threefold relation First To God Secondly To the People Thirdly One toward another In respect of God all are Ministers of what degree soever they be because they do what they do by commission from him either more or lesse immediate for a Minister is he qui operam suam alicui ut superlori aut domino praebet In respect of the People all are Bishops that is Inspectores or Overseers as having charge to look unto them But lastly compared one to another he whom we usually call Bishop is onely Overseer of the rest Inspector totius Cleri Deacons are onely Ministers to the rest Ministri Presbyterorum Episcoporum and in that respect have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops are a degree of Presbyters of divine ordinance to be as Heads Chiefs and Presidents of their Brethren All other Ecclesiasticall Ministers whether in Ecclesia or Foro Ecclesiastico I mean whether they attend divine Duties in the Church or Jurisdiction in Ecclesiasticall Courts are all a kinde of Deacons being to the Presbyters either single or Episcopall as the Levites were to the Sacerdotes in the Old Testament namely to minister unto or for them These grounds being forelaid and understood I affirm first that Presbyters are by us unnaturally and improperly called Ministers either of the Church or of such or such a Parish we should call them as my text doth Ministers of God or Ministers of Christ not Ministers of men First Because they are onely Gods Ministers who sends them but the Peoples Magistri to teach instruct and oversee them Were it not absurd to call the Shepheard the sheeps Minister If he be their Minister they surely are his Masters And so indeed the People by occasion of this misappellation think they are ours and use us accordingly Indeed we are called Ministers but never their Ministers but as you see here Gods Ministers Christs Ministers who imployeth us to dispense his Mysteries unto his Church There are three words in the New Testament translated Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first is most frequent but not one of them is given to the Apostles in the whole Scripture with relation to the Church or People you shall never finde them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is so frequent with us but Ministers of God 2 Cor. 6. 4. 1 Thess. 3. 2. Ministers of Christ as in my text and 2 Cor. 11. 23. Col. 1. 7. Ministers of Iesus Christ. 1 Tim. 4. 6. or Ministers of that which they minister as Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3. 6. Ministers of the Gospel Eph. 3. 7. Col. 1. 23. but not Ministers of them to whose behoof they minister Yet might this speech Minister of the Church if rightly construed be admitted namely if it be spoken by an Ellipsis for Minister of God for and over the Church so the Apostle Coloss. 1. 17. A faithfull Minister of Christ for you that is Christs Minister not theirs yet not for Christ but for them But those who use this speech commonly mean otherwise Secondly Angels are called ministring spirits but not our Ministers but Gods Ministers to us-ward or for our behalf So Ministers of the Gospel not the Peoples or Congregations Ministers but Gods Ministers for their behoof Thirdly this speech Minister of the Church or of this or that Church is so much the more incommodious because it hath begotten as incommodious and unapt speeches do an erroneous conceit not onely among the vulgar but some of better understanding namely that a Minister is not lawfully called unlesse he be chosen by the People because he is their Minister and so to be deputed by them And indeed if he be their Minister in proper relation they are his Masters and so it is good reason they should appoint him as Masters do those who are to serve them But if in proper relation they are Gods Ministers and not theirs though for them then God is to appoint them or such as he hath put in place to do it It is an erroneous opinion that some maintain That the power of Sacred Order and of the Keyes is given by God immediately to the body of the Congregation and that they depute him who is their Minister to execute the power which is originally in them That power is conferred by God immediately to those who are Bishops and Pastors and by and through them belongs to the whole body and no otherwise Sed tantum potuit incommodi sermonis usus Some perhaps object against my whole assertion that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 4. 5. We preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord to wit esse Dominum and our selves your servants for Iesus sake If the Apostles were the Churches servants why not their Ministers I answer the Apostle sayes not they were the Corintbians servants but that he had made himself so in his Preaching to them So he sayes expresly 1 Cor. 9. 19. For though I be free from all men yet I have made my self a servant to all that I might gain the more Yet he confesses the Corinthians began to vilifie him for this condescent 2 Cor. 11. 7. Have I committed an offence in abasing my self that you might be exalted because I have preached unto you the Gospel of God freely This was that wherein he carried himself toward the Corinthians as a Servant but to other Churches he did not so It would be a strange assertion to say the Apostle were the Corinthians Servant in a proper relation we know he sayes Gal. 1. 10. If I pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ And Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom you yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey I come now to a second assertion which is that howsoever any Ecclesiasticall person may be rightly called a Minister so it be in a proper relation to God-ward yet the word Minister is again most unfitly used by us for a name of distinction of one Ecclesiasticall Order from another As when we call those which are Presbyters Ministers by way of distinction from Deacons for so we speak Ministers and Deacons in stead of Priests and Deacons The reason we thus speak is to avoid the name Priest which we conceive to signifie Sacerdos that is one that sacrificeth such as were those in the Law But our Curates of holy things in the Gospel are not to offer Sacrifice and therefore ought not to be called Sacerdotes and consequently not Priests This is the reason but if it be well examined Priest is the English of Presbyter and not of Sacerdos there being in our Tongue no word in use for Sacerdos Priest which we use for both being improperly used for a Sacrificer but naturally expressing a Presbyter the name whereby the Apostles call both themselves and those which succeed them in their charge For who can deny that our word Priest is corrupted of Presbyter Our Ancestors the
Saxons first used Preoster which by a farther contraction came Preste and Priest The high and low Dutch have Priester the French Prestre Italian Prete but the Spaniard onely speaks full Presbytero But to come more near the point our men in using the word Minister for a distinctive name in stead of Priest incurre four Solecisms I mean when we use the word Minister not at large but for a distinction from the Order of Deacons saying Ministers and Deacons First we run into that we sought to avoid For we would avoid to call the Presbyters of the Gospel by the name of the Sacrificers of the Law and yet run into it in such sort that we style those of the Gospel by the legall name and those of the Law by the Euangelicall name the Hebrew cals them of the Law Cohanim of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to minister and thence comes the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we call those of the Gospel Cohanim when we style them Ministers On the contrary the Apostles style those of the Gospel Presbyteri but we transferre that name to those of the Law when we call them Priests This is counterchange Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim Secondly It is a confusion or tautology to say Ministers and Deacons that is Ministers and Ministers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Greek what Minister is in Latin both signifying a Minister as if one should say Homo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dilavium and Cataclysmus and think so to distinguish things of severall natures or conditions Thirdly We impose upon that Order a name of a direct coÌ„trary notion to what the Apostles gave them The Apostles gave them a name of Eldership and Superiority in calling them Presbyteri we of inferiority subordination in calling them Ministri The Jews had no name more honourable then that of Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so they called their Magistrates so we read of Elders of the people and Elders of the Priests and Levites meaning the chief in both sorts This honourable name the Apostles gave as a name of distinction to the Euangelicall Pastors whereby they dignified them above those of the Law whose name in the Hebrew as I said before is but a denomination of ministery And we have rejected the name of Dignity of Fathership and Eldership and assumed in stead thereof a name of under-service of subjection of ministery to distinguish our order by I say to distinguish our order For in a generall sense and with reference to God we are all his Ministers and it is an honour unto us so to be more then to be other mens Masters as our Apostle in my text intimates Fourthly in the Churches beyond the Seas there is a worse Solecism by reason of this misapplied speech They have a kinde of Officers who are the Pastors assistants in Discipline much like to our Churchwardens these they call Elders we style them Lay-Elders These are but a kinde of Deacons at the most and of a new erection too And yet these are dignified by the name of Elders and Presbyters who are indeed but Deacons or Ministers and the Pastor himself is called a Minister who in the Apostles style is the onely Presbyter or Elder For so they speak The Minister and his Presbyters or Elders To conclude it had been to be wished that those whom the term of Priest displeased as that which gave occasion by the long abuse thereof to fancy a Sacrifice had rather restored the Apostolicall name of Presbyter in the full sound which would have been as soon and as easily learned and understood as Minister and was no way subject to that supposed inconvenience But the mis-application of the word Presbyter in some Churches to an Order the Apostles called not by that name deprived those thereof to whom it was properly due Howsoever when they call us Ministers let them account of us as the Ministers of Christ and not of men Not as deputed by the Congregation to execute a power originally in them but as Stewards of the mysteries of God S. JOHN 10. 20. He hath a Devill and is mad IT is a matter of greater moment then perhaps every man thinks of under what notions things are conceived and from what property or Character the names we call them by are derived For hereby not seldom it comes to passe That the same things presented to us under different notions and names derived therefrom are not taken to be the same they are Even as he that meets a man well known unto him in an exotick disguise or antick habit takes him to be some other though he knew him never so well before For example a man would wonder that a Comet as we call it being so remarkable and principall a work of the Divine power and which draws the eyes of all men with admiration towards it should no where be found mentioned in the Old Testament Neither there where the works of God are so often recounted to magnifie him when as Hail Snow Rain and Iee works of far lesse admiration are not pretermitted neither by way of allusion and figured expression in the Prophets predictions of great calamities and changes whereof they were taken to be presages especially when we see them borrow so many other allusions both from heaven and earth to paint their descriptions with Should a man therefore think there never appeared any of them in those times or to those Countreys It is incredible Or that the Jews were so dull and heedlesse as not to observe them That is not like neither What should we say then Surely they conceived of them under some other notions then we do and accordingly expressed them some other way As what if by a Pillar of fire such a one perhaps as went before the Israelites in the Wildernesse or by a Pillar of fire and smoke as in that of Ioel I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth Blood and Fire and pillars of Smoke Or by the name of an Angel of the Lord whereby no doubt they are guided according as is said of that Pillar of Fire which went before the Israelites That the Angel of the Lord when they were to passe the Red-sea came and stood between them and the AEgyptians when that Pillar did so And who knows whether that in the 104 Psalm may not have some meaning this way He maâ—eth his Angels Spirits or windes and his Ministers a Flame of fire to wit because they are wont to appear in both It comes in in the Psalm among other works of God in a fit place for such a sense both in regard of what goes before and follows after These I say or some of these may be descriptious of those we call Comets which because they are disguised under another notion and not denominated from Stella or Coma hence we know them not Now to
ceasing of Prophecy that is in the time of Maccabees which will not easily be granted Besides that we reade not that Antiochus cast any fire into the Temple Now if it speak of the vastation by Nebuchadnezzar then had the Jews before that time not onely a Sanctuary for sacrifice but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coâ—…ticula Dei that is either Proseucha's or Synagogues for either will serve my purpose But now you will say what profit is there of this long discourse were it so or were it not so as I have endeavoured to prove of what use is the knowledge thereof to us yes to know it was so is usefull in a threefold respect First for the right understanding of such places of the Old Testament where a House of God and assembling before the Lord are often mentioned there where neither the Ark of the Covenant nor the Tabernacle at such time were as besides the places before alledged we reade in the tenth of the first Book of Samuel of Sauls meeting with three men going up to God to Bethel and of a place called The Hill of God whence a company of Prophets came from the high place there prophesying with a Tabret Pipe and Harp before them in neither of which places can we finde that ever the Tabernacle was and as for the Ark we are sure it was all this time at Kiriathjearim till David solemnly fetcht it thence and if at any time the Ark might as now it was not be transferred to any of them upon occasion of some generall Assembly of the Nation that so they might have opportunity to ask counsell of the Lord and offer Sacrifice yet were they not the ordinary station thereof Secondly we may learn from hence that to have appropriate places set apart for prayer and Divine duties is not a circumstance or rite proper to legall worship onely but of a more common nature For as much as though Sacrifice wherein the legall worship or worship of the old Covenant consisted were restrained to the Ark and Tabernacle and might not be exercised where they were not yet were there other places for Prayer besides that which are no more to be accounted legall places then bare and simple prayer was a legall Dutie Lastly we may gather from this Description of Proseucha's which were as Courts encompassed onely with a wall or other like enclosure and open above in what manner to conceive of the accommodation of those Altars we reade to have been erected by the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Book of Genesis namely that the ground whereon they stood was fenced and bounded with some such enclosure and shaded with trees after the manner of Proseucha's as we may reade expresly of one of them at Beersheba That Abraham there planted a Grove and called upon the Name of the Lord the everlasting God Yea when the Tabernacle and Temple were the Altar of God stood still in an open Court and who can beleeve that the place of those Altars of the Patriarchs were not bounded and separated from common ground And from these patterns in likelihood after the Altar for Sacrifice was restrained to one onely place the use of such open places or Courts for prayer garnished with trees as I have shewed Proseucha's to have been continued still 1 TIM 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine THere are two things in these words to be explicated First what is meant here by Elders Secondly what is this double-honour due unto them For the first there is no question but the Priests or Ministers of the Gospel of Christ were contained under this name for so the New Testament useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter for the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments in the Gospel whence commeth the Saxon word Priester and our now English word Priest And the Ancient Fathers thought these onely to be here meant and never dreamed of any other But in our time those who obtrude a new Discipline and Government upon the Church altogether unknown and unheard of in the ancient will needs have two sorts of Elders or Presbyters here understood one of such as preach the Word and Doctrine whom they call Pastours another of Lay-men who were neither Priests nor Deacons but ned as assistants to them in the exercise of Ecclesiasticall Discipline in admonitions and censures of manners and in a word in the execution of the whole power of the Keys These our Church-men call Lay-Elders and the Authors of this new device Presbyterians these Presbyters or Elders they will have meant in the first words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders that rule or govern well whom therefore they call Ruling-Elders the other whom they call Pastours to be described in the latter words they who labour in the Word and Doctrine whom therefore they distinguish by the name of Teaching-Elders This is their exposition and this exposition the ground and foundation of their new Discipline but none of the Fathers which have commented upon this Place neither Chrysostome Hierome Ambrose Theodoret Primasius Oecumenius or Theophylact as they had no such so ever thought of any such Lay-Elders to be here meant but Priests only which administred the Word and Sacraments But how will you say then is this Place to be understood which may seem as they alledge to intimate two sorts of Elders some that ruled only others that laboured also in the Word and Doctrine The Divines of our Church who had cause when time was to be better versed in this question then any others have given divers expositions of these words none of which give place to any such new-found Elders as the Fautors of the Presbyterian Discipline upon the sole Authority of this one place have set up in divers forain Churches and would have brought into ours I will relate four of the chief of these expositions to which the rest are reducible The first is grounded upon the use of the participle in the Greek tongue which is often wont to note the reason or condition of a thing and accordingly to be resolved by a causall or conditionall conjunction According whereunto this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duplici honore digni habeantur or dignentur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be resolved thus Elders or Presbyters that rule or govern the Flock well let them be accounted worthy of double honour and that chiefly in respect and because of their labour in the Word and Doctrine And so this manner of speech will imply two duties but not two sorts or orders of Elders and that though this double honour be due unto them for both yet chiefly and more principally for the second their labour in the Word and Doctrine and this way goes S. Chrysostome and other Greek Writers A second exposition is taken from the force and signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which signifies not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour but to labour with much travell and toyl for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vexor laboribus molestiis premor and so properly signifies molestiam or fatigationem ex labore Thus the meaning will be let Elders that do bene praesidere i. govern and instruct their Flock well be counted worthy of double honour especially such of them as take more then ordinary pains in the Word and Doctrine Or thus let the Elders that discharge their office well be c. especially by how much the more their painfulnesse and travell shall exceed in preaching the Word and Doctrine c. Thus we have seen two expositions of these words neither of them implying two sorts of Orders of Presbyters but only distinguishing severall offices and duties of the same Order or implying a differing merit in the discharge of them But if they will by no means be perswaded but that two sorts of Elders are here intimated let it be so two other expositions will yeeld them it but so as will not be for their turn for their Lay Elders will be none of them The first is this That the Apostle should speak here of Priests and Deacons considering both as Members of the Ecclesiasticall Consistory or Senate which consisted of both Orders and in that respect might well include them both under the name of Elders it being a common notion in Scripture to call the Associates of a Court of Judicature by that name Senatus in Latin hath its name à senibus i. senioribus of Eldership and is as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to this supposall the Apostles words may have this construction Let the Elders which rule well whether Priests or Deacons be counted worthy of double honour but more especially the Priests who besides their government labour also in the Word and Doctrine Now what can be opposed against such an exposition I see not For it is not improbable but the Apostle should make provision as well for the maintenance of Deacons as of Priests seeing he omits it not of Widows in the verse going next before this But unlesse he includes them under the name of Elders he makes no provision for them at all Besides this is not the only place some think where Deacons are comprehended under the name of Elders For the Councell of Hierusalem Acts 15. where they inscribe their Synodicall Epistle thus The Apostles Elders and Brethren to the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch c. may seem to comprehend the Deacons under the name of Elders or Presbyters otherwise they should omit them which without doubt were part of the Councell There is another exposition which allows also of two sorts of Elders to be here implied but makes them both Priests namely that Presbyters or Priests in the Apostles time were of two sorts one of Residentiaries and such as were affixed to certain Churches and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidere Gregi Anothe◠of such as had no fixed station or charge over any certain place but travelled up and down to preach the Gospel where it was not or to confirm the Churches where it was preached already such as are elswhere known by the names of Euangelists and Doctors or Prophets that these were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of here by the Apostle that both these sorts of Presbyters were to be counted worthy of double honour as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those that travelled up and down to preach the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially these latter because their pains were more then the others This is confirmed from the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Scripture signifies not only corporall labour as may appear in many places but seems to be used by S. Paul even in this very sense we have now given as 1 Cor. 15. where he says comparing himself with the other Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have travelled up and down more then they all as is manifest he did These are the principall expositions given by the Writers of our Church upon this passage of Scripture which is the foundation and onely place whereon they build this new Consistory and are so much in love with it But this being capable as you see of such variety of exposition how much too weak and insufficient it is to establish any such new order of Elders never heard of in the Church from the time of the Apostles untill this last age any man may judge But give me leave to propound a fifth exposition which shall be more liberall to them then any of those yet given For it shall yeeld them all they contend for so eagerly to be implied in this Text namely that there are not only two sorts of Elders here implied but also that the one of them are Lay-Elders such as have nothing to doe with the administration of the Word and Sacraments what would they have more yet they will be never the nearer for this concession for the Lay-Elders here implied may be no Church Officers but Civill Magistrates which in Scripture language we know are called Elders as when we reade of the Elders of Israel of the Elders of Iudah of the Elders of the Priests and Elders of the people of Priests and Elders and the like according to such a notion the words may be construed by way of Transitus à thesi ad hypothesin as Rhetoricians call it to wit in this manner Cum omnes Seniores sive Reipublicae sive Ecclesiae qui bene praesident duplici honore dignandi sint tum maxime Seniores Ecclesiastici qui laborant in verbo Doctrinâ Or thus Let all Elders that govern well of what sort soever be counted worthy of double honour especially the Elders of the Church which labour in the Word and Doctrine Is not this good sense and doth not the Apostle in the beginning of this very Chapter use the name Elder in the larger and more generall sense when he says Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father and the younger men as Brethren the Elder women as Mothers the younger as Sisters why may he not then do so here And doth not S. Iames in his last Chapter call the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in distinction from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it will be objected that this exposition is too ambitious because it makes the Apostle to preferre the Elders of the Church before the Elders of the Common-wealth that is the Priest before the Civill Magistrate when he says that all Elders whether of Church or Common-wealth are to be accounted worthy of double honour so especially those Elders which labour in the Word and Doctrine which are the Presbyters of the Church But here know that the name of Elder is never given in Scripture
separation and sanctity of their Order to be distinguished and differenced from other Christians both passively in their usance from others but especially actively by a restrained conversation and peculiarnesse in their manner of life is manifest by her ancient Canons and Discipline Yea so deeply hath it been rooted in the minds of men that the Order of Church-men binds them to some differing kinde of conversation and form of life from the Laity that even those who are not willing to admit of the like discrimination due in other things have still in their opinions some relique thereof remaining in this though perhaps not altogether to be acquited of that imputation which Tertâ—llian charged upon some in his time to wit Quod quum excellimur inflamur adversus Clerum tunc unum omnes sumus tunc omnes Sacerdotes quia Sacerdotes nos Deo Patri fecit Quum ad per equationem Disciplinâ— Sacerdotalis provocamur deponimus infulas impares sumus When we vaâ—nt and are puffed up against the Clergy then we are all one then we are all Priests For he made us Priests to God and his Father But when we are called upon to equall in our lives the example of Priestly Discipline then down goe our Mitres and we are another sort of men Another sort of things sacred which I named was Sacred PLACES to wit Churches and Oratoriâ—s as the Christian name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth them to be that is The Lords A third Sacred Times i. dedicated and appointed for the solemne celebration of the worship of God and Divine duties such are with us for those of the Jews concern us not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lords days with other our Christian Festivals and holy days Of the manner of the discrimination from common or sanctifying both the one and the other by actions some commanded others interdicted to be done in them the Canons and Constitutions of our Church will both inform and direct us For holy Times and holy Places are Twins Time and Place being as I may so speak pair-circumstances of action and therefore Lev. XIX 30. And again XXVI 2. they are joyned together tanquam ejusdem rationâ—s Keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary The fourth sort of Sacred things is of such as are neither Persons Times nor Places but Things in a speciall sense by way of distinction from them And this sort containeth under it many particulars which may be specified after this manner 1. Sacred Revenue of what kinde soever which in regard of the dedication thereof as it must not bee prophaned by sacrilegious alienation so ought to be sanctified by a different use and imployment from other Goods namely such a one as becommeth that which is the Lords and not mans For that Primitive Christian Antiquity so esteemed them appears by their calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they did their Place of Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Holy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all of the Lord as it were Christening the old notion of Sacred by a new name So Can. Apâ—stol XL. Manifestae sint Episcopi res propriae si quidem res habet proprias manifesta sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. res Dominicae Author Constitut. Apost lib. 2. c. 28. al. 24. Episcopus ne utatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicis rebus tanquam alienis aut communibus sed moderate See also Balsamon in Can. 15. Concilii Ancyrani and the Canon it self Secondly Sacred Vtensils as the Lords Table Vessels of ministration the Books of God or Holy Scripture and the like Which that the Church even in her better times respected with an holy and discriminative usance may be learned from the Story of that calumnious crimination devised by the Arrian Faction against Athanasius as a charge of no small impiety namely that in his Visitation of the Tract of Mareotis Macarius one of his Presbyters by his command or instinct had entered into a Church of the Miletian Schismatiques and there broken the Chalice or Communion Cup thrown down the Table and burnt some of the Holy Books All which argues that in the generall opinion of Christians of that time such acts were esteemed prophane and impious otherwise they could never have hoped as they did to have blasted the reputation of the holy Bishop by such a slaunder Touching the Books of God or holy Scripture which I referred to this title especially those which are for the publique service of God in the Church I adde this further That under that name I would have comprehended the senses words and phrases appropriated to the expression of Divine and Sacred things which a Religious â—are cannot endure to hear abused with prophane and scurrilous application Thirdly under this fourth head of things Sacred I comprehend Sacred Acts such as are the Acts of Gods holy worship and administration of his Sacraments For albeit these Acts are duties of the first and personall Sanctification of Gods Name whereof the immediate object is God yet are the Acts themselves sacred things and therefore have some sanctification due to them also as other sacred things have of which although it be most true that the unfained devotion of the heart as before him who alone knoweth the hearts of the children of men be the main and principall requisite yet unlesse even in the outward performance they be for the manner and circumstances discriminated from common acts by a select accommodation befitting their holinesse their sanctification is defective and by such defect if voluntary Gods Name is prophaned even then when wee are worshipping him How much more when our carriage therein commeth short even of that wonted reverence wherewith we come before an earthly Potentate May not God here justly use the same expostulation with us that he did with those in the Prophet Malachi who presented themselves before him with such an offering as was in regard of the blemishes unworthy of and unbefitting so great a Majesty and therefore to be accounted rather an affront then an act of honour and worship Yee have saith he despised and prophaned my Name Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person yet I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts And this is the document or lesson which this place naturally and unavoydably ministreth to us That to come before the Divine Majesty with lesse reverent and regardfull deportment then we doe before earthly Kings and potentates is to despise and prophane his holy Name And not that which some would shelter under this text and lean too much upon namely That the acts of Gods externall worship ought to be wholly conform to the use of the semblable actions performed unto men and not differ from them and upon this ground charge the Christian Liturgies with absurdity in their forms of praying and praising God with responsals singing by turns and speaking many together For this
presently follows when the Jews opposed Paul there testifying Jesus to be Christ and blasphemed that he shook his rayment and said Your blood be on your own heads From henceforth I will go to the Gentiles And he departed thence saith the text and entred into the house of one Iustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gentile-worshipper whose house joyned hard to the Synagogue But above all that narration Acts 13. deserves our consideration and attention There ver 43. it is said that Saint Paul having preached the Gospel in the Jews Synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia there followed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many of the Jews and worshipping Proselytes and vers 42. That when the Jews were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besought the Apostles that the same things might be preached unto them the next Sabbath which being accordingly done and many of the other Gentiles who were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the same of such a new Doctrine unwontedly assembling with them it is said that the Iews when they saw the multitude were filled with envy contradicted and blasphemed That then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternall life Lo we turn to the Gentiles as the Lord saith I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles c. 48. That when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were already in procinctu and in the posture to eternal life The Jews blasphemed the rest of the Gentiles were uncapable onely the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were already Candidati vitae aeternae having been instructed in the worship of the true God and hoping for the reward to come they beleeved Yet perhaps not all of them neither the words require not so much but that none but such And it follows that the Jews found out some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipping women such as were of fashion who yet perhaps had not been at the Apostles Sermon by whose means they stirred up the chief men in the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas This I take to be the true and genuine meaning of this passage upon which no charge of Pelagianism can be fastened nor needeth it any spinous Criticisms for its explication The use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de acie collocatione Militum de ascriptione in ordinem vel classem in which signification the passive is most frequent is well enough known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon In cam classem me ascribo Plutarch in Solone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In pauperum ordinem se redigit inter pauperes se numerat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur milites unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est in numerum virorum ascribi Compare the 1 Cor. 16. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to which sense and notion the words might be rendred Crediderunt quotquot nomina suae dederant vitae aeternae or per Ellipsin Participii Qui de agmine classe fuerant sperantium vel contendentium ad vitam aeternam otherwise Qui in procinctussabant ad vitam aeternam or most fitly sensu modò militari Quotquot ordinati fuer ant ad vitam aeternam De re tota judicent viri docti à studio partium alieni Besides it will not be impertinent as a Mantissa to these quotations for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note that the same persons are otherwise namely twice characterised by the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As first of Cornelius concerning whom there is no question but he was a Gentile worshipper The Text saith There was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian Band 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again in that 13. of the Acts whereon we have dwelt so long S. Paul speaking at first to that mixt multitude assembled in the Synagogue consisting partly of Jews and partly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he compellates them verse 16. both distinctly in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the former meaning the Jews by the latter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gentile worshippers Of this kinde of Converts as I have in part already intimated were in our Saviour and his Apostles time very many in every Nation and City where the Jews lived and had their Synagogues yea far more in number then of that other sort of Proselytes which were circumcised The reason being because it was the more easie condition and not so prejudiciall to their outward liberty as the other in as much as they might notwithstanding still live and converse with their friends kindred and Countrymen bear office and enjoy honours among them as Naaman the Syrian did who was of this kinde which the other might not do These impediments being out of the way the hope of the Resurrection from the dead and the reward of the life to come were powerfull inducements to draw many to the worship of that God who onely among the Gods at that time promised this reward to such as worshipped and served him and no other which was the bait wherewith the Jews allured them and that to their own no small emolument this kinde as it were to recompence their want of Circumcision seeming to be very bountifull towards their Nation as may be gathered both from Cornelius who is said to have given much alms to the people namely of the Jews And the Story of that Centurion Luke 7. whom the Jews besought our Saviour so instantly for alledging that he loved their Nation and had built them a Synagogue and therefore deserved that favour they sued for on his behalf Now out of this discourse besides the clearing of the passages afore-mentioned we may learn two things One how so many of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles could so soon and so readily be converted to the faith of Christ. It was because they had already embraced the principles which led thereunto For we are to take notice that the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles was laid of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who had already embraced the worship of the true God had knowledge of his promises beleeved and hoped for the life to come For was not S. Peter to whom the instructions for this Embassage were first given sent first to Cornelius a Centurion a Gentile the first of this order wherefore but that this might be for a pattern for them with what kinde of men they were first to deal in this great work namely with such as were idonei Auditores Euangelii those which were puri puti Gentiles being not so as who knew nothing of the principles requisite thereto This
never cease from having a King or being a Kingdom but that it should not cease from being a State a body Politick or Common-wealth having a power of Government and Jurisdiction within it self untill Messiah came wherefore the Septuagint here for Sceptrum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is certain that Iudah was so far from being a continued Kingdom untill Messiah should come that there was no Kingly Royalty in that Tribe for more then two third parts of that time namely not till David nor after Zedekiah saving that of the Maccabees who were Levites and of Herod by originall an Edomite which both put together will not make fourscore years yet were they never without some Ruler or Rulers of their own at that time The next word I consider is Law giver which will not be hard to understand if we mark well what is implied by Scepter for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here translated Law giver signifies not onely a maker of Laws but qui jus dicit he that exerciseth Jurisdiction and so differs not much from the former if they be not altogether Synonyma As for the phrase from between his feet it means nothing else but of his posterity For so the Scripture modestly expresseth the place of generation as it doth also by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Femur or Crus For where we reade in the 26. of this Book of Genesis and again in the first of Exodus All the souls that came out of the loins of Iacob were seventy souls in the Hebrew it is all the souls that came out of his thigh whence by the way you may observe the occasion of that Fable that Bacchus or Dionysius was born ex femore Iovis which according to the Orientall expression whence that whole story of Bacchus came implied no more then that he was Iupiters son but the Greeks not understanding the meaning converted it unto that Fable which you all know Now for the word Shiloh if we derive it as I think we should it will signifie a Peace-maker or Saviour of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Tranquillus Pacificus or Salvus fuit And if the Masorites had so pleas'd they might have pointed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the name of the eldest son of Iudah that survived and in the Hebrew Etymology can signifie nothing else but Peaceable or Peace-maker And whether the Patriarch Iacob or the Holy Ghost directing him might not chuse this name before any other to designe Messiah in this Prophecy in respect of the allusion it had to one of Iudahs sons I will not affirm but leave to your better consideration Others following the Jewish Rabbies go farther about to bring the word Shiloh to signifie Filius ejus that is Iudahs construing the Prophesie thus The scepter shall not depart from Iudah till his son namely Messiah come For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will have put for the affix Vau as sometimes it is elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundina that wherein the infant is wrapped in the womb and so by a Metonymie to signifie here the Childe it self In a word they will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundina ejus and that to mean Filius ejus But this me thinks is somewhat too ambagious and therefore lesse probable but let every one follow his own judgement And now I am come to the Application to shew at what point of time this prediction was fulfilled To make the way plain whereunto I must first alter a little the construction of the remaining words namely And unto him shall the gathering of the People or the Nations be For here the word shall be or shall is not in the Hebrew but added in translating and so may be left out the words in the originall being onely Et ei aggregatio or obedientia populorum I construe therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vntill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as common to this with the former sentence namely thus The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah c. untill Shiloh come and the gathering of the people be to him that is Untill Messiah come and the People or Nations be gathered unto him the Scepter shall not depart Where note that two things are specified to come to passe before the Scepter departs from Iudah or Iudah ceases from being a Common-wealth First the comming of Christ or Shiloh into the world Secondly the gathering of the Nations or Gentiles unto him For I construe the word Vntill as I told you as common to both sentences Vntill Shiloh come and untill the Nations be gathered unto him And now me thinks your thoughts might almost prevent me in designing the time when this prediction was fulfilled namely neither when the Jews came first under the Roman subjection for then Shiloh was not yet come nor under Herod or as some will seven years after him when his son Archelaus being banished Judaea was reduced into a Province For though Christ was then born to wit in the end of Herods reign yet were not the Nations or Gentiles yet gathered unto him But at the destruction of the Jewish State by Titus when both these things were come to passe Christ being come and the Gentiles converted unto his obedience then did the Scepter depart from Judah and they cease from being any more a Common-wealth That this is the true application of this prediction besides the evidence of the event appears by our Saviours Prophesie of this destruction of the Jewish State in the Gospel of S. Mat where after he had named some other things to precede it he addes this for the last signe And this Gospel of the Kingdom saith he shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come that is the end of the Jewish State when the Gentiles by the preaching of the Apostles should be gathered unto Christ then should the Jewish Church and Common-wealth be utterly dissolved which till then had continued united under some Polity and form of Government from its first beginning For so it pleased the wisdom of Almighty God when he would reject the Iews not to dissolve their State till he had erected him a new among the Gentiles PSALM 8. 2. Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest quell the Enemy and the Avenger THese words are alledged by our blessed Saviour Matth. 21. 16. and three more of the verses following this by S. Paul to prove that Christ must raign till he had subdued all his enemies under his feet As Heb. 2. 4. What is man that thou art mindefull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him 5. For thou hast made him
the seventh from the Creation or not the Scripture is silent for where it is called in the Commandement the seventh day that is in respect of the six days of labour and not otherwise and therefore whensoever it is so called those six days of labour are mentioned with it The seventh day therefore is the seventh after six days of labour nor can any more be inferred from it The example of the Creation is brought for the quotum one day of seven as I have shewed and not for the designation of any certain day for that seventh Neverthelesse it might fall out so by disposition of Divine Providence that the Jews designed seventh day was both the seventh in order from the Creation and also the day of their deliverance out of Egypt But the Scripture no where tels us it was so howsoever most men take it for granted and therefore it may as well be not so Certain I am the Jews kept not that day for a Sabbath till the raining of Manna For that which should have been their Sabbath the week before had they then kept the day which afterward they kept was the fifteenth day of the second month on which day we reade in the 16. of Exodus that they marched a wearisome march and came at night into the wildernesse of Sin where they murmured for their poor entertainment and wished they had died in Egypt that night the Lord sent them Quails the next morning it rained Manna which was the sixteenth day and so six days together the seventh which was the two and twentieth it rained none and that day they were commanded to keep for their Sabbath now if the two and twentieth day of the month were the Sabbath the fifteenth should have been if that day had been kept before but the Text tels us expresly they marcht that day and which is strange the day of the month is never named unlesse it be once for any station but this where the Sabbath was ordained otherwise it could not have been known that that day was ordained for a day of rest which before was none And why might not their day of holy rest be altered as well as the beginning of the year was for a memoriall of their comming out of Egypt I can see no reason why it might not nor finde any testimony to assure me it was not And thus much of the Jews Sabbath how and wherein it was a sign whereby they professed themselves the servants of Iehovah and no other God Now I come to the second thing I propounded to shew how far and in what manner the like observation binds us Christians I say therefore that the Christian as well as the Iew after six days spent in his own works is to sanctifie the seventh that he may professe himself thereby a servant of God the Creatour of Heaven and Earth as well as the Jew For the quotum therefore the Jew and Christian agree but in designation of the day they differ For the Christian chooseth for his Holy day that which with the Jews was the first day of the week and cals it Dominicum that he might thereby professe himself a servant of that God who on the morning of that day vanquished Satan the Spirituall Pharaoh and redeemed us from our Spirituall thraldome by raising Iesus Christ our Lord from the dead begetting us in stead of an earthly Canaan to an inheritance incorruptible in the Heavens In a word the Christian by the day he hallows professes himself a Christian that is as S. Paul speaks To beleeve on him that raised up Iesus from the dead so that the Jew and Christian both though they fall not upon the same day yet make their designation of their day upon the like ground the Jews the memoriall day of their deliverance from the temporall Egypt and temporall Pharaoh the Christians the memoriall of their deliverance from the spirituall Egypt and spirituall Pharaoh But might not will you say the Christian as well have observed the Jewish for his seventh day as the day he doth I answer No he might not For in so doing he should seem not to acknowledge his Redemption to be already performed but still expected For the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by the Ministery of Moses was intended for a type and pledge of the spirituall deliverance which was to come by Christ their Canaan also to which they marched being a type of that heavenly inheritance which the redeemed by Christ do look for Since therefore the shadow is now made void by the comming of the substance the relation is changed and God is no longer to be worshipped and beleeved in as a God foreshewing and assuring by types but as a God who hath performed the substance of what he promised And this is that which S. Paul means Colossians 2. 16 17. where he saith Let no man judge you henceforth in respect of a Feast day New Moon or Sabbath days which were a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. 1. CO◠〈◊〉 5. Every woman praying or prophecying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head I Have chosen this of the woman rather then that of the man going before it for the Theme of my Discourse First because I conceive the fault at the reformation whereof the Apostle here almeth in the Church of Corinth was the womens only not the mens That which the Apostle speaks of a man praying or prophecying being by way of supposition and for illustration of the unseemlinesse of that guise which the women used Secondly because the condition of the sex in the words read makes something for the better understanding of that which is spoken of both as we shall see presently What I intend to speak upon this Text shall consist of these two parts First of an enquiry what is here meant by prophecying a thing attributed to women and therefore undoubtedly some such thing as they were capable of Secondly what was this fault for matter and manner of the women of the Church of Corinth which the Apostle here reproveth To begin with the first and which I am like to dwell longest upon Some take prophecying here in the stricter sense to be foretelling of things to come as that which in those Primitive times both men and women did by the powring out of the Holy Ghost upon them according to that of the Prophet Ioel applied by S. Peter to the sending of the Holy Ghost at the first promulgation of the Gospel I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophecy and your young men shall see visions And that such Prophetesses as these were those four Daughters of Philip the Euangelist whereof we read Acts 21. 9. Others take prophecying here in a more large notion for the gift of interpreting and opening Divine mysteries contained in holy Scripture for the instruction and edification of the hearers especially as it was then inspired and
suggested in extraordinary manner by the Holy Spirit as Prophecy was given of old according to that of S. Peter Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So because many in the beginning of the Gospel were guided by a like instinct in the interpretation and application of Scripture they were said to Prophecy Thus the Apostle useth it in the fourteenth Chapter of this Epistle where he discourses of spirituall Gifts and before all prefers this of Prophecy because he that prophecieth saith he speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort But neither of these kinds of Prophecy sute with the person in my Text which is a woman For it is certain the Apostle speaks here of prophecying in the Church or Congregation but in the Church a woman might not speak no not so much as ask a question for her better instruction much lesse teach and instruct others This the Apostle teacheth us in this very Epistle Chapter the fourteenth even there where he discourseth so largely of those kinds of Prophecy Let your women saith he keep silence in the Churches For it is not permitted unto them to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to be subject And if they will learn let them ask their husbands at home Again in the first of Timothy the second and the eleventh Let the women learn in silence with all subjection 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence Note here that to speak in a Church Assembly by way of teaching or instructing others is an act of superiority which therefore a woman might not do because her sex was to be in subjection and so to appear before God in that Garb and Posture which consisted therewith that is they might not speak to instruct men in the Church but to God she might To avoid this difficulty some would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text to be taken passively namely to hear or be present at Prophecy which is an acception without example either in Scripture or any where else It is true the Congregation is said to pray when the Priest only speaks but that they should be said to preach who are present only at the hearing of a Sermon is a Trope without example For the reason is not alike In prayer the Priest is the mouth of the Congregation and does what he does in their names and they assent to it by saying A men But he that preaches or prophecies is not the mouth of the Church to speak ought in their names that so they might be said to speak too but he is the mouth of God speaking to them It is not likely therefore that those who only hear another speaking or prophecying to them should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more as I said then that all they should be said to preach who were at the hearing of a Sermon What shall we do then Is there any other acception of the word prophecying left us which may fit our turn Yes there is a fourth acception which if it can be made good will sute our Text better I think then any of the former to wit that prophecying here should be taken for praising God in Hymnes and Psalms For so it is fitly coupled with praying Praying and praising being the parts of the Christian Liturgy Besides our Apostle also in the fourteenth Chapter of this Epistle joyns them both together I will pray saith he with the spirit and will pray with understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing that is prophecy with understanding also For because Prophets of old did three things First foretell things to come Secondly notifie the will of God unto the people And thirdly uttered themselves in musicall wise and as I may so speak in a poeticall strain and composure Hence it comes to passe that to prophecy in Scripture signifies the doing of any of these three things and amongst the rest to praise God in verse or musicall composure This to be so as I say I shall prove unto you out of two places of Scripture and first out of the first of Chronicles ch 25. where the word Prophecy is three severall times thus used I will alledge the words of the Text at large because I cannot well abbreviate them These they are v. 1. Moreover David and the Captains of the Host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Ieduthun who should prophecy with Harps with Psalteries and with Cymbals and the number of the men of Office according to their service was 2. Of the sons of Asaph Zaccur and Ioseph and Nathaniah and Asarelah the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph which prophecied according to the order of the King 3. Of Ieduthun the sons of Ieduthun Gedaliah and Zeri and Ieshaiah Hashabiah and Mattithiah and Schimei six under the hands of their Father Ieduthun who prophecied with a Harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Lo here to prophecy and to give thanks or confesse and to praise the Lord with spirituall songs made all one Nor needs such a notion seem strange when as even among the Latins the word vates signifieth both him that foretels things to come and a Poet for that the Gentile Oracles were given likewise in verse And S. Paul to Titus cals the Cretian Poet Epimenides a Prophet as one saith he of their own Prophets said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Arabians whose language comes the nearest both in words and notions to the Hebrew call a chief Poet of theirs Princeps omnium Poetarum saith â—rpenius quos unquam vidit mundus Muttenabbi that is Prophetizans or Propheta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now then if Asaph Ieduthun and Heman prophecied when they praised God in such Psalms as are entituled unto their severall Quires as we find them in the Psalm-Book for know that all the Psalms entituled to the sons of Korah belonged to the Quire of Heman who descended from Korah why may not we when we sing the same Psalms be said to prophecy likewise namely as he that useth a prayer composed by another prayeth and that according to the spirit of him that composed it So he that praiseth God with these spirituall and propheticall composures may be said to prophecy according to that spirit which speaketh in them And that Almighty God is well pleased with such service as this may appear by that one story of King Iehoshaphat in the second of Chronicles who when he marched forth against that great confederate Army of the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir the Text there tels us that having consulted with his people He appointed singers unto the Lord that should praise the Beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth
Tract de Bello Iudaico where he informs us that that History of his he had first penned patria lingua for the use of those of his Nation in the East which he thought soon after to publish in Greek for the better information of the Greeks and Romans concerning the true gests of that war Indignum esse ratus saith he Parthos quidem Babylonios Arabum que remotissimos ultra Euphratem Gentis nostrae incolas itemque Adiabenos meâ diligentiâ verè cognoscere unde coepisset Bellum quantisque cladibus constitisset quove modo desiisset Graecos vero Romanorum aliquos qui militiam secuti non essent figmentis seu adulationibus captos ista nescire Observe here the rehearsall of his Nation Babylonii Parthi Arabes Transeuphrateni or Mesopotamienses and Adiabeni Besides he tels us in the same place Quod Iudaei quidem cunctos etiam qui trans Euphratem essent Gentiles suos secum rebellaturos esse crediderant Besides these two captivities by Salmanassar and Nebuchadnezzar the first whereof never returned again into their own land and the second but in part there happened a third Captivity and dispersion in the dayes of Ptolomeus Lagâ—â— one of the Greek Kings reigning in Egypt who surprising the City of Jerusalem carried many of the People of the Country of the off-spring of those who returned from Babylon captives into Egypt planting them at Alexandria and the places thereabouts whom many others followed of their own accord partly allured by the Kings favour who gave them equall priviledge with those of Alexandria and partly by the fertility of the Country so that this Colony became a very great one These were called Hellenists because they spake the Greek tongue and used the Translation of the Septuagint which was made in AEgypt in their Synagogues Of these three principall dispersions came those lesser scatterings in all parts of the Roman Empire and elsewhere From that of Babylon and Mesopotamia was spread that of Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia to which S. Peter as an Apostle of the Circumcision writes his two Epistles which may be gathered because in his second Epistle he salutes them from Babylon which was their Metropolis The Church saith he at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you that is the Church of the circumcision there From those of Alexandria and Egypt were derived those plantations in Lybia and Cyrene and all other Hellenists whatsoever in severall parts of the Roman Empire Add to these that many of those of Judaea it self that could not live well at home upon some occasion or other either alluring them or constraining them seated themselves abroad among the Gentiles and in their Cities being together with themselves under the same Dominion of the Roman Empire Insomuch that King Agrippa in that fore-mentioned oration of his before that last siege disswading them of Judaea from rebelling against the Romans in regard of the evill they might bring thereby not upon themselves onely but upon their whole Nation wheresoever living among the Gentiles sticks not to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is no people in the whole world which hath not some part of ours dwelling amongst them marvell not therefore that S. Luke sayes in my Text Iews of every Nation under heaven All this is confirmed out of the New Testament it self forasmuch as before the last Captivity by Titus which was not till almost forty years after our Saviours Ascension and whilst their Common-wealth in the holy Land was yet standing we reade that almost in every City of the Gentiles whither the Apostles came to preach the Gospel they found Iews with their Synagogues in them To which adde that S. Iames directs his Epistle To the twelve Tribes scattered abroad or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I have also before noted that S. Peter doth his unto the dispersion of Asia This is that I had to speak for the illustration of this Story and Text out of which besides the right understanding of Scripture whereto it conduceth you may observe these four things First the wisdom and providence of Almighty God in so ordering the first publication of the Gospel that the fame thereof and of that convincing miracle which gave authority thereunto might be carried unto all Nations by so many both ear and eye-witnesses of the same as these Jews were Secondly a probable reason why the Apostles were so ignorant at the first as they seem to have been that the Gospel was to be peached unto the Gentiles notwithstanding our Saviours Commission unto them Go preach this Gospel unto all Nations For it may be they thought this command might be satisfied in preaching the Gospel to those of the Circumcision onely which were of every Nation under heaven Thirdly the Elogium here given to those who made conscience as we speak or Religion to come unto the House of God to worship they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so saith my text Thete were sojourning in Ierusalem Iews devout men c. For there apppears no other respect why they are so called but because they came so long a journey to worship God in his House or Temple at Ierusalem Fourthly the blessed opportunities and means for salvation which they meet with which come thither to worship For had these Iews staid at home as the rest of their brethren did they had not bin partakers of such a blessing nor witnesses of so wonderfull a miracle for confirmation of their faith as now they were 1 COR. 9. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MY purpose in choosing this Text is not to make the maintenance of the Ministery under the Gospel the direct aim of my discourse but only to enquire what is meant by these last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which that we may the more readily and certainly finde let us examine and consider the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof the words I have now read are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know ye not saith the Apostle that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that minister about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe eate of the holy thing or as we turn it of the things of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which wait at the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are fellow-shares with the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who were imployed about holy things are the Levites who lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the holy thing or if you had rather it should be a substantive of the Temple that is of that which belonged thereto namely of the Tithes which belonged to the Temple but were no offering of the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they who did incumbere or assidere altari were the Priests
such an one where Idolatry false worship and Popery so reigned as there had been little hopes or means to have been saved But behold we are born bred and dwell in a reformed Christian State where the worship of God in Christ is truly taught and practised where no God is worshipped but the Father and in no other Mediator but his Son Jesus Christ. How should we then magnifie our good God for his so great and abundant mercy towards us Luther or some other tels a story of a German pesant who on a time beholding an ugly Toad fell into a most bitter lamentation and weeping that he had been so unthankfull to Almighty God who had made him a man and not such an ugly creature as that was O that we could in like manner bewail our ingratitude towards him who hath made us to have our birth and habitation not among Pagans and barbarous Indians a people without God in the world but in a beleeving and Christian Nation where the true God is known and the means of salvation is to be had Thankfulnesse for a lesse benefit is the way to obtain a greater To acknowledge and prize Gods favour towards us in the means is the way to obtain his grace to use them to our eternall advantage whereas our neglect of thankfulnesse in the one may cause God in his just judgement to deprive us of his blessing in the other Consider it And thus much concerning the person to whom the Angel spake Cornelius And he said unto him Now I come to the message it self Thy prayers and thine almes are come into remembrance before God Where before I make any further entrance there is an Objection requires to be answered namely how Cornelius his service could be accepted of God as it is said to be when as he had no knowledge of Christ without whom no man can please God I answer Cornelius pleased God through his faith in the promise of Christ to come as all just men under the Law did which faith God did so long accept after Christ was come till his comming and the mystery of Redemption wrought by him were fully and clearly made known and preached which had not been to Cornelius till this time for though he had heard of his preaching in Galilee and Judaea and that he was crucified by the Jews yet he had not heard of his Resurrection from the dead and Ascension into glory or was not assured of it till it was now confirm'd unto him by one sent from God himself And it is like that having heard somewhat of the Apostles preaching and of the Jews opposing their testimony and so knowing not what to beleeve he had earnestly besought God in his Devotions to lead him in the way of truth and make known unto him what to doe This being premised I return again unto the Angels words wherein I will consider three things First the conjunction or coupling of Almesdeeds with Prayer Thy Prayers and thine Almes Secondly the efficacy of power they have with God Thy Prayers and thine Almes are come up into remembrance before God Thirdly I will adde the reasons why God so much accepteth them which are also so many Motives why we should be carefull and diligent to practise them For the first the joyning of Almesdeeds with prayer Cornelius we see joyn'd them and he is therefore in the verses before going commended for a devout man and one that feared God And by the Angels report from God himself we hear how graciously he accepted them giving us to understand that a Devotion thus arm'd was of all others the most powerfull to pierce into his dwelling place and fetch a blessing from him Therefore our Saviour likewise Mat. 6. joyns the precepts of Alms and Prayer together teaching us how to give alms and how to pray in one Sermon as things that ought to goe hand in hand and not to be separated asunder It was also the Ordinance of the Church in the Apostles times that the first day of the week which was the time of publike prayer should be the time also of Alms. So saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 16. 1. Now concerning the collection for the Saints saith he as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye 2. Vpon the first day of the week that is upon the Lords day let every one of you lay by himself in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Which institution seems to be derived from the Commandement of God in the Law twice repeated Let no man appear before the Lord empty For the words annexed to that Law Deut. 16. where it is applied to the three great feasts when all Israel was to assemble to pray before the Lord in his Tabernacle the words I say there annexed sound altogether like unto these of S. Paul concerning the Lords day Three times a year saith the Text there shall all the males appear before the Lord and they shall not appear before the Lord empty Every one shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee Is not this the same in sense with S. Pauls Let every one lay by himself in store as God hath prospered him The Primitive Church after the Apostles followed the same president and our own Reformed Church hath ordained the same in her Service-book were it accordingly practised as was intended For after the Epistle and Gospel she appoints divers choice sentences of Scripture to be read which exhorts us to Almes and other Offerings to the honour of Almighty God and then as supposing it to be done in the Prayer for the whole estate of Christs Church We humbly beseech him most mercifully to accept our Almes and receive our prayers which we offer unto his Divine Majesty Shall I now need to exhort Christians thus to furnish and strengthen their prayers which they daily offer unto God to couple them with Almesdeeds to come before God with a present and not empty-handed Whom neither Gods Commandement the practice of his Church the example of his Saints nor the acceptance of such prayers as the hand which dealeth Almes lifteth up to him whom these will not move no words of mine will do it But some may say Would you have us always give Alms when we pray No I say not so but I would not have you appear before the Lord empry that is such as are not wont to give them nor mean to do for you may give them before or second your prayers with them after you may have set and appointed times for the one as you have for the other or when the Law of man injoyns you any thing in this kinde do it heartily faithfully and with a willing minde without grudging that so God may accept it as a service done to him Or lastly thou maist doe as the holy men of Scripture were wont vow and promise unto God if
and to the Widow according to all the Commandements which thou hast commanded me Look down from thy holy habitation from heaven and blesse thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us as thou swarest to our Fathers a land that floweth with milk and honey What we have seen in these two sorts is to be supposed to be the end of all other Offerings in pios usus which were not sacrifices namely to acknowledge God to be the Lord and giver of all As we see in that royall Offering which David with the Princes and Chieftains of Israel made for the building of the Temple 1 Chron. 29. where David acknowledgeth thus Thine ô Lord is the Kingdom and thou art exalted as Head over all Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name For all things come of thee and of thine hand have we given thee For this reason there was never time since God first gave the Earth to the sons of men wherein this acknowledgement was not made by setting apart of something of that he had given them to that purpose In the state of Paradise among all the trees in the garden which God gave man freely to enjoy one tree was Noli me tangere and reserved to God as holy in token that he was Lord of the garden So that the first sin of Mankinde for the species of the fact was Sacriledge in profaning that which was holy For which he was cast out of Paradise and the Earth cursed for his sake because he had violated the signe of his fealty unto the great Landlord of the whole earth Might I not say that many a man unto this day is cast out of his Paradise and the labours of his hands cursed for the same sin But to go on After mans ejection out of Paradise the first service that ever we read was performed unto God was of this kinde Abel bringing the best of his flock and Cain of the fruit of his ground for an Offering or Present unto the Lord. The first spoils that ever we read gotten from an Enemy in war paid tithes to Melchisedek the Priest of the most high God as an acknowledgement that he had given Abraham the Victory Melchisedek blessing God in his name to be the possessor of heaven and earth and to have delivered his enemies into his hand To which Abraham said Amen by paying him Tithes of all Iacob promiseth God that if he would give him any thing for at that time he had nothing he would give him the tenth of what he should give him Which is as much to say as he would acknowledge and professe him to be the giver after the accustomed manner For the time of the Law I may skip over that it is well enough known no man will deny it But let us come to the time of the Gospel which though it hath freed us from the bondage of typicall Elements yet hath it not freed us from the possession of our Fealty unto God as Lord of the whole earth 'T were strange me thinks to affirm it I am sure the ancient Church next the Apostles thought otherwise I will quote for a witnesse Irenaeus who Lib. 4. cap. 32. tels us that our Saviour when he took part of the Viands of his last Supper and giving thanks with them consecrated them into a Sacrament of his body and blood set his Church an example of dedicating part of the creature in Dominicos usus Dominus saith he dans discipulis suis consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigenti sed ut ipsi nec infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex creatura panis est accepit gratias egit c. Et novi Testamenti novam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in universo mundo offert Deo ei qui alimenta nobis praestat primitias suorum munerum in novo Testamento But this is no proper occasion to follow this argument any further I will therefore leave it and adde a second reason why God requires Alms and such like offerings at our hands Namely that we might not forget God our blessed Saviour Mat. 6. and Luk. 12. 33 c. speaking of this very matter of alms Lay not up saith he for your selves treasures upon earth but â—ay up for your selves treasures in heaven For where your treasure is there will your heart be The proper evill of abundance is to forget God and our dependence upon him the remedy whereof most genuine and naturall is to pay him a rent of what we have So shall we always think of our Landlord and lift up our hearts to heaven in whatsoever we receive and enjoy Yea when this service is so acceptable to God that he promiseth a great reward to those who thus honour and acknowledge him how can it choose but detain our hearts in heaven in that respect also when we shall so often think of God not onely as the Lord and giver of what we have but as the rewarder also of the acknowledgement we perform PSAL. 112. 6. The Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance A Word fitly spoken saith Solomon is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver that is gracefull and comely so is a Text of Scripture fitly chosen and rightly applied to the occasion Such an one as I take it is this I have now read not chosen by me but appointed by order to be used at these times of commemoration I shall need no other preface to commend it to your attention Let us therefore see what is the sense and meaning thereof The Righteous that is the bountifull shall be in everlasting remembrance In remembrance with God in remembrance with men with God in the world to come and in this world with men how and in what manner These are the severall heads I shall treat of and first of the first the Subject The Righteous or the bountifull man Righteousnesse in a speciall sense in the Hebrew and the rest of the Orientall Tongues of kinde to it signifies Beneficence or Bounty both the Virtue and the work and therefore by the Hellenists or Septuagint is it translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word so frequent in the New Testament for that we call Alms. 'T is a known place Dan. 4. according both to the Septuagint and vulgar Latine Peccata tua Eleemosynis redime iniquitates tuas misericordi is pauperum where in the Originall for Eleemosyna is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitia as we in our English render it Break off thy sins by righteousnesse and thine iniquity by shewing mercy to the poor This notion of righteousnesse is to be found thrice together in the 12. of Tobit ver 8. Prayer saith old Tobit
the Acts of the Apostles nor in S. Paul and S. Peters writings yet this proves not they were not used in the Apostles times no more then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not whose case in this point is the same with the other But to confine the Apostles Age within the limits of Saint Pauls and S. Peters lines is a generall mistake For the Apostles Aage ended not till S. Iohns death Anno Christi 99. and so lasted as long within a year or thereabouts after S. Paul and S. Peters suffering as it was from our Saviours Ascension to their Deaths that is one and thirty years And this too for the most part was after the Excidium of Ierusalem in which time it is likely the Church received no little improvement in Ecclesiasticall Rites and Expressions both because it was the time of her greatest increase and because whilest the Iews Polity stood her Polity for its full establishment stood in some sort suspended This appears by S. Iohns writings which are the onely Scripture written after that time and in which we finde two Ecclesiastick terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Deitie of Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the first day of the week neither of both seeming to have been in use in S. Paul and S. Peters time and why may we not beleeve the like happened in others and by name in these now questioned Which that I may not seem onely to guesse I think I can prove by two witnesses which then lived the one Clemens he whose name S. Paul says was written in the Book of life and the other Ignatius Clemens in his undoubted Epistle ad Corinthios a long time missing but now of late come again to light In this Epistle the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is three times used of the Christian service pag. 52. Debemus omnia saith he rite ordine facere quae Dominus nos per agere jussit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praestitutis temporibus Oblationes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obire And a little after Qui igitur praefinitis temporibus oblationes suas faciunt accepti beati sunt Domini enim mandata sequentes non aberrant The other Ignatius in his Epistle Ad Smyrnenses hath both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non licet saith he absque Episcopo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cals in a stricter sense the first part of this sacred and mysticall Service to wit the Thanksgiving wherein the Bread and the Wine as I told you were offered unto God to agnize his Dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cals the mysticall Commemoration of Christs Body and Blood and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the receiving and participation of the same For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes used for the whole Action and sometimes thus distinguished Of this Epistle the learned doubt not but if any one do I suppose they will grant that Theodoret had his genuine Epistles Let them hear then a passage which he in his third Dialogue cites out of the Epistles of Ignatius against some Hereticks Eucharistias oblationes non admittunt quod non confiteantur Eucharistiam esse carnem Servatoris nostri Iesu Christi quae passa est pro peccatis nostris Here you see oblationes Eucharistias exegetically join together And so I think I have proved these terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have been in use in the Church in the latter part of the Apostles Age. But what if one of them namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were used sooner even in S. Pauls and S. Peters time In the first Epistle of Peter 2. 5. You are saith he speaking to the Body of the Church a holy Priesthood to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God by Iesus Christ. In the Epistle to the Heb. 13. 15. By him that is through Christ our Altar let us offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of praise to God continually Why should I not think S. Paul and S. Peter speak here of the solemn and publick Service of Christians wherein the Passion of Christ was commemorated I am sure the Fathers frequently call this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in some ancient Liturgies immediately before the Consecration the Church gives thanks unto God for choosing them to be an holy Priesthood to offer sacrifices unto him as it were alluding to S. Peter Thus you see first or last or both the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were no strangers to the Apostles Age. I will now make but one Quaere and answer it and so conclude this point Whether these words were used seeing they were used properly or improperly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the subject we speak of I answer briefly This Christian service as we have defined it is an Oblation properly for wheresoever any thing is tendred or pretended unto God there is truly and properly an Oblation be it spirituall or visible it matters not For oblatio is the Genus And Irenaeus tels me here Non Genus oblationum reprobatum est oblationes enim illic oblationes autem hîc sacrificia in populo sacrificia in Ecclesia sed species immutata est tantùm But as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifice according to its prime signification it signifies a slaughter-offering as in the Hebrew so in Greek of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 macto As the Angel in the Acts sayes to S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter kill and eat Now we in our Christian sacrifice slay no offering but commemorate him onely that was slain and offered upon the Crosse. Therefore our Service is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 improperly and metaphorically But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be synecdochically taken for an offering in generall as it is both in the New Testament and elsewhere then the Christian sacrifice is as truely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SECT II. NOw I come to the second particular contained in my Definition to prove that the Christian sacrifice according to the meaning of the ancient Church is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer My first Author shall be Iustin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew where to the evasion of the Jews labouring to bereave the Christians of this Text by saying it was meant of the Prayers which the dispersed Jews at that time offered unto God in all places where they lived among the Gentiles which Sacrifices though they wanted the materiall Rite yet were more acceptable unto God in regard of their sincerity then those prophaned ones at Jerusalem and not that here was meant any Sacrifice which the Gentiles should offer to the God of Israel to this evasion Iustin replies Supplicationes gratiarum actiones quae à dignis peraguntur
frequent as I shall not need to quote any of them Now this joining of the Prayers of the Church with the mysticall commemoration of Christ in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood was no after-Invention of the Fathers but took its originall from the Apostles times and the very beginning of Christianity For so we reade of the first beleevers Acts 11. 24. that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latine turns Erant autem perseverantes in doctrina Apostolorum communicatione fractionis panis orationibus But the Syriack Perseverantes erant in doctrina Apostolorum communicabant in Precatione fractione Eucharistiae hoc est Assidui erant in audiendis Apostolis sacrificio Christiano celebrando Both which Translations teach us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Breaking of Bread and Prayers are to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Exegesis thereof namely that this Communion of the Church consisted in the breaking of Bread and Prayers and so the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be exegetically taken as if the Greek were rendred thus Erant perseverantes in audienda doctrina Apostolorum in communicatione videlicet fractione panis orationibus And who knows not that the Synaxis of the ancient Christians consisted of these three parts Of hearing the Word of God of Prayers and commemoration of Christ in the Eucharist Our Translation therefore here is not so right which refers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and translates it The fellowship of the Apostles The Antiquity also of this conjunction we speak of appears out of Ignatius in his Epistles to the Ephesians where speaking of the damage which Schismaticks incurre by dividing themselves from the communion of the Church he utters it in this manner Let no man saith he deceive himself unlesse a man be within the Altar he is deprived of the Bread of God And if the prayer of one or two be of that force as to set Christ in the midst of them how much more shall the joynt prayer of the Bishop and whole Church sent up unto God prevail with him to grant us all our requests in Christ These words of Ignatius directly imply that the Altar was the place as of the Bread of God so of the publick Prayers of the Church and that they were so nearly linked together that he that was not within the Altar that is who should be divided therefrom had no benefit of either SECT III. THE second Particular thus proved the third comes next in place which is That this oblation of thanksgiving and Prayer was made through Iesus Christ commemorated in the creatures of Bread and Wine Namely they beleeve that our blessed Saviour ordained this Sacrament of his Body and Blood as a Rite to blesse and invocate his Father by in stead of the manifold and bloody Sacrifices of the Law For that those bloody Sacrifices of the Law were Rites to invocate God by is a truth though not so vulgarly known yet undeniable and may on the Gentiles behalf be proved out of Homer and other Authors on the Jews by that speech of Saul 1 Sam. 13. 12. when Samuel expostulated with him for having offered a burnt-offering I said saith he The Philistims will come down upon me to Gilgal and I have not made supplication to the Lord I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt-offering upon which place Kimchi notes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est Per manus holocaustorum precatio eorum ut plurimùm vel preces suas ut plurimùm per holocausta Deo offerebant The same is likewise true of their Hymns Doxologies as is to be seen 2 Chro. 29. 27. and by the words of the Chaldee Paraphrast Ionathan upon Exod. 38. 8. concerning the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle Stabant saith he mulieres quae veniebant ad orandum in Porta Tabernaculi juxta oblationem elevationis suae laudabant confitebantur deinde revertebantur ad viros suos pariebant filios justos It is further confirmed for Invocation in generall by that which the Scripture so often reports of Abraham and Isaak That they built Altars where they called upon the Name of the Lord The Altar was a place for Sacrifice In stead therefore of the slaying of Beasts and burning of Incense whereby they called upon the Name of God in the Old Testament the Fathers I say beleeved our Saviour ordained this Sacrament of Bread and Wine as a Rite whereby to give thanks and make supplication to his Father in his Name The mystery of which Rite they took to be this That as Christ by presenting his Death and satisfaction to his Father continually intercedes for us in Heaven so the Church on Earth semblably approaches the Throne of Grace by representing Christ unto his Father in these holy Mysteries of his Death and Passion Veteres enim saith Cassander in hoc mystico sacrificio non tam peractae semel in cruce oblationis cujus hic memoria celebratur quam perpetui Sacerdotii jugis sacrificii quod in Coelis sempiternus Sacerdos offert rationem habuerunt cujus hic Imago per solennes Ministrorum preces exprimitur This a Reverend and famous Divine of blessed memory once of this Society and interr'd in this place saw more clearly or exprest more plainly then any other Reformed Writer I have yet seen in his Demonstratio Problematis and title de Sacrificio Missae where he speaks thus Veteres Coenam Domini sen totam coenae actionem formulam vocarunt Sacrificium tum aliis de causis tum quia est commemoratio adeóque repraesentatio Deo Patri sacrificii Christi in cruce immolati He goes on Hoc modo fideles etiam inter orandum Christum offerunt Deo Patri victimam dum scilicet mente affectúque ad sacrificium ejus unicum feruntur ut Deum sibi habeant faciántque propitium that which every Christian doth mentally and vocally when he commends his prayers to God the Father through Jesus Christ making mention of his death and satisfaction that in the publick service of the Church was done by that Rite which our Saviour commanded to be used in Commemoration of him These things thus explained Let us now see by what testimonies and authorities it may be proved the ancient Church had this meaning I will begin with Saint Ambrose because his testimony is punctuall to our explication Offic. lib. 1.mo cap. 48. o Ante saith he Agnus offerebatur offerebatur vitulus nunc Christus offertur sed offertur quasi homo quasi recipiens passionem offert se ipse quasi sacerdos ut peccata nostra dimittat hic in imagine ibi in Veritate ubi apud Patrem pro nobis quasi advocatus intervenit And in his Missa or Liturgie after the confractorium the Priest prayes in this manner Ipsius praeceptum est Domine
whereof is concerning sacrifices There God saith Gather my Saints together unto me which make covenant with me by sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vers 16. of the sacrifices of the wicked and such as amend not their lives Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction c. Statutes here are Rites and Ordinances and particularly those of Sacrifice which who so bringeth unto God and thereby supplicates and cals upon his Name is said to take the covenant of God in his mouth Forasmuch as to invocate God with this Rite was to do it by way of commemoration of his Covenant and to say Remember Lord thy Covenant and for thy Covenants sake Lord hear my prayer and supplication For what hath man to do with God to beg any favour at his hands unlesse he be in Covenant with him whereby appears the reason why mankinde from the beginning of the world used to approach their God by this Rite of sacrificing that is ritu foederali I adde in this last place for a farther confirmation That when God was to make a Covenant with Abraham Gen. 15. he commanded him to offer him a Sacrifice Offer unto me saith he so it should be turned a heifer a she-goat and aram each of three years old a turtle Dove and a young pigeon All which he offered accordingly and divided them in the midst laying each piece or moity one against the other and when the sun went down God in the likenesse of a smoaking furnace and burning lamp past between the pieces and so as the Text sayes made a Covenant with Abraham saying Vnto thy seed will I give this land c. By which Rite of passing through the parts God condescended to the manner of men And note here that the Gentiles and Jews likewise in their more solemn covenants between men and men which were made under pain of curse or execration used this Rite of Sacrifice whereby men covenanted with their God as it were to make their God both a witnesse and a party with them And here the Jews cut the Sacrifice in sunder and past between the parts thereof as God did here with Abraham which was as much as if they had said Thus let me be divided and cut in pieces if I violate the oath I have now made in the presence of my God The Gentiles besides other ceremonies used not to eat at all of these sacrifices but to fling them into the sea or bury them in the earth as if they had said If I break Covenant thus let me be excluded from all amity and favour with my God as I am now from eating of his Sacrifice Hence came those phrases secare foedus in the Hebrew of ferire percutere icere foedus in Latine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Homer à feriendis percutiendis secandis sacrificiis in foederibus sanciendis Though this manner of speech may be also derived from their ordinary Epula foederales wherein they killed beasts which the Ancients in their ordinary diet did not Having thus seen what is the nature of a Sacrifice and wherein the ratio thereof consisteth it will not be hard to judge whether the ancient Christians did rightly in giving the Eucharist that name or not For that the Lords supper is Epulum foederale we all grant and our Saviour expresly affirms it of the Cup in the stitution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Cup is the Rite of the new Covenant in my Blood which is powred out for many for the remission of sins evidently implying that the bloody sacrifices of the Law with their meat and drink-offerings were Rites of an old covenant and that this succeeded them as the rite of the new That that was contracted with the blood of beevs sheep and goats but this founded in the blood of Christ This parallel is so plain as I think none will deny it There is nothing then remains to make this sacred Epulum a full sacrifice but that the Viands thereof should be first offered unto God that he may be the Convivator we the Convivae or the guests SECT V. MY last task was to prove that the rite of the Lords Supper is indeed a Sacrifice not in a Metaphoricall but a proper sense and this if the nature of Sacrifice be truly defined is no whit repugnant to the reformed Religion To evidence which I shewed that a Sacrifice was nothing else but a Sacred-feast wherein God mystically entertained man at his own Table in token of amity and friendship with him which that he might do the Viands of that feast were first made Gods by oblation and so eaten of not as of Mans but Gods provision There is nothing then wanting to make this sacred Epulum of which we speak full out a Sacrifice but that we shew that the Viands thereof were in like manner first offered unto God that so being his he might be the Convivator man the Conviva or the guest And this the ancient Church was wont to do this they beleeved our blessed Saviour himself did when at the institution of this holy Rite he took the Bread and the Cup into his sacred hands and looking up to heaven gave thanks and blessed And after his example they first offered the Bread and Wine unto God to agnize him the Lord of the Creature and then received them from him again in a Banquet as the Symbols of the Body and Blood of his Son This is that I am now to prove out of the testimonies of Antiquity not long after but next unto the Apostles times when it is not likely the Church had altered the form they left her for the celebration of this Mystery I will begin with Irenaeus as the most full and copious in this point He in his fourth Book cap. xxxii speaks thus Dominus Discipulis suis dans consilium Primitias Deo offerre ex suis Creaturis non quasi indigenti sed ut ipsi nec infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex Creatura est panis accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est corpus meum Calicem similiter qul ex Creatura est quae est secundum nos suum sanguinem con fessus est Novo Testamento novam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens offert Deo ei qui alimenta nobis praestat primitias suorum munerum in Novo Testamento And Cap. xxxiii Igitur Ecclesiae oblatio quam Dominus docuit offerri in universo mundo purum sacrificium reputatum est apud Deum acceptum est ei non quod indigeat à nobis sacrificium sed quoniam is qui offert glorificatur ipse in eo quod offert si acceptetur munus ejus Per munus enim erga Regem honos affâ—ctio ostenditur He alludes to that in the first of Malachi I am a great King
and expresse testimonies In the 1 Chron. 25. it is expresly said of Ieduthuâ— and his soâ—â—es that their office was to prophesie with a Harpe to give thanks and to praise the Lord. In the second of Chron. 30. 21. wee read that the Levites and Priests praised the Lord day by day singing with loud Instruments unto the Lord. And as ye heard even now out of 1 Chron. 16. that David at the time when he brought up the Ark unto Jerusalem then first delivered the 105. and 95 Psalms into the hands of Aâ—… and his sonnes to confesse or give thanks unto the Lord. And lastly to leave no place for farther doubt wee read Ezra 3. 11. That the Levites the sonnes of Asaph were set with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the ordinance of David King of Israel And that they sung together by course in praising giving thanks unto the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever For this reason the foure and twenty Courses or Quires into which the singers of the Temple were divided by King David to serve in their turnes consisted each of them of twelve according to the number of the tribes of Israel that so every Tribe might have a mouth and voyce to praise and to give thanks unto God for him in the Temple Thus we have seene what warrant to pray and call upon God in a set forme hath from the practice of the Church of God in the old Testament And if reason may have place in the publike service of God where one is the mouth of many there is none so proper and convenient For how can the Minister be said properly to be the mouth of the Congregation in prayer unto God when the Congregation is not first made acquainted and privy to what he is to render unto God in their names which in a voluntary and extemporary Prayer they are not nor well can be I am sure neither so properly nor conveniently as in a set forme which both they and the whole Church have agreed upon and offer unto God at the same time though in severall places in the self-same forme and words And this may be a second reason I meane from Vniformity For how can the Church being a mysticall Body better testifie her unity before God then in her uniformity in calling upon him especially our Saviour telling us that if but two or three shall agree together on earth as touching anything that they shall ask it shall be done unto them of his Father which is in heaven So prevailable with Allmighty God is the power of consent in prayer Let us now in the last place see what reasons they bring who contend altogether for voluntary prayer and would have no set formes used First they say it is the ordinance of God that the Church should be edified by the gifts of her Ministers as well in praying as preaching Ergo their prayers should be extemporary or voluntary because in reading a set forme this gift cannot be shewn To this I answer First that there is not in this point the same reason for Prayer and for Preaching for in prayer I meane Publique the Minister is the mouth of the Church unto God and therefore it were convenient they should know what he puts up to God in their names but in preaching he is not so Secondly Why should not the Pastours and Ministers of the Church edify the Church by their gift of prayer as well in composing a set forme of prayer for her use by generall agreement as in uttering a voluntary or extemporary prayer in a particular Congregation Thirdly Are not the members of the Church to be edified as well by the Spirit of the Church as the Church or some part thereof by the Spirit of a member But how can the Church edifie her members by her gift of prayer otherwise then by a set form agreed upon by her consent Fourthly Ostentation of gifts is one thing but edification by them another Ostentation of the gift of prayer is indeed best shewn in a voluntary or extemporary prayer but the Church may be edified as well by a set forme Yea such a forme in the publique service of God is more edificative then a voluntary And that both because the Congregation is first made acquainted therewith and secondly because they are better secured from being ingaged in ought that might be unfit to speak unto God either for matter or manner or such as they would not have given their consent to if they had been aware of it For now that extraordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost which was in the Primitive and Apostolicall times is long since ceased And all men to whom that office belongeth to speake to God for others are not at all times discreet and well advised when they speake to him at will and extempore but subject to miscariage Lastly I answer That the Church is to be edified by the gift of her Ministers in voluntary prayer loco tempore in fit place and upon fit occasions not in all places and upon all occasions And thus much to this objection But they object secondly that the Spirit ought to be free and unlimited and that therefore a Book or set forme of prayer which limits the spirit in praying is not to be tolerated or used To this I answer it is false that the acting of the Spirit in one Christan may not be limited or regulated by the Spirit of another especially the spirit of a particular man in the publike worship by the spirit of the Church whereof he is a member For doth not the Apostle tell us 1 Cor. 14. that even that extraordinary spirit of Prophecy usuall in his time might be limited by the spirit of another Prophet Let the Prophets saith he speak two or three and let the other judg If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace Is not this a limiting He gives a reason For the spirits of the Prophets saith he are subject to the Prophets Besides are not the spirits of the people as well limited and determined by a voluntary prayer when they joyne therein with their Minister as they are by a set forme True the spirit of the Minister is then free but theirs is not so but tied and led by the spirit of the Minister as much as if he used a set forme But to elude this they tell us that the Question is not of limiting the spirit of the people but of the Minister onely For as for the people no more is required of them but to join with their Minister and to testifie it by saying Amen but the spirit of the Minister ought to be left free and not to be limited But where is this written that the one may not be limited as well as the other We heard the Apostle say even now The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets If in prophecying why not in praying And
what shew of reasoÌ„ can be given why the spirit of a particular Minister in the publick worship of the Church may not yea ought not to be limited and regulated by the spirit of the Church representative as well as the spirit of a whole Congregation by the spirit of a particular Minister For every particular Minister is as much subordinate to the spirit of the Church representative as the spirit of the Congregation is to his So much for this objection There remaineth yet a third which may be answered in two or three words No set forme of prayer say they can serve for all occasions What then Yet why may it not be used for all such occasions as it serves for if any sudden and unexpected occasion happen for which the Church cannot provide the spirit of her Ministers is free Who will forbid them to supply in such a case that by a voluntary and arbitrary forme which the Church could not provide for in a set forme And this is what I intended to say of this argument THE SANCTIFICATION OF GODS NAME MATTH 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2. Sanctificetur nomen tuum Sanctified or hallowed be thy Name ALthough I make no question but that which we so often repeat unto Almighty God in our daily prayers is for the generall meaning thereof by the most of us in some competent measure understood Yet because by a more full and distinct explication the knowledge of some may be improved and the meditations of others occasioned to a further search I hope I shall not doe amisse nor be thought to have chosen a theame either needlesse or not so fit for this Auditory if I shall inquire what that is we pray for in this first Petition of the prayer our Lord hath taught us when we desire That Gods Name may be sanctified For perhaps we shall find more contained therein then is commonly taken notice of The words are few and therefore shall need no other Analyse then what their very number presents unto us viz. Gods Name and the sanctifying thereof Sanctificetur Nomen tuum I will begin first with the last in order but first in nature Nomen tuum Gods Name By which according to the style of holy Scripture we are to understand in this place first of all God himself or his sacred Deity to wit abstractly expressed according to the style of eminency and dignity 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Majesty as we are wont for the King to say His Majesty or the Kings Majesty and of other persons of honour and eminency Their Highnesse Their Honour His Excellency and the like So of God His Name and sometimes with the self-same meaning His Glory as Ier. 2. 11. Hath any Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods but my people have changed their Glory i. their God for that which is good for nought So Psalme 106. 20. of the Calf made in the Wildernesse They changed their Glorie into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse And S. Paul Rom. 1. 23. They changed the Glory i. the Majesty of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man c. Such is the notion but much more frequent of Gods Name In a word Nomen Del in this kinde of use is nothing else but Divinum Numen Whence it is that in Scripture To call upon the Name of God To blaspheme the Name of God To love his Name To sweare by his Name To build a Temple to his Name for his Name to dwell there And in the New Testament To beleeve in the Name of the Lord Iesus To call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus these I say and the like expressions have no other meaning then to doe these things to the Divine Majesty to the Lord Jesus whose is that Name above every Name where at every knee must bow Accordingly here Sanctificetur Nomen tuum Hallowed be thy Name is as much as to say Sanctificetur Numen tuum Sanctified be thy Divine Majesty Secondly under the Name of God here to be sanctified or hallowed understand besides the Majesty of his Godhead that also super quod invocatum est Nomen ejus whereupon his Name is called or that which is called by his Name as we in our Bibles commonly expresse this phrase of Scripture that is all whatsoever is Gods or God is the Lord and owner of by a peculiar right such as are things sacred whether they be persons or whether things by distinction so called or Times or Places which have upon them a relation of peculiarnesse towards God For such as these are said in Scripture To have the Name of God called upon them or To be called by his Name that is To be His. Thus we read in Scripture of an House which had the Name of God upon it or which was called by his Name that is of Gods House 1 Kings 8. 43. Ier. 7. 10. c. Of a City upon which the Name of God was called or named to wit the Holy City Jerusalem the City of the great King the Lord of hosts Ier. 25. 29. Dan. 9. 18. Of an Ark upon which the Name of God the Lord was called 1 Chro. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2. that is the Lords Ark or the Ark of his Covenant as it is elsewhere named Of a people upon which the Name of the Lord was called or which were called by his Name Deut. 28. 10. Dan. 9. 19. and elsewhere that is were his peculiar and holy people as is said in like manner and with like meaning of the Church of the New Testament Iames 2. 7. Acts 15 17. I represent not these places of Scripture at large because I know that every eare that is acquainted with Scripture can beare witness unto them And for the meaning of this expression of Gods Name to be called upon a thing or a thing to be called by his Name that it is all one as to say it to be His besides the evidence of the matter wherabout it is used appeares by the same phrase used in two other places of the like relation of men to that which is theirs as Gen. 48 16. Where Iacob blessing Iosephs sons saith The Angell which redeemed me from all evil blesse the lads and let my name be called upon them That is let them be mine namely as Reuben and Simeon are mine as he saith a little before for they are words of adoption Again in the fourth of Esay where it is said That seven women should take hold of one man and say We will eat our own bread and weare our own apparel onely let thy Name be called upon us to take away our reproach That is Doe thou own us or let us be thine that it may not be a reproach unto us that we have no husband The Ancients were wont to set the Names of the Owners upon their houses and other possessions whâ—ch they called Tituli Titles Chrysologus Serm. 145.