considerable and excellent a part of Holy Writ Aliqui sunt saith Aquinas qui non intelligunt quid cantatur 22 d. Q. 91. But suppose them read and not sung yet when they are read alternately one Verse by the Minister the other by the People the latter Verse will be no better than an inarticulate sound and confused noise to those who are unlearned and cannot read or to them who have not their Books at hand to go along with the Congregation as may be easily experimented in our London Congregations where this Form of Reading is commonly if not universally observed Another Custom or Manner of performing Divine Service which must not be omitted at least in Cathedrals is reading the second Service at the Altar A thing which to some seems out of the Churches Power to injoin which can only use it in commanding things proper to Edification For whilst the People sit in the lower part of the Quire they may hear the noise of the Minister's Voice who is reading the Service at the Altar but no distinction of sound as hath been often experimented And I 'd fain know whether the Practice of the Roman Church by performing their Service in an unknown Tongue or secret Whispers of a Priest can less tend to Edification or Instruction then to render it unintelligible by removing beyond the Ken or Compass of the Ear or by causing it to be uttered by the confused noise of a mixed Multitude Which I leave to those who are of highest esteem in the Church to judge of As also to take into their Consideration how far a Reformation of our Publick Service may be adviseable and necessary in regard to the Form of it in this and some other respects 2dly The next thing I have to offer is as to the Length and Burthen of it a Task which neither we nor our Forefathers were ever able to bear Were this grievance redrest that occasion of Scandal cast upon the Rulers and Dignitaries of the Church might be removed the Complaints of the weary and heavy laden Ministers of the Church silenced who may in the mean time be tempted perhaps to speak unadvisedly with their Lips and say Must we still like Issachar couch down under this heavy Burthen whilst such as impose it will scarce touch it with a tip of their own Fingers to ease others or to perform it for themselves Dicit enim Greg. habetur in decretis distinc 92. Can. insecta Romana Ecclesia constituo ut in sede hâc scil Romanâ Ecclesia sacri altaris ministri cantare non debeant Aquinus tells us that Gregory would have none who were ordained to Preach the Gospel to be imployed in the Office of Singing being as that Angelical Doctor observes a Work beneath them When we see the Masters of our Assemblies engage the meanest among 〈◊〉 Priests in the Celebration of the Divine Service of the Church by Reading or Singing of it we may conclude they think it either too mean or too hard for themselves As to the first there 's none of us have reason to think any Work of the Lord beneath them We can labour as in the Fire work in the Furnaces and Brick-kilns with great delight if we may thereby prepare for building the Lord's Temple (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supra modum supra vires gravati sumus 2. Cor. 1.8 But our Task-masters have doubled the Tale of our Brick to that degree that though we work hard yet unless our Strength were the Strength of Stones we never can accomplish our Task and whoever shall fall short the Law hath provided it shall be made up with Stripes which will make deep furrows upon the Backs of those that shall happen to fall under the dintor Lash of it This Grievance in some Cities and Corporations by the Wealth and Kindness of the People hath been much provided against clubbing their Purses and providing Readers to discharge their Ministers of the Burthen of the Desk As knowing that they on whom necessity is laid and Woes denounced against them if they Preach not the Gospel will find work enough in the Pulpit But this were an unreasonable expectancy in Country Villages where the number of the People is small and their substance less Where in many places two or three Cures will scarce do more than afford Necessaries for an ordinary Subsistance or Livelihood nor provide larger Supplies than could answer the reasonable Desires of that contented Man viz. Sit mihi mensa tripes concha puri salis toga quae defenderit frigus licet crassa queat Yet so vast and opulent are the Revenues of the Church that as there needs no other Arguments to prove the incomparable Charity and Bounty of our Ancestors So also a Sufficiency yea a Redundancy for the Support of the Office and Work of the Ministry But so disproportionate hath the distribution of them been that whilst some have lived delicately and fared deliciously every day others can scarce find a Competency to furnish their Tables with daily Bread And is it not a Grievance that the most difficult and constant Labour should meet with the least Encouragement 'T is scarce credible to relate to what Sums the Acruments and Perquisites of the Bishopricks in England did amount to upon their Restoration with Charles II. Had not immense Treasures descended into their Coffers the many extravagant Works of State and Magnificence Vain-glory some think Acts of Piety and Charity could never have exhausted such unaccountable Sums as are by Dr. C. computed out of them He tells us that Dr. Juxon Arch-bishop of Canterbury gave or expended in Building Repairing Redemption of Captives c. 48000 l. Sterling besides 16000 l. abated to the Tenants Gilbert Sheldon Bishop of London afterwards Arch-bishop of Canterbury gave and bestowed in such like expences besides his common Disbursements and what he left to his Heirs and Executors 40000 l. Brian Duppa late Bishop of Winchester in such like Charges together with the Abatements of Fines to his Tenants 46000 l. Dr. Fruen Arch-bishop of York 15000 l. Dr. Cousins Bishop of Durham 44000 l. Dr. Warner Bishop of Rochester 30000 l. Besides the Building of a Colledge for poor Clergy-mens Widows which cost 7200 l. which was besides endowed by him with ample Provisions besides 50 l. per Annum Rent-charge for maintaining of a Chaplain Nor were the Deans and Chapters less liberal in proportion Insomuch that the several Sums when put together amount to no less than 443000 l. besides the Monies they spent in their Splendid way of living together with their Equipage and Retinue not to mention their personal and real Estates they left behind them to agrandize their Posterities and to make their Names great But whilst the Prelates wallowed in their overgrown Wealth how many laborious Ministers lay swelkt and macerated with the Heat and Burthen imposed upon them in the Worship of God Their Task being over
and Factions as to proceed with the greatest Censures and Severities one against another For which St. Irenaeus went up to Rome and sharply rebuked Victor for the Rigor of his Proceedings against the Eastern Churches as is already observed And how sharp a Thorn this retained Ceremony hath been among the rest the Tears and Complaints of our Brethren which have been poured out as a Flood have been sufficient Proofs And tho' t is true the Mercy and compassion of the King and two succeeding Parliaments have wip'd those Eyes dry which for many Years together scarce ever ceased Yet it cannot but press hard upon the Hearts and Consciences of many faithful Ministers of the Church upon the highest Pains and Penalties it can inflict to be forc'd to deny Children their Bread to expel and drive them away from the Lord's Table be their Conversations never so much agreeable to the Gospel merely for their Non-conformity to a Rite which Imposers themselves abstracted from their Authority allow to be indifferent Besides is there no regard to be had to many Conscientious Members in its Communion who being loath to make a rent in it have submitted to an uneasie Yoak And will you not gratifie your obedient Children who have lived uneasie to themselves rather than disoblige or disobey you whom God hath set over them Hark how a Beam out of our Timber and Stone out of our own Wall Councel us Have Patience with your weak Brother require no more of him than Christ required of his Disciples surely Christ would not have allowed any unfitting Posture condemned not that which Christ allowed Admit we be weak Naked Truth pâ—g 19. yet we are not wilful when you command us to go we go But why should our way be paved any longer with Thorns which is in your Power to strew with Roses Suppose we be weak yet you that are strong ought to bear the Infirmities of the Weak and not to offend those by your Authoritative Power for whom Christ died Was it not truly alledged in the second Paper presented to King Charles II. by the Divines then authorized to review and amend the Liturgy that kneeling in any Adoration at all in any Worship on any Lord's Day in the Year or on any Week-day between Easter and Penticost was not only disused but forbidden by General Councils Con. Nicen. 1. Can. 20. Con. Trull c. Why should you our Fathers provoke your willing Children to wrath Violating the Rules of Charity by your Decrees for Conformity We are weak 't is true but many strong I mean wise and learned Men are of the same Mind and Meaning with us Nay several of the Reformed Churches have abolish'd this Rite for that they thought it did Olere Papismum smelling too rank of their Idolatrous Worship And least this Flye should affect or infect their whole Box of Ointment have cast it out Besides though in process of time this Ceremony hath been admitted yet from the beginning it was not so Christ and his Apostles used not this Posture but that which was usual at their common Meals and yet no doubt he gave this Holy Sacrament and they received it in a most reverend and decent way 'T is not probable that the Church of Corinth and other * Socrates observes that the Egyptians adjoyning to Alexandria and Inhabitants of Thebais after they had banqueted and filled themselves with sundry Delicacies in the Evening after Service did use to Communicate Primitive Christians who celebrated this Sacrament together with their Love-Feasts did alter their Posture no more than our Saviour and his Apostles who while they did eat took Bread Didoclavius in his Altare Damascenum Pag. 784. maintains that no Testimony can be produced to prove that Kneeling was before the time of Honorius 3d. And some others have observed that bowing the Knees before the Host came not into the Church before Transubstantation (a) Bish Hall tells us of a dispute he had with a Sorbonist who took occasion by our kneeling at the Receipt of the Eucharist to perswade the Company that we owned Transubstantiation Mr. Hopper (b) I may be allowed to say of Mr. Hooker as Mr. Chillingworth speaks of him viz. Though he was an excellent Man yet he was but a Man p. 309. The Religion of Botest in his Ecclesiastical Polity speaks little upon this Argument and yet that little is by some thought too much as too much reflecting upon our Saviour's Administration of the Holy Sacrament to his Disciples not in a kneeling Posture This Bellarmine acknowledges in his Answer to Calvin's Objection Lib. de Eucharist 4to Cap. 30. Non poterant semper prostraticum Christo agere praesertim in Caenâ domini quando recumbere cum illis necesse erat Stella saith also Distribuit panem discumbentibus mundi Salvator If I mistake the Author of the Ecclesiastical Polity let the Reader judge His Word are these If we did there present our selves to make some shew or dumb resemblance of a Spiritual Feast it may be that sitting were the better Ceremony Our Saviour did not nor his Apostles present themselves only to make some shew or dumb resemblance of a Spiritual Feast yet undoubtedly they adjudged the Posture they used at Meals the fittest and not kneeling for sure they chose that they judged to be most decent and fit Our Lord saith the same Author did that which custom and long usage had made fit We that which fitness and great decency had made usual I should have thought our Saviour's Practice might have as well prescribed to fitness and great decency as to custom and long usage especially considering it was an Ordinance not so old as yesterday but at that very time instituted But to let all this pass kneeling was a Rite dispensed with by the Interim of Charles II. who for the Establishing of the Churches Peace and composing the Minds of Men gave a Determination of several Matters in difference this Ceremony being one among the rest Which Dispensation though stiled an Interim might have continued for ever had me King pleased that is till such a time as he in his Declaration mentions viz. Vntil such a Synod be called as might without Passion or Prejudice give a further Assistance towards a perfect Union of Affections as well as Submission to Authority Providing that none be denied the Sacrament for not using the Posture of Kneeling To desire then what hath been so largely promised by the Supreme Magistrate with great Advice and for wise Ends argues us neither sturdy Beggars nor unreasonable in our Requests And though I have and do without scruple submit to the Order of our Church in this respect yet for the sake of those that cannot I heartily wish an Indulgence might be granted or Temper found to extinguish those Flames which so small a Spark hath enkindled causing the Daughter of our Sion so often to be clad in Sack-cloth and to sit in Ashes In
Flesh and Incarnation of our Saviour viz. That Christ is one not by Conversion of the Codhead into Flesh but by taking the Manhood into God one altogether not by confusion of Substance It ought to be considered concerning Athanasius's Creed how many People understand it not Lib. of Proph. p. 54. I confess saith that Author I cannot see the moderate Sentence and gentleness of Charity in this Preface and Conclusion as then was in the Nicene Creed nothing there but damnation and perishing everlastingly unless the Article of the Trinity be believed as it is there with Curiosity and minute Particulars explained Ibid. pag. 54. but by unity of Person And that this c. is the Catholick Faith which except a Man believe he cannot be saved Which Propositions should they be repeated to many a simple and yet sincere Christian they would seem little less to them than Sampson's Ridle and shall we deny Salvation to those who have not an explicite Faith of those things they understand not If Water ascends higher than the Fountain from whence it springs the Motion must be ascribed to force If Faith should ascend beyond Knowledge if such may be called Faith 't is no better than force or fancy to compel that to be confessed with the Mouth which is not believed with the Heart because it never entred into the Head Doth it not therefore concern the Fathers of the Church to consider now that they have a Price put into their Hands whether this be not to make the Gate of Heaven narrower than God hath made it which is already so streight that alas there be too few that find it Of Regeneration by the Spirit ANother thing which might justly deserve the Notice of our Reverend Brethren and Fathers of the Church is the Doctrine of Regeneration by the Spirit which I take to be an act of Grace upon the Heart (a) Unto whom now I send thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God c. Acts 26.17 renewing that Image which was drawn in Righteousness and true Holiness But alas How have we effac'd it and sought out many Inventions in the Croud of which we lost our Integrity God had at first imbarkt our Innocency in a Vessel sufficiently built to have secured the Cargo and finally to have brought the Soul safe to its desirable Port I mean Heaven he having put on board with it that which might with due watchfulness and care have secured it viz. A posse non peccandi But hapning where two Seas met I mean Satan's Policy and Man's Frailty or facile Disposition being too gentle and easie to be intreated by his Temptations he suffered Shipwrack of a good Conscience losing that which the whole World was not competent to redeem For alas What can be given in exchange for the Soul But God would not suffer the Sea to swallow such a Prize and therefore when he saw Man labouring for Life in the midst of those mighty Waves those Waters of Iniquity he cast out a Plank Post naufragium tabulam by which he came safe to Land he set up this Bankrupt again with a fresh Stock putting him into a Capacity and State of Salvation by a redeemer but upon such Terms and Conditions as he thought fit to appoint and prescribe viz. That unless we believe we should not be saved except we be regenerate and born again we should not enter into the Kingdom of God But as the Wind blows where it listeth so the Spirit works these Graces when and where it pleaseth observing the Rule and Method he hath pleased to prescribe to himself viz. As he hath chosen us in Christ Jesus And therefore we cannot affirm that wherever the Means is used that the End ex opere operato is certainly attained especially in such subjects as are altogether incapable of it as I take Infants to be of Regeneration upon the Administration of Baptism 3 Q. 71.2 Unless it be said of Regeneration as Aquinas saith concerning the Infant 's being Catechiz'd before it be Baptiz'd Accommodat eis Ecclesia aliorum cor ut credant aliorum aures ut audiant intellectum ut per alios instruantur But he that is regenerated by a Proxy will be saved so too But suppose they be renew'd yet this Operation or Work of the Spirit is much in the dark there are no visible Footsteps or Impressions left behind it by which we can trace the Goings of the Almighty no more than that of a Serpent upon a Rock a Bird in the Air or Ship in the Sea if there be any Work of God upon the Soul of the Infant 't is very cryptical 't is hid from our Eyes We may say as the Lord said to Job He hath made a Cloud the garment of it 38 Job 9. and thick darkness a swadling Band for it If any shall say that though the Child in such tender Age be not a capable subject of the Act yet it may be of the Habit Thus it is accounted a Rational Creature though it cannot for the present exert and shew forth the Faculties which are potentially in it But no sooner doth the Child grow up towards Years of Maturity but those Seminal and Radical Powers of their own accord pullulate and spring up into Act the Rose which seminally or potentially laid dormant in the Root of the Plant of its own accord buds and blossoms upon the approaching Heat and Influence of the Sun If the Habit of Regeneration were sown in Baptism would it not in the Spring of Youth begin to bud and blossom and bring forth Almonds I mean Acts sutable to the Nature of it Whereas we experimentally find no more averseness or reprobacy to that which is good in an unbaptized Person who never was baptismally regenerated nor received for God's own Child by Adoption than in one baptized according to the Ordinance of God and Appointment of the Church But supposing the Subject capable of this Divine Impression yet we do not see that God doth let his Seal or that they are sealed up to the Day of Redemption ex opere operato or actual Administration of Baptism For wherever the Work of Regeneration is wrought the Soul is renewed in all its Faculties such were some of you But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God But all that are Baptismally washed are not sanctified and regenerate for we find in adult Persons that those who were filthy before continue to be so still Nay as to those very Persons who in the Judgment of Charity do not ponere obicem yet we cannot see any immediate Cause to return Thanks for its actual Regeneration by the Holy Spirit till we find some Demonstration or Evidence more than the bare opus operatum or Administration of the Baptismal Rite that the Person is entred into the Womb