of expedition the Trumpets may need to be blown sometimes suddenly sooner then divers can well meet and agree upon it too Partly avoiding of distraction The two Trumpets may be blown two divers ways if they be in two hands and so shall the Trumpet give an uncertain sound 1 Cor. 14 8 and how shall the Congregation know whither to assemble Nay a worse matter yet then all that so may we have Assembly against Assembly and rather then so better no Assembly at all Therefore as God would have them both made of one piece so will be have them both made over to one person for Tibi implieth one Who is that one It is to Moses God speaketh to him is this Tibi directed Him doth God nominate and of his person make choice first to make these Trumpets no man to make no man to have the hammering of any Trumpet but he And there is no question but for Aaron and his sons the Priests they are to call the Levites to call the people together to their Assemblies How shall they warn them together unless they make a Trumpet too But if there be any question about this Gods proceeding here will put all out of question For to whom giveth he this charge Not to Aaron is this spoken but to Moses Aaron receiveth no charge to make any Trumpet never a fac tibi to him neither in this nor in any other place To Moses is this charge given And to Moses not Make thee one one for secular affairs that they would allow him but fac tibi duas Make thee two make both Well the makeing is not it One may make and another may have Sic vos non vobis You know the old Verse When they be made and done then who shall owe them It is expressed that too Et erâ—nt tibi They shall be for thee They shall be not one for thee and another for Aaron but Erunt tibi They shall be both for thee thâ—y shâ—ll be both thine A third if they can find they may claim to that But both these are for Moses We have then the delivery of them to Moses to make which is a kind of Seisin or a Ceremony investing him with the right of them We have beside plain words to lead their possession and those words operative Erunt tibi That as none to make them so none to own them being made but Moses And what would we have more to shew us Cujus sunt tubae whose the Trumpets be or whoâ—e is the right of calling Assemblies It is Moses certainly and he by vertue of these stands seised of it To go yet further But was not all this to Moses for his time only and as it begun in him so to take end with him Was it not one of the same privilegia personalia quae non trahuntur in exemplum A priviledg peculiar to him and so â—o precedent to be made of it No for if you look a little forward to the 8. verse following there you shall see that this power which God here conveyeth this Law of the Silver-trumpet is a Law to last for ever even throughout all their gene aâ—ions not that generation only And there is great reason it should be so that seeing the use should never cease the power likewise should never determine Being then not to determine but to continue it must descend to those 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 invested in all the rights of it ever siâ—ce the eight Chapter of the last Book Moses had in him now no other right but that of the chie Magistrate Therefore as in that â—â—ght and no other he received and held them So he was made Custos utriusque Tabulae So he was made Custos utriusque Tubae But who can tell us better then he himself in what right he held them He doth it in the third verse of Deut. 33. read it which way you will Frat in Jeshâ—une 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 jus Regale that he might and did assemble the Tribes and chief men of the Tribes at his pleasure Herein he was Rex in certitudine for this was rectitudo Regis a power Regal And so it was held in Egypt before Moses even in the Law of Nature that without Pharaoh no man might lift up hand or foot in all the Land of Egypt suppose to no publique or principal motion And so hath it been holden in all Nations as a special power belonging to dominion Which maketh it seem strange that those men which in no cause are so fervent as when they plead that Church-men should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is have dominion do yet hold this power which hath ever been reputed most proper to dominion should belong to none but to them only Our Saviour Christs Vos autem non sic may I am sure be said to them here in a truer sense then as they commonly use to apply â—â— To conclude then this point If Moses as in the right â—f chief Magistrate held this power it was from him to deâ—â—end â—â— the chief Magistrates after him over the people of God and they to succeed him as in his place so in this right it being by God himself setled in Moses and annexed to his place lege perpetuâ by an Estate indefeisible by a perpetual Law throughout all their generations Therefore ever after by Gods express order from year to year every year on the first day of the seventh moneth were they blown by Moses first and after by them that held his place and the â—east of the Trumpets solemnly holden as to put them in mind of the benefit thereby coming to them so withall to keep alive and fresh still in the knowledg of all that this power belonged to their place that so none might ever be ignorant to whom it did of right appertain to call Assemblies And how then shall Aarons Assemblies be called with what Trumpet they God himself hath provided for that in the tenth verse following that with no other then these There is in all the Law no order for calling an Assembly to what end or for what cause soever but this and only this no order for making any third Trumpet under these two therefore all are comprised This order there God taketh that Moses shall permit Aarons sons to have the use of these Trumpets but the use not the property They must take them from Moses as in the 31. Chapter of this Book Phineas doth But Erunt tibi Gods own words Erunt tibi must still be remembred His they be for all that
had For first if none could be thought duly elected but where every man in all parties did personally agree or might be concluded to do so this were impossible Nay such confirmation were not to be expected nor was ever had although that Nation or Kingdom were not divided into parties But these that had the ruling power in a Nation or party thereof having chosen their Head all that do then or shall come to submit to them must be taken as submitting to their choice also And then as no one man can be elected by every one so can no one be supposed able to conquer every one whereby to give him right to govern that way neither He must not be supposed Conqueror of his friends and those of his own party but having had right of dominion of them by election he hath also as their Head right of headship over those they shall afterward conquer But of this more anon 48. I shall now proceed to shew what was the judgment of this learned Bishop concerning the Power of this Head of the Church and particularly in calling Councils or the like And how he argues that the right to call the Assemblies bâ—longed to the Magistrate in chief even as such We shall find that in that Sermon made Of the right and power of calling Assâ—mblies he proves that by the two Trumpets delivered â—o Moses the ordering of Church-assemblies implied by one is as well intrusted as the other For saith he fol 202. If these be needful for the Camp and for the Congregation as it is a Civil body I doubt not but I may add also every way as needful for the Congregation properly so called that is the Church The Church hath her wars to fight the Church hath her laws to make Wars with Heresies wherein experience teacheth it is a matter of less difficulty to raze a good Fort then to cast down a strong imagination and more easie to drive out of the Field a good Army of men then to chase out of mens minds a heap of fond opinions having once taken head Now Heresies have ever been best put to flight by the Churches assemblies that is Councils as it were by Armies of Gods Angels â—s Eusebius calleth them yea it is well known some Heresies could never be throughly mastered but so â—hen for the Churches Laws which we call Canons and Rules made to restrain or redâ—ess abuses they have always likewise been made aâ— her Assâ—mblies 〈…〉 â—ouncils and not elswhere So that as requisite are Assemblies for the Congregation in this sense as in any other By this then that hath been said it appeareth that Gods fac tibi here is no more then needs but that meet it is the â—rumpets be put to making And so I pass over to the Instruments which is the second part Assemblies we said is reduced to motion Motion is a work of Power Power is executed organicè that is by Instrument So that an Instrument we must have wherewithal to stir up or begin this motion That Instrument to be the Trumpet It is the sound that God himself made choice to use at the publishing or proclaiming his Law and the same sound he will have continued and used â—or Assemblies which are as hath been said special supporters of his Law and the very same he will use too at the last when he will take accompt of the keeping or breaking of it which shall be done in tuba novissima by the sound of the last trump And he holdeth one or continueth one and the same Instrument to shew it is one and the same Power that continueth still â—hat whether an Angel blow it as at Sinai or whether Moses as ever after it is one sound even Gods sound Gods voice we hear in both They are to be twain for the two Assemblies that follows in the next verses Either of the whole Tribes coagmentivè or of the chief aâ—d choice persons of them repraesentativè And for the two Tables also For even this very moneth the first day they are used to a civil end the tenth day to a holy for the day of expiation of which this latter belongeth to the first that former to the second Table They are to be of silver not to seek after speculations only â—or the metals sake which hath the shrillest and cleerest sound of all others They are to be of one whole piece both of them not of two divers and that must needs have a meaning it cannot be for nothing For unless it were of some meaning what skilled it else though they had been made of two several plates but only to shew that both Assemblies are unius jâ—ris both of one and the same right as the Trumpets are wrought and beaten out â—oth of one entire peece of bullion But it will be to small purpose to stand much upon the Instrument I make way therefore to the third point how they shall be bestowed who shall have the dealing with them for on them depends and with them goeth the power of calling Assemblies First to whom these Trumpets to whom this power was granted to call the Congregation And then whether the Congregation were ever after so called by this power and these Trumpets Where first it will be soon agreed I trust that every body must not be allowed to be a Maker of Trumpets nor when they be made that they hang where who that list may blow them That is that every man hand over head is not to be in case to draw multitudes together There will be saith Saint Luke Turbatio non minima no small ado if that may be suffered If Demetrius getting together his fellow Craftsmen they may of their own heads rush into the Common-Hall and there keep a shouting and crying two hours together not knowing most of them why they came thither and yet thither they came There is not so much good in publique meetings but there is thrice as much hurt in such as this No Commonwealth no not populaâ— Estates could ever endure them Nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say both Scripture and Nature Let all be done in order Let us have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawful ordeâ—ly Assemblies or else none at all Away then wiâ—h this Confusion to begin with Away with Demetrius's Assemblies To avoid then this confusion some must have this power for and in the name of the rest Shall it be one or more for that is next Nay but one saith God in saying â—ibi Where I wish you mark this That as at the first he took this power into his own hands and called them still together himself So here he deriveth this power immediately from himself unto one without first â—etling it in any body collective at all It is from our purpose to enter the question Whether the power were in the whole body originally Seeing though it were it is now by the positive ordinance of God otherwise disposed The reason may seem to be partly necessity
Moses the owner still the right remains in him their sounding of them deprives not him of his interest alters not the property Erunt tibi must still be true that right must still be preserved It may be if we communicate with flesh and blood we may think it more convenient as some do that God had delivered Moses and Aaron either of them one But when we see Gods will by Gods word what it is that Moses is to have them both we will let that pass as a revelation of flesh and blood and think that which God thinketh to be most convenient Now then if the Trumpets belong to Moses and that to this end that with them he may call the Congregation these two things do follow First that if he call the Congregation must not refuse to come Secondly that unless he call they must not assemble of their own heads but keep their places Briefly thus The Congregation must come when it is called and it must be called ere it come These are the two duties we owe to the two Trumpets and both these have Gods people ever performed And yet not so but that this right hath been called in question yea even in Moses own time that we marvel not if it be so now and both these duties denied him even by those who were alive and present then when God gave him the Trumpets But mark by whom and what became of them The first duty is to come when they be called and this was denied in the 16 Chapter following ver 12. by Core Dathan and their Crew Moses sounded his Trumpet sent to call them they answer flatly and that not once but once and again Non veniemus they would not come not once stir for him or his Trumpet they A plain contradiction indeed neither is there in all that Chapter any contradiction veri nominis truly 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 even under the Gospel saith Saint Jude that perish in the same contradiction the contradiction of Core The second duty is To be called ere they come This likewise denied even Moses himself that they in his place might not think strange of it in the 20 Chapter of this very Book Water waxing scant a company of them grew mutinous and in â—umultuous manner without any sound of the Trumpet assembled of themselves But these are branded too the water they got is called the water of Meriba And what followed you know none of them that drunk 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 twain this latter is the worse The former that came not being called do but sit still as if they were somewhat thick of hearing But these latter that come being not called either they make themselves a Trumpet without ever a fac tibi or else they offer to wring Moses's Trumpet out of his hands and take it into their own Take heed of this latter It is said there to be adversus Mosen even against Moses himself It is the very next forerunner to it it pricks fast upon it For they that meet against Moses's will when they have once throughly learned that lesson will quickly perhaps grow capable of another even to meet against Moses himself as these did Periclitamur arguiseditioâ—is saith the Town-Clark we have done more then we can well answer We may be indicted of Treason for this days work for coming 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 duties be to it and in whose steps they tread that deny them Sure they have been baptized or made to drink of the same water the water of Meriba that ever shall offer to do the like to draw together without Moses's call And now to our Saviour Christs Question In the Law how is it written How read you Our Answer is There it is thus written and thus we read That Moses hath the right of the Trumpets that they to go ever with him and his Successors and that to them belongs the power of calling the Publick Assemblies This is the Law of God and that no Judicial Law peculiar to that people alone but agreable to the Law of Nature and Nations two Laws of force through the whole world For even in the little Empire of the Body natural principium motus the beginning of all motion is in and from the Head There all the knots or as they call them all the conjugations of sinews have their head by which all the Body is moved And as the Law of Nature by secret instinct by the light of the Creation annexeth the Organ of the chiefest part even so doth the Law of Nations by the light of Reason to the chiefest person and both fall just with the Law here written where by erunt tibi the same Organ and Power is committed to Moses the principal person in that Commonwealth The Law of Nations in this point both before the Law written and since where the Law written was not known might easily appear if time would suffer both in their general order for conventions so to be called and in their general opposing to all Conventicles called otherwise 49. Afterwards he shews how practise ran in this point and shews that Joshua the next to Moses in chief Magistracy succeeding in execution of this power When he not Eliazar assemble all the Tribes Levi and all to Sichem Josh 24 called them together at the first verse dissolved it at the 28. Which being in a matter Ecclesiastical he doth as he says particularly note because it is by some objected concerning Moses that for a time he dealt in matters of the Priests Office Then he doth descend to the state of their Kings and shews particularly how they used this power till the Captivity In which he shews how it was used by Mordecai when he came in place of authority appointing the days of Purim and calling all the Jews in the Province together to the celebrating of them After the Captivity he instanceth in Nehemiah his using of it and so falls to the Maccabees and proves it used by those that were then chief Governours Afterwards he tells how this power was exercised by Christian Emperors and Kings upon their first receipt of Christianity and instanceth in general and National Councils and Assemblies Amongst whom we may not onely say that not onely Constantine Jovianus and others the prime Founders and Restorers of Christianity dâ—d not come in by the election of the Senate the way which was then held lawful but that they and most others were brought in by the force of a prevailing party nay commonly at first set up by one part of the Army only and yet the Christians in those times gave them always the
same respect and obedience which was by the Law of God due to their Governor in chief So that he that shall read their Stories and observe the legality of their entrance will not beleeve as I said that Bishop Andrews in what he said against such as Nimrod did ever intend that such like Usurpations as might by some be attributed to those should ever take from any that respect and subjection which did belong to the Lords annointed and Head of the Church 50. Afterwards the Bishop shews how Constantine and his Successors held those Trumpets for a Thousand years after Christ and then one of them saith he fol 113. by what means we all know was let go by them or gotten away and carried to Rome But that getting hath hitherto been holden a plain usurping and an usurping noâ— upon the Congregation but upon Princes and their Rights and that they in their own wrong suffered it to be wrung from them And why Because not to Aaron but to Moses it was said Et erunt tibi To draw to an end it was then gotten away and with some a do it was recovered not long since and what you may please to remember there was not long since a Clergy in place that was wholly ad oppositum and would never have yeelded ought Nothing they would do and in eye of Law without them nothing could then be done they had incroached the power of Assembling into their own hands How then how shall we do for an Assembly then Erunt tibi was a good Text it must needs be meant of the Prince He had this power and to him of right it belonged This was then good Divinity and what Writer is there extant of those times but it may may be turned to in him And was it good divinity then and is it now no longer so Was the King but licenced for a while to hold â—his power till another Clergy were in and must he then be deprived of it again Was it then usurped from Princes and are now Princes usurpers of it themselves And is this all the difference in matter of the Assemblies and calling of them that there must be onely a change and that instead of a Forreign they shall have a Domestical and instead of one many and no remedy now but one of these two they mnst needs admit of Is this now become good Divinity Nay I trust if Erunt tibi were once true it is so still and if Tibi were then Moses it is so still â—hat we will be better advised and not thus go against our selves and let truth be no longer truth then it will serve our turns And this calls to my mind the like dealing of a sort of men not long since here among us A while they plied Prince and Parliament with Admonitions Supplications Motions and Petitions And in them it was their duty their right to frame all things to their new invented plot And this so long as any hope blew out of that coast But when that way they saw it would not be then took they up a new Tenet â—traight They needed neither Magistrate nor Trumpet they The godly among the people might do it of themselves for confusion to the wise and mighty the poor and simple must take this work in hand and so by this means the Trumpet prove their right in the end and so come by devolution to Demetrius and the Crafts-men Now if not for the love of the truth yet for very shame of these shifting absurdities let these phantasies be abandoned and that which Gods own mouth hath here spoken let it be for once and for ever true That which once we truly held and maintained for truth let us do so still that we be not like evil Servants judged Ex ore propris out of their own mouthes Let me not overweary you let this rather suffice 1. We have done as our Saviour Christ willed us resorted to the Law and found what is written the Grant of this power to Moses to call the Congregation 2. We have followed Moses's advise enquired of the days before us even from one end of heaven to another and found the practise of this Grant in Moses's Successors 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 have kept this order that we do 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 run together of our selves and think to carry it away with crying Great is Diana But as we see the power is of God so truly to acknowledg it and dutifully to yield it that so they whose it is may quietly hold it and laudably use it to his glory that gave it and their good for whom it was given Which God Almighty grant c. I have the more largely made recital of this Sermon because all along it is so express in cleering of most of those objections which are now made Now as it was then in answer to the Recusants and Nonconformists of those times in which respect I fear that what is let down towards the end thereof touching stubbornness in conformity towards the chief Magistrate in matters of Reformation when it shall be by him thought necessary will but too neerly condemn some amongst us with apostacie and tergiversation from their first principles and that ex ore proprio as he saith because they do now deny him the exercise of that power which hitherto themselves and the most eminent of their party have maintained to be their due For he sheweth that since the Church hath her Wars to fight and her Laws to make as well as the Civil State that therefore it is as necessary there should be a continual power to call and preside in all Assemblies made to that purpose in the Church as well as in the State That these Trumpers are to be of one peece Vnus juris That this power is from God immediately derived unto one without first setling it into any body collective at all And therefore truly if a whole National Church can claim no Church power no one party or separate Order therein can although they should be as eminent as Aaron himself No both powers are delivered to Moses not for his time onely but as he had it as the chief Magistrate so to succeed to such as should be chief Magistrates amongst the people of God as a Jus Regale to him that should be Rex in Jeshrune although in strict propriety he be no more King then Moses was And then he censures such as would in regard of their separate order sain have had a separate power It may be saith he if we communicate with flesh and blood we may think it more convenient as some do that God had delivered Moses and Aaron either of them one But when we see Gods Will by Gods