in and never of Places wherein to be instructed in his Law But the Scripture is silent I answer If the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of Fact in the times preceding for the use whereof we have testimony enough in the times following without any express intimation of Novelty then must we not think that the Iews paid Tithes from Ioshua's time to Hezekiah's for there is no tittle intimating they did nor that ever they kept the year of Iubilee for where is it mentioned they did and so of other the like 4. For Even-song publick in the Church there is very little to be produced out of the Monuments remaining of those First Ages That the Monks used it in their Monasteries it is granted because affirmed that it was from their example derived into the Church That in their private Devotions devout Christians observed the ninth hour as well as the first third and sixth in those elder times may be proved out of Tertullian de Iejunio cap. 10. and S. Cyprian de Oratione Dominica But for Vespers in ortu Ecclesiae neither of them mentions them Yet Tertullian in his Apology together with Pliny ad Trajanum hath antelucani coetus and in his Lib. 2. ad Vxorem cap. 4. Nocturnae convocationes But as those seem not to have been properly those we call Mattins so neither these our Vespertinae And in this inquisition notice is to be taken that both Mattins and Even-song were distinct from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or solemn address of the Church to God in the holy Eucharist which they termed Sacrificium Christianum Well the most ancient Testimony to be found of Vespertinae in coetu Ecclesiae is with the Author of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though it be an Apocryphal writing and of a false inscription yet is the most ancient Record of Ecclesiastical Antiquity by way of purposed Collection that is at this day extant and not younger than 200 years after Christ at the most The Author whosoever he were seeming to have gathered this Rhapsodie out of the Customes and Ceremonies he found then in use in the Churches founded by the Apostles and supposing them to have been derived from their institution accordingly fathered them upon them and where there was any singularity or difference brings in that Apostle whose Church he found it in as speaking in Council c It is put by Eusebius in his Catalogue of Sacred Books amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is often quoted by Epiphanius by the name we give it In this Rhapsody Lib. 8. cap. 35. is not only mention but the Form of Evening Prayer with the solemn dismissing at the beginning thereof of the Catechumeni c. as at the Eucharist ascribed to Iames the Brother of our Lord in particular Whence it may seem according to my former supposition not to have been common at first to all Churches but peculiar to that of Ierusalem whereof this Iames was the first Bishop whence also the Liturgy of that Church though the greatest part thereof as now it is were afterward at several times added bears the name of S. Iames his Liturgy The next Testimony for antiquity is that of the Council of Laodicea which if Baronius his arguments be good was before the first Council of Nice the 17. and 18. Canons whereof are Quòd non oportet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmos contexere sed interjecto inter unumquemque Psalmum spatio Lectionem fieri The next Idem ministerium Precum semper in nonis vesperis fieri debere Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though I cite both Canons yet I suppose not the latter to have reference to the former for what had the Evening to do with the Synaxis but the meaning to be that one and the same Form of Prayer should be used both at the ninth hour and at the Vespers 5. Concerning that in Matth. 24. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath-day I conceive thus That the believing and Christian Iews even the Apostles themselves were to observe the Rites and Ordinances of Moses and consequently that of the Sabbath together with the Lord's-day until their Temple and Politie founded and constituted by God himâ—elf should be actually and fully dissolved And do we not find they did so yea even S. Paul himself who was so great a Vindex of the liberty of the believing Gentiles that they should be tied no farther than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Proselytes of the Gate were Therefore Acts 21. it is accounted a slander or calumnie which was reported of S. Paul that he should teach the Iews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and that they ought not to circumcise their children nor walk after the customs For neither he nor any other of the Apostles taught that the Iews should do so either abroad among the Gentiles or at home in Iudaea For the Gentiles indeed they did and S. Paul whose charge they were more zealously than the rest that they should have no such imposed upon them according to the decree of the Sâ—nod Acts 15. Consider it with that Story Acts 21. à vers 20. deinceps This therefore being to be the condition of the believing Iews when their City should be compassed with an Army by Cestius Gallus at which time they were admonished to flee to save themselves with all speed into the mountains of Petraea as soon as Cestius by withdrawing a little his Army should give them that liberty our Saviour saith here Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath-day For he speaks not of any flight to be when the City should be taken or when it should be once besieged by Titus for both would be too late but of a warning beleaguering to precede it 6. Concerning that in Matth. 25. when our Blessed Saviour shall sit upon his Throne of Royalty to judge the world I conceive a Figure to be in that expression of placing the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on the left borrowed from the custome of the Iews in their Tribunals to place such as were to be absolved on the right hand where stood the Scribe who took the Votes for Absolution and those who were to receive the sentence of Condemnation on the left hand where stood the Scribe which took the Votes for Condemnation Such a custom of theirs Drusius in his Notes upon that place observes out of Moses de Kotsi That therefore nothing else is meant thereby but that our Saviour should distinguish the world of men into two Orders one of such as should receive the Sentence of bliss and Absolution the other of such as should receive the Sentence of Condemnation That he should first pronounce the Sentence of Absolution upon such as are to be absolved and that once finished
a word That howsoever I conceive the Object of this Vision to consist indeed in the Representation of the Temple with his Courts and not in the Acts of S. Iohn informing himself about them yet will neither of them both infer a Coincidence of time but rather a Succession of the things signified by them III. The mystery of both Courts explained Now what material and profitable consequent for the Interpretation would ensue upon this Order which you say you see not if you will promise not to object it to me as a breach of mine own Tenet as you threaten at the very mention I will if I can tell you Not to make it the ground of my Order for which you see I bring other Arguments but to counterpoise your affection if it be any to that other exposition which may otherwise though unperceived secretly make the balance of assent to propend one way more than another If therefore the foresaid Order may be granted the Interpretation will be as followeth 1. The Inner Court measured by the Divine Reed is the Visible Church in its primitive purity whenas yet Christian worship was unprophaned and answerable to the Divine rule revealed from above which state contains the whole time of Persecution under the Ethnick Emperors the Altar in this Court most fitly insinuating the continual Sacrifice of Martyrdom during the most part thereof 2. The Second or Outer Court represents the state of Apostasie under the Man of sin when the Visible Church being possessed by Idolaters became in the publick worship so inconformable and unapt for Divine measure that it was to be cast out and accounted not as Christian and Sacred but prophane and polluted 3. By the Time expressed for the prophanation of the Outer Court we may gather the Time implied for the lasting of the purity of the Inner Court and that in this manner 4. It is demonstrated by Villalpandus out of Ezekiel's measures That the largeness of the Outer Court was such that it contained the Inner Court three times and a half in quantity Ergò the Time of XLII months which the Holy Ghost allots to the Outer Court should likewise contain the Times of the Inner Court thrice and a half But if this be so then the Time allotted to the Inner Court is XII months because the XLII months of the Outer contains it thrice and a half Or thus The Time allotted to the prophanation of the Outer Court is three years and a half Ergò the Time implied for the measured Purity of the Inner or First Court must be One year if the Times hold the same proportion each to other which the largeness of the Courts did 5. Now a year or twelve months is 360 days according to the Chaldean count of months and if you add the 5 dies Embolismales which they added always to the end of their year though they were reckoned in no month it will be 365 days which days Prophetically taken will inform us That the Visible Church continued in the Primitive Purity of Christian Worship answerable to the Divine measure the space of 360 or 365 years And is it not a matter of consequent to know as well how long the Church continued pure and regular in Christian Worship as how long it was to be prophaned afterward by Gentilizing Idolatry Nay shall I tell you a stranger conceit Was it not this which the Devil harped upon when as S. Austin reports he made his Oracles to give out That the Christian Religion should last but 365 years for so long forsooth Peter had inchanted the world to adore Iesus of Nazareth but after this time once finished it should be extirpated by the Gentiles How think you doth not some body else study Prophecies as well as we But I hope we shall understand them better For the Devil was deceived in expecting a Total ruine of Christian Religion and his malice made him forget what Christ said to Peter That the Gates of Hell should not prevail against his Church And yet S. Austin tells us that he gained so much by this device that many of the Gentiles would not be gotten to turn Christians till this time were expired and that they saw their hopes frustrate IV. From what Epocha are the 360 or 365 years of the Church's Primitive purity to be reckoned But from what Epocha of time should this 360 or 365 years be reckoned Resp. There can be but four Epocha's viz. 1. Christ's Birth 2. Christ's Passion Anno 33. 3. The Destruction of Ierusalem An. 70. 4. The Time of the Revelation of this Prophecy to S. Iohn Anno 94. Let us try from them all and see how it will succeed By the First we have the time when the Christian worship began first to swerve from his wonted correspondency to the Divine measure viz. An. Christi 360 All our Divines confess that about this time and not till this began the Idolatry of Reliques and Saint-worship first to enter By the two next Periods An. 393 and 430 you have the degrees how Apostasie palpably increased By the last Period from the time this Prophecy was given Anno 454 you shall see the Time when the measured Church together with the Western Empire quite expired and from that time forward was to be reckoned as prophane and polluted Observe one thing more That according to this reckoning the Oecumenical Council of Nice will fall within the compass of the first Period before the Church yet swerved the Council of Constantinople within the second the Council of Ephesus in the end of the third the Council of Chalcedon in the end of the fourth and last Period Thus far we profess our subscription to the decisions of Oecumenical Councils but after this time Ejice foràs Cast it out it is no longer measured therefore take heed of measuring by it And all this is as evident in Story as any exposition of this Book whatsoever I do but briefly point out what I have thought much more of and could perhaps set forth more accurately but that I account all this and the rest as vain if the Order I ground upon appear not well founded upon the Text it self Thus have I dilated somewhat largely upon this point because I desired fully at once to represent my conceit unto you and will not hereafter say any more of it pro or contra but leave that which hath been communicated by us both to be at leisure considered by both till God shall to either of us reveal what we may resolve to be his Truth In the Author's Manuscript here follows the Ichnography of the Temple and its Courts the same with that in his Comment Apocal. cap. 11. verse 2 3. which the Reader may there view You see the Ichnography and Platform of the Temple's Fabrick The whole building Courts and all is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temple it self which was not open
of the Council of Ephesus intended to prescribe to any other Council of like Authority not to explicate or improve the Creed of Nice as they did that of the Apostles but that no private Bishop should compose any other Formula Fidei to be a Rule and Symbolum of Communion than that of Nice Thus with my Prayers and best affection I remain Christ's Colledge ult Iuly 1637. Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede EPISTLE LXXXVII Another Letter more fully treating about the defining the Ratio of Fundamental Articles Mr. Hartlib YOU wish I had declared my self more largely But what needed it you had the substance of all I had to say But if you would have it more fully then thus 1. By Fundamental Articles in the inquiry we mean such as are Necessarii cognitu creditu ad Salutem that is Fundamenta Salutis Fundamental to Salvation not Fundamenta Theologicarum Veritatum Principles whence Theological Verities are deduced For these though they may be sometimes coincident are not the same 2. What then though the Term Fundamental be Metaphorical and improper yet we see it may easily if we understand our own meaning be expressed in clear and proper terms And therefore this can be no impediment to the finding or defining the Ratio of such Articles whereby they may be known and distinguished from others 3. And what though the whole Scripture be Fundamentum or Principium Veritatum Theologicarum or Dogmatum Fidei Yet is not every content in Scripture necessary to be known and believed explicitely unto Salvation and therefore this Notion of Fundamentum nothing to the purpose since as I said Principia Theologica or Fundamentalia dogmatum and Fundamentalia Salutis are not the same but differ formally though some of them may be materially coincident 4. But the Definition of such Fundamental Articles would be dangerous inconvenient and subject to much reprehension yea in respect of the diversity of mens judgments is in a manner impossible This methinks is very strange That any who acknowledge there be some Truths necessary to be known and explicitely believed unto Salvation should yet deny there can be any Ratio or Character given whereby to know them yea affirm it to be unsafe to determine any such if it might be found or that any enumeration of such Articles should be made What Cannot or may not those Truths be defined and known without an explicite belief whereof we cannot be saved What will follow upon this Neither when we speak of defining here do we mean any such matter as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exactness of a Logical definition which might entangle us in School-niceties and janglings but any description or designation of that Ratio or distinguishing Character whereby such Truths as are cognitu creditu necessaria ad Salutem might be known from others And this sure might be done without any such engagement in Logical scrupulosity 5. As for the Objection of the Canon of the Oeeumenical Council of Ephesus Certainly that Council never intended to restrain the power of any Council or other publick Ecclesiastical Authority like it self but only private Persons from attempting to make any such Creed Formula or Confession of Faith besides that of Nice This I suppose may be gathered from those words Si Episcopi c. Si Clerici c. Si Laici c. and the Censure to be laid upon them Nor does it seem simply and altogether to forbid them neither to compose any such for private instruction or use but only for a publick intent to be tendered as a Form of Confession of Faith to Pagans or Iews at their Baptism or to Hereticks when they were again received into the Church For why should not the Churches now as well as then have the like power upon the like occasion further to explicate or make more explicite the former Symbols of Faith as the Council of Nice did that of the Apostles yea or any Church or Churches that are or would be of the same Communion to do it for themselves For then we know the Churches were all of one Communion now they are not and therefore may provide for themselves according to their condition Besides how came the Creed of Athanasius to be since publickly received in the Church or the Council of Chalcedon after this of Ephesus to make a new Exposition of Faith unless this Canon were understood as aforesaid since neither of them are the same with that of Nice Or how could the Reformed Churches make such publick Confessions for themselves as they have done Thus I think I have declared my self largely enough now and perhaps more largely than befitted me when I consider to whom it hath reference But my hope is you will conceal the Author's name from any man and not reveal it save to Mr. Dury alone And so with my best affection I remain Your assured Friend without subscription of my name EPISTLE LXXXVIII Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib containing his advice for framing a Fundamental Confession agreeably to the practice of the Ancient Church in composing their Creeds or Symbols of Faith Mr. Hartlib WHen I read over Mr. Dury's Consultation before his Discourse ad Dominum Forbesium came to my hands I perceived he aimed at the self-same ground for the discovery and discerning of Fundamental Verities from not-Fundamental that I had formerly done in mine to you though in a differing way of expression as men that conceive apart are wont to do I made them to be such Truths as have necessary influence upon the Acts and Functions of Christian life or without the explicite knowledge whereof those Acts and Functions cannot be exercised He goes further and specifies wherein this Christian life consisteth namely As Natural life consists in the conjunction of the Soul with the Body so doth Spiritual life in the conjunction of Men with God that is in being in Covenant with him All those Verities therefore the knowledge and belief whereof is necessary to the Acts and Functions requisite to the being and continuation in the Covenant with God in Iesus Christ are Fundamental Verities without the explicite knowledge and belief of which a man cannot be saved But for the framing or composing such a Fundamental Confession as is sought for let me discover my Opinion Fancy or whatsoever it be I observe That the Confessions or Creeds of the Ancient Church which were their Symbols of Communion were always the former Creeds or Confessions enlarged with such further additions or explanations subjoyned to the former Articles respectively as the Heresies of the Times made requisite for the distinction of Orthodox Believers So the Nicene Creed was the Creed of the Apostles enlarged in the Articles of the Father and Son and one or two other The Creed of Constantinople added to the Article of the Holy Ghost in that of Nice those words The Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the
kind of First-fruit-offering there viz. at the Altar at the time of celebrating the holy Mysteries but Grapes and Corn. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. Antioch b I write unto you and warn you that you use one Faith one Doctrine one Eucharist For there is one Flesh of our Lord Iesus Christ one Bloud of the same our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for us one Bread broken for us and one Cup distributed to all one ALTAR to every Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons my fellow-Servants * P. 236. Exer. 6. in Epist. Ad Ephesios c Whosoever therefore separates himself from these and joyns not with the Council of the Clergy whose office it is to celebrate the Christian Sacrifices nor with the Church of the First-born which are enrolled in heaven Heb. 12. 23. Whosoever is thus in schism and discord with them is a Woolf in a Sheeps skin pretending meekness under that disguise a Reverence the Bishop as ye do Christ as the blessed Apostles have commanded us He that is within the ALTAR is clean and therefore obeys the Bishop and Presbyters But he that is without is he that does any thing without the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons and such a one hath a defiled Conscience and is worse than an Infidel * Yea and in form and fashion too See Maimon apud Ainsworth upon Lâ—â— 19. 30. For both Sanctity and Sanctification consist in Discrimination * 〈…〉 * Chap. 1. 11. Verse 20. Verse 17. Sect. 3. * Except only Siracidâ—s and the 2. Book of Maccab. whose style gentilizeth * al. 62. * De vit Mosis i. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mosâ—s nâ—mpe graecissan◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark here who they are that have turned the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Odyss H. * See Sect. 1. of this Treatise pag. 384. * Or as this part of the Church is termed in a story of the same time in Euseb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name whereby the LXX call the Sanctuary in the Old Test. Hist. Eccles. l. 7. cap. 18. de Marino Martyre Adductum ad Ecclesiam statuit intus prope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Celsus affirms that we Christians decline the building or setting up of Altars Images and Temples b Why have the Christians no Altars no Temples no Images c Herein ye are wont to charge us with hideous impiety and irreligion viz. that we do not make any Image or Representation of any God nor build any kind of Altars at all * Perhaps he adds this by way of correction of his word Altaria d What can Temples and Altars mean what do Statues signifie * According to which style S. Hierome Ep. ad Râ—parium saith de Iul. Apostat Quod sanctorum Basilicas destruxerit aut in Templa converterit Ep. 10. e Worshipping-places Houses of Prayer Churches a Galienus in ed. ap Eus. l. 7. c. 12. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Apud eund Hist. l. 7. c. 1 2. c Eus. de laud. Constant. d Idem Hist. l. 7. c. 3. * See this passage of Arnobius in the Discourse on 1 Cor. 11. 22. pag. 338 Verse 1. * As Isa. 60. 7. 64. 11. Psal. 96. 6. * Verse 19. * Verse 6. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psal. 132. 7. * Plutarch in Aristide de Paulania Lâ—crymis opplâ—â—us converâ—it se ad â—anum Iunonis maniâ—sque ad coelum tendens precatur Citheroniam Iunâ—nem c. Varro l. 4. de lingua Lat. de Cuâ—io se deâ—ovente Ad Concordia sub aedem conâ—ersul c. Sic emendat Scalig quem vide in Collestaneis quae ibidem ex Livio adducit ad haâ—â— rem facâ—ntia * â— Chron. â— 6. ch 29. â— 27. * See 1 King ch 8 v 31. Iurantes Aras 〈…〉 bant Câ—â—er Plautus Rudent Virg. 12. AEneid Iuven. Sat. 14. Iustin. l. 24. Vid. Pont. p. 3. p. 146. * Orat. Paneg. ap Euseb. Hist. lib 10. cap. 4. Diâ—nys At. ep 8 ad Demophilum * May not our order of setting the Ten Commandments over the Communion Table have had some reference this way See Orders Anno 1565. 7. Eliz. Artic. 7. Matt. 10. 12. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 25. the name whereby the Mercy-sâ—at is called in the old Testament The Israelites worshipped towards the place of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a Type of ours why may not we worship in like manner toward the place of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth of theirs * See the Author Quaest Respâ—â—d orthod in Iustin. Mart Quaest. 118. Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. ants Med. Tertul Apol. c. 16. item ad nationes l. 1. â— 13. Origen Hom. 5. in Numer cap. 4. p. 210. * Dionys. Arcop de Ecclesiast Hier 6. 2. * Lib. 5. Histâ—r Eccles. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Namely that meat no time turned hee back â—pon the Altar that is not so much as oâ—t of the time of worship * Apud Meursium in Not iâ— Pontanâ— ad Protovestiarium Levit. 19. 30. Sanctitatis tripleâ— netio Sanctitatis Relatiâ—e definitio * 2 Chro. 6. 2. * 2 Cor. 6. 16. An Evangelium agnoscat Loca Sacra * Matt. 18. 2â— â—v 11. â—ec diâ—is 〈◊〉 Sâ—mma dictorâ—m Object Cap. 1. 11. * 1 Ep. 2. 8. Sohâ— Cap. 2â— Veneratio definita Veneratio duplex Interna Externa Utraque triplex Religiosa Sacra Civilis Veneratio Sacra definita illustrata Sâ—nctâ—ficatio duplex * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—nfirmatur Venerationis sacrae Defiâ—rio Veneratio sacra duplex Interna Externa Utraque illustrata Externa Veneratio duplex Personatis Realis Uâ—â—aque explicata De Externa Veneratione 4. Consectaria Altera Divisio Venrationis Sacrae scil in Venerationem Personarum Rerum Locorum Temporum Locorum Sacrâ—rum Reverentia explicatur secundùm ejus modos genera Loc. Sacr Reverentia probatnt Ratione Praeceptis Exemplis * Buxtorf Syn. Iud cap. 5. * Bart. Georgivâ—â— de Turcarum moribus Gen. 28. Gr. Nazianz. in Orat. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ultimó dividi tur Loc. Sacr. Rever in Reverentiam Nudâ—m Ornatum Ornaâ—ûs Tâ—mplarâ—â— 2. Species Magnificentia Mundâ—â—â— Malac. 1. Object contrà Templâ—um Magnificentiam solvuntur 1 Chron. 29â— 2 Chron. 2 Dâ—n 3. Pars I. * Nam proculdubio legen dum cum Latinis omnibus Graeâ—o Aldi anno 1518. Syro interprete qui ex Graeco vertit Et stetit non ut hodie habent exemplaria Graeca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et slâ—â—i In Bibl. Polyglott MS. Alexandrin habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et stetit Cap. 13. * Cap. 7. 9. * Lib. 5. cap. 28. al. 23. huic quoque lectioni astipulatur tâ—xtus apud Andream Caesariensem in Codice Augustano nec non Syrus Interpres qui nuper editus est Iâ—â—o apud Latinos Primasius illud vidi
though never so carefully and exactly written could possibly scape at such a a rate of judging as this But to speak yet more closely to the present Exception Thoughâ— here was a mistake in applying the Fourth Viol to that Northern King yet that mistake in the particular is no real prejudice to the general and main scope of his Interpretation of that part much less of the other parts of the Vision And considering the abstruseness of the matter it may be held very laudable not toto coelo errare in the explication of some part of a Vision especially when other Learned men are deprehended to do so not only in some one whole Vision but in a manner universally in the whole Apocalyps and that not only in those Visions which relate to things unfulfill'd and future Events about which if a careful Interpreter be at a loss sometimes and chance to misconjecture it is more pardonable but in such Visions and Prophecies as are already fulfill'd wherein to mistake is the less excusable because Prophecies are suppos'd to clear up when accomplish'd according to that of Irenaeus which is sometimes quoted to an ill purpose viz. to damp all modest Enquiries into Prophetical Scriptures Cùm evenit quod propheratum est tunc Prophetiae liquidam habent certam expositionem And here if it were not an over-tedioâ—â— Digression it would be no hard task to bring in a large Catalogue of gross Parachronisms manifest misapplications and mistakes of another nature than this single one they urge against our Author and these not a few nor thinly scatter'd in their Comments but to be met with in every page The reason of which Misfortune in which the Interpreters that go the new way are as much concern'd as any is plainly this Their want of attending to that only safe Rule and Ground-work of Interpretation the Apocalyptical Synchronisms the usefulness and necessity of attending to which is fully made out by Mr. Mede to omit other places in his Corollary at the end of his Clavis Apocalyptica Without this Clue Interpreters will miserably lose themselves in this Sacred Labyrinth without this Card to guide them in this Mystical Sea they must needs like distressed Mariners reel to and fro and often be at their wit's end Lastly Let it be considered that this short passage concerning the Application of the Fourth Vial excepted against is not any part of the Author 's large and more throughly-concocted Commentary upon the Apocalyps for that ends with Chap. XIV And as for the following Chapters what he has briefly observed upon some passages therein as in Chap. XVI which treats of the Vials he calls only Specimina his Essays and First adventures intending if he had health and free leisure to go over them again and then to perfect his thoughts and as fully to enlarge himself upon them as he had done upon the foregoing Chapters This he expresly advertises the Reader of at the end of his Commentary upon Chap. XIV in the mean while commending these Specimina which at the sollicitation of some Friends he permitted to go along with his Commentary to the Reader 's Candour and Benignity persuading himself as the best natures at least apt to suspect any unkindness that what he thus offer'd with his right hand others would not take with their left This is enough to wash away the supposed stain of this Exception and perhaps more than was needful but that some devoid of Charity and therefore but tinkling Cymbals made such a noise about it such as childishly affect excitare fluctus in simpulo and love to make ex musca elephantem ex festuca trabem in the mean while through fond self-love and partiality not minding the more than motes the great beams in their own eyes or in the eyes of those whose persons they have in admiration But to such our Saviour's Counsel is not unseasonable Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye 21. Proceed we now cum bonâ— Deo to the Vindication of our Author from the other Exception which in short is this That he may seem to have afforded too much countenance to the Opinion of the Chiliasts This Exception though not the former is taken notice of by that Reverend person who was familiarly acquainted with Mr. Mede and wrote that short View of his Life published at the end of his Epistles And the Sum of the Answer he there returns to this Exception is this That what Mr. Mede did herein cannot be justly counted any blemish to his name and honour For grant that Opinion were an Error yet saith he it hath very much to plead its toleration and their pardon that hold it Whatever it be it past for a precious Truth even in the purest and most untainted Ages of the Church those next the Apostles for the space of above 300. years and had the suffrages of the most eminent Doctors that lived in those times viz. Iustin Martyr who lived within 30 years of S. Iohn's death Irenaeus who was brought up at the feet of Polycarpus who was S. Iohn's Disciple they both lived and conversed with the Apostles immediate Disciples as also Tertullian the most ancient of the Latin Fathers now extant Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and Lactantius besides several others of whose Writings we have only some small Fragments all these within 300. years after Christ. Nor was it ever discountenanced till the Church recovering breath from her Persecutions began perhaps a little too much to prize her peace and disvaluing her expectations to set up her rest in her enjoyed tranquillity And certainly not to argue its verisimilitude from the consonancy it seems to have with the many glorious Prophecies of Christ's Kingdom in the Old Testament which otherwise find many cold interpretations among Expositors a man can hardly without admitting it make good sense of those places in the 20 and 21 Chapters of the Revelation which tell us of a First and Second Resurrection and of a Ierusalem descending out of Heaven from God Which last I have often heard our Author say seemed to him extremely harsh to expound of the State of Bliss in Heaven and to make descending out of Heaven to signify ascending up thither was more absurd than that of the Canonist who expounded Constituimus by Abrogamus So that he was compelled by that and many other places against his inclination to allow so much of Chiliasm as might make sense of those Prophecies yet alway keeping himself from falling into those dotages which some of that opinion fansied or at least were charged with neither denying any necessary Catholick Verity nor admitting any thing inconsistent with the analogy of Faith and submitting his Opinion to the judgment of the Church And within these limits I never yet learned why he or any
evil eye and rapacious hands than what is given to any other use or service whatsoever yea though it were to the service of Vanity Luxury or any other Lust he could not but heartily with that some of the Protestant Churches would seriously lay it to heart and approve themselves more and more Reformed in the cleansing and purifying themselves from any the least stain of Sacriledge from which yet so tempting is this Sin with the seeming advantages it presents they that call themselves Catholicks are not free neither yea even he that is peculiarly styl'd Rex Catholicus is wont to be accursed and excommunicated at Rome on Maundy-Thursday for detaining part of S. Peter's Patrimony as they are pleas'd to call it And it is as well known how much he abhorr'd any kind of Sacrilegious profanation of what is Relatively holy whether Times Places or Things Sacred as Bona Ecclesiastica the Sacred Revenues and the like and that in more than a few Discourses he hath largely asserted the Distinction between Things Sacred and Common and that therefore what is Sacred and consequently is become God's by a peculiar right should be used appropriately and with a different respect from things Common such an appropriation and discriminative usance of Holy things being a just testimony and expression of the respect and honour due unto Almighty God whose Name is called upon them The like Zeal he had particularly for Gods House his Worship and Service therein that all things might be done there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decently for the honour of God and to edification for the benefit of our Neighbour Which two Rules of the Apostle excellently score out the way and exactly contain even in external and indifferent things what course is to be taken as the Religious and Prudent Mr. G. Herbert hath stated the case who hath also in his Poem The British Church elegantly and fully express'd the very same Sentiments that our Author had touching the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods House the keeping the mean between Superstition and Slovenliness between the painted looks lascivious gaudiness of the Church upon the Hills and the careless neglected dress of some Churches in the Valley Both our Author and this Good man were after Davids heart the man after Gods heart who thus breath'd forth his affection Domine dilexi decorem Domûs tuae and thought it unworthy that the Ark of God should dwell within curtains when as he himself dwelt in an house of Cedar nor was he of so ungenerous a disposition in Religion as to serve the Lord his God of that which did cost him nothing So agreeable is it to a Soul that is established with a religious and free spirit as well as it is agreeable to the Light of Nature That God the Best of Beings should be served and honoured with the Best Which was shadowed out of old in the Sacrifices and Drink-offerings In the Peace-offerings wherein God did feast with the people the Fat upon the inwards c. was Gods Mess his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Food All the Fat is the Lords and was therefore to be burnt upon the Altar and offer'd unto the Lord. Nor were the Drink-offerings to be of any sort of Wine but of Shecar the best Wine Num. 28. Nor had our Author herein any ambitious design to please men and thereby to advantage himself in the world as some that less knew him were apt rashly to impute unto him Time-serving for this just right was done to him in print by one better acquainted with him though of a different perswasion That he had many years before the Times did relish those Notions declar'd himself to the same purpose instancing in his Concio ad Clerum which particularly treated De Sanctitate Relativa Veneratione Sacra and to the same effect he had express'd himself in an early Specimen or first Draught of his Thoughts which he presented to the R. R. Bishop Andrews after he was newly made Fellow of Christ's Colledge 44. With his zeal for God's honour and Church decorum we may not unfitly joyn his mindful observance of the Apostle's Precepts Honour the King and Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account and herein he shew'd himself a true Son of peace as we observ'd before and shall now farther add That he had so great a value and so hearty an affection for the Peace of our Ierusalem and in order thereunto for submitting to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to be King as Supream or unto Governours as those that were sent by him that when he received notice of the evil that was then breaking forth out of the North to apply that of Ieremy chap. 1. who elsewhere complains in the same note Behold the noise of the bruit is come and a great commotion out of the North-country upon this intelligence of wars and rumours of wars his righteous and meek Soul was grieved within him and in a Letter of his written to a Friend within less than three months before his death he thus express'd his resentments concluding in a strain almost Prophetical If the Scotish business be no better than you write I pray God both they and others have not cause to curse the time at length when such courses were first resolved upon and that in the event the cause of Religion pretended be not advanced thereby as it is in Germany and no better I am firmly perswaded there will never come good of it God avert his judgments and make them wiser His reverential regard to the establish'd Government and Discipline of the Church was well known to them that knew him and they that knew not his Person may know it from his Writings these testifie of him how great a Lover he was of Unity Peace all good and decent Order and whatsoever might make for the beauty and strength the honour and safety of the Protestant Reformation both here at home and abroad as considering that those Characters of a Carnal and Unspiritual temper Envying and Strife and Divisions and the consequents thereof Confusion and Disorder would at once both weaken and dishonour the Protestant Cause and occasion the Grand Enemy to triumph who seeing much of his work done for him by those who would seem to be most averse from him while they bite and devour one another claps his hands saying Aha Aha Our eye hath seen it So would we have it But our Author thought it his becoming duty to study Obedience for peace and good order's sake and not to expose the Protestant Interest to danger and ruine 'T is true There were not wanting even in his days some who breaking themselves off from the Great Congregation were apt to say Lo here is Christ Behold he is in the secret chambers as if
New the Christian Clergy or Clerus so called from the beginning of Christian Antiquity either because they are the Lord 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Portion which the Church dedicateth unto him out of her self namely as the Levites were an offering of the Children of Israel which they offered unto him out of their Tribes or because their inheritance and livelihood is the Lord's portion I prefer the first yet either of both will give their Order the title of Holiness as doth also more especially their descent which they derive from the Apostles that is from those for whom their Lord and Master prayed unto his Father saying Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctisie them unto or for thy Truth thy Word is Truth that is Separate them unto the Ministery of thy Truth the word of thy Gospel which is the truth and verification of the promises of God It follows As thou hast sent me into the world so have I also sent them into the world this is the key which unlocks the meaning of that before and after And for them I sanctifie my self that they might be sanctified for thy Truth that is And forasmuch as they cannot be consecrated to such an Office without some sacrifice to atone and purifie them therefore for their consecration to this holy function of ministration of the new Covenant I offer my self a Sacrifice unto thee for them in lieu of those legal and typical ones wherewith Aaron and his sons first and then the whole Tribe of Levi were consecrated unto thy service in the old An Ellipsis of the first Substantive in Scripture is frequent So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth for the Ministery of Truth Now that the Christian Church for of the Iewish I shall need say nothing hath alwayes taken it for granted that those of her Clergy ought according to the 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 peculiarness 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 kind 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 relick thereof remaining in this though perhaps not altogether to be acquitted of that imputation which Tertullian charged upon some in his time to wit Quum excellimur inflamur adversùs Clerum tunc unum omnes sumus tunc omnes Sacerdotes quia Sacerdotes nos Deo Patri fecit Quum ad peraequationem Disciplinae Sacerdotalis provocamur deponimus insulas impares sumus When we vaunt and are puffed up against the Clergie 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 equal in our lives the example of Priestly Discipline then down go our Miâ—res and we are another sort of men Another sort of things Sacred which I named was Sacred Places to wit Churches and Oratories as the Christian name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth them to be that is the Lord's A third Sacred Times that is dedicated and appointed for the solemn celebration of the worship of God and Divine duties such are with us for those of the Iews concern us not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord's dayes with other our Christian Festivals and Holy-dayes 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. 19. 30. and again 26. 2. they are joyned together tanquam ejusdem rationis 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 special sense by way of distinction from them And this sort containeth under it many particulars which may be specified after this manner 1. Sacred Revenues of what kind soever which in regard of the dedication thereof as they must not be prophaned by sacrilegious alienation so ought they to be sanctified by a different use and imployment from other Goods namely such a one as becometh that which is the Lord's and not man's 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. Apostol XL. Manifestae sint Episcopi res propriae si quidem res habet proprias manifesta sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. res Dominicae Let it be manifest what things are the Bishop's own if he have any things of his own and let it be manifest what things are the Lord 's Author constitut Apost Lib. 2. c. 28. al. 24. Episcopus ne utatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicis rebus tanquam alienis aut communibus sed moderatè Let not the Bishop use the things that are the Lord's as if they were another's or as if they were common but moderately and soberly See also Balsamon in Can. 15. Concilii Ancyrani and the Canon it self 2. Sacred Vtensils as the Lord's 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 Marcotis Macarius one of his Presbyters by his command or instinct had entered into a Church of the Miletian Schismaticks 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 general opinion of Christians of that time such acts were esteemed prophane and impious otherwise they could never have hoped as they did to have blasâ—ed the reputation of the holy Bishop by such a slander Touching the Books of God or Holy Scripture which I referred to this Title especially those which are for the publick 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 ear cannot endure to
he blaspemes that God who brings that punishment upon them Eusebius lib. 4. Hist. Cap. 17. cites the same out of both with approbation So doth Oecumenius upon the last Chapter of the first of S. Peter Epiphanius against Heresie 39. gives the same as his own assertion almost in the same words with Iustin and Irenaeus though not naming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Before the coming of Christ the Devil did not dare to speak a blasphemous word against his Lord for being in expectation of the coming of Christ he imagined he should obtain some mercy I will not enquire how true this Tenet of theirs is but only gather this that they could not think the Devils were cast into Hell before the coming of Christ For then how could they but have known they should be damned if the execution had already been done upon them Saint Augustine as may seem intending to reconcile these places of Peter and Iude with the rest of Scripture is alledged to affirm that the Devils suffering some Hell-like torment in their Aiery Mansion the Air may in that respect in an improper sense be called Hell But that the Devils were locally or Actually in Hell or should be before the Day of Iudgment it is plain he held not and that will appear by these two passages in his Book de Civitate Dei First where he saith Daemones in hoc quidem aere habitant quia de Coeli superioris sublimitate dejecti merito irregressibilis transgressionis in hoc sibi congruo velut carcere praedamnati sunt Lib. 8. Cap. 22. The Devils indeed have their habitation in this Air for they being cast out of the highest heaven through the due desert of their unrecoverable apostasie and transgression are fore-condemned and adjudged to be kept in this Aiery region as in a prison very congruous and fit for such transgressors The other in the same Book chap. 23. where he expounds that of the Devils Matth. 8. Art thou come to torment us before the time that is saith he ante tempus Iudicii quo aeternâ damnatione puniendi sunt cum omnibus etiam hominibus qui eorum societate detinentur before the time of the last Iudgment when they are to be eternally punished together with all those men who are entangled in their society The Divines of latter times the School-men and others to reconcile the supposed Contrariety in Scripture divide the matter holding some Devils to be in the Air as S. Paul and the History of Scripture tell us some to be already in Hell as they thought S. Peter and S. Iude affirm'd which opinion seems to be occasioned by a Quaere of S. Hierom's upon the sixth of the Ephesians though he speaks but obscurely and defines nothing But what ground of Scripture or Reason can be given why all the Devils which sinned should not be in the same Condition especially that Satan the worst and chief of them should not be in the worst estate but enjoy the greatest liberty It follows therefore that these places of S. Peter and S. Iude are to be construed according to the sense I have given of them namely That the evil Spirits which sinned being adjudged to Hellish torments were cast out of Heaven into this lower Region there to be reserved as in a prison for chains of darkness at the Day of Iudgment DISCOURSE V. 1 COR. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God A Man would think at first sight that this Scripture did exceedingly warrant our use of the word Minister in stead of that of Priest and leave no plea for them who had rather speak otherwise Howsoever I intend at this time to shew the contrary and even out of this Text that we have very much swerved herein from the Apostles language and abuse that word to such a sense as they never intended nor is any where found in Scripture I favour neither superstition nor superstitious men yet truth is truth and needful to be known especially when ignorance thereof breedeth errour and uncharitableness My Discourse therefore shall be of the use of the words Priest and Minister wherein shall appear how truly we are all Ministers in our Apostle's sense and yet how abusively and improperly so called in the ordinary and prevailing use of that word I will begin thus All Ecclesiastical persons or Clergy-men may be considered in a Threefold relation First to God secondly to the People thirdly one toward another In respect to God all are Ministers of what degree soever they be because they do what they do by commission from him either more or less immediate for a Minister is he qui operam suam alicui ut superiori aut domino praebet who serves another as his Superior or Master 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 only Overseer of the rest Inspector totius Cleri Deacons are only Ministers to the rest Ministri Presbyterorum Episcoporum and in that respect have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are properly but two Orders Ecclesiastical Presbyteri Diaconi the one the Masters Priests the other the Ministers Deacons The rest are but diverse degrees of these Two As Bishops are a degree of Presbyters of divine ordinance to be as Heads Chiefs and Presidents of their Brethren So Subâ—deacons Lectors and indeed any other kind of Ecclesiastical Ministers whether in Ecclesia or Foro Ecclesiastico I mean whether they attend divine Duties in the Church or Iurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Courts are all a kind of Deacons being to the Presbyters either single or Episcopal as the Levites were to the Sacerdotes in the Old Testament namely to minister unto or for them Thus when we say Bishops Presbyters and Deacons we name but two Orders yet three Degrees 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 only God's Ministers who sends them but the People's Magistri to teach instruct and oversee them Were it not absurd to call the Shepherd 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 God's Ministers Christ's Ministers who imployeth us to dispense his Mysteries unto his Church There are Three words in the New Testament translated Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—the first is most frequent but not one of them is given to the Apostles
here described to be one upon whom God bestowed a special favour or grace a special 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of the holy Ministery for so S. Paul calls this power of Order a grace or favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eph. 3. 8. Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And of Timothy the same Apostle speaketh Neglect not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or grace in thee which was given by prophecy with the imposition of hands With this grace was Levi graced with this favour was he highly favoured and well might be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's highly favoured one And thus the issue will be all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sense will fall out to be God's holy one in the last sense For to be specially favoured of God is to have a special relation to God-ward to be God's more especially and this is to be holy with a Relative holiness Now which soever of these we take to be here meant we see that that is in special given to Levi which otherwise was common to all the other Tribes If you take it in the first sense for Holiness in life as it were to put Levi in mind how it behoved him above all to be holy were not all the Tribes as holy as Levi and yet Levi alone is called God's holy one If you take it in the second sense for a Relative holiness were not all the Tribes of Israel thus holy unto God were not all his own people his peculiar people and a chosen Nation and yet Levi alone is called God's holy one If you take it in the last sense for God's favoured one were not all Israel a Nation favoured of God above all Nations and yet Levi alone is especially called God's favoured one 1. We therefore whom God hath set apart to minister about holy things we who are holy unto the Lord and God's own in a peculiar manner we who have a special relation unto God we who have received a special favour from God We must remember we owe a special thankfulness unto him We who are God's peculiars must demean our selves peculiarly both toward God and man We are unto God as other men are not and therefore may not always do as other man do We cannot reason from others to our selves no not in things of themselves lawful Why should not we do as every man may do For all that is lawful for others will not be seemly for us for we are the houshold-servants of the most High we are special men of whom God requires a special demeanour in life and actions This was one cause why God enjoyned the Iews so many peculiar Rites and special Observations differing from the fashions of other people because they were his peculiar people an holy Nation because they were toward him as no other was though all the world were His and therefore he would have their manners differ from the fashion of all other Nations as a badge and acknowledgment of that special relation they had to him above others Levit. 20. 24 25 26. I saith God am the Lord your God which have separated you from other people Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean unclean fowls and clean c. And ye shall be holy unto me For I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that you should be mine This was also a cause why God restrained the Priests of the Law from that which was lawful for the rest of the people They might drink no Wine they might not mourn for their kin they might not marry a divorced woman the reason of all this is given because they were holy unto the Lord that is with a Relative holiness as being God's men in a special manner and therefore he required they should specially demean themselves in their lives These Observations indeed were Ceremonial but there is something Moral in them And therefore in the New Testament we hear of some special things required in a Minister as that he should have a good report of those who were without this was not required in every one who was to be a Christian. Again S. Paul requires in a Bishop that he should be the husband of one wife this was not in those times required of every one who was to be a Christian. I shall not need to tell you what special demeanor the ancient Church bound her Clergy unto But it came to pass at last this Rule was over-practised by them for hence it was that a Bishop might not marry at all that Priests and Deacons might not marry being once in Orders and at last marriage was quite forbidden them all Thus our Fathers erred on the right hand but we go aside on the left They restrained their Clergy from that which was lawful for and beseemed all men we think almost that lawful for us which is lawful for no man at least we think that which any man may do we may do also But there is a golden Mean between these Extreams happy is he that finds it for he alone shall demean himself like himself like a Levite like God's holy one 2. From this special title given to Levi we may note how causlesly some are offended to hear those who minister about holy Things distinguished from others by names of holiness and peculiarity to hear them called Clerus and Clerici The Clergy as it were the Heritage of God for so saith S. Ierome Clerus dicimur quia sors Dei sumus We are called Clerus or the Clergy because we are the lot and portion of God But say they are not the People also God's Heritage Doth not S. Peter call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he forbids Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to domineer over God's heritage I confess he doth But those who reason after this manner come too near the language of Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. 3. Moses and Aaron you take too much upon you Is not all the Congregation holy every one of them and is not the Lord among them why then lift ye your selves above the Congregation of the Lord If this reasoning had been good wherein had these Rebels offended It could not be denied them that all the People were an holy People for they might have alledged the testimony of God himself avouching them to be his peculiar People and an holy People unto the Lord their God All the earth saith he Exod. 19. 5. is mine but you shall be my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my peculiar people a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation But it might be answered them Though all the people were God's peculiar people and therefore his holy ones yet Levi was his peculiar Tribe of his peculiar people and therefore comparatively his
the Fathers be true then were there Places called Ecclesiae or Churches and consequently Places appointed and set apart for Christian assemblies to perform their solemn Service to God in even in the Apostles times Or suppose they be not true or but doubtful and not necessary yet thus much will follow howsoever That these Fathers who were nearer to those Primitive times by above one thousand one hundred years than we are and so had better means to know what they had or had not than we supposed there were such Places even in the Apostles times If in the Apostles times then no doubt in the Ages next after them And thus we shall gain something by this Text whether we accept this notion of the word Ecclesia or not HAVING therefore gotten so good an entrance we will now further enquire What manner of places they were or may be supposed to have been which were appropriated to such use and that done proceed to shew by such Testimonies or footsteps of Antiquity as Time hath left unto us That there were such Places through every Age respectively from the days of the Apostles unto the reign of Constantine that is in every of the first three hundred years For the first It is not to be imagined they were such goodly and stately Structures as the Church had after the Empire became Christian and we now by God's blessing enjoy but such as the state and condition of the times would permit at the first some capable and convenient Room within the walls or dwelling of some pious disciple dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner to the use of the Church and that usually an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an upper room such as the Latines call Coenaculum being according to their manner of building as the most large and capacious of any other so likewise the most retired and freest from disturbance and next to Heaven as having no other room above it For such uppermost places we find they were wont then to make choice of even for private devotions as may be gathered from what we read of S. Peter Acts 10. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he went up to the house-top to pray for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ex usu Hellenistarum and is accordingly here rendred by the vulgar Latine in superiora Such an Hyperôon as we speak of was that remembred by the name of Coenaculum Sion where after our Saviour was descended the Apostles and Disciples as we read in Acts 10. 13 c. assembled together daily for prayer and supplication and where being thus assembled the Holy Ghost came down upon them in Cloven tongues of fire at the Feast of Pentecost Concerning which there hath been a Tradition in the Church That this was the same room wherein our Blessed Saviour the night before his Passion celebrated the Pasâ—eover with his Disciples and instituted the Mystical Supper of his Body and Bloud for the Sacred Rite of the Gospel The same place where on the day of his Resurrection he came and stood in the midst of his Disciples the doors being shut and having shewed them his hands and his feet said Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me so I send you c. Iohn 20. 21. The place where eight days or the Sunday after he appeared in the same manner again unto them being together to satisfie the incredulity of Thomas who the first time was not with the rest The place where Iames the Brother of our Lord was created by the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalem The place where the seven Deacons whereof S. Stephen was one were elected and ordained The place where the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Ierusalem held that Council and pattern of all Councils for decision of that Question Whether the Gentiles which believed were to be circumcised or not And for certain the place of this Coenaculum was afterwards enclosed with a goodly Church known by the name of the Church of Sion upon the top whereof it stood Insomuch that S. Hierome in his Epitaphio Paulae made bold to apply that of the Psalm unto it Fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis diligit Dominus porâ—as Sion super omnia tabernacula Iacob How soon this Erection was made I know not but I believe it was much more ancient than those other Churches erected in other places of that City by Constantine and his Mother because neither Eusebius Socrates Theodoret nor Sozomen make any mention of the foundation thereof as they do of the rest It is called by S. Cyril who was Bishop of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper Church of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery tongues here in Ierusalem in the VPPER CHVRCH OF THE APOSTLES Cyril Hierosol Cat. 16. If this Tradition be true it should seem by it that this Coenaculum from the time our Blessed Saviour first hallowed it by the institution and celebration of his Mystical Supper was thenceforth devoted to be a Place of prayer and holy assemblies And surely no Ceremonies of dedication no not of Solomon's Temple it self are comparable to those sacred guests whereby this place was sanctified This is the more easie to be believed if the House were the possession of some Disciple at least if not of kindred also to our Saviour according to the flesh which both Reason perswades and Tradition likewise confirmeth it to have been And when we read of those first Believers that such as had houses and lands sold them and brought the prices and laid them down at the Apostles feet it is nothing unlikely but some likewise might give their house unto the Apostles for the use of the Church to perform Sacred duties in And thus perhaps should that Tradition whereof Venerable Bede tells us be understood viz. That this Church of Sion was founded by the Apostles Not that they erected that Structure but that the Place from the time it was a Coenaculum was by them dedicated to be an House of Prayer His words are these De locis sanctis cap. 3. in Tom. 3. In superiori Monâ—is Sion planitie monachorum cellulae Ecclesiam magnam circundant illic ut perhibent ab Apostolis fundatam eò quòd ibi Spiritum Sanctum acceperint In quaetiam Locus Coenae Domini venerabilis ostenditur And if this were so why may not I think that this Coenaculum Sion or upper room of Sion was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we read concerning the first Christian society at Ierusalem Acts 2. 46. That they continued daily in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the House ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart the meaning being That when they had performed their devotions daily in the Temple at the
not to have come to his hands or knowledg either what or how many they were See him Hist. Lib. 5. c. 26. Lib. 6. c. 10. This will be yet more considerable if we remember that some Books even of the Canon of the New Testament were not known to some Churches at the sames time with the rest and therefore a while doubted of after they had notice of them Besides it is to be noted that Eusebius in express terms undertakes only to recite those Epistles of Ignatius which he wrote as he passed through Asia but after his coming into Europe whence those Epistles are dated which he mentions not whether any thing were written by him or not he informs us nothing Nay which is yet more Vedelius grants the words and sentences of this Epistle to be the most of them by their style and character the words and sentences of Ignatius but he would have them therefore to be taken out of some of his other Epistles to wit according to a new and a strange conceit of his that the genuine Epistles of Ignatius have been robbed and gelded of much of their contents to make up more Epistles under new Titles He excepts only in this Epistle against the Salutations at the end thereof because there were not so many or no such Church-offices in Ignatius his time as are there mentioned But what is this else but to beg the question Till therefore some body shall not only affirm but prove there were no such no not in the Church of Antioch whence divers ecclesiastical customs had their first beginning which were afterwards imitated by the rest of the Churches I can see no just cause hitherto why I should not believe this passage as well as the rest and so the whole Epistle to have had Ignatius for its Author And so I leave it For the middle of this Seculum or thereabouts there are extant two short Epistles of Pius the first Bishop of Rome to one Iustus Viennensis none of the Decretals for they are indeed counterfeit but others diverse from them which no man hath yet that I know of proved to be supposititious In the first whereof there is mention made of one Euprepia a pious and devout Matron who consigned the Title of her House unto the Church for the use of Sacred assemblies Antequam Româ exiisses saith he soror nostra Euprepia sicut bene recordaris titulum domûs suae pauperibus assignavit ubi nunc cum pauperibus nostris commorantes Missas agimus He seems by pauperes the poor to note the Clergy which in his other Epistle he calls Senatus pauperum Salutat te Senatus pauperum Otherwise the whole Christian flock might be so called according to that in the Gospel Pauperes Evangelizantur The poor have the Gospel preached to them Matt. 11. 5. Luke 7. 22. and that of Esa. ch 61. 1. applied by our Saviour Luke 4. 18. The Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor and according to that in the Parable Luke 14. 21. Introduc pauperes Bring in hither the poor Perhaps in those perillous times they were wont to make their Donations of this kind under such covert names In the second Epistle to the same Iustus he mentions certain Martyrs who had then newly as he there speaks triumphed over the world amongst which he mentions one Pastor by Office a Presbyter who before his death had erected or created a Titulus that is a Church as that name is vulgarly known to signifie Presbyter Pastor saith he Titulum condidit dignè in Domino obiit Why the Roman Church called such places by the name of Tituli whether because of their dedication the the Name of Christ our Lord was as it were inscribed upon them as the manner then was to set the Names or Titles of the Owners upon their Houses and possessions and so it would concurr in notion with those other names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basilica The Lord's and The King 's or whether because they gave a Title of Cure or denomination to the Presbyters to whom they were committed for the chief or Episcopal Church I doubt whether it were so called or not let others determine I shall not do amiss I think if I add to this testimony a passage of Theophilus Antiochenus who lived at the same time which though I grant it be indifferent to be otherwise understood yet seems very prone to be construed for our purpose It is to be found in his second Book ad Autolicum where having compared the World to the Sea he follows the Allegory thus Quemadmodum saith he in Mari insulae quaedam prominent habitabiles frugiferae quibus est aqua salubris necnon navalia portus commodi quò se naufragi reciperent sic Deus dedit mundo qui peccatoâ—um tempestatibus naufragiis jactatur Synagogas quas Ecclesias sanct as nominamus Or. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quibus veritatis doctrina fervet ad quas confugiunt veritatis studiosi quotquot salvari Deique judicium iram evit are volunt It is ambiguous what he means here by Ecclesiae Churches but if it were probable that Synagoga were here taken as it is usually in the New Testament for a Place then might we determine that Ecclesia were so taken also and not for a Company or Assembly only Well howsoever Ecclesia be taken in this passage which I reckon not upon yet thus much I am sure of That toward the end of this Century it was used for a Place of Sacred assembly witness Clemens Alexandr who then lived Lib. 7. Strom. where speaking of the Church or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call not now the Place but the congregation of the Elect Ecclesia the Church whereby it appears that in his time Ecclesiae was used for the Place of the assembly of the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calls them that is of the Saints and not for the Congregation only for otherwise this Caution needed not And so himself uses it in that story of the young man whom S. Iohn committed to a Bishop of Asia to be instructed and trained up in the Christian piety and discipline and who afterwards was by ill company withdrawn to lewd and debauched courses and became Captain of a band of robbers in the mountains For there when S. Iohn after a time coming again to visit the Churches demanded of the Bishop an account of the Charge he had committed to him the Bishop answers He is become a villain and a robber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now instead of the Church he hath laid hold of a Mountain with a company like himself To conclude if the Name were in Clemens his time undoubtedly the Thing was And this is my proof for the latter end of this Centurie In the Third Centurie NOW are we arrived at the Third
Seculum and the last under the Ethnick and persecuting Emperors wherein the Testimonies of the Christians Oratories do abound and are such as will out-face any that shall dare contradict them For the beginning of this Centurie Tertullian shall give in Evidence first in his Book De Idololatria Where declaiming against some Christian Artificers who because it was their occupation and trade thought it lawful to make Idols for the Gentiles so themselves worshipped them not he speaks thus Totâ die ad hanc partem zelus fidei perorabit ingemens Christianum ab Idolis in ECCLESIAM venire de adversaria officina in DOMUMDEI venire attollere ad Deum patrem manus matres Idolorum his manibus adorare quae nempe in operibus suis. foris 1. in Templis Gentium adversus Deum adorantur eas manus admovere Corpori Domini quae Daemoniis corpora conferunt Mark here DOMUS DEI THE HOUSE OF GOD ECCLESIA THE CHURCH expounded by it In Ecclesiam venire idest In Domum Dei venire To come into the Church that is To come into the house of God and both of them set in opposition to an Idol-shop Of this Domus Dei or House of God in his Book adversus Valentinianos cap. 2. he describes unto us the form and posture upon this occasion He compares the Valentinian heresie in respect of their affected secresie and reservedness in hiding the mysteries of their doctrine to the Eleusinian Holies whose Temple had many Curtains and doors through which those that were to be initiated were five years in passing before they could be admitted unto the Adytum or Sacrarie where the Deity was whereas contrariwise he proveth out of Scripture the badge and genius of the Religion of Christ to consist in a Dove-like simplicity and openness and accordingly had its Oratories or Houses of worship not like that of the Eleusinian Holies concealed with multiplicity of walls veils turnings and windings but agreeable to and as it were figuring its disposition For Nostrae Columbae domus saith he simplex etiam in editis opertis ad lucem Amat figuram Spiritûs sancti Orientem Christi figuram Nihil veritas erubescit c. Nostrae Columbae domus i. Domus religionis nostrae columbinae or Catholici Christi gregis qui Columbâ figuratur namely as he said a little before Christum Columba demonstrare solita est serpens verò tentare meaning as I suppose not so much Christ personal as Christ mystical that is the Disciples or Religion of Christ. For it is the conclusion of his proofs brought out of Scripture to shew that Simplicity was the Livery of Christ's Disciples or Religion In summa saith he Christum columba demonstrare solita est c. And otherwise that solita est is wont would scarcely be true since Christ personal is but once pointed out by a Dove namely at his Baptism This House saith he is simplex that is sine tot portarum sipariorum involucris Also in ediâ—is apertis places which Doves delight in ad lucem that is toward the place whence light springeth or the Sun rising For Amat figuram Spiritûs sancti that is the Dove as also Orientem Christi figuram wherein be alludes to that Oriens ex alto or Day-spring from on high in Zacharie's Benedictus and hath reference to the word ad lucem i. ad locum vel plagam lucis For that the Churches of Christians anciently were turned toward the East appears by the Author of the Apostolical Constitutions which surely are as ancient as Tertullian Domus sit oblonga ad Orientem conversa saith he Besides it appears out of Tertullian himself that Christians then worshipped towards the East and therefore more than probable their Houses were sited and accommodated accordingly Thus I have done my best to clear this passage because the Author is crabbed and obscure There are two or three more places in the same Father where the Christian Oratories are mentioned by the name of Ecclesia but because the ambiguous and indifferent signification of this word either for a Place or an Assembly makes them not convictive unless some circumstance be annexed which determines it I will only produce that De corona Militis Cap. 3. where concerning thâ— Sacrament of Baptism he speaks thus Aquam aâ—lituri ibidem sed aliquanto priùs in Ecclesia sub Antistitis manu contestamue nos renunciare Diabolo Pompae Angelis ejus dehinc ter mergitamur I say Ecclesia here signifies the Place For the clearing whereof know that the Baptisteries or places of water for Baptism in those elder times were not as now our Fonts are within the Church but without and often in places very remote from it When therefore Tertullian here saith That those who were to be baptized first made their Abrenunciatiâ—n in the Church sub manu Antistitis that is as I suppose the Bishop or Priest laying hands upon them either in the mean time or as soon as they had done and afterward again at the Water he must needs by Ecclesia mean the Place otherwise if it were taken for the Assembly of the faithful the Church in that sense was present also at the Water But Ecclesia here and the Water are supposed to be two distinct places in both of which according to the rite of the African Churches Abrenunciation was to be performed Aquam adituri IBIDEM i. apud aquam sed aliquanto priùs in ECCLESIA contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo c. And thus much for the testimony of Tertullian My next witness is Hippolitus who flourished between the twentieth and thirtieth year of this Century in the reign of Alexander Mammeae He in his Treatise De consummatione mundi seu de Antichriste describing the signs and impieties which should precede the Persecution of Antichrist as he conceived thereof hath this passage concerning the irreligion and profaneness which should then reign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Templa Dei domorum communium instar erunt ubique Ecclesiarum eversiones fient Scriptura contemnentur And in his description of the Persecution it self this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sacrae Ecclesiarum aedes instar Pomorum custodiae erunt pretiosúmque corpus sanguis non exstabit in diebus illis Liturgia extinguetur Psalmorum decantatio cessabit Scripturarum recitatio non audictur No man of reason can believe but that he that speaks thus knew and was well acquainted with such Places in his own time though his description be of that which was to be in time to come For it would be a marvellous conceit to think he prophesied of them having never seen them Nay a prophane Testimony will further confirm us he needed not For Lampridius reports of this Alexander Mammeae in whose time Hippolytus lived
Quòd cùm Christiani quendam locum qui publicus fuerat occupà ssent contrà Popinarii dicerent sibi cum deberi rescripsit Imperator Melins esse ut quomodocunque illic Deus colatur quà m Popinariis dedatur About the middle of this Century flourished that famous Gregorie of Neocaesarea surnamed Thaumaturgus He in his Epistola Canonica as the Greeks call it describing the five degrees or admissions of Penitents according to the discipline of his time which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he est extra portam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ORATORII ubi peccatorem stantem oportet Fideles ingredientes orare ut pro se precentur 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Auditio est intra portam in loco qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur ubi oportet eum qui peccavit stare usque ad Catechumenos illine egredi 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Substratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NAOY 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut intra Templi portam consistens cum Catechumenis egrediatur 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Congregatio seu Consistentia est ut cum Fidelibus consistat cum Catechumenis non egrediatur Postremò est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participatio Sacramentorum Who sees not here that Christians in his time had Oratories or Sacred Houses to worship in and those accommodated with distinct places of remoter and nearer admission Nay further we find in this Gregorie's life written by Gregory Nyssen that he was himself a great Founder and erecter of these sacred Edifices whereof the Church built by him at Neocaesarca in Pontus where he was Bishop was still standing in Gregorie Nyssen's time Hear his words where he relates the speedy and wonderful success this Thaumaturgus had in the conversion of that City Cùm omnibus omnia fieret saith he tantum sibi anxilio Spiritûs repentè populum adjunxit ut ad Templi fabricationem animum adjiceret Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cùm omnes offerendo tam pecunias quà m operas suas studium ejus adjuvarent Hoc est Templum quod usque hodie ostenditur quod magnus ille Vir statim aggressus quasi fundamentum atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotii sui i. Episcopâtus in maximè conspicuo urbis loco constituit He adds besides that whereas in his own time there had hapned a most grievous Earthquake Quo omnia tam publica quam privata aedificia disjecta essent solùm illud Templum Gregorianum illaesum inconcussum mansisse Nor is this all He tells in the same place how that a little before the persecution of Decius which was Anno Christi 252. this Thaumaturgus having converted not the City of Neocaesarâ—a only but the whole territorie adjoyning to the Faith of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Converts pulling down their Idol-Altars and Idol-Temples and in every place erecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratories in the name of Christ stirred up the fury and indignation of the Emperour About the same time with this Gregory lived S. Cyprian at Carthage In him I observe the Christian Oratories twice remembred once by the name of Dominicum i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another time of Ecclesia The first in his Book De opere eleemosynis speaking against communicating the holy Eucharist without an Offering Matrona saith he quae in Ecclesia Christi locuples dives es Dominicum sacrificium celebrate to credis quae corbonam omnino non respicis quae in Dominicum sine sacrificio venis quae partem de sacrificio quod pauper obtulit sumis The other in his 55. Ep. or 3. ad Cornelium where declaiming against some lapsed Christians who having in time of persecution sacrificed unto Idols would nevertheless without due penance and satisfaction be admitted again into the Church If this be once permitted saith he Quid superest quà m ut Ecclesia Capitolio cedat recedentibus Sacerdotibus ac Domininostri Altare removentibus in Cleri nostri sacrum venerandúmque consessum i. in Presbyterium seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simulacra atque Idola cum Aris suis transeant Note that Ecclesia here and Capitolium Christ's House and Iupiter's Temple stand in opposition one to the other also that Capitolium by Antonomasia is put for a Gentile Temple in general that in the one to wit Ecclesia was Altare Domini nostri sacer venerandúsque consessus Cleri in the other Idola simulacra cum Aris Diaboli Contemporary with S. Cyprian was that famed Dionysius Alexandrinus made Bishop somewhat before him but out-lived him some five years namely until 265. There is an Epistle of his extant which is part of the Canon-Law of the Greek Church to one Basilides resolving certain Quaere's of his amongst the rest Whether a woman during the time of her separation might enter into the Church or not To which his answer is negative This Quaere he expresseth thus De mulieribus quae sunt in abscessu an cas sic affect as oporteat Domum Dei ingredi Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which and his answer thereunto we learn not only that the Christians had then Houseâ— of Worship but a religious respect also to difference them from common places And here because the Time fitly presents it in our way take notice for some reason that we shall bear of ere we have done That this of the Christians having such Houses for their devotions was a thing publickly known to the Gentiles themselves together with the name whereby they called them as appears by two Imperial Rescripts the one of Galienus about the year 260. recorded by Eusebius Hist. lib. 7. c. 12. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Places which having been a little before in the persecution of Valerianus his Father taken from the Christians and then in the hands of the Gentiles Galienus graciously restored unto them with liberty freely to exercise their Religion The words of the Rescript so much of them as is needful to our purpose are these Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Galienus c. Dionysio Pinnae Demetrio caeteris Episcopis Salutem Meae munificentiae beneficium per universum divulgari Orbem praecepi Vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. à locis religionis cultui dicatis discedatur Et propterea vos mearum literarum exemplari uti poteritis quo nemo deinceps vobis quicquam facessat molestiae c. The other is of Aurelianus De Libris Sibyllinis inspiciendis when the Marcomanni invaded the Empire Anno Ch. 271. recorded by Vopiscus in these words Mirorvos Patres sancti he writes to the Senate tamdiu de aperiendis Sibyllinis dubitâsse libris perinde quasi in Christianorum Ecclesia non in Templo Deorum omnium tractaretis that is in the Capitol where the Senate used sometimes to sit Add
to this if you please that which Eusebius relates of this Emperor to wit that when Paulus Samosatenus being deposed by the Council from his Bishoprick and Domnus chosen in his room would not yield up the possession of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter being brought before Aurelianus the Emperor he decrees that it should be given to those of the Sect unto whom the Bishops of Rome and Italy should send Letters of communion Sic demum Paulus saith Eusebius à seculari potestate summo cum dedecore ex Ecclesia expellitur For that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here meant the Christians Oratorie or House of Sacred assembly at Antioch and not the Bishop's house as some would have it appears both because Eusebius elsewhere so uses it as namely Lib. 8. c. ult Lib. 9. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also because he expounds himself presently by Ecclesia when he saith Sic Paulus summo cum dedecore à potestate seculari ex Ecclesia exigitur For surely he meant not that he was by the secular arm cast out of the Church as Church is taken for the Company of the Faithful but as it signifies the Place of Sacred assembly where this Paulus kept possession after he was deposed for Heresie by the Council But what need we trouble our selves thus to gather up Testimonies for the latter half of this Seculum I have one Testimony behind which will dispatch it all at once yea and if need be depose for the whole also It is that of Eusebius in his eighth Book Hist. Eccl. in the beginning where describing those peaceful and Halcyonian days which the Church enjoyed for many years from the time of the Martyrdom of S. Cyprian unto that most direful persecution of Diocletian and how wonderfully the number of Christians was advanced during that time he speaketh on this manner Quomodo quisquam infinitâ illos hominum turbâ frequentatos conventus coetuúmque in singulis urbibus congregatorum multitudinem illustrésque in Oratoriis concursus describere valeat Quorum causa quum in Antiquis illis AEdificiis satis amplius loci non haberent vel antiquis illis AEdificiis handquaquam amplius contenti amplas spatiosásque in omnibus urbibus ex fundamentis erexcrunt Ecclesias Lo here how in those Halcyonian days Christians had not only Churches or Houses of worship but such as might then be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient Edifices which how far it may reach let others judge Secondly That the number of Christians being grown so great that those ancient Fabricks were no longer sufficient to contain them they erected new and more spacious ones in every City from the foundations And all this testified by one that himself lived and saw part of those times These sacred Edifices Diocletian and those other surrogated Emperours which continued that direful ten-years Persecution begun by him commanded by their Edicts to be every where demolished as we may read in the same Eusebius at large The like whereunto seems never to have happened in any of the former Persecutions in which they were only taken from the Christians but again when the persecution ceased for the most part restored unto them as in the former Persecution they were by Galienus under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Places And thus I think I have proved by good and sufficient Testimonies That Christians had Oratories or Churches that is appropriate Places for Christian worship in every of the first three hundred years I am well assured whosoever be judge long before the days of Constantine I will add to these Authorities two or three Reasons why they must in all likelihood have had such Places First Because it is certain that in their Sacred assemblies they used then to worship and pray towards the East which how it could be done with any order and conveniencie is not easie to be conceived unless we suppose the Places wherein they worshipped to have been situated and accommodated accordingly that is chosen and appointed to that end Secondly Because of their Discipline which required distinct and regular Places in their assemblies for the Poenitentes Auditores Catechumeni and Fideles and therefore argueth they met not in every place promiscuously but in Places already fitted and accommodated for that purpose Lastly Because they had before their eyes an example and pattern in Proseucha's and Synagogues of the Iews from whom their Religion had its beginning which though as contrary to the Religion of the Empire as theirs yet had places appropriate for the exercise thereof wheresoever they lived dispersed among the Gentiles Who can believe that such a pattern should not invite the Christians to an imitation of the same though we should suppose there were no other reasons to induce them but that of ordinary convenience Answers to the OBIECTIONS I Come now to answer the Objections brought by such as maintain the contrary opinion which are two First say they It is not likely no not possible they should have any such Places living under a Pagan and persecuting State and Empire I answer This Objection is already confuted by matter of Fact For it is to be noted that the greatest and most cruel Persecutions and the five last of the Ten fall within the third or last Centurie in which that Christians had Oratories or Houses of Christian worship we have before proved by most indubitate and irrefragable Testimonies But if in this why not as well in the former Ages wherein the Persecutions were as no more in number so far less bitter For it is to be taken notice of That these Persecutions were not continual but as it were by fits and those of the two first Centuries of no long durance so as the Churches enjoyed long times of peace and quietness between them Besides why should it seem to any one less credible that Christians should have their Oratories or Houses of worship under the Roman Empire whilest the State thereof was yet Gentile and opposite to the Faith of Christ than that they had them in the Kingdom of Persia which never was Christian For that they had them there as old as the days of Constantine Sozomen testifieth Lib. 2. c. 8. The occasion of the demolishing whereof by King Isdigerdes and of that most barbarous persecution of the Christians of those Countries for thirty years together about the year 400. Theodoret relates Lib. 5. c. 38. namely that one Audas out of an indiscreet and unseasonable zeal though otherwise a vertuous and godly Bishop having demolished the Persians Pyraeum or Temple where the Fire was worshipped and refusing to build it up again as was enjoyned him the King thereupon mightily enraged caused all the Christians Oratories or Churches in his dominions to be demolished likewise and that horrible Persecution before mentioned to storm against them Could the Christians find means and opportunity to
his bloud that is our Propitiatory or Mercy-seat for so it is called in the Greek both of the Old and New Testament nor is the word I think ever used but in that sense unless in Ezekiel 43. for the Settle of the Altar But you will say This Christian Memorial is not always actually present in our Churches as some one or other at least of those in the Law were in the Temple I answer It is enough it is wont to be as the Chair of State loses not its relation and due respect though the King be not always there And remember that the Ark of the Covenant was not in Ierusalem when Daniel opened his windows and prayed thitherward yea that it was wanting in the Holy Place I mean that sacred Cabinet made by Moses all the time of the second or Zorobabel's Temple and yet the place esteemed notwithstanding as if it had been there You will yet except and say That in the Old Testament those things were appointed by divine Law and Commandment but in the New we find no such thing I answer In things for which we find no new Rule given in the New Testament there we are referred and left to the Analogy of the Old This the Apostle's proof taken from thence for the maintenance of the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. viz. Thus were they Ergo So God hath ordained that we will give us to understand likewise the practice of the Church in baptizing Infants derived surely from the Analogie of Circumcision the hallowing of every first day of the week as one in every seven from the Analogie of the Iewish Sabbath and other the like S. Hierome witnesseth the same in that saying of his Vt sciamus traditiones Apostolicas sumptas ex Veteri Testamento quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in Templo fuerunt hoc sibi Episcopi Presbyteri atque Diaconi vendicant in Ecclesia That we may know saith he that the Apostolick traditions were derived from the Old Testament that which Aaron his Sons and the Levites were in the Temple the same do Bishops Priests and Deacons claim in the Church For we are to consider That the end of Christ's coming into the world was not properly to give new Laws unto menâ— but to accomplish the Law already given and to publish the Gospel of Reconciliation through his Name to those who had transgressed it Whence it is that we find not the style of the New Testament to carry a form of enacting Laws almost any where but those which are there mentioned to be brought in occasionally only by way of proof of interpretation exhortation application or the like and not as by way of constitution or re-enacting Meanwhile lest I should be mistaken mark well that I said not the Old Testament was to be our Rule simply in the case mentioned but the Analogie thereof only that is this regulation is to be made according to that proportion which the difference of the two Covenants and the things in them admits and no further the more particular application and limitation of which Analogie is to be referred to the judgment and prudence of the Church There comes here very fitly into my mind a passage of Clemens a man of the Apostolick age he whose name S. Paul saith was written in the Book of life in his genuine Epistle Ad Corinthios lately set forth pag. 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is All those duties which the Lord hath commandedus to do we ought to do them regularly and orderly our Oblations and divine Services to celebrate them on set and appointed times For so he hath ordained not that we should do them at hap-hazard and without order but at certain determined days and times WHERE also and BY WHOM he will have them executed himself hath defined according to his supreme will But where hath the Lord defined these things unless he hath left us to the Analogy of the Old Testament It follows in the Text alledged There I will come unto thee and bless thee In the Place where the Lord 's Memorial is where his Colours as I may so speak are displayed and set up there in a special manner he vouchsafes his presence with the sons of men to bless them or to speak rotundè where his Memorial is there His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SHECINAH or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as the Hebrew Masters term it that is His GLORY The Gentiles ascribed the presence of their Gods to the places where Images and Statues were erected and consecrated for them But such personal similitudes the God of Israel abhors and forbids to be made unto Him yet promiseth his presence in every place where the Memorial or Record of his Name shall be but of his own appointment not of man's devising For thus I suppose is the Text there to be understood and to be construed by way of Antithesis or opposition You shall not make with me gods of silver nor gods of gold An Altar only of earth or of stone shalt thou make unto me to offer thy Sacrifices upon For in every place where I shall record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee And here take notice that for this reason the Tabernacle of the Lord was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of meeting not of mens meeting together as is commonly supposed when we translate it Tabernacle of the Congregation but of God's meeting there with men I have a good author for it for so the Lord himself gives the reason of the name in three several places of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of meeting â—here I will meet with you See Exod. 29. 42. 30. 36. Num. 17. 4. and Masius in Ios. c. 18. SECTION II. THUS we have seen What is the condition and property of that Place which in my Text is called God's House But before I proceed to speak of the Duty of those who come thither which was the second thing I propounded there is one thing yet to be cleared concerning that which I last mentioned namely How God is said to come unto or to be present with men in one place more than another seeing his Presence fills every place Heaven being his throne and the whole Earth his footstool For although we read often in Holy Scripture of such a SHECINAH or Speciality of the Divine presence and have it often in our mouths yet what it is and wherein the Ratio thereof consisteth is seldom if at all enquired into When we speak of Churches we content our selves to say That God's special presence there is in his Word and Sacraments But though it be true that the Divine Majesty is there specially present where his Word and Sacraments are yet seems not this Speciality of presence to be the same with his Word and Sacraments but a diverse relation from them This
to Martyrs Who among the faithful while the Priest was standing at the Altar built for the honour and worship of God nay though it were over the holy body of the Martyr I say who ever heard the Priest to say thus in Prayer To thee O Peter or O Paul do I offer Sacrifice Here Sacrificium is expounded by Preces and Preces put for Sacrificium And Lib. 22. cap. 8. concerning one Hesperius a man of quality in the City whereof Austin was Bishop who by the affliction of his cattel and servants perceiving his Country-Grange liable to some malignant power of evil spirits Rogavit nostros saith S. Austin me absente Presbyteros ut aliquis eorum illò pergeret cujus orationibus cederent Perrexit unus obtulit ibi sacrificium corporis Christi orans quantum potuit ut cessaret illa vexatio Deo protinus miserante cessavit He entreated our Presbyters in my absence that some one of them would go to the place through the prevalency of whose Prayers he hoped the evil spirits would be forced away Accordingly one of them went thither and offered there the Sacrifice of Christ's Body praying earnestly with all his might for the ceasing of that fore affliction and it ceased forthwith through God's mercy The Priest was entreated to pray there he went and offered sacrifice and so prayed For this reason the Christian Sacrifice is among the Fathers by way of distinction called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificium laudis that is of Confession and Invocation of God namely to difference it from those of Bloud and Incense Augustine Lib. 1. contra Adversarium Legis Prophetarum cap. 20. Ecclesia immolat Deo in corpore Christi sacrificium laudis ex quo Deus Deorum locutus vocavit terram à Solis ortu usque ab occasum The Church offereth to God the Sacrifice of praise ever since the fulfilling of that in Psalm 50. The God of Gods hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Again Epist. 86. Sacrificium laudis ab Ecclesia toto orbe diffusa diebus omnibus immolatur The Sacrifice of Praise is continually offered by the Christian Church dispersed all the world over And elsewhere And amongst the Greek Fathers this term is so frequent as I shall not need to quote any of them Now this joyning of the Prayers of the Church with the mystical commemoration of Christ in the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud was no after-Invention of the Fathers but took its original from the Apostles times and the very beginning of Christianity For so we read of the first believers Acts 2. 42. that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latine turns Erant autem perseverantes in doctrina Apostolorum communicatione fractionis panis orationibus And they persevered in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and Prayers but the Syriack Perseverantes erant in doctrina Apostolorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicabant in oratione fractione Eucharistiae They persevered in the doctrine of the Apostles and communicated in Prayer and in breaking of the Eucharist that is They were assiduous and constant in hearing the Apostles and in celebrating the Christian Sacrifice Both which Translations teach us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Breaking of Bread and Prayers are to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion 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 Epistle to the Ephesians where speaking of the damage which Schismaticks incur by dividing themselves from the communion of the Church he utters it in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man saith he deceive himself unless 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 CHAP. VI. The Third Particular That the Christian Sacrifice is an Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer through Iesus Christ Commemorated in the Creatures of Bread and Wine Sacrifices under the Law were Rites to invocate God by That the Eucharist is a Rite to give thanks and invocate God by proved from several Testimonies of the Fathers and the Greek Liturgies A passage out of Mr. Perkins agreeable to this notion What meant by that usual expression of the Ancients speaking of the Eucharist Through Iesus Christ the great High-Priest By Nomen Dei in Mal. 1. Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus understood Christ. Why in the Eucharist Prayers were to be directed to God the Father THE second Particular thus proved the Third comes next in place which is I That this Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer was made through Iesus Christ commemorated in the creatures of Bread and Wine Namely they believed that our Blessed Saviour ordained this Sacrament of his Body and Bloud as a Rite to bless and invocate his Father by in stead of the manifold and bloudy Sacrifices of the Law For That those bloudy 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 Iews 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 Philistines 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifice was a Rite or Medium whereby Prayer was usually presented unto God The same is likewise true of their Hymns and Doxologies as is to be seen 2 Chron. 29. 27. and by the
place to my self for an house of Sacrifice 2 Chron. 7. 12 plainly implying That to be an house of Sacrifice was to be an house of Prayer Add to these that in 1 Mac. 12. 11. where the Iews in their Epistle to the Lacedaemonians speak on this manner We at all times say they without ceasing both in our Feasts and other convenient days do remember you in the Sacrifices which we offer and in our prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in our prayers at our Sacrifices Certainly it may be gathered hence that Prayers were annexed to their Sacrifices and that Sacrifice was a Rite of Prayer The like we shall find in the first of Baruch where we read that those who were carried Captive with Iechonias made a Collection of Money and sent it to Ierusalem saying Behold we have sent you money to buy you Burnt-offerings and Sin-offerings and Incense and prepare ye the Meat-offering and offer upon the Altar of the Lord our God And pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and for the life of Balthasar his son that their dayes on earth may be as the days of heaven just to that of my Text that they may offer Sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Sons Hence appears the reason why Iosephus when the Scripture mentions no more but that Noah offered a Sacrifice when he came out of the Ark attributes unto him a Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Noah fearing lest God having adjudged men to a general destruction should every year thus drown the earth offered Sacrifices unto God beseeching him that hereafter all things may continue in that good order and primitive state c. I could be as plentiful in Profane Testimonies to this point as I have been in Sacred and could alledge the Testimonies of Homer where we have Examples of Sacrifices with the forms of Prayer of Herodotus and others But what need we the Testimonies of the Gentiles save to know that in this point the Iews and they agreed It is enough to have proved it out of Scripture that this was the use and nature of Sacrifice wherein I have been so much the longer because though the thing be of it self most apparent and evident yet it is very little taken notice of But you will enquire now What profit hath this Discourse or what use is there of this thing being known I answer Yes it will help our conceit very much to understand in what sense and for what respect the ancient Church called the Eucharist or Lord's Supper a Sacrifice and how harmless that notion was namely They took this Sacrament to have been ordained by our Blessed Saviour to succeed those bloudy Sacrifices of the Law and to be a Medium deprecandi Deum a mean of Supplication and address to God in the New Testament as they were in the Old by representing the Body and Bloud of Christ unto his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his appointment Forasmuch as they saw them both to be Rites of a like kind as consisting of Meats and Drinks both Epulae foederales Federal Feasts those of the Old Covenant this of the New 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Cup is the New Testament both Rites of atonement or for Impetration of Remission of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my Bloud which is shed for many for remission of sins Besides the Eucharist was by the time of its institution as it were substituted in place of the Passeover which was a Sacrifice of that kind called Pacifica All these things considered how obvious was it for them to think that it was in the Institution intended for the same End and Use the other were namely for a Commemoration whereby to have access and find favour with God when we address our selves unto him in the New Testament And that this was no new device of later ages but derived from the first times may appear out of Cyril or his Successour Iohn of Ierusalem Author of the 5. Catech Mystag In the last whereof relating and expounding the meaning of that which was said or done at the celebration of the holy Eucharist according to the use of his time which was the Fourth Seculum current amongst other things he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. See this passage quoted in the foregoing Discourse Chap. 6. pag. 366. Yea that it was the use in the days of Constantine thus adhibere Eucharistiam ad preces to use the Eucharist as a Rite of impetration in their prayers appears out of Eusebius in his De vita Constantini lib. 4. c. 45. where speaking of a great Synod of Bishops assembled at Ierusalem by the Emperor's Command to celebrate the dedication of a Church erected over the place of our Saviour's Sepulchre and telling how the Bishops there met employ'd themselves during that Solemnity Some saith he by Panegyrick Orations set forth the Emperor's felicity others were employed in preaching and expounding the Mysteries of Holy Scripture another part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did propitiate God and sought his favour by unbloudy Sacrifices offering unto God humble Prayers for the publick peace for the Church of God for the King the Author of so much good and for his children beloved of God namely as the Iews in their Sacrifices prayed for the life of the King and his Sons according to my Text. But for the more full understanding the notion and practice of this Age take also a passage of S. Austin it is in his 22. Book De Civitate Dei concerning one Hesperius c. See this passage quoted in the foregoing Discourse Chap. 5. pag. 363. But some will suspect perhaps that this Custome began in the days of Constantine No it did not It was in use in the days of Cyprian 60. years before as appears in his 16. Epistle ad Mosen Maximum Nos quidem vestri memores quando in Sacrificiis precem cum pluribus facimus c. See this passage quoted in the foregoing Discourse Chap. 5. pag. 362. Let us ascend a little higher yet unto the days of Tertullian within 200 years after Christ. He in his Book De Oratione makes express mention of Orationes Sacrificiorum Prayers that accompanied the celebration of the Christian Sacrifice such namely as S. Cyprian Bishop of the same City whereof Tertullian was Presbyter to wit of Carthage even now spake of And in his Book ad Scapulam Sacrificamus saith he purâ prece We sacrifice with pure prayer But you will say This is against me rather because he saith purâ prece implying their was nothing else No it is not For by purâ prece he means not nudâ solitariâ prece bare and naked prayer but prayer not defiled with shedding of bloud and smoke of Incense according to the
manner of the Gentiles And thus as Sozomen in l. 2. c. 14. relates Constantine writes to Sapores the Persian King in behalf of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they did satisfie themselves and acquiesce in offering up Prayers without bloud for the intreating of God's favour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that the shedding of bloud was no way acceptable to God whose sole and chief delight was in a purified Soul And that it was the manner in Tertullian's time adhibere Eucharistiam ad preces may be further confirmed by the promiscuous use of the words signifying the one and the other For in his Exhort ad Castitatem Oratio and Offerre Oratio and Sacrificium are interchangeably put the one for the other It was observed before how that Iosephus attributes unto Noah a Prayer when the Scripture mentions only his offering a Sacrifice And for that which is said Acts 6. 6. in the story of the seven Deacons set before the Apostles to be ordained by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when they had prayed c. we have in Constit. Apostol l. 8. c. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We having offered according to his appointment a pure and unbloudy Sacrifice ordained Bishops Presbyters and Deacons in number seven What remains in the Manuscript consists of Testimonies quoted out of Iustin Martyr his Dialogue with Trypho and Ignatius his Epistle to the Ephesians and Acts 2. 42. All which Passages are quoted at large in the foregoing Discourse Chap. 5. Of the Name ALTAR OR 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anciently given to the HOLY TABLE A Chappel Common-place An. 1635. GENTLE READER ALong Preface would not become a Treatise of so small abulk Only therefore in a word or two thou art desired to take notice That this Discourse was a private Exercise delivered in a Colledge Chappel above two full years since and so before the present Controversie about that Subject whereof it treats was commenced by any publick Writing and therefore not to be suspected to aim at or to have relation to any mans opinion or person since interessed therein That it was never intended for the publick view but as thou mayest easily perceive by the form it still carries unaltered fitted properly to that private Auditory and time wherein it was uttered But when by occasion of the late Polemicks it was copied out to communicate to some friends for their better resolution in the controverted point it chanced to fall into the hands of some who so well liked it as that they thought the time of its composure especially considered which by way of caution was then prefixed in the front it would being made publick conduce to peace and setling of mens minds and judgments in this question The hope of so desirable a good prevailed with the Author otherwise the most unwilling of any man to come abroad to permit it to the Press For whom would it not grieve to see that the very NAME of That the approach whereunto was wont and still should dissolve all differences should now become the occasion of so much quarrel Thus much I thought good to admonish thee and so hoping thou wilt make a favourable and candid construction of what is presented unto thee with no ill meaning I dare assure thee I bid thee Farewel SECTION I. HAVING made so long a Tractation about the Eucharist or Christian Sacrifice I hold it not unfit before I pass to another Theme to speak somewhat of the Seat or raised Fabrick whereon this holy Mystery hath been celebrated as an Appendix to my former Discourses thereof and the rather because some questions and scruples are moved thereabout And though others commonly pronounce of these things according to vulgar opinion and hear-say without further search and enquiry yet it becomes not us who live in the Schools of the Prophets to do so but to give our verdict when we do give it out of judgment and due examination To come then to the matter The Seat or raised Fabrick appointed for the setting and celebration of this holy Mystery was the HOLY TABLE or ALTAR for by both these names hath that sacred Biere as I may call it of the Body and Bloud of Christ been ever promiscuously and indifferently called in the Church Of the name TABLE there is no question it is granted by all But concerning the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ALTAR many will not believe it Let us therefore see what may be alledged for the antiquity of the use of it as well as of that of TABLE And take notice that I speak not here either of the matter or form wherewith men are wont to entangle this question but of the name and notion only whatsoever the form or matter were I will begin with Tertullian the most ancient of the Latine Fathers now extant who flourished about 100. years after the death of S. Iohn are Evangelist and 200. after the birth of Christ. He in his Book De oratione in fine reprehending their scrupulosity who thought it not so lawful to partake the Eucharist upon their station or weekly fast-days lest their Fast thereby should be dissolved expresses himself after this manner Similiter de stationum diebus saith he non putant plerique sacrificiorum orationibus interveniendum quòd statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini Ergo devotum Deo obsequium Eucharistia resolvit an magìs Deo obligat Nonne solennior erit statio tua si ad ARAM Dei steteris Accepto corpore Domini reservato utrumque salvum est participatio sacrificii executio officii Again in his De Exhortatione castitatis c. 10. endeavouring to prove though erroneously that a Soul conscious of the act of the marriage-bed could not be fit for the duties of prayer and devotion he speaks thus Si spiritus reus apud se sit conscientia erubescit quomodo audebit orationem dicere ad Altare These two places shew That in Tertullian's time as the name Sacrifice was used for the Eucharist so was that of ALTAR for the HOLY TABLE Besides that the Prayers of the Church used there to be offered up unto God Within 50. years after Tertullian lived S. Cyprian Bishop of the same Church where Tertullian was Presbyter to whom this language was so familiar that I have observed it ten times at least in his Epistles only but whether he ever useth the name TABLE I know not I will recite only five or six of the most pregnant and evident places and not easie to be eluded And first that in his 42. Epist. or 2. ad Cornelium where to shew that he favoured his part against Novatianus at the beginning though he was not fully informed then of the lawfulness of his election he relates That having read his letters in the Church-assembly he refused to publish those Libellous criminations against him which Novatianus had sent by his messengers
nova farra aut uvam tempore opportuno non licitum esto aliud quid ad ALTARE quà m oleum ad luminare incensum tempore sanctae Oblationis offerre Here the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ALTAR is twice used for the HOLY TABLE The latter part of the Canon the Greek hath thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where consider whether it might not be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sive oleum ad luminare sive incensum implying that at another time they might be offered there but not tempore sanctae Oblationis at the time of the holy Eucharist For the better judgment whereof and of the right meaning of the Canon because the readings distinction and translations somewhat vary take also a Canon of the Council of Carthage under Aurelins Anno 397. very like unto it and made undoubtedly in imitation thereof Syn. Carth. Can. apud Balsam 40. Non licere praeter panem vinum aquâ mixtum quidquam in sanctis mysteriis offerre Ut nihil ampliùs quà m Corpus Sanguis Domini offeratur quemadmodum Dominus ipse tradidit hoc est Panis Vinum aquâ mixtum Primitiae autem sive mel sive lac offerantur ut moris est uno die consueto ad Infantium mysterium putà in Baptismo Et si enim maximè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad ALTARE offerantur propriam tamen suam habeant benedictionem Nihil autem amplius in primitiis nimirum ad Altare in sanctis mysteriis offeratur quà m ex uvis frumento Which only were permitted to be offered at the time of the Eucharist as may seem because Bread and Wine are made of them But I will not set my rest upon a Pseudepigraphal Testimony but alledge a witness past exception and for antiquity beyond them all And that is that holy and blessed Martyr Ignatius Bishop of that City where the name of Christians was first given to the Disciples of Christ who lived and saw the latter end of the Apostles times This blessed Martyr in those Epistles of his which none that are learned or judicious now make question of thrice useth the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ALTAR for the Lord's TABLE in his Epistles Ad Philadelphenses Trallenses and Ephesios In the first whereof ad Philadelph he speaks thus Scribo ad vos moneóque ut unâ fide unâ praedicatione unâ Eucharistiâ utamini una enim est caro Domini nostri Iesu Christi unus illius sanguis qui pro nobis effusus est unus item panis omnibus confractus unus CALIX qui omnibus distributus est unum ALTARE omni Ecclesiae unus Episcopus cum Presbyterio Diaconis conservis meis In this place Videlius expresly acknowledgeth the name ALTAR to be used by Ignatius for the HOLY TABLE though otherwise he be no friend to that name because he knew not how to elude it I thought good therefore to put it in the head of the file to lead on the rest which follow Whereof That Ad Ephesios shall have the next place where exhorting them to be subject and at unity with their Bishop and Presbytery he enforceth it thus Nemo erret saith he Nisi quis intra ALTARE sit Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privatur pane Dei. Si enim unius aut alterius precatio tantarum virium sit ut Christum inter illos statuat quanto plus Episcopi totius Ecclesiae oratio consona ad Deum ascendens for this used to be presented at the Altar exorabit ut omnia quae petiverint 〈◊〉 Christo dentur ipsis As if he had said Be not deceived but take notice that as every one who is not at peace with his brother is excluded from the Altar Matth 5. 24. so much more he that through disobedience is in schism and discord with his Bishop and spiritual Fathers is excluded thence that is hath no right to offer his Gift thereat and consequently is deprived of the Bread of God the holy Eâ—charist and of the benefit of those precious and efficacious Prayers therewith offered up to God by the Bishop and Priestly Order in the name of the whole Church Which how great a benefit it is may appear by this That if the Prayer of one or two be of that efficacy as to place Christ in the midst of them how much more shall the united prayer of the Bishop and the whole Church be of force to prevail with the Divine Majesty to grant them all they shall ask in Christ's name It follows Quisquis igitur ab his separatur neque concurrit cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiâ primogenitorum conscriptorum in coelis Lupus est sub ovina pelle faciem mentiens mansuetam that is An Infidel in a Christian's coat Where by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concilium or Senatus sacrificiorum he understands the Bishop and his Clergy who are Senatus rei Divinae or sacris faciundis Therefore Vedelius who will needs here without reason or copy in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the better to make way for his conceit That the body of the Church in general should be the Altar Ignatius here speaks of did but correct the Magnificat and pervert Ignatius his meaning which he understood not For that this which I have said is the meaning of Ignatius in this place appears more plainly by the third Testimony I am now to alledge of his viz. Ex Epist. ad TRALLENSES ante med Reveremini inquit Episcopum vestrum sicut Christum quomadmodum beati nobis praeceperunt Apostoli Qui intra ALTARE est mundus est quare obtemperat Episcopo Presbyteris Qui verò extra est hic est qui sine Episcopo Presbyteris Diaconis quippiam agit talis inquinatam habet conscientiam Infideli deterior est i. He is a Woolf in a Sheeps skin as he said in the other Epistle The places are twins and the one is a gloss unto the other Now by warrant of these Testimonies I think I may safely conclude That the use of the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ALTAR for ought that any hitherto hath shewed to the contrary is no less ancient in Christianity than that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the HOLY TABLE or TABLE OF THE LORD and that both have been promiscuously used from the Apostles times Nor is it any marvel it should be so for these names are of an equivalent notion and signifie one and the self-same thing For what is an Altar but of those kinds of things we call Tables what Genus else can we refer it to The difference is That an Altar notes not a common but an Holy Table a Table for an Holy Feast such as I have heretofore shewed a Sacrifice to be Epulum ex oblatis or a Feast of an Oblation made unto God That is there is
with a greater service the features of whose Bodies the Images dedicated in every City seemed to represent but the Souls of them and those Divine and Incorporeal powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked Daemons counterfeited by working many Miracles Hear Tertullian also speak in his Apology to the Gentiles cap. 21. in fine Quaerite ergò si vera est ista Divinitas Christi si est ea quâ cognitâ ad bonum quis reformetur sequitur ut falsa renuntietur compertâ imprimis illâ omni ratione quae delitescens sub nominibus Imaginibus Mortuorum quibusdam Signis Miraculis Oraculis fidem Divinitatis operatur Search therefore whether this Deity of Christ be true or not If it be that by the knowledge whereof a man shall be reformed to good it follows then that the false be renounced especially that whole mystery he means of the Gentiles Idolatry and Daemon worship being discovered which under the names and Images of the Dead through Signs Miracles and Oracles obtaineth an opinion of Divinity Chrysostome shall conclude who in his Oration in Iudaizantes saith That the Daemons of the Gentiles wrought Miracles for the confirmation of Paganism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he they oftentimes by their skill cured diseases and restored to health those that were sick what should we therefore partake with them in their impiety because of this God forbid Then he adds out of Moses Deut. 13. that which we even now quoted which had it been as well applied to the Miracles amongst Christians present as it was to those of the Gentiles past perhaps he that spoke it would have questioned something which he inclined to believe CHAP. IV. That Saint-worship was advanced by Fabulous Legends This proved from the acknowledged design of the Latine Legends as also of that Greek Legender Simeon Metaphrastes particularly his fabulous Narrations concerning Anastasia S. Barbara S. Blasius S. Catharine S. Margaret c. THE Second Particular I named of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hypocrisie or Feigning of Liers was Fabulous Legends of the Acts of Saints and Martyrs This was also another means to advance the Doctrines of Daemons For the true Acts and Stories of the Martyrs being extinguished for the most part by the bloudy Edict of Diocletian they now began to supply again that loss by collecting such Tales as were then current of them and adding thereto such Miracles as were fabled of them after death fashioned all to the best advantage of what they meant to promote in the Church and was already on foot in the same Such was that wherewith the good Father Greg. Nazianzen was abused in his Funeral Oration upon Cyprian and many others of the Greek Church That Cyprian even that great Cyprian who was both Citizen and Bishop of Carthage in the reign of Decius for of him Gregory speaketh expresly being formerly a Conjurer and falling in love with a Christian Virgin Iustina some say of Antioch whenas by wooing and ordinary means he could not win her unto his will he went about to prevail with Magical spells and Conjurations which the Damosel perceiving she having recourse to God fell to work against him with Prayer and Fasting and in her devotions also besought the Virgin Mary to succour her a Virgin in that jeopardy By which means Cyprian's Magical inchantments were frustrated and he convinced thereby became a Christian. All which Baronius himself confesses to be a Fable as well he might it being unknown both to Pontius his Deacon who lived with him and wrote his life and to the Western and African Churches where he lived and died who knew and who could know better that he was in his Paganism not a Magician but a Professor of Oratory at Carthage far enough from Antioch and converted by one Caecilius Nevertheless we have cause to think that this Tale together with other the like served not a little for the advancement of the Mystery of Daemons in the Eastern Churches when we see our Adversaries so willing to have that passage as seems by their often alledging it of calling upon the blessed Virgin to be authentical notwithstanding they know which the Greeks so well could not he being a Latine Bishop that the whole Story must needs be a Fable Of this stamp are the well-known Legends of our Latine Churches which almost all of them drive principally at this mark it being also the ordinary conclusion of their Tales sure of our English That since God hath done thus and thus by this holy Martyr or sith God hath by such Miracles honoured this Martyr let us pray unto him that by his Merits and Intercession we may obtain salvation Nor is it a late device Greg. Turonensis above a thousand years ago in his two Books De Miraculis Martyrum as his fabulous Narrations which yet many of them he refers to others before him are excellently well framed for the promotion of Saint-worship so in the conclusions of them he plainly confesses that that was his aim shutting up his first Book thus Vnde oportet nos eorum Patrocinia expetere ut eorum mereamur Suffragiis vel quod nostris digni non sumus meritis obtinere eorum possumus Intercessionibus adipisci c. It behoves us therefore to desire the Patronage of the Martyrs that so we may merit through their Suffrages and by their Intercessions obtain that which we are not worthy of upon the account of our own Merits His second thus Ergò his miraculis Lector intendens intelligat non aliter nisi Martyrum reliquorúmque amicorum Dei adjutoriis se posse salvari c. And therefore let the Reader well considering these Miracles understand that there is no possibility for him to be saved but by the help of Martyrs and other friends of God But among the Greeks Simeon Metaphrastes hath a strain beyond us all who feigns prayers for many of his Martyrs wherein they desire of God that whosoever should pray unto him in their names or have recourse to their Sepulchres when they were glorified might obtain whatsoever they asked yea remission of sins it self Which because it is so singular a Counterfeit of a lying Greek I shall not do amiss to insert the particulars together with something about the occasion and time of this device In the Martyrdom of Anastasia a Roman Virgin under Diocletian he tells us if we be so wise as to believe it That at the time of her suffering when she had as was fit given thanks unto God and prayed for the happy accomplishment of her Martyrdom and afterward made suit for those who being sick should have recourse unto her to wit after death she heard a voice from heaven certifying that what she had asked was granted her Saint Barbara a Virgin of Heliopolis martyred under Maximianus he makes under the Executioner's hand to pray in this manner And thou O King God now hear my prayer That
a great man in the Reformation had once a Consultation to have translated the Lord's-day unto Thursday upon pretence to take away Superstition and though that Consultation succeeded not yet he is known to have been no great friend to the hallowing thereof How true this is I know not penes authores fides esto but such a thing I have read I can assure you Thus with my heartiest affection which I never found my self prone to change for mere difference of Opinion I commend you and yours to the Divine blessing and am still Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Coll. Iuly 21. 1638. EPISTLE LXVI Mr. Hartlib's Letter to Mr. Mede with an Extract of a Letter concerning Dr. Alting's Censure of Dr. Field's opinion Worthy Sir I Cannot but confess my self much obliged unto you for the Papers which you have been pleased to impart unto me You do well to help us by a fuller unfolding of those excellent Mysteries which divers will take for Paradoxes But I return to your Letter and assure you that I will have a special care to send back your Papers In the mean time I pray accept of these inclosed which concern the work of Pacification Mr. Dury remembers his respects unto you and will be glad to embrace your Letter when-ever it comes He hath not yet read your Book because he can get none for himself the Book becoming now rare every way When you have done with the Papers I pray let me have them again some of them I had not leisure to read over The printed Treatise I got from beyond the Seas the Author of it thus writes unto me Adsui Doctori Altingo Is maximopere optat non praemisissem meo contra Bodsaccum Exercitio istud ex Fieldo excerptum Ratio 1 a Quia falsa sunt quae ille tum de Orientalium hodierna tum de Occidentalium ante Lutherum Religione refert 2 a Quia Lutherani indè capient calumniandi ansam quasi Universalem aliquam Religionum conciliationem moliamur Intellexi simul hâc occasione Genevae imprimis Novum Testamentum linguâ Graecâ qualis nunc est adeò ut non tantùm Originale Graecum sed Versionem Graecam simus habituri quam ad rem 1000 Imperiales Domini Ordines dederunt ut mittantur Exemplaria in Graeciam Inter argumenta cur Fieldi sententiam rejicit est quòd Witebergensis quidam olim ad Graecum Patriarcham miserit Confessionem Augustanam ut approbaret sed illam ut heterodoxam rejecisse Quòd hodiernus Patriarcha alius sit id personale esse facilè apparere ex quibus scriptis ille hauriat Sepultus est hâc hebdomade noster Burgersdicius c. But I would fain know your judgment about this Censure of Field it being a thing of very great consequence Dr. Alting I hear is writing an Ecclesiastical History Thus expecting your Answer I rest for ever Your assured and affectionate Friend Sam. Hartlib London March 13. 1634. EPISTLE LXXVII Mr. Mede's Answer to Mr. Hartlib vindicating Dr. Field's Tenet and shewing in what sense it may be said that the Roman and Greek Church have not erred in Primariis Fundamentalibus Fidei Articulis Mr. Hartlib I Received not your Packet till yesterday at dinner-time I send with this inclosed a Book to Mr. Dury which I was fain to rob a Friend of promising to give him another as good but I send the Book and this my Letter apart that the one may bring news of the other if they should chance not to arrive at your hands together I thank you for Mr. Streso Concerning that of Dr. Field I have hitherto subscribed to it according as I conceived to be his meaning though whether the particulars of his narration be every one of them true I cannot affirm the most I believe are But it is no marvel though such a Tenet make your forein Divines to startle That notion is almost proper to our English to maintain that the Roman Church much more the Greek â—rreth not in Primariis Fundamentalibus Fidei Articulis because explicitely they profess them howsoever by their Assumenta implicitely and by consequent they subvert them This your forein Divines and some too of our own think to be an harsh assertion because they rightly conceive not our meaning whereof you may be more fully informed by Dr. Crakenthorp against Spalato cap. 47. and by Dr. Potter in his Charity mistaken You may remember also that Bishop Davenant in the Discourse you shewed me at London by the name of Fundamental Articles understands the Articles of the Creed of all Christians and no other Take notice likewise that we say the Roman Church and Ours differ not in the Articles we account to be Fundamental not that we differ not and mainly too in those which they account Fundamental Nor do we say but by consequent they ruin too even those Articles we account Fundamental though explicitely they profess them In a word we hold That all the Roman Errors consist in the Assumenta they have added to the Foundation and not in the Foundation it self which they profess notwithstanding Besides that in the main Points of Controversie between them and us the Truths we affirm against them were heretofore freely maintained in their Church as for the substance from time to time and though for the most part the opposite Faction overtopped them yet were not the Tenets of that Faction made the Tenets of their Church till the Council of Trent decreed them and condemned the other This is the sum of the Tenet of ours But what do I write of these things in so tumultuary a manner It is a point that requires a man should have his brains at home What though the Patriarch Ieremy rejected the Augustane Confession for Heterodox when it was sent him It is true that often one Sect of Religion condemns that in another which it self affirms because it understands not its own in anothers terms and after another way Besides though the Patriarch rejected the Confession â—n gross yet it follows not he rejected it for those Points whereof Dr. Field affirms but because it condemned likewise their Assumenta For it is certain that in the Assumentis we differ mainly from them and they from us Now the clock strikes three I must an end So with my best affection I rest Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Coll. March 18. 1634. EPISTLE LXXVIII Ioan. Duraei Epistola ad Ios. Medum Cratiam Pacem Clarissime Doctissime Vir HVmanissimis tuis Literis praeclaro illo quod amicitiae mecum initae pignus esse voluisti Scripto cujus priorem ante aliquot annos posteriorem nunc primùm video partem ità animum meum affecisti ut sufficientes neque jam scribere neque posthac habere gratias queam quas quia me referre posse desperâ— ideo debitorem me tibi agnosco Sed ante omnia Candorem tuum exosculor
the Apocalyptick Visions is expounded by the Angel 432 582. why she is said to have a golden cup in her hand and her Name written in her forehead 525 Wilderness Israel's being in the Wilderness and the Churche's abode in the Wilderness compared 906 907 Wing signifies in Dan. 9. an Army the fitness of the word to signifie thus 707. Wing of abominations is an Army of Idolarrous Gentiles ibid. How the Roman Army was the Army of Messiah 708 Witnesses why Two and in sackcloth 480 481. the two Wars of the Beast against them 765. their Slaughter how far it extends 760 761. their Death and Resurrection how to be understood 484 Women Why the Corinthian women are reproved for being unveiled or uncovered in the Church 61. how they are said to prophesie 58 59 Works Good Works 3 qualifications of them 217 c. 3 Reasons for the necessity of them 215 c. God rewards our Works out of his mercy not for any merit in them 175 World Heaven and Earth put according to the Hebrew idiom for World 613. That the World should last 7000 years and the Seventh Thousand be the Beatum Milleunium was an ancient Tradition of the Iews 892. World sometimes in Scripture put for the Roman Empire 705 Worship External worship required in the Gospel 47. Four Reasons for it 349 350. The Iews worshipped versus Locum praesentiae 394. That such Worshipping is not the same with worshipping God by an Image 395 To worship God in spirit and truth what 47. 48. The Worship directed to God is Incommunicable and why 638 639 Y. YEars That the Antichristian Times are more than 3 single Years and an half proved by 5 Reasons 598. The 70 years Captivity of the Iews in Babylon whence to be reckoned 658 Z. ZAchary The 9 10 and 11 Chapters in his Book seem to befit Ieremy's time better 786 833 c. Zebach or The bloudy Sacrifice defined 287 Zipporah deferred not the circumcision of her child out of any aversation of that Rite 52. her words in Exod. 4. 25. vindicated from the common misconstruction 53 c. ERRATA Page 481. line 3. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 790. l. 14. for Page r. Figure pag. 495. l. 10. r. Angelo pag. 496. l. antepenult r. legibus pag. 498. l. 1. r. crudelitate l. 41. r. Caesarum imperium A Catalogue of some Books Reprinted and of other New Books Printed since the Fire and sold by Richard Royston viz. A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by H. Hammond D. D. in Fol. Third Edition Ductor Dubitantium or the Rule of Conscience in Five Books in Fol. by Ier. Taylor D. D. and late Lord Bishop of Down and Gonnor The Practical Catechism together with all other Tracts formerly Printed in 4 o in 8 o and 12 o his Controversies excepted now in the Press in a large Fol. By the late Reverend H. Hammond D. D. The Great Exemplar or the Life and Death of the Holy Iesus in Fol. with Figures suitable to every Story Ingrav'd in Copper By the late Reverend Ier. Taylor D. D. Phraseologia Anglo Latina or Phrases of the English and Latine Tongue By Iohn Willis sometimes School-master at Thistleworth together with a Collection of English Latine Proverbs for the use of Schools by William Walker Master of the Free-School of Grantham in 8 o new The Whole Duty of Man now Translated into the Welch Tongue at the command of the four Lord Bishops of Wales for the benefit of that Nation By Io. Langford A. M. in 8o. The Christian Sacrifice a Treatise shewing the necessity end and manner of Receiving the Holy Communion together with suitable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and the Principal Festivals in memory of our Blessed Saviour in 8 o By the Reverend S. Patrick D. D. Chaplain in Ordidinary to his Sacred Majesty A Friendly Debate between a Conformist and a Non-conformist in 8o. Peace and Holiness in three Sermons upon several occasions the First to the Clergy Preached at Stony-Stratford in the County of Buoks being a Visitation-Sermon published in Vindication of the Author The Second preached to a great Presence in London The Third at the Funeral of M rs Anne Norton by Ignatius Fuller Rector of Sherrington in 8 o new A Discourse concerning the true Notion of the Lords Supper to which are added two Sermons by R. Cudworth D. D. Master of Christs-Colledge in Cambridge in 8o. The Works of the Reverend and Learned Mr. Iohn Gregory sometimes Master of Arts of Christ-Church in Oxon. 4o. The Sinner Impleaded in his own Court to which is now added the Signal Diagnostick by Tho. Pierce D. D. and President of St. Mary Magdalen-Colledge in Oxon. in 4o. Also a Collection of Sermons upon several occasions together with a Correct Copy of some Notes concerning Gods Decrees in 4o. Enlarged by the same Author Christian Consolations drawn from Five Heads in Religion I. Faith II. Hope III. The Holy Spirit IV. Prayer V. The Sacrament Written by the Right Reverend Father in God Iohn Hacket late Lord Bishop of Leichfield and Coventry and Chaplain to King Charles the First and Second in 12 o new A Disswasive from Popery the First and Second Part in 4 o by Ier. Taylor late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor The Principles and Practises of certain several Moderate Divines of the Church of England also The Design of Christianity both which are written by Edward Fowler Minister of Gods Word at Northill in Bedfordshire in 8o. A Free Conference touching the Present State of England both at home and abroad in order to the Designs of France in 8 o new to which is added the Buckler of State and Iustice against the design manifestly discover'd of the Universal Monarchy under the vain Pretext of the Queen of France her pretensions in 8o. Iudicium Vniversitatis Oxoniensis à Roberto Sandersono S. Theologiae ibidem Professore Regio postea Episcopo Lincolniensi in 8o. The Profitableness of Piety open'd in an Assize Sermon preach'd at Dorchester by Richard West D. D. in 4 o new A Sermon preached at the Funeral of the Honourable the Lady Farmor by Iohn Dobson B. D. Fellow of St. Mary Magdalen-Colledge in Oxon. in 4 o new THE END * All of them except some few mentioned at the end of this Preface * None of which were number'd among the Errata * Pag. 109. lin 21. ‖ These the Author a little before calls the Two parts of Repentance Aversion from sin the first Conversion to God the second part ‖ See p. 280. lin ult ‖ See p. 276 279 281. * Luk. 6. * Chap. 4. 15. * Chap. 2. ‖ Rev. 10. 9. * See a particular account both of the Enlargements and of the Additiâ—nals at the end of this Preface * See a particular account both of the Enlargements and of the Additiâ—nals at the end of this Preface * See Epistle 97. p. 881. * p.
Cor. 11. 22. Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God and verse 34. If any man hunger let him eat at home c. c In answer to that Question Whether may the Holy Oblation or Eucharist be celebrated in a common house he affirms That as the Word doth not allow that any common vessel or utensil should be brought into places that are Sacred carried through the Temple Mark 11. 16. so likewise doth it forbid that the Holy Mysteries should be celebrated in a common house For neither would the Old Testament permit any such thing to be done nor our Lord who said There is here one greater than the Temple Matth. 12 6. nor the Apostle saying Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in c. Whâ—nce we may learn That we ought not to take our common supper in the Church nor should we dishonour the Lord's Supper by eating it in a private house But if one be necessitated to communicate in private let him then chuse out the most clean and decent house or room for such a purpose and withal see that he do it in the fittest and most seasonable time d Despise ye the Church of God e Making it a place for common feasts and banquettings f Behold a fourth charge That not the poor only but also the Church it self is injur'd For as hereby thou makest the Lord's Supper a private Supper so thou dealest no better with the Place in that thou usest the Church as a private and ordinary house g If ye come together to feast it do this in your own Houses for to do thus in the Church is a manifest contempt a plain dishonour done to the Church For how can it but seem a thing wholy indecorous and absurd for you to fare deliciously in the Temple of God where the Lord himself is present who hath prepared for us a common table when at the same time those Christians that are poor are hungry and out of countenance by reason of their poverty * Isidorus Pâ—lusiota lib. 2. Ep. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whâ—â—â— note that of two câ—p 〈…〉 place the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Copy are deficient in the first them but to bâ— supplied out of this the second or repetition of the same thing as the Reader that considers it will observe the Antithesis requires * Coenacula dicuâ—tur ad quae sâ—â—â—â— ascenditur lest Inde Ennio Coenacula maxima coeli a The Upper room of Sion * For these Traditions see Adricomius ex Nicephor c. and 〈…〉 infra de locis sanctis Iohn 20. 6. Acts 6. Acts 15. Epist. 27. Psal. 87. 1 2. a Her foundations are in the holy mountains the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob Acts 4. 34 35. b In the upper plain of Mount Sion there are cells of Monks encompassing that great Church which was founded there as they say by the Apostles because that there they received the Holy Ghost and there also is to be seen the venerable place of the institution and first celebration of the Lord's Supper 〈…〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breaking of the Eucharist 1 Cor. 10. 16. a And he came down to Caesarea and went up into the House of the Christians that is the Church and saluted them and departed thence to Antioch Hist. Eccl. l. 2. cap. 17. b Philo having described what kind of habitations they had proceeds to speak of their Churches which were frequently to be met with in several places of their Country How that the Sacred House was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Worshipping-place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Monastery wherein these solitary livers perfomed the Mysteries of a severely-religious life bringing in thither not meat nor drink nor any other necessaries for the use of the Body but the Books of the Law the Prophets the Psalms or Hymns and the like things of Sacred use whereby Divine knowledge and Piety might be encreased and advanced to great perfection * 〈◊〉 Const. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈…〉 David 〈◊〉 canat populus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extremitates versuum non versuum initia ut male interpres Bovius * He mentions it Hist Eccl. l. 5. cap. 1. * Lib. 7. c. penult a They were so eminently religious as that they converted their own House into a Church Or else it is said The Church at their House because all of their houshold were Believers and faithful Christians so that their House or Family was a little Church b He was a person of great esteem for he turned his House into a Church * Or whosoever else were the Author thereof under Trajan whose then fresh success in subduing the Parthians and Arabians contrary to the unlucky presages of some his scope seems to have been to gratulate See Iacobus Miâ—yllus in Argumento a We passed through iron gates and over brazen thresholds and by many winding ascents we came at last to the house or room whose roof was overlaid with gold not unlike to what Homer makes Menelaus his house to have been And now I beheld and observ'd all things therein but I could see no Helena there but on the contrary a company of persons with their bodies bowed down and pale countenances * Pag. 52. See this of Clemens quoted in Greek and translated by the Author in the next Discourse Sect. 1. toward the end Ab Ann. 100 ad 200. a This passage out of Ignatius is thus translated by the Author in another M S. copy of this Discourse All of you meet together for prayer in one place let there be one prayer common to all one mind one hope in love in the immaculate faith in Iesus Christ than whom nothing is better All of you as one man run to the Temple of God as to one Altar to one Iesus Christ the High-Priest of the unbegotten God b One Altar to every Church and One Bishop with the Presbytery Deacons my fellow-servants 1 Tâ—m 2. 5. c On Sunday all that live in towns or in the country meet together in one place d To set up another Altar e One Altar to all the Church and One Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons a Let the Door-keepers stand at the entries of the men looking well to them the Deaconisses at the doors where the women were to enter * Holy Porches * Lib. 6. c. 14. al. 21. Vid. Graec. a In Graeco 27. b In Graeco 12. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Epiphan Exposit Eidâ—i cathol c. 21. De duobus ulâ—imis Const. Apol. l. 8. c. 24 26. b See Act. 11. 26. Sâ—cr lib. 6. c. 8. Tâ—â—od l. 2. c. 24. 2. * In Tom 1 Biblioth Patrum edit Parisâ—â—ns ex Ardâ—ivo Viennensi * The word Missa seems to have been long used in Italy before it was elsewhere a As in
the Sea there are Islands to be met with which are commodious for habitation fruitful and well watered and accommodated with convenient harbors and ports for those who are distrestat Sea to repair to for their safety so is it in the world which is a very troubled Sea tempestuous and tossed by reason of sin God hath here providâ—d Synagogues or Holy Churches as we call them wherein the Truth is diligently taught and whither they repair who are lovers of the Truth and desire in good earnest to be saved and to escape the judgment and wrath of God * Clâ—m Alex. in Opere Quis fit ille dives qui salvetur apud Euseb. Hist Eccl. lib. 3. â— 17. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also in this Century undoubtedly were extant those Fabricks in the Cemeteries of S. Peter in the Vaticane and of S. Paul in via Ostâ—nsi which could be no other thaâ— some Christian Oratories whereof Gains speaks in â—usib and calls Throphaea Apostolorum lib. 2. cap. 24. Ab Anno 200. ad 300. a All the day long shall the zeal of Faith speak to this point bewailing that a Christian should come from Idols into the CHURCH that he should come into the HOUSE OF GOD from the shop of his enemy that he should lift up to God the Father those hands which were the mothers and makers of Idols and adore God with those very hands which namely in respect of the Idols made by them are adored without the Church viz. in the Heathens Temples in opposition to God and that he should presume to reach forth those hands to receive the Body of our Lord which are imploy'd in making Bodies that is Images for the Demons That according to the Gentiles Theology Images were as Bodies to be informed with Demons as with Souls see the Treatise of the Apostasie of the latter Times chap. 5. in Book III. b The house of our Dove that is of our Dove-like Religion or the Catholick flock of Christ figured by the Dove c In short The Dove is wont to point out Christ. d Plain without such a multiplicity of doors and curtains e In high and open places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hier. * Luke 1. 78. * Lib. 2. c. 57. al. 61. a Let the House be long and built Eastward * Apol. c. 16. * De Spect. â— 25. ad Vxoâ— l. 2. c. 9. De coâ—on miâ—t cap. 3. De velandiâ— virginiâ—us c. 3 13. b Coming to the Water to be baptized not only there but also somewhat asore in the CHURCH under the hand of the Bishop or Priest we take witneâ—s that we renounce the Devil and his Pomp and Angels and afterwards we are drenched thrice in the Water c The Temples of God shall be as common and ordinary Houses Churches shall be utterly demolished every where the Scriptures shall be despised d The Sacred Edifices of Churches shall become heaps and as a desolate lodge in an Orchard there shall be no more Communion of the precious Body and Bloud of Christ Liturgy shall be extinguished Singing of Psalms shall cease Reading of the Scriptures shall no more be heard * Ex Psal. 79. 2. caelesis similibus â—uâ—ta LXX IIebr in â—cervâ—â— seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desolationes Cap. 49. e The Christians being in possession of a certain publick place and challenging it for theirs and on the other side the Taverners alledging that it belong'd of right to them the Emperor's Rescript in favour of the Christians was this That it was better that God should be worshipt there after what way soever than that it should be delivered and given up to the Taverners a 1. Weeping the first degree of Penance was without the Porch of the Oratorie where the mournful sinners stood and beg'd of all the Faithful as they went in to pray for them 2. Hearing the second degree was within the Porch in the place called Narthex the place where these penitent Sinners being now under the Ferula or censure of the Church might stand near to the Catechumens and hear the Scripture read and expounded but were to go out before them 3. Prostration or Lying along on the Church-pavement These Prostrate ones were admitted somewhat further into the Church and went out with the Catechumens 4. Standing or Staying with the people or Congregation These Consistentes did not go out with the Catechumenes but after they and the other Penitents were gone out stay'd and joyn'd in prayer with the Faithful 5. Participation of the Sacraments b How that by becoming all things to all men he had in a short time gained a great number of Converts through the assistance of the Divine Spirit and that hereupon he had a strong desire to set upon the building of a Temple or Place for Sacred assemblies wherein he was the more encouraged by the general forwardness he observed among the Converts to contribute both their moneys and their best assistances to so good a work This is that Temple which is to be seen even at this day This is that Temple the erection whereof this Great person being resolved to undertake without any delay he laid the foundation thereof and therewithal of his Sacerdotal i.e. Episcopal Prefecture in the most conspicuous place of all the City c Whereas all other Houses whether Publick or private were overthrown by that Earthquake this Gregorian Temple alone stood firm without any the least hurt He was made Bishop Anno 249. lived until 260. d The Lord's House e The Church f Thinkest thou O Matron which art rich and wealthy in the Church of Christ that thou dost celebrate or commemorate the Lord's Sacrifice that is that thou dost participate the Lord's Supper worthily as thou oughtest who dost not at all respect but art regardless of the Corban who comest into the Lord's House without a Sacrifice or Offering nay who takest part of the poor mans Sacrifice feedest on what he brought for his Offering and bringest none thy self Script â—n 253. a What then remains but that the Church should yield to the Capitol and that the Priests withdrawing themselves and taking away the Altar of our Lord Images and Idol-Gods together with their Altars should succeed and take possession of the Sacrary or place proper to the sacred and venerable Bench of our Clergy b The Altar of our Lord and the place for the sacred and venerable Bench of the Clergy c Idol-Gods and Images together with the Altars of the Devil d might enter into the House of God e The Emperour C. P. L. Galienus to Dionysius Pinnas Demetrius and the rest of the Bishops Greeting What I have been pleased graciously to do for the Christians I have caused to be published throughout the world viz. That all men should quit the Worshipping-places for the Christians use And therefore you may make use of the Copy of my Letters to the end ye may be secured from any future attempts to disturb you