Kings teach in a civil, coactive, commanding way: but Pastors in
a Ministeriall Pastoral way, as men in Office.
3. The Princes teach Efficienter, i. e. by causing the Levites to do
their duty. He set Princes to teach, i. e. to see the people taught, saith
a Reverend Divine; Formaliter, they taught not by themselves
in their own persons (for Magistracy and Minestery are two distinct
Callings, and have distinct duties, upon which there must be no incroach∣ments;
yet one may be helpful to another, in suo genere, for the good
of both) but by the Levites, who expounded the Law, the Princes one∣ly
accompanyed them, and by their civil authority did countenance and
assist them in preaching: now 'tis a rule Quod quis per alium facit id
per se facere videtur; What I command my servant to doe I am said
to doe my selfe. So Christ is said to baptize, but 'twas by his Disciples;
••or hee baptized none himselfe, Ioh: 4. 1. Hence Iunius in loc. reads it
thus: Shalac lesarau; Misit cum praefectis suis Levitas ad docen∣dum:
Iehosaphat sent with his Princes Levites to teach; hee sent them
to take care that the Levites should doe their Office in that time of Apo∣stacie.
4 I answer by way of Concession; Dato, sed non concesso: suppose we
should give you that which we doe not grant you; viz. That the Princes
did Preach; yet here's a vast difference between them and our gifted-bre∣thren: for,
1 These Princes were sent to teach, by the Magistrates command, but
our Iehosaphats have by many Acts and Ordinances prohibited our gifted-Brethrens
preaching.
2 These were Princes, and so men of choice breeding, of rare abilities,
able to teach: what is this to our Naylors, Taylors, &c. who have no
such breeding nor abilities.
3 They had Levites to joyn with them, who were men in Office: But
you (many of you) scorn at Ministers, nick-name them, and revile
them. as Antichristian, Baals-Priests, Legalists, troublers of Israel, their
Calling Anti-christian,
and their maintenance Antichristian, &c. here's
convitiorum plaustra, whole loads. Let such know that Christ takes
the indignities done to his Embassadors as done to himselfe: He that de∣spiseth
you, despiseth me: Wee are oft commanded to love our Ministers,
yea to have them in singular love, to count them worthy of double ho∣nour,
not to rebuke an Elder, but to intreate him as a Father, 1 Tim: 5.
1. And the Lord gives a special caveat, that wee take heede that wee
forsake not the Levite as long as wee live upon the Earth, Deut: 12.
19. How contrary to these Precepts doe many in our times walke, who