Victory they had taken the Ark indeed but they had made no conquest of it for it fell upon the Reer of them and smote them in their hinder parts it discovered so much of their nakedness and turn'd their inside so much outward and put them to so much shame and anguish that they were glad to send it back with a trespass-offering and beg to be reconciled to it the Israelites they were instructed likewise that it was not out of ill will to the Ark nor for want of strength in God that the Philistims prevailed to take it captive but only out of a justindignation to revenge the prophanation of that sacred Instrument which was the visible obsignation of his grace and favour to them And when God was about to suffer his holy Temple to be defiled upon a like account he sends his people to be schooled by that example Jer. 7.11 12. Is the house that is called by my name become a den of robbers behold I have seen it But go now to my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel And because of your wicked works I will therefore do to that house that is called by my name as I did to Shiloh Is there any here amongst us that can plead not guilty hast not thou prophaned the Ark of Gods Worship that was amongst us hast not thou been unthankfull for it hast not thou been unfruitfull under the Ministry of it there is no person in this Congregation if he be of a competent age but his heart will tell him that he did contribute something to the captivity of this Ark. If we had as much ingenuity I am sure we have as much cause as Mr. Bradford in the Book of Martyrs had or as the Christians that were banished in Q. Maries days had to accuse our selves for our wilful betraying the honour of our Religion and the interest of the holy Gospel We may all say For my sins and for thy sins was the Ark the solemn worship and service of God taken captive and upon this account it becomes our duty to present a burnt sacrifice for our atonement now upon its restitution But wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the most high God Mic. 6.6 the Psalmist hath resolved us Psal 51.17 A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise This is our burnt sacrifice 2. But to this we must add a peace-offering and that must consist of a double ingredient 1. A dutiful submission to this settlement of the Ark. And 2. A joyful gratulation for it 1. A dutiful submission to it In the the 24. Psal we find the people invited to a solemn reception of the Ark Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Fuit beneficium Dei non vulgare saith Mr. Calvin quod Deus visibili symbolo in medio ipsorum residebat In Psal 24.7 coelesteque suum domicilium volebat in terrâ conspici It was no ordinary favour of God See 1 Kings 8.6 with 11. that he would reside amongst them in a visible representation and suffer his sacred habitation be seen on earth it should be their ambition therefore and zeal to entertain it Therefore lift up your heads Oh ye gates and the King of glory shall come in but what are those gates that should be so solemnly opened for the admission of the King of glory Sub ratione typi fuerunt portae Templi Ames in Psal 24.24 1 Kings 8.6 11. saith Amesius Reipsâ vero sunt fidelium corda Isa 66.1 2. they were the gates of the Temple in type but the hearts of holy men in reality they are the Tabernacle that Gods Ark and worshâ—p should reside in We must therefore inwardly in our very hearts and souls submit to this outward settlement of it in the Tabernacle or Church of God and this upon a fourfold Consideration 1. In regard of the place where the Ark is setled not in Barnes or Stables not in a Forreign far distant place 't is within thy Neighbourhood and yet appropriated to this service Though God be not confin'd to any place though he hath not chosen any peculiarly to put his Ark in as among the Jews yet for our sakes he delights in such places as our devotions have made his propriety The Lord loveth the gates of Zion mâ—re then all the dwellings of Jacob and in compliance with him herein the devout soul cries out Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thy honour dwelleth and the Zeal of thy house hath even consumed me and make not my Fathers house a house of Merchandize it is observable though our Saviour in the first year of his Ministry foretels that all inclosures should be thrown open and the worship of God no longer be confined as it had been to Jerusalem Joh. 4.21 yet to signifie that he would still for all that accept and own plaâ—eâ— dedicated to his solemn service all the world over in the fourth year of his Ministry he makes his claim and vindicates the honour of his own interest Mark 11.17 2. We must submit to this settlement in regard of the Authority by which it is seâ—led here are David and the Elders and the Captains of thousands the King the Nobles and the Representatives of all the Commons of England what comes to us derived in so full a current of Authority not to speak of the miraculous restiâ—ution of this Authority should prostrate every private jâ—dgment and make the passions interests and opinions of all men stoop before it There is a necessity laid upon us yea and a wo will betide us if we submit not Let every soul be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13 1. Nay ye must needs be subject and that not only for fear of wrath but for conscience sake Ver. 5. and there is another sake no less considerable to engage you the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit you selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as those that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doersi and for the praise of them that do well Time was when an Ordinance not so venerable as that St Peter speaks of did signifie something with you when lesse then one link of that threefold Cord of Authority would serve to engage and yoak you to draw the Ark a side if you will not now submit to the Settlement of it upon the obligation of those Laws which come to us in the greatest solemnity that a just and full Authority can recommend them by I shall say no more but this that your Consciences are strangely blinded and they are prodigiously perverse and obstinate And yet this is not all For
Charges to praise and minister before the Priests 2 Chron. 8.14 as the duty of every day required Not a Non-Conformist amongst them What part of the holy Function was assign'd them they carefully observed and kept their station and decorum exactly according to the tenour of the sacred Canon And that they might have no incouragement or pretence to do otherwise this Hierarchy of the Church was supported by a double provision 1. Of Maintenance 2. Of Discipline 1. Their Maintenance did not depend upon the liberality of the people they had an honourable allowance setled by Law by a divine inviolable right So that they had no temptation to hurry the Ark after the humour of the people to gratifie either their needs or their avarice Having the Lord for their portion they disdain'd with a generous contempt to betray the honour and interest of the Ark or the confidence and good meaning of well disposed people to gain the little imposts and bribery and filthy lucre And 2. In case of Exorbitancy there was a Coercive power in that Hierarchy to punish the disorderly person according to the quality of his offence not only with spiritual penalties as suspension from the holy Function a Fzra 2.62 and Excommunication from the holy Offices of the Church b Eze 10.8 John 12.42 but with corporal punishments also as imprisonment c Jer. 10.2 Cap. 29 26. and in some cases with pain of death d Deut. 17.12 This Maintenance and Discipline kept up Order and Conformity amongst them So that under the Authority and influence of David the King you have the Priests and Levites marshalled the Hierarchy of the Chuâ—ch ready to attend the procession and solemn service of the Ark. III. The Train and Attendants But a privaâ—e Office perform'd by the Priest and Levite or the Priest and his Clerk will not serve Davids turn He must have the Ark conducted in such an Equipage as becomes the divine Majesty it represented and to this end he summon'd his Elders and Captains and the chosen men of Israel to make up a Train of Attendants for this great Solemnity First The Elders Christs Government differs from that of other Princes Nicet in Greg. Naz. Orat. 19. The Government was upon his shoulders but the Government is too great a burden for the feeble shoulders of other Princes Mose's shoulders did shrink under it They are glad therefore of Auxillaries to assist them and such are their Elders and their Captains But judgement is to be used in the choice of These For in the Machina or Engine of Politie the lower Wheels to which the people are more immediately affixed have the strongest impulse into their motion The great Wheel of Sovereign Authority let it move never so orderly if the motion of subordinâ—te Magistratâ—s be irregular the force of their ill example will hâ—ve a more powerful influence upon the people and carry their inclinations after it Hereupon Jethro adviseth Moses to make choice of men fearing God to be suboâ—dinate Magistrates and David exhorteth not only Kings in their own persons but such as are put in Authority under them Psal 2. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye that are Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and kiss the Son lest he be angry Princes are the more conceâ—n'd to have an eye to Piety and virtue in their Officers because the people think for the most part that they may read the Princes inclinations in their practises †Syrae 10.1 Spots in the Sun and Moon are better discovered by observing them in their Reflexes and Images in the water then by looking upon their own bodies in their Motions In consideration whereof as well for reason of staâ—e as conscience David might resolve as he doth Psal 101.6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me It is to be presumed that as it was in Ezekiels Vision Cap. 1. these Wheels of Subordinate Governours do move according to the motion of the Spirit that is in the living Creature the original and vital Fountain of Authority God takes of the spirit of Moses and puts it upon those Elders that were to share with him in the burden of the Government under him Some other giddy spirit might have â—…t the whole frame of Government into disorder and confusion but being acted by the same spirit with Moses they aime at the same end and carry on the same designe to Gods glory and the well-fare of the people Numb 11.25 Lopid 16. When the spirit of Moses rested upon them they Prophesied and did not cease that is Ex Dei instinctu Deum Deâ—que laudes celebrabant they were inspired to celebrate the praises of the Almighty The Elders that Rule well under a pious Prince they do correspond and comply with him in his Devotions as those Elders in the Revelation did with the four Beasts which are conceived to be the four Evangelists when those Beasts gave glory and honour to him that sate upon the Throne Then the twenty four Elders fell down before him that sate upon the Throne Revel 4.9 10. and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Such were these Elders here they did comply with David to attend the Ark in this Solemn Procession 3. The Captains And so did the Captains too not for fashion sake I wist or meerly to pay a civil homage to their Prince like Naaman when he went into the house of Rimmon but out of devotion For Souldiers may be Religious we read of one Centurion that had a prodigious faith I have not found so great faith no not in Israel of another commended for his worthy piety He loveth our nation and hath built us a Synagogue of another whose devotions soared so high upon the wings of his almes and fasting Acts 10. that they procured him an extraordinary visitation of kindness from Almighty God Souldiers are the sinews of a Kingdom if they be lax and dissolute through intemperance and effeminacy the state of that Kingdom is but feeble if they be cut asuâ—der by Factions and Divisions it has no strength at all but enough to enabâ—e it to tumble and wallow in its own gore To strengthen these sinewes there is no such Anodyne as Religion and indeed if Souldiers be not Religious how will they serve their Prince either for the Lords sake or for conscience sake Atheism cancels the two strongest obligations of a subjects duty and Allegiance Gallantry will carry but few to the Gates of death for the safety and honour of their Prince and if interest be all the engagement he hath upon his Souldiers that may be bought off the best Exchequer the fullest Purse will carry it If his Captains be not Religious the Prince cannot be so confident of their fidelity to be sure not of their valour and
success for through faith the servants of God waxed valiant in fight Heb. 11.33 34. put to flight the Armies of the aliens and subdued Kingdoms They got not the victory 0141 0110 V 3 through their own strength neither was it their own arme that saved them but it was the aid and favour of the Deity whom they adored Hereupon the Psalmist saith I will not trust in my bow it is not my Sword that shall help me but it is thou O God that savest me and puttest them to confusion that hate me Non eripio Magistratui arma non praecido Consilia Typotius de Salut Reipub. p. 242. His enim Resp stat illis defenditur I do not disarm the Magistrate of his Militia nor cut off his Counsel for the Common-weal is upheld by the one and defended by the other At quovis rerum Statu absque Dei Numine nihil recte geritur desperatis rebus quid subsidii reliquum est Si non Deus praepotens atque immortalis In the best state of things nothing is well done without Gods assistance but when things are grown desperate what Anchor to hold is steady what Sanctuary to flee to but only the defence of the Almighty Some put their trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They are brought down and fall'n Psal 20.7 8. but we are risen and stand upright David therefore will have no Souldiers to be of his Guard but such as have a devotion for the Ark of God And where there is such a Prince after Gods own heart such a conformable Priesthood such Religious Elders such devout and zealous Souldiers we may be confident of an orderly well-affected people for it is the Irregular Priest and the Seditious Elder and the Factious Souldier that does distract and imbroil a Kingdom and fill it with disorder and confusion In a word to shut up this Scene of our Discourse When a Prince comes newly to his Throne and the possession of his Kingdom all Degrees and Orders of men under his Dominion address themselves to make their recognition of his Authority and pay their homage to him Why now the Ark of God was a going to be inthroned in Sion and take possession as it were of its Kingdom and therefore David will have all his Subjects of what rank or quality soever present themselves to acknowledge and perform their respective Duty the Priests to devote their zeal and diligence the Elders their Counsel and Authority the Captains their strength and valour and all the people their fidelity and obedience to the Royal Prerogative thereof Thus we have given you an account of the first Quaere who they were that did Transport or Conduct this Ark in this pregnant Relative They So They brought 2. How they did Transport and Conduct it 1. With what Carriage or Instruments 2. With what Pomp and Solemnity in which as in the other general parts that are to follow I must be more brief that I may come timely to the pitch of my designe the Application 1. With what Carriage and Instruments To set the Ark of the Covenant upon a Cart and commit it to the blind conduct of a pair of Kine was somewhat tolerable in the Philistims who had no Priests that were rightly dedicated to the most high God And they had so much reverence to it as to set it upon a Cart that had not been over-worn in the service of the world in the drudgery of their secular imployments a new Cart will less profane it then the shoulders of an old uncircumcised Philistine They had so much care and reverence too as to commit it to the conduct of such Kine as being sent from their Calves would be sure not to hurry it on too fast to run it into the danger of an utter over-throw It might have fall'n into the hands of some men much more rash unreasonable and head-strong But yet that this new Cart and those Kine should carry it as they did was not without a miracle as the Learned think When the Ark is within the confines of Israel where there are Priests anointed and hallowed to attend upon it to Cart it then whether out of sloth or negligence out of irreverence or carelesness out of Faction or Inconformity is such an intolerable contempt and prophanation as God will not let go unpunished David doth acknowledge that the breach which was made upon them by the death of Uzzah was for this disorder 1 Chron. 15.13 for God will have things performed in their due order in his service and that affliction was an instruction to him and mâ—de him apprehend that none ought to carry the Ark but the Priests and Levites * 1 Chron. 15.2 2 Chron. 5 4 5. and Josh 3.6 whom the Lord had chosen for that Ministry And well might they undertake it for the Ark of God was not like the Idols of Egypt aburden to the weary Beast †Isa 46.1 it did not oppress or wring the Priests shoulders for the Text saith The Lord helped them to bear it 1 Chron. 15.26 Such is Gods goodness if we will but seriously endeavour it we cannot want a sufficient assistance to perform our expected duty Thus you see with what Carriage or Instruments the Ark was transported But 2. With what pomp and solemnity and of this we may observe that it was very great but withal very pious very decent very delightful and very cordial 1. A pious solemnity It began with an accustomed Form of Prayer for so Moses had taught them when the Ark advanced to say * Num. 10.35 Psal 68.1 2. Rise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered To their Prayers they added Sacrifice 1 Chron. 15.26 A Sacrifice of thanksgiving that God did vouchsafe not only to spare the Levites whereas he had smitten Uzzah but also to assist them in their Ministry and that their devotions might be the more rational they make them intelligible by a Psâ—lm of praise newly penn'd on purpose to adorn the pomp of this solemnity 1 Chron. 16.7 c. 2. It was a decent Solemnity 1 Chron. 15 2â— for David was clothed with a robe of fiâ—e linen and all the Levites that bare the Ark and the Singers and Chenaniah the Master of the Song with the Singers David also had upon him an Ephod of linen See Eng. Annot. on Judg. 8.27 1 Sam. 2.18 on 2 Sam. 6.14 The Ephod was an habit appropriated to Gods Service And there were two sorts of them one very rich and costly peculiar to the High-Priest made of blew purple scarlet and twined linen cunningly wrought and embroidered with gold of which Exod. 28.4.6 the other was a vestment of linen for Priests and Levites which others might freely use also though we finde it no where prescribed to them and such a one David used at this time on 2 Sam 6.14 say the English Annotators
For what was Uzzah's crime Oz a percussus est quòd attigisset arcam Domini Id enim ne Levitis quidem fas erat Arcam enim ab illis tantùm gestari non contingi aut spectari oportuit saith Peter Martyr Uzzah was smitten In 2 Sam. 6.6 7 8. because he touch'd the Ark of God for the Levite's Office was to carry the Ark but they were under a severe prohibition neither to touch it not to look into it for so the Lord had ordained Numb 4.15 When Aaron and his Sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary as the Camp is to set forward after that the Sons of Kohath shall come to bear it but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die and Ver. 20. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die But it might have been alledged on the behâ—lf of Uzzah that what he did was upon an extraordinary occasion in a case of necessity and out of zeal to save the Ark from falling Ibid. but as Peter Martyr hath very well observed his touching the Ark is assigned by many as the cause why he was so suddenly smitten Sed erat alia causa prior major quòd ille arcam imposuisset in currum dedisset causam huic necessitati But there was another a former and a greater cause for it his putting the Ark upon a Cart and so betraying it to that danger and necessity So the English Annotations The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah because he had caused his holy Ark to be carried in a Cart which they should have born on their shoulders and for touching it with his hand being but a Levite and no Priest On 2 Sam. 6.7 The Levites might not be their own Carvers in the holy function might not invade what part of it they had a fancy to no Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden †Numb 4.19 If they had an ambition to usurp any other part of the sacred Office that was not so assigned them by their Superiours though they did create a present necessity for it yet that necessity of their own making could not justifie them in such their Sacrilegious Usurpation And this is directly the Case of the Presbyterians It was their duty we confess to bear the Ark of God to Minister unto it in some parts of the sacred Office such as were assigned them by their Superiours but they could not keep their hands off the Ark their ambition spur'd them on to Usurp other parts of that Office to lay on hands for the Ordination of others lest forsooth the Ark of Gods worship should fall to the ground for lack of a Ministry to attend it which they had no Commission for no Warrant at all but a pretended necessity of their own making by pulling down Aaron and his Sons the holy Order of Bishops who alone were invested with that power So that these Presbyterians have followed Uzzah in the imitation of his errour and temerity and hath not a suitable judgment overtaken them a punishment Analogical to that of Uzzah are not those hands that were stretched out without any Authority to perform this Office are they not withered hath not the anger of the Lord as Mr. Calamy in part confesseth smitten them for this Sacrilegious Usurpation we see they are dead before the Ark in this capacity and therefore you must not invade and profane the Ark that is the third Caveat 4. You must not slander and belie the Ark. There are and have been in all Ages false Prophets who have suggested their own Dreams Fancies and Designs for the Oracles of God The Prophets Prophesie lies in my name as the Lord himself complains by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 14.14 I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake I unto them they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Jâ—r 14.14 and Chap. 23 16 17. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts hearken noâ— unto thâ— words of the Prophets that prophesiâ— unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of their own heart and not ouâ— of the mouth of the Lord they say still unto them that despise me the Lord hath said ye shall have peace and they say unto every one that walketh after the stubbornness of his own heart No evil shall come upon you And hath not the lying spirit given out his Oracles by the mouths of a multitude of such Prophets amongst us in these times of our distraction One of them gâ—ve out this for an Oracle * Mr. John Goodwin's Anti-Caval See Dr. Ham. of Resisting the lawful Magistrate c. pag. 22. c. about 18 or 19 years ago that the King though Head of all and singulis Major yet he was universis Minor though above all single persons yet inferiour to the body of his people that they have a power and right to resist him And because this is contradicted expresly by the lively Oracles of the holy Scripture and the writings of all the primitive Fathers therefore that lying bloody Oracle said further in effect that God did hide this liberty from the primitive Christians lest the use of it should cause an abortion in the birth of Antichrist God caused a dead sleep saith he to fall upon these truths the hiding of them being necessary to help Antichrist up to his throne yea he saith that God by special dispensation suffer'd him the said Antichrist to make such truths his footstool till he had advanced himself to his highest pitch in the world But now that this Antichrist is to be destroyed and cast out and the Commonalty of Christians as he pretended being the men that must have the principal hand in executing Gods judgments upon the whore for bringing this to pass now saith he in these our times God hath given out this Revelation to us he hath manifested the Doctrine of Resistance and Christians may act contrary to the will of their Superiours And for this you have Mr. John Goodwins asseveration To a like effect you have another that blows the Trumpet of Sedition and to raise up the people in Arms against their lawful Sovereign He does shamefully pervert and blaspheme the sacred Text Judg. 5.23 Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty And this was Mr. Marshal * See Mr. Ed. Symons Confutation of that Sermon A third tells some of the House of Commons in a Sermon at Westminster 1641 that now is the time that God is beating down the walls of proud Babylon Mr. William Bridge Babylons downfall pag. 10. Pag. 33. that are raised up in every Kingdom