faire and fast binding our selves to give them intertainement in their best demonstrations It pleaseth the Holy Ghost as farre as I can apprehend it to call the place of Majestie the Sanctuary in Gods House or the place where Gods Table or Altar standeth for this purpose I have produced both Beza a moderne Divine and Saint Chrysostome a more antient Writer and will now proceede to say more from Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 4. lib. 5.13 Zorrat Hist lib. cap. 25. Zozom lib. 2. cap. 28. from Eusebius in his Panegyrick Oration at the dedication of the Temple of Tyre from the Council of Laeodicia Can. 44. sixt Councill in Trullo Can. 69. Concil Arcl. Can. 15. Concil Constant 5. and 6. Can. 69 Saint Cypr. lib. 1. Epist 9. and from Saint Ignatius I shall leave my Reader to enlarge himselfe and onely set before his eyes what I have searched for my owne satisfaction I will beginne with Theodosius the Emperour and Saint Ambrose a Bishop the Emperour enters the Church at Millaine to act his solemne reverence and his first reverence is the prostration of his whole body using the words of the Psalme 119.25 adhesit 〈…〉 men c. my foule eâ—eaveth to the pavement in humility of soule and body hee kisseth the very dust and stones wherewith the Church was paved and powred forth his teares abundantly and preparing himselfe to receive the Sacrament which is enough to stricke dead the point in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with equall 〈◊〉 he went up the steppings of the Altar I may have 〈◊〉 amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— palatium in gonere Gods house in specâ—â— called Basilica but that 's not enough here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number signifies the degrees or steppings to the Altar 〈…〉 5. when he came to the Royall stayâ—â—â— be wâ—â—â— againe as abundantly as when he first entred the Church Then according to his custome at Constantinople he went within the raile but S. Ambrose by a Deacon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee taught him that places were to be distinguished in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was for Priests and not for Princes to come within the rayle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come forth and communicate with thine owne ranke and remember in Gods House to hold the perfect paterne of the difference and distinction Purple makes Kings not Priests of a Prince and a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes robes and Priests ornaments are not alike so neither are their places At the Councill in Trullo Can. 69. Non licet ulli corum omnium qui in laicorum numero sunt ingredi intra sanctuâ— Altare nequaquam tamen ab eo prohibita potestate authoritate imperiali quandocunque volâ—er iâ—â—â—catori dona offerre ex antiquissima traditione It is not lawfull for any that be in the number of Laicks to enter within the raile of the holy Altar yet the Imperiall Majestie and Authoritie is not thereby prohibited ingresse when 〈…〉 he hath a will to offer any gifts to the Creatour by a most antient tradition for the most antient use of the Church was that lay Christians might have accesse to the Altar to present there their especiall devotions or receive Priestly absolution c. otherwise they were not to enter but receive the blessed Eucharist and place themselves without the raile as the Councill of Laodicia is expresse for women Saint Ignatius who lived in the Apostles dayes Epist ad Trallens Qui extra Altare est est 〈◊〉 qui five Episcopâ— presbiteâ—is Dioconis ali 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Qui est extra Altare ille pollutuâ— est 〈◊〉 est inâ—idels deterior He which is without the Altar is hee who does ought without the Bishop 〈◊〉 Deaconâ— and againe hee who is without the Altar he is polluted in conscience and worse than an Inâ—â—â—â—â—â— where he is said to be without the Altar not who may not come within the raile but who may not participate of the holy Table for so theÌ„ Church Canons exclude him and in such case are all our Conventicle keepers that both without and against lawfull Bishops and Priests walke their owne bywayes As Christ was knowne to his two disciples in breaking of bread so were the Primitive Priests knowne to their people by breaking the Sacramentall bread and it was held the symbole of Christian Communion to be partakers of the Altar and to receive from it the holy Sacraments Ignat. ad Tralleuss qui intra Altare est purus est igitur obedit Episcopâ— Presbyteris he who is within the Altar is pure therefore also he obeyeth the Bishop and Priests He is within the Altar that may receive the Sacrament and he onely may receive the Sacrament that is in obedience or due order subject to the Bishop and Priests Sine his Ecclesia electa non est non caetus sanctorum non congregatiâ— sanctorum without these there is no elect Church no observation of holy things no congregation of Saints ad Ephes Epist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is not within the Altar is deprived of the Bread of God that is he that hath no Communion with his Pastor at the Altar is to be denied the Sacrament still the Altar hangs upon the Priest and fellowship with him proves fellowship with the other The Apostles Doctrine fellowship prayers and breaking of bread are all closely comprised together by this Father Epist ad Magn. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in faith and concord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidente Episâ—â—pâ— Dei lotâ— the Bishop being president over them in the place of God the Bishop succeede the Apostles in plenarie power the Presbitere the seventie whom our Saviour adjoyned to his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such a Senate might meete to consider of mattâ—â—â— of peace and truth Act. 15.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all might 〈◊〉 in one place to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 runne to the Temple of God as to one place of Majestie or one Altar and one Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as one for the whole Church is Gods Palace especially the place of his Altar where the people are made partakers of Chist himselfe Temple must be taken away sayes Vedelius as a corruption contrary to those times that professed they had no Temples and so must Altars too for they professed against them and then nothing is left but Iesus Christ who must be found out of Temples and Altars too may be in the Desert and secret chambers where there is neither the Apostles Doctrine fellowship breaking of bread or prayers but a confused rabble without all order or observation of Gods Ordinances as hee hath appointed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are acknowledged by Saint Iohn Rev. 14.17 18. in such a sense as they ought to be where God Angells and men meete and as the whole place may
Tabernacle the people at a greater distance Num. 6.2 and as some imagine two Englisâ— miles Their doores were to open upon the Sanctuary and they were to doe their devotion both going out and comming in so that when the Sanctuary was open for service there was a threefold divisioÌ„ into the couit of the people court of the Priests and Court of God when it was shut up the division was three fold the Tabernacle the Campe of the Priests and Levites and the foure Campes of Israel under 4. standats as we shall heare afterwards The Arke the Mercy-seate are often called Gods Footestoole and his Throne Lastly Ezekiel shewing Gods little Sanctuarie in the Babilonian captivitie and destruction of Solomous Temple teacheth the same where we have foure Beasts and over them a Firmament and above that a Throâ—â— Eze. 1. The foure Beasts may well point at the foure Standards of the twelve Tribes To the East was Judah Isachar and Zabulon with the EnsigneÌ„ of a Lyon to the South Ruben Simeon and Gad under the signe of a man in the flagge To the West Ephraim Manasses and Benjamin with the banner bearing the signe of a Bullocke To the North Dan Ashur and Naphtali bearing the Ensigne of an Eagle It s probable that Ezechiel hath this meaning if we marke his standing looking into the North the place of the captivitie of Iudah Ezeck 1.4 the first face that meetes him vers 10. is the face of a man and that 's Rubens quarter to lie upon the South on his right hand is the East and on that side appeares a Lyon where Iudah quartered on the left side the face of an Oxe and that 's the West where Ephraim encamped The North needes no character and that is the face of an Eagle where Dan was appointed to pitch about the Tabernacle so that foure Beasts are characters of the places of Gods people when they forme a part of Gods House or Sanctuary The Firmament or expanse is now the voide place where God may be heard and seene of his people The Beasts let downe their wings and stand in silence and from the Firmament above them a voyce is uttered c. This is the middle space betwixt God and his people Above this appeares the Throne and one in the appearance of a man sitting upon it here is mention of precious stones as in Saint Iohn and of a Rainebow and all together shew our distinction of the place of Majestie Ministery and Auditory and Angells of God as secret spirits to keepe their rounds and guards as God himselfe that guides all pleaseth and that of the Throne of Majestie which God hath alwayes had it in his Church CHAP. IV. Of the seates of the Elders the station of Bishops and Priests that serve at the Altar Sedes Seniorum HAving done with the Throne of the Lambe wee seeke for the Thrones of his servants or seates of such Elders as he selects to fit about him in heaven all Saints sit downe with Christ in glory but their severall seates are higher one than other according to their degrees in grace here none attaining to the seate of Christ which is the Throne of Gods Majestie farre above all principalities c. In the Church militant on earth Christ chuses Ministers to sit downe in seates under him for the government of his Church but it is wrong to the Lord Iesus to lift one man out of the seates of the Elders into the seate of the Lambe and set him above all the rest in such absolute and soveraigne authoritie as is onely due to Christ himselfe who is not absent from his seate but in grace and holy concourse is with his Ministers in their seates to the end of the world where two or three of them are gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them hee may alluâ—e to the setting up seates for judgment in Israel The greatest number we reade of in that Nation was seventie or seventie one the lesser 23. the least three Duo qui judicant eorum non est judicium when two Judge they have no Judgement because they want a casting voyce yet our Saviour speaks of two agreeing having power to judge and to whom he gives the Keyes Math. 18.16.17.18 19 20. that hee will answer to whatsoever they aske and ratifie their sentences He makes good the seates of his Elders in all places and gives them authoritie to bind and loose remit and retaine all sinnes Wee will inquire further of the number names offices ornaments order of these Elders in Gods House and before his Throne the number of Seates and Elders consists of 24. 1 Chron. 24.4.19 The exposition is easie as Gods House was ordered in the service of it by 24. Orders or courses of Priests so now is it served by the like number of Presbiters yet their honor is greater as having seates and great authoritie Luke in the Acts tells them the Apostles fellowship and holy Ignatius joyning with the Bishops the Presbiters calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Magn. A Synod appointed of God to serve at the seate of his Majestie for his Throne were emptie without them for Bishops with their Elders we have chaires and seates warranted both by Gods Word and the antient practice of the Church see Pauline with his Presbiters at the dedication of the Temple of Tyre and you shall be taught to learne a good lesson against Papists and Schismatickes in our dayes that ding downe with their Axes and Hammers the seates and societies of Gods Elders one Pope must Lord it over all and have a seate above all Bishops In the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship no such thing is to be found and when the Fathers alleadge their seates against Schismatickes they never make one seate the rule of all Our Schismatickes that passe from us and reject the seates of Bishops and set up a lay-eldership and put them into chaires to judge I marvell whence they have it for all the Presbyters in the â—iâ—â—â—it of Saint Iohns Theologie are Priests A strange succession they will make in Gods House and bring into the Apostles fellowship no breakers of bread but Church Canons no Priests to pray to the people but to prate against them and to take the highest place of a seate to judge It s the Fathers wisedome against Heretickes to 〈◊〉 them onely by the Word of God against Schismatickes to condemne them wholly by the Chaires of the Church and sure I am against these seates they cannot stand out and as in Nehemiah 7.64 they that wanted a Register to reckon their Genealogie were put from the Priesthood as poluted so these that contemne the chaires of Bishops and care for no Episcopall succession but will succeede where was never succession As to have Ministers from Magistrates and men never ordained by others is to cast themselves from all communion with the Church which never held any that was not successively from the
Apostles Gal. 1.1 Saint Paul professeth himselfe to be an Apostle but neither of man nor by man neither of man as the author nor by man as the instrument but immediatly of God and by God as author and meanes of his vocation A plaine distinction of a threefold calling whereof two are as the extreames and the third as a meane betweene both first some are called of God and by God immediatly and this is the extraordinary calling of Prophets and Apostles who are the first founders of our Religion and the chiefe Governors under Iesus Christ Secondly some are called of men and by men and such are all humane callings in Gods Church I deny not but many may be appointed to doe service in the Church that have no divine calling but that which is meerely of men and such are Church-wardens Sides-men yea and higher callings as Chancellors and Ecclesiasticall Judges which are lay-men whose authoritie is no more contrarie to Gods Word than the appointment of seven Overseers for the poore or Church treasurie Act. 7.3 Looke you out seven men c. I finde no other election made but this in all the New Testament that in the Act. 14.23 Ordination of Elders by election is both a corruption of the text and of the truth for none were ordained Elders in the Apostles dayes by election Act. 2.3 4. the holy Ghost is given without hands to the Pastors as also to the people Act. 10.44 Extraordinary gifts were common to Pastors and people but the calling of a Presbyter or Priest was either of God and by God immediatly or else of God and by man mediately and this for Ordination was alwayes the imposition of the hands of the Apostles or Bishops Act. 8.15 6 17. Philip Preached and Baptized and converted Samaria but had not the power to confirme or ordaine them Pastors therefore is sent unto them from Ierusalem Peter and Iohn to impose hands and give the holy Ghost the Bishops the Apostles left to succeede them had the power of Ordination and every Preâ—byter had it not and it was the he esie of Aerius that denied Bishops this pâ—erogative above others That seate is not sure nor Ordination justifiable that is not by a Bishop who is able to derive his succession in that respect from the Apostles Bell. de Eccl. lib. 4 cap. 8. saith truely that an argument from succession proves negatively against Schismatikes but not affirmatively for Heretikes Adferri praecipue ad probandum non esse Ecclesiam ubi non est successio ex quo tamen non colligitur ibi necessario esse Ecclesiam ubi est successio there can be no visible Church where there is no succession from the chaires of the Apostles But the Greeke Churches prove as good succession this way as the Latine and therefore both being suspected for Doctrine wee must have recourse to that memorable faying in Act. 2.42 They continued stâ—dfastly in the Apostles Doctrin Fellowship in breaking of bread and in Prayer These notes will torment all our Adversaries Papists with Doctrine Schismaticks with the Apostles Fellowship and both in breaking of bread the one because they breake no bread in substance the other because they distribute meere bread As they dislike an Altar so they dislike to be within it by denying communion with Bishops and doing many things without them Prayers except they be private cannot please them and Church prayers specially at an Altar they spit and spend their tongues in talking against them They say we take Gods Name in vaine by advised repetitions and remember not their owne iterations and sudden irruptions to be incident to vanitie I have stood the longer upon the number to shew us the course of Ministery and must make haste in the rest as not able in a short Treatise to insist fully on all our heads Their names are Presbyters contracted Priests and we cannot abide the title of the holy Ghost because our times have polluted it I will not be so nice as to name the child otherwise than it was first Christened Their offices are honourable in waiting immediatly upon the Lambes Throne their Ornaments are either a white vesture for the body or crownes of gold for the head They are no ordinary Priests but of the chiefe ranke Eusebius in his Panegyricke Oration discribes them to be cloathed like Christ himselfe Rev. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must needes be a Priests garment Rev. 4.4 and to him that will reade Eusebius and Saint Iohn together it will prove a white Surplesse or a white garment downe to the foote He hath likewise this to make S. Iohn Historicall as well as mysticall to every mans meaning the Priests in the Temple of Tyre are said to have upon their heads Caelestes gloriae coronas crownes of heavenly glory Order is that they begin the Church Service and end it Rev. 4.9 must warily be read least we make the people goe before their Pastors when they are about to give glory then rise the Elders from their seates and fall downe first The Churches Service is performed by singing Rev. 5.8 9. to the end The Elders and the Saints about the throne are furnished with Harpes and Vials instruments of Musicke and Melodie be they Voyces or other Organs of Gods praise for I will precisely determine nothing their gold Vials are said to be full of odors and these odours to be prayers a right service in Gods house Their song is a new song of the Lamb 〈◊〉 to the Lamb with these joyne the holy Angells and in divine straines of the sweetest musique sound with a loud voyce in Gods eares as they end with blessing so all creatures like an Echo lay hold of that last word say blessing c. Then conclude the Beasts with a voyce as a thunderclappe for so speakes Saint Hierom of the word Amen The Elders end the service as they began with prostration for as that is before confession Phil. 2.10 11. so it is after all service and the whole body is prepared before that member the tongue take in hand to utter a word Hee were impudent that would talke standing with his God and beginne to speake before hee hath shewed his feare by falling downe to so great a Majestie as he seekes to serve neither were it fit a man should stand by and take his leave as if two equalls were met we neither come so into the presence of out parents neither doe we so depart from them and shame our selves as if wee had met none in Gods House better than our selves The Elders as they fall first so they are found last in the like posture and so we leave them and come to our third thing in Gods House CHAP. V. Concerning the standards of the people and the gurd of Angells that is the place of Lay-Christians and the attendance of holy Angells in Gods House Signa Sanctorum REv. 4.6 7 8 9. The Standards Ensignes Banners and Badges borne
We must lay the comparison thus as the Apostles were to Christ so are Priests to Bishops The similitude holds in the subordination not in the equalitie as if either Bishops were equall to Christ or Priests to the Apostles but the accommodation of the sense must be as the Autor means it in the order of things and not the jurisdiction for here the distinction will hold and helpe us that is by Papists absurdly applyed to the Apostles to make them equall in the one but not in the other when wee are certain of them that order and jurisdiction is the same Isiodorus de officiis Ecclesiasticis l. 2. c. 7. explaines fully what Bishops and Priests hold in common and what is proper to the one above the other His sicut Episcopis dispensatio ministeriorum Dei commissa est praesunt enim Ecclesiis Christi in confectione divini corporis sanguinis consortes cum Episcopis sunt similiter in doctrina populi in officio praedicandi sed sola propter autoritatem summo sacerdoti Clericorum ordinatio consecratio reservata est Chrysostome sola ordinatione Presbyteros Episcopi superant atque hoc tantum plusquam Presbyteri habere videntur Saint Hier. in Epist ad Euagrium quid facit Episcopus excepta ordinatione quod non faciat Presbyter Saint Cyprian Epist 65. sayes thus Dominus Apostolos Episcopos elegit Apostoli elegerunt Diaconos He vindicates the Bishops power from a proud and insolent Deacon and calls him to consider that there is some thing between his calling and a Bishops as having men and not Christ immediately to appoint him Nazian in Apolog. Fug hath this short saying Episcopi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi in sacerdotio collegae sunt they are Christs companions in the Priesthood Aug. in lib. Quaest ex vet test c. 35. Episcopus Christi imaginem habet ut rex Dei Ambr. in 1. Cor. 11. Episcopus habet personam Christi est vicarius Dei I will end with two of their own that would draw from Bishops to the Pope that which is not his due which these are forced to affirme Alphon. de Caestr l. 2. c. 24. de justa Haeret punit Cajetani sententia est ipsamet falsitate falsior est contra sententiam omnium sacrorum doctorum nam etsi ritus consecrandi Episcopi est ab Ecclesia tamen potestas Episcopi concessa illies a Deo est non ab homine The Church may consecrate Bishops but it hath no power to confer their autoritie which is given them of God and not of man Caesar Baronius in Annal. Anno 58. sayes it is most certain that the Apostles had their dignitie of Christ and therfore Bishops that succeed them must needs have it from the same fountain I hope I may now conclude that Bishops as they are holy in calling so they ought to be honourable in our account and that our causes of contention ought to cease for certainly as long as we imagine their vocation to be humane and their actions inhumane so long wee must needs live at distance and true devotion will be devoured up with damnable practices of which our age is full If Ismaels tongue be persecution Gal. 4.29 then I believe they are persecuted which seeme to persecute others Never did any man convicted go from the seat of judgement without complaint and exclamation of accusers witnesses or judges Men shall gnash their teeth against the most righteous judge and revenge that with words or an irefull countenance which they cannot compasse by their power I professe its difficult to dispute with Adversaries and not to answere them with their owne language Despisers of Dominions and ill speakers of Dignities are compared Iude verse 9. to the Devill who defends himselfe by lyes and all manner of lewdnesse but those that will dispute with these must be like Michael the Arch-angell not so much as to dare to bring railing accusations against any but say the Lord rebuke them that speake evill of those things they know not and in the which they corrupt themselves like bruit beasts who are inraged if any man doe stirre them never so little Saint Aug. de doct Christ 4. cap. 24 dicat sapienter quod non potest eloquenter it is better be wise than â—loquent in this way and it is true wisdome that knowes how to preserve truth and peace together This will carry no water about it to quench zeale but onely so much as may sprinkle it that it may burn the better within compasse not fire the house which is intended but to warm Governours should have the lesse work if men would walke by this rule I know scandall will hardly be escaped in the best intentions we have to others But S. Augustine shall answer for me Si de veritate scandalum sumitur utiliùs permittitur nasci scandalum quam relinquatur veritas if any man will be offended with the truth it s more profitable to permit the scandall then part with the truth Consider what is said without passion and the Lord give us understanding in all things AMEN CHAP. VIII Touching some additions to illustrate some former passages and give satisfaction in the use of a day to God a place for God and his blessed Name to be adored above all names IGnorance of antiquitie breeds the errours of noveltie It s a readie but a most rude answere to an argument from authoritie I care not a button for a Father I feare not to finde the forme of Gods service better in I.C. and T.C. then in holy Ignatius which lived in the times of the Apostles Liturgies they like not all their learning lyes in themselves and they are able in publique to publish the forme of prayer before they have made it and if it were not new in the motion of their own private spirits it would spend it selfe and languish in the dead letter of a publick and common practised pattern For Doctrine and Discipline they will trust nothing but the Scriptures and by them they will be tried but then they must expound them by their private interpretation lest the publique prove poysoned with humane inventions Thus wee condemne and then contemne judge and then despise our betters For my part I esteem one blessed Ignatius above all moderne Writers for my warrant in the service and societie of the Saints If they should all set themselves against him in the government of the Church by Bishops Priests and Deacons and the communion of the people with them at the holy Altar I had rather rest upon him for a constant and ocular witnesse then wrest and wring all to the new forme of this last age The Acts of the Apostles may be an historie of the Churches plantation for some twenty yeares but Saint Iohn that saw Churches planted and established might well say more and set down the exact pattern in his Prophecie written thirty or forty years afterwards and blessed Ignatius