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A31482
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Certain briefe treatises written by diverse learned men, concerning the ancient and moderne government of the church : wherein both the primitive institution of episcopacie is maintained, and the lawfulnesse of the ordination of the Protestant ministers beyond the seas likewise defended, the particulars whereof are set downe in the leafe following.
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1641
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Wing C1687A; ESTC R8074
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96,833
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184
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more did he permit these foure to be equals among themselves but appointed Ithamar Exod. 38.21 to command over Eliasaph with his Gershonits Num. 4.28 Zuriel with his Merarits Num. 4.33 Eleazar Num. 4.16 to have jurisdictio over His own Family Elizaphan with his Cohathites Yea he maketh not Eleazar and Ithamar to be absolute equals but giveth Eleazar preeminence over Ithamar and therefore termeth him Nasi Nesiim Princeps Principum or Praelatus Praelatorum Num. 3.32 And all these under Aaron the High Priest So that 1. Aaron was the High Priest 2. Under him Eleazar who as hee had his peculiar charge to look unto so was he generally to rule both Ithamars jurisdiction and his owne 3. Under him Ithamar over two families 4. Under him the three Prelats 5. Under each of them their severall chiefe Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are termed Exod. 6.25 under Elizaphan foure under Eliasaph two under Zuriel two Num. 3.18 c. 6. Under these the severall persons of their kindreds This is here worth the noting that albeit it bee granted that Aaron was the type of Christ and so we forbeare to take any argument from him yet Eleazar who was no type nor ever so deemed by any writer will serve sufficiently to shew such superiority as is pleaded for that is a personall jurisdiction in one man restant over the heads or rulers of diverse charges The forme of government under JOSHUA THe Common-wealth being changed from the ambulatory form into a setled estate in the Cities of Canaan as before the Levits were divided according to the severall Quarters of the Camp so now were they sorted into the severall territories of the Tribes So God commanded Num. 35.2 8. The lot fell so that the foure partitions of the XII Tribes were not the same as when they camped before together but after another sort For the Tribes of 1. Iuda Simeon and Benjamin made the first Quarter 2. Ephraim Dan and halfe of Manasses the second 3. Issachar Asher Napthali and the other halfe of Manasses the third 4. Zebulun Reuben and Gad the fourth Now in these foure 1. The charge or oversight of the first was committed to Aaron and his family and they had therein assigned to them XIII Cities in Iudah and Simeon IX and in Benjamin IV. Ios 21.9 10 c. 2. Of the second the care was committed to the family of the Cohathits and they had assigned to them X. Cities in Ephraim IV. in Dan IV. and in the halfe of Manasses II. Ios 21.20 3. The third was committed to the family of Gershon and they had therein assigned to them XIII Cities in Issachar IV. in Asher IV. in Naphtali III. in the other halfe of Manasses II. Ios 21.27 4. The oversight of the fourth partition was committed to the Merarits and they had therein assigned to them XII Cities in Zebulun IV. in Reuben IV. in Gad IV. Ios 21.34 These were in all XLVIII Cities whereof the chiefe as may appeare were Cities set on Hills and all so situate in such proportion and distance as that they most equally parted their Tribe among them to performe unto them their duties of attendance and instruction Further there were in Ioshuahs time added by the decree of the Princes the Nethinims of the people of Gibeon for the lowest ministeries and for the service of the Levits Ios 9.27 So that now the order was thus 1. Eleazar 2. Phineas 3. Abisua 4. The three Nesiims 5. The Rase Aboth or Heads of the Families 6. The Levits 7. The Nethinims If this power and superiority was necessary when all the People and Priests were within one Trench even within the view of Aarons eye much more in Canaan when they were scattered abroad in divers Cities farre distant was the retaining of it more then necessary The forme of Government under DAVID ALbeit in Sauls government small regard was had to the Church yet David found at his comming a superiority amongst them For besides the Priests hee found six Princes or Rulers over six families of the Levits 1. Chron. 15.5 6 c. Vriel over Cohath Asajah over Merari Ioel over Gershon Shemajah over Elizaphan Eliel over Hebron Amminadab over Vzziel Likewise between the two Priests an inequality one Abiathar attending the Ark at Ierusalem the higher function the other Zadok the Tabernacle at Gibeon 2. Sam. 20.25 1. Chron. 16.37 39. But after the Ark was brought back he set a most exquisite order among the Levits and that by Samuels direction 1. Chron. 9.22 So that he is there reckoned as a new Founder Of them he made six orders 1. Chron. 23. 1. Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24000. vers 4. 2. Ministers of Priests 24000. vers 4. 3. Iudges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6000. vers 4. 4. Officers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6000. vers 4. 5. Singers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4000. verse 5. 6. Porters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4000. verse 5. I. Of Priests Zadok was the chiefe of the family of Eleazar and Ahimelech the second of the family of Ithamar 1. Chron. 24.3 Under these were XXIIII other Courses Of the posteritie of Eleazar XVI 1. Chr. 24.4 Of the posteritie of Ithamar VIII 1. Chr. 24.4 Which XXIIII are called in the 5. verse Rulers of the Sanctuary and Rulers of the House of God and to whom the learned Interpreters thinke the XXIIII Elders Apocal. 4.4 have relation II. Of Levits that ministred to the Priests in their function likewise XXIIII Courses out of the * IX VIII families the Heads of whom are set downe in 1. Chron. 23.6 and 24.20 Over all which Jehdeiah was chiefe III. Of Iudges that sate for causes aswell of God as the King there were appointed 1. On this side Iordan upwards toward the River Ashhabiah the Hebronite 1. Chr. 26.30 2. On this side Iordan downwards towards the Sea Chenaniah the Isharite 1. Chr. 26.29 3. Beyond Iordan over the two Tribes and the halfe Ierijah the chiefe of the Hebronites 1. Chron. 26.31 IIII. Of Officers Scribes Shemaiah 1. Chron. 24.6 Scribes Seraiah 2. Sam. 8.17 Scribes Shevah 2. Sam. 20.25 Scribes of the Levits 1. Chron. 24.6 Scribes of the Temple 2. King 22.3 Ier. 36.10 Scribes of the People Mat. 2.4 Scribes of the King 2. King 12.10 V. Of the Singers likewise he set XXIV courses over which he placed three chiefe out of the three families 1. Chron. 15.17 25.2 3 4. Out of Cohath Heman Samuels nephew 1. Chr. 6.33 Out of Gershon Asaph 1. Chron. 6.39 Out of Merari Ethan or Ieduthun 1. Chron. 6.44 Of these Heman was the Chiefe 1. Ch. 25.5 Vnder these were diverse others 1. Chr. 15.18 VI. Of Porters who were divided into the Keepers of the watch of the Temple Mat. 27.65 Psal 134.1 who were placed on each quarter of the Tabernacle 1. Chr. 26.13 14 c. On the East side VI. over whom was Shelemiah South IIII. for the Tabernaele II. and II. for Asuppim over whō was Obed.
appropriated to him who had the Presidentship over Elders Thus are certaine Elders reproved by h Epist 12. Cyprian for receiving to the Communion them who had fallen in time of persecution before the Bishop had advised of it with them and others And i Euseh hist Eccles lib. 6. cap. 42. Cornelius writeth that the Catholick Church committed to his charge had sixe and forty Elders and ought to have but one Bishop And both of them being Bishops the one of Rome the other of Carthage k Cornelius Cypriano Ep. 46. Cyprianus Presbyteris Deaconis Ep. 6. doe witnesse of themselves that they dealt in matters of their Churches government by the consent or counsell of the company of Elders or the Eldership as they both after S. Paul doe call it In this sort then the Elders as I said ordained by the Apostles in every Church l Cornelius Ep. 46. apud Cyprianum through every city chose one amongst themselves whom they called Bishop m 1. Tim. 4.14 to be the President of their company for the better handling and ordering of things in their assemblies and meetings wherein they provided by common counsell and consent for the guiding of the flock of Christ committed to them Which point of care and wisdome the Bishops following also knowing that n Prov. 11.14 where counsells want the people falleth but in the amplenesse of counsellours there is health had their meetings likewise for conference together when things of greater waight required more advise and they chose to their President therein the Bishop of the chiefest city in the Province whom they called the Metropolitan For o Notit Provinciar Imperii Romanl a Province as they tearmed it was the same with them that a shire is with us and the shire-town as you would say of the Province was called p L. observare D. de officio Proconsulis Dio in Adria no. Metropolis that is the Mother-city In which as the Iudges and Iustices with us doe heare at certaine times the causes of the whole shire so the ruler of the Province with them did minister justice made his abode there ordinarily Whereupon by reason that men for their businesse made great concourse thither the Church was wont to furnish it of godly policy with the worthiest Bishop endued with guifts above his brethren And they reposed in him such affiance that they did not only commit the q Concil Antioch can 20. Chalced. can 19. Presidentship of their Assemblies to him but agreed also that r Concil Nicen can 4. 6. none through all the Prouince should be made a Bishop without his consent nor ſ Concil Antiochen can 9. any weightier matter be done by them without him The Originall of BISHOPS and Metropolitans set down By IAMES Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH THe ground of Episcopacy is fetched partly from the patterne prescribed by God in the Old Testament and partly from the imitation thereof brought in by the Apostles and confirmed by Christ himselfe in the time of the New The government of the Church of the Old Testament was committed to the Priests and Levits unto whom the ministers of the New doe now succeed in like sort as our Lords day hath done unto their Sabbath that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet touching the vocation of the Gentiles a Esai 66.21 I will take of them for Priests and for Levits saith the Lord. That the Priests were superiour to the Levites no man doubteth and that there was not a parity either betwixt the Priests or betwixt the Levits themselves is manifest by the word of God wherein mention is made of the Heads and Rulers both of the one and of the other 1. Chron. XXIV 6 31. and Ezr. VIII 29. The Levits were distributed into the three families of the Gershonites Cohathites and Merarites and over each of them God appointed one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ruler Num. III. 24 30 35. The Priests were divided by David into foure and twenty courses 1. Chr. XXIV who likewise had their Heads who in the history of the New Testament are ordinarily called b Matth. 2.4 and 27.1 Acts 19.14 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe of the Priests and clearely distinguished from that singular one who was the type of our c Hebr. 4.14 great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the son of God Yea in the XI of Nehemy we find two named Bishops the one of the Priests the other of the Levits that dwelt in Ierusalem The former so expressely tearmed by the Greek in the 14th the latter both by the Greek and Latin Interpreter in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Episccopus Levitarum Hieron 22. vers and not without approbation of the Scripture it self which rendreth the d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 109.8 Hebrew word of the same originall in the old by the e Act. 1.20 Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the new Testament Of Levi it was said by Moses the man of God f Deut. 33.10 They shall teach Iacob thy judgements and Israel thy law they shall put incense before thee and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine Altar Because this latter part of their office hath ceased with them and the Leviticall Altar the truth prefigured thereby being now exhibited is quite taken away may not wee therefore conclude out of the former part which hath no such typicall relation in it that our Bishops and Presbyters should be as the Apostle would have them to bee g 1. Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach h Tit. 1.9 able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Nay and out of the latter part it selfe where God had appointed that i Deut. 28.1 the Priests the Levits and all the Tribe of Levi should eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire doth not the Apostle by just analogy inferre from thence that forasmuch as k 1. Cor. 9.13 14. they which waited at the altar were partaker with the altar even so had the Lord ordained that they which preached the Gospel should live of the Gospell With what shew of reason then can any man imagin that what was instituted by God in the Law for meer matter of government and preservation of good order without all respect of type or ceremony should now be rejected in the Gospel as a device of Antichrist that what was by the Lord once l Iorem. 2.21 planted a noble vine wholly a right seed should now be so turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine that no purging or pruning of it will serve the turne but it must be cut down root and branch as m Matth. 15.13 a plant which our heavenly Father had never planted But nothing being so familiar now a dayes as to father upon Antichrist whatsoever in Church matters we