ordinary reading of the Law in the assemblies upon the Sabbath is not commanded by Moses either to the priests or Levites no mention is found of any such practice for a long time together We find not for a long time that the Jews had any synagogues for the ordinary assembling of the people and the Law could not be read in their synagogues untill they were built Will our brethren hence conclude either that the scriptures were not read in the assemblies or that it was a devise of man to reade them in their synagogues It is not good to lay grounds for such conclusions If M r Ainsworths testimony be of any value then mark what he testifieth from the famous Jew Maimonie in Misneh treatise of prayer That the church of the Jews had no stinted Liturgie Annot. on Deut. 6. 13. Our wise men have said saith Maim What service is this with the heart It is prayer And there is no number of prayers by the Law neither is there any set form of this by the Law c. If M r Ainsworth be not crosse to himself he cannot deny the use of a stinted form amongst the Jews in the celebration of the passeover of a stinted form free and voluntary not necessary as prescribed of God And that which is here cited out of Maimonie is no way repugnant thereunto For he speaketh not of the passeover or any observations in the celebration thereof but of prayer and that private by one alone and not publick in the assembly or congregation Now the Jews might well use a stinted form in the celebration of the passeover when yet by the law there was no number set nor form prescribed for private prayer These two may well agree After long search no copy can be found of any stinted Liturgie in use among the Jews till they ceased to be the church of God which is a poore and weak proof of the lawfulnesse of a stinted Liturgie amongst Christians It followeth not that they never had or used a set form because it is not to be found at this day For many monuments of antiquity are perished Again though forms which now are extant were not entire as now they be untill they ceased to be a church yet many things conteined in them might be in use before So it is in the counterfeit Liturgies which goe under the name of James Mark Basil and Chrysostom they contein many things which shew the whole composure to be late in comparison whereas divers things in them mentioned were of more ancient use in the church of God And if this do not please though there never was any stinted Liturgie or form of prayer to be used in all their synagogues and assemblies yet that is no reason to question the truth of that which the learned have observed touching the stinted form used in the celebration of the passeover and the probabilities at least they bring to shew that our Saviour Christ approved the same which is all that is affirmed in the argument and maketh more for the lawfulnesse of a stinted form of Liturgie then any thing that hath been objected against it As for the reformed churches we are not to consider what they do but what they ought to do It is most true but we must consider wisely and not censure unadvisedly The churches of God are companies of men called out of this world in part onely inlightned subject to errour they have erred they may erre their sole testimony cannot be the ground of divine faith and assurance Neverthelesse the constant judgement of the churches of God for many ages in a matter of this nature in the times of reformation when clouds and darknesse are expelled when the sunne is risen and great light given to the scriptures by the benefit of languages translations and commentaries I say the judgement of the churches at these times and in a matter of this nature is not lightly to be regarded A man should try and examine his grounds and reasons and mistrust himself rather then so many wise learned and godly sweetly consenting in a matter of this nature unlesse his evidence be very good He had need be well advised before he charge them to maintein a worship not allowed an idole-prayer for the spirituall worship of God a strange form of prayer which was never approved whereat a Christian may not safely be present against which he is bound to witnesse Be it that the churches do erre herein yet I hope they be not obstinate and such as will not give consent to the truth when it is shewed and manifested How cometh it then to passe that none of them hitherto have subscribed to their opinion and practice Either their arguments are not sufficient to convince and then their Separation is unjust or they generally want eyes to see the light for they will not say they want conscience to acknowledge what they cannot but see and then in meeknesse they are to be born withall if upon well tried grounds a man be assured that they all and not he himself is in the errour The testimony of the church then is not infallible because it may erre and hath erred and some members of it at this day do erre in the particular differences that be amongst them but yet the constant testimony of the whole church in the times of light and reformation is of great weight otherwise the Apostles would never alledge the practice and consent of churches to confirm the faithfull and stop the mouthes of the contentious We must look to the primitive churches planted by the apostles who are patterns to them and us But the apostolick churches for many yeares had no such Liturgie devised or imposed And therefore it is no ordinance of Christ because the churches may perfectly and entirely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship We freely confesse it to be no ordinance of Christ by speciall institution nor part of his worship It sufficeth that it is allowable in the worship and consonant to the generall rules given in scripture but not of absolute necessitie Whether any stinted forms of prayer were in use in the apostolick churches is more then can be affirmed certainly or denyed That the apostles prescribed none as necessary that is easily beleeved because no mention of it That none was in use our Divines will neither peremptorily affirm nor deny But if that be granted it is no prejudice to a stinted Liturgy nor to the churches apostolick who are to be our patterns For it is more then probable that many assemblies had not the scriptures read in a known tongue at their first planting it is more then can be shewed by precedent or example that they were read in any Christian congregation Some churches converted by the preaching of the Gospel had neither books nor letters It may be others received the book of
the Old Testament from the apostles at their first conversion but suddenly they could not be translated into every language and till they were translated they could not be read in the congregation unto edifying The books of the New Testament could not be delivered untill they were written but they were not written all at once and when they were all written being sent to severall churches it must be some time before they could be gathered together and translated And if nothing be allowable in the church but what was found in the primitive churches planted by the apostles by record of scripture I fear the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue must be cast out of the congregations I go not about to equalize stinted Liturgies with set translations of the holy scriptures but I would intreat such as oppose a stinted Liturgie by these reasons to consider whether they do not put weapons into the adversaries hands to fight against the scriptures Again set forms of catechismes publick or private composed by the minister or devised by others used with liberty to adde or alter as occasion requireth are no more commanded of God then set forms of prayer nor no more in use in the apostolick churches Christ our Saviour the Prophets or Apostles have no more appointed the one then the other if all parts of holy and spirituall worship may be performed without a stinted Liturgie they may be performed also without a stinted or set catechisme and if a set form of prayer must be disallowed a set form of catechisme publick or private composed by the minister or devised by others must be condemned also But the antiquity excellency and necessity of catechizing is known to them who are exercised in the building and governing of the house of God the use and profit of a set form therein is both manifest by reason and confirmed by experience at home and abroad in publick and private to them who have laboured to lay the foundation of Christian religion and train up the people committed to their charge in sound wisdome and understanding And in these things we swerve not from our pattern because we teach and professe the same doctrine and worship God with the same worship and substantiall means of worship that the primitive churches and Christians did There is the same reason of reading the Apocrypha books of Maccabees and those that follow them in the congregation and of reading a stinted form of Liturgie and the same reasons that silence the Apocrypha will silence stinted prayers as well and as much When we prove the lawfulnesse of a stinted form of prayer by the stinted forms of psalmes and blessing mentioned in scripture it is thought answer sufficient to say There is great difference betwixt blessings or psalmes and prayer and yet here it is enough to match things unlike together and to say of them without all proof There is the same reason of both But if it have any sinews it will silence the singing of psalmes sermons professions of faith and conceived prayer no lesse then stinted especially the use of notes to help memory and forms of catechisme by whomsoever and howsoever used For there is the same reason of reading and uttering by heart in the congregation And if nothing but the canonicall scriptures must be read in the congregation nothing must be uttered by heart or strength of memory but the scriptures alone But sermons professions of faith conceived prayer are not canonicall scripture The reason is one and whatsoever can be answered truly in the one will put the other to flight If it be said That it is the prerogative of the scripture to be the rule of faith and manners and therefore nothing is to be read in the congregation as the ground undoubted and immediate of faith and manners but the scripture alone this openeth way for stinted prayer as well as for sermons or conceived prayer The substantiall means of worship both publick and private are determined of God It is unlawfull to set up an image for worship either publick or private The scripture must be acknowledged the sole rule of faith and manners both in publick and private It is unlawfull to devise sacramentall signes in private as well as in the congregation And if it be unlawfull to reade any other book in the congregation because the reading of the scripture is the onely approved medium cultûs by the same reason all forms of catechismes and singing of psalmes and reading or use of stinted praiers in the family are unlawfull And if the one be an image in the congregation the others are so in the family When the Lord had devised and appointed a perfume saith the authour of the Letter all men are forbidden to make a composition like that perfume Exod. 30. 35 37. So if it could be proved that Christ had made a form for the churches and believers alwayes when they pray then the offering up of any other prayers made by others or of our own devising would seem to be as unlawfull as the offering of strange incense Exod. 30. 9. Where it is implyed that seeing God hath determined no certain form therefore forms devised by men are not necessary but lawfull In the same manner they may be answered from their own grounds That seeing God hath sanctified and set apart the canonicall scriptures given by immediate Divine inspiration to be the sole and perfect rule of faith and manners therefore the scripture alone must be read and acknowledged as the sole ground of heavenly instruction But seeing he hath determined no certain form of prayer or sermons professions of faith or thanksgiving therefore either none at all must be made or forms devised by men are lawfull to be heard in the congregation yet not as immediate and undoubted grounds of faith for that is proper to the scripture but as instructions and exhortations builded upon or petitions framed according to the scripture as present occasion doth require In sermons who doth not put a difference betwixt the text whereupon the discourse instructions exhortations rebukes comforts be grounded deduced the exhortations rebukes comforts which are propounded in method phrase of speech devised by men The first is ought to be canonicall scripture the other not so But it would argue great ignorance if not perversenesse if a man should cavill in this manner against the preaching of the word That the scriptures alone are to be read in the congregation therefore the minister of the Gospel must simply reade the scripture but never give the meaning nor make application In the Primitive church sundry councels have forbidden the reading of any books as parts of Divine worship but canonicall scripture onely of the Old and New Testament but no councel ever condemned the use of a stinted Liturgie Those churches which forbad the reading of any books which be without the canon did
not uttered without premeditation settled and digested or at least which is not immediately suggested by the Spirit in respect of words and phrase of speech If the latter then devised worship is not forbidden in the second commandment but worship devised by another For that prayer which should be pure worship if devised by a mans self is unlawfull worship when devised by another And so devised worship or prayer is not condemned but worship or prayer devised by another man And if this be not the devise of man I know not what is Can this alter the nature of the worship in the hearer or him that joyneth that the words in prayer are invented by another studied by the governour or more suddenly conceived In the judgement of some Divines the three first commandments are thus distinguished each from other That the first commandment conteineth all those our duties towards God which are naturall The second all those duties in Gods speciall worship which are instituted and either of these is both inward and outward The third commandment requireth the well using of both these and of all other things which come of God If this distinction be allowed a stinted form as such doth not at all belong to the second commandment For instituted worship and not the order or manner of performance is the matter of the second commandment Stinted prayer is unlawfull because a man in devising it doth not exercise his own gifts Though he exercise not his gifts in devising it in reading or uttering it as a prayer he may set his understanding judgement faith hope love humility fervency and other graces of Gods Spirit on work And if the minister do not may not the people exercise their gifts in hearing and so though it be unlawfull to him it is not so to them Stinted prayer voluntarily taken up upon a mans self is not so much unlawfull but prayer imposed upon men because in such case they subject themselves to mans ordinance in Gods worship This is a strange description of mans ordinance in the worship of God or of worshipping God after the ordinances of men For thence it will follow that the same devised worship voluntarily taken up hath some allowance as the ordinance of God and ceaseth onely to be of God when it is imposed Whereas the ordinances of men in Gods worship condemned in scripture are not mere matters of order forms of words and phrases circumstances of time and place determined by men according to the generall rules but matters of worship devised besides and against the word of God and are unlawfull whether voluntarily taken up and devised of our selves or imposed by others A prescribed set form is not agreeable to the word of God for circumstance because the prescribing of it is to set apart or sanctifie it for such an use without Gods command and so to idolize it above other prayers In what sense a stinted form of prayer is or may be set apart hath been shewed before But this description of setting apart or prescribing is a mere devise barely affirmed without any shew of reason What is here objected against a prescribed form may be affirmed of a prescribed place time and order for the celebration of Divine ordinances which are of the same nature with it and no more determined by the word of God And suppose the minister or governour maintein some erroneous conceit touching the prescribed form of prayer are the people children or servants hereby authorized to withdraw themselves from such prayers or the prayers themselves made unacceptable to such as know how to use them aright One man is of opinion that a prescribed form is better then another another that a prescribed form is unlawfull one that it is best ordinarily to use a stinted form another that he is to pray alwayes according to the present occasion in a different order and phrase of speech In these cases if the least errour do stain the prayers to others that they may not lawfully joyn together with whom shall the faithfull joyn at all Is not this to fill the conscience with scruples and the church with rents Errours and abuses personall they rest in the persons so erring and stain not others It is harsh to affirm that such hath been the estate of the church ever since the death of the apostles almost if not before that a Christian could not without sinne joyn with any publick assembly in prayer or participation of the sacraments that he must either separate from the prayers of the assembly and depart from the sacraments or derogate from the authoritie of God and worship him after the ordinances of men For if such was the state of the Christian church from that time what is become of those great and pretious promises made to the church in the times of the Messias Did the church begin to draw and give up her breath both in one day Many things were amisse in the church many corruptions did begin to bud in the apostles times and after their departure did put forth with greater vigour and the saints of God I doubt not offended many wayes through ignorance and infirmity which God in mercy was pleased to pardon unto them But that the state and condition of the church was such that a Christian could not hold communion in prayer and the sacraments with the churches of God is contrary to the many promises in scripture made to the churches of the New Testament It is true the scripture doth forewarn us of an apostasie from the faith and the mystery of iniquity began to work in the apostles dayes and after their death things declined more and more But that within an age or two after the apostles departure out of this life things were so corrupted that the godly might not hold communion with the church in prayer and participation of the sacraments is more then an advised Christian will dare to affirm or think But if a stinted form of prayer be unlawfull both to minister and people to him that administers according to it and them that joyn a Christian might not safely joyn in any church-assembly or congregation in prayer or participation of the sacraments within few ages after the death of the apostles if at all Unlawfull commands in matters of religion especially cannot be obeyed without sinne Hos 5. 11. and it is a sinne to walk after them many wayes In matters of religion if the commands of men be contrary to the commands of God for substance or matter of the thing commanded we must obey God rather then men But if the command of man be for substance of matter agreeable to the rules of scripture pressed onely with too great strictnesse or severitie it is not evermore against God nor our superiours nor the present age and posterity nor ourselves to yield obedience If it be an holy form of baptisme voluntarily to baptize into
which assembled every day the word was preached every day And in the congregations which assembled every Lords day after the reading of the lessons psalmes and evangelists the word was preached constantly before they were dismissed The time specially appointed or taken for the sermon was the morning after the reading of the prophets and psalmes and evangelists In the afternoon as assemblies so sermons were frequent and two or more sermons were made in one and the same congregation sometimes by one sometimes by divers ministers After the sermon ended followed the prayers of the congregation as the testimonies before alledged plentifully confirm Clemen Constit lib. 2. cap. 57. After the exhortation of the Presbyter and the Bishop all pray unto God Justin Apol. 2. ad Anton. Then we rise all and pray together sc after the exhortation ended Origen Hom. 3. in Isa Idcirco surgentes oremus Deum Hom. 36. in Luc. Surgamus precemúrque Deum Chrysost Hom. 50. ad cap. 14. Matth. But now it is time to conclude our speech with prayer orate igitur universi nobiscum In all which we see the wisdome of the church so moderated the length of the Liturgie that each ordinance of God had its proper season that reading and prayer did not thrust out preaching nor preaching eat up prayer that the weak were not tired and burdened nor the sluggish fostered in their securitie And if a Liturgie be onely burdensome for length it is not altogether to be cast off For the thing it self is thereby justified as good and allowable that which burdeneth being taken away And it is much better to wrestle against bodily tirednesse with spirituall fervour then deprive themselves of the comfort and profit which is to be had in the ordinances of God The worship of God by that stinted form whereof our question is is the devise of Antichrist it being never prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles and recorded in scripture But as the mystery wrought to a greater height in declining times of the church it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed strictly enjoyned and every where used in the papacy as serving to maintein superstition and a dumbe idole-reading ministery and to nourish people in ignorance of the nature and right use of prayer The Masse-book is in Latine this Liturgie-book is in English the Masse-book hath all the prayers this Liturgie hath and some more other differences I know not between them Therefore king Edward the sixth in his letter to the Devonshire-men to convince them that their Liturgie was our service telleth them that it was no other but the old and the self-same words in English which were in Latine save a few things taken out which were so fond that it was a shame to heare them in English And king James in a speech of his in Scotland said that their English Liturgie was an ill-said Masse Pope Pius the fourth sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbat of S. Saviour to Qu. Elisabeth offered to confirm the English Liturgie by his authoritie if she would yield to him in some other things Indeed this Liturgie pleased them so well that for the first eleven years of Qu. Elizabeth Papists came to the English churches and service as the Lord Cook sheweth And when the Popes intelligencers had seen service solemnly sung and said in Canterbury and London with all their pomp and procession they wondred that their master would be so unadvised as to interdict a Prince or State whose service and ceremonies so symbolized with his own The whole form then of the church-service a few grosse things taken out is borrowed from the Papists culled and picked out of that popish dung-hill the Portuis and vile Masse-book But that form of prayer by which God is worshipped after the manner that idolaters worship their Gods swerveth from a rule of prayer prescribed in scripture Deut. 12. 3 4. 30. 31 32. And this is made the first of the exceptions against the common-prayer-book which were briefly added to in the Abbridgement That it appointed a Liturgie which in the whole matter and form thereof is too like unto the Masse-book The main challenge in this objection which I have set down more at large because it is much insisted upon against our communion-book is That it was taken out of the masse-book But in the manner of propounding there be divers great mistakes to say no more It is a great fault that they put no difference betwixt the substance of worship and the externall form or order of celebration The substance of worship in that stinted form of prayer is That we call upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ according to his will Is this the devise of Antichrist because the form of words was taken out of the masse-book Suppose a minister of the Gospel should borrow some expressions or phrases of speech from heathen authours is his sermon forthwith the invention or devise of an heathen It is as far wide that they say Not onely the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For the matter of our Liturgie is the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue the calling upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and not upon angels or saints departed for the living and not for the dead the right administration of the sacraments for substance and singing of psalmes are these the devises of Antichrist Is the administration of the Lords supper in both kinds in remembrance of Christs death and passion who by one oblation of himself once offered hath made a full perfect and sufficient oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world is this taken from the church of Antichrist These imputations are not so grosse as their reasons weak upon which they are built If our stinted Liturgy be the devise of Antichrist because it is not prescribed by the apostles or recorded in scripture then every stinted Liturgie must fall under the same censure for none other is prescribed in scripture or recorded by the apostles And so either every stinted Liturgie is part of that mystery of iniquitie which began to work in the apostles dayes or our Liturgy is not Antichristian because it was not prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles If it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed then the first beginning of it was no more from Antichrist then was the beginning of other Liturgies Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God and antichristianisme is a filthy and lothsome leprosie which by degrees did infect the pure worship of God If therefore our Liturgie was sowred in after-times with that old leaven it might be pure and free in its first originall Is it for matter taken from the church of Antichrist
maketh our joyning with the assembly sinfull to us whereas if the evils were unexpected the danger would not be alike And thus it was with them who congregated to heare the scribes and Pharisees It is not for them that earnestly oppose all humane inventions to ward off a blow by humane devises When God commandeth my presence at his ordinance why should the corruption foreknown in the manner of administration without my consent or approbation any more defile then that which falleth out unexpected Or if it should nothing can be alledged more impertinently For the corruptions of the Pharisees in perverting the law were ordinary and common well known to all men and so reproved by our Saviour as a thing notorious And the like may be said of the disorders in the churches of Corinth and Rome for if the knowledge thereof came to the Apostle absent and at that time in prison by the information of the brethren of necessitie it must be known to the members of the churches The faithfull therefore when they joyned in the ordinances of worship with these assemblies neither did nor could pretend ignorance of these things There is a broad difference to be put betwixt the sinne committed by persons with whom I communicate and the corruption put upon the ordinance in which I communicate If the sinne of him with whom I communicate be manifest and known the ordinance of God is corrupted by it one way or other And if I be defiled with all known corruption whatsoever it is not materiall to the point in hand how those corruptions differ in their specificall nature The question is Whether all presence at the ordinances of God in some respect corruptly or disorderly administred contract guilt in him that is onely present in obedience to Gods commandment and hath no calling from God to testifie peculiar or speciall dislike It may be of some use here to shew what corruptions be fundamentall and what not what pernicious to be tolerated and what not when a man hath a calling to testifie against abuses and when not But to speak of the specificall difference betwixt abuses of the same kind or degree is quite wide of the mark This will easily be yielded because communion in the ordinances of worship is as well denied when wicked men are admitted to the sacrament as when it is administred in a devised or stinted Liturgie as it is called It was never questioned by right-believing Christians but the faithfull by Gods approbation might hold communion with the churches in the ordinances of worship for some ages after the death of the apostles The church continued a virgin all the dayes of the apostles as Hegesippus noteth But immediately after their death innumerable evils crept in began to spring amain neverthelesse the faithfull might did and ought to hold communion together in the proper and substantiall means of worship That many things were amisse in the churches is not denied and that the faithfull through ignorance did offend in many things but in this that they held communion notwithstanding such abuses amongst them they are blamelesse For a time the faithfull did lie hid in Babylon by Gods approbation untill the exhortation was given from heaven to come out of her and touch no unclean thing Not that they might touch any unclean thing at any time that is either in practice or consent and liking stain themselves with the corruptions of the world But that they might lie hid in the midst of much confusion and neither like nor consent unto the evils which they did bewail but could not reform That exhortation from heaven Come out of her my people come out of her c. some interpret of a locall departing out of the citie of Rome as Lot went out of Sodom and that interpretation the text seemeth to favour because the very outward destruction of the place is in that chapter menaced and therefore the removing out of the very place in avoydance of the mischief coming upon it forewarned But most commonly it is applied to a spirituall coming out of Babylon in separating from the societie and communion of that church wherein they could lie hid no longer without defilement And hence some conclude that this departure was to be made at a certain definite time when God was pleased to go before the faithfull and furnish them for this end and purpose But untill the time of freedome was proclaimed the faithfull did and might so lie hid in Babylon as not to be partakers of her sinnes For there is a certain order of the Revelation fitted to the order of times And as there is a time to speak and a time to keep silence but no time to lie so there is a time for the church to figh and lie hid but no time to dissemble or defile her self And as the Israelites offended not when they removed not out of Egypt before Moses was sent thither of God so neither did the faithfull transgresse in that they departed not out of Babylonish captivitie before they were called of God the time of liberty was proclaimed and God shewed them whither to flie To live in captivitie untill freedome be published is a misery not a sinne In that condition care must be to keep pure and undefiled but not to run away without leave or licence from God Whatsoever is to be thought of this application of the text herein all orthodox interpreters consent and agree that after the church was stained with manifold abuses the faithfull did and ought to hold communion with her in the means of worship But if simple presence be approbation of every thing that is judged to be done amisse in the worship of God a Christian could at no time that can be named in no age since the death of the apostles hold communion with the church of God in the ordinances and means of grace For it is as lawfull to be present at the worship prayers or administration which is read out of a book in some things faulty as to be present at that service where the scriptures are read out of a translation in many things faulty and corrupt in which many things are added diminished altered and changed But in the primitive churches the faithfull must be present if at all at the worship of God when the scriptures were read out of a faulty translation For to say nothing of the corruptions of the Seventy Interpreters which as Bellarmine confesseth had gathered many stains and blots in three hundred yeares of necessity the translations which were derived from it of which sort were most in the primitive church can be no lesse corrupt For no man before Hierome ever translated the books of the Old Testament out of the originall into Latine but out of the Seventy And the same may well be thought of most vulgar translations where the Greek or Latine were not in
Understanding Will are called faculties or power Magistracy Principalities Governments we call powers or authorities which import not only might or power to an action but preeminence jurisdiction authority and government Ecclesiasticall power or administration of government is twofold proper to Christ and communicated to his church The proper government is that which Christ hath reserved onely to himself as not being shut up within any bounds of laws or orders revealed unto the creature but is executed according to his infinite wisdome by the secret hand of his Divine power and that both extraordinarily and ordinarily And this power is Lordly and Regall power absolute and of excellency which is called Power of right Communicated government is that which being limited within the compasse of certain laws and canons of his holy word he hath committed to be outwardly executed by the hand of his ministers and churches designed and appointed thereunto This power is ministeriall onely which consisteth in the outward using of the word sacraments c. and in the politicall guiding of the church concerning both the manners and necessities of all and every of them Though this latter part onely of the communicated government which is the politicall guiding of the church is that discipline which generally all ecclesiasticall writers speak of yet is not that all nor the principall of his authority And though Christ useth it many times as a chariot for his holy word to ride upon to subdue rebellious spirits yet it is neither the chief nor the most ordinary means but the simple preaching of the word is his continuall sword and sceptre whereby he saveth his people and conquereth his enemies beateth down strong holds and judgeth the very thoughts and conceits of the heart And this he doth by his word when it is not assisted by the discipline strictly taken for the word may stand without the discipline so cannot the discipline without the word But this ordinary power of the keyes or government with the execution thereof is not given to the community of the church or whole multitude of the faithfull much lesse to two or three separated from the world and gathered together by covenant so as they be the immediate and first receptacle thereof receiving it from Christ and virtually deriving it to others For no power agreeth to the multitude of the faithfull virtuall or formall but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive law The whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his church is given to Christ as Mediatour and hath Christ our Lord the King of Saints Saviour of Sion the head of all principality and power the sole authour which he received not of the church but from the Father And if the power of the church be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his church of necessity it must draw its originall from Divine positive law and can agree to none but as it is communicated For although the light of nature teach that God is to be worshipped yet in substantiall things reason teacheth not how this worship of God is to be administred nor the house of God to be governed but in all this we must depend upon the mind and pleasure of Christ the King of his church and Saviour of his body The Apostles had none other authority but what was given them from Christ and the church is to derive all her authority from the same fountain from which the Apostles received theirs But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of scripture wherein the power and authority of preaching the Gospel administration of the sacraments binding and loosing is given unto the church and it is apparent distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole community Go teach all nations and baptize them Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and Feed my sheep Feed my lambs were these things spoken to the whole community or to speciall persons If Christ gave this power to the community or society I desire to know the date of this commission whether was it universall from the very beginning of the church or took it effect aftect churches were planted and established by the Apostles themselves Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the community and society of the faithfull which they did not but immediately from Christ and that both in respect of gifts and graces their calling it self and designation of their persons What Paul saith of himself That he was an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father that is true of all the Apostles who were sent of Christ as the Father sent him and are called Apostles of Jesus Christ not onely because they were to preach Christ but because they received their commission from him Not in after-times for then they must shew where Christ committed the power of government first to the Apostles and afterwards to the community of the faithfull for which they can bring no record out of holy scripture The ministers and guides of the church are immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authority by whom they are set over their charge in whose name they must execute their office unto whom they must give an account and whose ministers they are Take heed to your selves and to the whole flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers the Apostle speaketh unto the Presbyters of Ephesus and saith they were appointed overseers of the holy Ghost that they might govern the church of God They were chosen and ordained of men and so by immediety of person were not of God but their gifts office and authority was immediately of God In conferring those offices God useth the ministery of men but the office or authority it self is not from men but from God alone God onely in regard of authority doth ever apply all power ecclesiasticall unto every particular person his sole authority doth all in it though sometimes as in ordinary callings the ministery of others doth concurre When Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and teachers The Pastourship is the gift of Christ no lesse then the Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the church Every Pastour is not immediately called but the office and order of Pastours is immediately from Christ and not from the church The person is not immediate but the calling or vocation and so the order and authority and all the jurisdiction But if the calling order and authority be immediately from Christ then it is not
before olders ordained and a company of faithfull people without officers may be in covenant with God and have him dwell amongst them and may have communion one with another and their children have right to baptisme And it must be considered that two or three gathered together have the same right with two or three hundred By two or three having this power of binding or loosing cannot be meant two or three ministers considered severally from the body which alone are not the church for any publick administration but the officers of the church but by two or three are meant the meanest communion or society of Saints whether with officers or without officers This then is that which he would clearly evince out of this text of scripture That spirituall power is essentially and primarily given to the society of the faithfull few or many though but two or three to the faithfull without their guides or officers who are added to the church and derive their authority from the church to whom it agreeth secondarily and by accident and so by the church understand any collection of the faithfull united in covenant great or small few or many with or without guides or officers The church is sometimes put for believers few or many But to the making up of a visible distinct society or congregation properly so called or body politicall furnished with the power of Christ for government and the exercise of all religious duties and ordinances of worship a competent number is requisite and necessary At first Adam and Eve were the church when there were none other persons in the world and might perform all the officers of a church at that time required of them But two or three are no sufficient number to make up that society which now we speak of There is a twofold church as the society of Christians is twofold publick or private The private society may be in one family though small The publick society is a convenient number of such as do in one uniform agreed course of outward joynt worship of God professe that righteousnesse which is by the faith of Jesus Christ The number of men worshipping God aright is a church be it few or many be it few or many but two or three cannot make up an intire society consisting of all its parts fitted to the execution of all substantiall offices perteining to the body or corporation A competent and fit number there must be to make up this body but no precise number is or can be determined it may be more or lesse according to the circumstances of time place and other occurrences Therefore for our direction in this case it is good to look at their pattern who first planted the churches of God according to the wisdome of God and by the direction of his Spirit And to begin with the Apostles because we speak of Christian churches first by comparing passages of holy scripture together we shall find that to ordain elders city by city and to ordain elders church by church are used as phrases adaequate and aequipollent not that the whole multitude of the one and locall bounds of the other should make but one congregation but because the Christians or believers within those bounds or limits were framed into one Christian society or church For Presbyters were not given but to Disciples and Christians now converted out of the multitude and locall limits wherewith cities were bounded Now though the Apostles framing the cities with their suburbs and territories into one church or society on the present occasion doth not exclude the constituting of any other society or congregation within the same locall bounds when the multitude of believers should be encreased yet it doth evidently confirm that the number of believers requisite to the making up of a perfect or complete church in all parts and offices must not be small The Apostles never comprehend the multitude of citizens unconverted to the profession of the faith under the name of the church neither can it be imagined that the whole multitude within those locall circuits united in civil society was linked by any spirituall bond or tie but the city had the reason of an ample continent the church of a thing conteined Neverthelesse the blessing of God considered which did extraordinarily accompany the labours of the Apostles according to the prophesies foregoing touching the calling of the Gentiles the number of believers we may well think within that circuit was very great But if we take a view of particular churches the matter will be more plain The Christian church at Jerusalem was one distinct society which did congregate upon occasion and held communion in the ordinances of worship But it grew and encreased first to three thousand then to five thousand afterward multitudes of men and women were added and then it came to millions It may be in this last number such believers are reckoned as had no fixed habitation in Jerusalem but came thither upon occasion and were there in transitu and not as fixed members of this church viz. such as came up by occasion of the Passeover or Pentecost or other like feast and were onely there for the present It may be the Apostles tolerated them though more then could fitly meet together ordinarily in one congregation because they foresaw such times to ensue wherein many of them should translate themselves and be dispersed hither and thither It may be also God let it grow more rank and abundant then ordinary churches because it was ecclesia surcularis many of whose branches were to be translated in their time But whatsoever might be the reason of this great number this is certain the multitude was great for after it was grown to five thousand and multitudes of men and women were added it encreased daily The number of disciples encreased greatly in Jerusalem and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith The Syriack Interpreter hath it of the Jews sc inhabiting Judea but the Greek Arabick Ethiopick Vulgar and Chrysostom approve the former And the number of Priests was not small as the scripture witnesseth And when all the Apostles or the greatest part of them remained at Jerusalem continuing in the ministery of the word and prayer and that they might do it the more earnestly and diligently left off the care of the poore to others how can we think that the whole church did not multiply and encrease It is most probable that the whole city of Samaria in a manner embraced the faith The people gave heed with one accord unto those things which Philip spake As the whole city from the least unto the greatest had given heed to Simon Magus before so to Philip now when he preached Christ It is said also that Samaria received the Gospel which argueth that it had universall enterteinment among them In
other churches we shall not find the number of believers mentioned precisely but without question it was not samall in Antioch of which it is said a great number believing turned unto the Lord as that Barnabas by his preaching added a great multitude unto the Lord and that Paul and Barnabas continued there teaching and preaching with many others the word of the Lord. The like may be said of Corinth Philippi and the seven churches of Asia which are all spoken of as particular churches and societies They stretch the limits of the church of Corinth too farre that extend it to all the Saints in Achaia because the Apostle nameth the rest of Achaia with them as he doth all Saints in all places For he might speak of them as of divers churches in one province as he doth in other places And it is too grosse to think that all in Achaia came to Corinth to be instructed and make their contribution every church using the first day of the week when they assembled to make their collections within themselves Neither can it be well conceived how all Achaia should assemble together for the service of God and the execution of discipline as it is noted of the church of Corinth It will easily be credited that the number of believers was great in Ephesus if we call to mind that when Paul had been there but two yeares all they which dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord both Jews and Graecians those that had used curious arts came and burned their books in the sight of all men which could not be done without great danger unto the church unlesse a great part of the city had believed the art of making shrines and Diana's temple was in danger to be set at nothing and that a great doore and effectuall was opened unto the Apostle at Ephesus And that the multitude of believers was great in all proper settled politicall societies appeareth in this that the Apostles appointed divers overseers elders and deacons to teach and govern the people and take care of the poore which they would not have done nor could the church have born the charge thereof if the number had not been large Two or three making Peters confession cannot be the church in this passage of scripture for the party complained of is one member and the complainant another and he is to take with him one or two if he be not heard before he bring the matter unto the church and how then shall any two or three separated from the world and consenting together in an holy covenant be the church in this place If any two or three consenting in an holy covenant serve to make up this community or church what hindreth but it may consist of women and children onely and so the spirituall authority of teaching exhorting binding loosing remitting reteining sins shall originally executivè agree unto a community of believing women whereof every member is regularly uncapable For the Apostle teacheth plainly that a woman may not speak in the congregation And though he speak particularly of prophesying and teaching yet layeth he down a more generall rule forbidding all such speaking as in which authority is used that is usurped over the man which is done specially in judgement And if a woman may not so much as move a question in the church for instruction how much lesse may she give a voice or rather a reproof for censure And if women be debarred by their sex as from ordinary prophesying so from any other dealing wherein they take authority over the man how can two or three believing women be the church with power ministeriall publickly to bind and loose remit and retein sinnes And if two or three gathered together have the same right and power with two or three hundred or two or three thousand let the society without officers be never so great it cannot be the church that is here meant For those Divines which hold power and authority of binding and loosing to be delivered by Christ to the whole church that is to every particular church collectively because it perteineth to them to deny Christian communion to such wicked persons as adde contumacy to their disobedience and to remit the punishment again upon repentance they generally with one consent maintein that the execution and judiciall exercising of this power perteineth to that company and assembly of officers or governours in every church which the Apostle calleth a presbytery But our Saviour in that text of Scripture speaketh of the execution and exercise of the power of binding and loosing which was never committed to the community of the faithfull without officers If the joynt consent of orthodox Divines move not let it be considered that the exercise of ecclesiasticall censures externall and authoritative was never committed to the community of the faithfull without officers never exercised by the faithfull in any age of the Christian church Let such as plead for this power bring forth either commission for it or precedent of it if they be able The externall and authoritative power of binding and loosing as the greatest power in the church doth comprehend under it all matters subordinate and of the same nature power to preach the word autoritatively and to admit unto or put from the sacraments but the exercise of this inferiour power was never committed to a Christian society or church without officers And if we will not make one text of scripture contrary to another we cannot think the exercise of that power is here given to the community of the faithfull few or many without officers which in all other places is given to the governours never to the faithfull without guides By the church the whole multitude of believers whether with officers or without cannot be understood For that power agreeth not to the whole body in actu primo or in esse as they speak whereof many particular members regularly are not capable as the faculty of speaking or seeing should not first belong to man as the principium Quod if the whole in all parts were not capable of that power But the power of binding or loosing cannot regularly agree to many particular members of that community sc women and children And if women and children though believers be here excluded the word church must not be taken in the largest and most ordinary signification in the new Testament for so it comprehendeth all believers disciples faithfull linked in society If the authority of binding or loosing pertein to the whole church in actu primo sive in esse and to the Presbytery alone in actu secundo sive in operari as the act of speaking perteineth to a man as the principium Quod but to the tongue alone as the principium Quo yet the church cannot be taken for the whole community for our Saviour
is not in fault as here we may well think some in Corinth mourned and endeavoured to have the incestuous person removed who else should inform the Apostle now far absent of this abuse and their grosse security but could not prevail and yet the Apostle rebuketh the whole society And the same may be observed in the Prophets they rebuke the common sinnes of many as if all had corrupted their wayes Again the Apostle might rebuke the whole society that he was not cast out when yet the authority to cast him out perteined to some onely Some he might rebuke because they were puffed up and did not sorrow nor admonish governours to do their office others because they did not cast him out or rebuke him earnestly to bring him to repentance Both the brethren and the officers might be remisse the one to stirre up by grief and just indignation the others to do the duties of their place and so both sorts worthily incurre rebuke So he might admonish them all not to be commingled with fornicatours but every one according to his place not the brethren by private familiarity and conversing not the guides by their remissenesse suffering him to abide in the society whom they ought to expell and cast out He might decree and command that when they were assembled together in the name of Christ they should deliver him to Satan some by their authority derived from Christ whereunto the rest must give free and willing consent It perteined unto them all to endeavour his casting forth but to every man in his order to the officers to cast him forth by their authority to the faithfull by admonition sorrow free consent and just indignation if upon rebuke he did not testifie repentance It concerned the people as well as the preists to put away leaven out of their houses and so every man was to put leaven out of his own house and every Christian man and woman is to purge sinne out of their hearts and do their endeavour to reform others But if this be applied to the purging and casting forth of the incestuous man then it must be remembred that similitudes hold not in every thing For otherwise every prticular man and woman in Corinth being a member of that society had authority of himself actually to thrust out the incestuous person which is directly contrary to the Apostles admonition For when they were assembled together in the name of Christ the Apostle willeth them to deliver up to Satan him that had done that wicked deed He designeth none other authour of this sentence but the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name that is by whose authority and commandment received from him he would have it to be administred For nothing can be done prosperously in the church unlesse all things we undertake be ordered according to the prescript of the chief and supreme Lawgiver But God never gave authority to every particular believer two or three to thrust every notorious offender out of the congregation as he charged every master of a family to put away leaven out of his house By the power of Christ is understood the incommunicable power or virtue of Christ whereby he worketh powerfully by his Spirit in the ministery of the word and confirmeth the sentence of the church rightly pronounced according to his promise That virtue or efficacious power by which he is with his church to the end of the world and promiseth to be in the midst of two or three that should be so gathered together in his name And Paul encourageth the Corinthians to minister the discipline of excommunication upon the incestuous man arming them thereunto by the mighty presence of Christ by which it should be made effectuall Or if by the power of Christ we understand both that which is proper to Christ and that which is communicated to his officers for the good and benefit of the church which is lesse probable yet there is no syllable that this power is given immediately to the whole community and from them derived to the officers much lesse that it is given originally and executivè both to a small company of believers without officers For the Apostle speaketh not of the power but of the execution of that power which God hath given and that by a church completely furnished with officers for that purpose The principall cause of that casting forth was the power that is the commandment and authority of Christ who is the authour of ecclesiasticall power the near cause the commandment of the Apostle Let him be delivered to Satan the next cause the authority of the governours to whom Christ hath committed the care of his flock But as the authority of Christ doth not take away the judgement of the Apostle nor the judgement of the Apostle the authority of the governours no more doth the authority of the governours the due regard and respect which must be had of the people in the execution of that dreadfull sentence To this purpose is the distinction of a twofold excommunication or power of the keyes used by Divines The first concionalis per modum doctrinae which is the first part of the power of the keyes and so the pastour alone may excommunicate the impenitent according to the commandment of Christ The second judicialis per modum sententiae which is not in the power of every pastour but of the church sc of the rulers or officers in respect of authority derived but to be exercised with due regard had to the communitie as the flock and sheep of Christ When the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians in behalf of the incestuous person to confirm their love towards him he saith it is sufficient that he had been rebuked of many thereby understanding not the whole society but the chief or governours to whom the care of ecclesiasticall discipline was committed And if the congregation was freely and deliberately to consent to his excommunication the authority of many was sufficient for his rebuke by whom it was performed to whom belonged the authority of binding and loosing ministerially It is true the word many is now and then put for all when the subject matter requireth it be so understood but there is no reason so to take it in this passage and if all had received authority immediately to rebuke by way of censure and ministerially we can give no reason why the Apostle should not rather have said of all then of many The question then is not whether all due regard should be had of the congregation or church in a matter of such weight and importance before the governours proceed to the sentence of excommunication but whether the power of excommunication and exercise thereof be primarily in the people and from them derived to the ministers which is not proved by this nor any other text of scripture Two or three met together in the name of Christ are the church that hath power to excommunicate But
they be applyed without speciall commandment to be the matter of form of a stinted prayer or thanksgiving at this time they are the devise of man that is they are so applyed by man without the extraordinary guidance direction of the holy Ghost Let us suppose a stinted form of Liturgie or prayer to be framed of the very words and sentences of scripture wherein nothing is to be read by way of prayer praise exhortation or declaration of the end and use of the sacraments but the very text of scripture if it be demanded whether this stinted Liturgie be the devise of man or no I conceive our brethren will answer That the matter and form both is of God as they are parcells of holy writ but as they are prescribed and used as a stinted form it is the devise of man This may be concluded from their grounds for all stinted forms of prayer and administration to be used in the publick congregation not commanded of God be the devises of men as they hold But this foresaid stinted form is not commanded of God as they affirm Therefore it is the devise of men There is now no form commanded of God as they professe and therefore to prescribe any text of scripture to be read in the administration of the sacraments or the Lords prayer to be used as a prayer is the devise of man What is more constantly affirmed by them then this That a stinted form of Liturgie is no necessry means of Gods worship because in time of the Law God prescribed none to his people when they were in their minority In times of the Gospel our Saviour Christ who would not be wanting to his church in the necessary means of worship hath given no form to be used of all churches throughout the world nor tyed any one member of the church precisely to this or that form of words in prayer and none others That we are not necessarily bound to the very words of the Lords prayer because the Evangelists do not tie themselves to the same words or number of words in recording that form of prayer the Apostles did not bind themselves to those words but used others according to their severall occasions nor do we reade in scripture that they laid any bond upon the churches to repeat over those very words Though therefore the prayer it self was taught by Christ the matter be of God and the form as it is canonicall scripture and though it be left as a perfect and genuine rule of prayer yet the application and use of it in such and such manner at such or such times in prayer in respect of the words themselves that is of men and not of God by particular institution Thus the reason may be contracted briefly the ordinary use of the Lords prayer without variation or addition is either commanded of God and so necessary or devised by men and so free and arbitrarie either it is a naturall help as some speak to supply some defect or taken up upon free choice But it is not commanded of God it is not necessary necessitate praecepti or medii nor an help naturall to supply some defect Therefore it is free and arbitrarie as that which may be done onely but it is not necessary to be done This being observed it will easily appear how little that distinction of using forms inspired by the holy Ghost but not of forms devised by men will avail because there is no form at all prescribed by God as they maintein Secondly if that distinction be granted it is here impertinently alleadged because it cannot be applyed to any part of the reason For forms of prayer inspired by the holy Ghost and recorded as parts of the sacred Canon be not of necessary use for us because they are recorded have not the true matter and form of prayer as they are there registred but as they are put up in faith to God being suitable to our occasions and a devised form of prayer fit for the matter tendred unto God in holy affiance by the work of the holy Ghost hath the true matter and form of prayer God never gave commandment that all our petitions should be presented unto his Majesty in a form of words inspired by the holy Ghost immediately God never disallowed the prayers of the faithfull because the externall form or phrase of speech was devised by man If the devised form of prayer before and after sermon be worship acceptable to God because it is devised of him who is called of God to devise and endite it then all men living are called and commanded to devise the worship of God and not for themselves alone but others in some cases Then the forms of prayer publick or private morning and evening the forms of thanksgiving before and after meals is devised worship but acceptable for the foresaid reason But that God hath called and authorized every man living or all in the church to devise a worship acceptable to his Majesty is most strange And so this first reason stands firm That all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in prayer by the word of God may be observed in a stinted from devised by men CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment THat which is the breach of no commandment which is no where disallowed in the word of God either in expresse words or by necessary consequence that is no sin For sin is a transgression of the law and where there is no law there can be no sin But a prescript form of prayer of Liturgie is the breach of no commandment is no where disallowed in the word of God The exposition of the commandments is to be found in the Prophets and Apostles but the Lord by his Prophets and Apostles doth in no place restrain us to the use of conceived prayer so to call it Prayer is Gods ordinance but whether our prayers be uttered in our own or others words whether by pronouncing or reading that is not appointed God requireth that we lift up our hearts unto him and ask of him in the name of Christ whatsoever we stand in need of and is agreeable to his will But when spake he one word of praying within book or without in this or that precise form of words More particularly a stinted form of prayer for matter and externall form lawfull and pure fit in respect of our occasions and the necessities of the church read or uttered with knowledge affiance and intention of heart is not a breach of the second commandment either in the deviser or user For if all stinted forms of publick prayer be a transgression of the second commandment then in their common nature such stinted forms agree with images devised for worship But stinted forms or prayer agree not in their common nature with images devised for worship False worship forbidden in the second commandment is
if it be uttered with the lips without the intention of the heart it is a bare similitude and if the other be read or uttered after an holy manner with that affection which God requireth in prayer it is true and acceptable prayer Words without the heart are but empty sounds whether read or pronounced out of the memory or ex tempore and if the voice be joyned with the heart it is pleasant melody though our petitions be read out of a book But the book then saith he supplieth the room of the word and spirit Nothing lesse For the word of God directeth us what to ask even when we reade our prayers upon a book so long as we crave with understanding things agreeable to the will of God And the spirit doth enable and stirre us up to desire that which is according to Gods will and our necessity We may utter requests with our lips in conceived prayer without the aid and assistance of the holy Ghost and so we may in a penned prayer but offer up the sighs and grones of the heart we cannot without his grace It is no more lawfull to use any strange manner of prayer then it was to use strange fire or strange incense in time of the law Psal 141. 2. Apoc. 8. 3 4. But a stinted form of prayer is a strange manner of prayer The proposition we grant if rightly understood otherwise symbolicall and analogicall arguments if the proposition be not rightly taken are very dangerous But a stinted form of prayer is no strange manner of worship because in it all things required to the nature of true prayer may be observed In the word of God we have direction given to whom for what with what heart and affection to what end a man ought to pray but in what method or frame of speech he is to be a petitioner we find nothing prescribed in particular neither do we judge any thing necessary more then this That order decency and edification be observed That which hath the common nature definition use and end of worship but wanteth Divine authority and institution to make it approved and true worship that is strange in the worship of God But the method and phrase of speech hath not the common nature definition use or end of worship or prayer belonging unto it As conceived prayer so a set form of prayer is for substance and nature agreeable to the rules of direction delivered in the word of truth though for method and words both the humane Let our brethren set down out of the word of God what is necessarily and essentially required to the nature and being of true prayer shew if they be able that some one or other condition or requisite cannot be observed in a prescript or stinted form If this cannot be done as I think it never hath nor can be how dare they esteem or style it a strange worship They tell us God hath not ordained that manner of worship But this phrase the manner of worship is used two wayes first as it noteth the substantiall means of worship ordained of God by speciall institution secondly as it is put for the outward order or form how this worship or means of worship is performed A third signification might be added as when we say the third commandment teacheth in what manner the name and ordinances of God are to be used Now if it be taken in the first or third signification the outward frame of words order and method is neither means nor manner of worship either in preaching prayer or administration of the sacraments If in the second the word of God doth not prescribe any particular form stinted or not stinted as necessary but doth warrant both as allowable For where nothing is in particular commanded touching the externall form of words and order in which our petitions should be presented to the Lord there we are left at liberty And to put religion in reading or uttering words in a stinted or conceived form where God hath laid no bond upon the conscience what is it lesse then superstition If the phrase of speech be modus or medium cultûs as it is referred to the second commandment then it is instituted commanded and determined of God in particular then that and none other is lawfull and necessary for so it is in all parts of his positive worship Those sacramentall signes which God hath designed in the covenant are necessary and those onely lawfull and if method and phrase of speech be medium cultûs in the same sense the like must be said of that also In substance a prayer read and conceived is all one and the one is no more a strange manner of worship then the other And here let it be observed that all these objections are made against all use of stinted or read prayers publick or private voluntary or imposed sound and pertinent as well as corrupt and cannot be restrained to a form imposed upon the minister of the congregation to be used continually and that corrupt and faulty The matter if supposed to be alike from God as being truth and according to sound doctrine the manner in that we call conceived prayer is the same which nature teacheth and scripture approveth and is the onely way in which the prayers of all holy men recorded in scripture since Christ have been carried as the Papists themselves grant But for the manner or way of book-prayer we have not so much as example in scripture for it The strength of this reason let us view in the like M r Smith would prove the originals not to be given as helps before the eye in worship Because upon the day of Pentecost and many yeares after the churches of the new Testament did use no books in time of spirituall worship but prayed prophesied and sung psalmes merely out of their hearts Acts 2. 4 42. 10. 44 48. 19. 6. 1. Cor. 14. 15 17 26 37. Because no example can be shewed of any man ordinary or extraordinary that at or after the day of Pentecost used a book in praying prophesying and singing of Psalmes if yea let it be done and we yield And against the use of translations for the hearers thus he argueth The Prophets and Apostles wrote books but did never divide their books into chapters and verses Seeing therefore that chapters and verses were of mans invention hence it followeth before chapter and verse came in the hearers could not turn to search their books in time of hearing The Apostles in quoting testimonies of the prophets do not quote chapter and verse but onely say It is written The scripture saith The holy Ghost saith thereby teaching us that there is no use of chapter and verse for searching in time of hearing Never was there mention made of any hearer that ever had his book to search in time of hearing The reasons be the same and yet I perswade my self they
as whether we say I baptize or as the Greek church Be thou baptized c. is not of like necessitie neverthelesse we may and do constantly use this form I baptize c. without addition or variation at any time Our argument from these places is this If a set form of blessing thanksgiving salutaion and administration of baptisme be lawfull to be used ordinarily without addition or variation then a stinted form of prayer to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration is not unlawfull But a prescript form of blessing thanksgiving salutation and administration of baptisme to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration is not unlawfull There is apparent difference betwixt prayer and blessing For prayer is expressed from men to God but blessing is pronounced from God to men Prayer may be performed by one equall to another by an inferiour to a superiour yea by a man to himself but blessing is alwayes from the greater to the lesse And Solomon used a different gesture in praying and in blessing the people Let prayer and blessing differ in these and other particulars as many as they please in this they agree that they are both parts or branches of worship And if a stinted form be disallowed in the one it is unlawfull in the other if it be a devise of man to be condemned in the one it cannot be approved in the other And therefore seeing a prescript form of blessing is lawfull a stinted form of prayer is not to be condemned Moses did not prescribe unto the priests a form of words whereunto they must be tyed in blessing of the people but onely gave them a rule of direction according to which they should blesse them For otherwise the priests had sinned whensoever pronouncing the blessing they had used other words And the particle Thus So or In this manner denoteth the form or similitude of the things whereof there is mention c. It is a troublesome thing that these ministers thus urge the letter of the scriptures as if the question were not about their sense and interpretation which they should prove to be for their stinted service c. but the question is whether Moses tyed and stinted the priests to that form of words in blessing the people The like they say of the form of baptisme It sufficeth that these forms of blessing prayer and thanksgiving and administration of baptisme might or may be used though in conscience neither the priests then nor we at this day are necessarily tyed unto them in so many precise words For the lawfull not the necessary use of a prescript form of prayer or Liturgie is now in question which is proved by the places above rehearsed and not gainsaid at all by this answer For if the Saints in former times might pray unto or praise the Lord in a stinted form of words invented by themselves or indited by others as we find they might and did if the preiests might use a stinted form of words in blessing the people whereunto they were not tyed if Christians may salute one another in this stinted form of words Peace be unto you The Lord be with you The Lord blesse thee though they be not tyed thereunto nor can reach every particular comprehended in those short sentences recorded in scripture then a stinted form of prayer or blessing in words invented by themselves or indited by others is lawfull to us for in that particular the ground and reason is common to them and us Apply this answer to the reason That the priest might use that form without variation but was not tyed unto it That we may use the Lords prayer without alteration and the form of baptisme without addition and diminution but are not necessarily obliged to use the very words and syllables precisely and I know not how they should tye the knot faster For is not this in plain terms to confesse That an arbitrarie stinted form is lawfull but not necessary If God had commanded a form it onely had been necessary if God had determined one precise form that onely and none other had been lawfull but seeing he hath commanded none determined none precisely but left us free to use those recorded in scripture or some others in the selfsame or other words a stinted form is apparently warranted of God though not commanded It followeth not that a prescript form devised by man is lawfull because a form prescribed of God is good Moses was a prophet and had an immediate commission from God for what he appointed in the house of God which the imposers of the Liturgie cannot plead Christs ordinance can make the writings of the Apostles a rule of faith can men make another scripture c. A form prescribed and determined by God is not onely lawfull and good but necessary and onely lawfull as it is prescribed which prerogative no form devised or prescribed by man can participate But when God is pleased to give a form for direction onely and neither to command it precisely nor to determine it as the onely allowable for words and syllables in that case this reason is good That seeing the forms set down in scripture may lawfully be used though not prescribed therefore a stinted form is not unlawfull And thus we conclude from these passages of holy writ The stinted forms of blessing prayer thanksgiving and baptizing set down in scripture are lawfull to be used though not prescribed of God as necessary therefore a stinted form of prayer is not unlawfull For that form of words which is neither determined nor commanded of God as necessary but left at liberty to be used or not that is not in point of conscience absolutely more lawfull then another sound and grave If no form of words be determined or commanded any form just and good one as well as another is free in conscience Gods commandment maketh a thing necessary his determination maketh it onely and none other lawfull but a form not tying to the words precisely but given for direction onely doth authorize any other for matter the same and different onely in words or phrase of speech Every stinted form of prayer or blessing c. not prescribed of God or ordained of him is an humane devise though the matter be good and the words be gathered out of the scripture because whatsoever is not from heaven is of men what is not of God by his institution prescribed or appointed that our brethren conclude to be humane But no prescript form of blessing prayer or praise c. is appointed of God and commanded as necessary to be used of all or any man at all times as they confesse and labour to convince Therefore it necessarily followeth That if one godly form of prayer or blessing may constantly be used another for matter the same though different in phrase of
the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost it doth not become an unhallowed ordinance if the church shall take order that the minister shall baptize in this and none other form in these and none other words When God calleth a man forth to bear witnesse to the truth he must not draw back but give testimony thereunto But when Christ calleth us to worship him according to his will we must not absent our selves for the sinne of others under pretense of bearing witnesse to that we are not called unto We must not violate the ordinances of the Lord to partake in his ordinances But if the matter of prayer be just holy and good a Christian shall violate no ordinance of Christ by his presence but by his absence It is not enough to prove our vocall prayers to be good because the words be good and expresse good petitions but it is further required that it proceed from ability which the Spirit of God bestoweth on him who uttereth the words to fit his request to the present occasion John 4. 24. 1. Cor. 14. 15 16. 1. Pet. 4. 7. Is it their meaning that he that prayeth acceptably hath abilitie to fit his words according to the present occasion or onely that he discerneth in some measure the words of prayer to fit the time and occasion of the people with whom he prayeth If in the first sense the passages of the scripture cited will not bear them out If in the latter it is nothing against the use of stinted prayer Besides when we speak of joyning with others is it necessary to the acceptance of prayer that he which is the mouth of the rest to God should be able by the guidance of the Spirit to utter request fitting the present occasion and in fitting words Suppose he be destitute of the Spirit or of that measure of the Spirit may not the good and holy requests which he putteth up by the direction and help of others be accepted in behalf of them that pray in the Spirit and poure out their prayers before God in holy affiance To joyn with the people of God in prayer and participation of the sacraments is not a matter arbitrary which may be done or left at pleasure but necessary when God calleth and giveth opportunitie And if God hath promised to heare such prayers and by his blessing some good may be gotten by them a Christian must be well advised how he withdraweth himself least whiles he pleaseth himself too much in some scrupulous conceits he prejudice his soul Prayer is Gods ordinance whereunto all Christians are bound to apply themselves a stinted Liturgie is allowed of God provided it be sound holy and pure both for words and matter And if any sinne be committed in the reading or use thereof a Christian may perform whatsoever office the Lord requireth at his hand as a private or publick person without Separation The reading of service and the tedious length thereof doth even tire attention to more quickening ordinances A stinted Liturgie is so to be moderated that 〈◊〉 ordinance of God may have its fit seaâ—â—â— and the length give place to edification For what ordinances God hath conjoyned they must not be rent asunder nor one so advanced as others be neglected Without controversie their profanenesse is to be condemned who out of a loathing of the holy things of God distaste the length of a Liturgie and cry out of tirednesse when indeed all holy ordinances are distastfull Let us therefore consider a little what time the churches of God have taken and allowed for their publick service and what exercises have been there performed that we may truly judge whether the length of a Liturgie is justly to be taxed or the blame of tirednesse to be laid upon our security and carelesnesse Upon extraordinary occasion on the day of a solemn fast the Levites read in the book of the law one fourth part of the day and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped Their ordinary assemblies for publick worship continued for the space of three houres sc from the third houre untill mid-day and from the ninth houre untill the evening It was not ordinary to begin their assembly in the morning but not to break up untill mid-day was ordinary Herein with prayer and exhortation they had their lectures or sections of the law and prophets so large that to reade them distinctly as without question they were would take up a good space of time And if that very service of God in the Jewish synagogues which our Saviour did approve with the presence of his owne person and preaching had so large portions of the law and the prophets together with many prayers used day by day we must not alledge tirednesse when it is but sloth In the primitive church it may be no certain time is noted how long the assemblies continued we must guesse at the length by that which was done in their solemn assemblies When they met together for the worship and service of God the Fathers prayed before and after the sermon wishing to their hearers eternall blessings and entreating of God the pardon of sins c. The scriptures of the prophets and apostles were read quamdiu hora patitur and after the reading of such portions of scripture followed the Sermon or word of exhortation which failed not on the Lords day Their Sermons or as they are called Tractates Disputations Doctrines Homilies Conferences were confined ordinarily to a certain space or time that they might not alienate or weaken the minds of their hearers Hence are those frequent excuses of longer speech and dayly complaints of the straits of time that they could not finish what was begun or intreat thereof so fully as was expedient It may probably be thought the usuall time they took for the Sermon was the space of an houre or thereabouts Before the sermon they read some portion of the Old and New Testament as did the church of the Jews in their Synagogues out of the Law and the Prophets And the lessons which they read did usually yield texts for the Preachers so that the reading it self of the Law the Psalmes the Epistles Gospels reverently used did not prejudice preaching but further it rather The manner was at the first to reade and interpret whole books before them in order unlesse it were on the feasts of the Nativity Easter Pentecost c. when speciall texts were wont to be chosen for the solemnity of those times But those feasts being past they returned to their accustomed task And beside the ordinary exposition of whole books in order it is observed by some that they read the whole Bible from the beginning to the end within the space of one yeare specially in great congregations which were held every day which custome continued untill the yeare of Christ DCCCVI or thereabouts In those frequent congregations
scandalous in that case is not free and voluntary upon mine owne head but necessary in respect of duty enjoyned of God through the enforcing law of meeting the Lord in his holy ordinances and preserving the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and love If therefore the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received we must do as the prophets and holy servants of God did in those corrupt times pray mourn exhort reprove threaten give good example but we must not depart or separate from the society where Christ is present by his grace and holy ordinances If because some members of the body be broken lame or diseased the rest that are sound should forsake the unitie of the body that were to destroy the whole and not to strengthen it utterly to overthrow not to seek its recovery One contagious sinner let alone not punished not reclaimed may infect the whole congregation and therefore every member must look warily to his own soul that he take no harm by such bad example and do his endeavour that such incorrigible persons be cast out of the assembly But the ordinances of grace are not defiled to the worthy receiver by the presence of such as should be censured nor must he withdraw himself from the holy things of God because such as ought not are suffered to partake so long as Christ is pleased to bear with their manners and to continue amongst them for their refreshing who in truth of heart draw nigh unto him If a brother be a fornicatour the Apostle exhorteth us not to eat with him Which place doth not onely forbid private and voluntary familiarity but religious also and that both publick and private Neither is there any reason whether we respect the glory of God or our own safety or the avoiding of offense in others or the shaming of the parties why we should avoid civil cōmunion with any and yet hold religious communion with them Neither is voluntary society to be opposed to religious for no society is so voluntary as that which is religious All civil and private society or commerce with a delinquent brother is not forbidden but familiar onely The Apostle teacheth not Christians to be uncivil but to abstein from familiarity with such that they might be ashamed For to eat bread together is a token of love and friendship in phrase of scripture not to partake of or be shut from the table a signe of familiaritie broken off But there is not the same reason of breaking off private familiarity with an offender and separating from the Lords ordinances if he be admitted whether respect be had to the glory of God our owne safety the avoiding of offense or the good of the party fallen For in coming to Gods ordinance we have communion with Christ principally who hath called us thither is there present by his grace and Spirit to blesse his ordinance and with the faithfull who are there met together at Gods commandment in the name and by the authority of Jesus Christ With the wicked we have no communion unlesse it be externall and by accident because they are not or cannot be cast out Internall and essentiall communion we have with Christ and the faithfull onely externall with the wicked Our communion with Christ and his faithfull people is not free and voluntary but necessary enjoyned by God not left to our will or pleasure Our communion with the wicked in the ordinances is unwilling on our part suffered not affected if we knew how to hinder it lawfully God requireth our attendance upon him in his holy ordinances and to joyn with his voluntaries assembled where he is present in the midst among them if we cannot appear before him as duty bindeth but we must have outward communion with the wicked which should be expelled but cannot be kept back by us in this case our communion with God is free and voluntary but our communion with the wicked is suffered onely or held in respect of the will and commandment of God who requireth that service at our hands And if civil commerce with the wicked be not unlawfull when it is necessary why should externall communion in matters of religion defile when it cannot be avoyded but the worship of the most High must be neglected God is not dishonoured on our part when we obey his commandments the godly cannot justly be offended with that communion which God hath established and ratifieth with his own speciall presence there is no danger in spirituall communion with Christ and his faithfull people if we come to the ordinances in affiance fear humblenesse of mind c. as we ought And as for the wicked they can take no encouragement if according to our place and office we exhort admonish rebuke and tell them plainly of the danger of their sin or if any be hardned thereby his bloud shall be upon his own head We have received commandment from God to exhort admonish rebuke watch over one another according to our place and calling but to excommunicate our selves because such as should be cut off are suffered or to withdraw our selves from the ordinances and to depart from Christ because such as hate to be reformed take the covenant into their mouthes or to usurp power to censure and excommunicate which God hath not put into our hands these things are neither commanded nor allowed of God The wicked usurp in that they intrude unto the Lords table and the faithfull usurp if without authoritie they take upon them to expell the wicked or depart themselves And if we search the scripture and move onely as the Lord is pleased to go before us we shall not find that a few private Christians have authority in this case to do either And hence appeareth an apparent difference betwixt externall communion with wicked men in the exercises of religion and private familiaritie For familiarity is merely arbitrary not enjoyned but forbidden affected not admitted onely in case of necessity or necessary attendance nor suffered onely that we might have fellowship with Christ and his Saints in his ordinances of worship nor by accident onely as we cannot expell them or withdraw our selves by the Lords leave and approbation Draw this argument then into form and it runneth thus It is not lawfull to have private needlesse arbitrary familiarity with ungodly men who are called brethren therefore it is not lawfull to repair to the ordinances of grace when the Lord calleth nor there to have communion with Christ and his faithfull people because the wicked are permitted to be present when yet we have neither power to repell them nor leave of Christ to depart our selves How loose this consequence is who doth not see A little leaven leaveneth the vvhole lump One scandalous sinner not reclaimed or cast out polluteth the whole congregation And men must not be blamed if they dare not dip
first subject from whom it cometh to the officers As the power of seeing is not onely given intuitu hominis as the end of it and the totum to whom it agreeth but is in homine as the first subject from whom it cometh to the eye The Apostles and other governours were given of Christ for the church as for the end and all their authority was given unto them for the church as for the whole but the authority it self was immediately derived from Christ and is not in the church as the immediate subject thereof The authority of the Apostles and other guides was for the church given for the good of the whole society and so may be called the authority of the church but the authority is not immediately in the church as the subject nor derived from the church but from Christ the King of the church The authority of governours is given of Christ for a gift to the church but not for a gift absolute that it may reside in the power of the whole church to whom it is given but for a conditionall gift that it may be communicated to the governours themselves for the edification of the whole It is one thing then to ask for what end or whose use the keyes are given another to whom To every one is given the declaration of the spirit for profit that is the good of the church But was this gift given to the community of the faithfull first and immediately No by gift and possession it was given to some but for use and profit it was publick As the Saints are not priests onely for themselves but for their brethren for whom they offer up the spirituall sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving so neither are they kings for themselves alone but for their brethren also having the power of Christ whereby to judge them 1. Cor. 5. 4 12. the keyes of the kingdome to bind and loose them Matth. 16. 19. in the order of him prescribed The order of kings is the highest order or estate in the church but the order of Saints is the order of kings and we are kings as we are Saints not as we are officers Exod. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. Christ maketh every believer a king priest and prophet to teach exhort reprove comfort offer up spirituall sacrifices of prayer and praise and to guide and govern in the wayes of godlinesse But this belongeth not to the spirituall ministeriall power and authority which Christ hath given for the conservation and government of his church For every Christian man and woman is made a king priest and prophet unto God to perform all offices required in that relation but the spirituall power of government with the execution thereof is not committed to every believer in particular nor to any one The officers of Christ do neither feed and teach as prophets nor govern as kings nor offer sacrifices as priests The word it self teaching and feeding is one thing which floweth from Christ as Prophet the administration of the word whence also floweth the act of governing is from Christ as King It is from internall communion with Christ that the sound sincere faithfull and they onely are made spirituall kings and priests unto God but it is from Christ as King governing externally as be beareth the similitude of a politicall head that his servants do feed rule and censure in his name They onely are made true kings and priests unto God who have received from Christ the life of grace but they have received authority from Christ to do service in his church who have not received life of grace nor are made kings or priests unto God The Kingdome Priesthood or Prophesie of Christ doth make no man politically either priest or king or prophet for then all believers should exercise the office of politicall priests kings and prophets in the church which is opposite to the nature of Christs kingdome Christ according to his Person is neither externall King nor Pastour but doth govern his church externally by pastours and ministers yet not as by kings or priests politicall but as servants onely Pastours and teachers are but officers in the church and in no kingly authority by participation of Christs kingly office neither are they as civill governours though the Lords servants yet the peoples lords and masters But it is one thing to be a spirituall king or priest unto God another to be a pastour or teacher in Gods church for that is common to all Christians this peculiar unto them that have received authority of function from Christ The Saints therefore as spirituall kings have not received power from Christ by function or authority to censure their brethren or externally to rule or govern but this belongeth to them who are designed of Christ the King unto this office Every Christian woman may exhort or reprove without any designement of the church is every woman made a prophet externally in the church Is power to administer the sacraments and authoritatively to censure offenders se autoritate muneris not officii generalis or charitatis committed to every member of the society because every believer may exhort and admonish not onely his brother of the same or another society but even them that are without By the keyes of the kingdome power and jurisdiction is noted and not the bare duty of instruction or admonition The power of the keyes is given by Christ as the King of his church as is evident by the generall institution of ecclesiasticall politie and the particular narration of politie instituted but that every Christian was sent forth with authority and commission we never read And if this reason be of any force every believer man or woman is of equall authority to the Apostles in matters of ecclesiasticall government because the order of saints is the order of kings and that is the highest which is directly corsse to the holy scripture and the order appointed by Christ the King and Head of his church They that have received Christ have received the power of Christ and his whole power for Christ and his power are not divided nor one part of his power from another But every company or communion of faithfull people have received Christ John 1. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Isa 9. 6. and with him power and right to enjoy him though all the world be against it in all the means by which he doth communicate himself unto his church This objection is not to be understood of the essentially Divine power of Christ which is proper to him as the Sonne of God nor of the uncommunicated power of Christ given to him as Mediatour nor of that communion and fellowship which every sincere Christian and faithfull soul hath with him in his death and resurrection but of the communicated power of Christ which he hath given to his church or certain officers in the church for the
grievous persecutions the churches of God could not assemble in any great numbers in publick places but have been compelled to meet in dens and caves and woods one and the same society in divers places yet so as the society was not broken though their meeting together in one place was interrupted To meet together therefore in one place is not so essentiall to the church but it may continue one in laws ordinances government and communion though in respect of multitude distance of places and many other occurrences they be constrained to assemble and hold their meeting severally And that it was thus in the churches planted by the apostles it is most probable May we not well think that the Christian church at Jerusalem for whom Christ had prayed particularly to which some attribute the first miraculous conversion by Peters preaching and amongst whom being now ascended into glory he did more abundantly display his power and more conspicuously swallow up the scandal of his Crosse which had the labour of all or many of the apostles for a time in it whose care and industry we may guesse at by their ordination of Deacons that they might not be distracted whereunto much people did resort dayly who though explicitely they did not believe in Christ yet had they in them the faith of the Messias and so were nearer to the kingdome of God then the common heathen which was to send out light to all other churches and be a common nursery to the world May we not well think that this church did quickly rise to such bignesse that they could not well assemble in one congregation as we call them And the same may be said of other churches before mentioned For at that time the regions were white even unto the harvest the time was come when that heavenly kingdome was to be planted amongst all nations and at the beginning God did reveal his arm more extraordinarily and things which have their set period of growing do in their beginnings come on the fastest And seeing the apostles were extraordinarlly furnished for the work and had a great and wide doore set open unto them of God seeing they were diligent and industrious in their work and God was pleased mightily to accompany their endeavours is it not more then conjecturall that within short time the number of believers in those great and populous cities with their suburbs and circumjacent villages did exceed the capacity of one congregation The officers also which the Apostles ordained for the use of those churches were in number more then one ordinary congregation could bear or were necessary for the service thereof unlesse it were exceeding great and could not long continue together with edification but of necessity must assemble in severall places It was not the apostles practice to ordain pastours in those places where as yet no sheep were to be seen or very few and it had been inconvenient to tie the faithfull to one congregation when by reason of multitude they could not meet in one place to their edification What then remaineth but that they might assemble in divers places and yet hold communion in laws ordinances government and officers When presbyters were first assigned to their particular cures it is not certain Eusebius reporteth that many churches were gathered in Alexandria by Mark But what he alledgeth out of Philo as if it was to be understood of Christians is misapplied by him The first as it is commonly received that divided churches into parishes and assigned presbyters distinctly to take care of them was Euaristus Bishop of Rome But Platina reporteth this upon the credit of Damasus and that supposititious for the authour of the book carrying the title of Damasus was Anastasius Bibliothecarius an Abbot of Rome who lived about the yeare DCCCLVIII And what probability is there that under the reigne of Trajan who moved the third persecution from Nero against the church and that most violent there should be place to divide parishes and place singular presbyters over their peculiar charges Some think with more probability that Dionysius who was bishop of Rome in the yeare of Christ 267. did ordain parishes and commit them so ordained to Presbyters For in his dayes the church had peace Galienus by publick edict granting liberty But if it be yielded that there were some parochiall divisions about those times they were not many and within the city and were but as chapells of ease the church holding and continuing the same communion And whensoever Presbyters were assigned to their speciall cures we may conceive the multitude of believers though within the cities onely necessarily required their assembling in divers places before For though the number of Christians was sometimes greatly wasted with hot and fierie persecutions as Platina in vita Xisti 1. who followed Alexander the successour of Euaristus about the yeare of Christ 120. writeth by reason of the frequent slaughters there were few found at Rome which durst professe the name of Christ And Onuphrius Annot. in vit Hig. saith Although all Popes in those times suffered not martyrdome yet they endured many things for the confession of Christ of the raging common people and wicked magistrates who reteined perpetuall hatred against Christians neverthelesse at other times the number of Christians did greatly increase as the Ecclestasticall story noteth a most remarkable growth of the faith in the time of Fabian before Cornelius Neither must we think that an Emperour as Philippus favouring the faith did not bring on multitudes to the like profession Cornelius reporteth that in the church of Rome there were seaven Deacons seaven Subdeacons two and forty Acolyths two and fifty Lectours Porters Exorcists six and forty Presbyters a thousand and five hundred widows poore and sick And from hence he doth amplifie Novatus his pertinacy that none of the numerous clergy nor yet of the people very great and innumerable could turn him or recall him This was one visible ministeriall church wherein all the members had union and communion together for the mutuall edifying and restoring one of another but it was too great and abundant ordinarily to assemble in one place So that the church might remain one when the multitude was too great to meet in one place ordinarily and when particular Presbyters were assigned to particular cures For that was not a division of the society into societies distinct but an assignement of some particular officer to the oversight of one part or branch of the society for the more fit and commodious government of the whole as it was conceived and they so attended that branch of the society or church that their care and oversight reached to the whole And out of doubt this form or kind of a visible and ministeriall church is much nearer to the patterns and precedents set by the apostles in the first plantation of Christian churches then that two three or few believers
uniting themselves in covenant should be reputed the onely visible and ministeriall church independent from whom the officers should as their servants derive their authority This kind or form of a visible church is so farre from being the onely lawfull and allowed form of a church in scripture as if we speak of a church complete in respect of the inward substance and externall order furnished for all duties and offices required of the church it is not so much as warranted in scripture To the constitution of a visible distinct society or church there is required First an intire profession of one and the same faith and holynesse intire in all fundamentall articles of faith to be believed as necessary to salvation and main precepts and morall laws for practice to be acknowledged A lively operative faith maketh a man a true member of the church invisible and the profession of faith and holynesse a member of the church visible Profession of Divine verities revealed in Christ whom onely the companies and societies of Christians acknowledge to be the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world doth distinguish Christians from Jews The intire profession of faith according to the rule left by Christ and his first disciples and scholars the holy apostles doth separate the multitude of night-believing Christians which is the sound part of the Christian church from all seduced hereticall combinations Secondly there is required an union and communion in the true worship of God and ordinances belonging thereunto appointed of God himself sc prayer administration of the sacraments and dispensation of the word But the time may fall out that the preaching of the word may be omitted and reading or meditation may possesse the place thereof nay mere desire conjoyned with manifold sighs So the administration of the sacraments may be left off as it was in the church of the Israelites for the space of fourty yeares in the wildernesse But though the being of a church is not absolutely destroyed by the want or omission of these exercises for a time yet they are actions necessary to the well-being of a church and such as flow from the very nature of a church if they be not hindred Thirdly there must be subjection to lawfull guides officers or pastours appointed authorized and sanctified to lead and direct the flock in the happy wayes of eternall life Companies of believers were gathered before elders were ordained amongst them and the church may continue when guides are wanting as in case they be taken away by death persecution banishment but it is not complete or perfect without them neither can it hold communion in many ordinances of worship nor execute many offices which belong to the church consisting of all its parts Fourthly to the making up of an intire visible distinct society orders laws and discipline is required for the perventing of abuses and scandals the preservation of the holy things of God from contempt the recovery of them that fall and suppression of prophanenesse Discipline is needfull in every society without which it cannot long continue but all things will run into confusion It is necessary the members of the church should live Christianly otherwise the profession of faith and administration of the holy things of God must needs be polluted Discipline put for the censures hath no practice but in an united body or church which must needs have a being before it can exercise its power But the excercise of that power in a body complete is necessary not simply to the being but to the well-being of the whole As a city so the church cannot be without those things which belong to the necessary being thereof but it may be without those that belong unto her safety alone though not so well Fifthly the members of a visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ and walking in holynesse so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ For all visible churches though distinct societies be sisters one in profession fundamentall laws and ordinances and should be one in hearty love and affection And no particular church can be called or be the true church of Christ but as it holdeth union with the catholick From the relation whereby Christ is referred to his members these things flow sc That Christ doth expound to them his word for the food of eternall life and doth hang seals to his word whereby he doth confirm and ratifie it From the relation whereby the members of Christ are referred to him their Head these things flow That whosoever would be accounted for true members of Jesus Christ they must acknowledge and receive that food and those seals appointed by Divine institution If the faithfull must assemble to heare the word of God call upon his name and receive the sacraments then there must be some to preach the word administer the sacraments and blesse in the name of the Lord and that by authority from God If they must receive the word and avouch themselves to be the people of God then they must walk before him in holynesse and maintein the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If the temple of God must be kept from pollution and the holy things of God from contempt then there must be authority communicated from Christ to censure such as offend to repell the notorious to comfort the afflicted and receive the penitent If all promiscuously may not meddle with the dispensation of the holy things of God to that purpose then there must be order for their election and admission into that office and for the execution thereof being admitted thereunto Where all these things are to be found purely the church is excellent for degree pure and famous Where any of these are wanting or impure the church is so much defective or impure though it may be pure in comparison of others Wheresoever we see the word of God truly taught and professed in points fundamentall and the sacraments for substance rightly administred there is the true church of Christ though the health and soundnesse of it may be crazed by many errours in doctrine corruptions in the worship of God and evils in the life and manners of men Profession of the true faith alone in matters fundamentall and holy prayer with exhortation to obedience is a mark of the true church though the sacraments upon occasion be not there administred so that they be not neglected upon any contempt or erroneous conceit of their not being necessary Where most of these notes are wanting or impure the church is of lesse account in dignity excellency and credit coming short of others according to the degrees of impurity in the marks the deficiency of some marks and the nature of the marks themselves in which the impurity is As impurity in doctrine or administration of the sacraments is worse then disorder in matter of
appropriate or to sanctifie and 〈…〉 Exod. 30. 31 32 33. 30. 23 26 27. 29. 44 1. Reg. 8. 10. 〈…〉 IV. Of prophane or polluted to make holy by infusion of holinesse or increase thereof 1. Cor. 6. 11. 1. Thess 5. 23. Joh. 17. 17. V. To professe and confesse holily oâ— to glorifie Lev. 10. 3. Isa 8. 13. Isa 5. 16. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object 3. Answ Luke 2. 42 43. Luke 2. 21 27. Matth. 26. â—0 â—â—od 15. 1 21. Psal 136. 1 2. â—sdr 3. 11. Object 4. We must do nothing in the worship of God without warrant of his word But read-prayer hath no warrant in his word Greenwood Against Gâ—fford pag. 12. Answ Bellarm. De Bapt. cap. 24. objecteth that the reformed churches adde the Lords prayer and the Creed c. to baptisme Neque his repugnat saith he quòd oratio Dominica sit in scripturis symbolum quoad sensum Nam in scriptura non habetur ut reciâ—etur in baptismo Our Divines answer we have for addition of the Creed and the Lords prayer the generall warrant out of the word which willeth decency in the administration of the sacraments and these things suite with the nature of the sacrament See Cham. tom 4. De Bapt. l. 5. cap. 15. 3. Argum. Copy of a Letter pag. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 16. Object 1. Answ See Henr. Jacob Exposit of the second commandment 7. rule Henr. Jacob ibid. Object 2. Answ Object 3. Copy of a Letter pag. 16. Answ Object 4. Superstition is not onely laid to their charge who offer to God for worship that which he hath not commanded but theirâ— also who assume in Gods worship the help of any thing as sacred or holy which himself hath not ordained Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 95. art 2. Quaecunque observatio quasi necessaria commendatur continuò censâ—tur ad cultum Dei pertinere Calv. De vera Eccl. resorm pag. 367. Of the signification of the word Consecrate or dedicate see Deut. 20. 5. Psal 30. 1. Neh. 12. 27. Gaspar Sanctius Alia dedicatio est non solùm inter prophanos sed etiam inter Hebraeos usitata quae nihil habet sacrum sed tantùm est auspicatio aut initium operis ad quod destinatur locus aut res cujus tunc primùm libatur usus Sic Nero Claudius dedicasse dicitur domum sum cùm primùm illam habitate coepit Sueton. in Nerone Answ He that but considereth what monstrous errours and corruptions sprang up in the churches of the new Testament whiles the apostles lived which planted them will not think it strange though all almost were oâ—â—rgrown with such bricis and thornâ— in a few ages following Robin on Against Bern. pag. 3. Synops purier Theolog. disp 36. Thes 33. speaking of the Lords prayer used as a form saith Sicuti quoque tota veâ—ust a ecclesia id semper extra controversiam habuit Object 1. Copie of a Letter pag. 26 27. Answ Object 2. Copy of a Letter pag. 23. Answ Object 3. Answ 〈◊〉 â— 20. Neh. 9. 3. See Jun. Annot Acts. 3. 1. Neh. 8. 3. Joseph lib. De vita sua Hora sexta quae sabhaus nostros ad prandium vocare solet supervenit Luke 4. 18. Acts 13. 15. 15. 21. Buxdorf Abâ—reviat Rabâ—in August De doctr Christ l. 4 cap. 15. Priusquam exserat proserentem linguam ad Deum levet animam sitientem c. Chrysost Hom. 3. De incomprehens Dei natura Sermoni oratio debet anteire sic Apostoli dicunt NOR IN ORATIONE ET SERMONIS DOCTRINA PERSEVERABIMUS c. Quintil. Instit lib. 4. Proem Justin Apol. 2. ad Antonium Rossensis art 33. Fuerant ante haec tempora sanctissimi Patres qui singulis Dominicis homilias ad populum declamitarant Concil Moguntiac can 25. Tert Apol. ca. 3 Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 27. Sermonem hesternum quia prolixius se extenderit c. Hom 39. Nè multitudine dictorum c. Origen in Gen. Hom. 2. quae nunc adducere in medium vel pro brevitate temporis vel pro auditorum labore non possumus Et Hom. 21. in Num. Priori quiden lectione tempore exclusi sumus Cyrill Hierosolym Catech. 13. August Hom. 23. lib. 50. Hom. Serm. De tempore ser 237. Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 57. Cyrill in Catech. 13. Et tempus horae perbreve Et Catech. 14. Propter horae breviâ—â—tem his crimâ—s contenti Chrysolog Ser. 112. Horae unius vix momentum obscura 〈◊〉 August Serm. 11. De verb. Doâ— in Matth. Serm. De tempore 143. quantam hoâ—a sermonis per 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit Apost lib. 2. cap. 54. Post lectionem cantum psalmorum ac post doctrinam de scripturis Et lib. 8. cap. 5. Post lectionem Legis Prophetarum Actorum atque Evangeliorum salutat ecclesiam ordinatus dicens Gratia Domini Jesu Christi charitas Dei Patris c. Et post salutationem alloquantur populum sermone hortatorio Justin Martyr Apol. 2. Deinde ubi is qui legit destitit is qui praeest admonet hortatur ut ea quae lecta sunt bona imitemur Tert. Apologet. cap. 39. Fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam figimus disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus Orgenes Hom. 15. in Jos Apostolos ordinasse testatur ut libri Veteris Testamenti in ecclesiis legerentur See Socrat. l. 5. cap. 21. Amb. lib. De offic 1. cap. 8. Pulchrè dum legimus hodie Evangelium Spiritus sanctus obtulit nobis lectionem c. Audivistis lectionem Evangelii See Ambr. epist 75. 33. lib. De cleem jâ—jun cap. 20. Aug. Serm. 237. De Tempore Lectionum omnis auditor quod recentiùs lectum est magìs meminit c. ut indè aliquid à tractatore dicatur exspectat c. Et Serm. 10. De verb. Apostol Has tres lectiones quautum pro tempore postumus pertractemus dicentes pauca de singulis Chrysost Serm. Carnis concupiscentias nè sectemur Dic mihi quis hodierno die vel Propheta vel Apostolus praelectus est aut quibus de rebus verba 〈◊〉 And sometimes some speciall or peculiar lecture was read which might fit and agree to the matter of the sermon August Serm. 121. De diversis In memoria retinentes pollicitationem nostram congruas etiam ex Evangelio Apostolico fecimus recitati lectiâ—ones Et Serm. 23. De verb. Dom. secundum Matth. Hesterno die qui 〈◊〉 promissionem nostram tenetis c. veruntamen secundùm ea quae continet ipsa lectio quam charitate vestri etiam volui recitare c. Et Tract 12. in Johan Quam lectionem vobis iterum legi fecimus ut quae tunc non dicta sunt in Christi nomine adjuvantibus orationibus vestus implâ—amus Chrysolog Serm 66. Duâ—s hodio à duobus Evangelistis editas ità recitati fecimus lectiones ut sermons nostro vester intellectus occurâ—eret Aug. Tract 15. in