of civile adoration are more tollerable â—f greater expressions of reverence humility be given unto God This reason is good Kings and Monarchs are of greater dignity and place then other men therefore they should have more civile honour This reasâ—n is also good for Gods honour who is of greater digniâ—y then all creatures And albeith nâ—ne can expresse the greatnesse of the inward and outward honour that is due unto God shall he therefore not differ in outward adoration above all others The question 29. speaketh of bowing towards he earth It includes in it kneelâ—ng which is a kâ—nde of bowing Then God is discerned from all creatures by kneelâ—ng albeit men kneele unto kings Monarchs c. But neither religiously nor civily should men keele unto the Sacrament for it is neither God nor a fellow citizen with men If is were lawful to adore any creature religiously the poorest Christian is more worthie both of religious and civile adoration then any sacrament 1. Because the sacrament is ordeined for Christians but not Christians for the Sacrament 2. Christians are members of Christ so are no Sacraments 3. Christ died for them but for no Sacrament 4. They are livelie temples of the Holy Ghost so are no Sacraments Answeres to the censures of the question 35. SOme say that the writer defendeth that Christ hath two person because he speaketh of a twofold subsistence to be in his natures Ans Alstedii metaphysicae pars 1. cap. 3. Existâ—â—â—â—est nobilior vel ignobilior nobilior dicitur subsistentia à quares denominatur subsistens Estque vel suppositum vel persona Suppositum est quodlibet individuum per se subsistens persona est subsistens intelligens Existentia ignobilior dicitur inexistentia Regula 7. Suppositum latiùs patet quà m persona Suppositum est res per se subsistens id est non existens in alio per modum inbaesionis Persona insuper est aliquod intelligens Sic lapis in lapicidina aicitur supppositum non persona Paulus est suppositum persona Subsistere hic non accipitur late pro eo quod habet verum esse non apparens neque pro eo quod alicui substat sed strictè pro eo quod est non inesse in subjecto per modum inhaesionis neque inesse in toto per modum partis Schola facit duplex subsistere viz. 1. Negativum quod non est in alio ut accidens in Subjecto quo sensit humana Christi natura dicitur subsistere in verbo seu persona divina 2. Positivum quod ita per se existit ut ab alio non pendeat hoc modo non subsistit nisi persona seu hypostasis These show that the schoolemen admited a twofold subsistence in the person of Christ The writer of this book hath this division for in the person of Christ his humane nature hath a negative his Divine nature a positive subsistence for his humane nature subsisteth not in his person as accidents inherent in a subject but so it dependeth upon his person that from his first conception he was assumed into the personall union If he had ever any being without this union he had beene a person by himself Because he hath understanding But his manhead had never such a being and so it was never a person His Divinitie had never such dependence but before this union he was the second person of the Trinitie without all beginning This union was signified by binding the sacrifice to the hornes of the altar Christ GOD and man is the Priest his Divinitie the altar his humanitie the sacrifice the personall union is the binding of the sacrifice to the altar When the sacrifice was killed and brunt the ashes fell down through the grate of the altar and remained still within it when Christ was killed his dead body in the grave and His Soule in paradise remained still united unto the altar of his Divinitie Death seperated his soule from his body but could not break the personall union By vertue of this union he did cast out devils by the finger of GOD healed the sick raised the dead forgave sinnes he wrought miracles and prophesied Because of this union he said Before Abraham was I am He said to his Apostles â—eho I am with you into the end of the world Because of this union Joh. said chap. 1. The word was 〈◊〉 plesh Thomas said Joh 20. My Lord and my God This union is called hypostaticall that is the union of subsistence because his humane nature did never subsist nor have being without it That the writter used not the word subsistence in the strict sence for a person but in the larger sence for a true being without accidentall inhesion his own words immediatly preceeding do prove it For he testified five times that Christâ— two natures were united into one person viz. in the 〈◊〉 line of page 65. and in the 13. 17. 18. and 〈…〉 of the page 66. The like was never done by hereâ—â—â—â— would they so often so manifestly contradict themselves in the same page a Kingdome divided against it self can not stand no more can an heresie stand against such contradiction If some witnesses had testified against the writter and as many for him a charitable judge should incline to the best censure rather absolving then condemning him much more when five witnesses do clearely testifie for him proclameing his innocency and one only is brought against him which taken in the right sence is also for him And the manner of the speech importeth a personall union for he saith not They have but he hath two subsistances This word He cannot be meant of the GOD head alone nor of the manhead alone for none of them alone hath two natures much lesse two persones Then it is meaned of one who hath the two natures mentioned in the division viz. the person of Christ Then albeit the word hypostasis or subsistentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency is oftimes taken for a person because it is the more noble subsistence it followeth not therefore that every subsistence shall be called a person Because Rome by an excellency is called urbs a town Ovid. Sine me liber ibis in urbem Shall therefore no other town be called urbis but Rome The fathers speaking of the Trinitie because some confusedlie spake of the persons in the Godhead and of the Divine essence as of one thing Therefore they ordâ—ined that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should only be spoken of the essence of GOD and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be spoken of every person particularly for the essence of GOD is common to the Father Son and holy Ghost but the personall properties are different and not common This was decreed in a councell at Alexandria about the year of GOD 363. But the Fathers never forbade the same words to be used in their other significations when occasion is offred Such
sworne lawfull albeit they pretend true religion and divine worship yet oftimes it subverteth both 20. By obscuring the evidency of the visible word to wit Christs sacraments both by forging confirmation and other popish sacraments and in giving privatly baptisme and the communion when as the Sacraments should be publict badges of our Christian profession and by adding unto the true Sacraments superstitions which Christ never ordained as crossing unto baptisme altars unto the LORDS supper 21. By confounding the signes with the thing signified as in affirming the bread and wine to be the naturall body and bloud of Christ 22. By confounding humaine traditions with divine ordinances for they observe as strictly crossing the saying of Ave Maria praying for the dead c as any point of Christian religion 23. By equalling in honour the creatures with the Creator as in appointing fixed dayes of the year unto Saincts and observing them as solemnly and religiously as they do the LORDS Sabboths as in praying to Saincts and Angels in dedicating religious places to Saints and Angels as the temple of Ierusalem was dedicate unto GOD. 24. By attributing divine vertue unto creatures unto actions and unto imagenarie things as unto works of charitie that they merite any thing from GOD as believing that Saints and Angels can heare our prayers or interceed for us and that crossings relicts holy water altars and masse cloathes have power to sanctifie other things as by giving Divine vertue to Baptisme and the Lords Supper saying Opus operatum the work done may save or sanctifie that purgatory can purge from sin or satisfie for sin 25. By forged and lying miracles and other lies in Popish legends 26. By miraculous things in nature calling them supernaturall and saying they are done of GOD to confirme some points of superstition and idolatrie Upon a Christmas day about the yeer 1606. in London a woman handled her apron rudelie oftimes it did cast out fire like flint Some said It was a divine miracle proving thereby that this superstitious day should be keept holy But the truth was that the apron was dipted into melted suggar and thereafter it was dryed at the fire and so hardned and then when any did touch the apron or smite it rudelie fire came out of it It is the nature of well dryed suggar if it be not mixed with other matter to cast fire when it is smitten violentlie 27. By misinterpreting the terrors of GODS judgements for the defence of antichristian errors In the yeer of GOD 1621. in a Parliament holden at Edinburgh it was concluded that these superstitious articles should be embraced and observed in Scotland to wit Geniculation to the Sacrament private Baptisme private Communion Confirmation and some holy Dayes At the very moment of concluding this Parliament there was heard such terrible thunder with raine that the LORDS within the Parliament house and the Citizens without were striken with great fear astonishment Some taking it for a signe GODS anger for the superstitious errors that were â—â—â—â—â—blished that day Neverthelesse some Time-serveâ—â— blasphemouslie said that GOD was shooting his Gunnes and Canons from heaven for a show and a signe of approbation that these articles were then concluded 28. By deluding Kings and Princes perswading them that their dignities and estates can not be established except the bastard offices of Bishops be also established Some of them presumptuouslie affirm that no Bishop no King and so sacrilegiouslie by treasonable vsurpation they ascribe unto themselves that honour which belongeth unto Christ who Prover 8.15 saith By me Kings reigne Princes decree justice The antichristian prelats say no lesse then By Bishops Kings reigne and Princes decree justice By what Bishops were David Salomon and Hezekia c. established Whether did the Bishops of Rome reigne or the Kings when some kings led the Popes horse bridle When the Pope did cast down with his foot the crown off some Kings head when the Popes usurped both civile and ecclesiasticall government c. 29. By spoiling the people with oppression and by povertie they must want the meanes of learning and so they shall be ignorant not knowing the Scriptures neither perceiving the craftinesse of the clergy The prelates themselves both doe spoile the people and also they cause civile Magistrates oppresse them with taxations and heavy burdeins 30. By denying the morall observation of the Lords Sabboths and by giving libertie unto men to spend the halfe of the Lords day in games playes and civile exercises saying â—his should bee the refreshment from their bodily labours of the week Iudge you if this bee a hallowing of the Sabboth The Pagans did keepe all the LORDS Sabboths and many of them did keep all the dayes of their life with this kinde of holinesse The antichristians hereby do hinder the light of the Sun of righteousnes to shine upon GODS People in interpreting the Scriptures and preaching the same the one half of the day and also indirectly the other half for they who look for a liberty of playing and games c. in the after-noone can hardly affixe their mindes upon the reverent hearing of GODS word before noone their thoughts before the time will bee so exercised upon the after-noone Playes c. 31. By beguiling mens senses at Divine service with outward vaine objects as with tapers torches candles and with their gesticulations c. to exercise the sight By the sounding of Organs and musicall instruments to exercise the hearing Faith is bred and increased in mens hearts by hearing of the word preached and not by the hearing of Musick When the Priests offered sacrifice in the old Testament there was great need of Musick because killing of beasts was a melancholious exercise But now the Preaching of the glad tydings of Salvation should be more delightsome then all the Musick of the world The damned people in hell would think it ten thousand times sweeter then all instrumentall musick The vocall musick of the Psalmes not only is a praising of GOD which dead instruments can not doe but also it expresseth the Gospell in the very proper termes thereof Quest 4. I see all that is conteined in this masse bâ—â—â— is wil-worship For the using of the Scriptures themselves as this booke prescribeth is wil-worship that is as they are fixed to the solemne dayes of Sancts and determinate times of the yeer and as they are cutted diminished and incorporated with errors and superstitions they are made a matter of wil-worship but what evidences of idolatrie finde you in this book Ans If you take idolatry in a generall sense for such worship as men used to give to idols and false Gods then all the will worship foresaid is idolatrie The most part of all idolaters did worship their idole Gods according to humaine inventions and as they pleased themselves because their idols being dead stocks could not direct nor teach them in any manner of worship If a wife rule and governe
kneel without blessing of God at the receiving and eating of the Sacrament Secondly looking is not so religious a gesture as kneeling therefore lesse dangerous If men when they blesse God were urged to look to the table as if it were a worshiping of God to do so it should be idolatrie Qu. 28. Can the adoring of Christ by fixing our worship to the instant of receiving the Sacrament or bowing towards it determinatly be idolatrie seeing the Sacrament is a holy ordinance of God Ans If mâ—n had fixed the religious gestures of adoring God determinatly toward the oxen and sheep which were offered in sacrifices and towards the Paschall lamb which represented the same Christ whom now the sacramentall elements do represent it had beene idoaltrie albeit they were holy ordinances and had Christs spirituall operative presence with them 2. If you esteeme the bread to be GOD and will adore it as GOD the being a holy ordinance no more hindereth this adoration to be absolute idolatrie then was the worshipping of the fire by the Chaldeans of the sun by the Persians and of Dagon by the Philistims So also there is no reason why the being a holy ordinance shall hinder it to be relative idolatrie when we worship GOD by directing our religions gestures determinatly towards the sacraments more then to worship the same GOD by directing our religious gestures determinatly towards the Sun or the fire or Dagon or towards the golden calf c. True humility will make us eschew all appearance of evill and fear the least colour of idolatrie kneele unto GOD at more pertinent times as at the actions of prayer and thanksgiving before and after the participation of the Sacraments and that because these actions as well as our gestures do expresse also our humility prayer expresseth our humble desire and thanksgiving our humble gratitude and duetifulnesse Christ our LORD did expresse humility by action when he did wash his disciples feet that night he was betrayed and by word gesture when he kneeled down and prayed in the garden The same humility remained in him also when he used not such expressions Qu. 29. We may take gold out of the hand of a King bowing towards the earth may we not also adore God when he giveth unto us the Sacramentâ—â— Ans 1. The Minister and the Sacraments are neâ—ther GODS nor kings therefore thou owest to none of them neither the religious honour of GOD nor the civile honour of kings 2. But if the kings servant in the kings name would give gold unto thee in the kings presence and thou wilt take it out of his hand directing that same civile gesture towards him that thou usest to direct to the king what honourable civile difference makest thou betweene the master and the servant 3. Albeit a king like Dioclesian would give all his civile honour to any of his subjects yet God will give his religious honour to no creature Matth. 4.10 4. God gave unto us Christ the thing signified by the Sacrament when he was crucified Hee giveth spirituall comfort and grace using his own libertie either at the preparation sermon before the Sacrament or at receiving of the elements or afterwards at thanksgiving or at any other time as he pleaseth albeit he giveth faith and increase thereof and mercy and spirituall comforts to the right receivers of his ordinances yet he fixeth not his benefites to any appointed instant of time Peter the Apostles at the first Lords supper having also received the Passeover the same night were so far from receiving spirituall courage and comforts and increase of faith and of heavenly graces that the same night Peter denyed and the rest forsooke the LORD But when hee arose from the dead and when hee sent downe the holy Ghost then they were exceedingly strengthned in the faith many children are baptised who receive not inward regeneration and repentance untill that afterward God convert them by his word Qu. 30. Should not the Sacraments be holily and reverently used Ans 1. They are profained when Gods worship is determinatly fixed to them as if they were idols 2. They are reverently and holily used when they are used as Christ commanded That is when by looking upon the bread broken and the wine poured out we take occasion to remember the LORDS death when his body was wounded and his bloud shed when we take and eat the elements then we by faith should believe and apprehend that these sufferings were for our sins to purchase unto us life eternall Qu. 31. The Sacrament is an excitative mids of adoration Ergo may I not kneele towards it Ans So are all the benefites and mercies of God Ergo we have as good reason to kneel towards all his benefites Qu. 32. Wee worship before the Sacrament but we give no worship unto the Sacrament Ans When we worship God more respectively then before any other thing by kneeling before the sacrament it is done unto the sacrament because we worship God at the sacrament for the religious respect we have to it which if it were taken away we would not adore before it more then any other thing This outward worship is relative idolatrie outwardly the reverent respect is inward relative idolatrie 2. To worship a thing and to worship before a thing determinatly are both esteemed one thing Matthew saith chap. 4. that Satan bad Christ worship him and Luke saith in the Greeke language If thou wilt worship before mee Qu. 33. May not I kneel towards the Sacrament as I uncover my head at the hearing of the word read Ans The uncovering of the head is a sign of common reverence given both to God to men of a honourable and also a lower estate kneeling is not so it is most proper unto God himself who is above all dignitie and therefore it is more dangerous This gesture discernes the Majestie of God from all creatures and therefore Paul said Phil. 2.10 At the name of Jesus shall every knee bow for God bath given him a name above every name vers â—9 No name is above every name but the name of him that is God The Father gave unto Iesus the name of God That is declared him to be as truely God as he is man after that he arose and ascended unto glory 2. When I uncover my head I direct not that gesture towards any sensible object more determinatly then towards other objects therefore it is done to God himself immediatly Qu. 34. Should we sit Jack-fellow like with Christ at the Lords table Ans His divine nature is alike present every where his humane nature sitteth in heaven at the right hand of God his spirituall presence is in the hearts of the Elect and sitteth at no Table Therefore we sit not Jack fellow-like with him we are not every where nor in heaven nor in a particular manner in the hearts of the Elect working by the holy Spirit 2. The Apostles sate with him at
Table but that sitting made them not equall nor matches unto him no more then did the eating drinking and conversing with him the Elect shall be with him in heaven albeit they be not matches with him Qu. 35. In 1 King vers 54. It is said when Salomon ended his prayer unto the Lord be arose from before the altar of the Lord from kneeling on his knees and streaching out of his hands to heaven c. Ergo wee may kneele before the elements when wee adore GOD. Ans 1. The Text showeth not whether his face or back was towards the altar albeit he worshipped before it 2. Yet the altar was before his face because his face should have beene directed determinatly towards the mercy seat where the Lord ordinarly dwelt and appeared The altar was only a mids and outward object standing between his face and the mercy seat GOD had two sorts of glorious presence one of lesse glory where he personally typically and ordinarly appeared between the cherubins upon the mercy seat which is called Gods footstoole towards the which the kirk in the Old Testament was commanded to worship GOD Psal 99. vers 5. Towards this presence Salomon did kneele and turne his face because GOD personally appeared there The second sort of glorious presence was and is of superexellent glory in heaven where God dwelleth among his Angels and Sancts and where now Christ in his manheed sitteth at the right hand of God unto this presence Salomon streached forth his hands 3. There are three sorts of midses or outward objects before men when they worship God a mids of indifferencie a mids of necessitie a determinat religious mids of adoration They are called midses because they are placed between the worshiper and the object that is worshiped They are called objects because they are before our face and senses when we worship God 1. The mids of indifferency is when we make no difference of one thing more then an other to be before our faces when we adore God as we look towards a wall or a door or a window a hill or a rock c. not fixing our adoring gesture to one of them more determinatly then to another and that because God whom we worship is every where as really in his essence as in any Sacrament or Divine ordinance 2. The mids of necessity is such a mids as we can not eschew to be before our faces for it is in a right line between us and him whom we adore So when Salomons face was directed determinatly towards the ark and mercy seat where God dwelt typically between the cherubims 1 Sam. 4.4 and 2 Sam. 6.2 Then the brasen altar the altar of incense the vaile of the temple c. were situat between his face and the mercy seat of necessity they were midses and objects before his face he could eschew them 3. The determinate religious mids of adoration is that mids whereunto men determinatly and of set purpose direct their adoring gestures whither any other mids go between them or not and that because God determinatly and immediatly appeared in this mids It was that mids of necessity which was neerest unto Gods personall manifested presence men did adore towards it not for it self but for the personall apparition of God in it such were the ark and mercy seat and the temple albeit it was burnt in the time of the captivity Daniel worshipped towards it when the ark and mercy seat were not in it If these things were now extant it were grosse idolatry to adore determinatly towards them because the personall presence of God forsaid is not in them It is now personally united to the manhead of Christ in heaven towards the which all knees should bow albeit the elements and heavenly orbes be between him and us as midles of necessity his manhead is the outward determinate object of adoration when he appeared like fire in the bush unto Moses and like a man unto Abraham these appearances or formes were midses of necessity neerest unto himself and they were determinate religious midles of adoration because they were neerest unto his determinate presence so that he appeared in them and by them yet he did not subsist by them A man appeareth in his garment by his garment but he subsisteth by his naturall body which is of the same person with the soul so Christ determinatly subsisteth by his humanity which is of the same person with his Divinity when he became man his manhead only became the determinate ordinary outward object of religious adoration The vail of his flesh is a aâ—iâ—â— between his Godhead and us but not between his person and us for it is of the same person with God man visible God invisible are both one person 4. God was united to the ark by a locall and personall manifested presence but not by the union of a personall subsistence he did not subsist by the ark because it was nothing of his person he was united to the voice that spake above the mercy seat by a locall and personall presence and also by organicall application he spake in the ark but not by the ark but he spake both in and by the sounding voice or air he was united to the fire in the bush and to the humaine form that spake unto Abraham by a personall presence by a double organicall application for he was seene by the fire and by the humaine body and was heard speaking by a voice in the fire and in the humaine body But when he became man and appeared in the humaine nature which consisted oâ— a soul and a body he was united unto that nature by a personall union which included all the unions forsaid in it because he did determinatly subsist by that nature and in it Hâ— hath a twofold â—â—istence one infinit which is in and by in Divinity an other faâ—iâ—e and determinate which is in his humanitie and by it he did determinatly subsist in the formâ— wherein he appeared in the old TestameÌ„t but he did not subsist by them albeit he appeared by them but in the New Testament he both determinatly subsisteth in the humanity 〈◊〉 by it and also he appeareth and is seene unto men by it 〈◊〉 his determinate presence whereby he appeared personally men should have directed determinatly their adoring gestures To his infinit â—â—istence and presence men should direct their gestures to all places alike indifferently Then it was idolatry to make the golden calfes determinate religious midses of adoration It should have bene idolatrie to make any sacrifice or sacraments in the old and new Testament such midses for God did never personally appear nordwell in them determinatly Qu. 36. Men are now more learned then they were in the primitive Kirk therefore their traditions should be obeyed Ans Are they more learned then Gods spirit who immediatly taught the primitive kirk 2. The devils are more learned then men are now heretiks should they therefore be
a prohibition would import a contempt of the holy Scriptures wherein both these words are read in other significations for in Luk. 15. vers 13. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth riches or goods The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read in 2. Cor. 9.4 Hebr. 1.4 and 3. vers 14. and 11. vers 1. Arias montanus in all these 4. places exponeth the word substance but never person others in all these places indifferently turne it substance or subsistence except only Hebr. 1.4 where some turne it person But all agree in this that Hypostasis in scriptures doth oftiner signifie some other thing then a person Then the Scriptures do favour this division the sense thereof Hebr. 11.1 faith is the subsistence of things to come That is by faith we beleeve the true being and existence of things to come that as truely as if we did see them with our bodily eyes and among things to come is Christ whom we beleeve to have a true subsistence or being as GOD because he is very GOD and to have a true subsistance or being and existence as man because he is also very man in the same person By faith I say we beleeve that he hath this wosold subsistence and true being in one person because neither naturall reason nor sense nor experience have taught us the same but only we believe it by faith in his word as the holy Spirit hath perswaded us Pareus in Hebr. 11.1 interprets the word indifferently by substance or subsistence and not by person and in Hebr. 3. vers 14. he giveth it the same sense and because some take occasion at this same text to deny that Hypostasis did ever signifie a person he saith Nec est quod heretici hinc negent hypostasin personam significare â—n Divinis voces enim homonymae pro subjecta materia acciâ—iendae sunt hic subsistentiam spei significat at in Cap. 1.3 subsistentiam filij Dei This writter hath pro subjecta materia the twofold subsistence or twofold manner of â—rue being of the natures of Christ Quest But how is the ambiguitie removed from the word Ans The answere to the question 33. plainly showeth his personall union this is sufficient but the five testimonies in the same page are more then sufficient to remove the Homonymie and ambiguitie of the word And albeit these were not seing the words may â—s well have a true sense as a false why was the false â—â—nse fathered upon the words and not the true seing â—here is not a word in the book that smels of the false â—â—nse Neverthelesse the writter desireth such as â—ave the book to change the word subsistence into â—xistence for subsistence in the generall sense differâ—th not much from it not as if the word subsistence â—ere not both sound and orthodox in this place But â—ast this present censuring of the word make antiâ—hristians thinke that the word favoureth their bad â—urposes also least the more ignorant be offended â—s if the word signified nothing but a person Answere to the censure of the beginning of the second treatâ—se in pag. 70. That â—he teâ—t of Math. 11. is cited impertinantly there Ans The yoke of antichrist doeth heavily burdeine mens consciences with sin guiltinesse with the fear of purgatory and the doubting of salvation which they teach They are thâ—alled with idolatrie and â—â—â—ed with the pride and covetousnesse of prelats The LORD speaking of the Scribes Pharisies in Math. 23. saith They binde heavie burdens c. and lay them on mens shoulders Is not this their oppression and traditions The renewing of our Covenant with Christ is a foresaking of this yoke a returning unto Christ for ease and Christian libertie In the commentary of the harmony written by Chemnitius and Polycarpus Lyserus upon the same text Chrysostomus is cited affirming this only to be the meaning of Christs words and when the commentary it self saith that the words are spoken of three sorts of persons he beginneth with the same meaning saying That Christ understandeth these who labour under legall ceremonies humane traditions and of these whose consciences are burdeined with sins with the sense of GODS wrath and of these who suffer crosses and tribulation FINIS At Domini in cunctis aequa est verax que potestat Aspectum cujus nulla remota latent