And for Elye and Samuell, they are extraordinarie examples, whiche may thereby appeare, for that both these offices first meeting in Melchisedech, and afterwarde in Moses, were by the commaundement of God seuered, when as the Lorde toke from Moses (beyng so wise and godly a man) the Priesthoode and gaue it to Aaron, and to his successors. And so, for so much as when the Lord would polishe his churche & make it famous, & renoun〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ed in the world he gaue this order: it appeareth that he would haue this to be a perpetuall rule vnto his church. And by so much it is the clearer, for that the Lorde did not tarie vntill Moses death, but tooke the priesthoode away from Moses, which was a man as able to execute both, as eyther Elye or Samuell.
It is not certayne whether Moses were euer Priest or no: for where it is sayd* 1.1 in the. 99. Bsalme. Moses & Aaron in sacerdotibus eius, the Hebrewe worde is doubtfull and signifieth as well a Prince, as a Priest: & therefore vpon this place it cannot ne∣cessarily be concluded, that Moses was a Priest. Moreouer at that time the chiefe rulers & men of greatest authoritie were called Priestes: but you neuer redde that Moses offered vp any sacrifices for sinne, which was the proper office of the Priest: Neyther can you tell vs where he was euer consecrated Priest. In déede Harding a∣gainst the Apologie doth alledge this example at Moses, being as he sayeth both a ci∣uill Magistrate and a Priest, to proue that the Pope may be both King and Priest.
But be it as you say, that these two offices were distinguished in Moyses & Aa∣ron, & that the Priests office which consisteth in offering oblations & sacrifices was taken from him, yet did he kéepe still his former authoritie in gouerning the church, and in prescribing to Aaron what he should do, euen in matters perteyning to the worship of God: so that these two offices (I meane ciuill and Ecclesiasticall) are not so distinct, but that they may both aptly & well méete & ioyne togither. Further more* 1.2 you know that howsoeuer the priesthood & ciuill Magistracie were deuided in Moses and Aaron, yet mette they both togither againe not onely in Elye & Samuell, but in Es〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ras, Nehemias, Mattathias and some other, which examples proue that vpon oc∣casion these offices may meete togither in one Person, & they quite ouerthrow your allegation of Moses.