Law which they begin to reade over again the next Sabbath pointed at Nehem. viii 9. ix 1. as Scaliger De Emend Temp. vii Not. in Comp. Jud. hath excellently observed It is first to be known that the Festivals of the Law were appointed to be solemnized with mirth and gladnesse of heart wherefore they are called Num. x. 10. The dayes of your gladnesse And in the Psalme for the Sabbath xcii 4. the Psalmist in this respect For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works saith he I will triumph in the works of thy hands expressing the subject of that gladnesse the remembrance of the Creation upon that day celebrated Though the observance of rest upon the Sabbath was strict yet when our Saviour went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath Luke xiv 1. this invitation and entertainment is argument enough that it was Festivall for the manner of observance Hereupon it is that the people falling to weep upon hearing the Law read the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles Nehem. viii 9. are forbidden to violate the Law of the Feast and commanded to observe the day in the right nature of it Whereas the people then being forbidden to mourn on the Festivall are said ix 1. to have fasted on the xxiiii of that moneth we have cause to presume with him that the Fast whereof they acknowledged the cause upon the first day of that Feast was deferred till the usuall Solemnities of it were past which by the Law ending upon the xxii and the Fast not kept till the xxiiii it is plain that the reason was the Festivall of the Law falling then and observed upon the xxiii as now not by the Law but by the Constitution of their Elders The third is the Feast of the wood-offering of which Nehem. x. 34. And we cast lots among the Priests the Levites and the People for the wood-offering to bring it into the house of our God after the houses of our fathers at times appointed yeare by yeare to burn upon the Altar of the Lord our God as it is written in the Law And xiii 31. And for the wood-offering at times appointed The same Scaliger conceiveth out of Josephus that this Festivall fell upon the xxii of the moneth Ab to which sense he referreth the words of Orach Hajim AB est rex quòd in eo caederent ligna in Sacrificium AB is a King among Moneths because upon it they cut wood for the Sacrifice But the truth is that which the Misna relateth Mass Taanith C. iv n. 5. that it was held for nine dayes of severall moneths whereof a great part fell in that moneth For this is that which the Scripture saith At times appointed yeare by yeare The last is the Dedication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus which our Lord observed John x. 22. neither is it within the compasse of common sense to imagine that he did otherwise in the rest of the Solemnities which were then for certain in the Jews Calendar As for their times of Fasting the day of Atonement stood by the Law of Moses and the rest appointed for it as strict as that of the Sabbath but the nature of the observance quite otherwise with humiliation and afflicting the Soul There were divers other Fasts which that people took upon them to observe not upon the Law but upon publick Order and Custome upon set dayes of severall moneths as in their Calender is yet to be seen whereof some are remembred in the Scriptures Zach. vii 5. and viii 19. we reade of the Fasts of the fourth and fifth and seventh and tenth moneths in remembrance of those calamities which God had punished the sinnes of that people with upon those dayes most of them still remembred in their writings Besides that which is read in the Law of Moses Num. x. 9. And if you go to warre in your land with your enemies that distresse you then you shall blow an alarm with the Trumpets hath been from old time understood in the practice of that people of all distresses that came upon them for their sinnes and of Proclaiming Fasts for strict repentance and diverting Gods wrath Maimoni Taanioth C. i. num 1. The Order of which Fasts was grounded upon that which the words of the Pharisee point at Luke xviii 12. I fast twice in the week For without doubt the second and fifth day of the week Mundayes and Thursdayes were observed many ages afore that for the purposes which the same Rabbi specifieth Tephillah Ubircath Cohenim C. xii n. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Lord Moses appointed Israel to reade the Law at morning Prayer upon the Sabbath and the second and the fifth that they might not rest three dayes from hearing the Law and Esra appointed to reade it at evening Prayer upon the Sabbath because of idle persons And he ordered that three men should reade upon the second and fifth and not lesse then ten verses And in Megillah C. i. num 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that dwell in villages that Assemble not in the Synagogues but upon the second and the fifth These are his words by which it appeareth that these dayes were more solemn for Assemblies then the rest of the week seeing that in villages they Assembled upon them in the Synagogues which upon every day they did not The words of the Pharisee bear further that they were observed with fasting and besides Epiphanius their own writers have delivered no lesse But the observance without doubt was not so strict upon them else could not the Pharisee have alledged it for his own praise And the Order of proclaimed Fasts whereof I began to speak argueth no lesse It was at the least for three dayes beginning at the Munday and so on the Thursday and Munday next Maimoni Taanioth C. i. n. 5. But if seven dayes of fasting were appointed then they went on interchangeably from the first Munday C. iii. n. 5. So the Congregation fasted not on Sabbaths or Festivals neither did they begin fasting on New-moons or the Dedication or Purim or the working day of a Feast that is the dayes that come between the first and last of the Passeover and Tabernacles but if they had begun afore they went on upon these dayes C. i. n. 6 7. If these dayes then had been fasted ordinarily with such strict observance then could not the extraordinary Fasts which were purposely cast upon the same dayes have been perceived The institution and observation of these Solemnities in the Synagogue as it regarded no Ceremoniall Service which figured things to come but the Service of God by publick Prayers and the Praises of God with hearing his Word upon the remembrance of his blessings or of our misdeeds was a due President for the Church to follow according to the chief occasions ministred by the Principles of our Faith The Resurrection of our Lord in the first place Who can
thing that may sound strange to them that find the charge of Teaching the Law laid upon the Priests and Levites from the beginning in divers passages of it But if we view those passages at a near distance it will appear that they speak not of TEACHING the Law at any Religious Assemblies for such purpose but of deciding cases emergent or giving Judgement in causes arising upon it Deut. xxiiii 8. Take heed in the Plague of Leprosie that thou observe diligently and do according to all that the Priests the Levites shall TEACH you as I commanded them so shall ye observe to do In Leviticus there is much provided concerning the Priests proceeding in judging Leprosies but that the people should stand to their judgement provision is not made Here is declared that in those cases they did not resort to the Priests as to Physicians to follow their sentence so farre as their own respect should advise but that their sentence called here TEACHING had the force of binding them to stand to it 2. Chron. xviii 18. Josaphat in the third year of his reigne sent his Princes to TEACH in the Cities of Judah and with them he sent Levites and Priests R. Solomon Jarchi there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it lay upon the Priests and Levites to teach and instruct as it is written Deut. xxiii 8. ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES SHALL TEACH And the Princes went with them that none might disobey them and to constrain them to heare them and observe to do according to the command of the Judges like that Deut. xvi 18. JUDGES AND OFFICERS â—HALT THOU MAKE THEE Judges to judge he people and Officers to constrain them to do he command of the Judges This TEACHING â—hen consisted in declaring the obligation of â—he Law by the Judges of it the Priests and Levites and the Princes were officers with power to inforce the execution of it Mal. ii â— The Priests lips should preserve knowledge â—nd the Law they should require at his mouth For he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts In â—he Chaldee of Jonathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ecause he ministreth before the Lord of Hosts From which Translation some of the Jews expound this reason thus You shall have recourse to the Priests to determine matters doubtfull in the Law for standing to minister before the Lord in the Temple he is alwayes ready for such purposes R. Isaac Aâ—arbinel upon Deut. xvii 9. But however this prove if we consider what followeth there vers 9. You have been partiall in the Law we shall find the glosse of David Kimchi to be most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You accept the persons of great men in matter of the Law which saith Levit. xxii 22. YE SHALL NOT OFFER THESE UNTO THE LORD And when they bring an offering with a stain you are afraid to reprove them and tell them this Offering is not allowable So that the intent of this Text also pointeth at the deciding of difficulties emergent about the Law of Moses Levit. x. 8. where the Priests are forbidden to drink wine during the time of their service there followeth a further reason vers 10. And that you may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean and that ye may TEACH the children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses To resolve where the Law took hold or not in particular cases of that nature is to divide between unholy and holy between clean and unclean Therefore we have cause to think that the Generall which followeth of TEACHING all Statutes is commanded to the same purpose in matters of other nature And that of Deut. xxxiii 10. They shall TEACH Jacob thy Statutes and Israel thy Law Abarbinel expoundeth to the same effect For he observeth that it goeth before thus Who saith unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither doth he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children as the reason of that which followeth They shall TEACH Jacob thy Statutes and Israel thy Law Because they take no notice of their dearest relations in Judgement therefore they shall TEACH Jacob thy Statutes and Israel thy Law by deciding the controversies of it And all this because the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is proper to signifie instruction by way of precept from whence the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the declaration of the obligation or not obligation of it is in the language of their Doctours called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is it materiall though some of these Scriptures be otherwise understood For my purpose is not to say that the people was not taught at all by the Priests and Levites at Religious Assemblies but not as such It is for divers reasons to be believed That the most part of Prophets and disciples of Prophets were Priests and Levites They were free from the care of Estates and Inheritances They were the men that came nearest to God by their Office in his Ceremoniall Service which an extraordinary degree of the knowledge and fear of God best suited with But it is as certain that the charge of Teaching the people belonged as well to the Prophets that were not Priests and Levites The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair saith our Lord in the Gospel which is very well expounded in the words of Philo alledged afore for he telleth us That it was the custome from the time of Moses for the Chief to teach and the people to learn to live as he taught Then the Chair of Moses is the Chair of Doctrine as well as of Judgement and Moses the Chief of Doctours as well as of Judges But it is well known what the Lord said unto Moses Numb xi 16 17. Gather unto me seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be Elders of the people and Officers over them and I will take of the Spirit that is upon thee and put it upon them These that were known to be Elders of Israel in their severall Tribes or their Officers in Egypt as we reade Exod. iiii 29. v. 19. are chosen to receive their share of Moses his spirit whereupon it followeth vers 29. And it came to passe that when the spirit rested upon them they prophesied and ceased not The Jews Doctours seem to apprehend the nature of the Gift which these men received not amisse Moses Maimoni in More Nebochim ii 45. Abarbinel upon the place They tell us that the meanest degree of Gods spirit was that whereby men found themselves moved and inabled to those works of wisdome and courage which otherwise they thought not themselves fit to undertake with assurance that all was from above This is the Grace say they which the Judges received when it is said THE SPIRIT OF GOD INVESTED GEDEON OR CAME UPON SAMPSON for example The second is when men are moved to speak of
evening Sacrifice Here their prayers to their god is called Prophesying as a part of the Prophets office which Elias doth afterwards And Samuel 1. Sam. xii 23. As for me God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Joyning together the parts of his Office Teaching and Praying Last The King of Israel 2. Kings vi 30. God do so and more also to me if the head of Elisha the sonne of Shaphat shall stand on him this day As he whose Office it was to remove the wrath of God by his prayers and did not If these consequences seem not to speak home to the ministring of the Service of God by prayer at their religious Assemblies compare that which hath been said with that which followeth concerning the Prophets of the New Testament and the things that have been said will no doubt appear unquestionable CHAP. III. The Profession of Scribes that succeeded the Prophets Wisemen of the Jews were the learned sort of Scribes Scribes of all the three Sects They taught in Synagogues Who were Lawyers Who sate in their Courts and of their Disciples The manner of their sitting in Schools and Synagogues How they sate in Feasting Of the Elders of Synagogues Who among them received Imposition of Hands THat the chief if not the onely knowledge to which men of learning were bred among the people of God from the beginning was that of the Law and afterwards of the other Scriptures the name of Scribes is evidence enough Whose profession Epiphanius thus describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These saith he were men that repeated the Law teaching a kind of Grammaticall knowledge in other things practicing the fashions of the Jews And Abarbinel in the words alledged afore hath expressed three particulars concerning the Law wherein the Jews were instructed upon the Sabbaths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first concerneth no more then the very words and the ordinary reading of them as it was delivered and as the people received it and by this continuall hearing the Law the people came to be so cunning in it as Josephus professeth in the place afore named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if a man ask any of us concerning the Laws he will tell every thing readier then his own name for learning them straight as soon as we come to knowledge we keep them imprinted in our minds The third thing which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerneth the Grammaticall niceties in reading the words of the Law the knowledge whereof Epiphanius saith the Scribes did professe This is the reason that it is recorded for the commendation of Esdras Esd i. 6. That he was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses As in the third book of Ezra cap. 8. for the same cause he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Reader in the Law of God who is called a Scribe of the Law of God elsewhere And that is the reason of the language which our Lord useth to the Scribe What is written in the Law how READEST thou Luke x. 26. For as it is true that the vowels which the letters must be sounded with are not distinguished in the Substance of that Language So it is most certain that the way of reading was not at the first delivered to that people in that method of generall Rules which since hath been invented but was taught and received by particular Tradition and continued by remembrance and practice Whereupon it is evident what difference of sounds may be fastned upon the same characters of letters if it be but from that most ancient Translation of the Bible in Greek commonly ascribed to seventy Elders of Israel The substance whereof still remaining whatsoever alterations may have been made is sufficient to shew how much difference there was between the reading which they followed and that which we now use And by consequence how much it concerned the true meaning of the Law to have learned the true reading of it which the Jews whose reading we follow pretend to have received from Esdras and the men of learning in his time whom they call the men of the Grand Synagogue But the endlesse niceties and curious observances wherewith the reading which we now deservedly use is delivered unto us is sufficient to demonstrate that which I was saying afore that from the beginning the certain manner of reading was delivered by particular observance and in time became reduced unto that generall method which now we use with such unspeakable speed and advantage Thus all that made profession of book-learning among that people are called Scribes though it seemeth some that injoyed the style went no further then writing and reading And such as these they were that taught little children afterwards among the Jews of whose Office we find Rules in Maimoni Talmud Torah cap. 11. And the Jewish Doctours imagine that Jacob prophesied that most of these should be of the Tribe of Simeon when he said Gen. xlix 7. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel And the Commentaries under S. Ambrose his name expound the Office of those Doctours of whom S. Paul speaketh 1. Cor. xii 28. in these words Illos dicit Doctores qui in Ecclesia literis lectionibus retinendis pueros imbuebant more Synagogae quia traditio illorum ad nes transitum fecit He speaketh of those Teachers in the Church which instructed children in reading and reteining their lessons after the fashion of the Synagogue for their Tradition hath passedover to us How well he hath deciphered the Office of Doctours in the Apostle we shall see afterwards but that which he saith of the fashion of teaching children to reade and say over lessons of the Scripture which the Church learned from the Synagogue is that businesse of lesse learned Scribes whereof we speak For there was a further degree of knowledge consisting in the exposition of the Law which is the third particular remaining expressed in Abarbinels words in the second place and those which came to this pitch as they were still Scribes which is the name common to all men of learning among that people so they were counted WISEMEN besides in regard of the knowledge of the Law they professed which was the wisdome of that people according to Deut. iiii 6. Thus you shall find Scribes and Wisemen joyned together in the New Testament Matth. xxiii 34. Behold I send unto you Prophets and Wisemen and Scribes And 1. Cor. i. 20. Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world And for this cause it is that the Disciples of the Prophets are translated Scribes in Jonathan as was said afore And the same are the WISEMEN which taught the Law of God in the Temple which we also reade of Ezra the Scribe vii 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do and to teach in
it hinder not their boldnesse to appear As Tertul Apolog. c. xxx saith They prayed bare-headed because not ashamed By which it remaineth undeniable how much the Apostle referreth to common reason to judge of the fitnesse of those things that are practised at our Religious Assemblies when he setteth aside his Apostolick Authority to consult with their common sense about matters to be ordered But when that is done having alledged how agreeable the custome for which he pleaded was both to the light of nature and to revealed truth because it is not possible that matters of this nature should be put past contradiction and dispute by constraining reasons issuing from the mere nature of things and yet the quiet of the Church on which the Edification of it dependeth requireth that they should be out of dispute you shall see where the last resort of his plea endeth when he saith vers 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God where he hath estated a generall Rule for the Church to follow that in matters of this indifference the custome of the Church is to be preferred before our own reasons The indifference whereof here we speak is not to be found in the action to be done or not to be done as if in things of this slight nature our obligation to God had no influence as if it were indifferent to a man to do or not to do to do this or the other but the indifference whereof we speak is to be understood in the latitude and kind of the thing prescribed to be done or not done which indifference is taken away by custome accruing For example when S. Augustine saith Ep. cxviii that to fast on Saturday or not to celebrate the Eucharist or to communicate every day or not were things of free observance his meaning was not that it was free for particular persons to do what they would without respect to the custome in which they lived that is quite against the purpose of his Epistle which is for the observation of present customes but that of their own nature and kind they were free to be determined by the practice of severall Churches which he that regardeth not in his particular is the cause of an offense It is no more then the Apostle teacheth when he saith If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God Where he acknowledgeth that in things of this nature even his own reasons for the custome in force must needs be subject to contradiction of contrary reasons much more other mens reasons for customes of like nature might be opposed with such as might move men to think the contrary custome better for which they plead and yet concluding that they ought to submit their reasons to the custome in force hath given us authority to conclude That men are bound in matter of that nature to balk their private judgement to proceed upon publick custome The reason being that which was argued afore because custome containeth Order and upon Order the edification of the Church dependeth Neither can private Innovations in the advantage which they yield beyond that which is received countervail the disadvantage of publick confusion and unquietnesse which they cause There are besides these which have been discoursed two considerations of singular moment to recommend and to inforce the Orders of Publick Service For as the Church universall is but one in regard of times as well as of places and countreys those Orders must needs appear most commendable which are derived from the universall practice of the Ancient Church especially next the Apostles And as the Church is at this time incorporate into the State of Kingdomes and Common-wealths it is the secular Arm that establisheth it with a power that is able to constrain but when that is done there must needs accrue a second obligation of obedience for conscience which the Apostle requireth to be yielded to secular Powers It is not my purpose to oblige the Church of this time to reduce into practice all things which a man may find to have been practised even in the time of the Apostles much lesse afterwards We have divers remarkable instances of matters allowed and appointed by the Apostles in Scripture which are come to disuse upon appearance that the reason is ceased whereupon they were prescribed Such is that whereof I spake even now for women to be veiled on their faces in the time of Publick Service which the Apostle inforceth with so many reasons and yet among us doth not take place neither in the rest of countreys where it was never the custome for women to go abroad with their faces covered in signe of the modestie and subjection which they professe Such is that Ancient Custome of Agapae or Feasts of Love the Originall whereof S. Chrysostome truly deriveth from the manner of living of those Primitive Christians that made all things common in the Acts of the Apostles There were those in other places that went not so farre yet intended to preserve some impression of their practice These upon set dayes of Assemblies furnished a common entertainment both for rich and poore so that Service being done after the Communion of the Mysteries they went all to feast together the rich providing and inviting the poore and all together making good chear This is his discourse in 1. ad Cor. Hom. xxvii neither was it any part of the Apostles mind to forbid this course but rather to allow it so farre as he regulateth and ordereth the course of it Which neverthelesse we see it is so lost as if there had never been remembrance of any such thing in Scripture because it appeareth to common reason that it cannot be practised to the same purpose now that all the world is Christian as it was when they were tied so strait together by the Profession that differenced them from the Gentiles And such is that Order of the Apostle concerning Gentiles converted to the Faith Acts xv 29. To abstain from meats offered to Idoles and from bloud and from things strangled The reason where of being nothing but this when it is examined to the bottome that the Jews converted to the Faith might find lesse offense in matters of daily practice which their Orders imposed upon them but the Gentiles made no scruple at and so might the better piece into one houshold of the Church it is no marvell if the observance of it came afterward to disuse when the reason had ceased And therefore it is remarkable even in S. Augustines time as we find cont Faust l. xxxii 15. that divers Christians then scrupled at the violation of this observance in eating of a Hare killed by breaking the neck or small Fowl without letting bloud which he that doth saith he is now laughed at for his pains of the rest because it could not appear to one so soon as the rest that the ground of this
which were converted and the conversion of those which were not Thus were Timotheus and Titus placed over the Churches of Asia and Crete just upon the time when he made account to see them no more Thus was Mark attendant on Peter at writing his first Epistle v. 13. who was afterward as all agree seated by him at Alexandria and did the office of an Evangelist there Clemens and Linus companions of the Apostles All Antiquity agreeth were placed by them over the Church at Rome though in what rank and condition it agreeth not The words of Theodoret are remarkable where he answereth the question Why S. Paul writ Epistles to Timotheus and Titus none to Silas or the rest of his fellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we say saith he that he had already pâ—â— Churches in the hands of these the rest he had with him What meaneth the Apostles instructions concerning the perpetuall government of those Churches if they had nothing to do but to plant Presbyteries there and away S. Paul sendeth for Timotheus to Rome 2. Tim. iiii 9. as for Titus to Nicopolis iii. 12. who was also with him at Rome and went thence to Dalmatia 2. Tim. iiii 10. But did he mean that his instructions should be void thenceforth or be practiced at Ephesus and in Crete afterwards We cannot discredit Antiquity that maketh them Bishops there without offering violence to the tenour of the Scriptures that inforceth it But how is Titus counted Bishop of a Church that is instructed to plant Presbyteries through the cities of Crete i. 3. all under his own government and oversight or how is Timotheus Bishop of one Church of Ephesus that is instructed to govern as well as to plant all the Presbyteries whereof the Apostle writeth for all those Presbyteries import Episcopall Churches No otherwise then the Apostle had his Chair in all the Churches of his planting according to Tertullian The Apostles could not settle all things in the intended form at the beginning So farre there is no fault in Epiphanius his words Not because they knew not what to do but for reasons best known to themselves because perhaps they might find it more to the purpose to put into the hands of their own Disciples those Churches on which depended the planting and government of many more then to set men untried over the Presbyteries of particular Churches Is S. Mark Bishop of Alexandria the lesse because he preached the Gospel through the Countrey under it because he planted the government of Churches perhaps under his own oversight for the time Or what inconvenience is it that S. James an Apostle should be deputed by consent of the Apostles to exercise that office in the parts of Palestine and Arabia alwayes with resort to his residence at the Mother Church of Jerusalem or that he should therefore be counted Bishop of it In due time even during the age of the Apostles severall Churches had their severall Bishops as appeareth by the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia which from the beginning were in the compasse of Timothies charge At first all Presbyters were Angels of Churches according to the Apostle 1. Cor. xi For this cause ought a woman to have power upon her head because of the Angels That seemeth the most naturall meaning of his words for Tertullian in divers places of his book De Velandis Virginibus intimateth one reason of vailing womens faces in the Church from the scandall of their countenances when Bishops came over them no marvel if they alone were called the Angels of those Churches For it is acknowledged that all Presbyters are called Bishops under the Apostles But when severall Heads were set over severall Churches then Heads of Presbyteries were onely Bishops thenceforth Those that would have us take those Angels of Churches for the Churches of those Angels rather then believe that Epistles concerning those Churches were fit to be addressed to their Bishops might have corrected their mistake out of the Scripture that saith Revel i. 20. The seven Starres are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches S. Ambrose or whosoever writ those Commentaries upon 1. Cor. xii 28. saith two things First the Apostles spoken of there are Bishops to wit in the then state of the Church Then having compared the Apostles with Prophets he concludeth Et quia ab uno Deo Patre sunt omnia idcirco singulos Episcopos singulis Ecclesiis praeesse decrevit And because all things are from one Father God therefore he decreed that severall Bishops should be over severall Churches In these two particulars he speaketh my whole meaning The Apostles were Bishops but not severall ones of severall Churches But as there is one God over all so he decreed saith he that afterwards severall Bishops should be over severall Churches In the mean time the rights reserved to great Churches over the lesse which now we see derived with so much learning from the times of the Apostles is the print which remaineth of that Government and oversight of them which at the first rested in those great Churches from which they were propagated by the Apostles or by their companions Walo Messalinus standeth stiff upon S. Hieromes opinion that there were no Bishops till they were appointed by the Church to extinguish the schismes of Presbyteries But Tertullians words inforce more That the Bishops of his time sate in those Chairs which the Apostles possessed for theirs And afore C. xxxii Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Joanne CONLOCATUM refert As the Church at Smyrna relateth that John PLACED Polycarpus or Installed him to wit in the Bishops Chair there He thinketh that all this importeth that Polycarpus took place of the rest of the Presbyters and no more But indifferent reason will require him to grant no more superiority of Bishops then the Chair of the Apostles importeth However S. Hierome reconcile his opinion with his own words concerning the Presbyters of Alexandria that from S. Marks time were wont to take one of their number and place him on a higher step and call him Bishop of Alexandria common sense will inforce the high rank in which he sate to import the superiority and eminence of his office even during the Apostles time The consideration of this Order or this Bench of the Church shall give me further occasion to resume and averre two particulars of good consequence in this businesse The first the Extent of the Office common to the Bishop and Presbyters as for preaching and celebrating the Sacraments so for the oversight and government of the Church in those Spirituall matters wherein as members of the Church men communicate expressed in all places of the Scripture wherein there is any remembrance of their Charge Survaying those passages of the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles in which the office of Presbyters is remembred we find it every where described as well by the oversight or
may please to consider S. Cyprians Order which alloweth their presence for their satisfaction not their voices to decide As they are present at Councels but not called to give sentence But since Kingdomes and Commonwealths are become Christian the Laws of those Kingdomes and Commonwealths as they inforce the Ministers of the Church to execute their office according to such Rules as they inforce so they constrain the people to yield outward effect to the same The good order and peace of the Church cannot be preserved otherwise All this while the Office of Ministers continueth the same No part of it accrueth to the Secular powers By becoming Christians they purchase themselves no more right then the Charge of maintaining the Ministers of the Church in doing their Office containeth Onely as all Christians have the judgement of particular discretion to discharge unto God even in matters of Religion the account of what themselves do so is this judgement of particular discretion by publick persons but most by the Sovereigne of right imployed in all that in which they lend or refuse their assistance to the Ministers of the Church in their Office alwayes under the account due to God and to the Sovereigne What is then the meaning of that which we reade in these dayes That all Jurisdiction of the Church exercised by the Ministers of it even that of Excommunicating call it Jurisdiction for the present though the term be proper where there is power to constrain is inherent and derived in and from the Common-wealth that is in our particular from the Crown of this Kingdome From whence it will follow by just and due consequence that the Office charged upon the Ministers of the Church by the Scriptures cannot be executed by them of right so long as Kingdomes and Commonwealths are enemies of the Faith So that whatsoever the Church did under the Empire before it was converted to the Faith was an attempt upon the Laws of it And the Church must of necessity die and come to nothing for want of right to execute and propagate the Ministeries which it standeth incharged with by the Scripture The Canonists have done well to distinguish between Order and Jurisdiction in the Ministeries of the Church provided that the ground be right understood upon which these terms are distinguishable according to the Scriptures That will point the effect of it to a farre other purpose but we must not be beholden to the Canonists for it being indeed this Because he that receiveth the Order of Presbyter in the Church for example is not of necessity by the same Act deputed to the exercise of all that his Order importeth and inableth to exercise without receiving the Order anew I say by the Scriptures he is not confined when he receiveth the Order when where how what part of those things he shall exercise which the Order inableth to do True it is when the Canon that prohibited Ordinations without Title of Office was in force to the true purpose of it by receiving the Order a man was deputed to the Service of the Church in which he received it as a Bishop is now when first he is ordained And the nearer the Course of Law cometh to this Canon the better I conceive it is in that regard But as this deputation was alterable so was the execution of it of necessity limitable in them that received it What Law of God what Command of Scripture what Rule or Practice of the whole Church is there to hinder him that is deputed to one Service to undertake another for the good of the Church Or to inable all that have received the Order of Presbyter for example indifferently to exercise the power of the Keys and of Ordaining so farre as it belongeth to that Order of right much lesse to exercise it according to their own sense and not according to Rules prescribed by the Church Therefore when the Order is given if you please to call the right of exercising that which it importeth in such time and place and sort as he that receiveth it is or may be deputed to do without receiving the Order anew the power of Jurisdiction this power of Jurisdiction may be given or limited by other acts besides though habitually and afarre off it be contained in the Order of Presbyters and exercised without receiving the Order anew so soon as a man is deputed to the exercise of it If further the question be made From whom this power of Jurisdiction that is the right of exercising that which the Order thus inableth to do is derived and in whom the power of Jurisdiction that is the right of giving this right resideth which the Canonists derive from the Pope upon the whole Church The answer is plain that it must rest in them and be derived from them upon whom the Government of particular Churches and that which falleth under them is estated according to the Scriptures In as much as no Law of God inforceth the rest of Churches to be Governed by one further then the Law of Charity inforceth all to concurre to the unity of the whole In the outward Jurisdiction of the Church in charitable causes settled here upon Bishopricks the matter is somewhat otherwise in as much as it is not so settled by expresse provision of Scripture And yet not so strange from the Scripture and that which is provided there but that it may seem originally to have been derived from thence 1. Cor. vi The Apostle reproving them for impleading one another in the Courts of unbelievers sheweth that the Church was disparaged in that course as if it had none fit to decide their controversies whereas it had been better to referre their causes to the meanest of the Church then to sue before Infidels That is the meaning of his words there vers 4. If ye have causes concerning matters of this life set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church Not spoken by way of precept commanding them to let the simplest of the brethren judge their causes that were a strange course where there were abler men to do it but by way of Concession that it were better so to do then as they did do For the practice of the Church argueth that the Custome grew upon this Order of the Apostle to referre their causes to the chief of the Church as the Church that is to the Bishop and Presbyters In the Constitutions of the Apostles ii 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your Consistories be upon the Mundayes that if there arise opposition to your sentence having leisure till the Sabbath you may set the opposition straight and make them friends that are at variance among themselves against the Lords day And the Deacons also an◠Presbyters be present at the Consistory judging without respect of persons as men of God c. 45. afore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But suffer not the Magistrates of the world to give sentence on ours Not withdrawing obedience
injunction was ceased If then such Ordinances and Customes as are allowed and injoyned by the Apostles themselves are with right abolished because the reason of them is ceased much more those which were taken up at the beginning upon humane appointment of the Church may cease when the reason of that good appeareth not and must cease when evil consequences which they draw into the Church at their heels begin to appear This is that which justifieth the Reformation which we professe wherein some observances in the Church as ancient as there is remembrance in it of things used since the time of the Apostles are perhaps abolished by Law or disused by Custome the remembrance of the dead at the Celebration of the Eucharist for example The reason of edification of the Church by the comfort which it receiveth at the Communion professed with the deceased not being now required in particular by them which presume of it in all that dye in the Faith and the abuses which it hath trained in after it appearing unsufferable But all this being granted the consideration of the Primitive Church and the President of it to my understanding prescribeth two things The first is generall as it is a Church and all Churches make one Church by acknowledging and maintaining Union and Communion with the Churches that have been in other ages as well as with the Churches that are in other Countreys we are obliged not to disclaim not to renounce it but to maintain our selves alwayes of Communion with it without substantiall difference of belief or practice The Donatists in old time as S. Augustine chargeth fell foul upon the Article of the Catholick Church because they acknowledged no Church but their own but thought it had failed in all other Countreys by communicating with the Church of Africk from which they had separated themselves Much more foul must he needs fall upon that Article that thinketh the Church perished almost as soon as it was instituted and proceedeth in his practice as obliged to renounce that which was in the first ages To maintain this Communion it is not requisite we commend but it is necessary we tolerate all that was then in practice though we believe some things may be mended at this time we must not believe any thing was pernicious at that time This indeed in the height concerneth them which separate from this Church Let them advise upon what terms they renounce that Church which communicateth with the Primitive Church with which all Churches are bound to hold correspondence but in a lower degree concerneth all those that think they cannot detest the corruptions of the Church of Rome enough till they involve the Primitive Church and whatsoever is done upon the President of it in the same imputations which stick upon it which is out of indiscreet zeal to our own cause to prevaricate against it and for the blindnesse of the love we bear it to oversee the advantages of it For what greater pleasure can we do the Church of Rome then to quit them the Ancient Church as their clear advantage Or what greater scandall can we fasten upon the Reformation which we love then to make every thing we like not a mark of Antichrist for which we hold our selves bound to separate which if we should do upon no other matters then those which some men will have to be such then were we as true schismaticks as they of the Church of Rome would have us The second is an advantage more particular to the point we are in hand with As it was the Church Primitive near the fountain and resented that fire the Holy Ghost had inspired so late that which discourse of reason concludeth to be for the Edification of the Church in the Service of God must needs appear more reasonable if it were then in practice Were the question about matters difficult and obscure in the meaning of the Scriptures knowledge goeth along with gray hairs and it is to be believed that the Church may improve in it as in time But whereas it was said afore that we are to use our common reason in judging what is for the Edification of the Church in the Order of Publick Service it is not to be thought that these are matters that require so much depth of understanding as they do uprightnesse of disposition to give sentence without inclination or prejudice I say then that when the coast was clear of partialities the matters in hand not controverted on any side the Church bent more to act in the Service of God then to dispute about it the practice of that time may be a way too steep for us to tread but sure it is straight to direct us We must not slight those Orders which directed them to make the Service of God their earnest businesse because the Church of Rome hath made it a formall imployment to passe the time over with If in weeding this Garden of Gods Church we pluck up wholesome Ordinances with the abuses which have been pinned to them well may men devise Laws for a good fense but not to much purpose when Religion is not suffered to grow within the Pale That noble and learned Du Plessis thought it a great advantage to the cause he undertook against the Masse if he could demonstrate the Form of Service used in the Reformed Churches of France to be more agreeable to that of the Primitive Church then that of the Masse-book of Rome This he thought worth his pains to undertake and if we regard the substance of Publick Service may well be thought to have performed it I am yet in a more generall point concerning the Order of Publick Service but I shall think it advantage enough to the cause in which I deal to shew the points questioned in this Order to be of more Ancient Practice in the Church then the corruptions of the Church of Rome for which we leave it And when I come anon to survay the particular Form of Service which this Church useth let men of learning judge what is nearer to the Primitive then both but thereupon I must take leave to conclude That this Church is not to forsake the Primitive to conform to other Reformed Churches where the Order in force hath both the President of so Ancient Practice and the reason of Edification to commend it Now the difference between this State of the Church incorporate into the bodies of Kingdomes and Common-wealths and the Primitive when it was either tolerated or persecuted under the Romane Empire is to be seen in the Apostles fishing after the Resurrection of Christ John xxii 11. Though there were taken 153. great fishes yet the Net brake not For the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul Acts iiii 32. They came out of good will into the Net of the Apostles and out of good will they applied themselves to the Orders wherein they were directed by them and their successours not able to constrain
drawn in consequence to the prejudice of that way which they defire to render commendable but when we heare these flying pretenses passe up and down by which those demurres of humane imperfection are intitled to those unutterable groans which the Spirit of God inditeth according to the Apostle we have reason not to admire the occasion of such unsufferable profanenesse What shall we say then of the meanest rank of persons by whom Extemporary conceptions and expressions in such high Offices must be ministred but this that the ill order by which they are vented to the world must needs bring Religion to be contemptible Again in regard of mens opinions and inclinations in regard of severall discretions and judgements in point of what is fit to be recommended to God in publick Prayers which way shall we attain that Order that Reverence which this Office requireth according to the Apostle If men be left to themselves whatsoever opinion in Religion whatsoever debate between neighbours whatsoever publick matter of Church or Common-wealth a man shall please to make his interesse upon like reason he may make the subject of his Prayers and of the Congregation which if it be not well directed as what man is free from mistake where men may be and alwayes are of divers opinions must either pursue his interesse for the will of God in their desires or as they are bound to be must be scandalized at that which is done I had rather belie mine own senses then charge any man with that which appeareth not but if experience tell us not that such things have been done that mens prayers in the Church have smoked with their choler in private and publick matters yet reason will tell us how easily it may be done and such Ordinance pointed in time against them that least deserve it in Church or Common-wealth As the matter is among us we see how farre mens minds are from being agreed when we are to pray for fair weather and when for rain make particular persons infallible Judges not of a thing of that consequence but of whatsoever may be the subject of our prayers and we make them all Popes in their Congregations make them not infallible and we multiply scandalls in the Service of God to the worlds end to which no man should come till all were ended Last of all it is not the ingenious conceptions of mens minds it is not the eloquent expressions of their tongues that God is affected with the Ministers devotion will prove more free towards God when his mind is lesse at work in framing terms to expresse what he conceiveth to be for the purpose But if we have regard unto the meanest rank in knowledge as well as in estate which are alwayes the greatest part and therefore in whom Charity hath the most share it will appear a great advantage to their devotions to run smooth upon the Forms to which they are practised which must needs be intercepted with studying the meaning of new ones which they are directed with This is that which my reason is able to inform in this point Whether a prescript form of prayers be for the edification of the Church in maintaining Order and Reverence in the Publick Service of God or not Let us see which way the practice of the Church inclineth or hath inclined though the matter be great as concerning the meaning of the Apostles charge and the form of serving God a man shall have no cause to suspect his own reason when the reason of the Church and the guides of it go before But I must begin with the Publick Service of God in the Temple so farre as it was morall and consisted not in offering Sacrifices That carrieth more prejudice with it then mans reason can inforce That which was done there is President enough to presume that the like is not against the Law of God and the Scripture Of this we reade thus 1. Chron. xxiii 30. And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening and at all offering burnt-offerings to the Lord on the Sabbaths the New Moons and the Solemn Assemblies For without doubt the purpose is here to specifie at what times the Levites sung the Psalmes of Gods praises to the Sacrifices that were offering in the Court of the Temple whereof we reade afore 1. Chron. xvi 4. And he appointed of the Levites to Minister before the Ark of the Lord and to record and thank and praise the Lord God of Israel And again vers 37. the same is repeated But afterwards having spoken of the Priests whom David left to sacrifice upon the Altar at Gibeon it followeth vers 41. And with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest that were chosen that were expressed by name to give thanks to the Lord because his mercy indureth for ever Here you shall perceive the time and the place of this Service expressed in Scripture Part of them with Asaph were to Minister before the Ark part with Heman and Jeduthun to give thanks unto the Lord where the Priests offered the burnt-offering morning and evening vers 40. for the time that the Altar was at Gibeon the Ark in the city of David But for a perpetuall course as you have it xxiii 30. To stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening and at all offering of burnt-offerings to the Lord in the Sabbaths in the New Moons and on the Assemblies For thus it must here be translated as R. David Kimchi hath glossed it That they should also be ready to praise when the burnt-sacrifice is offered on the Sabbaths and New Moons and dayes of Assemblies and also to help the Priests on these dayes when there are many offerings For by this exposition is signified both the help which the Priests had from the Levites in sacrificing and also the kinds of Sacrifices at which the Levites sung Psalmes of Praise and Thanksgiving Maimoni Cele hammikdash C. iii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when do they sing Over all the burnt-offerings of the Congregation which were due and over the peace offerings of an Assembly at the pouring of the wine But the voluntary burnt-offerings of the Congregation over these they sung not the Song A Rule without doubt raised from the Scripture alledged and the place here signified where they stood to sing that is before the Ark is the same that is signified at Solomons Sacrifice 2. Chron. v. 12. where they stood East from the Altar as it must be translated that is at the East Gate of the Temple either before the mens Court or before the womens Court. For at both these Gates there was a Pulpit for the Levites where at all these times stood twelve at the least for this purpose Maimoni as before And before the latter were those fifteen steps from which the fifteen Psalmes of degrees are named because they were sung there as the Talmudists will have it Mass Middoth Cap.
to hinder the occasions of the world by setting aside mens ordinary work but to preferre the Service of God before it If the Publick Service of God be of better esteem then the businesse of this world well may the Church own all the means by which she laboureth to procure the exercise of it but if the businesse of this world so far as it hindereth not the Service of God be good commendable she shall not need to own the restraint of it further then it tendeth to that purpose Therefore provided as it is among us that the wholesome effect of this Ordinance vanish not in the excessive multitude of Festivals ordinary occasions crowding out the remembrance of those that deserve it it will not serve the turn to say That the Papists have made these Solemnities the occasion of worshipping the Saints that own the dayes To that must the same be answered as afore That it is the use and improvement that the devil would chuse to make of such scandals to prevent the abuse of Gods Service by rooting out the exercise of it As for particular Solemnities of Fasting by the week or by the yeare we are to consider that abstinence is not onely the cure of that sensuality which surfet breedeth but the most powerfull means to represent unto a man the whole condition of his soul towards God Would a man desire to humble himself in the consideration of his offenses Let common sense be judge whether he shall do it full or fasting to better purpose Wherefore being subject to runne into offense from time to time what more wholesome Ordinance can the Church have then to Assemble from week to week to humble our selves in the presence of God and to labour to divert his due wrath that it light not upon us in generall or in particular And being subject neverthelesse to heap wrath against our selves by slighting our continuall humiliation and repentance what more Solemn Ordinance could reason devise then Fasting before Festivals then before the most Solemn yearly Festivall the most Solemn yearly Fast by humiliation going before to estate us in the right of those blessings which then we celebrate Our Lord in the Gospel hath said of his Disciples When the Bridegroom shall be taken from among them then shall they Fast in those dayes Should Christians never Fast but when publick calamities or extraordinary occasions of the Common-wealth call for it well may it be asked Where is the effect of these words I speak not now of any difference of meats for conscience sake in that abstinence is not seen in the consideration now in hand But I speak of the Service of God upon these occasions which being appointed for humbling of our souls in consideration of our offenses common sense will not refuse that abstinence is necessary for the purpose If it be said in this point as afore That the Papists have abused this Ordinance to a sacrilegious opinion of Satisfaction and Merit and the worship of God having declared a just and true reason and ground of the Ordinance according to which it is no worship of God but the opportunity and means of his due and requisite Service the answer must be as afore That it is the advantage which the devil would wish to make of such abuses to make them the pretense to root out the Service of God and so to save the pains of reforming it The last consideration which I referre to this head concerneth the frequent Celebration and Communion of the Eucharist which is indeed the crown of Publick Service and the most solemne and chief work of Christian Assemblies And though for the particular time of Communicating it is rather commended then injoyned yet the remembrance it importeth is so proper so particular to the Profession we make that our Assemblies are never so like the Assemblies of Christians as when it is celebrated And though it is not in men so to command the occasions of the world as to be alwayes disposed to communicate yet that in the generall of the Church there should not alwayes be persons disposed to communicate that it should not be celebrated for those which are disposed to communicate is an inconvenience for which nothing but too much love of the world too much backwardnesse from spirituall duties can be alledged For if it be said That the Church of Rome by retaining the Custome of celebrating day by day hath turned the Communion into a Sacrifice for the quick and dead the answer must be as afore That it is the use which the enemy of mankind would chuse to make of their abuses to perswade men that so long as private Masses are abolished they are at freedome to be secure of the frequent Celebration and Communion of the Eucharist If any man think that under this which hath been said there is an intent to shoulder out Preaching by commending other causes of Religious Assemblies he shall both wrong my meaning and mistake the truth of the cause He that will have men to Preach more then they learn and to void those crudities in the Church which were never digested in their studies perhaps may have reason to think that where the stuff is slight there the larger measure is due but besides the scandals such raw doctrine must needs breed he shall be sure to bring a slight esteem upon that Profession wherein God is served no otherwise But he that will provide abilities of men for so great a work shall find that these Assemblies on Festivall and Fasting-dayes the occasions whereof are here commended shall minister opportunities of continuall Preaching even beyond those of hearing alwayes for the edification of the Church where men are able to support the respect and esteem of so great a work It is now time to put together the Primitive practice of the Church in the particulars here touched deriving it as near as can be from the time of the Apostles It is thus written of the first Disciples Acts ii 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Communion and in breaking bread and Prayers And vers 46. And day by day continuing with one mind in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Again iii. 1. Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre that is three after noon The Synagogues were instituted for the morall and perpetuall Service of God by prayer and praising him and expounding his word leaving the figurative worship of Sacrifices to the Temple upon which neverthelesse the circumstances of that morall Service depended as hath been observed out of R. Moses Maimoni Tephillah Ubircath Cohenim C. l. n. 7. and must be repeated here Thus he delivereth That correspondent to the daily Sacrifice Morning and Evening there was ordered among them and practised one Service for the Morning another for the Evening that therefore called
temporibus causis uniuscujusque Sic Apostolos observasse nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum ab omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum proinde nec stationum quae ipsae suos dies habeant quartae feriae sextae passivè tamen currant neque sub lege praecepti Therefore otherwise beside the dayes on which the Bridegroom was taken away they say we are to fast indifferently arbitrarily not upon command of the new discipline according to each mans times and occasions And that so the Apostles observed imposing no other yoke of certain Fasts to be performed of all neither by the same reason of Stations which they say have also their dayes of Wednesday and Friday but of ordinary course under the law of no precept For which cause he calleth these Stations semijejunia or half Fasts c. 13. of that book The Wednesday and Friday Assemblies of the Primitive Christians with Fasting were not of such strict and solemn observance No more were those of Mundayes and Thursdayes in the Synagogue and therefore taken up in imitation of the Synagogue and upon the like reasons The generall whereof is well laid down by S. Hierome upon Gal. iiii 10. His question is how the Church appointing Festivals and set times of Fastings is clear of the Apostles charge upon the Galatians there Ye observe dayes and moneths and years I fear lest I have laboured upon you in vain His answer is first Et nè inordinata congregatio populi fidem imminueret in Christum propterea dies aliqui statuti sunt ut in unum omnes pariter veniremus non quòd celebrior sit dies illa quâ convenimus sed quòd quacunque die conveniendum sit ex mutuo conspectu laetitia major oriatur And lest the disorderly assembling of the people should â—ate faith in Christ therefore certain dayes are appointed for all to assemble at once not because the day on which we assemble is more not able then others but because on what day soever we assemble by seeing one another more gladnesse ariseth Meaning that gladnesse wherewith they celebrated their Festivals So his mind is that all difference of dayes among Christians is in respect to the Order of their Assemblies and that in respect to the work of those Assemblies Again Qui subtiliùs respondere conatur dies omnes aequales esse ait Jejunia autem Congregationes inter dies propter eos à viris prudentibus constitutos qui magis saeculo vacant quà m Deo nec possunt imò nolunt toto in Ecclesia vitae suae tempore congregari ante humanos actus Deo orationum suarum offerre Sacrificium One that indeavoureth to make a more subtle answer saith that all dayes are equall but that Fasts and Assemblies are appointed among other dayes by discreet men for those that spend more time in the world then on God and can not nay will not assemble all dayes of their life in the Church to offer unto God the Sacrifice of their Prayers before humane actions Adding that whereas the Jews Service was confined to certain times that of Christians is alwayes seasonable The Primitive Christians were alwayes assembled alwayes in posture for the Service of God as we reade in the Acts when the number increased there was no expectation of humane reason that they could continue so unanimous in frequenting their Assemblies for that purpose The neglect of them must needs prove an abatement the disorder of them a scandall to the Faith Here the wisdome and the authority of the Church-guides behoved to take place by customing certain times whereof the occasion was justest to confine men from Secular imployments to better purposes And how this course prevailed in matter of Festivals I referre to those well known words of S. Augustine Ep. cxviii where being to instance in some universall custome of the whole Church Sicuti saith he quòd Domini Passio Resurrectio Asscensio in Coelum Adventus de Coelo Spiritûs sancti anniversariâ solennitate celebrantur siquid aliud tale occurrit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia As that the Passion the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord into Heaven and the Coming of the Holy Ghost from Heaven is celebrated with yearly solemnity and if there be any thing else which all the Church wheresoever dispersed observeth As for times of Fasting the answer of our Lord importeth two things First that his purpose was that the outward freedome which he allowed his Disciples for the time should symbolize with the inward comfort which the Gospel professeth and conduct and train them as trained they were by his Doctrine in divers particulars by corporall to spirituall things to understand it The second the reason of this purpose because they were old vessels for the present which a strict discipline for the present might cause to flie in pieces but when the new wine of the Holy Ghost should make the vessels new into which it was put on the day of Pentecost then should they Fast then should they be willing to undertake the discipline which their Profession suited with Accordingly we may find them serving God with Prayer and Fasting Acts xiii 3 4. xiiii 23. But because disorder or coldnesse in this voluntary performance might disadvantage the Faith it soon proved time to bring those voluntary observances to set rules of practice These causes thus disposing the Church and the President of the Synagogue directing not to do lesse what course should it observe but in stead of Mundayes and Thursdayes used in the Synagogue to practice Wednesdayes and Fridayes for this purpose holding in them a convenient distance from the Lords day as those other did from the Sabbath Their Writers tell us besides the reason specified out of Maimoni afore that they might not rest three dayes from hearing the Law that they made choice of Mundayes and Thursdayes in regard of some great calamities that befell their nation upon those dayes What marvell is it if the Church had regard to those which befell our Lord on the Wednesday and Friday the other Morall reason of assembling once in three dayes for Gods Service concurring Those ancient Christians of Tertullians time conceived that the Fast afore Easter is appointed in the Scripture which saith The dayes will come that the Bridegroom shall be taken from among you and then shall ye Fast in those dayes and Tertullian is content to have it believed because Montanus required that and more But S. Augustine found that there is a command in Scripture to Fast but no time commanded when it shall be done Ep. lxxxvi So he would have accepted their reason as an allusion handsomely symbolizing with the nature of Fasting but the appointment he must needs referre to the Custome of the Church and the Ordinance of the Guides of it It is not much otherwise with those other dayes wherewith some inlarged the Fast afore Easter even afore Ireneus his
How just this charge is may appear in the Confession of sinnes which it begins with were it enough to condemne any part of our Service to say that the like is used in the Breviary and Masse then must we condemne almost all Reformed Churches that use Confession of sinnes at the beginning of their Service as the Breviary and Masse doth Du Plessis thought otherwise like a man of Learning as well as Nobilitie he saw it was an argument of some Antiquity in the practice of the Reformed Churches in France that Confession of sinnes which they use in the beginning was and had been used in the Masse and this ancient use an advantage to recommend it And we have cause to see that though it was not used in the beginning of Service where Hearers and Penitents were dismissed in the middle yet the alteration of times having brought that to nothing we have no cause to balk it at the beginning though it be there used in the Breviary and Masse He that will use a little judgement and conscience must distinguish between a form of Publick Service and the corruptions of the Masse pinned to it between that which we follow and the reasons why we follow it If by doing that which is done in the Masse we retain the corruptions of it it is time it were done no more If any man would not have us do that aright which tends to the Service of God because in the Masse it is done amisse we are bidden to our losse The reason why we begin with Confession of sinnes is not to be faulted Both because daily sinnes accrue daily upon the Congregations and members of it and daily reckonings not daily cleared oppresse in the end and there is no such means as the publick Prayers of the Church to strike them clear And particularly as an entrance and preparation to the Service of God because if our Confession be such as it must be presumed to be it is the onely sufficient disposition to make our Service acceptable to God That which this Church of England is to give account of in particular is the declaration of forgivenesse upon the Confession of sinnes not used in other Reformed Churches In this he shall proceed upon the surest ground that first shall resolve wherein the power of binding and loosing of retaining and remitting sinnes given by our Lord in the Gospel under the Symbole of the keyes of his house consisteth and how farre it extendeth For as there is no question that the Ministers of the Church by this Commission are authorized to DECLARE forgivenesse of sinnes to whomsoever they shall find disposed by serious Contrition and true Faith to receive it at Gods hands So to think that to bind and loose to remit and retain sinnes is nothing else but to declare them bound or loosed remitted or retained and that the Charge whereof we speak consists in declaring this and nothing else is a thing which the property of no language will bear seeing that in all use of speech all men understand it to be one thing to bind and loose to retain and remit sinnes another thing to declare that Yet is it no part of my mind to make this power of the keyes by which sinnes are bound or remitted to consist in the power of pronouncing sentence of forgivenesse which God ratifieth as resting well assured that God giveth pardon to whomsoever he sees disposed to receive it And that thence forth that disposition being brought to passe the Ministery of the keyes consisteth onely in declaring the pardon given by God It seemeth neverthelesse that the Ministery of the keyes is formerly seen otherwise that is in procuring that disposition of the hearts which is requisite to make men capable of forgivenesse in bringing them to the knowledge of their sinnes in directing the course which they have to take in seeking their reconcilement with God The discipline of the Primitive Church seemeth to point out to us this direct meaning of our Lords promise agreeable to the rest of the Scriptures according to the words of Firmilianus Bishop of Cesarea Cappadocia to S. Cyprian in the lxxv of his Epistles produced elsewhere Non quasi à nobis delictorum suorum veniam consequantur sed ut per no◠ad delictorum suorum intelligentiam convertantur Domino pleniùs satisfacere cogantur Not as if they procured the pardon of their faults at our hands saith he but that by us they may be converted to understand their faults and constrained to make more full satisfaction to the Lord. How he meaneth that men are converted to acknowledge their faults to God by the means of his ministers is to be seen in Tertullians words Apologet. C. xxxix speaking thus of their Assemblies Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divin◠Nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summúmque futuri judicii praejudicium siquis ità deliquerit ut à communicatione Orationis Convertûs omnis sancti Commercii relegetur There also are exhortations reproofs and the Censure of God For first judgement is given with great weight as among men assured of Gods sight and then it is the greatest prejudice of the judgement to come if a man fail so as to be confined from the Communion of prayers Assemblies and all holy Commerce It was not the mere preaching of the Scripture and knowledge of the doctrine of it that brought men to acknowledge their offenses according to Firmilianus Tertullian shews it was the Exhortations the reproofs the Censures of the Church that were imployed to that purpose By whom it followeth there Praesident probati quique Seniores The Presidents are all the approved Elders The Bishop whom we have seen him acknowledge elsewhere and his Presbyters And in the same Epistle of Firmilianus Omnis potestas gratia in Ecclesia constituta est in qua praesident Majores natu qui baptizandi manuum imponendi ordinandi habent potestatem All power and favour is estated upon the Church the Presidents whereof are the Elders which have power both to baptize and to impose hands in Penance and to ordain It is the Bishop that writes this The Exhortations the Reproofs the Censures by which men were brought to the sight and acknowledgement of their faults and constrained to the due course of humiliation for procuring forgivenesse were ministred at their Assemblies but by the Presidents The means of forgivenesse ministred in the discipline of Penance consists in the parties repentance and the prayers of the Church Penance was not prescribed in the Ancient Church onely to give satisfaction to the Church for the scandall of bad example Those that imagine this shall not take notice of any mention of it in Ecclesiasticall Writers but they shall find their mistake convinced It was to appease the wrath of God offended and to recover his favour again which is in Firmilianus his terms to make