whatsoever and therefore neither an African Synod nor Antonius an African Bishop would communicate with the Legates of Novatian Nor would Cornelius joyn in Communion with Felicissimus a Schismatick of Carthage when he came to Rome but as he was excluded from Communion in his own Church so likewise was he in that of Rome 2. It was the Custom when any Bishop was Elected to send News of his Promotion to other Bishops as Cornelius did to Cyprian that so he might have their Confirmation and their future Letters to the Bishop of that Church to which he was promoted might be directed unto him as Cyprian did unto Cornelius which Custom of sending Messengers to other Churches to acquaint them of their Advancement to the Episcopal Throne was also observed by the Schismaticks and in particular by Novatian who sent Maximus a Presbyter Augendus a Deacon Machaeus and Longinus unto Cyprian to inform him of his Promotion to the See of Rome Now if any Bishop or Church did knowingly approve the Pretensions of the Schismatical Bishop they broke the Concord of the Church and became guilty of Schism as may be gathered from the beginning of an Epistle of Cyprian's to Antonius an African Bishop wherein he writes him That he had received his Letter which firmly consented to the Concord of the Sacerdotal Colledge and adhered to the Catholick Church by which he had signified that he would not communicate with Novatian but hold an Agreement with Bishop Cornelius And therefore when Legates came to Cyprian both from Cornelius and Novatian he duly weighed who was legally Elected and finding Cornelius so to be he approved his Election Directed his Congratulatory Letters unto him refused to communicate with the Schismatical Messengers of Novatian and exhorted them to quit their Schism and to submit to their lawfully elected Bishop So that in these two respects the Schism of a particular Church might influence others also involving them in the same Crime creating Quarrels and Dissentions between their respective Bishops and so dividing the Dischargers of that Honourable Office whom God had made one for as Cyprian says As there is but one Church throughout the whole World divided into many Members so there is but one Bishoprick diffused through the agreeing Number of many Bishops § 11. But now that we may conclude this Chapter the Sum of all that hath been spoken concerning Schism is that Schism in its large Sense was a Breach of the Unity of the Church Universal but in its usual and restrained Sense of a Church Particular whosoever without any just reason through Faction Pride and Envy separated from his Bishop or his Parish Church he was a true Schismatick and whosoever was thus a Schismatick if we may believe Saint Cyprian He had no longer God for his Father nor the Church for his Mother but was out of the Number of the Faithful and though he should die for the Faith yet should he never be saved Thus much then shall serve for that Query concerning the Churches Unity The next and 〈◊〉 thing that is to be enquired into is the Worship of the Primitive Church that is the Form and Method of their Publick Services of Reading Singing Preaching Praying of Baptism Confirmation and the Lord's Supper of their Fasts and Feasts of their Rites and Ceremonies and such like which I thought to have annexed to this Treatise but this being larger than I expected and the Discourse relating to the Primitive Worship being like to be almost as large I have for this and 〈◊〉 other Reasons reserved it for a particular Tract by its self which if nothing prevents may be expos'd hereafter to publick View and Observation FINIS THE SECOND PART OF THE ENQUIRY INTO THE Constitution Discipline Unity Worship OF THE Primitive Church That Flourished within the First Three Hundred Years after CHRIST Faithfully Collected out of the Extant Writings of those Ages By an Impartial Hand LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon and John Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. The Second Part of the Enquiry into the Constitution Discipline Unity and Worship of the Primitive Church CHAP. I. § 1. Of the Publick Worship of the Primitive Church § 2. In their Assemblies they began with Reading the Scriptures Other Writings Read besides the Scriptures § 3. Who Read the Scriptures from whence they were Read and how they were Read § 4. Whether there were appointed Lessons § 5. After the 〈◊〉 of the Scriptures there followed Singing of Psalms § 6. What Psalms they Sung § 7. The manner of their Singing § 8. Of Singing Men and of Church Musick § 9. To Singing of Psalms succeeded Preaching On what the Preacher discoursed How long his Sermon was § 10. The Method of their Sermons § 11. Who Preached usually the Bishop or by his Permission any other either Clergyman or Layman § 1. HAving in a former Treatise enquired into the Constitution Discipline and Unity of the Primitive Church I intend in this to enquire into the Worship thereof which naturally divides its self into these Two Parts Into the Worship its self and Into the necessary Circumstances thereof as Time and Place and such like both which I design to handle beginning first with the Worship its self wherein I shall not meddle with the Object thereof since all Protestants agree in the Adoring God alone through Jesus Christ but only speak of those Particular Acts and Services whereby in the Publick Congregations we honour and adore Almighty God such as Reading of the Scriptures Singing of Psalms Preaching Praying and the Two Sacraments every one of which I shall consider in their Order as they were performed in the Ancient Parish Churches And First § 2. When the Congregation was assembled the first Act of Divine Service which they performed was the Reading of the Holy Scriptures In our Publick Assemblies says Tertullian The Scriptures are Read Psalms Sung Sermons Preached and Prayers presented So also Just in Martyr writes that in their Religious Assemblies first of all The Writings of the Prophets and Apostles were read But besides the Sacred Scriptures there were other Writings read in several Churches viz. The Epistles and Tracts of Eminent and Pious Men such as the Book of Hermas called Pastor and the Epistle of Clemens Romanus to the Church of Corinth which were read in the publick Congregations of many Churches § 3. He that read the Scriptures was particularly destinated to this Office as a Preparative to Holy Orders as Aurelius whom Cyprian design'd for a Presbyter was first to begin with the Office of reading The Name by which this Officer was distinguished was in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Latin Lector both which signifie in English a Reader or as we now call him a Clark The Place from whence the Clark Read was an Eminency erected in the Church that so all
Suppose it was disputed whether a Parson and Lecturer were of the same Order would not this sufficiently prove the Affirmative That though for some Accidental Respects they might be distinguished in their Appellations yet originally and frequently they were called by one and the same Name The same it is in this Case though for some contingent and adventitious Reasons Bishops and Presbyters were discriminated in their Titles yet originally they were always and afterwards sometimes called by one and the same Appellation and therefore we may justly deem them to be one and the same Order But if this Reason be not thought cogent enough the Third and last will unquestionably put all out of doubt and most clearly evince the Identity or Sameness of Bishops and Presbyters as to Order and that is that it is expresly said by the Ancients That there were but two distinct Ecclesiastical Orders viz. Bishops and Deacons or Presbyters and Deacons and if there were but these two Presbyters cannot be distinct from Bishops for then there would be three Now that there were but two Orders viz. Bishops and Deacons is plain from that Golden Ancient Remain of Clemens Romanus wherein he thus writes In the Country and 〈◊〉 where the Apostles preached they ordained their first Converts for Bishops and Deacons over those who should believe Nor were these Orders new for for many Ages past it was thus prophesied concerning Bishops and Deacons I will appoint their Bishops in Righteousness and their Deacons in Faith This place of Scripture which is here quoted is in Isa. 60. 17. I will make thine Officers peace and thine Exactors righteousness Whether it is rightly applyed is not my business to determin That that I observe from hence is that there were but two Orders instituted by the Apostles viz. Bishops and Deacons which Clemens supposes were prophetically promised long before And this is yet more evidently asserted in another passage of the said Clemens a little after where he says that the Apostles foreknew through our Lord Jesus Christ that Contention would arise about the Name of Episcopacy and therefore being endued with a perfect foreknowledge appointed the aforesaid Officers viz. Bishops and Deacons and left the manner of their Succession described that so when they died other approved Men might succeed them and reform their Office So that there were only the Two Orders of Bishops and Deacons instituted by the Apostles And if they ordained but those Two I think no one had ever a Commission to add a Third or to split One into Two as must be done if we separate the Order of Presbyters from the Order of Bishops But that when the Apostles appointed the Order of Bishops Presbyters were included therein will manifestly appear from the Induction of those fore-cited Passages in Clemens's Epistle and his drift and design thereby which was to appease and calm the Schisms and Factions of some unruly Members in the Church of Corinth who designed to depose their Presbyters and that he might dissuade them from this violent and irregular Action amongst other Arguments he proposes to them that this was to thwart the Design and Will of God who would that all should live orderly in their respective places doing the Duties of their own Stations not invading the Offices and Functions of others and that for this end that all occasions of disorderliness and confusion might be prevented he had Instituted Diversities of Offices in his Church appointing every Man to his particular Work to which he was to apply himself without violently leaping into other Mens places and that particularly the Apostles foreseeing through the Holy Spirit that contentious and unruly Men would irregularly aspire to the Episcopal Office by the Deposition of their lawful Presbyters therefore that such turbulent Spirits might be repressed or left inexcusable they ordained Bishops and Deacons where they preached and described the manner and qualifications of their Successors who should come after them when they were dead and gone and be rever'd and obeyed with the same Respect and Obedience as they before were and that therefore they were to be condemned as Perverters of the Divine Institution and Contemners of the Apostolick Authority who dared to degrade their Presbyters who had received their Episcopal Authority in an immediate Succession from those who 〈◊〉 advanced to that Dignity by the Apostles themselves This was the true Reason for which the fore-quoted Passages were spoken which clearly evinces that Presbyters were included under the Title of Bishops or rather that they were Bishops For to what end should Clemens exhort the Schismatical Corinthians to obey their Presbyters from the consideration of the Apostles Ordination of Bishops if their Presbyters had not been Bishops But that the Order of Presbyters was the same with the Order of Bishops will appear also from that place of Irenaeus where he exhorts us to withdraw from those Presbyters who serve their Lusts and having not the fear of God in their hearts contemn others and are lifted up with the Dignity of their first Session but to adhere to those who keep the Doctrine of the Apostles and with their Presbyterial Order are inoffensive and exemplary in sound Doctrine and an holy Conversation to the Information and Correction of others for such Presbyters the Church educates and of whom the Prophet saith I will 〈◊〉 thee Princes in Peace and Bishops in Righteousness Now that by these Presbyters Bishops are meant I need not take much pains to prove the precedent Chapter positively asserts it the Description of them in this Quotation by their enjoying the Dignity of the first Session and the application of that Text of Isaiah unto them clearly evinces it No one can deny but that there were Bishops that is that they were superiour in degree to other Presbyters or as Irenaeus styles it honoured with the first Session but yet he also says that they were not different in Order being of the Presbyterial Order which includes both Bishops and Presbyters To this Testimony of Irenaeus I shall subjoin that of Clemens Alexandrinus who tho' he mentions the Processes of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons from which some conclude the Bishops Superiority of Order yet the subsequent Words evidently declare that it must be meant only of Degree and that as to Order they were one and the same for he immediately adds That those Offices are an imitation of the Angelick Glory and of that Dispensation which as the Scriptures say they wait for who treading in the steps of the Apostles live in the perfection of Evangelick Righteousness for these the Apostle writes shall be took up into the Clouds Here he alludes to the manner of the Saints Glorification in 1 Thess. 4. 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord and there first as Deacons attend and then
the People might see and hear him which was called Pulpitum or a Pulpit from which Pulpit he read the Scriptures alone and not others alternatively with him it being his Office only to Read whilst the Congregation listned to him as Cyprian writes that Celerinus a Lector Read the Law and the Gospel to all the People Celerinus only read whilst all the People attended and therefore when this Duty was ended it is described only by the Lectors ceasing to Read and not by the Peoples ceasing so to do § 4. How much the Lector read at a Time is uncertain since they varied according to the Circumstances of their Condition So writes Tertullian that they Read the Scriptures according to the Quality of their present Times And to the same purpose says Justin Martyr that the Clark read until it was sufficient § 5. When the Readended then followed the Singing of Psalms So says Tertullian 〈◊〉 Scriptures are Read and Psalms Sung This was a considerable Part of the Christians Service who as Pliny writes met together before Day to sing an Hymn to Christ it being useful to elevate the Mind in Heavenly Raptures of Praise and Adoration and to raise a Pious Soul into greater Degrees of Admiration of God's Love and Bounty whence such a Soul is described by Clemens Alexandrinus to be continually Blessing Praising Singing and presenting Hymns to God the Lord of all being assisted by the Holy Spirit of God without whose Aid it was impossible to Sing either in good Rhime Tune Metre or Harmony The Christians in those Days condemned only the debauched Bacchanalian Singing and Roaring but commended the Blessing and Praising of God by Thanksgiving and Singing of Psalms Inasmuch that it was made one 〈◊〉 Distinction of a Christian As Tertullian inveighs against the Marriage of a Believing Woman with an 〈◊〉 because thereby she would be hindred from discharging the Ordinances of the Gospel amongst which he enumerates Singing of Psalms for then says he What would her Husband sing to her or What would she sing to her Husband And a little after he describes the happy Condition of that Couple who were both Christians in that they did both joyn together in and exhort one another to the vigorous Performance of God's Worship Psalms and Hymns sound between those two and they mutually excite one another who shall sing unto God best it being their daily Employment and recurring as often as they eat their Meat Thus faith Clemens Alexandrinus a good Christians Life is a continued Festival his Sacrifices are Prayers and Praises Reading of Scriptures before Meat and Singing of Psalms and Hymns at Meat Hence in their Feasts and Banquers When they drank to one another they Sung an Hymn therein blessing God for his unexpressible Gifts towards Mankind both as to their Bodies and Souls I confess indeed that most of these Quotations respect only Private Singing of Psalms and so they may seem to be somewhat alien from my purpose on which Account I should not have mentioned them but have wholly passed them over in silence had it not been to have satisfied those who hold it unlawful to Sing any Psalms at all in what manner soever for if singing in private was usual and commendable then no doubt publick Singing was so also § 6. What those Psalms or Hymns were that the Primitive Christians sung may be a Question necessary to be resolved which I take to be two-fold either such as were taken out of the Holy Scriptures and particularly out of the Book of Psalms or such as were of their own private composing So writes Tertullian that after the Celebration of the Lord's Supper Every one Sung an Hymn out of the Bible or of his own composing As for the Singing of David's Psalms the same Father particularly mentions the 133d Psalm as Sung in his Days O how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity This thou canst not easily sing unless when thou suppest with many As for the Hymns that were of Private Men's Composition it was one of the Accusations of Paulus Samosatenus the Heretical Bishop of Antioch that he abolished those Psalms which were wont to be Sung to the Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ as Novel and composed by Modern Authors and that he appointed Women on Easter Day in the middle of the Church to sing Psalms in his Praise And in the Fragment of an Anonymous Author extant in Eusebius we find the Heresie of Artemon who denied the Divinity of Christ 〈◊〉 not only by the Scriptures and the Writings of the precedent Fathers but also by the Psalms and Hymns of the Brethren which were formerly composed by them wherein they praised Christ by making him a God Such a private composed Hymn was that which Clemens Alexandrinus mentions as one commonly known among the Christians in his Days beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Hail Light Protreptic p. 52. § 7. As for the manner of the Primitive Singing it was in good Tune and Concent all the People bearing a part in it but whether all together or Antiphonally cannot well be determined every Country probably following its own Mode Singing only in General being commanded not the particular manner or fashion of it In a Precedent Quotation mention is made of Singing in Concent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with Voices altogether In other Places the Alternative Method of Singing seems expresly to be used as Pliny writes That the Christians in his time met together before Day to Sing an Hymn to Christ by course or one against another And so in that forecited Passage of Tertullian What will an Vnbelieving Husband sing to a Believing Wife Or what will a Believing Wife sing to an Vnbelieving Husband § 8. As for Singing Men and Singing Women I find that Paulus Samosatenus the Heretical Bishop of Antioch abolished the old usual Hymns and appointed certain Women on Easter Day in the middle of the Church to sing Psalms in his Praise But whether these Singing Women were first Instituted by this Heretical Bishop or were before his Time I cannot tell As for Church-Musick for Organs and the like those Primitive Ages were wholly ignorant of them for it cannot rationally be conceived that in those Days of continual Persecution or Violence they could either use or preserve them all that they look'd after was to Sing in Rhyme Metre Tune and Concent to offer up unto God the Praises of their Voices Lips and Mouths which Clemens Alexandrinus thinks was Emblematized or shadowed forth by those Musical Instruments mentioned in the 150th Psalm where saith he We are commanded to praise God on the Psaltery that is on the Tongue because the Tongue is the Psaltery of the Lord and to praise him on 〈◊〉 Harp by which we must understand the Mouth and to praise him on the
loud sounding Cymbals by which the Tongue is to be understood which sounds or speaks through the knocking or coition of the Lips § 9. When the Singing of Psalms was ended then succeeded the Preaching of the Word So writes Tertullian Scriptures are read Psalms sung and then Sermons pronounced As for the Subject of the Preacher's Sermon it was usually a Commentary or Explication of the Lessons that were just before read So it was in the Time and Country of Justin Martyr who writes that when the Reader had ended the Bishop made a Sermon by way of Instruction and Exhortation to the Imitation of those excellent things which had been read Whence Origen calls their Sermons Explanations of the Lessons And such Explanations are all his Sermons or Homilies as whosoever reads them will easily see and he himself intimates as much in several of them As for the Length of their Sermons they usually preach'd an Hour as Origen complains of his abundance of Matter that if he should throughly handle every part of it it would require not only the one Hour of their Assembly but several Therefore when the Lessons were long and copious which sometimes consisted of several Chapters as the Lesson which was the Subject of Origen's 15th Homily on Jeremiah reached from the 15th Chapter and 10th Verse to the 17th Chapter and 5th Verse The Preacher passed over some of the Matter unmentioned and handled the most important or the most curious part therein Thus in the beginning of a Sermon of Origen's we find that the Chapters that were read were the 25 26 27 and 28th Chapters of the first Book of Samuel which he complains were too large and 〈◊〉 to be all handled at once and therefore he would only discourse of the 28th Chapter touching the Witch of Endor and those things related there 〈◊〉 her § 10. As for the manner of their Sermons we may observe this Method in those of Origen's that he first began with a short 〈◊〉 and then explained Verse after Verse or Sentence after Sentence 〈◊〉 the Natural and Literal Signification of the Words and then the Spiritualized or Mystical meaning of them and concluded with a suitable Application of all either by way of Exhortation to Piety and Vertue or by way of Dehortation from Vice and Impiety Always accommodating their Discourses to the Capacities of their Hearers Is their Auditors were prudent and understanding then they scrupled not to treat of the profound Mysteries of the Gospel but if they had attained no great measure of Knowledge and had need of Milk as the Apostle stiles it then they concealed from them those deep and recondite Points § 11. As for the Preacher himself it was usually the Bishop of the Parish So saith 〈◊〉 Martyr The Bishop Preaches by way of Instruction and Exhortation to the Imitation of those excellent things which we Or else he desired a Presbyter or some other fit Person to preach in his room without his Consent it had been Schism and Violence in any Person whatsoever to have usurped his Chair but with his Permission any Clergyman or Layman might Preach in his Pulpit Now that Clergymen Preach'd no one will question though it will be doubted whether Laymen did But that they did so appears from a memorable History concerning Origen who going from Alexandria into Palestina by the Desire of the Bishops of that Country publickly Preach'd in the Church and expounded the Holy Scriptures although he was not yet in Holy Orders At which Action when Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria was offended Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem and Theoctistus of Caesarea writ to him in defence of it as follows Whereas you write in your Letter that it was never before seen or done That Laymen should preach in the presence of Bishops therein you wander from the Truth for wheresoever any are found that are fit to profit the Brethren the Holy Bishops of their own accord ask them to Preach unto the People So Evelpis was desired by Neon Bishop of Laranda and Paulinus by Celsus of Iconium and Theodorus by Atticus of Synnada our most blessed Brethren and it is credible that this is likewise done in other Places though we know it not But yet though Laymen Preach'd it was not every one that did so but only those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit to prosit the Brethren and though they were never so fit yet they did not irregularly or disorderly run about a Preaching or discharge that Sacred Office till they were desired by the Bishop of a Parish to do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but stayed for the Permission and Approbation of such an one for without that their Sermons and Discourses would have been but so many Acts of Schism and Faction CHAP. II. § 1. After Preaching all the Congregation rose up to joyn in Publick Prayers § 2. They prayed towards the East Their Reasons for that Custom § 3. They lifted up their Hands and Eyes towards Heaven § 4. Whether the Minister that Officiated wore a Surplice and therein of Ministers Habits § 5. Whether they Sung their Prayers and whether they used Responsals § 6. Of prescribed Liturgies The Lord's Prayer not always but commonly used by them § 7. To the Lord's Prayer they added other Prayers of their own Choice or Invention proved so to have been § 8. Whether their Prayers were divided into several Collects § 1. AS soon as the Sermon was ended then all the Congregation rose up to present their Common and Publick Prayers unto Almighty God as Justin Martyr writes that when the Preacher had finished his Discourse They all rose up and offered their Prayers unto God Standing being the usual Posture of Praying at least the constant one on Sundays on which Day they esteemed it a Sin to kneel whence the Preacher frequently concluded his Sermon with an Exhortation to his Auditors to stand up and pray to God as we find it more than once in the Conclusion of Origen's Sermons as Wherefore standing up let us beg help from God that we may be blessed in Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen And wherefore rising up let us pray to God that we may be made worthy of Jesus Christ to whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen And again Standing up let us offer Sacrifices to the Father through Christ who is the Propitiation for our Sins to whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen § 2. Accordingly the whole Congregation stood up and turned their Faces towards the East it being their Custom and Manner to pray towards that Quarter as Tertullian writes We pray towards the East Now the Reasons that I meet with for this Usage may be reduced to these Three or Four I. Out of Respect and Reverence to their Lord and Master Jesus Christ they prayed towards the East because the East is a
Father for our Sins when we beg pardon for our Sins let us use the Words of our Advocate and since he says that whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his Name he will give it us how much more efficaciously shall we prevail for what we beg in Christ's Name if we ask it in his Prayer To this Prayer it is that Tertullian gives this Encomium In the Compendium of a few Words how many Declarations of Prophets Evangelists and Apostles how many Speeches Parables Examples and Precepts are contained How many Duties towards God! Honour to God in the Preface Faith in the first Petition Hope in the Second Resignation in the Third Petition for Life in the Fourth Confession of Sins in the Fifth Watchfulness against Temptations in the Sixth What Wonder God alone could teach how he would be prayed to § 7. But tho' they frequently used the Lord's Prayer yet they did not only use that but other Prayers also for immediately to the foregoing Encomium of the Lord's Prayer Tertullian adjoyns That we may add thereunto and offer up Prayers unto God according to the Variety of our Circumstances and Conditions From which Passage of the said Father we may guess their usual Method of Prayer was first to begin with the Lord's Prayer as the Ground and Foundation of all others and then according to their Circumstances and Conditions to offer up their own Prayers and Requests Now that this Conjecture may appear to have some Foundation it will be necessary to translate at large this place of Tertullian and to shew the Introduction or Occasion of it which was this After this Father had as before Commented on summ'd up and magnify'd the Lord's Prayer he concludes that nevertheless We may add thereunto for since the Lord the Observer of all Humane Necessities has in another place after he had delivered this Prayer said Ask and ye shall receive And every one has particular Circumstances to beg for therefore having premised the lawful and ordinary Prayer there is place for accidental Requests and a Liberty of offering up other Petitions so as they do agree with the Precepts As far as we are from the Precepts so far are we from God's Ears the remembrance of the Precepts makes way for our Prayers to Heaven of which it is the chief Now these other Prayers which made up a great part of Divine Service were not 〈◊〉 and imposed Forms but the Words and Expressions of them were left to the Prudence Choice and Judgment of every particular Bishop or Minister I do not here say that a Bishop or Minister used no Arbitrary Form of Prayer all that I say is that there was none imposed Neither do I say that having no imposed Form they unpremeditately immethodically or confusedly vented their Petitions and Requests for without doubt they observed a Method in their Prayers but this is what I say That the Words or Expressions of their Prayers were not imposed or prescribed but every one that officiated delivered himself in such Terms as best pleased him and varied his Petitions according to the present Circumstances and Emergencies Or if it be more intelligible that the Primitive Christians had no stinted Liturgies or Imposed Forms of Prayer Now this being a Negative in Matter of Fact the bare Assertion of it is a sufficient Proof except its Affirmative can be evinced Suppose it was disputed whether ever St. Paul writ an Epistle to the Church of Rome the bare Negation thereof would be Proof enough that he did not except it could be clearly evidenced on the contrary that he did So unless it can be proved that the Ancients had fixed Liturgies and Prayer-Books we may very rationally conclude in the Negative that they had none at all Now as to these prescribed Forms there is not the least mention of them in any of the Primitive Writings nor the least Word or Syllable tending thereunto that I can find which is a most unaccountable Silence if ever such there were but rather some Expressions intimating the contrary as that famous controverted place of Justin Martyr who describing the manner of the Prayer before the Celebration of the Lord's Supper says That the Bishop sent up Prayers and Praises to God with his utmost ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that he prayed with the best of his Abilities Invention Expression Judgment and the like I am not ignorant that there is another Sense given of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or According to his Ability But I must needs say that I generally if not always found this Phrase to include personal Abilities Thus as to the Explanation of Scripture Origen writes that he would expound it according to his Ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would Comment on that Parable of the Blind Man that was healed near Jericho mentioned in Luke 18. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so on the Parable concerning the Husbandman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the Marriage of the King's Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would search out the Sense of the Gospel of St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now what doth Origen intend by his searching out the Sense and expounding the meaning of the Scriptures to the utmost of his Power and Ability Is it a bare reading and transcribing of other Mens Works or an Employment of his own Abilities and Studies to find out the Sense and Meaning of them Certainly every one will think the latter to be most probable So as to the Argumentative Defence of the Truth Origen promises that he would answer the Calumnies of Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he would defend and confirm his Arguments against Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and demonstrate the Reasonableness of the Christian Religion according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dispute against Celsus according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now whether Origen's defending the Truth and disputing against Celsus according to his 〈◊〉 Ability and Power consisted in a reading or in a bare transcribing out of a Book the written Arguments of other Men or in an Employment of his own Abilities Inventions and Expressions is no difficult matter to determine I have not found one place wherein this Phrase of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not comprehend personal Abilities and several scores more might I cite where it is so to be understood which I shall omit and mention only one more spoken by Origen with respect to this Duty of Prayer where it must of necessity imply personal Abilities and that is in his Book De Oratione where he prescribes the Method and Parts of Prayer the first whereof was Doxology wherein says he he that prays must bless God according to his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie the Performer's Abilities of