Andnotwithstandingthecovenantconstitutethasacerdotalkingdom，thatistosay，akingdomhereditarytoAaron；yetthatistobeunderstoodofthesuccessionafterMosesshouldbedead。ForwhosoeverorderethandestablisheththepolicyasfirstfounderofaCommonwealth，beitmonarchy，aristocracy，ordemocracy，mustneedshavesovereignpoweroverthepeopleallthewhileheisdoingofit。AndthatMoseshadthatpowerallhisowntimeisevidentlyaffirmedintheScripture。First，inthetextlastbeforecited，becausethepeoplepromisedobedience，nottoAaron，buttohim。
Secondly，“AndGodsaiduntoMoses，ComeupuntotheLord，thouandAaron，NadabandAbihu，andseventyoftheeldersofIsrael。AndMosesaloneshallcomeneartheLord，buttheyshallnotcomenigh，neithershallthepeoplegoupwithhim。“*BywhichitisplainthatMoses，whowasalonecalleduptoGodandnotAaron，northeotherpriests，northeseventyelders，northepeoplewhowereforbiddentocomeup，wasalonehethatrepresentedtotheIsraelitesthepersonofGod；thatistosay，wastheirsolesovereignunderGod。Andthoughafterwardsitbesaid，“ThenwentupMosesandAaron，NadabandAbihu，andseventyoftheeldersofIsrael，andtheysawtheGodofIsrael，andtherewasunderHisfeetasitwereapavedworkofsapphirestone，“*2etc。；yetthiswasnottillafterMoseshadbeenwithGodbefore，andhadbroughttothepeoplethewordswhichGodhadsaidtohim。Heonlywentforthebusinessofthepeople；
theothers，asthenoblesofhisretinue，wereadmittedforhonourtothatspecialgracewhichwasnotallowedtothepeople；whichwas，asintheverseafterappeareth，toseeGodandlive。“GodlaidnotHishanduponthem，theysawGod，anddideatanddrink“thatis，didlive，butdidnotcarryanycommandmentfromHimtothepeople。
Again，itiseverywheresaid，“TheLordspakeuntoMoses，“asinallotheroccasionsofgovernment，soalsoinalsointheorderingoftheceremoniesofreligion，containedinthe25th，26th，27th，28th，29th，30th，and31stchaptersofExodus，andthroughoutLeviticus；
toAaron，seldom。ThecalfthatAaronmade，Mosesthrewintothefire。
Lastly，thequestionoftheauthorityofAaron，byoccasionofhisandMiriam’smutinyagainstMoses，wasjudgedbyGodHimselfforMoses。*3SoalsointhequestionbetweenMosesandthepeople，whohadtherightofgoverningthepeople，whenKorah，Dathan，andAbiram，andtwohundredandfiftyprincesoftheassembly“gatheredthemselvestogetheragainstMoses，andagainstAaron，andsaiduntothem，yetaketoomuchuponyou，seeingallthecongregationareholy，everyoneofthem，andtheLordisamongstthem，whyliftyouupyourselvesabovethecongregationoftheLord？“*4GodcausedtheearthtoswallowKorah，Dathan，andAbiram，withtheirwivesandchildren，alive，andconsumedthosetwohundredandfiftyprinceswithfire。
ThereforeneitherAaron，northepeople，noranyaristocracyofthechiefprincesofthepeople，butMosesalonehadnextunderGodthesovereigntyovertheIsraelites：andthatnotonlyincausesofcivilpolicy，butalsoofreligion：forMosesonlyspokewithGod，andthereforeonlycouldtellthepeoplewhatitwasthatGodrequiredattheirhands。NomanuponpainofdeathmightbesopresumptuousastoapproachthemountainwhereGodtalkedwithMoses。“Thoushaltsetbounds，“saiththeLord，“tothepeopleroundabout，andsay，TakeheedtoyourselvesthatyougonotupintotheMount，ortouchtheborderofit；whosoevertoucheththeMountshallsurelybeputtodeath。“*5Andagain，“Godown，chargethepeople，lesttheybreakthroughuntotheLordtogaze。“*6OutofwhichwemayconcludethatwhosoeverinChristianCommonwealthholdeththeplaceofMosesisthesolemessengerofGodandinterpreterofHiscommandments。Andaccordinghereunto，nomanoughtintheinterpretationoftheScripturetoproceedfurtherthantheboundswhicharesetbytheirseveralsovereigns。FortheScriptures，sinceGodnowspeakethinthem，aretheMountSinai，theboundswhereofarethelawsofthemthatrepresentGod’spersononearth。Tolookuponthem，andthereintobeholdthewondrousworksofGod，andlearntofearHim，isallowed；buttointerpretthem，thatis，topryintowhatGodsaithtohimwhomHeappointethtogovernunderHim，andmakethemselvesjudgeswhetherhegovernasGodcommandethhim，ornot，istotransgresstheboundsGodhathsetus，andtogazeuponGodirreverently。
TherewasnoprophetinthetimeofMoses，norpretendertothespiritofGod，butsuchasMoseshadapprovedandauthorized。FortherewereinhistimebutseventymenthataresaidtoprophesybythespiritofGod，andthesewereallofMoseshiselection；
concerningwhomGodsaidtoMoses，“GathertomeseventyoftheeldersofIsrael，whomthouknowesttobetheeldersofthepeople。“*TotheseGodimpartedHisspirit；butitwasnotadifferentspiritfromthatofMoses；foritissaid，“Godcamedowninacloud，andtookofthespiritthatwasuponMoses，andgaveittotheseventyelders。“*2ButasIhaveshownbefore，Chapterthirty-six，byspiritisunderstoodthemind；sothatthesenseoftheplaceisnootherthanthis，thatGodenduedthemwithamindconformableandsubordinatetothatofMoses，thattheymightprophesy，thatistosay，speaktothepeopleinGod’snameinsuchmannerastosetforwardasministersofMoses，andbyhisauthoritysuchdoctrineaswasagreeabletoMoseshisdoctrine。Fortheywerebutministers；
andwhentwoofthemprophesiedinthecamp，itwasthoughtanewandunlawfulthing；andasitisinthe27thand28thversesofthesamechapter，theywereaccusedofit，andJoshuaadvisedMosestoforbidthem，asnotknowingthatitwasbyMoseshisspiritthattheyprophesied。Bywhichitismanifestthatnosubjectoughttopretendtoprophecy，ortothespirit，inoppositiontothedoctrineestablishedbyhimwhomGodhathsetintheplaceofMoses。
Aaronbeingdead，andafterhimalsoMoses，thekingdom，asbeingasacerdotalkingdom，descendedbyvirtueofthecovenanttoAaron’sson，Eleazarthehighpriest：andGoddeclaredhim，nextunderHimself，forsovereign，atthesametimethatHeappointedJoshuaforthegeneraloftheirarmy。ForthusGodsaithexpresslyconcerningJoshua：“HeshallstandbeforeEleazarthepriest，whoshallaskcounselforhimbeforetheLord；athiswordshalltheygoout，andathiswordtheyshallcomein，bothhe，andallthechildrenofIsraelwithhim。“*Thereforethesupremepowerofmakingwarandpeacewasinthepriest。Thesupremepowerofjudicaturebelongedalsotothehighpriest：fortheBookoftheLawwasintheirkeeping，andthepriestsandLevitesonlywerethesubordinatejudgesincausescivil，asappearsinDeuteronomy，17。8，9，10。AndforthemannerofGod’sworship，therewasneverdoubtmadebutthatthehighpriest，tillthetimeofSaul，hadthesupremeauthority。Thereforethecivilandecclesiasticalpowerwerebothjoinedtogetherinoneandthesameperson，thehighpriest；andoughttobeso，inwhosoevergovernethbydivineright；thatis，byauthorityimmediatefromGod。
*Numbers，27。21
AfterthedeathofJoshua，tillthetimeofSaul，thetimebetweenisnotedfrequentlyintheBookofJudges，“thattherewasinthosedaysnokinginIsrael“；andsometimeswiththisaddition，that“everymandidthatwhichwasrightinhisowneyes。“Bywhichistobeunderstoodthatwhereitissaid，“therewasnoking，“ismeant，“therewasnosovereignpower，“inIsrael。Andsoitwas，ifweconsidertheactandexerciseofsuchpower。ForafterthedeathofJoshuaandEleazar，“therearoseanothergenerationthatknewnottheLord，northenortheworkswhichHehaddoneforIsrael，butdidevilinthesightoftheLordandservedBaalim。“*AndtheJewshadthatqualitywhichSt。Paulnoteth，“tolookforasign，“notonlybeforetheywouldsubmitthemselvestothegovernmentofMoses，butalsoaftertheyhadobligedthemselvesbytheirsubmission。Whereassignsandmiracleshadforendtoprocurefaith，nottokeepmenfromviolatingitwhentheyhaveoncegivenit，fortothatmenareobligedbythelawofnature。Butifweconsidernottheexercise，buttherightofgoverning，thesovereignpowerwasstillinthehighpriest。ThereforewhatsoeverobediencewasyieldedtoanyofthejudgeswhoweremenchosenbyGodextraordinarilytosaveHisrebellioussubjectsoutofthehandsoftheenemy，itcannotbedrawnintoargumentagainsttherightthehighpriesthadtothesovereignpowerinallmattersbothofpolicyandreligion。AndneitherthejudgesnorSamuelhimselfhadanordinary，butextraordinary，callingtothegovernment，andwereobeyedbytheIsraelites，notoutofduty，butoutofreverencetotheirfavourwithGod，appearingintheirwisdom，courage，orfelicity。Hithertothereforetherightofregulatingboththepolicyandthereligionwereinseparable。
*Judges，2。10
Tothejudgessucceededkings：andwhereasbeforeallauthority，bothinreligionandpolicy，wasinthehighpriest；sonowitwasallintheking。Forthesovereigntyoverthepeoplewhichwas，before，notonlybyvirtueofthedivinepower，butalsobyaparticularpactoftheIsraelitesinGod，andnextunderHim，inthehighpriest，asHisvicegerentonearth，wascastoffbythepeople，withtheconsentofGodHimself。ForwhentheysaidtoSamuel，“makeusakingtojudgeus，likeallthenations，“*theysignifiedthattheywouldnomorebegovernedbythecommandsthatshouldbelaiduponthembythepriest，inthenameofGod；butbyonethatshouldcommandtheminthesamemannerthatallothernationswerecommanded；andconsequentlyindeposingthehighpriestofroyalauthority，theydeposedthatpeculiargovernmentofGod。AndyetGodconsentedtoit，sayingtoSamuel，“Hearkenuntothevoiceofthepeople，inallthattheyshallsayuntothee；fortheyhavenotrejectedthee；buttheyhaverejectedme，thatIshouldnotreignoverthem。“*2
HavingthereforerejectedGod，inwhoserightthepriestsgoverned，therewasnoauthoritylefttothepriestsbutsuchasthekingwaspleasedtoallowthem；whichwasmoreorless，accordingasthekingsweregoodorevil。Andforthegovernmentofcivilaffairs，itismanifest，itwasallinthehandsoftheking。Forinthesamechaptertheysaytheywillbelikeallthenations；thattheirkingshallbetheirjudge，andgobeforethem，andfighttheirbattles；*3
thatis，heshallhavethewholeauthority，bothinpeaceandwar。
Inwhichiscontinuedalsotheorderingofreligion：fortherewasnootherwordofGodinthattimebywhichtoregulatereligionbuttheLawofMoses，whichwastheircivillaw。Besides，wereadthatSolomon“thrustoutAbiatharfrombeingpriestbeforetheLord“：*4
hehadthereforeauthorityoverthehighpriest，asoveranyothersubject，whichisagreatmarkofsupremacyinreligion。AndwereadalsothathededicatedtheTemple；thatheblessedthepeople；andthathehimselfinpersonmadethatexcellentprayer，usedintheconsecrationsofallchurchesandhousesofprayer；*5whichisanothergreatmarkofsupremacyinreligion。Again，wereadthatwhentherewasquestionconcerningtheBookoftheLawfoundintheTemple，thesamewasnotdecidedbythehighpriest，butJosiahsentbothandotherstoenquireconcerningit，ofHuldah，theprophetess；*6whichisanothermarkofthesupremacyinreligion。
Lastly，wereadthatDavidmadeHashabiahandhisbrethren，Hebronites，officersofIsraelamongthemwestward，“inallbusinessoftheLord，andintheserviceoftheking。“*7Likewise，thathemadeotherHebronites“rulersovertheReubenites，theGadites，andthehalftribeofManasseh“theseweretherestofIsraelthatdweltbeyondJordan“foreverymatterpertainingtoGod，andaffairsoftheking。“*8Isnotthisfullpower，bothtemporalandspiritual，astheycallitthatwoulddivideit？Toconclude：fromthefirstinstitutionofGod’skingdom，totheCaptivity，thesupremacyofreligionwasinthesamehandwiththatofthecivilsovereignty；
andthepriest’soffice，aftertheelectionofSaul，wasnotmagisterial，butministerial。