An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Part 3 · Section 6 · Excerpt 9
The words of the Letter.
ANd by ſo much the more ſeeing they are ſo plainly warranted, and ſo punctually preſcribed as they be, to waite, and to walk according to the patterne preſcribed in the Mount, witneſſe Exod. 25.40. Acts 7.44. Heb. 8.5.
The Reply.
Et cui non hic dictus Hylas, there being not any one who pleads for change of Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline, or that hath been diſcontent with any cuſtome or Ceremony of the Church, who hath not made this Axiome the head Theoreme of their diſcourſe, and when well it might have gone a mile with them, they have anger'd it forcing it to go twain. The Anabaptiſt to prove his Antipaedobaptiſme, hath often in his mouth theſe words, and every new light this Oggannition, all muſt be done according to the pattern in the Mount; and that we may take the more notice of it, as a firme argument for your Elders ſeats and proceedings, you have cited here three Scriptures, one upon the neck of another for it, all which, as Joſeph ſaid of Pharaohs dreams are but one. The occaſion of theſe words are in Exodus 25. When God gave order to Moſes for the erecting of the Tabernacle, about which God left him not to his own choice, but commanded him to frame it according to the pattern ſhewed him in the Mount: This Tabernacle and order Saint Stephen mentions, Acts 7. But Saint Paul Heb. 8.5. opens the myſtery and applies it: to wit, that the Tabernacle of Moſes was but a ſhadow and exemplar of heavenly things, or of that Tabernacle which Chriſt had ſet up for his in heaven. Here then are to be conſidered three diſtinct things, the body it ſelf, the reality, or truth of this ſhadow, and that is the true Tabernacle of the Saints in heaven. The foreign or type of it, that was preſented for a pattern to Moſes in the Mount, and the exemplar or picture or copy of it fair drawn by Moſes in the Tabernacle, which he is commanded to frame according to the pattern preſented to his eyes, when God was pleaſed to call him up to him into the Mountain; which things he alſo after did.
Now I wonder what you or any body elſe, can for your purpoſe collect from hence. Moſes was commanded to make the Tabernacle according to the pattern in the Mount; therefore the Lay-Elders are plainly warranted, and punctually preſcribed to ſtand and ſit together in the face and full view of the Aſſembly. A ſtrange thing it is, that out of a particular pattern you ſhould frame a general rule. For before you ſhall be ever able to bring this rule home to your purpoſe, prove you muſt that it was thus preſcribed in the Mount, which I know will be a very hard task.
Beſides, ſuppoſe you extend the rule further, as I know you do, to beat down that which you ordinarily call will-worſhip, and the inventions of men: Yet ſo it will not come home neither, in that the Apoſtle applies it not to any ſuch purpoſe; but only what was done in the Mount, was a ſhadow of things to come; the Tabernacle on earth, a repreſentation of our being with God in heaven. And to ſtretch it further, is to deal by it as the Cobler doth with his leather, that tugs it ſo far with his teeth till it crack again.
Farther yet, if in that ſenſe you intend it, this Text had laid an injunction upon any, it had certainly tyed up the Jewes; the pattern in the Mount, muſt certainly have reſtrained them from adding any thing even the leaſt in the external worſhip of God, which yet it did not. For in the Church of the Jews it muſt be granted that the appointment of the houre for daily ſacrifices, the building of Synagogues throughout the Land to hear the Word of God and pray in, when they came not up to Jeruſalem; the erecting of Pulpits and Chairs to teach in; the order of Burials and Rites of Marriage; the Muſical Inſtruments invented by David; the Ordinance for Prieſts to ſerve in their courſes, with others of the like nature, being matters appertaining to the Church, yet had not their pattern from the Mount, nor are any way preſcribed in the Law, but were by the Churches diſcretion inſtituted and continued. What, ſhall we then think they did hereby adde to the Law, and ſo diſpleaſe God by what they did? none yet ſo hardly perſwaded of them; the Truth is that Rule and Canon-Law which is written in all mens hearts, and Saint Pauls reduced into precept, Let all things be done decently and in order, doth clear them from doing any thing in theſe and the like, that was amiſſe; neither do we finde that God or any Prophet ever reproved them for theſe Acceſſories taken up without a pattern in the Mount. Seeing therefore Saint Pauls rule binds by the edicts of nature, which the Jews obſerving as yet unwritten, and thereby framing ſuch Church-Orders as in their Law were not preſcribed, are notwithſtanding in that reſpect unculpable: It followeth that many things may be lawfully done in the Church, ſo as they be not done againſt the Scripture, although no Scripture do command them, but the Church only following the light of reaſon, judge them in diſcretion to be meet.
And in effect, they who firſt oppoſed, ſeemed to grant ſo much; For this Cartwright gave forth, that nothing ought to be eſtabliſhed in the Church which is not commanded in the Word, if not by ſpecial precepts,1 Cor. 10.32. 1 Cor. 14.40. 1 Cor. 14.26. Rom. 14.6, 7. yet by general rules; which are nothing ſcandalous and offenſive; All things in order and ſeemlineſſe; All unto aedification; All to the glory of God. So then theſe Rules being obſerved, all things in the Church may be appointed, not only not againſt, but by and according to the Word of God. By this large conceſſion for ought I ſee, even that which they oppoſe may be according to the pattern in the Mount. And if you had intended utterly to exclude the uſe of rectifyed reaſon and prudence in ordering any thing in Gods houſe, why did you but now ſay that it is of moral equity, and conſequently of perpetual obſervation, that a rightly Reformed Church ſhould have all her Elders ſtand and ſit together, in the face and full view of the Aſſembly; in reaſon and prudence, I grant you may finde ſomewhat to perſwade it, but ſearch as long as you will for a pattern in the Mount for it, and it will not be found; for what you in the following words alledge, are but meer colours, as I will make it plainly appear.