Chronological History of Popes Intolerable Usurpations, History · Book 1 · Chapter 2

Chronological History of Popes Intolerable Usurpations · History · Book 1 · Chapter 2

p. 4BOOK I. CHAP. II.

2. My Second Propoſition is, That God, after the Iſraelites deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, when he first new modelled them into a Commonwealth, and afterwards into a Kingdom; ſetled their State and Church government, and divided the Priesthood from the Supream Civil Magistracy and Kingſhip, vesting the one in Moſes, Joſuah, David, Solomon, and their Royal Succeſſors, the other in Aaron, his Sons, and the Tribe of Levi, did even then leave the Soveraign Eccleſiastical Power and Juriſdiction over all perſons and cauſes, still annexed to, and reſiding in the Supream Civil Magiſtratical Office and Officers, transferring only the Miniſterial Priestly Offices to the Priests, not the Eccleſiastical Juriſdiction. being not different in kind from, but the very ſame with the Civil, varyed only by the Object, not Subject of it.

THis I ſhall evidence as clear as the noon-day Sunne.

1. By Ten memorable particulars recorded in Sacred Hiſtory, concerning p. 5Moſes, (the firſt Supream Temporal Governor in the Iſraelites Commonwealth,) demonſtrating his Soveraign Juriſdiction in all Sacred, Religious, Church affairs.

1. God himſelf by the Miniſtry of(a)(a)Exod. 13Exod 13 Moſes (not Aaron) inſtituted, deſcribed, celebrated the feaſt and Sacrament of the Paſſeover, and ſanctified all the firſtborn of the children of Iſrael unto God, and was to Aaron INSTEAD OF GOD, Exod. 4. 16.

2ly. (b)(b)Exod. 15. … &c. Rev. 15. 3…Exod 15Rev 15:3Moſes, not Aaron, penned and preſcribed that memorable Song of Praiſe which all the Iſraelites ſang unto the Lord, immediately after their deliverance out of Egypt, and drowning of the Egyptians …n the Red Sea.

3dly.(c)(c)Exod. 16. John 6. 31, 3… 33, &c. 1 Cor 10. 3.Exod 16John 6:31John 6:31 Cor 10:3 Moſes, not Aaron, gave them inſtructions concerning the gathering, and for reſerving of an Omer of Manna to be kept before the Lord, as a Type of Chriſt, the true Manna.

4ly. God himſelf immediately(d)(d)Exod. c. 19. to 21. 24. Mat. 4. & 5. John 1. 17. c. 7. 19. Joſh. 8. 31. 35.Exod 19Matt 4John 1:17Josh 8:31Josh 8:35 appeared unto Moſes in Mount Sinai, and by his Mouth and Miniſtry alone (not Aarons) delivered the firſt Covenant, and the Moral, Ceremonial and Iudicial Law unto his people Iſrael, the only rule of their Worſhip, Obedience, Government Sacred and Civil.

5ly. That when(e)(e)Exod. c. 14. to 21. c. 31. 18. c. 12. 15, 16. Deut. c. 4. & 5. c. 9, 10. Heb. 9. 19.Exod 14Deut 4Heb 9:19 Moſes, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and ſeventy of the Elders were afterwards called up into Mount Sinai by God; Moſes alone was called to come near to God, and Aaron left behind; That Moſes alone wrote all the words of the Lord, built an Altar for the 12 Tribes of Iſrael, read the Book of the Covenant to them, ſprinkled the blood of the Covenant both on the Altar, Book, & all the people; received the Tables of ſtone and Law written therein by God himſelf; and the pattern of the Tabernacle, Mercy-ſeat, Altar, and all the furniture and utenſils thereof, the garments of Aaron and the Priests, the manner and ceremonies of their reſpective Conſecrations, and all the oblations, ſacrifices, and parts of Gods worſhip to be therein performed both by the Prieſts and people, from God. Hence it is ſpecially recorded both in the Old Teſtament and New, That theſe precepts concerning the Sanctuary of God,(a)(a)Exod. 25. 3. 40. Numb. 8. 4. Hebr. 8. 5. Acts 7. 44.Exod 25:3Exod 25:40Num 8:4Heb 8:5Acts 7:44 Let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongſt them, according to all that I ſhew thee, after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of the inſtruments thereof, even ſo ſhall ye make it: And (b)(b)Exod. 31, to cap. 40.Exod 31look that thou make them after the pattern which was ſhewed thee in the Mount; were given only to Moſes, the Chief Temporal Magiſtrate; (Not to Aaron nor the Prieſts or Levites;) who alone directed all things to be made accordingly. And when all the work of the Tabernacle with the Curtains and the Prieſts Garments were finiſhed by the Workmen,(c)(c)Exod. 39, 42, 43.Exod 39:42Exod 39:43 Moſes, not Aaron, ſurvayed and looked upon all the work, and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded, even ſo had they done it, and Moſes (not Aaron) bleſſed them.

6ly. After all the work was thus finiſhed,(d)(d)Exod. 40. 1. to 36.Exod 40:1–36 Moſes, not Aaron, was particularly commanded to rear up the Tabernacle, with all its furniture, and to anoint and conſecrate them unto God.

7ly. Which is moſt obſervable, Aaron and his Sonnes did not anoint Moſes to be the Supream Civil Magiſtrate; but on the contrary, God by Moſes not only preſcribed all the ſpiritual Offices, duties, qualifications, veſtments,**Levit. 21. 7, &c.Lev 21:7 wives, marriages, maintenance, and appurtenances belonging to Aaron and his ſons, but alſo ſpecially deſigned and commanded Moſes, to anoint and conſecrate them to their Prieſthood, recorded in theſe words, Exod. 40. 12, to 17. And the Lord spake unto Moſes, ſaying, THOƲ ſhalt bring Aaron and his ſonnes to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and waſh them with water; and THOU ſhalt put upon Aaron the holy Garments, and anoint him, and ſanctifie him, that he may Miniſter unto me in the Prieſts Office: And Thou ſhalt bring his Sonnes and cloath them with coats, and Thou ſhalt anoint them, as Thou didſt their Father, that they may Miniſter unto me in the Prieſts Office: For their anointing ſhall ſurely be an everlaſting Prieſthood throughout their generations: Thus did Moſes according to all that the Lord commanded him, ſo did he. So Moſes finiſhed the Work, without Aarons, or his Sonnes aſſiſtance. Never did Aaron nor his Sons conſecrate or anoint any part of the Tabernacle, Ark, or utenſils thereof, their own garments, oyntment, nor any one High Prieſt or Levite of their Tribe, but**See Num: 20: 25: to 29. Moſes the Supreame Temporal Magiſtrate only, by Gods own ſpecial command, whoſe conſecration alone for ever ſanctified all their Succeſſors to the High Prieſts and Prieſts reſpective offices: which I deſire all Popes, and Romiſh Prelates, (who now appropriate all conſecrations whatſoever of p. 6perſons or things, to themſelves alone by a pretended Divine right, excluding the Civil Magiſtrate) ſeriouſly to conſider, and from thence**Aventinus Annal: Boiar: l. 6: p: 506: A…va…us … De P…anctu Eccleſ: l. 1: art: 13: argue a ſuperiority over Kings, Emperors as well as Priests, and exact Canonical obedience from them.

8ly. When(e)(e)Exod. 32. throughout, Pſ. 106. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 10. 7. Acts 7. 40.Exod 32Ps 106:19Ps 106:201 Cor 10:7Acts 7:40 Aaron the High Prieſt during Moſes his abſence in the Mount, had at the peoples requeſt, made, erected a golden calf, who committed idolatry with it; Moſes calls him to a ſtrict account for it, to whom he made an excuſe, with this memorable preface, Let not the anger of MY LORD wax hot; which ſtile he likewiſe gave him Nu. 12 11.) Yea Moſes, not he, Pronounced the Judgment and puniſhment upon the people for this Sin of Idolatry, as likewiſe(f)(f)Num. 15. 32, to 37.Num 15:32–37 on him that gathered ſticks on the Sabbath day, the manner of whoſe puniſhment he inquired (not Aaron) and received from God.

9ly. When the Tables of ſtone formerly broken were renewed, redelivered by God to the people, it was alwayes done (even after Aarons conſecration) by the hand, mouth, miniſtry of(g)(g)See the whole Booke of Deut. eſpecially c. 4, & 5. & cap. 31. to 34 …oſnua 1. 17. c. 8. 31. 33. Moſes, who with his own mouth alwayes ſpake and delivered Gods Laws, Meſſages to all the Congregation, Elders, people, during all his Government, and gave them a ſpecial charge of things future, and a bleſſing at his death.

10thly. God made choice of Moſes (a Lay-man and Civil Magiſtrate) to be the fir… p…man and Regiſter of all his ſacred Laws, and firſt Five Books of holy Scripture, not Aaron, or any other Prieſt; And to ſhew that Kings and Temporal Magiſtrates were the principal keepers of both Tables, God particularly enjoyned when the Iſraelites came into the Land of Canaan, and had ſet a King over them, (h)(h)Deut. 17. 15, 17, 18, 19, 20.Deut 17:15Deut 17:17Deut 17:18Deut 17:19Deut 17:20that the King when he ſate upon the Throne of his Kingdom, ſhall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites; that it may be well with him; and he ſhall read therein all the dayes of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of this Law, and theſe Statutes to …o them▪ That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren; and that he turn not aſide from the Commandement, to the right hand or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom, he and his children in the midſt of Iſrael.

All which particulars laid together, relating to and acted by the very firſt Supream Civil Magiſtrat that God himſelf ſet up over his own peculiar people, Church, when he firſt inſtituted, modelled both their Magiſtrates and Prieſts, with their diſtinct Offices and powers, will infallibly clear the Superiour Juriſdiction of the Supream Civil Magiſtrate in and over all Eccleſiaſtical perſons and cauſes, by Gods own inſtitution▪ and that the Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction is united to the Temporal.

The reaſon why God reſerved the Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction to Moſes, the Chief Civil Magiſtrate, and afterwards to Kings, when he transferred the Prieſthood to Aaron and his Sons, and ſevered it from the Kingſhip, was, becauſe it would be inconſiſtent with Monarchie, and the Peace, Unitie of the Republike, Kingdom, Church, to erect two diſtinct Supream Powers independent on, unſubordinate to each other in one and the ſame Body Politick, Nation, Kingdom united under one Supream Civil Head, and a Cauſe of perpetual Wars, Schiſmes, Contentions between theſe different powers, by reaſon of mens Natural ambition, and deſire to enlarge their Juriiſdictions to the prejudice of each other. This we find experimentally verified in the Iſraelites themſelves immediatly upon their diviſion into two independent kings, kingdoms, of equal power unſubordinate to each other, which produced not only perpetual Warres between them all their dayes in their Realms, as ſacred Story (a)(a)1 Kings 14. 30. c. 15. 9, 7. 16. 31.1 Kgs 14:30oft records, but a more ſad diviſion in their Religion, Worſhip, Church;(b)(b)1 Kings 12. 26. to the end. c. 1…. 33, 34. c. 15. 3. 2 Ki…gs 10. 31. cap. 17. 2. to 25.1 Kgs 12:26 Jeroboam erecting two Calves and a new idolatrous worſhip, with ſuitable Prieſts, to promote it, and a new place of worſhip contrary to that preſcribed by God himſelf, to keep his Subjects from Gods true worſhip at Jeruſalem, and returning to their allegiance and obedience to their rightfull Kings of the ſeed of David; which all his Succeſſors perſevered in till their final captivity and utter deſolation for their idolatry. And it is infallibly evidenced by the manifold ſad Diviſions, Schiſmes, Wars, Rebellions in moſt Chriſtian Empires, kingdoms, ever ſince the ambitious Popes of Rome and other Prelates, have claimed by a pretended divine independent right, and uſurped to themſelves the Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction over all Perſons, Cauſes, inſeparably united by God himſelf to the Crowns of Chriſtian Emperonrs and Kings. As God therefore out of his infinit Wiſdom, at the very Creation, conſtituted but one natural head over every natural body of Men, Beaſts, Fowls, Fiſhes, and creeping living creatures, though they conſiſted of two different ſubſtances, Soul and Body, not two diſtinct heads, the one corporal, the other ſpiritual, to govern each body; becauſe two Supream head… p. 7would have deſtroyed the unity, harmony, operations of theſe Creatures in their reſpective orbes; and made**1 Cor. 12, 13. to 26.1 Cor 12:13–26 a Schiſme in their bodies; So he at firſt united the Supream Spiritual and Temporal Juriſdiction over Men at the Creation in one perſon, Adam, the firſt ſole Monarch of the World; And afterwards, when his Church and people multiplyed into ſuch a vaſt diſperſed multitude, that one perſon could not poſſibly execute or diſcharge the Kingly and Prieſtly Offices (as at firſt he conveniently might, did whiles all united in one Tribe and Family) ſo that there was an abſolute neceſſity to divide them into ſeveral Hands, Tribes; God did even then reſerve the Supream Eccleſiaſtical Government and Juriſdiction, as abſolutely neceſſary for, inſeparable from the Supream Civil Head and Governor of his people, to prevent Schiſmes, Confuſions, and preſerve Unity, Tranquillity both in Church and State; not transferr it from Moſes to Aaron; the Church with all its Officers, Members, being included in & branches of the Kingdom, Republike, not divided from it as a diſtinct independent ſpiritual corporation: Therefore ſtill to remain under the ſole Government and protection of the Supream Politick Head.(c)(c)Ezech. 37. 26. to 28.Ezek 37:26–28 This is moſt clearly and ſignificantly expreſſed by Ezechiels uniting the two divided ſticks into one rod in one hand, typifying the uniting of the two divided Kingdomes of Iſrael and Iudah, into one Kingdom, Church, PEOPLE, under one King and Shepheard Jeſus Chriſt, and making them all but ONE, in their Government and true Worſhip of God according to his Statutes.

Hence it is moſt apparent, that the Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Powers, Authorities or Juriſdictions are not thus denominated, becauſe they are veſted in different perſons hands, or flow from various fountains, or diſtinct in their natures, (as the(d)(d)Gratian Diſtinct. 96. & qu. 63. Pontificians and others generally aſſert, and miſtake) but meerly becauſe they are exerciſed upon or about different things or objects; the perſons wherein they originally and ſupreamly reſide and from whence they flow, and the very Powers, Authorities, Juriſdictions themſelves in their nature, being but one and the ſame, only the objects, matters, in, upon, or about which they are exerciſed, various and diſtinct, from whence they have theſe different Epithites. To evidence this truth paſt all contradiction, being the ſureſt Oracle to reſolve all future Controverſies concerning theſe Juriſdictions, yea keeneſt axe to cut off that ambitious uſurping Antichriſtian Power of Roman Pontifs, which(e)(e)2 Theſ. 2. 4.2 Thess 2:4 oppoſeth, exalteth it ſelf above all that is called God, and trampleth under feet both the Crowns, Scepters of all Chriſtian Kings; I ſhall firſt clear and confirm it by Gods own diſtribution of various Gifts and powers to the Members of his myſtical body the Church, and members, faculties of the bodies, ſouls of men by one & the ſelf-ſame ſpirit, thus emphatically expreſſed, 1 Cor. 12 4, to 12. Now there are diverſities of Gifts, but the ſame Spirit; and there are differences of adminiſtrations. but the ſame Lord; and there are diverſities of operations, but it is the ſame God which worketh all in all: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wiſdom; to another the word of Knowledge by the ſame Spirit; to another Faith by the ſame Spirit; to another the Gifts of Healing by the ſame Spirit; to another the working of Miracles; to another Prophecy; to another Diſcerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; But all theſe worketh that one & the ſelf-ſame ſpirit, dividing to every man ſeverally as he will, Compared with v. 18. 25. God hath ſet the members every one of them in the body (natural) **See 1 Cor. 15. 37, 38.1 Cor 15:371 Cor 15:38AS IT PLEASETH HIM, that there ſhould be no Schiſm in the body, appointing them all their diſtinct Offices, places under one head the ſeat of the ſoul, which rules and directs all the other Members in the diſcharge of all natural, civil, moral and divine actions, diverſified, denominated only by & from their various objects ſo ſtiled, not the perſon, power, head or facultie, by which they are all performed, being but one and the ſame. As God (a)(a)Pſal. 97. 2. Pſal. 9. 59. Pſal. 10. 16.Ps 97:2Ps 9:59Ps 10:16the great King over all the earth, (b)(b)22 24. Mat. 6. 13.Matt 6:13whoſe is the Kingdom and the power, (c)(c)Mum. 1, 2. Col. 1. 16. Prov. 8. 15, 16.Col 1:16Prov 8:15Prov 8:16from whom all Kings and Potentates of the Earth derive their Juriſdiction, as their Ordainer and Orderer, alwayes Soveraignly (d)(d)Dan. 4. 17.Dan 4:17ruleth in the Kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomſoever he will; he removeth Kings and ſetteth up Kings at his pleaſure, (c)(c)Dan. 2. 11. Job. 12. 18.Dan 2:11Job 12:18by his indiviſible Supream authority; And as by one and the ſelf-ſame power, ſpirit, he alſo diſtributes varieties of Gifts, Graces, Offices, to the Members of his Spiritual body the Church, & diſtinct faculties to one and the ſame reaſonable Soul in man in which they are united (as vegetation, ſenſe, reaſon, memory, will, judgment, affections, &c.) with diſtinct offices places to every member in the body natural: without erecting any plurality of Supream Powers, parts, principles, heads, ſouls, in himſelf or them, from which theſe diverſities of p. 8Gifts and their operations iſſue: So Kings and Soveraign Powers, (Gods Vicars and Miniſters upon earth) by that one and the ſame Supream Authority veſted in them by God for Government of all ſorts of Subjects, and all ſacred or civil Corporations under them, whether Pagans or Chriſtians; may and do exerciſe all ſorts of civil and Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdictions under them in perſon, or by their Delegates and Subſtitutes; without any real diviſion in their Soveraign power, continuing ſtill one the ſame, or erect…ng two diſtinct ſpecifical Powers, the one Civil, the other Eccleſiaſtical in themſelves or others. …or, as their Soveraign Royal Power when exerciſed about Martial affairs, is ſtiled a Military power, and the Courts wherein it is judicia…y executed are ſtiled Martial Courts, becauſe the matters, perſons in and about which it is exerciſed are ſuch. And when employed in matters, Courts of Law and Juſtice is called a Civil or Legal Power, and their Courts, Courts of Common or Civil Law, becauſe the buſineſſes are ſuch; And when verſed in Maritine affairs or cauſes, is called A Maritime or Admiralty Power, and Admiralty Court: and when in Civil matters of Equity only, it is then phraſed a Chancery or Equitable Power, and the Court wherein it is acted, a Court of Chancery: So by the ſelf-ſame reaſon when it is employed in or about divine, ſacred, Eccleſiaſtical things or perſons, it is then ſtiled An Eccleſiaſtical power, the Laws concerning them, and Courts wherein theſe Laws, powers are exerciſed, the **37 H: 8. c. 17 1 E. 6. c. 2. Cooks Rep:f. 1. to 41.Kings Eccleſiastical Laws, **Therefore they & their Courts, Proc…ſſe, Proceedings, ſhould hear only his Images, Armes, Superſcriptions, as well as his Current Mony, & all Common Law Courts, 1 E 6: c 2. that all may know & own them to be t…e Ki…gs alone, not biſhops:Courts; without making any fraction, diviſion, or diſtinction in the Supream power, which remains ſtill but one and the ſame, reſiding intirely in the King himſelf alone, though the execution of it be diſtributed to ſundry ſubordinate Courts, perſons, who are but the Kings meer Miniſters, and act (or ought to act) all in his Name, Right; without claiming any ſhare at all in the Soveraign Regal power as veſted in themſelves by this diſtribution: being thus diſtinguiſhed, denominated only by and from the diverſity of the reſpective objects, which make no more multiplications of nor diviſions in the power it ſelf, then diverſities of colours, ſpec…es in the eyes, or varieties of ſounds, taſts in the ears or pallate; make ſo many diſtinct faculties in the Eyes, Ears, Pallate; or as many different eyes, ears, pallats, as there are ſpecies, ſounds, taſts diſcerned by them. All which doth evidently appear in this Or…ginal Preſident of Supream Juriſdiction in Moſes, the firſt Soveraign Governour over Gods people, when originally made both a Kingdom, & Church by Gods own inſtitution; wherein the High Prieſt Aaron and his Sonnes had no ſhare at all in the Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, though the Prieſthood was ſetled on them, but Moſes enjoyed, exerciſed it intirely, without any Partition made by God between him and Aaron, to divide theſe powers equally between them as Co-heirs.

(1)(1)Summa.Hoſtienſis, and out of him (2)(2)De Planctu Eccleſ: l: 1: art: 13, 37, 40, 41, 42Alvarus Pelagius,(3)(3)De jure Status, l: 5: c: 10 Sect: Johannes Thomas Bozius, and (4)(4)Part: 1: c: 18: n: 25: c: 19 n: 5, & 14: Dr: Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p: 7:Marta reſolve, That as it is Heretical to hold duo principia, Two Principles or Authors of the World: So it is Heretical to hold, that there are Two Vicars of God or Chriſt upon Earth, the one in Spirituals, the other in …emorals; Therefore it is of neceſſity, that Supream Temporal and Spiritual Juriſdiction ſhould be intirely veſted in the Pope, not in the Emperor or Kings, who derive all their power from him; and it is of neceſſity to believe, that every creature ſhould be ſubject to the Pope as well in Temporal as Spiritual things, to avoid the Hereſie of duo principia, Dantes the Florentine who held the contrary, being coudemned by the Pope for an Heretick after his death. Indeed their poſition, That there is but one Supream Head and Fountain of all Spiritual and Regal power on Earth in every diſtinct Kingdom and Church, is an undubitable truth, as theſe Pontificians and Popes themſelves aſſert. But that it was ever veſted in the High Prieſt under the Law, or Popes under the Goſpel, but in Moſes, Kings, and other Supream Magiſtrates; and that they derive all their Temporal Authority from Prieſts, Popes, not they from Kings and Supream Civil Governors, is a notorious untruth, as this Original preſident of Moſes and Aaron, with others following will irrefragably evince.

This I the rather mention, and have more largely inſiſted on, becauſe ſome Uſurping Popes not only ground their (5)(5)Gul. Durant. Rationale Divinorum, l. 3.Pontifical Crowns, Prieſtly garments, with their power of conſecration, on Aarons and his Sons, but likewiſe their (6)(6)Bellarmin de Roman: Ponti…. l. 4. Am…ſius Bellarminus Enervatus, Tom. 1. p. 140. Dr Prideaux, Orat: 2Papal Monarchy, Juriſdiction over other Biſhops, Miniſters, and Kings too, on Aarons high Prieſthood, and imaginary Vniverſal Supremacy, which quite ſubverts their pretences; Aaron the High Priest being inforior to Moſes, and he greater then Aaron, in adminiſtration, p. 9and in inſtruction and correction of the people, though not in conſecration, (wherein they were both equal) as (a)(a)Diſtinct: 22 &c, cap. Sacroſancta. & Diſtinct: 96, 98Bartholomeus Buxienſis, Joannes Thierry, and other Canoniſts in their approved Gloſſes on Gratian reſolve. (b)(b)Anacictu, a…ud Gratian Diftni…t … 2…Whereupon to prop up the Popes tottering Supremacy as founded upon Aarons Prieſtood, Pope Anacletus, with others of his Succeſſors, have bottomed the Popes Soveraign Juriſdiction in Spiritual and Temporal affairs too, upon Moſes and Aaron joyntly, affirming Moſes to be a Chief Prieſt as well as Aaron, from Pſal. 99. 6. Moſes and Aaron among HIS PRIESTS; Whence they inferr; That as Moſes and Aaron were the chief among the Prieſts in the Old Testament: So Peter was ordained head of the Apoſtles, and Original of the Apoſtleſhip in the New, and the Pope as his Succeſſor: And as Moſes was conſtituted a God unto Pharoah, and judged the people of Iſrael: So the Pope is the God of the Emperor, the Firſt Prieſt, the Vicar of Chriſt the High Prieſt, and the Cardinals aſsiſting him, are Prieſts of the Levitical kinde, by whoſe aſſiſtance he Iudgeth all Criminal cauſes, not only Eccleſiaſtical, but likewiſe Civil and mixt; Moſes as a Prieſt being only a Type of the Pope, as were Melchiſedec and all thoſe that were Kings as well as Prieſts before the Law given; as (c)(c)De Planctu Eccleſiae l. 1. Art: 13. Gloſſa in Gratian Diſtinct: 22. 66 De Poenitentia. Diſtinct: 3.Alvarus Pelagius and other Pontificians conclude, with very great confidence.

To which I anſwer, 1. That Moſes neither before his flight out of Aegypt, nor during his abſence before his return thither, nor whiles he abode there to deliver the Iſraelites from their bondage, nor after their deliverance, was ever made or conſtituted a Prieſt, much leſs an High Prieſt, by God, (for ought we read) but only (d)(d)Exod: 27. 21. cap: 28. throughout. c. 29. 1. c. 40. 12 to 17. Levit. 9 & 10Lev 9Aaron, with his ſonnes and Levites. 2ly. Had Moſes been an high Prieſt as well as Aaron, as theſe aſſert, there had then been two high Prieſts at once, and ſo two Supream heads of the Church, not one: and ſo the high Prieſt could not be a proper Type of Chriſt, the(e)(e)Heb. 2. 17. c: 3. 1. c, 4. 8, 4. 15. c. 3. 10. c. 6. 20. c. 7. 16. c. 8. 1. 3. c. 3. 11. c. 9. 22.Heb 2:17 ſole high Priest and head of his Church, nor of St. Peter, or the Pope, his pretended Vicar General by divine Right. 3ly. The Scripture is expreſſe, that Aaron only was the chief Prieſt, not Moſes, and that there (f)(f)Exod. 18. 1, &c. c. 40, to 17Exod 18:1neither was nor ought to be any more high Prieſts but one at a time; Therefore Moſes could be no high Prieſt. 4ly. Moſes in the 99 Pſalm, and all other Texts where he and Aaron are mentioned, is put and named in the firſt place before Aaron, and aſſerted by (g)(g)Levit. 21. 10. Num: 15. 25, 28. Joſh: 20. 1. 2 Kings 22. 2, 8. Neh. 3. 1. 20. Iſa: 4. 1. 12, 14. c. 2. 2, 4. Zech: 3. 1, 8. Mat: 26. 51, 57. Acts 4. 1. Hebr. 9. 7, 25.Lev 21:102 Kgs 22:22 Kgs 22:8Neh 3:1Neh 3:20Acts 4:1Heb 9:7Heb 9:25Bartholomeus Buxienſis, Thierry, and other Gloſſers, to be greater then Aaron in two reſpects, in the very Prieſthood it ſelf; Therefore he, not Aaron, was the chief high Prieſt: and ſo all Popes pretences for their Supremacy drawn from Aarons high Prieſthood, muſt vaniſh into ſmoak; The rather, becauſe we frequently read in Scripture, that Moſes not only COMMANDED AARON, but likewiſe ſtripped him of his garments, and girt them on Eleazer his Sonne and ſucceſſor a little before his death. 5ly. Pſalm 99. doth not evince Moſes to be a chief Prieſt as well as Aaron, no more then the reſt of the people; as is evident by the coherence with verſe 5, 6. (h)(h)Exod: 4. 28, 29. c. 5. 1. 4. 20 & above 100. other Texts.Exalt ye the Lord our God and worſhip at his foot-ſtool, for he is holy; Moſes and Aaron among his Prieſts, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name; theſe called upon the Name of the Lord and he heard them: this paſſage relates to Numb. 25. 6. when Moſes and Aaron and all the Congregation were all weeping and worſhipping God together promiſcuouſly intermixed with Phinehas and the other Prieſts, (i)(i)Gloſia in Gratian diſt. 22as alſo in Joel 2. 16, 17.(k)(k)Numb. 20. 25. to 29.Num 20:25–29 So as the ſole argument hence is this; Moſes and Aaron worſhipped and called upon the name of the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle mixed promiſcuouſly with the other Prieſts, as Samuel did with the people when they called on Gods name; Ergo, Moſes (and by conſequence all the people too) were high Prieſts as well as Aaron: So that the Popes abſolute Soveraign Monarchy as well in Temporal as Civil things being thus grounded on Moſes his miſtaken Prieſthood, muſt needs fall to the ground, and be for ever exploded upon the premiſed conſiderations; and becauſe his Succeſſor (no high Prieſt nor Prieſt at all) enjoyed, exerciſed the Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction as well as Temporal in the Iſraelites Church, and State.

2ly. I ſhall demonſtrate this Propoſitions truth, by Joſhua, who ſucceeded Moſes in the Supream Civil Authority, to whom the Iſraelites not only(a)(a)Joſh. 1. 16 c. 4. 14.Josh 1:16 promiſed the ſelf ſame obedience in all Spiritual as well as civil things, which they yeelded to Moſes, but he likewiſe exerciſed the ſame Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction as Moſes had done, as theſe Ten inſtances irrefragably prove.

1. He (b)(b)Joſh 3. 6. to 17. c. 4, 5, &c. 15, to 22.Josh 3:6–17commanded the people to ſanctify themſelves to morrow, and commanded, directed p. 10the Prieſts when to take up, and how to carry and diſpoſe of the Ark of the Covenant and declared the words to the people which God himſelf immediately spake unto him.

2. HeccJoſh. 5. 5. to 15.Josh 5:5–15 circumciſed all the uncircumciſed Iſraelites with ſharp knives, and kept the Paſſeover, formerly omitted, by ſpecial directions given to him from God; not to the Prieſts.

3. By Gods ſpecial direction He commanded the(d)(d)Joſh. 6. 1. to 17.Josh 6:1–17 Prieſts to compaſſe Jericho bearing the Ark round about it, ſeven dayes one after another, which they obeyed, executed without dispute, marching ſeven times round about it the laſt day.

4. He (not the Prieſts) Ordained (e)(e)Joſh. 7.Josh 7a publike faſt, ſanctified the people when he diſcovered Gods wrath againſt them for Achans taking of the accurſed thing againſt his command; and examined, puniſhed with stoning to death, even that, which Popes and Canoniſts ſtile (f)(f)Gratiaa Cauſ. 17. qu. 4. Summa Angeli…a, & Roſella, & Hoſtien…s, tit. Sacrilegium.Sacriledge, appropriated by them to their Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction and Tribunals.

5ly. He (g)(g)Joſh. 8. 30, to the end.Josh 8:30built an Altar unto the Lord God of Iſrael in Mount Ebal according to the Law of Moſes, and he (not the Prieſts) there writ upon ſtones a Copy of the Law of Moſes; and read all the words of the Law of Moſes, the Bleſſings and the Curſes, before all the congregation of Iſrael, with their women, little ones, and ſtrangers converſant among them; there was not a word of all that Moſes commanded which he read not unto them, and that in preſence of the Prieſts and Levites, who there ſtood on both ſides of the Ark, and bore it.

6ly. He (h)(h)Joſh. ch. 9.Josh 9and the Princes (not Prieſts) deſcided a caſe of conſcience touching the Oath and Covenant made with the Gibeonites by fraud and circumvention, to spare their lives, againſt Gods poſitive precept, and gave ſentence againſt them to be Hew…rs of wood and drawers of water for the Altar of the Lord.

7ly. The (i)(i)Joſh. 10. 12. 13, 14.Josh 10:12Josh 10:13Josh 10:14Sunne stood ſtill and the Moon ſtayed till the people had avenged themſelves of their enemies, at his (not the Prieſts) prayer to the Lord.

8ly. He (not the Prieſts) (k)(k)Joſh. 18. 1.Josh 18:1aſſembled all the Congregation of Iſrael to Shiloh, and there ſet up the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

9ly. He by Gods ſpecial command, with advice (l)(l)Joſh. c. 20. &c. 21.Josh 20of the Heads of the Tribes of the children of Iſrael, appointed and ſet out the Cities of refuge, and the 48 Cities with their Suburbs given to the Prieſts and Levites out of all the other Tribes Lots.

10thly. Joſhua a little before his death (not the Prieſts) (m)(m)Joſhua 24 1. to 29.Josh 24:1–29aſſembled all the Tribes of Iſrael to Sechem, and there calling all their Elders, Heads, Judges, Officers, who preſenting themſelves before God, he repeated the Histories of Gods great mercies to them from Terah his time till then, and commanded them to ſerve the Lord in ſincerity and truth, and to put away all the gods which their Fathers had ſerved, renewed the Covenant between God and them, ſet them a Statute and an Ordinance in Sechem, and wrote all the words thereof in the Book of the Law of God, and ſet up a ſtone for a witneſſe unto them, leſt they ſhould deny their God. And penned the Hiſtory ſtiled Joſhua

During all this time of Moſes and Joſhua's Governments, we find not one ſyllable of any Eccleſiaſtical Supream Authority, exerciſed or claimed by the High Prieſt, Prieſts or Levites, ſeverally or joyntly, but only by Moſes and Joſhua themſelves, in all the forecited particulars; Which Popes and Popiſh Prelates would repute moſt ſtrange and uncouth, ſhould Chriſtian Emperors, Kings, Princes now exerciſe the like Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, and confine them only to Preaching, Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, reading Maſſe or Common-Prayers, and thoſe other eſſential Miniſterial duties, which they delegate for the moſt part to poor Curates; as they do their pretended Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction and Judicatories to their Vicars Generals, Chancellors, Officials, Commiſſaries, and other ſuch party Officers, the more to fleece the people, and eaſe themſelves from Trouble or Clamors.

3dly. After the death of Joſhua, though the High Prieſt, Prieſts and Levites were all ſetled in their poſſeſſions and offices in his life, yet we read of none of them in all the Book of Judges, when the people of Iſrael were very idolatrous, wicked and moſt needed Eccleſiaſtical cenſures to reform them, that did ever uſe the leaſt Eccleſiaſtical Authority over them: Therefore doubtleſſe they had none veſted in them, or elſe were intollerably negligent, and blame-worthy. And to put it paſt Diſpute, it is no leſs then four ſeveral times ſpecially recorded in that ſacred ſtory, Judg. 17. 6. c. 18. 1. c. 19. 1. c. 21. 25. IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL Every man did what ſeemed good in his own eyes. Firſt, as the chief cauſe of(a)(a)Judg. 17. 4 5, 6. Judges 18. 1, 14, to 21. 30. 31.Judg 17:4Judg 18:1Judg 18:14–21Judg 18:30Judg 18:31 Micah, his making a graven and molten image, and ſetting them up in the p. 11houſe of God, and making an Ephod, Teraphim, and conſecrating one of his ſons, who became a Prieſt to his Idols, and after that in (a)(a)Judges 18. 14, to 21. 30, 31.Judg 18:14–21Judg 18:30Judg 18:31conſecrating a Levite to be his Idols Prieſt. 2ly. [b] As the occaſion of the Danites plundring and taking away Micahs Idol god, and ſetting up his graven Image in the Tribe of Dan, and making Prieſts unto it all the time that the houſe of God was in Shiloh. 3ly.(c)(c)Judg. 19. 8. 1,Judg 19:8Judg 19:1 Of a Levites taking to him a Concubine, (inſtead of a lawful Wife) and the Gibionites raviſhing her to death. 4ly.(d)(d)Judg. 21. 16. to the end.Judg 21:16 Of the Benjamites forceable taking away of the Virgins, who came up to the feaſt of the Lord at Shiloth, and making them their wives againſt their will, and that by the Iſraelites advice and concurrence, contrary to the curſe and oath they had made. All properly ſpiritual and eccleſiaſtical Crimes, belonging rather to Papal and Pontifical, then regal Juriſdiction and Coertion as they are now reputed; yet all and every of theſe are recorded to be perpetrated, but not corrected in the leaſt, becauſe in thoſe days there was no King in Iſrael; Therefore queſtionleſs, all the ſupreme, Civil, Eccleſiaſtical power to reſtrain & puniſh theſe offences, was wholly veſted in the King; not in the high Prieſt, Prieſts, or Levites, of which they had then ſtore in Iſrael. And had this ſupreme ſpiritual Authority been in them, theſe Texts had been very impertinently inſerted, and ſhould rather have run in this Dialect; In thoſe days there was no high Prieſts or Prieſts in Iſrael, (nor any Eccleſiaſtical Court or Judge, therefore) every one did that which was right in his own eyes.

If any object,Object. that Ely the high Prieſt judged Iſrael forty years, Judg. 4. 18. and that Samuel, next high Prieſt after him, judged Iſrael all his days, till he was old, built an Altar unto the Lord at Ramah; and when he grew old, made his two ſons Judges over the people, Judg. 7. 15, 16, 17. c. 8. 1. to 8. Therefore the high Prieſts had then the ſoveraign Juriſdiction as Prieſts.

I anſwer;Anſwer. The Argument is moſt abſurd; for by the like Conſequence they may argue,(e)(e)Judg. c. 4. v. 5.Judg 4:5 Deborah a woman, the wife of Lapidoth judged Iſrael; and the Children of Iſrael came up to her for Judgement, and ſhe delivered them out of Siſera his hands, who ſorely oppreſſed them with his Chariots and Army: Ergo, Debora as a woman had then Soveraign Juriſdiction over them. 2ly. They judged them not as Prieſts, but ſupreme Magiſtrates. 3ly. It ſeems the chief Eccleſiaſtical power was not in Ely, when he judged Iſrael, but in the Elders of Iſrael, by**2 Sam. 4. 3, & 5. 13.2 Sam 4:32 Sam 5:13 their ſending for, and fetching the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto them in the Camp, to ſave them from the enemies, againſt Ely his Will; 4ly. He was very remiſs and indulgent to, inflicting no civil nor eccleſiaſtical puniſhment upon his ſons, though ſons of(f)(f)1 Sam. 2. 12. to 36.1 Sam 2:12–36 Belial, whoſe wickedneſſe was great before the Lord, both in lying with the women that aſſembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; and forceably taking away from thoſe that ſacrificed to the Lord, the fleſh of the Sacrifices of thoſe that came to offer, how much & when they pleaſed, without burning the fat preſently, ſo that they made men abhor the offerings of the Lord; His Sons preſumed thus impudently to abuſe the people, becauſe their father judged Iſrael, who only gave them a mild Reprehenſion, when he heard of their evil reports from all the people: Which miſcarriages of his ſons in their Prieſt-hood, and himſelf in his Judicature,(g)(g)1 Sam. 2. 27, &c.1 Sam 2:27 ſharply reproved by a man of God, were moſt ſeverely puniſhed of God(h)(h)1 Sam. 4, 11, to the end.1 Sam 4:11 by their ſlaughter and untimely deaths, the ruine of their families, and loſs of the Prieſt-hood, the taking of the Ark of God by the Philiſtines, and ſlaughter of thirty thouſand footmen in one day. This was the Judgement befel the firſt Prieſt and his houſe, who took upon him the ſupreme civil power and magiſtracy. 4ly. Though Samuel himſelf was a(k)(k)1 Sam. … & c. 9. & 10. juſt Judge,(i)(i)1 Sam. 11. 3, 4. 1 Sam. … c. 8. 1, to 131 Sam 11:31 Sam 11:41 Sam 8:1–13 yet his ſons were wicked, (n) turning aſide after Lucre, perverting Judgement, in ſo much that all the Elders of Iſrael came to Samuel, complaining againſt them, and peremptorily deſired him, (o) TO MAKE THEM A KING OVER THEM to judge them like all the Nations: not a Prieſt, being ſo weary of Prieſts ſupreme Government, that they would never permit him nor his ſons to judge and govern them any longer, and were never ſatisfied till they had a King, which he made them by Gods direct on and Election much againſt his own will. 5ly. All the Prieſtly Offices and Juriſdiction he uſed towards them and Saul, was but to (l)(l)1 Sam. c. 12. & 15, 16.1 Sam 12pray without ceaſing for them, giving them good inſtructions, and reprehending them for their ſins, telling them, But if ye ſhall ſtill do wickedly, ye ſhall be conſumed both you and your King, his declaring Saul King by Gods election and the peoples doubled peremptory demand of a King, and approbation of Saul, when preſented to them; and his anointing David when a privat perſon with oyl King after Sauls p. 12rejection by God, they were only Acts of Miniſtry; not of Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction in the High Prieſt above the King; as I ſhall prove in its due place more largely in the cloze of this Chapter.

4ly. When God ſetled the Kingdom of Iſrael upon (l)(l)2 Sam: 7, 8. to the end. Pſ. 89, 3, 9, 29. 1 Chron. 17.Ps 89:3Ps 89:9Ps 89:291 Chr 17David and his posterity, in performance of his(m)(m)Gen. 17. 6 16. c. 35. 11.Gen 17:6 promiſes to Abraham, Sarah and Iacob, that KINGS ſhould come out of their loynes, he tranſlated the Supream Eccleſiaſtical as well as Civil Juriſdiction to them, which they enjoyed, exerciſed by Gods approbation; not the high Prieſt, Prieſts, or Levites: as the Scripture Annals atteſt.

1. Davia ((n)(n)Acts 13. 22Acts 13:22 a man after Gods own heart, which fulfilled all his will) not long after he was anointed King over Iſrael and Iudah,(o)(o)2 Sam. 6. 1, to 20. 1 Chron. c. 13, & 15, & 16, 1, 22 Sam 6:1–201 Chr 13 aſſembled all the whole Congregation, Prieſts, Levites of Iſrael, and went and removed the Ark of God from Gibeah, with great triumph, joy and ſhouting, to the Houſe of Obed-Edom, and afterwards into the place, tabernacle in the City of David which David had there choſen & pitched for it, and offered there burnt-offerings & peace-offerings before the Lord, and he bleſſed the people in the name of the Lord. 2ly. At the ſecond removal of the Ark(a)(a)1 Chron: 25. 1, 2, to 29. he aſſembled not only the Elders, but the chief Prieſt and Levites; informing them of their error in carrying the Ark in a cart at its firſt removal, contrary to Moſes command, for which God made a breach upon them; and that (b)(b)Numb: 4. 2. 15. Exod. 25. 14.Exod 25:14None ought to carry the Ark of the Lord, but the Levites, for them had the Lord choſen to carry the Ark of God, and to miniſter unto him for ever; For violating which precept, Uzza was ſmitten to death before the Lord; Hereupon David commanded the Prieſts and Levites to ſanctify themſelves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Iſrael upon their ſhoulders, as Moſes commanded; and to appoint Singers with inſtruments of muſick and lifting up their voices, to ſing before it, when they removed it to the City of David; which command they punctually obeyed. 3ly. He appointed & ordained certain of the Prieſts and Levits to miniſter by turns before the Ark of the Lord,(c)(c)1 Chron: 16. 4, to the end. c: 21, 29, 30. and to thank and praiſe the Lord God of Iſrael continually, preſcribing them what inſtruments of muſick they ſhould uſe, what Pſalms and Praiſes they ſhould ſing, (moſt, or all of them compiled by himſelf) what burnt-offerings they ſhould offer upon the altar of the Lord morning and eveing continually, according to the Law of the Lord, and to miniſter before the Ark continually, as every dayes work required: And appointed others of the Prieſts and Levites to minister continually in like manner before the Tabernacle of the Lord that was in the high place at Gibeon. 4ly. He purpoſed, contrived, propounded to Nathan, and ordained the building of a ſtanding Houſe and Temple, inſtead of a moving Tabernacle and Tent, for the Ark and worſhip of God, and intended himſelf to build it, (d)(d)2 Sam: 6. 1 Chron: 17. c: 18: 11: cap: 27. to c. 29. 1 Chron. 21. 18. to 30. Pſal. 24. 10, to 20.1 Chr 21:18–30Ps 24:10–20had not God inhibited him, becauſe he was a man of Warre and had ſhed much blood, and appointed Solomon his Son and ſucceſſor to build it; he provided all ſorts of materials for the building, and exhorted all the Princes and Elders of the people to a liberal contribution towards it. 5ly. The Angel of the Lord commanded David, to go and ſet up an Altar to the Lord in the threſhing-floor of Ornan, who accordingly went up at the ſaying of the Lord, and build there an Altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon the Lord, who anſwered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering. 6ly. When he was old, and had made Solomon King, he gathered together all the Princes, Prieſts and Levites, and when he had numbred the Prieſts and Levites, he appointed them their ſeveral Courſes, Services, Offices, Duties they ſhould perform before the Lord from time to time, as well before as after the Temple was built, all which he ſet down in writing. 7ly. He, as Moſes, aſſembled all the Princes of Iſrael, and before all the Congregation, in the audience of God, gave Solomon & them charge to ſerve and fear God,(f)(f)1 Chron. 28. 1, to 14: 20, 21.1 Chr 28:1–141 Chr 28:201 Chr 28:21 and build the Temple. Which done, he gave to Solomon the pattern of the Temple and of the Houſes thereof, and of the Treaſures thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the Mercy-ſeat, and the pattern of all that he had BY THE SPIRIT, of the courts of the Houſe of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the Treaſuries of the houſe of God, and of the dedicated things; AND FOR THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES, and for all the work of the Service of the Houſe of the Lord, and for all the veſſels of ſervice in the houſe of the Lord. And David ſaid unto Solomon, Be ſtrong and of a good courage, and do it; fear not, nor be diſmayed, for the Lord God, even my God will be with thee, he will not fail thee nor forſake thee, untill thou hast finiſhed all the work for the ſervice of the Houſe of the Lord: And BEHOLD THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES FOR ALL THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD; and there ſhall be with thee for all manner of w…rkmanſhip every p. 13willing skilfull man for any manner of ſervice, and ALL THE PEOPLE WILL BE WHOLLY AT THY COMMAND. 7ly. (1)(1)1 Chron. 16, 7, to 38: 2 Sam: 23. 1, 3, &c: Luke 20: 42: Acts 1 16. c: 2. 25. c. 4. 25. Rom: 4: 6: c: 11: 3: Heb: 4. 7.1 Chr 16:7–38Luke 20:42Acts 1:16David (as King) not the Prieſts, compiled all or moſt of the Pſalms and Prayers afterwards ſung or uſed in the Temple, recorded in the Books of Samuel, the Chronicles, and compiled together her in the Book of Pſalms, continually read, ſung, uſed not only in the Temple and elſewhere by the Jewiſh, but in all Chriſtian Churches generally; and more frequently read, ſung, commented upon, then any other Book of Canonical Scripture. By all which memorable particulars, and**1 Kings 1 34, 38.1 Kgs 1:341 Kgs 1:38 command to the Prieſts to annoint Solomon King, it is moſt evident, that the whole Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction over perſons, cauſes things, relating to Gods Worſhip remained intirely in David as King, and no part of it in the Prieſts.(2)(2)Pſ. 95: 2: Pſ: 105, 2: Eph. 5: 19: Col: 3: 16: Jam: 5: 13:Ps 95:2Eph 5:19

5ly. King Solomon his Sonne ſucceeding David, by his Supream Eccleſiaſtical power, Firſt, (*)(*)2 Chron: 1. to c: 5: 2 Kings 6. to c. 9.2 Kgs 6built and finiſhed the Temple according to King Davids modell, and then commanded all the Elders and Princes of Iſrael, with the Prieſts and Levites, to carry the Ark and place it in the Temple. 2ly: The(a)(a)1 Kings 8. 2 Chron. c. 6, & 7.1 Kgs 82 Chr 6 King (not the Prieſts or Levites though all preſent) dedicated and conſecrated the Temple with a moſt Divine heavenly from of Prayer, anſwered and approved by God, in ſending down fire from heaven which conſumed the burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, and filled the Houſe with his glory, ſo that the Prieſts could not enter into the houſe of the Lord, becauſe the glory of the Lord had filled the Lords Houſe. 3ly. He(b)(b)2 Chron. 72 Chr 7 alſo hallowed the middle of the outward Court by offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings there. 4ly. He(c)(c)2 Chron: 8 12, 13. appointed all burnt-offerings to the Lord after a certain rate every day, (according to the commandement of Moſes) on the Sabbath, and on the New Moons, and on the ſolemn Feaſts of unleavened bread, of Weeks and of Tabernacles. 5ly He(d)(d)2 Chron. 5 11, 12.2 Chr 5:112 Chr 5:12 aſſembled all the Prieſts and Levites to Jeruſalem at the Temples Dedication, not in their courſes: But that ſolemnity ended, He (as King) (m)(m)2 Chron. 7. 6, &c.2 Chr 7:6appointed (according to the order of David his Father) THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS TO THEIR SERVICE, AND THE LEVITES TO THEIR CHARGES, to praiſe and miniſter before the Lord as the duty of every day required; Porters alſo by their courſes for every gate, FOR SO HAD DAVID the man of God COMMANDED: And THEY DEPARTED NOT FROM THE COMMANDEMENT OF THE KING VNTOUNTO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES CONCERNING ANY MATTER, or concerning the Treaſures. Here is Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction veſted in, and exerciſed by this King in and over all Eccleſiaſtical perſons, matters, and exact canonical obedience yielded to King Davids, and King Solomons Canons; not to the High Prieſts, Prieſts or Levites, who had then no power to make or impoſe ſuch Canons or Injunctions, as Popes and Popiſh Prelates now doe, without any Scripture preſident for their warrant. 6ly. This King was the inſpired penman of three whole Books of Canonical Scripture, the Proverbs, Solomons Song, and Eccleſiaſtes; but no Prieſt or Levite we read of either in his or his Father Davids reign. 7ly. He (as King) (f)(f)1 Kings 2. 26, 27, 35.1 Kgs 2:261 Kgs 2:271 Kgs 2:35thruſt out Abiathar FROM BEING PRIEST TO THE LORD, baniſhed him from Jeruſalem, and might have put him to death for his Treaſon in crowning Adonijah King, but ſaved his life for this reaſon, becauſe he had born the Ark of the Lord God before David his Father, and been afflicted with him in all his afflictions, and put Zadoc the Prieſt in his room. Here is Regal Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction exerciſed over the High Prieſts themſelves.

6ly. (g)(g)2 Chron. 14. 3, 4, 5. &c. 1 Kings 15. 8, &c.2 Chr 14:32 Chr 14:42 Chr 14:51 Kgs 15:8King Aſa (as King) Firſt, took away the Altars of the ſtrange Gods, and the High-places, and brake down the Images, and cut down the groves through all the Cities of Judah, and commanded Judah to ſerve the Lord God of their Fathers, and to do the Law and the Commandements; and afterward did the like in Benjamin, and the cities he had taken from Mount Ephraim. 2ly. (h)(h)2 Chron. 15. 10, to 16.2 Chr 15:10–16He renewed the Altar of the Lord which was before the porch; and gathered all Judah, Ephraim, Benjamin, and others to Jeruſalem to offer ſacrifices of the spoils they had taken, unto God; which done, He (as King) made them enter into a Covenant, to ſeek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their ſoul; that whoſoever would not ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael ſhould be put to death, whether ſmall or great, whether man or woman; and they ſware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with ſhoutings, with trumpets, and with cornets, and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had ſworn with all their heart. 3ly. (i)(i)2 Chron. 15 16. 1 Kings 15 13.2 Chr 15:161 Kgs 15:13He removed Maachah his mother from being Queen, becauſe ſhe had made an Idol in a Grove, and burned her Idol at the brook Kidron. 4ly. (k)(k)2 Chron. 15 18. 1 Kings 15 16.2 Chr 15:181 Kgs 15:16He brought into the houſe of the Lord all the things, gold, ſilver, veſſels, himſelf and his Father had dedicated. All evidences, acts of his Soveraign Spiritual Juriſdiction.

p. 144ly. King Johoſhaphat his Sonne, 1. (k)(k)2 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9.2 Chr 17:72 Chr 17:82 Chr 17:9commanded the Levites, accompanyed with ſome Princes, to overſeſee, encourage, aſſiſt them to go and teach Gods Law to all the people throughout all the Cities of Judah, and to carry the Book of the Law with them, which they did accordingly, 2ly. He(l)(l)2 Chron. 19 4.2 Chr 19:4 went out again the ſecond time through the people, from Beerſheba to Mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their Fathers. 3ly. He appointed not only (m)(m)2 Chron. 29. 5, to the end. See Deut. 17. 8. to 14.2 Chr 29:5Deut 17:8–14Temporal Judges, City by City, through all Judah, but likewiſe Judges Delegates at Jeruſalem in caſes of appeals between blend and bloud, Law and Commandement, Statute and Judgements, wherein he joyned ſome of the Levites, Prieſts and chief Fathers of Iſrael, and Amaziah the chief Prieſt, in all matters of and judgements for the Lord (as his ſubordinate Judges, receiving their Commiſsions from him) and gave them an Excellent admonition how to judge, & proceed uprightly. 4ly. (n)(n)2 Chron. 20. 3, &c.2 Chr 20:3He proclaimed a ſolemn Fast throughout all Judah to come to Jeruſalem to ſeek the Lord for help againſt a great hoſt of invading Enemies; where he (nor the Prieſts) ſtood in the Congregation of Judah and Jeruſalem in the Houſe of the Lord before the Court; and made a moſt pertinent effectual Prayer to God, which God anſwered with a miraculous victory, cauſing his enemies to deſtroy one another, without fighting them; and giving his Army all the spoil: For which victory he commanded them to return to Jeruſalem to give publike thanks to God.

5ly. (o)(o)1 Kings 12. 5. to 17.1 Kgs 12:5–17King Jehoaſh commanded the Prieſts to repair all the breaches of the Lords Houſe with the moneys, and the dedicated things brought into it; and called for and reprehended Jehoiada the High Prieſt and the other Priests for their negligence in not repairing them as he commanded; whereupon they received no more money, and repaired the Houſe.

6ly. King Hezekiah by his Regal power, 1. (p)(p)2 Chron. 29. 31, to 36.2 Chr 29:31–36Opened the doors of the Houſe of the Lord, (which had been ſhut up by his idolatrous Predeceſſors) and repaired them; gathered the Prieſts and Levites together, brought them into the Lords houſe; commanded them to ſanctify themſelves and then the houſe, by carrying all the filth out of the holy place, and cleanſing the holy veſſels: Then made a ſecond exhortation to them, and ſtrictly commanded them diligently to diſcharge their reſpective duties without ceaſing. All which they executed according to the Command of the King in the Buſineſſe of the Lord. 2ly. (q)(q)2 Chron. c. 29, & 30.2 Chr 29He (afterwards) commanded the Prieſts to offer burnt ſacrifices, and the Levites to praiſe God in the Temple, according to the Commandement of David. And He ſet all the ſervices of the Houſe of God in Order. Moreover the KING, and the Princes, commanded the Levites to ſing praiſes to the Lord with the words of David, and they ſang praiſes with gladneſſe. 3ly. This King (taking counſel with his Princes and the Congregation at Jeruſalem) (r)(r)2 Chron. 30. throughout2 Chr 30made a Decree & ſent forth a ſolemn Proclamation, inviting & commanding all Judah and Iſrael to keep a ſolemn Paſſeover at Jeruſalem on the ſecond MonethMonth; whereupon a great multitude then and there aſſembling, they took away the Idols, altars, and cast them into the book Kidron, and killed the Paſſeover; Whereupon the Prieſts and Levites being aſhamed of their bacwardneſs in this ſervice, ſanctifyed themſelves, brought the burnt offerings into the houſe of the Lord, ſtood in their places after their manner, according to the Law of Moſes, and ſprinkled the bloud. 4ly. Hezekiah (not the Prieſts) publikely (ſ)(ſ)2 Chron. 31. throughout.2 Chr 31prayed to God, to pardon thoſe who prepared their hearts to ſeek God, though they were not ſanctifyed and prepared according to the purification of the Sanctuary; and spake comfortably to the Levites that taught the good Law of the Lord. 5ly. This King (t)(t)2 Chron. 31 12, 15, 16, 17.2 Chr 31:122 Chr 31:152 Chr 31:162 Chr 31:17Appointed the Courſes of the Prieſts & Levites after their Courſes, every man according to his Service; appointed the Kings portion for all morning and evening ſacrifices for every day, Sabbath, Feaſt, as it is written in the Law of the Lord; and commanded the people that dwelt in Jeruſalem to give the portion of the Prieſts and Levites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord; whereupon all the people brought in the Firſt-fruits and Tithes of all things abundantly; which Hezekiah commanded to be put in ſtore-houſes built by his command, over which he appointed Rulers, to diſtribute to every Prieſt and Levite his portion. All undoubted Badges of his Supream Eccleſiaſtical Authority.

7ly. King Ioſiah by his Regal Juriſdiction: 1. 2 Chron. 33. 3, &c.2 Chr 33:3Purged Judah and Jeruſalem from their high places, groves, carved Images and molten Images, brake down the Altars of Baal, and cut down the Images that were above them, and brake in pieces the carved and molten Images, and ſtamped them to powder; and ſtrowed it upon the graves of them that p. 15had ſacrificed to them, and burnt the bones of their Prieſts upon their Altars: and ſo did he in the Cities of Manaſſeth, Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Napthali. 2ly. (a)(a)2 Chron. c. 34. throughout.2 Chr 34He aſſembled all the Elders of Judah, inhabitants of Jeruſalem, Prieſts, Levites, and all the people great and ſmall into the Temple, and HE READ in their ears all the Book of the Covenant that was found in the Houſe of the Lord: Then the King ſtood in his place, and made a Covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandements, Testimonies and Statutes with all his heart, and with all his ſoul; and cauſed all there preſent to ſtand to the Covenant and Oath. 3ly. (b)(b)2 Chron. 34, 33.2 Chr 34:33He took away all the abominable things out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Iſrael, and made all that were found in Iſrael (Prieſts and people) to ſerve the Lord their God: And all his dayes they departed not from ſerving the Lord God of their Fathers. 4ly. (c)(c)2 Chron. 35. 1. to 20.2 Chr 35:1–20He aſſembled the Princes, and he kept a moſt ſolemn Paſſeover to the Lord in Jeruſalem the 14. day of the first monethmonth: And He ſet the Prieſts in their Charges; and encouraged them in the ſervice of the houſe of the Lord; and commanded the Levites that taught all Iſrael, to prepare themſelves by the Houſes of their Fathers after their courſes according to the writing of David King of Iſrael, & according to the writing of Solomon his Son; & ſaid to them, ſtand in the holy place according to the diviſions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the diviſion of the families of the Levites; So kill the Paſſeover, and ſanctifie your ſelves, and prepare your Brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moſes; Whereupon they all prepared, performed their reſpective offices and duties in celebrating the Paſſeover, as this pious King preſcribed. Lo here no leſſe then 7. moſt renowned pious Kings recorded in Sacred ſtory by divine approbation, exerciſing Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction over High Prieſts, Prieſts, and Levites themſelves, ordering all ſacred affairs, offerings, ſacrifices, Pſalms, prayers courſes of Prieſts appertaining to Gods worſhip, building, conſecrating, repairing, cleanſing the Temple, deſtroying Idolatry, with other particulars.

5ly. From Moſes, Joſhuahs and their preſidents I ſhall obſerve, 1. That they are all ſpecially recorded in ſacred Writ for their eternal honors, reputations, and the dd1 Cor. 10. 11. Jam. 5. 10. Jude 7.1 Cor 10:11Jas 5:10Jude 1:7example of all other pious Kings under the Goſpel. 2ly. That not one of them was ever taxed by God or the high Prieſts, for invading or uſurping their Juriſdictions or Offices, for any of their forecited actions, injunctions, commands over them, or exerciſing theſe high points of Monarchical and Regal Juriſdiction in and over all Eccleſiaſtical affairs; or the eſſential, ceremonial parts of Gods publike worſhip: Which Popes and Popiſh Prelates would repute the higheſt, moſt ſacrilegious Encroachment upon their Eccleſiaſtical Rights, and Juriſdictions, if now acted by Chriſtian Kings, Magiſtrates, Rulers, and excommunicate them for it by Bell, Book and Candle. 3ly. That we find no one part of Eccleſiaſtical power and Juriſdiction in theſe or any other particulars, either exerciſed or claimed by the high Prieſt, Prieſts Levites, either joyntly or ſeverally, all their reigns. 4ly. There are only Two Kings (but no other Magiſtrate) in ſacred Hiſtory reprehended by the high Prieſt, and puniſhed by God for invading the Prieſts Office and Function, and that only in one particular Miniſterial, not Juriſdictional ſacred action, peculiar unto Prieſts by Gods own reſtriction. The firſt is of ee1 Sam. 13, to 15.1 Sam 13King Saul, who ſending for Samuel to Gilgal to offer Sacrifices and enquire of the Lord for help againſt the Philiſtims, and he ſtaying ſeven dayes for him, and the people ſcattering themſelves from him; thereupon he calling for a burnt offering and peace offering, offered the burnt offering to the Lord himſelf; Which he had no ſooner done, but Samuel came: and Saul telling him how he had in this extremity forced himſelf, and offered a burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel thereupon ſaid to Saul, Thou hast done very fooliſhly, thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee, for the Lord had now establiſhed the kingdom of Iſrael upon thee for ever: but now thy kingdom ſhall not continue. The ſecond is ff2 Chron. 26. 16, to 22.2 Chr 26:16–22King Vzziah, who being lifted up with pride and proſperity to his destruction, tranſgreſſed againſt the Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incenſe upon the Altar of incenſe; whereupon Azariah the Prieſt went in after him with fourſcore more Prieſts of the Lord that were valiant man, and withſtood the King, and ſaid unto him, It pertaineth not to thee Vzziah to burn incenſe unto the Lord, but to the ggNumb. 16. 17. Exod. 30. 7. Luk. 1. 8. 9.Num 16:17Exod 30:7Luke 1:8Luke 1:9Prieſts the Sons of Aaron, that are conſecrated to burn incenſe; Go out of the Sanctuary, for thou haſt treſpaſſed, neither ſhall it be for thy honour from the Lord God. Then Vzziah p. 16was wroth with the Prieſts, and took a cenſor in his hand to burn incenſe; whereupon the Leproſie roſe up in his Forehead before the Prieſts in the Houſe of the Lord, from beſide the incenſe Altar, which Azariah the chief Prieſt, & all the Prieſts looking upon, drave, & thruſt him out from thence; yea, himſelf alſo haſted to go out, becauſe the Lord had ſmitten him: And he continued a Leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in a ſeveral houſe being a Leper, for he was cut off from the houſe of the Lord, and Jotham his Sonne was over the Kings houſe, judging the people of the Land. Had the exerciſe of Supream Eccleſiaſtical power in all the premiſed particulars been any uſurpation of the Prieſts Office in Moſes, Joſhua, David, Solomon, Aſa, Jehoaſh, Hezekiah, or Joſiah, no doubt God would have puniſhed them as exemplarily for it, as he puniſhed King Saul, and King Uzziah for offering a burnt offering, and burning incenſe upon the Altar of incenſe; Or as he did (a)(a)Num. 16. 1, to 20.Num 16:1–20Corah, Dathan and Abiram before them; for rebelling and uſurping the Prieſts Office in burning incenſe with their cenſers, as Ʋzziah intended to do; Or as he puniſhed and ſlew (b)(b)1 Sam. 6. 19, 20.1 Sam 6:191 Sam 6:20the men of Bethſhemeſh, for looking irreverently into the Ark; and (c)(c)1 Chron. 13. 9, 10. 2 Sam. 8. 6, 7.1 Chr 13:91 Chr 13:102 Sam 8:62 Sam 8:7Vzza for ſtretching out his hand to hold the Ark ſteady when it …ook in the Cart; when as(d)(d)Numb 4. 15 1 Chron. 1…. 2.Num 4:151 Chr 1:2 none but Levites were by Gods ſpecial precept to come near, bear, or touch it; whoſe office all theſe directly invaded, for which they were thus ſignally puniſhed by God himſelf; But ſince neither of all theſe Kings, Rulers, received any check, puniſhment at all from God, or the high Prieſts, but on the contrary, praiſe, honour, bleſsings from God, and chearfull obedience from all the high Prieſts, Prieſts, Levites themſelves, for theſe their ſacred Eccleſiaſtical tranſactions; they were doubtleſſe no parts of the high Prieſts, Prieſts or Levites Offices, but of their own proper, inherent Supream Magiſtratical and Regal Authority, veſted in them for theſe ends by God himſelf.

6ly. When the(e)(e)2 Kings 17 & 25. 2 Chron 36.2 Kgs 172 Chr 36 Kings, Kingdoms of Judah and Iſrael were deſtroyed for their Idolatry, and both Kings, Princes, people carried away Captives into foreign Nations, ſo that they had(f)(f)Hoſea 3. 4. c. 10. 3. Ezech. 17.Hos 3:4Ezek 17 no King nor Magiſtrate of their own to govern them, the ſacred ſtory records, that even Heathen Kings exerciſed Supream Authority over them in all Religious and Eccleſiaſtical matters, as theſe preſidents demonſtrate.

1. The(g)(g)2 Kings 17 25, to 20.2 Kgs 17:25 King of Aſſyria ſent one of the Priests they had carried away captive, to the Nations he had placed in and about Samaria, inſtead of the Iſraelites, to teach them the manner of the God of the Land, and to fear the Lord.

2.(h)(h)2 Chron. 36. 22. to 30. Ezr. 1. throughout, c. 31, &c. Iſa. 44. 25. c. 4… 1. 13.2 Chr 36:22–30Ezra 1Isa 44:25 God stirred up the ſpirit of Cyrus King of Perſia, to make a publike Proclamation through all his kingdom in writing, for every man that would to go up to Jeruſalem, and build the houſe of the Lord God of Iſrael (who had charged him to build it) and that all ſhould aſſist them with ſilver, gold, beaſts, beſides the free-will offering for the Houſe of the Lord; Whereupon God ſtirring up the ſpirits of the chief of the Fathers of Judah, Ephraim, Prieſts, Levites, and others to undertake the work, King Cyrus brought forth the veſſels of the Houſe of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzer had taken from thence, and put in the houſe of his Gods, and delivered them to them by number, all which they carried to Jeruſalem for the uſe of the Temple when re-built; and all they that were about them (in obedience to Cyrus royal Proclamation) strengthned their hands with veſſels of gold, goods, beaſts and pretious things, beſides all willingly offered. Whence God ſaid of (i)(i)Iſay 44 28. c. 45. 1.Isa 44:28Cyrus, He is my Shepherd, and ſhall fulfill all my pleaſure, ſaying to Jeruſalem thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple thy foundations ſhall be layd; and ſtiled him, HIS ANOINTED. VponUpon which Proclamation and Grant of Cyrus, the Jewes ſet up the Altar, offered Sacrifices, and laid the foundation of the Temple, as King Cyrus, King of Perſia had commanded them.

3ly. King (k)(k)Ezra 5. 13. to 17 c. 6. throughout.Ezra 5:13–17Darius confirmed and enlarged this Decree of Cyrus, commanding his Officers not to hinder the building, to furniſh them with moneys out of the Kings tribute for the work, and with young Bullocks, Lambs, Rams for burnt offerings of the God of Heaven, wheat, ſalt, wine, oyl, according to the appointment of the Prieſts at Jeruſalem, to be given them day by day without fail; that they may offer Sacrifices of reſt to the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the King and of his Sonnes; clozing his Decree thus; Alſo I have made a Decree, That whoſoever ſhall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his houſe, and being ſet up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his houſe be made a Dunghill for this; And the God that hath cauſed his name to dwell there, deſtroy all Kings and people, that ſhall put to their hand to alter or deſtroy this Houſe of God which is at Ieruſalem: I Darius have made a Decree, let it be done with ſpeed; Whereupon the Iewes built and finiſhed the Houſe, offered Sacrifices, p. 17ſet up Gods worſhip in it, according to the commandement of the God of Iſrael, and according to the Commandement of Cyrus, Darius and Artarerres King of Perſia.

4ly. This (a)(a)Ezra 7. c. 8. 24. to the end.Ezra 7King Artaxerxes ſent Ezra the Prieſt up to Jeruſalem, and gave him ſundry Veſſels for the Lords houſe, with a large Commiſſion to like effect with that of Darius, recorded Ezra 7. ſuperadding, Whatſoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be done diligently for the houſe of the Lord of heaven, for why ſhould wrath come upon the King and his ſons. And thou Ezra (as my Commiſſioner) after the wiſdom of thy God, ſet Magiſtrates and Judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all ſuch as know the Law of thy God, & teach ye them that know it not. And whoſoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of the King, let judgement be executed …eedily upon him, whether unto death, or unto baniſhment, or to confiſcation of goods, or to impriſonment; (all Temporal and Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures to be executed by Civil Magiſtrates, not Ezra the Prieſt) Upon receipt of which Commiſsion, Ezra uſed this Thankſgiving: Bleſſed be the Lord God of our Fathers, which hath put ſuch a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the Houſe of the Lord, &c. Which Commiſsion he punctually purſued, and delivered it to the Kings Lieutenants and Governors; who thereupon furthered the people and the Houſe of God. This King likewiſe (b)(b)Neh. 2. 7, 8, 9.Neh 2:7Neh 2:8Neh 2:9granted his Royal Letters to Nehemah, commanding the Governours there to give him Timber and ſtone for the building of the Temple; who as the Kings Lieutenant over the Jewes there, exerciſed Supream Eccleſiaſtical Authority in building the Temple directing and ordering the Prieſts and Levites, ſetting up the publike worſhip of God, obſerving the Sabbath and ſolemn Feſtivals, conſtituting publike Faſts, and putting the Prieſts from their Prieſthood, and the Levites who could not prove their pedigrees; cauſing all of them that had married ſtrange wives to enter into a Covenant, to walk in Gods Laws, given by Moſes, not to marry with strangers, pay all their tithes, offerings, firſt-fruits for the maintenance of Gods worſhip, Prieſts and Levites, whom he ſet in their courſes and reſpective offices; as is recorded at large in Neh. cap. 5. to the end of the Book penned by himſelf as is conceived, though a Layman, and no Prieſt,

5ly. (c)(c)Eſther 4. 17, to 32.Esth 4:17–32Mordecai the Jew, who was next to King Ahaſhuerus, and Eſther the Queen, by this Kings conſent, inſtituted and by their own Decrees confirmed, the dayes and feaſt of Purim, wherein God gave them reſt and deliverance from their Enemies, to be dayes of feasting and gladneſſe, and of ſending portions to one another, and gifts to the poor, and that theſe dayes ſhould be remembred and kept through every generation, every family, every province and every City; and that theſe dayes of Purim ſhould not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them from their ſeed. And many conceive Mordecai was the penman of this Canonical Hiſtory, though no Prieſt.

6ly. (d)(d)Dan. 3. 1, to 30.Dan 3:1–30King Nebuchadnezzer, as he exerciſed the Supream Eccleſiaſtical Authority within his Empire, in Erecting a golden image, and commanding all his Subjects of what condition or Nation ſoever, to fall down and worſhip it, under pain of being caſt into the fiery furnace; which Decree all but Shadrac, Meſac and Abednago obeyed; he commanding them to be caſt into this furnace for diſobeying his Decree: So after their miraculous preſervation in, and deliverance out of this furnace without any touch or ſmell of fire; he made this memorable pious Decree; That every people, Nation and Language, that ſpake any thing amiſſe againſt the God of Shadrac, Meſac and Abednago, ſhall be cut in pieces, and their houſes ſhall be made a Dunghill, becauſe there is no other God that can deliver after this ſort.

7ly. The(e)(e)Jonah 2. 5. to 10Jonah 2:5–10 King of Nineveh, when he heard tydings of Jonah his Meſſage from God which he cryed in the ſtreets thereof by Gods command, Yet forty dayes and Nineveh ſhall be overthrown; to prevent this denounced Judgement, cauſed it to be proclaimed and publiſhed throughout Nineveh, (BY THE DECREE OF THE KING AND HIS NOBLES, not Prieſts) ſaying, Let neither man nor beaſt, herd nor flock taſte anything, let them not feed, nor drink waeer, but let man and beaſt be covered with ſackcloth, and cry mightily unto God; yea let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hand; who can tell if God will turn and repent from his fierce anger, that we periſh not; whereupon they faſted, and put on ſackcloth, from the greateſt unto the leaſt, and the King himſelf was covered with ſackcloth and aſhes, and they turned from their evil way, and God pented of the evil he ſaid he would do unto them, and did it not.

p. 18By all theſe preſidents recorded by the Spirit of God in Canonical Scripture, it is infallibly evident; That from Moſes, till the laſt King of Judah and Iſrael, and during their Captivity; yea from the very firſt chapter in Geneſis, till the laſt of Malachi, the Supream Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction in and over all perſons, things, cauſes in and over the Church and people of God, reſided totally in, and was executed by the Supream Temporal Magiſtrates, Kings, Governours, (and ſo in Pagan kingdomes too) and was never ſo much as once ſeated in, claimed, uſurped, or managed by any one**Ex ea parte qua illud Sacerdotium in Veteri Teſtamento carnale erat et terrenum erat te…renae poteſtati, ſcil: Regali ſubjectum, Alvarus Pelagius De Planctu Eccleſ. l. 1 Art: 5…Sir 50:1 High Prieſt, Prieſt, Levite, or other Eccleſiaſtical perſon whatſoever, no not in divine and ſacred affairs; much leſſe is there the leaſt ſhadow of any ſuch tranſcendent Juriſdiction in them, over Kings and Civil Magiſtrates, or their Subjects, as all Popes, (and moſt Popiſh Prelates, Prieſts too of inferiour rank) now claim, uſurp, exerciſe, by a pretended Divine Right, not to be found out or really grounded in the leaſt on any place or preſident in the Old Teſtament, from Adam till our Saviours incarnation.

7ly. After the Jewes return from the Babyloniſh Captivity, though the High Prieſts during their unſetled eſtate, frequent warrs with, and captivity to the Romans, and others, uſurped, exerciſed ſome kind of Eccleſiaſtical and Civil Juriſdiction too, which God never transferred to them by divine Authority, nor any of their predeceſſors exerciſed under their Judges or Kings; yet the Supream Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Authority (which they frequently annexed to the Civil) remained alwayes in their Chief Temporal Princes, Kings, whom they made their High Prieſts too, or they made themſelves both Princes, Kings and High Prieſts by uſurpation, fraud and bloodſhed. After the extinction of the whole linage of Aaron,(a)(a)…eſtat de la Religion & Republique de peuple Judaique l. 11. Genebrardi Chronicon. Jerom. Comment. in Dan. l. 1. c. 6. Joſephus Ant. Jndaeorum, lib. 11, to 18. Skickardus, & Sigonius de Republica Judaeorum. the Kings of Syria tranſlated the high Prieſtood to Simon and his family of the Aſmoneans, in which there were 20. high Prieſts, (as (a)(a)…eſtat de la Religion & Republique de peuple Judaique l. 11. Genebrardi Chronicon. Jerom. Comment. in Dan. l. 1. c. 6. Joſephus Ant. Jndaeorum, lib. 11, to 18. Skickardus, & Sigonius de Republica Judaeorum.Paul Eber and others obſerve) whereof 5. were likewiſe Princes and Chief Temporal Governours; to wit, Matthias, Judas Maccabeus his Son, Jonathan his Brother, Simon, and Hyrcanus; ſix uſurped the Crown, ſtyling themſelves both Kings, and High Prieſts, as Ariſtobulus the 1. and 2. Alexander 1. & 2. Hyrcanus and Antigonus. After their Conqueſt by the Romans, the Roman Emperours and their Deputies, had the Soveraign power even in Eccleſiaſtical things and cauſes, though the high Prieſts, Princes, Elders and Rulers of the people aſſembled in a Council (in imitation of their Sanhedrim) uſurped to themſelves both a Civil and Eccleſiaſtical power in religious matters, having a(b)(b)John 7. 30, 32, 45, 46. c. 11. 47, 48, &c. 57. c. 18. 3. to 40. c. 19. to 38. Mat. 26. 4, &c. c. 27. throughout. Mar. 14. 43, &c c. 15. 1, to the end. Luke 22. 47, c. …23. 1. to 43.John 7:30John 7:32John 7:45John 7:46Matt 26:4Mark 14:43Luke 22:47 Captain of the Temple, Officers and Souldiers under them, whom they ſent forcibly to apprehend our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt and bring him before them Priſoner in their Council, where they examined and accuſed him firſt of blaſphemy, and then delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Roman Governour, where he was accuſed by them in the Judgement hall before Pilate and at laſt condemned to be crucified, as the Evangeliſts record at large. By which it is evident that Pilate had the Soveraign power; they (c)(c)John 18. 31. Mat. 10. 17 c. 23. 34. Acts 5. 40. c. 9. 2. John 9. 22. c. 16. 2. c. 12. 42. Acts 22. 19. c. 26. 11. Lu. 21. 12.John 18:31Matt 10:17Acts 5:40Acts 22:19having no power to put any man to death, but only to put men out of the Synagogue, ſcourge, beat, impriſon them at their diſcretion. After Chriſts death, this Conventicle of Chief Prieſts, Elders, Priests, Phariſes and Scribes,(d)(d)Acts c. 4, 5, to 25. c. 5. 17. to the end.Acts 4:5–25 twice apprehended, examined the Apoſtles for preaching in the Temple, commanding them to preach no more in the name of the Lord Jeſus; which they refuſed to do: whereupon they only threatned and let them go at firſt; but when brought before them the ſecond time for preaching openly in the Temple, and filling Jeruſalem with their doctrine, notwithſtanding their threats and inhibitions, they then beat and let them go; charging them, not to ſpeak any more in the name of Jeſus. Yet they were ſo farr from obeying their commands as Legal, or them as the Supream Eccleſiaſtical power to which they were bound in conſcence to ſubmit, that on the contrary, (e)(e)Acts 5. 42.Acts 5:42they daily in the Temple and in every houſe ceaſed not to teach and preach Jeſus Chriſt. Soon after (f)(f)Acts 6. 12. …o 15. c. 7. 1, 2, &c.Acts 6:12Stephen was brought before this Council, and there accuſed of blaſphemy, and in the midst of his Apology ſtoned to death by the rude multitude. Yea (g)(g)Acts 7. 1. 3. c. 9. 1, 2. c. 22. 4, 5. c. 26. 10. …. 25. 5.Acts 7:1Acts 7:3Paul, by Letters and Authority from the High Prieſt, made havock of the Church, and apprehended thoſe that profeſſed Chriſt, whether men or women, and haled them to priſon, perſecuting them even to ſtrange Cities, and left them in bonds: Yet when he was converted, and preached Chriſt, himſelf(h)(h)Acts 23. 1, 2, 4, 5. 2 Cor. …. 6. c. 11. 23, …Acts 23:1Acts 23:2Acts 23:4Acts 23:5 was apprehended and brought before the Council, and Ananias the High Prieſt, who commanded him to be ſmitten on the face when he began to speak, and he was 5. times beaten with rods, receiving 40. stripes ſave one, as a penal puniſhment; Yet neither the high Prieſt nor the Council were the Supream Judges in Cauſes Eccleſiaſtical, but the Roman Governours, Rulers, and Caeſar; Hence the p. 19high Prieſt, with the Elders and Council, by Tertullus their Orator, accuſed Paul, firſt before Felix the Governor foraaActs 25. 1, to 27.Acts 25:1–27 being a ſtirrer up of ſedition among all the Jewes in the world, and ringleader of the ſect of the Nazarens; before whom Paul made his defence; Afterwards he was accuſed by them before Portius Feſtus the ſucceeding Governour, who demanded of him, Wilt thou go up to Jeruſalem, and THERE BE JUDGED BEFORE ME, (not the High Prieſt or Council) of thoſe things whereof he was accuſed? bbActs 26. 9, 10, 11, 12, &c.Acts 26:9Acts 26:10Acts 26:11Acts 26:12Whereupon Paul doubting his juſtice, made this Appeal to Caeſar himſelf, (as Supreameſt Judge in all Eccleſiaſtical cauſes) I STAND AT CAESARS JUDGEMENT SEAT WHERE I OUGHT TO BE JUDGED, &c. No man may deliver me to the Jews, I APPEAL UNTO CAESAR: Then Feſtus when he had conſulted with the Council, anſwered; Haſt thou appealed unto Caeſar, UNTO CAESAR SHALT THOU GO. Feſtus ſoon after informing King Agrippa that Paul had referred himſelf to the hearing and Judgement of Auguſtus, heard him again the ſecond time before King Agrippa; who reſolved, This man might have been ſet at liberty, had he not appealedccActs c. 26. 27, & 28.Acts 26:27Acts 26:28 unto Caeſar, to whoſe Tribunal he was thereupon ſent a priſoner to Rome to Caeſar himſelf, as the Soveraign Judge as well in Religious as Civil cauſes, perſons, though a Pagan. Moreover Saint Paul having caſt a spirit of divination out of a Damſel at Philippi, the chief City of that part of Macedonia, it is ſpecially recorded, ddActs 16. to the end.Acts 16When her Masters ſaw that the hope of their Gains was gon, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place unto the Rulers, and brought them to the Magiſtrates, ſaying, Theſe men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City, and teach cuſtomes which are not lawfull for us to receive, neither to obſerve, being Romans: And the multitude roſe up together againſt them, and the Magiſtrates rent off their cloathes, and commanded to beat them; And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they caſt them into priſon, charging the Jaylor to keep them ſafely: who having received ſuch a charge, thruſt them into the inner priſon, and made their feet faſt in the flocks; But the next morning upon Pauls meſſage, the Magiſtrates releaſed and brought them out of priſon themſelves. In fine, our Saviour foretold his Apoſtles eeLuke 21. 12. Mat. 10. 17, 18. Mar. 13. 9.Luke 21:12Matt 10:17Matt 10:18Mark 13:9They ſhall lay their hands on you, and perſecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues, and into Priſons, being brought before KINGS & RULERS for my name ſake, for a teſtimony againſt them: compared with Chriſts prohibition to his Diſciples; ffLu. 22. 25.The Kings of the Gentiles exerciſe Lordſhip over them, and they that exerciſe Authority upon them are called Benefactors; But ye ſhall not be ſo: and with the forecited Texts, are a moſt clear convincing Evidence, that although the Jewiſh high Prieſts and Prieſts uſurped rather a Temporal then Eccleſiaſtical power to fetch the Apoſtles before and ſcourge them in their Synagogues to apprehend them by theirggMat. 26. 3. c. 21. 23. Mar. 15 1. Lu. 23. 5. 66. Acts 10. Godwins Moſes & Aaron, b. 5. c. 4▪Matt 26:3Mark 15:1Acts 10 Officers, Souldiers, drag and caſt men and women into priſon for preaching and profeſſing Chriſt, and that not ſeverally by themſelves, but in a mixt Councel of Elders, Scribes and Phariſes, (who were no Prieſts) ſitting, adviſing, and voting with them; Yet the Supream power in matters of Doctrine and Religion even amongſt the Jews during our Saviours abode with them, and after his Aſcenſion, continued in the Roman Deputies, Kings, Emperors, and chief Civil Magiſtrates alone, as they did by divine inſtitution in Moſes, Joſhua, David, Solomon, and other their own forementioned Kings and Supream Temporal Governours.

As for the Jewiſh Supream Court, generally ſtiled theirhhMoſt Expoſitors and Commentators on Numb. 11. 16. Iyra, Ainſworth & the Rabbins on this Text, Skickardus, Sigonius, & Petrus Cunaeus de Repub. Hebraeorum. Godwins Moſes & Aaron, b. 1. c. 135. &c. Dr. Field of the Church, b. 5▪ ch. 18. Sigonius de Repub. Judaeorum, l. 6. c. 7. Mat. 27. 22.Num 11:16Matt 27:22 Sanhedrim, conſiſting of 71. perſons of the Elders, Heads and Princes of Iſrael, as the Jewiſh Rabbins and thoſe who write of the Jewiſh Courts collect from Numb. 11. 16. where (they hold) it was firſt erected; and conceive it was like our Parliaments, having conuſance of all higheſt affairs. I confeſſe I could never yet be ſatisfied by any Text of Scripture, or ſolid Antiquity, 1. That this Court of 71. or Sanhedrim, was a ſetled ſtanding Court ſitting uſually at Jeruſalem, and that during the Judges, Kings, and inter-regnums too, till Herod put it down. 2ly. That the high Prieſts or any Levites were antiently Members of it; which Godwin and others utterly deny. 3ly. That they intermedled with any Eccleſiaſtical cauſes as Supream Judges of them, as ſome alleadge they did in the caſe of theiiJer. 26. 6. 10 42.Jer 26:6Jer 26:10 Prophet Jeremiah, where when the malicious Prieſts, Prophets, and all the people pronounced him (I conceive only by way of accuſation, as in the caſe of Chriſt before Pilate, when they cryed out, Let him be crucified; not vote or Judgement) to be worthy of death; the Princes of Judah who heard tydings thereof, came up from the Kings houſe and ſate down in the Porch of the houſe of the p. 20Lord, and when they had heard Jeremiah his Apology and their clamours, adjudged, voted the contrary, that he was not worthy to die, and ſaved his life, which proves the Princes only, not the Prieſts or Prophets, to be Judges paramount, even in Eccleſiaſtical cauſes, perſons; not the Prieſts, in their imaginary Conſiſtory, Church, Council, 4ly. It is granted byaaDe Republ. Jud. l. 6. c. 7. Sigonius, bbDr. Field of the Church, b. 5. Ch. 10.Dr. Field, moſt Jewiſh Rabbies, Antiquaries, that the Princes of Judah and Iſrael before the Babiloniſh captivity, ſat Chief Preſidents in this high Court, as they do in our Parliaments, and that nothing was there paſſed but by their aſſents thereto, till the high Prieſt after that reſtitution by uſurpation, not right, ſat Chief therein. Therefore if we admit any ſuch Soveraign ſtanding Court erected and continuing ſo long, (asccSee Mr. Gela…py his Aarons Rod bloſſ…ming. ſome pretend, to erect ſuch a Presbytery in themſelves) having conuſance of Eccleſiaſtical perſons or cauſes as well as Temporal, or a kind of Eccleſiaſtical Conſiſtory ſtiled a Council, which ſome would difference from it, (though I hold them both one and the ſame, erected, deviſed by their Elders, Princes, Prieſts after their return from the Babiloniſh captivity) it will no wayes enervate, but ratifie my ſecond Propoſition; That the Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Authority in the Iſraelitiſh Church of God under the Law, remained alwayes ſetled by Divine and Natural Right in their Kings and chief Civil Magiſtrates, Princes, Councils, not in their High Prieſt, Prieſts or Levites ſeparated or conjoyned; and that the Civil and Eccleſiaſtical power are but one and the ſame in nature, diſtinguiſhed only by the Civil or Eccleſiaſtical objects, about which they are exerciſed, not in their original, ſubject, or power it ſelf.

Before I proceed to the next Propoſition, it will be neceſſary to anſwer 4. principal Arguments, Preſidents, out of the Old Teſtament, before and under the Law, produced by Popes and their Paraſites, to evidence their pretended Univerſal Spiritual and Temporal Juriſdiction too, over the Perſons, Crowns, Kingdoms of all Kings, Princes, and the Emperor himſelf, to diſpoſe of them at their abſolute Wills, as derived only from, and held under them; which my Chronological Method confines me here to propound and anſwer in their order.

The firſt is that alleged by Pope Innocent the 3d. the firſt Pope whoddMat. Paris & Mat. Weſtm. Anno 1208, 1209, 1213. Holinſhed, Speed, Grafton, Daniel, Fox, Baker in King John. Antiqu. Eccleſ. Britan. & Godwin in the Life of Stephen Langton. interdicted the Realm of England, Obiect. 1.Excommunicated King John, and by force and frauds induced him to reſign his Kingdoms of England and Ireland to, and reſume them from him under an Annual rent, and to do Homage to him for them as his Vaſſal: This Pope in an Epiſtle to the Emperour of Conſtantinople, uſeth this Argument, before Adams creation, to maintain his Temporal Monarchy: eeInnocentii 3. Opera. Tom. 2. p. 644. et cap. Solita. Extravagant. de Major et obedi…ntia.Moreover, you ought to know, that God hath made two great Lights in the firmament of heaven; the greater light to rule the day, and the leſſer light to rule the night: both of them great, but the other greater; Ad firmamentum igitur Coeli, hoc eſt Univerſalis Eccleſiae, fecit Deus duo magna luminaria, &c. Therefore God hath made two great lights to rule the firmament of heaven, to wit, of the Univerſal Church; that is, he hath inſtituted TWO DIGNITIES, quae ſunt Pontificalis authoritas, & Regalis poteſtas, which are The Pontifical Authority, and the Regal Power. But that which ruleth in the day, that is, in Spiritual things, major eſt, is the Greater, but that which in carnal things, minor, is the Leſſer, ut quanta eſt inter Solem & Lunam, tanta inter Pontifices & Reges differentia cognoſcatur, (mark it) that it might be known there is as great a difference between Popes and Kings, as there is betweeen the Sunne and Moon. How great this difference is, this Pope defines not; But ſome illiterate Canoniſts and ffGloſſa. in cap. Solita.Gloſſers on this Text (not well verſed in Aſtronomy) reſolve the Sunne to be 47. times greater then the Moon; whereas ggCom. in …ohan. de Sacroboſco. p. 189. Dr. C…kenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 10.Johannes Clavius and other Aſtronomers determine it to be no leſſe then 6529. degrees greater then it: and by conſequence the Pope to be ſo many degrees greater then the Emperor, by this Popes Reſolution in his over-erring chaire. He ſubjoyns. If his Imperial Highneſſe would prudently conſider theſe things, he would not make or permit the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, a great and honourable Member of the Church, to ſit on the left ſide near his Footſtool; when as other Kings and Princes (ſicut debent) AS THEY OUGHT, reverently riſe up to, and aſſign them a venerable Chair next them (on their right hand:) Nos autem, etſi non increpando ſcripſerimus, potuiſſemus tamen rationabiliter increpare.

p. 21aaLugduni 1630. cap. 8. ſect. 49, 50, 51 95, 96,Mauritius de Alzedo, a Spaniſh Doctor of the Canon Law, in his highly approved and applauded Book, De Praecellentia Epiſcopalis dignitatis, concludes from this Popes Text; That there is as vaſt a difference between the Epiſcopal and Regal dignity (not Papal only) as there is between the Sun and Moon; quoting many Canoniſts, Divines, Politians, and Cardinal Bellarmin himſelf, in his Apologia pro Responſione ad JACOBUM REGEM ANGLIAE, averring it; Yet bbGuil. Barcl. de Poteſtate Papae, c. 13. & Dr. Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 7, ….Pope Sixtus the 5. was ſo angry with Bellarmin, for not aſſerting the direct, but oblique, dominion of Popes over Kings in all Temporal things in this Apology, that he purpoſed to have burnt and totally aboliſhed this his Book AS HERETICAL; And that upon reading of Alex: Carerius his Book (purpoſely written againſt Bellarmins) Adverſus Impios Politicos & Haereticos hujus Temporis; branding all for impious Hereticks who denyed the Popes direct Univerſal Dominion in Temporal things, though they acknowledged it obliquely in-order to, and abſolutely in all Spiritual things: In this applauded Book, ccLib. 2. c. 5. nu. 12. De Rom. Pontifice.Carerius aſſerts, There is that proportion between the Pope and the Emperor, as is between the Sun and Moon, not only in Magnitude, but Splendor too. For, as the Sun is far more excellent and eminent then the Moon, ſeeing ſhe borrows her ſplendor and light of the Sun; SO IS THE POPE THEN THE EMPEROUR; ſeeing his Authority depends on the Pope, and is derived from him: Our own ddDoctrinalis Fide…, Tom. 1. Venetiis 1571. b. 2. Artic. 3. cap. 74, 75. p. 177, &c.Thomas Waldenſis alluding thereunto, profeſſedly aſſerts againſt Wickliffs defence of our Kings Supream Juriſdiction over Prieſts and Prel…tes, That Prieſts (as well as Biſhops) ARE TO BE PREFERRED BEFORE ALL OTHER EARTHLY PRINCES WHATSOEVER, and the Prieſthood before the Kingſhip, as far as the Fleſh before the Spirit, Gold before Lead, the Soul before the body, and Heaven BEFORE EARTH; in proof whereof he ſpends two whole Chapters, and **De Planctu Eccleſ. l. 1. …rt. 10, to 66.Sir 50:1Alvarus Pelagius above forty Articles.

To all which I anſwer:Anſw. 1.Gen. 1. 14, to to 19. Pſ 137. 7, 8, 9. Jer. 31. 33, 34, 35. c. 33. 20. Deut. 4. 19.Gen 1:14–19Ps 137:7Ps 137:8Ps 137:9Jer 31:33Jer 31:34Jer 31:35Deut 4:19 That God created the Sunne to Govern the day, and the Moon the night, by a direct divine inviolable and irrevocable Inſtitution, obſerved from the Creation till now: when Pope Innocent and his flatterers can produce any ſuch divine Law and conſtitution, made either by God at the creation, or by Moſes for the Jews High Prieſts Supremacy, or by Kings, Princes, or Chriſt himſelf under the Goſpel, to convince any rational Chriſtian, that Popes and Prelates are the ſole Univerſal Governours in the Church, but Kings and Emperours only in the World; That Popes or Biſhops were ever typified by the Sunne and Moon; the Church and Earthly kingdoms by Day and Night; That there is as vaſt a difference between the Amplitude of Juriſdiction, and Splendor of Popes, Biſhops, Kings and Emperours, as is between the Grandeur and Brightneſſe of the Sunne and Moon; That Kings and Emperours derive all their Regal Authority, Crowns, Kingdoms; Splendor, Excellency in the world from Popes Miters, or Biſhops Croſiers; not God himſelf; (as the**2 Chron. 9. 8. Prov. 8. 15, 16. Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3. Col. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14, 15.2 Chr 9:8Prov 8:15Prov 8:16Rom 13:1Rom 13:2Rom 13:3Col 1:161 Pet 2:131 Pet 2:141 Pet 2:15 Old and New Teſtament, Paul and Peter (the firſt pretended Biſhop of Rome it ſelf) dogmatically reſolve) as the Moon borrows her light and ſplendor from the Sunne, (as ſome aſſert, but others rationally deny, being both made at once**Gen. 1. 16, 17. 26, 27.Gen 1:16Gen 1:17Gen 1:26Gen 1:27 by God on the fourth day, two days before Adam the firſt man was created, and ſome thouſands of years before Popes, Prelates, the Grecian or Roman Emperours were extant in the world (and ſo could not typifie either of them, as theſe Pontificians dream.) Or when they can evidence, that God hath conſtituted Popes to rule, govern, and give light to the whole World by day only; and to the Emperour alone (not Pope) by night; as the Sunne and Moon govern, alternis vicibus, without encroaching on one the others turns; when as Popes, Prelates uſurp the Temporal Rights of all Emperors, Kings, as well as Eccleſiaſtical all the year long; I ſhall then ſubſcribe theſe Popes and Doctors concluſions as Catholick verities; whereas yet I cannot but conclude themff2 Theſ. 2. 10, 11.2 Thess 2:102 Thess 2:11 ſtrong Antichriſtian deluſions, lyes, which few ſober men will credit. In the mean time, ſince Kings, Emperors were long before Popes, Biſhops, who derive all their Lordly power, Splendor, Temporalties, Juriſdictions, Biſhopricks, precedency above other Miniſters only from their donations; not they their Crowns, Kingdoms or Regal Authority from Popes or Biſhops, as all Hiſtories atteſt, againſt their Papal pretences to the contrary: Since the Moon doth frequently ecclipſe the Sunne by the interpoſition of her body between it and the earth; as the Papal and Pontifical power hath frequently ecclipſed more or leſſe the power, ſplendor of our own and other Kings and the Roman Emperours) but theſe Suns ver ecclipſeth the Moons, but only the interpoſition of the earths Ball betwixt them, in their Divine juriſdiction, being very little, granted to them out of meer p. 22**37 H. S. c. 17 1 E 6. c. 2.bounty, not duty, as I ſhall prove in due place; Since the Juriſdictions, Conſtitutions, Decrees, Ceremonies, Franchiſes of Popes, Prelates, are ſtill various and ſubject to change, like the Moon; the Light both of their Doctrine and Life, (ſince Pope Gregory the ſeventh, Innocent the third, Adrian the fourth, Boniface 8.) hath been rather Moon-light, yeaaaMat. 6. 22, 23.Matt 6:22Matt 6:23 darkneſs it ſelf, then Sun-ſhine, and the Popes, Biſhops, Prieſts, Monks of the Church of Rome it ſelf more carnal, earthly, ambitious, vitious, and dark, then the Kings, Princes, Civil Magistrates, and Lay-people, as**De Conſid. ad Eugenium. St. Bernard, and many of their ownbbOnus Eccleſiae, S…ae. B… gittae Revelationes, Nichoaus de Clemangiis De Corrupto Eccleſiae ſtatu, Eſpencaeas in Tit. & de Continentia. Authors, (as well asccSee M…ny his Myſterium Iniquitatis, Abbot, Powel, Squire, Dr. Beard, and others De Antichriſto; Catalogus Teſtum Veritatis. Proteſtants, aſſert) that the Papacy oppoſing and exalting it ſelf (ever ſince theſe Popes) above all Chriſtian Kings and Emperours, is that Man of ſin, which Chriſt himſelf ſhall deſtroy with THE BRIGHTNESSE OF HIS COMMING, & LIGHT of the Goſpel; I ſhall rather conclude, that the Pope, with his Prelates, Prieſts, are the Moon, and their Church the Night; the Emperour and Chriſtian Kings the Sunne, and their kingdoms the Day ſignified in Geneſis 1. then Popes and Prelates of the Church of Rome, if rightly parallel'd.

The 2d.2. Text alleged for the Popes Supremacy over Kings and Emperours, as well in Temporals as Spirituals, is, The aa1 Sam. 10. 1. c. 15, 17. c. 16. 13. 2 Sam. 12. 7. 1 Kings 1. 35, 45. 1 Kings 11, 12. 2 C…. 22 7.1 Sam 10:12 Sam 12:71 Kgs 1:351 Kgs 1:451 Kgs 11:121 Kgs 11:2High Priest and Prieſts anointed, crowned Saul, David, Solomon, Jehu, Joaſh, Kings of Judah and Iſrael; as Popes and Biſhops do Kings now: Ergo, they were paramount their Kings, as well in Temporals as Spirituals, becauſe they were anointed by, and received their Crowns and Kingdoms from their hands alone; who might diſpoſe of them at their pleaſures. Thus Pope Adrian the 4th. argued from Popes coronations of the Roman Emperour deduced from the Jewiſh high Prieſt;bbAv…ntinus Annal. Boiorum, l. 6. p. 506. Whence hath he (King Frederick) the Empire, but FROM US? By election of the Princes he hath the Name of King; by OUR CONSECRATION he hath the name of Emperour; Imperator quod habet totum habet a nobis, Whatever the Emperor hath, he hath the whole from VsUs, It is in our Power to give the Empire to whomſoever we will. Hence ccIn x. Diſtinct. cap. Qucniam.Laurentius, ddSumma.Oſtienſis, eeDe Planctu Eccleſiae, lib. 1. Art. 13. 37. 53.Alvarus Pelagius, ffPart 1. c. 15.Marta, withggSee Dr. Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 6. to 22. Gratian Diſt. 10. 23, …6. and the Gloſſes thereon. Marſilius Patavinus Defenſoris Pacis, l. 2. c. 29. ſundry other Pontificans, thus ſecond Pope Adrian, Since Kings are made Kings by their Unction; (which can be had from none BUT A PRIEST, as Saul and David by Samuel:) It is apparent they are above above Kings, and That all Kings receive both the Confirmation and Adminiſtration of their Kingdoms from the Spiritual Iudge, The Emperor receives his Temporal power from the Pope and Church of Rome, who Confirms, Annoints, Crowns him; therefore approves, rejects, and depoſeth him at his Pleaſure.

To which I reply, 1. That Samuel anointed Saul and David to be Kings, not at, hh1 Sam. 10. 1. c. 16. 1, to 1….1 Sam 10:1but before their Coronations, and that by Gods ſpecial command, as his Miniſter only, not their Superiour: whence Samuel told Saul, ii1 Sam. 15. 17.1 Sam 15:17The Lord anointed thee King over Iſrael: and David alwayes ſtiled him,kk1 Sam. 12 19 5. c. 24. 6. 10. c. 26. 9, 11, 16, 23. 2 Sam. 1. 14, 16.1 Sam 12:192 Sam 1:142 Sam 1:16 THE LORDS ANOINTED, not Samuels; refuſing to offer the leaſt violence to his perſon, upon this account: So David is ſtiledll2 Sam. 19. 21 c. 22. 51. Pſal. 18. 51.2 Sam 19:21Ps 18:51 Gods anointed, who tells him,mm2 Sam: 12. 7. 2 Kings 3. 6. 12.2 Kgs 3:62 Kgs 3:12 I anointed thee KING over Iſrael; and called him,nnPſal. 20. 6. Pſal 28. 8. Pſal. 132. 17.Ps 20:6Ps 28:8Ps 132:17 Mine anointed; adding,ooPſal. 89. 20.Ps 89:20 With my Holy oyle have I (not Samuel) anointed him. 2. Neither Samuel, nor any other of the High Prieſts who anointed Saul, David, or any King of Judah or Iſrael, did ever from thence either claime or exerciſe the leaſt Juriſdiction or Superiority over their Perſons, Crowns, Kingdoms, in Spiritualties or Temporalties, as Popes and Prelates claime, exerciſe over Chriſtian Kings and Emperours, Crowned by them: Nor yet Jehojeda the High Prieſt, who not only Anointed and Crowned Joaſh King, but was the principal Inſtrument in preſerving and reſtoring him to his Crown, when Uſurped by Athaliah; But they all dutifully ſubmitted to, and obeyed their Royal commands, ordinances, in all Eccleſiaſtick and Divine, as well as civil things, as the premiſes evidence. 3ly. Not only the High Prieſts, butpp2 Chron. 23 Kings 11.2 Chr 23 Elders and People anointed qq2 Sam: 2. 4. c. 5. 3. 1 Chron. 11.1 Chr 11David and rr2 Kings 23. 30. 2 Chron. 20. 1.2 Kgs 23:302 Chr 20:1Jehoahaz Kings, without any Prieſt or High Prieſt that we read of: Yet none of them claimed, exerciſed any Supremacy over theſe Kings upon this account. 4ly.ſſ1 Kings 1. 43, 44, 45.1 Kgs 1:431 Kgs 1:441 Kgs 1:45 Zadoc the p. 23Prieſt, and Nathan anointed Solomon King, by King Davids ſpecial command, not their own Authority, who putaa1 Kings 1. 7. 19, 42, c: 2: 26, 27, 35.1 Kgs 1:71 Kgs 1:191 Kgs 1:42 Abiathar the chief Prieſt from being Prieſt unto the Lord, becauſe he ſided with Adonijah, and crowned him King, and made Zadock Prieſt in his place. Here the very King depoſeth the chief Prieſt, and tells him he deſerved alſo to dye for anointing Adonijah: not the high Prieſt the King, for being crowned and anointed by Zadock. 4ly. One of the bb2 Kings 9. 1, to 13.2 Kgs 9:1–13ſons of the Prophets a young man by the Prophet Eliſha his command from God (not the high Prieſt) anointed Jehu King, ſaying; Thus ſaith the Lord, I HAVE ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL; which having executed, he opened the door and fled. If this young Prophets meer anointing Jehu King, gave him an abſolute Juriſdiction over him, in ſpiritual and temporal things, (as theſe Pontificians argue) then this Minor Prophet likewiſe gained the ſupream Juriſdiction over the high Prieſts themſelves, and Zadock and Nathan over Abiathar the chief Prieſt, by anointing Solomon King, as well as over Jehu and Solomon, which they dare not averre. 5ly. Popes themſelves (who pretend to this abſolute Soveraign power over Emperors, Kings, by reaſon they crown and anoint them) are both elected, crowned and anointed Popes by Biſhops and Cardinals only, not Popes, as all theirccPlatina, Onuphrius, Anaſtatius, Auguſtinus Cherubinus, Beyerlinck & others, in their Lives; Baronius, Spondanus, Genebrardi Annales et Ch…onica. Historians, Pontificale & Ceremoniale Romanum atteſt: Will Popes then inferr, Ergo they are higher, greater in Power, Juriſdiction then Popes, and may diſpoſe of the Papacy, Popes, and depoſe them at their wills? Beſides in theddCeremoniale et Pontificale My Unbiſhoping of Timothy and Titus, p. 84, 85, &c. Church of Rome, all other Epiſcopal Churches, and our Engliſh Church, meer Presbyters at firſt, and of latter ages inferiour Biſhops and Clergymen both elected, anointed, conſecrated and inſtalled all their Patriarchs, Metropolitans, and Archbiſhops: Will it therefore follow, that they are ſuperiour to Patriarchs, Metropolitans, Archbiſhops in Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, and may remove them at their wills? If not, then this grand Argument of Popes, Popelins, for the Popes, Prelates ſupremacy over Emperors, Kings, Churches, kingdoms in Temporals and Spirituals, becauſe they anointed, crown them, is a meer ridiculous Non-ſequitur. 6ly. TheeeSee Seldens Titles of Honour, Pontificale Romanum, the ſeverall Hiſtories of theſe kingdoms & Archbiſhops of Cante…buries Lives. The 2d Part of My Signal Loyalty of Gods true Saints, &c. to their Soveraigns, p. 14…, to 321. Kings of England, France, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Bohemia, Scotland, Cyprus, and others have been uſually anointed, crowned by their own Biſhops, the Kings of England moſt frequently by the Archbiſhops of Canterbury, yet ſome times by the Archbiſhop of York, or Biſhop of London, or Wincheſter: Are therefore theſe Biſhops that crown, anoint them Kings, thereby intituled to be their Soveraign Lords in all Temporal and Spiritual things, and advanced above all other Archbiſhops and Biſhops in their Realms not preſent at their Coronation, Conſecration, and may diſpoſe of their Biſhopricks, Crowns, kingdoms at their pleaſures? If not, I hope the Roman Pontifs will from henceforth diſclaim this grand Argument for their Supremacy, as moſt falſe and abſurd. The rather becauſe none of the Jewiſh high Prieſts, Prieſts ever pretended to, much leſſe exerciſed ſuch a power over any of their moſt impious, idolatrous Kings, as Popes both claimed and exerciſed over pious Chriſtian Kings, Emperours, to their eternal infamy: And becauſe Kings are actual Kings by deſent or election, before their Coronations.

The 3d. Object. 3▪and principal warrant from the Old Teſtament which Popes and their Paraſites inſiſt on for their Supream Athority over all Chriſtian, Pagan Kings and Emperors Perſons, Crowns, Kingdoms, to diſpoſe, depoſe, root out, deſtroy them at their wills; is that Text of Jeremy 1. 10. The Lord ſaid unto Jeremiah; See, I have this day ſet thee over the Nations, and over kingdomes, to root out and to pull down, and to deſtroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Whence they thus argue. Jeremiah the Prieſt, to whom this power under the Law was given, was but a Type of the Popes, Christs Vicar General his abſolute Dominion, power under the Gospel, of whom this Text was principally meant; Therefore Popes may pull down, root out, destroy and throw down all Kings, Emperors, Kingdoms at their pleaſures, and diſpoſe of them at their wills. Thus eePlatina in Gregorio 7.Pope Gregory the 7th. in his Confirmation of his Execration of Henry the Emperor, ffExtrav. D… Major. & Obedientia, cap. Solita.Pope Innocent the 3d.ggGratian Diſtinct. 22. 96. Cauſ. 15. qu. 8. Pope John the 22d. hhSumma.Oſtienſis,iiDe Planctu Eccleſ. l. 1. Art. 13. 37, to 66.Sir 50:1 Alvarus Pelagius,kkDe Pontifice Romano, l. 5. c. 10. &c. Auguſtinus Triumphans,llAlexipharmacum Regium & in Eccleſiaſt. c. 36, 38. Caspar Scoppius, mmDe Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 9. 13.Carerius,nnComment. ad cap. Oportet. Diſtinct. 79. qu. 48. Radulfus Cupers,ooDe Rom. Pontif. Lelius Zecchus,ppDe Tempore Eccleſ: Monarchia Praefat. lib. 1▪ c. 8. l. 5. 18. Bozius,qqPart. 1. c. 15, &c. Marta,rrDe Romano Pontif. l. 5. c. 1. Bellarmine, and other Romaniſts conclude, with very great Confidence from this Text.

p. 24But to diſmount theſe aſpring Roman Biſhops and Rooks, Anſwer.I ſhall deſire them to demonſtrate; firſt, how Jeremiah, only one of theaaJer. 1. 1, 2.Jer 1:1Jer 1:2 private Prieſts of Anathoth, not the high Prieſt of the Jews, was in this and this alone, a Type of the Pope, or Peter? If not, then their pretences, argument are falſe: If yea; then let them produce ſome Scripture warrant for it. 2ly. How Jeremiah and the high Prieſt too, from whom they claim their power, can be both Types at once of the Pope and his Papal pretended prerogatives? 3ly. Whether the High Prieſt had any ſuch Supremacy veſted in him, as Jeremiah here received. If not, then Jeremiah was paramount him in Juriſdiction, and might remove, extirpate him at his pleaſure, as well as whole Nations, Kingdoms, being a Member of the Iſraelitiſh Nation and Realm, and ſo the High Prieſt not Supream, as they formerly argued? If yea; What need of any ſuch ſpecial Commiſſion from God to Jeremiah, alone; without the high Prieſts privity or delegation, to the prejudice of his inherent high prieſthood? 4ly. Whether this tranſcendent power was given only to Jeremiah as an extraordinary Prophet of God ſanctifyed in, and called from the womb? or, as he was an ordinary Prieſt? If as an extraordinary Prophet only, as the Text expreſly reſolves; then Popes can lay no Title to it, till they can prove themſelves ſuch extraordinary, ſanctifyed, called Prophets, as Jeremiah, and produce the like ſpecial divine Commiſſion to each of them from God himſelf, as he received. If as to an ordinary Prieſt alone; then every ordinary Prieſt among the Jewes heretofore had, and by like conſequence every ordinary Maſſe-prieſt in the Church of Rome hath as abſolute a Soveraign power over all Kings, Emperors, Nations, Kingdoms of the world, as the high Prieſt or Pope himſelf pretends to from this Text; and then where is his ſole Monarchy over them when equally and intirely divided amongſt ſo many inferiour Prieſts, or any Kings or Kingdoms ſafety? 5ly. Whether it extends to Kings, there being not a word of Kings, but only of Nations & Kingdoms, in this Text? 6ly. Whether Jeremiah by virtue of this Commiſſion, did either challenge or exerciſe any ſuch Soveraign Authority overbbJer. 1. 1, 2, 3. 4Jer 1:1Jer 1:2Jer 1:3Jer 1:4 Amon, Jehoiakim, or Zedekiah Kings of Iudah, & their kingdom, under whom he lived; (though very wicked and idolatrous) by depoſing them from their thrones, abſolving their Subjects from their allegiance, and ſetting up other Kings in their ſteads? If not, it is infallible, then this was no Commiſſion,**See Jerom, Theodoret, Richard de Sancto Victore, Lyra, Toſtatus, Dioniſius Carthuſianus, Calvin, & others in this place. for ſuch a rooting out, deſtroying, pulling and throwing down, as theſe Pontificians dream of, but of far different Nature; to wit, only by denouncing Gods judgements againſt them, that if they perſevered in their ſins, God himſelf would root out, and deſtroy, pull and throw them down; but if they repented upon his menaces, he would build and plant them. This God himſelf declared to be his only meaning, even to Ieremiah himſelf and to us, ch. 19. 5. to 11. Then the word of the Lord came to me, ſaying; O Houſe of Iſrael, cannot I do with you as this Potter, ſaith the Lord? Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand, ſo are ye in my hand, O houſe of Iſrael. At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and pull down and to deſtroy it; If that Nation againſt whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my ſight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I ſaid I would benefit them: Now therefore go to, ſpeak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, ſaying; Thus ſaith the Lord; Behold I frame evil againſt you, and deviſe a deviſe againſt you, return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your wayes and your doings good. This way of working out, pulling down, building up and planting Kings and kingdoms, and no other, he uſeth throughout his prophecy, eſpecially ch. 25. 17. to 38. where God commands him to take the wine cup of his fury at his hand, and to make all the Kings and kingdoms of the world to drink it, that ſo they may ſpue and fall and riſe no more, and become a deſolation for their ſins, if they repented not. This was the rooting up and pulling down which Samuel exerciſed towards Saul the firſt King of Iſrael and his kingdom; when he thus publikely menaced them,cc1 Sam: 12 24, 25. But if ye ſhall ſtill do wickedly, ye ſhall be deſtroyed, both you and your King. dd1 Sam. 15. 23, 26. c. 13, 14, 15▪1 Sam 15:231 Sam 15:26Becauſe thou [Saul] haſt rejected the word of the Lord, he hath alſo rejected thee from being King; thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee, therefore thy kingdom ſhall not continue, the Lord (not I) hath rent the kingdom of Iſrael from thee; The Lord hath ſought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be Captain over his people, becauſe thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded. p. 25This was that rooting, up, pulling down, rending, removing of Kings, kingdoms, Nations uſed by all theaa2 Kings 11. to 14. See Jeremy, Ezechiel Daniel, Hoſea▪ Nahum, Obadiah, Amos.2 Kgs 11 Prophets and Prophecies in the Old Teſtament, and particularly by Gods own denunciation againſt Niniveh by Jonah, bbJonah 3.Jonah 3Yet forty days, and Niniveh ſhall be deſtroyed; which the Kings and peoples joynt humiliation, and repentance upon his preaching, in turning from their evil wayes, prevented. 7ly. S. Bernard, when Pope Eugenius, like his Predeceſſors, inſiſted on this Text, as giving him and them a tranſcendent power, Dominion over Kings and kingdoms, returned this anſwer thereunto; That it gave them no Dominion at all over their Perſons, Crowns, poſſeſſions, but only to extirpate their VicesccDe Conſideratione ad Eugenium Papam lib. 2. Non eſt quod blanditur Celſitudo; Sollicitudo major. Quale eſt hoc de paupere & abjecto levari ſuper Gentes et regna? Non ad dominandum, opinor; Nam & Propheta cum ſimiliter levaretur audivit, Ut evellas & deſtruas, & diſperdes, & diſſipes, & aedifices & plantes: Quid horum faſtum ſonat? Ruſticani magis ſudoris ſchemate quodam labor spiritualis expreſſus eſt. Et nos igitur ut multum ſentiamus de nobis, impoſitum ſenſerimus Miniſterum, non dominium datum. Non ſum ego major Propheta, & ſi fortè poteſtate; ſed meritorum non eſt comparatio. Haec loquere tibi, & doce teipſum qui alias doces Puta te velut unum aliquem de Prophetis: An non ſatis ad te? et …mium. Sed gratia Dei es quod es. Quid? Eſto quod Propheta, nunquid plus quam propheta? Si ſapis eris contentus menſura quam tibi menſus eſt Deus: nam quod amplius eſt, a malo eſt: Diſce exemplo Prophetico praeſidere, non tam ad imperitandum, quam ad ſactitandum quod tempus requirit: diſce ſarculo tibi opus eſſe, non ſceptro, ut opus facias prophetae. Et quidem Ille, non regnaturus aſcendit, ſed extirpaturus. Putas ne et tu invenias aliquid elaborandum in agro Domini tui? Et plurimum Non planè totum quivere, emundare Prophetae aliquid filiis ſuis Apoſtolis, quod agerent reliquerunt, aliquid ipſi Parentes tui tibi. Sed nec tu ad omne ſufficiens. Aliquod profecto tuo relicturus es Sueceſſori, & ille aliis, & alii aliis uſque in finem. This was St. Bernards ſence of this Text, and ſevere check to the Pope himſelf for abuſing it, againſt the true ſcope and meaning.

8ly It is Gods incommunicable Prerogative which no meer mortal is authoritativly capable of; ccJob 12. 16, to 22.Job 12:16–22To looſe the bond of Kings and gird them with a girdle; to lead Princes away ſpoiled, overthrow the mighty, and powr contempt upon Princes;ddPſal. 110. 5. Pſal: 2.Ps 110:5 To strike through Kings in the day of his wrath, and break Kingdoms in pieces like a Potters veſſel;eePſ. 149. 7, 8.Ps 149:7Ps 149:8 To bind Kings in chains, and Nobles in fetters of iron, for their crying Rebellions againſt his Soveraign Majeſty (as he did ff2 Kings 5. 23 c. 25. 1. 2 Chr▪ 33. 11. c. 36. 6 Ezech. 19. 4, 9,2 Kgs 5:232 Chr 33:11Ezek 19:4Ezek 19:9Hoſhea, Zedekiah, Manaſſeh, Jehoiakim, others, thus bound and carried away captive to Aegypt and Babilon by their invading Kings) ggDan: 2. 21. Hoſea. 13. 10, 11.Hos 13:10Hos 13:11He removeth Kings and ſetteth up Kings; The moſt high King of heaven only ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomſoever he will, and thoſe Kings that walk in pride againſt him, he is able to abate, and tranſlate their kingdoms to others, as he did hhDan: 4. 37. 25. 32, to the c. 5▪ 18. to the end.Nebuchadnezzer, and Belſhazzer, who recogniſed this Soveraign Empire to be peculiar to him alone. Let Popes therefore beware, how they uſurp or intrench upon this Prerogative of the moſt high, to the prejudice of any anointed Chriſtian Kings ii2 Chron. 9. 8.2 Chr 9:8who ſit upon his throne as his Viceroyes; and higheſt affront to the Soveraign Juriſdiction of Chriſt himſelf, the King of Kings.

The Fourth and moſt colourable pretext, is from the preſident of Azariah the Chief Prieſt and other Prieſts withſtanding King Uzziah to burn incenſe upon the altar, and thruſting him out of the Temple; (the only example in the Old Teſtament of any Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction exerciſed by the Jewiſh high Prieſt and Prieſts, on Prince or Subject) Whence Bellarmin and others conclude; That it iskkGratian cauſ. 11. qu. 1. cauſ. 23. qu. 1. cauſ. 15. diſtinct. 9. Bellarmin: Apologia pro Reſponſ. ad Jacobum Regem. de Romano Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 4. Dr. Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, Dr. Ames Bellarminus Enervatus, Tom. 1. p. 275. Lawful for Popes, Biſhops and Priests by their own inherent Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction to excommunicate, dethrone Kings and Emperors too, and abſolve their Subjects from their allegiance, for diſobeying their Papal commands and injunctions.

I anſwer 1.Anſw…r. That all this preſident warrants is; That Chief Prieſts may lawfully diſwade ambitious, wilfull Kings from doing any unlawfull actions againſt the expreſſe will of God, and perchance reſiſt them too when they attempt to offer ſacrifices or act ought belonging peculiarly to their own office in their own Churches. But that they may either excommunicate, reſiſt, or thruſt them forth of the p. 26Temple, for any other Offence, eſpecially for violating or not obeying their own Papal or Pontifical Orders, Injunctions, Mandares, not expreſly grounded on Gods word, this preſident will no wayes warrant. 2ly. They did not thruſt King Uzziah out of the Temple, where he actually invaded their function againſt Gods word, till God himſelf the King of Kings, whoſe Law he had violated, had firſt miraculouſly paſſed ſentence upon, and ſmitten him with the plague of Leproſie in the forehead, which they all viſibly beheld: Therefore Popes and Prieſts may not thruſt any King or Prince out of the Church for any Crime, till God himſelfaaDan: 2. 21. c. 4. 16, 17: 25, 32. c. 5. 18, to 31. Job 12. 18, 19. 1 Tim: 6. 15. Pſ. 150. 1▪ Pſ. 149. 9, 1.Job 12:18Job 12:19Ps 150:1Ps 149:9Ps 149:1 the only King and Judge of Kings) hath firſt given viſible ſentence againſt him by ſome ſignal Judgement. 3ly. They thus thruſt him out of the Temple, not principally becauſe he attempted to burn incenſe, but becauſe God had thus miraculouſly ſmitten him with Leproſie in his forehead, and ſo by Gods expreſſe command he wasbb2 Kings 15. 5 2 Chron. 26. 26. 21. Levit. 13, 45, 46, 5, 6. Numb. 12. 14, 15.2 Kgs 15:52 Chr 26:262 Chr 26:21Lev 13:45Lev 13:46Lev 13:5Lev 13:6Num 12:14Num 12:15 to be ſhut out of the Congregation and Church by the Law, and dwell in a houſe alone, that he might not infect others; this the Text renders to be the ſole or main cauſe of his thrusting out of the Temple, dwelling in a ſeveral houſe, and of his Sonnes judging the people in his ſtead; not by the Prieſts, but his own appointment. 4ly. This King himſelf when God had thus ſmitten him, as the Text preciſely records, hasted to go out of the Temple of his own accord, voluntarily dwelt in a houſe alone, and delegated the government of his houſe and people to his Sonne; So as there was only a voluntary expulſion of him out of the Temple by the Prieſts with his own conſent, not againſt it; but no ſequeſtring or depoſing of him by them from his throne; he continuing King till his death, and making his Sonne his Viceroy to ſupply his Government and order his houſe. 5ly. Here was no ſentence of Excommunication thundred out againſt him with Bell, Book and Candle; no abſolving of his Subjects from their oaths of Allegiance, no exciting of them to rebell, or take up Arms againſt him to dethrone him; Wherefore Popes and Popiſh Prelates can no wayes juſtifie from this preſident, their excommunicating, depoſing Kings, Emperors, or abſolving Subjects from their Allegiance, againſt their wills for the greateſt crimes.

Having removed theſe 4. Grand Romiſh ſtumbling-blocks, before, under the law and Goſpel, out of the way of my Chronological Progreſſe, I now proceed to my third Concluſion.