import this gesture because I will have occasion to treat of them in the second part Only let it be observed that the occasionall circumstances of the first supper were not followed as the gesture was but upon speciall occasion By the practise of the Apostles wee see the time was indifferent Act. 2. and 20. Neque Apostoli ad tempus vespertixum sese adstrinxerunt sedipro oâ— asione coenam administraruâ—t alià s dâ—urno tempore 〈◊〉 legeâ—e est Act. 2. 46. alià s intempesta nocte ut Act. 20. quo pacto satis ostenderunt tempus câ—enae esse indiâ—â—eâ—ens As for the denomination of supper it doth not import that we should celebrat ever at night It is true in our language this word Supper signifieth only the evening meal but the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth indefinitly the repast that a man takeâ—h any time of the day The proper Greek word for a supper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I referre the Reader for further clearing of this point to Câ—saubon his exercitations The like may be said of the number the sex the parlour the manner of sitting c. They were not continued by the Apostolical Churches as sitting was which was also continued at some times and in some places in the ages following CHAP. III. That sitting in the act of receaving hath continued to our times HOwbeit the supper of the Lord soone after the Apostles dayes began to bee stained with some rust as M. Calvine observeth yet was this gesture of sitting continued at some times namely upon the Thursday which is now called Maundie thursday the day of the Lords supper because upon that day the Lords supper was fâ—rst celebrate and institute Mornaeus reporteth that in the monasteries of S. Bennet they have no other forme of Masse for three dayes before Easter but this following The Abbot sanctifieth the bread and the wine and the Monks do communicate sitting receaving the elements out of the Abbots hand and this forme is by them called Mandatum the commandement But Bullinger more plainlie that not only in the monasteries of the Benedictines but also in the cathedrall kirks upon this day the tables are set in order they sit downe break bread and reach the cup every one to other every man following the footsteps of the ancient supper Vnde nimirum ritus ille ad nos dâ—manavit quo vel hodie incathedralibus ecclestis in Monasteriis Benedict â—orum â—n die coenae Domini ante parasceuen Coeâ—â—a Doâ—iâ—â— palam splendidius celebratur Nam Evangelium Iohannis à diacono publice praelegitun dulcissima câ—llo â—uia Christ 〈◊〉 abiturus cum discipulis habuit recitaâ—â—ur iâ—terim or 〈◊〉 disposi is mensis convivae assident panem azymum frangen es calioem invicem propinantes in toâ—um veteris coenae vestigium praeferentes Now it was the custome of old not onlie for the Monks but also other Christians to communicate upon this day except offenders as appeareth evidently in Gratians decree And therefore the glosse both old and new upon that place hath these words Sic olim modo non sic est sed Monachi faciunt that is It was so of old that the faithfull did communicate but it is not so now only the Monks doe it Augustine epist. 18. ad Ianuarium reporteth that in his time the custome was in many kirks to communicate after supper upon Thursday And whereas there is sundrie Canons for communicating fasting yet that anniversarie Thursday was excepted as yee may see in Concâ—l Carthag 3. can 31. Ne Sacramenta altaris nâ—si a jejunis hominibus celebrentur excepto uno die annâ—versario quo coena Domini celebratur What the Monks of S. Bennets order retained wee may verie well judge it to have beene the auncient forme of celebration upon that day For no doubt in that other Christians celebrated after meat which they needed not they neglected not sitting and distributing The two thousand souldiers who were reconciled to the Emperour Mauritius about the year 590. by the travell of Gregorius Bishop of Antioch receaved the Sacrament sitting upon the ground as Euagrius reporteth Doctor Lindsay alledgeth the like done to the Scottish armie at Bannockburn in the dayes of King Robert Bruce But beside this day which was called Coena Domini that all the faithfull did communicate wee finde that at other times also the people communicated in sundrie places immediatly after meat as Socrates reporteth of the Aegyptâ—ans who dwelt neere to Alâ—xandrâ—a and the inhabitants of Thebais Nam ubiepulati sunt varâ—is cibariis se saturâ—runt sub vesperam oblatione fact a mysteriis communicant Niâ—ephorus reporteth the same Balsamo upon the 90 〈◊〉 of Concilium Trullanum saith the devoter sort upon Saturday at midnight fate in the kirk and communicate Alexander de Holes in the second part of his tractat concerning the Masse sayeth The Pope communicateth sitting in remembrance that the Apostles at the last supper communicated sitting Si quaeratur quare Dominus Papa sed endo communicat Potest dici quod hoc fit in recordationâ—m quod â—eatus Petrus alii Apostoli sedendo corpus Domini in coena ultima acceperunt The Waldensâ—s who are justly called the pure seed of the auncient kirk and have continued since the dayes of Pope Silvester some think from the dayes of the Apostles saith Rainerius the Inquisitor and their enemie celebrated the Communion sitting Concernâ—ng the supper of the Lord their faith was that it was ordaâ—nâ—d to be eaten and not to bee shewed or worshipped for a memoriall not for a sacrifice to serve for the present ministration and not for reservation to be received at table and not to be carried out of doores according to the use of the primitive Church when they used to communicat sitting and this they prove by an old Chronicle called Chronica gestorum saith Master Fox in his acts and monuments His warrant I finde in their apologie against one Doctour Augustine which is extant in Lydii Waldensia Existo manifestum est quod primitiva ecclesia hane fidem habuit illam confessa est non fecit reverentiam huâ—c sacramento quia illo tempore exemplo Christi sedentes statim acceperunt nihil retinuerunt nec extra domum extulerunt haec institutio diâ—stetit sicut Chronica gestorum estendunt The like they have in the confession of their faith sent to Vladiflaus king of Hungarie Namque discipulis Christus discumbentibus dedie utendum Luther expounding the epistle upon Saint Stephens day saith Christ so instituted the sacrament that in it wee should sit at the sacrament But all things are changed and the idle ordinances of men are come in place of divine ordinances Zwinglius setting downe the forme of câ—lebration used at Berne Zurick Basile and other neighbour townes saith Sedentes tacite auscultantes
verbo Domini edimus bibimus coenae sacramentum Sitting and harkning with silence to the word of the Lord wee eat and drink the sacrament of the supper Alasâ—o I have cited already Not only the strangers Churches at London in his time communicated sitting but even to this day other Churches in the Low countries c. Other Churches as in Pole such as adheered to the confession of Helâ—etia sate as we may see in Confensus Poloniae Standing about the table may consist with the distribution of the elements by the communicants but in regard by it is pretended more reverence the gesture of sitting is indirectly taxed and that pretended reverence taketh away that representation of familiar fâ—llowship whereof sitting is a more lively representation seeing standing is not the usuall and ordinarie gesture at civil feasts Communicating in passing by doth not only indirectly take sitting but taketh away the â—oresaid distribution Of which more afterward THE SECOND PART Concerning the unlawfulnesse of kneeling in the act of receaving c. CHAP. I. Kneeling in the act c. not warranted by the example of Christ and his Apostles WE should as we said before take us in all doubts to the surest way Our warrant for sitting can not be doubted of We have the example of Christ and his Apostles and the practice of the apostolicall Church for warrant to sit but not to kneel When Christ himselfe ministred and was present the Apostles kneeled not Though the Apostles did not alwayes worship Christ while he was present especially being occupied in cruell and common acts yet upon extraordinary occasions they and others worshipped him Matth. 8. 2. and 9. 18. and 14. 33. and 20. 20. Luke 5. 8. Ioh. 9. 38. Nor yet directed any outward adoration to God the Father Though they were sitting at supper yet they mâ—ghâ—sâ—on have changed their gesture especially seeing the legâ—ll supper was finished and Christs Supper began saith Wâ—llâ—ts pag. 648. They who receave as is commanded wâ—thouâ— adoration are secure that they depart not from Gods commandement then the which securitâ—e there can bee nothing beâ—ter when wee intreprisâ— any thing Thâ—y have the example of the Apostles whom wee read not to have adored prostrate but as they were sitting they receavâ—d aâ—d did eat They have the practâ—se of the Apostolâ—ck Churches where it is declared that the Faithfull did communicate not in adoration but in breaking of bread saith Calvine Beza in his disput against Iodocus Harchius saith So lâ—ke as when the Lord truely to bee adored as God and man at table did instâ—tute this holy supper that the Disciples arose to the end that falling upon their knees they might receavâ— that bread and wine out of his hand And so likâ— as the Apâ—sâ—les were ignorant how to deliver to the Churches the mannâ—r how to celebrate these holy mysteries It is known well enough that the Love feasts could hardly or scaâ—ce aâ—â—ll â—dmit gâ—niculation Agapaâ— quidem certe constat 〈…〉 quidem geniculationem admississe Hospiâ—nsa 〈…〉 The Waldenses in the apologie above 〈…〉 hujus testimonio est quod Dominus noster Iesuâ— Câ—ristus sedentibus dedâ—t successores longo tempore per domos fregerunt panem acceperunt cibum cum benedictione non fecerunt reverentiam CHAP. II. Kneeling in the act of receaving is not sutable with the forme of a banquet or use of a supper-table THis holy action is denominate the Lords table and the Lords supper from the use of the one and formes of the other Wonderfull is the subtilitie of our Doctor who answereth that the sustaining of meat set on the table is the only use of a table but of beds and furmes to sit upon Wee say this also is the use of a table that the guests or persons invited may sit at and about it and partake of the meat set upon the table Otherwise if there bee no use of a table but to set meat upon it a dressour or a cupboord may bee called a table Whereas they say the altar is called the table of the Lord Malach. 1. and yet none did sit at it True and so do the Papists also call the lid of their altar a table But it is plain wee speak of a supper or feasting table The Altar is called the Lords table because the Lords meat Levit. 22. 25. that which was burnt with fire in oblation to GOD was consumed on it But the Lords supper is called the Lords table because our Lord and Saviour appointed it for his guests whom he inviteth to it So the table of the shew bread might bee called the Lords table but not in our sense not a supper or feast table and therefore impertinentlie alleadged by L. pag. 54. Kneeling is a gesture more agreeable to the Popish altar where the Priests beside communicated kneeling then with a feast table wherewith it agreeth not at all Wee have put down altars saith Alasco and use a table because it agreeth better with a supper and the Apostle hath given the title of a table to denomâ—nate the Lords supper And again The termes Supper and Table of the Lord verâ—e familiar with the Apostle Paul seeme to require sitting rather then standing kneeling or passing by Where the Apostle saith Yee cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of devils Our Doctor saith there is no materiall and artificiall table to be understood but things offered to Idols in the one speach and Christs bodie and blood in the other But both are to bee understood for meat offered to Idols can not bee called the table of devils unlesse there had beene a materiall table upon which the meat was set The Apostle telleth us that they sate at these tables in the Idols chappels 1 Cor. 8. 10. The Idolaters had a table whereon they eated the remainder of the sacrifice which was offered upon the Altar as the Iewes had Habebant Iudiei primum altaria ubi sacrificabant deinde mensaâ— quas instrâ—ebant reliquiis obâ—â—i jam sacrificis atque in illis mensis epulabantur saith Zanchius tom 4. col 466. See Tilenus Willets and Cornelius à â—apâ—de a Popish writer upon 1 Cor. 10. 21. and 1 Cor. 8. 10. So the by table of the Lord must likewise bee understood not the bare elements or as the Doctor speaketh the bodie and blood of Christ in the sacrament but with all a materiall table And Beza out of the same verse 1 Cor. 10. 21. inferreth that in the primitive Church they had materiall tables and not altars Willets inferreth the like in his Synopsis The Lords supper then is called the Lords table by a trope called Metonymia subjecti because the elements were set on the table when Christ said This cup meaning the wine which was in the cup Is the new testament in my blood the metonymicall speach importeth necessarlie that hee had a materiall cup in his hand when hee
of wiâ—e to others which cappe they called philotefia metonymicaâ—â—y because it was a symbole of love or frâ—endship which name any man may justly impose upon the cup of the hol supper of the Lord saith Stuâ—kius In iis eaim amicitiae ergo humaniteâ—se mutâ—â— accipiâ—nâ—es vini calicem sibi invicem porrigebâ—â—â— quem philoâ—esiam appellaâ—an metonym ce nimirum quia symbolum erat amoris amicitiae quo nom ne verâ—ssiâ— me quis illud sacrosancti Domâ—ni coenae poculum insigniâ—rit One of our Doctours saith That they had in the primitive Church other tokens of love and friendship as love-feasts and the kisse of peace but one token should not justle out another Beside that both are worne out of use and the kisse is turned into the kisse of the pax So much the rather should that signe and token which was recommended by Christ himself be preserved If there were no more but reaching of the cup from one to another and deviding of it it were sufficient to exclude kneeling howbeit the communicants did not breake and distribute the bread to other For what reason were there to kneel at the receaving of the bread and not at the receaving of the cup. Were it not also absurd to see the Communicants reaching the cuppe to other and the minister walking along to give to every one the bread Is the bread holier then the wine Analogy requireth that the bread should be distributed by the Communicants as well as the wine When the Evangelists say Christ gave the bread they meant not to every one severally more then when he gave the cup or the disciples the bread to five thousand Matth. 14. 19. for Mark 6. 4. they set the bread before five thousand Pilat gave the body of Christ that is commanded it to be given Mark 15. 45. Matth. 27. 17. Christ said in the plurall number Take ye caâ—ye this is my body as well as he said 〈◊〉 devide ye It is probable saith Piscator that 〈◊〉 brake the bread in two parts and gave one of them â—o him that sateâ— arest on the right hand the other to him that sate on the left and that they reached in order to the nearâ—st Tossanus upon Matth. 26. saith the like and Hospinian and Estius a popish writer Sit autem Chrâ—sti discipulos in ulâ—ima coena feâ—â—sse nonest improbabile ut quibus Chrâ—stus dâ—â—erit accipite dividite inter vâ—s Luc. 22. quâ—d et side calicedâ—ctum sit nihil tamen vetat dâ—pine similiter intell giâ— Beza saith That the manner of their sitting could not permit Christ to give every one severally the Bread but as he gave the cup to the nearest and the nixt reached to the nearest so it is probable that those who sate most remote receaved the bread from the nearest Moulins maintaineth That Christ might with as good reason have said Eat ye all of this as drâ—nke ye all of this his reason is Considerâ—ng that being set at table among 〈◊〉 persons he could not deliver the bread into every one of the disciples hands especially considering that the parties lying halfe a long upon beds at the table tooke up more roome then they do now adayes The Canon of the Masse hath Drinke ye all of this Mandâ—cate ex eo omnis which Bellarmine alleâ—geth they have receaved by tradition from the Apostles But to us there is the like force in the words Eat ye and Eat ye all of this for speaking in the plurall number he spake to all The Apostolicall Churches and such as in the ages following celebrated as near as they could to the â—â—terne continued this distribution P. acknowledgeth page 92. 101. 104. that the Communicants at the first supper did communicate the bread and cup one with another as also in the Apossles times pag. 95. Of the Monks of Saint Bennets orders yee may see before and that was a footstep of the order observed universally before upon the anniversarie day called the day of the Lords supper Frier Raynerius saith The Leonists for so he calleth the Wâ—aldâ—rses celebrate the sacrament of the â—ucharâ—st in their conventicles so it pleased the Frier to call the assembly of the persecuted râ—hearsing the words of the Gospel at their table and participating mutually as was done at Christs supper In conventiculis suis celebrant verba illa evangelii recâ— anâ—es in mensasua sibique mutuo participantes sicut in Christi coena Bullâ—nger saith That the supper of the Lord is then rightly celebrated when the communicants distribut the bread and the cup among themselfes Idcirco legittime coenam Domini celebrantes muâ—â—ò inter se panem Demin de manibus ministrorum Christi acceptum fran unt distribu 〈◊〉 manducant poculum insuper Domini de manibus mâ—nistrorium Christi acceptum inter sedistributam omnes potaâ— And again Primogenâ—â— simplie tati institutioni magis convenâ—t sedere sacramâ—nt aln manus proprâ— as accipere de man bus praesidentium deinde verò frangere percipere alliis impertir Vt enâ—m Dominus ad mensam cum discipulis accubuiâ— ita dixit porrectis symbolis 〈◊〉 pite dividite inter vos And againe Acconstat veteres non exhibuisse ca nantibus buccellas sed mutuum fr gisse panem It is well known saith he that the anâ—ien's gave no to the Communicants at the suppermorsels but they brake bread one with another Gualter in his homilies upon Mark setting downe the best forme of celebration requireth that they breake the bread to other and distribute the cup deinde cum solenni gratiarum actione panem inter se mutuò frangant poculum Demian distribuâ—◠〈◊〉 que in coetum illum convenorunt And when hee 〈◊〉 hee saith Est hic ritus simplicissimuâ— Christi 〈◊〉 nititur quae sola nebis in omnibus sufficere debeâ— This is the most simple for me and is grounded upon Christs 〈◊〉 which alone should bee sufficient to us in all things Tindall in his tractat upon the Lords supper pag. 477. requireth that every man breake and reach foorth to his neighbour In the later consession of Holvetia which was approved by many reformed Churches and by our own anno 1566. The bread is offered by the Minister and the words of the Lord are heard Receave it this is my bodie divide it amongst you Drink yee all of this This is my blood The Lords supper was denominate breaking of bread from that rite or ceremonie of breaking of the bread by the faithfull It is said Act. 2. 42. that the Christians continued in breaking of bread This place is interpreted of the sacrament breaking not only by ancient but also modern writers both popish and Protestant as also Act. 20. And the Syrian interpreter translateth it eucharist in both the places But the breaking of the bread in both the places is attributed not to the Ministers or Pastors only
be observed as holy Ratio convenientiae non fuisset sufficiens nisi praecessisset mandatum divinum Rivetus in Decalogum pag. 167. Christs actions did no more consecrate the times wherein they were wrought then his body did the manger or the crosse by touch And suppose this might have beene it would not follow that all mangers and crosses are consecrated no more would it follow that every 25. day of December should bee consecrated and made holy because that whereon he was borne I put the case it were true was consecrated Verum etiam non est dies illos fuisse consecratos per actiones aut passiones quae talibus diebus acciderunt Idenim si verum esset nullus fuisset dies qui aliqua Christi actione non esset nobilitatus consecratus Rivetus in Decalogum pag. 204. As for remembring of Christs nativitie no man denieth but it is needfull and so it is wheresoever the Gospel is preached But we deny that the memorie of it must be celebrated with the solemnitie of a festivall holy day with cessation from worke with feasting or forbearance of fasting and a proper service THE V. REASON SUppose the observing of holy dayes had at the first beene a matter indifferent yet seeing they have beene abused and polluted with superstition they ought to bee abolished Upon this ground Zâ—nchâ— us inferreth Non ma è igitur f'cerunt qui omnia proâ—er diem dom nicum aboleverunt They have therefore not done amâ—sse who have abolished all other holy dayes but the Lords day If Ezekias fact in breaking the brazen sâ—rpent belandable by which he confirmeth that pule then their fact is laudable also But sure it is that in former ages holy dayes have not onely beene abused with prophane and licentious revelling and surfetting but also polluted with the opinion of worship merite necessitie and a judaicall conceat that the devill is not so bold to tempt men on these dayes as at other times And therefore saith Zanchius Magicians observe holy dayes to exercise their magâ—call feats with the greater efficacie The Lords day it selfe may bee abused but because the observation is necessarie in respect of divine institution it cannot bee removed for the abuses of men But the festivall dayes were not appointed by God The number the abuses the will-worships of feasts so increased that there is nothing so unsavourie to God so pernicious to men as to sanctifie such and so many dayes faith the same Zanchius Holy dayes devised for the honour of Christ drew on holy dayes to saints Easter brought on a superstâ—tions lent to attend upon it made baptisme wait for her moone conformed our Lords supper unto the Jewish passeover in unleavened bread It was the first aple of contention among Christians the first weapon wherewith the bishop of Rome played his prâ—ses against other Churches and after flew so many Britons with by Austin the Monke saith Doctour Ames Even in Chrysostomes time the people would forbeare to communicate at other times But at Easter they would communicate howbeit they had committed recently some hainous sinne whereupon he exclameth O consuetudinem o presumptionem O custome O presumption Because people ranne superstitiously to that holy action at Easter as if the time gave vertue to the sacrament and were carelesâ—e the rest of the yeare our reformers appointed other times free of superstition as ye may see in the first booke of discipline pag. 58 59. Therefore seeing the observation of festivall dayes is not commanded by God and it cannot be denyed but it hath beene much abused it ought not to be continued farre lesse introduced where it hath beene disused suppose it might be now used without these abuses because it may degener after the same manner as before But what if it be not nor cannot be free of abuse and superstition They say they esteeme them not holier then other dayes or place any worship of God in the observation of them but only keep them for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises and instructed in the mysteries of religion But that is false howbeit an old shift The Papists themselves confesse that one day is not holier then another in the owne nature no not the Lords day but in respect of the use and end And in this respect our Formalists esteeme their festivall dayes holier then other dayes call them holy dayes and maintaine as yee have heard before that they may be observed as holy dayes If the observing of a day holy for the honour of a saint be a worshipping of the saint the observing of a day to the honour of Christ cannot bee without opinion of worship If the observing of the Lords day as a festivall as it is in their accompt be worship the observing of their holy dayes is worship Whereas they alledge that it is not worship because they hold not the like necessitie in observing the one as the other it will not helpe them For that doth not alter the nature of worship but maketh the one necessarie because God instituted it the other arbitrarie and voluntarie and consequently will-worship The same matter forme and end is in both but God instituteâ—h the one and therefore lawfull the other is instituted at the pleasure of man so it is worship but a vicious worship Further some other Formalists have of late maintained the mutabilitie of the Lords day it selfe What our Doctour will doe now let any man judge who knoweth him to be temporizâ—r and a sceptike Master Dow p. 58. saith as other holy dayes it goeth paripassu in their canons and ancient statutes which require the same observances under the same penalty Thâ—y are not only holy dayes but also mysticall howbeit the Doctour denieth it For els he must disclaime his ancienâ—s who call them so Are they not appointed for the solemnitle of some mysterie of religion Doe they not carrie the names of Christs nativitie passion ascension c. Are they not ordered according to the knowne or supposed times when such things fell forth If it were for order and policie they were observed that the people may assemble and be instructed wherefore is there but one day betweene the passion and the resurrection fourty betwixt the resurrection and ascension and then againe but ten betwixt the ascension and whitsontide Wherefore follow wee the course of the moone in our moveable feasts and observe not a certaine day in the moneth as we doe for other If we observed dayes only for order and policie then wee would not sticke to dayes as we doe for the commemoration of Christs nativitie passion ascension c. The Doctour saith we do not observe festivall dayes as the Jewes did which were holy not only for the use whereunto they were appointed to serve as circumstances but by reason also of their mystik signification and of the worship appropriated to them which might not bee performed at
or have warrant to baptise but pastours or ministers It is necessitas medii then that driveth them to such courses The English service book permitteth in privat baptisme to omit the doctrine concerning the institution and use of baptisme and also to spare the Lords prayer if the time will not suffer That booke supposeth likewise that some things essentiall to this sacrament may bee omitted in the privat ministration through feare or haste in such extremitie Is this reuerent using of the holy things of God or is it sure worke that forceth them to flie to a conditionall baptisme The case of baptisme and circumcision is not alike for the Lord appointed a precise time for circumcision to wit the eight day which in no casâ— they might prevent suppose the infant should die in the meane time It might have beene delayed if there were some urgent occasion to hinder as in the wildernesse for many yeares because they behoved to be in readinesse to remove according to the moving of the cloudy rollar But Moses had no urgent occasion therefore the Lord chastised him and Sephora circumcised the childe Moses being sicke Her example was not imitated by the Jewes themselves after and the Church of God was yet in families When synagogues were erected and places for the publike service of God circumcision was ministred onely in publike as some thinke and so it is an this day in the synagogues where a synagogue is to bee had Others hold that the Lord committed not the act or office of circumcision to the priests or Levits but that the infants were circumcised at home the family and nighbours being conveened because present remedy was to be provided for curing of the wound Barraillus the Jesuit saith that circumcision required not either a peculiar place or a peculiar minister Suarez saith that at this day he that is called the circumciseth circumciseth indifferently in the house or the synagogue But it is not so in baptisme as it cannot be ministred but by a lawfull minister so likewise only in the publicke assembly The make of circumcision was permanent and by it the circumcised might bee easily discerned whither they were counterfite professours or not But it is not so in baptisme The paschall lambe was eaten only in families and small societies conveened in some chamber on parlour and might not be eaten in publick assemblies But who dare affirme that the Lords supper howbeit it be the sacrament answerable to it must be celebrated after the same manner Different is the case betweene the sacraments of the old law which belonged to one nation and the sacraments under the Gospel belonging to the whole Christian world The Lords supper is the sacred banket of the whole Church assembled together saith Bullinger in his Decades and therefore saith he the Apostle requireth the Corinthianâ— to assemble together to partake of this supper 1 Corin. 1â— 32. It is a finew of publicke assemblies a hadge of our profession a band of love and representation of 〈◊〉 communion and fellowship which is and ought to bee among the members of the congregation It is not a part or two or three but the whole body of the congregation which is compared to one bread when the Apostle saith We that are manie are one bread and one body for we are partakers afore bread Corin. 10. 17. Because it is not possible to us to celebrat a sacramentall union with the whole Church militant the Lord hath appointed us to keepe a sacramentall communion with some particular congregation or visible Church The Doctour borroweth an absurd answer from Bellarmine and the Rhemists that were have sacramentall communion with the whole militant Church howbeit it be not so visible as with any one particular Church and his reason is because wee are partakers of the same sacrament I reply with Master 〈◊〉 answer to the Rhemists Although all the faithfull even those that never receaved the sacrament by faith communicate with Christs body yet doe they alone communicate sacramentally which have their communion sealed by the outward action of eating of one sacramentall bread And that the Apostle meaneth of these that in one congregation or Church eat together and not of the communion of us with those that receave the sacrament in another Church it is evident for that he placeth the seal of this communion in eating all of one bread and of one table Whereas they that communicate in another congregation communicate not of one table or bread with them that are so removed no more then they that celebrated the passeover in divers houses were partakers of one lambe or kid It is the same sacrament in spece or kinde but not in number Wee communicate in one fruit or effect because we all receave the same Christ but that is a spirituall not a sacramentall communion saith Chamier For it was never heard saith he that these in Jerusalem communicate sacramentally with those in Alexandria Otherwise what needed the bishop of Rome to send the eucharist to other bishops when they come to Rome The Lords supper then should not be celebrated but in the assembly of the faith for united together in one bodie of a Church A companie conveened apart from the rest to communicate with the sicke person is not unied by themselves into the body of a Church farre lesse three of foure asttake the English service booke meaneth to be a number sufficient seeing they allow the communion to bee ministred to three or foure in the Church and in the time of plague sweat or such other like contagious sicknesses the minister may communicate with the person diseased alone Ergo coena Domini non est privata sed publica nulli privatim danda Et quoniam non est publicus vel generallis catus quandò quatuor aut quinque cum agro communicant nihil dicunt quia not apud agros coenam instrui pâ—sse si alis quoque simul coenent saith Bullinger That is Seeing it is not a publicke or generall meeting when three or foure communicate with the sicke they say nothing to purpose who say that the supper may bee celebrated beside the sicke if others also communicate Suppose a companie of the faithfull in a family be called a Church Rom. 16. 7. because the whole family consisting of Christians and frequently exercised in religious exercises resembleth in some sort a Church and may be called ecelesiola as it were a little Church Yet it is not that Church which hath the power and right to use the sacraments and censures for then every family in a Christian commonwealth might celebrate the sacraments at home So howbeit the name be communicated for the greater commendation of such a family yet the definition doth not agree And yet that place may be applied to the Church which used to conveene in Aquila and Priscilla's house In that same chapter Gaius is called the host of the whole Church See
A re-examination of the five articles enacted at Perth anno 1618. To wit Concerning The communicants gesture in the act of receaving The observation of festivall dayes Episcopall confirmation or bishopping The administration of baptisme in privat places And The supper of the Lord in privat places Printed anno 1636. To the Reader YOu know good Reader if a man have a pretious Iewel hee will bee exceeding carefull to keep it from any tash True religion is more pretious then the most pretious jewel it should be the breath of our nosthrils and the â—oy of our hearts Wee finde that in all ages the preservation of religion in puritie hath beene dearer to the godly then their very lives As the preservation of religion in puritie hath been maintained so hath the restauration to puritie beene purchased with the bloud of Martyres and grievous troubles of many confessors The reformation of the Church within this realm was not obtained without the martyrdome of some and the hazard of the lives and estates of many other of our worthie predecessours The temple was throughly built and the head-stone brought foorth with the acclamation of other reformed Churches the Church of England which as Bucerus observed in histime standeth in the midst betwixt the Romane and reformed only excepted crying Grace grace unto it No where was the doctrine sounder the divine worship purer the government fitter for the building of Gods house But of late yeares the doctrine is leavened with Arminianisme and poperie the worship of God defiled with superstition and idolatrie the joint government of Pastors in presbyteries synodall and generall assemblies with subordination of presbyteries to synods and synods to generall assemblies is changed into tyrannicall oligarchie So that it may bee observed in our times to bee true which was noted by Aventinus to have beene done among the Popes in his time that the same deedes are at one time branded with the mark of superstition and at another time set out with the glorious title of pietie at one time attributed to Antichrist at another time to Christ at one time judged tyrannicall and unjust at another time just and righteous That which before we rejected as superstitious or idolatrous is now called truely religious that which before was called Antichristian and tyrannicall is receaved now as ancient and Apostolicall Is it not lamentable to see that government which maintained the kingdome of Antichrist in former times and with much paines thrown foorth to bee reestablished Some idle ministers deserting their owne particular flocks have taken upon them to bee diocesan pastors the principall and only pastors of all the congregations within an whole diocie to plant and transplant Ministers without consent of presbyteries to stay their proceedings against hainous offenders to sit as Princes amongst priests at their diocesan synods to suspend and deprive Ministers by the power of the high Commission without the consent of any lawfull let bee pretended assemblie of the Church to fine confine imprison Ministers or other professours without consent of the estates to sit in the Checker Counsell Session and to bear offices of estate to vote in Parliament in name of the Church without consent of the Church many of the Ministrie repyning and none consenting but upon conditions and cautions which are not regarded to send Commissioners to Court as directed from the Clergie or Church who return with articles in favours of Papists or for advancement of their estate is not the office of Deane and election of bishops by deane and chapter rejected as Popish by our generall assemblies recalled again without consent of the Church or so much as a pretended assemblie Are not the best qualified exspectants debarred from entrie to the Ministrie unlesse they subscrive such articles as the pretended bishops have devised and others obtruded upon congregations to their great grief Ministers are troubled by them with the acts of pretended assemblies whereas themselves transgresse the acts of many laudable assemblie Ministers are become dissolute and erroneus doctrine is taught without controlement We have cause to fear ere it be long that sound and faithfull Ministers shall become as rare as wedges of gold Consider further that soone after the government was changed idolatrous superstitious and ridiculous ceremonies were introduced into the worship of GOD with the five famous articles of which we are now to treat Moe are intended in the cannos lately â—â—blished and yet moe expected with the liturgle not yet printed neither can wee look for an end till the whole worship of God be defiled And yet these ceremonies are either commended as ancient or slighted as matters indifferent It is called in question if not altogether denyed whether the Pope bee the great Antichrist or not the possibilitie of reconciliation with Rome is maintained and to this end erroneous points of doctrine delivered in publick or defended in pâ—ivate or our differences from the Romish church slighted as not fundamentall Bookes of this kinde are printed with priviledge in our neighbour church and in private commended by such amongst us as apprehend the maintainance of this course to bee the easiest way to preferment Doctor Francis White in his treatise of the Sabbath ranketh among the traditions of the church the baptisme of infants religious observation of the Lords day the administration of baptisme and the Lords supper in publick assemblies and congregations the deliverie of the elements of the holy communion in both kindes the service of the church in a known language The Reader may finde more of this stuffe in Cozâ—ns devotions in Montagues Gagg and Appeal and in Shelfords sermons Have wee not need to fâ—ar the burning of our owne house when our neighbours house is in fire Have wee not greater cause to fear and bestirre our selves when the fire hath seased upon the thack of our own house and poysonable errours are vented amongst our selves Do wee then complain without iust cause or for matters of no importance The reconcilers cry peace peace but mean to peace till wee bee at peace with Rome The Prelates charge us with shisme and sedition but they mean to peace without peaceable possession of their places and obedience to their directions They call us shismaticks and yet cannot endure generall assemblies the ordinarie remedie of division and shismes as was acknowledged by the Kings Commissioners and such as were acquainted with his Maiesties minde at Linlithgow anno 1606. To what end was it enacted with their owne consent at Glasgow 1610. that those who were called bishops should be lyable to the triall and censure of the generall assemblie for their office and benefice life and conversation if we have not yearly or set generall assemblies to try them or censure us if we shall be found guiltie of shisme Grievances presented by Ministers to parliamâ—nts which should be the chief sanctuaries of refuge to all distressed subiects are suppressed and not suffered to be read in publick before the Estates
the English Liturgie he opposed stoutly to it And when the contention was like to grow to some hight hee and his Collegue Master Wittingham with some others drew forth of the English booke a plat in Latine and sent it to Master Calvin Howbeit the description of the corruptions was favourably set downe yet kneeling at the receaving of the elements is noted up among the rest in that extract Among his letters which are extant in writ we finde one dated the yeare 1559 at Deep and directed to Mastresse Anna Lock where he calleth the crosse in Baptisme and kneeling at the Lords table Diabolicall inventions After his return to his native country he ministred the Communion according to the order of the English church at Geneva where he had been last Minister This order was observed in all the reformed congregations before the reformed religion was established by authority of Parliament and is yet extant before the Psalmes in meeter with addition of the treatises of fasting and excommunication some prayers the forme and manner of the election and admission of Superintendents In the conâ—ession of faith prefixed and approved by our Church we have these words Neither must wee in the administration of the Sacraments follow mans phantâ—sâ—â—s but as Christ him selfe hath ordained so must they be ministred In the order of celebrating the Lords supper wee have these words The exhortation being ended the Minister commeth downe from the pulpit and sitteth at the table every man and woman likewise taking their place as occasion best serveth And againe The Minister breaketh the bread and delivereth it to the people who distribute and devide the same among themselfes according to our Saviours commandment And likewise giveth the cuppe In the second head of the first bâ—oke of discipline drawne up in the first yeare of publike and universall reformation wee have these words The table of the Lord is then rightly minâ—stred when it approacheth neâ—rest unto Christs owne action But plaine it is that at Supper Christ Jesus sate with his disciples and therefore doe we â—udge that sitting at a table is most convenient to that holy action And againe That the Mâ—nister break the bread and distribute the same to these that be next to him commanding the rest every one with sobrietie and reverence to break 〈◊〉 other we think it nearest to Christs action and to the perfite pracâ—ice Yee see our first Reformers preferred 〈…〉 kneeling but also to standing and 〈…〉 none of them approached so 〈…〉 When they rejected standing 〈…〉 man judge what they thought of kneeling 〈◊〉 ye may perceive that they rested upon 〈◊〉 â—o only for a time because of the abuse of kneeling 〈…〉 because most agreeable to the paterne It was ordained in the generall assembly holden the year 1562 That the order of Geneva be of served 〈…〉 ministration of the Sacraments By the order of Geneva was meant the order which was observed in the English Church at Geneva where Master Knox had beene of late Minister which order is called in the first booke of discipline The order of Geneva and The book of Common order This order as I have already said is set downe before the Psalmes in meeter In the assembly holden anno 1564 Ministers are referred to the order set do 〈◊〉 before the Psalmes which is a renewing of the former act In the Parliament holden the yeare 1567 it was declared that whosoever refused to participate of the Sacraments as they were then publikely administred in this reformed Church were not to be reputed members of this Church An act was likewise made concerning the Kings oath to be given at his coronation to maintain the religion then professed and in speciall the due and right administration of the Sacraments then receaved This act concerning the Kings oath was ratified again by acts of Parliament in the yeare 1581 and againe in the yeare 1592. In the yeare 1572 it was ordained by act of Parliament that such as did not communicate and partake of the Sacraments as they were then truly ministred in the Church of Scotland if they continue obstinate and disobedient shall be reputed infamous and unable to sit or stand in judgement persue bear office c. When in the second confession of faith which is commonly called the Kings confession we professe that we detest the ceremonies of the Roman Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we professe we detest kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements of bread and wine The order of celebrating the Lords supper which hath beene receaved and observed since the beginning of reformation and acknowledged both by generall assemblies and Parliaments to be the due and right order was perverted by a number of noble men Barons Ministers and pretended Bishops conveened at Perth in the yeare 1618 either having no lawfull commission or terrified with threats or corrupted one way or other They in their full and pretended assembly to please King James made this act following as it is extant among the acts of Parliament Since we are commanded by God himself that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneel before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Like as the most humble and reverent gesture of the bâ—dy in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts best becometh so divine and sacred an action therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath used since the reformatioâ— of religion to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling used in the idolatrous worship of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memorie of by-past superstâ—tion is past in revâ—rence of God and in due regard of so divine a mysterie and in remembrance of so mysticall an union as we are made partakers of the assembly thinketh good that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees This act if the lying parenthesis were culled out which is insert onely to deceave may passe among Papists and Lutherans It is untrue that all memory of by-past superstition is past and untrue that the abuse of kneeling among the papists was the onely occasion that moved our first reformers to make choice of sitting but the paterne of the first supper at the institution was the chiefe cause And therefore they not only rejected kneeling but also standing and taking in passing by as wee have shewed before We shall first defend the communicants sitting and next impugne their kneeling in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements of bread and 〈…〉 we shall prove it first to be warrantable next 〈…〉 downe our reasons whereupon wee 〈…〉 instituted THE FIRST PART CONCERneth the defence of sitting CHAP. I. That the Communicants sitting in the act of receaving eating and drinking is lawfull
hoc acceperunt sacramentum ita nunc dâ—sponam is saith Marlorat in 1. Cor. 11. It appeareth thirdly by the practise of the Apostolicall kirks observing still this gesture howbeit other circumstances of time and place and other things which fell out occasionally at the first supper are not regarded Their practise may be a commentarie to the precept Do this that wee may take up what is comprehended under it Howbeit Christ had not said Hoc facite Do this his example in setting down the patern and put in practise by the Apostles afterwards is equivalent to a precept Christi Apostolorum exempla sunt nâ—strum exemplaâ—â—exemplar autem rei faciendae probat rem esse praeceptam necessariam Christ himself after hee was sitting at table in Emâ—us with the two disciples Luke 24. 30. hee took bread blessed it brake it and gave to them This place is interpreted by sundrie ancients and moderne of the breaking of the sacramentall bread which may be granted without any vantage to the Papists for communicating in one kinde because the example is extraordinarie and by the Hebrew phrase of breaking of bread synecdochically may bee meant the whole supper M. P. thinketh likewise that it is like this breaking of bread was sacramentall but saith hee the sitting was onlie occasionall But there was no occasion to hinder him to use another gesture when hee come to that action Yee see then in the judgemeut of all the interpreters who expound this place of the sacrament of the supper that Christ celebrate this sacrament while he and his disciples were sitting and used no other gesture but that which they had used at their ordinary eating before It is obiected that the Apostle in the rehearsall of the words of the institution 1 Cor. 11. maketh no mention of sitting I answer that the Apostle rehearseth not all that was requisite for the celebration of the supper His chief purpose was to correct the abuse of the Corinthians that is their not staying upon other For the Lord that night he was betrayed said to all his disciples conveened together Take ye eat ye drinke ye all of this Illa coena Christi omnes commun ver accumbentes habuit That supper had all sitting in common together saith Chrysostome rebuking such as neglected to communicat with the poore Oâ—â—umenius hath the like This is not to eat the Lords supper he meaneth that supper whâ—ch Christ delivered when all his disciples were present For in that supper the Lord and all his servants sate together Hierom in 1 Cor. 11. The Lords supper ought to be common to all because he deliverâ—d the sacraments equally to all his disciples that were present It was not the Corinthians fault that they sate â—t table but that neither at their common meats nor at the Lords table would they sit together but sorted themselfes in factions and companies saith D. â—ilson in his book of obedience And again Saint Paul as Chrysistome thinketh brought the table and supper where the Lord himself was and â—t which his dâ—scâ—ples sate for an example to shew them that that is rightly judged to be the Lords supper quae omnâ—bus simul convocatis concordiâ—er communâ—ter sumitur which is received in common and with one consent of all assembled together The Apostle saith not I deliver to you here all that I receaved of the Lord but I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you The Apostle presupposeth a lawfull minister a table and sitting at the table and rehearseth only Christs actions and his words uttered to communicants sitting at that table together bidding them all eat drink c. conveened together Not yet all his actions and words as giving of the bread blessing of the cup either severally or conjunctly with the bread and the precept to drink all of it Ipsi et am Evangel stae mutuo inter se supplevâ—sse leguntur quae ab eâ—rum aliquo vel aliquibus sunt omâ— ssa The Evangelâ—sts themselses supply mutually what is omitted by any of the rest saith Innocentius 3 in the Decretals There was but one action saith Casaubon which consisted of the holy and common banquet and from the nobler paâ—t was called the supper of the Lord. Totam illam Corinth orum actionem quae sacro communi convivio constabat a potiori parte vocat coenam dominicam The love-feast then and the Lords supper went together the love-feasts in these times preceeding and the Lords supper immediately following For as Estius a professour in Doway reasoneth It is likely that in imitation of Christs example at the first supper they celebrat after the love-feast Next they stayed not upon other at the commoun supper which could not have beene if they had communicated together before as the Greek fathers conceave who are of the other opinion Thirdly the Apostle putteth them in minde of triall before and good behaviour If these abuses had fallen forth after the Apostles exhortation had not beene so pertinent Fourthly this opinion is confirmed by the custome which was observed after in many Churches even till Augustinus dayes Willâ—ts in his synopsis pag. 677. In the end of those feasts they used to râ—ceave the sacrament Cornelius a Lapide a Professour in Lovane affirmeth likewise that the love-feast preceeded the holy supper Agape haec tempore Paule fiebat ante non post sacram synaxin Druthmarus who wrote about the yeare 800. saith that the Apostles celebrated after meat as Christ did Feâ—â—runt autem Apostoli multo tempore similiter post alium elbum dominicum fumentos D. Bilson saith likewise by Saint Pauls words it should appear the communion was distributed to them after meals but saith he to us it is all one whether before or after at their banquets and feasts it was ministred and even served at theâ—r tâ—bles â—s Augustine noteth epist. 118. And againe Because these brotherly repasts did either end or begin with the Lords supper they could not devide themselfes each from other and disdaine the poore at theâ—r common meat but they must offâ—r the same abuse at the Lords supper which was mâ—nistred to them as they sate at theâ—r tablâ—s immediatly before or afâ—er their usuall and corporall refreshings M. P. a la â—e champion for kneeling thinking it likely that Christ ministred the sacrament at Emaus hath this observation Hereupon I thinke together with the institution it selfe after supper were grounded the love-feasts by continued occasion whereof the disciples might possiblie for a time use sitting in the very act of receiving D. Downame Bishop of Derrie confesseth sitting to receave the sacrament to have beene used in the Churches in the Apostles times I passe by the names of Table and Supper and breaking of bread and the opposition made by the Apostle betwixt communicating at the Lords table and sitting at the tables of Idols which may
mutuall duties and tokens of love and friendship another It is one thing to the guests to participate of the same dainties which are to be united to their bodies another to interchange and communicate with other tokens of love Justly may the communion cup for this cause be called Philotesia saith Stuckius To divide the bread also and to eat together in token of love and bene volence was a custome observed in all the orientall countries and is yet observed in maâ—y countries of the west say Lyra and Arias Montanas as Serrarius the Jesuit relateth Facit ad amicitiam conciliandam reparandam conservandam quòd de uno pane participamus quòd panem offerimus fratribus quodque de manu fratrum poculum accipientes bibimus Non enim aliam ob causam videntur veteres coenam appellasse synaxin saith Bullinger That is It serveth for the procuâ—â—ng reparing and keeping of friendship that we participate of one bread that we offer bread to our brethren and that we drinke taking the cup out of the hands of our brethren It seemeth for no other cause the ancients called the Lords supper Synaxis And in the 9. sermon of the same decade Quondam arctissima faed ra fractione panis consecrabantur Of old Leagues or covenants were confirmed by breaking of bread Gualter saith Panem peculum pii inter se distribuunt quod illis charitatis officium commendat de conjunctione mutua eos admonet ut se unum iu Christo corpus esse intelligant sibi invicem officiis mutuis inserviant quemadmodum in corporibus nostris membra facere videmus The godly distribut the bread and wine among themselfes which recommendeth to them the duty of chariti and putteth them in minde of mutuall conjunction that they may understand that they are one body in Christ and serve one another with mutuall duties as we see the members to do in our owne bodies Zwinglius in his exposition of the Christian faith setteth downe a notable proofe of this How that some sitting together casually and participating after this manner were reconciled who before had beene at variance and that this fell forth often Deprehensum est saepenumerò quòd quidam qui temâ—re consederant quì tamen simultates odiapriùs inter se exercuissent ex hac participatione sive panis sive potus animi impotentiam deposuerunt The ancients had the kisse which was a familiar kinde of salutation among the Orientals as the striking of hands with us they joyned hands also and embraced another at the communion Seeing so many signes and protestations of love were thought requisit at this banket of love ought we not to be the more carefull to retaine that signe which was practised in the patterne I end this section with a passage out of Lauaterus descriving the forme of celebration used in the Church of Zurich to wit with sitting and the communicants distributing posthac per totam ecclesiam ministri that is those that serve az mumpanem in â—â—tinis circumserunt at accipit quisque particulam de exhibito pane posteà reliquam partem dat proxime assidenti Deinde sequuntur alii ministri cum poculis cantharis ac praebet alius alii poculum Dominicum atque sit omnes de uxo pane participant If none must give the sacramentall bread but the minister because he acts the person of Christ who gave his owne body by the same reason they may not reach the cup to other as the Apostles did at the first supper where they represented the faithfull and communicate not as pastours but as disciples as guests as faithfull as all our divines do hold and among the rest Musculus himselfe cited by L. pag. 59. All that was done in prison Joseph was the doer of it because he was direct our and commander of every thing that was to be done Gen. 39. 22. â— confesseth the cup may be reached from one communicant to another For saith he he in whose name the commandement is uttered is properly the giver and propiner because by his authoritie it is given and by the warrant of his word it is ceaved When the King drinketh to any of his servants and sends it by the hands of his servant the servant is not properly the giver and propiner but the deliverer of the gift and propine He granteth likewise that the Communicants may deliver the cuppe to other the minister still acting Christs person in his owne place pag. 61. 62. So may we say that Christ at the first supper or the minister representing Christs person is properly the giver of the bread because by his commandement or direction it is given When I brake the five loaves among five thousand that is brake and gave to the disciples to set before them to be further broken The disciples in setting the bread before five thousand Mark 6. 41. gave the bread to five thousand Matth. 14. 19. Christ gave the cup to his Apostles say the Evangelists because at his direction they reached one to another Swarez saith It is one thing to distribute as a dispenser or as of power another to touch carrie or applie this sacrament to the mouth of the receaver Aliud est dispensative seu ex potestate distribuere hoc sacramentum aliud verò illud tangore deferre aut ad os sumentis applicare Let them make of the word dispense what they will we say the Communicant may carrie the bread and apply it to the hand of another Communicant Againe if none but the minister might doe it because hee represents Christs person then might not the deacon in the ancient Church do it because he represented not Christs person yet his giving was called dispensing Vazquez confesseth That it is not forbidden by divine law that the sacrament be ministred or carried by a layman but by humane lawes Non quia jure divino vetitum sit hoc sacramentum per laicum ministrari aut deferri But humane lawes forbad laymen to touch it with their hands I would aske when the minister commeth from his owne place and goeth along to deliver the elements how doth he act the person of Christ the master of the feast There can be no other reason of this guise but to nourish a superstitious conceat that it is holier to receave out of the hâ—nd of the minister who perhaps is a Judas then out of the hand of a faithfull brother as if his hands profaned or polluted it Are not the peoples hands as holy as the ministers saith P. pag. 313. Nay superstition encreasing at last they might not take the sacrament in their owne hand to put it in their mouth but it behoved the priest to put it in their mouth Such superstitious conceats condemne Christ and his Apostles and the faithfull in their time who distributed to other and deprive us of the profitable uses of fraction or breaking of bread whereof we have
were not recommended to us nor had no other profitable use make it only lawfull this is a most profitable use that it is a barre to hold out so many corruptions The first assault therefore was made upon it at a meeting in Saint Andrewis in the year preceeding Perth assembly But that meeting neither was nor is acknowledged to be a free generall assembly For as long as wee retaine the distribution by the communicants they perceave there was no place for kneeling Therefore as wee would stand for the preservation of that holy action from being prophaned with confusion of actions and polluted with privat communion superstitious receaving out of the ministerâ— hand and the idolatrous gesture of kneeling let us stand for this distribution What shall we say then of those who this day â—â—ke away the chiefe parts of the Lords institution to wit the bâ—e kâ—ng of the brâ—ad and distribution and involve this most wholesome mâ—ster ewâ—th superstitious and contentious 〈◊〉 They may perhaps have the popes supper or somâ— other mens whom they propâ—ne to themselfes to be imitated but they cannot have Christs supper till leavâ—ng the iâ—vâ—ntions of meâ— they foll wâ—le first institution â—aith Guâ—ltâ—r Quid ergo de illis hodièd cemâ—ts qui praecipuas institution is dom nâ—ae partes fractionem 〈◊〉 mirum distributionem tollunt simulque mysterium 〈◊〉 saluberrimum superstitiosis contentiosis opiniâ—nibus involvunt Habent illi fortassis caenam Pape aut alterius cujusdam quem sibi imitandum proponunt At Christi Jesu caenam non habebunt nisi relictis hominum ad inventionibus primam ejus institutionem sequantur If any man then will aske where is kneeling forbidden in the act of receaving We answer In the institution For the whole frame of the paterne forbiddeth it where magisterio vel exemplo by precept or exemple as Cyprian speaketh wee are directed to celebrat after the forme of a feast or banket to fit which is the usuall gesture and most suteable to a feast and to breake and distribute Christs forme was most perfite saith Bullinger and to what purpose is it the Lord himself having devised aâ—â—st simple and perfite forme and the Apostles receaving it to devise another Who can devise a better then the Sonne of God himselfe the supreme high Priest of his Church Quorsum attine simpli issima optima perfectissima que illa coenandi formula ab ipso Christo tradita ab Apostolis ejus accepta comminisâ—i aliam Quis enim mâ—liorem tradet ipso Dei filio pontifice catholiae ecclesiae summo If another more commedious and better forme could have beene devised out of all doubt saith Hospinian Christ would have devised it and the Apostles would have recommended it to the Churches and therefore willeth that if any thing be found different either in the nature and proper sense of words or in rite or externall ceremonie from this rule that it be amended according to the same as the most holy most excellent most uncorrupted and most certaine rule Sed vide frater charissime si quis de antecessoribus nostris velignoranter vel siplmiciter non hoc servaviâ— tenuit quod nos Dominus magisterio exemplo suo docuit potest simplicitati ejus de indulgentiâ Domini venia concedi nobis verò non poterit ignosci qui nunc a Domino â—dmoniti instructi sumus But see most deare brother if any of our ancestours either through ignorance or simplicitie hath not keeped or holden that which the Lord hath taught us both by precept and example his simplicitie may be pardoned of the Lords indulgence but wee cannot bee forgiven who now are admonished and instructed saith Cyprian The testimonie ye may finde in Gratian. Doctour Mortoun in his late worke of the institution of the supper saith It was good divinitie in Cyprian and pope Iulius dayes to argue from the example of Christs institutiâ—n negatively by rejecting such acts and accounting them as centrarie to the institution of Christ which accord not with his example and which are not comprised within the Canon of Christ his hoc facite Bellarmine himselfe putteth It out of all doubt that that is best which Christ did and what he did is to be done Neque enim dubitaâ—i potest quìn illud sit melâ—us faciendum quod Christus feciâ— Deâ—ucharist lib. 4. cap. 7. And yet Master Struther was not ashamed to averre that Christs forme might be bettered THE FOVRTH PART CHAP. IV. It maketh us conforme to the Papists in a rite devised by man horribly abused and not necessarie WE ought not to keepe conformitie in the worship of God with idolaters papists in speciall in any rite or ordinance devised by man specially the man of sinne if after it hath beene abused or be still abused to idolatry or superstition if the same be not necessarie though the originall were lawfull farre more if the first use or institution of it was unlawfull The Lord forbad his people to round the corners of their heads or marte the corners of their beard Levit. 19. 26. and 49. 32. The Egyptians and other Gentiles saith Becanus thought the Gods delighted in the round figure therefore they rounded their heads and builded round temples to them least the Jewes should seeme to be like the Gentiles they were forbidden to imitate them in this The Lord would have his people to bee dignosced by other people by their very habiâ—s Therefore they were frobidden to wear linsey-woolsey because the Gentiles used such in the worship of their gods saith Aquinas They were forbidden to sow their field with mingled seed The priests were forbidden to make their heads bald or shave off the corner of their beard for the dead Levit. 21. 5. 5. These fashions were observed by Egyptians Arabians Syrians Canaanits and others saith Iunius upon that place The priests shall neither shave their head nor suffer their locks to grow long they shall only powle their head Ezech. 44. 20. Bellarmine saith This shaving was not forbidden because it was evil in it selfe but least they should seeme to be like to the priests of the Gentiles beside whom they dwelt who sacrificed to their idols with their whole head shaven Iunius saith Howbeit the matter was free the equitie or reason remaineth Ne vel signâ— vel specie quidem communicare nos cum superstitione piet iti adversa opertere That is We must not by any signe or shew communiâ—te with superstition which is contrarie to pietie They might not plant any groves of trees near the altar of the Lord Deut. 16. 22. the Gentiles did so Exod. 34. 13. Say not how did these nationâ— se ve their gods so will I do likewise thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God Deut. 12. 30. After their doing ye shall nâ—t do nor after their ordinances Levit. 18. 3. the words are generall howbeit in
of the word or at any of them unlesse they think the sacrament the Lord their maker The second reason in the narrative saith the Doctour is this And considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed bodie and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Relative to this reason we have in the conclusion these words And in regard of so divine a mysterie the assembly thinketh good that that blessed sacrament be celebrated to the people humbly or as the act ratified in parliament hath meekly and reverently upon their knees We have here no other description of receaving the sacrament in the narrative but the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ which smelleth strongly of the reall presence For the like and some other phrases hath Master Prinne discovered Doctour Couâ—ins to be popish in the survey of his privat devotions Then all that communicate receave the body and bloud of Christ in at their mouth good and bad This shall please the Lutheran and Papist full well But by mysterie saith the Doctour is no meant the elements nor is it said mysteries but mysterie It may well be the elements are not meant because it may be they thinke the elements vanish away and nothing remaine but the accidents or that Christs body and bloud are substantially present with the elements or some other unknowne way as the Doctour hath beene mutering in privat And that is a mysterie indeed But by mysterie must be meant the sacrament for in the narrative we have no other phrase to expresse the sacrament but the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ which is relative to this word mysterie And in the conclusion the word sacrament both preceedeth and followeth So the words in the same sense may be framed thus Considering there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed sacrament therefore the assembly thinketh good in regard of so divine a mysterie or in regard of so heavenly a paâ—t of Gods worship that that blessed sacrament be celebrated c. Whereas he saith the word is mysterie not mysteries in the plurall number howbeit we finde it so in the first copies let it be mysterie The Doctour himselfe in his solutions for kneeling useth sometime the word mysteries sometime mysteries Casaubone speaking of this sacrament saith It is called sometime mâ—sterie sometime mysteries Dicitur autono masticè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut numero multitudinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius Areopâ—git a entituleth the chapter of the Lords supper The mysterie of the synaâ—is or holy communion Ambrose saith Indignus est Domino qui aliter mysterium celebrat quà m ab eo institutum est Hierome saith Licet in mysterio possit intelligi tamen veriùs corpus Christi sanguis ejussermo scripturarum est Oecumenius saith That the Apostle calleth the mysterie of our Master the Lords supper A number of testimonies might be cited to this purpose The reason of such speach is because both the sacramentall signes are referred to one Christ. It is but one action the celebration of the supper Further we receave the bodie and bloud of Christ when we heare and beleeve the promises of the Gospel read exponed or rehearsed Origen saith Hoc quod modo loqu mur sunt earnes Christi that which we are presently speaking to you is the flesh of Christ. And in another place We are said to drinke the bloud of Christ not only by the rites of the sacraments but also when we hear the word Hierome as ye heard before That more truly the speach of the scripture is the body and bloud of Christ. If then in the narrative be no me â—o meâ—nt then the spirituall receaving of Christs body and bloud it is no more a reason for kneeling at the receaving of the sacrament then at hearing of the promises of the Gospel read and exponed The words therefore must bee meant of the sacramentall manner of receaving and the words relative in the conclusion In regard of so divine a mysterie must meane In regard of the mysticall oâ— sacramentall receaving and so the Communicant is directed to kneel in regard of the sacrament The third reason in the narrative is the correspondence betweene the outward gesture of our body and then meditation and lifting up our hearts wheâ—â— wee remember and consider the mysticall union betwixt Christ and us and among our selfes whereof we are made partakers by the receaving of Christs body and bloud He shunneth to set downe the words of the narrative and of the conclusion answerable to them as he did in the former two reasons because he perceaved they could not be framed to his purpose For there is no mention made in the narrative of mysticall union nor is it said in the narrative that the most humble and reverent gesture of the bodie well becommeth the meditation and lifting up of our hearts when wee remember and consider the mysticall union betwixt Christ and us but that the most humble and reverent gesture of our body in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts becommeth well so divine and sacred an action to wit as is the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ. Wee are not directed by the act to meditate and lift up hearts but to use that kinde of gesture which becommeth meditation and the lifting up of the heart nor is kneeling a gesture well becomming meditation Wee meditate sitting lying walking Kneeling is a gesture well becomming prayer but not meditation By lifting up the heart no necessity to meane prayer for the minde and heart may be lifted up by faith and contemplation without prayer And to this lifting up the Communicants were exhorted of old with sursum corda least their hearts and mindes should be groveling and onely bent upon the elements And so the lifting up of the eyes may be a signe of lifting up of the heart and minde in token that wee looke confidently to have our desires granted by God who dwelleth in heaven as the casting downe of the eye as a token of humiliation for sinne Suppose by lifting up of the heart prayer should be meant yet kneeling is not the humblest gesture for prayer but prostration Then we should prostrat our selfes when wee receave the sacrament Next if the Communicant shall pray mentally when hee receaveth the sacrament and in that regard kneel he shall be exercised other wayes then the act of receaving requires Further a secret mentall prayer shall be commended to him in publike without a vocall and the signe of it the humble gesture of kneeling whereas the signes of secret and mentall prayer in publike should be concealed so farre as may be The minister when he delivereth the elements is not directed to use a vocall prayer to be followed by the Communicant And wee see the Conformitants are
Exod. 16. 23. was a permission not a command or for preparation onely not for eating the day following Yea they not only might fast but did it usually at lest to the twelft houre as Hooker proveth by testimonies out of Josephus Justinus Suctonius Balsam upon the 66. Canon called the Apostles saith Wee fast not upon the sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest wee should seeme to imitate the Jewes Augustine saith God spake nothing concerning dining or fasting upon the sabbath when he sanctified the seventh day nor afterward when hee gave precepts concerning it to his people Of these differences the reader may finde more in Altare Damascenum page 667 668 669. The Jewish sabbath which was the seventh day from the creation was abolished at the resurrection of Christ because it had types and ceremonies annexed to it which were shadowes of things to come The ground ceasing the observation of that day ceased also for the shadowes flee away when the body commeth in place Yea further I will yeeld that the abrogation was meant by the Apostle Coloss. 2. 17. and under the name of sabbath there is to bee meant onely the weekly sabbath which is more then White craveth Not that I thinke they answer sufficiently to those who will have the word to be applied to the first and last day of anniversary feasts which were also called sabbaths But because I thinke these to bee comprehended under the name of feasts whereof these sabbaths were the principall and most solemne dayes So that here is a perfite division of all their solemne dayes to wit that they were either feasts to wit anniversarie dayes or new moones which returned monethly or the sabbath which returned weekly I so thinke the rather because we have the like division 1 Chron. 23. 31. where the Levits office is set downe to offer burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths in the new moones and on the set feasts And againe in Esay 1. 13 14. wee have the like As for that that the word Sabbath is in the plurall number it crosseth not this sense for so is the weekly sabbath usually expressed by the Greek translaters of the old testament and in the new testament also Matth. 12. 1 5 10 11 12. Matth. 2â— 1. Mark 1. 12. Mark 2. 23 24. Mark 3. 2 4. Luk. 4. 31. Luke 6. 9. Luke 13. 10. Act. 13. 14. Act. 16. 13. In these places the word is taken either for one sabbath-day onely or for moe And so it may bee taken in this place Coloss. 2. and translated either sabbath or as the late english translation hath sabbath dayes The sabbath-day is expressed in the plurall number for the frequent and often returning By the way observe that the old sabbath was not reckoned among the Jewish festivall dayes Sâ—atiger saith Manifestò sabbata distinguuntur to wit Esay 1. 13 14. à magnis diebus The sabbaths are â—early dâ—stinguished from the great dayes which were all one with Chaggim The Iewish sabbath then seeing it shadowed things to come behoved to bee abolished Suppose it had not beene a shadow yet even as it was but a circumstantiall point of the fourth precept which is morall positive it might have beene changed for a greater reason then was the occasion of the choice of the former For the resurrection of Christ and beginning of his triumph after he had ended his course of humiliation was a greater reason for making choice of the first day of the weeke then resting from the worke of creation was for the seventh day before The first respect of necessitie required abolition The 〈…〉 congruity The first day of the weeke succeeded in the roome of the last day of the weeke and hath beene observed in the Christian Church from her infancie to this day without any change or contradiction The Apostles were conveened together that day when the holy Ghost descended upon them Act. 2. When Paul had stayed at Troas seven dayes upon the first day of the weeke being the seventh day of his abode the disciples conveened together to break-bread and Paul preached and conferred with them till break of day Act. 20. 7. 11. The originall hath upon one of the sabbath but sabbath is put for weeke because from the sabbath as the principall day they numbred the rest of the dayes of the weeke to the next sabbath in order first second third fourth c. of the sabbath and distinguished them not by the names of the planets As when the pharisie said I fast twice in the sabbath that is twice in the weeke Luke 18. 12. When Jesus was risen early the first day of the sabbath that is of the weeke Mark 16. 9. And Levit 23. 15. seven sabbaths shall bee compleat that is seven weekes Likewise one according to the forme of speach familiar to the Hebrewes is taken for first The evening and morning were one day that is the first day This place cannot bee trâ—â—slated one of the sabbaths for the Apostle stayed but seven dayes in which there was but one sabbath day Nor yet is it likely that the Christians did assemble upon the Iewish sabbath to their exercises Howbeit the Apostle went in to their synagogue Act. 13. upon their sabbath that was not for the observation of their sabbath but because hee could not finde the Iewes assembled together at any other time or place that hee might have occasion to winne them as yee may see at that time hee found occasion to deliver a word of exhortation Wee have the first day of the weeke expressed with the like phrase 1 Corin. 16. 2. where the Corinthians are directed to lay aside some thing for the poore the first day of the sabbath that is of the weeke or every first day of the weeke Now although this text of S. Paul maketh no expresse mention of Church assemblies this day yet because it was the custome of Christians And likewise it is a thing convâ—nient to give almes upon the church-dayes it cannot wâ—ll hee gainsaid but that if in Corinth and Galatia the first day of evâ—ry weeke was appointed to be a day for almes and charitable contributions the same was also the Christians weekly holy day for their religious assemblies saith White and to this purpose citeth Chrysostome in 1 Corin. hom 43. where he sheweth that the time was fit for collections because that day they had receaved many great benefites and the first of the sabbath hee interpreteth the Lords day So do the translations of the Bible expound both the former and this place of the first day of the week the Belgike the French the Italian the Spanish the late English Beza's and Tremellius out of the Syriack With frivolous cavillâ—tion doe some few to their great discredite preasse to another sense which is to the full overthrowne by Walâ—eâ—s and Amesius This first day of the weeke Revel 1. 10. is called not the day of the Lord as sometime in
the scripture the time of some heavie judgement is called the day of the Lord or because the Lord revealed to him upon a day these great mysteries for that day had beene uncertaine the sense caâ—to logicall as if John should have said I was ravished in the spirit that day I was ravished in the spirit But John maketh mention of this day as a thing knowne before to the Churches to designe the time when he saw thâ—se visions And he calleth it not the day of the Lord but the Lords day or the dominicall day and so it hath ever beene called in the Christian Church since the dayes of the Apostles Justiâ—uâ— câ—llâ—th it Apoc. 2. Diem solis Sunday because the apologie was directed to an ethnick and in his dialogue with Trypho the first day of the weeke because Trypho was a Jew It were superfluous to cite testimonies to prove that in everie age this day hath beene called the Lord day and observed by Christians in every age Notwithstanding it bee cleare and evident that the Lords day was observed in the Apostles times it is questioned whither it was instituted by Christ or by the Apostles or if by the Apostles whither by them as ordinarie pastours or as extraordinarie office-bearers assisted with the infallible direction of the spirit Master Daw It concerneth us little to know whither it was delivered by the Apostles themselves or their next after commers Those who come after are equalled by him with the Apostles who were assisted extraordinarly in laying the foundation wherein the Church was builded and setting down the government and unchangeable policie of the Church Either every Church had power to hallow a day like the Lords day or else the Church universall If every nationall Church then they might have differed and hallowed sundrie dayes If the Church universall that could not be brought to passe but in the representative an oecumenicall councell None such could be had for 300 yeares after Christ. But so the hallowing of such a day had beene suspended for 300 yeares If the Church may institute such a day it may abrogate it also and change at pleasure If the Church or ordinarie pastours may institute such a day they may make lawes binding the conscience For wee are bound in conscience to observe the Lords day even out of the case of scandall and contempt in secret as well as in publike with internall worship as well as externall or els we sinne howbeit the Church cannot take notice of it or judge upon it If there be no such day for the Lord then wee deny to him that which the verie law of nature granteth to him for the law of nature requireth such a day Seeing no ordinarie pastours may doe it it followeth that if the Apostles did it they did it not by vertue of their pastorall power and office which was common to them with their successours as Master Dow speaketh but by that power which was properly apostolicall and that it cannot be called an ordinance of the Church as Master Dow alledgeth it may Even Bellarmine distinguisheth between traditions divine apostolicall and ecclesiasticall and confoundeth not apostolicall with ecclesiasticall The apostolicall constitutions may be also called divine saith he because they were not instituted without the assistance of the spirit and divine may be called apostolicall not that they were instituted by the Apostles sed quod ab eis primùm ecclesiâ— traditae sunt cum ipsi seorsim eas à Christo accepissont that is that by them they were first delivered to the Church after they had first receaved them apart from Christ himselfe The observation of the Lords day is not like the Papists unwritten verities for it is extant in the scripture but the question is about the precept We confesse practice say they but where is precept I answer their practice was a paterne to us and hath the force of a precept Rivetue himselfe in his exercitations upon Genesis answers In such things we need no expresse precept if wee have practice and example namely of such as we know to be the first institutours of good order by vertue of a speciall calling such as were the Apostles but chiefly where the practice is repeated for then it is inculcat if there be no necessarie reason craving a change Respondeo in talibus non opus esse praecâ—pto expresso si habeamus exemplum praesertim eorum quos scimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ecclesia fuisse ex speciali vocatione primos institutores quales fuerunt Apostoli In talibus enim exemplum praxis vim aliquam habet pracepti praesertim ubi praxis illa repetitur tum enim inculâ—atur si nulla ratio necessaria mutationem requirat Adde also that the observation was uniforme in all the Churches and constant which presupposeth a precept an ordinance or institution For what likelihood is there that one began and the rest every one after other followed the example of others that went before in practice and that this way the observation crept in by exemple and did grow to a custome The places above cited make mention of the first day of the weeke and the Lords day not as then begun but as knowne and observed before even at the Pentecost before the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles And yet Rivetus inferreth a precept out of 1 Corin. 16. where the Corinthians are directed every first day of the weeke to lay aside some thing for the poore where howbeit the chiefe intention of the Apostle is to give direction for the helpe of the poore yet because hee will have it to be done the first day of the weeke it followeth that hee willeth also that they should dedicate the Lords day to the solemne assembling of the Church for hee that intendeth the end intendeth also the midst Vbi etsi prima intentio Tauli sit de collecta statuere tamen quia vult eam primo diâ— hebdomadis fieri inde sequitur voluisse etiam ut diem Dominicam solemni ecclesiae congregationl dedicarent Qui enim vuâ—t finem vult etiam media si nihil in eis sit illegitimum aut verbo Dei prohibitum Yet his words would bee somewhat corrected for the Apostle enjoyneth them not to observe that day as if they had never observed it before but maketâ— mention of it as a thing knowne and as Chrysostome observed would move them to bee the more free-hearted because of the benefites which they had receaved that day He enjoyneth them no new thing but concernidg the collection for the Saints as he had given order to the Churches of Galatia Yet this direction implieth a direction to continue in the observation of that day for in directing them to doe a little farre more would he have them to performe greater duties Bellarmine giveth some rulâ—s to trie genuine apostolicall traditions which if yee will admit howbeit they cannot be justly applied to their unwrâ—tten verities yet
very well to the observation of thâ— Lords day When the universall Church observeth any thing that none might appoâ—nt but God and yet nowhere is it found written it behoveth to averre that it was delivered by Christ and his Apâ—stles Anotâ—eâ— rule What the universall Church hath observed at all â—â—mes before justly we may beleeve that it was in 〈…〉 Apostles howbeit it bee of â—uch a qualitie as 〈…〉 iâ—stituted by the Church To this purpâ—seâ—â— quoteth Augâ—stine lib. 4. contra Donatist as cap. 23 These are the words That which the universall Châ—rch 〈◊〉 and hath not beene instituted by Councels but ever maintaâ—ned is to be beleevâ—d in all 〈◊〉 reason not to have been ordained by oâ—her power then the apostoâ—ique authoriâ—â— Quod universateâ— eccleâ—â—a nec conciâ—iis instituâ—â—â— sed sempâ—r â—â—tentum non nisi authoritate apâ—stâ—ica traâ—dituâ— certissime creditur But seeing the ordinances of the Apostles were of two sorts Some were temporarie and to endure onely for a time as abstinence from bloud and strangled which was enjoyned only for avoiding the offence of the weake Jewes others were to bee observed constantly Of this sort was the observation of the Lords day Experience hath proved the perpetuall observation of it hitherto and no reason can bee given wherefore it should bee changed hereafter as I shall show It were superfluous to cite the testimonies of divines referring the institution of this day to the Apostles Walaeus hath quoted a number dissertat pag. 165. After hee hath laid downe his reasons consenting with them in judgement hee concludeth that the first day of the weeke was substituted to the sabbath by the Apostles not onely by an ordinarie power such as all pastours have to order rites meerly indifferent in their Churches but by a singular power as by such as had inspection over the whole Church and to whom as to extraordinarie office-bearers was concredit to be faithfull not onely to deliver certaine precepts of faith and manners but also of comely order in the Church Vt quis dies in septimana ex vi anal gia quarti praecepti esset servandus ne dissâ—nsio aut confusio ex eo inter ecclesias oriretur omnibus ubique Christianis constaret as that it might bee knowne to all Christians what day in the weeke is to bee observed by vertue and analogie of the fourth precept least dissention or confusion should arise there about 〈◊〉 the Churches He citeth other divines concluding likewise that the Apostles being guided by the holy Ghost substituted the Lords day in place of the Jewish 〈◊〉 bath But others referre the institution to Christ himselfe which is more likely for after his resurrection hee appeared sundry times taught the Apostles things pertaining to the kingdome of God that is the instruction and government of his Church and gave them commandements Act. 1. 23. These commandements and instructions they delivered after to the Churches and set them downe in their canonicall writes Next Christ himselfe appeared the day of his resurrection five times At the third appearance hee appeared to the two disciples going to Emaus at which time hee celebrated the holy supper according to the judgement of great divines At the fifth appearance he appeared to all the disciples save Thomas who were conveened together before Then he gave them commission to goe and teach all nations and in conferring his spirit hee breathed upon them John 20. Mark 16. Eight dayes after that is the eighth day after as Luke 2. 21. when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcision of the childe that is when the childe was circumcised upon the eight day Christ appeared againe and Thomas was present at which time he cured his unbeliefe It would appeare their meeting was not frequent at other times and that Christ appeared purposly at that time And therefore it is likely that every eight day after ordinarily they conveened and Christ appeared unto them wherein that great divine Junius is confident Die ipso resurrectionis octavo quoque die usque dum in coelos ascendit apparuit discâ—pulis in conventum eorum venit At last upon the Pentecost which fell upon the eight day that is the first day of the weeke that yeare Christ sent downe the holy Ghost in the likenesse of firie tongues upon the Apostles conveened together There is no speciall time noted for any of Christs apparitions but the first and eighth day which seemeth to be done of purpose Therefore Cyrillus lib. 12. in 〈…〉 8. willeth us to observe that the Evangelist is noâ— content with a simple narration but addeth carefully after eight dayes and all being gathered together in one place The Lords day could not have beene observed so long as Christ remained upon the earth without his direction And this appeareth to be one of the commandements which he gave them Eusebius ascribeth the institution of this day to Christ advancing Christ above all the great poteâ—tats of the Gentiles who could not prescrive to all the inhabitants of the earth to conveene every weeke and observe the Lords day as Christ did Athanâ—sius cited by White pag. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath changed â—r translated it meaning the sabbath into the Lords day The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well import that it was so called because the Lord was the authour and institutour of it as because it was instituted for the honour and worship of our Lord. As the Lords prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords prayer because the Lord was the authour of it Zanchius is of opinion that when the Lord blessed the seventh day the sonne of God spent that whole day in instructing Adam and Eva exercising them in the worship of God and admonishing them to teach their posteritie to doe the like for it beloved Adam to understand the sanctification of that day which the Lord had blessed and sanctified Wee have farre greater reason to thinke being certaine that Christ was here on earth appearing to his disciples at sundrie times from the day of his resurrection till the day of his ascension and instructing them in things belonging to his Church that hee instructed them in this point also Yea yee see hee conveened with them and in a manner observed it also Whither Christ himselfe instituted the observation of this day or the Apostles by the inspiration of the Spirit the authoritie is divine For howsoever Bellarmine distinguisheth traditions in divine and apostolicall the distinction is but imaginarie saith Junius in his answer and Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth that the apostolicall traditions in respect of the assistance of the spirit may be called also divine howbeit they were not delivered immediatly by Christ himselfe Tratitiones verè apostolice sunt divinae saith Polanus Beza in his great annotations upon Apocal. 1. 10. calleth it Apostolicam verè divinam traditionem Atradition truely divine howbeit Apostolicall Cornelius
and patrons of the prophanation of the Lords day usurpe dispensation with Gods morall precepts The very light of nature leadeth a man to acknowledge that what time is set apart as holy it should not bee prophaned with worldly businesse or exercises howbeit this light hath beene detained in unrighteousnesse among the Gentiles who would not spend the time as they ought to have done or were ignorant and thought their games and playes were a hononring of their gods I need not to reekon particular workes this generall ingraft in mans minde by nature that a holy day should be spent in holy exercises will direct every one in the particulars This or that will be an impediment to the spirituall exercises whereunto I am bound this day In hoc pracepto est aliquid quod est morale ut vacare id est intendere Deo orando colendo meditando quae sunt in dictamine legis natura Et ista hodie in lege Christiana magis manent in virtute quà m in lege veteri Ex statutis synodalibus dioecesis Lingonensis anno 1404. Here yee see in the statutes of that diocie it is acknowledged morall in the fourth precept to pray worship meditate that nature diteth this much and that these dueties remaine more in strength under the Gospell then under the old law This statute with the rest was approved by a Cardinall Ludovicus de Barro In a councell holden at Mascone 588 the people is exhorted to spend the Lords day in hymnes and praises prayers and teares Sunt oculi manusque vestrae toto illo die ad Deum expanse Let your eyes be bent and hands spread toward God all that day They require also spirituall exercises in the night it selfe In the synods holden in France by the Popes legates Galo and Simon it was ordained under the paine of excommunication that none grind at watermills or any other mills from saturday at evening till the Lords day at evening Cardinall Galo and Simon were sent legates to France about the yeare 1812. In a synod holden in Angeâ—â—s 1282. the like ordinance was made against grinding at milles notwithstanding of the abuse for a long time before for that sins are the more hainous the longer miserable fouls are bound to them cumali qua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindieare non possit Seeing no prescription can take place against the precepts of the decalogue Yee see they ground their ordinance upon the fourth precept and conclude ex vi quartâ— praecepti that Christians may not grind at milles that day from evening to evening They inhibited also cutting or shaving of beards that day or any other exercise of barbar â—raâ—t under the paine of excommunication but in case of imminent perill of death or grievous disease This strictnesse then required of us admitteth not lawfull and honest games shooting bowling wrastling c. farrelesse unhonest and unlawfull wâ—iâ—h ought at no time to bee suffered For honest games and passe-times howbeit honest may be impediment to spirituall exercises and distract the minde as much as the lawfull workes of our calling Refreshment by meat and thanke was allowed by God himselfe when hee provided for the seventh day and by Christ himselfe who being invited went to the pharisees house upon the sabbath to dinner Aman may recreate himselfe with the free aire of his garden or the fields if family dueties or the like hinder him not providing hee spend the time in holy exercises or holy conference with some other But games and passe 〈◊〉 cannot consist with such holy exercises Workes of pietie as to travell to the places of publike worship or charitie as to visit the sicke and of necessity as to preserve the life of man and beast in danger are lawfull The Jewes suffered themselves rather to beâ— killed then take armes upon the sabbath-day 〈◊〉 after better advice they resolved to fight if any invaded them 1 Maccab. 2. 41. The Hebrew Doctours have a saying Periculum animae impellit sabbatum the perill of the life driveth away the sabbath Yet we should pray to be free of those necessities Christ foretelling his disciples Matth. 24. 20. the destruction of Ierusalem biddeth them and in their name other disciples who were to follow after pray that their flight might not be in winter nor on the sabbath-day wherefore not on the sabbath-day but because it would be an hinderance of their holy and spirituall exercises upon that day Now the destruction of Jerusalem fell not forth till fourtie yeares after Christs ascension But so it is the Iewish sabbath was one of the dead ceremonies which obliged not to necessarie obedience after the passion of Christ. Christ meant then of the Christian sabbath I have exceeded farre the bounds I set to my selfe and therefore I am forced to end this discourse THE DEFINITION OF A FEstivall day IUdicious Piscator defineth thus a festivall day â—â—stum propriè loquendo est publica folennis ceremonia mandata à Deo ut certo anni tempore cum singulari letitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato that is A feast or festivall day is a publike or solemne ceremonie commanded by God to be executed at a certaine time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to give God thankes for some certaine benefite bestowed on his people Hooker the master of ceremonies maketh festivall solemnitie to be nothing els but the divine mixture as it were of these three elements praises set forth with cheerefull alacritie of minde delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bounty and sequestration from ordinarie workes The sabbath under the law was never called jom tob a good that is a merrie day as were the solemne anniversarie feasts Other dayes also which were not solemne feasts were so called as dayes of banketing and feasting Drusius in his annotations upon Ester 9. citeth Elias Thesbite to this purpose Master Aiusworth in his annotations upon Exodus 16. citeth the Chaldee paraphrase speaking of the sabbaths and good dayes that is the solemne feasts as distinct things Puxtorsius also in abbreviaturis So the Lords day succeeding to the old sabbath should not be ranked among the festivall dayes or feasts as the word is taken in our common language The definitions agree not to the Lords day It is not an anniversarie but a weekly day It is not instituted for the commemoration of a particular benefite but for the worship of God at large as the morall law requireth and as the old sabbath did For howbeit that day was made choise of which was the day of Christs resurrection yet it was not instituted onely for the commemoration of that particular benefit but for the worship of God in generall It hath no peculiar service of epistles gospels collects or sermons and homilâ—es for Christs resurrection The Church invented afterward a feast or festivall day to wit Easter for
that purpose which is called the feast of the resurrection Sâ—â—rez having reckoned the many prerogatives of the Lords day as that Christ rose that day the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles c. hee willeth us to observe that howbeit all these prerogatives might have beene considered in the determination of the day yet the day of it selfe and directly was not instituted for the peculiar commemoration of these â—â—rkes of God but to worship God for himselfe and his owne exellencie Nihilominus per se ac directè non referri vel istitui hunc diem ad peculiaerem commemorationem illorum operum Dei sed ad Deumipsum propter se colendum propter suam excellentiam majestatem It wee had no dayes but festivall for some particular benefits we should have no day for the worship of God in generall The Lords day therefore may justly bee called the schoole-schoole-day of Christians as Petrus Ramus calleth it Thirdly as the sabbath of old was distinguished from the yearly feast which were called good that is merrie dayes so is the Lords day from the yearly feasts invented afterwards by men Vpon the anniversarie feasts called good dayes they might not fast as yee have heard before Mirth and mourning could not stand together But upon the sabbath they might lawfully fast Ne quando sanctificaâ—it De is diem septimum quia in illo requievit ab omnibus operibus suis aliquid de jejunio vel prandio expressit nec cum postea populo Hebraâ— de ipsius dici observatione mandavit aliquid de alimentis sumendis vel non sumendis locutus saith Augustâ—ne that is God enjoyned nothing concerning fasting or eating either the first time that he sanctified the seventh day or afterward when he gave the manna The Lords day succeeding in the roome of the old sabbath as it standeth in the decalogue is of the same qualitie Wee may lawfully fast upon the Lords day which were absurd to d ee upon our anniversarie feast dayes It is true that in the ancient Church it was thought a hainous thing to fast upon the Lords day So did they also forbid to pray kneeling that day to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection This use of signification or testification was the fountaine of much superstition and brought in a heap of ceremonies some of which the Papists themselves were â—shamed of long since The same ceremonie of not kneeling in time of prayer upon the Lords day is worne out of use nigh 500 yeares since saiâ—h Bellarmine If the reason of the institution had beene solide it should become us no lesse then them to pray standing upon the Lords day But the ground was naught The like may bee said of not fasting upon the Lords day Some reason they had indeed not to fast upon this day when the Manichees and Priscillianists fasted for the Manichees fasted ordinarily upon the Lords day lest they should seeme to rejoyce for the resurrection of Christ which they beâ—eeved not The Priscillianists fasted likewise ordinarily upon the Lords day and the nativitie day But when there are no knowne Manichees nor Priscillianists there is not the like reason for not fasting But the extremities should be avoided To thinke it unlawfull to fast that day or unlawfull to dine and breake our fast are both without warrant and superstitious But to fast upon occasion or in time of any imminent judgement is lawfull When Paul continued preaching upon the sabbath till midnight at Troas before the tasted any thing or the rest were refreshed with meat this conceat of not fasting upon the Lords day had not entred in the Church Was Paul a Manichaean saith Hierome because hee and those who were with him fasted on the Lords day His words are extant in Gratians decree Atqui utinam omni tempore jejunare possimus quod in Actibus Apostolorum diebus Pentecostes die dominico Apostolum Paictum cum eo credentes fecisse legimus Non tamen Manicheae haereseos accusandit sunt If any had resolved to fast seven dayes or moe he might have fasted upon the Lords day included as ye may see in Balsamo and Zonaras upon the constitutions falsly called apostolicall and Augustine epist. 86. ad Casulanum Whitaker defending the occasionall fasâ—s of our Church telleth Duraeus that the respects the ancients had concerne not us Etsi illîs temporibus die dominica jejunare nefas fuit propter haerelices Judaeos qui Christi resurrectionem impugnabant jam dudum tamen illa offensio nullum in ecclesia locum habet ut planè nugatorum sit quod tu de nostris in Anglia Scotia◠〈◊〉 calumniaris quasi eò spectent ut his cuniculis resurâ—â—ctiâ—â—â— fidem evertamus In a pronounciall synod holden at Dort anno 1574 it was ordained that there bee three sermons on the Lords day when a fast is to be keeped on â— It is to observe a day to say the morne is the Loâ—ds day therefore it is unlawfull to fast saith Chamter Alstedius Jejunandum etiam die dominica si necessitas flagitet What need I multiply testimonies that is sufficient which Augustine saith What dayes wee ought to fast and what not I finde it not defined by any precept given by our Lord or any of the Apostles Quibus diebus non oporteat jejunare quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non havenio definitum epist. 86. But if the Lords day were a festivall day it should follow that we should not not fast on it at all Now we proceed in our reasons against festivall dayes THE II. REASON NOne appointed holy festivities under the laws when the times were more ceremonious but God himselfe The dayes of Purim were called simply the dayes of Purim not the holy dayes of Purim They were not called Chaggimâ— No peculiar sacrifice was appointed nor any holy convocation of the people enjoyned The ordinance required but feasting and joy and sending of portions to other The rest mentioned Esther 9. was onely from their enemies So much worke as might stand with a feasting day was not forbidden Suppose they had rested altogether from worke that would only prove an idle day but not an holy day Our Doctour therefore hath no warrant to say that they were made holy dayes by Mordecay Afterward it 〈◊〉 true whâ—n the Jews become more superstitious they read the book of Estheâ— after the reading whereof they spâ—nt the rest of the day in revelling and riotousnesse Next these dayes were instituted by Mordecai and therefore were called Mordecai's dayes 2 Maccahab last chap. vers 37. Sixtus Senensis saith he is thought to be the penman of the booke of Esther he was one of the 120. of which the great synagogue consisted of which number were Zacharie Daniel Ezra and Malachie Whitaker thinketh Mordecai did this God inspiring him or perhaps by the advice or warrant of some Prophet and doubteth not
but it was done by divine authoritie Many things might have beene done then by their direction the like whereof wee have not now Thirdly it appeareth Esther 9. 28. that this custome was to bee observed as long as the feasts appointed by the Lord himselfe Holy dayes of ecclesiasticall constitution are not of such a nature as Doctour Fulk acknowledgeth Fourthly it was not done without consent of the people of the Jewes themselves as Junius observeth The Jewes tooke upon them and their seed to keepe these two dayes Esther 9. 27. Howbeit they were not religious but politike dayes Mordecai would not impose them without their consent The equitie of this is seene in the Canon law where bishops are forbidden to appoint any particular festivall dayes within their diocies without consent of the people And there is good reason seeing they are to be withdrawne from their calling I put now the case they had power to make a holy or festivall day Lastly can any prince or state make the like ordinance for the posteritie to feast and send portions and gifts one to other or were it seemly to command feasting in a Christian common-wealth howbeit allowed and in a manner commanded to the Jewes Alstedius denieth that the Christian Church can imitate the Jewes in the like The memoriall dayes of the dedication mentioned Joh. 10. 22. serve as little for their purpose for first they are not called either 1 Macchab. 4. or here the feast of dedication howbeit the English translatours without warrant have translated the word dedication so which the Rhemists retaine without such a supplement If any supplement were needfull it may be translated the dayes of dedication as the former were called the dayes of Purim And so they are called 1 Maccab. 4. 59. and in the testimonie cited by Junius out of the Talmud Joh. 10. If yee will call them the feast of dedication because of their bodily feasting yet unlesse there was holy convocations to divine service upon them and cessation from worke they cannot bee made a president for holy festivities composed of Hookers three elements nor aâ—e they anniversarie holy dayes added to those the Lord himselfe appointed There was offering of sacrifices singing and playing upon instruments at the time of dedication of the altar eight dayes but not enjoyned at the yearly memoriall Thirdly Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren had the consent and assistance of the whole congregation of Israel to this ordinance 1 Macc. b. 4. 59. which is wanting to our festivall dayes But Junius citeth a testimonie out of the Talmud bearing that the wise men for the time instituted eight dayes of dedication in memorie that a little quantitie of oil which was found in the temple scarce sufficient to entertaâ—ne the lamps one day vet sufficed eight dayes till new oil was pressed out of the olives By the wise men are meant the Pharisees Nam sapientes Pharisaei synomina sunt saith Drusius We are not to imitate the inventions of Pharisees or of such corrupt times as those of the Maccabces There was no yearly remembrance by solemnitie of feast not so much as of one for the dedication of the whole temple either the first under Salomon or the second under Zorobabel nor for restoring of the temple by Ezekias after it was prophaned by Ahaz and Vrias or by Josias after it was polluted by Manasses and Amon. But now there was an annuall memorie appointed for renewing of the altar only and other decayed places of the temple As for Christs conference in the porch of the temple in the dayes of dedication it proveth not that he honoured that feast as they call it with his presence Only the circumstance of the time is pointed at when that conference was as the dayes of the shew-bread Act. 20. and of the fast Act. 27. are mentioned to note a circumstance of time but not that Paul observed them Christ came up to the feast of the tabernacles before and stayed in Jerusalem In the meane time the dayes of dedication fell forth as Scaliger hath observed So Christ came not up to Ierusalem for this feast and went away in the time of it immediatly after this conference Further Christ and his Apostles tooke occasion of frequent meetings to thrust their sickles in thick harvests In a word the dayes instituted to Gods people beside such as God himselfe appointed were either appointed by extraordinarie warrant or were not holy dayes or were the inventions of the pharisees and corrupter times THE III. REASON NEither Christ nor his Apostles appointed festivall dayes to be observed by Christians but rather inhibited the observation of them and changed onely the old sabbath to the first day of the weeke The anniversarie solemnities were not changed but abrogated because ceremoniall Wee finde not the Apostles or Christian Churches in their time observed any festivall or anniversarie dayes That pentecost mentioned 1 Corin. 16. and Act. 20. was the Iewes Pentecost Bellarmine himselfe dare not affirme that it was the Christians The Apostle having occasion to treat upon this subject condemneth observation of dayes Gal. 4. Coloss. 2. Suppose which is more likely that the Galatians embraced the observation of the Iewish dayes Galate potius Judaizabant quam astrologicas regidas servabant Yet the Apostle reasoneth against all observation of such like dayes as judaizing As if he had said the observation of ceremoniall dayes moneths and yeares was convenient for Gods people under the law for their instruction and to shaddow things to come because of their non-age and was a pedagogicall and rudimentarie instruction which beseemeth not the state of a Christian Church and clear light of the Gospell These dayes were all ceremoniall yea the very dayes of Purim and the dayes of dedication Doctour Mortoun saith were of a ceremoniall â—aâ—re To celebrate the memorie of any particular act of Christ at a set time in the yeare with cessation from worke sermons gospels epistles collect and hymnes belonging thereto with mirth and gladneâ—e without admitting of a fast at any time is not to observe a day morally but ceremonially Not to fast when such a day of the yeare or weeke returneth but to hold it festivall is to observe a day as to fast yearly upon another day No doubt the Galatians observed not these dayes with the Iewish worship of sacrifices and oblations or as shadowes of things to come for then they had denied Christ. Neither is it likely that they neglected the Iewish Easter and Pentecost but yet the Apostle calleth it a returning to the Iewish rudiments that is Iudaizing He instructeth the Corinthians how they shall observe Easter to wit all the yeare long with the unleavened bread of sinceritie and truth not after the Iudaicall manner If there had beene other festivall dayes which might have beene observed by Christians the Apostle having so faire occasion would have directed them to the observation of
them and not spoken so generally Chamieraom 3. l. 19. c. 6. embraceth a more generall exposition that the Apostle condemneth both Iewish and Ethnick observation of dayes Non est verisimile Apostol um adeo incautâ— locutum ut generaliter observationem damnare videtetur si aliquam excipiebat saith Chamierus Or is it likely that the dayes appointed by God himselfe being abolâ—shed the Apostles would have brought in other in their roome Is it reason then that others should bring them in Zanchius confesseth That it is more agreeable to the first institution and writings of the Apostles that one day of the weeke onely bee san ctified Magis consentaneum est cum prima institutione cum scriptis Apostolicis ut unus tantum dies in septimana sanctificetur There was but one day observed in the Apostles times and called the Lords day If other dayes had beene dedicated to Christ they should all have beene the Lords dayes Beatus Rhenanus in his annotations upon Tertullian De corona militis observeth that in the primitive times the word Lord was more familiar and frequent in the mouthes of Christians then the name of Christ. So it was as much as to say Christs day The Lords day then was Christs day and Christ had no other dayes of nativitie passion c. Eusebius treading unknowne footsteps as himselfe confesseth in the beginning of his storie filleth up his booke with some old fables Among the rest he maketh mention of an epistle of Polycrates bishop of Ephesus to Victor bishop of Rome wherein he reporteth that hee and his predecessours even upward to John the Evangelise celebrated Easter upon the fourteenth day of the moone That epistle may be marked for a counterfite for it beareth that Iohn was a priest and bare in his forehead the petalum that is the golden plate like that of the high priests The Doctour calleth such gay tales Rhetoricall flowres But saith Scaliger Neutrum concedet qui sciverit nullum Christi Apostol um sacerdotem fuisse nulli praeterquà m summo sacerdoti petalum gestare licuisse Augustine who lived in the fift age after the Apostles could not resolve upon the originall of our five festivall dayes but floated betweene two opinions and not one of them sure For they were neither instituted by the Apostles nor by generall Councel Socrates in his historie commeth nearer to the point I am of opinion saith â—e that as many other things crept in of custome in sundrie places so the feast of Easter to have prevailed among all people of a certaine privat custome and observation in so much that not one of the Apostles hath any where prescrived so much as one rule of it to any man A little after They that keepe Easter the fourteenth day of the moneth bring forth Iohn the Apostle for their Authour Such as inhabite Rome and the west parts of the world alledge Peter and Paul for themselves that they should leave such a tradition yet there is none of them that can shew in writing any testimonie of theirs for confirmation and proofe of that custome It hath beene an old refuge when any countrie or province could not finde the beginning of their customes to father them upon the Apostles A notable exemple whereof wee had in this same I le when there was hote contention about the formes of shaven crownes Hierâ—â—â— himselfe saith Vnaquaeque provincia pracept a majerum leges Apostolicas arbitretur Let every province esteeme the traditions or precepts of their forefathers to bee Apostolicall lawes It will rather follow that the Apostles observed not nor appointed Easter to be observed at all For the Apostle being directed infallibly by the spirit had agreed upon the day as well as upon the thing it selfe and not left occasion of contention to the Christian world Quae aliter atque aliter observabantur non possunt ab Apostolis esse instituta quorum ab eodem spiritu eruditorum non potuit non esse individuus consensus Neque unquam piis fuit persuasum ab Iohanne institutum pascha decima qua ta Luna à I etro autem post eam quomodo jactabant veteres It is well said in the preface to the harmonie of confessions that the old contention about the celebrating of Easter tossed very hotly the space of two hundred yeares or thereabout betwixt the Greekes and the Latines was long since of us thought worthy of laughter Whitaker wondereth at their frivolous contentions and he saith there was no necessitie to observe it any day Chamierus saith Si institutum fuisset ab Apostolus eodem ubique modo fuisset institutum observatum quod falsum esse jam olim observavit Socrates Seeing they have no sooting for the Apostles appointing of the observation of Easter farre lesse will they be able to prove the Christians pentecost and other festivities that came in after as of Christs nativitie ascension c. to have beene instituted by the Apostles Iustinus questions Clemens constitutions some sermons ascrived to Cyprian all suppositious workes are the most ancient proofes they alledge for them THE IIII. REASON IF it had beene the will of God that the severall acts of Christ should have beene celebrated with severall solemnities the holy Ghost would have made knowne the day of his nativitie circumcision presentation to the temple baptisme transfiguration and the like For it is kindly say they to remember opus diei in die suo the notable worke of a day in the owne day Bellarmine saith that Christs acts did consecrat the dayes and times wherein they were wrought Hooker saith that the wonderous workes of God did advance the dayes and times wherein they were wrought There is not a day in the yeare wherein some wonderous worke of God hath not beene wrought All the dayes of the yeare saith Leo are full of Christs miracles If Christs actions advance and consecrate the dayes where on they were wrought they ought to have beene made knowne lest we keep holy such dayes as were never consecrated or advanâ—ed But it is confessed that the day of Christs nativitie and consequently of the rest depending thereupon as of his circumcision presentation baptisme have beene hid from mortall men And therefore the day of Christs nativitie was observed diversly of old by some in one moneth by some in another The 25. of December was grounded upon an erroneous conceat that Zacharie the father of Iohn the Baptist was high priest which errour is yet fostered by observing that day Yee see then as God hid the bodie of Moses for avoiding of idolatrie so hath he the day of Christs nativitie for avoiding superstition And this is sufficient to declare the will of God concerning other notable acts which were knowne to wit that not the act but divine institution maketh a day holy Gods resting upon the seventh day made it not holy but his sanctifying of it and instituting it to
another time But that will not save the maâ—ter For a day is called mystike not onely for shadowing things to come but also for the mysteries solemnely remembred And as for appropriation doe wee not appropriat to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and thinke it absurd to performe the like service upon another day with the like solemnitie of cessation from worke and supâ—rstitious forbearing of fasting Wee thinke it likewise absurd to performe upon the nativitie day that peculiar service which belongeth to easter Yea the Doctour saith the commemoration appointed to bee made upon the five dayes must not bee omitted on these dayes If it bee absurd to celebrate another day after the same manner with the same service and no other service will serve on these dayes is there not a peculiar service appropriated to our festival dayes as of old among the Jewes That shift is of no weight that a minister may preach or wee may meditate upon Christs passion another day then the nativitie For that is not to celebrate with solemnitie To use another day with the like solemnitie in the place of it or both would be thought very absurd The Jewes themselves without the service appropriated to their feasts might remember these same benefites and mysteries upon other dayes but not with the like solemnitie and peculiar service And so the solemnitie is tyed to the time To observed dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of houres for preaching or prayers on weeke dayes or times for the communion according to the policie and order set downe by everie particular congregation we tye not our selves to them not any peculiar service to any of them Wee use time then onely as a circumstance and for order and not as a sacred time let be as a holy festivitie Wee observe dayes after the same manner that the Jewes did howbeit not the same dayes nor with the same kinde of worship The change of the circumstance the day and manner of wotship doth not free us of Judaizing Non sublata sed mutata est significatio dierum saith Bellarmine and so it is with the Formalists Wee doe not say that the anniversarie revolution made the Jewish festivals ceremoniall for in the revolution of time there was no mysterie but the tying of such a peculiar service to the time of anniversarie resolution with such solomnitie To performe the same duty in substance upon the morall sabbath as occasion served had not beene ceremoniall What then they say ought not Christs inestimable benefites and notable acts to be remembred I answer Yes and so they are for where the gospell is preached his acts are published Christ is set forth crucified by the preaching of the word every communion day his passion and death is and will be remembred to his comming againe The Eucharist saith Bellarmine est memoriale omnium miraculorum quasi compendium vitae passionis resurrectionis Domini In the written word sermons prayers creeds catechismes his nativitie passion ascension c. are remembred It followeth not they should bee remembred therefore their memorie should be celebrated severally with the solemnity of a festivall day For the Lord hath appointed an holy day which we call the Lords day and may call Christs day as I said before for publishing all Christs acts and benefites Pope Alexander the 3. gave this reason wherefore the Romane Church doth not observe an holy day to the Trinitie to wit because glorie to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other like things belonging to the praise of the Trinitie are published daily Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quòd in aliquo tempore hujusmodi celebrat specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria patri filio spiritui sancto catera similia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia trinitatis The Popes ground must bee this Whatsoever is treated on or remembred in the ordinarie divine service needeth not a speciall holy day to celebrat the memorie of the same I assume The nativity passion resurrection ascension of Christ and sending downe the holy Ghost are not only remembred in privat but also in publike and in the ordinarie service specially on the Lords day If all be true that is affirmed by a councell holden at Constantinoplâ— that Christ was borne on this day the starre shined to the wisemen on it Christ fed 5000. persons with five loaves and two fishes on it that hee was baptized rose and sent downe the holy Ghost on it the light was treated on it and which Pope Leâ— affirmeth that the Lords day is consecrated with so many mysteries dispensed on it that whatsoever notable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day it appeareth that the Lord would have us to observe only this day as holy and sanctified by himself for the proclaiming of all his worthy acts and not to presume to institute holy festivities upon our owne heads There is no danger but the memorie of Christs nativitie c. will be preserved to the end of the world without observing such solemnities and making holy dayes which lyeth not in the power of man This pretext of remembring and putting in minde hath beene a cloak to bring in crosses images surplices and other popish garments with much other superstition and among the rest these memoriall dayes THE JVDGEMENT OF FORraine Divines I Passe by the Petrobrusians the Waldenses and Wicleffs followers and come to later times Luther in his booke de bonis operibus set forth anno 1520. wished that there were no festivall dayes among Christians but the Lords day only were observed And in his booke to the nobilitie of Germanie he saith Consulâ—â— nesse ut oâ—nia festa aboleantur solo die dominico retentâ— That is It were expedient that all feasts were abolisâ—ed tâ—e Lords day onely being retained Farellus and Viâ—et râ—nâ—â—ed all holy dayes out of the Church of Geneva as Calvine epist. 118. testifieth The same decree which banished Farellus and Calvine out of Geneva brought in other holy dayes In a nationall synod holden at Dort anno 1578. of the Belgick Almaine and French Churches we have these words Optandum forâ—t nostros sex diebus laborare diem solum Dominicum celebrare That is It were to be wished that our countrie people laboured six dayes and celebrated only the Lords day So yee may see festivall dayes are rather tolerated by them because of the wilfulnesse of the magistrates and people then commended or allowed Among the articles agreed upon and concluded concerning ecclesiasticall policie in the Palatinaâ— anno 1602. we have this following Omnes Feriâ— per annum festi dies tollendi è medio All the festivall dayes through the yeare are to be abolished Yee see where they finde the opportunity they abolished them Bucer howbeit not
Cor. 11. Hieron in Psal. 147. Oecumenâ—us in 1 Cor. 11. Origen in num Homil. 23. 16. The third reason examined L. p. 74. pag. 46. The intent of the church of England in kneeling D. B. of kneeling p. 30. Reply 2. part pag. 50. The pretence of prayer examined Of the eucharist p. 95. De eucharistia l. 8. c. 3. num 22 23. Doctour Lindseves proceedings at â—e th page 5â— page 336. De sacram lib. 1. c. 10. s. 7. pag. 68. P. pag. 334. pag. 299. No pretence of prayer in our act The intent of the kneeler must be interpreted by the act Of the manner of their adoration D. Ames 1. reply pag. 54. part 2. Hooker l. 5. s. 67. pag. 142 145. Epist. 76. De Eucharis lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 70. Kneeling in the act of receiving can not be free of idolatrie The first argument Treatise of idolatieâ— pag. 142. The uncovering of the head not like kneeling Occasionall â—neeling not warrant â—â—r ordinarie â— pag. 88. Levit. 9. 23 24. The originall of unbeâ—eef pag. 332. Salomons kneeling at the dedication of the temple Of kneeling pag. 7. The pretence of objectum a quo significative De imaginibus cap. 19. 20. 21. De cultu adorat Disp. 108. num 73. De adorat disp 108. num 90. num 132. 134. disp 110 num 34. Disp. 109. num 7. De adorat disp 106. num 2. 6. Disp. 108. num 128. pag. â—5 pag. 84. 85. 81. 92. D. B. of kneeling pag. 33. Reply 2. part pag. 65. No difference betweene images and the elements in the case of adoration L. pag. 77. De adorat disp 104. num 24. pag. 68. De adorat disp 110. Solut. p. â—62 Mediat civill worâ—â—ip no good warrant De civitat Dei lib. 10. cap. 4. Chamier de Imagin c. 6. num 9. pag. 228. Gods extraordinarie presence in the arke De cultu Sanct. l. 3. c. 4. Their relative adoratioâ— The second argument De adoratione disput 93. num 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. B. pag. 68. P. pag. 387. Decret pag. 366. Lib. 3. de natura Dâ—â—rum Suarez in 3. part tom 3. p. 780. Bellar. de eâ—char l. 2. c. 3. l. 4. c. 29. Alger de saâ—cram altar l. 2. c. 3. Tarnov de ministeâ— 10. l. 2. c. 31. The pretence of mentall prayer pag. 102. 109. pag. 112. 〈…〉 disp 93. num 11. pag. 199. pag. 236. Drusti praeterita in Matth. 6. The pretence of reall prayer or thanksgiving L. pag. 107. Exercit. p. 517. Willets qu. 1. of the sacraments Pezel refutatio Catechismi Iefuit pag 421. 〈…〉 cit pag. 224. De Missa l. 1. c. 13. lib. 2. c. 9. The pretence of receaving a benefite In 3. tom 1. 〈◊〉 p. 93. num 20. 21. Contra Gardiner col 735. edit 1581. De consecrat dist 2. cap. 56. dist 4. c. 131. Dist. 2 c. 47. Bellarm. de Euchar. l. 1. cap. 11. Becan de Coena calie c. 11. Reply to Harding art 1. Whittakerus de sacram pag. 68. Hom. 3. in epist ad Ephesios Vazquez de adorat disp 94. num 7. If we may receave upon our knees what we crave upon our knees The pretence of humility and reverence Of the institution of the supper p. 63. Theses theolog pag. 476. Of the Lords supper 1. part pag. 40. The great sacriledge of the Church of Rome pag. 206. Confess c. 4. Nota. The 11 12 13 14 15. lines in the 33. page are not Master Moulines words but the authours Festivall dayes aboliâ—â—ed by our Church That is Easter and Châ—istâ—â—s The first reaâ—â—â—â— against festival dayâ—s Zanehâ—tom 4. col 655. Willet Synop p. 501. Kuchiliâ—us in Catechismo Perkins Galat 4. Whittakers opera pag. â—â— What changeable what unchangeable in the 4. precept Theses Theolog. pag. 528. pag 110. DE opificio 〈◊〉 undi in fol. pag. â—5 The sabbath observed before Moses time pag. 45. 〈◊〉 epist. ad 〈◊〉 Hebr. â— 4. v. â— De emeâ—â—at temp lib. 1. Dissertatio â—e origine sabbathi Lib. 3. 32. Euseb. de prepar evangel l. 13. c. 7. De vita Mosis l. 2. Buxtors synag Iudaica c. 11. p. 287. Adversus Iudaeos c. â— In Gen. 2. pag. 47. De diebuâ—â—estis cap. 4. pag. 7. De festis c. 1. num 12. De festâ—s c 2. Differences betwixt the sabbath and anniversarie feasts See Casâ—ub exercit pag. 482. Scaliger de 〈…〉 Exortat pag. Epist. 86. ad Casulanum The saturday sabbath changed Addenda prolegomenis in libroâ— de emendatione temporuâ— The Lords day observed in and from the Apostles times pag. 211. 212. Discourse pag. â—3 pag. 43. De verbo Dei non script cap 3. â— pag. â—2 De verbo Dei non serâ—pto pâ—o c. 9. Dissert pag. 172. Praelect in Genes cap. 2. Orat. de laudib Constantini De operiâ— Dei part 3. â— 1. c. 〈◊〉 539. Syntag. lib. 1. cap. 47. In Genes cap. 2 3. The Lords day substitute to the old sabbath Sâ—arez de diebus festis cap. 1. nu 15. The perpetâ—ity of a seventh day â—â—non Iâ—â—â—g p. 198. 1. 2. quaest 100. art 1â— De cultu sanct lib. 3. c. 11. Homil. 10. in gen 2. quaest in Gen. De festis c. 4. num 9. The Lords day unchangeable De festis c. 4. num 10. Num. 10 11. All diffeâ—ence of dayes not abrogated The manner of observation Drusius de tribus sectis lib. 4. pag. 31. Secunda secundae quâ—â—st 122. art 1. aâ—â— secundum Dâ—civie De lib. 22. c. 30. Synops. pag. 500. De 〈◊〉 sancâ— c. 10. Galaâ— 4. 10. Policie 5. book sect â—2 The Lords day not a festivall De festis c. 4. Epist. 86. ad Casulanum De cultuâ— sanctorum cap. 11. Diâ— 76. c. 11. Câ—erum toâ—â—â—1 p. 227. Tom. 3. l. 29 cap. 6. num 6 Theolog polemica p. 509 The dayes of Purim pag. 18. Biblioth li. p. 20. De sacram pag. 206. Against the Rhem. Apoc. 1. 10. Contr. 3. l. 4. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 5. 3 part decre â—i dist 3. c. 2. De â—etal titulo de Faeriis cap. Conquestus Alstedii polemic p. 399. The dayes of dedication 〈◊〉 in Marc. 2. 18. De emendat temp The third reason against festivall dayes The Apostles observed no festivall dayes Bellar. de cultu sanctor cap. 13. Whitak cont 1. quest 6. cap. 12. Defence of the ceremonies pag. 64. Decanone lib. 9. cap. 21. num 15. â—omâ— col 671. â—5 c. 24 25. pag. 53. Elench trihaeresiâ— c. 2â— lib. 5. c. 21. Epist. ad Luciâ—â—um Chamier com 3. l. 19. cap. 7. n. 37. Whitak de scriptura quaest 6. c. 9. Tom. 3. l. 19. c. 7. num 9. The fourth reason against festivall dayes Epist. 4. The fifth reason against festivall daye Tom. 4. col 678. Col. 679. Col. 678. â—resh 〈◊〉 2. â—art pag. 84. Homil. 61. 2d populuâ—n Antiocheâ—um pag. 18. 23. pag. 25. pag. 23. 18. De eucharist l. 3. c. 9. Decretal l. 2. tit 9. cap. Concil Constantinop 6. Can. 8. The judgement of forraine Divines The act examined The originall of the act of the sacrament of confirmation Cassand Liturg p. 218. Chemier tom 4. l. 4. cap. 11. Spalato l 5. c. 5. Hooker l. 5. p. 353. Hooker l. 5. p. 354. Hockwells serâ—ron of confirmation The Formaâ—ists hold confirmation to be a sacrament De politera l. 3. c. 16. Parkerus de politeia l. 3. c. 16. l. 12. Defence l. 3. c. 4. l. 6. Ordinarie imposition of hands a gesture of prayer De rep l. 5. c. 5. nun 33. cap. 11. Ordinarie imposition of hands 2 â—esture of â—rayer In penâ—ate uc Fin. p. 370. De confirm cap. 7. Imposition of hands used as a sacrament 〈◊〉 2 de baptism c. 16. Estius in l. 4. dist 7. The bishop not the proper minister of confirmation In lib. 4. dist 7. num 17. In lib. 4. dist â— Quaest Quaest. 101. In 3. tom 3. disp 36. sect 1. Synt. part 1. disp 25. De rep l. 5. c. 12. num 23. Amach l. 3. 〈◊〉 quaestionum lib. 11. Dist 45. c. 6. Adversus Luciferianos Decretal l. 1. 〈…〉 De rep l. 5. c. 12. n. 24. Suarez in 3. to n. 3. disp 36. sect 1 Adversus Luciferianos Institut l. 4 c. 19. sect 9. Beda in ps 26. Notae 〈◊〉 dispâ—â—aboritrr p. 28. The preteÌ„ce of catechising young children Di polit l. 3. c. 16. sect 11. Obedience pag. â—52 The judgement of our church concerning ad Ministration of the sacrament in privat places Reasons against povat administration Tiâ—â— insyâ—ag de haâ—â—â— parte 〈…〉 pag. 110. Part 3. quest 7 artic 5. The distinction of ordinarie and extraordinary frivolous Where two or three are gathered c. Against privat baptisme Epist. 185. Censura c. 9. Reasons Privat baptisme hath bred the necessitie of baptisme Lib. 5. â— 21. Baptisme prophaned by privat administration Proceedings pag. 105. The case of baptisme and circumcision different Bueanus lec 46. Zepperus de sacram pag. 251. Chamier tom 4. lib. 5. c. 14. Barrad tom 1. l. 9. c. 2. Suar. in 3. partem tom 3. disp 29. sect 2. Reasons against privat communion Decad. 5. ferm 9. pag. 117. 118. On 1 Corin. 11. §. 14. Tom. 4. l. 7. c. 13. num 33. Dead 5. serm 9. The preteâ—â—ded necessitie of privat communions Miscellan pag. 166. Epist 361. Decad 5. serm 9. Disp. 61. thes 36. On Job 6. 1. 8. Râ—eti Cathol Câ—thodo tom 2. pag. 198. Privat communion hath bred neglect and irreverence Ricti cathol orthod tom 2. p. 199. De eucharist lib. 4. cap. 23.
were only occasionall and accidentarie falling out by reason of the paschall supper which might not lawfully or conveniently bee changed yea at whatsoever time it had beene celebrate some circumstances might occurre which belong not to the action as at every action there occurre individuall circumstances as time and place nothing belonging to that action except it be so appointed The Rhemâ—sts sayeth M. Cartwright assigne things done in the Lords supper some impossible to bee done by us some inconvenient to bee done in our sacrament which were necessarlie done in that action of our Saviour Christ. Their sitting might easily have beene changed in kneeling and verie commodiously seing they sate upon beds leaning on their elbowes yet Christ would retaine the same gesture at the evangelicall supper which they used at the paschall But at the institution of the first passeover the Jews stood and yet afterward they sate as ye see here Christ and his Apostles sate As they changed their standing at the first supper which was their paterne why may not we likewise change sitting into kneeling I answer when standing is changed in sitting it is not changed into a gesture of adoration as when sitting is changed into kneeling which is no gesture for a feast Next it cannot be proved that the people of God stood at the first passeover in the judgement of sundrie of the learned let be at the rest following as P. acknowledgeth pag. 57. Howbeit L. pag. 68. affirmeth that they stood There is neither expresse mention made of their standing howbeit every ceremonie be set downe punctuallie nor can it be collected by necessarie consequence saith Barradius But let it passe as undoubted yet it was extraordinarie and for that night only to signifie their hastie departure out of Egypt All the Hebrew Doctours both ancient and moderne with full consent deliver that the commandement of sprinkling the doore posts with bloud putting on shoes girdâ—ng up the loins takâ—ng staves in their hands and eating the lambe with hâ—ste was not to be extended to the following ages but belonged only to that night that they were to depart out of Egypt If standing had beene commanded and that for times to come as well as for that night the Jewes had transgressed in sitting and Christ would not have applied himself unto their custome Next it appeareth that sitting was the ordinarie gesture used at all religious feasts The Gentiles no doubt borrowing their custome from the people of God sate at their feasts made of the remainder of the sacrifices offered to their idols Amos 2. 1 Corin. 8. 10. to professe their communion and society with their idol or fellowship with devils as the Apostle calleth it 1 Corin. 10. 20. The Ethnikes sate not at the altars of their Gods but at tables in the idol chappel Ethnicos insuis altaribus bibisse ne quidem fando auditum est Alstedius in supplemento tom 4. Paustratâ—e cap. 10. The Lord instituting his supper to be the only religious feast to be used in the Christian Church observed the same gesture which was used at the paschall supper and other religious feasts So that the using of this gesture at the first supper was as it were a ratification that the common and ordinarie gesture of religious feasts should not be altered at this feast Further seeing this supper was in forme of a banquet and represented another spirituall banquet as sitting is the usuall gesture at banquets or feasts even when men are invited by kings in token of that familiar societie wherewith they are honoured so it represents that which is answerable the familiarity of the soule with Christ at the spirituall banquet Christ intended not only to represent unto us our spirituall nouritour for then it had sufficed he had given the signes any way without a table without dividing and distributing among themselfes without sitting but in celebrating after this manner in speciem convivii as Piscator termeth it he intended further then to represent spirituall nourishment to wit societie and fellowship with him and that he was to sup and feast with us as it is said Revel 3. 20. Coenam Domini esse convivium vâ—lepulum liquet exeo quod dâ—scipuli de pane illo ederunt de poâ—ulo illo biberunt accâ—mbentes simul ad mensam Piscator in Matth. 26. in observat in vers 26. seqq Kneeling obscureth that familiarity and rejoycing which the Lordwould have signified and sealed at that time The Polonian Baron Johannes Alasco maintaineth further That our sitting eating and drinking at the communion table is a figure and representation of our sitting at the heavenly Musculus saith That this supper is a type of the supper to come Aquâ—nas saith it is not only a signe commemorative of Christs passion which is past and demonstrative of a present benefite but also 〈◊〉 futurae gloriae A foreshewing signe of our glorie to come Christ himselfe expresseth our peaceable fruition of the joyes of heaven by sitting with Abraham Isâ—ac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven Matth. 8. 11. Alluding to feasts where the feasters feasted at one table sitting leaning on beds as here at Christs supper In another place he bringeth in Lazarus resting in Abrahams bosome Luke 16. that is sitting at the heavenly table and leaning upon Abrahams bosome after the same manner that Iohn lay on Christs bosome when he sate at this table Iohn 16 And Christ himself while hee was at table promised to his Apostles that they should eat and drink at his table in his kingdome and sit upon twelve throns Luke 22. 30. Hee hath slender affection to the glory of Christ or persuasion of his eternall felicitie that would abolish out of the kirk that image of our eternall felicitie in the celestiall glory to co â—e which is so much recommended unto us by Christ himself our Lord by the symbole of sitting at a banquet to the unspeakable comfort of all the faithfull saith Alasco It followeth that Christ precept Hoc facite do this comprehendeth sitting as if Christ should have said Celebrate this holy ordinance after the same manner as yee have now seen the patern set before your eyes that is as a feast or banquet with the formes yee have now seene sitting eating drinking distributing c. Time and place were not comprehended because they were more circumstances or occasionall But gestures are meere then meere circumstances as M. P. pag. 34. confesseth and a a sutable gesture for a feast was chosen by Christ whereunto he was not forced through necessitie Iohn Alasco presseth this precept for sitting in speciall both in the former work and in book de â—acramentis Hoc faciâ—e Ad totam illam actionem hoc referendum est ut qued tum Christus cum discipulis fecit itidem nos in sacris coetibus factitemas quemadmodum discipulâ— in illa ipsa vespera dispositi ab ipso Christo
uttered these words But saith the Doctour it was possible for a man to sit at both the materiall tables It is true if ye look to abilitie and not to right or warrant Ad possibilitatem facti non juris Apostolis demonstrat Corinthios bona conscientia non posse esse participes conviviorum idolatricorum quippe qui participes esse soleant coenae Domini Aâ—stedius in supplimente pag. 45. Wee require not of necessitie an artificiall table of timber consecrated and set apart for that use only A bull hide or a plot of ground may serve in time of necessity and answereth analogically to a standing table as the plot of ground did whereabout the multitude sate in rowes by fifties and fifties Mark 6. Neither do wee stand upon the fashion whither it be long or round We looke to the use more then to the matter oâ— fashion and require that the Communicants alwayes sit tablewise that they may observe the forme of a feast The Ethnicks of old thought the Gods were present when they feasted at their taâ—les Ante foces â—lim longis considere mensis Mâ—s erat mensae credere adâ—sse deus The Poets bring in sometime their Gods feasting 〈◊〉 their tables The Jewes say That when some alterâ—aâ—â—â—n arose in the house of Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul the servant incontinent spread the table and the alteration ceased There is a noble saying of Bensyra Mensa parata sive posita contentio tollitur Menâ—am salem non transgredi was an old proverbiall speach importing that the table was and should be a band of fellowship The other denomination importeth that this holy action was celebrat as a supper or in forme of a feast or 〈◊〉 Piscator saith That the holy supper was so institued and at the first time so celebrated by our Lord and his disciples while they sate together at table that it had the â—â—ew or resemblance of a banquet Ita ut haec actio habuerit 〈◊〉 convivit imò fuerit convivium sed sacrum 〈◊〉 divinâ— caâ—se ad piorum câ—nsolationem instituâ—â—m Plessie saith likewise That of old and not at the 〈◊〉 only this sacred supper was celebrated in the forâ—e of a banquet 〈◊〉 sacrum coenam oâ—im câ—nvivii instar in quo discumbebaâ—ur celebratam cujus etiamnum 〈…〉 norum mandato vestigium The Waldenses 〈…〉 the supper in forme of a banquet saith their eneâ—â— Hayneriâ—s Now the forme of a feast or banket 〈…〉 not kneeling None entertaineth men after that 〈…〉 Alasco tbat they who are invited to a banquet 〈…〉 standing walking or kneeling but they will the 〈…〉 at table that all may eat together with repose of 〈◊〉 â—nd minde They use to cause servants stand or walke â—â—â—hout the table not these who are invited Kneeling is not a gesture which hath beene used at feasts or banquets but raâ—her a gesture of supplicants Plessie ye see saith Convivâ—i instar in quo discumbebatur They say It may be called a supper in respect of the thing signified whereof the soules of the faithfull are partakers This is just the Jesuits answer for the bread without the cup But is not the spirituall supper represented by the externall resemblance of a supper Sacramentuâ— hoc nego dici convivium ratione rei ipsius significatae sed ratione significationis sumptae a rebus visbiilibus saith Chamâ—er de â—ucharist lib. 8. cap. 6. num 26. It may be called a supper rightly howbeit it resemble not a supper in all things Neither do we require all the formes used at common feasts but these which Christ the Institutour and master of the feast thought sufficient And this is likewise an answer to that which they alledge for other religious feasts that they kneeled not at the eating of the passeover because it was coena recta a full meale and indured a good space but the action of the communicant is soone dispatched For it is not the length or shortnesse of time that we consider so much as the forme of a feast whereunto the gesture of kneeling is not suteable The same formes which were used at the close of the paschall supper were used at this with a little change Further they kneeled not at any part of the paschall supper no not when the cuppe of praise was reached from hand to hand which was done in a very short time or when the bread was eaten in the quantity of an olive and lesse then an egge We desire this to be observed throughout all this dispute that if wee will speake not in the termes invented by men as to receave or give the sacrament or eucharist but in scripture language as to celebrate the Lords supper to partake of the Lords table to come together to breake bread Act. 2. 46. Act. 20. 7. the weaknesse of all arguments for kneeling will appear more clearly and on the other side the pith of our arguments for a table gesture namely sitting The ancient Doctours saith Moulins had done better if they had held themselves to the termes expressed in Godâ— word for they had not by this meanes though besides their meaning opened the doore to this a buse giving example to others which came after them to invent other new names lesse proper and to pluck away from this sacrament the inscrtption which served to shew the nature thereof for the smallâ—st faults can Satan manage with dexterity and by the least sparkes in a small time kindle a great fire But saith he the manner of speach usuall among the Apostles to wit to come together to break bread is become foolish and vaine in this age It were harsh language to use these phrases They brake bread together kneeling they compassed the table of the Lord kneeling they celebrate the supper of the Lard kneeling To shuâ—t this harshnesse the common phrases are to receave the sacrament or eucharist or sacramentall elements kneeling CHAP. III. The distribution of the elements by the Communicants among themselfes excludeth kneeling in the act of receaving TO kneel for adoration and to breake and distribute the bread and reach the cup from hand to hand are not compatible Nor was it ever heard that the like was practised in any part of the world but where Doctour Lindsey hath beene that is at Dundy as appeareth pag. 63. But what is absurd or grosse in that mans eyes Can the Communicant be both adoring God upon his knees and at that very instant be reaching the elements to his brother likewise kneeling and adoring Ye have heard out of Culvine before that the faithfull in the Apostolical Churches did not communicate with adoration but breaking of bread as if adoration and breaking of bread could not consist together We shall have occasion againe to treat more of confusion of actions or different acts and parts of Gods worship Christ reaching the cup to his disciples commanded them to divide it among them Luk. 22. 17. This
cup is the evangelicall cup or which is all one the last paschall cup changed into the evangelicall Luke applieth Christs protestation that he would drinke no more of the fruite of the vine c. to the cup which he commanded them to divide among themselfes But that protestation is applied to the communion cuppe by Matthew and Mark who make mention only of the cup of the Lords supper in the verses immediatly preceeding If it had not beene the communion cup how could Christ protest that he would drinke no more of the fruite of the vine in this life if he was to drinke incontinent after of the communion cup as they oppose the paschall cup to the evangelicall Cyprian by this protestation proveth that vine was in the cuppe Epist. 63. ad Coecilium Hierom saith Christ was both Convâ—va convivium the fellow-feaster and the feast it selfe commedens qui comedi ur one who did eat and was eaten The old hymne beareth the same Se nascens dedit socium convescens in edulium See another hymne to the same purpose cited before Clemens Alexandrinus disputing against the Eucâ—atits who abhorred wine proveth that Christ himself drank wine by this that he dranke of this cuppe When the Schoolmen would prove that wine was one of the elements at the evangelicall supper they cannot finde a 〈…〉 all the Evangelists but in this protestation I thinke there is no man will deny that wine was in the cup saith Museulus seeing the Lord said Matth. 26. Luk. 22. That he would drinke no more of the fruit of the wâ—ne Fulk 〈◊〉 The demonstrative pronoune This Matâ—h 26. 29. declareth that he spake of the wine in his hand thaâ— is of the communion cuppe Dominus etiam inâ—nducavit utest communis sententia saith Bellarmine de euchar â—t lib. 4. cap. 16. Further Christ in his protestation alludeth to the Canon or custome of the Jews forbidding to taste of any thing after the last cup which was called the cup of praise Alludit ad morem quo nefas crat post poculum illud apolyticon quicquam cibi in posterum diem 〈◊〉 saith Beza Theobaldus Meuschius proveth likewise by this custome of the Jewes that this protestation concerned the communion cup. To imagine that Christ protested twice and that he bad devide the one and not the other is a fiction without any ground in the text For none of the Evangelists make mention of two protestations or to what end two seeing the last paschall cuppe and the evangelicall was all one the one being changed in the other Or to what end should he have bidden them devide the paschall cup more then the evangelicall And if there were two protestations for two severall cuppes the later should have crossed the former Vasquez proveth by this protestation that Luke meant only of one cup howbeit he maketh mention of it twice that it was in the communion cup that the protestation containeth the cause wherefore he willed them to drinke of it and devide it among them because now at his last farewell he would testifie his love to them and joyne them in mutuall love to other Ipsos interâ—e mutâ—a charitate conjungeret dum ex eodem calica eis propinaret Another reason that the cup which Christ commanded them to divide was the communion cup is that he gave thanks when he tooke it in his hand Matthew and Mark refer the thanksgiving to the communion cup. Luke therefore maketh no mention of this thanksgiving when he maketh mention of the cup the second time because he had made mention of it before But useth an article referring to that cup of which he had made mention before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Euthymius hath observed Luke then by way of anticipation before he come to the order of the institution bringeth in Christ protesting in the 17. verse that the protestation of not drinking more may be joyned with the protestation of not eating more preceeding in the former verse Therefore when he commeth to the order of the institution vers 20. he omitteth the protestation and thanksgiving which are recorded by other Evangelists because he made mention of them before vers 17. and 18. This anticipation or inversion of order in the Evangelist Luke was observed by Augustine and Euthymius Barradius the Jesuit Jansenius and Swarez Meuschius observeth other inversions in the same chapter For Judas went out immediatly after he got the sop and consequently before the evangelicall supper And yet Luke maketh mention of his going out after he hath set downe the evangelicall supper Beza conjectureth that through the negligence and caresesnesse of writers of manuscripts the verses have beene transposed and not by the Evangelist himselfe and that the 19. and 20. verses should be subjoyned to the 16 and that the 17. and 18. verses should be subjoyned to the 19. and 20. Meâ—schius saith It is likely yea almost necessary to thinke that the 17. and 18. verses were taken out of the institution of the supper which followeth and placed here by the negligence of Scribes Verisimile igiturest prope necessarium hos versiculos ex sacrae coenae inst tutione huc esse à scribis trajectos I might if it were needfull cite moe testimonies that the protestation concerned the communion cup and consequently that Christ bad them devide it but the reasons I have brought are of themselfes snfficient to evince it And L. doth not gansay it But yet saith he Christs meaning was not that they should reach the cup to other but that one should not drinke all out This silly shift he hath borrowed from Bellarmine de euâ—haristia lib. 4. cap. 25. Bâ—canus de 〈◊〉 sub utraque specie c. 10. hath the same Will he have the first set downe the cup that the next may take it But this is ridiculous or superstitious not accipere but sumere Nor yet gave hee to every one the cuppe out of his hand which had beene sufficient for parting of it if no further had beene intended but only to the first the first reached it to the second and so sorth saith Hospinian So saith Piscator on Matthew 26. So saith Swarez the Jesuit speaking of the cup Fuit per 〈◊〉 as Apâ—stolorum manus ab uno ad alâ—um delatus And so saith Bellarmine Calicem autem nâ—n fregit nec dâ—vâ—sit ipse discumbentibus sed dedit integrum â— unus alteri porrigeret The last paschall cup it selfe which was changed into the evangelicall was reached from hand to hand Christ then devided it not but bad them devide it among themselfes as the manner was at the paschall and is usuall at common feasts To drinke of one cup representeth fellowship in one common benefite but not that communieation of mutuâ—ll love and amity which is represented by reaching the same cup to other The guests at civil banquets of old entertaining others courteously reached a cuppe
the supreme magistrat in things indifferent taketh away the scandall There are two sorts of indifferent things saith Zâ—nâ—hius some that are manifest occasions of sinning others are not of that kinde Res adiaphorae duplices sunt Quaelam suâ—t alicui aportâ—e occasiones peccatorum ita ut exillis verè immineat pâ—riculâ—m pèceandi alie vero non ita se habent For the first sort that we ought to abstaine from 〈◊〉 evill and all manifest occasion of evil For who saith he will venture to passe along a ruinous bridge if hee perceave manifest danger of falling into the river Can the supreame magistrat take away that aptnesse and fitnesse that any thing hath to intise and provoke men to sinne The Apostle Paul saith he had rather never eat flesh then offend a weake brother for eating flesh offered to the idol and sold in the market And I think he had greater authority in such matters nor any prince or generall assembly The Belgick synods yee see would not take so much upon them but for ad kneeling for fear of idolatrie If the Church to whom the rule for directing the use of things indifferent in maters of religion are laide down to wit that all things bee done decently in order to edification without offence may not presume so farre far lesse may the magistrate for his power is cumulative to assist the Church not privative to deprive the Church of her power The magistrates countenance maketh the scandall the greater and hee strengthneth it by his authoritie whereas hee should remove scandals and not lay stumbling-blocks in the way of the people The brasen serpent was but a passive 〈◊〉 active scandall and yet Ezekias brake it in pieces for more should active scandals bee removed These Courâ—-clawbacks tell us wee should rather offend the people then the supreme magistrate But better offend that is displease him nor offend that is give occasion to the poorest soule let bee many thousands to fall into any sin let bee so haynous a sin as is the sin of idolatrie The magistrate is not in danger of stumbling for yee say he esteemeth the matter indifferent Is not the supreme magistrate a sinfull man May hee not make Israel to sin May hee not abuse things indifferent and transgresse the rules above mentioned May hee not bee a secret friend to the pope or an a bettor of superstition Suppose hee have no such intention yet hee can not by his authoritie alter conditionem operis the qualitie of the work it self and make a thing which of it selfe is inductive to scandall not inductive Doth his commandment make all so sure that none can bee scandalized That is impossible considering the shew of evill in the deed it self the ignorance of many thousands the disposition of the ignorants to superstition the pronnesse of mens nature to idolatrie and the increase of papists Ioab was guiltie of Vriahs bloud notwithstanding of the Kings commandment so art thou of thy brothers falling Thy life for his life if hee bee a missing Say not therefore with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Active obedience to the magistrate ought not to bee a rule of thy love to Gods glory and the salvation of thy brother Passive obedience is not denied but defences by lawes aright first to bee heard Whereas they alleadge that sitting is dangerous for breeding contempt and prophanation To passe by the institution experience is a testimonie in the contrare Rusticitie in the behaviour of simple ones not acquainted with all the points of civiliâ—â— is not prophanation but may bee where the minde is in good order Horrible prophane were the words of our blind bishop to a gentle woman in the offering of the elements because shee would not kneel Wee maintain that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements was not devised or at least authorized till the great Antichrist overruled Wee need not to poinâ—â— at the time when it first began for there are many corruptions in the Romane Church which can not bee dedâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 a certain beginning by the Romanists themselfs It is sufficient that wee point out a time wherein it was not in use There can not be an authentick testimonie alleadged for kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements before the opinion of reall presence yea or of transubstantiation began to spread or to come to a more certain date for the space of a thousand years after Christ. I say authentick testimonie for wee regard not supposititions or counterfite works Origens first homilie in divers loca is brought in saying Thou therefore humbling thy self â—â—itat the Centurieâ— â—nd say Lord I am not worthie c. but that works is acknowledged by the papists themselfs to be counterfite Suchlike counterfiâ—e Cyrillus of Jerusalem in his fifth catechisme saith Then come to the cuppe of the blood not stretching out thy hand sed prâ—nus in modum adorationis venerationis dicens Antenâ— But stowâ—ing downward or with the face bended downward in manner of adoration or veneration saying Amen He sayeth not Cade pronuâ— fall down on thy faâ—e sed accede pronus but come inclyning or bowing thy heâ—d or upper part of thy body as men use to do when they make courtesie for men can not come falling flat But what need wee trouble our selfes with his words seeing hee is marked for a counterfite by Moulias on the Lords supper the bishop of Spalato and Plessie who in his answere to the bishop of Evereux saith These catecâ—ismes of Cyrillus are supposititious and come not to light but in our time M. Down in his treatise of transubstantiation pag. 3â— 38. saith That these catecbeticall booke are but of a verie late edition that Harding acknowledgeth that in his time they were known to veâ—ie few and in â—rite that they have beene published since in print and perhaps to winne more authoritie to them misfathered upon Cyrillus of Ierusalem This Cyrill directs the Communicant to touch his lips which are sanctified with the touch of Christs body and bloud that by the touch of that finger hee may sanctifie his eyes brow and others No authentick testimonie can they produce bearing the word kneeling which is an adoration not in a large but strict sense The testimonies bearing the word adore are either counterfite or to bee understood of inward adoration as Doctour Burges himself confesseth sundrie of the learned do construe them or of adoration in time of prayer before they communicate or adoration is taken taken only for veneration See Iewel in the article of adoration Bilson in his book of obedience and Mortoun the late defender of the ceremonies in his latest worke entituled Of the institution of the sacrament He bringeth in sundrie exemples to prove the latitude of the word Adore When Theodorâ—t saith dialog 2. that the mysticall signes are adored he should speake very grosly if the word adore meant not only reverent usage Moulines on
the Lords supper 2. part page 24. translateth Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverenced and disputeth against adored as not agreeable to his meaning And so Bilson expoundeth Theodoret and to this purpose alledgeth the glosse of the Canon law In hoc sensu possumus qâ—am libet rem sacrâ—m adorare id est reverenâ—iam exhibere Ana. stasius saith Dominica verba attentè audiant si leliter adorent 1. venerantur saith the glosse Adore plenitudinem scripturae I adore the fulnesse of the scripture saith Tertullian Doctour Burges is forced to construâ— the word adored in this sense when he would give a right sense to some words of Iewell The sacraments in that sort in respect of that which they signifie and not in respect of that which they are of themselfes are the flesh of Christ and are so understood and beleeved and adored but the whole honour resteth not in them but is passed over from them to the things which be signified saith Iewel His meaning is saith the Doctour that no more is or may be done respectively to the sacrament then that which wee call veneration that which in strict sense we call adoration or divine worship is reserved to God Chrysostome meaneth spirituall reverence in 1 Corin. 11. and therefore he useth emphaticall speeches of ascending up to the gates of heaven even the heaven of heavens like eagles saith Doctour Fulk 〈◊〉 followeth not that they kneeled in Augustines time because the Ethnicks objected that Christians honoured Bacchus and Ceres The reverene carriage of Christians at the participation of the sacrament all bread and wine was sufficient to be an occasion of the mistaking Averroes the Arabian Spaniard about 400 yeares since objected That Christians adored that which they did eat It may be that in his time they kneeled and gave just occasion to Averroes reproach But his time is not within our date In a word looke how old they can prove kneeling we shall prove reall presence Doctour Purges hath found out a place which was never found out before wherâ—â— hee confidently concludeth that the communicants kâ—eeled in Tertullâ—ans time for faith he the people shunned to take the sacrament when they might not kneel in the act of receaving or partaking of it and therefore forbore to come to the communion table on the station dayes because it behoved them the stand on these dayes Tertullian saith he inviteth them to come and take the bread standing at the table publikely and to reserve and carry it away with them and receave it at home as they desired kneeling and so both duties should be performed the receaving of the eucharist and the tradition of standing on these dayes observed Tertullians words are Similiter de stationum diebus non putant plerique sacrificiorum orationibus interveniendum quâ—d statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini Which last words he translateth because station or standing is then to be performed in receaving the body of the Lord whereas he should â—ranstâ—te because the fast is then to be brocken after the receaving of the bodie of the Lord. For the word statio in Tertullians language is taken for fasting both in this place and in his booke De corona militis cap. 11. and in his booke De jejuniis cap. 2. 10. 14. as Pamelius hath well observed upon that place and after him Baronius in his annales In his booke De jejuniis he bringeth in for illustration Moses persevering in prayer till the going downe of the sunne when the people was fighting against the Amalekits Nonne statio fuit sera saith he Did Ioshua dyne that day saith he that he fought against the Ammorits that commanded the sunne to stand in Gibeon and the moone in Askalon That God gave such authority to Sauls commandement concerning fasting till even that Iâ—nathan for tasting a little hony was scarce delivered at the instant request of the people Tantam authoritatem dedit edicto stationis Saulis ut Ionathan filius c. H. bringeth in such exemples for the custome their owne sect of the Mountanists had brought in which was to keep these fasts till evening whereas the custome of the Church was to keepe them only to the ninth that is our third houre afternoone In the 2. and 14. chapter he maketh mention of weddensday and fâ—yday appointed for these fasts Cur quartam sextam sabbathi stâ—tionibus dicamus speaking of the custome of the Church at that time The meaning of Tertullian in the place above cited is They were in an errour who thought that if they had receaved the sacrament their fast should be broken which should have continued to the set houre For saith he dâ—th the encharist lose that service which wee have devoted unto God or rather doth it binde us more to God Nonne solennior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Shall not thy fast bee the more solemne if thou stand also at the altar of God thâ—â— is the communion table Accepto corpore Domini reservata as Iunius readeâ—â— id est stationis officio not reservato that it may answer to the other member both are safe participatis sacrificti excâ—utio offâ—cii both the participation of the sacrifice â—nd performance of thy service id est jejunii saith 〈◊〉 his answer to the theologues of Burdeâ—ux 〈…〉 his answer to the bishop of Everâ—ux he saith That Tertullian would remove that scruple that after they had communicated their fast was broken they thought aâ— si participâ—tio euch aristiae jejunium abrumpere◠〈◊〉 if the participation of the eucharist had broken up their fast Ambrose giveth the reason wherfore these set fasts were called Stationes quod stantos commarantes in eis inimicos insidiantes repellimus because standing and staâ—ing in them wee repâ—ll our enemies lying in wait for us meaning spirituall enemies The metaphore is borrowed from souldiers who behoved to fast so long as they were in statioâ— Metaphora à militiâ—m sumpta quod quamdiu in statione erant jejunare 〈◊〉 oportebat See Pamelius upon both the places Doctour Burges finding that Tertullian lib. 2. ad uxorem maketh mention of jejunia fasts after hee had made mention of stationes concludeth in his owne fancie that stationes were not fasts whereas he might have seene stationes distinguished à jejuniis in the former place also but by the one he meaneth of such as fasted at any time of their owe free accord by the other the set dayes of fasting Iejunium est indifferenter cujuslibet Diâ—i abstinentia non perlegâ—m sed secundum propriam voluntatem statio statutorum dierum vel temporum And this difference Pamelius acknowledgeth he hath out of Rabanus Maâ—rus The very phrase it selfe solvere stationem might have guided him aright For what more frequent a phrase for breaking of a fast then solvere jejuniums We denie not that they stood both these dayes and other
also but that statio signifieth only standing in Tertullians phrase when he saith Solennior statio or solvere stationem I have insisted the longer upon this testimonie because Doctour Burges doth so confidently gather out of it which never man did before that the Christians then did and before had used to take the sacrament kneeling This raw but too confident antiquarie his collection may be refuted by other testimonies witnessing that sâ—metimes they saâ—e of which we have alledged some before or at other timâ—s stood Pionysius Alexandrinus writing to Xystus bishop of Rome concerning one that was in sorrow because hee was baptised by hereticks saith he duâ—st not baptise him over againe because he had a long time stood at the table and reached forth his hand to receave the holy food and had beene for a long time partaker of the body and bloud of Christ. Iustinus telleth us That the people rose and the deacons gave to every one to partake of the bread and the wine Is it likely that they kneeled when the deacons gave the elements In the homily which goeth under the name of Chrysostome Stemus trementes timidi demissis ocutis Let us stand trembling with fear aâ—d our eyes casten downe So yee see both before and after Tertullians time testimonies for standing There was an ancient custome in the Church which Bellarmine saith was left off but about 500. yeare before his time to stand upon the Lords day even in time of prayer Zovaras in synod 6. can 90. sâ—ith That no wayes might they kneel betwixt the evening service on satterday and the Lords day at evening Die dominico de geniculis ad orarenesaâ— saith Tertullian And such like betwixt easter and pentecost not only upon the Lords day but no day of the weeke might they kneele Yea by the decree of Alexandâ—r the third they might not kneel upon the Lords day in publike but only at the consecration of Bishops and giving of orders he that did consecrate and he that wâ—s consecrated might kneel and this was decreed about the yeare 1159. at which 〈◊〉 it seemeth this one exception entred in Now will any man affirme That they never communicated upon the Lords day for a thousand yeare or 1159. or imagine as Doctour Burges doth that because they might not kneel that all this time they tooke the sacrament standing in the Church and went home to their houses where they eated kneeling or to their seats in the Church where they might not kneel L. page 52. confesseth That the communicanâ—s in the primitive Church stood at the table when they receaved the sacrament on the Lords day Well say they seeing they prayed standing they used that gesture in the receaving of the eucharist which they thought fittest for prayer I answer they thought not that gesture fittest for prayer The authour of the questions extant in Iustinus saith Genuâ—m inclinatio in precatione magis peccatores Deo commendat quâ—m sistantes orent He preferreth yee see kneeling in prayer before standing But both are indifferent They stood to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection and not because they though it the fittest gesture for prayer It was a conceat they tooke up which entred not in the Apostle Pauls minde for wee finde Acts 20. that he kneeled betweene Easter and Pentecost Alwise by that custome ye may see they communicated standing The testimonies above cited have not relation to any day and the custome observed yet to this day in the orientall Churches to communicate standing notwithstanding that other custome hath ceased declareth that they intended never geniculation in the act of receaving Ephraim Placit in his Christianographie descriving the manner of the administration of the Lords supper in the Greek Church in the Churches of the Mengrellians Circassians Georgians Muscovits Melchits or Syrians Armenian Iacobits the Christians falsly called Nestorians the Cophti or Egyptian Christians the Abyssinos or Ethiopian Christians produceth no instance for kneeling in the act of receaving eating drinking which he would not have pretermined being conforme and dedicating his booke to the bishop of Elie. Cassander in his Liturgicks descriving the order observed in the Churches of the Armâ—nâ—ans Muscovits and in the kingdome of preste Iohn maketh no mention of kneeling but of standing Ilâ—ssie in his 4. boâ—ke of the Masse trusseth up all in few words Quarè orientales ecclesiae adorationem sacramenti admiserunt nusquâ—m non quae patriarchae Consta tinopolitano obsequuntur nâ—n quae Antiocheno Et in Abyssnis etiam ipsis hodie stâ—ntes sacramenta participant nec â—â—minus reverenter The orientall Churches no where admitted edoration of the sacrament not those which are obedient to the patriâ—rch of Constantinople or yet the patriarâ—h of Antioch And the Abyssins themselfes participate of the sacrament standing and yet not without reverence Where by adoration he meaneth kneeling whereunto be opposeth standing If ever kneeling in the act of receaving had beene in use among them it had not beene left off considering mans pronnesse to idolatrie and superstition and delight to stick in the mire when he is wallowing in it It resteth then that kneeling is only found in the Churches subject to the Pope of old or at the present Other Churches howbeit they followed not the paterne using another forme and gesture not was sutable to this first yet they degenerated not so 〈◊〉 as the Roman Church did The Muscovite Graecians 〈◊〉 Lâ—tine Priest chance to say Masse upon one of their altars they forthwith breake them downe as defiled and polluted And they â—old the priests of the Latine Church to be no letter then hereticks and vouchsafe not to salute them Willets out of Sacranus We have not yet heard of any authentick testimonie for kneeling which is adoration in proper and strict sense for the space of a thousand year after Christ which is the date we set downe Nor yet till after the dayes of Pope Honorius the third who lived â—bout the yeare 1220. And he decreed nothing 〈◊〉 â—owing not of the knee but of the head or superiour bulk of the body at the elevation in â—he masse The bowing of the knee at the elevation entred not till afterward yea prevailed not universally even in our dayes For I finde in Bochellus a decree made in a popish synod at Rhems anno 1583. Quoriam apud omnes sere catholicos usus modo obtinuit ut procumbentes adorent divinâ—â— eucharistiam Because the use 〈…〉 prevailed almost among all catholicks that falling 〈◊〉 they aâ—ore the divine eucharist the holy synod exhorteth that if there be any Church useth another custome aâ—d 〈◊〉 the body of Christ in this sacrifice standing that they fâ—ll downe herâ—after while the holy mysteries are set forth to be adored Sancta synodus hortatur ut si quae ecclesia altero more adhuc utatur stando Christi corpus iâ— hoc sacrificio adoreâ— proeumbat 〈…〉 sancta
not uniforme among themselfes in the words uttered at deliverie of the elements If we may sit or stand or kneel in time of prayer then kneeling is not enjoyned in regard of prayer but some other thing intended But as I have said we are not direct by the act to lift up our hearts or pray and therefore I need not as yet to insist upon this pretext Giving that in the conclusion these words In remembrance of so mysticall an union â—e answerable in the narrative the meditation and lifting up of our heart then by meditation and lifting up of the heart is meant not prayer but remembrance And what is that to say to kneel in remembrance that were to kneel for a memoriall But suppone it were thus when we remember and as he addeth consider to remember and consider is not to pray Shall we kneel whensoever we are put in minde of that mysticall union And what is meant by this mysticall union It may meane as well a materiall conjunction as they call it or corporall union of the body of Christ with the bodies of the Communicants by touch in the mouth swallowing downe to the stomack and mixture with the bodies of the communicants as spirituall with the soule O Lord let thy bodie which I have taken and bloud which I have drunken câ—eave uutâ— my guts and enâ—rals saith a Romane missall But the spirituall eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his bloud and the mysticall union between Christ and us wrought by it is as well done out of the sacrament as in it saith Master Downe Wee are not united with Christ by receaving his flesh into our mouthes but by faith which may be done without ever participatâ—ing the sacrâ—ment That the Reader may perceave the better how the act is contrived let him read it without the two lies closed within the parenthesis seeing the act is whole and entire without them and he shall see that it may passe among Papists and Lutherans not one word or syllable sounding against a reall presence in the signes and that we are directed to kneel not in regard of any prayer but in due regard of so divine an action or mysterie as is the sacrament or sacramentall receaving of Christs bodie and bloud Wee may also consider the intent of the Church of England or rather of their prelats and adherents that wee may take up the better the intent of our act For conformitie with them is intended At the first Kneeling was left free in the dayes of King Edward the sixt The Papists making a stirre for want of reverence to the sacrament at the second reviewing of the booke of common prayer Kneeling was enjoyned upon this reason That the sacrament might not be prophaned but holden in a holy and reverent estimation this was done by the directours and contrivers of the booke partly to pacifie the Papists partly because their judgement was not cleare in this point They could not see every thing throughly at the dawning of the day Yet it was not altered but by a staâ—ute 1. Elizabeth that second booke of King Edwards was confirmed Doctour Burges bringeth in a passage to explaine the matter which saith he is left out by negligence of the printer But it is more likely that it hath beene done of purpose by such as were directours Doctour Mortoun saith That their Church thought it fit by outward reverence in the manner of receaving the eucharist to testifie their due estimation of such holy rites to stop the mouths of blasphemous Papists vilifying the sacrament with the ignominious names of bakers bread vintners wine profane elements ale-cakes But Doctour Ames in his reply to Doctour Mortoun answereth That it was not so much for the stopping of the mouths of Papists but that some close dissembling adversaries did hinder the worke of reformation so much as they could and that they have done so ever since and do so still to this day It may be such pretended the scoffing of Papists buâ— what matter of any glosse if kneeling be directed that the sacrament be not prophaned but hold in reverent estimation Then the sacrament is prophaned belike if wee either sit or stand and kneel not Master Huâ—ton saith They kneel to put a difference betweene the ordinarie bread and wine and these sacramentall to which they give the more reverence because it is more then ordinarie bread and wine What more plaine They say not they kneel to God that the sacrament may not be prophaned but holden in reverence c. But simply they are enjoyned to kneel that the sacrament be not prophaned c. And suppose they were it were no better shift then the Papists use when they say they dedicate temples to God in honour of this or that Saint And yet wee kneel not to God but in prayer and thanksgiving which are not compatible with the act of receaving eating and drinking of which more afterward A bare kneeling can not be presented without some signe of extraordinarie presence or apparition Some of their formalists pretend they kneel because of the prayer uâ—tered at the deliverie of the elements The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule unto everlasting life I answer That it is already proved that kneeling is enjoyned for the sacraments fakâ— Next Christ prayed not at the deliverie of the elements but in an enunciative forme uttered the word of the promise This is my body This cuppe is the new testament 2. The word of promise is the speciall clause of the charter The sacramentall signes are like seales hanging at the charter If at any time therefore the word of promise should be uttered then specially when the seales are delivered The Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and the Apostle Paul repeat precisely and constantly that word so that any man may perceave the sacramentall forme of words ought precisely to be observed and uttered in the name of Christ without change into a prayer in name of the Church The sacramentall forme of words is observed in baptisme why not here Our formalists forbeare to to utter the word of promise to the Communicant They say They have uttered it before It is not enough that they were uttered before narrâ—ivâ—ly or 〈◊〉 in rehearsall of the words of institution For this sacrament is an imitation of Christ not a recitall of his words and actions It is to doe as he did and not to report what he did saith Mouline The rehearsall of the words of the institution leâ—terh us see what warrant wee have to celebrate such an action and in generall of use I read and wine But it can not bee said demonstratively of this bread and wine in particular set on the table that it is the body and bloud of Christ till it be first sanctified by prayer and thanksgiving to that use and after delivered to the communicant with command to take eat and assurance
if he so doe the bread shall be a pledge of his body and the wine of his bloud Christ said not This is my body take eat but Take eat this is my body or actu continuo bad them both take and eat The promise is annexed to the commandment as conditionall and hath no effect otherwise but if the condition be performed It is a receaved action among the Divines Elementa extrausum non sunt sacramenta The elements out of the use are no sacraments And sacramenta perficiuntur usu If the elements after the blessing be not delivered shal they be sacramentally Christs body and bloud or if delivered and not eaten It fareth with the sacramentall elements as with pawnes and pledges in contracts and bargans A ring may bee set a part to bee a pledge in matrimonie yet it is not actuallie a pledge without consent of the other partie but only a meere sing A stone chosen out from among many to bee a signe of a march is not actuallie a march stone but in the use when it is set with consent of parties in the march to that end There was never a sign without the use wherefore it was appointed to be a sign Never a march but that which divided land nor a banquet but in eating and drinking saith Chamier So the elements are sanctified and set a part by prayer and rhanksgiving to this use but are not Christs bodie and bloud actuallie till they be receaved and used Panis nunquam est signum corporis Christi nisi in edendo nun quam vinum sanguinis nisi in potando And therefore this holie ordinance is properly defined a sacred actâ—on consisting of so many rites By a figurative kinde of speach it is true the bread may bee called the sacrament of Christs bodie because it is appointed to that end as when Isaac said to Abraham Where is the sacrifice that is the lamb or the ramme appointed for the sacrifice but not properly Now the Formalist presupponeth that the sacrament is made alreadie before hee come to deliver the elements and therefore hee sayth hee uttereth other words at the deliverie So yee see they place such vertue in uttering these words This is my bodie in the rehearsall of the institution as the papist doth that they thinke the read alreadie Christs bodie and therefore absurd to utter these words againe at the deliverie to the Communicants for then they should seeme to consecrate again So grosse poperie is the ground of omitting the comfortable word of promise at the delivering and snbstituting a prayâ—r or ministeriall blessing as P. calleth it in the rowme of it and such a prayer as presupposeth the bread already to bee Christs bodie and therefore they say The bodie of the Lord prâ—serve thy bodie and soule Heere also is a wil-worship for howbeit prayer bee of it selfe a pure of Gods worship instituted and allowed by God yet to pray unseasonablie and out of time at the will and device of man when you should bee serving God in another forme it is wil-worship neither is there necessitie of this a prayer alreadie preceeding And surely this their prayer is a senselesse one like that old prayer Anima Christi sanctificaine which is directed to Christs soule whereas wee should direct our prayers to his person not to his humanitie by it self Let it bee observed by the way that the words of the institution are rehearshed in the English service book and among the rest these ords This is my bodie to God in a continuall tenor with the prayer begun before just according to the order observed in the Canon of the masse when the priest offereth his sacrifice which is an horrible abuse of the words of the institution which Christ uttered to the Communicants and not unto God I dare bee bold to affirme the sacrifice of the masse had never enâ—red in the Church if the word of promise had beene uttered at the deliverie of the elements to the Communicants in an enunciative forme or demonstratively as Christ did Thirdly if in regard of prayer then if Christs sacramentall speach be uttered without addition of a prayer the Communicants must not kneel Christs forme of speach then must be thrust out that prayer and with it kneeling may enter in Fourthly suppose the prayer might be substituted in the roome of the word of promise kneeling should not be enjoyned nor urged more precisely at that bit of prayer then at other prayers Yea it is superstition to urge kneeling at one prayer more strictly then at another and absurd in my judgement to enjoyne it at all in any They may as well enjoyne any man to lift up his eyes to knock on his breast to bow the head or crouch as to kneel as they doe in the popish service which hath made it the more ridiculous for kneeling lifting up of the hands or eyes knocking on the breast are naturall expressions and adumbrations of the inward motions of the soule and proceed ex abundantia interni affectu as saith Chamier and therefore ought not to be extorted by injunctions for that were to command men to play the hypocrits and like comedians to counterfite outward signes of such inward motions as perhaps are not in them so vehement as to stir them up voluntarily to such expressions Yea some of them may serve for ejaculations as the lifting up of the eyes to knock on the breast and to bow the head which bowing is finished in one instant saith L. All undecent and unseemly gesture in prayer ought to bee forbidden but no gesture ought to bee commanded in speciall but left free Fiftly that prayer above mentioned is but a short ejaculation and sooner ended then the Communicant can addresse himself to his knees Sixtly that prayer or short wish is ended before the Minister offer the bread to the Communicant and bid him take it and yet the Communicant is enjoined to continue still upon his knees Nor is kneeling enjoined to them by statute or their service book in regard of mentall prayer for none such is enjoined what suppose kneeling were enjoined in respect of prayer also for if also or principallie for reverence of the Sacrament it is sufficient for our purpose for to adore any other thing but God or with God are both idolatrous Master Paybodie saith Concerning prayer I do freely confesse that in as much as it is but an occasion and not the principall exercise of the soule whither it be mentall or vocall in the sacrament all busiâ—esse I do neither deeme it the principall respect of lawfull kneeling neither have I reason to deeme it the principall respect upon which the Church enjoyneth it And againe Suppose there bee no prayer used in the time of receaving I think never the worse of the gesture of kneeling No wonder hee say so for hee layeth down a ground that any of the gestures may be used in any part of Gods worship
which is a begging of the question and yet hee can not prove kneeling at the hearing of the word let bee in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements but out of a misprinted place in Perth assembly pag. 45. where in is put for after Farre lesse can our Formalists pretend the respect of prayer For we have no act enjoyning either any vocall prayer to be uttered by the minister or mentall by the Communicant when he is to receave the elements Nor doe our Formalists observe one forme of words at the deliverie either for prayer or otherwise Wheresoever the publike intent of a Church is to kneel for reverence of the sacrament every Communicant following her direction is an idolater Howbeit his privat intent were divers from the intent of the act which is urged as the publike intent of the Church yet he is interpretativè an idolater and to be so construed both before God and man If any man receave the sacrament upon his knees at Rome or in any other Popish Church whersoever were his privat intent yet he must be interpreted to kneel according to the intent of the Church of Rome The heart may be carried one way and the outward action another way for feare or other respects but that outward action must be interpreted not according to the intention of the minde but the intent of the injoyner If ye fall downe before an idol in Spaine suppose for feare of the inquisition ye commit idolatrie and honoureth that idol in the sight of men If it be asked after what manner the Communicant must be interpreted to adore I answer That upon better consideration of the act then before I thinke the Communicant may according to the act kneel with a Popish intent carring both the inward motion of his spirit and outward submission of his body to the sacrament upon opinion of transubstantiation or with the Lutherans intent upon opinion of consubstantiation and that for two cases first because the words of the act make mention only of the body and bloud of Christ and of the blessed sacrament but not one word of the elements of bread and wine Next because some of our ministers the chief urgers of kneeling are popish and have taught in publike in the pulpits of Edinburgh that wee ought not to contend or descant curiously upon the manner of Christs presence in the sacrament and that he is present after an unknowne manner To this purpose they cite a saying of Durandus It is current among the English prelats The bishop of Rochester in his defence of kneeling commendeth the simplicitie of the ancients who disputed not whither Christ were present Câ—n sub in or trans in the supper See Hooker likewise in his fift booke of ecclesiasticall policie And Sutton on the Lords supper in his appendix They will talke more plainly when they shall see their time Our Doctour commendeth them for this They would have us beleeve that the manner of the presence of Christs body at the sacrament is unknowne whereas we know very well that Christs body is present after a spirituall manner to the soules of the godly receaving by faith â—ut to the sacrament or elemenâ—s only after a sacramentall manner that is relatively as things signified are to signes howbeit farre distant That incomprehensible or unsearchable manner whereof they talke is a lurking hole for adversaries to the truth as Beza can tell him Our Doctour from Christs personall omnipresence inferreth page 142. the flesh and bloud of Christ may be worshipped in the sacrament because wheresoever his person is his humanity is corjoyned with his divinitie By this Popish reason Christs flesh and bloud may be worshipped in a stone in the moone the sunne or any other thing else His argument is borrowed from the Rhemists note upon Heb. 1. 8. Our doctour rejecteth the Vbiquitaries conceat of Christs humanitie extended and diffused through every place yet notwithstanding of this personall omnipresence he hideth himself in the lurking hole of the imperceptible manner of the sacramentall presence He acknowledgeth a spiritual presence of Christs body in the sacrament Bâ—llarmine acknowledgeth as much for saith hee Non habet Christus in Eucharistia modum existendi corporum sed spirituum If ye will bear the word Bodily so will Bellarmine he content because saith he Christ is not present after that manner that bodies have existence of their own nature unlesse the right explication bee added He commendeth the expression of the councell of Treâ—â— Verè realiter substantialiter Truely reallie substantiallie as the best and surest For the popish sence When our doctours will not have us to contend about the manner of presence whither by consubstantion or transubstantiation yet this taketh not away Substantially in generall but leaveth place to substantially in an unknown manner But wee proceed If any will extend the words of the act to the elements of bread and wine and interpret the receaving of Christs bodie and bloud of the souls inward receaving then howbeit hee kneeleth not upon opinion of the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament yet his adoration is terminated and resteth someway upon the sacrament or sacramentall elements otherwise hee cannot bee said to kneel for receiving of the sacrament Now as the papists agree not among themselves about the manner of worshipping their images so the Communicants may differ in the manner and way of terminating that adoration or worship Therefore suppose he believe not the reall presence or existence of the body of Christ in the bread yet hee may in his apprehension and imagination unite them as the papist doth his image with the prototype and so adore the thing with the thing signified as the purple robbe with the King is coadored or adored per accidâ—ns or hee may consider the signe as substitute in the roome of the thing signified howbeit absent and performeth before it or about it that adoration which hee would bestow upon the thing signified and by it or in it honoureth the thing signified properly but the signe improperly As when a Kings Ambassadour or Vice-gerent is honoured at some solemnitie with the honour of his Master but improperly for the King is properly honoured Or as Vasâ—uez will have images to bee adored to wit with the inward motion of the minde to the thing signified the bodie of Christ and the exterior or outward signe of submission to the signe to bee transmitted to the thing signified or considering the signes as things sacred and in relation to God whom we are serving in the use of them So howbeit the way and manner of terminating the reverence in the Sacrament bee different according to the conceat of the Communicant all come to one end to wit to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament Now to kneel for reverence is a gesture of adoration and soveraigne worship as L. ackowledgeth It is nothing to the devil whether a man erre this
who is presenting his petition to the king upon his knee in their sight A provinciall synod holden at London anno 1603 ordained the head to be uncovered when their service is read in the Church yet I thinke they would not have enjoyned kneeling We heare the canonicall scripture read with uncovered heads but yet we kneel not The words of Christ which he uttered at the institution are still and often uttered that same voice soundeth through all the tables of the world his actions which were divine and holy are reiterat In Gratians decree De consecrat dist 1. cap. 68. we have a superstitious direction of Pope Anastasius that when the Gospell is reade in the Church those that are present shall not sit but stand venerabiliter curvi bowing reverently hearken and adore Wherefore more at the hearing of the Gospell then the Epistle which is also Evangelicall Yet you see howbeit that standing with bowing be more then to have the head uncovered it was but veneration And whereas he saith Et fideliter adorent the glosse hath id est venerentur because the word adoring is taken there in a large sense as yee may see sundrie places above cited not for that which is in a strict sense called adoration Adoration in strict sense is kneeling or prâ—stration Whereas Matthew saith chap 8. â— of the leprouse man That he worshipped Christ or adored Christ as the Latine translation hath according to the originall Mark 1. 40. He kneeled dewâ—e to him and Luke 5. 12. that he fell in his face Suchlike where it is said of the Cananitish woman Matth. 15. 25. That she worshipped or adored him adoravit eum Mark 7. 25. it is said That she fell at his feet The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to fall downe like a dog oâ—â—whelp at the feet of another as our Lord. Further our heads are not other way uncovered in the act of receaving then in the rest of the time of the celebration when wee are not neare the elements And thirdly the uncovering of our head is compatible with the varietie of actions in time of celebration praying singing the words of the institution and chapters reade but adoration directed as they pretend to God can not be without presentingâ— our petitions and thanks to God which requireth a severall part of the action by it selfe It is objected that 1 King 18. 39. when the people saw the fire fall upon the sacrifice to consume it the wood the stones the dust and lick up the water that was in the trench they fell on their faces and cried The Lord is God I answer The people fell on their faces after the fire had consumed the burnt sacrifice the wood the stones and licked up the water and not in the meane time for it is not likely that they fell downe till they had seene what the fire had wrought Next what suppose they had fallen downâ— in the meane time that the fire was working the worke wherefore it was sent Is it any wonder that men amazed with the presence of Gods majestie in a miracle fall downe as astonished to worship God Such a visible signe of Gods presence is called the glorie of the Lord. Doctour Jackson the Arminian hath this rule to be observed Such actions as have been managed by Gods Spirit suggested by secret instinct or extracted by extraordinarie and speciall occasions are then onely lawfull in others when they are begotten by like occasions or brought forth by like impulsions In matters of secular civilitie or moralitie many things saith he will beseeme one man which are uncomely in another and in one and thesâ—â—me mans deportment many things are decent and lawfull whiles they are drawne from him by speciall or rare occasions whose usuall practise upon dislike or no occasions becommeth according to the nature of the subject râ—diculous or dishonest That in the service of God and matters spirituall the least digression or declination from proposed paternes is farre more dangerous To attempt the like enterprise unto Jonathans upon warrant of his exemple and upon like speeches of enemies inviting him to come up would bee a superstitious tempting of God Every man may not use the like prognostication that Abrahams servant made use of when he was sent to bespeak for his young master Isaac a wife Jacob expressed his tender affection to his sonne Joseph whom he never looked to see again by kissing his coat but to have hanged it about his bed or table that it might receave such salutations evening and morning or at every meales time might have countenanced many breaches of superstition Charles the fift after his fyrewell to the warres and safe arrivall to Spaine saluted the spanish shore in such an affectionat and prostrat manner as his meanest vassall could nor ordinarly have saluted either him or it without just imputation of grosse idolatrie These are Doctour Jacksons examples which hee bringeth in for illustration of his rule If there come into the Church one that beleeveth not or one that is unlearned and heare one after another prophesie and finding himself convinced and the secrets of his heart made manifest falling downe on his knees he will report that God is in you of a truth 1 Corin. 14. 24 25. Yet if hee fell downe before them ordinarily were it not idolatrous Thirdly suppose they had fallen downe when the fire was in working yet it is not said that they fell downe with their eyes poâ—ing upon the fire but upon their faces and cried The Lord is God because he had manifested by his presence and power in such a miracle that he was the true God as 2 Chron. 7. 3. when the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and consumed the sacrifices and that the glorie of the Lord had filled the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavemâ—nâ— and worshipped and praised the Lord saying c. Salomon kneeled say they before the altar of the Lord when he prayed at the dedication of the temple For it is said 1 King 8. 54. that when he had made an end of praying all his prayer and application to the Lord he arose from before the altar of the Lorâ— from kneeling on his knees and stood and blessed the people I answer The altar is not set downe there as the object toward which he directed his countenance when he was kneeling but only as a circumstance of the place where he was when hee praved at that time for he had prepared a brazen scaffold and set it in the middest of the court over against the altar of the Lord 2 Chron. 6. 13. He kneeled where he had been standing on the scaffold and spread his hands toward the heavens not toward the altar It is said 2 Chron. 6. 13. That he fell downe upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands towards heaven Neither is it said
That he turned his face to the altar They turned their face ordinarily to that part of the temple where the arke was the place of Gods extraordinarie presence The arke was metonymically called God 1 Sam. 4. 7. The Lord 1 King 9. 25. The Lord of hosts the King of glorie Psal. 24. The face of the Lord Esa. 1. 12. for it the tabernacle was made and the temple It represented Gods seat and God delivered his oracles from the mercie seat above it What likelihood then is there that they kneeled ordinarly in their prayers looking toward the altar or that they come never before the altar but kneeled before it for the altar was but dedicated at this time It was not already dedicated but in fieri saith D. B. Augustine lib. 2. ad Simplicianum qui. 4. saith David prâ—yed before the arke Quia ibi sacratior commendatior presentia Domini erat because the presence of the Lord there was more sacred and more to bee respected The like answer may bee given to that place Micha 6. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God They bowed themselves before the high God sitting betweene the Cherubims not toward the altar they bowed when they had offered their oblations not to their oblations As when they presented the basket with first fruits they first set it downe and after bowed themselves before Jehovah their God and so went out Deut. 26. 24. 10. What if they had bowed when they were offering to God When wee are in the act of receaving eating drinking we are receaving and not offering They say the sacramentall elements are only as objectum à quo significative that is as an active object moving them to worship the things signified or God Put case that were true So said Purandus Holcot and Picus Mirandula That they adored the prototype or samplar before the image which put them in minde of the samplar and spake in as abstract a manner of their worship as the Formalist doth when he pretendeth the purest intent he can in he manner of his adoration And yet were they never ranked among the Iconomachi but by the Papists counted good Catholiks It is true Bellarmine and Suarez are not content with this adoration which they call improper adoration when any person or thing is honoured in place of another as when the ambassadour is honoured with the honour due and proper to the king but for the king or as when all the ceremonies are celebrat about a statue in steed of the true corps Bell irmine granteth notwithstanding that Coram illa vel in illa aut per illam adoratur exemplar that after their manner of worship the samplar is adored before the image or in the image or by the image Vazquez proveth That these Doctours made the image objectum quod the very object passive of adoration and that both the samplar and the image were adored simul cum imaginibus exemplaria proximè ut quód adorari For they used the same respect to the images that other Catholiks used they uncovered their head to them they bowed toward them kneeled before them and kissed them And this he defendeth to be the right manner when the image and the samplar are adored with one adoration the inward motion and submission of the minde being carried to the samplar and the outward signe of submission to the image being transmitted by the spirit or in thought and defire to the samplar That all the Catholiks agree in this that the kisse be so fixed upon the image and the body be bowed before it that the affection being inflammed with the remembrance of the samplar be carried to it with inward reverence Virtute cujus externum esculum in ipsum etiam veluti sagittam transmittat by vertue or power whereof it transmitteth the outward kissâ— as an arrow to the samplar it selfe So kneeling before the image prostration or any other signe of submission is to be transmitted by the image to the samplar after the same manner For saith he in the time of the 7. synod there were some enemies to images who were content that images were brought into the Church not only for decorement sed etiam ad excitandâ—m fâ—delibus memoriam exemplaris ut coram eis ipsum solum ven rentur illis tamen nullum signum honoris aut submissienis neque osculo nec inclinatione corporis nec alio modo exhiberent id enim idolatriam esse dicebant â—ut also to stirre up the remembrance of the samplar to the faithfull that before them they might reverence only the samplar but exhibite no signe of honour or submission either by kisse or bowing of the body or any other way for they said that was idolatrie Quare nec osculabantur imagines neque ipsis corpus inclinabant nec thurificabant sed recti coram eis in memoriam ex emplaris exictati in ipsum mente sola ferebantur And therfore saith he they neither kissed images nor bowed their body to them nor offered incense but standing upright before them being stirred up to the remembrance of the samplar they were carried only in their winde to it In another place he saith Iconomachi qui ad solam recordationem imaginibus utuntur ante illas genua non flectunt nec se prosternunt sic enim ipsas nota extcriori adorarent sed erecti absque ullo gestu corporis qui reverentiâ—m judicet coram imagine exemplaris recordantur ipsum spiritu solùm adorant That is The adversaries to images who use images only to put them in remembrance of the samplar they neither kneel nor prostrat themselves before them for so they should adore them with the outward note or signe but standing upright without any gesture of the body before the image which might be a shew of reverence they remember the samplar and adore it in spirit only But these Doctours above mentioned howbeit their inward reverence was directed to the samplar yet the outward signe of submission was first directed to the image Ye see then that taking the images only as objectum à quo significativè as instruments and meanes to stirre up their remembrance these mangrels who were called Semiprobi would not kneel before them for then saith Vazquez they should have adored them which he in his Popish judgement thinketh they should have done but these Doctours did so So if the elements be used only as objectum à quo significativè to stirre up their remembrance why kneel they before them Nay why are not the elements lifted up as among the Papists after they have said This is my body for say they it is made then a sacrament that the people being stirred up at the elevation with the sight of the signifying object may kneel in whatsoever part of the Church they be And howsoever the Doctour seemeth to disallow the elevation pag. 119. 120. 121. Yet he saith
to God immediatly and in that action are occupied about an externall object is idolatrie unlesse that whereabout the action is employed be worthy of divine honour Our taking eating drinking the bread and wine at the Lords supper is not an action directed to God immediatly as prayer and thanksgiving is nor is it an outward signe of adoration as kneeling is Susceptio collatio sacramentorum est cultus quidam saâ—er eum ea dignè tractantur nullius tamen rei est adoratio The receaving and giving of the sacraments is a kinde of sacred worship but it is not the adoration of any thing saith Vazquez And yeâ— our Doctour to whom what is absurd saith that the sacrament is an act of reall adoration pag. 133. They alledge commonly that we may kneel before our meat set on the table when wee are to blesse it But they do not prosecute it to the point because they see it will not frame for their purpose First we are to consider the time of the blessing The meat is to bee considered not only as an object active putting us in minde of a benefite but also as passive not of adoration but of blessing and sanctification for our use for the meat is not set upon the table meerly to be gazed upon but to bee blessed and sanctified for our use Next we are not nor can not be tied to blesse kneeling Yea wee read not in scripture that any blessed the meat upon the tabl kneeling Christ himself blessed sitting Salomon kneeled 1 King 8. 54. when he prayed and spake to God but when he was to blesse the people it is said he rose and stood up It is an incongruous thing among the Papists to adore a thing which is not higher then their polles when they adorer because they can not be said to humble themselves to that which is lower then themselves say D. P. and P. It were incongruous likewise and inexpedient to set the meat as high as our polles or above and adore before it kneeling and looking up to in Bochellus citeth a canon forbidding the priest to lift up the bread to be seene before the words of consecration be uttered least the people adore and commit idolatrie Thirdly when we kneel we are not bound to gaze upon the meat but may turne our selves to a chaire a wall or a forme or any other thing set before us casually Yea when we sit at table we are not bound at the blessing to gaze upon the meat but may and do ordinarily lift up our hands and our eyes to the heavens as Christ lifted up his eyes But if they would come to the purpose and make a just comparison they should consider next that after the meat is blessed it were strange to see every one who is present sit downe upon his knees with his countenance fixed upon the bread in the hand of the master of the family or feast And after this sort we have considered already in the former argument the elements holden in the hands of the minister But now we are to consider thirdly the act of taking eating drinking our meate and drinke Wee may not take eat and drinke our ordinarie meat and drinke upon our knees Nature and custome teacheth us it were rather a mocking of God then a reverent adoration of him You will say there is a differences The sacramenâ— all elements are holy bread and wiâ—e the other common and ordinarie There ye betray your 〈◊〉 kneel then in taking and eating the sacramentall bread because it is holy Now to kneel in respect of the holinesse of bread and wine is idolatrie And the true cause of your religious respect and bowing before it is the holinesse of it We are too prone to conceat too highly of things set apart to holy uses as if they were of greater worth then our selves for whose use they were instituted Next suppose there be a difference yet our ordinarie bread is sanctified by the word of God and prayer to our use Therefore it is but a mocking of God unlesse that which you eat and drinke be worthie of divine honour Thinkest their any man so 〈◊〉 as to beleeve that that which 〈…〉 Cicera Yet the Papist is thus mad Aveâ—roes said My souls shall hold with the philosophers since the Christâ—aâ—s worship that which they eat And this do our kneelers Yet the Papist thinketh hee taketh and eateth the body of Christ which by reason of the concomitance of the Godhead hee adoreth The Lutheran thinketh both the bread and the body are present yet they are consonant to their erroneous grounds of the reall presence and unlesse Christs body were there really and suâ—stantially they would not take eat and drinke adoring upon their knees Neither would any reasonable man bee so absurd as to take eat drinke adoring unlesse he beleeved that he were eating were worthie of divine honour It is otherwise so absurd to kneel before God after that manner It were absurd to kneel before an eartâ—â—ly king â—est eating and drinking But it may bee our kneelers bee grosse enough in their opinion of the reall presence Suarez saith That as reall presence proveth adoration a priori so adoration proveth reall presence a postiriori Bellarmine likewise proveth adoration by reall presence and reall presence by adoration Algerius writing in the eleventh centurie that is betweene a 1000. anâ— 1100. yeare condemneth it as a vaine and senslesse fancie to bestow so much reverence upon the sacrament unlesse Christs body bee present there Tarnovius a Lutheran Pre ermittendo hanc venerationem Christi externam genuflexionem scilicet communicantes presentiam Christi secundum corpus negare se Calvinians jungere That is By praetermitting this veneration to wit kneeling the communicants should seeme to deny Christs bodily presence and to joyne themselves to the Calvinians They thinke kneelers who beleeve not the reall presence worship a piece of bread They say We may pray mentally in the act of receaving therefore we may kneel or adore in the act of receaving I answer first Wee may not pray when we are bound to another exercise In the act of receaving eating drinking we should attend upon the audible words the visible signes and rites meditat upon the analogie betweene the outward signes and rites and the things signified take eat drinke mentally and spiritually by faith And so meditation upon the analogie is not the onely worke of the soul as L. supposeth us to imagine Our desires are not prayers as L. dreameth Prayer is more then desire It is a manifesting of our desires to God Desiderium non dum dicitur oratio quousque pere intellectus loquertis cum Deo exprimatur saith Vazquâ—z This exercise of the minde correspondent to the outward exercise of the members and senses of the body outwardly cannot consist with oratio continua instructa set prayer The soul may send forth to the heavens short
ejaculations like darts Prayer intermixeth it selfe with every ordinance whatsomever sâ—ith P. He must meane ejaculatorie prayer for otherwise he confesseth that one ordinance is to be distinguished from another But these ejaculations may be incident to all our actions even civill let be religious when wee are eating and drinking our ordinarie meat and drinke transitoriae or ejaculatoriae orationes as they call them and therefore cannot be attended with kneeling In sudden ejaculations no other gesture is required then that wherein the motion of Gods spirit shall finde us saith Master Downe Next suppose yee might pray a set prayer mentally yet yee should not kneel in publike at your set mentall prayer when the congregaâ—ion is at another exercise nay nor make any show by any other signe or gesture that ye are praying If it be mentall it is in secret before the Lord and the signes of it before men should bee concealed Thirdly it followeth not suppose ye may pray that yee must pray kneeling â—ee use the one may sometime be without the other The Jewes prayed standing as well as kneeling and therefore saith Drusius of old prayers were called stations or standings And Rabbi Judâ— had a saying Sine stationibus non subsisteret mindus The world cannot subsist without stations or standings that is prayers If yee will not or may not pray but kneeling with reverence when yee come before such a creature it cannot be imagined to be done without respect to that creature The like answers may be made to mentall thanksgiving Ejaculations of thankes may agree with the proper exercise of the soule in the time of receaving eating drinking as it may also with the ordinarie feeding or any worldly businesse but not a set thanksgiving which should require the attention of all the powers of the soule and cannot bee done without diverting the soule from the exercise proper for that time Next the signes outward should be concealed if it be but mentall Thirdly what if ye must kneel and no other gesture will serve the turne But say they the very action it selfe is a reall prayer or thanksgiving and we offer sacrifices I answer prayer is a craving our taking eating drinking is not a craving but a receaving Craving and receaving is not all one But say they it is a reall thanksgiving and therefore called eucharist It is a showing forth of the death of the Lord till his comming againe I answer it is not properly thanksgiving For thanksgiving is properly directed to God as prayer is either mentally onely or also vocally and verbally so is not our act of taking eating drinking Neither was the name of eucharist given by the scripture but by the ancients and not for the act of taking eating and drinking but for the thanksgiving preceeding for the same reason it was called Eulogia also because of the blessing For he gave thankes and he blessed are used indifferently by the Evangelists Denominatio non est semper 〈◊〉 quata subjecto From one part of the action the whole action is called Eucharist saith Casaubon Eulogia eucharistia utraque vox a parte una totam Domini actionem designat Whereas the Apostle saith So oft as yee shall eat c yee shall show forth the Lords death till he come againe is meant say they not verball but reall preaching onely acted by taking eating drinking So say the Rhemists upon 1 Corinth 11. 26. But Doctour Fulk answereth that even according to the judgement of the fathers the Lords death must bee showed not only by the action but also by words which may stirre up to remembrance and thankfulnesse So also Willers So â—ezelâ—us and others This kinde of annunciation answereth to the Hagadah that is the declaration which was made at the passeover according to the commandement Exâ—d 1. 8. And thou shalt show Therefore â—t the paschall supper one made the declaration expounding everie ceremonie in their owne place the meaning of the lambe of the bitter hearbs and so forth of the rest This Haâ—aâ—ah and dâ—claration of the Jewes saith Casaulaâ—us answereth to that annunciate show forth 1 Corinth 11. 26. But be it so that the act it selfe be called a declaration or setting forth of the Loâ—ds death yet that is not properly a declaration or commemoration nor yet representation of his death Further both representation and commemoration are to men and not to God resemble preaching and not prayer The celebration of the action it selfe is a profession of thankfulnesse before men for a great benefite but is not thanksgiving dirâ—cted to God Bellâ—rmine himselfe exponing how the act of eating and drinking may bee called a showing forth giveâ—h this reason that the partakers should remember with thanksgiving the death of the Lord De euch l. 4. c. 27. So the proper and principall end of the sacrament is a further confirming and sealing of our communion with Christ and his benefits purchased to us by his death The testification of our thankfulnesse by showing forth his death and commemoration of the benefits receaved thereby is a secondarie end Neither is it directed to God immediatly as thanksgiving is howbeit honour redound thereby to God because his praise is proclaimed before men Non enim concionamur Deo neque sacramenta Domino dispersamus sed populo Domino ministrare dicuntur quia ad ejus honorem id faciunt saith Bellarmine To honour God is more generall then to adore for God is honoured by preaching praying singing swearing praising and not by adoring onely Neither can eating and drinking of bread and wine be called properly a sacrifice For a sacrifice properly so called importeth destruction of the thing sacrificed by killing burning effuâ—â—â— That cannot be called properly a sacrifice which is only for commemoration or representation of a sacrifice The acting of a tragedie upon a stage is not a true tragedy indeed howbeit the object represented was a true tragedie Giving of almes may be called a sacrifice yet wee kneel not when wee give almes It is a sacrifice only improperly and in some respect so called The Gentiles are said to be sacrificed by the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 15. 16. but figuratively There is as great difference between a sacrament and sacrifice as taking and giving It is yet objected that in the act of receaving wee receave an inestimable benefite Ought not a subject kneel when he receaveth a benefite from a prince to testifie his thankfulnesse I answer If we were to receave a gift suppose but a morsell of bread out of Gods owne hand immediatly wee ought no doubt to adore upon our knees but not if by the hand of the creature The person who receaveth the gift from the king is supposed to receave it immediatly from the king or suppose he kneel receaving from his servant mediat civill worship are not rules for religious adoration which should be directed immediatly to God Now wee receave the sacrament
out of the hand of the minister not out of Christs owne hand Multum interest inter actionem Filii Dei perse per ministrum Illa enim est actio immediatè producta à divino supposito ista ab humano Bellarm. de Missa lil 2. cap. 4. Yea the Apostles at the first supper adored not on their knees when Christ himselfe ministred the sacrament howbeit upon occasion and at other times they adored not did they adore God the Father upon their knees for the benefite they were receaving The inward benefite Christs body and bloud are receaved by the soule not by the body by the godly only not by all that receave the sacrament by faith embracing Christ present by his spirit in the soul. The godly under the law receaved the same gift the same spirituall food and drink and yet kneeled not The D. pag. 113. saith that in the law they had but the shadow of the gift a popish speach whereas the Apostle saith the same food If the clearer revelation make the difference which is without ground or reason then adoration is not in respect of the gift The godly take eat and drinke Christs body and bloud by the act of faith and beleeving Now the act of faith or beleeving is not an act of adoration as the schoolmen acknowledge nor is it expressed outwardly by kneeling In a 〈◊〉 fidei non potest apprehendi aliqua submissionis nota propria religionis exhibenda ipsi excellentie Dei sicut nec ratio sacrificii aut laudis saith Vazquez Never man yet adored upon his knees if his principall work was actuall beleeving desire Christ short ejaculations of the soule and the acts of other graces concurre as concomitants to remove impediments that faith may put forth its act with greater strength which is the principall worke of the soule in the act of receaving the elements All dispositions which are required unto right receaving can not distinctly and solemnely bee expressed at the same time by outward gestures except wee would use divers gestures together saith P. 195. The principall therefore must be considered Next wee receave eat and drinke Christs body and bloud as soone as we are effectually called and beginne to beleeve and as oft as we heare the promises of the Gospell read and exponed and doe beleeve Christs body is as farre absent from us at the receaving of the sacrament as at the hearing of the word The symbols when they are added to the word while the mystâ—râ—s are celebrated I doubt not saiâ—h Pâ—ter Martyre serve very much for assurance for thâ—y sâ—ale the promise tamen illa Christi nobis praesentiam magis constituere quam verba aut promissiones constanter pernego That is but that they make Christ more present to us then the word and sacraments doe I utterly denie The Formalist speaketh as if Christs body were present in the sacrament or as if wee had never receaved Christs body till wee receaved this sacrament or never but when we receave this sacrament Whereas Augustine saith There is no doubt but every one of the faithfull is made partaker of the body and bloud of Christ when in baptisme he is made a member of Christ as ye may see in Gratians decree Againe he saith Credere in eum hoc est panem vivum manducare to beleeve in him is to eat the living bread The glosse saith Christ is eaten spiritually by faith without the sacrament We are united with Christ and made members of his body before we come to this sacrament and doe not receave his body of new at every communion as if wee had lost it since the former and yet there is but one body receaved at all the times The celebration of the Lords supper is not a new institution of the testament but a repetition of the same This sacramâ—â—◠〈◊〉 authentike instrument of the testament and as of as it â—s ministred the same authentike instrument is 〈◊〉 over â—gain See this illustration in Bellarmine and â—â—â—anus Wee are said then to take eat drinke Christs body and bloud at every celebration of the holy supper because wee put forth our faith in act at that time and renewing the act of faith wee take eat and drink by beleeving that same body and bloud which before our faith being strengthened by the outward signes and seales to that end and so grow in faith and by faith in union with Christ The holy mysteries do not beginne saith Jewel but rather continue and confirme this incorporation Whitaker saith Familiarâ—â— loquendi modus est ut fieri dicatur quod factum obsignaâ—ur That is It is a familiar kinde of speaking to saâ—â— that thing is in doing which being already done is sealed and confirmed Thirdly the manner or forme of receaving a 〈…〉 be answerable to the manner of the offering the nâ—ture of the gift and the will of the giver If a King call his nobles to a banket it is his will that they sit at table David and Jonathan sate at table with King Saul as you may see 1 Sam 20. Such as were called the Kings friends or companions for the originall word signifieth as well the one as the other Sociuâ— â—s amicus I take to have sitten ordinarily with Kings as Zabud 1 King 4. 5. and Hushaâ— the Archite who is called 2 Sam. 15. 37. Davids friend and 1 Chron. 27. 33. by the same translaters the Kings companion Such an one was Daniel to the Babyloniah Emperour as the Apocrypha historie of Susanna reporteth cap. 14. 1. To this Christ alludeth Joh. 15. 15. when he saith to his disciples at table Hence forth I call you not servants but I have called you friends Abraham for his faith was called Gods friend Jam. 2. 23. By the same reason all the faithfull are preferred to this dignity As wee are friends and fellow-heires with Christ so hath hee instituted this holy feast the onely feast in the Christian Church to assure us of our preferment and fellowship with him Howsoever then otherwise and at other occasions wee behave our selves as supplicants we are now according to our Lords will and pleasure to observe that externall forme of a feast which he hath left to his Church and to act thereat in our outward carriage the persons of guests and friends And therefore howbeit the inviter be a great person the manner of invitation is familiar and our not acceptance the more offensive Chrysostome declaiming against such as were present and did not approach to communicate saith The King table is here the King himselfe is present Why standeth thou yawning If thy garments be cleane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit downe and participat In the English booke of common prayer there is an exhortation to bee made to the people when they are negligent to come to the table where we have these words Ye know how grievous and unkinde a thing it is when a man hath prepared a rich
then to designe a place for the congregation to meet in but a matter belonging to order But there was more required to this day For it was not instituted only for order and policie that the people might know what dayes to conveene to publike exercises howbeit it was one respect Times may bee appointed for preaching and prayer on the weeke dayes by any particular Church But there is more required here a day to be obseved holy by the universall Church not only for publike worship but also for privat not onely for externall but also for internall which could not be done but by divine authoritie which is supreme and onely able to binde the conscience to internall as well as externall to privat as well as to publick worship as I have said before The last point which I am to touch is concerning the strictnesse of the observation Whither we be bound to as strict observation of the Lords day as the Jewes were of their sabbath The superstitious observation of the Iewes wee are not bound unto For they observed that day more precisely then God required They found fault with Christ healing of the sicke man upon the sabbath and the sicke mans carrying home of his bed They have had and have many foolish observations as not to pull to an herb on the sabbath nor to eat an aple which they pluck upon that day nor claw with their nailes in publike nor catch a flea unlesse it bite Let us then see what God hath forbidden them They were bidden â—ake that which they had to bake upon the sixt day and seeth that they had to seeth Exod. 16. 23. and forbidden to kindle a fire upon the seventh day But that which was baken and seethed upon the sixt day a part of it was not reserved to the seventh day but that which remained over unbaken and unsodden The text importeth no further for if it had beene baken or sodden they would perhaps have attributed the not putrifying upon the seventh day to the baking or seething It was food that might bee eaten without baking like comfites or fruit It seemeth then this injunction was given onely during the time the manna rained If this direction had beene to bee observed afterward they might not have eaten any thing which was baken two dayes before Is it likely that Christ and others bidden to the Pharisees house upon the sabbath-day had no meat dressed for them by baking of seething The kindling of fire was forbidden not simply but for baking or seething the manna as some thinke and therefore endured onely so long as the manna lasted howbeit the most superstitious sort of the Jewes in later times observed it It is noted of the Essens a strict sect of the Jewes as singular in them that they kindled no fire upon the sabbath-day They were commanded Exod. 16. 29. to abide every man in his place and not to goe out of their tents at lest out of the campe This was but temporarie Afterward they might take journey upon the sabbath to the Prophets or synagogues 2 King 4. 23. Levit 23. 3. Yea if they were not to journey for that the Scribes prescrived to them 2000 cubits that is a mile or thereabouts out of a towne or citie which was called the sabbath-dayes-journey But afterward they became more superstitious not taking up the Lords intent in that place of Exodus as the Jew that would not be drawne out of the jackes wherein he had fallen upon the sabbath-day So howbeit the Iewes should be superstitious now in not kindling fire that is no warrant that the direction was not â—â—â—oratie Some thinke this prohibition served onely during the workmanship of the tabernacle But let it bee granted that both the one direction and the other were to endure during the policie of the Iewes I denie that they were forbidden by vertue of the fourth precept of the decalogue They would and might have kindled fire notwithstanding of the fourth precept Their rest upon the sabbath was ceremoniall and figurative And because ceremoniall and figurative therefore saith Bellarmine and Dow after him with others it behoved to be more strict exact and rigid For the more exact the figure is the better it representeth and signifieth So granting that dressing and preparing of meat by fire were not a temporarie precept during the manna yet it depended upon the ceremoniall rest and typicall state of Gods people under the law They abstained from the buriall of the dead upon the sabbath-day 2 Maccab. 12. 39. because if any touched the dead or entred into the house where the dead lay or touched a grave was uncleane seven dayes Numb 19. 14. 16. and consequently they might not enter into the tabernacle Here a duty forbidden for legall uncleannesse which bindeth not us The prophanation of the sabbath was a capitall crime Exod. 31. 14. but this law bindeth not us The workes depending upon the ceremoniall rest or any particular ceremonie bindeth not us but only the workes inhibited in the fourth precept wherein the ceremoniall and iudicall precepts are not included but onely annexed to them as peculiar unto that people which was under the tutorie and paedagogie of the law Aquinas saith that the ceremoniall and judiciall precepts are not contained in the decalogue Ad secundum dicendum quod judicialia praecepta sunt determinationes moralium praeceptorum prout ordinantur ad proximum sicut ceremonialia sunt quaedam determinationes praceptorum moralium prout ordinatur ad Deum unde neutra praecepta continentur in daecalogo If then these workes were not forbidden by vertue of the fourth precept we are not bound to for beare them If our observation of the Lords day praefigure that blessed and glorious life which we expect as some doe hold then our rest should be also as exact and rigid because figurative Dominicus dies qui Christi resurrectione sâ—â—xatâ—â—e â— â—e ernam requiem spiritus corporis praefigurat saith Augustine But wee will not build strictnesse of rest upon such a weake ground It may bee fill drawne to resemble heavenly and spirituall things but that is not any end of the institution It is not â—â—puâ—destinatuâ— instituted for any shadow or signification though â—t may befitly applied unto such an use saith Willet Our rest upon the Christian sabbath is only subservient to the sanctifying of the day The strictnesse required of old by the vertue of the fourth precept is required of us As Whit maketh sunday an holy day only by the ordinance of the Church pag. 109. 150. so the particular forme and circumstances of resting are prescribed unto us saith hee by the Church pag. 135. meaning the Church governours the prelates So doth Bellarmine allow such workes as shall be permitted by the prelats or have beene used by long custome Tertiopera concessa à pralatis Quartò opera quae ex consuetudine sunt licita Our holy fathers the prelats paternes
the rubrick of confirmation in the booke of Common prayer as Parker hath well observed In that rubrik it is said That confirmation is ministred unto them that are baptized that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receave strength aâ—d defence against all tentations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the devill Bellarmine maketh imposition of hands and prayer but one sensible signe in confirmation howbeit the Papists have no right imposition of hands Master Hutton saith that imposition of hands is one of the externall meanes by which the holy Ghost is given and howbeit that prayer hath the chiefe force yet imposition of hands hath some also otherwise saith hee what needed Peter and John to have travelled to Samaria they might have prayed in Jerusalem for the holy Ghost to the Samaritans Downame likewise saith that grace is conferred to the baptized for confirmation by imposition of hands In the prayer after the laying on of hands wee have these words Wee make our humble supplication unto the for these children upon whom after the example of the Apostles wee have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gratious goodnesse towards them Ye see then they make imposition of hands a certifying signe of Gods favour and a meane whereby grace and strength against tentations and assaults is conferred Is it not then made a sacrament derogatorie from baptisme and the Lords supper as if by baptisme we were not certified of Gods favour and entred not to Gods armie as well as his family Our Christian valour and courage to resist the devill and professe the truth is a fruit of that regeneration and sanctification which is sealed to us in baptisme Let him be a athema who saith that baptisme is given to the remission of sinnes and not also to the help of grace Concilium Melevitanâ—m Is not the Lords supper a confirmation of our faith and often cel brated for that end Because the example of the Apostles is alledged wee answer that imposition of hands mentioned Act. 8. was extraordinarie The Apostles by imposition of hands might conferre the gifts of tongues prophesying healing which Philip the Evangelist had not and therefore Peter and John were sent to Samaria for that end For they had need of some to prophesie and to have the Gospell in these times confirmed to them by such wonders The effects of this imposition of hands were sensible to these that were present And therefore Simon Magus would have bought with money that gift which the Apostles had Strength against tentations is a grace invisible and given onely to the faithfull whereas the gifts of tongues prophesying healing might have beene given to the unregenerat The bishop of Spalato saith That the imposition of the Apostles hands was but temporarie and for a sensible effect which was to cease and that it was not a stable and constant sacrament of the Church nor was it properly sacramentall The confession of Wittenberg hath the like saying Of a temporall and personall fact of the Apostles a generall and perpetuall sacrament cannâ—t be ordained in the Christian Church without the speciall command of God And so saith Suarez also in 3. tom 3. disput 33. sect 4. Their laying on of hands then in imitation of this extraordinarie example of the Apostles is apish As for that imposition of hands mentioned Heb. 6. 1. I will let passe the different interpretation of Divines who thinke some that it was that extraordinary whereof wee have made last mention others that it is that which was used in ordination of ministers I will give that it was an ordinarie laying on of hands upon the faithfull But as it is joyned with baptisme in that place so it seemeth to be that imposition of hands which was used in the end of baptisme when the minister prayed for persons baptized that the Lord would increase and continue his graces with them The Apostle there opponeth the doctrine of the beginning that is the catatheticall doctrine of repentance from dead workes faith resurrection from the dead and eternall judgement to the doctrine of perfection The converted Jewes and Gentiles behooved to be catechised in these grounds sufficiently and tried before they could be baptized and have hands laid upon them These were called Catechument till the time of their baptisme Others apply it to the children of the faithfull and thinke that when they come to age and were fit for the communion they were after triall in the grounds of religion admitted with imposition of hands into the societie of communicants in ecclesiam adultorum as Paraeus calleth them But wee finde that imposition of hands was used after as a ceremonie in the end of baptisme even in the baptizing of infants Yet this laying on of hands upon the baptized was as Augustine saith gestus orantis the behaviour of him that prayed for or blessed any particular person a gesture used both under the old and new testament As ye may see when Jacob blessed the sonnes of Joseph Genes 48. when Moses laid hands upon Josua Num. 27 Such as had power laid hands on these that were to bee admitted to an office in the Church Acts 6. 1 Tim. 4. The teachers and prophets at Antioch upon Paul and Barnabus when they were separated for the worke to which the Lord called them Act. 13. Yea the elders who were admitted to be Counsellers in the great Synedrion and the Rabbins who were promoved to their degree of Doctourship were admitted and promoved with imposition of hands So it was used in actions both civill and religious and in religious it served to be an indicant signe of the particular person whom they were to pray for or blesse For when they were to blesse or pray for moe they lifted up their hands Levit. 9. 22. Luke 24. 10. See also Drusius If it was only the gesture of him that prayed according to the forme of the Jewes and did neither signifie nor seal the grace which was prayed for it could not bee a sacrament Bellarmine acknowledgeth that the imposition of hands at the receaving of penitents which was called Impositio manuum reconciliatoria was not a consecration imprinting a character but a ceremonie furthering prayer or a prayer upon the person If it was no more at there-entrie it was nothing els in the entrie Seeing imposition of hands was but the gesture of him that prayed it might have beene either used or omitted which our Doctour pag. 98. confesseth And should be omitted say we seeing it hath beene so abused as to make it a sacrament without precept or institution and without a promise Farther seeing it is but a gesture of prayer it may be re-iterat if it were in use Manus autem impositio non sicut baptismus repeti non potest quid enim est aliud quà m oratio super hominem saith Augustine In the Catechisme before confirmation
it is said That there are but two sacraments generally necessarie to salvation What then So will the Papists confesse that confirmation is not necessarie to salvation otherwise they would minister it to the baptized at the point of death The English booke ordaineth that the childe shall be brought to the bishop by one that shall be his god-father or that every childe may have a witnesse of his confirmation This the Papists observe in their confirmation Thus also is a token that of old that which is now called Confirmation was but an appendicle or closure of baptisme from which being afterward separated it must not want the god-fathers it had when it was the appendicle of baptisme In the prayer before the laying on of hands they pray that the childe may be strengthened with the holy Ghost the Comforter The Papists say the Comforter promised by Christ was bestowed in the sacrament of confirmation The Papists say that in confirmation they receave the sevenfold grace of the holy spirit wisedome counsell strength knowledge understansting godlinesse feare They crave the like in the prayer before the laying on of hands But what suppose confirm 〈…〉 sacrament may not every pastour minister it It appertaineth to the captaine say they to take up the roll of the souldiers and furnish them with armour the shephard should marke his owne heep c. As if every minister were not a captaine in the Lords armie and a sheep-hard feeding the flock concreded unto him Bonaventure confesseth such similies force not but institution only maketh necessitie Our first reason then against them is the want of institution or exemple in scripture that bishops had this charge and not presbyters We now suppone only not grant that there were such office bearers in the Church Peter and John were sent to Samaria not only to lay on hands but to advance the worke begunnely Philip. Durandus saith it is not clear whither they laid on 〈◊〉 as bishops or as presbyters Augustine 〈…〉 is the authour of that booke entituled Quest veteris novi testamenti saith they did it as priests But the truth is they did it neither as bishops or priests and therefore neither the one nor the other succeeded unto them in it For it was extraordinarie and extraordinarie effects followed it The second reason bishops and presbyters as themselves confesse are equall in the power of order If the power be equall who can hinder them to put it in execution Hath Christ given them a power which they may not exercise Suarez the Jesuit saith If presbyters have sufficient power by vertue of their ordination to minister this sacrament it were no reason that they should be wholy hindered What God hath instituted the Church cannot inhibit saith Tilenus If presbyters had not had that power by vertue of their ordination neither Pope nor bishop might give them commission or licence to doe it saith Spalato But so it is that by dispensation of licence from the Pope the Papists grant they may Our third reason presbyters may impose hands in ordination of ministers therefore they â—ay also in confirmation So reasoneth Armachanus Our fourth reason they may celebrate and minister the Lords supper therfore they may doe this also So reasoneth the authour of that epistle ad Rusticum Narbonensem Our opposits are forced to confesse that this is not proper to bishops by vertue of their office but reserved to them for the dignitie of it Hierome saith that this was reserved to them not by necessitie of any law but for the honour of their priesthood Yet not in all places but multis in locis The authour of that epistle to Rusticus saith it was the custome in the orient in Illyricum in Italie in Africa and in all places in the Apostles time that presbyters did confirme In the decretals it is said that simple priests at Constantinople according to the custome did minister the sacrament of confirmation Turrianus reporteth that the Grecians reprove the Latines because they inhibit the priests to annoint the foreheads with chrisme as yee may see in Suarez The bishop of Spalato complaineth that bishops are so rigid that they will not permit the parish priests to confirme the rather because they come seldome to visite their parishes and thinketh howbeit they refuse the priests may as for himselfe he might have suffered the priests in his diocie confirme but he gave them not that libertie because he saw no necessitie of such a ceremonie and that it was not worthie the name of a sacrament If there were any moment in it should the bishops honour or lordly bishoping bee-preferred to the utilitie of it for the people Hierome saith If the holy Ghost should come downe only at the prayer of the bishop these were to bee lamented who in prisons or castels or farre places being baptized by priests and deacons die before the bishop visit them If it were a matter of moment saith Master Calvin wherefore doe bishops suffer so many halfe Christians in their diocies They betray by a tacite confession that it is not a matter of such moment as they pretend Beda is plaine that confirmation as also many other things was not permitted to priests for the arrogâ—ncie of bishops â—althasav Lydius saith It was untolerable superstit on that the priest might anoint the breast and the shoulder but it behoved all to abstaine from the forehead except only the bishop Seeing this subject is already treated upon at large in another worke and both the sacrament it selfe and the bishop who callengeth it as proper to himselfe are bastards I will in fast longer upon this point In their book of commâ—â— prayer it is required that these who are to bee confirmed bee able to answer the quâ—stions of a little catecatâ—â—me that with their own mouth and consent they may â—atifie and confirm openly before the church what the godfathers and godmothers promise in their name and promise to endeavour to observe and keep such things as by their own confession they have assented unto Is not this plain mocking of God to require publick profession before the Church of children who cannot give a serious confession of their faith howbeit they can utter some few words of a short catechisme like parrets They require that they bee of a perfect age but that is not observed or else by perfite age they meane onely years of discretion as they call them in the same place that is when they come to the use of reason that they can discern somewhat betweene good and evill or as Hackwell interpreteth when reason beginneth to break up Is this a fit time for publick profession of their faith or to make them capable and fit for the Communion whereof notwithstanding they do not partake many years after Eucerus in his censure censureth sharply this pretext of catechising M. Parker telleth us that for all
this they confirm them sometime in their own houses and not openly sometime in a Church distant many miles from the Church whereof they are members sometimes in the same church but without their advise or consent It is not then either publick profession of their faith or fitnesse for the Communion that they are so carefull of not their understanding of the quuestions of a short catechisme but to shew their grandour and what preheminence they have over other mens flocks in making of half whole and perfite Christians Parents must bring their children many miles to them to bee confirmed or bishopped as if the holy Ghost could breath no where but upon their fingers 〈◊〉 with the words of Tindall After that bishops had left off preaching then falned they this dumb ceremonie of confirmation to have somewhat at the least wherby they might raigne over their diocie They reserved also to themselves the christing of bels and conjuring or hallowing of Churches and Church-yards of altars and superaltars hallowing of chalices and whatsoever is of honour and profite which confirmations and other conjurations also they have now comitted to their suffragians because they themselves have no leasure to minister such things for their lusts and pleasures and aboundance of all things and for the cumbrance that they have in the Kings matters and buâ—nâ—sse of the realme One keepeth the privie seale another the great seale the third is a confessour that is a priviâ— traitour and a sâ—cret Judas He is president of the prinâ—e his counsell he is an ambassadour another is of the privie counsell Woe is unto the Realmes where they are of the counsell As profitable are they verily unto the Realmes with their counsell as the woulfes unto the sheep or the foxes unto the geese OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF the sacraments in privat places IN the booke of common order set downe before the psalmes in meeter it is said that the sacraments are not ordained of God to be used in privat corners as charmers and sorcerers use to doe but left to the congregation and necessarily annexed to Gods word as seales of the same In the assembly holden at Edinburgh in October anno 1581. it was ordained that the sacraments be not ministred in privat houses but solemnely according to the good order hitherto observed But in the late pretended assembly holden at Perth anno 1618. it was ordained that the minister shall not refuse to baptise infants in privat houses when great need compelleth the parents to crave it but the great need is not specified and therefore left to the judgement of every corrupt minister who shall be willing to pleasure his parishoner upon pretence of any alledged necessitie as a rainie day or the saving of some charges as a dinner c. Such like the minister must not refuse to administrat the communion in a privat house beside him that for infirmitie is unable to resort to the church to receave it or if the sick person that shall declare upon his conscience to the minister that hee thinketh his sicknesse deadly It is required only that there be three or foure of good religion and conversation present to communicate with him But which shaketh all loose these must be free of all impediments What if they bee not free What suppose there were fourtie let be foure if it be not celebrated in the congregation it is but a privat communion Tilemus when he was found and orthedox laid downe this for a ground A sacrament is a publicke action to be performed publickly by publicke ministers neither can any necessitie or sufficient cause be alledged wherefore a sacred and publick action should passe in a privat because Gods ordi◠〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 us a supreme law and greatest necessitie which wee ought to obey rather then foster the ignorance and infirmitie of the people He had beene disputing before against the administration of baptisme by lay-men and woman but concludeth in end against administration also in a privat place and requireth that all sacraments be administred not only by publike and lawfull office-bearers but also publickly How can the Doctour then alledge that Tilenus words were perverted That the sacraments are actions of publike nature and therefore ought to bee celebrated publickly in the congregation appeareth by these reasons 1. The sacraments are appointed not only to be signes and seales of invisible graces but also to be testimonies of our pietie towards God and badges of our profession distinguishing true Churches from false All sacraments are kindes of protestation of our faith saith Quinae Secret corners are not fit places for such protestations 2. Visible communion in the holy things of God is the end of our union and consociation with a particular Church Because wee cannot attaine to a visible communion in the holy things of God immediatly with the whole Church militant wee enjoy it mediatly by our communion in a particular congregation Therefore the sacraments which are the holy things of God ought to bee administrated in common 3. All other actions which concerned the whole Church were done with consent and presence of the Church as elections ordinations excommunications By the same reason ought the sacraments to be administred in publike for the interest that all have in them and the benefite and fruit may redound to all 4. The sacraments ought to bee preserved from contempt neglect and corruptions Heretickes take occasions to corrupt the pure administration of the sacraments when they are administred in privat houses The publike is the lesse regarded when people may have them in privat as they thinke they have need nor yet are they so reverently used as when celebrated in the publicke assemblie 5. It breedeth opinion of extreme danger of salvation if any die without baptisme or the Lords supper Wee will have occasion to touch these reasons when wee descend to baptisme and the Lords supper in particular The Doctour in his answers useth often the distinction of ordinarie and extraordinarie that ordinary they should be administred in publick but extraordinarly and in case of necessitie they may bee administred in privat which is a begging of the question for the reasons are directed against administration in privat in whatsoever case and there is no necessitie to violate the common order unles it were the danger of mens salvation for want of such a middle or meane which is a grosse and damnable opinion ingendred and intertained by the administration in privat He wresteth also that place in Matthew where Christ promised to be in the midst of two or three conveened in his name as if three or foure conveened to the administration of baptisme or the Lords supper were a sufficient number to make up a lawfull assembly But this speach of Christ in the precise termes cannot be extented to the sacrament For then where two only are conveened the communion may bee administrated The Priest then may celebrate
Parcus in Rom. 16. 7. 1 Corin. 16. 19. Philemon 2. The names also given to this sacrament may teach us that tâ— should bee celebrated in the publicke assemblie The name synaxis importeth a gaâ—â—ering or assembling together Casaubon saith synaxis and synagogue are all one because derived from one word Liturgie signifieth a publicke service or ministrie both the names import the celebritie of the assembly and the solemnitie of the administration before the assembly The elements were sent to the absents in time or immediately after the action in Justinus Martyrs time Which was the first abuse we read of After followed reservation of the eucharist for the use of the sicke which was a greater abuse and carrying of it home to their houses The opinion of the necessitie of privat communious did grow to such an hight that the eucharist was given not onely to aged persons departing this life for their Viaticum to bee their voyage victuall as they call it but also to infants and babes and this indured for the space of 600. yeares The Papists themselves are ashamed of it and expresly inhibit it Yea of old in some parts it was the practice to use Master Perkins words to cram the eucharist into the mouth of them that were deceased or to lay it upon the breast and burie it with the corps Such horrible prophanations arose from the opinion of necessitie engendred upon these reservations and giving of the eucharist to the sicke The continuation of the like customes doth foster and entertaine the same opinion of necessitie The ignorant are fostered in superstition as if the grace of God were tyed to the sacrament and no comfort could be had by there receaving of it in former times but they must have it now for their voyage victuall whereby they may bee enabled to attaine to life eternall without fainting in the way Polyander after he hath concluded that the Lords supper should not bee celebrated in privat either for sicknesse of any person or other case of necessitie whatsoever granteth that not long after the Apostles times for condescending to the weaknesse of some this custome prevailed to send to the sicke the elements of bread and wine in the time of administration Sed hoc medium atque admâ—niculum quod infirmioribus juvandis ac consolandis ex zelo irregulari absque Christi mandato patres exhibuerunt paulatim in eam transiit idololatriam â—nt aliqui non minùs administrationi sacra coena quà m baptismi salutemex opere operato tribuerint That is The helpe and nemedie they used out of irregular zeale without Christs precept for the comfort and helpe of the weaker ended at last into such idolatrie that they ascrived no lesse their salvation to the administration of the holy supper then of baptisme and that by vertue of the worke wrought or deed done Therefore he adviseth us to beware that we foster not men in a superstitious opinion by privat or domestick administration of the Lords supper Calvin saith Difficillimum est hic cavere ne alios superstitio alios ambitio vanaâ—ostentatio ad petendum solliciter That is It is verie hard to bee avoided that superstition stirre not up some ambition and ostentation others to crave it Bullinger saith If wee bee contentious in the defence of this viaticum there will bee bred againe that which wee have seene receaved in some ages before a relying npon the very receaving it selfe of the sacrament as if for it wee were acceptable to God and departing out of this world did flie straightway to heaven and without it were carried straightway to hell And many 〈◊〉 errours will spring up Tilenus saith in his syntagma Whatsoever necessitie be pretended hardly cast any sufficient cause be rendered wherefore the publicke action should passe in a privat Because he ordâ—nance of God is supreme necessitie which wee must obey rather then faster the infirmitie of man Illa enim infirmorum levamenta ex â—â—ordinem olim adhibita infirmitatem publicam totius ecclesia magis foverunt auxerunt quà m privatam agrotan ium sanarunt That is The ease tendered by the cont non order upon the infirme dâ—d rather cherish and augment the publicke disease of the whole Church then heal the privat disease of the sicke As for the pretended necessitie of comfort to the sicke that same answer may be given that the English service book giveth when none can be had to communicate with the sicke or for extremitie of sicknesse or other just impediment he cannot communicate The carat shall instruct him that if hee doe truly repent him of his sinnes and stâ—edfastly beleeve that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the crosse for him and shed his bloud for his redemption earnestly remembring the ben sits he hath thereby and giving him hartie thankes therefore hee doth eat and drinke the body and bloud of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soules health although he doth not receave the sacrament with his mouth May not the like bâ—e said to the sicke in body but ignorant or superstitious in minde when the sacrament may not bee celebrated at their bedside without breach of Gods ordinance The Rhemists do acknowledge that they doe eat the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ which joyne in hart and desire with the part 〈◊〉 of the sacrament A man may die a martyr before he receave either baptisme or the Lords supper How many Catechumeni have died before they were baptized The comfort and benefit wee receave at any publicke communion is not restrained to the present time but serveth at all times for our use Wee were but once baptized yet the comfort and benefite endureth all our life long Our spirituall communion with Christ and to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by faith is ever so necessarie that otherwise we cannot be safe but so is not the participation of the Lords supper Onely wee must beware of neglect and contempt of the publicke administration The godly know in their agonie they never want shall which is chiefe and onely necessarie where in they so acquiesce that they will not without the Lords institution trouble the comlinesse and order of the Church for their owne privat satisfaction Norunt pij in agone nun quaâ—ijs dâ—esse quod praecipuum est soâ—ùm necessarium in quo ita acquiescunt ut extra Dom ni institutionem nolunt ecclesia ordinem decorum turbare ut sibi privatim satisfaciant This pretended necessitie grounded upon superstitious conceats hath drawne on a neglect of the publicke communion because in time of their need they looke for it in privat Ab ista manducatione clinica cui quisque in papatufidit ortho est in plerisque communicandi contemptus cum prospera valetudine fruuntur ad quod semel tantum in anno ex ecclesiae sua praescripto obligantur The whole congregation hath interest in the celebration and is
24. 30. Mat. 14. 13. Mark 6. 〈◊〉 7. Luk. 9. Ioh. 1. 27. Pag. 39. De eucharist lib. 4. caâ— â—5 That Christ and his disciples sat Iohn 14. 31 On the Lords supper 1 part pag. 136. That their gesture was a kinde of sitting gesture Exercit. pag. 490. P. acknowledgeth sitting lawfull Christs example our direction pag. 47. Iudeorum praecept Cassaâ—dri opera pag. 737 Answere to the Rhemists Matth. 20. 20. On. 1. Cor. 11. 23 Standing at the passeover changed Tom. 4. l. 1. c. 17. Iunius Tremel in Mat. 26. 20. in Exod. 12. 11. Scaliger Sitting suteable with the supper Piscator in Matth. 26. 26. In Matth. 26 Aquin. par quest 60. 〈◊〉 forme maniere du ministre ecclsiastique fol. 84. Christs precept Do this De sacrameÌ„t fol. 95. The Apostles continued sitting Amesius in Bellarm. enervato tom 3. p. 177. pag. 86. The Corinthians saâ— 1 Cor. 11. 19. In illud oportct haereses esse Page 654. edit in 40. Ibid. Decretal l. 3. â—t 41. cap. 6. Exercit. 16. pag. 511. Estius in 1. Cor. 11. 20. â—or 11. Obek pag. 653. Pag M. P. pag. 86. and 94. Second serm pag. 61. Other circumstances not continued Paraeus de symbolis ritib. euchar pag. 152. Exercit. pag. 511. Sitting continued in ages following Calvin instit l. 4. c. 17. s. 13. Mornaeus de missa lib. 1. c. 1. 5. De origine error pag 46 Decreti part 3. de consecrat distat â— cap. 17. Euagrius l. 6. cap. 13. L. his defence pag. 53. 54. Hist. l. 5. c. 23 Nicephor l. 12. c. 34. First volum pag. 209. edit 1610. Zwingl expositio fidei Christianae edita Buâ—ling anno 1536. Standing not so convenient as sitting Kneeling not warranted by the example of Christ. Instit. lib. 4. c. 37. sect 33. Beza centra Harch vol. 3. pag. 182. Hist. sacrament lib. 4. pag. 182. Kneeling not sutable to the Suppertable L. pag. 51. L. pag. 43. 44. Tilen synt de sacrif missae sect 32. Willeâ—s synops pag. 478 edit 1614. pag. 681. Ovid. Fast. 5 The Communion celebrate in form of a feast Piscator in Matth. 26. in observationiâ—bus in versu 26. seqq Mornaeus de eucharist lib. 4. cap. 7. Forma minâ—â—ster ecclesiaâ—ster Observation upoÌ„ the form of speach On the Lords supper part 1. pag. 8. The distribution by the Communicants excludeth kneeling Christ commanded them to devide the cup. Hierom. epist. ad Hedibiam Clemens Alexan. in pâ—edagog â— c. 2. Muscul. de coena DomituÌ„ Annot. in Marc. 14. 25. Meuschii defens harm generalis cap. 4. In 3. part tom 3. quast 78. num 41. Swarez in 3. part tom 3. p. 909. L. 62. Hospin hist. sacra l. 1. c. 1. lib. 2. c. 1. p. 31. Swarez in 3. part Thomae tom 3. p. 861. Bellarm. de euchar l. 4. cap. 25. Piscator in Matth. 26. v. 26. in schoilis Antiquitaâ—um convivialium lib. 3. cap. 10. They distributed not only the cup but the bread Piscat in Matth. 26. Hosp. hist. facrâ—m lib. 2. p. 31. Estius in 1 Cor. 10. 16 Beza epist. 2. On the Lords supper 2. part pag. 97. Bellarm. de euchar lib. 4. cap. 25. The Apostles continued this distribution Raynerius in summa Bulling decâ—d 6. serm 9. fol. 364. fol. 364. fol. 360. Hom. 118. Bellar. de eu charist lib. 4. cap. 24. Estius in 1 Cor. 10. 16. R. Stephan glossa in Mat. 26. Estius in 1 Cor. 10. 16. Durand Rationaâ—â—â— c. 1. Casaub. oxercit pag. 537. Breaking of bread for representation Against the Rhenâ—ists or Mat. 26. 28. Lanfranc de euchar Alger de sacrament lib. 2. cap. 8. Chamierde cucharl 7. c. 13. num 14. Bullinger Decad. 5. serm 7. Gualt Homil 295. in Matth. Breaking of bread for distribution Seâ—rariuâ— in Iosuam 6. 9. quest 6. Bulling 〈◊〉 decad 5. serm 7. Hom. 118. in Marc. Expos. fidei Christian. ad Reg. Christian in 80. fol. 40. De riâ—ibus ecclesiae Tigurinae c. 13. Not necessary that the minister dispense the elements Proceedings at Perth asscmbly pag. 60. 61. Swarez in â— part tom 3. p. 861. Vazquez in part 3. tom 3. disp 219. num 12. 13. The inconveniences following upon the ministers dispensing L. pag. 56. Christ spake in the plurall number at the deliverie Suarez in â— part tom 3. pag. 702. Paraeus de symbolis pag. 166 Distribution continued in ages following Calvin institint l. 4. c. 13. c. s. 11. See Salmeâ—on in Morâ—on of the inâ—tution â—31 Strâ—â—at l. 1. De corona militis c. 3. Homil. 118. in Marcum Christs forme the most perfite Bulling Decad. 5. serm 9. Hospin histor sacrament lib. 1. cap. â— c. 5. Grat. de coâ—secrat dist 2. cap. 3. pag. 49. Conformitie with idolaters forbidden Becan analogia vet novi testamenti Aquiâ— 1. 2. quaest 10â— â—â—rt 6. ad 6. Bellarm. de monach cap. 40. Calvin on 〈…〉 Zanch. de redempt lâ— r. c. 14. circa initium Tertul. de oratio c. 12. De idol cap. 14. De corona militis August confess l. 6. c. 2. Brac. 2. can 73. August epist. 86. Tolled 4. can 5. Brac. 1. can 32. Sâ—areâ— in 3. part tom 3. disâ— sect 2. Last edâ—t pag. 40â— Riveâ—tus pag. 205. Distinct. 63. cap. Quia sancta Bellarm. dâ— Monach. cap. 40. pag. 116. Cap. de tradition Censura c. 4. Censura c. 9. The equitie of none conformity with idolaters Kneeling a monument of idolatrie pag. 370. pag. 118. Kneeling scandalous to papists Scandalous to the godly In 2. praecept pag. 387. Last edit de redempt pag. 541. Col. 160. Reply 2 part pag. 164. Homij specimen controy Belg. in fine pag. 123. pag. 70. Cyprian lib. 1 epist. 11. The Polonian synods mistaking pag. 200. The pretended remedie of preaching naught Epist. 121. Commandement of the magistrate no just eâ—cuse In 3 praecept col 634. 1 King 20 39. Kneeling established by the Antichrist and not by the ancient Church See Riveti specimen critici sacri lib. 2. cap. 13. Bellarm. de script pag. 84. part 2. pag. 65. Spalat de rep eccles l. 5. c. 6. num 69. Ad Eâ—roicensem epist. pag. 241. De consecratio dist 3. cap. venera â—ilis De consecratio dist 1. cap. Apostolica Tertull. advers Hermoginem D. B. of kneeling pag. 85. Fulk in 1 Cor. 11. sect 18. Tertullians testimonie vindicated Lib. de oratione c. 14. pag. 54. pag. 225. Sitting or standing practised in the ancient Church See Euseb. histor lib. 7. cap. 9. Homil. in oncoeniis Bellarminus de cultu sanctor cap. 11. Tertull. de Corona militis Decretal l. 3. tit de celebrat Missa cap. sarct Quaest. 1â—5 Synops. cuest 8. of the masse pag. 691. Bochel decret lib. 3. c. 140. Opposite to kneeling Erasm. epist. lib. 14. 〈…〉 Kneeling to be rejected because abused The act of Perth intendeth idolatry pag. 70. The first reason of the act examined The second reason of the act examined L. p. 72 73. Casaub. exercit pag. 550. Ambrose in 1