Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

general Belief, and Practice of the ancient Catholick Church, and by Confequence against the true Christian Minifters being proper Priefts, because they are not exprefly fo called in the Writings of the New Teftament.

But Secondly, as to this Objection from St. John's not calling them Priefts in the Books which he wrote after the Destruction of Ferufalem, I anfwer, That in his Gofpel, which he wrote laft of all, but a little before his Death, he had no Occafion to call the Apoftles Priefts, because he doth not continue his Hiftory of Jefus till the time, when they began to gather, and form Churches, which was not till after Chrift's Afcenfion. But in his Book of Revelations, which is a prophetical Book, he calls the Minifters of the Church Priests, in fuch Figures, and Similitudes, and Allufions as are proper to the prophetical Style, and in fuch Reprefentations of one thing for another, as belong to that fublime way of writing, in which Vifions ufe to be expreffed. Thus becaufe Chriftians were the mystical Ifrael, in whom the Covenant, and all the Promifes were accomplished, he calls them Jews, Chap. ii. 9. and iii. 9. where he faith, I know the Blafphemy of them, who fay they are Jews, and are not. In the fame Place he calls the falfe heretical Chriftians, and their Churches the Synagogues of Satan, often ufing prophetical, and Jewish Words, and ways of fpeaking, in things relating to Chriftians, and the Chriftian Church. So by the Name of Heaven is often fignified the Chriftian Church, and by the Temple-Worship, and Ceremonies, the Devotions of Chriftians, and to come to my point, by Angels are often denoted Priefts, becaufe of the likeness of their Offices. For as

X

Angels

* Chryfoft. de Sacerd. Lib. III. ¡egwuw Texe), &c. The Priesthood indeed, is adminiftred upon Earth, but is of the Order of

the

Angels are all Spirits, who minifter unto God in Heaven, fo his Priests minifter unto him upon Earth. And as Angels were wont to be fent with Meffages, and on Embaffies from God to Men, fo his Priests are his Angels, or rather caylor, his good Angels, or Meffengers, who are fent to preach in his Name the Gofpel unto Men; and, as the Apoftle fpeaks, to be the Ambaffadors of Christ, to beseech them in his ftead to be reconciled unto God. The Words in the Original are top χρις πρεσββομεν, and fo in Eph. vi. 20. & weldw, for which (faith he, fpeaking of the Mystery of the Gospel) I am an Ambaffador in Bonds. An Ambaffador, i. e. a Meffenger, an Angel, a Preacher, for you know, Sir, how weiods, and weedfuls in the Greek Tongue is gloffed by ayle, and how near a Kin it is in its fignification to ungu a Preacher Publisher, or Promulger; fo that it is not without great Agreement in their refpective Offices, that Priefts are called Angels, who are fent from God [unguarev, wayλiew] to publish the best Dotrine, and moft happy, joyful News, that Men ever heard, or received. The Sacrifices, which the Greeks offered upon receiving good News were called a cuayfinia, and the Gifts, and Prefents which they gave to Meffengers of good News, they alfo called caylenia, the very Word by which the Holy Ghoft hath chofen to exprefs the Gospel, the

2

b

* or retinue ἀκολυθίαν.

y

[ocr errors]

things in Heaven. For it is neither Man, nor Angel, nor Archangel, nor any created Power that ordained this Hierarchy, but the Holy Ghoft, who hath taught mortal Men to imagine they have the Miniftry of Angels. And therefore it behoves a Prieft to be as pure, as if he were among those Potentates in Heaven. 10 de weeolding, en av

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

. Ὅθεν είρη), τῷ κήρυκι, και πρεσβεία χρηματίζειν. Ful Pollux. Lib. VIII. cap. xi. fegm. 138.

Jul. Pollux. Lib. V. Cap. xxv. Segm. 129.
Ibid. Lib. VI. Cap. xi. Segin. 187.

joyful

[ocr errors]

joyful Tidings of Salvation, as it is called by the Apoftle, faying, How shall they preach, except they be first fent, as it is written of us, how beautiful are the Feet, or Coming of them, who preach the GoSpel of Peace, and bring glad Tidings of good things? The Office then of Chriftian Priefts is the very fame with that of the Angel, which firft preached the Gospel to the Shepherds, faying, Behold I bring you good Tidings of great Foy, which shall be to all People, for unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour, who is Chrift the Lord. Upon which that Angel, and many others, even a Multitude of the Heavenly Hoft praifed God, faying: Glory be to God in the highest, and on Earth Peace, good Will towards Men. Such Congruity there is in the Office of Angels, and Chriftian Priefts. They are both God's Liturgs, or Minifters; they are both his Ambaffadors, Meffengers, and Preachers fent forth to Men, and to minifter among Men for them, who are Heirs of Salvation. And upon the Account of this excellent Angelical fort of Ministry, I may fuppose it was, that this Title was given in special manner to the Chief Prieft, and under him to the Priests, who miniftred to God in the Temple under the Old Teftament, as in Malachy xi. 7. The Priefts Lips Should preferve Knowledge; for he is the Meffenger, or Angel of the Lord of Hofts. So our Chriftian

d

· · ευαγγελιζομένων εἰρήνην, 7 ευαγ[ελζομένων τὰ ἀγαθά. 4 Ὁ ποιῶν τις αγέλες αυτό πνεύματα, και του λειτεργες αυτο @vegs grófa. Heb. i. 7. Sacerdotes dona feu munera duo offerunt, preces fidelium, Sacrificia incruenta, fan&tam Euchariftiam, &c. Co teler. in Cap. xiv. 1. Epist. S. Clementis ad Cor. Grotius on Malach. xi. 7. Quia Angelus Domini, &c. Angeli preces hominum ad Deum, Dei mandata ad homines deferunt. Idem faciebat in lege fummus Sacerdos, Levit. xvi. 1. Deut. xvii. 9. Ejus locum implet in Christiana Ecclefia Epifcopus, Angelus ob id ipfum dictus in Apocalypfi. Diodorus Siculus de Judais apud Photium. 'Agxgéα TYτον προσαγορώύεσι, κ νομίζεσιν αυτοῖς ἄγγελον γενέθαι το θεῖ προςαγμάτων.

M

Proph

[ocr errors]

Prophet in the beginning of the viiith Chap. reprefenting the things of the Church on Earth by things in Heaven: There was Silence (faith he) in Heaven about the space of half an Hour, and I saw seven Angels, who flood before God, and to them were given feven Trumpets, and another Angel came and food at the Altar having a Golden Cenfer; and there was given unto him much Incenfe, that he should offer it with the Prayers of the Saints upon the Golden Altar, which was before the Throne, and the Smoke of the Incenfe, which came with the Prayers of the Saints afcended up before God out of the Angel's band. By the Prayers of the Saints all Interpreters here agree is fignified the Prayers of all faithful Chriftians, as in Chap. v. 8. where it is faid, The IV. living Creatures and XXIV. Presbyters fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them Harps, and Golden Phials full of (Incenfe or) Odours, which are the Prayers of the (Chriftian) Saints. So by the Angel is reprefented the chief Miniftring Prieft, or Bifhop in every Church, who offered up their Prayers, all in Allufion to the Jewish Temple, and the Service thereof. Where, as may be feen, Luke i. 10. All the People went to their private Prayers, and Devotions in the Court of the Temple, while the Priest continued at the Golden Altar in the Temple to offer up Incenfe. In this Vifion therefore is a Metalepfis, or Comprehenfion of two Allufions, or Figures: For firft by Heaven is meant the Catholick Church of that Prophetical Period; by the Angels are fignified the Chriftian High Priefts; and by Incenfe their offering up the Peoples Prayers in all Churches of the Saints, and all again under another figurative Reprefentation of the Jewish Temple, Prielthood, and Worship. So in the viith Chap. where under the Type of the Twelve Tribes of If rael, is My flically reprefented the Church of Chrift, after the fouling of the Faithful out of every Tribe,

ΟΙ

or Church, it is faid: After this I beheld, and lo a great Multitude, which no Man could number of all Nations food before the Throne, and the Lamb, and they cried with a loud Voice, faying, Salvation unto our God, who fitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb, and all the Angels flood about the Throne, and about the Elders, and the IV. Living Creatures, and fell before the Throne with their Faces, and wor Shipped God, faying, Amen. Bleffing, and Glory, and Wifdom, and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might be unto God for ever and ever. Amen. Here again, as we have the faithful Chriftians of all Churches praifing God: So under the Reprefentation of Angels we have all their Bifhops with their Presbyters at their Prieftly Work, of bleffing, and praifing God. At their Priestly Work I fay, and exercifing their Prieftly Office throughout all the Myftical Ifrael, fignified by the four Beafts, which were the four Symbols, or Enfigns of the four Camps of Ifrael. I fay at their Prieftly Office. For the Minifters of the Church may be confidered as to their Priefhood, or as to their Prelacy, or Spiritual Superiority over the People. As Prelates, or Spiritual Superiors over the People, they are called Bifhops, and Presbyters, of the reafon of which Titles, you know, Sir, we have a very good Account in Mr. Hill's Book, cited in M 2 the

f

L'ancienne police de l'Eglife fur l'adminiftration de L'Eucharifte, par M. Gabriel de L'Aubefpine, Evefque d'Orleans, Ch.VIII. Premierement il y a deux qualities dans L'Epifcopat, la Prelature,

le Sacerdoce. La premiere est le pouvoir, l'autorité, & la jurif dition Ecclefiastique l'autre eft le pouvoir du Charactere, & de L'ordination. Les aniens ont connus ces deux puiffances, &c. So a Learned Divine of our own Country, Mr. Sam. Hill, in the third Chap. of his Book de Presbyteratu.

De Presbyteratu differt. Lib. IV. Cap. III. Quandoquidem Sapientiam, & Senioritatem animi internam ad publicam Senioritatis Didacticæ ordinem, & officium previam probavimus, ejufdemque

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »