An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Part 2 · Section 6 · Subsection 2

An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church · Part 2 · Section 6 · Subsection 2

p. 1162. The next thing that in general you charge the National Church withal, is, that they took up the cuſtomes you name by a Jewiſh imitation.

COncerning which I have divers things to reply. Firſt, if we muſt be accuſed for this apiſh imitation of the Jews, yet we are not the only Apes, ſince you for this are no leſſe guilty than our ſelves; and then you know, qui alterum incuſat probri, ipſum ſe tueri oportet. For do you not imitate the Jewiſh Sanedrim in your Elderſhips? why is it elſe that from it moſt of your party fetch their defence? why from it do they borrow their light to expound dic Eccleſiae? Again, that the Scripture is not to be read, except expounded, is your common tenet; we preſſe you for a precept for this, and none you do, nor none you can bring; only you produce the example of Ezra the Scribe,Nehem. 8.8.Neh 8:8 that he read the book, and gave the ſenſe; and upon this example you do it, and tell us it is to be done; now what is imitation, but the following of an example? Beſides you your ſelf would have all your Elders ſtand and ſit together in the face and full view of the whole Aſſembly; now what command can you finde for this? all you can ſay for it,Verſe 4. is the pattern in the former place of Ezra; and then I hope you will not deny but you in this are to anſwer for a Jewiſh imitation alſo. p. 117Your letter bears date the 22 day of the eighth monethmonth, which is you know to ſpeak the language of the old Jew.

Secondly, I ask how ever you can make good that, in moſt of the inſtances which you alledge; that the Chriſtians took their pattern from the Jewes after they were formed into a National Church, and were put under the Ceremonial Law. If in theſe they imitated any, I may as eaſily ſay that they took their pattern from the Patriarchs for theſe; before the Ceremonies of the Law were impoſed, as you can reflect upon the Nation of the Jews. For the Patriarchs had their feaſts, their places whether to bring their offerings, Gen. 8.20. & 13.18. & 28.22. & 33.20.Gen. 2.2. Exod. 5.1.Gen 2:2Exod 5:1 They acknowledge a high Prieſt, Gen. 14.18. They paid tyths, Gen. 14.20. & 28.22. Four then of theſe five frivolous traditions, as you call them, were in uſe before the Jews were a ſetled Nation, and to thoſe old and firſt people of God the Primitive Church might have an eye when they admitted theſe uſages, as well as to their poſterity. And the Jew ſtrictly ſo taken need be caſt in our teeth no more.

Thirdly, Suppoſe it were granted that theſe cuſtomes were brought in by a Jewiſh imitation, yet it will not hence follow that they are ere the worſe, or are therefore to be rejected. The objection is old,Hook. Eccl. pol. lib. 4. Sect. 11. and to it Mr. Hooker hath given a ſatisfactory anſwer. For the Jewiſh Ordinances were of two ſorts, poſitive, or moral. The moral were never to be aboliſhed; the poſitive again were ſuch which were not neceſſary for ever to be retained, or ſuch as were left indifferent to be kept or not. Sacrifice and circumciſion were of the firſt kind, and muſt neceſſarily be removed, which was done in their due time; in theſe the Chriſtian Gentiles, no not at firſt after the decree, Acts 15. muſt not imitate the Jews. But for the ſecond ſort, ſuch which were of an indifferent nature to be kept or not to be kept, (of which kinde I will by and by produce many inſtances,) the Gentile Chriſtians were no way blameable, if they conformed themſelves to the Jewiſh cuſtome;Leo Serm. ſept. de jejun. menſis ſeptim. which gave Leo occaſion thus to begin his Sermon. Apostolica inſtitutio, dilectiſſimi, quae Jeſum Chriſtum Dominum ad hoc veniſſe in hunc mundum noverat, ut legem non ſolveret, ſed impleret, ita veteris Teſtamenti decreta diſtinxit, ut quaedam ex iis, ſicut erant condita, Evangelicae eruditioni profutura decerperet, & quae dudum fuerant conſuetudinis Judaicae, fierent obſervantiae Chriſtianae. And this very faſt of the ſeventh month then kept, may ſerve for one inſtance. Another ſhall be that Apoſtolical decree, Acts 15. impoſed on the Gentiles, that they abstained from meats offered to Idols, and from blood, and from things ſtrangled, and from fornication. Acts 15.29. R. Solomon. liber, qui Seder Olam inſcribitur.Acts 15:29For the underſtanding of which decree, know we muſt that among the Jews were two kind of Proſelytes; the firſt were called Gertzedek or Proſelytae juſtitiae, or foederis, for he ſubmitted himſelf to circumciſion, and the whole Moſaical Law. The ſecond were called Ger-ſahagnar Proſelytae portae, a Proſelyte or ſtranger within thy gates, Deut. 14.21. ſuch was Naaman the Eunuch, &c. He was not circumciſed, nor bound to obſerve all the Moſaical Rites. Only it was an opinion conſtantly received among the Jewes, that God delivered unto the ſonnes of Noah ſeven precepts, p. 118which went under the name of Noahs ſeven Commandements. 1. Judgments and puniſhment for Malefactours. 2. Bleſſing and calling on the Name of God, under which was contained the keeping of the Sabbath. 3. Diſclaiming Idolatry. 4. Uncovering of ones nakedneſſe, or all unclean knowledge in the fleſh. 5. Shedding of blood. 6. Robbery and rapine. 7. Not to eat of any living creature whereof the blood was not let out. Foure of theſe Commands the Gentiles were apt to obſerve of their own accord, nature leading them thereunto; but the other three, the Apoſtles thought good to impoſe upon them; viz, the third, the fourth, and the ſeventh, to give content to the Jewes, that the Gentiles being conformable unto them in the obſervation of theſe Laws of Noah, they might cleave the better together. Dare any man now ſay the Apoſtles were too blame, to bring the Gentiles to a Jewiſh imitation? what ſhould I tell you, that all the Eaſt Church, and we in this Iſland did celebrate the Feaſt of Eaſter upon the fourteenth day of the firſt monethmonth, upon what day of the week ſoever it fell, untill Conſtantines time? and was not this a Jewiſh imitation? for which indeed Pope Victor condemned & excommunicated the Eaſtern Churches, and all the foreign; but he himſelf for this preſumption and raſhneſſe, is condemned and cenſured by Irenaeus. That the Chriſtians at firſt kept the Jewiſh Sabbath, as well as the Lords day: That the Weſt Church celebrated the Euchariſt in unleavened bread, is a known truth to all that are acquainted with antiquity; and what were theſe but Jewiſh Rites? and whence could they learn them, but from the Jewiſh Synagogue? and yet I never read any condemnation of the Primitive Church for theſe. Whence had they their oſculum pacis? whence then Ag…pae but from the Jewes? From hence then two concluſions there are, which may be evidently drawn. The one, that whatſoever poſitive Laws the Apoſtles or their Succeſſours did bring in, between the Churches of Jewes and Gentiles, it was in thoſe things onelyonly which might either ceaſe or continue a ſhorter or a longer time, as occaſion did moſt require: The other, that things indifferent though brought in by the pattern of the Jewiſh Synagogue, yet are not to be condemned and caſt out upon this ground, becauſe they are of a Jewiſh imitation.

If theſe inſtances be not ſufficient, I yet ſhall adde more that may convince any man who will not be obſtinate. It is an ordinary obſervation, which P. Fagius in his notes on the Targum firſt ſuggeſted to me, and after him Dr. Godwin, Fagius in praeced. Hebr. Godwin antiq. lib. 3. cap. 2. Hamm. vind. Liturg. Sect. 43. Caſſ. Liturg. pag. 1. Gen. 48.14. Godw. ant. lib. 1. cap. 3.Gen 48:14and Dr. Hammond, and George Caſſander aſſert, that many of the Jewiſh Ceremonies were imitated by Chriſt himſelf under the Goſpel. I might ſhew it you in the impoſition of hands, a forme of benediction among the Jewes, as ancient as old Jacob, in bleſſing Manaſſe… and Ephraim, and as often uſed by Chriſt to the ſame purpoſe. But I rather chooſe to do it in the two Sacraments, and in the cenſures of the Church. To the making of a Proſelyte, one of the three Ceremonies required as purification by water, which yet was not Sacramental till Chriſts inſtitution; now the Baptiſme by water commanded by our Saviour, related to this foreign or waſhing of Proſelytes, which was uſed by p. 119the Jews at their admiſſion or initiation. After the Jewiſh Feaſts they had a Poſtcaenlum, of which Caſſander at large thus diſcourſes. Primum omnium Judaeus Paterfamilias cum fuis convivis menſae accumbit, Caſſ. Liturg. cap. 1.p…culum vino plenum dextra manu tenens, Precatur in haec verba, Benedictus ſis tu Domine Deus noſter Rex mundi, qui creas fructum vi…is. Quo dicto primus omnium vinum deguſta…, quod idem continuo onnibus menſae accumbenibus bibendum por…igit. Postea panem (quem int…gram eſſe maſſam oportet) accipit, eum que utra que manu tenendo, his verbis conſecrat, Benedictus ſis tu Domine Deus noſter, qui educis panem de terrâ. Hoc dicto pan m frangit, & ex eo particulam comedit, ac ſingulis menſae accumbentibus ſingulas buccellas distribuit. Hinc conſ…quenter prolixam dicit precem, qua in prece grati…ram actiones, non ſolum pro conceſſo omnibus alimento, ſed pro omnibus beneficiis, olim patribus, & hodie quoque Iſraelitiae genti collatis, concipiuntur, &c. As for their preſent food,Druſ. in N. T. parte altera. pag. 78. Fagius in Deut. 8. Luk. 22.17, 18.Deut 8Luke 22:17Luke 22:18 for their deliverance from the Aegyptian ſervitude, for the Covenant of Circumciſion, for the Law given by Moſes, This grace of Thankſ-giving they called Bircath haſaſen, the bleſſing of the Cup, with which Chriſt himſelf ſeemeth to have begun his ſupper; He took the Cup and gave thanks, and ſaid, Take and divide it among you. After the bleſſing of the Cup, the Maſter of the houſe took the bread, and conſecrated it in the words before, which they called Bircath halechem, or the bleſſing of the bread, and then brake and divided it. So did our Saviour,Verſe 19. He took bread and gave thanks, and brake it, &c. At the end of the Feaſt, they again gave thanks, and then the Maſter of the houſe took a Cup of wine in both hands, beginning thus, Let us bleſſe him who hath fed us of his own, and of whoſe goodneſſe we live. This grace they called Bircath hamazon, and the Cup Cos hillel, poculum foreign, and both theſe Cups are mentioned by Saint Luke; but the words of inſtitution added onelyonly to the laſt. This Cup is the New Tſtament or Covenant in my blood, Verſe 20. Scalig. de emend. temp. lib. 6. pag. 273.which is ſhed for you. After all this they ſung Hymnes and Pſalmes, which alſo was practiſed by our bleſſed Saviour, Mark 14.26. Theſe Rites were all Jewiſh, and yet our Saviour diſlikes them not for that, but obſerves them in the inſtitution of the bleſſed Sacrament. That you may ſee the weakneſſe of the argument, that no uſage of the Jew may be followed in the Chriſtian Church: I promiſed you one inſtance more; it was in the Jewiſh cenſures, in which they obſerved three degrees; Niddui, Cherem and Schammatha. Niddui ſignifieth ſeparation,Buxtorf. ex Rabb. Epiſt. Heb. pag. 55. Lex. Rabb. pag. 827. Godw. Ant. lib. 5. cap. 2. Dr. Hamm. of the Keys, cap. 4. Sect. 60. and by it the delinquent was ſeparate from all ſociety or commerce with others for four Cubits, and for thirty dayes. The ſecond was Cherem, which is thus defined by Buxtorf; an excluſion from the ſacred Aſſemblies, a caſting out of the Synagogue, with all the curſes of Deut. 28. The third was Schammatha, the Etymology of which word, Godwin tells us is twofold; for ſaith he, Schem is Lord, and Atha cometh; others ſay it ſounds as much as, There is death; for Scham is there, and Mitha death. Hence it may be rendred excommunication to death; and ſo Dr. Hammon out of D…lhen. defines it. Ea excommunicatio, qua quis totaliter & finaliter ab Eccleſia ſegregatus, divino judicio ſit devotus, p. 120& cum ea mors & exitium. Now to theſe three the cenſures of the Chriſtian Church were very correſpondent.Luk. 6.22. John 9.22. John 16.2.Luke 6:22John 9:22John 16:2 The firſt was foreign, ſeparation or remotion, that anſwers to Niddui. The ſecond was foreign, that anſwers to Cherem, which in other words is tradere Satanae, 1 Cor. 5.5. The third was Maran-atha, 1 Cor. 16.22. To which he was to be left, who loved not the Lord Jeſus, which was the ſelf-ſame with Schammatha; for Maran is Lord, and atha cometh: ſo that it is evident in the Church cenſures alſo, the Chriſtians took up their pattern from the Jews. All this I have ſaid, and could adde to it much more, to make the propoſition appear no unreaſonable maxime; that it may be lawful for the Church to uſe a cuſtome which hath ſome reſemblance of ſome Ceremony in force anciently among the Jews.

4. Laſtly, I obſerve that you make your Jewiſh imitation very ancient, in that by the Adverbs, quando and unde, when and whence, you faſten it upon the National Church; had it been a birth of yeſterday, I ſhould have ſuſpected it; but when I finde it a plant of ſo many ages, I cannot chooſe but riſe up to the gray haires; either accuſe the Apoſtles for it, (who did imitate the Jews, as I have proved, as well as we, and at that time when they preached and gathered of all Nations into the fold,) or elſe we are blameleſſe. This was it I had to return to your two Generals; now I come to your five degrees, in which this imitation lies, and will conſider them in the ſame method you propoſe them. You ſay

1. Yhe firſt was of National times, as the fifty yearly Feſtivals, or holy-working dayes, Curſed-maſſe, Candle-maſſe.

WHich words I muſt profeſſe I clearly underſtand not in all points; for what is it you mean by theſe fifty yearly Feſtivals? are they all the Sundayes of the year? if that, we own them, & that not upon any Jewiſh imitation. If you mean thoſe other, which our Church enjoyned to be obſerved for holy-dayes, the number will not ariſe to fifty. For they are only twenty ſeven, and ſo you have over-ſhot your ſelf.

As for your term Curſed-Maſſe, I hope you intend not the day of our Saviours Nativity, when for the glad tydings the Angels joyned in a Quire, and ſang an Athemne in the fields of Galilee. Could I conceive you intended to black that day with that accurſed word, I ſhould grow impatient, and return, The Lord rebuke thee. But the word Candlemas that follows it at the heels, makes me ſomewhat ſuſpicious that you might ſquint an ill eye that way. If ſo, you are much to blame; if not, there's no harme done.

I know yet that theſe words Chriſtmas and Candlemas often offend many; but then you muſt lay the blame (if there be any) on thoſe who deſerve it. It is the multitude and vulgar that hath taken up and makes uſe of theſe names; the Church ſo impoſed them not. Turne over our Calenders, and you ſhall finde them appointed to be kept holy under theſe titles. The Nativity of our Lord, the Purification of the bleſſed Virgin.

p. 121And yet had the words received countenance from the Church, there is no ſuch curſedneſſe in them as is conceived, if we ſhall caſt our eyes upon the firſt native uſe. For no queſtion miſſa, from whence Maſſe came, is a Latine word, and ſignifies no more than remiſſa, uſed by Tertullian and Cyprian for remiſſio; for remiſſa peccatorum, is with them remiſſio peccatorum. Tertull. adverſ. Marcion. Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 14. Amb. lib. 5. Ep. 33. Chem. Exam. Trid. Conc. de Miſſ. Pontif. Juel. artic. 1. 31. Caſſ. Liturg. cap. 16. Whites Orthodox. lib. 2. Sect. 26. Zanch. de cult. exter. cap. de Sacrific. Sect. 13. Caſſ. Liturg. cap. 26.Ambroſe is the firſt of the Latine Fathers that uſed it. It firſt ſignified no more than to call together to celebrate divine ſervice, as both Chemnitius, Juel and Caſſander have obſerved; and therefore when the Greeks uſed foreign, or foreign, The Latine Tranſlatours turned it miſſas facere, miſſas celebrare. After it came to ſignifie the whole form of publick prayer, which the Greeks called foreign, we our Liturgy. Laſtly, it was moſt ſtrictly taken for the adminiſtration of the Euchariſt, whereunto the Converts unbaptized, the Catechumeni, the Penitents, the Energumeni were not admitted, but diſmiſſed and commanded to depart. For when the celebration of thoſe myſteries began, the Deacon ſtood up and ſaid a loud to thoſe, Ite, miſſa est. Now let it be taken in which of theſe ſenſes you will, there can be no great harm in the name Maſſe, being a ſuffix to theſe dayes. For it is not intended, that thereby men ſhould meet on theſe dayes or any other to ſay Maſſe, i. e. to offer a propiatory ſacrifice for the quick and dead: But onelyonly that they ſhould foreign meet and convene in Gods houſe, that there they ſhould have the glad tydings which the Angels proclaimed to the Shepherds, hodie natus est vobis; that they ſhould praiſe God for it, and pray, that as he was born for them, ſo he may be given to them. Of which the Sacrament being a ſigne and a ſeal, they there met together to be partakers of it. This is all, that to a good intelligent Chriſtian the Maſſe can import; and if any be other minded, they may be eaſily informed, and then I ſee not what ſcandal can be taken at the name of Chriſt-Maſſe.

And I am ſure much leſſe at the Feaſt; For if ever God beſtowed a bleſſing upon the world, it was his Sonne, and the fleſh of the Sonne of God, is the Channel in which it flows to us: This fleſh he took at his birth; his birth day then is worth remembrance; that then we performe opus diei in die ſuo: and the opus diei is that we be glad and rejoyce in it. Never fear, there is no Judaiſme in it; then I am certain in this you cannot imitate; for they are enemies to his name, enemies to his birth, enemies to his day; they if they could would expunge his memory out of the hearts of Chriſtians, out of the Calender; joyne not with this perverſe and obſtinate generation. I ſhall ſet before you a more noble example to imitate, the firſt Martyrs, the firſt Confeſſours, the firſt Fathers of the Church: for theſe worthies kept this day; to them it was a holy, no working day; on that day they did feaſt, not ſcorn and revile.

Teleſphorus celebrated it in the Romane Church; but it is ſo ancient,Caranza in vita. Teleſp. and of ſo general obſervance in the Church, that Zanchy confeſſeth he knowes not when it began. No Council inſtituted it, that we know of; and therefore by Auſtins rule, it ſhould be ab Apoſtolis traditum. That it was a very ancient and univerſal Feaſt of the whole Church, appears by that p. 122Sermon of Cyprian (and he lived divers years before the Nicene Council) which he preached upon the day,Cypr. Sermo de nativitate Domini. which he begins with theſe words; Adeſt Christi multum deſiderata & expectata nativitas: Adest ſolemnitas inclyta, & in praeſentia ſalvatoris grates & laudes viſitatori ſuo per orbem terrarum ſancta reddit Eccleſia. Whence it is evident, that it was a ſolemn univerſal Feaſt in his time, kept with thanks, with praiſe; and after him there is ſo frequent mention of it in all the Fathers, and their Sermons; as of Baſil, Nazianzene, Chryſostome, Leo, and who not? extant, preached on the day in honour of Chriſt, and his birth day; that it were to light a Candle to the Sunne to produce them. Other men may follow what new lights they pleaſe, but I ſhall deſire to be guided by theſe old Lamps in this practiſe of praiſe and thankfulneſſe. I know there is no ſuperſtition,, no imitation of Judaiſme in it. It is a Chriſtian, a laudable, a pious, a profitable duty, and 'tis no feare of a ſhadow ſhall drive me from it.

2. And ſo having accompted for this particular Feſtival, I come to anſwer for our Church holy-dayes in general; Chriſt is both the Authour and Finiſher of our Redemption, which work before it could be conſummated, the purchaſe muſt be made, applyed, proclaimed. That he might be apt to lay down the price, he muſt be made man, conceived of the Holy Ghoſt, born of a woman a Virgin, born under the Law, of which he gave an evidence when he was circumciſed the eighth day, preſented in the Temple at his Mothers purification, and baptized by John in Jordan. This ſhewed that he took upon him the form of a ſervant, and humbled himſelf. But he thought himſelf not low enough, till he humbled himſelf to the death, even that bloody, ſhameful, painful, accurſed death of the Croſſe, upon which he was crucified, upon which he dyed, and was afterward buried. By all this the purchaſe was fully made, and the ranſome fully paid, Conſummatum eſt. But it muſt be applyed alſo, and conveyed to us, or we are nere the better. To effect this, he roſe again for our juſtification, he aſcended into heaven to make interceſſion, and prepare a place for us, he ſent down his Spirit to make all ſure. And that all this might be made known, publiſhed and proclaimed, he gave ſome to be Apoſtles, ſome to be Evangeliſts; theſe to write the whole ſtory, and thoſe to atteſt it, publiſh it, and apply it in their Epiſtles.

Now this is the original of our Feſtivals, there being not one retained in our Church, which is not to the honour of Chriſt, to the memory of ſome Evangeliſt or Apoſtle. The wiſdome of the Church was ſuch, that ſhe would not have ſo great benefits forgotten, nor the purchaſe, nor the application, nor the proclamation. Into the Creed they are all put, but words are like wind, they may quickly paſſe away. The wiſe founders therefore of our Church, and firſt planters of Religion, ſet out a day for every Article, that in the time to come when the children ſhall ask their fathers, What meaneth theſe dayes, theſe Feſtivals? they ſhould anſwer and ſay, This day Chriſt was conceived, this day he was born, this day he was circumciſed, this day his Mother was purified, this day he was baptized, this day he was crucified; and ſo laid down a ranſome for us, and ſo redeemed p. 123us that were all loſt. And that we might know, that what he undertook, he went through, and hath conveyed unto us; this day he aroſe from the grave, this day he aſcended to heaven, this day he ſent down his holy Spirit upon the Apoſtles, who have proclaimed and publiſhed ſo much to the world, and with their blood ſealed the teſtimony to be true. All this was the work of the whole Trinity; for the Father he gave the Sonne, he was given, and the Holy Ghoſt filled him full of grace for this work; And that ſo great benefits might never ſlip out of our minds, theſe dayes are ſet apart for commemoration, for praiſe, for thanksgiving, for imitation. Men may feed themſelves with fancies if they pleaſe, but it may be well feared, that when the Feſtival and ſolemnities for the birth, life, death, reſurrection, aſcenſion of Chriſt, the miſſion of the Holy Ghoſt, the Trinity, and the Leſſons and Sermons upon them, with the Creed alſo, ſhall be turned out of the Church, 'twill not be in the power of weekly Sermons on ſome head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Chriſt in mens hearts. A thing it ſeems obſerved by the Caſuiſts, who uſe to make the number of thoſe things that are neceſſario credenda, no more then the Feſtivals of Chriſt make known to men; and how ſure a way this is, to inſtill theſe neceſſary principles into the heads of the eaſieſt capacity, give me leave to aſſure you upon my own experience. For when all I could ſay, would not teach the Article, the mention of the day, and inculcating why the day was to be kept, did with much eaſe and facility do it: I can never therefore ſufficiently admire the wiſdome of the Church in the inſtitution of theſe Feſtivals.

And yet had this been an inſtitution of the Church,Vide ſis Zanch. in expoſ. praecep. quarti. de diebus feſtis. Theſ. 1.2, 3. after ſhe ceaſed to be a Virgin, I ſhould have ſuſpected it. But when I finde a Record for the Feſtivals, that concern our Saviour in the beſt times, and that theſe were obſerved as Augustine ſaith, ſemper, ubique, ab omnibus, this ſo far ſways with me, that I dare not aſſent to aboliſh them.

It is with dayes, as it is with men. They are pares in eſſe naturae. Eccluſ. 33.Sir 33All equally from the ground, the firſt man an earthen veſſel, and the beſt ſince but ſherds of the old pot. But in eſſe morali, an imparity there is; ſome are veſſels to honour, ſome to diſhonour. The compariſon will hold in times, and ſeaſons; the periodick motion of the Sunne gives being to them all; yet are they not all of equal eſteem. For ſome are made holy, ſome common; theſe put among the dayes to number; thoſe raiſed and made high dayes, and ſet above their fellows to a holy purpoſe. Which yet was not done by chance, as it falls out in the advancement of men; but it was propter opus p ivilegiatum, quod Deus in eo fecit; ſome extraordinary beneficial work that God did upon that day: this is the formale diei, that gives it being and preheminence above another. This God would have remembred; for this work he would be thanked and praiſed, and to that end he will have ſome eſpecial time ſet apart.

Neither of this is there any doubt, when the Authour and Inſtitutor is God. But man, ſay ſome, may not uſurp upon God, and ſet apart any day of the ſix appointed for labour to a holy uſe, and thus much you intimate, p. 124when you call theſe holy working dayes. But of how little ſtrength this is, will hence appear. To work upon the ſix dayes the Jews were bound, no leſſe then we are; and yet even then, when they were to do all things according to the pattern in the Mount, they never thought they ſhould tranſgreſſe Gods holy Command, though without any expreſſe precept they ſet out ſome dayes to remember his mercies, and bleſſe his Name. Upon no other ground did Mordecai inſtitute the Feaſt of Purim, and ordained it to be obſerved in their generations for ever: An anniverſary Feſtival it was to be,Eſth. 9.21, 22. 1 Maccab. 7.49. & 4.54. John 10.22.Esth 9:21Esth 9:221 Macc 7:491 Macc 4:54John 10:22 and yet we finde no precept to warrant it. The Encenia or Feaſt of Dedication of the Temple was no other. The ordainer was Judas Maccabaeus, a Civil Magiſtrate; the obſervation required by Law, by ordinance, and the ſolemnization continued 165 years. And yet notwithſtanding the Authour man, and the obligation a Command; our Saviour himſelf went up to Jeruſalem to obſerve it. I cannot beleeve that our good Lord, that did nothing amiſſe, would have honoured the Feaſt with his preſence, had the ordinance of man in ſuch a caſe been diſpleaſing to God. To come cloſer to the point, ſhould a man preſſe theſe ſtrait-laced men for a Command to keep the Lords day, I am ſure they could not finde it. That it was obſerved by the Apoſtles I eaſily beleeve, becauſe upon the firſt day of the week they brake bread, they enjoyned the Collect; becauſe even then it is called dies Dominicus. Acts 20.7. 1 Cor. 16.2. Revel. 1.10.Acts 20:71 Cor 16:2Rev 1:10But ſtill the difficulty remains, quo warranto? by what Command is this done? where is the precept for it? Neither is it poſſible to remove the ſcruple, but by acknowledging power in the Superiour to appoint a day as for humiliation, ſo for thankſgiving. Which becauſe it is done, and daily practiſed by your ſelves, you of all other ſhould not make this objection: and if it be ſinful not to work the whole ſix dayes, you make men ſin, when you call men from their work to follow you, and hear your Lectures.

But ſtill being indulgent to your errour, if it be an errour, you ever ſet the ſame Coleworts before us, and would make us beleeve it is foreign will-worſhip; and upon the ſame ground becauſe we have no precept for it. But firſt, if it be ſo in us, ſo alſo it muſt be in you; becauſe you finde no more precepts for your dayes of thanks and faſts, nor yet for your lecturing upon working dayes, then we can do for theſe. Secondly, you underſtand not the nature of will-worſhip, as it will appear, if you will vouchſafe to read,Dr. Hamm. of will-worſhip. Dr. Hammonds Tract of that ſubject. Thirdly, what if no precept in Scripture for them? which of the Ancients ever taught men in Adiaphorous things to conclude ab authoritate Scripturae negativè. The Scripture hath not taught, will never teach all thoſe rites and cuſtomes in Religion,Socrat. Schol. lib. 5. cap. 22. which have been in continual uſe and practice in the Church; Sufficient thoſe Oracles of God are foreign, to the end they were ordained to perfect the man of God. Other things what if foreign they ordain not; The eſſential parts of Gods worſhip are there found; no man may adde or diminiſh from it. The agends in many things are left to the prudence of the Church, who then ordains a right, when ſhe ordains nothing contrary to the Word. Should you be preſt with theſe queries, p. 125upon what text or ſubject a Miniſter muſt preach, in what method and place, or how long time, and how often he muſt pray or preach; and the people muſt hear Sermons, and attend holy duties; I know you would be to ſeek for a particular rule in Scripture; your anſwer muſt be that Chriſtian prudence muſt guide theſe actions, and angry you would be, if any man ſhould faſten upon you will-worſhip for theſe or the like, becauſe you can produce no expreſſe text. Be not then ſo haſty to faſten upon a whole Church, what every ſingle man of you does, and thinks he may do, and be blameleſſe.

But to return, foreign in this caſe we are about is very inconſiderately objected; for that in the inſtitution of holy-dayes there is very much light given from the heavenly Lamp. 1. Ratio legis Moſaicae, the equity of Gods Law that enjoynes a thankful remembrance now as well as then; for it is unconceivable, that a Jew ſhould have a command upon him to be joyful and glad-hearted, when the day came that God had done him a good turn; and that a Chriſtian had a diſpenſation to be unthankful, and to receive bleſſings with a heavy dull ſoul. This Ameſius ſaw, and therefore ſaith, Feſti dies anniverſarii, novilunia, Ameſ. lib. 2. Medull. cap. 15. Sect. 16.& ſimiles inſtitutiones quae merè Ceremoniales fuerunt, aequitatem iſtam generalem in ſe etiam continent & adhuc nos docent, quoſdam & accommodos dies cultui publico aſſignari debere. 2. Exempla piorum. The Worthies in old time performed ſome Religious duties without a ſpecial warrant. Abraham payes his tyths; Jacob conſecrates his Bethel; David prayes ſeven times a day; intends to build a Temple to God; The Rechabits refrain wine; Mary breaks her box, and freely beſtows her oyntment, Precept then was none for any of theſe particulars; performed they were upon common prudence, guided by a general rule; and yet I dare ſay of all theſe, as our Saviour did of the laſt, they did a good work, a work acceptable in Gods eye.

How farre is will-worſhip from ſuch ſervices, that being meerly a fiction, a fancy of mans brain, taken up without any foundation at all in the Word of God, either by precept or pattern, or the equity of any Law? The Characters thereof are vain. 2. Erroneous. 3. Repugnant to the will of God. Now I wonder what vanity, errour or impiety can be affixed to the Church in the inſtitution of holy-dayes? The object of our worſhip then is the ever-living God, and ſo no vain worſhip. The form of worſhip the ſame as at other times, and ſo no more erroneous then at other times. 'Tis not the time then, but the form, that muſt be faulty, if at all. 3. But that it is not ſo, the whole is conformable to thoſe general rules and Canons of the Holy Ghoſt delivered for the external circumſtances of Gods worſhip, (as I ſhall prove it after) and ſo not repugnant.

Yea, but ſay our good Mother the Church may be quit from will-worſhip, yet ſhe and her ſonnes may be charged with ſuperſtition. For this is an old relique of the Jew. But who told you, that to obſerve theſe Feaſts was to bring back Moſes from the dead? what of Judaiſme is in them? The dayes are not the ſame, the cauſe of obſervation is not the ſame, the ſervice in them not the ſame; they are neither materially nor formally the p. 126ſame; why then ſhould you caſt the old Synagogue in our teeth? I know not any thing they participate with the Jews, except it be becauſe they are Feaſts. And in the ſame reſpect you may call them Heatheniſh alſo if you pleaſe; for they had their ſeveral Feaſts, their foreign, their foreign, their foreign,Meurſius Graecia feriata. &c. as you may read in Meurſius his Graecia feriata, no leſſe then we have our Feaſts; and if general reſemblances be ſtrong arguments, you may prove an Identity of any thing. But here thoſe of your opinion, put us in minde of that of Saint Paul, who reproves the new planted Churches of Galatia and Coloſſi for Judaizing in obſerving of dayes, months and years, and part of a holy-day. But had theſe diligent Textuaries more diligently plowed with the Apoſtles Heifer,Gal. 4. Coloſſ. 2.15.Gal 4Col 2:15 they might have better gueſſed at his riddle. It was never Saint Pauls intent to decry Chriſtian Feſtivals; his purpoſe is to beat down the Jewiſh opinion, not the day. The new converted Proſelytes conceived they muſt keep their old Sabbath, and the ancient Feaſts as afore, when Moſes Law was in force, expecting juſtification by the obſervation of thoſe legal Ceremonies. Thus to keep any Feaſt, is to bring Moſes back from the dead; and what Chriſtian is there that keeps a holy-day upon this motive? this were indeed to uſe Tertullians phraſe, planè Galaticari; his words are, Galaticamur planè, Tertull. adverſ. Pſych. cap. 14.ſi Judaicarum Ceremoniarum, ſi legali um ſolemnitatum obſervantes ſumus. For theſe were buried with Chriſt. Quod ſi nova conditio, jam & nova ſolemnia eſſe debebunt: aut ſi omnem in totum devotionem temporum & dierum & menſium craſit Apoſtolus, cur Paſcha celebramus, annuo circulo in menſe primo? cur quinquaginta exinde diebus in omni exultatione decurrimus? Out of which words we may eaſily collect theſe Concluſions.

1. That Chriſtians being in a new condition, muſt have new Feaſts.

2. That they, even then 180 years after Chriſt, kept their Paſch, and Pentecoſt.

3. That they kept not theſe upon the Jewiſh ground. Id planè Galaticari.

4. That notwithſtanding the Apoſtles text, their Feſtivals they had; and therefore it never was the Apoſtles Intention to aboliſh them: mark his words. Si omnem in totum devotionem temporum, dierum, m nſium eraſit Apoſtolus, cur celebramus Paſcha, &c. Upon which words lies the ſtrength of his argument.

It is then a fallacy to argue from the Jewiſh Feaſts to the Chriſtian, and to urge that Text to the abolition of ours, which Saint Paul preſt to the evacuation of theirs, betwixt which there is not any Analogy. For as Athanaſius ſaid of Judaical Baptiſme, ſo I may ſay of all their holy-dayes now;Athanaſius. foreign. The ſuperſtition then is on your ſide, not on ours; not on ours, who obſerve them not out of a ſuperſtitious and Jewiſh opinion; but on yours, who prohibit them, and will not have them obſerved. For in things indifferent it is certainly as criminous and ſuperſtitious to place piety in the negative, as in the affirmative; in abſtaining ſcrupulouſly from Ceremonies, as in uſing p. 127them over ſcrupulouſly. Theſe are the men, who have alwayes in their mouths, touch not, taſte not, handle not; being falſe Apoſtles,Col. 2.21. Thomas Eſtius in locum.Col 2:21 who have a ſhew of wiſdome, but not true; being placed in ſuperſtition, which ſhapes and affects a Religion and worſhip out of their own brains.

To cloſe this point, this we ſay, and we colour not to ſay it, that theſe Feſtivals are dayes hallowed, conſecrated and ſet apart to the performance of holy duties. Holy they are in uſe, not in vertue, holy by application meerly; for there is not any holineſſe either of inheſion or infuſion more in them, than in any other dayes. Let not then this flower of our time ſuffer by an Oſtraciſme; nor fancy, nor imitation, nor ſuperſtition, nor will-worſhip hath ſet the mark upon it: the Jew may lie in his grave, and yet our holy-dayes live. Theſe are like the good and vertuous Ladies of our Land; few they are, and being obſerved they make us happy. Suffer them but to depart, and you will deface the ſplendour and dignity of Chriſtian Religion. You will blot out the memorial of ancient Truth, give a great impediment to the encreaſe of faith, give an occaſion of ingratitude, obſtruct the praiſes of God, hinder the Hymns and Pſalms we ought to ſing to his honour; in a word, deprive your ſelves of the ſhadows of your future felicity. I come to your ſecond exception of places.

2. The ſecond was of National places, as the Conſecrated meeting houſes, Porches, Chancels, avd Church-yards.

BEfore you fell foul upon the times, now upon the places of Gods ſervice. I ſee nothing can pleaſe, but what is according to your minde. Quod volumus ſanctum eſt. That ſeems to befall you, which happens to eyes over-runne with the icteriſme; every thing they behold ſeems to be yellow; or to ſuch who are in a high feavour, whoſe palate is ſo affected with the overflowing of choler, that the moſt pleaſant Doſe ſeems bittet to their taſte. How comes it elſe to paſſe, that theſe innocent, but neceſſary circumſtances for the performance of Religious duties ſhould ſo ſtrangely diſguſt you? Time and place are ſuch neceſſary circumſtances of all individual actions, that they cannot be done without them. And therefore, if men will ſerve God, ſome time muſt be ſet out when, and ſome place where to do it; where God hath aſſigned none, there the choice is left in their own breaſt: if the ſervice be private, a private time and place is to be choſen; if publick and in conjunction with others, a publick time and place muſt be thought on. To this laſt onelyonly I am now to ſpeak of publick ſervice to be performed, for which there muſt be deſigned a publick place, which you in ſcorn are pleaſed to call a meeting houſe, Tye Cwrdd; but I pray do you not unawars Judaize in the name? for tell me what's the Engliſh of foreign a Synagogue? is it not the place where the Jewes firſt met together; pray take heed, that you turn not Jew on a ſuddain, by erecting of meeting houſes, inſtead of Chriſtian Churches.

In theſe there is nothing can eſcape your rigid cenſure, not the Porches, not the Chancels, not the Church-yards. Alaſſe, what have theſe p. 128done? The Porches were ſet up for beauty, for ſhelter; & upon the ſame reaſon you may find fault with the Trees growing in the Church-yard, which ſerve only to beautifie the place, & defend the Church from injury of wind & weather. But Zanchy in precept 4. Loc. 2. in Theſi. Sect. 3. gives us another uſe of theſe Porches, that in them the Ostiarii ſtood. Horum enim officium erat primum temporibus, quibus ſacra publicè peragebantur, cavere, ne indigni admiſcerent ſe ſacro cetui, ne quod ſanctum canibus. Deinde Catechumenos juſſos per Diaconum egredi, è Templo educerent, foreſ que occluderènt, & post ſacra peracta clauderent Templum, ne cuivis in illud pateret acceſſus. Quid ita? quia quae uſibus ſacris deſtinata ſunt, in alios uſus profanos uſurpari non debent. The Chancels were thought fit to be ſeparated Cancellis from the body of the fabrick, that in them the Tremenda myſteria, and the action belonging to them, might be celebrated with the greater reverence. The Church-yards were incloſed, that in them the dead bodies of Chriſtians might decently be compoſ'd & laid to ſleep in their beds of duſt. And what harm is there in all this? what ſubject to ſo ſharp a cenſure? muſt the Combinational Church be corrupted, if all this be done? certainly not; for even you, who were wont to aſſemble in other places, can now be content to make uſe of theſe, notwithſtanding the Porches, Chancels, and Church-yards. You meet in them, you preach in them, you bury your dead in them, without any ſcruple that I can hear of. Nobis non licet eſſe tam profanis.

Oh but you ſay theſe were conſecrated. Grave crimen Caie Caeſar; and to it I ſhall return you my anſwer by and by. But firſt I ſhall ſhew you, that the Chriſtians borrowed not their pattern from the Jews to erect houſes and places for the publick ſervice of God. Even that light of reaſon, which taught the whole ſtock of men, before and under the Law, I had almoſt ſaid Heathens themſelves, that publick places muſt be ſet apart for publick Religious duties, directed them to ſet up theſe ſtructures.

Before the Law, the Patriarchs had their ſet places to ſerve God; Adams ſonnes a place where to ſacrifice. In Enos dayes there were Aſſemblies; Noah and Abraham had aſſigned Altars; Jacob his Bethel, with which place God was ſo well pleaſed, that he would be called the God of Bethel, as you would ſay, the God of Gods houſe, to which this title was given. Haec eſt domus Dei, & porta caeli, that you be not quite out of love with Church-Porches. Well, Jacobs children are carried into Aegypt, and become bond-men there; all that while we read not of any deſigned places for Sacrifice, for Prayers, for Religious performances; and no marvaile, for they were in bondage; and to look after publick places then, were as if you ſeek for Solomons Temple in the Captivity, 'twas enough that then they met as they could, aſſemble by the Rivers ſide, and ſit down and weepe by the Waters of Babylon.

Flebile neſcio quid queritur Lyra, flebile lingua

Murmurat exanimis, reſpondent flebile ripae.

p. 129But when once God had delivered them from that ſervitude, and brought them into the Wilderneſſe, even in that vaſt Deſart, when they had no ſetled habitation, yet a moving Tabernacle they had for Gods worſhip.Exod. 26.27.Exod 26:27 After they were brought into the Land of Canaan, this Tabernacle was firſt fixed for five years at Gilgal; in the ſixth it was tranſlated to Shilo, Rivet. in Hoſ. cap. 4. 15.Hos 4:15where it remained till Eli's dayes, when taken, but after reſtored, it was ſet in Kiriathjearim, and laſt in Miſphat. Iſrael then was never to ſeek whether to reſort for their publick ſervice. And when they were diſperſed in the Land, and ſetled in their diviſions, that they might acquaint themſelves with Moſes Law, and offer up their petitions and thanks to God, they built themſelves Synagogues, even before the Temple was erected. For they were in Davids time, that appears by his complaint,Pſalme 74.8.Ps 74:8 They have burnt up all the houſes or Synagogues of God in the Land. But when God had choſen Jeruſalem, and in Jeruſalem Mount Moria, there to have his ſtanding habitation made, it was in the chiefeſt of Davids deſires to have performed ſo good a work; but Solomon built him a houſe. The Temple then was like a great Cathedral,Sigon. de rep. Hebr. lib. 2. c. 8. Marc. 1.39. Maimonides in Tebilla. cap. 11. Sect. 1.Mark 1:39 and the Synagogues were like our Pariſh Churches, of which there were in Jeruſalem alone 480. and out of Jeruſalem many Synagogues in Galilee, Matth. 4.23. Synagogues at Damaſcus, Acts 9.2. Synagogues at Salamis, Acts 13.5. Synagogues at Antioch, Acts 13.14. Yea, their tradition is, that wherſoever ten men of Iſrael were, there ought to be built a Synagogue: and in theſe our Saviour preached.

The Church of Chriſt which began at Jeruſalem, and held that profeſſion which had not the countenance and allowance of publick authority, could not exerciſe ſome duties of Chriſtian Religion, but in private onelyonly. What they did as Jews, they had acceſſe to the Temple and Synagogues; what as Chriſtians, they were forced otherwhere to aſſemble themſelves, which at firſt muſt need be private Rooms, and private houſes. And as God gave encreaſe to his Church, they both there and abroad, ſought out not the fitteſt, but the ſafeſt places. And it was not long but they began to erect Oratories, denominating theſe places from the principal part of Gods ſervice; Prayer, to which how our Lord himſelf ſtood affected, we may acknowledge by that, where he calls his Church his houſe of prayer; and ſuch an one Tremellius findes, Acts 16.16. foreign.Tremell. in Acts 16.13.Acts 16:13 And the thirteenth, And on the Sabbath day we went out of the City by a River ſide, where prayer was wont to be made; the Greek is, foreign, he reads it ubi conſpiciebatur, it ſhould be, ubi decernebatur domus orationis; for foreign, is uſed ſometimes not for the action, but the houſe it ſelf. In qua te quaero Proſeucha. Juvenal.And then if Tremellius verſion and note be true, we have an early Oratory. But be it as it will, thus much may eaſily be granted, which I have learned from a great Clerk,Selden de decimis. yet no great friend of the Church; that it cannot be conceived how Chriſtianity ſhould be in any Nation (if publickly and generally received) much ancienter then Churches, or ſome convenient houſes or places in the nature of Churches appointed for the exerciſe of devotion. And therefore p. 130in the Apoſtles time, places they had to meet in upon the Lords day, perchance at firſt made of private houſes publick, dedicated by the owners and accepted, and ſet apart by the Apoſtles for that uſe. In theſe publick ſervices was ſolemnized, a woman might not ſpeak, 1 Cor. 14.35. In theſe ſhe was not to be uncovered, a man not covered, 1 Cor. 11. In theſe the Euchariſt was adminiſtred, Acts 20. In theſe the collect for the poor gathered, 1 Cor. 16. Other houſes they had to eat and drink in, and a man that could not make that diſtinction, did deſpiſe the Church of God, 1 Cor. 11.22. And this place was ſome noted place; otherwiſe Saint Paul could not have ſaid as he doth, 1 Cor. 14.23. If therefore the whole Church be come together into one place, and all ſpeak with tongues, and there come in one that is unlearned or unbelievers, will they not ſay that you are mad?

Soon after this, we read of foreign, Kirks, Dominica ſet apart to Gods ſervice. I mentioned three before, the foreign in Nitria in Aegypt; the Church where Saint John with his Aſiatick Biſhops kept his Synod; That built by Joſeph of Arimathea at Glaſtenbury; Theophilus houſe in Antioch was conſecrated into a Church.Clem. Recog. lib. 10. Dion in Adriano. The Centuriſts confeſſe Anno 193. that Severus the Emperour allowed the Chriſtians a Church ad pium uſum, and before him Adrian had done the like.

I do not ſay, that theſe were at firſt ſumptuous; the poverty of the Church, and the envy that thence might be drawn upon Chriſtians would not permit it. But at length, when it pleaſed God to raiſe up Kings and Emperours, favouring ſincerely the Chriſtian faith, that which the Church before either could not, or durſt not do, was with all alacrity performed. Baſilicae were in all places erected, no coſt was ſpared, nothing was thought too dear, which was that way ſpent. And their bounty this way, was to this day ſpoken of with honour, till the Anabaptiſts firſt caſt in their exceptions againſt them; and you after them ſhew your diſpleaſure, for ſome certain ſolemnities uſual at the firſt erection of them. At which you aime, when you call theſe

Conſecrated meeting houſes.

That there may be ſome Ceremonies blame-worthy in the conſecration of them ſhall be confeſſed; But yet notwithſtanding theſe, that they ſhould be the worſe for conſecration, this we deny. For what is intended by conſecration more then that we make them places of publick reſort, that we inveſt God himſelf with them, that we ſever them from common uſes?

1. It behoveth that the place where God is to be ſerved, be a publick place: For leave but every man alone to ſerve God in a Parlour, and it will never come to be what it was in the Primitive Chriſtians, who were all of one heart and one ſoul. Men may conceive as they liſt, but as experience teacheth, men will never be foreign, buſily and piouſly intent about the ſame thing, till they meet foreign in the ſame place. Diviſion of places will not be long without diviſion of minds, which the ten Tribes were jealous of,Joſh. 22.Josh 22 when they queſtioned their brethren for building p. 131their Altar;Deut. 16.16.Deut 16:16 and God prevented by requiring the preſence of all the males at that place three times a year that he ſhould chooſe. For by this meeting in a publick place, the inſtillation of heretical and ſchiſmatical poſitions may be prevented. But this is not all, the razor of ſharper tongues may be dulled, who have given deep wounds and gaſhes to the reputation of the beſt Chriſtians; even then, when they were forced to ſerve in Grots, and Cells,Tertull. Juſtin. Epiph. Euſeb. and retired places: The ſetting apart then of publick places, hath both theſe benefits to attend it, that it prevents hereſies and ſcandals.

2. By this the place is delivered from common hands, and a ſurrender made of that right which the Owner of the ground might claim in it, till this Ceremony; that being once paſt, the poſſeſſion is ſeverd from the free hold. His own it was, and he might have kept it; now it is a Deodate, Gods houſe, not his; his for no other purpoſe, but to ſerve his God. The Work-man might draw the line and plummet upon it, and make it a houſe, but it is the aſſignation of it to Religious duties that makes it to be foreign, the Lords houſe. Good it were, that ſome difference were put betwixt Gods dwelling place, and our houſes. Now conſecration is that which ſets the note of difference; by it there is a dedication and aſſignation given, and livery and ſeizen taken. And that you be not ſo much offended hereafter with it, I could put you in minde of the conſecration of Solomons Temple;1. Reg. 8.1 Kgs 8 but I know you will ſay that was Jewiſh, though it be an exception of no moment. I ſhall therefore bring to your remembrance an older example, which hath nothing of the Ceremonial Law in it. The firſt that erects a fabrick to Gods ſervice, is the Patriarch Jacob, and very Ceremonious he was about it. He takes the ſtone whereon he ſlept,Gen. 28.20. 21, 22.Gen 28:20Gen 28:21Gen 28:22 makes it as it were the firſt ſtone of the building, then pours oyle upon the top of it, as the conſecration; calls it Bethel, Gods houſe, and endows it too, vowing the tenth of all he had. A place we have here ſeparated to Gods uſe by a Religious Ceremony; a Dedication, a Conſecration, a Dotation: and I doubt not but the equity of the Law which prevailed with him, will alſo juſtifie us in the like caſe. Under Severus, Gordian, Philippus Arabs, Euſeb. l. 8.1, 2. lib. 10.2.and Galienus, the Chriſtian ability growing greater, and their liberty enlarged, they built ſpacious Churches. Theſe the bloody Diocleſian threw down, and good Conſtantine gave leave to reaedifie, where no Ceremony was omitted that might honour ſuch intents. The Celebration of Dedications, and Conſecration of Oratories lately builded was the deſired ſpectacle of thoſe times, to which Prince and people, people and Clergy reſorted, and ſome with Orations, ſome with Sermons, and ſome with the ſacrifices of prayer, in an Aſſembly of the greateſt part of the Biſhops ſolemnized that happy day. You may at your leiſure read a whole Sermon, extant in Euſebius, directed to Paulinus Biſhop of Tyre, lib. 10. c. 4.by whoſe means that famous Temple in Phaenicia was builded and conſecrated in a ſolemn manner. The ſtory accompts of the day of Conſecration as of a wedding ſolemnity, when the new erected Church as a Virgin was joyned faſt in the bands of Matrimony by the Biſhops prayers and office unto her Lord Chriſt. I could adde to this that the ſame Conſtantine ſo often as he was forced into the Field in Arms p. 132to encounter his enemies, carried along with him a Conſecrated Tent, which he ſet up and ſpread in the faſhion of a Church in that place, he did caſtrametari, that in that with his Army he might offer his devotions to his God.

To Conſecrate is no new word, nor to be diſliked, for it ſignifies no more than to depute to a ſacred uſe, and dedicate and aſſign to God; whether times, perſons, things. To draw to an end, there ought to be among Chriſtians ſcarce foreign any thing common or profane. A kind of Conſecration paſſeth upon all we have. Our foreign our income is not profane, that is conſecrated by a Collection, ſet apart for the Saints. Our meat nor our drink are not profane things,1 Cor. 16. 1 Tim. 4.5. Mal. 3.8. ad 12.1 Cor 161 Tim 4:5Mal 3:8 when they are Conſecrated by the Word and Prayer: Our goods are not then profane, when Gods part is ſet aſide: Our ſelves, our Children are Conſecrated to God by Baptiſme, and ſo of profane, become holy perſons. And ſhall the Church then, in which we are to render our thanks for all theſe, and to pray for a bleſſing upon theſe, want its Conſecration by the Word and Prayer? for other Conſecration we allow none.

It hath often put me into an aſtoniſhment to finde out the cauſe why you ſhould diſlike theſe places, becauſe Conſecrated; and at laſt I could finde no other, except this, that you would not be bound to put off your ſhooes, nor to take heed to your feet, when you entred into the houſe of God;Exod. 3.5. Eccleſ. 5.1.Exod 3:5Eccl 5:1 but left at liberty to uſe other homely familiar geſtures. If any gueſſe be right, in this place I ſhall ſay little to it, only remember you, that the Publican who entred the Temple, and ſtood afarre off, and ſmote his breaſt, thrived better than the Phariſee in his loftier garb, for he went home to his houſe juſtified.Luke 18.14.Luke 18:14

3. The third was of National perſons, as Univerſal Preachers, Office-Prieſts, Half-Prieſts, or Dioceſan Deacons.

TO this my anſwer ſhall be in brief, that among the Jews I finde no Univerſal Preacher, no Office-Prieſt, no Half Prieſt, no Dioceſan Deacon; and therefore theſe among us could not be taken up by imitation from the Jews. Prieſts indeed they had, but no more like ours, than an apple is like a nut. Similitudes in general make but a poor reſemblance; Men and mettals may be all one this way.

Secondly, I reply, that againſt Univerſal Preachers, you of all others have leaſt reaſon to take exception, becauſe you allow all that have gifts to be ſo. Millers, Mercers, Thatchers, Weavers, Trunck-makers, and who not? for of ſuch conſiſt the greateſt body of your Itinerants, upon whom, what name can you more aptly put than Univerſal Preachers, ſince they are not confined to any one flock?A Sermon preached by a Presbyt. Anno 1589. pag. 27. 28. Concerning whom, let me return you the words of one of your opinion, whoſe name is to me unknown, in a godly Sermon preached and printed Anno 1589. Alaſſe, muſt we not look for the heavy hand of the Lord, when we ſee many ignorant men, not onelyonly void of all skill in the Hehrew, Greek and Latine Tongues, in Logick, Rhetorick, p. 133and other Arts; (but alſo which I am aſhamed to ſpeak) not acquainted with the true Doctrine of Repentance; who are yet ſo bold, ſo impudent, and of ſo hard faces, that they dare to extend and ſtretch out (I will not ſay) their gifts, which they have not, nor the ſhadow of a gift, to take upon them the high Meſſage of God, to carry to his people the glad-tydings of ſalvation, which Chriſt hath purchaſed for them with his precious blood. Oh ſhameleſſe impudency! ſhall he take upon him to hold the Helme, that is ſcarce worthy to labour at the Pump? O damnable boldneſſe! O wretched covetouſneſſe! That for an Annual ſtipend, will undertake ſo ſacred a work. O fooliſh men, that will commend them whom they ought to diſpraiſe. O miſerable, — that lift up thoſe to Moſes Chair, who ought rather to be thruſt to the tail of the Plough. What doth more diſhonour God, diſcredit the Goſpel, confirme the Adverſaries of the Truth, than this ignorance and boldneſſe of your Univerſal Preachers? For I beſeech you tell me, can the honour and praiſe of Gods Wiſdome be commended by the folly and ignorance of his Miniſter? Can the ineſtimable treaſure and riches of a gracious Prince, be ſeen in the beggarly nakedneſs of a baſe Embaſſadour? Can the Adverſaries of the grace of Chriſt, by looking upon an Idol which hath nothing but a ſhew of that it is not, be diſſwaded from the worſhip of Idols? Can he bring men from Errour, that knows not when he teacheth Truth? Finally, can the carnal minded Atheiſt be perſwaded that Chriſt is the Redeemer of the World, whoſe Miniſters theſe be? Theſe are the words of that Authour, which I thought good to tranſcribe, that you ſhould not impute to me any Satyrical expreſſions; let him who hath printed the paſſage anſwer for it.

Farther yet, that I may a little allay your odiun and ſpleen to theſe Univerſal Preachers, I pray tell me the meaning of thoſe words of your New-Englands conſtitution, delivered in theſe words,Synod at Cambridge. cap. 9. Sect. 6. Nor can conſtant reſidence at one Congregation be neceſſary for a Miniſter, nor yet lawful, if he be not a Miniſter to one Congregation onelyonly, but to the Church Univerſal: becauſe he may not attend to one part onelyonly of the Church whereto he is a Miniſter, but he is called to attend upon the whole flock. I ſee that magna eſt veritas, & praevalebit: that Truth, when men are out of their heats, ſhall have a fair teſtimony, even from its enemies. For what could be ſaid more clearly by us for Univerſal Preachers than is here delivered? And what is more conſonant to our Saviours charge to Peter, which Saint Paul ingeminates to the Paſtours of Epheſus, Feed the flock, Joh. 21.15, 16, 17. Acts 20.28.John 21:15John 21:16John 21:17Acts 20:28over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you over-ſeers? Every Miniſter is a Miniſter of Chriſt Jeſus, and ought to have a care of the whole Church, though more particularly of that Congregation to which he is deſigned; yet with this proviſo, that he remember that the whole is within his charge, and that therefore he ought to promote the welfare of the Catholick, ſo far forth as lies in his power.

p. 1342. Office-Prieſts.

You delight in compounded words, which the Greek elegantly, but our language kindly bears not. I muſt then take your compound aſunder, and aske you, which of the words diſpleaſe, whether the Prieſts, or their office? The word Prieſt is derived ſome ſay from foreign, and then 'tis the ſame with St. Pauls foreign, from whence you derive your Ruling Elders. and will you catch up the Office,Etymolog. magn. and not own the Name? But others more probably from the French word Prebſtre, in which the letter b is quieſcent, as all know that know the language; and then I hope you will not ſo much ſcorne the name hereafter, ſince that Prebſtre is the ſame with foreign, the word ſo often uſed in Scripture; you ſay for a Lay-Elder, we for a Prieſt, yea for that very Prieſt you jear at, the Office-Prieſt.

For what is an Office, but that duty which every one is bound to do? and ſhall a man be mocked for doing his Office? The Office of him who is ſometime by us called the Prieſt, ſometime the Miniſter, ſometimes by other names (and yet all's but one and the ſame man) is to preach the word, to adminiſter the Sacraments, to make prayers and ſupplications, to give thanks, and make interceſſions for all men, which when he performs he does his Office, and for the doing you ought not to condemn him. If you, or any other in your place, ſhall not conſcientiouſly performe theſe Offices, I ſhall ſay he is unworthy to carry the name of a Presbyter, which is all one as if I call'd him Prieſt.

But make the moſt and worſt you can of it. I tell you that there was to remain a Prieſt-hood under the New Teſtament, not that of Aaron, but that of Melchizedech. For Chriſt was to be a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchizedech. Heb. 10.10. Thom. part. 3. 9. 48 art. 3. Jewels reply. Art. 7. Sect. 9. Id. art. 17. 14. Fulk. in Matth. 26. Caſaub. exer. 16. Sect. 43. Rom. 12.1.Heb 10:10Matt 26Rom 12:1And an Analogy there is betwixt theſe two. They had their bloody Sacrifices then, and we have our Sacrifices now to offer. For as Chriſt offer'd up himſelf once for all, a full and all-ſufficient Sacrifice for the ſinne of the whole world, ſo did he inſtitute and command a Memory of this Sacrifice in a Sacrament, even till his coming again. For at and in the Euchariſt, we offer up unto God three Sacrifices. One by the Miniſter only, that's the Commemorative Sacrifice of Chriſts death repreſented in bread broken, and wine poured out. Another by the Miniſter and people joyntly, and that's the Sacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiving, for all the Benefits and Graces we receive by the blood of Chriſt. The third by ever particular man for himſelf only, and that's the Sacrifice of every mans body and ſoul to ſerve God in both. Then in this for ought I know to the contrary we all agree, that though the propitiatory Sacrifice was made by Chriſt himſelf only, yet that in the Euchariſt there remains a ſacrifice of Duty, and a ſacrifice of Praife, and a ſacrifice of Commemoration. And therefore I ſee no reaſon, but the name of Prieſt may be retain'd alſo, who is to do the chiefeſt work in the offering of all theſe ſacrifices.

p. 1353. Half-Prieſts, or Dioceſan Deacons.

But you are not offended with the whole Prieſts only, but with the half-prieſts alſo as you call them, and you interpret your ſelf by the Deacons, whom in ſcorne you call Dioceſan. But I pray over what Dioceſſe were they ever ſet? in what Dioceſſe imployed? That the Biſhop of the Dioceſſe ordained them, and permitted them as Probationers ſometimes to preach, no otherwiſe than the Catechizers were allow'd in the Church of Alexandria, or as Origen by the Biſhops of Jeruſalem and Caeſarea, this is certain;Euſeb. lib. 6. c 20. but that they were Dioceſan Deacons, I never heard before.

I know what you drive at, that the Deacons muſt only be viduarum & menſarum Ministri, as at firſt, and muſt not meddle with the word. But to this Mr. Hooker if you pleaſe to conſult him, will give you a full anſwer, which is the ſame I formerly gave in its due place.Hook. Eccl pol. lib. 5. Sect. 78. Diſtribution of the Church ſtock, and attendance on the divine ſervice, was the uſe for which the Deacons were firſt made; but if the Church hath ſince extended their Miniſtery further then the circuit of their labour was firſt drawn, we are not herein to think the order of Scripture violated, except there appear ſome prohibition, that had abridg'd the Church of that liberty. Suppoſe we the office of teaching ſo repugnant to the Office of diſtributing, that they cannot continue in one and the ſame perſon? How was it with the Apoſtles before that Election? How with the 70. out of which they were choſen? It ſeems then, that theſe duties are not ſo incompatible, but they may be found in one man. When the duties are ſuch that they cannot be well diſcharg'd by one, then it is good to make a diviſion, and ſubſtitute under officers, as did Moſes. But when the ſame man is of ability to do what is laid upon him, and to undergo ſomewhat more, it can be no errour to lay a double Task upon him. I proceed. You ſay.

4. The fourth was of National pious performances, as ſtinted worſhip, Quiriſters, ſinging of Pſalms, with all the Rubrique poſtures.

I could forgive you the reſt, becauſe you acknowledge theſe performances to be pious; for if they had piety in them, I ſee no reaſon why you or any body elſe have cauſe to note them for corruptions. But when I came to this place I entred into debate with my ſelf, which part of Solomons counſel I ſhould take, whether I ſhould anſwer or not anſwer. Not to anſwer,Dr. Bancroft. Featly. Hammond. Fulke. Taylour. Hooker Prideaux. Preſton. might give you occaſion to boaſt I could not. And to anſwer, was to ſay over again that which hath been ſo often ſayd by worthy and learned men, whom if you have not conſulted, you are to blame, and I wiſh you would; if you have and are not ſatisfied, I fear my labour will be loſt. However I ſhall ſet before you, what they have ſaid before me. And firſt I ſhall ſpeak to your ſtinted worſhip.

1. And here give me leave firſt to ask you, to what you referre this word ſtinted, whether you ſtrictly reſtrain it to the word worſhip, or to p. 136the Spirit by which we are to worſhip. If to the firſt, I ſee you are againſt all ſet forms of worſhip; if to the laſt, that you think the Spirit is reſtrained by theſe ſet forms. And becauſe both are ſaid by your party, I ſhall anſwer to both: and to the laſt firſt.

Theſe conceiv'd forms are either premeditate, or extempore; if premeditate, then the Spirit is as much limited in their conceiv'd forms, as by any forme conceiv'd by the Church. But if extempore, then the Spirit only of him that makes the prayer is left at liberty; for the whole Congregation is by that means as much ſtinted and bound to a ſet forme, to wit, of thoſe words the Miniſter conceivs, as if he read them out of a book. And is not the Spirit reſtrain'd when the Congregation ſhall be confined to the forme of this one mans compoſing? If this be not ſtinted worſhip, if this be not to ſtint the Spirit, I know not what it is. And I can ſee but one way to avoid it, that every one in the Congregation conceive and offer up a prayer with his own ſpirit, and not be forced and confin'd to the Miniſters ſingle dictate; this would preſerve entirely that liberty of the Spirit you pretend; that other will not. To this if you will not yield, as I know you will not, it lies upon you to anſwer the objection, which I never ſaw yet done.

2. As for ſet forms of prayer, which I conceive you principally intend by ſtinted worſhip, I ſhall next endeavour to juſtifie them upon many grounds.

1. In the old Teſtament we find ſet forms of bleſſing and thankſgiving, and prayers appointed by God himſelf. He it was that fram'd to his Prieſts the very words with which they were to bleſſe the people.Numb. 6.23.24, 25, 26. Numb. 10.35.36. 2 Chron. 29.30. Exod. 15. Selden in Eutychium.Num 6:23Num 6:24Num 6:25Num 6:26Num 10:35Num 10:362 Chr 29:30Exod 15 Speak to Aaron and his Sonnes, ſaying in this wiſe ſhall ye bleſſe the people; The Lord bleſſe and keep thee, &c. At the remove of the Arke, a forme is ſet and taught the Prieſts, exurgat Deus, diſſipentur inimici. At the Arks return a form, Return O Lord into thy reſting place. Hezekiah preſcribed to the Prieſts to ſing praiſe to the Lord with the words of David and Aſaph the Seer. Moſes Hymn for the overthrow of Pharaoh is extant, and in the ſame chapter taken up and ſung by Miriam, which afterward grew a part of the Jewiſh ordinary Church Liturgy, for ſuch they had, being inſtituted by Ezra and the Conſiſtory. What ſhould I tell you that the 92. Pſalm is a Pſalm compoſ'd for the Sabbath? The 20. Pſalm to be ſung by the people when the King went forth to battaile; The 113. to the 118. the great Hallelujah; 13. whole Pſalms, or as ſome ſay, 15. viz. from 119. to 134. Songs of degrees,Moller. Ameſ. Muſculut. in Pſ. 21.Ps 21 becauſe upon every one of the ſteps, which were 15. betwixt the peoples court and the Temple, the Prieſts made a ſtay, and ſung one of theſe Pſalms; and the 21. Pſalm compoſed by David to be ſung by the people for the King when he came home with victory.

Yea, but ſay ſome this was in the infancy and minority of the Church, as children then they needed their Feſtra's; as infirm bodies, their crutches; but now under the Goſpel it is otherwiſe, we have more light and gifts of the Spirit than they had. True, more light we have, becauſe the Myſtery kept ſecret from the beginning of the world, is more clearly revealed p. 137to us, then it was to them, but that's not the queſtion; prove they ſhould, if they ſpeak to the purpoſe, that we have now more ability to compoſe a prayer then they had, more of the Spirit of Grace and ſupplications. Men may have a high conceit of their own abilities; but I ſuppoſe no wiſe man will conceive but that Aaron and his ſonnes, Moſes and the Prieſts, Hezekiah and the Levites had as great an ability to pray ex tempore, as great a meaſure of the Spirit of grace and ſupplications, as any man that now lives, and yet they uſed and preſcribed ſet forms. Their minority then was in reſpect of the object of faith, not in reſpect of the ſpirit of ſupplications. Theſe men therefore ſhew themſelves children to talke of Feſtra's, and cripples in their underſtanding to talk of crutches; ſince thoſe mens legs were far ſtronger then theirs, and their graces of the Spirit far beyond any Enthuſiaſts in theſe days. We may think of theſe forms as meanly as we pleaſe; but Chryſoſtome was of another judgement;Chryſoſt. Hom. 1. of prayer. for thus he begins one of his Homilies of prayer. For two reaſons it becomes Gods ſervants to wonder and bleſſe him, both for the hope we have in their prayers, and that preſerving in writing the Hymns and Oriſons they offer'd to God with fear and joy, they have deliver'd to us their treaſure, that ſo they might draw all poſterity to their zeale and imitation. Yea, but the Spirit muſt teach us to pray, it helps all our infirmities, 'tis the promiſe of God to his Church, I will poure upon them the Spirit of Grace and ſupplications. Zach. 12.10.Zech 12:10And all this may be done in a ſet forme, as well as by any extempore prayer. True, it is the Spirit muſt teach us to pray, both for matter and forme; for we know not what to ask and muſt teach us how to pray, for we know not how to ask; zeal and fervour, and faith, and perſeverance, and importunity, all neceſſary affections in every ſupplicant are gifts of the Spirit; and groans and ſighs proceed from the Spirit; he moves the heart firſt to ſupplicate, brings a man to ſee in what a wretched caſe he is, one that by his ſins hath pierced the Son of God & therefore to deprecate & ask pardon; deprecentur ipſum, implorent illius miſericordiam. Junius in Loc. Zach.But why all this may not be as well in a petitioner that prays in a ſet forme, as in him who pretends to the Spirit, and yet utters ſo much cold and low ſtuff on a ſudden, no wiſe man can imagin.

Compare but theſe extempore raptures with the words of Moſes, David and Aſaph the Seer, with the prayers, interceſſions, Hymns and Pſalms of the Servants and Prophets, and holy men of God uttered and left upon record, and then it will be eaſie to put the difference betwixt thoſe who are truly taught by the Spirit, and thoſe who preſume to be taught. For from the one hath proceeded prayers and ſupplications, and forms of thankſgiving ſo high and admirable, that they are beyond imitation: from the other a ſhower of words ſo flat, ſo jejune, ſo confuſed, ſo unſignificant, that ſometime they paſſe all underſtanding. Will you but have patience to hear the Cenſure of Brown himſelf after his converſion,Bancroft ſer. preach'd 1588. who thus ſpeaks to his friends concerning their extempore prayers. Good God, what worſhip or prayer do you uſe! I am aſham'd to name the boldneſſe and folly of ſome, who ſcarce able to utter three words orderly, will yet take upon them to babble p. 138out a tedious, long, and ſtuttering prayer, wherein every tenth word ſhall be the repeating of O heavenly Father, O merciful Father, O dear Father, O good Lord, O merciful God, &c. and all things ſo fooliſhly pack'd together, that their prayer ſeems rather the liſping and prattling of an infant that would tell a great tale could he hit of it, then the petition of a zealous devout ſoul to his God. Theſe are the words of Brown the Patriarch, and woful experience doth juſtifie him; for in many Extemporaries, the matter of the prayer is ſo indigeſted, the words ſo incongruous, the periods ſo broken and interrupted, the length ſo tedious, the Tautologies ſo many, that a mean capacity may be apt to ſay, The prayer was never dictated by the Spirit.

To break off from this; to pray by the Spirit is two ways taken. Either for prayers made by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, and ſo they which uſe premeditated prayers or ſet forms, may pray by the Spirit as well as others, for the Spirit aſſiſts in the premeditation and in the delivery. Or elſe to pray by the Spirit, is to pray by the immediate inſpiration of the Spirit; as the Prophets and Apoſtles ſpoke and wrote, and thus neither they who now uſe ſet forms, nor yet they who pray extempore, can be ſaid to pray; for then their prayers ſhould be of equal authority with the Pſalms of David and Aſaph, and other prayers ſet down and taught by divine inſpiration. And it ſeemes that wiſdome is the daughter of time; for even they in whoſe mouths there were no other prayers lawful but extempore, have now perſwaded and commended to their proſelytes the Practice of Piety, and adviſed them to make uſe of thoſe ſet formes in their devotions, which I am ſure will as much ſtint the ſpirit as any Collect in the Liturgy.

2. But I leave the old Prophets, and that which occaſioned this diſcourſe, and come to the Chriſtian Church. Chriſt did not onelyonly uſe himſelf a ſet forme of words in prayer, but three times together uſed the ſame words.Mat. 26. Luk. 11.Matt 26Luke 11 Saint John Baptiſt taught his diſciples to pray, and it cannot be conceived but it was in a ſet forme, for two reaſons. For had he ſaid to them, the Spirit ſhall teach you, then he had not taught them, but the Spirit. Secondly, a forme ſure it was that the diſciples came to be taught to pray, as John taught his diſciples, and upon it Chriſt preſcribed them a forme; When you pray, ſay, In Matthew indeed it is, When you pray, ſay thus, but in Saint Luke, where the forme is preſcribed, ſay This, Our Father, &c. It ſeemes he meant it not onelyonly as a patterne, but as a forme it ſelf (as the ſtandard-buſhel is not onelyonly a meaſure of all buſhels, but may it ſelf be uſed) which precept no man can with a good conſcience obey, that holds all ſet formes of neceſſity to be caſt out of the Church.

Auguſt. epiſt. 59. Tertull. in expoſit. orationis dominicae.And therefore the ancient Churches began and concluded their Liturgies with it. This Tertullian calls Legitima oratio, and affirms that this being premiſed, men have liberty to adde other petitions, praemiſſa legitima & ordinaria oratione quaſi fundamento, accidentium jus est deſideriorum, jus est extruendi extrinſecas petitiones. His words are very material. This prayer is lawful, and legitimate; this is ordinary, it muſt be premiſed, it muſt be the foundation of our petitions; and this being laid, then a man may lay his right and claime upon it to build other deſires, other petitions. p. 139And as the Ancients would begin with it, ſo alſo they had a care to end with it alſo, it being a comprehenſive prayer,Directory. Perkins on the Lords prayer. that whatſoever might be defective in the reſt, this might complete it. And this again is the moſt powerful eloquence to draw God to audience; Could we ſpeak with the tongues of men and Angels, yet certainly our petitions cannot finde ſo eaſie an entrance into our heavenly Fathers ears, as when we tender them in his Sons own words. This was the judgment both of Cyprian and Chryſologus, Qui fecit vivere, docuit & orare, ut dum prece & oratione, quam filius docuit, apud patrem loquimur, audiamur: agnoſcit filii ſui verba, Cyprian de orat. dominicae.cum precem facimus: & in dictandis precibus vota ſupplicum praevenit. Adde to this, a man is bound to ſay Amen at the end of a prayer; now a man may much ſcruple whether he is bound to ſay Amen to ſuch a prayer, which he hath not time to weigh, which he hath not time to conſider. For put caſe that he who takes upon him to ſpeak unto you in the Name of God,Chryſologus in eadem. ſhall teach ſome falſe doctrine, or covertly deliver unto the people ſome errour; and after pray that God would bleſſe the ſeed which he hath ſown; is it not dangerous to joyne with him in his deſires? Such a thing may poſſibly fall out. And this inconvenience is quite removed, partly by ſubjoyning this prayer, partly by uſing thoſe forms the Church hath enjoyned, to which a man may upon deliberation ſay Amen.

But this is not the ſole example we have in the New Teſtament patterns for ſet formes. The Apoſtle nine times reiterates the ſame words. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with you all. And to put the matter out of doubt, the Saints for their victory over the Beaſt, ſang the triumphal ſong, as Moſes and the Iſraelites ſang of old, when they were delivered from the Egyptians. No marvail if the ſame benefit be celebrated with the ſame ſong. In theſe paſſage,Revel. 15.3. Bright in lec.Rev 15:3 of holy Scripture we have ſet formes of prayer ſomewhere commended, ſomewhere commanded, ſomewhere uſed, ſomewhere reiterated, and all inſpired by the holy Ghoſt; and therefore certainly the uſe of them can be no quenching of the holy Spirit, whom we finde to enflame our hearts in rehearſal of theſe ſacred formes.

3. And in the laſt place if we look upon the cuſtome of Gods people, find we ſhall that in all places, and in all ages they have made uſe of publique ſet and ſanctified forms of prayer. H…geſippus an ancient writer, one that was near the Apoſtles times, writes that St. James choſen Biſhop of Jeruſalem by the Apoſtles themſelves for a forme of ſervice or common prayer compoſ'd by him for that Church, yet extant, was call'd Jacobus Liturgus. To omit Juſtin Martyr, in whom I find foreign, Common prayers, and foreign preſcribed prayers in Origen. Juſt Mart. Apol. 2. Orig. lib. 6. contr. Celſ. Cypr. in Orat. dominicae. Perk. reſut. of the real preſence Fox. Mart. fol. 1275.In Cyprian we find the Prieſt before prayer uſing this Preface; S…rſum corda, and the people anſwering habemus ad Dominum, which forme as Perkins confeſſes was uſed in all Liturges of the ancient Church. This then was no rag of Rome, but as Mr. Fox truly ſaith, was borrowed from the Greek, not the Latin Church. Which is ſo true, that the Centuriſts confeſſe, that in the bleſſed Martyr Cyprians dayes without all doubt, formulas quaſdum precum habuerunt. Be pleaſed to look in the latter end of my Catechiſme, where you ſhall finde the old Lyturgies cited to that purpoſe.

p. 140And as Chriſtianity begun more and more to flouriſh, ſo were the Fathers of the Church careful that the people ſhould not be deſtitute of theſe excellent means to ſerve God; the Biſhops for their ſeveral Dioceſſes compoſing their Liturgies; Baſil for Cappodocia and thoſe parts: Chryſoſtome for Conſtantinople, and the Greek Church under his juriſdiction: Ambroſe for Milan, Gregory and Iſidore for the Weſterne Churches; all which are extant to this day; and out of theſe and ſome more ancient attributed to the Apoſtles themſelves, all the famous and known Churches of the world have compoſed their foreign, and we among the reſt, ſo that it was no vaine brag which Arch-biſhop Cranmer made, that if he might be admitted to call Peter Martyr, and four or five more unto him, he would make it appear that the ſame forme of worſhip which was ſet forth in the Book of Common Prayer, had continued for ſubſtance even then one thouſand five hundred years: and give me leave to adde this to the honourable burial of it, ſince it muſt be buried, that before it was authorized and publiſhed in that beauty we lately ſaw it, it went under the file fifteen times. And by what men? even by thoſe, who many of them, ſealed the truth of it with their blood in the fire.

It ſhould ſeeme about thoſe former times, when thoſe Liturgies were firſt publiſhed, there were ſome ſo wedded to their own fancies, that they preferred their own conceptions before the Churches Ordinances, and yet they came not to that brain-ſick-fancie as to bring into the Church extempore prayers. Angry they were not with ſet formes, but diſpleaſed becauſe they might not make them. And againſt theſe, two famous Councels have provided;Concil. Laod. Ca. 18. Can. 159. Concil. Mil. c. 12. Caranza legit comprobatae. firſt that of Laodicea, foreign, & ad horam nonam & veſperum celebretur, foreign. And in Africa the Milevitan Councel more expreſſely, Placuit ut preces & orationes, quae probatae fuerunt in Concilio ab omnibus celebrentur, nec aliae omnino dicantur in Eccleſia, niſi quae à prudentioribus tractatae vel compoſitae in Synodo fuerunt, ſufficiently diviſed, conſidered or approved by the wiſer men, and allowed in a Synod; and the reaſon which the Councel addes is moſt eſſectual, ne forte aliquid contra fidem, vel per ignorantiam, vel per minus studium ſit compoſitum. Which is the very reaſon that Maſter Selden one of the laſt Aſſembly gives for the Jewiſh Liturgy from Ezra's time.Seldens notes in Eutychium. The Jews, ſaith he, about the end of the Babyloniſh Captivity, had their ancient manners as well as language ſo depraved, that without a Maſter they either were not able to pray as they ought, or had not confidence to do it. And therefore that for the future, they might not recede, either in the matter of their prayers through corruption, or expreſſion through ignorance from that forme of piety commanded by God; this remedy was applyed by the men of the great Synagogue, Ezra and his one hundred and twenty Colleagues; out of which words Doctor Hammond makes this collection,Ham. viero of the Direct. Sect 15. That one ſpecial uſe and benefit of a ſet forme is not onelyonly to provide for the ignorance, but to be a hedge to the true Religion, to keep out all mixtures and corruptions out of a Church.

To this purpoſe 'tis no newes to tell you, that all reformed Churches abroad p. 141have ſome forme of worſhip or other; that Maſter Knox in Scotland compoſed a Liturgy for that Church. That thoſe zealous brethren who were ſo earneſt for Reformation in Queen Elizabeths dayes, Anno 1585. though they complained to the Lord Burleigh againſt the Church Common Prayer-book, yet profeſſed they were not againſt Liturgy, and 'tis evident they were not by the compoſing of two formes, one year after another. And here I cannot chooſe but put you in minde of a paſſage of Maſter Cartwright which I have ſeen in a little Manual of his in anſwer to one that charg'd him as an enemy to ſet formes; To which his reply was, that he was ſo farre from this conceit, that if any were pleaſed to come to Coventry (where he then did preach) and hear his Lectures, they ſhould before and after his Sermons hear the ſame prayers uſed by him, except that portion of Scripture upon which he inſiſted, gave him occaſion to adde ſome few words. I ſhall ſhut up this point with the judgement and practice of Maſter Calvin; Calvin. epiſt. ad Protect.his judgement he hath fully declared in his Epiſtle to the Protectour then, Quod ad formulam precum, &c. As for formes of Prayers, and Eccleſiaſtical rites, I very much approve, that it be ſet or certain. From which it may not be lawful for the Paſtours in their function to depart, that ſo there may be proviſion made for the ſimplicity and unskilfulneſſe of ſome, and that the conſent of all the Churches among themſelves may more certainly appear: and laſtly alſo, that the extravagant levity of ſome who affect novelties may be prevented. Thus he. And his practice is evident, The Liturgy by him compoſed for Geneva being yet extant.

I am no Prophet, nor the ſonne of a Prophet, yet thus much I dare be bold to fore-caſt, that when all hears and animoſities being depoſed, men ſhall returne to an humble, ſober and Chriſtian temper, ſome forme or other for prayer will be judged neceſſary to be compoſed, ſet forth & enjoyned, without which the diſlocated parts of a Church will never kindly joyne. The experience of the preſent diſtractions ever ſince a ſet forme, as you in a Sarcaſme call them, ſtinted prayers, hath been caſt out of the Church, will make men wiſer for the future.

Let men in private uſe what forms they pleaſe, and chooſe their own helps, to which they may adde, as occaſion requires, words ſuited to their preſent neceſſities: But when they are to joyn with the Church, the petitions being ſuch as are more neceſſary for the whole Corps of Chriſtians, than for any one part, fit it is, that the mother be judge what is uſeful for her children, and teach them what and how to aske. Leave men to their own inventions, and poſſible it is, that the petition be not framed to the preſent exigent, which the Church in all particulars hath taken care of. Yet if this fall out, another inconvenience there is, that too often happens; Theſe extempore men dealing by their prayers, as ſchool-boyes do by their leſſons, or Muſicians with their plain ſong: Thoſe the children vary into ſo many formula's for want of judgement, till they come to non-ſenſe: and the unskilful artiſts run ſo far in their diviſions and deſcants, till they marre the plain-ſong. And the like will happen to thi, great ſervice of God, when it ſhall fall to the variations & deſcants of inartificial ſwaines, and heavie-headed p. 142Mechaniques. The houſe of prayer will be a houſe of pratlin and Sion turned into Babel.

To conclude with the words of a wiſe man, I never yet could ſee any reaſon why any Chriſtian ſhould abhorre, or be forbidden to uſe the ſame forms of prayer, ſince he prayes to the ſame God, believes in the ſame Saviour, profeſſeth the ſame Truths, reads the ſame Scriptures, hath the ſame duties upon him, and feels the ſame wants daily, for the moſt part both inward and outward, which are common to the whole Church. When we deſire the ſame things, what hinders, but we may uſe the ſame words? except we meaſure our God to be like our own appetites and ſtomachs, which are beſt pleaſed with freſh and freſh. I go on.

1. Quiristers and ſinging of Pſalmes with all the Rubrick poſtures.

The Rubrick I have conſulted, and I meet not with any poſture at all preſcribed at the ſinging of any Hymne or Pſalme. But ſay it had, ſome poſture or other muſt be uſed, and had it been the worſe, becauſe preſcribed? I trow not. For preſcriptions in adiaphorous things doth not ſo alter their natures, as to make them nought; to proſtrate the body in prayer, to lift up the eyes and pure hands, are actions of indifferency; and do they become nought, becauſe God in his Word preſcribes them? God in his Word hath given the Church liberty to preſcribe in theſe things; Let all things be done decently, and in order; Say then the Church had preſcribed by the Rubrick, that a man ſhould have ſtood, have kneeled, have ſate, have lift up his eyes and hands at the ſinging of this or that Pſalme reſpectively; ſhe might have done it, and the ſinging of the Pſalme had been nere the more un-Chriſtian, had the Rubrick poſture been obſerved. You needed not therefore have girded at this, and the rather becauſe it was not. But I ſee nothing can eſcape you, not the poor boy, the Quiriſter. But happily you will ſay, you take it in a larger ſenſe, and by it mean the whole Quire, and ſo I think you do, and therefore I ſhall ſhape my anſwer accordingly.

2. Quiriſters and ſinging of Pſalmes.

Could I imagine that you were of the Anabaptiſts opinion, who will not admit of ſinging of Pſalms in the Church, I ſhould put you in minde of that which Saint Paul writes to the Epheſians and Coloſſians, Be not drunk with wine, wherein is exceſſe, but be filled with the Spirit, ſpeaking to your ſelves in Hymns and Pſalmes, Eph. 5.18, 19. Col. 3.16. Beza in loc.Eph 5:18Eph 5:19Col 3:16and ſpiritual ſongs, ſinging and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Beza conceives that the Apoſtle alludes to that Muſick then in uſe among the Jews, who had their Miſmorim, their Tehillim, their Schirim. Be it then which you here object, that theſe were taken up by Jewiſh imitation, yet it follows not they were the worſe; for we have here Apoſtolical authority to make good the uſe, let this then be caſt in our teeth no more.

The Chriſtian Pſalmes were like the Jewiſh Miſmorim, Odes they p. 143were, either Doctrinal or Ethical;Hieron. Chryſoſt. written upon ſundry matters or arguments, exhortatory, conſolatory, preca…ory, deprecatory, ſuch as are many Pſalms of David. 2. The Hymns were like their Tehillim, ſetting forth the praiſes of God, for his greatneſſe and goodneſſe to the ſonnes of men; ſuch were the Hymns of Moſes, Deborah, Zachary, Mary, Simeon. 3. The ſongs anſwered to their Schirum, which were peculiar ſongs compoſed for general bleſſings; praiſes they continued, but in a more large and univerſal ſenſe. When any of theſe were expreſſed by voice and inſtrument together, they were called properly Pſalms; when by voice alone without the concent of inſtruments, they were named Hymns and ſongs.Zanchy in loc. This is the deſcant that the Learned have uſed in their Expoſitions of theſe words; & that we are hence to collect, is, that Muſick hath its uſe in the ſervice of God.

1. By this the honour of God is more magnified and celebrated, then it could be by a ſtill and ſoft voice. To ſpeak of God doth well, to whiſper out his Name is commendable; this is for thoſe who have received primitias Spiritus; but ſuch who are filled with the Spirit they ought to go further; as the Apoſtle exhorts, foreign, they will magnifie his Name in Pſalms and Hymns and ſpiritual ſongs, and ſo make his praiſe to be glorious. The concealment of Gods praiſe did never like him, no nor the cold expreſſion of it, as if men would ſlip it over; it hath been beſt pleaſing to him, when it hath been moſt made known: And therefore he hath had in all Ages perpetual remembrances of what he hath done, Chronicles, Annals, Books of Record. Theſe indeed ſpeak out his noble Acts, but it is for the moſt part to the Wiſe and Learned. But let but one of theſe be conveyed into a ſong, and it will quickly be upon the tongue of the unlearned; you ſhall have the Maid at her wheele, the Prentice in the ſhop warbling upon it; and if any be skilful in Muſick, it will pleaſe him to ſing to his Harp or Viol the wonderful works of God. The praiſes of our God are conveyed into the ſoul with more delight, are faſtned with more affection, are perpetuated to ſucceeding ages with more certainty, when they are meaſured out by Hymns.

2. This is one reaſon; but this is not the ſole; for this is done to edifie. Men I conceive are then moſt edified in Religious Worſhip, when their affections are ordered, as becomes pious and devout men. Now in the World there is not any thing of more power, than is a Muſical Harmony either by inſtrument or voice, to quicken a heavy ſpirit, to temper a troubled ſoul, to allay that which is too eager, to mollifie and ſoften a hard heart, to ſtay and ſettle a deſperate. In a word, not any way ſo forcible to draw forth tears of devotion, if the heart be ſuch as can yield them; whence Saint Augustine makes this Confeſſion to Saint Ambroſe, Aug. Conf. l. 9.Quantum flevi in Hymnis & canticis Eccleſiae tuae! Men may therefore ſpeak their pleaſures, but let reaſon be heard to ſpeak, and then the ſongs of Zion will much edifie, if not the underſtanding, becauſe as they ſay they teach not, yet they will build up the affections very much, which are more requiſite in this work; or he that doubts of it, let him remember Baſha's Miniſtrel that compoſed his own ſoul, and Davids Harp which allayed Sauls madneſſe. No art p. 144in Divine Worſhip can be of more uſe than this, in which the minde ought ſometimes to be inclined to heavineſſe, ſometimes to a ſpiritual extaſie of joy, ſometimes raiſed to a holy zeal and indignation, ever carried with ſuch affections as is ſutable to the preſent occaſion.

3. And yet I do not, I dare not ſay it doth not teach; for are there not good inſtructions in Pſalms? not many profitable leſſons in Anthynms? and theſe by the ſweetneſſe of melody find the eaſier entrance, and longer entertainment. Hear the judgment of the great Baſil, When the Holy Spirit fore-ſaw that mankinde is to vertue hardly drawn, Baſil in Pſalm.but is propenſe to what delights, it pleaſed the wiſdome of the ſame Spirit to borrow from Melody that pleaſure, which being mingled with the heavenly mysteries, might by the ſoft and ſmooth touch of the eare, convey as it were by ſtealth the treaſure of good things into the minde. To this purpoſe were the Harmonious tunes of Pſalms deviſed for us, that they who are yet in knowledge but babes, might, when they think they ſing, learn. Oh the wiſe conceptions of that heavenly Teacher, which hath by his skill found out a way, that doing thoſe things wherein we delight, we may alſo learn that wherein we may profit!

4. This is the leſſon may be learned from the Ditty; now from the ſweet agreement of theſe voices and inſtruments, Chriſtians may learn to agree. One Harp or Viol out of tune abates the pleaſure of the reſt; and one jarring Chriſtian,Couper in Rev. 5.8.Rev 5:8 and therefore much more many marres the Muſick of the whole Church. Oh how melodious was the praiſe of God, when it came from men of one heart, and of one minde, as pleaſing then, as is the ſymphony of well tuned inſtruments. Let us then learn from the ſongs of Zion to come into tune again; theſe diſcords and harſh ſounds God likes not in his ſervice.

Pliny ſecundus. Ep. lib. 10. 103. & citatur a Tertull. Apolog. cap. 2. Euſeb. l. 2. c. 17. Pallad. in Hiſt. Lauſiaca.5. Upon theſe reaſons rhe Primitive Chriſtians ſung their praiſes to God. In Pontus and Bythinia, Pliny writes to Trajan the Emperour, that their onelyonly fault was, that they met before day to ſing Hymns to the honour of Jeſus, ſecum invicem. I pray mark thoſe words, for they ſpeak for the uſe you mock at of Quiriſters; for it was ſecum, together, and Invicem by turns, that is Quire-wiſe. And in Nytria, Philo the Jew, (and he lived in Caius Caligula's time,) and after him Palladius, deliver, that they were accuſtomed in their Temple, with Hymns and Pſalms to honour God; ſometimes exalting their voices together, and ſometimes one part anſwering another, wherein he thought they departed not much from the pattern of Moſes and Miriam. In Ignatius the firſt of the Greek Fathers, we read of foreign,Ignat ad Antioch. Concil. Laod. Can 15. 1 Cor. 14.16. Socrat l. 6. c. 8.1 Cor 14:16 and after mention of them in the Councils, and what ſhould they be but Quiriſters, which Saint Paul is alſo ſuppoſed to intend, when he asks Hath he a Pſalme? At Antioch, Socrates affirms that Ignatius began the cuſtome of ſinging of Hymns interchangeably upon a viſion of Angels. And if Ignatius did not, yet one who is of more authority did, I mean the Prophet Iſaiah, for he ſaw the Lord ſitting upon his Throne, and above it ſtood the Seraphims, Iſa. 6.1, 2, 3.Isa 6:1Isa 6:2Isa 6:3and one cryed to another, and ſaid Holy, Holy, Holy. Flavius and Diodorus continued it in the ſame Church againſt the Arrians. p. 145Damaſus and Ambroſe brought it into the Weſt.Vide Hooker. Eccl. Pol. lib. …. Sect. 39. And among the Grecians, Baſil having brought it into his Church of Neo-Caſarea, to avoid any thoughts of ſingularity and novility pleads for his warrant the Churches of Aegypt, Lybia, Thebes, Paleſtine, the Arabians, Phenicians, Synians, Meſopotamians, among whom the cuſtome was, for his was ſuch, to give power to one, by him called, foreign, the Chaunter,Baſil ad Neo-caſ. to begin the Anthymne, and then the whole Quire came in, foreign.

Theſe were the ſongs of Zion, which our fore-fathers uſed, and it is, and ought to be our grief, that they are not heard ſtill. For who that hath an Harmonious ſoul, would not ſit down and weep to be deprived of that Harmony, which the Angels and Saints practice, which ſo many Chriſtian Churches have received before Papiſtry was thought of, ſo many Ages kept on foot? That which entunes the affections, that which teacheth us ſo many good Leſſons, filleth the minde with comfort and heavenly delight; teacheth us to be of one heart, one minde, and makes the praiſe of God to be glorious; In a word, that ſo fitly accords with the Apoſtles exhortation, Speak to your ſelves in Pſalms and Hymns and ſpiritual ſongs, making Melody, and ſinging in your hearts unto the Lord; would not upon ſlight, or rather indeed no grounds be caſt out of the Church.

And that you or any other doubt the leſſe, that Pſalmodie is no new device, but of very ancient inſtitution in the Church, David exhorts young man and Maidens, old men and children to praiſe the Name of the Lord. In which even Children were ſo skilful,Pſal. 138.Ps 138 that they received Chriſt into Jeruſalem with an Hoſanna, and applyed fitly thoſe words to him, Bleſſed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Among us, ſaith Hieron, Hieron ad Marcellum. Baſil in Pſal. Chryſoſt. Han. 9. in Coloſſ.you may hear Plow-men ſinging Pſalms at the Plow-tail. And Baſil bids an Artiſan ſing Pſalms in his ſhop. Chryſoſtome layes this charge upon the parents, that they teach their children to ſing Pſalms. And Auguſtine is of the ſame minde. It was then no dull and heavy age, ſuch as we now live in, in which a man ſhall ſcarce hear a Pſalm in a ſhop, or out of a childs mouth; Now it may well be ſuppoſed, that this they practiſed alone, that they might be the better able to bear their part, when they met in the Quire. For here I ſhall make bold to tell you, what I know is true by my own experience. I have known Artiſans by bearing their part at home, grow ſo skilful in Pſalmody, that when they met in the Church, one would bear the Baſe, another the Trebble, others the inner parts ſo skilfully, ſo Harmoniouſly, that I ſuppoſe had you been preſent, you would never ſpeak againſt a Quire more. And this cuſtome ſo prevailed, that there was not any in Congregation, but according to his voice, could bear his part in ſuch time, in ſuch tune, that theſe ſix notes being curiouſly varied and carried from the ear to the ſpiritual faculties of the ſoul, were able

With rare diviſions of a choice device,

The hearers ſoul out of his eares entice. Du Bartas.

p. 146If I grate your ears too much upon this ſubject, you muſt pardon me; for from my childhood I have born a great affection to this divine art, and glory in it, that I am able to ſing a Pſalme or Hymne to the praiſe of my God, in or without a Quire. I come to your laſt exception.

5. And the firſt was of National payments or ſpiritual profits, as offerings, Tyths and Mortuaries.

For the firſt and laſt of theſe, I believe you have little knowledge beyond the names. For what were offerings but free and voluntary contributions? and I hope you will not be againſt ſuch, who would have your Paſtours to be maintained by what the people ſhould contribute. But it ſeems in New-England you were quickly weary of this way; for charity growing cold, a better proviſion was made, not onelyonly by a proportion of Land, but by a certain tax of mony which was laid on by the Magiſtrate,Plain dealing pag. 19. both upon the Members of the Congregation, & upon all the Neighbours, though no Members of the Church; yea, and others are beholding now and then to the general Court to ſtudy wayes to enforce the maintenance to the Miniſtry. But this by the way.

Offerings were uſed in the Primitive Church, and they were of two ſorts.Acts 24.17.Acts 24:17 1. Properly Alms, for the Church then raiſed a ſtock for the relief of the poor Brethren; to that purpoſe were they collected, to which Saint Paul adviſeth, 1 Cor. 16. 2. Or elſe they were offerings which the Rich contributed for other uſes, being like the Jewiſh Therumaths which belonged to the Prieſts. Out of theſe there was a treaſury made; and out of theſe,Selden de decimis. cap. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 4. Sect. 1, 2. thoſe who firſt laboured in the Miniſtry were maintained; and a treaſury out of theſe offerings continued in the Church, till ſuch time as Miniſters were provided by a ſetled maintenance; then theſe ſtipes, ſportulae, menſurnae diviſiones ceaſed. After I know none impoſed by the Church; if any were, it was cuſtome brought them in, and time continued them; and what was freely given, might be freely taken. And yet I could if I liſt, acquaint you with conſtitutions againſt them.

2. Mortuaries.

Mortuaries you needed not have named, and I believe you would not, had you underſtood the original of them. In an old Synod of Ireland, it appears that any man might bequeath his body to be buried in what Abby it pleaſed him;In ſtatut. Synod. Ms. cap. 9. Seld. cap. 9. of tyths. and that the Abbot to whoſe Monaſtery the bequeſt was made ſhould have the apparrel of the dead, his Horſe and his Cow for a Mortuary. Abbots with us there are none, and Abbies are diſſolved, and therefore we have nothing to do with this charge.

3. Tythes.

To give you an anſwer to this charge, I ſhall referre you to thoſe who p. 147now receive them, and keep ſuch a buzzle about them. I hope they are beſt able to defend their receipts, ſince they grumble ſo much, when they hear of the leaſt news that they ſhould be taken away. Had you asked me, when I was in poſſeſſion of them, and if you ſhould ask me an accompt, if ever I come to enjoy them again, you ſhall ſee I can prove, and will make my title good jure divino: without which, I ſuppoſe they of your party, who pretend they may do nothing without an expreſſe text of Scripture, cannot with a quiet conſcience grow ſo purſie and fat with them. You ſhould do well to call them to accompt about this point, and it will not ſatisfie us to tell us of publick Acts, Statutes, and other Ordinances in this behalf; for then we ſhall tell them in your own words, that theſe were faithleſſe and fantaſtical faſhions, the illegitimatelegal off-ſprings of National Parliaments in this and in the Neighbour Nations. Pray conſult with them about it, they are of age to anſwer for themſelves. I leave them, and returne to your Paper.