do it thou shalt not add thereto or diminish from it Hence they infer that no humane Ceremonies or Circumstances of mens devising must be added to what God hath commanded in his Gospel Worship Answ 1 To this I answer That these Words do as much concern Laws made concerning civil and judicial as concerning Sacred Matters and do as much prove that our Superiours may add no Laws to the Laws made by God concerning Civil Matters as that they may make no Laws for Regulation of or ordering any Circumstances of Religious Worship that is they are as good Objections against our Statute-Book as against our Lyturgy The reason is because these words are neither in the 4th nor the 12th Chapter restrained to Acts of Divine Worship but are expresly spoken of all the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord had taught them v. 1. of whatsoever thing God had commanded Deut. 12.32 Answ 2 2ly If by these Precepts the Ceremonies used in the Church of England are condemned then also must the Dissenters from the Church of England be condemned by them for they do many things and they use many Ceremonies in Religious Worship which are no where commanded they sing in stinted Meeter for which they have no Precept or Example in the Word of God they have a Directory for publick Worship containing many precepts or directions no where prescribed in that Word they when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Book now all agree that Oaths are Solemn Acts of Divine Worship and know that God no where Commanded these Ceremonial additions to it Moreover when they imposed the Solemn league and Covenant they ordered that it should be taken by the whole Congregation 1st uncovered 2ly standing Ordin of the 2 of Febr. 1643. and 3ly with their right hand lift up and bare now if they notwithstanding the Texts in the objection mentioned might add three uncommanded Ceremonies unto the taking of an Oath which is a Solemn Act of Divine Worship what hinders but that Superiors may do the like in other parts of Divine Worship Answer 3 3ly The Jews themselves never conceived that by these precepts they were restrained from instituting upon occasion sacred Rites or doing many things which circumstantially belonged to Gods Worship for which they had no special Warrant from the Word of God and if we do offend against these Rules by using our Ceremonies in Gods Service even the best and wisest of the Jews did equally offend For what command had Solomon to keep a Feast of Seven days for Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.65 what Command had he for hallowing the middle part of the Court that was before the House of the Lord to offer Burnt offerings Meat offerings and Peace offerings there v. 64. Dr. Ames indeed sayeth that Solomon did this by Divine Authority Fresh suit §. 17 c. p 33◠and instinct of the Holy Ghost to which vain imagination I return the Answer of Agar add thou not unto his Words lest thou be found a liar Prov. 30.6 The Holy Ghost hath in two places given us a full relation of what King Solomon did but not one tittle of any instinct of the Holy Ghost commanding him to do it how then came Dr. Ames to know what no where is revealed and what cannot be known by any Man without a Revelation Is it not wonderful that Men who will believe nothing without express Scripture proof and who so stiffly do contend for the negative Argument from Scripture should themselves thus add to Scriptures 2ly What Warrant had good Hezekiah for continuing a Feast of Unleavened Bread Seven days longer than the time appointed by the Law 2 Chron. 30.23 To this instance Dr. Ames Answers that these Seven other days were not Holy days at all of Institution properly so called but an occasional continuation of free will offerings for that time Fr. Suit p. 317. which might be offered any day of the year without new Holy days To this I Answer 1st That were this so it cannot be denyed but that their observation of other Seven days beside these which were appointed by the Law of Moses was as much adding to the Law of Moses as the imposing of our Ceremonies can be accounted adding to the Law of Christ. 2ly When in the Text we read that they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with greatgladness v. 21 and v. 23. that the whole Assembly took Council and kept other Seven days with gladness what reason can any person have to think that the last Seven days should not be Festival or Holy days as well as the first Seven and if they might take Council to keep those other Seven days why might they not have instituted the keeping of them when they didobserve them And 3ly What reason hath Dr. Ames to affirm that they then only offered Freewill offerings rather than such which were accustomed to be offered at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and had been offered in the first Seven days of the Solemnity The descant of other Commentators on the place is this viz. that this was done not to change the ordinance of the Passeover but partly to redeem their defect in not observing it for so many years and partly to detain the People of Israel the longer at Jerusalem that by the Preaching of the Word they might be the better informed and confirmed in the true Religion whence the inference is plainly this that upon such occasions and for such good ends it is commendable to do more than is required provided nothing be done against what is required 3ly Est 9.20 21 22. What Law had Mordecai and Esther for enjoyning the yearly observation of the Feast of Purim to stablish this among them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and the fifteenth day of the same yearly as the days wherein the Jews rested from their Enemies and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a good day that they should make them days of Feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Dr. Ames saith here again that if any significant ceremony was here instituted it was by divine direction p. 317. tho neither Scripture nor Josephus mention one tittle of the matter and adds from Dr. Whitaker that forasmuch as this Feast stands approved in Scripture there is no doubt but it was done by Divine Authority tho we read nothing of it in the Scripture Which by the leave of that good Man is a plain begging of the Question 2ly He adds that if Josephus may be believed Joseph Antiq. Jud. l. XI c. 6. p. 382. the Heathen King Artaxerxes was the institutor of that Feast and if so I hope Christian Kings may do as much but this is a vile mistake for in the place cited by him it is expresly said that Mordecai appointed it
may redound unto us from the Observation of these Festivals unto the ends for which they are appointed by the Church now she appointeth them to be employed in hearing of God's Word read and taught in publick Prayers Can. 13. Injunct Q Eliz. 1559. N. 20. in acknowledging our offences to God and amendment of the same in being reconciled to our Neighbours where there hath been displeasure in oft receiving the Communion in visiting the Poor and Sick and using all sober and Godly conversation Which Christian fruits of Piety were they more plentifully brought forth they would sufficiently recommend those times and seasons which gave occasion to them And surely the benefit of such Holy Exercises is so great that the use of particular times appointed for that purpose ought not to be rejected though some men do abuse them to far other ends And if Dissenters have thought fit to appoint weekly Lectures for some of these good ends Why may not our Church Governours appoint these Anniversaries for the promotion of them all Especially if we consider that they are so exceeding profitable unto the weaker sort of Christians who are instructed by them in many Articles of Christian Faith and caused to reflect on many signal Mercies which they might entirely forget did not these Days return to strengthen and rub up their Memories The common sort of those who seem to be Believers want these Remembrances saith Origen Contra Celsum l. 8. p. 393. That such things may not slip out of their Minds and so these Festivals must needs be useful to them for this end And since the Wisdom of the Church prescribeth Daies to be observed for the Commemoration of the chief things that either were performed by or hapned to our Saviour if the plain Man saith Bishop Hall would but ply well his Almanack that alone would teach him so much Gospel as to shew him the History of his Saviour Remains Serm. on 1 Joh. 15. for there upon the Feast of the Annuntiation might he see his Saviours conception declared by an Angel upon the Feast of 〈◊〉 Nativity he might understand that he was boâ—â— of the Virgin Mary and at last after infinâ—â— and beneficial Miracles he would see him câ—â—â—cified on Good Friday rising from the dead 〈◊〉 Easter and ascending to Heaven on Holy Thuâ—â—day and might be well instructed in these thiâ—â—â— by coming to the Church which hath excellenâ—â—â— fitted these Solemnities with Services which 〈◊〉 explain their meaning and the use we are to mâ—â—â— of them If then we are to follow after the thiâ—â— whereby we may edifie one another Rom. 14.19 we must â—â—â—tinue the Observation of these Festivals 3ly That 't is expedient to observe these 〈◊〉 is evident from the continued custom of the wâ—â—â—â— Church of Christ it being laudable and deâ—â—â—â— to observe the Customs of the whole Church 〈◊〉 Christ and to conform to her Example 〈◊〉 in things no where forbidden by the Word of 〈◊〉 and being reasonable to judge she had good 〈◊〉 to do what was so universally performed whoâ—â— St. 1 Cor. 14.33 11.16 Paul doth admonish his Corinthians to do as 〈◊〉 all Churches of the Saints was done and doth pronounce him a Contentious Person who 〈◊〉 thwart her customs Now all these Festivals of Christ's Nativity his Passion Resurrection cension and of the Advent of the Holy Ghost are by * Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis 〈…〉 atque statuta retineri slucti quod Domini passio Resurrectio 〈…〉 in Caelum adventus de Caelo Spiritsis Sancti anniversaria soleâ—â—â—â—e celbrantur st quid aliud cale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia Epist 1.18 Cap. 1. vid. Epist 119. Cap. 1. St. Austin reckoned among those things which were observed ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia by the whole Universal Church and which he therefore doth conjecture that the Observation of them derived it self from the Apostles or the Decrees of General Councils Since therefore it is evident unto all learned men that all the Holy-days prescribed by the Church of England from the Fourth Century at least were universally observed by the Church of Christ it must be fit and laudable to conform to her Example by observing of them as she did Now to return an answer to the Objections of Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. cap. 2. §. 46. Baxter against the Holy-days foremention'd of which the First is Object 1 Object 1. § 14 That the occasion of these Holy-days was existent in the Apostles days if therefore God would have had such days observed he could as easily and fitly have done it by his Apostles in Scripture as he did other the like things Answer 1. This Argument confutes his former grant that the Festivals of the Holy Martyrs and Apostles might lawfully be observed For of the Protomartyr St. Stephen and of James the Brother of John Kill'd by the Sword Act. 12.2 the Scripture maketh mention and yet saith nothing of the observation of their Festivals nor doth the Beloved Disciple tho He survived the rest of Christs Apostles mention in his Epistles or his Revelations any thing touching the observation of them which notwithstanding Mr. Baxter and which is more considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Universal Church of God even from the second Century approved of observing Martyrum Natalitia the Birth days of the Martyrs that is the days when they were crowned with Martyrdom with Great Solemnity witness the * Epistle of the Church of Smyrna touching the Martyrdom of Polycarp 2ly By this Argument no places may be set apart for Celebration of Gods publick Worship no Churches and no Tabernacles may be erected for that end no time appointed for that Worship No Synods may convene no Presbyterian Classes may assemble to determine any matter or make any Rules for the due Government of Christians no forms of Prayer excepting the Lords Prayer may be used in Publck no words in Celebration of the Lords Supper or the Sacrament of Baptism to omit many other things of a like nature but what by the Apostles were prescribed in Scripture for if God would have had such things done the occasion of them was existent in the Apostles days and he could as easily and fitly by his Apostles have given command concerning them as touching other the like things 3ly This Argument condemneth the Decrees of the great Nicene Council for praying standing on the Lords day the occasion of it being as old as our Lords Resurrection and it condemneth the whole Church of Christ in the exercise of her Discipline concerning Penitents her Stationary days and almost all her other rites the occasions of which were as well existent in the Apostles days as in succeeding Ages and
Where there is no law forbidding sure we are there is no transgression but there is no law forbidding the observation of Christmas and other Festivals of our Church and therefore there is no transgression in observing them and if our assurance that there is no transgression in not observing of these days depends on this that no law doth command their observation why are we not as sure that we transgress not in observing them being as sure that no law doth forbid their observation wherefore we being sure of this that there is a law commanding us to yield obedience to the guidance and appointment of our Superiors in all lawful things and sure from what hath been discoursed that the Religious observation of these days for the forementioned ends is not only lawful but expedient let any Reasonable person judge which is the surer side the observation of these days as by Authority we are required or the Refusal so to do Object 6 Others object against the observation of these days § 15 that St. Paul condemneth his Galatians for observing Months and Times and Years Gal. 4.9 10. And saith to his Colossians let no man judge you on the account of a Feast or a New Moon or a Sabbath-day Coloss 2.16 Answer It is exceeding manifest that both these places only do concern the observation of those Jewish Festivals which were commanded by the Law of Moses by Gentile Converts to Christianity For 1. the Apostle in the beginning of the fourth Chapter to the Galatians saith Gal. 4.3 5. that Christ came to redeem those from the Law who were in bondage to its beggarly Elements that they might receive the adoption of sons and then puts the Question to his Galatians thus how therefore turn you again unto those weak and beggarly Elements to which you desire again to be in bondage v. 9. v. 10. And as an instance of their relapsing to that bondage he adds You observe Days and Months and Times and Years viz. Those Months and Days and Yearly Festivals which were prescribed by the Law of Moses and therefore saith I am afraid of you lest I may have laboured among you in vain v. 11. And farther saith tell me you that desire to be under the Law v. 12. do you not hear the law Plainly demonstrating that he reprehends them for their desire to joyn the observation of the Law of Moses to Christianity In the 2d Chapter to the Colossians he speaks expresly of New Moons and Sabbaths which were proper to the Jewish Pedagogy v. 16 17. and of such Festivals as were Shadows of things to come and such were properly the Jewish Festivals and they only 2ly That he speaks only of the observation of them by the Gentile Convert to Christianity is evident from the severity of his reprehension of them as being a reducing them to bondage and that which made his labour vain among them whereas he being an Hebrew of the Hebrews did himself observe the feast of Pentecost and did permit the observation of them for a season to the weaker Jew Rom. 14.5 6. Hence also 3ly Act. 18.21.20.16 It is evident that he speaks only against the observation of these days from the opinion of their necessity to the justification of the Gentile Christian or from an opinion of their obligation to observe the Law of Moses as his whole disputation in his Epistle to the Galatians doth plainly shew wherefore our Festivals being not Jewish nor such as were commanded by the Ceremonial Law nor Shadows of things future nor observed by us out of opinion of any such necessity as hath been mentioned they cannot be concerned in those words of the Apostle nor can they with any colour be esteemed Yokes of bondage or weak and beggarly Elements as were these Jewish Feasts any more then weekly Lectures or stated fasts for publick judgments or stated Festivals for the remembrance of publick mercies can be so accounted But tho this Exposition of these places be so evident that he who runs may read it yet do dissenters thus object against it Object If the Apostle speak only of Judaical days either he condemneth the observation of the same feasts materialiter that is the observing of the same days the Jews observed or formaliter that is he condemns the observing of them with such a meaning after such a manner and to such an end as the Jews did if the former then say they their own feasts of Easter and Whitsunday will be condemned because they were observed by the Jews if they assert the latter this cannot be true for the Apostle condemns that observation of these days which was done by those Galatians who believed that Christ was already come and therefore could not keep them as figures of his coming as the Jews did but rather as memorials saith Cartwright Disp p. 48. 49. that he was already come so Gillespy Answer The Apostle plainly condemns the observation of these days by Gentile Converts whether Colossians or Galatians upon account of any obligation lying on them from the Law of Moses so to do now I hope Mr. Gillespy will grant that the Galatian Christians might think themselves obliged to observe the Law of Moses by being circumcised and keeping of the Festivals prescribed by it 2ly He also condemns the observation of them by Gentiles to the same end the Passover in memory of their deliverance from Aegypt the feast of Pentecost in memory of Gods kindness in giving his Law to them at that time the feast of Tabernacles in memory of their Divine protection in the wilderness their weekly Sabbaths in memory of their deliverance from Aegyptian Thraldom and to these ends the Judaizing Gentile Converts might observe them 3ly The Judaizing Christians believed that the Messiah was already come and yet conceived themselves obliged to observe these Festivals not as Shadows of things to come but as Festivals commanded by the Law of Moses and so might also those Gentile Converts whom they had perverted CHAP. X. The Contents The Proposition that a prescribed Form of Liturgy may lawfully be used in publick Worship 1. Because such a Form is not forbidden either directly or indirectly in the word of God Not 1. by the command to pray always in the Spirit Eph. 5.18 and in the Holy Ghost Jude 20.2 Not by our Lords command to his Disciples when they were brought before Kings and Rulers for his sake not to meditate what they should say Matt. 10.19 Nor 3. by the promise of the Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 27. Nor 4. by the commands not to neglect our Gifts 1 Tim. 4.14 but as we have received the Gift so to minister 1 Pet. 4.10 Rom. 12.6 Nor 5. from Gods Promise to pour out upon his People the Spirit of Supplication § 1. To pray in the Spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 is 1. to pray by the immediate Assistance and Operations of the Holy Spirit 2 To use the gift
him against vain-glorious and Pharisaical addresses against prayers used in an unknown tongue or not put up in Faith or put up in wrath against the prayer of him who lifts not up pure hands or who continues in his sin but the whole Scripture affords us not one caution against Forms of prayer either in publick or in private and therefore we may rationally suppose that they are not displeasing to him or unacceptable at the throne of Grace Argum. 2 Moreover our blessed Lord hath both commanded and approved a Form of prayer and therefore it unquestionably must be lawful His command to use a Form is evident 1. From those positive words Luke 11.2 when you pray say Our Father c. and though St Matthew varies the words of the command informing us that our Lord said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray so yet may that please be very well consistent with the other and may import that those words should be used in our prayers for in the form of the Aaronical Benediction the command runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on this wise shall ye bless Numb 6.23 whereas the blessing was pronounced in the very form of words prescribed there And when God put the words into the mouth of Balaam which he was to speak he saith unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Prophets Numb 23.5 Thus saith the Lord thus shall you say unto the house of Israel always imports these words shall you say or the Lord saith 2. The request of Christs Disciples was that He would teach them to pray as John had taught his Disciples Vid. Leight in Matt. 6.9 Now it being ordinary for the Jewish Doctors to compose Forms of prayer for their Scholars it is not to be doubted but that St John did so and consequently that our Lord did so for his Disciples And Thirdly This is farther evident from the words of the Lords Prayer they being not directed to man but God for 't is not said pray to your Father in Heaven that his Name may be hallowed but Our Father hallowed be thy Name And as such did the Antient Church of Christ receive and use it Christ saith Tertullian De Orat. c. 1. Novam orandi formulam determinavit appointed a new form of prayer and this we Christians do begin with In the Apostolick constitutions it is required to be used thrice a day and Austin saith l. 7. c. 25. Ep. 59. ad Paul Qu. 5. that almost the whole Church concluded the Communion Service with it So that if our Dissenters be not men of greater abilities than the Apostles were at least before Christs Resurrection and than the greatest Worthies of the Church after the Resurrection they cannot look upon it as a thing below them to observe this Form of Prayer Again our Lord approved of a Form of prayer by his using the Hymn called the Hallel with his Disciples at the Passover Matt. 26.30 by his presence at the Forms used in the Jewish Service V. 44. and by his thrice repeating the same words even when He used the greatest fervency in prayer Now hence do naturally flow such Corollaries as evidently shew the falsehood of the reasonings of the Dissenters against the lawfulness of Forms as v. g. 1. Hence it follows that such Forms cannot be unlawful worship forbidden by the Second Commandment unless our Lord did both prescribe and by his practice did approve unlawful worship 2. Hence it must follow that the using of a Form can be no hindrance to our Devotion attention fervency in prayer unless our Lord can be supposed to have prescribed that which was thus prejudicial to his Service 3. Hence it will also follow that the using of a Form cannot be prejudicial to the duty of using our own Gifts for had our Lord intended it to be the duty of all Ministers of the Gospel to use their own abilities in publick prayer in opposition to a Form sure He himself would not have given them such a Form to be used in their publick addresses to God De Orat. Dom. p. 141. wherein saith Cyprian we say Our Father because publica nobis est communis oratio it is our Common Prayer 4. Hence it is evident that praying by a Form is well consistent with praying by the Spirit for otherwise our use of the Lords Prayer would be repugnant to prayer by the Spirit Moreover the Saints of the Old Testament and Christ himself and his Disciples prayed as I have shewed by Forms and yet dare any say they prayed not by the Spirit yea all the Churches of Christ from the third Century and the devoutest persons of all the following ages have ever used Forms in publick and dare we say that none of all these Churches or persons ever prayed in publick by the Spirit yea do not France Geneva Holland and almost all Reformed Churches pray by Forms and when the Minister conceives a Prayer is not that prayer a Form unto the people who are confined to pray according to the words he utters as much as by the words prescribed by the Common Prayer and yet dares any one affirm that all these pray without the Spirit of God Argum. 3 But Thirdly Forms of prayer have constantly been used even by the confession of those who plead against them throughout the universal Church of Christ from the Third Century that is above 1300 years and are retained and approved by almost all Reformed Churches and therefore to condemn them as unlawful forbidden by the Second Commandment or by plain precept in the New Testament as impediments to attention and fervency in prayer and to the exercise of the Gifts vouchsafed to the Ministers of Christ to fit them for the work and lastly as false and unacceptable worship is to cast all these reproaches on the whole Church of Christ for so long time at least and to charge all her eminent and pious Clergy as persons guilty through their whole lives of tendring to God a false forbidden worship and being always guilty in their publick service of him of all the crimes forementioned which Nam hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est Ep. 118. p. 558. D. as St Austin truly saith is such a charge as will pronounce the Authors of it guilty of the most insolent madness The confessions of Dissenters to this effect may be seen in Smectymnuus * Answ to the Remonstr p. 7. p. 11. Thes Salm. part 3. loc com 47. N. 49. and the grand debate and the Assertion of Capellus that the use of publick forms obtained in the Vniversal Church through the whole world for above 1300 years will be made good from these considerations 1. That even Pliny †Epist l. 10. ep 97. apud Euseb l. 7. c. 30. p. 281. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth inform us that the Christians in his time did sing an Hymn to Christ as God That Dionysius
p. 316. 3ly He adds that this was a political precept and instituted no new Religious thing besides a circumstance of time Answer Then must our Christian Festivals be so esteemed and therefore ought not to be scrupled or represented as Unlawful 2ly Was it not an addition to these Words of Moses These are the Feasts of the Lord even the Holy Convocations which ye shall proclaim in their seasons Lev. 23.4 3ly can any Man of reason think that a Command to Feast and to Reioyce give Gifts unto the Poor and to send portions one to another is only an institution of a circumstance of time and that these were not ceremonies truly significant of their internal joy and their thanksgiving to the Author of this great deliverance 4ly What Order or Command from God had Judas and his Brethren 1 Maccab. 4.59 with the whole Congregation of Israel to ordain that the days of the Dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season from year to year for the space of Eight days from the Twenty fifth day of the Month Chisleu with Mirth and Gladness And yet Josephus not only tells us that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Or make a Law that farther Generations should observe this Feast but also call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or light because such happiness shone forth upon them on that day Leight Temple Service p. 188. and their own Rituals inform us that they did light up Candles in all their Houses in signification of the same And notwithstanding all these things our Saviour did not scruple to be present at this very Feast Joh. 10.22 Now to this instance Dr. Ames Answers as before that they as Prophets were led by extraordinary and singular Revelation not to be exemplary therein to us p. 433. not considering that Prophesie had ceased long before and that neither Josephus nor the Book of Macchabees make any mention of this matter 2ly He Answers that it hath always been a Question Ibid. what Feast of Dedication this was Whether that which was appointed by Solomon or in the time of Ezra or that which was appointed by the Macchabees Answer That it was that which by the Macchabees was instituted is evident beyond exception 1. From the time when it was Celebrated for the Text tells us that it was then Winter now the Feast of Dedication instituted by the Macchabees was observed on the Twenty fifth day of the Month Chisleu or December whereas that of Solomon was observed in Autumn in the Month Ethanim that of Ezra in the Spring on the Month Adar 2. Esdr 6.15 We do not find in Scripture or the Jewish Records that there was any Annual Feast appointed to Celebrate the first or second Dedication of the Temple but for the Celebration of this third Dedication of it by the Macchabees we find express Command that it should still be kept from year to year 3 He Answers that we only read that Christ walked in Solomons Porch at this Feast p. 320. which he might do without observing or appoving of this Feast Reply 1. Christ knew this was the time when others did present themselves in that place to observe this Feast since then he also was present in the Temple at this time he did at least according to our Adversaries give them occasion to think he owned that Feast and had Christ then come thither only to Preach he did more then Dissentors will do who dare not Preach on Holy days to the People lest they should seem to countenance the observation of those days 3ly Our Lord did not reprove them at that time for the observing of this Feast whereas had it been vain Worship and teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men or had it been a violation of the Law of Moses he who was Zealous for his Fathers House and did so round the Pharisees for these things in this case would not have neglected so to do 4ly He Answers That after Christ had whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple they came in again and continued their Merchandise there and yet in the mean space our Saviour was often in the Temple without allowance of that their Practise Repl. 1. It doth not appear that Christ was present afterwards when they used this trade for it was chiefly if not only used at the Passover that they who came up to that Feast might be provided of Cattle without bringing them from home now our Saviours zeal against this Prophanation of the Temple was shewed at that time John 2.13 Matt. leightf in v. 5. 21.1 for he came to Jerusalem that very day that the Paschal Lamb was to be taken up 2ly Christ might come into the Temple and not come into that separated place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which this Merchandise was kept Leighef ibid. this being done in the Court of the Gentiles 3ly Christ having once declared himself against this action at the beginning of his Office his coming afterwards into the Temple where these things were done could not be deemed an allowance of them Lastly Our Saviour expressed this Zeal again at the close of his Office Matt. 21.1 5ly The Altar of Witness built without Command by the two Tribes and half when they went over Jordan to their own Possessions Josh 22.16 31. as a monumental profession of the true God and of his Service was approved of To this instance Dr. p. 327. Ames Replies that he finds it not evident in the Text that it was approved by the High Priest Princes and all the Congregation of Israel Repl. It is expresly said v. 30. that when Phinehas the Priest and the Princes of the Congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him heard the Words that the Children of Reuben and Gad and of Manasseh had spoken it pleased them or as the Hebrew hath it it was good in their Eyes and v. 31. they say This day we perceive that the Lord is amongst us because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord and he that cannot perceive in these expressions an allowance of this fact cannot see Wood for Trees 2ly We do not find that God who did continually quarrel with the Jews for Sacrificing in the High Places did ever shew the least dislike of this Altar or Command the pulling of it down which is sufficient evidence that God himself allowed of it 2ly The Doctor adds that this Altar was not in state or use Religious as the Cross is Repl. p. 322. As the Cross is used to testifie to the Church that the person signed with it belongs to the Congregation of the Faithful so was this Altar built to be a Witness that they belonged to the Congregation of Israel and had a portion in the God of Israel v. 27 28. If then the Cross be in state and use Religious upon that account this Altar must be so
3ly p. 324. The Doctor adds that it doth not appear out of the Text that there was intended any use of this Altar for the present Age that then lived and that the contrary may be gathered out of the 24th and 25th verses Which as it no way doth invalidate the Force of this Example so is it very false the Text expresly declaring that the two Tribes made it to be a Witness betwixt them and those to whom they then spake as well as to the Generations after them v. 28. Lastly the wearing Sackcloth and Ashes in token of humiliation Zech. 13.4 Zech. 7.5 the Prophets rough Garment the Fast of the 5th month because the Temple was destroyed then and of the 7th month because then Gedaliah and many of the Jews with him were slain these things had no Appointment that we can find from God and yet were never scrupled by the Jews or condemned by God or by his Holy Prophets Moreover we find not in the Law of Moses any Direction that a white Garment or Linnen Ephod should be made for any but the Priests or used by any others in Gods Worship and that we find David dancing before the Lord in a Linnen Ephod 2 Sam. 6.14 and the Levites who carried the Ark clad in linnen Roves or in white Linnen 2 Chron. 5.12 Wherefore to answer positively to the Texts alledged Answ 4 4ly To add unto the Word or the Command of God is not to use such Rites and Ceremonies as no where are commanded or forbidden in the Word when by Superiours to whom obedience is due in lawful matters they are at any time prescribed but it is to avouch such things as the Command and Word of God which he had not commanded as the False Prophets did This will be evident 1. If we consider what it is to diminish from the Word now that undoubtedly is to neglect to do what God had in his Word commanded under pretence that he doth not require it We In locum say the Assemblies Annotations diminish from the Word by denying any part of it to be of Divine Authority or concealing any part of it either for Words or Meaning or by partial Belief of it or Obedience to it And therefore by the Rule of Contraries to add unto it must be to vouch that to be of Divine Authority which is but humane or to believe and yield obedience to that as the Will of God which he hath not enjoyned 2ly This will be farther evident if we compare these Passages with others of the like Nature in the Scripture as v. g. Add thou not to his Words saith Augur Prov. 30.6 lest thou be found a Lyar i. e. lest falsly pretending to deliver his Word when thou speakest only thy own Inventions thou beest found guilty of a Lye whereas had men been guilty of adding to his Words by the Injunction of things acknowledged to be indifferent in their own Nature the Words should rather have run thus Add thou not to his Words lest thou be found superstitious And Rev. 22 18. to add unto these things is v. 19. to add unto the Words of the Book of that Prophecy Obj. And whereas Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. chap. 4. §. 7. Baxter saith That the Text doth not say Thou shalt not add to my Command but Thou shalt not add to the thing that I command thee and thence infers that it is the Work Worship or Ordinances that we are forbidden to add to or to diminish from and not the Word or Law is self only Answ 1. This is a great mistake for the Text plainly saith Thou shalt not add unto the Word that I command Deut. 4.2 What I command thou shalt observe to do thou shalt not add unto it Deut. 12.32 2ly From what is now discoursed 't is evident that we do not add to the Worship or the Ordinances of God by appointing Ceremonies declared to be no parts of his Worship or of his Ordinances but only by asserting and proposing such things as his Ordinances and parts of his Worship which indeed are not so Answ 5 5ly Hence it doth clearly follow that they who do assert that God forbids kneeling at the Sacrament hearing Common Prayer bringing our Children to be signed with the Cross or joyning in that Service which is performed by one that wears a Supplice c. If they can shew no Word of God which doth forbid these things are themselves guilty of adding to the Word of God Obj. 2 2ly A second plea of our Dissentors from the Old Testament § 2 is this That God in Scripture declares that he abominates that way of Worship which he hath not commanded and tho the thing performed in its own Nature was abominable God takes no notice of that but chiefly reprehends it because not commanded To this effect they cite Lev. 10.1 where Nadab and Abihu are condemned and punished for offering strange Fire which the Lord commanded them not Deut. 17.3 If there be found among you Manor Woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other Gods and worshipped them either the Sun or Moon or any of the Host of Heaven which I have not commanded Thou shalt stone them with stones till they dye Jer. 7.31 They have built the High-Places of Tophet to burn their Sons and their Daughters in the Fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my Heart Jer. 19.5 They have built the High-Places of Baal to burn their Sons with Fire for Burnt-offerings to Baal which I commanded not nor spake it neither came it into my Mind Now to this weak Objection I answer Answ 1 1. That these Texts are all impertinently alledged because they only prove that God will not be worshipped with any thing which he hath not commanded which we do not deny but they do not prove that we may not use any Garment Posture or Ceremony uncommanded in the Service of God provided we declare that we do not esteem these things as parts of Divine Worship Answ 2 2ly These Texts expounded so as to forbid the use of any Ceremony in Publick Worship which God hath not particularly enjoyned will condemn our Dissentors as well as us and even render it impossible to perform any publick Service to God it will condemn our way of Preaching for where hath God commanded us to take a Text and Gloss upon it or the Congregation to sing the Psalms of David in Metre where hath he enjoyned us to meet at ten of the Clock in the morning or two in the afternoon for Publick Worship on the Lords Days to pray without a Lyturgy or Form of Prayer to pray before Sermon to preach an hour or in a pulpit c. All these things therefore and many more of the like Nature by this wild exposition of these Texts must be abmination to the Lord. Answ 3 3ly This Hebrew
Phrase That I commanded them not is only used in Scripture concerning things which he forbad or did command his people not to do and upon that account by good Interpreters is styled a Litotes that is a Figure which in Words diminisheth the thing intended as when a prohibition is intended by saying such a thing is not commanded This will appear from a perusal of the places cited For 1. The strange Fire which Nadab and Abihu offered was forbidden Fire 't was Fire not taken from the Altar to put into their Censers and burn Incense with Vid. Ainsw in locum whereas God had commanded that Fire should be always burning on the Altar to that very End And if God had no where commanded whence they should take their Fire to burn Incense and offer Sacrifice withal and yet would not allow them to use that Fire which he had not commanded it was not possible that they should offer to him any Incense or Burnt-Offering which was not an abomination to him As for their Offering their Sons and Daughters unto Baal or Moloch God most expresly did forbid it saying Lev. 18.21 Thou shalt not let any of thy Seed pass through the Fire to Moloch that this was the abomination which he hated Deut. 12.31 18 10 12. and that the Person guilty of it should be stoned with stones because he had defiled his Sanctuary and profaned his Holy Name Levit. 20.2 3. The Worship of other Gods or of the Sun and Moon and Stars which God is said not to have commanded is most expresly said to be transgressing of his Covenant Deut. 17.2 3. And therefore it was doing that which he forbid so that the import of these Texts seems only to be this that we must not perform in publick Worship or elsewhere that which God hath forbidden or hath enjoyned us not to do Question But why then is a thing so highly criminal expressed in these mild Words Which I commanded them not Answ The certain reason of this Phrase I cannot promise only I conjecture thus that whereas God had imparted to all the Heathen Nations the Sun Moon Stars and all the Host of Heaven that is had left them to the Worship of them Deut. 4 19. winking at them in the times of ignorance he had taken the Jews to be a people of inheritance to himself v. 20. and therefore saith unto them I am the Lord your God you shall have no other Gods but me wherefore for them to worship any of those Gods which he had not commanded or imparted to them was virtually to renounce the true God and to transgress his Covenant Deut. 29.25 26. and hence is that expression in the Book of Deuteronomy they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the Lord of Aegypt for they went and served other Gods and worshipped them Gods which he had not given or imparted to them § 6 Add to this that Ingenious Answer which Mr. Eccles pol. l. 2. Hooker hath returned to this Objection viz. That because the Works of God are perfect and lack nothing for the performance of the thing to which they tend it followeth that the End being known to which God directeth his Speech the Negative Argument is always strong and forcible concerning those things that are apparently requisite to the same End As v.g. The purpose of God was to teach his people both to whom they should offer Sacrifice and what Sacrifice was to be offered to burn their Sons in Fire to Baal or Moloch he did not command them he spake no such thing neither came it into his Mind therefore this they ought not to have done For when the Lord had once set down a precise Form of executing that in which we are to serve him the Fault appeareth greater to do that which we are not than not to do that which we are commanded in this we seem to charge the Law of God with Hardness only in that with foolishness in this we shew our selves weak and unapt to be Doers of his Will in that we take upon us to be Controulers of his Wisdom in this we fail to perform the thing which God sees Meet Convenient and Good in that we presume to see what is Meet and Convenient better than God himself in those actions therefore the whole Frame whereof God hath on purpose set down to be observed we may not otherwise do than exactly as he hath prescribed Thus I suppose the Force of this Objection is sufficiently assoiled Obj. 3 Moreover it is objected by Dr. Ames and others § 3 p. 298.299 that the second Commandment forbiddeth to make unto our selves the Likeness of any thing whatsoever for religious use and therefore forbids us to use significant Ceremonies of mans devising Answ 1 The Major of this Argument is false for the second Commandment doth only forbid us to make any Likeness there mentioned to be the Object of our Religious Worship by bowing down unto or worshipping it the import of it being plainly this Thou shalt not make any Resemblance c. by Picture Sculpture or Fusion in Order to religious adoration and yielding to them any such signification of respect which the Custom or Consent of men hath appropriated to Religion as bowing falling down lying prostrate before them or the like That this is the true intent of this Precept is plain by the ground of this prohibition delivered by Moses in these Words Take ye therefore good heed to your selves for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb Lest you corrupt and make you a graven Image Deut. 4.15 16. the similitude of any Figure the Likeness of Male or Female c. 2ly This is apparent from the reason of the prohibition I am a Jealous God that is a God very tender of my Honour and of my Right who will by no means suffer any Mate or Competitor in respect to that outward Worship which properly belongs to me I am the Lord that is my Name Esa 42.8 my Glory will I not give to another neither my Praise to graven Images For who can without blushing say that God is robbed of the outward Worship due unto him by our kneeling at the Sacrament our using the surplice or making the sign of the Cross upon a Childs Forehead whereas he himself tells us that he is robbed of his Praise and Glory by giving of Religious Worship unto graven Images it being only due unto that God to whom every Knee shall bow But saith Dr. Ames p. 302. The very Phantasies or Images of the mind not prescribed by God are by most Interpreters held as well forbidden as outward Real Images Answ if so the most are not always the best Interpreters there being nothing more absurd and foolish than this Interpretation never thought of by any of the Ancients or approved
appointed a living Judge of Controversies to whom all Jews stood bound to repair in doubtful cases and according to whose word and information they were obliged to Act not declining from it to the right hand or to the left Deut. 17.9 12. And therefore by this Rule of our Dissenters God must have left us Christians such a living Judge or else his care and kindness towards the Christian Church will be less then was his care and kindness to the Jewish Church Answer 2 2ly It is falsly supposed by this Argument that Moses was so exact and full in all his institutions that nothing afterward was to be added to them or ordained by the Rulers of the Church for the better observation of them the Rulers of the Jewish Church did notwithstanding his exactness do many things Sacred and Civil for which they had no precept to direct them nor any other Warrant but the use of reason and prudential discourse and they made many constitutions which were of things very useful and necessary to be decided for the direction of the practice both of Priests and People The instances of this Nature are very numerous and may be seen in Dr. Leightfoots Temple Service from whence I shall Collect these few The Law of Moses appoints no Substitute to the High Priest in case of his uncleanness or any other matter which might render him unfit to do his Office at the great day of expiation or any other Solemnity Provision therefore was made for this and other occasions of like Nature by appointing with him a Sagan or a Substitute who might officiate for him in such cases Leight p. 34. p. 169. And of whose officiating for him in the great day of Expiation we find an instance in Josephus l. 17. cap. 8. p. 597. They had no Command for sounding their Trumpets every Morning at the opening of the Court Gates particularly at the opening of the Gate of Nicanor But tho this practice had no express and literal Command yet was it grounded upon this necessity and reason because that the Levites and Stationary Men might have notice to come to attend their Desks and Service and that the People of Jerusalem might hear Temple Serv. p. 57 58. and take notice and those that would come to the Temple so that this sounding was as the Bells to ring them in to the Service Agreeable to this was also the sounding striking or ringing of their great Bell Migrepha Ibid. p. 111. p. 59. The constant Psalms sung by the Levites every day of the Week with the reasons why they made choice of them The four and twenty courses of the Israelites of the station is no where mentioned or appointed in the Law of Moses and yet it was an excellent constitution p. 63. For there were some sacrifices that were sacrifices of all Israel and particularly the daily Sacrifice now it was impossible that all Israel should be present at the Sacrifices that were to be Offered up for all Israel and therefore it was needful that some Representatives should be chosen who instead and behalf of all the People should be present at every Sacrifice that should be Offered up for the whole Congregation Now because it would be too heavy for one Company of Men to attend continually on this Work as the daily Sacrifice required therefore they appointed twenty four Courses of these stationary Men as well as of the Priests and Levites that their attendance in these vicissitudes might be the more easie for which cause also was made the like division of the Priests and Levites p. 64. There was Sacrificing in the Temple Service twice a day and reading of the Law at least twice and Prayers four times and it became them and behoved them if it had been possible to have been all attending there but because this could not possibly be done they ordained these Courses of Stationary Men to be as the Deputies of all the People and a Representative Congregation in their behalf It had been an open contempt of those ordinances if being daily Administred none of the People had attended at them and it would have been a hazard that in time they might have been neglected by the People if they had been left to their own liberty to come or not come to them as they saw good therefore to prevent this visible contempt that might have accrued and to provide that there might be always a Congregation of the People These Stationary Courses were ordained that if Devotion brought no other of the People to the Service yet these their Representatives might be sure to be there That the High Priest should confess over the Scape Goat all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their Transgressions in all their Sins we read Lev. 16.21 But in the Law of Moses we find no form of Words which the High Priest was to use and therefore the Rulers of the Church appointed him to say Ah Lord thy People the House of Israel have sinned and done perversly p. 173. and transgressed before thee I beseech thee now Oh Lord expiate the sins perversities and transgressions which the House of Israel thy People have sinned done perversly and transgressed before thee c. in the same Chapter the High Priest is Commanded to Offer a Bullock for a sin Offering for himself v. 6 11. to make an Atonement for himself and for his House Atonement for sin could not be made without confession of it provided that the sin were known it was therefore necessary that he should make confession of his sin in order to this Atonement wherefore no Words of confession being prescribed by the Law of Moses p. 171. they ordered him to say Ah Lord I have sinned done perversly and transgressed before thee I and my House I beseech thee oh Lord expiate the sins perversities and transgressions whereby I have sinned done perversly and transgressed I and mine House c. Moreover by every sin and trespass Offering Atonement was to be made and so the sin of the offendor was to be confessed but there being no form of confession mention'd in the Law of Moses the Rulers ordered the offendor to confess in this wise I have sinned p. 69. and done perversly I have rebelled and done thus and thus but I return by repentance before thee and let this be my expiation The Law of Moses in many cases appointed a Meat Offering but neither determined of the quantity of Corn or Oyl to be brought for it and therefore the Rulers determined that no Meat Offering should consist of less than the tenth part of an Ephah of Corn p. 95. and a Log of Oyl Moreover a Man that lived at a great distance from Jerusalem was fallen under such an offence for which a Sacrifice was due by the Law p. 99. the enquiry hereupon was what must he do must he away presently thither to offer his Offering must he
we cannot but conceive that our Superiors do very grievously sin and should we tamely yield Submission to them when imposed we should encourage and harden them in that iniquity And therefore think our selves obliged to forbear the Practice of them Now unto these Pretences I shall endeavour to return a full plain and I hope satisfactory Answer beginning with the first Obj. 1 And 1. It is objected that the Imposition of these Rites bereaves them of their Christian Liberty in reference to things indifferent § 2 upon these several accounts 1. Because it doth restrain their Practice in matters wherein Christ hath left them free and therefore say they The Apostle by saying if you be dead with Christ to the Rudiments of the World Coloss 2.20 wherefore are ye subject to Ordinances Touch not taste not handle not after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men condemns not only humane decrees concerning Rites and Ceremonies but also our Subjection to such Ordinances of Men as take from us Liberty of Practice in the use of things indifferent for otherwise not touching not tasting not handling being things indifferent might have been submitted to And whereas it is said that Christian Liberty consists only in Liberty of Judgment but not of Practice touching matters of this Nature We see say they that when the Apostle giveth Instance of such humane Ordinances as violate our Christian Liberty he saith not You must not think you may not touch but touch not c. Telling us that when the Practice is restrained from touching tasting handling by the Ordinances of Men then is Christian Liberty violated tho the Conscience be left free 2ly Because obedience to these Impositions renders us the Servants of Men which St. Paul will not permit saying 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the Servants of Men Where say they the Apostle forbids the doing any thing for the Will and Pleasure of Men when our Conscience can find no other reason for the doing of it what therefore is press'd upon men by naked Will and Authority without giving any reason to satisfy the Conscience cannot by Christians be submitted to because they must not be the Servants of Men. 3ly The Imposition of these Rites say they doth take away our Christian Liberty because Conscience it self is bound thereby at least in the Opinion of the Imposers for the obliging of the Conscience for the time to assent is the binding of it 4ly Because these Impositions are urged upon such as in their Conscience to condemn them and so they have not the Liberty preserved of abstaining from doing that of the lawfulness whereof their Conscience doubts Answ In order to the Refutation of this vain Pretence § 3 I shall endeavour 1. To shew the Absurdity of this Doctrine or Opinion and 2ly To answer what is offered to confirm it I say then that it is most absurd to think and teach that the determining of any thing indifferent relating to the Worship of God should be repugant to our Christian Liberty For Explication of the terms of this Assertion consider that a thing indifferent is such a thing or action which in it self is neither good nor evil neither commanded nor forbidden by God And that to determine of such actions is to require us to do or to omit the Practice of them 2ly Consider that there are many actions of this Nature which must be done in Celebration of Gods Worship tho God hath no where given Rules touching the circumstance and manner of performance of them As v. g. We must if we will meet for Publick Worship do it in some place and in some hour of the day but at what place or at what hour we should meet God hath not told us The Minister who doth officiate must do it in some Habit but in what Habit he shall do it God hath not determined The Priest who consecrates the Sacrament must consecrate some Kind of Wine and Bread but whether he shall consecrate Claret or Tent unleavened or leavened Bread round Wafers or round Loaves or else flat Cakes or Rowls is not declared by the Word of God The Sacrament received by the Communicant must be received in some Posture but whether standing sitting or kneeling shall be the Posture our Lord hath not informed us To sing in Publick is declared to be a duty but whether we shall sing in Metre or in Prose with Instruments of Musick or without plain song or pricked the Scripture gives us no directions These therefore with all matters of like Nature already mentioned are things indifferent that is neither commanded nor forbidden and they do all relate unto Gods Worship And our Assertion is this That the determination of any matters of this Nature by our Superiors Civil or Sacred provided they do not impose them as things in their own Nature necessary or parts of our Religious Worship doth no ways violate our Christian Liberty For 1. A Restraint is by the Scripture laid upon our Liberty in matters of this Nature when by the Practice of it we may scandalize our weak Brother 1 Cor. 8.9 Take heed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak And also when by restraint of this our Liberty in things indifferent we serve the ends of Love and Charity Gal. 5.13 Ye are called to Liberty yet by Love serve one another Why therefore may not the Authority of Gods Vicegerents or of Christs Ambassadors lay like restraints upon our Liberty in matters of this Nature Why may we not do that for Reverence and Love to them which Love unto our Neighbour requires us to perform why should we not be careful that our Superiors be not scandalized as by our disobedience to them in lawful matters they will be as well as that we do not scandalize our weaker Brother Since by abstaining from any thing indifferent for fear of giving scandal to or out of Love to others a restraint is put upon our Liberty of Practising these things as well as by the Precepts of Superiors why should the one be deem'd more inconsistent with our Christian Liberty than is the other 2ly Were this restraint in matters of indifferency relating to the Service of God a Violation of our Christian Liberty than all our Vows and Promises respecting things indifferent relating to the Service of God must be a Violation of that Liberty since by them we restrain our Freedom as to those matters as much as 't is restrained by the Commands of our Superiors According therefore unto this opinion should I vow to keep a fast in Lent to kneel at the Receiving of the Sacrament to set apart a Room in my own house for private Devotion or to do any other thing relating to the Service of God which he hath not determined I could not be obliged to perform those Vows as being Violations of my Christian Liberty 3ly That which I may do tho no Injunction of
their false Gods so Dr. Hammond and Dr. Patrick So to name the name of Christ 1. Tim. 2.19 is to own the true Messiah and profess the Christian faith and that this is the certain import of the words we learn from Josh 23.7 where this Phrase is repeated and by the following words is thus explained Be ye couragious to keep and do all that is written in the Law of Moses that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left that ye come not among these nations that remain among you neither make mention of the name of their Gods nor swear by them nor serve them nor bow your selves to them 5ly When God saith thou shalt call me Jehi Hos 2.16 and shall call me no more Baal his meaning is not that they should never use that word because it was used by Idolaters or was applyed to Idols for then God was not to be called Jah because the Heathens had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord because they gave that name to Baal nor King because the Heathens had their Milcom nor would God have incouraged his people to use that name by stiling himself Baal as he doth in the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 54.5.62.5 but God by this expression signifies he would not be unto his people a hard imperious Lord as Baal was unto his Worshippers but he would rather treat them with the affections of an Husband or that they should no more revolt from him to Baal as hitherto they had done but should cleave faithfully to their Covenant made with him as the Wife promiseth forsaking other Lords to cleave unto her Husband 6ly The reason why God commanded his own people to destroy the Altars and the Images of Heathens and not to take unto themselves the Silver Gold and other Furniture belonging to them was the prevention of their erecting of them and preserving them to give Idolatrous worship to them as they were very prone to do Thus do the very Texts declare ye shall destroy their Altars break their Images cut down their Groves Exod. 34.13 mark the reason v. 14. for thou shalt worship no other God for the Lord whose name is Jealous is a Jealous God And Deut. 7.25 Thou shalt not take to thy self the Silver or Gold of their Graven Images left thou be snared therein There being then no fear lest we should be ensnared by the use of Ceremonies already purged from the Foundations of all Romish Superstition and Idolatry we cannot be concerned in these Precepts and much less in that passage of Isaiah chap. 30.22 where this only is foretold that when the Jews did truly turn unto the Lord they should obey this Precept which commands them not to take unto themselves the Silver and the Gold and other Furniture of Idols And truly if these Precepts did oblige the Christian they would Condemn all our Reformed Churches and the Dissenters themselves for turning into their private Purses or their common Treasuries or any way retaining for their use that Silver and that Gold which formerly made Romish Images or which was dedicated to Romish Saints or offered at their Shrines or using any of the Utensils or Garments which have been so abused and if we are obliged punctually to follow these Prescriptions we must not only destroy Popish Images but cast away the Silver Gold and other Furniture belonging to them since in these places all usage of such things Civil or Sacred is apparently forbid and even the desire of them 7ly When the Jews are forbid to round the corners of their Heads or mar the corners of their Beards they only are forbid that rounding of the corners of their heads which was done in honour of Demons and that marring of the corners of their Beards which Heathen Priests used in honour of their Idols Baruch 6.31 Their Priests sit in their Temples having their Heads and their Beards shaven And therefore this making baldness upon their Heads this shaving of the Corners of their Beards is forbidden as that whereby they would profane the name of God and as opposite to owning God to be their Lord Levit. 21.6.19.25 28. Moreover that cutting of the Flesh which God forbids in the same place for the same reasons was the cutting of the Flesh for the dead which was by Heathens used partly from Superstition Gratificari se aliquo modo defunctis putantes Thereby conceiving that they did some way gratifie the dead and partly from Idolatry to appease the Infernal Deities And Lastly that printing marks upon their Flesh which the same Text forbids was such Quâ se ad Idololatriam signabant whereby they marked themselves for the service of such or such an Idol saith Maimonides so that the import of all these passages is only this Thou shalt not by any of these ways make a profession of Idolatry or an acknowledgment of Heathen Deities or use those Customs which in their common use do signifie the owning of them And if the naming of their Gods the shaving of their Beards or Heads in such a manner had been absolutely forbidden and not only as Testimonies of Idolatry I know not why they should concern us more than the Prohibition of a Linsey-Woolsey Garment or the sowing of their Fields with divers Seeds which no Man thinks unlawful to be done by Christians Now 8ly To the Objection from these words mentioned 2 Cor. 6.17 viz. Touch not the unclean thing I Answer that it cannot in the least concern our Ceremonies for what in them thus purged from Popish Superstition and Idolatry can be esteemed the unclean thing Is it the thing it self What can the abuse of other Men defile to our use the very Nature of things which God hath not made to us unclean How then saith Paul that to the clean all things are clean Tit. 1.15 How durst he allow Men not only to touch but to eat of meats offered before to Idols without scruple of Conscience in that respect 1 Cor. 10.23 27. But if they shall grant that the uncleanness is in the Superstitious abuse of such things then let them know that he who useth the same thing without the same or other Superstition may be said to touch the thing but not to touch the unclean thing as he that touched Naaman cleansed from his Leprosie touched the same Man but not the same Leper 2ly The command to be separated and touch not the unclean thing is made the condition of Gods receiving us v. 17 18. and being unto us a Father and owning us as Sons and Daughters if therefore Dissenters will assert our Ceremonies to be the unclean thing there intended or something parallel to them they must flie into the Camp of the Brownists and say that God cannot receive or own our Church or be a Father to it or own any of its Members as his Sons or Daughters till we have laid aside their use And 3ly What is
against the Feasts of Christmas Easter the Ascension c. Answered § 14. The Objection from Gal. 4.9 10. Coloss 2.16 Answered § 15. CHAP. IX HAving thus Answered all the considerable Objections of Dissenters which they plead in general against Submission to the Ceremonies appointed by the Church of England to be used in her Solemnities I proceed to a particular consideration of those Ceremonies of which I have not had a fit occasion to discourse in the foregoing Chapters And they are those viz. Kneeling at the Receiving of the Sacrament The Bishops imposition of hands at confirmation and standing up at the Creed and at the reading of the Gospel at the saying Gloria patri Kneeling at Prayer c. And § 1 1. Concerning Kneeling at the Sacrament I say 1. That since some posture is then necessary and none by God determined it cannot reasonably be doubted but that the Church hath power to determine in this matter as she conceives most proper and convenient 2ly I know no posture more convenient than that of Kneeling it being a very fit expression of our humility and of the sense of our unworthiness of the great blessings there received And 2ly A posture fit for Prayer which we do use at the Receiving of the Sacrament 3ly I add That if it be lawful to receive in such a humble posture then must it be unlawful to refuse Communion with our Church in the participation of this Ordinance because she doth require us to use this posture in receiving For on this supposition we must refuse to hold communion with her in a lawful matter and so must separate from her communion in this Ordinance without cause which is the sin of Schism Now that it is lawful to receive Kneeling will appear by answering the Arguments produced by Dissenters against this posture And 1. It is objected That Kneeling at the Sacrament is contrary to the Practice and Example of Christ and his Apostles for they received sitting Answ 1 It is confessed that the Greek words by which the posture of our Lord and his Disciples at their Receiving is expressed are translated so as to seem to countenance their opinion who hold the sitting posture to be most agreeable to the Example of our Lord and his Disciples but yet 't is certain from the Original that Christ and his Disciples did neither sit nor Kneel but did lye down on Couches at the Receiving of this Ordinance for 't was administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lying down Mark 14.18 of Christ himself 't is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lay down with the twelve Matt. 26.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he fell down with them Luk. 22.14 If therefore this Objection be of any force it unavoidably will prove that we must neither sit nor stand nor Kneel but must lye down at the Receiving of this Sacrament and so our Lords Example will be as strong against sitting which is the posture our Dissenters use as against kneeling which is the posture they reject Answ 2 2ly I Answer that in such things as these which accidentally were done by Christ and his Apostles and had no real goodness in them we cannot be obliged to imitate them This men do generally acknowledge in things of a like nature to this gesture for they conceive that we are not obliged to receive this Sacrament in a like place viz an upper Room or Inn nor at the same time after the passover or after supper nor in the same habit in Sandals or a seemless coat why therefore should they think it necessary to be received in a like Gesture that being not commanded any more than is the time or place or habit Moreover St Paul when he informeth his Corinthians what he received from the Lord to be delivered to them touching this holy Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.23 maketh no mention of this Gesture and thereby doth assure us that it was not necessary to be observed And Bishop Jewel noteth well Repl. to Hard Artic. 2. that our Lord said do this but said not do it after supper do it sitting do it with twelve Disciples nor did the Apostles so understand him Answ 3 The Gesture in which the Passover even by Gods Command was celebrated at the first was altered by the Jewish Church for in the first Passover they were Commanded to eat it with their loins Girt their shoes on their feet Ex. 12.11 and their staves in their hands as men standing ready and in hast to be gone but being entred into their rest the land of Canaan they changed this posture into lying down and yet our Saviour and his Apostles did not scruple to conform unto it how much less should we scruple the varying from an uncommanded Gesture used occasionally and not of choice by our Dear Lord. 2ly It is objected that Kneeling at the Sacrament maketh us Guilty of Idolatry by worshipping God before or by or with Relation to a Creature For the Elements say they are the motive of your kneeling for if they were not there you would not kneel Answ It is to be lamented that such false Groundless and frivolous suggestions as these are should keep men from Communion with their Brethren in this Holy Ordinance for 1. The matter of fact is in this Argument Extreamly false it being not the Sight of the Elements which doth induce us then to Kneel But we receive them Kneeling saith our Lyturgy Rubr. after the Commun for a signification of our humble acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ there tendred and because Kneeling is a proper posture to tender our devotion in The Elements do only bring these things to our remembrance they do it to our eyes as the words used in a Sermon Prayer Book or by the Minister do bring them to remembrance by our hearing if then it be Idolatry to worship God when these things by the Symbols are brought to our remembrance it must be so to worship God when we do hear a Sermon Prayer or a discourse concerning them 2ly If this be Idolatry then our Dissenters must be Gross Idolaters for Surely inward worship unduly tendred is as Gross Idolatry as outward worship by which it is express'd now do not they when they behold the bread broken and the wine poured out put forth an act of inward worship viz. an act of praise thanksgiving love affiance do they not do this before a creature as much as we are not the Elements seen by them the motive of their doing so as much as of our Kneeling If then we are Idolaters for Kneeling to God before them why must not they be equally Idolaters by tendring all this inward worship to him before and on occasion of the same Elements 3ly Were this Idolatry the Jews must be Idolaters by worshipping the Lord before the Ark or Mercy Seat before the Temple at Jerusalem and before the Tabernacle for by so doing they worshipped God before a creature and would not
supposition that the Neglect is such as is suggested and that the Church of England may be charged with it I now proceed by way of farther Answer to it to consider of that Charge and therefore say Prop. 10 That our Church Officers cannot be truly said to own or to approve of this supposed neglect of Discipline in suffering the notoriously prophane and Scandalous Offender to remain uncensured by the Church For 1. The Rulers of the Church do openly acknowledg and declare even in their Publick Lyturgy Preface to Commin That the putting those to open Penance who stood convicted of notorious crimes is both a Primitive and Godly Discipline and that the restoring of the said Discipline is much to be wished 2ly They call upon all sinners with the greatest seriousness and affection to repent of those iniquities which render them obnoxious to her censures which call would they give ear unto they would be fit for her Communion and so exempted from the severity of her Discipline this call we find both in the Commination Read upon Ash-Wednesday and in the exhortation Read at the giving notice of a Sacrament where she thus speaks If any of you be a Blasphemer of God a Hinderer or Slanderer of his Word an Adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other grievous crime repent you of your sins or else come not to that Holy Table 3ly They make all Persons whom they admit unto the Priestly Office solemnly to promise to give faithful diligence always so to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded And 4ly Can. 26. They require every Minister in no wise to admit to the receiving of the Holy Communion any of his Cure or Flock which he openly knows to live in sin notorious without repentance and they moreover Authorise them Rubr. before the Commun To advertise all open and notorious evil livers and all who have done any wrong to their Neighbours by word or deed so that the Congregation be thereby offended to call them and to advertise them that by no means they presume to come to the Lords Table till they have openly declared themselves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty life that the Congregation may be thereby satisfied and say that he shall not suffer them to be partakers of the Lords Table betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign until he know them to be reconciled Since then it is apparent from these considerations that our Church daily calls upon these persons to repent both in the Publick Preaching of the Word and in the Office stiled Commination and in her Homily upon repentance And 2ly that she doth Authorise all her Parochial Ministers to call and advertise such Persons as they know privately to be unworthy not to presume to come unto the Holy Sacrament and doth require them when they give notice of a Sacrament to read an exhortation to that effect seeing she also grants them power to put back any Scandalous Offenders from the Sacrament whose faults are so notorious as to give offence to the Congregation and doth allow both them and the Church-Wardens or rather charge them to prosecute such Men in order to their Amendment or Excommunication seeing at their admission to their Sacred Function she doth strictly charge them to give faithful diligence so to minister the Discipline of Christ as he hath commanded Since Lastly Private Persons in her Communion may avoid familiar conversing with them and withdraw from their company and so avoid being polluted by the corruption of their manners I say seeing these things are so I see not but the Objections made against the Discipline of our Church might be removed if the things allowed and required by the Rules of it were duly practised § 7 Hitherto I have discoursed in Answer to this Objection as if the Scriptures and Reasons produced to confirm it were all true and well applyed whereas indeed the grounds of this Objection are uncertain and infirm for to omit the uncertainty of the exposition of 1 Cor. 5.13 you shall take away the evil from you and not the evil Person which sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth rather signifie and the uncertainty of Dr. Hammonds exposition of Rev. 2.20 I say Tently Prop. 10. That the continuance of Gods presence by his Spirit with his Church and her Assemblies cannot be proved to depend entirely upon the Separation of wicked Persons and scandalous offenders from her The Place produced to this Effect from 2 Cor. 6.16 17. only concerns the Christians Separation from Communion with Heathens in their Idolatrous Worship or their Idol feasts this is the touching the unclean thing there spoken of as I have fully proved in the foregoing Chapters it therefore is impertinently alledged to prove that God requires us to separate from the Communion of wicked Persons in celebrating of his Publick worship that so we may enjoy the presence of his Spirit with us Moreover God may destroy the person who defiles this Temple as he threatens 1. Cor. 3.17 and yet may not withdraw his Spirit from them that do assemble with such Persons purely to serve God and to enjoy Communion with him in his Publick Ordinances And indeed were this so that the presence of a known wicked Person would cause the Holy Spirit to depart from the Assemblies of pious Persons then Christ and his Disciples had not the presence of the holy Spirit with them when they assembled with Judas to eat the passover and to receive the holy Sacrament 2ly Then seeing Covetous malitious Persons since secret Hypocrites and Atheists are as odious to God as Persons otherwise notoriously wicked and profane they also must pollute the Church and cause the holy Spirit to depart from her Assemblies and if so the Church can never be assured of his presence with her Then 3ly much less would the holy Spirit be present at those Publick offices designed to conveigh this Spirit when they were celebrated by wicked Priests and so we could have no assurance of his gracious influence upon us at the preaching of the Word the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism and of the Supper of the Lord because we can have no assurance of the sincerity of him who doth officiate For if the presence of wicked Persons who do only joyn with the Officiator will cause the holy Spirit to depart from that Assembly much more the wickedness of the Officiator And 4ly then we must have cause to fear that this good Spirit hath wholly left the Church of Christ and doth no longer move upon the waters of the Sanctuary there being in these latter Ages of the Church such a neglect of Discipline as that scarce any one of her Assemblies can be supposed free from some mixture of profane and even notorious wicked Persons which yet seems plainly to contradict Christ's promise to be with his Church unto the end
perform these outward acts of reverence to our Superiors on earth in token of the honor which we owe to them much more ought we to do so to the Majesty of Heaven Hence then it naturally follows Coroll that whatsoever is a proper act of outward Worship and fitly doth express our inward Reverence of God by any outward gesture of the body may very laudably be required by Superiors seeing by these injunctions they only do require us to do in this or that particular what is in general our duty And therefore 1. To require us to Kneel at Prayer and at the Absolution which concludes with Prayer and at the Commandments and Imposition of hands and at the Receiving of the Sacrament is only to require us to pay to God the Worship due unto him to use that posture in our Devotions which our Saviour used at Prayer Luk. 22.41 and which doth properly express our Reverence to him to whom we pray and which was saith Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 5. the Common Custom of the Christian from whence their Prayers had the name of Ingeniculations 2. To require us to bow at the name of Jesus is only to require us to pay that Service in that instance to him to whom God hath declared that all knees shall bow Rom. 10.11 and to whom on account of his Divinity Worship is due by virtue of our obligation to Glorifie him with our Bodys which are his To require us to do this at the name of Jesus rather than at the name of Christ or Saviour when we design to recognize him as our only Saviour by that act of worship seems also reasonable seeing the name of Christ doth rather signifie his unction to his office than the blesings which accrue unto us by the execution of it The name of Saviour is also common to him with the Father whereas the Name of Jesus is appropriated to our Lord. 3ly To require us to uncover our Heads in the House of God and whilst we wait upon him in his presence is only to require us to pay that Reverence unto the Majesty of Heaven which we yield to his Vicegerents here on Earth 4. Since 't is a part of Christian duty by which our God is glorifyed to make publick Profession of our Faith and this is done as well by other signs as Vocal by the sign of the Cross as well as by the Tongue proclaiming our belief of Christ crucified by standing up at the Rehearsal of the Creed as well as by saying these words I believe the standing Gesture is very suitable at such a solemn declaration of the Articles of Christian Faith in token of our Cordial assent and Resolution to stand firm unto it And indeed this is so properly signified saith Mr. Lab. Eccles p. 459. Faulkner by the standing Gesture according to the general apprehensions of the World that both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek which words express the standing Gesture are used in Scripture to signifie an asserting with resolution Deut. 25.8 1 Chron. 34 32. 1 Cor. 16.13 2 Thess 2.15 And the like Idioms of Speech are in some other Languages as well as our own whence stare dictis in the Latin to stand to our words in our Dialect Lastly To give you hence some rational account why standing up at the Gospel is required rather than at the Epistle I must proceed by these degrees 1. That in the devouter times both of the Jewish and the Christian Church the People to manifest their Reverence unto the Word of God the Message sent from God unto them did hear it standing thus when Ezra opened the Book of the Law all the People stood up Nehem. 8.5 and the Children of Israel stood up in their places to read the Law of the Lord Neh. 9.3 2ly When the Gospel was read in the Assemblies of the Christian Church the People were required to stand up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Gospel is read let all the Presbyters and Deacons L. 2. C. 57. L. 7. C. 19. and all the People stand say the Constitutions of St. Clement And Sozomen speaks of it as a peculiar usage of the Bishop of Alexandria the like to which he had not seen or heard of that he stood not up at the Reading of the Gospel See to this purpose Philostorgius l. 3. Cap. 5. Chrysostom de Circo Isid Pelusiota l. 1. Ep. 136. Niceph. l. 9 18 12 34. If you have the curiosity to ask why at the Gospel rather than the Epistle I answer that this custom was used out of an especial respect to our Lord and Saviour whose words are ordinarily rehearsed in the Gospel to express I say an higher respect to Christ himself speaking there than to his Apostles who were sent by him on which account Ignatius saith the Gospel hath this excellency in it viz. the Presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ Epist ad Philadelph and his Suffering and Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 9 it hath something more excellent in it than the Writings of the Prophets though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all very good In Joh Tom. 1 P. 4. C. And Origen that the Epistles were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of equal esteem among Christians with those Writings of which it was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this saith the Lord. If you ask further Why then do we not stand up at the Second Lesson as well as at the Gospel in the Second Service I answer That out of tenderness unto the weakness and infirmity of many Christians v. Mr. Faulkner 's Lib. Eccles p. 146. 462. liberty was granted to them to hear the longer Lessons sitting provided they would shew the Reverence when a less portion of it was read at second Service § 12 Lastly Whereas some doubt the lawfulness of our observing the Festivals appointed by the Church of England I shall endeavour to give them satisfaction in the point in some few Propositions laid down by Mr. Divine appoint of the Lord's Day C. 13. Baxter in that case and then proceed to Answer the Objections which he and others make against them And 1. p. 148. Few saith He question but that whole days of Humiliation and of Thanksgiving may and must be kept upon great and extraordinary occasions of Judgments and of Mercies and that many Churches may agree in these and I know no just Reason why the Magistrate may not with Charity and Moderation to the weak impose them and command such an Agreement among his Subjects 2ly Few saith he doubt but the Commemoration of Great Mercies or Judgments may be made Anniversary and of long continuation p. 149. as the observation of the Fifth of November is made annual among us to preserve the Memorial of the deliverance from the Powder Plot the Second of September for the Anniversary humbling Remembrance of
which must therefore be unlawful according to this Argument because prescribed by no Apostle in the Holy Scriptures This is a business which if it were necessary would be equally necessary to all Ages Ob. 2. Ibid. and parts of the Catholick Church and therefore it cannot be necessary but it must be the matter of an universal law now God hath made no such law in Scripture and so Scripture sufficiency as the Catholick Rule of faith and universal obedience is utterly overthrown Answer The Answers given to the first objection do also manifestly shew the vanity of this for may it not as well be said of the Festivities of the Apostles and first Martyrs of the Church as of the feast of Christmas the Ascension of our Lord c. That If they are necessary to be observed they must be necessary to all Ages that God in Scripture hath made no law concerning them c. May it not as well be said that if Publick Assemblies are necessary to be set apart now that if any unprescribed forms of Prayer are necessary to be used now or any words in Scripture not prescribed in consecration or celebration of the Sacraments that if standing on the Lords day in time of Prayer if Stationary days if the Penitential Discipline observed in the Primitive Church were necessary in any Age or part of the Church they must be necessary in all Ages and parts of the Catholick Church and that God hath in Scripture made no laws concerning them and so Scripture sufficiency is and was by the observation of them overthrown 2ly Tho we do judge the observation of these Festivals expedient yet we by no means hold it necessary not by necessity of precept for we pretend not to any precept of this kind not as a necessary means for we acknowledge God may be duly praised and Worshipped and magnified for the mercies we then celebrate on other days and therefore we confess that * Non putandum Ecclesiam Christianam aliquancessitate astringi ad obser vationem immotam festorum dierum sed statuendum dies hosee humanâ authoritateconstitutos eddem posse tolli mutari c. Dav. in Coloss 2. v. 16. if the Church thinks fit she may leave all men to their liberty in the observing or not observing of these days only we add that sure the General Rule of doing all things for edification will warrant her appointment of them for the forementioned ends as well as the appointment of a Lecture-day or of a Sermon before the Assizes God himself hath appointed a day for the same purposes as these are pretended for Ob. 3. Ibid. for the Lords day is to commemorate the Resurrection as the great triumphant act of the Redeemer implying all the Rest of his works so that tho it be principally for the resurrection above any single work of Christ yet also for all the work of Redemption and the whole is on that day to be commemorated with Holy joy and praise now when God himself hath set apart one day in every week to commemorate the whole work of Redemption it seems an accusing of his Institutions of insufficiency to come after him to mend them and say we must have an Anniversary day for this or that part of the work Answer 1. That God did institute the Lords day for the particular Commemoration of the whole work of the Redemption is Gratis dictum what Scripture or what declaration of Any Father of the Church saith so 2ly This Argument makes it unlawful to set up a lecture upon any day but the Lords day for that day being appointed for publick reading and hearing of Gods Holy word for men to set up another day for that end is to accuse his institutions of insufficiency 3ly This Argument condemns the universal Church of Christ from the Apostles days for they did then observe the feast of Easter and so tho God had set apart a weekly Commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord they did come after him and observe an Anniversary day for the same thing and so according to this way of Arguing did more apparently accuse his institutions of insufficiency 4ly This objection seems to accuse the wisdom of Gods own institutions for tho the Jewish Sabbath was instituted with a peculiar respect to their deliverance out of Aegypt Deut. 5.15 yet for that mercy which was far inferior to those which Christians do enjoy by our Lords Birth his Death his Resurrection and Ascension he required other solemnities to be observed yearly viz. The great feast of the Passover why therefore may not the wisdom of the Church in imitation of this pattern besides the Lords day weekly set apart for celebrating the work of our Redemption require other solemnities to be observed yearly for a peculiar Commemoration of the most Signal parts of that Redemption Obj. 4 The fourth Commandment being one of the Decalogue seems to be of so High a nature that man must not presume to make the like Ibid. but it seems a doing the same or of like nature to what God hath done in the fourth Commandment if any man will make a necessary stated Holy day to the universal Church Answer 1. Who goes about to make a Necessary stated Holy day to the Universal Church sure none besides the Church of Rome pretendeth to give laws unto her But what the Universal Church hath thought fit to observe I hope our Church may prudently comply with and call upon her Children so to do 2ly Is not this done as much by the stated Festivals which you allow of as by those you do condemn was it not done as much by appointing the feast of Purim to be observed yearly and by ordaining that these days should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation Esth 9.27 28. every Family every Province and every City and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them perish from their seed was it not done as much by the whole Congregation of Israel when they ordained that the days of the Dedication of the Altar should be observed from year to year by the space of eight days And yet neither our Lord 1 Macc. 4.59 nor any of the Prophets charged them with violation of the 4th Commandment on that account or with presuming to do the like to that which God had done in the institution of it Object 5 Where there is no law sure we are there is no transgression but there is no law of God Commanding Christmas or other Holy-days therefore there is no trangression in not keeping them But then it is not sure that there is no transgression in keeping them therefore the surer side is to be taken Answer 1. That this Argument plainly destroys his former grant of the expedience of observing and enjoyning other Holy-days for which no law of God commanding them can be produced 2ly That this Argument may be retorted thus
of the Holy Ghost and therefore their Apologies were of Divine Authority and many of them are to this day received as parts of Scripture or the Word of God but will any man in his wits admit or urge this consequence our Lord promised to assist his Apostles when arraigned before Heathen Judges for his sake by miraculous inspiration therefore in every ordinary case of Prayer he will assist all the faithful by the same inspiration or will these very Persons arrogate thus much to themselves or their own Prayers that they proceed from the same special and divine assistance Object 3 God say they hath promised his good Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 27. when we know not how to Pray as we ought and therefore by tying of our selves to a prescribed Form we prejudice the assistance of this Holy Spirit and do not suffer him to help our infirmities by teaching us to Pray when we our selves do not know how to do it Answ 1 The Spirit is here said to help our infirmities by making intercession for us with sighs and groans unutterable and therefore cannot be a spirit of utterance yea it is farther intimated v. 27. that he alone who is the searcher of the heart doth understand the meaning of the spirit the Person therefore whom he thus assists is one who doth not understand his meaning and therefore neither can nor should thus Pray in publick where he is obliged to Pray not only with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 but with the understanding also this therefore certainly can be no promise or example of the assistance of the Spirit in pouring forth extemporary Prayers in publick 2ly The assistance of the Spirit promised here is only in the time of great temptations and afflictions and when we know not what to Pray for and therefore can with no shew of reason be extended to the continual assistance of the Spirit at all times 3ly Chap. 5. §. 6. from p. 218. to 230. That excellent Person who hath writ with great accuracy of Judgment touching the operations of the Holy Ghost hath made it evident beyond all possible exception that this Text makes nothing for the pretence of uttering the suggestions of the Spirit in extemporary Prayer but that if by the intercession of the Spirit we understand his interceding for us in the proper sense the import of the Words is this viz. The Gospel of Christ affords us this relief against impatience under afflictions that whereas we know not whether afflictions or deliverance and ease be best for us at present and consequently as to these respects know not what to pray for in particular the Spirit of Christ intercedes for us with unuttered groans i. e. earnestly and powerfully for by an inexpressible desire we commonly understand one that is vehement and God who searcheth our hearts and understands that we do sometimes desire such things as tend not to our advantage knoweth also what the Spirit intercedeth for and that he requests in our behalf better things for us than we do our selves for we are ever ready to desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as seem best to man but he asks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what God knows to be best for us But if the Holy Ghost is only said to intercede for us by enabling us to do so then will the words admit this Paraphrase Whereas when we pray for deliverance from afflictions we know not whether it be best for us to have our desires granted the Holy Spirit enclines us to an entire submission of our selves to the Divine Will and together with our most earnest prayers of that kind there is all along mingled that secret and more vehement desire of what God seeth best for us which is a Grace of the Holy Spirit whereby the forwardness of our appetites after the ease and comforts of this World is corrected and governed Now though this earnest request be not uttered the particular matter of it being not yet known since we are ignorant what will be most profitable for us yet he that searcheth the heart understands it perfectly and knows that we vehemently desire not so much that deliverance or worldly advantage which is the matter of our uttered groans and prayers as that good which the Spirit moveth us to pray for and which we cannot particularly utter that namely which God seeth best for us This indeed is a desire of the heart which proceeds from a Divine cause and God is so pleased with it that he will not fail to grant it so that if afflictions continue we know they shall work together for good and thus the Holy Spirit relieveth us under our infirmities and distresses by bringing all our worldly appetites under submission to the pleasure of Divine Wisdom and Goodness Object 4 Moreover it is objected that we are required to use the Gifts vouchsafed to us 1 Pet. 4.10 not to neglect our Gifts 1 Tim. 4.14 Rom. 12.6 Having Gifts different vouchsafed to us according to the different Grace of God to imploy them for the publick good Having therefore say Dissenters such a Gift of prayer we are engaged to imploy it in the publick Worship for the benefit of others and therefore cannot submit unto those Forms which lay upon us a necessity of neglecting this our Gift Answ 1 That though these places are produced in favour of the supposed gift of prayer yet do they speak of no such thing but all of them touching the gift of publick teaching of the Word of God Thus v. g. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gift of Timothy is say Interpreters munus publicè docendi the gift of publick teaching and this doth the connexion of the words most fairly plead for viz. V. 13. give attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine neglect not the gift c. The Speaker in St. Peter is say the Commentators on that place the instructor and teacher of the People is qui praedicat verbum Dei in Ecclesia he that preacheth the word of God in the Church The gifts in the 12th of the Romans are prophesying teaching V. 6. exhortation since then Dissenters think not themselves obliged to perform these things ex tempore by vertue of these precepts but chuse to do them in a Form of words why should they think themselves obliged to pray ex tempore by vertue of these words for that prophesying preaching and exhortation are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual gifts these Texts inform us more plainly than any other do that prayer is so quis tum discrevit who therefore made the difference that the one should be performed ex tempore the other not Answ 2 All these Texts seem to speak not of such ordinary gifts as are invention and elocution but of the extraordinary gifts vouchsafed then unto the Church for in all the forecited places the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth most properly import such gifts
together in our Petitions and with one mouth to glorifie God to secure the publick Service from dark extravagant erroneous Petitions too oft put up by the contenders for and practisers of this Extemporary Devotion If therefore care ought to be taken that our publick Sacrifice should be as near as can be without blemish and that we do not offer unto God the lame and the blind Mal. 1.13 14. I think this cannot be done better than by prescribing of a well composed form of prayer to be dayly offered up unto God as our Morning and our Evening Sacrifice Lastly Whereas it is objected That in set Forms of prayer we restrain and confine the Spirit and in conceived prayers the Spirit is free unlimited and unconstrained I Answer That by restraining of the Spirit the Objectors mean the restraining of their own Spirits or of the blessed Spirit If by restraining of the Spirit they mean restraining the spirit of the Minister I ask 1. Why his Spirit may not be restrained by the wisdom of his Superiors as well as the spirit of the people by his conceived prayer And tell me Is not their spirit restrained when the whole Congregation is confined to the form of this one mans composing or unto words which on a sudden he doth utter 2. Did not Christ restrain the Spirit of his own Disciples when he taught them to pray the Lords Prayer if he had only said pray thus after this manner and given only a Directory for the matter of prayer this was a restraint but if he said pray this or pray these words as I shall prove he did he then prescribed both the matter and words too and therefore did restrain the Spirit of his Disciples as truly as any other form could do 3. The Spirit of the Minister must in some cases be restrained and that by precept Apostolical for otherwise what means St Paul by saying 1 Cor. 14.32 the Spirit of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets what greater restraint than subjection for if subjected then they must be ruled if ruled then limited or prescribed unto and as much under restraint as the Spirit of the superior Prophets shall judge convenient In fine when the Assembly of Divines appointed the matter of prayers to all particular Ministers was that appointment by the Spirit or no if no then for ought appears the Directory not being made by Gods Spirit may be an enemy to it But if this appointment were by the Spirit then the determination and limitation of the Spirit in either sense is by the Spirit himself and such indeed is every pious and prudent constitution of the Church in matters spiritual such was that of St Paul to the Corinthians when he prescribed orders for publick Prophesying and Interpretation and speaking with Tongues All these are Answers to this Objection transcribed from the excellent Bishop Taylors Discourse concerning Prayer ex tempore And it seems reasonable to suppose with him that after all these Answers this Objection should trouble us no more If by the Spirit they mean the Holy Spirit I enquire 1. By what Argument shall any man make it so much as probable that the Holy Ghost is injured if every private Ministers Spirit shall be guided and so by necessary consequence limited by the Authority of the Church What prohibition what Law what Reason or Revelation is against it what inconvenience in the nature of the thing for can any man be so weak as to imagine a despite is done to the Spirit of Grace when men pray by such well composed Forms as the whole Church approves of and doth not in opposition to them use his private Gift 2. Is not the Holy Spirit as much restrained by premeditated prayers since the design of that premeditation is only to consider after what form or manner they should pray for what and in what words so that the Holy Spirits assistance is restrained to their conceptions and meditations men therefore must be bound to pray they know not what or else according to this Objection must lay restraints upon the Holy Spirit 3. Doth not the Directory that thing which is here called restraining of the Spirit Doth it not appoint every thing but the words and after this is it not a goodly Palladium which is contended for and a princely liberty they leave unto the Spirit to be free only in supplying the place of a Vocabulary or a Copia Verborum for as for the matter it is all there described and appointed and to these determinate senses the Spirit must assist or not at all only for the words he shall take his choice Now I enquire which is the most considerable of the two Sense or Language matter or words if the former is it not a greater injury to the Spirit to restrain his matter than to appoint his words so that in the greater of the two the Spirit is restrained when his matter is appointed and to make him amends for not trusting him with the matter without our directions and limitations we trust him to say what he pleaseth so it be to our sense 4. Is it not as much a restraint of the Spirit to sing a Psalm in Metre by appointment as to use a Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving by appointment yet this is done daily by Dissenters without any scruple made which seems to argue great partiality or want of judgment There being then no Scripture precept no evidence of reason against Forms of prayer we may hence rationally conclude that they are lawful For had it been the will of God that publick prayers should be performed by Christians in an extemporary manner and not by forms we may rationally conceive the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of supplication would somewhere have admonished us to pray ex tempore and to beware of Book-prayers and the use of Forms as well as of neglecting this duty altogether or performing it in a careless and undue manner and this the rather because Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving were used in the Jewish Church and because the modesty of many good Christians and the inabilities of many more would naturally prompt them to the use of so ready a help to Devotion as pious and useful Forms of prayer are but so far are we from finding any command in Scripture to pray upon suddain invention that we find no preference given to this way in Scripture above the use of Forms but rather the contrary for when our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray he enjoined them the use of a form As for all other vices by which this duty is corrupted or rendred less acceptable to God the Holy Ghost hath fully cautioned us against them Matt. 6.7 v. 5. Matt. 15.8 Luke 18.10 1 Cor. 14. James 1.6 1 Tim. 2.8 John 9.31 putting in caveats against Battology or much speaking against performing of this duty for ostentation against honouring God with our lips when our hearts are far from
saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 36. in 1 Ep. ad Cor. p. 487. l. 3.24 484. l. 5. that one may be said to sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though all sing after him so that the voice comes as it were from one mouth all which testimonies sufficiently convince us that what we do in this particular is sutable to the practice of the whole Church of God in Antient times 3. This custom doth commend it self unto us from the consideration of the benefit which may accrue unto us by it For 1. We hereby shew that Symphony which Christ requires in our prayers Matt. 18.19 that they may be prevailing and that we fully do agree to the Petitions that are made in our behalf Rom. 15.6 and praise God with the Minister not only with one heart but with one mouth 2. Our attention is hereby both quickned and engaged which might be apt to stray the more if we should bear no part in the whole Service for when the people bear a share in the performance of this duty Combers Comp. part 1. p. 177. They must expect before it come that they may be ready when it is come they must observe that they may be right and after take heed to prepare against the next Answer they are to give How pious therefore and prudent is this order of the Church thus to intermix the peoples duty that they may be always exercised in it or preparing for it and never have leasure to entertain those vain thoughts which will set upon us especially in the house of God if we have nothing to do Object 3 Our Saviour reprehends the vain Repetitions of the Heathens in these words When you pray § 3 use not vain repetitions as the Heathens do for they think to be heard for their much speaking be not ye therefore like unto them Matt. 6.7 8. Now of these vain repetitions the Common Prayer seems to be guilty say Dissenters 1. In the frequent use of the Lords Prayer that being there appointed to be used four times in the Morning Service viz. after the Absolution the Creed the Litany and in the beginning of the Communion Service 2. In those words used in the close of the Litany O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us and in the frequent repetitions of the Gloria Patri To this Objection I Answer Answ 1 That our Saviour cannot be supposed to reprehend such repetitions as these are proceeding from a fervency of Spirit 1. Because he himself used the like expressions when He prayed most fervently for the Evangelist St. Luke informs us That being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 And Matthew doth assure us that He repeated thrice the same Petition for he saith Matthew prayed the third time saying the same words Chap. 26. vers 44. This therefore cannot be vain Repetition unless our Lord himself did practise it in contradiction to his own command Moreover our Saviour sung an Hymn with his Disciples at the conclusion of the Sacrament according as the Jews were wont to do at their Paschal Supper Censent viri eruditi cantatos à Christo hymnos qui paschate cani solerent à Psal 113. ad Psal 118. inclusivé Synopsi Cum in plurali dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde colligi ipsos una hymnum omnibus notum cecinisse quomodo Christo accinere potuissent discipuli si ille novum insuetum hymnum cecinisset Buxt de coen Dom. §. 84. which Hymn began at Psal 113. and ended with the 118 Psalm This saith the Learned Buxtorf was a very Antient custom mentioned in the Jewish Talmud and there delared to be prescribed by the Prophets Now that our Saviour sung this very Hymn is highly probable say the Learned because he did in other things comply with the Rites used by the Jews in celebrating of the Paschal Supper and therefore may be well supposed to have done so also in this Case Now in this Hymn Psal 118. we find the same words in the four first Verses viz. for his mercy endureth for ever parallel to those in the end of our Litany and in the last Verse we find the same words again and indeed the whole Psalm is full of Repetitions as you may see v. 8 9 10 11 12. as also Psal 115.9 10 11 12. The sweet Singer of Israel affords us many like Examples so Psal 119. we have this Prayer teach me thy statutes v. 26 64 68 124 135. teach me the way of thy statutes v. 33. teach me thy judgments v. 108. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes v. 5. make me to go in the path of thy commandments v. 35. let my heart be sound in thy statutes v. 80. so that upon the matter we find him ten times repeating the same thing Six times in the same Psalm he prays that God would quicken him according to his word and loving kindness viz. v. 37. 88. 107. 149. 156. 159. And he professes his love of and delight in Gods Law in the same Psalm as oft as there be Letters in the Alphabet In Psalm 42 43. which are assuredly twins their matter being alike and they having no title to distinguish them we find the same thing thrice repeated viz. why art thou cast down O my soul c. Psal 42.5 11.43.5 In Psal 107. we find this Prayer four times repeated Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness viz. v. 8 15 21 31. and lastly in Psalm 136. we find these words O Give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever four times repeated and that Clause for his mercy endureth for ever twenty six times To these Examples it is Answered Reply Presb. Comission p. 85. that there is a great difference betwixt what is unusual and what is our daily course of worship Answer Be it so nevertheless once usage is sufficient to shew that the thing cannot be unlawful or forbidden by the Text forementioned since Negative Precepts always do oblige and so that which they forbid can never be done without sin 2. The Assemblies Annotations tell us that some of these were common constant forms as well for ordinary daily praises in divine service as for extraordinary occasions and this appears from 1 Chron. 16.34 where it is said that Heman and Jeduthun and other men were chosen to give thanks to the Lord because his mercy endureth for ever So also 2 Chron. 5.13 they praised the Lord saying Psalm 136. for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever So Ezr. 3.1 they sang together in course praising and giving thanks to God because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever And Jer. 33.11 is mention made of them that should say praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever from all which places it seemeth evident that Psalm 136. as well as
the Paschal Hymn was part of their usual devotions 3. Whereas Dissenters say there is great difference betwixt a Psalm of praises 〈◊〉 ◠15. and our ordinary Prayers and that more liberty may be taken in Psalms and be an Ornament 1. This is said without proof no reason being given why I may not say four times Glory be to the Father as well as Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness 2. Some of the instances here given are of perfect Prayers as those from Psalm 119. and our Divines acknowledge that thanksgiving is a part of Prayer and 3. in the Prayer of Daniel we have the same thing four times repeated in three Verses O our God hear the prayer of thy servant ch 9.17 O my God encline thine ear and hear v. 18. O Lord hear v. 19. whence this Conclusion will arise that the Repetitions used in our Churches Liturgy cannot be charged as vain Repetitions without reflecting upon the practice of our Lord and of the Royal Psalmist Wherefore the thing reproved by our Lord under the name of vain repetition and much speaking is not all length of Prayer or repetition of the same words from such a fervency of spirit as quickens and inflames devotion but it is a lengthening out the time with tautologies out of a vain Opinion that we shall be heard for our much speaking our frequent using the same words and crying out from Morning unto Noon O Baal hear us 1 Kings 18.26 or for the multiplicity of words the time and labour which we spend in Prayer though it be only the labour of the lip The scruples which concern our Liturgy in general being thus dispatch'd I proceed to the consideration of the Objections made against the several Portions of it and of those more especially which do concern the daily or the weekly service of our Church against which it is thus objected viz. Object 1 That whereas Christians are obliged to pray in Faith § 4 and utter words of truth in their addresses to God there be many passages in our Liturgy which cannot be put up to him in faith and truth as v. g. In the Te Deum it is said O Lord in thee have I trusted in the close of the Litany Dr. Chambers Let thy mercy O Lord be shew'd upon us like as we put our trust in thee In the form of the solemnization of Matrimony of Visitation of the sick of Churching of Women and in the Commination is appointed to be said O Lord save thy servant who putteth his trust in thee Now say Dissenters putting trust in the Lord is one discriminating Character of Gods truly holy people Psal 34.8 Psal 121.1 Nah. 1.7 in which number no man of understanding can conceive that all Married Persons all Women delivered from Childbirth all sick persons yea all that join in our Congregational Worship are to be rank'd who yet are plainly and with personal particularity of times avouched to be persons trusting in the Lord no Charity say they will justify these professions made with respect to particular persons many of which persist in such ignorance and wickedness as testifyeth to their faces that they neither truly know nor trust in the Lord their God Answer It is confessed even by those Dissenters who do thus object that in publick Prayers made in a mixt Congregation Dr. Chambers it sufficeth that the words though uttered in general forms be suted to the state of some particulars in such Congregations and indeed otherwise there could be no publick professions of our sence of our sin and misery our shame and sorrow for them our repentance for our past sins no professions of our good desires no promises of amendment or of a thankful remembrance of Gods mercies if he be pleased to vouchsafe them to us no publick thanks return'd for spiritual mercies for regenerating and sanctifying Grace and no expressions of our hope our faith our trust in God Whereas we find expressions of this nature frequent in the Holy Scriptures As for instance 1. By way of Confession and acknowledgment our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Esa 59.12 We acknowledge O Lord our wickedness and the iniquity of our Fathers Jer. 14.20 2. By way of promise of amendment and that they will return no more to folly Return we beseech thee O Lord God of Hosts look down from heaven behold and visit this Vine Ps 80.14 So will not we go back from thee quicken us and we will call upon thy Name v. 18. thus doth the Prophet Hoseah counsel all Israel to say take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render thee the calves of our lips Hos 14.2 We will not say any more to the works of our hands you are our Gods v. 3. Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name Ps 79.9 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever we will shew forth thy praise to all Generations Vers 13. 3. By way of profession of their waiting upon him for mercy Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us where note that this is one of those Psalms of degrees which were sung before the people upon some Ascent or Desk Vid. Hamm. in Psal 120. and it is a profession that they all thus diligently waited upon God therefore will we wait upon thee for thou hast done all these things saith Jeremiah in the name of all Israel Jer. 14.22 by profession of their stedfastness in Gods service notwithstanding all the Calamities they suffered thus the Psalmist having complained that God had cast them off caused their Enemies to triumph over them given them to be eaten up that he had given them up for a reproach and spoil unto the Heathens and scattered them among them c. Psal 44.9.16 He saith all this is come upon us yet have not we forgotten thee nor have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither are our steps declined out of thy way v. 17 18. if then according to these instances the Jews in general might make profession of their diligent waiting upon God of their stedfastness in his service under all Calamities and of the undeclining streightness of their steps if they might generally promise that they would not go back from God that they would call upon his name to the performance of which duty a promise of salvation is annexed Rom. 10.13 Act. 2.21 that they will render him the calves of their lips and will shew forth his praise though these things actually were done these promises performed only by some why may not we profess in general our trust in God though some who do present themselves before
was sung over at the Passover from Ps 113. to Psal 118. inclusivè and yet it cannot reasonably be thought that all the Jews could truly say all that those Psalms contained Could they all say I love the Lord because he hath heard my prayer because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live v. 1 2. return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 I will pay my vows unto the Lord v. 14. O Lord truly I am thy Servant vers 16. Could they all truly joyn in those expressions of the 118 Psalm I called upon the Lord in distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place vers 5. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me vers 6. The Lord is my strength my song and is become my salvavation vers 14. I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation vers 21. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee vers 28. If all these expressions would not suit with many of the Jews who were all bound to celebrate the Passover Leight Temp. serv p. 139. Buxt exercit de coen Dom. §. 84. and so to join in singing of this Hymn which by their Constitutions was not to be omitted if lastly Christ himself with Judas sung this Hymn as most Interpreters conceive then doubtless may such Hymns and Prayers be offer'd in a mixt Assembly which do not properly agree to all who meet in that Assembly Moreover the 92 Psalm was the Psalm used in the solemn Service of the Jews upon the Sabbath Day as by the Title we may learn and yet perhaps all of them could not truly say the Lord is my rock vers 15. nor with good ground cry out My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an Vnicorn I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine Enemies c. vers 10 11. The 94 Psalm was sung saith Dr. Lightfoot every Wednesday Temp. serv p. 59. and yet it may be doubted whether all the Stationary men and all that came unto the Temple Service could say When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul vers 18 19. much less The Lord is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge vers 22. And therefore this can be no good exception against the Service of our Church that every passage in it will not suit with the condition of all that hear it or join in it Object 3 It is objected That some petitions in the Common Prayer seem to be without any promise in the word § 6 Dr. Chambers upon which to bottom them That they may be put up in Faith as when we are directed to pray that God would give unto all Nations Vnity Peace and Concord for the word gives us no hope of any such state in the world but teacheth us to expect the contrary Gen. 3.15 Matt. 24.7 And when in the Collect on Good-Friday we are directed to pray that God would have mercy on all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorances hardness of heart and contempt of his word and so fetch them home to his flock that they may be saved among the remnant of true Israelites Whereas the word say they gives us no hope of any such universal conversion to be obtained from the Lord but assures us of multitudes of obstinate Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks among whom are such as sin against the Holy Ghost Matt. 12.32 that they shall never be brought unto the fold of Christ and be saved among the remnant of true Israelites but that the Lord will be glorified in their justly deserved destruction as may be seen Rom. 9.27 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Rev. 13.16 compared with Revel 14.9 10. Such also say they is that petition that the Lord would have mercy upon all men there being no promise in the word on which to found such a Petition That the Lord would have mercy upon all men to Salvation And since the Lord hath plainly declared in his word That he will leave multitudes of the world to perish in their own ways and wickedness to the glory of his justice we see not say they how any except the Origenists can pray either in Faith or Hope that the Lord would have mercy upon all men when they know assuredly from his own mouth that he will not have mercy upon all men but will make some the vessels of his wrath We know from Scripture that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and the rest he hardneth Rom. 9.15 18. by giving them up to their own hearts lusts and leaving them to walk in their own Counsels Psalm 81.2 Rom. 1.24 The Prophet David in Faith and Charity no doubt made his Prayer in direct contradiction to this general Prayer of our Liturgy Psal 59.4 And therefore we can look on this no otherwise than as a groundless Petition which hath some shadow of Charity but no substance of Faith or Hope in it without which Prayer is weak and worthless before God Jam. 1.6 Now to the first instance in this Objection I Answer Answ 1 That this is an Objection against the general Petition of the whole Church of God for the Liturgy of St. James runs thus See Dr. Combers Compan p. 126 127 128. we beg of thee ut totus mundus pace fruatur That the whole world may have Peace and Concord The Liturgy of St Chrysostom and Basil thus We pray unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Peace and Vnity of the whole world Secondly It is prophesied of our Lord Jesus That he should rule among the Nations and cause them to beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks so that Nation should not rise up against Nation neither should they learn War any more Isa 2.4 But shall sit every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree and none should make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Mich. 4.3 4. For the accomplishment of which predictions surely we may pray in Faith because the mouth of him that cannot lye hath spoken them Again the Lord hath promised that none shall hurt in all his Holy Mountain and that because the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11.9.65.25 Hab. 2.14 and therefore we may pray that this may be accomplished in all Christian Nations 1 Tim. 2.1 Thirdly Christianity was to be planted in all the Nations of the world by promise and being planted so all Christians are obliged by precept to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that under them they might live peaceable and quiet lives
Because these kinds of Death are more uncomfortable to our surviving Friends who in these cases have no time allowed by their consideration to wean themselves from our enjoyment and do receive no benefit from our latter ends as from our dying counsels and meditations they might do 3. Because they who dye thus want their viaticum which is provided by the word of God and the compassion of the Church to fit them for their journey to the great Tribunal and doubtless it is no small comfort to the dying Christian to enjoy an opportunity to confess his sins unburthen his Soul of them to hear the Prayers and to receive the absolution of the Ambassadors of Christ and to partake of that most comfortable Sacrament which sealeth the love of God unto him and doth assure him who faithfully doth eat this Bread and drink this Blood of Christ that he will raise him up at the last day 4. No man is so prepared to appear at Gods Tribunal but he both may and ought to be prepared better and therefore may desire to have time for further preparation O spare me a little before I go hence saith the man after Gods own heart and who will not joyn with him in that Prayer we ought indeed to be always prepared for death and 't is our wisdom so to be but who is so well fitted as he ought or he desires to be and who cannot be better fitted by a more leisurely summons for his change If we observe how ardently the dying person prays how humbly he confesseth his forepast offences how heartily he doth bewail his former sins what resolutions he doth make of living more unto the glory of God if providence shall raise him up again we cannot reasonably doubt but that it is desireable to have these opportunities vouchsafed of doing good to our own souls before we go hence and be no more seen Q. 6 What is the meaning of those words in the Litany by the mystery of thy holy Incarnation by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision by thy Baptism Fasting and Temptation by thy Agony and bloody Sweat by thy Cross and Passion by thy pretious Death and Burial by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the coming of the Holy Ghost Good Lord deliver us Do not you seem to conjure here These expressions may have two very plain and obvious meanings 1. By applying them so as to make them a request that by means of all these meritorious or beneficial acts of our Lord Jesus we may be delivered from all the aforesaid miseries Temporal Spiritual and Eternal that he who took our nature on him Heb. 2.14 18.4.15 11. that he might be in all things like us and so a more compassionate High Priest to us under our natural infirmities and that by death he might destroy him who had the power of death viz. the Devil that he who came into the world that we might live through him he who was circumcised and became obedient to the Law to save us from the curse of it that he who was baptized Gal. 3.13 Matt. 3.15 that by his own example he might teach us to fulfil all righteousness and who was tempted that he might be a merciful High Priest to succour us when tempted that he who suffered such Agonies for our iniquities as caused in him a bloody sweat and a most ignominious Death upon the Cross for our Redemption that he who was raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 and is ascended to the right hand of God Heb. 7.25 there to intercede for ever for us and being thus ascended sent his Holy Spirit to be our comforter and sanctifyer that he would by the merit efficacy and beneficial influences of all these gracious acts deliver us 〈◊〉 all those dreadful evils mentioned in the foregoing words 2. All these considerations may be here urged as so many motives to our dear Redeemer taken from the consideration of his former goodness and loving kindness to us to work deliverance for us now and so the import of them will be this by the endearing love which thou hast shewed unto us in all these gracious dispensations we beseech thee to deliver us from all the forementioned evils both of sin and punishment Q. 7 What mean you by those words in the Communion Service viz. that our bodies may be made clean by Christs body and our souls washed by his most precious blood do you not hereby seem to ascribe a greater efficacy to the blood than to the body of Christ and to restrain the virtue of the latter only unto the cleansing of the Body Answ 1 That the words used at the delivery of the Elements the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for to preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life and the like concerning his blood are a manifest evidence that the Church intended no such thing but that we heartily believe that the benefits both of the body and blood of Christ do redound to the Salvation and consequently to the Sanctification both of our Souls and Bodies He who desires to see more to this effect may consult Dr. Womacks Letter from p. 66. to p. 74. Q. 8 Why do you say That God by the Baptism of his Well-beloved Son in the River Jordan did sanctifie water to the Mystical washing away of sin was not this rather done by Gods own institution of that ordinance to such an end than by the Baptism of his Son who knew no Sin and therefore upon whom Baptism could have no such effect Answer I Answer this is an expression frequently used by the Antient Fathers Tertullian 1 Adv. Jud. c. 8. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 153. 3 Orat. 38 39. Epiphanius Nazianzen St. Jerom and allowed by the Assemblys Annotations * Iu. Matt. 3. where one end of Christs Baptism is assigned to be this viz. To sanctifie the flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin Now for explication of the phrase consider that to sanctfie in Scripture signifies first to declare any thing to be holy to own and to acknowledge it as such Sanctificetur nomen tuum hallowed be thy name that is say Interpreters Sanctum declaretur Sancte praedicetur let it be declared and agnized as holy So when God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will sanctifie my Great name Ezek. 36.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be sanctified before the Heathens Ezek. 38.23.39 27. the meaning is He will declare his Holy Name to them and they shall acknowledge it And in this sense God by ordering the Baptism of his Son in the River Jordan that so he might fulfill all righteousness submit as well unto the Christians Baptism as to the Circumcision of the Jews declared that Baptism was sacred or set apart by him unto this use and Christ by his submission to it owned it as sacred and whereas if a thing be sanctified already or set
have done so had they not been before these creatures since the command runs thus to worship him Ps 99.5 9. and to fall down before his footstool moreover how often do we find them falling down and worshipping at the appearance of that cloud or fire which was the Symbol of Gods presence When they saw the fire fall and consume the burnt offerings they fell upon their faces 1 Kings 18 38 39. When they saw the fire of God come down and the Glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the Ground 2 Chron. 7.3 And yet because they did this not to the cloud or fire but to God there could be no Idolatry in this their action 4ly It is a thing impossible that such an action as this is should any ways be Guilty of Idolatry for Idolatry is false worship of a creature now where there is no worship of the creature as in this action there is not there can be no false worship of the creature And to evidence to every rational Capacity that nothing used in the Service of our Church can rationally be charged with any semblance of Idolatry and manifest the great and signal difference there is betwixt the actions of our Church which our Dissenters call Idolatrous and those which in the Church of Rome we do accuse as such I lay down this distinction viz 1. That we may Kneel bow down or may perform like acts of outward worship before any creature either so as to make that creature only the circumstance or the occasion of that worship or else so as to make that creature the object of those acts of worship When any Creature is rendred the object of our worship the mind doth actually or virtually intend to worship or pay an act of Reverence to the Creature which is thus made the object of our worship but when the Creature is only made the Circumstance or the occasion of the worship the mind intends to pay the act of worship only to another object in such a place or upon intimation or apprehension of the object which I worship which apprehension or intimation is caused by that Creature Thus when I come to Common Prayer read in the Church the Church is the circumstance of place the hour of time for the performance of that worship but God is the sole object of it when at the hearing of the Ave Mary Bell the Roman Catholick begins his Ave Mary the Blessed Virgin is the object the Bell is only the occasion of it and when they then Kneel down and bow they do not Kneel unto the consecrated Bell but to the Blessed Virgin 2ly This being so it is ridiculous to say we worship any thing because it is before us when we direct our outward worship to another object Since on the same account the Wisemen of the East who worship'd Christ before the Manger must be supposed to pay their worship to the Manger and they who meeting Christ Riding upon an Ass Saluted him with their Hosannas and bowed towards him must also pay their worship to the Ass And if upon appearance of the Devil we should fall upon our Knees and beg of God to be delivered from him we must be said to worship the very Devil by that action Moreover when we lift up our eyes and voices to the Heavens we also lift them up towards the Clouds and Stars but will it follow thence that by so doing we do not only worship God but the Material Heavens and those Glorious lights we see as was objected by the Pagans against the People of the Jews Wherefore to say that Protestants worship the Altar or the Eucharistick Elements because they worship God before them is to calumniate the Protestants as antiently the Heathens did the Christians affirming that they worshipped the Sun because they worshipped God toward the East and so by consequence towards the Rising Sun Wherefore to give a clear and Satisfactory Answer to all the instances of this nature which are alledged by Dissenters to prove the Church of England Guilty of this crime I say 1. That when we bow towards the Altar as we enter into or come out of the Church Chancel or Chappel where we worship God the Altar is not the object of our worship but only an accidental circumstance of it for we do not in the least intend by this obeysance to do an act of worship to the Communion Table or any thing placed there or elsewhere but to God alone for this the Church of England hath solemnly declared in these words Constit and Canons A.D. 1640. Can. 7. Whereas the Church is the house of God dedicated to his Holy worship and therefore ought to mind us both of the greatness and goodness of his Divine Majesty certain it is that the acknowledgment thereof not only inwardly in our hearts but also outwardly with our bodies must needs be pious in it self profitable to us and Edifying to others we therefore think it very meet and behoveful and heartily commend it to all good and well affected People Members of this Church that they be ready to tender to the Lord the said acknowledgment by doing reverence and obeisance both at their coming in and going out of the said Churches Chancels or Chappels according to the most Ancient Custom of the Primitive Church in the purest times and of this Church also for many years in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The reviving therefore of this Ancient and laudable Custom we heartily commend to the serious consideration of all good People not with any intention to exhibit any Religious Worship to the Communion Table the East or Church or any thing contained therein in so doing or to perform the said gesture in Celebration of the Holy Eucharist upon any opinion of a Corporal Presence of the Body of Jesus Christ on the Holy Table or in the Mystical Elements but only for the advancement of Gods Majesty and to give him Alone that honor and glory which is due unto him and no otherwise Which Canon as it declares this act of Worship not to be given or intended to the Altar so doth it give us the true Reason why it is accidentally done towards the Altar viz. Because it is performed at our entrance into the immediate place of Worship to which entrance the Altar standeth opposite 2ly When at the name of Jesus we are wont to bow that bowing is not intended by us to the very name which is the occasion only of the Worship by putting us in mind of him that is named and of our highest obligation to him as being Jesus a Saviour to whom therefore we address our selves and recognize him as our only Saviour by that especial and peculiar act of devotion So that the adoration then performed is wholly and absolutely directed to the Lord Jesus as is declared by the Church in these words Constit can A. 1603. can 18 When in time
of divine service the Lord Jesus Christ shall be mentioned due and lowly Reverence shall be done by all persons present as it hath been accustomed testifying by these outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward Humility Christian Resolution and due Acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ the true and Eternal Son of God is the only Savior of the world in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to mankind for this life and the life to come are fully and wholly comprised And 3ly When we Kneel at the Reception of the Blessed Sacrament Rubrick after the Communion we do not pay that outward act of Worship to the Elements of Bread and Wine but to that Savior whom they represent for the Church of England hath declared that thereby no adoration is intended or ought to be done unto the Sacramental Bread and Wine there bodily received So that from the express declarations of the Church of England it appears that none of these things are by her made the objects of Religious Worship but only the occasions of tendring that Worship which we owe to God and therefore there is no appearance of Idolatry in the performance of these things Obj. 3 We are commanded to Separate from every Brother that walks disorderly 2 Thessal 3.6 § 3 And are forbidden to keep Company with any man who being call'd a Brother is a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Rayler or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one we must not Eat 1 Cor. 5.11 And if we may not Eat with Such a Person at our own Table may we Eat with him at the Holy Table of the Lord Now through the want of Discipline such Persons are admitted amongst you saith the Dissenter and therfore we dare nor joyn with you in that Ordinance Answ 1 I pray God this objection doth not make you meet together as the Apostle saith of the Corinthian Schismaticks 1 Cor. 11.17 not for the better but the worse For I much fear there may be found in those Assemblys which you resort to as more pure besides a crew of Schismaticks with whom according to the Discipline observed in the purest Ages of the Church the Christian ought not to communicate many who rail against Superiors and speak evil of Dignities and many who have once been open Rebels and have not publickly repented of those crimes and if you can communicate with them why not with such as usually do meet at our Communion Tables The wisdom which is from above is impartial Answ 2 Consider I beseech you that this argument will drive you as well from our Assemblies and from our Prayers as from our Communion Table for you may as well Argue thus him that I may not keep company with at home I may not keep company with at Church him that I must not joyn with in my Civil Converse I must not hold Communion with in Sacred him that I may not Eat with I may not Pray with as you do Argue thus him that I may not Eat with at my own I may not Eat with at the Table of the Lord. This is apparent from the occasion of the objected Precept viz. The Incestuous Person who was to be taken from among them v. 2. To be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh v. 5. To be purged out from the new lump v. 7. To be put away from among them v. 13. If therefore after admonition they continue obstinate and Refractory Offenders they are to be excluded from all Christs ordinances and to be esteemed as Publicans and Heathens Matt. 18.17 Accordingly they by the discipline observed in the purest Ages of the Church were actually excluded from Communion with her in all her Offices if then we may not joyn with them in one we may not joyn with them in other Ordinances till they have satisfyed the Church they being by this precept equally to be excluded from them all Scripture may also be as plausibly produced for the declining of Communion with them in publick Prayer and family devotions in hearing of a Sermon and the like as in receiving of the Sacrament for doth not David make it the Character of good and blessed men that they stand not in the Congregation of Sinners Doth he not say Psal 1.1 Psal 101.4 I will not know a wicked Person Answ 3 That even wicked Persons who are not Scandalously and Notoriously such but make profession of Obedience to the laws of Christ and are not by the Church cast out for acting contrary to their profession may be unblameably communicated with seems undenyable from the Example of our Saviour by whom Judas was certainly admitted to that Passover which spiritually did signify and represent Christ to them 1 Cor. 10.3 And by which rite they owned themselves the servants of the God of Israel v. 18. Whence none might eat thereof who were not Circumcised Exod. 12.48 That he was also present at the supper of our Lord I have fully proved already If then a person so unworthy and so regardless of the Law of Moses that he had actually resolved to take a reward to betray Innocent-blood If a Thief Psal 15.5 and a Covetous person was by our Lord admitted to the Passover If one who by our Lord was known to be in heart a Murtherer and a Betrayer of his Master was yet admitted by him to his Sacrament you see that sinners must be first notorious before they ought to be excluded and when they are so our Rubrick and our Canons give every Minister Authority to with-hold the Communion from them and therefore Authorise them to exercise the Discipline required in this case Hence also we may learn that to communicate with those whom we know to be wicked in this duty derives upon us no Communion in their Guilt for otherwise our Lord and his Disciples would not have joyned in Communion with that wicked one Answ 4 This precept is not directed to particular persons but to the Church of Corinth in the General as you may learn from v. 4. And therefore hence it only follows that it is the duty of Church Governors to exclude such persons from Communion with her but not that private persons should refrain Communion with the Church because they judge that they neglect their duty And therefore we do never read that Christ or his Apostles refused Communion with the Jewish Church or did neglect to go unto the Temple or the Synagogue because the Scribes and Pharisees neglected to perform their duty and our Apostle here doth never call the members of the Church of Corinth to separate from them who caused disorders in the Celebration of this Sacrament but only calls upon them to reform those disorderly proceedings And I beseech you to consider what a Gap would be laid open to perpetual Schisms if private persons were permitted to judge when their Superiors did neglect their duty in any part of publick worship