allowable their Synagogue wâ—â—â—â—â— which was thereby guided and dâ—â—â—cted must necessarily have been altogether impracticable or at least utterly confesed Tr. 2. Ch. 6. div 1. And it is not amiss observed by Bâ—â—hop Whitgist that that command Dâ—ui 12. did as well concern the Judicial part of the Mosaical Law as the Ceremoniâ—l and therefore it may with as much plausibleness be urged to prove that no seâ—â—â—â—ar laws may be made under Christianity as that no Ecclesiastical Constitutions should be therein established unless it can be shewed that under the Gospel the Divine Law hath particular 〈◊〉 joined all circumstances of worship and Rules of Order in all Ecclesiastical Cases where it is presumed he hath not prescribed a Platform of civil polity And yet even in matters judicial also the Jewish Doctors as is manifest from their Bava Kama Sanbedrin Maccoth and other Talmudical Treatises did give divers resclutions of various particular Cases and circumstances not expressed in the Law of Moses and both these decisions and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or their Constitutions to be a bedge of the Law Macc. c. 1. Sect. 1 3. as when the Law did not allow above forty stripes to him who was to be adjudged to be scourged their Doctors required them never to exceed thirty nine not thereby altering Gods Law but taking care lest it should by mistake be violated are well allowed of by Christian Writers However Grot. in Deut. 25.3 2. Cor. 11.24 Coccei in Mac. c. 3. n. 12. Since the Gospel requireth a care of order and decency in the Christian Church to deny this liberty would be a diminishing from its commands but to grant it is no addition to them Wherefore though superstitious placing Religion where we ought not and irreverent neglect or making no Conscience of any Divine Institution are sinful prudential Constitutions remain lawful SECT VII Other Objections from the New Testament cleared 1. From the New Testament it hath been objected 1. That our Saviour defended his Disciples for not obeying the tradition of the â—lders which required them to wash before meat Mat. 15.2 Ans As this tradition did not refer to the order of the publick worship of God in Religious Assemblies so the true reason why our Saviour defended his Disciples in their practising against this tradition was because washing before meat was enjoined by them as a proper rule of Religion and of Purity In Loc. For as to general it hath been observed by Drusius and Dr. Lightfoot that many of the Jews esteemed not the written Law but that given by tradition to be their foundation and chief Rule of Doctrine and declared that he who transgressed the words of the written Law was not guilty but he who transgressed the words of the Scribes was guilty so in this particular discourse our Saviour chargeth them with teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men v. 9. and declareth against their errour and faltâ— Doctrine v. 20. that to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man So that the question between our Saviour and the Scribâ—s and Parisees was this Whether it was to be admitted as a Doctrine that eating with unwashen hands defileth the man and our Saviours justifying his Disciples in this Case doth declare that wheresoever salse Doctrines are obtruded as parts of the Law of God it can be no mans duty to receive them and practise upon them which is that our Church also professeth 2. But our Saviour was so far from opposing prudential Rules and Observations for the orderly performance of Religious services that himself frequently practised such things according to the Custom and Constitutions of the Jews Thus as the Jewish Doctors sat in their Synagogues when they taught the people our blessed Lord ordinarily used the same gesture in teaching He also ordinarily joined in their Synagogue worship which was ordered by the Rules of Ecclesiastical Prudence and observed the gesture and other Rites of the Jewish Passover which the Authority of their Elders had established for order and decency And whereas in the Jewish Synagogues and Schools their Doctors used to sit about in a Semicircle and their Scholars before them upon lower Seats to whom the asking of Questions was allowed our Saviour also n the Temple which in the holy Scriptures oft encludeth the whole Court and building of the Temple among which were Religious Schools and Synagogues sate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middle of the Doctors hearing them and asking them Questions Luk. 2.46 3. Some have also against the use of external Rites in the worship of God urged those words of our Saviour Joh. 4.23 The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth collecting thence that the Gospel worship is so wholly spiritual that it doth not admit outward Rites and signs Ans 1. This must needs be a false construction of these words which would tend to disclaim the two New Testament Sacraments the open and visible profession of Faith the publick meeting in Church Assemblies the praising of God and praying with the voice the reading and hearing Gods word reverent gesiures in Religious service and such like necessary parts of Religious duty in all which there is use of bodily actions and external signs 2. Our blessed Lord by these words of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth expresseth that worship which the Gospel directeth this is often called the truth and the worshipping of God in the Spirit Gal. 3.3 Phil. 3.3 and is opposite to the false worship of the Samaritans and different from the serving of God in Jewish Figures yet it both admitteth and requireth external expressions of reverence And in this place our Saviour declareth that under the Gospel the worship of God should be so properly suitable to God who is a Spirit that it should not be confined to any one particular place and therefore neither the Jewish Temple nor Mount Gerizim about which places of worship Christ then discoursed with the Samaritan Woman should be the peculiar place for divine adoration Because God who is a Spirit would under the Gospel be so spiritually known and honoured that he would not in any singular and peculiar place six any special outward Symbol of his divine presence as in the Jewish dispensation he had done in the Temple over the mercy Seat nor would he endure to be worshipped under the representation of a corporeal image as the Samaritans in Mount Gerizim did worship God in the form or image of a Dove as hath been observed by Mr. Mede Mede Disc en Jo. 3.23 and is declared concerning them in the Talmud in Cholin and by the Jewish Chronicler in Tzemach David whose testimonies and words are produced by Bochartus Bochart Hieroz Part. pester l. 1. c. 1. Vossius de Idololatr l. 1. c. 23. Indeed the Learned Eochartus as did also Vossius accounteth this charge upon the Samaritans to be a Fable
of his Ministry by determining that if any Bishop Can. Ap. 36. Conc. Antioch c. 17. Presbyter or Deacon being ordained did not undertake his Ministration he must be separated from the Christian Society and deprived of Ecclesiastical Communion And with equal severity they condemned that Minister who refused the regular work and place of his Ministry Can. Ap. 58. and him who undertook the place but minded not the work and duty behaving himself negligently in not attending the care of the people 5. From what I have expressed hitherto we may take a short prospect of the evills flowing from these contentions which are such as these the prejudicing men against the holy administrations of Gods service the promoting wrath and strife and the quenching Christian love the being a stumbling block to the weak hardning the careless and being an occasion of much irreligion grieving the godly and every way gratifying the Churches Enemies and hindring its welsare and the growth of piety the hurtful disturbance of the Churches Peace and endangering the Kingdoms interest and the promoting of dangerous and dreadsul Schisms nor is the disobedience to Magistrates and the deserting the Ministerial charge unconcerned herein And all these things if God in his mercy put not a stop to them by directing mens minds to a right understanding and turning their hearts into a more peaceable and amicable frame and temper may provealso very dangerous and hurtful in the next Generation to the dishonour of God the discredit of Religion and the ruine of many thousand souls which sad consequences plainly enough shew these unhappy contests rather to gratifie the designs of the destroyer than of the Saviour and to be fruits growing from a root of bitterness Ful. Church Hist l. 7. p. 401. In these respects I think he was not far from the mark who called this disagreement about Conformity the saddest difference that ever happened in the Church of England SECT VI. A proposal concerning due considerateness in this Case and the design of this treatise manifested 1. After I have shewed the sad fruits of these dissentions I must still acknowledge that I doubt not but that there are dissenters who act out of true principles of Conscience and design to walk in piety to God and in love and peace towards men to such persons though they be of different judgments yea though some of them too far indulge their passions I profess an hearty respect and brotherly love considering that wise and good men are lyable to mistake and err still retaining this as a testimony of their integrity that they are willing to be informed and in practice to embrace what is their duty when it shall be so evidenced 2. S. Cyprian who was a great promoter of Truth Piety and Peace and wrote some tracts purposely to correct the fierceness of them especially who were of his own opinion viz de bono patientiae Cyp. in Conc. Carth. Epist ad Jubaian de zelo livore for want of better information but with openly avowed dislike of breach of communion lived and for what appeared to S. Austin died also in that errour about baptizing Hereticks Aug. Ep. 48. But had he rightly understood the truth he would no doubt have rejected his errour as those Bishops who were of the same opinion with him are related to have done Eus Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 3. Hieron adv Lucif Pamel in Vit. Cypr. both in the Eastern Church and in the African whereupon the Church enjoyed peace and was filled with exceeding abundant joy and Pamelius thinketh that S. Cyprian himself lived to do the same 3. And the women who out of love but in their errour came to anoint Jesus designing it as a rite belonging to his burial when they ought according to his doctrine which they did not yet understand to have believed that it was the day of his resurrection meeting with Jesus himself who expressed his favour unto them were forthwith ready to have their mistakes discovered and with joy upon conviction to yield both their judgments and thereupon their practices to be rectified Erring acts from mistake of judgment are herein of the same nature with other infirmities of Christians in that the being of them is consistent with the true nature of Christian life whereas the willful persisting in them and the designed promoting of them against evidence is contrary thereto For that is for men to resolve not to deny themselves or to submit to God but to oppose his mind and will if it be contrary to their own 4. Wherefore I must intreat my Reader if he be a person dissatisfied about the matters treated of in this discourse that he would make a stand and give me leave to propose what his own interest will engage him to admit That before he proceedeth any further he would seriously resolve himself these two things First whether with reflexion upon what hath been said he would not be heartily unwilling to stand charged in the sight of God with being any way sinfully instrumental unto so much hurt as is consequent upon being unwarrantably engaged in these contentions and oppositions Secondly whether he be resolvedly willing to lay aside all prejudice and designed serving any opinion or party and to aim impartially to keep a good conscience and in judgment and practice to entertain all evidences of truth in this enquiry about Conformity 5. If any man should answer either of these two things in the Negative he must be a man of an irreligious Spirit willing to ruine himself and of a pernicious Spirit ready to destroy others and whilst he remaineth thus strongly prepossessed he is never like to be advantaged by this discourse or any other of the same subject but it is most necessary for him to become better instructed in that chief principle of Christian practice to which he is yet a stranger viz. The great necessity in order to salvation of minding uprightness to God and the doing his will above gratifying his own affections or the pleasure of any other men But as to him who answereth these two things in the affirmative I only entreat him to proceed in the remaining part of this discourse with the same frame and temper of Spirit 6. I come now to examine the matters themselves to which Conformity referreth which from the premises appeareth to be of very considerable use and tendeth to the resolving divers cases of Conscience and if God please to vouchsafe so great a mercy to us to promote the Churches peace and Vnity the Ministers comfortable discharge of his duty the common advancement of Christianity and the Protestant profession and the particular edification of Christians In order to the contributing somewhat towards these excellent ends I have undertaken this discourse beseeching the God of wisdom and knowledge to guide and lead me that I may clearly understand and manifest what is truth and that he would so move on the hearts
8. whence the Targum mentioning the expedition against Antiochus speaketh of him under th ename of Alexander and the Prophet speaketh to the Jews under the stile of the Rulers of Sodom and the Elders of Gomorrha 2. And secondly the Objection is not sufficient to disprove the Historical truth of these Books if we consider 1. That the fixed time of the life of Job and the time to which divers Prophecies refer is not easily determined which yet is no good argument against the truth of either as it is a bad argument against the credit of ancient History either of our own or other Nations that it is hard to fix the scituation of divets ancient places mentioned by names now unknown 2. That both Josephus and other Historians do make no mention of divers considerable things which were certainly true as for Josephus some of the Prophets and the matter of divers Canonical Books and some remarkable Histories as particularly all that referred to the framing the Golden Calf are omitted by him 3. That the ancient Christians who had the use of divers ancient Jewish Writers and other Histonary now lost and had thereby greater opportunity of searching into the Historical truth of these things did esteem them to be true Relations Bel and the Dragon is cited as a true Narration containing an example for Martyrdom and an instance of the sureness of Gods provision for them that trust in him by Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus S. Cyprian and Gr. Nazianzen and divers others V. Lit. African in Crit. Sacr. Tom. 8. p. 46 47. And Origen particularly undertook the defence of the truth of the History of Susanna in answer to the Letter of Africanus which containeth the sum of all the Objections against it Eus Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were fully and manifestly satisfied by Origen saith Eusebius S. Hierome also wrote a Comment upon Susanna and upon Bel and declareth Origen to have written upon the same And S. Hierome calling these fabulaes useth that word here as he doth elsewhere V. Epist ad Castrutium for true Narrations which we also sometimes call stories and these very things he particularly acknowledgeth for truths Apol. 2. ad Ruff. Proleg in Habbacuc ad Chromatium And Judith is propounded as a true Narration and example of love to her people or courage by Hierome Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 70. and even by Clemens Romanus the Companion of St. Paul in that his undoubted Epistle to the Corinthians And these testimonies are the more considerable because several of these Writers and particularly Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and Hierome were men of great knowledge in all ancient learning Wherefore there is very considerable evidence that these relations are true Histories though it would be inconsiderable matter of Objection if they were acknowledged to be only Parables 3. Obj. 2. Judith approveth the fact of Simeon against the Sichemites by desiring the like assistance from God Ch. 9. and spake things untrue Ch. 10. v. 12 13 14. and Ch. 11. and yet she was commended highly and blessed by Joacim and the Elders Ans Both in these Books and even in the Canonical Scriptures we must distinguish between things Historically related which are many times evil and the matters of precept and command which are always good The main design of this Book of Judith being to shew Gods wonderful Providence in preserving his Church divers things are mentioned in the carriage of Judith which are neither to be allowed in her nor imitated by us And in the Canonical Scriptures we read of good men uttering expressions in Prayer which were unadvised and blamerble such were Elijahs intercession against Israel and both his and JOnah's passionate desire of Death We also read of Jacob by false speaches procuring his Fathers blessing which were allowed by Rebecca and of the contrivance of Jacobs other Sons against Joseph with their lying devices to paliate their own sin and of the like wiles which Jehu used to destroy the Worshippers of Baal and in some things both Jehu and Judith deserved commendation but in other things their practices as the other now mentioned and divers more are not examples for our imitation but rather warnings to us to take heed of the like miscarriages 4. Obj. 3. From Tobit there are divers things objected Of what is said against any thing contained in the fifth Chapter which is purposely left out of our Kalendar I shall take no notice But Ch. 6.9 10. The using the heart and liver of a Fish is declared as from an Angel to be a Cure for one vexed with an evil Spirit and the Gall thereof to be a remedy for the whiteness of the eyes Concerning which place two ways of interpretation are propounded by Drusius Drâ—â—â— Tob. theone that these words concern a Disease or distemper of body occasioned by the operation or influence of an evil spirit which yet may be healed by natural remedies which the Angel did direct and he sheweth that some parts of fishes are reputed to have medicinal vertue and it is ordinarily acknowledged that some distempers curable by Medicine may be promoted by evil spirits But the other which I chiefly embrace is to this purpose that it is no ways improbable that God who more frequently manifested himself by Angels before the coming of Christ should by the Ministry of one of them vouchsafe an extraordinary help and cure to one who religiously served him though by the use of means otherwise inconsiderable that his mercy and mighty power should be manifested by the effecting such a Cure By washing in Jordan according to the Prophets direction the Leprosie of Naaman was miraculously cleansed by washing in Siloam at our Saviours command the blind man obtained a wonderful Cure So small a thing as Moses his râ—d ordered by Gods power was an instrument of working divers miracles and by Elijah's Mantle smiting the Waters they were twice divided 2. Kin. 2.8 14. and in Egypt at the sprinkling of bloud the destroying Angel passed over Now can any man think it either impossible or altogether incredible that God should produce great effects by small appearances at the direction of an Angel who had oft done the like at the direction of a Prophet And this direction of the Angel is manifestly designed for a particular preservation to Tobit and a Cure to his Father and the following Chapters declare the effect of both nor ought it to be doubted but that our great and eternal God hath done many great things besides what was thought necessary to be expressed in the Canonical Scriptures 5. Obj. 4. In the sixth seventh and ninth Chapters of Tobit the Angel who is said to Accompany him is spoken to under the name of Azarias viz. the Son of Ananias and seemeth to owne that name whereas it could not be true that the Angel was this Azarias But here it must
be considered V. Ambr. de Abr. Patr. l. 1. c. 6. Drus in gen 18.3 V. Gen. 18.2 16. 22. that it is the usual practice even of the Holy Scriptures to call Angels by the name of such as they represent or resemble The two Angels that came to Sodom in the appearance of men are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men Gen. 19.12 The Angel that appeared to Manoah's Wife being asked if he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man who appeared to the Woman declared that he was Jud. 13.11 the Angel in the Sepulchre who gave tidings of the resurrection of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man Mar. 16.5 and the two Angels who appeared at the Ascension of our Lord are called by S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men in white apparel Act. 1.10 Now it is not agreeable to religious piety to condemn such ways of expression as evil and sinful which are allowed in the holy word of God nor is it unseemly for an holy Angel to owne that manner of expression which the holy Spirit himself useth And besides this Estius in loc diffic Scrip. in Tob. that which is hinted by Estius may well be admitted that the name of Azarias the Son of Ananias might be taken by the Angel upon himself to express by the signification of these names what was the business he came to effect Azarias signifying the help of God and Ananias the grace and favour of God that by the Angel the help of God was vouchsafed which is the effect of the Favour of God Obj. 5. The last Objection from Tobit and the most considerable is Tob. 12.15 Where the Angel is reported to say I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the Prayers of the Saints and go in and out before the glory of the holy one For the clearing of this place touching the Phrase of the seven holy Angels which yet is neither in Munsters Hebrew Copy of Tobit nor in the Syriack it may be taken for an definite number as the like Phrase is used Mat. 12.45 Mede Disc on Zech. 4.10 And Mr. Mede's Notion is known who asserteth it as an evident truth in his judgment and for which he giveth considerable proof that there are only seven principal Angels or Arch-Angels to which these words refer But whether these words be understood definitely for seven only or indefinitely for an uncertain number we have the like expression in the Canonical Scripture Zec. 4. 10. Rev. 5.6 7. What is here said concerning Angels presenting the Prayers of the Saints this being a point of truth or matter of belief may not be received accordin gto the judgment both of the ancient Church and our present Church upon the authority of an Apocryphal Book further than it is grounded upon the evidence of the Canonical Scripture and in such a ense only as is agreeable to the Doctrine of those holy Scriptures Indeed if these words be acknowledged to be the words of an holy Angel as they are related in this Book according to some versions then must they be as certainly true as if they had been spoken by a Prophet or Apostle But admitting that an holy Angel did converse with Tobit yet might his words be either misapprehended or in this passage misrepresented And that they are so may be hence with some probility conjectured because in this place Tob. 12.15 there is no mention of Angels presenting the Prayers of the Saints either in the Hebrew Copy of Munster or Fagius or in the Syriack Version or in the Latin which S. Hierome translated out of the Chaldee but it is only expressed in the Greek which our Translation followeth and this very place was above 1400. Years ago thrice cited by Cyprian Cypâ—â— de Orat. Domin de Mortalitate Adv. Jud. l. 1. n. 20. without this clause on this manner Ego sum Raphael unus ex septem Angelis Sanctis qui adsistimus conversamur ante claritatem Dei Indeed in the twelfth Verse both according to the Greek the Hebrew and the Latin the Angel spake of his bringing the remembrance of their Prayers before the holy one but even there the Syriack mentioneth no such thing 8. But because these words are in our version and taken in a restrained sense have been ordinarily admitted as a truth by divers ancient Christian Writers I shall give a double account in what sense these words may be taken agreeably to the Canonical Scriptures and the anciently received Doctrine in the Christian Church who owned not the Angels as Mediators nor did allow that Prayers should be put up to Angels 1. They judged that the holy Angels who are frequently present with us do join in our Religious worship and Prayers to God and as all who join in Prayers do present those Prayers to God so particularly do the holy Angels who enjoy a nearer Communion with God then we have yet attained Cont. Cels l. 5. p. 273 238. Lib. 8. p. 401. So Origen who expresly declareth against praying to Angels or to any who do themselves supplicate addeth afterward that the Christians particular Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presenteth the Prayers joining in them P. 420. and in another place of the same Book V. D. Hammond Annot in 1. Cor. 11.10 saith that many myriads of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do join in Prayer with them who pray to God And as holiness disposeth an Angel to be ever ready to join in glorifying God so love maketh them ready to desire our good Luk. 15.10 since there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth And S. John in his Vision of the Churches worship declareth the holy Angels about the Throne to join in their Amen thereto Rev. 7.10 11 12. 9. 12. That the holy Angels being Gods Messengers as their name imports are both Ministers of conveying much good to us from God which divine Providence could bbestow without their Ministry and of representing our state and desires to God as his Servants and our friends which are fully and immediately manifest to God who is Omniscient And this may be performed partly as they are testifiers and witnesses of our actions Ad fr. in Erem Serâ—â— 68. with desire of our good and such S. Aug. judgeth them certainly to be and S. Paul giveth Timothy a charge before the elect Angels 1. Tim. 5.21 and speaketh of their presence in the Church 1. Cor. 11.10 and if Satan be the accuser of the brethren before God Rev. 12.10 the holy Angels may well be thought truly to represent what is good and partly as they are ministring Spirits attending on God and desiring our good they declare our Prayers not as Mediators but as Ministers non quia Deum doceant as S. Aug. expresseth sed quia voluntatem ejus super his consulunt desiring to know what commands God will give them to
in this place the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Syriack Interpreter who both of them translated from the Hebrew and well understood it render it Phinees stood up and prayed Buxt Conc. Hebr. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Buxtorf in his Hebrew Concordances citeth this verse twice under the different significations of the same root once as expressing Phinees praying and afterwards as expressing him executing judgment 5. If we compare this place with the History to which it relateth Num. 25. we there find the Congregation of Israel and Phinchas the Son of Eleazar the Priest in a deep humiliation weeping before the Tabernacle of the Congregation V. 6. Which solemn weeping was to doubt accompanied with the Prayers of the Priest as was directed and commanded in a like case Joel 2.17 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the proch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people c. and in its own nature Religious weeping doth enclude Confession and Prayer Then we find Phinehas v. 7 8. slaying Zimri and Cozbi in their Adultry which was his executing judgment according to the particular commandment given v. 5. and this was an act of his zeal which accompanying his Humiliation Prayer and Confession did render them more acceptable also and besides this very probably Phinehas either offered incense as Aaron did to make atonement in the like Case of the Plague Num. 16.46 47. or Sacrifice because v. 13. he is said to have made an atonement which is a Priestly action for the Children of Israel Sect. 1. n. 7. and that all such Offerings and Sacrifices did enclude Prayer hath been above in some part observed And by Phinehas his zeal which might well be expressed in all these things and chiesly in his slaying Zimri and Cozbi and by his executing judgment and making atonement the wrath of God was turned away from Israel Num. 25.8 11 13. Now the Septuagint in this place of the Psalms use the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they used Num. 25.13 for Phinehas making the atonement as if the Psalmist had special reference thereunto And indeed all Phinehas his acting whereby he interposed between God and the Israeltes to stop his wrath may well be intended and encluded in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Psalm and therefore as it is well translated he excuted judgment so it is not blameably rendred he prayed neither of these being the whole and both of them being parts of what Phinehas did in interposing And I suppose all Christians will acknowledge that devout Prayer with reference to the atonement accompanied with true repentance and real resormation is a very esfectual means to appease the Prayer of the Priest in a solemn Assembly was directed under a promise of obtaining the favour and pity of God Joel 2.17 18. 6. Another place is Ps 58.8 which this Version in the Liturgy rendreth Or ever your Pots be made hot with Thorns so let indignation vex him even as a thing that is raw and this by the Non-Conformists in King James his time was censured for a translation senseless and absurd They who have better considered the Original in this place acknowledge it a difficulty to clear the manner of its expression our last and best English Translation expresseth it thus He shall take them away as in a Whirlwind both living and in his wrath which yet doth not clear all the difficulty in the expression of the Original It is manifest from the context that this verse encludeth a resemblance of the speediness of Gods judgments coming down upon the wicked which according to this Version in the Liturgy shall be as the snatching of flesh which is yet raw out of the Pot set on a sire of Thorns which is torn in pieces and devoured greedily in a time of famine even before it hath felt the heat of the sire and this explication and manner of resolving the words and phrases of the Hebrew is owned by Vatablus and divers and good expositors and this general sense of them relating to the swift destruction of the ungodly is the undoubtedly true meaning and intent of this place but as to the manner of the explication and unfolding of the Original phrases among the very great variety of conjectures it is hard to say which is to be preserred before all the rest But this translation is so far from being as it hath been charged senseless and absurd that it is certainly agreeing to the true sense intent and design of the Psalmist 7. But no place is more insisted on than Psal 105.28 where the Psalmist speaking of Gods wonderful works against Egypt saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our last English Version and divers others they rebelled not against his word that is either Moses and Aaron or the Israelites or as Junius and Tremellius understand it his signs rebelled not against his word But the Version in our Liturgy agreeably to the greatest number of Latin Copies in S. Augustins time Aug. in Ps 104. and to the Septuagint the Arabick and Aethiopick and to the last Greek Version in the Octopta and also to the Syriack expresseth it they were not obedient unto his word understanding this Verse to aim at the Egyptians of whom the Psalmist was speaking continuing disobedient under the mighty signs and works of God which sense containeth an eviaent truth and very suitable to the History and clearly reconcileable to the Hebrew if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be admitted to include an interrogation as the same word doth Ex. 8.26 and as divers other like phrases are conceived to do as our Learned Fuller hath observed Miscel l. 3. c. 10. And these words and did they not rebel against his word are of the same import with these they were not obedient to his word 8. And they who are versed in the variety of Translations do well know that several particular expressions of Scripture upon different accounts are by some rendred in the negative and by others in the affirmative and yet both of them are consistent with the Principles of Religion and neither of those Translations can thence be condemned as hurtful or useless For instance we with almost all other Versions read 2. Kin. 8.10 thou maist certainly recover but Junius in his latter Editions altering the sense of his former Non omnino revalesces Where we Gen. 2.5 6. with most other Versions express there was not a man to till the ground But there went up a mist from the Earth Junius and Tremellius agreeing with the Arabick Version which in the Pentateuch is translated from the Hebrew render it there was not a man to till the ground nor a mist that went up out of the earth Yet here is no difference about any matter of Doctrine or rule of life abut only about the time of the first mist into which no man hath so clear a sight as to see further than the light
special favour or help from God or to give assurance thereof in his name and such were the Priestly Vnctions under the Law and the anointing of a King by Gods special Commandment the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness and the sign of Gideons Fleece and the shadow going back on the Diall of Ahaz And though these signs were not properly Sacraments they were a kind of Sacramentalia and upon the same account with the former sort of signs these could never be appointed by any power upon Earth 11. Thirdly There are some properly called Mystical teaching signs intended to inform the understanding of man concerning some mystical or spiritual divine truth by Hieroglyphical or visible representations Sacerdotalis Par. 3. de processione in Parasc in die Pasch Thus in the Romish Church to declare the death and resurrection of Christ in a formal Procession on Good Friday the Host is laid in the Sepulchre and the Sepulchre shut and sealed but the Priest on Easter-Day in the Morning with other of the Clergy taketh the Host out of the Sepulchre and leaveth it open whither when the Clergy and people do come in a solemn Procession and find the Sepulchre open and the Host not there their Rector declareth that Christ is risen which they hear with joyfulness But how manifest is it that this procedure is more sitted to confirm the Jewish error that his Disciples came by night and stole him away than to express the glory of the divine power in raising Christ from the dead And some as hath been declared by Balsamon have let fly a Dove Bals in Conc. Trul. c. 82. to represent the coming of the Holy Ghost and dressed a bed to express the ineffable Generation of Jesus Christ but these are such fond and foolish things that besides the great sin of resembling God by an image they are justly called by Bishop Taylor Theatrical gayeties and such things tend to darken and debase the divine Mysteries and to render Religion contemptible by the sordid lowness of such representations Such things as these might justly be exploded by Didoclavius Altare Damasc but it is falsely insinuated that herein he hath matter of controversie with the Church of England as if all significant Rites were of a like nature whereas it neither practiseth nor approveth such irreligious vinity Spiritual Mysteries of Christianity can be fitly exprissed by the words of divine truth but the more spiritual they are in their own nature the more they are adulterated and depraved by visible corporcal representations 12. Fourthly Others are professing and engaging signs Such signs whereby we visibly profess the Christian Faith and Doctrine in general cannot reasonably be disallowed by them who acknowledge the visible profession of Christianity to be a duty And though such a profession is encluded in receiving the Sacraments yet it is not so peculiar thereto that it should not be usefully made in such other outward actions as the lifting up the hands or eyes and bowing the knee to God in the name of Jesus Christ standing at the Creed particular attendance upon a Christian Assembly or where the state of Religion requireth it the yielding to be Confessors or Martyrs for Christianity Nor are such externâ—â— signs condemnable whereby a profession of some particular doctrine of Religion is upon a weighty occasion expressed as the Rite used in an Oath containeth an acknowledgment of the righteousness and Omnisciency of God the imposition of hands frequently used of old towards Penitents encluded a declaring that Christ and the Gospel Doctrine doth graciously receive Sinners upon their hearty and unfeigned repentance and to testifie the same Fus Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. â—â— S. John the Apostle kissed the hand of that Ephesian Penitent of whom we have an account in Eusebius from Clemens Alexandrinus And as outward actions are ordinarily fit with many advantages to give evidence of the mind and profession of men so some Now Conformists have accounted it a thing expedient that those who receive the Holy Sacrament should by their subscription profess their resolution to believe and live as becometh the Gospel and the Author of the Admonition in the first edition thereof In Risâ—â—p Wbâ—â—ft Tr. 15. Ch. 1. did declare sitting 〈◊〉 the Lords Supper to be the more commendable because it signified rest and therefore might enclude a profession of the Ceremonial law being finished and that a perfect work of redemption is wrought which giveth rest for ever Some professing signs have principally expressed the Communion of Christians amongst themselves which must also be allowed lawful such were the love Feasts the kiss of Charity the ancient manner of Christians owning one another as brethren and receiving them as such in their Houses and dismissing them with peace And of this nature were the Symbols anciently given to the Catechumens Albasp Observ l. 2. Obj. 36. which Albas pinns very probably proveth to be taken out of the Oblations of the Christians which encluded an acknowledgment that they though they were not yet compleat Christians had some relation to the Church of Christ as a more full right of Communion was owned among the Fideles by the Feasts of Charity 13. Other professing signs do enclude some solemn engagement of persons either to undertake or to prosecute true Christianity this if we charitably separate it from other attendant mistakes is designed in the way of the Independent Church-Covenant and in the conclusory part of the Presbyterian League and Covenant and some persons have done the like by some particular writing of their own All I shall say concerning these signs is that such a serious engaging profession can be no other way so allowably and usefully pertormed as in attendance upon and with reference unto the Holy Sacraments because they are Gods own institutions because the proper and principal act and work of him who receiveth the Sacrament is to prosess his owning and to engage himself unto the Faith Hope and practice of true Christianity and because divine grace and fellowship with Christ is also in the Gospel Sacraments tendred unto us And it is to the honour of the Church of England that it appointeth no other way of solemn engagement to Christianity besides the use of the two Sacraments of the New Testament and Confirmation which as it is an Apostolical Rite so it containeth a ratifying and confirming the baptismal vow by persons come to some capacities of understanding and therefore it is to be considered with reference unto Baptism so far as concerneth the solemnity of Engagement 14. Fifthly There are exciting signs which should recal to our memories some profitable object or duty and stir up our hearts and affections to a more serious practice of Religion Such was Joshua's stone set up to be a witness or testimony of their profession lest they should deny their God Jos 24.26 27. and the trinal Mension in Baptism was to mind Christians that their
longer Lessons sitting while this particular reverence is expressed only at the reading some shorter portion of the Scripture De Eccl. Offic. l. 3. c. 11. is very allowable because it is well observed by Amalarius that the Apostles themselves did sometimes hear the Scriptures read in the Jewish Synagogue sitting as is evident from Act. 13.14 15 16. Where they entred into the Synagogue and sat down and after the reading the Law and the Prophets Paul stood up 5. Obs 3. Standing at a short portion of the Gospel rather than at any other portion of the Scripture is reasonably chosen to express reverence to the holy word of God because the actions and words of our blessed Saviour are for the most part therein contained In the Primitive Church while the servour of true devotion did continue they heard the Writings of the Apostles read with that high esteem and veneration as if they had then seen the Apostles faces and received those words from their mouths which Tertullian thus expresseth Tertul. de Praescrip c. 36. Authenticae literae eorum sc Apostolorum recitantur sonantes vocem representantes faciem uniuscujusque eorum And in like manner they heard the words of the Gospel as if they had seen Christ himself and received these words from his mouth And though all divine truth be therefore highly valuable because it is from God yet so far as concerneth the deliverer it was requisite and warranted by the Scriptures Mat. 21.37 Heb. 2.1 2 3. Ch. 3.3 that those who lived when Christ was in the flesh should shew the higher respect of the two to Christ himself speaking whose words are ordinarily in the Gospel than to his Apostles who were sent by him Ign. Ep. ad Philadelph Wherefore Ignatius accounteth the Gospel to have this excellency in it viz. the presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ and his suffering and resurrection And out of special respect to our Lord and Saviour it was the Custom of the ancient Greek Church to stand up when ever the Book of the four Evangelists was opened Chrysost de Circo Const Apost l. 2. c. 57. or any Lesson read from thence though the gesture of sitting was allowed at the hearing any other Books of Scripture so that the liberty of sitting even at any Lessons from the Gospel was not there indulged the practice of divers Churches being in these things not alway the same where the same liberty was allowed concerning the other Scriptures 6. Wherefore to shew that outward respect to the holy Scriptures which both the Jewish and Christian Churches have owned and wherein our blessed Lord hath given us an example to stand up at the reading them is reasonable and unblameable And the liberty allowed for sitting at the other Scriptures which for order sake is sit to be used doth not countenance any want of high respect to all Divine truth which is expressed by manifesting this respect to a particular short part thereof and that part is to this purpose chosen wherein the words and actions of our Lord and Master do frequently occur SECT III. Of the fitness of kneeling at the Communion and the gesture at the institution of that Sacrament considered 1. To kneel at the receiving the holy Communion hath been judged a gesture very expedient and commendable upon divers respects 1. Because this Sacrament doth in a special manner exhibit a mystical and spiritual Communion with Christ or the Communion of his body and bloud and the greatest reverence and most humble gesture is very convenient for so solemn an Ordinance and so near an approach to Jesus Christ especially since in this great Ordinance there ought to be a devout religious worship performed unto Christ himself Kneeling therefore is a fit gesture of adoration performed in this Ordinance unto God and Jesus Christ which is the more inoffensively performed because our Church hath openly declared against any adoration either of the Sacramental Bread and Wine Rubr. after Communion or of any corporal presence of Christs natural flesh and bloud therein 2. Because of the greatness of the benefits conveyed in this Ordinance to the worthy receiver such as the Grace of God and remission of sins in the bloud of Christ and if he who receiveth some great gift or some great pardon from his Prince doth fitly receive it kneeling and the Poenitentes in the ancient Church always received Ecclesiastical absolution from the Rulers of the Church upon their knees in token of their submissive humility much more he who cometh unto Christ in this Sacrament to receive from him the remission of his sins tendred in his bloud of the New Testament should appear before him with humility Ibidem To this purpose Kneeling at the Sacrament is in our Liturgy declared to be for a signification of an humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ therein given to all worthy receivers and Mr. Hooker saith very well coming as receivers of inestimable Grace at the hand of God Eccles Pol. l. 5. c. 68. what doth better beseem our bodies at that hour than to be sensible witnesses of minds unfeignedly humbled 2. 3. Kneeling is a suitable gesture for solemn Prayer and humble thanksgiving both which may be sitly exercised at the receiving this Sacrament For religious Prayer becometh him who there affectionately desireth to be made partaker of the benefits of Christs Passion and therefore the Communicant should devoutly join in and in heart say Amen to those Petitions at the delivery of the Elements which peculiarly refer to himself The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy Body and Soul to everlasting life and The bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And humble thanksgiving at the holy Eucharist for the benefits of the New Testament there tendred the love of Christ in his sufferings here remembred and for the means of Communion with the Father and the Son in this Ordinance encluded with reflexion on our own guilt Ans to Admenit Tr. 15. c. 1. div 11. pollution and infirmity is a fit exercise for this Ordinance And upon this consideration Bishop Whitgift declared the kneeling gesture to be very meet for the receiving this Sacrament 3. But against the lawfulness of this gesture divers things are objected 1. That Kneeling is no Table gesture as sitting is nor doth it so properly express our fellowship with Christ Rutherf Divine Right of Ch. Gov. p. 196. and the honour and priviledge of Communion with him as Coheirs Ans 1. As the Lords Supper is no common Feast but a Heavenly Banquet prepared by Jesus Christ which principally consisteth of spiritual graces and benefits and Communion with Christ signified by and tendred under the outward Elements so the administration and participation of this great Ordinance ought not to be guided by the Rules of common Table fellowship but by more religious considerations At other Tables the attendants