the time or to serve God because it is a holy time After I had finished this worke of reexamination there came to my hands some unsound tractats upon the sabbath Whereupon I thought good to insert in this place as the most pertinent this short disconrse following OF THE SABBATH THe light of nature leadeth a man acknowledging that there is a God and to be worshipped to acknowledge also that timâ—s should be set a part for his worship and not onely that but also competent and sufficient times But nature cannot lead us without further direction to setle upon one of the seven dayes more then upon one of eight ten or twelve The Lord set downe one in the circle of seven to bee observed perpetually and universally by all that were to worship him In his wisedome he could best discerne what time might be spared In respect of this perpetuity and universality this determination participateth of the nature of a law morall For this cause it was placed in the decalogue among the precepts purely morall and participated with them of the same prerogatives It was delivered by God himselfe written in tables of stone and preserved in the arke as the rest were The determination of such a seventh day in particular was made also by the Lord. Both the determinations are divine positive the first unchangeable the second changeable but yet only by divine authoritie The ten precepts of the decalogue are called ten words Deut. 4. 13. that is as one expoundeth ten sentences or as Vossius addeth Soultentiae praecipientes preceptive sentences And yet there are fourteene sentences for precepts in the decalogue How then are there but ten words hee answereth there are ten chiefe and principall the rest are secundarie and like appendicles Primum istud in confesso est quamâ—is quatuiordeâ—im inveniantur sententâ—â— in decalogo quibus aliquid praecipiatur tamen decâ—m esse duntaxat primarias principes Caeteras secundarias altarum quasi appendices Vnde Moses decem verba Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt In the fourth commandement there are three preceptive sentences The first is the principall Some reason after this manner The Lord saith not Remember thou keepe holy the seventh day but Remember thou keepe holy the sabbath-day and in the end he sanctified the sabbath-day hee saith not that seventh day from the creation howbeit it was so for the time But that seventh was to be changed and the sabbath was to be fixed upon another seventh day But to come nearer to the purpose that this commandement requireth not directly the seventh day from the creation but the seventh day in generall appeareth by the reason which enforceth not necessarly the seventh day from the creation that wee should rest the same day that the Lord rested but that wee should rest from our workes the seventh day as hee rested from his Which seventh as under the law he appointed to be saturday so under the Gospell sunday the substance of the commandement remaining See Master Cartwrights Catechisme But to come yet nearer The Lord might have created the world in six houres as easily as in six dayes Hee might have done it in a moment or have taken eight ten or twelve dayes The Lord would do neither the one nor the other but conformed himselfe to that space of time which in his wisedome he thought sufficient for man to doe all manner of workes of his owne This paterne doth not concerne his peculiar people of the Jewes onely but both Jew and Gentile and not for a time onely but to the end of the world as if the Lord would reason after this manner with mankinde What needed me to have spent six dayes in creating the world for I might have done it in one or wherefore stinted I my selfe at six I might have taken ten you may easily then consider wherefore I have done it I did it that thou may doe the like Do all thy workes and businesse in six dayes and rest the seventh The imitation lieth in this then not so much that wee rest upon such a seventh day as upon a seventh There is equitie in it indeed that seeing the Lord hath granted us six dayes to worke wee should rest the seventh but the force of the reason lieth chiefly in this that the Lord purposly tooke six dayes and rested the seventh to be a paterne to men howbeit with all in setting downe that paterne he considered that equity That the precept concerning the sabbath concerned not the Jewes onely but all mankinde appeareth also by this that it was given to Adam in the beginning Gen. 2. 2 3. Whereas some would have here an anticipâ—tion and the words to be referred to the time when the Lord rained Manna and forbad his people to gather upon the seventh day Exod. 16. as if the sabbath had never beene institute or observed before This were a strange anticipation to make mention of the blessing and sanctifying the seventh day without so much as an inckling of the proper time which is assigned by them which fell not forth till 2453 yeares or thereabout after the weake of the creation Next the words are knit together by the same copulative with the present historie Hee ended his worke on the seventh day and herested on the seventh day and he blessed the seventh day and he sanctified it The blessing and sanctifying then were not destinate to bee done 2453 yeares or thereabout afterwards but presently when he had ended all his worke of creation hee blessed and sanctified that is by blessing sanctified that is separate to a holy use as the minister blesseth when he separateth bread and wine from a common to an holy use at the Lords suppeâ— Or he blessed and sanctified that is praised it and sanctified For the originall word signifieth also praising or rejoycing as Gomarus himselfe bringeth exemple of praising out of Psal. â—8 27. And Philo Judaeus expresseth it by praising Every dayes workes had the owne commendation but now looking upon the whole frame the order and harmonie of it he rejoyced and praâ—sed it and sanctified that day After he had perfited the worke in six dayes he added honour to the seventh day following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Philo â—udaeus that is Which when hee had praised or commended incontinent hee deinzed to call it holy as Gelenius translateth Further there is no mention of blessing the seventh day Exod. 16. Gomarus alledgeth that twice as much Manna fell on the sixt day as upon any other day there is no warrant for it but onely that they were commanded to gather twice as much that day Suppose his conjectute were true that were a blessing of the sixt day and not of the seventh But as I have said there is no mention of blessing in that place But so it is thâ—t when he blessed he sanctified And seeing wee reade not that he blessed it when he ceased from raining
the supreme magistrat in things indifferent taketh away the scandall There are two sorts of indifferent things saith Zâ—nâ—hius some that are manifest occasions of sinning others are not of that kinde Res adiaphorae duplices sunt Quaelam suâ—t alicui aportâ—e occasiones peccatorum ita ut exillis verè immineat pâ—riculâ—m pèceandi alie vero non ita se habent For the first sort that we ought to abstaine from 〈◊〉 evill and all manifest occasion of evil For who saith he will venture to passe along a ruinous bridge if hee perceave manifest danger of falling into the river Can the supreame magistrat take away that aptnesse and fitnesse that any thing hath to intise and provoke men to sinne The Apostle Paul saith he had rather never eat flesh then offend a weake brother for eating flesh offered to the idol and sold in the market And I think he had greater authority in such matters nor any prince or generall assembly The Belgick synods yee see would not take so much upon them but for ad kneeling for fear of idolatrie If the Church to whom the rule for directing the use of things indifferent in maters of religion are laide down to wit that all things bee done decently in order to edification without offence may not presume so farre far lesse may the magistrate for his power is cumulative to assist the Church not privative to deprive the Church of her power The magistrates countenance maketh the scandall the greater and hee strengthneth it by his authoritie whereas hee should remove scandals and not lay stumbling-blocks in the way of the people The brasen serpent was but a passive 〈◊〉 active scandall and yet Ezekias brake it in pieces for more should active scandals bee removed These Courâ—-clawbacks tell us wee should rather offend the people then the supreme magistrate But better offend that is displease him nor offend that is give occasion to the poorest soule let bee many thousands to fall into any sin let bee so haynous a sin as is the sin of idolatrie The magistrate is not in danger of stumbling for yee say he esteemeth the matter indifferent Is not the supreme magistrate a sinfull man May hee not make Israel to sin May hee not abuse things indifferent and transgresse the rules above mentioned May hee not bee a secret friend to the pope or an a bettor of superstition Suppose hee have no such intention yet hee can not by his authoritie alter conditionem operis the qualitie of the work it self and make a thing which of it selfe is inductive to scandall not inductive Doth his commandment make all so sure that none can bee scandalized That is impossible considering the shew of evill in the deed it self the ignorance of many thousands the disposition of the ignorants to superstition the pronnesse of mens nature to idolatrie and the increase of papists Ioab was guiltie of Vriahs bloud notwithstanding of the Kings commandment so art thou of thy brothers falling Thy life for his life if hee bee a missing Say not therefore with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Active obedience to the magistrate ought not to bee a rule of thy love to Gods glory and the salvation of thy brother Passive obedience is not denied but defences by lawes aright first to bee heard Whereas they alleadge that sitting is dangerous for breeding contempt and prophanation To passe by the institution experience is a testimonie in the contrare Rusticitie in the behaviour of simple ones not acquainted with all the points of civiliâ—â— is not prophanation but may bee where the minde is in good order Horrible prophane were the words of our blind bishop to a gentle woman in the offering of the elements because shee would not kneel Wee maintain that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements was not devised or at least authorized till the great Antichrist overruled Wee need not to poinâ—â— at the time when it first began for there are many corruptions in the Romane Church which can not bee dedâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 a certain beginning by the Romanists themselfs It is sufficient that wee point out a time wherein it was not in use There can not be an authentick testimonie alleadged for kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements before the opinion of reall presence yea or of transubstantiation began to spread or to come to a more certain date for the space of a thousand years after Christ. I say authentick testimonie for wee regard not supposititions or counterfite works Origens first homilie in divers loca is brought in saying Thou therefore humbling thy self â—â—itat the Centurieâ— â—nd say Lord I am not worthie c. but that works is acknowledged by the papists themselfs to be counterfite Suchlike counterfiâ—e Cyrillus of Jerusalem in his fifth catechisme saith Then come to the cuppe of the blood not stretching out thy hand sed prâ—nus in modum adorationis venerationis dicens Antenâ— But stowâ—ing downward or with the face bended downward in manner of adoration or veneration saying Amen He sayeth not Cade pronuâ— fall down on thy faâ—e sed accede pronus but come inclyning or bowing thy heâ—d or upper part of thy body as men use to do when they make courtesie for men can not come falling flat But what need wee trouble our selfes with his words seeing hee is marked for a counterfite by Moulias on the Lords supper the bishop of Spalato and Plessie who in his answere to the bishop of Evereux saith These catecâ—ismes of Cyrillus are supposititious and come not to light but in our time M. Down in his treatise of transubstantiation pag. 3â— 38. saith That these catecbeticall booke are but of a verie late edition that Harding acknowledgeth that in his time they were known to veâ—ie few and in â—rite that they have beene published since in print and perhaps to winne more authoritie to them misfathered upon Cyrillus of Ierusalem This Cyrill directs the Communicant to touch his lips which are sanctified with the touch of Christs body and bloud that by the touch of that finger hee may sanctifie his eyes brow and others No authentick testimonie can they produce bearing the word kneeling which is an adoration not in a large but strict sense The testimonies bearing the word adore are either counterfite or to bee understood of inward adoration as Doctour Burges himself confesseth sundrie of the learned do construe them or of adoration in time of prayer before they communicate or adoration is taken taken only for veneration See Iewel in the article of adoration Bilson in his book of obedience and Mortoun the late defender of the ceremonies in his latest worke entituled Of the institution of the sacrament He bringeth in sundrie exemples to prove the latitude of the word Adore When Theodorâ—t saith dialog 2. that the mysticall signes are adored he should speake very grosly if the word adore meant not only reverent usage Moulines on
who is presenting his petition to the king upon his knee in their sight A provinciall synod holden at London anno 1603 ordained the head to be uncovered when their service is read in the Church yet I thinke they would not have enjoyned kneeling We heare the canonicall scripture read with uncovered heads but yet we kneel not The words of Christ which he uttered at the institution are still and often uttered that same voice soundeth through all the tables of the world his actions which were divine and holy are reiterat In Gratians decree De consecrat dist 1. cap. 68. we have a superstitious direction of Pope Anastasius that when the Gospell is reade in the Church those that are present shall not sit but stand venerabiliter curvi bowing reverently hearken and adore Wherefore more at the hearing of the Gospell then the Epistle which is also Evangelicall Yet you see howbeit that standing with bowing be more then to have the head uncovered it was but veneration And whereas he saith Et fideliter adorent the glosse hath id est venerentur because the word adoring is taken there in a large sense as yee may see sundrie places above cited not for that which is in a strict sense called adoration Adoration in strict sense is kneeling or prâ—stration Whereas Matthew saith chap 8. â— of the leprouse man That he worshipped Christ or adored Christ as the Latine translation hath according to the originall Mark 1. 40. He kneeled dewâ—e to him and Luke 5. 12. that he fell in his face Suchlike where it is said of the Cananitish woman Matth. 15. 25. That she worshipped or adored him adoravit eum Mark 7. 25. it is said That she fell at his feet The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to fall downe like a dog oâ—â—whelp at the feet of another as our Lord. Further our heads are not other way uncovered in the act of receaving then in the rest of the time of the celebration when wee are not neare the elements And thirdly the uncovering of our head is compatible with the varietie of actions in time of celebration praying singing the words of the institution and chapters reade but adoration directed as they pretend to God can not be without presentingâ— our petitions and thanks to God which requireth a severall part of the action by it selfe It is objected that 1 King 18. 39. when the people saw the fire fall upon the sacrifice to consume it the wood the stones the dust and lick up the water that was in the trench they fell on their faces and cried The Lord is God I answer The people fell on their faces after the fire had consumed the burnt sacrifice the wood the stones and licked up the water and not in the meane time for it is not likely that they fell downe till they had seene what the fire had wrought Next what suppose they had fallen downâ— in the meane time that the fire was working the worke wherefore it was sent Is it any wonder that men amazed with the presence of Gods majestie in a miracle fall downe as astonished to worship God Such a visible signe of Gods presence is called the glorie of the Lord. Doctour Jackson the Arminian hath this rule to be observed Such actions as have been managed by Gods Spirit suggested by secret instinct or extracted by extraordinarie and speciall occasions are then onely lawfull in others when they are begotten by like occasions or brought forth by like impulsions In matters of secular civilitie or moralitie many things saith he will beseeme one man which are uncomely in another and in one and thesâ—â—me mans deportment many things are decent and lawfull whiles they are drawne from him by speciall or rare occasions whose usuall practise upon dislike or no occasions becommeth according to the nature of the subject râ—diculous or dishonest That in the service of God and matters spirituall the least digression or declination from proposed paternes is farre more dangerous To attempt the like enterprise unto Jonathans upon warrant of his exemple and upon like speeches of enemies inviting him to come up would bee a superstitious tempting of God Every man may not use the like prognostication that Abrahams servant made use of when he was sent to bespeak for his young master Isaac a wife Jacob expressed his tender affection to his sonne Joseph whom he never looked to see again by kissing his coat but to have hanged it about his bed or table that it might receave such salutations evening and morning or at every meales time might have countenanced many breaches of superstition Charles the fift after his fyrewell to the warres and safe arrivall to Spaine saluted the spanish shore in such an affectionat and prostrat manner as his meanest vassall could nor ordinarly have saluted either him or it without just imputation of grosse idolatrie These are Doctour Jacksons examples which hee bringeth in for illustration of his rule If there come into the Church one that beleeveth not or one that is unlearned and heare one after another prophesie and finding himself convinced and the secrets of his heart made manifest falling downe on his knees he will report that God is in you of a truth 1 Corin. 14. 24 25. Yet if hee fell downe before them ordinarily were it not idolatrous Thirdly suppose they had fallen downe when the fire was in working yet it is not said that they fell downe with their eyes poâ—ing upon the fire but upon their faces and cried The Lord is God because he had manifested by his presence and power in such a miracle that he was the true God as 2 Chron. 7. 3. when the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and consumed the sacrifices and that the glorie of the Lord had filled the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavemâ—nâ— and worshipped and praised the Lord saying c. Salomon kneeled say they before the altar of the Lord when he prayed at the dedication of the temple For it is said 1 King 8. 54. that when he had made an end of praying all his prayer and application to the Lord he arose from before the altar of the Lorâ— from kneeling on his knees and stood and blessed the people I answer The altar is not set downe there as the object toward which he directed his countenance when he was kneeling but only as a circumstance of the place where he was when hee praved at that time for he had prepared a brazen scaffold and set it in the middest of the court over against the altar of the Lord 2 Chron. 6. 13. He kneeled where he had been standing on the scaffold and spread his hands toward the heavens not toward the altar It is said 2 Chron. 6. 13. That he fell downe upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands towards heaven Neither is it said
then to designe a place for the congregation to meet in but a matter belonging to order But there was more required to this day For it was not instituted only for order and policie that the people might know what dayes to conveene to publike exercises howbeit it was one respect Times may bee appointed for preaching and prayer on the weeke dayes by any particular Church But there is more required here a day to be obseved holy by the universall Church not only for publike worship but also for privat not onely for externall but also for internall which could not be done but by divine authoritie which is supreme and onely able to binde the conscience to internall as well as externall to privat as well as to publick worship as I have said before The last point which I am to touch is concerning the strictnesse of the observation Whither we be bound to as strict observation of the Lords day as the Jewes were of their sabbath The superstitious observation of the Iewes wee are not bound unto For they observed that day more precisely then God required They found fault with Christ healing of the sicke man upon the sabbath and the sicke mans carrying home of his bed They have had and have many foolish observations as not to pull to an herb on the sabbath nor to eat an aple which they pluck upon that day nor claw with their nailes in publike nor catch a flea unlesse it bite Let us then see what God hath forbidden them They were bidden â—ake that which they had to bake upon the sixt day and seeth that they had to seeth Exod. 16. 23. and forbidden to kindle a fire upon the seventh day But that which was baken and seethed upon the sixt day a part of it was not reserved to the seventh day but that which remained over unbaken and unsodden The text importeth no further for if it had beene baken or sodden they would perhaps have attributed the not putrifying upon the seventh day to the baking or seething It was food that might bee eaten without baking like comfites or fruit It seemeth then this injunction was given onely during the time the manna rained If this direction had beene to bee observed afterward they might not have eaten any thing which was baken two dayes before Is it likely that Christ and others bidden to the Pharisees house upon the sabbath-day had no meat dressed for them by baking of seething The kindling of fire was forbidden not simply but for baking or seething the manna as some thinke and therefore endured onely so long as the manna lasted howbeit the most superstitious sort of the Jewes in later times observed it It is noted of the Essens a strict sect of the Jewes as singular in them that they kindled no fire upon the sabbath-day They were commanded Exod. 16. 29. to abide every man in his place and not to goe out of their tents at lest out of the campe This was but temporarie Afterward they might take journey upon the sabbath to the Prophets or synagogues 2 King 4. 23. Levit 23. 3. Yea if they were not to journey for that the Scribes prescrived to them 2000 cubits that is a mile or thereabouts out of a towne or citie which was called the sabbath-dayes-journey But afterward they became more superstitious not taking up the Lords intent in that place of Exodus as the Jew that would not be drawne out of the jackes wherein he had fallen upon the sabbath-day So howbeit the Iewes should be superstitious now in not kindling fire that is no warrant that the direction was not â—â—â—oratie Some thinke this prohibition served onely during the workmanship of the tabernacle But let it bee granted that both the one direction and the other were to endure during the policie of the Iewes I denie that they were forbidden by vertue of the fourth precept of the decalogue They would and might have kindled fire notwithstanding of the fourth precept Their rest upon the sabbath was ceremoniall and figurative And because ceremoniall and figurative therefore saith Bellarmine and Dow after him with others it behoved to be more strict exact and rigid For the more exact the figure is the better it representeth and signifieth So granting that dressing and preparing of meat by fire were not a temporarie precept during the manna yet it depended upon the ceremoniall rest and typicall state of Gods people under the law They abstained from the buriall of the dead upon the sabbath-day 2 Maccab. 12. 39. because if any touched the dead or entred into the house where the dead lay or touched a grave was uncleane seven dayes Numb 19. 14. 16. and consequently they might not enter into the tabernacle Here a duty forbidden for legall uncleannesse which bindeth not us The prophanation of the sabbath was a capitall crime Exod. 31. 14. but this law bindeth not us The workes depending upon the ceremoniall rest or any particular ceremonie bindeth not us but only the workes inhibited in the fourth precept wherein the ceremoniall and iudicall precepts are not included but onely annexed to them as peculiar unto that people which was under the tutorie and paedagogie of the law Aquinas saith that the ceremoniall and judiciall precepts are not contained in the decalogue Ad secundum dicendum quod judicialia praecepta sunt determinationes moralium praeceptorum prout ordinantur ad proximum sicut ceremonialia sunt quaedam determinationes praceptorum moralium prout ordinatur ad Deum unde neutra praecepta continentur in daecalogo If then these workes were not forbidden by vertue of the fourth precept we are not bound to for beare them If our observation of the Lords day praefigure that blessed and glorious life which we expect as some doe hold then our rest should be also as exact and rigid because figurative Dominicus dies qui Christi resurrectione sâ—â—xatâ—â—e â— â—e ernam requiem spiritus corporis praefigurat saith Augustine But wee will not build strictnesse of rest upon such a weake ground It may bee fill drawne to resemble heavenly and spirituall things but that is not any end of the institution It is not â—â—puâ—destinatuâ— instituted for any shadow or signification though â—t may befitly applied unto such an use saith Willet Our rest upon the Christian sabbath is only subservient to the sanctifying of the day The strictnesse required of old by the vertue of the fourth precept is required of us As Whit maketh sunday an holy day only by the ordinance of the Church pag. 109. 150. so the particular forme and circumstances of resting are prescribed unto us saith hee by the Church pag. 135. meaning the Church governours the prelates So doth Bellarmine allow such workes as shall be permitted by the prelats or have beene used by long custome Tertiopera concessa à pralatis Quartò opera quae ex consuetudine sunt licita Our holy fathers the prelats paternes
but it was done by divine authoritie Many things might have beene done then by their direction the like whereof wee have not now Thirdly it appeareth Esther 9. 28. that this custome was to bee observed as long as the feasts appointed by the Lord himselfe Holy dayes of ecclesiasticall constitution are not of such a nature as Doctour Fulk acknowledgeth Fourthly it was not done without consent of the people of the Jewes themselves as Junius observeth The Jewes tooke upon them and their seed to keepe these two dayes Esther 9. 27. Howbeit they were not religious but politike dayes Mordecai would not impose them without their consent The equitie of this is seene in the Canon law where bishops are forbidden to appoint any particular festivall dayes within their diocies without consent of the people And there is good reason seeing they are to be withdrawne from their calling I put now the case they had power to make a holy or festivall day Lastly can any prince or state make the like ordinance for the posteritie to feast and send portions and gifts one to other or were it seemly to command feasting in a Christian common-wealth howbeit allowed and in a manner commanded to the Jewes Alstedius denieth that the Christian Church can imitate the Jewes in the like The memoriall dayes of the dedication mentioned Joh. 10. 22. serve as little for their purpose for first they are not called either 1 Macchab. 4. or here the feast of dedication howbeit the English translatours without warrant have translated the word dedication so which the Rhemists retaine without such a supplement If any supplement were needfull it may be translated the dayes of dedication as the former were called the dayes of Purim And so they are called 1 Maccab. 4. 59. and in the testimonie cited by Junius out of the Talmud Joh. 10. If yee will call them the feast of dedication because of their bodily feasting yet unlesse there was holy convocations to divine service upon them and cessation from worke they cannot bee made a president for holy festivities composed of Hookers three elements nor aâ—e they anniversarie holy dayes added to those the Lord himselfe appointed There was offering of sacrifices singing and playing upon instruments at the time of dedication of the altar eight dayes but not enjoyned at the yearly memoriall Thirdly Judas Maccabaeus and his brethren had the consent and assistance of the whole congregation of Israel to this ordinance 1 Macc. b. 4. 59. which is wanting to our festivall dayes But Junius citeth a testimonie out of the Talmud bearing that the wise men for the time instituted eight dayes of dedication in memorie that a little quantitie of oil which was found in the temple scarce sufficient to entertaâ—ne the lamps one day vet sufficed eight dayes till new oil was pressed out of the olives By the wise men are meant the Pharisees Nam sapientes Pharisaei synomina sunt saith Drusius We are not to imitate the inventions of Pharisees or of such corrupt times as those of the Maccabces There was no yearly remembrance by solemnitie of feast not so much as of one for the dedication of the whole temple either the first under Salomon or the second under Zorobabel nor for restoring of the temple by Ezekias after it was prophaned by Ahaz and Vrias or by Josias after it was polluted by Manasses and Amon. But now there was an annuall memorie appointed for renewing of the altar only and other decayed places of the temple As for Christs conference in the porch of the temple in the dayes of dedication it proveth not that he honoured that feast as they call it with his presence Only the circumstance of the time is pointed at when that conference was as the dayes of the shew-bread Act. 20. and of the fast Act. 27. are mentioned to note a circumstance of time but not that Paul observed them Christ came up to the feast of the tabernacles before and stayed in Jerusalem In the meane time the dayes of dedication fell forth as Scaliger hath observed So Christ came not up to Ierusalem for this feast and went away in the time of it immediatly after this conference Further Christ and his Apostles tooke occasion of frequent meetings to thrust their sickles in thick harvests In a word the dayes instituted to Gods people beside such as God himselfe appointed were either appointed by extraordinarie warrant or were not holy dayes or were the inventions of the pharisees and corrupter times THE III. REASON NEither Christ nor his Apostles appointed festivall dayes to be observed by Christians but rather inhibited the observation of them and changed onely the old sabbath to the first day of the weeke The anniversarie solemnities were not changed but abrogated because ceremoniall Wee finde not the Apostles or Christian Churches in their time observed any festivall or anniversarie dayes That pentecost mentioned 1 Corin. 16. and Act. 20. was the Iewes Pentecost Bellarmine himselfe dare not affirme that it was the Christians The Apostle having occasion to treat upon this subject condemneth observation of dayes Gal. 4. Coloss. 2. Suppose which is more likely that the Galatians embraced the observation of the Iewish dayes Galate potius Judaizabant quam astrologicas regidas servabant Yet the Apostle reasoneth against all observation of such like dayes as judaizing As if he had said the observation of ceremoniall dayes moneths and yeares was convenient for Gods people under the law for their instruction and to shaddow things to come because of their non-age and was a pedagogicall and rudimentarie instruction which beseemeth not the state of a Christian Church and clear light of the Gospell These dayes were all ceremoniall yea the very dayes of Purim and the dayes of dedication Doctour Mortoun saith were of a ceremoniall â—aâ—re To celebrate the memorie of any particular act of Christ at a set time in the yeare with cessation from worke sermons gospels epistles collect and hymnes belonging thereto with mirth and gladneâ—e without admitting of a fast at any time is not to observe a day morally but ceremonially Not to fast when such a day of the yeare or weeke returneth but to hold it festivall is to observe a day as to fast yearly upon another day No doubt the Galatians observed not these dayes with the Iewish worship of sacrifices and oblations or as shadowes of things to come for then they had denied Christ. Neither is it likely that they neglected the Iewish Easter and Pentecost but yet the Apostle calleth it a returning to the Iewish rudiments that is Iudaizing He instructeth the Corinthians how they shall observe Easter to wit all the yeare long with the unleavened bread of sinceritie and truth not after the Iudaicall manner If there had beene other festivall dayes which might have beene observed by Christians the Apostle having so faire occasion would have directed them to the observation of
one of the precisest reformers upon Mathew 2. hath these words as I finde him cited by Amesius in his fresh suit pag. 360. I would to God that evâ—ry holy day whatsoever beside the Lords day were abolished That zeal which brought them first in was without all warrant or example of the Scripture and onely followed naturall reason to drive out the holy dayes of the pagans as it were to drive out one nail with another Those holy dayes have beene defiled with so grosse superstitions that I marvell if there be any Christian who doth not shake at their very names Seeing then festivall dayes have no warrant we ought not to hear the sermons delivered on these dayes of purpose for the day for that is the chiefe element of a festivall day to use a peculiar kinde of service proper to it And without divine service it were but an idle day not a holy day The word of God is good of it selfe but may bee abused to charming and to foster superstition whereof we should keepe our selves free that wee be not guiltie of the prophanation of the name of God Our preachers went to rebuke the people when they conâ—eened more frequently to the Church npon any festivall day falling upon an ordinarie day of teaching howbeit neither time nor text was changed But how farre have both preachers and professours degenered without appearance of amendment At the beginning of the late novations they were skar but now many have digested that scruple OF CONFIRMATION OUr act it is true alledgeth that the Papists have made of the triall of young children their education and how they are catechised a sacrament of confirmation as if no such thing were aimed at but the said triall yet in respect that by that act the pretended bishop shall cause them to bee presented before him that hee may blesse them with prayer for the increase of their knowledge and continuance of his heavenly grace with every one of them and wee know that they dare and will take upon them the rest of the rites used in the English Church laying of hands c. we reason as before against confirmation as it is used in the English Church Yet two things I perceave in the act as it standeth The one is that the bishop is not â—ound to try by himselfe every one that is to be presented before him but only to try whither the minister hath beene remisse in catechising and yet he must upon the report of others blesse them with prayer for the increase of knowledge and continuance of grace Next that he must blesse who hath not a calling to blesse that hee must blesse as if hee were the pastour of all the souls within the diocie old and young which charge that null and pretended assembly could not give him seeing it hath beene acknowledged before in free assemblies to have no warrant in the word of God and hath beene suppressed by our Church as a damnable office Therefore his blessing is but a prophanation with his fingers But what language is this to say that the bishop shall blesse them with prayer for to blesse is one thing and to pray another For prayer seeketh of God good things for us but to blesse is in Gods name to assure us that the blessing of God is upon us and shall accompanie us But let us come to their paterne That which now the Papists make the sacrament of confirmation was of old a part of the solemnitie of baptisme After the person was baptized they laid on hands that is prayed for increase and continuance of grace to the baptized as we doe now but without laying on of hands because it was a rite indifferent without any use but to designe the person for whom the prayer was made and afterward abused to make up another sacrament Afterward entred a superstitious device to strike Chrisme that is oile of olives tempered with balme in manner of a crosse upon the forehead of the baptized This anointing in the forme of a crosse was called signation or consignation because of the signe of the crosse made upon the forehead This unction or consignation and imposition of hands became in the mindes of superstitious men so necessarie that without them they thought they had not gotten their perfite christendome that the signe of the oily crosse perfited baptisme and conferred the spirit of God upon the baptized Tâ—â—s consignation and imposition of hands at the closure of baptisme was called confirmation like as the giving of the cup to the communicants after they have receaved the bread was called also confirmâ—tion as Cassander hath observed but the 〈◊〉 controued onely with the first The bâ—shops arrogated to themselves the unction or consignation and imposition of hands to advance their estate They doe that part which consummateth baptisme which maketh a fall and peâ—fite Christian. But when it was found that the bishop could not bee present at every baptisme the priest was permitted after baptisme to anoint the baptized in the top of the head with holy Chrisme but he must not crosse the forehead That must bee reserved to the bishops leasure Then they were presented to the bishop to be confirmed and get their perfite Christendome by ritâ—s which were appendicles and câ—remonie of baptâ—sme before Thâ— English at their rude reformation reserved imposition of hands to the bishop and gave their priest power to make the signe of the crosse upon the forehead of the baptized but without chrisme Howbeit there bee no greater antiquitie for the crossing without it then with it they call notwithstanding the bishops imposition of hands onely confirmation and not their priests crossing of the forehead And yet when the priest crosseth he saith Wee receave this childe into the congregation of Christs flock in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the world and the devill and to continue Christs faithfull souldier unto his lifes end Which words agree according to their doctrine better with confirmation For doe they not say that in baptisme infants 〈◊〉 admitted to live in Gods family but in conf 〈◊〉 they are rabled to fight in the armie of God That in baptisme they beleeve the remission of sinne unto justification in confirmation they are emboldened to make open professon of this beleefe unto salvation And this is just the doctrine of the Papists So they have parted the rits of confirmation or els they must acknowledge that they have two-confirmations which is as absurd But let us come to the last and that which they call confirmation or laying on of hands It is true in their articles set forth anno 1562. they deny confirmation to be a sacrament and acknowledge that it flowed from a naughtie imitation of the Apostles But Doctour Rainolds in the conference holden at Hampton court alledged that that article was contradicted by
the rubrick of confirmation in the booke of Common prayer as Parker hath well observed In that rubrik it is said That confirmation is ministred unto them that are baptized that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receave strength aâ—d defence against all tentations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the devill Bellarmine maketh imposition of hands and prayer but one sensible signe in confirmation howbeit the Papists have no right imposition of hands Master Hutton saith that imposition of hands is one of the externall meanes by which the holy Ghost is given and howbeit that prayer hath the chiefe force yet imposition of hands hath some also otherwise saith hee what needed Peter and John to have travelled to Samaria they might have prayed in Jerusalem for the holy Ghost to the Samaritans Downame likewise saith that grace is conferred to the baptized for confirmation by imposition of hands In the prayer after the laying on of hands wee have these words Wee make our humble supplication unto the for these children upon whom after the example of the Apostles wee have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gratious goodnesse towards them Ye see then they make imposition of hands a certifying signe of Gods favour and a meane whereby grace and strength against tentations and assaults is conferred Is it not then made a sacrament derogatorie from baptisme and the Lords supper as if by baptisme we were not certified of Gods favour and entred not to Gods armie as well as his family Our Christian valour and courage to resist the devill and professe the truth is a fruit of that regeneration and sanctification which is sealed to us in baptisme Let him be a athema who saith that baptisme is given to the remission of sinnes and not also to the help of grace Concilium Melevitanâ—m Is not the Lords supper a confirmation of our faith and often cel brated for that end Because the example of the Apostles is alledged wee answer that imposition of hands mentioned Act. 8. was extraordinarie The Apostles by imposition of hands might conferre the gifts of tongues prophesying healing which Philip the Evangelist had not and therefore Peter and John were sent to Samaria for that end For they had need of some to prophesie and to have the Gospell in these times confirmed to them by such wonders The effects of this imposition of hands were sensible to these that were present And therefore Simon Magus would have bought with money that gift which the Apostles had Strength against tentations is a grace invisible and given onely to the faithfull whereas the gifts of tongues prophesying healing might have beene given to the unregenerat The bishop of Spalato saith That the imposition of the Apostles hands was but temporarie and for a sensible effect which was to cease and that it was not a stable and constant sacrament of the Church nor was it properly sacramentall The confession of Wittenberg hath the like saying Of a temporall and personall fact of the Apostles a generall and perpetuall sacrament cannâ—t be ordained in the Christian Church without the speciall command of God And so saith Suarez also in 3. tom 3. disput 33. sect 4. Their laying on of hands then in imitation of this extraordinarie example of the Apostles is apish As for that imposition of hands mentioned Heb. 6. 1. I will let passe the different interpretation of Divines who thinke some that it was that extraordinary whereof wee have made last mention others that it is that which was used in ordination of ministers I will give that it was an ordinarie laying on of hands upon the faithfull But as it is joyned with baptisme in that place so it seemeth to be that imposition of hands which was used in the end of baptisme when the minister prayed for persons baptized that the Lord would increase and continue his graces with them The Apostle there opponeth the doctrine of the beginning that is the catatheticall doctrine of repentance from dead workes faith resurrection from the dead and eternall judgement to the doctrine of perfection The converted Jewes and Gentiles behooved to be catechised in these grounds sufficiently and tried before they could be baptized and have hands laid upon them These were called Catechument till the time of their baptisme Others apply it to the children of the faithfull and thinke that when they come to age and were fit for the communion they were after triall in the grounds of religion admitted with imposition of hands into the societie of communicants in ecclesiam adultorum as Paraeus calleth them But wee finde that imposition of hands was used after as a ceremonie in the end of baptisme even in the baptizing of infants Yet this laying on of hands upon the baptized was as Augustine saith gestus orantis the behaviour of him that prayed for or blessed any particular person a gesture used both under the old and new testament As ye may see when Jacob blessed the sonnes of Joseph Genes 48. when Moses laid hands upon Josua Num. 27 Such as had power laid hands on these that were to bee admitted to an office in the Church Acts 6. 1 Tim. 4. The teachers and prophets at Antioch upon Paul and Barnabus when they were separated for the worke to which the Lord called them Act. 13. Yea the elders who were admitted to be Counsellers in the great Synedrion and the Rabbins who were promoved to their degree of Doctourship were admitted and promoved with imposition of hands So it was used in actions both civill and religious and in religious it served to be an indicant signe of the particular person whom they were to pray for or blesse For when they were to blesse or pray for moe they lifted up their hands Levit. 9. 22. Luke 24. 10. See also Drusius If it was only the gesture of him that prayed according to the forme of the Jewes and did neither signifie nor seal the grace which was prayed for it could not bee a sacrament Bellarmine acknowledgeth that the imposition of hands at the receaving of penitents which was called Impositio manuum reconciliatoria was not a consecration imprinting a character but a ceremonie furthering prayer or a prayer upon the person If it was no more at there-entrie it was nothing els in the entrie Seeing imposition of hands was but the gesture of him that prayed it might have beene either used or omitted which our Doctour pag. 98. confesseth And should be omitted say we seeing it hath beene so abused as to make it a sacrament without precept or institution and without a promise Farther seeing it is but a gesture of prayer it may be re-iterat if it were in use Manus autem impositio non sicut baptismus repeti non potest quid enim est aliud quà m oratio super hominem saith Augustine In the Catechisme before confirmation
or have warrant to baptise but pastours or ministers It is necessitas medii then that driveth them to such courses The English service book permitteth in privat baptisme to omit the doctrine concerning the institution and use of baptisme and also to spare the Lords prayer if the time will not suffer That booke supposeth likewise that some things essentiall to this sacrament may bee omitted in the privat ministration through feare or haste in such extremitie Is this reuerent using of the holy things of God or is it sure worke that forceth them to flie to a conditionall baptisme The case of baptisme and circumcision is not alike for the Lord appointed a precise time for circumcision to wit the eight day which in no casâ— they might prevent suppose the infant should die in the meane time It might have beene delayed if there were some urgent occasion to hinder as in the wildernesse for many yeares because they behoved to be in readinesse to remove according to the moving of the cloudy rollar But Moses had no urgent occasion therefore the Lord chastised him and Sephora circumcised the childe Moses being sicke Her example was not imitated by the Jewes themselves after and the Church of God was yet in families When synagogues were erected and places for the publike service of God circumcision was ministred onely in publike as some thinke and so it is an this day in the synagogues where a synagogue is to bee had Others hold that the Lord committed not the act or office of circumcision to the priests or Levits but that the infants were circumcised at home the family and nighbours being conveened because present remedy was to be provided for curing of the wound Barraillus the Jesuit saith that circumcision required not either a peculiar place or a peculiar minister Suarez saith that at this day he that is called the circumciseth circumciseth indifferently in the house or the synagogue But it is not so in baptisme as it cannot be ministred but by a lawfull minister so likewise only in the publicke assembly The make of circumcision was permanent and by it the circumcised might bee easily discerned whither they were counterfite professours or not But it is not so in baptisme The paschall lambe was eaten only in families and small societies conveened in some chamber on parlour and might not be eaten in publick assemblies But who dare affirme that the Lords supper howbeit it be the sacrament answerable to it must be celebrated after the same manner Different is the case betweene the sacraments of the old law which belonged to one nation and the sacraments under the Gospel belonging to the whole Christian world The Lords supper is the sacred banket of the whole Church assembled together saith Bullinger in his Decades and therefore saith he the Apostle requireth the Corinthianâ— to assemble together to partake of this supper 1 Corin. 1â— 32. It is a finew of publicke assemblies a hadge of our profession a band of love and representation of 〈◊〉 communion and fellowship which is and ought to bee among the members of the congregation It is not a part or two or three but the whole body of the congregation which is compared to one bread when the Apostle saith We that are manie are one bread and one body for we are partakers afore bread Corin. 10. 17. Because it is not possible to us to celebrat a sacramentall union with the whole Church militant the Lord hath appointed us to keepe a sacramentall communion with some particular congregation or visible Church The Doctour borroweth an absurd answer from Bellarmine and the Rhemists that were have sacramentall communion with the whole militant Church howbeit it be not so visible as with any one particular Church and his reason is because wee are partakers of the same sacrament I reply with Master 〈◊〉 answer to the Rhemists Although all the faithfull even those that never receaved the sacrament by faith communicate with Christs body yet doe they alone communicate sacramentally which have their communion sealed by the outward action of eating of one sacramentall bread And that the Apostle meaneth of these that in one congregation or Church eat together and not of the communion of us with those that receave the sacrament in another Church it is evident for that he placeth the seal of this communion in eating all of one bread and of one table Whereas they that communicate in another congregation communicate not of one table or bread with them that are so removed no more then they that celebrated the passeover in divers houses were partakers of one lambe or kid It is the same sacrament in spece or kinde but not in number Wee communicate in one fruit or effect because we all receave the same Christ but that is a spirituall not a sacramentall communion saith Chamier For it was never heard saith he that these in Jerusalem communicate sacramentally with those in Alexandria Otherwise what needed the bishop of Rome to send the eucharist to other bishops when they come to Rome The Lords supper then should not be celebrated but in the assembly of the faith for united together in one bodie of a Church A companie conveened apart from the rest to communicate with the sicke person is not unied by themselves into the body of a Church farre lesse three of foure asttake the English service booke meaneth to be a number sufficient seeing they allow the communion to bee ministred to three or foure in the Church and in the time of plague sweat or such other like contagious sicknesses the minister may communicate with the person diseased alone Ergo coena Domini non est privata sed publica nulli privatim danda Et quoniam non est publicus vel generallis catus quandò quatuor aut quinque cum agro communicant nihil dicunt quia not apud agros coenam instrui pâ—sse si alis quoque simul coenent saith Bullinger That is Seeing it is not a publicke or generall meeting when three or foure communicate with the sicke they say nothing to purpose who say that the supper may bee celebrated beside the sicke if others also communicate Suppose a companie of the faithfull in a family be called a Church Rom. 16. 7. because the whole family consisting of Christians and frequently exercised in religious exercises resembleth in some sort a Church and may be called ecelesiola as it were a little Church Yet it is not that Church which hath the power and right to use the sacraments and censures for then every family in a Christian commonwealth might celebrate the sacraments at home So howbeit the name be communicated for the greater commendation of such a family yet the definition doth not agree And yet that place may be applied to the Church which used to conveene in Aquila and Priscilla's house In that same chapter Gaius is called the host of the whole Church See
Parcus in Rom. 16. 7. 1 Corin. 16. 19. Philemon 2. The names also given to this sacrament may teach us that tâ— should bee celebrated in the publicke assemblie The name synaxis importeth a gaâ—â—ering or assembling together Casaubon saith synaxis and synagogue are all one because derived from one word Liturgie signifieth a publicke service or ministrie both the names import the celebritie of the assembly and the solemnitie of the administration before the assembly The elements were sent to the absents in time or immediately after the action in Justinus Martyrs time Which was the first abuse we read of After followed reservation of the eucharist for the use of the sicke which was a greater abuse and carrying of it home to their houses The opinion of the necessitie of privat communious did grow to such an hight that the eucharist was given not onely to aged persons departing this life for their Viaticum to bee their voyage victuall as they call it but also to infants and babes and this indured for the space of 600. yeares The Papists themselves are ashamed of it and expresly inhibit it Yea of old in some parts it was the practice to use Master Perkins words to cram the eucharist into the mouth of them that were deceased or to lay it upon the breast and burie it with the corps Such horrible prophanations arose from the opinion of necessitie engendred upon these reservations and giving of the eucharist to the sicke The continuation of the like customes doth foster and entertaine the same opinion of necessitie The ignorant are fostered in superstition as if the grace of God were tyed to the sacrament and no comfort could be had by there receaving of it in former times but they must have it now for their voyage victuall whereby they may bee enabled to attaine to life eternall without fainting in the way Polyander after he hath concluded that the Lords supper should not bee celebrated in privat either for sicknesse of any person or other case of necessitie whatsoever granteth that not long after the Apostles times for condescending to the weaknesse of some this custome prevailed to send to the sicke the elements of bread and wine in the time of administration Sed hoc medium atque admâ—niculum quod infirmioribus juvandis ac consolandis ex zelo irregulari absque Christi mandato patres exhibuerunt paulatim in eam transiit idololatriam â—nt aliqui non minùs administrationi sacra coena quà m baptismi salutemex opere operato tribuerint That is The helpe and nemedie they used out of irregular zeale without Christs precept for the comfort and helpe of the weaker ended at last into such idolatrie that they ascrived no lesse their salvation to the administration of the holy supper then of baptisme and that by vertue of the worke wrought or deed done Therefore he adviseth us to beware that we foster not men in a superstitious opinion by privat or domestick administration of the Lords supper Calvin saith Difficillimum est hic cavere ne alios superstitio alios ambitio vanaâ—ostentatio ad petendum solliciter That is It is verie hard to bee avoided that superstition stirre not up some ambition and ostentation others to crave it Bullinger saith If wee bee contentious in the defence of this viaticum there will bee bred againe that which wee have seene receaved in some ages before a relying npon the very receaving it selfe of the sacrament as if for it wee were acceptable to God and departing out of this world did flie straightway to heaven and without it were carried straightway to hell And many 〈◊〉 errours will spring up Tilenus saith in his syntagma Whatsoever necessitie be pretended hardly cast any sufficient cause be rendered wherefore the publicke action should passe in a privat Because he ordâ—nance of God is supreme necessitie which wee must obey rather then faster the infirmitie of man Illa enim infirmorum levamenta ex â—â—ordinem olim adhibita infirmitatem publicam totius ecclesia magis foverunt auxerunt quà m privatam agrotan ium sanarunt That is The ease tendered by the cont non order upon the infirme dâ—d rather cherish and augment the publicke disease of the whole Church then heal the privat disease of the sicke As for the pretended necessitie of comfort to the sicke that same answer may be given that the English service book giveth when none can be had to communicate with the sicke or for extremitie of sicknesse or other just impediment he cannot communicate The carat shall instruct him that if hee doe truly repent him of his sinnes and stâ—edfastly beleeve that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the crosse for him and shed his bloud for his redemption earnestly remembring the ben sits he hath thereby and giving him hartie thankes therefore hee doth eat and drinke the body and bloud of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soules health although he doth not receave the sacrament with his mouth May not the like bâ—e said to the sicke in body but ignorant or superstitious in minde when the sacrament may not bee celebrated at their bedside without breach of Gods ordinance The Rhemists do acknowledge that they doe eat the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ which joyne in hart and desire with the part 〈◊〉 of the sacrament A man may die a martyr before he receave either baptisme or the Lords supper How many Catechumeni have died before they were baptized The comfort and benefit wee receave at any publicke communion is not restrained to the present time but serveth at all times for our use Wee were but once baptized yet the comfort and benefite endureth all our life long Our spirituall communion with Christ and to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by faith is ever so necessarie that otherwise we cannot be safe but so is not the participation of the Lords supper Onely wee must beware of neglect and contempt of the publicke administration The godly know in their agonie they never want shall which is chiefe and onely necessarie where in they so acquiesce that they will not without the Lords institution trouble the comlinesse and order of the Church for their owne privat satisfaction Norunt pij in agone nun quaâ—ijs dâ—esse quod praecipuum est soâ—ùm necessarium in quo ita acquiescunt ut extra Dom ni institutionem nolunt ecclesia ordinem decorum turbare ut sibi privatim satisfaciant This pretended necessitie grounded upon superstitious conceats hath drawne on a neglect of the publicke communion because in time of their need they looke for it in privat Ab ista manducatione clinica cui quisque in papatufidit ortho est in plerisque communicandi contemptus cum prospera valetudine fruuntur ad quod semel tantum in anno ex ecclesiae sua praescripto obligantur The whole congregation hath interest in the celebration and is
bound to see it performed reverently and religiously which they cannot see done when it is administred in privat Nor can the privat administration bee performed with such reverence as is requisite Wee read not that at any time it was the custome in the ancient church to celebrate at the bedside of the sick but onely to carrie the eucharist to him which notwithstanding was superstitious The synod holden at Laodicea cap. 58. ordained Ne fierent in domibus oblationes ab episcopis aut presbyteris And Justinian Novell constit 57. hath the like Not that I thinke the place of it selfe disgraceth the action but the paucitie of the communicants If the congregation were assembled in a barne or any like capacious place through want of a church the action might bee celebrated with no lesse grace The sicke mans chamber is not a fit meeting place for the congregation saith Riveâ—is Suppose it were such assemblies could not but breed or foster the opinion of necessitie Beside the paucitie the paines of the patient might enforce sundrie disorders Bellarmine alledgeth in defence of depriving the communicants of the cup howbeit more comfort might bee had by participating both the bread and the wine that there is lesse ill that men want some good thing not necessarie then that the sacrament be exposed to the hazard of irreverence For it could not be but the bloud of Christ would bee often split That which hee alledgeth against the Lords institution wee may farre more justly alledge against this privat communion which the Lord never ordained that the reverent usage of the sacrament is to bee preferred before the good or rather preposterous pleasing of the sick and feeding their ignorance and superstition FINIS Errata BLot out p. 11. last line not p. 12 l. 15. when 81. l. 27. that 99. l. 11. not 122. l. lest p. 56 lin l. the fourth part read p. 14. l. 4. canon 17. 22. more l. 23. meere 20. 28. Pauli 23. l. 24. that thursday 27. l. 25. Hospinian 29. l. 26. then 30. last line notable 3. l. l. 29. Encrarits 39. l. 2 sic l. 25. eat ve all of this 45. l. 14 great l. 25. Montanus l. 26. members 47. l. 4. l. 8. sic 54. l. 30. simpliciâ—er 57 l. last Israelitarum 60. l. 18. decree l. 19. successates 6. l. 18 popuâ—â— 6. â— l. 13. of 65. l. 18. excuses 67. l. 24. Cracouieni 6â— l. al 's 68. l. 4. al 's 69. l. 15. apertae 74. l. 19. to stand 76. l. 13. stantes commorantes 77. l. 30. Zonaras 79. l. 14. praetermitted 80. l. 24. quod â— 9. l. 12 to these words 98. l. 1. causes l. 13 whither 99. l. 11 if ye will bear 122. l. 3. bewray 128. l. 30. Christ. Desire stort ejaculations 135. d. l. 19. genuine 154 l. 7. commenting 157. l. 20. kindling fire 158 l. 1. mutabilitie 159 l. 7. rationem 160. l. 27. were not bidden fast 164. l. 26. 〈◊〉 10. logicall 165. lin 2. apolo l. 19. whereon 168. l. 5. makein 190. l. 29. â—â—gatorum 202. l. 20 salve 205. l. 23. ye observe 217. l. 22. concredite 220 lin 30. questions 22â— lin 12 suffraganes 226 l. 4. become Lesser escapes I remit to the correction of the understanding reader A PASSAGE OF MASTER WILLIAM Cowper peetended bishop of Gallaway his sermon delivered before the states anno 1606. at which time he was minister at Perth On 2 Corin. 6. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle wrote this epistle in his owne name and in the name of Timothie his brother as yee may penceave by the first verse of this epistle And now in both their names hee directeth the exhortation Preachers are workers together brethren and fellow-labourers Here a worthie Apostle claimeth no superiour stile to Timothie an Evangelist albâ—it justly hee might hâ—e bâ—ing an Apostle the other an Evangelist both which were temporarie and extraordinarie callings in the Church of God but the one namely the office of an Apostle more excellent then the other office of an Evangelist This may serve to make these men ashamed who being partakers of one office of pastorship with the rest of their brethren will bee separated from them by slately sitles Order is good I grant but away with such order as hath bred that I omane Hierarchie the tyrannie of the Antichrist Alwayes here our chiefe lesson is that ministers should work together They should not worke one against another We are the servants of one Lord wee have all one citie to build we are fortifiers of the wall of one Jerusalem what part of the wall wee stand and into that is no matter the worke and the waze is one to us all Vnion among brethren is ay the forerunnâ—r of blessing division againe bringeth on the fall for a kingdome devided against it selfe cannot stand In the primitive church S. Luke saith The multitude of beleevers were of one heart There upon followed a flourishing estate of the church notwithstanding the powers of the world were enemies to them Great things are alwayes performed by union yea suppese of mean instruments There is non saith Job can restraine the influence of the Pleiades it is but a constellation of the seven starres which we commonly call the seven sisters yet do they bring with them the spring of the year Thus a nature her self advanceth her greatest workes by unin A materiall building is made up by the uniting of stones and timbâ—r bâ—fore disjoyned and and the fall thereof is procured againe by their renting and sundring one from another I exhort you therefore brethren in the name of the Lord that as one man our hearts may bee joyned together to doe the worke of the Lord and this devision threatning a fearfull decay of Christ his kingdome in the midst of us may be eshewed Where if it be objected to me where is the blame or cause of division For I know that as Salomon saith every mans way seemeth good in his owne eyes I answer I have not a deligh to make a sport of the nakednesse of my father and I desire not to be cursed with Chaent If the division were not so evident that the most simpley perveaveth it I could willingly also misknow it but since the evill is manifest the cause of the evil is also easily espied for looke what part of the wall is gagged from the oâ—â—â—ation where upen the building stands and from that policie we receaved from our fathers let thâ—â— be drawne in to the rest againe then shall arise a happie union that may assure us of a continuance and increase of Gods work in the midst of us FINIS Admonition pag. 35. Sitting warrantable Scaliger de emendat temporum lib. 6. Barradas in concor evangelist Tom. 4. lib. 3. cap. 2 Baronaâ—â—al â—om 2. an 34. num 14. Chrys. hom de prodit Iud. And Pope Leo serm 7. de passione Domini That Christ and his Apostles kneeled not Athenaens lib. 4. Luk.
the Lords supper 2. part page 24. translateth Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverenced and disputeth against adored as not agreeable to his meaning And so Bilson expoundeth Theodoret and to this purpose alledgeth the glosse of the Canon law In hoc sensu possumus qâ—am libet rem sacrâ—m adorare id est reverenâ—iam exhibere Ana. stasius saith Dominica verba attentè audiant si leliter adorent 1. venerantur saith the glosse Adore plenitudinem scripturae I adore the fulnesse of the scripture saith Tertullian Doctour Burges is forced to construâ— the word adored in this sense when he would give a right sense to some words of Iewell The sacraments in that sort in respect of that which they signifie and not in respect of that which they are of themselfes are the flesh of Christ and are so understood and beleeved and adored but the whole honour resteth not in them but is passed over from them to the things which be signified saith Iewel His meaning is saith the Doctour that no more is or may be done respectively to the sacrament then that which wee call veneration that which in strict sense we call adoration or divine worship is reserved to God Chrysostome meaneth spirituall reverence in 1 Corin. 11. and therefore he useth emphaticall speeches of ascending up to the gates of heaven even the heaven of heavens like eagles saith Doctour Fulk 〈◊〉 followeth not that they kneeled in Augustines time because the Ethnicks objected that Christians honoured Bacchus and Ceres The reverene carriage of Christians at the participation of the sacrament all bread and wine was sufficient to be an occasion of the mistaking Averroes the Arabian Spaniard about 400 yeares since objected That Christians adored that which they did eat It may be that in his time they kneeled and gave just occasion to Averroes reproach But his time is not within our date In a word looke how old they can prove kneeling we shall prove reall presence Doctour Purges hath found out a place which was never found out before wherâ—â— hee confidently concludeth that the communicants kâ—eeled in Tertullâ—ans time for faith he the people shunned to take the sacrament when they might not kneel in the act of receaving or partaking of it and therefore forbore to come to the communion table on the station dayes because it behoved them the stand on these dayes Tertullian saith he inviteth them to come and take the bread standing at the table publikely and to reserve and carry it away with them and receave it at home as they desired kneeling and so both duties should be performed the receaving of the eucharist and the tradition of standing on these dayes observed Tertullians words are Similiter de stationum diebus non putant plerique sacrificiorum orationibus interveniendum quâ—d statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini Which last words he translateth because station or standing is then to be performed in receaving the body of the Lord whereas he should â—ranstâ—te because the fast is then to be brocken after the receaving of the bodie of the Lord. For the word statio in Tertullians language is taken for fasting both in this place and in his booke De corona militis cap. 11. and in his booke De jejuniis cap. 2. 10. 14. as Pamelius hath well observed upon that place and after him Baronius in his annales In his booke De jejuniis he bringeth in for illustration Moses persevering in prayer till the going downe of the sunne when the people was fighting against the Amalekits Nonne statio fuit sera saith he Did Ioshua dyne that day saith he that he fought against the Ammorits that commanded the sunne to stand in Gibeon and the moone in Askalon That God gave such authority to Sauls commandement concerning fasting till even that Iâ—nathan for tasting a little hony was scarce delivered at the instant request of the people Tantam authoritatem dedit edicto stationis Saulis ut Ionathan filius c. H. bringeth in such exemples for the custome their owne sect of the Mountanists had brought in which was to keep these fasts till evening whereas the custome of the Church was to keepe them only to the ninth that is our third houre afternoone In the 2. and 14. chapter he maketh mention of weddensday and fâ—yday appointed for these fasts Cur quartam sextam sabbathi stâ—tionibus dicamus speaking of the custome of the Church at that time The meaning of Tertullian in the place above cited is They were in an errour who thought that if they had receaved the sacrament their fast should be broken which should have continued to the set houre For saith he dâ—th the encharist lose that service which wee have devoted unto God or rather doth it binde us more to God Nonne solennior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Shall not thy fast bee the more solemne if thou stand also at the altar of God thâ—â— is the communion table Accepto corpore Domini reservata as Iunius readeâ—â— id est stationis officio not reservato that it may answer to the other member both are safe participatis sacrificti excâ—utio offâ—cii both the participation of the sacrifice â—nd performance of thy service id est jejunii saith 〈◊〉 his answer to the theologues of Burdeâ—ux 〈…〉 his answer to the bishop of Everâ—ux he saith That Tertullian would remove that scruple that after they had communicated their fast was broken they thought aâ— si participâ—tio euch aristiae jejunium abrumpere◠〈◊〉 if the participation of the eucharist had broken up their fast Ambrose giveth the reason wherfore these set fasts were called Stationes quod stantos commarantes in eis inimicos insidiantes repellimus because standing and staâ—ing in them wee repâ—ll our enemies lying in wait for us meaning spirituall enemies The metaphore is borrowed from souldiers who behoved to fast so long as they were in statioâ— Metaphora à militiâ—m sumpta quod quamdiu in statione erant jejunare 〈◊〉 oportebat See Pamelius upon both the places Doctour Burges finding that Tertullian lib. 2. ad uxorem maketh mention of jejunia fasts after hee had made mention of stationes concludeth in his owne fancie that stationes were not fasts whereas he might have seene stationes distinguished à jejuniis in the former place also but by the one he meaneth of such as fasted at any time of their owe free accord by the other the set dayes of fasting Iejunium est indifferenter cujuslibet Diâ—i abstinentia non perlegâ—m sed secundum propriam voluntatem statio statutorum dierum vel temporum And this difference Pamelius acknowledgeth he hath out of Rabanus Maâ—rus The very phrase it selfe solvere stationem might have guided him aright For what more frequent a phrase for breaking of a fast then solvere jejuniums We denie not that they stood both these dayes and other
and patrons of the prophanation of the Lords day usurpe dispensation with Gods morall precepts The very light of nature leadeth a man to acknowledge that what time is set apart as holy it should not bee prophaned with worldly businesse or exercises howbeit this light hath beene detained in unrighteousnesse among the Gentiles who would not spend the time as they ought to have done or were ignorant and thought their games and playes were a hononring of their gods I need not to reekon particular workes this generall ingraft in mans minde by nature that a holy day should be spent in holy exercises will direct every one in the particulars This or that will be an impediment to the spirituall exercises whereunto I am bound this day In hoc pracepto est aliquid quod est morale ut vacare id est intendere Deo orando colendo meditando quae sunt in dictamine legis natura Et ista hodie in lege Christiana magis manent in virtute quà m in lege veteri Ex statutis synodalibus dioecesis Lingonensis anno 1404. Here yee see in the statutes of that diocie it is acknowledged morall in the fourth precept to pray worship meditate that nature diteth this much and that these dueties remaine more in strength under the Gospell then under the old law This statute with the rest was approved by a Cardinall Ludovicus de Barro In a councell holden at Mascone 588 the people is exhorted to spend the Lords day in hymnes and praises prayers and teares Sunt oculi manusque vestrae toto illo die ad Deum expanse Let your eyes be bent and hands spread toward God all that day They require also spirituall exercises in the night it selfe In the synods holden in France by the Popes legates Galo and Simon it was ordained under the paine of excommunication that none grind at watermills or any other mills from saturday at evening till the Lords day at evening Cardinall Galo and Simon were sent legates to France about the yeare 1812. In a synod holden in Angeâ—â—s 1282. the like ordinance was made against grinding at milles notwithstanding of the abuse for a long time before for that sins are the more hainous the longer miserable fouls are bound to them cumali qua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindieare non possit Seeing no prescription can take place against the precepts of the decalogue Yee see they ground their ordinance upon the fourth precept and conclude ex vi quartâ— praecepti that Christians may not grind at milles that day from evening to evening They inhibited also cutting or shaving of beards that day or any other exercise of barbar â—raâ—t under the paine of excommunication but in case of imminent perill of death or grievous disease This strictnesse then required of us admitteth not lawfull and honest games shooting bowling wrastling c. farrelesse unhonest and unlawfull wâ—iâ—h ought at no time to bee suffered For honest games and passe-times howbeit honest may be impediment to spirituall exercises and distract the minde as much as the lawfull workes of our calling Refreshment by meat and thanke was allowed by God himselfe when hee provided for the seventh day and by Christ himselfe who being invited went to the pharisees house upon the sabbath to dinner Aman may recreate himselfe with the free aire of his garden or the fields if family dueties or the like hinder him not providing hee spend the time in holy exercises or holy conference with some other But games and passe 〈◊〉 cannot consist with such holy exercises Workes of pietie as to travell to the places of publike worship or charitie as to visit the sicke and of necessity as to preserve the life of man and beast in danger are lawfull The Jewes suffered themselves rather to beâ— killed then take armes upon the sabbath-day 〈◊〉 after better advice they resolved to fight if any invaded them 1 Maccab. 2. 41. The Hebrew Doctours have a saying Periculum animae impellit sabbatum the perill of the life driveth away the sabbath Yet we should pray to be free of those necessities Christ foretelling his disciples Matth. 24. 20. the destruction of Ierusalem biddeth them and in their name other disciples who were to follow after pray that their flight might not be in winter nor on the sabbath-day wherefore not on the sabbath-day but because it would be an hinderance of their holy and spirituall exercises upon that day Now the destruction of Jerusalem fell not forth till fourtie yeares after Christs ascension But so it is the Iewish sabbath was one of the dead ceremonies which obliged not to necessarie obedience after the passion of Christ. Christ meant then of the Christian sabbath I have exceeded farre the bounds I set to my selfe and therefore I am forced to end this discourse THE DEFINITION OF A FEstivall day IUdicious Piscator defineth thus a festivall day â—â—stum propriè loquendo est publica folennis ceremonia mandata à Deo ut certo anni tempore cum singulari letitia obeatur ad gratias agendum Deo pro certo aliquo beneficio in populum suum collato that is A feast or festivall day is a publike or solemne ceremonie commanded by God to be executed at a certaine time of the yeare with singular gladnesse to give God thankes for some certaine benefite bestowed on his people Hooker the master of ceremonies maketh festivall solemnitie to be nothing els but the divine mixture as it were of these three elements praises set forth with cheerefull alacritie of minde delight expressed by charitable largenesse more then common bounty and sequestration from ordinarie workes The sabbath under the law was never called jom tob a good that is a merrie day as were the solemne anniversarie feasts Other dayes also which were not solemne feasts were so called as dayes of banketing and feasting Drusius in his annotations upon Ester 9. citeth Elias Thesbite to this purpose Master Aiusworth in his annotations upon Exodus 16. citeth the Chaldee paraphrase speaking of the sabbaths and good dayes that is the solemne feasts as distinct things Puxtorsius also in abbreviaturis So the Lords day succeeding to the old sabbath should not be ranked among the festivall dayes or feasts as the word is taken in our common language The definitions agree not to the Lords day It is not an anniversarie but a weekly day It is not instituted for the commemoration of a particular benefite but for the worship of God at large as the morall law requireth and as the old sabbath did For howbeit that day was made choise of which was the day of Christs resurrection yet it was not instituted onely for the commemoration of that particular benefit but for the worship of God in generall It hath no peculiar service of epistles gospels collects or sermons and homilâ—es for Christs resurrection The Church invented afterward a feast or festivall day to wit Easter for