breach of the Institution made by kneeling is the change and restraint of the commandement giuen to many in the plurall number Eate yee drinke yee to one in the singular number Eate thou drinke thou ANS This is a calumny we neither change the command nor so much as a iot contained in the institution For first wee consecrate the Elements vsing the words of Saint Paul and the Euangelists without altering a sillable Thereafter when we giue the Elements seuerally to euery person wee apply the generall command to euery one in particular which if we did not euery worthy receiuer ought to apply vnto himselfe else he cannot communicate in faith for he that esteemes not that command to belong to himselfe in particular hath no warrant for his taking eating and drinking This application therefore made by the Pastor to euery communicant is not a breach but a meane seruing to the right and precise obseruation of the Institution PP The fift breach of the institution made by kneeling is the altering of the enunciatiue words of Christ This is my body which is broken for you This is my bloud which is shed for you in a prayer To blesse our body and soule saying The body of our Lord Iesus Christ c. ANS This also is a calumny for these words wee vse not in stead of the sacramentall words because then there should be no Sacrament at all for by the sacramentall word This is my body the bread is made the Sacrament of Christs body and by this word This Cuppe is the New Testament in my bloud the Cuppe is made the Sacrament of his Bloud and without this word whereby the will of our Sauiour is declared which makes the Sacrament all our prayers and wishes should serue to no vse It is true after the Sacrament is made by the sacramentall word these or the like words are vttered by the Pastor at the deliuery of the Elements whereby the generall prayer and blessing wherewith the action beginnes is applyed particularly to euery Communicant and they admonished and instructed to apply it to themselues This is the dutie both of the Pastor and of the people for as in the prayer it is our duetie to wish in generall that all who are to participate the bodie and bloud of Iesus may be preserued thereby to euerlasting life so it is our duetie to wish the same to each one seuerally at the instant when he is receiuing And as it is the Peoples dutie when the prayer is conceiued for all to wish that Christs body and bloud may preserue all the receiuers thereof so when they receiue seuerally to wish that themselues in particular may be preserued thereby For if this be one of the principall ends wherefore they come to receiue can they receiue worthily without this or the like wish No man without blasphemie can call this an idle battologie PP The sixth breach of the Institution made by kneeling is the taking away of the distribution that ought to be amongst the Communicants When Christ sayd Take yee eate yee he insinuates that they should take and diuide amongst themselues A little after In the first Booke of Discipline penned Anno. 1560. it is ordained that the Minister break the bread and distribute the same to those that bee next him commanding the rest euery one with reuerence and sobrietie to breake with other because it is neerest to Christs action further we haue a plaine precept Luke 22.17 Diuide it amongst you c. ANS If yee stand to that which yee alleadge out of Scaliger was the custome of the Iewes and vsed by our Sauiour in the Institution yee haue no cause to quarrell the distribution of the bread for the Master of the feast vfed to breake the berad in so many peeces as the number of the Feasters were giuing to euery one a peece neither did each person measure his owne portion giuing the rest to his neighbour according to our custome But leauing this if we shall consider by the Institution what part is proper to the Pastor and what to the People wee will finde that as it is the Pastors part to take bread to blesse and giue thanks so is it his part first to breake the bread then to giue it with this precept Take eate and so that it is the Peoples part not to breake it but to take it broken for as it was the part of Christ first to giue his flesh for the life of the World when he did offer himselfe in a sacrifice for our sinnes which he will haue represented in the Sacrament by the Pastor in breaking the bread so it was his part to giue his flesh to the faithfull not to be broken and sacrificed by them but to bee eaten after it was once broken sacrificed by himselfe If therefore it be not the part of the people either to represent the oblation of Christs body or the donation thereof to vs but the part of the Pastor properly who in these actions represents Christ it cannot be the part of the people to breake the bread nor to giue the bread one to another For this cause in the ancient Church it was euer giuen either by the Pastor himselfe or by his Deacon who supplied his place and helped him in the action but neuer by any of the people to others And Clemens Alexandrmus in the place which your selfe quotes saith not that the people diuided the bread but that it was permitted to euery one of the people to take a part of the Eucharist after that some doubtlesse the Masters of the Church had diuided it in peeces as their custome was The learned Musculus in his common places De coena Domini pag. 444. speaking of this purpose saith Fregit dedit Discipulis suis fregit ipse manusuapanem ac fractum à se dedit Discipulis non dedit integrum ab ipsis frangendum fed à se fractum panem Non dedit vt ipsi distribuerent fed vt à se distributum acciperent ederent Erant Apostoli in ca coena Domini non vt dispensatores mysteriorum Dei sed vt conuinae vt fideles vt Discipuli vt Communicantes Christus verò vt Conuiuator vt Dominus eadem opera instituens ac suiipsius manibus dispensans gratiae suae sacramentum That is to say Christ Iesus brake and gaue to his Disciples hee brake the bread with his owne hand and when it was broken he gaue it to his Disciples he gaue it not whole vnto them to be broken by them but he gaue them that which he had broken he gaue it not to them to be distributed by them but that they should take it being distributed by him and eate it The Apostles were in that Supper not as dispensers of the mysteries of God but as Guests as the faithfull as Disciples and as Communicants but Christ was as the maker of the Feast as the Master at one time both instituting and
meditation an Hypocrite and Reprobate may haue at the Table therefore it cannot be the principall worke of the minde which distinguisheth the worthie from the vnworthie Receiuer When we heare and reade the Word the principall work of our mind should not be a meditation vpon the forme of the characters the sound of the letters the coniunction of them their sounds in the syllables the syllables in the words or the force and vertue of the words to signifie the matters but the chiefe work of our mind should be to conceiue vnderstand and consider rightly what is spoken So when we come to the Sacrament the chiese employment of our minde should not be to consider the proportion that is betweene the naturall vse of the Elements and the spirituall vse of Christs body and blood but a meditation and spirituall action correspondent and analogicke to the externall sacramentall actions As therefore the principall externall sacramental actions are to take eate and drink reuerently the symbolick Elements the bread and wine so the principall worke of the soule correspondent by analogie thereto is to remember the sacrifice of Christ the breaking of his body and shedding of his blood to consider the benefit that we haue thereby to put our confidence therein and for all to praise and magnifie his name with thankfulnesse This worke and meditation is proper to the worthy Receiuers and stirreth vp in the soule that most reuerent estimation and affection towards our Sauiour with an humble submission of our minds vnto him which we call adoration whereof the outward testimonie and figne is the humble and reuerent gesture of the body prescribed in the act which is also a gesture most conuenient for prayer So this gesture prescribed in the act doth not only attend the prayer vttered by the pastor and conceiued by the people in the act of receiuing but is proper to that which is indeed the chiefe and principal exercise work of the mind in al worthy receiuers PP The soule may send forth in the meane time some short eiaculations and darts of prayer to heauen to strengthen her owne weakenesse and returne to her principall worke of meditation and application of the benefits represented These short eiaculations of the minde are onely occasionall as a Christian feeleth his owne present estate and are incident to all our actions both ciuill and religious in the act of receiuing our earthly food in going on the way in hearing the Word If a man bee moued inwardly when he heareth that the Word was made flesh shall he kneele as they doe in the Romane Church If a man should kneele at euery inward motion of the minde when hee heareth the Word what confusion would there be in the Congregation ANS The verball prayer vttered by the Pastor and the mentall conceiued by the people in the act of receiuing is not an eiaculation but necessary to be vsed in the action by the worthy Receiuers for no man can receiue the body and the blood of Christ worthily without a spirituall hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse and life that is in him which spirituall appetite and desire being declared by the Pastor in these or the like words when he deliuereth the bread Grant Lord that by the vertue of thy body which wereceiue we may haue life eternall and be raised vp at the last day And when hee deliuereth the Cup Grant Lord that by the vertue of thy blood which we receiue we may be purged from our sinnes and filled with thy Spirit And the Receiuers conceiuing and confirming the same by saying with their mouthes as the custome was in the ancient Church or in their hearts Amen They send not vp occasional eiaculations but necessary and ordinary prayers such as the nature of the action requires Therefore as I said before although occasionall secret prayers may be offered to God without any externall gesture or with such as the worshipper thinks meetest for the time yet these which are purposely conceiued in the ordinary and solemne act of diuine worshippe should be presented to God with such a gesture as is conforme to the order prescribed and receiued in the Church PP A man looking occasionally to a Crucifixe may remember Christ and send vp some ejaculations shall hee therefore kneele The three children prayed mentally no doubt when they were brought before the golden Image but lawfully they might not kneele before it ANS Here yee affirme againe that which yee falsely alledged before namely that the Sacrament or any other creature differs not in the case of adoration from the Papists Images and therefore as it is vnlawfull to kneele before the Crucifixe or Nebuchadnezzars golden Image albeit wee may pray mentally before them so is it vnlawfull to kneele and pray at the Sacrament that is hauing the sacramentall elements before vs or obiect to our senses This comparison is odious false for there is no worship more lawfull then the prayers blessings vttered by the Pastor hauing the Elements disposed on the Table before him at the consecration for this agrees both with the Institution hath our Sauiours example as we said before These comparisons serue to no other vse but to extenuate idolatry and discredite the Sacrament PP Perkins distinguisheth notably betweene publike priuate and secret worship The secret and mentall worship must bee yeelded vnto God and the signes thereof concealed from the eyes and hearing of men as Nehemiah when he prayed in presence of the King Nehem. 2.4 In a word the Institution and the second Commandement hinder kneeling at this time suppose mentall praier were the principall exercise of the soule ANS Perkins speakes rightly for if the worship be secret and mentall it must be concealed from the eyes of men but if it be mentall and publike such as are the prayers of the people in time of diuine Seruice who mentally follow the prayer publikely vttered by the Pastor these mentall prayers must be offered with such external signes of adoration as are vsed in the Congregation But in the act of receiuing say yee that cannot bee because it is a breach of the second Commandement and of the Institution I answere That reason of yours is the caption called Petitio principy to take that for granted which is in question and I may truely say already confuted So that there remaines now no more question but that wee may both pray and kneele in the act of receiuing without breach of the second Commandement and most agreeably to the Institution PP I heare there is alledged a third sort of prayer to wit that the very act of receiuing is of it selfe a reall prayer Is not this as much as to say That crauing and receiuing is all one Bellarmine saith that prayer of it selfe and of the owne proper office doth impetrate and that a sacrifice hath the force and power of obtaining and impetrating because it is quaedam oratio realis non verbalis a certaine reall
to vse any Image in the worship of God for a signe an occasion or a middesse to stir vp a man to worship God for they are prohibited in the second Comandement and by the Prophet they are called Teachers of lyes because by them properly and truly nothing can be brought to our remembrance for which we should adore God but on the other part it is not possible that either our mindes can be informed to know God or our affections moued to worsh ippe him except by the contemplation of the creatures the meditation of the Word and the consideration of the holy Sacraments take these occasions middesse and signes away yee abolish Religion and all the worship of God out of the Word I hope the Reader by this shall see the difference to bee as great in this case as is betweene a lawfull meane of Gods worship commanded by himselfe and the inuention of man prohibited by God Next the Papists will haue these middesse occasions signes not onely obiects of diuine worship actiue that is seruing to stir vp and moue men to worship which is the first degree of their idolatry but they will haue them likewise passiue obiects such as are to be worshipped either in stead of the principall or coniunctly with him this is a higher degree of idolatry In this then they differ also from the Word Sacraments creatures that these being the ordinary obiects instruments whereby men must be stirred vp to worship God so the obiects of diuine adoration actiuely they neither are nor should they be esteemed passiue obiects of adoration that is such as should be adored either coniunctly with God or in his stead This we condemne detest yet must not run on with you to the other extremity say that howsoeuer they were ordained of God to be signes seales of his graces yet they are not in statu accōmodato ad adorādū for although by them before thē that is to make the obcurities which ye affect plaine albeit they should neither be adored in place of God his Son or coniunctly with God his Son as the Papists professe to adore their Images yet certaine it is that there is nothing in nature or religion fit apt to stirre men vp to worship God if the Sacraments be not meet Shall our corporall food when it is presented on table before vs bee in such state as is proper to stir vs vp to worship God with thanksgiuing praier Shall the consideration of the benefit which we haue by the light of the day by our rest sleepe in the night be esteemed motiues of such moment that he who is not thereby moued in the morning when he riseth and at night when he goeth to bed to pray and giue thanks is esteemed a slothfull and ingratefull Christian Shall a seasonable seede time shall the first and latter raine and a faire haruest bee pregnant occasions to remember vs both in priuate and publike to giue thanks and praise God for his goodnesse And shall the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the very act when it is in giuing and receiuing not be esteemed to be in proper state to moue vs and stirre vp our hearts to pray and giue thanks for that inestimable benefite euen when our Sauiour hath cōmanded that we should do this in remembrance of him It is an absurd opinion Then to conclude If yee hold these two points which ye haue propounded to wit that the Sacrament and creatures of God should not be vsed as occasions middesses and signes to moue vs by the fight and meditation of them to list vp our hearts to the spirituall obiect of our saith that is to God in Iesus Christ because Suarce saith that their Images haue that vse then certainely you must hold that God should not bee knowne nor worshipped in the World for without this vse of the Word Sacraments and Creatures God cannot bee knowne nor worshipped So whilst yee flye idolatry yee fall into Atheisme Next if yee hold that the Sacraments in the very act of the administration are not in statu accommodato adadorandum you must take away the chiefe and principall ende of the Sacrament commended to vs by the Lord himselfe in these words Doe this in remembrance of me Saiut Paul interprets these words thus So often as yee eate this bread and drinke of this Cuppe yee shall declare the Lords death till he come againe that is as the Confession of our faith which yee haue sworne and subscribed explaines it Yet shall extoll magnifie and prayse his death Now this is a reall act of adoration which both the Lord himselfe and his holy Apostle would haue vs moued vnto by this Sacrament So by these your positions and assertions yee mutilate the Sacrament of one of the most principall ends for the which it was instituted And generally yee take from the Creatures of God and the holy Sacraments the most excellent vse for which they were appointed namely to be meanes and motiues to stirre vs vp vnto the worship of our Creator and Redeomer PP If this kinde of relatiue worship were to be allowed then the holy signes both in the olde and new Testament should haue serued to the same vse then they who are farre distant from the Table should kneele for the Elements are to them obiectum à quo significatiuè then at the sight of the Sunne or any beautifull Creature we should kneele seeing they put vs in minde of Gods incomprehensible beautie and seeing many of them allow the historicall vse of Images we may fall downe before the Crucifixe prouiding the action of the minde be abstracted from the Image ANS We allow no worship whether it be relatiue or absolute that is either giuen to Sacrament or Creature But it is a grosse error to thinke that the worship which is onely giuen to God immediately or directly is relatiue because it is motioned and occasioned by the consideration of Gods Creatures and blessed Sacraments for so all the worship of God must be relatiue because it is all occasioned either by the Word the Sacraments or the Creatures whereas indeede there is no worship relatiue but that which is giuen to some mediate thing for the relation it hath to the principall and as for vs wee neyther giue to the Word the Sacrament or any Creature diuine worship but onely to God whom by the Word the Sacrament and the Creatures wee are taught and admonished to worship The relatiue worship is onely that which Papists giue to their Idols for the relation they haue to the principall which we detest and condemne as much as your selfe Where you say that the signes of the olde and new Testament and the sacramentall Elements when they are onely seene as likewise the Sunne or any beautifull creature might then moue vs to adore I answere that although they be potentially obiectū à quo obiects
Crucifix but presently they put it in their mouthes and whilest they are eating they continue still kneeling not before the bread which is not then before them but before the Lord Iesus vnto whom they only kneele In all this the Bastor doth imitate our Sauiour himselfe who first tooke the bread and hauing it purposely before him or holding it in his hands Gaue thankes and after Supper tooke the Cup which he did blesse also So to kneele or adore God before the Elements that is hauing them in our sight or obiect to our senses as ordinary signes means memorials to stirre vs vp to worship God and our Sauiour directly immediatly onely and not the Elements either in his stead or coniunctly with him is no idolatry but the right and true forme of Gods worship The cause of all this errour is you make no distinction betweene the abuse of Idols in the worship of God and the right vse of his workes Word and Saciaments To pray or giue thankes to God before an Image with respect to it is idolatry but to pray and giue thankes to God hauing his creatures or Sacraments before our eyes and mindes and being mooued by the respects that we consider in them is a most lawfull and religious forme of adoration For we can neither pray to God nor thank him nor praise him but euer there must bee before the eyes of our minds at least something of his works Word or Sacraments if not before our externall senses and that we must respect consider and be mooued thereby Contrariwise to set before the eyes of our minds or bodie any Image as a meane or motiue of adoration is idolatrie For although the worship were abstracted which is occasioned by the Image and were not giuen vnto it as neuer any hath said except your selfe of the externall adoration yet it is damned because no true worship can be properly occasioned by an Image which is a Doctor of lyes teaching nothing of God but falsehood and vanities But the blessed Sacrament being instituted by Christ to call to our remembrance his death and the benefit we haue thereby giues vs so oft as we receiue it a most powerfull and pregnant occasion of thankesgiuing and praise which if wee should neglect and not adore we should bee guilty of the breach of the first Commandement because we did not adore when Christ purposely did offer the greatest occasion that can be presented so to doe Therefore when by that occasion we adore our Sauiour both on the knees of our soule and body we are no breakers but due obseruers as well of the first as second Commandement PP It is true likewise that God directed his people vnder the Law to bend and bow themselues towards the Arke and the Temple wherein the Arke was and the mountaine whereon the Temple was situate partly lest that rude people should turne their worshippe another way partly because of his promise to heare them when they should pray towards the Temple or Arke partly because of his singular manner of presence in the Arko He was said to dwell betweene the Cherubins the Arke is called his foot-stoole and sometimes the face of God the glory of God It is reason where God is present after an extraordinary manner as when he spake out of the bush and the cloud that adoration be directed to the place of his extraordinary presence The Altars the offrings and other holy things wanted the like presence and promise The Arke and the Cherubins vpon the Arke were not seene therefore could not be readily abused to idolatry ANS You make heere an exception and confesse that it was lawfull to kneele before the Temple the Arke and Gods holy Möuntaine because of Gods direction promise and presence Likewise yee acknowledge that adoration may bee directed to the place of extraordinarie presence And hereby it is manifest that to worship God before a creature or before the testimonies of his presence although we haue these things before vs purposely and not occasionally onely doth not import a communion of his worship with the creatures or meanes before the which men may worship for it is certaine that if the people vnder the Law by bending as you say and bowing of themselues towards the Temple Mountaine and Arke had communicated any part of Gods worship with the Temple Mountaine and Arke as the Papists doe with their Idols their worship had beene idolatry and a breach of the second Commandement which God would neuer haue appointed for whatsoeuer respect eyther of his ordinary or extraordinary presence Where yee say That the Altars and Offerings and other holy things wanted the like presence that before these they might not bow in that respect it is vtterly false For Salomon first stood and after kneeled before the Altar and prayed 2. Chron. 6.12 And hee stood before the Altar of the Lord in presence of all the Congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands For SALOMON had made a brasen scaffold of fine cubits long and fiue cubits broad and three cubits high and set it in the middest of the court and vpon it hee stood and he kneeled downe vpon his knees before all the Congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands towards heauen and said c. Likewise it is manifest by the Prophet Micha 6.6 That the people bowed when they offered their Oblation Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the most high God Heere we haue Salomon kneeling before the Altar and the people kneeling when they offered their oblations Where you say that the Arke and Cherubins were not seene towards which they bowed it makes nothing for your purpose for the Temple was seene and the Mountaine was seene towards the which they also bowed So was the Altar and the Oblations Therefore this is but a dreame that you haue fancied to yourselfe to say it is idolatry to bow our knees to God before his creatures or holy mysteries if so we vse them only as meanes and instruments and memorials to stirre vs vp to worship God PP The Sacramentall Elements haue neither the like presence the like promise nor the like commandement ANS If yee doe maintaine this it is an absurde heresie for the holy Sacrament hath farre more euidence and excellent promises presence and command then any type vnder the Law Our Sauiour before his Ascension when he commanded his Apostles to teach and baptise promised that whilest they taught his people that which hee commanded them He would be with them to the end of the world Amongst the obseruations which hee commanded them to teach this is one of the first and principall Doe this in remembrance of mee Is not Christ present then with Pastor and people according to his promise in this holy action And in another place he saith Where two or three are mette together in my name there am I in the middest of them Where so many Communicants are
Baptisme Nullatenus in no case be ministred in a priuate Oratorie If it be done otherwise let the Clergie-man be deposed the Laickes excommunicate If in no case where was then the case of necessitie ANS The necessarie Doctrine ought not to be omitted and the act ordaines Baptisme in priuate houses to be ministred after the same forme that in the Congregation Doctrine at the baptising of Infants is not vsed for the instruction and comfort of the Infant but for the instruction and comfort of the Parents and witnesses Though it be abridged in times of extremitie it diminishes not the dignitie of Baptisme but the Sacrament is rather highly aduanced when it is esteemed to be sufficient by it selfe as the ordinary meane of saluation to the infant In the generall Councell of Constantinople holden in the Emperour Constantinus his Palace in a roome called Trullus two Canons are set downe of which yee cite the 59. onely forgetting according to your custome the Canon preceding touching Baptisme the words whereof are these Clericos qui in Oratorijs quae sunt intra domos ministrant vel baptizant hoc illius loci Episcopi sententia facere decernimus qui hoc non sic seruauerit deponatur The Canon ordaines these that baptize in priuate Oratories to doe it by the Bishops appoyntment And that cited by you is not contradictorie to this but concerneth the ordinarie administration of Baptisme whereas vpon extraordinarie considerations of infirmitie and inhabilitie of persons the Councell acknowledges that the same may be done vpon the Bishops speciall licence So your Nullatenus includes not cases of necessitie If the Bishop in such cases may permit Baptisme in priuate houses much more might the Assembly at Perth where so many Bishops and Pastors were present set downe an ordinance to that effect PP Priuate baptisme hath bred a new kinde of baptisme that is a baptisme by supposition for if the child baptised in priuate conualesce they baptise it ouer againe c. ANS Baptisme ministred in a priuate house by a lawfull Pastor before a sufficient number of Christian witnesses is not priuate and needes not be supplied by such a conditionall Baptisme PP Baptisme was solemne in the Primitiue Church as wee may reade of Iohn baptized in Iordan and Christs Disciples baptising and the new Conuerts in the Acts Some were not baptized in any Visible Church because they had not the occasion as the Eunuch and the Centurion No man will denie but in the infancie of a Church a priuate Baptisme may be tollerated but we speake of a Church constituted c. The Lord appoynted a precise day of Circumcision which might not be preuented It was no wonder if they had not euer opportunitie of a solemne Conuention there is no precise day set downe for Baptisme c. The Church ought to be assured of the Baptisme of such as are reputed fellow-heires with them c. ANS That the Church may be assured of the Baptisme of the Childe it is ordained in the Act of Perth That the Minister shall the next Lords-day after any such priuate Baptisme declare in the Church that the Infant was so baptized and therefore ought to be receyued as one of the true Flocke of CHRISTS folde In a constituted Church Baptisme should not be ministred ordinarily but according to the constitutions of the Church but extraordinatie cases cannot be subiect to ordinarie constitutions more in a constituted Church then in the Infancie of it And that which is lawfull to be done in the Infancie of the Church is yet lawfull to be done in a constituted Church ratione rei praeceptae dininae institutionis And it is vnlawfull onely ratione ordinis in regard of the order appointed by the Church from which cases of necessity are alwaies excepted Also that which might haue beene tolerated in the infancy of the Church for necessity must euer bee lawfull in the like case for it was not the infancie of the Church that made the toleration lawfull but the necessity Where ye thinke that the Iewes were more strictly obliged to circumcision then Christians are to Baptisme because a certain day was appointed for it and to Baptisme there is no day prefixed in the Word Wee know by the Law that he who is not obliged at a certaine day to pay his debt may be charged to pay it at all times and therefore when God layes sicknesse on a childe a charge is giuen by God instantly to the Parent to performe his dutie PP The Lords Supper ought to be publique We haue a spirituall vnion with the whole Church but because it is not possible to celebrate a sacramentall Communion with the whole Church militant the Lord hath appointed vs to celebrate a sacramentall Communion with some particular Church We that are many are one bread and one bodie because we are partakers of one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 We cannot then be one body sacramentally except we be pertakers of one bread Other Feasts may be priuate in priuate houses but the Lords Supper ought to be publique 1 Cor. 11.12 When yee conuene to cate tarrie one for another 1 Cor. 11 33. Synaxis a word signifying as much as Synagogue was one of the names giuen of olde to this Sacrament ANS As with the whole Church Militant wee haue a spirituall Communion so haue wee an Euangelicall and Sacramentall Communion for as wee are partakers of the same spirit so are we partakers of the same Word and Sacraments The Bread is one which all receiue and the water one wherewith all are baptised Sacramentally for they are clothed with the same sacred mysterie of signification exhibition and obsignation of saluation in Christ crucified When the Apostle sayes 1. Cor. 10.17 Because the bread is one we who are many are one body for we are all partakers of one bread he speaks not of our Communion with a particular Church onely but with the Catholike and by one bread he meanes not one bread materially in number for one bread in number materially none but one particular person can receiue The bread which I receiue materially is not the same that thou receiuest but the Sacrament is one and the same in number To bee short wee haue no more a Sacramentall communion with these in the Parish with whom wee communicate then wee haue with the whole militant Church who are all partakers of the same Sacraments And thus as we haue a spirituall so we haue a sacramentall Communion with them It is true that our communion in the Word and Sacraments is not visible but with some particular Church and therefore as it is lesse or more publike so is it lesse or more visible yet we doe euer celebrate a Sacramentall communion with the whole Church when the action is lawfully performed The other places which yee cite 1. Cor. 11.22 Haue yee not houses to eate and drinke in and Vers 33. When yee convene to eate tarry one for another of
did sweare The next thing yee consider is the matter whereunto they did binde themselues by their oath which yee set downe as followeth PP The matter whereunto they binde themselues by oath is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland in respect of this matter the Oath is partly assertorie and partly promissorie as yee say ANS By that which alreadie hath been said it is manifest that albeit our Church had sworne to all the heads and ordinances aboue specified set downe in the bookes of Discipline yet there is nothing committed contrarie to this Oath by the actes made at Perth But now since yee are come to the matter of the Oath let vs see if the points in controuersie be any part of that matter The matter as yee affirme is the Religion Doctrine and Discipline receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland This definition or description of the matter is not so full and particular as is set downe in the Oath it selfe neither haue yee in reciting the words been so faithfull as yee are feruent for the cause yee maintaine For yee haue pretermitted diuers things belonging to the limitation of the matter by which all the particulars in question are clearely excluded The words cited by you are these We beleeue with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the world That the Faith and Religion receiued beleeued and defended by the Church of Scotland the Kings Maiestie and three Estates of this Realme c. is onely the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man Heere yee omit many things that concerneth the limitation of the matter which at that time were knowne to such as sware the same and now must be expounded vnto the Reader that is to iudge and consider our Controuersie Therefore I shall set downe heere the words of the Oathe as it was published in print by Robert Waldgraue anno 1590. We beleeue with our hearts c. That this onely is the true Christian Faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing saluation to man which is now by the mercy of God reuealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Euangell and receiued beleeued defended by many sundry notable Churches Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland c. In these words we haue two limitations pretermitted by you The first is that the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline reuealed to the world by the Gospell This limitation excludeth all Ecclesiasticall determinations and constitutions which are not expresly or by a necessary consequence contained in the written Word The next is That the matter of the Oath is the Doctrine and Discipline which is receiued beleeued and defended by many notable Churches and Realmes and chiefely by the Church of Scotland This limitation excludeth all these things wherein the Church of Scotland hath not the consent of many notable Churches and Realmes who with her hath receiued beleeued and defended the same By these two are all the points in controuersie excluded and cut off from being any part of the matter whereunto the Swearers by their oath did oblige themselues And vnto these two if we adde the third limitation there can remaine no more any doubt touching the matter of the Oath This is that the Doctrine and Discipline whereunto they sweare is particularly expressed in the Confession of Faith established and publikely confirmed by sundry actes of Parliament This Confession is registred in the bookes of Parliament at the yeare 1567. and is inserted amongst the Confessions of the Reformed Churches in the booke called Syntagma Confessionum But so it is that in the Confession of our Faith established by Parliament there is no mention made of the Articles controuerted neither hath many notable Churches and Realmes receiued beleeued or defended the same neither are they expresly or by necessary consequence contained in the Gospell And therefore they cannot by any point of our Religion or part of the Doctrine and Discipline whereunto the Swearers did oblige themselues by their assertory and promissory Oath By the Gospell it is not certaine That our Sauiour and the Apostles did sit at the Supper and albeit he had sitten yet sitting is no more commanded to be obserued in that sacred action then the vpper chamber where he sate or the night season when the Supper was celebrated or the sex and number of the Communicants who were twelue men and no women or the qualitie of the element which was vnleauened bread or the order finally after Supper All these howbeit they be certaine yet none of them are esteemed exemplary far lesse can sitting which is vncertaine be esteemed such And for the rest of the points Neither kneeling at the Communion nor the administration of the Sacraments in priuate houses when necessitie requires nor the commemoration of Christs inestimable benefits on certaine set times of the yeare nor the triall of yong childrens education by the Bishop at his Visitation none of these I say are either expresly or by necessary consequence forbidden in the Gospell nor are heâ—y condemned by many notable Churches and Realmes nor abiured in the Confession of our Faith confirmed by actes of Parliament and so cannot be counted the matter of this Oath But to remooue all scruple that may arise touching the matter of this Oath It is true That in the promissorie Oath the Swearers thereof binde themselues to continue in the Doctrine and Discipliue of the Church of Scotland and to defend the same according to their vocation and power all the dayes of their liues vnder the paines contained in the Law and danger both of body and soule in the day of the Lords fearefull iudgement Heere touching the Doctrine praised be God there is no controuersie amongst vs all the doubt concerneth Discipline and that is remoued also if it be taken only for that which is reuealed in the Gospell or receiued beleeued and defended by many notable Churches and Realmes or that which is set downe in the Confession of Faith as is already declared But because the Discipline of the Church may be extended beyond these limits and made to comprehend all Ecclesiasticall constitutions and determinations of generall circumstances formes and ceremonies belonging to the worship of God and the decent ordering of his house let vs consider this point more particularly If by the Discipline of the Church in the words of the Oath A consideration of the Discipline whereunto the Swearers did oblige themselues that part of Ecclesiasticall policie bee meant which concernes the censuring of manners in which sense it is taken in the order set downe before our Psalme bookes and in the seuenth head of the first booke of Discipline intituled of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and in the second booke wheresoeuer it is mentioned and by all Ecclesiasticall writers most frequently Then it is certaine
potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is to say kneeling at the Sacrament hath a shew of holy and Christian worshippe and therefore of old might haue been fruitfully vsed Whereby yee see he condemneth not simply the ceremonie but witnesseth that there was a time when the same did edifie and profite Caluine before him called it Cultum legitimum that is a Lawfull adoration being vsed in the action of the Supper and directed to Christ Petrus Martyr saith Multi piè genua flectunt adorant that is Many in receiuing the Sacrament doe bow their knees religiously and adore Christs flesh Paraeus speaking of the same gesture esteemes it an indifferent ceremonie And that which so great and learned Diuines iudged to bee lawfull what are we to condemne Next I answere That the credite of the Pastours should not be maintained with the discredit of the Prince amongst his Subiects for if they who should be patternes of reuerence and obedience to others shall in their owne persons withstand the lawfull desires godly intention of a Christian Prince the same cannot but breed disobedience and a hard conceit of the Prince amongst his people which we haue already found and perceiued As for the inconueniences feared they are friuolous and should neuer fall out if Pastors were peaceable and prudent But when they are all put together that can bee alledged if they shall bee laid in a ballance there is one commoditie which the alteration imports that shall preponder them all to wit Our vnitie and conformitie with the Primitiue Church and with the greatest number and best Reformed Churches in Europe in points of policie that most assuredly tend to farre greater deuotion piety and edification then our formes vsed in former times This being his Maiesties principall designe in vrging these Articles giueth to the world an euident testimony of his Princely zeale to procure the peace and good of the Church so farre as is possible and therefore none will charge his Maiesty with the vniust imputation of tyranny but malicious and seditious spirits whom by this pestilent Pamphlet ye trauell to perswade for feare of periury to periure themselues as is manifest in the words yee subioyne PP Our assertory Oath is already past and wee become periured if we come in the contrary This is an high degree of periury when not onely we contrauene our oath by practise but make lawes in the contrary therafter inueigh against our oath as Puritanisme If sincere and constant professors shal be still pursued for their constancie in their Profession and the conscience they make of the Oath doe we not expone the whole Nation to a wofull vengeance and perpetuall ignominy ANS Our assertory Oath touching the Articles controuerted condemneth those onely in the guilt of periury who hold that policy and order in ceremonies may not be altered when necessity requireth and being altered ought not to bee obeyed And indeede it is a profound point of infernall policy not only by an exemplary practise of disobedience against the lawes of Ecclesiasticall Discipline to contrauene the Oath in your owne Person but also vnder pretext of constancy of Profession and conscience of the Oath to perswade others for feare of periury to periure themselues Whereby yee both expose your selues to the fearefull iudgement of Gods vengeance and drawe others with you to the same perdition Your sophisticke cauillations whereby yee intend seditiously to proue the vnlawfulnesse of the Articles concluded at Perth shall now bee answered and the truth cleared to the satisfaction of all men who are not contentious An answere to the arguments brought against kneeling in the act of receiuing of the holy Communion PP IT hath been the vniforme and constant order of this Church since the Reformation that the Communicants should receiue the Sacramentall elements of Bread and Wine sitting at the Table In the second head of the first booke of Discipline are set downe these words The Table of the Lord is then rightly ministred when it approacheth most neere to Christs owne action But plaine it is that at that Supper Christ Iesus sate with his Disciples and therefore we doe iudge that sitting at that Table is most conuenient to that holy action In the generall Assembly holden in Decemb. 1562 it was ordained That one vniforme order should be obserued in the ministration of the Sacraments according to the order of Geneua And in December 1564 It was ordained That Ministers in ministration of the Sacraments shall vse the order set downe in the Psalme bookes In the Assembly holden anno 1591 It was ordained that an Article should bee formed and presented to his Maiesty and the Estates crauing order to be taken with them who giue or receiue the Sacrament after the Papisticall manner In the Kings Confession of Faith subscribed and sworne by persons of all estates are contained these words We detest all the ceremonies of the Romane Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we detest all his Rites Signes and Traditions This laudable order was altered at the pretended Assembly holden last at Perth in August anno 1618. The tenor of the Act followeth as it was formed by some of the Bishops and their Followers a The Libeller cites the Acte of Perth most corruptly which the Reader shall mend by the notes in the margine Since wee are commanded by God himselfe that when wee come to worship him we fall downe and kneele before the Lordour Maker and considering withall that there is no part of Diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour lesus Christ like as the most humble and reuerend gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting vp of our hearts best becommeth so diuine and sacred an action Therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath vsed since thereformation of Religion to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling b The Acte saith Vsed in the Idolatrous worship at the worshipping of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memory of by-past superstition is past c These words yee haue added of your owne head to the Acte and no perill of the same againe is feared in reuerence d These words are to be read thus In reuerence of God and in due regard of so Diuine c. of so diuine a mystery and in remembrance of so mysticall an vnion as wee are made partakers of e The words in the Acte are not such but thus it is The Assembly thinkes good that that blessed Sacrament c. thereby doe ordaine that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter weekely and reuerently vpon their knees This alteration is to vs vnlawfull for that which hath bin established by so many lawes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall by so long custome and prescription of time confirmed by our oathes and subscriptions we may not lawfully alter But
it is not certaine that they sate at the Receiuing If yee reply it is not written that they did alter the gesture of sitting to that I answere before and it is the Papists argument against the giuing of the Cup to the Layickes it is not written say they that the Cup was giuen in this place Therefore c. Also yee know that the time of Christ his sitting heere with his Disciples at Emmaus was the night season the place a priuate Inne that the breaking and giuing of that bread was before or after another ordinary supper and that onely men were there present and not women all which points being certaine according to your first reason whereby yee intended to proue sitting to haue been instituted it will follow that all these circumstances and things were instituted to be obserued as well as sitting because our Sauiour retained all these things hauing no necessity at this time to celebrate the Sacrament Thirdly I say if the Sacrament was here ministred we haue an expresse warrant for priuate Communion which yee impugue for Iesus heere ministred vnto two onely and yee will not content to haue it ministred to three Lastly it is the iudgement of the learned Caluine That there was no celebration of the Sacrament at that time and that Christ was knowne to these Disclples by an ordinary prayer which he vsed in blessing of the Table and not by the celebration of the Sacrament which opinion he saith although it seeme plausible is no more then a coniecture which leanes to no probable reason Then yee see that it is vncertaine whether Christ gaue this Sacrament at Emmaus and if he did that there sitting at the Receiuing is also vncertaine And therby your argument is nought and serueth only to establish priuate Communion Thus haue you gained nothing by this testimony but lost much PP Last of all after his Ascension and glorification in the heauens the Apostolike Church sate at Table The manner of the partaking of the table of Diuels was by formall sitting at table in the house of the Idoll Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast Amos 2.8 interpreteth the garments whereon the Vsurer sate beside euery Altar to haue been beds prepared in the houses of their gods to sit on when they feasted vpon things sacrificed to Idols The people of Israel sate downe to eate and drink at the jdolatrous feast of the golden Calfe The Apostle compareth the partaking of the Lords Table and the table of Diūels 1. Cor. 10.21 Next they sate at the Loue feasts we cannot thinke that they rose from the Tables to receiue the Sacrament ANS To proue that the Apostolike Church sate at Table you bring the comparison that the Apostle makes betweene the partaking of the Lords Table and the table of Diuels and the partaking of the table of Diuels you say was by a formall sitting at table in the house of the Idoll for which yee alledge Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast vpon the eight verse of the second chapter of Amos but neither the Text nor his interpretation proues the formall sitting yee speake of for the text saith they laid themselues downe vpon clothes by euery Altar and not that they sate And the Paraphrast as Mercerus expounds him saith That those clothes were Parapetasmata that is couerings or mattes whereupon they laid themselues downe and not sate by euery Altar and not in the Idols house And for the place of the Apostle Yee cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the table of Diuels there is no materiall or artificiall table vnderstood either by the one Table or the other and by participation formall sitting is not meant This is manifest by these words Yee cannot be partakers for certaine it is that they might haue sitten formally at table in the house of the Idoll and eaten of their sacrifices and might also haue sitten at the Lords Table formally and receiued the external elements But the Apostle saith That these two Tables and the participation of them are so opposed as they could not be partakers of both Therfore by the table of Diuels in that place we vnderstand the sacrifices offered to Diuels and by participation we vnderstand the eating of these sacrifices with a conscience toward the Idoll where euer it was done whether in the Idols Temple as 1. Cor. 8.10 or in the priuate houses of Idolaters as 1. Cor. 10.27.28 And by the Table of the Lord we vnderstand the body and blood of our Sauiour in the Sacrament and by the partaking of the Lords Table the spirituall eating and drinking of his flesh and bloud in the Sacrament by a true and liuely faith These two Tables and partakings could not stand together And so by the Table of the Lord the Apostle meanes not a material table at which the Communicants sate but the body of Christ in the Sacrament According to this Causabone in his Exercitations against Baronius 16.36 citing these words Non potestis mensae Dominiparticipes esse c. saith Hîc mensa Domini est ipsa Eucharistia quam exemplo Pauli Patresita saepè nominant That is The Table of the Lord in this place is the Eucharist it selfe which the Fathers often call by this name of the table following Saint Pauls example Now where yee adde that the people of Israel sate downe to eate and drinke at the feast of the golden Calfe I am assured yee thinke not that the Israelites had a materiall table at which they sate in that feast so as their sitting will make nothing for the formall sitting which yee would conclude And for that which yee tell vs of the Loue feasts that people sate at them and that yee cannot thinke they rose from the table to receiue the Sacrament yee must know that your thoughts are no probation and whatsoeuer yee thinke it is the Apostles expresse minde that they who discerne not the body of the Lord from that and all other carnall feasts are guilty of his body And if yee thinke these holy mysteries were worthily receiued if after the same manner and at the same time and table they receiued without making discretion between the one feast and the other yee thinke not according to the truth Nam hîc coena à mysterijs toto genere diuersa erat as Causabone speakes in the same booke of his Exercitations 16.31 Then to conclude neither haue yee proued that the Apostles or Apostolike Church receiued the Sacrament sitting formally at a table nor if they sate that their sitting was exemplary for Whatsoeuer is exemplary in Christ his actions or in the Apostles or in the Apostolike Churches is either morall and commanded in the Decalogue generally or then it is some action or circumstantiall ceremony of Religion enioyned by precept in the Gospell But sitting at the Sacrament is neither morall and so commanded in the Decalogue or is it an action or circumst antiall ceremony of Religion enioyned by precept in the Gospell Therefore sitting
between the Altar and the Table as no more doth kneeling or any other gesture But to come to the ground whereupon yee build this reason yee say the people of God had an Altar for the Sacrifice and a table for the feast So Christians haue Christ for the Altar and the Sacrifice and a Communion Table for the Sacrament which is their feast This your comparison hath some shew but no solidity There is a correspondence I grant betweene the Iewish Altar and Christ who was the Altar that did sacrifice himselfe to be a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world for the Iewish Altar was the type and Christ the verity But what correspondence is there betweene the tables whereon the Iewes did eate their sacrifices and the Communion Table The tables whereon they did eate their sacrifices were not holy instruments which appertained to the Tabernacle and Temple but such as they had in their owne priuate houses and therefore were not types which did eyther signifie our Communion Tables or whereunto our Communion Tables doe answere as anti-types for it is to be obserued that in Christian Religion there is nothing which hath any necessary correspondence or relation to the Legall ceremonies but that which is either the verity of some type or the antitype of some type As for example betweene Christ and the Leuitical Priest the Altar and the Sacrifice there is relation as betweene the type and the verity so betweene Circumcision and Baptisme the Passeouer and the Lords Supper there is relation as betweene the type and the antitype for our Sacraments haue succeeded these and are in their stead But as to the Table whereon the Passeouer and other sacrifices were eaten the same not being a sacred instrument or type appointed by God as hath been said there is nothing in Christian Religion answering thereto either as the verity it selfe or as an antitype succeeding thereto As therefore their tables were not necessary for eating of their sacrifices for it is certaine the Iewes were not astricted by any diuine ordinance to sitte at Table when they did eate the Passeouer and their other Sacrifices but were only commodious receptacles deuised by themselues which they might haue altered and interchanged as they thought meet Euen so a materiall artificiall table for celebration of this Sacrament is not an instrument appointed by our Sauiour as the Altars and Tables of Shew-bread but the same is appointed by the Church according to that power which shee hath to determine circumstances for the actions of diuine worship To the disposing of the elements some such receptacle and subiect is necessary as a table and decency requires it when and where the same may be had but it is not of such a necessary vse as the Altar vnder the Law for without an Altar a sacrifice could not be offered but without any such table the Sacrament hath often been ministred Euagrius lib. 6. hist cap. 13. records That Gregorius Pastor of Antiochia did minister the Sacrament to the Souldiers on the grasse before the 600. yeare of our Lord at Bannock-burne in the dayes of King Robert Bruce the like was done to the Scottish army on the fields and so at many other times when a table commodiously could not be had Finally where yee adde That for disposing of the elements a dresser or cupboord may serue these speeches smell of profanity as if to hold and sustaine the elements were such a base employment that the instrument wheron the Church thought meet they should be placed should neither be a table nor named a table And yet all these religious Epithets which yee alledge the Fathers gaue to the Communion as when they called it the Lords Table the heauenly Table the sacred Table c. were giuen to it not because the Communicants did sitte thereat or for any other gesture of body vsed by them but because the Lords body the bread of heauen the sacred mysticall and spirituall food of our soules were presented thereon in the holy Sacrament Causabone Exercit. 16.36 saith That by these appellations the Eucharist it selfe was vnderstood But heere it is manifest that the Epithets interiected in your discourse are not only impertinent but repugnant to the opinion yee hold For when yee aske why is it called a table if men sit not at it they answer you Because vpon that table the heauenly sacred and spirituall mysteries are set In respect thereof it is called a heauenly spirituall sacred and mysticall table In the dayes of Chrysostome and Theodoret by whom these Epithets were most frequently giuen to the Sacrament there was not a table in the Churches at which men did sitte but one onely on which the elements were placed and consecrate but yee neuer fall vpon the name of a Table sooner then yee imagine it was appointed for sitting And what then thinke yee of the Table of Shew-bread at which no man did sit Shall it not be called a Table because it lacked your employment of sitting or table gesture In all Reformed Churches of Europe our Church and very few excepted the Communion Tables haue no employment but only to hold and sustaine the elements This is to be seen in the Churches of France Germany Hungary Pole and England And in the Greeke Church Causabone obserues that there are two Tables one whereupon the elements are set before the Consecration and another wherupon they are Consecrate Thus haue I sufficiently declared that the only or chiefe vse at least of the Communion Table is for the setting and disposing of the elements and the consecration of them with the distribution of the same Now that by kneeling in the act of receiuing the vse of the Communion table is not taken away I proue by this reason Whatsoeuer gesture taketh not away the comely placing and decent consecration of the sacramentall elements on the Communion Table from which they may bee giuen and receiued that taketh not away the vse of the Communion Table But kneeling is a gesture that taketh not away the comely placing and decent consecration of the sacramentall elements on the Communion Table from which they may be giuen and receiued Therefore kneeling taketh not away the vse of the Communion Table PP The third breach of the Institution made by kneeling is the taking away of that mysticall rite representing Christs Passion to wit the breaking of the bread c. ANS If your meaning be that the Pastor breaketh not the bread before he giue it yee bely vs. Wee know that it is the Pastors part in the action to represent Christ the breaking of his body on the Crosse with the sorrowes of death for our sinnes therefore we obserue that rite religiously But if your meaning be that the people breakes not euery one with another in reuerence and sobrietie as is prescribed in the second Chapter of the first Booke of Discipline set foorth 1560 that shall be discussed in the answere to the sixth breach PP The fourth
of his grace and glory in the one and other this religious worship no man wil deny to be lawfully performed as well by the worthy receiuer of the Sacrament as by the reuerent hearer of the Word for as we bow not to the letters and syllables and sounds of the words of the Gospell but to him whose minde and will is declared therein So doe wee not bow to the elements of bread and wine in the Sacrament but to him whose body and bloud we receiue thereby But you to make the world beleeue that the Churches of Scotland and England kneele to the elements of bread and wine in the Sacrament at least haue ordained so to be done you alledge against the Church of England the Ministers of Lincolne their defence in the third part thereof referring the Reader to their proofes touching which part I only reply this that there be sufficient answeres made to these proofes by learned and reuerend men in that Church whereto also I remit the Reader Against our Church you lay a false imputation and frame thereupon all your discourse against kneeling as it is a breach of the second Commandement which we will now examine PP In the late act wee are ordained to kneele for reuerence of the diuine mysteries I see not wherein this differs from the Bishop of Rochesters argument that great and reuerend dreadfull mysteries must be receiued with great and dreadfull humilitie of soule and humiliation of body therfore in the act of receiuing we must kneele if this argument were good then the Sacraments and sacrifices of the old Law should haue been thus worshipped and if we will measure by the sight the Sacraments and sacrifices of the old Law were more dreadfull then are the Sacraments of the new for the slaughter of beasts and shedding of blood was more dreadful then the powring out of wine The Ancients held the sight of this Sacrament not only from Pagans but also from the Catechumenists this doing was not commendable it made the mysterie of this Sacrament both darke and dreadfull Augustine saith they may bee honoured as matters religious but wondered at as matters of maruell they cannot But to returne to the purpose to kneele for reuerence of the mysteries is nothing else but to worship the mysteries ANS Heere you set your selfe against three parties the Bishop of Rochester the Ancients and the Assembly at Perth For the Bishop of Rochester I answere shortly That he takes the mysteries with Chrysostome for the body and blood of Christ represented in the Sacrament by the elements of bread and wine In which sense they are truly called great and dreadfull and ought to bee receiued with great humility of soule and humiliation of body Non enim peccatur adorando carnem Christi sed peccatur non adorando We sinne not saith Saint Augustine in adoring Christs flesh but we sinne if wee adore it not in the Sacrament That which you blame in the Ancients of withholding the sight of the Sacraments not only from Pagans but also frō the Catechumenists Chrysostome iustifies with great reason Hom. 7. 1. Cor. on these words We speak the wisdome of God which is hid Alia videmus saith he alia credimus aliter afficior ego aliter infidelis Infidelis si lauacrum audiat aquam simpliciter cogitat c. ideo fidei arcana non sunt temerè apud indignos evulgāda We see one thing saith Chrysostom we beleeue another I who beleeue am otherwise affected then an Infidel is if an Infidel heare of washing in Baptisme he thinkes there is nothing there but water c. For this cause the mysteries of our faith ought not rashly to be divulgate to the vnworthy This iudgment of Chrysostomes is not crossed by S. Augustines testimony but confirmed rather for if the Sacraments should be honoured as matters religious then as Chrysostom saith Pretiosae margarita est à contemptu vindicanda that is a pretious jewel ought to be preserued from contempt Where you alledge against the Assembly at Perth that in the late act therof we are ordained to kneele for reuerence of the diuine mysteries you are guilty of manifest falshood for in reciting the words of the act you blot our some change others and thereby corrupt purposely the whole sense and meaning of the act You blot out these words of God and in due regard you change the word mystery in mysteries these you interpret to be the elements whereas in the act the word mystery signifies not the elements but the receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But that your deceit may be manifested I will set downe the act as it is extracted forth of the Register of the Assembly vnder the hand of the Clerke thereof Since we are commanded by God himselfe that when we come to worship him we fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ like as the most humble and reuerent gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting vp of our hearts becommeth well so diuine and sacred an action Therefore notwithstanding our Church hath vsed since the reformation of Religion heere to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse vsed in the idolatrous worship of Papists yet now since all memory of by-past superstition is blotted out of the hearts of the people praised be God in reuerence of God and in due regard of so diuine a mysterie and in remembrance of so mysticall an vnion as wee are made partakers of thereby the Assembly thinkes good that that blessed Sacrament bee celebrated hereafter to the people humbly and reuerently kneeling vpon their knees This is the true copie of the act differing in many things from that which you sette downe Pag. 34. in the narratiue thereof the reasons are set downe wherefore the people should kneele when they receiue the Sacrament which are repeated orderly in the conclusion as the causes of the same The first reason is Since we are commanded by God himselfe that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker Relatiue vnto this we haue in the conclusion Therefore in reuerence of God the Assembly thinkes good that the Sacrament be giuen to the people kneeling The second reason in the narratiue is And considering withall that there is no part of diuine worship more heauenly and spirituall then is the holy receiuing of the blessed bodie and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Relatiue to this wee haue these words And in due recard of so diuine a mysterie Wee say not in regard of the diuine mysteries which you interpret the elements but Mysterie that is the holy receiuing of the body and blood of Iesus Christ mentioned
all the parts of this holy ministration are actions of thanksgiuing ANS Although the name were taken as Causabone saith from one part of the action yet it is giuen to the whole action not by reason of this part onely but because it declares the nature and chiefe end of the action and albeit all the parts of this holy ministration seuerally considered are not actions of thanksgiuing yet the whole action which consists of these parts being performed Gratitudinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paraus saith that is with a purpose of thankfulnesse to celebrate the death of Christ is Eucharisticke or an action of thankesgiuing The hand or foot being seuerally considered is not the bodie yet the whole which consisteth of all the parts is the body So it is true to take the bread is not an action of thankesgiuing nor to breake it nor to giue it being seuerally considered but to take breake blesse and giue with intention by these actions to represent the death of Christ and the application thereof to the faithfull for the praise of his glorious grace is an action of thankesgiuing Therefore to conclude as wee come to the Sacrament to bee made partakers of Christs death by faith vnto saluation so wee come to the Sacrament to celebrate the remembrance of his death to his glory In respect of the first end it is The Communion of his body and bloud in respect of the last it is a reall predication and celebration of his death till his comming againe which should bee often performed because as Paraeus speaketh Mors Domini perpetuis laudibus celebranda est that is The death of Christ is to be celebrated with perpetuall praises these are specially offered at the celebration of the holy Sacrament and in this respect it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing PP Obiect What we may craue of God vpon our knees we may receiue on our knees Answ It is false I may pray vpon my knees Giue vs this day our daily bread but I may not receiue it on my knees The people of Israel prayed for food yet they were not esteemed vnthankful for not kneeling when they receiued the Manna ANS I neuer heard this obiection vsed by any man but by you in this place therefore if it bee false your selfe that forged it is author of the falsehood The Bishop of Galloway who is now at rest hath this obiection in his Treatise which is not yet answered as he alledgeth Whatsoeuer spirituall benefit I may lawfully aske on my knees the same I may lawfully receiue vpon my knees with thankesgiuing But I may lawfully with supplication aske saluation by Iesus Christ on my knees Therefore I may lawfully receiue it on my knees Another argument was propounded in the Assembly at Perth which neither at that time nor since hath been answered and it is this Whatsoeuer spirituall benefit we should receiue in a solemne act of diuine worship with thankesgiuing and prayer that wee may receiue on our knees The body and blood of Iesus Christ in the Sacrament is a spirituall benefit which in a solemne act of diuine worship wee ought to receiue with thankesgiuing and prayer Therefore we may receiue the body and blood of the Lord Iesus Christ in the Sacrament vpon our knees The proposition of this argument at that time denied was proued thus Whatsoeuer benefit we ought to receiue with thankesgiuing and prayer that we ought receiue with the gesture that is most agreeable to thankesgiuing and prayer Kneeling is such a gesture c. Ergo c. In the Assumption it is affirmed that Christs body and blood in the Sacrament should be receiued with prayer and thankesgiuing This we proue by this reason Whatsoeuer spirituall benefit we should receiue with a spirituall hunger and thirst and with a spirituall appetite and desire after the grace and vertue that is therein to saluation the same we should receiue with prayer which is nothing else but such an appetite and desire But the body and blood of Christ is such a benefit c. Next that it should be receiued with thankesgiuing I proue Whatsoeuer benefit we should receiue by extolling and preaching and magnifying and praysing the inestimable worth and excellence thereof the same we ought to receiue with thankâ—sgiuing But in the Sacrament we should receiue the body and the blood of Christ with extolling and preaching c. Ergo c. The Assumption is confirmed by the words of our Sauiour Doe this in remembrance of me and by the words of Saint Paul So oft as yee eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shall declare that is extoll magnifie and praise The Lords death till hee come againe Because I finde you fighting against your owne shadow I thought good to set downe the very obiections which were vsed in the Assembly at Perth that as yet are not nor I hope shall euer be answered PP It is againe obiected That in the act of receiuing we receiue from Christ an inestimable benefite ought not a Subiect kneele when he receiueth a benefite from a Prince to testifie his thankfulnesse Answ This relation from Christ to the Sacrament as betweene the Giuer and the gift is common to all the Sacraments both of the old and new Law ordinarie and extraordinarie ANS The relation betweene the Giuer and the gift in the old Testament is not so euident because they wanted a cleare and expresse Word to expound the mysterie Where haue yee such a Word concerning Circumcision This is the putting off of the bodie of sinne by the vertue of Christs Death and Resurrection COLOS. 2.11 or concerning the Passeouer This is the body of Christ that is broken for you this is his blood that is shed for you The Law had but the shaddow the Gospell hath the expresse Image of good things to come In the Law they had the shadow of the Giuer and the gift but in the Gospell we see him with open face Now although to the shadow of the Prince men fall not downe nor doe reuerence they are to be excused but he must bee reputed a contemner who will not doe homage at the presence of his Prince Further as I said before the externall actions of their Sacrament could not bee commodiously performed with such a gesture as is kneeling but the action of our Sacrament may PP Next we receiue the mysticall pledges not out of the hands of God himselfe or his Sonne Christ immediately but out of the hand of the Minister The person who receiues the gift from the King is supposed to receiue it immediately and suppose mediatly yet ceremonies of Court and mediate ciuill worships are not rules of religious adoration which should euer be immediate ANS Wee kneele not to receiue the mysticall pledges but to receiue the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ which the mysticall pledges signifie and are deliuered immediately by the hand of the Lord Iesus
The watchmen are sometime ignorant or negligent many want doctrine it is better to fill vp the pit then to set one beside it to warne the passengers that they fall not in such ceremonies ought to be appointed which by their goodnesse and edification may helpe the preaching of the Word and not such as the Word daily must haue need to correct the strength of many poore Christian soules should not bee tryed by bringing them to the very brinke of danger ANS Your fourth breach is the occasion and danger of idolatry But kneeling imports no more danger nor occasion of idolatry then sitting doth of prophanation and contempt of the Sacrament and with vs there be many moe prophane Christians then idolatrous Papists and people are farre more ready by sitting to take occasion of despising the Sacrament their senses leading them to esteeme basely of it then by kneeling to thinke the bread and wine to be the body and blood of Christ materially the same being against sense and reason and the doctrine of the Word which teacheth them the contrary The Virgins in Cyprians time by walking and talking and lying with yong men did expose themselues to vncleannesse and as Cyprian saith gaue place to the Diuell but the lawfull vse of a religious ceremony can neuer be the occasion of idolatrie nor can the vse of it giue place to the Diuell Res bonae neminem scandalizant saith TERTVLLIAN de velandis Virginibus nisi malam mentem That is good things giue offence to none but an euill minde The iudgement of the Belgick Churches we reproue not because they know best what serues to the edification of their Churches nor will they I hope reprooue our iudgement concerning kneeling which is grounded vpon reasons as expedient for our estate as any can be alledged by them for their owne but the liberty which they giue to celebrate the Sacrament with the gesture of sitting standing or passing condemnes flatly your opinion of the necessity of sitting which neuer any Church or Diuine ancient or moderne did hold except your selfe yet pardon me for reckoning you amongst the Diuines As to the feare of Bread-worship it will neuer be caused by the religious vse of kneeling but by some peruerse disposition of the Receiuer which nothing can remedie sufficiently but right information made by sound doctrine It is true that to the vncleane all things are vncleane a soule that is euill disposed may like a Spider conuert into poyson the iuyce of the same flower which the Bee turneth into hony out of the sacramentall Word This is my body which is broken sor you the Papist draweth the poyson of Transubstantiation but the true Christian the sweet and spirituall participation of the body of our Lord. The word giues not to the Papist an occasion of his errour but he takes occasion at the Word because of the peruerse disposition of his minde so kneeling being a religious ceremonie and commanded by God when it is lawfully vsed at the receiuing of the Sacrament can neuer giue occasion of Bread-worship although superstitious men hauing corrupted their mindes may make it an occasion of that and worse The gesture of sitting is at this day abused by Arrians and made a signe of their deniall of the God-head of Christ and prophane Christians haue taken and daily take occasion thereby to fall into the pit of contempt and prophanation of this Sacrament from which inconuenience no ceremonies that can be chosen will preserue them except they be warned daily and directed by the Word how to carry themselues and if we neglect this committing their safetie to the ceremonies of sitting standing walking or kneeling we shall not only bring them to the brinke of danger but shall drowne them in the depth either of prophanenesse or of superstition and idolatry Now if you thinke that there is greater danger of idolatrie to be feared from kneeling then of prophanenesse from sitting you are much deceiued for if wee consider the disposition of our people amongst whom some I confesse haue vnderstanding yet are inclined to superstition idolatry the greater company are simple ones that neuer did nor euer will as it is to be supposed take occasion by kneeling to thinke the bread the bodie of Christ or yet to adore it for his body This errour was brought in by the Clergie and Scholastickes wherof the people could neuer haue dreamed if it had not been daily inculcate into their eares and they perswaded so to thinke by the false interpretation of the words This is my body The right exposition of the same hath remoued that error and must still debarre it not the gesture of sitting for thereby simple ones are ready by their owne inclination to take occasion as wee haue knowne in time past of contemning the holy Sacrament and so from superstition to runne into a profanation of the Lords Body from eyther of these extremities no thing can preserue them but the trauels of a faithfull Pastor in Catechizing and Preaching As to men of vnderstanding they are in lesse danger and howsoeuer they receiue sitting standing or kneeling they know the Elements in the Sacrament to retaine their former substance and that they are changed in the vse onely Neither haue such of them as are inclined to Papistrie beene conuerted a jot by sitting from their former errors but to the contrarie confirmed in their erronious opinions disdayning our profession for the irreuerent celebration of the holy Sacrament If at any time by the doctrine of truth they shall be conuerted from their errors this gesture that is required of kneeling shall bee a meanes to preserue them in a constant profession and as I haue sayd keepe them also from the other extremitie of contempt PP The fisth breach of the second Commandement made by kneeling is a shew of wisedome in will-worshippe and humilitie Coloss 2.23 This their pretended humilitie is a naturall humilitie like vnto Peters when he refused that Christ should wash his feete Obedience is better then sacrifice FENNER in the doctrine of the Sacraments hath a notable saying That the whole honor of the Sacraments is that they remaine within the Church of GOD in that simplicitie he left them ANS The fifth breach yee alledge to be will-worshippe The Apostle Coloss 2. defines will-worshippe to bee wilfull condemning or thralling of men to the obseruation of such things in Gods worship as necessarie whereof there is no certaintie in the Word of God the Authors of the said obseruation being rashly puft vp by the mind of the flesh ver 18. Now whether yee that haue no certaintie in the Word for sitting at the Sacrament but such reasons onely as we haue cleerely shewed to be rashly forged out of the minde of the flesh and yet doe wilfully condemne and thrall mens consciences to the obseruation of that as necessarie or wee who neyther vrge sitting nor standing nor kneelâ—ng as necessary but esteeming all indifferent leaue
all they must kneele at that Supper for as on earth a good conscience is a perpetuall feast so in heauen the fruition of eternall felicitie is the perpetuall Supper of the Lambe Then where yee say that we cannot conclude a materiall geniculation of the Saints in heauen because they haue not bodily knees I confesse that is true yet wee conclude well a spirituall geniculation proportionable to the materiall otherwise they could not bee sayd to bow their knees if in their humiliation and adoration in heauen there were nothing in substance answerable to that bodily geniculation of the Sains on earth Yee demand If they drinke continually the felicitie of heauen on their knees I answere Although they drinke not on bodily knees yet they drinke with signes of greater humilitie and reuerence to GOD then any humane creature is able to expresse by any bodily gesture The standing of thousands before God which signifies seruice sitting at Table with Abraham Isaack and Iacob which signifies the fruition of pleasure takes not away their humble adoration and spirituall kneeling They performe their seruice with humilitie and with humilitie they enioy their pleasures And howsoeuer symbolicall Theologie cannot prooue that the formes of adoration vsed in heauen by the Saints is a kinde of bodily geniculation yet it proues that on earth that gesture properly should bee vsed and is most commonly vsed by the Saints in adoration which is attributed to the blessed Spirits in heauen metaphorically and therefore that on earth there is no gesture more proper to be vsed in adoration then the reuerend gesture of kneeling Last of all by the falling downe of the twentie foure Elders it is euidently prooued that thanksgiuing and praise may be offered to God on our knees or in a gesture more humble whether they bee interpreted to bee the Church militant or triumphant Now to conclude When all your reasons and discourses shall be considered by the iudicious Reader he shall finde that they all tend to the contempt of the Sacrament and to leade men to a prophane estimation thereof For first yee maintaine that it is to be celebrated with no other gesture then a common banquet for bodily repast Secondly that it is not in statu accommodatâ— ad adorandum that is to say That it is not a signe or middest appointed to stirre vp the receiuers to worshippe their Sauiour Thirdly that Christ is eyther not present in the Sacrament at all or that his body is not to bee esteemed present after any manner Fourthly that at the Sacrament neither his person nor his body and bloud that is neither the giuer nor the gift is to be adored Finally that all who at the Sacrament adore him by bowing of their knees are Idolaters breakers of the second Commandement and violators of the Institution These are assertions very contrarious to the iudgement of the Primitiue Church touching the Sacrament which of all the parts of Gods worshippe they esteemed the most principall as Casaubone obserues out of the Ancients in his 16. Exercit. Sect. 58. which hee concludes with these words Ex Augustini disputatione contra Faustum Maniâ—…aum lib. 20. cap. 21. discimus veterem Ecclesiam in illa quam sape diximus commemoratione passionis sacrificij Christi quae ipsa sacrificium dicebatur posuisse praecipuum Des cultum quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabant That is By Saint Augustine his dispute with Faustus the Manichean wee learne that the ancient Church did place the chiefe worshippe of God which they called adoration in the commemotation of the passion and sacrifice of Christ which commemoration was also called a sacrifice it selfe I shall now adde the iudgement of the reformed Churches and Diuines touching adoration and the externall forme thereof to be vsed in receiuing the Sacrament Confessio Bohemia c. Regi Viennae Austria Anno Domini 1535. oblata ARt 13. De coena Domini Ministri verè Dominicae coenae verbaresere tes plebem ipsam ad hanc sidem hortantur vt corporis Christs praesentiam adesse credant procumbentibus in genua distribuant that is The Ministers rehearsing the words of the Lords Supper exhort the people to beleeue the presence of Christs body and distribute the Sacrament to the people kneeling on their knees Sententia Petricouiensis Synodi generalis Anno Dom. 1578. Conclus 4. sub finem CEremonias libertati Christianae donamus ac permittimus vt stantes vel genua flectentes pij sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Christi sumant sessionis verò ad mensem Domini quia prater ritus in omnibus per Europam Ecclesiis vulgo consuetos illi internos primi auctores extiterunt qui omnia temere in Ecclesia mutantes et sine scientia Christum quasi imitantes à nobis ad Arrianismum transfugae facti quare hanc propriam ipsis vt Christum et sacra eius irreuerenter tractantibus tanquam inhonestam irreligiosam simplicioribusque admodum scandalosam ceremoniam reijcimus That is For Ceremonies we remit them to Christian liberty and permit the godly to receiue the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud standing or kneeling but because sitting at the table of the Lord by and besides the custome commonly vsed in the Churches of Europe was first inuented by these that changed all things temerariously in the Church who counterfaiting Christ without knowledge haue played the fugitiues from vs to Arrianisme we reiect this ceremony as vnhonest irreligious and extremely scandalous to the simpler sort leauing the same to them that handle the sacred things of Christ vnreuerently as they doe himselfe Wlodislauiensis Synodi generalis Auno 1583. Iunij 19. Conclus 6. QVod attinet ad ceremonias coenae Domiuicae sententia iam olim in Sendomiriensi Synodo agitata conclusio in generali Cracouiensi atque Petricouiensi Synodo facta at repetita in hoc etiam Wlodislauiensis Synodi consessu approbata est nempe Ne in vsu sit sessio ad mensam Domini in vllis huins consensus Ecclesijs Poloniae Lituania c. Nam haec ceremonia licet cum cateris libera Ecclesijs Christianis caetibus Euangelicis non est vsitata tantúmque infidelibus Arrianis cum Domino pari solio sese collocantibus propria Hortamur itaque vt administretur cana Dommi stantibus vel genua flectentibus cum protestatione contra artolatriam Papistis consuetam That is Concerning the ceremonies of the Lords Supper the opinion agitated long agoe in the Synode of Sendomire with the conclusion taken in the generall Synode of Cracouia and Petricouia now also repeated in this Synode of Wlodislauia is approoued namely That sitting at the Table of the Lord be not vsed in any of the Churches of Folonia Lituania c. that are of our profession for this ceremony howbeit free and indifferent as other ceremonies are is not receiued in Christian and Euangelicke assemblies but is onely proper to the vnfaithfull Arrians who place
themselues with the Lord vpon an equall Throne Therefore we exhort and desire the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may bee administred to the people standing or bowing their knees with protestation against the bread-worship maintayned by Papists Paraeus 1. Cor. 11. Controuersia 2. De fractione panis in sacra Eucharistia NEque conuellitur instantijs quas quidam alioqui eruditus Theologus obijcit quod si singula nobis imitanda essent etiam prius agnum paschalem nos edere in mensa sedere duodenos tantum communicare in domo vel palatio et nocte oporteret Hasce enim peristaseis non sacramenti proprias de quibus solis propositio haec omnis Christi actio est nostra institutio loquitur sed accidentarias fuisse iam modo ostensum est That is this proposition is not improoued by the instances which a Theologue otherwise very learned obiects saying If wee should imitate all Christs actions then it behooued vs first to eate the Paschall Lambe sit at a Table and twelue persons only communicate in a priuate house or Palace and in the night season for these circumstances are not proper to the Sacrament but accidentary onely as wee haue shewed And it is of the proper actions of the Sacrament that this proposition Euery action of Christ is our institution speakes Caluinus Instit Lib. 4. Cap. 17. Sect. 37. CHristo inquiunt hane venerationem deferimus Primùm si in coena hoc fioret dicerem adorationem eam demum esse legitimam quae non in signo residet sed ad Christum in coelo sedentem dirigitur That is Wee giue this worshippe say they to CHRIST First if this were done in the action of the Supper I would confesse the adoration to bee lawfull which resteth not in the signe but is directed to Christ sitting in heauen Beza Epist 12. pag. 100. GEniculatio denique dum symbola accipiuntur speciem quidem habet piae ac Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructu vsurpari That is Kneeling at the receiuing of the Elements hath a shew and forme of holy and Christian adoration and therefore of olde might haue beene vsed profitably Petrus Martyr Class 4. locus 10. Sect. 49. 50. IN Sacramento distinguimus symbola à rebus symbolis aliquem honorem deferimus nimirum vt tractentur decenter non abijciantur sunt enim sacrae res Deo semel deputatae quo verò vel res significatas eas promptè alacriter adorandas concedimus inquit enim Augustinus hoc loco Non peccatur adorando carnem Christi sed peccatur non adorando Adoratio interna potest adhiberi sine pericul◠neque externa suâ naturâ esset mala Multi enim piè genua flectunt et adorant That is In the Sacrament we distinguish the symboles from the things signified and some honour wee yeeld to the signes namely that they bee decently handled and not cast away for they are sacred things and once dedicate to God As to the things signifyed we confesse these should bee readily and cheerefully adored for Saint Augustine in this place sayes That it is no fault to adore Christs flesh but it is a sinne not to adore it In the next Section Inward adoration may bee vsed without perill neyther is the outward euill of it selfe for many bow their knees religiously and adore Iewell in the 8. Art of Adoration BVt they will reply Saint AMBROSE sayes We adore Christs flesh in the mysteries heereof groweth their whole error for Saint AMBROSE sayth not Wee adore the mysteries or the flesh of Christ really present or materially contayned in the mysteries as is supposed by Master HARDING onely hee sayes we adore Christs flesh in the mysteries that is in the ministration of the mysteries And doubtlesse it is our duetie to adore the body of Christ in the Word of God in the Sacrament of Baptisme in the mysteries of Christs body and bloud and wheresoeuer wee see any steppe or token of it but especially in the holy mysteries for that there is liuely layd foorth before vs the whole Historie of Christs conuersation in the flesh But this adoration as it is sayd before neyther is directed to the Sacraments nor requires any corporall or reall presence So Saint HIEROME teaches vs to adore Christs body in the Sacrament of Baptisme CHRYSOSTOME in MARKE Hom. XIV An Answere to the reasons vsed by the penner of the Pamphlet against the Festiuall DAYES PP FRom the beginning of the Reformation to this present yeere of our Lord 1618. the Church of Scotland hath diuers wayes condemned the obseruation of all Holy-dayes the Lords day onely excepted In the first Chapter of the first Booke of Discipline penned Anno 1560. the obseruation of Holy-dayes to Saints the feast of Christmas Circumcision Epiphanie Purification and others fond Feasts of our Lady are ranked amongst the abominations of the Romane Religion as hauing neither commandement nor assurance in the Word It is further affirmed that the obstinate maintainers and teachers of such abomination should not escape the punishment of the Ciuill Magistrate The Booke aforesaid was subscribed by the Lords of secret Counsell ANS This Booke was neuer authorised by Act of Counsell Parliament or by any Ecclesiasticall Canon and Iohn Knox as we said before complaines of some in chiefe Authoritie that called the same Deuote imaginations yet let vs giue vnto it the Authoritie which yee require the same will not serue your purpose For in the explication of that first head which yee cite we haue these words which yee haue omitted In the Bookes of old and new Testaments We affirme that all things necessarie for instruction of the Church and to make the man of God perfect are contained and sufficiently expressed By the contrarie doctrine wee vnderstand whatsoeuer men by Lawes Councels or Constitutions haue imposed vpon the consciences of men without the expresse commandement of Gods word such as be the vowes of chastitie forswearing of Marriage and keeping of Holy-dayes of certaine Saints c. By which words it is manifest that the obseruation of dayes here cōdemned is not that which was in the Primitiue Church and now is vsed in the Refōrmed Causa ordinis politeias as our Diuines speake that is for order and Policie sake But such as are imposed vpon the consciences of men as a necessarie point of Diuine worship This obseruation vrged vpon the people of God and practised with opinion of necessitie and merit was vtterly to be abolished And to banish this opinion together with the superstitious Idolatrie and prophanenesse which was otherwise conioyned of banqueting drinking playing quarrelling and such like enormities it was thought expedient that on these dayes the people should be discharged rest from their ordinarie labours and that no Diuine seruice should be done in places where there was not a dayly Exercise of Religion as well because of the raritie of Pastors to informe people touching