Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 16
Sect. 16.
[That there were ancient Lyturgies in the Church,Ans. is evident, St. Chrysostom's, St. Basil's, and others: And the Greeks tell us of St. James, much elder than they; and though we find not in all Ages whole Lyturgies, yet it is certain that there were such in the eldest times, by those parts which are extant, as Sursum Corda, &c. Gloria Patri, Benedicite, Hymnus Cherubinus, &c. Vere dignum & justum, &c. Dominus vobiscum, & cum Spiritu tuo, with divers others. Though …hose that are extant may be interpolated, yet such things as are found in them, all consentient to Catholick primitive Doctrine, may well be presumed to have been from the first, especially since we find no Original of these Lyturgies from General Councils.]
Repl. We know there wanteth not a Lyndanus, Repl.a Coccius, to tell the world of St. Peters Lyturgy, which yet prayeth, that by the Intercession of Peter and Paul, we may be defended, &c. and mentioneth Lynus, Cletus, Clemens, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lucia, Barbara, and abundance such; shall we therefore conclude that there were Lyturgies from the first, and that what is here consentient to Antiquity wa… in it? There wants not a Marg. de la Bigne, a Greg. de Valent. a Coccius to commend to us the Lyturgy of Mark, that praye…h (protege Civitatem istam propter Martyrem tuum, & Evangelistam Marcum, &c. and tells us, that the King, where the Author lived, was an Orthodox Christian, and prayeth for the Pope, Subdeacons, Lectors, Cantors, Monks, &c. must we therefore believe, that all that's Orthodox in it, is ancient? So there wants not a Bigne, Bellarm. &c. to tell us of St. James his Lyturgy, that mentions the Confessors, the Deiparam, the Ancherets, &c. which made Bellarm. himself say, (de Lyturgia Jacobi sic sentio, eam non esse ejus, aut multa a posterioribus eidem addita sunt) and must we prove the Antiquity of Lyturgies by this, or try ours by it? There wants not a Sainctsius, a Berllarm▪ a Valentia, a Paresius, to predicate the Lyturgy of St. Basil, as bearing witness to Transubstantiation, for the Sacrifice of the Mass, for Praying to Saints, &c. when yet the exceeding disagreement of Copies, the difference of some Formes from Basil's ordinary Forms, the Prayers for the most Pious and faithful Emperours, shew it unlikely to have been Basils: Many predicate Chrysostom's Mass or Lyturgy; as making for praying to the dead, and for them, the propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass, &c. when in one Edition Crysost. is prayed to in it, saith Cook; in another, Nicolaus and Alexius, that lived about 1080. is mentioned; in another, Doctrines are contained (as de Contaminata Maria, &c.) clean contrary to Chrysostom's Doctrine; must we now conclude, that all is Ancient, that is Orthodox, when one Copy is scarce like another? or can we try our Lyturgy by such as this? The shreds cited by you prove a Lyturgy indeed, such as we have used while the Common Prayer Book was not used, where the Psalms, the words of Baptism, of Consecration, Commemoration, and delivery of the Lord's Supper, and many other, were used in a constant Form, when other parts were used as the Minister found most meet; so Sursum Corda was but a warning before, or in the midst of Devotion, such as our [Let us Pray] and will no more prove, that the substance of Prayer was not left to the Ministers present or prepared Conception, than Ite Missa est, will prove it. The Gloria Patri, Bellarm. himself saith, according to the common opinion, was formed in the Conncil of Nice, which was in the 4th. Century. And even then such a particular testimony against the Arrians, might well stand with a body of unimposed Prayers; and rather shews, that in other things they were left at liberty. If the Benedicite, the Hymns, or other passages here mentioned, will prove such a Lyturgy as pleaseth you, we pray you bear with our way of Worship, which hath more of Hymns and other Forms, than the…e come to. That these Lyturgies had no Original from General Councils, adds nothing with us to their Authority, but sheweth that they had an arbitary Original; and all set together shews, that then they had many Lyturgies in one Princes Dominion, and those alterable, and not forced; and that they took not one Liturgy to be any necessary means to the Churches Uni… or Peace, but bore with those that used various at discretion. We well remember that Tertul. tels the Heathens, that Christians shewed by their conceived Hymns, that they were sober at their Religious Feasts; it being their Custom [ut quisque de Scripturis sanctis, vel de proprio ingenio potest, provocetur in medium Deo canere] Apol. cap. 39. Note here, 1. That though there be more need of Forms for Singing, than for Praying; yet even in this, the Christians in publick had then a liberty of doing it de proprio ingenio, by their own wit or parts. 2. That those that did not de proprio ingenio, did it de Scripturis sanctis, and that there is no mention of any other Lyturgy, from which they fetcht so much as their Hymnes. And the same Tertul. Apol. c. 30. describing the Christians publick Prayers, saith [sine monitore, quia de pectore oramus] [we pray without a Monitor or promptor, because we do it from the heart, or from our own breast,] And before him Just. Mar. Ap. 2. p. 77. saith; foreign. But if all these words seem not plain enough to some, it is no wonder when they rest not in the greater plainness of the holy Scriptures, where Prayer is so frequently mentioned, as much of the imployment of believers, and so many directions, encouragments and exhortations given about it, and yet no Liturgy or stinted form; except he Lords Prayer is prescribed to them, or once made mention of, no man directed here to use such, no man exhorted to get him a Prayer Book, or to read or learn it, or to beware that he add or diminish not: whereas the holy Scriptures that were then given to the Church, men are exhorted to read, and study, and mediate in, and discourse of, and make it their continual delight: and its a wonder that David that mentions it so oft, in Psal. 119. doth never mention the Lyturgy, or Common Prayer Book, if they had any: And that Solomon when he dedicated the house of Prayer without a Prayer Book, would onelyonly beg of God, to hear [what Prayers, or what Supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all the People of Israel, when every one shall know his own sore, and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in that house] 2 Chro. 6. 29. and that he giveth no hint of any Lyturgy or Form, so much as in those common Calamities, and talks of no other Book then the knowledge of their own sores, and their own griefs: And in the Case of Psalms, or singing unto God where it is certain, that they had a Lyturgy, or Form, (as we have,) they are carefully collected, preserved, and delivered to us, as a choice part of the holy Scripture. And would it not have been so with the Prayers, or would they have been altogether numentioned, if they also had been there prescribed to, and used by the Church, as the Psalms were? would Christ and his Apostles even where they were purposely giving Rules for Prayer, and correcting its abuse, (as Mat. 6. 1 Cor. 14, &c.) have never-mentioned any Forms but the Lords Prayer, if they had appointed such, or desired such to be imposed, and observed? These things are incredible to us when we most impartially consider them; for our own parts as we think it uncharitable to forbid the use of Spectacles to them that have weak eyes, or of Crutches to them that have weak Limbs, and as uncharitable to undo all that will not use them, whether they need them or not; so we can think no better of them, that will suffer none to use such Forms, that need them, or that will suffer none to pray but in the words of other mens prescribing, though they are at least, as able as the prescribers. And to conclude, we humbly crave that ancient customs may not be used against themselves, and us, and that you will not innovate, under the shelter of the name of Antiquity. Let those things be freely used among us that were so used in the purest Primitive times. Let Unity and Peace be laid on nothing, on which they laid them not; let diversity of Lyturgy, and Ceremonies be allowed where they allowed it. May we but have Love and Peace on the Terms as the Ancient Church enjoyed them, we shall then hope we may yet escape the hands of uncharitable destroying zeal: we therefore humbly recommend to your observation the Concurrent testimony of the best Histories of the Church, concerning the diversity of Lyturgy, Ceremonies, and modal observances; in the several Churches under one and the same civil Government: and how they then took it to be their duty to forbear each other in these matters, and how they made them not the test of their Communion, or Center of their peace concerning the Observation of Easter it self, when other Holy-days, and Ceremonies were urged, were less stood upon, you have the judgement of Irenaeus, and the French Bishops in whose name he wrote in Eusob. Hist. Eccl. l. 5. 6. 23. Where they reprehend Victor for breaking peace with the Churches that differed about the day, and the antecedent time of Fasting, and tell him that the variety began, before their times, when yet they nevertheless retained Peace, and yet retain it, and the discord in their Fasting declared, or commended the concord of their Faith, that no man was rejected from Communion by Victors Predecessors on that account, but they gave them the Sacrament, and maintained Peace with them, and particularly Policarp, and Anicetus held Communion in the Eucharist, notwithstanding this difference. Basil Epist. 63. doth plead his cause with the Presbyters, and whole Clergy of Neocesarea, that were offended at his new Psalmodi…, and his new order of Monasticks, but he onelyonly defendeth himself, and urgeth none of them to imitate him, but telleth him also of the novelty of their own Lyturgy, that it was not known in the time of their own late renowned Bishop Greg. Thaumaturgus, telling them that they had kept nothing unchanged to that day of all that he was used to, (so great alte…ations in 40. years were made in the same Congregation) and he professeth to pardon all such things, so be it the principal things be kept safe. Socr. Hist. Ec. l. 51. c. 21. about the Easter difference, saith [that neither the Apostles, nor the Gospel, do impose a yoke of bondage on those that betake themselves to the Doctrine of Christ, but left the Feast of Easter, and other Festivals, to the observation of the free and equal Judgement of them that had received the benefits. And therefore because men use to keep some Festivals, for the relaxing themselves from labours, several Persons in several places, do celebrate of custom, the memorial of Christs Passion Arbitrarily, or at their own choice. For neither our Saviour, nor the Apostles commanded the keeping of them by any Law, nor threaten any mulct, or penalty, &c. It was the purpose of the Apostles not to make Laws for the keeping of Festivals, but to be Authors to us of the reason of right living, and of Piety. And having shewed that it came up by private custom, and not by Law, and having cited Irenaeus, as before he addeth, [that those that agree in the same Faith, do differ in point of Rites, and Ceremonies] and instancing in divers, he concludeth [that because no man can shew in the monuments of writings, any command concerning this, it is plain that the Apostles herein permitted free Power to every ones mind and will; that every man might do that which was good without being induced by fear or by necessity. And having spoken of the diversity of customs, about the Assemblies, Marriage, Baptism, &c. He tells us [that even among the Novatians themselves there is a diversity in their manner of their praying, and that among all the Forms of Religions and parties, you can no where find two, that consent among themselves in the manner of their praying.] And repeating the decree of the Holy Ghost, Act. 15. [To impose no other burden but things necessary] he reprehendeth them [that neglecting this, will take fornication as a thing indifferent, but strive about Festivals, as it were a matter of life, overturning Gods Laws, and making Laws to themselves.] And Sozomen Hist. Eccl. l. c. 18. and 19. speaketh to the same purpose, and tells us that the Novatians themselves determined in a Synod at Sangar in Bythinia, that the differenoe about Easter being not a sufficient cause for breach of Communion, all should abide in the same concord, and in the same Assembly, and every one should celebrate this Feast as pleased himself: and this Canon they called foreign and c. 19. He saith of Victor, and Policarp, that [they deservedly judged it frivolous, or absurd, that those should be separated on the account of a custom, that consented in the principal heads of Religion: For you cannot find the same Traditions in all things alike, in all Churches though they agree among themselves] and instancing in some Countreys, where there is but one Bishop in many Cities, and in others, Bishops are ordained in the Villages. After many other instances, he adds [That they use not the same Prayers, Singings or Readings, nor observe the same time of using them.] And what Lyturgy was imposed upon Constantine the Emperour? or what Bishops or Synods, were then the makers of Lyturgies, when he himself made publick Prayers for himself and Auditory, and for his Soldiers? Euseb. de vit. Constantini, l. 4. c. 18, 20. &c. But the diversity, liberty, and change of Lyturgies in the Churches under the same Prince, are things so well known, as that we may suppose any further proof of it to be needless: In the conclusion therefore we humbly beseech you, that as Antiquity, and the Customs of the Churches in the first Ages, is that which is most commonly and confidently pleaded against us, that your mistake of Antiquity may not be to our Cost, or paid so dear for as the loss of our Freedom, for the serving of God in the work of the Ministry, to which we are called; we beseech you let us not be silenced, or cast out of the Ministry or Church, for not using the Lyturgy, Cross, Surplice, kneeling at the Sacrament, till you have either shewed the world that the practice or Canons of the Catholick Church have led you the way as doing it, or requiring it to be done. And make not that so necessary, as to force men to i… on such dreadful terms, which the ancient Churches used with diversity, and indifferency, and liberty. We beseech you, shew the world some proof, that the ancient Churches did ever use to force, or require Ministers to subscribe to their Lyturgies, as having nothing in them contrary to the Word of God, or to swear obedience to their Bishops, before you impose …uch things on Us, while yet you pretend to imitate Antiquity. And have but the moderation towards your Brethren, as in suffering, or at death, or Judgement, you would most approve. Remember how unpleasing the remembrance of such differences about Ceremonies, was to Bishop Ridley, as towards Bishop Hooper, when they were in Prison; and how the Arrians fury made the Orthodox gladly to go to the Churches of the Novatians, and meet with them, and joyn with them in Prayer, and had almost been united with them, in the bond of Concord, if the Novatians in a stiff maintaining of their old Customs, had not utterly refused it: But yet in other matters, they embraced each other with so singular a Benevolence and Love, that they would willingly have dyed for each other, (as Socrates tells us, Hist. lib. 2. cap. 30.) And may we not all here see our duty? When Atticus was urged to deny to the Novatians the liberty of their Meetings within the City, he refused it, because they had suffered for the Faith in the Arrians persecution, and changed nothing in the Faith, though they separated from the Church; and was so far from violence against dissenters, as that he gave large relief to them that differed from him in Religion, Socrat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 25. It was the much praised saying of Theodosius to him, that asked him, why he put none to death that wronged him; [I would I could rather make them that are dead, alive] Socrat. l. 7. c. 22. Much more should Christian Bishops be enemies to cruelty, who know that Charity is more essential to Christianity, than this or that Form of Lyturgy or Ceremonies is. If you think it unsufferable, that we should have differences about such things, remember that there will be no perfect Unity, till there is perfect Charity and Sanctity; and that destroying one another, and consequently destroying Charity, is an unhappy way to Unity. And that Unity is to be held in things necessary, and liberty in things unnecessary, and Charity in both. Remember that it was in a far greater difference, where Constantine perswadeth the Christians to mutual forbearance, by the example of the Philosophers, that suffer difference in abundance of their opinions. Euseb. de vita Constant. lib. 2. cap. 67. And that Valens the Arrian was made more moderate, and abated his persecution of the Orthodox, by the Oration of Themistius, who bid him not [wonder at the dissentions of the Christians, for they were small, if compared unto the multitude and croud of Opinions that are among the Heathen Philosophers, as being more than 300. and that God will by this diversity of Opinions manifest hi… glory, and make men the more reverence him, who is so hardly known S…crat. Hist. …ib. 4. cap. 27. Those that dissent from you in these tollerable Cases, cannot c…ange their own Opinions; but you can, if you will, forbear hurting of your Brethren: Do that which you can do, rather than urge them by usuitable means, to that which they cannot do. These are not matters sufficient to justifie Contention and uncharitable usage of your Brethren. When many of the Macedonian Faction …etitioned the good Emperour Jovianus, to depose those that affirmed the Son to be unlike the Father, and to put their party in their places; he gave them no answer but this, [I hate Contention, and I love and honour them that are addicted to Concord] Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 21. Then (saith Euseb. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 1.) did the Lord obscure the Daughter of Zion, and cast down the glory of Israel, &c. when those that seemed our Pastors rejecting the Rule of Godliness were inflamed among themselves with mutual Contentions, and drove on only these Contentions, Threatnings, Emulation, mutual Hatred and Enmity, and, like Tyrants, prosecuted their ambitions.] We thought it no impertinent digression, here to take this occasion, again to crave your exercise of the ancient Charity, and our enjoyment of the ancient Liberty, instead of a forcing the anciently-free Lyturgie and Ceremonies, and that by unproportionable penalties; and if yet we cannot prevail with you, we shall still beg for Peace of the God of Peace, where we have better hopes to be heard, and shall hold on in seeking it, how ill soever our endeavours may be interpreted or succeed: And as the good man wept, (Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18.) when he saw a Woman pompously adorned, because He was not so careful to please God, as She was to allure men: So we shall confess we ought to weep that we cannot be more charitable and laborious in building up the Church in Holiness and Peace, than others are by uncharitable courses to afflict it: And it shall be our, hope that whether by their Labours, or their Sufferings, God will serve and honour himself, by those many faithful Servants of his, whom he hath called into his Work, and whose Cause we plead; and that however they are used, they shall not be unuseful to the ends of their Vocation: As Theodoret observeth, Hist. lib. 4. cap. 30. that in a calamitous time [the Moderator of the Universe raised up such Guides, as were sufficient in so great affluctuation, and opposed the valour of the Leaders to the greatness of the Enemies Incursion, and gave the best Remedies in the hardest times of Pestilence] So that the punished Pastors did from the utmost parts of the Earth corroberate their own, and refu… th… Adversaries by their Writings.] And for our selves, as we were truly desirous to do our part for to preserve your reputation with the Flocks, in order to the success of your Government for their good, and never envyed you that worldly Honour or Revenue, which yet some have thought unsuitable to the simplicity and employment of Christ's Ministers: So if you will neither suffer us quietly to serve God, or conscionably to serve you, we shall be the lesse sollicitous for that part of our Task from which you have power to discharge us: And as Basil said to Valens the Emperour, that would have him pray for the Life of his Son [If thou wilt receive the true Faith, and restore the Churches to Concord, thy Son shall live] which when he refused he said [The will of God then be done with thy Son] So we say to you, If you will put on Charity, and promote your Brethrens and the Churches peace; God will honour you, and good men will honour you, and your Calling will have advantage by it: But if you will do contrarily, the will of the Lord be done with your Honours; but know, that them that honour Him, He will honour; and they that despise Him, shall be lightly esteemed▪ and that by the course of uncharitable violence, which we deprecate, you will most deeply wound the Cause of your preheminence, even more than its adversaries could have done: And, if it be the will of the Lord that suffering at home, where we have served Him, must be our Lot, we doubt not but that he will furnish us with strength and patience, and we shall remember such Ensamples as Ruffin recordeth, Hist. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. when a Millitary Bishop sent his Souldiers to assault 3000 scattered Christians, where appeared a strange kind of Warfare, when the assaulted offered their necks, saying onelyonly, Amici, ad quid venisti? Friend, why camest thou hither? Or if we must be removed from the Land of our Nativity, as Maris told Julian, That he thanked God, that had deprived him of his sight, that he might not see the face of such a man, Socrat. Hist. Lib. 3. Cap. 10. So we shall take it as a little abatement of our Affliction, that we see not the Sins and Calamities of the People, whose Peace and Welfare we so much desire. Having taken this opportunity here to conclude this part with these Requests and Warnings, we now proceed to the second Part, containing the particulars of our Exceptions, and your Answers.