by his Supream Ecclesiastical power First built and finished the Temple according to King Davids modell and then commanded all the Elders and Princes of Israel with the Priests and Levites to carry the Ark and place it in the Temple 2ly The King not the Priests or Levites though all present dedicated and consecrated the Temple with a most Divine heavenly from of Prayer answered and approved by God in sending down fire from heaven which consumed the burnt-offerings and sacrifices and filled the House with his glory so that the Priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lords House 3ly He also hallowed the middle of the outward Court by offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings there 4ly He appointed all burnt-offerings to the Lord after a certain rate every day according to the commandement of Moses on the Sabbath and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of unleavened bread of Weeks and of Tabernacles 5ly He assembled all the Priests and Levites to Jerusalem at the Temples Dedication not in their courses But that solemnity ended He as King appointed according to the order of David his Father THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS TO THEIR SERVICE AND THE LEVITES TO THEIR CHARGES to praise and minister before the Lord as the duty of every day required Porters also by their courses for every gate FOR SO HAD DAVID the man of God COMMANDED And THEY DEPARTED NOT FROM THE COMMANDEMENT OF THE KING VNTO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES CONCERNING ANY MATTER or concerning the Treasures Here is Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction vested in and exercised by this King in and over all Ecclesiastical persons matters and exact canonical obedience yielded to King Davids and King Solomons Canons not to the High Priests Priests or Levites who had then no power to make or impose such Canons or Injunctions as Popes and Popish Prelates now doe without any Scripture president for their warrant 6ly This King was the inspired penman of three whole Books of Canonical Scripture the Proverbs Solomons Song and Ecclesiastes but no Priest or Levite we read of either in his or his Father Davids reign 7ly He as King thrust out Abiathar FROM BEING PRIEST TO THE LORD banished him from Jerusalem and might have put him to death for his Treason in crowning Adonijah King but saved his life for this reason because he had born the Ark of the Lord God before David his Father and been afflicted with him in all his afflictions and put Zadoc the Priest in his room Here is Regal Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction exercised over the High Priests themselves 6ly King Asa as King First took away the Altars of the strange Gods and the High-places and brake down the Images and cut down the groves through all the Cities of Judah and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of their Fathers and to do the Law and the Commandements and afterward did the like in Benjamin and the cities he had taken from Mount Ephraim 2ly He renewed the Altar of the Lord which was before the porch and gathered all Judah Ephraim Benjamin and others to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices of the spoils they had taken unto God which done He as King made them enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shoutings with trumpets and with cornets and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart 3ly He removed Maachah his mother from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and burned her Idol at the brook Kidron 4ly He brought into the house of the Lord all the things gold silver vessels himself and his Father had dedicated All evidences acts of his Soveraign Spiritual Jurisdiction 4ly King Johoshaphat his Sonne 1. commanded the Levites accompanyed with some Princes to oversesee encourage assist them to go and teach Gods Law to all the people throughout all the Cities of Judah and to carry the Book of the Law with them which they did accordingly 2ly He went out again the second time through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord God of their Fathers 3ly He appointed not only Temporal Judges City by City through all Judah but likewise Judges Delegates at Jerusalem in cases of appeals between blend and bloud Law and Commandement Statute and Judgements wherein he joyned some of the Levites Priests and chief Fathers of Israel and Amaziah the chief Priest in all matters of and judgements for the Lord as his subordinate Judges receiving their Commissions from him and gave them an Excellent admonition how to judge proceed uprightly 4ly He proclaimed a solemn Fast throughout all Judah to come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord for help against a great host of invading Enemies where he nor the Priests stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the House of the Lord before the Court and made a most pertinent effectual Prayer to God which God answered with a miraculous victory causing his enemies to destroy one another without fighting them and giving his Army all the spoil For which victory he commanded them to return to Jerusalem to give publike thanks to God 5ly King Jehoash commanded the Priests to repair all the breaches of the Lords House with the moneys and the dedicated things brought into it and called for and reprehended Jehoiada the High Priest and the other Priests for their negligence in not repairing them as he commanded whereupon they received no more money and repaired the House 6ly King Hezekiah by his Regal power 1. Opened the doors of the House of the Lord which had been shut up by his idolatrous Predecessors and repaired them gathered the Priests and Levites together brought them into the Lords house commanded them to sanctify themselves and then the house by carrying all the filth out of the holy place and cleansing the holy vessels Then made a second exhortation to them and strictly commanded them diligently to discharge their respective duties without ceasing All which they executed according to the Command of the King in the Businesse of the Lord. 2ly He afterwards commanded the Priests to offer burnt sacrifices and the Levites to praise God in the Temple according to the Commandement of David And He set all the services of the House of God in Order Moreover the KING and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and they sang praises with gladnesse 3ly This King taking counsel with his Princes and the Congregation at Jerusalem made a Decree sent forth a solemn Proclamation inviting
commanding all Judah and Israel to keep a solemn Passeover at Jerusalem on the second Moneth whereupon a great multitude then and there assembling they took away the Idols altars and cast them into the book Kidron and killed the Passeover Whereupon the Priests and Levites being ashamed of their bacwardness in this service sanctifyed themselves brought the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord stood in their places after their manner according to the Law of Moses and sprinkled the bloud 4ly Hezekiah not the Priests publikely prayed to God to pardon those who prepared their hearts to seek God though they were not sanctifyed and prepared according to the purification of the Sanctuary and spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good Law of the Lord. 5ly This King Appointed the Courses of the Priests Levites after their Courses every man according to his Service appointed the Kings portion for all morning and evening sacrifices for every day Sabbath Feast as it is written in the Law of the Lord and commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the Priests and Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord whereupon all the people brought in the First-fruits and Tithes of all things abundantly which Hezekiah commanded to be put in store-houses built by his command over which he appointed Rulers to distribute to every Priest and Levite his portion All undoubted Badges of his Supream Ecclesiastical Authority 7ly King Iosiah by his Regal Jurisdiction 1. Purged Judah and Jerusalem from their high places groves carved Images and molten Images brake down the Altars of Baal and cut down the Images that were above them and brake in pieces the carved and molten Images and stamped them to powder and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed to them and burnt the bones of their Priests upon their Altars and so did he in the Cities of Manasseth Ephraim and Simeon even unto Napthali 2ly He assembled all the Elders of Judah inhabitants of Jerusalem Priests Levites and all the people great and small into the Temple and HE READ in their ears all the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord Then the King stood in his place and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements Testimonies and Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and caused all there present to stand to the Covenant and Oath 3ly He took away all the abominable things out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were found in Israel Priests and people to serve the Lord their God And all his dayes they departed not from serving the Lord God of their Fathers 4ly He assembled the Princes and he kept a most solemn Passeover to the Lord in Jerusalem the 14. day of the first moneth And He set the Priests in their Charges and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord and commanded the Levites that taught all Israel to prepare themselves by the Houses of their Fathers after their courses according to the writing of David King of Israel according to the writing of Solomon his Son said to them stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people and after the division of the families of the Levites So kill the Passeover and sanctifie your selves and prepare your Brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses Whereupon they all prepared performed their respective offices and duties in celebrating the Passeover as this pious King prescribed Lo here no lesse then 7. most renowned pious Kings recorded in Sacred story by divine approbation exercising Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over High Priests Priests and Levites themselves ordering all sacred affairs offerings sacrifices Psalms prayers courses of Priests appertaining to Gods worship building consecrating repairing cleansing the Temple destroying Idolatry with other particulars 5ly From Moses Joshuahs and their presidents I shall observe 1. That they are all specially recorded in sacred Writ for their eternal honors reputations and the example of all other pious Kings under the Gospel 2ly That not one of them was ever taxed by God or the high Priests for invading or usurping their Jurisdictions or Offices for any of their forecited actions injunctions commands over them or exercising these high points of Monarchical and Regal Jurisdiction in and over all Ecclesiastical affairs or the essential ceremonial parts of Gods publike worship Which Popes and Popish Prelates would repute the highest most sacrilegious Encroachment upon their Ecclesiastical Rights and Jurisdictions if now acted by Christian Kings Magistrates Rulers and excommunicate them for it by Bell Book and Candle 3ly That we find no one part of Ecclesiastical power and Jurisdiction in these or any other particulars either exercised or claimed by the high Priest Priests Levites either joyntly or severally all their reigns 4ly There are only Two Kings but no other Magistrate in sacred History reprehended by the high Priest and punished by God for invading the Priests Office and Function and that only in one particular Ministerial not Jurisdictional sacred action peculiar unto Priests by Gods own restriction The first is of King Saul who sending for Samuel to Gilgal to offer Sacrifices and enquire of the Lord for help against the Philistims and he staying seven dayes for him and the people scattering themselves from him thereupon he calling for a burnt offering and peace offering offered the burnt offering to the Lord himself Which he had no sooner done but Samuel came and Saul telling him how he had in this extremity forced himself and offered a burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel thereupon said to Saul Thou hast done very foolishly thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee for the Lord had now established the kingdom of Israel upon thee for ever but now thy kingdom shall not continue The second is King Vzziah who being lifted up with pride and prosperity to his destruction transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense whereupon Azariah the Priest went in after him with fourscore more Priests of the Lord that were valiant man and withstood the King and said unto him It pertaineth not to thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thy honour from the Lord God Then Vzziah was wroth with the Priests and took a censor in his hand to burn incense whereupon the Leprosie rose up in his Forehead before the Priests in the House of the Lord from beside the
High Priest during Moses his absence in the Mount had at the peoples request made erected a golden calf who committed idolatry with it Moses calls him to a strict account for it to whom he made an excuse with this memorable preface Let not the anger of MY LORD wax hot which stile he likewise gave him Nu. 12 11. Yea Moses not he Pronounced the Judgment and punishment upon the people for this Sin of Idolatry as likewise on him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day the manner of whose punishment he inquired not Aaron and received from God 9ly When the Tables of stone formerly broken were renewed redelivered by God to the people it was alwayes done even after Aarons consecration by the hand mouth ministry of Moses who with his own mouth alwayes spake and delivered Gods Laws Messages to all the Congregation Elders people during all his Government and gave them a special charge of things future and a blessing at his death 10thly God made choice of Moses a Lay-man and Civil Magistrate to be the firâ—â— pâ—â—man and Register of all his sacred Laws and first Five Books of holy Scripture not Aaron or any other Priest And to shew that Kings and Temporal Magistrates were the principal keepers of both Tables God particularly enjoyned when the Israelites came into the Land of Canaan and had set a King over them that the King when he sate upon the Throne of his Kingdom shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites that it may be well with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to â—o them That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel All which particulars laid together relating to and acted by the very first Supream Civil Magistrat that God himself set up over his own peculiar people Church when he first instituted modelled both their Magistrates and Priests with their distinct Offices and powers will infallibly clear the Superiour Jurisdiction of the Supream Civil Magistrate in and over all Ecclesiastical persons and causes by Gods own institution and that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is united to the Temporal The reason why God reserved the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to Moses the Chief Civil Magistrate and afterwards to Kings when he transferred the Priesthood to Aaron and his Sons and severed it from the Kingship was because it would be inconsistent with Monarchie and the Peace Unitie of the Republike Kingdom Church to erect two distinct Supream Powers independent on unsubordinate to each other in one and the same Body Politick Nation Kingdom united under one Supream Civil Head and a Cause of perpetual Wars Schismes Contentions between these different powers by reason of mens Natural ambition and desire to enlarge their Juriisdictions to the prejudice of each other This we find experimentally verified in the Israelites themselves immediatly upon their division into two independent kings kingdoms of equal power unsubordinate to each other which produced not only perpetual Warres between them all their dayes in their Realms as sacred Story oft records but a more sad division in their Religion Worship Church Jeroboam erecting two Calves and a new idolatrous worship with suitable Priests to promote it and a new place of worship contrary to that prescribed by God himself to keep his Subjects from Gods true worship at Jerusalem and returning to their allegiance and obedience to their rightfull Kings of the seed of David which all his Successors persevered in till their final captivity and utter desolation for their idolatry And it is infallibly evidenced by the manifold sad Divisions Schismes Wars Rebellions in most Christian Empires kingdoms ever since the ambitious Popes of Rome and other Prelates have claimed by a pretended divine independent right and usurped to themselves the Supream Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over all Persons Causes inseparably united by God himself to the Crowns of Christian Emperonrs and Kings As God therefore out of his infinit Wisdom at the very Creation constituted but one natural head over every natural body of Men Beasts Fowls Fishes and creeping living creatures though they consisted of two different substances Soul and Body not two distinct heads the one corporal the other spiritual to govern each body because two Supream headâ— would have destroyed the unity harmony operations of these Creatures in their respective orbes and made a Schisme in their bodies So he at first united the Supream Spiritual and Temporal Jurisdiction over Men at the Creation in one person Adam the first sole Monarch of the World And afterwards when his Church and people multiplyed into such a vast dispersed multitude that one person could not possibly execute or discharge the Kingly and Priestly Offices as at first he conveniently might did whiles all united in one Tribe and Family so that there was an absolute necessity to divide them into several Hands Tribes God did even then reserve the Supream Ecclesiastical Government and Jurisdiction as absolutely necessary for inseparable from the Supream Civil Head and Governor of his people to prevent Schismes Confusions and preserve Unity Tranquillity both in Church and State not transferr it from Moses to Aaron the Church with all its Officers Members being included in branches of the Kingdom Republike not divided from it as a distinct independent spiritual corporation Therefore still to remain under the sole Government and protection of the Supream Politick Head This is most clearly and significantly expressed by Ezechiels uniting the two divided sticks into one rod in one hand typifying the uniting of the two divided Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah into one Kingdom Church PEOPLE under one King and Shepheard Jesus Christ and making them all but ONE in their Government and true Worship of God according to his Statutes Hence it is most apparent that the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers Authorities or Jurisdictions are not thus denominated because they are vested in different persons hands or flow from various fountains or distinct in their natures as the Pontificians and others generally assert and mistake but meerly because they are exercised upon or about different things or objects the persons wherein they originally and supreamly reside and from whence they flow and the very Powers Authorities Jurisdictions themselves in their nature being but one and the same only the objects matters in upon or about which they are exercised various and distinct from whence they have these different Epithites To evidence this truth past all contradiction being the surest Oracle to resolve all future Controversies concerning these Jurisdictions yea keenest axe
Gods primitive instituting the First-born of every Family and Kings themselves before the Law to be not only Kings but Priests too as Melchisedech and others were And the very Romans Grecians with other Pagan Nations creating their Kings Emperors by the very light of Nature to be their high Priests likewise as I have formerly proved by sundry Testimonies and Alvarus Pelagius Lyra in Gen. 14. Numb 3. 12. 8. 16. Bellarmin De Romano Pontifice with other Romanists Bishop Carlton and sundry Protestants attest with one consent Because the care of Religion and Gods worship the instruction edification salvation and eternal felicity of all their Subjects souls did principally belong to them as a part of or appendant to their Regal dignity 8ly This truth is at large demonstrated by all the particulars I have formerly insisted on in the Second Chapter relating to Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat and Josiah as likewise of the Kings of Assyria Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Nebuchadnezzar and the King of Niniveth which I shall not repeat All Kings and supream Magistrates under the Gospel having the self-same authority charge trust to promote preserve the purity syncerity of Gods worship suppress Idolatry Blasphemy Heresy all sorts of sins against the first and second Tables and indeavour the instruction salvation and eternal welfare of their Subjects as they had under the Law the ends uses grounds of Kingly and Magistratical institution Government under the Gospel continuing still the same as they were before and under the Law and being all moral perpetual not ceremonial 9ly This is most perspicuous by this precept given to all Kings by the King of Kings Psal 2. 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce unto him with trembling Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the right way Which they cannot do as Kings unlesse they command their Subjects to do it likewise Compared with these prophecies concerning Christian Kings under the Gospel Psalm 72. 2 10. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts Yea all Kings shall fall down before him and by their example and Regal authority all Nations shall serve him Psal 138. 4 5. All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord when they shall hear the words of thy mouth yea they shall sing in the praises of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. Isay 49. 22 23. Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people c. And Kings shall be thy Nursing-Fathers and Queens thy Nursing mothers they shall bow to thee with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship Compared with Isay 41. 1 2. c. 52. 15 c. 60. 1 10 11 16. c. 62. 5. The Gentiles shall come to thy Light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising The Kings of the sons of Strangers shall come unto thee unto thee the rulers of the Gentiles and their Kings shall be brought c. And Psal 148. 11 12. Praise the Lord from the earth ye Kings of the earth in the first place and then by their examples and edicts Princes and all Judges of the earth both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord this being the prime end of their creation and Gods instituting Kings Princes and Judges in the earth both before and under the Gospel 10ly This is most perspâ—cuous by the example of Jesus Christ himself the King of Kings of whom as Davis Solomon and other forecited Kings of Judah were types under the Law so himself is the president pattern for all Christian Kings under the Gospel Now the principal end scope of the Kingly Authority power 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ is the propagation of Gods Kingdom Gospel worship glory the destruction of the Kingdoms of Satan sinne and all kind of wickednesse error heresie 〈◊〉 and the conversion sanctification salvation eternal beatitude of his Subjects souls that they may reign for ever with him in his heavenly kingdom in endlesse felicity Therefore it is and ought to be the principal end aym office duty of all Christian Kings who are his Viceroyes and ought to imitate his example 11ly This I shall more specially and peculiarly evidence by some few texts and examples 1. By Gen. 18. 18 19. Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that he will command his children are houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Iustice and Iudgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken Abrahams 〈◊〉 care being then a mighty Prince over his great and numerous family and to become a great and mighty Nation was to instruct and command his children and houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord that so they and all the Nations of the earth might be blessed in him 2ly By the whole Book of Deuteronomy especially ch 4. 5. 6. 26. 28. to 34. where Moses the supream Governour of Gods own people Israel with all earnestnesse exhorts and presseth them to keep do and observe all Gods commandements judgements and statutes that they might fear the Lord their God and love and serve him with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their might they and their sons and their sons 〈◊〉 all the dayes of their life that it might be well with them and their children after them for ever c. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgements thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thy heart and with all thy soul thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and his commandements and his judgements and to hearken unto his voyce And the Lord hath avouched thee to be his people and that thou shouldest keep all his commandements and to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honor and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken This is the chief end of Gods instituting Kings and Magistrates in the earth to make their subjects an holy people to the Lord their God 3ly By Joshua his last Speech and Exhortation to the children of Israel and their chief Heads and Officers before God Josh 23. 24. where he severally charges them To fear the Lord and to serve him in sincerity and truth to put away the gods which their fathers served on the other side of Jordan and in Egypt and to serve the
him unto the Israelites his peculiar people the Supreme Paternal Regal Magistratical together with that now stiled Spiritual Pontifical Ecclesiastical Authority or Jurisdiction both in and over the Family State Church Militant was by Divine and Natural Right vested united in one person not divers to wit First in Adam himself but after his decease in the First-born unlesse disinherited by God for some crime or cause or in the Patriarch or Master of the Family Tribe who was both King and Priest having the Priesthood annexed to his Paternal or Regal Office not these to his Priestship _â—O evidence the truth of this Proposition so far as the light of Scripture or Nature in the first remote obscure age of the world have revealed it for the Readers satisfaction I find it generally acknowledged by all or most Divines and Christian Authors who have written of the Church or the Original of Republikes Jurisdictions or Chronologies 1. That as God the Original of all power at the very Creation gave Adam a Soveraign Dominion over the fish of the sea over the foul of the ayr and over all the earth the cattle and every creeping thing therin to which he gave their several names as a badge of his Soveraignty over them by Gods own direction So he likewise ordained him as well after as before his fall to be both a King and Priest over the little world his family posterity issuing from him during his life not only to govern correct them when they transgressed but to offer sacrifices prayers to God for and instruct them in his Worship Laws fear Hence Cedren makes Adam the first KING Governor and that with reason enough as Mr. Selden notes because he governed and commanded all mankind as long as he lived who by the Law of Nature and Fifth Commandement are enjoyned To honor and obey their Father in the flesh and he not only obliged to provide for protect defend and correct as a Father but likewise to * instruct and educate them in the fear and admonition of the Lord as a Priest Now Adam being a King and Lord not only over all Creatures but Eve his wife before he was a Father and over his Posterity by his Paternal right before they were capable of instruction And the Title of King being alwaies prefixed before that of Priest as most honourable and first in order when ever mentioned and meeting together in one person as in Melchisedec Christ Others who were both Kings and Priests and the High Priests alwayes inferiour subordinate to the Chief Civil Governors and Kings of Judah and in Heathen Nations It thence most clearly follows that the Priesthood and Spiritual Jurisdiction in Adam was at first united and subordinate to his Kingly Soveraign Magistratical Office and Authority and so continued whiles residing in one person from the Creation till the Law given in mount Sinâ—i 2ly That Cain Adams first-born having forfeited his birthright and life too by the murther of his Brother Abel and thereby Seth becomming his first-born when Adam deceased his Kingship and Priesthood descended first to Seth and after him successively to the Patriarchs who were not only the Princes and Chief Governers of their Families Tribes to rule protect and correct them when they offended but likewise their Priests to erect Altars and Houses to God for his publique worship to offer Sacrifices prayers vows to God for them to blesse them in his Name to teach them his Lawes Fear and the Covenants made by God to them and their seed and commanded them to put away their strange gods and idols as Jacob did All which is evident by the examples of Noah Gen. 8. 20 21. c. 9. 25 26 27. Abraham Gen. 12. 7. c. 13. 4 18. c. 17. 1 2 8 c. 23 to 27. c. 18. 19 23 c. c. 20. 7. 17. c. 21. 23. c. 22. c. Melchisedec both King of Salem and Priest of the most High God Gen. 14. 18 19. Heb. 7. 1. Isaac Gen. 26. 23 24 25. â— 27. 21 28 to 41. of Jacob Gen. 28. 8. to the end c. 31. 54. c. 32. 9 to 13. c. 33. 20. c. 35. 1. to 16. c. 43. 14. c. 46. 1. c. 47. 7. 10. c. 48. 3. to the end c. 49. 1. to 33. Heb. 11. 21. and affirmed by St. Jerom the Ordinary Glosse with most other Commentators on these Texts Alexander Alensis and other Schoolmen Bishop Jewel Dr. Field Jacobus Bouldoc De Ecclesia a Mundi principio usque ad Mosen Salianus in his Annales Ecclesiasticae and other Annalists in the times before the Law 3ly Upon this account after the Law given and Priesthood vested in Aaron and the Tribe of Levi the firstborn though they lost this priviledge of exercising the Priests Office as before yet they were still the Lords to redeem themselves with an oblation of five shekels by the poll for their exemption from the Priesthood because God had taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel which redemption was given to Aaron and his Sonnes who officiated in their steads 4ly That upon this original right priviledge of Primogeniture Christ himself as Gods firstborn was not only made Higher then the Kings of the Earth King of Kings Lord of Lords but likewise Head over all the Church that in all things he might have the Preeminence And had like the First-born before the Law the Supream Priestly Office and Power united to his Kingly Yea in some sence Christ hath fully restored this antient Right to all who are spiritually Gods First-born and the First-fruits of his Creatures as the Gospel stileth them having the First-fruits of the Spirit growing in them whom he hath MADE KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD HIS FATHER as the Marginal Texts resolve 5ly That the very Gentiles and Pagan Nations by the Law and Light of Nature vested the Supream Ecclesiastical Authority and oft times the Priesthood it self in their Kings and chief Temporal Magistrates who erected consecrated Temples Altars Groves constituted by their particular Lawes the several Orders Offices of Priests the Number Worship Services of their Gods and the Sacrifices Ceremonies and whole manner of their Worship To instance in some particulars Fanus the antientest of the Kings in Italy was the first who brought in thither the form of Religion He cousecrated Groves erected Temples from whom they were called Fana ordained Priests and Sacrifices Evander his next Successor introduced many other Ceremonies in the Worship of the Gods Anius as Virgil relates was at once REX IDEM HOMINUM PHAEBIQUE SACERDOS After Rome was built Romulus the first King thereof and Numa Pompilius who succeeded him made several Lawes concerning the whole Worship Service Holy-dayes Ceremonies of their Gods instituted their distinct Orders of Priests as highest Priest
incense Altar which Azariah the chief Priest all the Priests looking upon drave thrust him out from thence yea himself also hasted to go out because the Lord had smitten him And he continued a Leper until the day of his death and dwelt in a several house being a Leper for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and Jotham his Sonne was over the Kings house judging the people of the Land Had the exercise of Supream Ecclesiastical power in all the premised particulars been any usurpation of the Priests Office in Moses Joshua David Solomon Asa Jehoash Hezekiah or Josiah no doubt God would have punished them as exemplarily for it as he punished King Saul and King Uzziah for offering a burnt offering and burning incense upon the Altar of incense Or as he did Corah Dathan and Abiram before them for rebelling and usurping the Priests Office in burning incense with their censers asVzziah intended to do Or as he punished and slew the men of Bethshemesh for looking irreverently into the Ark and Vzza for stretching out his hand to hold the Ark steady when it â—â—ook in the Cart when as none but Levites were by Gods special precept to come near bear or touch it whose office all these directly invaded for which they were thus signally punished by God himself But since neither of all these Kings Rulers received any check punishment at all from God or the high Priests but on the contrary praise honour blessings from God and chearfull obedience from all the high Priests Priests Levites themselves for these their sacred Ecclesiastical transactions they were doubtlesse no parts of the high Priests Priests or Levites Offices but of their own proper inherent Supream Magistratical and Regal Authority vested in them for these ends by God himself 6ly When the Kings Kingdoms of Judah and Israel were destroyed for their Idolatry and both Kings Princes people carried away Captives into foreign Nations so that they had no King nor Magistrate of their own to govern them the sacred story records that even Heathen Kings exercised Supream Authority over them in all Religious and Ecclesiastical matters as these presidents demonstrate 1. The King of Assyria sent one of the Priests they had carried away captive to the Nations he had placed in and about Samaria instead of the Israelites to teach them the manner of the God of the Land and to fear the Lord. 2. God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to make a publike Proclamation through all his kingdom in writing for every man that would to go up to Jerusalem and build the house of the Lord God of Israel who had charged him to build it and that all should assist them with silver gold beasts besides the free-will offering for the House of the Lord Whereupon God stirring up the spirits of the chief of the Fathers of Judah Ephraim Priests Levites and others to undertake the work King Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzer had taken from thence and put in the house of his Gods and delivered them to them by number all which they carried to Jerusalem for the use of the Temple when re-built and all they that were about them in obedience to Cyrus royal Proclamation strengthned their hands with vessels of gold goods beasts and pretious things besides all willingly offered Whence God said of Cyrus He is my Shepherd and shall fulfill all my pleasure saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundations shall be layd and stiled him HIS ANOINTED Vpon which Proclamation and Grant of Cyrus the Jewes set up the Altar offered Sacrifices and laid the foundation of the Temple as King Cyrus King of Persia had commanded them 3ly King Darius confirmed and enlarged this Decree of Cyrus commanding his Officers not to hinder the building to furnish them with moneys out of the Kings tribute for the work and with young Bullocks Lambs Rams for burnt offerings of the God of Heaven wheat salt wine oyl according to the appointment of the Priests at Jerusalem to be given them day by day without fail that they may offer Sacrifices of rest to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Sonnes clozing his Decree thus Also I have made a Decree That whosoever shall alter this word let timber be pulled down from his house and being set up let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a Dunghill for this And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all Kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter or destroy this House of God which is at Ierusalem I Darius have made a Decree let it be done with speed Whereupon the Iewes built and finished the House offered Sacrifices set up Gods worship in it according to the commandement of the God of Israel and according to the Commandement of Cyrus Darius and Artarerres King of Persia 4ly This King Artaxerxes sent Ezra the Priest up to Jerusalem and gave him sundry Vessels for the Lords house with a large Commission to like effect with that of Darius recorded Ezra 7. superadding Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be done diligently for the house of the Lord of heaven for why should wrath come upon the King and his sons And thou Ezra as my Commissioner after the wisdom of thy God set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the River all such as know the Law of thy God teach ye them that know it not And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed â—eedily upon him whether unto death or unto banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment all Temporal and Ecclesiastical Censures to be executed by Civil Magistrates not Ezra the Priest Upon receipt of which Commission Ezra used this Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lord c. Which Commission he punctually pursued and delivered it to the Kings Lieutenants and Governors who thereupon furthered the people and the House of God This King likewise granted his Royal Letters to Nehemah commanding the Governours there to give him Timber and stone for the building of the Temple who as the Kings Lieutenant over the Jewes there exercised Supream Ecclesiastical Authority in building the Temple directing and ordering the Priests and Levites setting up the publike worship of God observing the Sabbath and solemn Festivals constituting publike Fasts and putting the Priests from their Priesthood and the Levites who could not prove their pedigrees causing all of them that had married strange wives to enter into a Covenant to walk in Gods Laws given by Moses not to marry with strangers pay
and your King Because thou Saul hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee therefore thy kingdom shall not continue the Lord not I hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart and the Lord hath commanded him to be Captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded This was that rooting up pulling down rending removing of Kings kingdoms Nations used by all the Prophets and Prophecies in the Old Testament and particularly by Gods own denunciation against Niniveh by Jonah Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed which the Kings and peoples joynt humiliation and repentance upon his preaching in turning from their evil wayes prevented 7ly S. Bernard when Pope Eugenius like his Predecessors insisted on this Text as giving him and them a transcendent power Dominion over Kings and kingdoms returned this answer thereunto That it gave them no Dominion at all over their Persons Crowns possessions but only to extirpate their Vices Non est quod blanditur Celsitudo Sollicitudo major Quale est hoc de paupere abjecto levari super Gentes et regna Non ad dominandum opinor Nam Propheta cum similiter levaretur audivit Ut evellas destruas disperdes dissipes aedifices plantes Quid horum fastum sonat Rusticani magis sudoris schemate quodam labor spiritualis expressus est Et nos igitur ut multum sentiamus de nobis impositum senserimus Ministerum non dominium datum Non sum ego major Propheta si fortè potestate sed meritorum non est comparatio Haec loquere tibi doce teipsum qui alias doces Puta te velut unum aliquem de Prophetis An non satis ad te et â—mium Sed gratia Dei es quod es Quid Esto quod Propheta nunquid plus quam propheta Si sapis eris contentus mensura quam tibi mensus est Deus nam quod amplius est a malo est Disce exemplo Prophetico praesidere non tam ad imperitandum quam ad sactitandum quod tempus requirit disce sarculo tibi opus esse non sceptro ut opus facias prophetae Et quidem Ille non regnaturus ascendit sed extirpaturus Putas ne et tu invenias aliquid elaborandum in agro Domini tui Et plurimum Non planè totum quivere emundare Prophetae aliquid filiis suis Apostolis quod agerent reliquerunt aliquid ipsi Parentes tui tibi Sed nec tu ad omne sufficiens Aliquod profecto tuo relicturus es Suecessori ille aliis alii aliis usque in finem This was St. Bernards sence of this Text and severe check to the Pope himself for abusing it against the true scope and meaning 8ly It is Gods incommunicable Prerogative which no meer mortal is authoritativly capable of To loose the bond of Kings and gird them with a girdle to lead Princes away spoiled overthrow the mighty and powr contempt upon Princes To strike through Kings in the day of his wrath and break Kingdoms in pieces like a Potters vessel To bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron for their crying Rebellions against his Soveraign Majesty as he did Hoshea Zedekiah Manasseh Jehoiakim others thus bound and carried away captive to Aegypt and Babilon by their invading Kings He removeth Kings and setteth up Kings The most high King of heaven only ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and those Kings that walk in pride against him he is able to abate and translate their kingdoms to others as he did Nebuchadnezzer and Belshazzer who recognised this Soveraign Empire to be peculiar to him alone Let Popes therefore beware how they usurp or intrench upon this Prerogative of the most high to the prejudice of any anointed Christian Kings who sit upon his throne as his Viceroyes and highest affront to the Soveraign Jurisdiction of Christ himself the King of Kings The Fourth and most colourable pretext is from the president of Azariah the Chief Priest and other Priests withstanding King Uzziah to burn incense upon the altar and thrusting him out of the Temple the only example in the Old Testament of any Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction exercised by the Jewish high Priest and Priests on Prince or Subject Whence Bellarmin and others conclude That it is Lawful for Popes Bishops and Priests by their own inherent Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to excommunicate dethrone Kings and Emperors too and absolve their Subjects from their allegiance for disobeying their Papal commands and injunctions I answer 1. That all this president warrants is That Chief Priests may lawfully diswade ambitious wilfull Kings from doing any unlawfull actions against the expresse will of God and perchance resist them too when they attempt to offer sacrifices or act ought belonging peculiarly to their own office in their own Churches But that they may either excommunicate resist or thrust them forth of the Temple for any other Offence especially for violating or not obeying their own Papal or Pontifical Orders Injunctions Mandares not expresly grounded on Gods word this president will no wayes warrant 2ly They did not thrust King Uzziah out of the Temple where he actually invaded their function against Gods word till God himself the King of Kings whose Law he had violated had first miraculously passed sentence upon and smitten him with the plague of Leprosie in the forehead which they all visibly beheld Therefore Popes and Priests may not thrust any King or Prince out of the Church for any Crime till God himself the only King and Judge of Kings hath first given visible sentence against him by some signal Judgement 3ly They thus thrust him out of the Temple not principally because he attempted to burn incense but because God had thus miraculously smitten him with Leprosie in his forehead and so by Gods expresse command he was to be shut out of the Congregation and Church by the Law and dwell in a house alone that he might not infect others this the Text renders to be the sole or main cause of his thrusting out of the Temple dwelling in a several house and of his Sonnes judging the people in his stead not by the Priests but his own appointment 4ly This King himself when God had thus smitten him as the Text precisely records hasted to go out of the Temple of his own accord voluntarily dwelt in a house alone and delegated the government of his house and people to his Sonne So as there was only a voluntary expulsion of him out of the Temple by the Priests with his own consent not against it but no sequestring or deposing of him by them from his throne he
Lord their God which brought them and their fathers out of the land of Egypt c. Whereupon all the people resolved and answered again and again The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey and they made a statute ordinance and covenant before the Lord to perform it compared with Joshua 22. 11. to 34. 4ly By King Davids manifold exhortations and precepts to his Subjects to this purpose throughout the Psalms especially Psalm 34. 37. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saints Come ye children and hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it dwell for evermore c. And by his charge to his son Solomon all his Princes Officers and Congregation of Isrel 1 Chron. 28. 9 10. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keep and search for all the commandements of the Lord your God that ye may posses this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth the imagination of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou shalt forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Seconded with this his publike prayer to God for them 1 Chron. 29. 18 19 20. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee And give unto Solomon my Son an understanding heart to keep thy commandements thy testimonies and statutes and to do all these things and to build the house for which I have made provision Which ended David said to all the Congregation Now blesse the Lord your God And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowâ—d down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the King 5ly By Ecclesiastes 1. 12 c. 12. 9 10 11. recording that Solomon King of Israel was also a Preacher and taught the people knowledge and that which was upright even words of truth for their everlasting welfare 6ly By 2 Chron. 15. 12. to 19. Where King Asa made the people to enter into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul and that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether great or small whether man or woman To omit all other particular examples of this nature already touched From these Texts it is apparent That the primary office duty end of Kings especially Christian is to promote the honour worship service fear love of God true religion eternal salvation of their Subjects souls and suppresse what ever is repugnant thereto 12ly That which was Gods principal end design in creating the World it self redeeming mankind by the bloud of Jesus Christ and the King of Kings giving both the Law and Gospel to men must certainly be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Governors the eminentest chiefest of men to be his Viceroyes to rule over men of inferiour rank or quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magistratical office duty Now Gods principal end and design in creating the world and men the Lords of all other Creatures redeeming mankind by the bloud of Christ and giving both the Law and Gospel to them was only this that all mankind might worship adore fear honor praise blesse obey love and glorify him according to his word and will whiles they live on earth that Jesus Christ might rule in and reign over them as his kingdom Church Saints and they might reign with and enjoy perpetual felicity in by under him in his heavenly kingdom for all eternity as the Scripture resolves Therefore it must necessarily be Gods chief end design in instituting Kings Princes and Supream Civil Magistrates the eminentest choicest of all men to rule over those of inferiour quality and the most essential real considerable part of their Regal or Magisterial office trust duty upon which Account among others God specially enjoyned the Kings of Israel to have a Copy of the Book of his Law alwayes in their custody and to read therein all the dayes of their lives the better to observe it themselves and to enjoyn all their subjects to observe obey and do nought against it yea God himself with greatest majesty enacted this Royal Law by King Davids own mouth for all Kings Rulers to square their Government by He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God which he can never do without taking special care to maintain promote the true Worship service fear love obedience of God according to his word among all his Subjects for Gods glory and their temporal and eternal felicity as David did 13ly This I shall evidence even from the very light of nature and practice among the Heathen Nations Plato in his Book De Regno asserts That the King hath Universae humanae Societatis curam that Regia cura ut quae principalis in omnes homines ars est consisting not only in this that Rex est humanus Curator but also Divinus Pastor over all his Subjects That the chief care of Religion Worship of the Gods and feeding of the people belongs to Kings they being a kind of Priests Quare in Egypto neque imperare licet Regi absque Sacerdotio Sed si quis ex alio genere per vim Regnum invasit postea tamen necesse est cum hoc genere initiari Quin et in multis locis apud Graecos Summis Magistratibus maxima sacrificia demandata esse quis compererit et sane etiam apud nos non minus clarum est quod dico Ei enim qui Rex sorte creatus est augustissima et maxima patria vetera sacrificia huic attributa esse tradunt Hos itaque sorte creatos Reges simulque Sacerdotes considerare convenit c. Aristotle his Scholar resolves us that in the heroical times Reges provinciam habebant bellorum et sacrorum nisi forte ad Sacerdotes attinerent Postea autem partim quidem ipsis Regibus omittendis partim vero populis recusantibus apud quasdam Civitates sacra solis Regibus relicta sunt Rex autem et Dux belli et Iuder erat rerum divinarum moderator And among the Romans themselves as their Historians and others relate their antient King and after that their Emperors were both Kings and Priests and had the chiefest hand in performing the Rites and Ceremonies of