An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

We have now evinced an Inferior Ecclesiastical Court among the Jews. Come we next to the supreme Court. That there was an high Ecclesiastical Sanhedrin, distinct from the Civill Sanhedrin, is observed by Pelargus on Deut. 17. and S•pingius ad bonam fidem Sibrandi. pag. 261. & seq. Beside many others cited before, part. 1. chap. 11. And that it was so, we prove from three places of the old Testament, to pass other places, from which certain collections may be had to the same purpose.

Wee have now evinced an Inferiour Ecclesiasticall Court among the Jewes. Come we next to the supreame Court. That there was an high Ecclesiasticall Sanedrim, distinct from the Civill Sanedrim, is observed by Pelargus on Deut. 17. and S•pingius ad bonam fidem Sibrandi. pag. 261. & seq. Beside many others cited before, part. 1. chap. 11. And that it was so, wee prove from three places of the old Testament, to passe other places, from which certaine collections may be had to the same purpose.

First, we find Deut. 17. a distinction of two supreme Judicatories, to be set in the place which the Lord should choose to put ⟨p. 169⟩his name there, the one of the Priests & Levi•s, the other of the Judges: & unto these two supreme Courts, the Lord appointed all matters which were too hard for the inferior Judges in the Cities of the Land, to be brought and determined by their authority, and the sentence of the Priests or of the Judges to be obeyed both by the parties and by the inferior Judges, under pain of death, v. 8.9.10.11.12.¹