in a vision ascending and descending upon a Ladder which stood on the Earth and reached unto Heaven he said as soon as he was awake how dreadful is this place that is with what reverence should I behave my self here this is no other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven He concludes God to be present because the Angels were who are his Ministers and Attendants And accordingly we are to understand these words of the Apostle as intended to signifie a Divine presence among us when we are reverently assembled together to Worship God in his Holy places Which the Ancient Christians lookt upon as a singular incouragement to attend upon the Publick Prayers because then a Christian prays with the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the words of Clemens Alexandrinus as already L. vii Strom. p. 746. especially at that time equal even to an Angel and will not be out of the precinct of those Holy Guardians when he prayes alone but then also have their Company Of which Origen hath a set Discourse in his Book of Prayer lately published Part. 2da Num. 20. where mentioning the words of the Psalmist among others The Angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that fear him c. He thus proceeds it is probable that when many are assembled together sincerely to the Glory of Christ the Angel of every one of them there pitcheth his Tent together with him that is committed to his Charge and Custody so as to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double Church where the Saints are gathered together one Church of Men and another Church of Angels IX But if there were nothing of this in it yet the Communion of Saints here on Earth which is an Article of our Creed should invite us unto the Publick Service For how do we maintain communion with them if we joyn not with those among whom we live in the Assemblies of the Saints That is of Christians who are all a Holy people to the Lord by their solemn dedication to him in their Baptism and by their Holy profession and meeting together continually for Holy Offices Which if any Man forsake he is no longer Holy but Prophane renouncing so far the Christian Faith which teaches him to keep the Communion of Saints by having Fellowship with them in Prayer especially in the Eucharist which is the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood By partaking of which we have the nearest Communion also one with another being made one Body as I have said already by partaking all of that one Bread 1 Cor. x. 17. Communion indeed or Fellowship is in one place made a thing distinct from breaking of Bread and Prayers Act. ii 42. and signifies some think communicating to each others necessities Which Notion of Communion if we understand to be meant in the Creed it makes no less to my purpose than the other For we must consider that this was done in their Publick Assemblies whereby their communicating to the needs of their Brethren became an acceptable Offering unto God together with their Prayers This we learn from the 1 Cor. xvi 1 2. Where St. Paul speaks of the Collections for the Saints as a part of the business of the first day of the Week both there and in the Churches of Galatia When they did not forget this well-pleasing Sacrifice as it is called Heb. xiii 16. but acknowledged God's bounty to themselves by the relief they sent to others and by such a publick contribution maintained also a sense and fellow-feeling of one anothers condition and made a profession that they all belonged to one and the same Body though never so far distant one from another The Sense of which we are apt to lose when we joyn not together in such actions of piety Whereby Brotherly Love and Kindnese is likewise nourished and we are knit together in the tenderest Affection while we look upon one another not only as Children of the same common Father but as Limbs of the same Body Who naturally have the same care one for another and whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 1 Corinth xii 25 26. In this Brotherly Love and in the same Faith some think the Unity of the Body of Christ intirely consists But they should consider that this Brotherly Love and Care flows from the Unity of Christ's Body which consists therefore in the conjunction of every Member with the rest and keeping communion one with another in all the common Offices of Religion in Christian Assemblies From which whosoever departs or refuses to joyn therein he breaks the Unity of the Body of Christ which is his Church And though he do the same thing alone which is done in those Assemblies yet it is not the same thing in the account of Christ who looks upon such a Man as gone from him by going from his Body the Church X. I will add one thing more which is that the Service of God in the Church triumphant in Heaven is a Publick Service and they do not Worship God separately there but joyn together in his Praises This we are taught by St. John Rev. vii 11. where after a great multitude had been represented to him which no Man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues who stood before the Throne and before the Lamb crying with a loud voice and saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb whereby no doubt is signified the Service of the Christian Church then it follows that All the Angels also stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the four Beasts and fell before the Throne on their Faces and Worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever They said that is Amen to the Christian Service and also added their own giving Glory to God in one Body for it is the voice of all Angels as the Christian Church did Let this be seriously pondered and we shall indeavour to approach as near unto them as we can by joyning as they do in one Society of the Church to Worship God For so doing we joyn our selves to the Society also of the Holy Angels as the Angels St. John here informs us do to the Society of Christian Worshippers They and we make but one Body in Christ in whom God hath gathered together in one all things both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth And this Unity consists it is manifest by this Vision of St. John in their communion one with another in Holy Offices which the Church in Heaven where it is become most perfectly one doth most sacredly keep and preserve CHAP. XVIII A Recapitulation of the four foregoing Chapters with some Inferences from thence LAY now all these things together that the Church in the very notion
of it is an Assembly of Men and Women called to meet together and therefore the Christian Church is such an Assembly called to joyn together in Worshipping God by Christ Jesus who himself hath supposed this in the Prayer he gave his Disciples and hath promised his special Presence in such Assemblies which the Apostles constantly held and there received the first and best Fruits of his Love in the descent of the Holy Ghost which drew all Converts every where into the same Blessed conjunction for which Holy Places were appointed where they constantly Assembled and where the extraordinary Gift of Prayer was to be made common or else lookt upon as of little value where God hath appointed his Ministers to attend and there offer up the Prayers of his people and bless them in his Name where the Angels also are present and delight to see us assembled that we may maintain the Communion of Saints here on Earth and be fitted for the company of the Blessed in Heaven who all joyn together in giving Blessing and Praise and Honour unto him whom we Worship who is far Exalted above all Blessing and Praise either of ours on Earth or of theirs in Heaven Consider I say all this and then think what an errour they live in who make little or no account of the Publick Assemblies but imagine they can pray and serve God as well by themselves alone This is a most unchristian thought directly contrary to the very frame of our Holy Religion which therefore ought with all diligence to be exploded out of every one of our minds As for those who do not barely neglect the Publick Service but refuse to joyn in it they are still in a far worse condition having broken themselves off from the Body of Christ which the Ancient Church thought so heinous a crime that they lookt upon their Prayers as an abomination For so I find in the Council of Antioch * Canon 2. that such Christians were condemned as going into any private House prayed together with those who would not joyn in the Prayers of the Church None of the Church were to joyn in their Prayers if any did they thought it equal to the crime of communicating with Excommunicated Persons The like I find in the Council of Laodicea And the Canons ascribed to the Apostles speak to the same purpose Can. 33. Can. 10. And this Sentence of those Councils is very conformable to the sense of the Ancient Jews whose Maxime this was as Mr. Thorndike * Relig. Assembl p. 173. observes He that dwells in a City where there is a Synagogue and prays not there with the Congregation this is he who is called a BAD NEIGHBOVR And well may he be called bad who will have no Society in the best things who cuts himself off by his own act from the Congregation of the Lord who will not afford his Neighbours the help of his Prayers who lives as if the World could be Governed without taking any notice of God the Supreme Governour who directly overthrows the Christian Religion and destroys the very notion of a Church who hath no regard to Holy places and slights God's Ministers who withdraws himself from God's special presence and protection and defies all the Blessed company of Heaven Among whom he can never hope to find any entertainment nor to be received into the Coelestial Habitations having shut himself here out of the Society of Saints and the place where God's Honour dwelleth Would to God such things as these were seriously and deeply considered by us all that our minds might be awaked to a diligent and constant attendance upon the Publick Assemblies Which our Lord hath taken the greatest care to establish and unto which he hath also granted very high Priviledges lest they should fall into contempt or neglect through Mens Idleness or Covetousness or Conceitedness or by any other means whatsoever Certain it is if we had an hearty Love to our Religion and understood it we could not but be so in Love with the Publick Exercises of it as every day if it lay in our power to go into God's house and there recommend our selves and his whole Church to his Grace and Mercy For there is no way it is evident from what hath been said to uphold and support the Church like to this we being a Church by meeting together to have communion in the same Prayers Which the oftner we have the more we look like a Church and act like Members of the Body of Christ who are combined and knit together for mutual preservation As on the contrary the seldomer we meet the less there is of the face of a Church among us which cannot be preserved from ruin when the Publick Assemblies are generally neglected because the Church falls to decay by that very neglect Let us therefore set our selves to maintain the Church of which we are Members by maintaining Publick Assemblies and suffering no day to pass without a solemn meeting in as full a Body as we can make for the duties of our Religion This would be both an Ornament and a Strength and Establishment to our Religion The Truth which we profess would hereby be both honoured and confirmed and appear with greater Authority as well as Beauty in the Eyes of all its Adversaries when they beheld the Multitude the Unanimity and the Order and Constancy of those that assert it The better and gentler sort of them would be the more easily won to joyn with us and they whose hearts are alienated from us would be the less inclin'd to set themselves against us And for the Grace and Favour of God which is the chief thing of all Christians may promise it to themselves for their protection against all their Adversaries when they constantly and earnestly seek it with their joynt Prayers and Supplications Which will be powerful also for the setling such as are wavering in their Religion whom the constant Authority likewise of a great Number of faithful people cannot but be of much moment to contain in their Duty for Men are ashamed to forsake a multitude when they easily desert small Numbers The Ancient Christians were so possessed with this sense that they lookt upon their Prayers as the impregnable Bulwark of the Church an unshaken Garrison terrible to the Devils and salutary to God's pious Worshipppers a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Tom. 1. p. 757. Edit Fr. D. In so much that St. Basil speaking of God's gathering the Waters together which he called Seas and saw it was good Gen. i. 16. falls into a pious Meditation how much more acceptable to him such a Collection or gathering together of the Church must needs be b in Hexameron Hom. iv sub fin in which the mixed sound of Men Women and Children making a noise like the Waves dashing against the Shore is sent up to God in Prayers A profound Calm and Tranquillity shall preserve such
several pretious Gums made no other perfume than the Spices would have done had they been burnt one by one CHAP. XVII Other Considerations to strengthen this Argument VII GOD hath also appointed a publick order of Men to Direct and Govern Christian Assemblies and to Minister therein both by giving Christian Instruction and by offering up the Common Prayers of the Church to God and Blessing the people in his Name This is another convincing Argument both that Christ designed publick Assemblies because he hath appointed publick Ministers to officiate there and that the Prayers made there are to be preferred before private Devotions because there we partake of the Service of God's Ministers the benefit whereof we lose if we content our selves with what we do at home There is nothing more apparent in the Holy Writings than that our Lord would have such an order of men set apart for his Divine Service in the Church Whose ordination by his special appointment and designation is an assurance that their Ministry therein is acceptable to God as well when they offer the peoples Prayers to him and bless them in his Name as when they deliver his Word to the people and teach them both how to pray and to perform all other Duties of a Christian Life Both of these are necessary and their Office is designed for both But especially for the first to minister the Divine Service of the Church The principal of which is the Eucharist wherein they dispense the most pretious Tokens of Christ's Love to his Body the Church by Prayers and by Thanksgivings to God for the Redemption of the World by that Death of Christ upon the Cross Which ought to be publickly celebrated because it is an Annunciation oâ— the Lord's Death wherein we publish and show it forth till he come anâ— never was administred nor can be bâ— any other persons but those whom oâ— Lord hath intrusted to be Stewards 〈◊〉 his Mysteries For whose Prayers and Publick Seâ—vice in the Church if Men have not great esteem it is because they havâ— no Religion or no true Knowledgâ— thereof For if they believed thaâ— God hath any Ministers as he hath iâ— there be any such thing as Religion who are peculiarly sanctified that is set apart for his Service they would believe that God conveys some Bleâ—sings by their Ministry and look upoâ— their Ordination as a Seal that He whâ— hath thereby appointed them to be Instruments of his for the Salvation of Men's Souls will by these Instruments effect the thing whereunto he hath ordained them and particularly give Men his Blessing by their means and accept those Prayers which these Servants of his offer up unto him for them and in their Name For that praying for the People is a special part of their Work we may learn from St. James v. 14. where he directs those to whom he writes when any Man was sick to send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him Which no less belonged to their Office we may be sure when Men were well than when they were sick being a part of their dayly ministration for the whole Body of the Church Whose weaker Prayers as I noted before out of St. Chrysostome being helped by the stronger Prayers of God's Ministers go up to Heaven together with them All Christians indeed are called A Holy and a Royal Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ Jesus 1 Pet. ii 5 9. but it is manifest by these very words that they are not so singly but in a Body when they Pray and give Thanks together with him that Ministers the Divine Service in the Church the Spiritual House of which the Apostle there speaks in which Spiritual Sacrifices were offered up to God And since Sacrifices were offered only in Publick in the place God appointed for them we may thence I think conclude that our Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings are then only Sacrifices when made in our Assemblies and that then we act as Priests unto God and not at other times The principal Sacrifice of Christians I am sure is in its own Nature a Publick Service and is to be so esteemed even when it is administred to the Sick in Private who receive it as part of that Body which is supposed continually to offer this Sacrifice I mean the Holy Communion wherein we offer to God with Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings a commemoration of the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross for us For this we ought all to meet as frequently as we can that we may conjunctly and openly acknowledge this benefit because though this be the principal and immediate intention of this action it hath respect also to that communion which we have one with another as mutual Members and with Christ our Head as his Body So the Apostle teaches us when he saith The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break it is not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. x. 16 17. And therefore since we are not Members of the same Body unless we be knit together in one and we are not knit together in one but by the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and we cannot have that communion but by Assembling together to eat of one Bread and drink of one Cup it is manifest to all that there is the greatest necessity of Publick Assemblies where this is the chief business for which Christians should meet together in one Body as oft as is possible and at all other times beseech God to accept their Sacrifices for the sake of that perfect Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction which Christ hath made and which we commemorate Here also in the Publick Assemblies censures were inflicted upon publick Offenders as we learn from the Apostle 1 Corinth v. 4. as well as from Tertullian in his Apology cap. xxxix and many such like things I might add to the same purpose if I had room for them and had not other material considerations to press which ought not to be omitted VIII Among which this is not inconsiderable that the Publick Service of the Church by them ministred is so acceptable unto God that the Angels God's Heavenly Ministers attend in such Holy Assemblies and make a part of them For this is the Reason St. Paul gives 1 Corinth xi 10. why a Woman should cover her Head in time of Prayer that is be in a humble and reverend posture because of the Angels Whose presence in the Assemblies of Christians is a Token of Christ's Blessed Presence in the midst of them according to his own promise before-mentioned Matth. xviii 20. For where the Angels are said to be there God is present as the Hebrews observe and not without good ground for what they say For when Jacob saw Angels