of the Lord Gen. 4.16 and Abel though he sacrificed abroad and in an open place yet it seems it was in a place prepared or set apart for that purpose Gen. 4.4 but I shall content my self to speak only to the time of the Gospel and the next succeeding Ages not to mention the Gentile Court of the Temple which our Saviour declared to be a place consecrated by virtue of that Text of Isaiah 't is well known how that our Saviour and his Apostles often repaired for the publick exercise of Religion to the Jewish Synagogues and Temple besides here were then other places of prayer set apart by the Jews and frequented by the Christians nay by Christ himself as Luk. 6.12 and continued all night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Gods house of prayer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a house of prayer as well as prayer it self in which sence Juvenal useth the words In quâ te quaero Proseu cha and it must be so understood here or else there cannot well be any true grammatical construction made of the words without wronging or at least streightning the sence Vid. Tremel in locum so Act. 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where a house of prayer was famed or reputed to be the Arabick locus orationis the Syriack domus orationis and St. Paul made it a place to preach in also we have the same word again in the 16th verse and in the like manner may we render it as we went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a house of prayer a Damsell met us nay their going from one place to another to pray doth argue as much viz. that they had then some places more peculiar for prayer then others Christ and his Apostles found other consecrated places which they made use of for publick and Divine Service such were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or upper Rooms so often mentioned in the Old and New Testament which as the learned Gregory observes in his critical Notes were no other then places set apart for prayer and other religious exercises now 't is certain that Christ and his Apostles repaired not to these places in compliance with Moses's Rites or because of any command in Moses's law but that they might perform their Christian Solemnities in places hallowed or fit for such sacred uses and it is probable that the Apostles themselves in some short process of time or some other convert Christians as were contemporary with them did destinate and set apart houses of their own which after Dedication for distinction sake as they called the christian-Christian-Sabbath the Lords day so they called these Christian Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches and in some time after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the Lords from whence the the English work Kurk or with an aspirate Church which is as much as to say the Lords now that 't is very likely that Christians did consecrate and set apart such houses of their own even in the Apostles time appears because we finde the Apostle mentioning some such place or places distinguished by name from any as were in use among the Jews as is evident from 1 Cor. 14.28 35. and 1 Cor. 11.18 compared with v. 20. this is made yet more probable from Instances out of ancient history which speaks of many Churches even in the Apostles times St. Martialis who lived near their time Epist ad Tolos Chap. 8. makes mention of such religious structures then already in use Cat. Epist 5.8 the like doth Niceph. Constantipolitanus and he instances in one among the rest founded by St. Andrew Hist vit St. Luk. Catch 6. Simeon Metaphrastes tells of Temples and Altars built by St. Luke St. Cyril saith that that place was a Church consecrated by the Apostles in which they were assembled at the day of Pentecost some likewise think that the house in which the blessed Virgin Mother dwelt at Nazareth was made a Temple Tursel lib. 11. Annal. Vid l. 8. c. 1. and lib. 4. c. 45. and consecrated by the Apostles and Alexander reports in the life of St. Bernard that St. Marks house Act. 12.12 was a Christian Temple or Oratory probably such an one as Eusebius calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such the Primitive Christians had in imitation of the Jews and St. Jerome mentions a famous Church there Eusebius likewise speaks of Oratories and Churches which he calls prisca Aedificia which denotes they were of some hundred years standing otherwise they could not be well termed old or ancient and therefore they were such doubtless as were built in the Apostles times but if we look to the Ages immediately succeeding the Apostles even to the time of Constantine and lower I need not descend we cannot want Instances to prove that there were houses consecrated and set apart by Christians themselves and that they had every where Oratories and Churches of their own which they made use of for their Religious solemnities Philo the Jew speaking of the worshippers of Aegypt saith Euseb l. 2. 17 in every village they had a Religious house which they call Seminon which comes near the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a place of worship and if Lucian may be believed Dial Philos he describes one of the Christian Churches richly guilt and adorned in Trajans time Socrat. l. 2. c. 8. who lived Anno 103. nor is it but to be admired how zealous the Emperour Constantine was for having a house of prayer Zozomon l. 3. c. 5. who as Socrates and Zozomon tell us built many himself and such as were very magnificent Euseb de Vit. Const lib. 4. c. 56. Socrat. lib. 1. c. 14. and being about to make war with the Persians he caused a Tabernacle or moving Temple to be made to carry with him that therefore he might always have a holy house for his God sanctified and prepared for religious worship And now as it hath been thus the custome in all Ages to have places set apart for prayer and other religious Rites so there have been Laws and Constitutions made as now at this day in our Church to enjoyn the people to repair thereunto 't was made a law in Israel that the Tribes should go up to the Temple and consonant thereto is Ignatius's Injunction in the first times of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all to one place all to the Temple of God in his undoubted Epistle reason of the first building or erecting of Churches Non ut divisi simus cum convenire oportet sed ut divisi conjungamur q. d. to prevent Conventicles and such like clandestine factious meetings The Act against them calls them seditious Conventicles Siquis docet domum Deicontemptibile in esse conventusqui in ce aguntur Anaathmasit Cannon 5. Canon 38. and such like the Law of our Land accounts all religious Assemblies in private houses and places
which the renowned Arch-Bishop of Armagh procured from the Library of the learned Joseph Scaliger Spicilegium p. 68. more you may observe in the Rabbins works and from them in Scaliger Selden Fagins Buxtorfius and Capellus tells us with Selden In his Notes on Eutich p. 42. 411. that Ezra and his house the great Synagogue appointed 18 Forms of Benediction the Jewish Talmud especially that part called the Mischna is full of such forms which carry the names of the ancient Rabbins that composed them the first Chapter of the Talmud is entituled as Buxtorf observes Berachos i. e. of blessings and prayers for the fruit of the earth and the practise of the Jews ever since the penning of the Talmud in recording their set forms of prayer upon diverse occasions is an Argument that it was their use to compose such and use them in more ancient times as is evident by the many volumes of publick devotions published by them the Assembly appointed a form of prayer for the Navy from which they were not to vary and Smectimnuus allowed of imposition in some cases for they propound this as an expedient if it shall appear any Minister proves insufficient to discharge the duty of prayer in a conceived way it may be imposed upon him as a punishment to use a set form and no other but what would they have done if the person thought himself sufficient Further that the Lords prayer was prescribed as a form is likewise acknowledged by the Assembly in their Annotations on that place of St. Luke Hier. l. 3. contr Pelagianos Austin Epist 59. Greg. l. 7. Ep. 63. Ambr. l. 5. de Sacra c. 4. and accordingly hath it been made use of in the Church of God St. Cyprian saith it was used in all the Christian world and generally used in all Liturgies and publick prayers and administration of the Lords Supper so St. Jerome St. Gregory St. Ambrose and Gregory the great saith it was used by the Apostles Fox grants as much in his disputation about the Mass and the same Gregory noteth moreover that in the Greek Church it was ordinarily said by all the people together Vid. Corpus discipl of the Dutch Church of London the Church of France and other Reformed Churches do repeat it several times in their Liturgies and such Protestants as follow the Augustan Confession and those of the Reformed Church of Holland say it ordinarily before and after meals at the end of their Graces Eusch delaud Constant de vit Const l. 4. c. 19. 20. Ibid. c. 17. to add further it is not probable that Constantine the Emperour would have composed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godly prayers for the use of his souldiers if such forms had not then been used in the Christian Church as Eusebius reports he did and the same Author speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers that were constituted and appointed Origen a 100 years before cites a piece of the usual Liturgy saying frequenter in oratione dicimus da omnipotens da nobis partem cum prophetis c. and in his book against Celsus Lib. 6. 23. Canon of the 3d Council of Carth. Anno Christi 317. the reason which the Council adds is ne forte alique contra fidem vel per ignorantiam vel per minus studium sit compositum the very same reason which Selden gives for the Jewish Liturgy from Ezra's time in his Notes on Eutich Vid. D. Hammonds Collect. from hence in his view of the Directory Sect. 15. he declares Christians to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers which were ordained or constituted St. Cyprian intimates use of forms in the Carthaginian service by describing the entrance sursum corda c. So Tertullian a form of abrenunciation in baptism Justin Martyr hath the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common-prayer and the Council of Laodicea speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Liturgy of prayers and the 18th Canon thereof is that none should pray arbitrio but semper eaedem preces The Council of Carthage ordained thus Quicunque preces aliunde desumit c. whosoever should frame any other prayers should first consult with his more learned Brethren thinking it fit that in this part of Gods worship especially the Spirits of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets thence we have Calvins Valde probo speaking of a form of prayer in his Epistle to the Protector Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians doth earnestly enjoyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there be one Common prayer in all the Church Mileb Can. 12 and in process of time the Milevitan Council did accordingly take care that the prayers of the Church and no others should be used Canon 5. Anno. 324. and the Council of Gangrene hath made one Canon to this end ne orationes Ecclesiae contemnantur yet this I must needs say we are not so restrained but on occasion even in publick we may use our gifts if they be grave modest discreet and humble for which we have the Royal approbation of one who is the best interpreter of the law in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now for the Liturgy of our Church 't is such that Mr Fox though a friend to the Presbyterians stuck not to say it was indited by the holy Ghost Bishop Cranmer one of our first Reformers and a chief compiler thereof made challenge to defend it and to prove it perfectly agreeable to the word of God and the same in effect which had been 1500 years in the Church of Christ B. Gauden and saith a late Reverend Writer Let any sober man that is able compare the Liturgy of the Church of England with those now extant and he will finde nothing excellent in any of them but is in this of our Church many things which are less clear or necessary in them are better exprest or wisely omitted in this Neither is there saith another any ancient classically condemned heresy to be found in the records of Councils Church-histories confutation of Fathers which is not by some clause or other of our common-prayer excluded nor could all its most spiteful adversaries ever yet draw up any material objection against it but have still discovered more weakness in themselves then in that But lastly whilst we are speaking of prayer let us minde the house of prayer that there have ever been in the Church of God places consecrated and set apart for his worship whereto all were bound to resort I might here ascend up as high as Adam and bring this custome down to our present age and shew you how that before the fall in Paradise God had that which was analogical to a Church or Temple a distinct place where he manifested himself in a peculiar and special manner Gen. 3.8 Vid. Talmud Beâ—achi for so the phrase Mippene Jehovah is understood by the Jews accordingly not long after Cain for murder is said to be banished from the presence
A SERMON Preached at a VISITATION In Honiton in Devon On Wensday in Easter Week 1676. By J. R. Rector of Lezant in Cornwall LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Simon Miller at the Star at the West end of S. Pauls 1 Cor. 11.16 But if any man seems to be contentious we have no such custome nor the Churches of God THe Apostle to shew that God requites a decorum and decent accomodation in the Act of his worship sharply inveighs against the Corinthian woman who from a Phantastical imitation of the She-Prophets and Priests of the Gentiles who had their faces discovered and their hair dishevelled when they uttered their Oracles or celebrated Rites and sacrifices to their Gods at the time of their praying and prophecying were unveiled in the Church and appeared bare and open-faced in publick notwithstanding it was then accounted an unseemly and immodest guise as he proves it here by several Arguments 1. A contrario and that 1st From the decency of this Ceremony of having a veil v. 5. and 2ly From the significancy thereof v. 7. So in the 2d place from an Argument ab absurdo v. 6. 3ly He enforced it from the Angelical presence in the Church v. 10. 4ly From an Argument a pari v. 14. q. d. how odd would it be for men to wear a veil a womans dress so by the like reason is it as uncomely for women to be without a veil that is in the guise and dress of a man and however the devils of the Gentiles sometimes take pleasure in this unseemly accoutrement in uncomliness and absurd garbs yet the God whom they worship with the holy Angels who are present at their devotions loves a comely accommodation in such as worship him Lastly he concludes from the example and custome both of the Jewish and Christian Churches neither of which had any such use for their women to be unveiled in their sacred Assemblies But if any seem contentious that is will not be satisfyed with these reasons let him know that we that is we of the circumcision have no such custome nor the Churches of God that is the Christian Churches so St. Ambrose and Anselm understand it or according to Grotius there is no Canon for it nor is it a custome of the Church or Churches of God q. d. If any adversus haec as the Syriack Translation hath it against all these reasons will contend further love to argue on list still to strive as the Geneva here is one reserves an Argument which is instar omnium and should silence all further disputes about it we have no Canon nor Constitution to warrant it neither hath it been customarily practised in the Churches of God nay we and they have the quite contrary rule and custome and let this be the final resolution in the Case From the Text then and the context we may observe the course St. Paul took to satisfy a scrupulous conscience touching a Rite or Ceremony 1st He urgeth the reasonableness of the Injunction and if this Method be not effectual men be not convinced by his reasons then he refers them to the Canons and customes of the Church from which they are by no means to swerve But methinks I hear some disaffected and contentious spirits as if they would tax St. Paul himself of impertinency to mutter saying what means all this ado about a Rite or Ceremony since 't is of no greater matter it skills not greatly whether men observe it or no whether covered or bare sit or kneel all 's one but our Apostle lets it not go so but judging it a matter of importance presseth the point hard useth several Arguments spends many verses even half a Chapter about it and as we may suppose mainly for these two reasons First because he dislikes any contentions at all since in its very nature is included a breach of that peace of which God is and we ought to be very tender for if contentions be not taken off at the first within a while at the 2d verse from the text we finde their mischievous consequence no less then a Schisme and the next verse assures us that they will proceed so far as to flat heresies 2ly Because he likes not contentions against the Rites and Customes of the Church he well knew Satans Methods this Arch-Antichrist understands that if he can first get himself children they 'l at length grow to men grant him once one seemingly modest conclusion about a lesser matter hee 'l be ready with his bolder Logick to attack greater points allow him him but the rudeness to throw the Surplice out of the Church the next news will be the house of God is degraded to a stable if down with the Ceremonies once become Canonical 't will not be long ere the respects due to the Sacrament shall be little better then Apocryphall if he may but disgrace the former you shall finde him soon after confronting of the other so in this Chapter he falls foul with the Lords Supper the Corinthians first praying in publick having their heads covered and whilst they approach the Lords throne in so uncustomary and therefore irreverent posture can we expect better manners at his Table accordingly v. 20. c. they eat and drink there as if they had been at home and that sometimes to excess so ill were the effects of a contest raised at first about a circumstance in the worship of God St. Paul therefore opposing himself to these practises after other reasons in the precedent verses he lays for his ground this of the Text. We have no such custome or more fully according to Grotius's Interpretation we have neither Canon nor Custome for it neither we nor the Churches of God whence in the first place we infer that as the Churches of God have had so they still have may and ought to have their respective canons and constitutions touching Rites and ceremonies whereto due obedience ought to be paid by all such as are in communion This is so apparent a truth that to deny it and judge such Ecclesiastical sanctions and constitutions unlawful is to charge all the ancient known parts of the Church of Christ with a sinful usurpation of authority in the Church for that they enjoyed both in general and provinciall synods what thy judged useful is manifest from the canons of the Code of the universal Church and of the Roman and Assyrian Churches and from the more ancient canons amongst those called the Apostles and from other Ecclesiastical rules of discipline frequently mentioned in Tertull. Cyprian and other ancient Writers Licet Pastoribus Episcopis Aug. Confess Art ult Apol. ejusdem c. it becomes such to make canons that things be done in order in Church so the August Confess and for the more due and regular observance of such Ecclesiastical laws and canons it hath been the custome of the Churches of God and those too which we rightly call Reformed to require
subscriptions thereto thus it was used amongst the Protestants in Poland where Falkner p. 86. after the consent chiefly touching the Lords Supper was establisht in the synod of Sandemir Ano. Dni 1570. between the Churches of those three confessions the Bohemian Augustine and Helvetian it was concluded in another following general synod that none should be admitted into the Ministry unless consensui subscribat the French Church required likewise a subscription to their Liturgy and besides this it hath been the custome even of the reformed Churches to impose solemn Oaths for the yet closer binding to canonical obedience thus in the Behemian Church after Ordination the Minister was solemnly admitted to his Ministration by the Visitours who among other things committed to him their liber Ritualis containing their form and Rites of worship to the performance thereof they did oblige themselves at their Ordination by a Religious oath So at Strasburgh after its first Reformation they who entred into the Ministry did by Oath undertake to keep in the communion and obedience of the Church and its Governours according to the Law of God and their canons statutes and Ordinances and it is related from the laws of Geneva where an establisht Liturgy is one of their constitutions that all there who were received to the Ministry must oblige themselves by Oath to observe the Ecclesiastical Ordinances ordained by the Councils of that City and in the Hungarian Church they binde themselves by oath to the observation of the Ecclesiastical canons and performing due obedience to the Bishop But if the contentious amongst us will condemn all Ecclesiastical laws and sanctions and account nothing pure but what is used in their conventicles I dare joyn issue with them even upon that and appeal to their own practice and prescriptions whether many things are not ordered according to the humours of the Minister besides men are very much mistaken to think ceremonies and constitutions meerly indifferent I mean in the general for however every particular ceremony be indifferent and every particular constitution is arbitrary and alterable yet that there should be some ceremonies it is necessary necessitate absolutâ insomuch as no outward work can be performed without ceremonious circumstances some or other and that there should be some constitutions concerning them it is also necessary though not simply and absolutely as the former yet ex hypothesi necessitate convenientiae otherwise quot capita tot schismata whereof what other would be the issue but infinite distractions and disorderly confusions in the Church when every one acts as his humour leads him and that upon this account Constitutions some or other are necessary is agreeable to the Apostles when they met in a Council at Jerusalem for setling the Churches peace We reade Acts. 15.28 that they would lay no other burthen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides these necessary things 't was not enough with them that the things would be necessary when they had required them but they looked on an antecedent necessity which was the only ground of their imposing these Commands upon the Gentile-Christians but observe this antecedent necessity did not arise from the nature of the things enjoyned but from the expediency and conveniency there was for the Injunction by reason of the present juncture of affairs and to say otherwise would be to contradict the Apostle or make him to contradict himself from which Apostolical fynod as may be well noted the London-Ministers in their Jusdivinum allow a Synod power of imposing things on the Church which they assert to be included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consequently that things indifferent in their own nature become necessary to be practiced after such a decree or Injunction Cap. 13. the like do the Assembly grant in their Confession moreover the Apostles did not only exercise this power when they sat in Council together but when they were asunder also St. Paul often mentions Constitutions that he made for diverse Churches for the Church of Galatia he made an Order 1 Cor. 16.1.2 that Collections for the poor should be made on every first day of the week 1 Cor. 11. and meant to bring in the same custome into the Corinthian Church he framed Ordinances also for that Church 2 Thess 3.14 so for the Church of Thessalonica where he commanded opposers against his determinations to be excommunicated neither could such things as these be commanded by an unchangeable law since they are to be taken up and laid aside as occasion serveth therefore the Apostle having instructed the Corinthians in matters of faith and godliness puts off these other matters till his own coming that he might see what is most expedient the rest will I set in order when I come where he promiseth you see to appoint things belonging to outward Order now we know that he never came to Corinth after that who then did order those other things but the Governours of the Church he might have prescribed unto them a compleat form for outward Order and Polity but he foresaw that the same orders would not suit every state of a particular Church and therefore his coming being prevented his successours had power to determine of things and if the same orders and constitutions will not serve a particular Church at all times how was it possible for the Apostles to express all matters of Rites and Orders belonging to the Catholick Church sometimes the Church hath to do with Pagans sometimes with Hereticks and those diverse by reason whereof the Church hath been occasioned to change her Rites as namely dipping in baptisme which she hath changed from thrice to once and from once to thrice accordingly as the 20th Article ascribes a power to the Church to decree Rites and Ceremonies so the 34th says every particular Church hath authority to ordain change or abolish Ceremonies or Rites in the Church the same in the Articles of Religion of the Church of Ireland printed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and accords with the Confession of the Reformed Church of France published in the year 1562. which adds Discipl des Egl. Reform de Franc. Ch. des Consistoires Art 31. as may be seen also in Confess Eccl. Gal. inter opuscula Calvini qui hoc detrectant cerebrosi pervicaces apud nos habentur such as refuse to obey are accounted with us obstinate and brainsick and accordingly ought they to be proceeded against and in case other Methods do not take ils seront retrenches de l' Eglise they are to be out off from the Church so our Saviour he that heareth not the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican and what is the condition of such they are delivered over unto Satan a sad condition if true and most true it is verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven this is no brutum fulmen such a blinding as