Ecclesiastical Authority because they were so wonderfully inspired and guided by the holy Spirit yet if it can be shewed that the Apostles themselves appointed external Rites attendant on the service of God which were of an alterable and mutable nature this will manifest that the use of such things is well consistent with the Gospel worship and thence it will follow that the Christian Church hath liberty as well as the Jewish Church had to determine such observations since God hath give no special command to abridge that liberty Here I shall consider 2. 1 The holy kiss or kiss of Charity It was a common friendly salutation for men to kiss each other both among the Jews and in other Eastern Countries as hath been observed from Xenophon and Herodotus and was also used in the Western parts of the Empire in the time of Tiberius But both S. Paul Rom. 16.16 and and S. Peter 1. Pet. 5.18 required the practice of this holy kiss as a peculiar Christian Rite and observation but when and how it was used we must discover from the relation of the ancient Christian Writers That it was used at their publick Assemblies at the time of their solemn Prayers Grot. in Rom. 16. c. 16. is proved by Grotius from the testimonies of Justin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian who calleth it signaculum orationis the seal of Prayer and speaking of it as it was their ordinary expressive attestation of Unity Peace Tertul. de Orat. c. 14. and Love he saith Quae oratio cum divortio Sancti sâ—uli integra What Prayer can be perfect which is separated from the holy kiss Cassand Liturg. c. 39. And Cassander hath evidenced from S. Austin Innocent and divers other particular Authors and ancient Offices that it was especially used at the time of the holy Communion sometimes before but for the most part after the Consecration of the elements and before their distribution by which Ceremony Christians expressed their consent to those administrations and their love to each other and of this kiss at the Lords Supper Calvin supposeth S. Paul to speak Calv. in 1 Cor. 16. â—0 when he commandeth the Corinthians to greet one another with an holy kiss Indeed several modern Ritualists being willingly so short sighted as to discern no further than the dusky and false light of the Romish Decretals doth discover do ascribe the use of the kiss 〈◊〉 the Communion to a later original some from Leo the second others from Innocent the first but this appeareth to be a fond and vain imagination because this Custom was not only mentioned by S. Chrysostome but evidently referred to by the Laodicean Council Conc. Laod. Can. 19. Just Mart. Ap. 2. and is also expressed by Jestin Martyr in his Apology written within less than an hundred years after the Apostolical Epistles of S. Paul and S. Peter Yet that this was an external mutable Rite is so far agreed upon and acknowledged as that it is generally disused because through the vanity of mens minds it was discovered at length to promote impurity and obscenity rather than holiness and Christian love And the Romish Custom introduced instead hereof of kissing the tabellam pacis or the Table of Saints Pictures is quite another thing from the Apostolical Rite and cannot be excused from superstition from the relation it beareth to their Doctrine of the Adoration of Saints And if we enquire how this ancient use of the holy kiss was most ordinarily practised it is manifest from the testimony of the Author of the Constitutions Const Apost l. 8. c. 11. concerning the more early times of Christianity and from Amalarius describing its use about 800. Years ago Amalar. de Deccl Offic. l. 3. c. 32. that it was not promiscuously used by men and women towards each other but separately and distinctly by men towards one another and by women among themselves alone 3. 2. Their Agapae or Feasts of Charity which were appointed in part for the relief of the poor Zonar in Conc. Trul. 74. Gang. 11. Chrys in 1 Cor. but especially to express continue and increase Christian love and fellowship which is also one great design of the Lords Supper were in and after the Apostles times used either immediately before as some affirm concerning some Churches or immediately after it as others assert and which was the more general practice and even in the places of publick Assemblies That they were celebrated at the same time and place with the Lords Supper hath been usually observed and collected from 1. Cor. 11.20 23. and from Act. 2.42 46. and from thence appeareth to have been used as an Ecclesiastical Rite The use of these Feasts of Charity was mentioned with approbation by S. Jude v. 12. and according to some Greek Copies by S. Peter 2 Pet. 2.13 and amongst the ancient Writers by Ignatius Ep. ad Smyr Tertullian Apol. c. 39. Clemens Alexand. Paedag l. 2. c. 1. Orig. Cont. Celsum l. 1. Conc. Gangr c. 11. and by S. Chrysostom Augustine and divers others some placing them as the Passover was eaten before the Lords Supper others comparing them to the Jewish Feasts eaten after the Passover But when these Feasts of Charity became greatly abused the Canons both of Provincial and general Councils Conc. Laodic c. 28.3 Carth. 30. Trul. 74. excluded them from the publick places of Church Assemblies and as Baronius observeth they were abolished in Italy by S. Ambroses Authority as they were also not long afterwards in Africa by S. Augustine and the other Bishops of the Carthaginian Province Baron an 377. n. 14 Aug. Ep. 64. and they became generally disused though some appearances thereof may possibly be discerned in later times in the Communion upon Maundy Thursday in divers Churches and in the practice of the Greek Church upon the day of the Resurrection or Easter Day Cassand Liturg. c. 4. when as Cassander relateth after the holy Communion allatis in Ecclesiam epulis communiter convivantur they have a common Banquet brought into the Church of which they all partake 4. But against that part of this observation that the Agapae were anciently joined with the holy Communion it may be objected Albasp Obj. lib. 1. Obj. 18. that Albaspinus doth on purpose undertake to prove that in Tertullians time the Agapae and the Eucharist were not observed together but that the former was celebrated at night from Tertul Apol. c. 39. and the latter in the Morning from Tertul. lib. 2. ad Vxor c. 5. and de Coron Mil. c. 3. But in answer to this we may consider that in that very observation Albaspinus himself admitteth with a Non inficias iverim that the Agapae were in the time of the Apostles celebrated with the Eucharist and concerning the time of Tertullian he neither undertaketh to prove that there were no Agapae in the Morning nor no Communion in the Evening for those very words of Tertullian de
a laying a burden upon the Churches Act. 15.28 Wherefore when the whole matter of this Decree is in that verse called necessary things we must thereby understand that some things indifferent yea under the Gospel inconvenient in their own nature being judged of use for the avoiding scandal and promoting Peace and Vnity in the Church became necessary to be practised in the Church after that Decree and Injunction And though the end of designing the Unity and encrease of the Church did require that in some things the Gentile Christians should yield a complyance to the Jews yet in what particulars this compliance should consist was determined by the authority of this Apostolical Synod whereby the practice thereof became necessary 3. Obs 2. That Apostolical Decree concerning these matters indifferent was designed to lay an obligation upon the practice of all Gentile Christians in those Apostolical times There are indeed some very learned men who have reputed this Decree to be a local constitution confined to Syria Cilicia and the Territories of Antioch and Jerusalem And if it had extended no further it had been a sufficient instance of an injunction in things indifferent but if it was intended to oblige all the Gentiles it is thereupon to be esteemed a more full and large example Now that this Decree contained in the first Canonical and Apostolical Epistle of the New Testament was of general concernment to the Gentile Christians though its inscription referred 〈◊〉 those places above-mentioned may be concluded because S. James declared it in general to have respect to the believing Gentiles Act. 21.25 because S. Paul Silas and Timotheus delivered this Decree even unto the Cities of Lycaonia Phrygia and Galatia to be observed by them Act. 16.1 3 4 6. and because the Primitive Christians did in all places account themselves bound by this determination of the Apostles to abstain from bloud and things strangled as appeareth from the testimonies of Tertullian Tertul. Apol c. 9. Minut. in Oct. Orig. cont Cels l. 8 Eus Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 1. Minutius Felix Origen the Epistle from France concerning their Martyrs recorded in Eusebius and the Canon of the Greek Code above-mentioned 4. Obs 3. It is acknowledged upon good grounds and granted by the Presbyterians that this Apostolical Sanction doth evidence a power in the Church of enjoining in lawful things what may be conducible to the good and welfare of the Church both because the successive practice of the Church did thence-forward exercise such a power and because though the Apostles might be inspired extraordinarily after they met together in this Synod yet they did not account a particular divine inspiration necessary to make an Ecclesiastical Constitution but in that great question whether and how far the Gentiles should undertake the Law of Moses they came together to consider of this matter Act. 15.5 6. and proceeded therein by way of disputation v. 7. Hence Gillespy in his assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland Gillesp Par. 2. Ch. 4. Ch. 8. concludeth the authority of Synodical Assemblies and that they have a diatactick power to make Decrees The London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici Part. 2. c. 14. declare this Apostolical Synod to be a pattern and platform for others and thence allow a Synodical power of imposing things on the Church which they assert to be encluded in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.28 And the Assemblies Consession doth from hence assert a power in Synods to make Decrees and determinations Conf. c. 31. which ought to be received with reverence as from Gods Ordinance and to set down rules and directions for the better ordering the publick worship of God Yet it may be observed that some of that way have in this particular manifested great partiality as Mr. Rutherford Ruth Introd to Div. Right of Ch. Gov. Sect. 5. p. 81. Disp of Candale Libert qu. 5. when he disputes against our Church and against the lawfulness of external Rites he denyeth any power in the Church to prescribe Laws touching things indifferent Plea for Presbyt Ch. 14. p. 199. but in his Plea for Presbytery he asserteth their Synods to have power to make Ecclesiastical Canons and Decrees which tie and bind particular Congregations to observe and obey them 5. Wherefore if the Apostles did make injunctions concerning things indifferent and imposed them upon all the Churches of the Gentiles and accounted their authority of Ecclesiastical Government guided by prudential consideration to be sufficient without extraordinary inspiration to establish such a Sanction then must this power remain in the Church taking in the Princes supremacy where the Authority of Church Government abideth permanent 6. And if we consider the Church under the General Notion of a Society as it is ordinary in all Societies for the Rulers thereof to exercise a power of making Rules and Constitutions not contradictory to any superiour Government for preserving a due order in that Society so this doth especially take place in the Christian Church where there are special divine Laws which require care to be taken for order and decency and command Christians to obey them who have the rule over them And that those who will enjoy the Communion of any particular Church must submit to the Rules of order appointed therein is but the proper result of orderly Constitution and is of general practice insomuch that the French Reformed Churches as hath been observed by Mr. Durell Durelli Vindic. Eccl. Angl. c. 22. in Praf would not suffer Mr. Welch who came thither from Scotland to continue in administring the Sacrament without using the prescribed form of Prayer and admitting the standing gesture according to the order of that Church but he being enjoined Conformity by the Synod at S. Maixant 1609 left that Church and Realm rather than he would embrace it 7. But it is by some pleaded against the lawfulness of Constitutions Ecclesiastical that these are an infringing of Christian liberty But whereas Ecclesiastical Rites and Constitutions are in themselves lawful as hath been proved prudential determinations about such indifferent things can no more incroach upon Christian liberty than do the political Sanctions of Civil Laws and the Domestick commands of Parents and Masters And surely every mans apprehension must needs acknowledge it a gross mistake to imagine that when the Precepts of Christianity do earnestly enjoin the practice of self-denial meekness submission and obedience to superiours it should be the priviledge of Christian liberty to disoblige men from any or these things which would represent our most excellent Religion as contradicting it self But true Christian liberty conveyeth a priviledge of freedom from that which the Christian Doctrine abolisheth the Mosaical Covenant and Ceremonies of the Law from that which its Precepts prohibit and disclaim the life of sin and bondage to the Devil and being under any other as our Soveraign and supreme
that such Confirmation with Imposition of hands might be restored 9. But it remaineth to be inquired how the Church can certifie the persons confirmed by the sign of Imposition of hands of Gods favour and gracious goodness towards them For the answering of which waving other considerations I shall observe two things First that as this imposition of hands is a testimony of admitting persons to a higher rank of Christian Professors who ratifie their baptismal Covenant by their own action intimating also an approbation of this profession it includeth the power of the Keys whereby the Officers of the Church are enabled by Gods authority to declare particularly his favour and gracious goodness to them who embrace the conditions of Christianity and to direct them thereunto and to this purpose was Imposition of hands on the Penitents at divers times used in the ancient Church And to testifie Gods gracious acceptance either by our words or actions of mens undertaking the exercise of Christianity is a thing greatly different from the tendering the divine grace of Gods Covenant as exhibited by any sign as a means to convey the same which is the proper nature of a Sacrament 10. Secondly This Imposition of hands is a sign of a Benediction in Gods name from the Officer of Gods Church The Levites and especially the Priests under the Law were required to bless the people in the name of God Deut. 10.8 1 Chron. 23.13 which blessing was performed in a way of benedictory prayer or supplication Numb 6.23 and this blessing in Gods name was a testimony of Gods giving his blessing to them supposing them not to render themselves uncapable thereof Num. 6.27 The external testimony of their general blessing all the people Targ. Jonath in Num. 6.23 was most probably by lifting up their hands towards them as is declared by one of the Chaldee Paraphrasts and is observed by Baronius Baron Annal Eccl. An. 34. n. 220. and we have an instance of this Rite attending the Priestly benediction Lev. 9.22 and our Saviour made use of the same Luk. 24.50 But in their solemn particular benedictions in the Old Testament they used Imposition of hands of which we have an example Gen. 48.14.16 in Jacobs blessing the Sons of Joseph this Rite was also used in their Ordination of their Elders and the constant use hereof in the particular benedictions by persons of great eminency among the Jews is reasonably esteemed the cause why the Jews brought little Children to Christ that he might put his hands on them and pray Mat. 19.13 Gret in Mat. 19.13 And from the frequent practice of this Rite Junius and Tremellius have ventured to admit a Paraphrase into their Translation concerning the Priestly benediction wherein they express the use of Imposition of hands in Num. 6.27 which can only be allowed concerning particular benedictions The end and design of imposition of hands in benediction 〈…〉 voc 〈◊〉 Jâ—n in Num. 6. c. 7. is declared by Ravanellus to be in testimony of the help favour and grace of God to be given to him who receiveth imposition of hands and Junius saith by this sign they were to testifie to the people Gods grace which are Phrases much like those in this Prayer at Confirmation in our Liturgy Yet this Rite was only a sign of Gods favour in this use with respect to the Benediction or Prayer for that person supposing and hoping him to be duly qualified for the receiving the benefit therein desired and therefore is of no Sacramental nature 11. Now â—lessing including nothing Ceremonial and peculiar to the Law and the Ministry of the Old Testament is very suitable to the Gospel which is in an especial manner a Dispensation of Blessing And this benediction or praying 〈◊〉 for Gods blessing was the 〈…〉 designed in this Apostolical 〈◊〉 of hands with prayer and from their time this use hath been continued in the Christian Church as hath been shewed and it would be a strange unreasonable and uncharitable thing if those who come to renew their baptismal Covenant might not receive the Churches blessing in Gods name with prayer for their Christian growth and perseverance And the dignity of Office in the Church chiefly giving authority to bless according to that rule of the Apostle Heb. 7.7 without all contradiction the less is blessed of the greater this solemn benediction at Confirmation hath thereupon been justly reserved to the Bishop or chief Officer of the Church by whom alone it was performed in the time of S. Cyprian and S. Hierom. 12. Confirmation in our use thereof is called by Bishop Whitgift Bishop Whitg Defence p. 785. Eccl. Pol. l. 5. Sect. 66. The Bishops benediction by laying on of hands by Mr. Hooker This special benediction the Rite or Ceremony of Confirmation and when Confirmation was restored in Scotland in the fourth Article of the Assembly of Perth it was declared concerning children who had been catechized that the Bishop should bless them with prayer for the increase of their knowledge and the continuance of Gods heavenly grace with every one of them And the ancient Confirmation was accounted a Benediction by Tertullian Tertul. de Bapt. c. 8. Conc. Eliber c. 77. and a Benediction of the Bishop by the Council of Elvira And since the Gospel-dispensation is a Ministration of Blessing and the great blessing of the Gospel is to receive the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 This benedictory prayer upon a solemn occasion for the grace and strength of that Spirit was suitably accompanied in the practice of the Apostles and the Christian Church with the ancient and proper token of benediction the Imposition of hands 13. Presbyt Except p. 29. But it hath been urged that the Articles of our Church declare imposition of hands in Confirmation to be a corrupt imitation of the Apostles practice and that Confirmation hath no visible sign appointed by God Artic. 25. and therefore Imposition of hands cannot therein certifie children of Gods favour and gracious goodness towards them and thus contradictions are injuriously imposed upon the Church The words of the Article to which they refer are these Article 25. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible sign or Ceremony ordained of God The sense of the former part of which words is That the Church of Rome accounting Confirmation Penance Orders and Extreme Vnction for proper Sacraments of the Gospel their errour herein proceedeth from their corrupting those things which were practised by the Apostles but their esteeming Marriage to be a Sacrament is a mis-representing a state of life allowed in the
Vnity and yet to allow of open breaking and dividing and visible falling into pieces Is this to think either honourably or reasonably of the designs of Christ to suppose that he should express his Church to be one body compacted and joined together Eph. 4.16 intending that its real members might be daily parting asunder by disclaiming the communion of each other or that the whole Church should be as one building fitly framed together Eph. 2.21 but with free allowance that its parts should be at such a manifest distance as never to come so near one another as to owne their communion And when our Saviour prayed for his Church which should believe through his Apostles Doctrine as a consequent upon their believing that they may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me Joh. 17 20 21. Cyp. de Ovat Dom. Christoph in Joh. 17. Hom. 81. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is manifest that that Union of the Church which should tend to convince the World of Christianity and engage them to the Faith of Christ must besides the inward Vnity of faith and love include an open and professed holding communion with each other which is the most visible testimony of their Unity and the want of which hath occasioned them who were strangers to Christianity to decry and loath the Christian Religion as appeareth from what is above-mentioned in the second Section Hier. in Eph. 4. And when S. Paul requireth to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace it hath been reasonably of old thence inferred that separation and breaking the Churches peace ought to be rejected because it opposeth and loseth that Vnity of the Spirit Cypr. Ep. 52. which Christians should maintain by renouncing fellowship with the Church of Christ 6. And it is manifest that needless withdrawing or not holding communion with that particular setled Church where we abide with appearance of causeless distast towards it or the way of its communion was vehemently and with a pathetick zeal condemned in S. Peter himself withdrawing and separating from the Gentiles which action included a blameable forbearance of manifesting his allowance and approbation of their way of Christian life and serving God Gal. 2.11.14 And the manifold cautions against divisions oft expressed in the Scriptures do especially condemn such separation which is the highest attempt and most open profession of dividing and as this separation is expresly condemned in the holy Scripture so this is that thing which is so greatly condemned by the ancient Canons above named and that even under the term and name of Schism And it is of no small moment to observe that the Primitive Church who received the holy Commandments of the Gospel from the Apostles did always understand the precepts of peace to extend mainly to the duties of external communion especially considering that whereas the Churches peace can only be broken by Church contests which are managed either by words writings or open actions of discord this latter way of expressing them by actions of separation and open rendezvous of parties is of all other the highest and most considerable 7. But if the use of the word Schism be here considered it includeth much of needless strife about words to deny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Schism signifying division or renting asunder to be a fit expression for rents and separations in the Church when it hath been so used in the common Ecclesiastical custom of speech and is that which is according to the direct and proper import of the word And if S. Paul accounted the bandying into parties and factions at Corinth though without separation which some account to be their case to be Schisms because their Unity was thereby opposed and hindred much more must separation which is the highest appearance of parties and breach of Unity and was probably the true state at Corinth be so accounted of 8. Dr. Owen of Evang. Love and Church Peace c. 5. And whereas the same person hath of late purposely undertaken to espouse the interest of separation from the present Church of England and to defend it from the charge of Schism the pleas and pretences made in behalf thereof will now fall under our enquiry 9. A third Notion Its first Plea P. 167 171 172. One principal Plea is That where things or observances unscriptural are made the indispensible condition of Communion there to refuse submission to such things imposed and to with hold Communion from that Church is no Schism but a discharge of a duty And that we may understand what he meaneth by such expressions as Vnscriptural conditions of Communion he telleth us in one place P. 171. We do not dispute the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the things themselves P. 177. and in another place that it may be at present granted that the manner or modes of the performance of Gods worship with rites and ceremonies for order and decency may be lawfully appointed or as it pleased him to call it instituted by the rulers of the Church yet saith he this will not help in our present enquiry unless it be also granted that what may be lawfully practised in the worship of God may be also lawfully made a necessary condition of Communion And he saith in another places P. 205. It is required in this case not only to produce a warranty from the Scripture for the use of Liturgies but also for making the constant attendance on them a necessary condition of Communion Wherefore his sense is that with-holding Communion becometh lawful and a duty where any appointments for orderly ministration and the fit and decent performance of Gods service though lawful in themselves but not particularly expressed in Scripture as conditions of Communion are so determined that they must be submitted to and complyed with by them who embrace actual Communion with that particular Church 10. But this is both false in it self and would render all setled Church-Communion utterly Vnlawful and would make separation the Universal duty of all Christians in every Christian Assembly in the World not excepting them of the Congregational way For the Scriptures have not injoined the particular time for Sacramental and other administrations nor the place for publick Assemblies nor in what method Prayer Preaching Sacraments Psalms Chapters Hymns with other thanksgivings and services are to be performed nor hath it determined us either to or against any particular lawful form or external rite as making them either universally necessary or sinful but these with divers other things of like nature are left to the rules of Ecclesiastical Liberty and Prudence Now it concerneth him who made this exception to discover how there can possibly be any orderly Christian Assemblies and unconfused performances of Religious services where such things as these are not determined as where their Prayers and Services are neither performed with nor without a form c. And to the common
execution of discipline which I have in the former Section noted to be hindred in the effects thereof and not helped by divisions and separations is desireable and would be advantageous to the Church Yet here we must observe 1. That some mens rigour would make the rules of Communion overstrict and severe which was the ground of the Schism of the Novatians and Donatists and as some have anciently related of the Meletians also and it is not desireable that the Churches authority should be acted by such heats 2. That real defects in this particular though they are not to be approved of are no sufficient ground for separation since such blemishes were mixed with the beauty of the Apostolical Churches themselves as is manifest from almost all the Apostolical Epistles and particularly from the first Epistle to the Corinthians in which divers miscarriages were taxed and yet unity was strictly commanded and dividing severely rebuked Yea this very discourse at sometimes will not owne P. 126. that this thing solely of it self is sufficient to justifie a separation and the Congregational Churches in England in the Declaration of their Faith and order affirmed Of Institution and Order of Churches Sect. 21. the Church-members upon offences taken by them having performed their duty private admonition and relating it to the Church ought not to disturb any Church-order or absent themselves from the publick assemblies or the administration of any ordinances upon that pretence but to wait upon Christ in the further proceeding of the Church 19. Last Plea Another thing only touched in that discourse but which is the main ground of mis-apprehensin is that there is saith he no Evangelical obligation to local or external Comunion P. 256 257. with any particular or parochial Church of this Nation because every man may relinquish it by removing his habitation which plea floweth from want of a right sense of the Church Catholick For every Christians obligation to keep Communion with the Church is founded in his being visibly a member of Christs body which includeth his visible fellowship with the whole Church which he entreth upon by Baptism and from hence he standeth obliged to communicate with that regular fixed part of this Church where he resideth and from which he hath no warrantable or necessary cause of separation In this respect our Parochial Assemblies are of like nature with the Jewish Synagogal Assemblies unto which they were not obliged by any special Synagogal-Covenant but partly from Gods general command of their assembling themselves together and partly from their Religious profession and circumcision engaging them to Communion with the whole Church of the Jews and thereby to their Synagogal-Communion Hereupon under that dispensation it was the practice of our Blessed Saviour whose example should not be over-looked by us to attend upon these Synagogal Assemblies and the Religious worship of God celebrated therein as appears Luk. 4.16 At Nazareth where he had been brought up as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day 20. And can it enter into the heart of any Christian to imagine that the holy Apostles who in their travells could not be fixed in any particular Congregation did not stand bound by the duty of Christian Vnity to join themselves in Communion with the particular fixed Churches or Assemblies of Christians where they came as S. Peter at Antioch S. Paul at Jerusalem and divers other places though such Churches were founded by some of the other Apostles And upon this account of the Vnity of the body of Christ the Primitive Christians when they went abroad into other Regions and distant parts of the World did with a Religious care seek the Communion of the Churches where they came and not to make separate Assemblies Yea this is a thing so far acknowledged by our English Independants themselves though they can talk at another rate where it serves their interest that in their publick Confession of Faith at the Savoy they say Conf. Ch. 27. Sect. 2. All Saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and Communion in the worship of God which communion though especially to be exercised by them in the relations wherein they stand whether of Families or Churches yet as God affordeth opportunity it is to be extended to all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus 21. But the conditions required in any particular fixed Christian Assembly embracing the Christian Faith and Worship in the place of our residence to make it our duty upon the account of the Christian Vnity to join therein are these two 1. That our communicating therein doth not oblige us to join in any action or profession which is sinful This is acknowledged on all hands and needeth no further proof because the Christians duty of keeping in Communion with Christ himself doth require it 2. That the Assembly we join in doth not maintain an unwarrantable separation from the Communion of the established Church for here to join in Communion is to join in separation and is like Barnabas and the other Jews joining with S. Peter Gal. 2.14 who all walked contrary to the truth of the Gospel in withdrawing from the Communion of the Gentiles at Antioch and the communicating with such a separating Assembly would be a breach of that Apostolical command of avoiding them who cause divisions Rom. 16.17 And we may observe that the joining in needless separations being a sin against the commands of Christ which require Christian Unity and Communion can not be warranted by any authority upon earth because that authority can not dispense with the commands of Christ but ought to be subject to them and therefore as S. Peter's practice and countenance Theod. Hift. l. 4. c. 22. Aug. Ep. 166. did not excuse Barnablas and the other Jews so neither could the indulgence of Valons the Emperour or his Predecessor execuse the different Sects by them tolerated from being guilty of Schism and the breach of Christian duty in their divisions and separations 22. Another notion of Schism there is A fourth Notion of Schism which condemneth separation where ever Communion is lawful but assumeth that whereever any thing unlawful or strongly suspected Mr. H. Tract of Schism p. 2 5 8. is required in order to Communion there to hold Communion would be to join in conspiracy and separation is then both lawful and necessary Concerning which notion granting that separation is necessary where any thing unlawful is required in order to Communion I can not admit for truth that if any thing suspected be so required separation becometh lawful thereby For if by suspected be meant whatsoever the person who maketh the separation doth suspect as evil by this rule he who through carelessness of enquiry or prejudice and want of Charity is needlâ—sly suspicious about any form of service or way of Church-Administrations will be allowed to separate and to be therein free from
and it may be easily inferred that if it be lawful to set days apart for humbling themselves before God with sasting and prayer without any particular divine Commandment it must needs also be lawful where there is sufficient occasion to appoint the like for the Service of God with Religious praise and thanksgiving with joy and gladness of heart 5. They had also the Feast of Purim established by the Letters of Mordecai Esth 9.21 when the Jews ordained and took upon themselves to do after this writing vers 27. after which Esther and Mordecai wrote with all authority to confirm these days of Purim vers 29.31 and it is expresly declared that the Decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim vers 32. The Feast of Dedication was appointed by Judas Maccabaeus and his Brethren and the Children of Israel 1 Mac. 4.59 to be observed annually for eight days in remembrance of the cleansing of the Temple from the profanations of Antiochus and the restoring the liberty of the performing the Service of God therein and at this Feast was our blessed Saviour himself present at the Temple Joh 10.22 23. And that the Feast of Dedication was that Feast appointed by Judas Maccabaeus though some ancient Christian Writers did otherwise interpret it is proved by Junius Buxtorf but especially and very largely and fully by Mr. Selden De Syned l. 3. c. 13. Sect. 7. c. Ibid. Sect. 12. Divers other Feasts are mentioned in the various Jewish Kalendars as may be seen in Scaliger and in that Kalendar exhibited by Mr. Selden which I shall not insist upon Yet it may be considered that Scasiger divideth the Jewish Feasts into the Legalia or Feasts appointed by Gods Law and Politica or such as were established by their own consent and that those of this last sort were some of them appointed before the time of Fsdras and some after of both which he undertaketh to give particular instances De Emend Temp. l. 7. and it is thought by Mr. Thorndike that the Feast of the Wood-offering expressed in the Jewish Kalendars Of Religious Assemblies c. 8. is referred unto in Neb. 10.34 and Chap. 13.31 both which places speak of the Wood-offering at the time appointed But the instances above mentioned are sufficient to manifest that it was lawful under the time of the Jewish Church to appoint days of Religious Solemnity to be annually observed though they were not enjoyned by any divine Institution Wherefore I forbear to insist upon the seven days feast which Solomon kept before the Lord immediately before the Feast of Tabernacles 1 King 8.65 2 Chron. 7.9 10. and of the seven days feast in the time of Hezekiah added to the seven days of unleavened bread 2 Chron. 30.23 Now it seemeth very reasonable that Christians whose mercies from God are greater than the Jewish Church enjoyed should also make use both of weekly and other set times for the Service of God it being prophesied of the Gentile Church under the Gospel Isa 66.23 That from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before the Lord. 6. After the Coming of Christ as the Disciples of John fasted oft so our Lord declared that his Disciples should fast after his departure This duty was asterwards practised by the Apostles and enjoyned to all Christians 1 Cor. 7.5 and was in part exercised in the stationary days of the ancient Christians two days in the week And besides other times Eus Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time of our Lords passion which Eusebius calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is evidently asserted by him though he misunderstand some words of Philo to have been observed by the Christians in the days of Philo and that is from the time of our Saviours death and to the observation of the Passion time those words of Tertulli in do manifestly refer notwithstanding the divers conjecture of learned men where he declareth the Christians appointing jejuniis Parasceven Advers Psye c. 14. Cont. Cets l. 8. and what Origen writeth of their observing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which probably includeth more than a single day 7. There is abundant testimony also of other solemn days of Religious joy besides the Lords days to have been observed Tert. de Idol c. 14. among which Tertullian mentioneth the whole fifty days from Easter to Whitsontide with which he saith no Religious Solemnity of the Gnetiles could compare and Origen undertaketh to justifie the Festivals of the Christian Church at Easter time and Whitsontide Orig. Ibid. and such like besides the Lords days not to be contained under the Apostles censure upon the Galatians for their observation of days and times And before their time the observation of some annieversary remembrance of eminent Martyrs is expressed in the Martyrium S. Ignatii published by Bishop Vsher from ancient Manuscripts which he judgeth to have been written by Philo Gaius and others who were present at this Martyrdom who write Manifestavimus vobis diem tempus ut secundum tempus martyrii congregati communicemus althletae glorificantes in ipsiusee merabili sancta memoria Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum To the same purpose are the words of Cyprian Cyp. Ep. 34. n Martyrum passiones dies anniversaria commemoratione celebramus and this is the sense also of Tertullian his oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitiis annua die facimus for both the Phrase and thing of these ancient oblations De Cor. Mil. c. 3. did particularly intend an honourable memorial and Communion with the person And when Eusebius giveth an account of the change of the Empire under Constantine from Heathenism to Christianity he saith they then had great respect to the Lords day De Vit Const l. 4. c. 23. and honoured the days of the Martyrs and celebrated the Festivals received in the Church And I suppose it needeth no proof that the Apostles and Evangelists had the chief place among the Christian Martyrs who were the principal Testisiers of Christ and the particular days wherein a pious remembrance of them was celebrated to the glory of God are frequently mentioned after the end of the third Century and are expressedin Constit Apost l. 8. c. 33. And though the particular Festivals of the Apostles were according to the practice of the Church in several parts of the World celebrated at very different times as may appear by comparing the practice of the Western Church with the Constitution of Alexius Comnemus which concerned the Eastern or Greek Church and with the several Arabick Kalendars two of which are exhibited by Mr. Selden de Syneder l. 3. c. 15. Yet in all these Churches as also in the Syriack as appeareth from the Rubricks for the Lessons on these days in the Syriack Testament and also in the Aethiopick and Egyptian Churches as appeareth from the Computus Aethiopicus De Emend Temp.
Children of God Ch. 3.26 27. or by way of distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons of God under great external priviledges of Christian freedom and also inwardly Sons and Heirs of life if they live as becometh the profession of Christianity whilst they who were under the Law were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children under age being in bondage under the Elements of the World Gal. 4.1 3. And since all those who by Baptism do enter upon Christianity are entituled Sons of God which Sonship proceedeth not from their natural Generation but from their entrance into the Covenant of God persons baptized may according to the same sense be hence called regenerate and born again and such expressions also are sufficiently allowed and defended from the Scripture speaking of being born again of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 and calling Baptism the washing of regeneration Tit. 3.5 9. 4. Concerning baptized persons being called Heirs of Everlasting Salvation we may observe that those Members of the Church visible who shall be cast into outer darkness are yet called Children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 And they may well be called Heirs to whom the promise referring to the inheritance is confirmed and who are by Baptism received under the Seal of the Covenant of Grace which alone giveth right of inheriting Gal. 4.30 On this account the Gentile Church and every Member embracing the Christian Faith are called Fellow-Heirs and Members of the same body Eph. 3.6 they also being now by the Gospel grace received to be the Children of the Covenant And S. Peter exhorteth Husbands and Wives embracing Christianity to mind their duties as being Heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 And when S. Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians to walk worthy of him who hath called them unto his Kingdom and Glory it is manifest that he speaketh to them all and even to them who were most negligent of the Christian life to whom such titles of dignity do belong from their Christian profession and being under the Gospel Grace though the inward priviledges exhibited under those Titles are only the portion of those who do perform the Conditions of the Gospel Covenant And upon the same account that baptized persons may be called the Sons of God they may be also thence concluded Heirs of Salvation 10. 5. On the same manner may Christians by Baptism be acknowledged to be regenerated by the Holy Ghost because the entrance into the body of Christ by Baptism is a priviledge obtained by the Grace of God or by the Holy Spirit For in Baptism the Minister acteth in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and therefore as Calvin asserteth Baptism is to be received as from the hand of God Baptismus accipiendus est quasi ex manu Dei Wherefore in like manner as Baptism which is performed in the name of the Holy Ghost hath been shewed to regenerate persons may be properly said to be therein regenerated by the Holy Spirit to which agreeth that Phrase of being born of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And as all gifts and diversities of operations in the Christian Church are derived from the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 11. So particularly this gift or priviledge of being baptized and received into Membership with the body of Christ is acknowledged by the Apostle to flow from the holy Spirit unto whom all benefits of Divine Grace and favour are ascribed For the Apostle saith concerning every visible member of the Church of Corinth as is manifest from the design of that Chapter 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body to which place Zanchy referring saith Vi Spiritus Sancti baptizamur c. De Trib. Eloh Par. 1. l. 7. c. 5. Sect. 6. By the power of the Holy Ghost we are baptized of the Father into one body of Christ and thereby regenerated as well by the Spirit as by the Father and the Son And again Haec regeneratio seu insitio in Christum fit à patre sed per Spiritum Sanctum And this is agreeable to our Book of Articles Artic. 27. expressing that in Baptism the promise of forgiveness of sins and of adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed 11. Besides these expressions the Scriptures speak of persons baptized being buried with Christ Col. 2.12 and being dead unto sin and buried with Christ by Baptism unto death and being planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.2 4 5. And as Zanchy at large observed Tom. 7. de Persever c. 2. p. 118. 137 138. Notanda est Scripturarum consuetudo c. The usual way of the Scriptures is to be observed they call as many as give up their names to Christ and are baptized into his name persons justified sanctified and the Sons of God And in another place he saith All who are baptized are sealed unto Christ Tom 8. de Relig. Christ Fides De. Baptismo Sect. 1. as being now incorporated into him by the Holy Ghost that they may not be under their own power but under his by whom they are said to be taken into the fellowship of his Covenant and to be made one body with him and all Saints and to be partakers of all spiritual and heavenly good And in his next Paragraph he saith All who are baptized tales esse fieri Sacramentaliter vere dicuntur Sect. 2. are sacramentally and truly said to be such and to be made such 12. But it may be said that according to this sense these expressions of being regenerated born again members of Christ c. have but a low signification not suitable to the excellency and dignity of those names Ans 1. These expressions even as they are used at the Baptism of the adult do enclude a considerable hope and evidence of true spiritual Communion and Membership with Christ and of inward regeneration and a right to Eternal Life which are benefits certainly attained in Baptism by persons duly qualified for the receiving them 2. They declare the very high priviledge of the Christian calling the entrance into which is the way to the Communion with Christ and to the highest enjoyment of the priviledges of the Children and Heirs of God which those persons do enjoy who do neglect the Christian life And the Scriptures usually mention those who are under the tenders of Salvation by terms of great priviledge and dignity not to make them secure in the disregarding true piety but partly to amplify and exalt the Gospel grace and goodness of God whereby so great benefits are set before us partly to manifest our great engagements to exemplary Piety and Obedience from so great encouragements partly to testifie that if we perish by willful neglect of God and disobedience to the Gospel this will be to fall into dreadful misery out of that state which encluded excellent means and great opportunities of obtaining Eternal
in his Gloss published from Strasburgh 1570. upon those words of the Apostle If any man seem to be contentious we have no such Custom nor the Churches of God write thus The Apostle saith he rejecteth morose and contentious answerers shewing that profitable rites received by grave authority ought by no means to be contemned or plucked in pieces though they be not built on solid demonstrations But if any man will be stiff in his opinion the Apostle will not contend any longer with him but will acquiesce in the Custom of Godly and worthy men and of the Churches of God themselves idemque saith he alios omnes pios facere debere and that all pious men ought to do the same is acknowledged there to be an Apostolical direction by Illyricus when he was out of the heat of contention in a cool and calm temper 4. If we view the pulick writings of the Reformed Churches Conf. Bohem Ars. 15. the Bohemian Confession declareth them to teach that humane Traditions Rites and Customs which do not hinder Piety are to be preserved in the publick Christian Assemblies And in their account of the Discipline and Order of their Churches they divide the matters of Religion into three heads the Essentialia which contain the matters of Faith Love and Hope the Minisierialia which enclude the means of Grace as the word of God Rat. Difc Ord. c. 1. the Sacraments and power of the Keys and the Accidentalia by which they say they mean what others call Adiaphora or external Ceremonies and Rites of Religion In these matters Adiaphorous they say they may have some things in use among them which are different from other Churches and yet are they not willing upon any small occasions to allow any alteration therein neque ob leves causus quicquam mutare aequum putamus nemini apud nos licet insuetas ceremonias inahoare Ibid. c. 2. And in their Ordination both of their Bishop and their Consenior who is designed to represent the Chorepiseopus in some ancient Churches whose Office is like that of our Arch Deacon and their Minister and their Deacon those of the same Order give to the person then ordained their right hand of fellowship and those of the inferiour Order when one is ordained to any of the higher degrees give him their right hand in token of subjection testified and assured by that external Rite 5. The Augustane Confession in several expressions asserteth it lawful for the Bishops or Pastors Conf. August de Eccâ—◠〈◊〉 Artâ—â—â— 21 de descrimine cibor to appoint things for Order in the Church and declareth that they do retain many ancient Rites or Ceremonies though they complain also of the abuse of others in the Romish Church as the Church of England doth and it asserteth also ritus illos servandos esse qui sine peccato servari possunt ad tranquillitatem bonum ordinem Ecclesiae conducunt Conf Saxon de Tradition The Saxon Confession treating of Rites appointed in the Church by humane Authority declareth that nothing ought to be appointed against Gods word or in the way of superstition but that some blameless Rites for good order both ought to be and by them are observed ritus aliquos honestos boni ordinis causa factos servamus servandos esse docemus And the Ceremonies most opposed in the Church of England with more besides them are retained both in that and in other Lutherane Churches Conf. Helv. c. 27. The Helvetick Confession asserteth that the Church hath always used a liberty about Rites as being things of a middle or indifferent nature The French Church alloweth that there be singulis locis peculiaria instituta Conf. Gallic c. 32. prout commodum visum fuerit peculiar Constitutions for several places as it shall appear profitable And the Strasburgh Confession discoursing about humane Traditions or external Rites and Observations which conduce to profit though they be not expressed in the Scriptures Conf. Argent c. 14. saith that many such the Church of God at this day doth rightly observe and as there is occasion doth make new ones adding these sharp words quas qui rejecerit is non hominum sed Dei cujus traditio est quaecunque utilis est authoritatem contemnit that whosoever rejecteth these things doth not contemn the authority of men but of God of whom is every profitable Constituion Wherefore he who will yet disclaim all Ceremonial Rites under Christianity and will esteem them to be a pestilential and dangerous Contagion in the Church must undertake to affix both to the ancient and latter most famous Churches a Miserere nostri SECT V. The ill consequences of denying the lawfulness of all Ecclesiastical Rites and Constitutions in things indifferent observed 1. Though the condemning the practice and rule of the Church in all Ages and even in the time of the holy Apostles and Prophets be inconvenience sufficient for any opinion to stand charged with yet besides this which hath been evidenced in the two former Sections the denying the lawfulness of any external Rites 1. Debarreth the Church of what is really advantagious unto it for some fit external Rites of order and decency provided they be not over-numerous do promise solemnity in the service of God and tend to excite a greater degree of seriousness reverence and attentiveness It was S. Austins observation De Curia pro mortuis c. 5. that in Religion the outward actions of bowing the knee stretching forth the hands and falling on the ground though they be not performed without the preceding actions of the Soul do much encrease the inward affections of the heart In the common affairs of the World the boaring his Ear with an Awle who was willing to undertake a perpetual service the giving possession among the Jews by the pulling of the shoe and amongst us by divers other ways of livery and seisin the delivering some ensign of authority at the enstallment of a Magistrate and the giving the hand as a pledge of fidelity have by the common prudence of men been judged useful Rites to render those undertakings and actions the more solemn and observable Nor can there be any reason why some external actions may not obtain the like effect in matters of Religion especially considering that both Prophets and Apostles in delivering their extraordinary Messages from God thought fit frequently to make use of visible representations that their words might thereby take the deeper impression Thus Ezekiel carried out his stuff in their sight and Isaiah walked naked without his ordinary Garments when they denounced Captivity and Agabus foretelling the imprisonment of S. Paul bound himself with his girdle Act. 13.51 Mar. 6.11 and the Apostles according to the commandment of Christ shook of the dust of their feet as a testimony against those Cities who received them not V. Hor. Hebr. in Mat. 10.14 which was a rite
account also apparently hindred because these discords do oft divert many Ministers from the more directly profitable parts of their employment and make it necessary for them to spend much time in satisfying these scruples and answering objections with thoughtfullness of the ill consequents of these dissentions while they have other work enough to do in the worship of God the edifying his Church and the opposing other designs of those Enemies who seek to undermine it This is like the discovery of a fire breaking forth or inward mutinies appearing at that time when there is much necessary work to be done at home and many conflicts to be prepared for both at home and abroad which must needs put some considerable obstructions to those proceedings SECT III. Of the dangerous loss of the Churches Peace and Unity by this controversie and of the sin of Schism 1. That upon matters referring to this controversie the Peace and Concord of our Church doth much depend and that it is and hath been thereby evidently and extreamly hindred is so apparently visible that it needeth no proof and hath been on all hands generally confessed and complained of Now though it be every Christians duty to reject that Peace which is inconsistent with Piety yet there can be no discharge given to these great duties of Peace and Vnity where they may be practised consistently with godliness and truth To be truly Religious is to enjoy a healthful state of a sound mind where there is no lethargick stupidness but an inward and vigorous life which is not attended with distempered heats and inflammations but with a calm and sedate composure of a sober spirit for the fruits of righteousness are sown in peace Jam. 3.18 2. This duty is so considerable that the Holy Ghost seemeth scarce in any thing else so pathetically to command and urge our practical obedience as about the Churches Peace and Christian Vnity If there be any consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 2. saith the Apostle if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded being of one accord and of one mind Yea so generally is this duty pressed that there is scarce any Book of the holy Scripture chiefly of the new Testament but doth particularly enjoin or recommend it 3. If we value the favour and presence of God even that is no where so much to be found as where Christian Peace and Unity are most pursued Wherefore St. Paul commandeth 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And the same Apostle declareth that the Church becometh an Holy Temple Eph. 2.21 22. and an habitation of God by being a building joined and united in Christ and fitly framed together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some have not amiss observed that in the framing of that Greek word there is contained a treble band of Unity The Jewish Doctors observed that the Shecinah or Divine presence did dwell with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meek and quiet spirits but flyeth from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them who were wrathful and angry Nazianz. Orat. 12. Nazianzen maketh it a considerable Character of one who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near of God and to what is Divine that he is a man who embraceth peace and hateth discord Ign. Ep. ad Eph. p. 20. 25. Edit Voll and Ignatius expresseth the great profitableness of being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in unspoted Vnity that thereby they may always have Communion with God and prevail against the power of the Devil 4. If the true exercise of the Christian life and duty be considered St. Paul declareth the divisions and discords of the Church of Corinth to be an evidence that they were carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 and to be the cause why their assembling to the Lords Supper was not advantageous but hurtful to them Ch. 11.17 18. and that the benefits of true Christian growth and encrease are to be expected in Christian Vnity Cyp. de Vnit Eccl. Eph. 4.16 Ch. 2.21 Col. 2.19 And in those words of our departing Saviour Hil. in Ps 119. Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you the ancient Fathers have conceived the great blessing of peace given by Christ to his Church and the duty of peace required in it to be chiefly contained Basil Mor. Reg. 50. Amb. de Joseph c. 13. To this sense St. Cyprian Hilary Basil Ambrose Chrysostome and Theophylact expound that place some of them including also the tranquillity of the Christian mind and the perfect peace of the life to come And from that Text St. Augustine concludeth Serm. 59. de Verb. Dom. that he cannot come to Gods inheritance who doth not observe Christs Testament and he can have no concord with Christ who will be at discord with a Christian 5. That the want of peace becometh the decay of piety may be also sufficiently confirmed by particular instances Ep. ad Cor. p. 3. Clemens observed concerning the Corinthian Church that while they enjoyed peace they had an unsatiable desire to do good and received a plentiful effusion of the holy Spirit they were religious in their supplications to God and harmless towards one another but upon their discord righteousness and peace was banished far from them they all who embraced divisions forsook the fear of God P. 5. and became dark sighted in the Faith and walked after evil affections And Nazianzen took notice that Religion had one flourished in the Church and calculating the season when its decay began Naz. Orat. 21. he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that from the time this contradicting spirit as a terrible Disease infected the Church thence forward its beauty and glory did decline And there is another Country not unknown to us where like effects may be observed and after peace was lost injustice and unrighteousness like a mighty torrent did at once bear down all before it heretical blasphemies were frequently belched forth against all the fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith and all manner of vile affections were professedly served under the ranting and other names of pretendedly Religious Sects 6. Upon this account Christian peace was deservedly esteemed and honoured in the Primitive Church to which purpose the judgment and practice of that excellent spirited man Gr. Nazianzen is above other worthy our observation He disswadeth from that peace which is evil and sinful Orat. 12. but by no means alloweth any discharge to this great duty in other cases and declareth that his little Church where he was Bishop before he went to Constantinople continuing in Unity and concord when discord and much overspread the Christian World was reputed to be as the Ark of Noah which alone escaped the universal deluge and where Religion was intirely preserved Ruff. Prol. in Naz. Orat
apprehensions of other men it is very manifest that unless there be a complyance or submission to such determinations by the members of the Church they can not actually communicate in these administrations unless they could communicate in what they will not yield to join in Yet these things with us are not made the conditions of communion any other way than the submission to lawful determinations of those things which must be one way or other determined is necessary for them who will join in such an orderly Society 11. And they who urge this objection do themselves make their determinations of these things besides some other things peculiar to their way as much a condition of Communion in their Congregations as our determinations are with us They may possibly stamp a divine authority upon those usages of their own which really have it not and urge such things for laws of God which he hath not established but this being much of the same nature with teaching for doctrines the commandments of men can never render their communion the more acceptable And I suppose this following discourse will sufficiently manifest that the divine authority doth neither enjoin their way of service without all forms and other rites nor disapprove of ours And now the arguments brought in that Treatise to make good this exception will concern themselves to answer as well as others and may be easily solved For 1. P. 173. When Christ gave Commission to his Apostles to baptize all Nations and teach them to observe whatsoever he commanded he thereby enjoined all his doctrines and precepts to be received and obeyed of all men and especially of those who imbrace the Christian baptism but he doth not thereby forbid rules of decency and order which are required in the Scripture to be received in the Communion of Christians And 2. Lib. 2. Ch. 1. Sect. 3. Ch. 2. Sect. 2 3. the Apostles practice and 3. their doctrine with a particular consideration of the fourteenth Chapter to the Romans will be evidenced in this Treatise to give both allowance and direction for Ecclesiastical constitutions of order 12. The fourth argument is from this instance of fact P. 191. When Victor Bishop of Rome excommunicated the Asian Churches for not observing Easter at the same time with the Roman Church this his action as fixing new bounds to Church-Communion was then disliked much by others and especially rebuked by one of the most holy and learned men then living which was Irenaeus Ans Well might Victors actions be censured by Irenaeus which was not only a directing and retaining that as a sixed rule of order for his own Church Eus Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was then the Roman Custom and practice and which Irenaeus and the French Churches as well as many others did allow and judge requisite in that very Epistle to Victor but it was the obtruding that which was no Apostolical command or institution to be so far Apostolical as to be thereupon a doctrine and practice necessary to be received in all parts of the Christian Church and that all other whole Churches who received it not were not to be owned in the Communion of the Catholick Church Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and upon this account he undertook to excommunicate the Asian Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being Heterodox or erring from the Faith But our Church can be charged with no such practices as these were for it declareth it self thus B. of Com. Prayer of Ceremonies In these our doings we condemn no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our own people only which words with other to the same purpose are prefixed to our Liturgy His fifth argument is P. 194. that hence it would follow that there is no certain rule of Communion amongst Christians fixed and determined by Christ To which I answer that in all doctrines of Christianity nothing can be required as necessary for Communion with any Church but what Christ hath determined yet even here every errour in judgment or miscarriage in practice doth not forfeit the right of Communion and concerning defaults they who have the power of the Keys which is managed with Ecclesiastical Prudence Albasp Observat l. 2. Obs 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. are allowed to consider of times and other circumstances whence the Church of God hath unblameably used sometimes greater and other times less severity about the same crimes But that there should be different prudential rules of external order in the communion of different Churches hath generally been allowed and acknowledged in the ancient Church and pleaded for amongst the reformed Churches 13. P. 171 202. Indeed it is in the same Treatise urged as a thing included under this exception of Vnscriptural conditions of Communion that Ministers are required to express their approbation of the things injoined as the Liturgy Articles and Book of Ordination by their subscription or declaration But besides that these things are not intended for conditions of Christian communion but requisite for regular administrations and the preservation of order it is but reasonable that they who insist on this Plea before they blame us much more before they separate from us upon this account should themselves consider whether they would be willing to receive any persons to be Ministers of their Congregations who do not some way or other express their allowance of their way and order and particularly whether they would entertain him as their Minister who is resolved to perform all ministerial actions according to the order of the Liturgy If they be willing to entertain such a Minister and Ministration they must thereby justifie our way of order and communion by their submitting to the same terms of injoying Church-Communion But if they will admit no person to be a Minister in their Churches as indeed they will not before they are satisfied that he approveth and will continue in the way and order of their Churches while they herein blame our Church they should consider those words of the Apostle Rom. 2.1 Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things 14. But of the lawfulness of things as enjoined in the Church for order sake which is the main thing considerable in this exception and which hath been divers times sufficiently justified Bishop Whitgift Tr. 2. Hccles Folit l. 3. Lib. 2. c. 2. by Bishop Whitgift Mr. Hooker and many others since them I shall treat in another place more particularly and it will be sufficient here to add that God who hath appointed Rulers in his Church to guide and command hath also made it a duty to obey them who have the rule over us 15. Its second Plea Another Plea for separation from the Church of England is That the joining in communion
Laws of the Land To this purpose the Covenant it self in the beginning thereof declareth that after other means of supplication remonstrance protestation c. now at last they enter into a League wherein Art 1. and 2. they engaged themselves to this endeavour Wherefore that endeavour cannot include such means as supplication to the King c. Which are called other means than what they then designed And according to this sense the Assembly Pref. to the Directory notwithstanding the Kings prohibitive Declaration declared that to give publick testimony of their endeavour for Vniformity in divine worship which they promised in the Covenant they resolved to lay aside the former Liturgy and agreed on the directory Ordin Jan. 3. 1644. And the then two Houses without the Kings consent and against his Declaration proceeding as themselves there expressed according to their Covenant to reform Religion did undertake by their ordinance to abolish the Book of Common-Prayer and to repeal all statutes which enjoined it and to establish the directory and in like manner they proceeded in their other Ordinances of Oct. 9th 1646. for abolishing the name title Ordin Oct. 9. 1646. stile and dignity of Archbishop and Bishop Nov. 16. 1648. and of Aug. 29. 1648. for establishing a new way of discipline and ordination And in the two several ordinances for abolishing Bishops and selling their lands there is a special provision to this purpose To save and preserve all other rights titles and interests other than the King 's and his Heirs and Successors the Archbishops and Bishops c. Which words carry an appearing indication of some conviction that those endeavours against Episcopacy were not every way lawful and according to right 7. The matter of the Covenant was also Unlawful as it designed the extirpation of Church-government by Archbishops and Bishops For to engage the rooting out of all Episcopacy which ever since the Apostles times hath been established in the Church and under which our own Nation received its reformation is to Covenant to abolish that which after all Books of controversie hitherto written may fairly plead for a divine institution and no man how confident soever can be sufficiently secure that he doth not act against the will of Christ while he designeth to reject it and therefore an Oath to this end and purpose cannot be a lawful Oath Conc. Chalc. c. 18 Con. Trull c. 34. Aurel. 3. c. 21. C. 11. q. 1. Conspirationum With what indignation such actings would have been looked upon by the Primitive Christians may appear by the Canons of the ancient general and Provincial Councils wherein all combinations by Oath though they were not so high as this of the Covenant whether by Clergy or Laity against their Bishops were in the highest manner and with the greatest severity condemned and censured 8. I know that some have written that the Covenant did not intend wholly to abolish but to regulate Episcopacy Surveigh of the Grand Case p. 44. But other Covenanters have earnestly opposed this and tell us that the Government is to be extirpated not by mutation mutilation limitation or regulation but utter abolition una cum stirpe evellere And that Parliament by whose ordinance the Covenant was taken when they set upon this extirpation did design the taking away even the title stile name and dignity of Arch bishop and Bishop And as this restrained interpretation which was the sense of divers particular persons maketh somewhat a violent exposition of the extirpation expressed in the second Article so it directly clasheth with the first Article whereby the Church of Scotland over-looking the Bishops there under its Presbitery which professed a great opposition to every little appearance of any fixed Episcopacy was made the Idea according to which the Church of England must be reformed Bishop Spotswood Hist of Ch. of Scotl. l. 3. p. 159 160. Now in Scotland according to their form of Church Policy 1560. they had Superintendents or Bishops who were to use Episcopal power in many things were chosen and approved by the Ministers and were subject to the censures of the Ministers and Elders and were not required to have Episcopal Ordination and yet even these Superintendents Ibid. lib. 6. p. 311. in the modelling their Presbitery after the new form of policy was introduced 1578. were rejected and disclaimed and exploded in the Assembly at Dundee 1580. as having neither foundation ground nor warrant in the word of God 9. And thus having taken a short plain and direct view of divers things in the Covenant in must needs seem exceeding strange unless the interest of parties or prejudices have the chief and principal influence upon some mens scruples that divers persons who profess themselves extreamly scrupulous concerning the lawfulness of other things which are very justifiable should be as far in the other extream confident asserters of the lawfulness of this Oath without any scruple and even to impatience of all contradiction SECT II. That no man is obliged by this Oath to endeavour any alteration fo the Government 1. Though some phrases in the Covenant which had respect to the King were truly declared by himself to be dubious and dangerous and were to such purposes made use of by some violent Spirits yet I shall presume it now granted that no man is by that Oath obliged to endeavour any alteration of the Government in the State But I shall here undertake to manifest that there lyeth no obligation from the Covenant upon any person who took it to endeavour any alteration of the Government in the Church though he might intend this in his entring upon that Oath And this I shall evidence by propounding four Rules 2. The first Rule is That Superiours just rights may not be violated But if the voluntary Vows or Oaths of Inferiours made against the consent and command of their Superiours concerning things belonging to their Government which is the present case did bind them to prosecute what they did so undertake then must it be acknowledged lawful that the Superiours right and authority be taken away without his own consent and that the duties of Obedience the divine Ordinances of Rule and Dominion and together therewith all peace may be rooted out of the World This will be manifest by considering the Oath of a Servant that he will not do such business as he thinketh his Master intendeth for him of a Child that he will have none of those orders nor servants in his Fathers family which his Father approveth or of an Army that they will not engage in a Battel or undertakeany march though they be thereto commanded And like to these is the Oath of a Subject to determine matters of publick Government against the law and the mind of his Soveraign And if other inferiours should in the like case as forwardly make contrary vows if these should also be supposed to necessary obligation against their superiours
Prayer prophesying and singing were frequently thereby performed as is evident from 1. Cor. 14. And I yield it most probable though even Protestant Writers do herein differ that the ancient Roman Jerusalem and Alexandrian Offices were called the Liturgies of S. Peter S. James and S. Mark because of their certain early use in the Churches where they presided though it is not certain that they were composed by them this being mentioned by no ancient Writer of the first Centuries Nor do I doubt but the Liturgy or Anaphora of S. John and that of the twelve Apostles are suppositious which with the former are related by Gabriel Sionita Gab. Sionit de Ritib Maron to be exhibited amongst the Syriack Offices for of these we have no mention in any ancient Ecclesiastical Writer unless the words of Epiphanius Epiph. Haer 79. expressing all the Apostles with S. James the Brother of our Lord to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is chief Dispensers or Stewards of the Christian Mysteries might allowably be racked to speak them all Composers of Liturgical forms Allatius de Liturg. S. Jacob. according to the violence offered to those words by Leo Allatius But if it can yet be proved that at least since the ceasing of the frequent distribution of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit the Church of Christ hath in all Ages used and approved forms this will be as considerable a testimony in behalf of Liturgies as can reasonably be required 9. That forms of Prayer were of use in the Church about 1300 years since is acknowledged by them who plead most against them from Conc. Laod. c. 18.3 Carth. c. 23. and Conc. Mil. c. 12. and that they have continued from that time downward cannot be denied In the fourth Century there is frequent mention in some parcels of Liturgy in the Writings of the Fathers and there are so many testimonies that S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose and S. Basil were framers of Liturgies that I do not see how any can rationally doubt of the truth thereof But that these Liturgies have undergone divers alterations in succeeding Ages is both apparent and is very reasonable to be imagined And he who shall compare the Greek Copy of S. Basils Liturgy with the Syriack or its version both which are represented together by Cassander Cassand Liturgie will find them so vastly different from each other that he must either conclude great alterations to have passed upon them or that they never were originally the same But from these I shall now look back into the more early times of the Christian Church where for the most part I shall only briefly mention the testimonies which have been fully produced by others 10. It is not probable Euseb de Laud. Constant autemed that Constantine the Emperour would have composed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godly Prayers for the use of his Souldiers if such forms had not then been used in the Christian Church De Vit. Const l. 4. c. 19 20. Eusebius accounting this an admirable thing that the Emperour should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher of the words of Prayer But Eusebius in another place giving a particular account of some expressions suited to the Souldiery in those set forms of Prayer which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the constituted Prayers doth a little before that declare Constantines own practice that he would take Books into his hands either for contemplating the holy Scriptures or for the expressing with his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers that were constituted and appointed and this Eusebius there calleth his ordering his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the manner of the Church of God and this is a manifest evidence of forms in the Christian Church in his time Orig. Hom. 11. in Jerom Cont. Celsum l. 6. Origen manifestly citeth a piece of the usual Liturgy an hundred years before Constantine saying Frequenter in oratione dicimus Da omnipotens da nobis partem cum prophetis c. We frequently say in our Prayers Give O Almighty God give us a part with the Prophets c. and in his Books against Celsus he declareth Christians to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers which were ordained or constituted S. Cyp. de Orat. Dom. Cyprian sufficiently intimateth the use of some forms in the Carthaginian service in his time by describing the entrance or beginning thereof the Priest saying sursum corda lift up your hearts and the people answering Habemus ad Dominum We lift them up unto the Lord. And the that considereth that Tertullian plainly intimateth a form of abrenunciation in Baptism De Cor. Mil. c. 3. and that they had set Hymns then appointed for particular times and hours upon their stationary days Albasp Observ l. 1 c. 16. as Albaspinus interpreteth him Adv. Psych c. 13. will think it not improbable that what he mentioneth of the particular heads of Prayer in the usual Assemblies of the Christians should have reference to some constant forms by them used Tert. Ap. c. 39. and their use is favoured by the expressions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Justin Martyr and Ignatius And many have thought V. Dr. Hammond in 1. Tim. 2.1 that the Apostle had a special eye to the composure of such forms of Prayer agreeably to what the Baptist and our Saviour prescribed to their Disciples in commanding Timothy the Governour of the Church that among the things which concerned his behaviour in the Church of God Ch. 3.15 first of all prayers intercessions supplications and giving of thanks be made for all men c. For though the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either signifie that Prayers be put up to God or that they be composed in this place it may well intend both And it is thought by S. Augustine Aug. Ep. 59. that these various words of the Apostle Prayers Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks did direct to a comprehensive fulness of all such Prayers in the fixed models of the publick service of the Church when the Communion was administred and that the publick offices of the Church were accordingly composed De Vocat Gentium l. 1. c. 4. and the same sense is also favoured by Prosper 11. Since the reformation the Saxon and other Lutheran Churches have their Liturgies the Bohemian had its Liber Ritualis and the Palatinate it s Agenda as Vrsin stileth it by which the right order of its publick administrations Vrsin Praef. in Apolog. Catechis might be vindicated from the Calumnies of detractors And the Churches of France Holland and others have their forms for the publick service of God And after the Order at Geneva had established a form of publick service for the Lords day with some appearance of a liberty of variation which some relate not to have been so manifest in their practice as in their rule which was Dominico die mane
1. Cor. 14.16 But the very phrase of blessing and giving of thanks makes it probable that this Text is to be understood as Mr. Thorndike expoundeth it of the Consecration of the Communion And at that time the people did ordinarily answer Amen and nothing more as appeareth from the early testimonies of Justin Martyr and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria 2. But if this sense be not admitted this Text of the Apostle doth neither mention nor in the context more nearly refer to Prayer than to singing in which latter the peoples bare saying Amen is not contended for nor allowed as a constant rule for the Churches practice though it was probable the usual method in the Christian Assemblies in those Apostolical days when the duty of singing was performed by the immediate inspiration of the spirit upon some particular persons and that these extraordinary motions of Gods spirit in those times were only vouchsafed to the Clergy or Ministry is not probable from the contents of that very Chapter And therefore this place of Scripture doth not confine the whole vocal service of God excepting an Amen to the Ministry the people being altogether debarred and excluded 5. But that all the servants of God may allowably be interested where the due rules of order and edification are observed in the outward joint expression of praise and Prayer to God is very agreeable to the holy Scriptures where the holy Angels are represented to cry one to another and say Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his glory Is 6.3 and all Israel praised God and said For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever 2. Chr. 7.3 And as S. Paul exhorteth that with one mind and one mouth Christians should glorifie God Rom. 15.6 S. John in his Vision beheld and heard the four living things the Elders the Angels and every Creature in Heaven and Earth expressing blessing honour glory and power unto God Rev. 4.8 11. Ch. 5 8. 14. and a great multitude whom no man could number crying with a loud voice and saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. Rev. 7 9 10. and he heard also the voice of the 144000. who were with the Lamb on Mount Sion as the voice of many Waters and as the voice of a great thunder singing a new Song Rev. 14.1 2 3. and these places last mentioned are the more considerable because they contain representative Visions of the service acceptably performed to God in the Christian Church 6. If we consult Ecclesiastical practice there is very probable evidence that under the Old Testament the people did vocally join by responsals in the ordinary service of God in the Sanctuary and Synagogues V. Hor. Hebr. in Mat. 6.13 Both the Joma and other Tracts of the Talmud mention the people in the period of their Prayers expressing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Blessed be the name of the glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever In Ch. Par. in Deut. 10.16 And the particular responsals used by the Jews at Circumcision are expressed by Fagius The use of alternate singing among the Essens is sufficiently known but that this was of very ancient use in the Jewish Church is very likely because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to answer is an usual expression of singing even in the holy Scriptures And there appeareth considerable evidence from Ex. 15. v. 1. v. 20. that that Song of Moses and the Children of Israel Phil. de Vit. Mos l. 3. was uttered as Philo Judaeus averreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with responsal melodies alternately repeated 7. In the Christian Church the Original of the Antiphona or the alternate singing of Hymns by two quires is ascribed by Socrates to Ignatius the like use of Davids Psalms is declared by Theodoret to have had its beginning at Antioch from Flavianus and Diodorus Their Original in the Latin Church is referred by Platina to Damaseus and by Walafridus Strabo to S. Ambrose Is Hisp de Eccl. Offic. l. 1. c. 7 8. but both Isidorus Hispalensis and Rabanus Maurus do testifie that long before this the Responsoria wherein the whole Quire answered to one Man Rab. Maur. de Inst Cler. l. 2. c. 50 51. were known by that name and used in the Latin Church And sometimes the whole Assembly joined in their Hymns and Psalms sometimes they were sung by one alone all the rest joining to eccho forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or end of the Hymn Conc. Laod c. 15 and by the Laodicean Council the wholy Assembly were not allowed to join in their publick singing which was required to be performed by the appointed singers only Thus the Ecclesiastical practice hath varied according to what was thought prudent and convenient 8. Concerning Prayers and Confessions S. Basil declareth it to have been in his time the ordinary practice of divers Eastern Churches Bas Ep. 63. that every man by his own words did profess repentance and make confession Naz. Or. 3. And Gr. Nazianzene acquainteth quainteth us that Julian in imitation of the Christians did appoint amongst the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of Prayer to be said in parts or by way of Responsals Hierom also relateth that populus cum sacerdote loquitur in precibus the people did speak with the Priest in the Prayers and Gregory the great noteth Gr. Ep. l. 7. c. 63. that in the Greek Church the Lords Prayer was ordinarily said by all the people together and as anciently as we can meet with any parcels of Liturgy or particular Offices the use of responsals may be easily discerned even as far as S. Cyprians sursum Corda and Habemus ad Dominum Wherefore the use of responsals and the people joining in some expressions in the publick service of god was a thing thought useful by the ancient Church as well as by our own and is allowable by the rules of the Scripture and the Order of the publick worship of God and whosoever assert that the vocal joining of the people in any expressions of Prayer in the publick Assembly is as Vzziahs action was an intrenching upon the Priests Office doth set up such Bars about the service of God which do keep Gods people at a greater distance from the throne of Grace than the nature and priviledge of Christian liberty will allow Yet the composing or directing particular Prayers for the publick use of Christian Assemblies is the proper work of the Church Officers who are to be the guides thereof as also teaching and instructing being an act of authority doth ordinarily belong to the Ministers of the Church and this is that speaking which is forbidden to Women in the Church because it is an act of authority 1. Cor. 15.34 1. Tim. 2.12 Whereas the joint expressing some words of confession or supplication is wholly an act of humility and is not forbidden
also from sin and their whole man from destruction And in this sense if this Petition should be supposed to enclude which in the proper sense of the words it doth not even Traitors and Robbers can we be blamed to pray even for them that God would preserve them from further sin and so keep them that they may have time and grace for repentance and that thereby they may be preserved from eternal destruction according to Mat. 5.44 12. That Petition that God would have mercy upon all men is condemned by some but is certainly commanded by S. Paul requiring us to make Prayers for all men for nothing can be prayed for which doth not enclude Gods mercy But such light objections which are easily made against the best words that the wisdom and piety of man can devise I think not worthy the further naming but shall now proceed to some other matters of greater moment SECT V. Considerations concerning the publick reading Apocryphal Chapters 1. The reading the Apocryphal Chapters in our Church hath been severely censured as if it was a forsaking the holy Scriptures which are the waters of life to drink of other unwholsom streams but that this matter may be rightly understood without prejudice or mistake it will be requistie to take notice of these following considerations 2. Cons 1. The excellent authority of the Canonical Books of Holy Scripture as they are distinguished from the Apocryphal is fully and clearly acknowledged by this Church in her Articles Art 6. where it declareth concerning the Apocryphal Books that the Church as S. Hierome saith doth read them for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine which Article plainly disclaimeth them from being accounted Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture That the Jews do not owne these Books as any part of the Old Testament is manifest from their Bibles which contain them not and the particular evidences from the Jewish Rabbins against every one of those seven Books of the Apocrypha which are forged to be Canonical by the Council of Trent are some of them exhibited by Hollinger Thes Phil. l. 2. c. 2. Sect. 1. And that neither the ancient Church of the Jews before the destruction of Jerusalem nor Christ and his Apostles nor the several Ages of the Christian Church till some late Romish Councils did acknowledge or make use of these Books as Canonical is solidly and learnedly evidenced by the Bishop of Durham Schol. Hist of Can. of Scripture throughout with reference to the sixth Article of this Church Wherefore though it would be injurious to the holy Scriptures that any other Books which are not of divine inspiration should be accounted of equal authority with them yet it is far from being a dishonour either to them or to they holy Spirit who indited them if either these Apocryphal or any other good Books be esteemed useful and profitable and acknowledged to contain things that are true and good 3. Cons 2. It was can usual practice in the ancient Christian Church that some of these Apocryphal Books and other good writings besides the holy Scriptures were publickly read as instructive Lessons in their Assemblies but with such variation as the prudence of every Church thought meet In the second Century both the Fpistle of Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the then ancient Custom In Eus Hist l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some other Ecclesiastical Epistles were publickly read even on the Lords days for their instruction as Dionysius of Corinth testifieth And in Euscbius his time as well as before it Ibid. l. 3. c. 15. was the Epistle of Clemens publickly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greatest number of Churches Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 8. Hom. de Sanct. de S. Steph. Ser. 7. In the African Church in S. Augustins time the Histories of the passions of Martyrs v. Hom. 26. inter 50. and accounts of miraculous works by the efficacy of Christian Prayer were read in their Churches which Custom though it was very pious in the beginning was at last intolerably abused to the bringing in legend stories And more particularly the publick reading several Apocryphal Books as Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Tobit Judith and the Maccabees was ordered in one of the Carthaginian Councils in S. Augustins time 3. Carth. c. 47. Cont. Carth. c. 27. and that Canon was taken into their Code and besides what S. Hierom oft speaketh of these Books being read in the Church but distinguished from their Canon Ruffinus his contemporary who was first his friend and then his adversary having given first an acount of the Canonical Books proceedeth to these Books which he saith are not Canonical but Ecclesiastical Ruff. in Symb. as Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Tobit Judith c. and declareth the judgment of the ancient Fathers before his time concerning them quae omnia legi quidem in Ecclesiis voluerunt sed non proferri ad auctoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam that they would have them all to be read in the Churches but not to be produced as of authority to confirm any matters of Faith And that in after Ages these Books were read in the Church Isid de Eccl off l. 1. c. 11 12. Rab. de Inst Cler. l. 2. c. 53. is evident from Isidonss Hispalensis and in the very same words from Rabanus Maurus and might be shewed from very many others if that was needful 4. Cons 3. These Books called the Apocrypha have been greatly esteemed both in the ancient Church and by the chief Protestant Writers as very useful though not divine writings Divers of the ancients have cited them under the title of the holy Scripture using that Phrase in so great a latitude as to signifie only holy writings though not divinely inspired The Council of Carthage above-named doth there call them Canenical Books as doth also S. Augustin who was in that Council De Doct. Christ lib. 2. c. 8. using the word Canonical in a large sense for it is manifest from that and divers places of S. Aug. that they were not esteemed of equal authority with those Books properly called Canonical And therefore Cajetan for the interpretation of the right sense of there words Caj Com. in Esth in fin hath well declared concerning these Books Non sunt Canonici i. e. regulares ad firmandum ea quae sunt fidei possunt tamen dici Canonici hoc est regulares ad aedificationem fidelium or they are not Canonical as containing a rule to direct our faith an belief though they may sometimes be called Canonical as containing rules to better our lives In the Greek Church where they were not at least so much publickly read as in the Latin they were accounted useful for instruction as appeareth besides the Citations of the Greek Fathers from that very Epistle of Athanasius Fragm Epist 39. in
Tom. 2. Athanas where he purposely declareth them to be no part of the Canon of Scripture And amongst the Protestants Dr. Reinolds who wrote so largely against the authority of the Apocrypha Books Censura de Lib. Apocr Prael 7. in his Censura yet in one of his Praetections declareth of some of them chiefly Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom valde bonos utiles esse omnibus tractationibus praeferendos that they are exceeding good and profitable and to be preferred before all Treatises of other Writers Prael 74. and in another Praelection expressing his judgment of the same Books saith proximum illis locum deberi post scripturam sacram that they ought to have the next place after the holy Scripture in the former of which expressions he followeth the steps of S. Aug. de praedestin Sanctorum Exam. post 1. de Scrip. Can. And Chemnititus alloweth them to be Books quae à fidelibus in Ecclesiis leguntur Which are read in the Churches by the faithful and non esse abjectos damnatos that they are not condemned writings and off-casts but may be received in the number of the holy writings or sacrae scripturae sobeit they be not reputed the Canon of Faith and this saith he we willingly both yield and teach 5. Cons 4. And it is in this Case especially to be considered that in our Church no Apocryphal Chapter is appointed for any Lords Day throughout the Year not is any directed for any Holy-day but only out of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus which are Books of great esteem with all those who have well considered them And also upon those Week-days when some Apocryphal Chapters are read there are always other Canonical Scriptures read likewise Directory of reading the holy Script whereas they who do oppose Conformity so far as we may take the Directory for their rule did never appoint or direct any Scriptures to be ordinarily and publickly read upon any of these week days but ordered that where the reading on either Testament endeth on one Lords day it should begin on the next Wherefore it is to be well noted and observed that our Church doth not herein differ from the dissenters as if they did require the Canonical Scriptures to be more frequently read in publick than our Kalendar appointeth but our Kalendar requireth the Holy Scriptures to be much more frequently read in publick almost six Chapters for one besides the Epistles and Gospels than the Directory did and besides them these Apocryphal Lessons for profitable instruction 6. But if any persons shall decry in the general the hearing any thing in the Church besides the holy Scriptures of immediate infallible inspiration this would either from unadvisedness or from what is worse reject and disown to the great disadvantage of Religion the use of Sermons Exhortations and Catechism Nor is it any sufficient cause to condemn the reading Apocryphal Chapters because they are read as one of the Lessons For our Church manifestly declareth these Lessons not to be Canonical Scripture nor can any command of God be produced which either directly or by consequence requireth that in every daily Assembly of Christians there must be two Lessons read out of the Canonical Scripture or that none may be taken out of any other approved Book And it is manifest that the censuring this practice condemneth divers if not all the ancient Churches before the decaying and degeneracy of the Christian Profession V. Bishop Durhams Schol. Hist of Can. of Scrip. Sect. 60. For though it be admitted that the Laodicean Council did appoint that none but the Canonical Books should be read in the Church and that Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy there mentioned are intended for parts of the Prophecy of Jeremy yet long before that did even the Greek Church read the Epistles of Clemens c. above mentioned and the Book of Hermas And it is not to be wondered that there should be different practices observed in the Church in matters of order and liberty 7. Cons 5. Whereas this Church is the more blamed for using some Apocryphal Chapters while some others acknowledged to be Canonical Scripture are not appointed to be read by the Kalendar which are mostly either some Prophecies hard to be understood or matters of Genealogy or Jewish Observations or some Histories for the mostpart expressed in other Scriptures appointed to be read it must be considered that even hence it is evident that the Kalendar was never intended to be a Determination or Declaration of what is Canonical Scripture and of certain divine authority but only a direction for useful and profitable reading Nor was it the Custom of the ancient Christian Church Conc. Laod. c. 60. that the Canon of the Scripture should be described by what was publickly read the rule of the Laodicean Council which cometh nearest thereto did not direct the Revelation to be read The ancient Jews who divided the Old Testament into the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa Bux Syn. Jud. c. 11. Salian Annal Eccl. A. M. 3447. n. 16. did for a long time only read the Law in the Synagogues after which only a Section of the Prophets was added but that the Hagiographâ—a which included all the Books from the beginning of the Chronicles to the end of the Canticles besides Ruth Lamentations and Daniel were not read in the Jewish Synagogues Hor. Heb. in Joh. 4.15 hath been observed from the Talmudists and this is agreeable to divers passages of the New Testament Luk. 4.16 Act. 13.15 27 Act. 15.21 Yet Christ and his Apostles blamed not the Jews but joined with them in this service 8. Cons 6. That which is objected from the matter of these Apocryphal Chapters which are appointed to be read is not sufficient either to prove them hurtful or not useful as will appear from the following Section SECT VI. The Objections from the matter of the Apocrypha disoussed 1. Among the particular Objections from the matter of these books Obj. 1. Judith Susanna Bel and the Dragon are thought to be sabulous because no certain time can be easily fixed for Judith S. Hierome calleth the other susannae Belis Draconis fabulas Prol. in Dan. Com. in Dan. 13. 14. and Josephus maketh no mention of them But first if these Books should be admitted to be parabolical discourses to express the great opposition of many wicked men against God and his Worship the Vanity and Folly of their Pride and evil designs and the mighty protection that God can give to his people by his Almighty Power they might still be allowed to be of very considerable use The frequent use of Parabolical Instructions among the Jews is both manifest from their Talmudical Writers and allowed by the practice of our Saviur And besides this they had another Custom of Clothing real Histories under different names which expressed a resemblance of the things intended Targ. in Cant. c. 6. v. 7
Minister for our good according to our Petitions Ep. 120. c. 22. Ep. 121. c. 9. This sense is oft expressed by S. Augustin and in the Book under his name De diligendo Deo and seemeth well to agree with the expressions of others of the ancient Fathers and with the notion of the ancient Jews as it is mentioned by Philo Phil. de Plant. Nae de Gigantibus and thus much seemeth to be encluded in these words of the New-Testament Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation And Mat. 18.10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven And this notion expresseth an honourable ministration of the holy Angels De Cu. Dei l. 9.6 15. which hath respect to the Church of God but doth not allow them as S. Aug. would not to be accounted Mediators nor to receive Religious worship from us but to be honoured by us Charitate non servitute De Ver. Râ—elig c. 55. by an high degree of respectful love but not by Religious service and subjection 10. As to that passage of Ecclus. 46.22 Which mentioneth Samuel prophecying after his death it is sufficient here to observe that that that part of that Chapter is by our Kalendar directed to be omitted And from all this it may appear that nothing is in our service appointed to be read out of the Apocrypha which being rightly understood is any way hurtful or of ill influence upon practice Yet it is to be further noted that he who shall acknowledge that there is much good contained and no evil or sin advised in any of the Apocryphal Books is still far from admitting them to be equal to the Canonical Scriptures For though there may be divers Books free from actual error yet it is the Prerogative of the holy Scriptures alone to be immediately indited by that holy Spirit who can never err and to be tendered of God and received of his Church as the perpetual and infallible rule to manifest the will of God and the Doctrines of Faith SECT VII Considerations about that Translation of the Psalms used in the Liturgy 1. The next thing to be treated of is the ue of the Psalms according to the version in the Common-Prayer-Book concerning which Consid 1. The use of this Translation doth not require us to judge it the best English Translation For as formerly the sentences out of the Psalms before Morning Prayer and at the Communion were expressed according to another ancient and distinct translation so both the Epistles and Gospels and the sentences out of the Psalms at the beginning of Morning and Evening Prayer are now altered according to our last allowed English Translation which alteration seemeth to prefer that Translation as the best 2. Cons 2. The Translation of the Psalms used in our Liturgy is from the Hebrew to which it generally agreeth sometimes using the liberty of a paraphrastical stile And the Hebrew being the Original is doubtless more pure than any Translation which differeth fromit And though the Septuagint in the Book of Psalms which of all other hath been of most frequent publick use in the Christian Church doth vary less from the Hebrew than in any other Poetical Book of holy Scripture yet a Catalogue may be given of at least an hundred and fifty places wherein the Septuagint differeth from the Hebrew not in any Christian Doctrine but in the manner of expressing the sense of those Texts in all which the version in the Liturgy accordeth with the Hebrew and dissenteth from the Septuagint Indeed in some phrases and clauses our version followeth the Septuagint where the matter is unblameable and three entire verses which are not in the Hebrew Chaldee or Syriack are in the fourteenth Psalm added in this English Version according to the ordinary Copies of the 70 Grot. in Ps 14. and of many but as Grotius intimateth not all of the Aethiopick Vulgar Latin and Arabick and which are not in the Greek Manuscript from Alexandria but these Verses being the same with what is cited by the Apostle out of the Old Testament Rom. 3.12 13 18. cannot be disallowed as to the matter of them and the Psalms in the Liturgy being chiefly used as Hymns of praise or our words of blessing God agreeably to the practice of the Jewish and ancient Christian Church may well admit in that use of such a variation from the Hebrew Text. 3. If we observe the practice of the ancient Christian Churches we shall find that the Greek Church publickly used the Psalms according to the Septuagint and the Latin Arabian and Aethiopick Churches V P. Pithaeum de Latin Biblior Interpret had their Psalms of publick use translated from the Septuagint or with a little tincture from Lucian the Martyr wherein they also followed some evident corruptions of the Greek Copies as the Arabick in admitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 17.14 the Aethiopick in reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 39.5 Ps 92.10 and the Vulgar in translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack Version was translated out of the Hebrew but hath suffered some alterations by being revised according to the Septuagint from whence among other things it received its frequent use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this Version hath many imperfections as chiefly its leaving out sometimes a whole verse as in Ps 34.9 and sometimes some part thereof as Ps 58.9 The result of this consideration is this that the Psalms publickly used in the Church of England are more fully agreeing to the Original Hebrew than any of those known Versions were which were used in the ancient Christian Churches and he who thinketh that he may not lawfully join or Minister in the Church of England because of our use of this version of the Psalms might have discerned greater cause in this very particular to have kept him at a greater distance from all the famous ancient Christian Churches in the World 4. Cons 3. The particular places most blamed in this Version of the Psalms do afford no sufficient cause when our superiours enjoin the use of this Translation to withhold our hearty consent thereto I shall instance in three places which are chiefly urged 1. One is Ps 106.30 where this Translation readeth it then stood up Phinees and prayed and so the Plague ceased But the Version in our Bibles rendreth it Then stood up PHinehas and executed judgment The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Verbs of which Root being most used in the form Hithpahel do generally signifie to pray and in this form of Pihel they are rarely used and do sometimes signifie judging or the judge interposing between men and men to end their strife But
designed for these Religious actions 2. That though the Jewish Sabbath had a peculiar respect to their deliverance from Egypt Deut. 5.15 Yet for that mercy which was far inferiour to what Christians enjoy by Christ they observed also other yearly solemnities especially the great Feasts of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles Wherefore though the observation of the Lords day as it is one day in seven encludeth a testimony that we worship God the Creator who made the World in six days and rested the seventh and as it is the first day of the Week it containeth a a professed owning and honouring of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour who accomplished his humiliation and began his exaltation on that day yet this doth by no means exclude the lawful use of any other time directed either by voluntary choice or Ecclesiastical or political laws for the advantage of piety in the worship of God and the more solemn observance of those great actions of our blessed Lord which ought evermore to be had in remembrance CHAP. V. Of the particular Offices in the Liturgy SECT I. Of the direction for Communicants receiveing the Lords Supper 1. THE first particular office according to the order of the Book is that for the Communion at the end of which the Rubrick requiring every Parishioner to communicate at least three times in the year is disliked because many persons may not be duly qualified to receive Presbyt Excep p. 21. and therefore this Rubrick was desired either to be left out or to be altered to this sense that the Communion should be thrice in the year administred if there be a convenient number to receive Now because this exception is thought considerable whereas indeed the Rubrick is herein not only justifiable but very commendable I shall endeavour to clear this whole matter by these considerations 2. Cons 1. To receive the holy Communion is a very great Christian duty and cannot be neglected without grievous sin and the displeasure of God This may appear by observing that God strictly required all his Sacramental Institutions to be received when he appointed Circumcision he declareth concerning the uncircumcised Manchild that that Soul should be cut of from his people he hath broken my Covenant Gen. 17.14 When he ordered the use of the Pass-over he said the man that is clean and not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the Passover the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the Offring of the Lord in his appointed season that man shall bear his sin Num. 9.13 and even this person who was unclean was bound to keep the Passover in the next following month Num. 9.10 11. Under the New Testament those words Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God are by the general testimony of Antiquity to be understood concerning Baptism and the Pharisees are condemned for rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of John Luk. 7.30 Now the reason why God was so greatly offended at the neglect of these Sacraments is expressed to be because he accounted this to be a disowning or dis-esteeming his Covenant of which his Sacraments were a sign and seal Gen. 17.14 and because Gods appointment and institution therein was not obeyed Num. 9.13 Luk. 7.30 Wherefore because the Lords Supper doth exhibit the New Testament in the blood of Christ and the partaking thereof is particularly commanded by Christ it must upon the same reasons be as evil and dangerous to neglect this Sacrament as those other And if it be further considered that this is a special Ordinance of eminent Christian profession shewing forth the Lords 〈◊〉 till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 and exhibiting the Communion of the body and blood of Christ the right partaking of this Ordinance must needs be concluded to be a principal action and service of Christianity whether we consider the duty performed or the benefits which may be thereby received 3. If the practice of the Apostolical and Primitive Church be consulted the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was given Act. 2.42 did all continue stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer And the receiving the Communion was esteemed so high a part of the Christian service in their publick Assemblies Act. 20.7 that their assembling was called their coming together to break bread Conc. Ant. c. 2. The Council of Antioch determined them to be cast out of the Church who were present at the reading of the Scriptures but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a disorderly manner went away and received not the Eucharist Can. Ap. 9. and the same was decreed in the Canons of the Apostles and much to the same purpose in other Councils which as that of Antioch were embraced as part of the Code of the Universal Church Agreeably hereunto it was Ignatius his desire for the Ephesians Ign. Ep. ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they all of them jointly and every one of them particularly should meet together and partake of the same bread Among the Protestant Churches Syn. Petricor Sect. 5. 1587. the Polonian Synod consisting of members who owned three distinct confessions did unanimously declare that all Pastors ought to teach and accustom their auditors that as oft as the Lords Table is prepared in the publick Assemblies for the faithful they should not neglect every one of them to come unto it And the vehement expressions in the Geneva Catechism and in Bucers Censura against them who neglect to come to the Lords Supper might be here added with other testimonies of the same nature Only it must be here observed that Non-Conformity hath run its changes at such a variance as if both the extreams were to be preferred to the middle way The Author of the Admonition esteemed this direction for the Communicants receiveing to be too large T. C. Reply p. 117. and that too much was done in directing them to Communicate but both Mr. Cartwright the chief opposer of the Liturgy in Queen Elizabeths time Alt. Damasc c. 10. p. 727 728 and the Author of the Altare Damascenum who was the most violent censurer thereof in King James his time thought that too little was done herein for both of them would have all who are in the Churches Communion forced even by civil punishments saith the former and statis temporibus omnes adigendi sunt saith the latter to receive the Lords Supper and both of them condemn them who abstain from the Lords Table out of fear as guilty of superstition and that they ought not to be born with But now again the Chanel is altered and the stream is returned to the other side But by the invariable rule of the will of God which is an unerring guide it is the duty of all Christians to attend upon
soul and life is moulded according to the form of the Christian Doctrine and brought into a conformity to the Image of God Aug. de Trin. l. 14. c. 17. and so S. Augustine distinguisheth them Renovatio saith he quae fit ad imaginem Dei non momento uno fit sicut momento uno fit illa in baptismo renovatio remissione omnium peccatorum And even this benefit of Infant Baptism is vouchsafed by the Holy Ghost for by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And it must needs be the work of God and of his Grace to accept an Infant born under Original sin into his favour or as S. Augustine expresseth it Aug. Retract l. 1. c. 13. By the grace of God the guilt of all sins that are past is pardoned in them who are baptized into Christ which is done by the Spirit of Regeneration and in the Adult their will is cured by the Spirit of Faith and Charity 4. Now that all baptized Infants are savingly regenerated is asserted upon such Arguments as these 1. Because Baptism doth evidence every person rightly baptized according to Gods will to be received by the will of God to be under the terms of the Covenant of Grace but he who is rightly received to be under the Covenant of Grace is in the favour of God if the conditions of that Covenant on his part be performed nor doth any thing exclude him from that favour besides the sinning against or the breach of those conditions But Original sin of which alone Infants are guilty was supposed to be the state under which man lay when the Covenant of Grace was tendered to him and so is no breach of the conditions of that Covenant but may be pardoned by the benefits thereof And no condition can be assigned to be performed on mans part by or concerning an Infant born in the Church more than is encluded in its being baptized which I shall further clear when I shall treat of the condition of believing which is generally propounded even as the being circumcised was of old the performing the condition of Gods Covenant by the seed of Abraham Gen. 17.7 10 11 12 14. faith and obedience being also necessary in persons adult But that Baptism doth admit the person baptized aright to be under the terms of the Covenant of Grace is manifest because they are baptized into Christs body 1 Cor. 12.13 They are baptized into Christ and have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And are baptized into the death of Christ Rom. 6.3 and even Circumcision it self was a seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 5. 2. The Gospel Doctrine and the holy Sacraments do convey saving benefits to them who received them aright and are partakers of them with due qualifications That Infants born in the Church are fitly qualified to receive Baptism is not only manifest from the general practice of the Church from the Apostles times in baptizing Infants but also from the favour of God expressed towards them in the Covenant of Grace and in that Circumcision was administred to Infants which was a Seal of the Covenant of Grace And as the Gospel Doctrine bringeth Salvation to him who rightly receiveth it and the Lords Supper tendereth Christ and remission of sins to the worthy partakers thereof so even Baptism conveyeth saving benefits to them who receive it with due qualification hence S. Paul calleth in the washing of regeneration by which God saved us Tit. 3.5 S. Peter commanded them who were pricked in their hearts to repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins Act. 2.37 38. and Ananias directed Paul to be baptized and wash away his sins Act 22.16 Which places both shew that Baptism doth convey remission of sins to them who are qualified aright to receive it and also that they who were under a due preparation to receive remission of sins by Baptism were not partakers thereof without Baptism And indeed no adult person is ordinarily capable of remission but by joyning inward faith and repentance with outward Baptism as is expressed Mar. 16.16 Act. 2.38 Baptism being the instituted Ordinance wherein they must declare repentance in coming to Christ and profess faith in accepting the Gospel and receive gracious Union with Christ Wherefore since Baptism doth bring the due receiver thereof into a saving estate infants must also be acknowledged due receivers of Baptism and rightly admitted thereto 6. 3. Christ hath appointed his word and Sacraments as the ordinary means of Salvation to the Members of his Church Eph. 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word But infants dying in infancy are capable of no other Ordinance of Christ but Baptism and therefore that is to them the only means of Salvation And it seemeth injurious to the grace of God to imagine that he appointeth any only means which is ineffectual to the end though it be complyed with as much as is possible it should be by them who make use thereof but the infant state can admit no more but that they should be passive recipients both of this Ordinance â—â—d of Divine Grace and therefore thereby 〈…〉 obtain Salvation Now that Baptism is designed to be a means of Salvation besides the Scriptures above-mentioned is expressed by S. Peter 1. Pet 3.21 who saith that Baptism now saveth us And whereas that Apostle presently addeth that it is not the putting away the filth of the flesh but that answer of a good Conscience towards God he doth not thereby look off from the Sacrament of Baptism to something else as a means of Salvation but he thereby declareth that this Christian Sacrament is not as the Jewish Purifications only a putting away the filth of the flesh but it is a professed engaging of man to God or to the Covenant of Grace 7. 4. If baptized Infants born in the Church be not in their Baptism in a state of Salvation it will be hard to shew what benefit any Infant dying in his Infancy can enjoy thereby Now to assert that they have no benefit by Baptism would be to render that Ordinance to them useless and of no effect which the Scriptures do declare to be of a saving nature and to enclude a being buried with Christ Col. 2.12 Now if it be said that by Baptism they become members of Christ what advantage can this be to them if this Membership doth not enclude the favour of God and a state of Salvation If it be said that it may be hoped that God will save the baptized infant this indeed may be hoped with confidence if Baptism bring them into a state of salvation but if Baptism supposing always the Grace of God tendred therein do not enstate them in salvation them must they be saved only by Gods extraordinary grace not by the ordinary grace of his promise to them who embrace aright the means of salvation or by the grace
of God in the Ordinance of Baptism and therefore this Salvation would not be an advantage slowing from their Baptism But if it be said that by Baptism the Covenant of grace is sealed to such Infants we must here further consider that Gods Covenant by reason of his faithfulness goodness and Soveraignty cannot be sealed as mens Covenants are to make it firm and binding when it would otherwise be void and of no force Wherefore there remain two ways whereby the Sacraments as they are on Gods part Seals of the Covenant of Grace may be of great advantage unto us the one is as they give further assurance of the priviledges of that Covenant for our comfort but of this benefit these infants are not capable partly because the receiving this comfort requireth the exercise of judgment and consideration and partly because the evident sureness of Gods Covenant can be no cause of consolation to them unless we admit that there is some ordinary means appointed of God whereby they may attain the blessings so assured the other way of advantage is by the benefits of Gods Covenant being sealed or surely conveyed as the present interest and priviledge of the persons rightly receiving these Seals and in this way which encludeth saying regeneration infants are indeed capable of receiving wonderful benefit thereby 8. 5. And omitting other arguments even the Prayers of the Church with faith and confidence upon the other grounds above-mentioned not doubting but earnestly believing that God will favourably receive those infants and embrace them with the arms of his mercy doth give further assurance of forgiveness of sin and a state of salvation for baptized Infants For God who hath declared his favour towards them and encluded them in his Covenant doth direct 1. Joh. 5.16 that if any man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and shall give life for them that sin not unto death and this general command encludeth Gods gracious answer to such Prayers and Prayer which is a general means to obtain Grace is used for the obtaining saving benefits in Baptism with the greater encouragement because the blessings prayed for are tendred in this Ordinance and by Gods promise unto Infants who receive Baptism To this purpose S. Augustine saith that remission of sins in Baptism is obtained per orationem De Bapt. cont Don. l. 3. c. 18. i. e. per columbae gemitum by the Prayers and groans of them who live in Peace Love and Vnity and our Church in the Prayer before the words of the Gospel in the Baptismal Office urgeth Gods promise Ask and you shall receive seek and you shall find c. the usefulness and benefit of Prayer being here the same in Baptism as it is in the most religiously prepared person for receiving the benefits of the Communion SECT IV. The Doctrine of the ancient and divers Reformed Churches herein observed 1. In observing the Doctrine of the ancient Church Conc. Milev c. 2. I shall begin with Councils The Council of Milevis condemned those who denyed infants to be baptized for the remission of sin or who asserted that they did not draw that original sin from Adam which is purged by the laver of regeneration and they declare that by the rule of the Catholick Church Infants are baptized for the remission of sin that that may be cleansed by regeneration which was derived by generation And this Canon of Milevis is the more considerable Conc. Carth. c. 124. because it was taken into the African Code and with that-Code was confirmed by the sixth General Council Conc. Trul. c. ◠The sixth general Council in another Canon requireth that those infants should be baptized without any scruple concerning whom there can be no sufficient testimony given that they were baptized before Conc. Trul. c. 84. and this it enjoineth lest such scruple should deprive them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Baptismal purging for sanctification Conc. Constant And whereas the Creed of the second general Council expresseth a belief of one Baptism for the remission of sins the Council of Milevis above mentioned avoucheth Conc. Mil. ubi supra those expressions to have been always so understood in the Church as to acknowledge that baptized Infants did thereby obtain actual pardon and remission And that African Synod whose Epistle is extant amongst S. Austins Works declared Aug. Ep. 90. that whosoever shall deny that little Children are delivered from perdition and do obtain Eternal Salvation by the Baptism of Christ let him be an Anathema 2. If we consult the ancient Fathers it is beyond all contradiction evident that real remission and regeneration of all baptized Infants is acknowledged by S. Aug. Ep. 23. de peccat Merit Remis l. 2. c. 28. passim by Optatus Advers Parm. l. 5. Fulgentius de fide ad Petr. c. 30. by Prosper and generally by the suceeding Writers of the Church But some have pretended Gatak de Bapt. Infant vi effic p. 268. that this position sprung from their eager opposition of the Pelagians who denied Children to be guilty of original sin for the removing of which pretence it will be requisite to give some testimony of the judgment of the Ecclesiastical Writers who lived before the appearing of the Pelagian tares S. Cyprian night two hundred years before Pelagius did not only express the mighty sensible efficacy of his own Baptism for conferring Grace to him in his Epistle to Donatus but in his Epistle to Fidus he declareth that Infants by their Baptism do obtain the grace and favour of God Cyp. Ep. 59. and the remission of their sins and several expressions of that Epistle do intimate that this is the end for which they are baptized and comparing the state of an Infant coming to Baptism with an adult person embracing Christianity and the true Faith he doth in this respect prefer the state of the Infant because ad remissam peccatorum hoc ipso facilius accedit c. he doth upon this account the more readily obtain the remission of sins because the sins forgiven to him were not his own acts but anothers or Original sin Orig. in Luc. Hom. 14. Origen in his Homilies upon S. Luke which were undoubtedly his and translated by S. Hierome saith that Children are baptized for the remission of sins but saith he of what sins and when did they sin and a little after answereth that by the Sacrament of Baptism nativitatis sordes the sins and defilements with which they were born are laid aside and for this cause saith he little ones are baptized for unless a man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdom of God The same Doctrine is also asserted by Nazianzen in his 40th Oration Naz. Orat. 40. as the comparing some things not far from the beginning with others towards the middle thereof will manifest and this he
calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sanctified without any sense or apprehension thereof Wherefore S. Aug. did truly assert De peccat Mer. Remis l. 3. c. 5. that of old the whole Church did firmly hold parvulos fideles originalis peccati remissionem per Christi baptismum consecutos esse that little Children of the Church of Christ do obtain remission of original sin by the Baptism of Christ 3. Among the publick Writings of the Protestants the first Augustan Confession asserteth Conf. Aug. 1530. Art 9. that Children being offered to God in Baptism are received into the favour of God and condemneth the Anabaptists who say that Children may be saved i. e. ordinarily without Baptism to which the larger Confession 1540. addeth that concerning Children baptized in the Church of God Christ said Mat. 18. It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish Conf. Saxon de Baptism The Saxon Confession fully expresseth the saving regeneration of baptized Infants and that these words I baptize thee c. are as much as to say By this mersion I testifie thee to be washed from thy sins and to be now received by the true God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath redeemed thee by his Son Jesus Christ and sanctifieth thee by the Holy Ghost and it declareth that at that time Infants are truly received of God and sanctified and to the same purpose is the Confession of Frederick the third the Prince Palatine Conf. Helv. c. 20. And the general expressions of the efficacious saving vertue of Baptism Conf. Gal. c. 35. in the Helvetick French and Scotish Confessions Conf. Scot. Sect. 21. are such that the state of Infants cannot be excluded therefrom And the Geneva Catechism declareth that By baptism we are Cloathed with Christ and receive his Spirit unless by rejecting the promises which are there tendered to us we render them unfruitful to our selves 4. To give an account of the particular judgments of Protestant Writers would be a needless difficult and endless undertaking Divers of them manifestly assert the saving regeneration of all baptized Infants others do embrace another notion of baptismal regeneration which I shall afterward mention and some from the use of different ways of expression and from what they speak with just earnestness against the errors of the Church of Rome are sometimes misunderstood Cath. Orthod Tr. 3. qu. 3. Sect. 1. Rivet averreth that there is no true Protestant who doth not approve that of Aquinas 12ae q. 81. Art 3. That Original sin is done away in Baptism as to the guilt thereof and he there saith that it is most false that Calvin and Beza ever said that some baptized Infants are damned Ibid. Sect. 9. dying in their infancy before they commit any actual sin unrepented of Absters Cal. Calum 7. and the same thing is with much passionate earnestness asserted by Beza himself writing against Tilemannus Heshushius Whit. ad Rat. 8 m Camp And Dr. Whitaker against Campian undertaking herein to declare the Protestant Doctrine saith In baptism we receive remission of sins we are entred into Christs Family we have the Holy Ghost given us we are raised to certain hope of eternal life what hath your Baptism saith he to Campian that ours hath not hath it grace hath it the merits of Christ hath it salvation all these hath ours And against Duraeus in defense of his answer to Campian he saith To the adult Faith is necessary Cont. Duraeum l. 8. that Baptism may be a saving Sacrament but to little ones because they are the Children of believing Parents and are encluded in the Covenant it is the Sacrament of Salvation though they by reason of their age cannot believe where by the Children of believing Parents his foregoing words declare him to mean Children born within the Church in distinction from Turks Jews and Ethnicks These words do express an actual regeneration of baptized Infants by the grace of God and the application of the merits of Christ for remission and Salvation but they are very hardly reconcileable with divers passages in the posthumous Writings of that learned man especially his Praelections de Sacram. Qu. 4. c. 2 3. SECT V. The Objections against the saving regeneration of Infants in Baptism considered 1. Against all baptized Infants being savingly regenerated by their Baptism it may be first objected That the Scriptures declare the general necessity of Faith in order to Salvation and therefore Infants unless they believe cannot be saved by being baptized In answer to this it being a matter of obscurity I shall relate different ways of solution Aug. de pec Mer. rem l. 3. c. 2. 1. Many account Faith the condition for adult persons Aug. Ep. 23. but not for Infants but this is discarded by others both ancient and modern Kemait Exam. Part. 2. de Baptism partly because by the general practice of the Church at Infant-Baptism of which S. Aug. taketh notice it was declared in the Infants name as it is in our Liturgy Credo or I believe and partly because the condition of Faith seemeth so generally expressed in the Gospel that they judge that Infants cannot be thence excluded though the Faith for the infant state cannot be the same with what is required from the adult 2. Divers others as Augustine Bede Hugo de Victore Amalanus and Walafridus Strabo think baptized Infants to be saved by the Faith of the Church into which they are baptized or by the Faith of them who offer them unto Baptism or as many Protestants and also the Catechismus Romanus express it credunt parentum fide by the faith of their Parents as the Syrophaenician Womans Daughter was healed by her Mothers Faith Mat. 15.28 and the sick of the Palsie was Cured by the Faith of them who brought him to Christ Mat. 9.2 But this doth not satisfie Kemnitius and some others partly because it is every ones one Faith which is the Gospel condition for his Salvation though anothers Faith may be instrumental for the procuring of divers blessings and partly because this answer giveth no good account of the Ecclesiastical usage of owning or professing the Creed in the Infants name at the time of his Baptism 3. Others assert that there is some Faith wrought in Infants Inst lib. 4. c. 16. Cath. Orth. Tr. 3. qu. 1. Sect. 12. which Calvin and Rivet say is not the act but the seed of Faith by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Kemnitius asserteth this operation of the Holy Ghost in Infants to be that they call Faith though they know not what kind of operation it is 2. 4. To these I shall add what I conceive most probable That since Infants are not capable of the Faith of adult persons which cometh by hearing and consisteth in the knowledge and assent of the mind
with the engagement to love submission and acceptance of the heart and since there are different degrees of Faith in several adult Christians and different acts of Faith relating to the object thereof in the Jewish and Christian Church it will be sufficient that the Faith which referreth to Infants have only some general agreement in its notion with the Faith of the adult Now since the Faith of the adult is an acceptance of the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel Doctrine with a submission thereunto which in their state requireth an active exercise of the whole Soul Mind and Will when an Infant is said to believe this must consist in such an acceptance of and submission to the Gospel as his State is capable of which is Passively Thus by being baptized he accepteth Christ and the Covenant of Grace being united to and made a Member of that Church which holdeth Christ as the head and the Gospel Covenant as the ground of Hope or if Baptism cannot be obtained its being designed may be here considerable and hereby according to their capacities Infants do enter upon a profession and acceptance of the Christian Faith which their sureties declare and themselves stand obliged to owne when they come to years of understanding To this purpose in S. Aug. Infans vocatur fidelis Aug. Ep. 23. non rem ipsam mente annuendo sed Sacramentum percipiendo and in Gratian Credere est infantibus baptizari or they become believers by being baptized into the Faith and thus S. Aug. giveth an account of the Custom of the Church declaring Infants at their Baptism to believe that is to undertake the profession of the Faith and this he calleth saluberrimae consuetudinis rationem an account of a very good Custom 3. Obj. 2. If Infants be savingly regenerated by being baptized then must Infants dying without Baptism be excluded from Salvation Ans 1. Though it be certain that S. Aug. Fulgentius Prosper Isidoms Hispalensis Alcuinus and the whole stream of later Writers before the reformation do pass a sad sentence upon unbaptized Infants yet even then some and those none of the meanest Cassand de Bapt. Inf. did strive against the stream as Biel Gerson Cajetau with some others noted by Cassander And it hath been ordinarily acknowledged in the Christian Church that where Baptism could not be obtained adult persons exercising Christian Graces Cont. Don. l. 4. c. 22. might obtain Salvation without it even besides the case of Martyrdom this was asserted by S. Augustin largely defended by S. Bernard Bern. Ep. 78. Lib. 4. Dist 4. Amb. de Obit Valent and the Master of the sentences with his School is encluded in S. Ambrose his hopes of Valentinian the Younger who died without that Baptism which he designed and desired and is proved by the instance of the Thief upon the Cross And hence it will follow that though Baptism be an instrument of Salvation yet it is not in all Cases of absolute necessity thereunto 2. There is cause to hope well of those dying Infants who cannot obtain Baptism because the mercy and goodness of God may account them according to their capacity passively to accept of the Covenant of Grace by being born in a Church and of Parents who designed them for Communion with Christ and the embracing Christianity Rivetus ubi supra n. 8 9. Wardi Resp ad Gat. n. 18. Of the happy state of such Infants Rivet and Dr. Ward doubt not though this latter expresseth his less degree of confidence where Baptism is wanting through the neglect or contempt of the Parents yet it must of necessity be acknowledged that there is greater certainty of the Salvation of Infants baptized than of those who dye without Baptism because the Ordinances of Christ ought by no means to be looked upon as useless for salvation and the promise made to Christians and their Seed is upon condition of their acceptance of the Covenant of Grace Act. 2.38 39. as was also the promise to the Seed of Abraham Gen. 17.7 14. 4. Obj. 3. If Infants be savingly regenerated by Baptism it would be an excellent piece of Charity to baptize Pagan Infants and even to murder baptized Infants because many of these do afterwards by irreligion or debauchery expose themselves to eternal damnation but the former is opposite to Christianity and the other to humanity Ans There can be no act of Charity but what is every way conformable to Christian duty and is no way injurious to the interests of men and therefore the actions mentioned in this objection are far from being charitable Because 1. To baptize Pagan Infants continuing with them under their education would be to abuse Gods Ordinance by administring it to subjects not duly qualified according to the will of God and therefore no saving benefit could be expected thereby to such Infants because as Mr. Hooker expresseth it Eccles Pol. l. 5. n. 57. Sacraments are not physical but moral instruments of Salvation which unless we perform as the Author of Grace requireth they are unprofitable 2. To take Pagan Infants from them forcibly and unjustly that they may be baptized and educated in Christianity is no right act of Christian Charity for though those particular persons might obtain that Salvation by embracing the Christian life and doctrine which they cannot enjoy in the pursuance of Pagan Idolatry yet such actions being against the right of their Parents and thereby contrary to that justice and innocency which Christianity recommendeth would greatly tend to the prejudice of the name of Christ in the World 3. Pagan Infants undertaken to be brought up in Christianity and as it were adopted into Christian Families have by reason of that intended education a right to Christian Baptism as Abrahams Servants bought with money had to Circumcision with all others born in his House and if such an Infant dye so soon as it hath received Baptism yet Fulgentius declareth him factum esse haeredem Dei Fulg. de Ver. Praed l. 1. c. 12. cohaeredem Christi that he is made an Heir of God and joint Heir with Christ 5. As to the other part of this Objection Though it be certain whatever we judge of Baptismal regeneration that it had been better for every wicked man never to have lived to commit those hainous sins for which the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience yet there can be no more horrid and uncharitable action attempted in the World than the murdering baptized Infants which would be a wicked acting against the holy command of God and extreamly opposite to the meekness and goodness of Christianity and such practices would tend to the ruin and extinguishing of the present Church of God and to render Christianity abhorred in the World to the prejudice of many thousands of Souls and to the prejudice of these Infants both in the loss of their lives and in hindring them of the opportunity of exercising pious
baptized in riper years where every person then baptized is said to be regenerated and graffed into the body of Christs Church to be born again and made an heir of everlasting Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ and to have now by Baptism put on Christ being made a Child of God and of the Light Yet it is not hereby intended to be dogmatically declared that every adult person receiving Baptism is thereby in a certain state of Salvation because true Faith and Repentance which some such persons may possibly want is in them necessary in order to the spiritual efficacy of the Sacraments and is so acknowledged by the Doctrine of our Church Artic. 27. For as our Articles declare that those who receive Baptism rightly are thereby as by an instrument graffed into the Church and obtain remission of sins so they also assert concerning Sacraments Artic. 25. that in such only who worthily receive the same they have a wholesom effect and operation 5. Agreeable hereto are the frequent expressions of the ancient Church in which it was ordinarily and truly delivered that Baptism without true Faith and Repentance cannot avail to the salvation of the adult nor put them into a present justified state And though some words in S. Augustine by way of dispute and inquiry do incline to the contrary yet that that was none of his fixed judgment was sufficiently observed by the Master of the Sentences Sent. l. 4. Dist 4. b. Aug. Cont. Liter Petit l. 1. c. 23. S. Augustine proveth that Baptism is inwardly of no profit to some from the example of Simon Magus and from the same instance S. Hierome concludeth Hier. in Ezek. 16. that he who doth not receive Baptism with a compleat Faith is indeed baptized with water sed nequaquam baptizatus est in salutem but is in no wise baptized unto salvation Cyril Hieros Procatach and Cyrill of Hieru expresseth him who cometh with his body to Baptism and not with his heart to be nothing profited And this must needs be acknowledged for truth because the performance of the conditions of the Covenant of grace by the adult can in no respect be confined to Baptism only 6. Yet these Writers did ordinarily acknowledge both universally concerning all persons baptized and particularly concerning any adult person that they had put on Christ and were made his Members and were regenerated by the Holy Ghost and born again with other such like expressions S. Augustine saith Cont. Donat l. 5. c. 24. Men put on Christ either ad Sacramenti perceptionem so far as concerneth the receiving the Sacrament or usque ad vitae sanctificationem as far as reacheth to the sanctification of life which is admitted by P. Lombard who inferreth thence that all persons who receive Baptism put on Christ Cyril telleth every one of those adult persons who came to be baptized Cyr. Catech 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost will seal your Souls According to the expression of Rabanus any baptized person à Christo Christianus vocatur De instit Cleric l. 1. c. 1. Dei Patris Ecclesiae matris noscitur esse filius is called from Christ a Christian and is known to be a Child of God his Father and of the Church his Mother and Clemens Alexandrinus accounteth all who are admitted into the Church of Christ to be called Members of Christ whose body is the Church and towards them who indulge themselves in Carnal practices and pleasures Strom. l. 7. he indulgeth himself in this fanciful expression to esteem them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. But above all the language which the holy Scripture useth is to be observed which as it oft speaketh of Children of God and such like Phrases concerning them who are inwardly renewed by a divine life which it every where requireth as of absolute necessity so upon account of visible admission to the Church and profession of the Faith it oft applyeth the like expressions towards every person received into the Church So 1. Gal. 3.27 S. Paul declareth as many of you as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ 2. Concerning baptized persons being Members of Christ and graffed into his body the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 We are all baptized into one body and v. 27. Ye are the body of Christ and Members in particular Which words respect every one in the Church of Corinth who are required from this argument because they are members of Christs body to consult not themselves but the benefit of the whole Church and to consider the different proportions of several Members And when he useth this Argument against Fornication 1. Cor. 6.15 Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid he doth no doubt thereby disswade every person who had undertaken Christianity from that filthy sin because by his Baptism his body was dedicated to be a Member of Christ And to this may be added what our Saviour speaketh Joh. 15.2 of a branch in him that beareth not fruit 8. V. Sect. 9. n. 5. 3. Concerning the titles of being regenerated born again and being the Children of God we may observe that even those circumcised Members of the Jewish Church who denyed the holy one and the just and killed the Prince of life Act. 3.14 15. Act. 3.25 and who as yet had not repented nor were converted v. 19. were yet called the Children of the Covenant which God made with Abraham And of those Jews for whom the Apostle had great sorrow and continual heaviness and for whom he could wish himself accursed from Christ he saith Rom. 9.4 that to them pertaineth the adoption By which expressions it is meant that they were visibly Children of the Covenant by undertaking it and that they were under the tenders and external priviledges of adoption and under the visible means of the spiritual benefits thereof Under the Christian profession the Apostle expressing to his Galatians the difference between being under the legal Covenant which gendreth to bondage Adv. Marc. l. 5. c. 4. Ch. 4.24 and the Evangelical Covenant which bringeth forth them that are free or between Judaismus and Christianismus as Tertullian speaketh saith that the Jerusalem which is above that is the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel Doctrine as Illyricus rightly glosseth is the Mother of us all Illyr Gloss in Loc. v. 26. and we are the Children of the promise v. 28. Which things are mentioned as titles of priviledge which their undertaking the Gospel profession did receive them unto And when the Apostle telleth them Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus it is evident from his scope that by faith is there understood the Gospel dispensation of Faith undertaken by them in opposition to the Law and that those who by Baptism are admitted to the profession of the Christian Faith are called the
this was the Element which was set apart for the admitting Disciples unto Christ himself under the Gospel and for the conveying to them remission of sins was manifested by Jesus coming to be baptized therewith from whence forward all who came to be his Disciples were baptized with water in the Baptism of Christ To this purpose the ancients frequently speak of Christs Baptism sanctifying the water of Baptism Tertul. adv Jud. c. 8. So Tertullian Baptizato Christo i. e. sanctificante aquas in suo baptismate And the Author de Cardinalib Christi operibus Veniebat Christus ad baptismum De Bapt. Christi ut Sacramento perennis daretur authoritas To the same purpose also Nazianzen Orat. 38. 39 and S. Bernard de Epiph. Serm. and even the Annotations under the Assemblies name express this as one end of Christs Baptism to sanctifie the flood Jordan In Mat. 3.15 and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin 9. The use of the sign of the Cross in Baptism I here purposely omit because it will be more fitly discoursed of in the following Book where also I shall discourse of the Imposition of hands in confirmation and of the Ring in Marriage SECT VIII Of the Office for Confirmation and that for Marriage 1. The main things referring to Confirmation being considered in the following Book and some things in the Catechism which are most impugned being sufficiently cleared from the five foregoing Sections I shall here only observe that though our Catechism Hom. of Com. Pray and Sacr. Art 25. Homilies and Articles do sufficiently declare that Christ ordained only two Sacraments in his Church yet some have taken exceptions at those words of the Catechism which express that there are two only Sacraments generally necessary to salvation as if these words did intimate the contrary which exception doth manifest how innocent words may be wrested by the force of suspicions 2. And some like not that these Sacraments are said to be generally necessary to Salvation which as it was the Doctrine of the ancient Church so is it also of the Protestant Churches Conf. Boh. c. 11. the Bohemian Confession expresseth it to be their Doctrine that Sacraments are necessary to Salvation Catech. Genev. de Sacram. and the Geneva Catechism declareth that he who despiseth the use of the Sacraments is to be accounted of as one who tacitly denyeth the name of Christ and he who thinking not meet to profess himself a Christian ought not to be ranked among Christians And concerning Baptism when our Saviour saith Mar. 16.16 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved doth not that besides other Scriptures express it to be ordinarily part of the condition of Salvation And touching the Lords Supper if the obeying the great commands and institutions of the Gospel and the attending to and receiving those excellent means of Grace and of Communion with Christ which he appointeth in the Gospel be ordinarily necessary to Salvation then must the receiving the holy Communion be acknowledged to be so And let it be considered without prejudice whether when our Saviour declared Joh. 6.53 Except you eat the stesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you these words though they cannot be confined to that Sacrament not then instituted do not sufficiently declare that he who hopeth for eternal life by Christ may not safety neglect the careful attendance on that Ordinance which Christ hath particularly appointed to be the Communion of his body and bloud 3. Concerning the Office for Matrimony the words of contract will be most fitly discoursed of in another place where I treat of the use of the Ring I shall here only consider such Phrases which some disrelish that our Liturgy calleth it an holy Estate of Matrimony and saith that God consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent Mystery that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and Vnity between Christ and his Church Now it is manifest that the Apostle expressing the Marriage institution and Union Eph. 5.30 31 32. calleth it a great Mystery not as it referreth to the Husband and Wife but as it mystically representeth Christ and his Church saying We are members of his flesh of his body and of his bones For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and shall be joined unto his Wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church And to these words of the Apostle the Phrase of our Liturgy hath manifest reference 4. And when it is said to be consecrated or to be a holy estate this is as much as to say that it is designed for a holy and religious end and purpose Though the Gentiles lived in lasciviousness and all uncleanness the Christian marriage as well as the whole Christian life is to be a holy estate separate from these pollutions of which the Apostle speaketh This is the will of God even your sanctification that you abstain from fornication that every one of you may know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification and honour not in the lusts of concupiscence 1 Thes 4.3 4 5. for God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness 5. Christian marriage is also an holy estate as it is the lawful way set apart and ordained according to the will of God for the increase of his Church Thus Children born within the Church and under the Covenant are called Sons and Daughters which are born unto or for God Ezek. 16.20 holy Children 1 Cor. 7.14 and with reference hereunto that the Children may be holy and within the Church the Apostle saith the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband and upon this account the Christian marriage may well be esteemed holy and sanctified as being a marriage in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 and is fitly called as S. Ambrose expresseth it Amb. Apol. Dav. c. 11. Sancta copula a holy bond 6. And whereas S. Paul declareth how all things are sanctified by the word of God and Prayer we have concerning marriage a more especial word of Divine Institution whereby two are made one flesh Gen. 2.24 and that no man may put them asunder because it is God who joineth them together Mat. 19.6 and also a particular divine benediction which God gave unto the estate of marriage Gen. 1.28 And this Marriage Union hath been generally attended with the use of Prayers in the Christian Church 7. Wherefore Christian Marriage which as well as the Christian life is designed for the service of God and for holy ends and an holy use is upon that account the more fit to represent the Vnity and Marriage between Christ and his Church and this Union being hereby resembled is both an argument to the more holy deportment in Christian Marriage and
the ancient Fathers have ordinarily used or it is approved by those Writings which only are of Divine Authority and by those which are in the Church of greatest humane Authority 6. The expression of his being a dear Brother doth only enclude a respect suitable to a Brotherly relation and expresseth that the Members of the Church of Christ had real desires of the welfare of such persons as are received into its Communion 7. That clause in committing the body to the ground in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life doth so evidently express the Faith and Hope of the general resurrection wherein all Christians are concerned when as it followeth he shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his glorious body that it cannot reasonably be understood with a particular restriction to the party deceased but it declareth that while this object of mortality is before our eyes the Faith of the Resurrection to Life remaineth fixed upon our hearts 8. When we give thanks to God that he hath delivered this our Brother out of the miseries of this sinful World it must be considered that the enâ—ling all troubles and miseries is an act of Gods mercy and ought to be so acknowledged though some men by their own neglect of the Christian life deprive themselves of the benefits thereof as the goodness of God in his patience ought to be owned though some aggravate their own misery by the mis-emprovement thereof And some regard may be had in this expression to the Christian hope of the future estate which is the more quickned by every instance of our present frailty And both this and the former expressions may be used with a particular confidence of the eternal bliss of any holy person deceased and with the exercise of the judgment of Charity in its proper object 9. There is only one expression in the latter Prayer which encludeth particularly our favourable thoughts of the person departed when we pray that we may rest in him as our hope is this our Brother doth In the use of which Phrase we may well express different degrees of hope according to the different evidences of Piety in several distinct persons But even where men were vitious in their lives there may be in ordinary cases some degree of hope that they knowing and professing the truth might at last become truly penitent though we have no evidence thereof For some degree of hope doth not enclude so much as the judgment of Charity and it may be exercised where ever we cannot certainly determine the contrary Yet if there should be any such extraordinary case where not so much as any degree of hope can be admitted it is far more desireable that this expression should be omitted in that singular case alone which would be very rarely found than that all ordinary expressions of the hopefulness of them who depart this life in Communion with so excellent a Church as this is should be expunged and disclaimed For as this would be an undertaking extreamly groundless and deeply uncharitable so the very sound thereof may be enough to affright Pagans from Christianity and Papists from the Reformation if our selves did not allow ordinarily any hopes of the happy estate of the Members of our Church 10. Yet that this may not be misunderstood and mis-emproved when it is applyed to such persons who have been wanting in the practice of due strictness of Christian life and too much swerved from the holy Rules and Doctrines delivered in the Gospel and received by our Church we ought to consider that this expression of hope is no encouragement to any others to be guilty of the like neglects For the bare expression of hope is below any degree of evidence and only expresseth that our judgments and understandings cannot conclude it absolutely certain that he was finally impenitent though his state may appear extreamly hazardous And whosoever liveth wickedly and dyeth without sufficient repentance of which god can certainly judge where man cannot it will be no advantage to him in the other World that his name was mentioned in the Church with some degree of hope or as the Author of the Constitutions expresseth it Const Apol. lib. 8. c. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the state of such a person is not the less miserable because frail men are not endued with that infallible judgment whereby they can conclude it utterly desperate 11. The Charity of the ancient Christian Church in expressing their hope of them who dyed in their Communion is very manifest and it is a great mistake which some have entertained that through the strictness of their Discipline no persons had their names honourably mentioned by the Church with hopes of their future happiness but such who had lived altogether free from any apparent sinfulness of life or had given severe testimonies of a strict amendment Indeed some rigorous Canons neither of general practice nor of long continuance in the Church would not allow some offenders whatsoever repentance they manifested to be reconciled to the Church or admitted to its Communion throughout their whole life no nor at the hour of death and yet these Canons have been conceived only to make them perpetual Poenitentes so that after their death their oblations were received or they all who were admitted as such Penitents were then owned among them who had relation to the Church Albasp Obs l. 2. c. 4. and of whom it had hope but amongst the ordinary rules of Primitive Discipline these were generally admitted 1. That whosoever came under any censure of the Church Cyp. Ep. 54. Can. Apost 52. whatsoever his crime was he might upon his supplication be admitted to be one of the Poenitentes or to be under the rules of penance 4. Con. Carth. c. 74. and the not admitting him hereto was accounted an heinous crime because non fas est Ecclesiam pulsantibus â—laudi 2. That if any of these Poenitentes were under dangerous sickness or approaching death Cyp. Ibidem Conc. Nicen c. 13. Ancyr can 6. Araus can 3. 4. Carth. c. 77. it was requisite they should be then admitted to the peace of the Church and its Communion 3. That even they who being under censure did only in the time of dangerous sickness desire to be admitted Penitents might thereupon forthwith be both admitted Penitents and receive reconciliation and Communion Conc. Araus c. 2. Leo. Ep. 91.4 Carth. c. 76. This is a consequent from the two former and is encluded in the Canon of Ancyra now mentioned and is manifest by divers other particular testimonies and it was grounded upon this reason because as Leo expresseth it we cannot limit the times nor determine the measures of Gods mercy 4. That all who were so received into the Church Dion de Eccles Hier. c. 7. with others who died in its Communion Cyp. Ep. 10. and even Penitents who dyed without the opportunity of obtaining
disciplinary reconciliation Con. Nic. c. 13. had the memories of their names recommended in the Churches Prayers 4. Carth. c. 79. as persons of whom it hoped well which is I suppose intended by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Council of Nice though it be otherwise understood by the Greek Canonists and in Albaspinus his explicaton Conc. Arel 2. c. 12. THE SECOND BOOK CONCERNING CEREMONIES AND Ecclesiastical Constitutions CHAP. I. The lawful use of some Ceremonies in the Christian Church asserted SECT I. What we are here to understand by Ceremonies 1. AMong all the things appointed in our service there is nothing against which a heavier charge is drawn up than against the Ceremonies as they are ordinarily called common custom herein making use of a word which admittedâ— great variety and latitude of sense and signification For 1. The word Ceremonia Ceremony primarily encludeth the general exercise of all publick Religious Worship and Piety Scal. in Fest for as Scaliger noteth Ceremonia was as much as Sanctimonia being derived from Cerus which in the old â—atin signifieth the same with Sanctus and Serâ—â—us hath been observed to declare that omnia Sacra apud Latinos Ceremoniae dicuntur and to this purpose the old Constitutions of the twelve Tables declared Leg. 12. Tab. De Sacerdot officio Sacerdotum duo genera sunto unum quod praesit Ceremoniis sacris c. intending thereby all sacred actions of Religious service and in this large sense is this word sometimes used by some later Writers Luth. de piis Cerem servand Bucer Censur c. ultim as Luther and Bucer 2. This word sometimes among the ancient Christian Writers peculiarly expresseth the most solemn visible Symbols of the Grace of God in which sense also in the Augustan Saxon and Witemberg Confessions and the Apology of the Church of England the two New Testament Sacraments are called Ceremonies and Bishop Saunderson resolveth the sum or main Contents of the Gospel into these three things De Obl. Cors Prael 4. Sect. 32. the Mysteries of Faith to be believed the holy Ceremonial and Ecclesiastical Institutions and the maral Precepts Bishop Whitg Tr. 2. c. 1. And these Bishop Whitgist calleth substantial Ceremonies which a â— of the substance of Religion 3. This word sometimes encludeth all such practices as bear any external respect unto Religion whence some have called Holy-days by the name of Ceremonies and Gotofredus probably supposeth that fasting at least with some other external observations is so called in those words of the Code of Justinian Cod. Justin l. 3. Titl 12. Sect. 6. Quadraginta diebus qui auspicio Ceremoniarum Paschale tempus anticipant c. 4. In this present enquiry by Ceremonies must be understood some particular external and visible actions and circumstances which are not instituted by God but are in themselves things indifferent and are appointed in the Church for order and decency 2. And there is a vast difference between the things called Ceremonies in the Church of England and the chief part of those things which by an aequivocal use of the same word we commonly call Ceremonies in the Jewish Constitutions under the Mosaical Law For those Jewish Ceremonies which consisted in their Sacrifices Purifications or the proper Levitical and Temple worship were such things as used aright with respect to the Messias were the way and means whereby Gods acceptance was obtained and his grace and favour vouchsafed and did partake of a Sacramental nature and were not amiss by Durandus called the Sacramentalia Rational div Offic. Prooem Sect. 7. and did also prefigure Christ to come in the flesh And upon this account no such rites as these could ever be appointed or lawfully used but such only as were established by a divine Institution nor might they be any longer observed than that institution did either enjoin or warrant and allow them and hence both S. Aug. Ep. 19. Augustine and S. Hierome do justly and vehemently condemn and censure the observation of these things among Christians And of this nature was the whole paedagogy of the Mosaical Constitutions jointly considered and every branch thereof so far as it encludeth an owning of Judaism as the way of Gods acceptance especially Circumcision Sacrifice and such like services of the Jewish Temple the observing of which under the Gospel since the clear manifestation of Christianity would be to deny Christ to become in the flesh and to close with that as a way of obtaining grace from God and finding favour with him which is contrary to his will and standeth for ever abrogated by the Gospel And hence it may appear that he who would charge the use of all Ecclesiastical Rites appointed for Order and the promoting reverence in the service of God as if it encluded the same with reducing the Ceremonial Law of the Jews might with a fairer plea of reason accuse all use of Seals or Ornamental Engravings to be a forging and counterfeiting the Kings Broad Seal and thereby to be deeply criminal 3. Yet it may be observed as a truth though in be not necessary for the just defence of any of those things commonly called Ceremonies in our Church that there were many particular things in the Ceremonial Law which singly taken and by themselves did only include some rational provisions and comely and fit Constitutions and had nothing in themselves which did necessarily restrain them to the Judaical state and such things where there is no design of any Jewish signification may lawfully be still made use of under the Gospel as still retaining what conveniency or decency they would have had if they had never been included in the Jewish Constitutions The appointment of the Jewish Tabernacle in the Wilderness is no sufficient ground to conclude it a sin for such Christians who sojourn in deserts and have minds far from Judaizing to build an House with boards for the place of their Christian Assemblies nor is the building our Churches with hewen stone to be censured as unlawful because such were the materials of Solomons Temple nor is it unlawful to use Vessels of Silver and Gold at the administring the Communion because such were the Vessels of the Tabernacle and the Temple and the like may be said of Tithes and some other things To this purpose Bucer determined in his Epistle to Alasco and P. Martyr to Bishop Hooper and Bishop Saunderson observeth De Oblig Cons Pral 4. Sect. 29. that all Ceremonials are not to be alike accounted of but those which concern order and decency are with prudence to be separated from those which prefigured Christ to come and that prudent Casuist well resolved that those things Which concerned order and decency are not now simply unlawful yet may they be many times inexpedient as they become dangerous by their scandal 4. And it is acknowledged and declared that the things with us called Ceremonies are in themselves
from Suetonius Sueton. in Tiberio n. 36. who declareth that Tiberius commanding all Jews to depart from Rome forced them Religiosas vestes comburere to burn their garments which they used in their Religious services which at Rome could be none other than their Synagogue Worship or School Assemblies Phil. de Cherubim and Philo Judaeus speaketh of their attendance thereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arrayed in white apparel Phil. de Vit. Contempl And declareth the same concerning their Religious Feasts 12. A third instance is their practices and injunctions of decent gestures in their Religious Assemblies At the reading of the Law Neh. 8.5 Ezra opened the Book in the sight of all the people and when he opened it all the people stood up And when they praised and gave glory to God the Levites commanded the people Neh. 9.5 stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever 13. A last instance I shall here give is in the admission of their chief Proselytes or Members of the Jewish Church from amongst the Gentiles where besides Circumcision which God particularly enjoined in this very Gase Ex. 12.48 and Sacrifice whereby they declared themselves professedly to communicate with the Temple Service and to be partakers of the Altar Selden de Syn. l. 1. c. 3. they also made use of washing or a kind of Baptism in initiating these Proselytes Hor. Hebr. Mat. 3.6 of which we have a large account in divers modern Authors This rite among the ancient Jews did principally express the defilement and pollution of the Gentile World which could alone be cleansed by undertaking the true Religion and the right service of God And though there might be some rational ground for the expediency of this practice because washing was under the law of frequent use in many particular Cases of uncleanness as being a means appointed for their cleansing yet neither from hence nor from Moses sprinkling the Israelites to confirm Gods Covenant to them Ex. 24.8 which place the Jewish Writers do much urge though that action was not performed with water but with the bloud of the Covenant which had water mixed therewith Heb. 9.19 do contain any special command of God that washing the Proselytes should be a rite attending their Circumcision nor do we find that when Abraham and his Family received Circumcision that any such Attendant rite was joined therewith And yet it hath been frequently acknowledged that our Saviour chusing washing or Baptism to be the initiative rite under the Gospel did shew thereby some allowance and approbation of this way of admission under the Law 14. Buxt Syn. Jud. c 5. c. And it is manifest from Buxtorf Synagoga Judaica that the Jewish practice did receive divers other Synagogal Rites even such whereof some were questionable and doubtful and other manifestly vain and ridiculous But even these miscarriages under the degeneracy of their Religion cannot render those other observances unallowable which have so considerable testimonies of their approbation in the holy Scriptures And thus in their Synagogue Worship from the instances I have mentioned to which more might be added we have evidence of the lawful use of external Rites which may conduce to preserve the order of Church Society to the distinction and Ornament of Ministers reverend behaviour in the service of God and some expression of solemnity in the sacramental admission into the Church 15. Thirdly We may consider the natural worship among the Jews or Hebrews or their general Religious profession which was neither appropriated to their Synagogues or Schools Bux Syn. Jud. c. 2. where they were ordinarily Circumcised as Buxtorf observeth nor to their publick Ceremonial or Temple worship where divers instances may be produced 16. First in the taking an Oath Abrahams Servant used the Rite of putting his hand under his Masters thigh which Aben Ezra observed to be also a Custom among the Indians Nehemiah upon the like occasion did shake his lap desiring God so to shake out every man from his house and his labour who performed not that promise Petit. Var. lect l. 1. c. 16. Fag in Gh. Par. Ex. 23.1 Exceptâ—ex Hom. Chrys de Juram Tom. 6. Fr. Duc. Neh. 5.12 13. At other times lifting up the hand was used in that solemn and Religious invocation Gen. 14.22 And it hath been observed that it was an ordinary Rite among the Jews in taking an Oath to lay their hand upon the Book of the Law as the ancient Christians even in S. Chrysostomes time laid their hand upon the Book of the Gospel But he must be satisfied with very little evidences who thinketh that he hath found a divine institution for these observations which are only outward signs of Religious invocation as our words are and therefore such expressive signs so far as expediency and due solemnity shall require may be lawfully used though they be not particularly determined by a Divine commmand 17. Secondly we may observe Rites of Memorial Thus we not only read of Samuel setting up a stone as a Monument of Gods praise and a token of remembrance that he had helped them 1. Sam. 7.12 but Laban and Jacob erected a heap to be a solemn memorial and testimony of their Oath Gen. 31.46 47. and when Joshua made a Covenant with the people of Israel to serve the Lord he set up a stone under the Oak by the Sanctuary of the Lord to be a witness and memorial of their duty and engagement Jos 24.26 27. 18. To these might be added the use of sackcloath and ashes as a testimony of humiliation and repentance the use of imposition of hands in their ordinary benediction which also our Saviour practised and I shall in another Chapter shew that the Ring in the contract of Marriage was used among the Jews And yet none of these things were enjoined in the Law of Moses further than what concerneth the Priestly benediction of Aaron with hands lifted up which some conceive to be a rite appointed in the Law 19. And from what I have hitherto observed it may be reasonably concluded that it is no encroaching upon or opposing the Authority of God if some indifferent and expedient things be determined and received in the Church as things useful but not as Divine Sanctions And he who will deny the lawfulness hereof in the Christian Church must also assert and prove that the coming of Christ hath deprived his Church of a very considerable part of that liberty and authority which the Jewish Church always possessed But against the rashness of any such positions the following Sections will be a sufficient defence SECT III. Shewing Ecclesiastical Constitutions particularly concerning Ceremonial Rites to be warranted by the Apostolical Doctrine and practice 1. The second main argument is deduced from the Apostles practice and doctrine Now though what they appointed in the Church about any matters external cannot be easily proved to be determined by humane prudence and
Corona militis c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum etiam antelucanis caetibus sumimus do intimate that that Sacrament was administred also at other times besides those early Morning Assemblies and S. Cyprian as Pamelius noteth Cyp. Ep. 63. n. 48. expresseth their communicating the that Carthaginian Church both in the Morning and the Evening Socr. Hist Eccl. l 5. c. 21. as Socrates long after relateth the Custom of Evening Communions in the Churches of Egypt and those nigh to Thebais And therefore the Eucharist and Agapae might be and were joined together as is manifest from another place of Tertullians Apology Apol. c. 7 8. 5. And that these things were mutable Rites and no perpetual Laws to the Christian Church is manifest not only from general Ecclesiastical practice but also because the Scriptures give no command for the love Feasts though they mention that practice with approbation and the kiss which was a token of love and friendship according to the Custom of those Countries was thence directed to be observed by those Christians only as a token of their Christian greeting and salutation and a testimony of their Vnity and Communion Yet because these things were used at the time of the holy Communion as outward actions representing part of that Christian duty practice and engagement which was signified by that holy Ordinance it self and undertaken therein they were in this use properly Ecclesiastical Rites and do justifie the use of such external actions in the service or duties of Religion which are useful to excite or promote Christian practice 6. And besides these the Apostles direction for men to pray or prophesie with their heads uncovered 1 Cor. 11.4 was the determining an external Rite for order and decency and not without some respect to the common expressions of Reverence in Greece and other parts of the Roman Empire The Jewish Priests performed their Temple service with their heads covered with their Bonnets as did the High Priest also in his Mitre and it was his honour and dignity that he might not uncover his head Lev. 21.10 he representing hereby the glory and honour of the Messias In the Jewish Synagogue worship their men constantly prayed with their faces vailed V. Hor. Hebr. in 1. Cor. 11.4 in token of shame as is manifest from divers testimonies of the Talmudists agreeably to which Custom the holy Angels in Isaiah's Vision are represented standing before God and worshipping with their faces covered Is 6.1 2 3. The ancient Romans used uncovering the head as an expression of honour to great men but yet from the time of Aeneas Plutarch Prob. Rom. q. 10 11 13. as Plutarch affirmeth they had their heads covered in most of their Religious solemnities The Grecians worshipped with their heads uncovered as did the Romans also in their adoration of Saturn But S. Paul considering the Christians relation and encouragements and the customary use of vailing among women as fitly becoming and expressing their shamefastness modesty and subjection he thence from the consideration of comeliness determineth that the expression of reverence which most befitteth the state of men in their Religious service is to uncover their heads and not to vail them both in praying and in prophesying or praising and glorifying God chiefly under extraordinary or prophetick raptures in which sense the Chaldee Paraphrast oft expoundeth the Phrase of prophesying in the Old Testament and R. D. Kimchi Ch. Par. in 1. Sam. 10.5 6 10 11 13. Ch. 19 20 21 23 24. Drus in 1. Sam. 10.6 also as he is cited by Drusius And the consequence hereof is this that such outward actions as tend to express a comely reverence in the service of God may be filty appointed and used therein under the Gospel dispensation 7. But because I shall in the following Chapter give some other instances of Apostolical practice I forbear in this place to urge any more and therefore shall not insist upon S. Peter submitting to have his feet washed at our Saviours command which some have noted to be a Jewish Paschal Rite then practised under an Evangelical signification nor upon the observations enjoined to the Gentile Christians by the Council at Jerusalem Act. 15. nor upon those other manifestly ancient Rites which are not mentioned in the Scriptures but were by the Fathers of the Primitive Church called Apostolical Rites or Apostolical Traditions But instead of prosecuting what is contained in this last instance I shall observe that it was a current position among the chief Protestant Writers of the Churches beyond the Seas that in points of external rite order and decency some things were appointed by the Apostles in the Churches of Christ which were not recorded in the holy Scriptures Kemnit Exam de Tradit 7 m. Genus Thus Kemnitius asserteth that it is manifest from the Apostles writings that they did ordain and deliver some Rites unto the Church verisimile est quosdam etiam alios externos ritus qui in scriptura annotati non sunt to Apostolis traditos esse And it seemeth true that there were other external Rites delivered by the Apostles which are not mentioned in the Scripture Beza upon those words of S. Paul The rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 granteth that the Apostle did in that Church detemine other things not mentioned in that Epistle but pertinent ad ordinem Ecclesiasticum non ad dogmata they were not matters of Doctrine but of Ecclesiastical Order And upon the same words he saith that they appointed things referring to order as time place forms of Prayer and such like as times places and persons did require Zanch. Tract de Sacr. Script Qu. 8. Zanchy also citing the same Text by way of Objection in his Treatise of the holy Scripture answereth That concerning matters of order and decency we acknowledge many things to have been appointed in the Churches by the Apostles which are not written Concedimus multa fuisse instituta ab Apostolis in Ecclesiis quae non sunt scripta 8. That command of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order doth manifestly suppose a power and command its exercise in the Church of Corinth for the appointing what is requisite to those ends and is to this purpose urged not only in the Church of England but by those other modern Writers who are in high esteem with most Non-Conformists Infst l. 4. c. 10. Sect. 27. Calvin in his institutions from this Scripture asserteth a necessity of laws made by Ecclesiastical Constitutions because order and decency cannot otherwise be kept nisi additis observationibus tanquam vinculis quibusdam and in his Commentaries he thence asserteth In 1. Cor. 14.40 that God hath left external Rites unto our liberty that we might not account his worship to consist in them Zanchy Zanch. Compend Doct. Christianae Loc. 16. considering this Text enquireth what the Apostle
meaneth by decency and order and saith among other things one end of decency is that while certain Rites are made use of to conciliate reverence to sacred things we should by such helps be the more excited unto piety Illyricus himself declareth this command to be a foundation Gloss Illyrici in Loc. first Frinciple or Rule upon which Church Government and Polity is to be built and according to which it is to be modelled Part. 2. Ch. 4. And the same commandment is produced by the London Ministers in their Jus divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici as giving allowance for the ordering the circumstantials of Church Government And then it must especially warrant the orderly determining things circumstantial concerning Ecclesiastical Assemblies and divine worship which is the special matter about which the Apostle treateth in that Chapter SECT IV. The practice and judgment of the Primitive and many Protestant Churches concerning Ceremonies 1. The third Argument is from the judgment and practice of the Church of God in all Ages both in its Primitive Purity and since the Reformation And as Christian Prudence and Sobriety requireth a reverend esteem of the judgment or the Vniversal Church so Christian Charity Humility and Modesty will forbid the rast censuring the generally received practices in the best times of Christianity In the Primitive times all their Canonical Constitutions of Synods supposed a liberty reserved to the Church of determining things expedient their observation of some Rites appointed by the Apostles is clear enough from the foregoing Section and of their use of the sign of the Cross of distinct Garments in Religious Worship of their gesture at the Communion and of imposition of hands in Confirmation and the Ring in Marriage Ch. 4. I shall give a particular account when I come to consider the particular Rites of our Church And that in the early times of Christianity they stood at Prayer on the Lords Days and from Easter to Whitsunday as professing the hope of the Resurrection that they prayed with their faces to the East while in the Jewish Temple Worship they always worshipped with their faces to the West that they used various impositions of hands on the Penitents and gave some initiatives Symbols as Salt Hony and Milk to the Catechumens and newly baptized persons with others of the like nature is so manifest that no man who hath read the ancient Writers can possibly make any doubt thereof And such Rites as were orderly and fitly established by Ecclesiastical Authority without any divine institution were frequently justified and defended by divers of the Fathers as Tertullian S. Ambrose Basil Austin as their testimonies might be largely produced 2. For instance sake I shall single out S. Austin who though he piously complained of the over-great number of Ceremonies in his time when they were indeed very numerous in his Epistle to Casulanus writing concerning fasting on the Saturday Aug. Ep. 86. he giveth this general Rule that in those things where the divine Scriptures determine nothing certainly the custom of the people of God or the institution of our Ancestors is to be reputed as a Law And afterwards he adviseth to be careful lest the clearness or calmness of Charity be about such things Clouded over with the tempests of contention and disputation Ep. 118. c. 2. And in his Epistle to Januarius after many other things to the same purpose he expresseth the advice of S. Ambrose which he always esteemed as a Divine Oracle that in things which neither opposed Faith nor a holy life every one was to conform to the Observations and Custom of that Church where he had his present abode cum Romae sum jejuno Sabbato cum hic sum non jejuno sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuique non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Ep. 119. c. 18. and in his next Epistle he giveth a like direction about the same matter which is by him called saluberrima regula And he saith he had oft perceived with grief and sorrow much disturbance of the weak per quorundam fratrum contentiosam obstinationem superstitiosam timiditatem through the contentious obstinacy and superstitious fearfulness of some brethren who stir up such contentious questions about Ecclesiastical Rites of an indifferent nature in particular Churches that they judge nothing right but what themselves do and in the same Epistle Ep. 118. c. 6. he defendeth the Custom of the Church in his time of receiving the Eucharist fasting which Christ instituted after meat but gave no command that it should be afterwards so celebrated 3. Amongst the Protestant Writers Calvin at Geneva Calvin Tom. 7. Ver a Ecclesiae Reform Ratio maketh this formal protestation Lest any man should raise a calumny I would have all pious Readers here to bear me witness that I do not contend about Ceremonies which do serve only for decency and order nor yet against such which are either Symbols of or incitements to that reverence which we bear to God Vrsin Eaepl Catec q. 103. Vrsin in the Palatinate asserteth the Ecclesiastical appointment of some Rites not only to be lawful but to be a duty potest saith he ac debet Ecclesia quasdam Ceremonias instituere Rivet in the Dutch Church saith that in the Church we use Ceremonies Cathol Orth. Tr. 2. q. 37. ut gestibus actionibus solennibus Ceremonies as gestures and actions of solemnity and concerning such things which are appointed for decency and order he declareth his approbation of that Rule of S. Austin above expressed from Ep. 118 c. 2. Among the Lutherans Kemnitius not only asserteth the Churches liberty Exam. Conc. Trid. de Sacram. Can. 13. in appointing adiaphorous Rates but also for order sake he disalloweth all liberty of varying from them Et sane ordinis decori gratia etiam in externis adiaphoris non est cuivis sine Ecclesiae judicio consensu permittendum ut ex petulâ—nlie pro libidine quid vis vel omittat vel permutet Ger. Conf. Cathol Lib. 1. Gener Par. 2. c. 5. de Traditionibus Gerard both acknowledgeth the Authority of the Church for the ordaining samethings about the external part of worship and yieldeth that not only the Church but even the Aposiles themselves did institute in the Church ritus quosdam liberos some free indifferent rites appertaining to order and decency which in specie and in particular are neither written nor imposed by a perpetual Law as necessary for the whole Church And in another place he sheweth that they readily receive these adiaphorous things for order and decency C. 12. de consuetudine Eccles etiamsi sola Ecclesiae consuetudine nitantur though they only depend upon the Custom of the Church Illyr Glos in 1. Cor. 11.16 And Flacius Illyricus himself when he was out of the humour of opposition did at last
priviledge but of the bondage of the Jewish church in which the Gospel Church was not designed to be conformable thereto 9. What is usually produced upon this subject from the fourteenth Chapter to the Romans will fall more directly under consideration in the following Chapter where I design to give a particular account of the true sense thereof 10. But what hath been here said can be no pretence of excuse for the Rites of the Romish Church where besides their unreasonable and burdensom number divers of them are evil in their nature many of them being Sacramental and designed to be operative of Grace and spiritual help and others being opposite to plain duties of Religion such are the making images of the Trinity and of the Saints for adoration the suppressing the Cup to the Laity a Rite of Christs appointment in the Eucharist the adoration of the Sacrament as transubstantiated and divers others being manifestly superstitious as might be evidenced in their various consecrations as they account them of Bells Candles Water Salt Chrysm c. Processions and such like CHAP. II. Of external Rites and Constitutions as significant enjoined scrupled or having been abused SECT I. Of external Rites as significant 1. Com. Pray of Ceremonies OUR Liturgy declareth the Ceremonies retained in our Church to serve to a decent order and godly Discipline and to be such as are apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified Thus kneeling at the Communion is designed to express Humility and Reverence the Cross at Baptism to be a memorative taken of engagement to the Christian Life and the Ministerial Habit to be a testimony of peculiar respect and honour to the worship and service of God And if any from the White Linen take occasion to meditate and think of the purity of Divine Worship and the Christian Life and that as White Linen is changed from its natural greenness and moisture to become useful and comely through much industry washing and the influence of the Sun so the corrupt state of fallen man may become renued unto holiness by the power of divine Grace and serious Christian diligence such considerations as this though not commanded in this Church may well be approved and defended 2. T. C. Repl. p. 136. Linc. Apol. 1605. Alt. Damasc c. 9. p. 522. Mr. Baxt. Disp of Cerem c. 2. Excep of Presb. p. 9. But such external instituted signs which by their signification do either teach any duty or excite to the performance thereof have been generally decryed with some earnestness by the Non-Conformists under the name of Mystical teaching signs sometimes as Jewish Rites and sometimes as new Sacraments Whereas it seemeth very strange that an useful significancy or its conducibleness to promote good should become a crime Surely it is altogether as reasonable that such an Ornament of the body which might otherwise be approved should become utterly intollerable if it be of any advantage for warmth or health as that any appointment for order and decency in matters of Religion should be thought altogether insufferable because of its tendency towards edification or any spiritual benefit Wherefore 3. Consider 1. That the denying all lawfulness of using any external thing not commanded of God as a sign either to help our understandings or excite our affections doth very much tend to the prejudice of Religion and Christianity For this would condemn the use of Parables and Similitudes which our Saviour following the Custom of the Jewish Teachers did frequently express And this would condemn a very useful part of Christian meditation as if he who looketh upon the Earth no otherwise than the Beast doth might be well approved of while he who fixing his eyes thereupon considereth that he was taken out of the Earth and must return thither and thence entreth upon in humble thoughtfulness of his own frailty must be condemned or as if it was a heinous thing for a Christian when he looketh up to Heaven immediately to entertain thoughts thereupon of Christs being ascended thither and how much he is obliged that his affections and conversation should be above 4. Cons 2. The lawful use of some other visible signs besies gestures is necessarily allowed in the right exercise of Christianity I suppose none will condemn our kneeling at Prayer though it be primarily designed to testifie our lowlyness reverence and humility and to owne and acknowledge the Soveraignty and Majesty of God or standing to hear thereby to express or excite Christian attention the lifting up the hands or eyes in Prayer out of true devotion is not therefore blameable because it is a sign of a stedsast hope and confidence in God and of expectation from him nor may the Publican's smiting his hand upon his breast be thought the worse of because it encluded a pathetick and affectionate acknowledgment of his unfeigned humiliation and sorrow for sin Act. 21.40 Ch. 26.1 We often read of the Apostle beckning with his hand to move his Aditors to attention and I suppose few will be so bold as to censure the Custom of the Primitive Christians Tertul. Apol. c. 30. who prayed as Tertullian declareth manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nuclo quia non erubescimus and who frequently stretched out their hands in Prayer composing themselves thereby to a suitableness to Châ—â—â— dying on the Cross Tertul. de Grat. c. 13. Dominica passionâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and having in that posture an 〈◊〉 inteaâ—uess of mind upon our Saviourâ— Passion when his hands were stretched out But dare any undertake to blame that woman whom our Saviour commanded and approved who kissed the feet of our Lord and anointed them with Ointment Luk. 7 38.-50 and who washed them with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head as a testimony of religious reverence honour and vehement love to the Son of God by whom she obtained remission of sins or to condemn her who to a like purpose poured that Ointment of spikenard upon his head concerning which he declared that wherever the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole World that which she had done should be spoken of for a memorial of her Mar. 14.3 9. Wherefore outward voluntary actions designed to signifie some Religiouis thing ought not universally to be disclaimed And it will concern them who condemn external Rites meerly upon account of their signification which might otherwise be admitted to consider how they can allow according to this opinion the use of proper and expressive words in the service of God to be preferred before nonsense and impertinencies since words are properly signs of things as S. Aug. and Rabanus have noted Aug. de Doctr. Christ l. 3. c. 1 2 3. Rab. Maur. de Inst Cler. l 3. c. 8. c. and the particular words appropriated to all parts of Divine worship are not enjoined by God himself
and whether this position will not go far toward the condemning Religious and devout behaviour in Christian Assemblies because it is an outward and visible expression of a pious frame of mind whereas such external actions rightly used with a due significancy are testimonies and incentives of Piety and Religion but without such a signification are either Hypocritical or at least vain and empty 5. But some distinguish here between such things which have a natural significancy as Religious gestures and such things as signifie by humane Constitutions and consent the former they do admit but not the latter But this distinction is to little purpose partly because there can be no sufficient reason given why the latter should be universally disallowed while the former are approved partly because most things supposed to have a natural significancy did derive their original signification from humane custom and consent as reverent gestures and uncovering the head and partly because divers particular things above-mentioned which cannot be disapproved cannot be pretended to have a natural signification to which laying the hand on the Book in an Oath and others more may be added 6. Cons 3. The disallowing all external significative Rites in Gods service is a thing opposite to the general sense of the Church of God in all former Ages That divers signfiicative Rites were lawfully used in the Jewish Church without any divine Institution is sufficiently manifest from the instances given in the former Chapter and such were also the Apostolical Rites of the Love-kiss the Feasts of Charity and the having mens heads uncovered and not veiled The judgment of Calvin and Zanchy approving such Ceremonies of Ecclesiastical appointment were also in that Chapter produced and the same may be observed in Vrsin Explic. Catech. q. 103. and P. Martyr Ep. Hoopero Art 15. The Bohemian Confession teacheth that such Rites by whomsoever they were introduced ought to be preserved which advantage Faith the worship of God and other things that are good amongst Christians with which agreeth the Strasburgh Confession Cap. 14. Some significative Rites of the Ancient Christian Church were also mentioned in the foregoing Chapter to which may be added the frequent use of the Trinal Mersion in Baptism as a profession of the Trinity and of Conformity to the Death of Christ which continued three days and this is used in divers Protestant Churches at this day they also sometimes purposely used the single Merscon to testifie the Unity of the Godhead In c. 2. q. 1. c. legum Sometimes as appeareth by the words of Hincmarus the person to be baptized supposing him adult was to give up his name in writing to signifie by that action his willingness and desire to undertake Christianity and to obtain Baptism And very anciently the person receiving Baptism did then change his Garments arraying himself in white as an admonition to him that he then changed his state and undertook the innocency of the Christian profession De Consecr Dist 4. c. post baptismum Accepisti this Custom was observed by Gratian from Rabanus and S. Ambrose and is thought by a learned man of our own Nation to be as ancient as the Apostles themselves and to be alluded unto in the use of those Scripture Phrases Mr. Thorndike Right of the Church c. 4. of putting of the old man with his deeds and putting on the new man Col 3.9 10. 7. The main Objection peculiarly directed against signisicant Ceremonies is that such things have a resemblance of Sacraments but no Ecclesiastical Authority nor any person below Christ himself can constuâ—â—te or appount a Sacrament Cont. Faust l. 10. c. 16. Indeed S. Augusline sometimes speaketh of Sacraments as being nothing else but verba visibiliâ— visible words and other where saith Ep. 5 Marc. that signs referring to divine things are called Sacraments but these expressions were noted by Kemnitius as instances to shew Kemnit Exam. de Sacram. Can. 1. that S. Augustine used the word Sacrament in a great latitude of sense this being an Ecclesiastical word not always taken in the same strictness of signification And S. Aug. doth there peculiarly speak of a certain kind of signs viz. the Jewish Ceremonies appointed by the Divine Law which I have above observed to enclude somewhat Sacramental 8. But that we may rightly apprehend 〈…〉 significative signs are lawfully 〈…〉 in the Church I shall distinguish 〈◊〉 signs referring to matters of Religion into so many several ranks or Classes as may be sufficient for the clearing my present enquiry Wherefore 9. First Some external signs are appointed to ratifie seal and confirm the Covenant of God and to tender and exhibit the Grace of that Covenant or Christ himself unto us And these signs are properly Sacraments according to the definition thereof in our Church Catechism to be outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Accordingly Baptism as a means of Grace doth exhibit remission of sins Act. 22.16 and Salvation 1 Pet. 3.21 and the Lords Supper exhibiteth the New Testament in Christs bloud and is the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Ch. 11.25 And Rabanus Maurus describing a Sacrament saith De Instit Cler. l. 1. c. 24. that therein sub integumento rerum corporalium virtus divina secretius operatur salutem And that this is the common Doctrine of the Protestant Writers concerning Sacraments which they defend against the Calumnies of the Papists who charge them with asserting the Sacraments to be only significative signs but not exhibitive and also against the fond opinion of the Anabaptists and other Sectaries accounting Sacraments to be chiefly professing signs may be evidenced by perusing Bishop Cranmer in his Preface to his Book of the Sacrament Bishop Ridley de Coena Dom. p. 28 29. Bishop Jewel Apol. Reply Art 8. Dr. Whitaker de Sacr. Qu. 1. c. 3. Bucer Conf. de Euchar. Sect. 45. Epist ad Michael N. Hispan Kemnit Exam. de Sacr. Can. 5 6 7. Vrsini Apol. Catech. ad 3 m Calumn adv Anabapt Chamier de Sacram l. 1. c. 10. Sect. 13. Rivet Cath. Orth. Tr. 3. q. 1. with many others Now none can appoint any such sign as this but he who hath power of giving the Grace exhibited thereby and if any humane authority constitute any sign to this end and purpose it would therefore be an high intrenchment upon the Soveraignty of God and the authority of Christ and the expecting this Grace from any such sign is great superstition 10. Secondly There are signs appointed not to exhibit and tender the Grace of Gods Covenant but to testifie in Gods name the certainty of some point of Faith as the Star in the East was a witness of Christs Birth and an assurance thereof to the Wise men or to tender some particular
Baptism engaged them to acknowledge and worship the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Baxt. Disp of Gerem c. 2. Sect. 58. And whereas it is objected against the use of any such external signs that this is to set up something to work Grace in the same manner that the Sacraments do which do only objectively teach remember and excite and thereby work on the understanding will memory and affections all this is grounded upon manifest misapprehensions For the holy Sacraments do not only stir us up to the exercise of Grace already received but do tender to us a Communion with Christ and a Communication of further Grace from him which no humane Rites can do Artic. 25. Whence our Articles declare them to be effectual signs of Grace and Gods good will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him In Sect. and agreeably hereunto is the Doctrine of all the Protestant Writers above-mentioned But to condemn all objective incitements to the exercise of Grace as humane Sacraments where there is no pretence of their being direct means of conveying further Grace from God would enclude a censuring any particular becoming actions gravity and due expression of affectionateness in the Minister or people in Christian Assemblies because it is a means to excite others to the greater reverence and Religious devotion and would condemn any actions as sinful and evil meerly from their being useful to promote good And for example hereupon he who looking into a Register Book where his Baptism is recorded shall only take notice of his Age should be commended but he who upon the sight of his name in that Book is put in memory concerning his Baptismal Covenant and excited to a care of answering that Covenant by a Christian and pious life should be guilty of grievous sin as if this was to make that Book to be a kind of Sacrament And they who reject all exciting signs as being Sacramental may find almost all the same pretences to dislike all words not instituted of God which do excite men to Religious Piety especially when they are accompanied with any outward action though it be but a gesture because not only Sacramental signs but Sacramental words in their Sacramental Use as in Baptism I baptize thee in the name c. do both exhibit and excite Grace as an essential part of that Sacrament and there is not much more reason to conclude all exciting signs to be Sacramental signs than to account all exciting words to be Sacramental words 15. Sixthly Other external things in Gods worship are properly significant of reverence towards him and of high esteem of him and his Ordinances Such are a humble and devout behaviour and gesture which are Hypocritical actions where no such signification is intended but when designed to this end they are truly religious but far from being Sacramental O◠this nature are the preparing and preserving decent structures and other things comely as Communion Table Cup c. which are set apart for Religious service And to this sixth head belongeth the use of the Ministerial Garments appointed in our Church as the use of the Cross in the Office of Baptism is of the nature of a memorative and exciting sign under the former head And to dislike these things solely because of such signification is to account the actions of man who in Gods worship acts as a reasonable Creature to be the worse meerly because he is able to give a good and rational account why he doth perform them SECT II. Of Ecclesiastical appointments considered as imposed and enjoined 1. Having proved in the former Chapter the lawfulness of some external Rites and having shewed in this Chapter that they do not become unlawful by being significant we may hence infer that nothing can be said against the enjoining some such lawful Rites but what will equally oppose all Ecclesiastical Injunctions and Constitutions in things indifferent For if these things be in themselves both lawful and in their due circumstances useful as I have above shewed and if there be a power in the Church of enjoining lawful things to useful purposes then cannot the establishing these things thus directed be disallowed But to deny the lawfulness of Ecclesiastical Sanctions and Constitutions is to charge all the ancient famous known parts of the Church of Christ with a sinful usurpation of Authority in the Church for that they enjoined what they judged useful both in General and Provincial Synods is manifest from the Canons of the Code of the Universal Church and of the Roman and African Churches and from the more ancient Canons among those called the Apostles and from other Ecciesiastical Rules of Discipline frequently mentioned in Tertullian S. Cyprian and other ancient Writers And that this practice of the Church was used ever since the Apostles is not only manifest from the instances given in the former Chapter Sect. 3. but is also evident from the Synod at Jerusalem and its decisions concerning somethings indifferent mentioned Act. 15. 2. Concerning the Decrees of that Council at Jerusalem I shall Observe 1. That some part of the matter of them was not contained under the Divine Precepts of perpetual obligation but was enjoined only as Ecclesiastical laws of mutable Constitution I should willingly acknowledge that not only that part of the Apostolical Decree which concerned Fornication but that also which concerned things offered unto Idols did contain an immutable Law to all Christians and that what S. Paul writeth upon this subject in his first Epistle to the Corinthians did not at all invalidate or dispense with the Decree of the Apostolical Synod as divers worthy men have judged but only declareth how far that Decree intended to oblige That which renders this opinion probable is because it is evident by comparing Act. 15.20 with Act. 15.29 that the Apostles in commanding to abstain from meats offered to Idols designed only to prohibit the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pollutions of Idols and because after the writing the Epistles to the Corinthians it was still in as general terms as that Synod did express it accounted a duty to abstain from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or things sacrificed to Idols not only by divers particular ancient Writers but by one of the Canons of the Greek Code Conc. Gangr Can. 2. and even by S. John in the Revelations Rev. 2.14 But that that Decree concerning things strangled and bloud was no perpetually binding Law of God may be evinced from the general judgment of the Church of God Aug. cont Faust l. 32. c. 13. Binius in 4. Syn. Apost de Immolatis which doth not now account it binding some very few persons excepted from such general expressions of holy Scripture as that nothing is unclean in it self and to the pure all things are pure and from the Apostles expressing their Decree to be
to have Kings her nursing Fathers and a duty to all Rulers upon earth to acknowledge their subjection to Jesus Christ And yet even in the Apostles times there were corporal punishments miraculously inflicted to awaken men to mind the practice and careful exercise of Christianity not only in the particular instances of Saul going to Damascus of Ananias and Sapphira and of Elymas but the delivering a person to Satan hath been ordinarily observed to enclude with the sentence of the Church a giving him over to some outward bodily calamities to be inflicted on him by the evil spirit of which a particular instance is given concerning the Servant of Stilico Paulin in Vit. Ambr. prope fin by Paulinus in the life of S. Ambrose 13. But that this Question may be resolved we must note 1. That it concerneth only secular authority when it is rightly informed in these matters of Religion about which such Laws are established For according to the Rules of Conscience as no authority upon earth may lawfully countenance or join in the profession of an errour so neither may it by commands constitutions or penalties design to advance it But it is as unreasonable that the use of secular authority to advance what is good and commendable should hence be condemned as that the holy action of Abraham Gen. 18.19 commanding his Children to keep the way of the Lord should be disliked because it is certainly unlawful for any Parents to command and enjoin their Children to entertain sin and embrace errour For it is every mans duty to close with that which is good and to favour and prefer it but it is his sin to oppose it or to make use of his interest in the behalf of that which is evil 2. Bishop Whitgifts Defence of his Ex. to Magist ion fin Nor is this Question about the lawfulness of designing the ruine and destruction of any persons only because they err in matters of Religion which is a thing by no means allowable and not only the use of Fire and Faggot for pretended Heresie but the inflicting capital punishments for the sole crimes even of real Heresie or notorious errours in Religion have been sufficiently disclaimed by the great defenders of our Political and Ecclesiastical Constitutions 14. 3. To establish such Laws backed with penalties about good and useful matters Ecclesiastical which may be a proper and fit motive respect being had by the prudence of Superiours to the nature of the things enjoined and to the temper of the persons to be dealt with to excite men to consider and mind their duty is not only allowable but it is the natural result of Rulers discountenancing evil designing their subjects good being careful of the Churches welfare and of serving God in the use of their authority and is contained under that Apostolical Rule Rom 13.4 If thou do that which is evil be affrâ—â—d of the power But if any shall to word that outward punishments are no way useful to direct mens minds to a sense of their duty he must contradict the common experience of a considerable part of Mankind and must disclaim any advantage for amendment of life from paternal correction the constitution of Magistracy and divers providential chastisements of God against the frequent expressions of holy Scripture And he must also undertake to assert that the condition of Israel was not better when all the people engaged themselves to the service of God moved by the zeal for true Religion in their Kings attended with their denouncing temporal punishments on them who neglected or refused than when every one 〈◊〉 and professedly walked in the 〈◊〉 of his own heart 15. And whereas several expressions 〈◊〉 Writers speak against the use of external force in matters of Religion divers of them are intended against the Pagan or Heretical powers oppressing the truth others against over-rigorous severities and extremities towards some persons under errour some were the expressions of those who were themselves abetters of Schism as Socretes was and there are some few expressions of others who were men of greater affection than consideration whose words may be over-ballanced both by reason and other Authorities SECT III. Of Ecclesiastical Constitutions about things scrupled 1. That such things which some persons scruple oppose and dispute against may be practised without sin by them who discern and are well satisfied of their lawfulness is a thing that needeth not much proof For if this be denyed Christianity must be accounted a state of bondage where every mans mistaken apprehensions would lay an obligation on the Consciences of others Wherefore in that Case when some Christians judged it unlawful to eat all sorts of meat S Paul allowed him who discerned his liberty to make use thereof Rom. 14.2 6. Yet because both in that Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and in 1 Cor. 10. he giveth command to Christians to beware of grieving and offending their brethren the general case of Scandal in things Indifferent will in this place come under some consideration concerning which it may be sufficient to observe three things 2. First That the offending others prohibited in those places by the Apostle consisted not in displeasing others only but in performing such actions which tended to occasion some to fall from Christianity or others not to embrace it This sense of these Precepts Right of the Church c. 4. is observed as a thing manifest by Mr. Thorndike Thus S. Paul declareth the using liberty about things offered to Idolls so as to be a stumbling block to the weak 1 Cor. 8 9. to consist in emboldning them towards the Idol v. 10. whereby the weak Brother perisheth v. 11. And though the Apostle sometimes mentioneth this sin of offending others under the name of grieving them Rom. 14.15 he thereby intendeth an occasioning them to disgust the Christian Religion and therefore in the same verse commandeth Destroy not him with thy meat c. And when he recommendeth in this Case the pleasing of others it is in designing their profit that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10.33 Yet it must be further acknowledged that according to the expressions of other Scriptures it is a sinful scandal or giving offence when any one by the use of his liberty doth knowingly induce others to the commiting any sin being under no obligation to determine this use of his liberty for according to S. Hierome that is scandal where a man dicto vel facto occasionem rui nae cuiquam dederit 3. But the meer displeasing or grieving others about matters indifferent is not always a sin for our Saviour himself greatly grieved his Apostles when he told them that one of them should betray him but as yet concealed the man Mat. 26.21 22. Yet Christianity will not allow a morose and pievish temper but directeth men to be loving amicable and kind and to be ready to please others where duty or prudence do not otherwise engage us but out of
them but even to urge them to approve and allow what is really sinful and is rightly so esteemed by them 20. But the main objection to be here considered is that S. Paul Rom. 14.1 c. commandeth to receive them who are weak in the Faith but not to doubtful disputations Commiss Papers p. 70. and alloweth no judging or despising one another for eating or not eating meats and for observing or not observing days and hence it is urged that no such things indifferent ought to be imposed but to be made the matter of mutual forbearance Now it must be granted that Christian Charity requireth a hearty and tender respect to be had to every truly conscientious person so far as it may consist with the more general interest of the Church of God yet it is manifest that the Apostle is not in this Chapter treating about and therefore not against the rules of order in the service of God But in order to a right understanding of this place I shall note three things 21. First that these directions given by the Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter so far as they give allowance to the different practices therein mentioned have a peculiar respect to those times only of the first dawning of Christianity when most of the Jews who believed in Christ did as yet zealously retain the Mosaical Rites abstaining from certain meats as judging them unlawful and unclean Rom. 14.2 14. and observing Jewish days and times out of a peculiar esteem for them v. 5. and yet this for a time was in this Chapter allowed and indulged by the Apostle But afterwards the Rules and Canons of the Church severely condemned all Christians whether of Jews or Gentiles August Ep. 19. Conc. Gangr c. 2. Conc. Laod. c. 29. who observed the Mosaical Law and the Rites and distinction of meats contained therein out of Conscience thereunto yea S. Paul himself vehemently condemned the Galatians who were Gentiles for observing such distinctions of days out of Conscience to the Law Gal. 4.10 11. and passeth the like censure upon the Colossians who distinguished meats upon the same account Col. 2.20 21 22. Wherefore we must further observe that in the Apostles times and according to the Rules they delivered to the Church The Gentile Christians were in these things with others prohibited the observation of the Law of Moses and its Ceremonies though many of them as the Galatians and Colossians were prone to judge this to be their necessary duty Act. 21.25 Gal. 5.2 The Jews among the Gentiles who did not yet understand that the Law of Moses was abrogated were allowed to observe its Rites and to practise according to the Jewish Customs Act. 21.21 24. Gal. 2.12 13. Act. 16.3 But the Jews who lived in Judea and S. Paul himself when he was there were obliged or enjoined to observe the Mosaical Rites though they were satisfied that the binding power of the Law was abrogated Act. 21.24 Gal. 2.12 Now in these different practices allowed determined and ordered by the directions and rules given by the Apostles as temporary provisions for the several sorts or different Churches of Christians the Apostle requireth the Romans to receive and not to judge one another 22. 2. When the Apostle commandeth them to receive them who are weak in the Faith he thereby intendeth that they ought to be owned judged as Christians notwithstanding these different Observations v. 1. And when he commandeth that he that eateth should not despise him that eateth not and that he that eateth not should not judge him that cateth v. 3. he forbiddeth the weaker Jews to condemn the other Jews or Gentiles as if they were not possessed with the fear of God because they observed not the Law of Moses and prohibiteth those others from despising or disowning these weaker Jews as not having embraced Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. signifying here so to despise as withal to reject and disclaim as Mar. 9.12 Act. 4.11 1 Cor. 1.28 because they observed the Rites of Judaism And to this sense are manifestly designed the Apostles Arguments whereby he enforceth these Precepts V. 3. For God hath received him v. 4. to his own Master he standeth or falleth for God is able to make him stand v. 6. he acteth with Conscience to God and v. 10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother or why dost thou set at naught thy Brother We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ So that the main design of this part of this Chapter is this To condemn them who press their own practices or judgments in things unnecessary as being the essential and necessary points of Religion and Christianity and thereupon do undertake to censure all those who differ from them in such lesser things as having no true Religion or inward relation to or Communion with Jesus Christ though they live never so conscientiously and act according to the best apprehensions they can attain Aug. Exp. prop. 78. ad Rom. To this purpose S. Austen expounded these words Non ferre audeamus sententiam de alieno corde quod non videmus Beza in Loc. and Beza saith upon them Rudes non debent ut extra salutis spem positi damnari And this which is the true intent and scope of the Apostle in that place doth in no wise impugn the use of Ecclesiastical Authority in appointing what is orderly and expedient about things indifferent but he will by no means allow that lesser things should be esteemed the main matters of Religion and Christianity to which purpose he layeth down that excellent Rule in v. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 23. 3. The considering the Apostolical practice in making Decrees at the Council of Jerusalem in S. Pauls setting orderly bounds to the use of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the Church of Corinth or limiting the exercise thereof to avoid confusion and his not allowing S. Peter Barnabas and other Jews to practise without controul what agreed with their present apprehensions under those circumstances but was the way to disadvantage the peace and welfare of the Church and his giving commands for order and decency with things of like nature do evidence that it is a great misunderstanding of the Apostles Doctrine in this place to conceive that he condemneth the establishing useful rules for the order and edification of the Church though they do not always comply with every particular persons apprehension 24. But if it be further objected that if those things may be commanded or enjoined which some persons though through mistake judge unlawful either they must practise against their own judgments which would be sinful or their being conscientious will be their disadvantage which is not desireable To which I answer 1. That if in some particular things certain persons through meer mistake accompanied with humility and designs of peace should judge things
lawful and expedient to be unlawful upon such evidence which they apprehend to be full and sufficient and thereupon cannot yield to practise these things it must be considered that it is but the common attendant of mans being fallible that he should out of respect to a greater good bear some outward inconvenience as the result even of his most innocent errours Thus in secular matters he who meerly mistaketh the right way of legal proceedings about his own cause may suffer some damage thereby and though his case may herein deserve pity yet it is better he should sustain this consequent of his own mistake than that no rules and orders of Law should be observed And the same may be said of matters Ecclesiastical 25. 2. If the Rules above-mentioned be observed they will direct how men may generally practise things lawfully enjoined according to right principles of Conscience But if they be not observed men must either resolve to follow their own imaginations in things they understand not which is a manifest way of errour and walking in the dark or else they must in these things practise according to the directions of those who speak most plausibly and takingly to their affections and are also strict in their lives but this both over-looketh the duty of obedience and the due relation to guides and teachers and is a very probable way to misguide men both in this and in other Cases By following this rule or rather by being taken in this snare many anciently embraced the monstrous positions of manicheism perswaded thereto by Faustus who had eloquium seductorium as S. Aug. ealleth it the enticing eloquence of seducing Aug. Conf. l. 6. c. 3 6 13. and whose words were observed by the same Father to have a more pleasing and delightful sweetness than the eloquence of S. Ambrose which was more learned and substantial Baron ad An. 377. n. 7. and those who embraced that impious Heresie were always talking of God and Christ and the holy Spirit the Comforter And to be guided in opinions or doctrines by such respect to persons can be no safe way of conduct because God hath not directed Christians thereto for as to expression Luther accounted Julian the Pelagian to be a better speaker and Orator than S. Augustine Luther Judicium de Erasmo Tom. 2. and as to practice Nazianzene declared even of the Macedonians who denyed the Divinity of the Holy Spirit Naz. Orat. 44. that they were persons whose lives were to be admired though their Doctrines were not to be allowed And therefore that more ancient rule of Tertullian is of necessary use Non ex personis probamus fidem sed ex fide personas that we are not to examine and esteem the Faith by the persons but the persons by their Faith Therefore the best way to be rightly established is by having a Conscientious regard in the first place to the evidence of manifest truth clearly discerned and in the next place to spiritual guides and teachers it being one end why God appointed Church Officers Eph. 4.11 14. that we be henceforth no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine SECT IV. Of Ecclesiastical Rites which have been abused in any corrupt way of worship 1. It is acknowledged that some gesture garment and action though not the same individually but of the like kind or physical nature established in the Church of England hath been ill used in the Church of Rome and this hath been much of old and by some of late objected against these appointments Now we do assert that the worship of God who is a jealous God is to be preserved pure and not mixed with any sinful defilement whatsoever whether of Idolatry or superstition and that things otherwise indifferent which either in the design of them who use them or in their own present tendency do directly promote or propagate such corruptions do in that Case become things unlawful Hence that which was in it self indifferent and was used in the Pagan Idolatry might upon good grounds be disclaimed as unlawful to Christians by Tertullian and other ancient Writers where the present use among Christians might appear to countenance and confirm those Idolatrous practices But that the use of things in themselves lawful and expedient and known to be ordered to a lawful end and purpose should be condemned as sinful because these things or the like are or have been otherwhere sinfully abused is a position by no means to be admitted Concerning which in general besides what shall be added concerning our particular Rites Ch. 4. I shall content my self with these three Observations 2. Obs 1. This position is not consistent with the principles of Christian practice It is a ground of hope in the Gospel Regeneration that those bodies and Souls which were once abused to the service of false Gods and Devils as according to Gr. Nazianzen was once the Case of S. Cyprian Naz. Orat. 18. and according to S. Paul of the Corinthians Thessalonians and others 1 Cor. 12.2 1 Thes 1.9 and to the service of sin as were the members of the Roman Church Rom. 6.17 18 19. may yet find acceptance with God in serving him Surely none can think that S. Pauls tongue was not to be allowed to preach the Gospel because it had been abused to blaspheme nor is it amiss observed by Durandus Dur. Rational l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 33. that among other Scriptures there is a principal use made in the Church of God of what was written by David who was guilty of Adultery S. Matthew who was a Publican and S. Paul who was a persecutor and blasphemer and among the Fathers of S. Augustine who was a Manichee And surely it is much more incredible that through the ill use of some the whole Species of actions gestures and things should become unlawful and unclean Can any possibly imagine that if other men have or do lift up their Eyes to Heaven to adore the Sun or Moon or bow down their knees to give religious worship to an Idol or to Saints and Angels this must render our lifting up our eyes to Heaven in the worshipping of God or bowing our knees in Prayer to him to be sinful Or may not one man lawfully make use of the light of the Sun to read the holy Scriptures because another maketh use of it to commit Villanies or did Judas his Kiss make the kiss of Charity sinful 3. As Sozomen reporteth Sozom. Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 single Mersion in Baptism was used by Eunomius who disowned the Trinity and the threefold Mersion which was the more general ancient Custom was abused in Spain as Walafridus Strabo relateth to express thereby a denyal of one Essence in the three Persons of the Trinity upon which occasion the Council of Toledo enjoined single Mersion in Spain Conc. Tol. 4. c. 5. still declaring according to S.
Amalarius de Eccles Offic. l. 4. c. 3. solemus stare but when they were sometimes sung by one person alone the usage of the Church in such indifferent things not being always the same in the Western Church Cassian Inst l. 2. c. 8. in the time of Cassian they all stood up at the end of the Psalms with joint voices to render glory to God 4. Standing at the Creed is a visible sign or token of the profession of the Faith therein contained which profession is a duty much required in the holy Scripture and is one part of our glorifying God for which Religious Assemblies of Divine Worship are intended In the Creed we professedly acknowledge the three persons in the glorious Trinity to be the only true God and our only Lord and a standing posture well becometh a Servant in his professed owning and attending upon his Master we openly declare every one for our selves I believe c. the ground of our Christian hope and comfort that believing in the Father who made the World in the Son who died rose again ascended and shall judge all men and in the Holy ghost we have expectation in the Church of God and the Communion of Saints of obtaining forgiveness of sins resurrection and everlasting life and do also acknowledge all these Articles of the Christian Faith and a standing gesture is very suitable to any solemn Declaration of our minds in matters of moment and concernment And as the profession of Faith encludeth a stedfast resolution to continue firm in the acknowledgment of the Christian Doctrine this is so properly signified by the standing gesture according to the general apprehensions of the World that both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek which are words expressing the standing gesture are in the holy Scripture used to signifie an asserting with resolution Deut. 25.8 1 Chr. 34.32 1 Cor. 16.13 2 Thes 2.15 and the like Idioms of speech are in some other languages as well as our own designing to express what we resolve to stand to SECT II. Of standing up at the Gospel 1. Standing at the Gospel is appointed in our Liturgy of which a very reasonable true and good account may be given Some Ritualists have told us that the Western Church stood up at the Gospel and not at the Epistle because the Gospel containeth matters of Faith and belief the Epistle consisteth of Rules of life and practice and that the Gospel and not the Epistle expresseth the very words spoken by Christ But I account not these reasons sufficient partly because the Gospels for some days do not contain and the Epistles for some days do contain the points of Christian Faith and the express words of Christ and partly because by insisting on these things alone we can have no reason antecedent to the appointment why standing at the Gospel should be required with us and not at the second Lesson in the Morning Service 2. Wherefore I observe 1. That in the devouter times both of the Jewish and Christian Church it was frequently observed by the people to manifest their reverence unto the holy Scriptures by standing up at the reading thereof When Ezra opened the Book of the Law Salian Annal. Eccles A. M. 3447. n. 16. all the people stood up Neh. 8.5 and the Children of Israel stood up in their places to read the Law of the Lord Neh. 9.3 and our blessed Saviour who according to the Custom of the Jewish Doctors taught sitting stood up to read the words of the Prophet Ecclesiastici lib. 1. c. 4. Luke 4.16 20. Junius observeth this as one thing wherein the practice of the Jewish Synagogue and the Christian Church did agree si verbum Dei ipsum legitur stat erecta Auditorum corona that when the word of God was read the whole Assembly stood up which observation was true concerning sometimes of the Jewish Church and of the principal parts of the Christian Church Sozom. l. 7. c. 19. Wherefore though Sozomen relateth that the Alexandrian Bishop did not stand up at the reading the Gospel yet he noteth it as such a peculiar usage that he had not seen nor heard the like any where else 3. And though in the Jewish Church the people and among them our Saviour Luk. 2.46 usually sat to hear their Doctors and the ancient Christians sometimes heard their Sermons and Exhortations in the same gesture as may be collected from Justin Martyrs second Apology Euseb de Vit. Const l. 4. c. 33. yet Eusebius acquainteth us that Constantine that famous Emperour whose practice doubtless was not singular would not hear a Sermon or Treatise about divine things in a sitting but only in a standing posture as judging it not allowable to do otherwise And that in the African Churches they did even until S. Austens days generally stand Aug. Hom. 26. both at Sermons and all Lessons out of the Scriptures is manifest from what he expresseth to that purpose And such respect was shewed even among barbarous Nations to what was dictated from God that Eglon King of Moab when Ehud told him he had a message from God unto him did arise out of his seat Jud. 3.20 4. Obs 2. Out of tenderness to the weakness and infirmity of many Christians liberty was granted to them that they might hear the longer Lessons or portions of holy Scripture sitting Aug. ibidem but as a testimony of their honour to the whole they were required at the reading other portions of Scripture to stand up S. Austen telleth us how he gave Counsel and in some sort made supplication that those who were infirm and not well able to stand might humbly and attentively hear the longer Lessons sitting but in the same place he maketh complaint that this liberty granted only to the infirm in those African Churches was taken by others more generally than was intended or allowed And to somewhat a like liberty the words of Amalarius in the ninth Century seem to refer Amalar. de Eccles Offic. l. 4. c. 3. who saith in recitatione lectionis sedere solemus aut silendo stare it is our Custom either to sit or to stand with silence when the Lesson is read And whereas in the Christian Church the Law and Prophets with some of the Apocrypha and the Gospels and Epistles were publickly read in their Assemblies as is manifest both from Councils Fathers and Ritual Writers the Latin Church enjoined standing up at the Gospel only which was ordinarily short for many hundred years past Microl. c. 9. the Greek Church as Micrologus relateth stood up also at the Epistle which was likewise short Cassand Liturg. c. 5. and so did also the Churches of Russia as Cassander observeth from the History of Sigismundus Liberus For though a posture of reverent respect to the word of God is very suitable whensoever it is read yet that the Church should allow a liberty to hear the
are in office inferiour to the guests but in the institution of this Ordinance he who was Lord and greatest was among them as one who served and all after administrations of that Ordinance must be performed by the special Officers of Christs Church because the consecration of the Elements encludeth the power of the Keys and a solemn benediction Nor may this Communion be lawfully taken seperately of every single Family or by any single person as other Suppers may be and whereas men having the head covered is an ordinary posture at other Tables to assert that men men ought to have their Hats on at the Holy Communion Gangr Part. 2. error 112. was justly condemned as an errour vented by some wild Spirits in our former times of licentiousness and yet this cannot be avoided by those who will assert that the postures of the Lords Supper ought to be correspondent to those at ordinary Tables Wherefore this objection though earnestly insisted upon is built upon an unsound Foundation But when S. Paul reproved the abuses at Corinth about their Agapae which attended the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.22 saying Have ye not Houses to eat and to drink in it was well from thence observed by Zanchy Zanch. Tom. 4. in 2. Praecept c. 16. that not only internal but even external reverence ought to be expressed at the holy Sacrament otherwise than at our common Tables out of respect to Christ who instituted it 2. It is acknowledged that the great priviledge of Communion with Christ as Members and joint Heirs which yet is not a Communion of equality to him but still encludeth deriving from him and subjection to him as our head and Lord is encluded in the right partaking of this Ordinance and is sufficiently signifyed by the Ordinance it self in whatsoever sit and becoming gesture it be administred And in all Christian services in which we have access to God by the mediation of his Son Christians enjoy some considerable degree of Communion with God as his Children which is an high priviledge but still they are his Servants and Creatures and must humble themselves before him and kneeling is still a fit and proper gesture for Prayer and therefore so it may be at the Communion 4. Obj. 2. But it is more generally by many amongst us objected that kneeling at this Sacrament is contrary to the example and practice of Christ and his Apostles who sate at the institution of the Lords Supper Ans 1. There is no certainty concerning the gesture used by Christ and his Apostles at the Lords Supper There are some good Writers both ancient and Modern who speak either variously or doubtfully concerning his gesture at the Passover but I think it sufficiently evident especially from S. Luke 22. v. 14 15. and John 21.20 that he did eat the Passover with his Disciples in a discumbing gesture which gesture because it is wholly out of use with us is expressed in our English Translation by sitting because it was a Table gesture Now they who urge this Objection take for granted because the Lords Supper was instituted before the Paschal Solemnities were fully ended that our Saviour continued all that time in the same gesture against the certainty yea or probability of which I alledge three things 1. That it was the ordinary Custom of the Jews V. Hor. Hebr. in Mat. 26.20 to change their gesture during the continuance of the Paschal Feast At the beginning of their Feast they did discumb and so continued till they had eaten the Cake of Unleavened Bread and drunk the two former Cups of Wine as both the Talmud and Buxtorf do relate Buxt Synag Judaic c. 13. but at the time of the two latter Cups of Wine and at the eating their bitter Herbs the same gesture was not required nor used as the Talmud in Berachoth and Pesachin doth express and here Buxtorf saith reclinati non comedunt 2. That the Jews who in their solemn Feasts did eat discumbing yet in their giving thanks before those Feasts Phil. de Vit. Contemp they were as Philo relateth in a standing gesture with their eyes and hands lifted up towards Heaven and therefore it is no way probable that Christ and his Apostles should continue in their Table gesture which this objection must suppose at the blessing the holy Supper which is an higher Ordinance than the Passover was because this would be very unsuitable to so great a solemnity 3. That there anpeareth no footsteps of any Custom of the Primitive Church of receiving the Lords Supper either sitting or discumbing of which the following Section will give some further account 5. Ans 2. There is no obligation of duty upon the Christian Church to keep to that gesture in the Lords Supper which was used by Christ and his Apostles though it could be evidently discovered because 1. Christ hath given no command concerning the gesture and S. Paul when he telleth his Corinthians what he had received from the Lord and delivered unto them concerning this holy Sacrament maketh no mention at all therein of any gesture 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. Bishop Jewel therefore well asserteth that Christ said not Reply to Hard. Art 2. Do this after Supper or sitting or being so many together neither did the Apostles ever so understand him 2. Christ and his Apostles observed that Passover gesture which was usually received among the Jews though it was different from the gesture at its first institution of which I have discoursed somewhat in a former Chapter 3. Other circumstances of like nature attendant upon the institutution of the Lords Supper Ch. 1. Sect. 2. n. 3. are generally acknowledged to be of no necessary obligation unto Christians in after times Bishop Saunderson noteth that whereas those four last predicaments ubi De Oblig Consc Prael 3. Sect. 16 c. quando situs habitus where when the gesture and the habit are of a like nature it is almost generally acknowledged that we are not obliged to make use of a like place for the celebrating the Lords Supper an upper room nor the same time at night at the end of Supper nor of the same habit a seemless Coat woven throughout but only the gesture is urged as necessary for which there can be no more reason than for the other yea though there be more uncertainty concerning the gesture than concerning any of the other three 6. Ans 3. There is no reason at all to conclude that Christ and his Apostles sate at this institution Now though I know no evidence against our Saviour his using a gesture of Prayer and Worship at the time of celebrating the Lords Supper which is the more probable because such was the general practice of the ancient Primitive Church I shall for the present suppose that he used the same gesture at the Lords Supper and at the Passover yet then I must observe 1. That this discumbing gesture was vastly different from
sitting 2. That if this supposed gesture used at the institution was essential or of necessity to the Sacrament they who undertake to change discumbing into sitting upon pretence that that is the ordinary Table gesture in these Countries must undertake to assert that the introducing new Customs among men-may have power to alter the necessary and essential duties of Gods Ordinances which is a position destructive to Religion and Christianity for if any Company of men should enure themselves to a diet wherein they ordinarily allow themselves neither Bread nor Wine this will in no wise warrant their undertaking to celebrate this Sacrament in any other Elements where these Elements may be as easily had and used as men may compose themselves to a reclining or discumbing gesture 7. Wherefore he who urgeth the necessity of any gesture at this Sacrament upon pretence that it was used by Christ and his Apostles doth declare that for a duty which is none and pretendeth to follow their example where probably he may be mistaken in it but he who conformeth to that gesture which is by authority established Dr. Kellets Tricaen l. 3. c. 5. Sect. 3 6. Ch. 7. Sect. 1. though it were certainly different from the gesture at the institution which yet some have conjectured to have been a kneeling gesture doth manifestly follow the example of Christ and his Apostles who did embrace that Passover gesture which was at that time of common practice among the Jews but could not be pretended to be the gesture at the first celebration thereof SECT IV. Of the Communion gesture observed in the Christian Church both in the purer and the more degenerate times thereof 1. Obj. 3. It is urged by some Non-Conformists that the Universal Church in the Primitive times used sitting and not kneeling Holy Table Ch. 5. p. 134. and that the holy Communion was then received sitting is thought not improbable by some others Of Relig Assemb c. 4. Now though this if it were true would not prove our gesture unlawful because the Church is not bound to observe always the same indifferent rites and gestures for though Christ and his Apostles after his Ascension sate when they taught the people Act. 16.13 all Ministers are not thereby obliged to the same gesture Yet I further assert 1. There is no evidence that ever the Primitive Church used any ordinary Table gesture at the receiving the Lords Supper but considerable proof may be made of the contrary We read indeed of the seats for the Bishop and Presbyters in the Christian Assemblies but as this cannot respect the whole Assembly so it giveth no more evidence of their gesture at the Communion than the same thing with us doth of our gesture Apol. c. 39. That place of Tertullian which Rhenanus sometime understood of the Eucharist Non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur c. that they do not discumb V. Pamel ibid. or use the reclining gesture till they have first prayed doth manifestly refer to their love feast only whereas it followeth in Tertullian they eat as much as satisfieth hunger and drink as much as becometh sober persons Cyp. Ep 42. When Cyprian writeth to Cornelius that he would not allow the Letters of the Novatian party to be read considentibus sacerdotibus Dei altari posito while the Priests of God were sate together and the Altar prepared he doth not express their usual gesture at the Lords Table but the manner of their holding Synods as may be collected from that and the foregoing Epistle Ep. 41. Petit. Var. Lect. l. 3. c. 4. And it is well observed by Petitus that the Canons and practice of the ancient Church required their annual Synods to assemble upon the stationary days at the close of which stations they always received the Communion 2. But that the Primitive gesture at the Communion was not such as they used at their ordinary Tables may be partly collected from Tertullian Tertul. Apol. c. 8. who relating and refelling the impudent slander of the Gentiles occasioned as Eusebius saith by the Gnosticks first against the Eucharist Eus Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 7. and then against the Love Feasts as is manifest by comparing this with Cap. 7. and with Minucius Felix he proceedeth from the former to the latter saying Minuc Fel. edit Oxon. p. 26 98 c. interea discumbens c. or then falling to a Table gesture c. which sheweth that such a gesture was used at their Love Feasts but not at the holy Communion This is also expressed by Justin Martyr Just Mart. Ap. 2. who declareth that after the end of their Sermon or Exhortation they all rise up and give thanks and receive the holy Sacrament which words shew that though they sate before at the time of the Sermon they changed that gesture on purpose when they came to attend the receiving the holy Communion 3. I assert 2. The Primitive Church did practise and require at the receiving the Communion such a gesture as was usual to express humility and reverence and worship towards God Cyr. Hieros Cat. Myst 5. Cyrill directeth the Communicant to take the Cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bowing down after the manner of worshipping and adoring Chrys Hom. 24. in 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysostome required more worship and reverence to be expressed towards Christ at the receiving the Sacrament than the wise men of the East shewed to him when they fell down and worshipped him with fear and trembling A humble frame and behaviour was thought so agreeable to this Ordinance by Origen Orig. in Divers Hom. 5. if that Homily be his and not some other ancient Writers that he exhorteth the Communicant to imitate the humility of the Centurion who said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof And that the Christians usually expressed adoration at the receiving this Sacrament is manifest from S. Augustines Aug. in Ps 98. Ep. 120. c. 27. Amb. de Sp. Sanc. l. 3. c. 12. Nemo manducat nisi prius adoraverit and from other like expressions both of his and S. Ambroses 4. Now whereas the twentieth Canon of Nice according to a more ancient Custom enjoined all Prayers upon the Lords days and from Easter to Whitsunday to be performed in a standing gesture which 8. Augustin saith was the general practice upon those days at the Eucharistical Aug. Ep. 119. c. 15. or Communion Prayers it is not to be doubted but that their gesture of reverence used upon those days at this Sacrament was a standing gesture especially since Tertullian earnestly declareth against the use of a sitting posture in adoration Tertul. de Orat. c. 12. as being irreverent and also acquainteth us that it was not allowed in those times DeCor Milit c. 3. de geniculis adorare to perform any adoration kneeling upon the Lords days Wherefore when
Cens c. 11. And Bucer in his Censura declareth it to be an ancient and simplex ritus apure or innocent Rite and that he judgeth the use thereof to be neither indecent nor unprofitable 17. I know there are some who think their own apprehensions so much above all others that they are no otherwise moved by testimonies which are produced against them than to express their censures Altar Damasc c. 10. p. 830. and sometimes their contempt o◠the most worthy Writers and on this manner doth Didoclavius deal with the testimony of Bucer which I now produced saith he it is frigida diluta censura nec satis expendisse videtur it was his dull and weak judgment about this matter and he did not seem to have considered what he wrote But let not such think that their authority is of any value to be put in the balance against the Primitive Church and so many reformed Churches and Writers and therefore as there being no just cause from the consideration of this rite it self and the use thereof to condemn it the censure of such persons is unjust and uncharitable and the dislike of others who are more modest in their opposition is also groundless SECT III. Of laying on hands in Confirmation THis Imposition of hands is the more opposed Didocl Altar Damasc c. 5. p. 359. Except of Presbyt p. 29. because of those Declarative words in the Prayer used at Confirmation Vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have now laid our hands to certifie them by this sign of thy favour and gracious goodness to them The Non Conformists here will neither allow that the Apostles practice should be accounted any example for laying on hands in Confirmation nor that this sign may be used to certifie Gods grace and favour which seemeth say they to speak it a Sacrament 2. Wherefore we are first to consider what Warrant this imposition of hands in Confirmation may claim from the practice of the Apostles We read Act. 8.15 17 18. that after Philip had baptized at Samaria by the Apostles prayer accompanied with imposition of hands they received the Holy Ghost and the same is related concerning the Disciples at Ephesus Act. 19.6 Here we have an Apostolical practice evident that they imposed hands and prayed and thereupon the Holy Ghost was received It is indeed acknowledged that in those instances there was a visible and miraculous testimony of the presence of the Holy Spirit by speaking with Tongues c. but the chief blessing of Gods Spirit consisteth in the inward Graces of the Spirit which were not peculiar to that time and that the obtaining the strengthning grace of the Spirit was in an especial manner designed by the Apostles imposition of hands is declared by Irenaeus Iren. adv Haeres l. 4. c. 75. Aug. Tract 6. in Ep. 1. Johan and it was justly esteemed by S. Austin that the Holy Ghost is here received where no miraculous gifts are bestowed but the gracious dispositions of love peace and unity are entertained And prayer especially the most solemn Prayer of the Bishop or chief Officer of the Church joyned with imposition of hands which was a testimony of peculiar benediction used by dying Jacob and others under the Old Testament and by Christ and his Apostles under the New is a means to obtain this blessing to such who are disposed and qualified for the receiving thereof but that those who indulge and give way to their corruptions and passions as the Corinthians did by their divisions could not receive the increase of the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit by the Apostolical imposition of hands is also asserted in the place above-mentioned by Irenaeus And if any persons will contend that the imposition of hands now received in the Church cannot be a practice according to the example of the Apostles because in those times the Holy Ghost was oft miraculously received which cannot now be expected he may as well assert that the imposition of hands for Ordination is not continued in the Church from the example of the Apostles because then the Holy Ghost was sometimes extraordinarily given thereby or that our praying and preaching is not a doing that for which we have the Apostles for an example because we cannot by them expect such wonderful gifts as sometimes were conferred under the Apostles doctrine and by their prayer 3. And by the searching into Antiquity we may discern the general use of this Imposition of hands in the Church as from the Apostles When the Apostle Heb. 6.2 speaketh of the Foundation of the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of hands the ordinary exposition of the Greek and Latine Fathers refer those words unto Confirmation and in the same sense are they understood by Calvin Beza Illyricus and many other Protestants Eusebius ralateth a story Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein Confirmation was used under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while S. John was yet alive and Cornelius noted it as a defect in Novatus the Schismatick that he never obtained Confirmation from the Bishop for receiving the Holy Ghost which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eus Hist l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are related in Eusebius Tertullian in his short account of the Rites of the Church Tertul. de Resur Cam. c. 8. De Baptism c. 8. after he had mentioned Baptism expresseth Confirmation in these words Caro manus impositione adumbratur ut anima Spiritu illuminetur and in his Book De Baptisma saith that after Baptism is used imposition of hands calling for and inviting the holy Spirit by that benediction Cypr. Ep. 73. S. Cyprians testimony is yet more full who saith that for those whom Philip baptized that which lacked was performed by Peter and John by whose prayer and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost was invocated and poured forth upon them which also saith he is now practised among us that those who are baptized in the Church are presented to the chief Officers of the Church that by our prayer and imposition of hands they may obtain the Holy Ghost and may by Confirmation attain to the highest Order of Christians or signaculo dominico consummentur S. Ambrose speaketh of Confirmation Amb. de Sacr. l. 3. c. 2. Hieron adv Lucif Aug. Cont. l. 3. c. 16. l. 5. c. 23. in Psal 130. that the holy Spirit is thereby obtained by prayer S. Hierom approveth it for Apostolical and S. Austin in divers places defendeth the practice hereof with relation to the Apostolical imposition of hands and for the receiving the Holy Ghost even when the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were no more communicated and this imposition of hands was enjoyned by the ancient Council of Elvira Conc. Elib c. 38. unto them who being baptized in case of necessity did afterwards recover their health And therefore this practice of the
Primitive Church as from the Apostles is abundantly sufficient not only to justifie but to commend herein the order of the Church of England which agreeth thereto 4. The use of Confirmation in our Church besides the leaving out things superstitious hath two great advantages in its external administration The first advantage is in the time when it is performed which is when the person is come to some years of discretion and being instructed in the main Principles of the Christian Doctrine doth by his own actual consent and promise renew his baptismal vow and ratifie and confirm it in his own person For the increase and strength of grace which is then implored and the being received to a higher rank of Christian profession doth reasonably suppose a capacity of knowledge and understanding Indeed in the early times of Christianity while Baptism was ordinarily administred to persons adult the Profession of their Faith together with their taking upon them the practice of the Christian life went before their Baptism and thence not only Confirmation but the Lords Supper was soon after administred to them and yet it is not amiss observed by Kemnitius Exam. Conc. Trid. Part. 2. de Confir that before hands were imposed by S. Paul upon the Disciples at Ephesus there was some kind of exploratio fidei or an examining of their Faith into which they were baptized And acknowledged it must be that even in Infants confirmation was anciently in some Churches used soon after Baptism but then the Lords Supper was also received by such Infants which was a blemish in some Churches as ancient as the time of S. Cyprian Cyp. de Laps Aug. de Eccles Dogm c 〈◊〉 Alcu. de Divin 〈◊〉 fic Tet 〈◊〉 Sabâ—◠〈…〉 is oft mentioned by S Augustin and four hundred years after S. Augustins time the administring the Lords Supper to Infants was directed by Alcuinus 5. The Western Church in the later Centuries hath ordinarily required in most of its Offices several days distance between the administration of Baptism and Confirmation Ration l. 6. c. 84. as Durandus declareth who also in the same place is of opinion that the ordinary custom of the more ancient Church required a perfect age or as he expresseth it the age of twelve or fifteen years De Consec dist 5. c. ut Jejuni in them who received confirmation which opinion he groundeth upon the Canon ut jejuni ad confirmationem veniant perfectae aetatis And that persons who receive confirmation should have arrived at some capacity of understanding was judged convenient by Cassander Consult Cas Art 9. de Hymn Eccles who also declareth the consent of divers others of the Romish Communion And herein the Church of Rome since the Protestant Reformation yea since the establishment of the English Liturgie hath receded from her former Rule of confirming Infants and in the first Synod of Millain Conc. Mediol 1. de Confirm Catech. Rom. de Confirm which followed that of Trent and in the Roman Catechism it is required that those who are to be confirmed should be at the least seven years old if not twelve and should be instructed with reference to their confirmation De Ritib lib. 1. c. 20. Sect. 14. and this alteration is approved by Durantus with summa ratione receptum est And herein the after-wit of the Romish Church hath entertained what was with some derision rejected in the sixth Session of the Council of Trent as we are informed in the Hist Conc. Trident lib. 2 p. 194. 6. And somewhat analagous to Confirmation at the years of discretion may be observed from the Jewish Church where when the child came to be thirteen years old Buxt Syn. Jud. c. 3. the Father in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sacred Assembly of a compleat number for solemn occasions presenteth the child before them who having been taught both prayers and precepts of duty Aben Ezr. in Gen. 17.14 he then undertaketh to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who taketh upon himself the obedience to the commands of the Law and prayer is then made for him that he may grow up in good works 7. A second advantage of our confirmation is that here is a reducing the ancient primitive Rite of imposition of hands which for many hundred years hath been extruded from the Romish confirmation by other superstitious Ceremonies Durand ubi supra And though Durandus be so frivolous as to imagine that imposition of hands is contained in the blow upon the cheek which was used in many Romish Churches after confirmation but was not directed at all in the Office secundum usum Sarum and Bellarmine be so vain as to assert it to be contained in Chrysming the forehead Bellarm de Confirm l. 2 c. 2. which is the principal Romish Rite of confirmation wise men might see that there is no more agreement in these things than that the hand is made use of about them all Wherefore this Rite of imposition of hands was no Rite either abused or used under the corruptions of the Church of Rome but was an innocent and useful primitive Rite restored in the Reformation of the Church of England Belarm ibid. c. 2 13. And even the Bishop holding up his hands to pray over them which receive confirmation which the Cardinal would have to include imposition of hands is neither required at all in the Office of Confirmation secundum usum Sarum nor is it mentioned among the present Rites of confirmation by Durantus Dur. de Ritib lib. 1. c. 20. and therefore it may as reasonably be said that Imposition of hands is included in all their prayers as that it is contained in their confirmation 8. Ratio Discip c. 3. Sect. 3. Among the Reformed Churches the Bohemian had confirmation with Imposition of hands which they did account an Apostolical Rite and they much after the manner of the Church of England used therewith invocation of the divine grace and a renewing their baptismal Covenant wherewith they also joyned Absolution And this Comenius both commendeth as the primitive practice Comen Annot. in Rat. Discip and saith that this way of Confirmation is still piously used in some Churches In the Lutheran Churches even they who retained not this use of Confirmation Conf. Sax. de Conf. as in Saxony did yet esteem it when administred with imposition of hands and prayer unto persons who being come to years of understanding did make actual profession of their engaging to Christianity to be agreeable to the purest Antiquity Exam. Conc. Trid. Par. 2. de Confirm and the Apostles practice and to have exceeding great profitableness both for the edification of the Youth and of the whole Church as we may learn from Kemnitius who was one of their chief Writers Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 19. n. 4 13. And Calvin himself expresseth a like approbation of the same declaring withal his desire