A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Answer to preface · Section 7 – Section 12
Sect. 7. The election or ordination of Levites, is no rule for election or ordination of Ministers now.
Secondly, saith he, that persons were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation for the publick administration of ordinances and worship, cannot be denied: Thus were the Levites, Exod. 13.2, 12, 13. and 22.29. Numb. 3.12. called therefore the Wave-offering of the Children of Israel, Numb. 8.9, 10, 11. because given up by them to the Lord as their offering, by solemn ordination, and imposition of hands.
Answer, it is true, that the Levites were wholly given unto God from among the Children of Israel, to do the service of the Congregation; but it is not true, that they were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation. God saith, Numb. 8.16. in stead of the first-born of all the Children of Israel have I taken them to mee. And upon what occasion God took the Levites in stead of the first born, is to be seen in Exod. 32.26, 29. Deut. 33.9. Saith Ainsworth annot. on Numb. 3.12. So that here appears no choice of the Congregation, so as that it was left to them to take or to leave those. It is true also, that Numb. 8.9. it is said, that Moses shall bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, it was therefore his business to present them, and that he should gather the whole assembly of the Children of Israel together, and that he should bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Children of Israel, that is, some of the chief of them, (as the first born) in the name of the rest shall lay or impose hands on the Levites, saith Ainsworth annot. on Numb. 8.10. And then it follows, v. 11. Aaron shall offer or wave the Levites before the Lord, for an offering or wave-offering of the Children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord. And then Aaron was to make an atonement for the Levites, and Moses should set the Levites before Aaron and before his Sons, and offer them for an offering unto the Lord, and that he should separate the Levites from among the Children of Israel: and the Levites should then be Gods. v. 13, 14. The reason of the laying on of the hands of the Children of Israel upon the Levites, was to signifie their obedient yielding them to God in their stead, to do the service of the Children of Israel, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and to make an atonement for the Children of Israel: that there might be no plague among the Children of Israel, when the Children of Israel came nigh unto the Sanctuary, v. 19. But these were not the Priests, they were distinct from the Levites, to wit Aaron and his Sons, who were called of God, Heb. 5.4. without the Prophets laying on of hands. Now it was the Priests office to do that work, in which was the worship of God to wit the offering Sacrifice, sprinkling the blood, and such other duties, the Levites were imployed to do other services, as the bearing of the utesils and such like, in respect of which they were to attend on the Priests, Deut. 10.8. & therefore it is said by God, v. 19. I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his Sons. So that the choice was Gods, the presenting Moses his act, the yielding them by imposition of hands signifying their offering them to God, in stead of themselves, was the act of the first-born, the wave offering, and cleansing them, Aarons act, which may more truly be called their solemn ordination than the imposition of hands by the first-born. But were it true, that in this act of imposing their hands there was election and ordination, this wa… not a successive election or ordination, as is when one dies and another is chosen and ordained in his room, as oft as there is such vacancy, when one Minister dies and another comes in his stead. For this election or ordination (if it may be so called) was but once, and of the whole company together, and so is no pattern for election or ordination of Elders successively by a particular Congregation, or the major part of them.
Sect. 8. The Texts enjoyning the observation of things appointed, prove not that some things undetermined might not in Gods worship be ordered by men.
Thirdly, saith he, that persons thus invested into the office of Priesthood were not left to the liberty of their own wits, nor have they any dependance upon the will or Authority of the Sons of men, (one or other of them) either in respect of the matter or manner of their worship, the whole whereof was purely of Divine institution and Divine appointment, Exod. 25.9, 40. Numb. 8.5. Heb. 8.5. 1 Chron. 28, 11. Exod. 8.27. Levit. 10.1. Exod. 39.1, 5, 7, 21, 26, 31, 43, and 40.23, 25, 27, 29. Levit. 8.9, 13, 17, 21, 29. Numb. 8.3. Exod. 35.10, 29. and 36.1, 5. Isaiah 29.13.
Answer, The Levites were not invested into the office of the Priesthood by solemn ordination & imposition of hands of the children of Israel, but Aaron and his Sons, and therefore as it was an usurpation in Uzziah to burn incense to the Lord, sith it appertained to the Priests, the sons of Aaron that were consecrated to burn incense, 2 Chron. 26.18. So it was the sin of Korah that, not content with that service he was to do, he would usurp the office of the Priests, to come nigh the Altar and to burn incense, or as it is Numb. 16.10. to seek the Priesthood, which was in degree above the Levites, who were to minister unto the Priests, but not to come nigh the Altar, as Ainsworth proves in his Annot. on Numb. 16.10. out of Numb. 18.2, 3. 1 Chron. 6.48, 49. 1 Chron. 23.13. It is granted that neither the Levites nor the Priests in their office or service were left to their own wills, nor had they any dependance upon the will or authority of the sons of men (one or other of them) either in respect of the matter or manner of their worship, which was of Divine institution, and Divine appointment. Every circumstance of time, place, order, habit, and what ever else was particularly determined, was to be strictly observed under pain of death, if presumptuously done otherwise; as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, Hophai and Phinehas, or culpable negligence as in the case of Uzzah, and if it were by ignorance, yet an offering was to be made for an atonement, and thus much it is granted the Texts alledged do prove. But neither these texts nor any other do prove that no circumstances about place, time, order undetermined by God were left to the liberty of the people, or Prince, or Sanhedrin, or Priests in and about the worship of God among the Jewes, who yet had their service more fully particularized in all things pertaining to it than we have. The Priests were invested into the office of Priesthood by Moses, according to the rites distinctly set down, Exod. 40.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Levit. 8. throughout. The text, Isai. 29.13. alledged in the first chapter out of Mark 7.7. will there fitly be considered, that we may discusse, whether the whole of their worship was purely of Divine institution and appointment in respect of the matter, and manner of it.
Sect. 9. The defection of the Jews to Idolatrous inventions of men, is of a more hainous degree than use of humane ceremonies with us.
Fourthly, saith he, that this Church gathered by the Lord, and wonderfully separated from the rest of the world (though they had him nearer to them than any people had his Law made known amongst them) did notwithstanding quickly depart from his pure institutions, mingling therewith the inventions of men, and customes of the Nations (after which they went a whoring) is frequently remarked in the Scripture: of this the Lord sorely complains, Deut. 32.18. Jer. 2.32. and 13.25. and 23.27. Hos. 4.6. and 8.14. and 13.6. 2 Chron. 13.16. Isa. 1.4. Jer 1.16. and 2.17, 19. and 9.13. and 15.6. Deut. 29.5. 1 Kings 11.33. and 18.18. and 19.10. 2 Kings 22.17. Ezra 9.10. for this he severely threatens and punisheth them, Deut. 29.25. Judg. 10.10. 1 Sam. 12.10. 2 Chron. 12.5. and 24.20. and 34.25. Jer. 16.11. and 19.4. the very truth is, the contests of God with that people from first to last, are to be bottom'd upon this foot of account.
Answer, It is true, that Church of Israel was gathered by the Lord, and wonderfully separated from the rest of the world by great signs, miracles, providences, and judgments; which he shewed against their enemies and towards them, especially by the hand of Moses, and that he did not, till Christ came, so gather, and wonderfully separate any Church from the rest of the World, as he did them. But after the ascension of Christ by the Preaching of the Gospel, and other wayes he hath gathered out of all Nations his Church, and wonderfully separated it from the rest of the world. It is true also, that the Israelites quickly departed from Gods pure institutions mingling therewith the inventions of men, and customs of the Nations. But those inventions of men and customs of the Nations, which the Texts alledged mention, were such as were expressely forbidden, drew them to serve other other Gods and to forsake the Lord, not such as are usually by seperatives called inventions of men, to wit humane ceremonies, confessed out of the case of worship in themselves to be things indifferent, such as out of pretended prudence at least, or publique authority are imposed for discipline, order, or decency without giving any Divine worship to a Creature. Let all the Texts alledged be viewed, and there is none of them, that mentions the mingling such inventions of men, no not those, which our Saviour reprehends in the Pharisees, Mark 7.3, 4, 8. (which are farr worse) as the departing from Gods pure institutions, nor doth God contest with the people of the Jewes, in those places alledged for other inventions of men and customes of the Nations, than such as were Idolatrous, and therefore the threatnings and punishments in those places are grossely abused, when they are applied to the imposing or use of such ceremonies or discipline as are (whether rightly or wrongly) retained in the Church of England.
Sect. 10. Such testimony as the Prophets gave against the Jewish defection, is not now to be given against the Conformists.
Fifthly, saith he, that notwithstanding their dreadful Apostacy from God, they were usually confident, that they were the only People, had not forsaken the Lord, nor done any evil, and could not bear the Prophecies, and rebukes of the Prophets and Servants of the Lord, against their abominations: whom they persecuted and put to death (as at last they did the Prince of Life and Glory) for no other cause but for telling them the truth, and bearing testimony against their Innovations, and Apostacy from God (the usual practice of persons degenerated from the way and Spirit of the Lord) Mal. 1.6. Jer. 7.4. Luke 3.8. John 8.39. Mat. 5.12. Act. 7.52.
Answer, All this is granted, and if this Author can prove any such innovations and Apostacy from God (as the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, and other Servants of God, rebuked in the Jewes) in the People or Teachers, who adhere to the doctrin, worship, or discipline of the Church of England, this Author with others of his minde, do well to bear their testimony against them as the Prophets did, and they that persecuted them for so doing, may expect the like judgments of God to fall on them, as fell on the Jewes. But if it be otherwise, and the things inveighed against, be not such as they make them, and their bearing testimony be such as tends to infringe the publique peace, but not to rectify any thing, they are guilty of calumny, and their practice not to be judged to proceed from holy zeale, but evil passion.
Sect. 11. The conformist not chargeable, as the false Prophets of the Jewes.
Sixthly, saith he, that they had all along their corruption in worship, and degeneracy from the worship of God, false Prophets (who ran before they were sent, prophesying smooth things to them in the name of the Lord, seeing Lying vanities for them, according to the desires of the hearts of them, and their Rulers, who were therefore in great esteem amongst them. Isa. 9.15. and 28.7. Jer. 6.13. and 23.11, 28. and 28.10. Hos. 9 8, Jer. 2.8, 26. and 5.31. and 14.14. and 23.13, 21. Ezek. 13.2. and 22.25, 28. Mic. 3.5, 6, 7. Zeph. 3.4. 2 Pet. 2.1.
Answer, All this is granted, and if any of the Preachers in England prophesie lies in Gods name, or bring in damnable heresies, denying the Lord that bought them, or are such as those, whom the Texts alledged describe, let them be branded as false Prophets. But if they teach the fundamentals of Christian Religion truly, and in respect of the substance of worship, use no other than God hath appointed, though they may in some points remote from the foundation erre, and use some things in and about the worship of God, which should not be, yet do not overthrow the worship of God in substantials, then are they false accusers, who accuse them as if they were such, as those Texts of Scripture alledged do describe.
S…ct. 12. Invectives against teachers and worship now, may be from another spirit than that of the Prophets.
Seventhly, saith he, that in the height of their Apostacy, God left not himself without a witness, having one or other, extraordinarily raised up and spirited by him, to testify for his name and glory, against all their abominations, and self-invented worship, reserving also a remnant unto himself, that were not carried away with the Spirit of whoredoms and delusions, 1 Kings 19.14, 18. 2 Kings 17.13. Romans 11.3, 4. Jer. 18.11. and 25.5. and 35.15.
Answer, That self invented worship was bowing the Knee to Baal, 1 Kings 19.18. Rom. 11.3, 4. serving Idols, 2 Kings 17.12. burning Incense to vanity, Jer. 18.15. going after other Gods to serve them and worship them, Jer. 25.6. and 35.15. If there be found any such self-invented worship in the Church of England, it will do well to testifie against it. But if there be not such abominations and self-invented worship, these texts will not justify Persons, who have no other than ordinary calling, to testify against them, much less to censure them as whoredoms and delusions, and they that practice them as carried away with the spirit of whoredoms and delusions. And though persons may imagine they imitate Elijah, are extraordinarily raised up, and spirited by God, and that they testify for Gods name and Glory, when they call the Common-prayer Book an Idol, the Ministers that conform Baals Priests, the Communion the Mass, with such like Billingsgate Rhetorick, yet it is not unlikely, but that it may be truly verified of such, which our Lord Christ said to James and John, when they would have fire commanded to come down from Heaven and consume the Samaritans, even as Elias did, ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of: and that it may be bitter and not holy zeal which moves them, and their language judged by God not just reproof, but unjust reviling.