universal over all the Christian World that unless we fix the Original of it in the Apostles time we shall never tell in what Age it began 2. The Second is the worshipping of God with the face towards the East which the Centuriators themselves Antiquus hic mos est oraâ—â— facie conversa ad Orientem Cent. 2. c. 6. Origen Hom. 9. in Lev. in lib. 1. Job p. 233. Hom. 5. in Num. confess to have been a very ancient custome for it was a Primitive and Catholick observation in the very dawning of Christianity Several of the Fathers have given several different Reasons of this Rite But Origen tho in some places he seemeth to render some account of it yet elsewhere he reckons it amongst those ancient Customes of which no clear Reason was commonly given However as to matter of Fact the Custom is acknowledged to to have been general in the first Ages and both Origen and Ibid. Basil de Spir. Sancto c. 23. Respons 118. Basil and the Author of the Questions and Answers ad Orthodoxos do all fetch this Practise of the Church from the directions of the Apostles Briefly 't was such an ancient and universal usage that the old Heathens fancied the Christians to have taken up the Persian Religion and to have worshipped the Sun The occasion of this suspicion is saith Tertullian because it is known that we pray towards the East just such another fancy and groundless suspicion Indè suspitio quòd innotuerit nos ad Orientis regionem precari Tertul Apol. c. 16. Lent as some have taken up of Vs now that we worship the Lords Table because we worship towards the East part of the Church where the Table standeth 3. A third Custome we have but very ruinous and of which there are now but few and scattering Monuments but what we find in our Liturgy and in the Ancients and 't is the Fast of Lent And 't is a sign that Christianity is becom decrepite that Men are so peevish and touchy as to quarrel with one of the most excellent Observations that was ever recommended to the Church I know it has been the Subject of many great Disputes But 't is a great marvel that if it were an Innovation and much rather if it were a piece of Superstition no learned Man should yet have the luck to light upon its Author or the Time when it did commence for that 't was instituted by Telesphorus is an idle dream It seemeth unquestionably true that a solemn Fast before Easter was religiously observed by all Christians from the very beginning For we do not only meet with such a Fast in the Writers of the third and fourth Century but even Origen tells us that in his time They had the days of Lent set a part for Fastings And Tertullian then a Montanist and disputing against the Habemus Quadragesimae dies jejuniis consecratos Hom. 10. in Levitic Illos dies jejuniis determinatos putant in quibus ablatus est Sponsus c. Tertul. adv Psychic Church upon the point of Fasting tells us that his Adversaires the Catholicks did conceive That those dayes whereon the Bridegroom was taken away meaning Friday and Saturday before Easter were determined or ordered to be fasting dayes and that the Apostles themselves observed those dayes and laid the same yoke upon all others and tho saith he you look upon these as the only appointed dayes whereon you are bound to fast Convenio vos praeter Pascha jejunantes citra illos dies quibus ablatus est Sponsus yet here I meet with you and urge against you that ye Fast on other days too besides or as it should be rendred before the Fast on Good Friday He So the word citra is rendred by Dr. Beveredge Cod. Can. Vindic. c. 3. lib. 6. doth not tell us how many dayes they did observe besides the two last dayes of Lent because in those Times Christians did not all observe an equal number And so Irenaeus in his Letter to Victor concerning that Controversie about Euseb lib. 5. c. 24. Hist Eccl. keeping of Easter which was even in Polycarps dayes St. John's Scholar tells him that the dispute was not onely about easter-Easter-day but moreover about the Fast before it for some thought themselves obliged to fast one day onely viz. on Friday others again did it two dayes viz. on Saturday also others kept more dayes Thus far we are sure and by these last words of Irenaeus I conceive that some Christians kept ten dayes in Lent because Lucian scoffs at them for their Ten-dayes Fast which might give occasion to Montanus to prescribe the like number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian in Philopat tho the Catholicks opposed him because what was onely customary and Arbitrarious before he would have turned into a Law and made necessary thereby ensnaring Mens Consciences But 't is observable what Irenaeus tells us yet further that as some kept more than one or two dayes of this Paschal Fast so others kept forty for so Ruffinus and others do understand him and that this variety of observance was long before his Time and that it was occasioned by the negligence or the unskilfulness of some who declined from the old Way when 't was delivered first Now Irenaeus was Polycarps familiar acquaintaince and lived in the Age next to the Apostles So that when he saith that this variety in keeping Lent was long before his Time we must conclude that kept it was a long time before and that he must needs point to the Times Apostolical and that he intimates moreover that the regular way of keeping it was to observe forty dayes as that which came nearest to the Apostolick Tradition But this is clear that this Solemn Time was very anciently observed and very probably recommended by the Holy Apostles as a very useful Fast with respect to Persons and Places and so indeed St. * Nos unam quadragesimam secundum Traditionem Apostolorum toto anno tempore nobis congruo jejunamus Hieron ep ad Marcel Adv. Montanum Jerome and other of the Ancients did look upon it as an Apostolick Tradition and considering its Antiquity and Vniversality we cannot well derive it from any other Fountain And if any man desires a full accout of this matter he may read the Annotations of my reverend Friend that Learned Antiquary Dr. Beveredge upon the 69th Apostolical Canon where the observation of Lent is required and his Vindication of the Codex Canonum lib. 3. 4. Another custome we have or at least have had and should have still viz. to serve God publickly with Fastings and Can. 15. Prayers upon the Wednesdays and Fridays of the whole year And is there any Ecclesiastical usage which has been more Anciently Const Apost lib. 7. c. 22. and more Vniversally observed The Primitive Christians considering how the Redeemer of their Souls was on the Wednesday Wednesday and
deliver this City from evil days from famine from pestilence and from invasion Compare this Prayer with S. Cyprians words and then judge if he did not point to this or to some other Form to the same purpose and of the same strain Again whereas Celsus the Pagan slandered the Christians as men given to Magical Arts and Sorceries Origen who was but one remove from the times of the Apostles affirmes positively and upon certain experience that they who worship Orig. adv Cess lib. 6. the Lord of the Vniverse by Jesus Christ and live according to the Gospel using night and day constantly and rightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers which were Appointed cannot come under the power of Devils There is little Reason to doubt but that by these Prayers he means the Nocturnal and Diurnal Offices which we then prescribed and ordered by the Church and less Reason there is to fancy that such were not used in his time and for confirmation of this it is observeable that Origen himself else where quotes a customary Form then in use We frequently Orig. Hâ—om 11. in Jerem. say in our Prayers Grant us O Almighty God grant us a Portion with the Prophets grant us a place among the Apostles of thy Christ grant that we may be found followers of thine onely begotten Questonless this was an usual Form in the Alexandrian Liturgy and though we do not now find it in so many express words in the Liturgy ascribed to S. Mark yet we find in it a form to the same purpose grant us O Lord to have our Portion and inheritance with all thy Saints And in the Aethiopick Liturgy it is twice Lit. S. Marci in Anaphorâ Be propitious unto us O Lord and vouchsafe to make us joint-Possessors and partakers of the inheritance of the Apostles and cause us to follow their steps And again Lord write our names in the Kingdom of Heaven and joyn us with all thy Saints and Martyrs Furthermore Tertullian another African writer and somewhat Elder then Origen speaking of the Jam vero prout Scripturae leguntur aut Psalmi canuntur aut Adlocutiones proferuntur aut Petitiones delegantur c. Tert de Anima c. 3. Divine-service in his time which he calls Dominica Solennia reckons up four parts of it the Reading of Scripture the Singing of Psalms Allocutions and Petitions This place being throughly understood is very pregnant and full to our purpose 1. Here we have the reading of the Scriptures which in those early and pious times was perform'd not with that conciseness and brevity which was usual in after-ages but 't was Lectio fusissima and Lit. S. Jacob. large potions were read both out of the old and the new Testament 2. They Sung whole Psalms not only those composed by David and other Prophets among the Jews but as we shall see hereafter several Hymns and Songs of Praise which had been framed in the beginning by Faithful Christians and more immediately relating to the Christian Religion 3. But then a doubt may be moved what Tertullian means by those Allocutions which were made to the people and uttered at large for that I conceive to be his sence And the difficulty may be easily assoiled if we call to mind that in the Primitive times it was a general custome for the Deacon that read the service to direct the people in their devotion to tell them what they should pray for and to stir them up to beg such and such things of God calling upon them after this manner Let us pray let us pray earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us pray on yet further and with an intense Zeal and other such Forms there were which he frequently used and then dictated to them the matter of their devotion to which all the people gave their Suffrages readily and with much fervency of Spirit Litany-wise Now these Forms of exhortation were called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latines rendred Allocutions We call it Bidding of Prayers And though the custome be for certain Reasons grown much out of use among us yet there are many plain footsteps of it to Clem. Const be seen in our Liturgy especially in our Litany and Communion-service in which offices it was most used of old for the Minister is often ordered to say Let us pray let us pray And as to the custome it self it is so Ancient that I cannot find the beginning of it and 't was so universal that 't was observed in all the Primitive Churches for in all the Liturgies which I have yet seen either of the Eastern or Western or African Churches such Allocutory Expressions are still extant more or less Sometimes the Minister used short and concise Forms saying Let us Pray let us behave our selves reverently Lift up your hearts let us give thanks unto the Lord and to these the Congregation gave their customary Answers Sometimes these Allocutions were more large as for instance in that Prayer for Persons who intended to be Baptized to which several others did correspond the Minister said on this wise as we find in an African Liturgy Let us that are Believers pray for our brethren who prepare themselves for holy Illumination or Baptism and for their salvation let us beseech the Lord And the People answered Lord have mercy That our Lord God may please to confirm and strengthen them let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy That he may please to illuminate them with the light of knowledge and godliness let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy That he may please in due time to vouchsafe them the Laver of Regeneration and forgiveness of their sins let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy That he may please to regenerate them with water and the Holy Ghost let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy That he may please to give them a perfection of Faith let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy That he may please to gather them into the holy Fold of his Elect let us beseech the Lord Ans Lord have mercy O Lord save pity help and keep them by thy good Grace Ans Lord have mercy These and such Forms as these were undoubtedly used by the Churches of Christ in the first Ages of Christianity And these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Allocutions which Tertullian speaks of as used in his time and anon I shall make it probably appear that they were used before his time too 4. In the mean time it is observable that in the place before-cited he makes mention of Petitions also used in the Publick Assemblies of Christians By which I understand certain entire Prayers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Collects when the requests of the Church were cast into one Body of Prayer offered up by the Minister to which the People answered Amen In the use of these he was the Apol. c. 30. mouth of
the whole Congregation and therefore Tertullian calls them very elegantly Petitiones delegatas Petitions that were left to the Minister to offer up in the Name of the rest as the Delegate and Assigne of the whole Congregation so that whereas they did bear a great part in other Prayers these were repeated entirely by him that did officiate Many such Forms we meet with in all the ancient Liturgies and people were wont to get several of them by heart and to use them in their private Devotion And so Tertullian tells us in another place that they all prayed for all Emperours that they might have a long life a safe Empire puissant Tertul. Apol. c. 30. Armies faithful Councils good Subjects and a quiet World I do not doubt but this Ancient Writer had an eye to some Form of Prayer which was then to that purpose and in which all Christians did joyn And such a kind of Collect is still extant in S. Mark 's Liturgy where the Minister exhorts the People to pray for the King and the People having answered Lord have mercy Lord have mercy Lord have mercy the Minister proceedeth thus O Lord of Lords thou God Almighty and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we pray and beseech thee to keep our King in Peace fortitude and righteousness Subdue O God all his foes and enemies Lay hold of the Shield and Buckler and stand up to help him O God make him victorious that he may apply his mind to those things which tend to our Peace and to the honour of thy holy name that under him we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty through the merits of thine onely begotten Son Amen Such Collects as this the Primitive Christians borrowed of the Church and repeated them by heart even in their retirements And this I take to be the meaning of that passage in Tertullian which hath made such a noise where he saith we pray for our Governours sine Monitore quia de Pectore without a Monitor or Prompter for we pray by heart By a Monitor here very probably he means the Deacon or Minister that was wont in their publick Assemblies to stir them up to pray for the cheif Ruler and to call upon them in those Allocutory Forms before-mentioned And Tertullian tells the Heathens that he and his fellow-Christians did this sine Minitore when no Minister was present to prompt them to it they had certain Prayers to this purpose which they used by heart in private so that they ought not to be looked upon as men that flattered their Prince menâ—iti vota ad evadendam scilicet vim pretending to pray for him that they Apol. c. 31 might not be persecuted but this they did heartily and conscientiously in their private as well as publick Devotions at home of themselves as well as in the face of the World by the directions of their Minister This is an easie and fair construction of the words and by the whole strain and tenour of Tertullians discourse it seems to be out of Question what I am now proving that set Forms of Divine Worship were observed in his days But we have one very Ancient Writer more to appeal to who will give us much more light into this matter matter still 't is Justine Martyr who lived about thirty years after the death of the Apostle St. John and as his Writings are unquestionably Authentick so the Age he liv'd in was so pure that what customes prevailed in Christian Churches then must needs make a great impression upon all indifferent persons now and for that reason I shall consider what he tells us the more particularly and largely In his second Apology for the Christians he gives the Heathens a Apol. â— plain account of the usages which were then generally observed in the Churches of Christ Concerning persons which were to be Baptised commonly called the Catechemum he saith that they were taught to pray and with fastings to beg of God remission of their sins and that believers did pray with them and fast with them at their publick Assemblies Then that as many as did believe and were perswaded of the truth of those things which were preached and delivered unto them and did promise and undertake to lead their lives accordingly were bad to the place where the water stood which by the way was at the West end and entrance of the Church and there were Regenerate being Baptiz'd in the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Afterwards he tells us that the persons thus believing thus professing and thus washed were had again to the Congregation of the faithful and that this Congregation did make Common prayers for themselves and for the Baptized Parties and for all men in all places with much earnestness and zeal Further he saith that the day when these things were performed was the Sunday and that on that day Christians that dwelt in City and Country did meet together that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were read unto them that when the Reader had done the chief Minister made a Sermon and that being ended then all did unanimously rise up and offered up prayers i. e. the Prayers fore-mentioned for themselves for all estates and conditions of men in the World Then that these prayers being ended they saluted one another with an holy kiss and offered Bread and Wine c. which the President or cheif Minister having received at their hands went to the like prayers again and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave praise and glory to the Father of the Vniverse for his mercies and offered up thanksgivings in a Copious and Large manner and with all his might meaning with all possible Zeal Ardour and Fervency of Spirit and these prayers and thanksgivings being concluded the people jointly cryed out Amen Then followed the distribution of the Elements which saith he was no longer common Bread or common Drink c. Now I confess in all this History of things Justine Martyr doth not tell us in express words that they used prescript and set Forms of Prayer for that was beside his purpose But yet it shall appear that they did For by the whole procedure of the Relation it is clear that they observed a certain constant method in their Ministrations and if we compare the particulars he gives us in with the particulars we find in other very Ancient Records we shall see that Justine Martyr gives us a summary but a pretty fully account of several prescript Forms which were universally used of Old as will evidently appear by taking a view of the particulars 1. He says the Catechumeni were taught to pray the Cogregagation of Believers praying with them And what can we understand by this teaching to pray but those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Allocutory Forms before-mentioned when the Deacons did put words into their mouths and dictated matter to them calling upon them with a loud
Justin Martyr Ignatius and other the most Primitive Writers so that without all peradventure this custome is founded upon Apostolical Institution and exactly agreeable to this most Ancient and Christian custome is that Offertory appointed in our English Service-book Next follows the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church Militant here in earth which is highly consonant to the practice The Prayer for the Catholick Church of the Vniversal Church in all Ages in respect both of its order and matter For first before the reception of the Sacrament a Prayer of this Nature was ever offered and that saith S. Ambros according to the Rule delivered by S. Paul In some places I Comment on 1 Tim. 2. find that this Prayer was used once before the Consecration of the Elements the Deacon inditing it and the people answering Litanywise Lord have mercy and after Consecration it was repeated Clem. Const lib. 8. S. Cyril Catech 5. Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Ambros de Sac. lib. 4. c. 4. again by him that Ministred in chief the people answering only Amen But never was the Sacrament administred without supplications in the first place for the people for Kings and for the rest as St. Ambrose speaks And to the same purpose St. Cyril tells us that the Spiritual Sacrifice being prepared they went solemnly to prayer for the common peace of the Churches for the tranquillity of the World for Kings for their Armies and Allies for Cyril Catech 5. sick and afflicted people and for all that stood in need of help And of the truth of this all Liturgies extant are an abundant proof 2. Then as touching the particular matter of this excellent and Catholick Prayer it is observable 1. That our Church calleth the things laid upon the Lords Table not only Alms but Oblations and so did the Ancients call Clem. ep ad Cor. p. 52. them even S. Clement himself S. Pauls fellow-labourer For the old Christians conceived themselves obliged to make Offerings of Praise and Thanksgiving under the Gospel as well as Abel did before the Law and the Jews did under the Law The Species of Sacrifice was changed indeed for they offered not Bullocks and Goats but they did not think that all kinds of Offerings were abolisht but that they were bound to present Eucharistical Oblations unto God that they might be found thankful unto the Maker of the Vniverse as Irenaeus speaks So that in lieu of bloudy Sacrifices they presented Bread and Wine Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. V. Mede's Christian Sacrifice and the first fruits of their increase besides sums of money And these were called Oblations gifts whereby they acknowledg'd Gods right and propriety unto all their Possessions that the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof not as if he needed these gifts but as humble Thanksgivings unto his Offerimus non quasi indigenti sed gratias agentes dominationi ejus Iren. ut suprá Soveraignty And so they were wont to profess in those days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord we restore unto thee some of thine own things 2. Our Church prayeth that God would accept these our Alms and Oblations which is perfectly answerable to the old custome for so the first Christians did beseech God that in mercy Clem. Const lib. 8. he would look upon their offerings and accept them as a sweet Odour through the Intercession of Christ 3. Then our Church goes on praying for the Vniversal Church for Kings Princes and Magistrates for the Clergy and the rest And thus did all the Churches of old pray for the holy Catholick Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from end to end for Kings Id. ibid. and all in Authority that they may be at peace with us and that we living in all quietness and concord may glorifie thee all our days through Jesus Christ for all holy Bishops rightly dividing the word of truth for all Presbyters and Deacons for all thy people and all that are in want and distress c. 4. Last of all it is customary with us at the end of this Prayer to make mention of the Saints departed and so 't was ever customary with all the Churches of old to bless God for their Faith Perseverance and Martyrdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Const lib. 8. beseeching that they might be made partakers of their conflicts and with them might have their perfect Consummation and bliss This was the first design of these memorials of the dead In fide morientium devotè memoriam agimus tam illorum refrigerio gaudentes quam etiam nobis piam consummationem in fide postulantes Origen lib. 3. in Job p. 274. Ed. Par. See Bishop Vshers Ans to the Challenge which latter Ages corrupted adding Prayers for the release of souls out of a pretended Purgatory But this conceit and practice was never known in the Ancient and best times And therfore our honest Church resolving to bring things to their first stay threw out of her Prayers this dross and litter and filthy stuff retaining that which was pure and Primitive Among those things which have been corrupted in the old Liturgies as we now have them there are some things which have passed all along untouched As that salutation of the Minister the Dominus Vobiscum Lord be with you and the peoples Answer and with thy Spirit it is every where to be found in the ancientest Monuments And so that other sursum corda lift up your hearts with the return we lift them up unto the Lord we find it in S. Cyprian and S. Cyril and in every Liturgy As also the following exhortation let Cypr. de Orat. Dom. us give thanks unto our Lord God and the subsequent acknowledgement it is meet and right so to do the Minister going on Sursum Corda c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is very meet right and our bounden duty c. these Forms are still entire in all Service-books that they may rationally be concluded to have sprang from Apostolical practice And so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the company of Heaven c. together with the Trisagium following which was joyntly repeated by the whole Congregation Holy holy holy Lord God of Host c. they are Forms which were very anciently and universally V. Lit. Jacob. Marc. Petri. Aethiop Mosar Christian apud Ind. Clem. Constit cum multis aliis used at this time but somewhat more largely and with a little inconsiderable difference for thus they said of old before thee do stand praising and worshipping thee numberless Hosts of Angels Arch-angels Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers the Cherubim and the six-winged Scraphim with two wings covering their feet and with two wings covering their faces and with two wings flying and crying continually and incessantly with thousands and thousands of Arch-angels and with myriads and myriads of Angels Holy holy holy Lord God of
tells it us as a Sign and Ingredient of perilous times that in the last days some great Professors of Religion would be disobedient to Parents without 2 Tim. 3. natural Affection and unthankful But in former Ages this Custom was justly accounted a good security to Religion And we finde it not onely in the Canon Vniversalis but even in Tertullian himself Habemus per benedictionem eosdem Arbitros fidei quos Sponsores salutis Tert. de Bapt. Quid necesse est Sponsores etiam periculo ingeri qui ipsi per mortalitatem destituere promissiones suas possint Id. ibid. Inde suscepti c. Id. de Cor. milit who frequently mentions it And so doth the pretended Dionysius Areopagita and the Author of the Questions and Answers ascribed to Justin Martyr And though it be acknowledged that those Books were not written by those men yet none doubts but they are ancient Records And 't is as certain that this Custom is much elder than those Authors Plat. in vita Hygini Magd. cent 2. c. 6. whosoever they were for it is confest that it prevailed in the time of Hyginus who was Justin Martyr's Co-temporary and lived within sixty years after S. John's decease 9. And so for baptismal Interrogatories and Stipulations and Vows of renouncing the Devil and all his works c. they Tertul. Cyril Just Mart. cum multis aliis are so manifestly ancient by the joynt Consent of all the most Primitive Writers that I dare say They bear date from the Apostles times And generally learned men do conceive that St. Peter alludes to that Custom 1 Pet. 3. 21. where he calleth Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Answer or the Promise and Stipulation V. Grotium in loc of a good Conscience towards God 10. The repeating of Psalms and Hymns by turns by Minister Antiphonae and People is a very useful good course to keep peoples minds from rambling and to imprint holy things in their memories And this hath been customary in the ancient Church though as St. Basil tells us there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variety Basil Ep. 63. ad Cler. Neocaes in singing For sometimes the Minister began one verse and was seconded by the whole Congregation as is the custom still in many of our Parochial Churches and sometimes the Quire was divided into two parts which alternately answered each other from side to side as 't is usual in our Colledges and Cathedrals At the close of each Psalm or Hymn they commonly had some End versicles called by Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De vitâ Contempl Const lib. 2. c. 57. and in Clements Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to our Gloria Patri and these were recited by turns too Certain it is that the people were ever wont to bear their part in praising and blessing God which was one reason that Eusebius took those Therapeutae in Egypt for Christians because Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 17. among other Christian Customs they had this And if he was mistaken in his opinion yet it argues that this was a general custom among Christians in his time And so indeed St. Basil assures us that it prevailed universally in the Eastern Churches Cassiodore affirms that Flavianus and Diodorus Tripart Hist l. 5. c. 32. brought in the Alternate singing of Psalms But this certainly is a mistake for this was most usual long before their days Socrates and others fetch it as high as from the holy Martyr Socrat. l. 6. c. 8. Ignatius who was no less than an Apostolical Bishop and this Trip. Hist l. 10. c. 9. is yielded by Cassiodore himself elsewhere But though Ignatius might have introduced this custom at Antioch yet in probability 't was originally borrowed of the Jews and so continued among Christians from the beginning This is evident that Pliny writing to the Emperour Trajan in whose days St. John died saith of the Christians that they were wont early in a morning to meet together which comes near to St. Basil's account and to sing Carmen Christo a Hymn to Christ and that secum invicem by course by turns or one after another 11. As concerning the posture of the body at the receiving Kneeling at the Sacrament of the Holy Sacrament it is clear that the sitting posture was never used unless by the Arrians who denied our Saviour's Divinity All the Catholicks did receive with all imaginable Reverence and in St. Cyril's time they did it in a worshipping Cyril Catech. Myst 5. and adoring gesture the Adoration being directed to God and Christ but not to the Elements 12. 'T is customary with us especially in some places to read the second Service at the Lords Table which some are pleased to look upon as a mighty piece of Superstition though it be nothing else but an innocent usage conformable to the Practice of the most Primitive times which is still preserved not onely in the Eastern parts but in the Lutheran Churches also For as Mr. Mede hath well observed this was the place Christian Sacrifice cap. 5. Ep. 56. to Dr. Twisse alibi where the Ancients offered up all their Prayers unto God and because the Passion of Christ is commemorated and his Death represented there they thought it the most fit and proper place for Divine-Service and so were wont to call upon God at the Altar signifying hereby that they offered up their Prayers in the Name and through the Merits of their crucified Saviour For the Readers further satisfaction I shall refer him to the Observations of that learned man and onely adde That that Phrase in Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be within the Altar is a plain allusion to this Ancient and Primitive custom and signifies to joyn with the Bishop in those Ministrations which were performed and in those Prayers which were offered up at the Altar And the like Phrase we finde in Clements Constitutions Const l. 7. c. 41. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to partake of holy Mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is explained afterwards to communicate in holy Ordinances In fine whosoever will give himself the trouble to search and will do us the right to speak impartially he must needs confess that those Constitutions of ours which are establisht by Law and those Rites which are preserved by Custom have had their Rise and Original from the best and most authentick Antiquity I have instanced in several particulars and a longer account might be given if that would do our business effectually But I hope what hath been already shewed will satisfie all indifferent and sober persons that our Church is free from all charge of Superstition and Novelty I would to God she were as free from danger too danger which is now threatned her not only by those who never were in her bosom but by those also to whom she like an indulgent Mother hath held
persecutes the Church or disturbs the peace of Christians or is an Heretick or Schismatick or is a favourer or a defender of Hereticks and Schismaticks then saith he that Prince must down and if you read Histories you will finde that it has been a common thing for Kings to be dethroned And he instanceth in the Scots that have been Rebels and Traytors from the beginning In uno Scotiae regno multos Reges legimus Lib. 11. c. 5. Nobilium Populi communi consensu è regno pulsos that is In that one Kingdom of Scotland we read of many Kings whose Crowns have been pulled off their heads by the Nobles and Commonalty Ergo the thing is very lawful And truly this is De jure regni pag. 53. Buchanan's own Argument Possum annumerare duodecem aut etiam amplius Reges c. I could says he reckon up twelve Kings of Scotland or more who have been either imprisoned or banisht or slain out-right by their Subjects for their Crimes Truly 't is a fine Honour for that Nation and though it be a most pitiful and scandalous Argument yet 't is remarkable how these two men did jump in their way of arguing there is such an Harmonia Evangelica such a sweet Harmony between these two great Evangelists that it may be questioned whether Buchanan was not a Jesuit or Azorius a Presbyterian 6. The King-killing Doctrine is justly laid at the Jesuits door for 't is his own dear Brat onely some have modestly doubted whether a Prince who is counted a Tyrant may be executed by any private hand till he has been heard and condemned by the judicial Sentence of the Nation But never let this Doctrine be laid at the Jesuits door onely For hath it not been held hath it not been put in practice by many pretended Anti papists in this Island Give me Buchanan for my money who scorns to mince the matter as others do till they have the Power in their hands for speaking of Tyrants and any Prince that pleaseth not them shall be esteem'd a Tyrant If I saith he were to make a Law I would have such men carried De Jure Reg. away into Deserts or drowned in the Sea and I would have such as kill them to be lustily rewarded not by single men but by the whole Commonwealth even as they are publickly rewarded that kill Wolves or Bears or take their Whelps There 's a man to be a Prince's Tutor but the Jesuits were his Tutors first For what brave fellows were Clement and Ravaillac in their estimation and had they liv'd would have been made Cardinals For what is more meritorious with them than to dispatch a King that is their Enemy Did not Ehud kill King Eglon saith Aquinas Did not the Captains kill Queen Athalia saith Bellarmine Yes surely they did but these instances do not reach the Case However some King-killing Protestants have urged these very Examples which were urged by the King-killing Romanists and by this we See Dang Posit B. 2. c. 1. may know what hands they were which cut off K. Charles's head and by whom they were influenced and set on work 7. But how will men answer God for these horrid Villanies Doth not our Saviour say Resist not evil Doth not St. Paul say He that resisteth shall receive to himself damnation And did not the good old Christians in the Primitive times quietly submit to the Emperours though they were Infidels Hereticks Persecutors O saith Buchanan and his Loyal De Jure Reg. p. 50 51. Brethren of the new cut you must consider the condition of those times the Church then was in its Infancy and Christians were low in Fortunes and few in number and void of Arms yet the ancient Fathers tell us the contrary and therefore 't was necessary for St. Paul to advise them to be quiet as if saith he one should now write to the poor Christians under the Turk he would advise them to be quiet because they cannot help it though the Apostle said Ye must needs be subject not onely for Wrath but also for Conscience sake But saith Buchanan if St. Paul lived now in these times he would say otherwise From this shift the Magistrate may observe how dangerous it is to indulge men of these Principles till they grow numerous strong opulent and heady for then Conscience will hang at the hilts of their Swords but that which I observe is that this Evasion is down-right Jesuitism So Cardinal Bellarmine affirm'd That the reason why Christians De Rom. Pont. l. 5. c. 7. did not depose Nero or Diocletian or Julian or Valens and the like wicked Emperours was quia deerant vires Temporales Christianis because they wanted strength And the same Evasion Parsons the Jesuit used in Q. Elizabeth's days but 't was such a pitiful Evasion that Father Watson who then hated the Jesuits was asham'd of it and did largely confute it Quodlibet 9. Art 4. I might take notice of several more Principles yet which have been entertain'd by our Sectaries and as like unto Jesuitical Principles as one Apple is like another As that when they please they can dispense with Oaths though never so lawful and lawfully impos'd such as the Oath of Allegiance Supremacy Canonical Obedience c. these have been swallowed and gone down glib when an unlawful Oath like a Jesuits Vow sticks and is ready to choak them Likewise that they make Obedience to the Civil Magistrate due with certain limitations and conditions viz. if he stick to that Religion which they suppose to be true This is a Jesuitical Principle and so Bellarmine tells us That Princes are received Vbi sup into the Church upon an Express or tacit Compact that they will submit their Scepters unto Christ and defend and preserve the Faith but if once they warp their Subjects are free from their Oaths of Obedience Exactly answerable hereunto was the Tenor of the Scotch Covenant wherein they Solemn League and Covenant Art 3. swore to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority not absolutely but with this limitation and restriction in the preservation and defence they are Bellarmine's very words of the true Religion Let a Prince please them and he shall be their King and so far the rankest Jesuit will be a good Subject but if he be not of their Opinion or for their Interest farewel Loyalty and let the poor Prince look to himself Moreover they thought as the Jesuits do that any Arts of Dissimulation and Equivocation were lawful Of which the late times have afforded us so many pregnant Instances that for twenty years together Hypocrisie seem'd God be merciful unto us to have ran through all proceedings like an Anima Mundi to give life and spirit to every Action But I cannot well omit one very memorable Instance when the House of Commons did solemnly declare on April 9. 1642. That they intended onely a due and necessary Reformation