time and place where wee crave or receive the benefite more then the diversitie of the benefite it selfe that is the ground of adoration but Gods excellencie as wee said before They consider not that these three things ought to bee distinguished blessing or sanctifying the creature or meane GOD hath appointed either for our temporall or spirituall life before the use of it the use it selfe and thanksgiving after the use the blessing before meat the use of meat in receaving eating drinking and thanksgiving after blessing before the reading preaching or hearing of the word the act it selfe reading hearing preaching and thanksgiving to GOD after blessing before the receaving the sacramentall elements the receiving and participation it selfe and thanksgiving after They ask if humilitie and reverence bee not requisite in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements I answere Yes in all religious exercises hearing of the word reading of the word c. But it followeth not that there should bee humiliation upon our knees because humilitie of minde is required nor adoration because reverence is required Is there no reverence nor humilitie but in kneeling before dead and senslesse elements Humilitie is an habit adoration is an act The act of humilitie is immanent whereby any one resteth content with his owne ranke and doeth not conceat greater worth in himselfe then there is specially in comparison with GOD. Adoration is a transient act whereby a man goeth out of himselfe as it were to direct some homage and worship to GOD. Reverence is commoun to all the parts of GODS worship and is not a distinct kinde of worship as is adoration The pretence of reverence can not bee a sufficient reason for the altering the ordinance of Christ and the opinion of reverence hath often beene the dame and nource of manifold superstitions sayeth Bishop Mortoun upon the Lords supper pag. 63. Seeing kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacramentall elements eating and drinking is idolatrie and can not bee used but idolatrously it followeth that kneeling in the act of receaving brought not in artolatrie or bread-worship as some mistaking counterfoot works of old writers for genuinâ— have imagined The corrupting of the doctrine with the opinion of the reall presence the receiving in at the mouth from the hands of the priest and many other superstitious conceats together with the worshipping of images brought in kneeling But it was ever idolatrous from the first beginning and birth of it and can not possibly be purged of idolatrie FINIS OF FESTIVAL DAYES THE observation of festivall dayes hath been rejected by our kirk from the beginning of theâ—â— reformation in the explication of the first head of the first book of discipline in the assemblie holden anno 1566. where the latter confession of Helvetia was approved but with speciall exception against these same dayes which are now urged In the assembly holden anno 1575. the assembling of the people to preaching and prayers upon festivall dayes wâ—â— censured An article was likewise formed to bee presented to the Regent craving that all dayes heretofore keeped holy in time of papistrie besides the Lords day be abolished and that a civill penaltie bee inflicted upon the observers By ordinance of the assembly in Aprile 1577. Ministers were to bee admonished not to preach or minister the communion at Easter or Christmas or other like superstitious times or readers to read under the pain of deprivation The pulpits have founded from time to time against all shew of observing these dayes But at the pretended and null assembly holden at Perth a number not having power to vote presumed to bring in a contrare practise Our first reason against these holy festivities God hath only power to sanctifie a day and make it holy that is to separate it from commoun use to holy exercises yearly God hath given libertie to man to work sex dayes No man ought to bee compelled to keepe them holy but when GOD himself maketh exception as he did by the yoke of some anniversarie dayes by the law The second reason None appointed holy festivities under the law when the times were more ceremonious but God himself The dayes of Purim were called simply the dayes of Purim not the holy dayes of Purim or feast of Purim No peculiar sacrifice was appointed nor any holy convocation of the people injoined The ordinance required but fasting joy and sending of portions to other The memoriall dayes of the dedication were called the dayes of dedication not the feast of dedication They were not holy dayes or festivall solemnities consisting of Hookers three elements praises set foorth with chearfull alacritie of minde delite expressed by charitable largenesse more then commoun bountie and sequestration from ordinarie works The times were corrupt when these dayes were appointed As for Christs conference in the porch of the temple in the dayes of dedication it proveth not that hee honoured that feast as they call it with his presence only the circumstance of time is pointed at when Christ had this conference Christ come up to the feast of the tabernacles before and stayed in Ierusalem In the mean time the dayes of dedication fell foorth and hee went away immediatly after his conference The third reason Neither Christ nor his apostles appointed festivall dayes to bee observed by Christians but rather inhibited the observation of them and changed only the old sabbath into the first day of the week The anniversarie solemnities were not changed but altogether abrogated The apostle having occasion to teach upon this subject condemneth observation of dayes ceremoniall or of ceremoniall nature They were a rudimentarie instruction of old which beseemeth not the state of a Christian kirk and cleare light of the Gospel Yea the very dayes of Purim and the dayes of dedication were of a ceremoniall nature saith Doctour Mortoun in his defence pag. 64. To celebrate the memorie of a particular act of Christ at a set time in the year with cessation from work sermons gospels epistles collects and hymnes belonging therto with joy and gladnesse without admitting a fast at any time is not to observe a day morallie but ceremoniallie If there had beene other festivall dayes which might have beene observed by Christians the Apostle having so fair occasion when he was treating of the observation of dayes hee would not have spoken so generally but directed Christians to the observing of these If other dayes had bene dedicat to Christ then the Lords day they should all have beene called the Lords dayes but the scripture maketh mention of one day called the Lords day Socrates in his historie sayeth Hee is of the opinion that as many other things crept in of custome in sundrie places so did the feast of Easter prevaile among all people of a certain privat custome and observation If the Apostles had appointed it they had agreed upon the day seing they were directed infalliblie by the Spirit Our fourth reason If it had beene the will of
God that the severall acts of Christ should have bene celebrated with severall solemnities the holy Ghost would have made known the day of his nativitie circumcision presenting to the temple baptisme transfiguration and the like But it is confessed that the day of Christs nativitie and consequently of the rest depending thereupon are hid from mortall men And this is sufficient to declare the will of God concerning other notable acts which were known that not the act or action upō such day maketh a day holy but divine institution No man denieth but the nativitie of Christ should be remembred and so it is whersoever the gospel is preached But we deny that the memorie of it must be celebrated with the solemnitie of a festivall day with cessation from work feasting or forbearance of fasting and a proper service Our fift reason Suppose observing of holy dayes had been at the first a matter indifferent yet seing they have beene abused and polluted with superstition they ought to be abolished And therefore Zanchius approveth them who have abolished all other dayes but the Lords day Sure it is that in former times holie dayes have beene abused not only with licentious ravelling and surfitting but also with the opinion of worship and merit and a Iudaicall conceat that the devil is not so bold to tempt men on these dayes as at other times Suppose observation were free of these abuses yet it may degener after the same manner as before but the observation is not nor can not be free of abuse and superstition They say they esteeme them not holier then other dayes but only keepe them for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises and instructed in the mysteries of religion But both are false The papist confesse themselves that one day is not holier then an other in the own nature no not the Lords day but in respect of the use and end And so doe our formalists esteeme our festivall dayes holier then other dayes and call them holy daies And as for worship If the observing of a day holie for the honouring 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 They are called mysticall dayes and appointed for the solemnitie of some mysterie of religion and are ordered according to the known and supposed times when such things fell foorth to wit Christs nativitie passion ascension c. If only for order or policie wherefore is there but one day betweene the passion and the resurrection fourtie dayes betweene the resurrection and ascension and then again but ten betwixt the ascension and whitsonday May not and are not Christians instructed in the mysteries of religion without the solemnities of dayes and appropriation of service to them after the Iewish manner Do wee not appropriate to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and think it absurd to performe the like service upon any other day with cessation from work To observe dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of hours for preaching or prayers on week daies or times for celebrating the comunion according to the policie set down by everie particular congregation Wee use time then only as a circumstance and for order and do not appropriate these divine exercises to these times Howbeit Christ rose upon the Lords day yet was it not appointed to be observed after the Iewish manner of observation of their festivals for then every Lords day the matter of sermons collects hymnes gospels c. should have beene only Christs resurrection But yee see the use and end is morall and generall for the instruction of the people of God in all mysteries of religion FINIS A passage of Master William Covvper pretended bishop of Gallovvay his sermon delivered before the Estates anno 1606. at which time hee was Minister at Perth On 2 Corinth 6.3.4 AS to the giving of offences our Saviour hath forewarned us that there will bee offences but he hath pronounced a fearfull wo upon them by whom offences come It were better sayeth our Saviour that a milestone were put about his neck and hee cast in the midst of the sea And by the law of Moses hee was accursed that laid a stumbling block before the blinde The equitie of that law yet remaineth under the gospel binding the Christian that no man put an occasion to fall or a stumbling block before his brethren but most of al a Christian preacher his office is to edifie others in the most holy faith and to strengthen the brethren hee being converted himself It should therefore be far from him to give any that are weak an occasion to stumble and fall generally hee may do it by his evill life for hardly can weak ones believe that the religion is good where the life is evill yea by it they take occasion to blaspheme the truth of God and to speake evil of his name A preacher is compared by our Saviour to a candle to shine to others and againe to the salt of the earth that should season others A candle once lighted if it dieth out smelleth worse then if it had never beene lighted and salt that is made by concoction of salt matters if againe it returne into water becometh more unsavorie and unpleasant to the taste then any other water so a preacher once separate by God chosen out from the world entered into a holy calling if again he return to be a worldling if in his life he become profane and suffer the light that is in him become darknesse falling away from his first love of all the men in the world hee becometh the greatest offence and the latter end of that man shall bee worse then his beginning These are the words I spake the last time wherewith yee were offended and now I repeat them that others may see no cause of offence is in them More specially a preacher giveth offence by doing any of these two things First when a preacher of greater gifts and knowledge howsoever hee do it of a good intention draweth on a weaker brother to follow him in a cause wherein hee hath not a warrant from God A notable example whereof we have 2 King 13. where a prophet of Iuda being sent to Bethel to denounce the judgements of God against Ieroboam for his idolatrie was commanded neither to eat nor drink in Bethel Ieroboam could not beguile him for hee gave the king this answere If thou would give me the half of thy house I wold not goin with thee nor eat bread nor drink water in this place for so I was charged by the word of the Lord. But an old prophet deceived him saying I am also a prophet as well as thou art and an angel of God commanded me to bring thee into my house and cause thee eat bread Thus the authoritie the age the pretended light of an other prophet draweth either prophets in an evill course whereunto otherwise they would not bee easily induced Heereby wee that are of meane gifts in the ministrie are admonished never to depart from that immediat warrant of doingin our calling we have of the word of God for any mediat warrant brought out of the promptuarie of mans wit suppose it were covered with never so fair pretences yea suppose an angel would come from heaven and bring an other doctrine then that which is delivered us in the word wee are not to credite him far lesse an earthly man that speaketh but contrariwise to hold him accursed The other thing wherein the preacher may give offence is if hee alter or change in any point of his calling either in doctrine or discipline departing from that which once hee maintained This rule is given us by the apostle Gal. 2.18 If I build again these things I have destroyed I make my self a transgressour This is a rule by which ye can not refuse to be tried and which necessarly binds you to stand to that truth of doctrine and discipline yee have once embraced unlesse yee would be found trespassers and such as give just cause of offence that our ministrie should bee reprehended If ye have any new light ye had not before communicat to other brethren that we also may follow you If not I beseech you walk not in that course wherein the light of GOD doth not allow you FINIS
communicated in the evening after they had refreshed themselves with commoun meats upon other dayes also it is likely then they also sate Alexander de Hales in the second part of his tractat concerning the masse sayeth the Pope communicateth sitting in rememberance that the Apostles at the Lords supper communicated sitting The Waldenses who are justly called the pure seed of the ancient kirk and have continued since the dayes of Pope Sylvester or as some thought from the dayes of the Apostles sayeth Rainerius the inquisitour their enemie celebrated the communion sitting See Master Fox first volumn pag. 209 edict 1610. and their apologie against one Doctour Augustine which is extant in Lydii Waldensia Luther exponing the epistle upon Saint Stevins day sayeth Christ so instituted the Sacrament that in it we should sit at the Sacrament but all things are changed and idle ordinances of men are come in place of divine ordinances Zuinglius in expositione sidei Christianae setting down the form of celebration used at Berne Zurick Basile and other neighbour townes reporteth that they communicated sitting The kirks of strangers at London in Alascoes time communicated sitting so do other kirks in the Low-countries even to this day In Pol such as adhered to the confession of Helvetia communicated sitting as we may see in consensus Poloniae By the gesture of standing is pretended more reverence and thereby the gesture of sitting is indirectly taxed and that lively representation of our familiar societie with Christ taken away seeing it is not the usuall and ordinarie gesture at civill feasts As for kneeling in the act of receaving First wee have not a warrant from the example of Christ and his Apostles or the practises of the Apostolick kirks after and therefore they who receave adoration they are secure they have the example of the Apostles whom wee read not to have adored prostrate but as they were sitting they receaved and did eat They have the practise of the Apostolicall kirks where it is declared that the faithfull did communicate not in adoration but in breaking of bread sayeth Calvin Institut lib. 4. cap. 37. sect 33. Beza in his dispute against Iodocus Harchius So like as when the Lord truely to bee adored as God and man at table did institute this holy supper that the Disciples arose to the end that falling upon their knees they might receave that bread and wine out of his hand And so like as the Apostles were ignorant how to deliver to the kirks the manner how to celebrate these holy mysteries it is known well enough that the love-feasts could hardly or scarce at all admit geniculation The Waldenses in the apologie above-mentioned say that Christ gave the Sacrament to his Disciples and his successours for a long time made no reverence meaning adoration This holy action is denominate the LORDS table and the Lords Supper The use of a table is not only to set meat on it but also for the guests or persons invited to sit at and about it and to partake of the meat set upon the table Wee require not of necessitie an artificiall table of tymber a Bul-hyde or a plot of ground may serve in time of necessitie 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 whether it bee long or round but wee require that the Communicants alwayes sit table-wayes so that they may observe the form of a feast or banquet For in that this holy action is called a supper it is imported that it was celebrate in the forme of a feast or banquet as Piscator observeth in his observations upon Matth. 26. Wee do not require all the formes used at commoun feasts but these which Christ the institutour and Master of the feast thought sufficient Kneeling is not a gesture sutable with the forme of a banquet or use of a supper table The termes supper and table of the Lord very familiar with the Apostle Paul seeme to require sitting rather then standing kneeling or passing by sayeth Alasco Kneling is not a gesture which hath beene used at feasts or banquets but rather a gesture of supplicants Plessie in his fourth book of Eucharist sayeth that of old this holy Supper was celebrated in the forme of a banquet whereat they did sit a footestep whereof remaineth among the Benedictines If these termes the Table of the LORD the Supper of the LORD and breaking of bread had beene retained and other new names not invented as Sacrament Eucharist then might easilie have been perceaved how harsh it were to use these phrases They brake bread together kneeling they compassed the table of the LORD kneeling they celebrate the Supper of the LORD kneeling which seemeth not so harsh when wee say they receaved the Sacrament or Eucharist kneeling Therefore the ancient Doctours sayeth Mowline on the LORDS Supper part 1. pag. 8. had done better if they had hold themselves to the tearmes expressed in Gods word c. The distribution of the elements by the communicants amongst themselves admitteth not kneeling in the act of receaving Can the communicant bee both adoring GOD upon his knees and at the verie instant bee reaching the elements to his brother likewise kneeling and adoringe Yee have heard out of Calvin before that the faithfull in the Apostolical times did not communicate with adoration but breaking of bread as if adoration and breaking of bread could not consist together But so it is that the Communicants ought to distribute and reach the elements to other Christ reaching the cup to his Disciples commandeth them to divide it among themselves Luke 22.17 This cup which hee commanded them to divide was the Evangelicall cup or which is all one the last paschall cup changed into the Evangelicall Luke applieth Christs protestation that he will drink no more of the fruit of the wine c. to the cup which hee commanded them to divide amongst themselves but that protestation is applied to the comâ—â—â—on cup by Matth. and Mark who make mention only of this cup in the verses immediatly preceeding the protestation If Christ was to drink incontinent after this protestation of the comâ—â—â—n cup how could hee protest that hee would drink no more of the fruit of the wineâ— When the Schoolemen would prove that wine was one of the elements at the Evangelicall supper they can not finde a proof in all the Evangelists but in this protestation Christ in this protestation alludeth to the canon or custome of the Iewes forbidding to taste any thing after the last cup which was called the cup of praise Now the last cup was the Evangelicall or communion cup or the last paschall cup changed it into the Evangelicall Further Christ gave thanks when he took the cup in his hand which he coÌ„manded them to divide and therefore Luke maketh no mention of this thanksgiving when hee maketh mention of
geniculis non aderara see pag. 52 and 49. The ancients in these times thought kneeling not sutable with such an action as the participation of the Lords supper because it was an action of joy and delight Yee see then howbeit they kneeled other wayes upon the station dayes because of their fasting and mourning yet at the end a little before their dissolving they stood at the commâ—un table Now the reason why these dayes were called station dayes was not according to his observation so called because of the gesture of standing but only by way of allusion to militarie stations and watches at the gates of Princes palaces that as they stayed in their watch whether sitting or standing so the Christians stayed in the kirk mourning and praying in these times of persecution for peace and safetie to the kirk till the third houre after-noon at which time they communicate It was the custome of the kirk for a thousand year to stand upon the Lords day and yet the Lords day was not one of their station dayes which should have beene if the gesture of 〈◊〉 only should make a station day as Doctour Burges would have it It is grosse ignorance in the Doctour to affirm that the station dayes were these dayes wherein they stood in prayer and at all the solemne worship of God and to denie that they were set dayes of fasting Further is nothing more evident then that Tertullian in sundrie other passages speaketh of stations or station dayes as dayes of fasting Where as in the Re-examination it was given and not granted that they stood on these dayes in time of divine service or prayer now being induced by the observation of Albaspinaeus Wee denie that they stood in time of prayer upon these dayes and therefore the argument is the more forcible for us that notwithstanding of their humiliation and kneeling upon these dayes of mourning and fasting yet at the end when they were neare dissolving and ending their fast or station they stood at the table of the Lord and receaved the Sacrament standing Howbeit this was not the right gesture yet it is clear they kneeled not when they received the Sacrament Tertullian maketh no mention of receiving the Sacrament in their houses kneeling For a thousand years they stood even in time of prayer upon the Lords day and therefore it can not bee imagined that they kneeled when they received the Sacrament But say our opposits they used the same gesture in the receaving the Eucharist which they thought fittest for prayer I answere they thought nor standing the fittest gesture for prayer but kneeling and stood upon the Lords day to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection which was a conceat taken up by them not known to the apostle for they kneeled not for the like reason betwixt Easter and Pentecost and yet wee see in the 20. of the Acts the Apostle Paul kneeled The custome yet observed to this day in the orientall kirks to communicate standing notwithstanding that other custome hath ceased declareth that they intended never geniculation in the act of receiving If ever kneeling in the act of receiving had been in use among them it had not beene left off considering mans pronnesse to idolatrie and superstition It resteth then that kneeling is only found in the kirks which were subject to the pope Howbeit this idolatrous gesture prevailed under the reigne of the great Antichrist yet there wanteth not faithful witnesses to stand out against it as the Waldenses and the Picardi If at any time wee should not seeme to have communion with Antichrist we should most of all at this holy supper which setteth foorth our communion with Christ and his kirk Yee see then suppose that kneeling in the act of receiving were indifferent yet in respect of the scandall the danger and inconvenients fall upon it we ought to oppose it But we are now to prove that it is not indifferent but idolatrous and therefore a hainous sin whether we consider it as it is injoined by the act of the pretended assembly at Perth or as the action may bee considered simplie in it self Wee are directed by the act of Perth to kneel in reverence of the Sacrament which is idolatrie for we are directed to kneel in due regard of so divine a mysterie to wit as is the Sacrament or as is the receiving of the body and bloud of Christ to wit in the sacramentall manner Yee may also take up the intent of the act by the intent of the English prelats and their adherents for conformitie with them is intended Doctour Mortoun sayeth that their kirk thought it fit by outward reverence in the manner of receiving the Eucharist to testifie their due estimation of such holy rites Master Hutton sayeth they kneeled to put a difference between the ordinarie bread and wine and the sacramentall to which they gave the more reverence because it is more than ordinarie bread and wine Some of the formalists pretend that they kneel because of the prayer outered at the deliverie of the elements but that short bit of prayer or wish is ended before the minister offer the bread to the communicante and bidde him take it and yet the communicant is injoined to continue still upon his knees Nor is kneeling injoined to them by statute or their service book in regard of prayer but in regard of the Sacrament it self Master Paybodie pag. 334. doth freely confesse that their prayer is not the principall respect of their kneeling nor the principall respect upon which their kirk injoined it And pag. 299. suppose their bee no prayer used in time of receaving hee thinketh never the worse of the gesture of kneeling Doctour Mortoun and Master Hutton as yee have heard professe they kneel to testifie their due estimation of such holy rites and more reverence to the elements then ordinarie bread and wine Now to testifie more reverence to the elements by kneeling is to testifie by adoration which is idolatrie Neither are wee directed by the act of Perth to pray in the act of receiving but to use that kinde of gesture in the act of receaving which becometh meditation lifting up of the heart which also may bee done without prayer But prayer can not consist with the act of taking eating and drinking Wheresoever the publict intent of a kirk is to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament every communicant following her direction is an idolater interpretativè and so to bee construed both before God and man whatsoever bee his own private intent If any man receave the Sacrament upon his knees at Rome or any other popish kirk whatsoever bee his private intent hee must bee interpreted to kneel according to the intent of that kirk But setting aside the act of the assemblie at Perth which is only a null and pretended assemblie we shall consider the action it self wee will prove that it can not be done but for reverence of the Sacrament or sacramentall elements
that the first institution was given for a patern whereunto wee ought to conform Now the washing of the disciples feet the putting off and on of Christs upper garment were ended before they sate down to the second course of the paschall supper and consequently a good space before the institution of the last supper Time and place are commoun circumstances to all actions The particular time and place when Christ instituted this Sacrament were occasionall They might not eat the paschall supper but at evening and therefore the Evangelical supper which was to succeed to it behoved to bee celebrate that night seeing Christs suffering was so neer at hand They behoved to eat the paschall lamb in a chamber in Ierusalem and consequently the supper behooved to bee instituted in a chamber after the paschall supper The number of such as did eat the paschall lamb behooved to consist of few betwixt ten and twentie and therefore they behooved to bee so few that night at the institution of the supper Their manner and kinde of sitting was a form observed among the Iewes at their commoun feasts and at the paschall supper Put the case that they stood at the first Passeover in Egypt as it can not bee prooved it were then extraordinarie and for that night only to signifie their hastie departure out of Egypt Sitting was the ordinarie gesture used at all religious feasts The Heathnicks sate at their feasts made of the remainder of the sacrifices offered to their idoles Amos 2.1 Cor. 8.10 to professe their communiâ—â— and societie with their idoll or fellowship with devils as the Apostle calleth it 1 Cor. 10.20 Our Lord instituting his supper to bee the only religious feast to bee used in the Christian kirk observed the same gesture which was used at the paschall supper and other religious feasts Christ might easily have changed sitting into kneeling and very commodiouslie seeing they fate upon beds yet would he retain the same gesture which they used at the paschall supper Time and place are meere circumstances and the particular time and place were then only occasionall But the gesture is more then a meere circumstance as Master Paybodie pag. 34. confesseth This supper was institute in form of a banquet to represent not only our spirituall nuriture but also our societie and familiaritie with Christ who is to sup feast with us The Polonian Baroun Ioannes Alasco maintaineth further that our sitting eating and drinking at the communioÌ„ table is a figure and representation of our sitting at the heavenly table So doth Musculus upon Matthow 26 and Aquinas part 3. quest 60. make the Lords supper a type and fore-shewing sign of our glory to come Christ himself expresseth our peaceable fruition of the joyes of heaven by sitting with Abraham Isaac and Iaakob in the kingdome of Heaven Matth. 8.11 and by 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 hee fate at this table Iohn 16. and Christ himself at the institution promised to his Apostles that they should eat and drink at his table in his kingdome and sit upon twelve thrones Luke 22.30 Yea this Polonian Baroun affirmeth that they have slender affection to the glory of Christ or our eternall felicitie that would abolish out of the kirk that image of our eternall felicitie in the celestiall glory to come which is so much recommended to us by Christ himselfe by the symbole of sitting at a banquet to the unspeakable comfort of all the faithfull We see that at civill banquets the time the place the number of persons and other things are variable but no other gesture hath beene used but sitting after one form or other according to the custome of the nation Even when men are invited by a king to a feast they are honoured with sitting in token of his familiar intertainment It appeareth by the practise of the Apostolicall kirks observing still this gesture albeit other circumstances of time and place and other things which fell foorth occasionally at the first supper were not regarded that the gesture of sitting is still to be retained Christ himself Luke 24 30. sitting at table in Emaus tooke bread blessed it and brake it This place is interpreted by sundrie ancients and modern writers of the ministration of the Sacrament And Master Paybodie himself pag. 86. is of that same judgement The apostle 1 Cor. 11. maketh not mention of sitting because he presupposed a lawfull Minister a table and sitting at the table and rehearseth only Christs actions and his words uttered to communicants sitting at the table Nor yet all his actions and his 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 His chief purpose was to correct the abuse of the CorinthiaÌ„s for not staying upon other for the Lord that night hee was betrayed said to all his disciples conveened together Take yee eat yee c. The love-feasts and the Lords supper went together the love-feasts in these times preceeding and the Lords supper immedialy following Doctor Bilson in his book of obedience pag. 653. sayeth that whether they went before or after they could not divide themselves each from other but they must offer the same abuse and disdain of the poor at the Lords supper which was ministred to them as they sate at their tables immediatly before or after their usuall or corporall refreshings Master Paybodie pag 86 and 94. thinketh that together with the institution itself after supper were grounded the love-feasts by continued occasion whereof his disciples might possibly for a time use sitting in the very act of receaving Doctor Downam in his second sermon pag. 61. confesseth sitting to receave the Sacrament to have been used in the kirk in the apostles times Sitting in the act of receaving was continued at sometimes in the Christian kirk eveÌ„ to our times Mornaeus in his first book of the masse 1 cap. and 5 reporteth that the Monks of St. Bennets order communicate sitting for three dayes before Easter Bullinger in his book de origine errorum pag. 46 reporteth that not only in their monastries but also in cathedrall kirks they communicate sitting upon that day Now it was the custome of old not only for the Monks but also other Christians to communicat upon this day and no doubt after the same form The two thousand souldiours who were reconcealed to the Emperour Mauritius about the year 1590. by the travell of Gregorius bishop of Antioch receaved the Sacrament sitting upon the ground as Euagrius reporteth lib. 6. cap 13. Doctor Lindesay in his defence pag. 53 54. alleadgeth the like done by the Scottish armie at Bonnokburn in the dayes of King Robert Bruce Socrates in his historie lib. 5. cap. 23. reporteth of the Egyptians who dwelt near to Alexandria and the inhabitants of Thebais
the cup the second time because hee had made mention of it before Luke then by way of anticipation bringeth in Christ protesting in the 17. verse that the protestation of not drinking more may bee joined with the protestation of not eating more preceeding in the 16. verse therefore when hee cometh to the order of the institution verse 20. he omitteth the protestation and thanksgiving which are recorded by other Evangelists because hee made mention before of them verse 17. and 18. This anticipation or inversion of order in the Evangelist Luke was observed by Augustine and Euthymius Baâ—adius and Suarez Iesuits Mewshius observeth other inversions in the same chapter Christ gave â—ot the cuppe to every one out of his hand which had been sufficient for dividing of it â—f no further had beene intended To drinke of one cuppe representeth fellowship in one commoun benefite but not that communication of mutuall love and amitie which is represented by reaching the same cup to other The guests at ciâ—ill banquets of old intertaining other courteously reached a cup of wine to other which cup they called philotesia metonimically because it was a symbole of love or friendship which name any man may justly impose upon the cup of the holy supper of the Lord sayeth Seuekius antiquitarum convivialium lib. 3. cap. 10. If there were no more but reaching the cup from one to another it were sufficient to exclude kneeling for what reason were it 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 cup to other and the Minister to walk along to give every one the bread Analogie requireth that the bread should bee distributed among the communicants as well as the wine Christ said in the plurall number Take yee eat yee as well as drink yee divide yee and nor take thou eat thou therefore not only Piscator Tessanus and Hospinian but also Estius a popish writer upon the 1 Cor. 10.16 gather that they divide the bread as well as the cup. Beza sayeth that the manner of their sitting could not permit Christ to give every one the bread Mouline on the Lords supper 2 part pag. 97. maintaineth that Christ could not deliver the bread to every one of the disciples hands especially considering that the parties lying half along upon beds at the table tooke up more rowme then they do now adayes This distribution of the bread as well as of the cup is confirmed by the custome observed afterward Master Paybodie pag. 92.101 104. acknowledgeth that the Communicants at the first supper did communicate the bread and cup one with another as also in the Apostles times pag. 95. Bullinger in the place above cited reporteth that in the Monastries of S. Bennets order c cathedrall kirks they communicated upon Maunday-thursday panem azymum frangentes calicem invicem propinantes in tatum vetexis coenae vestigium preferentes that is breaking unleavened bread and reaching the cup to other This was a footstep of the order observed universally before upon the anniversarie day called the day of the Lords supper which is now called Maunday-thursday Frier Rainerius reporteth that the Waldenses participate mutually as was done at Christs supper Bullinger in his 6. decad sermon 9. that the supper of the Lord is then rightly celebrated when the communicants distribute the bread and the cup among themselves Gualter homil 118. in Marcum setting down the best form of celebration requireth that they break the bread to other and distribute the cup. Tindall in his tractat upon the Lords supper requireth that every man reach and break to his neighbour The latter confession of Helvetia which is approved by many reformed kirks and by our owne recommendeth this breaking of bread The Lords supper was denominate breaking of bread from that rite or ceremonie of the breaking of the bread Acts. 2. it is said the disciples continued in breaking of bread and Acts. 20 that the disciples conveened to break bread which is clearer then the former speach and importeth that the disciples or the faithfull themselves brake bread Estius a popish professour in Doway writing upon 1 Cor. 10.16 sayeth that in the primitive kirk they had the breaking of bread which was first done by the Presbyteriâ—â— and deacons and after them in smaller pieces by the faithfull to whom it was given that they might distribute the same among themselves The Apostle 1 Cor. 10.16 sayeth The bread which we break is not the communion of the body of Christ that is the bread we break distribute and eat For the breaking alone by the Minister is not the communion of the body of Christ. The Apostle rehearsing the words of the institution sayeth not Take thou eat thou but in the plurall number take yee eat yee Yea Durandus Rational lib. 4. cap. 1. sayeth that the apostles celebrated as Christ did The breaking of the bread serveth for two uses first for the representation of Christs sufferings as also the pouring of the wine represented mystically the effusion of his blood Bullinger sayeth decad 5. serm 7. Wee break the bread of the Lord with our own hands for we our selves are to bee blamed that hee was bruised our sins wounded him wee crucified him and wee believe that not only hee suffered for others but specially for our selves Gualtor in his homil 295. on Matthew sayeth That every one when they break the bread acknowledgeth themselves to be the authours of his death and passion The other use is for distribution and reaching to other to testifie mutuall love and amitie If two should drink out of one cup and yet not teach to other it might well be thought there were no great kindnesse betweene them To divide the bread and to eat together in token of love and benevolence was a custome observed in the orientall countries and yet still in sundrie countries of the West Serranius in Iosuam cap. 9. Of this use the reader may finde more in Bullinger Decad 5. and Gualter 118. in Marcum Zuinglius in his exposition of the Christian faith reporteth that some sitting together casuallie and participating after this manner were reconcealed who before had beene at variance and that this fell foorth often If none must give the sacramentall bread but the Minister because hee acteth the person of Christ who gave his own bodie 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 communicated not as Pastours but as disciples as guests as other Christians as all our divines hold and among the rest Musculus cited by Doctour Lindesay pag. 59. This Doctour confesseth the cup may bee reached from one to another the Minister still acting CHRISTS person in his own place pag. 61.62 If none but the Minister must give the elements because hee representeth Christs person then might not the Deacon in
how dangerous it is The kirks in the Low-countries in their synods ordained that the communion be not celebrated kneeling for the danger of bread-worship The Polonian synods holden anno 1573. and 1583. were grosely mistaken in alleadging that none but Arrians or Anabaptists did sit when as it is well known that this gesture of sitting was in use in sundrie kirks in Europe of which wee have made mention before yea and Alasco before these times wrote more earnestly for sitting then any man else But these Polonian synods were mixed and consisted partly of Lutherians partly of such as adhered to the Bohemian partly of such as adhered to the Helvetian confess on Yet they confesse anno 1578. that it is neither the will of God nor the custome of the purer kirk to smite men with Ecclesiasticall discipline for externall rites Our opposits pretend the remedie of preaching and information of the people to direct their adoration aright But it is better to fill up the pit in the way then to set one beside to warn the passengers that they fall not in Watchmen are sometime negligent sometime blinde and ignorant or corrupt and perverse time should bee better spent then in leading poore soules through dangerous wayes which may bee forsaken All are not alike capable of information appearance of evill worketh more powerfully oft-times then the doctrine They alleadge that the command of the Magistrate in things indifferent taketh away the scandall I answere Can the supreme magistrate take away that aptnesse and fitnesse that any thing hath to intise and provoke men to sin The magistrates countenance maketh the scandall the greater and hee strengthneth it by authoritie Court-clawbacks tell us we 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 soul let be many thousands to fall into any sin let bee so hainous a sin as is the sin of idolatrie The magistrate is not in danger of stumbling or spirituall falling into any sin for yee put the case hee esteemeth the matter indifferent The Apostle had rather never eat flesh nor offend a weak brother for eating flesh offered to the idole and sold in the mereat And yet hee had greater authoritie in such matters then any prince or generall assemblie The Belgick synods would not take so much upon them but forbade kneeling for fear of idolatrie If the kirk to whom the rule for directing the use of things indifferent in matters of religion are laid down to wit that all things be done decently in order to edification without offence may not presume so far far lesse the magistrate Wee maintain that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements was not in use or at the least authorized till the great antichrist dominited There can not be an authentick testimonie alleadged before the opinion of real presence transubstantiation began to spread or to come to a more certain date for the space of a thousand years after Christ. There are some testimonies bearing the word adore but the testimonies are either counterfeit or to bee understood of inward adoration or of adoration in time of prayer before they communicate Or adoration is taken only for veneration but of kneeling in the act of receiving we hear of no authentick testimony as yet alleadged Doctour Burges is verie confident that the communicants kneeled in Tertullians time that is about 200. year after Christ for sayeth he the people shunned to come to the communion table on the station dayes because they might not kneel in the act of receiving but it behooved them to stand on these dayes and therefore sayeth he Tertullian inviteth them to come to 〈◊〉 the bread standing at the table publictly to reserve it and carrie it home and there receave it kneeling and so both dueties should bee performed the receiving of the Eucharist and the tradition on these dayes observed Tertullians testimonie is cited out of his book de oratione cap. 14. But the Doctour translated these words Quod statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini Because station or standing is then to be performed in receaving the bodie of the Lord whereas hee should translate thus because the station or fast is then to bee broken after the receaving of the bodie of the Lord. For the word statio in Tertullians language is taken for fasting or rather for some kinde of fasting dayes Wednesday and Friday were called station dayes on which they fasted untill the third houre after-noone and was distinguished from the other fasting dayes whereon they fasted of their own accord as Pamelius observeth out of Rabanus Maurus or rather as a late popish writer Albaspinaeus bishop of Orleance in his observations observeth were distinguished from other fast dayes which indured till the evening The meaning of Tertullian is this they were in an errour who thought that if they had receaved the Sacrament their feast should bee broken which should have continued to the set houre Nay saith Tertullian Nonne solemnior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Shall not thy fust or station bee the more solemne if thou stand also at the altar of God that is tho comuâ—â—on table for so both are safe both the participation of the sacrifice and performance of thy service that is of the fast sayeth Plessie in his answere to the Theologues of Bourdeaux and in his answere to the bishop of Evereux pag. 225. hee sayeth that Tertullian would remove that scruple that as soone as ever they had communicated they thought their fast was broken Albaspinaeus seemeth to come yet nearer to the sence and sayeth Tertullian would reprove these that would break the station or fast as soone as ever they had receaved the Eucharist ' and not stay any longer in the kirk howbeit the time was short and some few prayers were outored after the deliverie of the Eucharist for they communicated about the ninth houre of the day which was the third houre after noone about the end of the fast on these station dayes for on other fasting dayes which indured to the evening they receaved not the Eucharist As for standing at the communion table upon these station dayes it was not because they stood only upon these dayes when they receaved the Eucharist Nam accepta Eucharistia non licebat ex corum institutis ex veteri disciplina de geniculis orare sayeth Albaspinaeus that is It was not leasome by the ordinances and old discipline of these times to pray upon their knees when they receaved the Eucharist Further he proveth that upon these station dayes they stood not alwayes but kneeled at their prayers for the whole time was a time of mourning afflicting of their bodies but in these times it was a signe of joy not to adore upon their knees Erat apud antiquos nascentis Ecelesiae Christianos quaedum inum unitas quoddam genus goudiide