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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	christian_a	church_n	communion_n	1,593	5	9.3126	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80635	Some treasure fetched out of rubbish: or, Three short but seasonable treatises (found in an heap of scattered papers), which Providence hath reserved for their service who desire to be instructed, from the Word of God, concerning the imposition and use of significant ceremonies in the worship of God. viz. I. A discourse upon 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Tending to search out the truth in this question, viz. Whether it be lawful for church-governours to command indifferent decent things in the administration of God's worship? II. An enquiry, whether the church may not, in the celebration of the Sacrament, use other rites significative than those expressed in the Scripture, or add to them of her own authority? III. Three arguments, syllogistically propounded and prosecuted against the surplice: the Cross in Baptism: and kneeling in the act of receiving the Lord's Supper.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Nichols, Robert, Mr.	1660 (1660)	Wing C6459; Thomason E1046_2; ESTC R208022	73,042	79

once admitted into the Worship of God did multiply and increase till they had obscured if not clean covered and abolished the simplicity and glory of God's Ordinances as bad weeds overgrow the Corn and secretly stollen the heart away from all due reverence and respect to the word of Life and seals of our Salvation For as a man is blind carnall impotent and yet a Lover of his own devices So are the signs devised by him dark vailing the brightness of the Gospel carnall not spirituall dead without Power and yet better affected more delighted in than the Sacraments themselves No sooner was the sign of the Cross added unto Baptism and made a sign like to the Lord's but it presently became greater than the Water which was Christ's sign and that in the Eyes of them who so advanced it Moreover admit Reason for an Umpire in this matter and Images cannot be kept out of the Church for no means is more profitable to inform the mind confirm the memory and move the affection than is the sight of a Picture artificially made cut or carved if a man may believe himself or give credit to his immagination If the Will of God be not unto us instead of all reasons we shall be hardly drawn to dislike that manner of teaching or worshipping A man that is enlightned with the knowledge of God's Will and the mystery of Salvation may lawfully in his meditations make use of diverse Creatures or things that are apt and fit to represent Spirituall things unto him but he must not take upon him to determine them to be used as signs for such an end and purpose for having no promise of God to come by that course he can expect no blessing from God in that practice but the contrary Seeing therefore man is himself ignorant and unwise neither able to receive the things of the Spirit nor discern that which pertaineth to the Kingdom of Christ nor yet being enlightned with the knowledge of the Truth according to godlinesse to devise any fit or acceptable means whereby God should be worshipped or his People taught in the wayes of holiness It followeth That in the worship of God signs not approved of him in his Word cannot be instituted or used in Faith and consequently are to be held unlawfull 5. Christ Jesus the great Doctor of his Church Mat. 23.8 10. Joh. 4.25 Acts 1.3 being called of his heavenly Father to teach to us perfectly and at once the whole Counsell of God and the things that did pertain to the Kingdom of God to the end of the World was faithfull in all his House as was Moses and made known unto his Disciples whatsoever he received of his Father Heb. 3.2 5. But Moses prescribed the form of God's worship in every particular Ceremony significant and brought in none Joh. 15.15 no not one into the Church which the Lord himself did not institute giving charge to the Church of the Jews That the● should neither add thereto Exod. 25.9 38 39 40 27 19 39 42 43. Deut. 12 32. nor take ought therefrom Therefore our Saviour Christ also taught his Disciples what Ceremonies significant ought to be used in the Church of God to whose Ordinance nothing must be added from whose Institution nothing ought to be diminished The old Testament was indeed delivered unto one People only of the World The Commission of the Gospel was Go teach all Nations But the liberty of Instituting Rites significant was no greater to the Christian Church Vis Jun. Animad in Bell. lib. 4. de pont Cap. 17. than to the Church of the Jews They had a prescription of particular Ceremonies most fitly agreeing to the polity of their Church and Common-wealth and dispensation of those times So hath the Christian Church also to which we are as precisely bound as ever was the Church of the Jews to the Ordinances appointed for that time and state as hath been shewed before in Circumstantiall matters concerning Time Place and Order of divine Service And several Christian Churches have liberty according to the generall Rules of Scripture to constitute what is most agreeable to the condition of the Country and doth best tend to Edification And in these things the Jews had Authority no less than the others In Ceremonies and Rites significant annexed to the Worship of God the Jews were tyed to the written Law of Moses and the Prophets nor may any thing be attempted lawfully by the Christian Church in things of this Nature more than was or ought to have been by them Though men be as different almost in Nature as in Nations and Languages yet must they of necessity submit themselves to the use of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which two Ceremonies onely are commanded by Divine precept and are to be received of all Christians that in truth and soundness professe the Gospel And seeing Christ Instituted no signs but these the Apostles commended no other to the severall Churches planted and dressed by them What necessity is there that difference of People to which the Gospel is now preached should inferr a liberty of inventing new Signs or Rites never seen or allowed of Christ Those that God prescribed for the Jews were fit for that Time and for that People none else might be devised those that Christ hath ordained for all Churches are sufficient most fit for them what shall be brought in besides and annexed to them doth want both his Approbation and Blessing As Moses was faithfull in the House of God as a Servant both in thing re●ll and rituall as some distinguish So was Christ also as a Son Neither did his faithfulness stand in removing the Law of Jewish Ceremonies and disburdening all Christians from the use of them but in prescribing Laws and Ordinances whereby the Church is to be ordered and instructed untill his second coming and that as particularly and expresly as Moses had done unto the Israelites To stand upon comparison betwixt Moses and Christ in perfection or reall faithfulness as some call it is not to this purpose for his perfection is one thing his faithfulnesse another and whom He did exceed in perfectnesse He did every way equalize in faithfulnesse in the House of God He did not onely teach a more excellent Doctrine than Moses but more full and perfect He did not onely antiquate what Ceremonies were to be shadows of good things to come and figures of man's Redemption by his Sacrifice upon the Crosse but he ordained also with what visible Signs and Tokens his Church should be nourtured and assured of his love and favour● As he died to bring Life to mankind raised up himself from Death ascended entred within the Vail and hath taken possession of the heavenly Mansion for us So did he give direction to his Apostles and in them to all Churches by what Statutes and Laws his People should be Governed by what Signs and Ceremonies they should be taught and confirmed

gesture being proved to be a relative adoration of God before a consecrated Creature it is of a special and peculiar nature and use and therefore ought to have a peculiar warrant from God to authorize it otherwise gestures of this kind cannot be used in Faith for these are not discernable by the light of Nature neither can the general rules of the Scripture yield ground for such When the act done is of special nature it must have a peculiar direction The Jews did not worship towards the High Priest or his Attire Exod. 12.11 Exod. 15.16 Exod. 12.11 1 Cor. 5.7 and 10.3 4. towards the Paschal Lamb the Manna the water of the Rock or their Sacrifices in that sense as they did before the Ark of the Covenant or the Mercy-seat in the Tabernacle or in the Temple although these holy things were Types of Christ Nature could not teach neither yet any general rules in the Scripture why before one rather than before another they should bow therefore for this peculiar adoration there was a special appointment Numb 21.8 When the Israelites also were stinged with fiery Serpents they looked up at the Brazen Serpent which was a Type of Christ that they might be healed but this was by special direction Now as for kneeling in the act of receiving who can shew any peculiar institution Moreover Canonical kneeling is not authorised by Gods Word nor by any general rule 1. Both maintainers and urgers of this gesture say it is indifferent and that it was so reputed by the State appears by this that in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign standing was ordained at Coventry and Northampton by vertue of her Highness Commission and kneeling abolished 2. Christ and his Apostles at the first institution of the Communion did not kneel which they would have done Matth. 26.20 26. Mar. 14.18.22 Luk. 22.14.17 Joh. 13.12 if this gesture had been divinely ratified 3. The Apostles after Christ's Resurrection delivered nothing concerning the Lords Supper but what they received of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.23 and yet delivered the whole counsell of God Act. 20.20.27 but yet say nothing of kneeling which doubtless they would have done if it had been a divine Ordinance Kneeling is not of that antiquity to have ground or institution by the Apostles That mention which may seem to be of it in Origen Homil. 5. in divers Evang. loca is nothing the book being counterfeit Rob. Cocus in Censuram quorundam veterum Script pag. 13. Gorgonia her bowing before the Communion Table or Altar was in the night intended for Prayer Sozem. lib. 8. cap. 5. not to receive the Sacrament About the year of our Lord 157 Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 7. cap. 8 or 9. Bez. Tractar the large Vol. 3. Part. 183. De Coron milit cap. 3. Can. 20. De Spir. Sanct. cap. 27. Gentillettus exam concil Triden lib. 2. Sect. 4. pag. 44. Dr Fulk answ to Rhem. 1 Cor. 11.29 Sect. 2.4 Jewel's resp artic 8. divis 1. Zach. Urs common Chitr consid error 3. consid Bale in the Life of Honorius 3. Tho. Mort. Pret. Appeal lib. 4. cap. 29. Sect. 3. Hispin Hist Sacra part 1. lib. 4. Francis While 's answ to the Treatise called White dyed black part 2. p. 347. Perk. Idol of last times last particular c. Willet Synops contr 13. q. 4. pag. 649. edit 1614. John White 's way to the true Church Sect. 50. Num. 9. Stat. 1. Eliz. cap. 2. it may appear that Standing was used at the Communion About the year 160 Justin Martyr giveth not the least inkling of this Gesture but mentioneth the Peoples coming to the Table Tertullian who was about 180 or 200 years after Christ reports That in his time they used not to kneel at prayer upon any Lords Day or upon any other Day between Easter and Whitsuntide In the Council of Nice 327 a solemn Decree was made That none might pray kneeling but standing upon the Lords Day This continued in Basil's time if that Book was his Anno Domini 380 and was afterward confirmed by the sixth Council holden at Constantinople So that either the antient Churches never received the Sacrament on the Lords Day which is without controversy most false or they used a Gesture of greater reverence in receiving the Sacramentall Bread and Wine than they did at prayer whereof there is no likelihood or else it must be granted That they were accustomed to receive the Communion with some other Gesture than kneeling Anno 380 in Gregory Nazianzen's time the People stood at the Communion about the Table I will for brevity omit other pertinent Testimonies for this purpose which he that will may read in the Acts and Monuments in the difference between the Church of Rome that now is and the antient The sum of Paul's Doctrine delivered to the Gentiles c. Also in the Dialogue between Custom and Truth pag. 1264. Edit 1610. To draw to an end very many of our learned Worthies do affirm That odoration or bowing before the Sacrament came into use in the dayes of Honorius the third But whatsoever the Original of it was That which I have spoken sheweth that it is but a humane Tradition Seeing therefore that kneeling in the Act of receiving the Sacramentall Bread and Wine is a religious adoration of God before a consecrated Creature with respect unto it having no speciall Warrant out of the Word of God it cannot be used without sin Hitherto of the Arguments directly concluding the unlawfulness of the controverted Rites Now follow the considerations for which our request not to be urged unto conformity may seem reasonable 1. It was not the intent of the Statute by which the Ceremonies stand in force to perpetuate the use of them but onely to tolerate them out of hope of a fitter time of reformation This Law was not intended to be reversed or the benefit thereof to denyed In the Procla prefixed and set before the Book of Canons though the Proclamation of his Highness did ratify the Authority of the Bishops to make Ecclesiastical Canons as the words of that Proclamation do import most humbly desiring us to give our royal assent unto the said Canons 2. Non-conformity proceeding from fear of sinning against God Treatise of Ceremonies prefixed before the Book of Common-prayer And Stat. 1. Eliz. cap. 2. B. Bilson ag a. Apol. part 2. pag. 349. Mort. answ to the Popish demands Demand 30. is neither contempt nor scandall and therefore may be allowed favour in the eye of the Law If a bare omission of a Rite were contempt then all that use Bowling which the Law dissalloweth and do not were Caps and such Habits as the Statute enjoyneth shall be Contemners Where we dare not do we are ready without resisting to suffer and suffering is as sure a Sign of subjection as obeying In some cases the Law is satisfied by submitting a mans self to the Mulct Neither is forbearance a