For he watcheth for your souls as he that must give account Epist. ad Trallian And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary that you do nothing that you attempt nothing without the Bishop And a while after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reverence your Bishop even as Christ according to the precept of the blessed Apostles For he that is within the Altar within the communion of the Church is an intire pure Christian and for this cause obey your Bishop and the Priests But he that is not within this communion he that acts of his own head without the Bishop not in conformity with him and the Priests and Deacons is polluted in his Conscience and is worse then an Infidel * 1 Tim. 5.8 thus Ignatius The Hierarchy therefore of the Church is by all means to be kept up and all due veneration and obedience is to be paid to it But this belongs chiefly to the Higher Powers and yet something you may all do towards it It is Recorded that when Chrysostome was to be banished from Constantinople the people were so affected with him that they all went to the Emperour and Petitioned for Chrysostome professing they could no more miss Chrysostome then they could miss the Sun out of the Firmament and yet which I desire you to observe and carry home with you Chrysostome was not the peoples mercenary Curate or flattering Heb. 13.17 Lecturer but the Bishop of the Diocess and his See was Constantinople And I suppose this might be one reason why Mr. Calamy as he saith was so loth fully to tell that story But 2. There is a second Admonition directed to all that are concern'd herein to take care that this Hierarchy be really such as the name importeth A Holy Order or Governance Holy in their persons and conversation and holy in their ministration and address Lev. 10.3 God will be sanctified of all those that draw nigh unto him Be ye holy ye that bear the vessels of the Lord upon the bells of the horses Zach. 14.10 saith the Prophet shall be holiness to the Lord. But there must be holiness not upon Aarons Bells only in the purity of his Doctrine but the inscription upon his forehead must be so too Holiness to the Lord Psal 132.9 let the Priests be clothed with righteousness he must be white and pure in his conversation as well as in his vesture And 2. Because Sancta sanctè holy things must be performed after a holy manner therefore a special sanctification is requisite unto the address if a beast should rush in to the holy Mount Heb. 12.10 he should be transfixed with some dart or other for it hereupon the Psalmist I will wash my hands in innocency Psal 26.6 and so will I compass thy Altar O Lord. And now for Directions to the people All the mysteries of the Ark are comprehended and unfolded in the Festivals of the Church and such as do constantly frequent them can be ignorant of nothing that is necessary to their Salvation But your address must be duly qualified that it may find a gracious acceptation You must approach with Humility with Alacrity with Unanimity with Uniformity These four will make your approach welcome to the Ark or Ordinances of God 1. It must be with Humility and Reverence There are some that bear no more reverence to the Ark of Gods worship then if it were but an Ark of Bull-rushes But holinesse becometh thy house for ever saith the Prophet Ye shall observe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Lev. 19.31 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal 89.7 Psal 89.7 and Psal 68. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places Psal 68. ult c. therefore serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with trembling Psal 2. We will go into his Tabernacles we will worship at his footstool Psal 132.7 and Psal 99.5 Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool Psal 132.7 And as that expression had reference to the Ark then * See Josh 7.6 so hath it to the holy Sacrament now as we are taught by St Ambrose a De Spir. Sancto l. 3. c. 12. and St Austin Per scabellum terra intelligitur per terram autem caro Christi quam hodie quoque in mysteriis adoramus By footstool we are to understand the earth and by the earth the flesh of Christ which at this very day we adore in the sacred mysteries And St Austin b In Psal 98. to the same purpose Quaero quid sit scabellum pedumejus dicit mihi Scriptura terra scabellum pedum meorum not to do it at his name nay at the holy Mysteries c. Bishop Andr. Serm. 9. of the Resur Fluctuans converto me ad Christum quiaipsum quaero hic invenio quomodo sine impietate a loretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum ejus Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulavit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedis NEMO AUTEM ILLAM CARNEM MANDUC AT NISI PRIUS ADORAVERIT inventum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solum NON PECCEMUS ADORANDO sed PECCEMUS NON ADORANDO I demand what is his footstool and God in the holy Scripture tells me the earth is my footstool But being in some fluctuation and doubtfulness I turn me unto Christ for him I am to seek here and in him I find how the earth may be adored without any impiety how without any impiety I may adore his footstool For he took earth from the earth for flesh is of the earth and of the flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary he took flesh And because in that flesh he conversed here amongst us and gave that flesh to us to eat for our salvation AND NO MAN EATETH THAT FLESH UNLESSE HE HATH FIRST ADORED We have here found how such a footstool of the Lord may be adored and we should not only NOT SIN IN A DORING but WE SHOULD SIN certainly IN NOT ADORING Thus St Augustine And above all others the Apostle expecteth that this service should be worthily perfomed 1 Cor. 11. otherwise sad effects did many times follow for whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Ver. 27. He eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Ver. 29. and for this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep that is they are struck dead Ver. 30. It is considerable in the Bethshemites they took notice that the Ark of God had been in Captivity
these alone were enough to make it so Origen weighing that verse of the Psalmist See Magal in Josh c. 6. § 1. Aunnot 3. Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound Psal 89.15 He quaeres what it is that renders a people blessed He saith not blessed are the people that do righteousness or blessed are the people that understand mysteries or are able to give an account of the heaven of the earth and of the stars but he saith blessed are the people that know the sound the jubilation In other places the fear of the Lord maketh blessed but it maketh but one man blessed for so it is said Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Else where we find also that more are blessed as blessed are the poor in spirit blessed are the meek blessed are the peace-makers blessed are the pure in heart But here in the Psalmist the blessedness is profuse and I know not what so great cause of blessedness is intimated that it should make the whole people blessed that hears the Jubilation Unde mihi jubilatio videtur indicare quendam concordiae unanimitatis affectum whereupon it seems to me that this Jubilation doth import an affection of concord and unanimity which if it clasps the hearts and hands of two or three Disciples together in Prayer it makes them so prevalent offering up their devotions in the name of Christ that the heavenly Father grants all they pray for And if it be so great a blessedness that a whole people are unanimous that they all speak the same thing being joyn'd together in the same mind and in the same judgment the united devotions of such a people may be as prevalent as theirs were in the Acts of the Apostles They were of one heart and of one soul Acts 2.1 Chap. 4.31 32. they were with one accord in one place and there was a great earth-quake where they prayed in unanimity and the place being shaken the holy Ghost descended The joynt devotions of an unanimous faithful people might be thus effectual terrae-motu facto destruentur cadent omnia quae terrena sunt ac mundus ipse subvertetur saith Origen such an Earth-quake might ensue as should remove those Mountains of earth that oppose in our way to heaven and level the world under our feet and bring down the Comforter to inlighten and assist us Let us therefore approach the Ark of God with unanimity and this will make us inclinable to the last part of our duty in our demeanor towards the Ark. 4. To approach it with uniformity for our unanimity is to terminate and center there in uniformity Hence the Apostle is so pathetical 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions or Schisms among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And why so why that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 That promise of God I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 that they may fear me for ever hath reference certainly to the Christian Church But this is such a promise as implies our co-operation for the accomplishment of it I demand then whether God â—ath perform'd his Engagement to the Christian Church whether he hath done his part in giving his people one way if not then we are to expect some new Revelations for the discovery of that way for how shall it be set open to us otherwise But this is not only contradicted by the Apostle but sentenced too with the dreadful commination of an Anathema for thus he saith though we or an Angel from heaven Gal. 1.8 9. preach any other Gospel unto you thâ—n that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And for the greater verification of this truth he doubles his asseveration as we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you thâ—n that ye have received let him be accursed I am the way saith our Saviour and the truth too and that can be but one we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle and no man can no man dare deny that to be the one way that God hath promised and this is set open to the world Acts 16.17 by the Ministry of the Apostles and Evangelists These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation And if you ask me why some men refuse to walk in this way I must refer you to some of their stubborn fellow travellers for answer Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls but they said we will not walk therein Jer. 6.16 And why not why here lies the quarrel God hath appointed certain Guides to direct us and point out the way to us and we are offended at this we make our Guides our stumbling-blocks God hath also given a general Order to these Guides to set up some shades for our better accommodation and to hang up some lights for our more safe and regular walking in this way leaving it to their care and prudence what these shades shall be made of and where these lights shall be set up and here having an over-weening conceit of our own worth and wanting that due reverence for our Guides and Governours which we ought to have we fall out in and about the way too pride and prejudice Envy and Animosity strike in and make us NON-CONFORMISTS The Apostle foresaw this or rather had a present intuition of it in some Churches of his own planting and therefore when he injoyns this accord and uniformity for securing this duty he prescribes also these Caveats Let nothing be done through strif Phil. 2.2 3. or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better thâ—n themselves And the same charge he gives to the Ephesians Ephes 4.1 2 3. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love and by keeping this temper especially towards our Guides endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Uniformity is this bond of the Churches peace and 't is that that makes her terrible as an Army with Banners which attribute no society of men can boast of Cant. 6.10 but where they all keep the same posture and observe the same motions and obey the same word of command under their respective Officers In obedience therefore to the Apostles command as well as for the honour and advantage of Gods Church Let us as many as be
perfect be thus minded Phil. 3.15 that is as it follows in the next verse Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing And I must add to take away an objection that may arise from the words intervening it may be very justly expected that we should be so perfect as is there required for though some novices in the Faith who were then but newly crept out of the darkness of Heathenism or the shades of the Jewish observances though these I say might then expect some further Revelation to inlighten them more clearly in that which by reason of their ignorance or prejudice they were not for the present satisfied in yet we are to expeâ—â— no such matter we have already attain'd to the utmost we can expect of immediate Revelation a Gal. 2.8 9. Jud. ep 3. and it is our duty Divine Revelation and Command hath made it so in all doubtful matters to res ign our judgments up to the conduct of such Guides †Heb. 13 7 17. as God hath set over us and for the truth of this Position I appeal to the declared doctrine of Mr. Baxter for thus he saith * In his Unsavoury Volumn against Mr. Crandon or his Noâ—egay presented to Mr. Joseph Caryll page 83. ante finem Let me be bold to tell my opinion to my Brethren of the Ministry that though I deny them to have either credit or Authority against the known Word of God yet so great is their credit and Authority even as Teachers and Guides of the Church in Causes agreeable to the Word and in Causes to the people doubtful and unknown and in Causes left by the Word to their determination the Word determining them but generally that I think the ignorance of this truth hath been the main cause of our sad Confusions and Schisms in England and that the Ministers have been guilty of it partly by an â—ver-modest concealing their Authority and partly by an indiscreet opposition to the Papists errour of the Authority of the Church and I think that till we have better taught even our godly people what credit and obedience is due to their Teachers and Spiritual Guides the Churches of England shall never have peace or any good or establish'd Order I say again we are broken for want of the knowledg of this truth and till this be known we shall never be well bound â—p and healed Thus far Mr. Baxter And as many as walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace be on theâ— and mercy and upon the Israel of God Amen Mr Crofton's Position Examined AND An Imposed Liturgy Justified THat 't is pride and an over-weaning Conceit of their own worth which makes men Non-Conformists I shall now give you a pregnant evidence out of the Pamphlet mention'd in the Title-page In a Postscript to that Pamphlet the Authour tells us of a Paper taken out of Mr. Crofton's pocket containing his high way thoughts which he committed to paper to communicate to a Non-Conformist Having procured a Copy thereof as he pretends with some difficulty he sends it to a friend with his leave to make it publick and thereby as he saith to capacitate our Conforming Clergy to resolve if they can one of the great scruples which he saith barreth Mr Crofton's Conformity and Ministration by a Liturgy The Position he lays down is this That A Minister of the Gospel cannot without sin receive a Liturgy generally and exclusively imposed But whaâ— is it the man contends for That an Order and regular Method of praying page 1. reading the Scriptures and administration of other parts of Worship in convenient time and order successively each after other in their proper place this he confesseth to have been used in all Churches of Jews and Christians and This he saith is dictated by all Rules of Order and Prudence necessary to humane Society so specified as to constitute an holy Convocation A Rubrick or Direction he acknowledgeth too as the genuine product of Ecclesiastical Politie and the Forma informans of that Uniformity in publick Order which is maintain'd without Unity of Words and Forms Terms and Expressions as the ornament and honour of any particular and circumscribed Church Such a Liturgy as this he allows of that is The Directory But stated Forms for the celebration of Solemn Publick Worship and the several parts thereof composed page 2. digested and for the very words terms and expressions thereof determined and prescribed by some others thâ—n the Parson or Minister who standeth to minister Gods Ordinances between God and his Church such an imposed Liturgy he cannot submit unto So that here we have a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6.4 2 Tim. 2.14 a strife about words terms and expressions say the Apostle what he will to the contrary And of what extraction is this quarrel then From whence come wars and strivings amongst you come they not from hence even from the lusts that war in your members The Apostle takes it for granted and the Wise man is positive in it Onely by pride cometh contention And it is so certain in this individuation of it That our Pick-pocket or pretended Mr. Crofton page 3. hath not artifice enough to dissemble it For he saith It cannot be denied to be a most base and slavish servility to prostitute the Office to which we are apted but not without humility and ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ unto the pleasure and prescriptions of men though the best for quality and authority But not so passionate good Mr. Crofton you may please to be so humble as to condescend to such an imposition for peace and order sake and that I prove by this Argument What I may lawfully be determin'd to by my own private judgment that I may lawfully be determin'd to by the judgment of my Superiours But to stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by my own private judgment Therefore To stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by the judgment of my Superiours In this Argument the Minor or Assumption cannot be denyed 't is that Mr. Crofton contends for for I hope he doth not exclude his judgment when he pleads for the liberty of his own Invention to Compose and Modifie his Forms of publick worship The Major is proved thus That which I may lawfully be determined to by a weaker judgment to that I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger But to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a weaker judgment viz. my own therefore to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger viz. that of my Superiours To deny the Major in this Argument were to