posteritie of Mizram sonne to Cham sonne of Noah which did first inhabite Egypt did retaine the true name of God which they learned of Noah but afterward it was conuerted to a fabulous Idoll which they did call Is Is whereof the Greekes made corruptly Isis Alwayes it is certaine by the Scriptures that the Egyptians did worship Idols in the time of Moses whose Priests were the Wise-men Sorcerers and Charmers that did imitate the miracle of the conuersion of Moses Rodde into a Serpent These Priests did weare linnen Garments and therefore were called linigeri as wee read in Herodot and in the Poets yet notwithstanding God commanded his Priests to weare the white garment although it was abused before the Law in the Egyptian Idolatry Theodoretus writing to the Gentiles in the defence of Christian religion to induce them to become Christians saith that the Israelites did remaine a long time in Egypt where they were infected with the euill manners of the Egyptians were taught by them to offer Sacrifices to the Diabolicke Idols and were accustomed to dauncing and to Instruments of Musicke c. God did deliuer them and gaue them a Law by the which he commanded them to offer to him who is the true God in Sacrifice all those things which they did wickedly worship before to wit in Egypt of earthly Beasts the Goats the Bullockes and Sheepe of flying Beasts the Turtle and the Doue c. God did not institute Sacrifices as hauing neede of killed Beasts or that hee hath any pleasure in the sauour of burnt flesh but hee did so of his wisedome in consideration of the peoples weaknesse euen so did he suffer Musicall Instruments to wit in the time of the Sacrifice not that hee would please his eares with the consent of the singing of them but that he might by little and little draw away the delusions of the Idols Thus farre be the words of Theodoretus Seeing that God ordained the Ceremonies with the which the Israelites were accustomed when they did worship the Idols of Egypt to be vsed in his owne worship it followes that these customes and Ceremonies as also the materiall things that were abused to Idolatry the Surplice Musicke and Musicall Instrument may lawfully be conuerted to some vse in the true worship of God according to these examples of the Ceremoniall Law In the time of the Captiuitie of Babilon Belshazzar did make a great feast and commanded to bring him the golden and siluer vessels which his Father Nabuchadnezzer had brought from the Temple of Ierusalem and the King and his Princes his wiues his Concubines dranke in them and praised the Gods of gold and siluer and notwithstanding that these were prophaned to the Seruice of Idols yet when Cyrus did send the people of Iudah to build vp againe the Temple and the Citie of Ierusalem he restored to them the vessels of the house of the Lord. The Priests of the second Temple did vse them in the seruice of the true God although they were as is said abused in the Idolatrous Feasts to the Seruice of the false Gods of Babilon Euen so the externall Ceremonies as well of cloathing as others which are vsed in the Church of England were first instituted to be vsed in the Seruice of the true Religion but afterward was violently employed by the Popes after they became temporall Tyrants to the Seruice of the new Idoll of the Masse and now againe the Masse being abolished are restored vnto their true and ancient vse in the worship of God By these examples then of the olde Testament it is manifest that it is lawfull to conuert the clothing vesture and Ceremonies abused by the Popish Idolatrie to be vsed in the true worship of God A great number of the Priests were conuerted Acts 6. 7. all which did continue in obseruing of the Law c. Acts 17. 20. So that the Priests being made Christians did wear the linnen Ephod Iosippus who was neare to the Apostles writes of Iames the Iust the Lords Brother that it was permitted to him only to enter into the Sanctuary because he did not weare a woollen but a linnen garment The formes and Ceremonies of the Christian Church were not established in the time of the Acts of the Apostles but afterward and S. Iohn the Euangelist did ouerliue all the Apostles and S. Paul many yeeres for S. Paul and S. Peter were put to death by Nero which was An. 70. But S. Iohn did liue to the time of Traiane the Emperour who did beginne Anno. Dom. 100. and then writ his Euangell 30. yeeres after the death of the Apostles during the which time hee being the alone Apostle that did liue long and being Bishop of Ephesus hee established the forme and Ceremonies of Christian Religion hee did weare as a Priest or Bishop the white Garment of this we haue an euident testimonie written by Policratis Bishop of Ephesus and one of S. Iohns Successors who did write in an Epistle sent to Uictor Bishop of Rome that Iohn who did lie on Christs breast was a Priest and did weare a garment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a white loose and long garment The 8. Booke of the Constitutions of the Apostles attributed vnto Clemens Bishop of Rome disciple to S. Peter containeth the formes and Ceremonies of the Churches Seruice and amongst other circumstances it is said that the Bishop ministring the holy Communion is clothed with a white garment which is called splendida vesâ—is This Booke is named in the last of the Cannons Ecclosiastike called Apostolike which no doubt are very ancient and is approued by Athanasius and many others of the learned Fathers and is the Booke in which the true ministration of the Sacraments is prescribed with the true worship of God and affords vs most euident testimonie against the Popes falsely pretended succession from Peter against the monstrous Transubstantiation and the inuocation of all creatures inferiour to the holy Trinitie whether they be men or Angels And therefore wee shall doe well to follow the authoritie of this most ancient Booke in all controuersies betwixt vs and our Aduersaries the Papists and much more in the matter of the white garment and other Ceremoniall matters These testimonies are sufficient to perswade vs that the Apostles did conâ—â—nue in the â—stablishment of the Christian Religion the vse of the white Garment in the Church Seruice notwithstanding that they knew well that it was before their time abused to the seruice and worship of Idols and false Gods of the Gentiles and her then people Clemens Alexandrinus a very learned Presbiter and Pantenus Disciple who was S. Marke the Euangelists Disciple and did liue but 50. yeeres after S. Iohn is a sufficient witnesse to testifie vnto vs that the vse of the white garment did continue in the true Church of GOD after the death of all the Apostles The words of Clemens
Ierusalem and the Presbyters or Elders did enforme S. Paul that many Myriades that is a very great multitude of the Iewes had receiued the faith which were all zealous obseruers of the Law whereof wee collect that they did retaine Circumcision and the celebration of the Iewish Passeouer together with Baptisme and the holy Communion after that same kinde of gesture of accubation as Christ himselfe did which wee haue proued before in the second These To this purpose doth agree that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2. verse 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the faithfull assiduè operam dabant did continually trauell in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the Communion and breaking of bread and prayers And in the 46. verse of the said Chapter it is said that they continued daily in one accord in the Temple and breaking of bread from house to house and did eate their meate together with gladnesse Whereof we may easily gather that they did assist in the Temple to the Ceremonies of the Law but in their priuate houses they did daily celebrate the Communion at their ordinary feasts which they could not performe publikely by reason of the persecution of the Sinagogue So that without all doubt the gesture of their bodyes in all their publike meales was conforme to the custome of the Iewes which was accubatio a lying downe Also the Gentiles that were conuerted did celebrate the feast of Agape and after it the holy Communion obseruing the gesture of accubation as shall hereafter be sufficiently God willing proued S. Paul did reproue the Corinthians because they did not lawfully obserue the first institution of these publike feasts in communicating together the rich relieuing the poore His words are these When yee come together therefore into one place this is not to eate the Lords Supper for euery man when they should eate taketh his owne supper afore and one is hungry and another is drunke So that yee see the abuse of this feasting was that they did not follow the first institution in making their meat and drinke common to all equall but did conuert publike eating to priuate vse the rich men eating apart by themselues and the poore by themselues Therefore the Apostle commands them in the end of the Chapter that when they come to eate they tarry one for another S. Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 2. verse 13. disclaimeth against false Christians which did seeke nothing in their publike feasts but the satisfaction of their owne bellyes the word which Peter vseth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth to make a publike feast in a common societie The Apostle Iude in the 12. verse of his Epistle speaking of them that abused these feasts which were dedicated to an holy vse to their owne pleasures saith These are like spots in your feasts of Charitie when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues these feasts are called here by the name of Agapae which signifieth a Feast of Charitie or loue Theodor. Beza doth retaine the same word in his Latine Translation Hae sunt in Agapis vestris maculae dum vobiscum conuiuantur absque vllius metu scipsos pascentes where hee doth note that Agapae erant sraterna ac ecclesiastici coetus conuiuia quae describuntur a Tertulliano in Apologetico that these were the publike feasts in their Ecclesiasticall Assemblies which are described by Tertullian in his Apologeticke which is a Booke written in defence of Christians against the Gentiles In the end of these feasts the Communion was celebrated as Christ did after Supper It is mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles Chap. 6. verse 2. that the Apostle called the multitude together and said It is not meete that wee should leaue the word of God and serue the Tables These Tables are the publike feasts mentioned in the second Chapter of the said Booke verse 46. In the which the holy Communion is called the breaking of bread Without all doubt in these publike feasts the Apostles and the saithfull did celebrate the Communion in the selfe same manner and gesture of body which Christ did institute which was as is proued in the second These the gesture of accubation The holy Martyr Ignatius second Bishop of Antiochia and Successor to S. Peter called these publick feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is also mentioned in Luke Chapter 5. verse 19. where it is said that Leui which is Mathew the Publicane made a great banquet to Iesus where Theod Beza noteth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie ad verbum acceptionem quod passim in eo omnes accipiantur For it commeth from the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to receiue That which S. Iude calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same is called by Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius his words are these It is not lawfull to baptise without the Bishop nor to offer oblations nor to bring any Sacrifices nor to celebrate the feast called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where marke by the way that in the false Popish Translation it is Mossas celebrare from the which the Papists doe pretend to proue the antiquitie of their Masse Hyeronimus Vairlenius Siluius of the Romish profession in the notes of his Translation of Ignatius Epistles Printed at Antwerpe by Plantinus who had permission to print the same from the Spanish King and is approued by those of the Inquisition saith after this manner reliquimus hic vocem Graecam quae conuiuium significat Latinè sic dictum ab accipiendo quòd omnes promiscuè acciperentur videtur autem id conuiuium idem fuisse cum eo quod Tertullianus in Apologetico suo Agapen suo seculo appellatum scribit quamuis beatus Iudas in Epistola sua cadem voce Agape vsus sit pro conuiuio eiusmodi Where it is euident that Uairlenius in the Translation of Ignatius Epistles doth follow the opinion of Theod. Beza in this matter And therefore the foresaid vulgar Translation of the said testimony is false Plinius the second President of Bithynia vnder the Emperour Traiane which was an hundred yeeres after Christ writeth to the Emperour that hee had examined sundry Christians as hee had commanded him and that hee had learned of them that they were accustomed at an appointed day to meete together before day-light and to say one after another a Song or Rhime to Christ as to God and to binde themselues by a Sacrament or holy promise not to commit any villany but especially not theft not robbery not adultery not to breake their promise that being required they should not detaine any thing that was committed to their custodie And after this their custome was to depart and afterwards to assemble together to their common Feasts which were without any harme Where wee obserue beside our purpose that the first Christinas did sing their Songs one answering to another which forme is followed
in the Seruice-Booke of England The publike feasts performed in the Assemblies of the Christians were the same which we called before Agape and vnder the name of cibus promiscuus is contained the celebration of the holy Communion which in that age was executed euery day in the Christian Assemblies To this purpose doth the testimonie of Tertullian serue who liued an hundred yeeres after Saint Iohn who doth relate many ancient customes which were obserued in the Church and amongst other speaking of the holy Communion hee saith We Christians doe receiue from the hands of our Presidents and Rulers the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the time of our meales in all things being commanded by the Lord yea and also in our Assemblies before the day breaking The said Tertullian in describing the forme of the publicke feasts of Christians after the which they did celebrate their holy Communion calleth the place in which they did celebrate the same Triclinium which signifieth a Parlour or Supping roome in which three beds were spread to lye vpon round about a Table which was set low as wee haue proued heretofore in the second These Euen so the word discumbere which Tertullian vseth signifieth to lie at Table on Cushens Carpets or the like spread vpon the ground as is said These are Tertullians words For ye Gentiles do not onely blaspheme our Suppers to be infamous but also prodigall onely the Triclinia of the Christians that is the place of their publicke feasts are euill spoken of but the name of our Supper sheweth the reason thereof for it is called Agape in the Greeke tongue because it was a feast of charitie or loue whatsoeuer cost is bestowed it is not to be counted cost but gaine for to make such cost for pieties sake it is to be esteemed gaine because by this refreshing wee relieue the poore c. Ere wee lye downe at Table wee first say our prayers the hungry doe eate as much as may satisfie them and the thirsty doe drinke so much as is profitable for temperate men they are but so satisfied with food as that in the night they may remember they must worship God They talke so as if they knew the Lord heard them after the washing of their hands and the lighting of candles euery one is prouoked to sing a Song vnto God eyther out of the holy Scriptures or of their owne inuention In the end of this publike feast the custome was to celebrate the Communion for Tertullian in his booke De corona militis as is said beareth witnesse that the Christians did receiue the Sacrament in the time of their meales meaning of the publike meales because the Communion was euery day celebrated in all publike assemblies in that age Iulian the Apostate who was for many yeers a Christian and did exercise the Office of Deaconus in his yonger age after that hee was Emperour and became an Apostate he re-established the heathenish Sacrifices and publike feasts in the which hee vsed the gesture of Accubation which did continue in that age as well amongst the Christians as heathens Theodoretus doth relate the forme of the solemne feasts which were solemnized by Iulias to Ap lio Daphnaeus where hee saith that the Sonne of the heathenish Priest in the first day of the feast which continued seauen dayes did vse sprinkling of consecrated water to the Idoll which vvas called aqua â—ustralis by the which the feast was dedicated to the said Idoll where wee obserue beside our purpose that the Popish Holy-water comes from this Heathenish ceremonie That the gesture of Accubation vvas vsed in this Feast it is cleare by the vvords of Theodoretus where hee saith that in the first day of this Feast the Priests Sonne standing nigh the Emperours bed did sprinckle ouer all the meate with this Holy-water Out of which wee may see plainely that the Emperour lay on a bed at this Solemne Feast according to the ancient custome of the Greekes and Romanes before Christs Natiuitie and since These publike Feasts beganne to be abused in Saint Pauls time so the abuse did continue till a Nationall Councill holden at Laodicaea Anno Domini 368 did forbid these publike banquets and feasts to be solemnized in the Church as is expressed in the 28. Canon of that Councill in these words following It is not lawfull to make Feasts called Agapae in the Lords houses or Assemblies or to eate in the house of God and spread Carpets or any such like thing for to lye vpon to wit at the said Feast The words of the selfe-same Canon are repeated in the sixt generall Councill holden in Constantinople in the Pallace called Trullus which Councill was holden vnder the Emperour Iustinian Anno Domini 555. So that notwithstanding that this manner of Supper was forbidden by the Nationall Synode of Laodicaea yet 〈…〉 in the time of Iustinian otherwise the said 〈◊〉 of Constantinople would not haue prohibited thâ—â— by a new Canon not making mention of the Synode of â—â—odicaea This Agapae was also called Caena Dominica as Renanus doth note vpon Tertulisans Booke de corona militis whose words are these It is very likely that the Christians did celebrate together a Feast in the Temple vpon the day of the Lords Supper whereof there are some signes left with vs for Tertullian writing to his wife who making mention of a Heathen who had a Christian to his wife saith after this manner Which of the Gentiles will endure securely that his wife assist all the night long to the solemnitie of the Easter or which of the Gentiles without suspition would giue his wife leaue to assist to the Lords Feast which they haue in great infamie c. These words conuiuium Dominicum in this testimony and the words Sacramentum Eucharistiae tempore victus sumimus heretofore cited and the description of the Supper called Agape being conferred one with another doth shew that the Communion was in that age celebrated after the said Supper as Christ himselfe did so that the Christians in the time of Tertullian did retaine eating and drinking at the Communion in a common societie according to S. Pauls commandement Wherefore my brethren when yee come together to eate tarry one for another The ordinary custome to celebrate the Communion after Supper was changed about the end of the first foure hundred yeeres after Christ and was conuerted into a publike feast called Caena Dominica the Lords Supper Socrates and Sozomenes doe relate the diuersitie of customes and Ceremonies that were in vse in their time in sundry Churches the words of Socrates are these the Egiptians which dwell nigh to Alexandria and they that doe inhabite the Country called Thebs doe celebrate their solemne Synaxis or Communion vpon Saturday but according to the custome of the Christians to wit of that age which was foure hundred yeeres after Christ after they haue ended their Communion or publike Supper
abstaine from our sins that his holy Communion may be vnto vs an Antidote and medicine to purge vs of all the spirituall poyson of sinne and corruption that wee be not guilty of Christs death and that we eate not vnworthily to our owne condemnation Seeing that in all this tryall of our selues before the Communion prayers and repentance is to be vsed and the gesture of prayer is kneeling as wee haue already proued by Christs example it followeth that the gesture of kneeling is the most conuenient and agreeable to Christs owne gesture This gesture of kneeling in prayers continued in the Apostles time for the holy Martyr S. Steuen being to receiue according to the interpretation of his name the crowne of Martyrdome in yeeelding vp the Ghost hee did pray kneeling When S. Peter did raise the Widdow Tabitha from death he did pray kneeling S. Paul after a long exhortation to the Church of the Ephesians taking his last leaue of them made them pray with him kneeling so did he in taking his leaue of the Church of Tyrus Kneeling is taken often in the Scriptures for the worship of God and S. Paul to the Romanes by the bowing of the knee to Baal doth vnderstand the worshipping of Baal And to the Philippians it is said that all knees shall bowe to the name of Iesus that is shall worship Iesus as a true God The celebration of the Communion is the most notable action of our Christian Religion for in it the effect of all other things is applyed to vs and therein is represented Gods blessings as the preaching of the Gospell prayers inuocations thankesgiuings and lastly the very death of Christ therein is represented which doth worke in vs by the participation of this holy Communion Therefore seeing kneeling in the Scripture signifieth the worship of God it followeth that it is the most conuenient gesture of our body which is to be vsed in this holy action The gesture of standing in the time of prayer all the dayes betweene Easter and Penticost and in all the Sundayes of the yeere did beginne in the Primatiue Church in the commemoration of Christs Resurrection The first mention that we read thereof is in Tertullian who doth relate it to be an ancient custome his words are these Wee esteeme it an unlawfull thing to fast on Sunday or to pray in kneeling Beatus Renanus in his notes vpon these words saith it appertaineth to a penitent man to pray on his knees but hee that prayeth standing giueth thankes as hauing obtained forgiuenesse Cyprian disciple to Tertullian saith Beloued brethren when we stand at prayer we should be awaked and with all our hearts bend our selues in our prayers towards God Wherefore wee may gather that standing was then in vse partly for to auoid sleeping because the Christians made their assemblies in the night during the time of their great persecutions This custome was long after continued for the 20. Canon of the Nicean Councill doth enioyne an vniformitie of standing at prayers to be kept in all Churches Basilius Magnus lib. de sancto spiritu doth relate this custome of standing at prayers amongst the ancient traditions receiued in the Church for a long time hee giueth the reason of standing and saith Because wee are risen againe together with Christ wee ought to seeke after those things that be aboue and in the day of the Resurrection by standing at prayers wee admonish our selues by this vpright gesture of the body of the grace which we haue receiued by the Resurrection c. Moreouer saith Basilius when we doe bowe our knees and life our selues vp againe we doe shew by this fact that we were fallen downe to the earth by sinne and that we are lifted vp againe to heauen by the humanitie of him who did create vs. This custome was in Hieromes dayes who relates it among the Traditions of the Church and Austine giueth a reason of it in these words following In the dayes of Pentecost that is the fiftie dayes betweene Easter and Whitsunday which are celebrated after the Resurrection are now a figure not of labour but of rest and ioy and for this cause in these dayes wee vse no fasting and wee pray standing which is a signe of the Resurrection Of this it comes to passe that the same custome is obserued all the Sundayes in the yeere at the Altar The gesture of kneeling was not abused in the olde Masse for to adore the Sacrament as the Papists erroniously doe in our age but when the Priest and the people did receiue the consecrated bread and wine which was distributed amongst all them that were there present to communicate then they kneeled downe and did pray to God according to the forme of Prayer expressed in in the Booke De diuinis officijs Missae which is Printed at Paris Anno Dom. 1610. the which prayer is in our English Communion Booke Augustine doth not expresse the forme of this prayer only he saith We take the words of S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 2 precations or supplications to be those which wee make in the celebration of the Sacraments before that which is on the Lords Table be blessed and oration and prayers to be when it to wit the bread is blessed and sanctified and broken in pieces to be distributed all the which Petitions the whole Church doth conclude with the Lords Prayer They that doe refuse to kneele at the Communion doe not refuse kneeling in the Lords Prayer which is said in the Communion and therefore I see no reason why they should refuse the one and embrace the other The forme of the celebration of the old Masse vvas called before Carolus Magnus time and in his time Ordo Romanus the which is published in sundry manners in the fore-said Booke De diuinis Officijs together with Rabanus Maurus Amalarius Walafridus who did liue Anno Dom. 855. and haue all written the forme order and manner of the old Masse they doe expresse the standing in a great part of that holy action but they make no mention of the Prayer vsed before the actuall receiuing of the Communion Iohannes Micrologus who did write in the time of Gregory the seauenth as hee himselfe testifieth in the seauenteenth Chap. De officijs Missae which was anno Dom. 1080. doth expresse the said Prayer performed in kneeling in the 18. Chapter where hee saith that after the breaking of the bread all should communicate that the Prayer which wee doe say kneeling before wee take the Communion we haue it not from the Romane order but from some religious Tradition Of the which Prayer Micrologus hath onely the beginning but Rodolphus de rino Decanus who did liue 1400. yeeres after Christ doth expresse this holy prayer his words are the selfe-same which Micrologus hath that is Lord Iesus Christ who by the will of the Father and cooperation of the holy Ghost hast