very well to the observation of thâ— Lords day When the universall Church observeth any thing that none might appoâ—nt but God and yet nowhere is it found written it behoveth to averre that it was delivered by Christ and his Apâ—stles Anotâ—eâ— rule What the universall Church hath observed at all â—â—mes before justly we may beleeve that it was in 〈…〉 Apostles howbeit it bee of â—uch a qualitie as 〈…〉 iâ—stituted by the Church To this purpâ—seâ—â— quoteth Augâ—stine lib. 4. contra Donatist as cap. 23 These are the words That which the universall Châ—rch 〈◊〉 and hath not beene instituted by Councels but ever maintaâ—ned is to be beleevâ—d in all 〈◊〉 reason not to have been ordained by oâ—her power then the apostoâ—ique authoriâ—â— Quod universateâ— eccleâ—â—a nec conciâ—iis instituâ—â—â— sed sempâ—r â—â—tentum non nisi authoritate apâ—stâ—ica traâ—dituâ— certissime creditur But seeing the ordinances of the Apostles were of two sorts Some were temporarie and to endure onely for a time as abstinence from bloud and strangled which was enjoyned only for avoiding the offence of the weake Jewes others were to bee observed constantly Of this sort was the observation of the Lords day Experience hath proved the perpetuall observation of it hitherto and no reason can bee given wherefore it should bee changed hereafter as I shall show It were superfluous to cite the testimonies of divines referring the institution of this day to the Apostles Walaeus hath quoted a number dissertat pag. 165. After hee hath laid downe his reasons consenting with them in judgement hee concludeth that the first day of the weeke was substituted to the sabbath by the Apostles not onely by an ordinarie power such as all pastours have to order rites meerly indifferent in their Churches but by a singular power as by such as had inspection over the whole Church and to whom as to extraordinarie office-bearers was concredit to be faithfull not onely to deliver certaine precepts of faith and manners but also of comely order in the Church Vt quis dies in septimana ex vi anal gia quarti praecepti esset servandus ne dissâ—nsio aut confusio ex eo inter ecclesias oriretur omnibus ubique Christianis constaret as that it might bee knowne to all Christians what day in the weeke is to bee observed by vertue and analogie of the fourth precept least dissention or confusion should arise there about 〈◊〉 the Churches He citeth other divines concluding likewise that the Apostles being guided by the holy Ghost substituted the Lords day in place of the Jewish 〈◊〉 bath But others referre the institution to Christ himselfe which is more likely for after his resurrection hee appeared sundry times taught the Apostles things pertaining to the kingdome of God that is the instruction and government of his Church and gave them commandements Act. 1. 23. These commandements and instructions they delivered after to the Churches and set them downe in their canonicall writes Next Christ himselfe appeared the day of his resurrection five times At the third appearance hee appeared to the two disciples going to Emaus at which time hee celebrated the holy supper according to the judgement of great divines At the fifth appearance he appeared to all the disciples save Thomas who were conveened together before Then he gave them commission to goe and teach all nations and in conferring his spirit hee breathed upon them John 20. Mark 16. Eight dayes after that is the eighth day after as Luke 2. 21. when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcision of the childe that is when the childe was circumcised upon the eight day Christ appeared againe and Thomas was present at which time he cured his unbeliefe It would appeare their meeting was not frequent at other times and that Christ appeared purposly at that time And therefore it is likely that every eight day after ordinarily they conveened and Christ appeared unto them wherein that great divine Junius is confident Die ipso resurrectionis octavo quoque die usque dum in coelos ascendit apparuit discâ—pulis in conventum eorum venit At last upon the Pentecost which fell upon the eight day that is the first day of the weeke that yeare Christ sent downe the holy Ghost in the likenesse of firie tongues upon the Apostles conveened together There is no speciall time noted for any of Christs apparitions but the first and eighth day which seemeth to be done of purpose Therefore Cyrillus lib. 12. in 〈…〉 8. willeth us to observe that the Evangelist is noâ— content with a simple narration but addeth carefully after eight dayes and all being gathered together in one place The Lords day could not have beene observed so long as Christ remained upon the earth without his direction And this appeareth to be one of the commandements which he gave them Eusebius ascribeth the institution of this day to Christ advancing Christ above all the great poteâ—tats of the Gentiles who could not prescrive to all the inhabitants of the earth to conveene every weeke and observe the Lords day as Christ did Athanâ—sius cited by White pag. 78. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath changed â—r translated it meaning the sabbath into the Lords day The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well import that it was so called because the Lord was the authour and institutour of it as because it was instituted for the honour and worship of our Lord. As the Lords prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords prayer because the Lord was the authour of it Zanchius is of opinion that when the Lord blessed the seventh day the sonne of God spent that whole day in instructing Adam and Eva exercising them in the worship of God and admonishing them to teach their posteritie to doe the like for it beloved Adam to understand the sanctification of that day which the Lord had blessed and sanctified Wee have farre greater reason to thinke being certaine that Christ was here on earth appearing to his disciples at sundrie times from the day of his resurrection till the day of his ascension and instructing them in things belonging to his Church that hee instructed them in this point also Yea yee see hee conveened with them and in a manner observed it also Whither Christ himselfe instituted the observation of this day or the Apostles by the inspiration of the Spirit the authoritie is divine For howsoever Bellarmine distinguisheth traditions in divine and apostolicall the distinction is but imaginarie saith Junius in his answer and Bellarmine himselfe acknowledgeth that the apostolicall traditions in respect of the assistance of the spirit may be called also divine howbeit they were not delivered immediatly by Christ himselfe Tratitiones verè apostolice sunt divinae saith Polanus Beza in his great annotations upon Apocal. 1. 10. calleth it Apostolicam verè divinam traditionem Atradition truely divine howbeit Apostolicall Cornelius
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
second fall But that specification of persons bound to 〈◊〉 worke was not a ceremonie but a needfull 〈◊〉 in respect of the time The reason in the precept is morall and the end of the cessation and rest is morall to wit to sanctifie and keepe holy the sabbath-sabbath-day To sanctifie is taken in a generall notion and without reference to ceremoniall exercises or legall more then evangelicall The legâ—ll offices were commanded by other lawes which were positive But White to prove that the word sanctifie is taken in a particular notion alledgeth Deut. 5. 12. Remember to sanctifie the sabbath-sabbath-day as the Lord thy God â—ath commanded thee This maketh nothing to the purpose for the word sanctifie may be still taken in a generall notion to sanctifie the sabbath as the Lord commanded before at the deliverie of the law Suppoâ—e the word were to be taken in a particular notion in that place Moses applying it as an interpreter and expounder to that present time it followeth not that it was so taken at the promulgation and engraving in â—ables of stone for at that time there was no sacrifices appoâ—â—ed for the sabbath but afterward Numb 28. and sâ—â—â—ing on the shew-bread Levit. 24. But these things were ceremoniall belonged onely to the priests and not to all and every one of the people and were commanded afterward So was the precept of kindly fire which was but temporall and that the sabbath be observed as a memoriall of their deliverie out of Egypt Deut. 5. 15. which saith Master Ainsworth seemeth to have fallen forth upon the sabbath day To be a signâ— that the Lord did sanctifie them was also set downe afterward as one of the ends of the observation Exod. 31. but yet that was not to be signum obsigâ—â—ns a sealing ligne or sacrament but onely a declarative sigâ—â— or indicant or document that God was the santifier of his people or an argument as others call it or a publick note and signe of their profession to distinguish betweene the observers of the sabbath as a holy and sanctified people from others But this may bee common to Iewes and Christians The mutabilatie of the seventh day from the creation maketh it not ceremoniall for a thing may bee mutable and not ceremoniall To appoint the seventh day to bee observed and sanctified is not a ceremonie unlesse the word ceremonie be abused and taken more largely then for a thing significant or typicall It is properly but a politick order determining a time for the worship of God To bee a memoriall of the creation and Gods rest the seventh day followed indeed upon the observation of that day but was not the only nor principall end of the institution for then that should have beene the chiefe or onely exercise on that day to contemplate and meditate upon the creatures God propoundeth his worke of creation and resting the seventh day not as the onely subject to bee mused upon but as an example for the observation of a seventh day sabbath Howbeit of the setting of that seventh day from the creation the prerogative it had to bee the day of Gods rest from the worke of creation and therefore made choise of yet perse directè of it selfe and directly as Suarez speaketh it was not appointed for commemoration of such a worke but to worship God for himselfe for his owne majestie and excellencie To end this point wee must not confound precepts concerning obâ—ervancies and ceremonies with morall The ceremonials are only appendicles and have their owne positive lawes for their ground If because there be some ceremoniall precepts concerning the sabbath delivered afterward or apart from the promulgation of the decaloguâ— the fourth precept shall be holden partly morall partly ceremoniall by that reason other precepts also of the decalogue shall bee partly morall partly ceremoniall for both the ceremoniall and judiciall law saith Master Dow have in them something which is juris moralis and so farre forth are contained under the morall precepts Swarez likewise saith Nihilominus tamen in illis ceremoniis seu observant iâ—s sunt quaedum rationes generales que secundum se pertinent ad moralem rationam virâ—utum uâ— de se abitrâ—hunt à particulari significatione ritu veteris legis In a word there is nothing ceremoniall in the fourth precept no positive worship either legall or evangelicall enjoyned but only sanctification in generall without determination either of the one or other no type or signification of things to come expressed yea or intended saith Swarez but only the institution it selfe renewed with accommodation to the state of man after his fall of which I made mention a little before All the determination which is added over the naturall and morall obligation to se apart a time to holy exercises is divine positive not ceremoniall or typicall for divine postive is more generall and comprehendeth also other lawes imposed by God for order and policie in his Church Howbeit wee 〈…〉 distinguish betwixt in the fourth preâ—ept concerning the sabbath and the sabbath as it was observed by the people of God upon the imposition of more precepts concerning ceremonies and observances yet even in their observation wee may observe some markes whereby it might be discerned from their anniversarie feasts and to bee ordained prâ—marly for a morall use The sabbath was observed every where throughout the land and abroad where they remained in the wildernesse in the places of their captivity and dispersion The ceremoniall feasts on 〈◊〉 Iâ—rusalem whither Iews and proseâ—iâ—s resorted from all countries as at the Pentecost when the firle tongues were sent downe and whereat the Apostle Paul hastened to bee present Next the ceremoniall feasts had some sâ—crifices and ceremonies appropriate unto them which might not bee used at other times The sabbath had only the doubling of the daily sacrifice at the appointed place beside the ordinarie exercises throughout the land Thirdly the sabbaths of anniversarie feasts were transfeâ—red to the ordinarie or weekly sabbath if it was to follow immediatly because the dead corps and meat prepared specially of herbs could not be preserved without spilling or putrifying specially in those hote countries Non facimus inquâ—â—â— duo contin a sabbatha propter olera propâ—et mortuos 〈…〉 restraineth this custome to the store moneth Tâ—â—ri But the ordinarie or weekly sabbath was not drawne to the sabbaths of these anniversarie feasts Fourthly at the anniversarie feasts they might not fast they were dayes of joy and festivity which â—orreth not with mourning of fâ—sting See Nehem. 8. 10. Exod. 12. 14. Num. 29. 15. And therefore these dayes were called Chaggim which is derived from a word signifying wheeling about leaping or dancing The most solemne day of these feasts was called jom tob a good or merrie day The ordinarie sabbath-day was not called jom tob See Casaubonus nor yet Chag They were not forbidden to fâ—st yet they might fast That injunction
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
and warrantable WE have the exemple of Christ and his Apostles at the first supper to warrant the communicants to sit in the act of receaving No man ever doubted of it till of late two or three wranglers hath called that in question which hath been holden as an undoubted truth in all ages After the ordinarie washing of their hands they sate downe to the first course of the paschall supper to eat the paschall lambe with the unleavened bread then they rose againe to the washing of their feet Thereafter they sate downe againe to the second course of the paschall supper and did eat of a sallet made of sowre hearbs which they dipped in a composed liquour as thick as mustard This second course was a part of the paschall supper as Scaliger and others of the learned prove out of the Jewish writers and not their common and vulgar supper M. P. yeeldeth to this because the paschall supper was a sufficient meal of it selfe and therefore they needed no other supper It is clear that they sate howbeit not upright yet leaning on their elbowes at the paschall supper Scaliger citeth out of a booke set forth before Christs time entituled Kiddâ—sh pesach a canon for twice washing and that kinde of sitting at the eating of the paschall supper The Evangelists likewise make mention that after they rose and Christ had washed their feet they sate downe againe Now while they were eating after this sitting downe to the second course of the paschall supper and consequently while they were yet sitting Christ took bread and gave thankes c. that is he instituted and ministred the evangelicall supper Matth. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. Yea the very close or conclusion of the second course or whole paschall supper was changed by Christ into the evangelicall supper Luke and Paul relate that Christ tooke the cup after supper The consecrating breaking and eating of the bread had interveened betweene the second course and the taking up of the cup. Therefore they might well say After supper he tooke the cup. Yea they might have said also after supper hee tooke the bread to wit after both the first and second course of the paschall supper but then it must be meant immediatly and without any other action interveening because Matthew and Marke say While they were eating Hear Baâ—radius a Jesuit Howbeit the whole Sacrament was instituted after supper yet it was instituted in the end of the supper while as they were sitting and eating for they did eat other meat till the time of the institution of the heavenly food and therefore Matthew and Marke say That the Sacrament was instâ—tute while as they were eating for they were yet eating when the Lord tooke bread blessed and brake Quamvis autem totum sacramentum post coenam institutum fuerit in ipsius tamen coenae fine institutum est cum adhuc discumberent mâ—nducarent Nam manducarunt cibos alios quousque ad institutionem caelestis cibi ventum est Ideoque Mattheus Marcus aiunt manducantibus ipsis effectum sse hoc sacramentum Adhuc enim manducabant cum Dominus accepit panem benedixit fregit Baronius the Cardinall collecteth that they were sitting becaâ—se Matthew and Marke say they were supping or eating Vnde quod dicit Matthaeus coenantibus autem iis accepit Iesus pâ—nom benedixit quod Marcus ait manduoantibus illis accepit Jesus panem benedicens fregit idem est acsi dixisset recumbentibus illis Chrysâ—stome likewise that whâ—le they were eating and drinking Christ â—ooke bread The collection is so cleare that none either of the ancient or moderne Writers Popish or Protestant did call it in question In steed of many testimonies therefore I coâ—tent me with the old hymnes M John Mair on Matth. 26. bringeth in an old hymne to this purpose as followeth Rex sedet in coena turba cinctus duodena Se tenet in manibus Se cibat ipse cibus And the like we have in the Romane Rituall In supremae nocte coenae Recumbens cum fratribus Observata lege plenè Cibis in legalibus Cibum turbae ducdenae Se dat suis manibus But it is likely say some when Christ gave thankâ—s that he and the Apostles kneeled I answer There is no likelihood at all What the Naucratits did at their idol feasts on the birth day of Vesta or Apollo Cumaeus is â—o matter It is noted as singular in them and not accordiâ—g to the custome of other Ethnicks It was the custome of the Jewes to sit in time of blessing the bread and cup at the paschall supper The words which they used were sooner uttered then they could conveniently change sitting in kneeling and rise againe We never read that the Jewes kneeled when they blessed their meat Christ sate when he brake bread and gave thankes at Emaus When hee sate with the multitude which hee fed with five loaves and two fishes he blessed the bread P. granteth that Christ and his Apostles used the same gesture in blessing and giving thanks that hee did in receiving Suppose they had kneeled in time of the blessing before the breaking of the bread it would not follow that they continued kneeling or received the elements with that gesture All agree ancient and modern that they were sitting when Christ spake to them Haec verba nempe bibite ex eo omnes dicuntur solis Apostolis qui tum ad mensam cum Christo sedebant saith Bellarmine Becanus and others as ye may see in the testimonies cited in this and the chapter following The Naucratits after they had supplicated upon their knees sate downe againe upon their feasting beds as Atheneus reporteth We prove also by collection from some circumstances and the forme of the celebration that they sat They neither stood nor kneeled Therefore they sate They stood not for the beds upon which they sate leaning on their elbowes were so neer to the tables that they might reach to it so that they could not easily stand betwixt It were ridiculous to alledge that they stood upon the beds And Christ when he had ended sayeth to them Arise let us go hence If they had beene standing hee could not say to them Arise It may bee gathered likewise that they kneeled not 1. If there had beene a change from sitting which was the ordinarie gesture at the Paschall supper into kneeling a gesture of adoration at the Evangelicall supper some of the Evangelists would have made mention of it for they make mention of other changes 2. If there had beene such a change then kneeling should have beene institute and all have sinned that have not kneeled since the first supper which our opposits dare not affirm To what end should the change have been made if not that that gesture might be observed afterward 3. The form of celebration could not comply with the gesture of kneeling for Christ spake in
import this gesture because I will have occasion to treat of them in the second part Only let it be observed that the occasionall circumstances of the first supper were not followed as the gesture was but upon speciall occasion By the practise of the Apostles wee see the time was indifferent Act. 2. and 20. Neque Apostoli ad tempus vespertixum sese adstrinxerunt sedipro oâ— asione coenam administraruâ—t alià s dâ—urno tempore 〈◊〉 legeâ—e est Act. 2. 46. alià s intempesta nocte ut Act. 20. quo pacto satis ostenderunt tempus câ—enae esse indiâ—â—eâ—ens As for the denomination of supper it doth not import that we should celebrat ever at night It is true in our language this word Supper signifieth only the evening meal but the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth indefinitly the repast that a man takeâ—h any time of the day The proper Greek word for a supper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I referre the Reader for further clearing of this point to Câ—saubon his exercitations The like may be said of the number the sex the parlour the manner of sitting c. They were not continued by the Apostolical Churches as sitting was which was also continued at some times and in some places in the ages following CHAP. III. That sitting in the act of receaving hath continued to our times HOwbeit the supper of the Lord soone after the Apostles dayes began to bee stained with some rust as M. Calvine observeth yet was this gesture of sitting continued at some times namely upon the Thursday which is now called Maundie thursday the day of the Lords supper because upon that day the Lords supper was fâ—rst celebrate and institute Mornaeus reporteth that in the monasteries of S. Bennet they have no other forme of Masse for three dayes before Easter but this following The Abbot sanctifieth the bread and the wine and the Monks do communicate sitting receaving the elements out of the Abbots hand and this forme is by them called Mandatum the commandement But Bullinger more plainlie that not only in the monasteries of the Benedictines but also in the cathedrall kirks upon this day the tables are set in order they sit downe break bread and reach the cup every one to other every man following the footsteps of the ancient supper Vnde nimirum ritus ille ad nos dâ—manavit quo vel hodie incathedralibus ecclestis in Monasteriis Benedict â—orum â—n die coenae Domini ante parasceuen Coeâ—â—a Doâ—iâ—â— palam splendidius celebratur Nam Evangelium Iohannis à diacono publice praelegitun dulcissima câ—llo â—uia Christ 〈◊〉 abiturus cum discipulis habuit recitaâ—â—ur iâ—terim or 〈◊〉 disposi is mensis convivae assident panem azymum frangen es calioem invicem propinantes in toâ—um veteris coenae vestigium praeferentes Now it was the custome of old not onlie for the Monks but also other Christians to communicate upon this day except offenders as appeareth evidently in Gratians decree And therefore the glosse both old and new upon that place hath these words Sic olim modo non sic est sed Monachi faciunt that is It was so of old that the faithfull did communicate but it is not so now only the Monks doe it Augustine epist. 18. ad Ianuarium reporteth that in his time the custome was in many kirks to communicate after supper upon Thursday And whereas there is sundrie Canons for communicating fasting yet that anniversarie Thursday was excepted as yee may see in Concâ—l Carthag 3. can 31. Ne Sacramenta altaris nâ—si a jejunis hominibus celebrentur excepto uno die annâ—versario quo coena Domini celebratur What the Monks of S. Bennets order retained wee may verie well judge it to have beene the auncient forme of celebration upon that day For no doubt in that other Christians celebrated after meat which they needed not they neglected not sitting and distributing The two thousand souldiers who were reconciled to the Emperour Mauritius about the year 590. by the travell of Gregorius Bishop of Antioch receaved the Sacrament sitting upon the ground as Euagrius reporteth Doctor Lindsay alledgeth the like done to the Scottish armie at Bannockburn in the dayes of King Robert Bruce But beside this day which was called Coena Domini that all the faithfull did communicate wee finde that at other times also the people communicated in sundrie places immediatly after meat as Socrates reporteth of the Aegyptâ—ans who dwelt neere to Alâ—xandrâ—a and the inhabitants of Thebais Nam ubiepulati sunt varâ—is cibariis se saturâ—runt sub vesperam oblatione fact a mysteriis communicant Niâ—ephorus reporteth the same Balsamo upon the 90 〈◊〉 of Concilium Trullanum saith the devoter sort upon Saturday at midnight fate in the kirk and communicate Alexander de Holes in the second part of his tractat concerning the Masse sayeth The Pope communicateth sitting in remembrance that the Apostles at the last supper communicated sitting Si quaeratur quare Dominus Papa sed endo communicat Potest dici quod hoc fit in recordationâ—m quod â—eatus Petrus alii Apostoli sedendo corpus Domini in coena ultima acceperunt The Waldensâ—s who are justly called the pure seed of the auncient kirk and have continued since the dayes of Pope Silvester some think from the dayes of the Apostles saith Rainerius the Inquisitor and their enemie celebrated the Communion sitting Concernâ—ng the supper of the Lord their faith was that it was ordaâ—nâ—d to be eaten and not to bee shewed or worshipped for a memoriall not for a sacrifice to serve for the present ministration and not for reservation to be received at table and not to be carried out of doores according to the use of the primitive Church when they used to communicat sitting and this they prove by an old Chronicle called Chronica gestorum saith Master Fox in his acts and monuments His warrant I finde in their apologie against one Doctour Augustine which is extant in Lydii Waldensia Existo manifestum est quod primitiva ecclesia hane fidem habuit illam confessa est non fecit reverentiam huâ—c sacramento quia illo tempore exemplo Christi sedentes statim acceperunt nihil retinuerunt nec extra domum extulerunt haec institutio diâ—stetit sicut Chronica gestorum estendunt The like they have in the confession of their faith sent to Vladiflaus king of Hungarie Namque discipulis Christus discumbentibus dedie utendum Luther expounding the epistle upon Saint Stephens day saith Christ so instituted the sacrament that in it wee should sit at the sacrament But all things are changed and the idle ordinances of men are come in place of divine ordinances Zwinglius setting downe the forme of câ—lebration used at Berne Zurick Basile and other neighbour townes saith Sedentes tacite auscultantes
of wiâ—e to others which cappe they called philotefia metonymicaâ—â—y because it was a symbole of love or frâ—endship which name any man may justly impose upon the cup of the hol supper of the Lord saith Stuâ—kius In iis eaim amicitiae ergo humaniteâ—se mutâ—â— accipiâ—nâ—es vini calicem sibi invicem porrigebâ—â—â— quem philoâ—esiam appellaâ—an metonym ce nimirum quia symbolum erat amoris amicitiae quo nom ne verâ—ssiâ— me quis illud sacrosancti Domâ—ni coenae poculum insigniâ—rit One of our Doctours saith That they had in the primitive Church other tokens of love and friendship as love-feasts and the kisse of peace but one token should not justle out another Beside that both are worne out of use and the kisse is turned into the kisse of the pax So much the rather should that signe and token which was recommended by Christ himself be preserved If there were no more but reaching of the cup from one to another and deviding of it it were sufficient to exclude kneeling howbeit the communicants did not breake and distribute the bread to other For what reason were there to kneel at the receaving of the bread and not at the receaving of the cup. Were it not also absurd to see the Communicants reaching the cuppe to other and the minister walking along to give to every one the bread Is the bread holier then the wine Analogy requireth that the bread should be distributed by the Communicants as well as the wine When the Evangelists say Christ gave the bread they meant not to every one severally more then when he gave the cup or the disciples the bread to five thousand Matth. 14. 19. for Mark 6. 4. they set the bread before five thousand Pilat gave the body of Christ that is commanded it to be given Mark 15. 45. Matth. 27. 17. Christ said in the plurall number Take ye caâ—ye this is my body as well as he said 〈◊〉 devide ye It is probable saith Piscator that 〈◊〉 brake the bread in two parts and gave one of them â—o him that sateâ— arest on the right hand the other to him that sate on the left and that they reached in order to the nearâ—st Tossanus upon Matth. 26. saith the like and Hospinian and Estius a popish writer Sit autem Chrâ—sti discipulos in ulâ—ima coena feâ—â—sse nonest improbabile ut quibus Chrâ—stus dâ—â—erit accipite dividite inter vâ—s Luc. 22. quâ—d et side calicedâ—ctum sit nihil tamen vetat dâ—pine similiter intell giâ— Beza saith That the manner of their sitting could not permit Christ to give every one severally the Bread but as he gave the cup to the nearest and the nixt reached to the nearest so it is probable that those who sate most remote receaved the bread from the nearest Moulins maintaineth That Christ might with as good reason have said Eat ye all of this as drâ—nke ye all of this his reason is Considerâ—ng that being set at table among 〈◊〉 persons he could not deliver the bread into every one of the disciples hands especially considering that the parties lying halfe a long upon beds at the table tooke up more roome then they do now adayes The Canon of the Masse hath Drinke ye all of this Mandâ—cate ex eo omnis which Bellarmine alleâ—geth they have receaved by tradition from the Apostles But to us there is the like force in the words Eat ye and Eat ye all of this for speaking in the plurall number he spake to all The Apostolicall Churches and such as in the ages following celebrated as near as they could to the â—â—terne continued this distribution P. acknowledgeth page 92. 101. 104. that the Communicants at the first supper did communicate the bread and cup one with another as also in the Apossles times pag. 95. Of the Monks of Saint Bennets orders yee may see before and that was a footstep of the order observed universally before upon the anniversarie day called the day of the Lords supper Frier Raynerius saith The Leonists for so he calleth the Wâ—aldâ—rses celebrate the sacrament of the â—ucharâ—st in their conventicles so it pleased the Frier to call the assembly of the persecuted râ—hearsing the words of the Gospel at their table and participating mutually as was done at Christs supper In conventiculis suis celebrant verba illa evangelii recâ— anâ—es in mensasua sibique mutuo participantes sicut in Christi coena Bullâ—nger saith That the supper of the Lord is then rightly celebrated when the communicants distribut the bread and the cup among themselfes Idcirco legittime coenam Domini celebrantes muâ—â—ò inter se panem Demin de manibus ministrorum Christi acceptum fran unt distribu 〈◊〉 manducant poculum insuper Domini de manibus mâ—nistrorium Christi acceptum inter sedistributam omnes potaâ— And again Primogenâ—â— simplie tati institutioni magis convenâ—t sedere sacramâ—nt aln manus proprâ— as accipere de man bus praesidentium deinde verò frangere percipere alliis impertir Vt enâ—m Dominus ad mensam cum discipulis accubuiâ— ita dixit porrectis symbolis 〈◊〉 pite dividite inter vos And againe Acconstat veteres non exhibuisse ca nantibus buccellas sed mutuum fr gisse panem It is well known saith he that the anâ—ien's gave no to the Communicants at the suppermorsels but they brake bread one with another Gualter in his homilies upon Mark setting downe the best forme of celebration requireth that they breake the bread to other and distribute the cup deinde cum solenni gratiarum actione panem inter se mutuò frangant poculum Demian distribuâ—◠〈◊〉 que in coetum illum convenorunt And when hee 〈◊〉 hee saith Est hic ritus simplicissimuâ— Christi 〈◊〉 nititur quae sola nebis in omnibus sufficere debeâ— This is the most simple for me and is grounded upon Christs 〈◊〉 which alone should bee sufficient to us in all things Tindall in his tractat upon the Lords supper pag. 477. requireth that every man breake and reach foorth to his neighbour In the later consession of Holvetia which was approved by many reformed Churches and by our own anno 1566. The bread is offered by the Minister and the words of the Lord are heard Receave it this is my bodie divide it amongst you Drink yee all of this This is my blood The Lords supper was denominate breaking of bread from that rite or ceremonie of breaking of the bread by the faithfull It is said Act. 2. 42. that the Christians continued in breaking of bread This place is interpreted of the sacrament breaking not only by ancient but also modern writers both popish and Protestant as also Act. 20. And the Syrian interpreter translateth it eucharist in both the places But the breaking of the bread in both the places is attributed not to the Ministers or Pastors only
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
mysteria proponantur adorari Where by the way observe that when ye finde the word adore in the ancients it followeth not that ye must interpret iâ— kneeling For yee see they that stood are said to adore which is not to adore in strict and proper sense Whither kneeling at the receaving come in with that decree of Honorius or after which is more likely and that no other gesture was used at the one which was not used at the other I cannot determine Howsoever it entred under Antichrist raigning and is the receaved gesture of all such as are witâ—â—â— the bounds of his jurisdiction where he is Patâ—â—â—ch The Churches under the Patriarches of Constantinople or Antioch hath not receaved it as ye have heird If the priests and others of the elergic be directed to the Romane riâ—all to kneel in receaving the eucharist can wee thinke any of the people had liberty not to kneel Howbeit this idolatrous gesture prevailed under the raigne of Antichrist yet there wanted nor faithfull witnesses to stand out against it Of the Waldenâ—â—â— yee heard before Iohannes Slechta a Bohemian writing to Erasâ—â— in the veare 1519 telleth him that there was among them a sect of such as were called Pyghardi because their first ring-leader who came to these parts in the dayes of Zisca about four score and seventeene years before that came out of Picardie that they maintained these committed idolatrie who kneeled before the bread in the sacrament of the eucharist or bowed before it or adored it In sacramento eucharistie nihil esse divinitatis credunt sed solum panem 〈◊〉 consecratum signis quibusdam occultis mortem Christi 〈…〉 affirmantes propterea in idololaâ—riam cadere omnes quot quot coram illo genua flectunt incuâ—vant vel illud adorant All the Sacramentaries call it idolatrie to kneel before the eucharist saith Bellarmine And yet so impudent is our Doctour that he is not ashamed to affirme that never any divine ancient or moderne to this day except Arrians and Anabaptists hath doubted but Christ may and should be adored externally in the act of receaving Seeing therefore this gesture entred in under Antichrist and is maintained by him with fire and faggot ought we not to reject it and retaine the exemplarie sitting of Christ and his Apostles If at any time wee should not seeme to have communion with Antichrist we should most of all at this holy supper which setteth forth our communion with Christ and his Church But put the case this gesture in the act of receaving had beene devised by others then the great Antichrist or might have beene used without blame which is not possible yet seeing it was not commanded by Christ or his Apostles but is the invention of man hath beene so horribly abused and remâ—ineth still in the owne nature indifferent as they alledge and not necessarie by their owne confession it ought to be abandoned for the danger of many thousand weake souls which may bee brought on to bread worship Wee may scandalize sometimes even when the fact is neither evill in it selfe nor hath appearance of evil Etiamsi factum non fit se cundum se malum neque secundum se habeas speciâ—m mali tamen toterit esse aliquando scandalum infiâ—niorum quia secundâ—m illorum opinioneâ—â— habet speciem mals Domine â—s Bannes in 2. 2. 〈◊〉 43. in art â—â— We might 〈◊〉 a score here and proceed no further For what we have said is sufficient to restraine every man from kneeling To offend one of Christs little ones is a hainous sinne CHAP. V. Kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements of the supper is idolatrie WE prove it to be idolatrie first considering it as it is enjoyned by the act of that pretended assembly holden at Perth next as the action is considered simply in it selfe We are directed by the act of Perth to kneel in reverence of the sacrament which is idolatriâ— as L. confesseth if we do so But we are directed to kneel in due regard of so divine a mysterie to witâ— as is the sacrament or as is the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ to wit in the sacramentall manner Wee will examine the act by parts according to L. his analysis howbeit wee acknowledge him not for the authentike interpreter of it The first reason for kneeling in the narrative is set downe in these words Since wee are commanded by God himselfe that when wee come to worship him we fall downe and kneel before the Lord our maker Relative to this reason we have in the conclusion this inference Therefore in reverenâ—e of God the assembly thinketh good that the sacrament be celebrated to the people meekly and reverently â—â—â—â—ling upon their kneeâ— For the confirmation of this reason is alledged Psal. 35. vers 7. out of which verse the words are taken By this reason Christ and his Apostles and all that have communicated sitting or standing or passing since the dayes of Christ have sinned For if wee be commended by God to kneel wee sinne if we kneel not Next the word translated worship Psal. 95. 7. is taken not generally for any action or service divine or religious expressed by the word Culâ—us in Latine as it is taken here in the act for then wee should sinne if we kneel not when we bear the word read or preached but it is taken more strictly for a speciall kinde of worshipping of God to wit adoring God by the gesture of prostration And so wee shall bee commanded to prostrat our body with our hands and feet spread upon the ground and not to kneel only For the people of God under the law used foure kindes of gestures in signe of honour First a bending or bowing downe of the head or face only which was the least degree and is expressed by the word Cadad next a bending or bowing of the superiour â—uk of the bodie expressed by the word Carang the third kneeling expressed by the word Barach the fourth prostrating the bodie with hands and feet spread as I have said expressed by the word Histachaveh The last three are all mentioned in the verse alledged Thirdly we have not here a commandement from God but David his exhortation or invitation to the godly not to kneel or fall downe before the Lord when they come to worship him or as the word beareth to prostrate themselfes for that were as much as to desire them to fall downe and kneel when they come to fall downe and kneel but he exhorteth and inviteth them to come and prostrate themselfes bow and kneel before the Lord their maker in token of thanksgiving that is in the temples where the arke was and where the Lord was present in a wonderfull manner sitting betweene the cherubims It is grosse ignorance to inferre hereupon that wee should or are commanded to kneel at the receaving of the sacrament more then at the hearing
Manna but when he had ended the worke of creation it followeth that then he sanctified Consider againe that in Exod. 16. mention is made of the sabbath as a time of rest appointed before vers 23. To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord. Vers. 25. To day is a sabbath unto the Lord. Vers. 26. But on the seventh day which is the sabbath They had neglected or were forced to neglect that day in Egypt where they were not suffered to rest on that day and therefore he putteth them in minde of it and exacteth the observation of it which was now neglected of other nations Consider againe that soone after when the decalogue was promulgate upon mount Sinai the reason given for the observation of the sabbath was not that the Lord rained Manna six dayes and desisted the seventh which concerned onely the Iewes but that hee created all in six dayes and rested the seventh which concerned all mankinde Were it not ridiculous to imagine that God spent six dayes in creating the world and rested the seventh onely for the Iewes to whome hee was to intimate the sabbath 2453. yeares after But ye will say what needed Adam a sabbath-day in the state oâ— innocencie I answer because the dressing of the gardâ—n was committed to him and he was to live an animall life which would draw with it some distraction Therefore the Lord would have a day appointed wherein he might be wholy sequestrat from other affaires Further howbeit Adam was in the state of innocencie yet his state was mutable Whereas it is alledged that there was no positive precept given to Adam in paradise but the eating of the forbidden tree I answer none meerly positive but that But this is not meerly positive but determinative of the indefinit time required by the law of nature which urgeth a time for sequestration Some thinke that Adam fell the same day that he was created and therefore that the sabbath was sanctified after his fall But the imposing of the names upon the creatures the precept concerning the forbidden tree the tentation of Adam and Eve c. move others to thinke otherwayes Lyd at agreeth not either with too short time or yet three yeares which were too long but with those who alledge eight moneth wanting a week that hee might be the more sensible of his fall and defection after hee had for a certaine space enjoyed the pleasures of that estate But suppose Adam fell upon the sixt day yet the sanctification of the sabbath after was for all mankinde and not the Iewes onely But yet we have no mention made that the Patriarchs observed it What then It is sufficient that it was instituted howbeit the observation had beene neglected But wee must judge more charitably of the holy Patriarchs that they were observant of the institution receaved by tradition from Adam They receaved the law of sacrifices and other positive lawes by revelation by oracle and by dâ—vine inspiration saith Doctour Francis White in his treatise of the sabbath Is it likely then they observed not a set day or wanted direction what day to observe or that the Lord would havâ— set any other day for ordinarie Some gather the observation from Noahs sending forth the dove the seventh day after her returne and againe the seventh day That it is likely Noah was taken up with holy exercises every seventh day hee sent forth the dove and that he sent it forth rather then then any other time because hee was craving and expecting good successe But I will not stand upon this Junius approveth the opinion of the Hebrew Doctours who all agree that there passed seven dayes betweene the going of the people out of Egypt and the drowning of the Egyptians in the red sea and therefore there were seven dayes appointed for the feast of the passeover He confirmeth their opinion with his owne reckoning in his annot upon Exod. 12. Vpon Deut. 5. he noteth that is was the sabbath that day Pharaohs hoast was drowned and the people of Israel sang that song of triumph Exod. 15. The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 4. proveth that there is a sabbatisme me or keeping of a sabbath yet remaining for the people of God and all beleevers whereinto the incredulous were not to enter and to this purpose citeth a passage out of the psalmes There the incredulous are threatned to be excluded from rest which was to come For there were two rests already past in Davids time the one beginning at the rest of God from his workes which were finished from the foundation of the world and the other when Josue brought the people into the land of Canaan The Apostles enumeration had not beene sufficient if the sabbath day had not beene observed from the beginning for he maketh not mention of another sabbatisme past before Davids time but two whereinto man entred There was no othâ—r sabbath then in Davids time beside that rest in Canaan except that which was from the beginning and consequently the sabbath observed in his time was all one with that which was observed from the beginning The rest of the sabbath is called Gods rest or sabbath because God was the instituter of it gave exemple himselfe to man and appointed it for his owne worship Levit. 23. 1. and 28. 2. Jesa 56. 4. Ezech. 20. 20. Exod. 16. 23. If the words of the Apostle were taken only for Gods owne proper rest or sabbath the Apostles reasoning had not beene pertinent for David maketh mention of a rest whereinto men might enter and were exhorted to enter in but men cannot be said to enter in Gods owne proper rest The sabbatisme which is to come is called Gods rest and yet men are said to enter in it Further if the first rest were so called only because it was Gods owne peculiar rest it would folâ—ow the thy sabbath enjoyned to man had beene omitted and the Apostles induction had beene unsufficient Requies sâ—bâ—ati dicitur â— ei tum foâ— maliter quia in die septimo quiâ— vit Peus à creatione tum exemplaâ—â—ter efficienter quiâ— quies hominum in sabbato cultus sabbati institutus est à Dâ—o ad exemplar quietis Dei in sabbato saith Cornelius a Lapide a professour in Lovaine And a little before after hee hath opened up the three restâ— the rest of the sabbath enjoyned to man the rest of the people of God in the land of Canaan and the eternall rest in heaven hee inferreth that the rest of the sabbath was in use before the law of Moses even from the beginning of the world or else the Apostles reasoning cannot hold Hinc satis clarè elicitur evincitur sabbati cultum requiem in usâ— fâ—isse apud homines ante leâ—em Mosis ab origine 〈…〉 licet id neget Abulensis in c. 23. Levit. 4. 3. ut sâ—â—i eâ—diem septimum homines colerent eoque à laboribus quiâ—sâ—râ—nt in
Exod. 16. 23. was a permission not a command or for preparation onely not for eating the day following Yea they not only might fast but did it usually at lest to the twelft houre as Hooker proveth by testimonies out of Josephus Justinus Suctonius Balsam upon the 66. Canon called the Apostles saith Wee fast not upon the sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest wee should seeme to imitate the Jewes Augustine saith God spake nothing concerning dining or fasting upon the sabbath when he sanctified the seventh day nor afterward when hee gave precepts concerning it to his people Of these differences the reader may finde more in Altare Damascenum page 667 668 669. The Jewish sabbath which was the seventh day from the creation was abolished at the resurrection of Christ because it had types and ceremonies annexed to it which were shadowes of things to come The ground ceasing the observation of that day ceased also for the shadowes flee away when the body commeth in place Yea further I will yeeld that the abrogation was meant by the Apostle Coloss. 2. 17. and under the name of sabbath there is to bee meant onely the weekly sabbath which is more then White craveth Not that I thinke they answer sufficiently to those who will have the word to be applied to the first and last day of anniversary feasts which were also called sabbaths But because I thinke these to bee comprehended under the name of feasts whereof these sabbaths were the principall and most solemne dayes So that here is a perfite division of all their solemne dayes to wit that they were either feasts to wit anniversarie dayes or new moones which returned monethly or the sabbath which returned weekly I so thinke the rather because we have the like division 1 Chron. 23. 31. where the Levits office is set downe to offer burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths in the new moones and on the set feasts And againe in Esay 1. 13 14. wee have the like As for that that the word Sabbath is in the plurall number it crosseth not this sense for so is the weekly sabbath usually expressed by the Greek translaters of the old testament and in the new testament also Matth. 12. 1 5 10 11 12. Matth. 2â— 1. Mark 1. 12. Mark 2. 23 24. Mark 3. 2 4. Luk. 4. 31. Luke 6. 9. Luke 13. 10. Act. 13. 14. Act. 16. 13. In these places the word is taken either for one sabbath-day onely or for moe And so it may bee taken in this place Coloss. 2. and translated either sabbath or as the late english translation hath sabbath dayes The sabbath-day is expressed in the plurall number for the frequent and often returning By the way observe that the old sabbath was not reckoned among the Jewish festivall dayes Sâ—atiger saith Manifestò sabbata distinguuntur to wit Esay 1. 13 14. à magnis diebus The sabbaths are â—early dâ—stinguished from the great dayes which were all one with Chaggim The Iewish sabbath then seeing it shadowed things to come behoved to bee abolished Suppose it had not beene a shadow yet even as it was but a circumstantiall point of the fourth precept which is morall positive it might have beene changed for a greater reason then was the occasion of the choice of the former For the resurrection of Christ and beginning of his triumph after he had ended his course of humiliation was a greater reason for making choice of the first day of the weeke then resting from the worke of creation was for the seventh day before The first respect of necessitie required abolition The 〈…〉 congruity The first day of the weeke succeeded in the roome of the last day of the weeke and hath beene observed in the Christian Church from her infancie to this day without any change or contradiction The Apostles were conveened together that day when the holy Ghost descended upon them Act. 2. When Paul had stayed at Troas seven dayes upon the first day of the weeke being the seventh day of his abode the disciples conveened together to break-bread and Paul preached and conferred with them till break of day Act. 20. 7. 11. The originall hath upon one of the sabbath but sabbath is put for weeke because from the sabbath as the principall day they numbred the rest of the dayes of the weeke to the next sabbath in order first second third fourth c. of the sabbath and distinguished them not by the names of the planets As when the pharisie said I fast twice in the sabbath that is twice in the weeke Luke 18. 12. When Jesus was risen early the first day of the sabbath that is of the weeke Mark 16. 9. And Levit 23. 15. seven sabbaths shall bee compleat that is seven weekes Likewise one according to the forme of speach familiar to the Hebrewes is taken for first The evening and morning were one day that is the first day This place cannot bee trâ—â—slated one of the sabbaths for the Apostle stayed but seven dayes in which there was but one sabbath day Nor yet is it likely that the Christians did assemble upon the Iewish sabbath to their exercises Howbeit the Apostle went in to their synagogue Act. 13. upon their sabbath that was not for the observation of their sabbath but because hee could not finde the Iewes assembled together at any other time or place that hee might have occasion to winne them as yee may see at that time hee found occasion to deliver a word of exhortation Wee have the first day of the weeke expressed with the like phrase 1 Corin. 16. 2. where the Corinthians are directed to lay aside some thing for the poore the first day of the sabbath that is of the weeke or every first day of the weeke Now although this text of S. Paul maketh no expresse mention of Church assemblies this day yet because it was the custome of Christians And likewise it is a thing convâ—nient to give almes upon the church-dayes it cannot wâ—ll hee gainsaid but that if in Corinth and Galatia the first day of evâ—ry weeke was appointed to be a day for almes and charitable contributions the same was also the Christians weekly holy day for their religious assemblies saith White and to this purpose citeth Chrysostome in 1 Corin. hom 43. where he sheweth that the time was fit for collections because that day they had receaved many great benefites and the first of the sabbath hee interpreteth the Lords day So do the translations of the Bible expound both the former and this place of the first day of the week the Belgike the French the Italian the Spanish the late English Beza's and Tremellius out of the Syriack With frivolous cavillâ—tion doe some few to their great discredite preasse to another sense which is to the full overthrowne by Walâ—eâ—s and Amesius This first day of the weeke Revel 1. 10. is called not the day of the Lord as sometime in
that purpose which is called the feast of the resurrection Sâ—â—rez having reckoned the many prerogatives of the Lords day as that Christ rose that day the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles c. hee willeth us to observe that howbeit all these prerogatives might have beene considered in the determination of the day yet the day of it selfe and directly was not instituted for the peculiar commemoration of these â—â—rkes of God but to worship God for himselfe and his owne exellencie Nihilominus per se ac directè non referri vel istitui hunc diem ad peculiaerem commemorationem illorum operum Dei sed ad Deumipsum propter se colendum propter suam excellentiam majestatem It wee had no dayes but festivall for some particular benefits we should have no day for the worship of God in generall The Lords day therefore may justly bee called the schoole-day of Christians as Petrus Ramus calleth it Thirdly as the sabbath of old was distinguished from the yearly feast which were called good that is merrie dayes so is the Lords day from the yearly feasts invented afterwards by men Vpon the anniversarie feasts called good dayes they might not fast as yee have heard before Mirth and mourning could not stand together But upon the sabbath they might lawfully fast Ne quando sanctificaâ—it De is diem septimum quia in illo requievit ab omnibus operibus suis aliquid de jejunio vel prandio expressit nec cum postea populo Hebraâ— de ipsius dici observatione mandavit aliquid de alimentis sumendis vel non sumendis locutus saith Augustâ—ne that is God enjoyned nothing concerning fasting or eating either the first time that he sanctified the seventh day or afterward when he gave the manna The Lords day succeeding in the roome of the old sabbath as it standeth in the decalogue is of the same qualitie Wee may lawfully fast upon the Lords day which were absurd to d ee upon our anniversarie feast dayes It is true that in the ancient Church it was thought a hainous thing to fast upon the Lords day So did they also forbid to pray kneeling that day to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection This use of signification or testification was the fountaine of much superstition and brought in a heap of ceremonies some of which the Papists themselves were â—shamed of long since The same ceremonie of not kneeling in time of prayer upon the Lords day is worne out of use nigh 500 yeares since saiâ—h Bellarmine If the reason of the institution had beene solide it should become us no lesse then them to pray standing upon the Lords day But the ground was naught The like may bee said of not fasting upon the Lords day Some reason they had indeed not to fast upon this day when the Manichees and Priscillianists fasted for the Manichees fasted ordinarily upon the Lords day lest they should seeme to rejoyce for the resurrection of Christ which they beâ—eeved not The Priscillianists fasted likewise ordinarily upon the Lords day and the nativitie day But when there are no knowne Manichees nor Priscillianists there is not the like reason for not fasting But the extremities should be avoided To thinke it unlawfull to fast that day or unlawfull to dine and breake our fast are both without warrant and superstitious But to fast upon occasion or in time of any imminent judgement is lawfull When Paul continued preaching upon the sabbath till midnight at Troas before the tasted any thing or the rest were refreshed with meat this conceat of not fasting upon the Lords day had not entred in the Church Was Paul a Manichaean saith Hierome because hee and those who were with him fasted on the Lords day His words are extant in Gratians decree Atqui utinam omni tempore jejunare possimus quod in Actibus Apostolorum diebus Pentecostes die dominico Apostolum Paictum cum eo credentes fecisse legimus Non tamen Manicheae haereseos accusandit sunt If any had resolved to fast seven dayes or moe he might have fasted upon the Lords day included as ye may see in Balsamo and Zonaras upon the constitutions falsly called apostolicall and Augustine epist. 86. ad Casulanum Whitaker defending the occasionall fasâ—s of our Church telleth Duraeus that the respects the ancients had concerne not us Etsi illîs temporibus die dominica jejunare nefas fuit propter haerelices Judaeos qui Christi resurrectionem impugnabant jam dudum tamen illa offensio nullum in ecclesia locum habet ut planè nugatorum sit quod tu de nostris in Anglia Scotia◠〈◊〉 calumniaris quasi eò spectent ut his cuniculis resurâ—â—ctiâ—â—â— fidem evertamus In a pronounciall synod holden at Dort anno 1574 it was ordained that there bee three sermons on the Lords day when a fast is to be keeped on â— It is to observe a day to say the morne is the Loâ—ds day therefore it is unlawfull to fast saith Chamter Alstedius Jejunandum etiam die dominica si necessitas flagitet What need I multiply testimonies that is sufficient which Augustine saith What dayes wee ought to fast and what not I finde it not defined by any precept given by our Lord or any of the Apostles Quibus diebus non oporteat jejunare quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non havenio definitum epist. 86. But if the Lords day were a festivall day it should follow that we should not not fast on it at all Now we proceed in our reasons against festivall dayes THE II. REASON NOne appointed holy festivities under the laws when the times were more ceremonious but God himselfe The dayes of Purim were called simply the dayes of Purim not the holy dayes of Purim They were not called Chaggimâ— No peculiar sacrifice was appointed nor any holy convocation of the people enjoyned The ordinance required but feasting and joy and sending of portions to other The rest mentioned Esther 9. was onely from their enemies So much worke as might stand with a feasting day was not forbidden Suppose they had rested altogether from worke that would only prove an idle day but not an holy day Our Doctour therefore hath no warrant to say that they were made holy dayes by Mordecay Afterward it 〈◊〉 true whâ—n the Jews become more superstitious they read the book of Estheâ— after the reading whereof they spâ—nt the rest of the day in revelling and riotousnesse Next these dayes were instituted by Mordecai and therefore were called Mordecai's dayes 2 Maccahab last chap. vers 37. Sixtus Senensis saith he is thought to be the penman of the booke of Esther he was one of the 120. of which the great synagogue consisted of which number were Zacharie Daniel Ezra and Malachie Whitaker thinketh Mordecai did this God inspiring him or perhaps by the advice or warrant of some Prophet and doubteth not
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
them and not spoken so generally Chamieraom 3. l. 19. c. 6. embraceth a more generall exposition that the Apostle condemneth both Iewish and Ethnick observation of dayes Non est verisimile Apostol um adeo incautâ— locutum ut generaliter observationem damnare videtetur si aliquam excipiebat saith Chamierus Or is it likely that the dayes appointed by God himselfe being abolâ—shed the Apostles would have brought in other in their roome Is it reason then that others should bring them in Zanchius confesseth That it is more agreeable to the first institution and writings of the Apostles that one day of the weeke onely bee san ctified Magis consentaneum est cum prima institutione cum scriptis Apostolicis ut unus tantum dies in septimana sanctificetur There was but one day observed in the Apostles times and called the Lords day If other dayes had beene dedicated to Christ they should all have beene the Lords dayes Beatus Rhenanus in his annotations upon Tertullian De corona militis observeth that in the primitive times the word Lord was more familiar and frequent in the mouthes of Christians then the name of Christ. So it was as much as to say Christs day The Lords day then was Christs day and Christ had no other dayes of nativitie passion c. Eusebius treading unknowne footsteps as himselfe confesseth in the beginning of his storie filleth up his booke with some old fables Among the rest he maketh mention of an epistle of Polycrates bishop of Ephesus to Victor bishop of Rome wherein he reporteth that hee and his predecessours even upward to John the Evangelise celebrated Easter upon the fourteenth day of the moone That epistle may be marked for a counterfite for it beareth that Iohn was a priest and bare in his forehead the petalum that is the golden plate like that of the high priests The Doctour calleth such gay tales Rhetoricall flowres But saith Scaliger Neutrum concedet qui sciverit nullum Christi Apostol um sacerdotem fuisse nulli praeterquà m summo sacerdoti petalum gestare licuisse Augustine who lived in the fift age after the Apostles could not resolve upon the originall of our five festivall dayes but floated betweene two opinions and not one of them sure For they were neither instituted by the Apostles nor by generall Councel Socrates in his historie commeth nearer to the point I am of opinion saith â—e that as many other things crept in of custome in sundrie places so the feast of Easter to have prevailed among all people of a certaine privat custome and observation in so much that not one of the Apostles hath any where prescrived so much as one rule of it to any man A little after They that keepe Easter the fourteenth day of the moneth bring forth Iohn the Apostle for their Authour Such as inhabite Rome and the west parts of the world alledge Peter and Paul for themselves that they should leave such a tradition yet there is none of them that can shew in writing any testimonie of theirs for confirmation and proofe of that custome It hath beene an old refuge when any countrie or province could not finde the beginning of their customes to father them upon the Apostles A notable exemple whereof wee had in this same I le when there was hote contention about the formes of shaven crownes Hierâ—â—â— himselfe saith Vnaquaeque provincia pracept a majerum leges Apostolicas arbitretur Let every province esteeme the traditions or precepts of their forefathers to bee Apostolicall lawes It will rather follow that the Apostles observed not nor appointed Easter to be observed at all For the Apostle being directed infallibly by the spirit had agreed upon the day as well as upon the thing it selfe and not left occasion of contention to the Christian world Quae aliter atque aliter observabantur non possunt ab Apostolis esse instituta quorum ab eodem spiritu eruditorum non potuit non esse individuus consensus Neque unquam piis fuit persuasum ab Iohanne institutum pascha decima qua ta Luna à I etro autem post eam quomodo jactabant veteres It is well said in the preface to the harmonie of confessions that the old contention about the celebrating of Easter tossed very hotly the space of two hundred yeares or thereabout betwixt the Greekes and the Latines was long since of us thought worthy of laughter Whitaker wondereth at their frivolous contentions and he saith there was no necessitie to observe it any day Chamierus saith Si institutum fuisset ab Apostolus eodem ubique modo fuisset institutum observatum quod falsum esse jam olim observavit Socrates Seeing they have no sooting for the Apostles appointing of the observation of Easter farre lesse will they be able to prove the Christians pentecost and other festivities that came in after as of Christs nativitie ascension c. to have beene instituted by the Apostles Iustinus questions Clemens constitutions some sermons ascrived to Cyprian all suppositious workes are the most ancient proofes they alledge for them THE IIII. REASON IF it had beene the will of God that the severall acts of Christ should have beene celebrated with severall solemnities the holy Ghost would have made knowne the day of his nativitie circumcision presentation to the temple baptisme transfiguration and the like For it is kindly say they to remember opus diei in die suo the notable worke of a day in the owne day Bellarmine saith that Christs acts did consecrat the dayes and times wherein they were wrought Hooker saith that the wonderous workes of God did advance the dayes and times wherein they were wrought There is not a day in the yeare wherein some wonderous worke of God hath not beene wrought All the dayes of the yeare saith Leo are full of Christs miracles If Christs actions advance and consecrate the dayes where on they were wrought they ought to have beene made knowne lest we keep holy such dayes as were never consecrated or advanâ—ed But it is confessed that the day of Christs nativitie and consequently of the rest depending thereupon as of his circumcision presentation baptisme have beene hid from mortall men And therefore the day of Christs nativitie was observed diversly of old by some in one moneth by some in another The 25. of December was grounded upon an erroneous conceat that Zacharie the father of Iohn the Baptist was high priest which errour is yet fostered by observing that day Yee see then as God hid the bodie of Moses for avoiding of idolatrie so hath he the day of Christs nativitie for avoiding superstition And this is sufficient to declare the will of God concerning other notable acts which were knowne to wit that not the act but divine institution maketh a day holy Gods resting upon the seventh day made it not holy but his sanctifying of it and instituting it to
another time But that will not save the maâ—ter For a day is called mystike not onely for shadowing things to come but also for the mysteries solemnely remembred And as for appropriation doe wee not appropriat to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and thinke it absurd to performe the like service upon another day with the like solemnitie of cessation from worke and supâ—rstitious forbearing of fasting Wee thinke it likewise absurd to performe upon the nativitie day that peculiar service which belongeth to easter Yea the Doctour saith the commemoration appointed to bee made upon the five dayes must not bee omitted on these dayes If it bee absurd to celebrate another day after the same manner with the same service and no other service will serve on these dayes is there not a peculiar service appropriated to our festival dayes as of old among the Jewes That shift is of no weight that a minister may preach or wee may meditate upon Christs passion another day then the nativitie For that is not to celebrate with solemnitie To use another day with the like solemnitie in the place of it or both would be thought very absurd The Jewes themselves without the service appropriated to their feasts might remember these same benefites and mysteries upon other dayes but not with the like solemnitie and peculiar service And so the solemnitie is tyed to the time To observed dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of houres for preaching or prayers on weeke dayes or times for the communion according to the policie and order set downe by everie particular congregation we tye not our selves to them not any peculiar service to any of them Wee use time then onely as a circumstance and for order and not as a sacred time let be as a holy festivitie Wee observe dayes after the same manner that the Jewes did howbeit not the same dayes nor with the same kinde of worship The change of the circumstance the day and manner of wotship doth not free us of Judaizing Non sublata sed mutata est significatio dierum saith Bellarmine and so it is with the Formalists Wee doe not say that the anniversarie revolution made the Jewish festivals ceremoniall for in the revolution of time there was no mysterie but the tying of such a peculiar service to the time of anniversarie resolution with such solomnitie To performe the same duty in substance upon the morall sabbath as occasion served had not beene ceremoniall What then they say ought not Christs inestimable benefites and notable acts to be remembred I answer Yes and so they are for where the gospell is preached his acts are published Christ is set forth crucified by the preaching of the word every communion day his passion and death is and will be remembred to his comming againe The Eucharist saith Bellarmine est memoriale omnium miraculorum quasi compendium vitae passionis resurrectionis Domini In the written word sermons prayers creeds catechismes his nativitie passion ascension c. are remembred It followeth not they should bee remembred therefore their memorie should be celebrated severally with the solemnity of a festivall day For the Lord hath appointed an holy day which we call the Lords day and may call Christs day as I said before for publishing all Christs acts and benefites Pope Alexander the 3. gave this reason wherefore the Romane Church doth not observe an holy day to the Trinitie to wit because glorie to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost and other like things belonging to the praise of the Trinitie are published daily Ecclesia Romana in usu non habet quòd in aliquo tempore hujusmodi celebrat specialiter festivitatem cum singulis diebus gloria patri filio spiritui sancto catera similia dicantur ad laudem pertinentia trinitatis The Popes ground must bee this Whatsoever is treated on or remembred in the ordinarie divine service needeth not a speciall holy day to celebrat the memorie of the same I assume The nativity passion resurrection ascension of Christ and sending downe the holy Ghost are not only remembred in privat but also in publike and in the ordinarie service specially on the Lords day If all be true that is affirmed by a councell holden at Constantinoplâ— that Christ was borne on this day the starre shined to the wisemen on it Christ fed 5000. persons with five loaves and two fishes on it that hee was baptized rose and sent downe the holy Ghost on it the light was treated on it and which Pope Leâ— affirmeth that the Lords day is consecrated with so many mysteries dispensed on it that whatsoever notable thing was done on earth was done to the honour of this day it appeareth that the Lord would have us to observe only this day as holy and sanctified by himself for the proclaiming of all his worthy acts and not to presume to institute holy festivities upon our owne heads There is no danger but the memorie of Christs nativitie c. will be preserved to the end of the world without observing such solemnities and making holy dayes which lyeth not in the power of man This pretext of remembring and putting in minde hath beene a cloak to bring in crosses images surplices and other popish garments with much other superstition and among the rest these memoriall dayes THE JVDGEMENT OF FORraine Divines I Passe by the Petrobrusians the Waldenses and Wicleffs followers and come to later times Luther in his booke de bonis operibus set forth anno 1520. wished that there were no festivall dayes among Christians but the Lords day only were observed And in his booke to the nobilitie of Germanie he saith Consulâ—â— nesse ut oâ—nia festa aboleantur solo die dominico retentâ— That is It were expedient that all feasts were abolisâ—ed tâ—e Lords day onely being retained Farellus and Viâ—et râ—nâ—â—ed all holy dayes out of the Church of Geneva as Calvine epist. 118. testifieth The same decree which banished Farellus and Calvine out of Geneva brought in other holy dayes In a nationall synod holden at Dort anno 1578. of the Belgick Almaine and French Churches we have these words Optandum forâ—t nostros sex diebus laborare diem solum Dominicum celebrare That is It were to be wished that our countrie people laboured six dayes and celebrated only the Lords day So yee may see festivall dayes are rather tolerated by them because of the wilfulnesse of the magistrates and people then commended or allowed Among the articles agreed upon and concluded concerning ecclesiasticall policie in the Palatinaâ— anno 1602. we have this following Omnes Feriâ— per annum festi dies tollendi è medio All the festivall dayes through the yeare are to be abolished Yee see where they finde the opportunity they abolished them Bucer howbeit not
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