern in the Mount as some phrase it and if they had said to the pattern of the air it had been alike intelligible yet if it could not be erected without Rebellion and Rapine without the effusion of Christian bloud and rasing the foundations of Churches and Kingdoms that were well established in the truth and peace of Christ the Text doth warrant the rejection of it I will have mercy and not Sacrifice But wherein I pray doth the Discipline opposed by Presbyterians c. to the Peace and Unity of the Church exceed or parallel that which is already established or is it as venerable for antiquity as the Jewish Sacrifices were is there any thing of such beauty as the Temple and the several Orders of the Priesthood is it such a prop to the Royal Tribe as the Priesthood was or doth it serve the Ends of Religion as the Sacrifices did Alas very little of all this will appear it is but an invention of yesterday that like Jonah's gourd sprung up in a night and hath a worm alwayes gnawing at the root and yet men think they do well to be angry and to contend for it even to the death of their Brethren Hath not God said I hate robbery though it be for burnt-offerings will God be well-pleased with such as sacrifice their Loyalty and Charity and all moral virtues to a pretended Reformation of Ceremonies This Mask is so worn out that a Pharisee would be ashamed of it and yet a late Gentleman hath taken it up and though his business was to cast fire into the several parts of the Nation especially into the Churches yet makes himself very merry and tells us in his Rehearsal that the good Old Cause was not only good enough but too good to be fought for but God forbid that others should be of his mind to think only so well of it as to fight for it again for it is so impossible that any Cause fought for with such horrid circumstances as that was should be good that if an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1.8 much less when only one transformed into an Angel of light should assert it I have warrant enough not to believe him The Sacrifices and Discipline of the Law were termed by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.7 the ministration of death because without shedding of bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was no remission Heb. 9.22 And if in this the Discipline contended for do resemble the Jewish Sacrifices in the shedding the bloud not of Beasts but of Christians and cutting and dividing the very body of Christ in fire and smoke and making whole Kingdoms burnt-offerings we may be assured the God of Mercy cannot be well-pleased with such Sacrifices The Honour of God the Success of the Gospel and Salvation of Souls is not concerned in the erecting of such a Discipline nor in contending about Ceremonies which are not otherwise hurtful to those great ends but by our needless contentions about them If we could order our Conversations according to the Doctrine of the Church we need not fear of displeasing God by Conforming our Devotions to the Liturgy of the Church for the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men There is no Reason we should be thus disjoyned and mutually branded By. Hall in a Serm. of the mischief of Faction p. 83. This man is right ye say that man is not right this sound that rotten and how so dear Christians what for Ceremonies and circumstances for Rotchets or Rounds or Squares Let me tell you he is right that hath a right heart to his God what Form soever he is for The Kingdom of God doth not stand in meats or drinks in stuffs or colours or fashions in noises or gestures it stands in Holiness and Righteousness in Godliness and Charity in Peace and Obedience and if we have happily attained unto these God doth not stand upon trifles and niceties of indifferency and why should we Away then with all false jealousies and uncharitable glosses of each others actions and estates Let us all in the fear of God be intreated in the bowels of our Dear Redeemer as we Love our Selves our Land our Church the Gospel to combine our counsels and endeavours to the holding