Law which they begin to reade over again the next Sabbath pointed at Nehem. viii 9. ix 1. as Scaliger De Emend Temp. vii Not. in Comp. Jud. hath excellently observed It is first to be known that the Festivals of the Law were appointed to be solemnized with mirth and gladnesse of heart wherefore they are called Num. x. 10. The dayes of your gladnesse And in the Psalme for the Sabbath xcii 4. the Psalmist in this respect For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works saith he I will triumph in the works of thy hands expressing the subject of that gladnesse the remembrance of the Creation upon that day celebrated Though the observance of rest upon the Sabbath was strict yet when our Saviour went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath Luke xiv 1. this invitation and entertainment is argument enough that it was Festivall for the manner of observance Hereupon it is that the people falling to weep upon hearing the Law read the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles Nehem. viii 9. are forbidden to violate the Law of the Feast and commanded to observe the day in the right nature of it Whereas the people then being forbidden to mourn on the Festivall are said ix 1. to have fasted on the xxiiii of that moneth we have cause to presume with him that the Fast whereof they acknowledged the cause upon the first day of that Feast was deferred till the usuall Solemnities of it were past which by the Law ending upon the xxii and the Fast not kept till the xxiiii it is plain that the reason was the Festivall of the Law falling then and observed upon the xxiii as now not by the Law but by the Constitution of their Elders The third is the Feast of the wood-offering of which Nehem. x. 34. And we cast lots among the Priests the Levites and the People for the wood-offering to bring it into the house of our God after the houses of our fathers at times appointed yeare by yeare to burn upon the Altar of the Lord our God as it is written in the Law And xiii 31. And for the wood-offering at times appointed The same Scaliger conceiveth out of Josephus that this Festivall fell upon the xxii of the moneth Ab to which sense he referreth the words of Orach Hajim AB est rex quòd in eo caederent ligna in Sacrificium AB is a King among Moneths because upon it they cut wood for the Sacrifice But the truth is that which the Misna relateth Mass Taanith C. iv n. 5. that it was held for nine dayes of severall moneths whereof a great part fell in that moneth For this is that which the Scripture saith At times appointed yeare by yeare The last is the Dedication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus which our Lord observed John x. 22. neither is it within the compasse of common sense to imagine that he did otherwise in the rest of the Solemnities which were then for certain in the Jews Calendar As for their times of Fasting the day of Atonement stood by the Law of Moses and the rest appointed for it as strict as that of the Sabbath but the nature of the observance quite otherwise with humiliation and afflicting the Soul There were divers other Fasts which that people took upon them to observe not upon the Law but upon publick Order and Custome upon set dayes of severall moneths as in their Calender is yet to be seen whereof some are remembred in the Scriptures Zach. vii 5. and viii 19. we reade of the Fasts of the fourth and fifth and seventh and tenth moneths in remembrance of those calamities which God had punished the sinnes of that people with upon those dayes most of them still remembred in their writings Besides that which is read in the Law of Moses Num. x. 9. And if you go to warre in your land with your enemies that distresse you then you shall blow an alarm with the Trumpets hath been from old time understood in the practice of that people of all distresses that came upon them for their sinnes and of Proclaiming Fasts for strict repentance and diverting Gods wrath Maimoni Taanioth C. i. num 1. The Order of which Fasts was grounded upon that which the words of the Pharisee point at Luke xviii 12. I fast twice in the week For without doubt the second and fifth day of the week Mundayes and Thursdayes were observed many ages afore that for the purposes which the same Rabbi specifieth Tephillah Ubircath Cohenim C. xii n. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Lord Moses appointed Israel to reade the Law at morning Prayer upon the Sabbath and the second and the fifth that they might not rest three dayes from hearing the Law and Esra appointed to reade it at evening Prayer upon the Sabbath because of idle persons And he ordered that three men should reade upon the second and fifth and not lesse then ten verses And in Megillah C. i. num 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that dwell in villages that Assemble not in the Synagogues but upon the second and the fifth These are his words by which it appeareth that these dayes were more solemn for Assemblies then the rest of the week seeing that in villages they Assembled upon them in the Synagogues which upon every day they did not The words of the Pharisee bear further that they were observed with fasting and besides Epiphanius their own writers have delivered no lesse But the observance without doubt was not so strict upon them else could not the Pharisee have alledged it for his own praise And the Order of proclaimed Fasts whereof I began to speak argueth no lesse It was at the least for three dayes beginning at the Munday and so on the Thursday and Munday next Maimoni Taanioth C. i. n. 5. But if seven dayes of fasting were appointed then they went on interchangeably from the first Munday C. iii. n. 5. So the Congregation fasted not on Sabbaths or Festivals neither did they begin fasting on New-moons or the Dedication or Purim or the working day of a Feast that is the dayes that come between the first and last of the Passeover and Tabernacles but if they had begun afore they went on upon these dayes C. i. n. 6 7. If these dayes then had been fasted ordinarily with such strict observance then could not the extraordinary Fasts which were purposely cast upon the same dayes have been perceived The institution and observation of these Solemnities in the Synagogue as it regarded no Ceremoniall Service which figured things to come but the Service of God by publick Prayers and the Praises of God with hearing his Word upon the remembrance of his blessings or of our misdeeds was a due President for the Church to follow according to the chief occasions ministred by the Principles of our Faith The Resurrection of our Lord in the first place Who can
temporibus causis uniuscujusque Sic Apostolos observasse nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum ab omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum proinde nec stationum quae ipsae suos dies habeant quartae feriae sextae passivè tamen currant neque sub lege praecepti Therefore otherwise beside the dayes on which the Bridegroom was taken away they say we are to fast indifferently arbitrarily not upon command of the new discipline according to each mans times and occasions And that so the Apostles observed imposing no other yoke of certain Fasts to be performed of all neither by the same reason of Stations which they say have also their dayes of Wednesday and Friday but of ordinary course under the law of no precept For which cause he calleth these Stations semijejunia or half Fasts c. 13. of that book The Wednesday and Friday Assemblies of the Primitive Christians with Fasting were not of such strict and solemn observance No more were those of Mundayes and Thursdayes in the Synagogue and therefore taken up in imitation of the Synagogue and upon the like reasons The generall whereof is well laid down by S. Hierome upon Gal. iiii 10. His question is how the Church appointing Festivals and set times of Fastings is clear of the Apostles charge upon the Galatians there Ye observe dayes and moneths and years I fear lest I have laboured upon you in vain His answer is first Et nè inordinata congregatio populi fidem imminueret in Christum propterea dies aliqui statuti sunt ut in unum omnes pariter veniremus non quòd celebrior sit dies illa quâ convenimus sed quòd quacunque die conveniendum sit ex mutuo conspectu laetitia major oriatur And lest the disorderly assembling of the people should â—ate faith in Christ therefore certain dayes are appointed for all to assemble at once not because the day on which we assemble is more not able then others but because on what day soever we assemble by seeing one another more gladnesse ariseth Meaning that gladnesse wherewith they celebrated their Festivals So his mind is that all difference of dayes among Christians is in respect to the Order of their Assemblies and that in respect to the work of those Assemblies Again Qui subtiliùs respondere conatur dies omnes aequales esse ait Jejunia autem Congregationes inter dies propter eos à viris prudentibus constitutos qui magis saeculo vacant quà m Deo nec possunt imò nolunt toto in Ecclesia vitae suae tempore congregari ante humanos actus Deo orationum suarum offerre Sacrificium One that indeavoureth to make a more subtle answer saith that all dayes are equall but that Fasts and Assemblies are appointed among other dayes by discreet men for those that spend more time in the world then on God and can not nay will not assemble all dayes of their life in the Church to offer unto God the Sacrifice of their Prayers before humane actions Adding that whereas the Jews Service was confined to certain times that of Christians is alwayes seasonable The Primitive Christians were alwayes assembled alwayes in posture for the Service of God as we reade in the Acts when the number increased there was no expectation of humane reason that they could continue so unanimous in frequenting their Assemblies for that purpose The neglect of them must needs prove an abatement the disorder of them a scandall to the Faith Here the wisdome and the authority of the Church-guides behoved to take place by customing certain times whereof the occasion was justest to confine men from Secular imployments to better purposes And how this course prevailed in matter of Festivals I referre to those well known words of S. Augustine Ep. cxviii where being to instance in some universall custome of the whole Church Sicuti saith he quòd Domini Passio Resurrectio Asscensio in Coelum Adventus de Coelo Spiritûs sancti anniversariâ solennitate celebrantur siquid aliud tale occurrit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia As that the Passion the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord into Heaven and the Coming of the Holy Ghost from Heaven is celebrated with yearly solemnity and if there be any thing else which all the Church wheresoever dispersed observeth As for times of Fasting the answer of our Lord importeth two things First that his purpose was that the outward freedome which he allowed his Disciples for the time should symbolize with the inward comfort which the Gospel professeth and conduct and train them as trained they were by his Doctrine in divers particulars by corporall to spirituall things to understand it The second the reason of this purpose because they were old vessels for the present which a strict discipline for the present might cause to flie in pieces but when the new wine of the Holy Ghost should make the vessels new into which it was put on the day of Pentecost then should they Fast then should they be willing to undertake the discipline which their Profession suited with Accordingly we may find them serving God with Prayer and Fasting Acts xiii 3 4. xiiii 23. But because disorder or coldnesse in this voluntary performance might disadvantage the Faith it soon proved time to bring those voluntary observances to set rules of practice These causes thus disposing the Church and the President of the Synagogue directing not to do lesse what course should it observe but in stead of Mundayes and Thursdayes used in the Synagogue to practice Wednesdayes and Fridayes for this purpose holding in them a convenient distance from the Lords day as those other did from the Sabbath Their Writers tell us besides the reason specified out of Maimoni afore that they might not rest three dayes from hearing the Law that they made choice of Mundayes and Thursdayes in regard of some great calamities that befell their nation upon those dayes What marvell is it if the Church had regard to those which befell our Lord on the Wednesday and Friday the other Morall reason of assembling once in three dayes for Gods Service concurring Those ancient Christians of Tertullians time conceived that the Fast afore Easter is appointed in the Scripture which saith The dayes will come that the Bridegroom shall be taken from among you and then shall ye Fast in those dayes and Tertullian is content to have it believed because Montanus required that and more But S. Augustine found that there is a command in Scripture to Fast but no time commanded when it shall be done Ep. lxxxvi So he would have accepted their reason as an allusion handsomely symbolizing with the nature of Fasting but the appointment he must needs referre to the Custome of the Church and the Ordinance of the Guides of it It is not much otherwise with those other dayes wherewith some inlarged the Fast afore Easter even afore Ireneus his
time It is not much otherwise with the Wednesday and Friday Assemblies though Tertullian is willing to have them both counted innovations in the Church on purpose to bring them into rank with Montanus his discipline for which he pleadeth recharging the Catholick Christians Et praeter Pascha jejunantes ultra illos dies quibus ablatus est sponsus Stationum semijejunia interponentes Both as Fasting besides the Passeover over and above those dayes on which the Bridegroom was taken away and interposing the half Fasts of Stations De Jejun c. 13. But the betraying of Christ and his death is a reason that may take place to move them that have resolved to appoint set dayes of Fasting every week to chuse the dayes on which those things fell out afore others especially being in a convenient distance from the Lords day the Assemblies whereof were most solemn otherwise to think that there was no more reason then that for an appointment of such consequence is to make them as childish as they would have them that had rather despise then either observe or understand their Ordinances though the purpose be no more then to bring the precepts of Fasting and of the Publick Service of God into the ordinary and uniform practice of his Church which being commanded but in generall without such particular appointment are not like to be exercised to great purpose Whereas the discipline of Montanus set up in downright terms as schisme in the Church by assembling apart for the exercise of their own particular and voluntary observations whatsoever heresies besides it may have been imbarked with How ancient the observation of Wednesday and Friday Assemblies was in the Church is to be valued by the recommendation of them in Ignatius Ep. ad Philip. and Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. v. How uniform the observation of them was in the Ancient Church is to be known from Epiphanius his words Haer. lvi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who agreeth not saith he in all climates of the world that the Wednesday and the Friday are Fasts appointed in the Church And when Tertullian saith in the same C. 13. afterwards that the Bishops were wont to appoint extraordinary Fasts upon occasions which made the Church solicitous there can no question be made but they were wont to chuse the Wednesdayes and Fridayes to be observed with more strictnesse upon these occasions because we saw afore that all Fasts that were indicted in the Synagogue were by Order to fall upon the Mundayes and Thursdayes which in a lower degree they observed otherwise And therefore the Orders of this Church of England instituting Festivals for the Publick Service of God in remembrance of his most remarkable blessings instituting times of Humiliation and Fasting for diverting his wrath which our sinnes contract from time to time standeth recommended to us by the practice of the most ancient times of the Church Setting aside difference of meats for conscience sake whereof we speak not here as was said opinion of Merit of Satisfaction of the Worship of God being abolished by the reason of the Institution here professed the form of Service appointed by the Church recommendeth the difference of dayes to our devotions And though we come not near the strictnesse of Abstinence wherewith in the Primitive Church they were wont to afflict themselves and perhaps for very good reasons we come not near it yet to assemble for the Publick Service of God even in those places where there is not opportunity to Assemble every day as you saw it was practised in the Synagogue to abstain till these Assemblies be over setting aside the favour we lend our own ease must needs appear most commendable I cannot say that this Institution in respect of set dayes for Fasting hath found so good respect for the particular in the Reformed Churches the generall reason is thus set down by Melanchthon among chief Reformers Apol. Confess de Trad. p. 171. Caeterùm ritus humanos observabant Otherwise the Fathers observed humane rites for outward benefit that the people might know what time to Assemble that all things might be done in Churches orderly and gravely and exemplarily last of all that the common sort might have some Paedagogie or discipline For the differences of Times and varieties of Rites serve to put in mind the Common sort And by and by afterwards Dicit probandas esse Traditiones Epiphanius disputing against the Encratites saith That Traditions are to be allowed that are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is either to restrain the flesh for discipline of the vulgar or for Order and Governments sake And we think that Traditions may well be retained for these causes That the people be at Service sober that is fasting as it followeth as Josaphat and the King of Niniveh proclaimed Fasts Likewise that the Order and practice of the Church may teach the Church what was done at what time Hence come the Festivals of the Nativity Easter Pentecost and the like This is that which Epiphanius saith That Traditions were ordained for policies sake that is for Orders sake and that such Order might put men in mind of the story and benefits of Christ For marks of things painted as it were in Rites and Customes are much more effectuall to put the vulgar in mind then writings Now the difference of ancient between severall Churches in the point of Publick Service upon Festivall and fasting-Fasting-dayes is that which Epiphanius remembred afore that the Assemblies upon Wednesdayes and Fridayes were held all Fasting till three after noon and Tertullian so long afore him De Jejun C. ii acknowledgeth the Stations of the Christians were wont to be kept on Wednesdayes and Fridayes till three after noon which he out of the leaven of Montanus is not content with But of the Lords day Epiphanius in the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But all Lords dayes this holy Catholick Church counteth glad dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serveth to expresse that of the Prophet Esa lviii 13. And call the Sabbath Delight which the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the DELIGHT of the Sabbath and holdeth Assemblies from morning fasteth not for it is inconsequent to Fast on the Lords day So to assemble in the morning was the mark of a Festivall to depart at three afternoon of a Fast Further Socrates v. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again at Alexandria on Wednesdayes and Fridayes both the Scriptures are read and the Doctours expound them and all that belongeth to an Assemblie is done besides celebrating the mysteries And this is an ancient custome at Alexandria for it appeareth that Origen taught most of his Writings on these dayes in the Church Because they took the Eucharist to be a piece of Festivall observance therefore they thought it not suitable when they fasted Therefore it is ordered Conc. Load Can. xlix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is that the Eucharist must not be celebrated in Lent but upon the Sabbath and
Lords day on neither whereof they fasted Neverthelesse in other places this reason prevailed not By Tertullian it appeareth De Orat. C. xiiii that in his time and the parts where he lived the Eucharist was celebrated on dayes of Fasting And in the same place he disputeth against those that forbore the Kisse of Peace used in some places afore receiving the Eucharist in some places after it Conc. Laod. Can. xix Innocent I. ad Docent 1. upon dayes of Fasting which was an observance of Fasting-dayes derived from the Synagogue where their fashion was not to salute one another when they fasted Maimoni Taanioth C. iii. n. 8. C. v. n. 11. And S. Basil Epist cclxxxix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet we communicate foure times a week Lords dayes Wednesdayes Fridayes and Sabbaths and on other dayes if the memory of a Martyr fall out In fine certain it is which S. Augustine delivereth in this point Epist cxviii Alia quae per loca terrarum regionésque variantur sicuti est quòd alii jejunant Sabbato alii non alii quotidie communicant corpori sanguini Dominico alii certis diebus communicant alibi nullus dies intermittitur quo non offeratur alibi Sabbato tantùm Dominico alibi tantùm Dominico siquid aliud hujusmodi animadverti potest totum inquam hoc genus rerum liberas habet observationes Other things which change according to places and countreys of the world as that some fast on Saturday some not some participate every day of the Lords body and bloud some receive on certain dayes in some places no day is intermitted but it is celebrated otherwhere onely on the Sabbath and Lords day otherwhere on the Lords day alone and if any thing else of this sort can be observed all matters of this kind I say are of free observance This indifference or this difference notwithstanding we shall perceive the whole custome of the Ancient Church was to celebrate the Eucharist if not every day yet upon all Lords dayes if not rather by consequence upon all Festivals or all dayes of more solemn Assemblies as the Crown of the Service for which they assembled both upon example of the Primitive time The practice of them that celebrated and received the Eucharist every day standeth upon the example of the Primitive Christians at Jerusalem Of whom when it is said that they continued constant in the doctrine of the Apostles and communion and in breaking bread and prayers and that continuing with one mind in the Temple and from house to house they did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart to what purpose shall we imagine that Breaking bread and Communion is mentioned besides the Service of the Temple but to signifie the Service of the Eucharist proper to the Faith of Christians in which they communicated among themselves as with the Jews in the Service of the Temple knowing that at the first it was used at meals as it was instituted among Christians This notwithstanding in other places it seemeth the Eucharist was celebrated but upon Lords dayes as well in the times of the Apostles as in the Church that succeeded Acts xx 7. On the first day of the week the Disciples being assembled to break bread that is to celebrate the Eucharist as the Syriack translateth it Here the first day of the week seemeth to stand against the rest in terms of difference as if upon other dayes they did it not And that is the day which S. Paul appointeth the Church of Corinth as he had done the Churches of Galatia to make their Collections for the poore which Tertullian sheweth was done at their Assemblies 1. Cor. xvi 2. Tertull. Apolog. C. xxxix and in Plinie's Epistle concerning the Christians of his Government Quòd essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire That they were wont on a set day to assemble before light What day but the Lords day can we think might be Set for this purpose Justice Martyr for certain mentioneth no other Assemblies of Christians but on the Lords day in the place aforenamed And in the Constitutions of the Apostles ii 58. where he exhorteth to Assemble every day morning and evening as was said afore the Eucharist is mentioned to be celebrated but upon Lords dayes as it followeth afterwards Plinie's words in that place are these at large Epist xcvii l. x. Quòd essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carménque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem séque Sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere sed nè furta nè latrocinia nè adulteria committerent nè fidem fallerent nè depositum appellati abnegarent His peractis morem sibi discedendi fuisse rur súsque coeundi adcapiendum cibum promiscuum tamen innoxium The Christians confessed that they were wont to assemble on a set day before light and to sing praise among themselves to Christ as to God and to tye themselves upon a Sacrament not to any wickednesse but not to commit thefts robberies or adulteries not to falsifie their trust or deny a thing deposited being demanded This done that their custome was to depart and meet again to eat together but in a vulgar and innocent sort Grotius of late upon Matth. xxvi 25. seemeth to conceive that at the beginning the Eucharist was not celebrated but at meals as it was instituted by our Lord. And that so it was celebrated not onely under the Apostle as Acts xx 11. 1. Cor. xi or under Ignatius but in Justine Martyr and Tertullians time appeareth by their words Justin Dial. cum Tryph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore that Prayers and Thanksgivings made by the worthy are the onely complete Sacrifices and acceptable to God I also affirm for these alone Christians also have received order to perform and that upon remembrance both of their dry and moist nourishment at which there is also remembrance of the Passion which God by God himself suffered The like Apol. ii the words shall follow afterwards Tertullian de Cor. c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum in tempore victûs omnibus mandatum à Domino etiam antelucanis coetibus nec de aliorum manu quà m Praesidentium sumimus The Sacrament of the Eucharist commanded by our Lord both to all and at meat time we receive also at our Assemblies afore day but at no mans hands but our Presidents They are the words whereupon he groundeth For Tertullian reckoneth it among Traditions that is Customes of the Church not commanded in Scripture Which notwithstanding nothing hindereth but the same might be practised in the Apostles time and remembred in the Scriptures To which opinion I rather incline Otherwise whence should the Custome rise in Justine and Tertullians time to celebrate the Eucharist at their Morning Assemblies when it was still in use at Supper time in their Feasts of Love That is it which Ignatius calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ancient translation
men and women vailing or uncovering their heads in those Assemblies and concerning celebrating the Eucharist with the Feasts of Love used then at common meetings with the grounds whereupon they proceed adding to both such passages of Scripture as fall in with the meaning of these speaking home to what was done or prescribed to be done at their religious Assemblies perhaps by this means we shall be furnished of such principles and such rules derived thence as the Scriptures afford the Church to proceed upon as well in the substance of that which is to be done in the Publick Service of God as in the form and course and circumstances of it And this upon the by will minister just occasion to inquire further into the condition of those Graces and Ministeries by which the severall parts of this work were exercised at that time according to the Apostle or intended to be exercised in after ages To which point having said something of late in a little tract of the Primitive government of Churches and finding it too much slighted there because the particular discourse of it suted not with the modell of that Treatise my desire is to take it in hand upon this occasion once more and inquire what further satisfaction the consideration of Publick Service at their religious Assemblies will yield them that desire the truth as concerning the nature and condition of ministeries first instituted for that purpose CHAP. II. Dayes of Assemblies appointed by the Law The Morall Service of God not specified in it but collected from it How the Jews are taxed for spending the Sabbath in pastime Places of such Assemblies not provided in it The Priests charged to teach the Law by deciding controversies of it The Chair of Moses the Chair of Prophets High places to what purpose Beginning of Synagogues Disciples of Prophets studied to be Prophets They ministred the Morall Service of God in High places and Synagogues OF the Figurative Service proper to the Law of Moses and that people which received it of the kinds and times and place for offering sacrifices there is particular appointment in it but of serving God by Prayer or hearing his Word you have there so much the lesse remembrance In Leviticus xxiii we find the particular of all their Solemnities that are called holy Assemblies For thus the generall is propounded vers 2. The Assemblies of the Lord which ye shall proclaim for holy Convocations these are my Assemblies The first of these is the Sabbath then the Passeover Pentecost the beginning of the New year the day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles And with leave I rather use the word Assemblies then Feasts in this place because the name of Feasts is proper to those Solemnities which are to be celebrated with joy and chearfulnesse whereas in this number the day of Atonement was to be observed with the greatest humiliation that could be expressed The Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteining all Assemblies such as all these are commanded to be and as I take it none else For that which is read Psal lxxxi 3. Blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon in the time appointed against the day of our Feasts dependeth upon the Law Numb x. 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse and in your solemn Feast dayes or rather dayes of Assemblies for the word is the same that I translated so afore and in the beginning of your Moneths you shall blow with your Trumpets over the burnt-offerings and over the sacrifice of your peace-offerings that they may be to you for a memoriall before your God Where we see three sorts of Solemnities distinguished First the day of your gladnesse conteining Solemnities to be celebrated with chearfulnesse of heart that is Feasts Then the solemn dayes of Assemblies as the word signifieth conteining besides those Assemblies for humiliation as the day of Atonement And last the beginnings of your Moneths wherein peculiar sacrifices are injoyned Numb xxviii 11. And here it is provided that Trumpets should be sounded over those sacrifices by the Priests in the Tabernacle but that no Assembly is appointed to be upon them the difference here made between them and their dayes of Assemblies is presumption enough But in particular the first and last dayes of the Passeover and Feast of Tabernacles the one whereof was kept for seven dayes the other for eight were to be solemn Assemblies which the rest were not and therefore in the Greek of the Septuagint are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great dayes to wit of those Feasts in comparison of the lesse Esay i. 13. The New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The calling of Assemblies is here translated Great dayes as in the Gospel John vii 37. In the last day the GREAT DAY of that Feast By which Translation that which is generall in the Originall is restrained to the first and last dayes of those two Festivals Now the Sabbath was the greatest of all Solemnities appointed for Assemblies For they were commanded so to rest from bodily labour as not to kindle fire to dresse the meat they eat upon it For as in Exod. xvi 5 16 29. God contesteth that he gave them a double measure of Manna the day before that they might dresse it against the Sabbath So we have again Exod. xxx 3. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath The same Levit. xxiii 3. where Abenezra IN ALL YOUR HABITATIONS that is in your land and out of your land at home and upon the way To teach us that it was not for the time that they lived upon Manna in the wildernesse that they were forbidden to kindle fire upon the Sabbath but through ALL THEIR HABITATIONS wheresoever they dwelt afterwards And many have observed that in Levit. xxiii it is not said of any other day but of the Sabbath and the day of Atonement Thou shalt do no work upon it but of the other dayes of Assemblies Thou shalt do no Servile work upon them to shew us the difference between them that upon the Sabbath and day of Atonement it was prohibited to dresse the meat of the day but upon other Solemnities that was permitted but to do any work that men were wont to put their slaves to was prohibited which is the received practice of the Jews and hath a just ground in the Scripture Exod. xii 16. where of the first and last day of the Passeover is said No manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that onely may be done or dressed of you Abenezra upon that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of none of the solemn Assemblies beside the Sabbath and day of Atonement it is said NOMANNER OF VVORK Onely of the Passeover he saith it and addeth an exception of the meat of the soul that is requisite for the sustenance of nature Here is a strict command of bodily
rest especially upon the Sabbath and that particularized to concern both Israelites themselves and their slaves and those that sojourn within their gates But that is very considerable which excellent Divines have observed That in the fourth Commandment where is so large provision for bodily rest there the purpose of that rest is onely pointed at in generall terms when it is commanded to be SANCTIFIED which is likewise done in all their Solemnities when they are called ASSEMBLIES but there is no mention made of any particular work of the Morall Service of God wherewith the Sabbath is commanded to be sanctified or for performance whereof they are commanded to Assemble unlesse it be the reading of the Law upon the seventh yeare commanded Deut. xxxi 12. So that it seemeth the Jews have reason when they observe that neither the Form nor Time of Prayer is appointed them by the Law of Moses but by the constitutions of their Elders Maimoni of Prayer C. 1. Numb 1 2. Indeed that the spirituall Service of God of Prayers and his Praises of hearing the Word and meditating upon his works was the thing for love whereof the Jews were commanded to keep the Sabbath those miserable people who in most things are blinded with the letter and never look under the vail upon Moses his face have been able alwayes to perceive as it is to be seen by the sayings of their late and ancient Writers Josephus ad v. Appionem ii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses propounded to the Jews the most excellent and necessary learning of the Law not by hearing it once or twice but every seventh day laying aside their works he commanded them to Assemble for the hearing of the Law and throughly and exactly to learn it Philo de vita Mosis iii. relating the passage of him that gathered wood on the Sabbath of whom it is said Numb xv 33. They brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They take him saith he and bring him to the Ruler with whom sate the Priests all the multitude standing by to heare He observeth that Moses was then expounding the Law as upon the Assembly of the Sabbath Aaron that is as he expoundeth it the Priests sitting on the Bench with him the Congregation standing by to heare The observation he prosecuteth with his reason in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the custome was alwayes when occasion gave way but principally on the seventh dayes as I shewed afore to be exercised in knowledge the Chief going afore and teaching the rest increasing in goodnesse and bettering in life and manners From whence at this day the Jews study their Countrey learning upon the Seventh dayes dedicating that time to knowledge and the contemplation of Nature For the Synagogues in cities what are they but schools of wisdome and in his book de Decalogo he deriveth the imployment of the Sabbath in considering the works of God and calling their own works to account from that which God did in the beginning when he saw all that he had made and behold it was good Abenezra upon the fourth Commandment Exod. xx 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see that the yeare of Remission is correspondent to the Sabbath for it is likewise the seventh of years And the Lord commanded that they should reade the Law in the beginning of it before men women and children expressing the reason Deut. xxxi 12. THAT THEY MAY HEARE AND LEARN AND OBSERVE And behold the Sabbath was given to consider the works of God and to meditate upon his Law as it is written Psal xcii 4. FOR THOU LORD HAST MADE ME GLAD THROUGH THY VVORK I VVILL TRIUMPH IN THE VVORKS OF THY HANDS R. Isaac Abarbinel upon Deut. v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides part of the benefit of this allowed day is to give to the blessed God the seventh of the week to learn the Divine law and the Tradition of the words thereof the expositions of it and to mark well the NICETIES of it As they say that is their ancient Talmud Doctours in the Gemara of the Jerusalem Talmud SABBATHS AND FEASTS VVERE NOT GIVEN BUT TO LEARN THE LAVV UPON THEM And therefore they say in the great Midras or allegoricall exposition of Exodus Sect. 26. and of Deuteronomy That the Sabbath weigheth against all the Commandments as procuring them to be known and observed A man may justly marvell seeing the Morall intent and purpose of this Commandment was so well known among the learned of this people how it cometh to passe that the Fathers of the Church charge the Jews so deep for observing the Sabbath with bodily ease and luxurious pastimes Ignatius Epist ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I understand that there is cause to think these words to be none of Ignatius his own which notwithstanding they are Ancient enough for this purpose and in themselves remarkable if first we observe That the Eastern Christians of Ancient time observed the Sabbath in some measure for Divine Service as well as the Lords day from whence came afterwards the difference about fasting on the Saturday For immediately upon these words it followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after he hath kept the Sabbath let every lover of Christ keep the Lords day festivall Thus then saith the supposed Ignatius Let every one of you keep the Sabbath spiritually taking pleasure in meditation of the Law not in bodily rest admiring the workmanship of God not eating meat dressed the day afore nor drinking luke-warm drinks and walking by measure and taking pleasure in dansing and senselesse noises S. Augustine in Joan. Tract iv Observa diem Sabbati magis nobis praecipitur quia spiritualiter observandum praecipitur Judaei enim serviliter observant diem Sabbati ad luxuriam ad ebrietatem Quantò meliùs foeminae eorum lanam facerent quà m illo die in Menianis saltarent KEEP THE SABBATH is commanded us more because it is commanded us spiritually to be observed For the Jews keep the Sabbath day slavishly for luxury for drunkennesse How much better had their women spin wooll on that day then danse in the porticoes and in Psal xcii Ecce hodiernus dies Sabbati est Hunc in praesenti tempore otio quodam corporaliter languido fluxo luxurioso observant Judaei vacant enim ad nugas cùm Deus praeceperit observari Sabbatum illi in his quae Deus prohibet exercent Sabbatum Vacatio nostra à malis operibus vacatio illorum à bonis operibus est meliùs est enim arare quà m saltare Illi à bono opere vacant ab opere nugatorio non vacant Behold this is also a day of Sabbath which the Jews at this present keep with a kind of bodily languishing dissolute and luxurious ease For they are at leisure for toyes And whereas God commandeth to keep the Sabbath they spend the Sabbath in that which God forbiddeth Our being at
him no more and all this no more inconvenience in the Apostle then this that upon his Revelation he conceived God had appointed that which afterwards upon the successe of his affairs he was in hope would come to passe otherwise Nor more inconvenience that this should be related in Scripture then that the speeches of Jobs friends should have a place in it of whom it is said They have not spoken aright of me as my servant Job hath done Thus then when the Apostle willeth the others to judge of that which two or three Prophets shall say as he appointeth at their meetings his meaning is not onely of that which by the way of common reason and ordinary skill shall be said in Exposition of the Scripture but even those things which are spoken by inspiration which he calleth the Spirits of the Prophets he will have subject to the Judgement of the Prophets so farre as concerneth the meaning and consequence of them to be measured by the rest of the Scriptures And to this purpose it seemeth he ordereth the use of those spirituall Graces which are poured upon this Church of Corinth in such abundance that it was hard to find a course for all of them to imploy their Gifts so that all might have opportunity by turns if not at the same meeting to use their Grace in Prophesying that the Church might be edified by it and that others might by the Gift of discerning spirits judge the meaning of those things that were spoken by the Spirit so that the Church might receive no such offense as that which the Thessalonians did in conceiving from things that were spoken by the Spirit that the day of the Lord was at hand at that time Though it is neverthelesse to be thought that this course of speaking by many at the same Assembly was practised in the Synagogue especially when divers Scribes and Doctours were present as also some traces of the same custome have continued in the practice of the Church Beza expounding the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. xi 8. Therefore ought a woman to have power over her head because of the Angels to be meant of the Ministers of Churches Vtitur autem plurali numero quòd in maxima donorum Dei abundantia non tantùm apud Corinthios ut apparet infrà xiv 39. sed etiam olim aliis in Ecclesiis non unus solus sed etiam bini terni in coetibus sacris sermonem haberent ut de praeclaris aliis donis taceam de quibus noster Apostolus infrà xiv 26. Quod etiam liquet ex Tertulliani Apologetico quibusdam in Antiochena Ecclesia Chrysostomi Homiliis Now he speaketh in the plurall number because for the abundance of Gods Graces not onely amongst the Corinthians as appeareth beneath xiv 39. but also in other Churches of old time not one alone but two or three spake at religious Assemblies Which also appeareth by Tertullians Apologetick and some Homilies of Chrysostome in the Church of Antiochia Tertull. Apolog. c. 39. Certè fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam figimus disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divina Certainly with these holy words we nourish faith we erect our hope we fasten our confidence as much we compact our discipline repeating the rules of it There also exhortations reproofs and the censure of God speaking of reading and expounding the Scriptures in their Assemblies Whether or no these be the words which he meaneth I know not I find nothing else in that book to the purpose But it is clear which he saith of S. Chrysostome In Ferrarius De ritu Concionum ii 40. you shall find the passages of his Homilies marked in which he signifieth that the Bishop was to preach when he had done And in one passage related out of him in Baronius Ann. lvii n. 160. he testifieth in expresse terms that this custome of the Church was but a figure and monument of those Graces which had flourished in the Primitive Adding further that when the Preacher blessed or as they call it saluted the people at his beginning with these or the like words The Lord be with you the people answering as the fashion was which yet remaineth in one place of our Service And with thy Spirit the meaning of this answer had reference to the Spirituall inspired Grace out of which they were known to speak at the beginning Gregory Nissene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nè igitur longiùs vobis fratres sermonis exordium protrahamus cum mirific is eorum qui ante nos dixerunt orationibus operam dederitis Therefore brethren not to draw you out the beginning of my speech too much in length having taken pains to heare the admirable Sermons of those that have spoken before me But of all the rest the book called the Constitutions of the Apostles most in particular ii 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then saith he when the Gospel is read let the Presbyters exhort the people one by one not all at once and after all the Bishop as it is fitting for the Master to do For here you see how the Order of the Apostle was sometimes practised in the Church when the Bishop preached in the last place after one or more of the Presbyters CHAP. VI. The parts of that work of Gods Service for which Christians assemble Psalmes of Gods praises part of the substance of it The ground and efficacie of Common Prayers Reading the Scriptures a substantiall part of Publick Service The necessity and excellence of Preaching for expounding the Scriptures The Eucharist the chief part of Publick Service The Apostles Rule of Order and Comelinesse The force of Custome in preserving Order and of Reason in judging of Gomelinesse All practice of the Primitive Church prescribeth not to us Correspondence with it necessary The Practice of it in the point in hand of what advantage Order of Publick Service a Law of Christian Kingdomes Direction of Ministers of the Church requisite The Obligation of it Agreement of the chief Reformers THus farre then have we travelled in the first part of our businesse propounded inquiring the Apostles meaning in this whole discourse intended to regulate the use of spirituall Graces proper to that time in their Assemblies by comparing the particulars of it with that which is found remembred in the Scriptures to the like purpose How wide soever these things may be thought from my intent as having nothing to do with the particulars which the Apostle here ordereth to me it shall seem a great gain for the pains bestowed here that from hence we may collect the substance of those things which are to be done at the Religious Assemblies of Christians the particulars of that work for which we Assemble our selves which are no other according to the Apostle then our Common Service expresseth in the entrance to it To set forth his most worthy Praise to
drawn in consequence to the prejudice of that way which they defire to render commendable but when we heare these flying pretenses passe up and down by which those demurres of humane imperfection are intitled to those unutterable groans which the Spirit of God inditeth according to the Apostle we have reason not to admire the occasion of such unsufferable profanenesse What shall we say then of the meanest rank of persons by whom Extemporary conceptions and expressions in such high Offices must be ministred but this that the ill order by which they are vented to the world must needs bring Religion to be contemptible Again in regard of mens opinions and inclinations in regard of severall discretions and judgements in point of what is fit to be recommended to God in publick Prayers which way shall we attain that Order that Reverence which this Office requireth according to the Apostle If men be left to themselves whatsoever opinion in Religion whatsoever debate between neighbours whatsoever publick matter of Church or Common-wealth a man shall please to make his interesse upon like reason he may make the subject of his Prayers and of the Congregation which if it be not well directed as what man is free from mistake where men may be and alwayes are of divers opinions must either pursue his interesse for the will of God in their desires or as they are bound to be must be scandalized at that which is done I had rather belie mine own senses then charge any man with that which appeareth not but if experience tell us not that such things have been done that mens prayers in the Church have smoked with their choler in private and publick matters yet reason will tell us how easily it may be done and such Ordinance pointed in time against them that least deserve it in Church or Common-wealth As the matter is among us we see how farre mens minds are from being agreed when we are to pray for fair weather and when for rain make particular persons infallible Judges not of a thing of that consequence but of whatsoever may be the subject of our prayers and we make them all Popes in their Congregations make them not infallible and we multiply scandalls in the Service of God to the worlds end to which no man should come till all were ended Last of all it is not the ingenious conceptions of mens minds it is not the eloquent expressions of their tongues that God is affected with the Ministers devotion will prove more free towards God when his mind is lesse at work in framing terms to expresse what he conceiveth to be for the purpose But if we have regard unto the meanest rank in knowledge as well as in estate which are alwayes the greatest part and therefore in whom Charity hath the most share it will appear a great advantage to their devotions to run smooth upon the Forms to which they are practised which must needs be intercepted with studying the meaning of new ones which they are directed with This is that which my reason is able to inform in this point Whether a prescript form of prayers be for the edification of the Church in maintaining Order and Reverence in the Publick Service of God or not Let us see which way the practice of the Church inclineth or hath inclined though the matter be great as concerning the meaning of the Apostles charge and the form of serving God a man shall have no cause to suspect his own reason when the reason of the Church and the guides of it go before But I must begin with the Publick Service of God in the Temple so farre as it was morall and consisted not in offering Sacrifices That carrieth more prejudice with it then mans reason can inforce That which was done there is President enough to presume that the like is not against the Law of God and the Scripture Of this we reade thus 1. Chron. xxiii 30. And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening and at all offering burnt-offerings to the Lord on the Sabbaths the New Moons and the Solemn Assemblies For without doubt the purpose is here to specifie at what times the Levites sung the Psalmes of Gods praises to the Sacrifices that were offering in the Court of the Temple whereof we reade afore 1. Chron. xvi 4. And he appointed of the Levites to Minister before the Ark of the Lord and to record and thank and praise the Lord God of Israel And again vers 37. the same is repeated But afterwards having spoken of the Priests whom David left to sacrifice upon the Altar at Gibeon it followeth vers 41. And with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest that were chosen that were expressed by name to give thanks to the Lord because his mercy indureth for ever Here you shall perceive the time and the place of this Service expressed in Scripture Part of them with Asaph were to Minister before the Ark part with Heman and Jeduthun to give thanks unto the Lord where the Priests offered the burnt-offering morning and evening vers 40. for the time that the Altar was at Gibeon the Ark in the city of David But for a perpetuall course as you have it xxiii 30. To stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening and at all offering of burnt-offerings to the Lord in the Sabbaths in the New Moons and on the Assemblies For thus it must here be translated as R. David Kimchi hath glossed it That they should also be ready to praise when the burnt-sacrifice is offered on the Sabbaths and New Moons and dayes of Assemblies and also to help the Priests on these dayes when there are many offerings For by this exposition is signified both the help which the Priests had from the Levites in sacrificing and also the kinds of Sacrifices at which the Levites sung Psalmes of Praise and Thanksgiving Maimoni Cele hammikdash C. iii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when do they sing Over all the burnt-offerings of the Congregation which were due and over the peace offerings of an Assembly at the pouring of the wine But the voluntary burnt-offerings of the Congregation over these they sung not the Song A Rule without doubt raised from the Scripture alledged and the place here signified where they stood to sing that is before the Ark is the same that is signified at Solomons Sacrifice 2. Chron. v. 12. where they stood East from the Altar as it must be translated that is at the East Gate of the Temple either before the mens Court or before the womens Court. For at both these Gates there was a Pulpit for the Levites where at all these times stood twelve at the least for this purpose Maimoni as before And before the latter were those fifteen steps from which the fifteen Psalmes of degrees are named because they were sung there as the Talmudists will have it Mass Middoth Cap.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And on Solemn dayes when there was a Sacrifice more then ordinary offered by the Law a third called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is over above Further n. 8. That as the limbes of the Evening Sacrifice were burning all night upon the Altar so in correspondence there was ordered a prayer at night which though not obligatory he saith was practised by all Israel Of the Service appointed for Fasting-dayes at closing in the Evening called therefore by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I need say nothing here C. ii n. 2. he declareth that because when the Eve of the Passeover fell upon the Friday the Evening Sacrifice was killed half an houre after noon therefore the time from which the Evening Sacrifice became due was from thence to half an houre after three which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Evening Service the lesse being from thence to Sunne-set So that he who prayeth this Service from half an houre after twelve is disobliged of the debt of it And upon what terms it is said either at both these houres or at the one according to their orders it followeth there n. 3. Of these three Services the Ebrew Doctours Maimoni as afore Abenezra upon Psal iv 6. R. Saadiah upon Dan. vi 10. constantly expound the words of the Psalmist there Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall heare my voice And that of Daniel He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God as afore time Whence it should seem that when S. Peter went up to pray upon the house top about the sixth houre Acts x. 9. his meaning was to observe the lawfull houre of the Evening Service half an houre after Noon though being at Jerusalem he went up into the Temple with John at the houre of Prayer being the ninth houre when this Service was performed there in the Assembly of the people The same which Judith observed as we reade Judith ix 1. About the time that the incense of that Evening was offered in Jerusalem in the house of the Lord Judith cried with a loud voice and said According to that of the Psalme Let my Prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting up of my hands be an Evening Sacrifice as you heard afore that their prayers in the Temple were offered at the time of incense Thus the order of the Synagogue aimed at the Sacrifices which by the Law were offered in the Temple In the Church it was received of very ancient time to pray at nine at twelve and at three afternoon aiming it should seem at the practice of the Synagogue and of the Apostles according to it but with the difference you see that they prayed thrice in the day time whereas the Jews third Service was at going to bed as you have it in Maimoni as afore Tertullian De Jejun adv Psych C. x. sheweth that the houres of nine and twelve and three were customed for Prayer by the Christians of that time by proving it from the example of the Disciples assembled as S. Peter saith Acts ii 15. upon the third houre of the day of S. Peter that went up to pray at the sixth houre and of Peter and John that went up to the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre And then it followeth Quod etiam suadet Danielis quoque argumentum ter die orantis utique per aliquarum horarum exceptionem non aliarum autem quà m insigniorum exinde Apostolicarum tertiae sextae nonae Hinc itaque Petrum dicam ex vetere potiùs usu nonam observasse tertio orantem supremae orationis munere Which also Daniel his praying thrice a day argueth forsooth excepting some houres and those no other then these of the Apostles which thence were more notable the third sixth and ninth Hereupon I would say that Peter rather observed the ninth by ancient custome praying the third time as the last offering Here lieth the difference It is the third prayer of the day according to Tertullian which Peter and John offered at the time of Evening Sacrifice which these Ebrew Doctours make but the second Whatsoever become of this difference as concerning the houres of mens private prayers the publick houres of the Temple observed by the Apostles became a President to the Church for the Publick Service of God at their Assemblies In the Constitutions of the Apostles they are exhorted to pray the Lords Prayer thrice a day according to Tertullian vii 24. They are again exhorted to pray at other houres besides viii 36. But as concerning their Assemblies thus he instructeth the Bishop to teach the people just according to the practice of the Synagogue alledged out of Maimoni ii 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in teaching O Bishop charge and instruct the people to be continually at Church Morning and Evening every day and not absent at all Whereas upon Lords dayes in the same place he remembreth three Services which seem to be those whereof the Canon of Laodicea speaketh where it appointeth the same Service of Prayers to be used both at three and at Evenings meaning upon Lords dayes according to these Constitutions It is not then this Authours judgement upon which I stand not but it is the Example of the Apostles and Primitive Disciples resorting to the Temple to serve God with the Jews in the Service there practised and that according to the custome of the Synagogue but it is the custome of the Church by him remembred and derived from their Example that must needs recommend with great weight unto us the order of this Church as concerning daily Morning and Evening Service And to the same purpose in the Reformation Calvine upon Acts iii. 1. Instituerat Dominus ut Sacrificium vesperi mane offerrent Hoc exercitio docebantur ab Invocatione cultu Dei incipere diem claudere God hath appointed the Jews to offer Sacrifice morning and evening By this exercise they were taught to begin and close the day with calling upon God and his Service A little after Primùm quòd statas horas Deus veteri populo esse voluit indè colligimus Ecclesiam non posse carere certâ disciplinâ Ac hodie nisi obstaret nimius torpor utile esset quotidie haberi tales conventus First whereas God appointed his ancient people set houres thence we gather that the Church cannot be without a certain discipline And at this day if too much dulnesse hindered not it were usefull every day to hold such Assemblies Of Festivals appointed by the Guides of the Synagogue not by the Law of Moses we have foure to my remembrance expressed in the Scriptures The first is that of Purim Esther ix 20. The second the Festivall of the Law upon Tisri xxiii observed still among the Jews for making an end of reading the
he should be much misâ—aken that should so understand it but taking up controversies within the Church after â—his course And all to this purpose that on â—he Lords day they might communicate â—hat they might give and receive the kisse of peace that when the Deacon pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man â—ave a quarrell or suspicion against any they might neverthelesse draw near Such was â—he beginning of the externall Jurisdiction of â—he Church by which it may be judged whether it were first bestowed by the indulgence of Christian Princes or by them conâ—inued upon the practice of the Church beâ—ore the Empire was Christian But of this we speak not here as not concerning the Government of the Church in Spirituall â—atters wherein as members of the Church we communicate That standeth indeed and â—ometh to effect by the free consent of members of it so farre as Religion is not the Law of that Kingdome or Commonwealth â— which it flourisheth Because our Lord â—â—dued not the Ministers of his Kingdome with that power to constrain obedience â—hich himself used not upon earth But as â—he Laws of Kingdomes and Common-â—ealths inforce the Execution and outward â—ffect of Ministeries instituted in the Scriâ—tures in this respect not the power of excommunicating alone but of preaching and ministring the Sacraments and whatsoeveâ— else belongeth to the Office is derived from the Common-wealth that is in our particular from the Imperiall Crown of this Kingdome because it is exercised with effecâ— outwardly that is of doing the work though not of producing the inward end and purpose of converting the soul by Laws inforced by it The like is to be said of all thaâ— is done in deputing those that receive any Order in the Church to the exercise of any part of that function which the Order received importeth The right and charge oâ— it must rest upon those Ministeries that anâ— incharged with the oversight and government of such matters according to the Scriptures and by whom it must be exercised were the Common-wealth not Christianâ— But the power that inforceth the effect oâ— that which they do in this and all parts oâ— their Office is derived from the Secular Arm of the Common-wealth that cherisheth thâ— Church in the bosome of it As for Excommunication by Judges Delegate or High-Commissioners that is by men not of thesâ— Orders First it proceedeth upon Rules directed by the Church and then the course oâ— it is not so agreeable to the tenour of Scripture as to the necessities of the Kingdome For that is here to be averred again that thâ— Presbyteries whereof we speak are differenced from the rest of the people as Benches composed of none but persons Ordained by Imposition of hands for the purpose of Teaching the people and Ordering and Governing Spirituall matters So you have the Office described in all places where there is remembrance of it in the Scriptures Onely in the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. v. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the Word and Doctrine it is imagined that two kinds of Presbyters as well as two parts of their Office are expressed one of Ministers of the Church another of the people one perpetuall the other ambulatory for their time both alike interessed in the Government of the Church the Office of Preaching charged upon the one How little of this is set down in the words of the Apostle were the sense of them that which is pretended let all the world judge yet this is the state of that discipline which hath been pressed as one of the essentiall marks of avisible Church But the purpose is now to satisfie that which hath been alledged from the collections of Justellus upon the Africane Canons to make good this pretended meaning of the Apostle and that from the Apostles own words He hath there produced out of Church-writers of the age of S. Augustine and Optatus or underneath much remembrance of certain Persons styled in those Writers Seniores Ecclesiarum Elders of Churches As in S. Augustine cont Cresc iii. 56. Clerici Seniores Cirthensium Epist 136. Peregrinus Presbyter Seniores Ecclesiae Musticanae regionis in Ep. Conc. Cabarsussitani apud S. Aug. in Psal 36. Seniores Ecclesiae Carthaginensis and to these persons are ascribed certain Acts retaining at least to the Government of those Churches As The Church goods are deposited in their hands Optatus lib. i. They reprove a drunkard August Serm. xix De verbis Domini They are present at an Ecclesiasticall Judgement Greg. l. xi Ep. 19. The Elders of the Church at Carthage solicite the sentencing of their Bishops cause Epist Concil Cabarsussitani apud August in Psal 36. these and more particulars produced by Justellus Out of Origen iiii cont Celsum that the Church had certain of the people to inform them of scandalous offenses whereupon they might proceed to reproof or censure But observe first the style of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 5. 17. and Heb. xiii 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing with that of Tertullian Apolog. cap. 39. PRAESIDENT probati quique Seniores and of Firmilianus Ep. lxxv Cypr. In qua PRAESIDENT majores natu and Ignatius afore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All expressing the first rank of the Church in which after the Bishop they put the Presbyters Compare herewith the rank in which we see these Elders of the people in the time of Optatus and S. Augustine placed in these writings from whence the remembrance of them is alledged In Actis Purgat Caecil Felicis Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi Seniores August iii. cont Cresc 56. Clerici Seniores Cirthensium and then let common sense judge whether these that stand in rank and style behind all degrees of the Clergie be the men that the Apostle placeth in the head of the Church as Rulers of it or how those that governed the Church can come behind Deacons and inferiour Ranks whom they governed The truth is in that age when the Latine tongue began to decay and corrupt they are called Seniores in the Authours alledged by Justellus in the same sense as now in the Vulgar Languages into which the Latine is changed Signori or Scigneurs And therefore there is remembrance of Seniores locorum Seniores regni Childeberti out of Gregory of Tours as well as Seniores Ecclesiae signifying the Aldermen of Commonalties and Lords of the Kingdome as well as the Chief persons of such or such a people that acknowledged the Christian Faith at such time as all were not Christians but Churches and Commonalties in which they subsisted made bodies distinct in persons as well as in nights In that regard it seemeth they are called sometimes Viri Ecclesiastici Ecclesiasticall persons that is belonging to the Church because there were others of like rank which being Heathen belonged not to it rather then for any settled charge in these
concerned the edification of the Church in doctrine whereof there he speaketh and of nothing else And thereupon conclude that Pastours and Doctours are both one there with the Apostle For what reason else can be rendered why there is no remembrance of Pastours in either of those other places wherein the Apostle maketh a more particular reckoning of the Ministeries of the Church both to the Romanes and to the Corinthians What reason but this Because they are set down in both places under the name of DOCTOURS Well may it seem that the Office of them whom the Synagogue called PASTOURS being referred in the Church to the inferiour Order of Deacons the name stuck upon those that ministred the food of the soul in the Church which is for the purpose of it Clemens Epist ad Cor. p. 63. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be a man faithfull be a man able to utter knowledge be he wise in discerning discourses be he pure in works He seemeth to point at some of the Presbyters there in whom these abilities were Tertull. de praescript c. 3. Quid ergò si Episcopus si Diaconus si Vidua si Virgo si Doctor si etiam Martyr lapsus à regula fuerit What then if a Bishop if a Deacon a Widow a Virgin if even a Martyr shall fall from the rule In this list of principall ranks in the Church Presbyters have no room unlesse we understand them in the name of DOCTOURS the best part of their Office Theodoret Epit. Haer. l. v. c. penult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What can they say of the Incestuous person at Corinth who was not onely vouchsafed the divine mysteries but also had attained a Doctours Grace He followeth S. Chrysostomes conjecture which conceiveth that the Corinthians were puffed up as the Apostle blameth them 1. Cor. v. 3. with the opinion of that man because he was one of their Doctours that is one of the Presbyters of that Church that exercised the Office of Preaching and by that means bore sway among the people In fine the Apostle intendeth by Doctours the same that are so called in all Ecclesiasticall Writers that is the Bishops or such of the Presbyters as were seen in Preaching It is worth the observing that Beza hath expounded those whom the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no otherwise then Deacons and Presbyters meaning indeed those Elders of the people which he imagined But having shewed that there never was any such in the Church well may we take his judgement along with so much of the truth as he acknowledgeth which deserveth still more credit from the President of Synagogues which had Elders some learned some not some that preached and some that did not as hath been said Salmasius of late in his work De Foenore Trapezit hath shown some evidence of two sorts of Presbyters in the first times of the Church But according to his admirable knowledge he saw withall that they were all of one rank in the Church all of the Ecclesiasticall Order all made by Imposition of hands and by consequence none of those Elders of the people which have been set up to manage the keys of the Church that is the Office of the Ecclesiasticall Order according to the Scriptures Besides it is to be observed that the Office of Bishops which name he thinketh most proper to those Presbyters which preached not but were exercised in ordering Church-matters and Presbyters is described almost in all places where there is mention of it in the Scriptures by both qualities of Teaching and Governing the Church Which is my argument to conclude That howsoever some mens abilities might be seen in the one rather then in the other howsoever some men according to their abilities might be applied to this rather then to that yet both Offices concerned the whole Order that of Preaching in chief To which though some attained not yet all are incouraged to labour towards it as the most excellent work of their place as by S. Paul allowing them that double maintenance ESPECIALLY in that respect So by these Constitutions allowing them that double portion at their Feasts of Love for that purpose that they may take pains in the Word of Doctrine as the words go there Be it then resolved that the Presbyters of the Church at least part of them were those Doctours whereof the Apostle writeth and from thence be it considered what distempers slight mistakes in the sound of the Scripture bring to passe when we see the Order of Doctours distinct from that of Presbyters pressed as a point of that Discipline that maketh one of the essentiall marks of a visible Church But whether the Prophets of the Primitive Church which taught the people at their Assemblies were Presbyters or not is not so easie to determine Some of them we have reason enough to think were be it but for those Prophets of Antiochia Acts xiii 2. that ministred unto the Lord and fasted when the Holy Ghost said unto them Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have appointed them and those other among whom Timothy received Imposition of hands with prophesying 1. Tim. iv 14. But that all Presbyters were Prophets or all Prophets Presbyters is more then I can resolve Of these Prophets henceforth we are to intreat CHAP. V. Prophets in most of the Churches remembred by the Apostles The Gift of Languages the purpose and nature of it The Limbes and Branches of both these Graces in S. Paul Of Praying and Praising God by the Spirit Those that spake strange Tongues understood what they said Interpretation concerneth all that was spoken in strange Languages They prayed and studied for Spirituall Graces Prophesying in S. Paul signifieth singing Psalmes Prayers of the Church conceived by immediate inspiration The nearnesse of the Graces of Prophesying and Languages The ground and meaning of the Apostles Rule It proceedeth of none but Prophets What is to be judged in that which Prophets spoke The custome in the Primitive Church of many Preaching at the same Assembly came from hence IN the beginning of the Christian Faith it pleased God for the propagation and maintenance of it to revive the Grace of Prophesying decayed and lost among his Ancient people in a large measure in most of the Churches planted by the Apostles though there be not found so much concerning their Office any where as in this Church of Corinth In the Church of Jerusalem the mother of all Churches Acts xi 27. And in those dayes came Prophets from Jerusalem to Antiochia xv 32. And Judas and Silas being Prophets also themselves In the Church of Antiochia Acts xiii 1. Now there were in the Church that was at Antiochia certain Prophets and Doctours At Thessalonica 1. Thess v. 20. Despise not Prophesying At Corinth as we see at large At Ephesus Ephes iv 11. And he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastours and Doctours At Rome Rom. xii 6. Whether Prophesie according to
obedience so the Net was not strong enough to hold them and yet brake not But when the world came into the Church then was the Parable of our Lord more clearly fulfilled which resembleth the Gospel to a Net which drew to the land both good and bad fish and when the Net is not strengthened by the secular Arm no marvell to see it break in pieces It is therefore requisite that the Orders of Publick Service have the force of Temporall Laws by Act of Kingdomes and Common-wealths but it is neverthelesse requisite that it should be directed by the Office of Ministers of the Church no otherwise then it was before the Empire or any Common-wealth received the Faith The charge of directing belongeth to the one which cannot be dispossessed of it the power of constraining belongeth to the other which must give account how they use it or not Heb. xiii 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you or guide you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account 1. Thess v. 12 13. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake What can these Exhortations and Injunctions of the Apostle concern if in matters so proper to their charge as the Publick Service of God and the Order of it those of whom the Apostle speaketh are not to direct but to execute And when those disorders fell among the Corinthians in their Feasts of Love and receiving the Mysteries in praying praising God and preaching in unknown Languages no doubt through those partialities of the Presbyters the Ordinary Guides of the Church there where of hath been spoken elsewhere the Apostle indeed himself taketh Order in his time but in case the like fall out afterwards hath he not authorized the Ordinary Ministeries of the Church by his example to take Order in like matters And when he writeth to Timothy 1. Tim. ii 1. I will therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men wherein without peradventure he taketh order for the substance of Publick Prayer for their Assemblies as shall appear is it his purpose to referre the ordering of it to the Congregation there or to his Office whom he inchargeth with it It is to be seen indeed how much King David did in ordering the Publick course of Divine Service in his time But it is to be considered how he proceeded in it by that which we reade 1. Chron. xv 16 17. And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren singers with instruments of musick psalteries and harps and cymbals sounding by lifting up the voice with joy And the Levites appointed Heman and the rest which is the very course by which we pretend such things are to passe But in the Church of Christ as from the beginning things came to be practised in the Service of God by Order of the Ministers and consent of the people so when Emperours Kingdomes and Common-wealths received the Faith they purchased themselves no right of disposing in such matters as by the Scriptures belong to the Ministers charge but they impose upon themselves the charge of inforcing these Orders which shall seem to be for the advancement of godlinesse And therefore upon the judgement of discretion common to all Christians they are to proceed in denying or inforcing the execution of that which is directed by them whose charge it concerneth If they proceed further they are to answer for the good aswell as for the wrong which they do so farre as that which is done for the better as it advanceth the publick good in the particular substance of that which is done so it may prejudice it more in the consequence of the Example Let us then recollect from the first to the last what hath been said of the reasons and grounds whereupon the Apostle proceedeth in regulating matters concerning the Publick service of God and we shall find that the Church in all ages is to proceed no otherwise First the edification of the Church that is the instruction of Gods people in the knowledge of him the training of them in the exercise of godlines is the aim proposed This is procured by observing Order and Comelinesse in all things to be done of that nature The best and most unpartiall reason is to be imployed in judging what best becometh in matters of this weight and because it is not possible to put these Ordinances past contradiction of opposite reasons the custome directed by the Ministers of the Church upon advise of common reason and most primitive and universall President of the Church and inforced by the secular Arm is to take place for Order sake If after all this a question be made Whether matters established with a tolerable respect to the Fiduciall Line of this Rule oblige men in conscience to observe them or not he shall leave the Church obnoxious to perpetuall confusion by necessary consequence seeing it is not possible that all men should agree of their free accord to observe any course as fittest to be observed unlesse they think themselves tied in conscience to observe that Rule which for the latitude and kind of it is not sinfull for themselves to observe and that if they fail they may be constrained to it because it is established Possible it is that men proceeding in the form of this Rule should so farre mistake themselves as to injoyn the Church to violate some of Gods Laws in obeying theirs in such a man is bound with his bloud to maintain his disobedience But our speech concerneth matters of indifference where the perpetuall Law of God and Nature forbiddeth not the whole kind and latitude of the thing commanded where no perpetuall Law of God or Nature no positive constitution of God or man that ought to take place afore this cometh between if the Laws of the Church strengthened by the secular Arm bind not a man in conscience by virtue of that Law of God that inforceth obedience to their Authours to do according to them then must all men be at their freedome to dissolve or preserve order in the Service of God as they please Where nothing but custome of the Church upon probable reason directeth our practice we must not proceed according to our private reasons which perswade the contrary but according to publick custome if we will be ruled by the Apostle But where there is Law to constrain us we may perhaps have reason to think that the Authours of Laws might have done better in ordering matters otherwise and yet be bound our selves to follow the course which they prescribe They are to answer for the things they injoyn we for our performance when was any humane Law made that could not be faulted if our obedience be delayed till it find such laws as no fault can be
ii Numb 5 6. and the annotations upon it To this must be added that memorable passage of the Samaritane Chronicle published not long since the tenour whereof is this The High-Priest living at that time that is the yeare of the world 4713. by their account took away that most excellent book that was in their hands ever since the calme and peaceable time of the Israelites which contained those Songs and Prayers which were ever used before their Sacrifices For before every of their severall Sacrifices they had their severall Songs still used in those times of peace all which accurately written were transmitted to the subsequent generations from the time of the Legate Moses unto this day by the Ministery of the Holy Priest For this whole passage speaketh clearly of the Service of God in the Temple shewing us that besides the book of Psalmes there were other Songs used at the Sacrifices of their severall Solemnities which were according to the course of their Service put together in one book for the purpose There was besides another part of the Service done in the Temple which men of learning have hit upon by conjecture out of Apoc. viii 3. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne joyned with Luk. i. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense From which Text Lud. Capellus collected That while the Priest offered his incense in the Tabernacle the people were at their prayers abroad and that S. Johns Vision alludeth to nothing else Whereupon our Mead of Christs Colledge very ingeniously conceived that where it is said there vers i. When he had opened the seventh Seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an houre all this was represented in resemblance of the Service of the Temple where first the Praises of God are sung as it is before vi 9. then there is silence for half an houre while the Priest within offereth the incense and the people without pray for remission of sinnes every one by themselves For so I find this conjecture verified in Prike Aboth v. 5. where one of the ten miracles which the Jews relate fell out continually in the Service of God in the Temple is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They stood crowded but they worshipped at large which R. Obadiah Bartenora proceedeth thus to expound upon the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath the sense saith he from swimming upon the face of the waters For because of the crowd every one pressed his fellow so that they stood swimming as it were with their feet lifted up from the ground in the aire At the time of worshipping the miracle happened to them that they worshipped at large every man foure cubits from the next that he might not heare him when he confessed and remembred his sinnes Wherefore they stood while the Levites sung at pouring the wine upon the burnt-offering but when the Priest went to offer the incense then fell every man down to make confession of his sinnes in private Which being done the Holy Priest coming out into the Court pronounced the Benediction appointed in the Law over the people which was the end of Service Of this Maimoni of Prayer and the Priests blessing xiiii 9. In the Temple after the morning Service was done the Priests went up into the Pulpit to blesse which maketh me presume that the Order of Service in the Temple was no otherwise then hath been declared Which Ecclesiasticus seemeth punctually to describe in Onias cap. l. 15 16 17. He stretched out his hand to the cup and poured of the bloud of the grape he poured out at the foot of the Altar a sweet smelling savour unto the most high King of all Then shouted the sonnes of Aaron and sounded the silver trumpets and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance before the most High Then all the people together hasted and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty the most High When the wine was poured forth and the Priests blew the trumpets within at Festivals it is to be understood that the Levites sung the praises of God without at the same time as we saw afore and so it followeth in the next words wherein this description is repeated vers 18 19. The singers also sang praises with their voices with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody And the people besought the Lord the most High by prayer before him that is mercifull till the solemnity of the Lord was ended and they had finished his Service After all followeth the Priests blessing as Maimoni said vers 20 21. Then he went down and lifted up his hands over the whole Congregation of the children of Israel to give the blessing of the Lord with his lips and to rejoyce in his Name And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time that they might receive a blessing from the most High I make no doubt but there was time for reading and expounding the Law in the Temple as it hath been touched but because I find no remembrance of it in this Service and because it concerneth not the point in hand I let it alone In this course of Service then the prayer wherewith each of them confessed their sinnes was private and at pleasure the rest was all by prescript form The Priests blessing expressed in Scripture the praises of God out of the book of Psalmes and others for the purpose And this is the strength of that Argument that is drawn from the Titles of the Psalmes shewing that they were indited for the purpose of praising God and praying to him as the tenour of them is Two or three of these Titles it shall not be amisse to produce here Psalm iiii and all the rest where the title is To the chief Musician the Chaldee translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing or to praise to tell us that they were Psalmes composed for the Master of Musick to be used in the Service of the Temple xcii A Psalme a Song for the Sabbath day It is a pleasant thing to reade the vagaries of the Jews upon this Title from whence they conceive this Psalme to be made by Adam after his fall on the Friday to serve God with on the Sabbath whereas the meaning in our observation is plain that it was composed to be sung in the Service of the Temple on the Sabbath which the very tenour of the Psalme inforceth when it saith vers 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands pointing at the meditation of the Creation upon the Sabbath as the Jews expound it Last the Title of those fifteen Psalmes after the
doubt that the proper day of it was solemnized from the beginning acknowledging as we do that it was the ground of determining the day which we celebrate through the yeare in stead of the Jews Sabbaths and seeing the Apostles assembled the next Pentecost after it Acts ii 1. we know there was from the beginning a great deal of difference and debate about the time those ancient Christians of Asia solemnizing it according to the Moon by a custome pretended to come from S. John whereof we reade in Policrates his Epistle related in Eusebius Eccl. Hist v. 22. the rest upon the first day of the week upon which our Lord rose again These that differed so much about the time agreed alwayes in observing the Festivall So they did in observing the Fast before it that were at much difference as well about the number of dayes as the measure of abstinence Ireneus in his Epistle to Victor of Rome in Eusebius Eccles Hist v. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the difference is not about the day alone but about the very kind of fasting for some think they are to fast one day some two some more some measure their day fourty houres of the day and night The Passion-day was commonly kept of all with Publick Fasting as Tertullian acknowledgeth De orat c. 14. that is the one day whereof Ireneus speaketh But besides De Jejun c. 2. relating the opinion and practice of the Church against which he writeth there for the discipline of Montanus Certè in Evangelio illos dies jejunio determinatos putant quibus ablatus est sponsus For certain they think saith he those dayes to be appointed for Fasting in the Gospel on which the Bridegroom was taken away That is the Passion-day and the Saturday after it according to Tertullian De Jejun c. 14. where the Sabbath or Saturday is qualified Nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum Never but at Easter to be fasted And the appointment of the Gospel whereof he speaketh is that Mark ii 20. The dayes shall come in which the Bridegroom shall be taken from you and then shall ye fast in those dayes or on those dayes as then it seemeth they understood it But in that which remaineth of I. reneus his words there is and seemeth to have been for divers hundred years a slight difference of reading in the copies of Eusebius which inferreth a main difference in the sense That reading which Christoferson translated in Latine acknowledged of late by Petitus Var. Lect. iii. 4. though it is unknown to me from what copies hath them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is For some think they are to fast one day some two some more some fourty and they measure their day by the houres of the day and night Meaning that when they fast they fast from evening to evening Which is more Ruffinus read it no otherwise for thus he translateth those last words Nonnulli etiam quadraginta Ità ut horas diurnas nocturnásque computantes diem statuant Meaning that some fasted fourty dayes but that those which fasted fourty dayes computed every day foure and twenty houres of the day and night By this reading those some of whom Ireneus speaketh kept Lent fourty dayes even afore his time though as Petitus fairly conjectureth not upon all but upon some dayes of each week as it hath been shewed that the Jews kept their long Fasts but on Mundayes and Thursdayes and as he duly proveth that in S. Augustines and Leo the Greats time they fasted the Lent at Rome but three dayes in a week The other reading related afore is from Robert Stevens Greek which Nicephorus followeth for so he is translated in Latine Nonnulli autem quadraginta horis diurnis noctur-nisque diem metiuntur to say That some measured that one day which they fasted by fourty houres of the day and night To make good which reading B. Rhenanus in his Preface to Ruffinus complaining of the want which he found of the Greek of Eusebius out of which much might have been mended in that Latine instanceth in this passage thus Incidi nuperrimè in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quandam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gracam quam cùm evolverem occurrerunt forte fortuna Irenaei verba quae Eusebius C. xxiii L. v. citat de jejuniorum diversitate sic Graecè habentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Very lately saith he I lighted upon a certain abbridgement of Evangelicall History in Greek which turning over I met by mere chance with the words of Ireneus which Eusebius citeth xxiii 5. concerning difference in fasting which in Greek runne thus For some fasted one day some two some more some fourty houres of the day and night fasting an houre for a day that is fourty houres for the fourty dayes of Lent afterwards This reading maketh the conjecture probable that it was first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quadragesima for the number of fourty houres which they fasted at the beginning for the time of our Lords being under the power of death from twelve on Friday till the Sunday morning For in the Constitutions of the Apostles v. 14. the Fast is not to be ended till then at Cocks crowing which afterwards was inlarged to fourty dayes as the Authour alledged by Rhenanus saith That it was at the first of fourty houres an houre for a day to wit of those dayes that were observed afterwards The issue of this dispute Whether fourty dayes were observed in the Church before Ireneus his time or not must rest upon the true reading of his words in Eusebius For though there is mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quadragesima in Ignatius and perhaps elsewhere yet it is not said to be called so from fourty dayes in the writings of those times to my knowledge In the mean time it is manifest that there is no time of the Church to be assigned when the Festivall of the Resurrection and the Fast afore it was not solemnized The Fast upon Wednesdayes and Fridayes is referred to the like reason in the Constitutions of the Apostles v. 14. vii The Wednesday is to be fasted saith he because on it our Lord was betrayed and the bargain made between Judas and the Priests The Friday because he suffered upon it Epiphanius alledging the like reason referreth the order to the Apostles Expos Fidei Cathol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Assemblies we hold are appointed by the Apostles upon the Wednesday and Friday and upon the Lords day upon those in Fasting untill the ninth houre I marvell not to heare him referre those Customes whereof they knew no beginning to the Order of the Apostles But the terms on which the Catholick Christians stand against Montanus and his sect in Tertullian de Jejun c. ii may help to lead us to the true ground of it Itaque de caetero indifferenter jejunandum ex arbitrio non ex imperio novae disciplinae pro
for us But as this Sacrament was frequented no otherwise then as the most solemn part of Gods publick Service at religious Assemblies for that purpose whatsoever was expressed more or lesse of the subject of it concerning the Creation and Redemption of the world yet in all manner of Liturgies of all Christian Churches there is none that I have seen which doth not premise this Thanksgiving and praise to God to the celebration of that Sacrament And it is very remarkable that in that distance of times and places from which we receive the severall forms yet extant with so much difference as must needs proceed from thence yet there are two particulars of it in which all the Forms that are extant agree the one the beginning of it with Sursum corda or Lift up your hearts the people answering as we use it and then to let us understand to what purpose they are exhorted to do it Let us give thanks to our Lord God specifying the Prayer which I now describe The other is the Communion of the Church militant with the fellowship of Angels in this Office expressed in the Trisagion or Seraphicall Hymne Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth for though there is much difference between Forms that are extant yet it will be hard to find any of them wherein both those have not a place which had the forms been arbitrary could not have come to passe Here a question lies to mine apprehension very much concerning this purpose whereas the Creatures of bread and wine are deputed to the effect of becoming the body and bloud of Christ to them that receive them aright by the appointment of our Lord executed by the Church how it can be conceived that by giving thanks to God to the purpose specified they are on the part of the Church deputed to such effect To me it seemeth unquestionable that the Thanksgiving wherewith our Lord in the Gospel is said to have celebrated this Sacrament at his last supper contained also Prayer to God for the effect to which the elements when they became this Sacrament are deputed And that the Church upon his example hath alwayes frequented his institution with the like rehearsing his institution out of the Gospel and praying for the effect of it at the present after the Thanksgiving hitherto described And so whereas in the sense of the Church of Rome the elements are consecrated that is transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ by rehearsing the affirmative words of Christ This is my body this is my bloud as operative In the true sense of the Church they are consecrated that is deputed to be this Sacrament and to the effect of it by the Prayer of the Congregation grounded upon the institution of Christ and the promise which it implyeth Let me suppose in the first place that the elements by being deputed to become this Sacrament are not abolished for their substance nor cease to be what they were but yet begin to be what they were not that is visible signes not onely to figure the Sacrifice of Christ his Crosse which being so used they are apt to do of themselves setting the institution of Christ aside but also to tender and exhibite the invisible Grace which they represent to them that receive For though no man can receive the body and bloud of Christ that is not disposed with a living Faith to receive the same yet on Gods part it is undoubtedly tendred to those that are not so disposed otherwise how saith the Apostle that those that eat and drink unworthily are guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ as not discerning the same And otherwise how saith our Lord of the elements at the instant of delivering them this is my body this is my bloud in the present tense Let me suppose in the second place that our Lord in celebrating this Sacrament made use of the received custome of his people which was as still it is in receiving all good things at Gods hands to premise Thanksgiving or Blessing as they call it before they used them In particular at Feasts before supper was done they took bread and broke it and gave it about and the cup of wine likewise having blessed God for the use of those excellent creatures Upon solemnities and particular occasions mention was made of that which the time required This is the ground of those two points of the Thanksgiving discussed afore the use of those creatures and the redemption of the world which our Lord specified upon the exigenc◠of the generall custome and the particula◠occasion and the Primitive Christians according to Justine Martyr frequented upon his example But as in the like case at the miracle of the Loaves when it is said that our Lord looked up to heaven and blessed Matt xiv 19. or gave thanks as it is John vi 11. i◠cannot be doubted that besides blessing God for his creatures he prayed also for the purpose of that which he intended to do No more is it to be doubted that the Thanksgiving which he made over those elements for that which they represented contained also Prayer that by them it might be communicated to his disciples The tenour and consequence of our Lords words requires no lesse For that which is affirmed must be true before it be truly affirmed and the processe of this action blessing and delivering the elements and commanding to receive them as his body and bloud importeth that he intended to affirm that so they were in the true sense which the words import at the instant of delivering them And by what consequence could his disciples conceive them to be deputed for signes to exhibite his body and bloud upon his giving of Thanks over them for the redemption of the world unlesse we suppose his Thanksgiving whereof the Gospel speaketh to contain also Prayer that they might become effectuall to that purpose And herewith agreeth that of the Apostle Every creature of God is good and none to be rejected being received with Thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer For here the Thanksgiving wherewith the creatures are sanctified to the nourishment of our bodies containeth also prayer grounded upō the Word of God whereby he appointeth them for that purpose Accordingly therfore the Thanksgiving wherewith these elements were sanctified by our Lord to be the nourishment of the soul must contain prayer not grounded upon the institution of God to that purpose because the act of Christ for the present went before his institution for the future but as joyned to his command grounding a word of promise to the Church whereupon it was to do likewise And herewith agree those Forms of Thanksgiving or as they call them Benedictions which the Jews at this day practice from very ancient time as they pretend For the foot and close of divers the most remarkable of them is with prayer for the blessing of God upon that wherefore they give
that Further for the Hearers the Possessed the Penitents that Further we offer to thee for seasonable weather and increase of fruits that Further we pray thee for the absent for reasonable causes that In the same place that is immediately after the Consecration of the Eucharist is this Prayer made in the Liturgies attributed to S. James S. Basil and S. Chrysostome In the same place in all the forms related under the names of ancient Saints and Doctours of the Church in the Missall of the Maronites unlesse it be one But in the Liturgie intitled to S. Mark this prayer is inserted straight after the beginning of the Eucharist or Thanksgiving described afore In the Ethiopick immediately after the salutation of Peace which in the Eastern Churches was alwayes straight before the Eucharist In that of S. Cyril among the three translated out of the Arabick and mentioned afore in the same place with that of S. Mark From whence we may argue this to have been the course of the Church of Alexandria by the agreement observed between those Liturgies that are intitled to those that were Bishops of Alexandria and the Ethiopick depending upon that Church wherein they differ from the rest Yet so it is also in that of the Christians of S. Thomas in the East Indies In the Latine Churches this prayer seemeth of old to have gone before the Consecration for S. Ambrose describing the Consecration saith de Sacram. iv 4. Oratio praemittitur pro populo pro regibus pro caeteris Prayer is premised for the people for the king for the rest And S. Augustine Epist lix Eligo in his verbis hoc intelligere quod omnis vel penè omnis frequentat Ecclesia ut Precationes accipiamus dictas quas facimus in Celebratione Sacramentorum antequam illud quod est in Domini mensa incipiat benedici Orationes cum benedicitur sanctificatur I choose to understand in these words of S. Paul to Timothy 1. ii 1 2. that which all or almost all the Church frequenteth that we take those to be called Supplications which we make at celebrating the Sacraments before that which is on the Lords Board begin to be blessed Prayers when it is blessed and sanctified For without peradventure these are the supplications for all states of the Church whereof he speaketh The Order of this Prayer in the Canon of the Masse is somewhat strange for he that will take notice of that which goes before the words of Institution and that which follows after the same untill the Lords Prayer comparing all with the tenour of other Liturgies may observe that they are all parcels of this Prayer for all States of Christs Church which here we describe And I observe that in that form which is intitled to S. Peter in the Missall of the Maronites this prayer is likewise made both before the words of Institution and after the same I am punctuall in observing the tenour of several Liturgies in this point to give notice that there is no ancient or pretended ancient form extant wherein prayer is not made by him that celebrateth the Eucharist at the Lords Board to this purpose A thing which seemeth to me somewhat strange that according to the generall Custome of the Church declared afore prayer having been made by the people a little afore upon the same subject that is for all States of Christs Church though not in the same manner but bidden by the Deacon and answered by the people the same prayers should be again repeated by him that celebrateth the Eucharist at the Lords Board Which is more the Church of Africk seemeth to have differed from the rest in the manner of this prayer whereof we speak by S. Augustines words Epist cvi Quando audis Sacerdotem ad Altare exhortantem populum Dei or a pro incredulis ut eos Deus convertat ad fidem pro Catechumenis ut eis desiderium regenerationis inspiret pro fidelibus ut in eo quod esse coeperunt ejus munere perseverent When thou hearest the Priest at the Altar exhorting the people of God pray for the unbelievers that God would convert them to the faith and for the Hearers that he would inspire the desire of Regeneration into them and for the faithfull that by his Grace they may persevere in that which they have begun to be Compare we herewith his words that are read Epist Cxviii cap. 18 Quando autem non est tempus cùm in Ecclesia fratres congregantur sancta cantandi nisi cùm legitur aut disputatur aut Antistes clarâ voce deprecatur aut communis Oratio voce Diaconi indicitur When is it not time to sing holy songs at the Assemblies of the Brethren in the Church but in time of reading or preaching or when the Bishop prayes with a loud voice or when Common Prayer is indicted by the Deacons voyce Again Epist Cvi Vbi audieritis Sacerdotem Dei adejus Altare exhortantem populum Dei aut ipsum clarâ voce or antem ut incredulas gentes ad fidem suam venire compellat non respondetis Amen When you heare the Priest of God at his Altar exhorting the people of God or himself praying with a loud voice that he would compell unbelieving Nations to his Faith do ye not answer Amen When S. Augustine mentioneth Common Prayer indicted by the Deacons voice he acknowledgeth the Litanies described afore which Justine Martyr also calls Common Prayers because they proceeded from all the people to have been practised in the Africane Churches before the Eucharist which notwithstanding by his words it appeareth that he which celebrated the Eucharist in the same form was wont to exhort the people to make this prayer for all states of persons Unbelievers Hearers Believers for instance of the rest which is not according to the form of any of those Liturgies which we have to my remembrance But he informeth us besides that those things which the Bishop exhorted the people to pray for the same he prayed for alone afterwards and that prayer he means when he speaks of the Bishop praying with a loud voice It is hard for me to give account of this generall practice of the ancient Church otherwise then by conjecture Thus much may be affirmed with confidence that the practice of this Prayer was the effect of the Apostles instruction whereof our Service speaketh Who by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications and to give thanks for all men The words of the Apostle 1. Tim. ii 1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty S. Ambrose upon these words Haec regula Ecclesiastica tradita est à Magistro Gentium This Ecclesiasticall Rule is delivered to the Church by the Doctour of the Gentiles which our
Priests use to make supplication for all praying for the Kings of this world that they may hold the Nations subject that settled in peace we may be able to serve our God with tranquillitie and quiet of mind Praying also for those that are trusted with high power that they may govern the Common-wealth in justice and truth with abundance of all things that the trouble of sedition being removed gladnesse may succeed When he calleth it The rule of that Service which their Priests ministred it is plain he understandeth the words of the Apostle concerning the Prayers which were made at the Lords Board at celebrating the Eucharist Besides the brief which he relateth containeth the chief particulars of that form produced out of the Constitutions of the Apostles So S. Augustine Ep. lix in the words partly related afore partly to be related afterwards acknowledgeth the whole Order of the Service which the Eucharist was celebrated with to be prescribed in these words of the Apostle But this purpose to prove there needs no great dispute The generall Custome of the Ancient Church gathered from the marvelous agreement of all ancient forms of Service that remain speaks aloud That this Prayer for all men at the Eucharist whereof we speak comes from the Order of the Apostle It seemeth therefore to me most probable that the meaning of the Apostle is this and so was understood and practised by all the ancient Church that at the celebration of the Eucharist Supplications and Prayers be made for all men for Kings c. For it is nothing forced or strained to take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thanksgivings in the same sense in which it stands in the passages of Clemens and Ignatius alledged afore for the Celebration of the Eucharist for the whole action and all the Prayers which it was celebrated with And otherwise the consequence of the Apostles words will be altogether impertinent For in the common and generall sense of this word Thanksgiving it is not proper to exhort that giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and so forth that we may lead a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie But it is proper to exhort that Supplications and Prayers be made for all men for Kings and the rest that by the means of their rule and government we may lead a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie And it is proper enough to exhort that Thanksgivings be made for all men to that purpose understanding by Thanksgivings that action of celebrating the Eucharist part whereof are those Supplications and Prayers And thus as in lieu of spirituall graces in Prayer which were used to make Supplication for the necessities of all members and states of the Church under the Apostle according to S. Chrysostome alledged afore Prayers afterwards in most parts of the Church were indicted by the Deacon and made by the people which for the manner and substance both were conceived afore to be the Originall of those that since have been called Litanies So neverthelesse to give effect to this rule of the Apostle it seemeth to have been an ancient and generall custome of the Church to make Supplications and Prayers at the Lords Board at celebrating the Eucharist though much to the same purpose with the former for all states of men but of the Church in particular And this nice observation if it may take place will be of great consequence to out the Church of Rome of all pretense of the Sacrifice of the Masse in the sense of the ancient Church and in particular in the style and tenour of the Liturgies themselves which for the great agreement between themselves with the style of the most ancient Church-writers seem to contain and expresse it For it is manifest that it is called an Oblation or Sacrifice in all Liturgies according to the style of the most ancient Church-writers not as consecrated but as presented and offered whether by the people as the custome was to him that ministred or by him that ministred to God to be consecrated as aforesaid It is the style of the form produced out of the Constitutions of the Apostles We offer unto thee this bread and this cup beseeching thee that they may become the body and bloud of Christ to the souls health of them that receive or to that purpose Thus farre there is no pretence of the Sacrifice of the Masse which supposeth the body and bloud of Christ present as the subject of it True it is that the style of this Prayer whereof we speak in divers points of divers Liturgies runs in the terms of we offer unto thee for such and such for this and that But it is to be observed that this Prayer came not after the Consecration in all Liturgies and according to the custome of all Churches to give occasion to think that the meaning is to offer Christ there present by consecration for the said persons and causes but went afore it in divers as hath been said the purpose of it being to execute the Apostles exhortation to make prayers supplications and intercessions for all men at celebrating the Eucharist Besides it is no where said we offer unto thee the body and bloud of Christ for such persons and causes but it is divers times said we offer unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this reasonable service and what is that but these Prayers For in the form alledged it is said at some points we pray thee for the Church and for the King at others we offer unto thee for this people and for the weather and fruitfull seasons and shall we not think them both to stand in one sense It hath been shewed that this Prayer is the practice of the Apostles exhortation to make Prayers and Supplications Thanksgivings for all men And it hath been declared that the meaning of his exhortation is that at the celebration of the Eucharist such Prayers and Supplications be made Therefore when it is said by name in the form related out of the Constitutions of the Apostles we offer unto thee for this people we offer unto thee for the weather and fruitfull seasons what should hinder the meaning to be according at this celebration of the Eucharist in confidence that thou hearest thy Sonne for us at this remembrance of his death and in obedience to thine Apostle we pray unto thee for such persons and causes as it is in expresse terms in the Liturgie of the Indian Christians Hâc enim horâ quâ Patri tuo Sacrificium offertur rogo majestatem tuam miserere omnium creaturarum For at this houre when Sacrifice is offered to thy Father I pray thy Majestie have mercie on all creatures And thus so often as we reade in Church-writers of offering for such and such persons and causes the meaning is that they offered the elements in which the Eucharist was to be celebrated that with it they might pray for those persons or causes
according to the Apostle And if the question be further made concerning offering for the dead it shall seem to me nothing improbable that because the Apostle exhorteth that Supplications and Prayers and Intercessions and Thanksgivings be made for all men therefore the ancient Church inlarged the sense of that ALL MEN further then they needed to do to comprise the dead as well as the living and that thence came the commemoration of the dead at the Eucharist and the offering of the elements that it might be celebrated and that such commemoration might be made Though as concerning the particulars of the Prayers for the dead in the ancient Church how farre they came from the Scripture and how farre from humane opinions in that whole matter I referre my self to those things which have been declared with so much learning by that excellent learned Prelate in his Answer to the Jesuites challenge in Ireland As for the rest of the Service which the Eucharist is celebrated with after the Prayer hitherto described there follows in the Constitutions of the Apostles a brief repetition of the Litanies with a Prayer of the Bishop that the Congregation may worthily Communicate In the time of Communicating it is ordered there that the xxxiiii Psalme be sung in regard of the words O tast and see how gracious the Lord is in other of the Eastern Liturgies the xxiii xlii cxviii cxliv. are prescribed The Latine Liturgists call the verses of Psalmes that are sung during the time of Communicating Communions and the Prayer or Thanksgiving that follows after the same Postcommunions Such a form of Thanksgiving there is extant in all Liturgies The people is dismissed with the Benediction of the Bishop in the Constitutions which Benediction comes after the Consecration before the Communion in the most of other Liturgies I will here repeat that whole passage of S. Augustine the beginning whereof was produced afore for it containeth the whole Order of these remains whereof we speak Ep. lix Eligo in his verbis hoc intelligere quod omnis vel penè omnis frequentat Ecclesia ut Precationes accipiamus dictas quas facimus in celebratione Sacramentorum antequam illud quod est in Domini Mensa incipiat benedici Orationes cùm benedicitur sanctificatur ad distribuendum comminuitur quam totam petitionem ferè omnis Ecclesia Dominicâ oratione concludit Interpellationes autem sive ut vestri codices habent Postulationes fiunt cùm populus benedicitur Tunc enim Antistites velut Advocati susceptos suos per manuum impositionem misericordissimae offerunt potestati Quo facto participato tanto Sacramento Gratiarum actio cuncta concludit I choose to understand in these words that which all or almost all the Church frequenteth that we conceive those to be called Supplications which we make at celebrating the Mysteries before that which is on the Lords Board begin to be blessed Prayers when it is blessed and sanctified and broken to be distributed which Petition almost all the Church concludes with the Lords Prayer so it is in all forms that are extant and it is another mark that they were prescript But Intercessions or as your books have it Requests are made when the people is blessed for then the Bishops as Advocates receiving their people offer them to the most mercifull power with imposition of hands Which done and so great a Sacrament participated all concludes with Thanksgiving The Ciii of the Africane Canons related afore Placuit etiam illud ut preces quae probatae fuerint in Concilio sive Praefationes sive Commendationes seu manuum Impositiones ab omnibus celebrentur It seems that the benedictions of the Bishop or Presbyter that celebrated to whom this Office also belonged as S. Hierome contendeth whereof we speak are called here Commendations or Impositions of hands to say prayers to commend the people to God with imposition of hands unlesse by these Commendations we understand those prayers for all men according to the Apostle wherewith the severall estates of all men especially of the Church were commended to God which saith S. Augustine went before the sanctifying of the elements In the Anaphora of S. Basil published by Masius out of the Syriack there is this prayer at the beginning before the Consecration of the Eucharist Extende Domine manum tuam non asspectabilem benedic servis ancillis tuis mundatóque ipsos ab omni macula carnis spiritûs at que dignare ipsosfieri participes corporis unigeniti Filii tui The people bowed the head at receiving this blessing the Bishop holding his hands over them as a signe of Gods hand stretched out to blesse Therefore he saith Extend O Lord thy invisible hand and blesse thy servants and handmaids and cleanse them from all stain of flesh and spirit and daigne them to become partakers of the body of thy onely begotten Sonne Of Confession of sinnes at beginning of the Masse hath been said After the Consecration the Benediction is contained in these words Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum The Peace of God be with you alwayes You shall see how Luther understands it in his form of Communion of the yeare MDXXIII Quae est quaedam quasi publica absolutio à peccatis communicantium Vox planè Evangelica annuncians remissionem peccatorum unica illa ac dignissima ad mensam Domini praeparatio si fide apprehendatur non secus at que ex ore Christi prolata Which is saith he a kind of publick absolution of them that communicate from their sinnes The very voice of the Gospel pronouncing remission of sinnes the onely fittest preparation to the Lords Board if apprehended by faith as out of Christs mouth But it is plain that this is to be accounted a benediction because as hath been said Confession of sinnes and prayer for pardon upon the same is made at the beginning of the Masse In the Liturgy of S. Basil which we have translated out of the Arabick at the beginning prayer is made for remission of sinnes at large upon the promise of the Gospel Whose sinnes ye remit the like prayer is made there after receiving the Eucharist In the Ethiopick prayer is made before the Consecration of the Eucharist to like purpose though corrupted with that superstition which ignorance breedeth This seemeth most answerable to that Confession of sinnes which our Service useth before the Eucharist otherwise it is to be granted that in most Liturgies that which seemeth to keep most correspondence with it is rather a benediction then Confession with prayer for pardon of sinnes It remaineth that from that which hath been said we give account of that Form of Service which we use deriving it higher then the Masse from which it is charged to come as containing nothing but that which is found there though not all that is there and shewing where it shall be requisite that the corruptions of the Masse are laid aside in it
How just this charge is may appear in the Confession of sinnes which it begins with were it enough to condemne any part of our Service to say that the like is used in the Breviary and Masse then must we condemne almost all Reformed Churches that use Confession of sinnes at the beginning of their Service as the Breviary and Masse doth Du Plessis thought otherwise like a man of Learning as well as Nobilitie he saw it was an argument of some Antiquity in the practice of the Reformed Churches in France that Confession of sinnes which they use in the beginning was and had been used in the Masse and this ancient use an advantage to recommend it And we have cause to see that though it was not used in the beginning of Service where Hearers and Penitents were dismissed in the middle yet the alteration of times having brought that to nothing we have no cause to balk it at the beginning though it be there used in the Breviary and Masse He that will use a little judgement and conscience must distinguish between a form of Publick Service and the corruptions of the Masse pinned to it between that which we follow and the reasons why we follow it If by doing that which is done in the Masse we retain the corruptions of it it is time it were done no more If any man would not have us do that aright which tends to the Service of God because in the Masse it is done amisse we are bidden to our losse The reason why we begin with Confession of sinnes is not to be faulted Both because daily sinnes accrue daily upon the Congregations and members of it and daily reckonings not daily cleared oppresse in the end and there is no such means as the publick Prayers of the Church to strike them clear And particularly as an entrance and preparation to the Service of God because if our Confession be such as it must be presumed to be it is the onely sufficient disposition to make our Service acceptable to God That which this Church of England is to give account of in particular is the declaration of forgivenesse upon the Confession of sinnes not used in other Reformed Churches In this he shall proceed upon the surest ground that first shall resolve wherein the power of binding and loosing of retaining and remitting sinnes given by our Lord in the Gospel under the Symbole of the keyes of his house consisteth and how farre it extendeth For as there is no question that the Ministers of the Church by this Commission are authorized to DECLARE forgivenesse of sinnes to whomsoever they shall find disposed by serious Contrition and true Faith to receive it at Gods hands So to think that to bind and loose to remit and retain sinnes is nothing else but to declare them bound or loosed remitted or retained and that the Charge whereof we speak consists in declaring this and nothing else is a thing which the property of no language will bear seeing that in all use of speech all men understand it to be one thing to bind and loose to retain and remit sinnes another thing to declare that Yet is it no part of my mind to make this power of the keyes by which sinnes are bound or remitted to consist in the power of pronouncing sentence of forgivenesse which God ratifieth as resting well assured that God giveth pardon to whomsoever he sees disposed to receive it And that thence forth that disposition being brought to passe the Ministery of the keyes consisteth onely in declaring the pardon given by God It seemeth neverthelesse that the Ministery of the keyes is formerly seen otherwise that is in procuring that disposition of the hearts which is requisite to make men capable of forgivenesse in bringing them to the knowledge of their sinnes in directing the course which they have to take in seeking their reconcilement with God The discipline of the Primitive Church seemeth to point out to us this direct meaning of our Lords promise agreeable to the rest of the Scriptures according to the words of Firmilianus Bishop of Cesarea Cappadocia to S. Cyprian in the lxxv of his Epistles produced elsewhere Non quasi à nobis delictorum suorum veniam consequantur sed ut per no◠ad delictorum suorum intelligentiam convertantur Domino pleniùs satisfacere cogantur Not as if they procured the pardon of their faults at our hands saith he but that by us they may be converted to understand their faults and constrained to make more full satisfaction to the Lord. How he meaneth that men are converted to acknowledge their faults to God by the means of his ministers is to be seen in Tertullians words Apologet. C. xxxix speaking thus of their Assemblies Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divin◠Nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summúmque futuri judicii praejudicium siquis ità deliquerit ut à communicatione Orationis Convertûs omnis sancti Commercii relegetur There also are exhortations reproofs and the Censure of God For first judgement is given with great weight as among men assured of Gods sight and then it is the greatest prejudice of the judgement to come if a man fail so as to be confined from the Communion of prayers Assemblies and all holy Commerce It was not the mere preaching of the Scripture and knowledge of the doctrine of it that brought men to acknowledge their offenses according to Firmilianus Tertullian shews it was the Exhortations the reproofs the Censures of the Church that were imployed to that purpose By whom it followeth there Praesident probati quique Seniores The Presidents are all the approved Elders The Bishop whom we have seen him acknowledge elsewhere and his Presbyters And in the same Epistle of Firmilianus Omnis potestas gratia in Ecclesia constituta est in qua praesident Majores natu qui baptizandi manuum imponendi ordinandi habent potestatem All power and favour is estated upon the Church the Presidents whereof are the Elders which have power both to baptize and to impose hands in Penance and to ordain It is the Bishop that writes this The Exhortations the Reproofs the Censures by which men were brought to the sight and acknowledgement of their faults and constrained to the due course of humiliation for procuring forgivenesse were ministred at their Assemblies but by the Presidents The means of forgivenesse ministred in the discipline of Penance consists in the parties repentance and the prayers of the Church Penance was not prescribed in the Ancient Church onely to give satisfaction to the Church for the scandall of bad example Those that imagine this shall not take notice of any mention of it in Ecclesiasticall Writers but they shall find their mistake convinced It was to appease the wrath of God offended and to recover his favour again which is in Firmilianus his terms to make
satisfaction to God not in the senselesse and impious sense of the now Church of Rome to make him recompense for the debt of punishment incurred but according to the use of the word in good Latine to appease his wrath with true sorrow and with cordiall contrition to seek reconcilement Imposition of hands was not used once in pronouncing sentence of forgivenesse but alwayes at Publick Service during the prescript time of Penance those of that State after the earnest prayers of the Congregation for their pardon coming and kneeling afore the Bishop holding his hands over their heads with his blessing and Prayers for that purpose were dismissed afore the Mysteries this was called on their part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or falling down on his part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Imposition of hands in Penance In the ministery of these means of forgivenesse the power of the keyes is seen In Rhenanus his Argument to Tertullians book de Poenit. are to be found divers remarkable things to this purpose out of the Penitentialls of Theodulphus of Orleans and Theodore of Canterbury out of S. Basil and Tertullian that Confession to God is that which cleanseth sinne but Confession to the Church is to the purpose of learning the course men are to hold in seeking pardon and obtaining the Prayers of the Church to that purpose Besides this I find that S. Cyprian hath placed the power of the keyes in the Sacrament of Baptisme His words are these Epist lxxiii Manifestum est autem ubi per quos remissa peccatorum dari possit quae in baptismo scilicet datur Nam Petro primùm Dominus super quem aedificavit Ecclesiam unde unitatis originem instituit ostendit potestatem istam dedit ut id solveretur in coelis quod ille solvisset in terris Now it is manifest where and by whom remission of sinnes may be given I mean that which is given in Baptisme For unto Peter upon whom he built the Church and from whom he appointed and expressed the originall of unitie our Lord at first gave this power that it should be loosed in heaven which he loosed on earth And by and by afterwards Vnde intelligimus non nisi in Ecclesia praepositis in Evangelica lege ac dominica ordinatione fundatis licere baptizare remissam peccatorum dare Whence we understand that it is not lawfull but for those that are set over the Church and founded upon the law of the Gospel and the Ordinance of our Lord to baptize and give remission of sinnes to wit as is given by the power which S. Peter received under the figure of the keyes of Gods Church I find further that Primasius a scholar of S. Augustines seems to place the power of binding and loosing in the Sacrament of the Eucharist in Apoc. viii 3. A thing somewhat strange to make the power of binding and loosing all one with the Sacraments But that it is to be remembred that the judgement of the Church and the Ministers of it goes before the ministring of them to discern how fit they are for them that pretend and to constrain them to the means which make them capable of forgivenesse It is no more then follows there in S. Cyprian speaking of rebaptizing those that returned from their heresies Quapropter qui fidei veritati praesumus eos qui ad fidem veritatem veniunt agentes poenitentiam remitti sibi peccata postulant decipere non debemus fallere Sed correctos à nobis ac reformatos ad regnum coelorum disciplinis coelestibus erudire Therefore we that are over the faith and truth must not deceive nor coosen those that come to the faith and truth and doing Penance desire their sinnes to be remitted But instruct them amended and reformed by us to the kingdome of heaven with heavenly discipline They that returned from-heresies sought remission of sinnes by repentance his opinion was that it was not to be had without a second Baptisme and the power of binding and loosing he makes to consist in prescribing repentance and admitting them to baptisme upon repentance So that in summe he shall seem most sufficiently to comprise the whole charge of binding and loosing that shall make it to consist in the ministerie of those means which dispose men to be capable of remission of sinnes In which regard the Ministers of the Church shall be said with as much propertie of speech to remit and retain sinnes to bind and loose as the Physician is said to cure those diseases in which he does no more but prescribe or applie the remedies But no man doubts but this Office as it is appointed in respect of God to procure pardon so it is in respect of the conscience to assure it Which assurance as it is warrantable for them to give that have seen the course performed which they are intrusted to prescribe so is it due for him to receive that hath performed it Suppose then we leave it questionable as not to be disputed in this place what sinnes are to come under the discipline of Penance either of necessitie or for a sure course of procuring their pardon Certain it is that the children of God do continually remember with remorse and bitternesse of spirit the sinnes which they committed of old And certain it is that mens daily offenses are not capable of so solemn a cure so great is the number of them that it is not possible for mans mind to attend them in particular And as certain it is that there is no means so powerfull to obtain pardon of them as the daily prayers of the Congregation to that purpose So that the course which the Church prescribeth for the pardon of daily offenses being put in practice what can be more just more due then to declare that forgivenesse which those that dissemble not those that are as they pretend to be do attain What more comfortable then to heare the news of it from his mouth by whom the Church ministreth the office What more seasonable then to do this before we come to praise God and heare his word that we may perswade our hearts that he accepteth this service at the hands of them that hate not to reform themselves In this consideration I must needs preferre the Order of this Church of England before that of other reformed Churches in that we put Confession of sinnes in the first place of our Service they referre it till after the Psalmes the reading of the Scriptures when the Preacher goes up into the pulpit They reckon them as needs they must of the substance of their Service And Du Plessis hath pleaded them as he had reason to shew that their Service cometh nearer that of the Primitive Church then the Masse But beginning as they do without solemn Confession of sinnes before they give the people occasion to esteem them otherwise then the Service of God as taken up merely to while out
Service of God observed from the beginning of the Church And because they contain matter of Supplication for the diverting of Gods judgements and obtaining of his blessings nothing could be more sutable then to adde them to the daily Morning Service on Wednesdayes and Fridayes as the exercise of that continuall humiliation before God to which the observation of these dayes was intended to the unspeakable benefit of the Church and the continuall discharge of those most excellent offices of Fasting Prayer Alms among Christians It is past mine apprehension to imagine wherein any man will pretend to fault the act of Confession of sinnes in the Publick Service of God before celebrating and receiving the Eucharist For if Repentance be a disposition requisite to make men capable of the grace which it exhibiteth shall it not be exercised at the Publick Service of God which our common profession acknowledgeth so necessary rather then onely presumed to be performed in particular And if it prove by the verdict of all consciences to be darkned from time to time by the intercourse of daily offenses joyned with unthankfulnesse and unfruitfulnesse is not that Order for the edification of the Church which reviveth and refresheth and inlighteneth it at so solemn an act of religious Service as this Sure I am that whosoever will lay his hand upon an honest heart shall not say that the form which we use is taken out of the Masse when he considereth that which the Reformation teacheth and professeth of free pardon of sinnes through Christ to be so comfortably expressed in it And seeing it hath been shewed afore that in the practice of the Ancient Church to them which for notorious or acknowledged offenses were under the state of Penance the means of forgivenesse was partly ministred in the publick Prayers of the Church and the Ministers of it what can be more sutable to this practice and the grounds of it on behalf of those that acknowledge themselves sinners but are not reduced by the Church under that discipline then that prayer or blessing wherein he that celebrateth the Eucharist imploreth that Grace on their behalf at Gods hands To me it seemeth that the rehearsall of the Decalogue in the beginning of that which some still call the latter Service together with the answers of the people craving pardon and grace to observe them for the future is to the very purpose of this Confession of sinnes and to actuate our repentance by calling to mind our offenses by retail though it is in the Order of our Service somewhat removed from it as being thought fit for other reasons to be used when the Eucharist was not celebrated Notwithstanding were it left to my choice I confesse I should think the most proper place for this Confession of sinnes to be that which it holdeth in the first Edition of Edward VI. after the consecration of the elements and before receiving them with that prayer which beginneth We do not presume after the same For the reason why it hath been otherwise ordered seemeth to have been to avoid offense lest it might be thought to import Transubstantiation in those words spoken after Consecration So to eat the flesh of thy dear Sonne Jesus Christ and to drink his bloud The cause of which offense if any such may be imagined seemeth to me utterly voided in the words added there so to eat the flesh of thy dear Sonne Jesus Christ and to drink his bloud IN THESE HOLY MYSTERIES Thus much let me be bold to affirm that it would be a great fault in the Church to celebrate this Sacrament without something answerable to that Thanksgiving wherewith it was first instituted by our Lord and practised by the whole Church Suppose it contain no mention of the Creation and the blessing of Gods creatures because as hath been said it seemeth to have been practised heretofore in relation to mans bodily sustenance wherewith it was instituted practised at the first Without Thanksgiving for the redemption of the world it is not duly received therefore with it it is duly celebrated Of this Thanksgiving for the redemption of the world there is due remembrance in the very end of the Exhortation from those words And above all things therefore it seemeth that the Preface wherein that Thanksgiving is contained and expressed after Lift up your hearts had followed very seasonably after remembrance of the cause and ground of it But the substance of that which is done is alwayes the same Further how little soever the grace of Gods goodnesse depend on that which by man is ordered for the fittest and though it is not pretended that any Law of God in the Scriptures inacteth this Sacrament to be celebrated with that Thanksgiving from which it is called the Eucharist or that Prayer for the effect of Christs Institution at the present which is the close of it yet since it hath been shewed that so this Sacrament hath been celebrated from the beginning of the Church and that for so good reasons upon our Lords example at the institution of it and since this course so much concerns the edification of the Church it seemeth altogether requisite that the Elements be not supposed deputed for such a blessing to the Congregation by the mere act of receiving them to such purpose but should be actually and formally deputed by remembring the Institution of our Lord and by the prayer of the Church professing the execution and begging the blessing of the same which I suppose is called Consecration among us Gregory the great and Isidore tell us that the Apostles and S. Peter by name celebrated the Eucharist with the Lords Prayer alone but that alone must be understood to except other accessories to the manner of celebrating consisting in the Eucharist or Thanksgiving whereof the Prayer of Consecration was the foot and close Rabanus de Instit Cler. lib. 32. Cum benedictione enim gratiarum actione primùm Dominus corporis sanguinis sui Sacramenta dedicavit Apostolis tradidit quod exinde Apostoli imitati fecere successores suos facere docuerunt quod nunc per totum Orbem terrarum generaliter tota custodit Ecclesia For our Lord at first initiated and delivered to his Apostles the mysteries of his body and bloud with blessing and Thanksgiving which thence the Apostles imitated and did and taught their successours to do and which now the whole Church generally observeth all the world over That which hath been said is enough to show that it was alwayes celebrated with this Thanksgiving the foot whereof as hath been shewed was the Prayer of the Church for the effect of the Institution of our Lord at the present Where are they now that take upon them to say that all our Service is taken out of the Masse how will they discharge themselves in this most eminent point or how will they be able to digest this untruth which the least insight of the Masse will thrust
down their throat the form of the Masse was related afore Vt nobis Corpus Sanguis fiat dilectissimi filii tui Domini nostri Jesu Christi and it was shewed that Transubstantiation is not contained in these words Neverthelesse because there might be offense taken at the words upon the sense of those that use them we see them altered into those terms wherein the truth of that which is done is most excellently expressed to the intent of the Scripture and true sense of the Primitive Church in these words Heare us O mercifull Father and those which follow In like sort because the very term of Offering and Sacrifice though used with a farre other meaning then the Church of Rome professeth seemeth to sound their meaning it is not onely removed out of the Prayer for the whole state of Christs Church but the prayer it self removed to stand afore the Consecration as we conjectured it did stand in the Africane Churches and not after it to give opinion that Christ present by Consecration was sacrificed then for the quick and dead as the Church of Rome imagineth Of the rest of the Service of the Eucharist I shall need to say nothing having shewed that in the ancient Church as with us the time of communicating was transacted with Psalmes after that Thanksgiving the dismission upon that The people is dismissed with the blessing in our Service as in the most ancient form related in the Constitutions of the Apostles and so in the Reformed Churches of France though they use that of Moses still frequented by the Synagogue In the Service prescribed for Lords dayes and Festivalls when the Eucharist is not celebrated it is not strange if something be added above the ordinary course to make it more solemn though it had been rather to be wished that the world were disposed for the true solemnity of it Is the voice of the Law calling us to mind our offenses and moving to crave pardon and grace for the future nothing to the Service of God The Lessons of the Epistles and Gospels belong indeed to the first part of the Service as hath been shewed but shall we take them to come from the Masse where they are last found or from S. Hierome from whom they seem first to have come And was it not convenient in them to remember what the Church celebrateth at severall seasons and solemnities of the yeare and to promote the edification of the Church and instruction of the people in the mysteries of the faith by giving Preachers a subject of their Sermons sutable to those solemnities Last of all though the world is not disposed to the continuall celebration of the Eucharist yet was it requisite in reverence to the Apostles Order and the universall practice of the Church that the prayer for all states of the same should be used at almost all solemn Assemblies which because it alwayes went along with the Eucharist as it is used serves to put us in mind what is wanting In fine though all Forms of Service devised by men must needs remain disputable and happy it is when so they are but upon slight matters so my hope is that from hence will appear that the form which we use deserves this commendation that it is possible to alter it for the better but easie to alter it for the worse Thus farre upon the Principles propounded in the beginning of things remembred in the Scripture concerning the publick Service of God and the most ancient and generall practice of the Church to expound them I have discoursed the substance and form of Gods Publick Service at solemn Assemblies for that purpose the circumstances of it and the particular form which we use Of the rest of Ecclesiasticall Offices and the Course we use in them it was not my purpose to say any thing at the present In which neverthelesse the reasons hitherto disputed will easily take place to show both that it is for the edification of the Church that the performance of them be solemn and by prescript form and that the form which we use is exceeding commendable CHAP. XI How the Form of Publick Service is ordered Dependance of Churches is from the Apostles for that and other purposes How the preaching of Lay men imports Schisme The good of the Order of Publick Service ANd now without further dispute it is to be seen what is prescribed concerning the Publick Service of God in the Scriptures and what is left to be ordered by humane appointment The particular Offices whereof it consisteth of Publick Prayers and the Praises of God of reading and expounding the Scriptures of the Celebration of the Eucharist and the rest are prescribed and recommended to the Church in the rules and practice of holy Scripture The Order and Form in which they are to be performed is acknowledged on all hands that it ought to be prescript yet is it no where prescribed in the Scriptures but left to humane Ordinance That which is to be Preached is acknowledged on all hands to be referred for the most part to the private endeavours of particular persons not in respect to any immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost otherwise to be quenched but because it is the ordinary means to instruct and admonish whole Congregations in that which most concerneth them of the knowledge and doctrine of the Scriptures Publick Prayers some think are to be ministred according to the disposition and discretion of particular guides of particular Congregations by virtue of the Apostles Ordinance forbidding to Quench the spirit Here it is proved that because it is confessed that the Grace of praying by immediate inspiration is not now extant therefore the purpose of this Ordinance ceaseth and that the ordinary rule of the edification of the Church to be attained by the Order and Comlinesse of these things which are done at publick Assemblies is followed to farre more purpose in the use of a form prescript and uniform It is further here to be observed that whatsoever may concern the honour of God the unity of the Church the truth of Religion and the recommendation of it is most effectually to be procured as procured it was from the beginning of our Faith by the dependance of Churches visibly derived from the appointment and ordinance of the Apostles It hath been declared that according to that which was done by Barnabas and Paul ordaining Presbyters through the Churches Acts xiv 22. according to that which Titus is instructed to ordain Presbyters through the Cities Titus 1 3. that is Colledges of Presbyters to order the Churches founded in populous Cities so throughout the whole Christian world were all Churches of Cities thought meet for their greatnesse whether instituted by the Apostles or propagated thence governed by Presbyteries or Colledges of Presbyters the Heads whereof were Bishops in Succession to the Apostles We know the Gospel attained to the Countreys and Territories lying under these Cities upon the preaching of