above another to a Christian that will not be prophane Hee that keeps no day to the Lord gives him thanks that hee is not bound to keepe it either as a Iew in yearely monethly or weekly dayes for the Apostle absolves a Christian from all dayes Colos 2.16 and makes the observation of them to frustrate the Gospel Gal. 4.10 11. I say further or to keepe it as a Christian Iew that is to except as some doe the weekly Sabbath and say by Sabbath dayes Col. 2.16 is meant yearly but not of the weekly Sabbath this is prejudice to Christian Religion that brings full freedome first to make all dayes alike before a Christian can make his choice of any day There must in this point be a full abrogation of the law of days before a Christian be able to observe any other day to the Lord. Estimation of dayes with fulnesse of knowledge to the glory of Christ is first to keep no day against him and then to keep any with thankfulnesse for him that hath redeemed us from the bondage of the Law Our dutie is to serve him and our freedome to make choice of such dayes as may be esteemed to his glory not only the Lords day in every weeke but all other dayes esteemed by Christians above others to the honour of him whose servants they professed themselves He that esteemeth one day above another may be a Iew and obstinate in his ignorance yet a good Christian that holds all dayes alike in the fulnesse of perswasion may likewise in the same hold one day above another and give God glory in both yea greater then hee that is intangled either to prophane a day that is lawfully commanded or to be superstitious in keeping one of his owne will and say it is commanded when he cannot prove it but upon the ground of his own imagination The fourth Commandement once commanded the seventh day in expresse words but never the first in the like termes it alwayes commandeth the duty of a holy day and when all dayes are alike it ceaseth not to command the duties of a holiday which are to be observed according to the determination which God hath left to the Christian Church which hath made the first day of the week above all other dayes what advise he gave the Apostles to begin it we read not their example is warrantable upon two grounds First because Christ made all dayes alike and therefore they had libertie to choose Secondly because he made it lawfull to esteeme one day above another and the assignment hath been to the first day and it were a sinne either to denie the first as a Iew or neglect the second as a prophane person I will conclude with the Apostle Who Gal 4.10 in a full enumeration confirmes our point in hand and takes away time as our Saviour takes away place Iohn 4.21 22. for they are holy alike and common alike so that a man would admire what they meane that plead holinesse of time and implead holinesse of place If God be no where to be worshipped hee is to be worshipped at no time for the solemitie of the one inferres the solemnity of the other and the nullitie of the one the nullitie of the other Time and place are but elements of Religion and in themselves weake and beggarly and commonly the weakest desire them and see not their bondage God knowes how to begin the A B C but hee likes not men should learn no further He compares time with time and tels the Galathâ—ans that once they knew not God but did as it were kindle their owne fires and compasse themselves about with their owne sparkles walke in the light of this fire warmed themselves by these speaks and for reward of their bad service might have lyen downe in sorrow Esay 50.11 But God in mercie altered their condition to know God and that which is more to be knowne of God in obeying the voice of Christ to receive light in him to trust in his Name and stay upon him as their God To this all other things are darknesse and yet as Philosophere teach us non dantur purae tenebrae there is no pâ—â—e darknesse without some mixture of light Their service and their seasons wanted signification Their service unto them which by nature were no gods testified of a duty done to an undue object him whom you ignorantly worship saith Saâ—â—â— Paul I declare unâ—o you Acts 17.23 Their seasons were now out of reason and especially to mix themselves with the Iews and to observe their days that is their weekly Sabbath Monthâ— that is every new Moon Times that is their three Feasts of Easter Pentecost and Tabeâ—macles Yeares that is every seventh yeare and the Iubile And here Saint Augustine must be a guide unto us lest wee take hold of time and turn it quite from God Contra Adamant Manich. cap. 15. Nos quoque dienâ— Dominis um â—n Pascha soleuniter â—e lebitamâ—â— quasliâ— alias Ghristicanas dierum festâ—◠〈◊〉 se◠〈…〉 quo pertioneant non temporae observamus sed quaeillis significantur temâ— poribus Wee keepe the Lords day and his Passeover solemnely and all other Christian Festivals but yet â—ee observe not times but the things signified iâ— them because we understand the ends to which they are appointed Christians having libertie use their time to his glory to whom they owe themselves and as the Apostleâ— kept the Iewish Saboath to gaine them by the opportunitâ— râ—â—tie of the day They kept also the â— ordaiday in marvelous equitie to remember him that had redeemed them and no man will deny that it is most equall that Iesus Christ should have such a part of our time 〈◊〉 Creation move us to yeeld him the last day in the 〈◊〉 Redemption will much move force 〈◊〉 finde him 〈…〉 thy of the first Wednesday and Friday are kept fests and the one is in memory of the treason of Iudas which must be thought of as ours to humble us for Iudaâ— could never have betrayed Christ it our fins had not done it and we cannot remember this but with detestation of ourselves and grieve that wee have done wrong to the most innocent as well as the most holy God Aperpetâ—all fast would never expiate the evill yet to remember it alwayes wayes and by the day to keepe it in memory is a duty no godly man will deny and his service that day may well be the Letanie as very fit in many passages to excite the humble soule to lamentation Friday is the memory of the curse for our treason no malediction had been upon our blessed Saviour if wee had not laid it upon him and sinne and Gods curse and all the causes of our lamentation which as we must never forgeâ— so there will be reason found why the Church chooseth dayes to remember them It is true that Saint Augustine tels us wee observe not times as Iewes and put Religion and confidence in a day
living with Saint Iohn might speake that plainly which Saint Iohn expressed mystically yet by his allusion to the Church of the Iewes might let us see our surrogation into their place and cast the forme after that fashion then the which there could not be a better setting apart the types which were fulfilled in Christ for besides them we might serve God upon our holy dayes as they did upon theirs in our holy places as they did in â—heirs Saint John resembled our place of Majestie by theirs our place of Ministery by theirs our place of Auditory by theirs They kept one day in a week so do we they kept Feasts and Festivals so doe we as Easter Pentecost the Nativitie of Christ c. We are Christians in that wherin they were Iews and shew that their shadows are converted into perfect light Revel 12.1 we have that under our feet which was the crown of their head and that upon our whole bodie which they looked for The Sun the Embleme of our Church and the measure of our time and service Their Feasts were all lunary ours solarie and moneths in Saint Iohn are apposed to days and yeers Revel 11.23 12.6.14 13.5 and makes the distinction betweene a true and false company of Christians I say the Sunne is a great ceremony in the Christian Church and so is the East where it riseth as may be seen in the solemnitie of Baptisme which Saint Peter mentioneth 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptisme is the interrogation of a good conscience and saveth the Church from the floud of Apostacie as Noahs Arke did eight persons from drowning Revel 7.1 The foure Winds that shake the foure corners of the earth are barbarous wars sometimes compared to great and mighty waters sometimes to terrible and tempestuous windes these cast downe Kingdomes and cause confusion and there is nothing that can stand these blasts but the sealed societie and Baptisme well understood will reach the meaning as being both the seale of our service and safety with God if we keepe it it will keepe us and bind as well God to us for safetie as it binds us to him in a service as a master The making of our vow in Baptisme is wonderfull solemne if wee search out the ceremonies of speaking and standing at the Font or Fountaine to be baptized The interrogation is Saint Peters expression and it was made to the conscience of the believer abrenuncias abrenuncio Credis Credo more largely thus in the answere of the party to be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I disband my selfe from thee O Satan and from all thy Angels Autors of Idolatry I do bid a farewell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to all thy mediators for me to thee as a deceitfull God and I utterly abhorre all thy pomps and vaine services c. Hereby the way understand how our Ancients made Pagan Playes the renunciation of Baptisme and most damnable to all Christians because they were services to the dead and hellish honours to the infernall fiends foes to Christ Iesus and furtherers of all Idolatry against him The Christians abrenunciation should be remembred as the feale of his service and safety if hee returne againe to false Mediatours hee loseth the benefit of his Baptisme and becomes as it were another mans servant and seeks safety from another master Having made his renunciation he begins again and sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I binde my selfe and binde my selfe for ever to thee ô Christ as my sole Redeemer and Mediatour and will gaine God or go to God by no other but thy selfe and I believe c. reade but the Churches Catechisme and the Churches Baptisme and wee shall finde Saint Peters interrogation and the answere of a good conscience made by the party to be baptized The standing will stirre more the coals of contention but I cannot helpe it to relate to a reasonable man what may well be received In the abrenunciation of the Devill the partie was to look the Devill in the face and set it Westward towards the Devils throne or his Idoll and Altar and testifie his defiance and departure from him and to spit at him in token of great detestation Fie get thee hence what have I to do with Idols pomps and vanities of Satan This ceremonie ended he turns his back upon the enemy and looks into the East and earnestly vowes himselfe to Christ and from hence followes the ceremonie of prayer into the East and placing the house of Prayer ordinarily that way and also placing the holy Table in the East end and making that the Sanctuary The whole Tabernacle and Temple stood in the miâ—â—st of the people of Israel But when they entred the Courts the Court of Majestie in both places was in the West The Church is Gods throne in generall as was the Temple Tabernacâ— and Gods peopled well about it as Israel did both in the Wildernesse and the Land of Canaan But the speciall throne in the Church is the holy Table where we have our perfectest communion with God It begins in Baptisme ends in the Lords Supper and they are the best Saints that are admitted unto it some reason there is of all that is said from the distinction of times The Iewes and Gentiles before Christ by their looking into the West professed the darknesse of their dayes we by looking into the East professe our times to be light It s small wisdom to multiply needlesse questions and as great wisdome to answer them that be profitable To satisfie the weak the wise alike is impossible whiles one man cryes one thing and some another the greater part know not what they doe or wherefore they come together It hath often beene checked in Preachers to speake of needlesse matters but shall that be needlesse which the times make necessary let them aske no questions raise no quarrels with our Church and wee shall count it needlesse to contend with them that are convicted both of our faith and order the only two things in Saint Pauls greatest joy Colos 2.5 we should be glad to preach nothing but faith and the fruits of faith working by charity for salvation but there is a necessitie to preach for order when they that professe to be children of our Church neverthelesse appose her holy Orders This my addition is not to pursue but pacifie the quarrell It s my dutie to stand for the Church and perswade with all the members to be of one minde and mouth He that sayes to mee why is one place more holy then another I may say to him and why is one day more holy then another Shall Saint Paul resolve us in one word upon one ground for one end Rom. 14.5 6. Estimation makes the distinction fulnesse of knowledge must warrant it and the glory of the Lord Iesus must be the end of it In Religion every day is alike to a Christian that will not be a Iew and one day is
to say it was Preached indeede but nothing proved I am to take my leave of you and know not whether I shall give you thankes for that you have brought me upon the stage or say I should have thanked you more to have buried all this in my study Your thankes and mine are to be alike Howsoever I will thinke you meant me well and for that I thanke you and rest and remaine Yours to be Commanded IOHN YATES The danger of an Altar in the name and use the dignity of it in standing before God and directions how it ought not to stand before Idols 2. King 16. THe Altar of Damascus removes the Altar of God Mysterium iniquitatis Act. 17.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.20.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Texts have all one meaning and the mystery is this in the Originall office and worship Their Originall celebreâ— viri defuncti they are the best of dead men Their Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mediators betweene God men Their Worship Acts 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10 20. Temples Altars Images Sacrifices ver 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as much as Sacrifice Altar St. Paul calls the Athenians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshippers of dead Mediators to which he opposeth Christ as the living and sole Mediator of Mankind which to them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.18 1 Cor. 8.5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Lord to mediate to one God and many Lords to mediate to many Gods the two maine mysteries in the world and the Syrian gods the God of Israel As it is Gods greatest honour to have his owne Table or Altar to stand before him 2. King 16.14 Ezek. 41.22 Rev. 9.13 So is it his greatest dishonour to have either stand before an Idoll 2. King 16.14 15. Act. 17.23 We will doe our best indeavour to deliver you from the danger by determining the dignity of an Altar before God where no Idoll intercedes but God immediately is worshipped in it or before it It is no humane invention to place a Table or Altar immediately before God as is cleare Ezech. 41.22 1. Cor. 10.21 Rev. 9.13 There is no difference betweene the Table of the Lord and the Table of dead men but that they in their pictures and persons come betweene him and us in our worship Acts 17. well considered will declare the whole mystery in this forme First an Altar which if it were to a knowne God and that according to his Will were no sin but an exceeding honour done unto him but there be two things more that make all this most abhominable and like the Altar of Damascus First a visible Idoll called σÎβασμα Act. 17.23 Secondly an invisible Diety called δαιμόνιον v. 18. To speake plainely there is above the Altar an Image to be worshipped and the Soule of a dead man conceived to be in that Image to heare our prayers receive our offerings and to mediate for us with Almighty God these two things are the great abhominations that the Scriptures detect and discover unto us to incite our detestation these things wee teach not the people but take occasion in our ignorance to wrong God in his worship and say the Table is an Idoll and we worship it and so being starke blind in the great mystery of iniquity make that an Idoll which never Pagan nor Papist nor any man in his right wits ever imagined so to be The Idoll is either the visible image above the Altar or the invisible and false Deity in the image which to worship is Idolatry but remove these two in which is all the danger and suffer God immediately to come in with the Altar and then prostration before it is without danger because it must needs be to God and no Idoll except you will make it one which as yet was never imagined by God or man And shall we be the first to find it out to trouble the Church in a needlesse disputation that none will raise but a meere ignoramus in that which St. Paul 1. Tim. 4.1 calls διδασκαλία◠δαιμονίων interpreted by Epiphanius thus μÏθους τῶν νεκÏῶν fables of the dead and delivers it in the example of Baal whose sacrifices and ceremonies the Scriptures determine to be done to the dead Levit. 19.28 Deut. 14.1 1. King 18.28 But I will answer to that which they suppose in severall particulars 1. Danger an Altar is scandalous in the name Ezech. Ezech. 44.16 The Table or Altar shews who are nearest God and freest from Idols Matth. 5.23 24. Donum offerre ad Altare afferre sine charitate non est Christiaâ—um impium est accedere ad mersâ—m Domini sine fraterna câ—aritate Ergo corsilium Christi est generale et quod vis Altare signifieat sive Iâ—daeorum five Gentium 41.22 This Altar is the Table before the Lord. Mal. 1.7 You have polluted mine Altar in that you say my Table is contemptible ver 12. The Table of the Lord is polluted Both places shew that the Holy Ghost is not so curious as these men are captious to call an Altar a Table and a Table an Altar and for ought I know in allusion to our times we have an Altar of Incense Rev. 18.3 and of that speaks Ezechi and compared with Exod. 30.2 it exceeds the Legall Altar a Cubit in the hight and a cubâ— in the length This Prophet mistakes not his measure but shews the mystery and meaning to be in the times of the augmentation of grace and so Malachy applies it to the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 It would be observed that of the two Altars the Altar of prayers is applyed to vs Rev. 18.3 and it is that at which Christ stands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He stood by the Altar that must be by the sence that some give At himselfe Rev. 9.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Altar before God That is if we beleeve our former Expositors God before God If this Exposition displease as it must then take and try this of mine Act. 2.42 Breaking of bread and prayers are joyned together where wee breake bread and pray there Christ Jesus stands that is by his holy Table or Altar where we doe both and may doe them without offence to any that will not be willfull in wayes by themselves An Exposition of τὸ ἱεÏὸν and κατ ' ὀῖκον Acts 2.46 IT is necessary we expound the good example of the first Christians and because we speake so much of their Altar it would be knowne where it first stood and in what manner it was placed Acts 2.46 tells us of the Temple or holy place frequented by Christians but there their Altar would not be admitted or their breaking of bread permitted Now it was necessary that Christians should receive the
keepe himselfe in the communion of the Apostles that he may be partaker of the Altar and Prayers of the Church Saint Ignatius in his Epistles very often makes the communion of the one to flow from the communication with the other Take away the Apostles fellowship and you take away the breaking of bread and prayer at the Lords Table except there be a Priest within the Altar the people are wholly without it I say it is Saint Ignatius his constant determination that the people must so depend upon their Pastours that they doe nothing without them Ep. ad Polycarpum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As nothing must be done without the minde of the Bishop so the Bishop must do nothing without the minde of God The Apostles and Bishops hee makes next to God in the Church he acknowledgeth none above them respecting the Ecclesia sticall Ministerie Epist ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be subject to the Bishop as to Christ for he watcheth for you He applyes the Apostles words Heb. 13.17 to the Bishop and defines him in the same Epistle lest we should imagine his name to be common to all Pastours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is a Bishop but one that bears sway and autoritie above all others Epist ad Smyrnenses he sayes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in all the world there is none greater then God so in the Church and Order Ecclesiasticall there is none greater then the Bishop The same Father exhorts in Epist ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people should concurre in their consent to what their Bishop teacheth them according to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may concurre and accord in Gods minde and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people must live after Gods minde and the Bishop must be their guide therin As in the Apostles dayes the head of the Churches fellowship was from them to which our Saviour added seventie Disciples so in the succession the Bishop is the head and chiefe to which the Presbyters are added and of them Saint Ignatius sayes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. be subject to the Presbyterie as to the Apostles This he explains after when he makes a fuller narration Epist ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop is the type of him which is the father of all Priests are the assessors with God the band of Apostles The Apostles fellowship as it was in the the 12 Apostles 70 Disciples so afterwards it continued in Bishops and Presbyters and as the Apostles had commited unto them the calling of all ordinary Pastours and correction of all mens manners that is God appointed them to ordaine and censure and without them the seventie could not execute any such power So the Bishops above all other Pastors have this power without them it cannot be executed by any inferior Minister And I never read testimonie in the Word of God or any ancient Writer to the contrary Saint Paul decreed the Excommunication of the incestuous person commanded the Church of Corinth the execution thereof reprehended them for their neglect As we are to receive our doctrine from the Apostles so our fellowship and all proofe of succession in the Ministery is taken from thence Tertull. lib. de praescript c. 32. Evolvant ordinem Episcoporum suorum it a per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris qui tamen cum Apostolis perseverarit habuerint auctorem antecessorem hoc enim medo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt sic Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia habens Polycarpum à Ioanne collocatumrefert sicut Romanorum Clementem à Petro ordinatum edit Let them examine the order of their Bishops that so hath held by succession from the beginning that that first Bishop might have for his authour and predecessour some of the Apostles or Apostolicall men yet such as have persevered with the Apostles for so the Apostolicall Churches gave their Suffrages So he relates of the Church of Smyrna where Polycarpe was placed by Saint Iohn and shewes the like of Clement ordained by Peter for the Romanes Cyprianus l. 2. Epist 20. or Pamelii 42. laborare debemus ut unitatem à Domino per Apostolos nobis successoribus traditam obtinere curemus we ought to labour that the unitie from the Lord and by the Apostles to us his successours given through our care might be retained S. Augustine in Psal 44. quid est pro patribus tuis nati sunt tobi filii patres missi sunt Apostoli pro Apostolis filii nati sunt tibi constituti sunt Episcopi Hodie enim Episcopi quisunt per totum mundum unde natisunt Ipsa Ecclesia patres illos appellat ipsaillos genuit ipsaillos constituit in sedibus patrum What means this in stead of fathers sonnes are borne to thee the Apostles are sent fathers for Apostles sonnes are sent to thee Bishops are constituted for the Bishops at this time that are through all the World whence are they born the Church it selfe calls them fathers that begot them and that constituted them in the seats of the fathers many moe such passages might be cited and sent both to Rome and some other Churches as citations nay as sentences of condemnation for two errors both contrary to this truth as they are also contrary one to another and agree in nothing but falshood first Bellarmine l. 4. de Pontific cap. 25. sayes thus Magnum est discrimen inter successionem Petri aliorum Apostolorum Nam Romanus Pontifex propree succedit Petro non ut Apostolo sed ut pastori ordinario totius Ecclesiae at Episcopi non succedunt proprtè Apostolis quoniam Apostoli non fuerunt ordinarii sed extraordinarii pastores quibus non suceeditur nisi improprié But God appointed his Apostles such as should be succeeded for how otherwise is his promise made good of being with them to the worlds end Others to avoid the Pope and all Bishops say this fellowship may come from all Pastors and that they have power to ordain nay some are so absurd that they stick not to say Pastors maybe made by the people and Magistrates may set up Ministers and never be beholding to Rome or any Bishops or Pastours that were ever ordained by them Saint Ignatius Epist ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obeying the Bishop and Presbytery with immoveable and stedfast minde breaking one bread c. He shews plainly that breaking of bread must follow our undivided fellowship from the Apostles and their successours and surely how can we have the Sacraments duly administred if wee be not truly informed of our Pastours calling and the comming of it from the Apostles Let mee exhort all good Christians to keepe close to these notes of the Church first sound Doctrine which the Apostles have only delivered Secondly an holy fellowship fetched from the Apostles and kept by the