continued for many Years till at length 't was complain'd of in the general Council held at Nice Where 't was prov'd that all other Churches except that of Asia us'd to celebrate that Feast on the Lord's day and for that reason all the Fathers that were present at that Synod thought it fit and reasonable for the Asian Church to celebrate it on the same day As the great Emperor Constantine expresly asserts in an Epistle to the Churches by whose command that Synod was summon'd From whence it appears that the Nicene Fathers us'd the same arguments against the Asian Church that the Apostle do's against the Corinthian which he deduces from the Custom of all the other Churches Also St. Cyprian has the same against Novatian and St. Augustin against the Donatists But Epiphanius brings it against all Hereticks and likewise Schismaticks condemning them all of Heresie that either in Doctrine or Discipline Apostatize from the Universal Church I might seem too prolix and tedious if I should but point out all the Councils and Fathers that have us'd this argument and therefore our Proposition may well be inferr'd from them For this Argument which the Catholick Church has always us'd takes for granted that 't is at least just and rational that all her rites shou'd be every where retain'd Upon which account we have more largely prosecuted this subject because hereby we may the better when occasion serves repress all the adversaries of our Church even the Romanists themselves who assuming the Name of Catholicks do insolently Glory in it For the Romish Church whose Faith and Customs all Papists are solemnly engag'd to maintain hath invented so many new Tenets and lately innovated so many superstitious Ceremonies either rejected or unknown to the Universal and is at this day so imperious in her commands that she only deserves the name of a most corrupted much less Catholick Church For she has nothing common with the Catholick nothing with all other Churches but rather all things Dissentaneous and Repugnant excepting wherein she agrees with ours But omitting these things as not pertinent to this place let 's rather advance those things which we have hitherto discours'd that we may the better accomplish the Business in hand Now then 't is apparent from what we have already premis'd how expedient it is that Ancient Rites and Manners observ'd hitherto by the Universal that the same should also now be observ'd by every particular Church Just so 't is even in Bodies Politick As for instance in this very Kingdom there are divers Corporations Burroughs and other inferiour Fraternities all which are impower'd to give Laws to themselves and to their Members Provided always they neither do nor enact any thing Contrary to the Statutes of this Realm or as we say to the Common Law or any ancient Custom that has been introduc'd and receiv'd in this Kingdom time out of mind and so has obtain'd the force of a Law. Almost after the same manner 't is with the Universal Church which is the Kingdom of Christ For this has it's Decrees written in the Word of God and also has as it were a Common Law consisting of some certain Rites Which tho' they be not expresly and in just so many words commanded in the said Decrees yet are so adapted if I may so say to the general design and purport of them and so useful for the Propagation and Establishment of that Religion which is instituted there that they have been observ'd at all times and every where throughout the whole Christian World and for that reason are still to be observ'd by all Churches that are desirous of holding a firm Union and Communion with the Universal For if any Church shall abolish any one of these Rites or constitute any thing contrary to them the same will thereby be depriv'd of that Custom which all the other Churches of God enjoy Which thing indeed the Apostle charges the Corinthians with as a fault And deservedly too Because it can't possibly be deem'd a lesser Crime to disannul the common Rites of the Universal Church than to violate the Common Law of the Realm That this is great 't is generally acknowledg'd and some to their own Cost have found it so But perhaps some will judge me guilty of a fault in pleading hitherto for Rites and not shewing what they are or how to know them But truly this don 't belong to me who have hitherto design'd nothing more than to demonstrate how just and equitable it is that for instance our or any other Provincial Church shou'd religiously observe all such Rites which 't is certain all other Churches have observ'd Now what peculiar Rites ought to be rank'd here and from whence that appears I leave undecided to your Judgments Perchance some of them will be debated here before you For that reason I 've forbore mentioning the least of them in this place for fear I shou'd seem to anticipate your more discerning Judgments in these Affairs But there are some general Institutions of the Universal Church which if I mistake not are indisputable and yet seem momentous to the determining such cases as will be laid open in this Sacred Synod Therefore I can't quite pass them by lest I shou'd seem to fall short of performing the duty laid on me First Therefore all the Churches of God have this Custom and always had that in whatsoever Province they are plac'd the Bishops and Pastors of that Province as often as occasion requires and opportunity permits may summon Synods or Conventions to deliberate and consult about affairs relating to the Church in the same Province Which Synods therefore are call'd Convocations or Provincial Councils This sufficiently appears from those huge and numerous volumes of Councils in which you may see several such like Councils held in all Ages and all Provinces over the whole Christian world And far more doubtless are celebrated that are neither extant there nor in any other place at present Which I thought fit to note here that any one may plainly see that this our Synodical Convocation is no Innovation Because nothing was ever more usual in all the Churches of God than the celebration of such Provincial Councils Add to this that all Churches every where so Synodically congregated were always us'd to create such Canons or Ecclesiastick Laws as they judg'd to be Expedient for the better administration of the publick Worship of God his Word and Sacraments and the Discipline of the whole Church This also abundantly appears from the said Acts of Councils In which there are divers Canons set forth by every Provincial Church as proper and peculiar to itself For tho' all the common Churches of God have scrupulously retain'd the rites of the Universal yet they were always forc'd to add others to the Canons of the Church that were adapted to the form and modes of that Kingdom or Province wherein each Church was situated Otherwise it were almost impossible for
any Provincial or National Church to subsist long in Peace From hence also a common Custom has obtain'd in all the Churches of God when all such Canons and Laws are Constituted to have regard not only to the well-being of any private member but also to the Peace and Tranquillity of the whole Church And indeed many things are necessary to the procuring this that are not to our obtaining everlasting felicity For which reason almost all the Canons published hitherto by Provincial or General Councils are instituted only for such things that make for the external Discipline and Peace of the Church And hence 't is also that never any Church was extant which did not register several things amongst their Laws not against but besides those things which are contain'd in holy Writ Which is so clear and perspicuous that I can't enough wonder how any one can doubt of the truth thereof Besides 't is customary in all the Churches of God to ratify such Canons as they make with Ecclesiastick Penances to prevent impunity when they are violated This likewise appears from the Canons of all the Councils upon which a man can scarce cast his eye but presently at the first sight see Suspension or Deposition Anathema or Excommunication against Lay-men if they shall act otherwise For neither has the Church ever esteem'd those worthy of the Sacred Ministry nor these of her Communion who refuse to obey Laws written as well for theirs as its own advantage Further 't is evident out of the aforesaid Collection of Councils that all the Churches of God were wont so to frame and temper these Laws which they thought necessary for themselves that they might be advantageous to and edifying of the whole Community and as much as possible inoffensive I said as much as possible by reason their ignorance is such that they scarce are sensible of any thing Such is the perverseness of others that they wrest all to the worst sense And truly 't is hardly possible for any Civil Law much less Ecclesiastical to be so made as to be approv'd by all Therefore there 's no reason that the Church shou'd be sollicitous for this sort of men unless perhaps that they may be better taught in discipline and manners by the force of the Laws Again others there are who endeavour to serve God piously and devoutly and to direct their lives according to his Commands and yet are of so weak and Scrupulous a Conscience that nothing almost can be done that do's not prove offensive to them and that too as we should charitably believe not from an obstinacy of will or stiff inclination to any Faction but from some pious tho' groundless fear lest it shou'd be displeasing to God. And truly these men are to be taken into consideration before Laws are confirm'd especially Ecclesiastick lest instead of eradicating old Scruples we shou'd implant new ones in their minds And that also whether they who are thus troubl'd in conscience wait on God's Altar together with the Church or separately from it For both are to be taken care of these that they may persevere in the Communion of our Church the other that they may be brought back to it And certainly this is a work and labour deserving the cares and studies of us all Which nevertheless is to be so enterpriz'd that nothing for their sakes may be omitted that shall redound to the Interest of the Church nor admitted that shall prove detrimental to the same For neither reason nor the perpetual Custom of the Church suffers a part to be preferable to the whole We may add further That nothing has been more usual amongst the Churches of God than to change Laws that they 've made to abrogate ancient ones and to substitute others perhaps quite different in their room when a necessitous time requires it None conversant in Ecclesiastick Histories can be ignorant of this For you can find no Church throughout the World that has all the same Laws now which it formerly had Doubtless all such Laws of Provincial Churches whereof we now speak are constituted pro hic nunc if I may be allow'd to speak barbarously here that is with respect to time and place When these are chang'd the Laws of Necessity must be chang'd for their accommodation to the present Customs of every Age and Place But truly no Church ever did or must do this without cogent Necessity For every unnecessary alteration in Ecclesiastick Laws stigmatizes the Church with inconstancy and too much derogates from the Authority given it by our Blessed Saviour it makes Prophane Wretches call Religion into Question whether or no it depends on the Will of Man It sets several together by the ears and keeps more still in a dubious expectation of some new attempt It renders the minds of others doubtful and uncertain what to do It stirs up outragious Tumults often disturbing the Publick Peace Neither also is any one so Skilful in the disposal and provision of things as to be able to foresee by any Art what and how great Miseries may be arising even from the mutation of Laws incommodious And therefore the changing of inveterate Laws for others is at all times dangerous unless such Necessity may compel as is otherwise insuperable and which is so manifest and apparent to the Eyes of all that none may see a change without seeing great Reason and Necessity for it Now if there be such a Necessity all those Calamities will be averted that generally attend on unnecessary change Our Church will not lose a drachm of Honour or Esteem that 's due to her For she and her Authority will be the same And all things will appear more peaceable calm fix'd and quiet in her than if they had kept their former State. All the Churches of God are taught this by Experience And for this reason they never Scruple to abdicate Laws of their own Constitution and to Confirm new ones as often as they see occasion Now whether our Church be oblig'd by such a Necessity to alter any thing that 's setled by her Laws belongs to Wise Men not me to determine This only I 'le presume to say that if it be necessary to bring back wandring Sheep to Christ's Fold if necessary to remove Scruples from the Consciences of weak Brethren If necessary to extinguish Hatred mitigate Anger and reconcile all Differences as far as possible about Religion If necessary to restore Ecclesiastick Discipline to its pristine vigour If necessary to defend and maintain the best Church on Earth against the Efforts of Men and Devils I say If any one thinks these necessary certainly he must likewise think it necessary to admit of such Alterations as in his Opinion are most conducive to this purpose Whilst only those things are chang'd which our Church has constituted by her Authority not those which the Universal Church has Establish'd by her Common Law. For all the Churches of God and ours too have
the Corinthian But this is contrary to the receiv'd Custom of all the Churches Ergo. Now if the Church of Corinth was not oblig'd to accommodate her self to and observe the Rites of all the other Churches this Argument of the Apostle would be of no weight For by this supposition that Church might have admitted that Rite notwithstanding 't was contrary to a Custom Universally receiv'd And therefore the major proposition wou'd be false But undoubtedly the Apostle argued rightly being divinely inspired when he penn'd these Words Which is a cogent reason because he could not deceive by the Argument nor be deceiv'd in the manner of arguing And therefore a principal reason obliges every such Provincial Church as the Corinthian was diligently to observe the Rites of the Universal For if any neglect the observance of them he is by this infallible Argument convinc'd of a grievous Error and Schism Neither is it possible for him to defend himself by any Pretence since God himself dictated this Argument to the Apostle and from thence it necessarily follows That 't is the Will of God that every Provincial Church should conform to the Universal And also that we always use this way of arguing which he has taught us to determine all Controversies of the like nature Moreover the same appears from the very nature and notion of a Church For the Church generally so called is a vast Society or Congregation of Men professing the Christian Faith in all parts of the World Whereof all Provincial Churches are so many Parts or Members Now in all such Societies every Part ought to agree with its whole And consequently the lesser with the greater Reason tells us this The Law of nature commands it and the Universal consent of Mankind judges it necessary So that if any thing enacted by the greater obliges the remaining part much more what is ordain'd by the greatest part of each Society which it ought to observe if it wou'd continue a member and enjoy the Priviledges of the same Society Which rule since it prevails in all manner of Societies ought much more in the Church which of all things should be the most Regular Accordingly Christ himself is the head of this Church called Universal who equally diffuses his Spirit thro' all its parts The Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians and elsewhere in many places explains this idea or notion of the Church Seeing therefore the Spirit of Christ himself is diffused thrô all the Members of this Body and both guides and governs them whatsoever is performed by these Members let it be as it ought ascrib'd to his Holy Spirit For althô each Member is able perhaps to suffer some humane affliction which yet all have done conjointly at all times it cou'd scarcely proceed from any thing less than a common if I may so say Principle of all things namely the Spirit of God which generally actuates all things And therefore it can't but be necessary to be still observ'd as much as may be by every Member The next Argument on this occasion is fetcht from the Apostolical Institution of all such Rites which are observed by the Universal Church For whatsoever the Apostles in the first institution of the Churches delivered for their observation is undoubtedly necessary to their legitimate constitution For otherwise they must have appointed something superfluous which can't be alledg'd against the Apostles considering that they have instituted nothing in the Church but what was enjoyn'd them by Heaven Which since all Christians believe they agree in nothing more than that the Apostolical Institution of the Churches is a Rule and Measure according to which every present Church is to be model'd So that no Constitution of any Church can be accounted Legitimate unless it be consonant thereto Now this being granted it follows that no particular Church is lawfully constituted unless it observes all the Rites of the Universal For whatsoever she hath observed in all ages must be of Apostolical Institution For how is it possible for any one to imagine that all the Churches dispersed over the face of the Earth shou'd every where use the same modes unless they received them together with their Faith by Apostolick Tradition 'T is very clear that the Apostles went about almost all Parts and appointed Churches where ever they came 'T is clear that they were conducted by the same Spirit And lastly 't is clear that they endeavour'd Uniformity in all Churches And therefore 't is no wonder if they have every where ordained the same Rites ' Twou'd have rather been a wonder if they had done otherwise Now if such general Rites were not by Apostolick appointment how cou'd they every where come into Chucrhes so far distant from each others Cou'd they from General Councils For that indeed remains to be spoken to For they must of necessity either be ordained by the Apostles or by Oecumenical Councils as Saint Augustin observes in his Epistle to Januarius wherein he says We preserve things not written but delivered which are indeed observ'd all the World over whereby we may understand that things recommended and decreed either by the Apostles or General Councils whose authority the Church venerates are retain'd Now we in this place speak only of such Rites as were observ'd by the Universal Church before General Councils had their being and which for this reason cou'd not be instituted by them It remains therefore that we attribute them only to Apostolical Institution according to that common rule of the same Learned Father who says That the Vniversal Church holds not what 's instituted by Councils but always retain'd which being deliver'd only by Apostolical Authority is truly believed Therefore since 't is necessary to legitimate the Constitution of every Church that the Rites instituted by the Apostles be retain'd And since all the Rites of the Universal are appointed by the Apostles themselves none can doubt but that the observing the same is necessarily requir'd to the Legal Constitution of every particular Church And this indeed is not my private Opinion but is and ever was the common Sentiment of all Christians especially the Primitive This appears from hence that in times past if any Controversy arose concerning any Ecclesiastical Rite which some peculiar Church had receiv'd 't was always customary to enquire into the Practice of the Universal and her constant usage touching that Rite and afterwards to give in their Verdict Examples are very obvious how ever I 'le chuse one for the present The Primitive Church you all know was long perplex'd with a grievous Contention concerning the time of the celebration of the Passover For the Church of Asia contended with the Jews that 't was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day after the appearance of the Moon let it fall on whatsoever Holy-day of the Week it would Now all other Churches were wont to fast and celebrate that Feast only on the day of our Lord's Resurrection This controversie