into a Body Politick is as conducive to the perpetuating an External Ecclesiastical Unity Now as Then and for Ever ib. 6. The Means of confining the Benefits of the Covenant to the Solemnities of it by Sacrifice as conducive to the same purpose of erecting a Body-Politick Now also and for Ever § 5. 7. The Federal Sacrifice to which these Benefits of the Covenant are now confined is that of the Eucharist Proved 1. Our Christian Sacrifice of the Eucharist is of a perpetual Use. § 6. 2. It is perpetually useful for the same purposes as in the Apostles Times § 7. 3. It is therefore perpetually useful in order to the partaking in the Invisible Heavenly Sacrifice § 8. 8. No communicating with the Father and the Son but by Communion with the Bishop § 9. The same Reasoning more closely managed and in some things improved SAcred Unity to which SCHISM is opposed is to be derived from ONE ALTAR and ONE Presiding PRIEST as Principles of Unity This proved true 1. From Hellenistical Principles as urged by the Jews against the Samaritans 1. This Sacred Unity was designed originally to the Supreme Being as a Deity appropriated to the Segullah or peculiar People 2. This Sacred Unity to the Supreme Being was to be transacted by a Covenant to be made with him by Sacrifice 3. That Sacrifice which by the Principles of those Ages could unite with One God was to be received from ONE and the same ALTAR 4. The Affairs of that ONE ALTAR were according to the Customs of those Times generally managed by ONE Supreme Presiding PRIEST 5. This Unity as Mystical was transacted by the Sacraments principally as Mysteries 1. The Unity here designed is not barely an Rxternal One of this Life but as conducing to an Invisible Unity of the other Life as transacted and procured by this Visible One. 2. This Invisible Union which is here called Mystical was properly to be expected only from Mysteries as that for which Mysteries were principally designed 3. The way of transacting this Invisible Union in Mysteries was understood to be by Representing the Invisible Union by Visible Symbols and so obliging God by virtue of those Symbols as Legal Ones to ratifie invisibly what was transacted in their Visible Mysteries 4. This Mystical Union did most essentially consist in a Union to one common Head as a common Principle to all particulars so united of their Mystical Unity 5. The way of uniting to this Archetypal Head or Principle of Unity as transacted in Mysteries was by first uniting persons to an Image or Representative of the Archetypal Head which was to be a common Head to all subordinate Representatives as its Archetype was also a Head to it self and all united with it 6. In this Multitude of subordinate Representatives whoever was legally united to the last was in the same way of Interpretation of Law understood to be united to the first Archetypal Head of all 7. The first Archetypal Head or Principle of all this Mystical Unity was thought to be the Supreme Being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Platonists called him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Father as the Hellenists as well as the Primitive Christians called him in opposition to the Son 8. They who were united to the High Priest by the Principles of these Hellenists by being so united to the High Priest were united also to the Father 1. They who were united to the High Priest were also on that same account of this Mystical Reasoning united also to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom the High Priest was a designed Representative 2. They who were united to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were on the same Principles united to the Father who was taken for the Head of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of whom the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was supposed to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the express and lively Representative 9. They who communicated in the Sacrifices offered by the High Priest They and they alone were in this Legal way of Judging supposed united to the High Priest 10. They who communicated in Sacrifices offered by any of the Inferior Priests owning a dependence on the High Priest were for so doing judged to communicate in Sacrifices offered by the High Priest himself 11. They who did not communicate at the One great Altar where the High Priest was obliged to officiate in person and where every clean Male was obliged to attend in person at the three great Anniversary Festivals were on that account judged not to communicate in Sacrifices offered by the High Priest 12. They who communicated with other Altars owning no dependence on that one great Altar in reference to their Anniversary Solemnities were for so doing judged not to communicate in Sacrifices offered by the High Priest and they who communicated with Altars owning such a dependence as for Example with that of Heliopolis were therefore judged to communicate with the One great Altar on which they owned a dependence and accordingly accounted of as if they communicated in the Sacrifices offered by the High Priest himself in person 13. They who communicated in these Sacrifices and this ONE ALTAR were in some way of Legal Interpretation judged to communicate in the Archetypal Sacrifices and the Archetypal ALTAR relating to the Archetypal High Priest who was represented by the Visible One 14. They who thus communicated in the Archetypal Sacrifices and Altar were judged to be thereby united to the Archetypal High Priest as by communicating in the Visible Sacrifices and Altar they were united to him that was Visible I mean both to the immediate Archetypal the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to the Original the Father also 15. They who were thus united to the Archetypal High Priest became thereby intitled to all the Mystical Benefits of that Union 1. As united to his person so they were intitled to all those spiritual influences derived from Him as the Head to all his Mystical Body answering the derivation of vital Influences from the Head to each particular Member in the natural Body That is to the Spirit as a Principle of Spiritual or Mystical Life answering the Animal Spirits in the Natural Body both as it must assist them in the performance of their Duty and as it withal infuses Supernatural Comforts when they have done it 2. As united to his Sacrifice so they come to be in Covenant with him and to be intitled to all those Promises on God's part of the Covenant which by the Hellenists were thought Mystical as this New Covenant it self was so Such were 1. Remission of Sins which by the Apostles Reasoning on those Principles seems proper only to this Mystical Sacrifice 2. Heaven answering the Literal Canaan c. 3. The deliverance of their Souls from the Slavery of their Bodies and the Power of the Devil the Mystical Pharaoh and Aegypt 4. Especially with relation to their future State
must befal them who either were not in Communion with the High Priest or had separated themselves from him or were excluded by just Censures As by their being divided from him they were cut off from this Communication with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so they must consequently be deprived of all the benefits of that Communication They must want the benefit of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Intercession they must want the benefit of his Mystical Sacrifice of Expiation of their Sins and of procuring Spiritual Blessings They must also be supposed to be left destitute in the condition wherein they were before to be detained in those Vehicles which would hinder them from mounting above the Moon and would confine them within the reach of their Enemy and most implacable Tormentor These were Consequences very natural and clear from the Principles and Reasonings of those Ages as I have now explained them AND further 3. As the High Priest Sect. 12 represented the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to other things so particularly in relation to the Benefits of the Mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that as by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were invisibly united to the Father and communicated in the Benefits following that Union so it was by a visible Union to the High Priesthood that they were to be united to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to expect the Benefits of that Union and Communion The full proof of this will appear in these particulars That the Union and Communion with the Father was to be procured by Union and Communion with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Office it properly was to procure and promote this Union That Union and Communion with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be procured by external Communion with the High Priest as one who particularly represented the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Office of mystically signifying and causing this internal Unity These things are to be made out from the received Principles of those Ages which will both explain and prove the Solidity of the Reasonings which were grounded on them 1. Then Union and Communion with the Father was to be procured by Union and Communion with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was indeed grounded on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commerce and Communication of Mystical Benefits did necessarily suppose a Union with those from whom the Benefits were expected as the Communication in vital influences supposes a vital Union of Members in the natural Body Whence the Reasoning will follow both ways That they who are united will have a Title to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Living Members must needs partake of the influences of the Head and negatively That they who are by any means whatsoever cut off from Union must also be cut off from Communion with the Father as whatever Member is cut off from the Body natural cannot any longer lay any claim to the influences of the Head PLAINLY the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 13 seems to be taken immediately from the Sacrifices For thus the Apostle reasons from Notions and Principles which must have been received among the Heathens because in truth the aggravation of the Sin he disputes against must have been derived from their sense and understanding of the Fact he speaks of especially considering that he does professedly deny any intrinsick evil in the Fact abstracting from the Opinions of others and the scandal taken from their interpretation of it Rom. XIV 14 According therefore to those received opinions they who did eat the Sacrifices of the Altar are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Altar 1 Cor. X. 18 And they who did eat of the things offered to Devils were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 20. From hence in the way of Mystical Interpretation the mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be a participation in the Mystical Sacrifice offered by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as High Priest to the Father For so the Father being the Deity to whom those Mystical Sacrifices were immediately designed and addressed the communicating in those Sacrifices must be interpreted to be a Communion with the Father as communicating in the external Sacrifices was communicating both with the Father and the Son because both of them were worshiped in those external Sacrifices From thence results a further notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usual in the Philosophy of that Age as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for a participation in a Society for an Interessedness in the Wellfare of it and a Right to the Privileges and the other Benefits consequential to it And thus I have shewn that the Popular Sacrifices were designed for the confederation of Nations and a consequent intitling to the Deity of those Nations and the Protection and Favor expected from him Answerably hereunto the Invisible Mystical Sacrifices were also supposed to confederate a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Heavenly Jerusalem under a Mystical Priesthood of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Government and Protection of the Supreme Being And as the Rights of a Nation did most appear in a Right in their Panegyres a Right of partaking in their Suffrages and their Sacrifices so there were also supposed the General Assemblies of the First born who were with God the Judge of all to judge the Earth in allusion to the like Judicatories of the Cities of that Age which were generally Democratical where every free born Citizen had a Vote in their General Assemblies as among the Romans they had in their Comitia Centuriata and Tributa and it was counted one of the Rights of Citizenship to admit them to it and a Diminutio Capitis an Infringement of the same Right of Citizenship to deprive them of it in the same sense as the Capite censi are they whose Estates would not reach to any of the Classes and who were therefore only polled as free Citizens and as the Fees payed on this account of admitting into the City are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. XXII 28 Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used as a known Term of Mystical Privilege in the Egyptian Philosophy intitled to Hermes from whence the Hellenists borrowed most of their Notions and in a sense very agreeable to that of the Apostle where he speaks of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Father and the Son 1 Joh. I. 3 The Passage is remarkable and not that I know of taken notice of to this purpose and therefore worthy the more particular Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 WHETHERSOEVER of these Sect. 14 ways this Term be understood this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be proper to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will be grounded on the Mystical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as antecedent to it
they are rather Mysteries Sect. 3 than Sacrifices The Jewish Sacrifices did indeed partake of both Offices As Popular Sacrifices they appropriated a particular God to a particular People in order to National and Temporal Benefits expected from him as protection of their secular Government Victory over their Enemies c. For these were the things principally designed and expected by the Popular Sacrifices among the Nations But as Mysteries they related peculiarly to the Mystical Invisible Sacrifice of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Benefits of Souls and Privileges in the Invisible Intellectual World And these were the peculiar and principal designs of our Saviour His Kingdom was not to be of this World As Man he was not to come in a Royal State of Magnificence here but was to expect it after his death As Messias he was to be Prince of the World to come As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Dominion was peculiarly in the World of Spirits and his Designs were principally for rescuing captivated Spirits from the Dominion of their Bodies and the Confinement of the lower World which were also the principal designs of the Mysteries And therefore here the Reasoning from the Jewish Sacrifices and Priesthood and Altar will peculiarly hold if we consider them as Mysteries ours being indeed no other than Mystical Sacrifices Christianity it self being really nothing but Mystical Judaism all the Mystical Reasonings concerning Jewish Matters will more properly relate to Christianity and proceed more strongly concerning it than they can concerning Judaism it self Besides the Notions of Mystical Union and Communion on which these Reasonings against SCHISM are grounded do peculiarly concern our Mystical Sacrifices as they are Mystical Now Christianity in the Reasonings of the New Testament is still represented as the Mystery kept hidden from Ages and Generations that was first revealed in the Gospel that is as the Mystery that had formerly been shadowed by the most sacred of the Jewish Mysteries in which regard it was very properly called the Great Mystery as that Term was also used by the Hellenists And in this regard the Revelation of such a Mystery as this was most proper for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself By the Laws of Mysteries the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such a Mystery as this without his Authority had been extremely Piacular for any Creature Whence it will follow further both that this proper way of Reasoning in Mysteries is indeed most proper and natural and cogent in a Religion so made up of Mysteries especially in the Sacraments which are yet further the most Sacred Mysteries of this most Mysterious Religion and withal that the Benefits of Mysteries which according to the received Notions of that Age would have been expected from Mysteries wherein undoubtedly the Holy Ghost would not fail their expectations especially such as were so prudently and naturally grounded might be expected here where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself the great Author of Mysteries and the proper performer of what was Covenanted for by Mysterious Representations was so nearly and immediately concerned And therefore if upon the Union of the High Priest with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as represented by him they were cut off from the Internal Unitive Power of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were cut off from the visible Communion of the High Priest then much more we have reason to expect that they should lose their Union with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now under the Gospel who are separated from the Communion of the Bishop who now holds the same place and performs the same Office as the High Priest did then but withal does it in a Constitution of which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more professedly and designedly the principal Author and the Person represented Sect. 4 THIS Reasoning will hold as it is drawn from the Precedent of the Law as it was intended by the Ancients As I have shewn that no other Priests but the High Priests were concerned in this Privilege of being the Principle of Unity so under the Gospel none but the Bishop could pretend to answer the Office of the High Priest As the High Priest was a Principle of Unity as representing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Notion of a Head over the other Priests so the Bishop alone answered both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the High Priesthood too in being a visible Head over his Brethren of the Presbytery And that the Primitive Christians understood their Bishop to answer the Office of the High Priest appears in that in the most ancient times and in the best Records of those Churches which were most certainly planted in the Apostolical Times if not by the Apostles themselves in their own Persons the Bishops were said to have worn the Sacerdotal Frontlet which was proper to the High Priest among the Jews from whom in all likelyhood they borrowed it So Polycrates in his Epistle concerning the Paschal Controversie concerning S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Who was a Priest and wore the Frontlet He could not pretend to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on account of an Ordinary Priesthood among the Jews and there is no pretence of his being High Priest And therefore in all likelyhood his pretence to it was on account of the Office in the Christian Church which he thought equivalent to the High Priesthood among the Jews Besides what he had done by virtue of any Office among the Jews must have been agreeable to the Constitutions of the Priesthood of the Literal Judaism which would not have recommended his Example as so argumentative in Christianity for the keeping of Easter whose Arguments from Jewish Precedents were not for the same things but for things answerable to them in the same proportion The same thing is delivered concerning S. James the first Bishop Jerusalem by Epiphanius A like passage there is concerning S. Mark produced out of an ancient Manuscript of his Passion by Valesius tho it is very true the Author understands it of his Priesthood among the Jews His Words are these Quem quidem B. Marcum juxta ritum carnalis Sacrificii Pontificalis apicis petalum in populo gestâsse Judaeorum illustrium virorum Syngraphae declarant Ex quo manifestè datur intelligi de stirpe eum Leviticâ immo Pontificis Aaron sacrae successionis originem habuisse But we may easily distinguish between the bare matter of Fact and the Author's conjecture concerning the occasion of it As for the later we have no more reason to receive it than we have to value the Judgment and Reason of the Author But for the matter of Fact it self he gives us more competent Testimonies than his own the Syngraphae Virorum Illustrium Nor can it be thought strange that what was really done by S. Mark as a Christian Bishop in those first times this Author because he found it used by no Bishop in his own time might ascribe it
by the Bishops and the Apostles who are then to sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel were represented by the Ecclesiastical Presbyteries as Ignatius says they are and if the Angels who with their Voice and Trumpet were to gather the Elect from the Four Corners of the Earth plainly alluding to the Office of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were to call and dismiss Sacred Assemblies with their Voices and Trumpets were represented by the Christian Deacons and withal so represented not as one Person is represented by another in a Theater who is not concerned in the Representation but as a Client is in Law represented by his Proxy who is thereupon thought obliged himself to ratifie whatever is done in his Person by such a Representative and if this Mystical Representation was by the appointment of God himself as the Legal Proxies were made by the Clients represented by them and the Mystical Representation was designed not for an entertainment of fancy but purposely to constitute a Legal Person and with a design of concerning himself consequentially in all the slights which may be put upon the Ecclesiastical Judicatories as the nature of these Mystical Representations were every where understood as Obligations to the Gods themselves to ratifie what was done in their name and persons by such appointed Representatives and as Christ himself has expresly promised to resent and punish affronts offered to such Representatives and to look on them as interpretatively designed against himself These things being thus understood there was no part of the future Judicatory which was not represented in the Ecclesiastical and being so they might be sure that the future Judicatory was obliged by the Act of the Church as we are sure every person is obliged by what his Proxy acts in his name in open Court He might well call it Futuri Judicii Praejudicium when upon these Supposals the same Judicatory who are to judge all things at the last day must be supposed already to have judged such Cases which were decided in the Ecclesiastical Judicatories God grant our Brethren may lay this seriously to heart Sect. 11 THESE things therefore being thus solidly laid down by the first Fathers in their Disputes against their contemporary Hereticks and SCHISMATICKS all the Inferences thence deduced against them will follow naturally and undenyably and withal so evidently as that the Inferences could not be disowned by any who owned the Premises and therefore must have been as much the sense of the whole Church of their Age as the Premises It will follow that Disunion from the Bishop was a Disunion from Christ and the Father and from all the Invisible Heavenly Priesthood and Sacrifice and Intercession It will follow that Disunion from any one Ordinary must consequently be a Disunion from the whole Catholick Church seeing it is impossible for any to continue a Member of Christ's Mystical Body who is disunited from the Mystical Head of it It will follow that Visible Disunion from the external Sacraments of the Bishop is in the Consequence a Disunion from the Bishop and from the whole Catholick Church in Communion with him who ought to ratifie each others Censures under pain of SCHISM if they do not For this visible Communion in Sacraments is proceeding on these Principles the only Means and Title to that Communion which was invisible and whoever received him to external Communion who had been thus validly disunited from the invisible Communion by the act of any one in whose Power it was validly to do it must thereby in effect disunite themselves from that invisible Communion by professing themselves one with him who had been validly disunited from it At least this Act would be interpretatively a Profession of Disunion which is also in consequence a Disunion seeing none can have this Union but by professing it Thus it appears how consequently they reasoned in proving such Persons disunited in all regards both of Visible and Invisible Communion Sect. 12 THIS therefore being also granted it thence appears further how consequentially they reasoned in proving them deprived also of the Benefits of this Union For it was impossible that they should have the Benefits of Union who wanted the Union it self from which those Benefits were to result They deny them to have any pardon of their Sins And how could they have it who had no portion in the Heavenly Sacrifice which Christ as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was supposed to offer in Heaven by which their Sins were to be attoned or in his Intercession by which his Father's Displeasure was to be appeased and which was grounded on that Sacrifice And this they must want who were cut off from the Mystical Representation and Transaction of that Sacrifice in the Eucharist They denyed them a Portion in their own Prayers And how could they do otherwise when they thought them to have no Interest in the Prayers and Intercession of Christ himself They could not expect to be heard but in such Prayers as were agreeable to his will For indeed the whole hope of having their own Prayers heard was in this way of Reasoning grounded on this that their own Prayers in Earth were Mystical Representations of what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was supposed at the same time to be Praying for in Heaven And therefore such Prayers as were disagreeable to his mind could lay no claim to the Divine Acceptance because they could not truly pretend to be such Representations For indeed how could the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be supposed to be offering Covenant-Sacrifices for them who were no Members of that Covenant which was maintained by those Sacrifices I mean for the obtaining those special favors which were promised on God's part on his part of the Covenant Such are pardon of Sins the Holy Ghost Eternal Life c. which peculiarly related to the Spiritual Kingdom or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for other more general temporal Benefits which were not confined to the Covenant the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was supposed to pray for them for the whole World as being indeed himself the King and Governor of it in that general sense And accordingly the High Priest himself is said to represent the whole World in Philo by the Mystical Signification of his Vestments And so the Temple relating to the Sacrifices offered by the High Priest represented also the Great Temple of the World as not he only but Josephus also collects from the Hellenistical Interpretations of its Coverings And thus the Christian Eucharistical Sacrifices were also offered for all Mankind as appears not only from the several remaining Forms of the ancient Liturgies but also in the yet more ancient Offices which were used in the time of Tertullian And yet even as to this inferior sort of Prayers they have undoubtedly a worse Right who by their Misdemeanors are judged by their Superiors to have forfeited their Right in the other sort than they
who never had any Sect. 13 THEY denyed them also the Holy Ghost And this they might also do very solidly and consequently on the received Doctrines concerning Sacrifices For if the Holy Ghost took the same way to insinuate himself by the Christian Sacrifices as the ill Spirit was supposed to do then they who would have him ought to make use of those Sacrifices as the Ordinary Means whereby they were to receive him and they who did not communicate in the Sacrifices must for that Reason be supposed to have no part in the Holy Ghost which was communicated by them Nor did this Reasoning hold only concerning the first reception of him but proceeded altogether as strongly for the continuance of him by the same means For by all the similitudes by which the Holy Ghost is expressed in the Scripture it appears that he is so given as to need a continuance and so to need such a continuance as that he must immediately cease to be where that continuance is interrupted He is likened to Springs of Water and Water must immediately fail in the Rivulet whenever they are cut off from the Fountain He is likened to a Light shining in a dark place and neither can that continue when it is broken from the Luminary Nor is the way of Reasoning from Similitudes to be rejected in a Subject of this nature because they are indeed the proper Scripture-Language in such matters and God has therefore peculiarly fitted them to express the nature of things so spoken of As therefore this is implyed to be the nature of the Spirit that it immediately ceases to be where the Channels of its conveyance are interrupted so its influences are confined to one Body The external Society of the Church is called the Mystical Body of Christ is called a Vine c. And the Consequence is allowed in that very particular that as the Branches of a Vine can no longer bear fruit than they are incorporated in the Vine to which they belong so neither can Christians partake of the common influences of Christianity any longer than they continue in the common Body of Christians And the Holy Spirit is called the Bond of this Unity because as he makes them all one whom he inspires so neither does he inspire any but such as own and belong to that Unity Therefore it is that Unity is so recommended as a Qualification for receiving these Influences of the uniting Spirit Our disagreeing hinders our Prayers Therefore marryed Persons are obliged to avoid mutual Provocations that their Prayers might not be hindred If they do pray in this condition yet such Prayers have no Promise nor Encouragement that they shall find acceptance Christ's Promise of hearing even two or three when gathered in his name is only on condition that they agree in the things they desire from him Otherwise they are not capable of the Intercession of the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication And if this hold even in private Animosities when obstinately persevered in much more in Case of Division from the Church If Animosities as they are tendencies to Division hinder the Influences of the Spirit it will but be proportionable Reasoning that actual Division from the Body should cut off all Title to the Influences of the Spirit AND as this holds in other Prayers Sect. 14 so particularly in this sort of Prayer which is joyned with Sacrifice Our Saviour does sufficiently imply that even Sacrifices themselves are not acceptable without Unity We are to leave our Gift at the Altar in Case of any Animosity and first to be reconciled to him before we have any encouragement to offer it with any hopes of acceptance This comes exactly home to the Case of the Lord's Supper as our Christian Eucharistical Sacrifice That this is absolutely necessary to keep us actually joyned to that Unity which is a qualification without which it is as impossible for us to have the Spirit as it is impossible that any Branch of a Tree can enjoy the Vegetative Life if divided from the Trunk or that any Member of our natural Bodies can partake in the Animal Life when separated from our Bodies or that any Light should remain either in the Object or the Air when cut off from the Luminary from whence it proceeds I do not mean that none can have the Spirit or be actually united any longer than he actually communicates nor did any think so concerning the Popular Sacrifices The Unity was always supposed to continue as long as the Right that the person might communicate and be admitted if he pleased But then the question concerning this Right was to be decided like other questions of the like nature by the sentence of the competent Judge In other Cases of Right relating to Possessions the sentence of a competent Judge proceeding on the Rules and Evidences which are allowed by Law tho after all it be fallible with how much integrity soever it be pronounced is notwithstanding thought sufficient even in Equity and Justice to cut off all contrary Pleas of Right in opposition to it and every one would be sensible that the opposing unaccountable Pleas of Right to the satisfaction of the competent Judges would make Controversies endless and dissolve the whole Societies where such Pleas should be admitted And our Brethren will never be able to explain why the same Reason should not hold concerning the Decision of Spiritual Rights as well as Temporals if God himself have been pleased to erect a Spiritual Judicatory tho that be also acknowledged fallible Thus it appears how prudent and solid and how little fancyful the Reasoning is from these similitudes as applyed by S. Cyprian Nor does this hinder but that God may consider the mollifying Circumstances which are allowable in the Cases of such persons as have indeed no claim to Legal Right But it is for the just Interest of Government in general that the Decision of Legal Rights do peremptorily depend on the Sentence of competent Judges and that recourse to extraordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rarely and very difficultly admitted so as that still the Generality of Mankind be obliged to depend on such ordinary Decisions for the satisfaction of their own Consciences concerning even such Rights themselves CHAP. XIII The forementioned Reasoning applyed to the present Case of our Modern SCHISMATICKS The CONTENTS The Applicableness of this same Reasoning to the Case of our Modern SCHISMATICKS Gospel-Constitutions designed Perpetual Sect. I. Unity designed perpetual Sect. II. Even that of this Life Sect. III. Christ designed and instituted Means sufficient for perpetuating this External Unity The same Means of erecting the Church into a Body-Politick as conducive to the perpetuating an External Unity Now as Then and for Ever Sect. IV. The Means of confining the Benefits of the Covenant to the Solemnities of it by Sacrifice as conducive to the same purpose of erecting a Body Politick now also and for Ever Sect. V. Our Christian Sacrifice of the
to which these Copies are to correspond and without knowing that it is impossible to know when it does indeed correspond and when it ceases to do so especially for any Creature to do so without Actual Revelation which is not here pretended without the Scriptures If they consider it as the Great Seal of Heaven so tho it be communicable to such Subjects whose Office it is to use it yet either totally to lay it by or to frame a New Broad Seal without express Authority from the Prince whose Seal it is is counted Treason even in those very Subjects who are otherwise entrusted with the Power of administring it But considering it further as a Bond of Union so there can be less pretence to this Power of antiquating it in any Office that is purely Ecclesiastical For this Union of the Multitude of Believers as grounded on the external Administration of these Symbols as confined to a certain Order of Men is in Truth the Foundation of Ecclesiastical Authority in those Persons who are entrusted with the Power of administring them Because it is by this means put in their Power to admit to or exclude from this Society therefore it also consequently follows that it must be also in their Power to impose what Terms they please of such Admission And therefore there being no human Authority imaginable but what is thus built on it the Authority thus consequent to it cannot extend to what is antecedent to it self cannot subvert its own Foundations IT remains therefore that they prove Sect. 7 them antiquated from the design of the New Testament it self But yet neither will they I believe pretend to this when they thoroughly consider it For will they can they think that there is any future Dispensation to be expected to succeed the Gospel and to which the Gospel must give way or that any such Dispensation is in the least foretold by the Gospel it self as the Primitive Christians proved that the Gospel was predicted by the Law it self as that by which it should in course be antiquated and abolished Can they shew that the Institutions of the Gospel are Shadows and Resemblances of the Institutions of any such future Dispensation that so they may in reason be obliged to yield to the Substance represented by them when that shall appear as the Christians proved this true concerning the Legal Ceremonies from the Letter of the Law it self Can they prove in particular that there is or ever shall be any nearer Draught of that Archetypal Visible Sacrifice of our Saviour upon the Cross than this of the Eucharist as the Primitive Christians did prove that their Eucharist was a nearer draught of that same Sacrifice on the Cross than the Sacrifices of the Mosaick Law When they can prove any of these things they will indeed say something But if they can prove none of them how can they pretend to prove the antiquating of this Sacrament How much less can they pretend to do it by any Parity of Reasoning with those of the Primitive Christians Thus it appears how little reason we have even at present to depend on any Courtesie of our Adversaries in this particular IF therefore the Blessed Sacrament Sect. 8 be of a perpetual use and perpetually useful for the same designs as formerly it will then follow that it must be a Symbol of Unity And then it must still be understood not only as a Ceremony of Admission into the Society of the Church but as a Title to the Privileges of the Society into which men are so admitted By partaking of this visible Sacrifice they must be intitled to an Interest in the Invisible Sacrifice of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven and by consequence to all the Benefits obtained and all the Evils expiated in that Sacrifice And on the contrary Exclusion from it must be a Forfeiture of all the Benefits so obtained and an exposing of the Person defenceless to all those Evils of which that Heavenly Sacrifice is an Expiation And if it still must have the same efficacy it ever has had in its Mystical Capacity it must not only unite or disunite to the Sacrifice but to all the Company which have here a Right of Communicating and not only to the Visible Company but to those Invisible Societies in Heaven represented by those in Earth By this Reasoning the partaking of this visible Sacrifice will unite us to all that do or may partake with us in it here on Earth that is to the whole Visible Church by an Act of External Communion because all who are by the Governors of any Communion taken to belong to the Catholick Church in what part soever of the World are for that reason granted to have a Right to their own Communion if they had been present and desired it And by the same Mystical Reasoning it must also unite us to the Invisible Society of Saints and Angels in Heaven not only as these are also confessed to make up that Mystical Body of which Christ is the Head who is the Head of Angels and Principalities and Powers and of every Creature but also as they make up the Invisible Church communicating in the Invisible Archetypal Sacrifice in Heaven For as in this Mystical way of Interpretation our communicating at the Visible Altar which represents the Invisible Altar is accounted a Communion with the Invisible Altar so represented by it so by the same Rule of Interpretation our Communicating with the Visible Assistants at this Visible Altar must be accounted a communicating with those Invisible Communicants in Heaven who are also represented by our Visible Communicants on Earth Besides the same thing will also follow from the other Supposition that our communicating with the Visible Altar is accounted as a communicating with that which is Invisible For if by this means we and they are accounted as Communicants at the same Invisible Altar we must on that account be the same way made One with them in Heaven as all who communicate at the same Visible Altar are made One on Earth BUT S. John makes communicating Sect. 9 with the Church to be a communicating with the Father and the Son But this particular cannot be understood in this Mystical Way of understanding things so conveniently of any thing as of Communion with the Bishop I have shewn how in the Mysteries the Hierophanta was to personate the God who was concerned in those Mysteries and that it was on account of this Personation that he who communicated with the Hierophanta was accounted to communicate with the Deity represented by him I have shewn that the Bishop alone answered the Hierophanta as the Supreme of all those Officers that were concerned in the Mysteries nay that he answered him in this very particular of personating the Father and the Son as the Comparisons were then made by those earliest Christians If therefore Communion with the Archetype was to be maintained by Communion with the Ectypal Representative then
Communion with the Bishop must be the only Means of maintaining a Communion with the Father and the Son because he only represents them And that he only could represent them as Principles of Unity appears from the Foundation of this Unity because it is grounded on Headship Christ is a Principle of Unity to Mankind because he is the Head of the Man and God is a Principle of Unity even to Christ himself because he is the Head of Christ. And because none that has Interest in the visible Government of the Church can represent God and Christ in this particular regard of Headship but the Bishop therefore none but he can represent them as Principles of Unity And therefore in this Mystical Way of Reasoning from Representations to Things none but the Bishop can unite us to the Father and the Son Whence it will further follow that whoever are disunited from the Visible Communion of the Church on Earth and particularly from that Visible Communion of the Bishop must consequently be disunited from the whole visible Catholick Church on Earth and not only so but from the Invisible Communion of the Holy Angels and Saints in Heaven and which is yet more from Christ and God himself and all the Benefits consequent to all these Unities whether Visible or Invisible which cannot in reason be thought communicable to him who is disunited from the Original from whence they flow THIS was good Reasoning in S. Sect. 10 Cyprian's time And what can our Adversaries pretend why it should not still be allowed for good Reasoning now and for ever Were these Instituted Representations understood then as Covenants on God's part obliging him to ratifie the things so Represented by his own Appointment and were they understood so by the most solid ways of judging that those Ages were capable of and can they yet think it possible that those very Ancients to whose Capacities these Institutions were originally fitted could be mistaken concerning God's mind when they used the most likely means for finding it that they were capable of Or if they cannot deny but it was solid then what can they say why it should not be so still Is not the Bishop as apt as ever to signifie a Principle of Unity and to represent God and Christ under the Notion of a Head Nay does not his Monarchical Presidency over his Brethren of the Clergy peculiarly fit him for such a Signification And does he not the more naturally represent God and Christ in the Notion of a Head by how much he is more like in their Monarchy I mean over that particular Body over which Bishops were at at first placed by Divine Institution Or do they think them less of Divine Institution now than formerly This would indeed weaken the Obligation on God's part For even in the use of Covenanting Symbols none is obliged by them but he that uses them and therefore neither would God be obliged to ratifie what is here represented in his name if the Representation had not been of his own Appointment He would not then be obliged to make them partakers of the Invisible Unity who are united to the Bishop nor to exclude them from that same Invisible Unity who are disunited from him But what can be requisite for deriving this appointment at a distance but an uninterrupted Succession from them who had it immediately What more had those earlyer Ages themselves to pretend for it What more can our Adversaries themselves pretend at least what more can they rationally account for without Enthusiastick Pretences to new Revelation And do not our Bishops plead the same Argument of Succession Nor is it any matter in Law for weakening the Claim at what distance this Succession be deduced so that it be still deduced through unquestionable hands No matter how long the Chain be so the Links be entire and equal to the burden supported by it IF those Symbolical Representations Sect. 11 were of Divine Institution and were withal to be interpreted according to the way of Interpretation of that Age I cannot see how they can avoid but that God will be obliged to ratifie a Union or Disunion with the Bishop on Earth by the like Union or Disunion in Heaven Will they therefore to avoid it say that we are not now to follow that way of Interpretation in expounding it particularly that we are not now to regard what were the received Notions concerning Mysteries in those Ages nor what Interpretations were inevitably consequent from these Notions and must therefore have been infallibly thought just and solid with them among whom these Notions were so received but that God intended the Scriptures intelligible in all Ages and therefore could not make the true sense of such Scriptures to depend on Notions antiquated so long agone and so little observed and known in our Modern Ages this may indeed seem more plausible at the first prospect than it will be found solid on a thorough and impartial Examination For can they indeed think that all those several and contradictory senses which may easily be raised of the several Terms and Expressions from the Usages of different times both of Words and Things and Notions to which those Words have relation could ever have been designed by God Could they think that the Sacred Writers themselves could possibly mean them in senses unknown to them and with Relation to Things and Notions not as yet in being Was not Providence at least as much concerned for Them as for Us And was it not as necessary that they should understand those Writings which were primarily designed for their Use as that we should understand them And was it not as harsh that they should be remitted to Senses and Notions not yet existent as that we should be obliged in order to the same design of understanding them to have recourse to those Senses and Notions then used and notoriously alluded to however since discontinued and antiquated in the many Changes and Revolutions that were in course to be expected in such a distance If so great a Variety of Senses be allowed of as may be gathered from the same Letter understood according to the Sentiments of different Ages it cannot be avoided but that every new Age may under pretence of New Expositions introduce a whole new Scheme of Christian Doctrines If to avoid this all must be confined to one certain Sense and way of expounding the Scriptures there can be nothing thought on more convenient than that this one Sense be that Sense in which it was understood by the Primitive Christians to whose Capacities it was peculiarly fitted by the Holy Ghost and the way of expounding the Scriptures be the very same which was and must have been made use of by the Inspired Writers themselves in expounding their own Prophesies which were not expounded to them by a Second Revelation Our Brethren themselves will easily grant that the Scripture was always clear in matters necessary to Salvation And certainly all