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A69491
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Gestus Eucharisticvs, or, A discourse concerning the gesture at the receiving of the Holy Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper by George Ashwell ...
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Ashwell, George, 1612-1695.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing A3998; ESTC R16232
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72,577
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195
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him viz. Psal 99. 5. hath these words Quaero quid sit Scabellum Pedum ejus dicit mihi Scriptura Terra Scabellum Pedum meorum Fluctuans converto me ad Christum quia ipsum hic quaero invenio quomodo sine impietate adoretur Terra sine impietate adoretur Scabellum Pedum ejus Suscepit enim de Terrà Terram quia Caro de Terrà est de Carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsà Carne hic ambulavit ipsam Carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit Nemo autem Carnem illam manducat nisi priùs adoraverit Inventum est quemadmodum adoretur tale Scabellum pedum Domini non solùm non peccemus adorando sed peccemus non adorando That is I enquire what is meant by his Foot-stool and the Scripture tells me the Earth is my Foot-stoole In the midst of my waverings I turn me unto Christ for him I seek here so I find how the Earth his Foot-stool may be worshipt without Impiety Because he took Earth of the Earth for Flesh is of the Earth and he took Flesh of the Flesh of Marie And because he conversed here in the Flesh and gave us his very flesh to eat unto Salvation Now there is none who eateth that flesh but first worshippeth or adoreth We have found then how this Footstool of the Lord may be adored so that we shall not only not sin in adoring but sin by not adoring Theodoret in his second Dialogue which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brings in Eranistes an Eutychian and Orthodoxus a Sound Believer discoursing together concerning our Saviours Incarnation Among other Passages of that Dialogue he puts these words in the mouth of Orthodoxus which as they make against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation so they are express for a Gesture of Adoration at the receiving of the Sacrament The words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The Sacramental Elements viz. Bread and Wine after Consecration depart not from their proper Nature for they continue in their former Essence Shape and Form and are visible and tangible as they were before but they are considered or regarded for such as they are made and believed and are adored as those ve-very things which they are believed to be Which last words though they cannot justly be extended to justifie that Adoration which the Church of Rome gives unto the Host as being grounded on the Doctrine of Transubstantiation which is here expresly denied so they must needs import thus much that the consecrated Elements were received with an Adorative Gesture Joan Climacus who lived towards the latter end of the Sixth Century relates a Story of one who it seems being Possessed and brought to the Communion uttered there some blasphemous words whereupon he saith afterwards If those foul and impious words be esteemed as mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is the Reason that I adore when I receive the heavenly Gift meaning Christ in the Sacrament can I at the same time both bless and blaspheme Thus he lib. 30. Graduum perfect p. 298. Hitherto also may we refer that Story which Greg. Naz. tells us of his Sister Gorgonia in his Oration on her viz. That being sick she carried with her some of the consecrated Mysteries or Sacramental Elements which she had reserved and then in the stilness of the night when her Disease gave her a little Respite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She kneeled or fell down before the Altar and with a loud voice called on him whom she worshipped and in conclusion she was made whole Sure she did now in her Sickness what she and others did in their Health when they come to the Lords Table that is Fall down and kneel And Peter Martyr contr Gaudmerum Object 38. expounding these words of Nazianzene which were misapplied by the Romanists to justifie their Adoration of the Hoast yet confesseth Super altare coli quidem Christum sed coli in Symbolo sicut in Symbolo significatur That Christ is worshipped upon the Altar but worshipped in the Signe as he is represented in the Signe Which is all that we intend or desire The same is confirmed by another Story which Sozomen tells us of a certain woman a Macedonian-Heretick who coming to the Sacrament only to please her husband who had threatned to put her away in case she conformed not to the Catholicks took the Bread from the Bishops hand the Bishop was St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and holding what she had received bowed down or prostrated her self as to prayer But whilst she was in that posture she conveyed the Bread away her maid thereby privily stealing a piece of common Bread into her pocket Sozom. Eccles Hist lib. 8. cap. 5. But there is none speaks more home and clear for this Gesture of Adoration at the receiving of the Sacrament then St. Chrysostome two passages of whom I shall set down The First in his Twenty fourth Homily on the 1. Epist to the Cor. in Mor. Where speaking of the Wise men from the East who adored our Saviour in his Infancy he adds these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is This Body the Wisemen reverenced even when it lay in the Manger and approaching thereto worshipped with great fear and trembling Let us therefore who are Citizens of Heaven imitate at least these Barbarians But thou seest this Body not in the Manger but on the Altar not held by a woman but presented by the Priest Let us therefore stir up our selves and shew far greater reverence then those Barbarians least by our careless and rude coming we heap fire on our Heads The second Passage we have in his third Homily on the Epistle to the Ephesians in Morali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Royall Table is set forth the King himself is present and dost thou stand gaping Thy garments are foule and makest thou no account of it But they are clean why then fall down and communicate When thou seest the Chancel doors opened then suppose that Heaven it self is unfolded from above and that the Angels descend By these Testimonies it sufficiently appeareth that the Primitive Christians received the Sacrament with an adorative Gesture and this was so commonly known that the very Heathen took notice of it and among other Slanders wherein they aspersed Christians charged them with worshipping of Ceres and Bacchus the supposed Deities of Bread and Wine whereof we can assign no other probable Reason than the Christians Bowing or Adoring when they received the Bread and Wine at the Communion St. Aug. is my Author Now this forementioned Gesture which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines Adoratio was the most humble Gesture of Reverence and therefore in holy Scripture is oft joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falling down to the Earth Mat. 2. 11. 4. 9. Act. 10. 25. Herodotus observes of the Eastern Nations that the manner of Equalls was to kiss one
water came down from Heaven very cool and refreshing on the Romans but upon their Adversaries haile accompanied with fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Yea we immediately felt the presence of God upon their Prayer as of an invincible and immortal Deity So highly did God approve and reward the Prayer of these Christian-Souldiers which was attended by this humble Gesture But the most principal Testimony of all which therefore I have reserved last is that of St. Chrysostom in 2. Ep. ad Cor. Hom. 18. in Morali pag. 647. Edit Savil. Where relating the particulars of the Communion Service he thus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is One may see how the People beareth no small part in the publick Prayers For Prayers are made both by Priest and People for the Possessed and the Penitents all uttering one and the same Prayer Prayer full of compassion Then when we have excluded those from the sacred Rails who are not in a capacity to partake of the holy Table another Prayer useth to be made whereat we cast our selves down on the Ground alltogether and rise up alltogether Which practice of the Greek Church thus recorded by St. Chrysostom wâ—ll agrees with what I before alledged touching the Latine Church out of Caesarius and Alcuinus who both witness that the People were admonished to kneel when the Bishop or Priest administred at the Altar PROP. IV. What ever Gesture was used at the Publick Prayers which was varied as we find by the Precedent Testimonies yet this is sufficiently clear that the Communicants always used a Gesture of Adoration at the Receiving of the Sacrament thereby testifying that religious Honour and Divine Worship which they owed and acknowledged due unto God the Father who gave and to his Blessed Son our Lord Jesus Christ who is therein given unto us with all his Merits and Graces and the Benefits of his Passion Which I hope will be judged to come home unto our purpose and serve to justifie both the Practice and Precept of our Church in using and enjoyning the Gesture of kneeling whereby we now usually express the Act of Adoration 1 That ancient Author of the Book De Cardinalibus Christi operibus among St. Cyprians works who ever he were he was an Orthodox Doctor and contemporary as well with St. Cyprian as with Cornelius Bishop of Rome to whom he dedicates his work in his Tract De Coena Domini hath these words Pauperes spiritu ad hoc mysterium eligit diligit Spiritus Sanctus eorum qui pompaticâ— gloriosè sacris se Altaribus ingerunt obsequia detestatur that is The Holy Ghost loveth and chooseth such to be Partakers of this Sacrament as are poor in Spirit and abhorreth the Servicâ—â— of those who pompously and proudly press unto the holy Altars And after speaking of the Communicant he describes him thus Inter Sacra Mysteria ad gratiarum actiones convertitur inclinatâ— capite munditiâ cordis adeptâ se intelligens consummatum restituens Peccator sanctificatam Deo animam quasi Depositum custoditum fideliter reddit deinceps cum Paulo gloriatur laetatur dicens Vivo jam non ego vivit verò in me Christus That is While the Sacrament is administring the Communicant applies himself to Thanksgiving and having bowed his head and conceiving himself to be now perfect upon the cleansing of his heart the reconciled Sinner entirely commits his sanctified Soul as a Depositum into the hands of God and thence forward glorieth and rejoyceth with Paul saying It is not I that live now but Christ liveth in me Now this Bowing of the Head here mentioned was a Gesture of Adoration at the receiving of the Sacrament and that proud manner of approaching or pressing unto the Holy Table or Altar as the phrase of old was which he so much condemns seems too applicable unto Those who make choice of Sitting at the receiving of the Sacrament upon presumption of their Coheirship with Christ Cyril Patriarch of Jerusalem Orat. Mystag 5 ta thus instructeth the Communicant how he should approach to the holy Table at the receiving of the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is When thou approachest the Holy Table come not with thy hands rudely stretcht forth nor with thy fingers parted wide asunder but supporting thy right hand with thy left as being to receive the King of Heaven and hollowing the Palms thereof so receive the Body of Christ saying withall Amen Then approach to receive the Cup of Christs Blood not rudely stretching forth thy hands but bowing thy self and saying Amen after the manner of Divine Worship and Adoration Where these three Things are observable First That the manner of partaking the Sacramental Bread and Wine had a peculiar Reverence annext to it exprest by a particular Posture of the Hands and whole Body to contradistinguish it to our own ordinary Repast at meales Secondly That the Communicant in the Act of Partaking bowed himself after the manner of Adoration to express his inward Devotion unto God Thirdly That at the same time he said Amen thus testifying his Assent to that Short Prayer wherewith the Sacrament was delivered and thereby shewing that he joyned with the Minister in it And sure kneeling which is a Gesture of Worship well suits with Prayer which is a part of Worship Ambr. de Sp u. S to lib. 3. cap. 12. Quâ ratione ad Incarnationis Dominicae sacramentum spectare videatur quod ait Propheta Adorate Scabellum pedum ejus consideremus Legimus enim alibi Coelum mihi Thronus Terra autem Scabellum pedum meorum Sed nec terra adoranda nobis est quia Creatura est Dei. Videamus tamen ne Terram illam dicat adorandam Propheta quam Dominus Jesus in Carnis assumptione suscepit Itaque per Scabellum Terra intelligitur per Terram autem Caro Christi quam hodiè quoque in mysteriis adoramus quam Apostoli in Domino Jesu adorarunt Neque enim divisus Christus sed unus Neque cum adoraretur tanquam Dei filius natus ex Virgine negabatur That is Let us consider how that of the Prophet worship his Footstool may seem to belong unto the Mystery of our Lords Incarnation For we read elsewhere Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Footstool But neither is the Earth to be worshipped by us as being the Creature of God Let us see nevertheless whether the Prophet doth not say That Earth is to be worshipt which the Lord Jesus assumed in his Incarnation By the Footstool therefore is the Earth to be understood and by the Earth the Body of Christ which to this day we also worship in the Sacrament and which the Apostles worshipt in the Lord Jesus For Christ is not divided but one and the same Neither when he was worshipped as the Son of God was he denied to be the Son of the Virgin Augustine commenting on the same words of the Psalm the 98 with