their Tables so they did not include that Office only within that Table-service They were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministri as the name signifieth servants in all to both the rest as the Seventy were in Prayer and the Word subject and inferiour to the Apostles These indeed being the Governours of them all So we see there was alwayes an imparity in the Church alwayes the spirits of the Prophets subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. As Aaron and the High Priests of old so under them the inferiour Priests and Levites Afterward CHRIST our Lord as he sent the Apostles and seventy Disciples at two severall times Luke 9.2 10. v. 1 2 3. Luke the 9. and 10. Chapt. So thereby he directed his Church most plainely to these two Orders 1 The Bishops who did succeed into the Apostles place as the Church Governours who were to Watch for our soules Heb. 13.17 Heb. 13.17 in the preserving of peace and truth And 2 the inferiour Clergy though sent also by CHRIST in the Seventy yet sent after in time after also and inferiour in place that they might know they are to be subject to the first Those indeed the Apostles sent first absolutely and with Power saith the Evangelist Mat. 10.1 Mat. 10.1 Iohn 21.16 Acts 20.28 altogether and alike sent as Sheepherds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to feed onely but also to guide the flock These the Seventy sent after and apart two by two Luke 10.3 and that saith S. Luke who reports the difference fully and plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lambes in Prayer and the Word only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feed the flock and to be ordered and directed by those others They the Apostles sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sheepe saith S. Matthew and so superiour to the rest * Mat. 10.16 Fathers of and Elders over to guide and governe them Thus as a difference of Names and Titles so also no lesse of Orders As a Priority of mission so was there of commission also Neither was it ever otherwise in any other place in any after and succeeding ages amongst their successors Even in the Apostles times not to trouble you with after testimonies Titus Bishop of Crete Timothy Bishop of Ephesus both appointed by S. Paul who therefore sometimes joynes them and others with himselfe in the Front of his Epistles to the Churches a 1 Cor. 1.1 Paul and Sosthenes b 2 Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Col. 1.1 Paul and Timotheus c 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus c. To teach us that those he thus joynes with himselfe must and should indeed succeed unto him After in the Age next after the Apostles d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ignat. Epist ad Trall in initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Vide eundem in Epist ad Magnes Et ad Philadelphens Item Epist ad Smyr h. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignatius every where warnes the Priests to be subject to their Bishops the Deacons to their Priests the People at the least in these two Prayer and the Word to be subject to them all Thus was it alwayes in all places no where otherwise For GOD is the God of Order As he will be served of us in Prayer and the ministration of the Word so will he be served in Order by us as inferiour Labourers by them as Superiour Governours though not * Mat. 20.25 Mark 10.42 Luke 22.25 1 Peter 5.3 1 Tim. 5.17 2 Cor. 11.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not domineering and absolutely out of the plenitude of their power Lording it as the same words constantly held both by the three Evangelists and S. Peter the Apostle well import yet worthily ruling worthy to be accounted worthy their double honour For surely though their Place is higher and honour more yet is their labour no lesse and their burthen heavier They not onely labour in the Church as doe we but care for the Church yea The care of all our Churches layd on them Thus whilest we serve GOD in private in our Prayers and the words ministration they in a more publike care may I so say doe even serve the meanest and lowest of us all There is no service Beloved to that of Governement where one serves all And that Greek Proverbe is most true in every Family much more in this great Houshold of Faith and Family of the Faithfull The Church of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is but one servant in each house and that 's the Master It is our Lord and Masters Rule Mat. 20.26.27 Whosoever will be great amongst you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chiefe amongst you let him be your servant So must it needs be the higher place the heavier burthen and we know that the shoulders next the head are the most bearing part Let us not therefore envie this honour to any whom GOD hath set over us Nay rather let us pitty their persons and that heavie burthen they beare and let us strive by our joynt and free obedience to make it lighter Let us as Aaron and Hur Exod. 17.12 by a faithfull discharge of this our twofold duty Prayer and the Word especially by our earnest and serious prayers beare up Moses armes that they and we all may as cheerefully as resolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give our selves without any let or impediment from our selves to prayer and the ministration of the Word And so though omitting much of our intended discourse we come from the Persons to the Duties Wee to Prayer c. II. The Duties We cannot so easily come to these Duties but we must againe with them awhile behold the Persons they are here so linked together We to prayer and to the ministration of the Word The first fruits of every thing were sacred for GODS use Exod. 13.2 and the first-borne of the Males were as holy consecrate to GODS more speciall service such were these here the first-fruits of the Christian faith and the first-borne that opened the wombe of our Mother Church and therefore as such are set apart for GODS more speciall service as such they freely and wholly give up themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We say they will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministration of the word Therefore they were especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods portion and inheritance And as they so we Their number This is the twofold Duty of every one of us who succeeded them we truly serve GOD and his Church in both In our publike prayers we serve GOD as do all others Prayer being most properly his service and are herein more peculiarly the mouth of the people unto GOD. In the Word which is his Gospell we serve his Word and Church and are Gods mouth in his embassage message to his people Thus
the Iewes will not heare who will not know that they do evill as also 2 to beware of their folly and disobedience by their fall and punishment Both are here set downe in the Text 1. Their wilfull errour 2. Their shamefull punishment In the Errour we consider 1. The Persons They are meere fooles 2. Their Number they are many 1 Because a whole Nation many Nations many Generations 2 Many Fooles because many wayes fooles fooles in entring fooles in hearing fooles in praying fooles in sacrificing and offering every way any way fooles 3. The Reason of this folly Faciunt malum They do that which is evill 4. The Ground of this reason 1 Privative their Ignorance their wilfull ignorance Nesciunt They know not they will not know nor consider that they doe evill 2 Positive their ill performance They doe but Dare sacrificium they doe not offer they will not they doe but Give Sacrifice This is their errour their folly And to this their sin their punishment as Iustice requires is answerable 1 They will be fooles and therefore they shall be fooles they will not heare GODS Prophet and therefore GOD bids his Prophet Esay 6.9 Esay 6.9.10 Go tell this people Heare ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and bee healed As they will not heare the Son of God so they shall not heare the Son of God Therefore saith our Saviour speake I unto them in Parables because they seeing see not and hearing they heare not nor understand Mat. 13.13 Mat. 13.13 Mark 4.12 Mark 4.12 c. Luke 8.10 Iohn 12.40 2 As they did reject the Word of God by his Apostles so God by his Apostles did reject them Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.46.28.27.28 Acts 28.27 28. to the Iewes at Antioch it was necessary that the word of God should first have beene spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turne unto the Gentiles and Acts 28. the Apostle Saint Paul repeating the Prophet Esay's words to other Iewes at Rome tels them plainly the cause Therefore be this knowne unto you that will know nothing else that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and they will heare it Mark they will heare it God grant we may Take thou heed how thou entrest take heed how thou hearest c. As for them they are fooles I have nothing to do with them only take thou heed 3 As they will not know GOD so GOD will not know them he turneth his back upon them though he speak of them yet he will not so much as once speake to them he speaketh to another only of them Luke 12.20 as of the Rich man Luke 12. that he is a Foole Luke 16.19 or of the other Luke the 16. that he was a Glutton or as of the Pharisees that they were Vipers Mat. 3.7 Mat. 3.7 4 As they loved darknesse rather than light so they shall have darknesse for light Aegyptian darknesse here everlasting endlesse utter darknesse hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 22.13 1 They wil not know what to do as they shold do 2 Though they do know yet they know not to do it 3 They do evill because they know not what it is to doe it namely how fearefull a thing it is how their wilfull ignorance draweth on wofull vengeance their evil of sin is accompanied with the evil of punishment their evill doing with evill suffering 5 For one more punishment is there in this Text that though their name be forgotten their memory as their bodies rotten yet it shall alwayes be remembred as by God to reward them so by us to beware by them it must never be forgotten that they have done evill This must stand like Lots Wives Pillar or Sodomes ashes to teach us that come after that we should not be as they were fooles that we must not do as they did evill Ierusalems destruction and the Iewes dispersion over the face of the earth amongst us Gentiles must warne all the Gentiles must teach thee how thou must enter into the House of God how thou must heare the Word of God how thou must call on the Name of God In the Name of God beloved let that voice of the Holy Ghost in the 95. Psalme Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.7 be written upon the doore-posts of our hearts never to be forgotten To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts Vers 7 8 9 as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the Wildernesse when your Fathers tempted me and proved me and saw my workes And as in my Text so there 10. their folly is recorded Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation and said It is a people that doe erre in their hearts they have not knowne my wayes 11. And their punishment Wherefore I sware in my wrath they should not enter into my rest This story the Apostle alluding to 1 Cor. 10.11 1 Cor. 10. tels us It was written for our admonition And more plainely in the Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 3. repeating this Psalme where this story is written applyeth it to the Christian Church whence this Psalme in the Church of God hath beene used by the Church of God in all ages Psal 25. for an Introit Psalme to put us in mind 1 how we should enter into the House of God in the 6. Vers O come let us c. 2 How we should offer Vers 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord Let us heartily rejoyce in the strength of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and shew our selves glad in him with Psalmes for the Lord our God is a great God c. 3 How we should heare and come neere to heare Vers 7 8. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. The Text agreeth with the Psalme Both of them teaching us our duty First by Precept for entring hearing and offering Secondly by the contrary Errour that they do erre in their hearts and are but fooles that do otherwise Thirdly by the fearefull punishment that followeth their folly Heb. 3.18 They shall not enter into his rest they shall bee as they will be fooles GOD will not know them that will not know him They shall not enter into GODS joy and rest who are so carelesse to enter into GODS House so carelesse of their behaviour in Gods House And indeed both the Manner and Order The Division to be used in Gods divine service and worship is here set downe 1 The Manner 1 how we must enter 2 how we must heare 3 how we must offer and 4 how wee must come
publique Service Did not Samuel's Mother aske a Sonne of GOD 1 Sam. 3.10 in the time of Divine and publique worship Yes surely And may not we doe the like No doubt we may Doubtlesse we must not otherwise Remember this is an entry to hearing Take heede to thy foot when thou goest into the House c. And remember this also Appropinqua ut audias Come neare that thou maiest heare And thus much of our due entring Now of the second duty our hearing That next after due entring wee must heare And after due entring Heare Hearing is the sence of discipline It is that which GOD first requireth of you It is the first in our Commission Goe teach all Nations For as he that is borne deafe and never heard is alwaies dumbe and will never speake So he that never heareth the Word of GOD can never invocate the Name of GOD. How shall they call on Him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.13 Hence it was the custome alwaies in the Church that first they heard So was it in the Church of the Iewes Nehem. 9.3 Nehem. 9.3 They read the Law one fourth-part of the day and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God After their Prayers as Iosephus describeth it followed their Sacrifice This order being observed afterward in the Christian Church as it is most obscurely collected from the 1 Cor. 11. c. the whole Service was called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also by the Latines Ordo And indeed as the Catechumeni amongst the Greekes and mother Church and Audientes amongst the Latines was the first step to Christianity or rather the preparation to it So likewise the Prayer of the Catechumeni Concil Laodicen Can. 19. or Hearers was the first Prayer of the three So that ancient Counsell of Laodicea reckons it So the Greeke Dionysius Saint Chrysostome Clemens and all the ancient record it and the same order the Church of England hath most justly followed that as in our Churches the Pulpits are placed below the Altar above or in the highest place so wee should first heare before we presume to offer Thus Levi. 2.13 Marke 9.49 amongst the Iewes every Sacrifice must bee seasoned with salt the Symboll of knowledge And GOD requires our heart the seat of knowledge Hos 6.6 I will have mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings So true is that of Lactantius Lactantius lib. 1. cap. 1. Neque religio ulla sine sapientiâ suscipienda nec ulla sine Religione probanda sapientia Rom. 12.1 It is our reasonable service GOD calls for For as He hath given us reason so He would we should chiefly shew it in His Service For this cause the Aegyptians made them eyes and eares of gold and silver and hung them in their Temples intimating that they should first heare before they presumed to offer Hence also that Symboll of Pythagoras That wee must not speake of GOD sine lumine And indeed the calling upon GOD is called the seeking of God Esa 55.6 Matth. 7.7 The Woman in the Gospell before she sought first lighted her candle The like must wee doe we must light the candle here that must light us at the Altar we must first heare And as we must heare first So we must heare Proposition II that which is first in Gods House Gods Word Heare GOD's Word Psal 119.105 for that as the Psalmist tells us is that which is a light to our feete and a lanterne to our steps A light indeed not onely to shew us our way but also to guide us in our way The Church is Heaven upon Earth and the Scriptures the Old and New Testament are the lights in this Heaven Therefore amongst the Iewes in their Synagogues there was the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 13.15 Acts 15.21 and every Sabbath day Moses was read in all their Cities Semblably did the first Christians even in the Apostles times reading as we doe both the Old and New Testament To this the Apostle alludeth Colos 4.16 So more fully Ephes 5.19 Cal. 4.16 Ephes 5.19 Colos 3.18 But most plainely Colos 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye doe in word or deede do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to GOD and the Father of Him Where the whole order of the Church Service being summarily comprised is in like sort observed by our holy Mother Hoc officium sicut quodlibet aliud praeter nocturnum Oratione cōcluditur Domine Deus Pater qui nos ad principium Dici c. Hug de S. Vict. De Eccles Offic. li. 2. c. 2. Vide Ejusdem c. 16. the Church of England Her prayer of the Catechumeni as Hugo de Sancto victore gives us cause to distinguish it ending at the first Collect is entirely the Word of God even many entire portions of Gods most holy Word 1 The Psalmes 2 First and Second Lessons 3 Evangelicall Anthems most fit to expresse our joy in CHRIST our praising God for the Word of God 4 Those short and pious Ejaculations all entirely the Word of God And as in the first So in her second Service where after the due entrance by a particular Confession of our sins in every Commandement the first thing we heare is the Word of God in two other Lessons Epistle and Gospell And as we call use and order them so were they used in all ages and Churches Plentifull testimonies may bee brought concerning this not onely out of the most ancient Councells and first Fathers but also out of those first Liturgies of Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem Constantinople As even at this day they are in the same order observed by the Graecians Indians Russians Abissines and Aethiopians not to speake of the Latine and Westerne Christians So you see we doe what we should do what hath alwaies beene done by all in all places at all times And in doing thus you see the Church of England is truely Catholique But are there no follies in hearing Yes surely else what need our blessed SAVIOUR say Take heede how ye heare Many follies there be in hearing and these two are the greatest 1. That men thinke all Religion consists in hearing only these do not offer The 2. That they thinke there is no hearing without a Sermon these forget this that they must come neare to heare And indeed as in comming there is foote after foote one step after another as degrees in comming So are there degrees in hearing whereby we come neare to heare The first and neerest degree in hearing Degrees in hearing 1 whereby we come close up to God is the hearing of the sacred Oracles of God God's originall very Word properly so
So the whole Church represented saith Saint Cyprian in him must doe the like with him must fast and mourne and lament because even by us also as well as by them the Bridegroome was taken away 5 But there be more takings away then one we were are all guilty of taking Him away in Adam's sinne 5 By them often taken away it was our originall We had beene againe had we then beene in the Church of the Apostles it had been our personall Yet then CHRIST suffered but once Neverthelesse the Apostle telleth us of some that Crucifie againe the Sonne of GOD Heb. 6.6 afresh c. and it is the usuall glosse of the ancients and others upon those words viz. That by the ill lives and the sinnes of those that are by Baptisme inserted into CHRISTS death and so justified that by such Sinnes of theirs after Baptisme Christ againe is taken away Crucified If so who then especially in these evill dayes is free of this sinne unlesse perchance some men should againe rake up that old condemned heresie of Iovinian viz. That no man can depart from Grace after Baptisme This as he could he maintained from 1 Iohn 3.9 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of GOD doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God as also that other Parallell place 1 Ioh. 5.18 We know that whosoever is borne of GOD 1 Ioh. 5.18 sinneth not but he that is begotten of GOD keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Though from the context of the place the scope and intent of the Epistle the History of the Church especially out of Clemens Alexandrius and Epiphanius we might abundantly shew this place by Iovinian and his followers to be perverted yet I chuse rather to use the answer of Saint Hierom S. Hieronym cont Iovinian l. 2. ad initium Surely saith Saint Hierom a strong and weighty argument it is if it were not by and by overthrowne by the Apostle in the same place verse 21. Little Children keepe your selves from Idolls A plaine case that if not from Idolatry the greatest and grossest sinne then are wee secure from no sinne A plaine case it is in those very Churches to whom this Apostle wrote The Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis c. proclaime unto us that seeing the Candelsticks are removed and the Bridegroome taken away from them that the Bridegroom was first taken away by them If a Church a Congregation a number of faithfull men is not what one though for the present faithfull or believing can be secure Nay if so many Churches a Congregation of Churches have thus fallen what one Church though never so glorious for the present can be secure shall Rome shall England Nothing lesse We have all sinned againe and againe and may justly feare that as we have taken away the Bridegroome by our sinnes He may at last be altogether taken away for our sinnes Let us all in the name of GOD prevent it by this heavenly Antidote of Fasting and Prayer that so taking away our sinnes which otherwise would take away the Bridegroome He the Bridegroome may not againe bee taken away by them Let us mourne for our sinnes that we mourne not for our selves that we lament not His losse Which GOD of His mercy c. But if any mourning may serve why is Fasting rather prescribed then any other mourning Doubtlesse Reasons of Mourning by Fasting for many good Reasons Wee will name a few 1 Fasting is a holy revenge of all sinne in the first sinne but chiefly of that first sinne which first and chiefly tooke away the Bridegroome Gen. 2.17.3.3.6 11. c. That first sinne was in eating Gen. 3. Good reason therefore Eiccit ergo nos de Paradiso cibus reducat esuries reducat jejunium S. August Serm. 65. de Temp. 2 Cor. 7.11 when wee mourne for the Bridegroomes taking away to have a principall eye to that sin for the which principally the Bridegroome was taken away 2 Fasting is an holy justicing of our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle calleth it for this taking away of the Bridegroome For as the Bridegroome is taken away by the deeds of the flesh so for this wee punish the flesh by Fasting 3 Fasting is a vigilant preventing lest the Bridegroome be taken away againe Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17.24 For the flesh is that which ever rebelleth against the spirit Therefore They that are CHRISTS saith the Apostle have crucified the flesh 1 Cor. 9.27 And of himselfe he saith I keepe under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any meanes having preached to others I my selfe should be a cast-away that is lest the Bridegroome be taken away from me 4 Againe Fasting is an holy experiment of selfe-denyall according as the Bridegroome commandeth that we should deny our selves and take up his crosse c For if we can deny our necessities of eating and drinking wee may well deny our pleasures if we can fast from our meate we may well fast from our sinnes from wrong from violence from extortion c. Which is the Fast that God commandeth Esa 58. Esa 58.3 4 5. 5 Againe Fasting is a just Restitution to the Creatures which having often beene abused by our intemperance and made to groane Romans 8. Rom. 8.22 we thus make them a kinde of satisfaction by our forbearance 6 Againe Fasting is an humble Confession unto Almighty GOD that as wee have offended the Bridegroome also With whom He hath given us all things Rom. 8. Rom. 8.32 So we acknowledge our selves most unworthy of any of His blessings most worthy with Him to have all things taken away 7 Againe Fasting is an holy Watching over our selves Watch and Pray is in a manner Matth. 26.41 Fast and Pray For as Watching is a conteining from sleep so is Fasting from meate both for the same end to tame the body Thence the ancient Vigills were I take it changed to Evening Fasts Sure I am * Monstrum libido sine gulâ cum duo haee tam unita atque concreta sint ut si dis jungi omninò potuissent ipsi prius ventri pudenda non adhaererent Specta corpus una regio est denique pro dispositione membrorum ordo vitiorum prior venter statim caetera saginae substracta lascivia est per edacitatem salacitas transit Tert. lib. de Iejun cap. 1. ad init Subest inguen ventri as one sayd For as * Semper juncta est Saturitati lascivia vicina sibi sunt venter genitalia pro membrorum ordine ordo vitiorum intelligitur S. August Serm. 65. de Tempore the bellie and the uncleane parts are linked together so are the sinnes of either Therefore the Apostle joyneth them Rom. 13. Rioting and Drunkennesse Chambering and wantonnesse Rom. 13.13 Philo. Iud. l. de