compos'd of a fegregate Body of grave experienc'd Elders.

cvii. 32.

cxi. 1.

The Pfalmift makes mention of both these Councils; when, exciting his Countrymen to a high Pitch of Devotion to the LORD for his great Goodness, he fays; Let them exalt Him alfo in the congregation Pfalm of the people, and praise Him in the affembly of the elders. Again; I will praise the Pfalm LORD with my whole heart, in the affembly of the upright, and in the congregation. These two sorts of Councils, under the fame Distinction, he speaks of in feveral Places: whence we may conclude there were no other: For, if there had, it is not likely that he would have fail'd taking fome notice of them alfo. Of these two therefore we shall proceed to the Confideration. And firft, of the Congregation.

SECT. III.

The CONGREGATION.

The Nature of their Government, as was obferv'd before, being threefold; as it confifted, first, of that which fubfifted among the whole twelve Tribes in General; fecondly, of that which related to each Tribe,

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Tribe, in particular; and thirdly, what was us'd in the feveral Cities belonging to the feveral Tribes: fo there were likewife three kinds of Congregations among them. One, made up of the whole People of the twelve Tribes; another, of the Families in each Tribe, feparately; and another of the Inhabitants of every City, within themselves. diosquƆ And The Great Congregation, which was made up of the whole People of the twelve Tribes, was conftituted by God himself; where he bids Mofes, fpeak unto all the 3. xiv. 2. congregation of Ifrael; and speak unto the children of Ifrael. All the Statutes, Judg ments, and Ordinances, which God delivers to Mofes, were, by him, to be communicated to the People thus affembled. And accordingly, we find Mofes gathered XXXV. 1. all the congregation of the children of Ifrael together, and faid unto them, Thefe are the words which the LORD hath commanded.

Exod. xii.

Exod.

Thefe Congregations were frequently held, during the Time of Mofes And when God appoints Joshua to be his SucNumb. ceffor, He orders him, to fet him before xxvii. 19. Eleazar the Priest, and before all the con

gregation,

10.

gregation, and give him a charge in their
fight. Again, he fays, The LORD deli- Deut. ix.
vered unto me two tables of stone, in the day
of the affembly.

xxiv. 1.

vii. 5.

xii. 29.

Thele Congregations no one took upon him to convene, but that Person who prefided over their Affairs; as Conductor, Judge, or King. Joshua, who was in the firft Capacity, when he was waxen old, and Jofh. Iftricken in age, called for all Ifrael; and xxiii. 2. for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers. Samuel, one of their judges, faid, Gather all Ifrael to Mizpeh. We read that Sam. David, when he was King, gathered 1 Sam. all the people together. And, again; that, he gathered all Ifrael together, to Jerufalem. We read likewife, that all Ifrael came to Shechem to make Rehoboam King, after the Death of Solomon. Again; after the Revolt of the Ten Tribes, when Rehoboam was come to Jerufalem, he affembled Ib. 21. all the boufe of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin. And so Afa King of Judah, is faid to have gathered all Judah and Benja- 2 Chron. min, in order to make a folemn covenant folemn covenant XV. 9, 10, with God. They gathered themselves together

1

I Chron XV. 3.

I

Kings

xii. I.

Numb.

X. V, &c.

at Jerufalem, accordingly, in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Afa.

The manner of fummoning thefe General Congregations, as prefcrib'd by the Law, was by a particular Sound of Trumpet. The LORD spake unto Mofes, Jaying, Make thee two trumpets of filver; that thou mayft ufe them, for the calling of the affembly, and for the journeying of the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all the affembly fhall affemble themselves together, at the door. of the tabernacle of the congregation. And, if they blow but with one trumpet, then the Princes, which are the heads of the thoufands of Ifrael, fhall gather themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts fhall go forward. When ye blow an alarm, the fecond time, then the camps that lie on the fouth fide fhall take their journey. But, when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow; but you shall not found an alarm. The fons of Aaron, the Prieft, fhall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance, for ever, throughout your genera

tions.

2

These

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These popular Conventions were call'd and held upon three Accounts; either, to bear fome folemn Charge; to implore the Mercy of God upon fome important Emergency; or, to tranfact Matters of great t Moment and Weight. The original Intention of calling them, at the first, was to hear the Law, when it was difpens'd by God: When the LORD faid unto Mofes, Deut. iv. Gather me the people together, and I will make them bear my words. And when David had fummon'd one of thefe General Affemblies, by their Reprefentatives, at Jerufalem, he makes a Speech to them, in relation to the Building of the Temple; He ftood up upon his feet, and faid, Hear me, 1 Chron. my brethren, and my people. Again; Fur- &e. thermore David the king faid unto all the con- xxix. 1. gregation.

xxviii. 1.

As to their affembling together to fupplicate God's Favour and Protection; we read that Jephthah, after he had agreed with the Elders of Gilead to fight the Battles of the People of Ifrael against the Ammonites, and the People had made Him Head, and Captain over them, that Jeph- Judges 1 thah uttered all his words before the LORD xi. II.

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