that which fully clears this matter is that even the converted Jews were extreamly shy of letting go any of their Rituals though they had been better informed of the Designe and Nature of Christianity then others were we find Act. 21. 20 21. that there were many Myriads of Jews which believed and they were all zealous of the Law and when they had but an incling that S. Paul taught the Proselites abroad to forsake Moses and not to walk after the Rites and customes of their Fathers they were so moved Vid. Bezam in loc at it that the Bretheren at Jerusalem were fain to advise him to purifie himself and to satisfie them that he walked orderly And since they did so pertinaciously insist upon Punctilio's can we conceive that they would not insist rather upon weighty matters would they suffer the whole frame of their Religion to be altered when they would not endure any part of it to be changed or omitted Certainly had the Apostles gone about to take away their Sacrifices and their Service-book too and to destroy their Legal and Moral observances both it would have been concluded that their design was to make havock of all Religion and to turn the World upside down and such a Rupture would have been made hereby that Men would have crowded out of the Church with greater zeal than ever they went into it And therefore it is unquestionably clear that the Apostles and their Disciples did at their publick and common Assemblies carefully keep to that way of worship which was then establisht which as hath been proved was Prescript and according to Form 2. The great Question is what their way of worship was in their peculiar and more private Assemblies when they met together to perform such proper Exercises of Christianity as they were not permitted to perform either in the Temple or at the Synagogue That these Services were transacted without premeditation and Form is strongly believed and confidently asserted by some And it must be acknowledged that their occasional Prayers were uttered after that manner such as that Prayer mentioned Act. 4. And should it be granted that their whole Devotion was of sudden conception then it would be no prejudice to the use of Set Forms now because the Apostles were immediately inspired whereas those miraculous afflations of the Holy Ghost are ceased long ago and the Question is not whether unpremeditated Prayers are simply unlawful but whether they are so fit and convenient for the publick since our wants and weaknesses are so great and the best of us can pretend but to the ordinary assistance of Gods Spirit upon our humane Endeavours But I must confess that I am not at all satisfied of the Truth of that conceit that in the Christian Assemblies in the Apostles dayes there were no manner of Forms or that their ordinary or standing Services were performed wholly by extemporaneous suggestion Indeed the Scripture gives us but little account of this matter and therefore what is determin'd about it must be concluded by the help of Reason and some Collateral evidence To the point then The service of God consisteth of Praises and Prayers Now that the Christians in the Apostles time had composed and set Forms of praising and glorifying God seemeth highly probable from 1 Cor. 14. 26. where St. Paul saith that when they came together every one of them had a Psalm This is a general word comprehending both Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs to the use whereof St. Paul adviseth Christians twice elsewhere once in Ephes 5. 19. and again Col. 3. 16. Now 't is hard to believe that these several wayes of extolling Gods name were conceived in the Church on a sudden by the whole Congregation Rather it is credible that they came ready furnished with suitable Forms either with those which had been formerly compos'd by David or with some that had been lately framed by Men inspired or with both which is most likely For the same Spirit which moved the Prophets of old did breath upon the Church now and 't is probable that as David and others did by the dictates of the Holy Ghost compose Forms of praising God for the use of the whole Congregation so in the Apostles time many were moved by the same Spirit to compose the like Christian Hymns for the use of the whole Church So St. Chrysostome tells us positively that in those ancient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrys in 1 Cor. 14. 26. times they did frame Psalms by the Gift of the Holy Ghost And since the Apostle doth distinguish between these Psalms and those Revelations which were given in an instant at the Church it seemeth to be clear that such Formes were conceived at home by such as had the Gift of Tongues and then being rendered into a Language which they understood were communicated to the People to be used by them at their solemn Meetings and so they had or came provided of Psalms when they came together For the scope of the Apostle there is to shew that every thing should be done in the Church that others might receive benefit by it And whereas some had the gift of speaking in strange Languages and were apt to boast of their abilities St. Paul in that Chapter proveth that the Service of God should be performed in a known Tongue that every Christian might bear a part in it and so he concludeth that even the Psalms which were composed by Persons inspired should be first made intelligible before they were used in their publick Assemblies because all things were to be done to edisying And truely that there were such divine Songs frequently used in the Apostles dayes seemeth to be clear from a testimony in Eusebius For speaking of several eminent Catholick Writers under Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 28. the Emperour Severus he saith that in confuting the Heresie of Artâ—â—â—on who denied the Godhead of our Saviour they appealed to those Psalms and Hymns which had been written in the beginning of Christianity by the Faithful in which Hymns they confessed Christ to be the Word of God and worshipped him as God To which I shall add that account given by Pliny the Heathen who lived about St. John's time For writing to Trajan the Emperour he informed him of the Christians That they were Plinius Trajano a sort of People that on a certain day were wont to meet together early in the morning and did sing a Hymn unto Christ as unto God and did bind themselves in a Sacrament not to steal not to commit adultery c. Questionless this Hymn was some set Form of Praise which was used by the whole Congregation at the Communion Office And if I may be allowed my conjecture I conceive it might be that Hymn which we find still in Clements Constitutions the Clem. Const lib. 7. in fine Tenor whereof is this Glory be to God in the Highest Peace on Earth good will among men We
praise thee we sing unto thee we bless thee we glorifie thee we worship thee through our Great High-Priest thee the very true God the unbegotten inaccessible Being for thy great glory O Lord heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord God the Father of Christ that spotless Lamb that taketh away the sin of the World receive our prayer thou that sittest upon the Cherubims For thou only art holy thou only O Jesus art the Lord the anointed of God our King to whom be Glory Honor and Worship ascribed This was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning Prayer or Hymn so called in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constitutions and 't was usual at the close of the holy Sacrament And if it was not this Hymn which Pliny mean't some other of the like nature it was which he pointed to And so from all these Testimonies put together I do conclude that in the Apostles days there were certain set Forms of praise which was one main part of the ordinary Service then in their peculiar and select Assemblies 2 As touching Prayers which made up the other part of Gods Worship S. Paul saith to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. I exhort that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority c. 1. Here it is clear that the Apostle doth enumerate several sorts kinds and parts of devotion making a plain distinction and difference between supplications against all evil things and Prayers for all good things and Intercessions for others as well for themselves and Tanksgivings for mercies already received There is no doubt but he meaneth several distinct offices unless we be so impudent as to affirm that S. Paul heaped up many words to no purpose 2. It is clear that he required that these several offices should be observed these distinct Acts of Devotion should be performed in the Christian Church and to shew the necessity of it the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to take care of it first of all 3. It is as clear that the whole Church of Christ hath conceived and taken for granted in all Ages that the Apostle in this place did intend to fix a certain Rule of Devotion and did order a Platform and Model to be observed in all publick Services and especially at the Celebration of the holy Communion Indeed the words of S. Paul do not force us to believe that he required Prayers to be composed and digested into a certain Form although that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bear that sense but yet the Judgement of the Church was that the Apostle did design and intend to have a standing Rule and Model of Devotion set up S. Chrysostome puts the Question what doth the Apostle mean when he saith I exhort that first of all supplications prayers c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that excellent and Ancient Father S. Paul meaneth that this must be done in our daily services and this saith he we do daily both at Morning and S Chrysost in 1 Tim. 2. 1. Evening Service such Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivings they had prescribed and fixt and in using them they did conceive that they answered the Apostles design and did according to his Order Directions and Appointment To the same purpose S. Ambrose upon Haec Regula Ecclesiastica est tradita a Magistro Gintilium qua utuntur sacerdotes nostri ut pro omnibus supplicent c. Ambros Comment the place saith This is an Ecclesiastical Law delivered by the Doctor of the Gentiles and observed by our Priests to pray for all men and particuarly for Kings c. Questionless the good man conceived that the Church was obliged by virtue of this Apostolical precept to use some constant Forms of Prayer for all men in general and especially for such as were in Authority And though this was done frequently in the time of Publick Service for fear they should fall short of their duty yet S. Austin was of opinion that S. Paul In hujus Sacramenti Sanctificatione distributionis preparatione existimo Apostolum jussisse proprie fieri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Orationes S. Aug. ep 59. ad Paulin. Sol. q. 5. had an eye chiefly to the time when the Blessed Sacrament was celebrated and that then these charitable Prayers were commanded to be made as in their proper and fit place And to confirm S. Austins opinion I observe of the Church of England that though Prayers for all men and for Kings be directed by her to be made in several places of her Liturgy yet in the prayer for the whole Church before the Communion particular mention is made of this command of the Apostles as if in her judgement S. Paul required such Prayers to be used at that time chiefly In a word the manifest agreement of all Liturgies in this particular and the constant uniform and universal practise of all Christians from the beginning all along using certain Forms of Supplication Prayer Intercession and Thanksgiving for all men and for Kings especially and that too in the Communion-office is a loud and clear argument to me that they conceived this their practice to have been according to the Apostles order and those their Forms to have been according to the Apostles mind And hence I conclude that either the whole Catholick Church hath not yet understood St. Pauls sense but has been clearly mistaken in his meaning which I hope will never be granted or else that that carries much truth in it which Durantus Cites out of Haymo viz. that the Blessed Apostle Durant de Rit Eccl. lib. 2. c. 33. directing his words to Timothy did in and by him deliver unto all Bishops and Presbyters and to every Church a Form how they should celebrate the Sacrament and pray for all men which Form or Model the whole Church doth observe From all which the least that we can gather is that certain Forms of Divine service were allowed and approved of even in the Apostles time But to speak freely it seems very probable that the holy Apostles did in their ordinary Ministrations observe Forms of Prayer themselves notwithstanding those extroardinary assistances of the Spirit which they were blest with I do not say that they Prayed by Book as they did in following Ages Nor do I mean that they tied themselves to words as they did when the miraculous Gifts of the holy Ghost ceased but this I do affirm as highly probable that the Apostles used a certain Form or Method and that the matter and substance of their ordinary services was for the most part the same My reasons are these three chiefly 1. Because St. Paul advised Timothy who was gifted as well as others 1 Tim. 4. 14. to a fixt Rule Model and Form of Publick Devotion which advice it is not likely that he would have given unto him had not he himself and his
Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Blessed be thou unto all Ages world without End Amen In like manner the Prayer of Consecration which comes next is very agreeablee to that Form which was of most ancient usage The Prayer of Consecration only it is shorter than that old affectionate and devout Prayer wherein they commemorated the wonderful love of God and Christ to an undone world and made mention of his Humility Incarnation Birth Life Miracles Passion Death and Burial then thanked God for the Redemption of the World by these methods of Love and Wisdome then proceeded to the History of this Sacraments Institution using the same words as we do who in the same night that he was betray'd took Bread c. and likewise the Cup saying c. and at last prayed unto the Father of Lights that he would look favourably upon the Elements and send his holy Spirit to Const lib. 8. sanctifie them so that whosoever did partake thereof might be confirmed in Religion and receive remission of sins and be filled with the holy Ghost These things done and all having received they proceeded Post Communion even as we do to a Prayer of Thanksgiving which as we find it in the Book of Constitutions did so resemble for the most part of it that second Prayer after the Communion prescribed in our Liturgy as if it were none other than a Copy and Translation of it After that they used that Angelical Hymn Glory to God on High c. concerning which I cannot but observe the Conjecture of the Learned Dr. Hammond that it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hymn View of the Direct in Philopat which Lucian the Heathen Scoffer pointed to when speaking in the person of Triephon who represents the Christian he saith let those words alone beginning your prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Father and adding in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that famous Ode or Hymn full of Synonymous and repeated words The Doctor concieves that by the former is intended the Pater Noster with which both now and anciently the Communion-Service was begun and that by the latter is meant that Hymn of ours Glory be to God on high we praise thee we bless thee with which that Service ends having nothing but the Benediction after it which being so powerful and importunate repetition of O Lord God Heavenly King and O Lord God Lamb of God c. is most properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion that it was used in among the Heathen Writers Now if this opinion of Dr. Hammonds be right we have a most pregnant account of the Antiquity of this Hymn because Lucian lived about S. John the Evangelists time but however we find it in Clements Constitutions I have insisted the longer and the more particularly upon the Antiquity of our Service-book to satisfie the World that it was not taken out of the Roman mint neither is a late invention without good Authority and Precedent but that it hath the practice of the Old Apostolical Churches and times to warrant and patronize it however it is new slighted and hated by a sort of people among us who either cannot or will not distinguish between an invaluable Jewel and the dry harsh husk of a sorry Barley-corn I shall conclude this whole matter with that known story of Arch-Bishop Cranmer in the reign of Queen Mary how he offered the Queen if he might be permitted to take unto him Peter Martyr and four or five more to prove that the Communion-office set Foxes's Martyrol Anno 1554 in his purgation out by King Edward the sixth was conformable to that which Christ commanded and which the Apostles and Primitive Church used many years And that the whole Order of Divine Service then used by the Church of England was the same meaning in effect and substance that had been used in the Catholick Church for fifteen hundred years past By what has been said hitherto it doth appear that the Zealous Prelate spake not without good Reason But the Challenge would not be accepted because the Learned sorts of Papists knew that the thing could be made out And though some ignorant and some malicious men among our selves have been pleased to say that our Liturgy was taken out of the Mass-Book yet the most judicious and most unprejudiced Protestants have looked upon it to be as in Truth it is a most strong Bullwark and Fence against Popery And indeed the Papists themselves know it to be so and therefore upon the restoring of Popery in Queen Maries time they did with all haste and fury throw our Excellent Liturgy and the wise Compilers of it into the Fire and surely none but Mad men and Fools would have served their friends so The Antiquity of our Rites Customes and Vsages comes to be confidered in the next place And truely there are some Ecclesiastical Observations which we meet with in the most Ancient Writers of the Greek and Latine Churches of whose Birth and Original I believe the Learnedst men in Christendom cannot shew us the particular time by the help of their best readings nor can they who dislike them shew us when they came first into the Church 1. The first is the use of the Cross especially at the time of Baptism Of the Cross Mercerus Vticensis in his additions to the Hieroglyphicks of Orus Apollo tells us that the Cross among the old Aegyptians was an Emblem of the Life to come What their reason was I Eccl. Hist lib. 11. c. 29. am not to enquire But Ruffinus relates the same thing and moreover tells us that the Aegyptians and especially their Priests who understood their Mysteries best the more willingly embraced the Christian Religion for the Cross sake calling to mind its ancient signification The Ancient Christians though they Min. Fel. never worshipped the Cross yet they used the sign of it as an outward badge of their Profession and all that were received into the Church received this sign upon their foreheads in token that they were not ashamed of a Crucified Saviour 'T is recorded of the Gnosticks those first Hereticks who denied the reality of Christs Incarnation and Passion that they branded their Proselytes with an hot Iron in the upper part of their right ear Iren. lib. 1. and some conjecture that S. Paul restected upon that custome of theirs where he saith that they had Consciences seared with an hot Iron meaning as well as their ears But in all probability this custome was taken up in opposition to the true Christians 1 Tim. 4. 2. who were marked with the sign of the Cross upon their foreheads S. Basil I am sure reckons it in the first place among S. Basil de Spiritu Sanctu c. 27. the Ecclesiastical Constitutions which were derived by Tradition from the holy Apostles and indeed the use of the Cross was so ancient and so
any thing can be found among us that is either in genere fidei untrue or in genere morum unlawful For Custom though never so gray-headed cannot be any Prescription in Bar of Truth Cypr. ep 73 74. and without Truth it is nothing else but an inveterate Error But God be blessed this reacheth not to the prejudice of the Church of England because as nothing can be found in our Doctrine which is really false so nothing can be found in our Discipline which is really and in the nature of the thing evil Instead of those many whiffling Pretensions which peevish and ignorant men have used against our Government our Rites and our Way of Worship if they could shew us but one Masculine Reason to prove our Establishments to be contrary to God's Word the Debate would soon be at an end and we would give up our Cause and our Lives also as well as our Livings to please them But this Advantage we have that many great and famous Divines in the Reformed Churches abroad who have searched into our Constitutions with more Impartiality that is with better Eyes and Judgments and Spirits than our own Brethren could never yet discover any thing in them that is repugnant to the Scriptures In former Ages Bucer and Peter Martyr and Zanchius and Melanchthon and several excellent Writers more have delivered their Sence much in favour of our side Nay the Learned Calvin himself though he was constrain'd by the necessities of Times to erect a New Discipline at Geneva yet was he far from condemning the way of this Church In an Epistle to the Duke of Somerset he did acknowledge that God had made him an especial Instrument of restoring purum sincerum suum cultum in regno Angliae his pure and sincere Worship in the Kingdom of England and he severely condemned those Seditious and Brain-sick People for so he call'd them who under colour of the Gospel would have brought in Disorder and Confusion In an Epistle to those Englishmen at Frankfurt who would have alter'd our Settlements he intimates that there was no manifest Impiety in them and therefore advised them not to be stiff and capricious above measure And in an Epistle to Bullinger he doth confess that he himself persuaded Bishop Hooper to Conformity And in this last Age the great H. Grotius who for Learning and Moderation Grot. ep ad Gedeon à Boeâ—sel was the Phoenix almost of his time look'd upon the way of the Church of England with admiration as that which came nearest to the Primitive Simplicity And among the present Dissenters if such as are more sober and judicious than the rest would but please to speak out they must needs do us right too and confess that however some of our Usages are not point-vise just as they would have them and suitable to their humours and who can tell what will or can be so yet none of them are indeed naturally and intrinsecally unlawful Nay it is much to be suspected that those wayward and hot Spirits among us who are profest Patrons of Separation would not find much fault neither if their former Declamations against our way were but forgotten and their Books burnt and their Interest and Credit in the world were but secure at least if their own Hands had but been concern'd in settling this way They would have been well pleas'd could they but have said Lo this is the Bethel that we have built But because this beautiful Fabrick was erected by other Hands now nothing will serve their turn unless it be said Lo this is the Babel that we have helped to pull down The summe is this that though the Plea of Antiquity be not sufficient to justifie those Ecclesiastical Constitutions which either tend not to Edification or are used after a Superstitious manner and to Superstitious ends or are bad and sinful in themselves yet if the Constitutions be such as have been originally occasioned by some Scripture-hints and intimations if they be such as are retained and used for some solid lasting and perpetual Reasons if they be such as serve to Decency in God's Worship to Order Peace and Unity among Christians and if they be such too as are not offensive scandalous or evil in their own nature then I say the Plea and Súffrage of Antiquity doth add that gloss and advantage unto them that they ought not to be laid aside for mens Humour 's sake but should be esteemed venerable safe and worthy of all acceptation Now this we conceive to be our Case in every particular and therefore supposing the usefulness reasonableness and lawfulness of our Constitutions which many Learned Divines have abundantly proved if it be further made to appear and I shall endeavour to shew it in the Process of this Discourse that these our Constitutions were observed in the Ancient Church of Christ and that this was the old path wherein Millions of blessed Saints walked while Religion continued fresh and fair within its Inclosure then more will not be needful to convince any rational serious and sober man that this is a good as well as old way wherein we also may and ought to walk notwithstanding the Pretences of those who love to walk irregularly and by themselves 1. For it is to be considered that if there be any safe and good way certainly it must be found among the Ancient Christians and the Stream of Religion must needs be still purer and purer the nearer we come to the Fountain Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit priùs traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posteriùs immissum Tertul. de Praescript adv Haeret. Head I speak now of things concerning the Government and Discipline of the Church And questionless those things could not but be in a very good posture in the first Ages when the Minds of Christians were full of Simplicity when their Quando Domini nostri adhuc calebat cruor fervebat recens in credentibus fides Hieron ep ad Demetriad Spirits were holy their Designs honest and their Factions few and their Interests united When the Bloud of Christ was yet warm in their hearts and their Faith was so fresh and sprightly that they chose to die rather than they would depart from the Rule that had been fix'd by the Apostles When Persecutions were so rife that Christians had other things to do than to study or think of Innovations in Religion and let me add also when they had such an account as was clear and certain in comparison of that which later Ages have had touching the Original and Institution of things which came so lately to their hands We indeed cannot certainly tell what were Apostolical Traditions but such as we find in Scripture because we want many good Records which were written in the early days of Christianity Nay in S. Jerom's time they were posed to tell certainly what Vnaquaeque
voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pray ye Catechumeni Such Forms we find in all the old Liturgies generally One I have transcribed already and I shall produce another out of Clements Constitutions because that Book though it hath undergone many alterations yet certainly contains the sense and substance of the Churches service in the first Ages There then the lib. 8. Deacon is directed to say Pray ye Catechumeni And let us all pray to God for them that the good God would hear their prayers That he may grant them the desires of their hearts as may be most expedient for them That he may reveal his Gospel to them and enlighten them and make them wise unto salvation that he may instruct them in the knowledge of his will and teach them his Commandments and Judgements That he may plant in them his holy and saving Fear That he may open their hearts tomeditate on his Law day and night That he may confirm them in godliness and number them among the sheep of his Fold That he may vouchsafe them the Laver of Regeneration and the Robe of Immortality which is life indeed That he may deliver them from all wickedness and from the wicked one that he may not approach to hurt them That he may cleanse them from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and may dwell in their hearts That he may bless their goings out and their comings in and direct them in the wayes of peace Furthermore let us earnestly pray on their behalf that having obtained forgiveness of their sins by Baptism they may be partakers of the holy Mysteries and be endued with the perseverance of Saints To all and every of which particulars the people were directed to give their suffrage and consent saying Lord have mercy Now this is that which Justine means by the Praying of Believers for and with the Catechumeni and by the teaching of them to pray viz. the propounding of things to them to pray for and to joyn with the rest in as Constantine Euseb de vit Constant lib. 4. c. 19. the Emperour was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Teacher of supplicatory words when he gave his Souldiers Forms of Prayer to use 2. The next thing we are to note from this Holy Martyrs account is that these Catechumeni did make Profession of their Faith and of their resolutions to live Clem. Const lib 7. c. 42. Et in Tertull Aquam adituri contestamur nos renunciare diabolo pompae Angelis ejus de Cor. Mil. according to their Profession Now this was done in a certain Form too First the party was to say I renounce the Devil together with all the Works Pomps Services Angels and inventions of Satan Then being * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech. 2. Clem. Const lib. 7. c. 42. demanded whether he did believe on the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost he answered I believe and am baptized into one Eternal and True God Almighty the Father of Christ the Creator and Maker of all things and into one Lord Jesus c. repeating the rest of the Articles of the Christian Creed So that all this was according to Form 3. A third thing observable out of this most Primitive Author is that the Baptized persons being brought from the water to the Congregation and Sermon ended all went jointly to prayers for themselves for their new Members and for all men every where Now questionless this account hath a reference to certain prescriptions then because it doth so admirably and exactly agree with that course of Offices which we find in the old Liturgies and particularly in the book of Constitutions where we have after Sermon one particular Form of Prayer for the Baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another for those who were possessed with evil Spirits another for such as did Penance at the Church doors And then they proceeded to a more general and comprehensive Prayer for the peace of the World for the holy Catholick and Apostolick Church for that particular Diaecess for all Bishops under Heaven for their Bishops N. N. for their Presbyters and Deacons for the Readers Singers Virgins Widows and Orphans for married persons and women labouring of child for all holy chaste and continent persons for their most pious and bountiful Benefactors for their new Baptized brethren for such as were sick and weak for Travellers by Sea and Land for all that were in Mines in Banishment in Imprisonment and Bonds for all that groan'd through slavery for their Enemies and Persecuters for unbelievers and deceived people for christian Infants for one another and for every christian Soul I cannot but admire the exuberant and unlimited Charity of these excellent Christians and by this we may easily see what Justine means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Common-Prayers viz. Such as were made for all estates and conditions of men and offered up by the whole Congregation For to every of these particulars pronounced by the Deacon the people did subjoyn their usual suffrage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a peircing zeal and shrill accents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Const Ap. lib. 8. of devotion saying Lord have mercy 4. These things being thus dispatcht the holy kiss followed according to Justine and so it did according to S. Cyril and the Author of the Constitutions which several accounts jumping together so fairly we may reasonably conclude that the holy Martyr doth refer to that Form which the Deacon used at this time crying out embrace one another and salute one another with an holy kiss meaning that men should salute men and women women in token of perfect Love amity and friendship 5. After this the Offertory succeeded agreeable also to what we find in other the most Ancient Records Bread and Wine c. being presented by the people to the Deacons and by them to the Bishop or him that did officiate in chief and by him laid upon the Lords Table part of which offerings was sequestred to be the Elements of the Sacrament and the residue was reserved for the use of the Minister and the poor 6. Then the President of the Congregation proceeded to the prayer of Consecration Wherein it is very observable out of Justine Martyr that the Minister gave praise and glory to God that he gave thanks that he fell to the like prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers like in substance to those which had been offered before and that all this he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a large manner Now throughout this particular account he doth manifestly point to a certain Form then in use and thence we confidently conclude that Forms of prayers were prescribed in Justine Martyrs days For we meet with this large Form in the book of Constitutions lib. 8. and in other Ancient Liturgies and on this wise it runs by the consent of Antiquity First the Minister mentioneth the infinite perfections and Majesty of God It is very
people still crying with a loud voice that God would deliver them from such and such evils And then they were called Litanies and Rogations Hence it is that Mamertus and others are said to have framed Litanies because they enlarged them and used them in manner aforesaid And hence it is that S. Basil told the Clergy of Neocaesaria that there were no Litanies in Gregory's days because that name and that use of them was not then known But yet it is as true that such Forms of supplication and earnest Prayer were very anciently in use and before the times either of Basil or Gregory and S. Chrysostome in his Homily upon Rom. 8. deriveth the Original of them from the Apostles times And truely the general use of them doth argue that this way of praying cannot well be derived from any other Fountain for it was an Vniversal as well as Ancient way Look into that old Liturgy used by the Christians in India and you shall find large Litanies that is Prayers Litany-wise call them what you will Look into the Aethiopian Liturgy called the Vniversal Canon and you shall find Litanies Look into the Mosarabe or Spanish Course and you shall find Litanies Look into the Ambrosian office and you shall find Litanies Look into the Jerusalem Liturgy and you shall find Litanies Look into S. Chrysostomes and S. Basils Liturgies and those other offices collected by Goar and you shall still find Litanies And look into that most Ancient Service-book Eucholog called the Constitutions of the Apostles and you shall find Litanies frequently used at ordinations and in their daily Service and Prayers for the Catechumeni for penitents for persons vexed with evil Spirits for such as were Baptized and afterwards at the Lords Table too for the whole Catholick Church and its Members before the Holy Communion Can any thing speak louder for the Ancient and Vniversal use of Litanies And whence should this come but from Apostolical practice For the Primitive Christians were not easie to be imposed upon or to be perswaded out of their old beaten way Witness for all the Condemnation of Petrus Gnapheus and his V. Can. 81. Concil sixti in Trullo una cum Balsam Blast followers for adding only a little Formula to that received and usual Hymn holy God holy and strong holy and immortal have mercy upon us To this they subjoyned another clause thou that wast Crucified for us have mercy on us and the sixth Council in Trullo condemned the Author of it for a wicked and vile Heretick and Anathematiz'd all that should use that Form for the future for their fear was lest by that Additament it should be intimated that our Saviour was a fourth person distinct from the three persons in the holy Trinity The Fathers of Old were wise and wary and fearful of Innovations in the publick Service And then how the general use of Litanies could be brought into the Church but by such practice as they took to be a safe and authentick Precedent I cannot well understand or imagine 3. The Antiquity of our Litany being thus cleared as to its Form and Contexture next I am to shew its Antiquity as to its matter and substance likewise Now this will easily appear by observing the strain of the Ancient Litanies which though I have already represented in part yet for the further information of the Vulgar sort I shall add that they began and ended as our Litany doth with Lord have mercy They prayed and that many times by the Mercies and Compassions as Lit. S. Basil Lit. S. Chrys we do by the Sufferings Cross Passion c. of our Saviour that God would deliver them from the snares of the Devil from the assaults of enemies from the unclean Spirit of Fornication Can. Vnivers from famine pestilence earthquakes inundations fire sword invasion and civil Wars from all affliction wrath danger and Lit. Basil distress from all sin and wickedness from an untimely end Orat. Lucern and sudden death They prayed that God would keep them Lit. S. Chrys every day in peace and without sin that he would grant them remission of their sins and pardon their transgressions that he Off. Muzar Eucholog Lit. S. Chrys would give them things that were good and beneficial to their souls that they might lead the residue of their lives in peace and repentance that they might persevere in the Faith to the end and that the end of their lives might be Christian and peaceable Lit. S. Jac. without torment and without shame They prayed for the peace Lit. S. Chrys and tranquility of the World and of all Churches for the holy Catholick Church from one end of the earth to the other for Lit. omnes Kings for Bishops Presbyters and Deacons for Virgins Orphans Off. Ambros Missa Christ apud Indos Clem. Consâ— and Widows for such as were in bonds and imprisonment for such as were in want necessity and affliction for married persons and women labouring of child for such as were sick and weak and in their last Agony for banished people and slaves for their enemies and persecuters for persons at Sea and travellers by Land for them that were without and such as erred from the Right way for Infants and young Children and for every Christian soul And to every of these particular supplications the Congregation did answer sometimes Lord Const lib. 8. Lit. S. Chrys have mercy sometimes Grant it us O Lord and sometimes we beseech thee O Lord hear us This was the constant general and most charitable way of praying in the first and purest Ages of Christianity and the way which the Church of England had a careful eye unto at the digestion of our Litany into its Form and Model and whosoever will but compare the most Ancient Litanies with ours will find that this of ours is not only answerable to the best and of the same strain and Spirit with the best but moreover that it contains the very marrow and quintessence of them all And so much touching the Antiquity of our Litany Proceed we now to the Office at the holy Communion which anciently was never Celebrated without premising the Lords Prayer for which reason it is used with us at the beginning of that Service After all the people were dismissed save onely those who intended to Communicate the Primitive Christians presented Offertory their Offerings which by the Minister were reverently laid upon the Lords Table These offerings were so large and liberal that they served to maintain the whole Body of the Clergy and were a good provision for Orphans and Widows for sick persons and such as were in bonds for strangers and for all that were in want This custome of making Offerings before the Sacrament is so Ancient that nothing can be more We find it in all Liturgies Justin M. Apolog. 2. and other Ancient Records as in Origen Tertullian Irenaeus
Extravagancies of some Non-conformists who by their empty Prate and scenical Tricks and lewd Comparisons which my Soul even dreads to mention have gone a great way to turn Religion into a Ridicule and a loathsome thing and thereby have done huge service to the Church of Rome But the Innovations and Singularities even of those who are more sober and judicious than the rest have strongly prevailed with many to be Neuters in Religion For while they behold one Party set against another and loading each other with Contumelies and Curses they are ready to conclude that every Sect cannot be in the Right but yet that all may be in the Wrong and so they are willing because it is most consistent with their lusts to be of no Party till the Combatants themselves have disputed out the Quarrel and when they finde that the ground of this eager Controversie is about things which are confessedly little they are ready to mistrust that other things are little too and in the end deride and make light of All things though of the greatest moment I should be glad to be mistaken in this particular and that any man were able to confute the truth of what I say But the thing is manifest that several who have been Members of many Sects have in the end ript themselves from All and upon tryal made of every Profession have at last abandoned every Religion And I wish that some who pretend to be the great Healers in Sion would in time consider what account they will be able to give to the Great Physician of our Souls for intoxicating the world when they undertook new Ways and Methods of purging it For this is the true original of this sad Calamity even mens love of Novelty and of new Experiments By making a false step at the first men have run themselves and others upon Destruction and there is no end of Error when once they have forsaken the Old Paths where alone is to be found true Rest and sure Footing 3. To these Considerations I shall adde one more which I have reserved unto the last because it is of very seasonable use and may perhaps make a deeper impression than the rest and it is this That those Innovations and Schisms which have defaced and almost ruined our Church have been cunningly contriv'd at least improv'd and kept on foot by the Emissaries of Rome who hate nothing more than to see Government and Order and Vnity amongst us I do not intend God knows I do not designe to embitter any Protestants heart but onely to open mens eyes and out of publick principles and a deep sense of our great and I fear growing Evils to lay before them an important Truth and to recommend it to their Consciences desiring that it may be taken with the same hand of Charity wherewith it is offered When I behold the sad Divisions in our Church I must say as he did when he saw the Tares in the field Mat. 13. 28. An enemy hath done this The Enemy that implacable and formidable Enemy whose dark and hellish Designes we are now searching into 't is he that hath craftily sown and industriously cherisht our Dissentions that in the end he may make a Prey of our Enclosure and us too It is a piece of State-policy which has been used by some Princes when they have intended to invade a neighbouring Kingdom to divide it first And the Jesuits have made this a main piece of their Ecclesiastical Policy too Those trusty Disciples of that grand Hypocrite and Enthusiast Ignatius Loiola have all along made use of this effectual Stratagem but especially here among us whom they have most grossly abus'd by creating heats in our Bowels by filling men with Jealousies and Discontents by insinuating evil Principles into them and by teaching them to clamour against our Government as tyrannical and against our Liturgy as superstitious and to throw out bitter Invectives against Popery when indeed Tyranny and Popery and Superstition are the very things which they themselves would fain introduce and introduce them by our hands and all this while they themselves stand behinde the Curtain and laugh in their sleeve to see how dextrously and prosperously their designe is carried on by unwary and credulous Instruments Contzen the Jesuit in his Book of Politicks for that is their main Study laying down several ways whereby they may reduce a Nation to their pretended Catholick Faith prescribeth this way for one to foment a Kingdoms Divisions and to make use of them so as to blow the Goals For saith he who could not easily Sexta Ratio abolendi Erroris est in rem suam vertere lites errantium Quis enim non facile Puritanos in Anglia redigat in ordinem si Episcoporum approbationem ab illis extorqueat Contzen Politic l. 2. c. 18. § 9. bring the Puritans in England into Order that can but prevail with them to approve of Bishops Any man that pleaseth may consult the place and if he will but consider this Jesuit's words he must confess that the subtle Papists know that our Episcopal Government is a strong Barricado against Popery and that if our Dissenters would but once be perswaded to submit to that Government it would be impossible for them to bring our Nation under the Yoke of Bondage And therefore here they employ all their Art and Skill to enflame mens hearts against our Bishops and to prompt them on to oppose Episcopacy with all might and main and if it be possible to pull it down And by this we may perceive whence all our Non-conformity and clamour against our pious learned and excellent Bishops doth originally come I am bound in charity to think and I do verily think that those our dissenting Brethren who are really Protestants do not believe or perhaps mistrust that they are acted by the Jesuits But 't is clear to me and I hope to all indifferent persons that the Jesuits have foully infected many Sectaries among us with their Poyson and have made use of many hot-Hot-spirits among us as their Tools and Hands to work such things for them which they themselves could not attempt with a bare and open face There is a very memorable Passage in Arch-bishop Laud's Speech upon the Scaffold thither he was brought as a Favourer of Popery though it appears by the Letters of Sir William Boswel and Andreas ab Habernfield that the Papists themselves designed See the Grand Designe his Ruine and brought him to the Block by their under-hand contrivances but before the blow was given he used these words among others to the people You know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself in the 11th of St. John If we let him alone all men will believe on him venient Romani and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Here was a causeless cry against Christ that the Romans would come and see how just the Judgment of God was