informed concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy self also walkest orderly and keepest the Law As touching the Gentiles which believe we have vvritten and concluded that they observe no such thing save only that they keep themselves from things offered to Idols and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication Then Paul took the men and the next day purifying himself with them enter'd into the Temple c. The Christian Iews were permitted a while to retain the Mosaical observances though not really obligatory in the force of a Law and Command after the death of Messiah And S. Paul himself upon certain motives doth at this time conform for their satisfaction Act. 16.3 as he before circumcised Timothy because of the Jews which were in those quarters And though this was not urged on the Gentiles practise upon the score of their Christianity who were never under the obligation of the Mosaical Law yet we find also certain things enjoyned them too by way of complyance with the Jews among whom they lived and to avoid offence which otherwise were not imposed by a Divine Command As touching the Gentiles which believe we have written and concluded c. The speech referrs to that Solemn Decree before passed in that first Christian Council we read of Acts 15. Act. 15. where these matters are called necessary things though not under any Divine Command or Institution as to the Gentiles v. 29. abstaining from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from strangled from vvhich if you keep your selves ye shall do well Necessary viz. for the satis faction of the Jews and necessary too to be observed Act. 16.4 because then appointed and ordained so to be in that Council there assembled viz. so long as the ground and occasion should continue for we find S. Paul aftervvards granting liberty in certain cases 1 Cor. 10.25 27. to partake without scruple of things offered unto Idols Evident it is to name one particular more that the first Christians as that custom continued long in the East did use to assemble on the Sabbath day as well as the first day of the week and therefore neither did they fast on the Sabbath our Saturdy for the festivity of the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Phil. Sabbatum nunquam nisi in Fascha jejunandum Tertull de jejun except that only before Easter as Ignatius and Tertullian tell us Not that they kept their Sabbath with a Jewish rigour as to the Rest of it but yet as a day separate for their Christian conventions And there are of the Learned who refer that of S. James spoken in the Councilâ— at Jerusalem to the Christian Assemblies Act. 15.21 where Moses is said to be read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day But I will not enlarge this matter farther A second instance may be that holy kiss or kiss of peace observed in the Christian Assemblies and so frequently recommended to practise in the Apostolical Epistles Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 2 Cor. 13.12 1 Thes 5.26 1 S. Pet. 1.14 Salute one another with an holy kiss Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss Greet ye one another with a kiss of Charity It being the manner then to part with benedictions and mutual wishes of Charity they expressed as much by this significant Ceremony of salutation Quae oratio cum divortio sancti osculi integra Osculum pacis quod est signaculum orationis Tertul. de orat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Apol. 2. Facilè crediderim jam ab aetate Apostolorum coenae administrationi conjunctum osculum fuisse Calv. in 1 Cor. 16.20 Osculum frequens ac pervulgatum benevolentiae symbolum fuisse apud Judaes passim ex Scripturis liquet apud Romanos minùs fortè usitatum neque tamen insolens erat in motem transiit apud veteres ut Christiani ance coenae communicationem se mutuò oscularentur ad testandam eo signo amicitiam deinde eleemosynas conferrent ut id quod repraesentaverant osculo re quoqua effectu comprobatent Id. in Rom. 16.16 prout citatur in expos Ecclesiast Tertullian therefore calls it the Sâ—al of Prayer and Justin Martyr describing their Church-meetings saith when we have made an end of Prayers we salute one another with a kiss And Calvin himself thinks it was used at or before the celebration of the Supper from the age of the Apostles Now this was certainly a common token of Love and Benevolence familiarly in use adopted into the service of Religion and that without any special command from God A Third instance may be given in those Love-feasts or feasts of Charity which were wont to accompany the holy Communion in which Feasts at the cost and charge of the rich there was entertainment for the poor also and the whole design was to signifie and preserve Christian love St. Jude St. Jude v. 12. mentions these by their name 2 Pet. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St. Peter in like manner points to the same however mistaken and mis-translated in several Versions both taxing the corrupt Gnostiques as spots and blemishes in their Feasts of Charity when they feasted with them feeding without fear i. e. luxuriously And the phrase of breaking bread in the New Testament is thought by some learned men to referr to this whole Feast and not only the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and the Lord's Supper mentioned by S. Paul 2 Cor. 11.20 is to be understood also for the whole feast including both the Agape and the Eucharist being immediately joyned together And the whole design of the Apostle there is to reprove the abuses crept into this Observance so contrary to the nature and end of it For whereas these Love-feasts were a degree of imitation of that more fervent and abundant charity in the first Christians whereby they had all things in common Act. 2. for which yet they received no Divine Command and the poor were no less welcom to and regarded at them than the rich among the Corinthians they began to degenerate quite into another thing from the parties and factions made among them St. Paul therefore endeavours to rectifie these abuses which afterwards grew to such an height as occasioned the total abrogation of these Feasts themselves in the Church the offerings then usually brought being more advantageously disposed into a common bank for the poor and distressed But that these Feasts were allowed of as well as practised in the Apostles times cannot reasonably be disputed And it seems part of the Office whereto the seven Deacons were first appointed to make this provision as well as to relieve the poor othervvise out of the stock of the Church from the offerings that vvere brought nothing being more aptly understood by their serving tables Act. 6.2 than providing for the poor this Table at the Feasts of Charity A Fourth instance may be given from St.
in that their persecuted estate and wilderness-condition they yet did as they were able set apart certain places as peculiar for their common meeting together to serve God in Intimations we find of this in Sacred Scripture as well as Ecclesiastical writings Acts 11.26 Acts 11.26 For an vvhole year they assembled themselves with the Church the Margin hath it more rightly in the Church and taught much people and the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch They assembled together constantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ecclesiâ as both the Vulgar-Latin and Beza render it i. e. in the Church the place appointed for religious meetings and assemblies Here then we have a Local Church as early as the very name of Christians Again 1 Cor. 11.18 1 Cor. 11.18 20. When ye come together in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place of Religious Assemblies for so he afterwards adds When ye come together into one place and opposeth it unto their own houses verse 4. What have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God i. e. the house of God St. Austin is express for this sense Ecclesia dicitur Locus quo Ecclesia congregatur Hanc vocari etiam ipsam domum orationum idem Apostolus testis est ubi ait Nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum bibendum Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis Quast super Levit. l. 3. c. 57. Hoc quotidianus loquendi usus obtinuit ut ad Ecclesiam prodire aut ad Ecclesiam confugere non dicatur nisi quod ad locum ipsum parietesque prodierit vel confugerit quibus Ecclesiae congregatio continetur id ibid. The place saith he wherein the Church is gathered together the Meeting-place in the Brethren's Dialect is call'd the Church even the house of prayers The Apostle counts their own houses the proper place for ordinary and common repasts and not the Church or house of God So therefore he speaks afterward If any man hunger let him eat at home And thus also Theophylact interprets the vvord Church in this place of the Apostle Nunquid domos videlicet Si aliis cibum communicare renuitis eur non domi vescimini Aut Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis Cum enim Dominicam coenam in privatam conver titis in Ecclesia scorsum edentes Loco ipsi inscrtis injuriam Theophylact in 1 Cor. 11.22 If saith he you you refuse to communicate meat unto others why eat you not at home for vvhen you convert the Lords Supper into a private meal eating apart in the Church you do injurie to the very place See Mr. Mede of Churches Now this Church of God as a Learned man conjectures was 't is likely Some capable and convenient room within the walls and dvvellings of some pious disciple dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner to the use of the Church and that usually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an upper Room such as the Latins call coenaculum being according to their manner of building as the most large and capacious of any other so likewise the most retired freest from disturbance and next to Heaven as having no room above it Such places we read more than once they made choice of Acts 10.9 St. Peter went up to the house-top to pray Such is thought to be the room wherein the Apostles and Disciples after our B. Saviour's Ascension assembled together daily for Prayer and Supplication and where being thus assembled the Holy Ghost came down upon them in cloven tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost and there goes a tradition in the Church that this was the room wherein our B. Saviour before his passion celebrated the Passover and instituted his Mystical Supper and the same place where on the day of his Resurrection he came and stood among his Disciples and appeared again unto them the Sunday after and the place where James the Brother of our Lord was created by the Apostles Bishop of Jerusalem where the seven Deacons were elected and ordained vvhere the Apostles and Elders of the Church had their first Council for deciding the question about the believing Gentiles circumcision and for certain as Learned Mr. Mede proceeds the place of this coenaculum was afterward enclosed with a goodly Church known by the name of the Church of Sion and 't is call'd by St. Cyril who was Bishop of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The upper Church of the Apostles and if this saith he were so why may I not think that this coenaculum Sion was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that house whereof we read concerning the first Christian Society at Jerusalem Act. 2.46 That they continued daily in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the house not as we read it house by house and eat their meat vvith gladness and singleness of heart The meaning being That when they had performed their devotions daily in the Temple at the accustomed times of prayer there they used to resort immediately to this Coenaculum and there having celebrated the mystical banquet of the H. Eucharist took their ordinary and necessary repast with gladness and singleness of heart Such a place an upper room 't is evident it was where the Disciples at Troas came together Act. 20.7 on the first day of the week to break bread where St. Paul preached unto them and whence Eutychius being overcome with sleep sitting in the window fell down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the third story Acts 28.22 And such a place seems that of the Churches assembly at Caesarea to which St. Paul vvent up descendit Casarcam ascendit in domum Christianorum i. e. Ecclesiam salutavit eos abit Antiochiam Lud. de Dien 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saluted the Church The Etâ—iopic Translator so understood it as Lüd de Dieu observes thus rendring the words He vvent dovvn to Caesarea and vvent up into the house of the Christians i. e. the Church and saluted them and went to Antioch And to this same purpose of places appropriate to the first Christian's-Assemblies may be interpreted those peculiar characters given by the Apostle to some in his Salutations Salute Nymphas and the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col 4.15 at his house So To Philemon Philem. 1.2 our dearly beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to the Church in thy house So Rom. 16.3 5. Greet Prisscilla and Aquila likevvise the Church that is in their house And sending salutatitions from them to Corinth 1 Cor. 16.29 Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the Church that is in their house Where the Church at or in such and such a one's house may be rather understood of the congregation of Christians vvont to assemble there than of their ovvn particular families for othervvise vvhy should this be singularly mention'd in the Salutations of some and not of
respect of writing the Gospel for there is none that thinketh the office of preaching to be either extraordinary or temporal p. 118. As for Prophets if you mean in respect of the gift of telling things to come such as Agabus was then be they temporal but if you mean Prophets in respect of their dexterity and readiness of expounding Scriptures such as Simeon Lucius Manaen and Saul Act. 13.15 1 Cor. 14. likewise such as Judas and Silas and such as the Apostle St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 14. I see no cause why the Calling should be extraordinary or the office and gift temporal except you have a liberty to make temporal and perpetual ordinary and extraordinary what you please But seeing you would have all things proved by Scripture I pray you prove this that you have said either of the Apostles Evangelists or Prophets by the Scripture seeing you teach that of them which seemeth to be contrary unto Scripture And when T. C. replyes This passeth all the Divinity that ever I read that there are now Apostles T. C. p. 41. Sect. 1. Evangelist and Prophets You shall assuredly do marvels if you prove that as you say you will if any deny it I deny it prove you it The Arch-Bishop answers thus Then have you not read much Divinity p. 229.230 for if it be true that the Apostle St. Paul in the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians doth make a perfect platform of a Church and a full rehearsal of the offices therein contained as you say he doth then can I not understand how you can make those offices rather temporal than the office of the Pastors and Doctors And forasmuch as you greatly contemn Authority and would have all things proved by Scripture let me hear one word of the same that doth but insinuate these offices to be temporal The place it self seemeth to import a continuance of these functions unto the coming of Christ for he saith Ephes 4. He therefore gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the ministry c. until we all meet together in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto à perfect man and unto the measure of the age and fulness of Christ I am perswaded that you cannot shew any like place which doth so plainly import the abrogating of them as this doth make for their continuance I have beside that place to the Ephesians the twelfth of the first to the Corinthians and the fourteenth where he speaketh of Prophets as of perpetual ministers in Christ's Church I know saith he that there were certain things in the Apostles which were proper unto themselves as their calling which was immediately from God p. 231. although Matthias was not immediately called by God as it appeareth Act. 1. neither can you prove by Scripture that Barnabas was so call'd but the contrary rather doth appear Acts 11. and yet he was an Apostle their commission to go into the whole world c. but to preach the Word of God in places where need requireth or to govern Churches already planted I see no cause why it should not be perpetual Likewise the office of Evangelist if it be taken for writing of the Gospel then it is ceased being fully perfected and accomplished but if it be taken for preaching the Gospel plainly and simply as Bullinger thinketh or generally Bull. in 4. ad Ephes Musc Tit. de Verb. minist in Loc. com for preaching the Gospel as Musculus supposeth in which sense also Paul said to Timothy 2. Tim. 4. Do the work of an Evangelist or for preaching more fervently or zealously than other as Bucer saith Bucer in 4. ad Ephes then I see no cause at all why it may not still remain in the Church Moreover Prophets if they be taken for such as have the gift of foreshewing things to come then be they not in all times of the Church but if they be such as St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 14 such I say as have an especial gift in interpreting the Scriptures whether it be in expounding the mysteries thereof to be learned or in declaring the true sense thereof to the people I understand not why it is not as perpetual as the Pastor or Doctor Thus you see that I have both Scripture and Reason on my side and to the end that you perceive that I am not destitute of the consent also of Learned men in this matter I will set down the opinions of one or two Ambrose upon these words ad Eph. 4. Ambrose Et ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos c. saith thus The Apostles are Bishops Prophets be interpreters of the Scriptures Although in the beginning there were Prophets as Agabus and the four Virgins Prophetesses as it is in the Acts of the Apostles yet now Interpreters be called Prophets Evangelists be Deacons as Philip for although they be no Priests yet may they preach the Gospel without a chair as both Stephen and Philip before-named Bucer Bucer upon the same same place saith that there be Evangelists now T. C. and you your self fol. 42. confess that Hus Jerome of Prague Luther Zuinglius c. were Evangelists Peter Martyr Peter Martyr in his Commentaries upon 12. to the Romans saith that the Apostle there describeth those functions and gifts which are at all times necessary for the Church and in that place the Apostle mentioneth prophesying Mr. Calvin Calvin in his Institut cap. 8. doth confess that God hath stirred up Apostles and Evangelists since that time of the Primitive Church and that he hath done so likewise even now in this time Mr. Bullinger Bullinger upon 4. Ephes saith that the words be confounded and that an Apostle is also call'd a Prophet a Doctor an Evangelist a Minister a Bishop and a Bishop an Evangelist and Prophet c. To be short It is thus written in the Confession of the Churches in Helvetia Confess Helvet The Ministers of the New Testament be call'd by sundry names for they are called Apostles Prophets Evangelists Bishops c. And speaking of Prophets it saith The Prophets in time past foreseeing things to come were call'd Seers who are expounders of the Scriptures also as some be even now a dayes Evangelists were writers of the History of the Gospel and preachers also of the glad tidings of Christ his Gospel as Paul bid Timothy do the work of an Evangelist c. So that to say there are in the Church Apostles Prophets and Evangelists in such sense as I have deelared is no strange Divinity to such as be Divines indeed But enough of this distinction 'till we again meet with it Let us hear the Catechist of Ordinary Officers Q. 23. Who are the ordinary Officers or Ministers of Christ in the Church Catec p. 12◠to be