Religious Reverence is due unto such Creatures and Ordinances of his as have a peculiar Relation unto him and in regard thereof are styled Holy to his Day his House his Word his Service consisting in Prayers and Praises All which if taken by themselves are of the same Nature with other Days Houses Writings and Services Yet the Non-Conformists I presume allow of some difference between the Church and their Private Houses between the Bible and other ordinary Books between the Service of God and of Men and scruple not to make that difference appear by their outward Carriage and Demeanor How then comes it to pass that the Blessed Sacrament of his Supper that most Holy and Solemn Ordinance which he left us as a pious Memorial of his Passion when himself was now to leave the World should be thought unworthy of any peculiar Reverence but have the same neglectful Gesture used at it as at our ordinary Meals Neither will the same Persons deny but that at the time of Receiving they yield an intentional Reverence or Adoration of Soul unto God I would faine know then why they will not express it at the same time by an answerable Gesture such as kneeling is whereby to testifie their own Devotion and excite that of others They allow of lifting up the Hands and Eyes in Prayer with other significant expressions of their Zeale and Devotion why not as well of kneeling at the Sacrament whereby to express their Humility I hope they will not say they have none to express or that they are ashamed to own it in Publick There is no Pious Affection or Disposition of the mind but if it be reall and hearty will endeavour to shew it self outwardly upon all good occasions Godly Indignation in the Publican commanded his hands to knock on his Breast Luke 18. 13. Faith moved the Womans hand to touch the Hem of Christs Garment Mat. 9. ver 20 21 22. Charity stretched forth the Samaritans hands to bind up the wounds of the half-dead Traveller Luke 10. 34. Sorrow for Sin caused Peters eyes to poure forth streams of bitter Teares Mat. 26. 75. Zeale and Earnestuess to know the will of God and the way of Salvation fixt the eares of Lydia to attend the word of God preached by Saint Paul Acts 16. 14. And Hope lifteth up pure hands unto Heaven in Prayer in confidence of Gods Promises I. Tim. 2. 8. And shall Humility only be Idle and uneffectual Shall it have no power or force at all to demonstrate it self in acknowledgment of so undeserved Mercies whereof it is made Partaker in the Sacrament by some significant Gesture at the receiving thereof in some measure proportionable to the pious and lowly affection of the mind I hope they will not reply that no significant Ceremonies are to be used in Gods Service whereas some of their Forefathers have supplicated for Sitting as a Gesture fit to set forth Rest and the accomplishment of Ceremonies in Christ Others disputed for it because it is best agreeable with our Coheriship And others have urged standing as better consorting with the Eucharist which is a Sacrament of Thanksgiving If notwithstanding all this they disclaime significant Ceremonies sure they are very uncertain Oracles to hearken unto and as unconstant Guides to follow 12. All things indifferent which are to be used in the Service of God are in the Disposition of the Church But the Gesture in the Act of receiving the Sacrament is such an Indifferent Thing as having neither Precept nor Prohibition nor express Determination in the Scriptures Ergo. The truth of the Proposition is confest by Mr. Cartwright himself in his first Reply pa. 18. I know no man saith he who ever denied that the Church may make Orders in such Thinges as are not specified and precisely determined in the Word of God And the truth of the Assumption is sufficiently clear from Holy Scripture For neither in the Gospel nor in St. Pauls first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. Where the order and manner of the Celebration is very punctually set down nor elsewhere in holy Writ is there one word to be found touching the Gesture which our Saviour and his Apostles used at the first Institution or which the Primitive Christians in the Apostles days used at the celebration thereof though the Apostle in the place alledged exactly sets down the other circumstances of Time and Place Much less is there any Precept touching this particular to bind the Church in all succeeding Ages Doubtless if the Gesture which Christ and his Apostles used at the first had been material or necessary for our Imitation it would have been left somewhere upon Record that so we might have had a certain Pattern to follow But seeing it is not why should we not think it left free to be determined by the Church consonantly to those Apostolical Rules of Decency Order Edification and Peace which are prescribed Rom. 14. 19. 1. Cor. 14. 26 40. These Reasons duly weighed will serve to answer most of those Objections which have been urged against kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament Yet for the better clearing and confirming of the lawfulness and fitness and consequently of the necessity of using this Gesture when commanded by lawful Authority I shall set down such Objections as I have met with and subjoyn their Answers for farther satisfaction Object 1. That Gesture which our Saviour and his Apostles used at the Institution of this Sacrament is most fit and decent and obliegeth all Christians So excellent and authoritative a Pattern hath the force of a Precept Now that our Saviour and his Apostles sate thereat seems clear from the History of the Gospel wherein we read that they sate at the Passover at the close of which Feast the Sacrament was instituted and there is not the least mention of changing their Posture throughout the whole time that the Supper lasted If the Apostles then kneeled not but used a Fellow-like Gesture with Christ with whom they sate at the same Table is it not a great Hypocrisie in us to pretend greater Reverence and Devotion in receiving it than the Apostles used Answer 1. The maine of this Objection hath been already answered in the parts thereof for I have already shewn that 1. There is not any clear Proof in the Gospel what Gesture our Saviour and his Apostles used at the first Celebration of the Sacrament which doubtless would have been mentioned if that which they then used had been necessary for the Service 2. The Gesture used at the Passover which preceded it was not sitting but Lying down or leaning on Couches 3. In the use of this Gesture at the Passover Christ and his Apostles accommodated themselves to the present Custom of the Jewish Church wherein they lived very differently from the first Institution at which time standing was used and that by Gods command which is a fair warrant for us to conform in the like case to the Practice
use it and in case of Non-Conformity debar themselves of the many and great Advantages of so Blessed a Sacrament and so exclude themselves from the Communion of the Church in the highest Mystery of our Religion Now if this small Discourse prove so happy through Gods Blessing to scatter the Prejudices of some and confirme the waverings of others and so become a meanes of contributing ought towards the Peace of the Church I have my much wisht for end and shall have just cause of joyning my Thanks and Prayses with Theirs who receive any Benefit thereby unto the great God of Truth and Peace As to the choice of the Person to whose Protection I have made bold to recommend so inconsiderable a Treatise the very Title in the Front of this Epistle will I hope either defend or excuse me to the World though the Discourse it selfe be unworthy of his Acceptance For the very name of Patron is a sufficient Evidence of my Obligations and may justly claime whatsoever I can do in this kind as a Testimoniall of my Gratitude which I must shew as I can when I cannot as I would And your Noblenesse I well know looketh not so much at the Greatness of the Gift as the good will of the Giver Who if God please to grant him life and leisure answerable to his Desires will be ready to second this with some farther proofs of his observance But this is not all Your known zeale for maintaining the good Orders of the Church with your exemplary Reverence at the publick Service and particularly at this holy Sacrament besides that Influence which your Suffrage and Authority had in reviving the Auncient Law for the Gesture of kneeling thereat might justly challenge this Dedication at my hands though I had no other Reason or Relation I have nothing more to adde but what I am bound vpon all good occasions to remember my hearty prayers for a Blessing upon Your Selfe your Noble Lady and all the Branches of your Ancient Family And more especially at this Present that God would so prosper your Counsels and endeavours for the Publick Peace as we may once more Worship God in the beauty of Holiness glorifying Him with one Minde and one Mouth and serving Him with that Edification that Order and Decency which he hath commended unto us by the great Apostle of the Gentiles that so you may prove an eminent Instrument of Glorifying God in this world and as eminent an Object of his Glorification in the world to come Which is the Cordiall and Constant Prayer of Worthy Sir Your much obliged and Faithfull Servant to Command GEORGE ASHWELL The chiefe Heads or Points Handled in this Treatise WHat Gesture our Saviour and the Apostles used at the eating of the Passeover pag. 1. How probable that they used the same at the Celebration of the Eucharist 4 The Scripture herein silent 6 The Example of the Primitive Church the best rule to guide our practise in this case 7 Lying on Couches in the Church forbidden by ancient Councils ib. Sitting not used at all in Divine Service except at the reading of the Lessons and the hearing of the Sermon 8. Standing the received gesture for many ages 11 Yet not generally used 12 But on the Lords Days and some others especially between Easter and Whitsontide 13. Testimonies out of Antiquity against kneeling at the communion examined 19. Standing used by the Minister at some parts of that service 22 That the people kneeled at Divine service at other times then those before mentioned 23. That the Communicants alwaies used a Gesture of Adoration at the Receiving of the Sacrament 34 What Gesture the Churches of Christ at this day use in receiving it 57. Testimonies of some of the most eminent Divines of the Reformed Churches 72 Observations from Historicall passages and reasons justifying the practice of the Church of England in this particular 80 Objections answered 116. Pag. 5. l. 1. r. that Feast ib. l. ult dele after p. 8. l. 26. r. the Gesture p. 19. l. 19. depended p. 36. l. 8 9. depositum fideliter reddit p. 43. l. 10. Gardinerum p. 46. l. 5. wherewith p. 47. l. 19. whence p. 61. l. 23. Basil p. 62. l. 26. Conference of all the three parties joyntly agreed concluded upon this and severall other c. p. 87. l. 17. dele and. p. 109. l. 2. r. might p. 142. l. 5. not only such as were without GESTVS EVCHARISTICVS A DISCOURSE Concerning the Gesture at the receiving of the Holy Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper WHat Gesture our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles used at the Institution and first Celebration of the Holy Eucharist is not expresly mentioned in the Gospel That which they used at the eating of the Passover is set down and exprest by two words which are promiscuously used by the Evangelists to signifie the same Gesture viz. somtimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and somtimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. 26. 20. Mark 14. 18. Jo. 13. 23. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22. 14. Jo. 13. 1â— Both which words our last English Translation commonly rendreth Sitting down at the Table answerably to the Gesture now in use amongst us but the words properly signifie Discumbere vel Jacere to lie down in a leaning posture on certain low Couches such as were then in use hence called Lectuli caenatorii vel discubitorii the principal Guest at the head of the Couch the Second a little lower and behind him laying his Head in the Bosome of the first and so successively as many as the Couch would conveniently hold That this was the posture of our Saviour and his Apostles at the eating of the Passover will appear not only by the proper signification of the words and the known Custom of the Jews in that age but also by a Passage recorded by St. John touching our Saviour and himself John 13. 23. There was one of his Disciples whom Jesus loved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who leaned on the Bosom of Jesus Compared with John 21. 20. Where we read that Peter turning about saw the Disciple whom Jesus loved following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who also leaned on his Breast at Supper yea the Jews had been so long accuâ—â—omed to this Gesture before our Saviours time that when some Thousands of them were to be miraculously fed by him with a few loaves and fishes though they were then in the open fields yet they readily applied themselves to the same Posture when upon our Saviours command they were distributed into several Companies conâ—isting of equal numbers to partake of that food wherewith he purposed to satisfie them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He commanded his Disciples ut accumbere facerent to make them all lye or leane down upon the Grass Then it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They lay or leaned down in ranks by Hundreds and by Fifties Mark 6. 39 40. Now this
determine or pass my censure on but to pray that God would please to direct them in so hazardous a Point that they may do all according to the Rules of Christian prudence and for the good of the Church Whatsoever I here say is directed to such as are misled for their satisfaction who cannot with any Reason or Justice claime a perpetuall exemption from obeying the lawes though some of them possibly may be dispenst with for a while seeing thereby all Ecclesiasticall Authority would be trod under foot the Laws broken and abolisht all disorder confusion introduced Schisme authorised and the Disobedient confirmed in their errours without any hope of ever reducing them to the Unity of the Church Were it not a far more Christian and charitable Course for such who have misled them or countenanced them in their errour to shew them it by confessing their own and do their utmost endeavour by informing them aright to returne them into the good old Pathes of the Church and become their Guides in the way This would be the best evidence of their Repentance Selfdeniall Humility and zealous care of those Soules which have been hitherto misguided through their meanes S. Paul thought himsef obliged to confess his errour after he was converted and to be more zealous in converting souls then he had been in destroying of them which caused him to labour more abundātly then all the rest of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. S. Austin thought himself bound in his latter days to look back on what he had done preached and written and upon a serious review thereof to confess the Errours not onely of his life but of his Doctrine of both which he hath left publick monuments unto all Posterity in his two Books of Confession and Recantation Hath he at all disparaged or disgraced himself by these two Books Nay hath he not got more honour to himself thereby than by any two of the rest If in others he hath shewed more of the Schollar in these he hath shewed more of the Christian His high wit learning may shine forth more conspicuously in some other Treatises but his deep humility large charity are more legible in these He thought it no blot to his Reputation to publish his Errour but to persist in it And his own conscience he judged would have been polluted and other mens insnared if he had not purged it by this Confession and Recantation which now present it unstained unto God and his Church Would to God those who read the Books and see the good effects thereof would follow the example Then would the Church in due time recover both its Purity and its Peace 5. Those who would not have any Constraint now put upon the Conscience of any one nor so much as a Restraint of their Christian liberty in the use of things indifferent might have done well to have been more tender of forcing others when their Party was in power not onely to the Gesture of Sitting at the receiving of the Sacrament denying it to such who would not cōforme thereto contrary to their Judgment to the Lawes and to their former Practice but to such Oathes and Covenants as were contrary to those they had formerly taken and to the Lawes of the Land and the expresse command of their Soveraigne Lord the King But the present Power as it is placed in the right Hands so it useth those hands far more gently and complyantly for the drawing of all to conformity and Obedience But it is one Thing to beare with the weake for a while an other to cherish the Refractory in their wilfulnesse One thing to forbeare the inflicting of the Penalty on some certaine Persons untill all fitting meanes be used of weaning them from their Errours and ill Customes another to abrogate and nullifie the force of the Law by indulging a generall Dispensation A moderate and seasonable pressing of Conformity will not drive any from the Church who are any way plyable or inclinable to come in but gently draw them farther by shewing the excellent fruits of Unity and Order the Beauty and the Peace which accompany them with the necessity thereof in order to the recovery and preservation of Both. Whereas if the People be still suffered to follow their own Fancies and false Guides under pretence of enjoying that which they are pleased to call Liberty of Conscience it will be impossible ever to reduce them into the fold of the Church They will wander about still as foolish sheep use to do and please themselves in the By pathes of their owne choosing follow the call of every false shepheard straggle farther and farther into forbidden Pastures and never entertaine a thought of returning into that Field which they first so foolishly forsooke to tire themselves in their inconstant wandrings And if the Shepheards follow them in these Vagaries unlesse it be with a pious charitable designe of reducing them home they will soon weary them in the Pursuit and send them back at last with as little Patience as they had Prudence at their setting forth S. Augustine observes that the Donatists never seriously recollected themselves nor considered the Errour of their way till they were awakened by the Thunder of the Emperours Edicts which affrighted them into the Fold they had so giddily abandoned and then they could thank God for so seasonable a severity when they saw the Benefit of the change whereas otherwise if they had bin still left at liberty to do what they listed they had perished in their wanton extravagancies fooled themselves into Damnation 6. The Benefits arising from Conformity are many and great as Order and Decency which cannot be preserved without Vniformity But chiefly the Peace and Vnity of the Church which are so necessary for the maintenance of Truth of Obedience to Superiours and the solid Edifying of all Christians in the ways of Salvation Which sure are more considerable than the gratifying of some factious Humourists or seduced Proselytes amongst us As for the allowing a liberty in things indifferent to the Judgement and Conscience of the users the Church leaves all Christians absolutely free whilst it declares them indifferent in their own nature various in severall Churches and Changeable in the same not essentiall Parts but circumstantiall Appendixes of Gods worship But to crave the same liberty for the use and practise of them without any limitation or regard had to the Determinations of just Authority is such a liberty which never any well-setled Church enjoyed or defired I believe since the Apostles times such as is inconsistent with the Apostles Rules of Order and Decency and such as would bring in that Confusion into the Church whereof God is not the Authour Ob. 5. This Gesture of kneeling at the Sacrament gives the juster cause of offence because it had its Originall from the Pope of Rome and which is worse upon a very ill Ground or supposall viz. upon the Doctrine of