9 I 6 What uSacriledge ? .Are all religiom pri"vtlte tneetil!gl unlawful if forbiddm ? Q!efl:. 171. What u Sacriledge, and w!Jat not? Rom. '· "· An[w. l. sAcriledge is Robbing God by the unjufi alienation of holy obi•gJ. And it is mcafurcd :z. Pet.:.. ::.o, according as things ire divcrfified in Holincfs: as, ~:1,~~: 6~ 7 • r. The grcatefi Sacritedge is a prophane unholy alienating a perfon to the fldh and the worid, Heb. w. ,6, from God and his Love and his fervice, who by Baptifm was devoted to him. And f6 all wicked :2.7, 1.8, 29. Chriflians are grofly Sacrilegious. I Thef. 2. I}, 2. The next is alienating confecratcd perfons from the facred work and office, by depofil'lg Kings, or Lcv 19 8 16 ' by :mjuft filencing or [ujendi11g true MinifterJ, or their cafiing off Gods work thernfclves. This is far Heb: u: 1 6. greater factiledge than alienating Lands or U[enfils. Alt. 5· r, &t. 3· The next is the unjuft alienating of Temple!, Utcnfits, Lands, dayes, which were feparated by Ez.ck. n.1.6. God himfdf. ~ ~: ;~· . 4• And next fuch as were jufily confecratcd by man ; as is aforcfaid in the degrees of Ho– hneiS. 11. It is not Sacriledge, x. To ceafe from the Minifiry or other holy fcrvicc, when llckncfs, difability of body, or violence utterly difable us. · 2. Nor m alienate Temples, L1nds, grods or utenfils, when providence maketh it needful to the Churches good : fo r~.e fire in LoHdon hath ~ufed a diminution of the number of Churches: fo fome Rtfhops of old, fold the Church plate to relieve the poor: And fome Princes have fold fame Church Matth. 11.. 5· Lands to f:lVC the Church and {bte in the necdfities of a lawful war. 3. It is not Sacrilcdge to alienah .:hat which man devoted, but God accepted not, nor owned asap~ propriare to him (which his prohibition of fuch a dedic1tion is a proofof. ) As if a man devote his wife to chafiity, or his Son to the Minijlry againfi their wilts: or if a man Vow himfdf to the Miniftry that is unable and hath no call: or if fa much_Lands or goods be confecrated, as is fuperfl.uous, ufc.. lefs and injurious to the;·common wdlfarc and the flare. Alienation in thcfe,afcs is no fin. Qgeil:. 171. .Are all~ligiom and pri1Jate meetir!gs, forbiJdm by fllulers, unlawful Con)lencicles ? Or are mry Juch necejfary ?. · An[w. THough both fuch Met1ing1and our PrifonJ tell us how greatly we now differ about this point, in the application of it to perfonJ and our prefcnt cafe, y~r I know no difference in the doarinal refolution of it among mofi fobcr Chrifiians at all: ( whicfi makes our cafe llrange.) For ought 1know we are agreed, Pf;aJ. r.,,4,5· I. l· That it is more to the honour of the Church and of Religion and of God, and more to our ~;~::k fafety and edification, to have Gods Worfhip performed folemnly, publickly and in great affemblles, & 4 o. 9 ro. than in a corner, fecretly, and with few. lilt ,s.'laft. , 2· That it is a great mercy therefore where the Rulers allow the Church fuch publick Worfhip. Heb. Jo. '!· 3· That<~ltri<paribur all Chriaians fhould prefer fuel> public;_ worjhip before private; And no Ali. ' 0 ·7·! private meetings fhould be kept up, which are oppofite or prejudicial to [uch public;_ meetingr. : :-lr. 4 . And therefore if fuch meetings ( or any that are unncceJfary to the ends of the Miniftry, the I c~::; •. 'l· fervice of God and good of fouls) be forbidden by Lawful Rulers, they mun be forborn. 1 Cor. 16. I9. I f. But we :1re alfo agreed, r. That it is not the Place but the prefencc of the true PajlorJ 11ntl ~a~;:~;;: people that make the Cb:mb. Col.,. , 1 . 2• That God may be acceptably W01fhipped in all places when it is our duty. 3• That the ancitnt Churches and Chriflians in times of perrr, utions ordinarily met in fecret againfi the Rulers wills, and thei: meetings _were called Convc:nticles, (and fl:mderc:d, which occafi~ oncd Pliny's examination, and the right he dtd them.) Mar. JS,l.o. 4\-• That no Minifier mufi forfal<e and give over his work white there is med, and be can do it. 1 Cor. 9. 16. 5· That where there arc many thoufands of ignorant and ungodly ptrfons, and the publick MiniJ Thcf.1.. 1 5> flers, either through their pJucity ( proportioned to the people) or their difability, or unwillingntji, Aft 16 · or negligence, or all, are infufficicnt for all that publick and private Minitlc:riai work, which God S(e ·J;. ~:V,- hath appointed for the inftrutiion, perfwafion and falvation of fuch ncccffitous fouls, there is nc:ed of mond inWe. more Minifierial help. r Tin1.1.. 8. 6. That in cafes of real ( not counterfeit) nectffity, they that are hindered from exercifing their Aft.~·4· Minii\erial Office publickly, fhould do it privately, if they have true Ordination, and the call of the ~ fim·.!:~:~;3 • peoples neceffity, defire, and. ofopporlttnitT, ~o be it they do it in that peaceable,orderly a~d qui~t .manner, Heb. to.>!. as may truly promote the mrerefi of ReligiOn, and dma6t not from the lawful pubhck Mmofiry and work. 7· That
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