it is said That there are but two sacraments generally necessarie to salvation What then So will the Papists confesse that confirmation is not necessarie to salvation otherwise they would minister it to the baptized at the point of death The English booke ordaineth that the childe shall be brought to the bishop by one that shall be his god-father or that every childe may have a witnesse of his confirmation This the Papists observe in their confirmation Thus also is a token that of old that which is now called Confirmation was but an appendicle or closure of baptisme from which being afterward separated it must not want the god-fathers it had when it was the appendicle of baptisme In the prayer before the laying on of hands they pray that the childe may be strengthened with the holy Ghost the Comforter The Papists say the Comforter promised by Christ was bestowed in the sacrament of confirmation The Papists say that in confirmation they receave the sevenfold grace of the holy spirit wisedome counsell strength knowledge understansting godlinesse feare They crave the like in the prayer before the laying on of hands But what suppose confirm 〈…〉 sacrament may not every pastour minister it It appertaineth to the captaine say they to take up the roll of the souldiers and furnish them with armour the shephard should marke his owne heep c. As if every minister were not a captaine in the Lords armie and a sheep-hard feeding the flock concreded unto him Bonaventure confesseth such similies force not but institution only maketh necessitie Our first reason then against them is the want of institution or exemple in scripture that bishops had this charge and not presbyters We now suppone only not grant that there were such office bearers in the Church Peter and John were sent to Samaria not only to lay on hands but to advance the worke begunnely Philip. Durandus saith it is not clear whither they laid on 〈◊〉 as bishops or as presbyters Augustine 〈…〉 is the authour of that booke entituled Quest veteris novi testamenti saith they did it as priests But the truth is they did it neither as bishops or priests and therefore neither the one nor the other succeeded unto them in it For it was extraordinarie and extraordinarie effects followed it The second reason bishops and presbyters as themselves confesse are equall in the power of order If the power be equall who can hinder them to put it in execution Hath Christ given them a power which they may not exercise Suarez the Jesuit saith If presbyters have sufficient power by vertue of their ordination to minister this sacrament it were no reason that they should be wholy hindered What God hath instituted the Church cannot inhibit saith Tilenus If presbyters had not had that power by vertue of their ordination neither Pope nor bishop might give them commission or licence to doe it saith Spalato But so it is that by dispensation of licence from the Pope the Papists grant they may Our third reason presbyters may impose hands in ordination of ministers therefore they â—ay also in confirmation So reasoneth Armachanus Our fourth reason they may celebrate and minister the Lords supper therfore they may doe this also So reasoneth the authour of that epistle ad Rusticum Narbonensem Our opposits are forced to confesse that this is not proper to bishops by vertue of their office but reserved to them for the dignitie of it Hierome saith that this was reserved to them not by necessitie of any law but for the honour of their priesthood Yet not in all places but multis in locis The authour of that epistle to Rusticus saith it was the custome in the orient in Illyricum in Italie in Africa and in all places in the Apostles time that presbyters did confirme In the decretals it is said that simple priests at Constantinople according to the custome did minister the sacrament of confirmation Turrianus reporteth that the Grecians reprove the Latines because they inhibit the priests to annoint the foreheads with chrisme as yee may see in Suarez The bishop of Spalato complaineth that bishops are so rigid that they will not permit the parish priests to confirme the rather because they come seldome to visite their parishes and thinketh howbeit they refuse the priests may as for himselfe he might have suffered the priests in his diocie confirme but he gave them not that libertie because he saw no necessitie of such a ceremonie and that it was not worthie the name of a sacrament If there were any moment in it should the bishops honour or lordly bishoping bee-preferred to the utilitie of it for the people Hierome saith If the holy Ghost should come downe only at the prayer of the bishop these were to bee lamented who in prisons or castels or farre places being baptized by priests and deacons die before the bishop visit them If it were a matter of moment saith Master Calvin wherefore doe bishops suffer so many halfe Christians in their diocies They betray by a tacite confession that it is not a matter of such moment as they pretend Beda is plaine that confirmation as also many other things was not permitted to priests for the arrogâ—ncie of bishops â—althasav Lydius saith It was untolerable superstit on that the priest might anoint the breast and the shoulder but it behoved all to abstaine from the forehead except only the bishop Seeing this subject is already treated upon at large in another worke and both the sacrament it selfe and the bishop who callengeth it as proper to himselfe are bastards I will in fast longer upon this point In their book of commâ—â— prayer it is required that these who are to bee confirmed bee able to answer the quâ—stions of a little catecatâ—â—me that with their own mouth and consent they may â—atifie and confirm openly before the church what the godfathers and godmothers promise in their name and promise to endeavour to observe and keep such things as by their own confession they have assented unto Is not this plain mocking of God to require publick profession before the Church of children who cannot give a serious confession of their faith howbeit they can utter some few words of a short catechisme like parrets They require that they bee of a perfect age but that is not observed or else by perfite age they meane onely years of discretion as they call them in the same place that is when they come to the use of reason that they can discern somewhat betweene good and evill or as Hackwell interpreteth when reason beginneth to break up Is this a fit time for publick profession of their faith or to make them capable and fit for the Communion whereof notwithstanding they do not partake many years after Eucerus in his censure censureth sharply this pretext of catechising M. Parker telleth us that for all
ejaculations like darts Prayer intermixeth it selfe with every ordinance whatsomever sâ—ith P. He must meane ejaculatorie prayer for otherwise he confesseth that one ordinance is to be distinguished from another But these ejaculations may be incident to all our actions even civill let be religious when wee are eating and drinking our ordinarie meat and drinke transitoriae or ejaculatoriae orationes as they call them and therefore cannot be attended with kneeling In sudden ejaculations no other gesture is required then that wherein the motion of Gods spirit shall finde us saith Master Downe Next suppose yee might pray a set prayer mentally yet yee should not kneel in publike at your set mentall prayer when the congregaâ—ion is at another exercise nay nor make any show by any other signe or gesture that ye are praying If it be mentall it is in secret before the Lord and the signes of it before men should bee concealed Thirdly it followeth not suppose ye may pray that yee must pray kneeling â—ee use the one may sometime be without the other The Jewes prayed standing as well as kneeling and therefore saith Drusius of old prayers were called stations or standings And Rabbi Judâ— had a saying Sine stationibus non subsisteret mindus The world cannot subsist without stations or standings that is prayers If yee will not or may not pray but kneeling with reverence when yee come before such a creature it cannot be imagined to be done without respect to that creature The like answers may be made to mentall thanksgiving Ejaculations of thankes may agree with the proper exercise of the soule in the time of receaving eating drinking as it may also with the ordinarie feeding or any worldly businesse but not a set thanksgiving which should require the attention of all the powers of the soule and cannot bee done without diverting the soule from the exercise proper for that time Next the signes outward should be concealed if it be but mentall Thirdly what if ye must kneel and no other gesture will serve the turne But say they the very action it selfe is a reall prayer or thanksgiving and we offer sacrifices I answer prayer is a craving our taking eating drinking is not a craving but a receaving Craving and receaving is not all one But say they it is a reall thanksgiving and therefore called eucharist It is a showing forth of the death of the Lord till his comming againe I answer it is not properly thanksgiving For thanksgiving is properly directed to God as prayer is either mentally onely or also vocally and verbally so is not our act of taking eating drinking Neither was the name of eucharist given by the scripture but by the ancients and not for the act of taking eating and drinking but for the thanksgiving preceeding for the same reason it was called Eulogia also because of the blessing For he gave thankes and he blessed are used indifferently by the Evangelists Denominatio non est semper 〈◊〉 quata subjecto From one part of the action the whole action is called Eucharist saith Casaubon Eulogia eucharistia utraque vox a parte una totam Domini actionem designat Whereas the Apostle saith So oft as yee shall eat c yee shall show forth the Lords death till he come againe is meant say they not verball but reall preaching onely acted by taking eating drinking So say the Rhemists upon 1 Corinth 11. 26. But Doctour Fulk answereth that even according to the judgement of the fathers the Lords death must bee showed not only by the action but also by words which may stirre up to remembrance and thankfulnesse So also Willers So â—ezelâ—us and others This kinde of annunciation answereth to the Hagadah that is the declaration which was made at the passeover according to the commandement Exâ—d 1. 8. And thou shalt show Therefore â—t the paschall supper one made the declaration expounding everie ceremonie in their owne place the meaning of the lambe of the bitter hearbs and so forth of the rest This Haâ—aâ—ah and dâ—claration of the Jewes saith Casaulaâ—us answereth to that annunciate show forth 1 Corinth 11. 26. But be it so that the act it selfe be called a declaration or setting forth of the Loâ—ds death yet that is not properly a declaration or commemoration nor yet representation of his death Further both representation and commemoration are to men and not to God resemble preaching and not prayer The celebration of the action it selfe is a profession of thankfulnesse before men for a great benefite but is not thanksgiving dirâ—cted to God Bellâ—rmine himselfe exponing how the act of eating and drinking may bee called a showing forth giveâ—h this reason that the partakers should remember with thanksgiving the death of the Lord De euch l. 4. c. 27. So the proper and principall end of the sacrament is a further confirming and sealing of our communion with Christ and his benefits purchased to us by his death The testification of our thankfulnesse by showing forth his death and commemoration of the benefits receaved thereby is a secondarie end Neither is it directed to God immediatly as thanksgiving is howbeit honour redound thereby to God because his praise is proclaimed before men Non enim concionamur Deo neque sacramenta Domino dispersamus sed populo Domino ministrare dicuntur quia ad ejus honorem id faciunt saith Bellarmine To honour God is more generall then to adore for God is honoured by preaching praying singing swearing praising and not by adoring onely Neither can eating and drinking of bread and wine be called properly a sacrifice For a sacrifice properly so called importeth destruction of the thing sacrificed by killing burning effuâ—â—â— That cannot be called properly a sacrifice which is only for commemoration or representation of a sacrifice The acting of a tragedie upon a stage is not a true tragedy indeed howbeit the object represented was a true tragedie Giving of almes may be called a sacrifice yet wee kneel not when wee give almes It is a sacrifice only improperly and in some respect so called The Gentiles are said to be sacrificed by the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 15. 16. but figuratively There is as great difference between a sacrament and sacrifice as taking and giving It is yet objected that in the act of receaving wee receave an inestimable benefite Ought not a subject kneel when he receaveth a benefite from a prince to testifie his thankfulnesse I answer If we were to receave a gift suppose but a morsell of bread out of Gods owne hand immediatly wee ought no doubt to adore upon our knees but not if by the hand of the creature The person who receaveth the gift from the king is supposed to receave it immediatly from the king or suppose he kneel receaving from his servant mediat civill worship are not rules for religious adoration which should be directed immediatly to God Now wee receave the sacrament
very well to the observation of thâ— Lords day When the universall Church observeth any thing that none might appoâ—nt but God and yet nowhere is it found written it behoveth to averre that it was delivered by Christ and his Apâ—stles Anotâ—eâ— rule What the universall Church hath observed at all â—â—mes before justly we may beleeve that it was in 〈…〉 Apostles howbeit it bee of â—uch a qualitie as 〈…〉 iâ—stituted by the Church To this purpâ—seâ—â— quoteth Augâ—stine lib. 4. contra Donatist as cap. 23 These are the words That which the universall Châ—rch 〈◊〉 and hath not beene instituted by Councels but ever maintaâ—ned is to be beleevâ—d in all 〈◊〉 reason not to have been ordained by oâ—her power then the apostoâ—ique authoriâ—â— Quod universateâ— eccleâ—â—a nec conciâ—iis instituâ—â—â— sed sempâ—r â—â—tentum non nisi authoritate apâ—stâ—ica traâ—dituâ— certissime creditur But seeing the ordinances of the Apostles were of two sorts Some were temporarie and to endure onely for a time as abstinence from bloud and strangled which was enjoyned only for avoiding the offence of the weake Jewes others were to bee observed constantly Of this sort was the observation of the Lords day Experience hath proved the perpetuall observation of it hitherto and no reason can bee given wherefore it should bee changed hereafter as I shall show It were superfluous to cite the testimonies of divines referring the institution of this day to the Apostles Walaeus hath quoted a number dissertat pag. 165. After hee hath laid downe his reasons consenting with them in judgement hee concludeth that the first day of the weeke was substituted to the sabbath by the Apostles not onely by an ordinarie power such as all pastours have to order rites meerly indifferent in their Churches but by a singular power as by such as had inspection over the whole Church and to whom as to extraordinarie office-bearers was concredit to be faithfull not onely to deliver certaine precepts of faith and manners but also of comely order in the Church Vt quis dies in septimana ex vi anal gia quarti praecepti esset servandus ne dissâ—nsio aut confusio ex eo inter ecclesias oriretur omnibus ubique Christianis constaret as that it might bee knowne to all Christians what day in the weeke is to bee observed by vertue and analogie of the fourth precept least dissention or confusion should arise there about 〈◊〉 the Churches He citeth other divines concluding likewise that the Apostles being guided by the holy Ghost substituted the Lords day in place of the Jewish 〈◊〉 bath But others referre the institution to Christ himselfe which is more likely for after his resurrection hee appeared sundry times taught the Apostles things pertaining to the kingdome of God that is the instruction and government of his Church and gave them commandements Act. 1. 23. These commandements and instructions they delivered after to the Churches and set them downe in their canonicall writes Next Christ himselfe appeared the day of his resurrection five times At the third appearance hee appeared to the two disciples going to Emaus at which time hee celebrated the holy supper according to the judgement of great divines At the fifth appearance he appeared to all the disciples save Thomas who were conveened together before Then he gave them commission to goe and teach all nations and in conferring his spirit hee breathed upon them John 20. Mark 16. Eight dayes after that is the eighth day after as Luke 2. 21. when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcision of the childe that is when the childe was circumcised upon the eight day Christ appeared againe and Thomas was present at which time he cured his unbeliefe It would appeare their meeting was not frequent at other times and that Christ appeared purposly at that time And therefore it is likely that every eight day after ordinarily they conveened and Christ appeared unto them wherein that great divine Junius is confident Die ipso resurrectionis octavo quoque die usque dum in coelos ascendit apparuit discâ—pulis in conventum eorum venit At last upon the Pentecost which fell upon the eight day that is the first day of the weeke that yeare Christ sent downe the holy Ghost in the likenesse of firie tongues upon the Apostles conveened together There is no speciall time noted for any of Christs apparitions but the first and eighth day which seemeth to be done of purpose Therefore Cyrillus lib. 12. in 〈…〉 8. willeth us to observe that the Evangelist is noâ— content with a simple narration but addeth carefully after eight dayes and all being gathered together in one place The Lords day could not have beene observed so long as Christ remained upon the earth without his direction And this appeareth to be one of the commandements which he gave them Eusebius ascribeth the institution of this day to Christ advancing Christ above all the great poteâ—tats of the Gentiles who could not prescrive to all the inhabitants of the earth to conveene every weeke and observe the Lords day as Christ did Athanâ—sius cited by White pag. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath changed â—r translated it meaning the sabbath into the Lords day The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well import that it was so called because the Lord was the authour and institutour of it as because it was instituted for the honour and worship of our Lord. As the Lords prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords prayer because the Lord was the authour of it Zanchius is of opinion that when the Lord blessed the seventh day the sonne of God spent that whole day in instructing Adam and Eva exercising them in the worship of God and admonishing them to teach their posteritie to doe the like for it beloved Adam to understand the sanctification of that day which the Lord had blessed and sanctified Wee have farre greater reason to thinke being certaine that Christ was here on earth appearing to his disciples at sundrie times from the day of his resurrection till the day of his ascension and instructing them in things belonging to his Church that hee instructed them in this point also Yea yee see hee conveened with them and in a manner observed it also Whither Christ himselfe instituted the observation of this day or the Apostles by the inspiration of the Spirit the authoritie is divine For howsoever Bellarmine distinguisheth traditions in divine and apostolicall the distinction is but imaginarie saith Junius in his answer and Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth that the apostolicall traditions in respect of the assistance of the spirit may be called also divine howbeit they were not delivered immediatly by Christ himselfe Tratitiones verè apostolice sunt divinae saith Polanus Beza in his great annotations upon Apocal. 1. 10. calleth it Apostolicam verè divinam traditionem Atradition truely divine howbeit Apostolicall Cornelius
divine positive that he must have one whole day of seven Fourthly Christ or the Apostles would not varie from this circle when they changed the seventh day from the last to the first day of the weeke but keeped themselves within that circle which they might and would have done if the fourth precept had beene given onely to the Jewes or the circuit had been ceremoniall and had relation onely to the Iewish sabbath And this is an argument by the way that this systeme of seven or circuit of the weeke was set from the beginning The reason of the institution of the Lords day saith Bellarmine was that it might succeed to the sabbath for divine law required that one day in the weeke should bee dedicated to divine worship Nam jus divinum requirebat ut unus dies hebdomadae dedicaretur cultui divino And seeing it was not convenient that the old sabbath should bee still observed it was changed into the Lords day For the perpetuity of one of seven the testimonies of many divines may bee alledged Chrysestome Jam hinc ab â—nitio doctrinam hanc nobis insinuat Deus erudiens in câ— culo hebdomadae diem unum integrum segregandum seponendum in spiritualem operaâ—ionem Theodoretus Septem d ebus circulum omnem dierum conclusit Beza in Apocal. 1. 10. Quartum praeceptum de septimo quoque die sanctificando quo ad cultum Deâ— aâ—â—â—net esse legâ—â— moralâ— immotae P. Martyr in his common places that it is stable and firme that one day in the weeke bee dedicated to God Zanchius upon the fourth precept that it is morall so farre as it commandeth us to consecrate one day of seven to Gods externall worship Junius saith it is natural that the seventh day bee consecrated to God Praelecti in Genes cap. 2. Suarez acknowledgeth that the dedication of the seventh day howbeit hee calleth it an ecclesiasticall precept cannot be changed by the ordinarie or ordinat as he calleth it power of the Church Because some ecclesiasticall precepts are so neare and like to divine institutions so conforme to the law of nature fenced with so many reasons of honestie and religion so ancient and strengthened by universall custome that simplie or by the ordinate power of the Church they cannot be abrogated Among which precepts he ranketh that of the dedication of the seventh day And therefore he inferreth that by the absolute power of the Church and the Popes it may be abrogated tamen practice moralitâ—â— dici posse aliquo modo immutabile licet ecclesiasticum sit that is it may be said in some sort to be morally and for practice unchangeable Which is as much as to say with little honestie or credit can it bee put in practice Such shifts are sophists driven unto when they would advance the authority of the Church too high as if the Church onely in imitation of God had dedicated one of seven and had not direction from God Alwayes yee see hee acknowledgeth that to observe holy one of the seven dayes is conforme to the law of nature This seventh day to wit the Lords day cannot â—e changed as the old seventh day which was the last of the weeke It is not onely unfit and unconvenient but it cannot bee changed Not because of the nature of the day for it differeth not in nature from another day more then the former sabbath If the former sabbath had beene holier in nature then other dayes it could not have beene changed But the reason of the immutabilitie of the Lords day is that it was set downe by divine authority and therefore cannot bee abrogated by humane authoritie of princes pastours or prelates Wee must not looke for Christ till his comming againe nor for any to arise hereafter equall in power and authority to the Apostles Next the consideration taken in making choise of this day cannot serye for another day Christ is not to suffer death and rise againe at any other time A weightier consideration to make a new change will never fall forth then the resurrection of Christ. And therefore nowbeit the Church had instituted it it cannot be changed At verò ecclesiasticum praeceptum â—ititur mysterio resurrectionis Chrâ—sti â—am faâ— lo quod ut sic immutabile est Nec enim potest Câ—ristus non resurrexisse nec potest non vivere glories postquam resurrexit saith Suarez Seeing Christs resurrection fell forth that day it can never be true that Christ rose not that day Therefore for the dedication of such day to wit the Lords day Suarez saith the reasons are perpetuall and unchangeable which have so fixed the determination that this precept of the Church cannot reasonably be abrogated and that the holy Ghost which governeth the Church will not suffer such a change to bee made against reason and the utilitie of the Church But if it bee of divine institution and not the Churches it cannot bee changed but by the like divine institution For what ever be the considerations in making choise of the day the determination or as they call it taxatio diei dependeth chiefly upon the will of the institutour Of the divine institution I have treated a little before I referre the Reader for more to Willets his Synopsis Perkins cases of conscience Fulke against the Rhemist Apoc. 1. 10. and other worthie Divines The places alledged Rom. 14. and Galat. 4. maketh not against all difference of dayes but the ceremoniall or dead judaicall The weaker Jewes Rom. 14. thought the holy dayes commanded by God in the old law were still holier then other dayes The Apostle willeth such to be borne with till they come to the fuller knowledge of their Christian libertie The Galathians had beene converted from paganisme had begun in the spirit but were now by the persuasion of the false apostles like to end in the flesh beginning to observe the dayes moneths and yeares which the Jewes observed of old Dayes that is their weekly sabbaths Moneths that is their new moones Yeares that is their yearly dayes or anniversarie feasts or tymes and yeares that is Statuta tempora annorum the appointed times of the yeares For by the same reason that moneths may be taken for new moones yeares may be taken for yearly dayes I see no likelihood that they observed the seventh or fifty yeare This exposition agreeth with the division of the Iewish solemnities whereof I made mention before The observation of such dayes is taxed here as were in some respect of the quality of the new moones and yearly feasts Now these were the sabbaths This ceremoniall difference was abrogated but the morall use of a set holy day was not taken away For 〈◊〉 the same time the Lords day was observed and by the Galathians in particular as yee may see 1 Corin. 16. 1. where the Apostle maketh mention of the Churches of Galatia Now to set a day is not a shadowing ceremonie more