c. which is so much disliked by some is sufficiently vindicated from Battology or a vain and superstitious multiplying of words in the foregoing Section N. 11. To which I shall here add these considerations 1. That it seemeth unreasonable and partial that they who allowed themselves in the conclusion of their own Prayers to use that Doxology To whom Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghost be Glory frequently four or five times in the same Assembly should undertake to determine Except of Presbyt p. 16. that this other Doxology more expresly acknowledging divine glory eternally due to all the three persons of the Trinity is unsit to be used more than once in the Morning and once in the Evening 2. That since in all our Christian service and especially in Hymns and Psalms of praise it is our duty to give glory to the holy Trinity it cannot be blamable to express that with our mouths which is at that time the most fit and proper exercise of our minds 3. That it is manifest from divers passages of the Psalms and other Scriptures as 2. Chr. 5.13 Ch. 7.3 Ch. 20.21 Ezr. 3.11 Jer. 33.11 That with their Hymns or Psalms the Jews ordinarily used some such Doxology as this Hallelujah or praise ye the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Delph Phoenic c. 6. Hence it is probably conjectured that preparation to the Paeanism among the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had its original being the corruption of Hallelujah And from this use of the Jews the Arabian Church their Neighbours did probably derive their practice of expressing Hallelujah at the end of every Psalm as appeareth in the Arabick version of the psalms who also make use of this Doxology to the three persons distinctly which is expressed in the Arabickversion at the end of every tenth Psalm but was probably in practice at the end of every Psalm And that the Western Church used this Doxology Glory be to the Father Cassian Col. l. 1. c. 8. and at the end of every Psalm we have the testimony of Cassian for about thirteen hundred years since Wherefore since this is of so ancient original in the Christian Church so agreeable to the practice of the Jewish Church approved by the Holy Scriptures and a practice so reasonable in it self it may be piously used but not justly blamed in our Liturgy 2. The reading the Athanasian Creed to some though not the generality of Non-Conformists who heartily owne the doctrine of the Trinity hath been thought a matter not free from difficulty For that Creed expressing what must be believed of every one who would be saved doth contain deep mysteries as for instance that the Son is not made nor created but begotten and that the Holy Ghost is neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding Now since believing things as necessary to Salvation is not an assent to the use of Phrases and expressions but to the sense contained in them it must enclude that there is some difference understood between what is affirmed and what is denied But the difference between the Eternal Generation and Eternal Procession being a Mystery where the greatest Divines see but darkly they are justly affraid to condemn all persons as uncapable of Salvation who cannot reach to so high a pitch 3. But here it is to be considered that in that Creed commonly called the Athanasian there are some things contained and expressed as necessary points of Faith and other things for a more clear and useful explication of the truth though they be not of equal necessity to be understood adn believed even by the meanest capacities Thus if we first consider the contexture of that Creed the Faith declared necessary concerning the Trinity is thus expressed in the begining thereof The Catholick Faith is this that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance After this followeth an explication useful to set forth the true Christian Doctrine which beginneth For there is one person of the Father c. after which explication the same necessary doctine to be known and believed is thus again expressed pressed and distinguished from that explication in these words So that in all things as is aforesaid the Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity is to be worshipped he therefore who will be saved must thus think of the Trinity So that the acknowledging and worshipping the Trinity of persons and Vnity of Godhead is that which only is declared necessary in the former part of that Creed and this must be acknowledged necessary since we are baptized into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and we must believe and worship according as we are baptized 4. What is contained in this consideration is the more clear both with reference to the instance mentioned and to the Vnion of the two natures in Christ by this following observation viz. That our Church doth both here and in her Articles evidently receive the Athanasian Creed and yet from the manner of using the Apostles Creed in the form of Baptisin as containing the profession of that Faith into which we are baptized in the Catechism as containing all the Articles of the Christian Faith and in the Visitation of the sick as being a rule to try whether he believe as a Christian man should or not it is manifest that no more is esteemed in our Church of necessity to salvation for all men to believe than that only which is contained and expressed in the Apostles Creed 5. I proceed to consider some expressions in the Litany In the way to which I shall only reflect upon that objection which if it had not been mistaken had been very inconsiderable framed by Mr. Cartwright against the Litany in General That it being chiefly a deprecatory Prayer against evils was framed by Mamertus Bishop of Vienna or rather Vienne in France upon a special occasion of the calamities of that Country This was a very strange and gross mistake for the Litaniae which were ordered by Mamertus were days of supplication in Rogation Week which days were called Litania minor triduanae Litaniae and by some Litania major Alcuin de Div. offic Tit. dieb Rogat Amal. de Eccl. Offic. l. 1. c. 37. Stra. de Reb. Eccl. c. 28. Mur. c. 57. as is manifest from Aleuinus Amalarius Strabo Mictologus Rupertus Tintiensis Johannes Beleth besides other latter ritualists and the French Historians especially Gregorius Turonensis who all mention what Mamertus did in appointing days of Prayer which were called Litaniae to be yearly observed for the obtaining Gods mercy in their distress occasioned by wild Beasts and frequent Earthquakes But that deprecatory Prayers which are called Litanies also and were so called by S. Basil and were of so great use in the stationary days of the ancient Church should have their original from Mimertus
the holy Sacrament contrary to Christs institution or otherwise then he had delivered it Just 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr declareth that after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief person in Ecclesiastical Office had given thinks those who are called Deacons and Ministers did distribute to every one that was present Bread and Wine mixed with Water Tert. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. and Tertullian very clearly declarâ—th that they received the Eucharist 〈◊〉 de aliorum manibus quam praesidentium from the hands of none other persons than those who presided in the Church And thus far we have plain evidence that in these ancient times the Lords Supper was particularly distributed to every Communicant by the Ministers of the Church 5. But the words of Clemens Alexandrinus are produced Commis pap ubi sup as a testimony that in his time which was the same with Tertullians the Church Officers did not distribute this Sacrament to the faithful but only suffered every one of them to take a part thereof according to his own choice he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l 1. The sense of whose words is this that some persons to wit Church Officers or Ministers being here opposed to the people and supposed to have the power of the Keys in admitting to the Eucharist distributing the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here not properly signifying dividing as the Latin Translation rendreth it for the Minister can in no proper sense be said to divide the Wine into parts of which every one may take one but it signifieth distributing or delivering to every one the Sacrament do suffer every one of the people to take part thereof Now it seemeth a strange acuteness from hence to conclude that the Ministers did not particularly distribute this Sacrament because the people were suffered to take or receive as if one mans receiving was wholly inconsistent with anothers delivering Whereas indeed the particular distribution of the Elements is encluded in the true sense of this place of Clemens and is no ways opposed thereby And this is sufficient to clear the ancient practice of the Church herein and to shew that so far as we can judge thereby or by the Jewish Customs or the most probable expressions of Scripture our blessed Lord at his institution of this Sacrament did deliver it particularly to every one of his Disciples and even in that respect was also amongst them as one that serveth 6. I proceed now more briefly to the consideration of the words which our Saviour spoke at the distribution of this Sacrament Now these words of command Take eat in S. Matthew and Mark drink ye all of it in S. Mat. and do this in remembrance of me in S. Luke and S. Paul as also these words this is my body which is given for you and my bloud which is shed for you are all expressed in the plural number as being directed to more persons than one Yet considering that these holy Pen-men did in short relate the institution of Christ sufficiently delivering what was necessary for us but not confining themselves to the very words he spake but to the sense thereof which is manifest because they all four relate his words spoken at the distribution differently from one another the Evangelists expressions may well consist with his speaking particularly to every person because what is spoken to every one may be briefly and succinctly related as spoken to them all And though this be not certain which yet is the more probable from the evidence above given of the particular distribution of the Sacramental Elements to every Communicant let them who manage this Objection consider with themselves whether they would grant that in other Cases which they plead for in this We read that when our Lord gave full Commission to his Apostles he said to them Jo. 20.21 22 23. As my Father hath sent me even so send I you Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are are retained and yet I suppose no sober spirited man will from hence infer that where divers persons are at one time to receive Orders that no solemn words of ordination may lawfully be expressed to each person particularly and distinctly but that they ought to be spoken to them all together generally and jointly Our Saviour also commanded his Disciples Mat. 28.19 to teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but will any Christian think it hence deducible that where divers persons or great numbers are to be baptized together the solemn words of baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost may not lawfully be expressed severally to every person And if the baptismal form of words may be solemnly and suitably to that Sacrament applyed to every person baptized by the general acknowledgment of all Christians there can be no reason why the like may not be allowed in the Lords Supper Wherefore the practice of our Church herein is no way unsuitable to the institution of Christ or the nature of this Sacrament and the alteration of it would be for the worse and to the abating the solemnity of its Administration 7. Concerning the Communion I shall only further consider that Rubrick which directeth that if any of the Bread and Wine that was consecrated do remain it shall not be carried out of the Church but the Priest and such other Communicants as he shall then call unto him shall immediately after the blessing reverently eat and drink the same Now this is supposed by some to give too high an honour to the Sacramental Elements even after the Communion is ended to which I answer 1. That all superstitious or other sinful honour of the Elements must be founded in the embracing those false apprehensions and corrupt Doctrines which our Church rejecteth and he who nourisheth such corrupt opinions which none can do unless he forsake the truth and the Doctrine of our Church might have more opportunity for such corrupt practices by the Elements being carried out of the Church than by their being eaten and drunk in it 2. That our Church doth sufficiently distinguish the eating and drinking the undistributed Elements from the Communion it self both by the formerly allowed use of them and by the appointing them to be eaten and drunk after the blessing which endeth the office of the Communion and by expressing them under the name of Bread and Wine whichh was consecrated Such remaining Elements have been variously disposed of Hist Eccles l. 4. c. 35. Evagrius relateth it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient custom at Constantinople that they were sent to the Children at School to be received by them as an acknowledgment of the Christian Religion before the Council of Laodicea Conc. Laod. c. 14. they were sometimes sent to other Churches as Enlogiae and tokens of Communion with
right this would perpetuate endless quarrels between these parties and banish subjection from them both 3. And a very great consent of Writers of different perswasions in other things ight be produced to shew that such Oaths of Inferiours cannot be obligatory as Bishop Saunderson de Oblig Juram Praelec 4. sect 5. Prael 7. Sect. Conf. Aug. cap. de Vot Monach. 6. Aquinas 22 ae q. 89. a 9. ad 3 m Grot. de Jur. Bel. Pac. l. 2. c. 13. Sect. 20. Perkins Cases of Consc l. 2. c. 13. q. 3. Ames Cas Consc l. 4. c. 22. n. 26 30 35. and the Augustane Confession Thus God appointed that if the Father declared against the vow of his Daughter or the Husband against the vow of his Wife that vow should be void and of none effect Num. 30.3 4 Phil. de leg special ad praec 3m. c. which was as Philo Judaeus observeth because they were under the dominion of others and might vow things incommodious to them 4. But the King who hath in this Realm the chief Government in matters Ecclesiastical as well as in others did disallow and openly declare against this Oath by his Proclamation of Oct. 9. in the 19th year of his Reign which may be seen in the Bibliotheca Regia Judic Acad Oxon. p. 8. being many years since therein reprinted and was long before urged to this purpose by the University of Oxford After this among otehr large concessions the King declared that he could not consent to the Covenant both from Newport in the Isle of wight Sept. 29. 1648. and from Holmby May 12. 1647. Wherefore the King did several times manifest his disallowing the Covenant and even with particular respect to its endeavouring the alteration of the Government in the Church as may be collected from the view of his own words and thereby any intended obligation from this Oath to alter this Government became thenceforth void to all his subjects agreeably to the like case Num. 39.9 10 11 12 13. 5. A second Rule is That the doctrine of Christ should be the guide of our practice Now it was the tradition of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 15.4 5 6. and Mar. 7 10 11 12. That though God commanded the honouring the Father and Mother which encluded the providing for them things convenient he who had made a vow not consistent with this duty ought not to relieve them against his vow And though there be some variety in the critical exposition of the words of the Evangelists divers taking the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Matthew and the Corban in S. Mark for the gift or thing devoted it self Lect. Var. l. 1. c. 4. Petitus for Josephus Ant. l. 4. c. 4. accounteth Corban to be the name of a votary who had vowed only to mind the Ministry of God Grot. de Jur. B. P. l. 2. c. 17. Coce in Gemar Sanh c. 7. others as Grotius Cocceius and some of our own Writers after Masius most probably esteem Corban to be the form of a Vow or Oath which the Jews express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in all these different ways of resolution there is a sufficient agreement concerning the substance and sense of the Pharisaical doctrine But this their doctrine our Saviour condemneth as a transgressing the Commandment of God by their traditions Mat. 15.3 and making the Commandment of God of none effect v. 6. c. 6. Now the same command Honour thy Father and thy Mother and divers precepts of the Gospel doth enjoin obedience to Governours and Rulers And our Soveraign and our Laws do establish the present Government in the Church and thereby do require subjects to submit to it and receive it and therefore according to the doctrine of Christ no Vow or Oath ought to be accounted to disoblige men from this duty of obedience which is enjoined by the Commandment of God Second Paper of Proposals 1661. And the pretence made by some that they are far from thinking that the Covenant obliged them to resist authority but yet it doth undoubtedly oblige to forbear their own consent to what they there renounced this would agree well with the intent of the Pharisees tradition while the Son might tell his Father that he acknowledged his vow could not oblige him to do his Father wrong but yet he was bound that in these present circumstances he might not consent to yield him relief But such things are of a direct contrary tendency to the doctrines of Christ 7. A third Rule is That every obligation of an Oath of contract ceaseth by the mutual content of the contractors and therefore had the Covenant been every way warrantable the obligation by contract therein to endeavour the alteration of the Government of the Church would have ceased by the Parliaments of all these three Nations disclaiming any such obligation 22ae q. 89. a. 9. ad 2m. De J. B. P. l. 2. c. 13. Sect. 18. De Obl. Juram Prael 7. Sec. 8. De Consc l. 4. c. 22. Sect. 37. And that such an Oath ceaseth to bind when we have the desire or consent of them to whose concernment it hath particular reference is asserted by such Writers as treat of this matter as Aquinas Grotius Bishop Saunderson Amesius and divers others and this hath been also admitted and insisted upon by some chief defenders of the Covenant particularly by Mr. Henderson in his first Paper to the King And the reason hereof is evident because every person society or community may recede from their own right and priviledge Thus after the two spies had made a general Oath to Rahab to preserve her and her Fathers house alive which was a priviledge she obtained by agreement between her and them it was resolved Jos 2.12 13 17 21. that this Oath should not bind if either she or her Fathers family were not within the doors of her house And thus if any two Kingdoms should by Oath engage to trafick in some commodities with none other but among themselves only if this contract be afterwards judged prejudicial to both their interests and the publick authority on both sides yield to have it altered and quit all claim of any such peculiar right of trade the obligation of that Oath is thereby dissolved 8. That the Covenant was designed to be an Oath of contract between divers subjects of these Nations appeareth because as it is all along stiled the solemn League and Covenant so in the beginning thereof it is declared We the Noblemen Barons c. determined to enter into a mutual and solemn League and Covenant and a mutual League cannot be otherwise than an Oath of contract And whereas this Oath in the sixth Article thereof is stiled their Vnion and Conjunction and in the end of it it is called an association and Covenant all this doth intimate that its obligation was intended towards one another Wherefore since any obligation from the
asserted by Isidorous Hispalonsis That the Lords Prayer was delivered as a form is so manifest that was it not for the violent force offered to mens minds by prejudice and contentious opposition it could never have been questioned And it may be sufficiently proved 1. From the command given by our Saviour Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. and the expression in S. Matthew Mat 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray sc or on this manner is the same with that when the form of Aaronical benediction was enjoined Numb 6.23 On this wise in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall ye bless But the blessing there directed hath been generally acknowledged to be a constant invariable form of Benediction under the law Luth. Tom. 3. f. 10. Prec Eccles Form Genev. and as such was used in the German Reformation by Luther and in that also of Geneva 2. From the ground of the Disciples request Luk. 11.1 Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples That it was ordinary for the Jewish Teachers to compose forms for their Disciples is observed by Dr. Lightfoot on Mat. 6.9 and the frequent yea constant use of forms in the Jewish Church shall be hereafter manifested and if this be referred to the words of S. Luke now mentioned it is not to be doubted but that John the Baptist according to the custom of the Jews delivered a form of Prayer to his Disciples and that what John did herein was both approved and the like practised by our Saviour who directed the use of the Lords Prayer to his Disciples at two different times 5. 3. From the manner of the composure of the Lords Prayer which is not propounded as a general direction to pray that Gods name may be hallowed and that his Kingdom should come but it is dictated by Christ as it should be expressed by us in our persons Our father hallowed be thy name c. 4. The ancient Christian Church near the times of Christ did acknowledge and use it as a form S. Cyprian is very large to this purpose Cyp. de Orat Domin saith he Christ consulting the salvation of his people etiam orandi formam ipse dedit himself delivered them a form of prayer and then exhorteth that we pray as our master taught us that the father when we pray may owne the words of his Son and saith he when we have Christ an advocate let us express the words of our advocate and how much more effectually shall we obtain what we ask in Christs name if we ask by his Frayer Tertullian before him declared Tertul. de Orat. c. 1. c. 9. Christus novam orationis formam determinavit Christ appointed a new form of prayer and he saith that whilst the Christians used other Prayers this was not omitted praemissa legitima ordinaria oratione quasi fundamento And before both these the words of Lucian in Trajan's time Lucian in Philopat about reciting the Prayer beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth intimate the ordinary use of this Prayer among Christians From these testimonies I suppose it evident that the Lords Prayer was used as a form in the ancient Christian Assemblies and that we have good reason thus far to receive what some hundred years after was delivered by S. Gregory Gr. Ep. l. 7. c. 63. and from him by divers other Writers that the Apostles themselves did always at the Consecration of the Eucharist make use of the Lords Prayer Wherefore the Lords Prayer being thus delivered as a form doth enclude an approbation of the like composures of Prayers among the Jews and an allowance of the same among Christians for whom this was intended And that path where we follow our Saviours steps cannot be the way of errour 6. The other argument from example is from the ordinary practice of the Church both Jewish and Christian Concerning the Jewish Church I might instance in the eighteen Prayers composed for its ordinary use from the time of the Captivity which are oft mentioned by the Jewish Writers and in their forms of Prayer for the Passover De Emendar Tempor l. 6. p. 573. of which Scaliger thinketh that there is as much reason to be confident that the particular Prayers recorded in the Talmud which he calleth their Digests were the ancient forms used by the Jews as that the Roman Digests exhibit to us the true determination of the Roman Lawyers But I shall rather insist on the Jewish Church making use of set forms of Prayer from the very times of Moses and so downwards which is no new opinion but is ordinarily received and it hath been observed by divers learned men that the Samaritan Chronicle speaketh of a Book of Prayers used by the Jews at their Sacrifices from the time of their Legate Moses until that day And besides the testimony of that Author which I urge no further than other proof may be made let these two things be considered 7. First That it is certain from the Scriptures and oft expressed by Philo Judaeus that the Jews did use Prayers with their Sacrifices and oblations The whole multitude were praying without at the time of incense Luk. 1.10 and the Apostles themselves went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer which was the ninth hour Act. 3.1 Which was the time of the evening Sacrifice Mr. Mede Disc on Ezr. 6.10 and Mr. Mede hath well proved that Sacrifice if self is a rite of supplication And that the use of such Prayers was as ancient as Moses is manifest from Lev. 16.21 Where Aaron was commanded to confess over the live Goat the iniquities of the Children of Israel Secondly That there are plain evidences in the Old Testament of such forms used upon many occasions Besides the forms of Prayers and praises in the Book of Psalms enjoined for constant use unto the Levites by Hezekiah and the Princes 1 Chr. 29 30. and besides divers other Hymns and Songs and such commands for a form of words as Joel 2.17 Hos 14.2 there is an express form of Prayer appointed by God to be used at the Offering the Heifer for expiation of uncertain murder Deut. 8.21 and a form of confession at the offering up their first fruits Deut. 26.3 4 5 6 7. and a form of Prayer at the presenting the third years Tithe Deut. 26.13 14 c. and some other such like Whence it is evident that forms of Prayer were by Gods appointment used from the beginning of the Jewish Church Yet if no such thing could have been proved and if their original had been from John the Baptist and the direction of our Saviour this alone might be sufficient to recommend them unto Christians 8. In considering the general practice of the Christian Church it must be acknowledged that in that extraordinary case which reacheth not the ordinary condition of the Church when the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were communicated both
Minister for our good according to our Petitions Ep. 120. c. 22. Ep. 121. c. 9. This sense is oft expressed by S. Augustin and in the Book under his name De diligendo Deo and seemeth well to agree with the expressions of others of the ancient Fathers and with the notion of the ancient Jews as it is mentioned by Philo Phil. de Plant. Nae de Gigantibus and thus much seemeth to be encluded in these words of the New-Testament Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation And Mat. 18.10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven And this notion expresseth an honourable ministration of the holy Angels De Cu. Dei l. 9.6 15. which hath respect to the Church of God but doth not allow them as S. Aug. would not to be accounted Mediators nor to receive Religious worship from us but to be honoured by us Charitate non servitute De Ver. Râ—elig c. 55. by an high degree of respectful love but not by Religious service and subjection 10. As to that passage of Ecclus. 46.22 Which mentioneth Samuel prophecying after his death it is sufficient here to observe that that that part of that Chapter is by our Kalendar directed to be omitted And from all this it may appear that nothing is in our service appointed to be read out of the Apocrypha which being rightly understood is any way hurtful or of ill influence upon practice Yet it is to be further noted that he who shall acknowledge that there is much good contained and no evil or sin advised in any of the Apocryphal Books is still far from admitting them to be equal to the Canonical Scriptures For though there may be divers Books free from actual error yet it is the Prerogative of the holy Scriptures alone to be immediately indited by that holy Spirit who can never err and to be tendered of God and received of his Church as the perpetual and infallible rule to manifest the will of God and the Doctrines of Faith SECT VII Considerations about that Translation of the Psalms used in the Liturgy 1. The next thing to be treated of is the ue of the Psalms according to the version in the Common-Prayer-Book concerning which Consid 1. The use of this Translation doth not require us to judge it the best English Translation For as formerly the sentences out of the Psalms before Morning Prayer and at the Communion were expressed according to another ancient and distinct translation so both the Epistles and Gospels and the sentences out of the Psalms at the beginning of Morning and Evening Prayer are now altered according to our last allowed English Translation which alteration seemeth to prefer that Translation as the best 2. Cons 2. The Translation of the Psalms used in our Liturgy is from the Hebrew to which it generally agreeth sometimes using the liberty of a paraphrastical stile And the Hebrew being the Original is doubtless more pure than any Translation which differeth fromit And though the Septuagint in the Book of Psalms which of all other hath been of most frequent publick use in the Christian Church doth vary less from the Hebrew than in any other Poetical Book of holy Scripture yet a Catalogue may be given of at least an hundred and fifty places wherein the Septuagint differeth from the Hebrew not in any Christian Doctrine but in the manner of expressing the sense of those Texts in all which the version in the Liturgy accordeth with the Hebrew and dissenteth from the Septuagint Indeed in some phrases and clauses our version followeth the Septuagint where the matter is unblameable and three entire verses which are not in the Hebrew Chaldee or Syriack are in the fourteenth Psalm added in this English Version according to the ordinary Copies of the 70 Grot. in Ps 14. and of many but as Grotius intimateth not all of the Aethiopick Vulgar Latin and Arabick and which are not in the Greek Manuscript from Alexandria but these Verses being the same with what is cited by the Apostle out of the Old Testament Rom. 3.12 13 18. cannot be disallowed as to the matter of them and the Psalms in the Liturgy being chiefly used as Hymns of praise or our words of blessing God agreeably to the practice of the Jewish and ancient Christian Church may well admit in that use of such a variation from the Hebrew Text. 3. If we observe the practice of the ancient Christian Churches we shall find that the Greek Church publickly used the Psalms according to the Septuagint and the Latin Arabian and Aethiopick Churches V P. Pithaeum de Latin Biblior Interpret had their Psalms of publick use translated from the Septuagint or with a little tincture from Lucian the Martyr wherein they also followed some evident corruptions of the Greek Copies as the Arabick in admitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 17.14 the Aethiopick in reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 39.5 Ps 92.10 and the Vulgar in translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack Version was translated out of the Hebrew but hath suffered some alterations by being revised according to the Septuagint from whence among other things it received its frequent use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this Version hath many imperfections as chiefly its leaving out sometimes a whole verse as in Ps 34.9 and sometimes some part thereof as Ps 58.9 The result of this consideration is this that the Psalms publickly used in the Church of England are more fully agreeing to the Original Hebrew than any of those known Versions were which were used in the ancient Christian Churches and he who thinketh that he may not lawfully join or Minister in the Church of England because of our use of this version of the Psalms might have discerned greater cause in this very particular to have kept him at a greater distance from all the famous ancient Christian Churches in the World 4. Cons 3. The particular places most blamed in this Version of the Psalms do afford no sufficient cause when our superiours enjoin the use of this Translation to withhold our hearty consent thereto I shall instance in three places which are chiefly urged 1. One is Ps 106.30 where this Translation readeth it then stood up Phinees and prayed and so the Plague ceased But the Version in our Bibles rendreth it Then stood up PHinehas and executed judgment The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Verbs of which Root being most used in the form Hithpahel do generally signifie to pray and in this form of Pihel they are rarely used and do sometimes signifie judging or the judge interposing between men and men to end their strife But
calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sanctified without any sense or apprehension thereof Wherefore S. Aug. did truly assert De peccat Mer. Remis l. 3. c. 5. that of old the whole Church did firmly hold parvulos fideles originalis peccati remissionem per Christi baptismum consecutos esse that little Children of the Church of Christ do obtain remission of original sin by the Baptism of Christ 3. Among the publick Writings of the Protestants the first Augustan Confession asserteth Conf. Aug. 1530. Art 9. that Children being offered to God in Baptism are received into the favour of God and condemneth the Anabaptists who say that Children may be saved i. e. ordinarily without Baptism to which the larger Confession 1540. addeth that concerning Children baptized in the Church of God Christ said Mat. 18. It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish Conf. Saxon de Baptism The Saxon Confession fully expresseth the saving regeneration of baptized Infants and that these words I baptize thee c. are as much as to say By this mersion I testifie thee to be washed from thy sins and to be now received by the true God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath redeemed thee by his Son Jesus Christ and sanctifieth thee by the Holy Ghost and it declareth that at that time Infants are truly received of God and sanctified and to the same purpose is the Confession of Frederick the third the Prince Palatine Conf. Helv. c. 20. And the general expressions of the efficacious saving vertue of Baptism Conf. Gal. c. 35. in the Helvetick French and Scotish Confessions Conf. Scot. Sect. 21. are such that the state of Infants cannot be excluded therefrom And the Geneva Catechism declareth that By baptism we are Cloathed with Christ and receive his Spirit unless by rejecting the promises which are there tendered to us we render them unfruitful to our selves 4. To give an account of the particular judgments of Protestant Writers would be a needless difficult and endless undertaking Divers of them manifestly assert the saving regeneration of all baptized Infants others do embrace another notion of baptismal regeneration which I shall afterward mention and some from the use of different ways of expression and from what they speak with just earnestness against the errors of the Church of Rome are sometimes misunderstood Cath. Orthod Tr. 3. qu. 3. Sect. 1. Rivet averreth that there is no true Protestant who doth not approve that of Aquinas 12ae q. 81. Art 3. That Original sin is done away in Baptism as to the guilt thereof and he there saith that it is most false that Calvin and Beza ever said that some baptized Infants are damned Ibid. Sect. 9. dying in their infancy before they commit any actual sin unrepented of Absters Cal. Calum 7. and the same thing is with much passionate earnestness asserted by Beza himself writing against Tilemannus Heshushius Whit. ad Rat. 8 m Camp And Dr. Whitaker against Campian undertaking herein to declare the Protestant Doctrine saith In baptism we receive remission of sins we are entred into Christs Family we have the Holy Ghost given us we are raised to certain hope of eternal life what hath your Baptism saith he to Campian that ours hath not hath it grace hath it the merits of Christ hath it salvation all these hath ours And against Duraeus in defense of his answer to Campian he saith To the adult Faith is necessary Cont. Duraeum l. 8. that Baptism may be a saving Sacrament but to little ones because they are the Children of believing Parents and are encluded in the Covenant it is the Sacrament of Salvation though they by reason of their age cannot believe where by the Children of believing Parents his foregoing words declare him to mean Children born within the Church in distinction from Turks Jews and Ethnicks These words do express an actual regeneration of baptized Infants by the grace of God and the application of the merits of Christ for remission and Salvation but they are very hardly reconcileable with divers passages in the posthumous Writings of that learned man especially his Praelections de Sacram. Qu. 4. c. 2 3. SECT V. The Objections against the saving regeneration of Infants in Baptism considered 1. Against all baptized Infants being savingly regenerated by their Baptism it may be first objected That the Scriptures declare the general necessity of Faith in order to Salvation and therefore Infants unless they believe cannot be saved by being baptized In answer to this it being a matter of obscurity I shall relate different ways of solution Aug. de pec Mer. rem l. 3. c. 2. 1. Many account Faith the condition for adult persons Aug. Ep. 23. but not for Infants but this is discarded by others both ancient and modern Kemait Exam. Part. 2. de Baptism partly because by the general practice of the Church at Infant-Baptism of which S. Aug. taketh notice it was declared in the Infants name as it is in our Liturgy Credo or I believe and partly because the condition of Faith seemeth so generally expressed in the Gospel that they judge that Infants cannot be thence excluded though the Faith for the infant state cannot be the same with what is required from the adult 2. Divers others as Augustine Bede Hugo de Victore Amalanus and Walafridus Strabo think baptized Infants to be saved by the Faith of the Church into which they are baptized or by the Faith of them who offer them unto Baptism or as many Protestants and also the Catechismus Romanus express it credunt parentum fide by the faith of their Parents as the Syrophaenician Womans Daughter was healed by her Mothers Faith Mat. 15.28 and the sick of the Palsie was Cured by the Faith of them who brought him to Christ Mat. 9.2 But this doth not satisfie Kemnitius and some others partly because it is every ones one Faith which is the Gospel condition for his Salvation though anothers Faith may be instrumental for the procuring of divers blessings and partly because this answer giveth no good account of the Ecclesiastical usage of owning or professing the Creed in the Infants name at the time of his Baptism 3. Others assert that there is some Faith wrought in Infants Inst lib. 4. c. 16. Cath. Orth. Tr. 3. qu. 1. Sect. 12. which Calvin and Rivet say is not the act but the seed of Faith by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Kemnitius asserteth this operation of the Holy Ghost in Infants to be that they call Faith though they know not what kind of operation it is 2. 4. To these I shall add what I conceive most probable That since Infants are not capable of the Faith of adult persons which cometh by hearing and consisteth in the knowledge and assent of the mind
speak or declare they believe are baptized alio protestante with another persons making the profession on their behalf and this usage hath been also embraced by divers Protestant Churches Rat. Discip c. 3. Sect. 2. herein following the Bohemian which was the first reformed 5. That the true intent and benefit hereof may be understood we must consider 1. That every person baptized thereby undertaketh to renounce the Devil to embrace the Christian Faith and to become the Servant of God and Disciple of Jesus Christ This is evident from that Command of Christ mat 28.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them Disciples by baptizing them and from the form of of Baptism in or into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and from such expressions as these concerning them who have undertaken Baptism That they are dead unto sin so as that they should not live any longer therein that they are baptized into Christ and into the likeness of his death and that they have put on Christ 2. That Infants are capable of being engaged to God and may stand obliged to believe in God and serve him and to reject the ways of sin and wickedness This is manifest from the Circumcision of Children under the Law and from their little ones entring into Covenant with God Deut. 29.11 12 c. and is encluded in the Baptism of Infants which is a dedicating them unto God and layeth an obligation upon them to entertain and persevere in the Christian Life and Faith whether they have any Sureties or no and he that owneth not this obligation from his Baptism doth go far toward the renouncing of Christianity 3. That when the Sureties answer in the Childs name I believe I renounce c. this is a more solemn representation or declaration of what the Child undertaken by his Baptism and hereby as the Master of the sentences determineth Sent. l. 4. Dist 6. g. parvulus hac sponsione tenebitur non sponsor the Child and not the surety standeth bound by this engagement only the Surety is obliged to be careful of admonishing him This explicite Declaration of what the baptized Infant undertaketh is fitly used in Baptism conformably to Antiquity because it tendeth to express clearly a considerable part of the design and end of Christian Baptism and to put all other baptized persons in mind of their engagement that they may live answerably thereto And the matter of this baptismal vow being expressed in the publick Congregation in the Childs name where all who are present may bear witness thereto may be a considerable argument to be urged upon him when he cometh to Age to induce him to the greater diligence in the Christian life And these words of the Sureties I believe c. are not directly words of promise of what they undertake shall be performed but words expressing contract and engagement in the baptismal vow and declaring in what profession and practice this Infant by his Baptism standeth obliged to live and die 6. There is a further advantage by the the use of sureties in that they are as is expressed in the exhortation to them to see that the Child be taught what a solemn vow promise and profession he made in Baptism that he be vertuously brought up And that he be instructed in those points of Christianity which a Christian ought to know and believe to his Souls health and to call upon him to hear Sermons All this which is in our Church required may well be performed by the Surety and imposeth no heavy burden upon him and besides the Parents care which may hereby be quickned it may be of great advantage to the Religious life of the Child The ancient Church either did require more than this from the Sureties Tert. de bapt c. 18. Dionys ubi supra De Cons Dist 4. Vos ante omnia touching their particular ordinary care of the Childs Education or else their sense was over-severely expressed by several particular Writers as Tertullian the Author de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia and some others 7. Having thus far discoursed of the use of Sureties and the intent of the Interrogatories referring to the baptismal engagement it may be further observed that when they are asked Wilt thou be baptized into this Faith and they answer in the Childs name That is my desire the plain meaning thereof is to express that the intent of the Childs being present is to receive Baptism which upon its account and in its right and name they desire for it And when in the Catechism there are these Questions and Answers Q. What is required of persons to be baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Because they promise them both by their Sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform the sense of the former answer is that he who cometh to Christian Baptism is not left at liberty to lead a loose life but he ought to practise faith and repentance as a previous qualification unto Baptism in the adult and as a consequent duty upon Baptism both in them who are baptized in their Infancy and at riper years And the sense of the latter Question and Answer is That though Infants be not capable of the particular acts of faith and repentance in their present state yet by those expressions of contract whereby their Sureties in their name only declare what their Baptism obligeth them unto it is manifested that they do undertake faith and repentance as much as is possible for the infant state and do stand engaged from their Baptism more particularly to act Faith and Repentance when they come to Age. 8. Another expression in the baptismal Office hath been misunderstood viz. Who by the Baptism of thy wel-beloved Son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie water to the mystical washing away of sin Now we may well say that water is sanctified for Baptism when by divine authority water is selected from all other things and determined to be the proper matter or outward Element of Baptism and that is sanctified which is set apart or determined to such a sacred use to which other common things are not admitted And Christs Commission to his Disciples to baptize all Nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost is an Authoritative determination of the form of Baptism or the Sacramental words and of the extent of its use And both from thence and from our Saviours passion doth it receive an efficacious vertue But water was the matter of Christian Baptism for the remission of sins and admission into the number of Christs Disciples before either that Commission or our Saviours Passion And as water was appointed for the Disciples of John by Gods commanding him to baptize with Water so that
this was the Element which was set apart for the admitting Disciples unto Christ himself under the Gospel and for the conveying to them remission of sins was manifested by Jesus coming to be baptized therewith from whence forward all who came to be his Disciples were baptized with water in the Baptism of Christ To this purpose the ancients frequently speak of Christs Baptism sanctifying the water of Baptism Tertul. adv Jud. c. 8. So Tertullian Baptizato Christo i. e. sanctificante aquas in suo baptismate And the Author de Cardinalib Christi operibus Veniebat Christus ad baptismum De Bapt. Christi ut Sacramento perennis daretur authoritas To the same purpose also Nazianzen Orat. 38. 39 and S. Bernard de Epiph. Serm. and even the Annotations under the Assemblies name express this as one end of Christs Baptism to sanctifie the flood Jordan In Mat. 3.15 and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin 9. The use of the sign of the Cross in Baptism I here purposely omit because it will be more fitly discoursed of in the following Book where also I shall discourse of the Imposition of hands in confirmation and of the Ring in Marriage SECT VIII Of the Office for Confirmation and that for Marriage 1. The main things referring to Confirmation being considered in the following Book and some things in the Catechism which are most impugned being sufficiently cleared from the five foregoing Sections I shall here only observe that though our Catechism Hom. of Com. Pray and Sacr. Art 25. Homilies and Articles do sufficiently declare that Christ ordained only two Sacraments in his Church yet some have taken exceptions at those words of the Catechism which express that there are two only Sacraments generally necessary to salvation as if these words did intimate the contrary which exception doth manifest how innocent words may be wrested by the force of suspicions 2. And some like not that these Sacraments are said to be generally necessary to Salvation which as it was the Doctrine of the ancient Church so is it also of the Protestant Churches Conf. Boh. c. 11. the Bohemian Confession expresseth it to be their Doctrine that Sacraments are necessary to Salvation Catech. Genev. de Sacram. and the Geneva Catechism declareth that he who despiseth the use of the Sacraments is to be accounted of as one who tacitly denyeth the name of Christ and he who thinking not meet to profess himself a Christian ought not to be ranked among Christians And concerning Baptism when our Saviour saith Mar. 16.16 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved doth not that besides other Scriptures express it to be ordinarily part of the condition of Salvation And touching the Lords Supper if the obeying the great commands and institutions of the Gospel and the attending to and receiving those excellent means of Grace and of Communion with Christ which he appointeth in the Gospel be ordinarily necessary to Salvation then must the receiving the holy Communion be acknowledged to be so And let it be considered without prejudice whether when our Saviour declared Joh. 6.53 Except you eat the stesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you these words though they cannot be confined to that Sacrament not then instituted do not sufficiently declare that he who hopeth for eternal life by Christ may not safety neglect the careful attendance on that Ordinance which Christ hath particularly appointed to be the Communion of his body and bloud 3. Concerning the Office for Matrimony the words of contract will be most fitly discoursed of in another place where I treat of the use of the Ring I shall here only consider such Phrases which some disrelish that our Liturgy calleth it an holy Estate of Matrimony and saith that God consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent Mystery that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and Vnity between Christ and his Church Now it is manifest that the Apostle expressing the Marriage institution and Union Eph. 5.30 31 32. calleth it a great Mystery not as it referreth to the Husband and Wife but as it mystically representeth Christ and his Church saying We are members of his flesh of his body and of his bones For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and shall be joined unto his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church And to these words of the Apostle the Phrase of our Liturgy hath manifest reference 4. And when it is said to be consecrated or to be a holy estate this is as much as to say that it is designed for a holy and religious end and purpose Though the Gentiles lived in lasciviousness and all uncleanness the Christian marriage as well as the whole Christian life is to be a holy estate separate from these pollutions of which the Apostle speaketh This is the will of God even your sanctification that you abstain from fornication that every one of you may know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification and honour not in the lusts of concupiscence 1 Thes 4.3 4 5. for God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness 5. Christian marriage is also an holy estate as it is the lawful way set apart and ordained according to the will of God for the increase of his Church Thus Children born within the Church and under the Covenant are called Sons and Daughters which are born unto or for God Ezek. 16.20 holy Children 1 Cor. 7.14 and with reference hereunto that the Children may be holy and within the Church the Apostle saith the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband and upon this account the Christian marriage may well be esteemed holy and sanctified as being a marriage in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 and is fitly called as S. Ambrose expresseth it Amb. Apol. Dav. c. 11. Sancta copula a holy bond 6. And whereas S. Paul declareth how all things are sanctified by the word of God and Prayer we have concerning marriage a more especial word of Divine Institution whereby two are made one flesh Gen. 2.24 and that no man may put them asunder because it is God who joineth them together Mat. 19.6 and also a particular divine benediction which God gave unto the estate of marriage Gen. 1.28 And this Marriage Union hath been generally attended with the use of Prayers in the Christian Church 7. Wherefore Christian Marriage which as well as the Christian life is designed for the service of God and for holy ends and an holy use is upon that account the more fit to represent the Vnity and Marriage between Christ and his Church and this Union being hereby resembled is both an argument to the more holy deportment in Christian Marriage and
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
Cens c. 11. And Bucer in his Censura declareth it to be an ancient and simplex ritus apure or innocent Rite and that he judgeth the use thereof to be neither indecent nor unprofitable 17. I know there are some who think their own apprehensions so much above all others that they are no otherwise moved by testimonies which are produced against them than to express their censures Altar Damasc c. 10. p. 830. and sometimes their contempt o◠the most worthy Writers and on this manner doth Didoclavius deal with the testimony of Bucer which I now produced saith he it is frigida diluta censura nec satis expendisse videtur it was his dull and weak judgment about this matter and he did not seem to have considered what he wrote But let not such think that their authority is of any value to be put in the balance against the Primitive Church and so many reformed Churches and Writers and therefore as there being no just cause from the consideration of this rite it self and the use thereof to condemn it the censure of such persons is unjust and uncharitable and the dislike of others who are more modest in their opposition is also groundless SECT III. Of laying on hands in Confirmation THis Imposition of hands is the more opposed Didocl Altar Damasc c. 5. p. 359. Except of Presbyt p. 29. because of those Declarative words in the Prayer used at Confirmation Vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands to certifie them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness to them The Non Conformists here will neither allow that the Apostles practice should be accounted any example for laying on hands in Confirmation nor that this sign may be used to certifie Gods grace and favour which seemeth say they to speak it a Sacrament 2. Wherefore we are first to consider what Warrant this imposition of hands in Confirmation may claim from the practice of the Apostles We read Act. 8.15 17 18. that after Philip had baptized at Samaria by the Apostles prayer accompanied with imposition of hands they received the Holy Ghost and the same is related concerning the Disciples at Ephesus Act. 19.6 Here we have an Apostolical practice evident that they imposed hands and prayed and thereupon the Holy Ghost was received It is indeed acknowledged that in those instances there was a visible and miraculous testimony of the presence of the Holy Spirit by speaking with Tongues c. but the chief blessing of Gods Spirit consisteth in the inward Graces of the Spirit which were not peculiar to that time and that the obtaining the strengthning grace of the Spirit was in an especial manner designed by the Apostles imposition of hands is declared by Irenaeus Iren. adv Haeres l. 4. c. 75. Aug. Tract 6. in Ep. 1. Johan and it was justly esteemed by S. Austin that the Holy Ghost is here received where no miraculous gifts are bestowed but the gracious dispositions of love peace and unity are entertained And prayer especially the most solemn Prayer of the Bishop or chief Officer of the Church joyned with imposition of hands which was a testimony of peculiar benediction used by dying Jacob and others under the Old Testament and by Christ and his Apostles under the New is a means to obtain this blessing to such who are disposed and qualified for the receiving thereof but that those who indulge and give way to their corruptions and passions as the Corinthians did by their divisions could not receive the increase of the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit by the Apostolical imposition of hands is also asserted in the place above-mentioned by Irenaeus And if any persons will contend that the imposition of hands now received in the Church cannot be a practice according to the example of the Apostles because in those times the Holy Ghost was oft miraculously received which cannot now be expected he may as well assert that the imposition of hands for Ordination is not continued in the Church from the example of the Apostles because then the Holy Ghost was sometimes extraordinarily given thereby or that our praying and preaching is not a doing that for which we have the Apostles for an example because we cannot by them expect such wonderful gifts as sometimes were conferred under the Apostles doctrine and by their prayer 3. And by the searching into Antiquity we may discern the general use of this Imposition of hands in the Church as from the Apostles When the Apostle Heb. 6.2 speaketh of the Foundation of the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of hands the ordinary exposition of the Greek and Latine Fathers refer those words unto Confirmation and in the same sense are they understood by Calvin Beza Illyricus and many other Protestants Eusebius ralateth a story Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein Confirmation was used under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while S. John was yet alive and Cornelius noted it as a defect in Novatus the Schismatick that he never obtained Confirmation from the Bishop for receiving the Holy Ghost which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eus Hist l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are related in Eusebius Tertullian in his short account of the Rites of the Church Tertul. de Resur Cam. c. 8. De Baptism c. 8. after he had mentioned Baptism expresseth Confirmation in these words Caro manus impositione adumbratur ut anima Spiritu illuminetur and in his Book De Baptisma saith that after Baptism is used imposition of hands calling for and inviting the holy Spirit by that benediction Cypr. Ep. 73. S. Cyprians testimony is yet more full who saith that for those whom Philip baptized that which lacked was performed by Peter and John by whose prayer and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost was invocated and poured forth upon them which also saith he is now practised among us that those who are baptized in the Church are presented to the chief Officers of the Church that by our prayer and imposition of hands they may obtain the Holy Ghost and may by Confirmation attain to the highest Order of Christians or signaculo dominico consummentur S. Ambrose speaketh of Confirmation Amb. de Sacr. l. 3. c. 2. Hieron adv Lucif Aug. Cont. l. 3. c. 16. l. 5. c. 23. in Psal 130. that the holy Spirit is thereby obtained by prayer S. Hierom approveth it for Apostolical and S. Austin in divers places defendeth the practice hereof with relation to the Apostolical imposition of hands and for the receiving the Holy Ghost even when the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were no more communicated and this imposition of hands was enjoyned by the ancient Council of Elvira Conc. Elib c. 38. unto them who being baptized in case of necessity did afterwards recover their health And therefore this practice of the
when the Gospel service was represented by a Vision of Angels Elders and other Creatures Rev. 4.8 11. Ch. 5.9 12 13 14. Ch. 7 10 12. the worship of God was not there expressed in one continued Prayer but in several distinct short expressions of adoration 5. No rule of Religion declareth any particular method of Prayer to recommend us to Gods acceptance and blessing which is done by inward grace and piety which is not tyed to a certain model of expression 13. It hath been also objected that it would be unseemly and imprudent for any man who petitioneth a great King divers times to begin and end and then begin again and therefore this is not to be allowed in our address to God by that rule Mal. 1.8 Offer it now unto thy Governour But 1. the expressing divers Prayers one after another is not to begin and end but to continue in Prayer 2. Nor is there any indecorum if he who is to speak to a King about several matters shall when he passeth to a new head give the King some fit honourable title 3. And chiefly those words in Malachi do require that that respect and reverence which we are to express to God must not be less but always greater than that which we give to any authority upon earth but it no way directs us to the same course in honouring and worshipping God which we use in giving respect to our Governour It is most proper for a mean man who would present a Petition to a King not to attempt to come himself directly to the King or the Prince but to make some favourite who is also a meer subject his friend to present his Petition yet will not this plead for the Popish address to God by Saints and Angels and it would be accounted intolerable impudence if a subject should every day of his life twice four times or seven times a day come into his presence and prefer his suit to him in a great measure to one and the same effect at all times whilst this frequent practice of supplication to God is a Religious devoutness These things besides divers others manifest that the measuring divine service and worship by the standard of any humane respect in all the particulars of our address to God is the way to commit an error as great as from Earth to Heaven 14. But besides this if the ordinary practice of the Church of God be considered it may be of use to discover what hath been accounted expedient in a matter where God hath given no particular command Buxt Lex Rab in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hor. Heb. in Mat. 6.9 It hath been observed by divers learned men from both the Talmuds that in and before the time of our Saviour the Jews had eighteen distinct Prayers appointed for ordinary daily use of them who were most devout when they who had not liberty to attend to them were to use the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or summary of them And the ordinary custom of celebrating the Jewish Passover Idem in Mat. 26.26 27. did contain several distinct Prayers and benedictions which is a practice manifestly as ancient as the time of our Saviour 15. In the Christian Church the Liturgy framed by S. Chrysostom Bax. Syn. Jud. c. 13. and before him that of S. Basil though they have passed through cousiderable changes sufficiently appear to have been composed after the manner of distinct short Prayers Bas Ep. 63. and S. Basil declareth it to have been in his time the usual practice at Caesaria and divers other Churches in the East that even in the midst of their Psalmody or between their singing Psalms or Hymns they did frequently intermix Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the Latine Church the like use of short Prayers is evident from the composure of the Ambrosian and other very ancient Offices divers of whose particular Prayers are collected and exhibited in a distinct Treatise by Cassander Cass Preces Ecclesiast These things besidew what might be observed from Clemens his Constitutions and the Prayers used by the Brethren in Egypt Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. which were very short as S. Augustin relateth do give considerable evidence of the ancient practice of the Christian Church and render it very probable that the like methods of Prayer were used before the time of these Fathers because it is very unlikely that a perfect new method and model of the service of God of a quite different nature from what was of former use amongst any Christians should about the same time be introduced into places so remote from each other as Italy Cappadocia Egypt Syria and others And as that architect who disparageth a Fabrick which himself cannot equal doth thereby display his own imprudence so it can be no part of wisdom for persons in the present age to condemn the prudence of the ancient Christians in ordering their Religious service when they were as well before us in the devoutness of their Religious piety as in time 16. The last thing to be considered concerning the composure of the Liturgy is that it standeth charged by some who have greater regard to the serving an interest than to truth to be wholly Romish and to be taken out of the Romish Breviary Missal and their other Rituals Whereas in truth the doctrine of no Protestant Church differeth so much from that of the Church of Rome as the model of our Liturgy doth from their Mass and other Offices where our reformers have rejected all things that were corrupt or inconvenient in themselves which were very many and have added much which was though necessary or expedient and have put the whole service into a different and more regular frame Indeed several pious Prayers of which the Lords Prayer is one with some ancient and approved Hymns and the Creed besides Psalms and Scriptures which were by them used are by us retained And as for such persons who assert that every thing made use of in the Romish service though never so innocent ought to be rejected V. Zanch. ad Arianum Resp de Antithes Christi Anti-Christ let them consider that upon this principle there were some who asserted it necessary to disclaim our Creed and renounce the doctrine of the Trinity beacuse it might not be acknowledged said they that the Romanists did retain any true belief concerning God And that strange design of rash rejecting those things in Religion though useful and good which they embrace as it hath unchristianly engaged some to deny the Divinity of Christ so if it be without all bounds entertained it may engage others impiously to disown the holy Scriptures and the true God wherras our Caristian profession requireth us to prove 〈◊〉 things 1. Thes 5.21 and to hold fast that which is 〈◊〉 SECT IV. Of the Doxology Athanasian Creed and some particular expressions in the Litany 1. The frequent use of that Doxology Glory be to the Father