Page:The reason of church-governement urg'd against prelaty - Milton (1641).djvu/24

 ? conceave him readers, he would missificate. Their altars indeed were in a fair forwardnesse; and by such arguments as these they were setting up the molten Calfe of their Masse againe, and of their great Hierarch the Pope. For if the type of Priest be not taken away, then neither of the high Priest, it were a strange beheading; and high Priest more then one there cannot be, and that one can be no lesse then a Pope. And this doubtlesse was the bent of his career, though never so covertly. Yea but there was something else in the high Priest besides the figure, as is plain by S. Pauls acknowledging him. Tis true that in the 17 of Deut. whence this autority arises to the Priest in matters too hard for the secular judges, as must needs be many in the occasions of those times involv'd so with ceremoniall niceties, no wonder though it be commanded to enquire at the mouth of the Priests, who besides the Magistrates their collegues had the Oracle of Urim to consult with. And whether the high Priest Ananias had not incroach't beyond the limits of his Priestly autority, or whether us'd it rightly, was no time then for S. Paul to contest about. But if this instance be able to assert any right of jurisdiction to the Clergy, it must impart it in common to all Ministers, since it were a great folly to seeke for counsell in a hard intricat scruple from a Dunce Prelat, when there might be found a speedier solution from a grave and learned Minister, whom God hath gifted with the judgement of Urim more amply oft-times then all the Prelates together; and now in the Gospell hath granted the privilege of this oraculous Ephod alike to all his Ministers. The reason therefore of imparity in the Priests, being now as is aforesaid, really annull'd both in their person, and in their representative office, what right of jurisdiction soever can be from this place Levitically bequeath'd, must descend upon the Ministers of the Gospell equally, as it findes them in all other points equall. Well then he is finally content to let Aaron go. Eleazar will serve his turne, as being a superior of superiors, and yet no type of Christ in Aarons life time. O thou that would'st winde into any figment, or phantasme to save thy Miter! Yet all this will not fadge, though it be cunningly interpolisht by some second hand with crooks & emendations; Heare then; the type of Christ in some one particular, as of entring yearly into the Holy of holies and such like, rested upon the High Priest only as more immediately personating our Saviour: but to resemble his whole satisfactory office all the lineage of Aaron was no more then sufficient. And all, or any of the Priests, consider'd separately without relation to the highest,