the deserved reproof of Ignorance â—ride and Perversness therefore Mr. Baxter in his Method of Peace of Conscience paâ— 411. writes thus In my weak judgment if Hymns and Psalms of Praise were new invented as fit for the state oâ— thâ— Gospel Church and Worship to laud the Redeemer come in the Flesh as expressly as the work of Grace is now express As Davids Psalms were fitted to the former state and infancy of the Churchâ— and more obscure Revelations of the Mediator and His Grace it would be no sinful humane invention or addition nor any more want warrand then ouâ— inventing the form and words of every Sermon we preach or every Prayer that we make or any Catechism or Confession of Faith nay it seems oâ— so great usefulness as is next to a necessity and if there be any convenient parcels of the ancient Church that are fitted to this use they should deservedly Petrus Martyr Comment in quintum caput Judicum v. ◠§ 4. curandum ne in templis quaevis promiscue canantur sâ—d illa tantummodo quae divinis literis continentur aut quae inde justis conclusionâ—bus eliciuntur cum verbo Dei ad amiusium consentiunt nam si senestra inventis hominum aperiaâ—ur verendum est ne musica ecclesiastica tandem ad nugas fabulas reâ—idat at approbat Hymnos Ambrosii cani in Templis Symbolum Athanasii Psalmos Augustini contra Donatistas be preferred for doubtless if Gods usual solemn Worship on the Lords days were fitted and directed to a pleasant delightful praising way it would do very much to frame the spirits of Christians to joyfulness thankfulness and delight in God than which there is no greater care for the doubtful pensive and self-tormenting frame of some Christians O try this Christians at the request of one who is moved by God to importune you to it Isa 58. 14. Thou shall delight thy self in the Lord compare this with Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will rejoyce over thee with singing If it be objected that the Doxology is defective because it expresseth not the unity of the Essence in the Godhead with the Trinity of the Persons to wit that we do not express glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost to which I answer first That it is beyond all question that these three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost are one glorious God and so all true ChrisTians from the rising of the Sun to its going down do firmly believe and unanimously profess therefore to sing it after that manner no doubt were Orthodox then ye will urge why was it not so appointed at first to be sung in Churches for answer to which question I perceive that the Westminster Synod in their Directory Anno Dom. 1645. for Baptism have appointed the Sacrament of Baptism to be administrate in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost without adding one word more albeit they did well know and believe that these three are one God which no doubt they have done following closs to the example of that great cloud of Witnesses to wit the Universal and particularly the reformed Churches lest otherwise they had presumed to teach our Saviour who is the wisdom of the Father to speak better and more full Divinity And this leads us to the chief Answer to wit Why the Doxology Ecclesia antiqua fidem suam in tres personas divinas aequales ejusdemque trinitatis Doxologiam super Christi verbis baptisma instituentis accuratius fundarunt patres concilij Constantiâ—op secundi oecumen ab Ecclesia universali in hunc diem approbati mittunt libellum synodicum Roman ad Damasim aliosque Epis copos ibidem convocatos in quo exhibent fidei suae de Trinitate confessionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consentaneam baptismati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret Hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 9. Nazianzen his contemporandus oratione 32. Anno Dom. 381. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem Nazianzâ— Oratione 6. de Spiritu Sancto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod ad Arianorum perversam ac haereticam Doxologiae corruptionem ab Ecclesia Orthodoxa damnatam consule Theodoretum Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 24. ex Athanasio does not express the unity of the divine Essence with the Trinity of Persons even because these ancient Doctors of the Church and Apostolick Men in their holy and due reverence given to our Saviours words when he appointed Christian Baptism baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to the Doxology would neither add nor alter from that divine Pattern and accordingly Basil the great writes Epist. 78. We must as we have received even so Baptize and as we Baptize even so Believe and as we Believe even so give Glory As for the Arian about the Year of Christ 360. in the Cathedral Church of Antioch the Arians singing the Doxology were observed to change the words appointed by our Saviour in Christian Baptism and instead of singing Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost did sing Glory to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost which presumptuous change the Orthodox Church did condemn as flowing from an Antichristian heart inspired from Hell yet pretending somewhat of an Angel of Light for their heretical Spirit was seen through their Mask in that they did not keep fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13 Others object To oblige Christians to sing the Doxology is to take away their Christian liberty who should have it still in their option to sing it or not sing it when they please I answer God never appointed Christian Liberty to warrand disorderly Confusion which God disowneth for according to this Objection in a Church Meeting there is one half at such a Diet that will not sing the Doxology because of their Christian Liberty and the other half will sing it at that same Si Ecclesiae incolumitati bene prospectum volumus diligenter omnino curandum est ut diligenter omnia secundum ordinem siant ut cum in hominum moribus tanta insit diversit as tanta in animis varietas tanta in ingeniis judiciisque pugna neque politia ulla firma est nisi certis legibus constituta nec nisi stata quaedam forma servari ritus quispiam potest Institut lib. 4. cap. 10. §. 27. time because of Christian Liberty and then who will deny this to be horrid and scandalous Confusion very dishonourable to the God of all Glory who is not the Author of Confusion 1 Cor. 4. 33. and hath commanded all things to be done decently and in order and therefore hath given power to His Church to appoint such and such things to be done decently and in order as is clear in Calvin's words If it be objected to the Christians to sing the Doxology so often
the Lord is His Word to obey the Magistrat in things lawful and also according to your refusal it is good Conscience to disobey the Magistrat therefore be pleased to consider that there is a twofold superstition First positive which is most ordinar to which the old Pharisees were much addicted There is also a negative superstition of which we have example Colos 2. 19. Touch not taste not handle not there is an other example of the same Rom. 14. 3. Where ye will find a superstidious eat not upon consideration of which two Texts see that your refusing to sing the Doxology come not in in that category sing not in which place ye may find a controversy betwixt two sorts of Christians the strong in knowledge and the weak the strong Christian believes that he may can any thing and not ask question or scruple for Conscience sake and him the Apostle approveth and alloweth for him the Apostle defends against the weak Christian in the end of the 3. verse God hath received him to wit the strong Christian and albeit the weak Christian who is stiff through his ignorance to eat not yet the Apostle condemns him because he proudly and ignorantly thought these things unclean whereas the Apostle sayes they were not unclean and therefore the strong made no scruple but eat and is approven of God So in the 14. verse of this 14. Chapter the weak thought that unclean which was not unclean and therefore refused to eat it then apply this to your own Consciences who sayes sing not because your Conscience thinks it unlawfull to sing when we have proven already that it is both lawfull and expedient See then that ye are not as wrong with your sing not as these weak Christian Romans were with their eat not The strong Christian thinks it clean to sing and dutifull and is approven of God ye think it unclean and unlawfull and are not approven of God because ye obey not the Magistrat in that which is lawfull and I pray you consider in the 14. verse of that Chapter the Apostles vehement and emphatick expression I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ that there is nothing unclean of it self So I know and am perswaded with the universall Church that the Doxology is not unclean nor the singing of it an unclean Action and though ye judge him that singeth God hath saved him In these two ranks of Christians strong in knowledge and weak I perceive a fault in each of them mutually toward the other vers 3. The weak judged or condemned the strong for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both as if they had been sinning in their eating and as people that made no conscience of their doings So beware it be not your sin proudly and ignorantly to condemn them that sings as it were a sin There was a sin also on the other hand in the strong that despised the weak for their refusing to eat because of their scrupulous and ignorant conscience therefore it is my humble request to all that sing the Doxologie that none of them despise or set at nought him that singeth not upon meer ignorance his conscience being sincere for despising is a sin against Christian love therefore even these who in great weakness sing not yet bestow Christian love on them and still the more if ye see any sign of Christ in them and be willing to instruct them in the spirit of meekness for which cause I have written these lines for your information and am to exhort you to tenderness with them in the last Chapter And if any object that there is some diversity and difference betwixt particular Churches which viosits not Christian union as in some Churches they kneel at the receiving of the Lords Supper in another Church they sit in the third they stand I answer albeit diverse Churches in diverse Kingdoms have diverse wayes yet no Church in one and the same Kingdom allows such a latitude as this receive the Communion standing or not standing as you please but every Church have their settled way and uniformity otherwayes it would violat the Apostles rule let all things be done in order and decency 1 Cor. 14. vers last and make confusion of which God is not the Author as it is vers 33. of that same Chapter and according a Justinianum lib 4. cap. 10. § 27. Si Ecclesiae incolumitati bene prospectum volumus diligenter omnino curandum est ut decenter omnia secundum ordinem fiant at cum in hominum moribus tanta in sit diversitas tanta in animas varietas tanta in ingeniis judiciisque pugna neque politia ulla firma est nisi certis legibus constituta nec nisi stata quadam forma servari ritus quispiam potest Calvin writes judiciously that there cannot be order and decency unless there be one certain state form so that this difference in some Churches one from another will not allow in the same Church some to sing the Doxologie some not For as Calvin did sing it to the day of his death so neither at that time nor never before it was the singing of the Doxologie called in question 2 Answer Albeit the universal Church hath judged some things of less moment then that the universal Church should be tyed to an uniformity in them because Church Communion might be kept firm amongst diverse Churches notwithstanding that they differed in some smaller particulars of which Socrates in his Church History lib. 5. cap. 21. writes at length which the Learned know yet there are some things belonging to the Church of so weighty and important concernment that the universal Church judged it no wayes expedient that particular Churches should be left to their own choise but that the universal Church should agree upon one certain way wherein all particular Churches might keep uniformity according to the rule of Gods Word for order and decency and peace and therefore the learned know what contentions fell out in the second Century betwixt the Church in the West and the Churches in lesser Asia for these in lesser Asia kept their Feast of Easter the same day that the Jews kept their Passover but the Christians in the West kept their Feast of Easter upon the first Sabbath day thereafter And albeit in this mean time the foresaid West and East Churches their judgement and practice was diverse upon that matter yet on both sides they who were strong in knowledge still kept Church Communion one with the other as Socrates proves learnedly in the foresaid Book and Chapter so that Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna afterwards a glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ albeit he did celebrat Easter in that same day with the Jews Passover as ordinarily did all his Neighbour Bishops in lesser Asia yet coming to Rome he Communicat with their Bishop upon their Christian Sabbath day which differed from his day of giving the Communion at home but because there
Trojano anno dom 120. formulam catechizandi catechimenos addisceret nam inducit Christianam siccine Ethnicos catechizantem licet animo blasphemo Deum alte regnantem magnum aetherium atque aeternum fiilium patris spiritum sanctum ex patre procedentem unum ex tribus ex uno tria Patres Concilii Constantinopolitani anno dom 383. mittunt libellum Synodicam Romam at Damasum aliosque Episcopos ibidem convicatos in quo exhibent fidei suae Confessionem Fidei Nicenae consentaneam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consentaneam baptismati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzenus his contemporaâ—â—us orat 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socinus anno dom 1604. scribit epistolam Smaltio itidem Sociniano de baptismo ut non necessario remittendo atque ad synaxin excipiendis hominibus vitae honestae ac probatae religionem christianam professis quamvis nunquam baptizatis adeo abhorrent acfloccipendunt baptismum Satan ut fidem nostram ab ipsis radicibus convelleret partim de divina filii Spiritus Sancti essentia partim de personali distinctione ingentes pugnas semper movebat Calvin Institut lib. 1. cap. 13. §. 21. Servabat tamen Dominus in Papatu renascituri suo tempore populi semen manebat salvus baptismus in Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti nomen quamvis perigrinae linguae usu multis aliis conspurcatus superstitionibus manebat frustra toties oppugnatum unitatis essentiae trinitatis personarum fundamentum manebat doctrina de duabus Christi naturis Beza epist 81. Mysteries of Christian Religion which it hath pleased God in His infinite Wisdom Mercy Goodness to reveal to His Church on Earth on which they are to build their Faith and Salvation the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity one God in three Persons is the first in order and of great concernment even the three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. These three bear witness to the truth of all the Scriptures then assuredly to this truth also that they are three Persons in one Godhead and among the twelve Articles of the Apostolick Creed this Mystery of the Trinity takes up three This sacred Mystery is most clearly manifested in our Saviour's Baptism Mat. 3. 16 17. Luk 3. 21 22. John 1. 32 33. The Father speaks from Heaven this is my well beloved Son while at the same time the Son is baptized in Jordan and the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven in the likeness of a Dove and lighted upon God the Son and abode upon Him Moreover The Sacrament of Baptism being ordained of God Father Son and Holy Ghost the first Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace in it all the Promises of Mercy and Salvation are sealed to Believers and by it Christians are solemnly entered into the Church and House of God so that the Contemner of this Sacrament debarreth himself from Salvation Therefore God Himself hath appointed this Program to be prefixed upon the Porch of His Church that this Almighty God in whose Name we are baptized and in whom we Believe is Father Son and Holy Ghost and It cannot be supponed but that these Men and Women who were Proselyted and being Pagans before admitted to the benefite of Christian Baptism behoved to take a time to learn the Grounds of their Religion therefore the the Doctors of the Church not only wrote Catechisms for these young Christians who therefore betwixt their first offering of themselves to the Christian Church until the time they were baptized were called Catechumeni These Doctors also wrote certain short Sums of Christian Faith commonly called Creeds that before these Pagan Catechume in received Baptism they were to give a confession of their Faith contained in their Creed in all which Creeds written by the Church whether longer or shorter and in their Catechisms the Doctrine of the Trinity was a special part and accordingly that Synod of Divines at Westminster in their lesser Catechism have not omitted the Trinity So the reformed French Church in Geneva have a little Catechism containing only twenty one short Questions on which they examine these who are at first to be admitted to the Lords Table which little Catechism begins with the Trinity and is bound in with their French Version of the Bible printed at Geneva 1567. The Sacred Trinity being the Program of Christian Baptism proved the strong and invincible Fort of the Christian Faith in the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead against the Arrians and other Antitrinitarian Hereticks wherefore Socinus who hath drunk much deeper in the poysonable Cup of Blasphemy against the blessed Trinity then the old Arrians hath very slightingly written of the Sacrament of Baptism The second great Mystery of Christian Religion is that the Word was made Flesh Joh. 1. 14. and this the Holy Ghost calls the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh 1 Timoth. chap. 3. vers 16. which Mystery viz. that the Word the second Person God the Son was incarnate and not the Father or the Holy Ghost this cannot be known and believed aright until first we know believe that there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead therefore our Saviour Joh. 17. 3. joyns these two together This is life everlasting to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent and the Apostle Paul Coloss 2. 2. to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. If it be objected that it seems to be a hard saying That the Knowledge and Faith in God and three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost and in Christ God and Man in one Person is necessary to Salvation Seing both these are profound Mysteries so far above Humane Reason and Capacity I answer first Not only these two are great Mysteries but also the whole Gospel is a Divine Revelation of a continued tract of Mysteries Mark 4. 11. Rom. 16. 25. 26. Eph. 3. 9 16 19. Coloss 1. 26 27. called the great Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved but the Name of Jesus Acts 4. 12. who is the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. 10. the Author of Eternal Salvation Heb. 5. 9. and the Gospel is called the Knowledge of Salvation Luk. 1. 77. the Word of Salvation Acts 13. 26. the Way of Salvation Acts 16. 17. the Salvation of God Acts 28. 28. the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. the great Salvation Heb. 2. 3. so that whosoever will not believe these Gospel Mysteries is damned I answer secondly that to Divine and Saving Faith as such demonstrative knowledge in the Logical Sense far less comprehensive knowledge is required but the Lord condescending to Mans Humane weak Capacity accepts of Faith albeit apprehensive Knowledge go before it not alwayes requiring that they know how such a thing is true
where Satan had his Throne and Antichrist kept the Chair They wrote nine several Creeds not all confirming or explaining the former Creed but some of them containing Contradictions of which themselves were ashamed d Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 25. for a Liar should have a good Memory yea in the last of these Councils they ratifie their Council at Seleucia and its Creed and cursed the Creed at Ariminum because it was not Heterodox enough e Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 4. As we have seen the Activity Perfidity and Falshood of the Arian in spreading their Heresie so in the fourth place we shall take a view of their Hellish Cruelty practised against the Orthodox and true Church of God For they poysoned with their Arianism the Emperour Constantius who began his Reign Anno Dom. 336. and Valence who began his Reign Anno Dom. 366. thâ—se two Emperours they instigate to raise cruel and bloody Persecution against the Orthodox during the time of their Empire of which we shall only mention a few notable Instances First The Arians at Constantinople raised a great Tumult of Sedition that many Christians were troden under Foot to Death a Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 9. Secondly The Arian Emperour Constantius having banished the Orthodox Bishop of Constantinople the Arians strangled him in his Exile and the Orthodox Bishop of Adrianople died in Prison with Torments b Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 21. Thirdly Great Persecution was raised by the Arians in the Cities of the East against the Orthodox Christians by Banishment spoiling of their Goods and sundry kinds of Torments c Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 22. Fourthly The Arians at Alexandria upon the Lords Day invaded with Arms the Orthodox and having kindled a great Fire apprehended Orthodox Virgins who as they thought would soonest yield to them these they threatned with Burning unless they turned Arian but percelving these holy Virgins invincible Courage resolute to die Martyrs for the Glory of the Sacred Trinity they violently in the open Streets pulled off all their Clothes to put them to shame and mocked them in their nakedness but these Virgins being of undaunted Courage to suffer for the Name of Christ them the Arians so wounded on the Face that their nearest Relations did hardly know them and fourty Men they scourged with Rods that some of them died yet they refused to give their dead bodies to their Friends to bury and these who outlived their Scourging part of them they Banished of others not banished the Chirurgians had great difficulty to pull out the Thorn Pricks out of their Flesh At that same time the Arians killed moe then thirty Orthodox Bishops in Egypt and Lybia and banished sixteen moe whereof some died in their cruel usage by the way others died in the place of their Banishment of which Martyrs the World was not worthy d Socrat lib. 2. cap. 23. Fifthly In Constantinople and the Country about many Orthodox Bishops were banished by the Arians and other of the Orthodox that refused to communicate with the Arians they cruelly tormented their Bodies and then scobbing their Mouths violently thrust in the sacramental Elements of the Lords Supper and that not only of Men and Women but also of Children and these who were most reluctant they detained in Prison and Torments that so the Arian intended by this his work to get the honour that the Orthodox did communicate with them but prophane forcing proved the Arian Communion to be the Table of Devils yea they thrust the Papes of some holy Women into a Chest and closing its lid cut off their Papes with a Saw and others they burnt off their Papes with a red hot Iron a Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 30. Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 14. Sixthly The Arians in Alexandria conspired with the Jews and Pagans and all three raised great Persecution against the true Christians there they apprehended the holy Virgins stripped them naked as they were born and led them through the Streets obscenely mocking them and if any Beholder in Christian compassion did speak but one word in their favours they were driven away with Wounds thereafter many of the Virgins they ravished some they killed and refused to give their Bodies to their Parents to be buried yea in this Tumult the Arian and Pagan committed so great abomination that I am ashamed to render them in English b Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 20. a most profane Pagan being a chief Acter of these Abominations acted both in the Pulpit and on the Altar of the chief Church of Alexandria it was too like a Stage-Play of Satans divising against God's Word and Worship the most profane the Devil could devise and all this acted in the presence of the Arian Bishop whom the Pagan Spokesman thus saluted O Bishop who denies the Son of God thy coming is welcome to us c Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 22. our god Serapis embraceth thee and brought thee hither observe how well the Devil and the Arian does aggree like Heart and Joy This Pagan god Serapis had a Church in Alexandria where he was worshipped and in it a monstruous great Image at that time much worshipped by the Pagans there What true Christian can read the Perjury Falshood and hellish Cruelty of the Arian and their atheistical profaning of the Lord's Supper and not look upon them as incarnate devils against these antichristian and profane bloody Arians who blasphemed both the Son and Holy Ghost The Orthodox Church were most zealous to defend the Truth and for that cause to sing the Doxology in their publick Worship exactly according to the words of the Holy Scriptures For then the Arian also keeped the singing of their own Doxology but it was different from the Orthodox and Holy Scriptures Now considering the true Churches hard condition when the Arians persecute them and yet these holy Christians were most willing to suffer Martyrdom for the Name of Jesus and also to sing the Doxology therein professing their Faith in one God in three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost equal in Power and Glory Now I would ask the Christian now a days If the Lord in His Providence did put them now in such a condition to be persecuted to the death by the prevailing Arian whether or not they would be content to suffer Martyrdom in defence of the honour of Christ and also with the Orthodox Christian to sing the Doxology would they both sing and suffer as these did who are now singing triumphant Songs to Father Son and Holy Ghost having trode Satan and Arians under-foot I willingly judge in Charity to these weak Lambs they would then with the Orthodox Christians both joyn in singing the Doxology and also in suffering with them for the Name of Jesus Then I ask them again if they would have sung the Doxology if they had been going to the Stake to die in desence of the honour of Christ against the cursed Arian then have they not as good
infalliby no Christian dare deny the lawfulness of singing Glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost The ninth Reason in this Chapter being taken from the Custome of the Church and that in Imitation of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 11. ver 16. For in this present Case the duty being proven lawfull according to the Word of God which we have done in the former eight Reasons the practice of the Church if the Apostles Argument hold good is sufficient warrand to clear the Conscience of every particular Christian for doing of the duty therefore albeit we have handled before somewhat of the Antiquity and Universality of this Practice in singing the Doxology and using it in our Devotion yet for furder clearing of that truth and satisfaction to the scrupulous we shall clear it yet more from Antiquity St. Basil who was mighty in the Scriptures and a Son of thunder against the Arian in his time and so took occasion to write of the Doxology being the great badge and standard of Christinaity against the Arian writs thus a Basil tomo 2d lib. de spiritu sancto cap. 29. consuetudinem psallendi Doxologiam habemus acceptam ab antiquitate Patrum proavorum pag. 218. citat non solum Irenaeum sed Dionysium Alexandrium ad Dionysium Romanum his verbis scribentem congruenter nos formâ à Senioribus acceptâ concordibus votis Patri filio Domino nostro Jesu Christo cum Spitu sancto sit gloria impertum in secula seculorum imo testatur Clementem cujus multe extant Epistolae adeo que Apostolis contemporarium fuisse usum Doxologid Originem Africanum Historicum Gregorium Thaumaturgon Firmilanium in suis libris quod ad suam praxin lib. de Spiritu Sancto cap. 7. pag. 157. de seipso ita scribit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he received the Custome of singing Glory to the Father as an Heirship from his Fathers learned it at him that baptized him and cites many of the Ancient Fathers even to the dayes of the Apostles that used the Doxology and that the Fathers before him did appoint it to be sung in their Kirks and as this shows it's antiquity so he writs accordingly of his universality that from the East and the West Mesopotamia and Cappadocia Nations and Cities long before his time and the memory of all men used the Doxology But if it be objected that yet it 's uncertain when the Church first began to sing the Doxology in the publick worship of God and therefore it is to be rejected I answer First The duty being lawfull and iufallibly grounded on the Word of God so it cannot be denyed but the using of it is very Ancient in the Church of Christ 2d Answer by the light of Nature and Law of Nations a constant good Custome long practised many hundred years without controle or any apparent evil in the practice thereof turns into a Law b Basil de spiritu sancto cap. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod si glorificandi modum veluti scripto non traditum rejiciant proferant nobis fidei professionis probationem de scripturis Calvinius institut lib. 2. cap. 16. § 18. hacttenus symboli Apostolici Orationem secutus sum quia dum paucis verbis capita redemptionis perstringit vice tabulae nobis esse potest in qua distincte sigillatim respicimus quae in Christo attentione digna sunt Apostolicum autem nuncupo de authore interim minime solicitus Apostolis certè magno scriptorum veterum assensu ad scribitur sive quod ab illis in commune conscriptum ac aeditum existimabant sive quod compendium istud ex doctrina per eorum manus tradita bona fide collectum tali elegio confirm andum censerunt neque vero Authori dubium est quin à prima statim Ecclesiae origne adeoque ab ipsis Apostolorum soeculis instar publicè omnium calculis receptae confessionis obtinuerit undicunque tandem initio fuerit profectum nec ab uno aliquo privatim fuisse conscriptumvere est quam simile ab ultima usque memoria sacrosanctae inter pios omnes authoritatis fuisse constet quod unice curandumest idextra omnem contraversiam positum habemus totam in eo fidei nostrae historiam succincte distinctoque ordine recenseri nihil autemcontineri quod solidisscripturae testimonijs non sit consignatum quo intellecto de authore vel anxie laborare vel eum alioquo digladiari nihil attinet nisi quiforte nonsuficiat certam habere spiritus sancti veritatem ut non simul intelligat aut cujus ore nunciata aut cujus manu descripta fuerit for universal practice answers to univeral voices that all who practise it are content that it be a Law and as it is so in the State by Analogy it is so in the Church therefore St. Paul does not reason from a Church Canon he sayes not we have made an Act in the Church for such a thing to be done but only this the Church hath no such custome therefore would he say this is as strong as a Church Act. 1 Corinth 11. 16. I am glad that the Synod of Divines did not reject the Apostolick Creed but has retained it at the end of their Shorter Catechism albeit they cannot tell no more then Calvin when it was first written or made use of in the Church but confesses it Orthodox lawfull and consonant to the Scriptures and very ancient and in all these it aggrees with the Doxology then if you retain your Creed albeit none tell who first wrote it or when it was first made use of so I plead for the Doxology that same priviledge that albeit it cannot be proven from Scripture when it began to be used yet it having all the good properties of the Creed should be retained in the Church as long as the Creed Yea seing the Creed retains the style Apostolick because of it's great Antiquity so some of the learned incline to think that the Doxology is also of Apostolick antiquity for that it was used in the Church long before the Nicen Creed It was proven by Basils words and Athanasius who was a young Presbyter at the Council of Nice and there a great refuter of Arius yet long before he dyed Basil writs diverse Letters to him Epist 47. And diverse following reverencing his Gray Hairs but so as they were Bishops contemporary and Bazil writs that the Doxology was used in Europ and Asia long before the Council of Nice even past the memory of Man and seing in the Primitive Kirk many Catechumine Men and Women were solemnly Baptized in their publick worship who had chiefly learned in their Catechism the Doctrine of the Trinity and gave a confession of it at their Baptism themselves and in that their publick worship were alwayes sung holy Hymnes to God as the learned know what more probable then that these especially the Catechumeni who
were now Christians of understanding as they were Baptized presently in the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost and gave a Confession of their Faith in Father Son and Holy Ghost that they also in their publick worship did sing Glory to that Father Son and Holy Ghost in whose name they were newly Baptized Some asks the question upon what Text of Scripture the Doxology is chiefly founded for answer It hath two parts to wit The three Persons of the Trinity which are the object of that worship Secondly the Glory given to them which is the Act of worship in the Doxology accordingly the giving of Glory to God is founded on many Scriptures but there is one full and express Rom. 11. the last verse Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen But seing the object of the worship in three distinct Persons of the Trinity is most clear in the Words of the Baptismal institution Matth. last Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost therefore with Athanasius Bazil and the rest of the Greek Fathers we think that the Doxology is chiefly grounded upon that Text in Matthew It is true some of the Learned would build it on that Text Rom. 11. And that because they alleadge the three Persons of the Trinity insinuate here which though it Lombardus lib. 1. senten distinct 36. capitulo 3. putat cum Augustino in lib. 1. de trinitate cap. 6 in loco praedicto 11. capitis ad Romanos indigitari distinctionem trium personarum astibi certum est to loco non satis perspicuum datur fundamentum fidei trium personarum trinitatis pro argumento invincibili quod Eunomius Arianus istam textam citat ut patet Basilei lib. 1. contra Eunominium dum dat confessionem suae fidei pag. 7. Credimus inquit in unum Deum ex quo sunt omnia in unum unigenitum dei filium eundem verbum dominum nostrum Jesum Christum per quam sunt omnia in unum Spiritum Sanctum paracletum Haec Arij confessio fidei in trinitatem subolet hunc locum ad Romanos ipse Arianus prius rumperet quam consiteretur se credere in Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum aut ita proferret Doxologiam ut scribit Basilius were granted that the three Persons are there insinuat yet the other Text being full and express and the strongest Bulwark against the Arian therefore that Text in Matthew is the chief ground for the Doxology for to glorify God according to that Text in the Romans is so general that the Arian could easily subscribe to such a Doxology CHAP. VII The lawfulness of singing the Doxology proven by the Induction of all it's Parts 12. from the three Holies Isa 6. 3. IN this Chapter we prove by Induction that all the Parts of the Doxology are in the Holy Scriptures from whence we deduce this Reason that Divine Glory which in the Holy Scripture is given to Father Son and Holy Ghost that same Divine Glory is lawfull to sing to Father Son and Holy Ghost we prove the assumption that Glory is given to Father Son and Holy Ghost Rom. 11. v. last To God be glory for ever 1 Tim. 1. 17. To God be honour and glory forfor ever and ever Amen 2 Tim. 4. 18. To God be glory for ever and ever 1 Tim. 6. v. 16. To God be honour and power everlasting for ever Jude v. last To God be glory now and for ever Amen Galat. 14. 5. To God and our Father be glory for ever and ever Amen and the same Words Philip. 4. 20. Secondly Glory to God through Christ these words you shall find Rom. 16. v. last Eph. 3. 21. Heb. 13. 20 21. Thirdly To Christ be glory now and for ever Amen 2 Peter 3. v. last Revel 16. Revel 5. 12. He is the Lord of glory 1 Corinth 2. 8. James 2. 1. He is crowned with glory Heb. 2. 9. The Lords glorious branch Isaiah 11. 10. The Holy Ghost Pet. 14. 14. The Spirit of glory is glorified Thus we have proven from Scripture these parts of the Doxology Glory to the Father to the Son and Holy Ghost for now and ever There remains one word to be cleared in the Doxology to wit As it was in the beginning for clearing of which we wrot in the end of the fourth Chapter that these words were added to the Doxology because of Arian Hereticks and that in the fourth Century when Arius denyed that the Son was with the Father from all eternity but affirmed that there was a time when the Son was not and these Ancient Doctors of the Church knowing that the first Words in St. Johns Gospel in these three Verses were indited by the Holy Ghost and written by the Apostle John his Pen-man to assert the Co-eternity of the Son with the Father and that against Ancient Hereticks who lived in the Apostle St. John's time and were Blasphemers of Christ the Church therefore hath made choise of that same Text as fittest against the Arians a Alexander Alexandriae Episcopus Concilij Niceni Membrum Arij Blasphemijs infensissimus in sua Epistola ad omnes ubique gentium fratres scribit Arium asserere tempus aliquando fuisse cum filius Dei non esset quod sic refutat in initio Evangilij Joannis In principio erat verbum itaque non erat tempus cum non esset Socrates lib. 1. cap. 3. Syrmiense concilium in symbolo damnat eos qui dicunt erat tempus aut seculum quando 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non erat ibidem anathemate 25. Si quis dicat Christum ex quo ex Maria natus est initium accepisse ut Deus esset anathema sit ut Samosatenus Ebion Cerinthus Thus have we cleared that all the Words in the Doxology are express Scripture and according thereunto and if any object that it follows not to be lawfully sung in the Church except it were in Scripture all contiguous together as one of the Psalms of David to these in this place I only give this Answer That the reformed Church of France in their publick worship sing the Apostolick Creed turned in Meeter and is therefore printed and bound in with their Psalm Books and yet that Creed is far lesse continued Scripture then the Doxology And the Learned know that the Church of France is famous not only of old time for many glorious Martyres before the Council of Nice but also in the beginning of Reformation from Popery b Origines in hunc locum Is 66. 3. ait hic trinitatem insinuari Athanasius tom 1. operim pag. 154. 255. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proferunt glorificationem dicentes sanctus sanctus sanctus tres personas perfectas ostendunt sub una voce Dominus unam substantiam declarant idque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in confuse indivise subinnuens nec Angelos
of Faith to be allowed and accepted of God and to be comfortable to your Soul for I suppone it well grounded on the Word of God His Promise and Command whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved John 3. 16. and John 6. 40. But I John such a one believe in Jesus Christ therefore I John such a one shall be saved the General Promise is express in the Word but not your two following Acts of Faith builded thereon and yet you will assume they are Acts of true Faith and for the first of the two it 's truth is best known to your selves who are alone privy to that heart secret of yours 1 Cor. Chap. 2. 11. For all within the visible Church say I believe in Christ â—ccording to the Apostles Creed received by the universal Church for an Act of true Faith and yet a great part speak not truly This is a sad but sure Truth but as truely as thou believes in Christ it is assuredly as true thou shall be saved then if I grant that your Act whereby you believe to be saved is True Faith and rightly believed by you albeit it is not express in in your Bible then why shall not this be an Act of Faith when a Christian believes it is lawfull to sing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost albeit these words be not express in the Bible altogether but deduced from the Scripture by infallible consequence I could proceed further in this point but because the Babes are not able to bear it and the Learned are fully clear in this Truth I shall not insist and these who will not assent to the Truth the defect is in themselves and not in the Truth for Children so long as they are such will think speak and understand as Children for which the strong Christian should not despise the Babes but consider they were once Babes themselves and on the other hand the Children should not presume nor overwean themselves nor judge uncharitably of the strong but that they sing the Doxology in Faith grounded on a strong Scriptural Consequence as when the weak Christian takes his Sacrament and I request the weak Christian to think soberly of himself when David a Man according to Gods own heart said in sincerity Psalm 131. 2. I have quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother and if ye will ask wherein he so behaved he tells you himself he did not aspired things too high for him If every Christian would do so there would be more peace in the Church CHAP. XI The Reasons why the General Assembly was not in power to lay aside the Doxology proving their great reluctancy to their own deed with several other circumstances alleviating the same IN this Chapter we are to answer the Grand Objection to wit That the singing of the Doxology in the publick worship of God was laid aside by the Generall Assembly of this Church Anno Dom. 1649. To this my first answer is that Assembly hath fourty two Sessions mentioned in the Index of the imprinted Acts thereof but the laying aside of the Doxology is not mentioned in the Printed Acts of that Assembly nor yet in the index of the imprinted Acts therefore seing there is no mention in the Register of the Church to prove to Posterity that the Doxology was laid aside it may put some to demurr in that affair seing there is no legal proof of it extant 2 dly I answer though the laying aside of the Doxology was res gesta yet seing there is not a word of it in the Register of the Church the laying of it aside will come under the Notion of an unwritten Tradition to Posterity 3 dly I answer That it is to be considered whether or not the Generall Assembly was in potestate and had lawfull power to lay aside the Doxology for in their National Covenant they grant their Religion as reformed at the first expelling of Idolatry and was Ratified in Parliament in Anno Dom. 1560. And it 's Confession of Faith to be Christs true and perfect Religion that they shal adhere to it all their dayes to which they bind themselves with Solemn and fearfull Curses but so it is That at the said Reformation in the Lyturgy then appointed and Printed at the beginning of the Psalm Book Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost as it was in the beginning is now and aye shall last is extant in Print yea in that Psalm Book of the Church of Scotland of the old Edition there is great variety of the Meeter Poesies and lest any of them having their diverse Tune should want the Doxology sung at the close of it each of these diverse Poesies have a diverse Doxology one in substance with the ordinar Doxology but differing in some words being framed to be sung according to the particular musical Tunes all which Doxologies were in use in the Church of Scotland after the Reformation which Book is yet extant Printed at Aberdeen cum privilegio in Anno Dom. 1638. So that the National Covenant compared with our first Reformation engadgeth us in all Scotland not to quite the Doxology under the pain of perjury as for that foresaid Lyturgy of Scotland which was Printed and bound in with the Psalm Book it was drawn up by the General Assembly Anno Dom. 1560. and 1555 and 1567. The Fourth Answer The General Assembly 1639. August 30. Which day that Assembly hath enacted thus The General Assembly considering that the intended Reformation being recovered may be established Ordains that no Innovation which may disturbe the peace of the Church and make division be suddenly proponed or enacted but so as the motion be first communicat to the severall Synods Presbytries and Churches that the matter may be approven by all at home and Commissioners may come well prepared unanimously to conclude with settled deliberation upon these points in the general Assembly Which Act of Assembly as it was prudently made so accordingly practised thereafter for in the General Assembly Anno Dom. 1642. August 6. There are four Overtures Printed with the Acts of that Assembly to be advised by Presbyters against the next Assembly So that his laudable Act was carefully obeyed in other things but not so in laying aside the Doxology For it was done abruptly without the knowledge or advertisement of particular Churches Presbytries or Synods who should have been acquainted before and canvassed the matter before any thing had been determined in the General Assembly anent the Doxology and the laying of it aside which was an innovation suddenly proponed and instantly passed to the discomforming division of themselves from all transmarin Protestants yea and from the universal Church Fifthly In the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland and England approven by the General Assembly of Scotland Anno. Dom. 1643. August 17. In the said League and Covenant with hands lifted up to the most high God they swear sincerely and constantly to
endeavour the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Worship but then the Church of Scotland in their Worship did sing the Doxology to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland in Worship c. according to the Example of the best Reformed Churches but then and to this day the best Reformed Churches did use and still use the Doxology in the Worship of God as is to be seen in the particular Psalm Books in Helvetia Geneva France and Holland c. Here in the Solemn League and Covenant are two tyes on the Covenanters in both Nations to use the Doxology Sixthly The same General Assembly Anno Dom. 1643 After their approbation of the League and Covenant in their Answer to the Syned of Divines in England August 19 Writ thus That you may be more closely united to the best Reformed Churches in Worship c. But so it was that Scotland and the best Reformed Churches did then and to this day use the Doxology and in another Letter of the said Assembly to the Parliament of England they writ thus That the Purpose and End of the League and Covenant is for setling and holding fast of Unity and Uniformity betwixt the Churches of this Island and the best Reformed Churches beyond Sea but all these Churches beyond Seas did then and still does to this day sing the Doxology then surely the Church of Scotland even after their taking the League and Covenant as it did tye them to keep the Doxology so they sincerely purposed to keep it and their practice was conform Seventhly The General Assembly Anno Dom. 1645. Feb. 3. post merid Sâ—ss â—o By their Act they establish the putting in execution the Directory notwithstanding in the close of that Act they dissent from England expresly in two particulars anent the manner of giving the Lords Supper As also Sess 16. Of that Assembly they freely dissent from the Westminster Synod in other two particulars as also they provide that this shall be to prejudice to the Order and Practice of this Church in such particulars as re appointed by the Books of Discipline and Acts of General Assemblies and are not otherwise ordered and appointed in the Directory And this Act is not only to be found Printed in the General Assembly Anno 1645 But also the said Directory was Printed at Edinburgh in the said Year by Order both of Church and State and the foresaid Act of the General Assembly of Scotland Printed and prefixed to it Now among thâ—se particulars in which the Church of Scotland preserveth her Right and protests timously norwithstanding the Derectory and wherein the Directory hath not appointed other wayes the singing of the Doxology and the ordinar manner of Blessing the Lords People at the close of the Publick Worship are two for neither of which are particularly ordered in the Directory contrarily as for the Doxology no mention to sing it or not to sing it 2 dly For the blessing of the Congregation these are their Words Let the Minister dismiss the Congregation with a solemn blessing but no particular word of a Directory mentioning either the blessing in the Old Testament Numb 6. 24 25. Or in the New Testament 2 Corinth 13 14. As they are both mentioned in their express words in our Scots Lyturgy at our Reformation pag. 29 As also the said Scots Lyturgy hath the Doxology Printed in the Psalm Book so that both from the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant from many Acts of General Assemblies and Letters of the said Assembly it is without doubt and notour that the Church of Scotland when they laid aside the Doxology were no wayes in power to do it but on the contrare by both Covenants and many other previous Oaths of their own oblidged still to retain it and not by quitting of it so far as to have made a Schism from the Reformed Churches with which they had Solemnly sworn to keep Union in Worship but beside all these Tyes of their own Vowes and Promises willingly taken by themselves which does denude them of all Liberty and Power to lay aside the Doxology I bring this Reason to wit As the General Assembly of this Church did bind up their own hands from laying aside the Doxology by both Covenants and many Acts of General Assemblies beside so there are Reasons brought from the substance of their deed to invalid at the same as First there is a Rule in the Word of God Whether ye eat or ye drink do all to the glory of God Then every Church Act should be done to the Glory of God then the tenor of this Church Act must come to this for the Glory of God we lay aside singing Glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost this is a hard saying and like a Paradox For he that offereth praise glorifieth me Psalm 50 13. 2dly Consider that the Almighty can and does make Lawes to His Creature and His Will and infinit Goodnesse is a sufficient Reason to Him stat pro ratione voluntas but Men both in Church and State they and their Laws both are subject to Censure and control of the Supream Law-giver and therefore Mens Laws ordinarly have a Rational Narrative on which they are founded for all good Laws are founded upon good Reasons and Reasonable Men should be led by reasonable Laws especially when they are invalidating one former Law or Decree not out of use or forgotten but used for many Years with approbation yea even to that very hour Then this Law required a very grave and weighty Narrative but the Act for laying aside the Doxology had no such Rational Narrative and in so far it is invalidat from having the essentiall of an Act for it is like they could not have a rational Narrative for it therefore it was the prudency of the General Assembly to buâ—y in silence both the Act and it 's Narrative This shews their unwillingness to the thing and therefore I hope there may the rather an Act of Oblivion or rescissory passe upon their imprinted Act. Thirdly We challenge the Roman Church that they lean too much to unwritten Traditions but I fear they may retort the Argument upon us that some of the Reformed Church adhere too much to unwritten Tradition for the layinâ— aside of the singing of the Doxology is not in the Word of God nor in any Act of the Church and therefore if there be any unwritten Tradition owned by the Reformed Church this must be it For why some people make as much dinn and reluctancy to sing the Doxology as some of the Roman Church does for keeping of their unwritten Traditions 4. No particular Church in this or that Kingdom hath power to change any thing in the Publick Worship of God without the consent of the Supream Civil Magistrate â—â—umble not at this for it is the Doctrine of the Church of Geneva a Theses Genev. Bâ—zae Anno Dom. 1586. cap.
England As for these Brethren in England who requested the General Assembly in Scotland to lay aside the singing of the Doxologie no doubt they had taken the League and Covenant and on this account are called Brethren but in that Covenant they did solemnly vow and swear to Almighty God to reform Religion according to the best reformed Churches but all the reformed Churches have still retained the Doxologie why then did not these Brethren in England fear that Oath the mark of the truly godly Eccl. 9. 2. And if any would thus excuse them that they were perswaded by such strong reasons as they thought liberate them from their Oath in regard of singing the Doxologie I answer granting that it is possible they had such thoughts as may be in charity supponed To which I reply If they had as they thought such strong reasons convincing themselves then they were bound to impart that new and rare light unknown to the universal Church for more then 1300. years they should have imparted that spiritual gift and not hid that talent of knowledge in their Napkin nor set their Candle under a Bushel but on a Candlestick to give light to all the house not only of the reformed but even of the universal Church 2. It may be thought that they were obliged to clear themselves of giving offence in separating from the Reformed Churches contrary to their Covenant and quitting the Doxologie without so much as rendering one reason for their making a breach from the reformed Churches in their uniformity in Worship which they did swear in their Covenant I am also sorry that with their quitting of the Doxologie these in England did also quite both the solemn blessings in the Old and New Testament which the Reformed Church useth in the closing of the publick Worship that they would neither give God his due nor his people not him his solemn glory nor them their solemn blessing and so they have not left a blessing behind them and it is like their way hath not been the more blessed in their deed for as their laying aside of the Apostolick blessing 2 Cor 13 14. which Text the universal Church taketh for one of the chief Texts in the Word-of God for proving the great fundamental point of faith of the Sacred Trinity So the universal Church had made use of the Doxologie these many hundred years bygone as a strong preservative against seducing of people to errour anent the Trinity As for the General Assembly of Scotland as they piously and prudently in these unsettled and reeling times retained both the blessings of the Old and New Testament in their Publick Worship with the rest of the reformed Churches So it was a good presage that in the Lords good time they would re-assume and sing glory to the blessed Trinity with the rest of the reformed and universal Church as now they do at this day for which we give glory to the blessed Trinity CHAP. XII That invalid Scruple answered because the Doxologie is not to be found altogether in one place of Scripture and the conveniency of singing it proven THe Apostle Paul as a good Pastor professeth he became all things to all men that by all means he might save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. So I am informed that some Christians weak in knowledge because the General Assembly for a time did lay aside the Doxologie therefore they in an ignorant mistake thought it unlawful to be sung and they are promoved in that errour upon this weak reason because the Doxologie is noâ— express in continued Scriptures as the Psalms of David are I answer first If a Preacher whom they like well Preach or Pray or Praise God in Prose or without a Song although neither of these three their Sermon Prayer or Praise be express Scripture but only according to Scripture and I heartily wish it be alwayes so then without all scruple they joyn in these as parts of Gods Worship when neither that Sermon Prayer or Praise is the express Word of God but if we praise God with a Tone or Song it must either be in the Psalms of David or else it is an abomination to them But doth not the Apostle command to praise God in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs Eph. 5. 19. In which place the Learned dare not exclude any Hâ—mn or spiritual Song in Scripture and we have proven already thâ— Dâ—xologie to be of this nature 2. I answer whereas they say nothing should be sung in Publick Worship but express Scripture then let them be pleased to learn this truth that the Psalms which they sing in Meeter or Verse are but a Paraphrase or short Commentary upon the Scripture for no Church nor Divine rejects the express Word of God but for Paraphrase it is ordinary to reject one and authorize another as the Church finds expedient and thus the General Assembly of Scotland rejected the old Paraphrase of the Psalms as not so fit as need were in some things and caused make a new Paraphrase in Meeter and authorized it to be used in Churches therefore no Paraphraâ—e is the express and pure Word of God so they are in a mistake singing an imperfect Commentary of mans making when they think they are singing the pure Word of God and yet you sing it without scruple of Conscience then I reason that any judicious Christian understanding that all the parts of the Doxologie are either expâ—ess Scripture or so infallible Divine fundamental and saving truth that they have been received without scruple or contradiction these 1300. years by the universal Church so that all that time not one Christian did carp at any one word of the Doxologie but as for the Paraphrase in Meeter upon the Psalms as that old is rejected for its faults so some do object and carp at some words and lines in the new Paraphrase which ye sing without scruple so that by consequence a learned and judicious Christian will sing the Doxologie with more clearness and contentment then some lines of the new Paraphrase although I think that last Paraphrase any defect in it is compatible to the peaceable and moderate Christian for this I write not that any should reject the late Paraphrase but that they who accept of the Paraphrase do not despise or reject the Doxologie 3. I answer In our Psalm Books in Scotland printed shortly after the Reformation from Popery we also printed with the Psalms some spiritual Songs and holy Hymns with liberty to sing them in the Church So the Church of Geneva reformed Church of France and the Church of Belgia have printed together with their Psalms of David many Scriptural Songs and holy Hymns and have authorized them to be sung in the publick Worship of God with the Lords Prayer Ten Commandments and the Apostolick Creed all turned in Meeter and sung in the Church and dare any in Britain who own the name of Protestant condemn this practice of the reformed Churches beyond Seas without
Lordships chief study and constant endeavour may be to promote the Lord's Glory by a constant tenour of Piety and Justice that the mountains may bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness Psal 72. vers 3. that ye may raise up the foundations of many generations and be called the repairer of the breaches Isa 58. vers 12. That the Church and Kingdom may long enjoy your Lordship as one of their great Blessings from the Lord That Mercy and Truth may meet together and Righteousness and Peace kiss each other Psal 85. So that by the good Hand of your God upon you Truth and Piety Order and Unity Peace and Prosperity in Church and State may abound that after many good days ye may obtain that Approbation Well done good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Lord which is the sincere and fervent Prayer of Your Lordships most humble and devoted Servant ROBERT EDWARD Murrois the 20. of February 1683. ERRATA IN the Preface Page 4. Line 29. for who read which In the Contens p. 2. l. 9. for Cor. r. Chr. p. 6. l. 42. for Sam Satanius r. Samosatenus p. ibid. l. last for Serinium r. Syrmium p. 13. l. 8. for videbent r. viz. p. 23. l 43. for Rowa r. Tomo p. 41. l. 25. after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 49. l. 18. for university r. universality p. 45. l. 40. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 65. l. 27. for his r. this p. 73. l. 30. for care r. cure p. 80. l. 30. for Justinianum r. Institutionum p. ibid. l. last for saved r. received p. 89. l. 21. for Desart r. Desert p. ibid. l. 22. for vers 29. r. vers 20. p. ibid. l. 32. for Sins r. for their Sin p. 91. l. 39. for Isa 4. r. Isa 40. p. ibid. l. last for word or reproach r. words of reproach p. last l. 11. for Covenant r. covenanted p. ibid. l. 17. dele it As for other literal Escapes they are recommended to the discretion of the Christian Reader THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER HE whose Name shall be called Wonderful Counseller The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace even He was truely called Wonderful because of His two Natures and there wonderful if not also unspeakable union 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inconfuse inconvertibiliter indivulse inseperabiliter Concil Chalcedon Act. 5. Anno Domini 451. Episcop 630. Quod confirmatur in Synodo 6. Aecomen Constantinop Anno 681. Epis 289. non modo quoad Christi duas naturas sed duas in eo voluntates naturales duas duarum naturarum voluntatum operationes vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 8. repetitum §. 9. quoad operationes Counseller for in Him dwelleth all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. 5. The Mighty God the same to us a Child born Isa 9. 6. The Everlasting Father and to us a Son given The Prince of Peace being our Peace Eph. 2. 14 15. and Peace-maker our Ranson and Redeemer wonderful in His love to us whose dimensions passeth Apostolick knowledge Eph. 3. 19. who loved not His life unto the death for his love was stronger then Death who by His death was the death of Death Hos 13. 14. who hated His life being put in the ballance with His love to us This wonderful Lover and Prince of Peace died in bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineffabiliter simplex Iesus compositus est Dionys Areop lib. de Div. nominibus cap. 1. Cyril Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineffabiliter incomprehensibiliter thirst but His soul thirsting much more for our Salvation in His last Supper which He left in Legacy to the Church His Spouse as a love Token Supper being ended He inculcates Love and Union as the badge of His Disciples John 13. 34 35. John 15. 12 17. the same again third and fourth time and in His Prayer John cap. 17. after that His farewell Sermon before His death ingeminates His Petitions to His Father that these whom thou hath given me may be one vers 11. and 21. and the third time vers 23. Should not the Commands and Prayers of a dying Lord and lover of His Brethren and Spouse be highly regarded and carefully obeyed backed with the intreaties of the Holy Ghost by his Pen-man most pathetically 1 Cor. 1. 10. I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing that there be no divisions amongst you that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement Philip. 2. 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind So exceeding wonderfully the two Natures of God and Man were united to unite Christians to God in Christ and in them to one another and our Saviour His body was rent to keep His Church from rent His Soul and Body separate to keep His Church from separation He prayed before His death for their union He died to unite them and the Holy Ghost the God of Peace and Love charges them in the Name of the Lord Jesus to be united in one mind and in one judgement and yet alace how many in this Land who profess themselves the Brethren and Sisters of Jesus left their first Love and violated this commanded union with their Brethren and Mother Church of Scotland who did once hang upon her Breasts and sucked the Breasts of her Consolations Isa 66. 11. were dandled on her knees and nursed with the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. yet too many of these not only despise their Mother Church but also run from her in scattered and confused Troups as if they were fleeing in the day of Battel from the sword of the Pursuer yea some cry out and swear they will lend their ear no more to their Mothers Instruction they will have no more of her Milk nor eat of her Bread in the Lords Supper nor pollute their Children with her Baptism and albeit their Mother cry after them with bowels of tenderest Christian compassion they answer with disdain Stand by thy self come not near to me for I am holier then thou Isa 66. 5. see what is the Lords answer to these these are a smoke in my nose a fire that burneth all the day and behold it is written before me I will not keep silence but will recompense even recompense it into their bosome That your words to your Mother Church are the same in substance with these forecited in Isaiah is clear to any impartial Reader therefore I intreat you in the bowels of Jesus Christ let not that fire and smoke of your Separation provoke the Lord any longer At present
mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And according to this Prayer from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same throughout the whole World where ever Christianity is truly professed the Doxologie is Sung with one Heart and with one Mouth unto this day except by a few of late in Brittain whom I intreat seriously to consider these Questions from that Text Rom. 15. 6. Is it not God Father Son and Holy Ghost who indyts that Prayer 2dly The hearing and granting of that Prayer throughout the Christian World is it not the blessing of God Father Son and Holy Ghost in fulfilling the Christians Prayer indyted by God Himself then dare any Christian deny that it is lawfull to sing Glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost with one heart and mouth seeing God Father Son and Holy Ghost commands and allowes Christians to glorifie Him with one heart and mouth Upon consideration of the Blooding Wounds and Torn Bowels of my Mother Church in Christian compassion I am pressed in Spirit to speak a word in Her behalf which I intend chiefly for two sort of Christians First To these Babs in Christ and of lesser knowledge who are obedient to their Mother Church and do not forsake this Her Law Prov. 6. 20. of Christianity but sing the Doxologie Be ye stedfast and immoveable be not drawn away from that Duty by the evil Example or Counsel of any who would intise or mislead you to increase their Soure Leaven and Prosylits I declare to you as an Ambassadour of Christ that you shal not have cause to repent you of singing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost in the Day of your Account to Father Son and Holy Ghost when the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost shall be with you and your Grace consummat in Glory and your Prayers turned into Hallelujabs As for these who refuse to Sing the Doxologie and think it a Sin to Sing it or at least have their doubts anent it for want of better Information these are of three Sorts 1. The weak Lambs who yet are seeking the way to Zion and to please God in all good Conscience to these I am willing to tender the sincere Milk of the Word because of the Command of the Great Shepherd of our Souls John 21. 15. If you love me feed my Lambs these I intreat in the bowels of Jesus Christ to consider the danger of an Erronious Conscience For St. Paul was once yet more zealous then ye are in a wrong way of which he gave prudent and Christian warning to other Zealots Acts 26. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contraire to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth which thing I also did of which Erroneous Zealot Jews he bears record Rom 10. 2. That they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge So of you I judge in charity that your Zeal is sincere and abundant but the defect is in your knowledge and in such a case the more Zeall the more danger and therefore be not Children in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. Be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Be aware to despise or reject the Light of sound Instruction and side no longer with Antitrinitarians and the like Blasphemous Hereticks all which the universall Church hath declared Excommunicat as such from the Communion of Saints and forgivenness of Sins side no more with these Monsters The God of Truth reveall His Truth unto you and give you understanding in all things for to you I owe great compassion and tendernesse of bowels As for the 2d Sort called Christians to wit the cunningly painted Hypocrite and the openly Prophane I have a word alloted for them reserved till near the close of the Treatise Here I have an Apologie to make to the Learned who may object what needed so much to be written to prove or defend that Practice which none in the universal Church for 1300. Years did call in question to whom in all humility I reply these are not written for Information or Reformation of the Learned in this Point who stand in need of neither being assured both of the Lawfulness and Experiency of this Duty but they also know that there is too many of late years in Scotland who refuse to sing the Doxologie to whom I am resolved to become all things to them all whether weak or more knowing that by all means I may gain some for whose cause I have multiplyed Arguments to prove the lawfulnesse of the Doxologie having to teach these weaned from the Milk and drawn from the Breasts to whom Precept must be upon Precept and Lyne upon Lyne Isa 28. 9 10 I hope none will say that the Holy Ghost useth either Tautologie or Battologie in the foresaid 10. verse when he doubles both the Precept and the Lyne So I have brought for Information of these little Ones and Lambs of Christ Reason upon Reason redoubled For as the strong should have their stronger Food So the Bab's their Milk And some be more moved with one Reason and some with another herein I intending that great Postorall Duty to do all things for Edyfying 1 Cor. 14. 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. And in Citing modern Divines I have made most use of these who will be most acceptable and convincing to the Refusers of the Doxologie And if at any time for defence fo Truth I bring Proof from any bygone Practice of themselves and their way I here declare that it no wayes to irritat but to bear in the Truth with the more power my purpose being to do all in Love and what makes for Peace and Healing The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men apt to Teach patient in meekness Instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2. 28. and 25. That which is not written in the Vulgar Tongue in this following little Treatise in a distinct Section towards the Right Hand is intended for the Learned Finally I ingenuously declare That my first and chief End is the Glory of God and I pray through the Lords blessing it may prove the End and Essect of the work In the next place I intend the furtherance of the Peace and Prosperity of my Mother-church in Clearing and Removing of mistakes among the Children at least to make the Rent and Breach less that the weak might be strengthened and confirmed in their Judgement in their Singing the Doxologie that the Scruplous may be informed the Averse convinced and Reclaimed Contentions and Swellings pacified and removed as far as Relates to the Doxologie that all with one Heart and Mouth may Sing Glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost and as my God and Saviour was subject to his Blessed Virgin Mother and hath commanded me to be
malice in stirring up Hereticks against the Sacred Trinity and Mans Naturall weakness and pronness to listen to Error and believe Lies especially against the blessed Trinity most prudently and Piously aggreed and unanimously to sing the Doxology to the blessed Trinity in the publick Worship of God to be a Witness against the Arian and other Blasphemers of the Trinity and for Confirmation of the Orthodox and sound Believers in the True Faith for Singing Glory to God Father Son and Holy Ghost being in it self a Lawfull and Holy unquestionable Duty of Christians albeit there were neither Heretick to oppose and Blaspheme the Trinity nor Devil to tempt them to that wicked Deed then finding both wicked Men and Devils by Experience enemies to that found and saving Truth makes the singing of the Doxology besides it's Lawfulness and Expediency to be most usefull and edifying for the People of God and a strong preservative against Antitriâ—itarian Heresies Here we are not to think that the Doxology or praising of the Holy Trinity was not used by the Doctors of the Church these burning and shining Lights before and beside the publick singing in the Church for the Sacred Trinity being the great Fundamental of the Christian Faith and object of Divine Worship these Doctors ordinarily closed their Prayers or Sermons or other Writtings with the Doxology Anno Dom. 165. Policarpus Bishop of Smirna who had been the Disciple of the beloved Disciple St John dying a glorious Martyre in presence of many thousand Jews Pagans and Christians ready to step into the Fyre closed his heavenly Prayer thus I glorifie thee through the everlasting high Priest Jesus Christ thy welbeloved Son to whom with the and the Holy Ghost be all Glory World without end Amen Here this blessed Martyr not only sealled the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity with his Death but also the Blessed Glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Sealled that same Faith of this Faithfull Martyr with many miracles at his Death of which we wrot in the second Chapter b Eus lib. 4. hist cap. 19. About the Year of Christ 190. Clemens Alexandrinus writeth thus Let us praise Father Son and Holy Ghost who one is all and in whom are all altogether Good Beautifull Wise and Just to whom be Glory now and for ever a lib. 3. paedagog In the Year of Christ 325. The famous Councill of Nice having condemned Arius and his Blaspheming Associats for denying the Co-eternity of the Son and Holy Ghost with the Father they writ a Synodical Letter to the Churches of Alexandria Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis which they close with a Doxology to the Sacred Trinity Thus By the help of God the Father Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ with the grace of the Holy Ghost to whom be glory for ever Amen b Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 6. Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 9. The Synodical Epistle of the Council of Illyricum closeth thus these things are inacted to the glory of the Father Son and Holy Ghost for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozemen lib. 3. cap. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozomen closeth the Preface to his Church History to Christ with God the Father and Holy Ghost be Glory for ever Amen c Macarius a Church-man in Aegypt who lived in the reign of Constantine and Constantius closeth his 12th 16th and 17th Homolies with the Doxology About the Year of Christ 360. in the Church of Antioch being a Patriarchall See at Publick Worship were conveened most part Orthodox but some Arians mixed with them when they came to that part of the Worshhip which a Chronologer d Nicephorus Hist Ecclesiast lib. 9. cap 24. Ait eos cecinisse Doxologiam ad sinem Psalmodij writes was immediatly after their singing the Psalm then the Orthodox did sing the Doxology Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost according to the Doctrine of the Nicen Council But the Arians who were with them in the Church differing from the Orthodox sang Glory to the Father by the Son thereby purposing that the Father was greater then the Son which difference in the singing being perceived by Leontius e Leontius tametsi sordibus Arianae blasphemiae fuit inquinatus tamen eas callide admodum occultare studuit Etenim cum clerum Laicam etiam multitudinem in duas partes divisam cerneret Orthodoxos adhibentes conjunctionem Filio Spiritui Sancto Arianus vero ante Filium Per ante Spiritum Sanctum In. praeponere Ipse totam glorisicationem tacitus secum recitavit adeo ut qui ei proximi erant solum hanc particulam in secula seculorum audirent haec Theodoretus lib. 2. cap. 24. Ex Athanasio Regnante Anastasio diuterius Arianorum Constantinop Episcopus cum quendam Barbam nomine baptizare intenderet spreta dominica institutione diceret baptizatur Barbas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc dicto aqua in columbethra evanuit Barbas vero arreptâ fugâ exivit miraculum hoc cunctis significavit Haec scribit Theodorus lector in collectaveris lib. 2. Nicephorus calisti lib. 16. hist Eceles cap. 35. then Bishop of Antioch and inclining to Arianisme putting his hand to his Gray Hairs said when this snow is melted there will be much Mire by Age and Experience and Humane Prudence he did foresee the Storm of the Arian persecution of which I have spoken somewhat in the 3d. chap. of this Treatise for the Orthodox did sing the Doxology according to the Words of our Saviour in the Gospel in the Words of His Divine Institution of Baptisme Matth. 28. 19. All three in one manner to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost but the Arian did sing Glory to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost where observe that the Arian as yet did not altogether refuse to sing the Doxology upon any pretended reason or scruple of Conscience as some men do now but it is like the singing of the Doxology was then performed by the Orthodox with such Zeall and unanimity that the Arian was as yet afraid or ashamed altogether to refuse the singing of it as some now do Basil the great who lived in the Year of Christ 369. in his Book concerning the Holy Ghost cap. 27. He writs that the most ancient Fathers did sing Gods praise to Father Son and Holy Ghost according to the Word in Baptism and these two great Doctors Basil and Chrysostom who were contemporary Bishops in the Greek Church each of them wrot a Greek Leturgy being their Mother tongue which both are used at this day in all the Christian Churches of the World that are within the Greek Communion a In Lyturgia St. Basil prope finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one Lyturgy on the Sabbath Dayes b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other Lyturgy on all other Solemn Dayes and in both these Lyturgyes the Doxology was and still is used these 1300 Years without
scruple or alteration c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregory Nazianzen in his sixth Orration concerning the Holy Ghost we worship the Father Son and Holy Ghost one God-head and power to Him be all glory honour and power for ever and ever Amen In the Year of Christ 370. St. Jerome wrot to Damasus Bishop of Rome that in all the Churches of Rome Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost as it was in the a Rome 1. Council pag. 625. editionis Parisiensis beginning is now and for ever be sung alwayes at the end of the Psalm b Concilium Vasense provinciase sub Imperio Theodosij inmoris cap. 7. cujus titulus ac propter haereticorum incredulitatem post gloria Patri c. sicut erat in principio c. semper dicatur quia non solum in sede apostolica sed etiam per totam Orientem totam Africani vel Italiani propter Haereticorum astutiam qui dei filium non semper fuisse sed in tempore caepisse blasphemant in omnibus clausulis post Gloria Patri c. sicut erat in principio c. dicatur etiam nos universis Ecclesijs nostris ita dicendum esse decrevemus About the Year of our Lord 444. in the Council of Vason an Act is made because of the unbelief of Arian Hereticks Because not only in the Apostolick See but also throughout all the East and in all Africk and Italy to guard against the deceit of Hereticks Blaspheming that the Son of God was not ever with the Father but began to be in time therefore in all their closings of singings in the publick Worship after these Words Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost in all these other Churches is added as it was in the beginning so we appoint that the same Words as it was in the beginning be mentioned in the Doxology in all our Churches also c Symbolium Nicenium in sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence we may observe That this addition as it was in the beginning was not first appointed at Vason for their Act bears the contrare that it was used in Churches far and near before that time which Jeromes desire to Damasus proves But this Act at Vason gives the clear reason of the addition viz. To guard the flock of Christ the better against Arian Hereticks whereof some said there was a time when the Son of God was not Alexander Patriarch of Alexandria one of the chief Fathers in the Nicen Council to refute the Arian brings that Text d Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 3. among many others John 1. 1. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God by him all things were made and if he made all things then he was before the world and also before that beginning and consequently Eternal as that Father reasoneth well and St. Basil after him for It were nonsense to say that there were priority of time in Eternity For Arius said there was a time when God was not a Father Therefore the infallible Theologue of St. John began his Evangell with these words intending in his Gospel to assert Christs God-head against two abominable Hereticks in his time Ebion and Cerinthus at whom Arius had learned his Blasphemies and from this same Text Calvin refutes both the old Arian and Servetus a vile Blasphemer his own contemporary who was burnt at Genevah for a most blasphemous Heretick In the Year of Christ 627. in the third Council of Toledo consisting of the Church-men of Spain and Galatia inact whosoever sayes not Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost let him be accursed by saying they mean singing For then four hundred years before that the Doxology was sung in all the Templet of the universal Church And so in this Council all of them in the close of the same in the praises of God they cryed Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost as the Learned may read in the Tomes of Councils by this cursing mentioned in this Councill It appears they judged that no Orthodox Christian would refuse to sing the Doxology they did not imagine any will refuse except a Heretick In the Year of Christ 633 in the Fourth Councill of Toledo there are some accused for rejecting the Sacred Hymnes composed by Hilary and Ambrose two famous Saints and being received and used in the Churches yet these Men refused to sing them because they were not in the Holy Scripture for which refusal they were Excommunicat yet these same very Men did not scruple nor refuse to sing the Doxology which was then constantly sung in the Church at the close of every Psalm Hence it is probable that these men who refused to sing the Churches Holy Hymnes and were willing to sing the Doxology did estimat it of a higher rank and counted it in with Divine and Spirituall Songs a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quocirca at mea fert sententia major merces praemium potius apud justum indicem reponitur quam veteribus illic martyribus cum illi in confessa positum reportarent martyrij apud homines existimationem laurealas á Deo acceperint suas vobis autem desint in certamine pari á populo collati honores Basil tom 2. Epist 303. pag. 1074. The Learned have observed that the Arian persecution which was in this Fourth Century was more bitter to the Souls of the Saints and true Christians then the Suffering during the ten Persecutions in the first 300. Years from Pagan Emperours for then the Christian Martyrs received their Crown of Martyrdome from their Lord in Heaven with acclamations of praise from all their contemporary Christians without all malignant murmure or obloquie which was a sharp sput to hasten Christians to run that race for ingenuous spirits know what humane applause will do even to the godly to encourage them to a good action and rouse them up to their Duty even allowed by God Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things But in this fourth Century the Christian suffering Persecution and Death It wat not from Pagans but from these that called themselves Christians even the Arian who being prevalent and putting to Death the Orthodox Christians yet the Arian cryes out these are not true Christians but we they are justly suffering Death for Errors in Christianity Therefore writs the Learned that the Martyrs in the fourth Persecution their reward will be greatest in Heaven And because this Persecution was so much the sadder to the Orthodox Christian and in this Century the King of Saints who promised His presence to His Church on Earth seemed to be asleep like that Matth. 8. 24. while the Ship is filled with waves yet in the mean time though thus he had decreed to let His brittle Vessel and His Disciples suffer a
Storm yet therefore he provided two excellent Pilots in this Century and indued them with so great a measure of Piety Learning undaunted Courage and Prudence that the one succeeding to the other in the Eastern Church where the Arian Storm did most rage by Dispute and Writing and couragious Sufferings they faced the Enemy and kept the Flock of Christ together Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria and after him Basil Archbishop of Caesarea both which keep the Styl of Great untill this day for they got it because of their worth Athanasius even from the Arian Emperour Constantius and Basil from the Apostat Emper or Julian As is to be seen in both their Letters of record with St. Basils Letters of sharp rebuke which did become a pious Bishop to Julian an Apostat As for the Arian as ye read in this Chapter before in singing of the Doxology shuned to sing it according to the Scriptures Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost but by the Son in the Holy Ghost which was a deceitfull Invention and the Church History tells us the thing it self but does not unfold the intrigue and mystery of it which St. Basil hath done at full length for that their singing in that their new devised way was a subtil trick of the Devil for under it they couched their Error and Blasphemy only giving Glory to God the Father and for the Son considering him only as the Fathers Instrument but not equal with Him in Glory and far less the Holy Ghost which depths of Satan are found out by St. Basil to the shame of the Arian of which he writs at large which the Learned do read a Basil tomo 2. lib. de spiritu sancto contra Arianus cap. 2 3 4 5. and 25. cap. 7. 10. And that they were so obstinat in their Errors that nothing could prevail to gain them to sing the Doxology according to the Scriptures b lib. de spiritu sancto cap. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scilicet isti Citius abjectarent linguas quam hanc vocem recipeant idem cap. 25. Doxologiam Ariani recitat tibi Patri honor gloria per unigenitum filium tuum in spiritu sancto qui sermo nunc usitatior est istis ipsa ut ita loquar respiratione cap. 29. in oriente Orthoaoxi dignoscunt suos ab Arianis signo Doxologiae That they would as soon quite their tongue as quite that form of Doxology which they used where St. Basil grants that their way of singing the Doxology might be exponed in an Orthodox sense according to the Scriptures but was not to be suffered in these Hereticks because it was well known they sang them in an Heretical and Blasphemous sense against the Son and Holy Ghost Yet reflecting upon the Arian practice observe that they did choise it as a less evil and scandal to sing the Doxology with some change of the short syllabes of interjections conjunctions then not to sing it at all For to have refused the singing of it had been a shorter cut but the reason was publick shame would not suffer them altogether to seperat from the Orthodox Church in that so unquestionable a duty and so well known a part of the Christians publick worship then let these in Scotland who call themselves Orthodox and refuse altogether to sing the Doxology either one way or other see to it and I beseech them to commune with their own hearts and smit upon their own Breast and amend They who are pleased to read the History of the Arian Persecution in this fourth Century will perceive the true Church of Christ at a very low ebb and under one of the greatest eclipses that ever it suffered since the two Disciples said we trusted that it had been He Luk. 24. 21. and the eleven Apostles were weeping in secret Mark 16. 10. yet the Lord who brought David out of his Deeps and Daniel out of the Lions Den and the three Children out of the seven times hotter Furnace Jonah out of the Whales belly and Lazarus out of the grave and commanded the dry scattered Bones to stand up a strong Army Ezek. 37. 10. and in the beginning commanded Light to shine out of Darkness and bringeth Good out of Evil out of the Churches Persecution and low condition brought the more glory to His own Name and more strength of Faith to His Church whereby the Arians ungodly way of proceeding when they got the Power in their hand they declared to the World what they were even not the true Church of Christ but the Seed of the Serpent promoting their Religion by Injustice and Perjury the Children of Abaddon and Apollyon that Liar and Murderer from the beginning John 8. 44. promoting their hellish Religion by cruel tormenting and murdering of the Orthodox they being the first that usurped the name of Christian withall intending to propagate their Religion with Fire and Sword which is not Christs way nor of His true Christians but of Antichristians and therefore in persecuting of the true Church as they had learned it at the Pagans who lived before them so they were glad to take the help of the Pagans who lived with them therefore the Lord at last brought the Arian to confusion and put their lying Lips to silence so that ever thereafter they were hated and abhorred and despaired ever to prevail any more as they had done The second Good which the Lord brought out of this Evil was the perfite setling of the Christian Faith the Lord bestowing on the Orthodox such Courage to suffer such Faith and Constancy and heavenly Joy that the Arian was confounded thereby yea and while the Orthodox were suffering for the Glory of God and His Truth the Lord from Heaven did approve and seal His Truth which they believed and professed even making them His Instruments to work glorious Miracles but in the mean time the Arian wrought no Miracle nor so much as pretended to work any lying Miracle as Jannes and Jambres did against Moses to the hardning of Pharaoh wherein I observe the Lord 's wonderful Providence so over-ruling the Arian that they did not so much as mint to a Miracle whereas the Miracles of the Orthodox Church were undenyable and thus the Lord from Heaven did dicide the Contraversie betwixt the Arian and the Orthodox in favours of His Church and this the Lord 's doing did so confirm them in the true Faith of the blessed Trinity that the gates of Hell ever since was not able so to brangle it and also His Church which had used the Doxology to the blessed Trinity in their publick Worship before that time was now more confirmed in their Practice and resolute to make use of it without fail ever thereafter especially in the publick Worship In this Chapter at Page 24. we spoke anent the addition put to the Doxology mentioned in the Council of Vauson as it was in the Beginning If some object that
that addition is obscure and does not clearly assert the Eternity of the Trinity before the World began as for ever in the close of the Doxology asserts the Eternity of the Trinity for ever after the World I answer we have proven indenyably from the Church History that these words as it was in the Beginning in the Doxology are taken from the first Chapter and first Verse of St. John's Gospel which words the Holy Ghost there made use of to assert the Co-eternity of the Son with the Father and therefore that same Text was used by the Fathers of the Nicen Council against Arius who denied the preceeding Eternity of the Son with the Father and the Fathers of the Council of Syrmium against the Arians writ that Ebion and Cerinthus who were blasphemous Hereticks in the days of the Apostle St. John denied the Godhead of the Son and consequently his Co-eternity with the Father And therefore as the scope of all St. John's Gospel is chiefly to prove Christ's Godhead against these two Hereticks so albeit that first Proposition in the Beginning was the Word taken alone by way of separation from the following words will not prove any Eternity or Co-eternity with the Father yet joyn it in coherence with the following words and that will clear the right Sense of this Beginning in the first of John and the Beginning mentioned in the Doxology and ye will find it the same in Sense with the first words in holy Writ Genes 1. 1. In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth and the same work of Creation is here attribute to the Son in the third following Verse all things are made by Him c. so that the Sense of these words in the Beginning both in the beginning of Genesis and beginning of John's Gospel is clearly this as from the Beginning was the Word and that Word was God so is now and ay shall last And as in the Beginning all things were made by Him and so He was Eternal before the World that He made in the beginning of Time as in the beginning of Genesis God was Eternal before the making of the World for to take any single Proposition in Scripture and admit no Sense to it but that which that one single separate Proposition will afford and so admit no further clearing of its Sense from antecedent and consequent Scriptures The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have ever made that practice the mark of a Heretick or at best of a heretical and contentious Spirit so that the meaning of the words as it was in the Beginning compared with the rest of the Verse In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God is asmuch in Sense as if the Doxology had said as it was from Eternity is now and ay shal last a Vide sis Basil in Tomo primo in locum 1 John 1. Prov. 8. 23. CHAP. V. The cause of the continuance of the Doxology in after Ages viz. The continuance of the Churches Perfecution and Temptation from Arians and other Blasphemers of the Trinity as Eutichians within and Mahumetanes without the Church and the Rise and Growth of the Socinian Heresie notwithstanding Gods witness against them and the Church and Magistrats endeavours in many Kingdoms these Blasphemous Andtrinitarian Hereticks remained and nested with Anabaptists and Quakers all three Blasphemous Antitrinitarian Hereticks which gives sufficient cause for the continuance of the Doxology IN this fifth Chapter I intend to give a brief account of the Molestation and Persection that the Church of Christ suffered from the remnant of Arians and other Antitrinitarian Blasphemers beginning at the fifth Century and continued to this very present time therefore I divide it in two parts The first containing the Antitrinitarians for 1000. Years even to the sixteenth Century The second part containing a list of the chief Socinians Quakers and others who deny the Sacred Trinity In the beginning of the fifth Century the great Tempest of the Arian Power and Persecution was much abated in the Mercy of God who will not suffer the rod of the Wicked to ly always on the lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hand to iniquity Psal 125. 3. And among the many other means used by the Church against these blasphemous Heresies the Lord blessed that mean especially of the Churches Councils especially these General Councils of Nice Ephesus Constantinople and Chalcedon which as Beza well characterizeth them holiest Meetings the Sun saw since the days of the Apostles who proved against these Blasphemers terrible as an Army with Banners and like a Rock on the Sea shore that breaks all the Waves that violently beat upon it but it self remains whole and immovable a Beza Epist 81. Amplissimus ille Nicenae Ephisinae Chalcedonensis Synodi concessus quo nihil unquam sanct us nihil Augustius ab Apostolorum excessu Sol unquam aspexit qui putat fundamentum omnis Religionis id est veri Dei cognitionem maximos illos praestantissimos angelos Dei non tenuisse sanâ— indignus est qui in Ecclesia Dei sentiatur for why the Christian Faith of these General Councils was built upon the Rock against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail Mat. 16. 18. In this fifth Century and some following not only the Arians were not altogether extinct but still remained a Prick in the side of the true Church especially these barbarous Nations who were not under the command of the Christian Emperours to wit Goths and Vandals who were turned Arians and persecuted the true Church so far as they had Power or Opportunity Secondly In the midst of this Century arose another sort of Hereticks called Eutichians Blasphemers against Christ who vexed the true Church about 300. Years and sometimes were cruel Persecuters b Beza Itidem exercuit Ecclesiam crassissimum illud Eurichis delirium annos plusminus trecentos subinde interpolatis novo quodam suco oblitis erroribus renascens Before the Arian and Eutichian Hereticks were crushed Satan stirred up the Mahumetans who are professed Blasphemers of the Sacred Trinity In the Year of Christ 441. The Vandals in Africk being Arians put to death the Orthodox Christians by cruel Torments c Prosper in chronico Anno Christi 447. arose a mad Monk who falsly taught the mixing together of Christ's two Natures and so destroying them both he was condemned by a General Council at Chalcedon of 630. Bishops Anno Domini 451. This Heresie continued the longer and prevailed the more because of two Emperours Anastatius and Heraclius favourers of the same d Evagrius lib. 265. cap. 8. cap. 10. lib. 3. cap. 5. add 22. lib. 4. cap. 9 10. Anno 489. Many Orthodox Bishops in Africa were banished by the Arians who were prevalent there e Palmerius in chron Honoricus King of the Vandals Arians in Africk banished more then 400. Orthodox f Antonius chronico
hanc questionem posse agitari num sit possibile aut saltem probabile Christianum posse esse certum de sua salute eundem non esse certum de hac veritate bonum est expedit Christianum psallere Doxologiam Patri filio spiritui sancto ratio dubitationis est haec probavimus nullum Christianum habere certitudinem propriae salutis nisi in cognitione religiosa scripturarum in fide sanctificatione fortem at vix est verisimile hunc fortem christianum acquisivisse certitudinem propriae salutis quae veritas est dissicillima acquisitu quia multum excedit lumen naturae solum fundatur in lumine gratiae at haec veritas Deus est licite hymno glorificandus Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus haec propositio non solum fundatur in himine scripturarum gratiae sed etiam in lumine naturae ut probatum est Alia ratio probans certitudinem salutis esse veritatem acquisitu difficiliorem quam eam praedictam de Doxologia haec est plurimi quibus nunquam contingit certitude vera salutis quia impossibilis at ex eisdem non pauci qui callent sensum Scripturarum Literalem Historicum dogmaticum praecipâ—e si in Philosophia sunt bene versati quamvis vel Hypocritae vel flagitiosi tamen haec veritas licet glorificare Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum hymno facillime potest ab ijs comprehendi quia Christiani millies milleni nec ad salutem credentes in Christum nec pij tamen has duas veritates certo credunt scilicet licet Deum hymno glorificare hanc assumptionem Deus est Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus Simodo sint Philosophi nullatenus de conclusiâ—ne dubitabunt itaque possit mirum videri homines cognitionis fidei pietatis certitudinis propriae salutis multum jactantes attamen eosdem quasi sit mysterium incomprehensibile an sit licitum vel expediens saltem Deum Patâ—â—m Filium Spiritum Sanctum hymno glorificare dubitantes nec mirum videatur objectum fidei justificantis de sua salute Christiani certissimi hypocritae dogmatice solum credentis de sua salute incerti idem esse nempe Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum nam justificatus credit in Deum toto corde Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum in Christum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sibi salvatorem at hypocrita credit esse Deum eumque esse Patrem Fiâ—ium Spiritum Sanctum Scripturas Dei Verbum esse veras at neutiquam credit in Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum in Christum salutorem fidei justificante coâ— purificante renovante ipsum Deo in Christo vinculo Spiritus Sancti in Aeternum uniente hypocritae fides est more speculativa in cerebro fluctuans at credentis ad salutem in corde radicata pieque fiducialis practica that the Doxologie is of this nature which reason of the strong is thus framed whatsoever is clearly lawful from the light of Nature and the Word of God that to the religious Christian is lawful to do but to sing glory to God is clear from the light of Nature and from the holy Scriptures therefore it is lawful for the religious Christian to do it First It is clear from the light ol Nature because many learned Pagans who had no more but the light of Nature did sing holy Hymns of praise to their gods this is abundantly clear in Humane History and undenyable Secondly The Holy Scriptures are full of it especially the Book of the Psalms commanding us to sing praises to God now this proves infallibly the general that it is lawful to sing glory to God Which Conclusion being proven I make up a second Reason and takes the proven Conclusion for the Major and I reason thus It is unquestionably lawful to sing glory to God I assume God is Father Son and Holy Ghost then it is unquestionably lawful to sing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost and if any think themselves strong and being under prejudice are not satisfied with this reason I would ask them if their Infant-Baptism was not an act of lawful Worship and done in faith of the Minister that Baptized and of their Parent that required and received that Sacrament for their use in both which I judge the Minister consecrat and administrat the Sacrament lawfully and their Parents lawfully received them from the Laver of Regeneration and yet I would gladly know from these that are not content with singing the Doxologie because it is not express in Scripture that the Christian sing glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost why then do they not reject their Infant-baptism because it is not express in Scripture Baptize Infants but well proven to be lawful by necessary consequence from Scripture which with the universal Church we think a sufficient ground for Infant-baptism And what is the cause that Antipedobaptists have fallen in that error and separat from the true Church Even because they were too deep in that opinion that necessary consequence from Scripture is not sufficient warrand for an act of religious Worship of which error ye would be aware lest it draw you into other greater errors then you are aware of 2. What express Scripture had Rahab to receive the Spies conceal them and send them away safely Joshua 2. 9. c. Heb. 11. 31. Jam. 2. 25. All which that she did in Faith is proven clearly from these quoted Scriptures then her faith was good and acceptable to God albeit only built on good consequences from Scripture 3. I ask of you John who comes to Church and Communicats taking the Lords Supper whether your worship be in faith which I in charity suppon it is but where is your express warrand in your Bible you John such a man come and worship and take the Lords Supper as the pledge of your salvation These words are not to be found in the whole Scripture why then dare ye come to worship and take the holy Sacraments I think ye will or should answer because in the express Word of God there is a general invitation Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. From which gracious general invitation I suppon ye assume in sincere and good Conscience I John am heavy loaden and labours to be freed of my burden by all the good means appointed by God preparatory to that holy Sacrament which if you can truly affirm in the sight of God then I dare assure you in the Name of Jesus that your worshipping and communicating is in faith albeit you have not express warrand in your Bible for you such an one by name to communicate 4ly You John believes to be saved but no expresse warrand have you in your Bible that you John such a one shall be saved yet I suppon with you in charity your Act
is infirmity and weakness in many Christians therefore after that diverse day of keeping of Easter raised such broils and contentions betwixt the East and West Church that there was no visible nor seasible way for preventing a fearful rent and schism in the universal Church until the general Council of Nice did appoint all to keep one day which the universal Church hath kept ever since therefore Beza in his 24. Epist and 14. § thereof distinguisheth well betwixt Ecclesiastick constitutions some are universal some particular and without all controversie the singing of the Doxologie is of universal constitution for as we have proven from antiquity of Fathers and Councils the singing of the Doxologie was the practice and judgement of the universal Church therefore as the universal Church resolved to keep Easter upon a differing day from the Jew who crucified the Lord of glory and still blasphemes him as Constantine the Great insinuats in his pious Letters after that Council of Nice so that same universal Church resolved to keep the Doxologie as a testimony against the Arians and all such blasphemous Antitrinitarian Hereticks Then to apply the singing of the Doxologie is like the keeping of Easter on the Christian Sabbath day and not with the Jew on their day to which both the Civil Magistrat by their Authority and the Church by their Spiritual Authority did agree at the Council of Nice as for that Text which we cited Rom. 14. of Christians in two contrary opinions about meat and dayes the Civil Magistrat nor Church had not as yet interponed their Authority but it was still Arbitrary for the Magistrats external power they being then all Pagans to them both the Jewish and Christian Religion were accounted superstition about words and names as said the Pagan Magistrat Acts 25. 19. and they thought it below them to take notice of these things as for the Church Authority which was then Apostolick the Learned know the reason why they did not determine these questions of meats and dayes because there was a time allotred of interim betwixt the death and honourable burial of the Jews Ceremonies which time of their honourable burial was not yet expired and the Epistle to the Romans was written in this interim during which time the Jewish Ceremonies of meats and dayes c. were mortui to the strong Christian Jew and they were freed of their yoak by taking on Christs easie yoak and to the weak Christian Jew who was not clear to quite these Ceremonies as yet during this interim they were indifferent and not mortiferi So that place foresaid Rom. 14. I fear be misapplyed by these that refuse to sing the Doxologie for the case alters in this the Doxologie is determined to be used both by the universal Church and all civil Christian Powers but these meats and dayes when St. Paul wrote to the Romans were yet left arbitrary therefore St. Paul reproved these weak Christians for their ignorance in not eating but how much more bitterly had he reproved and condemned them if their not eating had been a breach of the command of the Church and State as now it is in refusing to sing the Doxologie Yet as the singing of the Doxologie agreed upon by the universal Church differs from the keeping of Easter on the Christian Sabbath and not on the Jewish Sabbath in two particulars 1. The universal Church did more then 200. years differ in keeping the Christian Easter but all that time not one iota of objection or scruple against the singing of the Doxologie 2. The Scandalizing Act of difference of keeping Easter was but once in the year but the refusing to sing the Doxologie is a scandal every weekly Sabbath This your refusing to sing the Doxologie which the universal Church judgeth to be lawful and expedient is offensive and evil both to these within and these without the Church for these within the Church I make this Hypothesis that there being many thousand Protestants beyond Seas who hear that some in Scotland have made a separation from their Mother Church and yet these same beyond Seas do not study the particular grounds or pretended causes of that separation yet these same persons being certainly informed that these of the Scots separation among other differences refuse to sing the Doxologie which refusal of theirs is so notorious in their Publick Worship that it is like the Oyntment upon the right hand which cannot be hid Then what will Protestant Strangers over Seas conclude Even this that seing there is in Scotland some who without just cause have abandoned the Doxologie contrary to the judgement and practice of the universal Church then it is very like that their other pretences for their separation are as unwarrantable this refusing to sing the Doxologie is also evil to these without the Church which I thus illustrat a Turk Jew or Pagan being in the way of conversion to Christianity and having learned that there is one God and three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost for in this Name he is to be baptized and being thereafter informed that these same men who are to Baptize him refuse to sing Glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost in their Publick Worship in what a demurr and doubtful perplexity would that Turk be Or would he receive Baptism from these who were to Baptize him in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost and yet would not themselves sing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost and also forbid him to sing it would not that doubt debarr him from Christian Baptism and Salvations or else upon better information that these who refused to sing the Doxologie were but a hanâ—ful who did separate themselves from the many thousand thousands of Christians who did gladly sing the Doxologie Would not that Turk joyn himself gladly to that Church whose Word and Works Sacraments of God and his other Worship was harmonious where they did Baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost did also in their Publick Worship sing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost This bygone information as I directed is only to the weak and gracious Lambs of Christ yet because I know there are other sort of Christians to whom though I owe not so great respect as to the Lambs yet I will tender them this word ye who refuse to sing the Doxologie pretending Conscience for your refusing ye are either painted Tombs and cunning Hypocrites or openly prophane ones who proclaim your sin like Sodom First I speak to the Hypocrite thou gravely assevers that you dare not sing the Doxologie leâ—â— you should wrong or grieve your Conscience but how comes it to pass that against thy knowledge and Conscience thou lives in secret hainous sins wilt thou in that day when thou gives account of thy self to the all-seeing God the searcher of hearts and the eye-witness of thy secret sins pretend Conscience as thy defence for thy schism now in refusing to sin the
guard the Flocks of Christ against Antitrinitarian Hereticks but in Heaven there is no danger for no Devil nor Antitrinitarian will be there to tempt and the glorified Saints will be made perfect in Holinesse I answer when Isaiah 6. 2 3. The Seraphims cryed one to another by way of Authem Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Here I hope was neither Arian nor Antitrinitarian yea I affirm according to the Seraphims singing a Doxology to the Trinity that although there had never been Antitrinitarian Heretick nor danger of Devils to tempt them to that heresie seing the Angels in Heaven did sing a Doxology to the blessed Trinity which is granted by the universal Church then shall it not be lawfull expedient and comely for Christians to sing Glory to Father Son and Holy Ghost whose motto in Baptism is to be Baptized in Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Therefore to conclude this Chapter these who have Scruple or Doubts to sing the Doxology for want of knowledge my prayer is to God Father Son and Holy Ghost who is the Father of Lights to reveal even this unto them that we may with one Mind and with one Mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. Now to God Father Son and Holy Ghost be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages world without end Amen Ephes 3. Chap. at the last verse CHAP. XIV An exhortatory Conclusion to the strong and orderly Christian to receive and imbrace with all Christian love and tenderness every weak Christian who shall return from their wandring in Error to live in Order and Unity in the Bosom of their Mother Church BEing now to conclude this little Treatise As its scope and aim is for healing and helping home of the wandring Sheep so my work in this Chapter is to remove all Stones and Stumbling-blocks out of the way of the weak Lambs returning to their Folds again and I beseech you put not the blame so much upon these Lambs as upon these Men wâ—o drew them away and missed them and let all good Christians rejoyce in their return and welcome them home and that because of the manifold Evils that this Kingdom was groaning under which now God in His Mercy hath almost removed Was not in many Families the Father against the Son and a Man's Enemies these of his own Houshold did not many Flocks forsake their Fold and resting Place and strayed in the gloomy and dark Day was not the empty Walls of many empty Paroch-Churches mourning and the Stones of-emptiness crying out and Pastors lamenting that their Flocks were departed and a few left yea sometimes the Pastor so evil intreated by his Flock turning Wolves that he must needs convey himself away out of that place some being spoiled some wounded some killed some like desolate Widows mourning in secret in a desolate Retirement like Jeremiah in his wished Cortage in the Wilderness Jer. 9. 2. and for a long time the Magistrate loath to use rigour which made them the more inexcusable and at last they display an open Banner of Rebellion whereby they wilfully run themselves into a Labyrinth of Miseries to be killed and spoiled and many impoverished and not a few suffered death by the hand of Justice whose infatuate Souls with that four leaven of their dangerous Doctrines was at their death a far more sad spectacle to the Godly then their bodily death which remembers me of David's bitter mourning for his traiterous son Absalom's death and this Malady and sore Disease came to so great a height that it threatned death which was more then once prevented by opening of a Vein and many thought our Disease incurable and that it would turn at last to be a rooted Hectick to the consuming of the Marrow but blessed be our kind Samaritan who beyond the expectation of many and much more beyond our deservings hath pitied us for it was a time of love and when we were lying in our Blood he said Live again he said Live Ezek. 16. 6. even when the Enemy was saying there is no help for him in God yet he hath poured in Wine and Oyl in our Wounds and letten us by sweet experience know that there is both a Physician and Balm in Gilead and the God of our Health hath rebuked that Feaver and hath commanded and created deliverance Then let every one of us rejoyce in God and count it our glory to be workers together with God Is this a time of healing let us concur and contribute our help Is the Lord's Flock returning then cast up cast up gather out the Stones Hath the Lord Jesus awakened out of sleep and rebuked the Winds and Seas so that now there is a great Calm then let us all help to row to bring the Vessel to a safe Harbour when the Lord is bringing back the captivity of His People let our Mouthes be filled with laughter and our Tongue with singing behold and see not one Dove alone returning to the Ark of their Mother Church with an Olive branch Gen. 8. 11. but a whole cloud of these Doves are flying to their Windows Isa 60. 8. Are not the Pastors returned to their Flocks with joy who went away weeping returning with the full blessing of the Gospel of Christ now to bring forth the peaceable fruits of Righteousness of their sad and desolate retirement and widow-head Lam. 3. 27 28 29. like St. Basil returning from the Desart and St. Athanasius from his Exile and now that promised Blessing shall be given them Isa 30. v. 29. your eye shall see your Teachers And now my Brethren who had precious retirement to read meditate and pray and a sad cross to put you to it then with Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 15. let your profiting appear to all Ye know what Luther writes Prayers Meditation and Temptation made good Theologues and the Flocks that have been mispending their time had the more need to redeem the time Now I turn my speech unto you in this Church who are strong and have overcome that evil one and have obtained Grace to live orderly before God and His Church during the time of these Confusions as your compassionate Souls did grieve for Sin weep in secret before the Lord to enlighten inform and reform them to reclaim and reduce them therefore hath the Lord given you a gracious return of your Prayers in returning them then open your loving Hearts and embrace them and these hands that were with outstreached arm lifted up to God for them let your arms embrace them and by word and deed and contenuance express the sincerity of your love to them and as the Lord hath given you more knowledge then to them let it be your generosity not to insult over them or despise them but with all tenderness not to look down but to stoop down to their Weakness and let the strong elder Brother stoop down
with his Hand to hold by the hand or arm a younger Brother learning to Walk and count it his Glory to speak with him in his own childish Dialect and take little steps with them then I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus reproach them not for bygones but pass an act of Oblivion and in time coming use all gentleness and forbearance and so gain them to love you and in all things indifferent and undetermined if he be not clear for the one way condescend to him and follow his way bear with his infirmities rashness incivilities and ignorances and others overweaning themselves as if they were strong in Knowledge this is an infirmity of many weak and yet for Peace sake the strong ought to bear with it Now this Duty of the Strong in bearing with the Weak the Lord presseth much in His Word Rom. 15. v. 1 2. Why hath the Lord given thee more Knowledge Mortification Patience c. then to the Weak but for this end to bear with their Infirmities for their Spiritual good for which St. Paul gives you his holy example 1 Cor. 9. 22. For the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and Chap. 10. v. 33. I please all men in all things not seeking my own profite but the profite of many that they may be saved Here is a great placebo and yet no Flatterer but in his converse acceptable both to God and Man The Spirit of Christ is not a sowre censorious sullen and carping Spirit but meek gentle and easie to be intreated When the Child as yet but an intrant in the World and learning to speak will ask the Parents some childish question will the Parents be incensed to inflict Chastisement or rather will they not pass it with this Meditation When I was a child I thought as a child I understood and spake as a child 1 Cor. 13. 11. So if any weak Babe in Christ propone or start any question in Religion to which many Babes are too ready do not think that ye are always bound in Conscience to answer them for many times our Saviour did it not Act. 1. 6. Jo. 21. 20. And the Apostle to Timothy speaks of foolish and unlearned questions which produce strife and no edification 1 Tim. 6. 4. then let the strong wave the question with a general answer Jo. 16. 19. or instead of speculation leading to practice and holy life Luk. 13. 23. Yea thirdly It may be waved if it be beyond the sphere of the Larger Catechism for Questionators that furnishes their common Discourse with Questions are unsavoury company to the Godly and the weak Christian should not be entertained by the strong Christian with Questions it is expressly against the Apostles rule Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not unto doubtful disputations Rom. 14. ver 1. then let neither strong nor weak Christian especially in Company move any question of Religion especially these that belong to the present Differences least the Strong touch the Weak on the old Sore and so but grieve and irritate which no doubt grieves the Spirit of God and is not the healing way As for the Weak I intreat them who have been wandring in Mistakes to resolve in the strength of Christ in all time hereafter to live orderly as to the Church and loyally as to the King and Rulers under him and then he is a cursed Man that will not be loving and kind to thee Then let the strong imitat their Father in Heaven who when his prodigal Son returns no word of his sin with which the elder Brother did upbraid him but ran and met and kissed him gave him new cloaths and shoes adorned him with a Ring feasted him and made merry Luk. 15. 20. He ran and met him and fell on his neck and kissed him and imitate the Son of God the great and good Shepherd who brings home on his shoulder rejoycing one wandering sheep does he not rejoyce much more now then in reduceing so great a flock And the Fathers kindness to his returning Prodigal is so sweet a subject that I delight to mark in it further that when the elder Brother uncharitably endeavoured to exasperat his Father against his younger Brother casting up his old sins the Father rejects the elder Brothers bitter Libel See both the last and 24. verses his Brother was dead and is now alive he was lost and now is found its gemination shews Emphasis he was lost when dead in sin but now alive to God to righteousness he was the lost and wandering Sheep he is come home a penitent sinner And compare the 24. verse with the last yet more my Son thy Brother he is sibb to thee but sibber to me which the words imply therefore though ye would let him go as he came yet will not I O dear younger Brother be not afraid to return nor scarr to come home but first see that thou make thy peace with thy Father verse 21. And although some churlish elder Brother like Eliab too young David would unchristianly chide thee take courage it is not that bitter Brothers house thou art coming home to but thy Fathers meditate and think on these things for to be a ready antidote against the bitter Pills of some and albeit some of the stronger Brethren be not so kindly comfort thy self here is thy Father pleading for thee and so is thy elder Brother in this same Chap. Luke 15. 6. who when he hath brought home his wandering sheep rejoycing calls together his friends and neighbours and sayes rejoyce with me then assure thy soul that Christs real friends will rejoyce at thy return welcome thee imbrace and love thee as their own bowels Then let us in this great act of charity and tender love to the weak returning Lambs imitat our blessed Redeemer and elder Brother who came from Heaven to Earth to seek and save the lost sheep Luk. 19. 20. who bears the Lambs in his bosome and leads them gently that are with young Isai 4. 12. and will be more loath to over-drive them then Jacob his young Children and Flocks Gen. 33. 14. Then be thou compassionat towards them Is the Saviour bearing them in his bosome then grieve them not for he cannot but see it and be grieved Is he leading them gently then dare thou beat them back with word or reproach like the piercings of a sword The Lord leads the lame and the blind in the way they do not know to Zion weeping the woman with child and she that travelled with child Jer. 31. 8. Mark the four sorts in the world the fittest objects of mans compassion and help lame and blind the woman with child and travelling with child and the first two most despicable yet the Lord despises none of them but seing they are weeping and coming to Zion he is eyes to the blind
the Jews Acts 3. 17. and Joseph his Brethren Gen. 50. 20. Secondly He will â—ear with the froward Speeches of the Weak as the Lord does with Jonah chap. 4. vers 9. For he that covereth a transgression seeketh love Prov. 17. 9. yea Love covereth all sins Prov. 10. 22. to wit of Infirmity Thirdly They will answer â—he froward words of the Weak with Meekness for a soft tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25. 15. Eli in his imprudent rashness did mistake holy Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 14. by her soft and humble answer Elies mistaken reproof was instantly turned into a prophetical blessing of her which the Lord fulfilled This Duty of the Strongs bearing with the infirmities of the Weak must always be subordinate to our pleasing of God which two are very well consistent for our Saviour and so should every good Christian increased in favour with God and Man Luke 2. 52. The Babes and Lambs of Christ must be ranked in two sorts First Some weak in Knowledge but not so weak in sanctifying Grace others some more Knowledge but less sanctifying Grace and accordingly the strong should carry toward them but they will find it much easier and sweeter to converse with these weak ones who have some measure of Sanctification though their Knowledge be weak and these weak ones again must be suboivided some only Weak some both Weak and Sick that is not only weak in Knowledge but also Sick by reason of Desertion or Soul perplexiâ—iesâ— tending to Despair these of all the weak Lambs must be and should be most tenderly dealt with and of these especially our Saviour speaks in His Gospel better a Milnstone be hanged â—bout his Neckâ— and he be drowned in the deep of the Sea then he offend one of these little ones that believe in me Be cautious to try out and careful to oversee these Lambs by any others As for you that are Strong because you are not all of one size I confesâ— the talk of bearing with the Infirmities and gaining of the Weak to râ—quiâ—e strong Shoulders and the Graces abovementioned required in the Strong for that Duty proves no less And therefore ye that are strong in Kâ—â—wledge but weâ—k in Mortification and Sanctification no doubt that â—â—sk will be more difficult to you and therefore my humble advice to you is that if you find you are not sufficiently strong in Mortification and Patience as to bear with the Infirmities of them beware oâ— falling in reasoning or disputing with them for that will make no Healing but rather more Strife But withall I would charge you to make this choice rather to bear with the weak Lambs then for pleasing of Men to bear too much with Sinners which is a displeasing of God and thou who will not stoop to bear with the infirmities of the Weak does not thy Father in Heaven bear with thy infirmities and grosser sins does not thy Neighbour with whom thou converseth bear with thee also nay he deserves not to be born with or live in Christian Society who is â—o passionate and wrathful that he will neither bear word or look for in many things we sin all especially in sins of infirmity beware thou be not like Job's Friends who had some measure of Knowledge and came with real purpose to comfort their Friend but for want of Charity they proved miâ—erable Comforters and instead of binding up his Soul wounds ranckled them more As for you who are strong both in Knowledge and Grace though the task be hard and difficult sometime to the strongest Christian as upon this account sometimes ye will have to do with a Lamb so weak in Knowledge that they will think you scarce deserve the name of Christian or that you have Grace or are walking in the way to Heaven the best confutation of these is to live with them and before them in all good Conscience and by time they will be convinced of their Error towards you As for you who are prophane in your Lives and yet have more Knowledge in Religion then the weak Lambs beware ouâ— take it not upon you to reproach these Lambs for in so doing you serve the Devil ye break the heart of the tender Lambs ye grieve the Spirit of God and who gave you authority to insult over them for to do these Lambs any good to their Soul condition thou has no Grace to do it being a slave to Satan and his Lusts thy self beware of the cuâ—se of Amalâ—k 1 Sam. 13. 3. his name to be blotted out from under Heaven bâ—cause with a cruel heart he pursued and smâ—â—e the hindmost sâ—eble faint and weary of Israel and Ezek. 34. 20. 1. because the strong Caâ—â—el thrust with side and shoulder and push'd all the diseâ—sed with their horns therefore will I destroy the fat and the strong I will â—ed them with judgment I will seek that which was lost bring again that which was driven away bind up that which was broken strengthen that which was sick As for you Lambs when you consider all this care that your Heavenly Father takes of you draw not hence this weak conclusion That because your Father in Heaven commands the Strong to bear wiâ—h your Infirmities and to please you for your good to Edification do not overwean upon that as if your Father in Heaven love you better then the Strong Christian know you not that the Father on Earth when he hath a young tender Child very sick or in danger of Death he will command his elder Brother who is yet more beloved of the Father then that young Child yet he will command him to sit up in the night and attend his sick Brother forbid him to speak a word to offend him why then is all this care of the Father even because the young one is weak and sick and in danger of Death and therefore has need to be tenderly dealt with therefore on the other hand when thou considers thy Heavenly Fathers tender care of thee and thy salvation give him this thankfull meeting to wit when any Strong Christian accosts thee in Christian love to gain thee from thy Errours to tender the Information and Instruction beware thou reject not such a Messenger Commissionated from thy Father but with all Meekness and Gentleness lend thy Ear and thy Heart to sound Instruction and if thou wilt keep Church Communion and live orderly thy Heavenly Father will more and more clear thee of thy doubts and mistakes and resolve to follow the advise of the Apostle Philip. 3. 16. Which comes to this that seing thy Neighbour Christian and you agree in the Fundamentals and saving Truths of Religion to wit one Catechism and Confession of Faith which are the compleat Rule to lead you both to Heaven walk joyntly together in that way of Faith and Holy Life and for any other difference in opinion till ye be cleared of your doubts there is no danger for your Soul to let them lye asleep And for you that are Strong remember that Precious Promise in the Covenant of Grace Their sin I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. And none of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him Ezek. 18. 22. and 33. 16. So in this be ye followers of God as dear Children Ephes 5. 1. Therefore I charge you that their bygone escapes be mentioned no more as you would have your Heavenly Father keep that Covenant of Grace to you in the day of your accounts therefore let an Act of Oblivion in the Souls of the Strong in Gifts and Grace be passed in favours of the Weak who have returned or are in the way of returning to the Bosom of their Mother Church that so these Weak Lambs reflecting with an holy and inward Indignation against themselves for their bygone Mistakes and Wandrings may rejoyce in the Lord for the kindness and Christian Brotherly Love Humanity and Acceptance that they find even from these whom before they looked upon during their separation as castawayes and and now they find that Truth confirmed Charity suffereth long and is kind all which Christian Kindnesse they finding in you who are Strong it may prove a strong Convincing and Gaining Argument upon their Spirits that you have been and are still in the Right Way to Heaven For by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another John 13. 35 And he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 John 4. 16. And for you beloved in the Lord who through the good hand of God upon you are returned to your Mother Church to Communion in Word and Sacraments let there be no Schism in your Worship but joyn with your Mother Church and Holy Church Universal in singing the Doxology with them make straight paths for your feet least that which is Lame be turned out of the way but rather let it be healed Heb. 12. 13. Do not so far as in you lyes make lame and halting Worship if you be silent when others are singing Glory to their God shall your loving Mother Church receive you again in her bosome and will ye be unthankfull and grieve her Soul in retaining that halt which ye learned straying on the Mountains and retain still to be a scandall to your Brethren and a grief to her that bare you God forbid As the Lords Covenant with Noah and with mankind in him and Sealled it with a visible Sign to continue to all Generations that he would not any more destroy the earth with a flood and according to that Covenant hath â—terat His Promise I have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves tosse themselves yet cannot it prevail though they roar yet they cannot passe over it I beseech the Lord if it be His will that such another Inundation of Errours with such Confusion and disorder never overrun these three Kingdoms again untill that day that the Lord send forth His Angells and gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend and the King shall seperat the Sheep from the Goats and there shall be perfect Union in singing one Song with one Heart and Mouth unto all Eternity To Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb and to the Holy Ghost be Glory and Praise And shall be Glory and Praise by all glorified Angels and Saints World without End AMEN FINIS