Act. 5. what a fearfull judgement was shewn upon Ananias and his Wife for withdrawing part of that he had devoted to the use of the Church That they may fear who are so hardy as to commit greater Sacriledge in taking to their private use what others have applied to the service of the Church And shall I speak the Result of my Thoughts secretly enquiring what might be the Cause wherefore it should please God to suffer the Church of Rome to continue in so powerfull condition notwithstanding all the Errors and profanations taught and practised therein I saw reason wherefore God whose way is in the Sanctuary Ps. 77. 13. secret but holy and just should for the sins and carelesnesse of Christians turning his grace into wantonness suffer after 600 yeares knowledge of his Truth many Errors to enter and prevail generally over the Church and make the word of truth more precious to the end that they which were approved might be manifest 1 Cor. 11. And wherefore he should for the divisions and cares of Christians suffer the Vanity of Mahumetan superstition to gain ground upon the Christian Territories to the punishment of many and the trial of those that were constant But that after it pleased him to make the light of the Gospel break out and the truth appear in the Reformation he should suffer the Church of Rome with all her detected Errors which from the Sixt age of Christianity had prevailed still to continue in power and glory as to the greater part of what it possessed besides that generall reason the lives of Protestants too much unanswerable to the Truth and light God had opened unto them I can finde no speciall one unlesse it be the guilt of sacriledge in most protestant Churches tumultuarily reformed casting out Bishops invading their Office and seizing upon the revenues of their Churches Thus to the dishonour and prejudice of Gods Truth making it a part of their Reformation to cast out that which the Catholick Church had alwayes carefully observed and was yet commendably reteined in the Church of Rome Had the Reformation every where as it did in England reteined the Ancient prayers and form of Liturgy the ancient Government by Bishops and not laid hands on the meanes of the Church the Dagon of Romish Error would every where have faln before it If the prevailing of Sects to the disturbance of this Church be objected against the Regular reformation of it We acknowledge God is just and how now covered the face of this Church with a Cloud in his his Anger and for our sins chiefly who should have kept the charge of his Sanctuary and his holy things We are ready to receive the charge of any Personall failings or neglects in the use of our power Office performance of our Duties according to our severall stations yet let them know they had not sufficient Authority to make Reformation of Personal Abuses but if through our sides they strike as they doe at the Power Office and Function it self and because they conceive us unworthy of the meanes applyed to the Church will therefore take it to themselves let them fear what will follow and what can follow but confusion both from the boundlesse course of Error finding no stay when once it has past the due limits and from the usuall Course of Gods justice punishing deceitfull men with their own pretences feares and delusions For when once the spirit of Error has forsaken the Rule and broken the bounds of lawfull Government which held all together has raised so many humors and impowred so many sects what one way right or wrong can be agreed on setled established It is not imaginable without changing of the Errors and destructive Principles upon which the discord is raised and continued And what can be the end or Issue suitable to such proceedings and to the just judgement of God but that after there has been Levelling upon Levelling and every sect has had its course to the punishment of this sinfull unthankfull Nation we should be exposed to the danger of some forrein power that will impose new Lawes and another Religion upon this people if a more generall humiliation doe not prevent it I doe not mean a Fasting for strife as they did Isa. 58. 4. we have had too much of that already to the greater provocation of Almighty God but a real true repentance in turning every man from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands as the Ninivites did Jon. 3. 8. It was the Pretence or fear of the Scribes and Pharisees gathered together in their great Councel against Christ Venient Romani if they should suffer him and his doctrine the Romans would come and take away their place and nation Jo. 11. 48. and therefore God in his just judgement did punish them as he threatned Isa. 66. 4. in chusing their delusions and bringing their feares upon them the Romans did come and therefore come and tooke away their Place and Nation because they tooke away Christ and opposed his Gospell and to make the easier way for the Romans to come in severall factions as Iosephus tells us prevailing amongst them ceased not in the mean time to destroy one the other So it was the pretence and this fear was put into the people that if the Church of England and the Governours thereof were suffered to goe on Venient Romani the Romish Religion or Popery would come in and by this fear or jealousy the People were raised against their superiours as the people were then against Christ When as indeed by their pulling down what formerly was well established and by destroying one what the other builds they make fair way for the Romish Religion or the Alcoran or Atheism to come in over their Ruines or through the many breaches made by severall Sects If the Teares and prayers of the obedient Sons of this Church and of those that would live peaceably in the Land doe not prevent it by averting Gods just wrath and procuring a restauration to this Church that it may be a praise again upon Earth There is hope and comfort in the next verse Isa. 66. 5. to them that tremble at the word of the Lord Your brethren that hated yow that cast yow out for my Names sake said Let the Lord be glorified blessing him for the successe of their iniquity or in confidence thereof provoking him to shew his approbation of their Cause and doings by his judgements but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed The first Ejectors or Levellers of our Time those of the Presbyterian way who cast out and sequestred whom they pleased and tooke possession and said Let the Lord be glorified for their successe great cause have they now it appears what confusion follows upon their beginnings to be ashamed of what they have done I pray God they may and lay it sadly to heart and that all others who have advanced upon
is now in Heaven at Gods Right Hand we on Earth and if we understand Him and our selves how when we are admitted to the Sacrament we are applying to God by him and receiving from God through him the greatest benefits we cannot but think there is cause for the greatest expression of our most humble acknowledgments Bowing at the Name of JESUS is by the Church appointed to be done sometimes in publick Divine Service as an acknowledgment of his Deity his Exaltation and Lordship over all set out Act. 2. 36. Phil. 2. 11. and that we are his poor devoted Creatures whom he has made and redeemed It is a divine worship standing in such inward acknowledgment and honour and outward bowing of the body given to the Person of Christ known by that Name and it is strange if any Christian should deny it lawfull to worship and adore our Saviour Christ at any time especially to doe it when he is named considering what the Apostle also saith Phil. 2. 10. which must needs infer at least that it may be done when he is named So here is no new Worship invented by the Church for the Worship then given is due to God and prescribed by him but the performance of it onely determined when it shall be given or expressed viz. at the Name of Jesus or when he is named As for that precept of the Apostle Abstain from all appearance of evill 1 Thes. 5. 22. which they make a pretence for their declining of the Rites and Ceremonies of this Church It gives direction for private practice in things left indifferent to our choice in the occurrencies of life gives no warrant against Authority to use liberty in things determined thereby under pretence of appearance of evill in them as said Treat 2. cap. 1. For here we are still bound according to the Rule often above delivered to shew the thing enjoyned by Authority is not onely in appearance but indeed evill in it self formally or forbidden by Gods positive command Again The Rites Ceremonies and Practices of this Church have not to any judgement cleared from Passion Prejudice or Faction an appearance of evil in them i. e. of Superstition or Wil-worship as they fancie ignorantly or wilfully but of good i. e. of order decency reverence devotion expression of the duty we are about and of the internal worship then yeelded Of all which there is a fairer appearance in the communion of this Church than in the confused and irreverend deportments of their Assemblies §. XXII Touching the point of worship Now to the end that they which understand not so much as they should in the points of Worship and Adoration may better conceive what error and offence they run into by their causelesse and inconsiderate feare of Superstition in many just and lawfull practices of the Church I must first tell them that by their abstaining from the publick service of God because the Prayers are in Set-forms by their not comming to the Communion because to be received Kneeling by withholding their Children from Baptisme rather than they should be signed with the crosse and the like they make themselves guilty of wilfull neglect of duty to God of obedâ—ence to the Church and fall into that superstition which is called Negative For they place Religion in not doing these account themselves therfore godly and pure and make such abhorring or abstinence from these a mark of their Religion or Sect And then that may better understand themselves in the point of Worship they ought to put a difference between the Substance and the Circumstantials of Worship The Substance of Worship stands as said above in a due act internall externall directed on the due object and this is of Gods prescription The Circumstantials of Worship are seen in the decent and profitable managing of the Worship for Time Place Order or the like and in these the Church has power Again Worship is determined Objectively to such or such a thing or person receiving the worship or Circumstancially ad hic nunc to the time and place The Church has no power in the first cannot transferre any religious worship upon an undue Object but has power in the Second may appoint when and where and by whom and on what occasion the worship due to God and prescribed by him shall be performed in publick For Words that are heard and Things that are seen carrying in them a remembrance of benefits and duties and therefore Motives of Worship to God who gives the benefit and expects the duty may determine our Worship to time and place inciting us to perform it then and there when and where we hear such Words or see such Things and this is a Circumstantiall determination of Worship not an Objective When the people heard Moses words they bowed the head and Worshiped Exod. 12. 27. What! not the Words which Moses spake but they worshipped the Lord upon hearing such words as conteined such Motives of Worship In that Idolatrous Worship Dan. 3. at the hearing of the Instruments of Musick they fell down c. The Worship was not given to the sound but at the sound to the Idol erected the sound of that Musick did onely circumstancially determine the Worshâ—p but the Golden Image Objectively and that made the Idolatry So when religious worship for the reason is alike is given to our Saviour Christ upon the hearing of his name Jesus not letters and syllables of his Name but the Person of our Saviour is the Object of the Worship and the naming or speaking of his Name Jesus which notes his Person and withall carryes in it the remembrance of that Salvation he wrought for us and therefore the greatest Motive of worship does determine the Worship Circumstantially i. e. the performance of it to such a time or occasion So for Things seen which bear the remembrance of such benefits as may give Motive of Worship and determine it not Objectively but this way rather then that The Ark with the Mercy seat was the sign and witnesse of Gods presence there I will meet with thee and commune with thee Exod 25. 22. and therefore they worshipped towards it Worship at his footstoole Ps. 99. 5. and 132. 7. So it was called because of the speciall exhibition of his presence on Earth Now the worship was not given to the Ark Objectively but to God only that way or thitherward rather then other Thus Daniel prayed towards Jerusalem c. 6. 10. And should any that I may speak of Rites not enjoyned by this Church yet practiced by some and no question piously pray as the Ancient Christians did towards the East in acknowledgement of the light of the Gospel risen upon them or at their comming into Gods house bow themselves in sense of the great presence and of the holy duties they come to and of their own unworthinesse or in their approach to the holy Table bow or prostrate themselves to the ground in
in the Church For our Saviour left his Apostles with full power extraordinary and ordinary for the planting and propagating his Church through the World The ordinary power they were to leave unto others after them for continuing of his Church to the Worlds end viz the power of Reconciliation in the Ministry of the Word Sacraments the power of ordaining and sending others and the power of jurisdicton and government How and into what hands they communicated these severall powers That 's the question Some of the Ancients apprehend it thus That they committed the whole power to those first Elders they placed in every City where the Church was planted so that those first Elders were properly Bishops having power to ordain other Ministers and Labourers as the encrease or extent of the Church required Other Fathers or ancient Writers seem to apprehend those first Elders to be meer Presbyters to whom the whole power was not committed but that afterwards upon the encrease of the Church other speciall Men were intrusted with it to ordain others as need required and as Generall Pastors to rule and over-see the whole Church with all the particular Congregations and Presbyters or inferiour Pastors belonging to it Either way is sufficient for establishing the Episcopall power and government and the Adversaries thereof as they cannot disprove it if we say those first Elders were Bishops properly so neither will they gain any thing if we grant them in courtesy thus much that the first Elders were meer Presbyters For see briefly what they can say against the first or draw from the second Against the first they usually say 1. If those Bishops at Philippi were so properly then were there more than one Bishop in one City or Church Answ This indeed was absurd and inconvenient and never suffered in the Church inlarged and established but in the Church Nascent or beginning it might be very reasonable by way of provision for the future enlargement establishment of that Church So we find 12. Apostles left in the Church of Jerusalem by our Saviour in order to their propagating and governing the Church through the whole World And so in some great Cities where and from which the Gospel might suddenly spread it self the Apostles might provisionally leave more than One Elder vested with power for the supply of the Church enlarged Secondly If the Elders or Bishops mentioned in those places were Bishops properly vested with such power then would the Apostle also have remembred the other sort of Elders between them and Deacons Answ But what if there were not yet in that Church Elders or Presbyters of the second sort For no Church at first was full Or if there were such in that Church why might he not salute both sorts under that general name Bishop Thirdly But then the Apostle did not distinctly set down the Office of the one or the other for having set down the office of a Bishop he presently goes to the Deacon 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 5. Answ It was not the Apostles purpose in those places distinctly to set down the Office of Elders nor of Deacons but the general qualification of the Persons to be admitted to those Offices We may ask of them Where has the Apostle distinctly set down or described the Office of a Lady-Elder They are fain to force it out of one word Ruling 1 Tim. 4. 17. which belongs to the Preaching Elders as they well acknowledge In the places above mentioned the Apostle gives as I said qualifications fitting the Persons of both sorts of Elders that then were or should be in the Church for the duties there hinted teaching ruling do belong to both sorts of Elders but with Subordination of the one to the other And if they will have the word rule 1 Tim. 4. 17. insinuate a distinct Office of Elders from the preaching Elders without any intimation of such an Office anywhere else in Scripture why might not we say with more reason that the same word in the forementioned place 1 Tim. 3. 5. belongs to Bishops of both sorts according to their order and station to rule or take care of the Church of God Especially seeing we shew elsewhere in the same Epistle such a Prelacy or supereminent power of rule given to Timothy distinctly from other Elders as Lay hands suddenly on no man Rebuke not an Elder receive no accusation against an Elder c. cap. 5. v. 19. 22. Like speciall power given to Titus as we see in that Epistle besides all the acts of ordinary power exercised by the Apostles and not communicated in general to Presbyters And so the exhortation of the Apostle Acts 20. 28. might generally fit both sorts of Elders or Bishops supposing those of the inferiour rank present there that they should all of them feed the Flock according to their several stations and in that subordination of Rule which was in the Church But if we grant them that those Elders or Bishops in the above cited places were not Bishops properly but ordinary presbyters What can they draw from thence advantagious either to the Classicall or Congregational pretension when as there is no instance in all Scripture of the Power vested in a Classis or consistory of Presbyters or in every particular Congregation but on the contrary where ever there is mention of the exercising of the power for ordination by laying on hands or for Jurisdiction in rebuking or receiving accusation against an Elder in rejecting Heretiks or the like we find it always done by the Apostles or speciall men appointed thereunto as Timothy Titus Nor is it to any purpose to reply as they doe These were extraordinary men Apostles or Evangelists and so exercised that power as such For albeit in the office of Apostle and Evangelist there was something extraordinary and supposing Timothy Titus may passe under the Title of Evangelists yet the power of ordination and Jurisdiction was ordinary and to continue in the Church and to be communicated unto others as was most convenient What help therefore can the Adversaries have in the Apostles and Evangelists being extraordinary persons unlesse they can shew the power did ordinarily belong to and was exercised by the company of Presbyters or else demonstrate it was left in their hands by expresse and peremptory order from the Apostles So that here they would be non-suited laying their plea only by Scripture against Universall Tradition and practice of the Church for the Scripture story goes not downe to the departure of the Apostles Now after they were gone off it clearly appeared by the practice of the whole Church in what hands the chief power and Government was left viz. not to Presbyters in common but in speciall hands according to the instances and examples of the exercising that power in the Apostles Time The Ancient Records also which continue the Church story from that Time give us the succession of Bishops from the Apostles in the more eminent
things are considerable in Liturgy Matter and Frame XVIII Lawfulnes and fulness of our Liturgy as to the matter For the Matter or things prayed for or spoken there we are assured they cannot shew any one particular to be contrary to sound doctrine or unfitting for Christian men to begg of God and to speake in the serving and Glorifying of him All suitable to the ends and purposes of the publick Assemblies and reason of publick Worship which will appeare if we consider the Frame which implies two things the Order in which it runs and the set Forms in which every thing is expressed As to the Order in which it is framed what could be more to the purpose of holy meetings and Assemblies Where Christians come together First to confesse their sins in the presence of God then to heare the promise of the Gospell to their comfort accordingly after some short exhortation Confession is made and then a generall Absolution pronounced to all that are truly penitent Again Christians come together to prayse God therefore Psalmes are read before and Hymnes used after each Chapter still concluding the Psalmes and Hymnes with the Doxology or giving Glory to the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Furthermore They meet to shew themselves Christians and that they Worship God in Christ Not only by concluding all their Prayers in his name but also by expresse profession of the Christian Faith according to the Apostles and Nicene Creed to the actuall renouncing of Heresie against the Person of our Saviour Christ Christians also meet to give thanks for blessings they received and to beg what they need accordingly there are severall prayers and Supplications for the necessities of the Congregation with Intercessions for others So the Apostle enjoyns 1 Tim. 2. 1. Lastly They come together to hear and receive instruction for which the Word is both read and preached besides a continuall repeating of the ten Commandements with a suitable deprecation subjoyned to every Commandement What can be more full useful and comfortable The way of Worship which they that are gone from us use as it is defective in many of these as Absolution Hymnes profession of Faith repeating the Commandements of God so what they have of Confession Petition or Thanksgiving is reduced or shuffled up into one continuall Prayer which admit it be not defective in those three yet does it not in so convenient a way as the Church of Engl. does in distinct severall concise Formes For so it is more intelligible to ordinary capacities because delivering every part Confession Petition Thansgiving more distinctly also it is more for the holding up intention of the spirit which is more dulled with one long continued Prayer wherein those parts are confused than if it were broken into so many several Colects or Prayers I have heard ordinary people acknowledge it and shew themselves sensible of it complaining not onely of the defect of that Service for they observe they heare not the Lords Prayer Creed Ten Commandements as formerly but also of the confusednesse of such continued Prayer which they could not go along with were not edified by it whereas before they understood still what they were about and by reason of the short expressions of the Churches Prayers and the Responses the people were sometimes to make they remembred many things And much they have to answer for it who through â—… know not what pretence of the Spirit or spirituall gifts but indeed through self-conceit or some fleshly respects have drawn the people from that way of Worship which was more to Gods glory and their comfort and edification §. XIX Set Forms of publick Prayer But all those parts of publique Worship or Liturgy which I have instanced to shew the fulnesse of that which is used in this Church rre delivered in set Formes That they are afraid of lest they worship God with the inventions of Man But by this reason they should be afraid to pray their own way lest they worship God with their own invention or to pray with their approved Ministers lest they worship God with their inventions for the Form or Expression of a Prayer whether Set or Extemporary Conception is equally of mans Invention and if so surely it is better to worship God upon a Set premeditate and deliberate Invention than upon an extemporary one The truth is it is not for man to invent that which is of the Substance of Worship viz. the work act or Duty directed upon such a due Object for that is of Gods prescribing as Prayer but Authority may invent something for the better managing of the work in publique or for the more convenient performance of the Worship i. e. of the Act or Duty prescribed by God The Apostle bids it be done in order decently and to edification 1 Cor. 11. ult. That set Formers may be so we are assured by those which the Church alwayes had the Jewish Church had as see Numb. 6. 23. and elsewhere John Baptist taught his Disciples a Form of Prayer and so did our Saviour teach his Luke 11 1 2. The Practise of the whole Church has approved the use of Set Forms in publique and so does the judgement and practise of Reformed Churches abroad Nay but they will not be satisfied unlesse we shew it to be the practise of the Church in the Apostles time which they do not finde in Scripture Nay but they must according to the Rule above set not expect the Church should shew example in Scripture for every thing she Orders but they stand bound to shew it is against Gods Word if they will not yeild obedience that they may have that warrant against Authority We must obey God rather then Man And though we know not whether or what Forms they used in those first Times for all things they did are not recorded yet is it no marvel if they did not as then use Set Formes considering the condition of the Church small and unsetled by reason of Persecution or the quality of the Persons ministring in it few and of extraordinary perfections and gifts for the most part Whatever judgment these men have of Prayer in set Forms or low conceit of them that use them See we how Reason evinces the lawfulnesse and expediency of them in publique and therein commends the prudence of the Church in appointing them 1. As the matter or things prayed for and the intention of the spirit or affection with which they are prayed for is of the substance of Prayer so the utterance or words are but externall to it and therefore Prayer without words is Prayer truly Now let the matter of our Prayer be according to Gods will and the Spirit and affection suitable thereunto and accompanying our Petitions it is indifferent whether the expression be in our own words or borrowed whether in Forms before composed or upon the present conceived Let a man prepare his heart afore-hand suitable to the Forms and generall