Jewish But in this as for the Synagogue-Discipline and Worship of the Jews I am prevented by what has been said before and the Parallel must have manifestly appear'd betwixt the Bishop Priest and Deacon and between the Chief of the Sanhedrim or Synagogue the Elders and their Ministerial Officers For as every City had its Consistory in that manner Officer'd with the Jews so had it with the Christians though with no Subordination to any other higher Court as at Jerusalem in as much as that Local Dependance was now abolish'd The Chief of the Consistory with the Jews was either the Prince or his Deputy the Father of the Assembly Now the Title of Prince was I suppose in the Christian Church every where appropriated to Christ and the Bishop was as the Father in whom the Principal Directive Power was lodged The other Elders were his Councellors and Assistants in the Governing and Teaching of the Assembly and the Deacons had the management of Affairs Execution of Orders and Distribution of Alms belonging to their part as is notoriously known Thus was a Christian Church govern'd conformably to the Synagogue as a Society it was likewise as a Congregation The Instruction and Exhortation belong'd to the Bishop or else by his leave to the Presbyters or it was perform'd by such other proper Person as the Bishop should appoint Likewise Prayers were said either by the Bishop or Presbyters or else by the Deacons For these last answering the Jewish Chazans directed the People in their Devotions either repeating the Prayers before them or calling upon them to hearken to those repeated by others and also either Read the holy Scriptures or assisted those who were to Read them Neither do the Elders of a Christian and a Jewish Church agree only so far but farther yet For as the Jewish Elders since the Destruction of Jerusalem have thought fit to assume to themselves much of the Sacerdotal Honour and Privilege so have the Christian succeeded into the like Dignity nay are call'd by the same Name as we have seen in Tertullian's expression (h) See Ch. 6. §. 1. The High Priest who is the Bishop and as he phrases it discoursing about those Hereticks who making little distinction between the People and the Church Officers committed Sacerdotal Offices to the Laiety i and as we may in general have collected even from the discretive Appellatives themselves of Laiety and Clergy But the Elders of the Christian Church derive not those their style and Privileges from the Calamities of Jerusalem and the Usurpation of the Rabbins nor are they esteem'd Priests in vertue of their Presbytery though the English word Priest happens to come by the French Prestre from the Latin Presbyter On the contrary by Original appointment a Christian Priest corresponds as directly to a Priest of the Jews as a Presbyter does to their Elder or rather to speak more generally the Bishops Priests and Deacons of the Gospel answer not more to the Officers of the Sanhedrim or Synagogue than they do to those of the Temple to the High Priest or as we conceive his Great Vicar to the Priests and to the Levites For this is not only intimated by the Sacerdotal Titles the Governours of the Church immemorially had as we learn'd from Tertullian but plainly declar'd by their Office and all along allow'd and own'd by more Antient Authors They having as hath appear'd an Eucharistical Sacrifice still remaining to be celebrated by them a Pure Offering to be offer'd in every place and every where Holy Tables or Altars erected for that Service And this is what St. Jerom has said much to our purpose in that Letter of his which has been often miscited to the Prejudice of Episcopacy (k) Ad Eâ—â—gâ— And says he that you may understand the Ecclesiastical Traditions to be deriv'd from the Old Testament we are to know what Aaron and his Sons were in the Temple that Bishops Priests and Deacons are to challenge to themselves in the Church This Remembrance of St. Jerome was we see well founded and is if I mistake not attested by the structure of an Antient Christian Church such of which we have been speaking before (l) Ch. 6. §. 1 3. For whereas the first four Partitions of it wherein the Laiety were dispos'd have been seen to answer to the four first Courts of the Temple beyond which none but those of the Tribe of Levi ordinarily could go there yet remain two other Partitions the places heretofore of our Clergy to answer to the two remaining Courts of the Priests and of the Altar For so that part E Fig. 2. of a Christian Church which is next beyond the Upper Place of the Faithful now call'd the Quire D and reaches to the Rails of the Altar space stil'd by the Western Church Presbyterium and by the Greek Solea m where the Readers are said to have had a place n corresponds aptly enough with the Court of the Temple where the Priests stood who were not actually on Duty and where the Doukans Desks of the Singers were likewise placed (o) Lightf T. Service Ch. 23. And then the Higher space F Fig. 2. inclosed with Rails or Lattice where the Lord's Table or Christian Altar G stands apparently agrees to the Court of the Altar in the Temple F. Fig. 1. which was fenc'd in like manner And possibly the rais'd Seat T behind the Altar as the Archiepiscopal Chair at Canterbury now is where the Bishop sat with the Chief of the Clergy on either side answer not only to the Seats of the Elders in a Synagogue (p) Ch. 6. §. 3. but to the Place where the High Priest stood compassed with his Brethren round about as a young Cedar in Libanus by the Palm Trees (q) Eccles 50.12 either at the Altar it self G Fig. 1. or in the Porch H which was as high and from whence after the Burning of the Incense the Blessing was pronounc'd (r) Iâ—â—juf Ib Ch. 36. Maim de Cult Diâ—â— Tract 6. Câ—p. 6. §. 4. And this concerning the Agreement of the upper part of a Church with the upper Courts of the Temple I have added on this Argument not so much to confirm the Sacerdotal Title of Christian Priests for that seems to be otherwise sufficiently secur'd as to complete the Parallel already begun in the sixth Chapter and by which a new account is offer'd of the Modelling of these Christian Aedifices I know Architects derive the Design of our Churches from the Fabricks of the Heathen Basilicae or Publick Halls (Å¿) Pallad lib. 4. c. 5. lib. 3. c. 19. the upper end of which was rais'd and had a Semicircle in which Governours and Judges sat for Audience having before them a Table as we may presume and a space separated and Raild in and beyond that without the Bar a place something lower where those stood who attended the Court the remaining and lowest part of the Hall being open to
several Kinds of Fasts Sect. II. Several Occasions of Fasting particularly Penitence and Baptism p. 20 Chap. III. Concerning the Fast before the Festival of the Resurrection Sect. I. The General Presumption for its Apostolical Antiquity Sect. II. A Particular Proof of it from Irenaeus Sect. III. The different Length of that Fast down to Irenaeus his time with some probably of 40 days p. 31 Chap. IV. The Practice of Fasting mentioned about the Year 200 by Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian Sect. I. The Weekly Fasts of Wednesday and Friday mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus Sect. II. Testimonies out of Tertullian concerning both the Weekly and Ante-Paschal Fasts Sect. III. Observations upon those Testimonies Some part of the Ante-Paschal Fast thought Necessary by the Catholicks of his time the rest Discretionary p. 46 Chap. V. Sect. I. A Testimony from Origen for the Devotion of Fridays and of the Paschal Season and thence to Whitsuntide Another from him but of Ruffinus his Transtation concerning the Fast of the Quadragesima or the Forty Season Sect. II. A distinct Account of the Passion-Week from Dionysius of Alexandria about the middle of the Third Century Sect. III. What were the first Paschal Solemnities mentioned by St. Cyprian and concerning the Passion-Week p. 70 Chap. VI. Sect. I. A mention of a Forty Days Fast by Peter of Alexandria before the Council of Nice Sect. II. Very probably they were the Days before Easter p. 88 Chap. VII Sect. I. Good-Friday and Days of solemn Fasting mentioned by Constantine Sect. II. The Forty Season expresly mentioned by the Council of Nice Sect. III. And that Forty Days are to be understood proved from St. Chrysostome p. 98 Chap. VIII Sect. I. This Forty Season particularly observed by the Candidates for Baptism Sect. II. And by Penitents p. 112 Chap. IX Sect. I. A Lent always and every where observed though not of Forty Days Sect. II. Mr. Daille 's Objections against it from Cassian Sect. III. From St. Jerome Sect. IV. From St. Chrysostome p. 122 Chap. X. Sect. I. Sozomen 's Account of the keeping of Lent in his Time about Ann. Chr. 440. Sect. II. What Additions have been made since Sect. III. Socrates his Account of the Practice of the same Age I suppose by the Novatians Sect. IV. His Wonder That Lents of differing Lengths should all of them be called the Forty Season Sect. V. The Conclusion p. 133 PART II. The Essay concerning its Original Preface p. 149 REPART I. That most of the Ancient Christian Ordinances were derived from the Jews Chap. I. or II. for so it is to be reckon'd hereafter by the error of the Press Sect. I. Not dishonourable for Christian Ordinances to be borrowed from the Jews and they generally were First such considered as are mentioned in Scripture as Sect. II. Baptism It was a Rite by which as well as by others Proselytes were admitted into Judaism Sect. III. Christian Baptism as expressed in the New Testament an Imitation of it p. 153 Chap. III. Sect. I. The Nature of the Paschal Sacrifice and the Description the Jewish Traditions give of that Supper Sect. II. Agreeable to the History in the Gospels of our Lord's Supper and to the Nature of it p. 167 Chap. IV. Sect. I. The Church of Christ succeeds to the Church of the Jews Sect. II. The Officers of the One rais'd from the Officers of the Other The Apostles of each Sect. III. And the Bishops Sect. IV. The Presbyters or Elders of the Jews Sect. V. The Christian Presbyters and their Power Sect. VI. The Ministerial Officers of the Jews Sect. VII Answered by our Deacons p. 175 Chap. V. Sect. I. The Excommunicates of the Jews and their Condition Sect. II. The Condition of Mourners among the Jews compared with that of the Excommunicate Sect. III. Their Excommunicates restrained from the Liberty not only of Civil Conversation but of Religious Communion Sect. IV. Excommunication mentioned in the New Testament as practis'd by the Jews and by Christians p. 209 Chap. VI. Sect. I. Circumstances relating to Baptism under Five Heads practis'd in the Church of Christ in the Second Century Sect. II. These all agreeable to Jewish Custom and First in General as to the Persons baptiz'd and Baptizing and the Solemn Time of Baptism Sect. III. In Particular Secondly as to the Distinction and Instruction of its Candidates Sect. IV. Thirdly As to the Action of Baptism Sect. V. Fourthly Its Confirmation Sect. VI. And Lastly the Sequel and Close of the whole Ceremony p. 236 Chap. VII Sect. I. Several Particulars practis'd in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by the Primitive Christians which vary'd from those of the Paschal Supper Sect. II. These speak Our Lord's Supper to have succeeded the Paschal in its general nature as a Memorial of Thanks Sect. III. The Description of a Jewish Offering of Praise and Thanks with the Feasting upon it Sect. IV. The Christian Eucharist answer'd to it and in what manner Sect. V. A Tradition of the Jews That in the days of the Messiah only the Eucharistical Sacrifice should remain p. 266 Chap. VIII Sect. I. The Distinction of Clergy and Laiety specified by Tertullian That of Bishops Priests and Deacons by Him Irenaeus also being his Leader for the Apostolical Authority of Bishops Sect. II. And by Ignatius as the other at least of the Laiety and Clergy by St. Clemens of Rome Sect. III. The First Distinction deriv'd from the Language of the Old Testament The Offices of the Second from those of the Jewish Sanhedrim and likewise of the Temple the Upper parts of our Churches being also suppos'd to answer the Temple Courts of the Priests and the Altar p. 291 Chap. IX Sect. I. The Sentence and Effects of Excommunication with Christians as with Jews and the Relaxation of it alike Sect. II. Their Agreement in the estimate of the Guilt of Sins and the appointments of Penance p. 318 Chap. X. Sect. I. A Parallel of Christian Rites mention'd by Tertullian and Sect. II. Of those Vsages mention'd by Origen particularly about Prayer 1. Disposition of Mind 2. Posture of Body 3. Direction of the Face Sect. III. 4. Times of Daily Prayer Sect. IV. 5. Matter and Method Sect. V. The Antient Order of Christian Prayer Sect. VI. And the Order of the Jewish Sect. VII Compar'd Sect. VIII A Parallel of some few other Usages p. 332 Chap. XI Sect. I. The Second Prejudice against a Jewish Origination of Lent from want of Authority in the Talmudical Writings Sect. II. Answer'd by shewing 1. That those Traditional Accounts were not without some Antient Foundation of their own Sect. III. Secondly That they are Confirm'd in many points by Collateral Evidence Sect. IV. And Thirdly That they were not borrow'd by the Jews from Foreign Authors Sect. V. The Third Prejudice against such an Origination from the Novelty of it Answer'd p. 364 REPART II. A Conjecture concerning the Original of Lent Chap. I. Our Easter kept for some time with the Jewish
Answer to them the Master tells the Story of the Miseries of their Fore-fathers using also the Words in Deuteronomy (h) Deut. 26.5 A Syrian ready to perish was my Father c. Upon this the Table was brought again and He taking the Paschal Lamb in his hands and Elevating it propos'd to himself the Question Why it was offer'd and gave the Reason And so he elevated severally both the bitter Herbs and the unleavened Bread and after all the several Reasons given he subjoin'd a Hymn Let us therefore celebrate praise extol him who has done so many and so great and such stupendous Wonders To Him let us sing Hellelujah Praise the LORD ye Servants of the LORD concluding so Thanks be to thee O GOD King of the World who didst redeem us and our Ancestors and hast brought us to this Night Here they all drank again in the same manner as at first and wash'd again likewise here again beginning their Supper For then he took two unleavened Cakes and dividing one he put one half of it over the other Cake the half Cake being as they say to remember them of their former Poverty and so said over the Bread a Blessing After he dipp'd a piece of the Cake with some of the bitter Herbs in the Sauce and eat having blessed God with a proper Prayer and distributing to the rest to eat likewise So with a proper Prayer they tasted of the Peace-Offering and with another of the Lamb and after they fed freely of what was before them Only each was bound at the close of the Supper to end with some of the Lamb eating the Quantity of an Olive at least as they now do with a piece of one of the half Cakes which they substitute in place of the Lamb. When they had done eating they wash'd their hands and each having a third Cup distributed to them the Master having said over it the Grace after Meat and it is term'd thence the Cup of Blessing they drank it off And then there was another the fourth Cup put into their hands and the Hymn being re-continued with its proper Conclusion they again thanking God for the Fruit of the Vine drank that also and after that no more that night it being now towards midnight and they being after this to meditate yet on their Paschal Deliverance Thus according to the Tradition of the Jews the Paschal Supper was celebrated while the Temple stood and ever since it has been kept much after the same manner though the Paschal Lamb has been wanting And possibly if I might be allow'd to interpose a Guess in this matter this Supper might have been observ'd as now it is without the Sacrifice even when the Temple was in being by such as after the first Dispersions by the Assyrian and Babylonian Kings continued afterwards in remote Parts and not being able to keep the Feast at Jerusalem by reason of their Distance were however willing to keep up the solemn Memorial of that great Deliverance in the best manner they cou'd and as it is now done § II. NOW to this Account the History of our Saviour's Paschal Supper agrees The Cup mention'd by St. Luke (i) Luk. 22.17 19 20. which he took before the Bread and giving thanks divided it amongst his Disciples seems to have been their first Cup and might be however their second And the Bread which after he had given thanks he brake and gave to them was the same they now so bless and distribute after the second Cup. And lastly the Cup after Supper the Cup of Blessing as it is call'd by St. Paul in express Terms (k) 1 Cor. 10.16 what should it be but what the Jews call by that name and with which they thank for the Meal the third Cup Neither because our Saviour says in St. Matthew (l) 26.29 after the Cup that he would not henceforth drink any more of the fruit of the vine will it therefore follow that he did not drink the fourth Cup. For the same Saying is put in St. Luke (m) Luke 22.18 before the first Cup and can there signifie no otherwise than in general and that after that Solemnity was wholly over he would not drink of it except we will suppose that what he gave to the Disciples he took not himself But however this may be the Gospel hath yet one farther Particular agreeable to the Description of the Jews That when they had supp'd they sung a Hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (n) Matth. 26.30 to meditate And it has besides been observ'd that our Saviour when he spoke the Bread to be his Body might have had a peculiar respect to that Phrase of the Body of the Lamb and could it be admitted that in those days as now an unleaven'd Cake was by any substituted for the Body of the Lamb It might then have been the easier understood to represent our Lord's Body These are the particular Correspondencies between the Paschal and the Lord's Supper and there was too another general one in their Nature as they were both of them to be Memorials of a former bloody Atonement Feasts of present Joy and Thanks but not without some afflictive Remembrance for the Past Here therefore it appears and from the Relation of the Scripture that our Lord thought fit to raise his other Sacrament likewise out of a Festival Commemoration the Jews were commanded to keep for their old Deliverance And hereafter it will appear further by the Construction the Primitive Church made that our Saviour in the Institution of his Feast did not consider only that single Annual Solemnity of theirs but their other more frequent Sacrificial Entertainments of Praise and Thanksgiving (o) See C. 7. of this Repartit CHAP IV. § I. The Church of Christ succeeds to the Church of the Jews § II. The Officers of the One rais'd from the Officers of the Other The Apostles of each § III. And the Bishops § IV. The Presbyters or Elders of the Jews § V. The Christian Presbyters and their Power § VI. The Ministerial Officers of the Jews § VII Answered by our Deacons THE Two Sacraments we see as they are described in the Scripture appear to have been transferr'd from the Old Testament to the New and by the one of them we are Admitted into the Christian Covenant and by the other we Recognize it Now those who were admitted into the Mosaical Covenant were admitted into a Body or Society and this Body had its Governours and Officers and whether the Christian Church were not a like Body and with like Officers we shall next inquire and from Scriptural Authority § I. And first It is plain that the Church of Christ comes into the place of the Congregation of Israel For it is known that the Word in the New Testament which we Translate Church is the same with that which stands in the Greek of the Old for the Congregation or Body of that
Elders have by Mr. Selden's Concession the Power of the Limited Elders of the Jews (f) De Syn. 2.7 â— and so in his Opinion they were only to Instruct and Direct by Expounding and Exhorting and to Bind and Loose by Decision of Cases of Conscience and pronouncing Lawful and Unlawful as in the First Council at Jerusalem And this Limitation he thinks proper because the Presbyters of the Jews we have seen had no power in criminal Causes if ordain'd out of Judea and in his Opinion even their other Authority out of their own Country and Dominion was only from the Agreement of their People and the connivence of Princes under whom they liv'd It were enough for my present Intent if the Christian Elders answer'd the Jewish but thus far But that they had a greater Authority given them the very Expressions of the Scripture seem to speak As Obey them that have Rule over you and submit your selves (g) Heb. 13.17 Those that are over you (h) 1 Thes 5.12 preside over you such who are over the Church so as to Rule it (i) 1 Tim. 5.17 as the Master of a Family is over his own Children and Rules his House (k) 4.4 Which Expressions though they may be strain'd by narrow Construction to signifie Teaching and Exhortation only yet they most naturally imply something of Coercion besides and that they were us'd always to connote in the Old Testament But the comparison St. Paul makes in the last place between a Family and a Church will hardly bear the restrain'd Interpretation unless the Paternal Power was abridg'd as well as the Presbyteral and was left to Instruct and Exhort only Now as the Words are ready to signifie a greater Power so such a one there was remaining to be signified that of Admitting into the Christian Communion suspending from it and ejecting out of it a Power which the Jewish Presbyters had and the Christian Society did not want as we shall presently find (l) Chap. 5. 9. Neither did even Capital or Civil Power cease to belong to Christian Presbyters for the reason given by Mr. Selden not because they were created out of Judeas for Christ's Kingdom was no longer confin'd to one Country and every Land was holy nor because no sort of Civil Power could be exercis'd in another Kingdom for such a Power might have demanded Obediences in Conscience though it could not have oblig'd it by armed Force But rather because the Kingdom in which they were Officers was not of this World was not to judge or divide Inheritances nor to entertain Legions for the Peace of its Government and Execution of its Sentences they being to conduct the Church to another Life and Authoriz'd to Rule over it and controul it by that Respect Though therefore the Christian Elder be not ordain'd to Temporal Power yet he succeeds to the Jewish Presbyter in his fullest Right not wanting that Power because he wants any thing of Proper Authority but because he is commission'd to act in another Sphere and above these lower concerns as our blessed Saviour's Authority abstracted from his Omnipotence was not less than that of the former Law-giver Moses though he was pleas'd to waive the Power of Life and Death And thus far we have consider'd the Christian Elders resembling the Jewish in respect of the Church as a Society in like manner they presided over it as an Assembly Appointing Directing and Governing their Meetings by Doctrine and by Censure as is well known and will appear further hereafter § VI. FROM this Agreement of the Jewish and Christian Church in the Superiour Officers we have reason to look for the same in the Lower which remains that of a Deacon In the Appointment before cited from Deuteronomy we are to remember That Officers are mention'd as well as Judges and these though acknowledg'd to be Rulers and Men of Authority a were yet of an inferiour rank and subservient to the Elders And accordingly Josephus stiles them Ministers or Under-Officers and speaks as if to every Court of Seven Elders there were in the earlier Days two of these â—â—â—â—â—ers appointed and out of the Tribe of Levt b This Ministerial Office seems to have consisted of several Imployments and of different Degrees whatever belongs to Sheriffs Protonotaries and Clerks of Courts to Marshals and Cryers Bayliffs and Executioners The business of it was to write the Orders of the Senate and to Proclaim and Execute them to send out Process to Summon Arrest and Punish And it is observable that the Rabbins (c) Seld. de Syn. 2 5 4. Maim Tract San. c. 1. §. 10. allot to every Consistory of Twenty Three two Scribes Attendant d and also two Under-Sheriffs or Executioners whom they call by the same Name they give to the Reader of their Prayers as we shall presently see a Name common heretofore to all Under-Officers in the head of whom were the Two Scribes mentioned therefore by Josephus more particularly Besides these Officers of Judicature there were others who had the charge of their Charity Now the Jews take themselves to be very strictly oblig'd to provide for the Necessitous of their Religion and to support them in some measure answerably to their Quality (e) Maim de Donis Paup cap. 7.3 For this purpose there are Collectors in every City deputed some who go about every day to gather Bread and Meat Collectors of the Basket Others commonly two and to whom a third is to be join'd in the Distribution who go about every Week to gather the Almes and if need be the Tax for the Poor (f) Ibid. c. 9. These were call'd Collectors from their Gathering and Parnasim f 2 or Pastors from their supporting and Maintaining a Word that signifies not only this Office but Government in general and might be said of Elders or any other Rulers Answerable to these Collectors of Cities there were in the Temple (g) Lightâ—oot's Temple Service Collectors too call'd Gizbarim and it may be observable that these were under seven others nam'd Immarcalim who had the Custody and Keys of the Sacred Treasury We have seen also (h) §. IV. that Seven good men of a City are particularly remember'd and though their imployment be not well ascertain'd yet it is plain that the Goods of the Community were under their Ordering The Officers now spoken of belong to their Civil Society for their Religious Assemblies there are others The ordinary Synagogue-Officer is known by the name of Chazan the same as I have said which they give to their Executioner This Name Epiphanius one not unacquainted with the Affairs of the Jews expresly renders by Minister i the very same word which Josephus had us'd to signify those Officers in Deuteronomy attendant upon the Judges This is their Praecentor who under the Higher Rulers the Elders now the Rabbins takes care of the Service of the Synagogue Says Prayers shews the Lessons calls and directs those who
not well otherwise to be understood but some of its chief Institutions are known to be derived thence For as before many of the Mosaick Rites were unquestionably design'd to presignifie our Saviour so some of them were afterwards taken into his Service always to minister unto him not admitted only for the present out of condescension to the Native or Proselyte Jews of whom then the greatest Number of Converts consisted but some formally adopted and others laudably continued for Perpetuity This has in part been already copiously demonstrated by many very Learned Writers and if any thing shall chance to be added by me I offer it with all submission And indeed it would not be pertinent to my Business to pretend in this Matter to any new Discoveries who am rather now by such Observations as are well Agreed and Received to try to favour another Guess I am by and by to advance But besides to be honest to the Reader and withal to put him out of any fear I am here to profess That I pretend not to the Depths of the Talmudical Learning nor intend to engage him in it having never dug in the dark Mine my self but only seen something of that which has been brought above ground by others and exposed to common Use either in the Translations of the Misnah or of Maimonides for of him I have not read much more than is in Latin or in the Works of modern Authors The Reader therefore will be pleased to go on and see how much of the Christian Appointments appears to have been copied from the Jewish And here he will presently find it agreed by all That the Two Sacraments were taken thence That the Weekly Observation of the Lord's Day was in Imitation of their Sabbath That the Discipline of the Christian Church came from the Jewish And that the Apostles Presbyters and Deacons were Officers after their Model But besides these Principal Ordinances which are expressed in the New Testament he will find too That many Circumstances which in the second Age attended those Ordinances were likewise Jewish as well as many other Vnscriptural Customs which are known to have been in use in those Days I shall first consider the Scriptural Vsages and afterwards those which are remembred in the next Age And the Scriptural I take by themselves both because of the Authority for their Practice and of the Consent for their Derivation though in the expounding of the Jewish Customs for the first I may happen to join what belongs to the later sort to avoid hereafter unnecessary Repetition § II. AND to begin with Baptism This was with the Jews a Sacramental Rite whereby those who were converted from Heathenism were initiated into their Religion A Rite little practised among them now for they have had a long while but very few Converts and such People as they tell us (a) Mâ—iâ—â— Issure Biaâ— c. 13. §. 14 18. ex Ed. Dom. Prideaux Oxon 1679. were always suspected by them as apt to Apostatize and draw away others as it happened in their Opinion in the Matter of the Golden Calf and at Kibroth Hattaavah For these Reasons it may be the Jewish Traditionaries have not been very particular on this Subject neither hath Maimonides treated of it by it self and expresly but occasionally only in a Treatise of Prohibited Marriages There he tells us (b) Issure Biah c. 13. §. 1. That the Admission of a Convert was made by these Three Steps First If he was a Male by Circumcision Then By Baptism And Last of all By Sacrifice First He that offered to become a Jew was examined by them concerning the Cause of his Conversion whether it was Religious and had some Part of the Law especially propos'd to him that of the Vnity of God and of the Crime of Idolatry and if he professed himself willing to adhere to it they circumcised him (c) Ibid. 14 15. Then after some convenient time they proceeded to baptize him This was to be done in the Presence and by the Authority of Three at least as Commissioners for the Action They stood over him when he was in the Water and again interrogated him proposing some of the harder and some of the easier Precepts of the Law and if he persisted in his former Resolution of taking upon him its Obedience they baptized him (d) c. 14. §. 6. Thus were Grown Persons baptized upon their own Engagements and Children too were admitted to the same Favour by the permission of the Consistory their Fathers or three others instead of a Father undertaking for them (e) c. 13. § 7. Lightfoot vol. 2. p. 118. And now by Virtue of this his Baptism he is taken out of the number of the Gentiles (f) Iss Bi. c. 13. §. 17. and ceases to have any Kindred upon the account of his natural Birth so much that as they say if his Mother should turn Jew also he may marry her by the Letter of Moses his Law though by the Decretals of the Canon Law he was bound to observe the prohibited Degrees on the Mother's side (g) Ibid. 14.12 13. So was the Proselyre held to be as an Infant then new born (h) 14.11 and to have become an Israelire to be in a state of Sanctity (i) 14.14 and under the Wings of the Divine Majesty (k) 13.4 So absolutely are they understood to be render'd Israelites now by this Baptism only but heretofore when their Temple was up the Proselytes were not reckon'd to be fully Holy nor to have lodg'd themselves perfectly under the Wings of God's Majesty until they were further admitted to his Worship by Sacrifice This Sacrifice is said to have been a Burnt-Offering either out of the Fold or else of two Turtles or two young Pigeons for an Atonement (l) 13.5 For he was it seems in the condition of those Israelites who when they were free from their Uncleanness and had wash'd wanted still an Atonement for their complete Purification that they might be able to partake of the Sacrifices (m) Maimon ex Interpr Lud. deVeil Lib. de Sacr. Tract 5. c. 1. §. 1 2. Only in this he differ'd that he wanted no Sin-Offering as they did because the Sins of his former State were already entirely remitted by his Baptismal Regeneration And to this I suppose I may add under the favour of the instance which follows and upon which they ground the Proselyting method that the Proselyte was like a Leper wash'd and wanting the Atonement himself Sprinkled and Purify'd by the Blood of his Offering And lastly according to the same Pattern I am just going to mention there was commonly after the Burnt-Offering (n) Mai. ibid. item Interprete eodem de Cultu Divino Ir. 5. c. 1. §. 6. a Peace-Offering presented that when he was in the Morning by the one made capable of partaking of the Sacrifices he might exercise that capacity in the Afternoon and by the
from Ephesus were admonished to take care of the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops (o) Acts 20.28 And the Presbyter of whose Ordination St. Paul speaks to Titus is in the next Verse save one stil'd Bishop (p) Tit. 1.5 7. We see therefore that the New Testament has not only taken the Name from the Old but the largeness of its signification too which is all at present I am concern'd to observe Tho' I presume this Word as well as Apostle had now a peculiar Office of which it was properly spoke and to which in the next Age it is known to have been always determin'd (q) See Ch. VIII § IV. THE next that follows for so I take leave to place in the Christian Church what some would set in equal rank is the Presbyter or Elder This Word in the Greek of the Septuagint is known answerably to the Hebrew to signifie not only a Man of Years but Authority as Words of the like import have always done in Ancient and Modern Languages a So the Steward of Abraham's House stil'd by our Translators the eldest Servant of his House who rul'd over all that he had (b) Gen. 24.2 is suppos'd to be call'd by those Interpreters the Presbyter or Elder of his House c In that Sense we have the Elders of Pharaoh's House and of the Land of Aegypt (d) Gen. 50.7 And when it is said Hezekiah took Counsel with his Princes and his mighty Men (e) 2 Chr. 32.3 in the Septuagint it is with his Presbyters and mighty Men. And in like manner by the Presbyters or Elders of the People of Israel Princes and great ones of them are understood at large (f) Num. 11.16 of which the greatest and chief were the Twelve Heads or Princes of the Tribes Of such Elders or Governours there were Seventy we know appointed by Moses at the command of God (g) Num. 11.16 17. to bear part of the burden of the Magistracy with him and to be a Council unto him endow'd therefore with a Communication of the Spirit Of this great standing Council known afterwards by the Name of the Sanhedrim the Jewish Tradition speaks very copiously and though the Scripture says nothing of any Superiority amongst those Seventy yet they tell us expresly what otherwise we must have presum'd That one of them was President of this Council and Vicegerent to Moses the Prince Such a Council as this they say sat at Jerusalem in after Ages and govern'd the whole People consisting of a Chief and Prince for that is the signification of Nasi in the place of Moses and of Seventy more one of whom was the Vicegerent of that Chief or Prince call'd by them the Father of the Council Besides this Sovereign Court sitting in the Temple there were also Inferiour Provincial Consistories according to the appointment of God in these words Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all the Gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee (h) Deut. 16.18 And whereas the number of these Judges or Elders is here left undetermin'd Josephus repeating the same Injunction directs them to be Seven (i) Archaeol 4.8 supposing I presume that they were so many in the times near to Moses But the Traditionary Jews will have them in every great City to have been twenty three they too as I also presume speaking from the practice of some later times Of these twenty three they tell us One was stil'd also the Nasi or Prince the Chief of that Tribe or Place and another likewise was his Vicegerent call'd also the Father of that Consistory And the like distinction we may suppose to have been between Josephus his Seven and that Two of them were a Chief and a Deputy and the other Five ordinary Elders These were the Consistories of great Cities but in lesser Districts there was as the Rabbins tell us a Magistracy or Presbytery of Three which Judg'd in lesser Matters And further it seems k there are those who sometimes go by the Name of Elders but whose chief business is to take care of the Goods of the Commnnity and whose Authority extends only to causes of voluntary Jurisdiction and these are call'd the Seven good Men of the place retaining the number though not the Power of Josephus his Magistrates The Talmudists who have been silent concerning Apostles and Bishops are very particular as we may perceive concerning Presbyters and pretend to give us a punctual account of their Creation and Office as we may see at large in Mr. Selden (l) De Syn. l. 2. c. 4 5 6. And an Abstract of what is further necessary here follows out of that very Learned Gentleman's copious Collections on this Subject These Presbyters then were of two sorts the One had a Full and the other a Limited Authority (m) Seld. de Syn. lib. 2. cap. 7. An Elder of the first kind was capable of being call'd up to the Courts of great Cities and Provinces having Authority not only to expound the Law and to resolve Cases of Consciences but to Judge in all Causes both Criminal and Civil And these were call'd Rabbi The other the Limited Elders were either such as had Power to be of one of the inferiour Consistories of Three in lesser Districts and to Judge only of Pecuniary Causes or such who were not capable of Jurisdiction and could only expound the Law or else who were not qualified to direct in the whole Law but were confin'd to particular Cases To this Office of Eldership they were ordain'd by Imposition of Hands with Words signifying the Authority committed or else by Letter-Patent or Missive And every Presbyter of the first sort was they say permitted to Ordain at first but afterwards it was not to be done but by Three and not without the leave of the Prince or Chief or by the Chief and his Vicegerent together Now there are three things concerning these Presbyters which Mr. Selden particularly remarks and which we will not therefore forget but remember as occasion shall offer The first is That no Presbyter with full Power could be Ordain'd by any out of the Holy Land for from that place only Authority in Criminal Causes could proceed and thence only a Faculty could be given that would be good thorough the whole World Whereas those whom the Head of the Captivity himself ordain'd out of that Country had Jurisdiction in none but Pecuniary Causes and were call'd only Mar or Rab and those who were ordain'd by others had Jurisdiction only in the District where they were ordained (n) Seld. Ibid. cap. 7. §. 5. Accordingly as Buxtorf observes (n2) Buxt Syn. I. 46. The Jews of Spain and the Levant do not honour themselves with the stile of Mar or Rab being content to be call'd the Disciples of the Learn'd though in Germany they make bold with those Titles and promote with the old Formality where too they have an
order of Rabbins above the ordinary Rabbins who preside over them and are as the Princes or Fathers of the Consistory heretofore Secondly As the Talmudists tell us there Presbyters were indifferently of any Tribe neither was it necessary that they should be of the Tribe of Levi who compos'd the great Consistory of Jerusalem (o) Seld. Ibid. cap. 7. §. 5. though that Consistory in their opinion govern'd even in the Temple and over all that officiated there (p) Ibid. cap. 8. cap. 15. §. 12 c. And the Truth is according to the Modern Traditions those of the Tribe of Levi were not so absolute in the Temple nor of that consideration out of the Temple as they seem to have been by the Scripture and by Josephus And now at this time though the Priests receive sometimes some little due for the Redemption of the First-Born and are call'd before others to Read the Law and are preferr'd to give the Solemn Blessing in the Synagogues and to say Grace at Meals yet for the rest they are as common Israelites and under the Jurisdiction of the Rabbins For these Rabbins have order'd the Matter so that they are reputed to Represent the Priests and to succeed into their Sacerdotal Right claiming therefore to be free from Taxes and from Watch and Ward to have the Prevendition or Pre-emption in the Market and to have their Causes first dispatch'd in Courts of Justices (q) Leo de Mod. Cere des Juifs S. 12.3 Buxt Syn. J. 46. Maim Tal. Tor. cap. 6. 〈◊〉 10. And this possibly came to pass not only from the superseding of the main part of the Priestly Function by the Destruction of the Temple and from the ceasing of their Tithes and other Dues by the banishment of the People from their own Country but also from the great destruction that must have been â—ufâ—er'd by the Tribe of Levi in those cruel Devastations made by Tites and Adrian of the Holy Land and City in which places the Levites had their Residence and Imployment and which they would be sure to defend most zealously Whereas many other Jews liv'd at the same time dispers'd in remote Provinces escaping the War and its fury For then when very few Priests remain'd and those of all Jews durst least own themselves and when they were debarr'd from the Execution of that Office by which they had been so honourably distinguish'd no wonder if the other Tribes took the advantage and as it happens amongst Rival Offices encroach'd and usurp'd upon them And if any of the Rest were to deliver down the Law which the Priest's Lips had been us'd to preserve as Rabbi Juda took upon him the Office He as Holy as he was might comply so far with Modern Usurpation as to record it with the Traditions from Mount Sina And lastly We are all along bid to observe that these Presbyters and Rulers were Civil Magistrates who had the Government of the Common-Wealth and by that Title controul'd the High-Priests themselves (r) Ibid. l. 3. c. 8.11 an observation we need not dissemble if we are at the same time allow'd to remember that God Himself was the Supreme Governour of that Common-Wealth that even its Civil Laws were enacted by Him and therefore that the Judges of that Law were Sacred Officers and of a Policy that was Divine Hitherto these Elders have been chiefly consider'd as Administrators of their Civil Policy they had too the direct Administration of all their Worship that was not Sacrificial directing its Services and appointing its Officers Whereas therefore in a great City the Nasi or his Vicegerent and even the Presbyters in a larger Sense were the Archisynagogi Rulers or Heads of the Synagogue as it meant the Body or Community of the City So they were also Rulers of the Synagogue or Synagogues of that City as they were Congregations for Worship And where there were many Synagogues as there were in those Cities the same were Rulers over all of them though by their appointment and in their Name to particular Synagogues particular Presbyters and sometimes possibly of Limited Power might be especially deputed to take care of them § V. SUCH were the Elders of Jewish Common-wealth and Church and correspondent in some manner to these are the Christian Presbyters in the New Testament And first those properly call'd Apostles are stil'd Elders as representing the Twelve Princes of the Tribes who were the first and great Elders of Israel So St. Peter stiles himself a Fellow-Elder (a) 1 Pet. 5.1 and so the Appellation of Elders seems in one place of the Acts (b) Acts 11 3â— to comprehend the Apostles also Next there are Elders distinct from the Apostles those mention'd often in the Acts just after them The Apostles and Elders (c) Act 15.2 4 6. And these because there is no mention made before of their Creation as there is of the Deacons may be presum'd to be the Seventy whom our Saviour had ordain'd according to the Number of the Consistory erected by Moses and then continued at Jerusalem And if these were Seventy Elders then St. James the Bishop of Jerusalem may be suppos'd to have been the President of them and if not the Prince for that honour they might leave to our Saviour always reputed as present with them yet the Vicegerent of the Prince and Father of the Council of the Seventy to which the other Apostles had join'd themselves in the manner of Assistants Extraordinary and as the High Priests and Princes of the Tribes had I suppose us'd to have an extraordinary Place in the Consistory of their Sanhedrim We find too that in all the considerable Cities where the Apostles founded Churches they Ordain'd Elders as Barnabas and Paul are recorded (d) Acts 14.23 to have done in Derbe Lystra Iconium and Antioch What was the number of these we are not told nor what Superiority there might be amongst them and in these circumstances also they answer to their Predecessors the Presbyters or Judges of Israel of whom as we have seen the Scripture has only said Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Gates not expressing the number of those Provincial Judges nor distinguishing between the Prince or his Vicegerent and the rest of them The number I presume of our Christian Elders was various in various Places Where there were many one of them was appointed to be their Chief and Father of the Consistory if we will be guided in our Opinion by the very early uniform Practice of the next Age (e) Chap. VIII and where there was but one he too in probability was a Presbyter of that rank and had Authority to assume to himself Colleagues as the occasions of the Church should require And in this Supposition these Fathers Presbyters are those who are properly to be called Bishops in the determin'd sense of the Word as all Presbyters might be in the larger acception of it These Christian
All as there was commonly before it a Portico and a Piazza Such Rooms as these Private Men also built in Great Houses and being Christians might lend to the use of Christian Assemblies whence as they say it afterwards came that Churches were built in the same fashion retaining also the Name Basilicae Now that those Halls might have sometimes and somewhere serv'd to that use and were very convenient for it may be granted but as one cannot think that the Form of such a Hall gave occasion to the several Ranks and Offices of Christians so neither to the Building which was to be suited to them I should rather suppose that the Congruity of those two sorts of Aedifices was accidental and that the name came from the similitude t There are indeed others who take the Modules of our Churches from the Jews but either from their Synagogues or from the Temple House consisting of the H Fig. 1. Porch the Holy I and the Holy of Holies K Whereas the Synagogue goes but half way and neither now has nor ever pretended to an Altar and the Altar of Incense and Table of Shewbread which were in the House were we know in the Outer Part and not in the inmost the Holy of Holies It appears therefore that the Temple as it consisted of its several Courts was rather the Pattern which the Christians follow'd for the Place of their Worship For as for the House as it might before have been an Imitation of the Heavens the Holy of Holies representing the Third Heaven so now it might be suppos'd to be no longer on Earth but chang'd into that not made with Hands into which the High Priest was now enter'd with his own Blood as the Author to the Hebrews observes (u) Hebr. 9.11 12 24. We all in the mean time waiting without in expectation of his Return and until that his coming again by his particular Command continuing to celebrate the Joyful Memorial of that Sacrifice with which he Appears now in the presence of God for us But to return to my Argument whatever may become of the Conjecture concerning the Figure of our Churches this is certain by the express Declaration of the Scripture (x) See Repart 2. Ch. 2. §. 2. that our Saviour Christ is the High Priest of our Profession and in the Opinion of the Primitive Church all the several Bishops seem to have been as so many Sagans or Vicars of that High Priest officiating at their several Altars with equal and among themselves independant Authority y Under His Direction the Presbyters are as Priests assisting that their Vice High Priest in their several Stations and the Deacons as Levites attend and administer unto them So are our Bishops Representatives of our Saviour either as he is our Prince or our Priest his Deputies both in the Synagogue and in the Temple And thus as the Fathers of the Consistories with the Jews the Presidents under the Princes might have been properly enough stil'd by the Title signifying a Bishop or Superintendent So we actually know that the Vice High Priest whom now the Jews call Sagan was heretofore in the Old Testament express'd by that very name (z) See Chap. 4. §. 3. § 1. b One Part of the Distinction the Laici are specified in the place last cited and the other the Clerus containing the Ordines Ecclesiastici iâ— as expresly and familiarly mention'd in his Book de Monog cap. 12. occurring very often in the compass of a few lines § 2. d St. Peter argues in the same manner 1. 5. 5. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mandatum it may be in the sense of the Civil Law and the Deacons here to be understood as Mandataries or Agents for such they were to the Bishops Const. Apost 2.28 and such Proctors the High Priest had whom the Jews call Entelers or Antalars from the Greek as may be seen at large in Seld. de Synedr 2.10.7 h According to Mr. Dodwell Dissert 2. Cap. 6. § 24. Libr. Posth Cestriens Episc Pearsonii i Clem. Rom. Ep. ad Cor. § 40 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 3. i Tertull. De Praeser Haer. Cap. 41. hodie Presbyter qui cras Laicus nam Laicis munera Sacerdotalia injungunt m The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. was the Place where the Communion was distributed to the Laiety and from the Lord's Body being there on that occasion Goar would have it call'd Solium as others from the Seat of the Emperour but Du Fresne seems to have given a more probable Original of the word Constant Chr. libr. 3. cap. 73. Solea says he à Solo Pavimento Editiori quippe apud Italos quicquid supra Pavimentum tantisper eminet Soglia dicitur uti apud Francos Seuil But Solea it self in Latin may possibly answer the signification and that place which is a little higher than the Quire may be reputed the Basis of the Bema its Solea or Crepida as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Solea in Festus by Materia Roborea supra quam Paries Cratitius extruitur not to mention that this place might be call'd Solea as that in the Amphitheaters next the Arena was call'd Podium n This Solea is said by Sim. Thessal to be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goar Euch. pag. 18. t The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribunal by which the Altar-space is call'd and the Cancelli and Vails or Curtains by which it was separated from the rest of the Church and also the Candles and Book upon the Table may indeed concur to strengthen the Opinion I have oppos'd But it may be consider'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self in that fence may well come from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that therefore the Jews may be suppos'd to have us'd their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more willingly and that the Christians took it from them And so we know that though the Cancelli and Veiles were us'd to inclose the Apartment of Secular Governours yet Veils were us'd in the House of God and that these Cancelli divided the Court of the Altar from that of the Priests And lastly whereas it is true that the Furniture of the Table of the Praefecti Praetorio was a Book of his Office standing up between Candles on each side as it is design'd in the Notitia Imp. of Pancirollus it is also to be observ'd that this Civil State was deriv'd from sacred Eastern Usage that Candles were burnt before God in one part of the House and the Law lodg'd in the other and accordingly in the Jewish Synagogues their Repository of the Law has those Canâ—les before it and when the Law is brought out to be read it is placed on a Table that has a Cloth over it Buxt Syn. Cap. 14. and that therefore our Christian Altar instead of Fire which it needed not might have those Lights continually burning
Sun is going to Rise for then they began their Morning Sacrifice (d) M. De Cult Dio. Tract 6. c. 1. §. 2. to Ten of the Clock (e) De Prec 3.1 and at those they all assist in the Synagogue if they are not extraordinarily hinder'd before they do any other Business Their Evening Prayer may be said any time from half an hour past one but ordinarily from half an hour past Three till Sun-set (f) Ibid. §. 2 3 4. in any of which hours the Daily Evening Sacrifice might have been offer'd (g) Cult 6.1.3 Besides these two Daily Duties of Prayer Commanded them they have taken upon themselves to perform another in the Night and in any hour of it (h) Prec 3.6 7. after the example of those Parts of the Sacrifices which were usually then Burning And possibly because those Parts were not to be put on the Altar after Midnight (i) C. Div. 6.1.5 though they might continue afterwards to Burn it might thence seem most fit in strictness at least to begin the Night Prayers at that time as it was also the fittest hour being at equal distance from the Last of the Evening Office and First of the Morning an hour too the far greater part of the Christian World would therefore also be more likely to observe because it had been with them the Beginning of their Sacred and Civil Day as we have learn'd heretofore from Pliny (k) See Part 1. Ch. 2. lit k. Such are the constant Prayers of the whole People of Israel Thrice every day On their Sabbaths and other Holy-Days as they had Additional Sacrifices to be offer'd between those of the Morning and the Evening so in their place there are Additional Prayers to be said after the Morning and before the Evening Prayer but regularly not after One in the Afternoon (l) Maim de Prec 3.5 Now this Duty though it obliged the Generality only on those Peculiar Days yet it was every day repeated by the Representatives of the whole People the Stationary (m) See Part 1. Ch. 2. lit g. Men both in the Temple and Distant Synagogues and was attended with a solemn Blessing (n) Maim de Cultu Div. 2.6.4 And if we suppose it to be done by them at a Fixt time no hour could be more proper for it than that of the Mid-day a Cardinal time and equidistant from those two of the Sun-rising and Sun-set about which times the same Blessing was likewise pronounc'd (o) Maim de Prec 14.1 And lastly to all this said on the occasion of Origen's assignation of time I may add in reference to the Antient Christian Prayers made when they began to Light Candles and call'd thence Lucernary that there was such an office with the Jews likewise call'd the Close from the shutting up of the Day and its Service a kind of Completory us'd by all of them on their Propitiation Day and by the Stationary Men on every day but the Sabbath Eve at what time the Priests gave the Blessing also as has been but now observ'd § IV. The Matter and Method of Prayer is the Last thing this Antient Writer considers and he directs it to consist first of Doxology or Giving Glory and Praise Secondly Of Returning Thanks Thirdly Of Confession of Sins with Supplication for Grace and Pardon Fourthly Of Intercession for greater Favours and lastly to conclude with a Doxology again (a) Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 134. It is too observable that where St. Paul exhorts that Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgiving be made for all men (b) 1 Tim. 2.1 our Author distinguishes the three first sorts of Prayers in this manner a Supplication he understands to be an Humbler Petition begging the Relief of our Necessities Prayer strictly so called to be an Address to God speaking his Glory and without Dejection of Mind Desiring his Favour and Intercession to be that which is made with yet a greater Degree of Assurance and Holy Confidence c Now as this latter Explication may interpret what he means in the third and fourth Member of the matter of Prayer so it gives a sense to the Apostles words which may make those four sorts of Prayer made for our selves and others to agree with the four sorts of Sacrifices us'd to be offer'd for that purpose For so Supplication answers a Sacrifice for Sins or Trespasses by the Remission of which Relief was to be procur'd Prayer the Burnt-Offerings which were chiefly meant to God's Honour and also besought his Favour Intercession the Peace-Offerings which were join'd with Requests put up with some kind of Communication and Familiarity and lastly Thanksgivings agree plainly with the Sacrifices of that Name The Constituent Parts of Prayer are no doubt very rightly assign'd by Origen but as for the Order and Method of them it seems by his expression to be rather what he thought fit for private Composure than what was observ'd in the service of the Church or even in our Lord's Prayer upon which he there Comments For our surer information therefore on this subject it may be best to have recourse to other Authors § V. NOW the Offices of Publick Devotion for the Lord's Day Morning are summarily represented by Justin Martyr a as perform'd in this Order that first they Read the Scriptures of both Testaments the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets that then there was an Exhortation made that after they Rose up and Prayed and lastly that they made the Oblation and Receiv'd the Eucharist This is that Apologists short account to the Emperour that the Heathens might know in general how Innocently the Christian Assemblies were imploy'd Tertullian b from another Occasion accidentally falls upon a very cursory mention of the former of the same Offices interposing another remembring the Reading of the Scriptures the Singing of Psalms the making of a Discourse and the Putting up of Prayers And this Office of Psalmody though for brevity omitted by Justin yet questionless was as antient as the other and is too recounted by the Author of the Apostolick Constitutions in the same method after the Lections and before the Sermon (c) Lib. 2. Cap. 54. He also in a following Chapter (d) Cap. 57. gives a larger description of the whole Service after this manner A Reader first is directed standing in the Ambo or Desk to read some Lessons out of the Old Testament Another then chants the Psalms of David the People also chanting in their Turns after Lessons follow out of the Acts and Epistles then the Gospel is read by a Priest or a Deacon all standing and afterwards the Exhortation is made by the Priests and the Bishop This being done and the Catechumens c. dismiss'd the Faithful turning towards the East join in Prayer and then after that the Oblation began and other Prayers were made and lastly the Eucharist was celebrated So do these Constitutions giving a true account of
are now read by the Greeks without any interposition are call'd by them sittings a as also the Laudatory Hymns in the Greek Church us'd at Morning Prayer which is thence call'd the Lauds by the Latin seem to have been plac'd there after the same Example As to the Lections the Christians have the variety of the Jews for as these read in the Morning out of their Misna and Doctors and the Prophets and the Law so had we our Lessons also out of Vnscriptural Authors and the Old Testament and the Epistles and the Gospells And herein the Gospel with us answered plainly to their Law For though we read the Gospel before the solemn Prayers and they the Law after and in this order only we differ yet the Lection was made with us in the like Solemnity the People standing up and before and after Blessing and Praising God as the Book is also in the Greek Church even at Morning Prayer carried about with great Solemnity and Kiss'd by the People After this Lection and Psalmody or Psalmody and Lection for they were always somewhat intermixt with the Exhortation if any was made and after the Hearers and Catechumens were dismiss'd by the Christians and at the same time I suppose they were dismiss'd by the Jews when they had any our Creed and their Shema come together and then in either Church the Prayers properly so call'd And lastly these on certain days of the Week are clos'd with the Litany by both Thus the ordinary Morning Services answer one another and so also does our Communion Service strictly taken answer their Additional coming at the end of all in a distinct Office For in a Greek Liturgy for Example both the Psalmody and Lections and Creed and the first Prayers are known to be nothing else but an abbreviated repetition of the Morning Office as the Jews too shorten theirs on their Festivals and then after that as with us of England after the Prayer for Christ's Church the Office of the Eucharist begins the Celebration of the Additional Christian Sacrifice § VIII THUS much concerning the Agreement in the Method and Order of Prayers other particular correspondences may be observed of which I shall note but a few leaving such as are more obvious to the Readers own reflections And first it may be remark'd in the Greek Liturgy that when any new Action is enter'd upon in any part of the Service it is begun with a Benediction of God a in like manner as the Jews use to do And secondly in the preparation to the more solemn Prayers at the putting on of the Habits in which the Priest is to Officiate appropriate Benedictions are said and one of them as at the putting on of the Girdle much the same with that the Jews use b Thirdly As our Collects conclude generally with the Laud and Honour of God so do Theirs Fourthly The Triumphal Hymn as it is call'd in the Greek Church c Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. is always solemnly said by their Chazan with the third Collect of their Daily Prayers Fifthly And whereas when those words are pronounc'd the Jews with an Exulting Gesture are us'd to Lift up not their Eyes only but their whole Bodies and to Leap up thrice (d) B. Syn. Jud. 10. at that Trine Hallowing for so they call it of God the same Custom appears to have obtain'd among the Primitive Christians at a like Prayer at the latter end of which they are all reported e to have join'd in with their Voices lifting up their Heads and Hands to Heaven and together raising their Feet as if they would have follow'd their Prayers towards the Spiritual Essence and ascended up in Body as well as in Mind Sixthly Further that antient form of our Thanksgiving which follows these words in the Communion Service Let us give thanks to our Lord God with its special Causes sometimes assign'd seems to be conceiv'd after the Pattern of the Jews Eucharistical Collect the First of the last three Seventhly and lastly Their Kadish or larger Hymn of Glory may answer to our Angelic one at the end of our English Communion Glory to be to God on High on Earth c. Many such Correspondencies may be found between the solemn Devotions of the Synagogue and of the Church of Christ and had we any sufficient account of the Prayers that were daily said in the Temple by the Priests and Levites as we have now notice of little more than what is perform'd in the Synagogue by the People and one of them their Deputy I question not but that our Antient Liturgies would be found to come much nearer to their Rites IT is known that the Orarium (f) Gear ad Chrys Missam numero 9 no. of the Deacons in the Antient Church was but the same with the Sudarium with which the Sign was given in the Temple (g) Maim de Cult Div. Tract 6. Cap. 6. §. 7. and it may be observ'd that as a Priest in the Greek Church begins many Actions from the Admonition of the Deacon b so did the Priests heretofore from the like Remembrances of some lower Assistant i In the Temple also only it was that the Proper name of God Jehova might be pronounc'd (k) Maim de Prec 14.10 and when they tell us that it was ten times pronounc'd by the High Priest on the Day of Expiation they let us also know (l) Maim De Cult Div. 8.2.7 that the Priests and People in their several Courts every time they heard it spoke out fell down upon their knees with their Faces to the ground and cry'd out Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for Ever and Ever And from that Custom the Reverence us'd to the name of Jesus may have come it being the Appropriate name of our Blessed Lord a Name as the Apostle says (m) Phil. 2.9 10. above every Name even above the name Jehova so much glorified under the Old Covenant and by which the Father would be hereafter Honour'd So the Christians might bow at the mention of that Name in imitation of the like practice of the Jews and to that Practice the Apostle may be well thought to allude when he says that at the Name of Jesus every knee of every Place henceforth should bow every Tongue also Confessing for in the Obeysance of the Temple the Tongue also had its part that Jesus is the Lord and King and all this still to the Glory of God the Father And thus have I at last concluded this incidental Discourse concerning the Derivation of Christian Ordinances from the Jews much indeed too prolix in regard to my first design though possibly not too long in respect to the importance of the subject it self and which might easily have been enlarg'd yet further But although the Answer to one Objection has increas'd so enormously yet the other Two may have a quicker Dispatch and shall take up only one Chapter more §
the consideration of our Saviour's and the Mercy of his Expiation more sensibly Ador'd in the consideration of those Sins whose Pardon we implore For that Double Reason and with this Double Duty has Good Friday been always observ'd Nor will the Devout Practice be blam'd by any Regular Church or Christian Regular I say not speaking of those who will not keep the Day because the Papists do for by the same reason they may refuse to keep Sunday or because it is injoin'd to the Prejudice they say of their Christian Liberty for so they may refuse to yield to an Argument because it convinces them § III. NOW these two Great Duties when they are once fix'd upon their proper Day which they will fully imploy will also require that we should come in some measure Fit for so weighty an Office and should be Prepar'd in a more than Ordinary manner for the Extraordinary Performance For according to the Supposition I now us'd were we to celebrate the Anniversary of our Lord's Passion only and with no respect to our Sins since our Baptism yet we should come upon the solemn Day too Rashly and Unworthily if we did not appoint some others to go before it and usher it in and should seem to have too low thoughts of the sacred Mystery if we did not take care to rise up to the high Consideration by the steps and ascents of some previous Meditations To the keeping of the Great Memorial rightly such Preparatory Remembrances would be wanting that we may bring to it a fuller and livelier Perception of the Mercies of God in Christ may the better comprehend with all Saints the Dimensions of that surpassing inestimable Love may more profoundly Adore more gratefully Thank and more zealously Devote our selves and our Service having before-hand endeavour'd to Confirm and Actuate our Faith to Raise and Quicken our Hope and to Oblige and Inflame our Charity But such a Preparatory Season is still more needful for the other the Penitential part that we should afore begin to Recollect our past Transgressions to Reflect upon their Guilt and to dispose our Minds to an Abhorrence of them that we should beseech God humbly for his Grace to promote this Holy Work should review our Baptismal Covenant bewail its Breaches and Repair them by Confession to God and Restitution to Men Renewing our Vows and Mortifying our Lusts and recovering and improving our virtuous Habits against that Friday when we are solemnly to appear in the Divine Presence Contrite and truly sorrowful for our Sins stedfastly resolv'd to Forsake them and as much as in us lies Qualified for their Pardon Thus would a Preparation have been Necessary to either of those Two Offices Apart but much more justly will they expect it when join'd together when we are to be Provided both fitly to Contemplate the Mystery and effectually to be Benefited by its Expiation For these Holy and Important purposes Lent is instituted a solemn and large space of time to be Religiously imploy'd by each private Christian at his Discretion as the condition of his Soul shall require and the circumstances of his Worldly Affairs permit Accordingly the First Day of it gives Warning of the then distant Propitiation Day and calls us early to our Duty actually entring us on the Godly Work by Reflection on our Sins and Acknowledgment of Divine Justice by Fasting and Prayer and engaging us to go on and to make use of the following Intermediate Season for the perfecting our Repentance and for our Increase in the Knowledge of the Cross of Christ that Wisdom and Power of God A notice very necessary to those who want a solemn Monitor and which by the Grace of God may some time or other serve to Awaken and Reclaim them but always Acceptable and Welcome to the Good Christian who the more sensible he is of his own Offences and of the Mercy of God in Christ the more ready he will be to comply with the Advice and the more glad of the occasion Some days therefore of those many that follow are presum'd to be set apart for such Preparatory Thoughts and Actions Wednesdays we may suppose and Fridays those Weekly Passion Days when also Opportunities of Publick Devotion are every where presented and in our Great City Exhortations likewise and Instructions are administer'd by the Wife and Pious Order of the present Diocesan But the last Week is more particularly Dedicated to this Office and then the Church expects its devout Members daily to appear before God together to meditate on the Passion of their Lord and with Penitent Hearts and earnest Resolutions of Dying likewise unto Sin to Attend thenceforth upon him to his Cross and wait till his Resurrection and also Directs us to pass the time not in such Rigorous Austerities as unprofitably afflict the Body but in such an Abstinence from divertive Pleasures and even from common Liberties of Food and Pursuits of Business as may speak our Thoughts and Affections to be otherwise imploy'd and freeing them from Avocation and Distraction may Cherish and Improve them By this Orderly and Natural Method we are design'd to be brought at last to the Memorial of our Expiation with such a sence of our Sins and of the Mercy of our Suffering Saviour as may procure from God the Pardon of what is Past and his Grace and Assistance for the Future that the following Years may have reason to bless those Forty Days and still successively advancing may every Lent find Fewer and Lighter Sins to Confess and be still more ready to Lament them This is the Innocent and Godly Intention of that Time which those of us who Understand will certainly Commend and those who Commend should take care to Pursue FINIS Books Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1. INstitutiones Grammaticae Anglo-Saxonica Meso-Gothicae Aâ—ctore Georgio Hicksio Ecclesiae Anglicanae Presbytero 4 to 2. Christ Wasit Senarius five de Legibus Litentia veterum Poetarum 4 to 3. Misna Pars Ordims primi Jeraim titul Septem Latine vertit Commentario illustravit Gulielmus Guistâ—â—s Accedit Mosis Maimonidis Praesatio Edvardo Pocockio Interprete 4 to 4. Joannis Antiocheni Cognomento Mallalae Hist Chronica è M.S. Bibliothecae Bodleianae Praemittitur Dissertatio de Authore Per Humph. Hodium D. D. 8 vo 5. Bishop Overal's Convocation-Book 1606. concerning the Government of God's Catholick Church and the Kingdoms of the whole World 4 to 6. True Conduct of Persons of Quality Translated out of French 8 vo 7. A Treatise relating to the Worship of God divided into Six Sections Concerning First The Nature of Divine Worship Secondly The peculiar Object of Worship Thirdly The true Worshippers of God Fourthly Assistance requisite to Worship Fifthly The Place of Worship Sixthly The solemn Time of Worship By John Templer D. D. 8 vo 8. A Defence of revealed Religion in six Sermons upon Romans 1.16 wherein it is clearly and plainly