A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

Moreover, the B. objecteth the example of Joash: who, while he Sect. 8 yet did right in the days of Jehojada the Priest, ^psent the Priests & Levites, to gather from all Israel, money for repairing the house of the Lord: and when they dealt negligently in this business, he transferred the charge of the same unto others, and making himself ⟨p. 129⟩the Keeper of the holy money, did both prescribe how it was to be •eboursed, and likewise take from good Jehojada the Priest the administration of the same. Now, where he hath read that Joash made himself the keeper of the money and prescribed how it should be disbursed, also that he took the administration •rom Jehojada; I can not guess, or the Text hath no such thing in it, but the contrary, viz. that the Kings Scribe, and the High Priests Officer, kept the money and disbursed the same, as the King and Jehojada prescribed unto them. As to that which he truly allegeth out of the holy Text, I answer, 1. The collection for repairing the house of the Lord was no humane ordinance, for Joash showeth the Commandment of Moses for it, Vers. 6. having reference to Exod. 30. 12. 13. 14. No other collections did Joash impose, ^qbut those quae divino sure debebantur. 2. As for the taking of the charge of this collection from the Priests, he behooved to do so, because they had still neglected the work, when the three & twenty year of his reign was come. And so say we, that when the ministers of the Church fail to do their duty, in providing that which is necessary for the service of God, Princes ought by some other means to cause these things be redressed. 3. Joash did nothing with these moneys without Jehojada, but ^rPontifex eas primum laborantibus tribuit, tum in aedis s•crae restoration em maxim converti•. 4. And what if he had done this by himself? I suppose no man will reckon the hiring of Masons and Carpenters, with such as wrought Iron and Brass, or the gathering of money for this purpose, among spiritual things or causes. 5. And if these employments about Solomons Temple were not to be called Spiritual or Ecclesiastical, far less about our material Churches, which are not holy nor consecrated as Solomons was for a typical use. Wherefore without all prejudice to our cause, we may and do commend the building and repairing of Churches by Christian Princes.