Examination of Common Prayer
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A56208.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Short Sober PACIFIC EXAMINATION of some Exuberances in, and Ceremonial Appurtenances TO THE Common Prayer;
ESPECIALLY, Of the Use and Frequent Repetitions of Glosy be to the Father, &c. Standing up at it, at Gospels, Creeds, and Wearing white Rochets, Surplises, with other Canonical Vestments in the celebration of Divine Service and Sacraments; whose Originals, Grounds of Institution and Prescription, are here truly related, and modestly discussed, for the instruction of the ignorant, the satisfaction of all Contenders for, or Oppugners of, and preventing future Contests about them, for our Churches Union in God's Public Worship.
By WILLIAM PRYNNE Esq a Bencher of Lincolns Inn.
Rom. 14. 13. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Let us not judge one another anymore, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way.
Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself. Look not everyone on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Caelestini Papae Epist. ad Episcopos Galliae, cap. 1. Didicimus quosdam Domini Sacerdotes superstitioso potius cultui inservire, quàm mentis vel fidei puritati. Habent tamen istum forsitan cultum, morem potius quàm rationem sequentes. Discernendi à plebe vel caeteris sumus doctrina, non vest; conversatione, non habitu: mentis puritate, non cultu. Rudes ergo fidelium mentes ad talia non debemus inducere. Docendi enim potiùs sunt, quàm illudendi: Nec imponendum est eorum oculis, sed mentibus infundenda praecepta sunt.
London Printed by T. C. and L. P. and are to be sold by Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain, 1661.
To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, CHARLES the II d.
By the Grace and admirable Providence of GOD, of Great Britain, France and Ireland KING, Defender of the Faith; and all sincere Professors of it, within His Dominions.
HAving had the Honor on last Easter-Eve, to present Your Majesty with a Brief Account of my Service that week in the almost-accomplished Great-good-work of Paying and Dis •••• ding Your Majesty's Army and Navy (which for 〈◊〉 Moneths space engrossed all my time from Mor •• ng till Night, and oft till Midnight) to Your Majesty's great content, and your Peoples ease from future •• cessant heavy Monthly Taxes; I humbly crave •• ave to prostrate at Your Royal feet my Easter-holy-days studies, to exonerate the Backs of hundreds, 〈◊〉 truly tender Consciences of thousands of Your •• yal, pious, sober-minded Protestant Subjects of all Degrees, from some Exuberances in the Commo ••• prayer Book, and superfluous Ceremonies, Vestments •• tending it, (which give them offense, and may w • be laid aside, if your Majesty and your approachi •• Parliament shall judge convenient) for our Ch •• ches future peace, union in God's public worship, pursuance of Your Majesty's late most Gratious, •• ous, Prudent, elegant Declaration to all Your Lovi •• Subjects of Your Kingdom of England and Dominion Wales, concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs, which ga •• Life and Birth to this Publication.
It is very observable, that albeit the Popes Rome, and their Flatterers, hold themselves infall • in their Chair, and their Church, Councils inerrab • yet they all accord, that their Public Missals, • turgies; though made, confirmed by their joint a • vice with greatest care and diligence, are amendab •••• alterable upon just occasion: Witness their la •• Council of Trents Decree for the correction, ame •• meant of their formerly established Catechism, Miss •••• Breviary; and the subsequent emendations of the •• and institution of A NEW MASSE BOOK, • Pope Pius the 5. with the advice of learned m • expressed in his Bull dated at Rome July 1557. p •• fixed to Missal Romanum, ex Decreto Sacro-sa •• Concilii Tridentini RESTITUTUM; Pii 5. P •• tificis Maximi jussu editum, printed at Rome t • year • enjoined by that Bull, to be universally served, without any subsequent addition, alteration, mutation, under pain of his Papal indignation: • notwithstanding by another Bull of his own, da •• at Rome 17 December 1570. beginning with t •• memorable Clause; For this purpose God hath anointed us with the oil of gladness, and made us partakers of his Inheritance, that being called to his Priesthood like Aaron, we should not only wholesomly order these things which pertain to divine worship; but should also more wholesomely moderate those things which have been formerly enacted by us, and moreover alter and dispose of them, as upon serious consideration of things and persons, we discern to be wholesomly expedient in the Lord; He did (upon this account) by reason of some difficulties concerning the use of this New Missal, arising in the Kingdom of Spain, tendered by some Grave men sent to him from Philip their Catholic King, to which he gave undoubted credit; of his own mere motion, without the instance of any Petition tendered to him thereupon, out of his certain knowledge and plenitude of Apostolical power, think fit to reform several things in this New Missal, as to the Kingdoms of Spain, and alter, dispense with it in no less than 21. particulars ( expressed in this Bull) notwithstanding all his former Bulls and Prohibitions to the contrary. After which Pope Gregory the 10, his immediate Successor, by another Bull ( dated at Rome 30 Decemb. 1573.) to take away some other new scruples and differences about this Missal in the said Kingdoms of Spain ( upon the motion of other Delegates sent thence from that same King Philip) granted several other dispensations and amendments of this Missal in sundry Particulars, comprised in his Bull; Notwithstanding his Predecessors Letters, and all and singular clauses, prohibitions, and Decrees to the contrary; Which two Bulls of theirs, are printed before Missal Romanum, &c. Cum licentia & privilegio, Salmantica 1589. Some thirty year after Pope Clement the 8. observing divers Errors to be crept into this Missal of Pope Pius the 5. by the Trent Councils Decree; through the Printers Errors, and some alterations in the Epistles, Gospels, Psalms according to the vulgar Edition different from the Original Text, commanded his learned Cardinals to revise and correct this Missal according to the original copy of Pius Quintus: which task they undertaking, put some things into better form in the Missal it self, and expressed some things more clearly and fully in the Rules and Rubrics; which being notwithstanding deduced from their principles and foundations, may seem rather to imitate and supply their sense, than to induce any innovation. Which being thus revised, amended, enlarged with new Masses for new canonized Saints, and proper Masses of saints expressed at large for the easier benefit of those who celebrated them, he caused to be most exactly printed in the Vatican, and published for the common good, in the year of our Lord 1604. as he declares in his Bull praefixed to this Missal dated at Rome the 7. of July the same year; with this additional Title; —Missal Romanum ex Decreto Sacro-sancti Concilii Tridentini Restitutum, Pii 5. Pont. Max. jussu editum; Clementis 8. authoritate RECOGNITUM. ET CUM MISSIS NOVIS DE SANCTIS à Paulo 5. Gregorio 15. & S. D. N. Urbano 8. ordinatis. Missae propriae de Sanctis OMNES AD LONGUM POSITAE SUNT PRO FACILIORI CELEBRANTIUM COMMODITATE.
If therefore the Council of Trent itself thought meet to reform the ancient Roman Catechism and Missal formerly established, into which it confesseth, either by the vice of times, or unwariness or dishonesty of men, many things had crept, which were far from the dignity of so great a Sacrifice, and had need to be reformed, that due honor and worship to the glory of God and edification of faithful people might be restored to it. Yea, to set out a new Mass-book by authority of Pope Pius the 5. and this Pope, within few years after, held it necessary and expedient to make some alterations, and dispence with other things in it, relating to the Kingdoms and Church of Spain; and Pope Gregory the 13. within 3. years after, to dispence with some other Formalities and Rubrics thereof upon the same reason: And Pope Clement the 8. (about 30. years after) held it necessary to revise the whole Mass book, to correct the Printers errors, the Mistranslations of the Epistles, Gospels, Psalms therein varying from the Original Text; and add new Rules, Rubrics to it, explaining, supplying the defects of the former, together with New Masses, for New Saints, notwithstanding all former printed Bulls, Prohibitions, Decrees to the contrary, and the pretended Infallibility and Inerrability of their Chairs, Church, Councils; Then by the selfsame Presidents and better Reasons, Your Majesty, with advice of Your pious, learned Divines and Parliament, who have by Law established these Articles of our Churches Belief (to which all Bishops, Ministers have subscribed) That (not only Popes, but) General Councils may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining to GOD. That it is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; FOR AT ALL TIMES THEY HAUE BEEN DIVERS, & MAY BE CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE DIVERSITY OF COUNTRIES, TIMES, & MENS MANNERS, so that nothing be ordained against God's word. Every particular or National Church, hath authority to ordain, Change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church (and Liturgies too) ordained only by Mans Authority, so that all things be done to edifying; may with much more Justice, Piety, Prudence reform all errors, mistranslations of the Epistles, Gospels, Psalms, and obsolete or unfit expressions in the Book of Common Prayer, twice altered, reformed in some particulars, in few years after its first publication by authority, Acts of Parliament) yea, change, abolish such unnecessary Rites, Ceremonies attending it, which have given just offense, and occasioned much Schism, Dissention in our Church between the Protestant Members of it, as well of the Clergy as Laity, ever since its first establishment in the 3d. year of K. Edw. the 6. till this very day, and will do so in perpetuity, if not removed by your Majesty's Piety and Wisdom, according to the purport of your late Incomparable Declaration (for which the whole House of Commons and all Your Protestant Subjects whom they represented, returned Your Majesty their most cordial, public Thanks by their Speakers own mouth) the blessed fruits whereof they all now hope and long to reap; not only without the least prejudice to our Religion, Church, and main Fabric of the former Liturgy, but with great advantage to them all.
It is a received Maxim among all Politicians, Artists, that no human Institutions, Laws, Inventions, Edifices are so absolutely exact, useful, wholesome, necessary, but that they may upon just reasons of Policy, piety, sundry emergent occasions and necessities be amended, altered, with wisdom, honor, safety, an public utility. Your Majesty since your most happy miraculous restauration, have with great prudence and glory, made some laudable alterations in Your Royal Palaces, Walks, Parks, of Whitehall, Hampton-court, and in Westminster-Hall itself, as well for Conveniency as Delight (though very noble, useful, complete before) without any prejudice to their Structures, Foundations, Soil: And those Bishops, Deans and Chapters who seem most opposite to the least alterations in our public Liturgy, or Ceremonies, have yet very much altered, improved their old Rents (and Tennants likewise) to which they will not be confined by Your Majesty's late Declarations, or Commissions: yea they daily violate and dispense with the very Rubrics in the Common Prayer Book, and several Acts of Parl. by selling Licenses to marry to all sorts of people for filthy lucre, without asking the Banes three several Sundays or Holy-days in time of Divine service, the people being present, after the accustomed manner; In reading the Epistle, Gospel and second Service at the Communion Table when there is no Communion; and in not receiving the Communion in their Cathedral Churches every Sunday at the least, though they have no reasonable cause to the contrary, as the Rubrics enjoin them. And may not your Sacred Majesty then with as much wisdom, honor, and all your Bishops and Cathedral Clergymen with far more piety, justice, prudence, (in obedience to Your late Royal Declarations and Engagements to all Your Subjects) dispence with the Oath of Canonical Obedience, the use of Surplises, and other Ceremonies for which there is no Rubric, Statute, or known Law of the Land; the reading of Psalms, Epistles, Gospels in the Church, according to the New Translation of Your Royal Grandfather of famous memory, KING JAMES; yea freely admit all able, godly Ministers ordained only by Presbyters during the late unhappy Differences and Confusions of Government, to Benefices, Fellowships, Lectures, Cures of Souls, without a Re-ordination by Bishops, as well as admit reclamed Popish Priests ordained by Bishops in the Church of Rome, without the least opposition, contest, for future Peace, Amity, Unity between all Your Protestant Subjects of different persuasions in these dividing particulars? To facilitate, promote this much desired work, I have spent my few vacant Holy-day hours in compiling this seasonable, short, sober, pacific Examination, consisting principally of 4. Particulars (discussed in several Sections) to wit; the Use, and Frequent Repetition of Gloria Patri; standing up at it, and at Gospels, Creeds, Wearing of Surplises, with other Pontifical & Sacer dotal vestments in the celebration of Divine Service and Sacraments; in the last whereof (because most peremptorily insisted on from pretended grounds of Scripture, Reason by many Romanists, and some Protestant Prelates, and Divines) I have most expatiated, I hope, without the least offense to moderate sober Christians, or your Sacred Majesty, and good satisfaction to all judicious perusers.
We all use to alter the proportion, matter, quality, fashion, number of our Garments, Attires, according to the several ages of our lives, the seasons of the year, the temper of the Climates where we live, and extraordinary occasions of solemnity, joy, grief or humiliation; not only without offense to others, or prejudice to our healths, lives, but with much applause, and that for the necessary preservation both of health, life, and human society. The like we do in our corporal Food: Why may not we then use the same Liberty (by your Majesty's and your parliaments public Authority or Indulgence) in the controverted case of Ecclesiastical Garments, Ornaments, Food, now under public consideration, provided always they be decent, orderly, wholesome, and not repugnant, but agreeable to the holy Scriptures?
If this poor Mite, (humbly presented to Your all-piercing favorable Eye, and Gracious acceptation, as a Monument of my bounden Homage to Your Sacred Majesty, at this most joyful, triumphant Solemnity of Your CORONATION, (the Form whereof I humbly dedicated and presented to Your Majesty soon after your Glorious return to Your Royal Palace) shall contribute any assistance to the accomplishment of Your Majesty's healing, uniting Design of all disagreeing parties in points of Ceremony, Liturgy, Worship, (the only end of its Compiling and publishing;) I shall heartily bless God for its good success, and always continue my cordiallest daily prayers to the King of Kings, for Your Majesty's long, most pious, just, peaceable, glorious reign over all your Dominions upon Earth, for the advancement of the true reformed Religion, the protection of all real, zealous Ministers, Professors of it, and all Your Subjects Tranquillity, Felicity: til You shall exchange that fading Crown of pure Gold, (which GOD himself hath now set upon upon Your Anointed Head, to the unspeakable Joy of all Your Loyal Subjects, maugre all Oppositions, Conspiracies of Men or Devils to prevent it, and that with greater Magnificence, Splendor, than any of Your Royal Progenitors have been crowned, which God grant You always to wear with most transcendent Renown) for an eternal Crown of Glory in the highest Heavens, which fadeth not away.
Your MAJESTIES most humble, devoted Subject and Servant, WILLIAM PRYNNE.
Lincolns Inn, Apr. 23. 1661.
A short, sober, pacifique Examination of some Exuberances in, and Ceremonial Appurtenances to the Common-Prayer.
ALthough I have in my judgment and practice always approved the use of set-forms of public Prayers, and Administration of the Sacraments in Churches, as warranted by Scripture, the ancient Practice and Liturgies of the Greek, Latin, Gothic, Ethiopic, and other Churches (some whereof are spurious Impostures, others interlaced with modern Sophistications and Superstitions by Popish Innovators) and of all or most Churches at this day throughout the Christian world, whether Epipiscopal or Presbyterial, Papists or Protestants; and albeit I was never an Oppugner of, or Sep • ratist from the Book of Common-Prayer, and administration of the Sacraments, established in the Church of England, whereunto I have constantly resorted; yet I must ingeniously profess I am clear of opinion,
1. That a set standing form of Common-Prayer and Sacramental Administrations, is not absolutely necessary for the being, though convenient for the well-being, and unity of a National Church. Therefore not to be prescribed as a thing of absolute indispensible necessity; but only of conveniency, decency, as tending to public unity.
2. That there are and may be several set-forms of public, as well as of private Prayers and Devotions, used in several Provinces, Kingdoms, National Churches, and that all Churches, Nations are no more obliged to use one form of public Prayer and Administration of Sacraments, than all private Christians are to use the self-same form of Private Prayers in their several Families, Closets, or one kind of Grace before and after meat: but are all left at liberty to embrace or establish what forms they deem most beneficial for the Peoples spiritual edification, best conducing to their salvation, and union in God's public worship.
3. That no one form of public Liturgy is so complete, exact, or unalterable, but that upon grounds of Piety, Prudence, and sundry emergent occasions, it may be altered, varied, amended, or totally set aside; and a new form of Common-Prayer established in its stead; (at Pope Pius the 5. and Clement the 8. acknowledge) being only of human and Ecclesiastical, not Divine institution.
4. That the prescription or use of set-forms of public Prayers ought not to suppress, discontinue, interrupt, or disparage the exercise of the gift or grace of conceived, extemporary Prayers or Thanksgivings by Ministers and other Christians in public or private upon ordinary or extraordinary occasions; nor yet to hinder or disturb the constant preaching of the Word in season, and out of season; as is evident by the whole Book of Psalms, the special Prayers and Thanksgivings of Moses, David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Ezra, Hezekiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, in the old, and of (h) Christ and his Apostles, recorded in the New Testament; being all compiled and used upon extraordinary occasions; the (i) public Prayers in the Primitive Church never secluded or diminished the use of private conceived prayers or preachings; Therefore they should not do it now.
5. That the bare-reading or chanting of Common-Prayers in the Church (which every Parish-Clerk, Chorister, Singing-man, Scholar, or Parishioner who can read, may and can perform as well as any Archbishop, Bishop, Dean, Prebend, or Minister;) and wearing of Canonical Vestments is no principal part of a Bishops or Ministers Duty, as many now of late suppose it: but only the constant, frequent preaching of the Gospel, and administration of the Sacraments; wherein too many Bishops and Ministers are over-negligent, as if it were the least part of their Function; whenas their Ministerial and Episcopal Office consists principally therein; as is evident by Christ's own first and last Missions of, and charges to his Disciples, Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature, Teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. By Christ's and his Apostles daily constant preaching the Gospel publicly, and from House to House, in all places where they came, without intermission. By Paul's asservations, Christ sent me not to baptize, (that is principally, or in the first place, nor yet to read, or chant Common-Prayer in a Cathedral Tone) but to preach the Gospel. For though I preach the Gospel, yet I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea, Woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel; And that dreadful injunction of God himself by Paul to Timothy, (whom our Bishops and their Chaplains, as well in their late as former Consecration Sermons and Discourses, will needs make to be a Diocesan Bishop or Motropolitan by Divine institution, upon whom they found their Episcopacy, and therefore must be equally liable to this injunction, as well as Timothy ) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom, preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season, rebuke, reprove, exhort with all long-s • ffering and doctrine, Do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy Ministry. Thus seconded by his Charge to the Bishops of Ephesus, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy G • ost hath made you Bishops, to feed the Church of God (by teaching publicly, and from House to House) which he hath purchased with his own blood. The due consideration whereof should terrify and amaze all Non-preaching, or Rare-preaching Bishops and Ministers, who by their Curates or Choristers read or sing Common-Prayers once or twice every day or Lord's day at the least, and yet seldom personally preach the Gospel to their People once a Month, Quarter, Year; yea cry up Common-Prayers to suppress frequent constant preachings; when as the Council of Trent itself resolves, That preaching of God's word is the principal part of a Bishops Office, and belongeth chiefly to Bishops; Whereupon it enjoins them, and the Parish-Priests throughout their Diocese, to preach every Lord's day, and Holy day, and in the time of Easts, Lent, and Advent, to preach the word of God daily, or at least thrice a week, and at all other times whenever it may be oportunely done, for the salvation of this people, whom they are diligently to admonish, that they repair to the Church to hear God's word, when ever they can conveniently do it. Yea Bernardinus Senensu, a famous Popish Friar, is not afraid to assert, That the People are more obliged to hear, and Priests to preach the word of God, than to hear or say Mass; and that experience manifests, that the People will incomparably suffer more prejudice both in faith and manner, and grow more void of the fear, love, knowledge of God, and veneration of the Sacraments, and more over-grown with the stench and horror of sins, by the want of preaching, than by the want of Mass and Common-Prayer; concluding, Sic utique est populus sine divino verbo licet etiam Missae frequententur, sicut mundus s • e sole, That the People without the preaching of God's word, although they frequent Mass and Common-Prayers, will be but like the World without the Sun. And therefore all our Bishops, Ministers should much more diligently press and apply themselves to the diligent frequent preaching, and all People to the assiduous hearing of God's word, than to the reading or hearing of Common-Prayers, which too many esteem the principal means to instruct and save their Souls, and more necessary than preaching of the Gospel of Christ, though the Power of God • nto salvation, and principle means of faith, of converting and saving the Souls of those who believe it.
6. That there are some things in the Book of Common-Prayer very necessary and fit to be amended; As 1. the mis-recital of Ezech. 18. 21, 22. in the very beginning of the Book, which many much abuse, to the deferring of their repentance. 2ly. The continuance of the old English Translations of the Psalms, Epistles, Gospels, and other Texts of Scripture, according to the Versions of Mr. Tyndale, Thomas Matthews, and Mr. Coverdale, which are not so exact, so agreeable with the Original, and Dialect of this Age, as the more complete, refined Translation made by King James his Command, now only read and used in our Churches, and most private Families: Therefore most fit to be used, and henceforth inserted into the Common-Prayer-book, to take away all former controversies and exceptions against the old Translation, as well by Mr. Thomas Cartwright, the Lincoln-shire-Ministers, the Assembly of Perth, and others heretofore, and of Dr. Cornelius Burgess, with sundry more of late times; especially against that of Psal. 105. v. 28. (occasioned by the Printers omission of one syllable, to wit, obedient, for disobedient,) not the Translators. Only I shall observe, that the old Translation of Phil. 2. 10. in the Epistle for Palm-Sunday; according to the Greek Original, all Latin translations but one, all English Versions whatsoever but the Geneva, and that of King James, (which ought to be amended in this particular) truly rendered the words, That IN (not AT) the Name of Jesus every knee be bowed, or should bow (in the passive, not active verb and sense) of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, &c. till corrupted and turned into AT (not IN) the name of Jesus every knee should bow, &c. in the active, not passive signification, by Dr. Cosins, about 25. years past: expressly against the Original, the Latin, and most other translations whatsoever, the old English translations of Trevisa, Tyndale, Matthews, Coverdale, the Bishops Bible, Dr. Fulke, Mr: Cartwright, the Epistles and Gospels printed in English at Paris, Anno 1558. yea against the very sense and scope of the Text itself, and our English dialect; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , In Nomine, &c. being never rendered or translated At, but IN the name alone, in all Texts, Liturgies, Collects, Writs, Warrants, Histories, Authors whatsoever; and the phrase At the name, never heard of, read, used in any English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, A • abick, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Sclavonian, or other Writer whatsoever, but only in this text; and all to justify the Ceremony of bowing the head, and putting off the hat at the sound, or hearing of the name Jesus: first introduced and prescribed by Pope Gregory the 10. about the year of Christ 1272. at the reading of the Gospel only; after that enjoined by other Popes, Popish Canons, Decrees and Mass-books, with indulgences annexed for the users thereof to induce them thereunto; though never intended nor prescribed by this text, nor practiced in the Primitive Church for above 1200 years space, nor in the Reformed Churches abroad, nor enjoined by the Common-Prayer-book, or any Injunctions or Canons of our Church confirmed by Parliament, to make them valid, as I have elsewhere proved at large.
3ly. The frequent repetition of the Lord's Prayer, purposely instituted, prescribed to prevent much babbling, and vain repetitions in prayer, (in use only among the heathens, who thought they should be heard for their much speaking) expressly prohibited by our Savior, Mat. 6. 7, to 16. and by Eccles. 5. 1, 2. Prov. 10. 19. Which Repetitions seem to countenance the Papists vain Battologies and abuse of the Lord's Prayer in their Missals, Offices, Rosaries, Psalters, Beads, by many successive rehersals thereof, against the express command and institution of Christ.
4ly. The often rehearsals of Good Lord deliver us; We beseech thee to hear us good Lord, by all the People in the reading of the Litany: Which Antiphonies and Responsals between Minister, Clerk and People (except Amen at the cloze of every Prayer ) have no precept nor president in Scripture or solid Antiquity, but only in Popish Missals, Pontificals, Offices, Processionals, Ceremonials, Psalters, Primers.
I shall not at all insist upon kneeling at the Sacrament, the Cross in Baptism, the Ring in Marriage, for which there is neither command nor example in Scripture or the Primitive Church next after the Apostles, which Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Knewstubs, the Lincolnshire Ministers, Mr. Parker, Mr. Paybody, Doctor Burgess, Archbishop Whitguift, Master Hooker, Doctor Prideaux, and sundry others have at large debated, pro & contra, and may be omitted, or left arbitrary to all; but only confine myself to some few Particulars, which others have but slightly touched, not satisfactorily discussed.
SECT. I.
Of the frequent Repetition of Glory be to the Father, &c. at the end of every Psalm, and in the midst or end of some Prayers, Canticles, Songs, Scriptures, to which God never annexed it; and at the close of Athanasius his Creed.
THe first thing I shall here examine, is the reasonableness and Grounds of this Rubric in the beginning of the Book of Common-Prayer, At the end of every Psalm throughout the year; and likewise at the end of Benedictus, Benedicite, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, (and after O Lord make haste to help us, Quicunque vult, O Lord arise help us, and deliver us for thy name sake, the Psalm for the Churching of Women &c.) Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. Which is repeated (especially where the Psalms are short) six or seven times one after another every Morning, and as oft at Evening Prayer; and that by way of Antiphony and Responsals both by the Minister, Clerk and People, though the Rubric prescribe it not, but only orders the Priest to say it, without the People or Clerk.
This Rubric and practice seems very needless, superfluous, unreasonable, offensive, unlawful, and fit to be redressed, to many judicious, conscientious, sober Christians who resort to Common-Prayers, as well as to Separationists from them, upon these ensuing considerations.
1. God himself never prescribed nor annexed this form of Doxalogie, nor annexed it to the end of any one Psalm, much less of every parcel of Scripture, Song or Ganticle, to which the Rubric, and Common-Prayer-book inseparably annex it, when read in Churches Morning or Evening all the year long without omission or intermission; which seems to many to be an Addition to God's sacred Word (of which the ignorant Vulgar, and ignorant Priests repute it a Part, as they do the postscripts to Paul's Epistles) expressly prohibited by God himself, Deut. 4. 4. 2. c. 12. 32. Josh. 1. 7. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 2. 18. Ye shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor diminish from it, that you may keep the commandment of the Lord your God. Add thou not unto his Words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the Plagues which are written in this Book. Yea, a making of ourselves wiser than the only wise God, who would have added Glory be to the Father, &c. to the end of every Psalm, Song, Scripture, had he reputed it necessary or expedient for us to use and repeat it, when they are publicly read in the time of his solemn worship.
2. It seems to be a mere human-invented will-worship and tradition, never particularly prescribed nor required in any part or text of Scripture, in regard of manner, form, or frequent usage; and so condemned by Matth. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Isaiah 1. 12, 13. Who hath required this at your hands? Bring no more vain Oblations, I am weary of them. Col. 2. 20, 22, 23. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances, after the rudiments and doctrines of men; which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility.
3. It was never thus used by God's people in any parts of his public worship in the Old, or New Testament, nor by any of the Apostles, Primitive Churches, Bishops, or Christians for above 300. years after Christ; Therefore not just to be so peremptorily enjoined or practiced now. Alcuinus, Mat. Westminster, Mr. Fox, others relate, and Mr. Hooker, Dr. Boys confess
4. It was first inserted into, and prescribed to be used in and by Popish Missals, and Mass-books after every Psalm, Hymn, Prayer, in the self-same manner as it is in the Common-Prayer-book, into which it was originally transplanted out of these Romish Missals; as is evident by Officium, & Processionale secundum usum Sarum, Missal Romanum, ex Decreto sancti Concilii Tridentini restitutum, Pii 5. Pontificis Max. jussu editum. Salmanticae 1588. Rubricae Generales Missalis. Missal Romanum, Clementis 8. aucthoritate recognitum. Antuerpiae 1630, & Alcuinus; Pontificale & Caeremoniale Romanum,
5. The frequent use and repetition of it after every Psalm, Hymn, some Prayers, Creeds, at least 8. or 9. times every Morning prayer, seems to be a vain babbling and repetition, prohibited by Eccles. 5. 1, 2. Prov. 10. 19. and Matth. 6. 6, 7, 8. And an imitation, if not justification of the Papists use of the Ave Mary after every Pater noster, which they have annexed to the Lord's Prayer, as well as Gloria Patri to the end of every Psalm and sacred Hymn, with an addition to the Ave Maria itself; which makes it a Prayer to her; when as in itself it is but a bare salutation, and prayer for her.
6. This daily use and frequent repetition of Gloria Patri, &c. is a mere unnecessary super • luity & exuberancy which may well be spared: for if it were originally introduced and still continued in the Church only as a paraphrastical exposition of Ro. 11. 36. to manifest our sound judgment concerning the sacred Trinity against the Arians; as Mr. Hooker, Dr. Boys, and other Patrons of it affirm. And if, As it was in the beginning, &c. was superadded thereunto by the 2. Provincial Council of Vasio, and yet continued, by reason of the incredulity and craft of Heretics, who blasphemo • sly affirmed, Dei filium non semper cum Patre fuisse, sed à tempore caepisse; That the Son of God was not always with the Father, but to have his beginning from Time, as this Council and Bochellus assure us; It is then humbly submitted to the judgment of all impartial Christians who acknowledge, glorify, and worship the Trinity in unity. and believe the eternity of our Savior's generation: Whether the single rehearsal of one or more of these sacred Texts of Scripture at the beginning, middle, or end of Morning or Evening Prayer, viz. 1 John 5. 7.
7. This Addition to Gloria Patri by the Council of V • sio, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. on purpose to express the eternal being and generation of Christ, and refute those Heretics who denied it, if judiciously examined, is very defective in itself, and incongruously annexed to Glory be to the Father. For 1. there is no mention at all of Christ, not one syllable in it concerning his eternal generation, as there is in Prov. 8. John 1. and other fore-cited Texts. 2ly. It seems clearly to exclude Christ, and to relate to something else; As IT (not Christ) was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, imports. 3ly. Christ's eternal generation in the beginning, cannot properly be said, is now, and ever shall be world without end, without some incongruity and contradiction. 4ly. As it is coupled with the precedent clause, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, it must necessarily relate to the three Persons alike, & not to Christ alone, much less to his eternal Generation, of which there is no mention in the first clause. For since the Father and the Holy Ghost are not begotten, but only the Son; and this Clause refers to the Father and Holy Ghost as much as to the Son; it cannot peculiarly express or declare the eternal Generation of the Son, but rather the eternal being and immutability of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in a true Gramatical and Logical construction. 5ly. Any Heretic may easily evade this Clause by applying it only to the Father who is first, or to the Holy, last mentioned in Gloria Patri, and not to the So • . 6ly. The illiterate Vulgar, yea Ignorant reading Priests, Vicars, Atheists, do no ways understand it of the Sons eternal being and Generation, but rather in a literal and quite other sense, than the Original Contrivers of it intended, even according the sense and language of those Atheistical S •• ffers prophesied of by St. Peter in these last days, (who hold the World to be eternal, and to have no end, contrary to Psal. 102. 25, 26, 27. Hebr. 1. 10, 11, 12. Isaiah 34. 4. Mar. 13. 19, 40, 49. c. 34. 3, &c. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 2 Pet: 3. 6, to 14. Rev. 6. 12, 13.) saying, Where is the promise of Christ's coming (to judgment) for since the Fathers fell asleep ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING; and do so now, and ever shall do world without end; whose Atheistical Scoff and Opinion these words do more serve to justify and corroborate, than the eternal Generation of our Savior; Therefore not fit to be still continued in our Church now there are so many Atheists profane Scoffers and Deriders of Christ's second coming, and the worlds approaching Dissolution, whom Peter largely refutes, 2 Pet. 3. 6, to 14.
8. If the use of Gloria Patri, &c. was first instituted and inserted into public Liturgies (as some conceive) to render Glory and Praise to God, and the Trinity in Unity; no doubt this may be far better, and more effectually performed without the least exception, by the recital of the Song of the Angels and Heavenly ho • t, at our Savior's Nativity, Luke 2. 14. and that of Luke 19. 38. Glory to God in the highest, &c. (inserted into the Common-Prayer, and repeated at every Celebration of the Lord's Supper, with some additions of like nature) prescribed to be used in Churches and Liturgies by Pope Telesphoru • , in the year 139. long before the invention or prescription of Gloria Patri, by Pope Damasus. Of Rom. 11 36. Of him, and through him, and for him are all things, to him be glory forever Amen, of which Doctor Boys and others make Glory be to the Father, &c. a mere Paraphrastical Exposition, Gal. 1. 4, 5. According to the will of God, and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever Amen. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen. 2 Tim. 4. 18. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his Heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever Amen. Heb. 13. 20, 21. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, &c. make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever Amen. Rom. 16. 27. To God only wise, be glory through I • sus Christ forever, Amen. 1 Pet. 5. 10, 11. But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory through I • sus Christ, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you; To him be glory and dominion forever and ever Amen. Rev. 4. 9, 10, 11. c. 5. 12, 13, 14. And when those Beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the Throne, who liveth forever and ever, the 24. Elders fall down (not stand up) before him that sat on the Throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their Crowns before the Throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. And I heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts and the Elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and wisdom, and riches, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every Creature which is in heaven, and under the earth, and such as are in the Sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, Blessing, honor, glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever; And the four Beasts said, Amen. Rev. 7. 9, 10, 11, 12. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all Nations, and kindreds of people and tongues stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which • itteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb; And all the Angels stood round about the Throne, &c. and fell before the Throne on their faces, (not stood up) and worshipped God, saying, Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. The reading or reciting of one or more of these Canonical Doxalogies at the beginning, middle, or end of Morning of Evening Prayers, would certainly be more Canonical, expedient, useful in and to our Churches, and less subject to exceptions, than this frequent Repetition of Gloria Patri, &c. a mere superfluous human invention and tradition, which ought to give place to these forecited sacred Texts.
9ly. The annexing of Gloria Patri to, and repetition of it at the end of every Psalm, is either incongruous, impertinent, or superfluous at the best. The greatest part of the Psalms are either Supplications, Intercessions, Prayers, Exhortations, Imprecations, Lamentations, Instructions, admonitions, or penitential Confessions of Sin, and God's judgments inflicted for the same; and to repeat Glory be to the Father, &c. at such Psalms cloze, seems to considerate Christians a great Incongruity, impertinency, and absurdity; especially when sung with Organs and the Choir in Cathedrals, as Caeremoniale Romanum requires it. Compare this Doxalogy with the last Verses of Psal. 1. 6. 9, 10. 12. 14. 15. 19. 20. 22. 25. 31. 33. 36. 38. 39. 40. 46. 47. 49. 51. 55. 70. 76. 78. 80. 81, &c. and you shall at first discern how little coherenoe, harmony there is between them. The residue of the Psalms are for the most part gratulatory, consisting of Prayses, Thanksgivings, and Gratifications to God for his Spiritual, Temporal, and eternal Mercies & Deliverances; concluding with Praise ye the Lord, or beginning with it: and to annex Gloria Patri to them, is either a mere unnecessary superfluity or Tautoligy, an adding of Water to the Ocean, and of human inventions to Divine Thanksgivings.
Honorius Augustodunensis, flourishing about the year of Christ, 1120. in his Gemma Animae, sive de Divinis Officiis & antiquo ritu Missarum) out of which Gulielmus Durantus hath borrowed most part of his Rationale Divinorum) lib. 1. c. 121. Yea Missal Romanum, set forth by Pope Pius Quintus, and revised by Pope Clement the 8th. with others inform us, That at the Mass of the Dead, Gloria Patri, and Allelujah, which signify gladness, are not sung or used, because this Mass imitates sorrow: and we are thereby admonished that we came into the world with sadness, and shall depart thence with sorrow. If then Papists, Popes, and Missals themselves repute Gloria Patri incongruous and absurd to be sung or said in Masses for the Dead, upon this account; it must by the self-same reason be as incongruous and absurd for any to chant or repeat it at the end of penitential, supplicatory, lamenting complaining Psalms, or Palms that are read at Funerals. The same Honorius, l. 2. c. 2, & 10. informs us, That the 1, 2, 3, and 6. Psalms (which he applies to the generation from Adam to Noah in general, & to Abel, Enos, Enoch & Lamech in special) are all said under one Gloria Patri, because the just men of that Age are believed to have worshipped the Trinity. And that all Psalms are sung with Gloria Patri, because all the foresaid orders, (of Priests, Judges, Kings, in the several Ages from Adam to Christ) are written to have worshipped the Trinity; and therefore three Psalms and three Anthems are likewise sung. This is the only reason I meet with for the chanting and repeating Gloria Patri after every Psalm, which how Monkish, weak, and ridiculous it is (since upon the same account it ought to be sung or read after every Chapter in the Old and New Testament, or else it implies, that the Pen-men of those Canonical Texts and Chapters after which it is neither sung nor read, did not adore the Trinity) let the impartial Readers judge: since the Apostles and Christians in the Primitive times next after Christ would have used it after every Psalm and Canticle upon this Account, which they never did; and we ought not to be wiser in our own concrets than they, in matters which concern God's immediate worship.
10. Gloria Patri, &c. coupled with As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, &c. intimates, that the Doxalogy was used from all eternity in honor of the blessed Trinity by Saints and Angels, before either of them were created, or at least from the Creation till this present time, without variation or intermission, which is both false and absurd to assert: Yea literally taken Archbps, Bishops, Deans, Chapters, Prebends, Cathedralists who are most zealous for its continuance, have least reason of any other Christians to practice, chaunt, repeat it, since they have so much degenerated, swerved from the Bishops, Ministers in the Apostles age, and Primitive Church in their daily Preaching, Manners, Habits, Vestments, Ornaments, Church-music, Piety, Humility, Jurisdidictions, Temporal possessions, Ceremonies, Government, ( by a joint Council of Presbyters) Ecclesiastical centsure; Of neither whereof they can truly say, As it was in the beginning is now, nor yet and ever shall be world without end, Amen; which they should henceforth discontinue, unless they will really conform themselves in all things to the primitive Bishops and Ministers, in point of worship, doctrine, disciplne, administration of Sacraments, Cereremonies, Vestments, Church-service, and contempt of Worldly Pomp, Riches, Honors, Heavenly conversation; and comply with his Majesty's most gracious Declarations touching Ecclesiastical affairs, and the endowment of poor Vicaridges with competent maintenance for the benefit of the Peoples souls and bodies, to which they are very a verse.
11. The usual custom of repeating Gloria Patri, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c. interchangably by the Ministers and People; the Minister sometimes reciting the first clause, and the Clerk and People the latter; sometimes the Clerk and People rehearsing the fi • st part, and the Minister the last, by way of Dialogue, Antiphony and Responsals; as it is contrary to the Rubric, which prescribes the Priest alone to rehearse it, not the People, who are but to say Amen thereto; So is it contrary to the practice of God's Church in the first and purest times. And the recital thereof with a loud obstreperous voice as well by Women as Men, repugnant to the Apostles express precepts, 1 Cor. 14. 34, 35. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted unto them t • speak; for it is a shame for them to speak in the Church; Therefore most fit to be reformed for the future, and laid quite aside.
12. The repetition of Glory be to the Father, &c. after every Psalm, Hymn and Versicle, according to the Rubric in times of Divine service, hath introduced a New disorderly, confused Custom and Ceremony in Cathedral and some other Churches, (though prescribed by no Rubric, Law, Sanction, or Canon of our Church) of starting and standing up at every rehearsal of it, and quatting down again as soon as it is repeated; which gives a great offense to many, therefore I shall next discuss it.
SECT. II.
Of Ministers and Peoples rising and standing up at every Rehersal of Glory be to the Father, &c.
THough the Gesture of rising and standing up during any part of Divine Service, simply considered in itself, be a thing indifferent, and lawful, as well as kneeling or sitting, as the Marginal Scriptures evidence, yet the customary, constant usage thereof at Gloria Patri in all Cathedral, most Parish Churches, Chapels, newly revived, gives great distaste to many sober Christians, upon these ensuing Considerations, which make them to disgust the use of Gloria Patri itself, as an unnecessary superfluity which may well be spared.
1. Because there is no precept nor president for any such usage or custom, in the old or New Testament, nor in the Primitive Church, when purest, devoutest, for above 700 years after Christ.
2. There is no Rubric, Law, legal Canon or Injunction for it in our own Church since the Reformation of Religion, as there was before in times of Popery; it being exploded upon the Reformation and Establishment of the Book of Common-Prayer, though since introduced by Degree • in Cathedrals and Parish Churches, by innovating Prelates, and Prelatical Clergy-men, without any Law, against the minds of our first Reformers who exploded it.
3. Because the frequent sudden starting and standing up in the reading of the Psalms, & other parts of the Liturgy, at and during every Rehearsal of Gloria Patri, & pronouncing it promiscously with a loud voice, as well by Men as Women, who are to keep silence, and not suffered to speak in the Church, whiles others sit as before, (because this Ceremony is not prescribed) and then quatting down again, to the disturbance of those who sit by or near them, and offense of those who scruple, dislike this illegal Innovation, as an undecent and disorderly custom, introduced without any solid reason, contrary to the Apostles prescription and direction, 1 Cor. 14. 33, 34, 35, 40. and 1 Tim. 2. 11. 12. Let all thingste done decently and in order, for God is not the Author of confusion but peace; Let your women keep silence in the Churches, &c. This chaunting and rehearsing of Gloria Patri by all the people with a loud voice, together with the Priest at the end of the Psalm, was long since thus censured as a strange disorderly Innovation, by Cassianus a Presbyter of Marselles. Illud autem quod in hac Provincia vidimus, ut uno cantante in clausula Psalmi, omnes adstantes concinent cum • amore, Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spirituisancto, nusquam per Orientem audivimus; sed cum silentio omnium, ab eo qui cantat, finito Psalmo or ationem succedere: Therefore most fit to be Reformed now, there being no Rubric, Law or Canon that prescribes it in our Church.
4. Because it is directly contrary to the president and practice of the 24. Elders, and the great multitude of Saints of all Nations, and kindreds and people, Rev. 4. 11, 12. cap. 7. 10, 11, 12. Who when they gave praise and glory unto God, did all fall down on their faces (not stand up upon their feet) before the Throne, and him that sat thereon, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and praise: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever Amen. The same in substance and words almost with Gloria Patri, &c. at which all now use to rise and stand upright, instead of falling down on their faces; Yea rise up not only from their seats, but knees, when they are praying, O Lord make haste to help us, to Chant or say Glory be to the Father, &c. subjoined to that and other Prayers.
5. Because this starting and standing up at Gloria Patri, was originally introduced, prescribed by Popish Missals, Councils, Canons, Priests, and taken up in imitation of Popish Prelates, Priests, Monks, Papists, in their Celebration of their Masses, in which they all stand up together when Gloria Patri is repeated at the entrances of their several Masses, the end of every Psalm, and other parts of their Mass. When and by what Popes and Councils it was first introduced, I cannot certainly define. Chronicon Reichespengense, Fredericus Lindebrogus, with others fore-cited, inform us, That Pope Damasus, Anno 368. in fine cujusque Psalmi Gloria Patri cantariprimus invenit & constituit: But that he enjoined all or any to stand up when it was thus sung or read, no Author once records. The Capitularia of the Emperor Charles the Great, and Ludovicus Pius, collected by Abbot Ansegisus, and Benedictus Levita, l. 1. Tit. 70. De fide Presbyterorum ab Episcopis discutienda, ordani; ut Episcopy diligenter discutiant per suas Parochias, &c. Vt Gloria Patri cum omni honor apud omnes cantetur; & ipse Sacerdos cum sanctis Angels & populo Dei communi voice, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus decantet: But that they should stand up when they sung it, there is not one syllable in this Constitution, nor in any fore-cited Council or Decretal, that enjoins the use of Gloria Patri. Therefore it was not practiced in that age; The first Council I have yet found that prescribes standing up at Gloria Patri, is the Provincial Council of Senns in France, in the year 1528. cap. 18. De horis Canonicis distinct, reverenter & honest in Ecclesia decantandis, which enjoins, that in Cathedral, Collegiat and Conventual Churches, (not Parochial or Chapels) cum dicitur Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, omnes consurgant; but why all should thus rise and stand up together when Glory be to the Father, &c. is said, it renders no reason at all, nor any Council else I have yet perused; neither can I find any probable reason for it, but that which is intimated in Ritus celebrandi Missam, prefixed to Missal Romanum, revised by Pope Pius the 5th. and reformed by Pope Clement the 8th. De Principio Missae, sect. 3. Sacerdos cum in fine Psalmor • m dicit, Gloria Patri, &c. caput Cruci inclinat; that the Priest when he saith Gloria Patri in the end of the Psalms, may the better bow his head to the Crucifix or Altar, (and the people together with him) which he and they could not so conveniently perform, unless they stood up and raised themselves from their seats. This Council of Senns, immediately subjoins in the same Canon, Cum nominatur illud nomen gloriosum Jesus, in quo omne genu flectitur (in, not at which every knee is bowed, in the passive, not active sense) coelestium, terrestrium & infernorum, omnes caput inclinent. A Canon contrary to the words of the Text, Phil. 2. 9, 10. which requirs, that every knee, not head should be bowed, as well as repugnant to its sense, which is only this, that God hath highly exalted Jesus Christ to be the Sovereign Lord, not only of his Church, but all other Creatures; and that in the general day of judgment not only all Angels, Saints, but Devils, damned persons, should actually be subjected to his Sovereign power, as their supreme Lord and Judge, not Jesus or Savior, (he being no Savior, but only a Lord over Devils, damned persons, and all other Creatures but men) and actually confess him to be their LORD, to the glory of God the Father: the genuine scope and meaning of this much abused, mistaken Text, as is evident by the words, and Isaiah 45. 23. Rom. 14. 9, to 15. c. 2. 5, to 17. Mat. 25. 31, to 46. c. 28. 18, 19. Ephes. 1. 19, to 23. Heb. 1. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. c. 2. 8. Col. 1. 15, to 20. Acts 2. 34, 35, 36. c. 10. 36, 42. Col. 1. 15, to 20. Rev. 1. 5, 6. c. 5. 11, to 14. c. 20. 12, 13. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 15. John 5. 20, 21, 22, 23. which fully explain this Text, as I have elsewhere largely evidenced. The next Council I find prescribing standing up at Gloria Patri, (and bowing at the Name Jesus jointly together) is that of Bourdeaux, (Concilium Bituriense) Anno 1584. thus registered by Bochellus. In fine Psalmorum & ubicunque Gloria sanctissimae Trinitati redditur, omnes consurgant: that is, in the end of psalms, and wheresoever Glory is rendered to the most holy Trinity, let all rise (or stand) up together, & in invocation nomine Jesus genu flectant; which last clause may be more properly interpreted of kneeling or bowing the knees to Christ, in the invocation of his Name in Prayer, then at the sound or mention of his Name Jesus, when not invoked in the Gospels, Epistles, second Lessons or Sermons. These are the only Councils and Canons I know, (and those but of late years made by Popish Provincial Councils) enjoining all to stand up when Gloria Patri is said or sung, and that principally in Cathedral, Collegiat and Conventual Churches, without any solid reason rendered for it: Which being a practice generally taken up and used only by Papists, Popish Prelates, Priests, Monks, and Popish Churches in Forein parts, and in no reformed Churches beyond the Seas, nor prescribed by any Law, Rubric, Injunction, or legal Canon of the Church of England, I humbly submit to the Judgments, Consciences, of all zealous, sober, judicious Protestants, Prelates and Cathedralists, whether upon consideration of the Premises, they may not with more reason and descretion henceforth give over not only their rising and standing up at Gloria Patri, but likewise the freequent Repetition, if not the use thereof for the future, and quite expung it out of the Book of Common-Prayer, then any longer continue it to the offense and scandal of thousands of their Protestant Brethren, who are both pious, peaceable, learned, judicious, and no Enemies, but Friends to a well-reformed public Liturgy, wherein they may all heartily accord.
SECT. III.
Of standing up at the Reading of the Gospel, and Three Creeds.
I Am yet of opinion, that the Decretals and Canons prescribing standing up at Gloria Patri, were the true original of those for standing up at the reading of the Gospel, and prefacing it with the Repetition of Glory be to thee O Lord, prescribed by Roman Missals, Ceremonials, Pontificals, Popes Decrees, Popish Writers, and derived from them to those who now practice it in our Church, being the same in substance with Gloria Patri, which being now generally used in all our Cathedrals, and revived of late in many Parish Churches and Chapels, though not prescribed by any Rubric in the Book of Common-Prayer, nor binding Law or Canon of our Church, by innovating Clergy-men, and such as are over-much addicted to Ceremonies and Formalities; I shall next calmly examine the original grounds, lawfulness, decency, and expediency thereof.
The original of standing up at the reading of that we call the Gospel, specially appointed at the Communion on Sundays and Holy-days, is attributed by some to Pope Clement the 1. and inserted into his spurious Apostolical Constitutions, in these words, Cum Evangelium legitur, omnes Presbyteri, Diaconi, & Laici Allurgant, cum magno silentio, Scriptum est enim; Tace & audi Israel. Et rursum, Tu vero hîc sta & audies. Deinde vero moneant Presbyteri populum, ut seed • t. But this Constitution, 1. As it was none of the Apostles, so neither this Pope Clements, but a spurious Imposture of far later days, as Mr. Cook in his Censura Patrum, Dr. James, and sundry others have evidenced. 2ly. The standing up thereby enjoined, is not at the reading of that we now call the Gospel, but of the Second Lesson or Chapter out of one of the 4. Evangelists, as the preceding words demonstrate. And why all Priests, Deacons, and Laymen should stand up together at the reading of that we now usually call the Gospel, because taken out of the Gospel, rather then at the Second Lesson or Chapter being the Gospel as much as it, or at the Reading of the Gospel only, rather then of the Epistle, (which is part of the Gospel, and New Testament, as well, as much as any Chapter or part of a Chapter taken out of the 4. Evangelists) or any other part or Chapter of the Old or New Testament, being all alike, sacred, Canonical, and to be read, heard, embraced, believed, obeyed, with the like attention, reverence, devotion, affection, faith; no sober Christian or Divine can render any solid convincing reason. 3ly. This Constitution, enjoined all to rise up with great silence; When now all rise up with a loud voice, saying, Glory be to thee O Lord; quite contrary thereunto. 4ly. The Texts produced out of Deut. 5. 31. c. 27. 12, 13. to justify this standing up at the Gospel; are meant only of reading the Law; at which all now usually kneel on their knees, not stand up; which is very preposterous and opposite to these Texts.
Others attribute the Original of standing at the Gospel to Pope Anastatius the 1. (or Athanasius, as some style him) about the year of our Lord 404. who thus decreed its future use; Significastis, quosdam sacerdotes in Ecclesia, quando leguntur Evangelia sedere, & Domini Salvatoris verba non stantes, sed sedentes audire, & hoc ex majorum tradition se accipisse narrant; quod ut nullatenus deinceps fieri sinatis, Apostolica authoritate mandamus. Sed dum sancta Evangelia in Ecclesia recitantur, Sacerdotes et caeteri omnes praesentes, non sedentes, Sed venerabiliter curvi in conspectu sancti Evangelii stantes, Dominica verba intent audiant, et fideliter adorent. If this Decree be not forged (as most of this Nature are) yet I shall observe from it, 1. That a Pope was the first Author, Broacher of this Ceremony. 2ly. That it was not used before his time. 3ly. That certain Priests used to sit, not stand, at the reading of the Gospel's; and that they received this practice by tradition from their Ancestors, which this Pope denied not, yet decreed the contrary by his own Papal authority, without advise of any Synod or Council. 4ly. That he peremptorily prohibits any to fit, and commands all (whether Priests or People to stand during all the reading of the Gospel, though aged, weak, lame, sickly: in which Cases Waldensis, Durantus, and others grant, they may sit down when they are unable to stand, or weary of standing up, notwithstanding this Decree. 5ly. That the Gospel's (in the Plural, not Singular Number) here intended, are not those we now call Gospel's; but any Lessons or Chapters whatsoever read in the Church out of the four Evangelists or New Testament. Therefore to confine it only to that now styled the Gospel, not to any other Chapter, Lesson read out of the Gospel, is to contradict this Popes Decree. 6ly. That the end why they are commanded to stand at the Gospel's was, That they might more attentively hear and attend to it; which reason, as it is good and laudable, so it holds as well at the reading of the Epistles, 10. Commandments, Psalms, Chapters out of the Old Testament, or any other Texts of Scripture, Lessons taken out of the four Evangelists, as at the Gospels, at which all should equally stand, as well as at these Gospel's. 7ly. If any stand up on this account, to adore the Gospel's, or yield them more reverence, attention, adoration than other sacred Scriptures, (of equal authority with them) as the last clause of the Decree intimates; it is doubtless not only a Superstitious, but irreligious practice, contrary to the Gospel and these sacred Texts, 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Mar. 12. 44. John 5. 39. Acts 17. 2, 11. c. 18. 28. Rom. 1. 2. c. 10. 11. c. 15. 4. c. 16. 25, 26 2 Tim. 3. 15. 8ly. It is observed of our Savior himself, Lu. 4. 16. that coming to Nazareth, as his Custom was, he went into the Synogogue on the Sabbath day, & stood up to read, not the Gospel or any of the four Evangelists, (then not written) but the Book of the Prophet Isaiah; out of which when he had read his Text standing; he closed the Book, gave it again to the Minister, and late down, and preached to the people in the Synagogues, who all fasined their eyes on him, v. 20, 21, &c. Moreover we read of Christ, Mat. 13. 2. c. 15. 29. c. 24. 3. Mar. 4. 1. c. 13. 3, &c. Lu. 5. 3. Jo. 6. 3. c. 8 2. that when he taught, or preached the Gospel to the people, or his Disciples, he usually sare down, not stood up, whence he useth this expression, Mat. 26. 55. I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laid no hold on me. How then this Popes Decree can well stand with our Savior's own practice, let the Impartial judge.
Gulielmus Durantus in his Rationale Divinorum, 1. 4. Rubrica, de Evangelio, writes thus of the original of standing up at the Gospel, and the reasons of it, and other Ceremonies accompanying it: Sane Evangelium stando, & non sedendo auditur, sicut statuit Anastatius Papa, de Consecr. Dist. 1. Apostolica, ut ad Praelium pro Christi fide servanda promp • itudo notetur, unde Lu. 22. Q •• non 〈◊〉 gl •• lium vendat tunicam & emat illum. Et ex quo standum est, apparet, quod nec jac • re, nec appodiare d • bemus Evang • lium audiendo. Reclinatoria ergo tun • relinquuntur, ad not andum, quod non debemus considerare in principilus, nec sustentare interrenis, quia, vanitas vanit atum & omnia vanit as dixit Ecclesiastes. Et secundum ipsum Anastatium, stantes cur • i manere debemus, ut humilitatem quae à D •• uno doceti • eviam corpore demonstremus. Auditur etiam Evangelium in silento, quia omnia soluta sunt in Evangelio quae in Lege & Prophetis promissa erant. Deponuntur etiam • un • caculi & arma. Primo, ne imitemur Iudaeos in co • spechi ••• fixi erundines & arma ferentes. Secundo, ad not • ndum quod Christo praedicanto omnes legales observantiae quae per • aculos significantur, deposit • sunt. Tertio depositio baculorum & armorum humilitatem not at, & Christiane per fectionis csse non se vindicare sed Domino 〈◊〉 vindiciam. And then he proceeds to sundry other Ceremonies, Customs, Crossings of the Body in several places, and antique gestures which Priests and Prelates are to use in reading the Gospel, fitter for the Stage than the Church or Gospel, and to provoke laughter than Devotion.
It seems this Custom of standing at the Gospel began of late to be discontinued or neglected even by Popish Priests and Laics; whereupon the Popish Council of • hemes in France, Anno 1583. re-enforced it by this Canon; Dum legitur Evangelium, vel Praefatio, omnes assurgant; Let all stand up whiles the Gospel, or Preface is read.
Thi • Ceremony or Gesture of Standing, is likewise customarily used by most at the respective rehearsing of the Creed, commonly called the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasius Creeds, though not prescribed by any Rubric, Law of our Church, nor yet by any Popish Canons or Decrees to my remembrance, as standing up at Gloria Patri, and the Gospels, are. If it be only used out of pure devotion, more attentively to hear, mind what is read, or spoken, no prudent Christian can justly censure, but approve it; But if done merely out of Custom, or because the Creed is the word of the Gospel, according to its sense, or to distinguish between the recital of the Creed, and other parts of Divine worship; or, to advance the Creeds composed by men out of the Scriptures themselves of Divine inspiration, authority; before the sacred Fountains from whence they flow; or to stand up for, or stand to, or stand fastin them (as we use to speak) more than to any other parts of the Scripture, being all of like sacred inspiration, and Divine authority: it is no ways excusable, much less justifiable by any understanding Christians.
To close up this Discourse touching standing up at Gloria Patri, Gospels and Creeds, it is unquestionable, that the posture of standing is in itself indifferent; and may b • lawfully used in any part of Divine public worship; so as it be not done out of singularity, opposition to decency and order, or for superstitious or unanswerable grounds, but only to raise up our drowsy bodies, hearts, spirits more attentively, fervently, devoutly to read, hear, pray, and discharge that part of God's worship wherein we use it. The Primitive Christians, and Universal Church for above Eight hundred years after his Nativity, in memory of Christ's resurrection, did use to pray on all Lord's days, and between Easter and Whitsuntide, and worship God standing, not kneeling, nor bowing their knees at all when they prayed or worshipped; which they prescribed; prohibiting kneeling on these days by sundry Councils, and reputing it a kind of crime or impiety: Whence they styled their Meetings on the Lord's day, Stationes, à stando; Stations from this their standing at them; and the Christians of those times Stationarii, as Tertullian (b) Cyprian, the Council of Nice, Can. 20. the 6. Synod of Constantinople in Trullo. can. 90. the Synod of Towers under Charles the Great, can. 37 the Council of Aquisgrane under L • dovicus pius, c. 47. the Century writers, Cent. 3. cap. 6. col. 153. & Centur. 3, 5, 6, 7. c. 6. with sundry others attest. From whence it is apparent, 1. That they held this gesture of standing lawful, and that they stood at the reading of the Psalms, Epistles, and all Lessons out of the Old Testament, as well as at the Gospels, making no distinction between them. 2ly. That they received the Lord's Supper standing, not kneeling. 3ly. That they neither bowed their knees nor heads at the Name JESUS, when ever read or heard; first introduced by Pope Gregory the 10th. about the year 1272. who restrained the use of it only to the Celebration of the Mass, and never practiced before his time for ought appears by Ecclesiastical Historiaus, Fathers, Councils, or Decretals of Popes themselves. Yet notwithstanding this ancient universally received Custom of the Church, though ratified by sundry Councils, of praying, performing all parts of God's public worship, only standing, not kneeling, on every Lord's day, and between Easter and Whitsuntide; is long since quite laid aside in all, or most Christian Churches; and therefore the use of Gloria Patri, Of standing up at it, and at the Gospels and Creeds, not so ancient nor universal, nor grounded on so good reasons as these Stations, (together with the late cringing and bowing at the name Jesus ) may now with much more reason be set aside and discontinued for our Churches Peace, Settlement, and Unity in God's worship.
SECT IV.
Of the use of white Surplices, Rochers, with other Episocopal and Sacerdotal Consecrated Vestments in the Celebration of Divine Service and Sacraments in Churches.
THe last thing I shall examine, is the pretended necessity, decency or expediency of Bishops, Ministers, D • acous, Scholars, Choristers wearing of white Surp • isses, Rochets, and other sacred Vestments, Habits, Ornaments in the celebration of Divine service and Sacraments which many have formerly, and now of late over-rigidly contended for, refusing to admit such into Fellowships or Orders, who out of scruple of Conscience refused to wear them, and silencing, deprivi • g many godly, orthodox, painful, learned preaching Ministers, who could not in judgment or conscience submit to use them.
Not to enter into any General discouse concerning the several uses of Apparel, as 1. To cover our nakedness. 2ly, To keep our Bodies warm, and defend them from cold, heat, rain, wind, tempe • ts, 3ly. To adorn our Bodies in a modest, decent, comely manner; without lasciviousness, • rodigality, or fantastickness, 4ly. To distinguish the Male and Female Sexes, and some Ranks, Callings of men from others of a different Degree, or Profession. I shall only premise these 13. considerations, which I suppose must be acknowledged by the most zealous Contenders for these Pontifical and Ecclesiastical Vestments, and Habits, without dispute, when duly pondered.
1. That there is no particular kind, fashion, form of holy Garments instituted or prescribed by God in sacred Writ to Bishops, Ministers or Deacons in and under the Gospel, as there was to Aaron the High Priest, and Jewish Priests and Levites under the Law.
2ly. That there is no one Text throughout the New Testament, nor authentic Testimony to prove, that either Christ or his Apostles, or any Bishops, Ministers, or Deacons in the Apostles times, (or for some hundreds of years after them) were distinguished by their Apparel from other Christians, or Believers; or that they preached, prayed or administered the Sacraments in any consecrated Vestments whatsoever, (much less in such Rochets, Surplesses, or other Pontifical Habits, as are now so eagerly contested for) but only in their ordinary wearing Apparel, the fashion or color whereof is no where particularly described, much less prescribed in the Gospel to all or any Ministers, Bishops or Deacons. And why should not all Prelates and Ministers be content to imitate and conform themselves to their Example, (as they are enjoined, Ephes. 1. 2. Phil. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 21.) unless they will be reputed, as in truth they are, the greatest Non-conformists.
3ly. The Gospel being commanded to be preached to all Nations, who were as different in their Manners, Habits, Fashions, Customs, Laws, Ceremonies, Governments, as in their Climates and Languages, it was neither possible, convenient nor reasonable to prescribe any one set-form of Bishops, Ministers or Deacons Vestments, Liturgy, or Administration of Sacraments to them all, but to leave them arbitrary and indifferent, with this general limitation, Let all things be done decently and in order.
4ly. That though all Qualifications and Duties of Eangelical Bishops, Deacons, (and their Wives too) be most fully and particularly set down in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus, yet there is not one syllable in them concerning the form or color of their Ordinary or Prieslly Vestments, Accounterments; which if so necessary, expedient, decent as they are now pretended, would certainly have there been specified, recommended, or prescribed to all succeeding Bishops and Deacons.
5ly. That the Apostle in this very Epistle to Timothy where he most particularly enjoins the use of public and private Prayers to Bishops, Ministers, and all other Christians, and the manner how they should perform the same; useth only these expressions, I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications, Prayers, Iutercessions, and Thanksgivings be made for all men; for Kings, and all in Authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy Hands, (he would doubtless have added, putting on holy Garments, Rochets, Surplesses, Albees, Hoods, &c. had they been necessary, decent, expedient) without wrath or doubtings: In like manner also that Women adorn themselves with modest Apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety, (now almost quite out of fashion even in Churches as well as Theatres) not with broydred or plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, (or spots, or patches, now much in fashion both in and out of Church) but (which becometh Women professing godliness) with good works. Let the Women learn in silence, &c. This transition from Ministers, Deacons, and men's praying in every place with pure hands, to women's apparel (especially in the Church, as the last words evidence) without one syllable of M • ns, Bishops, Ministers or Deacons apparel, or Church-vestments, before or after it in this Epistle, or any other, is an unanswerable argument in my weak judgment against the necessity or peremptory prescription of any Rochets, Surplesses, or other kind of Vestments since invented, enjoined by Popes, or Popish Prelates, Priests, Monks, or any other Prelates, in the celebration of Divine Service, Masses, Sacraments.
6ly. That our Savior himself gave this special charge to his Disciples, recorded by two Evangelists; Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body what you shall put on: Is not, or (for the) life (is) more than meat, and the body than raiment? If then the Apostles and Disciples themselves were thus specially prohibited to take any thought for their ordinary necessary Rayment and wearing Apparel, much more then for any extraordinary, unnecessary Surplesses, Rochets, Canouical or Pontifical Massing Vestments, wherein they preach, pray or administer the Sacraments. Of which Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Cathedral-men have been heretofore, and some now be so over-careful, so immoderately zealous, as by sundry successive Councils, Synods, Canons, Decretals, Injunctions, Rubrics, Censures, indispensibly to impose, yea force them upon their Fellow-Ministers and Christians, against their judgments, wills, consciences, or else to deprive them of their Ministry, God's public Ordinances, Sacraments, contrary to this express Inhibition of Christ himself, whom they highly atfront therein.
7ly. That God by St. Paul gives this Divine Precept or Admonition to Timotby, and all other Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, Christians, Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (though ordinary, course, mean,) let us be therewith content. O that all over-covetous, worldly, pompous Prelates and Clergy-men, would seriously ponder, believe, practice, and preach over this Text by their heavenly world-contemning lives, instead of vexing, disquieting, discontenting themselves, and all others, with Law-suits, Citations, Injunctions, Censures about their Lorldly Manors, Palaces, Temporalties, Pontifical Ornaments, and Priestly Vestments! This would make all to love, honor, reverence them with and from their souls, who now repute them the worldlyest, the proudest, and most avaricious of all men professing Christianity, even when they are departing out of this world, and dropping into their very Graves, if not into a deeper Pit, to the scandal of the Gospel, and their holy Function. Let me only mind them of two conclusions from this Text. 1. That if all Bishops and Ministers ought to be contented with bare necessary raiment, as well as food, then they ought not to lade and clothe themselves with so many super • luous, unnecessary Pontifical robes and Priestly vestments, as now they wear and put on, even in God's own presence, House, whiles they are discharging their Duties, and performing Divine services unto him; much less to force or impose them upon their Brethren and Fellow-Ministers, who are and would be content with their ordinary Garments, without these superfluities, and are highly discontented, that they are enjoined to put them on against this Precept, the forecited Texts, yea the very dictates of their own Judgments and Consciences. 2ly. That they must speedily leave all their worldly Temporalties, Episcopal robes, Priestly vestments behind them, and shall neither carry them hence into their Graves, much less to Heaven, or another world; why then should they either trouble themselves with them, or their Fellow-Ministers and Christians about them, who take no contentment in them, and desire to officiate and serve God in their Ministry without them.
8ly. (Which is most observable,) That when Christ himself commissioned and sent forth his Disciples to preach, teach, and discharge their Ministerial function, he expressly enjoined them among other things, not to provide, take, or put on two Coats, neither to have two Coats a piece, as being an impediment to their preaching and Ministry. In obedience to which command, the most laborious preaching Gospel-spreading Saint Parl, whiles he was travelling from Country to Country, and City to City, to preach the Gospel, left his Cloak at Troas with Carpus, as a cumbersome impediment to his Ministry, which he sent for after he was P • isoner at Rome, when he could no longer walk abroad to preach. With what color then of Piety, Decency, Expediency or Necessity, can Popes, Patriarchs, Metropolitans, Archbishops, Bishops, when they go to say Mass, read Divine service, preach, baptize, celebrate the Lord's Supper, confer Orders, keep Visitations, consecrate Churches, Chapels, Vessels, Vestments, Kings, put on, adorn and load themselves with Miters, Caps, Cossacks, Gownes, Rochets, Surplesses, Copes, Hoods, Stoles, Planets, Palls, Dalmaticks, Pectoral Crosses, Girdles, Colobiums, Chymers, Gloves, Sandals, Handkerchiefs, Scarsses, without which, by their own Canons, Decretals, Missals, Pontificals, Processionals, Ceremonials, they neither may nor must officiate; and enjoin all Ministers, Priests, Deacons, under se • erest censures and deprivations, to wear Cassockes on their ordinary Apparel, Girdles, and Gownes upon them, Surplices, or Copes upon their G • w • es, and if Doctors and Gradnates, Hoods, Scarfes, and Tippets upon them (which hinder and make them unapt to preach or discharge their Ministry) against these reiterated Precepts of our Savior, recorded by three Evangelists for their own and all other Ministers immitation? or how can they ever answer in the great day of judgment, when they shail appear naked before the Tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ, their • igh contemptious, willful violations of this his sacred injunction, their hating, reviling, persecuting, rejecting, dep • iving any of his faithful, painful Ministers, Servants, as Piaecisians, Puritans, Non-conformists, Scismaticks, or Fanatics, only because they will not or dare not in point of Conscience, against the precedent sacred Injunctions, conform in every punctilio to those superflous Vestments, Disguites, which their Fantastick frothy brains have invented, prescribed in God's worship, against and beside, hi • Word, • nd obey God rather then men.
9ly. That John the Baptist (our Savior's immediate fore-runner) gave this command to Priests and Clergy-men, as well as the people, Luke 3. 11. He that bath two Coats let him impart to him that hath none; which John the Evangelist, Paul and James have seconded in substance, if not in words, 1 John 3. 17. Rom 12. 13. I am. 2. 15 16. How then can Bishops, Deans, Prebends, Ministers, heap living upon living, and one Coat, Vestment upon another, when so many poor Christians are naked and destitute of clothing, to whom their Laws, Decreetals resolve, they must not impart any of their consecrated Coats or Vestments, though old and quite worn out, but burn them rather, because fit for, and to be worn by none but sacred perfons. Yea pull off the Coats of their fellow-Ministers, and strip them of their Livings, Ministry, because they will not heap Coat upon Coat, and one Vestment upon another, when they are to pray, preach, administer Sacraments, and the Coats of their own poor Stipendary Curates too, who, discharge their duties and take all the pains in their Commendaes, Appropriations, Pluralicies, Benefices on which they are for the most part Non-resident, by allowing them such contemptible Salaries as will scarce provide them Cloaths, much less a competent subsistence for them and their Families.
10ly. That God being no respecter of persons, and taking no notice of Bishops, Ministers, or Christians Vestments in his Worship, Service, but only of their Hearts, Spirits, Graces, Sincerity, Diligence and Fidelity. Yea St. Peter himself resolving, That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him: and St. James particularly repiehending Christians, for having the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory in respect of persons, and preferring those who come into their Assemblies with a gold Ring, and goodly Apparel, (as Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Prebends, and other Pompous Clergy-men use to do) and contemning poor Curates, and conscientious humble world contemning Ministers, who come into the Church (to preach, officiate, or celebrate the Sacrament) in ordinary or vile raiment; The discriminating of Ministers from other Christians, and Popes, Patriarchs, Arch-bishops, Bishops, Arch-deacons, Deans, Prebends from one another, and from other Ministers, by their different habits, and Sacerdotal Vestments, as more honorable, holy, dear, near, acceptable to God then other inferior Ministers or Lay-Ch ••• tians, and reputing Sermons, Prayers, Sacraments, preached, made, read, administered in Surplises, Rochets, Copes, and other Church Vestments, more Canonical, holy, decent, acceptable both to God and Men, then those preached, read, celebrated without them, and that those Priests grievo • sly sin against God, who officiate without them, is certainly a most gross, dangerous mistake, dishonorable to God, Religion, Christianity itself, and diametrically contrary to these sacred Texts and 2 Tim. 4. 2, 3, 4, 5.
11ly. That St. Peter himself with all the other Apostles, Elders, Brethren, assembled in the first Synod and Council under the Gospel, Acts 15. resolved upon solemn debate, not to trouble them which from among the Gentiles were turned to God, with Circumcision, or any other Jewish Ceremonies instituted by God himself, and to lay upon them no greater burden then those Necessary things comprised in their Letters which they sent and delivered by their Delegates to all the Churches of the Gentiles, whereof Bishops or Priests Vestments were none; being never reputed Necessary things by that Council, or by Christ or any of his Apostles, as Popes, Prelates, & others now repute them. To prescribe, enforce them therefore as Necessary things, and to revile, suspend, censure, silence such Ministers, Scholars, Christians, who repute them Vnnecessary or Superfluous, is to affront, repeal this first Apostolical Council and Decree, and to advance themselves above the Apostles.
12ly. That our Savior himself when he commissioned his Disciples and sent them into all the World to teach all Nations, and preach the Gospel to every Creature, gave them no instruction at all concerning Pontifical or Sacerdotal Vestments, or any other, Ceremonies now coutested for, but only enjoined them to teach and baptize all Nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them, not their own fancies or decrees, as Popes, Prelates, and too many Ministers do now. Yea, St. Paul where he particularly treats of preaching the Gospel, of administering and receiving the Lord's Supper, and of Church Assemblies, 1 Cor. c. 9. & 11. & 14. delivered and prescribed to them, only that which he received from the Lord, without one syllable of those Vestments, Rites, Ceremonies which now infest the Churches unity and peace. Therefore they may and ought to be set aside, by Christ's and his Apostles own precepts, practice, who neither enacted nor commanded them to be used in any part of Divine Service or Worship.
13ly. That Christ himself sharply reprehends all such who teach for Doctrines, the Traditions and Ordinances of men: yea his Apostles, Apostolical Elders and Brethren in their first Council, blamed those Ceremonial Ministers who went out from them and taught the Brethren and converted Gentiles, that they ought to be circumcised, and keep the Law; thereby troubling them with their words, and subverting their souls, because they gave them no such Commandment. Till therefore Popes, Archbishops, Bishops and Prelatists can show or produce an express command from Christ or his Apostles, for the use of Surplises, Rochets, Palls, with other Pontifical, Sacerdotal Vestments, in time of Divine Service, Preaching and Sacraments, they must lay them quite aside, and no longer contest for, much less impose or enforce them upon any Ministers, Scholars, Christians, as they will avoid God's, Christ's, and their heavy displeasure, censure.
These Scriptures and reasons premised, I shall in the next place proceed to show the true Original, prescription, use of Surplices, Rochets, and other Vestments in Divine Offices, Churches; then answer the Arguments, Reasons produced for their use and continuance.
It is ingenuously acknowledged by Alerinus de Divinis Officiis, c. 38, 39. Honorius Augustoduncnsis, Gulielmus Durantus, Thomas Waldensis, some Popish Councils, and the very Roman Pontifical and Missal, That white Surplices and other Prntifical, Sacerdotal Vestments under the Gospel, were originally assumed from Aaron, & the Levitical Priests garments under the old abolished ceremonial Law. But who first invented, or enjoined them to be worn in time of Divine service, Mass or Administration of Sacraments, they do not mention, nor yet the various mystical significations, groundless grounds, and frantic reasons of their several Institutions. I find in a spurious Decretal Epistle attributed to Pope Stephen, Anno Christi 2 6 1. this general Clause concerning Priests Vestments, That the Garments wherein Priests and other Ministers of the Church ought to celebrate Divine service, and minister unto the Lord, ought to be consecrated, and decent, and applied to none other use, nor yet to be worn or touched by any but sacred Persons. But what these Vestments were he particularly defines not. If Surplices, or white Rochets, as some conceit, then they ought not to be touched by Scholars, Choristers, Singing-men, and others who are no consecrated Priests, nor in sacred Orders, as they are now in Cathedrals, and some Colleges in our Universities, against this Popes and other his Successors Decrees. This Decree the Century writers style idle, s • perfluous, altogether disagreeing with the word of God, and savouring of the mystery of Iniquity; Flaccus Alcuinus, De Divinis Officiis, c. 38, 39, 40. Bochellus Decret. Eccles. Gal, l. 1. Tit. 7. l. 6. Tit. 17. Honorius Augstodunensts in his Gemma Animae, l. 1. Gulielmus Durantus, Rationale Divinorum, l. 3. Tho. Waldensis, Tom. 3. tit. 4. cap. 29, 30. Franciscus Zerula Paxis Episeopalis, pars 1. Pontificale & Missal Romanum, with sundry others, have large discourses concerning the several sacred Vestments of Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Deacons, Priests; and particularly of Albees and Surplices. But who first introduced them into Christian Churches is a Question not easily resolved.
The next Authority I meet withal is the Decree of Pope Fusebius about the year 309. first recorded by Gratian, and others out of him. Consulto omnium statuimus, ut sacrificium Altaris non in serico panno aut tincto quisqvam celebrare praesumat, sed in puro lineo vel linteo ab Episcopo consccrato, terreno scilicet lino procreato atque contexto, sicut corpus Domini Jesus Christi in Sindone linea mundo sepultum fuit. John 19. 40. Mar. 15. 46. Mat. 27. 59. Lu. 23. 53. But this Decree of his, as it is forged, spurious, repugnant to the History of that Time, the phrase, tenent, and practice of that Age, and superstitious, as the Century writers prove and style it; so the reason produced by the Author of it, why Priests and Clergymen should celebrate the Sacrament of the Altar, not in a silken or died, but in a pure white linen Garment made of Flax, engendered out of the Earth; because Christ's body was buried in linen clothes, is very absurd.
Had Christ celebrated his last Supper, or preached, prayed in a linen Surplice whiles he lived, the inference had been tolerable; But since he never did it, for ought appears; and the Evangelists precisely record, that at his miraculous transfiguration only, when he went apart up into a high Mountain with three of his Disciples alone from all other company, his Rayment (formerly of another color) became shining, exceeding wht • c as snow, so as no Fuller on earth can white them; and that only till his transfiguration was past: the Argument recoyles upon the Author of this Imposture with great disadvantage. For 1. Christ never preached nor celebrated his last Supper in a white linen Garment or Surplice whiles he lived; Therefore no Priests, Bishops or Ministers, (who are his Ambassadors, and should imitate his Example) ought to do it after his death. 2ly. Christ did not put on these linen Garments himself, or to officiate in them; but Joseph of Aramathea and N •• bodemus, wrapped his dead Corps in them to bury it; Therefore Bishops, Priests, Deacons should never put on white Rochets or Surplices on their backs to preach, pray, or celebrate the Lord's supper whiles they live, but only their dead Corps be wrapped up in them when they are interred. 3ly. These white linen Garments wherein Christ's body was wrapped were only his Winding-sheet and Grave-clothes, not a Surplice, Albee, Stole or Rochet: neither were they consecrated by a Pope or Bishop, not worn in a Church, but only in a Scpulchre: yea our Savior left them lying in his Sepulcher when he role again, John 20. 5, 6, 7, 8. and never wore them afterwards: Ergo Bishops, Priests, Deacons, should only wear unconsecrated Winding-sheets, and sine linen Garments in their Graves when dead; and there leave them when they riseagain; not consecrated Rochets, Surplices, Albees, Stoles in the Church when living; • lie. Christ's body was not wrapped in these linen cloa •• in any relation to his Priestly office or function; but only as a mere dead Corps to be interred, it being thenfual manner of the Jewe thus to bury dead Corps, as well Laymen as Priests: witness John 19. 29 (quoted by this impostor) Then took they the body of Jesus, and 〈◊〉 it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Ie • es is to bury: compared with John 11. 44. So the Nasamones, Grecians, Spartians, Argives, Syra • s •• ns, Sycionians, and other Nations wrapped the dead bodies of their deceased Friends in white linen clothes, with spices and balms, and so intorred them. Therefore if this reason be solid, all Men and Women as well Jews as Genti • es, Pagans as Christians should wear whice Rochets, Surplices, Albees, Stoles in Churches, as well as Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests and Deacons, because they are all alike interred and wrapped in white linen Grave clothes, when buried in their Graves.
The first probable authority in any true Antiquity, for Bishops, Ministers and Deaeons wearing white Vestments in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, is that of Jerome, about 410. years after Christ, Advers. Pelagiano, 1. 1. c. 9. Vnde adjungis, genera vestium & ornamentorum Deo esse contraria. Quae sunt, rogo, inimiciti • conira Deum sr tunicam habuero mundiorem? si Episcopus, Presbyter & Diaconus, & reliquus ordo Ecclesiasticus in Administatione Sacrificiorum cum candida vest processcrint • Cavete Clerici, cavete Monachi, viduae & virgins, periclitamini nisi sordidas vos atque pannosas vulgus aspicerit. Ta •• o de hominibus saeculi, quibus aperte bellum indicitur, & inimicitiae contra Deum, si pretiosis atque nitentibus utuntur Exuviis. And in his Commentariorum 1. 13. in Ezech, e. 44. Vestibus lineis utuntur Aegyptii Sacerdotes, non selum intrinsecus sed & extringsecus, (he means their Pagan not Christian Priests,) Porre re •• gio divina, alterum habitum habet in Ministerio, alterum in usu vitaque communi. Which compared with his former passage, intimates, that some Ecclesiastical Persons did then wear white Vestments, in the Religious public exercise of their Ministry, and Administration of the Sacrament: which is further evidenced by St. Chrysostont, ad Populum Antioehiae, Serm. 60. Wherein he applying his Speech to the Ministers who distributed the Lord's Supper to the people, useth this expression, Hoc vestra dignitas, hoc securitas, hoc omnis Corona, (to keep scandalous unworthy persons from the Lord's Table) non ut albam et splendidam tuntcam circumeatis induti. Which he repeats again in his 83. Homily upon Matth. 26. Haec est dignitas vestra, haec stabilitas, haec Corona praecipua, non nt tunicam induti candidi • mant per Ecclesiam ambuletis. Whence the Century Writers observe, Candidae vestis meminit tantum obiter Chrysostomus, dum de Sacramenti corporis ac sanguinis Dominici administratione disserit. From these passages of Jerome, and Chrysostom, Durantus, Mr. Hooker and others justify the Antiquity, use of Surplices, though they do not positively define these white Garments to be Surplices; nor can they prove they were constantly and universally used by, much less prescribed to all Ministers, Deacons, and Ecclesiastical persons in that age, or some hundreds of years after, by any Oecumenical, National or Provincial Councils. Gregory of Towers in the 4th. Book of his Histories, c. 60. makes mention of the Arch-deacons putting on the Albe upon the Bishop when he officiated, which some take to be a Surplice, about 640. years after Christ, but for Bishops or Priests constant use of them by any Canon or Law in that age, I yet remember none. About 700. years after Christ, Pope Sylvester and other Popes brought in the use of Stoles, Surplices, with other Priests Massing Vestments by degrees, and soon after turned their Masses and Divine Services, by their manifold disguised Vestments, Ceremonies, Processions, Bowings, Crossings, ridiculous, antique, fanatic innovations, gestures, into a mere Pagentry or Enterlude, as is evident by Ordo Romanus Antiquus de Divinis Catholioae Ecclesiae Officiis, said to be compiled about 800. years after Christ: by Abbot Alcuinus, Tutor to Charles the Great, De Divinis Officiis cap. 38, 39. published about the year • 02. where he at large describes the use, original, and reason of instituting the several sorts of Pontifical and Priests Vestments, both under the Law and Gospel, paralelling them and the grounds of their institution together. After whose time I find several Canons made in divers Provincial Councils in France, for the use of Albees and Surplices in the Celebration of Masses and Sacraments; the use of them being continued, and successively prescribed in all Popish Churches • ince that age to this very day, which not only make the putting on or wearing a Surplice by every Priest in the Act of his Ordination, and of a Rochet, with sundry other Episcopal Vestments and Ornaments upon Bishops, a principal part, badge of their Cousecration, as the Roman Pontifical and Ceremonial prescribe in their Rubrics, but likewise in their Missals, Pontifical and Ceremonial of Bishops, enjoin set forms of Prayers and Crossings to be used by Bishops in the consecration of, and putting on of Rochers, Albees, and other Trinkets when they are to officiate, or discharge their Ministry in them; which I shall here insert, that all may discern their superstition and vanity. I shall begin with their consecration of these Garments.
Benedictio Sacerdotalium indumentorum in genere.
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. R. Quifecit Caelum & terram. V. Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo:
Oremus.
OMnipotens & sempiterne Deus, qui per Moysen famulum tuum pontificalia & sacerdotalia, seu levitica vestimenta, ad explendum in conspectu tuo ministerium eorum, ad honorem & decorem nominis tui fieri de crevisti: adesto propitius invocationibus nostris: & haec indumenta sacerdotalia, desuper irrigante gratia tua, ingenti benedictione per nostrae humilitatis servitium purifi •• care, & been •• dicere, & conse •• crare digneris •• tit divinis culribus & sacris my steriis apta & benedicta existant: his quoque sacris vestibus Pontifices, & Sacerdotes; seu Levitae tui induti, ab omnibus impulsionibus fell tentationibus malignorum spirituum muniti & defensi esse mei eantur: tuisque mysteriis apt & coneligne servire & inhaerere, atque in his tibi placite & devote perseverare tribue. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. R. Amen.
Oremus.
DEus, invictae virtut is triumphator, & omnium rerum creator ac sanctificator: intend propitius preces nostras; & haec indumenta leviticae, sacerdotalis & pontificalis gloriae, ministris tuis fruenda, tuo ore proprio been •• dicere, sanctifi •• care, & conse •• crare digneris; omnesque cis utentes, tuis mysteriis aptos, & tibi devote ac laudabiliter servientes, gratos efficere digneris. Per Dominum nostrum.
Oremus.
DOmine Deus omnipotence, qui vestimenta Pontificibus, Sacerdotibus: & Levitis, in usum tabernaculi soederis necessaria, Moysen famulum tuum agere jussisti, eumque spiritu sapientiae ad id peragendum replevisti: haec vestimenta in usum & cul • u mysterii tui been •• dicere, sancti •• ficare, & conse •• crare digneris; at{que} ministros altaris tui, qui eainduerint, septiformis Spiritus gratia dignanter repleri, atque castitatis stola, beata sacias cum bonorum fructu operum ministry congruentis immortalitate vestiri. Per Christum Dominum. R. Aman.
D • inde aspergit ipsaindumenta aqua benedicta.
Specialis Benedictio cujuslibet Indumenti.
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit coelum & terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
DOmine Omnipotens bonarum virtutum dator, & omnium benedictionum largus infusor, Supplices te rogamus ut manibus nostris opem tuae benectionis infundas, & has Caligas & Sandalia, vel Amictum, vel Albam, vel Cingulum, vel Stolam, vel Manipulum, vel Tunicellam, vel Dalmatieam, vel Planetam divino cultui Praeparata, vel praeparatum, vel praeparatam) virtute sancti spiritus been •• dicere, sancti •• sicare, & conse •• crare digneris, & omnibus eis (vel eo, vel ea ) utentibus gratiam sanctisicationis sacri mysterii tui benignus concede, ut in conspectu tui sancti, immacnlati atque irrepraehensibiles appareant, & auxilium misericordiae tuae acquirant. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit & regnat in unitate spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Deinde aspergit ea aqua benedicta.
Before and after which follow several Chapters and forms, De Benedictione Mapparum, sou Linteaminum sacri Altaris, De Benedictione Corporalium, De Benedictione novae Crucis, De Benedictione Crucis Pectoralis, De Benedictione Imaginum aliorum Sanctorum, De Benedictione vasorum & aliorum vasorum in genere. De Benedictione Tabernaculi sive vasculi pro Ss. Eucharistia Conservanda, De Benedictione Capsarum pro Reliquiis & aliis Sanctuariis includendis, De Benedictione & impositione primae lapidis pro Ecclesia aedificanda, De Ecclesiae Benedictione seu Consecratione, De Altaris consecratione, De Benedictione Tobaleorum, Vasorum & Ornamentorum Ecclesiae & Altaris consecratorum, De Altaris consecratione quae sit sine Ecclesiae dedicatione, De Altaris consecratione, cujus Sepulchrum Reliquiarum est in medio summitatis stipitis, De Altaris portabilis consecratione, De Benedictione Cimaeterii, De Reconciliatione Ecclesiae & Cimaeteris, De Reconciliatione Caemiterii, sine Ecclesiae Reconciliatione, De Consecratione Patenae & Calicis, De Benedictione Signi vel Campanae: (One Consecration and Superstition still engendering another almost in infinitum according to Popes and Prelates fanatic devises.) All which train and beadroll of consecrated particulars must dance attendance on massings Priests and Prelates, to make their Popish Mass, and Divine service completely meritorious, that I say not impious, theatrecal, ridiculous, and their Bishops, Priests, little different from, if not far worse and more antique than common Stageplayers; as those who seriously peruse their Roman Pontificals, Ceremonials, Missals, and Durantus his Rationale Divinorum cannot but conclude: And therefore should resolve with the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. 11. When I became a man, I put away (these) childish things, which old childish Prelates, and his pueri senes, overmuch admire and contend for, as if all Religion and Devotion consisted in such Fopperyes.
When all these Massing Utensils are thus consecrated, and these Episcopal and Sacerdotal Garments hallowed by Bishops; yet neither Priests nor Bishops must presume to put any of them on to say Mass, or administer Sacraments, without the use of special Prayers prescribed by, and thus registered in the Praeparatio ad Missam, prefixed to all the Roman Missals, set forth and revised by Pope Pius the fifth, and Clement the eighth.
Orationes dicendae ab Episcopo, quando in Pontificalibus celebrat. Ad Caligas.
CAlcea Domins, pedes meos in praeparationem Evangelii pa • is, & protege me in velamento alarm tuarum.
Cum exuitur Cappa.
EXue me, Domine, veterem hominem cum moribus & actibus suis: & indue me novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in justitia, & sanctitate veritatis.
Cum lavat manus.
DA Domine virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendam omnem maculam immundam: ut sine pollutionc mentis & corpotis valeam tibi servire.
Ad Amictum.
POne Domine galeam salutis in capite meo, ad expugnandas omnes diabolicas frauds: inimicorum omnium versutias super ando.
Ad Albam.
DEalba me, Domine, & à delicto meo munda me: ut cum his qui • tolas suas dealbaverunt in Sanguine Agni, gauliis persruar sempiternis.
Ad Cingulum.
PRaecinge me, Domine, cingulo fidei, & virtute castitatis lumbos meos, & extingue in eis humorem libidinis, ut jugiter maneat in me vigor totius castitiatis.
Cum accipit Crucem Pectoralem.
MVnire digneris me, Domine Jesus Christ, ab omnibus insidiis inimicorum omnium, signo sanctissimae Crucis tuae: ac concedere digneris mihi indigno servo tuo, ut sicut hanc Crucem Sanctorum tuorum reliquiis refertam ante pectus meum teneo, sic semper mente retineam & memoriam passionis, & sanctorum victorias Martyrum.
Ad Stolam.
REdde mihi, Domine, obsecro, stolam immortalitatis, quam perdidt in praevaricatione primi parentis: & quamvis indignus accedere praesumo ad tuum sacrum mysterium cum hoc ornamento, praesta ut in eodem in perpetuum m • rear laetari.
Ad Tunicellam.
TVnica jucunditatis, & indumento laetitiae induat me Dominus.
Ad Dalmaticam.
INdue me Domine indvmento salutis, & vestimento laetitiae, & D • lmatica justitiae circunda me semper.
Ad Chirothecas.
CIrcunda Domine manus m • as munditiae novi hominis, qui de caelo descendit: ut quemadmodum Jacob dilectus tuus, pelliculis hoedorum opertis menibus paternam benedicticnem, oblato patri cibo potuque gratissim • , impetravit; sic & oblata per manus nostras salutari ho •• ia, gratiae •• ae •• nedictionem m • rear. Per Dominum nostrum I • s • m Cl • ristum filium tuum, qui in similitudinem c • rnis peceat • prono • is •• tuli • semetipsum.
Ad Planetam.
DOmine, qui dixist • , Iugi • m meum suave est, & onus meum leae: praesta ut illud portare val • am, quod p • ssim conscq • i tuam gratiam.
Ad Mitram.
MItram, D • mine, & salutis galeam impone capiti mco: ut contra antiqui hostis, omniumque inimicorum mecrum insidius in • ff • nsus evadam.
Ad Annulum cordis.
COrdis & corporis mei, Domine, digitos virtute decora, & s • ptisormis Spiritus sanctificatione circumda.
Ad Manipulum.
MErear, precor Domine, manipulum portare mente flebili, ut cum exultatione portionem accipiam cum justis.
Orationes dicendae cum Sacerdos induitur Sacerdotalibus paramentis.
CVmlavat manus; Ad Amictum dum ponitur super caput; Ad Albam, cum ea induitur; Ad Cingulum, cum se cingit; Ad Manipulam, dum imponitur brachio sinistro; Ad stolam dum imponitur collis; Ad Capsulam cum assumitur. Are the same with those forecited, which the Bishop useth when he putteth them on.
If these respective Vestments and Prayers be necessary or convenient for Priests and Bishops, then certainly for all other Christians too.
The • oman Pontifical, in the Title De Clerico faciendo, prescribes, that when any Clerk or Clergy-man is to be made, quilibet or dinandorum habere debet suum Superpelltccum super brachium sinistrum, & candelam in ma •• dextra: and after their shaving by the Bishop in four places in their heads, and some Prayers, Crosses and Benedictions, (there at large recited) the Bishop fitting with his Miter, and taking in his hand the Surplice, saith unto them all. Induat novum homincm, qui secundum Deum creatus est, injustitia & sanctitate varitatis, & mox imponit illud (Superpelliceum) cuilibet repetendo. Induat te, &c. immittens usque ad scapulas, & immediate trahens, si unum tantum sit Superpelliceum, sicque facit usque ad ultimum, qui co totaliter induit • r. After which, in the Title, De Minoribus Ordinibus, follows this Rubric: Orainandi tm • es ad quatuor minores Ordines, effe debent Supecpelliteis indutt, cum candela in manu dextra. And in the Rubric De Consecratione Diaconi & Sac • rd • tis, it writes, Fisigitur amictu, Alba, cingulo, & manip • le parat • , ac stolam in sinistra manu, & candelam in dextra, ac dalmaticam super brachium sinistrum tenentibus, &c. the Archdeacon presencs them to the Bishop to be ordained. Post haec Pontifex •• cipiens Stolam, &c. et Dalmaticam, induit ea que mlibet successive usque ad humeros, & sic usque ad ultimum, & hoc, si una tantum sit Dalmatica: Si vero quilibet suam habet, tunc singulos sua totaliter induit, dicens cuilibet; Accipe stolam ✚ candidam de manu Dei, &c. Induat te Dominus indumento salutis, & vestimento laetitiae, & Dalmatica justitiae circumdet te semper, in nomine Domini, R. Amen. Their Ordination being ended, in loco convenienti facras vestes deponunt. So in the Consecration of a Bishop elect, among other things, Vestments for his Consecration, there are prepared, Item Paramenta omnia Pontificalia, coloris tempori & Officio Missae convenientis, videlicet, sandalia, amictus, alba, cingulum, crux pectoralis, stola, tunicella, dalmatica, chir • thecae, planeta, mitra auriphrygiata, annulus pontificalis, baculus pastoralis & manipulus, &c. Adsunt duo ad minus Episcopy assistentes, qui induuntur Rocheto, & si sint regulares, superpelliceo, amictu, stola, pluviali, coloris tempori & Officio Missae convenientis, & mitra simplici alba, & quisque habeat suum Pontificale. After many Prayers, Crossings, and other ridiculous Ceremonies, Episcopy assistentes ducunt Electum ad Capellam suam, & ibi deposito pluviali, Acolythi induant illum sandalia, ipso Psalmos & orationes consuetas legente. Deinde tunicella, dalmaticà, casula, & manipulo induitur, quibus indutus incedit ad suum altare, &c. After which his Miter, Ring, Pastoral staff are consecrated, put on, and delivered to him by the Bishop, with many Prayers, Solemnities, Crossings, Bowings, Kneelings, Prostrations, changes of habits, places, and antique Gestures, fitter for a Stage then a Church. When an Archbishop is consecrated, he hath a Pall put on, and super added to all these forecited Vestments, which must be used only upon certain special feasts and occasions, put on with the like superstitious Ceremonies and Formalities, recorded in the Roman Pontifical: the serious perusal whereof, and of Durantus his Rationale Divinorum, l. 3, 4. is sufficient to make all grave, judicious, sober Christians, to nauseate such theatrical disguises and Vestments, on which grave old Bishops over-much dote, as little Children use to do on their Babies, Toyes and Rattles.
The first foreign Synod wherein I find the use of white Garments and Surplices prescribed to Priests, Canons, Chaplains, is that held under Galo and Simon the Popes Legates in France, Anno Dom. 1215. which among other Decrees reproving the luxury, pride and excesses of Priests Garments, expressly prohibited them to wear Garments of any other color but white; or black, or red, and commanded, ut sine Suppliciis (Superpelliceis) vel tunicis lineis, vel capis clausis extra domos suas de caetero non incedant; that from thenceforth they should not walk abroad out of their Houses without Surplices, or linen Coats, or close Hoods: But this Decree relates rather to their ordinary wearing Habits, than to their sacred Vestments, and enjoins them to wear Surplisplisses and white Garments as well in their Houses as in the Church; wherefor it adds, Nullus permittatur deservire altari nill in Superpellicio vel capa clausa. After which it subjoins, Sacerdos sive Diaconus corporalia saepe abluat, indutus Superpelliceo, in vase mundo specialiter ad h • c deputato; omnes vero ablutiones, si fieri potest, in piscina reponantur, vel saltem primae, caeterae autem in baptisterio. Here Priests and Deacons are made Lawndresses to wash their Corporals, arrayed in their Surplices when they wash them, and the water wherein they wash them must be reserved in a consecrated Cistern, or in the Font as holy, and one superstition, foppery begetting another, till endless, it proceeds further; Irem linteamenta Altaris & induments Sacerdotalia non nisi a Sacerdote vel Diacono, vel aliqua bona matrona vel virgins, sine appositione aliorum pannorum, convenienter, quando opus fuerit abluantur, ita ut munda & nitida conserventur; qui • nimis absurdum, sordes esse in vestibus sacris, quae dedecerent etiam in profanis. The like concerning their washing, was decreed in the Synod Ecclesiae Trecensis in France, Anno 1427. and by other French Synods.
The next Synod (prescribing the use of Surplices under pain of Excommunication) in the time of divine service, is the Popish Synod of Poitiers in France under Americus, Anno 1367. which thus decreed, Praecipimus sub paena excommunicationis, quod cum Clerici, seu Capellani in Ecclesiis parochialibus adstant administrantes cum divina celebrantur, honette Superpellici • s sint tnoutt.
The Synodalia Ecclesiae Trecensis in France, An. 1427. thus decree the wearing o • Surplices by Priests, Attendat etiam Sacerdos vel Clericus ministrans in Missa, ut se habe at honest, & si fieri potest, capam habeat seu Superpelliceum quo sit iudutus, maxim in solenn • tatibus. They subjoin, if the Priests nose in saying Mass chance to bleed, and any of the blood fall upon his Surplice, after the blood stopped, he is to proceed in his Mass, having first washed his hands in silence, mutatis tamen prius vestimentis Sacer dotalibus, & pannis altaris, si sint sanguine maculati.
John Damboise Bishop of Lingon, in a Synod held in France, Anno 1491. made this Decree, That all having Benefices with Cures should wear Surplices at Mass, Vespers, and in the Celebration of all Divine Offices. Praecipimus omnibus & singulis Presbyteris benefici • Curates habentibus aut regentibus, ut dum ipsus pro Missa, Vesperis, aut aliis Officiis Divinis in eorum Ecclesiis Celebrandis aut dicendis interesse contigerit, sint decenter et honest Superliciis indut • , et sine ipsis ad Divina Officia publice accedere non pra sumant.
Synodus Senonensis in France, An. 1524. enjoins the Priest to wear a Surplice when he carries the Sacrament to sick persons. Quotiens contigerit Sacerdotem deserre sanctam Eucharistiam ad infirmos, habeat Sacerdos Superitceum et Stolam, & incedat tàm eundo quàm redeundo usque ad Ecclesiam in habitu deccnti, faciatque ante se deferri lumen, & campanulam pulsantem praeire.
Synodus Carnotensis in France, An. 1526. ordained the like in these words, Ordinamus, quod ubi ad instrmos deserendum erit corpus Christi, Sacerdos delaturus primum lavet manus, deinde induat Superliceum, et stolam superponat, incedensque cum honestate, reverentia & honor, orationes & preces ad Deum fundat, faciat lumen ante se deferritàm eundo • uàm redeundo, & campanulam pulsari.
The Synod of Paris, Anno 1557. decreed Surplices to be worn at Mattins, Masses, public Prayers, Litanies, Consessions, and at Celebration of the Eucharist, Marriage, and extreme Vaction. Parochi cor • m Vicarii & caeteri Sacerdotes, in divinis absequiis Missarum Matutinarum & Vesper arum, in supplicationi • us pu • licis, Litaniis & consessionibus Suppliciis utantur, in • ucharistiae vero, Matrimonii, & Extremi Vnctionis administratione, stolam addant Suppellic • is. After this Synodus Aquensis in France, Anno 1585. made this Decree concerning Clergy-men's wearing of Surplices and other Vestments, Clericalis ordinis homines, cum Ecclesia versantur quo tempore Superpelliceum induere non debent, ne sint sine toga exteriori, praesertim horis quibus divina celebrantur, aut populus ad Ecclesiam accedere solet: Nec vero absque oa etiam in Diaecesanis locis, vicis aut pagis prodeant, nist cum cos pedibus iter facientes viae difficultas & longitudo aliter cogit, Superpelliciis, cum Ecclesiae ususid postulat, omnes utantur, quae non lacera sint, non sordida, et quae ctiam manicas habeant. Superpell • cea autem illa quae manicis carent, & quae non Superpelliceorum sed Mantil • um nomine potius digna sunt, omnino prohibemus. Canonici vero Cashedralium & Collegiatarum, quo tempore Cappa induuntur, ii • ocheto induantur sub Cappa Clerici autem cum Superpellice • s fuerint induti, nullo modo in manibus flores, nec aliud quod statui suo & Ecclesia non conveniant, habeant; non vagentur per Ecclesiam, nec deambulent, nec circumcursitent, sed graves semper sint in incessu & statu. Singuli autem praeterea praesertim qui in aliquo minorum saltem ordinum sunt, proprium Superpelliceum habeant, quo etiam in Ecclesia, cut ascriptt sunt et alibi, cum ipsi suis fungi muneribus contigerit, uti possint. Si quis personatus, vestes Clericales aut monachles, vel ad eorum formam induerit, & is qui cas assumpserit, & is qui accomodarit, graves, poenas subeant. Qui vero Clericus, cuiusuis etiam gradus ordinis, dignitatis in aliquo de praemissis non obtemperaverit, is praeter poenas jam inflictas, aut salutari poenitentia, aut pecunia, a • t suspensione ab ordinum munere, et beneficiorum administratione, aut ipsis etiam beneficiis, aut carcere, aut exilio, aut pluribus simul ex iis paenis, aut gravioribus pro modo culpae, Episcopy arbitratu mul • tetur. Qui iterum in eadem re pec • dverit, duplicata paena pro ration criminis, ab eodem pleetetur.
This Synod likewise decreed, that the Parish Priest who is to carry the Eucharist to sick Persons, do wear a Surpliss, and proceed in this manner, Vbi manus laverit, tum Superpelliceo, Stola, pluvialt ubi potest indutus, ad altare genibus flexis oret. Sacerdotes verocaeteri Clericive qui comitantur Suptrpellieieum adhtbeant. Si Canonicorum capitulum sit, cappam vel almutiam, aliudve indumentum, ut illis in • boro moris est. Reliqui fideles bini prosequantur capite aperto, & quamplurimi candelis accensis, ac primo loco viri, in quibus scholares sanctissimi Sacramenti praecedant, postremo foeminae: Omnes, praesertim Ecclesiastici homines, hymnos & Psalmos paenitentiales, aliosve intina animae pietate, simul cum Parocho, sed alternatim pronunciant, atque alii etiam religiosiorent. It likewise adds, In celebratione Missae Sacerdos ne se conferat ad altare, nisi Clericum in decenti habitu, & cum Superpelliceo mundo cum manicis, sibi inservientem habuerit; enjoining the Parish Clerke to wear a Surplice as well as the Priest.
This last French Popish Synod prescribes the constant use of Surplices to all Canons, Prebends, Parish Priests and Curates under several Ecclesiastical and Temporal punishments, with greatest rigor and severity; when as Ordo Romanus Antiquus de Divinis Officiis, & Missa, the Roman Pontificals, Ceremonials, Missals, in their Rubrics of saying or singing Mass, prefixed to them, do only enjoin their use without any penalties Ecclesiastical or Civil expressed in them, to be inflicted on Non-Conformists thereunto.
For the use of Surplices in our British Churches, during the Britons or Saxons times, I remember nothing in Canons or Histories; only our Al •• uinus, Tutor to Charles the Great, An. 800. De Divinis Officiis, c. 98, 39. writing of the several Vestments wherewith Priests were clad in the Old Testament, observes, Habent etiam nunc Ministri Ecclesiae Christi superhumerale quod amictum vocamu • , quando ad altare ministrant; quod fit ex lino puriss • mo. Per linum quod ex terra sumitur, & per multos labores ad candorem ducitur, designatur corpus humanum, quod ex terra constat. Sicut ergo linum per multos labores ad candorem reducitur, ita corpus humanum multis calamitatibus attritum, candidum et purum esse debet ab omni sorde peccatorum. Posteà sequitur Poderis, quae vulgo Alba dicitur; significat autem perseverantiam in bona action. After which he mentions the Stola, Dalmatica, Casula, used by Priests; and pallum Archiepiscoporum, to distinguish the Archbishop from his Suffragans, subjoining, Stephanus natione Romanus ex Patre Lobio (ut legitur in gestis Pontificalibus) constituit Sacerdotibus Levitis{que} Uestes sacras in us • quotidiano non uti nisi in Ecclesia, Whether any of these Garments were then used in England, or the same with Surplices for fashion, as color, I cannot define. The first mention I observe in our Historians of Surplices and their wearing by that Name, is in the year of our Lord 1237. the 21. of Henry the 3d. where Mat. Paris records, That Otto the Popes Legate summoning all the Popish Bishops, Abbots and Clergy to a Council in Paul's Church, London, to which he went in great pomp, entering the Church; he put on his Pontifical Garments, and among the rest a Surplice, which he thus expresseth; Pontificalibus se induit, scilicet Superpellicco, et desuper cappa Chorali pellibus variis furrata, et mitra; et praecedentibus Archiepiscopis Cantuariensi et Eboracensi eum cum precessione solemni, • um cruce et caeriis accensis et cum Letaria. The second day the Council being begun, missi sunt exparte Domini Regis, Comes Lincolniensis Johannes, et Johannes filius Galfridi, et Gulielmus de Raele, Canonicus sancti Pauli, ut dicto Legato ex parte Regis et Regni inhiberent, ne ibi contra Regiam Coronam et Dignitatem aliquid statuere attemptaret, et remansit ibi, ut hoc observaretur, Gulielmus de Raele Capa canonica et Superpelliceo, aliis reedentibus. By which it seems the Canons sat in this Council in their Canonical Caps, or Coules and Surplices, as well as the Popes Legate himself. About the year 1290. John Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury, appropriating the Church of Preston to the Monks of Canterbury, and endowing a perpetual Vicar in it, granted in the Instrument, that the Monks, Onera reparationis et refectionis Concelli praedictae Foclesiae de Preston intus et exterius, necnon et inventionis librorum, Uestimentorum Superpelliceorum, et ornamentorum dictae Ecclesiae, quae per Ecclesiarum Rectores inveniri et reparari debent aut solent, subeant. Which intimates that Priests and Vicars did then use to wear, and find their own Surplices, and by the same Archbishops Provincial Constitutions, who decreed, Dignissimus ut Sacramentum Eucharistiae circumferatur cum debita reverentia ad Egrotos, Sacerdoti saltem induto Super • elliceo gerente orarium cum lumine praevio in lucerna, cum campana, ut populus ad reverentiam debitam excitetur qui ad prosternendum se, vel adorandum saltem humiliter, informatur Sacerdotali prudentia, ubicunque Regem gloriae sub panis latibulo evenerit deportari, The original ground of kneeling at, as well as to the S • crament. This is the 1. Constitution in our Church I have yet observed, prescribing Priests to wear Surplices when they delivered the Eucharist, or carried it to sick persons, on which Lindwode hath this Gloss, Et sic tolerare potest licet Minister Sacerdotis non sit indutus Superpelliceo, licet honestus sit quod ipsius Minister Superpelliceo induatur considerata qualitate Beneficii et facultatibus ejusdem. Which intimates that Parish Clerks should wear Surplices as well as Priests.
Robert Winchelsie, his next successor in the See of Canterbury, as Lindwode, or Simon Is • p, as John de Aton records, about the year 1300. decreed, what Popish Trinkets, Books, Ornaments, Vestments should be provided in every Parish Church by the Parishioners, amongst which he enumerates, Dalmatica tunica et cum Capa de Choro, tria Superpellicea, unum Kochetum: On which Lindwode hath this Gloss, Tria Super • epllicea ad usum scilicet trium Ministrorum Ecclesiae, vizt. Sacerdotis, Diaconi & sub-diaconi. Rochetum, quod differt à Superselliceo, quia Superpellicium habet manicas pendulas, sed Rochetum est sine manicis, & ordinatur pro Clerico Ministraturo Sacerdoti, vel forsan ad opus ipsius Sacerdotis in Baptizando pueros, ne per manicas ipsius bra • hia impediantur. His next Successor Walter Raynods, decreed, That Arch-dea • • ons amongst other things, should take care that there should be in every Parish-Church, ad minus duplicia Sacerdotalia Vestimenta (the one for Lord's days, the other for holy-days, as Lindwode Glosseth it) & ut honor debitus divinis Officiis in omnibus impendatur, praecipimus etiam, ut qui altari ministrat Suppelliceo induatur. On which Lindwode hath this Gloss, vizt. Presbytero celebranti assitens, it idem in Missae tempore ministrans: vel potest intelligi de Sacerdote quovis tempore accedente ad altare ut aliquid faciat vel disponat circa corpus Christi, ut videlicet, illo tempore sit indutus Suppelliceo, et juxta communem intellectum die supplicio, i. e. vest linea ad talem usum praeparata, de qua tamen vest non memini me legisse in toto corpore Iuris Canonici vel civilis, nec etiam in sacra Scriptura: • it tamen de eo mentio 1. de Eccles. edif. c. ut Parochiani, et potest significari per tunicam Lineam qua induebantur filii Aaron, in veteri lege, de qua legatur, Exod. 28. ac finem, sed estimo quod proprie Suppellicium est indumentum de pellibus confectum, sed in nostro communi usu, intelligatur ut prius dixi.
The use of these Rochets, Surplices, and other Massing Vestments introduced by Popish Councils & Decrees to celebrate the Mass, & Mass Priests, Prelates officiating in them at their consecrated Altars, (who likewise clad and wrapped up their consecrated Host or Breaden God in a pure white linen Corporal, by the prescription of the self-same Constitutions, Canons, Missals, Pontificals, Ceremonials, Rituals, which enjoin Rochets, and Surplices) continued in our Church till the abolishing of all Romish Masses, Pontificals, Missals, by K. Ed. the 6. and his Parliaments, by certain steps and degrees in the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. years of his Reign, not without some oppositition, and an open Rebellion in Devonshire, Cornwall, and other places, by Popish Priests and their Confederates. In the first Edition of the Book of Common-Prayer, enjoined to be publicly read by the Statute of 2, & 3 E. 6. c. 1. not only all Bowings to, and towards the Altar, and Hostia, praying towards the East, standing up at Gloria Patri, the Gospels, Creeds, bowing at the Name of JESUS, reading second service at the High Altar when there was no Sacrament there administered, with other Ceremonies prescribed by former Massbooks, Breviaries, Pontificals were abolished and left out of the Rubrics, as superstitious, useless, offensive; but likewise the wearing of Palls, Planets, Chimeres, Lawn Sleeves, Sandals, Copes, Hoods, and other Vestments, (except only a Rochet, to be worn by Archbishops, Bishops, and Surplices only by Priests and Deacons) were totally laid aside as Popish superfluities, or unnecessary Disguises; and it was generally expected by divers zealous Protestants, that Rochets, Surplices, and square Caps, would have been then likewise taken away upon the same account, being all appurtenances to the Mass, Mass-Priests, and only prescribed by Popes and Popish Missals, Pontificals, Canons, Decretals. But the King and Commons not holding it necessary or convenient to reform all things at first, but by degrees; Mr. John Hooper (a learned Divine in great reputation with the People, Lord Protector, and others for his excellent constant daily preaching and piety) being soon after elected Bishop of Gloucester, scrupling to wear a square Cap, Rochet, Surplice, and refusing to be consecrated in his Pontificalibus, reputing them as TRIFLES, tending rather to SUPERSTITION than otherwise: and learned Peter Martyr (then Regius Professor in the University of Oxford) though a Prebend of Christ-Church, constantly refusing to wear a Surpliss in the Choir there at any time; and in a Letter to a private Friend, July 1. 1650. (desiring his judgment concerning square Caps and Surplices) declaring, That though they were things indifferent in themselves, which make no man of themselves godly or ungodly by their use or forbearance; yet he thought it most expedient for the good of the Church, that they and all others of that kind should be taken away when the next opportunity should present itself: because where such Ceremonies were so Stifly contended for, which were not warranted and supported by the word of God, commonly men were less Solicitous of the substance of Religion, than they were of the circumstances of it. And John Alasco, Tyms, Mr. John Rogers, Mr. John Philpot, and other learned Protestant Ministers then denying to wear these Vestments, yea decrying them as
What hot unchristian Schisms, Contests about Rochets, Surplices, the form of Bishops, Priests ordinary Vestments, and Formalities afterwards sprung up between our most zealous Protestant Bishops and Ministers, in the fi • st 7. years of Q. Elizabeth's reign; you may read at leisure in Dr. Heylins late partial History of the Reformation of the Church of England, & of Q • . Elizabeth, wherein he lays many black aspersions upon K. Edw. the 6 himself, his Government, the L. Protector, sundry of our godly Bishops, Martyrs, Divines at home, and Peter Martyr, Calvin, Zwingli, Alasco, Beza, with other chief Protestant Divines of reformed Churches abroad, worthy the Ferula. These controversies about Church vestments &c. continued all her Reign, growing every year higher & higher, every Parliament in her time (as appears by the Journals) being troubled with many Petitions, Bills against them, which the Bishops by their power in the Lord's house suppressed; and the world was filled with Books proet contra concerning them; as the Books of Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Vd • ll, Penry, Martin Mar-Prelate, Altare Damascenum; A Brief Discourse against the outward apparel, and ministering Garments of the Popish Church, printed 1578. A Discourse, whether it be a mortal Sin to transgress the commandments of Civil Magistracy, concerning the Apparel of Ministers. The Declaration of certain Ministers in London, refusing to wear the Apparel prescribed. Mr. Philip Stubs, with sundry more on the one side, and Queen Elizabeth's Advertisements in the seventh year of her Reign, by her High Commissioners advice, Archbithop Whitegift; his Answer to the Admonition to the Parliament; and Defense of his Answer against the Reply of T. C. 1574. in Folio. Dr. John Bridges his Defense of the Government now established in the Church of England, 1584. Mr. Richard Hooker of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Policy, 1593. with others on the other hand, evidence.
Neither did these unnecessary, unhappy Controversies, about Priests Vestments and Ceremonies, which perplexed our Church, and gave great advantage to our Romish Adversaries, expire with Queen Elizabeth, but survived, and grew to a heighth at the beginning of K. James his Reign; who to silence or allay them, appointed a special Conference at Hampton Court, between the Bishops and Non-Conformists Party (whereof Learned Dr. Ranolds was one) about Reformation of Church matters, Anno 1603. which many hoped would have put a period to these Contests; but instead thereof did much increase them, through the Bishops obstinacy, potency, pride; who refusing to comply with the moderate, just desires of their Fellow-Ministers, and Protestant Christian Brethren in some superfluous Trifles, particularly concerning the wearing of the Surpliss, then, and yet commonly termed A Raggc of Popery: soon after in their Convocation held at London 1603. prescribed the constant wearing of Surplices, (and Copes, Hoods besides) not only to Cathedral Church-men, but likewise to all Ministers, Curates reading Divine Service, or administering the Sacraments, in Parish Churches or Chapels, and likewise to Fellows and Scholars in the Universities; (for which there was no former binding Law nor Canon) by these ensuing Constitutions.
Canon 16, and 17. In the whole Divine Service, and Administration of the Holy Communion, in all Colleges and Halls in both Universities, the Order, Form and Ceremonies shall be duly observed as they are set down and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer, without any omission or alteration, (even in the faulty old English Translation) all Masters and Fellows of Colleges and Halls, and all the Scholars and Students in either of the Universities, shall in their Churches and Chapels, upon all Sundays, Holy-days, and their Ev • s at the time of Divine Service, wear Surplices, according to the Order of the Church of England, (which had no such Order that I can find before) and such as are Graduates, shall agreeably wear with their Surplices, such Hoods as do severally appertain to their Degrees.
Canon 24. In all Collegiate and Cathedral Churches, the Holy Communion shall be administered upon principal Feast-days, sometimes by the Bishop if he be present, and sometimes times by the Dean, and at sometimes by a Canon or Prebendary, the principal Minister using a decent Cope, and being assisted with the Gospeller and Epistolar agreeably, according to advertisements published by Queen Elizabeth An. 7.
Canon 25. In the time of Divine Service and Prayers in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, when there is no Communion, it shall be sufficient to wear Surplices, saving that all Deans, Masters and Heads of Collegiate Churches, Canons and Prebends, being Graduates, shall daily at the times both of Prayer and Preaching, wear with their Surplices such Hoods as are agreeable to their Degrees.
Canon 58. Every Minister saying the publ • ke Prayers, or ministering the Sacrament, or other Rites of the Church shall wear a decent and comely Surplice with Sleeves, to be provided at the charge of the parish. And if any question arise touching the matter, decency or comliness thereof, the same shall be decided by the discretion of the Ordinary. Furthermore, such Ministers who are Graduates shall wear upon their Surplesses at such time, such Hoods as by the Orders of the Universities are agreeable to their Degrees; which no Minister shall wear (being no Graduate) under pain of Suspension. Notwithstanding, it shall be lawful for such Ministers as are no Graduates, To wear upon their Surplices instead of Hoods, some decent Tippet of Black, so it be not silk. After which follows this 74. Canon, prescribing the form, species of their ordinary wearing Apparrel.
The true, ancient and flourishing Churches of Christ being ever desirous that their Prelacy and Clergy might be had as well in outward reverence, as otherwise regarded for the worthiness of their Ministry, did think it • it by a prescript form of decent and comely Apparel, to have them known to the people, and thereby to receive the honor and estimation due to the speical Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God. We therefore following their grave judgment, and the ancient Custom of the Church of England, and hoping that in time new • anglenesse of Apparel in some factious persons will die of itself, do constitute and appoint, That the Archbishop and Bishops, shall not intermit to use the accustomed Apparel of their degrees. Likewise all Deans, Masters of Colleges, Archdeacons, and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, (being Priests or Deacons) Doctors in Divinity, Law, and Physic, Bachelers in Divinity, Masters of Arts, and Bachelers of Law having any Ecclesiastical living, shall usually wear Gownes with standing collers, and sleeves straight at the hands, or wide sleeves as is used in the Universities, with Hoods or Tippets of Silk or Sarcenet, and square Caps. And that all other Ministers, admitted or to be admitted into that function, shall also usually wear the like Apparel, as is aforesaid, except Tippets only. We do further in like manner ordain, That all the said Ecclesiastical persons above mentioned, shall usually wear in their journeys Cloaks with sleeves, commonly called Priests Cloaks without Guards, Welts, long Buttons, or cuts. And no Ecclesiastical person shall wear any Coif, or wrought Nightcap, but only plain Night-caps of black silk, Satten, or Velvet. In all which particulars concerning the Apparel here prescribed, our meaning is not to attribute any holiness or special worthiness to the said garments, but for decency, gravity and order, as is before specified. In private houses, and in their studies, the said persons Ecclesiastical may use any comely and Scholar-like Apparel. Provided, that it be not cut or pinckt, and that in public they go not in their Doublet and Hose, without Coats or Cassocks: and that they wear not any light-coloured Stockings. Likewise poor beneficed men and Curates (not being able to provide themselves long Gownes,) may go in short gowns of the fashion aforesaid.
Those who will take the pains to compare these Canons of our Protestant Bishops and Clergy with the Canons and Constitutions of our Popish Archbishops forecited, or John Peckhams and John Stratfords Constitutions, De habitu & honestate Clericorum, recorded by John Aton, and William Lyndwode; the premised Popish French Synods, Canons, and sundry others collected by Laurentius Bochellus, Decreta Ecclesiae Gallicanae, l. 1. Tit. 7. l. 3. Tit. 1. l. 6. Tit. 17. Shall at first view discern, that they were almost verbatim taken out of them, and more extensive than they in relation to all Scholars and Students in both Universities, who were never before by any Popish Councils, or Popes Decrees enjoined constantly to wear Surplices in time of Divine Service and Sacraments.
These Constitutions and Canon • (never approved nor assented to by the Lord's and Commons then or afterwards assembled in Parliament, but by the King alone under his Great Seal, and so not binding to the Subjects in their Liberties or Freehold, against Magna Charta, ch. 29. and sundry other Acts recited in Rastal, Tit. Accusation, and the Petition of Right) instead of allaying, composing the Spirits, wounded the consciences, and augmented the number of Nonconformists, many hundreds of godly preaching Protestant Ministers, Scholars, who could not conform unto them, being thereupon suspended, deprived, and thrust out of their Benefices, Curatships, Fellowships, Scholarships, to their own and their Families ruin, and many learned hopeful Scholars enforced to desert our Universities, decline the Ministry, and betake themselves to other callings, and persons of less piety, worth, merit, thrust into their places, & the Ministry, by our Bishops and High Commissioners, and some of them imprisoned, fined, forced to forsake the Kingdom, and fly to foreign Countries or Plantations, to the great grief and discontent of their people, friends, allies, and moderate Protestants; which occasioned many new Books of Controversy and Apologies on both sides touching Church vestments, Ceremonies, and many great complaints, animosities against the Bishops and High Commissioners, during all King James and King Charles late Reigns, till at last they were both suppressed by public Acts, Ordinances, and ejected by force of Arms in England and Ireland as well as Scotland, which their moderation and prudence in dispens • ing with these unnecessary Formalities, might easily have prevented, and their rigorous re-enforcing of, or over-eager contending for them, against the Letter and purport of his Majesty's late pious and gracious Declarations, after so long a discontinuance and universal dislike by all sober-minded men in this time of discontent, may without God's infinite mercy and miraculous Providence, end in their second subvertion, and future suppression, which they should timely consider, as well for their own preservation, as his Majesty's and his people's general satisfaction, and the Churches public Peace, Unity, after so many dangerous Schisms, and Convulsions.
Having given you this account of the true original institution, prescription, progress, forms of consecration, & putting on of these Pontifical & Sacerdotal Vestments in the Churches of Christ, of the principal Papal, Episcopal Decretals, Councils, Canons, that enjoin them, and Scriptures, Arguments against them, I shall in the next place examine, answer the Scripture Texts, Arguments produced by Popish Prelates, Canonists, School-men, and our own Protestant Bishops, Writers, for their use and continuance in the Church, which in my apprehension are very impertinent, weak, contemptible, unable to satisfy any tender Conscience, or judicious sober Christians Judgment, though highly magnified and cried up with great gravity, seriosity by some Reverend Prelates and Clergy-men, as well as many illeterate Novices.
The 1. Texts produced for the institution, use of these Priests Garments under the Gospel, are Exod. 28. 2, to 43. c. 29. 5, to 30 c. 31. 10. c. 35. 19, 20, 21. c. 39. 1, 14. c. 40, 13, &c. Levite. 6. 11. c. 8. 2, 13. c. 16. 4, 23, 24, 32. Numb. 20. 16, 18. Neh. 7. 70, 72. F • zra 2. 69. Ezech. 42. 14. c. 44. 17, 19. Where God commanded Moses ( the chief civil Magistrate ) to make holy Garments for Aaron the High Priest, for glory and honor, to minister before God in the Priests Office, ( which Garments are there at large described; ) and to make Coats, Bonnets and Girdles for Aaron's sons, for Glory and Beauty, and to make them linen Breeches to cover their nakedness, which should reach from their loins even to their thighs, and to put them upon Aaron and his Sons when they come into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, or when they come near unto the Altar to minister in the holy place, and to consecrate and sanctify Aaron and his Sons, that they minister to God in the Priests Office, that they bear not their iniquity and die. And to take of the blood that is upon the Altar, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and his Sons, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood and the anointing oy! (there prescribed) upon Aaron and his Sons, and their Garments, and he and they shall be hallowed and their Garments with them. Which Garments being accordingly made by Bezaliel, by God's prescription, were put upon Aaron and his Sons, who were consecrated by Moses, together with their holy Garments, wherein they & the succeeding High-Priests, and Jewish Priests usually ministered to the Lord; whence they were styled, Priests Garments, and holy Garments, which they were to put on when they ministered to the Lord and to put off when their ministration was ended, as these Texts at large attest; From whence Alcuinus de Divinis Officiis, c. 38, 39. Honorius Augustodunensis, in his Gemma Animae l. 1, 8 • 2. Thomas Waldensis, Doctrinalis Tom. 3. Tit. 4. c. 29. De sacris vestibus quibus Sacerdos intrat ad Missam, Gulielmus Durantus, Rationale Divinorum, l. 3. the Roman Missal, Pontifical, Ceremonial, and all who write of Bishops and Priests Vestments under the Gospel, and their Consecrations, derive both their pattern and legitimation.
To which I answer, That these Texts are so far from justifying, that they are the strongest Arguments that can be against the Vestments of Priests and Prelates now contended for, upon these several accounts.
1. All and every of these Aaronical Vestments under the Law, were particularly invented, prescribed, together with their matter, form, color, use, by God himself in precise terms, not by Moses or Aaron and his Sons alone, according to their own fancies. But the Vestments, Garments, Rochets, Surplices of Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons now contended for, were neither particularly invented, prescribed by God himself, or Christ, either in respect of their matter, form, color, use, directly or indirectly, nor by any one Text in the Old or New Testament, but merely invented, prescribed by Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Monks, according to their own vain doting fancies. Therefore no ways justified but condemned by these Texts.
2ly. All these Garments were made, and the constant use of them in Divine services and administrations, punctually enjoined by God's special Command, warrant, law, not by Popes, Bishops, Councils, Decretals, Injunctions, Constitutions, Canons, Visitation Articles, alone, as all Pontifical, Sacerdotal Garment • , Rochets, Surplices, Hoods, and other such Trinkets are.
3ly. They were all put on Aaron and his Sons, and both of them consecrated together, by Moses alone, the chief civil Magistrate; not by any Pope, Bishop, Priest or other Ecclesiastical person, who now only engross and claim the right of ordaining, consecrating all Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Ministers, Deacons, Ecclesiastical persons, together with the hallowing of their Garments, Rochets, Surplices; and deem it no less than Sacrilege and Usurpation for Kings or Civil Magistrates to ordain or consecrate any of them, or order ought concerning them, but at their requests, and as their Substitutes.
4ly. These Garments of theirs were different both in matter, kind, form, fashion, from Rochets, Surplices, Albees, Hoods, Planets, Dalmaticks, Chymeres, Palls, Stoles, Pectoral Crosses, Cassockes, Gownes, Black Silken Girdles, Copes, Miters, square Caps, and other Vestments now used, contended for by Ceremonial Prelates and Clergy-men. Therefore not warranted but condemned by these Texts.
5ly. These Garments were prescribed to Aaron and his Sons to put on only when they went in to the Tabernacle, Altar, Temple, to offer up Levitical Sacrifices and Services unto God; not when they prayed, preached, instructed the people in their several Cities, Synogogues, or in their Kings Palla • es, as these Texts resolve. Therefore no presidents for Bishops, Priests, or Deacons to imitate when they preach, read Prayers, officiate or administer Sacraments in Cathedrals or Parish Churches and Chapels.
6ly. Aaron the High Priest and his Successors, with his Sons, and Jewish Priests Sacrifices, Priesthood, Altars, Vestments, were all temporary, typical, utterly abolished by the incarnation, passion, sacrifice, res • rrection, ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, (whom they typified, shadowed,) as inconsistent with, and not fit to be continued under the Gospel; as on the Epistles to the Hebrews, Galatians, Romans, Collossians, Acts 15. and whole New Testament, all Commentators on them Old and New resolve; especially Hebr. 7, & 8, & 9, & 10. Therefore these Vestments may not, ought not to be revived, continued under the Gospel, unless we will revive the Aaronical Priesthood, High Priest, Priests, Levites, with their Sacrifices, Altars, Tabernacle, Temple, and all other Levitical Ceremonies, Vestments in specie, and renounce both Christ himself, with his Priesthood, Ministry, and the Gospel.
7ly. None were to put on or wear these holy Garments but Aaron and his sons, who were all Priests by birth and succession, not election and ordination, as all Apostles, Bishops, Ministers, Deacons were, and yet are; who being none of the Tribe of Levy, or Sons of Aaron by natural generation, can claim no Title by the Law to their Priestly Garments, much less by the Gospel, which thus expressly resolves, Hebr. 7. 12, 13. For the Priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law: For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another Tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the Altar, and of which Tribe Mosco spake nothing concerning Priesthood. An unanswerable Text against all Evangelical Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, claims and pretences (especially being Gentiles, not Jews by birth, and Christians by regeneration) to Aaronical, Levitical Priestly Vestments or Ornaments; which Text I desire them all to answer at their leisures.
8ly. If any allege, they only use these Garments by way of allusion and imitation, not prescription.
I answer 1. That they have no Precept nor warrant in the Gospel for this their allusion or imitation, but direct Precepts, warrants, cautions against it, as inconsistent with the Gospel, and Salvation too, Hebrews 6. & 7, & 8, & 9, & 10. c. 12. 27, 28, 29. c. 13. 10 11. Col. 2. 1 • , to the end. Phil. 3. 2, 3. Tit. 1. 10. 11. Gal. 4. 30, 31. c. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12. Acts 15. 2ly. They have no President from the Apostles, or primitive Christians, Churches for above 300. years after Christ. 3ly. If our Bishops, Priests, Deacons will imitate them in their Garments, it must be in fashion, species, form, end, use, as well as matter and color, the best, realest imitation. Out Bishops, (or the Pope, who pretend themselves the High Priests Successors, though they can never prove it) must then wear a Brestplate, ephod, robe, broidered coat, •• iter, girdle, of the same materials, form as Aaron's were. And our Priests, Deacons, must wear fine linen Ephods, Breeches, Bonnets, and none but linen, not woolen Garments on them, whiles they minister, nor anything that may cause sweat. and lay aside all their Surplices, Hoods, Gowns, Copes, Caps, Cassocks of wool, silk, satin, sarcenet, velvet, which now they use; else they do not imitate, but prevaricate from this president. 4ly. Then none but Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, not any Scholars in Colleges, Halls, nor Singing-men, Choristers, and others not in sacred Orders, must wear Surplices, as now they are enjoined by the forecited Canons, since none but Aaron and his Sons alone were to wear these holy Garments.
5ly. All these their Garments must be consecrated in the self-same manner as theirs were. 1. By Moses the chief Civil Magistrate; not by Archbishops, Bishops, Priests or Presbyters. 2ly. With sprinkling of blood and holy anointing oil upon the Tip of their Ears, Bodies, Garments, after they are put upon their Backs, without any solemn Prayers, Holy-water sprinkled, or Cross • made on them, as their Episcopal Vestments, Surplices, and Albees are now hallowed, not upon their bodies, but before they must wear or put them on.
Upon all which considerations, they must now quite disclaim these Texts of Scripture, and Aaronical, Levitical Garments, as fatally destructive to those they contend for; upon what ridiculous reasons, similitudes, dissimilitudes, and mystical Monkish reasons and mystical significations, you may read in Alcuinus De Divinis Officeiis, cap. 38, 39. Honorius Augustodunensis in his Gemma Animae, lib. 1. 2. & Gulielmus Durantus in his Rubric to his Rationale Divinorum, lib. 3. De Indumentis, seu Ornamentis Ecclesiae Sacerdotum, atque Pontificum, & aliorum Ministrorum; which I shall here at large insert in his own words for the Readers information, conviction, reformation, or shame of all over-eager Contenders for these Vestments and Ceremonies, grounded upon most strange, absurd, fanatic reasons, allusions, & superstitious ridiculous mystical whimsies, frenzies, perversions of Scripture, which all sober Christians cannot but reject with greatest contempt, though insisted on with much gravity and se • iosity by some who would be reputed the Chief Fathers, and Pillars of the Church.
IN quotidiano usu non est vestibus sacris utendum, ad notandum, quod sicut mutationem habit as secundum literam sacirnus, ita & secundum spiritum agamus. Non ergo cum vestibus communis vitae usu pollutis in sancta sancto • um ingrediamur, sed cum conscientia munda & ve. stibus mundis & sacris sacramenta tract • mus, de Con. di. i. c. i. Unde Stephanus papa de Con di. 1. Vestimenta. Statuit sacris vestibus, non nisi in Ecclesiasticis & Deo dignis officiis uti & Ez • ch. x •• iii. Non sanctificabant populum in vestibus sui • . Habet ergo Hiero Religio divina alterum habi • um in ecclesiasticis officiis, • lium in communi usu, ut 〈◊〉 p •• ulo Christiano exemplum praebeat bonae conversationis: quatenus loti prius sordes novi Chri • to fianc homines. Exuit enim tunc sacerdos Veterem hominem cum actibus suis, & induit novum qui secundum Deum creatus est. Per vestes quoque quibus in sacris utimur tantū; non omnia sacramenta sore populo relevanda, intelligimus, xlij. dist. in mandatis. §. si q.iii. nolite. Et nota, quod tempore Ludovici Imperatoris filii Caroli magni, Episcopy & Clerici cingula auro texta, exquisitas vestes & alia secularia ornament • deposuerint.
Sacrae autem vestes à veteri lege videntur assumptae, praecepit enim Dominus Moysi, ut faceret Aaron Sacerdot • & filiis cjus vestes sanctas, in gloriam & decorem, ut loti, & sacris vestibus induti fungerentur officio in sacris. Exo. xxviij xxxi xxxv. & xl.c. Docuit enim Dominus Moysem per. xl. dies facere Pontificalia & Sacerdotalia vestimenta Sacerdotibus, & Levitis suis ornamenta quoque & linteamina: sed & Maria texuit & fecit illa in usum ministry Tabernaculi saederis Et Ecclesiasti. xlvij. dedit in celebrationibus decus &c. Quaedam temen ab Apostolis sumuntur, sed tam illae quam i •• ae virtutes designant, vel mysterium incarnationis. San • Pontifex celebraturus exuit vestes quotidianas, & induit mundas & sacras, Et primo sandalia calciat, ut sit memor Dominicae incarnationis. Secundo, sibi ponit amitum, ut motus & cogitatus fauces & linguam cohibeat, ut siat cor mundum spiritum rectum percipiens in visceribus innovatum. T • r • io, alb • m talarem, ut habeat mundiciam caruis perseverantem. Quarto, singulum, ut impetus luxuriae refrenet. Quinto, stol • m in signum obedientiae. Sexto, tunicam jacentinam. i coel • stem conversationem. Sept • mo, superindu • Dalmaticam, id est sanctam religionem, & carnis mortificationem. Octavo, Cirothecas, ut declinat van • m gloriam. Nono, annulum ut diligar sponsam, i. Ecclesiam sicut se, Decimo, Casulam, i. charitatem. Undecimo, sudarium, ut quicquid fragilitate vel ignorantia peccat poenitentia tergat. Duodecimo, pallium supponit, ut ostendat se imitatorem Christi qui langores nostros tulit. Decimotertio, mitram, ut sic agat quod coronam mereatur perciper • . aeternam. Decimoquarto, baculum, i. auctoritatem potestatis & doctrinae. Et postea tabeta calcat, ut terram despicere & amare caelestia discat. Omnibus autem praemissis vestibus induitur à ministris, quia ei ut vestes induat spirituales angeli suffragantur, vel quod vicarius est Christi, cui angeli ministrant & omnia serviant. Rursu • , pontifex versus aquilonem aspiciens, quamvis versus otientem seu versus altare si sit magis accommodum re • picere possit, tanquam advocatus & pugil cum host pugnaturus antiquo, vestibus sacris, quasi armis induitur, juxta Apostolum ut jam dicetur. Primo, sandalia pro ocreis, habet, ne quid maculae vel pulveris affectionum in • iereat. Secundo, amitus pro galea caput contegit. Tertio, alba pro lorica totum corpus cooperuit. Quarto, cingulum pro arcu, sub-cingulum pro pharetra assumit, & est subcingulum illud quod dependet a cingulo quo stola pontificis cum ipso cingulo colligatur. Quinto, stola collum circumdat quasi hastam contra hostem vibrans. Sexto, manipulo pro clava utitur. Septimo, casula quasi clipeo tegitur, manus libro pro gladio armatur. De singulis etiam aliter dicetur infra. Haec itaque sunt arma quibus Pontif • x vel Sacerdos armari debet contra spirituales ne quiciat pugnaturus. Nam ut inquit Apostolus: Arma miliciae nostrae non sunt carnalia: sed ad destructionem muniminum potentia, Et in alia Epistola ad Ephes .vi.c. Induite vos, inquit, armatura Dei, u • possitis stare adversus insidias diaboli. State ergo succincti lumbos vestros, in veritate, & induti lorica justitiae, & calciati pedes in praeparatione Evangelii pacis, in omnibus sumentes scutum fidei, in quo positis omnia tela nequissimi ignea extinguere & galeam salutis assumere: & gladium spiritus, quod est Verbum Dei. Haec quidem armatura est praemissa septuplex vestis Sacerdotalis significativa, septiplicis virtutis Sacerdotis; & representativa Christi vestium, quibus indutus suit ipse passionis, prout infra dicetur. Provideat ergo diligenter Episcopus & attendat studiose Sacerdo • , ut signum sine significato non ferat, i. ut vestem fine virtute non po •••• : ne forte similis sit Sepulchro à foris dealbato, intus vero omni spurcicia pleno. Quisquis, n. sacris indumentis ornatur & honestis moribus non induitur quanto ven • rabilior apparet hominibus, tanto redditur indignior apud Deum: Pontificalem it aque gloriam non jam honor commendat vestium • sed splendor animarum: quoniam & illa quae quondam carnalibus blandiebantur obtutibus ea potius quae in ipsis erant intelligenda poscebant: ut quicquid illa velamina in fulgore auri, in nitore gemmarum & in multimodi operis varietate signabant, hoc jam in moribus actibusque, clarescat: cum & apud veteres reverentiam ipsa significationum species obtineret, & apud nos certiora sint experimenta rerum quam enigmata figurarum, prout haec & alia in Pontificali, ubi agitur de Episcopy consecratione, Ieguntur. Sic itaque munitus ad certamen cum spirituali nequiciae in caelestibus, & pro fedanda in subditos judicis ira ad altare procedit: & per confession̄ diaboli renunciat Dominio, & seipsū ac • usat; populus vero quasi pro suo pugile oraturus in profestis diebus terrae prosternitur, dum autem ill orationes & alia recitat, quasi totis viribus cum diabolo pugnat. Dum diaconus in jejuniis ante Evangelium casulam super humerum replicat, quasi gladium contra hostem vibrat. Dum Epistola legitur voice praeconis, imperatoris edicta dantur; cantus sunt tubicinae praecentores, chorum regentes sunt duces exercitum ad pugnam instruentes, quibus lascentibus alii subveniunt. Gantus autem sequentiae est plausus seu laus victoriae. Dum Evangelium legitur hostis quasi gladio vulneratur: aut exercitus post victoriam dispersus adunatur. Episcopus praedicans est imp • rator victores laudans, oblationes sunt spolia quae victoribus dividuntur. Cantus offertorii, est triumphus quī debetur imperatori. Pax autem in fine datur, ut populi quies host prostrato insinuetur. Et deinde populus data licentia per ite Missa est, cum gaudio de victoria & pace obtenta ad propria redit: Celebraturus itaque Missam Episcopus aut Presbyter, indumentis suo ordini congrueruen • ibus se exornat & v • stium cultui actionis quoque conveniant ornamenta, c. di-rationis. Circa quod notandum est quod fex sunt indumenta Sacerdotibus & Episcopis communia, quia & sex sunt in quibus communis Presbyterorum & Episcoporum potestas consistit. Novem vero sunt or • amenta pontifi ibus specialia, quia & novem sunt in quibus spiritualis Episcoporum potestas consistit. Per hunc ergo communium & specialium indumentorum numerum, communitas & specialitas potestatum inter Episcopos & Sacerdotes significatur, de quo in parte praecedenti dictum est sub tit. de Episcopo. Hoc etenim tam in novo quam in veteri testamento legitur constitutum, us Pontifices praeter communes vestes habeant speciales, sed ibi quatuor erant communes, & quatuor speciales prout dicetur sub ti, de legalibus indumentis, quod siquidem ratio mis • ica postulabat: nam illae da • ae sunt carnalibus & mundanis, quoniam quaternarius numerus convenit carni propter quatuor humores, & mundo propter quatuor elementa. Haec autem spiritualibus & perfectis data sunt. Nam senarius numerus qui perfectus est, quia redditur ex suis partibus aggregati • perfectis convenit. Unde & sexto die perficit Deus caelum & terram, & omnem ornatum eorum; sed & cum in plenitudine temporis sexta venisset aetate, sexto die sub hora sexta redemit genus humanum. Senarius ergo numerus perfectus est, quo suo ordine numeratus perficitur. Nam cum unum duo & tres dicuntur, senarius numerus impletur; vel quia in tribus partibus dividitur, i. in sexta tertia & dimedia, vizt. in uno duobus veltribus. Novenarius etiam spiritualibus convenit, quia novem sunt ordines angelorum qui secundum prophetam per novem gemmarum species designantur. Quindecim ergo sunt ornamenta Pon • ificis, quindecim virtutum gradus ipso numero designantia, quo • per quindecim cantica graduum Psalmista distinxit. Vestes enim Sacerdotales virtutes significant, quibus debent Sacerdotes ornarl, secundum illud propheticum: Sacerdo • es tui induantur justitia & sancti tui exultent. Quae talares dicuntur, quia talus finis est corporis, per quod ostenditur quod non sufficit opus bonum inchoare nisi studeatur perseveranti fine compleri, prou • sub ti. de tunica dicetur. Sic ergo noster Pontifex plura quam octo induit vestimenta, quamvis Aaron non nisi octo habuisse legatur, quibus moderna succedunt, quod ideo est quoniam oportet justitiam nostram magis habundare quam Scribarum et Pharisaeorum, ut intrare possumus in regnum coelorum. Potest etiam dici, quod noster Pontifex octo habet à capite usque ad pedes: exceptis vestimentis pedum & manuum, scilicet amictum, albam, cingulum, & stolam, duas tunicas, casulam & pallium: vestimentum potius pertinet ad nostrum quam ad Aaron, quia nostris dictum est, euntes in omnes gentes, &c.
Denique praeter praemissas vestes sacris ordinibus & ministris deputatas, est & alia quaedam vestis linea quod superplicium dicitur, quo quibuslibet serviciis altaris & sacrorum vacantes super ve •• es communes uti debent, prout in sequenti ti, dicetur. Superpelliceum autem propter sui candorem, mundiciam seu puritatem castitatis designat. Juxta illud, Omni tempore vestimenta, id est opera tua sint candida & munda, propter nomen vero suum carnis mortificationem figurat. Dict • m est enim Superpellicium, eo quo antiquitus super tunicas pellicīas de pellibus mortuorum animalium factas induebatur, quod adhuc in quibusdam Ecclesiis observatur, representantes, qdAdam post poccatum talibus vestitutus est pelliciis. Tertio, denotat innocentiam, & ideo ante omnes alias vest • sacras saepe induitur, quod divino cultui deputari in • ocentiam vitae cunctis virtutum actibus superponere d • b nt • Juxta illu • Psal. Innocentes & recti adheseru • t mihi. Quarto, propter sui latitudinem cong • ue charita • m designat. Unde super prophanas & commune • vestes induitur ad notandum quod chari • as operit multitu • inem peccatorum. Quinto, propter sui formam quod in modum crucis formatur, passionem Domini figurat, qu • dque illud gerentes crucifigi debent cum viciis, & concupiscentiis: Flunt autem Superpellicia in quibusdam locis de crismatibus lineis, quae ponuntur super infantulo • baptizatos, exemplo Moysi, qui de purpura & bisso, & aliis à populo in tabernaculo oblatis, secit vestes quibus A • ron & Filii, ejus induerentur quum ministrabant in sanctis, Exod. xxxix.c. Est etiam & alia vestis quod pluviale vel cappa vocatur, quod creditor à legali tunica mutuata. Unde sicut illa tintinabulis, sic ista simbris infigitur, qui sunt labores & hujus mundi solicitudines. Habet etiam caputium, quod est supernum gaudium, prolixa est usque • ad p • des, per quod perseverantia usque in sinem significatur. In anteriori parte aperta est, ad d • notandu, quod sanctae conversantibus vita patet aeterna seu quod • orum vita patere debet aliis in exemplum, xi.q.iii. non sunt in fine. Rursus per cappam gloriosa corporum immortalitas intelligitur, unde illam non nisi in majoribus festivitatibus induimus, aspicientes in suturam resurrectionem, quando electi deposita carne binas stoas accipiente.i.e. requiem animarum & gloriam corporum. Quae capparecte interius patula est, & nisi sola necessaria sibula insuta, quia corpora spiritualia facta nullis animam obturabunt angustiis: fimbriis etiam subornatur, quia tunc nostrae nihil decrit imperfectioni, sed quod nunc ex parte cognoscimus tunc cognofcemus sicut & cogniti sumus. Quidam autem haeretic • garriunt, nusquam reperiri in novo testamento, quod Christus vel Discipuli ejus praemissis vestibus induerentur, repre • endentes nos temere, quia talibus utimur ornamentis, quoniam sicut Jo, ait. Dom. surgens de caena posuit vestimenta sua & postea alia nunquam accepi • nisi sua. Nos vero, ut dicunt, plura alia quam vestimus revestimus in missam qua caenam ipsam imitamur, & Dominus ab his qui volunt ambulare in stolis, nos cavere praecepit, dicens; Cavete à Scribis qui volunt ambulare in stolis; dicunt enim quod hoc facimus ut justiores & excellentiores populis appareamus, contra illud, Vos estis qui justificastis vos coram hominibus, Deus autem novit corda vestra, quia quod hominibus altum est, abhominatio est apud Deum. Error autem iste ex praemissis apertissime consutatur. Legitur quoque Ezech. xlii. & xliv. Cum ingredientur sanctuarium meum & accedant ad mensam meam ut mihi ministrent & custodiant ceremonias meas, vestibus lineis induentur, nec ascendet super eos quicquam laneum. Cum ingredientur atrium extersus ad populum, exuent se vestimentis suis in quibus ministra verant, & non sactificabant populum in vestimentis suis. Et nota, quod hostiarii, lectores, exorcistae & accoliti vestibus albis utuntur, videlicet Superpelliceo, amicto, & alba, & baltheo, ut Angelos Dei ministros per castitatis mundiciam imitentur, & eis in carne gloriosa effecta spirituali quasi in albis vestibus socientur. Inde est quod potius lineis vestibus utuntur, quia ficut linum multo labor ad eandorem perducitur, sic necesse est per multas tribulationes ad Regni gloriam pervenire. In concilio Magon. xi.q.i. Episcopus Presbyter, statutum est, quod Episcopus in ordination sua recipiat orarium baculum & annulum, Presbyter orarium & planetam; Diaconus orarium & Dalmaticam; sub-Diaconus patenam & calicem, & cum degradantur ea perdunt. Et in Concilio Toletano, xciij.di. Diaconus, in conventu statutum est quod Diaconus tempore oblationis tantum, scil. quando legit Evangelium, utatur Alba & Dalmatica. Notandum quoque est quod vestes Evangelici Sacerdotis aliud designant in capite scilicet, in Christo; aliudque figur •• t in membris, quamquam & caput & membra Sacerdotis nomine nuncupantur • ad caput dicit Psalmigraphus: Tu es Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchizedek. Ad membra vero dicit Apostolus; Vos estis genus electum, regale Sacerdotium. Exponenda ergo sunt eorum mysteria. Primo secundum quod membris, consequenter secundum quod capiti scilicet Christo convenient, prout in quolibet capittulo distinguetur. De ornamentis autem & palleis & vestibus Eccles • ae vel altaris, in prima parte dictum est, ubi agitur de picturis. Porro sex indumenta Sacerdotibus & Episcopis communia sunt haec; amictus, alba, zona, seu cingulum, stola, manipulus, planeta. Novem vero pontificibus specialia sunt haec, caligae, sandalia, succinctorium, tunica, Dalmatica, Cirothecae, mitra, annulus, baculus pastoralis. De quibus ominibus singulatim prosequimur, & etiam de sudario, & de pallio, & de coloribus quibus Ecclesia in Ecclesiasticis utitur indumentis, & de legalibus indumentis sive veteris testamenti.
After which he prosecutes at large in sundry distinct Chapters, the reasons of instituting each of these particular Pontifical, Sacerdotal Vestments, and their mystical tropological significations, with such frantic, ridiculous conceits, and impious pervertings, wrestings of sacred Scriptures, as would affect all conscientious sober Christians with grief and indignation, and others with more laughter than any Enterlude or Puppet-play. I shall only transcribe his Chapter De Alba, or the white Surplice, the Vestment now most in question.
POst amictum, camisiam sive albam sacerdos indui • ; quae membris corporis convenienter aptata, nihil superfluum aut dissolutum in vita Saece • dotis aut in eis membris esse debere d • monstrat. Haec ob speciem candoris mundiciam demonstrate; secundum quod legitur; Omni tempore vestimenta tua sint candide. Fit autem de bisso, vel lino, propter quod scrip • um est, bissum sunt sanctificationes sanctorum. Est autem bissus linum egyptiacum. Sicut enim linum vel bissus condorem quem ex natura non habet • ultis tensionib • s attritum acquirit per artem sic & hominis caro mundiciā quem non obtinet per naturā, per exercitia bonorum operum multis cogitationibus macerata, sortitur per gratiam. Sacerdos ergo secundum Apostolum, c • stiget corpus suum & in servitutem redigat, ne forte cum altis praedicaverit, ipse reprobus fiat. Habet autem alba capucium, quod est professio castitatis. Habet etiam lingulam, quae significat linguam sacerdotalem quae ligat contumaces & absolvit penitentes. Ru • sus haec vestis quae in veteri sacerdotio lin • a, vel pedis grece, seu 〈◊〉 talaris dicebatur, stricta fu • sse describitur propter spiritum servitutis Iudaeorum in timore. In novo vero larga est propter spiritum adoptionis in libertate qua nos Christus liberavit. Quod autem aurifrisium & gramata diversis in locis ac variis operibus ad decorem habet, illud insinuate quod p • ophe • a dicit in Psalms. Asti •• t regina à dextris tuis in vest • eaurata circa, vary. Rursus alba cingula stringitur, ut omnis voluptas carnalis astricta intelligatur, diccente Domino: Sint lumbi vestri praecincti. Manicae quoque tam albae quam etiam tunicallae convenienter debent esse strictae, non minus laxae, ut labantur & brachia nudentur, habentes in summitatibus aurifrisia, ad designandunm aureos torques, quia brachia nud • beati Martini missam celebrantis miraculose decenter operuerunt, prout in sexta parte sub ejus festo docetur. Per albam etiam qua corpus à sursum usque ad deorsum tegitur, spes quem ex gratia provenit ecclesi • defursum, & ex meritis ecclesiae deorsum figuratur. De hac Apostolus ad Roman. viii. Spe salvi facti sumus. Quia vere usque ad talos d • scendit, perseverantiam designat, prout tactum est prope finem in prohemio hujus partis. Porro, secundum quod capiti, scilicet Christo, advenit alba quae est lineum vestimentum longissime distans à tunicis pellitiis, quem ex mortuis animalibus siunt, quibus Adam vestitus est post peccatū, novitatē vitae signisicat quem Christus & habuit & docuit & tribuit in baptismo; de quo dicit Apostolus; Exuite veterem hominem cum actibus suis, & induite novum qui secundum Deum creatus est.
Nam in transfiguratione resplenduit facies ejus sicut sol, & vestimenta ejus facta sunt alha sicut nix, semper enim vestimenta Christi munda fuerunt & candida, quoniam peccatum non fecit, nec inventus est dolus in oreejus: Haec etiam vestis representat albam vestem in qua Herodes illusit Christo. Luc. xxiij.
In answer to all this Popish chaff I shall only propound the Poets interogation to the Readers of this irrational Rationale,
I now proceed to their second Scripture reason for the use of white Surplices and Rochets, which is this, White, and white Garments are a sign or badge of holiness, innocence, purity, joy, and gladness, as is evident by Psal. 51. 7. Isaiah 1. 18. Dan. 11. 35. Rev. 3. 4, 5, 18. c. 4. 4. c. 6. 2, 11. c. 7. 9, 13, 14. c. 19. 18. Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. Eccles. 9. 8. Therefore Bishops, Ministers and Deacons ought to wear white Rochets, Surplices and Albees in time of Divine service and Sacraments. Thus Alcuinus, Honorius Augustodunensis, Thomas Waldensis, Gulielmus Durantus, Archbishop Whiteguift, Mr. Hooker, and sundry other Writers argue.
To which I answer, 1. That White is not always a sign, badge of Purity and Innocency, but oft times of Corruption, Defilement, Guilt, & that in the Scriptures, Priests and Prelates account. As 1. in the Case of Leprosy (the worst, uncleanest of all Diseases) awhite scab, spot, skin, was a sign, symptom, consequent of the plague of Leprosy; whence it is recorded of Miriam and Gehazi, when smitten miraculously by God with leprosy for their Sins, that they became leprous, and went out a Leper as white as Snow. 2ly. In the Case of Hypocrisy, especially in false Prophets, Priests and Clergymen, against whom Christ himself gives this description, caution, Mat. 7. 15, 16. Beware of false Prophets, who come unto you in Sheeps clothing (which is commonly white, as Wool is) but inwardly they are ravenous Wolves, ye shall know them by their fruits; compared with Mat. 23. 2, to 12. Mar. 12. 38, 39, 40. Beware of the Scribes and Pharisees, which love to go in Long clothing, (long white Surplices, Gownes, Cassocks, Cloakes, as Bishops, Priests, Deacons use to do) which devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long Prayers; But all their works they do to be seen of men: They make broad their Philacteries and enlarge the borders of their Garments: And love the uppermost rooms in Feasts, and the Chief Seats in the Synogogues: And greetings in the Market place, and to be called Rabbi, Rabbi: But be ye not called Rabbi, for one is your Father which is in Heaven, and all ye are Brethren. Which Texts our famous Apostle John Wycliffe and others applied to the Popish Prelates and Clergy, their Surplices and Vestments, as Thomas Waldenesis, and others relate: together with that of Matth. 23. 25, 27, 28. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the Cup and of the Platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse that first within the Cup and Platter, that the outside may be clean also. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited Sepulchers, which indeed appear White (or beautiful ) outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness: Even so ye also (in your long white Surplices, and Priestly Garments) appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity. Upon which account Paul stiles Aunanias a whited Wall. 3ly. Popes and Bishops themselves when they degrade any Clergy-man or Bishop for Heresy, uncleanness, or any other scandalous crime, apparel him first in Surplices, Rochets, and consecrated Vestments; after which they disrobe him of them: and when they inflict penance on Adulterers, Adulteresses, Whores, Bauds, Whoremasters, and other scandalous, unclean Offendors, they cause them to stand in white Sheets or Surplices in the Church before all the Congregation to their shame, by way of punishment. Therefore white Garments even in Churches are a badge of Guilt, Infamy, as well as of Innocency, purity and honor. 4ly. St. Jerome himself, and Caelius Rhodiginus out of him, censure the wearing of white Garments by Monks, as a badge of Luxury and Pride, not Innocency, purity or humility. And is it not so in Bishops, Priests, D • acons, who thereby will not only difference themselves from, but advance themselves above Lay Christians; as appears by this prayer in the Roman Pontifical, when they put on their Surplices, and Priests Vestments at their ordination, as Clerks, Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, • propitiare peccatis nostris, & ab omni servitute saecularis habitus hos famulos tuos emunda, ut dum ignominiam saecularis habitus deponunt, tua semper in aevum gratia perfruantur, &c. And these words of the Archbishop to the King at the time of his Coronation, when he placeth him in his Throne, Stand and hold fast from henceforth that Place, whereof hitherto thou hast been heir by the succession of thy Forefathers, being now delivered unto thee by the Authority of Almighty God, and all the Bishops and Servants of God; (clad in their Pontificalibus) & as thou • e • st the Cle • gy to come nearer unto the Altar (than others, in their white Rochets, Surplices,) so remember, that in places convenient, thou give them greater honor. Finally if white Garments be a token of Innocency, purity, then Porters, Carters, Groomes, Virgins and Country Lasses, who usually go clad in White Frockes, Wastcoats, Garments all the day, week, year long, should be more holy, innocent, pure than Bishops, Priests, Deacons, who wear them only for few hours in the Church, and are clad in Black Garments only all the day, week, year, which are as contrary to Innocency, purity, as white is unto black.
2ly. White is not always a badge, or Garment of Joy, but oft times of Mourning and Grief, as in the Cases of penance and degradations forecited; and in these ensuing Presidents. Alexander ab Alexandro, B • emus and others record, that the Grecians, Spartians, Argivi, Syracusians used to put on Albas vestes white Garments, when they mou • ned for their deceased Friends and Kings, in which they followed their Corps to their G • aves, involved usually in white Winding sheets and Cere-clothes; Plutarch, and Areti • s out of him informs us, that the Roman Matrons, mourned in white Garments. In China at this day the Nobles and better sort of Women use to mourn in White array; The better fort of Turks use to mourn in White; and in Iapan White is a Funeral color, Black a Feastival; Yea, at this Day the Queens of France after their Husband Kings decease wear White Garments during their Widow-hood, in token of grief and retiredness: and in many places of England when any Maids die before marriage, other Virgins use to accompany their Hearse to their Graves in white Wastcoats, Gloves, Ribonds; Therefore white Garments cannot be of themselves, a badge of joy, chearfullness, triumph, for then white Winding-sheets should be so, wherein we all inter dead Corps.
3ly. White Garments are no peculiar badge of Evangelical Bishops or Ministers of the Gospel, and that only in Divine administrations; For as I never read that Christ or his Apostles, or the primitive Evangelical Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, for above 350. years af • er Christ used any such Vestments, Surplices, Rochets in divine Administrations, which doubtless they would have done had they deemed them necessary, decent or expedient; so on the contrary. I read, 1. That the Tapyrae, Bactriani, Iberi, and other barbarous Nations about Hyrcania, compel their Women to wear and walk ab • oad Albis Lunicis in White Coats, and short cut hair; when as the Men only wear black vestments, and let their Hair grow long. 2. That the Romans in their Circentian Plays had 4. Factions, clad in 4. several sorts of coloured Garments, (just like the Popish Priests and Prelates) according to the four seasons of the year; to wit, in Green-coloured Garments, dedicated to the Spring: in Rose-coloured Vestments, devoted to the Harvest: in Violet-coloured; consecrated to Winter: and in White Garments, dedicated to Autumn, when men (as well as fruits and leave • ) usually drop into their Graves. And that the Romans used to resort to, & behold their Plays, Toga candida in a white Gown or Surplice, which was no act of Religion, but Pastime. 3ly. That those who stood for any elective Offices among the Romans, were usually clad in white Garments, from whence they were styled Candidati, as Caelius Rhodiginus proves at large out of Titus Livius, Plutarch, Pliny, Vlpian, Juvenal and others; which Candidates usually bribed the people to gain their Voyces with money, meat, drink, feasts, (notwithstanding many successive severe Laws made against it) as too many Knights, Citizens, Burgesses now use to bribe their Electors before and at every Parliamentary election, with Gifts, Feasts, and drunken entertainments, for which they deserve expulsion out of the House of Commons, far better than Thomas Long, who in the Parliament of 8. Elizabeth was expelled the Commons House, upon examination of his Case, only for giving the Major of Westbury (in Wiltshire ) 4 l. to be elected a Burgess to serve in that Parliament for this his corrupt dealing (which was to poison the very Fountain itself;) and the Major fined and imprisoned; where as some now spend one, two, or three thousand pounds apiece in Counties to be elected Knights: and others one, two, three, four or five hundred pounds a piece or more to be chosen Citizens and Burgesses for the last, & this approaching Parliament, in Bribes, Wine, Ale, Bear, Tobacco, Feasts, and drunken entertainments, (which will hardly produce a sober Parliament, and for which the Elements now mourn, yea drop down showers of Wrath uponus) for which bribery they well deserve to be cast out of the Parliament-house, and fined treble the value of their Bribes and expenses, to his Majesty; • ince the Pagan Romans were so just as by the Law of C. Petilius Tribune of the people, to impose a fine and penalty of ambition upon Q. Coponius, quod vini amphoram ei cujus suffragio magistratum petebai, dono dederat. And if his giving but a Quare or Pottle of Wine was reputed a Bribe deserving punishment, what do they demerit who give whole Tuns, Buts of Wine, and many Barrels of Ale, Bear to their Electors for their Voyces? Yea those Mercinaries who thus unworthily sell their Voyces, deserve to be forever disabled to have any voice in future Elections; and this Roman Law is now fit to be enacted among us, Vt in petendis honoribus, candidati sine toga ad Comitia descenderent, ne pecuniis in sinu reconditis tribuum suffragia merearentur. 4ly. That the idolatrous Priests of Isis among the Egyptians, when they sacrificed to this Idol, did shave their Crowns, and wear white Surplices, Garments, (just as the Popish Priests do now) above a 1000. years before Christians took up this fashion; and the Roman Matrons in the Feast of their Goddess Ceres, did annually sacrifice to her, vest candida, in a white Garment, ut tunc Diis gratum esse censerent, si à laetis, nec à sunere pollutis celebraretur. 5ly. That the four Monks of Saint Denis Abbey in France who carry the Canopy over the viol of Holy oil (pretended to be sent from Heaven) at the French Kings Coronation, albis induti, are arrayed in white Surplices and Rochets, though not in holy Orders. 6ly. That our Bishops themselves, and the Abbot formerly, but now the Dean of Westminster, at our Kings Coronation, stripping off his ordinary Apparel, put on him a Collobium, Dalmatica, or close Pall, linen Gloves and Sandals, immediately after his consecrating, as they use to do on Bishops and Priests, of whole holy Vestments, these are parcel. Either therefore they must acknowledge our Kings to be Bishops and Priests as well as themselves, or disclaim these Vestments as proper or peculiar to Bishops, Priests and Clergy-men.
4ly. Admit white Garments, Rochets, Surplices a Badge of Innocency, Purity, Holynesse, as is pretended, and therefore fit to be worn in time of Divine service and Sacraments by Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and other Ecclesiastical Persons; Then it will certainly follow from hence,
1. That all Christians whatsoever ought to wear white Surplices, Rochets, Albees, as well as Popes, Archbishops, Metropolitans, Bishops, Arch-deacons, Deans, Prebends, Priests, Ministers, Deacons, and other Church-men. 1. Because they are all equally purified, washed from their sins externally by Baptism, and internally by the blood of Jesus Christ, yea justified, sanctified, and made holy without spot or blemish; as well as any Prelates, Priests or Clergy-men whatsoever, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. Rev. 1. 5, 6. c. 7. 14. 1 John 1. 9. c. 2. 1, 2. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 5. Hebr. 10. 22. Psalm 51. 7. Isaiah 1. 18. 2ly. Because they are all commanded to be pure, holy, blameless, undefiled in all manner of conversati •• , and godliness, even as God is holy, as well as Clergy-men. Upon which account they are usually styled Saints, holy men, holy brethren; and redeemed by Christ for this very end, that they should walk before and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. Rom. 11. 49. c. 19. 2. c. 20. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Eph. 5. 25, 26. Col. 3. 10, 11, 16, 17. 1 Thes 5. 16. 23, 27. Hebr. 3. 1. Rev. 1. 5, 6. c. 3. 18. c. 7. 14. Lu. 1. 74, 75. Tit. 2 12, 14. Rom. 1 7. c. 6. 1. 4, &c. c. 8. 10, 11, 29, 30. Ephes 4. 24. c. 1. 4. Phil. 1. 1. Philem. 5. 7. 2 Cor. 1. 1. c. 13. 13. Col. 1. 2, 4, 12, 26, Rev. 15. 3. c. 19. 8. Ps. 34. 1. Ps. 62. 8. Psal. 106, 3. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 3ly. Because they are all equally a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar people, yea made Kings and Priests to God the Father by Jesus Christ, as much as Prelates and Clergy-men, 1 Pet. 2. 9, 10. Rev. 1. 5, 6. c. 9. 10. c. 20. 6. Exod. 19. 6. 4ly. Because God is no respecter of Persons, (especially in his immediate worship, service) but in every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is equally aocepted of him, Acts 10. 34, 35. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Ephes. 1. 6. 5ly. Because all the Saints and redeemed of Christ, have equally washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and are arrayed in Spiritual (not Corporal) white garments, as well as Prelates and Priests, Rev. 3. 4, 5, 18. c. 6. 11. c. 7. 9, 13, 14. c. 19. 8. Therefore if necessary, decent expedient in God's Divine service, all Lay Saints should wear them as well as Bishops or Clergy-men.
2ly. Then it will necessarily follow, that not only Prelates and other Clergy-men, but likewise all Christians should wear Rochets, Surplices, and white Vestments at all times, as well as in time of Divine Service, or Sacraments administrations; especially in all their private Prayers, Devotions in their Closets, Houses, Families, (where Bishops, Priests, Deacons themselves use not to wear them) and in all places as well as in Cathedrals, Churches, Chapels, since they ought to be always holy, innocent, undefiled, white, pure in all their actions, conversations, shining as lights of the world in the midst of a polluted and perverse generation, as Ephes. 1. 4. c. 5 26, 27. c. 4. 22, 23, 24. Phil. 2. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. 2 Pet. 3. 11. and other fore-cited Texts resolve.
3ly. It was an ancient custom in the Primitive Church (long before Bishops, Priests or Deacons wore white Rochets, Surplices, and linen Vestments) beginning before 300. years after Christ, and continuing near 1400, years space, or more, in most Christian Churches, to put on long white Robes, Surplices, Garments, on all such Christians as were baptized, immediately after their baptism, in testimony of their purification and washing from their sins in their baptism, by the blood of Jesus Christ. Hence Lactantius flourishing about 300. years after Christ, in his Book De Resurrectione Christi, hath this elegant expression,
This custom of apparelling Baptized Persons in white Robes and Garments, is likewise attested by Gregory Nazianzen Oratio 3. Ambrose De Sacramentis, l. 3. c, 1. and De his qui initiantur, c. 7, 8. within 370. years after Christ, and not long after by Olympiodorus in Eccles. c. 9. Gregorius Turonensis, Hist. l. 9. c. 4. and our Venerable Beda, Hist. Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum, l. 2. c. 14. where relating the History of our King Edwins and his people's conversion to the Christian Faith, and baptizing by Paulinus, Anno Christi 627. and of his Sons soon after, adds quorum primi Albati adhuc (that is, whiles cla • in white Garments after their Baptism) erepti sunt de hac vitae. Abbot Alchuvinus Scholar to Beda, and Tutor to Charles the Great, describing the forms and Ceremonies of Baptism about the year of Christ 800. records, that the person baptized, after his baptism, elevatur de fonte, ut per Gratiam surgat ad vitam. Deinde Albis induiiur Uestimentis propter Gratiam regenerationis, et castitatem vitae, et Angelici splendaris decorem. Tunc sacro chrismate caput perungitur & mystico tegitur velamine, ut intelligat se Diadema Regni & Sacerdotis dignittem portare, juxtà Apostolum, vos estis genus electum, Regale, Sacerdotale, • fferentes vosmet ipsos Deo vivo hostiam sanctam & Deo placentem. Therefore they are entitled to wear white Garments, Surplices, Rochets, as well as any Bishops or Priests whatsoever, who upon this account ought not to advance themselves above, or distinguish themselves from other baptized Lay-Christians. Rabanus Maurus, flourishing about 840. years after Christ, writing of the Forms and Ceremonies of baptism, relates that after baptism, a white Garment was delivered to every person baptized. Post baptismum traditur Christiano Candida vestis, quae signat innocentiam & puritatem Christianam, quant post ablutas veteres maculas statio sanctae conversationis immaculatam servare debet ad praesentandam ante tribunal Christi. Cujus vero renati Albis induuntur vestibus, ad mysterium resurgentis Ecclesiae futurum. Vtuntur vestibus albis, ut quorum primae Nativitatis insantiam vetusti erroris pannus suscaverat, habitus secundae regenerationis gloriae praeferat indumentum. The continuance of this custom in after ages is attested by Vincentius Beluacensis, spec. Hist. l. 23. c. 145. Erfordiensis, c. 66. Aponius, l. 6. in Cantica Cant. the Century Writers, Cent. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. c. 6. Tit. De Ritibus circa Baptismum, and to name no more, by our Thomas Waldensis, about the year of Christ 1420. Doctrinalis Tom 3. Tit. 5. cap. 52. sect. 1, 2. De vest candida quam accipit baptizalus, which he largely descants upon as a badge of their purification, innocence, washing away their sins, and making them as white as Snow, and puting on the Lord Jesus Christ, citing Rom. 12. Ezech. 16. Psal. 50. Exod. 24. Heb. 3. Mat. 17. Isai. 1. Cant. 1. (all produced by him and other Papist • for Bishops and Priests white Rochets, Albees, Surplices.) Dionysius Areopagita, Origen, Ambrose and Rabanus, to justify this custom, from whence the Lord's day, Easter week, and the Feast of Pentecost, on which Christians heretofore were usually baptized, and then clad in White Garments, were styled Dominica et feria in albis, and by our English Calanders, Nation till this day, called White-sunday, and Whitesontide, because all persons baptized on them, and Virgins too, were then usually clad in White Garments. Feria 2. In albis, haec hebdomada (to wit after Easter) in albis vocatur, quod Sabbato sancto baptizati, vestein candidam, quam in baptismo acceperant gestate consueverint, ac in ea induti ac albati, usque ad alterum Sabbatum, quo solenni ritu albas deponebant, writes Learned George Cassander. If then this ancient custom of Clothing all baptized persons in white Robes, Rochets, Surplices, so long continued in the Churches of Christ, before any such Vestments wore by Bishops, Priests, Deacons, grounded on the self-same Texts, reasons, and some better grounds then Bishops, Priests, or Deacons wearing these Garments, be now totally laid aside, (through the Pride, Usurpation of Popes, Prelates, Clergy-men, who appropriate them only to themselves by way of distinction from other Christians) without any scandal or prejudice to Religion; then à fortiori Bishops, Priests, Deacons Rochets, Surplices, and other Vestments, may be discontinued and laid quite aside as useless, superfluous, if not schismatical, dividing, discriminating Christians from Christians, and Clergy men themselves from one another, raising many unnecessary contests, inconsistent with our Churches peace and unity.
6ly. If a white color, or white Linnen Garments be badges of innocence, purity, chastity, and should mind those who wear them of, and excite them to these virtues, as is pretended, then there is no need at all of white Surplices, Albees, Rochets or Lawnsleeves for these purposes. For 1. every Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and other man's white Skins, (the natural Garment of his Body, which he wears upon him all his life) or his white linen Shirt, Wastcoat he wears day and night all the w • ek, year long; his white linen Bands, Cuffs, Handkerchiefs, and linings of his Dublet, Hose, or the white Sockes he usually puts on every day, and not puts off till night, his white linen night Cap, Sheets which he lies down and sleeps in everynight, the white linen Napkins, Table-clothes, Towels, he daily useth, the white bread, meat, milk, eggs he eateth every meal; the white wax or tallow Candles he burns; the white sealings, walls, he beholds in his House, Church, Chapel every day; the white paper wherein he writes, and all the Bibles, Missals, Common-prayers, and other Books, Papers he reads written or printed; the white Corporals, Altar-clothes he beholds at every Sacraments; the white frocks of Porters, Carters, Millers, Grooms, Hostlers they daily wear; the white Dublets of men, Wastcoats, Peticoats, Aprons, linen Mantles of every Woman, the white sheep, beasts, foul, birds, snow, hail, wool, flax, or radiant light of the Sun, Moon, Stars, & viae lactea in the Heaven • , might abundantly mind every B • Priest, Deacon, (unless more dull and averse from purity, piety, innocence and sincerity than any other sort of Christians,) and more effectually excite every Clergy-man, or pious, reasonable Christian, to innocence, purity, sincerity, than all their Albees, Rochets, Surplices, or other Church Vestments, which they wear only for a short season, not constantly all the day, as they do their other induments. And why white Rochets, Surplices, Lawnsleeves alone, should be badges, memorials of, or incentives to purity, innocence, chastity; rather than all other white ordinary Vestments, Utensils, Meats, Creatures: or why Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Clergy-men alone should wear them, when as all wear white shirts, bands, cuffs, and other linen Garments, as well as they, without distinction, no solid reason can be rendered to satisfy any reasonable man's Judgment or Conscience.
7ly. If White be a badge of Innocency, holiness, chastity, purity, as is pretended, then why should not Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and all Cathedral-men wear white Hats, Caps, Gownes, Cassocks, Girdles, Dublets, Breeches, Stockings, Shooes, (but only black, red or russet Vestments as sundry Popish Councils, and our own Canons enjoin them) as well as white Rochets, Surplices, or Lawn-sleeves? Or why should they not wear only their shirts, instead of Surplices, Rochets, upon their Gowns, Cassocks and wearing Clothes; or their Surplices, Rochets, Lawn-sleeves under their other Cloaths, instead of shirts? It was a witty Question a prattling Girle of seven years old demanded of Doctor Laud when Bishop of London, arrayed in his white Lawn-sleeves and Rochet. Pray Uncle why do you wear your Shirt upon your Gowne and Sleeves, when other men wear their Shirts under them? At which the Bishop smiling, could return her no Answer but this, That it was the custom of Bishops to do it. And had she demanded of him further, how his white Sleeves and Rochet alone could be a badge of his universal Innocency, purity, sanctity, when his Gowne and all the rest of his Garments were coalblack? or, whether his Innocency, purity, sanctity were not put off together with his Lawn-sleeves, Rochet, and laid quite aside till he put them on again? He could hardly have returned a satisfactory Answer to these Demands.
8ly. If Bishops and Clergy-men wear white Rochets, Surplices in the Church only to distinguish them from the people, and others not in Orders. Then 1. no unordained Singing-men, Parish Clerks, Choristers, Scholars in our Universities, should be commanded, as now, but prohibited to wear Surplices in the Church. 2ly. Bishops and Ministers respective Consecrations, Ordinatious, presentations, inductions, installments to their Bishoprics, & Benefices, perception of their Rents, profits, tithes, and their constant preaching, praying, officiating, baptizing, administering the Lord's Supper, and diligent exercising of their Ministry in the Church, are sufficient of themselves without any Rochet or Surplice, to difference them from the people, As good trees are best known by their fruits, not leaves: so are good, pious, holy Bishops, and Ministers of the Gospel, best known and distinguished from the Laity by their good fruits by their diligent discharge of their Duties, Functions; their exemplary, transcendent Piety, Charity, Humility, Heavenly-mindedness, and by renouncing the Pomps, vanities, riches, honors of this present world, and all the sinsull lusts of the flesh, according to their Baptismal vow, even as Pope Coelestine the 1. asserted long since in his Epistle to the French Bishop, cited in the Title-page. The Council of Calchuth under our King Alfwoold, Anno 787. cap. 3. prescribes this as the principal badge and duty of every Bishop, Priest, Vt diligenti cura ad Gregem sibi commissum praedicet. The Council of Clovesho, An. 747. and the Excerptions or Cannons of Egbert Archibishop of York, about the year 750. Decree: Vt unusquisque Episcopus & Sacerdos omnilus Festis & diebus Dominicis Evangelium Christi praedicet populo. Vt Episcopy nullatenus secularibus negotiis, plusquam Dei servisiis (quod absit, as most have done) subditi existant, sed maxim curani animarum habeant, ut secundunt Apostolum, populum Dei suis exemplis been corrigant, & sanae quoque Doctrina Sermonibus instruant; bonis utique moribus, alstinentie virtutibus, justitiae operilus, doctrinae studiis adornati. Yea the 2d. Council of Cavailon, under the Emperor CHARLES THE GREAT, about the year 810. cap. 1, 2, 4, 5. decreed, according to the Decrees of the holy Canons, and the Doctrine of other sacred Scriptures; Vt Episcopy assidui sint in lection, & scrutentur mysteria verborum Dei, quibus in Ecclesiis Doctrinae sulgore splendeant, & herborum Dei alimentis animas sibi subditas saciare non cessent. Vt ea quae legendo persecut • ntur, opere compleant juxta illud, caepit Jesus sacere & docere. Et memoria ferentibus mandactum ejus, ut saciant ea. Et quia non auditorees legis sed sactores ejus justificabuntur. Et ut Regnum Dei non est in sermon sed opere, sint subditis n • rma vivendi, ità videlicet, ut & verbis & exemplis populo ad aeternam patriam pergenti ducatum praebeant; Vt vita eorum & doctrina nequaquam discordent, sed quod dicunt, faciant, & quae faciunt docere studeant, et praedicatione assidua plebem admoneant, & salee justitiae à credentium mentibus vitiorum spinas eradicent, & verbi Deisemine agros me ntis eorum ad faecunditatem perducant. Vt humilitatem atque religionem, & in vultu, & in opere, & in habitu, & in sermon demonstrent. Vt juxta Apostoli vocem irreprehensibiles sint & moribus ornati, & nequaquam turpibus luchris deserviant, juxtà illud quod ait Scriptura; Nemo militans Deo implicat se negociis secularibus, ut ei placeat cui se probavit. The Bishops in the Council of Paris under Lewis and Lotharius, An. 829. unanimously decreed. Statuimus pari voto, parique consensu, ut unusquisque nostrum dictis & exemplis, plebes parochiae suae attentius ad meliora incitens, studeat, easque ut se à malis cohibeant, &c. solicit admoneant, cum itaque praedicatores sieve cessatione populo Dei praedicare nec • sse sit, juxta illud Isaiae. Clama, ne cesses, quasi tuba exalta vocem tuam, & annuncia populo meo scelera eorum, &c. tum maxim) id facere necesse est, quando iram Domini contra populum Dei, meritis exigentius, grassari perspexerint. Iuxta illud quod Dominus per Ezechielem Prophetam loquitur, Ezech. 3. 17 &c. & c. 33. 7, 8, &c Which is seconded by many other Councils in and after that age. Hence Odo Archibishop of Canterbury in his Constitutions about the year 943. cap. 3. De Officio Episcopy, admonished all Bishops and Presbyters, Quatenus cum honestate & modestia, bonis exemplis in sanctae religions pietate praedicent, & populum Dei Doctrina sua erudiant & informent, ut suas Parochias omni anno cum omni vigilantia praedicando verbum Dei circumeant: Absque ullo timore vel adulatione cum omni fiducia verbum Dei praedi • are, Regi, Principibus populisui, omnibus dignitatibus, & nunquam veritatem subter sugere. Upon which considerations our famous Martyr John Purny preached at Bristow An. 1392. Quod quilibet Sacerdos magis debet demittere Matutinas, Missam & Vesperas, & caeteras horas Canonicas quam praedicationem verb • Dei, eo quod solum tradition humana ordinantur; and Nicholaus de Hereford then publicly taught, Nullus est vere Praelatus, nec habilis ad Praelaciam nist sit doctor et praedicator, which positions our un-preaching and rare-preaching Prelates then deemed Heretical, though the very doctrine of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 4, 5. Acts 20. 28. The discharge of these their Episcopal and Sacerdotal duties, would more adorn and demonstrate them to be Bishops and Ministers, then all their Episcopal or Sacerdotal Vestments, wherewith they now load and make themselves more unable to discharge these duties. I shall close up this particular with the words of our famous John Wicliff, Dialogorum l. 4. c. 17. De avaritia Cleri. f. 128. Sic intelligent aliqui dictum Christi, Mat. 10. Nihil tuleritis in vin, ne peram, &c. Non enim debent viri Apostolici tardari cum aliquo temporali, quod vel eorum • ffectionem, vel occupationem, quo ad suum Officium impediret. Nuda autem & moderata habitio per virgam gestam in manibus potest intelligi. Vnde sicut oner atus multiplici vestimento est saepe per hoc indispositus ad iter: sic (Episcopus & Sacerdos) oneratus temporalibus est saepe indispositus ad prod • ssendum Ecclesiae: E • 〈◊〉 istum sensum dixit Christus ubi supra, neque duas tunicas habeatis, & ista lex Christi est fundata in lege Naturae cum qua nemo poterit dispensare: Therefore no Popes nor Bishops can dispence therewith, much less Dec • ee against it.
9ly. For the objected Text of Eccles. 9. 8. Let thy Carments be always white: if taken only in a mystical sense for purity of life, chastity, innocence, or justification by the blood, robes of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, as some expound the place, it is nothing to the purpose; If literally interpreted, it quite subverts the Objectors. For 1. It is universal, extending equally to all Lay-men and Clergy men, not confined to Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Ecclesiastical person alone, to whom white Rochets and Surplices are appropriated. 2ly. It is universal in respect of time and place too, Let thy Garments be always white, as well by night as by day; as well before and after Divine Service, Mass, Sacraments, as during their Celebration; as well out of Cathedrals, Churches, Chapels, as in them; as well in your eating, drinking, feasting, and private Family, or Closet devotions, as in the Cathedral or Parochial Church or Chapel, at Common-prayers or Sacraments; to which times and places alone the wearing of Rochets, Surplices is principally confind by Popish Councils, and our Bishops Canons, against the words of this Text. 3ly. This Text no ways relates to Common prayers, divine Service or Sacraments in the Church, or to Bishops, Priests, Deacons; (not then in use) but to men's feasting & joyful Conversations out of the Church, as is evident by the next succeeding words, And let thy Head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy Uanity, &c. and the words next preceding, Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works. Therefore to apply it only to Divine service, Sacraments, and appropriate it to Bishops and Clergy-men, their Rochets and Surplices, is a most gross abuse, and perversion of this Text, and the Popish Canons prohibiting the marriage of Priests, prescribing the wearing of black Gowns, Cassocks, by Bishops, Priests, Deacons, (if ever intended in this Text) are diametrically repugnant thereunto. 4. The words are in the Plural Number, Let thy Garments be always white; Therefore Bishops, Priests, Deacons should always wear white Hats, Gownes, Dublets, Stockings, Shooes, as well as white Rochets, Surplices; yea wear their Rochets, Surplices always as they do their Shirts; not wear Black Coats, Gowns, Cassocks, Dublets, Hose at any time, and their Rochets, Surplices only in the Church, as their Councils and Canons prescribe, point-blank against this Text, under severe penalties. 4ly. The Roman Missals, Pontificals, and Gulielmus Durantus prescribe the wearing of other coloured Garments, even in time of Mass, Divine service, and Sacraments, beside White, and the laying aside of White Garments in the Church itself on sundry Festivalls and days of public worship. As namely black V • stments, (not white Rochets or Surplices) all the Passion week before Easter, on days of Affliction, and Abstinence for sin, in Rogations, in Masses or Processions for the Dead, from Advent till the Vigills of the Nativity, and on the Feasts of Innocents; on which Day some used to wear Black, others Red; upou sundry other Lord's days and Feasts they prescribe Bishop and Priests to wear Red, on other days Green or Violet Vestments, and White only on other Sundays, Festivals, in the Celebration of Divine service and Administration of Sacraments; whence they style White, Red, Black, Green, the four Principal colors used by the Church; to which they reduce these five other Colours, used likewise in the Roman Church, viz. Scarlet, Silken, Violet, Saffron, Rose-color, producing several Texts of Scripture (miserably wrested by them) for to prove the use of all these respective Colours in the time of God's public worship, as well as the use of White, seconded with sundry mystical Reasons and significations, which those who please to make themselves merry with, may read at large in Durantus. l. 3. De quatuor coloribus quibus Ecclesia in Ecclesiasticis utitur indumentis. Now this objected Text, Let thy Garments be always White, routs all these Romish Regiments of Black-coats, Red-coats, Green-coats, Blewecoates, Yellow-coats, Scarlet-coats, Silken-coats, Rose-coats, at once, and White-coats too, as appropriated only to Churches, Divine service, Sacraments, Bishops and Ecclesiastical Persons. Therefore they must henceforth either renounce this their objected Text, or all these their sacred Vestmentt and forecited Robes, to which they are so much devoted.
The Third Scripture Argument for the necessary use of white Rochets, Surplices in Divine Service and Sacraments administration, is from Dan. 7. 9. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit; WHOSE GARMENT WAS WHITE AS SNOW, and the hair of his head like pure wool, &c. compared with Matth. 17. 2. Mark. 9. 3. Luke 9. 3. Jesus taketh Peter, James and John and bringeth them unto a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his garment was WHITE as the light: (So Matthew) And his raiment became shining, exceeding WHITE as snow, so as no Fuller on earth can white them; so Mark records it: Ergo, Bishops, Priests, Deacons must wear white Rochets and Surplices in time of Divine Service and Sacraments in all Churches, Chapels, is but a ridiculous Non sequitur.
For First, That Text in Daniel relates only to Christ sitting on the Throne as a Judge, at the end of the world, not officiating as a Priest in the Church: Ergo, all Judges must wear white Robes, Surplices when they fit on judgment, is a better inference thence, then that Bishops, Priests, Deacons must wear them when they minister in the Church. Secondly, His hair was white as wool, as well as his garment, therefore they should all have white hair or Periwigs, as well as white Rochets and Surplices, when they celebrate Divine Service or Sacraments. Thirdly, Our Savior's Transfiguration was miraculous, not ordinary; but once, not weekly; in a high mountain apart, not within a Temple, Synagogue, Church, Cathedral; before three only of his Disciples, not the whole congregation or multitude: and his ordinary wearing garments miraculously became white and shining as the light, not as linen; and so exceeding white as no fuller on earth can white them, and that only during his transfiguration, not afterwards. Therefore this miraculous president gives not the least shadow of warrant or president for Bishops, Priests, Deacons ordinary wearing white Rochets or Surplices when they read Common Prayer, or administer Sacraments in Churches; And they might, like Christ, forbear such white garments, till by miracle their faces become shining as the sun, and their black ordinary wearing garments become as white and shining as his. Fourthly, Our Savior never put on a white garment, Robe or Rochet whiles he publicly prayed, preached upon ea • th; nor did yet when he was thus transfigured in the mount, nor did Peter, James or John, who were present at, and witnesses to his transfiguration, nor any other of his Apostles, we read of, wear any white Rochets, Surplices, or linen vestments when they preached or celebrated the Lord's Supper, or Baptism in imitation of our Savior's white thining Garments; neither were they or their garments thus transfigured or made white when present at Christ's transfiguration, or afterward. Therefore Bishops, Priests, Prelates upon all these accounts, should henceforth lay aside these vestments, since Christ himself and his Apostles never used them; and no longer wrest our Savior's miraculous transfiguration, and these sacred texts, beyond all bounds of reason, modesty, Christianity, to maintain their own popish superstitious inventions, and abuse the ignorant vulgar with such gross delusions, which all judicious sober Christians must either abominate or deride.
The fourth plea insisted on for Bishops Rochets, and Priests white Surplices in time of Divine Service and Sacraments, is that of Matth. 28. 3. and Mark 16. 5. At the time of Christ's resurrection, an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled back the stone from the Sepulch •• and sat upon it: His countenance was like lightning, and his raim • nt WHITE as snow. And his Disciples saw a young ma • (to wit this Angel in a young man's shape) sitting on the right hand of Christ's sepulcher, clothed in a long WHITE garment: who said unto them, be not afraid, for ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified: he is risen, he is not here: Ergo, Bishops, Priests, Deacons must wear white Rochets or Surplices in Divine Administrations.
I answer, First, That the person thus clad in a long white garment, was an Angel of the Lord descending from Heaven, not a Bishop, Priest Deacon or Minister. Secondly, His long white garment was no Rochet nor Surplice. Thirdly, He wore it not at all in any Temple, Church or Synagogue, but only at or in our Savior's Sepulcher. And that but once, at his miraculous, resurrection, not constantly or ordinarily: Fifthly, To roll away the stone, and instruct Christ's Disciples of his resurrection, not to say Mass, preach, or read Common Prayer, oradminister the Lord's Supper. Sixthly, The Disciples who saw him thus clad never imitated his white garment whiles they lived, muchless should Bishops and Priests (who never saw him) after their decease, without warrant from Christ, the Angel or Disciples. The self same Answer serves to the objection from Acts 1. 0. where two Angels in the shape of men stood by the Disciples in WHITE apparel, whiles they beheld Christ's ascension into heaven, and spake the words there recorded to them: which Waldensis, Durantus and others impertinently allege, for the use of long white Surplices, vestments, or Rochets of Bishops and Priests in the Church.
5. The Fifth Text produced is that of Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in WHITE for they are worthy. Ergo, Bishops must wear white Rochets and Surplices in time of Mass and Divine Service: Acute Logic, worthy of laughter rather then reply.
For 1. These few persons in Sardis were neither Bishops nor Priests; these words being not spoken to nor of the Angel of the Church of Sardis; (whom our Bishops and Prelatists will needs have to be the sole Bishop of that Church, but to others:) Therefore if any argument may be hence deduced for the use of Rochets or Surplices, it is, that lay Saints who have not defiled themselves with sins corruptions of the times, but kept themselves nude • led, must wear Rochets and Surplices, not temporizing Bishops or Priests. 3. They are promised, hereafter to walk in white with Christ in heaven, and that by way of reward, witness ver. 5. He that overcometh the SAME SHALL BE CLOATHED IN WHITE RAIMENT, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and his Angels; not commanded to say Mass, or Common-Prayer in the Church on earth by way of duty, ministry or distinction from other Saints. 3. The white garments here meant, are only the robes of eternal glory in heaven; not white Rochets, lawn sleeves, or material Surplices, as the abusers of this Text pretend and must acknowledge.
6. The sixth text produced for Surplices and Rochets is Rev. 4. 4. And round about the throne, were twenty four seats, and upon the seats I saw twenty four elders sitting CLOATHED IN WHITE RAIMENT, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Ergo, Bishops must wear white Rochets, Miters of gold, and Priests white Surplices.
The sequel is denied. 1. Because there is no Bishop but only Elders mentioned in the Text. 2. These Elders are but twenty four, and they only had white raiment. 3. They sat in heaven upon thrones in their white robes, not in any Church or Cathed • all on earth. 4. They sat constantly in those white vestments, and never did put them off. 5. They had no other raiment on them but these white robes: Therefore all Bishops and Priests, if they will be like these Elders, and pursue these presidents, must wear no black doublets, cassocks, gowns, cloaks, Wastcoats, but only white Rochets, Surplices, as they did. 6. They sat in them upon Thrones, and had all crowns of gold upon their heads: If this then be a president for our lordly royal Prelates, and Clergies punctual imitation, they must all • it upon thrones with golden crowns on their heads, like Kings, as well as with white Rochets, Surplices on their backs like Prelates and Priests; which I presume they yet dare not do, and his Majesty with his Nobility will not now suffer, should their pride and ambition prompt them to it.
7. The seventh president insisted on is, Rev. 6. 9, 10, 11. Where St. John saw under the Altar, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, &c. and WHITE ROBES were given to everyone of them.
If any consequences can be hence deduced, they are only these. 1. That those Saints and Laymen, who suffer martyrdom for the Word and testimony of God on earth, shall have white robes, not of fi • e linen, but of eternal glory, given them by god for a reward in heaven. Not that Bishops and Priests alone, which were never slain nor martyred for Christ, and none else but they must now wear white Rochets and Surplices, on earth.
2. These souls lay interred, crying to God from under the Altar, to avenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth. Therefore they are no presidents or warrant for Bishops or Priests to wear Surplices or white Rochets when they officiate at or upon their new erected Altars, and dispence Christ's body and blood sacramentally to their people, in their Cathedrals and parish Churches. 3. These white robes were not material ones, made of lawn or linen by Semstresses, nor bought with money; but spiritual and heavenly, made, and freely given unto them by God himself: therefore Bishops and Priests who contend for material Rochets and Surplices from this Text; must now quite renounce them, and produce some better proof.
8. This they presume to do in the eighth place, from Rev. 7. 9, 13, 14. cha. 15. 6. and cha. 19. 14. which I shall couple together to make the proof more strong. After this I beheld and a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne, and before the lamb, CLOATHED WITH WHITE ROBES, and palms in their hands. And cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, &c. And one of the Elders answered saying unto me, what are these WHICH ARE ARRAIED IN WHITE ROBES? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest: And he said unto me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES, and MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB; Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple, &c. And the seven Angels came out of the Temple, having the seven plagues, CLOATHED IN WHITE, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was clothed in a vesture dipt in blood, and his name is called, the Word of God And the Armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, CLOATHED IN WHITE LINNEN, FINE AND CLEAN. Ergo, Bishops and Priests, ought always to wear white Rochets and vestments: in time of Mass, Sacraments, and Divine service.
Can any wise men or fools either, forbear laughter at such a ridiculous conclusion from these premises, as Durantus, Walden with other Papists, and some of our own Prelates and Ceremony-mongers deduce from them with great seriousness, but little candor and sobriety?
Especially if they well consider, 1. That those arrayed in white robes, Rev. 7. 9, 13, 14. were not Bishops, Priests or Ecclesiastical persons alone, or under any such capacity; but a great number which no man could number, of all Nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues. Therefore if any proper consequence can be hence deduced in relation to white Rochets or Surplices, it is only this, That all sanctified, regenerate Christians, Saints, of what nations, kindred, people and tongues soever, ought to wear white Rochets and Surplices.
Secondly, All this innumerable multitude of all nations and people thus clothed with white robes; stood clad continually in them before the Throne and Lamb, serving God in them day and night, and never put them off, having no other vestments besides, verse. 15, 16, 17. Therefore if this Text be pressed home, in relation to Bishops, Priests, Ministers, they ought always to wear their Rochets and Surplices day and night, but no vestment else, and never to put them off; and always to stand before God in his Temple day and night, as these Saints did; but never to sit in their thrones, stalls, Pues, nor yet to kneel as they now usually do.
Thirdly, that Bishops and Priests ought always to have palms in their hands, as well as long white robes and Rotchets on their backs in the Temple, because all these white Saints had so.
Fourthly, These Saints white robes wherewith they were clad, were only spiritual, not corporal or material; even their white and immaculate holiness by the washing away of their sins in the blood of Christ; as is evident by the Text, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, compared with Rev. 1. 5. Ephes. 5. 27, 28.
5. The seven Angels coming out of the Temple clothed in pure white linen, had the seven plagues, and poured out the viols of God's wrath upon the earth: Therefore if real Bishops (as our Prelates pretend the Angels of the seven Churches were, ch. 2. 1, 3.) who went constantly clad in their white robes, as well out of the Temple as in. It will be no great honor to them to be thus arrayed since they only carried the plagues, and poured out the vials of God's wrath upon the earth, when thus arrayed.
Sixthly, If the last Text be truly enforced, it will thence most properly be inferred, That Bishops, Priests and Clergy-men should always ride and march about upon white horses, clothed in clean and fine white linen, not on black or bay horses, nor in black canonical coats, cassocks, cloaks, as now they usually do. 2. That they must march many together in Troops and Armies thus arrayed. 3. That all other Christians following Jesus Christ (the Word of God) should do the like, rather then that they should only say Mass, read Common-prayers, Preach, administer the Sacraments in fine white linen Garments, Rochets, Surplesses, in their Cathedral and Parish Churches, wherein they never use to ride on horses, but only out of them. These are all the Scriptures produced for the justification of the use, conveniency and decency of Bishops Rochets, and Clergymens Surplices; which though alleged with very great gravity and seriousness, by those who pretend themselves the most reverend, learned Fathers of the Church, are most palpable abusers, and wretched perverters of God's sacred Word, to countenance their own vain Innovations and Superstitions, as the premises demonstrate.
To draw towards a conclusion of this discourse: I have oft times admired, that when most sorts of laborers, workmen, servants, set themselves to their occupations and work, they constantly cast off their outward wearing garments, and ordinary wearing clothes, as impediments thereunto, that yet Popes, Bishops, Deacons, Ministers, when they are to officiate and labor in the work of their Ministry, should put on far more garments on their backs, then they had on before, contrary to the Apostles practice, and our Savior's command, who bid them when he sent them forth to preach, Mat. 10. 10. Mark 6. 9. Luke 9. 3. NOT TO PROVIDE, OR PVT ON TWO COATS APIECE: which would hinder them in their Ministry. We daily see Watermen, when they intend to row and ply their oars, that Carters, Threshers, Mowers, Reapers, Carpenters, Masons, Bricklayers, Carriers, Tanners, Butchers, Fullers, when they buckle themselves to their respective works; footmen, when they travel or run a race; yea, Noblemen, Gentlemen, and others, when they seriously set themselves to their very recreations in the Tennis-Court, or Field, do usually strip themselves to their very shirts or Wastecoats, that they may more vigorously pursue their work, callings and recreations. And why Bishops, Priests, Deans, Prebends, Archdeacons, Ministers, Deacons, should not do the like when they are to discharge the work of their Ministry; but on the contrary, load themselves with Cassocks, Gowns, Copes, Surplices, Rochets; Girdles, Planets, Palls, Chymeres, Pectoral Crosses, Hoods, Caps, Miters, Crosiers, or three or four more Vestments then they had on before, seems a riddle unto all who seriously consider it; of which no other true, solid reason can be rendered, but that they intend to loiter, or do their work coldly, negligently, or by halves, rather then vigorously, zealously to pursue it. This experience itself sufficiently manifests to be the genuine reason; for ever since Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Chapters, and other Clergymen (contrary to the Apostles, primitive Bishops, and Ministers practice) have loaded themselves with Cassocks, Gowns, Copes, Palls, Rochets, Miters, Surplices, Hoods, and other superfluous vestments, they have been very negligent and remiss in preaching, (the principal work of their Ministry) in administering the Sacraments, fasting and praying too, which they translate to their Curates and Choristers: Yea, Popes, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Prebends, who have greater Honors, Revenues, and more variety of vestments on their backs then other Ministers, usually have been, & still are, less frequent, diligent, zealous, fervent, and more cold, frozen, slothful, in preaching, praying, and the work of the Ministry, then the inferior Clergy, and poorest Curates; it being a general observation, that poor Country Curates, Lecturers, Ministers, who have small pentions, benefices, and scarce money in their purses to buy a Cassock, Gown, Hood, Surplice, or Canonical Coat, do Preach, Fast, Pray, read Divine Service, baptize, administer the Lord's Supper, Catechize, visit the sick more frequently in one year, then Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Canons, and other other rich Pluralists in ten or twenty years space.
It is a common observation, That the forehorse in the Team, which carries all the Plumes, Bells, Trappings, usually draws and works the • east; that Sumpter Horses, which carry Kings, Nobles, Judges, Prelates, Commanders Robes, vestments, when they travel, are more slow in their pace then Hackny horses, which bear no such lumber; that Officers and Soldiers who are most loaden with multiplicity of offensive and defensive Arms, are slowest of all others in their march, and like David in Saul's heavy armor: 1 Sam. 17, 38, 39, 40. yea, most unweldy unserviceable when they come to fight; that the little Creepers, not the great Brass shining Andirons, bear up all the wood, and heat of the fire: And is it not so with Bishops & Clergymen, the more rich, great, pompous they grow, the more pontificals, Priests vestments they wear, the less spiritual work and service they perform; yea, so slothful are they (for the most part) in the work of the Lord, wherein they should always abound; that instead of sweating in the Lord's Harvest, they put on double or treble the clothes they had before, when they are to read, preach, pray, or administer the Sacrament, to keep them from freezing, even when they are at their honest labor. God preserve his Church from such cold and frozen, unzealous, lazy workmen, and send forth more painful laborers (not so muffled up in variety of vestments) into his Vineyard and Ha • vest, Nothing more (that either I know or have read) can be objected for these surpl • and superfluous Church Vestments, but their pretended Antiquity usage in the Church.
To which I answer, 1. That they were neither known to, nor used, nor prescribed by Christ himself, the ancient of days, nor his by Apostles, nor by the primitive Christians, Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, for above three hundred years after Christ; therefore they are all but modern Novelties, in respect of Apostolical, real, primitive antiquity; and so rather to be decried, rejected as Innovations, then approved for their pretended, not true Antiquity, as well as other old popish relics.
2. For their pretended Decency, I have not only read many learned, discreet, conscientious, sober Scholars Treatises, censuring them as undecent as well as superfluous; but heard some Ladies, Women, yea children, deride them as mear antick disguises.
3. If Tertullian's Book de Palli • , on 2 Tim. 4. 1 • . may be umpire, a cloak will be more ancient, decent for a Minister, Bishop, Christian, then a Rochet or Surpless.
4. Antiquity is no plea at all in point of Vestments, whose form, Fashions, are always various and mutable with times and places; whence the Holy Ghost himself useth this expression in sacred Writ, As a Vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same. That English man or woman who should now take up or retain the garments and fashions used in the Britons, Saxons, Danes, Normans times; or but in the Reigns of King Edward the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, Henry the eighth, Queen Elizabeth, or King James, would be reputed a Cynic, Fantastick, or Fanatick (especially at Court) and the very boys in the streets would shout at them. Why then should not Bishops and Ministers Rochets, Surpl • ces, Church Vestments be as changeable as other men's garments, or their own ordinary wearing clothes, which they all change with the times? We know by experience, that all Nations, Manners, Laws, Governments, Governors, Customs, Languages, are variable, yea changed with times and occasions; that all things under the Sun are subject to variation; why not then these Ecclesiastical Vestments, about which there hath been formerly so many frequent and fierce contentions, for our Churches and Kingdoms peace? Our very human bodies (and Bishops, Ministers bodies too, as well as others) are daily subject to alterations: from infancy to youth, from youth to manhood, from man hood to age, so to old age, from health to sickness; and shall Bishops or Priests vestments only be immutable? though originally grounded on Popes Decrees; instituted by them to adorn their exploded Sacrifice of the Mass, and Altar-services, and founded upon strange perversions of sacred Scriptures, or most absurd, ridiculous, monkish, fanatic Reasons, mystical significations, crotchets, and the pretended transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine into Christ's natural body & blood, which all Protestants cannot but disclaim.
Since therefore what the Apostle concludes of meats, is likewise true of all these Vestments: But meat (a Rochet, Surplice, Hood, &c.) commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat (or wear them without scandal to others) are we the better; neither if we eat (or wear them) not, are we the worse: Let all Bishops, Ministers, Christians, upon the consideration of the premises, henceforth take up the same Apostles resolution and inference from thence, recorded for their imitation: But take heed left this liberty (or power) of yours, become a stumbling block to those that are weak; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the Brethren, and wound their weak consciences (by using or imposing these garments on them, with rigor, against their wills and judgments) YE SIN AGAINST CHRIST; Wherefore if meat (much more then if wearing these pontifical, Sacerdotal vestments) offend, or make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh (much less wear or impose all or any of these Church vestments) whiles the world standeth, lest I make my brethren to offend. And seeing these old Proverbs are most true, inserted into the Canon Law itself, Cucullus non facit Monachum, non item Isiacos linostola; aut sacerdotes amictus linei: Non Cathedra sacerdotem facit, sed Cathedram sacerdis; nec locus seu vestis sanctificat hominem, sed locum & vestem homo. Upon which considerations, the fourth Council of Carthage, Can. 15. & 45. decreed, Vt Episcopus vilem supellectilem, & mensam ac victum pauperem habeat, & dignitatis suae authoritatem, FIDEI & VITAE MERITIS QVAERAT, NEC VESTIBVS NEC CALCEAMENTIS DECOREM QVAERAT, (which is since inserted by Gratian into the body of the Popes Canon Law, though he truly adds in his gloss, Hoc hodie non tenet, quia modo habent amplas possessiones.) I shall heartily, humbly, and importunately beseech all Bishops, Ministers, Deacons and Christians whatsoever in general, and all true members of the Church of England in special, upon serious perusal of all the premises, from henceforth, not with the Roman Pontifical or Durantus Magno conatu Nugas agere, as Popes, popish Prelates, Priests, Friers, and little children use to do; nor yet to place the least holiness, piety, necessity, or indispensible expediency in the use or wearing of Episcopal and Sacerdotal Vestments, in celebration of Di • ine-service and Sacraments; nor any longer rigorously to impose, or unchristianly to contend about them, they being just like accidents in relation to the substance of God's worship & true Religion, which may be as well absent as present, without destruction of, or prejudice to either; but rather seriously to fix all their meditations upon those WHITE Windingsheets, wherein they shall all shortly be interred in their graves, stripped naked of all those Priestly Rags, Robes, Vestments, about which they now overmuch contend; and seriously to endeavor to put off those old filthy rags of sin, and put on all those spiritual Garments, Armor, Graces, which the Gospel itself in directs terms enjoins them to put on, & that under pain of eternal damnation, in these ensuing texts (wh •• ewith I shall conclude) about which there will • , 〈◊〉 can be no disputes, Rom. 13. 12, 13, 14. Let us thereof •• e cast off the works of darkness, and put on the Arm •••• light: Let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in 〈◊〉 and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not 〈◊〉 strife and envying; but PVT YE ON THE LO •• JESUS CHRIST, and make no provision for the 〈◊〉 , to fulfil the lusts thereof, Ephes. 4 22, 23, 24. That • e put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and that ye put ON THE NEW Man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness. Ephes. 6. 11, &c. PVT ON THE WHOLE ARMOVR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shalll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devtl: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always, WITH ALL PRAYER AND SVPPLICATION (not with common or Canon prayer alone, to which too many now consine themselves and others) watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints. Col. 13. 12, 13, 14, 15. PVT ON therefore (as the Elect of God holy and beloved) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a complaint against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye: And above all these things, PVT ON CHARITY, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye called in one body, and be ye thankful: Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one anothee in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiricual Songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord: And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through him. The putting on of all these Evangelical, WHITE sacred garments, the using of such Church prayers and music, in all Cathedrals, Collegiate and Parochial Churches, by our Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, and others; and the abandoning all Papal, unevangelical, illegal, dadgerous Oaths of Canonical obedience from Ministers to Bishops, not warranted by Law or Gospel, thus censured, inhibited, by the whole second Council of Cavailon, under Charles the Great, about the year 112 • cap. 12. Dictum est de qui ejusdam fratubus, quod eos, quos ordinaturi sunt IVRARE COGANT, quod digni sint, & CONTRA CANONES NON SINT FACTVRI, ET OBEDIENCES SINT EPISCOPO, QVI EOS ORDINAT, & Ecclesiae, in qu • ordinantur: QVOD IVRAMENTVM, QVIA PERICVLOSVM, O MNES VNA INHIBENDVM STATVIMVS; which are now vigorously enforced, against his Majesty's Declaration, the Petition of Right, 3 Caroli, to support these superfluous Vestments and Ceremonies, will thoroughly reconcile all disputing parties; put a period to all future controversies concerning thepremises, and make us all the Temples of the living God; who will then say, I will dwell in them, (walk in them) and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Prov. 25. 2.
The Honor of Kings is to search out a matter.
1 Thes. 5, 41, 22.
Prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil.
ERRATA.
PR • y correct these Errors and Omissions at the Press in some Copies, p. 1. l. 15. read Episcopal. p, 4. l 35. • or this, r. their, p. 8. l. 15. shall be repeated glory, &c. l. 30. dele nor annexed, p. 13. l. 14. r. Holy Ghost, l. 20. r. to the, p. 17. l. 20. fo: thee, r. thus, l. 34. r. censures, p. 20. l. 5. for 〈◊〉 , r. is, p. 21. l. 18. r. ordain, p. 28. l. 38. for unanswerable, r unwarrantable, p. 31. l. 29. for 1. r. 5. p. 38. for Ponter, r • Pont. p. 15. for nor • yet, r. but only, l., 1. r. style, l. 3 • . r. August. p. 40. l. 1 • . r. Praxis, l 1. r. munda, p. 42. l. 5. r, a nos, p. 49. l. 6. r. collo. p. 53 l. 15. r. ea, l. 26. r. Ecclesia, l. 33. r • monachales, p. 54. l., 8, for 98. r. 38. p. • 56. l. 8. •• cancelli, l. 14. 1. and that, p. 59. l. 31. for 23. r. 33. p. 68. l. 12. dele on, p. 71. l. 4. • . revelanda, p. 79. l. 24. quo r. quod.
In the Margin, p. 2. l. 17. E. 3. r. E. 6. p. 3. l. 20. ad de Centur. Magd. •• . • 0. 13. cap. 6. p. 55. l. 8. r. 1940.
AN APPENDIX To the Fourth Section, CONCERNING
The Use of White, Black, and other coloured Garments, both by Pagans, Jews and Christians, in Feasts, Funerals, Plays, Inaugurations, sacred Duties, and their various mystical Significations, Excellency and Dignity.
BEcause, I would pretermit nothing, which may either inform, or satisfy the learned Readers of this Pacifick Examination, relating to the use of White Vestments, both among Pagans, Jews and Christians, upon several Civil and Religious Occasions, Grounds, Reasons; I thought fit (by way of Appendix ) to annex this ensuing learned Discourse of Johannes Gulielmus Stuckius, Tigurinw, concerning White Garments, in his 2 d Book, Antiquitatum Convivialium; cap. 26. De Vestitu Conviviali; DE VESTIUM ALBARUM (QUAE IN EPULIS POTISSIMUM USURPARI FUERUNT SOLITAE) ac in genere COLORIS ALBI USU, SIGNIFICATIONE, PRAESTANTIA AC DIGNITATE: Editio secunda, Tiguri, 1597. f. 234. to 240. fraught with greatest variety of Learning, of any Treatise I have read concerning this subject.
SEquitur nunc tertia corporis ad epulas futuras praepaerandi actio, quae in vestitu consistit, &c. Equidem ex veterum scriptorum monumentis faci • e colligi posse existimo, albi potissimùm coloris vestitum in conviviis usitatum fuisse, ita ut nigris vestibus accumbere apud gentes quasdam nephas duceretur: unde & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bachar, elegit nonnulli arbitrantur, compositum á 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 chor, candidum, quod quae sunt candida, eligantur & approbentur. Philo de vita Theoretica testator, Judaeos olim dierum festorum convivia 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hoc est, albatos seu candidatos agitare fuisse solitos: ex quo illud: Quovis tempore vestimenta tua candida sunt. Huc quo{que} referendus ill mos Judaeorum decimum quintum diem mensis Ab celebrandi vestibus albis, at{que} choreis: de quo sic scriptum extat in Tabanit fol. 26. p. 1. Deci • a quinta mensis Ab, id est, Julii, filiae Jerusalem egrediebantur in vestibus albis, quas qui non habebant, à ditioribus mut • o sumebant, ne, cui vestes deerant, remorarentur, quo minus ad choreas venirent: omnes vestes lavabantur. Filiae Jerusalem egrediebantur, & choreas ducebant in vineis. Quid ve • o dicebant? Adolescens attolle oculos tuos, & vide quam tu velis eligere ex omnibus, ne respicias pul •• ritudinem, siquidem fallax est, at eam, quae Deum timet, laudes. Idem mos apud Romanos quo{que} fuit. Hinc Horat. lib. 2. Sat.
De usu vestium candidarum in diebus festis apud Romanos multa alia testimonia praeter Horatii, extant apud auctores. Xiphilinus, die celebri Romae ob ingressum Teridatis; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, populus albatus, & laureatus. Vopiscus in Florian. Tantùm illud dico: Senatores omnes ea laetitia esse elatos, ut domibus suis omnes alb • s hostias caederent, albati sederent. Persius:
Prudentius contra Symmachum,
Id est, vestibus albis amicta. Cic. in Leg. Color albus p • aecipue Deo decorus est, cùm in caeteris, tum maxim in textili. Nec vero solùm in natalitiis, & repotiis, & nuptialibus aut sponsalibus, sed etiam in funebribus coenis hanc consuetudinem servatam fuisse, locuples testis est M. Tullius in Vatinium: ubi illi objicit, quod coenaverit atratus: verba ejus haec sunt: Atque illud etiam scire cupio, quo consilio, aut qua mente feceris, ut in epulo Cn. Arii familiaris mei cum toga pulla accumberes: quem unquam videris, quem audieris, quo exemplo, quo more feceris? Dices, supplicationes te ill • s non putasse. Optime. Nullae fuerint supplicationes, &c. Quis unquam coenavit atratus? ita enim illud epulum est funebrae, ut munus sit suneris, epulae quidem ipse dignitatis. Sed omitto epulum, populi Romani festum diem argento, vest, omni apparatu visendo: quis unquam in luctu domestico, quis in funeri familiari c • enavit cum toga pulla? cu • de balneis exeunti (en consuetudinem balneandi ante epulas) praeter te, toga pulla unquam data est? cum tot hominum millia accum • erent: cum ipse epusi dominus Quintus Acius albatus esset, tu in templum Castoris te cum Caio Figulo atrato, caeterisque tuis suriis funestum intulisti. Quis tum non ingemuit, &c. Hunc tum morem ignorabas? nunquam epulum vi • eras? nunquam pure, aut adolescens inter coevos fueras? Fausti adoloscentis nobilissimi paulo ante ex epulo magnificentissimo famem illam veterem tuam non expleras? quem accumbere atratum videras dominum cum toga pulla & ejus amicos ante convivium? Quae te tanta tenuit amentia, ut tu, nisi id fecisses, quod fas non suit, nisi violasses templum Castoris, nomen epuli, oculos civium, morem veterum (hinc constat morem hunc fuisse vetustum) ejus qui te invitarat auctoritatem, parum putares testificatum esse, supplicationes • e illas non pu • asse. Ex gravi hac Ciceronis invectiva satis constat, Romanos veteres convivia iniisse albatos, ita ut nephas ducerent pullatum, seu atratum in convivio etiam funeb • i accumbere. Idem color albus & Japponiis adhuc hod • e in luctu est usi • atus. Sidonius quoque Apollina • is ad hunc albarum vestium in exequiis, epulisque exequi • libus usum alluoit lib. 5. epist. ad Aumastum: Nam libenter, inquit, incedunt armati adepulas, albati ad exequi • s, pelli • i ad ecclesias, pulla • i ad nuptias, castorinati (cas • oriis pellibus induti) ad laetanias. Plutarchus testator in Problematis, foeminas antiquitus in luctu vestes, vittasque albas gestaffe (qui hodie Regina • um Galliae lugentium mos est, teste Polyd. Virgil.) & Argis quoque teste Socrate, albas vestes aqua elutas, in luctu gestare fuisse solitas. Ibidem cadaver quoque desuncti albo tegmine involutum fuisse scribit. Apud Graecos, ut sc • ibit Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 3. cap. 7. sed sine auctore, foeminae, virique in candida vest cum coronis, amplissimi viti exequias prosequuntur, & veluti in luctu publico complorant promiscue. Quod fuit in more Syracusanis, qui candido amictu velati, & front coronati, Timoleonem extulere. Sycionii similiter Aratum in vest alba, & coronis sepulchro intulere. In Imperatorum Roman. funeribus, vestes albas adhibitas fuisse, Plutarch. & Herodian. testantur. Colorem album antiquitus matronis in luctu fuisse usurpatum, Scaliger quoque testator lib. 1. Poet. Sic Blondus quoque Foroliviensis lib. 2. Romae triumphantis, & Urbinas ill, qui libros de Inventoribus rerum scripsit, & alii non indocti viri, nulla temporum adhi • ita distinctione, in luctu antiquas mulieres, albas semper vestes usurpasse existimant. Verum hos errare, & pullas, fus • as nigras seu atras (quas anthracinas Varro vocat, quasi dicas carbonarias) antiquissimis temporibus fuisse •• gentium vestes, Hieron. Magius lib. 3. Miscell. cap. 14. veterum quorundam authoritate probat. Varro de Vita Patrum, ut apud Nonium legitur, de muliere: Propinquae, inquit, adolescentulae, etiam adolescentuli proximi a niculo nigello, capillo promisso sequuntur luctum. Idem: Ut dum supra terram essent, • icinis lugerent, sunere ipso pulli pallis amictae. Erat autem • icinum, ut Nonius ait, quod sua aecate masurtium dicebatur, palliolum s •• mineum breve, cujus formam appingit ipsemet Varro lib. 4. de lingua Latina, Apul. lib. 2. de Asino aureo: Umbrosum, inquit, demonstrate cubiculum, matronam slebilem, fusca vest contectam. Eadem quoque apud Graecos consuetudo fuisse videtur: siquidem Iphigenia Euripidis Clitemnestrae matri in jungir, ne suam ob mortem crinem lan • et: idemque ut suis renunciet sororibus, scilicet ne quando nigris vestibus membra contegant. Unde & Hon. Il. lib. 24. Thetim futuram filii necem deflentem, velo nigro tectam Jovem adire facit. Niger enim color mortalis est, ut inquit Hippocrat. in lib. de Morbo sacro, sive quisquis ill fuit, qui librum illum conscripsit, quem Galenus Hippocratis esse negat. Theoc. in Epitaphio Adonidis, Venerem cyanea stola indutam, ad lugendum Adonidis mortem invitar. Nigrarum vestium mos apud mulieres Romanos mox obsolevit, ut Plutarchi testimonio intelligitur. Deinde moribus depravatis, & viros albas vestes in luctu usurpasse, colligere possumus ex his Julii Pauli verbis lib. 1. Sententiarum, sub titulo de Sepulchris & lugendis. Qui luget, inquit, abstinere debet à conviviis & alba vest.
Livius scribit, in luctu matronas Romanas nihil aliud quàm purputam autum{que} deponere, quae, cùm eluxerun • , re • umunt. Dionys. Halicar. l. 5. refert, Romanas matron • s Valerium Publicolam Brutum{que} luxisse annuum tempus, depositione auti & purpurae, ut est illis luctus consuetudo in necessariorum cognatorum{que} funebribus. Alex. ab Alex. l. 5. cap. 18. sc • ibit diebus natalitiis & Calendis Januariis, nonnunquam ludis Roman. albas lacernas praetextasque indutos incedere, & ludos spectare fuisse solitos. Nam in vest pulla ludis interesse Augustus prohibuit. Alexander Severus, teste Lampridio, cùm natalem diem commendaret, hostia cruenta effugit, & ut se civiliter gerebar, ac permixtus populo erat, albam ejus vestem, cum qua constiterat, cruentavit. Lacernis candidis usos fuisse Romanos in spectaculis, ex illis Martialis carminibus constat, quibus ill perstringit Horatium, qui nigra lacerna spectaculis interfuerat,
De castrensibus Trebellius Pollio in Galeno sic scribit: Jam primum inter togatos patres & equestrem ordinem, albatos milites (albis vestibus indutos) & omni populo praeeunte. Sic candidatos milites Vegetius rei militaris vocat principales, qui privilegiis muniuntur.
Vestimenta sacerdotalia similiter linea fuerunt & alba preriosa, nullo infecta color, pura.
Virgil. 12 Aeneid.
Ovid.
Juvenal.
Martial.
Muliebria quoque vestimenta linea atque alba Romanis fuerunt probata, ut testator Lazius libro octavo Commentariorum capite primo. Unde proverbium: Linum candidum lucri causa ducio, in eum qui dotis causa ducit vel deformem, vel anum. Linum autem vocat uxorem, vel quod apud veteres solae mulieres lineis uterentur, &c. Erasmus in Adagiis. Turnebus in suis Advers. in illum Horatii versum: Mirator cunni Cupennius albi: Ex pudenda, inquit, parte mulierem intel • igit, ex albo ingenuam: in ingenuis autem stupra legibus vindicabantur, non item in libertinis. Ingenuae autem mulieres albatae erant, libertinae atratae, nobiliores purpuratae. Unde Artemidorus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : sic enim conijcit, somnia illa & visa Artimidorus, quod his essent solitae uti vestibus ingenuae, libertinae, & nobiles.
Praeterea vestis candida apud eosdem manumissionis quoque insigne fuit. Moris enim erat Romae, ut servi facti liberti candidati ad coenam domini sui admitterentur. Hoc perspicue docet Tertullianus libro de Resurrectione carnis, his verbis: Oro te, si famulum tuum libertate mutaveris, quia eadem caro, atque anima permanebunt, quae flagellis, & compedibus, & stigmatibus obnoxiae retro fuerant: idcrico ne illa eadem pati oportebit? non opinor. At{que} & vestis albae nitore, & aurei annuli honor, & patroni nomine, ac tri • u, men's{que} honoratur.
Adhaec candida vestis signum erat petitionis honorum atque magistratuum, quorum petitores candida toga induebantur, ac proinde dicebantur candidati, unde ambitio cretata eleganter à Persio dicta est. Hoc autem ideo factitatum esse Plutarchus in problem. existimat, ut magistratu dignos non genere, non divitiis, non gloria, sed vulneribus, & cicatricibus judicarent, quae ut ab his conspicerentur, quos ambiendo preusabant, in toga candida ad petendum descendebant: vel quia corpus nudando, ac seipsos submittendo populum captabant. De toga pura, qua tyrones, novae{que} nuptae induebantur, sup • à dictum est: de qua C • elius libro decimo quarto, capite decimo sexto, quibus add, quae Calcagninus annotat. Pura toga, inquit, quam exeuntes pueritiam adolescentes induebant non sine parentum hilaritate, fuit color vel simplici, vel candido, aut in candoris animi testimonium, aut quod gerendis magistratibus jam idonea aetas videretur. Candidati enim magistratuum competitores comitia inibant. Vel certe, quod nondum quicquam descriptione dignum gesserint. Nam sic & tyronibus prima stipendia facientibus, alba parma, & pura hasta tradetur. De hac pura vest, vide plura apud Bayff. de Re vestiaria, ubi probat, vestem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, puram, pro candida à Plutarcho usurpari. Sic album vicissim, pro puro usurpatur; quia hic color est purissimus. Sic lintea vestis alba suprà caeteras vestes inducta, puellaris aetatis indicium fuit, quod eo genere amiculi apud veteres puellae ante duodecimum annum utebantur, Pierius. Toga, ut inquit Isidorus, candida, eademque cretata, in qua candidati, id est, magistratum petentes, ambiebant, addita creta, quo candidior, insigniorque esset. Pers • us hue alludens:
Plin 20. de Gallis, ut plane digne aliti honoris tantum praebeat Romana purpura, id est, magistratus Romanus. Hinc perfidi quoque Judaei Christum per ludibrium 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, purpura, ut Marcus, inquit, sive, ut Joannes loquitur, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, vest purpurea induerunt, cum ill sibi vere, illorum autem opinione falso, regiam dignitatem assignaret. Fuit simul sanguinis illius effundendi symbolum. Eam vestem clamidem coccinam Matthaeus appellate. Coccina tunica praelii • uturi signum f • it Romanorum Imperatoribus, teste Plutarcho in Fa • io. Sic quoque vestis Christi coccina, • uit signum praelii, quo Christus cum di • bolo, morte atque peccato erat dimicaturus. Fuit etiam vestis purpurea, vestis triumphalis, ut Bayffius ex Plutarcho probat. Fuit ergo illius simul futurae victoriae atque triumphi symbolum. Purpurae appellatione coccum non contineri B • yssius ex Ulpione probat, unde Evangelistae videntur à se in vicem dissidere, quorum unus, Matthaeus nimirum coccinam, reliqui duo purpuream illam Christi vestem fuisse assirmant, quam rem Sorbonicis Theologis dijudicandum relinquit. Vestem purpuream à coccina differ Brodaeus probat, lib. 1. Miscell. cap. 8. Coccos enim, inquit ill, est surculosus parvus frutex, cui grana seu lentes adjacent, teste Dioscorid. lib. 4. & Clusio de plantis Hispanicis. His colorem coccineum fieri, eoque infecta vestimenta coccinea appellari puto. Purpura autem, ut fatentur omnes, piscis est e concharum genere, qui florem illum tingendus ex petitum vestibus in meoiis habet faucibus. Mihi quidem Matthaeus colorem (est enim coccineus color idem fere cum purpureo) reliqui duo materiam videntur expressisse, ut etiam Rondeletius sentit in sua His • oria piscium. Candidati autem eleganter dicuntur petitores non solum magistratuum, sed aliarum quoque rerum. Sic à Quintil. candidatus eloquentiae, à Plinio in Panegytico candidatus gloriae, & immortalitatis: ab Hieronymo candidati fidei, catechumeni, qui ad fidem instruuntur, & munerarius pa • perum, & egentium candidatus: & ab Apuleio lib. 1. de Asino, candidatus 〈◊〉 , hoc est, qui crucem petit, sive qui jam est futurus crucifixus, & (ut veteres loquebantur) directus, ut C. Rabirius ill pro quo Cicero. extat oratio: à Plauto cruci salus dicitur, quasi in crucem saliens: & Libertus Icelus à Suetonio, summus equestris ordinis candidatus: à Seneca homo multarum rerum candidatus appellatur, à quo fortunae comitia dicuntur. Sic à Tertulliano simili translatione perelegantissime, aeternitatis candidati appellantur Enoch, & Elias, libro de Resurrectione carnis, & candidatus timoris, qui paulatim timorem Domini imbibit, libro secundo ad Uxorem, & candidati diaboli dicuntur, qui idolatricis sacris sunt initi • i, libro adversus Marcionem. Idem in libro de Baptismo, Baptismum poenitentiae, quasi candidatum remissionis & sanctificationis in Christo subsecutura vocat. Nam quod praedicabat (scilicet Joannes Baptista) Baptismum poenirentiae in remissionem delictorum, in futuram remissionem enunciatum est. Siquidem poenitentia antecedit, remissio subsequi • ur. Ab eodem libro de corona candida salutis & candida martyrii eleganter pro aeternae salutis p • aemio usurpatur. Item de S. Paulo verba faciens, dicit illum gloriam carnis, notam circumcisionis, Pharilaeae candidae dignatem, pro detrimento sibi deputasse: ubi candida metonymi •• s pro ordine, sive honor videtur usurpari: vel forsan Pharisaei hypocritae, qui à Christo dealbatis sepulchris comparantur, vestes albas seu candidas gestarunt. Verum de vestitu Romanorum albo, plura tradit J • stus Lipsius Elect. lib. 1. cap. 13. lectu dignissima, quorum haec est summa: Romanis in vestitu placuisse colorem album, sive quod is, ut Plato vult, lae • itiae sit proprius: sive potius quiaagrestis illa & prima gens, spretis accersitis coloribus, lanae nativum retinuit, id est, album. Ita toga Romanorum alba & Tunica fuit, & Calcei & omnis cottidiana vestis. Togam albam fuisse, quam Graeci 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , & ad discrimen praetextae, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocant, Titinnii, Plauti, Statii, Persii, Martialis testimoniis probat. At objiciat quis: Si toga vulgo alba, cur, qui prensabant, induebantur toga candida, ut hac quasi nota intelligi & excerni possent à reliqua plebe? Respondet, albi coloris togas vulgo fuisse, non candidi. Albus color nativus lana est: candidus proprie splendens ill, & qui est ab art. Ideo Polybius aliquot locis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dictam maluit petitorum togam, quam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : & Latin commode splendentem dixerimus. Nam petitores non contenti insito lanae color, cretam addebant in vestem, ut splendesceret. Unde Isidorus, Fit toga addito quodam cretae genere candidior. Objiciunt item de diebus festis, Romani inquiunt, saltem per dies festos in vest alba erant. Non ergo cottidianas vestes censendum albas. Respondet, non aliud fuisse in eo more, quam ut per dies privatim aut publice laetos, togas recentes sumerent, & usu nondum sordidas aut obsoletas, qui mos plane gemmus est moribus nostris. Nec ve • o Romani solùm in laetitia aut in sacris adhihebant hunc colorem, sed etiam externi, id quod de Rhodiis Livii testimonio probat, & de Aegyptiis Suetonii in vita Augusti. Propter has togas albas fullonum apud veteres creberrimus usus, rarior tinctorum. Fullonum, qui maculas scilicet & sordes e toga e • uebant, & addiro furfure ac creta iterum candidam faciebant. Alba igitur toga, & ea quamdiu in communi usu, discrimen nullum inter cives fuit à color vestis, nisi quod divites, munduli elegantes semper in toga sua e fullone nivea: vulgus fere sordidiores essent, & togis magis pallentibus, ac, ut proprie dicam, obsoletis. Ideo Seneca epist. 115. per sordidos intelligit vulgum. Mirari, inquit, non debes, corrupta excipi non tantum à corona, sed ab hac turba quoque cultiore. Togis enim inter se isti, non judiciis dissident. Sed & vi • i illustres ac nobiles rei facti, per dies judicii sumebant hanc togam sordidam, posita nivea, ut miserabiliores essent in vest plebeia. Ira{que} rei in sordibus esse dicuntur aut sordidati: non pullati, ne quis erret, qui color rantum, funebris. Vi • i etiam graves ac rigidi non amabant eximium illum candorem. Unde simia ill apud Horatium,
Porro Naucratitas quoque testis est Athen. lib. 4. in Genethliis Vestae Prytanitidis in Pryaeneo epulantes, nec non in Dionysiacis & Panegyri Comaei Apollinis albis vestibus usos fuisse, quas suo quoque tempore Prytanicas vestes dicit fuisse appellatas. Cereris quoque initiatos candidis, ut Bellonae nigris, & Saturni purpureis atque rubicundis vestibus indutos fuisse, Tertull. testator lib. de Pallio, his verbis: Cur istas non spectas? vel illos item, qui novitate vestitus religionem mentiuntur, cum ob cultum omnia candidatum & ob notam vittae & privilegium galeri, Cereri initiantur; cum ob diversam affectionem tenebricae vestis & tetrici super caput velleris in Bellonae montes suga • tur: cum latioris purpurae ambitio, & galatici ruboris superjectio, Saturnum commendat: cum ipsum hoc pallium morosius ordinatum, & crepidae Graecatae Graecatim Aesculapio adulantur. Alexand. ab Alexand. lib. 6. cap. 19. Romanos scri • it in toga candida ludos spectare solitos fuisse, & mulieres in vest alba Cereris sacrum facere solitas fuisse, ut tunc Diis gratum esse censerent, si à laetis, nec funere pollutis celebraretur. Et tamen, ut testis est Pierius in Hieroglyph. apud Arcadas Cere • i nigra vestis induebatur. Sic Falacralis Flamen, teste Pierio, nigro utebatur • ileo: erat enim Plutonis, cui cum immolabant vestibus utebantur nigtis, quem colorem aiunt diis inferis dedicatum.
Ex his, quae adhuc dicta sunt, constat, vestes candidas apud Naucratitas, & praecipue apud Romanos, non solum in conviviis, verum etiam in sacris, in magistratuum petitione, in manumissionibus, in militia, in spectaculis, in triumphis, in nuptiis: in luctu quoque & cada veribus involvendis adhibitas & usurpatas fuisse. Ac omnino vestes albas sive candidas, in sacris pariter atque prophanis literis vehementer commendari constat, ceu insignia atque symbola, cum virtutum, ut modestiae, puritatis morum, innocentiae, synceritatis, at que integritatis: tum faelicitatis, beatitudinis, victoriae, libertatis, laetitiae atque gaudii. Hinc prae • er supra commemorata exempla, Magi in Perside, teste Pierio, Deum ipsum non nisi albis vestibus delectari assirmabant. Et Plutarchus problemate Romanorum vigesimo sexto M • gos adversus Plutonem, & tenebras, lucido & illustri amictu se munivisse scribit • In somniis quoque candidae vestis somnium pro felici augurio habetur. In sacris literis, angeli semper candidati appa • uerunt: id quod illorum cum innocentiae, tum beatitudinis est argumentum. Sic, ut ex plurimis, unum proferam, gloriosae Christi resurrectionis, quae diaboli, mortis, atque peccati victrix extitit, primi testes atque p • aecones fue • unt angeli, albis vestibus induti atque ornati. Ejus rei testes sunt Matthaeus vigesimo oct • vo, qui 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 illius nivis instar 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fuisse dicit: Marcidecimo sexto, qui illum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, stolac andida amictum fuisse perhibet. Et Joannis vigesimo, qui duorum angelorum mentionem faciens, illos 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, candidis vestibus indutos fuisse testator. Christus ipse in monte Thabor 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , vestituto candido, instar lucis, sive nivis, sese discipulis suis conspiciendum p • aebuit, qui cum puritatis, tum victoriae, atque beatitu • inis ae • ernae fuit symbolum. Sic Apocalypseos capite primo Christus candidatus Joanni apparuit: Vestitus, inquit, erat 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 scilicet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , vestem talarem, sive ad talosus{que} demissam. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Suida, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , tunica ad pedes usque demissa. Eucherio est sacerdotalis vestis lintea corpori penitus adstricta, eademque talaris, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 appellata, quae & subucula dicitur. Per hanc, teste Pierio in Hieroglyphicis, quae aliis subjiciebatur, doctrinam sacratiorem intelligi, veteres Theologi tradiderunt. Exodi: Et fecerunt vestimentum poderem sub umbone, opus textile, totum hyacinthinum. Sequitur apud Joannem: Caput autem ejus, & capilli erant candidi velut lana alba, & tanquam nix. Hic candidus, niveusque Christi habitus sive vestitus, est indumentum illud salutis & justitiae, quo ut Isaiae sexagesimo primo dicitur, sponsam, id est, Ecclesiam suam vestit, tegit atque ornat: e • que suam imputando justitiam, & fanctitatem, facit ut illa quoque alba & candidi, id est, justa coram Deo appareat, sine ruga & macula, Ephesiorum primo: secundum illud Isaiae primo. Si peccata vestra, &c. Huc quoque facit 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , vestis splendida, seu, ut vulgatus interpres vertit, alba, qua Christus per ludibrium ab Herod fuit indutus. Illa enim revera argumentum fuit Christi innocentiae & regiae dignitatis, Luc. 23 Forsan, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 id est, pura vestis à Plutar. pro alba usurpatur, sicut Bayf • ius testimoniis quibusdam probat: sic 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocabulum eodem modo usurpatur, nisi malimus p • rpuream vestem intelligere, eujusmodi vest à Judaeis per ludibrium fuit amictus. Apoc. 3. Laodicensi ecclesiae Deus suadet, ut vestimentis albis sese induat, ut non appareat dedecus nuditatis ejus, hoc est, ut Christum vera fide induat, vitae morumque candori, & synceritate studeat. Et ab intio ejusdem capitis: Sardenses Ecclesiae nonnulli esse dicuntu • , qui non inquinaverant vestimenta sua, & additur: Et ambulabunt mecum in albis, qui digni sunt. Qui vicerit, sic vestietur vestimentis albis, & non delebo nomen ejus de libro vitae. En hic quoque candida, insigne est victoriae, coelestis gloriae & felicitatis. Et capite ejusdem lib. 6. Martyribus dantur stolae all • ae, ceu insignia illorum victoriae, libertatis atque beatitudinis. Ab initio ejusdem cap. equus albus inducitur, & eques seu insessor ejus arcu, ac sagittis armatus, & corona insignitus ceu victor. Equus ill albus, (cujusmodi erant quatuor illi equi candidi apud Rom. triumphalem cutrum ducentes) ut & corona, insignia sunt victoriae, qua Christus de omnibus hostibus suis potitur. Sic equi albi apud Virgilium cum belli tum victoriae sunt insignia. Sic enim Anchises loquitur Aeneid. 3.
Ut igitur apud Romanos, sicuti dictum est, magistratuum at{que} honorum petitores erant candidati, sic in primitiva Ecclesia Baptismi candidati (qui etiam competentes vulgo suerunt appellati) cùm quadragesimae initio nomina sua dedissent, & toto illo quadraginta dietum spacio atris vestibus, promisso capillo, in sordibus & squallore jacuissent, pau • o ante Pascha lavabantur (quod Augustinus Epist. 118. ad Januarium baptismum antebaptismum vocat) tandemque loti candidis{que} induti vessibus, ad Baptismum accedebent. Idem infantum quoque baptizandorum habitus fuit, de quibus elegante Pontius Paulinus.
Jam vero in coenae quo{que} Dominicae administratione album vestitum antiquitus adhibitum fuisse, exillis Hieronymi verbis videtur colligi posse libr. contra Pelagianos, Quae sunt, rogo inimicitiae, inquit, contra Deum, si Episcopus Prsbyter & Diaconus & reliquus ordo ecclesiassicus in administratione sacrificiorum candida vest processerint. Verisimile est cùm eos, qui sacrosancti illius epuli communion f • uebantur: tum ejus administratores, hoc est, sacerdotes atque diaconos albas vestes gestasse. Harum autem vestium antiquarum vestigia sunt tunicae illae, quas choro & albis vulgo nominant, in quibus missa Paschatis tempore celebratur. Sic nos vestitum quidem veterum candidum retinemus, & imitamur: at religions, morumque candorem integritatemque jam pridem amisimus: contrà vero 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 u • ludas in sua epistola loquitur, hoc est, tunicam carnis contactu maculatam gestamus.
Caete • ùm notandum est, vestes albas esse duplices: alias, quae nativo color constant, qui leucopus • icitur: alias, quae artificiali, quas volunt propr • e candidas dici. Leucopeati dicuntur Martiali, qui rudiori alba vest, ac vili, ac nativi coloris induti sunt.
Verùm quoniam multa de candidae vestis usu, dignitate, signification{que} mystica dicta sunt, de quo etiam Clem. Alexand. paedagog. lib. 2. Cap. 10. legere potetis: consideranda etiam nobis videtur ratio, cur vestibus illis tantum à veteribus tributum fuerit. Ea peti potest ab • psius coloris albi sive canoida vi at{que} natura. Nam cùmis color, secundùm Plutarch. problem 26. maxim sit naturalis, simplex, purus, syncerus, lucidus, at{que} perspicuus, ut qui lucis plurimum habet (unde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 album mihi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , id est, videndo videtur dictum) mirum profecto non est, illo (uti etiam lumine, cui maxim est affinis, at{que} cognatus) cùm mores ingenuos, puros, ac simplices: tum laetitiam, libertatem, victoriam, foelicem deni{que} quemuis rerum statum at{que} conditionem, in prophanis sacris{que} literis significari: ac proinde vestes aliasque res color illo imbutas, in tanto fuisse apud veteres pretio & honor. Album, inquit Pierius in Hieroglyph. est p • ima veluti materia quaedam, in quam colores, quotquot volueris, perinde ac in universalem illam possis omnes species inducere. Hinc ad Dei cultum alba plurimum indumenta, omnium p • ne nationum consensu adhiberi solent: semper{que} albus color sacris accommodatur. At{que} ideo ait Persius: Quam vis albata rogarit. Sed quid indigemus Persio, si Servatoris nostri indumenta, cum gloriam suam vellet discipulis patefacere, alba sicut nix apparuêre? Apud Cic. 2. de Legibus: Color albus praecipue decorus Deo est, tum in caeteris, tum maxin e in textile. Et nostra pietas cannot, vel lineas, casque purissimas induti tunicas, sacra Deo caneremus. Plato similiter colorem album vult laetitiae esse proprium, atque deorum. Hinc veteres, teste Platone, & Plutarcho, niveo splendore spectabiles, ut deorum • enerabantur silios. Cel. lib. 24. Cap. 26. Album por • o & candidum pro bono: ut atrum & nigrum pro malo, passim accipitur. Juvenal. Satyra 3.
Persius.
Ovid.
Horat.
BY this learned Discourse of white Vestments, colors, the judicious Reader may discern,
1. That White Garments, Rotchets, Surplices, are not peculiar to Divine Services, Sacraments, or to Ecclesiastical Persons, or Christians alone.
2. That they have been, and still are made use of, by Heathen Priests in the sactifices, Solemnities of their Idol-God's, and by Pagans in their Feasts, Funerals, Plays, Inaugurations, Manumissions, &c. as well as by Bishops, Priests, Deacons, in their Divine Worship and Celebrations; and by all sorts of Lay-Baptized Christians, as well as by Clergy-men.
3. That the principal mystical significations, reasons, grounds, ends for the Civil or Sacred uses of White Vestments, are equally common to all ranks and degrees of men, of Christians, and not one of them proper or peculiar to Bishops, Priests, Deacons, or Clergy-men, or to public Prayers, Devotions, more then to private. Therefore not to be used or worn by Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, or Clergy-men alone, as a badge of their distinction from, and elevation above Lay-Christians.