word participation of the sacraments Commemoration of divine misteries may be performed upon the ordinary sabbath but to make up a festival day Bellarm. requireth a determination of a day signification and representation of the misteries wrought on such dayes Scaliger observeth that the ordinary sabbothes were never called Chaggim as the anniversarie solemnities were 1. Reason against festivall dayes Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe These words are either a command to doe the works of our calling as many both Iewish and Christian divines doe interprete or els a permission as others doe interpret If they contein a command no countremand may take it away If a permission no human authority may spoile men of the liberty that God hath granted unto them as long as they haue any maner of worke to doe for the sustentation of this life The Muscovits therefore say very well that it is for Lords to keepe feasts and abstien from labour The Citizens and Artificers amongst them upon the festivall dayes after divine service do betake themselues to their labour and domestick affaires as Gaguinus reporteth It may be objected that Constantine the Emperour made a law that none but the Prince may ferias coÌ„dere erect an idle day the Prince then may inioyne a day of Cessation Answer The Lawes of the â—od are not rules of theologie A Prince may not inioyne Cessation from Oeconomicall and domestick works but for weapon shewing exercise of armes defence of the country or other publick works and affaires But that is not to injoyne a day of simple Cessation but to inioyne a politick work in place of the oeconomicall Every particular member ceassing from their particular work exerciseth another work serving for the preservation of the whole bodie The curse that Adam shall eate with the sweate of his browes is mitigated by the permission of six dayes labour The Lord permitteth unto man six lest he devoure the seventh day which is sanctified What if the Kirk representatiue injoyne a weekly holy day as another sabboth ought the Kirke to be obeyed what power hath the Kirk representatiue to inioyne an anniversary day more then a weekly or hebdomadary holy day If a day of simple Cessation from all maner of work Oeconomicall and politicall may not be inioyned a festivall day may not be inioyned I say further that the poore craftsman can not lawfully be commanded to lay aside his tooles and goe passe his time no not for an houre let be for a day as long as he is willing to worke and perhaps urged with the sharpnes of present necessity And yet farther that he ought not to be compelled to leaue his worke to goe to divine service except on the day that the Lord hath sanctified The second Reason It is the priuiledge of Gods power to appoint a day of rest and to sanctifie it to his honour as our best Divines mainteine Zanchius affirmeth that it is proper to God to choose any person or any thing to consecrate and sanctifie it to himselfe as it belongeth to him alone to justify Catechismus Hollandicus saith no wise man will deny that this sanctification belongeth onely to God that it is manifest sacriledge to attribute these things to men which are onely of divine ordination Willet sayth It belongeth onely to the Creator to sanctifie the Creature In the booke of Ecclesiasticus cap. 33.7.8 it is demanded Why doth one day excell another when as the light of every day of the yeare is of the Sun It is answered By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished and he altered seasons and feasts Some of them hath he made hie dayes and hallowed them Some of them he hath made ordinary dayes The common tenent of the Divines was acknowledged by the pretended Bishop of Galloway in his Sermon at the last Christmas It may offend you sayd he that this is an holy day I say there is no power either civill or Ecclesiasticall can make an holy day no King no Kirk onely the Lord that made the day and distinguished it from the night he hath sanctified the seventh day The like was acknowledged by M. P. Galloway in his Christmas Sermons If the speciall sanctification of a day to an holy use dependeth upon Gods commandement and institution then neither King nor Kirke representatiue may make an holy day The observers of dayes will say they count not their anniverserie daies holier then other dayes but that they keep them only for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises Answer The Papists will confesse that one day is not holier then another in its owne nature no not the Lords day for then the Sabboth might not haue been changed from the last to the first day of the weeke But they affirme that one day is holier then another in respect of the end and vse And so doe wee They call them holy dayes and so doe wee They vse them as memoriall signes of sacred mysteries whereof they carie the names as Nativitie Passion Ascension c. And so doe wee The presence of the festivitie putteth a man in minde of the mysterie howbeit he haue not occasion to be present in the holy Assembly We are commanded to obserue them in all points as the Lords day both in the publick Assemblies and after the dissoluing of the same Yea it is left free to teach any parte of Gods word on the Lords day but for solemnitie of the festiuall solemne texts must be chosen Gospels Epistles collects Psalmes must be framed for the particular service of these dayes and so the mysticall dayes of mans appointment shall not onely equall but in solemnity surpasse the morall sabboth appointed by the Lord. Doth not Hooker say that the dayes of publick memorials should be cloathed with the outward robes of holines They aledge for the warrant of anniversary festivities the Ancients who call them Sacred and misticall dayes If they were instituted only for order and policie that the people may Assemble to religious exercises Wherefore is there but one day appointed betwixt the Passion and Resurection fortie dayes betwixt the Resurrection and Ascension Ten betwixt the Ascension and Pentecost Wherefore follow we the course of the Moone as the Iewes did in our moveable feasts making the christian Church cloathed with the Sunne to walk vnder the Moone as Bonauentura alludeth Wherefore is there not a certain day of the moneth kept for Easter as well as for the nativitie Doth not Bellarmine giue this reason out of Augustine that the day of the Natiuity is celebrate only for memorie the other both for memorie and for sacraments Ille celebratur solum ob memoriam ideo semper die 25. Decembris at lâ—fe celebratur ob memoriam sacramentum ideo variatur If the anniversarie commemorations were like the weekely preachings as the two forenamed preachers made the comparison why
indured after the dayes of Malachi as Drusius afirmeth They had Vrim and Thummim under the first Temple and in place thereof a slender voyce sounding from the heaven called Bathkol under the second Temple as Tremellius hath observed Next the Pharisees and degenerating Iewes filled their Kalendar with fond feasts of their owne invention as the festivities of the Equinoctiall and festivall dayes other wayes called the feasts of the Tekuphas or converted any ancient order into a solemne feast as the day appointed for carying wood to the Temple to maintein the fire of the altar Nehem. 10.34 they turned into a feast called the feast of Xylophoria A holie day is to be observed not by a few but by all but all were not appointed to bring wood but those only who were designed by lot It is no wonder therefore that they took the like course with the dayes of Purim But wee are not to imitate the Pharises and fond Iewes The fourth Reason The observation of anniversarie dayes pertained to the ceremoniall law but so it is that the ceremoniall law is abolished The anniversarie dayes were distinguished from the morall sabboth Many were the preheminences of the ordinary sabboth aboue the anniversary 1. It was more ancient given to Adam in the state of innocencie 2. vttered by Gods owne mouth 3. Written with Gods owne finger in durable stone 4. The Lord himself in a manner rested on it when as he rained not Manna that day 5. It was more strictly observed then the other holy dayes therefore some say it was called Shabbath Shabbathon Therefore likewayes the Iewes measured unto it a sabboth dayes journey 6. Other holy dayes were celebrated either in remembrance of a by-past benefite or to signify somthing to come It excelled them in both faith Bellarmine 7. Other holy dayes gaue place unto it The Iewes made a Canon that two Sabbothes should not concurre together propter olera propter mortuoâ— that is because they could not keepe in that hote region their sodden meats two dayes together nor the bodies of the dead unburied for stink and putrifaction Therefore they transferred this sabboth of extraordinary solemnity immediatly proceeding the ordinary sabboth to the ordinary sabboth They were drawne to it it was never drawen to them See Causabonus In a word the Iewes held it in greater estimaton then the rest They called it The Queene of the holy dayes and the secrete of the living God The three solemnities called Regalim were Temple feasts They were bound to celebrate them at the Temple the publick theater of all the Iewish ceremonies The Apostle calleth them Weake and beggerly elements Galat. 4.9.10 The elements of the world Coloss. 2.20 Shadowes of things to come Coloss. 2.16.17 The Apostle saith not the observation of Iudaicall dayes but simpliciter the observation of dayes served to the people of God for a typicall use and a rudiment of religion If the observation of some anniversary dayes was prescribed to the Iewes as elements and rudiments for their instruction it followeth that the observation of anniversarie dayes is of it selfe a rudimentary instruction otherwayes the Apostles reason will not hould The Apostle condemneth difference of dayes as he condemneth difference of meats To esteeme some meats cleane and some uncleane is Iudaicall howbeit we obserue not the same difference that the Iewes did Dayes and meats are parallelled together to esteeme one day holier then another not so discerned by the Lords commandement must be also Iudaicall The Kirk vnder the Gospell hath past the rudiments and therefore the observation of anniversary daies doth not beseeme her To substitute other dayes in place of the Iewish a Christian Pasâ—â—e and Pentecost for the Iewish is but to substitute rudiments and elements ro the Iewish not to chase away but to change the Iewish holy dayes as Bellarmine doth Non est sublata sed mutata significatio â—et discretio dierum The Iewish frankincense was a perfume the Popish is a simple frankincense without any other ingredient The Iewish lights were of oyle the popish of wax and yet wee charge them with Iudaizing The Iewes had no anniversary dayes but such as were abrogate They were abrogate not only as shadowes of things to come but also as memorials of bygone benefites Even as they were dayes of remembrance they belonged to the pedagogy of the law Converted Iewes may not lawfully obserue the Iewish festivities even as remembrances of bygone benefits In every respect all their anniversary dayes are abolished and they had none other but such as were abolished Therefore in every respect they belonged to the ceremoniall Law The observation therefore of anniversary dayes even in respect of remembrance was to the Iewes pedagogicall rudimentary and elementary and counsequently ceremoniall The Bishop of Chester confesseth that all the solemne feasts were of a ceremoniall nature If the Iewes had no anniversary solemnities to indure after Christs comming when they should be converted to Christianisme how can the observation of anniversary dayes be taken up by Christians The fifth Reason The prerogatiue belonging to God in the old Testament was transferred to Christ God and Man the law-giver in the new Testament one that was faihfull in all the house of God But so it is that Christ neither by his own coÌ„mandement nor by direction of his spirit inspiring the Apostles instituted any other day but the Lords day If there had been any other dayes dedicated to Christ the Apostle spoke unproperly and obscurely when he sayd he was ravished in the spirit upon the Lords day If there had been a day for his Nativity another for his passion he should haue sayd he was ravished in the spirit upon one of the Lords dayes Seeing Iohn out-lived the rest of the Apostles It followeth that there was no other holy day observed in the Apostolicall times Neither was the institution of the Lords day so much a new institution as a change of the ordinary Sabboth The extraordinary Sabboths were in every respect ceremoniall The ordinary Sabboth had both substance and ceremony By reason of the substance it was changed into the Lords day answering analogically to it The morall use of the ordinary sabboth was for the service of God in generall both private and publick The mysticall use was to be a memoriall of things by-past and a shadow of things to come The morall use indureth the mysticall uses are evanished Christ appeared the first day of the weeke and every eighth day thereafter untill he ascended saith Iunius And that therefore the Apostles delivered to the Kirke the observation of this day from Christs example and institution which he confirmeth with the iudgement of Cyrillus and Augustine The blessing of the seventh day was translated to this day instituted by Christ because all sanctification floweth to Christians from Christ. But it is sufficient that the Apostles inspired by his Spirit haue recommended this day to the
Kirke There is another reason to proue that there were no other dayes appoynted in the Apostles times The Apostle had occasions to treat of holy dayes reasoning against the observation of Iewish dayes they direct them to no other as the purpose required The Apostle condemneth not onely the observation of the Iewish daies nor the Iewish observation of the Iewish daies to a typicall use For the converted Iewes did not obserue them as shadowes of things to come for then they had denied Christ but he condemneth observation of dayes as a Iewish custome and rite as a pedagogicall and rudimentary instruction not beseeming the Christian Kirke Zanchius speaketh to this purpose after this manner Magis consentaneum est cum prima institutione cum scriptis Apostolicis ut unus tantum dies in septimana sanctisicetur It is more agreeable to the first institution and the writings of the Apostles that one day of the weeke onely be sanctified Against this Argument is first alledged that the Apostle compareth with the observation of dayes Rom. 14.5.6 Answ. The Apostle beareth with the infirmity of the weake Iewes who understood not the fulnesse of the Christian liberty And the ceremoniall law was as yet not buried But the same Apostle reproveth the Galatians who had attained to this libertie and had once left off the observation of daies Next the Iudaicall dayes had once that honour as to be appointed by God himselfe but the anniversary dayes appointed by men haue not the like honour It is secondly obiected that seeing the Lords day was instituted in remembrance of Christs resurrection the other notable acts of Christ ought likewise to be remembred with their severall festivities Answer It followeth not that because Christ did institute in remembrance of one benefite therefore men may institute for other benefites 2. Christs resurrection was a benefite including the rest as an accomplishment of the worke of redemption and answered anagogically to the common benefit of creation by the beginning of a new creation 3. We deny that the Lords day was appointed to celebrate the memory onely of Christs resurrection For then the Lords resurrection the proper subiect of all Homilies Sermons Gospels Epistles Collects Hymnes and Psalmes belonging to the Paschall seruice should be the proper subject of deuine seruice euery Lords day Then the Lords day shovld be a festivall day and it were vnlawfull to fast on it It was instituted for the remembrance of all his actions and generalie for his worship Athanasius sayth In Sabathâ— conuenimus ut Dominum Sabathi Iesum adoremus Wee conuene on the Sabboth that wee may adore Iesus the Lord of the Sabboth Augustin sayth Domineus hic dies idâ—irco dicitur quia eo die Dominus resurrexit vel ut ipso nomine doceret illuÌ„ Domino consecratum esse debere It is called the Lords day because the Lord rose that day or that the name might teach us that it ought to be consecrate to the Lord. It is called the Lords day either becase the Lord did institute it as the dayes of Purim are called Mordecaies dayes in the second of the Maccabees and the communion is called the Lords Supper Or els because it was instituted to the Lords honour and worship The Iewish Sabboth was the Sabboth of the Lord our God The Christian sabboth is the Sabboth of Christ our Lord God and Man The name of Lord was more frequent in the mouths of Christians in the Apostlick times then the name of Christ as Rhenanus hath obserued When it is called commonly the Lords day it is all one as if it were commonly called Christs day Changeing the title but not the purpose If the ordinary sabboth be Christs day appointed by himselfe or his Apostles at his direction for the remembrance of all his actions and for his worship in generall to diuide his actions and appoint anniversary and mysticall dayes for their remembrance is superstitious wil-worship and a Iudaicall addition to Christs institution Christs day answereth analogicallie to the morall sabboth It may be applied to the remembrance of Christs resurrection seeing he rose that day and in some sort to bâ— a signe of the heavenly rest But that is typus communis factus A common type fitted to resemble such things But not typus distinâ—â—us appointed by God for that end It resteth then that Christs day or the Lords day is the Christian sabboth a continuation of the morall sabboth and to be obserued in a morall maner for all the paise of Gods worship in and through Christ and not in a misticall maner for the joyfull remembrance of Christ resurrection onely It is thirdly objected that Paul kept the feast of Pentecost Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16. I answer It was the Iewish Pentecost whereof mention is made in these places Paul needed not to haue travelled to Ierusalem for he might haue observed the Christian Pentecost euery where Bellarmin himself wil not be so bold as to affirme that it was the Christian Pentecost Francolinus putteth it out of doubt and sayth it is against the common exposition of the interpreters for sayeth he Tune temporis non erant celebres christianorum festivitates cum Euangelium non esset ad huc plenè promulgatum the festiuities of Christians were not as yet celebrated for the Gospell was not yet fully published It is fourthly objected out of the Epistles of Policarpus Pollycrates extant in the history of Eusebius and out of Beda following Eusebius that the Apostles kept the feast of Easter Answer Beda was but a fabler and a follower of fabulous reports Eusebius was little better treading vnknowne foot-steps as himself confesseth in the beginning of his storie The Epistles alledged are counterfeit for it is said in these Epistles that Iohn was a Priest and bare on his forehead the Patalum that is the golden plate like that of the high Priests Exod. 37.36 But no man will graunt sayth Scaliger Neutrum concedit quisciverit nullam Christi Apostolum sacerdotem fuisse nulli preterquam Summo Sacerdoti Petalon gestare licuisse That either Iohn or Iames bare it who vnderstand that none of Christs Apostles was a priest and that it was lawfull to none but the hie priest to beare the golden plate And yet these Epistles are the eldest records that Eusebius can ground vpon The Bishop of Elie in his sermon taketh needlesse pains to prove the antiquity of Ester But when he proveth it to be Apostolicall he shooteth short His eldest antiquity is the counterfeit Epistles before alledged His proofe out of scripture Psalm 118.8 1. Cor. 5.7.8 are very weake For the first testimonie is applyed to euery Lords day and is not to be restrained to Pasche day Christ crucified and refused of the builders was demonstrate to be the corner stone For that day he was demonstrate to be the son of God by his resurrection according to Dauids Prophesie To
day haue I begotten thee applied to the resurrection by the Apostle Act. 13.33 The Lords day is the day that the Lord hath created let us exult and reioyce in it Christ instituted it David prophecied of it Psal. 110. where it is called the day of the Lords Assemblies Many memorable things were done under the old Testament upon this day to declare that it should be an excellâ—nt day under the new Testament specially Circumcision was commanded on the eight day as a sacrament of that day saith Iunius Quia Sacramentum fuit diei illius octavi quo dominus Iesus Christus resurrexit following in this conceit the Ancients Cyprian Ambrose c. If it be true that is affirmed by the Councill of Constantinople it would appeare that the Lord hath of purpose heaped his wonderfull works upon this day for there it is said that Christ was born on it The star shined to the wise men on it Christ fed 5000. with 5 loaues and 2 fishes on it Christ was baptized on it rose on it sent down the H. Ghost on it one it the light was created Pope Leo likewise saith Dies dominica tantis disâ—â—nsationuÌ„ mysteriis est consecrata ut quicquid insigne admodum est constitutum in terris in hujus diei dignitatem sit gestum id est that the Lords day is consecrate with so manie misteries dispensed on it that it appeareth that whatsoever potable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day So if the prophey of David should be aplied to any precise day it should be applied to the Lords day But seeing the words are to be understood as well of David as of Christ the day is taken for the time indefinitely wherein David was made King and the Corner Stone of Gods people The other testimony importeth not the celebration of Ester feast upon any anniversary day but rather the Apostle teacheth us to celebrate this feast of the Passover all the yeare long with the vnleavened bread of sincerity and turth Doctor Fulk in his answer to the Rhemists upon the same place citeth Augustine referring this feasting not to the celebration of Ester nor to the receiuing of Pasche communion but to our whole life It is therefore onely the Bishops conjècture that the incestuous person was cut of against the feast of Ester that a little leaven might not leaven the whole lump His last proofe is taken from the custome of baptisme and the Eucharist ministred upon Pasch day as if they had been ministred only on that day It was the decree of Pope Innocentius in the Lateran Councill that all should communicate at Ester The Christian Sabboth was called the Lords day the day of light and the day of Bread The day of light because of baptisme ministred ordinarily on the Lords day for the Ancients called baptisme Light or illumination The day of bread because of the administration of the Supper ordinarily upon the Lords day as Iunius proveth out of Chrysostome baptisme was tyed of ould to Pentecost as well as Ester It was an evill custome disallowed both by ancient and moderne Divines It was not so in the Primitiue Kirk as Cassander beareth witnes Apostolorum doctrinae consentientes nullo temporum aut locorum delectu statim post fidei professionem ab Apostolis vel Apostolorum discipulis baptismi sacramento in Ecclesiam Christi captabantur I will now frame an argument against this conceit of Apostolicall tradition and observation of Pafch The Apostles were led all their life time by the infallible direction of the Spirit If they had accorded on the observaton of Ester they had not disagreed on the day But their most ancient records the bastard Epistles aboue mentioned report that Philip and Iohn kept the fourtenth day of the moone as the Iewes did and Peter the Lords day following the fourteenth day of the moone It is well said in the preface to the harmony of confessions that the old contention about the celebrating of Ester tossed very hotly the space of two hundred yeares or thereabout betwixt the Greeks and the Latines was long since of us thought worthy of laughter Whitaker saith Magnam quidem de hoc re olim fuisse contentioneÌ„ sed sine causa ut miruÌ„ sit de re tantilla et pene nullius momenti tantas et tam graves fuisse dissentiones wondring at their frivolous contention The golden number invented to find out the new moone for observing the right day after that they accorded upon one day hath often failed and notwithstanding of all the rules set downe by the Councill of Nice for uniformity in keeping the day it hath been differently observed through mistaking as Bellamine himselfe confesseth So God suffered the Christian world to wander notwithstanding of their golden number to let the world see such customes had not his allowance He suffered not the Iewes to wander in such incertainties after he had appointed them unto the keeping of their Passeover Lastly they reason with Augustine á posteriori that seeing the Lords Passion Resurrection Ascension comming down of the holy Ghost is celebrated with anniversarie solemnity through all the world they must needs haue been ordained either by the Apostles or by generall Councels But so it is that those dayes were solemnly kept before there was any generall Councell It must follow therefore that the Apostles ordained them Answer Augustines dis-junction is not necessary For many customes crept in and prevailed thereafter universally which were neither ordained by the Apostles nor generall Councels Socrates in his History sayth I am of opinion that as many other things crept in of custome in sundry places so the feast of Easter to haue prevailed among all people of a certain private custome and observation insomuch that not one of the Apostles hath any where prescribed so much as one rule of it to any man The successe event hath manifestly declared unto the world that of old it was observed not of Canon but of custome And a little after They that keepe Easter the 14. 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 themselues that they should leaue such a tradition yet there is none of them that can shew in writing any testimony of theirs for confirmation and proofe of that custome Thus farre Socrates translated by Doctor Hanmer a formalist for answer to Augustines rule In the dayes of Iustinus Martyr that is in the midst of the second age after the Apostles there is no mention made of any other holy day then the Lords day In his second Apologie he seemeth to affirme that the Christians had onely two times of publicke meetings the one ordinary upon the Lords day the other extraordinary and uncertaine viz. when any was converted to the Christian faith and baptized As for the
questions extant among Iustinus workes the learned do not acknowledge them for his In Augustins rule there is no mention of the nativity day As for the other foure daies mentioned put the case they were universally observed in Augustines time that is in the fift age after the Apostles yet except they were perpetually observed Augustines rule will not helpe them If If they cannot proue Pasche to be Apostolicall how will they proue the Penticost the Passion Ascension day to be Apostolicall There is Sermons extant amongst Cyprians workes upon the Passion and Ascension dayes But Bellarmine himselfe confesseth these Sermons of Christs cardinall workes to be suppesitions The observing of the passion day brought into the kirk set dayes of fasting the Friday fast Lenton fast and a number of superstitions accompanying the said fastings together with the opinion of merit by fasting Set anniversary fasts are condemned by our Divines The right manner of fasting is to fast when some iudgement is imminent some great worke to bee performed And as for the private man when hee is greatly tempted to sin and cannot overcome his tentation then is it fittest time for him to fast The Paschall fasts were also abused for the Paschall communion following as if Easter communion required greater preparation then any other communion in the yeare The sixth Reason If it had been the will of God that the severall actes of Christ should haue been celebrate with severall solemnities the Holy Ghost would haue made known to us the day of his Nativity Circumcision presentation to the Temple Baptisme Transfiguration and the like For it is kindly to remember Opus diâ—i in die sua the worke of the day in the own day This was the custome of old under the Law Hooker sayth That the wondrous works of God advanced the dayes times wherein they were wrought Bellarmine sayth That Christs acts did consecrate the dayes and times wherein they were wrought If the principall workes of God advance some dayes above other all the dayes of the yeare should be holy If we should honour the memory of Christs actes all dayes likewise should bâ— holy because every one of them is full of his miracles as Leâ— sayth Christ by his actions did no more consecrate the times wherein they were wrought then his body did the Mangâ—r or the Crosse. Not Christs action on a day but his institution maketh a day holy If Christs actions advance consecrate the dayes whereon they were wrought the dayes ought to be known Otherwise it will fall out that we shall keepe the dayes holy that were never advanced noâ— consecrated either by Christs action or institution But so it is that the day of Christ nativity and consequently the other dayes depending upon the calculation of the same is hid from mortall men That Christ was born the 25. day of December is grounded upon an erroneous conceit that Zachary the father of Iohn Baptist was an high Priest when as he was a Priest of one of the 24. orders that is of the order of Abijah The Auncients made Iohn the Baptist to be conceiued the 24. of September when Zachary as high Priest should haue offered up incense And from the conception of Iohn they counted six full moneths to the conception of Christ that is to the 25. of March when as they should haue counted but fiue full moneths This opinion of Christs nativitie on the 25. day of December was bred at Rome Scaliger sayth Post seculum Constantini Romae haec observatio instituta tempore Chrysostomi Constantinopolin derivata est That this observation was instituted at Rome after Constantines time Chrysostom in his Homilies upon the Nativity saith That ten yeares agoe before the making of the sayd Homily the 25. day of December was made known to the Orientall Kirkes by the Occidentall to haue been the day of Christs Nativity Epiphanius testifieth that hee was ignorant that the Occidentall Kirk had ordained the 25. day of December to haue been the day of the Lords nativity a little before hee made his booke against heresies All the Kirkes of the East and of Egypt observed one day for the nativity and baptisme of Christ upon the Epiphany day Ambrose is the most ancient who maketh mention of the 25. day of December sayth Scaliger The diversity of the Ancients observing some the 6. of Ianuary Some the 19. of Aprill Some the 19. of May. Some the 25. of December argueth that the Apostles never ordained it Bellarmine nor no other can produce a writer for 300. yeares to testifie that the Nativity day was keept Clemens Constitutions are known to be counterfet and late as Scaliger proveth in the same place Because they make mention of the 25. day of december which was not receaved in his time namely in the Orientall Kirk By the same argument may the counterfeit Epistle of Theophilus be rejected for it maketh likewayes the nativity to fall on the 25 day of December as a matter out of all doubt Cyprians sermon on the Nativity is acknowledg by Bellarmine himselfe to be suppositious as I haue said before Yee se then as God hid the body of Moses so hath he hid this day and other dayes depending on the calculation of it wherein he declared his wil concerning the other daies of his notablâ— acts To wit that not Christs action but Christs institution maketh a day holy Bellarmine sayth Dies dominica refert nobis memoriam natalis Christi et resurrectionis ejusdem et adventus Spirit us Sancti nam Christ us die dominica nat us est Christ was borne vpon the Lords day If this be true what needeth vs an anniuersarie day after a Iewish manner They will not suffer the ordinary sabboth that is Christs day serue in a morall maner for vnknown dayes but they will set vp a mysticall day vncertain and vnknown and equall it with the Lords day that is the true Christs day institute by himself Why should we follow antiquity blinded in this point fostâ—r a grosse error of Zacharius hie priesthood against the expresse word of God He was a Priest of the eight order every order kept their course and station about the Temple from sabboth to sabboth 1. Chron. 9.25 None of them incrhoched vpon othâ—r but kept the order set down by David and to that effect was made a severe Cannon Euery Priest or Levit that medled with the function of another let him die the death as Scaliger reporteth out of their ancient lawes Omnis sive Sacerdos sive Levita qui sese immiseuerit function alterius capite luat This order was so observed that if any of the 24. families had failed either by famine or by the sword the daily sacrifice ceased in the time of their function and no other family would supply the roome But from the instauration and dedication made by Iudas Maccabeus the 22. day of November when the first family began
to keepe their Station there was no intermission of the daily sacrifice no interruption of the courses till the destruction of the Temple as Scaliger proveth in the end of his booke By the calculation from the 22. of November at the dedication made by Maccabeus he maketh Iohn the Baptist to be conceived after the 28. day of Iuly and consequently Christs birth to fall out about the end of September an hot time of the yeare when the Shepheards were watching in the field Casaubon saith That the custome of the Kirke of Alexandria doth wonderfully confirme the calculation of Scaliger The day of the weeke when Christ was borne can no mortall man know sayth the same Scaliger They who were of one family diuided the services among themselues as it fell by lot some fell to offer Incense some to dresse the lampes some to order the wood on the Altar 1. Chron. 23.28.29.30.31 And the booke of the Iewish Liturgies testifies the same So you see how it fell Zachary to offer up incense and that he was not high Priest If antiquitie erred so grossely in the matter it selfe that is in taking the 25. day of December for the day of Christs nativity might they not haue erred as grossely in appointing any day at all Nay let us utter the truth December-Christmas is a iust imitation of the December-Saturnall of the Ethnicke Romans and so used as if Bacchus and not Christ were the God of Christians It is commonly obiected that we may as well keepe a day for the nativity as for the resurrection of Christ. We haue answered already that Christs day or the Lords day is the day appoynted for remembrance of his nativity and all his actions and benefites as well as for the resurrection Next the one is morall and weekly the other is mysticall and anniversary The Lords day it selfe is no longer to us mysticall but morall sayth Willet and therefore pasâ—h-Pasâ—h-day is a mysticall Sabboth and anniversary whereas the Lords Sabboth should be onely morall It is still objected the benefits of God ought to be remembred specially Christs notable benefits Answ. It is one thing to remember another thing to remember with solemne festivities To remember is a morall duety and perpetuall for we ought to keepe not onely an anniuersary but also a weekly and dayly remembrance But to celebrate an anniversary solemnity and to keep a sabboth of rest in remembrance it is a pedagogicall ceremonie of the Iewes The Lord helped there vnderstanding with types and figures their affections with instruments of Musick Their memories with frontelets and Phylacteries to put them in mynd of Gods Law But wee are to keepe sayeth lerome not a literall by outward signes but a spirituall memorie of Gods law Euery thing set vp for remembrance of God is not acceptable to him for so the Lutheran shall defend his images As oft as the Gospell is preached Christ is remembred When the word is preached Christ is crucified and by the same reason hee may be said to be borne to rise againe to ascend c. When the sacrament is ministred Christs death and Passion is remembred and that with solemnity Wee cannot worship Christ privatly or publickly but we must remember his birth and his passion Pope Alexander 3. gaue this reason wherefore the Romane Kirk kept not a holy day to the Trinity Quoniam Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quod in aliquo tempore buiusmodi celebret specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria Patri fâ—â—io Spiritui Sancto coetera simitia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia Trenitalis because faieth hee Glorie to the father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other such like things belonging to the praise of the trinity are uttered daily The Popes reason is grounded vpon this rule Whatsoeuer is intreated or remembred in the ordinary divine service ought not to haue one speciall holy day to celebrat the memory of the same beside the day already discerned by the Lord. We assume Christs nativity death resurrection c. Are not only the continuall meditation of a Christian in private but also are remembred and intreated in the ordinary and publick service Every communion sunday is a passion holy day Euery sabboth that Christs nativity is preached is a time of remembrance of his Natiuity But to ordain an anniversary day or houre of rest for commemoration of his nativity or passion and specially vpon a weeke day is a Iewish rudiment and a prejudice to Christian libertie As for the 5. day of November it is not an holy day It is not a day of cessation from work which is one of the chiefe elements of an holy day The bonefires set out in token of joy are no part of Christian sanctification of the day Bellarmine telleth vs Ignis accendi solet ad letitiam significandam etiam in rebus prophanis that fire vseth to be kindled even in ciuill and prophane things Scaliger calleth the candels and torches lightned vpon Midsomer even the foote steps of auncient gentility Anniversary commemoration of a benefite with a cessation from worke suppose for a part of a day is Iewish To praise God with publick thankesgeving in the instant tyme of receiueing the benefit was our duetie But to appoint an anniuersary houre of cessation and publicke commemoration is not competent to the times of the new Testament Willet compareth this day to the daies of Purim Be it so But these dayes were of a ceremoniall nature as we haue said The seventh Reason Grant the keeping of holy dayes to haue been at the beginning a matter indiffrent and setting aside all the former reasons yet ought they to be abolished because according to the rule of the Fathers commended to us by Zanchius Non malè igitur fecerunt qui omnia praeter diem Dominicum aboleverunt Things indifferent when they are abused and polluted with superstition ought to be abolished In this ranke he placeth holidayes and therefore inferreth that they haue not done evill who haue abolished all other holidayes but the Lords day When he sayth They haue not done evill it is all one as if he had sayd They had done well for they haue done according to that laudable rule Sure it is that in former times holidayes haue not onely been abused to iâ—lenesse and licentiousnesse but also polluted with the opinion of worship merit necessity and Iudaicall conceit that the Divell did not tempt on these dayes as he did on other dayes Therefore the same Zanchius faith in the place aforesayd If any feasts were celebrate before religiously and holily but thereafter were contaminate with superstition and Idolatry that worthily they were taken away by our Reformers who imitate herein the example of Hezekias brusing to powder the brasen Serpent when it was abused to idolatry And againe he sayth The number the abuses the superstitions the false worships the will-worships
when it approcheth most neare to Christs owne action but plaine it is that at that supper Christ Iesus sat with his disciples and therefore wee doe iudgeâ—punc that sitting at a table is most convenient to that holy action In the generall Assembly holden in December 1562. It was ordeined That one uniforme order be observed in the ministration of the Sacraments according to the order of Geneva And in December Anno 1564. It was ordeined That Ministers in ministration of the Sacraments shall use the order set downe in the Psalme bookes In the Assembly holden anno 1591 it was ordained That an Article should be formed and presented to his Maiesty and the estates craving order to bee taken with them who give or receive the sacrament after the Papisticall manner In the Kings confession of faith subscribed and sworne by persons of all estates are contained these words We detest all the ceremonies of the Romane Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we detest all his rites signes and traditions This laudable order was altered at the pretended Assembly holden last at Perth in August anno 1618. The tenour of the Act followeth as it was formed by some of the Bishops and their followers Since we are commanded by God himselfe that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receiving of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ like as the most humble and reverend gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts best becommeth so divine and sacred an action Therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath used since the reformation of religion to celebrate the holy communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling at the worshipping of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memory of by past superstition is past and no perill of the same againe is feared In reverence of so divine a mystery and in remembrance of so mysticall an union as we are made partakers of thereby doe ordaine that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekely and reverently upon their knees This alteration is to us unlawfull for that which hath been established by so many lawes Civill and Ecclesiasticall by so long custome and prescription of time confirmed by our oathes and subscriptions wee may not lawfully alter But so it is that sitting at the table in the act of receaving hath been established by lawes custome long prescription of time and confirmed by oathes and subscriptions as is evident by the former diduction It is notwithstanding expedient to descend further in opening up the unlawfulnes of kneeling 1. as it is a breach of the institution 2. as it is a breach of the second commandment 3. as it is with out example and practise of the ancient Kirk 4. as it disagreeth from the practise of the reformed Kirks Kneeling considered as it is a breach of the institution THE manner of Christs proceeding from the paschall supper to the Eucaristicall is to be observed for the better understanding of the Institution Before and in the dayes of Christ the Paschall supper consisted of two services or suppers and a conclusion After the ordinary washing of their hands they sat downe to the first service and eate the Paschall lamb with unleavened bread Then they rose to the washing of their feet thereafter they sat downe againe to the second supper or service and did eate of a sallet made of soure hearbs and dipped in a composed liquor as thick as mustard Iudas after he gat a sop of this second service he went out immediatly In the conclusion of the second service of the Paschall supper the Lord of the house took an unleavened cake of bread and blessed it after this maner Blessed art thou o Lord our God King of the World who hast sanctified us by thy precepts and hast given us a commandement concerning the eating of unleavened bread Christ likewise took the bread and gaue thanks The Lord of the house after thanks-giving brake the bread and gaue it unto the company saying This is the bread of misery which our fathers eat in Egipt whosoever hungreth let him come neare and eat whosoever hath need let him come neare and celebrate the Passeover Christ after thanks-giving brak the bread and gaue it to his disciples saying take yee eat yee this is my body that is broken for you Therafter the Lord of the house tooke the cup and blessed it after this manner Blessed art thou O Lord who hast created the fruit of the vine after he had tasted the cup he gaue it to the nearest and so it was caried from hand to hand This cup was called the cup of praise and thanks-giving because they sung a Psalme after it Christ took the cup likewise and after he had given thanks gaue it to the nearest of his disciples saying take ye drink ye all of this for this cup is the new-testament of my blood c. the cup was caried from hand to hand the supper ended they sung a Psalme Morneus and Beza do set downe this maner of proceeding as observed before by Munsterus Paulus Burgensis Tremellius Cassander and Iosephus Scaliger Iosephus Scaliger setteth downe a paschall canon forbidding to take any meat or drink after the cup of thanks-giving This discourse being premitted the breaches of the institution are to be considered The first breach of the institution made by kneeling is the taking away of that commendable gesture of sitting used by Christ and his Apostles at and after the Institution Christ and his Apostles sate at table after the forme of their usuall sitting at ordinary bankets and feastes They sat at the first service of the Paschall supper Baradius Swarez Iansenius and others affirme that there is no circumstance in the text Exod. 12 to inforce standing at the Passeover Next suppose the circumstances there expressed did import standing yet it was not inioyned as an ordinary rite but as many other circumstances belonged only to the first Passeover in Egipt as to eate with haste and with loynes girded up and to sprinkle the lintill and two sideposts of the doore with blood as Beza hath observed and Scaliger in the late edition of his books de emendatione temporum sayeth the like put the case that this gesture continued longer yet long before the dayes of Christ this gesture was changed Scaliger produceth out of the rituals of the Iewes their words Quam diversa haec nox à ceteris noctibus quod in aliijs noctibus semel tantum lâ—vamus in hac autem bis Quod in reliquis noctibus comedimus sive fermentum sive Azimum in hac autem onmino azyma Quod in reliquis noctibus vescimur oleribus omne genus in hoc autem intybis Quod in
is objected and said that wee may pray in the act of receaving therefore wee may kneele in the act of receaving Answer This objection insinuates that kneeling is the proper and onely commendable gesture of prayer and therefore the Bishop of Rochester exponeth the standing of the publican Luk. 18.11.13 to haue been kneeling because sayeth he the Iewish custome was to pray kneeling But if he had remembred the Lords owne saying Ierem. 15. though Moses and Samuell stood before me c. he might haue understood that they prayed standing as wel as kneeling Drusius observeth that of old they prayed standing that therfore prayers were called stations or standings And Rabbi Iuda had a saying that the world could not subsist without statioÌ„s or standings And where it is said Abram stood before the lord Manabem an Hebrew Rabine expoundeth it he prayed before the Lord. Next the prayer meant of is either some publicke prayer uttered by the Minister or the mentall prayer of the communicant As for the prayer of the Minister in the act of distribution it is flat against the institution as I haue already sayd The Minister is ordained by the institution to act the person of Christ and pronounce the words of promise This is my body as if Christ himselfe were pronouncing these words and not change the promise into a prayer Fenner in his principles of Religion layeth this down as a ground That in the second commandement we are forbidden the practise and use of any other rite or outward meanes used in the worship or service of God then he hath ordained Ioh. 4.22 2 King 18.4 and that by the contrary we are commanded to practise all those parts of his worship which he in his word hath commanded and to acknowledge onely the proper use of every rite and outward meanes which the Lord hath ordained Deut. 12.32 2. King 17.26 Further we are forbidden by the second commandement to pray by direction before any creature This publicke prayer is but a pretended cause of kneeling as the Ministers of Lincolne make manifest in their abridgement for no Canon of our neighbour Kirke hath directed any part of this kneeling in the act of receiving to be assigned to the said prayer In populous congregations where there is but one Minister the communicants sit a quarter of an houre before the Minister repaire to them with the sacrament And last the prayer is ended before the delivery of the elements As for our Kirk no such prayer is ordained to be uttered by the Minister therefore no such prayer can be pretended In the late Canon it is sayd That the most reverent and humble gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts best becommeth so divine an action Meditation is not prayer and the heart may be lifted up by the act of faith and contemplation as well as by the action of prayer so that neither publick nor mentall prayer is expressed in our act But let the words be interpreted of mentall prayer even mentall prayer is not the principall exercise of the soule in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements the minde attending on the audible words the visible elements the mysticall actions and making present use of them men should not be diverted from their principall worke and meditation upon the Analogie betwixt the signes and things signified The soule may send up in the meane time some short ejaculations and darts of prayer to heaven to strengthen her owne weaknesse and returne to her principall worke of meditation and application of the benefites represented These short ejaculations of the minde are onely occasionall as a Christian feeleth his owne present estate and are incident to all our actions both civill and religious In the act of receiving our earthly food in going out the way in hearing the word If a man be moved inwardly when he heareth that the word was made flesh shall he kneele as they do in the Romane Kirke If a man should kneele at every inward motion of the minde when he heareth the word what confusion would there be in the congregation A man looking occasionally to a crucifix may remember Christ and send up some ejaculations shall he therefore kneele The three children prayed mentally no doubt when they were brought before the golden Image but lawfully they might not kneele before it Perkins destinguisheth notably betwixt publick private and secret worship the secret and mentall worship must be yeelded to God and the signes thereof concealed from the eyes and hearing of men as Nehemiah when he prayed in presence of the King Nehem. 2.4 In a word the Institution and the second commandement hinder kneeling at this time suppose mentall prayer were the principall exercise of the soule I heare there is alledged a third sort of prayer to wit that the very act of receiving is of it selfe a reall prayer Is not this as much as to say that craving and receiving is all one Bellarmine sayth That prayer of iâ— selfe and of the own proper office doth impetrate and that a sacrifice hath the force and power of obtaining or impetrating because it is Quaedam oratio realis non verbalis a certaine reall prayer not a verball We may forgiue him to say this of the sacrifice of the Masse where there is an offering of a sacrifice to God But Bellarmine was never so absurd as to call the act of receiving from God a reall prayer to God Their other obiection that we may praise God in the act of receiving therefore we may kneele may be answered after the same manner There is no publicke thankesgiving ordained to be made at the delivery of the elements mentall praise therefore must be meant Mentall praise is no more the principall worke of the soule then mentall prayer what was sayd of the ejaculations of the one let it be applied to the short eâ—aculations of the other The name of Eucharist given to this Sacrament helpeth them nothing for it is a name given by Ancients and not by the Scripture Next as it is called Eucharistia so it is called Eulogia for the words he gaue thankes and he blessed are indifferently used by the Evangelists Some parts of this holy celebration stand in thankesgiuing as the beginning and the end and therefore is the whole action denominated from a part saith Causaubon Eulogia Eucharistia utraque vox à parte una totum Domini actionem designat It followeth not that all the parts of this holy ministration are actions of thankesgiving Obiect What we may craue of God upon our knees we may receiue on our knees Ans. It is false I may on my knees Giue us this day our daily bread but I may not receiue it on my knees The people of Israel prayed for food yet they were not esteemed unthankfull for not kneeling when they received the Manna It is again objected that in the act of receauing we receaue
from Christ an inestimable benefit ought not a subject kneele when he receiveth a benefit from a Prince to testifie his thankfulnes Answer this relation from Christ to the Sacrament as betweene the giver and the gift is common to all the Sacraments both of the old and new law ordinary and extraordinary Next we receaue the mysticall pledges not out of the hands of God himselfe or his Son Christ immediatly but out of the hand of the Minister The person who receaveth the gift from the King is supposed to receaue it immediatly and suppose mediatly yet ceremonies of Court mediate ciuil worships are not rules of religious adoration which should ever be immediate Thirdly the manner of delivery of the gift and the will of the giuer are to be considered If the Prince call his Nobles to a banket it is his will that they sit at table with him as Iohanathan and Dauid sat at King Sauls table Christ hes declared by the Institution after what maner he wold haue vs receaue these mysticall pledges Kneeling cannot agree with the actions and precepts of the Institution The second breach of the second commandement made by kneeling is the shew of conformity with the papists The Lord forbade his people to be like the Gentiles Leuitie 18.3 and 19.27 Deut 12. the christians were forbidden to decore their houses with bay leaves and greene boughes because the paganes vsed so to doe or to rest from their labours those dayes that the Paganes did If conformity in things not haueing state in Idolatrous seruice but onely glanceing at the honor of the Idoll be condemned far more is conformity in the grossest act wherin the life and soul as it were of their Idolatrie standeth Such as is the gesture of kneeling among the papists And for this cause Hooper in his sermon before King Edward for the same cause condemned this gesture This outward conformity tickleth the papist and offendeth the godly The third breach of the second commandement made by kneeling is the reteining of a monument of vile idolatrie All humane inuentiones polluted with idolatrie except they be of necessarie vse ought to be remoued from Gods seruice This gesture had a spot of profanation from the beginning being at the first birth in this act dedicat to Idolatrie The brasen serpent set up at Gods own command was not spared when it was abused We detest the very garment of a theese or a whore though it be innocent Biza sayeth many things may be tollerate for the weake which may not be restored after they are tane away He commendeth them who haue abolished kneeling amongst other things tanquam apertas Idolomanias The fourth breach of the 2 d comandement made by kneeling is the continuall occasion and danger of idolatry Wee are forbiden all occasions and provocations of idolatry There is a naturall pronnesse in all men to idolatry great ignorance in the common people and Superstition rooted in the hearts of men Papistes daily increase the idol of the bready God is still in great accompt in the Romane Kirks round about us and in private corners amongst us and yet men are not ashamed to say that all memory of former superstition is past and no perill is to be feared againe The virgines in Cyprians time granted they walked with yong men talked with them went to bed with them but when it came to the act they absteined Cyprian answereth Nou est locus dandus diabolo nemo diu tutus periculo proximus i. Place should not be given to the devill no man is long safe who is neare the point of danger The Belgick Kirks in their Synods permitted not liberty of kneeling for the same respect of bread-worship as may be seene in the harmony of their Synods set forth of late by Festus Homius Liberum est stando sedendo vel eundo caenam celebrare non autem geniculando ob artolatreias periculum If a lawfull use could be devised yet this danger cannot be eschued Information by preaching is a sufficient remedy meate doth not nourish so fast as poyson doeth corrupt The watchmen are some time ignorant or negligent many want doctrine It is better to fill up the pitt then to set one beside it to warne the passengers that they fall not in such ceremones ought to be appointed which by their goodnes and edification may help the preaching of the word and not such as the word must daily haue need to correct The strength of many poore Christian soules should not be tryed by bringing them to the very brink of danger The fift breach of the second commandement made by kneeling is a shew of wisdome in wil-worshipe and humility Coloss. 2.23 a worship is set up by mans voluntary devotion in a principall part of Gods service under colour of humility We ought to come indeed and receaue with humility these misticall pledges but is there no reverence and humility but in kneeling Swarez sayth that humility and adoration are distinguished in their proper motiues and respects in propriis honestatibus et motivis It was not manerly for the disciples to use any gesture they pleased at Christs table It was his honor to command and their humility to obey Sitting was not pomp glorious pride or prophane gesture as men are not ashamed so to call it because it was obedience to the Lord. This their pretended humility is a naturall humility like unto Peters when he refused that Christ should wash his feet Obedience is better then sacrifice Fenner in the doctrine of the Sacraments hath a notable saying that the whole honor of the Sacraments is that they remaine unto the Church of God in that simplicity he left them and that no action here is worth any thing but by reason of Gods word which is sanctified to a profitable use and made an instrument of the working of the holy Ghost Object There is no new worship appointed but an action already appointed for Gods service is applyed to the said Supper Answ. The parts of Gods worship may not be applyed to other when comlines commodiousnes institution and command will not suffer A man may not kneele all the time of the Sermon he may not reade in the act of receaving baptisme may not be ministred in the midst of the communion and many such instances might be alledged Aquinas sayth Superstuum in his quae ad divinum cultum pertinent esse potest no secundum substantiam quanti sed secundum alias circumstantias puta quia cultus divinus exhibetur cui non debet exhiberi vel quādo non debet vel secūdum alias circumstantias prout non debet That superfluity in things pertaining to the worship of God is to be considered not according to the quantity for we cannot worship God exceedingly enough but is to bee considered according to other circumstances viz. when the worship of God is not exhibited to whom it ought to be exhibited or
not the Eucharist Answ. It followeth not they adored therefore they kneeled The Ethnicks did mistake the reuerend and graue behauiour of Christians at the receauing the Sacrament as they did many other things both in Iewes and Christians they gaue out that they were worshippers of the clouds of the Sonne of the crosse of the head of an Asse of the slaughter of infants Augustine sayeth A Cerere Libero paganorum dijs longè absumus quamvis panis calicis sacramentum nostro ritu amplectimur We are far from Ceres Bacchus the Gods of the Pagans howbeit we imbrace the Sacrament of the bread the cup after our rite When Theodoret sayth the mystical signes are adored he meaneth by adoration reuerend and religious handling as becometh so great mysteries and so Bilson exponeth Theodoret and to this purpose alledgeth the glosse of the Canon Law In hoc sensu possumus quamlibet rem sacram adorare id est reverentiam exhibere Anastasius sayth Dominica verba attentè audiant fideliter adorent Let them diligently heare faithfully adore the word of God The word adoration is sometime taken in a large sence for veneration so do all our Divines expone Theodoret or else his phrase were absurd and indeed none of the Fathers used that phrase but he Chrysostomes Homilies on Mathew are a supposititious worke The rest of the testimonies alledged make mention of adoration not of the Sacrament but of Christ in the Sacrament and they are to be understood of spirituall and internall adoration common to this sacrament with other sacraments Augustine sayth The flesh of Christ is adored either in the sacrifice or otherwise by faith The adoration is as the eating the eating is spirituall and by faith Augustine speaking of the veneration of this sacrament sayth Contemptum solum non vult cibus ille That meat misliketh onely contempt as Manna did lothsomnesse Ambrose speaketh of all the mysteries of Christian Religion Chrysostom is to be understood of spirituall reverence and therefore he useth emphaticall speeches of ascending up to the gates of heaven even of the heaven of heavens like Eagles For the same Chrysostome sayth that we adore Christ in Baptisme None of all the testimonies alledged expresseth any gesture of the body let be kneeling Obiect For an humble gesture are alledged Origen Thou therefore humbling thy selfe imitate the Centurion and say Lord I am not worthy c. Cyrillus of Ierusalem Then after the communion of the body of Christ come also to the cup of his bloud not reaching out thy hands but falling on thy face in manner of adoration and worship say Amen Nazianzen sayth his sister fell down before the Altar and called on him who was worshipped on the Altar Answ. Origen directs the words to be sayd as well when the preacher entreth into our house as when we receiue the sacrament Further Possevinus a learned Papist acknowledgeth that worke to be counterfeit The Catechismes attributed to Cyrill of Ierusalem is a booke newly sprung up and unknown to the Ancients It was not to be found in Hardings time but in writing See Moulins translated This counterfeit Cyril sayth not Cade pronus fall down on thy face but accede pronus come inclining or bowing thy body as men use to doe when they make courtesie Nazianzens sister was sick in body and sicke in minde her fact was private and in the darke of the night she was not in the act of receiving the sacrament she blubbered with her teares the fragments of the sacrament received before Christ is honoured at the Altar or communion-table by the administration of the sacrament celebrated to his honour and worship in remembrance of him his mercies are there layd foorth in the mysteries Yee see no testimony can be alledged for geniculation The Councell of Constantinople holden under the Emperour Basilius hath these words Iesus Christus panis substantiam mandavit apponi ne scilicet humana effigie figurata idolatria introduceretur For eschewing of Idolatry the Lord commanded the substance of bread to be set on without any humane shape The proofes already made for standing upon the Lords day for 1000. yeare in the Kirk do evince that geniculation had no place in the act of receiuing all that time It was therefore followed upon bodily presence and transubstantiation Kneeling not practised in the reformed Churches THE Lutheran Kirkes do acknowledge reall presence by way of consubstantiation it is no wonder therefore that they approue kneeling The reformed Kirks as they haue damned bodily presence so haue they reiected this gesture of kneeling in the act of receiving The Kirk of Bohemia hath retained this gesture since the dayes of Iohn Husse In their confession exhibited to King Ferdinand An. 1535 it is thus sayd Ministeri verò Dominicae caenae verba referentes plebem ipsam ad hanc fidem hortantur ut corporis Christi presentiam adesse credant The Ministers are willed to stir up the people to beleeue that the body of Christ is present the poorer sort amongst them as they haue rejected the errour of reall presence so depart they from this gesture In our neighbour Kirk some of their defenders of kneeling will not haue us inquisitiue of the manner of Christs presence in the sacrament And the Bishop of Rochester commendeth the simplicity of the Ancients which disputed not whether Christ was present Con sub in or trans in this Supper Sutton in his Appendix to his Meditations on the Lords Supper condemneth likewise this diligent search of the manner of Christs presence If the manner of Christs presence be not determined there can arise no other but a confused worship of such a confused and determinate presence The Papists acknowledge that there ought to be no adoration but where there is acknowledged a bodily presence in the sacrament Hence it is that they proue mutually the one by the other It will not follow that we may change sitting into kneeling because the ancient Kirk and some reformed Kirks haue changed sitting into standing because kneeling maketh so many breaches both in the institution and in the second commandement and is no wayes a table gesture By standing wee accommodate our selues to a table to participate of the dainties set thereon standing was never abused to idolatry as kneeling hath been We are not bound to imitate other kirks further then they imitate Christ. Our sitting is not Scotish Genevating but a commendable imitation of the Apostolicall Churches and obedience to Christs institution They flee up at last to the Kirk triumphant and alledge for kneeling the 24. Elders falling down before the Lambe but how conclude they this that they that are called to the Supper of the lambe kneele at the Supper of the lambe and seeing the blessed soules shall not be clothed with their bodies before the resurrection how can they conclude