hoc acceperunt sacramentum ita nunc dâ—sponam is saith Marlorat in 1. Cor. 11. It appeareth thirdly by the practise of the Apostolicall kirks observing still this gesture howbeit other circumstances of time and place and other things which fell out occasionally at the first supper are not regarded Their practise may be a commentarie to the precept Do this that wee may take up what is comprehended under it Howbeit Christ had not said Hoc facite Do this his example in setting down the patern and put in practise by the Apostles afterwards is equivalent to a precept Christi Apostolorum exempla sunt nâ—strum exemplaâ—â—exemplar autem rei faciendae probat rem esse praeceptam necessariam Christ himself after hee was sitting at table in Emâ—us with the two disciples Luke 24. 30. hee took bread blessed it brake it and gave to them This place is interpreted by sundrie ancients and moderne of the breaking of the sacramentall bread which may be granted without any vantage to the Papists for communicating in one kinde because the example is extraordinarie and by the Hebrew phrase of breaking of bread synecdochically may bee meant the whole supper M. P. thinketh likewise that it is like this breaking of bread was sacramentall but saith hee the sitting was onlie occasionall But there was no occasion to hinder him to use another gesture when hee come to that action Yee see then in the judgemeut of all the interpreters who expound this place of the sacrament of the supper that Christ celebrate this sacrament while he and his disciples were sitting and used no other gesture but that which they had used at their ordinary eating before It is obiected that the Apostle in the rehearsall of the words of the institution 1 Cor. 11. maketh no mention of sitting I answer that the Apostle rehearseth not all that was requisite for the celebration of the supper His chief purpose was to correct the abuse of the Corinthians that is their not staying upon other For the Lord that night he was betrayed said to all his disciples conveened together Take ye eat ye drinke ye all of this Illa coena Christi omnes commun ver accumbentes habuit That supper had all sitting in common together saith Chrysostome rebuking such as neglected to communicat with the poore Oâ—â—umenius hath the like This is not to eat the Lords supper he meaneth that supper whâ—ch Christ delivered when all his disciples were present For in that supper the Lord and all his servants sate together Hierom in 1 Cor. 11. The Lords supper ought to be common to all because he deliverâ—d the sacraments equally to all his disciples that were present It was not the Corinthians fault that they sate â—t table but that neither at their common meats nor at the Lords table would they sit together but sorted themselfes in factions and companies saith D. â—ilson in his book of obedience And again Saint Paul as Chrysistome thinketh brought the table and supper where the Lord himself was and â—t which his dâ—scâ—ples sate for an example to shew them that that is rightly judged to be the Lords supper quae omnâ—bus simul convocatis concordiâ—er communâ—ter sumitur which is received in common and with one consent of all assembled together The Apostle saith not I deliver to you here all that I receaved of the Lord but I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you The Apostle presupposeth a lawfull minister a table and sitting at the table and rehearseth only Christs actions and his words uttered to communicants sitting at that table together bidding them all eat drink c. conveened together Not yet all his actions and words as giving of the bread blessing of the cup either severally or conjunctly with the bread and the precept to drink all of it Ipsi et am Evangel stae mutuo inter se supplevâ—sse leguntur quae ab eâ—rum aliquo vel aliquibus sunt omâ— ssa The Evangelâ—sts themselses supply mutually what is omitted by any of the rest saith Innocentius 3 in the Decretals There was but one action saith Casaubon which consisted of the holy and common banquet and from the nobler paâ—t was called the supper of the Lord. Totam illam Corinth orum actionem quae sacro communi convivio constabat a potiori parte vocat coenam dominicam The love-feast then and the Lords supper went together the love-feasts in these times preceeding and the Lords supper immediately following For as Estius a professour in Doway reasoneth It is likely that in imitation of Christs example at the first supper they celebrat after the love-feast Next they stayed not upon other at the commoun supper which could not have beene if they had communicated together before as the Greek fathers conceave who are of the other opinion Thirdly the Apostle putteth them in minde of triall before and good behaviour If these abuses had fallen forth after the Apostles exhortation had not beene so pertinent Fourthly this opinion is confirmed by the custome which was observed after in many Churches even till Augustinus dayes Willâ—ts in his synopsis pag. 677. In the end of those feasts they used to râ—ceave the sacrament Cornelius a Lapide a Professour in Lovane affirmeth likewise that the love-feast preceeded the holy supper Agape haec tempore Paule fiebat ante non post sacram synaxin Druthmarus who wrote about the yeare 800. saith that the Apostles celebrated after meat as Christ did Feâ—â—runt autem Apostoli multo tempore similiter post alium elbum dominicum fumentos D. Bilson saith likewise by Saint Pauls words it should appear the communion was distributed to them after meals but saith he to us it is all one whether before or after at their banquets and feasts it was ministred and even served at theâ—r tâ—bles â—s Augustine noteth epist. 118. And againe Because these brotherly repasts did either end or begin with the Lords supper they could not devide themselfes each from other and disdaine the poore at theâ—r common meat but they must offâ—r the same abuse at the Lords supper which was mâ—nistred to them as they sate at theâ—r tablâ—s immediatly before or afâ—er their usuall and corporall refreshings M. P. a la â—e champion for kneeling thinking it likely that Christ ministred the sacrament at Emaus hath this observation Hereupon I thinke together with the institution it selfe after supper were grounded the love-feasts by continued occasion whereof the disciples might possiblie for a time use sitting in the very act of receiving D. Downame Bishop of Derrie confesseth sitting to receave the sacrament to have beene used in the Churches in the Apostles times I passe by the names of Table and Supper and breaking of bread and the opposition made by the Apostle betwixt communicating at the Lords table and sitting at the tables of Idols which may
also but that statio signifieth only standing in Tertullians phrase when he saith Solennior statio or solvere stationem I have insisted the longer upon this testimonie because Doctour Burges doth so confidently gather out of it which never man did before that the Christians then did and before had used to take the sacrament kneeling This raw but too confident antiquarie his collection may be refuted by other testimonies witnessing that sâ—metimes they saâ—e of which we have alledged some before or at other timâ—s stood Pionysius Alexandrinus writing to Xystus bishop of Rome concerning one that was in sorrow because hee was baptised by hereticks saith he duâ—st not baptise him over againe because he had a long time stood at the table and reached forth his hand to receave the holy food and had beene for a long time partaker of the body and bloud of Christ. Iustinus telleth us That the people rose and the deacons gave to every one to partake of the bread and the wine Is it likely that they kneeled when the deacons gave the elements In the homily which goeth under the name of Chrysostome Stemus trementes timidi demissis ocutis Let us stand trembling with fear aâ—d our eyes casten downe So yee see both before and after Tertullians time testimonies for standing There was an ancient custome in the Church which Bellarmine saith was left off but about 500. yeare before his time to stand upon the Lords day even in time of prayer Zovaras in synod 6. can 90. sâ—ith That no wayes might they kneel betwixt the evening service on satterday and the Lords day at evening Die dominico de geniculis ad orarenesaâ— saith Tertullian And such like betwixt easter and pentecost not only upon the Lords day but no day of the weeke might they kneele Yea by the decree of Alexandâ—r the third they might not kneel upon the Lords day in publike but only at the consecration of Bishops and giving of orders he that did consecrate and he that wâ—s consecrated might kneel and this was decreed about the yeare 1159. at which 〈◊〉 it seemeth this one exception entred in Now will any man affirme That they never communicated upon the Lords day for a thousand yeare or 1159. or imagine as Doctour Burges doth that because they might not kneel that all this time they tooke the sacrament standing in the Church and went home to their houses where they eated kneeling or to their seats in the Church where they might not kneel L. page 52. confesseth That the communicanâ—s in the primitive Church stood at the table when they receaved the sacrament on the Lords day Well say they seeing they prayed standing they used that gesture in the receaving of the eucharist which they thought fittest for prayer I answer they thought not that gesture fittest for prayer The authour of the questions extant in Iustinus saith Genuâ—m inclinatio in precatione magis peccatores Deo commendat quâ—m sistantes orent He preferreth yee see kneeling in prayer before standing But both are indifferent They stood to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection and not because they though it the fittest gesture for prayer It was a conceat they tooke up which entred not in the Apostle Pauls minde for wee finde Acts 20. that he kneeled betweene Easter and Pentecost Alwise by that custome ye may see they communicated standing The testimonies above cited have not relation to any day and the custome observed yet to this day in the orientall Churches to communicate standing notwithstanding that other custome hath ceased declareth that they intended never geniculation in the act of receaving Ephraim Placit in his Christianographie descriving the manner of the administration of the Lords supper in the Greek Church in the Churches of the Mengrellians Circassians Georgians Muscovits Melchits or Syrians Armenian Iacobits the Christians falsly called Nestorians the Cophti or Egyptian Christians the Abyssinos or Ethiopian Christians produceth no instance for kneeling in the act of receaving eating drinking which he would not have pretermined being conforme and dedicating his booke to the bishop of Elie. Cassander in his Liturgicks descriving the order observed in the Churches of the Armâ—nâ—ans Muscovits and in the kingdome of preste Iohn maketh no mention of kneeling but of standing Ilâ—ssie in his 4. boâ—ke of the Masse trusseth up all in few words Quarè orientales ecclesiae adorationem sacramenti admiserunt nusquâ—m non quae patriarchae Consta tinopolitano obsequuntur nâ—n quae Antiocheno Et in Abyssnis etiam ipsis hodie stâ—ntes sacramenta participant nec â—â—minus reverenter The orientall Churches no where admitted edoration of the sacrament not those which are obedient to the patriâ—rch of Constantinople or yet the patriarâ—h of Antioch And the Abyssins themselfes participate of the sacrament standing and yet not without reverence Where by adoration he meaneth kneeling whereunto be opposeth standing If ever kneeling in the act of receaving had beene in use among them it had not beene left off considering mans pronnesse to idolatrie and superstition and delight to stick in the mire when he is wallowing in it It resteth then that kneeling is only found in the Churches subject to the Pope of old or at the present Other Churches howbeit they followed not the paterne using another forme and gesture not was sutable to this first yet they degenerated not so 〈◊〉 as the Roman Church did The Muscovite Graecians 〈◊〉 Lâ—tine Priest chance to say Masse upon one of their altars they forthwith breake them downe as defiled and polluted And they â—old the priests of the Latine Church to be no letter then hereticks and vouchsafe not to salute them Willets out of Sacranus We have not yet heard of any authentick testimonie for kneeling which is adoration in proper and strict sense for the space of a thousand year after Christ which is the date we set downe Nor yet till after the dayes of Pope Honorius the third who lived â—bout the yeare 1220. And he decreed nothing 〈◊〉 â—owing not of the knee but of the head or superiour bulk of the body at the elevation in â—he masse The bowing of the knee at the elevation entred not till afterward yea prevailed not universally even in our dayes For I finde in Bochellus a decree made in a popish synod at Rhems anno 1583. Quoriam apud omnes sere catholicos usus modo obtinuit ut procumbentes adorent divinâ—â— eucharistiam Because the use 〈…〉 prevailed almost among all catholicks that falling 〈◊〉 they aâ—ore the divine eucharist the holy synod exhorteth that if there be any Church useth another custome aâ—d 〈◊〉 the body of Christ in this sacrifice standing that they fâ—ll downe herâ—after while the holy mysteries are set forth to be adored Sancta synodus hortatur ut si quae ecclesia altero more adhuc utatur stando Christi corpus iâ— hoc sacrificio adoreâ— proeumbat 〈…〉 sancta
one of the precisest reformers upon Mathew 2. hath these words as I finde him cited by Amesius in his fresh suit pag. 360. I would to God that evâ—ry holy day whatsoever beside the Lords day were abolished That zeal which brought them first in was without all warrant or example of the Scripture and onely followed naturall reason to drive out the holy dayes of the pagans as it were to drive out one nail with another Those holy dayes have beene defiled with so grosse superstitions that I marvell if there be any Christian who doth not shake at their very names Seeing then festivall dayes have no warrant we ought not to hear the sermons delivered on these dayes of purpose for the day for that is the chiefe element of a festivall day to use a peculiar kinde of service proper to it And without divine service it were but an idle day not a holy day The word of God is good of it selfe but may bee abused to charming and to foster superstition whereof we should keepe our selves free that wee be not guiltie of the prophanation of the name of God Our preachers went to rebuke the people when they conâ—eened more frequently to the Church npon any festivall day falling upon an ordinarie day of teaching howbeit neither time nor text was changed But how farre have both preachers and professours degenered without appearance of amendment At the beginning of the late novations they were skar but now many have digested that scruple OF CONFIRMATION OUr act it is true alledgeth that the Papists have made of the triall of young children their education and how they are catechised a sacrament of confirmation as if no such thing were aimed at but the said triall yet in respect that by that act the pretended bishop shall cause them to bee presented before him that hee may blesse them with prayer for the increase of their knowledge and continuance of his heavenly grace with every one of them and wee know that they dare and will take upon them the rest of the rites used in the English Church laying of hands c. we reason as before against confirmation as it is used in the English Church Yet two things I perceave in the act as it standeth The one is that the bishop is not â—ound to try by himselfe every one that is to be presented before him but only to try whither the minister hath beene remisse in catechising and yet he must upon the report of others blesse them with prayer for the increase of knowledge and continuance of grace Next that he must blesse who hath not a calling to blesse that hee must blesse as if hee were the pastour of all the souls within the diocie old and young which charge that null and pretended assembly could not give him seeing it hath beene acknowledged before in free assemblies to have no warrant in the word of God and hath beene suppressed by our Church as a damnable office Therefore his blessing is but a prophanation with his fingers But what language is this to say that the bishop shall blesse them with prayer for to blesse is one thing and to pray another For prayer seeketh of God good things for us but to blesse is in Gods name to assure us that the blessing of God is upon us and shall accompanie us But let us come to their paterne That which now the Papists make the sacrament of confirmation was of old a part of the solemnitie of baptisme After the person was baptized they laid on hands that is prayed for increase and continuance of grace to the baptized as we doe now but without laying on of hands because it was a rite indifferent without any use but to designe the person for whom the prayer was made and afterward abused to make up another sacrament Afterward entred a superstitious device to strike Chrisme that is oile of olives tempered with balme in manner of a crosse upon the forehead of the baptized This anointing in the forme of a crosse was called signation or consignation because of the signe of the crosse made upon the forehead This unction or consignation and imposition of hands became in the mindes of superstitious men so necessarie that without them they thought they had not gotten their perfite christendome that the signe of the oily crosse perfited baptisme and conferred the spirit of God upon the baptized Tâ—â—s consignation and imposition of hands at the closure of baptisme was called confirmation like as the giving of the cup to the communicants after they have receaved the bread was called also confirmâ—tion as Cassander hath observed but the 〈◊〉 controued onely with the first The bâ—shops arrogated to themselves the unction or consignation and imposition of hands to advance their estate They doe that part which consummateth baptisme which maketh a fall and peâ—fite Christian. But when it was found that the bishop could not bee present at every baptisme the priest was permitted after baptisme to anoint the baptized in the top of the head with holy Chrisme but he must not crosse the forehead That must bee reserved to the bishops leasure Then they were presented to the bishop to be confirmed and get their perfite Christendome by ritâ—s which were appendicles and câ—remonie of baptâ—sme before Thâ— English at their rude reformation reserved imposition of hands to the bishop and gave their priest power to make the signe of the crosse upon the forehead of the baptized but without chrisme Howbeit there bee no greater antiquitie for the crossing without it then with it they call notwithstanding the bishops imposition of hands onely confirmation and not their priests crossing of the forehead And yet when the priest crosseth he saith Wee receave this childe into the congregation of Christs flock in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the world and the devill and to continue Christs faithfull souldier unto his lifes end Which words agree according to their doctrine better with confirmation For doe they not say that in baptisme infants 〈◊〉 admitted to live in Gods family but in conf 〈◊〉 they are rabled to fight in the armie of God That in baptisme they beleeve the remission of sinne unto justification in confirmation they are emboldened to make open professon of this beleefe unto salvation And this is just the doctrine of the Papists So they have parted the rits of confirmation or els they must acknowledge that they have two-confirmations which is as absurd But let us come to the last and that which they call confirmation or laying on of hands It is true in their articles set forth anno 1562. they deny confirmation to be a sacrament and acknowledge that it flowed from a naughtie imitation of the Apostles But Doctour Rainolds in the conference holden at Hampton court alledged that that article was contradicted by
it is said That there are but two sacraments generally necessarie to salvation What then So will the Papists confesse that confirmation is not necessarie to salvation otherwise they would minister it to the baptized at the point of death The English booke ordaineth that the childe shall be brought to the bishop by one that shall be his god-father or that every childe may have a witnesse of his confirmation This the Papists observe in their confirmation Thus also is a token that of old that which is now called Confirmation was but an appendicle or closure of baptisme from which being afterward separated it must not want the god-fathers it had when it was the appendicle of baptisme In the prayer before the laying on of hands they pray that the childe may be strengthened with the holy Ghost the Comforter The Papists say the Comforter promised by Christ was bestowed in the sacrament of confirmation The Papists say that in confirmation they receave the sevenfold grace of the holy spirit wisedome counsell strength knowledge understansting godlinesse feare They crave the like in the prayer before the laying on of hands But what suppose confirm 〈…〉 sacrament may not every pastour minister it It appertaineth to the captaine say they to take up the roll of the souldiers and furnish them with armour the shephard should marke his owne heep c. As if every minister were not a captaine in the Lords armie and a sheep-hard feeding the flock concreded unto him Bonaventure confesseth such similies force not but institution only maketh necessitie Our first reason then against them is the want of institution or exemple in scripture that bishops had this charge and not presbyters We now suppone only not grant that there were such office bearers in the Church Peter and John were sent to Samaria not only to lay on hands but to advance the worke begunnely Philip. Durandus saith it is not clear whither they laid on 〈◊〉 as bishops or as presbyters Augustine 〈…〉 is the authour of that booke entituled Quest veteris novi testamenti saith they did it as priests But the truth is they did it neither as bishops or priests and therefore neither the one nor the other succeeded unto them in it For it was extraordinarie and extraordinarie effects followed it The second reason bishops and presbyters as themselves confesse are equall in the power of order If the power be equall who can hinder them to put it in execution Hath Christ given them a power which they may not exercise Suarez the Jesuit saith If presbyters have sufficient power by vertue of their ordination to minister this sacrament it were no reason that they should be wholy hindered What God hath instituted the Church cannot inhibit saith Tilenus If presbyters had not had that power by vertue of their ordination neither Pope nor bishop might give them commission or licence to doe it saith Spalato But so it is that by dispensation of licence from the Pope the Papists grant they may Our third reason presbyters may impose hands in ordination of ministers therefore they â—ay also in confirmation So reasoneth Armachanus Our fourth reason they may celebrate and minister the Lords supper therfore they may doe this also So reasoneth the authour of that epistle ad Rusticum Narbonensem Our opposits are forced to confesse that this is not proper to bishops by vertue of their office but reserved to them for the dignitie of it Hierome saith that this was reserved to them not by necessitie of any law but for the honour of their priesthood Yet not in all places but multis in locis The authour of that epistle to Rusticus saith it was the custome in the orient in Illyricum in Italie in Africa and in all places in the Apostles time that presbyters did confirme In the decretals it is said that simple priests at Constantinople according to the custome did minister the sacrament of confirmation Turrianus reporteth that the Grecians reprove the Latines because they inhibit the priests to annoint the foreheads with chrisme as yee may see in Suarez The bishop of Spalato complaineth that bishops are so rigid that they will not permit the parish priests to confirme the rather because they come seldome to visite their parishes and thinketh howbeit they refuse the priests may as for himselfe he might have suffered the priests in his diocie confirme but he gave them not that libertie because he saw no necessitie of such a ceremonie and that it was not worthie the name of a sacrament If there were any moment in it should the bishops honour or lordly bishoping bee-preferred to the utilitie of it for the people Hierome saith If the holy Ghost should come downe only at the prayer of the bishop these were to bee lamented who in prisons or castels or farre places being baptized by priests and deacons die before the bishop visit them If it were a matter of moment saith Master Calvin wherefore doe bishops suffer so many halfe Christians in their diocies They betray by a tacite confession that it is not a matter of such moment as they pretend Beda is plaine that confirmation as also many other things was not permitted to priests for the arrogâ—ncie of bishops â—althasav Lydius saith It was untolerable superstit on that the priest might anoint the breast and the shoulder but it behoved all to abstaine from the forehead except only the bishop Seeing this subject is already treated upon at large in another worke and both the sacrament it selfe and the bishop who callengeth it as proper to himselfe are bastards I will in fast longer upon this point In their book of commâ—â— prayer it is required that these who are to bee confirmed bee able to answer the quâ—stions of a little catecatâ—â—me that with their own mouth and consent they may â—atifie and confirm openly before the church what the godfathers and godmothers promise in their name and promise to endeavour to observe and keep such things as by their own confession they have assented unto Is not this plain mocking of God to require publick profession before the Church of children who cannot give a serious confession of their faith howbeit they can utter some few words of a short catechisme like parrets They require that they bee of a perfect age but that is not observed or else by perfite age they meane onely years of discretion as they call them in the same place that is when they come to the use of reason that they can discern somewhat betweene good and evill or as Hackwell interpreteth when reason beginneth to break up Is this a fit time for publick profession of their faith or to make them capable and fit for the Communion whereof notwithstanding they do not partake many years after Eucerus in his censure censureth sharply this pretext of catechising M. Parker telleth us that for all
yea lawes are made in parliament concerning matters Ecclesiasticall without the knowledge or consent of the generall assemblie and acts of pretended assemblies are ratified sometime made worse with omissions additions alterations We want our assemblies to direct commissioners with articles grievances and petitions to parliaments conventions court and counsell and to treat of all the affaires of the Church what wonder is it then that all be out of frame But wee are still charged with frowardnesse that wee ever except against assemblies when wee have them So did the Ubiquitars the Theologues in the Palatinat Synodum appellatis said they synodum detrectatis The Theologues answered in their admonition Hinc istae lachrymae quod synodum ejusmodi vellent qualem principibus praescripscrunt in qui ipsi fuissent accusatores ipsi judices ipsi saltarent â—c spectarent suam fabulam ipsi sibi plausum dâ—ent So do wee answere to our Prelats if they will suffer no assemblies but such as they themselves overrule at pleasure they can not pretend desire of peace Wee call for no other assemblies then such as shall bee constitute according to the order agreed upon with his Majesties owne consent in the generall assembly holden anno 1598 such as shall have libertie to conveen yearly or at set times and to treat of all affaires belonging to the Church such as shall have freedome in their proceedings It were dangerous to acknowledge every meeting which claimeth to it self the name and authoritie of a generall assemblie Can wee acknowledge that convention at Perth anno 1618. for one of our lawfull generall assemblies The pretended priâ—at occupied the place of the Moderator without the election of the assembly which was contrare to the order ever observediâ—â—â—ur Church even when wee had Superintendents and contrare to the cautions agreed upon at Montross anno 1600 and at Linlithgow anno 1606. These who were entituled bishops wanting commission from presbyteries where they should make residence had place to vote contrare to the cautions agreed upon at Montrose and notwithstanding they had put in practice before kneeling and observation of festivall dayes Moâ— ministers then three out of a presbyterie were admitted or rather drawn to that meeting to give their voice Some moderators of presbyteries being the bishops substituts were admitted without commission No Baron ought to vote according to the act made at Dundie anno 1598 but one out of the bounds of a presbyterie having commission But a number were present at this assemblie being only required by his Majesties missives ' and their voices were numbred with the rest Some ministerâ— were the Kings pensioners or looked for augmentation of stipends or were threatned in privat by their diocesan bishop with deposition or were circumveened with promises that they should not be urged with practice Necessitie of yeelding was urged under no lesse danger then of the wrath of authoritie and utter subversion of the order and state of our Church Such as had courage to oppose were checked interrupted threatned yea it was plainly professed that neither reasoning nor voting should carie the matter All the five articles were put to once voting with this certificat Hee that denied one should be reputed to have denied all Much more might bee said to this purpose but these few particulars are sufficient to justifie our exceptions against that assembly as null in it self Because many are desirous of information concerning these five articles enacted at this assembly and treatises formerlâ— printed are become scarce we were moved to prease througâ— many difficulties to the publishing of this Re-examinatioâ— Here you shall finde the abâ—idgement of what was wâ—iâ—ten beâ—fore with a more particular reply to Doctor Lindseyes defence than that which is in Altare 〈◊〉 or to any objection of moment moved by Doctor Burges or Master Paâ—bodie Doctor Forbes hath nothing but what he hath borrowed from our Doctours defence I beseech you good Reader read and ponder without a minde preoccupied either with fear of trouble or hope of preferment and submit your iudgement to the light of the truth For that is the way to apostasie to seek for shifts and fig-tree leafes when the truth is born in upon us What hath made so many so unsetled in religion this day and prone to receave Popâ—ie as the defence of the late novations with frivolous cavillation Men glorie now to dispute like Scepticks upon the very articles of our faith so that they are like to lose the sense of all religion The detaining of the truth of God in unrighteousnesse bringeth men at last to a reprobat sense Pitie the case of our Church which is more pitifull then in forraign parts where the bloâ—de sword rageth For howbeit their externall peace bee troubled yet they hold fast without backsliding If the Lord will spew the luckwarm out of his mouth what may backsliders look for Remember the words delivered by M. George Wishart which he uttered a little before his martyrdome God shall send you comfort after mee This realme shall bee illuminated with the light of the gospel al 's dearly as ever was any realme sines the dayes of the Apostles the house of God shall bee builded in it yea it shall not lack whatsoever the enemie imagine in the contrare the kaipstone meaning that it should once bee brought to the full perfection Neither said hee shall the time bee long till that the glory of God shall evidently appear and once triumph in despite of Sathan there shall many not suffer after mee But alace if the people shall prove unthankefull fearfull and terrible shall the plagues bee that shell follow By our Doctour or L. or D. L. I mean Doctor Lindsey by B. or D. B. Doctor Burges by P. or M. P. Master Paybodie OF THE COMMVNICANTS GESTVRE IN THE ACT of receaving eating and drinking The Introduction MAster â—nox one of the first and chiefe instruments of reformation of religion within this Realme was called before the Counsell of England in the dayes of King Edward the sixt anno 1553 and demanded Why the kneeled not at the receaving of the Sacrament He answered Christs action was perfite that it was with sitting and without kneeling that it was surest to follow his example After hote reasoning it was said unto him That he was not called before them of any evil minde yet they were sorrie to finde him of a contrary minde to the common order He answered I am sorrie that the common order is contrarie to Christs irâ—stitution This I finde in one of his manuscripts Within a yeare after being exiled after the death of King Edward in his Admonition dâ—rected to England which was printed anno 1554 he ranketh kneeling at the Lords table among the superstitious orders which prophane Christs true religion and censureth the English reformation for retaining of it When some of the English in the English Church at Frankford where â—ee was Minister contended for the receaving of
the English Liturgie he opposed stoutly to it And when the contention was like to grow to some hight hee and his Collegue Master Wittingham with some others drew forth of the English booke a plat in Latine and sent it to Master Calvin Howbeit the description of the corruptions was favourably set downe yet kneeling at the receaving of the elements is noted up among the rest in that extract Among his letters which are extant in writ we finde one dated the yeare 1559 at Deep and directed to Mastresse Anna Lock where he calleth the crosse in Baptisme and kneeling at the Lords table Diabolicall inventions After his return to his native country he ministred the Communion according to the order of the English church at Geneva where he had been last Minister This order was observed in all the reformed congregations before the reformed religion was established by authority of Parliament and is yet extant before the Psalmes in meeter with addition of the treatises of fasting and excommunication some prayers the forme and manner of the election and admission of Superintendents In the conâ—ession of faith prefixed and approved by our Church we have these words Neither must wee in the administration of the Sacraments follow mans phantâ—sâ—â—s but as Christ him selfe hath ordained so must they be ministred In the order of celebrating the Lords supper wee have these words The exhortation being ended the Minister commeth downe from the pulpit and sitteth at the table every man and woman likewise taking their place as occasion best serveth And againe The Minister breaketh the bread and delivereth it to the people who distribute and devide the same among themselfes according to our Saviours commandment And likewise giveth the cuppe In the second head of the first bâ—oke of discipline drawne up in the first yeare of publike and universall reformation wee have these words The table of the Lord is then rightly minâ—stred when it approacheth neâ—rest unto Christs owne action But plaine it is that at Supper Christ Jesus sate with his disciples and therefore doe we â—udge that sitting at a table is most convenient to that holy action And againe That the Mâ—nister break the bread and distribute the same to these that be next to him commanding the rest every one with sobrietie and reverence to break 〈◊〉 other we think it nearest to Christs action and to the perfite pracâ—ice Yee see our first Reformers preferred 〈…〉 kneeling but also to standing and 〈…〉 none of them approached so 〈…〉 When they rejected standing 〈…〉 man judge what they thought of kneeling 〈◊〉 ye may perceive that they rested upon 〈◊〉 â—o only for a time because of the abuse of kneeling 〈…〉 because most agreeable to the paterne It was ordained in the generall assembly holden the year 1562 That the order of Geneva be of served 〈…〉 ministration of the Sacraments By the order of Geneva was meant the order which was observed in the English Church at Geneva where Master Knox had beene of late Minister which order is called in the first booke of discipline The order of Geneva and The book of Common order This order as I have already said is set downe before the Psalmes in meeter In the assembly holden anno 1564 Ministers are referred to the order set do 〈◊〉 before the Psalmes which is a renewing of the former act In the Parliament holden the yeare 1567 it was declared that whosoever refused to participate of the Sacraments as they were then publikely administred in this reformed Church were not to be reputed members of this Church An act was likewise made concerning the Kings oath to be given at his coronation to maintain the religion then professed and in speciall the due and right administration of the Sacraments then receaved This act concerning the Kings oath was ratified again by acts of Parliament in the yeare 1581 and againe in the yeare 1592. In the yeare 1572 it was ordained by act of Parliament that such as did not communicate and partake of the Sacraments as they were then truly ministred in the Church of Scotland if they continue obstinate and disobedient shall be reputed infamous and unable to sit or stand in judgement persue bear office c. When in the second confession of faith which is commonly called the Kings confession we professe that we detest the ceremonies of the Roman Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we professe we detest kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements of bread and wine The order of celebrating the Lords supper which hath beene receaved and observed since the beginning of reformation and acknowledged both by generall assemblies and Parliaments to be the due and right order was perverted by a number of noble men Barons Ministers and pretended Bishops conveened at Perth in the yeare 1618 either having no lawfull commission or terrified with threats or corrupted one way or other They in their full and pretended assembly to please King James made this act following as it is extant among the acts of Parliament Since we are commanded by God himself that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneel before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Like as the most humble and reverent gesture of the bâ—dy in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts best becometh so divine and sacred an action therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath used since the reformatioâ— of religion to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling used in the idolatrous worship of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memorie of by-past superstâ—tion is past in revâ—rence of God and in due regard of so divine a mysterie and in remembrance of so mysticall an union as we are made partakers of the assembly thinketh good that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees This act if the lying parenthesis were culled out which is insert onely to deceave may passe among Papists and Lutherans It is untrue that all memory of by-past superstition is past and untrue that the abuse of kneeling among the papists was the onely occasion that moved our first reformers to make choice of sitting but the paterne of the first supper at the institution was the chiefe cause And therefore they not only rejected kneeling but also standing and taking in passing by as wee have shewed before We shall first defend the communicants sitting and next impugne their kneeling in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements of bread and 〈…〉 we shall prove it first to be warrantable next 〈…〉 downe our reasons whereupon wee 〈…〉 instituted THE FIRST PART CONCERneth the defence of sitting CHAP. I. That the Communicants sitting in the act of receaving eating and drinking is lawfull
but to the people also and is made common to the whole meeting In the one place â—â—is said they continued in breaking of bread and in the other place yet more clearly the Disciples conveened to break bread which is clearer then if Luke had said they conveened to the breaking of bread Bellarmine saith that Luke descriveth what the people did not what the Apostles did Hee might have said both the Apostles and the people Estius a popish professor in â—â—way acknowledgeth the same and sayeth Fiebat autem â—ujus panis fractio Tempore primitive Ecclesiae primum quidem 〈◊〉 sbyter is diaconis deinde verò magisque particulatim à singulis fidelibus quibus eucharstia dabatur in manus ut ea nâ— si porro â—nter se vel domi inter fuos distribuerent In the primitive church saith hee they had the breaking of bread which was first done by the presbyters and deacons and after them in smaller pieces by the faithfull to whom it was given that they might distribute the same among themselfes or at home among theirowne For Luke meaneth so much when hee attributeth this breaking to the faithfull in generall Act. 2. For their distributing in the convention he alleadgeth Act. 20. For distributing at home hee alleadgeth Act. 2. 46. whereas the meaning is that the faithfull conveened sometime in one house sometime in another for fear of persecution or not having yet appointed and certain places for meeting The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 16. sayeth The bread which wee break is it not the communion of the body of Christ that is the bread which we break distribute and eat For the breaking alone by the Minister is not the communion of the bodie of Christ Pâ—nis queÌ„ frangimus 1 Cor. 10. idem est atque inter nos dividimus The bread which wee break that is the bread which wee divide amongst us saith Robertus Stephanus Whereas the Apostle saith the cuppe which wee blesse the words may bee spoken generally in the persons of all the faithfull who are present Qui quidem omnes â—alici benedicunt eo modo sensu quo omnes ibidem praesentes dicuntur unà cum sacerdote offerre videlicet animi consensu devotioone saith Estius The Minister blesseth in name of the rest as their mouth so the blessing may bee attributed to the people likewise The Apostle rehearsing the words of the institution said 〈…〉 but in the plurall number Takâ— yeâ— eat ye 〈◊〉 saith that the Apostles celebrated as Christ did eâ—ndem 〈…〉 teriam in rebus formam in verbis It appeareth not then that the Apostles gave to everie one severally saying to each one Take thou eat thou but that speaking in the plurall number to all at once the Communicants brack and distributed among themselfes Now that rite from which the Apostolicall Church denominate the whole action is sacramentall and necessarie saith Paraeus in 1 Cor. 11. When the holy supper is called breaking of bread it is not to be imagined that there was only communicating in bread but the whole is denominated from a part according to a custome of speech usuall among the Jewes who used the phrase of breaking of bread to expresse their full meals or common civill feasts as Ierem. 1â— 7. As the Grecians on the contrarie tooke the denomination sometime from the drinking and called their feast symposium a drinking together Yea one of the names which of old was given to this holy feast was synaxis Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hâ—sychius is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drinke with other The breaking of the bread served for two uses First for representation of Christs sufferings If their powring of the wine out of the cuppe into the mouth be a mysticall representation of the effusion of his bloud their breaking may have the like use Wee can well allow of a mysticall shedding of Christs bloud in the supper faith Master Cartwright for when the wine is powred out of the cuppe into the mouth thereby mystically and sacramentally is shed the bloud of Christ out of his blessed body into the earth that is the shedding of it is 〈◊〉 So saith Prosper in his book of sentences Dum sanguâ—◠〈◊〉 sidelium sunditur sanguinu de latere effusio defignatur Lanfranous and Aâ—gerus say the like Solenne 〈◊〉 est cum frangitur panis 〈◊〉 calix inâ—â— fidelium funditu tunc significari sacrificium illud quod in cruce immolatun est saith Chamierus The Communicants taking eating drinking are mysticall why may not also his breaking of the bread Bullinger saith Ac nos ipsi quidem panem Domini proprits frangiâ—us manibus Nos enim ipsi in culpa sumus quod ille aitâ—itus That is Wee breake the bread of the Lord with our own hands for we ouâ—selfes are to be blamed that he was bruifed Our sinnes wounded him we crucified him We reach not only the bread and cuppe to other but partake our selfes For we beleeve not only that he suffered for others but in speciall for our selfes Gualter in his Homilies upon Matth. Vt vero Christus panem accepit fregit postquam gratias egisset ita eundem discipulos quoque accipere frangere voluit ut ita singuli admonerentur hunc ad se privatim pertinere se item necis illius authores esse ad hac debitores omnibus ut eos in Christi atque salutis que in eo habetur societatem adducant That is As Christ had taken the bread and after thanksgiving brack so he would have his disciples to doe the like that thereby every one might be admonished that he belongeth to every one of them particularly that they were the authours of his death that they are debtours to all to bring them to the fellowship of Christ and the salvation which is to be found in him And in his 118. homil upon Mark he saith Fractio panis Christi passionem mortem representat dum singuli panem ipsi frangunt se ex corum numero esse fatentur qui Christo mortis authores fuerunt id quod peccatorum 〈…〉 servit animum ad punitentiam extimulat The other use is for distribution and reaching to other to testifie mutuall love and amitie which dutie is expressed in a more lively manner then if they should drinke only of one cuppe together Therefore L. his reason page 60. that it appertaineth only to the minister be cause it is mysticall is naught for it serveth both for repraesentation and distribution Fractio non solum ad distribuendum sedetiam ad significandum ordinatur Bellarmine de missa lib. 2. cap. 10. For the representation ye have heard already sundrie Divines If two should drinke out of one cup and yet not reach it to other it might well be thought there were no great kindnesse betwixt them Communion in one common benefite is one thing and the communication of
what rite or ceremonie to call popish Musculus will tell you I call these rites pepish saith hee which either of theâ—r owne natâ—re or by abuse do sâ—rvâ— unto popish impuritie superstition and blindnesse allwhich I am perswâ—ded are to bee detested as much as is possible 〈◊〉 saith That Sâ—tan wrought powerfully and cunningly these many ages by his Roman Antichrist to obtrude the bread upon us to be adorâ—d for Christ therefore wee should put to flight whatsâ—ever may seeme to nourish this bread worship in the mindes of the simple And in the ninth chapter That if wee love God and our Saviour Christ none of these things words or gestures will finde or keepe place among us which have appearance of affinitie with the impieties and abominâ—tioâ—s brought in by Antichist upon the holy mysteries or which may be taken hold of to make up any commendation of them howbeit unjustly and without cause offered Nihilque loci vel invonient vel retinebunt apud nos eâ—eâ—res omnes verba gâ—stus in quibus appareat esse aliquid tantis impietatibus affine aut ad ullam rapiatur quanquam improbe absque data causa harum suâ—rum impi tatum commendationem The equitie of this rule or direction that wee should not conforme with idolaters in such rites and ordinances as are above described appeareth evidently first in that we show not as we ought our hatred and detestation of idolatrie when we retaine any monument or memoriall of it God will not have us to utter with our lips the very name of the idol with respect or any honour The brazen serpent after the miraculous use of it for which it was set up ceased was keeped 700 years for a memoriall of that miracle and as a monument of Gods mercie and benefite receaved at that time Yet when it began to be abused and polluted with idolatrie Ezekias brake it in pieces Farre more ought the monuments and memorials of idols or idolatrie We honour the idol and idolatrous worship when we retaine any monument or memoriall of idolatrie Next in so doing wee keep a stumbling block in the Church and both harden the idolater in his idolatrie and lay a stumbling block and snare before our selfe and our brethren by retaining of such allurements and provocations to commit the same kinde of spirituall fornication and adulterie and so to fall in an hainous and most derestable sinne Woe be to him that giveth offence it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the deep of the sea That kneeling in the act of receaving the sacrament hath beene abused to idolatire can not be denyed Nay it is confessed that kneeling in that act hath been abused to the vilest idolatrie that ever was to the worshipping of a piece bread which the worshipper esteemed to be his god To retaine it therefore is to retaine a memoriall or monument of that vile idolatrie because we use that same gesture in that same very act and without necessity For our opposits affirme That all the maine gestures are indifferent Master P. hath a poore shift when he saith No ordinance of God can bee a monument of idolatry gesturs are Gods ordinances and his outward worship consists in them Such like that no creature of God can be a monument of idolatrie but all gesturs are Gods creatures or abilities whereunto man is disposed by creation And our Doctour saith That kneeling is not an humane invention but a religious ceremonie appointed by God But they should first have made good that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elemenâ—s wâ—s Gods ordinance and then indeed the retâ—ining of it had not beene a retaining of a monument of idolatrie It is grosse that he calleth gesturs abilities The power or ability is naturall to man but the gesture it selfe is volnntarie free and accidentall A man hath abilitie to stand upon one of his legs or with his back to the elements is such a posture of the parts of a mans body therefore lawfull in the act of receaving Seeing neither by Gods ordinance nor any naturall necessity wee are bound to kneel in that act the retaining of kneeling so horribly abused in that act is the retaining of a vile monument of idolatrie How dangerous it is consider it first in the papist The papist is confirmed in his vile idolatry by our conformitie with him in that gesture Do they not vaunt that we are comming home to them and hope for the full restoring of poperie againe because we kneel at the receaving of the eucharist as they do It is confessed also by conformitants The ministers of Edinburgh after they had vexed the people ten yeares with their kneeling and seeming to bee wearied by contending with them sent up a supplication to the king for dispensation with kneeling In the instructions given to the bearer M. William Lev Levâ—ngstoun subserived also by them they have these words The Papists seâ—â—g us in that gesture having some externall symbolizing with them are thereby confirmed in their errours as though that our practise were an approaching to them and an increase to their idolatrie and bread worship These instructions were subscrived by all the ministers of Edinburgh in April anno 1628. M. Struther Sydserf Maxwell and the rest It is a scandall given to the godly because it is not a necessar duetie and is a provocation and Intisement to idolatrie Wee are forbidden all provocations and entisements to idolatrie as in all other precepts wee are forbidden as well the provocations and entisements to evill as the evill it self If thine eye offend thee pluck it out that is whatsoever is an impediment unto us to hinder us to do good and to worship God though it were never so deare to us is to bee removed out of the way much more if it bee a cause or occasion to do evill saith Zanchias Whatsoever bee the intention of the doer intent 〈◊〉 â—ntis yeâ— if the qualitie of the work it selfe conditio operis bee inductâ—ve to scandall it ought to bee eshewed They ask what apinesse there is in the gesture to intice us to idolatrie We answere it is the same in forme and fashion that idolaters use in that same very act and it is done for reverence as they also do We are more proue by nature to idolatrie then any other sinne Thereforâ— greater diligence is to bee used in avoiding the oâ—casions of this sin then of any other saith Zanchius What needeth further proofe if it bee true which they seeme to grant themselfes that adoration in the act of receaving the bread hath opened an occasion to breed worship or artolatrie Beza in his 8. epist. faith The event and lamentable face of the Church doth more then sufficiently teach us how hurtfull t is and commendeth those Churches which abolished it with no lesse care then other manifest made idolatrie apert
the supreme magistrat in things indifferent taketh away the scandall There are two sorts of indifferent things saith Zâ—nâ—hius some that are manifest occasions of sinning others are not of that kinde Res adiaphorae duplices sunt Quaelam suâ—t alicui aportâ—e occasiones peccatorum ita ut exillis verè immineat pâ—riculâ—m pèceandi alie vero non ita se habent For the first sort that we ought to abstaine from 〈◊〉 evill and all manifest occasion of evil For who saith he will venture to passe along a ruinous bridge if hee perceave manifest danger of falling into the river Can the supreame magistrat take away that aptnesse and fitnesse that any thing hath to intise and provoke men to sinne The Apostle Paul saith he had rather never eat flesh then offend a weake brother for eating flesh offered to the idol and sold in the market And I think he had greater authority in such matters nor any prince or generall assembly The Belgick synods yee see would not take so much upon them but for ad kneeling for fear of idolatrie If the Church to whom the rule for directing the use of things indifferent in maters of religion are laide down to wit that all things bee done decently in order to edification without offence may not presume so farre far lesse may the magistrate for his power is cumulative to assist the Church not privative to deprive the Church of her power The magistrates countenance maketh the scandall the greater and hee strengthneth it by his authoritie whereas hee should remove scandals and not lay stumbling-blocks in the way of the people The brasen serpent was but a passive 〈◊〉 active scandall and yet Ezekias brake it in pieces for more should active scandals bee removed These Courâ—-clawbacks tell us wee should rather offend the people then the supreme magistrate But better offend that is displease him nor offend that is give occasion to the poorest soule let bee many thousands to fall into any sin let bee so haynous a sin as is the sin of idolatrie The magistrate is not in danger of stumbling for yee say he esteemeth the matter indifferent Is not the supreme magistrate a sinfull man May hee not make Israel to sin May hee not abuse things indifferent and transgresse the rules above mentioned May hee not bee a secret friend to the pope or an a bettor of superstition Suppose hee have no such intention yet hee can not by his authoritie alter conditionem operis the qualitie of the work it self and make a thing which of it selfe is inductive to scandall not inductive Doth his commandment make all so sure that none can bee scandalized That is impossible considering the shew of evill in the deed it self the ignorance of many thousands the disposition of the ignorants to superstition the pronnesse of mens nature to idolatrie and the increase of papists Ioab was guiltie of Vriahs bloud notwithstanding of the Kings commandment so art thou of thy brothers falling Thy life for his life if hee bee a missing Say not therefore with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Active obedience to the magistrate ought not to bee a rule of thy love to Gods glory and the salvation of thy brother Passive obedience is not denied but defences by lawes aright first to bee heard Whereas they alleadge that sitting is dangerous for breeding contempt and prophanation To passe by the institution experience is a testimonie in the contrare Rusticitie in the behaviour of simple ones not acquainted with all the points of civiliâ—â— is not prophanation but may bee where the minde is in good order Horrible prophane were the words of our blind bishop to a gentle woman in the offering of the elements because shee would not kneel Wee maintain that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements was not devised or at least authorized till the great Antichrist overruled Wee need not to poinâ—â— at the time when it first began for there are many corruptions in the Romane Church which can not bee dedâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 a certain beginning by the Romanists themselfs It is sufficient that wee point out a time wherein it was not in use There can not be an authentick testimonie alleadged for kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements before the opinion of reall presence yea or of transubstantiation began to spread or to come to a more certain date for the space of a thousand years after Christ. I say authentick testimonie for wee regard not supposititions or counterfite works Origens first homilie in divers loca is brought in saying Thou therefore humbling thy self â—â—itat the Centurieâ— â—nd say Lord I am not worthie c. but that works is acknowledged by the papists themselfs to be counterfite Suchlike counterfiâ—e Cyrillus of Jerusalem in his fifth catechisme saith Then come to the cuppe of the blood not stretching out thy hand sed prâ—nus in modum adorationis venerationis dicens Antenâ— But stowâ—ing downward or with the face bended downward in manner of adoration or veneration saying Amen He sayeth not Cade pronuâ— fall down on thy faâ—e sed accede pronus but come inclyning or bowing thy heâ—d or upper part of thy body as men use to do when they make courtesie for men can not come falling flat But what need wee trouble our selfes with his words seeing hee is marked for a counterfite by Moulias on the Lords supper the bishop of Spalato and Plessie who in his answere to the bishop of Evereux saith These catecâ—ismes of Cyrillus are supposititious and come not to light but in our time M. Down in his treatise of transubstantiation pag. 3â— 38. saith That these catecbeticall booke are but of a verie late edition that Harding acknowledgeth that in his time they were known to veâ—ie few and in â—rite that they have beene published since in print and perhaps to winne more authoritie to them misfathered upon Cyrillus of Ierusalem This Cyrill directs the Communicant to touch his lips which are sanctified with the touch of Christs body and bloud that by the touch of that finger hee may sanctifie his eyes brow and others No authentick testimonie can they produce bearing the word kneeling which is an adoration not in a large but strict sense The testimonies bearing the word adore are either counterfite or to bee understood of inward adoration as Doctour Burges himself confesseth sundrie of the learned do construe them or of adoration in time of prayer before they communicate or adoration is taken taken only for veneration See Iewel in the article of adoration Bilson in his book of obedience and Mortoun the late defender of the ceremonies in his latest worke entituled Of the institution of the sacrament He bringeth in sundrie exemples to prove the latitude of the word Adore When Theodorâ—t saith dialog 2. that the mysticall signes are adored he should speake very grosly if the word adore meant not only reverent usage Moulines on
which is a begging of the question and yet hee can not prove kneeling at the hearing of the word let bee in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements but out of a misprinted place in Perth assembly pag. 45. where in is put for after Farre lesse can our Formalists pretend the respect of prayer For we have no act enjoyning either any vocall prayer to be uttered by the minister or mentall by the Communicant when he is to receave the elements Nor doe our Formalists observe one forme of words at the deliverie either for prayer or otherwise Wheresoever the publike intent of a Church is to kneel for reverence of the sacrament every Communicant following her direction is an idolater Howbeit his privat intent were divers from the intent of the act which is urged as the publike intent of the Church yet he is interpretativè an idolater and to be so construed both before God and man If any man receave the sacrament upon his knees at Rome or in any other Popish Church whersoever were his privat intent yet he must be interpreted to kneel according to the intent of the Church of Rome The heart may be carried one way and the outward action another way for feare or other respects but that outward action must be interpreted not according to the intention of the minde but the intent of the injoyner If ye fall downe before an idol in Spaine suppose for feare of the inquisition ye commit idolatrie and honoureth that idol in the sight of men If it be asked after what manner the Communicant must be interpreted to adore I answer That upon better consideration of the act then before I thinke the Communicant may according to the act kneel with a Popish intent carring both the inward motion of his spirit and outward submission of his body to the sacrament upon opinion of transubstantiation or with the Lutherans intent upon opinion of consubstantiation and that for two cases first because the words of the act make mention only of the body and bloud of Christ and of the blessed sacrament but not one word of the elements of bread and wine Next because some of our ministers the chief urgers of kneeling are popish and have taught in publike in the pulpits of Edinburgh that wee ought not to contend or descant curiously upon the manner of Christs presence in the sacrament and that he is present after an unknowne manner To this purpose they cite a saying of Durandus It is current among the English prelats The bishop of Rochester in his defence of kneeling commendeth the simplicitie of the ancients who disputed not whither Christ were present Câ—n sub in or trans in the supper See Hooker likewise in his fift booke of ecclesiasticall policie And Sutton on the Lords supper in his appendix They will talke more plainly when they shall see their time Our Doctour commendeth them for this They would have us beleeve that the manner of the presence of Christs body at the sacrament is unknowne whereas we know very well that Christs body is present after a spirituall manner to the soules of the godly receaving by faith â—ut to the sacrament or elemenâ—s only after a sacramentall manner that is relatively as things signified are to signes howbeit farre distant That incomprehensible or unsearchable manner whereof they talke is a lurking hole for adversaries to the truth as Beza can tell him Our Doctour from Christs personall omnipresence inferreth page 142. the flesh and bloud of Christ may be worshipped in the sacrament because wheresoever his person is his humanity is corjoyned with his divinitie By this Popish reason Christs flesh and bloud may be worshipped in a stone in the moone the sunne or any other thing else His argument is borrowed from the Rhemists note upon Heb. 1. 8. Our doctour rejecteth the Vbiquitaries conceat of Christs humanitie extended and diffused through every place yet notwithstanding of this personall omnipresence he hideth himself in the lurking hole of the imperceptible manner of the sacramentall presence He acknowledgeth a spiritual presence of Christs body in the sacrament Bâ—llarmine acknowledgeth as much for saith hee Non habet Christus in Eucharistia modum existendi corporum sed spirituum If ye will bear the word Bodily so will Bellarmine he content because saith he Christ is not present after that manner that bodies have existence of their own nature unlesse the right explication bee added He commendeth the expression of the councell of Treâ—â— Verè realiter substantialiter Truely reallie substantiallie as the best and surest For the popish sence When our doctours will not have us to contend about the manner of presence whither by consubstantion or transubstantiation yet this taketh not away Substantially in generall but leaveth place to substantially in an unknown manner But wee proceed If any will extend the words of the act to the elements of bread and wine and interpret the receaving of Christs bodie and bloud of the souls inward receaving then howbeit hee kneeleth not upon opinion of the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament yet his adoration is terminated and resteth someway upon the sacrament or sacramentall elements otherwise hee cannot bee said to kneel for receiving of the sacrament Now as the papists agree not among themselves about the manner of worshipping their images so the Communicants may differ in the manner and way of terminating that adoration or worship Therefore suppose he believe not the reall presence or existence of the body of Christ in the bread yet hee may in his apprehension and imagination unite them as the papist doth his image with the prototype and so adore the thing with the thing signified as the purple robbe with the King is coadored or adored per accidâ—ns or hee may consider the signe as substitute in the roome of the thing signified howbeit absent and performeth before it or about it that adoration which hee would bestow upon the thing signified and by it or in it honoureth the thing signified properly but the signe improperly As when a Kings Ambassadour or Vice-gerent is honoured at some solemnitie with the honour of his Master but improperly for the King is properly honoured Or as Vasâ—uez will have images to bee adored to wit with the inward motion of the minde to the thing signified the bodie of Christ and the exterior or outward signe of submission to the signe to bee transmitted to the thing signified or considering the signes as things sacred and in relation to God whom we are serving in the use of them So howbeit the way and manner of terminating the reverence in the Sacrament bee different according to the conceat of the Communicant all come to one end to wit to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament Now to kneel for reverence is a gesture of adoration and soveraigne worship as L. ackowledgeth It is nothing to the devil whether a man erre this
or that way Howbeit the Communicants were not directed to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament dare any man say but they may easily fall upon it one of these wayes I might draw another score heere for it is enough that the Communicants are directed by the act of Perth to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament for seeing hee kneeleth in obedience to that act hee must bee interpreted to kneel for that end otherwise hee may goe to Rome and take Corpus Christi out of the popes hand reserving a secret intent to himself Therefore howbeit kneeling in the act of receiving might hee lawfull no professour in our Church can bee excused if he kneel But wee proceed and setting aside the act of Pâ—rth wee consider the act or action it self kneeling in the act of receaving eating drinking the 〈…〉 simplie We will prove it can not bee done but for reverence of the Sacrament or sacramentall elements and that by two arguments The first argument shall bee this To be tied to kneel whither by direction of others or resolution of our own mindes to kneel with reverence in any religious exercise 〈…〉 or senselesse creature can not bee done but for 〈…〉 of that creature The communicant is 〈…〉 by the direction of others or his own 〈…〉 to kneel with reverence before dead and senselesse creatures when hee is in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements Therefore he kneeleth for reverence of the sacramentall elements I say by direction of others or resolution of our own minde for we can not kneele to God in prayer but there are many things before us a house a wall a tree c. but they are set before us only by casuall position or situation â—â—â—ther can wee choose to do otherwise but wee do not lie our selfes I adde with reverence for if a person finding himselfe diseased at the hearing of the word finde himselfe eased with kneeling that can not bee called kneeling with reverence If yee bee tied to kneel with reverence when you are to do any religious exercise suppone prayer before such a creature suppone but a'tree and is not likewise tied when you pray before any other creature your gesture of adoration can not bee without respect to the tree God himself never appointed any creature to bee an object to the eyes of man when hee was to adore him upon his knees but only directed his people to kneel toward a certain place where he was present himself in an extraordinarie manner or bound himself by promise to hear them from thence Hee was present in the Ark after an extraordinarie manner sitting betweene the Cherubins answered by a lively voice out of it to Moses and vouchsafed to hear such as turned toward the Temple when they called upon him But there is no such place appointed under the Gospel far lesse any creature before which hee hath directed us to kneel Our adoration is directed to that place where wee know the manhood of Christ whereof the Ark and the Temple were types doth exist naturally or substantially that is to the heavens The sacramentall bread is not a place of Gods extraordinarie presence nor of the existing of Christs manhood substantially or of promise to hear us from thence It is idolatrie saith Perkinse to turne dispose or direct the worship of God or any part thereof to any particular place or creature without the appointment of God and more specially to direct our adoration to the bread or the place where the bread is The Theologues and ministers in the Palatinat in their admonition touching the booke of Concord teach us that it is idolatrie to worship God otherwise then he hath commanded that they are guilty of this idolatrie that direct the adoration of God to any other place or creature then God hath commanded that for this cause only these worshipped God aright who in their gesture turned their faces toward the arke where he was preferâ—â— after a singular manner because God had commanded this ceremoniall adoration promising to heare such as worshipped him after that manner But that under the new testament all ceremoniall adoration by turning us to any certaine place or thing is damned In the admonition above mentioned therefore they condemne them as guiltie of as grosse idolatrie who adore Christ in or beside or before the sacramentall bread â—s if he were corporally there as those who falling down before any common bread a stocke or stone would say they adore Christ in it Qui igitur Christum adorant in isto vel apud istum vel coram isto pane tanquam ibi corporaliter praesentem aeque crassam ac Deo displicentem idololatriam admittunt atque is qui coram quovis pane communi aut quovis trunco aut quovis lapid procidens in eo Christum se aederarit dicat They adde as corporally present because these against whom they were writing maintained a corporall presence Our doctour sayeth It is no errour to worship Christs flesh there which must bee understood as present there whither in respect of his personall omnipresence or by imaginarie uâ—ion of the bread and his bodie or that unknown manner of sacramentall presence with which they cloak perhaps a meaning which as yet they think not expedient to professe Kuchlinus disp theolog pag. 597. inferreth out of Ierem. 3. 11. and Iohn 4. 23. likewise that our adoration should not bee directed either in bodie or minde to the altar or the ministers hand Ter Simecdochen enim tollit circumstantiam omnem verti loci ad quem in terris dirigitur adoratio Dei quod ostendit Antithesis manifestè sed in spiritu veritate Yee see then howbeit wee are not tied to direct our adoration at all time to the place where the bread is as the Jewes were toward the arke because it is not alwayes fixed in a certaine place these divines condemne the like manner at whatsoever time we adore before the bread We uncover our heads say they when wee receave the elements why may wee not also kneel I answer first the uncovering of the head is a gesture of reverence only and that only among some nations but not of adoration The Jewes Turkes and Mahometans pray with their heads covered The Grecians and Romanes of old howbeit they walked in publike with uncovered heads except in raine great heat or mourning yet in the service of their Gods they had their heads covered The Europeans this day uncover their heads when they are praying Kneeling is a gesture of adoration among all nations either in civill or religious use Augustine saith Honorat emnis qui adorat no autem adorat omnes quid onorat Every one that doth adore doth honour but not every one that honoureth adoreth Contraserm Arian c. 23. I will not kneel to every one to whom I uncover my head civilly Every one that standeth with his head uncovered in presence of the king is not adoring as he is
feast decked his table with all kinde of provision sâ— that there lacketh nothing but the guests to sit downe and yet these who be called without any cause most unthankefully refuse to come The exhortation seemeth to â—ee drâ—wâ—e out of that place of Chrysostome but they omit the 〈◊〉 words Sit downe and participat For all the 〈…〉 the first part of the comparison they bid not the Communicants sit downe But they must kneel and receave that which is reached to them So that there is no more use of the table then if it were a cupbord or altar Fourthly if we should kneel because we are receaving a gift by this reason wee should kneel when wee receave any benefite or gift of God as for example when we are taking eating drinking our ordinarie meat and drinke If yee will say the sacramentall is holy bread the other common then yee confesse ye kneel because of the holinesse that is the setting a part of it to a holy use and that is idolatrie If ye will say ye receave a greater gift then when yee receave your ordinarie food that is no more but then there is a greater motive Yet if because a gift then whensoever or whatsoever gift ye receave ye ought to kneel God deserveth thankes for the least of his benefits and is to bee adored for whatsoever benefite spirituall or temporall receaved in the time of divine service or out of it For this is the common doctrine of the school men Eundem honorem adorationis atque eodem modo Deo esse deferendum etiamsi varia sunt ipsius beneficia attributa That is That the same honour of adoration is to be given to God and after the same manner howbeit his benefites and attributes are divers For the reason upon Gods part that moveth us to adore him is the excellenie of his dignity All his attributes concurre to make up this excellencie whatsoever benefite move us never so meane hee deserveth honour because bestowed by so great a Lord who is the fountaine primum principium When the Israelites were to be cured miraculously by looking up to the brazen serpent a type of Christ they kneeled not It is a frivolous objection and scarce worthie the answering when they say what wee may crave upon our knees wee may receave upon our knees They should conclude we must receaue upon our knees But neither the one nor the other doth follow For wee crave our daily food upon our knees and rayment therefore by their reasoning wee should kneel with reverence when we receave our food in at our mouth or put on our doublet Yet say they what wee crave of God upon our knees in publike worship wee may receave upon our knees But this is yet as frivolous For wee may crave in time of publike worship upon our knees things necessarie for this temporall life and so wee doe when in the Lords prayer we say Give us this day our daily bread Further the diffâ—rence of place and time is but a difference in circumstances and altereth not the nature of worship and so I may receave upon my knees whatsoever I may crave of God in privat worship upon my knees if this kinde of reasoning were good But it is not the diversitie of the time or place where wee receave the benefite more then the diversity of the benefite it selfe that is the ground of adoration but Gods excellencie as we said before Next they consider not that these three things are to bee clearly distinguished a blessing or sanctifying of the creature or meane God hath appointed either for our temporall or spirituall life of which some are reckoned by L. pag. 85. 86. before the use the use it selfe and thanksgiving after the use Blessing before meat the use of the meat in enjoying it be receaving eating drinking and thanksgiving after blessing before the reading preaching or hearing of the word the act it selfe of reading hearing preaching and thanksgiving to God after blessing before the receaving of the sacramentâ—ll elements the receaving and participation it selfe and thanksgiving after They aske if humility and reverence be not requisite in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements I answer Yes in all religious exercises at the hearing of the word reading of the word c. But it followeth not that there should be humiliation upon our knees because humility of minde is required nor adoration because reverence is required Is there no reverence nor humility but in kneeling before dead and senslesse creatures There is a damnable humility plausible to will-worshippers and idolaters condemned Coloss. 2. 23. Peter was censured when hee refused that Christ should wash his feet It is Christs honour to command obedience upon our part is true humility Humility is an habit adoration is an act The act of humility is immanent whereby a man resteth content and well pleased with his owne estate and ranke and doth not conceat greater worth in himself then there is specially in comparison with God But adoration is a transient act whereby a man goeth out of himselfe as it were to direct some homage and worship to God Such like reverence is a common adjunct to all sorts of worship preaching praying praising adoring but is not a distinct kinde of worship as is adoration The pretence of reverence cannot be a sufficient reason for altering the ordinance of Christ and the opinion of reverence hath often beene the dame and nourâ—e of manifold superstitions saith Doctour Mortoâ—nâ—â— To concludes that because wee must use reverent gesture in receaving the holy communion therefore wee must kneel in the act of receaving is to condemne our owne Church and other reformed Churches of want of reverence Vnlesse yee will say sitting is reverent for some to take in passing for others but kneeling for Scotland So may the Monkes conclude saith Doctourâ— Ames wee must have garments therefore wee must in one order have blacke in another white in a third gray and so forth If any judicious Reader will review all their reasons or pretences for kneeling hee shall finde they inferre a duty to kneel and consequently an indirect taxing of Christ and his Apostles and all others in ancient time or in reformed Churches who have not kneeled And if there were no more this alone may let them see the weaknesse of their reasoning Seeing kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall element is idolatry and cannot be used but idolatrously it followeth that kneeling in the act of receaving brought not in aâ—tolatrie or bread worship as some divines construing charitably some old Writers or mistaking counterfeit workes for genuing have imagined We may observe other ushers to have prepared the way for bread worship by kneeling After that the virgine times of the first age or prime primitive that is the apostolicall times were past changes entered They were not content to sit but at some time and more frequently stood They left off distribution
and breaking of bread with other and receaved out of the minister or deacons hand Other words were substitute in place of Christs words In processe of time the women might not receave the bread with their naked hand but in a clean linnen cloath or napkin And in many places the cuppes had pipes whereby they sucked the wine out of the cuppe At length the Communicants were not suffered to receave with their hands but in at their mouther And this proceeded from a supâ—rstitious reverencing of the signes which ended at last in bread worship saith Vossius Et sanâ— consuetudo altera ingâ—râ—ntli panem in os circa annum sexcâ—nt simum demum â—â—pisse videtur neque id aliunde quam à superstitiosa veneration signorum quae in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tandem evasit Adde also the corrupting of the doctrine with the opinion of the reall presence and worshipping of images which entered both about one time After the worshipping of images which Master Moulins calleth the elder sister followed bread-worship An advertisement to the Communicants WE are all bound to maintaine the puritie and integritie of Gods ordinances which wee had in possession since the reformation And therefore cannot communicate where the gesture is changed and distributing of the elements by the communicants is wanting No man will be so carelesse of his legge or arme as to suffer them to be cut off but will venture himselfe for their preservation or preservation of the least joynt of his fingers howbeit they bee not such noble parts of the body as the head and the heart without which the body can not subsist Farre lesse ought we to tollerate such a horrible stumbling block as kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements eating and drinking Whosoever countenanceth such communions is accessorie to that deformation and mutilation For if none would communicate with the ring-leaders and introducers they would be forced to desist had desisted long ago for shame and had returned to our former practice The kneeler is the thiefe but the communicant is the recetter Some thinke they may if they have liberty to sit themselves and to reach to the nearest But they should not looke to their owne personall priviledge but to the liberty of the whole Church and congregation where they are members If some citisens would give way to the enemie upon condition they enjoyed their owne liberty would they not bee counted traitours and betrayers of the city Next that liberty shall be permitted only for a time till others be drawn in after them and then they shall be deprived of that libertie But ye will say shall I separate from a Church I answer when a congregation is devided that part which doth not communicat is a part of that Church as well as that which communicateth and both maketh up but one congregation or Church howbeit they bee devided in that particular act As both the parts of the house make up but one house notwithstanding there be a rift in the wall Next the part which communicateth not adhereth to the reformed Church of Scotland of which every particular congregation is but a part Now the most part if not the two parts of the congregations have admitted no alteration And as for the number of kneelers it is very small in comparison Yet it is hard say ye to want the benefite and comfort of the sacrament But what comfort or benefite can yâ—e finde if ye be accessorie to the introduction of such alterations and setling of such a stumbling block in the congregation When we cannot communicate but by committing a sinne our forbearing is no contempt and the Lord who hath promised to bee a little sanctuarie to his people when they were to bee scattered among the heathen Ezech. 11. 16. will supply our want Doctour Featlie saith That neither the only nor principall thing to bee regarded in the sacrament is our benefite but Gods glorie and the testification of our obedience to his ordinance Non potest autem videri sacramenta contempsisse cui non licet eaita percipere ut sunt à Domino constituta aâ—sit ut ullos necessitatis casus imaginemur in quibus liceat ordinationem Domini violâ—re That is Wee cannot seeme to have contemned the sacraments who aâ—e not permitted to partake of them as they are appointed by the Lord. Farre be it from us to imagine any causes of necessity by which wee may violate the Lords ordinance saith Beza This answer may serve if the case were so hard that they could not have the occasion of the right and pure administration of the sacraments else where But praised be GOD as yet they may have it not farre from the dores OF FESTIVALL DAYES IN the explication of the first head of the first booke of discipline penned anno 1560 the first yeare of universall reformation it was thought good that the feasts of Christmas Circumcision Epiphanie with the feasts of Apostles Martyrs and Virgine Marie be utterly abolished because they are neither commanded nor warranted by the Scripture and that the obstinate maintainers of those and the like abominations be punished by the civill magistrat Here utter abolition is craved and not a reformation of abuses only and that because observation of such feasts have no warrant from the word In the generall assembly holden at Edinburgh anno 1566. the later confession of Helvetia was approved but with speciall exception against the same five dayes which are now urged upon us It was not then the popish observation only with the popish opinion of worship and merit but simpliciter all observation that was disallowed by them In the assembly holden anno 1575 complaint was made against the ministers and readers beside Aberdeene because they assembled the people to prayer and preaching upon certaine festivall dayes Yee see not onely prophanitie but preaching and prayer of purpose upon festivall dayes were judged rebukable It was ordained likewise that complaint be made to the Regent upon the towne of Dunfreis for urging and convoying a reader to the Church with tabret and whisle to reade prayers all the holy dayes of Christmas upon the refusall of their owne reader Item an article was formed to bee presented to the Regent craving that all dayes heretofore keeped holy in time of papistrie beside the Lords day be abolished and that a civâ—ll penalty bee inflicted upon the observers In the assembly holden in Aprill anno 1577. it was ordained that the visitour with the advice of the synodall assemâ—ly shall admonish ministers preaching or ministring the communion at Easter or Christmas or other like superstitious times or readers reading to desist under the pain of deprivation Ye see reading preaching and ministring the communion at thâ—sâ— times was forbidden and not onely cessation from worke and excesse of banketting playing c. In the ninth head of the first booke of discipline wee have this reason set downe against Eâ—ster
communion Your honourâ— arâ— not â—gnor an t how superstitâ—ously the people run to that action it Pasche even as if the time gave vertue to the sacrament and 〈◊〉 the rest of the wholâ— yeare they are carelesse and negligent as if it â—ppertained not to them but at that time onely And for this reason other times were appointed by that booke for that holy action In the generall assembly holden anno 1590. King James praised God that he was bâ—rne to be a king in the sincerest Church of the world sincerer then the Church of England for their â—ervice was an 〈◊〉 â—asse in English sincerer â—hen Geneva it selfe 〈◊〉 they observed Pasch and Yoo le and what wâ—rrant 〈…〉 for that In the assembly holden anno 15â—6 when the covenant wâ—s renewed superstâ—tâ—on and idolatrie breâ—â—ing forth in keeping of festivall dayes setting out of bâ—nefires and singing of carrols are reckoned among the corruptions which were to bee amended In the parliament holden anno 1592. wee have acts to this purpose The pulpits have founded from time to time against all show of observing these dayes But in the pretended and null-assembly holden at Perth anno 1618. it was concluded by a number not having power of voice or broken with threats or allurements that every minister shall make commemoration of the birth passion resurrection ascension of Christ and sending downe of the holy Ghost upon the dayes appointed for that use that they make choise of severall and pertinent texts of scriptures and fraime their doctrin and exhortations accordingly This their conclusion was â—â—tified by act of counsell and proclamation was 〈…〉 upon the 26. of October following commaâ—ding cessation from all kinde of labour or 〈…〉 these five dayes appointed to be dedicate 〈…〉 to the effect the subjects may the better at end the exercises which are to be keeped in the Churches at these times REASONS AGAINST THE FESTIVALL DAYES WE shall consider these dayes first as they are called holy next as they are called festivall Our first reason GOd only hath power to sanctifie a day and 〈◊〉 it holy that is to separate it from a common â—se â—o holy exercises Zanchius affirmeth that it is proper to God to choose any person or any thing to consecrate and sanctifie it to himselfe Willets that it belongeth only to the Creatour to sanctifie the creature Perkinse Kuchlinus and others say the like Master Cowper pretended bishop of Galloway confessed no King no church could make an holy day The like was acknowledged by Master Galloway in one of his Christmas sermons But so it is that God hath permitted six dayes to man for the worke of his calling and selected the seventh to himselfe to be spent in his service Seeing therefore God hath given libertie to man to worke six dayes and counteth them common and prophane no man ought to be compelled to keep them holy but when God himselfe maketh exception as hee did by the yoke of some anniversarie dayes under the law or calleth us to a present humiliation or thanksgiving The civill magistrat may command cessation from worke for a politick end as weapon-showing exercise of armes defence of a city or sort of the countrey but that is not to enjoyne a holy day nor yet a meere idle day but that oeconomicall and privat worke give place to publike and politick Paraeus in epist ad Romano cap. 14. dub 4. Tametsi rectè quidem sacra quotidiana concionum precum publicè instituuntur tamen omnes ad ea adstringere durum esset The Doctour saith some dayes were made holy not onely because they were dedicated to the worship of God but because a speciall worship was appointed by God and appropriated to them as the feast of the passeover or whiâ—sunday Other times were holy onely by reason of the use or divine worship performed on them and not for mysterie or solemne worship appropriated to them He saith our divines meane only that it is only proper to God to make dayes holy after the first manner but not after the second which is false as may appear by their description of sanctifying a day which is generally to set it apart to an holy use and not to a mysticall only Next by such an answer men make holy dayes like the Lords day His comparison with the temple of Jerusalem and the synagogues and Christian churches will not helpe him unlesse the synagogues and Christian churches answer in holinesse to the sabbath and the Lords day as hee saith the temple did to the anniversarie feasts which I trust hee will not maintaine And this same comprison of time and place shall cleare and confirme our argument For as no man can sanctifie a place or make it holy but God that is set it so apart from all worldly uses that it shall bee a prophaning of it to entertaine any worldly purpose or â—riste in it or carrie a vessell through it and to be bound to holy exercises in it otherwise it cannot bee said to be sanctified and set apart to God if it stand up like an idol so no man can sanctifie a day that is set it so apart to God that when it recurreth weekly monethly or yearly we must not use worldly but must use holy exercises But the first is true none but God can appoint such a place and under the new testament he hath appointed no such place Christian churches or houses are builded for the commoditie of Gods people to defend them from the injurie of the weather to serve them to sit in commodiously when they are conveened to serve God which use is civill and is common to houses builded for civill meetings The congregation may permit the use of their church to a civill meeting without prejudice to their owne libertie to meet when they have occasion Nexâ— the congregation is not bound to meet in that house but may forsake it and take them to another But if it were sanctified and set apart to God they should be bound to use it Our churches then are dedicate to the communalty of the faithfully wâ—thin such a precinct for the uses foresaid as a statehâ—â—â—e or judgement hall may bee dedicate to a citie but they are not sanctified and made holy to God Our prayers are not more holy or better heard in this or that temple then at home saith Whittaker in his answer to Durâ—us but that God is more moved when the faithfull meet together to pray Impertinently doth the Doctour alledge the houres appointed for preaching in the weeke or prayers morning and evening For these are not houres sanctified or consecrated to Gods service but the most convenient times men finde in their wisedome when most may resort to hearing of sermons and prayers which mâ—y and ought to be changed when occasions offer a more convenient time So time is designed occasionally not dedicat or sanctified Time is made to serve Gods people and not Gods people made to serve
another time But that will not save the maâ—ter For a day is called mystike not onely for shadowing things to come but also for the mysteries solemnely remembred And as for appropriation doe wee not appropriat to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and thinke it absurd to performe the like service upon another day with the like solemnitie of cessation from worke and supâ—rstitious forbearing of fasting Wee thinke it likewise absurd to performe upon the nativitie day that peculiar service which belongeth to easter Yea the Doctour saith the commemoration appointed to bee made upon the five dayes must not bee omitted on these dayes If it bee absurd to celebrate another day after the same manner with the same service and no other service will serve on these dayes is there not a peculiar service appropriated to our festival dayes as of old among the Jewes That shift is of no weight that a minister may preach or wee may meditate upon Christs passion another day then the nativitie For that is not to celebrate with solemnitie To use another day with the like solemnitie in the place of it or both would be thought very absurd The Jewes themselves without the service appropriated to their feasts might remember these same benefites and mysteries upon other dayes but not with the like solemnitie and peculiar service And so the solemnitie is tyed to the time To observed dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of houres for preaching or prayers on weeke dayes or times for the communion according to the policie and order set downe by everie particular congregation we tye not our selves to them not any peculiar service to any of them Wee use time then onely as a circumstance and for order and not as a sacred time let be as a holy festivitie Wee observe dayes after the same manner that the Jewes did howbeit not the same dayes nor with the same kinde of worship The change of the circumstance the day and manner of wotship doth not free us of Judaizing Non sublata sed mutata est significatio dierum saith Bellarmine and so it is with the Formalists Wee doe not say that the anniversarie revolution made the Jewish festivals ceremoniall for in the revolution of time there was no mysterie but the tying of such a peculiar service to the time of anniversarie resolution with such solomnitie To performe the same duty in substance upon the morall sabbath as occasion served had not beene ceremoniall What then they say ought not Christs inestimable benefites and notable acts to be remembred I answer Yes and so they are for where the gospell is preached his acts are published Christ is set forth crucified by the preaching of the word every communion day his passion and death is and will be remembred to his comming againe The Eucharist saith Bellarmine est memoriale omnium miraculorum quasi compendium vitae passionis resurrectionis Domini In the written word sermons prayers creeds catechismes his nativitie passion ascension c. are remembred It followeth not they should bee remembred therefore their memorie should be celebrated severally with the solemnity of a festivall day For the Lord hath appointed an holy day which we call the Lords day and may call Christs day as I said before for publishing all Christs acts and benefites Pope Alexander the 3. gave this reason wherefore the Romane Church doth not observe an holy day to the Trinitie to wit because glorie to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other like things belonging to the praise of the Trinitie are published daily Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quòd in aliquo tempore hujusmodi celebrat specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria patri filio spiritui sancto catera similia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia trinitatis The Popes ground must bee this Whatsoever is treated on or remembred in the ordinarie divine service needeth not a speciall holy day to celebrat the memorie of the same I assume The nativity passion resurrection ascension of Christ and sending downe the holy Ghost are not only remembred in privat but also in publike and in the ordinarie service specially on the Lords day If all be true that is affirmed by a councell holden at Constantinoplâ— that Christ was borne on this day the starre shined to the wisemen on it Christ fed 5000. persons with five loaves and two fishes on it that hee was baptized rose and sent downe the holy Ghost on it the light was treated on it and which Pope Leâ— affirmeth that the Lords day is consecrated with so many mysteries dispensed on it that whatsoever notable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day it appeareth that the Lord would have us to observe only this day as holy and sanctified by himself for the proclaiming of all his worthy acts and not to presume to institute holy festivities upon our owne heads There is no danger but the memorie of Christs nativitie c. will be preserved to the end of the world without observing such solemnities and making holy dayes which lyeth not in the power of man This pretext of remembring and putting in minde hath beene a cloak to bring in crosses images surplices and other popish garments with much other superstition and among the rest these memoriall dayes THE JVDGEMENT OF FORraine Divines I Passe by the Petrobrusians the Waldenses and Wicleffs followers and come to later times Luther in his booke de bonis operibus set forth anno 1520. wished that there were no festivall dayes among Christians but the Lords day only were observed And in his booke to the nobilitie of Germanie he saith Consulâ—â— nesse ut oâ—nia festa aboleantur solo die dominico retentâ— That is It were expedient that all feasts were abolisâ—ed tâ—e Lords day onely being retained Farellus and Viâ—et râ—nâ—â—ed all holy dayes out of the Church of Geneva as Calvine epist. 118. testifieth The same decree which banished Farellus and Calvine out of Geneva brought in other holy dayes In a nationall synod holden at Dort anno 1578. of the Belgick Almaine and French Churches we have these words Optandum forâ—t nostros sex diebus laborare diem solum Dominicum celebrare That is It were to be wished that our countrie people laboured six dayes and celebrated only the Lords day So yee may see festivall dayes are rather tolerated by them because of the wilfulnesse of the magistrates and people then commended or allowed Among the articles agreed upon and concluded concerning ecclesiasticall policie in the Palatinaâ— anno 1602. we have this following Omnes Feriâ— per annum festi dies tollendi è medio All the festivall dayes through the yeare are to be abolished Yee see where they finde the opportunity they abolished them Bucer howbeit not