Priests Office and make it common because all the people had the gifts of the spirit The congregation saith he verse 3. are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them The same thing that they did hath been acting over again upon the theatre of these lands The Apostle Jude verse 11 tells you that the sin of Korah may be committed in the days of the Gospel If this have not been the time of killing the two Witnesses spoken of Revel 11. 7. I am sure it is very like to it a very few years will inform us more fully Now Gods appearance for us in such a time doth make the mercy so much the greater 3 Consider the way whereby the Lord began to work up our hopes for deliverance and restitution to our pristine condition He sets the adversaries themselves at odds they that had ingrossed all the power riches and great Offices into their hands quarrel who should be the greatest The military Anabaptists reach further than their sleeve would stretch in regard of power and command they resolve to win all or to lose all But in the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them Exod. 18. 11. Their divisions were the signal omen of our deliverance and their own ruine So that we may well take up that of David Psal 7. 14-16 Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood he made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate 4 Lastly Observe what eminent instruments God hath raised up to carry on this great work after the enemies themselves had begun it even by persons unthought of hath God wrought both in England and Ireland and Scotland raising up the hearts even of multitudes of the common people to stand for the Parliament All these things conferred together do make Gods mercies in these deliverances to shine most gloriously The third and last Use of this Doctrine is for Exhortation which also will divide it self into two parts For in handling this Use I would direct my speech 1 To all here present in general 2 To you our honorable and grave Counsellors in particular Exhort 1. And first this Doctrine speaketh generally to all here present and to all others in this land who have had an hand or voice in the election of these honorable Persons to be your Representatives in this great Convention or that do expect to receive any benefit by them as instruments in Gods hand for your good You must carry it so toward them as you would do toward such from whom you expect safety and to be kept from falling This duty of yours toward them whom God hath set up to be the conservators of your peace I shall lay down and illustrate in Four particulars 1 You must honor love and respect them as those that are to be your Saviours prize them as Gods ordinance for the procuring of your safety and deliverance from destruction When the Apostle had spoken of Magistracy and the protection we recieve from it Rom. 13. 1-4 he maketh this Use of that he had taught in the 7. Verse Render therefore to all their dues Honour to whom honour is due As if he should have said the Magistrate deserveth honour for the safety you recieve by his means The Heathens used to Deify their Heroes for those noble acts they had done for them herein they exceeded their due bounds and limits But we that are called Christians usually fall too short in our esteem of Magistrates we give them not the honour due to them This is foul ingratitude to deny honour to those that are the means under God of our safety 2 You must not pass rash censures upon what they shall act in your name and for your good It is a great fault in many both Ministers and others that they pry too far into the Ark of State and when their eyes dazzle then they speak evil of the things they understand not it were better for such to keep themselves within the compass of their own callings It is too disingenuous to censure those Persons that have been chosen by us and do act according to their abilities for our good Thou shalt not revile the Gods saith the Lord Exod. 22. 28. nor curse the ruler of thy people Whisperers backbiters murmurers complainers upon every supposed occasion are the refuse of the people A Moses cannot scape the lash of such mens tongues 3 You must yeild subjection to such things as they shall agree upon for your good to such Ordinances as they shall make on your behalf They are the persons who are intrusted in this Land for ordering your publique affairs Wherefore Let every soul be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. You must submit to them even in those necessary Taxes and Impositions that must by their advice be leavyed for your defence For this cause that is because of the protection you receive from Magistracy Rom. 13. 6. Pay you tribute also Souldiers must be paid their wages and the charge of other publique businesses must be defrayed or else you will fall into unavoidable misery 4 Lastly and especially You must pray for them The Nation is heart sick these are your Physicians you can do no less then pray for a blessing from God upon those means they shall make use of for your cure and healing Mark well the advice the Apostle giveth 1. Tim. 2. 1. 2. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty You must pray for them with all kind of prayer and if you do your duty in this particular the Apostle assureth you of three benefits you shall obtain by it 1 The Church shall enjoy more peace by this means 2 Honesty that is justice and fidelity in the civil conversation of men will be the better preserved 3. Godliness true piety and Religion will prosper by this means And the rather must you pay this debt at this time upon a threefold account viz. 1 Because Our counsels have not been successful for many years by past they have not accomplished the things we hoped for either in Church or State but things have grown worse and worse And we have cause to impute this great obstruction to this That we have not prayed for a blessing upon our counsellors and their counsells or at least That we have not prayed in that manner as we ought Ye fight and war saith the Apostle Jam. 4. 2. and so may we say yet ye have not Why Because ye ask not That is our fault And though ye ask yet ye recieve not saith he Verse 3. Why because ye ask amiss It never sped well with our counsels
since our publique Fasts were neglected and turned into private meetings upon what account I know not unless it was done to gratify and promote the way of Separation It will never speed well with our Counsells nor with the Church of God in this Land till our publique Fasts be restored and appointed by them that sustain the highest place of power among us according to the famous examples of the most pious and renowned Kings of Judah as Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 3. and others And forasmuch as it hath been the laudable practise of all godly Magistrates to proclaim Fasts to be publiquely observed throughout their Territories when any grievous calamity hath been felt or feared or when they have wanted special mercies or have enterprised some difficult matter I therefore humbly offer whether it be not convenient and necessary upon all these accounts That a publique Fast be appointed to be observed throughout this whole Land 2 Because The affairs which are under hand are of great importance our safety or our ruine depending much thereupon as you may see by that Religious and full Declaration set forth the sixteenth day of February last past You expect that God should do much for you by this honourable Convention that your Religion Lives Libertyes Estates shall be secured by their means But you must remember That God will be enquired of by you that he may do all these things by them as it is in Ezek. 36. 27. 3 Because If ye pray ye have promises that ye shall receive great benefit thereby I shall onely mind you of one promise made in this case Isa 58. 9. 12. Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach the restorer of paths to dwell in O that this gracious promise may be made good to this Church and Nation at this time but prayer is the condition on our part Exhort 2. And now I must address my self to you our honourable and grave Senators upon whom all our eyes are fixed in expectation of help and safety under the shadow of your wings from those great miseries that threaten us at this time And I beseech you to bear with me and to allow me freedom of speech that I may deliver the Lords message to you speaking as I ought to speak And yet I shall through the divine assistance keep my self within the limits of my calling least by any means the Office of the Ministry should be blamed through my default That which I have unto you from the Lord shall be couched under two heads 1 Be ye such Counsellors as may save the people from falling 2 Let your Counsells be such as may procure their safety The first appertains to the Qualifications of your Persons The Second relateth to your Actings Of them I shall speak distinctly First I intreat and earnestly exhort you in the Lord that ye study to be such persons as may prevent our destruction It is not every one that is meet to be in such a place of honour and trust as to be accounted a Saviour of the Land those onely are to be in this employment that are fitted of the Lord. and spirited with due Qualifications to this great work Now I shall lay this down in Five particulars 1 You that are to be members of this great Council had need to be men truely fearing the Lord Pious Holy and Gracious Persons They that are called to places of judgment in a Nation are stiled Gods Psal 82. 1. 6. They are Gods Lievtenants do represent his Majesty and Soveraignty Holiness is that image of God that you ought especially to bear to make you fit for this high undertaking that ought in an eminent manner to be engraven upon your hearts and foreheads This was that qualification which God himself requireth to be in those that were to be Judges in Israel Deut. 18. 21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God And if the fear of God be in you if ye strive after holiness of spirit and conversation then ye cannot much miscarry in your counsels For 1 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all sound wisdom and understanding Job 28. 28. Sound counsel floweth thence 2 Ye have a promise of direction in your counsells if ye be truly religious and holy Psalm 25. 9. The meek will he guide in judgment and Verse 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him They shall be of his cabinet counsel and receive advice from him Pious Counsellors though they be not so knowing or prudent as others are will be the best safety of a people Of such it is that Eliphaz speaketh Job 22. 28. Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy ways II Ye had need to be wise prudent and experienced men that are to be Pilots of our leaking vessel which is tossed with so many tempests and contrary winds and tides else we are not likely to get into a safe harbour If wisdom be wanting in counsellors it portendeth ruine approaching This was it that proclaimed the destruction of Egypt to be near at hand Isa 19. 11. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fools the counsel of the wise counsellors is become brutish On the other side if the counsellors of a nation be wise and understanding men then prosperity is likely to befal such a people This was the just commendation of Ahitophel though otherwise a most wicked and ungodly man That the counsel which he did counsel was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God so saith the Holy Ghost 2 Sam. 16. 23. was all the counsel of Ahitophel both with David and with Absalom Counsellors had need to understand the Laws of the Land to be well seen in the customs and usages of the people to know the affairs of the Countries the practises of former ages and the state of the present times It is recorded of the chief Heads of the children of Issachar that came to Hebron to make David King 1 Chron. 12. 32. That they were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do Some understand it that they had knowledg in Astrologie by which they did foresee the natural dispositions of seasons and diverse accidents of inferior bodies depending on the influence and government of the celestial ones which Science is not altogether unlawful in it self though the practisers of judicial Astrology seldom keep within their lawful bounds But I rather understand it thus That they were men endued with singular wisdom and sagacity either natural or acquired by long experience whereby they were able to discern and know the very moment of opportunities which is a thing very important and whereupon ordinarily dependeth the good success of affairs
Of this the wise man admonisheth Eccl. 3. 1. That to every thing there is a season und a time to every purpose under the sun And verse 11. Every thing is beautiful in its time To time a business aright is the excellencie of wisdom Upon the wisdom or the mistakes in counsels there doth usually follow answerable events Wherefore when the Lord intendeth to destroy a People he doth usually in the first place infatuate their counsels according to that of the Prophet Isa 44. 25. He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh diviners mad he turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledg foolish And hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 20. You see then what an extraordinary measure of knowledg you had need to have to capacitate you for this great buisiness Daniel was judged meet to be called unto the Kings Council because the spirit of the holy God was in him even an excellent spirit in knowledg and understanding and wisdom Dan. 5. 11 12. III. Ye ought to be men of publique spirits and must be such if ever ye intend to be a protection and safety to the people Private self-seeking men are not fit to be employed in publique counsels When God called Solomon to bear the Kingly Office in Israel it is said 1 King 4. 29. That he gave him largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the sea shore he was not of a straitned self interested temper I crave leave to enlarge my self in a few particulars 1 Ye must resolve to serve your Country though ye cannot profit your selves at all thereby but should rather waste your own outward estates Nehemiah for twelve years together did not eat the bread of the Governor when the people were in distress as the former Governors had done Neh. 5. 14 15. An excellent pattern Covetousness pursuing after a private profit in publique matters may well be called pestis Reipublicae this is a special thing to be avoided by them that are to judg others Deut. 18. 21. they must hate covetousness 2 A publique spirit will not suffer injuries of any sort to be put upon the people he beareth with and putteth up private in juries with patience but that wrong that is offered to the publique goeth to his heart he cannot brook it It was a noble virtue and a publique spirit in Saul that when a private despite was done unto himself yet he did hold his peace and was silent 1 Sam. 10. 27. But when he heard of the wrong done to his Subjects the men of Jabesh-Gilead by Nahash the Ammonite the Text saith that the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard these tidings and his anger was kindled greatly 1 Sam. 11. 6. and he rested not till he had relieved them 3 A publique spirit is more sensible of the peoples sufferings and afflictions then of any private mercies that concern himself onely See this in good Nehemiah although he was in high honour cup-bearer to a great King yet he minded not that but his countenance was sad and his heart full of sorrow when he heard of the great affliction and reproach that was befallen his country-men Why should not my countenance be sad saith he Neh. 2. 2 3. when the city the place of my fathers sepulchres lyeth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire So also Uriah denieth his own private content upon a publique account 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink and to ly with my wife as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 4 A publique spirit will not stick at his own private danger though it be apparant but will venture his own person to the greatest hazzard so that he may further the publique interest He will use his sword aswell as his tongue if necessity require it David did fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 10 17. When religion is in danger he will not spare himself but venture life and limb to uphold it Excellent was the resolution of Queen Esther in this case Chap. 4. 16. I will go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish He knoweth that he is not born for himself but for his country also and can willingly dye in the service thereof He can say as that reverend Bishop did Moriar ego modo me moriente vigeat Ecclesiae 5 He that hath a publique spirit desireth rather to be useful in his generation then to be great When the Lord puts Solomon to his choise what he would have 1 King 3. 5. He beggeth nothing but a publique spirit Verse 9. Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people He asketh not honour and grandure in the world but that he might be useful to the people of God over whom he was placed 6 I will adde but one thing more A man that hath the publique upon his heart will lay aside all private animosities put up all private wrongs and differences rather then endanger the publique peace and settlement of the people When there was some private difference between Abraham and Lot occasioned by their herdmen whence the Canaanite and Perizzite who dwelt in the land might have taken an opportunity to have done hurt to both of them we find that Abraham passeth over that difference and would take no notice of it to the publique disadvantage Gen. 13. 7. 8. 9. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we be brethren Is not the whole land before thee seperate I pray thee thy self from me if thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to she right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left If the mariners fall out the ship must needs be in jeopardy If private grudges be in the heart the publique concernments are like to suffer I have the rather pressed this duty of publique spiritedness upon you worthy Patriots because you know as well as I that private interest and self seeking in publique affairs have for a long time by past destroyed all our national counsells and consultations IIII Ye ought to be of settled and well resolved spirits and full of courage for God and your country To this end ye have your swords girt How shall ye be able to persevere in seeking the good of Gods house or of the Nation if ye be not resolved and grounded in your Religion and in the Laws of the Land And especially is it requisite at this time that ye be full of immoveable resolution because there is such a
twelve And Luk. 22. 14. And when the hour was come he sare down c. He would not fail in the very time of this Ordinance though a whole Church digressed from it Though Christians are bound to hold communion with the Church in which they live so far as they walk up to the rule yet in any pollution that is in that Church they need not nor ought to be partakers and such a frame of spirit doth well become every Christian This therefore justifieth the practise of such as flie from the errours that are in the Church not daring to meddle with any impositions which are not of the Lords appointment therein though they may not nor dare separate from her VII Lastly After due admonition given to scandalous sinners who live in the Church if the admonition be rejected and the sinners prove obstinate the Church must separate them and cast them out from her communion This lesson our Lord Jesus teacheth Mat. 18. 15-17 If thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican In which Text our Saviour doth not teach a Non-communion as some call it viz. that when we see Church members to offend and there is in the Church no help to be found for the redress thereof we must therefore decline communion with that Church immediately but he teacheth an Excommunion viz. that such as offend are to be cast out of that Church in case they do not reform upon admonition seasonably and frequently given according to that in Tit. 3. 10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject cast him off separate him from your communion This Separation is approvable Thus far you see we may and must be Separatists the Holy Ghost enjoyneth it we sin if we be not so and they that cast a reproach upon any man for this kind of Separation are in a great fault and it will be sin unto them And the Apostle in the 2 Cor. Chan. 6. giveth five reasons to persuade to such a Separation as this when he commandeth to come out from sinners and to be separate 1 Because there can be no agreement between the people of God and such sins and sinners This he proveth and confirmeth by propounding five Questions Verse 14 15 16. The first is What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness The second What communion hath light with darkness The third What concord hath Christ with Belial The fourth What part hath he that believeth with an infidel The fifth What agreement hath the Temple of God with idols As if he should have said These things are diametrally contrary the one to the other they are separated asunder and so must ye be separated from sin and sinners 2 Because the people of God are the house or Temple of God ver 16. For ye are the temple of God And it is unmeet that the temple of God should be defiled by having any society with sin and sinners therefore be ye separate 3 Because God dwelleth in this temple ibid. As God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them And it is treachery yea high treason to lodg any rebels within or near the habitation of this great King therefore separate 4 Because this God who dwelleth in this temple is the living God ibid. Ye are the temple of the living God so as he taketh notice of our behaviour and his spirit is grieved at this as a great miscarriage if we hold any communion with such and therefore we must separate from them 5 Because the people of God are an holy covenant engaged people God is their God and they are his people ibid. I will be their God and they shall be my people According to that which is written Deut. â—6 17 18. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and judgments and to hearken unto his voice And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people And therefore the people of God ought warily to avoid and separate from such things or persons as may endanger a breach of that love and amity that is between God and them Observe then that I speak not against all kind of Separation there is a Separation that is lawfull holy and strictly enjoyned us in the word of God Second Yet there is an unholy unlawful Separation an ungodly Separatist condemned in the unerring word of God You see that the Apostle Jude condemneth these false Teachers of whom he speaketh in this Epistle for their Separation amongst other vices that they were guilty of and sets a black mark of infamy upon them These be they saith he mark observe them well follow them not who separate themselves Let us therefore make enquiry by the written word of God who these Separatists are that we may know them and avoid them And I shall demonstrate that in six particulars I. Such may justly be challenged as guilty of sinfull Separation who deline as unlawfull all necessary society with them whom they conceive to be unregenerate so as they will not eat or drink or converse with them at all Such were the Pharisees of whom mention is frequently made in the New Testament and they were called Pharisees from the Hebrew Pharash separavit For though that word be metaphorically expounded to declare or to interprete yet properly it signifieth to divide or separate as the learned observe and so the Greeks used to call the Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separatists to this Epiphanius agreeth Dicebantur Pharisaei eò quòd separati essent ab aliis propter spontaneam superfluam religionem apud ipsos receptam Now one main point of their religion lay in this thing That they refused to eat or drink or come into the company of any whom they looked upon as sinners and blamed all those that followed not their example in this matter as you find in that speech of theirs to the Disciples Mat. 9. 11. Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners But our Lord Jesus refused not to converse with them upon just occasion as appeareth by his defense in the twelfth and thirteenth verses But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance By which answer our Lord Jesus Christ doth fully declare unto us that the Pharisees were
new thing to commit Treasons under the vizzard of holiness The Apostle long since foretold that there should be traitours heady high minded persons having a form of godliness 2. Tim. 3. 1-5 This Prophesy is eminently fulfilled in these our backsliding times By their means our holy and good profession is scandalized and the way of truth is evil spoken of by Papists and Atheists and all profane men as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2. 2. II. It is also desperate madness in them to act after this rate for the extirpation of our counsellors and their counsells For If they had accomplished their designs could they have escaped scot-free in the common overthrow Who but a man bereft of his wits will sink the vessel wherein he is imbarked or fire the house wherein he dwelleth Wherefore they are to be looked upon and dealt withal as mad man use to be being fitter for bedlam then for sober society The possessed of the Devil used to be bound in chains and fetters Mar. 5. 4. You cannot deal too warily with this generation of men Secondly If it be so That the prosperity or adversity of a people dependeth so much upon counsellors and counsels Then this also informeth us of the great worth and excellency of those honourable Persons who have ventured their all for the restitution of our Grand Council the Parliament they have done what in them is to keep these Nations from utter ruine and confusion This is true Nobility This was it that made Saul honourable in the eyes of all Israel when he stood up so manfully for the preservation and deliverance of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead 1. Sam. 11. Certainly such Worthies deserve well from us and from our posterity We should all say with Deborah in her song Judg. 5. 9. My heart is toward the Governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people I know full well what some black mouths belch out against these Noble persons and Saviours of our countrey and against the Magistrates of this famous City But let them alone when they are come to themselves they will be wiser and consider That it was a duty to save three Nations from sinking into destruction And as thankfulness love and honor are due from us all unto them So they may expect a reward from God for this incomparable service done to the Church and Nations Yea and God will reward them If a cup of cold water given to any one in the name of a disciple shall not be unrewarded Mat. 10. 42. What then shall the reward of those be that have ventured Life Estate and all that is dear unto them to save this Republique wherein are a multitude of true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ The second Use of this Doctrine affordeth ground of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord our God for two great mercies First If the want of counsellors doth portend the fall of a people Then what abundant cause have we all to bless the Lord that these Dominions are not totally ruined ere this day by the secluding of our counsellors and interrupting their counsels for so many years together You see that such a want of councel as we have had is usually the fall of a people and yet herein God hath been more mercifull to us than to others although we were plunged into the ditch yet we are not quite drowned We may say truly with the Psalmist Psal 118 13. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me And verse 2â— This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes You must set a Selah upon this mercie and say Hitherto hath the Lord helped us The 124 Psalm and the 129 Psalm ought to be sung frequently by all the godly in these Nations in commemoration of this mercie Secondly If it be so That the flourishing estate of a people ariseth from their enjoyment of a multitude of Counsellors Then what cause have we to praise the name of the Lord that he hath at last restored unto us our Free Parliament that great Council that may save us from destruction and ruine God hath this day begun to perform unto us that gracious promise which he made to the Jews Isa 1. 26. I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning It is a wonder of mercie that the Lord hath done this great thing for us And it is a great addition of mercy to us in this Island that God hath raised up to us also so many worthy Counsellors in this poor peeled Nation and hath notwithstanding manifold obstructions which were in the way brought them together into this City to consult and advise of those things that so nearly concern us both in matters religious and civil That both these mercies I am speaking of may have the greater impression upon our hearts consider seriously these four things 1 Our own unworthiness for whom God hath appeared so eminently Well may we take up that humble expression of Jacob Gen 32. 10. We are not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servants much less of so great mercy and truth as hath appeared in these mercies that we are now speaking of 2 Look upon the depth of the misery that we were plunged into and that will illustrate the greatness of these mercies our laws were discountenanced our properties impropriated our liberties infringed yea and which is more our selves were unchurched some of our godly Ministers silenced and banished and the Gospel ready to depart from us and nothing but blackness and darkness of error countenanced and encouraged to the wounding of the hearts of all truly pious men The actings of these late times have been like the Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram that strove against Moses and Aaron of which you may read Numb Ch. 16. They endeavoured to pull down Magistracy and Ministry and so have these done Dathan and Abiram were Gentlemen of the tribe of Reuben the eldest son of Israel Num. 26. 5. Famous in the Congregation Verse 9. They thought they had as much right to the civil Government as Moses had and therefore say they speaking in the Levellers dialect Why lift you up your selves above the congregation of the Lord in the third verse And when they were summoned by Moses they refused appear Ch. 16. v. 12. 13. We will not come up say they Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and hony to kill us in the wilderness except thou make thy self altogether a Prince over us Their quarrel against Moses was about civil power they would needs assume the supreme Magistracy Korah was a Levite and he would have none above him in the Church he would needs do the Office of a Priest aswell as Aaron as appeareth verse 10 11. His quarrel was ecclesiastical he would level the