government or care or whatsoever you please to call it of the Church in Spirituall matters as by the charge of Teaching the people Both parts ascribed to them that bear the rank and style of Presbyters Acts xx 29. 1. Pet. v. 2. 1. Tim. iiii 2 5. Titus i. 7 9. 1. Thess v. 22. True it is that the Church is of it self a mere Spirituall Common-wealth not indued with any temporall power to inforce by way of constraint the effect of those Ministeries which they stand trusted with Before the Temporall powers of the world were converted to the Faith they came to effect by the voluntary consent of Christians The same good will that moved them to become such was enough to prevail with them to yield effect to those Ministeries which God had provided for the maintenance and propagation of it It seemeth that the Ground of the present Separation is derived from hence That hereupon Ordinations and Censures are to passe by voices of the Congregation according to the Scriptures And true it is that in the primitive Church according to the practice of the Apostles times these matters passed at their religious Assemblies under the sight and conscience as S. Cyprian speaketh that is under the notice of the people Ordinations were allowed by them as not having to except against the persons reproofs and censures were their reproofs and censures for they reproved and cast out those whom the Ecclesiasticall Order sentenced to it 2. Cor. ii 6. Sufficient to such an one is the rebuke by the MANY The Congregation must needs rebuke him whom they put from their body to give effect to the Apostles sentence 1. Cor. v. 4. To shew us the meaning and extent of his words there vers 12. For what have I to do to judge those that are without do not YE judge those that are within The Apostle censureth and the people censureth The difference of their right and charge is in the third verse expressed in the case I newly have judged or determined already that he be delivered to Satan at one of your Assemblies that is solemnly put from the body of Christians In regard of the faction then on foot among the Presbyters as hath been shewed else where it appeareth that the person in fault was born out by a side of the people especially if we believe S. Chrysostome that he was one of the Pastours The Apostles were so charitable to expect the peoples consent in Ordinations and Censures that they meant not to betray their own right with Gods cause Judge whether he proceedeth upon voices that inchargeth them to execure his sentence and yet he saith I condemne and you candemne But how shall the government of the Church in generall belong to the Ecclesiasticall Order if the particulars of it be in the hands of the people 1. Pet. v. 2. Feed the stock of God OVERSEEING not upon constraint but willingly not as lording it over the heritage but as ensamples to the flock 1. Thess v. 12. Know them which labour among you and ARE OVER you in the Lord. Titus i. 7. A Bishop must be blamelesse as the STEVVARD of God endued with those qualities that follow not concerning preaching but government The like 1. Tim. iii. 2 3 4 and vers 5. If a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he TAKE CARE of the Church of God Rom. xii 8. He that RULETH with diligence Hebr. xiii 17. OBEY THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER you OR GUIDE you Is all this obedience no more then to give them the hearing when they preach Who shall be left to yield obedience according to this generall charge if the particulars of it Ordinations and Censures belong as well to the people Of the right of the Ecclesiasticall Order in these particulars enough hath been said And the Primitive practice of them in the Church is enough to interpret the meaning of those Scriptures to the common sense of men that will use it Tertullian Apologet. C. xxxix speaking of their Assemblies Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divina Praesident probati quique Seniores He telleth us that exhortations reproofs and spirituall censures passed at their Assemblies but under the presidence of their Presbyters Firm. Epist Ixxv. Cypr Omnis potest as gratia in Ecclesia constituta est In qua praesident Majores natu qui baptizandt manum imponendi Ordinandi habent potestatem All power and favour is seated in the Church In which the Presbyters are Presidents which have power both to baptize to impose hands in Penance and to ordain All my meaning is contained in these words Some of S. Cyprians Presbyters made a side of the people to admit the lapsed to communicate without Penance upon petition of the imprisoned towards martydome S. Cyprian neither neglecteth the danger of Schisme nor sitteth down to tell voices which if that were the right in conscience must carry it but casteth about with authority to reduce the people and their leaders to acknowledge themselves He complaineth that the people was debauched by some of his Clergie that ought to have kept them in discipline and instructed them to desire no mans reconcilement before Penance Lib. iii. Ep. 14 16. He writeth to those of the Clergie that they shall give account of what they did to him and the Clergie to the Confessours and to the people Ep. 14. To the people he writeth to advise and rule those that were so irregular in their demands Ep. 16. But he resolveth as a cause that concerned the rest of the Church not to proceed without advice of his fellow Bishops Praesente stantium plebe quibus ipsis pro timore fide suo honor habendus est Ep. 18. In presence of those of the people that fell not to whom respect was to be had for the faith and fear they had shown He yieldeth respect unto his people to incourage their obedience But in whom the keys of the Church rested he sheweth Ep. 16. Cùm in minoribus delictis quae non in Deum committuntur poenitentia agatur justo tempore exomologesis fiat inspectâ vitâ ejus qui agit poenitentiam nec ad communicationem venire quis possit nisi priùs illi ab Episcopo Clero manus fuerit imposita Seeing inlesse faults that are not done against God men do penance their due time and come to Confession upon consideration of the life of him that doth penance and no man can come to communicate unlesse first hands be laid on him by the Bishop and Clergie Shew me any share of the people in determining the measure of Penance or in releasing the persons and let it be believed that the keys of Gods house belong to the people And this is their interesse in the Government of the Church For they that give them right of deciding Controversies because they are mentioned in the Councell at Jerusalem Acts xv 12 22 23.
Offices which we find them executing in behalf of the Church which neverthelesse import not the Government of the Church settled upon the Bishop and Presbyters but that Assistance which the best of the people in Commonalties where the Church was planted vouchsafed to afford the Government managed by the Ministers according to Scripture and have well been understood as a good and ancient President of the Office of Church-wardens among us There is yet another peremptory exception against this pretended meaning of the Apostle published of late in the observation of Sculletus which shall here be repeated to averre the truth of it For when he saith Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour the meaning is for certain of double maintenance which must be in respect of single maintenance allowed somewhere else Now let any man judge without prejudice whether these Elders of Congregations remembred in S. Augustines time being none of the Clergie received maintenance from the Church out of the oblations of the people or not Whereas the Apostle in the beginning of the Chapter having said Honour widows that are widows indeed that is allow them maintenance from the means of the Church which the Bishop alwayes dispensed when he cometh to speak of Elders unreproveable in their charge fitly ordereth that their maintenance be double to that of widows which is also the Italian glosse of Diodati The like practice we find in the Constitutions of the Apostles where he ordereth the course of dividing portions at the Agapae or Feasts of Love then used abrogated afterwards by the xxvii Canon of Laodicea The words are in the place alledged afore ii 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whatsoever is given to the old women that is to the widows of whom the Apostle speaketh there let twice so much be given to the Deacons in honour of Jesus Christ Then follow the words alledged afore wherein it is ordered that the Presbyters have as much as the Deacons I know that in another case that is in dividing the remains of oblations for the Eucharist the proportion is otherwise according to the same Constitutions viii 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Deacons distribute the remains of the blessings at the mysteries according to the mind of the Bishop or Presbyters to the Clergie To the Bishop foure parts to a Presbyter three to a Deacon two to the rest Subdeacons Readers Singers or Deaconesses one part Neverthelesse from the particular remembred afore we may well conclude the meaning of the Apostle that his Order is the maintenance of Presbyters to be double that of widows And upon these considerations it shall not trouble me to repeat what I have affirmed elsewhere That for this mistake of Lay-Elders there is neither appearance in Scripture nor in Ecclesiasticall writers For of the Text 1. Cor. xii 28. I shall speak afterwards Walo Messalinus deriveth the pedigree of these Africane Elders by conjecture from those of the Apostle whose imployment consisted in governing the Church rather then in teaching the people But out of his excellent learning he acknowledgeth that though they are called Ecclesiasticall persons yet they were not of the Ecclesiasticall Order not of the Bench of the Church which those of the Apostle did constitute And therefore the pretence of their pedigree availeth not to make them inherit the charge which those of our time have been invested with as much without president of the Churches of Africk as without warrant from the Scriptures The ground of the mistake was because men would not believe that in the time of the Apostles and among the Presbyters of their ordaining there was none that did not preach from time to time Whereas the state and condition of their Congregations required as well mens wisdome and goodnesse in the oversight of those spirituall matters wherein the members of them did communicate as their learning and eloquence in speaking which was not alwayes to be expected from such qualities of men as were promoted to that charge Of our Lords kindred that confessed him afore Domitian promoted therefore afterwards to the Government of Churches I have made mention elsewhere Tertull. de Idol c. 7. Parum sit si ab aliis manibus accipiant quod contaminant sed etiam ipsi tradunt aliis quod contaminaverunt Adleguntur in Ordinem Ecclesiasticum artifices Idolorum Be it a small thing if they receive of others that which they pollute nay themselves deliver also to others that which they have polluted Men whose craft is to make Idoles are chosen to the Bench of the Church If Presbyters that delivered the Eucharist were sometimes Painters and Carvers in those dayes well may we imagine that all of them preached not alwayes It was enough that the Bishop or some of them did it If this were the condition of the Ecclesiasticall Order in that time then must of necessity the Office of Teaching in the Church belong rather to the particular gifts and abilites of some then to the generall and perpetuall charge of all Presbyters And this I still suppose to be part of the cause that it pleased God in the time of the Apostles to distribute such varieties of spirituall Graces among those that believed that there might be every where such as might furnish this Office of preaching and teaching in their Assemblies by the help of extraordinary Graces which upon the ordinary means of mens Learning and Studies which now the Church is so well provided with would then have proved defective The use of these Graces is that which the Apostle debateth at large 1. Cor. xii xiiii and the exposition of his meaning there is the businesse which henceforth I charge my self with The issue whereof will inable us to discern by what sorts of Persons and Graces the publick Service of God was Ministred at those Assemblies which his purpose in that Discourse is to regulate This Discourse the Apostle openeth in the beginning of the xii Chapter with a mark to discern such as spoke indeed by the Spirit of God from such as pretended it but were moved in truth by unclean Spirits For that I take to be the meaning of his words there vers 3. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed or Anathema and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The words of S. Chrysostome upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Therefore at the first beginning he putteth down the difference between Divining and Prophesying for which purpose they received the Gift of discerning spirits as it followeth vers 10. afterwards that they might distinguish and know who spake by a clean spirit and who by an unclean And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the devil being naught shuffled in among those that prophesyed foisting in False-prophets forsooth such as themselves also foretold things to come So
with Prayer for all the Church at celebrating the Eucharist The residue of that Service The charge of the Masse on our Service Extent of the power of the Keyes and wherein it consisteth Of Confession of sinnes and Absolution at the beginning Our Order of Rsalmes and Lessons Of the Creed and Collects The Sermon part of our Service Of the Communion-Service and appertenances of it Chap. XI How the Form of Publick Service is ordered Dependance of Churches is from the Apostles for that and other purposes How the preaching of Lay men imports Schisme The good of the Order of Publick Service Of Religious Assemblies And The Publick Service of GOD. A Discourse according to Apostolicall Rule and Practice CHAP. I. The Publick Service of God the most eminent work of Christians How the Form of it may be derived from the Scriptures The Subject and the Proceeding of this Discourse THe most eminent work that men are able to tender to the honour of God is his publick Service at the Assemblies of Christians That supernaturall tincture which the faith of Christ and his Grace infuseth into the best of our actions seemeth to consist in the obedience to God out of which they are done and the intention of his glory and worship to which they are addressed That the reason of them is derived from the will and pleasure of God and the intent of them directed to his honour and service Whereas all the men of this world can do nothing but out of love to themselves taking the rise and motive of their doings from that which concerneth their particulars and aiming at nothing else in their intentions All sorts of Christian mens actions as they proceed from such considerations as these are capable to be qualified the Service of God But that which is called his Publick Service professeth the exercise of nothing else neither is capable to be accounted otherwise unlesse it be counterfeit For what consideration can common sense fasten upon that which we do when we assemble our selves for religious Service but the conscience of our subjection to God the acknowledgement of our want of his direction and assistance and our desire and affection to the good which we expect at his hands Onely to be Publick is still an addition of advantage to it in as much as the honour which it pleaseth God to accept at mens hands becometh his Greatnesse more when it proceedeth from more agreement of minds And as the strength of mens bodies joyned to one purpose removeth that which one by one they could not do so united devotions prevail with God to such effect as severally they cannot bring to passe The Prophet Esay ii 2 3 4. from the Prophet Micah iv 1. In the last dayes it shall come to passe saith he that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills And people shall flow unto it and many nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths For the law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And a third Prophet Sophon iii. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language or a pure lip that they may call upon the name of the Lord with one consent or with one shoulder The meaning of these Prophets is to tell us what the Gentiles should do when they applied themselves to the Church the mountain of God the hill of Sion by two principall particulars They should flow like the waters of a deluge to learn the will of God which the Church teacheth they should crowd in like a multitude with one shoulder to serve God with that language which he had sanctified Who can reade this and not think what God recommendeth to Christians one current to the Church to learn his will there one shoulder striving who shall crowd in first one lip one language that soundeth nothing but his praises So that in the Publick Service of God are fulfilled the words of the Gospel Matt. vi 13. A city cannot be hid that standeth upon an hill Be the Profession what it will be that differenceth a true visible Church from a false it must be the Publick Service of God that must make that Profession visible And the Apostle 1. Tim. ii 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath or disputing when he saith every where taketh away the difference which the Temple at Jerusalem made when he saith without wrath or disputing signifieth that his speech is of Publick Assemblies the fruit whereof he would not have intercepted through their dissensions and so expoundeth that one lip of the Prophet signifying that unity of mind which Gods people serve him with This is too much to be said here but perhaps too little to perswade how much the frame of Publick worship concerneth the honour of God and his Service How much it must needs be for the advantage of godlinesse that it be formed without prejudice Were all particulars of it ordered in Scripture as the Ceremonies of that Figurative Service under Moses are there were no more to do but to make all things according to the pattern shewed in the mountain Hebr. viii 5. Exod. xxv 40. And he that did it should be for his part faithfull in all the house of God as was Moses Hebr. iii. 2. Numb xii 7. But he that is there said to be faithfull in all the house of God as Moses was hath discharged his Office in revealing and establishing the substance of the worship of God in Spirit and Truth And what is further determined in Scripture and what is not my purpose is not to dispute here because my discourse proceedeth from that which I can find expressed in Scripture to that which remaineth questionable according to it For my part I do not find so much delivered concerning the Service of God at the Assemblies of Christians any where in Scripture as in the first Epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle discourseth the use of Spirituall Graces of that time in those Assemblies And therefore my first travell in this little work shall be to inquire the true meaning of that whole discourse of the Apostle the proceeding of it and the grounds whereupon his rules are framed Which to do with successe I shall first discover the office of Prophets and Scribes under the first and second Temple of the Graces of Prophesying and of Languages under the first times of the Gospel in ministring the Morall and Perpetuall not the Ceremoniall and Figurative Service of God at their Assemblies for that purpose To the result of which inquiries if we shall joyn the rules which the same Apostle debateth in the eleventh Chapter of the same Epistle concerning
him no more and all this no more inconvenience in the Apostle then this that upon his Revelation he conceived God had appointed that which afterwards upon the successe of his affairs he was in hope would come to passe otherwise Nor more inconvenience that this should be related in Scripture then that the speeches of Jobs friends should have a place in it of whom it is said They have not spoken aright of me as my servant Job hath done Thus then when the Apostle willeth the others to judge of that which two or three Prophets shall say as he appointeth at their meetings his meaning is not onely of that which by the way of common reason and ordinary skill shall be said in Exposition of the Scripture but even those things which are spoken by inspiration which he calleth the Spirits of the Prophets he will have subject to the Judgement of the Prophets so farre as concerneth the meaning and consequence of them to be measured by the rest of the Scriptures And to this purpose it seemeth he ordereth the use of those spirituall Graces which are poured upon this Church of Corinth in such abundance that it was hard to find a course for all of them to imploy their Gifts so that all might have opportunity by turns if not at the same meeting to use their Grace in Prophesying that the Church might be edified by it and that others might by the Gift of discerning spirits judge the meaning of those things that were spoken by the Spirit so that the Church might receive no such offense as that which the Thessalonians did in conceiving from things that were spoken by the Spirit that the day of the Lord was at hand at that time Though it is neverthelesse to be thought that this course of speaking by many at the same Assembly was practised in the Synagogue especially when divers Scribes and Doctours were present as also some traces of the same custome have continued in the practice of the Church Beza expounding the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. xi 8. Therefore ought a woman to have power over her head because of the Angels to be meant of the Ministers of Churches Vtitur autem plurali numero quòd in maxima donorum Dei abundantia non tantùm apud Corinthios ut apparet infrà xiv 39. sed etiam olim aliis in Ecclesiis non unus solus sed etiam bini terni in coetibus sacris sermonem haberent ut de praeclaris aliis donis taceam de quibus noster Apostolus infrà xiv 26. Quod etiam liquet ex Tertulliani Apologetico quibusdam in Antiochena Ecclesia Chrysostomi Homiliis Now he speaketh in the plurall number because for the abundance of Gods Graces not onely amongst the Corinthians as appeareth beneath xiv 39. but also in other Churches of old time not one alone but two or three spake at religious Assemblies Which also appeareth by Tertullians Apologetick and some Homilies of Chrysostome in the Church of Antiochia Tertull. Apolog. c. 39. Certè fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam figimus disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divina Certainly with these holy words we nourish faith we erect our hope we fasten our confidence as much we compact our discipline repeating the rules of it There also exhortations reproofs and the censure of God speaking of reading and expounding the Scriptures in their Assemblies Whether or no these be the words which he meaneth I know not I find nothing else in that book to the purpose But it is clear which he saith of S. Chrysostome In Ferrarius De ritu Concionum ii 40. you shall find the passages of his Homilies marked in which he signifieth that the Bishop was to preach when he had done And in one passage related out of him in Baronius Ann. lvii n. 160. he testifieth in expresse terms that this custome of the Church was but a figure and monument of those Graces which had flourished in the Primitive Adding further that when the Preacher blessed or as they call it saluted the people at his beginning with these or the like words The Lord be with you the people answering as the fashion was which yet remaineth in one place of our Service And with thy Spirit the meaning of this answer had reference to the Spirituall inspired Grace out of which they were known to speak at the beginning Gregory Nissene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nè igitur longiùs vobis fratres sermonis exordium protrahamus cum mirific is eorum qui ante nos dixerunt orationibus operam dederitis Therefore brethren not to draw you out the beginning of my speech too much in length having taken pains to heare the admirable Sermons of those that have spoken before me But of all the rest the book called the Constitutions of the Apostles most in particular ii 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then saith he when the Gospel is read let the Presbyters exhort the people one by one not all at once and after all the Bishop as it is fitting for the Master to do For here you see how the Order of the Apostle was sometimes practised in the Church when the Bishop preached in the last place after one or more of the Presbyters CHAP. VI. The parts of that work of Gods Service for which Christians assemble Psalmes of Gods praises part of the substance of it The ground and efficacie of Common Prayers Reading the Scriptures a substantiall part of Publick Service The necessity and excellence of Preaching for expounding the Scriptures The Eucharist the chief part of Publick Service The Apostles Rule of Order and Comelinesse The force of Custome in preserving Order and of Reason in judging of Gomelinesse All practice of the Primitive Church prescribeth not to us Correspondence with it necessary The Practice of it in the point in hand of what advantage Order of Publick Service a Law of Christian Kingdomes Direction of Ministers of the Church requisite The Obligation of it Agreement of the chief Reformers THus farre then have we travelled in the first part of our businesse propounded inquiring the Apostles meaning in this whole discourse intended to regulate the use of spirituall Graces proper to that time in their Assemblies by comparing the particulars of it with that which is found remembred in the Scriptures to the like purpose How wide soever these things may be thought from my intent as having nothing to do with the particulars which the Apostle here ordereth to me it shall seem a great gain for the pains bestowed here that from hence we may collect the substance of those things which are to be done at the Religious Assemblies of Christians the particulars of that work for which we Assemble our selves which are no other according to the Apostle then our Common Service expresseth in the entrance to it To set forth his most worthy Praise to
doubt that the proper day of it was solemnized from the beginning acknowledging as we do that it was the ground of determining the day which we celebrate through the yeare in stead of the Jews Sabbaths and seeing the Apostles assembled the next Pentecost after it Acts ii 1. we know there was from the beginning a great deal of difference and debate about the time those ancient Christians of Asia solemnizing it according to the Moon by a custome pretended to come from S. John whereof we reade in Policrates his Epistle related in Eusebius Eccl. Hist v. 22. the rest upon the first day of the week upon which our Lord rose again These that differed so much about the time agreed alwayes in observing the Festivall So they did in observing the Fast before it that were at much difference as well about the number of dayes as the measure of abstinence Ireneus in his Epistle to Victor of Rome in Eusebius Eccles Hist v. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the difference is not about the day alone but about the very kind of fasting for some think they are to fast one day some two some more some measure their day fourty houres of the day and night The Passion-day was commonly kept of all with Publick Fasting as Tertullian acknowledgeth De orat c. 14. that is the one day whereof Ireneus speaketh But besides De Jejun c. 2. relating the opinion and practice of the Church against which he writeth there for the discipline of Montanus Certè in Evangelio illos dies jejunio determinatos putant quibus ablatus est sponsus For certain they think saith he those dayes to be appointed for Fasting in the Gospel on which the Bridegroom was taken away That is the Passion-day and the Saturday after it according to Tertullian De Jejun c. 14. where the Sabbath or Saturday is qualified Nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum Never but at Easter to be fasted And the appointment of the Gospel whereof he speaketh is that Mark ii 20. The dayes shall come in which the Bridegroom shall be taken from you and then shall ye fast in those dayes or on those dayes as then it seemeth they understood it But in that which remaineth of I. reneus his words there is and seemeth to have been for divers hundred years a slight difference of reading in the copies of Eusebius which inferreth a main difference in the sense That reading which Christoferson translated in Latine acknowledged of late by Petitus Var. Lect. iii. 4. though it is unknown to me from what copies hath them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is For some think they are to fast one day some two some more some fourty and they measure their day by the houres of the day and night Meaning that when they fast they fast from evening to evening Which is more Ruffinus read it no otherwise for thus he translateth those last words Nonnulli etiam quadraginta Ità ut horas diurnas nocturnásque computantes diem statuant Meaning that some fasted fourty dayes but that those which fasted fourty dayes computed every day foure and twenty houres of the day and night By this reading those some of whom Ireneus speaketh kept Lent fourty dayes even afore his time though as Petitus fairly conjectureth not upon all but upon some dayes of each week as it hath been shewed that the Jews kept their long Fasts but on Mundayes and Thursdayes and as he duly proveth that in S. Augustines and Leo the Greats time they fasted the Lent at Rome but three dayes in a week The other reading related afore is from Robert Stevens Greek which Nicephorus followeth for so he is translated in Latine Nonnulli autem quadraginta horis diurnis noctur-nisque diem metiuntur to say That some measured that one day which they fasted by fourty houres of the day and night To make good which reading B. Rhenanus in his Preface to Ruffinus complaining of the want which he found of the Greek of Eusebius out of which much might have been mended in that Latine instanceth in this passage thus Incidi nuperrimè in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quandam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gracam quam cùm evolverem occurrerunt forte fortuna Irenaei verba quae Eusebius C. xxiii L. v. citat de jejuniorum diversitate sic Graecè habentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Very lately saith he I lighted upon a certain abbridgement of Evangelicall History in Greek which turning over I met by mere chance with the words of Ireneus which Eusebius citeth xxiii 5. concerning difference in fasting which in Greek runne thus For some fasted one day some two some more some fourty houres of the day and night fasting an houre for a day that is fourty houres for the fourty dayes of Lent afterwards This reading maketh the conjecture probable that it was first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quadragesima for the number of fourty houres which they fasted at the beginning for the time of our Lords being under the power of death from twelve on Friday till the Sunday morning For in the Constitutions of the Apostles v. 14. the Fast is not to be ended till then at Cocks crowing which afterwards was inlarged to fourty dayes as the Authour alledged by Rhenanus saith That it was at the first of fourty houres an houre for a day to wit of those dayes that were observed afterwards The issue of this dispute Whether fourty dayes were observed in the Church before Ireneus his time or not must rest upon the true reading of his words in Eusebius For though there is mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quadragesima in Ignatius and perhaps elsewhere yet it is not said to be called so from fourty dayes in the writings of those times to my knowledge In the mean time it is manifest that there is no time of the Church to be assigned when the Festivall of the Resurrection and the Fast afore it was not solemnized The Fast upon Wednesdayes and Fridayes is referred to the like reason in the Constitutions of the Apostles v. 14. vii The Wednesday is to be fasted saith he because on it our Lord was betrayed and the bargain made between Judas and the Priests The Friday because he suffered upon it Epiphanius alledging the like reason referreth the order to the Apostles Expos Fidei Cathol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Assemblies we hold are appointed by the Apostles upon the Wednesday and Friday and upon the Lords day upon those in Fasting untill the ninth houre I marvell not to heare him referre those Customes whereof they knew no beginning to the Order of the Apostles But the terms on which the Catholick Christians stand against Montanus and his sect in Tertullian de Jejun c. ii may help to lead us to the true ground of it Itaque de caetero indifferenter jejunandum ex arbitrio non ex imperio novae disciplinae pro
Velandis cap. xvii Quantam autem castigationem merebuntur etiam illae quae inter Psalmos vel in quacunque Dei mentione retectae perseverant Meritóne etiam in oratione ipsa facilimè fimbriam aut villum aut quodlibet filum cerebro superponunt tectas se opinantur But what reproof shall even they deserve that continue unveiled in singing Psalmes or in any mention of God Have they reason in their very Prayers at their best ease to lay a fringe or thrumme or any thred upon the brain and think themselves veiled here you have the two particulars of Psalmes and Prayers expressed which the Apostle calleth Praying and Prophesying with the reason of reverence at the mention of God to inforce his purpose that they ought not to content themselves with no veil at Psalmes or with a slight one at Prayers And afterwards Oportet ergò omni tempore omni loco memores Legis incedere paratas instructas ad omnem Dei mentionem qui si fuerit in pectore cognoscetur in capite foeminarum It behooves therefore to walk mindfull of this Law at all times and in all places ready and provided against all mention of God who if he be in womens hearts wil be known on their heads expressing the Apostles reason Reverence at the mention of God And as for the Prayers of the Church we have a singular passage in the Apostle Rom. viii 26. to the best of my judgement to be understood to this purpose And the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered For what is it that the Apostle calls the first fruits of the Spirit vers 23. there afore but the flowr cream of those spirituall Graces whereof the Apostle writeth all this while to the Corinthians And when he saith we know not what we should pray for as we ought true it is we are sufficiently informed what we are to pray for in the Scripture but seeing the purpose of the Scripture in generall is not so perfectly understood by all persons much lesse the Exigence of it duly pointed in particular it is no marvel if we believe that the inspiration of the holy Ghost is able far better to inform us what we are to pray for even at our Assemblies when we see the Apostle himself pray for the goad in the flesh to be removed which God thought not fit to be granted But when he saith the Spirit maketh intercession for us we know first that by the SPIRIT the Apostle in this subject continually understandeth the Inspirations of it as hath been observed afore we know again what endlesse debate difficulties the sense of these words breedeth and what better course have we to end them then by understanding in these words the intercessions which the holy Ghost inspireth And those unutterable groans of the Spirit whose mind he that searcheth the heart trieth vers 27. and findeth that it maketh intercession for the Saints according to God what are they else but those desires which the Spirit inspireth to them which have the first fruits of it causing them to groan within themselves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of the body as it went afore vers 13 For as men inspired were not able to expresse the vehemence of the desires they were inspired with no more were they able to comprehend the meaning of them the depth of things inspired being sounded by him alone that inditeth the same This exposition is S. Chrysostomes who hath delivered us the ground of it for Historicall truth upon the place telling us that there was no lesse peculiar an inspiration to pray at that time then there was to foretell things to come to cure diseases to do miracles to speak strange languages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all these saith he there was also a Grace of Prayer which was also called A SPIRIT as the spirit of knowledge the spirit of wisdome and the like that is the spirituall Gift of it and he that had this prayed for all the multitude For because not knowing many of those things that are good for us we desire those that are not as here it is said We know not what to ask for as we ought the grace of Prayer came upon some man then and he stood up to desire in the name of all that which was good for the Church in Common and taught others to do it And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that was vouchsafed this Grace standing with much compunction with many groans such as prostrate a man in mind before God asketh such things as are good for all Correspondent whereto now is the Deacon when he offereth to God the prayers for the people The opinion and relation of this most excellent man at expounding the Scripture going so clear with the words of the Apostle maketh this beyond question with me to be the meaning of the Apostle which shall afterwards get still more credit by the profer which shall be made of designing the kind and nature of these Prayers and Thanksgivings whereof the Apostle speaketh here to have been the same that the Church hath practised in all Ages since And these things supposed the meaning of the Apostle in the passage which we are in hand with sufficiently sheweth that as these which were indowed with the grace of Languages did not stick to do those things to utter the praises of God the prayers and thanksgiving of the people at their Assemblies in unknown tongues to make show of their Gift which he forbiddeth so those that had the Grace of Prophesying did and are directed to do the like for the benefit of the Congregation in all particulars whereof he speaketh These things thus cleared give us full assurance of the kindred between these two kinds of Graces of Languages and Prophesying by the limbes and branches of the offices expected from both and that by consequence all these Propheticall Graces were of immediate inspiration as much as that of Languages which the Apostle coming up to his first purpose in this whole discourse which was to regulate the use of both kinds of these Graces at their Assemblies further declareth in recapitulating those Offices of both vers 27. which he thinketh fit to remember there His words are these vers 26. How is it then brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation Let all things be done to edifying Tongues and Interpretations of them it is plain belong to none but those that have that Grace Revelations are specified afore to be a kind of Prophesying but there is no reason to convince that they might not be suggested in strange languages Psalmes it is plain by that which went afore were uttered in strange languages but the Apostle
ii Numb 5 6. and the annotations upon it To this must be added that memorable passage of the Samaritane Chronicle published not long since the tenour whereof is this The High-Priest living at that time that is the yeare of the world 4713. by their account took away that most excellent book that was in their hands ever since the calme and peaceable time of the Israelites which contained those Songs and Prayers which were ever used before their Sacrifices For before every of their severall Sacrifices they had their severall Songs still used in those times of peace all which accurately written were transmitted to the subsequent generations from the time of the Legate Moses unto this day by the Ministery of the Holy Priest For this whole passage speaketh clearly of the Service of God in the Temple shewing us that besides the book of Psalmes there were other Songs used at the Sacrifices of their severall Solemnities which were according to the course of their Service put together in one book for the purpose There was besides another part of the Service done in the Temple which men of learning have hit upon by conjecture out of Apoc. viii 3. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne joyned with Luk. i. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense From which Text Lud. Capellus collected That while the Priest offered his incense in the Tabernacle the people were at their prayers abroad and that S. Johns Vision alludeth to nothing else Whereupon our Mead of Christs Colledge very ingeniously conceived that where it is said there vers i. When he had opened the seventh Seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an houre all this was represented in resemblance of the Service of the Temple where first the Praises of God are sung as it is before vi 9. then there is silence for half an houre while the Priest within offereth the incense and the people without pray for remission of sinnes every one by themselves For so I find this conjecture verified in Prike Aboth v. 5. where one of the ten miracles which the Jews relate fell out continually in the Service of God in the Temple is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They stood crowded but they worshipped at large which R. Obadiah Bartenora proceedeth thus to expound upon the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath the sense saith he from swimming upon the face of the waters For because of the crowd every one pressed his fellow so that they stood swimming as it were with their feet lifted up from the ground in the aire At the time of worshipping the miracle happened to them that they worshipped at large every man foure cubits from the next that he might not heare him when he confessed and remembred his sinnes Wherefore they stood while the Levites sung at pouring the wine upon the burnt-offering but when the Priest went to offer the incense then fell every man down to make confession of his sinnes in private Which being done the Holy Priest coming out into the Court pronounced the Benediction appointed in the Law over the people which was the end of Service Of this Maimoni of Prayer and the Priests blessing xiiii 9. In the Temple after the morning Service was done the Priests went up into the Pulpit to blesse which maketh me presume that the Order of Service in the Temple was no otherwise then hath been declared Which Ecclesiasticus seemeth punctually to describe in Onias cap. l. 15 16 17. He stretched out his hand to the cup and poured of the bloud of the grape he poured out at the foot of the Altar a sweet smelling savour unto the most high King of all Then shouted the sonnes of Aaron and sounded the silver trumpets and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance before the most High Then all the people together hasted and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty the most High When the wine was poured forth and the Priests blew the trumpets within at Festivals it is to be understood that the Levites sung the praises of God without at the same time as we saw afore and so it followeth in the next words wherein this description is repeated vers 18 19. The singers also sang praises with their voices with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody And the people besought the Lord the most High by prayer before him that is mercifull till the solemnity of the Lord was ended and they had finished his Service After all followeth the Priests blessing as Maimoni said vers 20 21. Then he went down and lifted up his hands over the whole Congregation of the children of Israel to give the blessing of the Lord with his lips and to rejoyce in his Name And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time that they might receive a blessing from the most High I make no doubt but there was time for reading and expounding the Law in the Temple as it hath been touched but because I find no remembrance of it in this Service and because it concerneth not the point in hand I let it alone In this course of Service then the prayer wherewith each of them confessed their sinnes was private and at pleasure the rest was all by prescript form The Priests blessing expressed in Scripture the praises of God out of the book of Psalmes and others for the purpose And this is the strength of that Argument that is drawn from the Titles of the Psalmes shewing that they were indited for the purpose of praising God and praying to him as the tenour of them is Two or three of these Titles it shall not be amisse to produce here Psalm iiii and all the rest where the title is To the chief Musician the Chaldee translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing or to praise to tell us that they were Psalmes composed for the Master of Musick to be used in the Service of the Temple xcii A Psalme a Song for the Sabbath day It is a pleasant thing to reade the vagaries of the Jews upon this Title from whence they conceive this Psalme to be made by Adam after his fall on the Friday to serve God with on the Sabbath whereas the meaning in our observation is plain that it was composed to be sung in the Service of the Temple on the Sabbath which the very tenour of the Psalme inforceth when it saith vers 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands pointing at the meditation of the Creation upon the Sabbath as the Jews expound it Last the Title of those fifteen Psalmes after the
be held without publick Order confining them to Times and Places thereupon those Times and Places which are capable of no Holinesse in themselves are neverthelesse truly qualified HOLY as an attribute derived from the holinesse of those actions to which they are designed Which may well be called a relative or metonymicall Holinesse Thus are Times and Places consecrated by being appointed to the Service of God Places as more subject to sense by the execution of that appointment that is by the Prayers of the Church ministred by the Guides of it But in as much as it behoveth that the Service which shall be acceptable to God be done in the unity of his Church and that which is so done must be according to publick Order confining the Times and Places of Assemblies hereupon those Times and Places which are capable of no Holinesse but that which is ascribed to them in relation to that work whereunto they are assigned give Holinesse to that work again in as much as if it be done in opposition to that publick Order in which the unity of the Church consisteth it is abominable afore God He that hath promised to be present where we are Assembled by the same reason hath promised to be absent where we are divided let them look to themselves that cause it those that do not have no cause to doubt of Gods presence This is the ground of that respect which is due to the Times and Places of Gods Service and which if it go not beyond the consideration here expressed cannot prove superstitious The Holinesse of that work which differenceth them requireth they be so used as may conduce most to stirre and maintain the right apprehension of that work in our own minds and to convay it to others If the dayes of our Assemblies be imployed upon ordinary businesse no marvel if the mind prove not at leisure to attend the work for which they are designed Churches are still more subject to sense then dayes are and the common use of them common reason and experience will prove to breed a common esteem of the work of Gods Service and in consequence of the Majesty that owneth it If we remember that God is there present to accept the Service of our Assemblies we cannot refuse to acknowledge respect due there in generall though we referre our selves to Law or commendable Custome for the particular of it That which is to be said for the difference of Vesture in solemnizing the Service of God is much to this purpose The meaning of it is to procure inward reverence to that work which it maketh outwardly solemn to represent to our own apprehensions and to convay to other mens the due respect and esteem which it ought to bear in our hearts And common reason and all experience justifieth this intent For all the actions of esteem in the world are set forth with the like solemnities to no other purpose but to convay by the senses to the mind that respect which they ought to bear And the world hath tried enough that those which have made it part of their Religion to stick scorn upon such slight Circumstances have made it no lesse to deface and disgrace the substance of Gods Publick Service As for the difference of bodily Gestures at the Service of God that is still a more considerable mean to procure and preserve that esteem and respect of it for which I plead The words of S. Augustine of the Gestures of Prayer are remarkable De Cura pro Mort. C. v. which he saith are not used so much to lay the mind open to God to whom the most invisible inclinations of the heart are best known as to stirre up a mans own mind to pray with more humble and fervent grones And then it followeth Et nescio quomodo cùm hi motus corporis fieri nisi animi motu praecedente non possint eisdem rursus exteriùs visibiliter factis ille interior invisibilis qui eos fecit augetur ac per hoc cordis affectus qui ut fierent ista praecessit quia facta sunt crescit And I know not how though these bodily motions are not done without the motion of the mind going afore yet again by the outward visible doing of them that inward and invisible one which causeth them increaseth and so the affection of the heart antecedent to the doing of these by the doing of them gathereth strength Christians have bodies as other men have and though the Service of God consist in the inward intention of the mind and the devotion of spirit which performeth it yet this bruit part of us is able to contribute so farre towards it as it refresheth in our selves and expresseth to others the inward motions wherein it consisteth It is an impression of Nature that teacheth all people thus to actuate thus to animate the Service they tender to God and experience shall tell them that observe it That where it is passed over with indifference there men behave themselves more as hearers then actours in it there as the naturall heat at the heart so the inward heat of devotion which ought to dwell there stifleth and choketh for want of this airing and exercise Thus that which maintaineth the intention of the mind in private multiplieth it in publick and propagateth in others that which it cherisheth in our selves Besides that it contributeth towards the comelinesse of such Assemblies if it be uniform To good purpose it was a Deacons office in the Primitive Church to put the people in mind of these observances at least in great congregations But in this whole matter of Rites and Ceremonies in Common Service there is Caution to be used with which though in the latitude of their nature indifferent they will prove an advantage to it and without which they may prove an offense in it For the nature and kind of that which is done respect is to be had to the end proposed If the particular observed be not according to reason a circumstance apt to procure to maintain in our selves to expresse and convay to others that intention and reverence which the Service of God requireth for what cause shall we say it is observed Shall it be thought acceptable to God alone of it self without reference to the due end and purpose Then must it needs turn to a voluntary observance wherein we discharge our selves to God in stead of the Service he requireth Besides those that are not offensive for their kind for their number may prove no lesse For as the suckers that grow under great stocks where there are too many intercept that sap that should nourish the trees to bear fruit so where the Circumstances and Ceremonies of Publick Service are multiplied beyond measure there the mind distracted into a number of outward observations cannot allow that intention to the Substance which it spendeth upon the Circumstance And so it falleth out as afore they are intended for their own sake as acceptable to
drink on the Sabbath by his words there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 65. line 19. after words adde of P. 84. l. 7. reade case I truly have judged Pag. 87. line 19. after to the people adde The words of S. Augustine contra Epist Parmen iii. 2. Tunc etiam ille timore percutitur pudore sanatur cùm ab universa Ecclesia se anathematizatum videns sociam turbam cum qua in delicto suo gaudeat bonis insultet non potest invenire Then also is he both struck with fear and healed with shame when seeing himself anathematized by the whole Congregation he can find no rout to bear him company wherewith to exult in his fault and insult over the good Shall I believe that in S. Augustines time the sentence of Anathema came from the Congregation which Tertullian so long afore hath appropriated to the Ecclesiasticall Order when he saith de pudicit c. xiiii Hoc enim non à Deo postularetur quod erat in Praesident is officio For that would not be desired of God which was part of the Presidents Office speaking of delivering to Satan the incestuous person at Corinth yet neverthelesse S. Augustine saith that a man is anathematized by the whole Congregation in regard of the execution and effect which the sentence of the Bishop or Ecclesiastical Order then found by consent of the people when the Law inforced it not Which is the very case of the Apostle alledged afore Pag. 90. l. 22. after right adde and charge P. 91. l. 17. aft whole adde The dependance indeed of particular Congregations upon Episcopall Churches is clearly derived from the Institution of the Apostles related in the Scriptures as must be observed afterwards But it must also be said that the dependance of Episcopall Churches is frō humane right Pag. 93. l. 1. after obedience adde from the secular Powers Pag. 104. l. 22. after evil spirit adde to persist in their counterfeiting Pag. 117. l. 13. after Ecclesiasticall Writers adde as of Ministers of Churches it shall be oserved indeed that sometimes Lay men were licensed to teach the people in the Primitive times but those are never called or accounted Doctours of Churches that we should suppose them to be the remains of those Ministers of Churches which the Apostle calleth Doctours Pag. 123. l. 12. for But that all Presbyters were Prophets or all Prophets Presbyters reade But that all Prophets were Presbyters is more then I can resolve By the Apostles description it should seem that they had their place with the Bench of the Church Walo Messalinus out of Ruffinus hath remembred to us Ordinem Propheticum the Rank or Bench of Prophets as a Ministery by themselves Ireneus Justine Martyr and Tertullian have left mention of the Grace of Prophets as extant in their time but of the use of it for the ordinary Ministery of the Church in teaching the people they have said nothing to my knowledge Pag. 131. l. 9. reade required at their Prophets hands by the way we may perceive c Pag. 138. l. 30. reade in a strange language it shall here be declared c. P. 161. l. 4. after done If this please not or if it seem not generall enough to satisfie the meaning of the Apostles words it may be said in larger terms that all that which the Prophets by help of humane discourse conceived and uttered for and in their publick Assemblies upon the grounds of their particular revelations is here called the Spirits of the Prophets Which therefore must needs be subject to the judgement of other Prophets P. 169. l. 1. reade to make it his own Cxvii when he singeth O praise God all ye people praise him all ye Nations the Apostle c. P. 212. l. 4. reade by whom it speaketh that is a mistake which c. P. 232. l. 11. reade the head of the Captives of the linage c. ibid. l. 22. after professe adde And from that first title of the Misna we have enough to convince this whole point if Scaligers judgement may take place For there we have divers cases concerning the very formall words of divers of those Prayers which still they use resolved by Doctours that lived not long after our Lords time And Scaligers judgement is VI. De Emend Temp. that there is no more question to be made whether those resolutions be the resolutions of those Doctours to whom they are intitled there then whether the resolutions of the old Romane Sages preserved in the digests of the Civil Law be their own or not Thus must needs those Prayers be farre more ancient then the time of our Lord concerning the formall terms whereof cases new disputed at that time see the Misna Beracoth C. iv 3. v. 2. P. 236. l. ult after by heart adde There is a reason why the heathen had prompters to suggest unto them the devotions which they addressed to severall Deities because they counted severall Deities properly able to bestow severall blessings and accordingly held severall rites proper for their Service which it was Sacriledge to perform otherwise Arnobius contra Gentes iii. Vsque adeòres exigit propriatim Deos scire nec ambigere nec dubitare de uniuscujusque vi nomine ut cùm altenis ritibus appellationibus fuerint invocati aures habeant structas piaculis nos teneant inexpiabilibus obligatos So farre it concerns particularly to know the Gods without ambiguitie or doubt of the virtue and name of each that when they are called upon by the rites and names of others both they have their ears stopped and hold us insnared with inexpiable sacriledges See there afore So Tertullian according to this sense makes a very pertinent opposition between the Heathen that prayed as they were prompted and the Heathen that prayed by heart P. 241. l. 25. after Solemn adde Which question perhaps need not be asked if we consider that S. Cyprian spake in his Masters terms who when he nameth Dominica solennia and again post transacta solennia De Anima C. i. x. must needs be understood to mean the same to wit the solemn Prayers which the Eucharist was celebrated with For indeed the latter of those two passages of S. Cyprian I think is out of a Work intitled to him but none of his own P. 245. l. 30. after hold adde To the same purpose Conc. Gerund Can. 1. P. 282. l. 7. after those adde things Pag. 283. l. ult reade a schisme in the Church c. P. 298. l. 22. reade minds are best in tune c. P. 313. l. 32. Therefore in that they require that publick Order be not exacted in respect to the weak they acknowledge the thing lawfull by acknowledging him weak that doubts of it though in truth it concerneth them rather to inform the weak of the lawfulnesse of those things which publick Order requireth at their hands then to continue them in their weaknesse and thereupon pretend that publick Order ought not to be exacted at their hands P. 362. l. 23. after to the purpose of it adde Let a man look over the benedictions which they use before and after the Lesson of Heare O Israel Deut. vi in the morning Let a man look over the xviii benedictions which they say every day morning evening and at night the antiquite whereof may in some sort be valued by that which hath been said afore C. vii and it shall easily appear that they contain Prayers as well as Praises or Thanksgivings to God though called Benedictions because they begin or end or both with Blessed art thou O God specifying something concerning the subject of each Pag. 386. l. 14. after ignorance breedeth adde In the Anaphora of S. Peter in the Maronites Missall this Prayer is made for forgivenesse of sinnes In the Jesuite Kircherus his Prodromus Captus for an essay of that language I remember there is produced a form of this Prayer as ministred by the Deacon out of some of their Liturgies The books are not in my hand for the present Faults escaped in Printing Pag. 72. l. 26. for swell reade smell p. 98. l. 22. Sculletus r. Scultetus p. 108. l. 9. vers 8. r. vers 28. p. 176. l. 13. Parmenians r. Parmenianus p. 223. l. 19. for Prike alwayes reade Pirke p. 248. l. 23. Sciatach r. Scialach l. 24. Velseius r. Velserus p. 252. l. 13. Preacher r. practice p. 253. l. 16. in r. it
men and women vailing or uncovering their heads in those Assemblies and concerning celebrating the Eucharist with the Feasts of Love used then at common meetings with the grounds whereupon they proceed adding to both such passages of Scripture as fall in with the meaning of these speaking home to what was done or prescribed to be done at their religious Assemblies perhaps by this means we shall be furnished of such principles and such rules derived thence as the Scriptures afford the Church to proceed upon as well in the substance of that which is to be done in the Publick Service of God as in the form and course and circumstances of it And this upon the by will minister just occasion to inquire further into the condition of those Graces and Ministeries by which the severall parts of this work were exercised at that time according to the Apostle or intended to be exercised in after ages To which point having said something of late in a little tract of the Primitive government of Churches and finding it too much slighted there because the particular discourse of it suted not with the modell of that Treatise my desire is to take it in hand upon this occasion once more and inquire what further satisfaction the consideration of Publick Service at their religious Assemblies will yield them that desire the truth as concerning the nature and condition of ministeries first instituted for that purpose CHAP. II. Dayes of Assemblies appointed by the Law The Morall Service of God not specified in it but collected from it How the Jews are taxed for spending the Sabbath in pastime Places of such Assemblies not provided in it The Priests charged to teach the Law by deciding controversies of it The Chair of Moses the Chair of Prophets High places to what purpose Beginning of Synagogues Disciples of Prophets studied to be Prophets They ministred the Morall Service of God in High places and Synagogues OF the Figurative Service proper to the Law of Moses and that people which received it of the kinds and times and place for offering sacrifices there is particular appointment in it but of serving God by Prayer or hearing his Word you have there so much the lesse remembrance In Leviticus xxiii we find the particular of all their Solemnities that are called holy Assemblies For thus the generall is propounded vers 2. The Assemblies of the Lord which ye shall proclaim for holy Convocations these are my Assemblies The first of these is the Sabbath then the Passeover Pentecost the beginning of the New year the day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles And with leave I rather use the word Assemblies then Feasts in this place because the name of Feasts is proper to those Solemnities which are to be celebrated with joy and chearfulnesse whereas in this number the day of Atonement was to be observed with the greatest humiliation that could be expressed The Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteining all Assemblies such as all these are commanded to be and as I take it none else For that which is read Psal lxxxi 3. Blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon in the time appointed against the day of our Feasts dependeth upon the Law Numb x. 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse and in your solemn Feast dayes or rather dayes of Assemblies for the word is the same that I translated so afore and in the beginning of your Moneths you shall blow with your Trumpets over the burnt-offerings and over the sacrifice of your peace-offerings that they may be to you for a memoriall before your God Where we see three sorts of Solemnities distinguished First the day of your gladnesse conteining Solemnities to be celebrated with chearfulnesse of heart that is Feasts Then the solemn dayes of Assemblies as the word signifieth conteining besides those Assemblies for humiliation as the day of Atonement And last the beginnings of your Moneths wherein peculiar sacrifices are injoyned Numb xxviii 11. And here it is provided that Trumpets should be sounded over those sacrifices by the Priests in the Tabernacle but that no Assembly is appointed to be upon them the difference here made between them and their dayes of Assemblies is presumption enough But in particular the first and last dayes of the Passeover and Feast of Tabernacles the one whereof was kept for seven dayes the other for eight were to be solemn Assemblies which the rest were not and therefore in the Greek of the Septuagint are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or great dayes to wit of those Feasts in comparison of the lesse Esay i. 13. The New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The calling of Assemblies is here translated Great dayes as in the Gospel John vii 37. In the last day the GREAT DAY of that Feast By which Translation that which is generall in the Originall is restrained to the first and last dayes of those two Festivals Now the Sabbath was the greatest of all Solemnities appointed for Assemblies For they were commanded so to rest from bodily labour as not to kindle fire to dresse the meat they eat upon it For as in Exod. xvi 5 16 29. God contesteth that he gave them a double measure of Manna the day before that they might dresse it against the Sabbath So we have again Exod. xxx 3. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath The same Levit. xxiii 3. where Abenezra IN ALL YOUR HABITATIONS that is in your land and out of your land at home and upon the way To teach us that it was not for the time that they lived upon Manna in the wildernesse that they were forbidden to kindle fire upon the Sabbath but through ALL THEIR HABITATIONS wheresoever they dwelt afterwards And many have observed that in Levit. xxiii it is not said of any other day but of the Sabbath and the day of Atonement Thou shalt do no work upon it but of the other dayes of Assemblies Thou shalt do no Servile work upon them to shew us the difference between them that upon the Sabbath and day of Atonement it was prohibited to dresse the meat of the day but upon other Solemnities that was permitted but to do any work that men were wont to put their slaves to was prohibited which is the received practice of the Jews and hath a just ground in the Scripture Exod. xii 16. where of the first and last day of the Passeover is said No manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that onely may be done or dressed of you Abenezra upon that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of none of the solemn Assemblies beside the Sabbath and day of Atonement it is said NOMANNER OF VVORK Onely of the Passeover he saith it and addeth an exception of the meat of the soul that is requisite for the sustenance of nature Here is a strict command of bodily