the Consecration thereof might bee but in one wherein stood the sacred Altar or holy Table which was answerable to that Mercie-seate in the division of the Temple upon which it was a custome to lay the booke of the holy Gospels in stead of the two Tables of the Law and wee have there the holy Eucharist although the Pot of Manna be not now And well might they imirate such a platforme For as the Christian Religion is come in place of the Iewish so are our Churches come in place of theirs Their Tabernacle was a patterne of their Temple and their Temple a type of our Churches even as all their service was a type of our Christ as a learned Doctor hath delivered Saint Iohn is witnesse to it for though the Revelation be very misticall yet seeing the visions of things appertaining to the Christians doe so frequently allude to the fashions of the Iewes it is easie to bee gathered that hee insinuates how wee are surrogated into their roomes for whom the Temple was built and so are to cast the forme of our Churches after that fashion yea and setting aside their Types and Figures which were fulfilled in Christ to serve God in our Holy places and upon our Holy dayes as they did in and upon theirs I may therefore conclude that still there ought to be a place of Majestie which by the Ancients was called either Sacrarium or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last of which two words properly signifying a Christian Altar sheweth that the appellation of the place was derived from thence that is the Altar sometimes gave the name to the whole place of Majestie yea and sometimes as some affirme to the whole Chancell it selfe though that only within the Raile were properly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrarium And as for the Antients Ignatius is an early one among them Hee lived in the dayes of Saint Iohn and writing no Prophesie might speake that plainly which Saint Iohn as 't was delivered to him expressed mystically Or if you will that I open the matter more fully then take it thus viz. that because Saint Iohn alludeth to the customes of the Iewes and delivers his Prophesie to the Christians and speakes as if his Visions were represented to him in the Heavens it is as if it should be said Gods Church is in it selfe but one though the parts bee two Militant and Triumphant And therefore as the Church of the Iewes was ordered according to the manner of these Visions So ought the Church of the Christians in all and every of the Congregations appertaining to her And as it ought so it was in those her dayes of greatest puritie striving thereby to keepe as neere a resemblance of the one part of Gods Church with the other as shee possibly could whether in the Heavens or on the Earth And in this the * At the 35. page of his booke authour of the Holy Table though perhaps beyond the intention gives us his voice For speaking of the Kings Majesties Royall Chappell which is ordered according to the manner of those forenamed Visions hee hath these words I hope saith hee I shall over live and die in an awfull and reverend opinion of that Sacred Oratorie the vivest resemblance I know upon the earth of that Harmonie of the Cherubins wee looke for in the Heavens Thus he And it was truly spoke Wherefore it is the more to bee admired that hee should east any scornes or slights upon it afterwards and not rather bee delighted to see all other of Gods houses ordered according to so good a patterne for what better Harmonie can there bee then that the Church on Earth conforme her selfe to the Church in Heaven And that thus shee hath done in the dayes of old both before and after Christ shall bee declared As for example First of all in the Heavens S. Iohn witnesseth that hee saw a Throne and one that sate upon it So in the Temple as formerly in the Tabernacle was a Mercie seate the sacred Monument of Gods presence there And in the first Christian Churches a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrarium inclosed with a Raile for the Holy Table the signe likewise of his Residence Secondly in the Heavens the Presbyters or 24 Elders had the preheminence of comming neerest to the Throne So in the Tabernacle and Temple as formerly at Mount Sinai the people might not enter into the Courts of the Priests Nor in the Primitive times was it lawfull for any Lay-man to come within the bounds of the Altar Nulli omnium qui sit in Laicorum numero liceat intra sacrum Altare ingredi saith the 96 Canon of the sixt Councell of Constantinople The passages likewise betweene Saint Ambrose and the Emperour Theodosius mentioned by Theodoret in his fifth booke and seventeenth Chapter besides other testimonies make it manifest And last of all In the Heavens hee saw the Elders and foure living creatures fall downe and worship before the Throne Revelat. 19.4 So in the Tabernacle and Temple holy men used to worship toward the Mercie seate as they had done before towards the Cloud Yea and so also in the first Christian Churches they used to worship towards the Altar or Holy Table For the Greeke Liturgies tell us of a threefold prostration that was made before it Nay sooner yet for Reverence done at it may be found by the learned even in the dayes of that Antient already mentioned I meane Ignatius Ignat. ad Tarsens Act. 11.26 who was made Bishop of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians not above seven and thirtie yeares after Christs Passion hee was one of Saint Iohns scholars Tertul. de Paenit c. 9. and died a godly Martyr Tertullian who was flourishing about 163 yeares after the said Passion doth likewise testifie that the Penitents used to fall on their knees before it But did they therefore worship it It were a shamefull accusation to say they did A man when hee sayes Grace before his Table or kneeles before his Bed or other place when hee makes his private prayers may as well bee said to worship either his Table or Bed as these men bee said to worship the Altar Or thus Daniel may as well bee accused for turning his face towards Ierusalem David for looking towards the Temple of Gods Holinesse the People for directing their aspect towards the Cloud Nay the very Saints and Angels for falling downe before the Throne as they accused who prostrate or bow before the Altar For as Daniel being in captivitie although hee turned his face towards Ierusalem when hee prayed prayed not to it nor David made the Temple of Gods Holinesse the object of his adoration nor the people in the Wildernesse judged the Cloud to bee adored nor the Saints and Angels in Heaven worshipped the Throne although they fell downe before it So in bowing or falling downe before Gods Altar it is not the Altar Soerat lib. 1.
PROFANO-MASTIX OR A BRIEFE AND Necessarie Direction concerning the respects which wee owe to God and his House even in outward worship and reverent using of Holy Places Shewing chiefly When and How wee ought to enter How to behave our selves being Entred How to Depart as also How to esteeme of Gods House at every other time Written out of a true and sincere intent to teduce the Disordered and Factious to a better order then either their neglect stubbornnesse or scrupulositie can purchase for them By IOHN SWAN Curate of Duxford S. Peters GEN. 28.17 How dreadfull is this place This is no other but the House of God and the Gate of Heaven LONDON Printed by I. D. and are to be sold by Daniel Pakeman at the signe of the Raine-bow in Fleet-street neere the Temple gate 1639. TO The Right Worshipfull Mr. ANTHONIE TOPHAM Doctour of Divinitie and Deane of Lincolne all health and happinesse Right reverend Sir IN token of that humble respect which I owe to your selfe I am bold to dedicate these poore endeavours to you hoping that as my studies long agoe abetted by your furtherance so a tribute of their fruits shall bee now accepted at your worthy hands for though I reckon my selfe bound to render more than what 's contained in these few papers yet as Plutarch speaketh non Minus regium summaeque humanitatis parva lubenti facilique suscipere animo quam magna largiri And this I shall the rather hope because herein I have chiefly laboured to cast out that filth and rubbish wherewith the Philistims have stopped Abrahams wells for they bee not the ancient but the later times against which wee find a just complaint And I would to God there were no cause But alasse 't is otherwise insomuch that hee now is said to bee unsound who will not side with factious opposites nor yeeld to soothe the idle fancies and needlesse feares of not a few But as to a rotten mouth all things relish with a rotten tast Oris non elementi vitio so things wholesome and good appeare contrarie to corrupt judgements and therefore it makes not much what such men censure especially the Author being sheltered under the favourable wing of your protection which cannot but adde more life to the warrantable proceedings of him who wisheth both your happinesse here and glorie hereafter And shall ever remaine at your service to be commanded IOHN SWAN Novemb. 5. 1638. The Epistle to the Reader Gentle Reader I Hope ere long to befriend thee with a worke of better worth if this in the meane time may find thee curteous in the acceptation Sure I am that in it 〈◊〉 it cannot out bee judged a nâ—â—â—ssarie labour For whilst it seekes the pacification of contentious spirits by striving to give satisfaction concerning some things now in agitation it aymes at Gods glorie the manner of whose worship hath by degrees growne to such a sordid and homely passe as Religion hath now adayes lost much of that bright beautie which in Ages heretofore shee was knowne to have But I remember the words of that wise King Solomon Eccles 7.10 Say not thou What is the cause that the former dayes were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this Which is as if it should bee said Late times may be as good as ancient if Men were but willing to tread in the same steps that they have trod for the neerer a fountaine the better the water Stand therefore upon the wayes as the Prophet speaketh and consider aske of the old wayes Ier. 6.57 which is the best And verely among reformed Churches there is none desires it more then Ours and might be happy in it if wee had among us no filthy Vipers But these as they are enemies to themselves so also to others for whilst some doe not only disobey but defend their Disobedience they poyson many more both by their example and Defence And what though they gaine a popular applause in their envious proceedings against the Church this is but to make a bad case worse For one man of judgement is better by farre then a numerous multitude of the common sort whose very wisdome is but as a light feather in matters of this nature as being too farre above their reach It were good therefore that the Coblar would noâ— prescribe beyond his Last nor no man meddle but in his right Vbâ— for till then there will bee no end of Schisme nor Disorder And so no quiet to the Church of God here planted among us I say no more but wish every societie to pray for the peace of their Holy Mother Psal 122.6 for as it is written in the Booke of Psalmes They which love her shall prosper PROFANO-MASTIX OR A TREATISE FOR DIREction concerning the respects which we owe to God and his house even in outward worship and reverent using of holy places A Man that hath but an indifferent insight into the poysonsome humours of head-strong Schismatick's and such as are daily infected by them may easily discerne that their affectation of paritie ends not in persons but is transferred even to places also whereupon it comes to passe that they doe as sleightly esteeme of Churches as of common and ordinary places and of things sacred as of things prophane But they may bee ashamed if any shame at all be left them thus to revive and foster the condemned heresie of AeÌ„rius on the one side and of the Eustasians on the other side For whilst they stand thus affected they doe equally give life and nourishment to the dead spirits of each of those forenamed hereticks And first concerning their Paritie which they would have among men of the Church how dissonant it is to Orthodox doctrine Epiphanius and Saint Austin in particular besides the generall streame of other Fathers have sufficiently declared Insomuch that if even S. Hierome himselfe in any of his writings seemeth to say any thing which may bee thought not to jumpe directly with what the other Fathers and Scriptures have taught concerning this it is truly and modestly imputed to him by that learned * Saravia de divers Minister gradibus Saravia as a private opinion wherein hee favoured too much that which was condemned in him already mentioned I meane AeÌ„rius Now may a man but appeale from S. Hierom in one place to S. Hierom in another place for writing contra Luciferianos hee affirmeth plainly that the Church of God consisteth of many degrees the highest whereof he makes to rest in the Bishops and they Ignatius Epist ad Smyrn Diony fius eccles Hier. c. 5. as S. Ignatius the disciple of S. Iohn and Dionysius the scholer of S. Paul have declared are terminated in Christ immediately In a word as the 70 disciples were inferiour to the Apostles so bee ordinarie Priests now to the Bishops for as they succeed the Apostles so doe inferiour Priests the 70 disciples Which if it had beene crosse to divine
c. 25. but God that is worshipped Furthermore Socrates also reporteth that Alexander Bishop of Constantinople Ad Altare progressus humi coram sacra Mensa se in faciem prostravit meaning that comming to the Altar hee cast himselfe on his face or bowed to the ground before that Holy Table Or as * Viz. Hee who was the authour of the Holy Table pag. 194. Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 28. some translate it out of the Greeke Copie Hee came into the Quire or Chancell and bowed before the Holy Table Sozomen makes mention that his prostration was when he came Ad Basin Altaris at the foot of the Altar Ad basin Altaris procidens totam noctem pronus humi jacebat And in the dayes of the fift generall Councel the Archbishop of the foresaid place exhorted the people to doe their accustomed reverence or to adore at the holy Altar Also in the dayes of Saint Ambrose Theod. lib. 5. cap. 17. the Emperour is put in mind of the difference of places And againe did not the reverence of Holy Altars prevaile so farre with the furious Souldiers and barbarous Goths that as the said Ambrose telleth us they willingly fell downe and kissed them Ambr. lib. 5. Epist 33. And if you thinke that this act of their was more then needed I answer that there is an honour due likewise to the very things themselves which consisteth in a Veneration or a reverent using of whatsoever belongeth to Gods House and chiefly of those things which have most relation to his holy worship otherwise wee should bee absolute allowers of prophanation and be in a manner as bad as those whom our Saviour himselfe drove away from out of his Fathers House More testimonies might bee alledged but these are enough and too many perhaps may some man thinke who careth not to tread in the steps of the holy Fathers And yet even the authour of the Holy Table thinketh that they did it decently and devoutly as may bee seene at the 193. page of his booke affirming more fully some certaine * See pag. 99. pages before that although the Canon doth not enjoyne it yet reason pietie and the constant practise of Antiquitie doth That Church-men doe it in Saint Chrysostomes Liturgie and the Lay-men are commanded to doe it in Saint Chrysostomes Homilie bequeathing them to Donatus who can practise all manner of Curtesies for Maskes and Dances but none by any meanes for Christ at their approach to the Holy Table Whereupon hee doth not so much accept against this kind of worship as that the Communion Table should be called by the name of Altar a poore quarrell and such as Antiquitie knowes not how to countenance It had beene good therefore if our Church had never beene troubled with such verball contentions But to give satisfaction in this let us looke among the Antients for our better quiet And first I will begin with the second or as some divide them the third of the Apostles Canons where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Altar is twice used for the Holy Table Ignatius also in his Epistles ad Philadelphenses Trallenses and Ephesies hath the same word for the same thing Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus are well enough knowne to call the Eucharist Iren. lib. 4. c. 20. c. 34. both an oblation and a Sacrifice and therefore not to bee doubted but that they called the place or seate thereof as well as their Predecessours and suecessours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullian likewise in that testimonie of his already mentioned as also in * Lib. de Orat in sine other of his writings used the word Altar for the Communion Table And Saint Cyprian in many of his Epistles Viz. Epist 42.55.64.70.73 c. doth the like So also doth Euscbius who lived in the daies of that famous Constantine Ambrose also Ambr. lib. 5. Epist 33. who was in the dayes of Theodosius a second Constantine saith no lesse And in Gregorie Nissen the like phrase is * Viz Serm. de baptismo Quid est Altare niss sedes corporis sanguinis Christi Optat lib. 6. used So also Saint Austin Optatus and generally so many others as cannot without tediousnesse be related Howbeit this must be remembred that as a worthy * Mr. Meade in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Chrysost Hom. Quod Chrislus est Deus authour hath declared Saint Chrysostome affirmes it of our British Ilands saying The Britssh Ilands which lie out of this Sea and are in the Ocean it selfe have felt the power of the Word for even there also Churches and Altars are erected Now if in these testimonies the Apostles Canons bee misliked it cannot bee in respect of the first of them but rather that some other were added to them and continued under the same title still Or if the place of Saint Paul to the Corinthians be objected where hee saith 2 Cor. 10.12 You cannot communicate of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Divels It is answered that there is another place equall to it in Heb. 13.10 where hee also saith Wee have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate who serve the Tabernacle Not that the materials of the Table or Altar can bee eaten but that they who come to the holy Communion participate of that which is there consecrated and from thence distributed And indeed we communicate from the Altar as from an Holy Table of that heavenly banquet which in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is afforded to us And from the Table as from an holy Altar wee offer unto God the Memorie of that Sacrifice which his dearely beloved Sonne once offered upon the Crosse And so though wee have neither any bloudy Sacrifice as among the Iewes nor any unbloudy propitiatorie Sacrifice offered for the Quick and the Dead as among the Papists yet wee have a commemorative Sacrifice done in remembrance of Christ and of his death and Passion And therefore one and the same thing may bee called both A Table and an Altar A Table for the Lords Supper and an Altar for the Memoriall Sacrifice of our Lords death Or will you have it yet more full and plaine then know that as the Apostle in the one place calls the Altar of the Pagans by the name of Table so in the * Viz. 1 Cor. 10.21 other place hee calls the Table of the Christians by the name of Altar * Viz. Heb. 13.10 For as hee compares cating with eating so also Altar with Altar or Table with Table using the appellation with indifferencie as wee also find in some other places of the Booke of God viz. Ezek. 41.22 and Malach. 1.7 Nor againe if things bee well weighed can it but probably appeare that Christ in Math. 5.23 taught Christians that even in the dayes of the Gospell there should bee something still which should beare the name of Altar in the holy place of their Assemblies
as holy as the Table for this is the highest advancement that a Christian hath and although the Lord bee present in all his holy Ordinances yet here more specially insomuch that the Holy Table or Altar must upon necessitie bee evermore taken as the great signe of his presence as carrying with it the highest relation thereunto Shall we come into these houses saith one and neere those places as wee come into a common Inne or Ale-house is there no respect no regard to be shewed in the one above the other I thinke reason and discretion will teach us the contrarie For as another also speakes it is just that that place have a preheminence above the rest from which vertue and efficacie is derived to the rest for all benefits and mercies to bee dispensed to us come from the death of Christ which as is most certaine is represented there This place therefore may bee well esteemed as a Mercie Seate where God according to his being in such holy places may bee said to sit graciously reconciling a sinner to himselfe by the bloud of his Sonne For though in Baptisme there bee some externall resemblance of Christ crucified yet here more fully and therefore specially commanded to bee done in memorie of his Passion Yea here I say the speciall place of Majestie and that so as it may be well esteemed as a Mercie seate For in briefe that I may recapitulate the summe of all First as even that thing or place which is dedicated to the highest office in our worship or to the most sacred Mysterie of our religion must needs be the Most holy although not by any internall inherent qualitie infused transforming the nature of it but by an externall adherent qualitie in relation to the businesse about which it is used or for which it is set apart So also secondly In what part or place wee have the most lively demonstration of his Presence there must be the very highest degree thereof and so the highest Court of or for his Holinesse wherein the resemblance or Monument of his Residence standeth not as an Image but as a signe or testimonie even as the Arke was the signe of his presence in the Temple For now the greatest signe of Gods residence in his holy place is the Altar or Holy Table call it which you will even as the Arke was heretofore the signe of his presence in the Temple Toward this part therefore I say a more awfull reverence is required then towards or in any other part beside For in a word to shut up this although it were griefe enough to the ancient Christians to see any part of their Churches violated or prophaned by the Pagans yet that they should violate this Holy Place was a great Cordolium indeed and did augment their sorrow to the very full Whereupon Saint Chrysostome complaines after this manner writing to Innocent the first Bishop of Rome Neither was here saith he an end of those things for the Souldiers entred even into the very Sanctuarie Some whereof wee know were not so much as initiated in Divine Mysteries and there they saw those things which were within Yea and the most holy bloud of Christ was spilt upon the garments of the foresaid Souldiers as it falleth out in such a tumult And thus much for Reverence in entring THE next concernes our Deportment being entred all the time the Service is in doing Now this must bee such as becommeth those who either speake unto God or have God speaking unto them For as in hearing God commeth neere unto us so in Prayer we come neere unto him And if so as so it is then surely bold and lazie postures are unsufferable and irreverent gestures more then unseemely Some may not sit when others stand or scorne to bend when others kneele 1 Cor. 11. â— Saint Paul who would have all things to bee done decently and in order forbids the covering of the head and would that hee who made the whole man should bee worshipped of the whole For as wee must shew our faith by our workes in like manner our inward humiliation devotion and honour to our God must bee sure to appeare in our * 1 Cor. 6.20 outward gestures and comely postures at his holy service God expects that we serve in both soule and body For as the second without the first is a dead oblation so the first without the second is but a maimed offering Which agrees to that of Saint Paul in another place With the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10.101 and with the tongue hee confesseth Or more plainly to that of David Oh come Psal 95.6 let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lordour Maker Or if you will to that of Saint Paul yet once againe saying Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee give up your bodyes as well as your soules a living sacrifice The second Precept speakes as much For if wee may not bow unto an Image because God is a jealous God then without question we must in such parts of his service as require it bow and fall downe when wee worship Him Did not the Divell therefore thinke it a great point of honour to have our Saviour shew his worship and reverence towards him by falling down in worshiping of him He did not say It sufficeth if thou wilt but inwardly adore me Math. 4.9 But All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee And in heaven Revel 4.10 as Saint Iohn saw it represented to him is not God worshipped by the bowings or fallings downe of those that bee there Verely as I have already shewed Heaven is alwayes like it selfe The Church Militant is a kind of heaven upon earth and therefore the Congregations in it must imitate the Assemblies which are Triumphant Here wee must take no knowledge of either Father or Mother Master or Dame or other of our Betters so as wee leave Gods service and rise from our knees to honour them For they that doe thus seeme to say to God Almightie Stay a while I shall bee for thee againe anonne My Master and Mistris are not yet in their seates I am now standing up unto them and will by and by kneele downe againe unto thee But whoever they bee who have used to doe thus must if they doe as they ought doe so no more For if they doe they preferre the Creature before the Creatour and reverence their Master above their Maker For 't is a Rule that when the dutie which wee owe to God and the dutie which wee owe to Man stand in competition both together we must then leave all Father and Mother Master and Mistris to waite upon God Have yee not houses to eate and to drinkein Despise yee the Church of God saith the Apostle although in another case So may I say in this There bee other times and other places to shew your dutie and respect
crucis for the death of the Crosse For whereas the chiefe Priests Scribes and Elders at the time of his death * Math. 27.37.40 mocked him in allusion to his name saying Hee saved others himselfe he cannot save and whereas the Iewes and wicked Miscreants have alwayes ever since derided the Christians with their crucified Iesus it pleased the Lord in his wisdome to exalt his Name so much the more by how much it was debased and vilified by wicked men And this hee would should be expressed by some externall gesture thereby to shew the inward obeysance and subjection which is due to Christ Against which whilst some object that it cannot be meant of any actuall bowing of the knee because Angels Soules departed Divels and damned soules have no knees to bow they doe but deceive themselves For the Apostle speaking unto men speakes after the manner of men giving us to understand that as wee are to shew our reverence and subjection by bowing of the knee so they by some such gesture as is truly correspondent to this of ours Wee know that in * 1 Cor. 13.1 another place hee gives the Angels tongues And therefore may as well in this place give them knees They have the one as well as the other And so in their kind doe what is here commanded us They their way wee ours for there be many passages in the * Rev. 4.10.2.5.8 c. 14.7.11 See also Heb. 1.6 Revelation which may cleare this doubt And albeit some of these of whom the Text speaketh be of a different quality from the saints and Angels and are therefore obstinately bent against Christ Iesus and will not for the present do their Reverence nor be willing to shew any outward token of subjection or obedience yet seeing Christ must reigne till he have put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 the time shall be sure to come when the strongest opposites shall bee brought unto it and whether they will or no be made to stoope and to do open reverence to that blessed name which hath bin so often scorned and derided by the Devils and wicked And therefore let every one that liveth bee afraid even how he leanes to perversnesse lest he come at last to be accounted guiltie of a desperate evill For when we have done the best wee can it is no whit more then Christ hath merited For worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power riches wisdome strength honour glorie and blessing Revelat. 5.12 Besides were it so that this were not spoken properly in respect of us who have knees it may as well bee granted that neither is it required of us that wee should confesse for the one is mentioned in the text of Saint Paul as well as the other So that if wee take away the proprietie of speech from the one wee take it also from the other and then wee are as little bound to confesse as to bow which were a tenet directly opposite to a knowne truth For as with the heart Man beleeveth so with the tongue he confesseth as the Scripture elsewhere speaketh viz. Rom. 10.9 10. Nor againe is there cause to feare that although wee bow at the name of Iesus and not at the name of God that wee doe thereby advance the Sonne above the Father For first this honour of Christ begins with the Father hee was the cause of it by Him was his Sonne exalted both in his person and his name which hee would should bee acknowledged and therefore saith the text every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse And secondly as it began with him so it ends with Him also for saith the text againe It is unto the glorie of God the Father And no marvell for it redounds much to His glorie that wee should thus honour his Sonne It is no will-worship taken upon our owne heads but such as even the Father himselfe both desireth should bee done and is not only well pleased that it be done but also glorified in regard that it is done From whence it appeareth that this bowing to the Sonne is in effect a bowing to the Father also at whose command and unto whose glorie we doe it And although it be in it selfe a dutie of the text yet hath the Church also interposed her authoritie for the more strict and decent observation of it Canon 18. Injunct 52. In which neither doth our present Canon nor that Injunction of Queene Elizabeth cause more to bee done then what had formerly beene observed in the Church of God in those ancient times which had beene before For when they speake of reverence done at the name of Iesus these words are also mentioned viz. as it hath beene accustomed Nor was it a late custome among the Papists for even in the dayes of Saint Hierom. the Christian Church was carefull to observe it His words bee these Hier. in Isa 45.23 Moris enim Ecclesiastics est Christo genuflectere quod Iudaei mentis superbiam demonstrantes omnino non faciunt For it is saith hee the custome of the Church to bow the knee to Christ which the Iewes shewing the perversnesse of their mindes altogether refuse to doe Thus it was then but how long before I cannot tell Only this I observe from hence that the ancient Church understood that text where this dutie is taught in the same sense that we understand it now And therefore how they can bee acquitted from enemies of the Orthodox veritie who feare not to stand against it no man I suppose is able to declare And sooner by farre may they bring forth an argument of spight then an evidence of the spirit who speake against it The people must use the Answers of the Liturgie The next dutie that I shall mention is that being in Gods house and at his service care must bee had to use all the Answers of the holy Liturgie and that cheerefully and aloude not whispering or betweene the teeth nor as some doe silently and not at all For tell me I beseech you where is the eagernesse of your Prayers and Prayses if in a publike Assemblie yee bee as mute as fishes Revel 14.2 I heard a voice from heaven saith Saint Iohn as the sound of many waters and as the sound of a great Thunder and I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their harpes Like unto which should bee the voyce of the Church on earth in all her severall Congregations when shee uttereth her Prayers and Prayses to the God of heaven For first wee are to come joyntly to the place of publike meeting like the concourse of many waters whose voyce stands to signifie the voyce of a numerous and full multitude being met together Secondly to bee earnest in our devotions like the sound of a great Thunder And then thirdly shall this loude voyce of ours bee musicall like unto those heavenly Harpers harping with their harpes It may be Multa vox ex
Psallentium multitudine sed delectabilis ex consonantie suavitate which is true both in singing and in other parts of Gods service And verely it was the praise of the Primitive Church in whose steps is the best footing to doe all this joyntly and aloud insomuch that as Saint Hierom speaketh their Amen was like a clap of Thunder as is here signified and their Halleluia as the roring of the Sea I should bee glad therefore to see the people joyne with their Minister both in heart and voyce and to let so cheerefall and so good a light shine forth before men that thereby the forwardnesse and alacritie of one may stirre up the dull drooping soule of another and so all bee as they should in the House and at the services of God And thus much for Deportment being entred Fourthly as wee may not bee Late Commers nor Ill Enterers We must not depart till all be ended nor of Ill Deportment being entred So neither may wee be such giddie-headed Fugitives as to bee gone away before the whole service bee fully ended For in the judgement of S. Chrysostome Chrysost-homde non contemnend Ecclesia Hee is no better then a Fugitive who takes his leave before the time come that hee bee dismissed Nay should hee goe to a Theatre hee would scarce be guiltie of such a quick departure but would first expect his Valete plaudite and then depart And is not the Priests blessing besides the service that he goeth from of a farre greater consequence Prophane men and women thus to dishonour the God of heaven Oh tell it not abroad but to terrifie these idle and wearie worshippers They preferre their owne desires before Gods service and so in effect make any thing else their God rather then the Lord How else could they shew such an irkesome assent to his holy worship But 't is not unknowne what was the censure for this offence in the dayes of old From the first words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the peoples silent attention was called for untill the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dimissio populi they might not depart it being a censure no lesse then excommunication to bee gone away before the end excepting in cases of extreame necessitie Thus in the Greeke Church And in the Latine there was Ite Missa est twice pronounced by the Deacon once when the Catechumeni were sent away and once at the end of the Communion after the whole Service was fully ended Our * Can. 18. Eccles Anglic. See also Concil 4 Carth. Concil Aurel. Can. 28. Canon therefore doth not ill beseeme us which treads so neere such pious times And seeing it is in the power of the Church to make such Lawes let it bee in the conscience of the officers to see them kept Yea in a word as wee pray that God would heare us and goe not farre from us so by the like relation wee are to bee carefull that wee runne not away from Him For it is but justice that God deale with us as wee with Him And if wee forsake or flie his House on earth no marvell if hee will not suffer us to enjoy the faire beautie of it in the glorions heavens In such a case as this the complaint can bee no sooner taken up Lord why hast thou forsaken us but presently the answer will be as ready Oh wicked and slothfull servant why hast thou forsaken mee Last of all as for Reverence in departure they are ill advised who rush out together like an heard of cattell For when all was done They bowed themselves and worshipped Their last posture being like their first as the * See 2 Chro. 29.29 Scriptures also beare us witnesse ANd now after all this there is one thing more would be observed namely that wee ever remember for whom this House is set apart If it bee once Gods House 't is alwayes so as well when no assemblie is there present as when the Service is in doing For by the relation of divine proprietie as it is alwayes holy so alwayes His. And this comes to passe in regard of the Dedication or Consecration thereof to the divine Majestie For when a thing is once dedicated or consecrated to the Lord the proprietie thereof becomes so His as it is no longer Ours Yea thus to be Gods is to be His in a peculiar manner and not as other things are And for all this wee have sufficient warant First in the goods of the Church as in that example of Ananias and Saphyra Act. ◠4 in the Acts of the Apostles The goods were their owne before they had devoted them but then they nothing appertained to them Secondly in the Vessels and Vtensils of the Church as was seene Dan. 5.23 Theod. l. 3. c. 12.13 and Sozom. lib. 5. c. 7. Math. 21.12 Ioh. 2.14 not only in that example of Balthasar but in that also of the wretched Felix and filthy Iulian. And last of all in the very place it selfe as our Saviours act beside other examples hath well declared And therefore it is more then manifest that they are in a great errour who would have Churches holy no longer then the time of divine Service For as there is alwayes a great difference betweene a Priest and a Lay-man So alwayes a great difference betweene a Church and another place Which to conclude with affords us these two Lessons First that wee are at all times so to behave us in Gods house as that wee be more reverend there then else-where It is the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 26.8 and to bee uncovered in the Kings presence Chamber is an usuall thing though the King bee not there It should bee as usuall to doe the like much rather in the Houses of God though the solemnitie of service bee not then For there can bee but little love to God when rudenesse takes place of reverence and sequesters our respect from such persons things and places as belong unto Him Secondly if it bee Gods house it cannot bee also thine wee may not pervert or turne it to any secular employment For though the Divel deale cunningly and perswade what hee can the contrarie yet let it not bee thy fate to bee thus dangerously mis-led by such a Lyar. For as hee deales falsely when hee would have us beleeve that wee may retaine God in our hearts together with our sinnes So hee deales as deceitfully when hee would have us thinke that Gods House may serve for other uses besides his service Retort it therefore back againe that as God when hee calls to Man for his heart meaneth not that the World the Flesh and the Divell should have one part and hee another but meaneth that it bee all for himselfe So if it bee Gods house hee must and will have it all alone Before it was built to bee an house to thy God the ground and cost were thine owne and thou mightest have done with them what thou wouldest as in that before of Saint Peter to Ananias But when thou hast once given them to God it is no more Thine but His house Yea and so His as that it be solely His. Hee loves no partner nor is delighted with the doings of a rude and wicked Prophaner for Holinesse becommeth thine house for ever as it is in the 93 Psalme at the 6 verse Quest But bee there no times nor no occasions wherein things sacred may be applied to a common use Answ There be I grant some cases wherein the Lord will have mercie and not sacrifice but it is not for every one to judge of that Howbeit this I may say that Charitie is a maine piece of pietie and in that regard holy things cannot bee properly said to bee prophaned when wee are forced to make them serve to the necessities of our Brethren as was seene in David Math. 12. when hee and they that were with him went into the house of God and did eate the Shewbread as also in that of some of the Fathers who were necessitated to sell a part of the holy Vessels for the safetie of the needie And in like case I thinke the Church is not prophaned though wee be shut up there for our better safetie if when wee are there we doe not that which may prophane it But what 's all this to that unsufferable libertie which some men take either in the making of it a place to teach a Schoole to lay lumber in or a place for Iuries to consult together at their Courts and Leets or a place for neighbours to come and commune in about their Sesses or other compositions or for a prophane Glasier to mend his glasse upon the holy Table or to say as hath been sometimes that Playes and Enterludes may bee acted there No These and the like are farre from that which may bee done in such a place And therefore as Christ whipped the Buyers and sellers from the Temple overthrew the Tables of the money-changers and seates of them that sold Doves So should every Christian Church zealously expell all such kinds of prophane doings from the Houses of God For it cannot but bee well pleasing to the owner of them to see his honour thus advanced And God bee thanked wee have those among us who are tenderly affected towards it The Lord make them prosperous and never let them prevaile oh Lord whose factious proceedings declare too well that they love to trouble the harmlesse peace of their Holy Mother Soli Deo Gloria FINIS Perlegi hunc Tractatum cui titulus Prophano-Mastix dignumque judico quitypis mandetur Tho. Wykes R. P. Episc Lond. Capell domest Octob 17. 1638.