day Chant or Sing their public Prayers as we do in our Cathedrals Now this Book contains their Canticles and Hymns as also the Versicles Responses and Collects for every Sunday and Holy-day in the year very like to those in our Common-Prayer and a Litany exactly agreeing with ours in the Petitions the Order and the Responses And all these Offices are paraphrased by Cornerus (o) Cantica selâ—cta cum Hymnâ— Collectâ—s purâ—â—ribus c. per â—â—r Cornâ—rum 〈◊〉 1588. To which Litany aforesaid I doubt but not Rivius alludes in his directions to a Parish-Priest when as to Praying in times of Calamity he saith you have ready a Litany in the Vulgar Tongue which you may use on that occasion for all that is necessary to be asked both in public and private are briefly contained there (p) Jo. Râ—vii opera Lib. de Officio pastorali pag. 705. Besides I have also lately seen another Book published by Jo. Federus with this Title A Book containing the Doctrine Administration of the Sacraments and Ecclesiastical Rites c. used in the Territories of the Dukes of Mecklenburg (q) Liber continens Doctrinam Adminâ—strat Sacram. c. in ditione Duc. Megapolensium â—rancfera An. 1562. In which there are Forms of Prayer and Praise and prescribed Offices for all sorts of Christian Service especially under the Title of Ceremonies (r) Ibid. pag. 189 c. And in a word all the Lutheran Churches every where impose and constantly use these Set Forms in their public Worship and their most Eminent Divines approve of this as may be seen in Melanchton who enjoyns the reciting the express Words of the Holy Forms (s) Melancht oper Tom. 3. exp in 6 Math. pag. 323. Chemnitius saith The Romanists unjustly condemn our Churches because in the Celebration of the Lords Supper they choose as did the Ancients to use Forms of Prayer which are Analogous to the Faith and tend to edifie the Church suitably to these Times in which are comprehended all the substantial things which were used in the Prayers of the Ancients (t) Mart. Chemnitii exam Concil Trid. par 2. pag. 91. He grants indeed they are not the very same with the Primitive Liturgies in all things but affirms that they agree with them in the Essential parts I will name but one more viz. a Learned Danish Divine who hath writ a general System of Theology And he upon this Question Whether it be lawful to use prescribed Forms of Prayer Determines That it is lawful for all and necessary for many to use a certain and prescribed Form of Words in Prayer (u) Caspari Brochmondi Theol. System vniv Par. 2. cap. 3. Casu 15. pag. 494. To go on The Protestant Churches in Poland and Lithuania in two Synods held there Ann. 1633. 1634. enjoyned one certain Liturgy to be used in all those Dominions The Preface to which is printed at large by Mons Durell (w) Durel vt suâ—â— in appâ—nd pag. 321. to which Author I shall also refer the Reader for an account of the several Liturgies used in Bremen Hessen Transilvania Hungary Bohemia c. (x) Id ibid. Sâ—â— 1. Num. 3. 37 â—8 39 c. p. â— p. 34â—â—5 c. And I will only add that Memorable passage in the Confession of Augsburgh All those Rites are to be observed which can be performed without Sin and which conduce to good Order in the Church such as certain Holy days certain Holy things to be Sung and other such Rites (y) Câ—nfâ—ss 〈◊〉 Art 15. pag. 25. By Holy things to be Sung They mean their Prayers which are all Sung in the Lutheran Churches as we noted but now § 3. But perhaps some may Imagin that those Churches who were Reformed by Calvin Zuinglius or others are not so much for prescribed Forms as the Lutherans I will therefore here add a brief account of the Churches and Divines of Geneva France Helvetia Holland c. I begin with the Famous Calvin whose words have been often repeated but must be set down once more because our obstinate Adversaries who pretend so much Reverence for him do not regard them As to the Form of Prayer and Ecclesiastical Rites I do highly approve it should be certain from which it may not be lawful for any Minister to vary in the exercise of his Function as well in Consideration of the Weakness and Ignorance of some as that it may more certainly appear how all the Churches agree among themselves And lastly that there may be a stop put to the giddy Lightness of some who affect some kind of Novelties and I have shewed before that a Form of Catechism also is good on the same account So therefore There ought to be A stated Form of Catechizing a stated Form of Administring the Sacraments and a public Form of Prayers (z) Calvin ad Protect Angl. Epist 87. pag. 165. This was Calvins advice to the great Manager of the Reformation in England under the Pious King Edward 6th Whereby we may discern that he highly approves of making and strictly imposing one certain Liturgy and gives three weighty Reasons why it must be imposed upon all the Clergy which Reasons continue in full force even to this very day and therefore if our Adversaries will allow him for an Umpire in this Case they must conform to this Liturgy which is much more pure now than it was in Calvins days and all those Tolerabiles ineptiae as he boldly called them are now wholly left out But to proceed Calvin himself also made a Form of Divine Service which is used to this day in the Churches of France and in that of Geneva and their Ministers are bound to the use of those Forms in all their public Administrations And I observe that Beza cites this Form of Prayer and particularly that part of it which is concerning the Ministration of the Lords Supper made as he tells us by Mr. Calvin wherein he saith they had retained the Primitive Form Lift up your Hearts with a proper Paraphrase upon it and also kept many ancient Rites (a) Theodor. Ieâ— â—esp ad â—ranc bald inter Tract Theol Tom II. pag. 229. And Moses Amyraldus speaks of this Liturgy when he saith And here for Example sake I will Commemorate that great Wisdom and Temper with which those public Forms of public Prayer were first composed which the Churches of France and Geneva do use so that the very Papists have put some of them into those several little Prayer Books which they publish in the Vulgar Tongue and deliver to their own People (b) Amyrald de secess ab Eccles p. 225. assuring us he had seen this with his own Eies otherwise he could scarce have believed it And a little before this Author wishes that all Reformed Churches would contribute their several Symbols so as all Protestants might agree in one Common Form of Prayer (c) Id. ibid. p.
and for all the Occasional Offices which Book so translated was Printed at Leiden An. 1648. To this I may add another Book put out by Jo. Alasco a Noble Polonian Protestant in the days of King Edward the Sixth the Title whereof runs thus The Form and Manner of the whole Ecclesiastical Ministration in the Church for Strangers and especially Germans appointed at London by the most Religious King Edward the Sixth An. 1550 (q) Forma ratio tota Ecclesiastici ministerii c. Lond. An. 1550. Wherein there are also divers Set Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving to be used in the several Offices of their Church And to name no more I have in my possession a scotch-common-prayer-Scotch-Common-Prayer-Book said to be Composed by Mr. Knox containing A Kalendar with Holy-days The Psalms of David in Meeter Forms of Prayer in the Visitation of the Sick Forms of Confession of Sin A Form of Intercession for all Estates of Men A Form of Prayer for the King Forms for Administring the Lords Supper and Baptism The Form of Matrimony and other occasional Offices c. for the use of the Kirk of Scotland Imprinted at Middleburgh An. 1594. I do not cite these Books as if there were no other or no more Protestant Liturgies but because I have seen all these lately and have most of them by me and because these are sufficient to convince any man That all established Protestant Churches do approve of and use Prescribed Forms so that if we should cast off ours to oblige that sort of Dissenters whom Mr. Clarkson Patronizes we must act contrary to the judgment and practice of the most famous Protestant Churches abroad and the most eminent Reformed Divines of all Nations and therefore I refer it to any Man to consider if this be a probable way to unite us with all Forein Protestants as some vainly discourse § 4. I know nothing can remain to be objected now unless it be That there are some great and just Exceptions lye against our Liturgy in particular To which I shall not now Reply by Repeating what I have said in my Larger Discourses upon the Common-Prayer where every one of the Objections that I have ever met with are considered and answered already But I shall now shew what esteem our Common-Prayer-Book hath been in among the most learned and judicious Protestant Writers ever since it was first Compos'd And I begin with Alexander Alesius an eminent Scotch Divine who Translated King Edward's Common-Prayer Book into Latin and in his Preface to it he saith He did this that it might be seen and read by many for the honour of the English Church whose care and diligence herein he doubted not would be for the example and comfort of some and for the shame of others and he hoped it might provoke the rest of the Reformed to imitate this most noble and divine Work in setling the Church believing that God put it into his hands to publish it at that time for the General Good (r) Praef. ad Libr. precum per Alex. Aâ—es inter Buceri script Anglicaâ— pag. 373 3â—5 c. with much more to the same purpose And here I must note that probably this was that Interpretation of our English Service Book which the judicious and modest Mr. Bucer looked over so diligently to satisfie himself whether he ought to conform to it And upon this he saith When I throughly understood it I gave Thanks to God who had granted to this Church to Reform her Rites to that degree of Purity For I found nothing in them which was not taken out of the Word of God or at least which was contrary thereunto if it were candidly expounded (s) Buceri censura super Libr. Sâ—croâ— praef pag. 456. And when by Archbishop Cranmer's special Command he had perused the whole Book in order to his censuring what he thought was to be amended He declares his Judgment thus In the prescript Form for the Communion and the daily Prayers I see nothing writ in this Book which is not taken out of the Word of God if not in express Words as the Psalms and Lessons yet in Sense as the Collects and also the Order of these Lessons and Prayers and the Times when they are to be used are very agreeable to the Word of God and to the Constitution observed in the Ancient Church (t) Buceri censura c. cap. 1. p. 457. And afterwards he is for writing down all holy Rites and the Words of the sacred Administrations and he owns that the Church of England hath done this very purely and conformable to Christ's Institution As for the things which he modestly supposed might be altered for the better it is evident That most of them were regulated afterwards and many of them were rectified according to his Advice there so that we not only see he was clearly for the use of prescribed Forms but liked the Book of King Edward with some few Amendments and had he seen our present Common-Prayer no doubt he would have wholly approved it The next Evidence shall be the most learned Archbishop of Spalato who affirms against Suarez That the English Liturgy containeth nothing in it which is not holy which is not pious and truly Christian as well as Catholic (u) Ant. de Dom. Spalat osteus error Fran. Suarez cap. 6. §. 82. pag. 340. And a little after The Form of Divine Offices that is of Public Prayers for all England which as I have said is taken out of the most ancient and most laudable Liturgies approved even by the Roman Church collected with great Judgment so as to leave out those things which the Romanists themselves are not very ready to defend (w) Ibid §. 37. pag. 342. Thus this Great Man stops the Mouth of a Malicious Enemy to our Liturgy And Causabon at the same time had as great an esteem for it For in his Epistle to King James the First he saith Your Majesty hath such a Church in your Kingdoms partly so instituted of Old and partly so regulated by your Endeavours that none at this day comes nearer to the Form of the most Flourishing Ages of the Ancient Church following a middle way between those who have offended both in the Excess and the Defect (x) Causaâ— Ep. ad Reg. jac praeâ—ix ad exerc Baron And in an Epistle to Salmasius he saith If his Conjecture do not fail the soundest part of the whole Reformation is in England (y) Id. Ep. ad Salmas qu. 709. Moreover Salmasius himself though in some Points he differed from our Church yet relates it as a Reason of King Charles the Martyrs constancy to our Liturgy That the Form of it was long since approved by most of the Reformed Pastors and those Men of the first Rank both in France and elsewhere and as being a Book which seemed to contain nothing but what agreed to Piety and to the Evangelical Doctrin (z)
short account of the general Litany made by the Deacon for the whole World and every part of it for Priests and Princes for the Bishop and the Emperor and the Peace of all (b) Id. ibid. and also the Form of the Bishops Blessing and of the final Prayer (c) Id. ibid. pag. 45 probably to be used in ordinary Assemblies In these Constitutions we find private Christians enjoyned to say the Lords Prayer as a Form thrice in a Day (d) Ibid. lib. 7. cap. 25. and we have Forms drawn up for their use both before and after the Sacrament (e) Ibid. cap. 26.27 and upon divers other occasions (f) Ibid. cap. 34 35 c. There is also an Office of Baptism with Forms of Renunciation of the Devil and confessing the Faith as also a Form for Consecrating the Water c. (g) Ibid. cap. 41 42 43. An Office for the Ordination of a Bishop (h) Lib. 8. cap. 3. and also for the Ordaining Priests and Deacons c. (i) Ibid. cap. 24 25. But most particularly there is the Office at the Communion with all those Forms used at those most Solemn Assemblies (k) Ibid. lib. 8. 〈…〉 5. ad 〈…〉 That is to say The Litany said by the Deacon for the Catechumens the Faithful answering to each Petition Domine miserere with the Bishops Prayer for them The like Litany and prescribed Prayers for those that were possessed those who were to be Baptized and for the Penitents And after these were all gon out there is also prescribed a Litany by the Deacon and a Prayer by the Bishop for the Faithful After which follows Forms prescribed for the Salutation the first Benediction the offering of their Gifts the invitation the Preface Lift up your Hearts c. The Hymn called Trisagion to be sung by all the People And also a Form for consecrating the Elements An intercession for all Estates of Men The order for receiving and saying Amen when they do receive The singing of the xxxiv Psalm O tast and see how Gracious the Lord is Finally there is a public Form of Prayer after the Communion and the concluding Benediction with many other Forms on other less Solemn occasions Particularly there are Forms for Morning and Evening Prayer as our Adversary confesseth (l) Disc of Liturg. pag. 162. Marg. Now if all this will not amount to a Liturgy then there is no such thing in the World and if it be a Liturgy then prescribed Forms must needs be used when this Author writ yea and long before otherwise he could not have pretended that the Apostles were Authors of these Forms his very pretending that shews that those of that Age had lost the memory of the first composers of these Forms and this Author took advantage from their Immemorial use to ascribe them to the Apostles Now our Adversary being aware of this though he dare not deny these Constitutions to be good Evidence for that time wherein they were written yet labours to disparage and baffle this clear Witness by several Crafty Cavils and Objections First He thrusts this Writer down above one whole Century and pretends he lived in the end of the Fifth or the begining of the Sixth Age (m) Disc of Liturg. p. 110 111. But this is most notoriosly false as may be proved First Because the Fathers of the Fourth Century cite it as a known Book in this Age. Secondly Because the matter of these Forms are exactly agreeable to the Doctrin and Practice of the Third and Fourth Centuries For the first point Athanasius reckons this Book which he calls the Doctrin of the Apostles among those which the Fathers allowed â—o be Read in the Church therefore it was extant long before his time (n) Athan. Epistol ad Ammam Monach Eusebius also computes it among those Writings which though they were not Canonical Scripture yet were approved by the Ancients and distinguishes it from the Books which the Hereticks had Forged (o) Euseb Hist lib. Cap. 19. pag. 71. S. Cyril in the middle of this Century cites that passage about the Phaenix out of it and ascribes â—t by name to Clemens (p) Cyril Catech 18. p. 213. Collat. cum Constit Clem. lib. 5. cap. 8. which he would not have don if it had not been then accounted an approved Book and well known to those of his Age. Epiphanius quotes it very often in his Book against Heresies by the express name of the Apostolical Constitutions as an Author of eminent Credit and whose Testimony was sufficient as to what was a Primitive usage (q) Epiphan Panar lib. 1. Tom. 3. Haer. 45 Lib. 3. Tom. 1. Haer. 75. and he gives this Character of them That many doubted of them but did not reject them For saith he all regular Order is contained in them and there is nothing contrary either to Faith or Worship or to the Rule of Church Government (r) Epiphan Ibid. lib. 3. Tom. 1. Haer. 70. that is they contain all necessary directions as to Doctrin Divine Offices and Discipline Now if this Book had this Reputation in this Fourth Century we must believe it was written sooner and we may well allow it as good Evidence for Matter of Fact at least in this Age where we are content to place it and we hope our Adversaries will not be able to except against our modest assignation of the Constitutions to the later part of this Century because Mr. Cook thinks their true Author was Contemporary with S. Basil who died An. 378 (s) Discou se of Lâ—turg p. 110. Maâ—g And Monsieur Dailé reckons these Constitutions among the most ancient Books which are Apocryphal and confesseth They were published soon after the year of Christ 330 and therefore he cites them as good Evidence for the Usages of this Century and the former (t) Dâ—â—le p aefat ad l â—run de Relig. â—â—â—tus obj â—o pâ—oâ—eâ—nem for which reason he must allow them to be a sufficient Witness for the use of Forms and Liturgy in these two Ages And truly Secondly We may prove this Book to be at least thus ancient by the Matter of it which is Primitive pure and pious and the Forms are taken out of Scripture or the Writings of the most genuine Fathers and are proper to the several occasions and agreeable to the Opinion and Practice of these Ages being free from those grosser Corruptions of the later Times such as Invocation of the Virgin Mary the Saints and Angels Adoration of Images Crosses and Relicks the Sacrifice Propitiatory of the Mass the Popes Infallibility and Supremacy with such like Yea this Liturgy being allowed to have been used in this Century and not mentioning any of these things is a good proof That they are all notorious Corruptions and Innovations there is nothing but some Charitable Prayers for the Dead without any respect to Purgatory which can be excepted against in
Singular Number the Holy Bible to make his Reader suppose it was meant alone of that Book But the Original speaks of more Books and therefore since a Liturgy was then in use at Alexandria no doubt that was one of the Holy Books which they here falsly accused Macarius for Burning And since the Author calls them Holy not Divine Books it is more probable he meant it of the Books of Offices which were counted only Sacred than of the Scripture which they generally call Divine or Divinely inspired Books Which distinction is very evident in Eusebius where he relates how in the Persecution under Dioclesian They Burnt the Divine and Sacred Books in the Mâ—rket places (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. p. 217. In which place the Divine Books are the Holy Scriptures and the Sacred Books those which contained the Service of the Church The same Author in the Life of Constantine makes a plain distinction between these Books as being several Volums For he saith the Emperor took the Books for the explaining the Divinly inspired Scriptures and after for repeating the prescribed Prayers with those who dwelt in his Roy. al Palace (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb vit Const lib. 4. cap. 17. First he took the Bible into his Hands and then after that it seems he took the other Book wherein the usual Established Prayers were written For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Books implies more Books than one Secondly As to the Books which Constantine sent to Eusebius into Palaestine to procure for his Churches at Constantinople he calls them Those Divine Books which he knew most necessary according to the Ecclesiastical Catalogue to be prepared and used (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. l. 4. cap. 35. And this might be expounded of Books of Offices as well as Bibles but suppose we grant this Catalogue here mentioned to be the Canon of Scripture agreed on by the Church and so the Books he sent for were only the Canonical Books of Scripture His inference that the Churches in Constantine's Time had no other Book will by no means follow Eusebius lived in Palaestine where the Scriptures were first written and best understood and there the best Copies were to be had and Eusebius who lived there was the fittest Judge of them therefore Constantine sent thither and to him perhaps for no more but Bibles Not because Churches were furnished then with no other Books but because we know Constantine had Prayer-Books at home and could get acurate Copies of the Service writ out at Constantinople and need not send so far as Palaestine for those Books but it was most proper to send thither for Copies of Canonical Scripture Thirdly The Council of Carthage also doth mention a Book of the Gospels held over the Bishops Head a Book of Exorcisms to be given to the Exorcist and a Book of Lessons to be delivered to the Reader at their Ordination But doth not mention the Service-Book delivered to any that entred into Orders (k) Concil 4. Carthag can 1. 7 8. But it is too much from thence to conclude there was no Service-Book there in the year 498 because we have proved by many Testimonies which are Positive that they had prescribed Prayers there long before And he may as well argue that we have no Common-Prayer-Book in England since it is not delivered either to any Bishop Priest or Deacon at their Ordination that is there is no more done here than was there and yet both we have and they had a Book of Offices for all that Optatus S. Augustin and others before cited do fully attest it Moreover these Books of Exorcisms were Forms of Prayer and of Catechising Collected out of Holy Scripture (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril praef ad Catech. for those who were newly Converted to Christianity And such Books had been long time used in the Church before this Council though this formal delivery of them is not mentioned till this Council Orders it Fourthly As to the Persecutors not enquiring for or finding or the Christians delivering no other Books to them but only Bibles I reply the matter of Fact is not True and therefore his Consequence viz. that they had no Prayer-Books then is false Indeed the Bible was the most Eminent of all the Christian Books and the Foundation of their Faith their Worship and their Manners And in those Ages the Bible was in all Christians Hands the People Read it at Home whereas the Liturgy was only in the Priests Hands and upon the Notion they had of the necessity of concealing Mysteries from Pagans was kept very close By which means no doubt Bibles were oftner found by the Persecutors and better known to them than the Book of Offices the Dyptics the Book of Exorcisms the Book of Anthems written and composed to the Honour of Christ Yet we are sure they had these Books then though they are rarely or never mentioned singlâ— only they come under the general Titles of Christian Writings Divine Sacred or Holy Books c. and no doubt sometimes the Persecutors found and Burned these as well as Bibles For we may observe that all Authors generally speak in the Plural Number The Divine and Holy Writings and the Writings The Books of the Church in Eusebius are said to be Burnt and Destroyed by the Persecutors (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 8. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. lib. 10. cap. 4. Why do our Writings deserve to be committed to the Flames saith Arnobius (n) Nâ—â—strâ— quidem Scripta cur ignibus merueruâ—t dari Arnob. l 4. They Demanded the Divine Books for the Fire Saith Augustin (o) Peterent divinos câ—dices exurendos Aâ—â— brevic Câ—l l. 3. So they ask the Holy Martyrs if they had any Writings in their keeping (p) Dicas aliquas Scripturas habeas â—ron An. 30◠§. 53. And the Canon of Arles is general against all that had delivered up the Holy Writings (q) De his qui Scripturas Sanctas tradidisse dicuntur Concil Arcl. can 13. An. 316. Now why should they so Constantly and Unanimously speak of more Books if there had been no Book but a Bible But further some of the Acts of the Martyrs mention Volumes of Parchment and other folded Books besides the Bible (r) Baron An. 303. §. 10. In the Acts under Zenophilus the Persecutors demanded If they had any Writings of their Law or any thing else in their Library (s) Ibid. §. 13. 14. Now they had removed the Books before they came conveying them to the Readers House where at last they found 24 great and small Volums and in another House 8 Books and 4 folded Tomes Now certainly these were not all Bibles no doubt some of them were Books of Prayers Hymns and Passions or Names at least of Martyrs Writ out as S. Cyprian had directed Another
224. And not he alone but all the Calvinists do generally allow and use prescribed Forms of Prayer as Mons Durell hath very largely made out to whose Observations I will add two very Learned Men of the French Church who freely own that Liturgies and stated Forms are of very ancient use in the Christian Church and these are the Lord Du-plessis and Mons Daillè both which my Adversary often cites as if they were of his Opinion concerning the late Original of Prescribed Forms But first Mornay Lord Du-Plessis in his Book of the Mass having shewed That the Jews had Forms of public Service adds the First Christians then framed themselves after this manner of Service (d) Mornay of the Mass Book 1. pag. 19. and so runs the parallel between the Jewish and the Primitive Liturgy And a little after he tells us That those Authors who lived about the Year 800 declare That some Forms were used from the beginning and that they had industriously searched out the ancient Service of the Church and they might also in their days possibly find the Books of Rites or Prescribed Forms used in the Church before the Pope assisted by the Power of Great Princes had abolished the use and memory thereof (e) Id. ib. pag 22. Again he owns a very ancient Form of Prayer used at the Offertory (f) Ib chap 5. pag. 36. and saith there was a General Prayer for the whole World and the Estate of the Church which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Form whereof continued as we have seen it since the time of the Primitive Church and is to be found and read in the Writers of that time (g) Ib. pag 37. He also confesseth in the same place that there was anciently One Form of Salutation and Prefaces Yea in this whole Book he every where owns there were Primitive Forms long before the Roman Church had corrupted their Service and speaking of the Liturgies of the Greek and Latin Churches he doth not so much as pretend they had no prescribed Forms only he notes That though in substance the Service of these Churches do agree together yet we must not imagine there was one and the same prescript Form observed and kept in them all (h) Mornay ut supr chap. 6. pag. 43. We see he grants Forms in all Churches but so as there was some Variety between the Forms of several Churches And now how is it possible that this Great and Learned Man had he not been misinterpreted should be Evidence for my Adversaries Opinion of Liturgies coming in after the Year 500 The like may be said of M. Dailé who understood Antiquity as well as any Writer that ever was of the French Reformed Church Now he frequently cites the Book which goes under the Title of the Apostolical Constitutions ascribed to S. Clement wherein there is a very ancient Form of Liturgy used as we have shewed in the Church of Antioch wherein there are prescribed Forms for all the Parts of Divine Service at large Now this Learned Man thus speaks of that Writer He seems to have compiled his Work a little before the Nicene Council (i) Dailé de Confirm lib. 2. cap. 11. p. 120. And in another place he saith In this Book of the Apostolical Constitutions I think no man who understands any thing of Antiquity can deny but that the Author hath painted out the Form of Ecclesiastical Worship such as it really was in those Times when he Writ (k) Idem de Relig. cultus objecto lib. 3. cap. 12. By which we see that he believed The Ecclesiastical Worship was performed by a prescribed Liturgy even before the First Council of Nice Which appears also to have been his Opinion by his citing this Liturgy of the Constitutions with divers other ancient Liturgies and then concluding thus We our selves truly do not deny but that very many of these Liturgies which we have produced are ancient and written about the very beginning of the Fourth Century though we think that they were corrupted by Additions and Alterations at several times after their first Original (l) Dailé de cult Latin relig lib. 3. cap. 13. p. 359. Wherefore this studious Searcher into Antiquity can be no Witness for my Adversary since he very expresly affirms That these Liturgies were written out for Public use in the very beginning of the Fourth Century that is as soon as the Church became setled by the Conversion of Constantine the Great To these we may add the Testimony of the Helvetian Divines and others who did not Reform after Luther's Pattern Bullenger saith The Church hath Supplications she also hath Holy days and Fasts the Church celebrates the Sacraments according to certain Laws at certain times in a certain place and by a prescribed Form which is according to the received Rules and Vsage of the Church (m) Bulleng Decad. 2. Serm. 1. pag. 38. In which Words he evidently justifies a prescribed Form and owns That the Church hath power to make such a Form and that all her Members are obliged to use it The eminent Lud. Lavater himself published the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book of the Tigurine Church which I have seen and read The Title of which is this A Little Book of the Rites and Institutions of the Trigurine Church Wherein is contained The whole Order of their Divine Service with the several Forms by which they Administer the Sacraments and all other Offices which belong to the Ministerial Function (n) De ritib. institutis Eccles Tigurinae Opusculum Edit à Ludovic Lavatero An. 1559. so that they also have stated and prescribed Forms And Zanchius one of the most Learned of the Divines of that Age tells us That Concord and Decency or Order cannot be observed in the Church nor can all things be done decently and in order as S. Paul commands without Rules and Traditions by which as by certain Bonds Order and Decorum is preserved because there is such diversity in Mens Manners such variety in their Minds and such opposition in their Judgments that no Polity is firm unless it be constituted by certain Laws and without a Stated Form no Rites can be preserved (o) Hieron Lanch Tom 7. In Com. praecip cap. Doctrin Christ Loc. 16. So that he pleads for the necessity of such a Form and accordingly all setled Protestant Churches have composed a Liturgy and made Forms of Divine Service for their Clergy to Officiate by So have the Churches of Holland whose common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book I have seen Translated into the Greek Tongue with this Title (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impres Ludg. Bat. An. 1648. The Christian and Orthodox Doctrin and Order of the Belgick Churches viz. Their Confession of Faith their Catechism their Liturgy and their Ecclesiastical Canons And in that Part which is their Liturgy there are the Forms of Prayer prescribed for Baptism for the Lords Supper
when the New-fashion Directory ha◠got possession of a Mans fancy he may dream that an Order or an Ordinal mus◠needs signifie some such thing Voconius Episc Musaeus Presb. Marscil An. Dom. 458. § 12. It was in the same Country and much about the Time of this Council that Voconius a Bishop and Musaeus a Priest of Marseilles did Compose very famous Volumes of Sacraments and Offices as Gennadius who lived also at Marseilles and flourished not above 30 years after this doth testifie (x) Gennad lib. de Script Eccl. in Musaeo Which still confirms my Observation That upon this Second Conversion of France after the Northern Pagans had overspread it the most Learned and Eminent of the Clergy began to reduce the several Provinces to one Form of Divine Service For it was not long after that the eloquent Bishop of Auvergne Sidonius Apollin Ep. Avern An. Dom. 472. Sidonius Composed a Book of Masses that is as the Phrase then signified a Book of Forms of Prayer c. (y) Vid. vit Sidonii praefix oper and Gregory of Tours who writ his History in the next Century tells us That he had written a Preface to this Liturgy and published it as Sidonius had reform'd it (z) Greg. Turon lib. 2. cap. 22. And not long before this viz. about the Year 458 Mamercus Bishop of Viennè had set up the use of Litanies after the manner of the Eastern Church ordering all the People with Fasting and great Devotion to use them in a public Procession when they were pressed with heavy Calamities (a) Greg. Turon lib. 2. cap. 34. Sidon Epist lib. 7. ep 1. And Sidonius tells us That there were Litanies used in the Gallican Church before but they were not said with that fervency vigour and frequency no nor with such strict Fasting as Mamercus had appointed (b) Sidon lib. 5. ep 14. And therefore as the Diocess of Viennè had been delivered by this devout use of the Litany so he thought fit to appoint it should be repeated in the same manner in his City when the Goths broke into that Province From which Relation we learn That Litanies were used in France before this Age though not with so much devotion and success and therefore we must by no means think Mamercus was the first Author of these Prescribed Forms of public Supplication There is another memorable Passage in the Life of Sidonius which confirms the general use of Written Forms in his Time which is That being to celebrate a Festival in his Church some wicke◠persons had stollen away the Book by which he was wont to Officiate but h◠was so ready a Man that even without Book he went through the whole Office for the Feast to the wonder of all the Congregation who thought he spake rather like an Angel than a Man (c) Vit. Sidonii Praef. oper Greg. Turon lib. 2. cap. 22. Now here we have express Testimony of a Common-Prayer which this excellent Bishop was wont to use and it seems it was a Wonder in this Age to see any Clergy-man perform the public Office without a Book which could not have been strange if my Adversaries way of Extempore Prayer had been usual For if every Bishop and Priest as he pretends had daily prayed without Book it had been ridiculous to have written this as a singular Excellency in Sidonius to be able to repeat the Office by the strength of his Memory without that Book which used to guide him therein And if it be Objected That this Relation seems rather to suppose he made a new Office Extempore I Reply That still makes out my Assertion Since it could not be the common way to pray on the sudden because it was thought almost a Miracle in Sidonius to do so therefore other Clergy-men generally used written Forms and made use of Common-Prayer-Books as we do now The same Sidonius tells us in one of his Epistles That the Monks and the Clergy celebrated the Vigils together with the Chanters of Psalms in Tunes which they sang alternately (d) Sidon lib. 5. ep 17. And it was in his Time as that Historian remarks they used to sing the Antiphons in the Church of S. Martin at Tours (e) Greg. Turon histor pag. 83. Now these were Forms of public Worship and as we have often noted must be either written or however certainly known before to those who make use of them and therefore prescribed Forms were the way by which God was worshiped in this Age Not only in France but also in Africa where Victor relates That it was the Custom at Carthage to bring up Boys in the skill of Music for the public Service of the Church Twelve of which Boys fell into the hands of Hunnericus the Vandal King (f) Victor histor persec Vandal lib. 5. Ad. Dom. 478. Now these Singing-Boys were not capable of bearing a part in the public Service if it had not been in Prescribed Forms Petrus Cnapheus Eplsc An ioc◠An. Dom. 483. § 13. And the same way was continued in the East for Petrus Cnapheus about this Time ordered the Creed to be daily repeated in the public Office at Antioch as my Adversary doth confess (g) Disc of Lit. pag. 102. and other Authors testifie (h) Theod. Lect. lib 2. pag. 189. Bona de rebus Liturg. p 537. And no opposition was made to this it being a known Form as well as the rest of the Service But when the same Bishop being infected with Heresie did attempt to make an addition to the ancient Hymn called the Trisagion and would have put in these Words Which was Crucified for us the People who had been long accustomed to that Orthodox Form delivered down to them from their Fore fathers would not endure it (i) Baron Annal. An 483. p. 381. and when others at Constantinople added this Sentence to the Response as the Chanter was singing the Hymn in the accustomed way there was a very great Tumult made upon that occasion (k) Theodor. Lect. Synops pag 187. Disc of Lit. pag. 2◠compar'd with pag. 25. And here I cannot but wonder at my Adversaries rare dexterity who when he had undertaken to prove that there could be no Liturgies in these Ages because we never read of any change or alterations made in them pag. 25. within two Pages relates The great tumult at Constantinople and the wise which was made through the World by attempting to alter this ancient Hymn Which was an eminent part of the Communion-Service to which the People had been so long used that they soon perceived and highly resented this Alteration of their Sacred Forms Which strongly proves not only that they used prescribed Forms now but had done so long before And as to this very Trisagian he mistakes in saying it was first used in the Time of Theodosius the Younger (l) Disc of Lit. pag. 177. For we have proved by divers Testimonies that
it was used in the Third and in the beginning of the Fourth Century in all the Churches of the World 'T is true there was an Orthodox Addition made to it in the Time of that Theodocius grounded on a Miracle as Nicephorus reports (m) Niceph. Histor lib. 2. cap. 46. But the Original of this Hymn is taken from the Prophet Isaiah and it was used in that Form long before this Emperour was born yea it seems it was accounted to be a Form very Sacred since they durst not alter it but by the direction of a Miracle so tenacious was that Age of their ancient Forms of Worship Gelaâ— us Episc Rom. A.D. 492. § 14. Pope Gelasius was one of the most Learned of the Roman Bishops and though as we have seen in the Life of Damasus and of Innocent there was a Liturgy at Rome before yet he took great pains to polish and reform it For all Authors affirm That he made Hymns for his Church like to those of S. Ambrose (n) Pâ—ntifical vit â— las item Platâ—na in vit Cent. Magâ—eb 5 Cent. p. 1271. c. And that he Composed some Graduals Prefaces and Collects (o) Pontif cal ut supr item Câ—sâ—andr Liturg And Durandus affirms that this Gelasius the One and filtieth Bishop from S. Peter was he that principally put the Canon into that Order wherein we now see it (p) Durand â—at lib. 4. fol. 67. iâ—em Burnes v a Gelas pag. 55. and some add that he enlarged the Preface and put in It is meet and right so to do But let us hear the Learned Du-Plessis Gelasius came in the Year 490 and he ranged and set in order the Collects and Complâ—nds amongst the which are some that do yet stand and continue pure and uncorrupted (q) Mâ—rnay of the Mass Book l. cap. 60. So that if we regard the account which we had before in the Life of Pope Innocent (r) See the beginning of this Century §. 1. or the full Evidence of these Authors ancient and modern we must grant there were prescribed Forms at Rome long before Gelasius Time but being by continuance of Time and frequent Transcribing become somewhat imperfect he undertakes to rectifie them by some Alterations and by adding something of his own made the Offices more compleat His putting the Canon into Order adding to the Prefaces and his ranging the Collects into a Method shews there were Collects and a Preface and a Canon before so that the use of prescribed Forms did not begin in his Time and yet because he took so much pains about the Liturgy of the Roman Church That Book which he had Corrected and put in Order was called Codex Gelasianus The Gelasian Book And John the Deacon who writ the Life of Pope Gregory saith that He contracted this Gelasion Book and out of it compiled the Gregorian Office (s) Johan Diac. vit Gregor 1. lib. 2. cap. 17. yet so as it seems the Book still remained in some places for the Chronicle of the Abby of Saint Richerius (t) Chronic. S. Richerii apud Dacherii Spicileg Tom. 4. reckons up Nineteen Missals of Gelasius among the Volumes in their Library And it is plain enough that Pope Gregory took the same liberty with this Gelasian Office that he had done with those our of which he first extracted it For there were Forms from the beginning and none but great Bishops presumed to alter them which had been a very impertinent labour if after they had thus Corrected the Offices they had not imposed the use of them on their subordinate Clergy and doubtless they would never have taken this pains if every private Minister might vary the Office every day at his pleasure Which fancy this Book of Gelasius utterly confutes and proves there was a Canon for the Consecration of the Eucharist written down in a Book at least an hundred years before S. Gregories Time yea we see this very Book of Gelasius was taken out of elder Forms which makes it to be somewhat strange that my Adversary should cite and own this Gelasian Book and at the same time and in the same Page affirm There was no setled Form of Consecration at Rome before Gregory 's time (u) Disc of Liturgies p 83. But of this I shall have occasion to say more in the next Century And shall conclude this Age with observing That Clovis the first Christian King of France soon after his Conversion placed certain Monks in the City of Rheims giving them great Priviledges and Possessions and the Rule which they were governed by was that which Macarius had Composed about One hundred years before for his Monks of Nitria the Ninth Article whereof enjoyns them To love the Course of their own Monastery above all things (w) Cursum Monasterii super omnia diligas Reg. S. Macar art 9. ap Cointe Annal Eccles Franc. Tom. 1. pag. 178. An. â—96 That is That they should delight in that Form of Service which was prescribed for their Monastery for a Course signifies an Office for Divine-Service And therefore Gregory of Tours saith That he himself writ a Book of Ecclesiastical Courses (x) Gregor Turon lib. 10. cap. 31. that is of Divine Offices and the same Author calls Saying the whole Service Fulfilling the Course (y) Post impleâ—â—m in Oratione Câ—râ—um id de glor Confess cap. 38. So the Roman Course is put for the Roman Missal (z) Spâ—lm Concil Tom. I. pag 177. An. 680. And in one of our ancient Saxon Councils it is Ordained That in all Churches the Course shall be reverently performed at the Canonical hours (a) Concil Calcuth Can 7. An 787. ibid. p. 295. From which use of the word we may learn That the most ancient Monks long before the Time of Benedict had their prescribed Forms of Prayer which they used in their own Oratories though among these Men who did a little incline to Raptures and some degrees of Enthusiasm if any where we might have expected to have found Extempore Prayers I shut up this Century with the Words of Du-Plessis Thus we are come to the Five hundredth year after Christ finding in all this time One Service consisting of Confessions and Prayers Psalms Reading Preaching Blessing and Distributing the Sacraments according to the Institution of our Lord. Mornay of the Mass Book I. Chap. 6. pag 44. So that he did not think this Age was much corrupted And yet we have proved and he owns that Prescribed Forms were now generally used CHAP. II. Of LITVRGIES in the Sixth Century WE need go no Lower for Authorities to prove the Use of LITURGIES because our Adversary freely and frequently grants that they began in the end of the Former and the beginning of This Century But I must here note in general concerning this Concession First That if they began no sooner yet they prescribe to at least Twelve-hundred Years and to universal Practice and
Canon it self do only direct the Order in which these several parts of the Service shall be used and forbid the altering that Order yet withal it refers to these several parts of the Service and calls them by their proper Names supposing a Book well known in which they were written down in the same order which is prescribed by this Canon It is plain the Antiphons Hymns Collects c. were certain fixed Forms not made in this Council but supposed to be commonly known by all long before and since some variety in the reciting these Forms had crept in so as one Diocess differed somewhat from another that Variety though it were but in the order of using these Forms is forbid here and the same Uniformity established in this Province which had been setled every where else And indeed this Canon convinces me there was no difference in the Forms themselves the same Antiphons Hymns Collects c. were used every where that needed not any regulation only they were differently placed in the Liturgies of divers Churches and this they Reform by setling one Liturgy for the whole Gallican Church which is called Ordo Ecclesiae and This Order contained not only the Rubrics or disposal of these several parts of Service but also The Forms themselves so disposed and set in Order And doubtless if any had then been so bold to vary the Hymns and Forms of Prayer these Fathers who would not suffer any Variety in the method and placing them would much less have endured the presumption of altering the Words and Expressions but that was a piece of Confidence that was not heard of in this Age. The next Year was held the first Council of Orleance Concil Aurel. I. An. Dom. 507. which again forbids Any of the People to go out of the Church before that final Blessing after the Lords Prayer in the end of the Communion Service (h) Concil Aurel. I. Can. 28. Bin. Tom. II. par l. pag 562. and enjoyns the Litanies shall be used three days before Ascension day and orders the People who had so large a share in this ancient Form to leave Work and joyn in presenting this general Supplication to Almighty God (i) Ibid. Can. 29. Agreeable to which is that Passage in Caesarius his Homilies where he tells us That the whole Church throughout the World then celebrated these Three Days with Litanies and then no Christian ought to be absent from that Religious Assembly (k) In tribus istis diebus quas regulariter in toto mundo celebrat Ecclesia nullus se à sancto Conventu subaucat Caesar hom 1. Now can any man doubt of the use of Prescribed Forms when these Litanies were so generally observed both in the Eastern and Western Churches Is it not plain the Communion Service was the same in all these Provinces since so many Authors and Councils agree That that Office every where ended with the Lords Prayer and the Blessing An Order now must signifie more than a Rubric For undoubtedly they had a prescribed Rule containing both the Forms and the Method also And the better to secure this Liturgy from being altered Concil Epaun. An. Dom. 509. the Council of Pamiers Ordains That all Churches in the Province shall observe the same Order in celebrating Divine Offices which was used by the Metropolitan Bishop (l) Ad celebrandum divina Officia â—â—dinem quem Metropolitani tenent Provinciales observare debent Concil Epaun. Can. 27. Bin. Tom. II. par I. pag. 553. And a few years after the same Order was made in Spain where Variety of Nations and Opinions had made some difference in their Liturgies But at Girone in Catalonia it was decreed That as to the appointing of Divine Service as it was performed in the Metropolitan Church so in Gods Name let that same Vsage be observed through the whole Province of Catalonia as well in the Communion-Office as in that of Singing and Ministring (m) De institutione Missarum ut â—uâ—modo in Metropolitanâ Ecclesiâ fuerâ—t ita in Dei nomine in omni Tarraconensi Provinciâ tam ipsius Misa Orao quam psallenai ministrandi consuetudo servetur Concil Gerund An. 517. Can. 1. Bin. ibid. pag. 618. that is The Order of Divine Offices which by a prescribed Rule was setled in the Metropolitan Church for the Communion-Service the Hymns and other Administrations were to be the Guide to all the Diocesses under the Jurisdiction thereof Which supposes that the Original Liturgy was written and kept carefully there by which all the Books of Divine Offices transcribed for the several Diocesses of his Suffragans were to be corrected which was a very fit Means to preserve that Unity both as to the Forms and Order which they now laboured to restore in all these parts of the VVorld The last named Council also mentions Litanies in two Canons Can. 2 and Can. 3. And informs us That the Lords Prayer was there repeated daily in the end both of Morning and Evening Prayer Can. 10. And all this leaves us no room to doubt of their using those ancient Forms which after these great Confusions began to be restored in these Countries upon the Conversion of both Pagans and Hereticks to the Faith and their beginning to incorporate with the People which they had Conquered in the last Age. And I have a little transgressed the Order of Time that I might lay these Canons together which were all made upon the same Occasion and do mutually explain one another Fulgentius Ep. Ruâ—pens Ann. Dom. 508. § 3. We must now step into Africa where that Pious Bishop Fulgentius flourished who was the most Eminent Champion for the true Faith against the Arians then very numerous in that Country And this holy Confessor hath left us sufficient Evidence of the continuance of the ancient African Forms For he largely expounds that Primitive Petition so generally used at the Consecration in all the old Liturgies viz. That God would send down the holy Spirit upon the Elements to sanctifie them and make them the Body of his deer Son (n) Fulgent ad Monim lib. 2. cap. 6. p. 79. Yea he confirms the Orthodox Faith from this ancient and well known Form of Prayer He also discourses very fully upon that general conclusion of the Collects which the Arians cavilled at Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord who liveth and Reigneth with thee in the unity of the holy Spirit (o) Per universas pene Africae regiones Catholica dicere consuevit Ecclesia Per Jesum c. Fulg. ad Ferrand Diac. Resp ad Quaest 4. pag. 266. Assuring us that the Catholick Church in almost all the Regions of Africa concluded their Prayers in this Form which he proves is agreeable to Scripture to the usage of the Primitive Church and to the Doctrin of the Orthodox Fathers And that must be a very ancient piece of Liturgy which is of Authority in dispute with
Hereticks And so much was he in love with Forms that he made such for private and extraordinary occasions For when any came to him under outward afflictions and desired his Prayers he used this Form Lord thou knowest what is best for our Souls and therefore when we ask for such things as our necessity compels us to desire do thou only grant that which conduces to our Spiritual welfare therefore if our humble Prayer be expedient then let it be heard so that thy Will may happily be Accomplished (p) Vita Fulgent cap. 25. pag. 30. Another Form frequently repeated by this holy Bishop in his last Sickness was this O Lord give me patience here and thy Pardon at my End (q) Ibid. cap. 30. pag. 93. And the Writer of his Life remarks that these Prayers of his were graciously heard and answered by Almighty God who it seems is well pleased with Forms that are said with true Devotion and if he accept them we may justly despise the Censures of ignorant and prejudiced Men. I must not conclude this Period till I observe that there is in the Works of this Fulgentius a Book dedicated to him by Peter the Deacon which this holy Bishop highly commends wherein as we shewed before it is affirmed That the Liturgy of S. Basil was generally used in the Eastern Church and of so great Authority was it accounted that he cites a passage out of it against the Hereticks (r) In libel Petr Diac. de incarn grat Jesu Chr. inter op Fulg. Moreover in that same Book is quoted also that same Prayer for all Estates of Men as an Argument to confirm the Catholic Faith which we produced at Large before out of S. Augustin and Pope Celestine (s) Ibid. cap 8. pag 281. See Cent. 5. §. and since so many Fathers produce it in dispute it is Evident it was a part of the Churches Liturgy and had been so for many Ages otherwise it had been to no purpose to bring it for Evidence against the Enemies of the Catholic Faith And this may suffice to shew the continuance of Liturgy in the African Church in the time of Fulgentius Concil Valentin Ann. Dom. 524. § 4. To return into the West there is a Canon made at the Council of Valentia in Spain Which saith Before the Catechumens go out and the Office of the Faithful begin let the Epistle and Gospel be Read and the Sermon be Preached because by hearing of these many had been converted to the Faith (t) Concil Valent Can. 1. Bin. Tom. II. par 1. pag. 629. By which wee see the Offices of the Catechumens and the Faithful yet remained in two distinct Forms as they had been in the Primitive Ages but this Canon made way for joyning those Offices and admitting all sorts of People to the whole Service excepting only the holy Cummunion so that after this we rarely hear of dismissing the Catechumens or of keeping Mysteries secret because these parts of the World were now generally become professed Christians In France a little before this Sigismund one of their Kings had instituted a Society of Monks to sing the Daily Office (u) Gregor Turon lib 3. cap. 5. pag. 95. vid. Cointe Annal An. 522. Now that Office which is Sung by each side of a Choir can be no other than a prescribed Form And we shall shew presently that the Monks of France had a peculiar Office made up of ancient Forms of Praise and Prayer In the mean time we shall look upon the Canons of the Council of Vaison Concil Vasent 3. Ann. 529. by which we shall see that Liturgick Forms were used at this time also in all the Churches of the World and believed to have descended down to them from the most ancient Times For the Bishops in this Council say That since it was the custom in the East at Rome and in all Italy to repeat the Kyrie Eleeson Lord have Mercy upon us Therefore in all our Churches this holy Custom shall be introduced to say it in the Morning Prayer at the Communion and at Evening Prayer (w) ut in omnibus Ecclesiis nostris ista consuetudo sanct ad Matutinum Missas ad Vesperam Deo propitiante intromittatur Concil Vas Can. Bin. Tom. II. par 1. pag. 641. The Form was ancient and used in all the Primitive Litanies but in these Churches they had not begun to repeat these Words in the Daily Offices at the three great Hours of Prayer But since it was become a Custom in all other Countries so to use this holy Form they now prescribe it shall be so used in their Churches as it is still in our Liturgy immediately before the Lords Prayer Again the same Council ordains That the Communion Service shall never be said without the Hymn of Holy Holy Holy that is the Trisagion which though it was prescribed by their Liturgy before yet some in the time of Lent and in private Communions had thought fit to omit it (x) Ibid. Can. 4. so that the variations which Bishops had made from the old way were regulated by the Councils of this Age. The next Canon affirms That at Rome in the East in Africa and Italy they had for preventing Heresie added to the Gloria Patri these Words As it was in the beginning c. Wherefore they ordain that this Hymn shall be repeated with that addition in their Churches (y) Ibid. Can. 5. p. 642. The Form with this enlargment also had been long in use in other Churches but this Addition was first Established in France after its second Conversion by this Canon And we gather from hence that in this Age there is not only an assurance that every Nation had a Liturgy but that the lesser Churches laboured to imitate the greater and more famous Churches in order to the making as great an Uniformity as was possible in all the Liturgies then in the World And we shall finally note from this Councils Orders about these ancient Forms that private Bishops themselves in this Age were not allowed to correct or alter any thing relating to the Liturgy Nothing less than a Council might presume to make Orders in those Cases Wherefore we cannot imagin that Liturgies were lately set up in the end of the last Age or the beginning of this as my Adversary affirms much less can we think that private Ministers had leave to vary the Offices as they pleased Benedictus Monach. An. Dom. 529. § 5. About this time Flourished Benedict the Father of that numerous Order of Monks who within an Age or two had filled all the Western World and he writ his Rule not as my Adversary pretends in the middle (z) Disc of Lit. p. 178. but towards the beginning of the Sixth Age viz. Ann. Dom. 530. (a) Vid. Dr. Cave Cartoph Eccles p. 109. Which Rule is still extant (b) Vid. Cointe Annal. Eccles An. 536. And as to
3 4 5. apud Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 212. Here we have one Kalendar fixed appointing the very same Lessons one Form of Salutation derived from the Apostles one Written Form for the celebration of the Eucharist and another being the Order of Baptism which in the days of a Bishop who was dead some years before this Council were sent in Writing from Rome and had been ever since used in these Provinces which can be nothing else but a Liturgy from which they will not suffer any Minister to vary in the least And it signifies nothing to alledge That this is one of the first Injunctions for such Uniformity in this Country that had been for an Age and more over-run with Barbarous People and overspread with Heresies because there are evident Supposals That the Ancient Churches which had not been renversed by these Calamities but kept to their old accustomed Ways furnished the New regulated Churches with ancient Forms which had been used among them from the Primitive Ages and that sufficiently proves the Antiquity of Liturgies My Adversary who conceals all this Evidence cites the 30th Canon of this Council but very falsly for he reads it thus Besides the Psalms of the Old Testament let nothing Poetically Composed be Sung in the Church and he false dates it also (z) Disc of Lit. pag. 179. Concil Bracar Can. 30. An. 565. But the Words of the Canon are a Translation of the Canon of Laodicea made 200 years before Forbidding the Singing of any Poetical Compositions in the Church except the Psalms and what Hymns were taken out of the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament (a) Vid. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 212. which was designed to set aside the late composed Hymns of the Arians used among the Heretical Goths and other corrupt modern Composures Not to reject the Magnificat the Benedictus Nunc dimittis and other Canonical Hymns which our Dissenters now totally disuse He adds That Ordo Psallendi in the Council of Tours signifies not what but how many Psalms shall be Sung (b) Disc of Lit. pag. 174. But let the Canon be consulted and any Man who knows the Custom of the Age will see that the design of that Canon was to establish a Kalendar which did appoint and prescribe the very Psalms as well as the Number which were to be Sung at the certain Seasons there mentioned (c) Vid. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. in Concil Turon 2. An. 570. Can. 19. p. 228. And he unfortunately forgot one Canon of this Council of Tours which enlarges the former Canon of Braga and takes in all the ancient Hymns which he pretends are rejected by that Canon for it says Though we have the Hymns of Ambrose in the Canon yet since we have other Forms worthy to be Sung we willingly receive them unless they have no Authors Name in the Title because if they be agreeable to the Faith they ought not to be left out of use (d) Ib. Can. 24. pag. 230. So that we see this Canon owns the Te Deum the Benedicite and other Hymns provided they be Orthodox and the Authors were known Friends to the Catholic Faith and here are Forms supposed as generally used and a Council to allow them after which the Church may use them though they be not taken out of Canonical Scripture I have no more to add here but a scattered Passage or two to confirm the continuance of the old Forms in the Gallican Church First Whereas there was a necessity of leaving the Priest at liberty to put the Names of those who Offered into the Prayer for all Estates of Men some ventured to take more freedom and in that part of the Office varied from their Mother Church Which occasion'd a Council at Arles to Decree That the Oblations made at the Holy Altar should not be offered up by any of the Bishops of that Province otherwise than according to the Form used in the Church of Arles (e) Concil Arelat An. Dom. 554. Can. 1. apud Cointe Annal. pag. 799. Or if with some we expound this Canon of the Prayer of Consecration still it proves That the Forms used in the Metropolitan Church were to be an invariable Rule to all the Churches in that Province The Council of Tours also before cited mentions Litanies Antiphons and the Hallelujah (f) Concil Turon 2. An. 570. Can. 18 c. And we have a farther account of the Use of Litanies there in the first Council of Lions (g) Concil Ludg. 1. eod An. Can. 6. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 232. All which are the Forms which we have shewed were in use in the preceding Centuries And when Chilperic a King of France about this Time pretended to Compose new Hymns and Prayers our Author tells us They would by no means receive them into the Churches Offices (h) Greg. Turon lib. 6. cap. 46. pag. 308. for those were fixed before and none but a Council of Bishops could be permitted to alter or add to them I had almost forgot Martin Bishop of Braga Martin Episcop Bracar An. Dom. 572. who came into that See very soon after the fore-mentioned Council and being a Grecian by Birth he collected and translated divers Canons of the Greek Church into Latin for the use of Spain in which Collection of his we have very many plain Indications of a Liturgy One of these Canons obliges every Clergy-man in a City or any place where there is a Church to be present at the daily Office of Singing Mattens and Vespers (m) Canones Martin Bracar Can. 63. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 246. And another forbids New composed Psalms made by some of the Vulgar to be said in the Church (n) Ib. Can. 67. For indeed the Hours of Prayer and the Offices appointed for them were then so fixed that as none might neglect them so none were allowed to change them or add to them in any sort whatsoever And I must note by the way that this very Martin who collected these Canons was he that had Converted the Suevians in Spain to the Catholic Faith that so we may be satisfied that part of Spain a little before this had a second and New Conversion and that gave occasion to divers of these Canons for an Uniformity in the Divine Service which was to be established there Pelagius II. Ep. Rom. An Dom. 577. § 10. To proceed with the Western Church the Bishops of France and Germany about this Time desired Pope Pelagius the Second to inform them what were the Prefaces then used in the Roman Church that is what Festivals there were upon which they made a peculiar Addition to the Primitive Form of Lift up your Hearts c. suitable to the occasion of that particular Festival And his Reply is this Having diligently read over the holy Roman Order and the sacred Constitutions of our Predecessors we find only these Nine
Liturgies and chose out the best things from each put them together in one Volume and then required these Forms should be daily used so that both Priests and People might be accustomed to them And as S. Gregory did not impose the Roman Liturgy or Canon upon Augustin the Monk who lived in a distant Country and in a distinct National Church so we do not impose ours upon Denmark or Sweden upon the Dutch or the Helvetians But to argue from hence We are not for imposing our own Liturgy upon our own Clergy is so weak so obvious a Fallacy as deserves to be laughed at rather than seriously confuted Again because Gregory the Patriarch of the West took the liberty to correct the Roman Offices by that which he approved of in the Forms of other National Churches (w) Disc of Liturgies p. 87. And because he would not impose the Trine Immersion used at Rome upon Leander's New Converted distant Church in Spain (x) Gregor Ep. 41. ad laeanat lib. 1. Therefore every Parish-Priest and private Minister may vary from the Liturgy of his own Church daily if he please And therefore no Bishops ought to impose any Liturgy upon their own Clergy living under them in the same Diocess or Nation This is such woful Sophistry that I am sure he cannot impose this sort of Arguing upon any rational Men yet if these Inferences be not drawn from S. Gregory's Answer it makes nothing to his purpose unless it be to prove there were no Forms imposed in Gregory's Time But how can that be squeezed out of any of these Passages The Epistle first cited supposes a Form of Prayers extant and imposed at Rome before S. Gregory's Time wherein the Hallelujah was never sung but between Easter and Pentecost which ordered the Sub-Deacons to wear Surplices when they sang the Litany in Processions in which Litany by the old Form they did not repeat the Kyrie Eleeson often nor was the Lords Prayer in the Communion Office of that old Book prescribed to be used immediately after the Canon But this Epistle shews that Gregory had altered the ancient Liturgy of Rome in all these Particulars and made it agreeable to the Liturgy at Constantinople from which place he was lately come And this he was censured for by some this he excuses in the whole Epistle (y) Gregor Ep. 63. lib. 7. pag. 230. Wherefore here was a Form imposed before his Time and he imposes it again with his Corrections upon his own Church or else what need the Clergy under his Jurisdiction complain Indeed he did not impose it on Spain France or Britain which were not in that Age under his Authority but he was strict enough at Rome and in the Churches then subject to that See He corrected the Book of Gelasius and imposed that there He compiled Hymns and Antiphons and brought in a New way of Singing them teaching Boys to do it with skill so that soon after all the West imitated that Way (z) Johan Diac. vit Greg. lib. 2. cap. 6. He compiled that Book for the Communion-Service which still is called his Sacramentary wherein are all the Forms used at Rome for the Eucharist (a) Id. ib. c. 17. He brought in the Sevenfold Litany and prescribed how and when it should be used (b) Naucler Gen 20. p. 743. Platin. pag. 82. Johan Diac. in vit And all these Parts of Liturgy were by him imposed on the Roman Church and will my Adversary still pretend he was against the imposing Forms of Praise and Prayer Did he take all this pains for his own private use Did all the West voluntarily conform to this and yet was it not used and observed at Rome any further than the Clergy pleased These are wild Conjectures But he saith Cassander publishes the Ordo Romanus in which there are no Forms of Prayer but only the Order wherein they proceeded I Reply Those Copies which Cassander publisheth are only a Breviat of S. Gregory's Liturgy and therefore the Hymns and Prayers he composed are not set down at large there yet when this was writ out these Forms were so well known that they are named often only by two words of the beginning of each Form Ex. gr Gloria Patri Kyrie Eleeson Gloria in excelsis Dominus vobiscum c. (c) Cassander de Liturg. lib. â— Which shews the Forms were then well known and had been so long used as to be understood by short hints in this Epitome of the Gregorian Office But my Adversary knew well that the Sacramentary of Gregory is extant in his Works wherein all the Prayers and Antiphons c. are set down at large which Gregory made and imposed on the Roman Church and therefore it is disingenuous in him to argue for his pretended liberty from this Epitome There is but one thing more in my Adversary relating to this Matter which is That Augustin being not imposed on by S Gregory would not impose it on the Britains (d) Disc of Lit. pag. 87 88. which he gathers from this viz. That the Britains and Scots were Enemies to the Roman Use in Gildas his Time and had no Uniformity in Worship long after Now to his Position I say That if Augustin followed Gregory's Advice as no doubt he did then he did impose not the Roman Forms but those of his own collecting upon the Saxons which I shall prove more largely afterwards But as for the Britains they were a distinct Christian Church then and did owe no manner of subjection to Augustin so that it had been ridiculous iâ— him to have imposed a Newly compâ—â—â—d Liturgy upon them They were no more obliged to receive his Forms than we are to receive those of Geneva or they to observe ours Again as to his Proof How doth the Britains rejecting the Roman Use in Gildas's Time prove That they had no Forms imposed on them by Augustin Gildas died according to Bishop Vsher An. 570. that is Thirty years before Augustin the Monk came in (e) Cave Cartoph Eccles in Gild. Badon pag. so that their dislike of the Roman Usages then is nothing to Augustin's Impositions Besides The Roman Liturgy and Augustin's were two different things and therefore it is very weak to prove they did not receive Augustin's Liturgy from their rejecting the Roman Usage since they were different things So that this would be a good Argument if it were not as destitute of Logic and Chronology as it is of Truth For Augustin did make a Form and impose it on the Saxons under his Jurisdiction and they received it and used it long after As for the Britains Scots and Irish in that Age they belonged not to him and so he could impose nothing on them And for their Uniformity I shall clear that Point after a little while For what hath been observed I hope may suffice to prove That imposed Liturgies were in use in all Churches long before the Time of
Antiq Brit. Eccles pag. 370. An. Dom. 560. Moreover Baleus further tells us That S. Asaph the Scholar and Successor of Kentigern writ a Book Of the Ordinations of his Church (g) Balaeus de script Brit. fol. 34. An. Dom. 590. which seems to be the Forms used there in Ordaining Presbyters and Deacons and perhaps in Admitting of Monks This may suffice to shew us the Britons had written and prescribed Forms before my Adversary will allow them to have been used any where and if any require further satisfaction he may consult the Learned B. Vsher's Antiquity of the British Churches where there are divers Evidences of this Truth We proceed therefore to the Saxons who were Converted by Augustin the Monk about the end of the Sixth Century And He no doubt according to S. Gregory's direction made a Liturgy for them taken out of the Roman the Gallican and other Forms which continued in use for some time But after Gregory's Roman way of Singing began to be so generally admired in all these Parts of the World That was also laboured by Augustin's Successors to be brought in here For Bede mentions one James a Deacon who was skilled both in the Roman and the Canterbury way of Song saying of him That Paulinus leaving York and returning to Rochester left this James behind him in the North who when that Province had Peace and the Number of the Faithful encreased being very skilful in Singing in the Church became a Master of Ecclesiastical Song to many after the way either of Rome or of Canterbury (h) Bedae histor lib. 2. cap. 20. circ A. D. 640. Which must signifie his teaching Clerks how to recite Gregory's or Augustin's Forms of Service because in that Age they chanted their Prayers and Praises both About Thirty years after this in Theodorus his Time They learned to Sing the Office all England over and one Eddi after the aforesaid James was their Master in the Churches on the North of Humber (i) Beda ibid. lib. 4. cap. 2. circ An. 670. And a little after those who Instructed Men in Ecclesiastical Offices are called Masters of Singing (k) Idem lib. 5. cap. 20. because the Offices were set to some certain Notes and that alone is enough to prove they then Prayed by certain prescribed Forms it being impossible to set Arbitrary or Extempore Prayers to Notes which though some have affirmed liable to be Canted yet none ever thought them capable to be Chanted But we proceed I doubt not but the Gregorian Forms as well as his way of Singing came into use here before the Year 700 For in the late elaborare Collection of Old Saxon Books and Manuscripts put out by my Worthy Friend Dr. Hicks there is a Sacramentary of S. Gregory which is at least a Thousand years old (l) Grammatica Maeso-Gothic D. Hick p. 148. and then it must be Written about the Year 690. But this is more plain in the Famous Council of Clovesho which sat 24 year after wherein there is not only clear Testimony for the use of Forms but a full Evidence of the prevailing Interest of the Roman Offices For there it is appointed That All Priests shall learn to repeat the whole Office by Law appointed for their Order and shall be able to interpret the Creed the Lords Prayer and the holy Words pronounced in the Mass into the Vulgar Tongue Can 10th As also That all Priests shall perform all their Offices after the same way and manner Can. 11th And further it is Decreed That the Festivals in memory of our Lord be celebrated in one and the same manner in all Offices belonging to them as to Baptism Administring the Communion and the manner of Singing according to the Written Form which we have received from the Roman Church and that the Festivals of the Martyrs shall be observed on the same day according to the Roman Martyrology with the Psalms and Hymns proper to each of them Can. 13th And finally That the Seven Canonical Hours of Prayer be observed with the proper Psalms and Hymns and that the Monasteries shall all Sing alike and shall neither Sing or Read any thing but what is generally used and is derived from Scripture or permitted by the Custom of the Roman Church that so all may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie God Can. 15th (m) Concil Clovesho Can. 10 11 13 15. apud Spelm. Concil Tom. l. p. 249. circ An. D. 714. From which Canons it is very plain that the Saxons within one Century after their Conversion had Written Forms of Prayer for all Offices and that the Roman Liturgy was now beginning to be generally received in this Land I shall make but one Remark more in so clear a case which is That Venerable Bede dying on Ascension-day is by ancient Historians said to have repeated the Collect for the Day in these Words O King of Glory and Lord of Hosts who as on this day didst ascend triumphantly into the Heaven of Heavens leave us not comfortless but send us the Promise of the Father even the Spirit of Truth (n) Gul. Malms de gest reg lib. 1. cap. 3. pag. 12. Sim. Dunelm lib. 1. cap. 15. and soon after he gave up the Ghost Now this is the Collect in the Old Roman Forms and is yet continued in our Liturgy almost Verbatim which gives that Collect the honour of having been received in this Nation for near a Thousand years But since my Adversary dares not attempt the Saxons and Spelman's Councils afford so many undeniable Proofs of prescribed and imposed Forms used here from the Time of their Conversion I shall not heap up needless Instances but proceed to the Kingdoms and Churches in France and Germany where the same Order and Method of Praying was observed § 5. I have so fully proved Ecclesia Gallicana ab An. Dom. 450. that there was a Form of Service peculiar to the Gallican Church that I need not have added any thing on that Subject but that my Adversary hath the confidence to say In France they had Books for public Service in the 8th Century yet they were used at the discretion of those that officiated who added and left out as they thought fit till Charlemain in the beginning of the Ninth Age would have them Reformed after the Roman guise And this he proves by a Passage cited out of the Chronicle of Engolism related in Mornay of the Mass (o) Disc of Lit. p. 134. but the whole Story is nothing else but Falshood and Fallacy For First He speaks of Books for public Service in France in the 8th Century as if they had none before Whereas we have made it appear That S. Hilary made a Book of Hymns for the Gallican Church in the Fourth Age An. 354. That Museaus of Marseils composed a Book of Prayers for Consecrating the Sacrament in the Fifth Century An. 458. We have shewed That the Gallican Office which is
still extant was made at least as early as the Age in which S. Martin lived (p) Bona rerum Liturg. lib. 1. cap. 12. in Append. And that in the Time of Sidonius Apollinaris the Clergy there generally used a Common-Prayer-Book in that same Fifth Century An. 475. We have proved That in the end of the Sixth Age Gregory the Great directed Augustin the Monk to read over the Gallican Liturgy as well as the Roman which shews it was then Written in a Book Yea my Adversaries own Author Mornay in the place cited by him which he must needs see affirms That before the Time of Gregory there was another manner of Service in France than there was at Rome and that Innocent and Gelasius who were Popes in the Fifth Century as well as Gregory had used their utmost endeavours to bring them to conform to the Roman Order (q) Mornay of the Mass Book I. chap. 8. pag. 63. Which supposes plainly they had a Service of their own differing from the Roman in Innocents and in Gelasius his Time that is in the Fifth Century and that Epistle of Hildewinus to Lewes the Gentile An. 825. mentioned in Mornay implies the same thing For Hildewinus saith We have still divers very ancient Mass-Books almost consumed with extreme Age containing the Order of the Gallican Service which was used from the time that the Faith was first received in this part of the West until we admitted the Roman Order (r) Hildevinus Abb. praefat ad opera Dionys Areop Where we see He not only affirms they had a Form of Service from their first Conversion but that in the beginning of the Ninth Age some of the Copies of that Service were worn out with extreme Antiquity so that probably these Copies were writ in the Sixth Age And from hence we may discern the falshood of my Adversaries Pretence That there were no Service-Books in France before the 8th Century Secondly He affirms That these Books were used at the discretion of him that Officiated But this is as false as the former for we have proved by divers French Canons in the Fifth and Sixth Ages That all the Clergy in one Province were bound to use the same Form of Service which was used by their Metropolitan And in the Eighth Century Theodulphus Bishop of Orleance enjoyns his Clergy When they came to his Synod to bring their Common Prayer-Books with them and two or three Clerks who assisted them in the celebrating Divine Service that so it might appear hour exactly and diligently they had performed their Duties (s) Theodulph Aurel. Ep. ad Cler. cap. 4. ap Bon. rer Liturg. p. 349. which is a stricter course than is now taken in our Church But my Adversary pretends he hath Evidence for this Liberty out of an ancient Chronicle in Mornay (t) Mornay of the Mass Book I. chap 8. pag. 64. which saith That every one at his pleasure had depraved the Book of Offices by adding and diminishing To which I Reply That these Words are not in Mornay and if they be in the Chronicle of Engolism as the Margen recites them The meaning is plainly this That those who writ out these Forms had depraved them by leaving out some things and putting in others Not that those who used these Books altered or added at their pleasure for he who officiates cannot properly be said to have depraved a Book by not reading it aright it was the Scribes who writ the Copies falsly and variously that had depraved the Old Office so much that it gave a good Pretence to French Kings to bring in the Roman Service Herein therefore he hath no ground for his false Assertion That these Books were used at the discretion of him that did Officiate Thirdly He mistakes again in saying That Charlemaign in the beginning of the Ninth Age reformed them after the Roman guise For first his own Author Mornay affirms That King Pepin for reverence of Pope Steven received the whole Order of Rome and cites two Capitulars for this wherein Charles the Great declares That his Father Pepin first put down the Gallican and set up the Roman Service in France (u) Capit. lib. 1. cap. 80 lib. 5. cap. 219. in Mornay ut supr pag 64. Now Pope Steven died An. 755. which is near Fifty years before the Ninth Age began Moreover the Centuriators out of Sigebert and divers ancient Historians tell us That it is apparent there was a different way of Singing in the Roman and the Gallican Churches till Pepin upon his being made King of France by the Pope brought in the Roman Rites and way of Singing into the Gallican Church (w) Magdebur Cent. 8. cap. 6. pag. 342 343. Now this was in the year 751. that is in the midst of the Eighth Age. 'T is true Charles the Great did go on with the same work but then it was before the beginning of the Ninth Age which is the Period that my Adversary assigns to this Matter For finding still that some Churches kept up the Old way of Singing he sent two Clerks to Rome to learn there the Authentic way of Singing and they first taught the Church of Metz and then all France (x) Magdeb. ibid Sigeb Chron. An. 774. But this was in the year 774 Six and twenty years before the Ninth Age began Again He owns this Uniformity was brought in by his Father Pepin and enjoyns it once more (y) Capitul Franc. Tom. I. in Cap. An. 788. pag. 203. about the Year 788. The next Year in another Capitular Charles the Great obliges the Monks also to follow that Roman Order of Singing which his Father appointed when he put down the Old Gallican way (z) Capitul ibid. An. 789. cap. 78. p. 239. In the same year also was this Law made That the Clergy should have Orthodox Books very well Corrected lest those who desire to pray to God aright by Ill written Books should ask amiss and therefore none was to write out the Gospel the Psalter or Missal but a Man of mature Age (a) Capitul ibid. Tom. I. cap. 70. p. 237. And finally The last Persons sent from Rome about compleating this Uniformity were Adrian's two Chanters who came into France An. 790 (b) Magdeb. Cent. 8. cap. 6. pag. 343. Sigebert An. 790. Wherefore he is out in his Chronology as to this Matter because the Roman Order was brought into the Gallican Church by Pepin first and then universally setled there by Charles the Great before the Ninth Age began But to let that pass it is certain there was no more liberty allowed to any Ministers in the Gallican Church before the Roman Offices came in there than there was afterward because it is plain they had a Liturgy before imposed strictly by divers Canons of several Councils and while that Gallican Office was in Force the Clergy were as much bound to use those Forms as they were to use the
Roman Forms afterward and therefore his pretended liberty of Praying Extempore in public or changing the public Forms at pleasure hath no Foundation among the French of those Ages and is grounded only upon false and wrested Quotations for in fact and reality there was no such liberty in the Gallican Church since the second famous Conversion of that People no nor before as far as we can find by those few Memoirs we have of those obscure Times Ecclesia Germonica ab An. Dom. 600. § 6. My Adversary is as much mistaken in the Proofs which he brings for his Imaginary liberty in Germany For he saith Long after Boniface had been stickling to reduce it to the Roman Vniformity the whole Country was so far from submitting to any one prescribed Order of Service that in one Diocess there were various Modes of Administring Which he proves by a Decretal and by a Passage in the Life of Bruno Archbishop of Colen in the Midst of the Tenth Age who was then to correct the diversity of Divine-Service in his Province (c) Disc of Lit. â—ag 13â— To shew the weakness and mistakes of which Argument and Instances let us Note That Germany as well as other of its Neighbouring Countries was early Converted to the Christian Faith for Irenaeus mentions the Churches founded in Germany which believed as other Orthodox Churches did (d) Iren. adv haer lib. 1. cap. 3. pag. 53. And in a Council held at Colen An. 347. Six of the German Bishops were present (e) Bin. Tom. I. par 1. pag. 460. And from their nearness to and Correspondence with the French we may conclude they used the same Method in Divine-Service which was used there But when the Northern Nations broke into these parts of Europe many of the Germans relapsed to Paganism yet not so generally but that some of them were still Christians and retained one Form of Divine-Service using it in their Mother-Tongue Now Boniface was sent thither in the Year 722 and though his Pretence was to convert Pagans yet his main business was to bring those who were already Christians to submit to the Roman Service in the Latin Tongue in this he was stoutly opposed by divers Bishops of Germany who would not part with their old way of Serving God but by the help of the Popes and the French Kings he was so successful in his Attempts That as his great Author saith he induced the People of Franconia Hessia Bavaria Saxony Frisia c. to receive the Roman Order oppressing such as did oppose him by Force But after this an holy Man named Methodius turned the Scripture into the Sclavonian Tongue and re-established the Ancient Service in all the Churches of this Language attempting also to do the same in Bavaria Austria Suevia c. Abolishing the Latin Mass and the Ceremonies of Rome (f) Mornay of the Mass Book I. chap. 8. pag. 65. Or as the Centuriators relate it (g) Magdeb. Cent. 9. cap. 10. pag. 491. He began to persuade some That casting away the Latin Tongue they should celebrate Divine Service in the Vulgar Tongue for the edification of the Church and return to their former Vsage which they had before the Time of Charles the Great From which Relation and from the good Agreement between the Old Gallican and German Churches we may see there were Forms of Prayer before Boniface came into Germany and Methodius restored the use of those Forms and rejected the Roman Liturgy So that here were Forms used by all and no Side desired or expected any liberty from them None pleaded for Extempore Prayer the change being no more than exchanging one Liturgy for another And in this Boniface did prevail and Methodius did not prevail much in Germany being soon after banished from thence into Moravia where he died But my Adversary cites the Canon Law to prove there were afterwards various Modes of Administring in one Diocess Now this Decretal is generally ascribed to Pope Celestine the Third who died An. 1198. above 450 Years after Boniface and B. Bilson thinks it was made by Innocent the Third in his Lateran Council An. 1215. near 500 Years after The Words are these Because in many Parts there are in the same City and Diocesses mixt People of divers Languages having but one Faith and yet divers Rites and Manners We strictly Charge the Bishops of such Places to provide fit Men who according to the diversity of Rites and Tongues may celebrate Divine Offices and minister the Sacraments of the Church unto them (h) Decret lib. 1. Tit. 3 1. de Offic. Jud. cap. 14. mihi pag. 452. Now this Decretal only provides for such Cities wherein there were Merchants from all Nations of Christendom some of which suppose might be Greeks others Armenians others Sclavonians others Spaniards all which had different Forms of Liturgy and some of them in different Languages Now in this case they were to be allowed so many several Priests of their own to Officiate by their own Liturgy But this no more proves that Priests who Officiate to their own Nation then had a liberty to vary or that there were various Offices for People of the same Country than the allowing of French Dutch or Greek Churches to serve God after their several ways in London proves That the Clergy of London are not enjoyned to Read one Liturgy or that the Church of England hath divers Forms of Common-Prayer This Fallacy is so gross that to be imposed on by it would shew as little Judgment as the pressing it expresses of Modesty in him who would put such Shams upon this Age. His second Instance is about Bruno Bishop of Colen who as he cites the Relation not out of Rotgerus but out of the Centuriators Correcting the diversity of celebrating Divine Offices in his Province appointed there that the same Order should be every where observed (i) Diversitatem sacra peragendi in totâ sua Provinciâ corrigens ac ut eadem ubique esset ratio constituens Mag. Cent. x. pag. 608. But first he fraudulently leaves out the Word Totâ which signifies this Diversity was not in any one Diocess but in the Archbishop of Colens whole Province to whom all Germania Secunda of old was subject (k) Heylin Cosm lib. 2. pag. 47. And even at this day Miraeus doth reckon up five Diocesses beside that of Colen all under this great Metropolitan (l) Mirai notitiae Episcopat pag. 300. So that whereas in these several Diocesses there were some differences in the Divine-Service This famous Bishop reduced them all according to the Old Canons to that one Order which was used at Colen Now this makes nothing for that liberty of private Clergy-men to vary the Offices as they please which my Adversary pleads for especially if what Du-Plessis say of this Matter be true That Bruno then reformed the Order of the Mass in his Diocess he should say Province according to that
of Rome (m) Mornay of the Mass Book I. chap. 9. pag. 74. For then it follows That the ancient German Offices were still used in some Parts that were subject to the Archbishop of Colen So that still this is exchanging one Form for another and no proof at all of liberty in Praying a thing unknown in this Age. Agobardus Episc Lugdun An. 831. § 7. We have little more in this Discourse against Liturgies out of Antiquity excepting only some few pretended proofs from late Ages to shew that they used various words in the distribution of the Eucharist As First he tells us that Agobardus the Famous Arch-Bishop of Lions could not well like that Common Roman Form The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ c. since he was only for Scripture Expressions in the public Offices And then he intimates that Agobardus was censured for this by Baronius and his Epitomator (n) Disc of Lit. pag. 90. 91. To which I reply First That Baronius never censures this great Bishop at all for this passage is not in Baronius but only in Spondanus the Epitomator and from him alone my Adversary cites it (o) Vid. Baron Tom. 9. An. 831. p. 797. 798. Secondly Spondanus speaks not one word of Agobardus his correcting the Communion-Office but only that he took great pains in restoring the ancient Antiphonary or Book of Hymns (p) Spondan Epitom An. 831. Num. 2. And Baluzius hath now put out the very Tract which Spondanus refers to and there is not one Syllable in all that Book expressing any dislike at the Words used in the distribution (q) Agobardi lib. de divin Psalmod lib. de correct Antiph oper Tom. 2. edit Paris 1666. Yea there is a peculiar discourse of this Bishop against Amalarius his Comment on the Mass wherein he speaks of the Roman Canon Te igitur c. yet never makes the least exception against the Roman Order or any thing contained in it (r) Ibid. lib. contr Amal. pag. 101. So that this pretended dislike of the Roman Form of distribution is a meer Fiction of his own Brain And if it were true that Agobardus did not like any thing in Sacred Offices but what was Scripture Yet there is no cause he should for that cause dislike this which he calls the Roman but was the Primitive and is now our Protestant Form since the words are taken out of and grounded on express places of Holy Scripture The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ is a Scripture Expresion (s) Math. xxvi 26. Luk. xxii 19. 1 Cor. xi 24. and the next words Preserve thy Body and Soul to Eternal Life are grounded on Scripture Promises (t) John vi ver 50.51.53.54 58. so that if Agobardus were never so scrupulous he might very well like and use this Form But because my Adversary deals only in Epitomes I will now give a full Account of this matter We must observe therefore that Leidradus the Predecessor of Agobardus in the year 799. according to the desire of Charles the Great had brought in the Roman Order of Singing into the Church of Lyons and had put out an Antiphonary with an Epistle before it the Hymns whereof were generally taken out of the Holy Scripture (u) Leidradi Ep. ad Carol. Mag. inter oper Agob Tom. 2. p. 127. But about 30 years after Amalarius a busy Monk pretends to bring a new Antiphonary from Rome Corrected after the Roman Office in the time of Gregory the Fourth which he presented to Lewis the Godly and hoped by his Authority to impose it on all the Gallican Church But Agobardus the Primate of France rejects this new Antiphonary and writ a Book to prove there were Heresies Blasphemies and Nonsense in these Hymns of Amalarius and keeps to the old Roman Antiphonary established by his Predecessor the Hymns of which were for the most part taken out of the Psalms and other parts of Holy Scripture commending this to his Clergy and giving them his Reasons why he would not admit of the other And this Book of Agobardus concludes with these words As the Church hath a Book of Mysteries for Celebrating the Solemnity of the Mass digested Orthodoxly and with convenient Brevity and hath a Book of Lessons collected Judiciously out of the Divine Books so they ought to have this Third Book the Antiphonary purged from all Human Figments and Lies sufficiently ordered out of the pure words of Scripture through the whole Circle of the year That so in performing sacred Offices according to the most approved Rule of Faith and the Authority of ancient discipline there may be kept among us one and the same Form of Prayer of Lessons and of Ecclesiastical Songs (w) Agobard de correct Antiphon §. 19. Tom. ii p. 100. This is the whole Story and the passage which Spondanus ignorantly or at least rashly Censures and my Adversary Ridiculously brings in to shew Agobardus his dislike of the words of distribution Whereas these words refer only to the Hymns which yet probably were not all the very words of Scripture but were either Transcribed thence or agreeable thereto much more than the new Hymns of Amalarius And since Agobardus received and used the Roman Canon and the whole Roman Missal wherein were many things which are not the words of Scripture we must not expound these words cited but now so strictly as Spondanus doth as if he would not use any words in Divine Offices but those of Scripture For Agobardus means no more than that the Hymns ought to be either taken out of Scripture or agreeable to the Doctrine thereof for he proves that the Hymns of Amalarius were Heretical and Blasphemous contrary in many things to the Holy Scripture and therefore he rejected them But as to any Liberty in varying the Prayers Lessons or Hymns that were established or altering the Roman Forms This great Bishop was so far from it that he enjoyns the old Gregorian Office and imposes that prescribed Form together with the Lessons and the Hymns and opposes those Innovations and Alterations which some attempted to make because the Forms and Order then established were agreeable both to the Rule of Faith and to the acient Ecclesiastical Laws upon which occasion he produceth that African Canon before cited (x) Part. i. Cent. 4. §. 24. pag. 257. in these Words viz. That no Supplications and Prayers be said unless they have been approved in a Council nor shall any of these at all be Sung in the Church till they have been considered by the Prudent and approved of in a Synod lest any thing against the Faith be composed either my mistake or by design (y) Canon Afric ap Agob de correct Antiph §. ii p. 92. And now the Reader shall judge whether this Author be for my Adversaries purpose or no since he imposes Books of prescribed Prayers Lessons and Hymns and thinks the keeping strictly to them is
was a Form composed with great Art and committed to Memory before it was first spoken and was designed to work upon the Affections of a Croud of Men in a Secular Court and in a Temporal Cause and in that Case even Theatrical Gestures and the Artificial Acting of it were apt to move the Auditory more than the bare Reading it in a private Room to a few Friends Plâ—n epist lib. 2. Ep. 19. But what is this to the Case of Prayers Pliny durst not have come before that Auditory with an Extempore Harangue such as our Dissenters dare come into the presence of God and a great Congregation with He designed no more by his Action but only to work upon the Frailties of Men but our Adversaries I hope will not own That their only design in Prayer is to move the Affections of their Hearers by Tone Gestures Noise and Fluency We who use Forms as Pliny did and generally have them by Heart as he had can repeat them as vigorously as he did the first time and thereby do keep all pious Men in our Congregations very attentive But still we remember we speak to the Most High God before whom our Words ought to be well weighed and our Desires properly expressed because he is not wrought upon by Noise and Action as silly Men and Women are If our Petitions be sincere and hearty prudently Worded in proper Phrases and repeated with new Devotion every day the God we pray to likes them no worse for being daily in the same Words And Pliny could not have wondred at us for Reading daily the same Forms of Prayer for He and all the Priests of his Religion prayed so to their Gods and did not believe the Deities affected Change and Variety or were moved with Gesticulations and Tones Nor would that Judicious Heathen have been so weak as to compare his popular Orations to the Prayers he offered up to his Gods And since he appeals to Pliny to judge between Forms and Extempore we will hear what he and others say of these two Ways even with respect to Civil Pleadings Pliny brings in Pollio saying Pleading agreeably I pleaded often but by Pleading often I came to plead not so well for by too often using this I got an easiness rather than a faculty and not so much an assurance as a sort of rashness (y) assâ—duitate nimià facilitas magis quam facultas nec fiducia sed temiritas paratur Plin lib. 6. ep 29. And if our Dissenting Brethren had the modesty to confess it I fear they find the same effects of using this Gift when they plead at another Bar. The Grave Tacitus also derides Q. Huterius an Orator who was very ready at Extempore Speeches saying His Orations did not survive him For whereas other Mens Labour and Meditation lasted to Posterity his Noisy fluent way died with him (z) Huterii Canorum illud pr â—â—â—ns cum ipso s mul extinctum est Ticâ—t Annal. lib. 4. §. 61. pag. â—13 So despicable was this kind of Eloquence in those days Again Lampridius saith The Wise Emperour Alexander Severus Suffered not any of his Counsellors to answer him concerning great Affairs till they had well thought upon them (a) Ne inceâ—itati dicere cogerentur de reâ—us ingentibus Lamprâ—d in vit Al. Sev. p. 524. Plutarch also Arguing against Extempore Orations tells us a Story of a young Painter who shewed Apelles a piece of his Work and bragged how little time he had done it in To whom that great Master Replied I saw by the Work it was done in haste (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de liber educ pag. 6. But none is more severe than Seneca upon a Philosopher of quick Invention who used this way This Rapid and Copious way of Speaking saith he is much fitter for a Jugler or Mountebank than one that is about a great and serious Matter (c) Istam vim docendi rapidam atque abundantem aptiorem esse circulatori quam agenti rem magnam seriam Senec. Ep. 40. pag. 101. And I suppose it will be granted That Praying is as great and serious a Matter as a Philosophical Lecture I shall conclude with S. Hierom's Opinion of Gregory Nazianzen's Extempore Preaching which he had heard and could well judge of it Nothing is so easie as to deceive the Vulgar People and an Illiterate Assembly with the Volubility of the Tongue because they do most admire that which they least understand (d) Nihil tam facile est quam vilem plebeculam indoctam concionem linguae volubilitate decâ—pere quae quicquid non intelligit plus admiratur Hicron ad Nepot Ep. 2 pag. 16. This he spake of his Master and thus he censured the Extempore Preaching of an Eminent Father in that Age And if any had then pretended to Pray at that rate it is more than probable he would severely have exposed the Boldness and Folly of hoping to please God by that contemptible Faculty which was admired only by that ignorant Croud who were deceived by it To conclude this Point I dare refer it to any Man who duly considers the Majesty of God Whether the grave and affectionate Reading of a well-studied and judicious Form of Prayer expressed in proper and pious Words be not more fit to be presented to him and more likely to be accepted by him than a rash unpremeditated Rhapsody without Method strength of Reason or Propriety of Phrase The latter by Noise and Action may operate more upon the Passions of Weak Men but the former is more suitable to the infinite Majesty of him whom we only desire to please when we Pray § 4. After this he Argues that the ancienâ— Church had no Liturgies or Books of public Prayers and therefore could have no prescribed or imposed Forms And he would prove they had no Books by the Case of Athanasius his not being accused for abusing the Liturgy nor the Arians for Burning any thing but Bibles by Constantin 's employing Eusebius only to Transcribe the Scripture by the Council of Carthage 's Decree for only holding a Book of the Gospels over the Bishops Head And by the Persecutors finding no Liturgy in their Searches after the Christians Books (e) Disc of Lit. p. 12 13 14 15. c. to the 20th To which I answer First in general that I have made it so Evident that there were prescribed Forms and Books of Hymns and Prayers in these Ages that a negative Argument taken from some few Authors in some places not mentioning them is of no Force against plain and positive proof But Secondly We will examin his particulars and shew that they do not make out his Point First His own Quotation concerning Athanasius expresly saith that Macarius who was employed by Athanasius did Burn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Books (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. l. 1. cap. 20. p. 539. he Translates it fraudulently in the
Liturgy was imposed on the Roman Clergy and those of Aquileia and Ravenna upon the Clergy subject to those Churches And then my Adversaries whole Book which is written to assert that Liturgies were not imposed before the end of the Fifth or beginning of the Sixth Age that is 200 year after is false and utterly wrong And then also the Church of England both in composing a Form and imposing it imitates a very pure Age of the Church viz. The time a little before the begining of the Fourth Century or thereabouts and hath the Prescription of 1400 years to justifie her in both But because his main Author is Vostius we will here observe what that learned Man freely owns as to Creeds viz. That there was a â—orm in the Oriental Church very like to that which is called the Apostles Creed long before the Council of Nice And this which we call the Apostles Creed was the Roman Form bâ—fâ—re the time of that same Council and the Creed of Aquileia differed from this but very little (r) Vosâ— de trib â—ymb diss 1. §. â—0 pag. 24. Again he saith these Forms were not made by any General Council and were so old in Ruffinus his time that they were taken to be Apostolical (s) Ibid. §. 45. pag. 31. And the Church of Jerusalem had a Form which seems to have been elder than any of them being explained by S Cyril An. 350. and then delivered as from a very ancient Tradition (t) Ibid. §. 51. pag. 34. And both he and Grotius who fancy the Creed consisted at first of no more Articles than those of the Trinity do believe the remaining Articles about the Catholic Church the Remission of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life everlasting were added as early as Tertullian's Time So that if these Authors Conjectures be allowed then there were Forms of Creeds in every great and eminent Church before the Third Century began From whence I thus Argue in my Adversaries own way and almost in his very words It is not probable that they who had a Creed in a Set Form in every Principal Church and did impose this Form to be learned and used by all that were Admitted Members of that Church by Baptism even before the Third Century should not also have their Set Forms of Prayer to the use of which all the Members of that Church and all under its Jurisdiction were obliged How credible and likely is it that they who did not leave their Creed at liberty also did not allow Arbitrary Prayers Since Heresies might creep in by the way of Extempore Prayers and Hymns as easily as by the use of various and arbitrary Creeds If they thought it requisite to limit the Rule of Faith for this Reason there was the very same Reason to Limit the Prayers Supplications Lauds and Litanies (u) See the Disc of Lit. p. 102 103. This is his way of Arguing upon a false Supposition That the Creed was not in a Set Form in the First Ages Wherefore since it appears by his own Authors that it was in a Set Form in or before the Third Century he must allow this to be a firm Argument against him It is nothing to my Question to enter into the Controversie Whether the Apostles themselves made that Creed which goes under their Name But after I have considered all that Vossius c. have said in this Matter I am verily persuaded That the Apostles themselves did make one Form of Faith at first but did not commit it to writing because it was to be taught orally to every Christian at his Baptism and kept as the Cognizance to distinguish between Hereticks and true Believers and the likeness of all the ancient Forms to one another shews they had one and the same Original at first and were derived from the first Planters of Christianity As for the variety between these ancient Forms in several Churches it was the natural and necessary effect of delivering it Orally which in distant Countries and in tract of Time by passing through divers hands must needs produce some small difference in the Order and Words and that shews That Oral Tradition is not so safe a way to convey Articles of Faith as Writing and though the Apostles had left the Scripture to be a standing Rule to secure the Creed from any dangerous Corruption yet it was necessary to have this short Form besides to teach the Candidates for Baptism But if the Reader desire to see this more fully proved I refer him to a Learned Book writ by a very Worthy Author Mr. G. Ashwell Wherein both by Arguments and evidence of Antiquity it is strongly and clearly made out that this Creed was made by the Apostles themselves (w) 〈◊〉 Apoâ—â—â— or â— Dâ—scourse aâ—â—â—ting the Antâ—â—s and Autâ—◠〈…〉 Creed P inted at Oâ—â—a 1683. And there it may be seen how bold my Adversary is to give Ruffinus the Lye since all the Writers of that Age generally agree in the same thing There also it appears that my Adversary is grosly mistaken in affirming that the Ancients took no notice of this Creed for above 300 Years As for his Arguing That the subsequent Creeds varying from it shews they did not own that to be Apostolical especially since they preferred their own Forms before it on the most solemn occasions (x) Disc of Lâ—t 〈…〉 it proceeds upon a Mistake For Vossius owns that the later superadded Creeds were only taken to be Commentaries on the Former and clearer explications of such Articles as the Hereticks had attempted to pervert and he shews that they did not cast off nor disuse the ancient Form when they made these New ones They kept the Apostles Creed still and used that in the most solemn Office of Baptism Yea they gave it the precedence before all other Creeds and therefore the Third General Council says They received in the first place the Creed delivered to them by the most Holy Apostles and then the Confession made by 318 Holy Fathers in the City of Nice (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Act. Concil Ephesin Bin. Tom. I. par 2. pag. 415. Wherefore this was used and reckoned in the first place even after other Creeds came in Finally He need not wonder that the Creed in the Constitutions is not the same with that which we call the Apostles because no Man pretends now that the Apostles made those Constitutions The Creed found there as we have shewed is the Apostles Form as it was varied at Antioch about the Year 330 which Daillé owns to be the Time when that Clemens writ the Constitutions (z) Daill praef ad Dissert de relig cult objecto not the Year 500 as my Adversary falsly pretends (a) Disc of Lit. pag. 111. Now it is no wonder that the same Form in 300 Years time should be varied as much in two several Churches so far distant as Rome and
be trusted with making Extempore Prayers and therefore it seems necessary that these Bishops should have Forms prescribed which they either Read or got them by Heart and if so then such Forms were used above 50 years before the Period he assigns As for his last Instance of Leo's not admitting any one to be a Bishop unless he were perfect in the Psalter I observe that this Emperor intended to prevent that Scandal which had been given by those few unlearned Bishops in former Times and therefore would have none admitted but such as well understood the Psalter which was a great part of the Liturgy and part of it to be Read every day among the Prayers so that it is very probable that the usual Forms of public Prayer were put into one Volume with the Psalter as our Common Prayer is at this day And I understand the Historians meaning to be That Leo would admit no Man into any Order of the Clergy who was not perfect in the public Book of Offices (k) Theodor. Lector Col. lib. 1. p. 182. and if it be so Expounded then it proves a constant and common use of Liturgies An. 460. However it is well known that whatever was the lowest measure for qualifying a Man to be Ordained there were very many Learned Clergy-Men in that Age Yea and in the following Century also But if the Church were so depraved as he represents it some time before and a little after the year 500 We have sufficiently shewed it doth not hurt the cause of Liturgies which were certainly come into use many Ages before And thus I will dismiss these Fraudulent and Invidious Reflections upon the Fourth and Fifth Centuries desiring the Readers Pardon for following my Adversary in so Tedious a Digression CHAP. V. Of the Agreement of the Reformed Churches in the Approbation and use of Liturgies § 1. THere remains nothing now to make out prescribed Forms of Prayer to be agreeable to Vincentius Lirinensis his Golden-Rule that is to have been used always by all Churches and every where (l) Vincent Lirin contra Haeres cap. 3. pag. 6. But only to prove the Reformed Divines do generally allow and commend Liturgies and all the Eminent Protestant Churches use them Now since the Learned and Pious Promoters of the Reformation did so narrowly examine into and so Unanimously reject all those Doctrins and Practices of the Roman Church which did not agree to Holy Scripture and pure Antiquity and yet none of them did ever reckon prescribed Forms among those Corruptions but approved and established them in those Churches which they had reformed we may conclude That Set Forms of Prayers and Liturgies are ageeable to Gods Word and to the usage of the best Ages of the Church And we have at this time a more particular reason to make out this Consent of all setled Protestant Churches as to the use of prescribed Forms Because our Adversaries are perpetually calling upon us to conform our selves to the Example of Foreign Reformed Churches and pretending that to allow their way will be a certain means to unite all Protestants both at home and abroad We confess the end is a thing at this Juncture very desirable but that which they suppose is so far from being a probable means to obtain it That if we should cast off our prescribed Forms and set up their Extempore and Arbitrary way of Praying we should act contrary to the Judgment of the best Protestant Writers and to the Practice of the most famous Protestant Churches every where but by continuing the use of our excellent Liturgy and binding all our Clergy to it we follow the advice and example of all our Sister Churches And can they imagin that to oblige a few obstinate and singular leading Men and their Ignorant and Enthusiastical followers we will bring such a reproach upon our Church as to cast away that Method of Praying which is so consonant to Scripture and Antiquity and so agreeable to the Opinion and practice of the best Protestants It would be madness in us to do this and it is little less in them to expect it However because some of them are to this day deluded with this gross mistake That prescribed Forms are some of the remains of Popery and a Liturgy established is not allowed in other Protestant Churches I shall conclude this Discourse with some few proofs of the Opinion and Practice of the most Eminent Divines and Churches of the Reformation both Foreign and Domestic and that in relation as well to Liturgies in general as to our Liturgy in particular when I have first observed that the Learned and Industrious Mons Durell hath Collected a great number of these Testimonies some of which I have here inserted and added others of my own observation referring the Reader for fuller satisfaction to his elaborate Book (m) Durell View of the Gov. and public Worship of God in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas Print Lâ—nd 1662. I begin with the Lutheran Churches among whom the Reformation first began and who at this day do far exceed in number the Churches which follow Calvins Method and afford the greatest number of Foreign Protestants § 2. And First for Luther himself There is no Man can or dare Question his Approbation of Liturgies and prescribed Forms of Prayer it being well known that he appointed such Forms for all those Churches which he Reformed and in his works we have a Form of Common Prayer for the Church of Wittenburgh drawn up by himself out of the mass-Mass-Book but so as to leave out that which he thought to be Superstitious and Corrupted (n) Forma Mist pro Eccles Wittenburg Ep. Luther Tom. II. p. 384. And all the Churches of his Communion at this day have and use a Liturgy containing Collects Epistles and Gospels for every Sunday in the year And also Set Forms of Hymns and Canticles Prayers and Litanies together with prescribed Offices for all other parts of Ecclesiastical Ministrations for Baptism and the Lords Supper for Matrimony Visiting the Sick Burying the Dead c. One of which lately Printed in a large Quarto in the Danish Tongue imposed on and used in the Churches of Denmark was lately shewed and in divers places intepreted to me by an ingenious Pastor of that Country Mons Ivarus de Brinch who came over with the Forces into England the last Winter An. 1689. And besides the Agreement between our Collects Epistles and Gospels and theirs I observed that their Litany is almost Verbatim the same with ours And the Churches in upper Germany which are Lutheran have all such Liturgies I have one Book Dedicated to Joachim Marquesse of Brandenburgh Collected by Christopher Cornerus Printed at Leipsick An. 1588. with this Title The select Canticles of the Old and New Testament with the pure Hymns and Collects which are wont to be sung in the Orthodox and Catholic Church He means of the Lutherans who do all to this
soon see the Danger and Emptiness of that way of Praying which you have admired Which will tend to your own Happiness as well as to the Peace and Establishment both of our Church and State Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. II. 7. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen Jude ver 25. THE TABLE PART I.  An. D. Cent. Pag. Introduction Of the Grounds for Liturgies in Scripture   1 Ancient Auhors and Councils Philo Judaeus 60 I. 20 S. Clemens Roman 90  21 Plinius Junior 93  22 S. Ignatius Antioc 99  25 Lucianus Philos 112 II. 29 Justinus Martyr 140  31 S. Irenaeus 179  39 Clemens Alexand. 192  40 Tertullianus 192  43 Hippolitus Martyr 220 III. 54 Origenes 230  55 S. Cyprianus 248  65 Gregorius Thaum 253  72 Paulus Samosat 269  4 Arnobius 303 IV. 78 Constantinus Mag. 312  80 S. Athanasius 326  82 Flavianus Antioc 348  86 S. Cyrillus Hierosol 350  90 S. Jacobi Liturgia   95 Clementis Constit 360 IV. 103 S. Hilarius Pictav eo An.  114 Julianus Apostat 361  115 Concil Laodicen 365  117 Optatus Milevit 368  132 Epiphanius Cypr. 369  136 Gregorius Nazian 370  141 S. Basilius Mag. eo An.  148 ejus Liturgia   167 Pseudo-Dionys Ar 371  174 S. Ambrosius 374  178 S. Hieronymus 378  189 S. Chrysostomus 397  196 ejus Liturgia   208 S. Augustinus 398  225 Concil 3. Carthag eo An.  249 Concil African   257 PART II.  An. D. Cent. Pag. Innocentius I. Papa 402 V. 4 Aurel. Prudent 405  15 Isidorus Peleusiota 412  17 Synesius Episc eo An.  19 Celestinus I. Papa 423  22 Prosper Aquitan 430  27 Johan Cassianus eod A.  30 Concil Ephes Oec 431  34 Petr. Chrysologus 433  37 Socrates Hist Eccles  V.  Sozomenus Hist Eccles 440  41 Theodoretus Hist Eccles    Concil Vineticun 453  52 Vocomus Musaeus 458  62 Sidonius Apollinaris 472  ibid. Petr. Cnapheus Haer. 483  66 Gelasius Papa 492  68 Caesarius Arelatens 503 VI. 76 Concilia Agathens 506  77 Concilia Aurelian I. 507  81 Concilia Epaunens 509  82 Concilia Gerundens 517  ibid. Fulgentius African 518  84 Concil Valentinum 524  86 Concil Vasense 529  87 Benedictus Monach. eo An  90 Justinianus August 530  93 Vigilius Papa 540  97 Concil Nopsvestenum 550  103 Concil Bracarense I. 563  105 Concil Turonicum II. 570  109 Pelagius Papa 577  112 Leander Hispelens 588  114 Gregorius Mag. Pap. 590  119 Leontius Byzantin 594  136 Isidorus Hispalens 603 VII 139 Concil Toletanum IV. 633 VII 143 Concil Toletan V. 636 c.  Concil Tolet. VI 638  158 Concil Tolet. VIII 653   Concil Emeritanum 665  159 Concil Tolet. X. 675  ibid. Concil Constantin in Trullo 680  ibid. Eccles Brit. Sax.  VIII 162 Ecclesia Gallicana   175 Eccles Germanica   182 Agobardus Lugd. 831 IX 188 Adrianus II Papa 868  193 Leuthericus Senon 1004 XI 195 Gregorius VII Papa 1077  197 Paschalis II. Papa   198 Appendix  Chap.  Of the Arguments urged against the Antiquity of Liturgies Chap. IV. 201 Of the Agreement of the Reformed Churches in the Approbation and Use of Liturgies Chap. V. 30â— FINIS A SCHOLASTICAL HISTORY OF THE Primitive and General Use OF LITURGIES IN The Christian Church Together with an ANSWER TO Mr. Dav. Clarkson's late Discourse concerning LITURGIES By THO COMBER D.D. Precentor of YORK Publica est nobis communis Oratio Cypr. de Orat. Dom. § 5. pag. 310. LONDON Printed by S. Roycroft for Robert Clavell at the Peacock at the West-end of S. Pauls 1690. To Their MAJESTIES WILLIAM AND MARY KING and QUEEN of England c. May it please Your MAJESTIES WHen Heaven had made Your Majesties the happy Instruments of our late Wondrous Deliverance we did with great satisfaction behold Your Royal Cares were first employed upon the securing our Established Religion and the uniting all Your Subjects in the Bonds of Peace And since all Protestant Churches agree in the use of Holy Forms nothing can be more necessary to produce this Vnion among us than the removing all the Exceptions that have been taken against our excellent Liturgy which the pious Members of our Church admire and by which the Moderate Dissenters themselves do frequently worship God But I was surpriz'd to find some in this Juncture when Your Majesties had recommended this to the Care of Your Clergy not only decrying our Liturgy but all prescribed Forms of Divine Service and thereby at once affronting all Reformed Churches as well as ours and rendring Your Majesties gracious Designs of uniting us impracticable Wherefore the Justice and Necessity which obliged me to confute so false and so unseasonable a Charge upon our Primitive and Establish'd way of Worship must be my Apology for presuming to beg your Royal Patronage to these Papers which modestly defend one of the Essentials of our Constitution And your Majesties have given so many Eminent Demonstrations of your steddy Resolutions to preserve this Church that there is no room to doubt of your Gracious Acceptance of these Endeavours nor of our happiness under your most Auspicious Reign the Continuance whereof for the glory of God and the happiness of these Nations is unfeignedly desired and daily prayed for in the significant Words of our incomparable Liturgy by Your Majesties most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant THO COMBER THE INTRODUCTION I Doubt not but many who pass under the general Name of Dissenters are so sensible of the out Opposition of the Conforming â—lergy to the late Encroachments â— Popery and the great Secuâ—ity which the Protestant Religion â—n general receives from this Estaâ—â—lished Church that they would â—ake some steps towards a happy â—eace and Vnion for our Common â—ood But we cannot imagin that â—arty who lately Published Mr. â—larkson's two Books the one against â—â—r Episcopal Government the other against our Liturgy to have any inclination to a Reconciliation These are like those among whom Holy David Sojourned who were such Enemies to Peace that when he spake unto them thereof they made themselves ready to battel (a) Psal cxx ver ult For we had long since left off to Write against them and were actually treating of Accommodation with them and while the Truce lasted they not only make hostile Preparations but contrary to the Law of Nature anâ— Nations they boldly commit Actâ— of Violence both against the Persons and Things which of all others are most dear to us (b) Per inducias
Extempore more than the other and it being very fit one part of the public Service should be like the other But our Adversary asks Why this Bishop did not alter the Liturgy also (y) Discourse of Liturgy p. 26. And though I am not bound to answer all his random Questions and suppositions grounded upon this Negative that Eusebius doth not say He did alter the Liturgy Yet I shall Reply That Hymns are more proper than Prayers are to set out and magnifie our Saviour's Divinity and so were much more offensive to this Heretick than the Prayers which were only addressed to the Father in the Name of Christ as our Mediator which the Arians allowed him to be And therefore Paulus began to reject the Hymns but probably he might have proceeded further if he had not been so early discovered and expelled before he could make any more Alterations Nor is it unlikely that the Liturgy was so ancient at Antioch being extant in Ignatius's Time that he durst not venture upon that at first I shall add no more in this Century but to observe That in the Epistle of Dionysius of Alexandria recorded by Eusebius it appears to have been the general usage of the Church for every one of the People to say Amen when they heard the Priest offer them the Sacrament and say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ c. (z) Euseb hist Eccles lib. 6. cap. 35. p. 180. Which was a Form so universally used in all Churches of the World that we may conclude it was enjoyned by all Liturgies otherwise it had been impossible that all Christians should have so exactly agreed in that Form at that place and on that occasion We proceed now to Times of greater Light and more clear Evidence CHAP. IV. Of Liturgies in the Fourth Century § 1. THat the Use of Forms and stated Liturgies did not begin in the end of the Fifth nor in the entrance of the Sixth Century is very plain from the preceding Testimonies which sufficiently confute our Adversaries Assertion Yet if we had no Evidence of setled Forms of Prayer before this Age it had been enough to justifie our use of them because this is the first Century wherein the miraculous Gifts were ceased and the Church was setled under Christian Magistrates Wherefore since we plead for the use of a prescribed Liturgy in an established Church it is as much Antiquity as our Cause needs to shew we have Precedents for it from this Age that is as soon as the Primitive Churches Circumstances and ours did agree Now the Centuriators tell us that upon the Settlement of the Church The Bishops appointed Prayers for all things necessary for the happy state of the Empire for the Emperours for the safety of the Church for public Peace and for the Vnconverted (a) Episcopipreces Sacras ordinarunt pro omnibus rebus necessariis c. Magd. Cent. 4. §. 7. pag. 498. Now if the Bishops appointed such Prayers doubtless the Inferiour Clergy did use them and that shews there was a prescribed Liturgy Yet our Adversary strives by all kinds of Artifice to hide this plain Truth and the first Authors he produces in this Century are Arnobius and Lactantius to prove the Christians looked up to Heaven when they prayed (b) Discourse of Liturg. pag. 9. Which we freely grant but reject his consequence of their having no Written Forms since Experience shews that both Priest and People by frequent use of our Common Prayer may and do often look up to Heaven when they pray by this Form And as for one of these very Fathers ARNOBIUS An. Dom. 303. viz. ARNO BIVS though he writ against the Gentiles a little before the Settlement of the Church and therefore speaks very cautiously of the Christian Rites (c) Ita de Eucharistid loquitur viz. ut ad illud quod dabitur possint esse paratae Arnob. lib. 2. pag. 65. yet there are some Intimations in him of the use of Forms We adore saith he him that is higher than all and pray to him by a Venerable Service we supplicate him with Daily Prayers and vocally call on him for that which we need To venerate this supreme King is the end and design of these Divine Offices To him according to custom we all prostrate our selves adoring him with our joynt Prayers and requesting of him things just honest and fit for his holy Ears (d) Hic propositus terminus divinorum Officiorum hic finis est Huic omnes ex more prosternimur hunc Collatis Precibus adoramus c. Id. lib. 1. pag. 13 14 15. Now this Venerable Service of Daily Prayers vocally performed in Divine Offices wherein all the Christians joyned and bore a part can be no other than stated Forms known before to the Congregation and unless the Ministers and People had used such Forms Arnobius could not be sure they should always ask things fit for Gods holy Ears The same Author in another place evidently points to that Litany which Tertullian had briefly described in his Apology saying In our Conventicle we Invocate the Supreme God praying for Peace and Pardon to all Men For the Magistrates the Armies for the Emperours for our Friends and our Enemies for those that are alive and those that are dying (e) Arnob. adv gent. lib. 4. pag. 152. which are the very Heads that other Fathers set down when they do not design to quote the Words of their Litany but only to describe it in a public Discourse Constantin M. An. Dom. 312. § 2. The first Christian Emperour Constantine the Great who now established by Secular Laws the true Worship of God is our next Evidence for the use of prescribed Forms For Eusebius who was an Eye and Ear witness of those Transactions which he relates concerning him gives us an Account That he ordered his Palace after the manner of a Church and that when the Christians were assembled he would begin to take the Books into his hands either for explaining the Holy Scripture or repeating the prescribed Prayers in his Royal Family (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb vit Const l. 4 c. 17. p. 395. He also relates That he made a Form of Prayer for his Guards which they were to use every Sunday (g) Id. ib. c. 18. and he taught them to recite this Prayer with hands lifted up to Heaven and with the Eyes of their Minds lifted up still higher even to the King of Heaven (h) Id. ib. c. 19. The very Words of which Form Eusebius sets down (i) Id. ib. c. 20. and commends the pious Emperour because he was a Teacher of the Words of Prayer (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de laud. Constantin p. 465. Now we learn from hence First That repeating Prayers out of a Book was the usage of Christians in the Church because when this was done in Constantine's Family it made his Court to resemble a Church
these Offices because we see in Arnobius and others that this Usage was crept into the Christian Worship at least as early as the beginning of this Century Wherefore we conclude that these Constitutions and the Forms contained therein are a clear and convincing Evidence that a prescribed Liturgy was used in this Age. But Secondly our Adversary goes on to raise other Scruples For he tells us out of this Author that they were so strict in concealing their Mysteries that if a Catechumen by chance had been present they immediately Baptized him (p) Discourse of Liturg. pag. 43. Marg. I Answer It is very pleasant for him to cite a Book wherein all these Mysteries are written down at large to prove there were no Mysteries written down in that Age and it is very weak or something worse to say they concealed them from the Faithful because they kept them secret from the Catechumens He knew very well that in â—â—is Age they did write down their Offices but charged the Priests and Faithful to keep these Words and Writings from the Unbaptized Another Objection is That the Creed set down in the Constitutions is not the same with the Apostles Creed therefore there was no certain Form of Creed (w) Discourse of Liturg. p. 103. I Reply The Creed here set down was the Form then used in that Church of which this Author was a Member probably of Antioch And as new Heresies arose it was necessary for all Churches to make larger Paraphrases upon some Articles of the old Creed to secure all that were admitted into the Church against those Heresies But still this Creed thus Paraphrased was a Form prescribed to all that were Baptized in that Diocess and that is enough to prove there were Forms used in every Church nor do I see any thing that he can infer from hence but that since the Apostles made that Creed which goes by their Name and yet this Creed differs from it therefore the Apostles did not make these Constitutions themselves which we freely confess Like this is his Objection about the Form of renouncing the Devil in Baptism which is not set down in the same Words in these Constitutions as it is in other Fathers (x) Discourse of Liturg. p. 106. I Reply This was the Form at Antioch that in S. Cyril was the Form at Jerusalem that in S. Chrysostom the Form at Constantinople and the difference between them is so very small that it shews they all were taken from one Original and all Churches had Forms of this Renunciation yet in several Diocesses they had some diversity in expressing it but this doth not prove either that they had no Forms nor that any Inferiour Minister was left at liberty to express it as he pleased these being obliged to keep to the Form prescribed in their own Church I shall only desire the Reader to observe that in that large Margin where he hath heaped up variety of Forms of Renouncing the Devil one half of them are not the Words of any Churches Form but only short and occasional descriptions of it in lax Discourses and so are not to be urged as various Forms Lastly He picks up several Phrases dispersed up and down the Constitutions pretending that the Priest was at liberty to say those or such like Prayers and Praises (y) Discourse of Liturg. p. 110 111. But first He falsly expounds most of these Phrases for when that Author saith The Priest must pray or say thus or must say these Words or those which follow (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit Apostol l. 7. cap. 43 45. l. 8. c. 29 c. and then immediately subjoyns a Form it is clear to all that the Priest is to say that Form and no other And the same sense may very well be put upon those other Phrases of the Priests saying such a kind of Prayer or the Bishops giving such a kind of Blessing (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Constit ibid. l. 7. cap. 45. lib. 8. cap. 16. viz. that these Phrases do intend no more than that they shall Pray and Bless in this wise or after this sort For it must be granted that we have a prescribed Form for the absolving of the Sick from which no Minister may vary and yet the Rubric before it saith The Priest shall absolve him after this sort (b) Rubric in Office for Visiting the Sick Wherefore the Author never meant by these Phrases to leave the Priest to say what Prayers he pleased in an Extempore way and indeed when he hath set down a Form a Prayer made Extempore is not such a like Prayer nor a Prayer after that sort But suppose we should grant which I do not think we need yield that these Phrases do signifie their making any other Form like this still this obliges them to Forms and being these Phrases are but four times in all that large Book of Offices it was no great matter to leave the Bishop especially at liberty to change the Form three or four times in so great variety of Prayers Praises and Benedictions And if all the rest were fixed and stated Forms from which none might vary that is enough to prove my Position and this Objection can no more weaken it than a Mans alledging that Canon of Praying before Sermon in this Form or to this effect (c) Book of Canons and that Rubric which bids us exhort the sick Man after this Form or other like (d) Rubric in Office for Visit Sick would prove there was no prescribed Liturgy in the Church of England because some liberty is left in a few Cases yet this is the most that can be made of this Toping Argument though we grant all he can desire I conclude therefore that there was prescribed Forms and a Liturgy used before the Middle of this Fourth Century and that these Forms in the Constitutions were the Liturgy of some eminent Eastern Church § 8. We have no less Authority than S. Hierom to prove that Hilary S. Hilary Bish of Poictiers An. Dom. 360. Bishop of Poictiers Made one Book of Hymns and another of Mysteries (e) Hieron Catalog Script pag 378. that is he composed a Liturgy and since he had lived in the East where Liturgies now were commonly used we may reasonably believe he brought the same Usage into the Gallican Church For he saith That those without may hear the Voice of the People Praying and singing Hymns within the Church and may perceive their making Responses to the devout Confessions in the Offices of the Divine Sacraments (f) Et inter divinorum quoque Sacramentorum officia responsionem devotae contessionis accipiat Hilar. Com. in Psal 65. Which shews they had an Office for the Holy Communion wherein the People bore a part as they did also in the Hymns and other Prayers for all which there were Forms appointed And these Forms
were used Morning and Evening for he tells us That the day began with Prayer and was closed up with Hymns (g) Idem in Psal 64. and blames those whose Lips murmured they knew not what and while their Thoughts roved and their Mind was busied about other things did not attend to the Office which they were reciting These and many other passages in him make it plain that the Gallican Church had Forms and a Liturgy in this Age. Yea it will appear That all Christian Churches had so if we consider the Method that Julian the Apostate Julian the Apostate An. Dom. 361. took to establish Paganism which was to accommodate it as much as possible to Christianity the Rites of which he saw were then very popular and taking And therefore he devised to make a Form of Prayers in parts for the Heathen Worship to set up Schools and Lectures of Philosophy and to enjoyn Penances to Offenders Which things saith Nazianzen are clearly agreeable to our good Order (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian in Jul. Orat. 3 p. 102. And Sozomen relating the same thing saith That Julian designed to adorn his Gentile Temples with the Order of Christian-Worship and therefore among other things He appointed prescribed Prayers upon Set-days and Hours (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zoz hist lib. 5. cap. 15. From whence it is as clear as the Sun That in Julian's Time the Christians generally used a Form of Prayer in parts so that the People could make their Responses and that they had proper Forms appointed for certain Days yea for the several Hours of Prayer in every Day and this was so grateful to the People of that Age that this ingenious Apostate in one of his Epistles yet extant advises his Pagan Priests to Pray thrice a day if possible or however Morning and Evening both in private and public and to learn the Hymns of the Gods which were made in older and in later Times adding that there was a Liturgy for these Priests and a Law directing them what to do in their Temples from which they might not vary (k) Julian Fragment Epistol in oper pag 552. So that he had actually brought the Christian Orders into the Service of the Heathen Gods and because Christians had Responses in their Prayers and sung their Hymns alternately so did he appoint the Pagans to pray and sing by such like Forms § 9. The next place must be assigned to the Council of Laodicea The Council of Laodicea An. Dom. 365. which is one of the earliest Synods after the setling of Christianity and its Canons have always been received by the Catholic Church And here we have many convincing proofs that the Christians then had written and prescribed Forms of Prayer and Praise and used a Liturgy in the Service of God First we find an order that the Hereticks who returned to the Church should learn the Creeds (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Laod. Can. 7. Bever Tom. 1. pag. 455. probably the Apostles and the Nicene Creed However they must be Set Forms or otherwise how could Men learn them Secondly In this Council we meet with Canonical Singers who sang out of written Books and none but they are allowed to Sing in the Church (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Can. 15. p. 459. that is as Balsamon well Notes to begin the Hymns for the People were always allowed to follow them and Sing with and after them Now if they had Forms of Praise written in a Book why might they not have their Prayers written also in a Book T is certain they had no great esteem for Extempore composures nor for variety of Forms neither because they forbid the Reading of Psalms composed by private Men in the Church (n) Ibid. Can. â—â— p 480. And enjoyn the use of the same Office for the Evening Prayer at whatever hour of the Afternoon it was said which is the true meaning of that famous Canon about which our Adversary raiseth so much dust The Words of it are these That the very same Liturgy of Prayers ought to be used always both at three in the Afternoon and in the Evening (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 18. Bev. Tom. 1. p. 461. that is saith Balsamon they forbid Men to reject the Prayers which the Fathers had appointed for three in the Afternoon and to make new Prayers of their own on pretence they used them at the time of the Evening Hymns And Zonaras saith The Council rejects new Prayers and allows none but such as had been approved in a Synod nor would they permit Men to use Prayers of their own making in public but the same Prayers which had been delivered down to them were to be said in every Assembly (p) Balsam Zonar apud Beveâ—eg ibid. To which I will only add this That the whole day being divided by the hours of Prayer as it had formerly been among the Jews the Morning hour took in the time from Six till Nine The Noon-hour of Prayer was said any time between Nine and Three and The Evening-hour Prayer might be said between Three in the Afternoon and Six at Night soon after which was the time for Singing those Hymns at the first lighting of Candles and it seems some put these two last Offices together and having said the usual Forms for Evening Prayer at Three of the Clock when they were to Sing the Evening Hymns at Candles lighting Composed new Forms of Evening Prayer and used them in the Church which the Synod forbids and enjoyns the same Liturgy or Forms of Prayer which had been used in the Afternoon to be repeated over again with the Hymns in the Evening Now this Canon made in the Eastern Church where Liturgies were then commonly used must be expounded of a Set and prescribed Form and therefore divers of the Presbyterian persuasion have confessed that Liturgies have been used for at least 1300 years (q) See Falkner's Vindic. of Liturg. pag. 140. And Smectymnuus derives the use of them from this Canon and believes the sense of it to be that none should vary but always use the same Form (r) Smectym Answer to remonstr p. 7. But our Adversary resolves right or wrong that Liturgies shall not be grounded upon this Canon Wherefore first he Assigns a date to the Council later than he ought for he saith it was in the latter end of the fourth Century (s) Disc of Lituâ—g p. 61. whereas it was held soon after the middle of it Secondly He reserves this Canon to the latter end of his Book not daring to produce it till he had prepossessed his Reader with a false Notion That there were no Liturgies in this Age (t) Ibid. p. 155. Then he recites the Words of it wrong putting the Evening before the Ninth hour (u) Ibid p. 156. And in another place he brings in Caranzas false Translation of this Canon who leaves
way of Eminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all Rites and Forms not set down there though they were writ down by the Fathers he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not written things which is further clear by the occasion of this whole Chapter wherein S. Basil is vindicating himself for using a Phrase and Form of Doxology which was not written in Scripture and his Argument is That the Church used many Rites and Forms which were not written in the Bible such as renouncing the Devil and Praying toward the East and the Forms used in Sacramental Administrations Now Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian Cyprian and many others as we have shewed had written concerning every one of these things but still they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not written in Scripture but derived from Tradition and therefore they ought not saith S. Basil to blame me if I used a Form of Doxology not written in Scripture Now this clear exposition of the place alledged shews our Authors base disingenuity who to serve a turn and patch up an Argument against Liturgies wilfully perverts S. Basil's words which being rightly understood are so far from condemning Forms or proving they were not written that they prove they were composed long before S Basil's time and then owned for Catholic Traditions Finally whereas he insinuates that S. Bosil counts these Forms to be Mysteries not to be published and thence infers that to write them down was to publish them and therefore doubtless they were not written down I reply That these Forms were daily used among the Faithful and they were not nice to publish them to these it was only the Catechumens and Infidels from whom they kept these Mysteries and considering the charge they laid upon the Faithful and the Priests not to divulge them to those who were without the Church there was no need to be afraid to write them down since the Books were only in their custody who then believed it was a damnable Sin to let the Unbaptized see these Books or hear the words of them And he hath answered this Argument himself by shewing us that the Heathens who also counted their Forms of worship to be Mysteries not to be divulged to the uninitiated did write these Forms in Books which were kept by their Priests (n) Compare Disc of Liturg. pag. 28 with 122. 123. Therefore writing is very consistent with concealing Mysteries from Strangers And there is nothing in this place of S. Basil which proves there were no written Prayers in his time Thirdly He alledges that S. Basil in Prayer with the People used the Doxology two ways both Glory be to God and the Father with the Son and with the holy Ghost and by the Son in the holy Ghost (o) Basil de Sp. Sanct cap. 1. pag. 144. and though the same Father say that the Form of Baptizing the Creed and the Doxology ought to agree yet he varied this short Form twice in one day from whence he infers more than once that S. Basil would not be bound up by any Form (p) Disc of Liturgies pag. 104. pag. 130. I answer This Objection is taken out of the same suspected Tract but I will let that pass and observe that though S. Basil saith this was done in the Prayers with the People yet it doth not follow that this was in any part of the Office it might be in the conclusion of his Forenoon and Afternoon Homily which being performed at the usual hours of Morning and Evening Prayers and when the People were met to Pray yea the Prayers both going before and following the Homily he may properly enough say this was done in the Prayers with the People Now these Homilies or Sermons being S. Basil's own composures he thought he might vary the Doxology there as he used to do at other times but fortuning to use an expression that savoured of the Arian Heresy The Orthodox People who had been used to a right Form of Doxology in their Liturgy ever since the days of Gregory Thaumaturgus as was shewed before were able by that to censure these new and strange ways of expressing himself (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil dc Sp. S. cap. 1. And were so angry at him for this Variation that he was forced to write this Book to vindicate those Phrases Wherefore this variety of Doxology being not used in the Liturgy but the Sermons or Homilies is nothing to his purpose nor will it prove that S. Basil varied from the prescribed Forms much less will it make out there were no prescribed Forms since our Clergy use variety of Doxologies at the end of their Sermons but it would be Ridiculous to Argue from thence that they will not be bound to say the Gloria Patri in that Form wherein it is set down in the Liturgy If it be again objected that S. Basil hath great variety of Doxologies yet extant in the end of his Homilies and therefore had this variation been after Sermons the People could hardly have perceived it I answer The latter of these Forms was used by the Arians in a very ill Sense to intimate the inequality of the Father and the Son and though no doubt S. Basil meant well yet it did so evidently tend towards Heresy and was so very different from the Old Orthodox Form in the Liturgy that the People who could digest various Phrases in unprescribed Composures provided the Sense was Orthodox took check at this dangerous Variation and by the way we may learn from hence how great a security it is to the Faith for the People to be accustomed to Orthodox Forms which doth enable them to observe yea and correct any kind of dangerous Innovations But if my Adversaries will not allow this variation to have been any where but in the Prayers though there is no Reason to allow that yet supposing it were so Then this was an Action of S. Basil which is not to be imitated and since he had like to have run into Heresy by taking this undue liberty it will make nothing for the Credit of Extempore Prayers that they expose such as use them to the danger at least of venting Heretical expressions involuntarily And S. Basils being forced to beg Pardon for it shews it ought not to be quoted for a Precedent yet after all it this variation were in the Prayers it shews there were then Forms well known to the People and confirms us in the necessity of prescribing and imposing such Forms to prevent Heresy from creeping into the Church which otherwise may get ground even by the well meant expressions of some Eminent Extempore Man Fourthly He affirms that S. Basil did not teach his Monks to pray by any Liturgy but to choose their Expressions out of Scripture (r) Basil Constit monast cap. 1. p. 668. 669. I answer Divers of the learned deny this Book to be genuin (s) Scultet medul p. 1056. See Discourse of Liturg. p. 120.
against this evident Truth And the first is a manifest Falshood viz. That no ancient Author mentions it (d) Disâ—ourse of Litu g. p. 162 c. For we have seen many of the Ancients do attest it Secondly He saith Many Words Rites and Persons are spoken of in it which cannot belong to S. Basil 's time To which I Answer That the Modern Copies now extant have many late Corruptions in them and we do not defend any one of these but if these be cast out there remains many primitive pious and excellent Forms of Prayer and Praise which are very agreeable to the genuine Works and to the uncorrupted Age of S. Basil and these are all the Passages in it that we defend and account to have been the Composure of S. Basil And if there were but Five Pages of this kind that suffices to make out my Position viz. That S. Basil made a Liturgy and that these Forms of Prayer were generally used in public in his time but the Reader who will peruse this Liturgy will find the far greatest part of it to be holy pure and primitive Forms and the Prayers Responses Hymns and Doxologies most of them both for Matter and Style agreeable to this Age and attested by the Writings of the Fathers both of this and former Centuries As to the Persons mentioned in this Liturgy who lived after S. Basil their Names were taken out of Modern Manuscripts Copied from some Liturgy which was in use in those later Ages wherein such Persons lived But though these Names were not in S. Basil's Original yet they do no more prove He never made the Original Liturgy ascribed to him or that he made no Liturgy than our praying for the present King and Queen or our having Offices for the Fifth of November and the 30th of January prove That the Main substance of the Common-Prayer-Book was not Composed in the Time of King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth So that I cannot but blush at such Learned Men as for want of better urge such trifling Sophistry for Arguments Thirdly My Adversary objects That divers Learned Protestants count this Liturgy spurious To which I Answer That Many also count the main of it to be genuine but all Learned Protestants except my Adversary do grant enough for my purpose viz. That S. Basil did make a Liturgy which sufficiently proves the Use of Liturgies in This Age. Du Plessis himself out of whom my Adversary steals most of his Arguments confesseth There is some appearance and likelyhood that Basil and Chrysostom did ordain a prescript Form of the Administration in their Diocesses (e) Mornay of the Mass Book I. Chap. 6. pag. 50. The Learned Rivet will not affirm that it is wholly spurious though he think as we do that many things were added to it and some things altered afterward (f) Riveti censur pag. 310. And Causabon as we noted before accounts these Liturgies partly false and partly true (g) Causab exercit in Baron xvi p. 384. with these also the Famous Salmasius though no great Friend to ancient Forms doth agree (h) Salmas contra Grot. op posthum pag. 254. Bishop Bilson cites many Passages out of them and justifies them to be authentic so far as they agree to the genuine Works of S. Basil and other Fathers of that Age (i) Bilson Christian Subject part 4. pag. 437. And to name no more Chemnitius saith He will not deny but Basil and Chrysostom did make some such form of Prayer but he saith That what we read now under their Names is not all genuine sincere nor certain (k) Chemnit exam Concil Trident. part 2. pag. 191. Which we freely grant because it follows that some of that which now goes under their Names is genuine sincere and certain Fourthly He urges the many Corruptions which are in the Modern Copies such as praying to Saints and the Blessed Virgin Prayers for the Dead c. to which we have given an Answer before and shall now only say That these are added to the old Form and a judicious Antiquary may easily distinguish these Novel Additions from the old Primitive Forms which are not to be cast away because some have added Corruptions to them We do not justifie but reject these Additions and there is enough besides to prove our Position therefore I will only add that in these Liturgies there are many Passages which condemn the present Doctrins of the Roman Church and it would be pity to cast away these because of some Dross mixed with them which when we have separated the pure Primitive Silver will remain I conclude therefore That S. Basil made a Liturgy and that the Christians in his Days used to pray by prescribed Forms § 16. The Books which pass under the name of Dionysius Areopagita Dionysius Areopag or rather Apollinaris Laod. An. Dom. 370. and especially that of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy have in them many Indications of a Liturgy but were writ in this Age as is supposed by Apollinaris Bishop of Laodicea who was a great Friend of S. Basil's and hath been noted not only for his High-flown Style but also for putting out Books under the names of the most Ancient Fathers (l) Dr. Caves Apostol life of Dionys Areop num 13. c. But whether he were the Author of them or no doubtless they must be ancienter than the sixth Century because many of the Rites here expounded were disused before that time and because there is express mention of them as cited by S. Cyril of Alexandria who lived in the beginning of the fifth Century (m) Liberati Brev. cap. 10. apud Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 182. Script An. 553. However Liberatus who Records this and allows Dionysius his Works to be good Evidence lived in the middle of the sixth Century and if these Books had been writ but little before it had been Ridiculous to have urged them for Evidence in dispute S. Gregory also the Great who lived in the same Century wherein Dailé pretends these Books were writ cites the celestial Hierarchy under the name of Dionysius Areopagita and calls him an Ancient and Venerable Writer (n) Greg. Mag. hom 34. in Evang. p. 138. yea in the very beginning of the sixth Century this Book is cited under the name of Dionysius by two Writers of the Greek Church (o) An. 527. Leont Byzant contr Nest lib. 2. Anastas Sinaita Anagog contempl in Hexam lib. 7. and Maximus writ Scholias upon these Books Anno Dom. 640. Wherefore this Author having such Credit and being mistaken for the true Dionysius in the fifth and sixth Ages could not live in later times than these wherein we now place him and we desire no more than our Adversary allows viz. that he may have Credit in reporting the usages of his own time p (m) Disc of Liturg. p. 39. Now though this Author is so very fearful of discovering Mysteries an evident
been Fettered with prescribed Forms could not have liberty to do (f) Discourse of Liturg pag. 67 68. And here first I shall observe He is to prove that the Inferiour Ministers ought to be at liberty to order all the Prayers as they please in the ordinary Service of God But his usage is to instance in some irregular Fact upon some single extraordinary occasion done by some great and eminent Bishop which if his Instances prove true will never justifie his Opinion And truly this was an Extraordinary Bishop who was fit to make a Liturgy and a very extraordinary Case The City being all in an Uproar and S. Ambrose was told in the middle of his Office That his Friend Castulus was like to be murthered by the enraged Arians upon which sad and sudden occasion he for that once put in One Petition which was only That God would help Castulus and there is nothing in the Original Relation to shew us he did it aloud so that possibly he might stop a minute and in his Heart pray to God to help the poor Man (g) Vid. Ambr. Ep. 14. ad Marcellin Sor. Tom. 5 p. 205. But whether this request were Mental or Vocal it was on so sudden and unusual occasion that for all this S. Ambrose might be as he calls it Fettered with a Form upon ordinary occasions yea we have proved he was so and that this general Collect was a Form also And if a great Bishop now should hear that his dearest Friend or nearest Relation was suddenly fallen into danger of Death while he was Praying for all Estates of Men at the Altar No Man would blame him if he did Mentally or Vocally put in such an Ejaculation as Lord help my dear Friend c. Nor would any whose understanding were not Fettered with strange prejudices Argue from thence either that this Bishop never used a prescribed Form or that all the Ministers in his Diocess were left at liberty on ordinary occasions to alter the Liturgy as they pleased But as to his Reflexion upon Forms I must observe that our Lord Jesus saw fit to bind us in such Fetters when he gave us a Form of Prayer and that which binds us to a regular performance of our Duty and assists us to do it better is like the Tackle of a Ship or the Cords which bounded each side of the Old Grecian Races helping us and directing us both at once There are some indeed who count their Vitious Appetites are too much Fettered by the Commandments of God and the Laws of the Land and like the Sarmatians fancy Licentious and Lawless Madness to be the only liberty (h) Licentem amentiam libertatem existimarent Am. Marcellin lib. 17. But neither God nor our Governours for all this do see sit to take off these useful Chains and Aristotle hath taught us that to Live as the Goverment requires us is no Slavery (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. 9. Liberty is not a Power to do what we list but what we ought to do Now Laws and Forms direct what we ought to do and hinder us only from what is Evil or Dangerous and therefore do not prejudice our Liberty but guide us to use it so as may be consistent with the Common-Good And wise Men do not desire to be at liberty to talk Nonsense and Blasphemy nay nor to speak impertinently immethodically and rashly before God and a great Congregation but the Gospel teaches us that such as need Chains and Fetters most are most impatient of them and most apt to break them (k) Mark v. 4. But to return to our History § 18. Though S. Hierom S. Hieron An. Dom. 378. were no Bishop yet his learning and Authority was so great that as our Adversary seems to grant (l) Disc of Liturg. p. 171. he directed Pope Damasus in Regulating the public Offices at Rome so that what Marianus Victorius reports in his life is not improbable viz. That at his instance Hallelujah was sung at Rome after the custom of Hierusalem and the Gloria Patri in the end of each Psalm was also sung there after the manner of Antioch from him also Rome received a corrected Copy of the Septuagints Psalms to be read and sung in the Church (m) eo emendante Roma legendo◠canendosque in Ecclesia LXX interpretum Psalmos suscepit Marian. Victor in vit Hieron E. Gregor Mag. I note by the way that the ignorant Editor of Mt. Clarksons Book for I would not suspect the Author Ridiculously mistakes the Septuagints Translation of the Psalms and puts in 70 Psalmos suscepit viz. That Rome received Seventy Psalms from S. Hierom. risum teneatis amici But from the Quotation rightly stated we may observe that S. Hierom could not be against Forms of Praise in the Public Pervice when he prescribed both the Hallelujah and the Gloria Patri which are such Forms to the Roman Church or at least advised the Pope to prescribe them And his Works abound with Testimonies That Forms both of Prayer and Praise and alternate Singing of Psalms after the way of Antioch was used in Palestina and approved by him while he was there The Instances though but occasionally mentioned by S. Hierom are so many that we must cite them briefly He adviseth a pious Lady to bring up her young Daughter in Piety by accustoming her to rise before day to Prayers and singing Psalms and by teaching her to sing Hymns Morning and Evening and to Pray at the Hours of Nine Twelve and Three (n) Hieron ad Laet. Ep. 7. p. 59. Now this Child could not be taught either to Pray or Sing otherwise than by Forms He also gives advice to another Virgin to perform her Order of Psalms and Prayers at Nine Twelve and Three as also at Evening in the Night and the Morning (o) Id. ad Demetriad ep 8. pag. 74. Id. ad Eustach ep 22. p. 189. He also tells That he learned the Psalms by heart in his youth and daily repeated part of them as an Office of Devotion (p) Idem adv Ruffin lib. 2. Tom. 2. p 335. Moreover he directs those Religious persons who lived with him or consulted him to get every word of the Psalter by heart and to answer the Psalm in their Turn (q) Hieron ad Rustic ep 4. pag. 45 46. In his time also they had an Order of Singers whose Office was to Chant the Psalms and Hymns in the Church (r) Id Com. in V. Ephes Tom. 6 pag. 420. Yea it is very plain from him that they had a Choir which sang alternately and began always with Hallelujahs (s) Idem ad Sabin ep 48. pag. 305. Epitaph Paulae pag. 232. And that all the People at Funerals joyned in Singing Psalms and the Hallelujah till they made the gilded Roof of the Temple to shake and Eccho again (t) Idem in Epitaph Fabiolae Moreover he
their Time were to be prayed for but the New Editions of these Liturgies have no Emperours or Bishops Name at all only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaving it to the Priest to add the Names as Persons changed To conclude I have not seen one solid Objection against the main Body of S. Chrysostom's Liturgy and there is enough of that which we defend and is genuine to shew that Liturgies were used in this Age and there is clear Evidence and good Reason to believe not only that S. Chrysostom approved of Forms but that he Corrected the Ancient Office and made all that is Essential pure and primitive in this very Liturgy which now goes by his Name And this may suffice for this Father § 21. At the same time when S Chrysostom was Famous in the East S. Augustin S. Augustin An Dom. 3â— flourished in the African Church and He also is a good Witness for us in this Age For it is impossible he could be against Forms of Prayer written in a Book and to be read out of it because he affirms That Christ therefore left us a Form of Prayer in writing knowing Words were necessary to moveâ— us and that we might look upon that which we ask (a) Nobis ergo necessarâ—a sunt Verba quibus commoveanâ—ur inspiciamus quid pâ—tamuâ— Aug. ad Prob. Ep. 121. p. 129. Now for the Church to imitate Christ and write down our Prayers in a Book could not be a fault in the opinion of S. Augustin who owns the Lords Prayer to be a Form and in divers places affirms that the Faithful repeated it every day (b) Aug. de verb. Ap. Ser. 31. Item hom 42. alibi And therefore he will not grant that any Christians wanted the Spirit to help them with Words and Expressions that he saith cannot be the meaning of our not knowing what to Pray for as we ought Rom. viii 26. because it is not Credible that either the Apostle or those to whom he Writ were Ignorant of the Lords Prayer (c) Id. ad Prob. Ep. 121. pag 129. And therefore he goes on to expound the Spirits helping our infirmities of the Spirits giving us Patience so that we do not pray absolutely to be delivered out of our Afflictions as naturally we should do if the Spirit did not convince us they were for our good So that S. Augustin takes away the main Text on which our Adversaries ground their Extempore Prayers and thinks there is no need for the Spirit to furnish us with expressions We have now seen by other Fathers that they had a Liturgy in every Church by which care was taken for proper expressions and S. Augustin seems to have believed that the Original of these Liturgies the most essential parts wherein almost all Churches agreed was from S. Paul himself for he saith as my Adversary cites him (d) Disc of Liturg. Marg. pag. 173. The Apostle speaking of the Eucharist presently adds The rest will I set in order when I come giving us to understand that though it was too long for an Epistle to intimate all that order of Administration which the Vniversal Church observes yet he did ordain that which is every where observed without Variation (e) Aug. ad Januar. Ep. 118. p. 116. Now the use of Forms was every where observed and though there was some little variety in the Longer Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving which were made afterwards yet the use of the Lords Prayer the Prefaces the Prayer of Consecration as to the Evangelical Words and some of the Hymns All which were Forms and of Universal use these S. Augustin affirms were ordered and ordained by the Apostle when he came to Corinth so that he maks the Original of using Forms of Prayer and Praise in the Sacrament to be Apostolical And the same thing he affirms in another place where he is arguing against Hereticks Let us look saith he upon the Mysteries of the Ecclesiastical Prayers which the whole World hath received by Tradition from the Apostles and which are uniformly Celebrated in every Orthodox Church that the Rule for our Prayers may fix the Rule of our Faith (f) Oâ—secratiâ—â—rum quoque sacerdâ—talium Sacramenta respiciamus quae ab Apostolis tradita in tâ—to modo atque in omni Catholicâ Ecclesiâ Uniformiter Celebrantur â—â— legem credendi lex statuat supplicanâ— Aug. de Eccles dog cap. â—â— Tom. 3. pag. 4â— He must mean this of Forms Extompore Prayers being invisible but these might be looked on yet these he saith were derived from Apostolical Tradition and uniformly Celebrated therefore there was then a written Liturgy appointed at first by the Apostles as S. Augustin thought and used by all Christians to the Words of which he appeals for Evidence against Hereticks in matters of Faith Now if the Prayers had been daily varied by the Extempore Gift he could not have appealed to the Words of them and if these Forms had been composed but a little before this time of S. Augustin he could not have urged their Authority in matters of dispute with Hereticks or others Therefore they had Forms written in former Ages and by their Antiquity become of great Authority in this Century Whereupon the same Father wishes that such as are weak and doubtful in the Question of perseverance would look upon those Prayers of theirs which the Church always had and ever will have (g) ut intuerentur Orationes suas quas semper habuit habebit Ecclesia Aug. de bon persev lib. 2. Tom. 7. pag. 279. That is upon the public Liturgy from the certain Words of which he draws Arguments to satisfy their doubts not fearing they would question the Authority of those Prayers which the Church ever had used from the beginning And therefore he boldly challenges Vitalis who hâ—ed some Erroneous Opinions to dispute if he saw fit against the Prayers of the Church when he heard the Priest of God at the Altar Exhorting his People to Pray so and so c. (h) Aug. ad Vital Ep. 107. pag. 102. which shews not only that there were Forms because Extempore Prayers can never be urged for or alledged against the Church But it shews that these Forms were by long usage become so venerable that their Authority was esteemed sacred and indisputable And they were accounted the best Evidence of Apostolical Tradition after the holy Scripture The particulars of this African service agreeable to the parts of the Greek Liturgy S. Augustin saith were these The Singing of Hymns reading of Lessons and Sermons the Prayers made by the Bishop in an audible Voice and the Common-Prayer enjoyned by the Deacon (i) aut Antâ—stâ—tes clara voce deprecantuâ— aut communis Oratio v ce Diaconi indicitur Aug. ad Januar. Ep. 11â— p. 119. That is the Collects and the Litany to the First of which the People answered Amen To the Second they made Responses at the end of every Petition
or Synod and he adds they desire no more liberty than this I Answer The Canon enjoyns the Eucharistical Forms as having been established before and allows no Prayers but Forms in any other Office and there is nothing in the true Reading concerning the allowance of prudent Men that is his own Corruption And if his Bretheren are content to use Forms composed by prudent Men in former time and approved by a Synod the Common-Prayer is such a Form and therefore they must conform to it Secondly He saith No Prayers are forbid but such as are against the Faith (u) Disc of Liturg. pag. 50. I answer all Prayers but those which had been approved formerly in a Council are forbid in the Eucharist which was then daily Administred and so this was the only Solemn Office of Prayers And even at other times to prevent Heretical Prayers they forbid all new Forms from being brought into the Church Therefore if any then had pretended to the Gift of Prayer and had made new Forms for the Eucharist or the hours of Prayer though they were not against the Faith yet these Canons forbid them Thirdly He fills his Margen to shew in how many Offices imposition of hands were used (w) Disc of Liturg. p. 51. and then pretends that his feigned liberty was allowed in the Prayers used in all these several Offices I answer The imposition of Hands in this Canon must signify some part of the Eucharistical Office somthing done at the Altar in the Administration and it is expresly ordered that no Prayers shall be used in this laying on of Hands which I take to be the consecrating the Elements but such as had before been confirmed by a Synod Wherefore in this point there was no liberty at all left but every one was confined to the old established Form Fourthly He raises divers other scruples but they all rely upon his own false Translating of the Canon (x) Disc of Liturg. p. 53. 54 and may be here passed by because they are answered before Lastly He represents Chemnitius as falsly as he had done the Council saying that he cites these two Canons to prove the Order of Celebrating among the Ancients was Arbitrary (y) Disc of Liturg. p. 55. I answer Chemnitius is confuting the Roman Churches imposing her Canon of the Mass upon all Churches under pretence that no Consecration can be without it And he shews that in the ancient Church there was not one certain Form of Words which all the Churches in the World were bound to use under the peril of mortal Sin it being free for them to use any Form that agreed to the Faith which he proves by these two Canons and by this Argument because the Greeks had one Form in Dionysius his Church another in Basils and another in Chrysostoms In the West also S. Ambrose used one Form Isidore another and Gregory another who yet would not impose the Roman Form upon England from whence he concludes that the Papists now are unjust in imposing their Mass on all Churches and also in blaming the Lutherans who use Forms agreeing to the Ancients and the Analogy of Faith and tending to edification (z) Chemnitij exam Concil Trident. par 2. pag. 191. Therefore if this Author be a good Evidence he owns Liturgies in the Primitive Church and justifies the use of them in the Reformed Churches he condemns nothing but imposing one Liturgy upon all the Churches in the World to conceal which my Adversary in citing Chemenitius draws a line where these Words come in To which all Churches in the World were bound under the peril of mortal Sin Which words shew Chemnitius disliked mainly the binding all Churches to use one Churches Form But as to these two Canons Bellarmine justly reproves Chemnitius for applying those parts of them which forbid such Prayers as are against the Faith to the Eucharistical Prayers because they belong as we have shewed to Prayers used in the Church at other times (a) Bellarm. de Missâ lib. 2. cap. 18. And I dare say Chemnitius did not think That the public Prayers were Arbitrary in the Primitive Church in my Adversaries Sense that is that private Ministers were allowed to Pray Extempore or to make Forms of their own nor did he think it would be allowed to the inferior Clergy to use suppose Dionysius his Form in S. Basils Church it is plain from his Argument and the Lutheran Churches practice that the Clergy of every Province were bound to use the Forms prescribed by that Church whereof they were Members And this is the obligation which our Church puts upon all her Clergy which our Dissenters most unjustly complain of since we see it hath been always done by all the Regular and well setled national Churches in the World I have now done with this eminent Century and proved That as Christianity was first setled and established by Law in this Age so were Liturgies also So that we shall conclude this Period with our Adversaries Character of this Time Many there were saith he excellently accomplished in the Fourth Age and some till about the middle of the Fifth it may therefore seem something for the Credit of Liturgies if they can be found in the Church while there was any thing of such Eminency in it (b) Disc of Liturg. p. 55. Wherefore having made it appear that Liturgies were used even in the Three first Ages which he pretends so much to admire and being setled by Law and custom so firmly in this Age which abounded with more and more learned Fathers than all the Ages before it we may conclude That to Pray by a prescribed Liturgy is to pray according to the usage of the best Times of the Church and to pray agreeably to the Opinion and practice of the most Learned Pious and Eminent Fathers whose judgment if our Adversaries had any Reverence for they would certainly comply with so pure and Primitive a Liturgy as that which is prescribed by the Reformed Church of England the undoubtted Bulwark of the True Protestant Religion The End of the Fourth Century BOOKS newly Printed for and Published by Robert Clavell at the Peacock at the West-end of S. Pauls ROman Forgeries in the Councils during the first Four Centuries Together with an Appendix concerning the Forgeries and Errors in the Annals of Baronius By Thomas Comber D.D. Precentor of York Concio ad Synodum ab Episcopis Clero Provinciae Cantuariensis celebratam Habita in Aede Westmonasteriensi XII Kal. Decembr An. Dom. 1689. Per Guilielmum Beveregium Archidiaconum Colcestriensem Jussu Episcoporum A Sermon Preached to the Protestants of Ireland in and about the City of London at S. Mary le Bow in Cheapside Octob. 23. 1689. being the Day appointed by Act of Parliament in Ireland for an Anniversary Thanksgiving for the Deliverance of the Protestants of that Kingdom from the Bloody Massacre and Rebellion begun by the Irish Papists on the 23d of October 1641. By his Grace the Archbishop of Tuam A Sermon Preached before Their Majesties at Whitehall on the 5th Day of November 1689. being the Anniversary Day of Thanksgiving for the great Deliverance from the Gunpowder-Treason and also the Day of His Majesties happy Landing in England By the Bishop of S. Asaph Lord Almoner to their Majesties Seasonable Reflections on a late Pamphlet Entituled A History of Perfect Obedience since the Reformation wherein the true Notion of Passive Obedience is setled and secured from the malicious Interpretations of Ill designing Men. FINIS
Gregory the Great Leontius Bizantin An. D. 594. § 13. Toward the End of this Century Leontius of Bizantium writ his Books against Nestorius and Eutyches wherein he complains of Theodorus of Mopsevestia the Master of Nestorius That he not only corrupted the Scripture but presumed to do another Evil equal to that viz. That he foolishly invented a New Liturgy besides that which the Fathers delivered to the Churches neither reverencing that of the Apostles nor that which the Great S. Basil writ by the same Spirit in which Liturgy of his he filled the Mystery of the Eucharist with Blasphemies rather than Prayers And can we now saith Leontius reasonably expect any other Antichrist since this Man so desperately hates Christ and changes the things that are Christs (f) Leont Bizan adver Nestor Eutych lib. 3. §. 18. Bib. Patr. Auctar. Tom. 2. col 619. I briefly pointed at this before (g) Cent. V. §. 8. But I produce this place here at large because it shews That in the Greek Church the Liturgy of S. James which is here called that of the Apostles and the Liturgy of S. Basil were believed in this Age to gave been endited by Inspiration and to deserve a Reverence almost equal to Holy Scripture So that for a private Bishop to despise or disuse them on conceit of his own Fancies was adjudged to be Blasphemy and he who did so was in this Century thought to be an Enemy to Christ himself Now this extraordinary Veneration for these Liturgies could proceed from nothing but their having been long used in the Eastern Church and their assurance of their great Antiquity and Excellency And if private Ministers had then enjoyed such a liberty in varying the public Prayers according to their own Fancies and Conceptions This Author could not have been so ridiculous as to represent this as so heinous a Crime in a Bishop So that we may conclude this Century also wherein we find the Use of Liturgies every where continued and by all the Fathers and Councils of this Age they are spoken of with much Reverence and represented as delivered from the Apostles and Primitive Bishops and as the ancient way of Serving God being no where first introduced in this Period but only in Countries newly Converted And the great business of many Councils in this Time was to reduce those Nations which had variety in their Offices to a Regular Uniformity CHAP. III. Of LITVRGIES in the Seventh and other Later Centuries TO gather up all the Evidence for LITURGIES in this and the following Ages would be a needless Trouble to the Reader and my self both because what I have so clearly made out to begin much sooner can receive no great strength from the Writers of this declining Age and because my Adversary doth confess they began to be imposed above one whole Century before the beginning of this Yet since he will go on to lower Times to plead for the continuance of his imaginary Liberty I shall follow him and not only confute his Objections but collect also which he hath omitted some of the most remarkable Proofs for the continuance of Liturgies in these Ages § 1. He that considers the Authorities before produced to prove Isidorus Ep. Hispalens An. Dom. 603. That Isidore who succeeded his Brother Leander in the Archbishopric of Sevil did perfect the Mozarabic Liturgy will not question but there was a setled Form of Prayer in Spain in his Time But if it be needful further to prove so plain a Matter we find in his Book of the Original of things one Chapter of Divine Offices wherein he explains the meaning of the several Liturgick Phrases such as The Evening Office The Morning Office The Mass A Choir Antiphons Responsals Canticles Psalms Hymns Allelujah Amen Hosanna the Offertory c. (h) Isidor orig lib. 6. cap. 19. pag. 80. Now these as we have seen are all parts of ancient Liturgy and he supposing the things to be known to all here gives the reason of the Names Moreover he hath also extant another Tract concerning The Offices wherein he shews what was the Original of every one of the Ecclesiastical Offices wherein he shews who were the Inventers of Canticles to be sung with Voices and Psalms to be sung to Musical Instruments as also who were the Authors of the Hymns used in the Church both Divine among which he reckons the Benedicite and Human the latter Composed by S. Hilary and S. Ambrose whose Hymns were used in all the Western Church He goes on to inform us That the Greeks first Composed Antiphons and that the Responsals were made in Italy in old Time As for Prayers he saith Christ was desired by his Disciples to compose them a Prayer which he did and thence the Church learned to use Prayers like to that which Christ made The Greeks being the first that composed such Forms of Supplication And a little after he treats of the Alleluja which by ancient Tradition was sung always in Spain except on Fasting-days and in Lent He explains also the Offertory which use to be made with Singing in his Time Then he reckons up Seven Prayers in the Mass that is saith he The Order of those Prayers by which the Sacrifice is Consecrated which being instituted by S. Peter is celebrated in one and the same Manner throughout the whole World The first is an Exhortation to the People to entreat the Lord that is a Litany The second is a Prayer That God would receive the Prayers and Alms of the Faithful The third respects the Offerers and Faithful deceased The fourth relates to the Kiss of Charity The fifth is for Sanctifying the Oblation and setting out Gods Praise exciting Heaven and Earth to joyn in it in which Hosannah is sung The sixth is the Prayer for the Holy Spirit to descend on the Sacrament The last is the Lords Prayer After which follows the Nicene Creed and the Benediction of the People (i) Isidor de Offic. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 4.5 6 7 8 9.13 14 15 16 17. pag. 581 582 c. All which several Prayers and Forms are yet to be seen in the Mozarabic Office to which Isidore here refers and so exactly follows the Order of it even where it differs from other Forms and Liturgies as particularly in giving the Benediction before the Distribution (k) Vid. Offic. Mozarab in Bib. Patr. Tom. xv edit Colon. cap. 27. pag. 779. Item vid. Concil Tolet. 4. Can. 17. Bin. Tom. 2. par 2. pag. 350. that no Man can doubt but that Office was Extant then with all the Parts now contained in it except those which mention the Virgin Mary added since of which there is no mention in him I must transcribe this whole Book of Isidore's if I should produce all the other particulars about the Hours of Prayer the Vespers Completorium Vigils Matius c. In all which and all the rest of those Books such plain and
old Form which all Agree to be certainly right but it is disputable and uncertain whether any other Form be so or no And surely certain things are much to be preferred before uncertain (n) idem ibid. pag 379. Thus this learned Man represents the Matter and if my Adversary who transcribed his Instances had imitated his Ingenuity He could not have framed any Argument from hence for his Liberty of varying Prayers because he reckons his Liberty a Priviledge a Duty and an advantage to the Worship But this variation in Baptism was an irregular Fact generally disliked and censured so as to make the very Office Null or at least very liable to be counted so it was an Illegal thing seldom done never commanded nor directed to be done only when it was done it was condemned by many and excused by very few And suppose now varying the Prayers be such a Fact as this is it Advisable or Eligible No the Comparison shews the taking such Liberty would be an ill thing for which scarce any would undertake to make an Apology And so I have done with his Comparison between Forms of Prayer and the Form of Baptizing § 10. His next Excursion is about the Creeds and being deckt in the Plumes he hath borrowed from Grotius Vossius and Bishop Vsher he fills Four Pages with Pompous Margens to dress up this Argument viz. That in the Primitive Times there was an Agreement in sense not in Words as to the Creed it self and he thinks that they who left themselves and others at so much Liberty in Forms of Creeds would not limit themselves nor others by Forms of Prayer If the Apostles Creed be objected he looks on Ruffinus his Relation to be a Fable and saith that no Writer for 300 years took notice of it And since the Ancients would not be confined to this Creed it argues they would never be confined to Forms of Prayer composed by others and he notes that the Author of the Apostolical Constitutions hath set down a Form of Creed different from that of the Apostles (o) Disc of Lit. pag. 99 100 101 102 103. This is the sum of his Reasoning Which when it is strictly examined will all appear to be either mistaken or fallacious He first directs us to Grotius upon Math. xxviii 19. where that Author brings in Justin Martyr Irenaeus Clemens Tertullian Novatian c. using various Expressions when they give an account of its several Articles But Grotius his Inferences which he cites in his Margen pag. 100. are two First That when they say the Rule of Faith was immutable they do not respect one certain Form of words received in all places but they respect the Force and meaning of the Interrogations And Secondly That Cyprians words seem to him to shew that the Creed or Rule of Faith in his time was not yet tied to those words in which it was afterwards found written and yet it cannot be doubted but the Sense of it was always the same (p) Grot. Com. in Math. XXVIII 19. p. 288 289. Now though Grotius here be not so just perhaps as he ought to be to the Antiquity of Creeds and being a Modern Author his Affirmation in this weighs no more than his Instances prove Yet I will wave that Dispute and for the present admit what he saith were true and then make Parallel between Creeds and Liturgies And in his First Inference he only saith That when the Ancients use various ways of expressing their Faith they do not refer to one certain Form of Words received in all places but only to the force and meaning of the Interrogations Which shews Grotius did not think as my Adversary grosly doth That every one of the Ancients in the places cited pretended to repeat the very Form of the Creed but only to shew the main Doctrins of it which in these occasional Discourses is all that we can expect And therefore the variety of expressions doth not prove there was not one Form of Creed but that these Fathers in these places do not refer to that Form Yet Secondly These Fathers all lived within 250 years after Christ and if we grant to Grotius that then there was not one Form of Creed every where received we may allow the Parallel with Liturgies and suppose that in Cyprian and Novatian's Time and so upwards to Tertullian Irenaeus and Justin Martyr there was not one Form of Liturgy every where received yet for all this Liturgies might be used and received before the year 300 that is before the quiet settlement of the Christian Church 1400 years ago and above 200 years before my Adversary allows them to have come in And this also is all that can be inferred from his words in the second Passage viz. That in S. Cyprians time the Creed was not tied to that Form of words wherein it is found written down afterwards Though he speak this modestly and only say it sâ—ems so to him Yet let it be supposed true and certain and then make the Parallel and no more will follow from thence but this That the Liturgies of the Church were not written down in so many words in the year 250 as we find them written in afterwards Now this being in the Ages of Persecution and while the Miraculous Gifts lasted it will not prove that because the Church then had no such Form of written Liturgy therefore now when the Church is setled and Inspiration ceased we neither need nor ought to have such a Form In the next Page in the Margen he grants the Creeds had more stated Forms in the Fourth Century though even then the Creeds of several Cities in the same Country were not Vniform and he instances in Rome Aquileia and Ravenna in Italy referring us to Vossius and Bishop Vsher (q) Disc of Lit. Marg. p. 101. And a little after he saith it was not put into set Form till the Fourth Age or neer it but the Forms varied in several places in the same Country Now because the Antiquity of Creeds is not our business here we will also for the present suppose this to be true And then if I may Argue from the History of Creeds to that of Liturgies as he evidently doth the Consequence will be That Liturgies were put into set Forms somwhat before the beginning of the Fourth Age though those great Churches which were at that time independent of one another though in the same Country as Aquileia and Ravenna in Italy which then were not subject to Rome had some difference in the Words and Phrases as also in the Order and Method of their Liturgies But as the Roman Creed was imposed upon all those Churches which were under the Popes Jurisdiction properly so called and the Aquileian Creed and that of Ravenna were respectively imposed upon all the Churches subject to these two great Metropolitans So it must follow if Liturgies and Creeds kept pace as he supposes that the Roman
Salmâ—s defens reg cap. 8. To him I will add another Man of incomparable Learning who had no Obligations to this Church of England but rather the contrary which is the Famous Hugo Grotius who saith I am sure the English Liturgy the Rite of Laying Hands on Children in memory of their Baptism the Authority of Bishops of Synods consisting of none but the Clergy and many such like things do sufficiently agree to the Orders of the Ancient Church from which we cannot deny but that we have departed both in France and Holland (*) Grot. ad Boetslaer ep 62. pag. 21. And whoever considers these most Eminent Writers great Judgment in Antiquity may very well allow them to be sufficient Witnesses in this Question But none of the Forein Divines are more full or more clear in determining this Matter than the deservedly famous Lud. Capellus who lived to hear of this very Independent Sect who rejected our English Liturgy and all prescribed Forms and writ a most claborate Thesis on purpose to answer and expose their frivolous Objections a Thesis deserving to be read by all English Divines and to be wholly translated into English for the Common Good out of which at present I will only recite a few Passages viz. That as soon as Miraculous Gifts ceased and Hereticks began to infest the Church there was a necessity for Liturgies which wise and pious Bishops composed for the use of all the Presbyters in their Diocesses (a) Theses Salmurienses Praesid Lud. Capello par 3. De Liturg. Formulis conceptis Thes 3. pag. 657. This was done chiefly in the Great Churches as that of Rome Alexandria Constantinople c. and followed by Lesser Churches (b) Ibid. Thes 4 These Forms were short and plain at first consisting of some few Prayers and Lessons cut of the Psalms and other Scripture with the Blessing Consecration and distribution of the Communion c. And such was the Roman Office in the first Four Ages till Damasus's time but augmented and corrupted by the following Popes (c) Ibid. Thes 5. And then he hath these Words which I will transcribe at large But about 140 years ago when there was a Departure from the Roman Church and the People came out of Babylon and withdrew themselves from the Pope's Tyranny The Authors of the Reformation then purged the Holy Liturgy from all the Superstition and Popish Idolatry and took away all that was burthensom and that did not tend to Edification And thus at that time there were divers prescribed Forms of Liturgies simple and pure Composed by the several Authors of the Reformation in Germany France England Scotland Holland c. which differed as little as could be from the ancient Forms of the Primitive Church which Liturgies the Protestants have used hitherto happily and with good success in their several Nations and Districts Vntil very lately there arose in England a sort of morose scrupulous and too nice that I say not down-right superstitious Men who for many trifling Reasons of no moment not only dislike the Liturgy hitherto used in that Church but would have both it and the whole Order of Bishops to be utterly abrogated and abolished in place whereof they would substitute that which they call their Directory To which some wild and frantick Men add this Opinion That it is unlawful to use any prescribed Form either in public or private Prayers and that no good Man can with a safe Conscience be present at these Prayers (d) Id ibid. Thes 6 7. pag. 658. After this he acurately states the Controversie by distinguishing about the several Parts of the Public Service and proves Forms may lawfully be used in any part of it but as to Prayers he reckons it is most requisite they be made by Forms (e) Thes 9. ad Thes 23. pag. 659 c. And then he brings in all their Objections against Forms and all their little Reasons for their Arbitrary way and very learnedly and solidly confutes them all I shall only mention the Heads and refer the Reader to the Discourse it self for his full satisfaction viz. 1. He shews this is not an imitation of the Papists 2. Not a burden to Mens Consciences 3. Not worse because it was not the way in the Apostles Times 4. A Directory is not sufficient security against Heresie 5 He shews That though Forms are most necessary for the Unlearned yet the Learned ought not to be left free in the Public Prayers 6. He proves this is not that Will-worship which is forbidden in Scripture 7. He confutes those who say These are not our own Prayers 8. And those who pretend they are against Christian Liberty 9. Or that they spoil Ministers Gifts 10. Or do not profit the Auditory And lastly He answers that Objection That the use of Forms hinders our lifting up our Eyes in Prayer (f) Id. ibid. Thes â—4 c. ad pag. 669. And after he hath called all these light and frivolous little Reasons and petty Objections He concludes the whole Question with five Positions First That Forms are not absolutely necessary for all Persons in all Times and Places Secondly That they would not be generally necessary but only because all things are to be done decently and in order Thirdly That where there are Unlearned Pastors there Forms are absolutely necessary Fourthly Even where there are Learned Pastors a public Form is very useful and necessary for the common Edification of the Church Fifthly The use of these Forms cannot justly be condemned or disliked since always and every where it is most convenient and hath obtained in the whole Christian Church throughout all the World perpetually for above 1300 years and it is now every where used but only amongst these Vpstart Independents (g) Id. ibid. Thes 49. p. 669 So that truly the Moroseness or Scrupulousness and Superstition or rather the petulant and obstinate boldness of these Men is senseless and prodigious superstitiously to condemn and foolishly to compare to an Idol forbid in the Second Commandment to be avoided by all a Thing which is in it self most innocent whose use is most profitable and its observation most convenient which hath so long been practised in the Vniversal Church and never was yet rejected by any Church and which all the Churches of God every where now use to their great benefit but they reject it out of meer Whimsey or out of a Vile design to bring in an unbridled Licentiousness and intolerable Disorder into the Church But amongst them such are most to be detested who either will not use the Lords Prayer or none but that Form and that without joyning it to any other Prayers public or private and hold it a Sin for any good Man to be in a Church or a Family where they use prescribed Forms and account this to be a just cause of Separating from such Worship lest they should be defiled with their Sin who use such Forms