〈◊〉 7. p. 537. that if the Neighbour of an Elect person sin the good man himself is the offender for if the holy man had demean'd himself as the word or right reason directed his evil Neighbour would have stood in so much awe of his pious and well-governed life that he durst not offend XXXII Sect. 5. p. 94. Mr. H. reckons that passage of the Paedagogus as an excellent sentence that this is to drink the blood of Christ to be made partaker of the incorruption of the Lord which h De fundam S. Caenae p. 109. Chemnitius but I remember that he was a Lutheran calls a Novel Opinion and never heard of and in good truth if it be allowable to make Allegorical interpretations of the plain words of the Sacraments what evils may not thence ensue so in i Lib. 2. c. 2. the same Book S. Clem. thus expounds our Saviours words This is my blood i. the blood of the Vine which is shed for the remission of sins for as Wine refresheth the heart and maketh merry so the remission of sins is the glad tidings of the Gospel which Position the same learned Lutheran terms but too severely a prophane as well as a Novel Assertion And having thus mentioned his Censure I leave the Reader to judge XXXIII And so must I beg him to determine between me and Mr. H. in another question of moment relating to the Government of the Primitive Church by Bishops of which I find him tacitly endeavouring to supplant the belief and insinuating as if in those early days there was no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter while here p. 99. he quotes Clemens that there were in his time only three Orders Bishops Elders and Deacons as if that mixt and amphibious Animal call'd a Lay-Elder had been in those Primitive days a Church-officer who was never heard of till yesterday and as if Bishops were no more than Parish-Ministers and Deacons their Church-wardens and so he explains himself commonly Bishop or Pastor p. 2.17.21 c. and p. 6. Pastor Overseer or Bishop and p. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pastor or Chief President which word a Resp ad Sacar cap. 25. annot in Phil. 1 1. in 1 Tim. 1.19 in Apocal. 2.1 Beza is willing to acknowledge that it did antiently signifie a Bishop in the sense of the Church of England and which b Tom. 5. p. 499. S. Chrysostom twice in one page uses to denote the Eminency of S. Ignatius's Archiepiscopal and Patriarchal Dignity and had Mr. H. Englisht the Fathers as they explain'd themselves in those early days he might better have rendred it in some places Bishop or Elder c Hier. ad Ocean To. 2. p. 325. the one being a name of their Age the other of their Authority Nor can I but admire the prejudices of some men who in this case appeal to Antiquity as Salmasius Blondel and others have done forcing it to speak the sense of the Vestry Tribunal by the most unreasonable deductions I will only instance in that of d Praefat. ad Apolog. p. 59. Blondel who has found out a new Heresie of Aerius unknown to all former Ages till this infallible Dictator in Divinity appear'd not that he affirm'd that Bishops and Presbyters were the same Order for that says he was the Opinion of S. Hierome and all the Antients but that from these premises he argued a necessity of separation and that no man could safely communicate with any of the other Opinion a device not worth the confutation which having to shadow of Antiquity to countenance it hath yet grown into practice at Geneva if we may believe Danaeus a Professor there who as Beza calls the Episcopal Government under the Papacy a devillish tyranny e Danae Isag part 2. lib. 2. c. 22. so affirms that it was their custome to re-ordain by their Presbytery any that came over to them and had been ordain'd by a Popish Prelate before as if every irregularity in the Ordainer blotted out the Character and their ill Government if nothing else were enough to countenance a Schism XXXIV I had therefore once thoughts to have deduc'd the Episcopal Pre-eminence through the three first Centuries from the works of those ten Fathers of whom Mr. H. writes the Lives but on maturer thoughts I conceived it to be unnecessary only I will mind my Reader that f De praescript adv haer p. 39. F. Edit Rhen. Tertullian reckons it as a mark of a Heretick that he is a man that pays no reverence to his Prelate and close the Paragraph with the counsel of a Tom. 1. p. 955. Ed. Paris 1627. S. Athanasius to Dracontius who refused this holy Office If the Institutions of the Church displease thee and thou imagine that there is no reward annext to the just discharge of this duty thou despisest that Saviour who gave being to this Jurisdiction Such thoughts are unworthy a sober and wise man for those things which our great Master hath ordain'd by his Apostles cannot but be good and practicable and notwithstanding any opposition shall continue firm I shall end this Section when I have mention'd that Mr. H. b P. 45. alibi in his Book of Confirmation hath rob'd the Bishops of their power in Confirmation that he might confer it on every Presbyter and ranking the Papist and Prelatical party together hath called their ways of proof blasphemous Arguments not considering that the concurrent suffrage of Antiquity makes the c Bishop Taylor of Confir sect 4. Bishop the only Minister of this Rite and that herein the Jesuite and Presbyterian are united more genuinely than the Romanist and Prelatical For when Smith Bishop of Chalcedon was sent into England by Vrban 8. as an Ordinary here the Jesuites would never submit to him and at last wrought him out of the Kingdom and presently publisht two Books in English against Episcopal Government and Confirmation disputing both into contempt d Mystery of Jesuitism let 3. p. 150 151. which Books having been sent by the English Clergy to the Sorbon there were thirty two Propositions in them censured and condemn'd by that Colledge Febr. 15. 1631. XXXV The design of S. Clemens in his Stromata is to instruct his Gnostick i. his accomplisht Disciple a man extraordinarily acquainted with the Principles of Christianity in which sense e Apud Socrat hist Eccles lib. 4. c. 18. Evagrius entitles one of his Books which he writ of the Monastick Institution Gnosticus wherein he calls the Society of more eminent and contemplative Monks the Sect of the Gnosticks for much after that rate that Plato does instruct his wise man does this Alexandrian Presbyter instruct his Gnostick whom he presumes to be a man elevated above the common pitch and fit to be intrusted with the Mysteries of Scripture such as he and his Scholar Origen were pleas'd in their Allegorizing way to make describing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
as it must have been if introduc'd by Flavianus S. Basil's Cotemporary i Tom. 2. a◠152. p. 136. Baronius informs us That the Angelick Hymn Gloria in excelsis c. was enjoyn'd by Pope Telesphorus circ an 152. to be sung at the Consecration of the Eucharist and I am apt to think it was done alternately if not I am sure k Lib. 10. Epist 97. Pliny who lived with Ignatius impeaches the Christians of that Age of no other Crime save that they were wont to meet at a set time before day and to sing among themselves invicem alternately a Song to Christ whom they account a God which is a plain description of the practice of that Age. And a Hist Eccl. lib. 2. c. 16. Eusebius out of Philo makes the observance coaevous with the Church of Alexandria under S. Mark affirming that among the Primitive Christians when one began to sing the rest quietly hearkned to him and then sung together the remainder of the Hymn probably bably in imitation of Moses and Miriam Exod. 15.1 21. So that it is likely that the usage may be ancienter in some Churches than our Martyr but not improbable that his Vision might be the occasion of bringing in the Custom into the Church of Antioch and as the Custom prevailed so early in the East and in Aegypt so also in the Southern parts of Africk and at Carthage for b Lib. 2. ad uxor cap. 6. Tertullian mentions this mutual singing wherein they provok'd one another to Emulation who should Sing best And c Dc Orat. dominic p. 160. Cyprian quotes the Hymn at the Celebration of the Eucharist begun by the Priest with sursum corda and answered to by the People with habemus ad dominum and the practice carries its own Vindication with it for I remember somewhere Greg. Naz. calls Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature made answerable to the Angels and that d Tom. 2. Homil. 55. in Matth. p. 355. S. Chrysostom relates and vindicates the Hymns of the Monks those Angels of the Desart as he calls them wherein they intermix'd the Doxology and then went to the Hymn again herein following the Laws of the Apostles beginning with the Doxology and ending with it and beginning with it again So that it seems by him to have been an Apostolical Tradition XXIV Here was also a fair Occasion offer'd to have instructed the World not only that Episcopacy was then a venerable Order in the Church but that the Bishop had Power to impose a Liturgy from that famous place of the e P. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epistle to the Magnesians nor can I think that it was a Novel Usurpation of the Prelates in those early days but that set Forms of Prayer are of Apostolical Institution who herein followed the Example of their infallible Master who as he made the Jewish Baptism a Christian Sacrament and took the Symbols of the Eucharist from their Custom of Blessing the Bread and the Cup at their Passeover so was not ashamed to collect the Petitions of his most incomparable Prayer out of the several set Forms of Petition in use among that people 'T is true they had in that happy saeculum the miraculous Spirit or Gift of Prayer which enabled the Apostolical Priest without praemeditation to compose Prayers according to the perpetual or emergent occasions of the Christian Congregation whereof he was the Guide where we may observe what the Apostle means when he mentions Prayers by the Spirit and that this was given to cross the design of our Modern Pretenders to it that every man might not take what Liberty himself pleased to pour out his own Effusions yet this extraordinary Charisma and Afflatus soon ceas'd and as it abated was succeeded by some of those very Forms which the holy Spirit had so prodigiously dictated collected either by the Apostles themselves or their immediate Successors The Greek Church have an undisputed Tradition among them that whereas the Apostles spent whole Days and Nights in their holy Offices the length of those Devotions gave occasion to S. James to omit those Prayers that were used only on extraordinary and emergent occasions and yet even in those the Apostles did not disdain to follow ancient Precepts for the Prayer Act. 4. from v. 24. to 31. is nothing but an Abstract of Psalm the second and the glorifyed Saints Apocal. 15.3 4. were not ashamed to sing an Eucharistical Hymn composed of the Songs of Moses David and Jeremy and to chuse and cull out the most pertinent of those Prayers for the dayly use of the Church which is since called his Liturgy and was afterward again shortned by S. Basil and S. Chrysostom and if any man should dispute the Authenticalness of his or S. Mark 's or S. Peter's Liturgies in that Church they would first admire and then deride him though it cannot be denyed but that there are many Additions and Interpolations in them as now extant which are not of equal Authority with those Collects which are truly Primitive but that also is an Argument that there were anciently such Liturgies left to the Church as they came out of the Apostles hands till they fell into the hands of evil men And for this notion of the Spirit of Prayer we are obliged to a Tom. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. Rom. 26. p. 120. S. Chrysostom who plainly affirms That to them that were newly Baptiz'd God was pleas'd to give many miraculous Donatives which were called Spirits for he saith Let the Spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets for one had the Spirit of Prophesie and he foretold Futurities another of Wisdom and he instructed the World in the Laws of Piety a third of Healing and he cured the Sick a fourth of Miracles and he did raise the Dead another of Tongues and he spake divers Languages and among all these there was also the Cift of Prayer which also is called the Spirit of Prayer and he that was so endowed prayed for the whole Congregation for whereas we are ignorant of many things that are necessary for us and apt to ask what is unnecessary therefore fell this Spirit of supplication on one certain person and he stood up and made known the common necessities of the Church and instructed others to pray and this he did with much compunction and many groans Of which usage the Embleme is yet retain'd in the Deacons bidding of Prayers a Selden not in Eutych p. 41 42. So when the Spirit of Prophesie ceas'd in the Jewish Church Ezra and the great Consistory instituted certain Forms of Devotion of dayly use from which no man might dare to recede XXV Among these setled and establish'd Forms of the Apostles we may suppose none were so likely to be retain'd as those at the Celebration of the Eucharist which then the good men receiv'd every day For in all the ancient Liturgies
Fly therefore Schism Ad Smyrn p. 36. as the beginning of all mischief He that is not within the Sanctuary cannot partake of the Bread of God Ad Ephes p. 3. for if the prayer of one or two be so powerful how much more the conjoined supplications of a Bishop and his whole Flock He therefore that shuns the publick Assemblies is proud and hath cut himself off from the holy Communion for it is written that God resists the proud Let us therefore studiously decline opposing the Bishop that we may not be guilty of Rebelling against God Vse your utmost endeavour that you may meet often to praise and magnifie your Maker Ibid. p. 6. for by such frequent Assemblies the powers of Satans Kingdom are weakened and his design to ruine you for ever blasted by the Vniformity of your Faith There is no greater blessing than peace by which all the quarrels in Heaven and Earth are composed Such are his severe remarques on all the disturbers of Ecclesiastick Union and yet no man a greater adviser to Christian Condescension and Compassion than Ignatius Ibid. p. 5. Overcome says he the fury of such men by meekness their proud boastings by Humility their railings by Prayers their Errours by continuing stedfast in the Faith and their wild and ungoverned manners by a gentle and Christian demeanour XXXV Nor does he only discover the Distemper but prescribes a Remedy by enjoining a strict submission to Episcopal Authority in every Epistle For as our Master Christ never did any thing either by himself or by his Apostles without his Father Ad Magnes p. 12. so neither undertake ye any thing without the Bishop and his Presbyters nor do ye indulge to any private Fancies of your own how plausible or reasonable soever but in the same Assembly let there be one Prayer and Supplication one mind one hope in charity and joy unblameable for there is one Jesus Ad Trall p. 1 6 7. than whom nothing can be better Vndertake nothing without your Bishop and be subject to your Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ and honour the Deacons as the Ministers of the Mysteries of Jesus for without these there can be no Church Ad Philadelph p. 30. I cry aloud and speak it with an audible Voice be obedient to the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons Some men suspected that I spake this as if I had foreseen the Schismatical Designs of some but he is my Witness for whom I am bound with this Chain that I had not the notice from flesh and blood but the Spirit of God revealed these things unto me telling me Do nothing without your Bishop keep your Body undefiled as the Temple of God love Vnity fly Divisions be Imitators of Christ as he is of his Father My soul for theirs who obey the Bishop Ad Polycarp Presbyters and Deacons he that honoureth the Bishop is honoured of God he that does any thing without his Privity is a servant to the Devil Let nothing belonging to the Church be done without the Prelate Ad Smyâ—n p. 36. Think that Encharist only valid which the Bishop consecrates or some one by him deputed it is not lawful without him either to Baptize or Celebrate the Love-Feasts where the Bishop is let the Congregation be as where Christ is there is the Catholick Church And lest he might seem to impose all the stress on the Laity and prescribe no holy Cautions to the Governours of the Church how to demean themselves the beginning of the Epistle to Polycarp is wholly spent in advices to that Apostolical Bishop and giving a Character of the Episcopal Office I will only instance in one memorable saying more of his that famous passage which Theophilus Origen S. Basil Hierom and others borrow from him Ad Ephes p. 8. that there were three things whereof the Prince of the Air was ignorant the Virginity of the Blessed Mother of God the Incarnation of her Son and his death and Crucifixion three venerable Mysteries that were now publickly proclaimed to the World in their accomplishment but were contrived by God in eternal silence and secresie XXXVI And whereas some doubt hath been made how under so strict a custody he could find leisure to write so many Letters and make so many holy Sermons and Exhortations as he did we answer a Baron Tom. 2. an 109. p. 34. Pearson part 2. c. 11. p. 139. that he bought every moment of that holy leisure from his Guards every stay of his being their Market where they made him purchase each hours freedom from their inspection and restraints with greater Sums growing more fierce and untractable on their gentle treatment that they might extort new and larger Compositions for such was the Charity of that Age that they accounted nothing dearer than the concerns of their Religion and therefore grudged at no cost to purchase better usage for the Confessors thereof and of this b De Mort. Peregr p. 996. Lucian is a sufficient witness and such questionless was their Zeal and Love towards Ignatius and by this means he purchas'd his hours of Privacy notwithstanding Eusebius seems to oppose the Opinion c Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 30. implying that he did it rather by stealth than their Connivance XXXVII It is also proposed as a great difficulty by the acute a Not. in Euseb Chron. an MMCXX III. p. 189. Scaliger how it came to pass that Ignatius should not be martyred at Antioch but carryed thence to Rome telling us that none but Denizens of that great City used to appeal from the Governour of the Province as S. Paul did and if we assert this concerning Ignatius then could he not have been thrown to the Wild Beasts the b L. 48. Tit. 8. ad leg Cornel. de Sicar Venef Law forbidding to punish any Citizen in that manner it being in truth a Death decreed to the vilest and most profligate of Malefactors only and at last professes That he is ignorant how to solve it and therefore proposes it that others might try their wits about it And though I pretend not to unriddle Mysteries yet we may give more than one reason why Trajan who himself and not the Governour of the Province condemn'd the holy man ordered him to suffer at Rome c Lib. 48. Tit. 19. 〈◊〉 ad â—esâ—â—â— It was usual in all the Provinces to send the Heads and Leaders of Factions famous Thieves and Murtherers or any that had Excellencies more than ordinary as strength of Body or Skill to suffer at Rome Now Ignatius was the most remarkable man among the Christians of that Country a Patriarch of a famous See venerable for his Age and Piety for his Zeal and Humility for his Gallantry and Courage in freely offering himself to the Emperour and reproving his Idolatrous Worship To this d Tom. 5. p. 502 503. S. Chrysostom subjoins That it was the Devil's Policy to