The Duty of Pastors and People Distinguished, Preface · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the ſame among the Jewes, and of the duty of that people diſtinct from their church officers.
2. COncerning the Jews after the giving of Moſes law, the people of God were then gathered in one, and a ſtandard was ſet up for all his to repaire unto, and the Church of God became like a City upon a hill, conſpicuous to all; and a certaine rule ſet downe for every one to obſerve that would approach unto him: as then before the law we ſought for the manner of Gods worſhip from the practiſe of men, ſo now ſince the change of the externall adminiſtration of the covenant, from the preſcription of God; then we gheſſed at what was commanded, by what was done; now at what was done, by what was commanded; and this is all the certainety we can have in either kinde, though the conſequence from the precept, to the performance; and on the contrary, in this corrupted ſtate of nature, be not of abſolute neceſſity; onelyonly the difference is, where things are obſcured, it is a ſafer way to prove the practiſe of men by Gods precept, charitably ſuppoſing them to have been obedient, then to wreſt the divine rule to their obſervation; knowing how prone men are to deifie themſelves, by mixing their inventions with the worſhip of God: The Adminiſtration of Gods providence towards his Church hath been various and the communication of himſelfe unto it, at ſundry times, hath been in divers manners; eſpecially, it pleaſed him not to bring it to perfection but by degrees,Marke 4 18. as the earth bringeth forth fruit, firſt the blade, then the eare, then the full corne in the eare: thus the Church before the giving of Moſes law, ſeems to have had two maine defects, which the Lord at that time ſupplyed; one in diſcipline, or government, in that every family exerciſed the publique worſhip of God within it ſelf or a part. (though ſome do otherwiſe conclude from Gen. 4. 26.) which was firſt removed, by eſtabliſhing a conſiſtory of Elders, the other, in the Doctrine wanting the rule of the written word being directed by tradition, the manifold defects whereof, were made up, by ſpeciall revelatition: to neither of theſe defects was the Church ſince expoſed: whether there was any thing written before the giving of the law, is not worth contending about: Auſtine thought Enochs propheſie was written by him;Aug. de civit. dei. lib 15. cap. 23. Joſeph. Antiq. lib. 1. ca. 3. Sixt. ſenenſ. Bib. lib. 2. propheſie was written by him; and Joſephus afirmes, that there were two pillars erected, one of ſtone, the other of brick before the ſtoode, wherein divers things were ingraven; and Sixtus Senenſis, that the booke of the wars of the Lord was a volume ancienter then the bookes of Moſes; but the contrary opinion is moſt received, ſo Chryſoſt. Hom. 1. in Mali. after its giving, none ever doubted of the perfection of the written word for the end to which it was ordained, untill the Jewes had broached their Talmud, to oppoſe Chriſt, and the Papiſts their Traditions, to advance Antichriſt; doubtleſſe the ſole aime of the work, what ever, were the intentions of the workmen.
The Lights which God maketh, are ſufficient to rule the ſeaſons for which they are ordained; as, in creating of the world, God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the leſſer light to rule the night; ſo in the erection of the new world of his Church, he ſet up two great lights, the leſſer light of the old Teſtament, to guide the night, the darke ſpace of time under the law, and the greater light of the new Teſtament, to rule the glorious day of the Goſpel, and theſe two lights do ſufficiently enlighten every man that commeth into this new world: There is no neede of the falſe fire of tradition, where God ſets up ſuch glorious lights. This be premiſed, for the pronaſs of men, to deflect from the golden rule, and heavenly poleſtarre in the inveſtigation of the truth; eſpecially in things of this nature, concerning which we treat, wherein ordinary indeavours, are farre greater in ſearching after what men have done, then what they ought to have done; and when the fact is once evidenced, from the pen of a Rabbi, or a Father, preſently conclude the right: amongſt many, we may take a late treatiſe for inſtance, intituled, of Religious Aſſemblies and the publike ſervice of God, whoſe author would preſcribe the manner of Gods worſhip among Chriſtians, from the cuſtome of the Jewes; and their obſervations, he would prove from the Rabbines; not at all taking notice, that from ſuch obſervances, they were long agon recalled, to the law and to the teſtamony. Matth. 5. 6.And afterwards for them ſharply rebuked by truth it ſelfe: doubtleſſe it is a worthy knowledge to be able, and a commendable deligence to ſearch into thoſe coyners of curioſities, but to imbrace the fancy's of thoſe wild-heads which have nothing but noveltie to commend them, and to ſeeke their impoſition on others, is but an abaſing of their owne ceiſure and others induſtry: The iſſue of ſuch a temper, ſeemes to bee the greateſt part of that treatiſe, which becauſe I wait onelyonly for ſome ſpare houres to demonſtrate in a perticular tract. I ſhall for the preſent, omit the handling of divers things there ſpoken of, though otherwiſe they might very opportunately here be mentioned. As the Office and Duty of Prophets, the manner of gods worſhip in their Synagogues, the originall and inſtitution of their latter teachers, Scribes and Phariſes, &. And briefly onelyonly obſerve thoſe things, which are moſt immediatly conducing to my propoſed ſubject. The worſhip of God among them, was either Morall, or Ceremoniall and Typicall, the performances belonging unto the latter, with all things thereunto conducing, were appropriated to them, whom God had peculiarly ſet a part for that purpoſe: By Ceromoniall worſhip, I underſtand all Sacrifices and Offerings, the whole ſervice of the Tabernacle, and afterwards of the Temple: all which, were Typicall, and eſtabliſhed merely for the preſent diſpenſation, not without purpoſe of their Abrogation, when that which was to be more perfect, ſhould appear. Now the ſeverall Officers with their diſtinct employments, in and about this Service, were ſo punctually preſcribed, and limited by Almighty God, that as none of them might foreign without preſumptious impiety, intrude into the function of others, not allotted to them, as Numb. 16. 7, 8, 9, 10. So none of their Bretheren might preſume to intrude into the leaſt part of their Office, without manifeſt ſacriledge. Joſh. 22. 11, 12. True it is, that there is mention of divers in the Scripture that offered Sacrifices, or vowed ſo to do, who were Strangers from the Prieſts Office, yea from the Tribe of Levi, as Jepha. Judges, 11. Manoah, Jud. 13. David, 2. Sam. 6. And again, 2. Sam. 24. Solomon, Kings 3. and again, 1. Kings 9. But following our former rule of Interpreting, the practiſe, by the precept, we may finde, (and that truely) that all the expreſions of their Offerings ſignifie no more; but, they brought thoſe things to be offered, and cauſed the Prieſts to do, what in their owne perſons they ought not to performe. Now hence by the way we may obſerve, that the people of God, under the new Teſtament, contrary diſtinct from their Teachers, have a greater intereſt in the performance of ſpirituall duties belonging to the worſhip of God, and more in that regard is granted unto them, and required of them, then was of the ancient people of the Jewes, conſidered as diſtinguiſhed from their Prieſts, becauſe their duty is preſcribed unto them under the notion of thoſe things which then, were appropriate onelyonly to the Prieſts; as of offering incenſe, ſacrifice; oblations, and the like, which in their originall inſtitution were never permitted to the people of the Jewes, but yet tralatitiouſly and by Analogie are injoyned to all Chriſtians, but of theſe afterwards; the main queſtion is, about the duty of the people of God, in performances for their owne edification, and the extent of their lawfull undertakings for others inſtruction; for the firſt, which is of neareſt concernment unto themſelves: The ſumme of their duty in this kind may bee reduced to theſe two heads; Firſt, to heare the Word and Law of God read attentively, eſpecially when it was expounded. Secondly, to meditate therein themſelves, to ſtudy it day and night, and to get their ſenſes exerciſed in that rule of their duty. Concerning each of which, we have both the precept, and the practiſe, Gods command, and their performance. The one, in that injunction given unto the Prieſt, Daut. 31. 11, 12, 13. When all Iſrael is come to appeare before the Lord thy God, in the place that hee ſhall chooſe, thou ſhalt reade this Law before all Iſrael in their hearing: Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy ſtranger that is within thy gates, that they may heare, and that they may learne, and feare the Lord your God; and that their children which have not knowne may heare and learne. All which we find punctually performed on both ſides, Nehem. 8. 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezra the Prieſt ſtanding on a Pulpit of wood, read the Law, and gave the meaning of it, and the eares of all the people were attentive to the Booke of the Law. Which courſe continued untill there was an end put to the obſervances of that Law; as Act. 15. 21. Moſes of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day: On which ground, not receding from their ancient obſervations, the people aſſembled to heare our Saviour teaching with authority, Luk. 21. 38. And S. Paul divers times tooke advantage of their ordinary aſſemblies to preach the Goſpel unto them. For the other, which concernes their own ſearching into the Law, and ſtudying of the Word wee have a ſtrict command, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8, 9. And theſe words which I command thee this day ſhall bee in thy heart, and thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and ſhalt talke of them when thou ſitteſt in thy houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lyeſt down, and when thou riſeſt up, and thou ſhalt bind them for a ſign upon thy hand, & they ſhal be as front lets between thine eyes, & thou ſhalt write them upon the poſts of thy houſe & upon thy gates: which ſtrict charge is again repeated, cap. 11. 18. ſummarily comprehending all wayes whereby they might become exerciſed in the Law: Now becauſe this charge is in particular given to the King, Chap. 17. verſ. 18, 19. The performance of a King in obedience thereunto, will give us light enough into the practiſe of the people: And this we have in that moſt excellent Pſalme of David, viz. 119. which for the moſt part, is ſpent in petitions for light, direction, and aſſistance in that ſtudy, in expreſſions of the performance of this duty, and in ſpirituall glorying of his ſucceſſe, in his divine Meditations: eſpecially verſ. 99. hee aſcribeth his proficiency in heavenly wiſedome and underſtanding above his teachers, not to any ſpeciall revelation, not to that propheticall light wherewith he was endued (which indeed conſiſting in a tranſient irradiation of the mind, being a ſupernaturall impulſion commenſurate to ſuch things as are connaturall onelyonly unto God, doth of it ſelfe give neither wiſedome nor underſtanding) but unto his ſtuddy in the teſtimonies of God. The bleſſings pronounced upon, and promiſes annexed to the performance of this duty, concerne not the matter in hand: only from the words wherein the former command is delivered, two things may be obſerved, 1. That the paternall teaching and inſtruction of families in things which appertaine to God, being a duty of the Law of Nature, remained in its full vigor, and was not at all impaired, by the inſtitution of a new order of Teachers for aſſemblies, beyond domeſticall then eſtabliſhed: Neither without doubt ought it to ceaſe amongſt Chriſtians, there being no other reaſon why now it ſhould, but that, which then was not effectuall.
Secondly, that the people of God, were not onelyonly permitted, but enjoyned alſo, to reads the Scriptures, and upon all occaſions, in their owne houſes, and elſe-where, to talke of them, or communicate their knowledge in them, unto others: There had been then, no Councell at Trent to forbid the one, nor perhaps was there any ſtrict Canon, to bring the other within the compaſſe of a Conventicle: But now for the ſolemne publique teaching and inſtructing of others, it was otherwiſe ordained, for this was committed to them in regard of ordinary performance, who were ſet apart by GOD; as for others before named: ſo alſo for that purpoſe, the Author of the Treatiſe I before mentioned, concludeth that the people were not taught at the publike aſſemblies by Prieſts, as ſuch, that is, teaching the people was no part of their office or duty: but on the contrary, that ſeems to be a mans duty in the ſervice or worſhip of God, which God requires of him, and that appertain to his office whoſe performance is expreſſely enjoyned unto him, as ſuch, And for whoſe neglect, hee is rebuked or puniſhed: now all this wee find concerning the Prieſts publike teaching of the people: for the prof of which the recitall of a few pertinent places ſhal ſuffice, Levit. 10. 11. we have an injunction laid upon Aaron and his ſonnes, to teach the children of Iſrael all the ſtatutes that the Lord had ſpoken to them by the hand of Moſes. And of the Levites it is affirmed, Deut. 33. 10. They ſhall teach Jacob thy ſtatutes, and Iſrael thy Law. Now though ſome reſtraine theſe places to the diſcerning of leproſies, and between holy and unholy, with their determination of difficulty emergent out of the Law, yet this no way impaires the truth of that I intend to prove by them for even, thoſe things, belonged to that kind of publike teaching, which was neceſſary under that adminiſtration of the Covenant: but in ſtead of many, I will name one not lyable to exception: Mil. 2. 7. The Prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and they ſhould ſeeke the Law at his mouth, for he is the meſſenger of the Lord of Hosts: where both a recitall of his own duty, that he ſhould be full of knowledge to inſtruct, the intimation of the people, that they ſhould ſeeke unto him, or give heed to his teaching with the reaſon of them both, for he is the Lords meſſenger, (one of the higheſt titles of the Miniſters of the Goſpell performing the ſame office) doe abundantly confirme, that inſtructing of the people in the morall worſhip of God, was a duty of the Prieſtly office, or of the Prieſts as ſuch. Eſpecially conſidering the effect of this teaching mentioned, verſ. 9. the turning of many from their iniquitie. The proper end of teaching in aſſemblies: all which we find exactly perperformed by an excellent Prieſt, preaching to the people on a Pulpit of wood: Nehem. 8. 5, 6, 7, 8. Further, for a neglect of this, the Prieſts are threatned with rejection from their office: Hoſea 4. 6. Now it doth not ſeeme juſtice, that a man ſhould be put out of his office, for a neglect of that, whoſe performance doth not belong unto it; the fault of every neglect, ariſeth from the deſcription of a duty: untill ſomething then of more force, then any thing as yet I have ſeene, bee objected to the contrary, we may take it for granted, That the teaching of the people under the Law, in publique aſſemblies, was performed ordinarily by the Prieſts, as belonging to their duty, and office. Men indued with gifts ſupernaturall, extraordinarily called, and immediately ſent by God himſelfe, for the inſtruction of his people, the reformation of his Church, and fore-telling things to come, ſuch as were the Prophets, who when ever they met with oppoſition, ſtaid themſelves upon their extraordinary calling, come not within the compaſſe of my diſquiſition. The inſtitution alſo of the Schooles of the Prophets, the employment of the ſonnes of the Prophets, the originall of the Scribes, and thoſe other poſſeſſours of Moſes Chaire in our Saviours time, wherein hee converſed here below, being neceſſarily to be handled in my Obſervations on the fore-named Treatiſe, I ſhall omit untill more leiſure, and an enjoyment of the ſmall remainder of my poore Library, ſhall better enable me. For the preſent, becauſe treating in cauſa facili, although writing without bookes, I hope I am not beſides the Truth: the Booke of Truth, praiſed bee GOD, is eaſie to bee obtained, and GOD is not tyed to meanes, in diſcovering the truth of that Booke. Come we then, to the conſideration of what duty in the ſervice of GOD, beyond thoſe belonging unto ſeverall families, were permitted to any of the people, not peculiarly ſet apart for ſuch a purpoſe. The Ceremoniall part of Gods worſhip, as we ſaw before, was ſo appropriate to the Prieſts, that God uſually revenged the trangreſſion of that ordinance, very ſeverely, the Examples of Ʋzzah and Ʋzziah, are dreadfull teſtimonies of his wrath in that kind:2 Chr. 26. 19. caſt him out, Joh. 9. It was an unalterable law, by vertue whereof, the Priests excommunicated that preſumptuous King. For that whch we chiefly intend the publique teaching of others, as to ſome it was enjoyned, as an act of their duty, ſo it might at first ſeeme, that it was permitted to all, who having ability thereunto, were called by charity or neceſſitie; So the Princes of Jehoſhaphat taught the people out of the Law of God, as well as the Prieſts and Levites, 2 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9, 10. ſo alſo Nehemiah, and others of the chiefe of the people are reckoned among them who taught the people, Nehem. 8. and afterwards, when Saint Paul at any time entred into their Synagogues; Acts 13. 15.they never questioned any thing but his abilities, if he had any word of Exhortation to the people he might ſay on: and the Scribes queſtioning the authoritie of our Saviour for his teaching, were moved to it, not becauſe he taught, but becauſe he taught ſo, and ſuch things, with authoritie, and againſt their traditions, otherwiſe they rather troubled themſelves, to thinke how he ſhould become able to teach: Mark 6. 2, 3. then him, becauſe he did: there are indeed many ſharpe reproofes in the old Testament of thoſe who undertooke to be Gods Meſſengers without his warrant, as Jerem. 23. 21, 22. I have not ſent theſe Prophets, yet they ran: I have not ſpoken to them, yet they propheſied. But if they had ſtood in my counſell, &c. to which, and the like places it may ſatisfactorily be anſwered, that howſoever by the way of analogie, they may be drawn into rule, for theſe times of the Goſpel, yet they were ſpoken only in reference to them who falſly pretended to extraordinary revelations, and a power of foretelling things to come: whom the Lord forewarned his people of, and appointed puniſhments for them, Deut. 13. with which ſort of pretenders that nation was ever repleniſhed, for which the very heathen often derided them: he, who makes it his employment, to counterfeit Gods diſpenſations, had then no more glorious worke to imitate then that of propheſie, wherein he was not idle: yet notwithſtanding all this, I doe not conceive the former diſcourſe to be punctually true in the latitude thereof: as though it were permitted to all men, or any men, beſides the Prieſts and Prophets to teach publikely at all times, and in all eſtates of that Church. Only I conceive that the uſuall anſwers given to the fore-cited places, when objected, are not ſufficient: take an inſtance in one, 2 Chro. 17. of the Princes of Jehoſhaphat teaching with the Prieſts: the Author of the book before intimated, conceives that neither Prieſts nor Princes taught at all in that way we now treat of, but only that the Prieſts rode circuit to adminiſter judgement, and had the Princes with them to do execution; but this interpretation he borroweth only to confirme his foreign, that priests did not teach as ſuch, the very circumſtance of the place inforces a contrary ſence; and in the 19. Chap. there is expreſſe mention of appointing Judges for the determination of civill cauſes in every City, which evidently was a diſtinct work diſtinguiſhed from that mentioned in this place: & upō the like ground I cōceive it to be no intimation of a moveable Sanedrim, which although of ſuch a mixt conſtitution, yet was not itinerant, and is mentioned in that other place: neither is that other ordinary gloſſe more probable, they were ſent to teach, that is to countenance the teaching of the Law; a duty which ſeldome implores the aſſiſtance of humane countenance, and if for the preſent it did, the Kings authority commanding it was of more value then the preſence of the Princes. Beſides, there is nothing in the Text, nor the circumſtances thereof, which ſhould hold out this ſence unto us; neither do we find any other rule, precept or practiſe, whoſe analogie might lead us to ſuch an interpretation: that, which to me ſeemes to come neereſt the truth is that they taught alſo, not in a miniſteriall way, like the Prieſts and Levites, but imperially, and judicially declaring the ſenſe of the Law, the offences againſt it, and the puniſhments due to ſuch offences; eſpecially in as much as they had reference to the peace of the common-wealth: which differs not much from that which I reſt upon, to wit, that in a collapſed and corrupted ſtate of the Church, when the ordinary teachers are either utterly ignorant and cannot, or negligent and will not performe their duty, gifts in any one to be a teacher, and conſent in others by him to be taught, are a ſufficient warrant for the performance of it: and then this, the places cited out of the old Teſtament prove no more. For the proceedings of St Paul in the Synagogues, their great want of teaching (being a people before forſaken of the Spirit & then withering) might be a warrant for them to deſire it, and his Apoſtolicall miſſion for him to do it; It doth not then at all from hence appear, that there was then any liberty of teaching in publike aſſemblies granted unto, or aſſumed by any in ſuch an eſtate of the Church, as wherein it ought to be: when indeed it is ruinouſly declining every one of Gods ſervants hath a ſufficient warrant to helpe or prevent the fall: this latter being but a common duty of zeale and charitie, the former an Authoritative act of the Keyes, the Miniſter whereof is onelyonly an inſtrumentall agent, that from whence it hath its efficacy, reſiding in another, in whoſe ſtead, (2 Cor. 5. 19, 20.) and under whoſe perſon it is done. Now who ever doth any thing in anothers ſtead, not by expreſſe patent from him, is a plaine impoſtor; and a grant of this nature made unto all in generall doth not appeare. I am bold to ſpeake of theſe things under the notion of the keyes, though in the time of the Law; for I cannot aſſent to thoſe Schoole-men, Aquin. Durand.who will not allow that the keyes in any ſenſe, were granted to the legall Prieſts; their power of teaching, diſcerning, judging, receiving in, and caſting out, import the thing, though the name (no more then that of regnum coelorum, as Hierom and Auguſtine obſerve) be not to bee found in the Old Teſtament. And doubtleſſe God ratified the execution of his owne ordinances in heaven, then, as well as now: What the immediate effect of their ſervices was, how far by their own force they reached,Tractatu de ſacerdotio Chriſti, contra Armin Socini: & Papiſtas, non. dum edito. and what they typified, how in ſignification onelyonly, and not immediatly they extended to an admiſſion into, and excluſion from the heavenly Tabernacle, and wherein lyes the ſecret power of Goſpell commiſſions beyond theirs to attaine the ultimate end, I have declared elſe-where.
Thus much of what the ancient people of God diſtinguiſhed from their Prieſts might not doe, now briefely of what they might, or rather of what they ought, and what their obedience and profeſſion declared, that they thought themſelves obliged unto: private exhortations, rebukings, and ſuch dictates of the law of Nature being preſuppoſed; we find them further, ſpeaking often one to another, of thoſe things which concerned the feare, and worſhip of the Lord, Malac. 3. 16. by their lips feeding many with wiſedome, Prov. 10. 21. Diſcourſing of Gods Lawes upon all occaſions, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8. By multitudes encouraging each other to the ſervice of God, Zach. 8. 20, 21. Iſa. 2. 3. joyntly praiſing God with chearefull hearts. Pſalm. 42. 4. Giving and receiving mutuall conſolation, Pſal. 55. 14. and all this, with much more of the ſame nature, at their meetings, either occaſionall, or for that purpoſe indicted. Alwayes provided, that they abſtained from fingring the Arke, or medling with thoſe things which were appropriated to the office of the Prieſts: And concerning them hitherto.