The Catholic Hierarchy, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Of Decency and Order in God's Worſhip, and Canonical Obedience.
§ 1. THe great Plea that is made for the Magiſtrates and Churches Legiſlative power in Spirituals, is, that there might be Decency and Order in the Church, which is moſt meet to be, eſpecially becauſe Chriſt hath adviſed it (and his Advice hath the force of a Command in it) 1 Cor. 14.40. foreign. The Apoſtles deſigne in this Chapter, is to exort to love and peace, as appears from verſ. 1. and 33. and that he may effect it, he reproves ſeveral things amiſs in the Church of Corinth: 1. Their Propheſying in ſtrange Tongues. 2. Their ſpeaking ſo many together. 3. The immodeſt boldneſs of women to preſume to ſpeak in the Church. 4. Their Pride, being puffed up with their gifts, &c. For Remedies he adviſeth in general, 1. That all things be done to edification, verſ. 26.2. That all things be done with decency and order. 3. In particular, how and what things are to be done ſo to attain theſe ends. Firſt, ſpeaking with Tongues ſhould be with interpretation, verſ. 27, 28. Secondly, Propheſying ſhould be one by one, with ſubmiſſion to the judgments of the Church, verſ. 30, 31, 32, 33. 4. That the women ſhould neither uſe Tongues, nor propheſie, but be ſilent in the Church, verſ. 34. Now leſt this reprehenſion ſhould be a diſcouragement to them from ſtriving after the beſt Gifts, and improvement of them, he would have them to underſtand, that his deſigne was onelyonly to rectifie Diſorders, not to ſuppreſs or diſcourage from their Exerciſe of Gifts, that might be to Edification: and therefore ſaith, verſ. 39. Covet to propheſie, or be zealous for propheſying, as the word is, (ſuppoſing it a very profitable Exerciſe in the Church) and forbid not to ſpeak with Tongues (that being an extraordinary Gift among their Primitive Diſciples, for the propagation of the Goſpel) but let that be exerciſed alſo. The things in themſelves are materially good, but your way of managing them is not good, there is ſo much confuſion and unſeemlineſs attends it: therefore do the things, but be careful that they be done with Decency and Order for the preſent. And now behold here is the Text that the whole Babel of ceremonious traſh is built upon by the abuſive Interpretations both of Papiſts and Proteſtants; and therefore let us examine a little, whether there be ſo much in it to give countenance to the endleſs Inventions and Superſtitions of the ſons of men in the Worſhip of God.
§ 2. We ſhall firſt open the words, that things may be the clearer: foreign [H. Stev. compoſitè, decenter, honeſtè] It's rendred onelyonly decently in this place; it's uſed in two other places, where it's rendered honeſtly, Rom. 13.13. 1 Theſſ. 4.12. and foreign, 1 Cor. 12.23. is aptly rendered Decor, Comelineſs. foreign the adj. is read by H. St. Honeſtus, Decens, Mark 15.43. Honourable. Joſeph of Arimathea (is ſaid to be) an honourable Counſellour; and Acts 13.50. ch. 17.20. Trem. honourable: but 1 Cor. 7.35. foreign, I ſpeak for—that which is decent or comely, &c. 1 Cor. 12.24. our comely parts. So that the ſence of the Text ſeems to be, Let all things be done with ſuch a comelineſs as is honourably beſeeming the Goſpel, or that ſeemly Reverence that becomes the Aſſemblies of the Saints. Tremelius's Interpretation ſeems much adapted to the Context, cum modeſtiâ, in oppoſition to womens immodeſt boldneſs in preſuming to ſpeak in publick, and in oppoſition to that pride and confidence that abounded among them in the exerciſing of their Gifts. Let things be done with modeſty: Wherefore the Decency here meant, may ſignifie theſe three things in the Worſhip of God: 1. A Comelineſs; 2. A Reverence; 3. Modeſty.
§ 3. foreign, Secundum ordinem fiant; the Word is but in the ſignification here given onelyonly: it's ſometimes taken for an Office-Order, as an Office of Prieſthood, Heb. 5.6. & 5.10. Luke 1.8. Heb. 7.11. but we have nothing to do with the Word in that ſence here; the acceptation here is of ſuch Order as is oppoſed to Confuſion, in which ſence it's uſed, Coloſſ. 2.5. foreign, The Apoſtle would have them exerciſe Gifts, adminiſter Sacraments, and do all things in the Church in the due place and ſeaſon, that one Ordinance might not hinder the edification of another, and nothing might be done confuſedly; they might ſpeak all one by one, and the ſpirit of the Prophets ſubject to the Prophets. He would not have Church-Aſſemblies to be tumultuous, by many preaching, reading, or praying audibly together, (for all may be underſtood here of propheſying) as it's the cuſtom in ſome Churches; but there ſhould be but one at a time ſpeaking in the Congregation, and not that any one might ſtart up (as the Quakers do) and ſpeak at pleaſure to interrupt one another; but the ſpirit of the Prophets ſhould be ſubject to the Prophets. Let every one ſpeak as he is appointed and approved of by the Church-Officers.
§ 4. Hence we may gather, that Decency is a neceſſary external part of God's Worſhip, conſiſting in a reverend deportment and comely management of the Ordinances of Chriſt, as becomes the Goſpel. 1. It's externally oppoſed to the inward Worſhip of the heart, a great part of that which is called a form of Godlineſs. 2. It's an external neceſſary part; there are internal Neceſſaries, and external: I do not ſay it's an eſſential part of God's Worſhip, but it's a neceſſary Accidental, it belonging to it in its kind, by virtue of a Law of Chriſt; and all things (we have ſhewed) commanded by him, are neceſſary: therefore this Decency is no Indifferency, and determinable by any humane Law. 3. Conſiſting in a reverend Deportment, i. e. ſuch an one as is morally requiſite, as ſignes to expreſs Holineſs, awful apprehenſions of God, Humility, Modeſty, &c. for moral Vertue or Grace ought to be viſible and manifeſt in our external geſtures and behaviours. Hence the behaviour here mentioned, is oppoſed to all irreverent, immodeſt, unnatural, idolatrous geſture in God's Worſhip; all ſuch as either denote prophaneneſs of our hearts, diſreſpect of God's Preſence or Ordinances, or alienation of heart, or wandring of ſpirits.
§ 5. Things done according to Order, is according to beſt underſtanding of the ordination and appointment of Jeſus Chriſt, from that place Coloſſ. 2.5. foreign, rejoycing in ſeeing your Order (to which the following words ſeem exegetical) and your firmneſs of the Faith towards Chriſt; if the Conjunction be Copulative, making the parts contradiſtinct, its rejoycing to ſee your ſtability of Faith in your cloſing with Chriſt and your Order, i. e. in walking in all his Commandments according to the Rule that he hath given: for the whole of a Chriſtian is comprized in Faith and Order; and therefore doing things foreign, is foreign, 2 Cor. 10.13. according to the meaſure of the Rule or Canon which God hath meaſured or diſtributed to us. The word is Canon; the ſame word is Gal. 6.16. Philip. 3.16. and in both places ſignifies the Rule of the Goſpel by which we are to walk. In Gal. 6. he ſpeaks in the verſe before of indifferent things; Circumciſion availeth nothing, nor uncircumciſion, but the new creature; and as many as walketh according to this Rule, What Rule is that? It's this: To put no ſtreſs on things indifferent, but upon thoſe that Chriſt hath made neceſſary to ſalvation for preſerving the life of the new Creature. So in Phil. 3.16. ſo far as we have attained, foreign, where it's to be underſtood of the one Rule of the Goſpel, or Syſtem of Rules in things neceſſary for our practice, by the ſpecial appointment of Chriſt; and ſo far as Chriſtians have attained to the knowledge of this Canon, we are to walk. Whence I gather, that walking according to Order, is in the practice of Canonical Obedience to the Rules of the Goſpel; that is, in a due ſubmiſſion to and practice of all the Ordinances of the Goſpel, without diſtraction and confuſion; God being the God of Order, and not of Confuſion.
§ 6. Decency and Order is either Civil or Religious: by Civil I mean ſuch as are of civil uſe merely, or ſuch rites and modes of action as are uſed in civil affairs. Though theſe may have a moral and therefore religious foundation, yet their Objects, Intendments, and Circumſtances, being chiefly Civil, and the moral foundation from the ſecond Table, we call them Civil, and diſtinguiſh them from religious Decencies: And theſe are ſuch as have their foundation on the firſt Table, and have God for their Object immediately, and manifeſt End, being ordained for ſpiritual intendments and purpoſes; and therefore external Notes of internal ſeriouſneſs, reverence, and conſideration of God's Preſence, Honour, and Worſhip, according as revealed and required of us in the Canon of his holy Word. And though the mode and order of Actions and Geſtures may be the ſame materially that we uſe in civil Decencies and Order, yet the appropriation being to contradiſtinct Objects, and their purport and deſigne of the ſaid Actions and Modes thereof, they are juſtly reputed of another nature, and receive contradiſtinct Denominations.
§ 7. Religious Decency and Order is either of merely Moral, or of inſtituted Original. Moral (and therefore called Natural) and inſtituted Worſhip, are uſually and aptly oppoſed; for ſuch as are of Moral Original, are comprehended in, or directly deducible from the precepts of the Moral Law, as all reverent and humble geſtures of the Creature before the Creator, ſuch as ſtanding, kneeling, proſtration, &c. which for the moſt part are onelyonly generally propounded ſo far as they may hold forth a proportionate external indication of the ſolemnity of our Undertakings; neither may they become any more definite by mans Law, than God himſelf hath determied. As for Example: No man can make a Law to tye us up to any particular geſture in Prayer, as to kneeling, ſtanding, &c. becauſe God hath left it indifferent to a Chriſtians election to govern himſelf by the Rules of Expediency, ſo he have a reſpect to the general Obligation, viz. that it be ſuch as is reverent, and becoming our attendance on God in ſuch an Ordinance.
§ 8. Decencies and Order belonging to inſtituted Worſhip, are ſeparable from merely moral Worſhip, and required by ſome more ſpecial Commandment of Chriſt in the diſciplining of his Church; and they differ as the Oeconomy of the Church doth. The Levitical Oeconomy made Levitical Decencies and Order neceſſary, in mode and manner of the Jewiſh Worſhip then required in thoſe of Offerings, Sacrifices, Buildings, Geſtures, Veſtures, Waſhings; all which, as ſhadows, vaniſhed, and were actually aboliſhed, with the whole ſubſtance of the Ceremonial Law, when the Body approached: And therefore to introduce into Goſpel-worſhip, Modes proportionate and adapted to Moſaical Services, viz. Prieſts, Ephods, Altars, Sacrifices, &c. is contrary to the revealed Will of Chriſt, and an implicite denial of his being come in the Fleſh.
§ 9. The Levitical Oeconomy, with all its Appendixes, being aboliſhed, the Evangelical takes place; which are determined by the Law of Chriſt, as to the more and leſs ſubſtantial parts of Worſhip. And that we may be diſtinct about Goſpel-Decencies and Order, we muſt know, 1. That all merely moral Decencies are in force under the Goſpel, and needs no other Law to ratifie them than the Law of Chriſt, which hath always continued the moral Law, and its due circumſtantial Attendments under all changes of inſtituted Worſhip. 2. All Levitical Decencies and Order are aboliſhed by Chriſt's coming, when his Eccleſiaſtical Oeconomy was changed. 3. All Evangelical Decencies and Order, as womens being covered and keeping ſilence in publick Aſſemblies, and ſuch as concern the Word and Sacraments, are ſufficiently determined by Chriſt, by the precepts or practice of himſelf, Apoſtles, and Primitive Church, that we need not betake our ſelves to Rome or any other pretended Law-making Church, to fetch new Preſcriptions in order to the compleating of the Worſhip of Chriſt. And whereas preſent Innovations of our Pretenders are pleaded for from the Primitive practice, I ſay no more but this, that when the Evidence of that Practice appears from God's Word, we will not ſcruple the imitation; but being impoſed upon us by Tradition, moſtly through Antichriſtian hands, or at beſt by very fallible and inconſiſtent Hiſtory; and if in many things true as to matter of fact, yet we finde them not juſtified by Sacred Authority, we dare not aſſent and conſent unto them.
§ 10. Now if the Church knows of any more Decencies and Orders needful to be uſed under the New Teſtament, and thoſe that are of moral intent confirmed by Chriſt, or Evangelical of his laſt Inſtitution, then let her plead and uſe her Legiſlative power (if ſhe have any jure) in eſtabliſhing the ſame: and if any ſhall or doth think notwithſtadding, that it's needful to eſtabliſh new decencies of humane invention by Church-Laws, we ſhall ſtill proceed further to evince the contrary.
§ 11. If decency and order be ſtrained to the largeſt acceptation in the New Teſtament's ſence, they cannot be pretended to be any other than Evangelical decency and order, comprehending all moral and inſtituted decency and order which Chriſt hath appointed to be uſed in his Goſpel-Church; elſe how ſhould it come to be ſo? for that onelyonly is Evangelical which Chriſt makes ſo, and calls ſo; every mimical Geſture and antick Veſture that any brainſick Church-man, or carnal Prieſts and Prelates, or any Convention of them ſhall deviſe, and chriſten with the name of Decency and Order, is not Evangelical. The Rules and Forms of Worſhip and Diſcipline which Chriſt hath left to his Church, are comely, grave, decent, and orderly enough, without any additaments and amendments proceeding from mens corrupt fancy and intereſt.
§ 12. And that it's not lawful for the Church to make Laws to eſtabliſh more decencies in the Worſhip of God than Chriſt hath appointed or allowed, we have proved already; if they undergo the loweſt conſideration as matters of Indifferency, I ſhall onelyonly adde a few words more.
§ 13. Firſt, If it be lawful for the Church to annex new decencies and order to the decencies and order appointed by Chriſt, then theſe muſt be neceſſary or unneceſſary; but it's not lawful, Ergo. 1. It's not lawful to annex unneceſſary: for this were to trifle, and would infer the greateſt abſurdities imaginary; therefore none will inſiſt upon that. 2. Not to annex any thing neceſſary: for they muſt then judge ſomething neceſſary which Chriſt hath not declared ſo, (as ſomething belonging to the eſſe or bene eſſe of the Church;) and this were a high affront to Chriſt, and impeachment of his wiſdom, as not perfect and compleat in his Houſe; as likewiſe it's implicitely to condemn Chriſt's Worſhip and Ordinances (as left by him) for undecent and diſorderly, and ſo naked and unfit to come to publick view, till they be anew dreſſed up and trimed by the Church in her Poppet-play Robes and Attire.
§ 14. Secondly, And then ſhe might re-eſtabliſh any old abſolete Jewiſh decencies, ſo ſhe uſe them Evangelically, upon as good or better ground than ſhe hath brought in Heatheniſh practices into uſe in the Church. Thirdly, Decency and Order in the Church, is no Indifferency, but neceſſary in its kind, (as hath been ſhewed) becauſe commanded and enjoyned by Chriſt; and Ergo, if the Church hath power to enact Laws in matters of Indifferency, it follows not that ſhe hath power to do the like in matters of Decency and Order, becauſe they are not indifferent things, but neceſſary, if we underſtand either Moral or Evangelical decency and order.
§ 15. It is fallacious and falſe to aſſert that the Church preſcribes onelyonly decencies in the Worſhip of God; for they are the ſmalleſt part of her Ceremonies: for what are Holy-days, Croſs in Baptiſm, Muſick in Divine Service? And beſides, moſt or all her Ceremonies reſpect other Objects, and are for other ſignificancy and ends, than for decency; ſome being chiefly gratiâ divinâ, as all reverential Geſtures and Poſtures, viz. bowing at the Name of Jeſus, bowing to the Altar, kneeling at the Sacrament, ſtanding up at the Goſpel. Theſe are ſignes of divine honour, and Latrical, and can be no otherwiſe underſtood than reſpecting a Divinity: and therefore there can be no pretence to call it civil Worſhip, becauſe in all civil Worſhip man is the Object; and were the ſame or like actions, which for the matter are neither civil or divine, but indifferent as to both, but a peculiar Adaptation to a ſingular end or object, they receive their diſtinct denomination therefrom. Some are chiefly gratiâ humanâ, in order to the due preparing and qualifying us for Spiritual Services; Surplices to make us appear more pure, & an Emblem of Purity, and mind us of it; Muſick to raiſe the Spirits: and others more mixt in their intention, tàm gratiâ divinâ, quàm humanâ, as Saints days, wherein God is bleſſed for Saints, whereby God is honoured and the Saint too; the Croſs in Baptiſm, and the Ring in Matrimony; which are Seals of obligation religiouſly made uſe of, (therefore more than ſignificant ſignes) and can be no leſs than Sacraments. There are alſo divers Reſponſes and Salutations betwixt Miniſters and People; in all which it's eaſie to perceive that there is ſome weightier matters reſpected than meer civil decencies and order, whatever pretences are made to the contrary.
§ 16. We have before hinted what we apprehend true canonical obedience to be, viz. that it's not a ſubmiſſion to a certain body of Laws made by any Church challenging a Legiſlative power, neither to thoſe feigned Canons of the Apoſtles; but it is obedience to the Canons or Rules of Goſpel-communion laid down in the Scriptures: thoſe that are acquainted with the true Churches of Chriſt, know no other Canons, nor no other canonical Obedience they are obliged unto. Now thoſe that call for canonical obedience (under that term) they tell us that it is obedience to the Laws, Rules, and Conſtitutions of the Church; but I could never rightly underſtand any reaſon for their plea from the Church, viz. of the authority pleaded for: for if it be a National Church that requires the ſaid obedience, we ſay, 1. That that Church cannot pretend to challenge obedience, that is not capacitated to make or execute any Law; but the National is not: Ergo. The Minor appears, in that there is no ſuch thing as a National organized Church conſtituted by Chriſt under the Goſpel; for if there were, there muſt be National Officers and Ordinances by the ſame appointment: but Chriſt hath conſtituted no National Officers, i. e. whoſe Office-power in the Church is of ſuch extent; nor no National Ordinances, i. e. ſuch Ordinances that the whole Nation may partake of in one Aſſembly for communion. The ſame Argument will hold againſt Dioceſan Churches. 2. How is any one National Church the Church, more than another that hath ſuch a Ruling power, if all hath it alike? how various will Church-canons be, and how little Uniformity in canonical obedience? 3. If this obedience belongs to any Church, it ſeems moſt conſonant to right reaſon that it ſhould belong to the Catholick Church: for 1. That may be as organical as a National can be by virtue of any inſtitution of Chriſt. 2. That's moſt comprehenſive; therefore challengeth the preheminence of all others in reſpect of extent, and by way of eminency may moſt properly be ſtiled the Church. 3. This is the likelieſt way to attain a Ʋniformity; for it's pleaded as the great reaſon why Chriſt gives a Legiſlative Compulſive power to a National Church, viz. Ʋniformitatis gratiâ. Now it's but a partial Uniformity obtained thereby, of an Independent nature; but if true Uniformity be reached, it muſt be that which is Catholick; which can be no otherwiſe than by Catholick canonical obedience.