admonished of God how to do it for said the Lord Heb. 8.5 Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 3.2 3 4 5. See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount and verily Moses was faithful in all his House as a servant and did see that all things was done as the Lord commanded And according to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the work and Moses did look upon all the work and beâ—old they had done it as the Lord had commanded even so had they done it Moses blessed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying And read Exo. 34 35 36 37 38 39 chap. On the first day of the first Month thou shalt set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation and Moses reared up the Tabernacle according to all that the Lord God commanded him to do so did he And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the Month that the Tabernacle was reared up and all things belonging to the service of the Tabernacle was brought and put into it and set up in it So Moses finished the work and God said Read Exodus 40. ehap I mill sanctifie the Tabernacle of the Congregation and there will I meet with the children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle And God said unto Moses Exod. 28.1 2. 29.44 I will sanctifie also both Aaron and his sons to minister unto me in the Priests Office And the Lord said unto Moses Take unto thee Aaron thy Brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office even Aaron Nadab and Abihu Eliazer and Ithamor Aarons sons and thou shalt make holy Garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take Aaron and his sons with him and the Garments Lev. 8. chap. and the anointing Oyle and a Bullock for a sin-Offring and two Rams and a Basket of unleavened Bread and gather thou all the Congregation together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses did as the Lord commanded and the Assembly was gathered together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Moses said unto the Congregation This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done and Moses brought Aaron and his Sons and washed them with water and he put upon Aaron the Coat and girded him with the Girdle and cloathed him with the Robe and put the Ephod upon him and girded him with the curious Girdle of the Ephod Exod. 28.30 and bound it unto him therewith and he put the Brest-plate upon him also he put into the Brest-plate of Judgement the Vrim and the Thumrim and he put the Mytor upon his head and upon the Mytor he put also the golden Plate the Holy Crown as the Lord commanded Moses and Moses took the Anointing Oyle and he poured of the Anointing Oyle upon Aarons head and anointed him to sanctifie him And Moses brought Aarons sons and put Coats upon them and girded them with Girdles and put Bonnets upon them as the Lord commanded and Moses took of the Anointing Oyle and of the blood wâ—ich was upon the Altar and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his Garments and upon his Sons and upon his Sons Garments with him and sanctified Aaron and his Garments and his Sons and his Sons Garments with him And thus Aaron and his sons were sanctified for to Minister to the Lord in the Priests Office Lev. 9. chap. in the Tabernacle before the Altar for the accomplishing the service of God to offer up unto the Lord sacrifices for himself Heb. 7.27 9.6 7. Numb 3. chap. and then for the errors of the people And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the Priest that they may Minister unto him and they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernable and they shall keep all the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the children of Israel to do the service of the Tabernacle And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them and thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them Thou shalt sprinkle the water of Purifying upon them and let them shave all their flesh and let them wash their cloathes and so make themselves clean then let them take a young Bullock for a Meat-Offring and another for a Sin-Offring and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and thou shalt gather tho whole Assembly of the children of Israel together and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord for an Offring before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an Offring of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord and the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the Bullocks and thou shalt offer one for a Sin-offring and the other for a Burnt-Offring unto the Lord to make an attonement for the Levites Thus shalt thou seperate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine and after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And Moses and Aaron and all the Congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according to all that that the Lord commanded But take notice a little That the Levites were not to go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation till that they were twenty five years of age and upward and when they came to be of the age of fifty years they were to cease waiting upon the service thereof and to serve no more for the Lord spake unto Moses saying This is that belongeth unto the Levites Lev. 8.23 24 25 26. ver From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve no more Forasmuch as ye see God did require a Tabernacle an Ark and an Altar and all things belonging thereto to be made for himself to dwell in or amongst the children of Israel wherein he would meet them in their worship and service done unto him and so likewise you may see how he set apart consecrated and ordained Aaron and his sons and the Levites to Minister in the Priests Office and to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation so likewise
the children of Israel and unto them he gave his commandment so to do and to no other people Secondly God required first fruits and tythes to be paid in no other Land or Nation but in the Land of Canaan only Thirdly That when the children of Isral had possession of the land of Canaan and that when they enjoyed peace round about them then were they to pay first fruits and tythes and not before Fourthly That the tythes of the land of Canaan whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree the wine the oyle the encrease of the seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer the tythe of the Corn and the tythe of the Flock or of the Herd the Lord God said was his and therefore said the Lord The first fruits of thy Land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God And again said the Lord Bring ye all the tythes into the Store-hovse that there may be meat in my house and they that brought not in their tythes to that Store-House were cursed with a curse for they had robbed God of their tythes and offerings even that whole Nation had done it Fifthly That in the land of Canaan 2 Chron. 6.6 7.16 Deut. 12.11 Neh. 10.34 to 39. 2 Chron. 31.2 to 11. ver Ierusalem was the place where God did place his Name and there was the Store-house builded that the first fruits and tythes were to be brought unto and to that place were the tythes and first fruits brought according to the law of God that came by Moses and to no other place Sixthly The first fruits and tythes which God said was his Numb 18. ch Deut. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Heb. 7.5 Numb 28.25 to 31. Deut. 17.18 14.29 26.12 Heb. 7.5 Numb 18.11 24. ver Deut. 18.3 4 5. he gave unto the children of Levi even all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance because the Levites had no inheritance among their Brethren Seventhly That to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood for their service which they served even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation did God give the first fruits and tythes unto for their maintenance and likewise the fatherless the widow and the stranger that came within the gates was to eat thereof and be satisfied Eighthly God commanded the eleven tribes of Israel to pay tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the Priesthood and to no other Priesthood did he require tythes to be paid unto since the resurrection of Christ Jesus Ninthly That the first fruits and tythes were by a law that came by Moses due unto Aaron and his sons the Levites whom God had chosen and not man to minister before him at the Altar and to do the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation and to no other ministers or men whatsoever were nor are tythes since that command was given Heb 7.12 and the Priesthood changed and the Law disanulled And now by the way take notice a little what the service was that Aaron the Levite Exod. 4.14 and chap. 28. chap. 29. ver 29 30. Heb. 9. chap. and his sons the Levites did whom God did set apart thereunto Aaron and his sons God set apart from the other tribes of Iâ—rael for the service of the tabernacle of the Congregation who did minister before the Lord in the Holy place in the tabernacle of the Congregation unto the Lord accomplishing the service of the Lord which stood onely in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ceremonies which was imposed upon them and the children of Israel to do until the time of reformation For first Gen. 17.12 Lev. 12.3 Iohn 1.22 Luke 22.1 they were to observe and keep the covenant of Circumcision every male child at eight dayes old was to be circumcised Secondly they were to observe and keep feasts viz. The Feast of the Passeover or the Feast of unleavened Bread the Feast of Penticost and the Feast of Tabernacle Now the people were to bring to the Feast of the Passeover a Lamb without blemish Exod. 12. chap. Acts 2.1 Exod. 23.16 a male of a yeer old Let every man said Moses take unto him a Lamb according to the house of the fathers a Lamb for an house c. and the flesh of the Lamb was to be rosted with fire and to be eaten with sowre Herbs and unleavened Bread and they were to eat unleavened bread seven dayes Again the Feast of pentecost that was the Feast that was of the first fruits of their Harvest Lev. 23.9 10 11 12 13 14. 33 34 35. Numb 29. ch the people they was to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their Harvest unto the priest and the sheaf was to be waved before the Lord and the priest was to wave it on the morrow after the Sabbath c. and the feast of Tabernacles was to be kept on the seventh month at the end of their Harvest for seven dayes unto the Lord wherein was divers offerings viz. Burnt-offering Meat-offering Drink-offering Sin-offering c. Now the people they were to bring their offerings voluntary to the door of the Congregation of the Lord and there to offer it c. and if it was an offering of the Cattel of the Herd the priests Aarons sons were to sprinkle the blood upon the Altar and to lay the Wood in order upon the Altar and put fire to the Altar and to lay the parts the head and the fat in order upon the Wood that was on the fire upon the Altar and the priest he was to burn all upon the Altar These offerings were made for sin viz. for the sin of the Ruler Lev. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. chapters and for the sin of the priest of the Congregation and for the sin of any of the people which they have committed wilfully or through ignorance for which sins there was to be Burnt-offerings trespasse-offerings peace-offerings c. offered up by the high-priests first for himself and then for the errors of the people Exod. 29.1 17. Lev. 8. chap. So likewise there was divers washings First Moses he washed Aaron and his sons with water when he consecrated them according to the command of the Lord and Moses he washed the inwards and the legs of the Ram that was for a burnt-sacrifice at that time and a sweet sacrifice And Aaron when he offered up a burnt-offering for his own sin Lev. 9. chap. Lev. 1. chap. chap. 6.28 and for the sins of the people he did wash the inwards and the legs of the Ram and the inwards and the legs of the Bullock was to be washed in water that any of the people brought to offer for a burnt offering before the Lord and the brazen pot that the sin-offering was to be sodden in was to be both scoured and â—â—â—â—sed in water And again Lev. 11. chap.
Whosoever touched or did bear ought of the Carcases of any beast or creeping thing that was counted unclean he himself was unclean and was to wash his clothes and he that did eat of a Carkase of a dead Beast was to wash his clothes And again Lev. 14. chap. If a House that was spread with the plague of a fretting Leprosie and was by the commandment of the priest shut up because it was unclean then he that went into the House in that time and he that lay in the House and he that eat in the House were to wash their clothes And again If any man had a running issue out of his flesh he was unclean and his bed wherein he lay was unclean Lev. 15. chap. and the thing whereon he sate was unclean therefore whosoever touched his bed was to wash his clothes and he that sate on the thing whereon he sate that had the issue was to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water c. Of which divers washings Heb. 9.19 20 21. sprinklings feasts burnt-offerings meat-offerings drink-offerings sin-offerings trespasse-offerings the attonement for the sin of ignorance the free-will-offerings the peace-offerings c. ye may read of more at large in the Scriptures which things the Law required to be done were all by the Apostle Paul counted but carnal Ordinances and when the time of Reformation was come they were all put to an end Heb. 9.10 the hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out the Law disannulled and the Priesthood changed c. Now I say That the Ministers of England never did this service for their tythes and first fruits as Aaron and his son did nor the Improprietors neither therefore neither the Improprietor nor the parish-Ministers have not any right to the tythes of the land nor the first fruits neither for the first fruits and tythes was Aaron and his sons due Heb. 9. chap. who received the office of the priesthood by the Lords appointment or command who were to attend continually yeer by yeer at the tabernacle of the congregation to accomplish the service of the Lord which was to offer gifts and sacrifices for themselves and for the errors of the people for which service doing the Lord God gave them for their portion of the most holy things reserved from the fire Lev. 2. ch 8.31 to 36. Numb 18. ch of every Oblation Meat-Offering Sin-offering Trespasse-offering Heave-offering Wave-offering c. all the best of the Oyle and the best of the Wine and the Wheat viz. the first fruits of them which the children of Israel should bring to offer unto the Lord even to Aaron and his sons who had the charge of the tabernacle of the Congregation and the office of the priesthood there to them the Lord God gave likewise of the firstling of a Cow or the firstling of a Sheepe or the firstling of a Goat which was brought for an offering made by fire Exod. 29. chap. for a sweet savour unto the Lord of the flesh thereof The Wave-brest and the right shoulder and the fat of the Ram and the Rump and the fat that covereth the inwards and the Caul about the Liver and the two kindneys and the fat that is upon them and the rig it shoulder and the breast of the Ram and whether it be of Ox or Sheep they shall give unto the priest the shoulder the two cheeks and the Maw Deut. 18.3 Numb 18.10 and a loaf of bread and a Cake of oyled Bread and a Wafer of unleavened Bread and this was by them to be eaten in the most holy place every meal And again Lev. 27.30 32 34. God he required the children of Israel to tythe all the encrease of their seed that their fields broughâ— forth yeer by yeer and he said that all the tythes of the land whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree and the tythe of the Herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord and all the tythes was brought into the House of the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel Deut. 14.22 Exod. 23.19 34.26 Mal. 3.10 Deuc 14.28 26.12.13 Prov. 3.9 10. Thou shalt truly tythe all the encrease of thy seed that the field bringeth forth yeer by yeer and the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord thy God Bring ye said the Lord all the tythes into the Store-house that there may be meat in my House and the levite and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow which are within thy Gates shall come and eat thereof and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands which thou dost And Solomon said Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine encrease so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst out with new Wine And God gave to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood a commandment to take tythes of the people according to the law Heb. 7.5 that is of their Brethren and the Lord he spake unto Aaron Numb 18.21 24. and said Behold I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve even for the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying thus Speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tythes which I have given you from them for your Inheritance c. Here you may plainly see and the Scriptures do testifie that God gave the first fruits and the tythes to the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood by his own command only and likewise the sons of Levi they received tythes of the children of Israel their brethren onely and of no other people or Nation by a law which law stood in force to be observed and kept by which law the eleven tribes of Israel was required to pay first fruits and tythes And likewise the sons of Levi who received the office of the priesthood to take tythes by and this commandment was given to Moses in Mount Sinai with other commandments for the children of Israel to observe and do Lev. 27.34 Iâ—h 1.17 Heb. 8.5 9 10. chap. and Paul said The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things for the law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Now those things which the law required was a figure for the time then present in which time were offered both gifts and sacrifices by the priesthood which was ordained thereunto and the law which was a shadow of good things to come did impose upon the people many things to be done which stood only in meats and drinks and divers
A ROD Discovered found and set forth to whip the Idolaters till they leave off their Idolatry which yet remains in the Rulers of England their Ministers and the people who follow their wayes which doth consist in the Houses of High Places falsly called Churches the two Universities Cambridge and Oxford and their Ministers which are made by man and not of God and their Ministers maintenance not the Ministers of Christs which is portions of Lands Tythes Offrings Oblations Obventions and great Houses for a certain dwelling place on the earth and forms of oathes all which is the fruit of Idolaters and the abomination of the Heathen So likewise here is described the true Magistrate and his Work and the way for he who is not to become such a one and likewise the way for all people to come out of their Idolatry to worship the true God in spirit and in truth Reward her as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works Rev. 18.6 7 8 9. The commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light and reproofs of Instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 The Rod and Reproof gives wisdom let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindness let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyle VVhen the righteous are in Authority the people rejoyce but when the wicked bear rule the people mourn Psal 141.5 Prov. 29.2.15 Written by me HENRY CLARK Unto which is prefixed the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the LAODICEANS LONDON printed for the Author the sixth Month in the Year 1657. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE LAODICEANS 1 PAUL an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ 2 To the Brethren which are at LAODICEA Grace and peace be with you from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ 3 I thank my God in all my Prayers that you remain stedfast in him and in all his works waiting upon his Promises to the day of judgement 4 And be not seduced by some unprofitable talkers who go about to cause you to fall from the Gospel which was preached unto you by me 5 Oh that they that were inctructed by me might serve to the profit of the Gospel of truth and become diligent in good works of eternal life 6 And henceforth are my bonds manifest which I suffer for Christs sake 7 Whereof I rejoice in heart and account it eternal salvation 8 That such is done through your prayers by the working of the holy Spirit whether by life or death 9 For I have a will and a joy to dye in Christ who will through the same mercy give you to have the same love and to be of one mind 10 Therefore beloved brethren as you have heard in my presence that keep and finish in the fear of God so shall you have eternal life for God will work it and perfect it in you without delay 11 My beloved rejoice in the Lord and take heed of them that are desirous after filthy lucre 12 Let your prayers be manifest unto God and remain firm in the knowledge of Christ. 13 And do that which is mete convenient just and reasonable and what you have heard and received that keep in your hearts so shall you have praise 14 The Grace of God and our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirits Amen Cause this Epistle to be read unto the Colossians and read you that which is written unto the Colossians Read Col. 4.16 This Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans was found in the oldest Bible that was Printed at Worms IN a translation of the New-Testament into both Latine and English each correspondent one to another after the vulgar Text commonly called St. Ieroms faithfully translated by Iohn Hollybush 1538. and printed in Southwark by Iames Nicolson and set forth by the Kings licence I finde in the sixt Chapter of Luke it is thus in the Margent after the fifth and sixth verses after these words The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath viz. in one of the Greek Copies this followeth Iesus seeing a cortain man working on the Sabbath-day said unto him O man if thou didst know indeed what thou dost thou wert happy but if thou knowest not thou art accursed and a transgressor of the Law A Rod discovered found and set forth c. WHen man hath forsaken the counsel of the Lord Deut. 9.12 16. Exod. 32.1 8. Psal 106.13 21. ver Numb 25.4 Iudg. 2.10 11 12 13. Psal 2.2 3. 1 Kings 11.38 12.28 29. 2 Chron. 12 1. 2 Kings 21. ch Read of Manassah and Amon and turned from the onely true God his Maker then he runs into the transgression and takes counsel of man and sets himself to act against the Lord and his annointed and in his imaginations he sets up other Gods for to worship and serve and this hath been the practise of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth and their Priests who have been the onely instruments together and the very Ring-Leaders of the people from the onely true God and his worship to fall down and worship the gods that they in their imaginations have set up which is Idolatry So likewise the Kings and Rulers of the Earth have done and do now in these dayes for the worship and service of their false gods and in pretence of worshipping the true God have those things in imitation which the only true God did do and required to be done for his worship and service but all those things which they in their imaginations did do in imitation of God was their sin for which the wrath of God was kindled up against them to cut them off and to destroy them And now I will instance some particular things that the onely true God did do and required to be done for his worship and service and afterwards shew how the Kings and Rulers of the earth have devised in their hearts to do the like for the worship of their false gods which was of their own setting up and a grievous sin they did commit in so doing And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring me an Offring Exod. 25 26 27 28. chap. and ye shall take my Offring of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart they were to take the offering of him that gave it willingly with his heart and with that willing offring that came from the heart they were to make the Lord God a Sanctuary that he might dwell amongst them And the Lord said unto Moses According to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof even so shall ye make it and ye shall make the Ark of Shittim Wood and God shewed unto Moses the pattern of the Tabernacle how it should be built and of what it should be made of and all things belonging to it And when Moses went about to make the Tabernacle he was
God provided Maintenance for them who waited continually upon this service himself therefore said Moses At that time the Lord seperated the Tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord Dâ—ut 10.8 9. 18.3 4. and to stand before the Lord to Minister unto him and to bless in his Name Wherefore Levi hath no part nor Inheritance with his Brethren Therefore this shall be the Priests due from the people from them that offer a sacrifice whether it be Oxe or Sheep they shall give unto the Priests the Shoulder the two Cheeks and the Maw and the first fruit also of thy Corn of thy Wine and of thy Oyle and the first of the fleece of thy Sheepe shalt thou give him Lev. 27.30 31 32. and also the tythes of Land whether of the seed of the Land or the fruit of the Tree it is the Lords And the tithe of the Herd or of the Flock even of whatsoever passeth under the Rod the tenth thereof shall be holy unto the Lord for said the Lord unto the children of Israel viz. the eleven Tribes Thou shalt truly tythe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year and ye shall bring all the tythes into the Store-house Mal. 3.10 that there may be meat in my House for the Levite because he hath no part nor Inheritance with thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess And the Lord God spake unto Aaron and said Behold Numb 18.20 21 24. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their service which they serve even the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And God gave the sons of Levi who received the Office of the Priesthood a Commandment to take tythes of their Brethren because they had no part nor Inheritance with them Heb. 7.5 Now these tythes and first fruits were not required to be paid in the land of Aegypt nor yet in the Wilderness as they went toward the Land of Canaan were they to pay any tythes or first fruits nor in any other land but when ye go over Iordan dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that you dwell in safety then was tythes to be paid and then was the first fruits and tythes to be brought in and no where else for said Moses Read Deut. 12. chap. to the 20. ver Then shall there be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his Name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your Burnt-Offrings and your Sacrifices and your tythes and the heave-Offring of your hand and all your choice vows which ye have vowed before the Lord and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God ye and your sons and your daughters and your man-servants and your maid-servants and the Levite that is within your Gates forasmuch as he hath no part nor Inheritance with you So that it is very plain first That tythes and first fruits were to be paid in no land but in the land of Canaan when that the children of Israel had the possession of it Secondly Tythes and first fruits were to be paid by the eleven Tribes in the Land of Canaan to the sons of Levi who had a Law to take tythes and first fruits of their Brethren when they had rest round about from all their enemies dwelt safely in the same land of Canaan Thirdly the first fruits and tythes were to be paid of the fruit or increase that the eleven Tribes had of the land of Canaan and of no other land for it is written When ye go over Iordan and dwell in the Land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit so that ye dwell in safety then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose for to cause his Name to dwell there and thither shall you bring your tythes When the children of Israel had got possession of the land of Canaan it was a long time before they had rest by reason of their often rebellion and turning aside from the Lord 1 Sam. 4 5 6 7 chap. so that the Ark of the Covenent of the Lord was often removed and carryed from place to place besides it once fell into the Philistines who carryed it to Ashdod and they set it up in Dagons House by Dagon their god and after that they saw the hand of God against them for keeping it then they sent it to Gath and the Lord smote the men of the City both great and small with a very great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts and then they sent away the Ark to Ekron and the Ekronites they cryed out and said They have brought about the Ark of the God of Israel to slay us and our people and then the Ark was carryed into the Philistines Country for seven months and then it was sent in a new Cart to Bethshemesh and the men of Bethshemesh sent Messengers to the Inhabitants of Kiriathiearim to come down and fetch up the Ark to them and the men of Kiriathiearim fetcht up the Ark of the Lord and set it in the House of Abinadab in the Hill 2 Sam. 5 6 7. chap. and there it abode twenty years and after that time when David was King over Israel and that he had beaten the Philistines from Geba until he came to Gazer then David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel and David said unto all the Congregation of Israel If it seem good unto you and that it be of the Lord our God let us send abroad unto our Brethren every where that are left in the Land of Israel and with them also to the Priests and the Levites which are in their Cities and Suburbs that they may gather themselves unto us And said he Let us bring again the Ark of our God to us for we inquired not at it in the dayes of Saul And all the Congregation said that they would do so for the thing was right in all the eyes of che people 1 Chron. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So David gathered together all Israel from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entring of Hamath to bring the Ark of God from Kiriathiearim And David and all Israel went up and they carryed the Ark of God in a new Cart out of tht House of Abinadab and Vzzah put forth his hand to take hold of the Ark of God and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and there he dyed by the Ark of God and David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Vzzah And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said How shall the Ark of the Lord cowe to me So David carryed the Ark aside into the House
of Obed Edom the Gittite and there it continued three Months and it was told David the King saying the Lord hath blessed the House of Obed Edom all that partain unto him because of the Ark of God So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the House of Obed Edom into the City of David which is Zion with gladness and David made him Houses in the City of David 1 Chron. 15.1 16.1 2 Chron. 5.2 5. which is Zion and he prepared a place for the Ark of God and pitched for it a Tent so they brought the Ark of God set it in the midst of the Tent or the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it Now it came to pass as David sate in his house that David said to Nathan the Prophet Lo I dwell in an House of Cedars but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remaineth under Curtains the Lord had given David rest round about from all his Enemies and Nathan said to the King Go and do all that is in thy heart for the Lord is with thee Read 1 Chron. 28 29. chap. now it was in the heart of David to build an House of Rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and David had made ready Stuff for the building of it But the word of the Lord came to Nathan the Prophet saying Go and tell David my servant thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not build me an House to dwell in for I have not dwelt in an House since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day but have gone from Tent to Tent and from one Tabernacle to another and the Lord said unto David When thy dayes be fulfilled 2 Sam. 7. chap and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his Kingdom and he shall build an house for my Name Now when Davids dayes and his work was both near finished David assembled all the Princes of Israel and the Princes of the Tribes and the Captains of thousands and the Captains of hundreds and the Stewards and Officers and the mighty men and all the valiant men unto Jerusalem then David the King stood up upon his feet and said Hear me my Brethren and my People As for me I had in my heart to build an house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and for the Footstool of our God and I had made ready for the building but God said unto me Thou shalt not build an House for my Name Because thou hast been a man of War and hast shed much blood Now said David to all the people The Lord hath given me many sons and out of all my sons the Lord hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon this Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Israel and the Lord said David said unto me Solomon thy son he shall build me my House and my Courts for I have chosen him to be my son and I will be his Father and he shall be my son And David called for Solomon his son and David said to Solomon My son as for me it was in my mind to build an House unto the Name of the Lord my God but the Word of the Lord came to me saying Thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast made great wars thou shalt not build an House unto my Name because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight behold a son shall be born unto thee his Name shall be Solomon and he shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his Enemies round about and I wil give peace and quietness all his dayes unto Israel and Solomon he shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever And David said Thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an House for the Sanctuary be strong and do it and the Lord be with thee and prosper thou and build the House of the Lord thy God as he hath said of thee onely the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding and David gave unto Solomon his son the pattern of the Porch and of the Houses thereof and of the Treasures thereof and of the upper-Chambers thereof and of the inward Parlors and the place of the Mercy-Seat and the pattern of the Courts of the House of the Lord and of all the Chambers round about and of all the Treasuries of the House and of the Treasuries for the dedicate things and also 2 Chron 28. ch for the courses of the Priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the House of the Lord all that which David had given him by the Spirit shewed he unto Solomon for said David to Solomon the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this Pattern And when David dyed Solomon his son reigned in his stead when Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his Kingdom and found that the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly then Solomon spake unto all Israel to the Captains of thousands and of hundreds and to the Judges and to every Governor in all Israel and the chief of the Fathers so Solomon and all the Congregation with him went up to the High Place that is at Gibeon for there was the Tabernacle of the Congregation of God which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the Wilderness 2 Chron 1. but the Ark of God had David brought up from Kiriathiearim to the place which David had prepared for it for he had pitched a Tent for it at Jerusalem now in the night did God appear to Solomon in Gibeon and the Lord said Ask what I shall give thee and Solomon said And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a child and I know not how to go out or come in and thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen a great people that cannot be numbred nor counted for multitude give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discover between good and bad And this speech of Solomons pleased the Lord and tho Lord said unto him Because thou hast asked this thing 1 Kings 3. cha 5. chap. and hast not asked for thy self neither long life nor riches nor the life of thy Enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement Behold I have done acording to thy word lo I have given unto thee a wise and an understanding heart Then Solomon came from before the Tabernacle of the
give to the Priests and the Levites their portion that they might be incouraged in the law of the Lord as soon as the commandment came abroad the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of Corn Wine and Oyle and Hony and of all the encrease of the field and the tythe of all things brought they in abundantly and the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the Cities of Judah they also brought in tythes of Oxen and Sheep and the tythe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God and laid them by heaps and Azariah the Priest said to the King and the Princes Since the people began to bring the Offrings into the House of the Lord we have had enough to eat and have left plenty for the Lord hath blessed his people of that which is left is this great store Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare Chambers in the House of the Lord they prepared them they brought in the Offrings and the Tythes the dedicated things faithfully into the House of God over which Azariah was Ruler And after the children of Israels return out of captivity from Babylon when they had builded up the Walls of Ierusalem and that they were setled again every one in their places Nehemiah went the two and thirtieth year to the King of Babylon and after certain dayes he obtained leave of the King Neh 10 12 13. chap. and he came again to Jerusalem and he found the House of God forsaken and perceived that the portions was not given to the Levites because that the Levites was fled every man to his field then Nehemiah contended with the Rulers and said Why is the House of G d forsakâ—n and he gathered them together and set them in their places and then brought all Judah the tythes of their Corn and the New Wine and the Oyle into the treasuries Now God had commanded to bring all â—he tythes into the Store-House Mal. 3.10 that there might be meat in his House And Nehemiah and the Rulers made Ordinances accordingly and râ—quiâ—ed the people the children of Israel to bring the first fruits of their ground and the firrst fruits of all their trees year by year unto the House of the Lord and that they should bring the firstlings of their Herds and of their Flocks to the House of God unto the Priests that ministred in the House of God and that they should bring the first fruits of their Dough and their Offâ—â—iâ—gs â—nâ— thâ— fruit of all manner of trees of Wine and of Oyle unto the Priests to the Chambers of the House of God and the tythes of their ground they were to bring unto the Levites that the same Levites might have the tythes in all the cities of their tillage and the Priest the son of Aaron was to be with the levites when the levites took tythes and the levites was to bring up the â—ythe of tythes unto the House of God into the Chambers of the treasure-House And so much I have in part set forth to shew what God did do and required to be done in his worship and service of which the Scripture speaks more at large And now I come to shew how that the Kings and Rulers of the earth who forsake the onely true God to serve strange gods were the onely and chief Ring-leaders of the people from the true God and his way of Worship to worship the Images that they had set up And likewise how they in their imaginations have in their actions imitated to do the like things for the worship and service of their false gods that they set up as was done for the worship and service of the onely true God by his Command And now I will lay down the particular things to shew wherein the Kings and Rulers of the earth have acted in their own wills by their imaginations to do those things for the worship of their false gods which things that by them done were sin and what things they are doing for a false worshipping of the onely true God which is sin and such as God never required at their hands The first is The building and repairing of the Houses of High Places 2. Kings 17.12 15. Jer. 19.5 Jer. 7.31 32. called Churches for the worshipping of their false gods in or otherwayes for a pretence of worshipping the true God which thing God never required at their hands to do For God dwells not in Temples made with hands nor is he worshipped in Temples made with hands but he is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and such worshippers the Father looks for dmells with him that is of an humble contrite spirit Ioh. 4.20 21 22 23 24. Acts 7.47 48 49. Isa 57.15 The second is Their consecrating and making Priests to offer up Sacrifices to preach in those Hgh Places called Churches for money and tythes is a thing that God never required at their hands to do and therefore it is a sin for them so to do 1 K ngs 13.33 34. Matth. 9.37 38. The third is the Laws that the Kings and â—ulers with the Pope and Bishops of the earth who sate in counsel together have made by which they compel the people of God to pay the Priests or Ministers that they have made tythes and Hire by which are contrary to God and Christ and such Laws God never required them to sit together to make against him and against his anointed and therefore I say that those Laws are unrighteous unjust unholy because they are not of God but contrary to God and therefore they are not to be obeyed for God is to be obeyed rather then man Isa 10.1 2. Mic. 6.16 Amos 8.4 5 6. Isa 1.12 But of tythes I have something more to wâ—ite hereafter in its place First God exalâ—ed from among the people of Israel Jereboam the son of Nebat one of King Solomons servants 1 King 11. ch 14.7 8 9.10 and made him Prince over the people Israel but Jeroboam turned away from the Lord God and followed not the Lord to keeâ— his Comâ—andments with all his heart nor stood in his counsel who had exalted him from all the people but Jeroboam lightly esteemed of the Lord aâ—d set his counsel at naught and set himself to do evil above all that were before him and rebelled against the Lord then the loss of Jeroboams Kingdom was set before him and the fear of his life was upon him and thus being surprised with fear on evevy side he said in his heart Now shall the Kingdom â—eturn to the House of David for said he If this people go up to do sacrifice at Ierusalem then shall the hearts of this people return again unto their Lord Rehoboam King of Judah and they will kill me 1 King 12. chh and go to Rehoboam King of Iudah again Wâ—ereupon Ieroboam took counsel but not of the Lord God who exalted him and made two Calves
of Gold and the one he set up in a City called Dan and Iereboam built up at Bethel a House of High Places and he made an Altar at Bethel and Jeroboam he set up the other golden Calfe at Bethel and then Jeroboam said unto the people It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem to worship behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt And thus you see how one of the Kings of the earth was the Ring-leaders of the people from the true God to worship Idols for the people went to worship before one of the golden Calves even to the City of Dan and that thing became a sin unto them and Jeroboam he built an Altar at Bethel and he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi and he placed the Priests in the Houses of High Places at Bethel And Jeroboam he ordained a Feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month which he had devised of his own heart like unto the Feast that was in Judah there was his imitation and Jeroboam offered upon the Altar sacrificing unto the Calves that he had made 1 King 13. ch and he stood by the Altar to burn Incense and the Priests that he had made of the lowest of the people for the High Places burnt Incense upon the Altar as it was done in Judah so the like did he do at Bethel But I do not find that the House of High Places was so glorious as the Temple was at Jerusalem But behold there came a man of God out of Judah by the Word of the Lord unto Bethel and as Jeroboam stood by the Altar to burn incense the man of God cryed against the Altar in the Word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be born unto the House of David Josiah by Name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high Places that burn incense upon thee and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee Now Jeroboam who was turned from the Lord God that exalted him fell to persecute the Prophet of the Lord and Jeroboam himself put forth his hand when he heard the saying of the man of God and said lay hold on him but the Lord God was just in causing his hand that he put forth to be dryed up Read 2 Chron. 11. 12. chap. for that he could not pull it again to him yet the Lord God was merciful to his Enemy and at the request of the man of God his hand was restored to him again but after this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way but made again of the lowest of the people priests for the high places after the manner of the Nations likewise of other lands and for the Devils and for the Calves which he had made he ordained them priests and whosoever came himself with a young Bullock and seven Rams the same he made a priest to them that were no Gods and him who Jeroboam consectated became one of the priests of the high places and this thing became sin unto the House of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth But take notice that this House of High Places that Jerobam built at Bethel was called the Kings Chappel by Amaziah the priest of Bethel Amos 7.10 11 12 13. who was a persecutor of the prophet of the Lord as you may read Amos. 2 Chr. 12.13 14. And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned over Judah in Jerusalem the City which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his Name there And when Rehoboam had established the Kingdome and made it strong then he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him and Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord and they provoked him to jealousie with their sins which they committed above all that their Fathers had done for they also built them high places and Images 1 King 14 21 22 23. and Groves on every high Hill and under every green tree and there were Sodomites in the land and they did according to all the abominations of the Nations which the â—ord had cast out before the children of Israel And thus you see now that if the King turn from the Lord forsake his Commandments the peopâ—e generally follow to do wickedly with him and as these two Kings did so other Kings of Israel and Judah did the like as you may read of Nadab 2 Kings 15.25 26. and Baasha ver 33 34. and of Zimri and Omri 2 Kings 16.19 25 26. And Ahab the son of Omri King of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him and it came to pass as if it it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam 1 King 16 3â— 31 32 33. for he took to wife Jezebel the Daughter of Ethbaeal the King of the Zidonians and went and served Baal and worshipped him and Ahab he built a House in Samaria for Baal he reared up an Altar for Baal in the House of Baal which he had built in Samaria and Ahab had got for Baal four hundred and fifty prophets and he had got four hundred prophets for the Groves that fed at Jezebels Table 1 Kingâ— 18.19 and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that were before him And the Samaritans they made Houses of high places in all their senced Cities from the tower of the Watchmen to the fenced City and they set up Images and Groves and they burnt Incense in the high places as did the Heathen and they served their Idols Jer. 7.31 19.5 2 Kings 17. ch ver 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. wherefore the Lord God said unto them Ye shall not do this thing And the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah by all the prophets and by all the Seers saying Turn you from your evil wayes and keep my Commandments and Statutes according to all the law which I commanded your Fathers and mhich I sent to you by my servants the Prophets But they would not hear but hardened their necks like the necks of their Fathers that did not believe in the Lord their God and they rejected his Statutes and Covenant and his testimonies which he testified against them and they followed vanity and became vain and went after the Heathen and worshipped all the host of Heaven and served Baal And Ahaziah son of Ahab he reigned over Israel and he walked in the way of his Father and in the way of his Mother and in the way of Jeroboam for he served Baal and worshipped him 1 King 22.51 52 53. And after a reformation that King Hezekiah had made as you may read 2 Kings 18. chap. Manassah his son
and Diocess and of all other Suffragans to worship our Lady MARY the Mother of God our Patroness and Protectoress evermore in all adversity with such like kind of Prayer and accustomed manner of ringing as the Devotion of Christs faithful people is wont to worship her at the ringing of Coure Lesson when before day in the morning ye shal cause them to ring that with like manner of Prayer and ringing she may be every where honored devoutly by the aforesaid Our and Your Suffragans and other subjects as well religious as Secular in your and their Monasteries and Collegiate Churches And they had likewise the Image of St. Petronel and the Image of St. Christopher and the Image of the Crucifix all which and more were worshipped with Profession bowing of the Knees Oblations offering of Frankincense going on Pilgrimage kissings and setting up of Tapers or Images of Wax lighted and burning before them according to a Decree made by Pope Gregory the third at a Council at Rome held in the year 732. Fifthly In the Houses of high places that the Heathen and the Idolatrous Kings of Judah and Israel built they made Altars and reared up in them Ahab he reared up an Altar in the House of Baal 1 King 16.32 Chron. 33.3 and Manasseh he reared up Altars for Baal and a Grove as Ahab King of Israel did whereon they burnt Incense And Jeroboam stood by the Altar and he offered upon the Altar and burnt Incense And so likewise there was in those Houses of high places falsly called Churches here in England Altars and Super-Altars Rails Transubstantiation Reservation of the Lords Body as they called it and Mass Mattens and Evening-song holy Bread and holy Water Auricular Confession Absolution and Blessing and Cursing with Bell Book and Candle and singing of Dirges and playing on the Organs and burning of Lamps Now Now all this stuff and more was fetcht out of the bottomless Pit and turned into Decres to be observed and done by both Priest and people according to the Decrees made by the Popes viz Sebevianus Vitalianus Pelagius Martin and Benidicto the third And the ground and the end of all which doing was but to maintain the filthy lusts of the learned men who were trained up at Oxford and Cambridge to do all these things Sixthly The Houses of high places were consecrated for Pope Felix the third made a Decree That the Churches so called should be made hallowed by none but by a Bishop And Pelagius a Pope he devised a Memento to be used at the consecrating of them And Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury by the permission of King Henry the first and about the sixth year of his reign assembled a great Council of the Prelates and Clergy of England together at Westminster in which Synod and other Councils by them it was decreed That no Churches as they called them should be hallowed before the necessary provision be made for the priests and for the Church to be maintained And again the high places that the Heathens and the idolatrous Kings built up Mâ—cca 10.83 84. Amos 6.13 were called by these Names following viz. Dagons House Dagons Temple Baals House and the House of High places that Jeroboam built up was called the Kings Chappel these Houses of high places are falsly called churches chappels Kings chappels Queens chappels Cathedal Churches and according to a device of Pope Felix the third they dedicated their Churches so called one to Christ and that is falsly called Christs Church and one to Peter and that is falsly called St. Peters Church and one to Paul and that is falsly called St. Pauls Church and others are falsly called by Name St. Georges Church St. James Church St. Maryes Church St. Katherns Church St. Bennits Church They might as well a called it Pope St. Benidicts Church and St. Martins Church or alias Pope Martins Church and Pope St. Nicholas Church Quest But some it is very like will say That their Churches are reformed of all such things as is before written To this I shall answer First The Names that was given them at their dedication by the Popes and popish bishops stands still as Christs Church St. Pauls Church St. Peters Church And again they are not yet reformed of all those PICTVRES and Images for still there remains the PICTVRES of men women and children in many of them and especially in and about London of Kings and Queens Earls Lords Ladyes and their children and others and in many places there is made by the Painters and others the likenesses of Angels Eagles Doves Lyons Wolves Hinds Asses Snakes the likeness of Boughs or Trees and the likeness of Water and the likness of the Sun Moon Stars and Firmament And their Churches so called are places of vanity and lightness and pleasures still and likewise they are places of false Worship Deut. 4.16 17 18 19. like the House of Rimmon still and they are Houses of Pictures and the likenesses of creatures is still in them which is contrary to what God did forbid the doing of saying Take ye therefore gâ—od heed unto your selves lest ye corrupt and make you a graven Image tâ—e similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female the likeness of any Beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged Fowle that flyeth in the Air the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of Fish that is in the waters beneath the earth for ye saw no similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb And so yet the Houses of high places here in England were never reformed but in part like those of Israel and Judah that Jeroboam Rehoboam Ahab Manesseh and of other of those Kings caused to be set up were but in part reformed until such time that King Josiah came 1 King 13.1 2 3. according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the prophet when Jeroboam stood by the Altar at Bethel to burn Incense of which reformation I have set down some particulars as followeth For although much of the Idolatry that Jeroboam Ahab and others had set up were pulled down destroyed at several times by other Kings that succeeded them yet the complaint was That the high places was left standing still and not pulled down And so say I that some Kings and Rulers that succeeded the Saxons here in England have reformed many things that the Saxon Kings and others did do but to this day the houses of high places falsly called Churches the Tythes and the Priests remain standing up still like the stump of Dagon For Asa King of Judah did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God for he took away the Altars of the strange gods 1 King 15.14 2 Chron. 14 15. chap. and the high places and he brake down the Images and cut down the Groves that his Fathers had made and Asa removed his Mother
from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and he cut down her Idol and stamped it and burned it at the brook Kedron and he took away all the high places and the Images out of the Cities of Judah but the high places were not taken away out of Israel 2 Chron. 16.7 8 9 10. And Asa he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to do the Law and the Commandments yet notwithstanding all that Asa had done he was wrath with the Seer and put him in a Prison-House for he was in a rage with him for what he spoke unto him and Asa oppressed some of the people the same time 2 Kings 11.1 2.12.18 ver 12. chap. 2 Chron. 24.1 2 17 18 19 20 21 22. And Joash the son of Ahaziah King of Judah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his dayes wherein Jehoiada the Priest instructed him for all the people of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it down his Altars and his Images brake they in pieces thorowly and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altar but after the death of Jehoiada the Priest they left the House of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols and they sacrificed burnt Incense in the high places for the high places were not taken away And Jehosaphat King of Judah he sought not after Baalim 2 Chron. 17.1 2 3 4 5 6. 1 King 22.43 2 Chron. 20.32 33. but sought to the Lord God of his Fathers and walked in his commandments and not after the doings of Israel Moreover he tooke away the high places and Groves out of Judah but they were not all taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to seek unto the God of their fâ—thers but burnt yet in the high places Incense so that all the high places were not taken away for Iehosaphat he had a love to the Idolaters and not onely in bearing with them but he joyned himself and his arm to them 2 Chron. 18.3 19.1 2 3. and said unto Ahab I am as thou art and my people as thy people and we will be with thee in the war for the which he was reproved by Iohn the Seer who said unto Iehosaphat the King Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord So that Iehosaphat went not on thorowly with his reformation for the people offered and burnt incense in the high places because they were not taken away viz. their high places were not all taken away 2 King 18.3 4 5. And Hezekiah King of Judah he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father had done and he and all Israel that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images to pieces 2 Chron. 31.1 and cut down the Groves and threw down the high places and the Altars out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh until they had utterly destâ—oyed them all and he trusted in the Lord God of Israel And Jehu King of Israel with his Captains and his Guard he smote with the edge of the Sword the Prophets and Priests 2 King 10. the servants and the worshippers of Baal and they brought forth the Images out of the House of Baal and burnt them and they brake down the Image of Baal and brake down the House of Baal and made it a draught House Thus Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel howbeit from the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin Iehu he departed not from them to wit the two golden Calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. But now it came to passe That God raised up Iosiah King of Iudah according as he had spoken by the Prophet in the dayes of Ieroboam 1 King 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. saying Behold a child shall be born unto the House of David Josiah by Name and he shall O Altar Altar offer upon thee the Priests of the high places that burn Incense upon thee and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee And Iosiah commanded that the House of the Lord should be cleansed and the Keepers of the door brought forth out of the Temple of the Lord all the Vessels that Manasseh had made for Baal and for the Grove and for all the Hoste of Heaven and he burnt them without Ierusalem in the fields of Kedron and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel and he brought out the Grove from the House of the Lord without Ierusalem unto the brook Kedron stampt it to powder and cast the powder thereof on the graves of the children of the people and he brake down the Houses of the Sodomites that were by the House of the Lord and he defiled the high places wherein the Priests had burnt Incense from Geba to Beersheba and brake down the high places of the Gates and he defiled Tophet which is in the Valley of the children of Hinnom that so no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Moloch and he brake down the Altars that were on the top of the upper-Chamber of Ahaz which the King of Iudah had made and the Altaâ—s which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the House of the Lord did Josiah the King beat down and break them down from thence and cast the dust of them into the Brook Kedron and the high places that were before Ierusalem which Solomon King of Israel had builded for Ashteâ—oth the abomination of the Zidoniaens and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites Read 2 Kings 23. chap. and for Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon did the King defile and he brake in pieces the Images and cut down the Groves and filled their places with the bones of men and he put down the idolatrous priests whom the Kings of Iudah had ordained to burn Incense in the high places in the Cities of Iudah 2 Chron. 34. ch and in the places round about Ierusalem and he put down them also that did burn Incense unto Baal and to the Sun and to the Moon and to the Planets for Jupiter had a Priest as you may read Acts 14.13 and to all the Host of Heaven Moreover Iosiah he broke down the Altar at Bethel and the high place that the King of Israel Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin had made yea both that Altar and the high place which was at Bethel he brake down and burnt the high place and stampt it small to powder andf burnt the Grove and all the Houses of high places that were in the Cities o Samaria which the Kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord God to anger Iosiah the King took away and did to them
c. and the like power and command they received from other Kings Queens and Parliaments afterward but not from Jesus Christ for they whom Christ sent out to preach to them he gave power and to them he gave some Apostles some prophets and some Evangelists Pastors and Teachers But those who were made by the power and command of the pope the kings and rulers of the earth they were called cardinals arch-bishops bishops suffragans priors covents deanes and chapters deacons arch-deacons prebends parsons vicars priests rectors clarks ministers c. And the Assembly of presbyter Divines so called and the Commissioners for approbation of publike preachers they received their power rule and command to ordain ministers and preachers and to set them solemnly and sacredly apart to the office and work of the Ministry from the Rulers of the earth as you may read at large in the two Ordinances made one by the parliament of Lords and Commons and the other by Oliver protector and his counsel by them they had their power and command See JOHN GOODVVIN's Book of TRIERS pag. 5. and not from Christ for without their power and command they did not act and by that rule viz. Acts and Ordinances that the Rulers of the earth set them they acted by and not by the power or spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ as did the Apostles and therefore all both popes emperors kings queens counsels parliaments or rulers bishops assembly of divines protector counsels and commmissioners their works that they have done herein are abomination unto the Lord because they are not done by his power nor his spirit but by the imaginations and devisings of their own hearts wâ—ich by the light are seen and made manifest to the children of the day whom Cod hath by his spirit called out from amongst the Babylonians to dwell in the city of God and to worship him in spirit and in truth for God dwells not in temples made with hands nor is he worshipped in these churches that are made with hands And now I shall come to shew you something of what I have both heard read and seen and understand by the two Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford and likewise of their teaching and bringing up and their making of young men Masters preachers Doctors c. As for the two Vniversities they were founded by the popish Saxon Kings and other popish Kings Bishops Knights c. men and women The first common School in Cambridge was founded by Sigisbert King of the East-Angles and the Vniversity colledge in Oxford was founded by Allured one of the Saxon Kings and Baylie colledge at Oxford was founded by Iohn Bailiol King of the Scots and it is recorded That Queens Colledge at Cambridge was founded by Margaret the Wife of King Henry the sixth and finished by Elizabeth the Wife of King Edward the fourth and the Brazen-Nose-Colledge at Oxford was founded by William Smith bishop of Lincoln but St. Iohns colledge at Oxford was founded by Sir Thomas White Alderman and late before Mayor of London and for the other Colledges they were founded in the honor of one Saint or another and called by their Names viz. St. Iohns Colledge All-Souls Colledge Magdalene Colledge and another is called falsly by the Name of Trinity Colledge and another by the Name of Jesus Colledge and one by the Name of Christs Colledge and one by the name of Corpus Christi Colledge that is the Body of Christs colledge and another by the Name of Christs Colledge So by these Names and Titles ye may see what the founders were and what their religion was and now you shall see hereafter by the practise that is in these colledges that the great and wise men of the world so highly esteem of for their works sake are But first you shall see what the learned themselves have writ of them Wickliffe terms the Vniversities to be the Synagogue of Satan and John Hus. called them Lievetenants of Antichrist And Luther called them the Gates of Hell the Stews of Antichrist Houses of Lyes for said he TINDALL in his Book of The Revelation of ANTICHRIST They are all Heretical by their School-Divinity and they are Dens of Thieves said he And Tindal said That whosoever ordained Vniversities be it Alexander at Halis St. Thomas or any other he was a star that fell from Heaven to the earth for there are brought in said he moral vertues for faith and opinions for truth and said he The Vniversities are the very confused Cloud and opened Gate of Hell and said he This Cloak meaning the Vniversities is of all other most noysome and doth most hurt and damage for said he All moral Divines have a wicked conscience full of scrupulosity And Will Dell sayes That yet the Vniversities are the strongest holds that Antichrist hath had amongst us So that notwithstanding all their reformation in their Religion the Vniversities remain in a manner as bad as they were Now for their works first When any Schollar comes to any of these colledges he is examined of his Latine and Greek and Hebrew Tongues and if he be a good schollar and perfect in his answers he is approved of and when he has got him a Gown and a pair of Cuffs he is admitted into the colledge to be a Student and if he be a great mans son or one that can make great friends to the Vice-chancellor or the head-man of an House then he gets the greater place in the colledge but if he be a poor young man and of mean parentage then a mean place must serve his turn So that in their Fountains of learning to be Ministers is respecting of persons for there is saying to the rich Sit or be thou here and to the poor Be thou in one of the meanest places And then they are set to study Logick that is the Art of Reason Philosoyhy that is studying for Wisdom And there they read Aristotle and Plato's Works and others that they may become able disputants that they may dispute at Schools and make Theams and Verses And in that time called Lent one colledge disputes against another Now do but observe a little of their behaviour and carriage in that time of their disputations Those colledges who are to dispute one against another makes choice of one amongst themselves in each colledge to dispute that by their disputations it may be seen which is the greatest schollar And he that they have made choice of to dispute they take him up upon their shoulders carry him out of the school and in the time of their disputing there is such hissing and shouting like a company of Gamesters at play and when they cannot get mastery with their tongues by disputing then they fall together a fighting for mastery and teares the Gowns from one anothers backs and lose their hats and beats one another along the streets and some of them go away with black eyes And at the end of four years if
the face of the depth when he established the clouds above when he strengthned the fountains of the deep when he gave to the Sea his Decree that the waters should not passe his commandment and when he appointed the foundations of the earth then was Christ with God as one brought up with him 1 Cor. 1.24 Iohn 1.1 2 3. 17.24 Coll. 1.16 17 18. Eph. 5.23 25 26 27. Ioh. 10.11 1 Pet. 2.25 Matt. 9.37 38. Luk. 10.2 Matt. 20. ch Ier. 15.19 Matth. 3.12 Ioh. 5.17 10.30 37 38. 15.16 Isa 6.3 48.10 to 15. Ioh. 15.16 Mar. 3.14 15. Luk. 9.1 2. Acts 1.4 2.1 2 3 4. Ps 68.18 Eph. 4.8 to 13. he was daylie his delight rejoicing alwaies before him he was by him when the Lord by his wisdom founded the earth and by his understanding established the heavens Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God by whom all things were made without him was not any thing made that was made he was before all things and by him all things consist he rejoyceth in the habitable parts of his earth and his delight is with the sons of men he is the first and the last the beginning the end he is the Head of the body the Church which he loveth and gave himself for it and he Christ Jesus is the Saviour of the Body viz. the Church He is the good Shepherd and Bishops of our souls he is the Lord of the Harvest who is to be prayed unto that he would send forth labourers into his Harvest to reap the wheat of the Vinyard to separate the precious from the vile and to gather the fruit into his Garners Christ Jesus said I and my Father are one the Father is in me said Christ and I in him and my Father worketh hitherto and I work It was and is the work of Christ Jesus to ordain choose and to send forth Labourers into his Vinyard and not mans work for the whole earth is full of his glory and his glory he will not give to another And they who laboured in the Word and Doctrine were chosen and sent forth by Christ Iesus and not by man for said Christ Iesus to his Apostles Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you that you should go and bring forth fruit All power said Christ is given unto me in heaven and in earth And Christ he gave them power and said unto them Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the Gospel and teach all Nations and he endued them with power from on high and he ascended up on high and he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the word of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ and for the perfecting of the Saints And said Paul 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church not of mans setting first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. Now there is diversity of Gifts but they are given by the same spirit And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall c. And thus much in the general for proof that it was and is the work properly of God and Christ to ordain choose give power commission and to send forth the Ministers of the Word and Gospel to preach the same and to teach all Nations every where And now I shall prove in particular that God and Christ did do this work without the help of the Rulers of the earth or the Pope and his Adherents As for instance For Paul he was an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the commandment of God and our Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ which is our hope 1 Tim. 1.1 And God said unto Annanias a Disciple Acts 9.10 to 15. Gal. 1. chap. That Paul was a chosen Vessel unto him to bear his Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel And Paul said he was an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead but said Paul When it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers Womb Acts 26.19 and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the heathen immediately I was not disobedient unto the heavenly Vision nor conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Ierusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus c. And said Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians But I certifie you Brethren That the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man for said he I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ it pleased God to reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen Hereby it is plain That Paul was not made a Minister of the Gospel at the Vniversities by man neither had he a commission given him to go preach the Gospel by Authority from the Rulers of the earth neither was he by man taught how to preach the Gospel And Iohn the Baptist he was not sent of man but of God for it is written in the first chapter of Iohn and the sixth verse Ioh. 1.6 7 8 9. There was a man sent from God whose Name was John the same came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of the Light And John the Disciple and Apostle of Christ writ and said These things we writ unto you that your joy might be full This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you That God is light and in him is no darknesse at all And John the Baptist he bore witnesse of the same light that the Apostles were witnesses of 1 Ioh. 1.4 5. and of the said Light was their Message to declare that the people might be turned from darknesse to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God who is light And John said That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that light is Christ for said Jesus Christ I am the light of the world John he was sent of God to bear witness of Christ the light that all men through him might believe for the Word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the Wildernesse Luke 3.1 3 4 5 6. John he went into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins c. And this was done in the dayes of Tiberius Caesar but John was not ye may see sent by Caesar but he was sent of God to bear witnesse of the light And the Prophets of the Lord they were all sent of God and not by man Amos 1.1 7.10 to 15. as you may read Amos said that he was an Herdsman and a
gatherer of Sycamore fruit and Amos was among the Herdsmen of Tekoa and said Amos The Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophesie unto my people Israel Here you may see that Amos was not tryed by Commissioners of Tryers nor sent out to prophesie by any such as they are but he was sent out of the Lord alone to prophesie and he said The Lord will roare from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem c. Ezek. 1.1 2 3. 2 3. chap. Neither was Ezekiel sent by man to prophesie nor by man made a Watchman over Israel But the Word of the Lord came expresly unto Ezekiel in the Land of the Caldeans by the River Chebar and Ezekiel said that he saw the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord and when he saw it he fell upon his face and he heard the voyce of one that spake and said Ezekiel He said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speake unto thee and the spirit of the Lord entered into me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet that I hrard him that spake unto me and he said unto me Son of man I send thee to the children of Israel and thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear And Ezekiel said Moreover he said unto me Son of man Eat that thou findest eat shis Roll and go speak unto the House of Israel So I opened my mouth and he caused me to eat that Roll and he said unto me Son of man Cause thy belly to eat and fill thy bowels with this Roll that I give thee Then did I eat it and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetnesse And he said unto me Son of man go get thee unto the House of Israel and speak with my words unto them c. So the spirit of the Lord lift me up and took me away and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me And it came to pass at the end of seven dayes that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me c. Neither was Jeremiah ordained by man to be a Prophet nor was he by any King of the earth Ier. 1.4 to 10. 27 ver 2. chap. 1 2 5. ver chap. 3.6.12 4.1 or other consecrated nor by any man sent forth to prophesie but said Jeremiah The word of the Lord came unto me saying Before I formed thee in the Belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the Womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations And the Lord put forth his hand and touched Jeremiahs mouth and the Lord said unto him Behold I have put my words into thy mouth and the Lord said unto Jeremiah See I have this day set thee over Nations and over Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Thou therefore gird up thy loynes and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them And the Word of the Lord came moreover unto Jeremiah saying Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain And again in the dayes of Josiah said the Lord unto Jeremiah Go and proclaim these words toward the North and say Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord if thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remove and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep mine anger for ever And the Lord said unto Jeremiah â—er 1.18 19. Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City an Iron Pillar Brazen Walls against the whole Land against the Kings of Judah and against the Princes thereof and against the priests thereof and against the people of the Land and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee said the Lord to deliver thee c. read the 20. chap. the 23. and 26. chap. of Ieremiah c. And Isaiah was made a Prophet but not by man neither by any King or Ruler of the Earth was he sent forth to prophesie Isa 6. chap. but he was consecrated and sent forth of the Lord alone for said Isaiah In the year that King Vzziah dyed I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Traine filled the Temple and above it stood the Seraphims and one cryed unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory And the posts of the door moved at him that cryed and the house was filled with smoke Then said Isaiah Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the Tongs from off the Altar and he laid it upon my mouth and said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin is purged And Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying Whom shall I send And who shall go for us Then said Isaiah Here am I send me And the Lord said unto Isaioh Isa 8.1.11 ver 50.4 5 6 7 Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not c. And Isaiah said the Lord spake unto him with a strong hand and instructed him that he should not walk in the way of the people and he said the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary and the Lord opened his ear and said Isaiah I was not rebellious neither turned away back c. And thus ye may see that the true prophets of the Lord and the true and faithful Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel were ordained of the Lord and chosen and called and sanctified by the Lord alone and not by the Kings and Rulers of the earth nor by the Pope and his Adherents neither by Commissioners that were appointed by them or any of them so to do And again Those Prophets Apostles and Ministers that God and Christ sent forth were no raylers nor scoffers nor
Priests tythings and offerings to * To maintain finden his Priests but Lord in the old law the tythings of the lay-people they were not due to such Priests but to that other children of Levi that served in the Temple The Pope used to curse those that paid not tythes But Lord Paul thy servant said that the Order of Priesthood ceased in Christs coming and the Law of that Priesthood But Lord What doom is it to curse the lay-people for tythes and not curse the Parson that robbeth the people of tythings c. And I finde in the story of Walter Brute in his Examination before the then Bishob of Hereford these words following viz. That no man is bound to gâ—ve tythes nor oblations c. said he and if any man will needs give he may give his tythes to whom he will and not to their Curates And said he Anno 1407. Fox Act. and Men. Wherefore seeing that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles commanded to pay tythes it is manifest and plian that neither by the law of Moses nor by Christs laws are Christian bound to pay tythes c. And William Thorp in his Examination before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in answer to their fourth Article he affirmed that in the new law that neither Christ nor any of his Apostles took tythes of the people nor commanded the people to pay tythes neither to Priests nor to Deacons but as Cistersiensis telleth that in the yeer 1211. one Pope Gregory the tenth ordained tythes to be given to priests now in the new law But said William Thorp The priests that challenge tythes now in the new law say in effect that Christ is not become man nor that he hath suffered death for man And said he again That those priests that will challenge and take tythes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the priests office of the old law for whom tythes were granted for else the priests now take tythes wrongfully And said he The parishioners that pay their temporal goods be they tythes or offerings to priests are partners of every sin of those priests because they sustain those priests folly in their sin with their temperal goods c. Now do but take notice of one question that Thomas Arundal Arch-bishop of Canterbury asked the said Will. Thorp that is said the bishop Why Lossel doest thou deem that Holy Church hath erred in the Ordinance for tythes c. Now I answer and say Yea their Church hath erred and doth erre in making Ordinances Constitutions Canons and Decrees both for tythes and all other things and all the Rulers of the earth that do the same things are the Popes Adherents and do erre likewise c. And here followeth in part the testimony of divers others in these late dayes that they have born against tythes A Book called led the Inditement of tythes Printed 1646. and also by their imprisoment and spoyling of their goods First Whereas divers honest and consciencious persons of the city of London of the parish of Brides and of the parish of All Hallows-Barking were convented before the then Mayor of London for their non-payment of tythes to their parish-parsons some of the Inhabitants of the parish of All-Hollows-Barking gave in their grounds and reasons for their so doing which were as followeth Said they 1. We humbly conceive that tythes and circumcision were to cease and to have an end at the coming of our Saviour Christ Jesus 2. We do not know of any place in the New-Testement that commandeth the payment of tythes nor that either the Apostles or Disciples required the same or pretend a right thereunto or to any other set-maintenance but on the contrary 3. Tythes Offerings c. being contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse though the law of the land should require the same we conceive our selves and all others bound in conscience and by our covenant to endeavor the extirpation thereof and cannot without wilful sinning submit thereunto And said they We hope it will now appeare no more strange to abolish tythes or any other thing contrary to sound Doctrine then it hath been to abolish Episcopacy Prelacy and the Book of Common-prayer c. 1. The paying of tythes is a submission unto the Jewish bondage the law of tything being known to be a part of that ceremonial law and yoke of bondage which was laid upon Israel after the flesh The Testimony of Nicholas Waterson against tythes to be observed and born by them in the land of Canaan 2. The requiring and paying of tythes is an implicite denying that Christ is come in the flesh for said he If there be not a change of the law then the priesthood of Aaron remains Heb. 7.12 and if that priesthood remains then Christ is not yet come 3. The Doctrine that tythes ought to be paid to the priests presbyters or clergy is a popish Doctrine inasmuch as it hath been devised and maintained by the pope and his prelates and is contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures And said he The payment of tythes or any thing in the lieu of tythes doth and wil support popish and prelatical iniquity and those humane laws that have required such payment of tythes have been grounded upon popish Doctrine and therefore are no more to be observed then those laws that injoyned the use of the Service-Book And said he They which have vowed the extirpation of popery and prelacy have therefore bound themselves not to pay tythes nor any thing in the lieu of tythes c. If tythes said he be an Ordinance under the Gospel The Testimony of Tho. Bennet against tythes then they must be of an Evangelical institution even from the command of Christ as well as other Gospel-Ordinances but we find no other Ordinance for the exaction of tythes now but a bare Mosaical Ordinance therefore tythes are no Gospel-Ordinance Tythes said he were never ordained but for the wages of typical services therefore to continue the wages of such a work cannot in equity be without the continuance of the work which is a flat denyal of Christ come in the flesh And said he These that had the commandment for tythes were onely to receive them of their Brethren that is of the other eleven Tribes therefore not of the Gentiles or were the Gentiles by that command bound thereunto and if not in Moses time muchlesse now for said he They were imposed upon the land of Canaan therefore not upon England or English men being no part of Canaan or the people any of the twelve Tribes and the Iews to this day terminate the equity of tythes to their own land as said he Mr. Seldon a Member of the House of Commons writeth in his History of Tythes and likewise That no payment of tythes was ordained in Christian Churches as Mr. Seldon observeth till the General Counsel of Lateran Therefore the Ordinance for tythes
Congregation that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem and reigned over Israel and Solomon said Now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side so that there is neither adversaries nor evil occurrent Behold I purpose to build an House unto the Name of the Lord my God as the Lord spake unto David my Father saying Thy son whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room he shall build an House unto my Name Then Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah where the Lord appointed unto David his father Deut. 12.10 11 12. 2 Chron. 3.1 2. and that was the place that God did choose to cause his Name to dwell and thither was the people to bring their tythes and first fruits their Burnt-offrings and their Sacrifices And Solomon began to build the House of the Lord at Jerusalem in the second year of the second Month in the fourth year of his reign and when the House was finished throughout all the parts thereof according to all the fashion of it then Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated 1 Chron. 29.1 2 3 4 5. viz. the Gold the Slver and all the Instruments put he among the Treasuries of the Hduse of God and then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel and all the Heads of the Tribes and the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the City of David which is Zion and all the Elders of Israel came 2 Sam. 5.7 9. 1 Chron. 11.4 5 6 7 8. and the Levites took up the Ark and they brought up the Ark and the Tabernacle of the Congregation and all the holy Vessels that were in the Tabernacle these did the Priests and the Levites bring up And the Priests brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord unto his place to the Oracle of the House into the most Holy Place even under the Wings of the Cherubins and Solomon said unto the Lord I have huilt an House of habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever And blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my Father David saying Since that day that I brought my people out of the Land of Aegypt I chose no City among all the Tribes of Israel to build an House in that my Name might be there neither chose I any man to be a Ruler over my people Israel but I have chosen David to be over my people Israel And said Solomon The Lord hath performed the word that he hath spoken for I am risen up in the room of David my Father am set on the Throne of Israel as the LORD promised to David my Father and I have built the HOUSE for the Name of the LORD GOD of ISRAEL and the Lord God said I have chosen Jerusalem that my Name may be there And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him I have heard thy prayer and I have chosen this place to my self for an House of sacrifice for now have I chosen and sanctified this House 2 Chron. 33.7 Psal 132.13 2 Chron. 7.12 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. that my Name may be there for ever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually and my ears shall attend unto the prayers that is made in this place and as for thee said the Lord God to Solomon if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked and do according to all that I have commanded thee and shalt observe my Statutes and my Judgements then will I establish the Throne of thy Kingdom according as I covenanted with David thy Father saying There shall not fail thee a man to be Ruler in Israel but if ye turn away and forsake my Statutes and my my Commandments which I have â—et before you and shall go and serve other Gods and worship them then will I pluck â—hem up by the roots out of my Land which I have given them Deut. 12.10 11 and this Houâ—e whiâ—h I have sanctified for my Name will I cast â—ut of my ligâ—t Therefore â—ake notice First God told the â—hildre of â—raâ—l when â—heâ— were in the Wilderness That when they came into the â—â—nâ— whiâ—h he wâ—uld â—ive them to possess and that when he had given them rest â—rom all theiâ— Enemies round about then there should be a place which he would choosâ— to cause his Name to dwell in 2 Chron. 6.5 6. Secondly Thâ—t in the Land of Canaan Ierusalem was the place that God chose from amâ—ng all the Trâ—bes of Israel that his Name might be there Tâ—irâ—ly 2 Chron. 3.1 Deut. 12.5 Joh. 4.20 Exod. 23.14 15 16. Deut. 16.16 2 Chron. 8.12 13 14 15 16. That at Ierusalem Solomon built in Mount Moriah a House called a Temple unto the Name of the Lord and for his Worship according to the Command of God 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14. 1 Kings 5.5 6. chap. Fourthly That to Ierusalem was the people of Israel required to bring their Burnt-Offrings their Sacrifices their first Fruits and their tythes Then Solomon offered Burnt-Offerings unto the Lord on the Altar of the Lord which he had built before the Porch even after a certain rate every day offering according to the Commandment of Moses and he appointed according to the order of David his father the Courses of the Priests to their Service and the Levites to their Charges the Porters also by their courses at every Gate so the House of God was perfected Now that which I come to write of further is That God required the people of Israel to pay the Priests and Levites their first fruits and tythes unto them in the land of Canaan Deu. 10.8 9 14. cha ver 22 to the end 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. and that they were to bring their Offerings and Sacrifices their first fruits and their tythes unto the place which he should chose that to Jerusalem were the first fruits and the tythes brought into the House of the Lord to be for food for the Priests the Levites the fatherless and the widow and the stranger that they might eat and be satisfied And Hezekiah King of Iudah sent to all Israel and Iudah to come to Ierusalem to keep the Passeouer unto tne Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 30 31. chap. and Hezekiah appointed the courses of the Priests and the Levires after their courses every man according to his service the Priests and tae Levites for Burnt-offerings and for Peace-offerings he appointed also the Kings portion of his substance for the Burnt-offering to wit For the Morning and the Evening Burnt-offerings for the Sabbaths and for the New Moons and for the set Feasts as it is in the Law of the Lord Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to