with a severe interdiction of the use of any other Prayers in those Administrations Bellarmine de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 16. argues for the necessity of the Observation of Rites indifferent when once commanded by the Church from the necessity of the Observation of Baptism in its self a thing indifferent after it was commanded by Christ. Some think this is not to Dispute but Blaspheme Nor is the Inference before mentioned of any other Complexion When it shall be made to appear that whatever it was lawful for the Lord Christ to do and to prescribe to his Church and Disciples in reference to the Worship of God the same or any thing of the like nature it is lawful for men to do under the pretence of their being invested with the Authority of the Church or any else whatever then some colour will be given to this Argument which being raised on the tottering suppositions before mentioned ends in that which seems to deserve an harder name then at present we shall affix unto it And this is the stare and condition wherein the Disciples of Christ were left by himself without the least intimation of any other impositions in the Worship of God to be laid upon them Not in any thing or by any act of his did he intimate the necessity or lawful use of any such Liturgies as these which we are enquiring after or prescribed and limitted Forms of Prayers or Praises to be used or read in the publick administration of Evangelical Institutions but indeed made provision rendring all such prescriptions useless and because they cannot be made use of but by rejection of the Provision by himself made unlawful CHAP. IV. Of the Worship of God by the Apostles No Liturgies used by them nor in the Churches of their plantation Argument from their practice Reasons pleaded for the use of Liturgies Disabilities of Church Officers for Gospel Administration to the edification of the Church Uniformity in the Worship of God The practice of the Apostles as to these pretences considered Of other Impositions The Rule given by the Apostles Of the Liturgies fulsly ascribed unto some of them OUr next enquiry is after the practise of the Apostles the best interpretation of the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ as to the Agenda of the Church or what he would have done therein in the Worship of God and how That one end of their being furnished with the Spirit of Christ was the right and due administration of his Ordinances in his Church to the edification of his Disciples I suppose will not be denied By vertue of his assistance and the gifts from him received they discharged this part of their duty accordingly That they used any Liturgies in the Church Worship wherein they went at any time before the Disciples cannot with any colour of proof be pretended The Scripture gives us an account of many of their Prayers of none that were a Repetition of a Form If any such were used by them how came the memory of them utterly to perish off the Earth Some indeed of the Ancients say that they used the Lords Prayer in the Consecration of the Eucharist which by others is denied being in its self improbable and the Testimonies weak that are produced in behalf of its Assertion But as hath been shewed the use of that Prayer no way concerns the present Question There are no more Christs but one to us there is one Lord Jesus Christ. For him who hath affirmed that it is likely they used Forms of Prayer and Homilies composed for them by Saint Peter I suppose he must fetch his Evidence out of the same Authors that he used who affirmed that Jesus Christ himself went up and down singing Mass. The practice then of the Apostles is not as far as I know by any sober and learned Persons controverted in this matter They administred the holy things of the Gospel by vertue of the holy Gifts they had received But they were Apostles The enquiry is what Directions and Commands they gave unto the Bishops or Pastors of the Churches which they planted that they might know how to behave themselves in the House and VVorship of God VVhatever they might do in the discharge of their duty by vertue of their extraordinary Gifts yet the case might be much otherwise with them who were intrusted with ordinary Ministerial Gifts onely But we do not find that they made any distinction in this matter between themselves and others For as the Care of all the Churches was on them the duties whereof they were to discharge by vertue of the Gifts they had received according to their Commission impowering them thereunto so to the Bishops of particular Churches they gave charge to attend unto the administration of the holy things in them by vertue of the Gifts they had received to that purpose according to the limits of their Commission And upon a supposition that the Apostles were enabled to discharge all Gospel Administrations to the edification of the Church by vertue of the Gifts they had received which those who were to come after them in the performance of the same Duties should not be enabled unto it cannot be imagined but that they would have provided a supply for that want and defect themselves and not have left the Church halt and maimed to the Cure of those men whose weakness and unfitness for the Duty was its Disease So then neither did the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ use any Liturgies in the sence spoken of in their administration of the Worship Instituted by him in his Church nor did they Prescribe or Command any such to the Churches or their Officers that were planted in them nor by any thing intimate the usefulness of any such Liturgy or Form of publick Worship as after Ages found out and used Thus far then is the Liberty given by Christ unto his Church preserved intire and the Request seems not immodest that is made for the Continuance of it When men cry to God for the Liberty in his Worship which was left unto them by Christ and his Apostles he will undoubtedly hear though their Fellow servants should be deaf to the like Requests made unto them And truly they must have a great Confidence in their own Wisdome and Sufficienty who will undertake to Appoint and Impose on others the Observation of things in the Worship of God which neither our Lord Jesus nor his Apostles did appoint or impose Two things are principally pretended as Grounds of the Imposition of publick Liturgies First The disability of the present Ministers of the Churches to Celebrate and administer the Ordinances of the Gospel to the honour of God and Edification of the Church without the use of them Secondly The great importance of Uniâ—ormity in the Worship of God not possibly to be attained but by vertue of this expedient I desire to know whether these Arguments did occur the consideration of the Apostles or no If they
Application of the Grace of Christ whereof they are Stewards to the Flocks committed to their Charge and that according to the especial state and condition of all especial wants which may any way be known unto them The way of their Application of this Grace lyes principally in the Administration of Gospel Ordinances Therein are they to declare unfold tender and apply the Grace of Christ according unto the wants of his Disciples the good of whose souls they watch for in particular These wants are very far from being the same and in the same degree in and unto every Congregation or unto any one Congregation at all times or unto all Persons in any Congregation which is easily discerned by a faithful and skilful Guide The especial Application then mentioned according to the Rule of the Gospel and special Addresses unto God in the Name of the Flock with respect to the especial wants of all or any of them belongs to that edification which Christ hath appointed for his Church Now how this duty can be attended unto in the observance of a prescribed Form of Liturgy from whence it is not lawful to digress is beyond my understanding to apprehend I confess men who scoffe at Edification and deride spiritual Gifts who thinks all Religion to consist in the Observation of some carnal Institution who neither know nor care to come to an acquaintance with the spiritual 〈◊〉 poor souls nor do tremble at the threatnings of Christ pointed against their negligence and ignorance Ezek. 34. 4. that suppose the whole Baptized World converted to God and Preaching its self on that account less necessary then formerly at the first Plantation of the Gospel that esteem the doubts and temptations of Believers as needless scruples and their sedulous endeavours to grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ labour lost in hypocrisie that perhaps do envy at and are troubled with the light and knowledge of the People of God and suppose they can discharge the Duty of the Ministry by a bare reading of the Service Book to their Parish by themselves or some Hired by them so to do without once enquiring into the spiritual Condition of them the care of whose souls they plead to be committed to them may think light of this Consideration but those who know the terrour of the Lord and any thing of their own Duty will be otherwise minded Yet farther There seems to be in the Imposition of a Liturgy to be used always as a Form in all Gospel Administrations an unwarrantable abridgement of their Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and therefore sin in the Imposition and Use of it For as it is a sin in others to abridge us of the Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so it is in us to give it up and not to suffer in our Testimony for it Now of that Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so far as it relates to the Worship of God there are two Parts First a freedome from those Paedagogical Institutions of God himself which by his own appointment were to continue onely to the time of Reformation Secondly A freedome from subjection to the Authority of men as to any new Impositions in or about the Worship of God 1 Cor. 7. 11. And the same Rule is given out as to our duty and deportment in reference unto both these Gal. 5 1. 1 Pet. 2. 16. Now not to stand fast in the Liberty for us purchased by Christ is not to have that esteem of it as a Priviledge given us by his Love as we ought to have not that sense of it as a duty enjoyned us by him which ought to be in us I say there is the same reason of both these in respect of Liberty As we are freed from Mosaical Institutions so that none can Impose the Observation of them upon us by vertue of their first Appointment so are we also from any succeeding Impositions of men Our Liberty equally respects the one and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Institutions such was the tenderness of the Holy Ghost and the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ by his directions and guidance that they would not no not for a season enjoyn the observance of any of them no not of those which put men on no positive Duties but were meer abridgements in point of some practises upon the Disciples of Christ but onely such whose observation for that season was made necessary by reason of scandals and offences before any such Imposition of theirs Acts 15. nor by a purity of reason if regard be had to their Example can there any abridgement be lawfully made of the Liberty of Christs Disciples by any Imposition of things of the later sort unless it be as to the Observation of some such things as are made necessary in case of scandal antecedent unto any such Imposition We grant then that there may be yea there ought de facto to be an abridgement made of our Liberty as to the performance of some things at some times which in general we are made free unto where that performance in the use and exercise of our Liberty would prove an hindrance unto Edification the great End whereunto all these things are subservient But then the case must be so stated antecedent to any Imposition First to Impose that which is not necessary and then to assert a Necessity of its Observation least Scandal should ensue is a Course that men are not directed unto by any Gospel Rule or Apostolical practise The sum is that abridgement of the Liberty of the Disciples of Christ by Impositions on them of things which he hath not appointed nor made necessary by Circumstances antecedent unto such Impositions are plain Usurpations upon the Consciences of the Disciples of Christ destructive of the Liberty which he hath purchased for them and which if it be their duty to walk according to Gospel Rule is sinful to submit unto That of this nature is the Imposition of a Liturgy contended about is evident It hath no Institution or Appointment by Jesus Christ it is wholly of Men there is nothing antecedent unto its Imposition that should make it Necessary to be Imposed a Necessity of its Observation is induced upon and by its Imposition which is directly destructive to our Liberty in Jesus Christ. The Necessity pretended from the insufficiency of Ministers for the discharge of that which is their proper Work hath in grea◠〈◊〉 been caused by this Imposition and where it hath not some mens sin is not to be made other mens punishment Reasons pleaded for the Imposition Opposed shall be elsewhere Considered FINIS
when it is enquired what the Church is that they intend there some are at a loss and would fain insinuate somewhat into our thoughts that they dare not openly assert and maintain The truth is the Church in this sense is the King or the King and Parliament by whose Advice he exerts his Legislitive Power By their Authority was the Liturgy Composed or it was Composed without Authority by their Authority it must be Imposed if it be Imposed what is or was done in the Preparation of it by others unto their judgement hath no more influence into the Authoritative imposition of it when the act of a Person learned in the Law drawing up a Bill for the Consideration of Parliament hath into its binding Law Power when confirmed In this sense we acknowledge the Power ordaining and imposing this Liturgy to be of God to be good and lawful to be obeyed unto the utmost extent of that Obedience which to man can be due and that upon the account of the Institution and Command of God himself But yet supposing the Liturgy to fall within the precincts and limits of that Obedience yet the observance and use of it being not Commanded of God is purely an act of Civil obedience and not Religious wherein the Conscience lies in no immediate subjection to Jesus Christ. It is of the same general nature with the honest discharge of the Office of a Constable and this seems in consistent with the nature of the Worship of God But whatever be the immediate imposing Power we have direction as to our duty in the last Injunction of our blessed Saviour to his Apostle Matth 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded In things which concern the Worship of God the commanding Power is Christ and his Command the adaequate Rule and Measure of our Obedience The Teaching Commanding and enjoynâ—ng of others to do and observe those Commands is the duty of those entrusted with Christs Authority under him Their Commission to Teach and Enjoyn and our Duty to Do and Observe have the same Rules the same Measure Bounds and Limits What they teach and enjoyn beyond what Christ hath Commanded they do it not by vertue of any Commission from him what we do beyond what he hath Commanded we do it not in obedience to him what they so teach they do it in their own Name not his what we so do we do in our own strength not his nor to his Glory The Answer of Bellarmine to that Argument of the Protestant Divines from this place against the Impositions of his Church is the most weak and frivolous that I think ever any Learned man was forced to make use of and yet where to find better will not easily occurre Our Lord Jesus Christ saith Go and teach men to do and observe whatever I have commanded you and so I am with you To which he subjoynes It is true but yet we are bound also to obey them that are set over us that is our Church Guides and so leaves the Argument as sufficiently discharged Now the whole Question is concerning what those Church Guides may teach and enjoyâ— whereunto we are to give Obedience which is here â—â—presly restrained to the thingâ— Commanded by Christ to which the Cardinal offers not one word The things our Saviour treats about are principally the Agenda of the Gospel things to be done and observed in the Worship of God Of these as was said he makes his own Command the adaequate Rule and Measure Teach men to observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all whatsoever I command in their so doing alone doth he promise his Presence with them that is to enable them unto the discharge of their duty He commands I say all that shall to the end of the World be called to serve him in the Work of the Gospel to teach In that Expression he compriseth their whole duty as their whole Authority is given them in this Commission In their Teaching indeed they are to command with all Authority and upon their non-obedience of men unto their teaching either by not receiving their word or by walking unworthy of it when it is received in the Profession of it he hath allotted them the course of their whole proceedings but still requiring that all be regulated by what they are originally commissionated and enabled to teach and command Let then the Imposition of a Liturgy be tryed by this Rule It was never by Christ Commanded to his Apostles cannot by any be taught as his Command and therefore men in the Teaching or Imposing of it have no promise of his Presence nor do they that observe it yield any obedience unto him therein This I am sure will be the Rule of Christs Enquiry at his great Visitation at the last Day the things which himself hath Commanded will be enquired after as to some mens Teachings and all mens Observation and those onely And I cannot but admire with what peace and satisfaction to their own Souls men can pretend to act as by Commission from Christ as the chief Administrators of his Gospel and Worship on the Earth and make it their whole business almost to teach men to do and observe what he never commanded and rigorously to enquire after and into the observation of their own commands whilest those of the Lord Jesus are openly neglected But let the Authority of men for Imposition be supposed to equal the fancy of any who through ignorance or interest are most devoted unto it when they come to put their Authority into execution commanding things in and about the Worship of God I desire to know by what Rule they are to proceed in their so doing All the actions of men are or ought to be Regular Good or evil they are as they answer to or dissent from their proper Rule The Rule in this matter must be the Word of God or their own Prudence Allow the former to be the Rule that is revealing what they ought to command and there is a total end of this Difference What a Rule the latter is like to prove is easie to Conjecture but there is no need of Conjectures where Experience interposeth The great Philosopher is blamed by some for inserting the determination of men Wise and Prudent into his definition of the Rule of Moral Vertue For they say that cannot be certainly known whose Rule and Measure is fluctuating and uncertain If there be ground for this Assertion in reference to Moral vertues whose Seed and Principles are in-laid in the nature of Man how much more is that Rule to be questioned when applied to things whose spring and foundation lies meerly in supernatural Revelation How various uncertain and tumultuating how roving this pretended Rule is like to prove how short it comes to any one single property of a sufficient Rule much more of all things that are necessary to compleat a Rule of Prorocecome in such cases were easie to demonstrate What good
and useful place that is like to obtain in the Worship of God which having its Rise in the Authority of man is framed by the Rule of the wisdome of man and so wholly resolved into his Will I may say will be one day judged and determined but that it is so already sufficiently in the Word of Truth CHAP. IX Argument Second Necessary use of the Liturgy exclusive of the use of the means appointed by Christ for the Edification of his Church WE proceed to some further Considerations upon the state of the Question before laid down and shall insist on some other Argument against the Imposition pleaded for We have spoken to the Authority Imposing our next Argument is taken from the Thing or Matter Imposed and the End of that Imposition An Humane Provision of means for the accomplishing of any End or Ends in the Worship of God for which Jesus Christ himself hath made and doth continue to make Provision to the exclusion of that Provision so by him made is not allowable About this Assertion I suppose we shall have no Contention To assert the Lawfulness of such Provisions is in the first instance to exalt the Wisdome and Authority of men above that of Christ and that in his own house This men will not nakedly and openly do though by just consequence it be done every day But we have secured our Proposition by the plainness of its terms against which no Exception can lye It remaineth then that we shew that the things mentioned in it and rejected as disallowable are directly applicable to the Imposition of Liturgies contended about That the Prescription of the Liturgy to be used as prescribed is the Provision of a means for the accomplishing of some Ends in the Worship of God the Judgement and the Practise of those who Contend for it do sufficiently declare Those Ends or this End to sum them up all in one is That the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ may be quickly administred and solemnized in the Church with decency and order unto the Edification of the Assemblies wherein it is used I suppose none will deny this to be the end intended in its Imposition it is so pleaded continually nor is there uny other that I know of assigned Now of the things mentioned it is the last that is the principal end namely the Edification of the Church which is aimed at for its own sake and so regulates the whole Procedure of meer mediums and those that are so mediums as also to be estemed subordinate ends Such are Decency and Order or Uniformity These have not their worth from themselves nor do they influence the intention of the Liturgists for their own sakes but as they tend unto Edification And this the Apostolical Rule expresly requireth 1 Cor. 14. The Prescription then of a Liturgy is a Provision for the right Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel uno the Edification of the Church This is its general nature and in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel consists the chief and main work of the Ministry That this Provision is Humane hath been before declared It was not made by Christ nor his Apostles but of men and by men was it made and Imposed on the Disciples of Christ. It remaineth then that we Consider whether Jesus Christ have not made provision for the same end and purpose namely that the Ordinances and Institutions of the Gospel may be administred to the edification of the Church Now this the Apostle expresly affirms Ephes. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men He gave some Pastors and Teachers for the perfection of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all came in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a pâ—rfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. The Lord Jesus who hath appointed the Office of the Ministry hath also provided sufficient furniture for the Persons called according to his mind to the discharge of that Office and the whole Duty of it That the administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel is the work of the Ministry I suppose will not be denied Now that this work of the Ministry may be discharged to the edification of his Body and that to the end of the World until all his People in every Generation are brought unto the Measure of Grace assigned unto them in this life is expresly affirmed He hath given Gifts for this end and purpose namely that the work of the Ministry may be performed to the edification of his Body To say that the Provision he hath made is not every way sufficient for the attaining of the End for which it was made by him or that he continueth not to make the same Provision that he did formerly are equally false equally blasphemous the one injurious to his Wisdome the other to his Truth both to his Love and Care of his Church For Decency and Uniformity in all his Churches the Lord Jesus also hath provided The Administration of the same specifical Ordinances in the Assemblies of his Disciples conveened according to his mind according to the same Rule of his Word by vertue of the same specifical Gifts of the Spirit by him bestowed on the Administrators of them constitutes the Uniformity that he requires and is acceptable unto him This was the Uniformity of the Apostolical Churches walking by the same Rule of Faith and Obedience and no other And this is all the Uniformity that is among the true Churches of Christ that are this day in the World To imagine that there should be an Uniformity in Words and Phrases of Speech and the like is an unpracticable Figment which never was obtained nor ever will be to the end of the World And when men by the invention of Rites and Orders began to depart from this Uniformity how far they were from falling into any other is notorious from that Discourse of Socrates on this matter lib. 5. cap. 21. For these then the Lord Christ hath made provision And where there is this Uniformity unto Edification let those things be attended unto which are requisite for the nature of Assembles meeting for such ends as Assemblies and all the Decency and Order which Christ requireth will ensue I suppose it will not be safe for any man to derogate from the sufficiency of this provision If any shall say That we see and find by experience that men called to be Ministers are not so enabled to the Work of the Ministry as by vertue of the Gifts they have received to admidister the Ordinancer of the Gospel unto the edification of the Church I shall desire them to Consider whether indeed such persons be