Libertas Ecclesiastica OR A DISCOURSE Vindicating the lawfulness of those things which are chiefly excepted against in the Church of England especially in its LITVRGY and WORSHIP And manifesting their agreeableness with the Doctrine and practice both of Ancient and Modern Churches By WILLIAM FALKNER Preacher at St. Nicholas in Lyn Regis LONDON Printed by J. M. for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops-Head in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1674. IMPRIMATUR Jan. 23. 167â— â— Sam. Parker TO The most Reverend Father in God Gilbert by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council c. May it please your Grace YOur Grace being a Person of such singular Eminency in the Church of England I humbly crave leave to present to your hands this following Discourse which contains a Vindication of the Publick Worship of our Church from those Exceptions which by Dissenters have been made against it And the main Design of this Treatise being to promote Christian Vnity by representing the evil consequences of such unnecessary Discords and Schisms and the great unreasonableness of those pretences which have been alledged for their Justification it will nâ—t I hope be judged incongruous that it should address it self to your Grace whose high Office in the Church tendeth to advance the Vnity thereof and entitleth you to the publick Patronage of Peace and Truth I cannot doubt your Graces approbation of this design which is at all times useful but more especially in this present Juncture of Affairs if God please to grant success which is my earnest prayer For as all good men who prefer Truth and the sincere practice of Piety before their own prejudices wills and passions cannot but approve of such honest endeavours to rectifie mistakes and compose the minds of men to peace so all who are pious and wise cannot but discern a greater necessity and a more particular obligation at this time to silence all these little janglings and quarrels if they have any respect to the main interest and concerns of the Reformed Profession And I hope My Lord that the late Alarum we had from our common Enemies may open mens eyes to see the mischief of rending the Church into so many Factions and may dispose them to receive just and reasonable satisfaction And though what hath been excellently performed by former Writers upon this Subject be sufficiently satisfactory yet my labour herein may not be wholly useless considering the humour of this Age which is more apt to read new Books than to seek for old ones But though the cause I have undertaken deserves your Graces Patronage yet my own personal defects might justly have discouraged me from presenting this discourse to one of so high Dignity and so great a Judgment had not the cause it self been so good that it needed no Art and Colours to set it off but is sufficiently justified when it is rightly represented and understood and your Graces Candour and Clemency so well known as to encourage me to hope for a favourable Acceptance which is the only thing I beg in this humble Address unto your Grace favourably to accept of this small Present from him who unfeignedly prayeth for your Graces prosperity and is intirely devoted to the service and interest of Truth and Peace and Humbly honoureth your Grace with all due Observance W. Falkner THE PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THE design of this discourse being to remove or at least to allay those fierce contentions about the external forms of worship to which we owe all those unhappy Schisms which good men so heartily bewail it was necessary in order to this end to rectifie those mistakes and prejudices which abuse well-minded men who have not throughly consider'd things and to correct those corrupt passions that quarrelsom and contentious humour which perverts others To these two causes we owe most of our present disorders it is too evident what hand the latter of these has had in them while divers Persons wanting a due sense of the evil and danger of these discords and a due regard to the Peace and Unity of the Church have been too zealous and forward to maintain and promote such dissensions thereby to serve the Interest of their own parties and to oppose the settlement of the Church upon sure and lasting principles now I had no other way of dealing with these men but to convince them of the great evil of such contentions and how much it is the duty of every Christian to study Peace and Unity For there is nothing more evident than that mens minds are strangely byassed by their affections and Interests and clouded by passion and therefore while they are so peremptorily resolved upon their way while they are so fond of their own Inventions while they are devoted to the service of a Party and account those men their Enemies who should rule and govern them and inform them better there is no expectation that reason and argument should prevail with them And if those arguments which I have made use of for this purpose should be effectual to calm the passions of men and to work in them a Christian and peaceable temper of mind I can easily foretel the success of my following discourse the design of which is to rectifie those mistakes and misapprehensions which some men labour under which either concern the particular Rites and offices of our Church or the General rule of duty or Ecclesiastical liberty by which the Church must be directed and guided in matters of order The first hath occasion'd various exceptions against some Rites and Ceremonies and particular passages in our forms of Prayer and I have spent great part of this Treatise in answering such objections by which I hope it will appear what little reason there is to disturb the Peace of the Church and to separate from our Communion upon such pretences Concerning the General Rule which ought ever to be observed in the Church about matters of order there are some who will allow nothing except some few circumstances to be determined by the Authority of the Church unless it be directly enjoined by a particular divine Institution and for a more plausible colour they reject all such rules of order or regular administration under the terms of unscriptural conditions of Communion But in answer to this I have made it appear to be an unjust and unreasonable exception against the establisht order of any Church that there are some things determined and appointed by the Authority of Superiours which have always been accounted of an Indifferent nature and are indeed the proper matters of Ecclesiastical Liberty And I hope I have abundantly proved to the satisfaction of all sober inquirers that prudent and well ordered Ecclesiastical Constitutions and appointments for the promoting order and decency and the advancement of Religion and Piety are very allowable and unblameable nay that it is impossible that
whom the reversion shall appertain Nor doth the using these two words of assent and consent in the same clause require such a sense of this Declaration in which they must differ from each other since variety of words even in the most soleum acknowledgments is oft used not to express the difference but to determine the certainty of sense according to that Rule Ex Reg. Juris Quae dubitationis tollendae causa inseruntur jus commune non laedunt Thus in the Oath of Obedience or Allegiance I A. B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testifie and declare that our Soveraign Lord is lawful and rightful King Where all these words connected by conjunctive Particles do only serve more expresly to manifest the same thing 12. And since the consideration both of persons and time make it evident that this assent to be given cannot contribute any thing to the authoritative ordering and constitution of these things which were before established by authority its most proper and natural sense must import a consent to or allowing of the use of these things which is the sense unto which the expressions in the Act of Uniformity do also plainly direct Wherefore such things only as are to be used being both contained and prescribed as all the Prayers Hymns directing Rubricks Kalendar and the Whole frame of the Liturgy come within the compass of this Declaration But some things occasionally declared and not prescribed are not contained under it In the Preface For instance these words That this Book as it stood before established by law did not contain in it any thing which a godly man may not with a good Conscience use and submit to though they be true and considerable yet if they were encluded under this Declaration then even such things as were thought fit to be altered must be still in some sort assented unto which is both contrary to the end of such alterations and to the proper sense of the words of this Declaration 13. And even such persons who conceive some things or expressions prescribed either in the Phrases of Common-Prayer it self or in the pointing of the Psalms or in the Translation of the Psalms or other Scriptures not to be suitable to their own desires or apprehensions yet to be free from fin and of such a nature as that the whole remaineth useful to guide the exercises of Piety those persons may safely and with a good Conscience make this Declaration of assent with respect unto other weighty considerations of submission to Authority promoting Peace Order and Unity and the edification of the Church in the united exercise of a right religious worship Even as such learned men who may judge even our last translation of the Bible not to have fitly expressed the sense of some difficult places may yet both unfeignedly assent and earnestly perswade to the diligent use thereof as knowing it to be of excellent advantage to the pious and humble Readers for their profitable learning the Gospel Doctrine and the will of God 14. Wherefore by this Declaration is given such an open vocal approbation of this Book required by Law as agreeth in sense with the subscription enjoined by Canon And the intend thereof is to express such an unfeigned allowance or consent to all things contained and prescribed in the Book of Comon-Prayer with the Psalms as that they may warrantably and with a good Conscience be used as they are established by authority the truth of which will appear more manifest upon a particular enquiry CHAP. IV. Of the Liturgy and the ordinary service appointed therein SECT I. The lawfulness antiquity and expediency of publick forms 1. PVblick Prayer is acknowledged by all Christians to be a chief part of the worship of God who hath said My house shall be called an house of Prayer for all people But since God hath not expresly declared in his word whether the ordinary publick duties of Christian Prayer should be performed with or without a form the determination of the sittest practice in this case must be made not without regard to the authority of Governours by a respect to the rules of order edification and the glory of God and an eye unto approved examples from which considerations I shall produce divers evidences of the requisiteness of a set form for the publick offices of the Church both from Reason and from example and authority 2. The reasons are such as these 1. That hereby a fit true right and well ordered way of worship in addresses to God may be best secured to the Church in its publick service of God that neigher God nor his worship may be dishonoured their being many easily discernable ways of considerable miscarriage in the publick offices of the Church even by them who err not in the doctrines of Religion 2. That needful comprehensive petitions for all common and ordinary spiritual and outward wants of our selves or others with fit thanksgivings may not in the publick supplications of the Church be omitted which considering men as they are can no other way be either so well or at all assured 3. That the affections and hearts of pious and religious men may be more devont and better united in their presenting their service to God where they may consider before-hand what particular Prayers and Thanksgivings they are to offer up and come the more ready and prepared to join in them This is an advantage of which many are deprived by a bad temper of mind either sucked in by prejudice or swallowed down by carelessness 3. 4. That such difficult parts of Church Offices as Baptism and the Lords Supper the matter of which requireth great consideration that they may be clearly and aright expressed as both Conformists and many Non-Conformists acknowledge and is evident from the many disputes about them by men neither of mean parts nor dangerous designs may by a more considerate care in the composure of a form be so framed that men of greatest understandings may with readiest assent entertain them and that they may be sufficiently vindicated against the boldest opposers 5. To be an evidence to other Churches and future times after what way and manner we worship God and that both the matter and expression of our service to him is sound and pious in our general and common worship And this may be a full testimony that such a Church both receiving the true faith and expressing a right way of worship is both a true and in its measure a pure and incorrupt Church 4. The Arguments from example which in general countenance the lawfulness or expediency of a form are two which will require a larger Declaration The first is from the practice and example of Christ who directed his Disciples the use of the Lords Prayer as a set form and that from thence the custom of the Christian Church De Eccles Offic. l. 1. c. 9. in composing and using set forms did take its pattern is reasonably
asserted by Isidorous Hispalonsis That the Lords Prayer was delivered as a form is so manifest that was it not for the violent force offered to mens minds by prejudice and contentious opposition it could never have been questioned And it may be sufficiently proved 1. From the command given by our Saviour Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. and the expression in S. Matthew Mat 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray sc or on this manner is the same with that when the form of Aaronical benediction was enjoined Numb 6.23 On this wise in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall ye bless But the blessing there directed hath been generally acknowledged to be a constant invariable form of Benediction under the law Luth. Tom. 3. f. 10. Prec Eccles Form Genev. and as such was used in the German Reformation by Luther and in that also of Geneva 2. From the ground of the Disciples request Luk. 11.1 Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples That it was ordinary for the Jewish Teachers to compose forms for their Disciples is observed by Dr. Lightfoot on Mat. 6.9 and the frequent yea constant use of forms in the Jewish Church shall be hereafter manifested and if this be referred to the words of S. Luke now mentioned it is not to be doubted but that John the Baptist according to the custom of the Jews delivered a form of Prayer to his Disciples and that what John did herein was both approved and the like practised by our Saviour who directed the use of the Lords Prayer to his Disciples at two different times 5. 3. From the manner of the composure of the Lords Prayer which is not propounded as a general direction to pray that Gods name may be hallowed and that his Kingdom should come but it is dictated by Christ as it should be expressed by us in our persons Our father hallowed be thy name c. 4. The ancient Christian Church near the times of Christ did acknowledge and use it as a form S. Cyprian is very large to this purpose Cyp. de Orat Domin saith he Christ consulting the salvation of his people etiam orandi formam ipse dedit himself delivered them a form of prayer and then exhorteth that we pray as our master taught us that the father when we pray may owne the words of his Son and saith he when we have Christ an advocate let us express the words of our advocate and how much more effectually shall we obtain what we ask in Christs name if we ask by his Frayer Tertullian before him declared Tertul. de Orat. c. 1. c. 9. Christus novam orationis formam determinavit Christ appointed a new form of prayer and he saith that whilst the Christians used other Prayers this was not omitted praemissa legitima ordinaria oratione quasi fundamento And before both these the words of Lucian in Trajan's time Lucian in Philopat about reciting the Prayer beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth intimate the ordinary use of this Prayer among Christians From these testimonies I suppose it evident that the Lords Prayer was used as a form in the ancient Christian Assemblies and that we have good reason thus far to receive what some hundred years after was delivered by S. Gregory Gr. Ep. l. 7. c. 63. and from him by divers other Writers that the Apostles themselves did always at the Consecration of the Eucharist make use of the Lords Prayer Wherefore the Lords Prayer being thus delivered as a form doth enclude an approbation of the like composures of Prayers among the Jews and an allowance of the same among Christians for whom this was intended And that path where we follow our Saviours steps cannot be the way of errour 6. The other argument from example is from the ordinary practice of the Church both Jewish and Christian Concerning the Jewish Church I might instance in the eighteen Prayers composed for its ordinary use from the time of the Captivity which are oft mentioned by the Jewish Writers and in their forms of Prayer for the Passover De Emendar Tempor l. 6. p. 573. of which Scaliger thinketh that there is as much reason to be confident that the particular Prayers recorded in the Talmud which he calleth their Digests were the ancient forms used by the Jews as that the Roman Digests exhibit to us the true determination of the Roman Lawyers But I shall rather insist on the Jewish Church making use of set forms of Prayer from the very times of Moses and so downwards which is no new opinion but is ordinarily received and it hath been observed by divers learned men that the Samaritan Chronicle speaketh of a Book of Prayers used by the Jews at their Sacrifices from the time of their Legate Moses until that day And besides the testimony of that Author which I urge no further than other proof may be made let these two things be considered 7. First That it is certain from the Scriptures and oft expressed by Philo Judaeus that the Jews did use Prayers with their Sacrifices and oblations The whole multitude were praying without at the time of incense Luk. 1.10 and the Apostles themselves went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer which was the ninth hour Act. 3.1 Which was the time of the evening Sacrifice Mr. Mede Disc on Ezr. 6.10 and Mr. Mede hath well proved that Sacrifice if self is a rite of supplication And that the use of such Prayers was as ancient as Moses is manifest from Lev. 16.21 Where Aaron was commanded to confess over the live Goat the iniquities of the Children of Israel Secondly That there are plain evidences in the Old Testament of such forms used upon many occasions Besides the forms of Prayers and praises in the Book of Psalms enjoined for constant use unto the Levites by Hezekiah and the Princes 1 Chr. 29 30. and besides divers other Hymns and Songs and such commands for a form of words as Joel 2.17 Hos 14.2 there is an express form of Prayer appointed by God to be used at the Offering the Heifer for expiation of uncertain murder Deut. 8.21 and a form of confession at the offering up their first fruits Deut. 26.3 4 5 6 7. and a form of Prayer at the presenting the third years Tithe Deut. 26.13 14 c. and some other such like Whence it is evident that forms of Prayer were by Gods appointment used from the beginning of the Jewish Church Yet if no such thing could have been proved and if their original had been from John the Baptist and the direction of our Saviour this alone might be sufficient to recommend them unto Christians 8. In considering the general practice of the Christian Church it must be acknowledged that in that extraordinary case which reacheth not the ordinary condition of the Church when the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were communicated both
Prayer prophesying and singing were frequently thereby performed as is evident from 1. Cor. 14. And I yield it most probable though even Protestant Writers do herein differ that the ancient Roman Jerusalem and Alexandrian Offices were called the Liturgies of S. Peter S. James and S. Mark because of their certain early use in the Churches where they presided though it is not certain that they were composed by them this being mentioned by no ancient Writer of the first Centuries Nor do I doubt but the Liturgy or Anaphora of S. John and that of the twelve Apostles are suppositious which with the former are related by Gabriel Sionita Gab. Sionit de Ritib Maron to be exhibited amongst the Syriack Offices for of these we have no mention in any ancient Ecclesiastical Writer unless the words of Epiphanius Epiph. Haer 79. expressing all the Apostles with S. James the Brother of our Lord to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is chief Dispensers or Stewards of the Christian Mysteries might allowably be racked to speak them all Composers of Liturgical forms Allatius de Liturg. S. Jacob. according to the violence offered to those words by Leo Allatius But if it can yet be proved that at least since the ceasing of the frequent distribution of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit the Church of Christ hath in all Ages used and approved forms this will be as considerable a testimony in behalf of Liturgies as can reasonably be required 9. That forms of Prayer were of use in the Church about 1300 years since is acknowledged by them who plead most against them from Conc. Laod. c. 18.3 Carth. c. 23. and Conc. Mil. c. 12. and that they have continued from that time downward cannot be denied In the fourth Century there is frequent mention in some parcels of Liturgy in the Writings of the Fathers and there are so many testimonies that S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose and S. Basil were framers of Liturgies that I do not see how any can rationally doubt of the truth thereof But that these Liturgies have undergone divers alterations in succeeding Ages is both apparent and is very reasonable to be imagined And he who shall compare the Greek Copy of S. Basils Liturgy with the Syriack or its version both which are represented together by Cassander Cassand Liturgie will find them so vastly different from each other that he must either conclude great alterations to have passed upon them or that they never were originally the same But from these I shall now look back into the more early times of the Christian Church where for the most part I shall only briefly mention the testimonies which have been fully produced by others 10. It is not probable Euseb de Laud. Constant autemed that Constantine the Emperour would have composed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godly Prayers for the use of his Souldiers if such forms had not then been used in the Christian Church De Vit. Const l. 4. c. 19 20. Eusebius accounting this an admirable thing that the Emperour should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher of the words of Prayer But Eusebius in another place giving a particular account of some expressions suited to the Souldiery in those set forms of Prayer which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the constituted Prayers doth a little before that declare Constantines own practice that he would take Books into his hands either for contemplating the holy Scriptures or for the expressing with his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers that were constituted and appointed and this Eusebius there calleth his ordering his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the manner of the Church of God and this is a manifest evidence of forms in the Christian Church in his time Orig. Hom. 11. in Jerom Cont. Celsum l. 6. Origen manifestly citeth a piece of the usual Liturgy an hundred years before Constantine saying Frequenter in oratione dicimus Da omnipotens da nobis partem cum prophetis c. We frequently say in our Prayers Give O Almighty God give us a part with the Prophets c. and in his Books against Celsus he declareth Christians to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers which were ordained or constituted S. Cyp. de Orat. Dom. Cyprian sufficiently intimateth the use of some forms in the Carthaginian service in his time by describing the entrance or beginning thereof the Priest saying sursum corda lift up your hearts and the people answering Habemus ad Dominum We lift them up unto the Lord. And the that considereth that Tertullian plainly intimateth a form of abrenunciation in Baptism De Cor. Mil. c. 3. and that they had set Hymns then appointed for particular times and hours upon their stationary days Albasp Observ l. 1 c. 16. as Albaspinus interpreteth him Adv. Psych c. 13. will think it not improbable that what he mentioneth of the particular heads of Prayer in the usual Assemblies of the Christians should have reference to some constant forms by them used Tert. Ap. c. 39. and their use is favoured by the expressions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Justin Martyr and Ignatius And many have thought V. Dr. Hammond in 1. Tim. 2.1 that the Apostle had a special eye to the composure of such forms of Prayer agreeably to what the Baptist and our Saviour prescribed to their Disciples in commanding Timothy the Governour of the Church that among the things which concerned his behaviour in the Church of God Ch. 3.15 first of all prayers intercessions supplications and giving of thanks be made for all men c. For though the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either signifie that Prayers be put up to God or that they be composed in this place it may well intend both And it is thought by S. Augustine Aug. Ep. 59. that these various words of the Apostle Prayers Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks did direct to a comprehensive fulness of all such Prayers in the fixed models of the publick service of the Church when the Communion was administred and that the publick offices of the Church were accordingly composed De Vocat Gentium l. 1. c. 4. and the same sense is also favoured by Prosper 11. Since the reformation the Saxon and other Lutheran Churches have their Liturgies the Bohemian had its Liber Ritualis and the Palatinate it s Agenda as Vrsin stileth it by which the right order of its publick administrations Vrsin Praef. in Apolog. Catechis might be vindicated from the Calumnies of detractors And the Churches of France Holland and others have their forms for the publick service of God And after the Order at Geneva had established a form of publick service for the Lords day with some appearance of a liberty of variation which some relate not to have been so manifest in their practice as in their rule which was Dominico die mane
haec ut plurimum adhibetur formula I say after this was established at Geneva Calv. Ep. 87. Calvin who composed it expressed his judgment to be for the strict use of set forms in his Letter to the Lord Protector in England Wherein he writeth to this purpose For so much as concerneth the form of Prayers and Ecclesiastical rites valde probo I much approve that it be determined so that it may not be lawful for the Ministers in their administrations to vary from it And this he judgeth necessary for these reasons that it may be an help to the weakness of some that it may be a testimony of the Churches consent and that it may slop the desultorious levity of those who are for new things 12. And these very expressions of Calvin are cited with great approbation by the Walachrian Classis of Zealand in what they wrote in the time of our late Wars to the Assembly at London and they further declare their great distast against them who condemn the use of forms in these words Consid Contr. in Angl. c. 7. qu. 2. Durum putamus omnes illas pias Ecclesias condemnare quae ab Apostolicis primitivae Ecclesiae temporibus usque ad hodiernum diem cultum Dei publicum ex praescriptis certisque formulis celebrarunt prâ—inde hominum illorum praecisam singularitatem arguimus qui omnes praescriptas formulas ex cultu divino eliminant Say they We account it grievous to condemn all those holy Churches which from the Apostolical times and the primitive Church unto this day have celebrated the publick worship of God out of prescribed forms Wherefore we blame the precise singularity of those men who would cast out all prescribed forms from divine worship So they And indeed it must be a rash sentence to condemn forms of Prayer as evil and sinful which were embraced by the ancient Church while it retained its soundness and before the corruptions and distempers of the Church of Rome took place and by the Protestant Churches since their recovery there from And in the determining what is expedient or inexpedient he had need have strong foundations to erect his high confidence upon who will oppose his own judgment with some very few persons besides against the concurrent judgment and practice of the Church of Christ in so many several Ages and Nations and against the determination of God himself under the Old Testament and our blessed Saviour under the New SECT II. Objections against set forms answered 1. What is opposed against the former Section must be here considered both concerning the antiquity lawfulness and expediency of set forms It is acknowledged that publick Prayer even at the Celebration of the Holy Communion was at the beginning of Christianity performed by the extraordinary and wonderful effusion of the gifts of the Holy Ghost when also prophesying and singing were performed by the same But some attempt hath been made to prove that there was no ordinary use of forms of Prayer in the three first Centuries and that they were not established till the end of the fourth Century 2 To this purpose Justin Martyr is first produced Apol. 2. prope fin p. 98. who declareth concerning his time that at the Communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief Minister sendeth forth Prayers and Thanksgivings according to his ability or rather with all his might Now all the proof here dependeth on the use of the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Objectors understand according to his ability in composing a Prayer But this is a sense not consistent with the use of the same Phrase in another place of the same Apology where he discourseth also of their Prayers at the Eucharist p. 60. and speaketh of all Christians who were not all to compose Prayers according to their ability for that service that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praising God with Prayers and Thanksgivings with all their might that is with the greatest intention and fervency of heart and spirit and this is properly the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be evinced from the use thereof in other places and from the use of like expressions referring to Prayer 3. It was Nazianzens exhortation Naz. Orat. 3. Let us being cleansed in soul and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all our might sing that song which the Israelites sung when the Egyptians were destroyed where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies affectionateness and earnestness of mind in the use of a set form of words Lex Rab. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buxtorf noteth it as an expression used among the Jews that he who shall say Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might which answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gates of Paradise shall be opened to him but here could be no variety of expression but as he interpreteth it by this Phrase is meant omni intentione devotione a joining with all earnestness of intention and heartiness of devotion Linw. Prov. l. 3. Tit. 23. Sect. 1. About 450. years since was framed an English Canon requiring the daily publick Prayers and service to be performed religiously prout Deus dederit and again prout Deus inspiraverit which are Phrases as plausible and pregnant as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet these Phrases were used concerning the set diurnal and nocturnal offices requiring that they should behave themselves therein with Religious devoutness according as God should give them ability and breath by his spirit Wherefore this citation from Justin Martyr though managed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with the utmost might will prove nothing but the weakness of the attempt of the Vndertakers 4. Another place objected is from Tertullian Apol. c. 30. who saith the Christians did pray sine monitore quia de pectore without a monitor or prompter because from their heart The sense of these words of Tertullian hath been variously apprehended by divers learned men some judging that they intend praying by heart as we call it and therefore by a form others that they expressed the readiness of Christians to put up hearty and devout supplications to God Bishop Bilson of Christian subjection Part. 4. from the Religious inclinations of their own spirits and some very worthy men have thought that sense of these words which is closed with in the management of this objection not to be improbable concerning Tertullians time And it is not much of be wondred if some obscure Phrases of so dark a Writer as Tertullian be either not well understood or sometimes misunderstood among this number I account this Phrase which I suppose to refer to an ancient custom in the Primitive Church But 5. In answer to this objection it might be sufficient to observe that sine monitore can in no propriety of speech be construct without a form since the Monitor must needs be a person not a Book whose words were to guide and
direct others Now I suppose they who object this place would not from hence infer that in the publick Prayers of the Church there was no Minister who expressed the words of Prayer with which the rest joined in affection This is indeed most properly to pray sine monitore but this could not be practised in publick Prayers save only in the use of a known form in which they should all conspire with one heart and voice and according to this sense in which it is most fairly understood if it be referred to the publick Prayers of the Church this place is a considerable testimony for the use of set forms 6. But it seemeth to me very probable which I leave to the consideration of others that these words peculiarly concern the Stationary days of the ancient Church These days were the fourth and sixth days of the Week in which the Christians attended the publick Assemblies of the Church Albasp Obs l. 1. obs 16. beginning very early in the Morning and continuing till three a Clock in the Afternoon and these were accounted the chief days of Christian supplication and humiliation and the observance of them was esteemed the most effectual means to obtain Gods blessing and favour On these days besides their joining in publick Prayers which Tertullian intimateth to be performed about the hours of nine twelve and three a considerable portion of the days was allotted for their exercising themselves in private Prayers and inward and fervent supplications humbly performed upon their knees with fasting and tears in the place of publick Assemblies with regard to what was needful either to themselves in particular or to the publick welfare of the Church or Empire Of the ordinary use of these retired but solemn supplications and devotions in the Christian Church there are as I suppose divers sufficient testimonies 7. Tertullian who in his Book De Oratione De Orat. c. 13. hath peculiar respect to their Stationary days speaketh hereof Quid amplius referunt isti qui clarius adorant nisi quod proximis obstrepant imo prodendo petitiones suas quid minus faciunt quam si in publico orent Cyp. de Orat. Dom. v. Pamel in Cyprianum And S. Cyprian requireth them who are gathered together in the Assemblies with the brethren and do celebrate divine Sacrifices with Gods Priest that they would avoid indigested and tumultuous speaking and setteth before them the example of Hannah who prayed not by loud petition sed tacite modeste intra ipsas pectoris latebras precabatur That there were such Prayers used in the Jewish Church appeareth from the example of Hannah and of the Pharisee and Publican To understand this Phrase of Tertullian concerning such Prayers in the Christian Churches is most agreeable to the literal sense of these words sine monitore quia de pectore and to zephyrus thus paraphrasing upon it We do not conceive Prayers dictated by a Priest but all the Christian Assembly as if we all conspired together to express our desires with sighs and groans out of the very seat of our minds and spirit So that he understandeth this place of that inflamed devotion kindled from a fervency of inward heat which needed not the help of the wind without to blow it up or of those active desires which received not their efficacy from the breath or voice of another but from the inward motions of the soul 8. After these are produced the Council of Laodicea Can. 18.3 Conc. Carth. c. 23. and Conc. Milev c. 12. as if they gave the original to set forms of Prayer when they only established some sanctions concerning them The Laodicean Canon enjoineth the use of these services Morning and Evening The Canon of Carthage in one part of it requireth that quascunque sibi preces aliquis describit whatsoever Prayers any one shall transcribe for himself he shall not use them till he hath conferred with the understanding brethren Now tramcribing properly here intended supposeth a form and care is taken by this Canon that no Copy for the publick use of the Church which could then be only had by transcribing should be received until it was carefully examined V. Medes Christian Sacr. Sec. 3. The other part of that Canonrequireth that at the Communion where Christs offering up himself to the Father is commemorated their Prayers should always be directed to the Father This doth not suppose that there were no forms then in use but might well be intended either to put a stop to what was then entring or to regulate what was amiss in any of their set forms especially considering that in the vast territories of the Carthaginian jurisdiction various forms of Prayer were about that time used some of which were composed by Hereticks as is evident from S. Augustin Cont. Don. l. 6. c. 25. who was a member of that Council The Canon of Milevis declareth against the use of any other forms than those established by the Council but we may as well conclude from our Act of Vniformity as from any of these Councils that it gave the first Original to forms of Prayer because they are thereby established And thus having viewed these chief objections I may well conclude that the evidence for the great antiquity of set forms remaineth inviolable 9. The argument against the lawfulness of set forms because they limit the use of gifts needeth not much consideration since it is manifest that by the will of God bounds and limits were to be set even to the use of the extraordinary gifts of Gods spirit that the Church might be edifyed 1 Cor. 14.26 27 28 30 33. Whereas now no such miraculous emanation of the Holy Ghost can be pretended nor doth the establishing a form for the publick Offices of the Church deny the liberty in due place of using other Prayers according to the practice of our and the ancient Church 10. It is further objected that forms of Prayer are disadvantageous to piety and devotion and the Non-Conformists oft plead experience as a testimony that they are the cause of much deadness in mens spirits and the hindrance of the lively exercise of Religion Here on the other hand others by experience assert the advantage of set forms to promote devotion when attended without prejudice and with a Religious design of joining in Gods worship To discern the truth in this difference it may be useful to consult the judgment of such persons as are least partial in this Case and yet are able to make a true estimate of damage or advantage and then especially to consider the evidence of reason which may be produced 11. The Leyden Professors declare concerning set forms Synopl Purior Theol. Disp 36. Sect. 33. non tantum licitas sed valde uâ—â—les esse contendimus We defend against any persons that they are not only lawful but exceedingly advantageous and this they assert not only because every Christian cannot fitly conceive new Prayers upon
every occasion but because in great Assemblies attentio auditorum per usitatas formulas non parum juvatur the attentiveness of the hearers is not a little helped forward by usual forms Consid Contr. Ang. c. 7. q. 2. The Walachrian Classis of Zealand do in like manner declare publick forms to be lawful and profitable for the helping and directing the attention of the auditors and the preserving Uniformity and that in good forms of Prayer Christians may pray with a humble sense of their wants with holy affection desire zeal faith and a Religious acting of the heart to God suitable to their own cases nobis expertis certissimum est is a thing say they most certain to us who have experienced it 12. But the surest way of tryal whereby forms of Prayer may be manifested to bring no disadvantage to the Church of themselves is from considering several arguments to that purpose as 1. because as I have shewed God himself prescribed a constant form of Prayer for the Jewish Offrings and a form of Priestly blessing and our Saviour directed the Lords Prayer as a form and presented a form of words for the administring Baptism but it must be at the least a great misapprehension and sin to think that the holy God and our blessed Saviour should command and enjoin what is of its own nature a hindrance to godliness Piety and true Religion and a disadvantage to the Church De Orat. Dom. S. Cyprian said well what Prayer can be more spiritual than that which was given to us by Christ by whom the holy Spirit himself was sent 2. Because it is generally acknowledged that the singing Psalms of Prayer or praise may be advantageously performed in a set form of words and the holy Scriptures are not the less edifying nor the less applicable to our selves because they are contained in a set form of words both in reading the Scriptures and in Prayer our hearts ought to be religiously moved towards God though in somewhat a different manner 3. Because all the ages of the Christian Church from the first Centuries have used them as an advantage to Religion and it is not at all probable that such excellently devout and judicious men as the fourth and fifth Centuries abounded with should be so stupid and dull spirited as not any of them to discern between the helps and hindrances of religious devotion in matters of most ordinary practice Wherefore though many mens minds may be most pleased and delighted with variety of expression there is no prejudice to piety from a set form further than this is caused by prejudice against such a form or by want of a Religious temper to join in it Here I shall note what Mr. Baxter observeth though he yield not so much use of forms as I plead for He saith Disp of Liturgy Prop. 10. the constant disuse of forms is apt to breed a giddiness in Religion and it may make men Hypocrites who shall delude themselves with conceits that they delight in God when it is but in these novelties and varieties of expression that they are delighted and therefore he adviseth forms to fix Christians and make them sound And the arguments in the foregoing Section do evidence the benefits of their constant use SECT III. Of the manner of composing the Prayers in our Liturgie chiefly of Responsals and short Prayers 1. Coming now to a particular consideration of that form of Prayer enjoined in this Church I shall wave such things where the force and matter of the objections is cut of by the alterations authoritatively made in the new establishment of our Liturgy and beginning with the Prayers themselves in the daily service there are two things especially to be treated of concerning their general frame and contexture The first is that the people are required to bear a part in this service not only in that they are by voice to join in the Confession and Doxology but that several Petitions are required to be expressed by the united voice of all the Assembly This is condemned by the Non-Conformists Except of Presbyter p. 4. who say that the Minister is appointed for the people in all publick services appertaining to God and that the people hereby seem to invade that sacred office the Scriptures making the Minister the mouth of the people to God in Prayer and intimating the peoples part to be only to say Amen 2. But since our Saviour condemneth the teaching or receiving for doctrines the commandments of men we may not embrace that as a Scripture doctrine where the Scripture delivereth no such thing Indeed under the law there was a special command of God that whatever legal Sacrifices were offered to him some few extraordinary cases only excepted that service was to be performed by the hand of the Priest but there is no constitution under the Gospel that spiritual Sacrifices of Prayer thanksgiving or the expression of a contrite broken heart may be offered up to God in no other way than by the mouth of a Minister though it be in a publick Assembly And what they assert is sufficiently to other mens understandings contradicted by themselves who allow the people liberty by their voices to join in singing those Psalms which contain both Prayers praises and Confessions 3. The truth is all such Prayers as have particular reference to the Consecration and Administration of the Sacraments and to the Ministerial absolution and benediction ought to be performed by the Minister alone though it be in a private place and upon a particular occasion because these things enclude the power of the Keys But as for others the rules of order and edification will direct that Prayers and Confessions which are considerably long should be expressed by one that the rest may the better understand and join in them and the authority of the Ecclesiastical office and its order and degree in the Church will require this to be performed by some in the Ministry For this we have the examples of the Scripture times to which agreeth the practice of the following ages De Eccles Dogm c. 30. and the author under S. Aug. name saith that those who are of authority in the Church tota fere Ecclesia secum congemiscente postulant precantur do put up their requests and Prayers almost all the Church joining with their sighs and groans Yet this practice doth no way disallow the peoples vocal joining in short Ejaculations or in other generally known Petitions since this may be of good use to unite their affections more firmly to quicken their minds into a greater fervency and to fix their spirits in a more diligent attending to the service they are about and more particularly to express their joining therein whereby they may both incite others and use their tongues as instruments of Gods glory 4. Indeed S. Paul speaketh of him who occupieth the room of the unlearned saying Amen at their blessing or giving of thanks
Corona militis c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum etiam antelucanis caetibus sumimus do intimate that that Sacrament was administred also at other times besides those early Morning Assemblies and S. Cyprian as Pamelius noteth Cyp. Ep. 63. n. 48. expresseth their communicating the that Carthaginian Church both in the Morning and the Evening Socr. Hist Eccl. l 5. c. 21. as Socrates long after relateth the Custom of Evening Communions in the Churches of Egypt and those nigh to Thebais And therefore the Eucharist and Agapae might be and were joined together as is manifest from another place of Tertullians Apology Apol. c. 7 8. 5. And that these things were mutable Rites and no perpetual Laws to the Christian Church is manifest not only from general Ecclesiastical practice but also because the Scriptures give no command for the love Feasts though they mention that practice with approbation and the kiss which was a token of love and friendship according to the Custom of those Countries was thence directed to be observed by those Christians only as a token of their Christian greeting and salutation and a testimony of their Vnity and Communion Yet because these things were used at the time of the holy Communion as outward actions representing part of that Christian duty practice and engagement which was signified by that holy Ordinance it self and undertaken therein they were in this use properly Ecclesiastical Rites and do justifie the use of such external actions in the service or duties of Religion which are useful to excite or promote Christian practice 6. And besides these the Apostles direction for men to pray or prophesie with their heads uncovered 1 Cor. 11.4 was the determining an external Rite for order and decency and not without some respect to the common expressions of Reverence in Greece and other parts of the Roman Empire The Jewish Priests performed their Temple service with their heads covered with their Bonnets as did the High Priest also in his Mitre and it was his honour and dignity that he might not uncover his head Lev. 21.10 he representing hereby the glory and honour of the Messias In the Jewish Synagogue worship their men constantly prayed with their faces vailed V. Hor. Hebr. in 1. Cor. 11.4 in token of shame as is manifest from divers testimonies of the Talmudists agreeably to which Custom the holy Angels in Isaiah's Vision are represented standing before God and worshipping with their faces covered Is 6.1 2 3. The ancient Romans used uncovering the head as an expression of honour to great men but yet from the time of Aeneas Plutarch Prob. Rom. q. 10 11 13. as Plutarch affirmeth they had their heads covered in most of their Religious solemnities The Grecians worshipped with their heads uncovered as did the Romans also in their adoration of Saturn But S. Paul considering the Christians relation and encouragements and the customary use of vailing among women as fitly becoming and expressing their shamefastness modesty and subjection he thence from the consideration of comeliness determineth that the expression of reverence which most befitteth the state of men in their Religious service is to uncover their heads and not to vail them both in praying and in prophesying or praising and glorifying God chiefly under extraordinary or prophetick raptures in which sense the Chaldee Paraphrast oft expoundeth the Phrase of prophesying in the Old Testament and R. D. Kimchi Ch. Par. in 1. Sam. 10.5 6 10 11 13. Ch. 19 20 21 23 24. Drus in 1. Sam. 10.6 also as he is cited by Drusius And the consequence hereof is this that such outward actions as tend to express a comely reverence in the service of God may be filty appointed and used therein under the Gospel dispensation 7. But because I shall in the following Chapter give some other instances of Apostolical practice I forbear in this place to urge any more and therefore shall not insist upon S. Peter submitting to have his feet washed at our Saviours command which some have noted to be a Jewish Paschal Rite then practised under an Evangelical signification nor upon the observations enjoined to the Gentile Christians by the Council at Jerusalem Act. 15. nor upon those other manifestly ancient Rites which are not mentioned in the Scriptures but were by the Fathers of the Primitive Church called Apostolical Rites or Apostolical Traditions But instead of prosecuting what is contained in this last instance I shall observe that it was a current position among the chief Protestant Writers of the Churches beyond the Seas that in points of external rite order and decency some things were appointed by the Apostles in the Churches of Christ which were not recorded in the holy Scriptures Kemnit Exam de Tradit 7 m. Genus Thus Kemnitius asserteth that it is manifest from the Apostles writings that they did ordain and deliver some Rites unto the Church verisimile est quosdam etiam alios externos ritus qui in scriptura annotati non sunt to Apostolis traditos esse And it seemeth true that there were other external Rites delivered by the Apostles which are not mentioned in the Scripture Beza upon those words of S. Paul The rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 granteth that the Apostle did in that Church detemine other things not mentioned in that Epistle but pertinent ad ordinem Ecclesiasticum non ad dogmata they were not matters of Doctrine but of Ecclesiastical Order And upon the same words he saith that they appointed things referring to order as time place forms of Prayer and such like as times places and persons did require Zanch. Tract de Sacr. Script Qu. 8. Zanchy also citing the same Text by way of Objection in his Treatise of the holy Scripture answereth That concerning matters of order and decency we acknowledge many things to have been appointed in the Churches by the Apostles which are not written Concedimus multa fuisse instituta ab Apostolis in Ecclesiis quae non sunt scripta 8. That command of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order doth manifestly suppose a power and command its exercise in the Church of Corinth for the appointing what is requisite to those ends and is to this purpose urged not only in the Church of England but by those other modern Writers who are in high esteem with most Non-Conformists Infst l. 4. c. 10. Sect. 27. Calvin in his institutions from this Scripture asserteth a necessity of laws made by Ecclesiastical Constitutions because order and decency cannot otherwise be kept nisi additis observationibus tanquam vinculis quibusdam and in his Commentaries he thence asserteth In 1. Cor. 14.40 that God hath left external Rites unto our liberty that we might not account his worship to consist in them Zanchy Zanch. Compend Doct. Christianae Loc. 16. considering this Text enquireth what the Apostle
a laying a burden upon the Churches Act. 15.28 Wherefore when the whole matter of this Decree is in that verse called necessary things we must thereby understand that some things indifferent yea under the Gospel inconvenient in their own nature being judged of use for the avoiding scandal and promoting Peace and Vnity in the Church became necessary to be practised in the Church after that Decree and Injunction And though the end of designing the Unity and encrease of the Church did require that in some things the Gentile Christians should yield a complyance to the Jews yet in what particulars this compliance should consist was determined by the authority of this Apostolical Synod whereby the practice thereof became necessary 3. Obs 2. That Apostolical Decree concerning these matters indifferent was designed to lay an obligation upon the practice of all Gentile Christians in those Apostolical times There are indeed some very learned men who have reputed this Decree to be a local constitution confined to Syria Cilicia and the Territories of Antioch and Jerusalem And if it had extended no further it had been a sufficient instance of an injunction in things indifferent but if it was intended to oblige all the Gentiles it is thereupon to be esteemed a more full and large example Now that this Decree contained in the first Canonical and Apostolical Epistle of the New Testament was of general concernment to the Gentile Christians though its inscription referred 〈◊〉 those places above-mentioned may be concluded because S. James declared it in general to have respect to the believing Gentiles Act. 21.25 because S. Paul Silas and Timotheus delivered this Decree even unto the Cities of Lycaonia Phrygia and Galatia to be observed by them Act. 16.1 3 4 6. and because the Primitive Christians did in all places account themselves bound by this determination of the Apostles to abstain from bloud and things strangled as appeareth from the testimonies of Tertullian Tertul. Apol c. 9. Minut. in Oct. Orig. cont Cels l. 8 Eus Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 1. Minutius Felix Origen the Epistle from France concerning their Martyrs recorded in Eusebius and the Canon of the Greek Code above-mentioned 4. Obs 3. It is acknowledged upon good grounds and granted by the Presbyterians that this Apostolical Sanction doth evidence a power in the Church of enjoining in lawful things what may be conducible to the good and welfare of the Church both because the successive practice of the Church did thence-forward exercise such a power and because though the Apostles might be inspired extraordinarily after they met together in this Synod yet they did not account a particular divine inspiration necessary to make an Ecclesiastical Constitution but in that great question whether and how far the Gentiles should undertake the Law of Moses they came together to consider of this matter Act. 15.5 6. and proceeded therein by way of disputation v. 7. Hence Gillespy in his assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland Gillesp Par. 2. Ch. 4. Ch. 8. concludeth the authority of Synodical Assemblies and that they have a diatactick power to make Decrees The London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici Part. 2. c. 14. declare this Apostolical Synod to be a pattern and platform for others and thence allow a Synodical power of imposing things on the Church which they assert to be encluded in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.28 And the Assemblies Consession doth from hence assert a power in Synods to make Decrees and determinations Conf. c. 31. which ought to be received with reverence as from Gods Ordinance and to set down rules and directions for the better ordering the publick worship of God Yet it may be observed that some of that way have in this particular manifested great partiality as Mr. Rutherford Ruth Introd to Div. Right of Ch. Gov. Sect. 5. p. 81. Disp of Candale Libert qu. 5. when he disputes against our Church and against the lawfulness of external Rites he denyeth any power in the Church to prescribe Laws touching things indifferent Plea for Presbyt Ch. 14. p. 199. but in his Plea for Presbytery he asserteth their Synods to have power to make Ecclesiastical Canons and Decrees which tie and bind particular Congregations to observe and obey them 5. Wherefore if the Apostles did make injunctions concerning things indifferent and imposed them upon all the Churches of the Gentiles and accounted their authority of Ecclesiastical Government guided by prudential consideration to be sufficient without extraordinary inspiration to establish such a Sanction then must this power remain in the Church taking in the Princes supremacy where the Authority of Church Government abideth permanent 6. And if we consider the Church under the General Notion of a Society as it is ordinary in all Societies for the Rulers thereof to exercise a power of making Rules and Constitutions not contradictory to any superiour Government for preserving a due order in that Society so this doth especially take place in the Christian Church where there are special divine Laws which require care to be taken for order and decency and command Christians to obey them who have the rule over them And that those who will enjoy the Communion of any particular Church must submit to the Rules of order appointed therein is but the proper result of orderly Constitution and is of general practice insomuch that the French Reformed Churches as hath been observed by Mr. Durell Durelli Vindic. Eccl. Angl. c. 22. in Praf would not suffer Mr. Welch who came thither from Scotland to continue in administring the Sacrament without using the prescribed form of Prayer and admitting the standing gesture according to the order of that Church but he being enjoined Conformity by the Synod at S. Maixant 1609 left that Church and Realm rather than he would embrace it 7. But it is by some pleaded against the lawfulness of Constitutions Ecclesiastical that these are an infringing of Christian liberty But whereas Ecclesiastical Rites and Constitutions are in themselves lawful as hath been proved prudential determinations about such indifferent things can no more incroach upon Christian liberty than do the political Sanctions of Civil Laws and the Domestick commands of Parents and Masters And surely every mans apprehension must needs acknowledge it a gross mistake to imagine that when the Precepts of Christianity do earnestly enjoin the practice of self-denial meekness submission and obedience to superiours it should be the priviledge of Christian liberty to disoblige men from any or these things which would represent our most excellent Religion as contradicting it self But true Christian liberty conveyeth a priviledge of freedom from that which the Christian Doctrine abolisheth the Mosaical Covenant and Ceremonies of the Law from that which its Precepts prohibit and disclaim the life of sin and bondage to the Devil and being under any other as our Soveraign and supreme
Cens c. 11. And Bucer in his Censura declareth it to be an ancient and simplex ritus apure or innocent Rite and that he judgeth the use thereof to be neither indecent nor unprofitable 17. I know there are some who think their own apprehensions so much above all others that they are no otherwise moved by testimonies which are produced against them than to express their censures Altar Damasc c. 10. p. 830. and sometimes their contempt o◠the most worthy Writers and on this manner doth Didoclavius deal with the testimony of Bucer which I now produced saith he it is frigida diluta censura nec satis expendisse videtur it was his dull and weak judgment about this matter and he did not seem to have considered what he wrote But let not such think that their authority is of any value to be put in the balance against the Primitive Church and so many reformed Churches and Writers and therefore as there being no just cause from the consideration of this rite it self and the use thereof to condemn it the censure of such persons is unjust and uncharitable and the dislike of others who are more modest in their opposition is also groundless SECT III. Of laying on hands in Confirmation THis Imposition of hands is the more opposed Didocl Altar Damasc c. 5. p. 359. Except of Presbyt p. 29. because of those Declarative words in the Prayer used at Confirmation Vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands to certifie them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness to them The Non Conformists here will neither allow that the Apostles practice should be accounted any example for laying on hands in Confirmation nor that this sign may be used to certifie Gods grace and favour which seemeth say they to speak it a Sacrament 2. Wherefore we are first to consider what Warrant this imposition of hands in Confirmation may claim from the practice of the Apostles We read Act. 8.15 17 18. that after Philip had baptized at Samaria by the Apostles prayer accompanied with imposition of hands they received the Holy Ghost and the same is related concerning the Disciples at Ephesus Act. 19.6 Here we have an Apostolical practice evident that they imposed hands and prayed and thereupon the Holy Ghost was received It is indeed acknowledged that in those instances there was a visible and miraculous testimony of the presence of the Holy Spirit by speaking with Tongues c. but the chief blessing of Gods Spirit consisteth in the inward Graces of the Spirit which were not peculiar to that time and that the obtaining the strengthning grace of the Spirit was in an especial manner designed by the Apostles imposition of hands is declared by Irenaeus Iren. adv Haeres l. 4. c. 75. Aug. Tract 6. in Ep. 1. Johan and it was justly esteemed by S. Austin that the Holy Ghost is here received where no miraculous gifts are bestowed but the gracious dispositions of love peace and unity are entertained And prayer especially the most solemn Prayer of the Bishop or chief Officer of the Church joyned with imposition of hands which was a testimony of peculiar benediction used by dying Jacob and others under the Old Testament and by Christ and his Apostles under the New is a means to obtain this blessing to such who are disposed and qualified for the receiving thereof but that those who indulge and give way to their corruptions and passions as the Corinthians did by their divisions could not receive the increase of the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit by the Apostolical imposition of hands is also asserted in the place above-mentioned by Irenaeus And if any persons will contend that the imposition of hands now received in the Church cannot be a practice according to the example of the Apostles because in those times the Holy Ghost was oft miraculously received which cannot now be expected he may as well assert that the imposition of hands for Ordination is not continued in the Church from the example of the Apostles because then the Holy Ghost was sometimes extraordinarily given thereby or that our praying and preaching is not a doing that for which we have the Apostles for an example because we cannot by them expect such wonderful gifts as sometimes were conferred under the Apostles doctrine and by their prayer 3. And by the searching into Antiquity we may discern the general use of this Imposition of hands in the Church as from the Apostles When the Apostle Heb. 6.2 speaketh of the Foundation of the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of hands the ordinary exposition of the Greek and Latine Fathers refer those words unto Confirmation and in the same sense are they understood by Calvin Beza Illyricus and many other Protestants Eusebius ralateth a story Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein Confirmation was used under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while S. John was yet alive and Cornelius noted it as a defect in Novatus the Schismatick that he never obtained Confirmation from the Bishop for receiving the Holy Ghost which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eus Hist l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are related in Eusebius Tertullian in his short account of the Rites of the Church Tertul. de Resur Cam. c. 8. De Baptism c. 8. after he had mentioned Baptism expresseth Confirmation in these words Caro manus impositione adumbratur ut anima Spiritu illuminetur and in his Book De Baptisma saith that after Baptism is used imposition of hands calling for and inviting the holy Spirit by that benediction Cypr. Ep. 73. S. Cyprians testimony is yet more full who saith that for those whom Philip baptized that which lacked was performed by Peter and John by whose prayer and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost was invocated and poured forth upon them which also saith he is now practised among us that those who are baptized in the Church are presented to the chief Officers of the Church that by our prayer and imposition of hands they may obtain the Holy Ghost and may by Confirmation attain to the highest Order of Christians or signaculo dominico consummentur S. Ambrose speaketh of Confirmation Amb. de Sacr. l. 3. c. 2. Hieron adv Lucif Aug. Cont. l. 3. c. 16. l. 5. c. 23. in Psal 130. that the holy Spirit is thereby obtained by prayer S. Hierom approveth it for Apostolical and S. Austin in divers places defendeth the practice hereof with relation to the Apostolical imposition of hands and for the receiving the Holy Ghost even when the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were no more communicated and this imposition of hands was enjoyned by the ancient Council of Elvira Conc. Elib c. 38. unto them who being baptized in case of necessity did afterwards recover their health And therefore this practice of the
apprehensions of other men it is very manifest that unless there be a complyance or submission to such determinations by the members of the Church they can not actually communicate in these administrations unless they could communicate in what they will not yield to join in Yet these things with us are not made the conditions of communion any other way than the submission to lawful determinations of those things which must be one way or other determined is necessary for them who will join in such an orderly Society 11. And they who urge this objection do themselves make their determinations of these things besides some other things peculiar to their way as much a condition of Communion in their Congregations as our determinations are with us They may possibly stamp a divine authority upon those usages of their own which really have it not and urge such things for laws of God which he hath not established but this being much of the same nature with teaching for doctrines the commandments of men can never render their communion the more acceptable And I suppose this following discourse will sufficiently manifest that the divine authority doth neither enjoin their way of service without all forms and other rites nor disapprove of ours And now the arguments brought in that Treatise to make good this exception will concern themselves to answer as well as others and may be easily solved For 1. P. 173. When Christ gave Commission to his Apostles to baptize all Nations and teach them to observe whatsoever he commanded he thereby enjoined all his doctrines and precepts to be received and obeyed of all men and especially of those who imbrace the Christian baptism but he doth not thereby forbid rules of decency and order which are required in the Scripture to be received in the Communion of Christians And 2. Lib. 2. Ch. 1. Sect. 3. Ch. 2. Sect. 2 3. the Apostles practice and 3. their doctrine with a particular consideration of the fourteenth Chapter to the Romans will be evidenced in this Treatise to give both allowance and direction for Ecclesiastical constitutions of order 12. The fourth argument is from this instance of fact P. 191. When Victor Bishop of Rome excommunicated the Asian Churches for not observing Easter at the same time with the Roman Church this his action as fixing new bounds to Church-Communion was then disliked much by others and especially rebuked by one of the most holy and learned men then living which was Irenaeus Ans Well might Victors actions be censured by Irenaeus which was not only a directing and retaining that as a sixed rule of order for his own Church Eus Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was then the Roman Custom and practice and which Irenaeus and the French Churches as well as many others did allow and judge requisite in that very Epistle to Victor but it was the obtruding that which was no Apostolical command or institution to be so far Apostolical as to be thereupon a doctrine and practice necessary to be received in all parts of the Christian Church and that all other whole Churches who received it not were not to be owned in the Communion of the Catholick Church Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and upon this account he undertook to excommunicate the Asian Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being Heterodox or erring from the Faith But our Church can be charged with no such practices as these were for it declareth it self thus B. of Com. Prayer of Ceremonies In these our doings we condemn no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our own people only which words with other to the same purpose are prefixed to our Liturgy His fifth argument is P. 194. that hence it would follow that there is no certain rule of Communion amongst Christians fixed and determined by Christ To which I answer that in all doctrines of Christianity nothing can be required as necessary for Communion with any Church but what Christ hath determined yet even here every errour in judgment or miscarriage in practice doth not forfeit the right of Communion and concerning defaults they who have the power of the Keys which is managed with Ecclesiastical Prudence Albasp Observat l. 2. Obs 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. are allowed to consider of times and other circumstances whence the Church of God hath unblameably used sometimes greater and other times less severity about the same crimes But that there should be different prudential rules of external order in the communion of different Churches hath generally been allowed and acknowledged in the ancient Church and pleaded for amongst the reformed Churches 13. P. 171 202. Indeed it is in the same Treatise urged as a thing included under this exception of Vnscriptural conditions of Communion that Ministers are required to express their approbation of the things injoined as the Liturgy Articles and Book of Ordination by their subscription or declaration But besides that these things are not intended for conditions of Christian communion but requisite for regular administrations and the preservation of order it is but reasonable that they who insist on this Plea before they blame us much more before they separate from us upon this account should themselves consider whether they would be willing to receive any persons to be Ministers of their Congregations who do not some way or other express their allowance of their way and order and particularly whether they would entertain him as their Minister who is resolved to perform all ministerial actions according to the order of the Liturgy If they be willing to entertain such a Minister and Ministration they must thereby justifie our way of order and communion by their submitting to the same terms of injoying Church-Communion But if they will admit no person to be a Minister in their Churches as indeed they will not before they are satisfied that he approveth and will continue in the way and order of their Churches while they herein blame our Church they should consider those words of the Apostle Rom. 2.1 Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things 14. But of the lawfulness of things as enjoined in the Church for order sake which is the main thing considerable in this exception and which hath been divers times sufficiently justified Bishop Whitgift Tr. 2. Hccles Folit l. 3. Lib. 2. c. 2. by Bishop Whitgift Mr. Hooker and many others since them I shall treat in another place more particularly and it will be sufficient here to add that God who hath appointed Rulers in his Church to guide and command hath also made it a duty to obey them who have the rule over us 15. Its second Plea Another Plea for separation from the Church of England is That the joining in communion
Covenant to alter the Government is disclaimed and rejected by the Parliaments of England and Ireland and also by the rescissory act as I find it termed in Scotland it must hereby become void though it had been otherwise binding 9. A fourth Rule is That what the general judgment of the best Christians of all ages have condemned as sin ought not to be admitted But they have all acknowledged it a sin that an Oath so far as it is against any right should be persisted in as being obligatory And it is as reasonable to doubt of ordinary travellers knowing the road they have long used as to question whether the most eminent Christians since Christ did ever arrive at the understanding of those plain duties of Religion which are of frequent practice 10. When Novatus made a Schism in the Roman Church against Cornelius he in delivering the Holy Sacrament gave to his followers this Oath Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Swear to me by the body and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou wilt never leave me nor return to Cornelius and yet both S. Cyprian and other Catholick Bishops every where judged these men bound to return and condemned their continuance with Novatus in the breach of Peace and Unity Evagrius relateth Evagr. Hist l. 6. c. 6. that when Mauritius the Emperour sent Philippicus to command his Army they bound themselves by Oath not to owne him for their Commander but when the Emperour persisted in his purpose and sent a Bishop to treat with them they were at last satisfied that they ought to receive him notwithstanding their Oath And when Anacletus was set up to govern the Roman Church Vit. S. Bern. lib. 2. c. 5. in opposition to Innocentius the second some persons told S. Bernard that they could not receive Innocentius because they were bound by an Oath to hold to Anacletur against him But S. Bernard answered insanire eos qui rem illicitam Sacramenti patrocinio constare existimant that it is a madness to think that any thing not lawful of it self can be defended by their Oath Spelm. Conc. Brit. in leg Alf. 1. Novel 51. Dig. l. 2. Tit. 14. Jurisg whereas said he such disorderly agreements under whatsoever pretence of Religion they be established are to be accounted void and by the authority of God to be dissolved 11. That nothing otherwise unwarrantable can become a duty by any Oath was declared in the Ecclesiastical laws of Alfred and by the Councils of Basil Sess 4. of Lerida Can. 7. and of Toledo 8. Can. 2. and in several places of the civil Law Cod. l. 9. Tit. 8. Const 2. and by all our Protestant Writers treating of the vow of single life in the who have not the gift of continency And this is so agreeable to all rational principles that it was received among the ancient Roman laws Phil de leg special C. 22. q. 3. 4. lib. 2. Tit. 24. cap. 12. 19. before the Empire became Christian and is likewise declared by Philo the Jew And in the Canon Law Gratian resolved by divers ancient authorities that an Oath against the duty of obedience being sinful cannot oblige and the like is asserted in the Gregorian decretals both which are in this matter received with good approbation by Protestant Writers 12. Now I shall not think it necessary to answer objections but shall content my self no note that whatsoever objection may press some one of the rules above-mentioned doth still leave the main design secure unless all these rules could be invalidated And such objections as carry an appearance of proof that an Oath may oblige to what otherwise would not be warrantable have this manifest indication of mistake because they tend to uphold this monstrous position that men are bound to observe Gods commands and their duties no longer than till they shall please to make an Oath against them CHAP. III. Of the Declaration and Subscription referring to the Liturgy 1. SOme open acknowledgment or subscription not only to doctrines but also to other rules and Ecclesiastical Constitutions hath been a thing very usual in the Christian Church and in matters lawful and orderly hath been thought desireable to promote Peace and continue well established order therein and the expediency thereof standeth recommended by the wisdom and ordinary practice of the Church 2. In the Council of Nice Conc. Nicen c. 8. the returning Novatians who were received in the Clergy were required by subscription to testify that they would conform to the Catholick practice and the Constitutions and Decrees of the Catholick Church The ancient Custom of subscribing to their Synodical Constitutions Conc. Carth. gr c. 93. Conc. Carth. 2. Can. 13. is evident from divers ancient Councils which was also practised in the Carthaginian Territories where such who acted contrary to their profession or subscription were sharply sentenced And in the Constitutions of Justinian according to some Copies he who was to be ordained Bishop besides his subscribing to the doctrine of the Faith and his Oath against Simony was required to read the offices of the Church for the holy Communion and with the other Prayers of the Church Novel 123. edit Haloand those also appointed for Baptism And he who as he was required did testifie his allowance of these Prayers by reading them might as well have testified the same by any other vocal acknowledgment or subscription 3. Among the Protestants the practice of subscription to such things as also that which is more solemn an acknowledgment by Oath hath been frequently admitted In Poland after the consent chiefly touching the Lords Supper was established in the Synod of Sandomir 1570. between the Churches of those three Confessions the Bohemian Augustan and Helvetian Syn. Torun 2585. it was concluded in another following General Synod and attested by the Super-Intendents Ministers and Patrons of the several Confessions that none should be admitted into the Ministry or received into their Churches as a Minister unless among other qualifications consensui subscribat he subscribe to the consent and behave himself accordingly Which provision contained a prudential care that a due decorum should be kept even in the Agenda of Religion The French Church requireth a subscription to their Liturgy and the like may be observed in divers other places 4. In the Bohemian Church after the time of their ordination which was performed manuum Episcopalium impositione Ratio Discipl c. 2 Sect. 4. 5. p. 32 34. the Ministers were solemnly admitted to their particular ministration by their Visitor who amogn other things committed to them their liber Ritualis containing their form and rites of worship of the performance of which they were to take care and to which among other offices of their Ministry they did at their Ordination oblige themselves by a Religious Oath both to God and his Church Ratio Canon Examin in Bucer
Script Angl. They who entred into the Ministry at Strasburgh after its first reformation did by Oath undertake to keep in the Communion and obedience of the Church and its Governours according to the law of God and their Canons Statutes and Ordinances And it is related from the laws of Geneva where an established Liturgy is one of their Constitutions that all they who were there received to the Ministry must oblige themselves by Oath to observe the Ecclesiastical Ordinances ordained by the Councils of that City In the Hungarian reformed Church they who enter the Ministry do by a very solemn Oath oblige themselves to the observations of the Ecclesiastical Canons Eccles Augl Vindic cap. 31. in fin and to the performing due obedience to the Bishop and other Superiours in the Church as may be seen in their Oath as it is fully exhibited by Mr. Durell from their Synodical Constitutions 5. The Subscriptions or Declarations required amongst us besides what for the present concerneth the Covenant are an acknowledgment of the Kings just authority to secure the Government of the Articles of Religion to preserve truth of Doctrine and of the Liturgy and Book of Ordination to maintain order and Uniformity to which end also tendeth the Oath of Canonical obedience wherein such obedience to the Bishop and his Successors is engaged in all lawful and honest things which must needs be blameless unless it could be accounted a sin to resolve to do good and honest things in a way of order Of these I shall in this discourse treat of what concerneth the Liturgy which is chiefly opugned and therefore requireth the principal consideration for the vindicating our Communion in the worship of God and the manifesting the unlawfulness of the breach thereof 6. Some declared allowance of the Liturgy hath since the reformation been ordinarily required in this Church Art 35. The Articles in the time of King Edward the Sixth contained an approbation both of the Book of Common Prayer and of Ordination In Queen Elizabeths time the allowance of the use and the Subscription to the Book of Common-Prayer was required by the Advertisements Advertism 7. Eliz Can. 1571. c. concionatores Tract 21. c. 1. and Canons and defended by Bishop Whitgift Since Queen Elizabeth the same hath been performed in the Subscription according to the 36th Canon and in the Declaration and Acknowledgment in the Act of Uniformity which in seense much agreeth therewith 7. The subscription required by the thirty sixth Canon is grounded upon the Constitutions of the Convocation confirmed by the authority of the Kings broad Seal according to his supream authority in causes Ecclesiastical and according to the Statute 25. Henr. 8. And so the Canons of the Church did of old frequently receive a confirmation by the Emperours sanction under his Sea which is a thing of so great antiquity that Eusebius relateth concerning Constantine the first Christian Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by his Seal Eus de Vit. Const l. 4. c. 27. he ratisied the determinations made by the Bishops in their Synods 8. That Article in this Canon which referreth to the Book of Common-Prayer doth enclude an acknowledging three things First that that Book containeth nothing contrary to the word of God which is intended to be manifested in the following Chapters touching the things chiefly opposed The second will be consequent thereupon viz. that it may lawfully be so used The third and last clause is a promise to use the form prescribed in that Book in publick Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other the lawfulness of which promise doth evidently follow from the former clause and its sense is of the same import with those words of the acknowledgment required in the Act of Uniformity viz. I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now established 9. But some especial doubts have been peculiarly entertained concerning the sense of the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity in giving unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book of common-Common-Prayer c. But while our Government doth require the use of this form both the intended sense being the same with that of the two former clauses concerning the Liturgy in the Canon above-mentioned and the expression thereof may upon equitable and impartial consideration appear clearly and fairly justifiable To which purpose the true sense of assenting and consenting and the things to which this hath respect is to be enquired after 10. Wherefore it is first to be considered that as to assent when referred to things asserted is to owne the truth of them so when referred to things to be done ordered or used it is to allow that they should be put in practice in which latter sense assenting is one and the same with consenting Now the Act of Uniformity both immediately before this Declaration and in divers other places referreth this unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the things in that Book contained and prescribed and thereby directeth us to this ordinary sense of the word Assent as doth also the nature of the things to be assented to which for the main part are Prayers Thanksgivings and Rubricks which being no assertions or propositions are to be used but not properly to be believed This notion of assenting in the same signification with consenting is according to the frequent use of assensus in the Latin as when things are agreed unanimi assensu consensu and the marriage of Children is declared Littleton C. of Tenaunt in Dower that it should be de assensu consensu parentum and we read of dower de assensu patris in our English Law-Books and the same might be evidenced by various English Examples But this Declaration being required by our Statute Laws it may be sufficient to observe that this is a very common sense of the word assent in our English Statutes 11. 25. Ed. 1. c. 1 Pref. to 18. Ed. 3. to 2. Ric. 2. passim Thus from King Edw. I. will King Henry the seventh and sometimes after our Statute Laws are oft declared to be assented unto or to be made with the assent of the Lords c. But from Queen Elizabeths time downwards the Laws are oft expressed to be enacted by the King or Queen with the consent of the Lords c. and sometimes with their assent and consent as 1. Jac. 2. 21. Jac. 2. In the same sense par assent assensus and such like expressions are frequently used in our most ancient Statutes in their Latin and Frence Originals As in St. de Carl. Ordinat Forest c. 6. St. Lincoln Westm 4. Exilium Hug. le despenser Ordin pro ter Hib. And about common assaâ—s the word assent is three times in one paragraph used in this sense concerning the recovery of any land 14 Eliz. 8. by the assent and agreement of the persons to
1. Cor. 14.16 But the very phrase of blessing and giving of thanks makes it probable that this Text is to be understood as Mr. Thorndike expoundeth it of the Consecration of the Communion And at that time the people did ordinarily answer Amen and nothing more as appeareth from the early testimonies of Justin Martyr and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria 2. But if this sense be not admitted this Text of the Apostle doth neither mention nor in the context more nearly refer to Prayer than to singing in which latter the peoples bare saying Amen is not contended for nor allowed as a constant rule for the Churches practice though it was probable the usual method in the Christian Assemblies in those Apostolical days when the duty of singing was performed by the immediate inspiration of the spirit upon some particular persons and that these extraordinary motions of Gods spirit in those times were only vouchsafed to the Clergy or Ministry is not probable from the contents of that very Chapter And therefore this place of Scripture doth not confine the whole vocal service of God excepting an Amen to the Ministry the people being altogether debarred and excluded 5. But that all the servants of God may allowably be interested where the due rules of order and edification are observed in the outward joint expression of praise and Prayer to God is very agreeable to the holy Scriptures where the holy Angels are represented to cry one to another and say Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his glory Is 6.3 and all Israel praised God and said For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever 2. Chr. 7.3 And as S. Paul exhorteth that with one mind and one mouth Christians should glorifie God Rom. 15.6 S. John in his Vision beheld and heard the four living things the Elders the Angels and every Creature in Heaven and Earth expressing blessing honour glory and power unto God Rev. 4.8 11. Ch. 5 8. 14. and a great multitude whom no man could number crying with a loud voice and saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. Rev. 7 9 10. and he heard also the voice of the 144000. who were with the Lamb on Mount Sion as the voice of many Waters and as the voice of a great thunder singing a new Song Rev. 14.1 2 3. and these places last mentioned are the more considerable because they contain representative Visions of the service acceptably performed to God in the Christian Church 6. If we consult Ecclesiastical practice there is very probable evidence that under the Old Testament the people did vocally join by responsals in the ordinary service of God in the Sanctuary and Synagogues V. Hor. Hebr. in Mat. 6.13 Both the Joma and other Tracts of the Talmud mention the people in the period of their Prayers expressing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Blessed be the name of the glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever In Ch. Par. in Deut. 10.16 And the particular responsals used by the Jews at Circumcision are expressed by Fagius The use of alternate singing among the Essens is sufficiently known but that this was of very ancient use in the Jewish Church is very likely because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to answer is an usual expression of singing even in the holy Scriptures And there appeareth considerable evidence from Ex. 15. v. 1. v. 20. that that Song of Moses and the Children of Israel Phil. de Vit. Mos l. 3. was uttered as Philo Judaeus averreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with responsal melodies alternately repeated 7. In the Christian Church the Original of the Antiphona or the alternate singing of Hymns by two quires is ascribed by Socrates to Ignatius the like use of Davids Psalms is declared by Theodoret to have had its beginning at Antioch from Flavianus and Diodorus Their Original in the Latin Church is referred by Platina to Damaseus and by Walafridus Strabo to S. Ambrose Is Hisp de Eccl. Offic. l. 1. c. 7 8. but both Isidorus Hispalensis and Rabanus Maurus do testifie that long before this the Responsoria wherein the whole Quire answered to one Man Rab. Maur. de Inst Cler. l. 2. c. 50 51. were known by that name and used in the Latin Church And sometimes the whole Assembly joined in their Hymns and Psalms sometimes they were sung by one alone all the rest joining to eccho forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or end of the Hymn Conc. Laod c. 15 and by the Laodicean Council the wholy Assembly were not allowed to join in their publick singing which was required to be performed by the appointed singers only Thus the Ecclesiastical practice hath varied according to what was thought prudent and convenient 8. Concerning Prayers and Confessions S. Basil declareth it to have been in his time the ordinary practice of divers Eastern Churches Bas Ep. 63. that every man by his own words did profess repentance and make confession Naz. Or. 3. And Gr. Nazianzene acquainteth quainteth us that Julian in imitation of the Christians did appoint amongst the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of Prayer to be said in parts or by way of Responsals Hierom also relateth that populus cum sacerdote loquitur in precibus the people did speak with the Priest in the Prayers and Gregory the great noteth Gr. Ep. l. 7. c. 63. that in the Greek Church the Lords Prayer was ordinarily said by all the people together and as anciently as we can meet with any parcels of Liturgy or particular Offices the use of responsals may be easily discerned even as far as S. Cyprians sursum Corda and Habemus ad Dominum Wherefore the use of responsals and the people joining in some expressions in the publick service of god was a thing thought useful by the ancient Church as well as by our own and is allowable by the rules of the Scripture and the Order of the publick worship of God and whosoever assert that the vocal joining of the people in any expressions of Prayer in the publick Assembly is as Vzziahs action was an intrenching upon the Priests Office doth set up such Bars about the service of God which do keep Gods people at a greater distance from the throne of Grace than the nature and priviledge of Christian liberty will allow Yet the composing or directing particular Prayers for the publick use of Christian Assemblies is the proper work of the Church Officers who are to be the guides thereof as also teaching and instructing being an act of authority doth ordinarily belong to the Ministers of the Church and this is that speaking which is forbidden to Women in the Church because it is an act of authority 1. Cor. 15.34 1. Tim. 2.12 Whereas the joint expressing some words of confession or supplication is wholly an act of humility and is not forbidden
when the Gospel service was represented by a Vision of Angels Elders and other Creatures Rev. 4.8 11. Ch. 5.9 12 13 14. Ch. 7 10 12. the worship of God was not there expressed in one continued Prayer but in several distinct short expressions of adoration 5. No rule of Religion declareth any particular method of Prayer to recommend us to Gods acceptance and blessing which is done by inward grace and piety which is not tyed to a certain model of expression 13. It hath been also objected that it would be unseemly and imprudent for any man who petitioneth a great King divers times to begin and end and then begin again and therefore this is not to be allowed in our address to God by that rule Mal. 1.8 Offer it now unto thy Governour But 1. the expressing divers Prayers one after another is not to begin and end but to continue in Prayer 2. Nor is there any indecorum if he who is to speak to a King about several matters shall when he passeth to a new head give the King some fit honourable title 3. And chiefly those words in Malachi do require that that respect and reverence which we are to express to God must not be less but always greater than that which we give to any authority upon earth but it no way directs us to the same course in honouring and worshipping God which we use in giving respect to our Governour It is most proper for a mean man who would present a Petition to a King not to attempt to come himself directly to the King or the Prince but to make some favourite who is also a meer subject his friend to present his Petition yet will not this plead for the Popish address to God by Saints and Angels and it would be accounted intolerable impudence if a subject should every day of his life twice four times or seven times a day come into his presence and prefer his suit to him in a great measure to one and the same effect at all times whilst this frequent practice of supplication to God is a Religious devoutness These things besides divers others manifest that the measuring divine service and worship by the standard of any humane respect in all the particulars of our address to God is the way to commit an error as great as from Earth to Heaven 14. But besides this if the ordinary practice of the Church of God be considered it may be of use to discover what hath been accounted expedient in a matter where God hath given no particular command Buxt Lex Rab in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hor. Heb. in Mat. 6.9 It hath been observed by divers learned men from both the Talmuds that in and before the time of our Saviour the Jews had eighteen distinct Prayers appointed for ordinary daily use of them who were most devout when they who had not liberty to attend to them were to use the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or summary of them And the ordinary custom of celebrating the Jewish Passover Idem in Mat. 26.26 27. did contain several distinct Prayers and benedictions which is a practice manifestly as ancient as the time of our Saviour 15. In the Christian Church the Liturgy framed by S. Chrysostom Bax. Syn. Jud. c. 13. and before him that of S. Basil though they have passed through cousiderable changes sufficiently appear to have been composed after the manner of distinct short Prayers Bas Ep. 63. and S. Basil declareth it to have been in his time the usual practice at Caesaria and divers other Churches in the East that even in the midst of their Psalmody or between their singing Psalms or Hymns they did frequently intermix Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the Latine Church the like use of short Prayers is evident from the composure of the Ambrosian and other very ancient Offices divers of whose particular Prayers are collected and exhibited in a distinct Treatise by Cassander Cass Preces Ecclesiast These things besidew what might be observed from Clemens his Constitutions and the Prayers used by the Brethren in Egypt Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. which were very short as S. Augustin relateth do give considerable evidence of the ancient practice of the Christian Church and render it very probable that the like methods of Prayer were used before the time of these Fathers because it is very unlikely that a perfect new method and model of the service of God of a quite different nature from what was of former use amongst any Christians should about the same time be introduced into places so remote from each other as Italy Cappadocia Egypt Syria and others And as that architect who disparageth a Fabrick which himself cannot equal doth thereby display his own imprudence so it can be no part of wisdom for persons in the present age to condemn the prudence of the ancient Christians in ordering their Religious service when they were as well before us in the devoutness of their Religious piety as in time 16. The last thing to be considered concerning the composure of the Liturgy is that it standeth charged by some who have greater regard to the serving an interest than to truth to be wholly Romish and to be taken out of the Romish Breviary Missal and their other Rituals Whereas in truth the doctrine of no Protestant Church differeth so much from that of the Church of Rome as the model of our Liturgy doth from their Mass and other Offices where our reformers have rejected all things that were corrupt or inconvenient in themselves which were very many and have added much which was though necessary or expedient and have put the whole service into a different and more regular frame Indeed several pious Prayers of which the Lords Prayer is one with some ancient and approved Hymns and the Creed besides Psalms and Scriptures which were by them used are by us retained And as for such persons who assert that every thing made use of in the Romish service though never so innocent ought to be rejected V. Zanch. ad Arianum Resp de Antithes Christi Anti-Christ let them consider that upon this principle there were some who asserted it necessary to disclaim our Creed and renounce the doctrine of the Trinity beacuse it might not be acknowledged said they that the Romanists did retain any true belief concerning God And that strange design of rash rejecting those things in Religion though useful and good which they embrace as it hath unchristianly engaged some to deny the Divinity of Christ so if it be without all bounds entertained it may engage others impiously to disown the holy Scriptures and the true God wherras our Caristian profession requireth us to prove 〈◊〉 things 1. Thes 5.21 and to hold fast that which is 〈◊〉 SECT IV. Of the Doxology Athanasian Creed and some particular expressions in the Litany 1. The frequent use of that Doxology Glory be to the Father
also from sin and their whole man from destruction And in this sense if this Petition should be supposed to enclude which in the proper sense of the words it doth not even Traitors and Robbers can we be blamed to pray even for them that God would preserve them from further sin and so keep them that they may have time and grace for repentance and that thereby they may be preserved from eternal destruction according to Mat. 5.44 12. That Petition that God would have mercy upon all men is condemned by some but is certainly commanded by S. Paul requiring us to make Prayers for all men for nothing can be prayed for which doth not enclude Gods mercy But such light objections which are easily made against the best words that the wisdom and piety of man can devise I think not worthy the further naming but shall now proceed to some other matters of greater moment SECT V. Considerations concerning the publick reading Apocryphal Chapters 1. The reading the Apocryphal Chapters in our Church hath been severely censured as if it was a forsaking the holy Scriptures which are the waters of life to drink of other unwholsom streams but that this matter may be rightly understood without prejudice or mistake it will be requistie to take notice of these following considerations 2. Cons 1. The excellent authority of the Canonical Books of Holy Scripture as they are distinguished from the Apocryphal is fully and clearly acknowledged by this Church in her Articles Art 6. where it declareth concerning the Apocryphal Books that the Church as S. Hierome saith doth read them for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine which Article plainly disclaimeth them from being accounted Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture That the Jews do not owne these Books as any part of the Old Testament is manifest from their Bibles which contain them not and the particular evidences from the Jewish Rabbins against every one of those seven Books of the Apocrypha which are forged to be Canonical by the Council of Trent are some of them exhibited by Hollinger Thes Phil. l. 2. c. 2. Sect. 1. And that neither the ancient Church of the Jews before the destruction of Jerusalem nor Christ and his Apostles nor the several Ages of the Christian Church till some late Romish Councils did acknowledge or make use of these Books as Canonical is solidly and learnedly evidenced by the Bishop of Durham Schol. Hist of Can. of Scripture throughout with reference to the sixth Article of this Church Wherefore though it would be injurious to the holy Scriptures that any other Books which are not of divine inspiration should be accounted of equal authority with them yet it is far from being a dishonour either to them or to they holy Spirit who indited them if either these Apocryphal or any other good Books be esteemed useful and profitable and acknowledged to contain things that are true and good 3. Cons 2. It was can usual practice in the ancient Christian Church that some of these Apocryphal Books and other good writings besides the holy Scriptures were publickly read as instructive Lessons in their Assemblies but with such variation as the prudence of every Church thought meet In the second Century both the Fpistle of Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the then ancient Custom In Eus Hist l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some other Ecclesiastical Epistles were publickly read even on the Lords days for their instruction as Dionysius of Corinth testifieth And in Euscbius his time as well as before it Ibid. l. 3. c. 15. was the Epistle of Clemens publickly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greatest number of Churches Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 8. Hom. de Sanct. de S. Steph. Ser. 7. In the African Church in S. Augustins time the Histories of the passions of Martyrs v. Hom. 26. inter 50. and accounts of miraculous works by the efficacy of Christian Prayer were read in their Churches which Custom though it was very pious in the beginning was at last intolerably abused to the bringing in legend stories And more particularly the publick reading several Apocryphal Books as Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobit Judith and the Maccabees was ordered in one of the Carthaginian Councils in S. Augustins time 3. Carth. c. 47. Cont. Carth. c. 27. and that Canon was taken into their Code and besides what S. Hierom oft speaketh of these Books being read in the Church but distinguished from their Canon Ruffinus his contemporary who was first his friend and then his adversary having given first an acount of the Canonical Books proceedeth to these Books which he saith are not Canonical but Ecclesiastical Ruff. in Symb. as Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Tobit Judith c. and declareth the judgment of the ancient Fathers before his time concerning them quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesiis voluerunt sed non proferri ad auctoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam that they would have them all to be read in the Churches but not to be produced as of authority to confirm any matters of Faith And that in after Ages these Books were read in the Church Isid de Eccl off l. 1. c. 11 12. Rab. de Inst Cler. l. 2. c. 53. is evident from Isidonss Hispalensis and in the very same words from Rabanus Maurus and might be shewed from very many others if that was needful 4. Cons 3. These Books called the Apocrypha have been greatly esteemed both in the ancient Church and by the chief Protestant Writers as very useful though not divine writings Divers of the ancients have cited them under the title of the holy Scripture using that Phrase in so great a latitude as to signifie only holy writings though not divinely inspired The Council of Carthage above-named doth there call them Canenical Books as doth also S. Augustin who was in that Council De Doct. Christ lib. 2. c. 8. using the word Canonical in a large sense for it is manifest from that and divers places of S. Aug. that they were not esteemed of equal authority with those Books properly called Canonical And therefore Cajetan for the interpretation of the right sense of there words Caj Com. in Esth in fin hath well declared concerning these Books Non sunt Canonici i. e. regulares ad firmandum ea quae sunt fidei possunt tamen dici Canonici hoc est regulares ad aedificationem fidelium or they are not Canonical as containing a rule to direct our faith an belief though they may sometimes be called Canonical as containing rules to better our lives In the Greek Church where they were not at least so much publickly read as in the Latin they were accounted useful for instruction as appeareth besides the Citations of the Greek Fathers from that very Epistle of Athanasius Fragm Epist 39. in
8. whence the Targum mentioning the expedition against Antiochus speaketh of him under th ename of Alexander and the Prophet speaketh to the Jews under the stile of the Rulers of Sodom and the Elders of Gomorrha 2. And secondly the Objection is not sufficient to disprove the Historical truth of these Books if we consider 1. That the fixed time of the life of Job and the time to which divers Prophecies refer is not easily determined which yet is no good argument against the truth of either as it is a bad argument against the credit of ancient History either of our own or other Nations that it is hard to fix the scituation of divets ancient places mentioned by names now unknown 2. That both Josephus and other Historians do make no mention of divers considerable things which were certainly true as for Josephus some of the Prophets and the matter of divers Canonical Books and some remarkable Histories as particularly all that referred to the framing the Golden Calf are omitted by him 3. That the ancient Christians who had the use of divers ancient Jewish Writers and other Histonary now lost and had thereby greater opportunity of searching into the Historical truth of these things did esteem them to be true Relations Bel and the Dragon is cited as a true Narration containing an example for Martyrdom and an instance of the sureness of Gods provision for them that trust in him by Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus S. Cyprian and Gr. Nazianzen and divers others V. Lit. African in Crit. Sacr. Tom. 8. p. 46 47. And Origen particularly undertook the defence of the truth of the History of Susanna in answer to the Letter of Africanus which containeth the sum of all the Objections against it Eus Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were fully and manifestly satisfied by Origen saith Eusebius S. Hierome also wrote a Comment upon Susanna and upon Bel and declareth Origen to have written upon the same And S. Hierome calling these fabulaes useth that word here as he doth elsewhere V. Epist ad Castrutium for true Narrations which we also sometimes call stories and these very things he particularly acknowledgeth for truths Apol. 2. ad Ruff. Proleg in Habbacuc ad Chromatium And Judith is propounded as a true Narration and example of love to her people or courage by Hierome Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 70. and even by Clemens Romanus the Companion of St. Paul in that his undoubted Epistle to the Corinthians And these testimonies are the more considerable because several of these Writers and particularly Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and Hierome were men of great knowledge in all ancient learning Wherefore there is very considerable evidence that these relations are true Histories though it would be inconsiderable matter of Objection if they were acknowledged to be only Parables 3. Obj. 2. Judith approveth the fact of Simeon against the Sichemites by desiring the like assistance from God Ch. 9. and spake things untrue Ch. 10. v. 12 13 14. and Ch. 11. and yet she was commended highly and blessed by Joacim and the Elders Ans Both in these Books and even in the Canonical Scriptures we must distinguish between things Historically related which are many times evil and the matters of precept and command which are always good The main design of this Book of Judith being to shew Gods wonderful Providence in preserving his Church divers things are mentioned in the carriage of Judith which are neither to be allowed in her nor imitated by us And in the Canonical Scriptures we read of good men uttering expressions in Prayer which were unadvised and blamerble such were Elijahs intercession against Israel and both his and JOnah's passionate desire of Death We also read of Jacob by false speaches procuring his Fathers blessing which were allowed by Rebecca and of the contrivance of Jacobs other Sons against Joseph with their lying devices to paliate their own sin and of the like wiles which Jehu used to destroy the Worshippers of Baal and in some things both Jehu and Judith deserved commendation but in other things their practices as the other now mentioned and divers more are not examples for our imitation but rather warnings to us to take heed of the like miscarriages 4. Obj. 3. From Tobit there are divers things objected Of what is said against any thing contained in the fifth Chapter which is purposely left out of our Kalendar I shall take no notice But Ch. 6.9 10. The using the heart and liver of a Fish is declared as from an Angel to be a Cure for one vexed with an evil Spirit and the Gall thereof to be a remedy for the whiteness of the eyes Concerning which place two ways of interpretation are propounded by Drusius Drâ—â—â— Tob. theone that these words concern a Disease or distemper of body occasioned by the operation or influence of an evil spirit which yet may be healed by natural remedies which the Angel did direct and he sheweth that some parts of fishes are reputed to have medicinal vertue and it is ordinarily acknowledged that some distempers curable by Medicine may be promoted by evil spirits But the other which I chiefly embrace is to this purpose that it is no ways improbable that God who more frequently manifested himself by Angels before the coming of Christ should by the Ministry of one of them vouchsafe an extraordinary help and cure to one who religiously served him though by the use of means otherwise inconsiderable that his mercy and mighty power should be manifested by the effecting such a Cure By washing in Jordan according to the Prophets direction the Leprosie of Naaman was miraculously cleansed by washing in Siloam at our Saviours command the blind man obtained a wonderful Cure So small a thing as Moses his râ—d ordered by Gods power was an instrument of working divers miracles and by Elijah's Mantle smiting the Waters they were twice divided 2. Kin. 2.8 14. and in Egypt at the sprinkling of bloud the destroying Angel passed over Now can any man think it either impossible or altogether incredible that God should produce great effects by small appearances at the direction of an Angel who had oft done the like at the direction of a Prophet And this direction of the Angel is manifestly designed for a particular preservation to Tobit and a Cure to his Father and the following Chapters declare the effect of both nor ought it to be doubted but that our great and eternal God hath done many great things besides what was thought necessary to be expressed in the Canonical Scriptures 5. Obj. 4. In the sixth seventh and ninth Chapters of Tobit the Angel who is said to Accompany him is spoken to under the name of Azarias viz. the Son of Ananias and seemeth to owne that name whereas it could not be true that the Angel was this Azarias But here it must
be considered V. Ambr. de Abr. Patr. l. 1. c. 6. Drus in gen 18.3 V. Gen. 18.2 16. 22. that it is the usual practice even of the Holy Scriptures to call Angels by the name of such as they represent or resemble The two Angels that came to Sodom in the appearance of men are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men Gen. 19.12 The Angel that appeared to Manoah's Wife being asked if he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man who appeared to the Woman declared that he was Jud. 13.11 the Angel in the Sepulchre who gave tidings of the resurrection of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man Mar. 16.5 and the two Angels who appeared at the Ascension of our Lord are called by S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men in white apparel Act. 1.10 Now it is not agreeable to religious piety to condemn such ways of expression as evil and sinful which are allowed in the holy word of God nor is it unseemly for an holy Angel to owne that manner of expression which the holy Spirit himself useth And besides this Estius in loc diffic Scrip. in Tob. that which is hinted by Estius may well be admitted that the name of Azarias the Son of Ananias might be taken by the Angel upon himself to express by the signification of these names what was the business he came to effect Azarias signifying the help of God and Ananias the grace and favour of God that by the Angel the help of God was vouchsafed which is the effect of the Favour of God Obj. 5. The last Objection from Tobit and the most considerable is Tob. 12.15 Where the Angel is reported to say I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the Prayers of the Saints and go in and out before the glory of the holy one For the clearing of this place touching the Phrase of the seven holy Angels which yet is neither in Munsters Hebrew Copy of Tobit nor in the Syriack it may be taken for an definite number as the like Phrase is used Mat. 12.45 Mede Disc on Zech. 4.10 And Mr. Mede's Notion is known who asserteth it as an evident truth in his judgment and for which he giveth considerable proof that there are only seven principal Angels or Arch-Angels to which these words refer But whether these words be understood definitely for seven only or indefinitely for an uncertain number we have the like expression in the Canonical Scripture Zec. 4. 10. Rev. 5.6 7. What is here said concerning Angels presenting the Prayers of the Saints this being a point of truth or matter of belief may not be received accordin gto the judgment both of the ancient Church and our present Church upon the authority of an Apocryphal Book further than it is grounded upon the evidence of the Canonical Scripture and in such a ense only as is agreeable to the Doctrine of those holy Scriptures Indeed if these words be acknowledged to be the words of an holy Angel as they are related in this Book according to some versions then must they be as certainly true as if they had been spoken by a Prophet or Apostle But admitting that an holy Angel did converse with Tobit yet might his words be either misapprehended or in this passage misrepresented And that they are so may be hence with some probility conjectured because in this place Tob. 12.15 there is no mention of Angels presenting the Prayers of the Saints either in the Hebrew Copy of Munster or Fagius or in the Syriack Version or in the Latin which S. Hierome translated out of the Chaldee but it is only expressed in the Greek which our Translation followeth and this very place was above 1400. Years ago thrice cited by Cyprian Cypâ—â— de Orat. Domin de Mortalitate Adv. Jud. l. 1. n. 20. without this clause on this manner Ego sum Raphael unus ex septem Angelis Sanctis qui adsistimus conversamur ante claritatem Dei Indeed in the twelfth Verse both according to the Greek the Hebrew and the Latin the Angel spake of his bringing the remembrance of their Prayers before the holy one but even there the Syriack mentioneth no such thing 8. But because these words are in our version and taken in a restrained sense have been ordinarily admitted as a truth by divers ancient Christian Writers I shall give a double account in what sense these words may be taken agreeably to the Canonical Scriptures and the anciently received Doctrine in the Christian Church who owned not the Angels as Mediators nor did allow that Prayers should be put up to Angels 1. They judged that the holy Angels who are frequently present with us do join in our Religious worship and Prayers to God and as all who join in Prayers do present those Prayers to God so particularly do the holy Angels who enjoy a nearer Communion with God then we have yet attained Cont. Cels l. 5. p. 273 238. Lib. 8. p. 401. So Origen who expresly declareth against praying to Angels or to any who do themselves supplicate addeth afterward that the Christians particular Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presenteth the Prayers joining in them P. 420. and in another place of the same Book V. D. Hammond Annot in 1. Cor. 11.10 saith that many myriads of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do join in Prayer with them who pray to God And as holiness disposeth an Angel to be ever ready to join in glorifying God so love maketh them ready to desire our good Luk. 15.10 since there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth And S. John in his Vision of the Churches worship declareth the holy Angels about the Throne to join in their Amen thereto Rev. 7.10 11 12. 9. 12. That the holy Angels being Gods Messengers as their name imports are both Ministers of conveying much good to us from God which divine Providence could bbestow without their Ministry and of representing our state and desires to God as his Servants and our friends which are fully and immediately manifest to God who is Omniscient And this may be performed partly as they are testifiers and witnesses of our actions Ad fr. in Erem Serâ—â— 68. with desire of our good and such S. Aug. judgeth them certainly to be and S. Paul giveth Timothy a charge before the elect Angels 1. Tim. 5.21 and speaketh of their presence in the Church 1. Cor. 11.10 and if Satan be the accuser of the brethren before God Rev. 12.10 the holy Angels may well be thought truly to represent what is good and partly as they are ministring Spirits attending on God and desiring our good they declare our Prayers not as Mediators but as Ministers non quia Deum doceant as S. Aug. expresseth sed quia voluntatem ejus super his consulunt desiring to know what commands God will give them to
designed for these Religious actions 2. That though the Jewish Sabbath had a peculiar respect to their deliverance from Egypt Deut. 5.15 Yet for that mercy which was far inferiour to what Christians enjoy by Christ they observed also other yearly solemnities especially the great Feasts of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles Wherefore though the observation of the Lords day as it is one day in seven encludeth a testimony that we worship God the Creator who made the World in six days and rested the seventh and as it is the first day of the Week it containeth a a professed owning and honouring of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour who accomplished his humiliation and began his exaltation on that day yet this doth by no means exclude the lawful use of any other time directed either by voluntary choice or Ecclesiastical or political laws for the advantage of piety in the worship of God and the more solemn observance of those great actions of our blessed Lord which ought evermore to be had in remembrance CHAP. V. Of the particular Offices in the Liturgy SECT I. Of the direction for Communicants receiveing the Lords Supper 1. THE first particular office according to the order of the Book is that for the Communion at the end of which the Rubrick requiring every Parishioner to communicate at least three times in the year is disliked because many persons may not be duly qualified to receive Presbyt Excep p. 21. and therefore this Rubrick was desired either to be left out or to be altered to this sense that the Communion should be thrice in the year administred if there be a convenient number to receive Now because this exception is thought considerable whereas indeed the Rubrick is herein not only justifiable but very commendable I shall endeavour to clear this whole matter by these considerations 2. Cons 1. To receive the holy Communion is a very great Christian duty and cannot be neglected without grievous sin and the displeasure of God This may appear by observing that God strictly required all his Sacramental Institutions to be received when he appointed Circumcision he declareth concerning the uncircumcised Manchild that that Soul should be cut of from his people he hath broken my Covenant Gen. 17.14 When he ordered the use of the Pass-over he said the man that is clean and not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passover the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the Offring of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin Num. 9.13 and even this person who was unclean was bound to keep the Passover in the next following month Num. 9.10 11. Under the New Testament those words Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God are by the general testimony of Antiquity to be understood concerning Baptism and the Pharisees are condemned for rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of John Luk. 7.30 Now the reason why God was so greatly offended at the neglect of these Sacraments is expressed to be because he accounted this to be a disowning or dis-esteeming his Covenant of which his Sacraments were a sign and seal Gen. 17.14 and because Gods appointment and institution therein was not obeyed Num. 9.13 Luk. 7.30 Wherefore because the Lords Supper doth exhibit the New Testament in the blood of Christ and the partaking thereof is particularly commanded by Christ it must upon the same reasons be as evil and dangerous to neglect this Sacrament as those other And if it be further considered that this is a special Ordinance of eminent Christian profession shewing forth the Lords 〈◊〉 till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 and exhibiting the Communion of the body and blood of Christ the right partaking of this Ordinance must needs be concluded to be a principal action and service of Christianity whether we consider the duty performed or the benefits which may be thereby received 3. If the practice of the Apostolical and Primitive Church be consulted the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was given Act. 2.42 did all continue stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer And the receiving the Communion was esteemed so high a part of the Christian service in their publick Assemblies Act. 20.7 that their assembling was called their coming together to break bread Conc. Ant. c. 2. The Council of Antioch determined them to be cast out of the Church who were present at the reading of the Scriptures but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a disorderly manner went away and received not the Eucharist Can. Ap. 9. and the same was decreed in the Canons of the Apostles and much to the same purpose in other Councils which as that of Antioch were embraced as part of the Code of the Universal Church Agreeably hereunto it was Ignatius his desire for the Ephesians Ign. Ep. ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they all of them jointly and every one of them particularly should meet together and partake of the same bread Among the Protestant Churches Syn. Petricor Sect. 5. 1587. the Polonian Synod consisting of members who owned three distinct confessions did unanimously declare that all Pastors ought to teach and accustom their auditors that as oft as the Lords Table is prepared in the publick Assemblies for the faithful they should not neglect every one of them to come unto it And the vehement expressions in the Geneva Catechism and in Bucers Censura against them who neglect to come to the Lords Supper might be here added with other testimonies of the same nature Only it must be here observed that Non-Conformity hath run its changes at such a variance as if both the extreams were to be preferred to the middle way The Author of the Admonition esteemed this direction for the Communicants receiveing to be too large T. C. Reply p. 117. and that too much was done in directing them to Communicate but both Mr. Cartwright the chief opposer of the Liturgy in Queen Elizabeths time Alt. Damasc c. 10. p. 727 728 and the Author of the Altare Damascenum who was the most violent censurer thereof in King James his time thought that too little was done herein for both of them would have all who are in the Churches Communion forced even by civil punishments saith the former and statis temporibus omnes adigendi sunt saith the latter to receive the Lords Supper and both of them condemn them who abstain from the Lords Table out of fear as guilty of superstition and that they ought not to be born with But now again the Chanel is altered and the stream is returned to the other side But by the invariable rule of the will of God which is an unerring guide it is the duty of all Christians to attend upon
them but this as some other ways of reserving them as found to be of ill use Hesych in Lev. 8. Hesychius speaketh of a custom of burning them which custom I suppose took its original from those Commands of God whereby he enjoyned the remainder of the Jewish Passcover and of the Sacrifices of thanksgiving and some others to be burnt with fire Exod. 12.10 Lev. 7.15 16 17. The Council of Mascon directed them to be given in the Church Conc. Matisc 2. c. 6. to such Christians as kept their Fasts there on the fourth and sixth days of the week which were the old stationary days The direction in our Rubrick is ordered with as much prudence as any of these if it be not to be preserred before them all for as there is no reason to doubt but that they may be eaten so can there be no reason produced why the Communicants may not as well eat them as any other persons 3. The eating these Elements in the Church by the Communicants out of a reverent respect to the Sacrament for which they were consecrated is allowable and no way blameable Both our Articles and our Rubrick after the Communion Service do acknowledge that the sacramental Bread and Wine even in the Sacrament do remain in their proper substances which with other expressions in our Liturgy sufficiently exclude the Romish corruptions Yet since we believe this Sacrament to be an excellent Gospel Ordinance I suppose that out of respect thereunto devout Christians do generally acknowledge that even the Vessels particularly appointed for the Bread and Wine at the Communion and the Communion Table should not be used at mens ordinary meals and certainly a due respect to Gods Ordinance for which they are set apart will not allow this which was also condemned by the ancient Canons and it appears very reasonable that those Elements which were consecrated for the Sacrament may be used with at least as much reverence as the Communion Cup or Patine De Consc l. 4. c. 31. Sect. 3. And when Amesius truly asserteth that it necessarily followeth from the Religious honour of God that those things which have any respect unto Gods Worship ought to receive from us a privative honour even when they are not used to a holy use as heh instanceth in Bread and Wine left at the Communion which is to be honoured privatively that is care ought to be taken that it be not used contemptibly and sacred Phrases as sacramental words c. not to be used in sport even hence it will follow that they may be used with a relative honour that is so used as to express a reverence to those holy Ordinances to which they bear relation SECT III. Of the saving Regeneration of Infants in Baptism and the grounds upon which it may be asserted 1. THE next Office in the Book of Common Prayer is that of Baptism where that which requireth principal consideration is that every baptized Infant is declared Regenerate and thanks is returned to God after Baptism that he hath regenerated this Infant by his holy Spirit and the beginning of the Catechism declareth that the Child in Baptism was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven These expressions have been somewhat differently understood some applying them to a saving Regeneration of every baptized Infant others to a federal Regeneration or a Regeneration Sacramento tenus And I suppose it evident that if it can be certainly proved that every baptized Infant is savingly regenerated or if on the other side all the expressions in the Liturgy can be fairly and probably interpreted of a federal Regeneration which is generally acknowledged there can be then no doubt but all these expressions may be fitly and allowably used shall treat of both these senses because they both plead an allowance in our Church and indeed the latter doth not necessarily destroy but may well consist with the former 2. Beginning with the former I shall first shew what evidence there is that the acknowledging a saving regeneration of every Infant baptized hath been the Doctrine publickly received in this Church ever since the Reformation This is the more probable sense of that Rubrick before the Catechism in the former Book of Common Prayer and that at the end of Baptism in the present Book both which declare that Children baptized are undoubtedly saved that is as the first Book of Edw. VI. and our present Book do express it if they dye in their infancy and before they commit actual sin And our Book of Homilies declareth Hem. of Salvation of Mankind by Christ Part. 1. that Infants being baptized and dying in their infancy are by his Christs Sacrifice washed from their sins brought to Gods favour and made his children and inheritors of his Kingdom of Heaven To these I shall and what Bishop Cranmer who was a great Instrument in our Reformation and Bishop Juell a principal Defender thereof write concerning Baptism complying with the sense here expressed Bishop Cranmer saith Of the Lords Supper lib. 1. c. 12. For this cause Christ ordained Baptism in water that as surely as we see feel and touch water with our bodies so assuredly ought we to believe when we be baptized that Christ is verily present with us and that by him we be new born again spiritually and washed from our sins and graffed in the stock of Christs own body so that as the Devil hath no power against Christ so hath he none against us so long as we remain graffed in that stock Def. of Apol. Part. 2. c. 11. Sect. 3. c. Bishop Juell declareth the Doctrine of the Church of England thus We confess and have evermore taught that in the Sacrament of Baptism by the death and blood of Christ is given remission of all manner of sin and that not in half or in part or by way of imagination or by sancy but whole full and perfect of all together so that now was S. Paul saith There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus 3. But it must be here noted that by the saving regeneration of baptized Infants it is not intended that their understandings or wills are guided to an high esteem and love of God and the Christian life which the Infant state is not capable of but this regeneration is mainly relative so that being regenerated by Baptism they are no longer the Children of wrath and under the curse due to original sin but are brought into a new state to be members of the body of Christ and thereby partakers of the favour of God And though some small seeds of gracious disposition may be in Infants who are capable thereof in the same manner as they are of corruption yet that regeneration or renovation of an Infant in Baptism whereby he is received into a state of remission and Salvation is very different from the regeneration of an adult person whereby his
of God in the Ordinance of Baptism and therefore this Salvation would not be an advantage slowing from their Baptism But if it be said that by Baptism the Covenant of grace is sealed to such Infants we must here further consider that Gods Covenant by reason of his faithfulness goodness and Soveraignty cannot be sealed as mens Covenants are to make it firm and binding when it would otherwise be void and of no force Wherefore there remain two ways whereby the Sacraments as they are on Gods part Seals of the Covenant of Grace may be of great advantage unto us the one is as they give further assurance of the priviledges of that Covenant for our comfort but of this benefit these infants are not capable partly because the receiving this comfort requireth the exercise of judgment and consideration and partly because the evident sureness of Gods Covenant can be no cause of consolation to them unless we admit that there is some ordinary means appointed of God whereby they may attain the blessings so assured the other way of advantage is by the benefits of Gods Covenant being sealed or surely conveyed as the present interest and priviledge of the persons rightly receiving these Seals and in this way which encludeth saying regeneration infants are indeed capable of receiving wonderful benefit thereby 8. 5. And omitting other arguments even the Prayers of the Church with faith and confidence upon the other grounds above-mentioned not doubting but earnestly believing that God will favourably receive those infants and embrace them with the arms of his mercy doth give further assurance of forgiveness of sin and a state of salvation for baptized Infants For God who hath declared his favour towards them and encluded them in his Covenant doth direct 1. Joh. 5.16 that if any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and shall give life for them that sin not unto death and this general command encludeth Gods gracious answer to such Prayers and Prayer which is a general means to obtain Grace is used for the obtaining saving benefits in Baptism with the greater encouragement because the blessings prayed for are tendred in this Ordinance and by Gods promise unto Infants who receive Baptism To this purpose S. Augustine saith that remission of sins in Baptism is obtained per orationem De Bapt. cont Don. l. 3. c. 18. i. e. per columbae gemitum by the Prayers and groans of them who live in Peace Love and Vnity and our Church in the Prayer before the words of the Gospel in the Baptismal Office urgeth Gods promise Ask and you shall receive seek and you shall find c. the usefulness and benefit of Prayer being here the same in Baptism as it is in the most religiously prepared person for receiving the benefits of the Communion SECT IV. The Doctrine of the ancient and divers Reformed Churches herein observed 1. In observing the Doctrine of the ancient Church Conc. Milev c. 2. I shall begin with Councils The Council of Milevis condemned those who denyed infants to be baptized for the remission of sin or who asserted that they did not draw that original sin from Adam which is purged by the laver of regeneration and they declare that by the rule of the Catholick Church Infants are baptized for the remission of sin that that may be cleansed by regeneration which was derived by generation And this Canon of Milevis is the more considerable Conc. Carth. c. 124. because it was taken into the African Code and with that-Code was confirmed by the sixth General Council Conc. Trul. c. ◠The sixth general Council in another Canon requireth that those infants should be baptized without any scruple concerning whom there can be no sufficient testimony given that they were baptized before Conc. Trul. c. 84. and this it enjoineth lest such scruple should deprive them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Baptismal purging for sanctification Conc. Constant And whereas the Creed of the second general Council expresseth a belief of one Baptism for the remission of sins the Council of Milevis above mentioned avoucheth Conc. Mil. ubi supra those expressions to have been always so understood in the Church as to acknowledge that baptized Infants did thereby obtain actual pardon and remission And that African Synod whose Epistle is extant amongst S. Austins Works declared Aug. Ep. 90. that whosoever shall deny that little Children are delivered from perdition and do obtain Eternal Salvation by the Baptism of Christ let him be an Anathema 2. If we consult the ancient Fathers it is beyond all contradiction evident that real remission and regeneration of all baptized Infants is acknowledged by S. Aug. Ep. 23. de peccat Merit Remis l. 2. c. 28. passim by Optatus Advers Parm. l. 5. Fulgentius de fide ad Petr. c. 30. by Prosper and generally by the suceeding Writers of the Church But some have pretended Gatak de Bapt. Infant vi effic p. 268. that this position sprung from their eager opposition of the Pelagians who denied Children to be guilty of original sin for the removing of which pretence it will be requisite to give some testimony of the judgment of the Ecclesiastical Writers who lived before the appearing of the Pelagian tares S. Cyprian night two hundred years before Pelagius did not only express the mighty sensible efficacy of his own Baptism for conferring Grace to him in his Epistle to Donatus but in his Epistle to Fidus he declareth that Infants by their Baptism do obtain the grace and favour of God Cyp. Ep. 59. and the remission of their sins and several expressions of that Epistle do intimate that this is the end for which they are baptized and comparing the state of an Infant coming to Baptism with an adult person embracing Christianity and the true Faith he doth in this respect prefer the state of the Infant because ad remissam peccatorum hoc ipso facilius accedit c. he doth upon this account the more readily obtain the remission of sins because the sins forgiven to him were not his own acts but anothers or Original sin Orig. in Luc. Hom. 14. Origen in his Homilies upon S. Luke which were undoubtedly his and translated by S. Hierome saith that Children are baptized for the remission of sins but saith he of what sins and when did they sin and a little after answereth that by the Sacrament of Baptism nativitatis sordes the sins and defilements with which they were born are laid aside and for this cause saith he little ones are baptized for unless a man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God The same Doctrine is also asserted by Nazianzen in his 40th Oration Naz. Orat. 40. as the comparing some things not far from the beginning with others towards the middle thereof will manifest and this he
disciplinary reconciliation Con. Nic. c. 13. had the memories of their names recommended in the Churches Prayers 4. Carth. c. 79. as persons of whom it hoped well which is I suppose intended by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Council of Nice though it be otherwise understood by the Greek Canonists and in Albaspinus his explicaton Conc. Arel 2. c. 12. THE SECOND BOOK CONCERNING CEREMONIES AND Ecclesiastical Constitutions CHAP. I. The lawful use of some Ceremonies in the Christian Church asserted SECT I. What we are here to understand by Ceremonies 1. AMong all the things appointed in our service there is nothing against which a heavier charge is drawn up than against the Ceremonies as they are ordinarily called common custom herein making use of a word which admittedâ— great variety and latitude of sense and signification For 1. The word Ceremonia Ceremony primarily encludeth the general exercise of all publick Religious Worship and Piety Scal. in Fest for as Scaliger noteth Ceremonia was as much as Sanctimonia being derived from Cerus which in the old â—atin signifieth the same with Sanctus and Serâ—â—us hath been observed to declare that omnia Sacra apud Latinos Ceremoniae dicuntur and to this purpose the old Constitutions of the twelve Tables declared Leg. 12. Tab. De Sacerdot officio Sacerdotum duo genera sunto unum quod praesit Ceremoniis sacris c. intending thereby all sacred actions of Religious service and in this large sense is this word sometimes used by some later Writers Luth. de piis Cerem servand Bucer Censur c. ultim as Luther and Bucer 2. This word sometimes among the ancient Christian Writers peculiarly expresseth the most solemn visible Symbols of the Grace of God in which sense also in the Augustan Saxon and Witemberg Confessions and the Apology of the Church of England the two New Testament Sacraments are called Ceremonies and Bishop Saunderson resolveth the sum or main Contents of the Gospel into these three things De Obl. Cors Prael 4. Sect. 32. the Mysteries of Faith to be believed the holy Ceremonial and Ecclesiastical Institutions and the maral Precepts Bishop Whitg Tr. 2. c. 1. And these Bishop Whitgist calleth substantial Ceremonies which a â— of the substance of Religion 3. This word sometimes encludeth all such practices as bear any external respect unto Religion whence some have called Holy-days by the name of Ceremonies and Gotofredus probably supposeth that fasting at least with some other external observations is so called in those words of the Code of Justinian Cod. Justin l. 3. Titl 12. Sect. 6. Quadraginta diebus qui auspicio Ceremoniarum Paschale tempus anticipant c. 4. In this present enquiry by Ceremonies must be understood some particular external and visible actions and circumstances which are not instituted by God but are in themselves things indifferent and are appointed in the Church for order and decency 2. And there is a vast difference between the things called Ceremonies in the Church of England and the chief part of those things which by an aequivocal use of the same word we commonly call Ceremonies in the Jewish Constitutions under the Mosaical Law For those Jewish Ceremonies which consisted in their Sacrifices Purifications or the proper Levitical and Temple worship were such things as used aright with respect to the Messias were the way and means whereby Gods acceptance was obtained and his grace and favour vouchsafed and did partake of a Sacramental nature and were not amiss by Durandus called the Sacramentalia Rational div Offic. Prooem Sect. 7. and did also prefigure Christ to come in the flesh And upon this account no such rites as these could ever be appointed or lawfully used but such only as were established by a divine Institution nor might they be any longer observed than that institution did either enjoin or warrant and allow them and hence both S. Aug. Ep. 19. Augustine and S. Hierome do justly and vehemently condemn and censure the observation of these things among Christians And of this nature was the whole paedagogy of the Mosaical Constitutions jointly considered and every branch thereof so far as it encludeth an owning of Judaism as the way of Gods acceptance especially Circumcision Sacrifice and such like services of the Jewish Temple the observing of which under the Gospel since the clear manifestation of Christianity would be to deny Christ to become in the flesh and to close with that as a way of obtaining grace from God and finding favour with him which is contrary to his will and standeth for ever abrogated by the Gospel And hence it may appear that he who would charge the use of all Ecclesiastical Rites appointed for Order and the promoting reverence in the service of God as if it encluded the same with reducing the Ceremonial Law of the Jews might with a fairer plea of reason accuse all use of Seals or Ornamental Engravings to be a forging and counterfeiting the Kings Broad Seal and thereby to be deeply criminal 3. Yet it may be observed as a truth though in be not necessary for the just defence of any of those things commonly called Ceremonies in our Church that there were many particular things in the Ceremonial Law which singly taken and by themselves did only include some rational provisions and comely and fit Constitutions and had nothing in themselves which did necessarily restrain them to the Judaical state and such things where there is no design of any Jewish signification may lawfully be still made use of under the Gospel as still retaining what conveniency or decency they would have had if they had never been included in the Jewish Constitutions The appointment of the Jewish Tabernacle in the Wilderness is no sufficient ground to conclude it a sin for such Christians who sojourn in deserts and have minds far from Judaizing to build an House with boards for the place of their Christian Assemblies nor is the building our Churches with hewen stone to be censured as unlawful because such were the materials of Solomons Temple nor is it unlawful to use Vessels of Silver and Gold at the administring the Communion because such were the Vessels of the Tabernacle and the Temple and the like may be said of Tithes and some other things To this purpose Bucer determined in his Epistle to Alasco and P. Martyr to Bishop Hooper and Bishop Saunderson observeth De Oblig Cons Pral 4. Sect. 29. that all Ceremonials are not to be alike accounted of but those which concern order and decency are with prudence to be separated from those which prefigured Christ to come and that prudent Casuist well resolved that those things Which concerned order and decency are not now simply unlawful yet may they be many times inexpedient as they become dangerous by their scandal 4. And it is acknowledged and declared that the things with us called Ceremonies are in themselves
indifferent and no direct parts of worship because these particular things are only of Ecclesiastical or humane constitution for since all instituted worship is directly appointed for the acceptable service of God which especially considering the fall of man must be in a way of Grace and not of Merit it must be God and not his Creature who must determine what Institutions will be pleasing to him Serm of good works Par. 2 Serm of Prayer Par. 2. And this is the Doctrine of our Homilies and the Book of Common Prayer speaking of Ceremonies expresly declareth that those which remain are for a Godly Discipline and Order which may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with Gods law And our Articles assert Art 34. that the Church hath authority to change or abolish Ceremonies ordained by mans authority so that all things be done to edifying All which words shew that there is no holiness placed in these things nor are they of themselves made any part of the worship of God in the Church of England 5. Yet even the observation of things indifferent may by a secondary and consequential respect to other commands of God and duties of men though not directly from themselves render our services more acceptable unto God Thus that gesture of body which is not particularly determined as a necessary duty may be pleasing to God as it includeth a religious respect to those duties of glorifying God with our bodies and serving him acceptably with reverence and godly fear and the observing other decent rites may be pleasing to God as it expresseth a reverence of God and his Ordinances and service an obedient respect to that command that all things be done decently and in order a subjection to our Superiours in things lawful and a care of the Churches Peace Upon this account Vrsin truly said Vrsin Explic Catech q 96. Loc. Theol. in 2. Praecep Adiaphorae actiones possunt Deo placere liect aliter quam cuttus Dei proprie dictus that indifferent actions may please God but in a different manner from that which is properly and directly the worship of God To such general ends are those indifferent observations in our Church appointed which are called Ceremonies and hence it is with good reason declared in the Book of Common Prayer that they are as well for a decent Order in the Church as because they pertain to edification For as whatsoever exciteth reverend thoughts of God and his Ordinances is thereby useful for the Churches edifying so the Aposile requireth ruies of Order to be made for edification 1. Cor. 14.26 and S. Chrys in 1 Cor. Ch. 14.40 Chrysostome truly observed that good Order Peace and Love are the most useful things to promote edification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. But though external rites should be never so innocent in their own nature as being neither Jewish nor owned as parts of Christian Religion nor as operative means in themselves to convey Grace yet the introducing a great and unnecessary number of them would be disadvantageous to Religion by obscuring and darkning the spiritual duties and priviledges thereof by being needlesly burdensom to Christians and by diverting mens minds to attend chiefly unto such external observances Hence S. Aug. Ep. ad Januar c. 19. Augustin in his time as is observed in our Liturgy complained of the excessive number of such rites and the conditions which Protestant Writers require concerning Ceremonies are such as these that they be in their kind things indifferent in their number sew Kemnit Exam. Conc. Trid. de Tradition 7th genus Vrsin Ex. pl. Catech. ad qu. 103. and in their use godly and profitable for edification Now in our Church besides the use of expedient gestures in the fervice of God there is nothing which in common Custom of speech is called a Ceremony which in any proper part of worship is appointed in our Liturgy to be used by any other person besides the Minister And in our ordinary service the Minister is only required to use the appointed habit which though it be customarily called a Ceremony is no otherwise such than the Church Pulpit and the Vessels for the Communion and the Communion-Cloath are to be so esteemed which are only used in the service of God And in our particular Offices we have only the use of the Cross in the Office of Baptism of imposition of hands in Confirmation and the civil rite of the Ring in Marriage and therefore if the nature of these particular Rites be allowable which in due place will be considered there can be no dammage to Religion nor burden to Christians from the number of them SECT II. The first Argument for the lawfulness of Ecclesiastical Rites from the liberty herein allowed to the Jewish Church 1. Having hitherto endeavoured to prevent mistakes and mis-apprehensions about the subject of my present discourse I shall now lay down such Arguments as will manifest that some decent external observations in the Church though they be not particularly instituted of God are allowably ordered and appointed The first Argument is from the pactice of the Jewish Church which I shall consider in a threefold respect 2. First in their Temple worship For though they might not lawfully appoint any Sacramental Rite which was the the nature of divers of the Temple Rites and though Solomons Temple as well as Moses his Tabernacle 1. Chr. 28.12 19. was built according to the pattern which God directed and divers other external things were determined by divine appointment yet even here were some things left to the liberty and determined by the Authority of the Jewish Church or the Rulers and Governours thereof I shall not here insist upon Solomons offering Burnt-Offerings in the middle of the Court and not only upon the Altar 1. Kin. 8.64 nor upon Hezekiahs proclaiming a general Passover on the second Month 2. Chr. 30.2 because these were extraordinary Cases which were only allowable by the weightiness of the present occasions when Ceremonial Commands of God might be dispensed with in cases of greater concernment upon which account it was also lawful for David and them who were with him to cat the shew bread But it must be acknowledged that such extraordinary Cases are no more a sufficient ground for constant and ordinary Constitutions than the constant keeping a vein open can be concluded allowable because it may be expediently at some times opened for the preserving life or health 3. The first instance of this liberty among the Jews concernâ—th the Passover which was after the building the Tabernacle and Temple a proper Tabernacle or Temple Rite Phil. l. 3. de Vita Mos Lib. de Decalog Lib. de Septen Festis Deut. 16.6 and though Philo Judaeus doth in several places express the Passover to be sacrificed by all the people of Israel and not to be presented to the Priests as other Sacrifices were both the Talmud
meaneth by decency and order and saith among other things one end of decency is that while certain Rites are made use of to conciliate reverence to sacred things we should by such helps be the more excited unto piety Illyricus himself declareth this command to be a foundation Gloss Illyrici in Loc. first Frinciple or Rule upon which Church Government and Polity is to be built and according to which it is to be modelled Part. 2. Ch. 4. And the same commandment is produced by the London Ministers in their Jus divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici as giving allowance for the ordering the circumstantials of Church Government And then it must especially warrant the orderly determining things circumstantial concerning Ecclesiastical Assemblies and divine worship which is the special matter about which the Apostle treateth in that Chapter SECT IV. The practice and judgment of the Primitive and many Protestant Churches concerning Ceremonies 1. The third Argument is from the judgment and practice of the Church of God in all Ages both in its Primitive Purity and since the Reformation And as Christian Prudence and Sobriety requireth a reverend esteem of the judgment or the Vniversal Church so Christian Charity Humility and Modesty will forbid the rast censuring the generally received practices in the best times of Christianity In the Primitive times all their Canonical Constitutions of Synods supposed a liberty reserved to the Church of determining things expedient their observation of some Rites appointed by the Apostles is clear enough from the foregoing Section and of their use of the sign of the Cross of distinct Garments in Religious Worship of their gesture at the Communion and of imposition of hands in Confirmation and the Ring in Marriage Ch. 4. I shall give a particular account when I come to consider the particular Rites of our Church And that in the early times of Christianity they stood at Prayer on the Lords Days and from Easter to Whitsunday as professing the hope of the Resurrection that they prayed with their faces to the East while in the Jewish Temple Worship they always worshipped with their faces to the West that they used various impositions of hands on the Penitents and gave some initiatives Symbols as Salt Hony and Milk to the Catechumens and newly baptized persons with others of the like nature is so manifest that no man who hath read the ancient Writers can possibly make any doubt thereof And such Rites as were orderly and fitly established by Ecclesiastical Authority without any divine institution were frequently justified and defended by divers of the Fathers as Tertullian S. Ambrose Basil Austin as their testimonies might be largely produced 2. For instance sake I shall single out S. Austin who though he piously complained of the over-great number of Ceremonies in his time when they were indeed very numerous in his Epistle to Casulanus writing concerning fasting on the Saturday Aug. Ep. 86. he giveth this general Rule that in those things where the divine Scriptures determine nothing certainly the custom of the people of God or the institution of our Ancestors is to be reputed as a Law And afterwards he adviseth to be careful lest the clearness or calmness of Charity be about such things Clouded over with the tempests of contention and disputation Ep. 118. c. 2. And in his Epistle to Januarius after many other things to the same purpose he expresseth the advice of S. Ambrose which he always esteemed as a Divine Oracle that in things which neither opposed Faith nor a holy life every one was to conform to the Observations and Custom of that Church where he had his present abode cum Romae sum jejuno Sabbato cum hic sum non jejuno sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuique non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Ep. 119. c. 18. and in his next Epistle he giveth a like direction about the same matter which is by him called saluberrima regula And he saith he had oft perceived with grief and sorrow much disturbance of the weak per quorundam fratrum contentiosam obstinationem superstitiosam timiditatem through the contentious obstinacy and superstitious fearfulness of some brethren who stir up such contentious questions about Ecclesiastical Rites of an indifferent nature in particular Churches that they judge nothing right but what themselves do and in the same Epistle Ep. 118. c. 6. he defendeth the Custom of the Church in his time of receiving the Eucharist fasting which Christ instituted after meat but gave no command that it should be afterwards so celebrated 3. Amongst the Protestant Writers Calvin at Geneva Calvin Tom. 7. Ver a Ecclesiae Reform Ratio maketh this formal protestation Lest any man should raise a calumny I would have all pious Readers here to bear me witness that I do not contend about Ceremonies which do serve only for decency and order nor yet against such which are either Symbols of or incitements to that reverence which we bear to God Vrsin Eaepl Catec q. 103. Vrsin in the Palatinate asserteth the Ecclesiastical appointment of some Rites not only to be lawful but to be a duty potest saith he ac debet Ecclesia quasdam Ceremonias instituere Rivet in the Dutch Church saith that in the Church we use Ceremonies Cathol Orth. Tr. 2. q. 37. ut gestibus actionibus solennibus Ceremonies as gestures and actions of solemnity and concerning such things which are appointed for decency and order he declareth his approbation of that Rule of S. Austin above expressed from Ep. 118 c. 2. Among the Lutherans Kemnitius not only asserteth the Churches liberty Exam. Conc. Trid. de Sacram. Can. 13. in appointing adiaphorous Rates but also for order sake he disalloweth all liberty of varying from them Et sane ordinis decori gratia etiam in externis adiaphoris non est cuivis sine Ecclesiae judicio consensu permittendum ut ex petulâ—nlie pro libidine quid vis vel omittat vel permutet Ger. Conf. Cathol Lib. 1. Gener Par. 2. c. 5. de Traditionibus Gerard both acknowledgeth the Authority of the Church for the ordaining samethings about the external part of worship and yieldeth that not only the Church but even the Aposiles themselves did institute in the Church ritus quosdam liberos some free indifferent rites appertaining to order and decency which in specie and in particular are neither written nor imposed by a perpetual Law as necessary for the whole Church And in another place he sheweth that they readily receive these adiaphorous things for order and decency C. 12. de consuetudine Eccles etiamsi sola Ecclesiae consuetudine nitantur though they only depend upon the Custom of the Church Illyr Glos in 1. Cor. 11.16 And Flacius Illyricus himself when he was out of the humour of opposition did at last
the Jews made use to towards the Cities of the Gentiles to express their defilement and uncleanness 2. 2. The denying the lawful use of external Rites and humane observations in the worship of God is ordinarily attended with partiality of judgment For it is almost generally acknowledged that in taking a Religious Oath some external Ceremony addeth a solemnity and reverence to that sacred action whence when other Ceremonies in publick worship were laid aside there was an Act of Parliament as it was entituled that in taking an Oath it might be lawful for any man either to lay his hand upon the Book or to hold up his right hand which was the way made use of in taking the Covenant And Bishop Saunderson to this purpose judiciously declareth DeJuram Obl. Pral 5. Sec. 12. that he could never receive any satisfaction though he had oft considered with himself and enquired of others why a prescribed form of words and the use of the solemnity of external Rites either ought not as things superstitious to be removed from the Religious use of an Oath or else may not as useful helps of piety be retained in the other parts of Gods worship I know that some have told us that an Oath is not a part of the natural worship of God belonging to the first commandment nor of the instituted worship in the second Commandment but of the revrend use of Gods name in the third Commandment and that the principal use of an Oath is to confirm truth and end strife and therefore it is not primarily an act of worship but secondarily and consequentially But indeed all this is but a plausible mistake For an Oath as it is distinguished from a bare assertion encludeth a direct profession and particular acknowledgment of the Omniscience of God and his searching the heart of man and of the justice of God in the punishing evil and that he is a God of truth and invocateth him as such and this is part of the natural worship of God or of the honour which is due to God as being founded in the nature of God and the natural estate of man And since God hath instituted this way of Religious appeal to himself an Oath must be acknowledged to enclude also part of the instituted worship of God And the Rite of laying the hand upon the Book and kissing it or holding up the hand being designed as a testimony to others of a mans appeal to Gods Omniscience and Justice the end of that Ceremony is primarily to manifest this religious application to God and therefore it is attendant upon an Oath as it is properly an act of worship 3. 3. If no external observations not commanded by God might lawfully be admitted in the worship of God then must the publick exercise thereof cease For God who did expresly determine the time and place for the Jewish Tabernacle and Temple worship hath not prescribed the same circumstances for the Christian service Nor hath he prescribed in all things the method and gesture for our Religious addresses nor the kind of Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper yet these things must necessarily be determined where these Ordinances are celebrated Disp of Humane Cerem c. 2. Wherefore Mr. Baxter acknowledgeth that such things as these and the decent habit for the service of God be left to humane prudence to order and may be determined for order decency and edification But Mr. Rutherford undertaking to fix the right bounds for the Churches authority distinguisheth things moral Introd to Div. Right of Gh. Govern Sec. 1. and Physical circumstances and these latter only he granteth may be determined and ordered by the Church but not the former These Physical circumstances he saith are only eight and there can be no more enumerated viz. time place person name family condition habit gesture Now to omit the examining the terms of that distinction and the considering that most of our Ceremonies as they are called are encluded under habit and gesture it is manifest that he hath pitifully shackled himself in endeavouring the undue confinement of the Churches Power For as there can be no possible account why those eight things and no more can be determined by the Church so it is very obvious to discern how monstrous this enumeration is having needless redundancy in adding as distinct circumstances from the person the name family and condition to which he might with as much reason have added the age stature and complexion of the person and they have likewise a great deficiency since according to his position it is unlawful to determine what version of the Bible shall be read in the Church what Vessels shall be used in administring the Sacraments and in what method Prayers Praises Psalms Sermons and other Offices shall succeed to each other the appointing of which was a chief design of the Directory And some men who undertook to decry every think referring to the worship of God as unlawful unless it was particularly injoined in the Scripture did advance this false position so far In Edw. Gangrena Par. 2. Er. 172. as to assert that the Directory was a breach of the second Commandment and that there was no word of God to warrant the making that Book more than Jeroboam had when he set up two high places the one at Daâ— and the other at Bethel Nor can such a charge be avoided nor Religion be secured from confusion unless it be admitted which is certainly true that some things â—â—ternal may lawfully be appointed about the exercise thereof though may be not particularly enjoined of God 4. The reason why I have in this Section conjoined the inconveniency attending the disallowing Ecclesiastical Constitutions and Observations together with those consequent upon the disclaiming external Rites and Ceremonies is because both these are equally impugned by almost all the arguments produced with special respect to the latter of them SECT VI. Some Objections from Reason and from the Old Testaâ—â—â—â— examined 1. Against the 〈◊〉 use of some Ceremonies in the Christian Church there are mustred up a 〈◊〉 Army of Objections if a weak 〈…〉 be so called a particular answer 〈◊〉 every of which would be tedious and needless For the affirming that such establishments oppose the Soveraignty of Christ or accuse him of negligence or unfaithfulness and that they make men the Masters of our Religion and such like manifestly appear to be false accusations by considering that these external Rites are such things of an indifferent nature that their appointment by humane authority hath been allowed of God both under the Old and New Testament as hath been above evidenced To assert that the allowance of any Ceremonies ordered by Ecclesiastical Prudence V. Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 3. chargeth the Scripture with insufficiency and leaveth us at a loss as some tell us it doth for a Rule of Faith Proceedeth from a gross misunderstanding as if these indifferent things particularly considered were
Gregory that in the use either of single or trinal Mersion there is sufficient Baptism And it is well observed by Strabo that if we must relinquish the use of all things which have been perverted there will nothing of this nature remain allowable And whereas God loseth no right of Soveraignty to any Creature by mans abuse it was not without good reason acknowledged and asserted by S. Austen that the Christians did lawfully use those Fountains where the Gentiles drew Water for their Sacrifices Theod. Hist l. 3. c. 14. and as Theodoret declareth they owned the same liberty under Julian the Emperour who designed to defile the Fountains and meats with Pagan pollutions 4. Obs 2. This position if granted would be such an Engine which would do more work than they who place it would willingly allow of and would extirpate divers useful things referring to religious worship which are ordered by humane Wisdom and Prudence Of all external things the individual Temple or Church in which corrupt Religion was performed may seem as much defiled thereby as any species of action or gesture can be and yet even the Directory declared Direct of the day and place of worship that such places are not subject to any such pollution by any superstition formerly used and now laid aside as may render them Vnlawful or inconvenient and S. Austen declareth Aug. Ep. 154. that even Idols Temples when their use is changed to the honour of God may be lawfully so employed as well as persons may be received to God who are converted to the true Religion Ecclesiastical revenues for the support of the Ministry and Universities have been and in the Romish Church still are abused as much as any other external thing to be the great support of a corrupt Religion and yet the continuance of these things is well allowed of by dissenters from this Church The same may be said concerning the times of attending upon the publick service of God Morning and Evening And notwithstanding the gross abuse of Bells in the time of Popery Mr. Rutherford declareth it unreasonable and groundless Of Scandal Qu. 5. Qu. 6. that thereupon they should be disused And if this position was admitted as doctrinally true the pretence of their convenient usefulness would be no better excuse on their behalf than was that Plea for sparing the best of the Amalakites Cattel that they might be a Sacrifice when God had utterly devoted them to destruction and therefore the admitting this position it self would be as the coming down of a violent torrent which instead of scouring the Chanel will overflow and drown all the Country 5. Obs 3. Where this is admitted the general grounds of the Protestant Reformation must be disowned Conf. Boh. Art 15. The Bohemian Church which led the Van openly professeth that such Rites and Ceremonies ought to be retained which do advantage Faith the worship of God Peace and order whomsoever they had for their Author Synodum Pontificem Episcopum Luth. Formul Commun pro Eccl. Witemb aut alium quemvis And both Luther and the Augustan Confession declare the like purpose and practice to have been in the German Reformation Conf. August c. 3. Abus de Missa Zanch. Epist l. 1. in Ep. ad Craton And Zanchy asserteth that this is the true way of reforming the Church which he wisheth all would mind after the example of the Bohemian Brethren not to root out every thing that was found in the Church of Rome but to reject what was fit to be rejected and to preserve what was fit to be preserved That this was designed in the Reformation of the Church of England appeareth from the Preface in the Book of common-Common-Prayer concerning Ceremonies from the Apology of the Church of England and from the Book of Canons Can. 30. expressing according to that Apology a very plain Declaration hereof 6. The Arguments urged for the proof of this position are such as do not need any long answer For whereas Jehn his breaking down the House of Baal is commended in the Scripture and neither he nor Jehoiada reserved the House of Baal to be a place of Synagogue worship This action might be necessary for the effecting a reformation and the disentangling the people from their Idolatry and upon a like account Hezekiah brake in pieces the brazen Serpent Aug. de Civ Dei l. 10. c. 8. which God himself had appointed when the people did colere eum tanquam idolum give worship to it as to an Idol as S. Aug. expresseth it and to the same end the ancient Christians in some special Cases where they feared that the continuance of the Idols Temples might tend to uphold the honour of the Idol Eus de Vit. Const l. 4. c. 39. did raze them to the foundations and sometimes erected anew Christian Churches in their places But besides this the Jews had such positive Laws as these Thou shalt quite pluck down all their high places Num. 33.52 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places where the Nations served their Gods Deut. 12.2 Ye shall destroy all their graven images Deut. 7.25 Ch. 12.3 and the proper extent of these Laws enjoined them utterly to destroy all Monuments and places formerly used to Idolatry out of the land of Israel But whereas no such positive commands are given to Christians if they should think themselves bound to follow these Jewish Patterns Tr. of Scandal Q 6. Mr. Rutherford himself condemneth them as Judaizing in this particular 7. And when God commandeth the Israelites that they shall not do after the doings of the land of Egypt and the Land of Canaan Ibid. Q 7. Lev. 18.3 which Mr. Rutherford objecteth against our Rites The design of that place is that the Israelites ought to be guided by the holy Laws and Commandments of God in their Conversations and not to follow the debauched examples of other Nations mentioned in the following part of that Chapter nor the abominable idolatries of their worship Hook Eccles Polity l. 4. Sect. 6. But in matters in themselves lawful where God had given them no particular Ceremonial commands to the contrary they were not tyed to disclaim all expedient things practised by other Nations in civil actions they might eat bread and drink water yea plow and reap in the same manner with other Nations Ex. 34.13 Num. 25.2 and in circumstances of Religion though sacrificing and bowing were manifestly rites of adoration used by idolatrous Nations before the giving the Law they were still received under the Law and appointed thereby and though the Philistines had long before the time of David an House or Temple of Dagon for the place of their Sacrifice Judg. 16.23 29 30. 1 Chr. 10.10 Davids purpose of building an House or Temple to the Lord was never the less allowable 8. But besides this it is chiefly to be considered that the things designed for the matter of this objection
are quite of a different nature from the Case and Question to which they are applyed It is acknowledged that for any persons purposely to design to model the Christian worship according to the Rites of Pagan and idolatrous original and use which would be to run parallel with what is aimed at in this objection is certainly wicked and intollerable But since the intent of the present enquiry concerneth ancient Christian Rites used by us and abused in the Romish degeneracy it would be nearer to our state to enquire Whether ever God gave any command that his Church should relinquish whatsoever even the Pagans imitated abused or prophaned as Belshazzer profaned the Temple Vessels many of which were only voluntarily dedicated 2 Chron. 15.18 Nazianz. Or. 3. Sozom. l. 5. c. 15. and Julian appointed among the Gentiles a resemblance of the order of the publick Christian service and many things especially in the Grecian Idolatry have been proved a kind of apish imitation of some things in the Jewish worship Delph Phaenic. cap. 11. Yet since the Papists are not Pagans but Christians of a corrupt profession that the Case of the Jews may fully answer ours it must be thus stated Whether the things laudably used in the service of God in the ancient times of the Jewish Church which were not directly instituted of God as their rules for the ordering their Synagogue worship and Officers ought to be rejected in the reformation of Hezekiah or Josiah so far as these things were received or imitated in the corrupt worship of the ten Tribes and this is that which I presume no man will have the confidence to assert And as it is manifest that the ten Tribes did in their worship designedly imitate many things in the Jewish Temple worship Amos. 4.4 5. Ch. 5.21 22 23. so they retaining among them the Sons of the Prophets it is not to be doubted but they reserved an imitation of the Jewish Synagogue worship or Weekly Assemblies 9. But it is time to consider the particular things actions or gestures appointed in our service Gestures are so necessary as inseparable attendants to the body that there is no reason to place expedient gestures among the number of Ceremonies yet because kneeling at the Lords Supper is especially so esteemed and thereupon by some opposed it will be requisite to express somewhat concerning gestures as well as other Rites and to manifest how little reason there is for the Censures passed upon these particular Rites by divers at home and some few persons abroad who for the most part proceeded upon some misinformation or misunderstanding of our affairs CHAP. III. Of devout and becoming gestures in the service of God SECT I. Of the Gesture at Prayer praise and Christian profession of Faith 1. THat a reverent behaviour is a duty in our approaches to God in Prayer and other religious exercises is ordinarily acknowledged but by many too much neglected And as the most devout and humble gestures were ordinarily used in Prayer under the Old Testament so under the new our Saviour himself prayed upon his knees Luk. 22.41 and so did S. Paul with the Disciples both of Ephesus and Tyre Act. 20.36 Ch. 21.5 And though the Primitive Church upon the Lords days and from Easter to Whitsunday prayed standing manifesting thereby their abundant joy and hope by Christs Resurrection yet kneeling was esteemed their ordinary gesture of Prayer Euseb Ec. Hist l. 5. c. 5. whence Eusebius declaring the admirable effect of the Prayers of the Christian Legion called the thundring Legion in the Army of Aurelius saith that they kneeled down upon the ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the ordinary custom the Christians used in Prayer Ad Scapul c. 4. upon which account Tertullian calleth their Prayers Geniculationes or their falling on their knees and from hence divers Christians contracted upon their knees an hard brawniness like that of the Camels as S. Hierome relateth concerning S. James and S. Gregory Greg. in Evang Hom. 38. concerning Tarsilla his Fathers Sister And that the great and good Emperour Constantine did in his Closet four times every day put up his Prayers to God upon his knees De Vita Const l. 4. c. 21. is expressed by Eusebius and these things are the more worthy our imitation because it needeth no other proof but common experience that where there is a neglect of external reverence in the service of God it tendeth to abate the inward fear of God and the devoutness of Religion and therefore Kneeling at Prayer which is enjoined with us is very useful 2. The injunction of this gesture in Prayer was esteemed so warrantable by Calvin that he declareth it to be such an humane Constitution as is grounded on the word of God and to be so humane Inst l. 4. c. 10. Sect. 30. that it is also divine being a part of that decency the Apostles commended But no more need be added in so plain a Case only it may be here observed that the expediency of kneeling at the absolution at the commandments and the receiving imposition of hands is hence also manifested because besides what may be said from the proper subject matter of each of them to every Commandment in our Liturgy is adjoined an humble Petition for pardon and grace the absolution is intended to enclude a concomitant Prayer as may be collected from the Rubrick following the absolution in the Morning Service and the imposition of hands encludeth a benedictory supplication 3. Standing to praise and give glory to God is sometimes enjoined in our Liturgy Now this duty of giving glory to God is sometimes performed in a way of humiliation and Confession under a sense of the glorious Soveraignty majesty and justice of God in which respect the gesture of kneeling or falling down is suitable thereto being practised Rev. 4.10 11. And frequently in the Christian Assemblies the giving glory to God is performed in magnifying the Glorious Trinity in a way of joy praise and thankfulness and with reference to the grace and mercy of God and to this end the gesture of standing up hath been thought proper to be practised and enjoined both under the Old and the New Testament The Levites were appointed by David to stand every Morning to thank and praise the Lord and also at even 2 Chr. 23.30 the Jews were commanded by the Levites to stand up and praise the Lord. Neh. 9.5 and in S. Johns Vision of the encrease of the Christian Church to so great a multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kindreds and people he saw them standing before the Throne and the Lamb and saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb. Rev. 7.9 10. In the former times of the Christian Church when the Psalms were sung by all the Assembly they ordinarily performed this service in a standing posture as Amalarius declareth Dum cantamus Psalmos
Dionysius of Alexandria speaketh of a Communicant in his Church Eus Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may properly render it standing at the Lords Table and the testimony of Justin Martyr above produced giveth a very probable intimation of the same gesture But when as the ancient Churches had two stationary days in a Week that is the sourth and sixth days with which the seventh day was also joined at Caesaria as is manifest from S. Basil upon which the holy Communion was administred it is probable Basil Ep. ad Caesariam that as upon those days they prayed kneeling so they did in the same gesture receive this Sacrament in attendance upon which they thought an humble gesture of adoration to be very suitable this Sacrament being accounted by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dreadful mysteries 5. Albasp Obs l. 1. Obs 15. Indeed Albaspinus undertaketh to assert without any proof that the chief reason why anciently they stood in their Prayers upon the Lords days and the Pentecost was because upon those days they received the holy Communion and it was requisite they should use none other than a gesture of Joy upon that day in which they communicated in that Sacrament But besides the improbability of supposing daily Communions where we have no testimony thereof from Easter to Whitsunday this observation is very plainly contradicted by Albaspinus himself in his very next observation Obs 16. where he declareth that the Eucharist was constantly celebrated upon the stationary days and yet upon those days he yieldeth that the ancient Christians did pray kneeling Conc. Trul. c. 90. and this his conjecture is also contrary to what is asserted by the sixth general Council by Zonaras and Balsamon upon the twentieth Council of Nice and by S. Hierom Austen Hieron Prooem in lib. 1. Com. in Eph. Basil and other Fathers who unanimously assert that their joyfulness to the wonder of the Gentiles for the Resurrection of Christ and their professing themselves to be risen with him and to expect resurrection by him was the cause of their standing gesture at those times in their Religious Prayers But that the most humble gesture was not thought inconsistent with the Eucharist may appear Gr. Nazianz Orat. in Gorgon Besides the testimonies above produced from what Gregory Nazianzen relateth of his Sister Gorgonia who privately fell down prostrate before the Altar with the Sacrament in her hand 6. Wherefore kneeling at the holy Sacrament or receiving it in a gesture of Prayer and Religious Worship unto God was no way disallowed as unlawful by the Primitive Church but our practice herein is but a building upon their Foundations who themselves used a gesture of Adoration or the same gesture with that of Prayer 7. Obj. 4. Kneeling is a gesture which hath been grosly abused by the Papists in worshipping the Host according to their Doctrine of Transubstantiation and to that end it was enjoined by Honorius the third Ans 1. NO sinful use of any gesture though it be in the most manifest idolatry doth render that gesture unlawful in Religious service to God as was shewed in the former Chapter Though the Israelites sate down to eat and drink when they had offered Sacrifices to the golden Calf Ex. 32.6 it was still allowable in the days of Samuel to sit down to feast upon the Sacrifices of God 1 Sam. 9.13 22. And though the discumbing or reclining gesture was anciently used in Idolatrous Feasts Amos 2.8 Ezek 23.41 and so continued in some places very common till the times of Christ being designed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sit or rather discumb in the Idols Temple 1. Cor. 8.10 Conc. Ancyr Can. 51 and for some hundred years after as appears from the Council of Ancyra yet Christ himself made use of this gesture at the Jewish Passover according to the Custom and Canons of the Jewish Church 8. Ans 2. Though it be true that many Papists but not all do receive and adore the Host kneeling yet the Decree of Honorius so oft insisted upon is herein mistaken and misapplyed That Decree commandeth that the people cum elevatur hostia salutaris se reverenter inclinet Decret Greg. Lib. 3. Tit. 41. c. 10. idem faciens cum eam deferat Presbyter ad infirmum which words speak not the gesture of communicating or at the time of receiving the Sacrament but only concerns their behaviour as spectators when the Host immediately after the Consecration is elevated or when it is carried abroad to the sick And though the old Gloss supposeth that kneeling was thereby at such times enjoined which the practice of many in that Communion cannot admit Espencaeus a more learned man than the Author of the Gloss Espencaeus De Adorat Euch. l. 2. c. 16. accounteth that Decree rather to prohibit kneeling and to direct as the words se reverenter inclinet may import a standing gesture with expression of reverence And Espencaeus telleth us in the same place that in 1555. the kneeling gesture had not obtained in the Church of Lyons and that when some endeavoured to obtrude it upon that Metropolis a stop was put to their proceeding by the Royal Authority and in the same place in that Book purposely written for the adoration of the Sacrament he declareth that it is not much material in what gesture it is performed whether sitting standing lying or kneeling 9. Ans 3. They who will lay aside all gestures grosly abused must upon the same account reject all those which are in this Sacrament ordinarily received in the Protestant Churches both standing and sitting as well as kneeling That standing was a gesture used in the Romish adoration of the Host by many of the ordinary sort of Papists is evident from Espencaeus now cited Sacr. Cerem lib. 1. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. f. 22. And if he who is elected Pope be not Bishop or Priest at his Priestly Ordination he receiveth the Sacrament standing for then as their Book of Ceremonies informs us Ordinator communicat electo stanti in ipso cornu de corpore sanguine Christi Ibid. c. 2. f. 28. and the same gesture is used by him at his Episcopal Ordination Communionem sumet sub utraque specie stans c. and as this is the gesture of the Pope in that great solemnity of the Popes being invested with his Papal dignity V. Durand Rat. l. 4. c. 54. n. 45. so upon the great Mass upon Christmas day if the Pope himself celebrate the Mass the Deacon who attendeth upon him receiveth it at the Popes hand in a standing gesture Diaconus slans inclinato capite ex ejus manibus de Corpore Christi communicat Ibid. Lib. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 14. calamo slans sanguinis partem sugit and in the same gesture the consicient Priest usually receiveth 10. Sacerdotal Par. 1. Tract 4. c. 35. But because sitting is most
Primitive Church as from the Apostles is abundantly sufficient not only to justifie but to commend herein the order of the Church of England which agreeth thereto 4. The use of Confirmation in our Church besides the leaving out things superstitious hath two great advantages in its external administration The first advantage is in the time when it is performed which is when the person is come to some years of discretion and being instructed in the main Principles of the Christian Doctrine doth by his own actual consent and promise renew his baptismal vow and ratifie and confirm it in his own person For the increase and strength of grace which is then implored and the being received to a higher rank of Christian profession doth reasonably suppose a capacity of knowledge and understanding Indeed in the early times of Christianity while Baptism was ordinarily administred to persons adult the Profession of their Faith together with their taking upon them the practice of the Christian life went before their Baptism and thence not only Confirmation but the Lords Supper was soon after administred to them and yet it is not amiss observed by Kemnitius Exam. Conc. Trid. Part. 2. de Confir that before hands were imposed by S. Paul upon the Disciples at Ephesus there was some kind of exploratio fidei or an examining of their Faith into which they were baptized And acknowledged it must be that even in Infants confirmation was anciently in some Churches used soon after Baptism but then the Lords Supper was also received by such Infants which was a blemish in some Churches as ancient as the time of S. Cyprian Cyp. de Laps Aug. de Eccles Dogm c 〈◊〉 Alcu. de Divin 〈◊〉 fic Tet 〈◊〉 Sabâ—◠〈…〉 is oft mentioned by S Augustin and four hundred years after S. Augustins time the administring the Lords Supper to Infants was directed by Alcuinus 5. The Western Church in the later Centuries hath ordinarily required in most of its Offices several days distance between the administration of Baptism and Confirmation Ration l. 6. c. 84. as Durandus declareth who also in the same place is of opinion that the ordinary custom of the more ancient Church required a perfect age or as he expresseth it the age of twelve or fifteen years De Consec dist 5. c. ut Jejuni in them who received confirmation which opinion he groundeth upon the Canon ut jejuni ad confirmationem veniant perfectae aetatis And that persons who receive confirmation should have arrived at some capacity of understanding was judged convenient by Cassander Consult Cas Art 9. de Hymn Eccles who also declareth the consent of divers others of the Romish Communion And herein the Church of Rome since the Protestant Reformation yea since the establishment of the English Liturgie hath receded from her former Rule of confirming Infants and in the first Synod of Millain Conc. Mediol 1. de Confirm Catech. Rom. de Confirm which followed that of Trent and in the Roman Catechism it is required that those who are to be confirmed should be at the least seven years old if not twelve and should be instructed with reference to their confirmation De Ritib lib. 1. c. 20. Sect. 14. and this alteration is approved by Durantus with summa ratione receptum est And herein the after-wit of the Romish Church hath entertained what was with some derision rejected in the sixth Session of the Council of Trent as we are informed in the Hist Conc. Trident lib. 2 p. 194. 6. And somewhat analagous to Confirmation at the years of discretion may be observed from the Jewish Church where when the child came to be thirteen years old Buxt Syn. Jud. c. 3. the Father in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sacred Assembly of a compleat number for solemn occasions presenteth the child before them who having been taught both prayers and precepts of duty Aben Ezr. in Gen. 17.14 he then undertaketh to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who taketh upon himself the obedience to the commands of the Law and prayer is then made for him that he may grow up in good works 7. A second advantage of our confirmation is that here is a reducing the ancient primitive Rite of imposition of hands which for many hundred years hath been extruded from the Romish confirmation by other superstitious Ceremonies Durand ubi supra And though Durandus be so frivolous as to imagine that imposition of hands is contained in the blow upon the cheek which was used in many Romish Churches after confirmation but was not directed at all in the Office secundum usum Sarum and Bellarmine be so vain as to assert it to be contained in Chrysming the forehead Bellarm de Confirm l. 2 c. 2. which is the principal Romish Rite of confirmation wise men might see that there is no more agreement in these things than that the hand is made use of about them all Wherefore this Rite of imposition of hands was no Rite either abused or used under the corruptions of the Church of Rome but was an innocent and useful primitive Rite restored in the Reformation of the Church of England Belarm ibid. c. 2 13. And even the Bishop holding up his hands to pray over them which receive confirmation which the Cardinal would have to include imposition of hands is neither required at all in the Office of Confirmation secundum usum Sarum nor is it mentioned among the present Rites of confirmation by Durantus Dur. de Ritib lib. 1. c. 20. and therefore it may as reasonably be said that Imposition of hands is included in all their prayers as that it is contained in their confirmation 8. Ratio Discip c. 3. Sect. 3. Among the Reformed Churches the Bohemian had confirmation with Imposition of hands which they did account an Apostolical Rite and they much after the manner of the Church of England used therewith invocation of the divine grace and a renewing their baptismal Covenant wherewith they also joyned Absolution And this Comenius both commendeth as the primitive practice Comen Annot. in Rat. Discip and saith that this way of Confirmation is still piously used in some Churches In the Lutheran Churches even they who retained not this use of Confirmation Conf. Sax. de Conf. as in Saxony did yet esteem it when administred with imposition of hands and prayer unto persons who being come to years of understanding did make actual profession of their engaging to Christianity to be agreeable to the purest Antiquity Exam. Conc. Trid. Par. 2. de Confirm and the Apostles practice and to have exceeding great profitableness both for the edification of the Youth and of the whole Church as we may learn from Kemnitius who was one of their chief Writers Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 19. n. 4 13. And Calvin himself expresseth a like approbation of the same declaring withal his desire
that such Confirmation with Imposition of hands might be restored 9. But it remaineth to be inquired how the Church can certifie the persons confirmed by the sign of Imposition of hands of Gods favour and gracious goodness towards them For the answering of which waving other considerations I shall observe two things First that as this imposition of hands is a testimony of admitting persons to a higher rank of Christian Professors who ratifie their baptismal Covenant by their own action intimating also an approbation of this profession it includeth the power of the Keys whereby the Officers of the Church are enabled by Gods authority to declare particularly his favour and gracious goodness to them who embrace the conditions of Christianity and to direct them thereunto and to this purpose was Imposition of hands on the Penitents at divers times used in the ancient Church And to testifie Gods gracious acceptance either by our words or actions of mens undertaking the exercise of Christianity is a thing greatly different from the tendering the divine grace of Gods Covenant as exhibited by any sign as a means to convey the same which is the proper nature of a Sacrament 10. Secondly This Imposition of hands is a sign of a Benediction in Gods name from the Officer of Gods Church The Levites and especially the Priests under the Law were required to bless the people in the name of God Deut. 10.8 1 Chron. 23.13 which blessing was performed in a way of benedictory prayer or supplication Numb 6.23 and this blessing in Gods name was a testimony of Gods giving his blessing to them supposing them not to render themselves uncapable thereof Num. 6.27 The external testimony of their general blessing all the people Targ. Jonath in Num. 6.23 was most probably by lifting up their hands towards them as is declared by one of the Chaldee Paraphrasts and is observed by Baronius Baron Annal Eccl. An. 34. n. 220. and we have an instance of this Rite attending the Priestly benediction Lev. 9.22 and our Saviour made use of the same Luk. 24.50 But in their solemn particular benedictions in the Old Testament they used Imposition of hands of which we have an example Gen. 48.14.16 in Jacobs blessing the Sons of Joseph this Rite was also used in their Ordination of their Elders and the constant use hereof in the particular benedictions by persons of great eminency among the Jews is reasonably esteemed the cause why the Jews brought little Children to Christ that he might put his hands on them and pray Mat. 19.13 Gret in Mat. 19.13 And from the frequent practice of this Rite Junius and Tremellius have ventured to admit a Paraphrase into their Translation concerning the Priestly benediction wherein they express the use of Imposition of hands in Num. 6.27 which can only be allowed concerning particular benedictions The end and design of imposition of hands in benediction 〈…〉 voc 〈◊〉 Jâ—n in Num. 6. c. 7. is declared by Ravanellus to be in testimony of the help favour and grace of God to be given to him who receiveth imposition of hands and Junius saith by this sign they were to testifie to the people Gods grace which are Phrases much like those in this Prayer at Confirmation in our Liturgy Yet this Rite was only a sign of Gods favour in this use with respect to the Benediction or Prayer for that person supposing and hoping him to be duly qualified for the receiving the benefit therein desired and therefore is of no Sacramental nature 11. Now â—lessing including nothing Ceremonial and peculiar to the Law and the Ministry of the Old Testament is very suitable to the Gospel which is in an especial manner a Dispensation of Blessing And this benediction or praying 〈◊〉 for Gods blessing was the 〈…〉 designed in this Apostolical 〈◊〉 of hands with prayer and from their time this use hath been continued in the Christian Church as hath been shewed and it would be a strange unreasonable and uncharitable thing if those who come to renew their baptismal Covenant might not receive the Churches blessing in Gods name with prayer for their Christian growth and perseverance And the dignity of Office in the Church chiefly giving authority to bless according to that rule of the Apostle Heb. 7.7 without all contradiction the less is blessed of the greater this solemn benediction at Confirmation hath thereupon been justly reserved to the Bishop or chief Officer of the Church by whom alone it was performed in the time of S. Cyprian and S. Hierom. 12. Confirmation in our use thereof is called by Bishop Whitgift Bishop Whitg Defence p. 785. Eccl. Pol. l. 5. Sect. 66. The Bishops benediction by laying on of hands by Mr. Hooker This special benediction the Rite or Ceremony of Confirmation and when Confirmation was restored in Scotland in the fourth Article of the Assembly of Perth it was declared concerning children who had been catechized that the Bishop should bless them with prayer for the increase of their knowledge and the continuance of Gods heavenly grace with every one of them And the ancient Confirmation was accounted a Benediction by Tertullian Tertul. de Bapt. c. 8. Conc. Eliber c. 77. and a Benediction of the Bishop by the Council of Elvira And since the Gospel-dispensation is a Ministration of Blessing and the great blessing of the Gospel is to receive the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 This benedictory prayer upon a solemn occasion for the grace and strength of that Spirit was suitably accompanied in the practice of the Apostles and the Christian Church with the ancient and proper token of benediction the Imposition of hands 13. Presbyt Except p. 29. But it hath been urged that the Articles of our Church declare imposition of hands in Confirmation to be a corrupt imitation of the Apostles practice and that Confirmation hath no visible sign appointed by God Artic. 25. and therefore Imposition of hands cannot therein certifie children of Gods favour and gracious goodness towards them and thus contradictions are injuriously imposed upon the Church The words of the Article to which they refer are these Article 25. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible sign or Ceremony ordained of God The sense of the former part of which words is That the Church of Rome accounting Confirmation Penance Orders and Extreme Vnction for proper Sacraments of the Gospel their errour herein proceedeth from their corrupting those things which were practised by the Apostles but their esteeming Marriage to be a Sacrament is a mis-representing a state of life allowed in the
Scripture to be a Gospel-Sacrament 14. The latter clause of those words of the Article do manifestly alike deny Confirmation and Ordination to have any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God or that God hath not appointed in them any such properly Sacramental sign as Baptism and the Lords Supper hath For in both these the Imposition of hands is immediately a representation of a benediction and of being thereby received into a higher degree among Christians by the ministerial power of the Church and though further grace from God is needful in this higher degree and humble and devout persons may receive grace from God suitable to whatsoever state he calleth them yet grace is in these cases to be expected in the use of Prayer and from the Promises of Gods assistance to and presence with his people and his Ministry but not immediately from God by the use of Imposition of hands as an outward sign whereby that grace is directly exhibited and conveyed and moreover proper Sacraments are seals of Gods whole Covenant and means whereby he conveyeth both pardoning and satisfying grace And I further add that the acknowledging the sign of Imposition of hands in Confirmation not to have any divine institution or immediate command hindreth not its being of Apostolical practice and that in the use thereof we may both follow the example of the Apostles and certifie Gods favour and gracious goodness to persons confirmed according as is above expressed SECT IV. Of the Ring in Marriage And the Conclusion 1. The Ring was by the old Nonconformists called a Sacramental Sign and a new Sacrament and others since have expressed some fear lest the use of these words with the delivery of the Ring In Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost should favour them who account Marriage a Sacrament But if this was an intimation of a Sacrament a last Will and Testament beginning In the Name of God c. and being signed and sealed must be accounted a Sacrament And even among the Romanists who esteem Marriage for a Sacrament the Ring is not fixed upon for the sign or matter thereof but some fix upon the persons contracting others upon all those words and actions whereby consent is signified others as Estius speaketh doubt which of these to close with Bellarm. de Matrim Sacr. c. 6. and Bellarmine admitteth them both 2. Now though Marriage be in some sense a Religious Constitution as having its original institution from God yet both the nature of this society and the end of it speak it a civil state of Gods appointment even as the state of Government and Subjection is and therefore as other civil contracts are established by words of consent ordinarily attended with real signs or tokens as with us some Livery and Seisin is used in the passing over an Estate and by the general consent of the World an Earnest attendeth ordinary Bargains so by a large consent of Nations hath a Ring been thought fit to establish the Matrimonial contract as a pledge or earnest thereof Whence it was an ordinary custom among the Jews to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ring of Espousing the manner of its use among the modern Jews is expressed by Buxtorfe in his Synagogua Judaica Syn. Jud. c. 28. and the ancient practice thereof is mentioned in the Talmud in Kiddushin Buxt Lex Radbin in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the ancient and laudable customs of the Roman Empire Tertul. Apol c. 6. Tertullian reckoneth this for one that women then wore gold only on that one finger quem sponsus oppignorasset annulo pronubo where the Bridegroom had put the pledge of the Matrimonial Ring Baron An. 57. n. 51. and Pamelius upon that place of Tertullian and Baronius also observeth the like use of the Ring to be expressed by Pliny to which purpose also are the words of Juvenal who describing Marriage saith Et digitis pignus fortasse dedisti Juven Sat. 6. and Theosebius in Photius calleth the Ring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conjoyner of conjugal society But though the use of this Rite in Marriage was very ancient Tertul. de Idolatr c. 16. even among the Pagan Nations Tertullian assureth us it was no part of their Paganism saith he Neque annulus neque conjunctio maritalis de alicujus idoli honore descendit but this pledge and other common earnests were prudently used long before the time of Christ and are still continued under Christianity 3. And that the principal use of this Rite is under the Christian state continued to be an earnest of this Matrimonial Contract is not only manifest from those ancient ritual words mentioned by Durantus Durandus and many others Annulo suo subarravit me sibi Dominus but from S. Augustin Aug. Tr. 2. in 1. Ep. Johan who calleth it arram sponsi the pledge or earnest of the Husband and the same intent hereof is expressed in several testimonies cited in Gratians Decretum c. 30. q. 5. c. nostrates Foeminae V. Gloss in c. 27. q. 2. si quis And in our Liturgy the giving and receiving a Ring is declared to be a pledge of the Vow and Covenant made between the persons who enter upon this state of Marriage And whereas these words In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost have some relation to the pledge of Wedlock by the Ring in our Office of Marriage as it is a testimony of consent to the Covenant of Marriage the sense and design thereof is to express thus much That this Contract of Marriage in the Church is undertaken with respect to the Rules of the Christian Doctrine and the Institution of God concerning Marriage and by Authority therefrom and in Subjection thereunto and that by reason of this institution the expressed consent of the persons contracting must stand firm and inviolable and therefore it is fitly and solemnly declared to be In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in that being now joyned together by God no man can put them asunder 4. But besides this principal end of the Ring the delivery thereof did also include a giving authority to the Wife to command and take care of the goods of the house and the provisions which the ancient Romans usually sealed and hence the Ring given in Marriage was a Seal-ring Paed. l. 3. c. 11. Thus Clemens Alexandrinus calleth it a Ring of Gold given to the Woman but not for ornament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to set a seal upon what requireth safe custody and in the same Chapter he saith that the care of the house is fitly committed to the Wife and those who have no wives may use the Seal-ring themselves So he expresseth this ancient usage of giving a Seal-ring which may also not improbably be designed in the comprehensiveness of Tertullians language Tertull. ad Vxor l. 2. c 9. by his Phrase of