THE word [Notwithstanding] is discretive, and plain­ly refers us to the Context for the right understan­ding of the words read to you. Israel having compleated the Conquest of their Enemies, and being in a peaceable possession of the Promised Land, chap. 21.43, 44, 45. Joshua, their Captain-General, calls an Assembly of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh, and having commended them for their Obedi­ence to God and to himself, and for their Love and Fidelity to their Brethren, he commands them to get to their Tents, and to return to the Land of their possession, which Moses gave them on the other side of Jordan, v. 1, 2, 3, 4. And because 'tis not enough to begin well, and for a season to hold on in a good course; therefore as at their first Assembling he commended them for what they had alrea­dy well done, so at their dismission he charged them to persevere in well-doing: And so blesseth, and withal orders them, when they are returned home to their Brethren, that they make them Sharers with them in the Spoils of their Enemies, v. 5, 8. that it might ap­pear that the common good was a greater Incentive to their cou­rageous Encounters, than a private gain; and that a present taste and experience of the beneficial fruits of their Victory, might most effectually provoke their Brethren to joyn with them in Praises and Thanksgivings for it.

Sect. 2. Now the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh in their return, being come unto the borders of Jordan, do not com­bine to erect triumphant Monuments of their signal Victories over their Enemies, but how to secure their religious interests in com­mon with their friends, in the Worship and Priviledges of the Ta­bernacle. Though the Soil they possess be different from that of the Land of Canaan, yet the Inhabitants of the one, as well as of the other, shall acknowledge the Lord of the Soil to be the same. Though they do not possess the same Land, yet they will enjoy the same God. And though their Habitations be at a greater distance from the place and symbols of Gods special presence than those of their Brethren, yet they will make a solemn Protest, and record a sensible Evidence for them, that they are as neerly related unto God, and have as good a claim to all the Rites and Memorials of his gracious Name and Commerce, as they.

Sect. 3. For this purpose they built an Altar over against the Land of Canaan in the borders of Jordan, v. 10, 11. not like that in the Tabernacle, for Sacrifices, but for a Memorial to succeeding Generations, that they and their Seed may resort with the rest of the Tribes to the Tabernacle, and partake with them in all the ser­vices and priviledges of it, v. 10. comp. with 24. a practical demon­stration, how highly they prized a Right to the fellowship of their Brethren in the same Rites of Religion, which they endeavour to entail to their Posterities, as well as secure to themselves.

Sect. 4. And what is the effect of this zeal for their God, and affection for their Brethren? Truely, it was here, as too often in o­ther cases, that which was well meant was ill taken; for as soon as the other Tribes heard of this Altar, they were so alarm'd, that they presently call a Council of War, supposing those who were very lately their Champions to be their Enemies, are so enrag'd a­gainst them, that notwithstanding their late usefulness to them, and neer Relation with them, they seem to designe them as a Sacrifice for their Altar, v. 12. but before they will go to extremities with them, expose them to their revenge who exposed themselves for their defence, they will expostulate with them before they will do execution upon them: and therefore sent chosen Messengers to [Page 3]them to reason the case with them, v. 13. And 'tis well they did so; for though it was bad enough to judge before they tryed them, yet 'twould have been much worse to persecute and destroy them too.

Sect. 5. That they sent Messengers to them, was an Argument that they were not implacable and inexorable: but the grievous offences they were commissioned to lay to their charge, was too strong an Evidence, that there was in their Enterprize too much of a passionate Fury, and too little of a well-advised Charity: for, from meer jealousie and suspition, they attaint them with no lower crime than Rebellion against God and themselves; that is, either an Apostacy to the Worship of a false God, or a Separation from the Worshippers of the true. They thought the erection of a new Altar implied the adoration of a new God; and the consecration of a new Tabernacle or Temple, a separate religious Commerce and Communion from that formerly they had been obliged unto and exercised in; a guilt so tremendous, that it threatned destruction from God to them.

Sect. 6. Now though this Charge be so very deep and heavy, that it looks rather like an invidious Accusation, Challenge, and Defiance, than a charitable Embassage for Amity, Peace, and Con­cord, and seems designed rather to Exasperation than Accommoda­tion; yet the words I have read to you, plainly evince, that the Intent was charitable, pacifick, and healing. For the words are an Expostulation, or a Reasoning with them, to work them to a consi­deration of what they had done, and the consequences of it; that they might reclaim them rather by the strength of Reason, than ruine them by the force of Arms. In them we have three things considerable:

• 1. A Supposition, If the Land of your inheritance be unclean.
• 2. A Concession, Then pass ye over into the possession of the inhe­ritance of the Lord, wherein the Lords Tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us.
• 3. A Limitation of this, But rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord our God. I shall discourse of each in order.

Sect. 7. Here is a Supposition, If the Land of your inheritance be unclean. They may suppose, but not grant it; for their inheritance was undoubtedly part of the promised and holy Land, as well as the Land of Canaan. And indeed the Supposition is not grounded on any misperswasion the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh had concerning the Land, but on their own rash and un­charitable jealousie and suspition. 'Tis very likely, that because the Land which the Reubenites, &c. were to possess, had not the Tabernacle and Altar in it, the onely place unto which all the Tribes were to resort for the exercise of the publick Ministeries and Rites of Religion, and there was no place like it on the other side of Jordan, they inferr'd this conclusion, That the Reubenites, &c. were prejudiced against their inheritance, because without the visible signs of Gods special presence. From whence by the way, without any digression, we may observe, That Gods Church and People then thought, That that Land was unclean (that is, excluded from Gods special favour and protection) which had no Places by publick consent set apart and consecrated for the exercise of religious Worship and Communion. For as the first-Fruits under the Law were to sanctifie and procure a Blessing upon the whole Harvest; so Places dedicated and peculiarly appropriated to the publick Worship and Service of God, are for a Blessing to the whole Country and Land where they are, Psal. 84.3.

Sect. 8. But that which I designe principally to commend to your consideration from the Supposition, is this, That a People pro­fessing the Lord to be their God, from a mistake and misperswasion of the nature of things, I mean from a conceit that things are unholy and unclean which are not so, may separate themselves from a publick reli­gious Commerce and Communion, and from the holy things of God. This the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel supposed the case of the Reubenites, &c. to be. And this is really the case of many now; they are more led by Opinion than Truth, more under the power of Imagination and affection, than Reason and Religion. What is it which buildeth their Church, chuseth their Teacher, prescribeth their Discipline, measureth their Devotion, formeth their Prayers, composeth their Gestures, and ordereth all [Page 5]their significations of Reverence to God, but their Conceits and Phantasies? Although it be not in the power of any mans judge­ment and conscience to change the natural condition of things, to render things essentially good, evil; or essentially evil, good; but every thing will retain its proper nature and condition, be a good or evil of the same quality and degree it naturally is, whatsoever mens Judgments and Perswasions of it are; yet mens Judgments and Conseiences have such power and influence upon themselves, that they may render a thing good and clean in its own nature, evil and defiling in its use to themselves. This the Apostle plainly asserteth, That there is nothing unclean of it self [that is, no kind of meats prohibited by the Mosaical Law, to which it refers] but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean, to him it is unclean, Rom. 14.14. the reason of which you have in the last clause of the last verse; for whatsoever is not of Faith, is sin; because by the constitution of God and Nature, mens Wills and Actions are to be guided and go­verned by their mental Perswasions and Consciences; so that if they counteract them, they rebel against their immediate Over­seer and Ruler.

Sect. 9. And such is the power and prevalency of mens Opinions and Perswasions, that they build as strong a Resolution upon them when they are erroneous and corrupt, as when they are right and sound: for Errour is not entertain'd as Errour, but as Truth; and a man is as firmly bound by it in his own perswasion, as if it were Truth, and is as much prejudiced against the contrary Truth, as if it were a very bad Errour. Hence the Devil hath had his Martyrs as well as God; for Mr. Smith in his Remarks of the Manners and Religion of the Turks, gives us an instance in a Ma­hometan that suffered death rather than he would acknowledge, That there was a God: And Mahometans have been as zealous for their Mahomet, as Christians for their Christ. Hereticks and Schisma­ticks have been as zealous for their Fictions, as the Orthodox for their Faith. The false Prophets under the Law would as confident­ly call their Dreams and Imaginations, The Word of the Lord, as the true Prophets their divine Visions and Revelations. Hence Zedekiah the false Prophet struck Micaiah the true Prophet, saying [Page 6]to him, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee? 2 Chron. 18.23. Bloody Saul was as much concern'd for the Re­putation of the Law, as St. Paul for that of the Gospel; I verily thought (said he) that I ought to do many things against the Name of Christ, Act. 26.9. He did what he did against Christ, from clear convictions of Judgment and Conscience; and he testifieth of the Jews, That they had a zeal of God, were hearty and affectionate in their Piety and Devotion, though it were not according to know­ledge, Rom. 10.2. and so to no advantage. And our Saviour tells his Disciples, That their Enemies would think they should do God good service to kill them, John 16.2. And accordingly Tertullian tells us, That Maximinian, who sometimes offered humane Sacrifices, accounted the blood of Christians the most acceptable sort for the atonement of his angry Deities. So that men may be as confi­dent that they are in a right mind, when they wickedly separate from the publick Worship of God, and the Communion of his Church, as they are who confidently persist in their faithful adhe­rence to it.

Sect. 10. Secondly, Let us consider the Concession made upon this Supposition; Then pass ye over into the Land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lords Tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us. A Proposition full of Love, Compassion, and Indulgence; and a convictive Evidence, that their hearts were more inclined to Peace than War; and were rather disposed to receive Satisfaction, than to inslict Punishment. And in truth, whatever the Provocation be, Treating should go before Fighting; for War must always be used as strong Physick in desperate Diseases, as the last Remedy; and can never be just, but when 'tis necessary and unavoidable. Indeed the persons here offended, were really the Offenders; and afterwards being better informed, justified the fact they now condemned, which was designed to prevent for ever the very thing they so severely blamed at present: but they thought themselves the wronged Par­ty, and answerably acted the parts of men provoked by factious and rebellious Brethren, declare the iniquity and mischievous malignity of the Fact, and the tender resentments they have of it; and yet rather than they will run the hazards and endure the calamities of an Intestine War, dash one against another, and turn their Swords, [Page 7]as it were, against their own Bowels; they sue for Peace, offer terms of Accommodation, give the Law into their Brethrens hands, will lose something for a quiet life, buy a Peace rather than fight for it, and so suffer a second wrong rather than revenge a former.

Sect. 11. I will briefly open the sence and scope of the words themselves, and then offer an Observation or two to your conside­rations. Canaan is not here called The Land of the possession of the Lord, oppositely and in a way of discrimination from the Land of the Reubenites, &c. as if that were not so too; but eminently, and in a way of peculiarity, from the Tabernacle of God which was there, in which was the Shecinah, the special presence of God. And there­fore the Tabernacle was called the Tabernacle of Meeting; not be­cause the whole Congregation of Israel was to meet there, but be­cause it was the place where God did in a most special manner meet with his People, Exod. 29.42. Numb. 17.4. Exod. 32.3. shewing by many special Evidences of Grace and Glory, that he was there, to instruct, protect, and bless them, Lev. 1.1. & 9.23. and to receive Homage and Worship from them, Psal. 48.1, 2. From whence by Analogy, and from the consideration of the nature and general reason of the thing, we may infer, That God is in a most special man­ner present in those places which are set apart for his service, and are appropriately his. Those places which by a publick designation are set apart onely for the Offices of Religion and the use of holy things, have God's Name set upon them; and God hath such a peculiar propriety in them, that he makes them the places of the special determination of his gracious presence. I have sanctified the House which thou hast built, 1 King. 9.3. that is, I have accepted what thou hast dedicated; what thou hast designed for my Worship, I have designed for thy Blessing.

Sect. 12. We have the Memorials of God's Name, Symbols and Tokens to testifie God's Covenant with us now under the Gospel, as they had under the Law; and why should not those places which are selected and employed to partake of them, be graced with Gods special presence now as well as then? Place is as necessary for the solemn and publick Worship of God, as Time; and if some select portion of Time be to be appropriated unto God, and more acceptable [Page 8]to him than other, why should not select places be so too? 'Tis true, the Tabernacle and Temple were places of Gods own imme­diate appointment, and had extraordinary Priviledges and peculiar Rites; but 'tis as true, that from the instinct of Nature and com­mon Reason, there were publick places set apart and erected for Gods publick Worship, with Gods approbation, long before these places; and had Gods special presence determined to them too, Gen. 28.16, 17, 18. Exod. 33.7. and 'tis as true, that for the same reason the Jewish Synagogues, which were of humane and pruden­tial institution and appointment, were called by the Holy Ghost, The Houses of God, Psal. 74.8. & 83.10. Our Christian Temples and Oratories are by him also called, The Churches of God, 1 Cor. 11.22. even because dedicated and appropriated to his service: And 'tis plain from the Apostles Argument drawn from the presence of Angels with Christians assembled in them, v. 10. that God is spe­cially present in them; the specialty of Gods presence being gene­rally specified by the presence of Angels, which are Gods Houshold-Train and Retinue, Acts 7.5. comp. with Exod. 19.16. & 18. Dan. 7.10, Isai. 61.1.

Sect. 13. Hath God said, That where two or three are gather­ed together in his Name, there am I in the midst of them? Mat. 18.20. He hath said too, That he loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, Psal. 87.2. for there he commandeth his bles­sing, and life for evermore, Psal. 133.3. and therefore the Psalmist asserteth, That a day in Gods Courts [ i. e. spent in partaking of Gods publick Ordinances with the solemn Assemblies of his people in his House] is better than a thousand, Psal. 84.10. And elsewhere professeth, that this one thing he had desired of the Lord, as a most de­sirable favour, and that would he seek after, that he might dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, Psal. 27.4. and when he was debar'd from access to it, he was as a dry and thirsty land where no water is, and therefore longed to see Gods power and glory so as he had seen it in the sanctuary, Psal. 63.1, 2. which implieth, that he had observed that God did there manifest greater impressions and expressions of his power and goodness, than in any other place in the world. And I know no reason any body hath to believe that God is less [Page 9]propitious to publick religious Assemblies in his holy places now, than he was formerly. I am sure his Ordinances are not less essi­cacious, nor he himself less gracious, nor are holy places less capa­cious of Gods presence and blessing. So that if we come hither and depart without special advantages to our Souls, 'tis because we are wanting to our selves; we do not use holy Places, holy Ordi­nances, and holy Assemblies, in that manner, and to those ends and purposes we should. And 'tis to be scared, that meeting in secret Chambers, yea, Barns and Stables, and such-like places for ordinary and prophane Employments, have been and are preferr'd before our Church-Assemblies, because very few have senses exercised to discern betwixt things that differ, and know what it is to meet with God in his ways of acceptance and benediction.

Sect. 14. The next thing here considerable in my Text, is, That they offer them liberty to take a possession among themselves; that is, to share with them in that Inheritance which fell to them by Lot when the Land was divided. 'Tis very likely, that a considerable part of the Land being yet in the possession of the Canaanites, that part of it which they at present enjoyed, was little enough for them­selves; to be sure, they had no great supersluities; and yet so far do they prefer Religion before Interest, an inconvenient Mainte­nance before a mischievous Separation, that they freely offer to dis­possess themselves, and to disinherit their Posterities, rather than their Brethren shall separate from the Worship of God in Commu­nion with them. From whence this Observation naturally offers it self to us, That the Church and People of God had rather depart from their Estates, than their Brethren should wilfully and causelesly depart from a publick Fellowship with them in the Worship and Service of Gods House. They will rather communicate their worldly Goods to them, than be deprived of Communion with them. They are the men of this world, who have their portion in this life, who are more for Dives his good things, than for the good Fellowship of Gods Church. The men of God, who are expectants of an Hea­venly Kingdom, value that most which hath most of God in it, and therefore account the Communion of Saints a more eligible enjoy­ment than large possessions. The Evangelical Church having [Page 10]higher Obligations and stronger Motives to Love, Unity, and Peace, than the Jewish had, ought to be proportionably the more careful and zealous to preserve her Communion entire and invio­late; and consequently, wilful and causeless Separation from her, is in a due estimate a far greater Calamity to her, than any worldly adversity or distress whatsoever; and she cannot be duly affected with the evil of it, unless she have greater thoughts of heart for it, than for any worldly loss whatsoever. The Reasons of it are these:

Sect. 15. First, Because they are more for God than for them­selves; would rather Gods Name should be hallowed, than their own turns served. If the Church of God be despised (as most cer­tainly it is, when her Members divide and separate themselves from her) the Name of God is prophaned: for the Church is called by Gods Name, and marked for his; and therefore the one cannot be despised, but the other must be prophaned too: and is it not better that our Estates should be lessen'd, than the celebrated Honour of God abated? The one is a penal evil, an evil onely contrary to their present well-being as men, and in some cases eligible; but the other is a sinful evil, an evil contrary to the Will, and in a sence, to the very Being it self of God, and in no case eligible. And you shall finde, when the Prophet laments the evil portion of the Church, her sins and not her sufferings are the principal objects of his Lamentations, because the worst evils upon her, and the procu­ring causes of all the rest, Lam. 1.5, 8, 9. And David was more passionately affected and afflicted for the wickedness of his very E­nemies, than for his own Exile and Reproaches, Psal. 119.136. And why was it? Even because he laid Gods dishonours to his heart more than his own wrongs.

Sect. 16. Secondly, Because they love their Brethren as them­selves; and therefore do not seek their own things as to forget the things of others, but account other mens innocencies more valuable than their own conveniencies, and consequently more endeavour the eternal salvation of their Brethrens Souls, than a temporal pro­vision for their own Bodies. What is said of Adam's first sin, may also be said of sinful Separation; 'tis virtually every sin, a violation [Page 11]and breach of the whole Law. For 'tis a sin so formally and de­structively opposite to love, that if love be the fulfilling of the whole Law, as the Apostle tells us it is, Rom. 13.10. then Separa­tion is an evacuating of the whole Law. And St. James expresly asserts, that where Strife and Division is, there is every evil work, Jam. 3.16. that is, such men are not onely at odds among themselves, but also with God and themselves, counter-acting too often, to make and maintain a Party, their own Judgments and Consciences: And is not Separation then a very likely way to Reformation? How light soever some men make of Divisions and Separations, they are no other than the Smoak of the bottomless Pit, the exudations and workings of that flesh which is Enmity against God, Gal. 5.19. and the Authors of them are represented by the Holy Ghost, notwith­standing their pretences to the Spirit, as carnal, 1 Cor. 3.3, 4. such as have not the Spirit, Jude, v. 19. nor are Servants to Christ, but Servitors to their own Bellies, Rom. 16.18. Yea, such is the Malig­nity of this sin, that Divines, both Ancient and Modern, assert it to be the greatest wickedness. Mr. Edwards, an eminent Presbyterian, and a Member of the Assembly of Divines, tells us in his Gangraena, second part, p. 197. That Schism, of it self, even with sound Doctrine in every point, is a most grievous wickedness, which exceeds all other wickedness. And Optatus, and St. Augustine before him, have ob­served, That for this sin, God more severely punished Corah, Dathan, and Abiram (though they fell into it from a pretence to Holiness and great Humility, Numb. 16.3.) than he did Cain for his Murther, or the Israelites for their Idolatry, Epist. 142. And Mr. Crofton, a man who preached, and wrote, and suffered as much for the Pres­byterian Cause as any man in England, plainly asserts in the Presace to his Saints Care for Church-Communion, That groundless or causeless Separation from true Churches, such as he acknowledgeth and contendeth the Parochial Churches in England to be, and Self-constitution of new Churches, and Self-consecration of a new Ministry, are fundamental Er­rours, and inconsistent with a state of Salvation. And he hath a very good warrant for so saying; for the Holy Ghost himself taught him, That they which addict themselves to Divisions, shall not inhe­rit the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5.19, 20. Now if Schism be of such a [Page 12]dangerous and damnable importance to the precious and immortal Souls of men, what price can be given too great to prevent or re­deem from it? Certainly, if we ought to lay down our lives for our Brethrens safety, 1 John 3.16. we should not think the expence of our Estates a cost too dear for it.

Sect. 17. Thirdly, Because there is a greater interest of their own, even self-preservation, requires it. The danger of a Separation is not onely to the Separatists, but to the whole Society of Christians, from whom the Separation is made. Eccles. 9.8. One sinner destroy­eth much good, especially a Schismatick; for Schism is to a Church, what Sedition is to a Kingdom; divides, and so destroyeth it. A Kingdom divided cannot stand, but is brought to desolation, Mat. 12.25. Other sins destroy the Church effectively and consequentially, but Schism formally and directly: for Schism is to a Body Ecclesiasti­cal, what a Solution of continuity is to the Body Natural; doth not like an Ulcer corrupt a part, but cuts or rends one part from ano­ther; and when a compounded body is dissolved, 'tis destroyed. Therefore when the Psalmist aimed at the defeating of his Enemies Conspiracy against him, he prayed, Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, Psal. 55.9. i. e. as the Languages of the Babel builders were divided, which brought their Plots to an utter confusion, Gen. 11.7. So that Division and Destruction go together. The Members of Christs Church are called Living stones built upon a spiritual house, 1 Pet. 2.5. Now you know, so long as Stones in a Wall are ce­mented and joyned to one another, the Wall stands firm, one Stone supports and holds fast another, they mutually contribute preserva­tion to each other, and to the whole Wall: but if you sever one Stone from another, 'tis no longer a Wall, but a ruinous heap. Church­uniting is Church-edifying; but Church-dividing is Church-destroy­ing work. And therefore Mr. Baxter very plainly and honestly tells the Nonconforming Ministers, That if they set themselves in a dividing way, secretly to rejoyce at [the Conforming Ministers] dispa­ragement, and to draw as many from him as they can; they are but De­stroyers of the Church of God: Call your selves what you will, (saith he to them) I will call you Destroyers, if you are Dividers. Sacrilegious Desertion, page 91.

Sect. 18. 'Tis true, every Division in a Church, and Separation from it, doth not actually end in the destruction of it, but yet 'tis the proper and direct tendency of every Division and Separation; and the Dividers and Separaters are as really and compleatly guilty, as if they did actually accomplish it; the ineffectualness of their de­signe proceeding from a defect of natural Power, and not of Will and moral Endeavour. And though every Division do not even­tually conclude in the destruction of a Church, yet 'tis a very heavy Oppression to it, and a most grievous Persecution of it.

Sect. 19. 'Tis a very heavy Oppression to it. We are all Debtors to the Church of God, Rom. 1.14. and so far as we are Christians, owe to it our very selves, Philem. v. 19. for it is the Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. and doth not onely give us being, but also ministreth nourish­ment and increase to us, Col. 2.19. Eph. 4.16. and therefore we can­not alienate our selves from its Communion and Service, without doing great injustice and wrong to it. Separations from a Church are very injurious to it, in five respects: 1. In respect of its Being and Existence. 2. In respect of its Beauty and Loveliness. 3. In respect of its Fame and Reputation. 4. In respect of its Stability and Strength. 5. In respect of its Propagation and Inlargement.

Sect. 20. First, Separation is an Oppression to a Church, in re­spect of its Being and Existence. The Church is as the Body, and we are as Members of the Body; and is it not a great wrong to the Body, for the Members caufelesly to rend themselves from it? If the Life be more than Meat, and the Body more than Rayment, Luke 12.23. then 'tis a greater Oppression to destroy Life, or to dismember the Body, than 'tis to take away outward Accommo­dations, which are onely for Food and Rayment. By Moses his Law, he was guilty of death that stole a man, Exod. 21.16. and is his guilt less, that robs the Church of a Saint? Man being by the very constitution of his nature, a sociable creature, we cannot con­ceive him related to any Society, but we must conceive him bound to preserve it, and to be a Guardian to it, to protect and preserve it in all those Laws and Orders, Rights and Priviledges which are ne­cessary to its Being, Security, and Welfare; and is not he an Op­pressor which overthrows or weakens that Society which he is bound to maintain and support?

Sect. 21. Secondly, Separation is an Oppression to a Church, in re­spect of its Beauty and Loveliness. External Beauty and Loveli­ness is properly nothing else but a resultancy from parts harmoni­ously and orderly united and disposed: so on the contrary, Defor­mity is a resultancy from maimed or disordered parts. And who is there which doth not as much dread Deformity as Poverty? What would you not give or lose, rather than become ugly and a­bominable? And what are Divisions but a disordering of the parts of the same Body? And what is Separation, but a pulling of one part from another? Dismember a Body, and you must certainly deform it; pluck out an Eye, or cut off the Nose, or any other vi­sible part, and you will finde that you have deformed it. The Church of God, for the correspondency of her parts in Gods designe and constitution of her, is so beautiful, that she is altogether lovely; and is it not a great Oppression to her, by Divisions and Separations to bring Deformity upon her, and make her an Object of lamenta­tion to her compassionate Friends, and of scorn to her insulting E­nemies?

Sect. 22. Thirdly, Separation is a great Oppression to a Church, in respect of her Fame and Reputation. Detraction from Fame and Reputation, is as much and more an Oppression, than a detraction from any Civil Right or Possession can be. A good Name and Re­port is such a valuable Blessing, Phil. 4.8. Prov. 10.7. that good men of all sorts, in all Ages, have preferred it before either Pleasures, Eccles. 7.1. or Riches, Prov. 22.1. or Life it self, 1 Cor. 9.15. And the violation of it hath ever been ranked amongst the worst injuries in­cident to humane Society and Commerce. A man, or a Society of men, without Reputation, under contempt and scorn, is one of the meanest and most impotent things in the world. Now Separation from a Church is an high defamation to it, and most directly expo­seth it to contempt; for this represents it to the world as a Society of Christians apostatized from Christ, declined from the ways of God, gross prophaners of Gods Name and Ordinances, and consequently so devested of all goodness, that they are not fit for Christian Com­munion, but ought to be avoided and abandoned as Publicans and Heathens. This is the irresistible insinuation and true interpreta­tion [Page 15]of every Separation from a Church: for no Separation, from a Church is justifiable, but for that reason which God giveth why his people should come out of Babylon, That they be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues, Rev. 18.4. So that they which separate from a Church, disgrace and brand it for a Society of cor­rupt and infamous Christians, with whom God is not graciously present, and with whom good men should have no fellowship: which is the most injurious dealing can be met withal in the world, and cannot be resented without a great deal of smart and indigna­tion.

Sect. 23. Fourthly, Separation is a great Oppression to a Church, in respect of her Stability and Strength. One end why Christ im­bodied and formed his Disciples into a Church-Society was, that from their conjunction and relation, they might, like parts of the same body, contribute mutual help, strength, and succour to each o­ther. Two (saith Solomon) are better than one, Eccles. 4.9. to 13. that is, Society with Love and Peace is better than Solitariness, because 'tis useful to encourage Endeavours, to support under Burthens, to preserve from Dangers, to rescue from Distresses, to further and cherish in the discharge of Duties and Offices, and to sympathize and refresh under all Griefs and Sorrows. As Christ for his prote­cting and quickening influences on the Church, is compared to the Head, Col. 1.18. so every Christian for his subordinate assistance and beneficialness to the whole Society, is compared to a Member fitly and orderly joyned to the Body, Eph. 4.15, 16. So that, As the Eye can­not say to the Hand, I have no need of thee; nor the Head to the feet, I have no need of you, 1. Cor. 12.21. so neither can any the most per­fect Christian say to the meanest, I have no need of thee: for they all embarque in the same Bottom, and are engaged by the consig­nation of God to a common care and concern for the whole, and one another. The Church is said to be as terrible as an Army with ban­ners, Cant. 6.1. that is, whilst like an Army she continueth in good Order, Peace, and Unity within it self; because in such a case one Member is a succour and defence to another: And as every Soul­dier in an Army keeping his Rank and Order, doth partake of the benefit and advantage of the conduct, courage, and prowess of the [Page 16]whole Army; so every Christian abiding in that Calling wherein he is called with God, walking orderly in the Church, doth partake of the usefulness of all those Gifts and Graces which God hath bestow­ed upon the whole Church, 1 Cor. 3.22. Now we all find by ex­perience, that weak things united become strong, and strong things divided become weak: whence Scyllurus taught his eighty Sons by giving them a sheaf of Arrows, which together they could not break, but one taken from another they could easily break, That Unity and compacted Strength was the Bond that preserves all So­cieties entire and inviolate, but Division that which dissolves and extirpates them. So that he which separateth himself from a Church, and refuseth to supply his proper place and order in it, he breaks down her strong holds, and weakens her, and consequently oppres­seth her.

Sect. 24. Fifthly, Separation from a Church is a great oppression to it, in respect of its Propagation and Enlargement. We are all obliged to pray, and consequently to use our utmost endeavour, that the Kingdom of God may come, Mat. 6.10. that is, that the govern­ment of God administred by Jesus Christ, may more and more pre­vail, and be every where erected; or in the Apostles words, that the Word of God (which is the Scepter of his Kingdom) may have free passage and be glorified, 2 Thess. 3.1. by opening mens eyes, and turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Acts 26.18. and adding them to the Church, Acts 2.47. This is one of the great Interests of the Church; and whosoever sets himself to oppose it, is an Oppressor of it. You account, that he which unlawfully obstructs anothers Trade and Commerce, and hinders him from improving and increasing his stock, doth as really oppress him, as he that violently detains or takes his goods from him. And this is the case of all Separatists; as they do unjustly with-hokl from the Church what of right belongs to it, so they hinder it from enlarging it self, by begetting Scandals, and laying Stumbling-blocks against its Communion and Fellowship. 'Tis a thing both good and pleasant, for Brethren to dwell together in Ʋnity, Psal. 133.1, 2, 3. excites Admiration in the Beholders, invites their Affections, and encourageth them to a Commerce and Communion. [Page 17]But can we reasonably expect to gain the hearts of Jews, Pagans, Mahometans, Papists, and Atheists to us, perswade them to embrace our Religion, and to joyn themselves to our Communion, so long as we have such Variances, are at such Distances from one another, and cannot agree upon terms of religious Communion among our selves? Do not our Divisions and Separations seem to proclaim to all the world, that we understand not the intent and meaning of those Institutions & Laws which Jesus Christ hath imposed upon us, and are uncertain what that Religion is which we our selves profess, and commend to others as the best in the world? One Sect prea­cheth up that which another crieth down; and the religious Com­munion of one sort, is an abomination to another; and what one justifieth, another condemneth: And did you ever know disagree­ing Witnesses an effectual Proof?

Sect. 25. Besides, will a considering man unite himself to that City which is divided against it self? or chuse that house for his place of habitation, whose materials are falling asunder? and will not the Enemies of Christ think him an unmeet person to gather under his dominion and rule all the Nations in the world, who seems not able to govern those in Unity and Peace which are already sub­ject to him? 'Tis reported of Julian, that he thought the fomenting of Divisions in the Church, the most effectual way to suppress Chri­stianity, and to advance Paganism: and he had reason to think so; for the world will never believe that they are taught of God, who divide from one another, because the Spirit of Truth is never con­trary to it self; and the designe of all true Religion is to draw and binde men unto God and one another. And therefore you shall finde, that our Saviour prayeth again and again, that his Disciples and followers might be one, as he and his Father are one; and to this very end, that the world might believe that God had sent him, Joh. 17.21, 23. which implieth, that their Unity would be of principal in­fluence, to perswade the world that he came into the world on Gods errand, to destroy the works of the Devil, and to restore man to Gods image, favour, and fellowship.

Sect. 26. And you shall finde, that when three thousand were converted at one Sermon, and added to the Church, all the Chri­stians [Page 18]were with one accord in one place, and continued with one accord in the Temple, and were of one heart and one soul, Acts 2.1, 41, 46. & 4.32, 33. and then by the rule of contraries, they which cause divisions, cause offences, Rom. 16.17. and prejudice the minds of men against the Church of God, as if it were a Synagogue of Sa­tan, a Society to be shun'd and abhorr'd; which obstructs the pro­pagation and enlargement of it, and consequently is a mighty Op­pression to it.

Sect. 27. As Separation is an heavy Oppression to, so 'tis a grie­vous Persecution of the Church too. Persecution in the strictest and severest sence, is the prosecution of a person with a peremptory designe to ruine and destroy him. And what is Separation less than the execution of a designe to dissolve and destroy that Com­munity of Christians from which the Separation is made? Persecu­tors think the persecuted so bad and hateful, that they are not fit for the society of men: And Separatists think that Church from which they separate, so corrupt and degenerous, that 'tis not fit for the society of Christians. And as Persecutors would not have the persecuted to continue in being and existence among men, so the Separatists would not have the Churches they separate from, to continue in being and existence among Churches. They both act from the same inodiating and envenomed principle, and the aim of each horribly mischievous.

Sect. 28. Yea, I take the Separatists to be the worst and most cruel sort of Persecutors: for by how much the Rights and Privi­ledges of Christians, as such, are better and dearer to them than the Rights and Priviledges of men, as such; by so much the more of Rigour and Severity is there in the rejection of Christians from their Rights and Priviledges. Is it a very bad thing to suffer confiscation of Goods, imprisonment, banishment, and death? 'tis much worse to be rejected from the love and fellowship of God and his Church, the means of Grace, and the hope of Glory. Whatever some in­considerate folk may think, to be dealt withal as intolerable in the Church, is much harder usage than to be dealt withal as intolerable in the Commonwealth; for the outward, earthly, and temporal con­dition of the Body, is onely concern'd in the one; but the inward, [Page 19]spiritual, and eternal condition of the Soul, is concern'd in the other. When you unchurch a Society of Christians, you account them, in the expression of the Holy Text, as Dogs, Rev. 22.15. the basest and uncleanest sort of creatures, a company of men so far sunk under the power of the animal life, and given over to the power and ty­ranny of the Devil, that they are alienated from the life of God, e­nemies to all goodness, to be shunned as the Prophaners of holy things, and the Pests of Christian Commerce. And if it be great cruelty without cause to be judged worthy of Death, I am sure 'tis a greater without cause to be judged worthy of Hell and Damna­tion.

Sect. 29. And, I think, 'tis very ordinary for the Separatists to carry on their Separation by far worse methods, than for the most part other Persecutors do their Persecutions; for other Persecutors accuse those they persecute of some hainous and capital Crime, im­plead and try them by the known Laws of that Community to which they do belong, produce Evidences of their Allegations a­gainst them, and do not judge and execute them before tryal and conviction. But the Separatists from our Church, at least many of them, are so heady and fierce against those Christian Societies from which they separate, that they have no regard to such mea­sures of proceedings, but assume and exercise a power to reform, before they have, or indeed ever can, prove any thing to be amiss; and go about to heal the Churches distempers by cutting her throat, and stabbing her to the heart, without telling her that she is sick; herein doing that to others, which they would, questionless, in no case have done to themselves, nor perhaps to no particular person else in the world; as if Justice, Charity, and common Honesty, were not concern'd mens behaviours towards whole Churches or Congregations of Christians, as well as towards particular persons; and that were justifiable towards a National, Provincial, or Paro­chial Community of men, which by the common sence of man­kind hath been condemned for cruelty towards a single man. Cer­tainly, to condemn and reject a Society of Christians for the greatest Guilts, without tryal and conviction, is one of the greatest Outrages that humane Nature is capable of, and a thing, I am confident, the [Page 20]most barbarous Nations abhor: And yet is not this the common practice of Separatists? yea, when did they otherwise? What Con­gregation in England did they ever endeavour to convict and re­form, before they forsook it? So that the Separatists have no more reason to glory in their Separation, than they have to glory in the vilest Oppression and most cruel Persecution.

Sect. 30. And here is an Answer ready for them, who ask, Why we are so angry with them that separate from us? Even because they heavily oppress and grievously persecute us, without a cause. They break the staff of our Beauty, and the bands of our Perfectness, that is, violate our Unity, and quench our Charity, defame and expose us to Contempt, abhor us, and passionately pursue our Ruine; and yet confidently ask, What aileth us? and why we complain? as if they could not wrong or hurt us, unless contrary to the common Laws of the Land, they would not suffer us to live quietly in our houses, and did beat and slay us where ever they met us. And yet, some of us can remember when such forbearances were accounted great favours from some very neer akin to them. You may as easily conceive, that a man may be torn into pieces without pain and smart, groans and lamentations, as a Church-so­ciety of Christians divided and broken asunder without grief and exasperation. When any of the Separatists, for affronting lawful Authority, and trampling on the known Laws of the Land, endure a confiscation of goods, imprisonment, or banishment, then your Ears shall be filled with Sighs and Groans, with Exclamations and biting Reflections, and all the world shall ring of it; and yet there is nothing in these Sufferings but what hath relation to a temporal concern. But when they censure and reject us from the Kingdom of Christ, deal with us as intolerable, prophane, and ungodly wret­ches, proclaim to all the world, that we are Apostates, and incorri­gible evil doers, and as much as in them lieth, disfranchise us of all our spiritual Rights and Priviledges, which ought to be dearer to us than life it self; if we take on as hurt and injured, we are peevish and cholerick, and have as little Reason to conduct us, as they judge we have of Religion. But this language of theirs becomes no mans mouth but such an one as he was, who said, He had rather [Page 21]have a part in Paris than in Paradise. They who are Christians in­deed, prefer their God before their goods, and are more for the Communion of Saints, than for great Possessions. And this brings me to the last branch of my Text.

Sect. 31. Thirdly, The Limitation of the Concession: But rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord our God. The exceptive particle [But] is very emphatical, and seems to suggest, That no indulgence is to be shewed to our separating Brethren, but upon condition of their penitence, and re­turn to our Communion. The Children of Israel's condescension here, was founded on a presumption of the Reubenites Reformation. If the Reubenites, &c. will yield and submit themselves to God and his Church, then they will stoop to them, and gratifie them; not else. So here, if the Separatists continue impenitent and obstinate, set up Altar against Altar, and Church against Church, we are un­der no Obligation to remit any of our Rights, or to give away any thing we justly possess, to them, to live in amity & peace with them. We need not be at any trouble or cost to purchase patterns of stub­bornness and disobedience, we shall have more than a good many thrust upon us against our Wills. Church-peace is such a valuable Blessing, that we should readily purchase it at any rate of disadvan­tage to our Worldly Interests; and we should gratifie them that have separated themselves from us into opposite Parties to us, in any thing consistent with Truth, Goodness, and Charity to our religious Church-communion: But if we cannot bring these Of­fenders into the Church, without bringing in their Offences too, we had better give away what we have to keep them out, than to be at any cost or trouble to make room to receive them in. If we cannot have some reasonable security, that their joyning with us will do us more good than hurt, let them alone, Hos. 4.17. To stretch our selves by comprehensive acts, to take into the bosom of the Church (as the Trojans did with the wooden horse) a company of men armed with designes to undermine and betray her power, and to disgrace and disturb her Order, will adde to her calami­ties as well as to her numbers. Though they leave off their Sepa­rations, yet if they retain their unpeaceable and ungovernable spirits [Page 22]and principles, continue more apt to finde faults in others than to amend them in themselves, will check at every feather, raise quar­rels and divisions from their own mistakes and misperswasions, will not be made conformable to Laws, but will have Laws made con­formable to them, or will live at large without the precincts of any Government at all, but what they themselves call the govern­ment of Christ, and will have the Wall within which we are inclo­sed broken and trodden down, Cant. 4.2. Isai. 5.2. i. e. have it left indifferent how Congregations of Christians and their respective Worships and Disciplines be modelled; our Congregations may be much the greater, but our Offences and Sorrows will be never the less; and I think 'twill be more for our comfort and safety too, to go to Heaven, though without their company, in the good old way.

Sect. 32. A Ceremony or two may not be much stood upon, (though we are not to make matters of decencie so cheap, as to alter them to please every unmannerly Humourist) but Faith and Order, fixed Rules of Worship and Discipline, are an interest too conside­rable to be neglected for any bodies sake. All is not Gold that gli­sters, and yet we may buy Gold too dear. 'Tis possible the Sepa­ratists may not be such a good company of Christians as they them­selves report; but suppose them to be much better than indeed they are, they which shall sell the established Government of the Church, and its fixed modes of Worship, to regain them to it, shall pay much too dear for it, have a very bad bargain of it, and shall be sure to put all the gain in their eyes: For they are a People, for the most part, of such volatile spirits, that if you have no binding Im­positions to fix them, you shall not be able to keep their company when you have it; and so in the issue the means used to make their company most sure, will bring it to the greatest uncertainty that can be. Take away all Order, and I am sure there can be nothing but Confusion: Or if it be in every mans power to be the Master of Order, 'tis great odds but the most will be the Masters of Mis­rule.

Sect. 33. 'Tis therefore certainly better to keep the Church-doors close shut, than to set them wide open to those Separatists who [Page 23]would turn the doors out at windows, I mean, invert the whole or­der of things, and render Religion in its Ministrations, like some late itinerant Preachers of it, an ambulatory thing, as various as the complexions of the Celebrators, and as changeable as the Moon; which will infallibly harden its Enemies against it, and expose it to their contempt and scorn. Hath any Nation changed their Gods? Jer. 2.11. i. e. all Nations account Innovations in matters of Religi­on a Reproach to them; because mens lightness and inconstancy is an Argument that they have very weak heads, or very bad hearts; either that they are greatly uncertain, or exceedingly careless, whe­ther they please God or not by what they do. And truly, I take it to be as contrary to the revealed Will of God to abolish a good custome, 1 Cor. 11.16. as to introduce a bad one: And 'tis very sel­dom, that the benefit of an alteration doth compensate the trouble of it. And we cannot but observe, that men given to change, are seldom or never satisfied; but the gratifying of them in one thing, encourageth them to challenge it as their due in others: Change is so sweet to them, that like the Horsleaches daughters, they are still crying, Give, give. And I am sure we may be better employed than to be meddling with those men who are given to change. In a word, when men, who have withdrawn and separated themselves from us into distinct Societies, are obstinate, and refuse to be refor­med, we must be so far from studying a compliance with them, that we must not give place to them by subjection, no not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. but must mark and avoid them as the enemies of Christ, Rom. 15.16. and the words of Limitation in my Text are the reason of it; for they that build an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord, rebel against God and against us.

Sect. 34. The Altar is called in the Hebrew [Misbeach] a Sacrifi­catory, or a place for the Sacrifices, Gen. 22.19. Lev. 1.11. And such a most holy place was it, both in the Tabernacle and the Temple, that it sanctified what they offered on it, Exod. 29.37. Mat. 23.19. Now Sacrifices were Rites of address to God, and used as Mediums of Praise and Prayer, 1 Sam. 13.12. Ezra 6.10. Psal. 116.13. And accordingly you shall finde, that where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob built Altars, they called on the Name of the Lord, Gen. [Page 24]12.7. comp. with 13.4. Gen. 26.25. & 33.20. & 35.1. i. e. they praised God, and prayed to him: So that an Altar was a place for solemn religious Worship. And then by building an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord, must needs be designed, as the Children of Israel thought, the erecting an holy place for solemn religious Worship, contradistinct to that of the Lords own appointment, where the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh had conspired to meet in religious Assemblies to worship God in a peculiar & separate way, under distinct Officers and Orders from themselves, who were to inhabit the Land of Canaan. And 'tis very plain, they unchari­tably suspected an intent of some kind of Idolatry, and so took it for a designe of an aggravated Separation. 'Tis true, they had no such bad designe as was supposed; yet lot the fact be such as it was supposed to be, and then 'tis granted on all hands, that by so doing they rebelled against God and his Church.

Sect. 35. This building of an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord, hath been applied by all sorts of men to Schismatical Separations from the Christian Church; that is, when any sort of Christians do voluntarily, and causelesly, or rashly forsake those Christian Societies with which they once had, or ought to have, Communion, and gather themselves into separate religious Societies, live combined in a submission to distinct Laws of Government and Rules of Worship from those formerly observed, or were obliged unto, renouncing, refusing, or not owning publick religious Communion with those from whom they separate; they are said to erect Altar against Al­tar, to gather Churches out of Churches, and to set up Churches a­gainst Churches.

Sect. 36. Now although this be but too ordinarily practised a­mong us here in England. yet 'tis such a very bad thing, that many of those among us, who are most notoriously guilty of it, vehe­mently disclaim and disown it. That there are divers Societies of Christians distinguished from one another by the observation of se­parate ways of Church-government and Orders of Worship, is too evident to be denied; but who are the faulty Separatists, is made by some, matter of Question and Doubt. 'Tis but to put Cases, and the Question will be answered; and the Doubt, if there be any, re­solved. [Page 25]When the Reubenites, &c. built an Altar, if they had with­al actually forsaken the religious Communion of the Children of Israel in the Tabernacle and held separate religious Meetings at their New-erected Altar, and resolved not to be united by the same com­mon tyes of Government and Orders of Worship with them; who had been the Separatists? questionless, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Tribe of Manasseh, because they onely would have departed from the Unity of the National Church, to which they did belong as Members, and to whose Laws of Government, and Orders of Worship they owed subjection and obedience. So here, they who have departed from the Unity of the National Church of England, are the Separatists: The National Church! that is a Scare crow; yea, less, a Chimaera dancing in a vacuum: and so some men endea­vour to bring the old Church of England to a new nothing. They could swear (at least the chiefest of them) what the Church of Scot­land was, and Covenant to maintain her in her Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government, and to endeavour a Reformation ac­cording to her Pattern: but, good men! they cannot understand for their hearts what this Church of England should be. One would think that a National Church in England might as easily be defined, as a National Church in Scotland. All the odds is, the Na­tional Church of England is not now so likely to serve their turns, as the National Church of Scotland, then so termed, was. Let us but pull down the Bishops, and set up a General Assembly of Pres­byters, and 'twill be as easie to understand what the National Church of England is, as what the National Church of Scotland was.

Sect. 37. Let us reason the case a little with these men. Why may not the English Nation become a National Church, as well as the Jewish? What is there wanting which the Jews had, that is es­sential to the constitution of a National Church? May not that be as much from God, and have as great approbation, and as many Blessings from him which is effected in an ordinary way, as that which is effected in an extraordinary way? What they were by immediate, we are by mediate divine Constitution. Were they converted from dead Idols to the living God? so are we. Were they united in the profession of the same true faith? so are we. [Page 26]Were they bound to the same rules and modes of Worship? so are we. What is it which makes a Church, but Gods Call to a People, and their Answer to his Call? Now you shall finde, that this is to extend to whole Nations of the Gentiles under the Gospel, as well as it did to the whole Nation of the Jews under the Law; Isai. 55.5. Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knewest not, and Nations which knew not thee shall run unto thee. Zech. 2.11. Many Nations shall be joyned unto the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. So Mich. 4.2. Many Nations shall come and say, Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. And Psal. 72.11, 12. All King shall fall down before him, all Nations shall serve him: all Nations shall call him blessed. And Christ tells the Jews, Mat. 21.43. That the kingdom of God [that is, the Church-state] shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And 'tis no more than what Moses foretold them, Deut. 32.21. I will move them to jealousie with those that are not a people: I will provoke them to anger by a foolish Nation. Which the Apostle expresly applieth to the rejection of the Jews, and calling of the Gentiles, Rom. 10.19. which plainly evinceth, that God would convert whole Nations, as well as particular Congregations, out of them; and bring them to a Church-state, such for substance as the Jews enjoyed. And why may not an whole Nation incorporate into one Body Ecclesiastick, as well as into one Body Politick? There may be as universal agreement in divine matters as in civil, & the Members of a National Church may be as useful to one ano­ther in that relation, as the Members of a Civil State, and as go­vernable in the one capacity as in the other. So that they which forsake, and gather themselves into distinct religious Societies from that Society of Christians here in England, which are united by Na­tional Laws Political and Ecclesiastical, in the profession of the same Faith, and observation of the same rules of Worship and Discipline, are faulty Separatists, and set their Altar beside the Altar of the Lord their God.

Sect. 38. To make this yet a little plainer to you, I shall apply it to a Separation made from our Parochial Churches, which are of the same constitution with the National, and differ onely as parts [Page 27]from the whole. Though Parochial or Congregational Churches are no more of immediate divine Institution than the Jewish Con­gregation in their Synagogues were, but a meer prudential distri­bution of the whole into parts, for the more convenient and orderly Community in a publick confession of Faith, and participation of publick Ordinances; and no Christian considered simply as a Mem­ber of the Church Catholick, is any more bound to the Communion of one part of the Church than of another, but ought indifferently, as he hath opportunity, to joyn himself to any one sound part of it as well as to another: yet our Parochial Churches being homage­neal or similar parts of the National as well as Catholick Church, essentially considered, they who from Vicinity of Neighbourhood and Cohabitation, have or ought to have joyned themselves to them as Christian Assemblies fitly accommodated for publick Wor­ship, common Order and Edification, and best subserving the duties of a Church-relation; if they separate from our Assemblies, as acting in a way of Communion with the National Church, and set up As­semblies of a different and disagreeing constitution, They do not walk as God hath called them, 1 Cor. 1.17. pitching every man by his own standard, Numb. 2.2. according to order, 1 Cor. 14.40. Do not go forth by the footsteps of Gods flock, nor feed where God maketh his flock to rest at noon, Cant. 1.7, 8. but set up an Altar beside the Altar of the Lord.

Sect. 39. Moreover, whatever the Original Constitution of our Parish-churches was, or whatever their relation to the National Church is, or suppose there were no National Church at all, yet 'tis evident that our Parish-churches consist of visible Saints, such as profess Christianity, and have been baptized into the Body of Christ; they are the pillars and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. that is, they do preach and proclaim Gods Will as revealed in the Gospel, which is the Word of Truth; as those Pillars which have the Edicts of Princes affixed to them, proclaim their Will and Pleasure: the true Sacraments, which are the Symbols and Seals of Gods Covenant, which is the Bond of all Amity and Commerce with God, are ad­ministred in them; they by mutual consent joyn themselves toge­ther as Pastor and People, and assemble themselves together to par­take [Page 28]of the Ordinances of Christ; and therefore they are most cer­tainly true Churches: and they which live in an orderly Commu­nion with them, keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, abide where they were called with God, keep their ranks and pla­ces where right Reason and Religion hath fixed them, and main­tain publick Charity and Order; and consequently, they which have been once joyn'd to them (as all the Separatists in England have been, or ought to be; for such an Existence as Parish-churches now have, they for the main had long before the oldest Separatist in England was born) to separate from them, they carry it like Muti­neers in an Armie, violate all the bonds of Love, Peace, and Order, and by setting up distinct and separate Societies for Worship and Discpline from them, rebel against God and against us.

Sect. 40. I. Such Separatists rebel against God. As there were some which professed they knew God, but by Works denied him, Tit. 1.16. so some Separatists pretend to a singular subjection to the Will of God in all things, and you shall not lightly meet with any sort of men who will outwardly appear more addicted to a Zeal for the setting up of the Kingdom of God and the Scepter of his Christ, as they term it, and the throwing down all opposite Interests, than they; but yet in their practices are all the while deeply engaged in rebellion against him. Every sin being a transgression of Gods Law, is virtually and by interpretation a making void of Gods Law; which is a disclaiming his Soveraign Authoritie and Power over us, and consequently a Rebellion against him: But as every breach of Law, amongst men, is not strictly and properly denominated Re­bellion against the Soveraign Powers; so neither is every breach of Gods Law termed Rebellion against the Soveraign Power of God; but those sorts onely which by circumstances are so aggravated, that they seem to be, after a sort, a formal renunciation of our sub­jection unto God, a plain resistance made to the Will of God, and a setting up the Will of man above the Will of God; and as it were a repealing of his Institutions, to establish our own Imaginations and Inventions. Now this sin of wilful and causeless or rash Sepa­ration, is a complicated sin, which partakes of the nature of those provocations which are under the imputation of Rebellion, as I will discover to you in a few remarkable instances.

Sect. 41. First, Separation in the Context, is called a Turning a­way from following the Lord, v. 16. & 18. for when men causelesly separate themselves from Gods Church, they go out, like Cain, from the presence of the Lord, Gen. 4.16. because 'tis a departure from love; and he that dwelleth not in love, dwelleth not in God, nor God in him, 1 John 4.12. Which includes an abuse of Grace, and a re­belling against Light, as Job speaks, ch. 24.13. a sin of knowledge and ingratitude. I pray minde it, Church-forsakers are God-forsakers; for what is the Church of God, but the house of God? 1 Pet. 4.17. And where doth God dwell, but in his house? 2 Cor. 6.16. And where doth God meet and bless a people, but where he records his Name? Exod. 20.24. And where doth he record his Name, but in Church-Assemblies, where, by the celebration of his Ordinances, preaching of his Word, Acts 5.15. performing of his Worship, Mal. 1.6. and exercising of his Discipline, he is known and acknow­ledged as a man by his Name? And how can we obtain and main­tain intercourse with God, but by coming to him, and walking with him in his Temple, and in the midst of his golden Candlesticks? 1 Cor. 3.16. Rev. 2.1. In a word, Gods Church is his Spouse, Cant. 4.8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and they that cleave not to God with her, go a whoring from God, Hos. 4.12. deal treacherously with God, and pro­stitute themselves to the filthy lusts of their own hearts, and do in effect say to God as they in the Parable, We will not have this man [that is, God] to reign over us, Luke 19.4.

Sect. 42. Secondly, Separation is a gainsaying and resisting lawful Authority, which is the Ordinance of God, Rom. 13.1, 2. a sin of great pride and contempt. The formality of the sin of Corah, Da­than and Abiram, was Schism, a sinful Separation from the Church and Congregation of Israel; and 'tis exprefly called, a gathering themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, Numb. 16.3. & 19. i. e. against the chief Magistrate and the chief Priest. They avouched all the Congregation to be equally holy with them, one as good as another; and therefore some were too good to be under others. And because Moses and Aaron took too much upon them, and usurped a Supremacy over them, they would be a Church of themselves, a Congregation of holy people contradistinct [Page 30]to them. But though they pretended for a parity, and their words sound altogether that way, yet Moses plainly discerned that their pleadings for an equality proceeded from a spirit strongly working after a Superiority; and so he tells them, v. 7, 8, 9. Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi— Seemeth it but a small thing to you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you neer to himself, to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to him—and seek ye the Priesthood too? They thought the High-priest's Garments would fit their shoulders as well as Aaron's. So that their humble Re­monstrances against a Superiority, was but an ambitious designe to exchange it, to pull down others and set up themselves. And we every where see men like the Fir-tree in the Parable, who would be cut down as low as the meanest shrub, rather than be over-top'd by the Cedar; are so proud, that they cannot endure a Superiour. I will not say, that all the Separatists do ambitionate a Superiority; nor will I say, that like the Pharisee, they affect a singularity, would not be like other men, Luke 8.11. lest they should be like Saul hid in the stuff, men of no remark, who deserve to be head and shoul­ders above their Brethren in reputation and honour, themselves be­ing Judges: But I shall be bold to say, they are so far from moving under the regular conduct of Civil and Ecclesiastical Authoritie, as all good Christians ought to do, that the most visible signes by which they are distinguished from other Christians, are their bold desiances of both. And in truth, so far is the interest of the one incorporated into the other, that like Isocrates his Twins, they live and die together, and the enemies of the one are the enemies of the other. Conformity and Loyalty, a stedfast and zealous Commu­nion with the Church, and an invincible and immovable Obedience to the King, like stones in an arch, do mutually support and streng. then one another; but Non-conformity and Malignity, Separation and Sedition, have such complicated influences and united interests and designs, that the one being armed with Power, is rarely divi­ded from the other: and he must wink very hard, that doth not every where see, that when the Church loseth a Member, the King also in heart and affection loseth a Subject; unpeaceable in the [Page 31]Church, and ungovernable in the State: for they that are not held by the tyes of Religion under subjection and obedience to those that have the rule and oversight of them in the Lord, have a very natural and easie step to despise Dominion, and to exalt themselves above all obligations to the civil Powers. And 'tis no wonderful sight to see those who from a presumption of secrecie have sneaked and creeped into an unlawful Conventicle, from a presumption of victorie and impunitie, boldly to defie and resist Authoritie in open field.

Sect. 43. Thirdly, Separation proceeds from a preference of their own thoughts and devices before Gods Institutions and Injunctions; which is called in the holy Text, Rebellion, Isai. 65.2. and the making of the commandments of God of none effect, Mat. 15.6. Mark 7.13. There is nothing more plain, and more easie to be understood in all the Bible, than, That the body of Christ is one, and that all Christians are baptized into this one body, 1 Cor. 12.12, 13. and therefore, though many, are yet one body in Christ, and members one of another, Rom. 12.4, 5. so that, if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, 1 Cor. 12.26. From which neer relation and sympathy, they are obliged to the dearest love, Rom. 12.10. and are to live in the exercise of it, as the evidence of their neer relation to Christ, John 34.35. and the bond of perfectness among themselves, Col. 3.14. And that this be not weaken'd or interrupted, they are commanded not to forsake the assembling of themselves together, Heb. 10.25. and to give no of fence to the Church of God, 1 Cor. 10.32. nor to any member of it, Rom. 14.13. And if offences come, as through Satans subtilty and the ma­lignity of fleshly lusts they must needs do, Luke 17.1. ( though wo to them by whom they come, Mat. 18.7.) their Christian Faith, which worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. must so moderate their passions, that they must not easily be provoked, but bear all things that are tolerable; yea, must cover a multitude of sins, and suffer long, 1 Cor. 13.5, 7. and ought to be so far from rejoycing in iniquity, and having advantages of dislike and separation, that they must account it their Glorie to pass by offences, Prov. 29.11. follow after peace, and the things that make for it, Heb. 12.14. Rom. 14.10. and do as much as in them lies, do all that is possible to be done, to live in peace, Rom. 12.18. that is, [Page 32]no condition of a peaceable Communion is to be refused, but such as is morally impossible, cannot be submitted unto without sin. This is plainly the minde of God, That we must never forsake the Communion of that Church unto which we are united, so long as we can keep our innocency in it. Nothing but the sinfulness of a Communion can justifie or warrant a Separation. When we can­not continue in Communion without either the acknowledgement of some errour for a Truth, or the practice of some sin for a Duty, we may separate; but for no other provocation. The requiring of doubtful or suspected practices, as some speak, as the condition of Communion, can be no warrantable ground of Separation; be­cause Engagements to a Separation must be equally certain as En­gagements to a Communion. They are certainly very badly ad­vised and disposed, who prefer their doubts and scruples before their known dutie and the Churches honour and safetie.

Sect. 44. And I must tell you too, there may be real corruptions in a Church, and yet no ground for a Separation from it; because we may communicate with it in Gods Ordinances, without parta­king with it in its Corruptions: for that may be tolerated which is not imposed; practised by some, which is disowned by others, and required from none. And in all lawful things, condescention and yieldance is infinitely more commendable than selfwilledness, and stubborn frowardness. If therefore a Brother, much more a Mother, will have you go a mile with her, in a way of condescen­tion and yieldance to such things as you conceive inconvenient and burthensome, you must, to maintain peace and love, go with her twain, Mat. 5.41. The Philosopher calls a good man, [...], a Cube or Square; implying, that a good man is not like a Spherical Figure, which is able to meet the plainest thing onely in a point, but like a Cubical Figure, which meets with plain things in whole broad-sides, and hath a notable aptitude for Unity and compliance. I am sure St. Paul was such an one, and he is worthy to be a presi­dent to us all, Who became as a Gentile to the Gentiles, that he might gain the Gentiles; and as a Jew to the Jews, that he might gain the Jews; yea, though he were a free man, yet he made himself a servant to all, and was made all things to all men, that he might gain some, [Page 33]1 Cor. 9.19, 20, 21, 22. And certainly, he was never baptized with the Spirit of Christ, who will not do more for the unitie and Peace of that Societie to which he belongs, than to please an ill-natured humour; and that will not smother his private judgment, and re­linquish his private liberties, and his more publick conveniences too, rather than by a peremptory publication of the one, and a stiff main­tainance of the other, disturb the quiet of Gods Church.

Sect. 45. Now it being generally acknowledged by most of the Separatists, That the Church of England, at least, that our Parochial Churches are true Churches, and that they may, without the dan­gerous hazard of their Salvation, communicate with them in their religious Administrations; they cannot separate from them, with­out exalting their own Imaginations above Gods Prescriptions, and preferring the gratification of an Humour, before the pleasing of God; which is a grand rebellion against him.

Sect. 46. Fourthly, Separation is an act of great stubbornness and contumacy: 'tis a sin excused, justified, and pleaded for; which is the adding of rebellion to sin, as Job speaks, c. 34.37. The very same circumstances which rendered the sin of Saul in sparing Agag and the best of the spoil a Rebellion, are fully applicable to the sin of wilful and causeless Separation, and with some superiour aggrava­tions. Did Saul break the Commandment of God? so do they: And far more hainously; for he transgressed onely a single, posi­tive, temporary, dispensable Precept, but they an eternal and indis­pensable Law of Love and Righteousness: Saul transgressed to preserve and save, but they to ruine and destroy. Did Saul, not­withstanding his disobedience, pretend that he had performed the Commandment of the Lord? so do they: They do it in obedience to the Call of God, who will have them (as they say) come out from among us and separate. Did Saul excuse and justifie his sin from the pretence of a good end and intention? so do they. The Church needs Reformation, and they have covenanted to reform it, and they will bring religious Ministrations to greater purity; so that they are in a faithful pursuit of The good Old Cause, are the men called forth to bear witness to the Gospel-designe, and their Separation is for the Honour of God, and the Edification of his [Page 34]Church; that is, they pull down the Church to build it up, rend the Members of the Body asunder to joyn them the more orderly together, wreck and quite mar the Ship to repair and mend it, de­stroy to save. Did Saul at last confess his sin? so do not they, but obstinately defend it, yea, glory in it as an attainment of an extra­ordinary size; and, which is the foundation of it, ascribe it unto God as his own doing; and are so far from assuming any shame or blame to themselves for it, as sometimes a Drunkard, a Lyar, a Swearer, and other debauch'd persons will do, that they extol and magnifie the worthiness of the action, and are confident that it com­mends them unto God, and is one of the most rewardable acts of Virtue they can do. This I take to be the very height of sin, and much worse than Saul's Rebellion, Which was as the sin of witch­craft, and his stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry, 2 Sam. 15.23.

Sect. 47. Would you not think it an abominable aggravation to the sin of a Drunkard, a Thief, a Blasphemer, or any slagitious wretch, to hear him justifie and plead for it as an act of Religion, and a notable piece of service done for God? and hear him censure others as defective in duty to God and themselves, that will not applaud and imitate him? This is the Case of all Separatists; how contrary soever they are to the Church and one another in their dividing and separating principles and practices, motives, and ends. they impute them all to God as the Author and Encourager of them. And what higher Affront and Reproach can be done to God, who is the God of order, 1 Cor. 14.33. and the Lord of peace, that giveth peace always by all means, 2 Thess. 3.16. than to avouch and represent him the Author of Divisions and Confusions? There is a sin unto death (saith St. John 1. ch. 5.16.) I do not say, that thou shouldest pray for it. I shall not judge any man, but shall leave him to stand or fall to his own Master, Rom. 14.4. And indeed, what have we to do to judge those that are without? 2 Cor. 5.12. But I cannot see how any body can expect that God should pardon that sin which he defendeth and justifieth, and will not confess and reform, but how vile a sin and provocation soever it be, will call it good, and father it upon God; and so blaspheme God, rather than con­demn himself. Now these particulars being duly weighed singly [Page 35]or together, it will appear that wilful and causeless Separation, and erecting Churches against Churches, is as peremptory an engage­ment, and as considerable a motion against the bent of Gods Will, and the designe he is managing and carrying on in the world to magnifie his Name, as any the boldest sinners can adventure on.

Sect. 48. II. Separatists rebel against the Church of God too. That part of Gods Church which is continued here on Earth, is not unsitly termed Militant, because 'tis always in a warfaring condition, is incompassed on all hands with malicious and spiteful adversaries, and subject to the most invidious and mischievous designes and op­positions. Hence she is compared to a Lilly among Thorns, Cant. 2.2. because surrounded with enemies which are as vexatious and hurtful to her, as galling and sharp pricking Thorns to the tender Lilly. Now of all enemies, those of a mans own house, and those which have dearest intimacie, are most concerned with us in civil and religious matters, are the worst, the most dangerous and per­nitious. Here lay the accent of David's hazards and sorrows, That his own familiar friend in whom he trusted, which had eat of his bread, did lift up his heel against him, Psal. 41.9. For it was not an enemy that reproached me (saith he elsewhere, Psal. 55.12, 13, 14.) then I could have born it; neither was it he that hated me that did magnifie him­self against me, then I would have hid my self from him: But it was thou, O man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. Tea, which was a further aggravation of it, 'twas such an one as did not onely take sweet counsel together with him, but walked unto the House of God in company with him. Such a sort of enemies as these are Schismaticks to the Church; they were born and bred in it, have been fed with her fat things full of marrow, and with her wines on the lees well resined, Isai. 25.6. have been taken into her bosom and made one with her, in profession and outward appearance have had common interests, common loves and hatreds, and common hopes and fears with her, and have spoken unto her and quickened her, saying, Come ye and let us go up unto the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Ja­cob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths, Isai. 2.1. And for some to arise among our selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them, must needs be a grievous hurt [Page 36]to us, Acts 20.30. because all their opposite designs are managed with treachery. And doing all in the Name of Christ, they do as it were turn our own weapons against our selves; I mean, use the sacred Scriptures and Religion it self, on which the Churches Being and Unity is founded and preserved, as Engines to divide and destroy us. For this reason, the Dividers of, and Separaters from the Church have done more to weaken and destroy it, than all its other Ene­mies; for Schismaticks are to a Church like Mutineers to an Ar­my, which by dividing it against it self, do more certainly and ea­sily bring it to desolation, than the most violent impressions from the power of any sort of enemy whatsoever can do. Who will re­gard that Authority and Communion which is despised and rejected by those who pretend to be the greatest friends to it?

Sect. 49. In a word, as he which rebelleth against the supream Head of a Kingdom, rebelleth against the Kingdom it self; so he that rebelleth against Jesus Christ the supream Head of the Church, rebelleth against the Church too. Now sinful Separation is a pe­remptory rebellion against Christ; for 'tis a dividing of him, 1 Cor. 1.3. and he that divides Christ, and makes him the Head of a sin­ful Faction, doth in effect depose him from his Headship over the Church. Hence such Dividers are said to be carnal, and to walk as men, 1 Cor. 3.3. i. e. walk not as persons related to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ, but as men which have cancelled all the Obli­gations of Christianity: for they cannot acknowledge Christ in his Supremacy, who do not keep the Unity of the Church in the Bond of Peace.

Sect. 50. Thus I have with all faithfulness, without partiality or prejudice to any Party, Sect, or Faction of men, represented to you the damnable Mischief of Separation; and have said nothing which for the substance hath not been said by the most eminent Divines of the Presbyterian Judgment, with whom I have not a little consulted in this case. And certainly, were the Scriptures conscionably observed (as Mr. Baxter tells us in his Christian Concord, p. 119.) men would take Church-division to be a greater sin than A­dultery and Theft: for 'tis an eminent branch of Antichristianism, a sin by which men as directly and effectually do the work of the [Page 37]Devil, and of the great Antichrist his subordinate Instrument, as by any sin they do or can commit. For 'tis most directly contrary to the designe of God the Father in sending Christ into the world, which was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, Luke 1.17. and to gather together in one, all things in Christ, Eph. 1.10. And as contrary to the redeeming work of God the Son, which was to ga­ther together in one the children of God which are scattered abroad, John 11.52. And as contrary to the sanctifying Operations of the Spirit, by which we are all baptized into one body, 1 Cor. 12.12. And consequently as contrary to all those Ordinances and means of Grace by which they all derive the effluxes of their Grace, Love, and Goodness unto the Souls of men; which are all purposely de­signed to accomplish the Churches unity. E. g. When we are bapti­zed, we are all baptized into one body, 1 Cor. 12.13. and what is the communion of the body and blood of Christ for, but to minde us, that though we are many members, yet we are all but one body? 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. And what are all the Officers of the Church and their respective Ministrations for, but to bring us to the unity of the Faith—and to speak the truth in love, that we may grow up into him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth—the body increaseth to the edification of it self in love, Eph. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. And Divisions and Separations being so directly contrary and destructive to the designe of Christianity, how unreasonable a thing is it, for the Dividers of, and Separators from our Church, in which nothing (as some among themselves acknowledge) is to be done and appro­ved of which is unlawful, to assume to themselves the denomina­tion of the Godly Party? Whereas we can justly appeal, and call Heaven and Earth to record, that for so doing, they are Rebels a­gainst God and against us. I shall conclude my Discourse with a serious and earnest Admonition and Charge to you, to remember with great thoughtfulness of heart, That the Church of Christ, which is the Body of Christ, was, is, and ever will be One; and that when you were initiated into a profession of Christianity, you were bap­tized into this one body, 1 Cor. 12.12, 13. So that here a departure from Ʋnity is a Nullity: He that is of a New, and not of the Old [Page 38]Church, is of no Church. And this is the reason why the Sen­tence of Excommunication rightly executed is so terrible, because it cuts off from Christ's Body; which Sentence every Schismatick very desperately executes upon himself; and that too in the most effectual and tremendous manner that can be: for the Governors of the Church may, through some mistake or prejudice, sentence such as ought not to be sentenced; and then the Sentence is rever­sed, and made void by a superiour Tribunal. But whosoever wil­fully separates from the Christian Church, or any sound part of it, for a reason common to the whole, most certainly separates himself from Christ too, who is the Saviour onely of his Body, Eph. 5.23. The Church is compared to the Ark, because out of it there is no Sal­vation: and he that wilfully leaps out of it, is rather more than less desperately guilty of Self-destruction, than he that is deservedly and judicially cast out, 'Tis a most fearful Curse for a Church to pro­nounce against an Obstinate Sinner, The Devil take him! and yet this Curse every man very resolutely executes upon himself, when he wilfully forsakes Gods Church: for he doth in effect say, I will forsake God, and the Devil take me! A thing so full of terrour and a­stonishment, I even tremble to speak and you to hear; and from which, Good Lord deliver us, for thy Christs and our Jesus his sake. Amen.