Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
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A38767
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The case of kneeling at the Holy Sacrament stated & resolved. Part I ...
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Evans, John, 17th cent.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing E3446; ESTC R226085
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40,728
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63
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St. Paul doth the Lord's Supper the Kingly Royal and most Divine Supper which Import Deference Distance and Respect on our Parts the Dreadful Sacrifice the Venerable and Unbloody Sacrifice the Wonderful and Terrible Mysteries the Royal Spiritual Holy Formidable Tremendous Table The Bread and Wine after Consecration are in their Language called the most Mysterious most Holy Food and Nutriment the most Holy things and the place where the Table stood the most Holy part of the Temple in allusion to that of the Jewish Temple to which the Jews paid the highest Reverence The Bread in particular they Stiled the Bread of God the Cup the Holy and Mysterious the Royal and Dreadful Cup. The Primitive Bishops and Holy Fathers advise the Communicants to Reverence these Holy Mysteries to come with Fear and Trembling with Sorrow and Shame with silence and downcast Eyes to keep their Joy within and to approach the Table with all the Signs and Expressions of Reverence and Humility imaginable How can these Speeches consist with that Social Familiar carriage at the Sacrament which the Patrons of the Table-Gesture contend for as the Priviledge of Guests and the Prerogative of the Lord's Table For a conclusion of this whole matter I desire our Nonconforming Brethren seriously to consider two or three Questions which I shall propound to them and endeavour to frame an Honest and Impartial Answer as in the Presence of God who searches our Hearts and tryeth our Reins They are not of a Captious Nature started to puzzle the Cause or for the sake of Contention God knows my Heart I have no such designs through this whole Discourse but they are plain and easie to be resolved almost at first sight Qu. I. Whether of two or three Gestures which are all agreeable to the Nature of the Sacrament any one is not to be chosen and used by us when we can't use another without breaking the Peace and Unity of that Church wherein we live Qu. II. Whether it can consist with Piety or Prudence to Expose your Selves and Families to Danger and the lash of the Law when nothing is Commanded but what is consistent with the Law of God and agreeable to the Nature of the Sacrament though not to your Phansies and desires Qu. III. Whether we are not as Christians obliged by the Law of God and the example of our Saviour to deny our Selves many things that are otherwise Lawful for us to do and use and are highly pleasing and grateful to us for the Good and Edification of our Neighbour If so How much more when the publick good and welfare of both Church and State depends upon such self-denyal Qu. IV. Whether it be Piously done of you to chuse never to Receive the Sacrament and so deprieve your Selves of the Spiritual Benefit of that Heavenly Feast rather then part with a Civil Circumstance such as a Table-Gesture is It is the Custom of our Country to Sit at Feasts but few men are so mad as to refuse to Eat Standing and go Hungry away when they have no room to Sit down Why should we not be as Prudent at this Spiritual Feast in the Concerns of our Souls as we are in those of our Bodies Put the case we were strictly prohibited by the Law of the Land the use of a Table or a Table-cloth at this Holy Feast and we could not receive with that Convenience as now we may would you end your days in a continual refusal and never receive the Sacrament I don't know how far Passion and Prejudice and the heat of Disputation may blind and transport Men but if they will calmly consider this matter and hearken to Reason they will find nothing to justify the total neglect of this Ordinance by I am very apt to think they will be of my mind for I declare to all the World rather than not Receive at all the Comfortable Sacrament of our Blessed Saviours Body and Blood I will Receive it on a Tomb-stone on the ground in a Church or in a Field if all other things that are Essential to it be rightly observed and performed If any of our Dissenting Brethren shall upon this Question think as I do viz. that there is no absolute necessity of a Table in this case which the Custom of our Country requires at Ordinary Feasts He will also at the same time see there is no absolute necessity of a Table-Gesture and that we may Receive worthily without either the one or the other FINIS BOOKS Printed for FINCHAM GARDINER 1. A Perswasive to Communion with the Church of England 2. A Resolution of some Cases of Conscience which respect Church-Communion 3. The Case of Indifferent things used in the Worship of God proposed and Stated by considering these Questions c. 4. A Discourse about Edification 5. The Resolution of this Case of Conscience Whether the Church of Englands Symbolizing so far as it doth with the Church of Rome makes it unlawful to hold Communion with the Church of England 6. A Letter to Anonymus in answer to his three Letters to Dr. Sherlock about Church-Communion 7. Certain Cases of Conscience resolved concerning the Lawfulness of joyning with Forms of Prayer in Publick Worship In two Parts 8. The Case of mixt Communion Whether it be Lawful to Separate from a Church upon the account of promiscuous Congregations and mixt Communions 9. An Answer to the Dissenters Objections against the Common Prayers and some other parts of Divine Service prescribed in the Liturgy of the Church of England 10. The Case of Kneeling at the Holy Sacrament stated and resolved c. In two Parts 11. A Discourse of Profiting by Sermons and of going to hear where men think they can profit most 12. A serious Exhortation with some important Advices relating to the late Cases about Conformity recommended to the present Dissenters from the Church of England See the Case of Indifferent things Acts. 17. 11. Mat. 26. 26. Ver. 27. Ver. 28. Ver. 29. Ver. 30. Mar. 14. 22. Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Ver. 25. Ver. 26. Luke 22. 19. Ver. 20. See Dr. Lightfoot on Mat. 26. 26. Horae Heb. Talmud John 13 from Ver. 1. to 31. vid. Hor. Heb. Tal. p. 300. and Mat. 26. 6. John 5. 53. Ver. 54. Ver. 55. Ver. 56. Ver. 23. Ver. 24. Ver. 25. Ver. 26. 1 Cor. 10. 16 21. 1 Cor. 11. 20. Acts 2. 46. Acts 20. 7. A Manuscript of an unknown Author cited by Mr. Paybody p. 48. Object Mat. 26. 20. Mar. 14. 18. Luke 22. 14. Answ. I. †Mat. 26. 20. Mar. 14. 17. Luke 22. 14. Answ. II. Answ. III. 1 Cor. 11. 23 4 5 6 27 28. Verses 1 At Cracow Anno. Dom. 1573. 2 Petricow or Peterkaw 1578. 3 Wladislaw 1583. Harmon 4 Synods of Holl. Vid. Art 34 observat of the French and Dutch Divines on the Harmony of Confessions edit Geneva 1681. sect 14. p. 120. In hoc etiam ritu speaking of Kneeling at the Sacr. suam cuique Ecclesiae libertatem salvam reliquendam arbitraemur Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Luke 22. 20. Luke 22. 14. Mat. 26. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Marg. Gen. 18. 4. 19. c. 2. 24. 32. Mat. 15. 2. Mar. 7. 3. Luke 7. 44. Tract Berachoth Pesachin Maimon in Chametz Umatsah Buxtorf Synag c. 13. Vid. Buxt Synagoga c. 12. p. 286. Vid. John 2. 6. Vid. Grot. in loc Dr. Hamond on v. 26. Mark 14. 12. Joh. 13. 14 15. As the Talmudist and forementioned Writers testify Vid. Dr. Lightfoot Hor. Heb. 291. See Mr. Ainsworth a Learned Non-Conformist in Ex. 12. 8. 11. Buxt Syn. c. 13. p. 300. Pesachin fol. 37. 2. Hor. Heb. 291 292. In vita contemplat p. 663. Col. Allobro edit 1613. p. 695. Luke 3. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Acts 5. 42. Acts 11. 20. Marc. 16. 15. Heb. 5. 9. 2 Thess. 1. 8. Col. 2. 6. Gillesp. against Cer. p. 339. Gillesp. 338. disp against Ceremo John 18. 11. Joh. 17. 4. v. Mat. 11. 27. Luke 2. 49. Joh. 4. 34. Joh. 5. 30. 8 c. 28 29. Joh. 10. 25. Joh. 14. 24 31. Joh. 15. 10 15. Mat. 3. 16. Mat. 28. 19. Rom. 6. 4. 6. 11 Col. 2. 12. Altar Dam. 745. 747. Vid. Mr. Ainsworth Exod. 12. 6. 11. Phil. 4. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 9. 1 Cor. 11. 6. Altar Dam. p. 762. Disput against Kneeling p. 2. p. 56. arg 4. Abridgment p. 61. reply to Bp. Morton 3 Innoc. Cer. p. 37. set forth in K. James's Reign Preface to his Serm. last Edit 1681. * So St. Cypr. St. Chrysost. and St. Aug. expound this Exhort of the Minister at the Communion Cyp. de orat Dom. Chrys. Hom. de Encaeniis Aug. de ver Relig. c. 3. †St. Chrys. in Ps. 90. Greg. Naz. orat 40. Athanasius St. Cyril Hierosol Catech. and others Eph. 2. 18. Eph. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 26. Ignat. Ep. ad Ephes. Justin. Mar. in Dial. cum Tryph. Luk. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Set forth by 1. Dr. Patri◠2. Dr. Sherlock Object Answer Exod. 12. 14. Ver. 11. Phil. 2. 8 9 10 11. Luke 22. 42 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 41. Ver. 43. See the Declaration at the end of the Communion-Service in the Book of Common Prayer 1 Cor 11 29. Vid. 20 21 22. and compare them with 33 34. Annot. in Luk. 22. 14. Can. Apost 2. St. Ignat. in 3 Epistles ad Philad Trallon Eph. Justin Mart. Irenaeus Dispute against Kneeling Arg. 1. p. 6. p. 26 27 28 31 37. Rom. 15. 2. 3 8.
THE CASE OF KNEELING AT THE Holy Sacrament STATED RESOLVED PART I. Wherein these QUERIES are considered I. Whether Kneeling at the Sacrament be contrary to any express Command of Christ obliging to the observance of a different Gesture II. Whether Kneeling be not a Deviation from that example which our Lord set us at the first Institution III. Whether Kneeling be not Unsutable and Repugnant to the Nature of the Lord's Supper as being no Table-Gesture The Second EDITION LONDON Printed by J. C. and Freeman Collins for Fincham Gardiner at the White-Horse in Ludgate-street 1683. THE CASE Whether it be Lawful to receive the Holy Sacrament Kneeling THe Resolution of the most weighty and considerable Doubts which may in point of Conscience arise about this matter and do at present much influence the minds and practices of many honest and well-meaning Dissenters will depend upon the Resolution of these following Queries 1. Whether Kneeling in the Act of Receiving the Holy Sacrament according to the Law of the Land be not contrary to some express Law of Christ obliging to the observance of a different Posture 2. Whether Kneeling be not a deviation from that example which our Lord set us at the first Institution 3. Whether Kneeling be not altogether Unsutable and Repugnant to the nature of the Sacrament as being no Table-Gesture 4. Whether Kneeling Commanded in the Church of England be not contrary to the general Practice of the Church of Christ in the first and purest Ages 5. Whether it be Unlawful for us to receive Kneeling because this Gesture was first introduced by Idolaters and is still notoriously abused by the Papists to Idolatrous ends and purposes 1. Whether Kneeling in the Act of Receiving the Sacrament in Obedience to the Law of the Land be not a Transgression against some express Law of Christ which obliges us to observe another Gesture For satisfaction in this Point our onely recourse must be to the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the New Testament wherein the whole body of Divine Laws delivered and enacted by our Blessed Saviour are collected and recorded by the Holy Ghost And if there be any Command there extant concerning the use of any particular Gesture in the Act of Receiving the Lord's Supper we shall upon a diligent enquiry be sure to find it But before I give in my Answer I readily grant thus much by way of Preface Whatsoever is enjoyned and appointed by God to be prepetually used by all Christians throughout all Ages without any alteration that can never be nullified or altered by any Earthly Power or Authority whatsoever When once the Supreme Lawgiver and Governour of the World hath any ways signified and declared that such and such positive Laws shall be perpetually and unalterably observed then those Laws though in their own nature and with respect to the subject matter of them they be changeable must remain in full Force and can admit of no Change from the Laws of Men. It would be a piece of intolerable Pride and the most daring Presumption for any Earthly Prince any Council any Societie of Men whatsoever to oppose the known Will of the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth In this Case nothing can take off the Force and Obligation of such Laws but the same Divine Authoritie which first passed them into Laws Thus much being granted and premised I return this Answer to the Question proposed God hath been so far from establishing the unalterable use of any particular Gesture in the Act of Receiving that among all the Sacred Records of his Will there is not any express Command to determine our practice one way or other We are left perfectly at our libertie by God to use what comely Gesture we please either Sitting Kneeling or Standing And if the Law of the Land did not restrain our libertie we might use any of the forementioned Gestures without the least violation of any Law of God This perhaps at first sight may seem very strange and false to many of our Dissenting Brethren who have been taught to believe otherwise and it may be to judge Charitably their Teachers and Pastours have in this particular been imposed on themselves by the Writings and Assertions of other Men whose Persons they have had in great admiration But yet I am so secure of this Truth that I challenge all the World to produce the Chapter and Verse wherein any Command is given for the use of any particular Gesture at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper That Popish Principle of believing as the Church believes and swallowing all for Gospel which she affirms to be so though very mischievous in its consequence is not so Popish that is so ill as to pin our Faith on the Sleeves of particular Men and relying barely on the word and credit of any one Man whom we highly esteem of what Party or Perswasion soever For this is to create a Pope to our selves and make every Man whom we phansie infallible this is to make two more than six and the Authority of one Man outweigh the Authority of the Church that is a Society of Men who are nothing near so liable to deception I don't desire therefore to be trusted by any means in the matter under present consideration and therefore I would have the Reader to observe this Rule Trust no Mans Eyes or Judgment where you are able to use your own but follow the example of the Bereans so highly commended by St. Paul upon this very account that is to make an ingenuous enquiry into the Truth of things to search the Scriptures whether these things be so as I say and assert If this course were generally followed it would go a great way towards the composing those differences and curing those divisions that at present are on foot amongst us occasioned by several Tenets and Opinions about matters of Religion By this means a great many which pass for Divine Oracles and Doctrines would appear to be no other than the whimsies and inventions of Men. With this cautionary advice I might fairly dismiss this Question as being fully Answered and leave all my Readers to disprove me if they can But because some may pretend they have not Leisure and others want of Skill and others are not endued with Patience enough to search and examine this matter throughly as it ought I will yield all the Charitable assistance I am able towards their relief by doing the work to their hands My Business then at present is this to Collect and Present to your view all those places which relate to the Sacrament and are most likely to inform us what our Lord by his Institution and Appointment hath obliged us to And certainly if there be any Command which tyes us up to the use of any particular Gesture Sitting suppose or Standing and not Kneeling we shall find it in one or other of the Evangelists who give us a perfect Narrative of the whole Mind