of worship in speciall which was confessed by both sides to be tied to one certain place onely that is of worship by Sacrifice and the appendages In a word of the typicall worship proper to the first Covenant of which see a description Heb. 9. This Iosephus expresly testifies Lib. 12. Antiq. cap. 1. speaking of the Jews and Samaritans which dwelt together at Alexandria They lived saith he in perpetuall discord one with the other whilest each laboured to maintain their Country customes those of Ierusalem affirming their Temple to be the sacred place whither sacrifices were to be sent the Samaritans on the other side contending they ought to be sent to Mount Garizim For otherwise who knows not that both Jews and Samaritans had other places of worship besides either of these namely their Proseucha's and Synagogues wherein they worshipped God not with internall onely but externall worship though not with sacrifice which might be offered but in one place onely And this also may seem to have been a type of Christ as well as the rest namely that he was to be that one and onely Mediator of the Church in the Temple of whose sacred body we have accesse unto the Father and in whom he accepts our devotions and services according to that Destroy this Temple and I will rear it up again in three daies He spake saith the Text of the Temple of his Body This sense divers of the Ancients hit upon Eusebius Demon. Euang. Lib. 1. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not by Symbols and Types but as our Saviour saith in Spirit and Truth Not that in the New Testament men should worship God without all externall services for the New Testament was to have externall and visible services as well as the Old But with such as should imply the verity of the promises already exhibited not by types and shadows of them yet to come we know the Holy Ghost is wont to call the figured Face of the Law the Letter and the Verity thereby signified the Spirit As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both together they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but once found in holy Writ to wit onely in this place And so no light can be borrowed by comparing of the like expression any where else to expound them Besides nothing hinders but they may be taken one for the exposition of the other that to worship the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with to worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever this Exposition be fair and plausible yet me thinks the reason which our Saviour gives in the words following should argue another meaning God saith he is a Spirit therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth But God was a Spirit from the beginning If therefore for this reason he must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth he was so to be worshipped in the Old Testament as well as in the New Let us therefore seek another meaning For the finding whereof let us take notice that the Samaritans at whom our Saviour here aimeth were the off-spring of those Nations which the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria when he had carried away the ten Tribes captive These as we may reade in the second Book of the Kings at their first comming thither worshipped not the God of Israel but the gods of the Nations from whence they came Wherefore he sent Lyons amongst them which slew them which they apprehending either from the information of some Israelite or otherwise to be because they knew not the worship of the God of the Countrey they informed the King of Assyria thereof desiring that some of the captiv'd Priests might be sent unto them to teach them the manner and rites of his worship which being accordingly done they thenceforth as the Text tels us worshipped the Lord yet feared their own gods too and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Chrysostome speaks mingle things not to be mingled In this medly they continued about two hundred years till toward the end of the Persian Monarchy At what time it chanced that Manasse brother to Iaddo the High Priest of the returned Jews married the daughter of Sanballat then Governour of Samaria For which being expelled from Jerusalem by Nehemiah he fled to Sanballat his Father in Law and after his example many other of the Jews of the best rank having married strange wives likewise and loth to forgo them betook themselves thither also Sanballat willingly entertains them and makes his son in Law Manasse their Priest For whose greater reputation and state when Alexander the Great subdued the Persian Monarchy he obtained leave of him to build a Temple upon Mount Garizim where his son in Law exercised the office of High Priest This was exceedingly prejudicious to the Jews and the occasion of a continuall Schism whilst those that were discontented or excommunicated at Ierusalem were wont to betake themselves thither Yet by this means the Samaritans having now one of the sons of Aaron to be their Chief Priest and so many other of the Jews both Priests and others mingled amongst them were brought at length to cast off all their false gods and to worship the Lord the God of Israel onely Yet so that howsoever they seemed to themselves to be true worshippers and altogether free from Idolatry neverthelesse they retained a smack thereof in as much as they worshipped the true God under a visible representation to wit of a Dove and circumcised their Children in the name thereof as the Jewish Tradition tels us who therefore always branded their worship with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spirituall Fornication Just as their predecessors the ten Tribes worshipped the same God of Israel under the similitude of a Calf This was the condition of the Samaritan Religion in our Saviours time and if we weigh the matter well we shall finde his words here to the woman very pliable to be construed with reference thereunto You ask saith he of the true place of worship whether Mount Garizim or Ierusalem which is not so greatly materiall for as much as the time is at hand when men shall worship the Father at neither But there is a greater difference between you and us then of place though you take no notice of it namely about the object of worship it self For ye worship what ye know not but we Jews worship what we know How is that Thus Ye worship indeed the Father the God of Israel as we doe but you worship him under a corporeall representation wherein you shew you know him not but the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth In spirit that is conceiving of him no otherwise then in spirit And in truth that is not under any corporeall or visible shape For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
same prayer is again delivered in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whē you pray say Our Father which art in heaven that is doe it in haec Verba For what other phrase is there to express such a meaning if this be not Besides in this of S. Luke the occasion would be considered It came to passe saith he as Iesus was praying in a certain place that when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples From whence it may not improbably be gathered that this was the custome of the Doctors of Israel to deliver some certain form of Prayer unto their Disciples to use as it were a Badge and Symbolum of their Discipleship at least Iohn Baptist had done so unto his Disciples and thereupon our Saviours Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some forme of his making that they might also pray with their Masters spirit as Iohns Disciples did with theirs For that either our Saviours or Iohns Disciples knew not how to pray till now were ridiculous to imagine they being both of them Jews who had their certaine set houres of prayer which they constantly observed as the third sixt and ninth It was therefore a forme of prayer of their Masters making which both Iohn is said to have given his Disciples and our Saviours Disciples besought him to give them For the fuller understanding whereof I must tell you something more and the rather because it is not commonly taken notice of and that is That this delivery of the Lords prayer in S. Luke is not the same with that related by S. Matthew but another at another time and upon another occasion That of S. Matthew in that famous Sermon of Christ upon the Mount whereof it is a part that of S. Luke upon a speciall motion of the Disciples at a time when himselfe had done praying That of S. Matthew in the second that of S. Luke in the third yeare after his Baptisme Consider the Text of both and you shall finde it impossible to bring them into one and the same whence it follows that the Disciples when it was first uttered understood not that their Master intended it for a forme of prayer unto them but for a pattern or example onely or it may be to instruct them in speciall in what manner to ask forgiveness of sins For if they had thought he had given them a forme of prayer then they would never have asked him for one now wherefore our Saviour this second time utters himselfe more expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Thus their inadvertency becomes our confirmation For as Ioseph said to Pharaoh The dreame is doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing is established by God so may wee say here The delivery of this prayer was doubled unto the Disciples that they and we might thereby know the more certainly that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set form of prayer unto his Church Thus much of that set forme of prayer which our Saviour gave unto his Disciples as a precedent and warrant to his Church to give the like forms to her Disciples or members a thing which from her infancy she used to doe But because her practice is called in question as not warranted by Scripture let us see what was the practice of the Church of the old Testament then whose example and use wee can have no better rule to follow in the New First therefore wee find two set forms of prayer or invocation appointed by God himself in the Law of Moses One the form wherewith the Priests were to blesse the people Num. 6. 23. On this wise saith he shall Aaron and his sons blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace Is not this a set forme of Prayer For what is to blesse but to pray over or invocate God for another The second is the forme of profession and prayer to be used by him who had paid his Tithes every third yeare Deut. 26. 13. O Lord God I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite and unto the stranger to the Fatherlesse and unto the widow according to all thy commandements which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy Commandements neither have I forgotten them 14. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning neither have I taken away ought thereof for any uncleane use c. 15. Look downe from thy holy habitation from heaven and blesse thy people Israel and the Land which thou hast given us as thou swarest to our Fathers a Land that floweth with Milke and honey But what need we seek thus for scattered Formes when wee have a whole booke of them together The Booke of Psalmes was the Jewish Liturgie or the chiefe part of the vocall service wherewith they worshipped God in the Temple This is evident by the Titles of the Psalms themselves which shew them to have beene commended to the severall Quires in the same to Asaph to the sonnes of Korah to Ieduthun and almost forty of them to the Magister Symphoniae in generall The like wee are to conceive of those which have no titles as for example of the 105 and 96 Psalmes which though they have no such Inscription in the Psalme-booke yet wee finde 1 Chron. 16. 7. That they were delivered by David into the hands of Asaph and his Brethren for formes to thanke the Lord. This a man would think were sufficient to take away all scruple in this point especially when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solve◠and all the reformed Churches use to sing the same Psalmes not onely as set formes but set in Meeter that is after a humane composure Are not the Psalmes set formes of Confession of Prayer and of Praising God And in case there had been no prayers amongst them yet what reason could be given why it should not bee as lawfull to pray unto God in a set forme as to praise him in such a one What therefore doe they say to this Why they tell us that the Psalmes are not sung in the Church unto God but so rehearsed for instruction of the people onely namely as the Chapters and Lessons are there read and no otherwise But if either wee doe ought or may sing the Psalmes in the Church with the same end and purpose that the Church of the old Testament did and it were absurd to say wee might not this exception will not subsist for what is more certaine then that the Church of Israel used the Psalmes for Formes of praising and invocating God What mean else those formes Cantemus Domino Psallite Domino and the like so frequent in them But there are more direct
unto the service and worship of God neither to be used by others nor they to carry themselves in their fashion of life as other persons for that which in other things sacred is their use in persons sacred is their conversation demeanour or carriage of themselves but all to be sanctified with a select appropriate or uncommon usage that as they are Gods by peculiar relation and have his Name called upon them so to be separate as far as they are capable from common use and imployed as instruments and circumstances of his worship and service which is the highest and most singular honour that any creature is capable of Nay as I have said before even this is to the honour of God that as himself is that singular incommunicable and absolutely Holy One and his service and worship therefore incommunicable so should that also which hath his Name thereon or is consecrated to his service be in some proportion incommunicably used and not promiscuously and commonly as other things are They are the words of Maymonides the Jew but such as will not misbecome a Christian to make use of concerning that Law Levit. V. 15. If a soule commit a trespasse and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the LORD then he shall bring unto the Lord for his trespasse a Ram c. Behold saith hee how great weight there is in the Law touching sacrilegious transgression And what though they be wood and stone and dust and ashes when the Name of the Lord of all the world is called upon things they are sanctified i. made holy And who so useth them to common use he transgresseth therein and though he doe it through ignorance he must needs bring his atonement Yea it is a thing worthy to be taken speciall notice of that that so presumptuous and most dreadfully vindicated sin of Korah Dathan Abiram and their company in offering incense unto the Lord being not called thereunto did not discharge their Censers of this discriminative respect due unto things Sacred For thus the Lord said unto Moses after that fire from heaven had consumed them for their impiety Speak unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest that he take up the Censers out of the burning and scatter thou the fire yonder for they are hallowed The Censers of these Sinners against their own souls let them make of them broad plates for a covering of the Altar for they offered them before the Lord therefore they are hallowed or holy Num. 16. 37 38. Now that by this discriminative usance or sanctification of things sacred the Name of God is honoured and sanctified according to the tenour of our petition is apparent not onely from reason which tels us that the honour and respect had unto ought that belongs unto another because it is his redounds unto the owner and Master but from Scripture which tels us that by the contrary use of them his name is prophaned Hear himself Lev. XXII 2. Speak unto Aaron saith he and his Sons that they separate themselves from the Holy things of the children of Israel and that they prophane not my Holy Name in the things which they hallow unto me Also in the Chapter next before v. 6. The Priest that should not discriminate himself according to those singular observations or differing rules there prescribed is said To prophane the Name of his God Again Ezek. XXII 26. When the Priests prophaned Gods holy things by putting no difference between the Holy and Prophane I saith the Lord am prophaned amongst them Likewise Chap. XLIII ver 7. together with other abominations there mentioned the Lord saith that his Holy Name had been polluted or prophaned by the carkasses of their Kings that is of Manasse and Amon buried in the Kings Garden hard by the walls of the Temple for so by the Hebrews and others that place is understood See 2 Kings XXI ver 18 26. by the pollution of the Temple the Lord esteemed his own Name prophaned Take in also if you will that of Malachi Cha. 1. where the Lord says of those who despised and dishonoured his Table or Altar by offering thereon for sacrifice the lame the blinde and sick which the Law had made unclean and polluted that they had prophaned his Holy Name But if the Name of God be prophaned by the disesteem and misusage of the things it is called upon then surely it is sanctified when the same are worthily and discriminatively used that is as becommeth the relation they have to him I have already specified the severall kinds of Sacred things which are thus to be sanctified yet lest something contained under some of them might not be taken notice of by so generall an intimation it will not be amisse a little more fully and particularly to explicate them then I have yet done Remember therefore that I ranged all sacred things under four heads 1. Of Persons Sacred such as were the Priests and Levites in the Old Testament and now in the New the Christian Clergy or Clerus so called from the beginning of Christian Antiquity either because they are the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Portion which the Church dedicateth unto him out of her self namely as the Levites were an offering of the Children of Israel which they offered unto him out of their Tribes or because their inheritance and livelihood is the Lords portion I preferre the first yet either of both will give their Order the title of Holinesse as doth also more especially their descent which they derive from the Apostles that is from those for whom their Lord and Master prayed unto his Father saying Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctifie them unto or for thy Truth thy Word is Truth that is Separate them unto the Ministery of thy Truth the word of thy Gospel which is the truth and verification of the promises of God It follows As thou hast sent me into the world so have I also sent them into the world this is the key which unlocks the meaning of that before and after And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they might be sanctified for thy Truth that is And for as much as they cannot be consecrated to such an Office without some sacrifice to atone and purifie them therefore for their consecration to this holy function of ministration of the new Covenant I offer my self a Sacrifice unto thee for them in lieu of those legall and typicall ones wherewith Aaron and his sons first and then the whole Tribe of Levi were consecrated unto thy service in the old An Ellipsis of the first Substantive in Scripture is frequent So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth for the Ministery of Truth Now that the Christian Church for of the Jewish I shall need say nothing hath always taken it for granted that those of her Clergy ought according to the
call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Sacrum The first of these three is proper to God alone for he only is essentially holy The second is proper to reasonable creatures for they are only habitually holy or endued with holy qualities But the last is common to all manner of things for all things animate or inanimate are capable of relative holinesse or pecularity towards God Persons Things Times Places Persons so the Nazarites of the Law are called holy thus was Sampson thus was Samuel holy from their Mothers womb Things so the Offerings of the Law yea and of the Gospel too are holy things The censers of Korah and his company were Holy because saith the Text they offered them unto the Lord. Times so the Sabbath day and other Festivall days are holy days Places so the Temple of the Lord is an holy Place Mount Sion an holy Mount yea the ground about the bush where God appeared to Moses is called Holy ground And of these four Persons Things and Times are holy because of Gods peculiar propriety in them in that they are his Persons his Things and his Times But Places are holy in another regard because of Gods speciall manner of Presence in them Now let us see in which of all these three ways Levi may be said to be holy Essentially holy he cannot be for he was not God but the holy one of God Habitually holy the event shews he was not more then the rest though he should have been The Tribe of Lâ—vi was always Tribus sacra holy unto the Lord but was not always righteous before the Lord. It was not always true of Levi that he walked before God in peace and equity and turned many from iniquity but often yea too often they were gone out of the way and caused many to fall by the Law Phinehas the son of Eli was not like Phinehas the son of Aaron Annas and Caiaphas high Priests as holy as any for their order as unholy as any in life and conversation It should therefore seem that Levi should be only called holy by a Relative holinesse namely because he was Gods peculiar one because his offered one because his peculiar of peculiars that is his peculiar Tribe of his peculiar People for in this Levi had a priviledge above the rest in the other none and this Ezra gives unto him cap. 8. 28. when he delivered unto the Levites the holy Vessels Ye are holy saith he unto the Lord and these Vessels are holy also that is Ye are holy as the Vessels are for he saith not they were holy before the Lord for so he had meant holy in life but holy uâ—to the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which always implies a Relative holinesse But though this be true that Levi was holy after this manner yet the word which in my Text is turned Holy seems scarce to admit of this construction for the word here used is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies favourable and gracious and in Religion charitable and godly All which leans to an habituall not to a respective holinesse But because Levi was not in this sort holy above other as I said before It may seem therefore it should be thus construed That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken actively or passively Actively it signifies favourable benigne and gracious Passively he that is favoured or graced And thus Iunius expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy favoured one not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word and sense the Angel useth in his salutation to the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hail thou highly favoured one Hail thou whom God hath especially graced to be the Mother of his only Son So Levi is here described to be one upon whom God bestowed a speciall favour or grace a speciall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of holy Ministery for so S. Paul cals this power of Order a grace or favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eph. 3. 8. Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given to preach among the Gentiles investigabiles divitias Christi And of Timothy the same Apostle speaketh Neglect not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or grace in thee which was given by prophecy and imposition of hands With this grace was Levi graced with this favour was he highly favoured and well might be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods highly favoured one And thus the issue will be all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sense will fall out to be Gods holy one in the last sense for to be specially favoured of God is to have a speciall relation to God-ward to be Gods more especially and this is to be holy with a relative holinesse Now which soever of these we take to be here meant we see that that is in speciall given to Levi which otherwise was common to all the other Tribes If you take it in the first sense for holinesse in life as it were to put Levi in minde how it behoved him above all to be holy were not all the Tribes as holy as Levi and yet Levi alone is called Gods holy one If you take it in the second sense for a relative holinesse were not all the Tribes of Israel thus holy unto God were not all his own people his peculiar people and a chosen Nation and yet Levi alone is called Gods holy one If you take it in the last sense for Gods favoured one were not all Israel a Nation favoured of God above all Nation and yet Levi alone is especially called Gods favoured one We therefore whom God hath set apart to minister about holy things we who are holy unto the Lord and Gods own in a peculiar manner we who have a speciall relation unto God we who have received a speciall favour from God we must remember we owe a speciall thankfulnesse unto him we who are Gods peculiars must demean our selves peculiarly both toward God and man we are unto God as other men are not and therefore may not always do as other men do we cannot reason from others to our selves no not in things of themselves lawful Why should not we do as every man may do for all that is lawfull for others will not be seemly for us for we are the houshold servants of the most High we are speciall men of whom God requires a speciall demeanour in life and actions This was one cause why God injoyned the Jews so many peculiar rites and speciall observations differing from the fashions of other people because they were his peculiar people an holy Nation because they were toward him as no other was though all the world were his and therefore would have their manners differ from the fashion of all other Nations as a badge and
acknowledgement of that speciall relation they had to him above other Levit. 20. 25. I saith God am the Lord your God which have separated you from other people ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean unclean fowls and clean c. And ye shall be holy unto me for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that you should be mine This was also a cause why God restrained the Priests of the Law from that which was lawful for the rest of the people They might drink no Wine they might not mourn for their kin they might not marry a divorced woman the reason of all this is given because they were holy unto the Lord that is with a relative holinesse as being Gods men in a speciall manner and therefore required they should specially demean themselves in their lives These observations indeed were ceremoniall but there is something morall in them And therefore in the Gospel we hear of some speciall things required in a Minister as that he should have a good report of those who were without this was not required in every one who was to be a Christian. Again S. Paul requires in a Bishop that he should be the husband of one wife this was not in those times required of every one who was to be a Christian. I shall not need to tell you what speciall demeanour the ancient Church bound her Clergy unto but it came to passe at last this rule was over practised by them for hence it was that a Bishop might not marry at all that Priests and Deacons might not marry being once in Orders and at last marriage was quite forbidden them all Thus our Fathers erred on the right hand but we go aside on the left they restrained their Clergy from that which was lawfull for and beseemed all men we think almost that lawful for us which is lawfull for no man at least we think that which any man may do we may do also But there is a golden mean between these extremes happy is he that finds it for he alone shall demean himself like himself like a Levite like Gods holy one Secondly from this speciall title given to Levi we may note how causlesly some are offended to hear those who minister about holy Things distinguished from others by names of holinesse and peculiarity to hear them called Clerus and Clerici as it were the Heritage of God for so saith S. Hierome Clerus dicimur quia sors Dei sumus But say they are not the People also Gods heritage Doth not S. Peter call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he forbids Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to domineer over Gods heritage I confesse he doth But those who reason after this manner come too near the language of Dathan and Abiram Num. 16. Moses and Aaron you take too much upon you Is not all the Congregation holy every one of them and is not the Lord among them why then lift ye your selves above the Congregation of the Lord If this reasoning had been good wherein had these Rebels offended It could not be denied them that all the People were an holy People for they might have alledged the testimony of God himself avouching them to be his peculiar People and an holy People unto the Lord their God All the earth saith he Exod. 19. is mine but you shall be my Segulla my peculiar people a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation But it might be answered them Though all the people were Gods peculiar people and therefore his holy ones yet Levi was his peculiar Tribe of his peculiar people and therefore comparatively his only holy one All the Land of Canaan was the Lords The Land is mine saith he and therefore it could not be alienate beyond the year of Jubilee and yet for all this there were some parts of the Land specially called Holy unto the Lord All the increase of corn all the increase of wine all the fruit of the field was the Lords and yet the offerings alone were called holy unto the Lord. God himself cals them his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inheritance and therefore gave them unto that Tribe alone which alone he had made his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tribe of his inheritance So the offered Tribe lived of Gods offerings the holy Tribe on the holy things Again why may we not call our Clergy Gods inheritance when God himself cals the Levites his Levites Thou shalt saith he Num. 8. separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be my Levites that is my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Clergy Why may not we call the Ministers of Christ his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he himself cals them the gift his Father gave him out of the world for so he saith Ioh. 17. I have declared thy name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and again Holy Father keep them in thy name even them whom thou hast given me If you say he speaks here of all his Elect the words following prove the contrary for those saith he whom thou hast given me I have kept and none of them is lost but the child of perdition Here he plainly affirms he lost one of those his Father gave him wherefore he speaks not of his elect ones for those no man can take out of his hands Again ver 18. As thou didst send me into the world saith he so I send them into the world but I hope all the Elect are not sent as Christ was sent by his Father I conclude therefore so long as God in the Law says specially of the Levites They are mine so long as Christ in the Gospel of his Apostles They are mine ô Father which thou hast given me out of the world it is neither arrogancy nor injury to style those who minister about holy things with the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inheritance of the Lord. What Levi was and what is meant by this Title Gods holy one we have now shewed sufficiently It remains we should come unto the words containing the blessing it self which is called Vrim and Thummim the words themselves signifie light and perfection Illumination and Integrity good endowments certainly whosoever shall enjoy them But because they are not only Appellative words but also proper names of certain things we must enquire further what is meant by them and that in a twofold consideration First specially and properly as they are names of certain things belonging in speciall unto the High Priest Then generally as they are applied by Moses unto the whole Tribe of Levi. The first again shall be twofold what they were in the High Priest personally or what they signified in him typically himself being also a Type For the first what is meant by these things as they belong unto the High Priest personally is a matter full of controversie and therefore
that we may the better proceed we will first see the generals wherein all or the most agree and after come unto the particulars wherein they disagree The first wherein all agree â—s that this Vrim and Thummim was some thing put in the Brest-plate which was fastened to the Ephod over against the heart of the High Priest And thus much the Scripture witnesseth Exod. 28. 30. where God saith to Moses And thou shall put in the Brest plate of Iudgement the Vrim and the Thummim which shall be on Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord. And for this cause as most think was the Brest-plate made double that the Vrim and Thummim might be enveloped therein The second thing wherein all agree is that this Vrim and Thummim was a kinde of Oracle whereby God gave answer to those that enquired of him and from hence the Septuagint call the whole Brest-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some turn Rationale but might more truly be turned Orationale for an Oracle is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Voice of God though this Voice or Revelation were of divers kinds for at sundry times and in divers manners saith S. Paul God spake in old time to our Fathers The Jews therefore make four kinds of Divine Revelation First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prophecy which was by dreams and Visions The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflatus Spiritus sancti as was in Iob David and others The third Vrim and Thummim which was the Oracle The fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filia vocis which was usuall in the second Temple after the Oracle had ceased as Mat. 5. at Christs Baptism there came a voice from heaven saying This is my welbeloved son in whom I am well pleased and Ioh. 12. when Christ said Father glorifie thy name There came a voice like thunder saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again But to return again to our purpose That Vrim and Thummim was an Oracle of God besides the consent of Jews and others it is plain by Scripture Num. 27. when God had commanded Moses to put his hands upon Ioshua and to set him over the congregation in his stead he addes And he that is Ioshua shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall ask counsell for him by the judgement of Vrim before the Lord. So 1 Sam. 23. when David was to ask counsell of the Lord he called for the Ephod wherein the Oracle was and whereas before he had once or twice asked counsell of the Lord concerning Keilah to prevent the objection how the Lord answered it follows in the next by way of a Prolepsis That Abiathar then Priest when he fled to David to Keilah brought the Ephod with him ver 6. Lastly in the second of Ezra when certain of the Priests which returned from Captivity could not finde their names written in the genealogies it is said that Ezra commanded they should not eat of the most holy things till there rose up a Priest with Vrim and Thummim that is till God should by Oracle reveal whether they were Priests or no whereby it also appears that this Oracle had then ceased And for more light to that we have in hand it will not be amisse to observe that Teraphim among the Idolaters was answerable to the Vrim and Thummim of the holy Patriarchs Both were ancient for Rahel is said to have stollen away her Fathers Teraphim And Vrim and Thummim seems to have been used among the Patriarchs before the Law was given because the making of it is not spoken of among other things of the Ephod And because God speaks of it to Moses demonstratively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vrim and the Thummim Both also were Oracles for the Jews and others agree Teraphim were small Images made under a certain constellation which they used to consult both in things doubtfull and things future supposing they had a power to this effect received from heavenly influence much like to puppets made of wax and like matter which our Wizzards still use unto like purpose And therefore Ezek. 21. we reade that the King of Babel among other divinations consulted also of Teraphim And the King of Babel saith the Text stood at the head of the two ways to use divination consulting with Teraphim he looked in the liver And Zac. 10. 2. Surely saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Teraphims have spoken vanity and the Soothsayers have seen a lie and the Dreamers have told a vain thing Besides from this like use of Teraphim with the holy Vrim and Thummim we may reade Ephod and Teraphim joyned both together as things of like kind as Hosea 3. The children of Israel saith the Lord shall remain many days without a King and without a Prince and without an Offering and without an Image and without an Ephod and Teraphim Yea of so near a nature was this Teraphim unto the Vrim and Thummim that Micah he that had an house of Gods when he had made an Ephod because he had no Vrim and Thummim he put Teraphims in stead thereof as we may gather Iudg. 17. 18. where we may see also that when the children of Dan enquired of the Lord concerning their journey it pleased him to give answer by the Idolish Teraphim So we may gather likewise that the Israelites after Ieroboams schism having no Vrim and Thummim used Teraphim in the Ephod and therefore it is that Hosea threatens that they shall be without Ephod and Teraphim Having hitherto shewn how far it is agreed about Vrim and Thummim in the next place the points of difference ought to be considered which are either about the matter whereof it was made or in the manner how God answered by it For the matter some will have it to be nothing else but the writing or carving of the great name Iehovah which was put within the folding of the brest-plate and that it was called Vrim and Thummim because by the knowledge of the mystery of Iehovah in the Trinity our minds are enlightned and understandings made perfect Some other there are of the same opinion but they will have it called Vrim and Thummim because by the virtue of that name written Sacerdos verba sua illustrabat perficiebat And moreover they say the brest-plate was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brest-plate of judgement because by it the Lord gave as it were sentence and judgement what was to be done in hard and doubtfull matters And this is the opinion of Rabbi Shelomo Some other will have it called the brest-plate of judgement because that by it the judgement of the Judges if it were amisse was hereby as it were pardoned because the High Priest was to bear the sins of the people The Authors of this opinion are mentioned by R. Shelomo Aben Ezra saith it was so called because by it the judgement and decrees of the Lord were known And he thinks also that
he saith ye are strangers and sojourners with me the meaning is that as the Gentiles who became Proselytes had no inheritance in the land but dwelt therein as sojourners so was all Israel in the sight of God who would have none accounted Proprietaries of that land but himself having acquired it by his own powerfull conquest from the Canaanite For although in the same land some part were yet in a more speciall manner the Lords land yet comparatively secundum quid the whole land was sacred and His As all Israel was a peculiar and holy people though the Tribe of Levi were in a more speciall sort the holy Tribe Now if that which was but in a more generall sense holy and the Lords might not be alienated what shall we say of that which is holy and His in the most speciall manner of all I speak all this while of that which is dedicate unto God absolutely and not with limitation or for term of time only for such Dedications I suppose there may be Now if any shall ask me whether this assertion That things dedicate to God are unalienable admits not of some limitations I answer It may be and that in two cases If either it can be proved that the donation made unto God were a nullity or shewed that God hath relinquished the right which once he had But here the water begins to grow too deep for my wading yet I hope I may say thus much That whosoever he be that shall plead either of these two cases to acquit himself of Sacriledge had need be sure in a point of such moment that his evidence be good and such as he can shew good warrant for out of Gods own book To go upon bare conjectures will not be safe And for direction and caution in this case I will adde further That not every sinfulnesse of the person who is the Donor nor every default or blemish in the consecration makes the act it self void It appears in the story of Corah Dathan and Abiram in that oblation of Incense made by the two hundred and fifty Princes of the Congregation whose service though it were so displeasing unto the Lord that he sent fire from heaven to consume them yet when all was done he gave this commandment to Moses Speak saith he unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest that he take up the censers out of the burning and scatter thou the fire yonder for they are hallowed The censers of those sinners against their souls Let them make of them broad plates for a covering of the Altar For they offered them before the Lord therefore they are hallowed Num. 16 37 38. Mark here though they were offered by sinfull men and in a sinfull manner and were not to be used any more for censers yet must they be applied to some other holy use because they were become sacred by having been offered unto the Lord. So Rabbi Solomo Iarchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unlawfull for common use because they had made them vessels of Ministery My last observation is raised from the judgement which befell Ananias That it must needs be a hainous sin which God so severely punished namely with death For there is no example to be found again in the whole New Testament of so severe a punishment inflicted by the mouth of the Apostles for any sin whatsoever But this was the first consecration of goods that ever was made unto Christ our Lord after he was invested to sit at the right hand of God And this transgression of Ananias and Sapphira the first Sacriledge that ever was committed against him wherefore it was requisite that by the severity of the punishment thereof he should now manifest unto men what account he made and how hainous he esteemed that sin that it might be for an example to the worlds end unto all that should afterward beleeve in his name to beware thereof So saith S. Hierome Ananias Sapphira quia post votum obtulerunt quasi sua non ejus cui semel eavoverant praesentem manere vindictam non crudelitate Sententiae sed correction is exemplo For the first in every kinde is the measure of that which follows though Sacriledge be not since punished by God as often as it is committed by such a visible death yet was it his purpose that by this first punishment we should take notice how great that sin was and how displeasing in his sight which was a punishment by the greatest visible judgement that could be The like severe example to this and for the like end was that upon him who at first profaned the Sabbath day in the Wildernesse by gathering sticks Num. 15. 32 c. who by the sentence of God himself was put to death and stoned by the whole Congregation That the Jews hereby might know that howsoever the like were not ordinarily afterward to be inflicted for the like sin yet that the gravity thereof in the eyes of God was still the same which that first severity intimated Furthermore it is worthy to be noted that we finde three examples of such a kinde of coactive jurisdiction if I may so term it exercised either by our Saviour when he was here on earth or by his Apostles and all three for the profanation of that which was sacred The first two by our Saviour himself against those that profaned his Temple by buying and selling therein as a common place For which at the first Passeover after his beginning to Preach the Gospel he made him a whip and whipped such profaners out of it saying Make not my Fathers house a house of Merchandise Ioh. 2. 13. Another time which was at his last Passeover He overthrew the Tables of the Money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves and would not suffer any to carry a Vessel through the Temple telling them that his house was made for an house of prayer but they had made it a den of Theeves Mat. 21. 12. Mark 11. 15. Luk. 19 45. The third example is this which the Apostle Peter exercised upon Ananias and Sapphira for Sacriledge Whereby it should appear that how small account soever we are now adays wont to make of these two sins yet in Gods esteem they are other manner of ones then we take them for Another argument of the hainousnesse of the sin of Sacriledge is that there was no sacrifice appointed in the Law to make atonement for the same if it were committed willingly and wittingly but onely if it were ignorantly done For so we have it Levit. 5. 15. If a soul commit a trespasse and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord he shall bring for his trespasse unto the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flock And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing and adde the fifth part thereunto And the Priest shall make an atonement for him and it shall be forgiven him Thus if