would so quietly and patiently suffer their bloods to be spilt upon the ground for Christs sake and yet not once draw a sword against that wicked Emperour in their Masters Cause What was there no zeale no jealousie for Gods honour in these holy Martyrs and Saints of God Or if yet the Church had not sufficient opportunitie to put this Divinitie in practice I wonder that Iulian's army consisting for the most part of Christians would suffer that Apostate in that scoffing manner to deride Christ and his Religion when they had so faire occasions and opportunities either to castigate depose or murther him What was there no spirit of fortitude in those valiant souldiers so stout and daring in their Emperours Battell and so remisse and cold in Christs Cause And yet 't is more strange that for almost a thousand yeares after Christ we cannot find these limitations in what cases it is lawfull to resist the higher powers either in the practice of the Church or in the writings of ancient Fathers and Orthodox Christians 'T is very well known that 't was the ambition of the Church of Rome first taught and maintain'd this Divinitie in the world of resisting lawfull powers And I wonder that those of the Reformation who could not so much as endure a Vestment or an harmelesse Ceremonie eo nomine for that very reason because it had beene used by that Church would so easily joyne with them in deposing of Princes and rebelling against Soveraignes that they would strain at a Gnat and swallow a Cammell Well whatsoever motives or occasions others may lay hold of for resisting of the power I know not I am sure these Rebels here could find but little in the persons or behaviours of their Governours to gather themselves thus rebelliously together against them for 't was 2. Contra Mosen mitissimum hominem Aaronem sanctum Domini Against Moses a mercifull man said the sonne of Syrach who found favour in the sight of all flesh and was dilectus Deo Hominibus beloved both of God and man and whose memoriall was blessed in all generations against Moses a Prince who delivered them out of the AEgyptian bondage brought them through the Red-Sea upon dry land in and out before them to defend them from their Enemies held the ballances of justice from morning to evening and weighed to every one his right and due smore the stony Rocks so that waters gushed out to quench their thirst procur'd Manna from Heaven for them and Quailes too not for any necessitie but to serve their Lust and then against Aaron a holy man like unto him whom God chose out of all men living to offer sacrifices to the Lord Incense and a sweet savour for a memoriall to make reconciliation for his people to appease Gods wrath and divert his punishments due to their offences and what could they desire more and yet for all this they are gather'd together against Moses and Aaron where we may observe the restles and unquiet commotion of some mens ambition who though under their gracious and pious Princes they enjoy the blessednesse of Peace and sweetnesse of plenty Foelicitatem utriasque gladii the happinesse of both swords of the sword of Justice for the defence of the right and punishment of the wrong doers and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God yet are never content untill they have unsheathed a third sword the sword of Rebellion to make way for their owne ambitious ends as they do here Contra Mosen mitissimum hominem c. But thirdly there is a higher power then either Moses or Aaron neerly toucht in this Rebellion and that 's God himselfe for 't is thirdly Contra Mosen Aaronem divinitus constitutos sic per consequens contra Deum Against Moses and Aaron the one constituted Prince and Governour the other consecrated High-Priest by divine appointment and institution so that though they be gather'd together intentionally and directly against Moses and Aaron yet 't is virtually and in effect contra Deum against Almighty God himselfe and therefore Moses in the 11 ver. truly states the nature forme and condition of their action for he tels them plainly that they were gatherd together contra Dominum against the Lord not contra Dominum Mosen against my Lord Moses but contra Dominum Mosis against Moses's Lord and not contra Aaronem sanctum Domini but contra sanctum Dominum against the Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts And so was this action in after times generally thought and accounted of by the whole Nation as appeares by the daughters of Zelophehad who then they came to sue for the inheritance of their father before Moses Eleazar and the Princes they use this argument to incline that honourable bench to favour their cause saying Our father died in the Wildernesse and he was not amongst them that gather'd themselves together contra Dominum against the Lord in the company of Korah and 't is worth the observation whosoever doth gain-say murmurre or resist the Ordinance of Almighty God either in the supreme power or chiefe Priest-hood or any other legall Constitution Order and Commandment of Almighty God in the Scripture phrase is usually term'd a Rebell against the Lord So that these Rebels here and all their followers though they esteem themselves but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fighters against men or at the most but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fighters against Princes and Rulers are in deed and truth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fighters against God himselfe and yet most impudently they would make the world believe 't is for Religions sake and Gods honour that they gather'd themselves together against himselfe and his owne Ordinance After they had gather'd themselves together and made their part strong and good then and not till then they begin to capitulate and treat dixerunt eis and they said c. This is the common policie of Rebells They never enter into a contestation with their superiours till they are so potent and strong as they are able to grapple with Authority and can securely sleight and contemne their Princes just Commands for should they appeare in small troops and daringly affront their Soveraigne his just indignation might consume them in a Moment and therefore those subjects whosoever they were that our Saviour speakes of in the 19 of Luk. were but poore silly Rebels in respect of this policy for after they had out-brav'd their Soveraigne with their sawcy and peremptory Message Nolumus hunc regnare for want of sufficient power to maintaine and defend their words were faine to submit themselves to the sword of justice for so the Text sayes at the return of the King they were all slaine These Rebels here were wiser in their generation then so they would not openly contest and expostulate with their Superiours untill they were gather'd together
They i. e. Korah of the Tribe of Levi and Dathan Abiram and On of the Tribe of Ruben v. 1. and 250 Princes of the assembly Famous in the Congregation and men of Renowne vers. 2. Materiale peccati express'd by an unlawfull assembly se ipsos coÌ„gregaruÌ„t And they gather'd themselves together Formale peccati that which doth specificate the sinne of Rebellion notified in the Parties against whom they were gather'd together and that was contra Mosen Aâ—ronem the Supreme Prince and Chief Priest Capitulatio The incapitulation or Treatie after they were gather'd together had made their partie good and strong then and not till then they begin to capitulate and treat dixerunt eis And they said unto them Gravaminum Remonstratio in their treatie here 's a Remonstrance or Declaration of their grievances Moses was too high in State and Aaron in the Church there must be no supreme Prince nor chiefe Priest but 't is a paritie both in Church and State which they seem to require and therefore they breake out first with an exclamation Nimium arrogatis Ye take too much upon you Secondly with an expostulation Quare elevamini Wherefore doe you lift up your selves above c. Gravaminum Ratio That they may not seeme to be mad without reason here are the pretended reasons or grounds of these their grievances sufficient in their opinion to justifie an Insurrection And indeed if true the strongest Motives that can be for they are cunningly drawne from Religion and Gods Honour for they can prove from Gods owne Words that all the Congregation was holy every one of them and therefore there must be no Aaron no chiefe Priest Secondly 'T was apparent that the Lord was among them and therefore it was a derogation from his Honour to have a Co-adjutor in Government and so their must be no Moses no supreme Prince Reasons very specious and persuasive But sevently and lastly If ye would know that which the Logicians call Causam {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the true Primary Internall impulsive Cause of all this Tumult and Rebellion ye must not looke for it here in my Text in the publique Remonstrations and Declarations of the Rebells themselves for that is usually kept secret and close from the peoples eyes amongst the chiefe of the Faction and is either disclosed by the Notorietie of the fact when they have attained their ends and purposes or else by the diligent search and enquiry of some honest Historians of those times and the true Primary Impulsive Cause of this Rebellion is discovered by Moses to be Pride and Ambition The beginning of all sinne Korah was but an inferiour Levite and he aspired to the Priest-hood as Moses plainly told him v. 10. Seemeth it a small thing unto you that God brought thee neere to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee but seeke ye the Priest-hood also For which cause both thou and all thy company are gather'd together against the Lord So that the true Cause of Korah's rebellion was ambition he aspir'd to the Priesthood and Aaron stood in his way and therefore his chiefe aime was against Aaron Dathan and Abiram though they were Princes of the Assembly yet they were inferiour to Moses and that was it troubled them Secundi gradus erant impatientes they could not brooke any superiour as they plainly told Moses v. 13. Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a good land that floweth with milke and hony to kill us in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe altogether a Prince over us So that Ambition too was the true cause of their rebellion they aspir'd to Supremacy and Moses stood in their way and therefore their chiefe aime was against Moses So that whatsoever colour or pretext they make in their publike Remonstrances or Declarations be it Religion or Conscience or care of the Common good the true cause and ground of their rebellion was Pride and Ambition Korah was ambitious of the highest place in the Church Dathan and Abiram in the State and therefore they were gather'd together against Moses and against Aaron and all this worthy of beliefe upon the credit of Moses a faithfull Historian and also an Inspired Pen-man of holy Scripture And so here is you see delineated and drawn a perfect Modell of Rebellion and Rebellions of afterges if they have added any thing they are but some quaint tricks and devices to adorne and set forth the severall parts of this Fabrick this still for forme and fashion standing a compleat and perfect Patterne And so I proceed to the first part of my Text Rebelles The Rebels They Korah Dathan Abiram and On of the Tribe of Ruben and 250 Princes of the Assembly Famous in the Congregation and men of renowne In whom there are three things observable that make this Rebellion dangerous The first is Combinatio Levita Ruben The Levite and the Rubenite joyned Secondly Eminentia Principes coetus Princes of the Assembly Thirdly Popularitas homines celebres Famous in the Congregation and men of renowne 1. Combinatio Korah of the Tribe of Levi and Dathan Abiram and On of the Tribe of Ruben And though none but Korah be named of that Tribe as being the principall Head and one that had his particular aimes and ends yet 't is evident that more of the inferiour sort of the Levites were gotten in to participate of this Rebellion because Moses in the 10 v. speakes in the plurall number to Korah and the rest of his brethren the sons of Levi Seeke ye the Priest-hood also Now the Levites either because they were Gods lot portion to doe the service of the Tabernacle and so were not numbred amongst the rest of the children of Israel by Moses or because God was their lot and portion and therefore they had no inheritance in the division of the land of Canaan for one or both of these reasons the Levites may very well be called by the name of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Clergy or lot of the Lord so that they joyning with the Rubenites it seemes that both Clergy and Laity were combin'd together in this Rebellion and this conjunction gives a strong incouragement and countenance to the action for the Levite or Clergy alone would have wanted power and strength the Laity or Rubenite alone could not have had so fair a color and cloake of Religion to cover their Rebellious practices but both joyn'd together make a strong faction and a faire shew and the action appeares more glorious in the world when there is such a combination between the two maine parts of the state and therefore Adonijah when he exalted himselfe saying I will be King when as Solomon was designed before both by God his father David for that Regall Office he took this course He combin'd himselfe with the Priest and
and had made their partie strong and good then and not till then they come forth with their saying Et dixerunt eis c. 2. Et dixerunt eis The voice of Rebellion is not usually so soft and gentle in such unlawfull assemblies you shall commonly heare of an Exclamarunt a loud clamor or a vociferarunt a gaping outcry such as was heard at Ephesus for the space of two houres when the people cried out Great is Diana of the Ephesians and indeed when the heart hath once transgrest the bounds of loyalty and obedience and the hand unsheath'd a sword against the Lords Anointed 't is hard for such a slippery member as the tongue to keep it selfe within the bounds of modestie and due respect Yet such Rebels as these that rely not so much upon their owne power as the peoples favour must make use of such cunning arts and devises as are likely to gaine their good opinions and therefore at first they keep downe the swelling pride of their hearts from breaking out in the uncivil language of the tongue that although they be not innocent yet by the sequels of innocency faire speeches and submissive remonstrations they may with more facility instill the venome of their rebellion into the hearts of the Congregation but Naturam expellas furcâ licet usque recurrer a flame pent in and refrain'd will at last burst out though they begin here with a Civill dixerunt they fall presently to an uncivill exclamation Nimium arrogatis and an immodest expostulation Quare elevamini c. Gravaminum remonstratio A Remonstrance or Declaration of their grievances c. Nimium arrogatis quare elevaminis Wherefore doe yee lift up your selves It seemes they accuse them of Intrusion and usurpation that they had taken upon them more then they could answer by lifting themselves up and intruding into the chaire of State and See of Ecclesiasticall government without any order or Institution from Almighty God and if this be their grievance they complaine of they themselves must needs know 't was an impudent Lye for 't was not long before and they could not but heare of it how God had much ado to impose this office of governmeÌ„t upon Moses who sought to divert God from his intention purpose by many excusive arguments as you may read Exo. 3 4. The first argument is drawne à conditione personae from the meanes of his Person Who am I that I should goe unto Pharaoh and that I should bring the children out of AEgypt The second is drawne à Populi incredulitate They will not believe me nor hearken to me for they will say The Lord hath not appeared unto thee The third is drawne à naturali impedimento Alas Lord non sum facundus For I am a man of a slow speech and a slow tongue Well when God had answered all these arguments Moses to shew his aversenesse from any such aspiring desire breaks out too uncivilly in the fourth place with a mitte Domine quem missurus es Send Lord I beseech thy Messias and Saviour of the world whom thou intend'st to send insomuch that God in plaine termes fell out with him And the anger of the Lord was kindled against him So that you see Moses was much importuned by God himselfe to take this office upon him and after he had entred upon it the crossenesse and frowardnesse of the Congregation quickly made him weary of it which made him complain to God I am not able to beare all this people alone for 't is too heavy for me Insomuch that God was faine to joyne 70 of the Elders of Israel to beare the burthen of the people with him It seemes Moses was of that Princes mind who feelingly said That if a man did but know the care sollicitude and trouble of Government Coronan jacentem non tolleret He would not take up a Crowne no not so much as from the ground to weare it And as for Aaron he was called to the Priestly Function and eminency in the Church by Almightie God himselfe and consecrated by Moses at God's appointment to that office in the face of the Congregation so that he was lifted up too by Divine Institution and therefore these Rebells must needs know that 't was a manifest untruth and an impudent Lye to say that they usurp't this Power and Authorite or lifted themselves up above the Congregation And here you may observe the base nature and corrupt disposition of Rebellion breaking out for the most part in ulcerous calumnies and putrified accusations for Rebells especially such as these who ambitiously aime at Supremacy cannot with any probabilitie or likelyhood hope to attaine their ends unlesse they can bespatter their Moses with some foule aspersions either with defects in his Person as Illegitimation Usurpation or Vitiousnesse in manners as Injustice inconstancy in Religion or Disabilities for Government as Sloth Negligence and the like And when they can find no just cause for these odious imputations then they seeke by Infamous Libells and false rumours and base reports and black-mouth'd calumny to sully his white and pure name as these Rebells here most maliciously charg'd Moses and Aaron with usurpation Nimum arrogatis quare elevamini 2. Super Congregationem above the Congregation Although these great men here had raysed this Rebellion for their own private ends to satisfie their Pride and ambition yet in the expression of their Grievances they seeme to aime at the Peoples good and pretend nothing more then the redressement of their opposed injuries as though their Priviledges and Libertie were extorted and wrested from them by this exaltation of Moses and Aaron above the Congregation And indeed this is a cunning policy of these Rebells for knowing their owne weaknes and inability to over-top their Soveraign without the Peoples help and aide 't is requisite that upon all occasions they should both ingratiate themselves with them and also palliate and keepe close their ambitious designes from their intelligence And therefore in their publique Declarations and Remonstrances Populum crepant they insist much upon the pretended Wrongs and Grievances of the Congregation as if they had undertooke this quarrell onely for their benefit and therefore they charge Moses and Aaron in the behalfe of the Congregation and in the next place they insert a universall Signe in the favour of the people Since all the Congregation c. 3. Super Congregationem Domini above the Congregation of the Lord Here they begin their Religious Plots and Sanctified Policies they thinke themselves safe and secure from all stormes and winds if they can but shrowd themselves sub Nomine Domini under the Name of the Lord Those in the seventh of Ierem. that stole and murder'd and committed Adultery and swore falsely thought themselves free from all Thunder-claps so they did but cry Templum Domini templum and the Devill 's instruments in aâ—te-rages made such
who is his and who is Holy i. e. in office and function as the next words plainly declare and who ought to approach near unto him i. e. as a Priest to offer Sacrifices burne Incense and performe other Sacerdotall Functions And indeed the Lord shew'd it with a vengeance by the dismall destruction of these unhallowed Rebels and so you see how these Rebels here most prophanely pervert and abuse Gods sacred word because all the Congregation were Holy as being separated from all other people by the choice of Almighty God to keep his Commandements and Ordinances therefore by this aequivocating tricke and shift they would have set up this whole Congregation to stand in competition with Aaron for the Priestly office and so have thrust him out of that eminent place in the Church to which God had called him And by another Religious tricke not unlike this they give an heave at Moses their Prince and Governour for the Lord was amongst them therefore there must be no Moses pretending here the honour and glory of God for therein lies the force of their argument The Lord was amongst them by day in a cloud by night in a pillar of fire and at other times in glorious appearances upon speciall occasions and therefore it was a derogation from the honour of Almighty God that such an inferiour as Moses should take upon him and exercise authority when the King of Heaven and Earth was present and here most impudently they abuse God's honour to cover their unworthy and base practises for they could not be ignorant that God himselfe had imposed this office of Government and Superioritie upon Moses and that with great reluctancy on his part and had seene it confirm'd to him by many signes miracles and wonders In AEgypt at the red Sea and in the Wildernesse usque ad stuporem naturae and what though God were present amongst them as he is every where and can command the whole world solo Nutu yet 't is very well knowne that it seemed good to the wisedome of Almighty God to governe this inferiour world by second causes so that as he disposes and orders the vegetative Natures as Herbes and Plants and other Fruits of the Earth by the notions and influences of the Heavens and Elements and the animall or sensible creatures by the power and wisedome of man so he orders and governes Humane Societies by Kings and Princes whom he cals Nutritios and therfore it being God's Ordinance and pleasure it could be no derogation from his honour or glory that Moses was lifted up above the Congregation of the Lord for had it beene praejudiciall to his honour the wisedome of God could have disposed otherwise of the Government of this world but yet Religion and God's honour were glorious shewes to dazle the peoples eyes that they might not pierce into the depth of their ambitious designes and therefore they cryed out All the Congregation are holy and the Lord is among them and so no Moses no Aaron And see here the corrupt nature of Rebellion There is nothing so Holy nothing so Sacred nothing so Pure but 't is prophaned polluted and defil'd by her abminations Religion that sacred bond tying God and man together is made an instrument by Rebellion to undoe all Humane Societies and the fairest vertue in mans soule is made a Maske to hide the deformities of the foulest Sin When ambition swells or discontent breakes out or fury rages then Religion must be used as decayed faces doe Fucus and Cerus for the basest offices to cozen and delude the world And those who before like the unjust Judge Neither feared God nor regarded man can now fawne upon those whom before in their pride they scorn'd and to advance their owne ambitious ends force themselves against their owne nature and disposition to seeme Religious Nay and make shift to wrap out a place of Scripture too as the Devill did to our Saviour but most miserably wrested and abus'd to serve their owne lusts as we must obey God rather than man Whatsoever this or that particular man or this or that particular Congregation shall conceive and interpret to be the Word of God though this Conception and Interpretation be against the authoriz'd doctrine and discipline of the present Church and the Consent and Practise of the ancient and Primitive Church yet this must be obeyed as the Word of God and that too with rising up and rebelling against their Soveraigne contrary to the expresse Word of God himselfe but let them take heed they doe not venture too far least they be numbred in the list of that unlearned and unstable company of whose doome S. Peter speakes that wrest Saint Pauls Epistles as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their owne destruction The Practice of these Rebells here shew this devilish device to be a great deale more ancient then S. Peters time for they could produce a place of Scripture and Gods honour too for the maintaining of their Rebellious actions when ambition was the true Cause and Ground of their Rebellion And that 's the 7th Part. Korah was ambitious of the highest place in the Church Dathan and Abiram in the State and therefore they were gather'd together Korah it seemes in place eminency was next to Aaron and his sons as being Prince and head of the Kohathides whose office was to beare the Sanctuary a charge of greatest Honour and Note among the Levites so that he could not endure to see his Cousin Aaron enter into the glorious Sanctuary whil'st he stood without or that Aaron and his sonnes should cover the Sanctuary and all the Vessells thereof and he must not so much as see when the holy things were cover'd or touch any holy thing lest he dye this was that discontented him and therefore his aime was against Aaron Dathan and Abiram were Princes and Heads of the Rubenites who came of the Elder-house even of Ruben the eldest son of Iacob they could not endure to be over-topt by the yonger-house by Moses Aaron that descended from Levi the younger sonne of Iacob this was that they stomack't and therefore though their chiefe aime was against Moses yet perhaps Aaron's eminency was an eye-sore to them they could not endure to see the Miter and the Scepter in the younger-house and therefore they are gather'd together against Moses and Aaron And indeed all the world may perceive and so might this whole Congregation too had not they beene most miserably blinded and besotted by the weaknesse and sillinesse of these mens Reasons that their owne ambitious hopes and not the peoples Good was their maine drift and end for can any man with reason thinke or imagine that all the Congregation should have beene Aaron's and Priests because they were all Holy or that they should all have bin Governours Princes and Rulers and do what they lift because the Lord was amongst them This were a mad conceit to
ΠΡΟΣΣΩ ΚΑΙ ΟΠΙΣΣΩ A SERMON EQVALLY POINTING FORVVARD BACKWARD AS IT WAS DEliver'd in the Vniversity-Church of Saint Maries in CAMBRIDGE By P. H. B. of Divinity and sometime Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge In his Forenoone Course before that Universitie upon the 22. day of November in the yeare 1640 being the third Sunday after the beginning of this present PARLIAMENT Eccles. 1. v. 9 10. The thing that hath been is that which shall be that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new It hath been already of old time which was before us Virg. Sic illi oculos sic ora ferebant Printed in the Yeare 1647. To the READER REader whosoever thou art that dost scruple or make any doubt of the truth of the thing done in such manner time and place as the Title Page doth Preface Know that this Sermon verbatim being preach'd in the very beginning of this Parliament â—efore the whole Universitie and a good part of the Towne of Cambridge there are many Hundreds of People that can attest and justifie every tittle in the Title Page yet living every where howsoever distress'd or wheresoever dispers'd throughout this Spacious Kingdome The Author is a Priest and graduated in Divinitie in the time of Ignorance and Popery before the Gospell here in England otherwise he is a Gentleman of a very good and ancient House and Extraction A Gentleman and a Schollar note that for Blood and Learning Generositie and Breeding they are the two intire constitutive Principles of a Malignant as compleat as Matter and Forme of a Naturall Body Out upon them both for wheresoever they meet in one there needs no further Proofe you may certainly and infallibly conclude such a Person an enemy to this our State Reprobate and altogether untractable to this Blessed Reformation The Publishing of this Sermon I assure thee not upon the Publique Faith but in the word of an honest man is not with the Author's Notice much lesse his Consent which indeed was never aâ—â—â—d wee supposing it to be with him as it is generally with all other Malignants who though they be no whit asham'd yet are very much afraid of their Malignancy It remaines then onely that thou beest rightly inform'd why this Sermon being Preach'd so long agoe came not to publique view long before or why it is just now held forth Not Before because the publishing of it before might justly have beene interpreted very prejudiciall to the wisedome of the Managers of this Holy Warre as if they had not had sufficient Abilities of understanding and judgement to carry on this Holy Cause and businesse of their Holy Covenant unlesse they had had this Patterne or some such Copy set before their eyes whereby to direct their whole Counsells and Actions But now that the Worke is so done as the most envious Malignant cannot say that ever any of their Predecessours in any Age have gone beyond them It is very seasonable yea requisite and necessary indeed to present to all the world this following Discourse and that for this reâ—son which if you marke it will plainly inferre the necessity For seeing that all the Orthodox painfull and Godly ministers put into the severall Benefices of this Kingdome by this Blessed Parliament both in their single exercises upon their Cures and when they have exercised some 4 or 5 one over anothers head upon solemne humiliation dayes have wrought powerfully upon the dullest capacities both of City and Country and contributed much yea very much by their labour in the Cause and mannagement of this holy Warre but more especially seeing that the Reverend Assembly of Divines did not only pray preach exhort and counsell to this effect but also did worke wonders dispense with Oathes as much as ever the Papists can boast their Pope to have done and make the very Scriptures themselves especially in the English Welsh and Scotch Languages conformable and subordinate to this holy Warre and holy Covenant as much as to their owne Presbytery and beautifull Discipline It is then most expedient and necessary that this Sermon be now printed for the justification and vindication both of the one and of the other from the slander and obloquie of the Reprobate Wicked Cavalier-Prelatists and of the Separatists and Independents that all the world may see understand attest and give judgement that neither the Parliaments Orthodox Ministers have taught incited or stirr'd up the people to any thing nor the Reverend Assembly of Divines have directed or counsel'd any thing in this holy Warre and this holy Covenant for which the word doth not both hint and hold forth a most cleer Text and warrant as you shall find it written NUMB. 16.3 And they gather'd themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up youselves above the Congregation of the Lord MY Text presents unto you a famous Rebellion in the Iewish state which shewes the Antiquitie of this sinne although perhaps not that height of wicked Policy so fully reach't and accomplish't by the villainous cunning inventions of after-ages for Nihil inventum perfectum eodem tempore never was any thing so exactly at first excogitated invented or found out as nothing could be added by succeeding ages to compleat and perfect it Yet the sinne of Rebellion although perhaps not now first devis'd yet sure but in its Cradle and infancy especially as it hath reference relation to this state of the Iewes by computation of time in all probabilitie not two yeares old since their freedome from the AEgyptian bondage wanted so little already of its full perfection that here in this frame you may behold the compleat forme and figure of it with all parts and Lineaments fully integrated Nay and many accidentall perfections though not all which were added to every part as it grew from strength to strength till it came to its just Bulk and Stature As in the body of an infant you may find every part of a man as Front and Eye Hand Leg although not the severall graces and comelinesse of every of these parts as the majestick rise of the Fore-head and vigorous quicknesse of the Eye the pure whitenesse of the Hand and the decent proportion of the Leg untill this infant be growne to some consistent measure both of height and bignesse So I say here in this rebellious act is represented every part and limbe of Rebellion and after-ages have but added a cleanly contrivance and carriage to some of these parts that rebelling may appeare more gracefull and comely to the eye of the world as by the viewing of the severall particulars in my Text will more plainly appeare Where you have Rebelles The Rebels
a common use of this precise policy that it grew into a Proverbe In Nomine Domini incipit omne malum God knowes how long it will last I am sure it begun betimes for these Rebells here could make use of this Vermilion to colour their foule facts and prophanely insert the Name of the Lord to set a faire glosse upon their adulterate Wares and therefore they cry Super Congregationem Domini But here by the way you may discerne a grosse error in their mannaging of this part of their Rebellion for here they fall too bluntly upon the businesse and oppose themselves too broad and directly against Moses and Aaron they carried it with better sleight and more art In the 14 ch. there they used some circuition winding about to get advantages before they came to this maine on-set there they fell first upon some of Moses his servants as Ioshuah the sonne of Nun and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh who had done Moses and the State good service by their fidelitie and faithfulnesse in their publique employment for the common good Those they sought by Calumny clamorous Accusations and Forgeries of the number and strength of their enemies and barrennesse of the Land to disgrace and ruine I utterly to put them to death for all the Congregation bad stone them with stones vers. 10. Here had they gone so to worke and begun with Caleb and Ioshuah and if Moses for his honours-sake or publique safetie should refuse to sacrifice those Loyallists to God and their Countrey then they might with a more plausible colour of manners have gather'd themselves together for the dis-placing of those supposed disturbers of the publique peace and for the judgement and censure of those pretended Delinquents against their Countrey who by evill counsells sought to bring both their Prince Moses and themselves his people upon a most barren Land and a most dreadfull and invincible enemy And thus by degrees they might have proceeded till they had had a fairer way to a Nimium arrogatis and a Quare ele vamini Now eò incipiunt quo incredibile est pervenisse They begin at that height of wickednesse to which it is almost incredible that any subject should ever ascend or aime at In this particular sure they are much over-seene but yet Fortem animum praestant rebus qua◠turpiter audem They set a good face upon their foule enterprises would make the world believe they have good grounds and reasons for what they doe and so I come to the 6th part Gravaminum ratio the pretended grounds or reasons for these their grievances All the Congregation is Holy every one of them and the Lord is among them All the Congregation is Holy every one of them and therfore no Aaron c. No High-priest and here they maske their hellish purposes under the sacred vaile of Religion drawing an absurd consequence that there must be no chiefe Priest from a wilfully misconceived interpretation of Gods owne word because all the Congregation was Holy for the better understanding answering and considering of this their sophisticall argumentation we must know what holinessee is as it relates unto the Creature and of this the Holy-Ghost gives us a full description Omne consecratum sanctum sanctorum Domino The Old Bible renders it thus Every thing separate from the common use is most Holy to the Lord whatsoever is separate either by the institution of Almighty God or the vow and free Dedication of man from the common use of men in secular and worldly imployments for the service and honour of Almighty God is term'd in Gods owne phrase Holy unto the Lord and therefore as you may read in the same Chapter if a man did dedicate an house or a piece of ground or a field separating the propriety and use of it from the rest of his temporall estates unto the use and service of Almighty God it is there called and accounted as a thing Holy unto the Lord also the tithe or tenth both of the seed of the ground and of the fruit of the trees and the younglings of the cattell after it was separated from the nine parts which might be applyed to common use for the maintenance of the owners was called Holy unto the Lord and the Sabbath day because it was separated from the other six dayes wherein men might labour and doe all that they had to doe this being set apart for the service of Almighty God therefore it was called Holy unto the Lord and the whole Congregation of the children of Israel because they were separated from the Gentiles to keep those Lawes Precepts and Ordinances which God hath appointed for them whereas hee suffer'd other Nations to be defiled with their own vaine imaginations therefore the whole Congregation are called an Holy people to the Lord and this seems to be that part or portion of Gods word which these Rebels here use or rather abuse for the inducement and bringing in of a puritie into the Church of God and as a reason why Aaron should not be lifted up above the Congregation of the Lord But here they use a palpable equivocation in the word Holinesse for in regard that Holinesse is a separation of a person or thing from common use to and for the service of Almighty God in regard of severall services of and to Almighty God there are severall and distinct kinds of Holinesse as in respect of persons there is sanctitas Conversationis sancritas Functionis of Conversationis when men are separated from the vanities of this wicked world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life devoutly dedicated to the obedience and observance of Gods holy will and Commandements and then there is sanctitas functionis when certaine men are separated by divine institution from the rest of the Congregation to wait and attend Gods service and to officiate at his Altars in the Priestly function Now though it be granted that all this Congregation were holy the first way as well as Aaron i. e. separated from all other people by the gracious choice of Almighty God to serve him in their lives and conversations by obedience to those Lawes Commandements and Ordinances which God had appointed for them yet they were not Holy by way of Function and office as well as Aaron i. e. separated and set apart by the call and election of Almighty God to officiate at his Altars and to Minister before God in the Priestly office for thus Aaron and his sons alone were Holy as being but a little while before set apart for the Priestly office by the vocation of Almighty God himselfe and consecrated by Moses to that Holy Function in the view of the whole Congregation as is plaine to be seen And therefore in the fift vers of this Chap. Moses told Korah and all his company saying To morrow the Lord will shew