that hold Moses place I demand then what place did Moses hold Sure it is that Aaron was now the high Priest anointed and fully inuested in all the rights of it euer since the 8. Chap. of the last Booke Moses had in him now no other Right but that of the chiefe Magistrate Therefore as in that Right and no other he receiued held them So he was made Custos vtriusque Tabulae So he is made Custos vtriusque Tubae But who can tell vs better then he himselfe in what right he held them He doeth it in the 5. verse of Deut. 33. reade it which way you wil Erat in Iishrune Rex or 〈…〉 in rectissimo Rex or in rectitudine Rex or in recto Regis dum congregaret Principes populi Tribus Israel all come to this that though in strict propriety of speech Moses were no King yet in this he was in rectitudine Rex or in recto Regis that is in this had as we say Ius regale that he might and did assemble the Tribes chiefe men of the Tribes at his pleasure Herein hee was Rex in rectitudine For this was rectitudo Regis A power Regal And so it was holden in Egypt before Moses euen in the law of Nature that without Pharao Gen. 41.44 no man might lift vp hand or foot in all the land of Egypt suppose to no publike or principall motion and so hath it bene holden in all Nations as a speciall Power belonging to Dominion Which maketh it seeme strange that those men which in no cause are so feruent as when they pleade that Churchmen should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is haue Dominion doe yet hold this Power which hath euer bene reputed most proper to Dominion should belong to none but to them onely Our Sauiour Christs Matt. 20.26 vos autem non sic may I am sure be said to them here in a truer sense then as they commonly vse to apply it The chiefe Magistrate to succeed in it To conclude then this point If Moses as in the right of chiefe Magistrate held this Power it was frō him to descend to the chiefe Magistrats after him ouer the people of God and they to succeed him as in his place so in this right it being by God himselfe setled in Moses annexed to his place lege perpetuâ by an estate indefeizible by a perpetuall Law throughout all their generations Therefore euer after by Gods expresse order from yeere to yeere euery yeere on the first day of the seuenth moneth were they blowen by Moses first and after by them that held his place and the feast of the trumpets solemnely holden as to put them in minde of the benefite thereby comming to them so withall to keepe aliue fresh still in the knowledge of all That this power belonged to their place that so none might euer bee ignorant to whō it did of right appertaine to call Assēblies Aarons Assemblies how called And how then shall Aarons Assemblies be called with what trumpet they God himselfe hath prouided for that in the 10. ver following that with no other thē these There is in all the Law no order for calling an Assemblie to what end or for what cause soeuer but this and only this No order for making any third trumpet vnder these two therefore all are comprised This order there God taketh Verse 10. that Moses shall permit Aarons sonnes to haue the vse of these trumpets But the vse not the property They must take them from Moses as in the 31. Chap. Num. 31.6 of this Booke Phinees doth But Erunt tibi Gods owne words Erunt tibi must still bee remembred His they be for all that Moses the owner still the right remaines in him Their sounding of them depriues not him of his interest alters not the property Erunt tibi must still bee true that right must still be preserued It may bee if wee communicate with flesh and blood wee may thinke it more conuenient as some doe that God had deliuered Moses and Aaron either of them one But when wee see Gods will by Gods word what it is that Moses is to haue them both we will let that passe as a Reuelation of flesh and blood and thinke that which God thinketh to be most conuenient Now then if the Trumpets belong to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that to this ende 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that with them hee may call the congregation The two duties These two things doe follow First that if hee call the congregation must not refuse to come Secondly that vnlesse hee call they must not assemble of their owne heads but keepe their places Brieflie thus the congregation must come when it is called and it must be called yet it come These are the two dueties wee owe to the two trumpets and both these haue Gods people euer duely performed And yet not so but that this Right hath bin called in question yea euen in Moses own time that we marueile not if it be so now and both these dueties denied him euen by those who were aliue and present then when God gaue him the trumpets But marke by whom and what became of them The first duty is To come when they be called and this was denied in the 16. Chap. following 12. ver by Core Dathan their crew 1. To come when they be called Moses sounded his trumpet sent to call them they answere flatly and that not once but once and againe Non veniemus They would not come not once stirre for him or his trumpet they A plaine contradiction indeed neither is there in all that Chapter any contradiction veri nominis true and properly so to be called but only that You know what became of them they went quick to hell for it and wo be to them euen vnder the Gospell saith S. Iude that perish in the same contradiction Iude 11. the contradiction of Core The second duety is To bee called yer they come this likewise denied 2. To be called yer they come euen Moses himselfe that they in his place may not thinke strange of it In the 20. Chapter of this very booke Water waxing skant a company of them grew mutinous and in tumultuous maner without any sound of the Trumpet assembled of themselues But these are branded too The water they got is called the water of Meriba And what followed you know Cap. 20.13 None of them that drunke of it came into the Land of Promise God swore they should not enter into his rest Now as both these are bad so of the twaine this later is the worse Called and came not The former that came not beeing called doe but sit still as if they were somewhat thicke of hearing But these later that come Came vncalled being not called either they make themselues a trumpet without euer a fac tibi or else they
A SERMON PREACHED BEfore the Kings Maiestie at Hampton Court Concerning the Right and Power of calling Assemblies On Sunday the 28. of September ANNO 1606. By the Bishop of Chichester ¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker Printer to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie NVM 10. verse 1 2. 1. Then God spake to Moses saying 2. Make thee two Trumpets of siluer of one whole peece shalt thou make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou shalt haue them or they shal be for thee to assemble or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call together the Congregation and to remooue the Campe. AMong diuers and sundry Commissions graunted in the Law A Grant for the benefite and better order of Gods people this which I haue read is one Giuen as wee see per Ipsum Deum From God by God himselfe and that viuae vocis Oraculo by expresse warrant from his owne mouth Then God spake to Moses saying And it is a graunt of the Right and Power of the trumpets Of the power of calling Assemblies and with them of assembling the people of God A Right and Power not to be lightly accounted of The Grant of this Power a matter of importance or to bee heard of with slight attention It is a matter of great weight and consequence The calling of Assemblies There is yerely a solemne Feast holden in memory of it and that by Gods owne appoyntment no lesse then of the Passeouer or of the Lawe it selfe Cap. 29.1 Euen the Feast of the trumpets much about this time of the yeere the latter Aequinoctiall And God appoynteth no Feast but in remembrance of some speciall benefite It is therefore one of his speciall benefits and high fauours vouchsafed them and to be regarded accordingly In whose hands this Power was before This Power hitherto euer since they came out of Egypt and that God adopted them for his people vnto this very day place had God kept in his owne hands as to him alone of right properly belonging For vnto this very day and place the people of God as they had assembled many times and oft so it was euer they be the very last words of the last Chapter which serue for an introduction to these of ours euer Cap. ◠v. 18 20 23. all their meetings and remouings were by immediate warrant frō God himselfe But here now God no longer intending thus to warne them still by speciall direction from his owne selfe but to set ouer this power once for all Here he doeth it This is the primary passing it from GOD and deriuing it to Moses Exod. 19.13 who was the first that euer held it by force of the Law written For to this place they came by the sound of Gods and from this place they dislodged by the sound of Moses Trumpet The time and place of the Granting And it is a point very considerable what day and place this was for it appeareth they were yet at Sinai by the 12. verse yet at the very Mount of GOD by the 33. of this Chapter euen then when this Comission came foorth So that this power is as ancient as the Lawe At no other place nor no other time deliuered then euen the Lawe it selfe when the two Tables were giuen the two Trumpets were giuen and Moses that was made keeper of both the Tables made likewise keeper of both the Trumpets both at Sinai both at one time As if there were some neere alliance betweene the Law and Assemblies And so there is Assemblies being euer a speciall meanes to reuiue the Law as occasions serue and to keepe it in life As if the Law it selfe therefore lacked yet something and were not perfect and full without them So till this Graunt was passed they stayed still at Sinai and so soone as euer this was passed they presently remooued To entreat then of this power The story of the Bible would serue our turne to shew vs who haue had the exercise of it in their handes from time to time if that were enough But that is not enough For the errors first and last about this point from hence they seeme to grow that men looke not backe enough haue not an eye to this Matth. 19.4 how it was in the beginning by the very law of GOD. Being therefore to search for the Original warrant by which the Assemblies of Gods people are called This the Originall Grant of it and kept this place of Numbers is generally agreed to be it That here it is first found and here it is first founded euen in the Lawe the best ground for a Power that may be In Lege quid scriptumest Luc. 10.16 quomodo legis saith our Sauiour What is written in the Law how read you there as if he should say If it be to be read there it is well then must it needs be yeelded to there is no excepting to it then vnlesse you will except to Law and Lawgiuer to God all Let vs then come to this Cōmission The parts of the Graunt The points of it be three First two trumpets of siluer to be made out of one whole peice both Secondly with these trumpets the Congregation to be called the Campe remoued Thirdly Moses to make these Trumpets and being made to vse them to these ends These three The Instrument The end for which The partie to whom Now to marshal these in their right order 1. The end is to be first Sapiens semper incipit á sine saith the Philosopher A wise man begins euer at the end for that indeed is Causa causarum as Logique teacheth vs The cause of all the causes the cause that sets them all on working 2. Then next the Instrument which applyeth this power to this end 3. And so last the Agent who is to guide the Instrument and to whomeboth Instrument and Power is committed 1. The end for which this Power is conueied is double as the subiect is double wheron it hath his operation The Campe and the Congregation On either of these a speciall act exercised To remoue the Campe to call together the Congregation One for Warre the other for Peace That of the Camp hath no longer vse then while it is warre God forbid that should be long nay God forbid it should be at all The best remouing of the Campe is the remouing of it quite cleane away But if it be not possible if it lye not in vs to haue peace with all men Rom. 12.18 if warre must be here is order for it But the calling of the Congregation that is it that is to continue and therefore that which we to deale with The calling of the Congregation as in the two next verses either in whole or in part either of all the Tribes or but of the chiefe and principal men in them A power for both these And in a word a power generall for calling
Assemblies Assemblies in warre Assemblies in peace Assemblies of the whole Assemblies of each or any part 2. This Power to bee executed by instruments The Instruments to be Trumpets Two in number Those to be of siluer and both of one entire piece of siluer 3. This power and the executing of it by these Instruments committed to Moses First he to haue the making of these Trumpets Factibi Then he to haue the right to them being made Eterunt tibi Then he to vse them to call the Congregation and if need be to remooue the Campe. None to make any Trumpet but he None to haue any Trumpet but he None to meddle with the calling of the Congregation or remoouing the Campe with them but he or by his leaue and appointment Wherein as we find the Grant ful so are we further to search and see Whether this Grant tooke place or no Whether as these Trumpets were made giuen to call the Congregation so the Congregation from time to time haue bin called by these trumpets And so first of the granting this Power to be executed and then of the executing this Power so graunted So haue we two subiects The Campe and the Congregation Two acts to Assemble and to Remoue Two Instruments the two siluer Trumpets Two Powers to make them To owe them being made for the two acts or ends before specified First for calling the Assembly and then for dislodging the Campe. And all these committed to Moses The summe of all is the establishing in Moses the Prerogatiue and Power of calling and dissoluing Assemblies about publique affaires Then God spake to Moses c. Assembling a motion extraordinarie IF we be to begin with the end the end is Assembling Assembling is reduced to Motion Not to euery motion but to the very chiefest of all as that which draweth together all and so at once mooueth all For as in the Soule when the minde summoneth all the powers and faculties together Or in the body when all the sinewes ioyne their forces together it is vltimum potentiae So in the body politicke when all the Estates are drawen together into one it is nixus rather then motus a maine sway rather then a motion Or if a motion it is motus Magnus no common and ordinarie but an extraordinarie great motion Such a motion is Assembling and such is the nature of it Yet necessary Yet euen this great and extraordinarie as it is such and so vrgent occasions may and doe daily arise as very requisite it is such meetings there should be very requisite I say both in Warre and in Peace both for the Campe and for the Congregation The ground whereof seemeth to be That Power dispersed may doe many things but to do some it must be vnited Vnited in consultation For that which one eye cannot discerne many may Vnited in action For many hands may discharge that by parts which in whole were too troublesome for any But Action is more proper to war For the Campe. That is the Assembly of fortitude And Consultation rather for Peace For the Congregation That is the Assembly of Prudence And in Peace chiefely for making of Lawes For that euery man is more willing to submit himselfe to that whereof all doe agree The whole Camp Then when it is assembled will be the more surely fortified And the whole Congregation when it is Assembled will be the more soundly aduised And hereby it commeth to passe that there euer hath and euer will be great vse of calling Assemblies Let me adde yet one thing further to bring it home to our selues There is no people vnder heauen Especially for this land of Britaine may better speake for the vse of Assemblies then we There was nothing that did our Ancestours the Britaines more hurt Nec aliud aduersus validissimas gentes pro nobis vtilius quà m quòd in commune non consulunt Rarus ad propulsandum commune periculum conuentus Ita dum singuli pugnant vniuersi vincuÌ„tur Invita Agric. saith Tacitus of them nothing that turned them to greater preiudice then this one That they met not they consulted not in common but euery man ran a course by himselfe of his owne head And this was the greatest aduantage the Romane had of them they were not so wise as to know what good there was in publike conuentions Therefore great vse of Assemblies may we say of all others Now if they be neeedfull for the Campe and for the Congregation Nessesarie for the Church as it is a Ciuill body I doubt not but I may adde also euery way as needfull for the Congregation properly so called that is the Church The Church hath her wars to fight The Church hath her Lawes to make Warres with heresies wherin experience teacheth vs it is matter of lesse difficultie to raze a good Fort then to cast down a strong imagination and more easie to driue out of the field a good armie of men then to chase out of mens minds a heape of fond opinions hauing once taken head Now heresies haue euer bin best put to flight by the Churchs Assemblies that is Councels as it were by the Armies of Gods Angels as Eusebius calleth them yea it is wel knowen De vita Constâ—ntiuâ— lib 3. Cap. 6. some heresies could neuer be throughly mastred or conquered but so Then for the Churches Lawes which we cal Canons Rules made to restraine or redresse abuses they haue alwayes likewise bene made at her Assemblies in Councels not elsewher So that as requisite are Assemblies for the Congregation in this sense as in any other By this then that hath bene said it appeareth that Gods Fac tibi here is no more then needes but that meete it is the Trumpets be put to making And so I passe ouer to the Instruments which is the second part ASsembling we said is reduced to motion Motion is a worke of power Power is executed Organicè that is by Instrument So an Instrument we must haue Instruments wherewithall to stirre vp or to begin this Motion 1. That Instrument to be the Trumpet Trumpets It is the sound that GOD himselfe made choise of to vse at the publishing or proclaiming his Law And the same sound hee will haue continued and vsed still for Assemblies which are as hath beene said speciall supporters of his Law And the very same he will vse too at the last when he will take accompt of the keeping or breaking of it which shall be done 1. Cor. 15.52 In tuba nouissima by the sound of the last Trumpe And he holdeth on or continueth one and the same Instrument to shew it is one and the same Power that continueth still that whether an Angelblow it as at Sinai or whether Moses as euer after it is one sound euen Gods sound Gods voice we heare in both 2. They are to be twaine for the two Assemblies Two that
offer to wring Moses trumpet out of his hands and take it into their owne Take heed of this later it is said there to be aduersus Mosen euen against Moses himselfe It is the very next forerunner to it it prickes fast vpon it For they that meete against Moses will when they haue once throughly learned that lesson will quickly perhaps grow capable of another euen to meete against Moses himselfe as these did Acts 19.40 Periclitamur argui seditionis saith the Towne-clearke We haue done more then we can well answere We may be indicted of treason for this dayes worke for comming together without a trumpet and yet it was for Diana that is for a matter of Religion You see then whose the Right is and what the dueties be to it and in whose steps they tread that deny them Sure they haue bene baptized or made to drinke of the same water the water of Meriba that euer shal offer to do the like to draw together without Moses Call And now to our Sauiour Christs question In the Law how is it written How reade you Our answere is There it is thus written and thus wee reade That Moses hath the Right of the Trumpets that they to goe euer with him and his successors and that to them belongeth the power of calling the publike Assemblies Agreeable to the Law of Nature This is the Law of God and that no iudicial Law peculiar to that people alone but agreeable to the Law of Nature and Nations two Lawes of force through the whole world For euen in the little Empire of the body naturall Principium motus the beginning of al motion is in and frō the head There all the knots or as they call them all the coniugations of sinewes haue their head by which all the body is moued And as the Law of Nature by secret instinct by the light of the Creation To the Law of Nations annexeth the organe to the chiefest part euen so doeth the Law of Nations by the light of reason to the chiefest person and both fall iust with the Law here written Where by Erunt tibi the same organ and power is cōmitted to Moses the principall person in that common wealth The Law of Nations in this point both before the Law written and since where the Law written was not knowne might easily appeare if time would suffer both in their generall order for cōuentions so to be called and in their generall opposing to all conuenticles called otherwise Verily the Heathen lawes made all such Assemblies vnlawful which the highest authority did not cause to meete yea though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say Solons Lawes yea though sub praetextu Religionis say the Romane Lawes Neither did the Christian Emperours thinke good to abate anything of that Right Nay they tooke more straight order for besides the exiling of the person which was the Law before they proscribed the place where vnder pretence of Religion any such meetings should be But I let them passe and stand onely on the written Law the Law of God WE haue Law then for vs That Moses is euer to call the Congregation But though we haue Law Mos vincit Legem Custome ouerruleth Law And the Custome or practise may go another way and it is practise that euer best bewrayeth a Power How then hath the practise gone It is a necessary question this and pertinent to the Text it selfe For here is a Power granted and in vaine is that Power that neuer commeth into act Came then this Power into act It is a Power to call the Congregation together Were the Congregations called together by it A grant there is That Erunt tibi So it should be Did it take place was it so Erantnè illi Had he it Did he enioy it Let vs looke into that another while what became of this Grant what place it tooke And we shal not offend Moses in so doing It is his aduise The practise or vse of this Power among the Iewes Deut. 4.32 and desire both that we should enquire into the daies past that were before vs aske euen frō one end of Heauen to the other to see how matters haue bin caried So that as our Sauiour Christ sendeth vs to the Lavv by this In Lege quid scriptum est so doth Moses direct vs to the vse and practise by his Interroga de diebus antiquis I doe aske then These trumpets here giuen this power to call together the Congregation hovv hath it bene vsed Hath the Congregation bene called accordingly in this and no other maner by this no other Power It hath as shal appeare and I wil deale with no Assemblies but only for matters of Religion Of Moses By Moses first there is no question It is yeelded that he called them and dismissed them and euen so did Iosue after him Ioshua Iosh 1.17 no lesse then he and they obeyed him in that Power no lesse then Moses And as for that which is obiected concerning Moses that he for a time delt in matters of the Priests Office it hath no colour in Iosue and those that succeeded him The Couenant and the renuing of the Couenant are matters meerly spiritual yet in that case did Iosua Iosua not Eleazar assemble all the Tribes Leui and all to Sichem Ios 24. called the Assembly at the first verse dislolued it at the 28. For Iosh 24.18 if Iosua may call he may dissolue too Law Reason Sense teach That Cuius est nolle eius est velle That calling discharging belong both to one power Nay Demetrius assembly though they had come together disorderly yet when the Towne-clearke that should haue called them together did discharge them they added not one fault to another but went their wayes euery man quietly Demetrius himselfe and all that they are worse then Demetrius that deny this But I passe to the Kings that Estate fitteth vs better There Dauid doth Dauid call together the Priests and other persons Ecclesiasticall and that euen with these trumpets And for what matters Secular Nay but first 1. Chro. 15.4 when the Arke was to bee remooued And againe when the Offices of the Temple were to bee set in order 1. Chro. 23.2.3.6 things meerely pertayning to Religion And as he calleth them 1. Chron. 15.4 So hee dismisseth them 1. Chron. 16.43 The like did Salomon Salomon when the Temple was to be dedicated called the Assembly 2. Chron. 5.2 dissolued the Assembly in the 10. verse of the 7. Chap. following The like did Asa 2. Chro. 15.14 Asa when Religion was to be restored and a solemne oth of Association to be taken for the maintayning of it with the sound of these trumpets did he it Iehoshaphat vsed them when a publike Fast to be proclaimed Iehu vsed them Iehoshaphat 2. Chro. 20.3 Iehu 2. Reg. 10.20 Ioas. 2. Chro. 24.5 whē a solemne Sacrifice to bee
They are a persecuted Church as that then was without a Moses without a Constantine The times then before Constantine are no barre no kinde of impeachment to Constantines no more then the times in Egypt were to Moses Right And indeed no more they were for Constantine and his Successours had them and helde them till a thousand yeeres after Christ and then one of them by what means wee all know was let goe by them or gotten away from them It was then gotten away and caried to Rome But that getting hath hitherto been holden a plaine vsurping an vsurping not vpon the Congregation but vpon Princes and their Right and that they in their owne wrong suffered it to bee wrung from them And why Because not to Aaron but to Moses it was sayd Et erunt tibi The recouery of the Trumpets 1. To draw to an end It was then gotten away and with some adoe it was recouereâ— not long since and what shall wee noâ— let it goe and destroy so soone that which so lately we built againe You may please to remember there was not long since a Clergâ— in place that was wholly ad oppositum and would neuer haue yeelded to reforme ought Nothing they would doe and in eye of law without them nothing could then bee done they had incroched the power of Assembling into their owne hands How then how shalâ— we doe for an Assembly Then Erunt tibi was a good text it must needs bee meant of the Prince He had this Power and to him of right it belonged This was then good Diuinity and what writer is there extant of those times but it may be turned to in him Now sought to be gotten away And was it good Diuinitie then and is it now no longer so 1. By the Presbyterie Was the King but licensed for a while to hold this power till another Clergie were in and must he then bee depriued of it againe Was it then vsurped from Princes and are nowe Princes vsurpers of it themselues And is this all the difference in the matter of Assemblies and calling of them that there must be onely a change and that in stead of a forreine they shall haue a domesticall and instead of one many and no remedy now but one of these two they must needes admit of Is this now become good Diuinitie Nay I trust if Erunt tibi were once true it is so still and if Tibi were then Moses it is so still That we will be better aduised and not thus goe against our selues and let trueth be no longer trueth then it will serue our turnes 2. By the people themselues Penry Barrow c. 2 And this calleth to my minde the like dealing of a sort of men not long since here among vs. A while they plied Prince and Parliament with Admonitions Supplicatâ—ons Motions and Petitions An in them it was their duetie their right to frame all thing to their new inuented plot And this 〈◊〉 long as any hope blew out of that coast Buâ— when that way they saw it would not bâ— Then tooke they vp a new Tenet streightâ— They needed neither Magistrate nor Trumpet they The godly among the people might doe it of themselues For confusion to the wise and mighty the poore and simple must take this worke in hand and so by thâ— meanes the Trumpet proue their right in the end and so come by deuolution to Demetriâ— and the craftsmen Now if not for louâ— of the trueth yet for very shame of these shifting absurdities let these fantasies bee abandoned and that which Gods owne mouth hath here spoken let it bee for once and foâ—euer true That which once wee truely held oâ— maintained for tureth let vs doe so still thaâ— we be not like euill seruants Luc. 19.22 iudged Ex â—…proprio out of their owne mouthes Let me not ouer wearie you let this ratheâ— suffice The Conclusion 1. Wee haue done as our Sauiouâ— Christ willed vs resorted to the Law and found what there is written The Graunt of this Power to Moses to call the Congregation 2. We haue followed Moses aduise inquired of the dayes before vs euen from one ende of heauen to the other and found the practise of this Graunt in Moses successours and the Congregation so by them called it remaineth that as God by his Law hath taken this order and his people in former ages haue kept this order that we doe so too that we say as God saith Erunt tibi this Power pertaineth to Moses And that neither with Core we say Non veniemus Nor with Demetrius runne together of our selues and thinke to carie it away with crying Great is Diana But as we see the Power is of God so truely to acknowledge it and duetifully to yeeld it that so they whose it is may quietly hold it and laudably vse it to his glorie that gaue it and their good for whom it was giuen Which God Almightie graunt c. The Edition of the Councels here alledged is that of Venice by Dominicus Nicolinus in fiue Tomes