slaughter of the people Theo. The Leuites were not all Priestes though they were to attend on the Arke and the rest of the seruice of God Aaron and his sonnes had the Priesthood and not the whole Tribe of Leui. The Scripture it selfe will giue you that distinction The Leuites were appointed vnto all the seruice of the Tabâ—rnacle of the house of God But Aaron and his sonnes burnt incense vpon the Altar of burnt offering And what shoulde let the Leuites to beare armes at Moses commaundement who afterward in defence of king Ioash at his coronation in the Temple did compasse him Euerie man with his weapon in his hand Against the Magistrate they did not bend their swords as you do but rather for obedience to the Magistrate and therefore their example wil not warrant your displaying of banners against your Prince Phi. Was Moses a Magistrate Theo. Howe thinke you was he not Phi. The Scripture sayeth hee was a Priest and a Prophet not a Prince Theo. Those bee no reasons to exclude him from bearing the sword Melchizedec was a Priest of the most high God and king of Salem Ely was a Priest and Samuel a Prophet and yet both were Soueraigne Rulers ouer Israell Moses might annoynt Aaron at the first erection of the Priesthoode and deliuer the lawe of God vnto the people and yet keepe the Ciuil regiment Phi. Why then doth Dauid number Moses and Aaron among the Priests of God Theo. The worde which Dauid vseth doeth signifie those that be chiefe in any seruice as well as Priestes as in the second of Samuel the eight chapter where it is saide that Zadoc and Abimelec the Sonnes of Phinees were the Priests it is presently added and the sonnes of Dauid câ—hanìm haìu were no Priestes but chiefe Princes or Rulers And yet the worde is the very same that was vsed before to Zadoc and Abimelec the sonnes of Aaron So in the 20. of the same booke Zadoc and Abiathar were Pristes and Ira the Iairite was cohen ledauid not a Priest to Dauid for that had beene wickednesse against the law of God to make a mere straÌ„ger that was no Leuite a priest but a chiefe Prince about Dauid And so Dauid ioyneth Moses and Aaron as the Principall seruitours about God and chiefe Rulers of the people Moses for regiment Aaron for sacrifices And did the worde exactly signifie Priestes the letter beth which goeth before it importeth either in the number of the Priests or togither with the Priests so that Moses and Aaron with the Priests called on the name of the Lorde But that Moses was a Priest after Aaron and his sonnes were annointed is a manifest vntrueth against the Scriptures God sayde to Moses Thou shalt put vppon Aaron the holie garmentes and shalt annoynt him And sanctifie him that hee may serue mee in the Priestes office Thou shalt also bring his sonnes and cloath them with garmentes And shalt annoynt them as thou diddest annoynt their Father that they may serue me in the Priests office so shall this their annoynting bee to them for an euerlasting Priest-hoode in their generations And againe Thou shalt appoynt Aaron and his sonnes to execute the Priestes office and the straunger that commeth neere shall die Which precept excluded not onelie the rest of the Tribes but euen the Leuites them-selues that were not the sonnes of Aaron from being Prestes or medling with the sacrifices that shoulde be offered vnto God To Aaron God sayde Thou and thy sonnes with thee shall beare the iniquitie or burden of the Priestes office Thy brethren of the Tribe of Leui shalt thou take to minister vnto thee but thou and thy sonnes with thee shall minister before the Tabernacle of the Testimonie They shall keepe the charge of all the Tabernacle but they shall not come neere the instrumentes of the Sanctuarie nor to the Altar least they die both they you Where you see the Priestes office so tied vnto Aaron and his sonnes that the Leuites his brethren and of his fathers familie might watch and ward about the Tabernacle and minister vnto him and his sonnes that were priests but not come neere the Altar nor any instruments of the Sanctuarie How then could Moses be a Priest after Aaron was annointed when the Priesthood was deliuered and confirmed to Aaron onely and his sonnes Phi. Moses was a Leuite Theo. Hee was Aarons brother but the Priesthood was giuen to Aaron and his sonnes Phi. He annointed Aaron and his sonnes Theo. Not by his ordinarie function as a Priest but by speciall direction from God as a Prophet For Aaron was called to that office not by Moses but by God himselfe as the Apostle testifieth though hee were annointed by Moses handes Phi. Moses might bee a Priest before Aaron was called Theo. If Moses were a Priest what needed an other to bee chosen Why shoulde Moses bee depriued of his Priesthoode hee no way displeasing nor offending God Reason you shewe both his calling and his annoynting before you chalenge the Priesthood for him Phi. Dauid sayeth hee was Theo. What Dauid sayeth wee sawe before The worde by Sainct Hieroms owne obseruation signifieth a Master or Ruler Ira Iairites erat sacerdos Dauid id est magister sicut alibi scriptum est filij autem Dauid erant sacerdotes id est magistri fratrum suorum Ira the Iairite was a Priest of Dauids that is a Ruler as it is elswhere written the sonnes of Dauid were Priestes that is Rulers of their brethren Phi. Sainct Hierom and Sainct Augustine writing vppon this Psalme of Dauid affirme that Moses was a Priest Theo. All that Sainct Hierom sayth is this that Moses had the rule of the Lawe and Aaron of the Priest-hoode and that either of them did fore-shewe the comming of Christ with a Priestlie kinde of proclamation Moses with the sounde of the lawe and Aaron with the belles of his garmentes Where S. Hierom calleth the Propheticall function of Moses to teach the people the Lawes of God a Priestly kinde of proclaiming and foreshewing that the Sonne of God should come in flesh to teach vs the will of his Father Saint Augustine vseth the worde in like sense for that sacred seruice which Moses yeelded vnto God in reporting his Lawes and preceptes to the people And therefore in the same place hee sayeth of Samuel hee was made high Priest which is expreslie against the Scriptures if you take the worde Priest for him that was annoynted to offer sacrifices vnto God For Samuel was but a Leuite and no Priest much lesse high Priest The sonnes of Samuel are reckened in the Scripture it selfe among the Leuites apart from the Priestes office and linage and the high Priesthoode was long before giuen to Phinees and his house by couenant from Gods owne mouth and in the dayes of Samuel was helde by Abiah the sonne of Abicub who was directly of the
discent of Phinees Sainct Augustine else-where debating this question of Moses and Aaron resolueth in doubtfull manner Moses and Aaron were both high Priestes or rather Moses the chiefe and Aaron vnder him or else Aaron chiefe for the pontificall attyre and Moses for a more excellent ministerie And in that sense Moses may bee called a Priest if you meane as Saint Augustine doeth an interpreter of Gods will to Aaron and others which is the right vocation of all Prophetes that were no Priestes and common to them all saue that by a more excellent prerogatiue than anie other Prophete of the olde Testament had God spake to Moses mouth to mouth and face to face as a man speaketh vnto his friend But this doth not hinder his ciuill power which was to bee chiefe iudge and soueraigne executor of iustice among thâ—m and by vertue thereof to put them to death that were offend ors against the law of God And in his steede succeeded not Eleazar or Phinees the sonnes of Aaron but Ioshua and Iudah the captaines and leaders of Israel Phi. Your collection of Samuel is not true For God sent him to do sacrifice when he annointed Dauid and therefore Samuel was a Priest Theo. My collection is grounded vpon the law of God Samuel was none of the sonnes of Aaron ergo Samuel was no Priest nor might not come neere the Altar to offer anie sacrifice in his owne person Phi. The Scripture sâ—yeth He tooke a sucking Lambe and offered it for a burnt offering vnto the Lorde Theo. You mistake the speech of the holy Ghost So Iephtah saide That thing which commeth first out of the doores of myne house to meete mee I will offer it for a burnt offering yet Iephtah was neither Priest nor Leuite So the Angell saide to Manoah If thou wilt make a burnt offering offer it to the Lorde and yet Manoah was of the tribe of Dan. Of Dauid that was no Priest the Scripture saith Then Dauid offered burnt offeringes peace offeringes before the Lorde And againe Dauid built there an Altar vnto the Lorde and offered burnt offeringes and peace offeringes and the Lorde was appeased towarde the Lande And likewise of Salomon The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there a thowsande burnt offeringes did Salomon offer vppon that Altar Thrise a yeare did Salomon offer burnt offeringes and peace offeringes vppon the Altar which hee built to the Lorde and hee burnt incense vppon the Altar that was before the Lorde Nothing is oftener in the Scriptures than these kindes of speeches by the which no more is ment but that either they brought these things to be offered or else they caused the priests to offer them For in their own persons they coulde not sacrifice them because they were no Priests In that sense the Scripture saieth of Saul that He offered a burnt offering at Gilgall before Samuel came not that Saul offered it with his owne handes as you before did fondely imagine and sayde hee was deposed for aspiring to the spirituall function but hee commaunded the Priest to doe it who was then present in the host with the Arke of GOD as the next chapter doth witnesse in two seuerall places Phi. Then was Saul free from sinne when Samuel reproued him Theo. Samuel reproued him for distrusting and disobeying God For when God first aduanced Saul to the kingdom he charged him by the mouth of Samuel to go to Gilgal and there to staie seuen daies before he ventered to do any sacrifice til the Prophet were sent to shewe him what hee shoulde doe but he seeing his enimies gathered to fight against him on the one side and his people shrinking from him on the other side because Samuel came not beganne to suspecte that Samuel had beguiled him and therefore vppon his owne head against the commaundement of God willed the Priest to goe forwarde with his sacrifices and to consult GOD what hee shoulde doe This secrete distrust and presumption against the charge which God had giuen him was the thing that GOD tooke in so euill part and since hee woulde not submitte him-selfe to bee ruled by GOD and expect his leasure God reiected him as vnfitte to gouerne his people Neither did Samuel chalenge him for inuading the Priestes office but for not staying the time that God prefixed him before the Prophet should come Philand Wee reade in the booke of Numbers that the Captaine and all the people were commaunded to goe in and out that is to proceede in warres according to the order of Eleazarus the Priest Such were the warres of Abia other kinges of Iudah that fought most iustly and prosperouslie against the schismaticall Israelites and iustly possessed the Cities which they conquered in those warres As also Edom and Libuah reuolted from king Ioram for Religion euen because hee forsooke the God of their forefathers and coulde neuer bee recouered to the same againe Wherein also the example and zeale of the children of Israell was verie notable that they woulde haue denounced warre against the Tribe of Ruben and Gad onely for erecting as they tooke it a schismaticall altar out of the only place where our Lord appointed that sacrifice should be doone vnto his honor Theo. Yee bee tried men to interprete Scriptures The words which you applie to Eleazar the Priest stande in the text indifferent to be referred either to God or to Ieboshuah or to Eleazar and you lustilie leaue out both GOD and the Magistrate and will haue the Priest to bee the Master of the Musters And did the wordes pertaine to Eleazar no such power as you conceiue is thereby giuen to the Priest to caulme and kindle warres when hee list but onely to consult the Lord before his Arke and to reporte backe to the Captaine and leader of the people what the Lorde saide that no warres might bee vndertaken without expresse warrant from God This kinde of asking counsell at Gods mouth in their warres you should finde exemplyfied in sundrie places of the olde Testament as Iudges twentie first Samuel fourteene first Samuel twentie-three first Samuel thirtie But in this case the Priest had no farther authority than to inquire at Gods mouth and that hee did when the king commaunded him which is far from licencing subiectes to rebell against their king as you woulde haue it The warres of Abia the king of Iudah against Israell were not of Subiectes against their Soueraignes but of a lawfull Prince bearing the sworde and thinking to recouer the kingdome of Israell which Roboam his father lost from his enimies Where you iustifie the warres of Abia against Israell more bouldly than wisely GOD him-selfe prohibiting the children of Iudah and Beniamin in the dayes of Roboam his Father to fight against the children of Israell their brethren and professing the diuision of the Kingdome
all the wordes of the lawe keeping and obseruing are not there referred to his priuate actions as a man but to his publike function as a king and therefore the king in these wordes receiued the charge and ouersight of the whole lawe that is an expresse commaundement from God to see the lawe kept and euerie part thereof obserued of all men within his Dominions and the breakers of it Prophetes Priestes and People to bee duely punished Nowe the Lawe contained all thinges that any way touched the true seruice and worshippe of God ergo the king had one and the selfe-same power and charge to commaund and punish as well for the preceptes of pietie as other pointes of policie neither did God fauour or prosper any of the kinges of Israell or Iudah but such as chiefly respected and carefully maintained the ordinances of Religion prescribed vnto them in Moses lawe In the times of the Prophetes saith S. Augustine all the kinges which in the people of God did not forbid and ouerthrow those thinges which were brought in against the commandementes of God are blamed and they that did prohibite and subuert such thinges are praysed aboue the rest God blessed Salomon with wisedome honour riches and peace so long as hee walked in the steppes of Dauid his father during the which time Salomon did dedicate the Temple in his owne person and cast out Abiathar from being Priest vnto the Lord and set Zadocke in his roome but when his heart once turned from God to builde places also for Idols and to suffer his outlandish wiues to burne incense and offeringes to their Gods then the Lorde was angrie with Salomon and stirred vppe aduersaries against him and threatned to rent his kingdom from him and to giue it to his seruant Asa tooke awaie the Altars of the strange Gods and the high places and brake downe the images and cut downe the groues and commaunded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and tooke awaie out of all the cities of Iudah the high places and images therefore the kingdome was quiet before him And hee tooke an oth of all Iudah and Beniamin that Whosoeuer woulde not seeke the Lorde God of Israell shoulde be slaine whether hee were small or great man or woman and hee deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie because she had made an idoll Asa brake downe her idol and stamped it and burnt it and the Lord gaue him rest round about Iehosaphat his sonne walked in the first waies of Dauid and sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his commaundementes and therefore the Lord established the kingdome in his handes so that hee had riches and honour in aboundance In the thirde yeare of his raigne he sent his Princes that they should teach in the cities of Iudah and with them Leuites and Pristes and him selfe went through the people from Beer-sheba to Mount-Ephraim and brought them againe to the Lord God of their fathers In Ierusalem he sent of the Leuites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israell for the iudgement and cause of the Lord. And he charged them saying Thus shal ye do in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart Thus shall ye do and trespasse not And behold Amariah the Priest shall be the chiefe among you for al the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah for all the kinges affaires and the Leuites shall be helpers vnto you Be strong and doe it And when the Moabites and Ammonites came against him he proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and stood in the congregation of Iudah and Ierusalem in the house of the Lord prayed in his owne person for all the people Ezechiah did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that Dauid his father had done Hee opened the doores of the house of the Lorde and brought in the Priestes and the Leuites and saide vnto them heare mee yee Leuites sanctifie your selues and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers I purpose to make a couenant with the Lord God of Israell And they sanctified themselues according to the commaundement of the king And the king rose early and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vppe to the house of the Lord. And they brought sinne-offeringes and Ezechiah commaunded to offer the burnt offering vppon the Altar yea hee commaunded the Priestes the sonnes of Aaron to offer them And when they had made an end of offering Ezechiah the king the Princes commaunded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the wordes of Dauid and Asaph the Seer And Ezechiah sent to all Israell and Iudah also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passouer So the Postes went with letters by the commission of the king and his Princes throughout all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the king saying Yee children of Israell turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israell And the hand of God was in Iudah so that he gaue them one heart to doe the commaundement of the King And Ezechiah appointed the courses of the Priestes and Leuites by their turnes euerie man according to his office for the burnt offeringes and peace offeringes to minister and giue thankes to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord. And in all the workes that hee beganne for the seruice of the house of God hee did it with all his heart and prospered Hee tooke away the high places and brake the Images and cutte downe the groues and brake in peeces the brasen Serpent which Moses had made for in those dayes the children of Israell did burne incense to it Manasses at the first wēt back built the high places which Ezechiah his father had broken down and set vp altars for Baalim made groues worshipped all the host of heauen serued them but after hee was taken by the king of Babylon put in fetters bound in chaines he hūbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdom Then hee tooke awaie the strange Gods and the image out of the house of the Lord and all the Altars that hee had built in the mount of the Lordes house and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the citie Also he repaired the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace-offeringes and of thankes and commaunded Iudah to serue the Lord God of Israell Iosiah in the eight yeare of his raigne when he was yet a childe of sixeteene yeares began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father and in the twelfth yeare he began to purge Iudah Ierusalem from the high places the groues and the carued and