Eliasaph e Numb 3.24 Of Merari were two families and each of them had its hiad and over these was Zuriel f Ib. vers 35. Now all the Gershonites with their Heads or Presidents which were 2630. And all the Merarites with their Guides or Presidents which were 3200. were under Ithamars inspection Numb 4.28 33. Eleazar had his own family with the Fathers and Heads thereof And the Cohathites with the Rulers thereof in number 2750. as his peculiar Diocess But besides this he had a general jurisdiction over all the rest He was Primate under Aaron over 8580. Priests and Levites and therefore he is stiled Princeps Principum or Prelatus Prelatorum the Prelate of the Prelates or which is all one Chief over the Chief Numb 3.32 And all matters that belonged to the service of God were generally under his care and inspection Numb 4.16 This Subordination and Inequality did continue to the days of David as appears in the place before mentioned 1 Chron. 15.11 12. Zadok and Abiathar the Priests were above all the Heads of Levites and there was an inequality between the two Priests too Abiathar attended the Ark at Jerusalem 2 Sam. 15.29 2 Chro. 16.39 the higher function and Zadok the Tabernacle at Gibeon There was a first and second even amongst the high Priests 2 Kings 25.18 And how exactly David setled this Hierarchy in its state of Subordination and Inequality when 38000. were put into 24. Courses under so many Presidents and all these under the Jurisdiction and Government of Zadok and Ahimelech you may finde at large 1 Chron. 23 24 25 26. Chapters more particularly and concisely 1 Chron. 24.3 4 5. verses The Governours of the Sanctuary and of the House of God were of the Sons of Eleazar and of the Sons of Ithamar and the Offices weâ—e distributed for the sacred service But of the Sons of Eleazar there were sixteen Chiefs under Zadok and but eight of the Sons of Ithamar under Ahimelech This leads us to 3. Their Regulation and Conformity The Priests in their Courses applied themselves to their service and the Levites to their 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 Ezr. 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 thaâ— 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 private Office perform'd by the Priest and Levite or the Priest and his Clerk will not serve Davids turn He must hâ—ve the Ark conducted in such an Equipage as becomes the divine Majesty it represented and to this end he summon'd hâ—â— Elders and Captains and the chosen men of Israel to make up a Train of Attendants for this great Solemnity First nicet in Greg. Naz. Orat. 19. The Elders Christs Government differs from that of other Princes 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 Auxiliaries 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 subordinate Magistrates be irregular the force of their ill example will have 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 subordinate 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 concern'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 put the whoâ—e 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
mystery which the Angels desire to look into and so it answers to the Oracle It is the pledge of our peace * 1 Cor. 2.16 1 Pet. 1.12 the word of Reconciliation and so answers to the mercy-Seat It is the Magazin and Armory whence we are furnished with arms and strength for our Christian warfare It puts upon us the whole Armour of God the Shield of faith the breast-plate of righteousness the Helmet of salvation This was the Israelites Palladium and Sanctuary It divided the waters of Jordan demolished the Walls of Jericho prostrated Dagon and redeemed it self out of captivity when the wicked Israelites had exposed it to the scorn and triumphs of the uncircumcised representing hereby the Majesty of the Holy Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation pulling down strong holds drying up the inundations of sin and misery which stand in our way to Heaven prompting and pressing and inabling us to work out our own salvation In a word it did not signifie less and it could not well signifie more then God did really exhibit by it It hallowed every place where it stood and blessed every person that was qualified to receive a blessing from it This makes David so enamour'd of it and all his subjects so ready to conduct it So they brought the Ark c. In this Transportation or Conduct of the Ark we have two things to be inquired after 1. Who they were that did conduct it 2. How or after what manner they did conduct it 1. Who they were The Text saith That David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring up the Ark of the Lord unto his place which he had prepared for it 1 Chron 15.3 4 5. And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites So David and the Elders of Israel and the Captains over thousands went to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Where we are to consider 1. By whose Authority and example it was Transported By David the King's 2. Under whose Inspection and Ministry The Priests and Levites 3. With what Train and Attendants Here were the Elders and the Captains over thousands and all their Companies for there were Thirty thousand chosen men of Israel 2 Sam. 6 1. when the Ark was to be Carted to the City of David and sure there were as many now 1. By whose Authority and Example the Ark was Conducted or Translated I. The King The people might not do it of their own head no nor yet the Elders they had no Warrant for it It was done by David's by the Kings Authority and Example It was observed by the Philosopher that the King ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supreme Governour of things that pertain to divine Worship The Model of this Ark was at first given by God to Moses it was his Concern to see it made being the Supreme Governour and David's to see it kept The highest Honour the Royal Office entitles Princes to is to be Defenders of the Faith Indeed Princes may do much to the advantage of Religion as well by the encouragement of their Example as by their Authority and it is their interest to do their uttermost for 1. Sam. 2. Those that honour me will I honour saith the Lord And it is said of Lycurgus that he commanded nothing in his Laws that he did not confirm by his example and of Agesilaus it is said that he first of all performed that himself which he did injoin to others and David will not only make one but lead the Dance in this holy Solemnity and invite others by the force of his example I will bless the Lord at all times His praise shall continually be in my mouth Psal 34.1 2 3. My soul shall make her boast of the Lord The humble shall hear thereof and be glad O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together When such eminent persons shall advance the Standard of Piety Ecclus. 10.2 a plentiful train will follow As the Judge of the people is himself so are his Officers and what manner of man the Ruler of the City is such are all they that dwell therein But the ill president findes most followers men learn soonest to write after a foul Copy Good examples for the most part gain more reverence then imitation It is not enough therefore for a Prince to commend Piety by his Example old Eli did so much He must Imprint it by the Royal Stamp of his Authority And to go regularly to work he must in the first place exercise his Authority in setling the Hierarchy of the Church under whose inspection and Ministry the Ark is to be conducted and thus did David 1 Chron. 15.11 12. And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the Priests and for the Levites for Uriel Asaiah and Joel Shemaiah and Eliel and Aminadab And said unto them Ye are the chief of the Fathers of the Levites sanctifie your selves both ye and your brethren that ye may bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it II. The Hierarchy of Priests and Levites This was the Hierarchy under whose Inspection and Ministry the service of the Ark was to be accomplished wherein three things are considerable 1. Their Consecration and Sanctity 2. Their Subordination and Inequality 3. Their Regulation and Conformity 1. Of their Consecration and Sanctity It was not enough for them to be of the Tribe of Levi though God had taken that Tribe instead of the first-born * Numb 3.6 with 12. of every Family to minister unto him there was a solemn separation of their persons to the sacred Office They were to be solemnly Anointed Consecrated and Hallowed to minister in the Priests Office a Exod. 19.1 Numb 3.3 and the Levites were to be cleansed solemnly dedicated before the Lord that they might execute the service of the Lord b Numb 8.3 11. and this was required indispensably under pain of death c Numb 3.10 And besides this Consecration of their persons there was a prefatory sanctifying by way of preparation unto the address before they did officiate 1 Chron. 15.14 So the Priests and Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel 2. For their Subordination and Inequality this commenced with the Ark it self by Gods own immediate Order Aaron as a Type of Christ was head of all but Eleazar and Ithamar no such Types to be sure in Aarons life time though under him had very large jurisdictions all the Levites were under their inspection and command Numb 3.4 Besides the family of Aaron there were the Families of Cohath Gershon and Merari Of Cohath there were four Families and each family had its Chief or Ruler and over all these was Elizaphan d Numb 3.30 Of Gershon there were two families and each of them had its head and over both these was
perfect be thus minded Phil. 3.15 that is as it follows in the next verse Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing And I must add to take away an objection that may arise from the words intervening it may be very justly expected that we should be so perfect as is there required for though some novices in the Faith who were then but newly crept out of the darkness of Heathenism or the shades of the Jewish observances though these I say might then expect some further Revelation to inlighten them more clearly in that which by reason of their ignorance or prejudice they were not for the present satisfied in yet we are to expeâ—â— no such matter we have already attain'd to the utmost we can expect of immediate Revelation a Gal. 2.8 9. Jud. ep 3. and it is our duty Divine Revelation and Command hath made it so in all doubtful matters to res ign our judgments up to the conduct of such Guides †Heb. 13 7 17. as God hath set over us and for the truth of this Position I appeal to the declared doctrine of Mr. Baxter for thus he saith * In his Unsavoury Volumn against Mr. Crandon or his Noâ—egay presented to Mr. Joseph Caryll page 83. ante finem Let me be bold to tell my opinion to my Brethren of the Ministry that though I deny them to have either credit or Authority against the known Word of God yet so great is their credit and Authority even as Teachers and Guides of the Church in Causes agreeable to the Word and in Causes to the people doubtful and unknown and in Causes left by the Word to their determination the Word determining them but generally that I think the ignorance of this truth hath been the main cause of our sad Confusions and Schisms in England and that the Ministers have been guilty of it partly by an â—ver-modest concealing their Authority and partly by an indiscreet opposition to the Papists errour of the Authority of the Church and I think that till we have better taught even our godly people what credit and obedience is due to their Teachers and Spiritual Guides the Churches of England shall never have peace or any good or establish'd Order I say again we are broken for want of the knowledg of this truth and till this be known we shall never be well bound â—p and healed Thus far Mr. Baxter And as many as walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace be on theâ— and mercy and upon the Israel of God Amen Mr Crofton's Position Examined AND An Imposed Liturgy Justified THat 't is pride and an over-weaning Conceit of their own worth which makes men Non-Conformists I shall now give you a pregnant evidence out of the Pamphlet mention'd in the Title-page In a Postscript to that Pamphlet the Authour tells us of a Paper taken out of Mr. Crofton's pocket containing his high way thoughts which he committed to paper to communicate to a Non-Conformist Having procured a Copy thereof as he pretends with some difficulty he sends it to a friend with his leave to make it publick and thereby as he saith to capacitate our Conforming Clergy to resolve if they can one of the great scruples which he saith barreth Mr Crofton's Conformity and Ministration by a Liturgy The Position he lays down is this That A Minister of the Gospel cannot without sin receive a Liturgy generally and exclusively imposed But whaâ— is it the man contends for That an Order and regular Method of praying page 1. reading the Scriptures and administration of other parts of Worship in convenient time and order successively each after other in their proper place this he confesseth to have been used in all Churches of Jews and Christians and This he saith is dictated by all Rules of Order and Prudence necessary to humane Society so specified as to constitute an holy Convocation A Rubrick or Direction he acknowledgeth too as the genuine product of Ecclesiastical Politie and the Forma informans of that Uniformity in publick Order which is maintain'd without Unity of Words and Forms Terms and Expressions as the ornament and honour of any particular and circumscribed Church Such a Liturgy as this he allows of that is The Directory But stated Forms for the celebration of Solemn Publick Worship and the several parts thereof composed page 2. digested and for the very words terms and expressions thereof determined and prescribed by some others thâ—n the Parson or Minister who standeth to minister Gods Ordinances between God and his Church such an imposed Liturgy he cannot submit unto So that here we have a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6.4 2 Tim. 2.14 a strife about words terms and expressions say the Apostle what he will to the contrary And of what extraction is this quarrel then From whence come wars and strivings amongst you come they not from hence even from the lusts that war in your members The Apostle takes it for granted and the Wise man is positive in it Onely by pride cometh contention And it is so certain in this individuation of it That our Pick-pocket or pretended Mr. Crofton page 3. hath not artifice enough to dissemble it For he saith It cannot be denied to be a most base and slavish servility to prostitute the Office to which we are apted but not without humility and ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ unto the pleasure and prescriptions of men though the best for quality and authority But not so passionate good Mr. Crofton you may please to be so humble as to condescend to such an imposition for peace and order sake and that I prove by this Argument What I may lawfully be determin'd to by my own private judgment that I may lawfully be determin'd to by the judgment of my Superiours But to stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by my own private judgment Therefore To stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by the judgment of my Superiours In this Argument the Minor or Assumption cannot be denyed 't is that Mr. Crofton contends for for I hope he doth not exclude his judgment when he pleads for the liberty of his own Invention to Compose and Modifie his Forms of publick worship The Major is proved thus That which I may lawfully be determined to by a weaker judgment to that I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger But to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a weaker judgment viz. my own therefore to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger viz. that of my Superiours To deny the Major in this Argument were to
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 And so did the Captains too not for fashion sake 3. The Captains 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 asunder by Factions and Divisions it has no strength at all but enough to enable 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 through their own strength neither was it their own arme that saved them but it was the aid and favour of the Daity 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 Typotius de Salut Reipub. p. 242. non praecido Consilia 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 but we are risen and stand upright Psal 20.7 8 David therefore will have no Souldiers to be of his Guard but such aâ— have a devotion for the Ark of God And where there is such a Prince after Gods own heart â—uch 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 afflâ—ction was an instruction to him and made 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
a great light God had not dealt so with other Nations Here was a comely as well as a convenient Tabernacle for the Ark of God and God was worshipped in the beauty of holiness And God was not at all behind hand with us in the reciprocation of kindnesses there was never so low an ebb in us by our making out sallies of devotion upon him but there came as high a tide upon us flowing back from him What we paid the Ark of God in reverence and duty was infalliby return'd in a compensation nay with a surplusage of blessings As long as our English earth continued to pay a worthy homage unto heaven the Heavens were not only constant to involve and incircle us but they never fail'd to protect and shelter to feed and to cloath us with suitable applications of the most enriching influences Other Nations had Mines which they digged with much pain and peril in the earth but we had Mines in heaven treasures that never fail'd to supply not only our needs but our very pomp and curiosity It was our felicity that God had made out that experiment to us which he speaks of by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.10 Prove me now if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it We had pregnant evidence of this goodness of the Lord toward us which makes one that might have made a better use of it observe that God has dealt by way of prerogative with this English Nation But we perverted Gods gracious dispensations turning his blessings into aggravations of our crimes and making our felicity serve only for a reproach to our ingratitude For like Israel we waxed fat and kicked our Manna a spiritual food that came down from heaven prepared for us by the Ministry of those Angels that presided in the Church at the Reformation because it was common and our daily bread it became loathsome to us We grew wanton and having taken a surfeit of the bread of life we long'd for quails to be brought us out of forreign Countries We thought Abana and Parphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel Men grew precise and squeamish they would not wash and be clean unless they might have Cisterns of their own hewing out nor drink of the water of life though it ran never so freely unless it were conveyed to them in new Pipes of their own casting Some there were that did strictly hold themselves to the Form of godliness the Solemn Worship of God established in the Church who notwithstanding in the looseness of their lives did shamefully deny the power thereof Others there were that did pretend to be so over-born with the power of godliness that they would allow no Form at all for the regulation and exercise of it All the innocent Ceremonies that had constantly attended the solemn devotions of pious Antiquity were look'd upon as the very dress and trimmings of Hypocrisie Reverence in Gods Worship was accounted superstitious and the holy Incense of Morning and Evening Prayers no better then abomination Even such of the people which make up the greatest number of its adversaries as never had judgment or wit enough to understand it had yet malice enough infused into them to deride and scorn the Holy Service of the Church And as an evidence that this disease was grown desperate our greatest quarrel was at those Physitians whose practice and prescriptions were the most probable means to reduce us to our Christian temper When I consider the carriage of the people Israel under Gods gracious dispensations 2 Chron. 36.15 16. methinks I see the Character of our English Nation in these late years The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was noremedy For when the Patient grows so raving so out of temper as to strike his Physitian and throw away his Antidotes there remain no ordinary methods that can cure him And then the Bedlam and the chain the whip and the skrews all the violences of a severe discipline are the best instances of our kindness Such was the condition of Israel Hosea 4.1 2 4. The Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priest When sin begins to spread amongst a people what remedy does Almighty God use to apply to heal and stop it there is the Authority of a Judge to oppose it and the Reprehension of the Priest to give a check to it But when God does inhibite these his Officers from using their Authority and exercising their Jurisdiction 't is a sign that people is grown obstinate shameless and incorrigible When they grow so insolent as to contradict the Priest in his own office wherein doubtless he is Gods Vicegerent that people is past Grace as it runs in the ordinary Channel and unless God useth some other methods of Discipline there is no hopes of their amendment So it follows in the Prophet Hosea 4.5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day When they had the clear light of heaven shining round about them the light of knowledge and the light of comfort and prosperity in this noon-day Thou shalt stumble and fall saith the Lord and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night the false Prophet shall be benighted and lose himself in the darknesse of his own vain imaginations and I will destroy thy Mother saith the Lord the Church and Nation from whose womb thou hast had thy birth in whose bosome thou hast had thy breeding and to whose blessings thou owest the procurement of thy prosperity We may make England the Scene of that Prophesie as well as Jerusalem for the whole Tragedy hath been acted over in all its parts amongst us with a full solemnity God he took notice of our misdemeanours under his most gracious dispensations towards our Superiours his Vicegerents both Civil and Ecclesiastical and he was wroth and upon so great provocations as we were guilty of he did to us as he had done to Israel He delivered our strength into Captivity and our beauty into the Enemies hands That Ark that Form of Gods Worship that had procured such miracles of mercy for us in 88. and at the intended powder-plot That Ark whose virtue had been so often tryed to good effect in times of war pestilence and famine And our Beauty that Form of Solemn
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 places 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 setled 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 restitution of this Authority should prostrate every private judgment 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 doers 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 aside 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 3. We must submit to this Settlement in regard of that Ministry under which it is sotled these are not like those false Prophets which come in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves We know them well enough by their fruits these are contented to subsist upon that portion which the Laws of God and man allow them and would not be Pensioners to your Purses lest they should be tempted to flâ—tter you and betray your souls for they seek not yours but you These are nâ—ne of Jeroboams Priests the meanest Mechanicks amongst the people set up by an Usurper to entertain the devotions of the people in the worship of his Calves left bâ—â—aving recourse to Jerusalem to the Ark of God and the Priesthood that does attend upon it they should be invited to their duty and return their Allegiance to their Sovereign This Hierarchy that now attends the Ark and worship of God did not arise up of it self as the heads of Factions many times do or out of the bottomlesse pit which is no better a Pedigree but it derives its Mission and Authority as it should do in a visible line of succession from Christ and his Apostles and is most Consonâ—nt to the pattern in the Old Testament where as we are told by the Apostle the Synagogue was a Type or Shadow of the Christian Church Heb. 10.1 where likewise God did promise that for the service of this Church being made up for the most part of Gentiles He would take of the Gentiles and make them Priests and Levites to himself Isa 66.22 by which legal nameâ— of Priests and Levites what doth he understand but such as we call Presbyters and Deacons upon which grounds the Antient Fathers presum'd a correspondence beâ—ween that Hierarchy of the old and this of the New Testament And if we look into the Degrees of this Hierarchy we shall find they run parallel See Clavi Trabales p. 117. in their agreement wi h those designed of old to Minister untâ— tâ—e Ark of God There was Aaron answerable to Christ Eleazar a Numb 3.32 Neh. 11.10 11 14. to Archbishops Princes b Ezr. 8.24 29. of Priests b to Bishops Priâ—sts to Presbyters Princes c Neh. 11.16 22. of Levites c to Archdeacons Levites to Deacons Nethinims to Clerks and Sextons Is it not probable tâ—en that God will bless and accept of a Ministery of his own institution and allowance 1 Chron. 15.12 rather then one of our fond contrivance and â—eeing the saving efficacy of the Ministery depends wholly upon Gods blessing and gracious acceptation are we not highly concernâ—d to submit to that Ministry which derives its Original regularly from God and upon that account hath the fairest title to his blessing and acceptation if this be not inducement enough we have an obligation lâ—id upon us from his command Heb. 13.7 Remember your Prelates your guides which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation and Vers 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you 4. There is one Consideration more that should induce you to submit to this Settlement of the Ark and that is the solemnity with which it is setled Besides the Type and Pattern for it in the Old Testament there aâ—e four general Rules left upon Record by the Apostle for the direction of Prelates and other Superiours in setling the Ark of Gods solemn worship 1. That all be done to the glory of God a 1 Cor. 10.31 2. That all be done to the edification of the Church of Goa b 1 Cor. 14.26 3. That all be done decently and worthily c 1 Cor. 11.27 29. as becomes the service we perform and the Majesty we adore d 1 Cor. 14.40 4. That all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order e 1 Cor. 14.40 These Rules are observ'd in our Settlement 1. And first of the last of these It belongs unquestionably to the Office of Ecclesiastical Governours to set things in Order so St Paul in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11. ult The rest will I set in order * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I come so Titus in Crete an Island that had 100 Cities in it for this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are wanting or left undone Tit. 1.5 and it was not left to every mans choice whether he would submit such as did not observe these Orders were punished by the censures of the Church 2 Thes 3.6 14 15. Now we command you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw