The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. The fifth Objection, and Anſwer.
BUt we finde the Princes preaching, and teaching Obj. 5 of the people, as well as the Prieſts and Levites; for Jehoſaphat in the third year of his Reign, ſent to his Princes, to teach in the Cities of Judah, as it is expreſly ſaid (t)1 Chron. 17. 7., and it is ſaid, they did ſo (u)v. 9.; and what they did, there is no queſtion but others may and ought to do, when ever there is need and juſt occaſion offered, as here there was.
Sol. 1. Theſe Princes had a ſolemn and profeſſed call, for what they did, from the ſupreme and ſoveraign Ruler of the people of the Jews; and he being a very godly man, and at this time ſtirred up with more then ordinary zeal (w)2 Chron. 17. 6., would not break Rules, and violate the Orders which David had appointed, whom he was careful in all things to obſerve and imitate, as it is expreſly ſaid (x)v. 3.. Now David knew how punctual God was in the point of orders and diſtinctions, by the breach God made on Ʋzziah, before his face (y)1 Chron. 13. 9, 10, 11., and becauſe they ſought not God in the due order (z)1 Chron. 15. 13.: it is not there fore like, Jehoſaphat would fail in a thing that David had ſo notably miſcarried in, and ſo carefully reformed and amended.
2. Therefore Tremelius and Junius have rendered it a little otherwiſe then our tranſlators have, namely, that he ſent Prieſts and Levites with his Princes, to teach in the Cities of Judah; ſends Princes to reform and bring the people back again unto the Lord, as its ſaid (a)2 Chron. 19. 4., and that the Reformation might be rational, and ſettle better, he ſends with theſe Princes Prieſts and Levites, to inſtruct them; for ſo they render it, miſit cum praefectis ſuis, cum Benhail &c. ad docendum in per civitates Jehudas, cum illis inquam hos levitas, Shemaijah & quibuſcum erant Eliſhamah & Jehoram ſacerdotes; for though the prepoſition foreign doth not ordinarily ſignifie, cum, that is, with, yet it may and doth, ad, apud, juxta, by way of oppoſition, or addition, as in the Title of the four and fortieth Pſalm, & many others, foreign to the ſong of Chorah, ſo here foreign ad principes, to his Princes, that is, to go along with them, and be with them, to do that part of the work that was proper unto them: and Mr. Robinſon muſt not ſay, that Tremelius was not acquainted with the Jewiſh Cuſtoms, who was born and bred a Jew, and could not chuſe but ſee more reaſon for his Tranſlation, then we can, that ſtand a great deal further off.
3. Its ſaid, (b)2 Chron. 17. 9.they taught, that is, the Prieſts and Levites, that are named in the verſe immediately before; for the relative muſt be referred unto the next fore-going antecedent, unleſſe it be a ſubject uncapable of ſuch an accident or adjunct, which cannot here be thought; for the Prieſts and Levites were as capable of being Teachers, as the Princes, as its expreſly ſaid, (c)Deut. 33. 10.they ſhall teach Jacob thy judgements, and Iſrael thy Law: the relative therefore, they, muſt not go farther, and fare worſe, leap over Prieſts and Levites, and ſettle in the Princes, who were more improper ſubjects, and leſſe acquainted with it.
4. This miſſion and Commiſſion, was occaſional and extraordinary, to reduce & bring them back again unto the Lord, (d) as Junius and Tremelius in their (e) 2 Chron. 19. 4.note upon this place, hos ſelegit, ex omnibus ordinibus, ad tempus, per quos ſtatum eccleſiarum recognoſceret, ſelected theſe for this time, or on this occaſion, by whom he might be made acquainted with the Churches ſtate; that becauſe the people came not up unto Jeruſalem, as they were bound, to be directed and inſtructed, (e)Deut. 17. 8, 9, 10, 11.he ſends out a walking and Itinerary conſiſtory, that in ſuch caſes was compounded of Prieſts and Princes; for, had the Prieſts and Levites gone alone, their Doctrine might have been deſpiſed and contemned, as good King Hezekias letters were (f)2 Chron. 30. 10, 11.: now we would be glad, if in ſuch extraordinary caſes, the Magiſtrates would go along with us, and help us, would tell the people the occaſion of their preſent meeting, and exhort them to attend unto the Law of God, which the Prieſts and Levites had with them, and were ready to expound unto them; and if any body were irregular, or diſobedient, they had authority, and were ready to reſtrain them.
5. Though the Prieſts and Princes in this ſolemn Meſſage, were united and conjoyned, yet they were not bended and confounded; for it was Gods work, and God is not the Authour of confuſion (g)1 Cor. 14. 33.; but every one did what was proper and peculiar to his place. We may not think, the Princes ſpake and preached, and the Prieſts and Levites ſtood by as ciphers, or vulgar auditors; but the Princes ſpake what was proper unto them, and the Prieſts and Levites what belonged unto them, and that was to teach Jacob his Judgements, and Iſrael his Lawes, as we have ſhewed before. As in this Nation formerly, the Biſhop and Sheriffe ſate upon the ſame tribunal, yet the Biſhop ſpake to Eccleſiaſtical affairs, and the Sheriffe unto temporal; and ſo indeed it was; (h)2 Chron. 19. 11.and behold, Amariah, chief Prieſt is over you, in all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah, the ſonne of Iſhmael, the Ruler of the houſe of Judah, in all the Kings matters. As in Scotland, in their general Aſſembly, the King had his Commiſſioner or Subſtitute, to ſee that nothing was concluded to his prejudice.
6. There is no doubt, but Kings and Judges may aſſemble and inform their people, when any thing is …ut of order, as good Jehoſaphat doth (i)2 Chron. 19. 4, 5, 6, 7.; and ſo Joſhua when he was old, and likewiſe David, as it appears (k)Joſ. 24. 1, 2. &c.; and ſo our Kings, when the Judges are to go their Circuits, charge them with ſuch things as they think behoofful for the publick; and though our Aſſizes begin at Church, & with a Sermon, yet we think it not improper the Judge ſhould give a charge unto the Repreſentative body of the County, that is, the grand Inqueſt or Jury: ſo when chief Officers in Corporations are to be choſen, its a good order to begin at Church, and have the Electors conſciences awakened and charged home with du…y; but when they come to enter upon the execution of their places, the Recorder, or ſome other Officer, doth read a Lecture to them, and branch their duties into the parts thereof; and when the ſentence of death is to be given upon a malefactor, the Judge may ſpeak to him, and minde him of another world, and pray for him, and fit him for his end: ſo when any publick evil doth approach, Kings may command Aſſemblies of their people, and enjoyne faſting, and ſolemn ſeeking unto God for mercy, as not only Jehoſaphat (l)2 Chron. 20. 5, 6. &c., and Ezekiah do, but the King of Niniveh, although an Heathen and a ſtranger, alſo doth; for the King aroſe (m) 2 Chron. 29. 5. 6. &c.from his Throne, and layd his Robe from him, and cauſed it to be proclaimed and publiſhed through Niniveh, by the decree of the King and his Nobles (n)Jonah. 3. 6. 7, 8.: we are therefore ſo far from thinking this unlawful, or inexpedient, that we wiſh it were done more and oftner then it is; there would be ſtronger lines in their expreſſions, to binde the people to their duty, then any can be made by Miniſters; for where the word of a King is, there is power, as it is (o)Eccleſ. 8. 4; and their relation and Authority, would own the auditory, and obtain attention to them.