A SERMON Preached at Christ-Church in BRISTOL, Before the Right Honourable Sr Francis North, Lord Chief Justice of His Majesty's Court of Common-Pleas: At the Assizes held there, August 7th, Anno Dom. 1675.  
By Richard Standfast Master of Arts, and Rector there.  
LONDON, Printed by A. M. for Charles Allen, Bookseller in BRISTOL, 1676.   

Imprimatur,  
Mar. 8ᵒ 1675/6. Geo. Hooper Rmo D no Arch. Cant. a Sacris Domesticis.   

To the Right Reverend Father in God, GVY by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of BRISTOL.  
Right Reverend Father,  
I Cannot but be sensible how unfit a Person I am now, after Thirteen years' blindness, to offer any thing unto Public View, especially in such an Age as this; But seeing that it is your Lordship's desire, that these weak Meditations of mine should be made public, I am willing to obey; and the rather, that the world may know, That whatever Faction and Division there is, or hath been amongst us here in this City, it hath not passed without public discovery and reproof. I will give your Lordship, at the present, no further trouble, than humbly to crave, that, as these Meditations, such as they are, had your Lordship's Approbation when you heard them from the Pulpit, so you would be pleased to let them pass under your Patronage from the Press: And hereby I shall be the more obliged to be, as I am,  
Your Lordship's most humble Servant, RICHARD STANDFAST.   

A SERMON Preached at Christ-Church in BRISTOL, etc.  NUMBERS XVI. 15. 
Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering.  
SAint Paul saith, That all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.  
The word of God revealed unto us in his holy Book, is, it seems, a perfect rule both of Faith, and Manners: Here we may learn, both what to believe, and how to live; what to embrace, and what to avoid; if our desire be to have the fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life. All sorts of persons may here be taught what belongs to their duty in their several places wherein God hath set them: and the more to encourage us to perform our duties, the Precepts of God are seconded with many and precious Promises, both of the life that now is, and also of that which is to come: and his Prohibitions are backed with many and heavy Threaten, relating both to souls and bodies; and to miseries, not only temporal, but also eternal: And for the better confirming of our Faith concerning both these Promises, and these Threaten, the Book of God hath set before our eyes Examples of both kinds; the more to allure us to that which is good, and the more to affright us from that which is evil: Such as were Abel, and Noah, and Lot, Abraham, and Job, and David; with many others on the one side: And Cain, and Achan, and Gehazi, and Judas, and the old world, and Sodom, and Gomorrah, on the other; amongst which also we may reckon this matter of Korah, of which and of all others of like kind, we may say as St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10.11, All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come: For of Korah and his complices it is said, they become a Sign, Numb. 26.18, to warn others how they walk in their ways, lest in the end they drink of theirs, or the like cup.  
And 'tis indeed what God requires at our hands, disobedient Apostates are called upon to remember Lot's Wife: And Jerusalem is bid to go to Shiloh, and see what God did to it for the wickedness of his people Israel, Jer. 7.12. And the same is expected of us concerning the matter in hand, Go to Korah, and see what was done to him and his company, lest ye be like them: So that in this Chapter we have a perfect glass for all Seditious Schismatics, for all Factious and Seditious persons, wherein they may see not only a discovery of their sin, but also a description of their punishment; both which are written for our instruction, that we may hear, fear, and learn to beware of doing so wickedly, Lege historiam ne fias historia.  
In this Verse of my Text, we have Moses his wrath, and then the effect thereof in the prayer that he made, when he saith to the Lord, Respect not thou their offering. But before I come to speak of these, I must crave leave to begin a little higher, that we may the better see upon what account it was that he was so displeased; And that I may not seem over-tedious, if you please but to fancy, that I have taken in the foregoing part of this Chapter for a considerable part of the matter of my discourse, I hope I may be accounted the more excusable.  
In order therefore to my Text, we must know, that Levi had three Sons, Gersham, Coheth, and Merari: from these three came the Families of the Levites: The Sons of Coheth, were, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Vzziel: The Sons of Amram, were, Aaron and Moses: And the Sons of Izhar, were, Korah, Nepheg and Zichri, etc. Of these came the Families of the Levites, whose Names you may see, Exod. 6. And their Families and Number at large, Num. 6.3.  
Moses and Aaron were the men unto whom God spoke, and by whom he spoke to Pharaoh, and by whom he brought them out of Egyptian bondage; after which he led his people like Sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  
These were two men unto whom God gave extraordinary Commissions, The one to be as a Prince, the other to be the Priest of God for the people of Israel: What Moses did, he did by God's appointment, and his Commission was sufficiently ratified by variety of Miracles, enough to convince the most incredulous; besides all which, his meekness, justice, industry, prudence, care and love, manifested in those great benefits, advantages and deliverances, which they enjoyed by his means, were enough to oblige them to submit quietly unto his Government, tending so much to their own good: After they were got out of Egypt, God gave that people the Law; and after that, Orders for erecting of a Tabernacle for his public Worship, every thing wherein was appointed by God himself, who communicated all to Moses, and by him to the people; according to which, every thing was accomplished by Moses his care, and the people's voluntary and liberal contributions.  
The Tabernacle being finished and erected, Almighty God, who is debtor to no man, and may freely choose out for his Service whom he pleased, settled the Priesthood upon Aaron and his family, unto whom were given all the Families of the Levites in lieu of the Firstborn; and these were offered unto God as an holy offering, and were consecrated unto God for the service of the Tabernacle; but yet between the Office of them and the Priest, there was a manifest difference; They were for the service of the Tabernacle, but they had nothing to do within in the Sanctuary, nor with offering of Sacrifice, nor with burning of Incense; That was peculiar to the Priest only.  
The Tabernacle being erected, their manner of pitching was thus: Moses, Aaron, and the Priest, pitched on the East, the Cohathites on the South, Gershon on the West, Merari on the North: When they did march, the things of the Sanctuary were all taken down, and covered by the Priest: These were to be born on the shoulders of the Cohathites, after that the Priest had covered them: but they were not to touch any of these holy things: The Gershonites had the charge of the Hang of the Tabernacle: The Merarites had the charge of the Board's, the Pillars, the Sockets, the Pins, etc. All things being thus settled, and every one appointed to his Place and Office, it was not long before there grew a great mutiny among that stiffnecked, and unthankful people, of which Korah, the Son of Izhar, the Son of Cohath, the Son of Levi, was the Author, and Ringleader; the Cause, and Captain of that Conspiracy: He took men, saith verse 1. But in the Hebrew 'tis only cepit, only he took, tulit se ad partem, He took a miss, a spleen as we say; he took exceptions; He thought Aaron too much honoured, and himself too much undervalved, and so doth all he can to raise a party against him: The Septuagint read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He spoke, scil. He had much conference with other men, whereby he acquainted them with his own intentions, and took counsel how to carry on his design: The Genev. Translation reads it, went apart with Dathan and Abiram: Doubtless this was not a business done all at once; Korah had taken some time to tamper with others, to draw them into his assistance; and because he knew that he could not ●arry on his design without the assistance of the people, He first gets in with the Princes, and with those that were most in repute for their Wisdom and Piety.  
A Wat Tyler may serve for an Idol of Clowns: but Korah is to make use of those that were more Famous, Quorum ex meliore luto finxit precordia Titan, and that's the readiest way to work upon the multitude: for such draw many after them, who are easily wrought upon to follow them in the simplicity of their hearts; and by an implicit Faith to conclude, that that cause must needs be good, wherein persons of such Worth and Honour are so deeply engaged.  
Another way, whereby he wrought upon the people, was by Flattery: He tells them that all the Congregation was holy: he knew himself that this was false, for if he spoke with reference to their manners, he knew so much of their Murmur, and Provocations, that he had no reason to call them holy; and if he had reference to their being set apart for the Service of the Tabernacle, he knew full well that none were Consecrated for that Service, but the Tribe of Levi: But thus violent men, to carry on a design, will dare to say that which they themselves do not believe: and do those things for the supporting of their Cause, of which they may be ashamed: Truth needs not the assistance of a lie, nor will God, that any man speak wickedly for Him; 'Tis a bad Cause doubtless that must be carried on by Lying and Libelling, by Slanders and Forgeries, by Flattery and Dissimulation; which, with whomsoever they are found, will be evidence sufficient to convict such men to be Deceivers and Seducers: And yet this did Korah, who to his Falsehood and Flattery, added Dissimulation also; for the people were persuaded to believe that, which they were never like to see; for it may well be thought, that the Levites intended to share the Priesthood among themselves, and to exclude the people; as in likelihood the Reubenites did the Civil Power, when once they should be successful in their undertake; as appears by Verse 10, where it is not, seekest thou, as spoken to Korah only, but, seek ye, in the Plural number.  
To strengthen the Party, the Reubenites must be brought in, at least some of the Chief of them; but still Korah was the Principal: for they are said to strive against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, Numb. 26.9. And 'tis observed, that the Conspiracy itself is always laid to the charge of Korah, not of Dathan and Abiram, see Numb. 27.3, And Korah dealt with them, because Reuben was the eldest Son; and had he not been Disinherited, he might have claimed the Princely Power, by virtue of his Primogeniture; and with whom Korah might have opportunity to converse without suspicion, seeing they both pitched on the Southside of the Tabernacle.  
Thus the Civil Power was opposed by Dathan and Abiram, as the Ecclesiastical was by Korah and his company; which plainly appears by their differing arguments, whereby they seek the goodwill of the people: Korah tells the people they are all holy; and herein he opposed Aaron: Dathan persuades the people that they are not well Governed, and that they might easily see, unless they would put out their eyes; and that Moses deserved to be called to an account by the people for not discharging that Trust which was committed to him: And this hath ever been the practice of Factious and Seditious persons: nor is there any thing easier, than to persuade the people to think well of themselves, and ill of their Governors; nor any readier way to creep into the goodwill and affection of the Common people, than by sodoing: By all which it doth appear, that their aim was to change the Government, both of Church and State; and to reduce the one to a kind of Consistory, the other to a Commonwealth: For if Korah will have no Aaron, Dathan and Abiram will have no Moses, and so Prince and Priest go down together.  
The design being laid, and matters being brought to some maturity, they begin now to disclose it openly; and they gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and tell them to their faces, that they took too much upon them; too much State, too much Power, too much Honour, too much Authority; that they were too Arbitrary in their Gevernment; that they did what they pleased; and then fathered it upon God, and said, That he had commanded them; that they lifted up themselves above the Congregation, Numb. 16.3. And that Moses had set up Aaron without the suffrage of the people, only because he was his Brother: So Josephus. Nor was there any such need of making him the Highpriest, seeing all were holy: Thus are they said to strive against Moses and Aaron; but in sodoing they are said to strive also against the Lord, Numb. 26.9, and that deserves to be taken notice of; for thereby we may see, that, as he that despiseth the Throne of the Magistrate, despiseth the Throne of the King; So he that despiseth the Throne of the King, despiseth the Throne of God: and he that is an enemy to the Order of God, is an enemy to the very God of Order.  
This indeed was the nature of their sin: Pride and Ambition made them envious, and that brought forth such opposition, and such Insurrection; for being confident in their numbers, they seem resolved to win that by force, which they could not gain from Moses and Aaron by any other persuasion.  
The Psalmist saith, They envied Moses and Aaron, Psal. 106.16, but the root of their envy was their pride: Their pride made them think that they had too little, and that made them envious, because they thought others had too much: St. Judas calls this sin of theirs the gainsaying of Korah, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which word is also read Heb. 12.3, and is there Translated, contradiction of sinners, etc. And indeed Christ was contradicted every way: They contradicted Him in his Person, denying him to be the Son of God; In his Office, not receiving him to be the Promised Messiah; In his Doctrine, giving out that he was a Deceiver; In his Miracles, saying that he was a Conjurer, and dealt with the Devil; In his Conversation, reporting him to be a Glutton, and a Wine-bibber, etc. In his very Life and Being, in preferring Barrabbas: Such was the contradiction of Korah against Moses and Aaron, like those Jews mentioned, Acts 13.45, of whom it is said, that when they saw the multitude, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Contradicting and Blaspheming.  
Unto all which, Moses replies, and makes it appear, that they themselves were foully guilty of that, of which they falsely accused others; 'Tis you that take too much upon ye, In that not being contented with your own lot, you become ambitious of the Priesthood also; and having proposed a way for the discovery of which of the Parties God had made choice of to offer Sacrifice, and to burn Incense, to prevent further difference, He then sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they sent him word plainly, they will not obey him; and lay to his charge those things, for which they might justly thank their own provocations; for they thought scorn of that Pleasant Land, of which, not Moses, but their own sins had hitherto hindered the possessing and enjoying. All these things were so pleasing to a great part of the Common people, that they thought highly of those bold men that durst to speak so plainly to their Governors, accounting them gallant men, Partiots of their Country, and Assertors of the people's Liberty; accounting them the Godly party, and the people of the Lord, Numb. 16.41: But the Holy Ghost hath other names for them, Scil. sinners against their own souls, Verse 38. Wicked men, Verse 26. Rebels, Chap. 17.10.  ones, for Psal. 106, 'tis said, the flame burned up the ungodly: The truth is, there can be no such thing in rerum natura, as a godly Rebel: for if Godliness cannot prevent Rebellion, Rebellion will overthrow their Godliness.  
And being now come to the obstinacy of Dathan and Abiram: methinks we are come down to our days; wherein, under pretence of tenderness, we meet with so much stubbornness; under pretence of meekness, so much wilfulness; and under pretence of conscience, so much opposition and obstinacy: but how pleasing such things were unto Moses, we may see by his carriage, for he was exceeding wroth, saith the Text.  
Some read the words, He was exceedingly grieved; and no doubt but so he was: And good reason he had so to be; not so much in his own behalf, to see himself slighted and opposed by those of whom he had so well deserved: but especially for their own sakes; to see that a people so obliged, so convinced, should be such enemies to themselves, as to court their own misery; so to despise those things that did belong to their Peace; and to run so wilfully headlong to their own Confusion: This could not choose but grieve Moses to the very heart: Was it, think ye, no grief to the Prophet Jeremy to hear the people say to his face, as Jer. 44.16, 17, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: But we will certainly do whatsoever goeth forth out of our own mouth, etc. Was it not a grief to our Saviour, that when he would have gathered the people, they would not? And is it not the like to all faithful Ministers, when they shall be constrained to say, All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and a gainsaying people? When, take what pains we will, and speak what ever we can, we shall find but this answer, We will believe but what we list, and do but what we please? Verily, it were enough to make us weary of speaking any more in the name of the Lord: and were it not, that as long as we are faithful, our work will be with the Lord, though Israel be not gathered; 'twere enough to make us leave all men to themselves, and to say, Si populus vult decipi decipiatur: There is in the world too much of the temper of that people, who are as they that strive with the people, Qui volunt veritati cedere ne victi quidem. But remember, that for those who are contentious, and obey not the Truth, etc. for such there is but a sorry portion, Rom. 2.8, 9, Thus Moses was grieved doubtless; but that was not all, for he was angry too; yea, exceeding wroth: And yet Moses was reputed the meekest man upon earth; by which we may see, that wilful contempt of lawful Authority, is enough to incense, provoke and exasperate the meekest Magistrate in the world: And if they that do so provoke Authority, do smart for it, they may thank themselves.  
But what if a man should ask Moses, as God did Jonah, Dost thou well to be angry? I know not whether he would answer as Jonah did, I do well to be angry to the very death; but I doubt not but he would say, I do well to be angry: for there is a holy anger, a holy indignation, which is so far from being faulty, that it is justifiable before God.  
St. Paul saith, Be angry, but sin not, Eph. 4.26. If the cause be just, and that it exceed not the due measure, anger is then a duty: And Moses, as mild as he was, and as slow to wrath; yet in Gods 'Cause he knew how to be angry: When the people had made a Molten Calf, the anger of Moses waxed hot, Exod. 32.19: and here the contumacy of the people made him very angry: in such cases, not to be angry, is a sin: Quia ira Eli tepuit in fili●s ira Dei exarsit in illum: But then we must take heed that our passion transport us not, and carry us whither we ought not: he that is swift to wrath, is not like to be slow to speak; and how much there is of passion in any discourse, so much there is of nothing to the purpose; for then reason, like a bad Hound, spends upon a false scent: As meek as Moses was, when his spirit was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips; of which he was sadly remembered a long time after, Psal. 10 ●, 32, 33. The tongue is but a little, but (if not bridled) 'tis an unruly member; and therefore we had need be slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.  
I proceed to the second part of these words, Moses being displeased with the carriage of the people; be takes himself unto God for shelter. Which words I look upon not as proceeding from human frailty, but from an holy indignation; not from the transport of passion, but from an heavenly inspiration; not as a passionate imprecation, but as a Prophetical declaration; not for our imitation, but for our instruction and admonition; to teach us what they must look for, that go on in such wickness.  
That people are in a sad condition whom God forbids the Prophet to pray for, as Jer. 7.16, Pray thou not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee: For whither should we fly for refuge in the time of trouble, but to the Throne of Grace, by humble and hearty prayer? But if God be angry with the prayers of his people; if he compass himself as with a Cloud, that our prayers cannot pass through; if this way be obstructed, what other way remains for consolation?  
But if it be sad not to pray for them; it must needs be worse to pray against them: and yet thus did the Prophet against Idolaters, Isa. 2.9, the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself; therefore forgive them not: And little inferior is this in my Text; for where God refuseth the Offering, he regards not the Offerer; and seeing that God did what Moses desired, 'tis manifest, that his desire was with God's Approbation.  
David accounts it a great blessing to have his prayers heard, and service accepted, Psal. 20.1, 2, 3, 4, The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble: the name of the God of Jacob defend thee, etc. And well he might, because it tends to assure us of God's love; and that's a thing better than life itself: It must needs therefore be sad to have our service rejected, and to be sent away with a curse instead of a blessing; and yet there are several things which will mar our best performances, and hinder our most fervent prayers from being effectual.  
As for instance, All wickedness in general, is a hindrance to our prayers: thus saith David, Psal. 66.18, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: and thus saith Solomon, Prov. 15.8, The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayers of the upright is his delight: Of which truth, Cain and Abel are a sufficient evidence; for righteous Abel found favour with God; when Cain, who was of that wicked one, was sent empty away.  
Besides this, there are several particulars that will enter a caveat against our prayers, and obstruct and frustrate our best Devotion; as will fully appear by these places of Scripture following, Prov. 28, 9: He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. Prov. 1.24, 25, etc. They that turn the deaf ear to the counsel of wisdom, God will not hear them when they call upon him. Prov. 21.13, Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cries of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. And Isa. 2.15, When ye spread forth your hands I will hid mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear: your hands are full of blood: All which I only mention, because my intent is to keep close to this matter of Korah, which is here before us.  
This is certain, That God heareth not such sinners as go on still in their wickedness, and hate to be reform: But, if any man be a worshipper of God, and a doer of his will, him he heareth, Joh. 9.31. It seems by that, that without doing the will of God; our Worshipping of him is in vain; neither will our prayers find audience, nor our service acceptation, if this doing of the will of God be wanting.  
Now it is the will of God, that if it be possible, as much as lieth in us, we live peaceably with all men, Rom. 12.18. Again, It is the will of God, That we study to be quiet, and to meddle with our own business, 1 Thes. 4.11. Again, It is the will of God, that we hurt no body by word or deed, that we speak not evil one of another, Jam. 4.11. (by was of Censure, Slander or Reviling); especially, that we speak not evil of the Ruler of the people, Acts 23.5. Lastly, 'Tis the will of God, that we should submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; for so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15. All these things are plain, express, and undeniable: In all these places the Spirit speaketh expressly; and if any erroneous persuasion can be of force to absolve men from that obligation which these plain Texts of Scripture do lay upon them, than hath the Spirit spoken them in vain: And as these Scriptures are plain, so 'tis as manifest, that Korah and his company were deeply guilty in every one of these particulars: And therefore well might Moses pray, Respect not thou their offerings: For  
First, They were guilty of Criminal Schism, for they had made a rent in the Church, and sown discord among Brethren; they had drawn the people into Parties, and caused Divisions, even without a cause: Optatus calls them plainly Schismatics: for in comparing Gods differing dealing with bloody Cain, Sacrilegeous Nineveh, and Seditious Korah; he saith, Quod in parricidam & sacrilegos non fecit id in schismaticos fecit: meaning Korah and his Seditious company: Nay, they had not only made a rent in the Church, but they had laid a ground for the continuation of Sedition for all future Generations; for if we may judge of their Opinions by their Practice, their Principles will be found to be these following, viz. 

1. That Power was Originally in the people.  
2. That the people had Power to call their Magistrates to an account, even the most Supreme; and to Depose them from their Places of Authority, if they thought fit; and to change the Government both of Church and State.  
3. That it was lawful to seek, by the tumultuous Insurrection of a numerous multitude, to gain those things from their lawful Superiors, which they could not obtain by any Argumentative Persuasions or Petitions:   And had not the God of Order and Peace confuted these positions, by confounding the designs, and destroying the persons of those that owned them, these principles would have been a foundation, upon which any discontented spirits, or ambitious persons might have been encouraged to have raised Sedition from generation to generation, whenever they had a mind so to do: And therefore well might Moses say, Respect not thou their offering: For they were deeply guilty of a needless Schism: and to Worship God in such a way of Schism, is to Worship him in a way of sin; and that cannot be pleasing unto God: There is but one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, etc. Christ is not divided; There is the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: and he that is the one God, cannot but hate causeless Divisions, as much as the Holy One doth Impiety and Profaneness.  
2dly, Korah and his Company were busymedlers in what did not belong unto them; and so Moses tells them to their faces, saying, You take too much upon you, ye Sons of Levi: And well might he lay this to their charge; for being but Levites, they would needs encroach upon, and intrude themselves into the Priest's Office; but they paid dearly for it: God looks that every man should keep his own Station, and move within his own Sphere; and he that acts without a Commission, though he do nothing but what is materially good, he shall be called to account as an Usurper: Almighty God is not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace; but this breaking of Ranks, is the way to Confusion; and was in them so displeasing to Almighty God, that the flame burned up the ungodly.  
3dly, Korah and his Company had spoken evil of the Rulers of the people; they laid to their charge that they took too much upon them; that, in effect, they had been too Arbitrary in their Government; that they did Domineer too much over their Brethren; that they had lifted up themselves above the Congregation of the Lord; that they had not been as good as their Words; and that they had no better than Deceived the people; that they had brought them out of Egypt to their loss; and instead of Fields and Vineyeards, and a settled condition, had brought them only to wand'ring up and down from one place to another in a barren Wilderness: Thus did they slander those whom God had set over them; accusing them falsely of such Crimes as they were no way guilty of: and therefore well might Moses pray, Respect not thou their offering: And 'tis no more than what our Saviour hath taught us, Mat. 5.23, 24: If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remember'st that thy Brother hath aught against thee: Leave there thy gist before the Altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift: By which it appears, that where there is no seeking to be reconciled to those whom we have offended, there will be no accepting of the gift that is offered.  
4hly, And lastly, Korah and his Company were guilty of contumacious obstinacy against the just commands of lawful Authority; for when Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram to come up to the Tabernacle, they sent him word again, like stubborn Rebels, in plain terms, They would not come up: And this obstinacy will most infallibly nonsuit our most fervent Petitions; For He that resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God; and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation, Rom. 13.2. So that Moses had reason enough to say as he did, Respect not thou their offering: And by all this that hath been spoken, I suppose it to be very plain and manifest, that they who cause or countenance needless Divisions in a Church or State; They who keep not their own Station, but meddle with things beyond the bounds of their own proper Calling; They that slander their Betters, despise Dominions, speak evil of Dignities, and disobey those that are their lawful Governors and Magistrates: they had need to repent of this their wickedness; which if they do not, they may justly fear that they shall one day perish in the gainsaying of Korah: These things, as I conceive, are all plain by the Text; and I earnestly wish, that the Dissenters of these times would seriously think upon them, and lay them to heart, lest after all their care and cost, they come short, in the end, of their expectation.  
Our Saviour saith, In the last days many shall come and say, Lord, Lord, etc. Mat. 7, and yet he disowns them, because workers of iniquity. There is filthiness of the Spirit, as well as of the Flesh; from which we must be cleansed, if we would perfect holiness in the fear of God.  
Will it not be matter of grief, if after all which they pretend to have done, and suffered for Christ's sake, they shall hear, instead of a well done good and faithful servant: a who required these things at your hands?  
There is a pretence I know, of a purer Mode of Worship: But he that for an imaginary purer Mode, shall part with Peace, Unity and Charity, Duties of such absolute necessity to Salvation, that man is like to have but a hard bargain.  
Are there not found with some of them, things of the same nature which Korah and his Company were guilty of? Hath not the Church of England many things against them? Are there not amongst them, that are guilty of Criminal Schism, in setting up Anti-Churches in opposition to our solemn Assemblies (for where we may have communion without sin, there without doubt 'tis a sin to separate)? Are there not some who take too much upon them? who adventure upon the Ministerial Office, without a Ministerial Commission? Remember Vzzah, etc. Did ever any man safely adventure to be Ambassador for a King, or but a Justice of the Peace, were his abilities never so great, without a Commission? And are not we Ambassadors for Christ? and shall any man take this honour to himself, without he be called to it? Surely he that cometh not in by the door, may well be accounted a Thief and a Robber: Are there not some that have Slandered their own Mother's Sons? my, their Mother the Church of England herself; accounting her little better than a Romish Harlot? And for contumacious resisting of Authority, 'tis too manifest to be denied; for they say plainly, with Dathan and Abiram, We will not come up; And after all this, must their service needs be pleasing unto God? Why then doth Moses say, Respect not thou their offering?  
Fain would I know, if there be any one duty of necessity to Salvation, which may not be freely practised in the communion of our Church: May not a man be as good a Christian in our Communion, as flesh and blood is capable to be, whilst we are on this side Heaven? What then means the Contumacious obstinacy which is daily seen in some of those men, unless it be to carry on a design, and to keep men in a Rebellious temper, till they shall have opportunity to use them?  
What men of Korah's temper have done, even of late years, in this our Land, we know: What they would do, if they had power, none but God knows: only this we know, That if He, in whose hands be the hearts of men, do not incline us all to Unity and Peace, we are not very like to see our Jerusalem in Prosperity, nor Peace upon our Israel: For a house, or a Kingdon divided against itself, cannot stand.  
I know it is Printed in behalf of the Dissenters, even of this City, That if they might be their own judges, they are not to be accused of either Impiety towards God, Contempt of the Laws, Disloyalty to their King, or imprudence to themselves, from their present Persevering in those ways which they now walk in: But whilst they have so much of Korah in them, if this saying of theirs be generally true, I must get me a new Bible, for in that which I have already, I can find no such thing.  
I know that Conscience is much pretended for the justifying of disobedience; but to no purpose: for Conscience alone can be no sufficient rule to walk by, because it may be ignorant and erroneous, and prepossessed with prejudice and partiality, self-love and self-interest: 'Tis very true, that to act contrary to Conscience, may betray us into sin: but 'tis true withal, that 'tis possible, that whilst a man acts according to his Conscience, he may act contrary to his duty, and become guilty before God.  
In a word, If Conscience shall be allowed a Power to make void all the Commands of Superiors, farewell all Government whatsoever, and let every servant be his own Master.  
To draw to a conclusion: In that which I have spoken upon this Subject, if my own heart deceive me not, I have not aimed at any man's favour, nor coveted any applause; nor designed the exasperating of any persons: what I have done in this kind, hath been to discharge mine own Conscience, and out of a desire to do good: And whatever Entertainment these weak Endeavours of Mine may find, thus much I may say of them, They may be, Correctio, si velitis; and will be, Testimonium, etsi nolitis: They may be for the reformation of the faulty, if they will; But whether they will or no, they will be a witness against them.  
The God of Peace give us all Humble and Teachable minds, together with Peaceable and Charitable hearts, that so with one mind and one mouth, we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: To whom be glory both now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.