themselues with the Lord vpon an equall Throne Therefore we exhort and desire the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may bee administred to the people standing or bowing their knees with protestation against the bread-worship maintayned by Papists Paraeus 1. Cor. 11. Controuersia 2. De fractione panis in sacra Eucharistia NEque conuellitur instantijs quas quidam alioqui eruditus Theologus obijcit quod si singula nobis imitanda essent etiam prius agnum paschalem nos edere in mensa sedere duodenos tantum communicare in domo vel palatio et nocte oporteret Hasce enim peristaseis non sacramenti proprias de quibus solis propositio haec omnis Christi actio est nostra institutio loquitur sed accidentarias fuisse iam modo ostensum est That is this proposition is not improoued by the instances which a Theologue otherwise very learned obiects saying If wee should imitate all Christs actions then it behooued vs first to eate the Paschall Lambe sit at a Table and twelue persons only communicate in a priuate house or Palace and in the night season for these circumstances are not proper to the Sacrament but accidentary onely as wee haue shewed And it is of the proper actions of the Sacrament that this proposition Euery action of Christ is our institution speakes Caluinus Instit Lib. 4. Cap. 17. Sect. 37. CHristo inquiunt hane venerationem deferimus Primùm si in coena hoc fioret dicerem adorationem eam demum esse legitimam quae non in signo residet sed ad Christum in coelo sedentem dirigitur That is Wee giue this worshippe say they to CHRIST First if this were done in the action of the Supper I would confesse the adoration to bee lawfull which resteth not in the signe but is directed to Christ sitting in heauen Beza Epist 12. pag. 100. GEniculatio denique dum symbola accipiuntur speciem quidem habet piae ac Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is Kneeling at the receiuing of the Elements hath a shew and forme of holy and Christian adoration and therefore of olde might haue beene vsed profitably Petrus Martyr Class 4. locus 10. Sect. 49. 50. IN Sacramento distinguimus symbola à rebus symbolis aliquem honorem deferimus nimirum vt tractentur decenter non abijciantur sunt enim sacrae res Deo semel deputatae quo verò vel res significatas eas promptè alacriter adorandas concedimus inquit enim Augustinus hoc loco Non peccatur adorando carnem Christi sed peccatur non adorando Adoratio interna potest adhiberi sine pericul◠neque externa suâ naturâ esset mala Multi enim piè genua flectunt et adorant That is In the Sacrament we distinguish the symboles from the things signified and some honour wee yeeld to the signes namely that they bee decently handled and not cast away for they are sacred things and once dedicate to God As to the things signifyed we confesse these should bee readily and cheerefully adored for Saint Augustine in this place sayes That it is no fault to adore Christs flesh but it is a sinne not to adore it In the next Section Inward adoration may bee vsed without perill neyther is the outward euill of it selfe for many bow their knees religiously and adore Iewell in the 8. Art of Adoration BVt they will reply Saint AMBROSE sayes We adore Christs flesh in the mysteries heereof groweth their whole error for Saint AMBROSE sayth not Wee adore the mysteries or the flesh of Christ really present or materially contayned in the mysteries as is supposed by Master HARDING onely hee sayes we adore Christs flesh in the mysteries that is in the ministration of the mysteries And doubtlesse it is our duetie to adore the body of Christ in the Word of God in the Sacrament of Baptisme in the mysteries of Christs body and bloud and wheresoeuer wee see any steppe or token of it but especially in the holy mysteries for that there is liuely layd foorth before vs the whole Historie of Christs conuersation in the flesh But this adoration as it is sayd before neyther is directed to the Sacraments nor requires any corporall or reall presence So Saint HIEROME teaches vs to adore Christs body in the Sacrament of Baptisme CHRYSOSTOME in MARKE Hom. XIV An Answere to the reasons vsed by the penner of the Pamphlet against the Festiuall DAYES PP FRom the beginning of the Reformation to this present yeere of our Lord 1618. the Church of Scotland hath diuers wayes condemned the obseruation of all Holy-dayes the Lords day onely excepted In the first Chapter of the first Booke of Discipline penned Anno 1560. the obseruation of Holy-dayes to Saints the feast of Christmas Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and others fond Feasts of our Lady are ranked amongst the abominations of the Romane Religion as hauing neither commandement nor assurance in the Word It is further affirmed that the obstinate maintainers and teachers of such abomination should not escape the punishment of the Ciuill Magistrate The Booke aforesaid was subscribed by the Lords of secret Counsell ANS This Booke was neuer authorised by Act of Counsell Parliament or by any Ecclesiasticall Canon and Iohn Knox as we said before complaines of some in chiefe Authoritie that called the same Deuote imaginations yet let vs giue vnto it the Authoritie which yee require the same will not serue your purpose For in the explication of that first head which yee cite we haue these words which yee haue omitted In the Bookes of old and new Testaments We affirme that all things necessarie for instruction of the Church and to make the man of God perfect are contained and sufficiently expressed By the contrarie doctrine wee vnderstand whatsoeuer men by Lawes Councels or Constitutions haue imposed vpon the consciences of men without the expresse commandement of Gods word such as be the vowes of chastitie forswearing of Marriage and keeping of Holy-dayes of certaine Saints c. By which words it is manifest that the obseruation of dayes here cōdemned is not that which was in the Primitiue Church and now is vsed in the Refōrmed Causa ordinis politeias as our Diuines speake that is for order and Policie sake But such as are imposed vpon the consciences of men as a necessarie point of Diuine worship This obseruation vrged vpon the people of God and practised with opinion of necessitie and merit was vtterly to be abolished And to banish this opinion together with the superstitious Idolatrie and prophanenesse which was otherwise conioyned of banqueting drinking playing quarrelling and such like enormities it was thought expedient that on these dayes the people should be discharged rest from their ordinarie labours and that no Diuine seruice should be done in places where there was not a dayly Exercise of Religion as well because of the raritie of Pastors to informe people touching
the examination of yong children by the Bishop in his Visitation are things simply vnlawfull without expresse or necessary warrant of Gods Word are contrary to doctrine according to the declaration and iudgement of our Church set downe in the first booke of Discipline as is aboue expressed and by Saint Paul Coloss 2. is condemned for a doctrine of will-worship in these wordes Touch not taste not handle not Vers 21. Thus the imposing either of negatiue or affirmatiue positions touching points of Religion without warrant of the Word on the conscience of men is will-worship which you doe wilfully maintayne and vrge throughout the whole Pamphlet The eleuenth Article PP The Commissioners of Presbyteries haue conuened sufficiently vnderstand that neither the Presbyteries from whom they haue their Cōmissions nor the particular Churches of this Realme either require are willing or consent to admit these nouations Confitentur Theologi nihil esse per Synodos Ecclesijs inuitis obtrudendum The Diuines confesse that nothing should bee obtruded vpon Churches against their will ANS The Commissioners of Presbyteries were not astricted to the present opinions of the Presbyteries particular Churches of the Realme but receiued a free and voluntary Commission to vote as they should bee mooued and perswaded by the motiues and reasons proponed at the Assembly otherwise they had met with preiudice And therefore what they concluded according to their Commission was not obtruded vpon the Churches against their will but according to their wills contayned in the Commission The twelfth Atticle PP The Commissioners of Presbyteries here assembled vnderstanding the alienation of them from whom they receiued commission from these Articles can by no warrant oblige their vnwilling Presbyteries and Congregations to their votes Ecclesiam dissentientem inuitam obligare quis potest Who can binde a Church dis-assenting and vnwilling ANS If the Commissioners had come to the Assembly without a free and vnbounded Commission to reason vote and conclude in their names they could not by their votes and conclusions haue bound the Churches and Presbyteries from whom they come if they had after dis-assented But the generall and vnlimited Commission giuen to the Commissioners to reason vote and conclude with this expresse clause Firme and stable holding and for to hold whatsoeuer their Coommissioners should conclude in their names obliged the Presbyteries and Congregations by whom the Commission was giuen And here I marke a contradiction betwixt this Article and that which ye affirme in discussing of the Oath pa. 30. Namely that the Oath of the Church representatiue giuen An. 1596. did oblige them all who were liuing to the maintenance of the puritie of Religion in Doctrine and Discipline Heere yee acknowledge that the Church representatiue hath power to oblige all liuing within the iurisdiction therefore yee cannot allow of this Article according to your grounds The thirteenth Article PP There stand in force diuers Acts of Parliament in fauours of our present order Iacob 6 Parl. 1 cap. 8. Iames 6. Parl. 8. cap. 68. cap. 69. Item in the first Act of Parliament Anno 1592. ANS None of the Acts of Parliament here cited is contrary to the alteration The fourteenth Article PP The Ministers of this Church by order of the same printed and inserted before the Psalme Booke at their admissions respectiue promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation assembled to abhorre and vterly refuse all Doctrine alledged necessary to saluation that is not expresly contayned in the olde and new Testament c. Item to submit themselues to all admonitions secretly or publikely giuen ANS Against this promise nothing was concluded by the Assembly at Perth but how this promise is performed by these who disobey the Ordinances thereof let them aduise with their owne conscience The fifteenth Article PP The Subscribers of the Confession of Faith by their oath therein contained promise and sweare to continue in the obedience of the doctrine discipline of this Church to defend the same according to their vocation and power all the dayes of their liues c. And to abhor and detest all contrary religions but chiefly all kind of Papistry in generall euen as they are now damned by the Church of Scotland but in special the Popes fiue bastard Sacraments whereof Confirmation is one with all Rites and Ceremonies and false doctrines added to the Sacraments without the Word of God his absolute necessity of Baptisme c. which Confession is come to the eyes of the World in print and solemnly renued in the Couenant celebrated in the generall and prouincial Assemblies Presbyteries and Church Sessions in the yeere of God 1596. and how shal any man be heard to speak against that whereunto he hath formerly sworne and subscribed For the better vnderstanding of this last Article I will set downe a short discussion of the Oath ANS There is nothing that the Subscribers of the Confession of faith did by their oath oblige themselues to obserue and defend that is contrary to any of the Articles concluded at Perth and no man should bee heard to speake contrary to that whereunto hee hath formerly sworne subscribed And therefore they who haue sworne subscribed in the 21. Article of the Confession of faith confirmed in Parliament Anno 1567. That no policie and order in Ceremonies can bee appointed for all ages times and places but that they may ought to be changed when necessity requireth should not now bee heard affirming the contrary in this Pamphlet that they may not bee changed wherein ye contradict your oath and perswade others to doe the same Of the which oath the discussion set downe by you is a glosse that destroyeth the Text as shall by Gods grace bee made manifest by the examination thereof which followeth The Examination of the Oath discussed BEfore the Penner of this Pamphlet begins to discusse the oath he sets downe the articles controuerted then fiue seuerall obligations whereby as he alledgeth our Church is obliged to exclude and abhorre the particular actes concluded at Perth Thirdly he considers the Oath which is the chiefe of the flue obligations Keeping his order wee shall seuerally examine his sayings concerning them And first touching the articles controuerted he sayes thus Pp. The Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland namely the publike ministration of Baptisme and the Lords Supper sitting at the Table in the act of receiuing the bread and the wine of that Sacrament The obseruation of the Lords day and the examination of Children for the first time at the ninth yeare of their age for the second at the twelfth for the third at the fourteenth excluding and abhorring priuate Baptisme priuate Communion kneeling in the act of receiuing the Supper Holy dayes or Feasts of Christmas Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending downe of the Holy Ghost were brought in at the resormation of Religion and enioyed ener since in
were present both to sanctifie themselues by prayer to cōmend the successe of the affairs vnto God his blessing The same was repeated in the second exercise made by the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and nothing omitted on our parts that was required to bring men to a due regard thereof But the Libeller excepts against the second Sermon First that although the Text was pertinent the Preacher ranne quickly from it Next that in his Discourse of Ceremonies the fiue Articles proponed his best Arguments were testimonies cited out of Caluine Martyr and Beza all peruerted How the first can bee made good I see not seeing if the Text was pertinent as he confessed to the time and matters there to bee entreated it is as cleere that in all his Discourse hee did so strictly keep himself to the purpose as there was not so much as one digression made from it And whether hee brought no Arguments for proofe or peruerted the testimonies of these learned men Let the Reader iudge by the Sermon it selfe which wee haue made here to bee inserted word for word as the same was then deliuered The Sermon preached by the Right Reuerend Father in GOD the Archbishop of Saint ANDREWES to the generall Assembly holden at PERTH the 25. of August 1618. 1. COR. 11.16 But if any man seeme to bee contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God MY Lords and Brethren the businesse for which we meete heere is knowne to you all namely to take some resolution in these Articles which we are required to admit in our Church by that power vnto which wee bee all subiect Of the indifferency of these Articles I thinke there is little or no question amongst vs The conueniencie of them for our Church is doubted of by many but not without cause They are new and vncouth such things as we haue not beene accustomed with and nouations in a Church euen in the smallest things are dangerous Etiam quae vtilitate adiuuant nouitate perturbant Aug. Epist 118. Saint Augustine spake it long since and wee haue tryed it to bee true this yeare past I beseech God we feele no more of it hereafter Had it beene in our power to haue disswaded or declined them most certainly wee would and if any of you thinke otherwise yee are greatly mistaken but now being brought to a necessitie I am sorry to speake more sorry to thinke of the * * This was the protestation that should haue beene presented to the last Parliament meanes that wrought the same either of yeelding or disobeying him whom for my selfe I hold it Religion to offend I must tell you that the euill of nouations especially in matters of Rite Ceremonie is nothing so great as the euill of disobedience That which is new this day with a little vse will become familiar and old yee know the prouerbe A wonder lasts but nine nights in a Towne But how farre disobedience may goe what euills it may produce God knowes As the Apostle speakes here of Contention so I say of Disobedience we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God We leaue that to Papists and Anabaptists that carry no regard to authoritie Our Religion teaches vs to obey our Superiours in all things that are not contrarie to the Word of God So our Confession speakes which is printed in the beginning of your Psalme bookes Psal Booke pag. 6. So haue wee taught the people in former times and God forbid wee should now come in the contrarie Our case as I thinke at this time is not farre different from that of the Corinthians at the writing of this Epistle The question was amongst them of the behauiour of men and women in holy Assemblies What was most decent and beseeming men to be vncouered women to haue their heads couered or by the contrarie Saint Paul after that hee had shewed his owne minde in the matter and giuen some reasons for it as hee doth in the Verses preceding concludes now with this protestation If any man seeme to bee contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God As though hee would say I haue said so much as may content calme and moderate spirits as for contentious men I trouble not my selfe with them They will still be disputing and say what yee will they shall still finde a reply for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 louers of Victorie not of Veritie men that seeketh not the Churches weale but their owne wills and make it their credit to bee alwayes stirring that is not my custome saith the Apostle he might speake it well for hee neuer cared for himselfe or how he was counted of so as he might be profitable to the Church and an instrument of sauing soules And as it is not my custome no more is it the custome of the Churches of God for they fauour not contention but follow the things which concerne peace wherewith one may edifie and make better another Some of the Interpreters refer these words to the question in hand and thinke that the Apostle is here opposing the custome of the Churches to these that contended for men couering their heads in publike meetings but the better sort take this to bee spoken against the studie of contention and thinke the Apostle his meaning here is onely to shew that it is not his fashion nor the fashion of the Churches of God to bee contentious for matters of such indifferency as those were of This is Caluines interpretation amongst others for he writing vpon this place after he had said that contention in a Church is of all euills the most pernicious addes by way of admonition these words Diligenter notemus locum istum ne abripi nos super vacuis disputationibus sinamus Let vs carefully obserue this place saith hee that wee suffer not our selues to bee carryed away with vnnecessary disputings Now these are vnnecessary disputings which are made De rebus non magnis of matters of light moment Vel de rebus non ambiguis that is of matters in themselues cleare and euident Atqui tales sunt importuni quidam disputatores qui artis esse putant omnia in dubium vocare Some there are that can finde probabilities against the clearest Truth and are still disputing about the lightest matters Such are very troublers and dangerous heads in a Church of whom wee should be wary Brethren to contend is not a fault if so it bee for a weightie matter but to bee contentious in a light businesse this is faultie and reprooued here by the Apostle Wee ought to contend alwayes for the Faith and that earnestly as Saint Iude teacheth Iude 3. not yeelding to the Aduersarie in the substance of Religion one jot There should our courage and spirituall zeale kindle it selfe but for matters of circumstance and ceremonie to make businesse and as much adoe as if some mayne point of Religion were questioned it is to iniurie the Truth
in close and secret meetings their Christnings in Riuers the ministring of the Lords Supper after meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church-Feasts the abhorring of leuened Bread abstayning from Bloud and that which is strangled the arbitrary maintenance of Ministers and other more particulars which to bring againe in vse were to alter and change in a sort the state of Christianitie it selfe So it being to vs vncertaine what the formes of the Apostles were in euery thing and the dissimilitude of their times and ours being so great they giue no sure direction that send vs to seeke the resolution of our differences in matters of this nature from them Reade Beza his eight Epistle written to that Reuerend Bishop Edmond Grindall then Bishop of London and you shall finde this to bee his iudgement His words are Scio duplicemesse de Ecclesiarum instauratione opinionem sunt qui Apostolicae ill◠simplicitati nihil adijciendum putant ac proinde quicquid Apostoli fecerunt faciendum quicquid autem succedens Apostolis Ecclesia ritibus primis adiecit semel abolendum existiment There are some sayes he who thinke that we should adde nothing vnto that first Apostolike simplicity but doe in euery thing according as they did And that whatsoeuer the succeeding Ages added in matters of Rites should be all abolished Because his answere and discourse is somewhat long I will remit you to the place and giue you the heads of it only first therefore he sayes that the doctrine of the Apostles is in it selfe so exact and perfect as we ought not to derogate nor adde any thing vnto it but next for the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church wee must not thinke so because the Apostles at the first could not set downe euery thing that was expedient for the Church and thereupon they proceeded by little and little and in such Rites as they instituted they had a speciall respect to the time places and persons wherof many were afterwards by the Church worthily abolished Hauing said this hee concludes Itaque quicquid ab Apostolis factitatum est quod ad ritus attinet nec statim nec sine aliqua exceptione sequendum existimo And Caluine whom I often name for the authority which he deseruedly carries with all Reformed Churches in the tenth Chapter of his fourth Booke of Institutions which place I formerly quoted hath to the same purpose these words In his quae cultum Numinis spectant solus Magister est audiendus quia autem in externa disciplina ceremonijs non voluit sigillatim praescribere quid sequi debeamus quòd istud pendêre à temporum conditione praeuideret neque iudicaret vnam omnibus saeculis formam conuenire confugere hic oportet ad generales quas dedit regulas vt ad eas exigantur quaecunque ad ordinem decorum praecipi recessitas Ecclesiae postulabit And after a few lines Prout Ecclesiae vtilitas requirit tam vsitatas mutare abrogare quà m nouas instituere ceremonias Ecclesiae licitum His iudgement is that the power of adding altering innouating and appointing Ceremonies remaynes with the Church to doe therein as shee in her wisedome shall thinke meete And certainly there is no other way to keepe away differences for matters of Rites and Ceremonies but this That euery man keepe the custome of the Church wherein he liues and obserue that which is determined by the Gouernours thereof For in things indifferent wee must alwayes esteeme that to bee best and most seemely which seemes so in the eye of publike authoritie Neither is it for priuate men to controll publike iudgement as they cannot make publike Constitutions so they may not controll nor disobey them being once made Indeed authoritie ought to looke carefully vnto this that it prescribe nothing but rightly appoint no Rites nor Orders in the Church but such as may set forward Godlinesse and Pietie yet put the case that some be otherwise established they must be obeyed by such as are members of that Church as long as they haue the force of a Constitution and are not corrected by the authoritie that made them Except this be there can bee no order and all must be filled with strife and contention But thou wilt say My conscience suffers mee not to obey for I am perswaded that such things are not right nor well appointed I answere thee in matters of this nature and qualitie the sentence of thy Superiours ought to direct thee and that is a sufficient ground to thy conscience for obeying But may not Superiours erre May not Councels decree that which is wrong This no man denyes and if they decree any thing against Scripture it is not to be obeyed for there that Sentence holds good Molius obedire Deo quam hominibus But if that which is decreed be not repugnant to the Word and that thou hast no more but thy owne collections and motions of thy conscience as thou callest it how strong soeuer thy perswasions bee it is presumption in thee to disobey the Ordinance of the Church And of this wee may bee sure whosoeuer denyes obedience to Church Ordinances in rebus medijs the same will not sticke to reiect Gods owne Word when it crosses his fancie Et videant isti sayes Caluine qui plus sapere volunt quam oportet qua ratione morositatem suam Domino approbent Nobis enim satisfacere istud Pauli debet nos contendendi morem non habere neque Ecclesias Dei With such a sentence I close all that I purposed to say of Ceremonies in generall Now hauing shewed you that Rites are necessary in a Church the qualities they should haue and obedience that must bee giuen vnto the Constitutions of the Church once being made I come to the particulars desired of vs to bee receiued these must bee seuerally considered because they are not all of the like respect some of them strike vpon the duties of our calling enioyning the practice thereof in places and at times where vsuall solemnitie cannot bee kept as to administrate Baptisme in priuate houses in the case of necessitie and the Communion to these that are sicke and in dying Others of them prescribe the obseruation of certayne things not in vse with vs as the confirming of Children and the keeping of some Festiuities throughout the yeere And there is a fift Article that requires our accustomed manner of sitting at the Communion to be changed in a more religious and reuerend gesture of kneeling ye shall not expect to heare all that may be said or is at this time expedient concerning these neither the time nor the strength of any one man I think will suffice to say all without interruption I know I speake to men of vnderstanding and my intent is to say no more of them then may serue to iustifie the aduise which I minde with Gods helpe to giue vnto you I begin with the Communion to the Sicke because this Article passed in the late Assembly
charitie quam si moderatricem patiemur saith CALVIN salua erunt omnia that is Charity being the moderatrix all shal goe well PP No doubt our Sauiour instructed them how to discerne the Lords body how to eate and drinke before he commanded them to eate and drinke But the Euangelists and Paul writes of the Sacrament as of a thing knowne to the Church by practise presupposing a Table and the Communicants conuened and sitting at the Table ANS Yee appeare in this place to haue forgotten that which you affirmed in the beginning of your dispute to wit That nothing interuened betweene the celebration of the Sacrament and the eating of the Paschall Supper for now you say That our Sauiour no doubt instructed them how to eate and drinke before they were commanded to eate and drinke that is in your minde he taught them to conuene themselues and set them downe at Table but I alledge he taught them to stand or kneele ar the receiuing which wee know certainly to haue bin the practise of the Churches thereafter What warrant haue you more for the one then I haue for the other The Papists will say that hee taught them the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Masse and all the ceremonies vsed at that action which being after knowne to the Churches by practise are omitted by Saint Paul and the Euangelists when they wrote of the Sacrament because as yee say they presupposed these things to bee knowne So farre are yee miscaried with the loue of your darling Table gesture that for establishing and authorising the same yee dare alledge vnwritten verities whereupon the Church of Rome founds all her heresies But to conclude against your false Assertion I forme you this reason Whatsoeuer is of necessary vse in the Sacrament is expressed in the words of the Institution or then is annexed vnto that which is expressed as a necessary circumstance belonging thereto But sitting is neither expressed in the words of the Institution nor is annexed to that which is expressed as a necessary circumstance belonging thereto Therefore sitting is not of necessary vse in the Sacrament PP The second breach of the Institution made by kneeling in the act of receiuing is the taking away the vse of a table Christ and his Apostles sate at Table 1. Cor. 10. Luk. 22. Wherefore serueth the name of a Table if wee keepe not the proper vse and employment of it The Fathers call it the Lords Table the heauenly Table the sacred Table the mysticall Table the spirituall Table the rationall Table Whereto serue all these commendations if in the meane time it be not vsed as a Table but rather as an Altar if it be not vsed as Christ and his Apostles vsed it that is by sitting at it to receiue the dainties set vpon the Table And a little after The people of God had an Altar for the Sacrifice and a Table for a Feast Such like the Ethnickes so Christians haue an Altar for a Sacrifice to wit Christ who is Priest Altar and Sacrifice Heb. 13.10 And a Table for the Feast after this Sacrifice once made to wit the Sacrament of the Supper As the Israelites and the Ethnickes sate at the table of their feasts so doe we at our sacred Feasts to distinguish betweene an Altar and a Table a Sacrifice and a Supper made of the thing sacrificed a dresser or cupboord may serue as well for the disposing of the elements c. ANS I must take paines heere for clearing your minde to draw your arguments together which are set downe tanquam scopa dissoluta as loose or euill knit beesomes yee proue that kneeling taketh away the vse of a table because the proper vse of a table is for sitting This yee qualifie because Christ and his Apostles sate at Table And because the Iewes and the Ethnickes sate at their feasts made of things sacrificed And this is your first argument Your next is because sitting makes a distinction betweene an Altar and a Table betweene a Supper and a Sacrifice For answere to your first argument I say it is a meere caption à fallacia consequentis for albeit that Christ and his Apostles the Iewes and the Ethnicks sate at their feasts it followeth not that the proper vse of a table is sitting The proper vse of a table is to hold and sustaine the meat that is set thereon beds in these dayes were ordained for sitting fourmes chaires and bonkers in our times the taking away of sitting takes away the vse of the beds fourmes and seates whereon they sate but not the vse of the table this still remaines if the elements be placed thereon and consecrate in the celebration of the Sacrament albeit no man sitte thereat As to Christ and the Apostles the Iewes and the Ethnicks they sate at their feasts when they did eate their sacrifices because these feasts were sufficient bodily repasts at which they spent long time in eating drinking and conference For the ease of their bodies sitting lying or such like a gesture was necessary but our Sacrament which is wholly finished by receiuing a morsell of bread and a very little wine requires not a long time nor such an easefull gesture for the body It is vncertaine as I shewed before what kinde of gesture our Sauiour and the Apostles vsed and if they sate it was occasioned by the former Supper and no wise requisite for the Sacrament neither for ease of the body the action being quickly ended neither for conference for there was none vsed thereat neither for receiuing the dainties or the elements from the table by stretching out their hands As to the bread Scaliger saith that the custome was of the Master of the feast to breake the bread in so many peeces as the number of the feasters were and vnto euery one a peece was giuen as great as an Oliue or if yee reiect his authority whom yee formerly cited in the booke of Discipline 1560 which yee make the ground of your order it is said the bread was broken by our Sauiour and deliuered to him who sate next and that they brake and deliuered each to his neighbour Likewise that they diuided the cup amongst them after our Sauiour had giuen the same so they stretched not forth their hands to take the elements from the table and their sitting at table for these ends was needlesse To your second argument I answere the distinction of the Table from the Altar is not made by sitting but by the employments proper to them The Altar was ordained for the sanctifying of the oblations made to God the Table to hold and sustaine such things as are offered and giuen to vs according to Christs Institution The Priest stood at the Altar when he offered and the people when they praied so the Communicants in the Primitiue Church stood at the Table when they receiued the Sacrament on the Lords day and this conformity in gesture tooke not away the difference
change according to the Proclamation is not spoyled of his liberty but maketh vantage by the right vse thereof Here it shall not bee amisse to recite Zanchius opinion in this purpose who defending their opinion that esteeme the words to contayne a command moues a doubt and answers it after this manner Verùm enimuerò videtur cum hac sententia pugnare c. That is But this fights against their opinion that hold the words to be a command that it was euer lawfull to Gods people to assemble themselues on other dayes beside the Sabbath to heare Gods Word to bee present at Prayers to offer Sacrifices and such other things belonging to outward worship which farre lesse can bee denyed to vs and therefore beside the Lords Day other dayes are instituted in the Church ad feriandum ab operibus seruilibus to rest from feruile workes if not for the whole day yet for the morning time He answeres Facilis est horum conciliatio sicut opera diuini cultus praeponenda sunt operibus seruilibus ita haec sunt omittenda quando illis vacandum est c. that is These things may be easily reconciled as the workes of Gods worship are to bee preferred to seruile workes so these must be omitted when those are to bee performed And a little after We sinne not against this precept sayes hee when wee ceasse from our seruile labour to waite on Gods worship quoties ordo Ecclesiae aut necessitas postulat so often as the order of the Church and necessitie requires This is Zanchius iudgement vpon the fourth precept of the Law in the sixe hundred sixty two page of that Worke. And if a precept cannot impede the appointing of solemne times for the worship of God farre lesse can a permission The Muscouites saying that it is for Lords to make Feasts and abstaine from labour is true yet amongst them Festiuall Dayes are obserued That the Citizens after diuine Seruice on these Dayes betake themselues to their labour wee doe not reproue because it is agreeable to their policie PP It may be obiected that Constantine the Emperour made a Law that none but the Prince may ferias condere erect an idle day The Prince then may enioyne a day of cessation Answ The Lawes of the God are not Rules of Theologie A Prince may not enioyne cessation from Oeconomicall and Domesticke workes but for weapon-shewing exercise of Armes defence of the Countrey or other publike workes and affaires But that is not to enioyne a day of simple cessation but to enioyne apoliticke worke in place of the Oeconomicall ANS Though the Lawes of the God bee not Rules of Theologie yet where they are not contrary to Scripture they are good Rules of Gouernment to Princes and of obedience to Subiects That the Prince may enioyne a day of cessation from seruile worke for the worship of God is not only not contrary but most agreeable to Scripture The Festiuall Dayes of Purim kept by the Iewes were confirmed by the Decree of Queene Esther Esth 9.32 It is written in the Booke of Ionah the third Chapter and seuenth verse That ye the Decree of the King of Niniue and his Nobles a Fast was proclamed The Feast of Dedication graced with the presence of our Sauiour was instituted by Iudas Machabaeus and the people 1. Mach. 10. And if the King may command a cessation from Oeconomicall and priuate workes for workes ciuill and publike such as the defence of the Crowne the liberty of the Countrey c. What reason haue yee why hee may not enioyne a day of cessation from all kind of bodily labour for the honour of God and exercise of Religion Is hee not custos vtriusque tabulae If the one may be done as yee grant for the weale of the politicall body much more may and should the other bee done for the weale of the Mysticall especially when the order of the Church so requires PP What if the Church representatiue enioyne a weekly holy day as another Sabbath ought the Church to bee obeyed What power hath the Church representatiue to enioyne an Anniuersary day more then a weekly or hebdomary holy day ANS I aske you againe what power hath the Church to appoint one houre or two in the day for publike Prayer in Cities at morning and euening more then six or seuen houres Or why may she appoint an houre or two in the weeke for preaching more then a day or two Is it not because the one cannot stand with Charitie the inseparable companion of Pietie as the other may The obseruation of these Anniuersary dayes agrees with Pietie and Charitie but to enioyne the obseruation of a weekly day besides the Sabbath were against Charitie and Equitie Is this a good Argument The Church may not doe that which is vnlawfull therefore shee may not enioyne that which is lawfull or this The King may neyther banish nor put to death an honest and peaceable Subiect therefore he may not execute a Traytor or banish a seditious man This kinde of reasoning is more then childish PP I say further that the poore Crafts-man cannot lawfully bee commanded to lay aside his Tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to diuine Seruice except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified ANS This is a strong argument confirmed with the great authoritie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say further But what say yee to that which is ordayned in the first Booke of Discipline out of which yee tooke your first argument in this dispute of daies In the ninth Chapter thereof we haue these words In euerie notable Towne we require that one day beside the Sonday be appoynted to Sermon and prayers which day◠during the time of Sermon must be kept free from all exercise of labour aswell to the Maister as to the seruant When yee discussed the oath yee cited the ordinances of this Booke as poynts of Discipline sworne vnto and subscribed If it bee not lawfull to commaund and compell a man to goe to diuine Seruice except vpon the Lords day why did yee sweare in the assertorie oath that it was lawfull But yee will say I sware not that he might be compelled but if he may be lawfully commanded to cease from his labour during the time of diuine seruice he may be as lawfully compelled to obey the cōmand Necessitie ye know excuses the breach of the Sabboth it selfe But the precepts of this Booke ye vse or vse not as they may serue to your purpose Such of them as yee allow must all be obserued vnder the paine of periurie others that are contrarie to your opinion must be reputed reiected as vnlawfull PP It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoynt a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour The second Reason as our best Diuines maintaine c.