The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

When God did establish his Law, Statutes and Ceremonies in the midst of Israel, ¹he did not exempt the matters of Religion from the power of Moses, but as he gave him charge over the Civill policy, so he put in his mouth and his hand; that is, he first revealed to him, and thereafter commanded to put in practice whatsoever was to be taught or done in matters of Religion. Nothing did God reveal particularly to Aaron, but altogether was he commanded to depend from the mouth of Moses: ²Yea, nothing was he permitted to do to himself, or to his children, either in his or their Inauguration and Sanctification to the Priesthood,³ but all was committed to the care of Moses, and therefore were these words so frequently repeated to Moses, Thou shalt separate Aaron and his sons from the midst of the people of Israel,⁴ that they may execute the Office of the Priesthood; thou shalt make them Garments, thou shalt anoint them, thou shalt wash them, thou shalt fill their hands with Sacrifice. And so forth of every Rite and Ceremony that was to be done unto them, especial commandment was given unto Moses, That he should do it. Now if Aaron and his sons were subject to Moses, that they did nothing but at his commandment, Who dare be so bold as to affirm, That the Civill Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion? For seeing that then God did so straitly require, That even those who did bear the figure of Christ, should receive from the Civill power as it were their Sanctification, and entrance into their Office: And seeing also that Moses was so far preferred to Aaron, that the one commanded, and the other did obey, Who dare esteem that the Civill power is now become so profane in Gods eyes, that it is sequestered from all intromission with the matters of Religion. The holy Ghost in divers places declareth the contrary. For one of the chief Precepts commanded to the King, when that he should be placed in his Throne, was to write the example of the Book of the Lords Law, that it should be with him, that he might read in it all the days of his life, that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of his Law and his Statutes to do them.