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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01917	Eirenokoinonia. The peace of the communion of the Church of England. Or, The conformitie of the ceremonies of the communion of the Church of England with the ensamples and doctrine of the holy Scriptures, and primitiue Church, established by the Apostles of Christ, and the holy martyrs, and bishops, their successors. By Io: Gordon, Doctor of Diuinitie, and Deane of Salisbury.	Gordon, John, 1544-1619.	1612 (1612)	STC 12056; ESTC S117965	29,676	44

Alexandrinus be these The dying of clothes should be reiected to wit from the vse of the Christian seruice for they to wit that dyeth cloathes are very farre from the truth c. It is most conuenient saith hee that those who are candidi pure of minde and are not inwardly còunterfaited to no curious and precious clothing c Daniel saith Clemens doth speake euidently and purely saying the Thrones were placed and one like to be of very olde age did sit on them and his clothing was white as the Snow Iohn saith that hee did see in a vision the Lord wearing such a clothing Also hee saith hee did see the Soules that were Martyrs or witnesses of Christ vnder the Altar and that to euery one of them was giuen ●● white garment c. And the said Clemens saith I doe approue the Philosophers of the I le of Coos who did describe Vertue and Wickednesse by two fit Images Hee made the Image of Vertue standing simply clothed with a white Garment as being the Vertue a pure thing decked with modestie And a little after he saith if any will all edge Christs long clothing of diuers colours it signified the diuen and sundry colours of wisedome and of the Scriptures which neuer withered and the eloquent speeches of the Lord which doth shine with the clearenes of the truth Thus farre the words of Clemens This testimonie which is very euident is a proofe that the vse of the white garment was continued amongst the Christians after the death of the Apostles Tertullianus who did liue an hundred yeeres after S. Iohn saith If thou change thy bond-man to freedome hee is honoured with the brightnesse of a white garment and with the honor to beare a gold Ring to haue the name of a Counseller of Law to be of a Familie and to keepe a Table and from this it commeth that they who are baptised are clothed with white clothing that they may remember that they are made free-men and of bond-men and of slaues of the Diuell they are made the free-men of Christ Eusebius hath inserted in his Historie Ecclesiasticke a Panagiricke or publicke speech made in an assembly of Bishops in the dedication of a Temple builded by Paulinus Bishop of Tirus where hee called the Bishops the Friends and Priests of God hauing an holy long Garment which was white and saith that they were all clothed with the Garment of Priestly office This was the first Temple builded 300. yeeres after Christ when Constantinus Magnus did establish the Christian Religion These testimonies serue to proue that the first three hundred yeeres after Christ which was the time of the perfection of the Primitiue Church when the Bishops and Presbiters were holy Martyrs that they did vse a white garment in exercising the Church seruice Pontius Paulinus S. Augustines Disciple saith to this purpose that the Priest doth bring from the Well of Baptisme the children coloured with white in their body in their heart and minde So that the ancient Primatiue Church called the weeke which followed Easter weeke Septima in albis the weeke in white clothing because the Baptisme was administrated in that weeke and Whitsun weeke onely vnlesse the Children were in danger of their life I hope in God that these testimonies and proofes heretofore cited shall perswade all reasonable mens consciences two poynts concerning this matter the one is that although the white Garment was abused in the seruice of the false Gods and Idols of the Gentiles both before the Law of Moses and also before and in Christ and his Apostles time yet they did not abrogate the vse of the said white Garment but conuerted it to the Seruice of the true God to be vsed in all religious Seruice of the Church and consequently the Reformers of the Church of England haue lawfully retained the vse of the white Garment notwithstanding that it is vsed to the seruice of Idols in the Popish Church The second point is that the vse of the white Garment is an Institution Apostolike and seeing that the said Booke of the Constitution of the Apostles maketh mention thereof and that Iames the Lords Brother and Iohn the Euangelist his beloued Disciple did vse the said Garment as is euident by the testimonies heretofore cited it followeth that the vse of it in our Church Seruices of England hath for the warrant thereof the authoritie of the holy Apostles of Christ so that no man which will follow the example of the Apostles should except anything against the vse of the said white Garment The second THESE THe Iewes and the Gentiles in the time of the Natiuitie of Christ were accustomed to lie about a Table set low as well in their ordinarie meales and Suppers as in their solemne feasts and Christ finding this custome in vse in the feasts of the Easter Lambe hee retained it in the Institution and celebration of the holy Communion notwithstanding that it was before his Natiuitie vsed in the solemne Feasts in the Temples of Idols Therefore seeing Christ did neyther stand sit nor kneele in this holy Action but followed the custome receiued there is no necessitie in any of these gestures but they are indifferent so that euery man should follow the receiued Custome in the Church where hee doth liue and dwell And that although this gesture of kneeling was and is yet abused in the Popish Idolatry it was lawfully retained by the godly Reformers of the Church of England The Testimonies and proofes of this doe follow THe Iewes during the time of the second Temple were Subiects and Tributaries sometime to the Persians sometime to the Grecians and the Syrians and finally were subdued by Pompey and made a Romane Prouince about sixty yeeres before Christs Incarnation being thus subdued they were gouerned by the Romish Deputies who did keepe in Ierusalem a strong Garison of Souldiours so that this was the cause why the Iewes did imitate and follow many of the Customes and Rites of the Persians Greekes and Romanes as well in the solemne feasts of the Church as in their ordinarie dinners and Suppers at home The Heathenish Romane Historiographers and Poets doe teach vs that they were accustomed in their most solemne Sacrifices to make publike Feasts in the Temples of their Idols which they did celebrate lying vpon Beds Carpets or Cushens spread vpon the floore of their Temples euen as they did in their solemne Feasts in their houses The learned doe write that these beds or cushens c. which they did lie vpon were called Puluinaria Decrum which is a kinde of beds dedicated to the Heathenish Gods in the which the Images of their false Gods did lye at great feasting times Also Lectisternia as witnesseth Liuie were beds spread in the Temples of their Idols vpon which the Priests and others that did assist to their sacrifices did lye at their publike feasts The Poet Uirgil who did write

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 ves●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 con●●nue in the ●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

S. Mathew Christ vseth the selfe same word where hee speaketh of the feeding of 4000. people with seauen loaues saying that Christ commanded the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fall downe or lye downe on the earth which word is rehearsed also in the 8. Chapter of Marke In the 13. Chapter of S. Iohns Euangell verse 4. it is said of Christ that hee did rise from Supper the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rise vp from the ground the Latine is resurgere which is applyed to the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. verse 44. The body is sowne a naturall body and it is raised a spirituall body In the fore-said 13. Chapter of S. Iohn it is said that after Christ had washed his Disciples feete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying or falling downe againe with his Disciples in the Supper before begunne in the 23. verse it is said there was one of Iesus Disciples lying on Iesus bosome euen hee whom Iesus loued The Greeke word which hee vseth here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a lying downe the same which ye heard vsed before in Mathew and Marke In all these places before cited the English Translation doth follow the vse and custome of England for in the place of lying downe which is the true signification of the Greeke word the English Translation hath sitting as yee may read in sundry places but especially in the 14. Chapter of S. Marke ver 18. The English Translation is as they sate at Table although the Greeke word doth signifie to lye at Table So that without any doubt Christ in the celebration of the Easter Lambe and of the Communion did vse the gesture of lying at Table which was in vse before his time although the same gesture was then abused in the feasts of the Heathens Idolatry as is said Further this custome of lying is expressed in the Ceremoniall Bookes of the Iewes and namely in that which is entituled Orach Chaim that is The way of Life where it is said that the Iewes did eate the Easter Lambe lying at or about a Table Burdorsius a very learned man in the Hebrew and Chaldaike languages and in the Thalmud and Ceremoniall Bookes of the Iewes in the 13. Chapter of his Booke entituled Synagoga Iudaeorum hath set forth in Latine the forme of the Ceremonies of the eating of the Easter Lambe out of the foresaid Booke called Orach Chaim where it is related that Baal Baith that is the Maister of the house after he had giuen thankes and blessed the Wine hee beganne the Supper with a cup of wine and after him euery one about did emptie his cup lying vpon their left side on Carpets or Cushens of silke like some great Baron or noble man After they haue eaten the foresaid Maister of the house doth eate of a thicke Cake and doth distribute vnto the rest some part of it while they lye on their left side and last of all they end the whole action with a third cup of wine which is blessed and so they giue thankes to God It is manifest by these testimonies that the mistaking of the proprietie and signification of the Greeke tongue hath bred a great diuision which is grounded vpon a double error The first is an errour of the History of the custome obserued in Christs time insomuch that many will not kneele because they are perswaded that Christ did sit and not kneele at the Communion Seeing therefore yee see it clearly proued that Christ and his Disciples did not sit but lye according to the custome of the Iewes and Gentiles in his time it is a great errour to hold that sitting is necessarily to be obserued in the holy Communion and to abstaine from it vnlesse it be performed in sitting in our manner The other errour doth proceed from this that men do enioyne necessitie to things which in their owne nature are indifferent as to hold that the gesture of the body which Christ did vse in the institution of the holy Supper is substantiall and not indifferent and therefore men surmising that Christ did sit in our manner at his last Supper that it is a substantiall thing to sit at the Communion and on the other part that it is vnlawfull to kneele at the Communion because Christ and his Disciples did not kneele at the first institution of this holy action Christ did celebrate the Communion after Supper now if we were bound to follow the gesture of the body which Christ did vse wee should be also bound to the performing of this action after our Supper Moreouer it is to be obserued for our instruction that Christ in this action did follow the gesture of the body which was brought from the Gentiles to the Iewes against the prescript of Moses Law although it was abused before Christs Natiuitie to the seruice of Idols This example of Christ doth much concerne vs for as Christ did vse the custome of lying receiued before his time to draw the Iewes Gentiles to his Church notwithstanding the abuse of it in the Idols seruice euen so the holy Martyrs of the Church of England who were Reformers of the same did imitate Christ in retaining that custome of the gesture of the body which was in vse in the Popish Church although it was abused to Idolatry to draw the Papists from the Idolatrous kneeling in the Adoration of the externall Sacrament to adore Christ himselfe in receiuing the holy Sacrament of his blessed body and bloud Now seeing it is manifestly proued that Christ did neyther sit nor stand in executing this holy action there it no necessitie in standing nor sitting And if there were any necessitie to follow precisely the forme that Christ vsed wee should all lye about a Table set low on the ground as Christ and his Disciples did And therefore no man can haue any likelihood of reason to abstaine from the holy Communion vnlesse it be administred to them sitting at a Table or in seates or in Pewes The third THESE THE Apostles and Christs Church founded by them did vse to celebrate a publike feast in their Assemblies which was called Agape or the Feast of Charitie because in it the poore were relieued by the rich after the which their custome was to celebrate the Lords Supper all lying on Carpets Cushens or the like as Christ did which custome continued in many places many hundred yeeres but the Catholike Church did change this custome both of lying and eating after Supper which change is allowed of by those who in our time haue brought in the gesture of sitting at table in receiuing the Communion And therefore there is no reason but they should as well allow of the change of lying into kneeling The Proofes and Testimonies of the third THESE WEe reade in the sixt of the Acts verse 7. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great multitude of the Priests receiued the Faith and in the 21. Chapter verse 20. Iames the Bishop of