Armies of Israel be solemnly worshipped in the beauty of holiness and that the Rules of Order be observed by all the Inferiour Officers of the Church in their several stations Hic Ergo quae conducant leges tantum abest ut damnemus ut his ablatis dissolvi suis nervis Ecclesias totasque deformari ac dissipari contendamus So Calvin in the Tenth Chapter of the Fourth Book of Institutions Order and Decency are the hedges fencing the substance of Religion from all the Indignities of Sacriledg and Prophaneness as the glorious Laud spake quaintly and piously who became formidable to the Roman Interest by pursuing the External Decorum of my Text in the English Church The general Conclusion according to most Expositors upon this Text is briefly this There is a Power in Ecclesiastical Governours to make Laws and Canons and to decree Rites of Order and Decorum for the External Solemnization of Divine Service to which all under their Authority Priests and People are obliged to yield a regular and a conscientious Obedience Which I shall briefly and very plainly demonstrate by Scripture Reason and Experience Fathers Councils Reformed Churches and the Confession of Adversaries and so make Application to our selves As to the first I humbly offer Six unquestionable Scripture-Principles which this Reverend Audience is able to defend against the most Learned and Judicious Nonconformists First The Apostles intended Unity as in the known Chapter of Unity the Fourth to the Ephesians and to preserve Unity they recommend Order and Uniformity to the Church of Christ as appears sufficiently from Rom. 15.6 compared with Colossians 2.5 and this Canon of the Text. Secondly The Apostles at the first Preaching of the Gospel did not establish that Order which the State of the Church did afterwards require The rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11.29 Upon which words the Assembly of Divines are as politiquely reserved and silent as in the case of Sacriledg in their Annotations ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertinet so Grotius ad ordinem pertinet Ecclesiasticum so Pareus Certum est Paulum non nisi de externo decoro loqui saith Calvin quod ut in Ecclesiae libertate positum est ita pro temporum locorum hominum conditione constitui debet The Second Scripture-principle Thirdly The Apostles expected such a Setlement to be made by those to whom they entrusted the Government of the Church For this cause left I thee in Creet to set in order the things that are wanting or as the Original left undone Titus 1.5 Upon which Walo Messalinus or Salmasius he who called the blessed Dr. Hammond Nebulo for defending of Bishops he himself does acknowledg That Titus had an Episcopal Power at least in the Judgment of all the Greek Fathers particularly quoting St. Chrysostom Theodoret Theophilact and others To set in Order the things that are wanting quae ego ob brevitatem temporis impedimenta a Custodibus ordinare non potui So Calvin and Grotius Hence two things are very naturally and genuinely deducible First That St. Paul as to External Order for he omitted no Essentials had left some things undone in the Church in his own Judgment fit to be afterwards at Creet established Secondly He committed the accomplishment of these Externals relating to the Discipline and Decency of the Church to the at least Episcopal some say Archiepiscopal Titus as having under him many Bishops which is the Third Scripture-principle Fourthly The Apostles gave certain Canons to direct Church-Governours in in such Ecclesiastical Establishments to prescribe such things which according to the conditions of times and places should seem most expedient to Order Honesty Edification and Peace according to 1 Cor. 10.31 32. 1 Cor. 14.26 1 Cor. 11.27 29. and the precept of the Text. Hence Calvin soundly teacheth his too credulous Proselytes in deeper Mysteries that such Ecclesiastical Laws and Canons are not to be esteemed as humane Traditions quia fundatae sunt in generali lege Omnia decenter c. Whence in his Institutions lib. 4. Cap. 10. He determines concerning kneeling at publick Prayers in obedience to such Church-constitutions to be a Divine as well as Human Institution Divine as founded in the general Precept Let all things be done decently and in order And Human as framed by Governours according to that general Injunction of the Apostl's Hence Beza in Confessione fidei cap. 5. all such Laws as to their end and foundation sunt Divinae Coelestes Which is the fourth Principle of the holy Oracles Fifthly The Apostles gave only general Rules and so supposed a Power in the Governours to frame thence particular Rites consonant with their general Canons Thence Calvin non potest haberi quod Paulus hic exigit nisi additis observationibus tanquam vinculis quibus ordo servetur But more plainly Pareus facit Ecclesiae potestatem de ordine decoro Ecclesiastico liberis disponendi ferendi leges The only question is Where this Power was placed for at this time Kings were not nursing Fathers to the Church for this cause left I thee to set in order as before exprest it was lodged in the Bishops and Governours of the Church by the blessed Apostles which is the fifth Principle consonant with the holy Oracles Lastly the Five former Principles supposed That we ought to obey such orderly Canons is included under obedite praepositis Heb. 13.17 There are two words in that Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obey and submit your selves The one relating to active and the other to passive Obedience If Church-Governours do give out Precepts and Directions for the Policy of the Church or the Decorum or Order of Divine Service here obedite praepositis takes place according to the former Principles and there is a passive Subjection due called Submission by the Casuists where we cannot pay the other active Obedience but in doubtful Cases praesumptio est pro Autoritate imponentis say Divines And so much briefly for Scripture-Evidence 2. The Light of Nature and right Reason doth apologize for this Power in our Ecclesiastical Superiours This Topique to the great advantage of the cause Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicum Book the first the third fourth fifth and sixth Chapters hath taken out of my hands He there proves that the Light of 1. Nature dictates that there be a Society for the worship of God 2. That this Church-society be governed in a decent and orderly manner 3. That there be a Distinction of Persons and a Superiority of Powers 4. That the Governours be reverenced according to their Employments and Offices and Obedience paid to their solemn Constitutions 5. Lastly That every offender do give an account of his actions to such Governours and submit to their Censures So far Nature goes as that learned Man fully demonstrates which is sufficient as to the Second Particular referring thither because I cannot add and will not diminish all that
Conformity ACCORDING TO CANON JUSTIFIED AND THE New Way of Moderation REPROVED A SERMON Preached at EXON in the Cathedral of St. Peter at the Visitation of the Right Reverend Father in God Anthony by Divine permission Lord Bishop of EXON BY WILLIAM GOVLD LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for R. Royston Bookseller to his most Sacred Majesty and are to be sold by Abisha Brocas Bookseller in Exon. MDCLXXIV To the Right Reverend Father in GOD Anthony by Divine permission Lord Bishop of Exon. Right Reverend Father in GOD and my ever-Honoured Lord IT were an unpardonable affront to your Lordship to publish to the World that you have laid a command upon me to be thus publique for I must declare that I had not the same injunction to Print this Sermon that I had to Preach it but it was partly done to gratify the importunity of the Regular Sons partly to stop the mouths of the malicious enemies of the Church of England The one zealously pretended it might be someway useful to recover and promote that indisputable Obedience which is due to our Ecclesiastical Constitutions the other cried it down with noise and clamour and calumnies which with men of their Character and Complexion drowns all the force of reason and demonstrations not to mention the moderate Conformist who had two impregnable arguments against the following Discourse the preheminence of Diotrephes and the interest of Demetrius But my Lord however this Sermon be entertained I am happy in the opportunity of thus openly professing my self your Lordships most humble and obedient Servant William Gould Kenne Devon Sept. 28. 1674. Conformity according to Justified c. 1 COR. 14.40 Let all things be done Decently and in Order THAT men pretending a tender Conscience should have Estrich-stomachs and digest Iron rather than Obedience esteem a Surplice more criminal than Schism and Sedition less culpable than Ceremonies plead for compassion from the weakness of their Brains when they have a stubbornness in their Necks which will not bow to any Regular Constitutions This is at once so ridiculous and mischievous an Impiety as puts all Hyperboles to a nonplus Who but a Refractory Non-conformist One who adheres to his own Conclusion in defiance to all Premisses could ever declare by his publique practice That the Whore and the Beast are more nearly allied to the Order and Decorum of my Text than Sacriledg to the late thorow godly Reformation or Witchcraft to Disobedience But these are not the only persecutors of this best of Reformed Churches We have a sort of men who are neither for Liturgy nor Directory Canon nor Covenant part Churchmen and part Schismatical having one Leg for a Tub and another for a Pulpit one Hand subscribing to separate Worship and the other to the Church of England such who conform to the Benefice not to the Canons and Pope-like cancel all their solemn Obligations to the Laws and give themselves a pardon and dispensation for their barbarous Irregularity against the Ecclesiastical Constitutions Ex animo in their Subscription signifies Lukewarmness and Neutrality an unfeigned Assent and Consent is a deep Hypocrisie Decently is a compliance with a faction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to moderation and too frequently according to contribution Now we have not the Title of precious Soul-searching Ministers unless we sell Divine Worship to accommodate our Interests and add a precious breach of all our promises and engagements to the utmost height of all Sacriledg and Prophaneness He is your only Man of Moderate Principles whose Conscience is a Composition of Five precious Ingredients the Pride of Diotrephes the Interest of Demas the Treachery of Judas the Hypocrisie of the Pharisees and the Disobedience of Devils Such with whom to pray by the Purse is to pray by the Spirit who expose to sale their Duty and the Laws at the despicable pension of a few Ignorant Zealots who call themselves Saints before they are Christians and are Heirs of Heaven without the Civility of Heathens or the Morals of Infidels These are your blessed Episcopal Covenanters Canonical Comprehenders Clergy Merchants and Regular Renegadoes whose very Character is Nonsence and Contradictions It is from their Indevotion Irreverence and wilful Omissions as if some offensive vapours did ascend from our excellent Devotions that the people seldom enter some of our Oratories till the Air be first purged and cleansed and made clear and free to breath in by the Ravishing Meeter of Sternhold and Hopkins These are your powerful men of God described by Tertullian of old Tert. depi script cont Haeret Qui simplicitatem volunt esse prostrationem disciplinae cujus apud alios curam lenocinium vocant The Church hath a Custom to prescribe the Laws of Order relating to Divine Worship and these have a Custom that they be not observed Their Religion consists in the overthrow of Church-Discipline and Goverment and their Moderation is a wilful Omission of the Rites and Offices of the Church of England It is with these men as with Servilius in Rome Medium se gerendo nec plebis vetuit odium nec apud patres gratiam iniit Thus these please neither the Church nor the Schismatick not the Last because not wholly Irregular nor do they act according to the Canonical Precepts of their Mother because all things are not done decently and in order Calvin who with some is of more Authority than all the Fathers calls the Text the Canon of Canons giving life and efficacy to all our Ecclesiastical Constitutions Regula est ad quam omnia quae ad externam Ecclesiae Politiam spectant exigere convenit The Learned Dr. Hammond observes That upon these Two all Uniformity is built rendring the first according to Custom Custom being the Rule of Decency and the other words according to Appointment viz. of the Governours of the Church of God The Learned Bp. Davenant on Col. 2.5 where we have the same word for order as in the Text tells us It is a Military Term implying the Church is a well Marshal'd Camp wherein the strictest Discipline is observed and exercised It is an Army with Banners Cant. 6.9 and so where this requisite Order of Offices Distinctions Ranks and Files and Postures are not observed it 's in an Army of Souldiers non Ecclesiastica Disciplina sed politia Cyclopica est saith the Reverend Prelate upon that Text. The Church then is not all Head nor all Body no Roman Monarchy nor Disciplinarian party no Familistical Community nor Anabaptistical Anarchy but a well-compacted Army of Voluntiers who have listed themselves by their Baptismal Covenant to live and dye Christs faithful Souldiers and under the Banner of the Cross to follow the Captain of their Salvation the Eternal Jesus The Lord-Marshals under this victorious General are the Sovereign Christian Princes and in the next degree of Eminence the Reverend Fathers and Pastors of the Church who are especially to provide that the God of the
on high his Donation of spiritual Authority was a Donation of Titles without Realities whereas he that said He that resisteth Kings resisteth God Rom. 13. The same Wisdom of God by whom Princes Reign said also He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and him that sent me These are the Prerogatives of spiritual Guides and were never esteemed words of course or formality in the Primitive Church And the Epistles of Ignatius an Apostolical Bishop vindicated by Vossius Dr. Hammond and Doctor Pearson are an admirable Comment in this Case upon obedite praepositis Be ye subject to the Bishop as unto the Lord Reverence your Bishops according unto the precepts of the Apostles he that acts of his own head without the Bishop is polluted in his Conscience attempt nothing in the Church against Episcopal Constitutions are known expressions in the writings of old Ignatius But I intend a more particular vindication under this Topick of Antiquity of this best of Reformed Churches First As to her Imposition of a Liturgy Secondly as to the Imposition of orderly Rites and Thirdly a Vindication of the Authority also as Primitive by which our Canons are established Briefly to each of these Thus the Fourteenth Canon of the Church of England is truely Primitive The Minister shall use the prescribed Forms and Rites in the Common-Prayer-Book without diminishing in regard of Preaching or any other respect or adding any thing in the matter or form thereof 1. The Minister shall use the prescribed Forms and Rites c. Thus in Synodo Epnuensi in the Order of the Celebration of Divine Offices the Metropolitical Church was the Standard for the whole Province to keep the better Decorum in all Sacred Administrations And in the Fourth Council of Toledo they declare it consonant with the ancient Canons of the Church Vt unus ordo orandi Psallendi conservetur nec diversa sit a nobis Ecclesiastica consuetudo quia una fide continemur Regno the same Forms and no other as the Council of Africa Canon 103. The Third Council of Carthage Canon 231. The Council of Laodicea Canon 181. And above all the Council of Milevis Canon 12. for a sufficient Reason there rendred Nec aliae preces nisi quae a Synodo Comprobatae dicerentur in Ecclesia ne aliquid contra fidem aut bonos more 's per ignorantiam aut minus studium sit Compositum So that hence our imposing of Forms upon Priests and People is clearly justiflable from the Practice of the Primitive Churches of Christ It is Recorded of Proclus the Patriarch of Constantinople in his Treatise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That St. Basil first and afterwards St. Chrysostom contracted the Liturgy of St. James that upon the account of mens slothfulness and prophaneness they might not Nauseate for the length and so Apostatize from the Apostolical Tradition of Liturgies The Liturgy now ascribed to St. James may be denied on good Reasons yet that St. James made a Liturgy the Council of Trullo long since acknowledged and is at this day by the Greek-Church openly owned and profest and amongst them to question it were the ready way to be laughed at as eminently ridiculous The Magdeburgenses have collected from some expressions of Origen on Jeremiah That it is without dispute a doubt that the Christians had Forms of Prayer in the Third Century Scal. lib. 6. 573. Edit Genev 1629. Scaliger de Emendatione temporum declares that he had himself seen an ancient Liturgy of Ignatius who exhorts by the way to one Common Prayer and to one mind in his Epistle to the Magnesians And what else means Justin Martyr by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apol. 2. or Tertullian Tert. de oratione by his Oratio Legitima ordinaria and by that Form of Praying for the Emperours ut illis foret vita prolixa imperium securum senatus fidelis Exercitus fortis Apol. 30. domus tuta populus probus orbis quietus which some not improbably conjecture to be grounded on St. Pauls Charge to Timothy That Prayers be made for all then especially Kings c. making it Timothy's cheif care as Bishop of Ephesus rightly to Frame and Order the Publick Prayers of the Church And what else doth St. Cyprian intimate de Oratione publica nobis est communis oratio or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Constantine observed with the whole Assembly of Christians Recorded by Eusebius Eusebius de vita Constanti in lib. 4. cap. 17. 19 So that whether we consider the use of a Liturgy we are justified by the Fathers or the Imposition of it on the Clergy particularly with exclusion of their own conceptions the Church of England herein observes the prudence of the Ancient Councils and Synods long before Popery was introduced and so liable to such trifling exceptions from our Puritan Adversaries Again Secondly not to diminish in regard of Preaching the Prayers of the Church the Fourteenth Canon Commands us and that the Pulpit should not swallow up the Desk this Auditory is not to be taught to be the high prudence and politick zeal of the Ancient Churches of Christ You know that Justyn Martyr saith when the Reader had done then the Preacher exhorts in his Apology you know that in the primitive times as now there was a first and a second Service the one preceeded the other followed the Sermons or Homilies and so Preaching and Prayer did not shoulder out one another but walked hand in hand as friends and not as Antipodes in the holy Oratories The Sermons anciently came in post recitationem Evangelii after the rehearsal of the Gospel being usually a Discourse upon it and hence it is an easie collection that Preaching had its due esteem yet never so magnified as that the Liturgy should be laid aside to make way for the Sermon The most eminent Preachers as Basil Chrysostom and others were Compilers of Liturgies but could never endure as is clear by many passages in their writings that the people should throng more to their Discourses than to the pure Word of God read in the Church in Divine Service or to the common Devotions That was no Musick to the old zealous Saints the holy Bishops and Priests which now affords such a mighty pleasure to men of moderate principles the crouding of people to a Sermon and leaving the Church empty and wast at the solemn Prayers Thirdly Not only not to diminish on the account of Preaching But also in no other respect saith the Canon aforesaid nor to add any thing in the matter or form thereof a Constitution truely Primitive for in Ancient times ever since the ceasing of miraculous Gifts it was never permitted any Presbyters to add to or detract from the publick prescribed Service or to make any private Prayers of their own in the holy Oratories There is no footstep of Record or Monument in the Church of God whereby our