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 English Liturgie he opposed stoutly to it And when the contention was like to grow to some hight hee and his Collegue Master Wittingham with some others drew forth of the English booke a plat in Latine and sent it to Master Calvin Howbeit the description of the corruptions was favourably set downe yet kneeling at the receaving of the elements is noted up among the rest in that extract Among his letters which are extant in writ we finde one dated the yeare 1559 at Deep and directed to Mastresse Anna Lock where he calleth the crosse in Baptisme and kneeling at the Lords table Diabolicall inventions After his return to his native country he ministred the Communion according to the order of the English church at Geneva where he had been last Minister This order was observed in all the reformed congregations before the reformed religion was established by authority of Parliament and is yet extant before the Psalmes in meeter with addition of the treatises of fasting and excommunication some prayers the forme and manner of the election and admission of Superintendents In the conâ—ession of faith prefixed and approved by our Church we have these words Neither must wee in the administration of the Sacraments follow mans phantâ—sâ—â—s but as Christ him selfe hath ordained so must they be ministred In the order of celebrating the Lords supper wee have these words The exhortation being ended the Minister commeth downe from the pulpit and sitteth at the table every man and woman likewise taking their place as occasion best serveth And againe The Minister breaketh the bread and delivereth it to the people who distribute and devide the same among themselfes according to our Saviours commandment And likewise giveth the cuppe In the second head of the first bâ—oke of discipline drawne up in the first yeare of publike and universall reformation wee have these words The table of the Lord is then rightly minâ—stred when it approacheth neâ—rest unto Christs owne action But plaine it is that at Supper Christ Jesus sate with his disciples and therefore doe we â—udge that sitting at a table is most convenient to that holy action And againe That the Mâ—nister break the bread and distribute the same to these that be next to him commanding the rest every one with sobrietie and reverence to break 〈◊〉 other we think it nearest to Christs action and to the perfite pracâ—ice Yee see our first Reformers preferred 〈…〉 kneeling but also to standing and 〈…〉 none of them approached so 〈…〉 When they rejected standing 〈…〉 man judge what they thought of kneeling 〈◊〉 ye may perceive that they rested upon 〈◊〉 â—o only for a time because of the abuse of kneeling 〈…〉 because most agreeable to the paterne It was ordained in the generall assembly holden the year 1562 That the order of Geneva be of served 〈…〉 ministration of the Sacraments By the order of Geneva was meant the order which was observed in the English Church at Geneva where Master Knox had beene of late Minister which order is called in the first booke of discipline The order of Geneva and The book of Common order This order as I have already said is set downe before the Psalmes in meeter In the assembly holden anno 1564 Ministers are referred to the order set do 〈◊〉 before the Psalmes which is a renewing of the former act In the Parliament holden the yeare 1567 it was declared that whosoever refused to participate of the Sacraments as they were then publikely administred in this reformed Church were not to be reputed members of this Church An act was likewise made concerning the Kings oath to be given at his coronation to maintain the religion then professed and in speciall the due and right administration of the Sacraments then receaved This act concerning the Kings oath was ratified again by acts of Parliament in the yeare 1581 and againe in the yeare 1592. In the yeare 1572 it was ordained by act of Parliament that such as did not communicate and partake of the Sacraments as they were then truly ministred in the Church of Scotland if they continue obstinate and disobedient shall be reputed infamous and unable to sit or stand in judgement persue bear office c. When in the second confession of faith which is commonly called the Kings confession we professe that we detest the ceremonies of the Roman Antichrist added to the ministration of the Sacraments we professe we detest kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements of bread and wine The order of celebrating the Lords supper which hath beene receaved and observed since the beginning of reformation and acknowledged both by generall assemblies and Parliaments to be the due and right order was perverted by a number of noble men Barons Ministers and pretended Bishops conveened at Perth in the yeare 1618 either having no lawfull commission or terrified with threats or corrupted one way or other They in their full and pretended assembly to please King James made this act following as it is extant among the acts of Parliament Since we are commanded by God himself that when we come to worship him wee fall downe and kneel before the Lord our Maker and considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed body and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Like as the most humble and reverent gesture of the bâ—dy in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts best becometh so divine and sacred an action therefore notwithstanding that our Church hath used since the reformatioâ— of religion to celebrate the holy Communion to the people sitting by reason of the great abuse of kneeling used in the idolatrous worship of the Sacrament by the Papists yet now seeing all memorie of by-past superstâ—tion is past in revâ—rence of God and in due regard of so divine a mysterie and in remembrance of so mysticall an union as we are made partakers of the assembly thinketh good that that blessed Sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees This act if the lying parenthesis were culled out which is insert onely to deceave may passe among Papists and Lutherans It is untrue that all memory of by-past superstition is past and untrue that the abuse of kneeling among the papists was the onely occasion that moved our first reformers to make choice of sitting but the paterne of the first supper at the institution was the chiefe cause And therefore they not only rejected kneeling but also standing and taking in passing by as wee have shewed before We shall first defend the communicants sitting and next impugne their kneeling in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements of bread and 〈…〉 we shall prove it first to be warrantable next 〈…〉 downe our reasons whereupon wee 〈…〉 instituted THE FIRST PART CONCERneth the defence of sitting CHAP. I. That the Communicants sitting in the act of receaving eating and drinking is lawfull
verbo Domini edimus bibimus coenae sacramentum Sitting and harkning with silence to the word of the Lord wee eat and drink the sacrament of the supper Alasâ—o I have cited already Not only the strangers Churches at London in his time communicated sitting but even to this day other Churches in the Low countries c. Other Churches as in Pole such as adheered to the confession of Helâ—etia sate as we may see in Confensus Poloniae Standing about the table may consist with the distribution of the elements by the communicants but in regard by it is pretended more reverence the gesture of sitting is indirectly taxed and that pretended reverence taketh away that representation of familiar fâ—llowship whereof sitting is a more lively representation seeing standing is not the usuall and ordinarie gesture at civil feasts Communicating in passing by doth not only indirectly take sitting but taketh away the â—oresaid distribution Of which more afterward THE SECOND PART Concerning the unlawfulnesse of kneeling in the act of receaving c. CHAP. I. Kneeling in the act c. not warranted by the example of Christ and his Apostles WE should as we said before take us in all doubts to the surest way Our warrant for sitting can not be doubted of We have the example of Christ and his Apostles and the practice of the apostolicall Church for warrant to sit but not to kneel When Christ himselfe ministred and was present the Apostles kneeled not Though the Apostles did not alwayes worship Christ while he was present especially being occupied in cruell and common acts yet upon extraordinary occasions they and others worshipped him Matth. 8. 2. and 9. 18. and 14. 33. and 20. 20. Luke 5. 8. Ioh. 9. 38. Nor yet directed any outward adoration to God the Father Though they were sitting at supper yet they mâ—ghâ—sâ—on have changed their gesture especially seeing the legâ—ll supper was finished and Christs Supper began saith Wâ—llâ—ts pag. 648. They who receave as is commanded wâ—thouâ— adoration are secure that they depart not from Gods commandement then the which securitâ—e there can bee nothing beâ—ter when wee intreprisâ— any thing Thâ—y have the example of the Apostles whom wee read not to have adored prostrate but as they were sitting they receavâ—d aâ—d did eat They have the practâ—se of the Apostolâ—ck Churches where it is declared that the Faithfull did communicate not in adoration but in breaking of bread saith Calvine Beza in his disput against Iodocus Harchius saith So lâ—ke as when the Lord truely to bee adored as God and man at table did instâ—tute this holy supper that the Disciples arose to the end that falling upon their knees they might receavâ— that bread and wine out of his hand And so likâ— as the Apâ—sâ—les were ignorant how to deliver to the Churches the mannâ—r how to celebrate these holy mysteries It is known well enough that the Love feasts could hardly or scaâ—ce aâ—â—ll â—dmit gâ—niculation Agapaâ— quidem certe constat 〈…〉 quidem geniculationem admississe Hospiâ—nsa 〈…〉 The Waldenses in the apologie above 〈…〉 hujus testimonio est quod Dominus noster Iesuâ— Câ—ristus sedentibus dedâ—t successores longo tempore per domos fregerunt panem acceperunt cibum cum benedictione non fecerunt reverentiam CHAP. II. Kneeling in the act of receaving is not sutable with the forme of a banquet or use of a supper-table THis holy action is denominate the Lords table and the Lords supper from the use of the one and formes of the other Wonderfull is the subtilitie of our Doctor who answereth that the sustaining of meat set on the table is the only use of a table but of beds and furmes to sit upon Wee say this also is the use of a table that the guests or persons invited may sit at and about it and partake of the meat set upon the table Otherwise if there bee no use of a table but to set meat upon it a dressour or a cupboord may bee called a table Whereas they say the altar is called the table of the Lord Malach. 1. and yet none did sit at it True and so do the Papists also call the lid of their altar a table But it is plain wee speak of a supper or feasting table The Altar is called the Lords table because the Lords meat Levit. 22. 25. that which was burnt with fire in oblation to GOD was consumed on it But the Lords supper is called the Lords table because our Lord and Saviour appointed it for his guests whom he inviteth to it So the table of the shew bread might bee called the Lords table but not in our sense not a supper or feast table and therefore impertinentlie alleadged by L. pag. 54. Kneeling is a gesture more agreeable to the Popish altar where the Priests beside communicated kneeling then with a feast table wherewith it agreeth not at all Wee have put down altars saith Alasco and use a table because it agreeth better with a supper and the Apostle hath given the title of a table to denomâ—nate the Lords supper And again The termes Supper and Table of the Lord verâ—e familiar with the Apostle Paul seeme to require sitting rather then standing kneeling or passing by Where the Apostle saith Yee cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of devils Our Doctor saith there is no materiall and artificiall table to be understood but things offered to Idols in the one speach and Christs bodie and blood in the other But both are to bee understood for meat offered to Idols can not bee called the table of devils unlesse there had beene a materiall table upon which the meat was set The Apostle telleth us that they sate at these tables in the Idols chappels 1 Cor. 8. 10. The Idolaters had a table whereon they eated the remainder of the sacrifice which was offered upon the Altar as the Iewes had Habebant Iudiei primum altaria ubi sacrificabant deinde mensaâ— quas instrâ—ebant reliquiis obâ—â—i jam sacrificis atque in illis mensis epulabantur saith Zanchius tom 4. col 466. See Tilenus Willets and Cornelius à â—apâ—de a Popish writer upon 1 Cor. 10. 21. and 1 Cor. 8. 10. So the by table of the Lord must likewise bee understood not the bare elements or as the Doctor speaketh the bodie and blood of Christ in the sacrament but with all a materiall table And Beza out of the same verse 1 Cor. 10. 21. inferreth that in the primitive Church they had materiall tables and not altars Willets inferreth the like in his Synopsis The Lords supper then is called the Lords table by a trope called Metonymia subjecti because the elements were set on the table when Christ said This cup meaning the wine which was in the cup Is the new testament in my blood the metonymicall speach importeth necessarlie that hee had a materiall cup in his hand when hee
of the word or at any of them unlesse they think the sacrament the Lord their maker The second reason in the narrative saith the Doctour is this And considering withall that there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed bodie and bloud of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Relative to this reason we have in the conclusion these words And in regard of so divine a mysterie the assembly thinketh good that that blessed sacrament be celebrated to the people humbly or as the act ratified in parliament hath meekly and reverently upon their knees We have here no other description of receaving the sacrament in the narrative but the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ which smelleth strongly of the reall presence For the like and some other phrases hath Master Prinne discovered Doctour Couâ—ins to be popish in the survey of his privat devotions Then all that communicate receave the body and bloud of Christ in at their mouth good and bad This shall please the Lutheran and Papist full well But by mysterie saith the Doctour is no meant the elements nor is it said mysteries but mysterie It may well be the elements are not meant because it may be they thinke the elements vanish away and nothing remaine but the accidents or that Christs body and bloud are substantially present with the elements or some other unknowne way as the Doctour hath beene mutering in privat And that is a mysterie indeed But by mysterie must be meant the sacrament for in the narrative we have no other phrase to expresse the sacrament but the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ which is relative to this word mysterie And in the conclusion the word sacrament both preceedeth and followeth So the words in the same sense may be framed thus Considering there is no part of divine worship more heavenly and spirituall then is the holy receaving of the blessed sacrament therefore the assembly thinketh good in regard of so divine a mysterie or in regard of so heavenly a paâ—t of Gods worship that that blessed sacrament be celebrated c. Whereas he saith the word is mysterie not mysteries in the plurall number howbeit we finde it so in the first copies let it be mysterie The Doctour himselfe in his solutions for kneeling useth sometime the word mysteries sometime mysteries Casaubone speaking of this sacrament saith It is called sometime mâ—sterie sometime mysteries Dicitur autono masticè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut numero multitudinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius Areopâ—git a entituleth the chapter of the Lords supper The mysterie of the synaâ—is or holy communion Ambrose saith Indignus est Domino qui aliter mysterium celebrat quà m ab eo institutum est Hierome saith Licet in mysterio possit intelligi tamen veriùs corpus Christi sanguis ejussermo scripturarum est Oecumenius saith That the Apostle calleth the mysterie of our Master the Lords supper A number of testimonies might be cited to this purpose The reason of such speach is because both the sacramentall signes are referred to one Christ. It is but one action the celebration of the supper Further we receave the bodie and bloud of Christ when we heare and beleeve the promises of the Gospel read exponed or rehearsed Origen saith Hoc quod modo loqu mur sunt earnes Christi that which we are presently speaking to you is the flesh of Christ. And in another place We are said to drinke the bloud of Christ not only by the rites of the sacraments but also when we hear the word Hierome as ye heard before That more truly the speach of the scripture is the body and bloud of Christ. If then in the narrative be no me â—o meâ—nt then the spirituall receaving of Christs body and bloud it is no more a reason for kneeling at the receaving of the sacrament then at hearing of the promises of the Gospel read and exponed The words therefore must bee meant of the sacramentall manner of receaving and the words relative in the conclusion In regard of so divine a mysterie must meane In regard of the mysticall oâ— sacramentall receaving and so the Communicant is directed to kneel in regard of the sacrament The third reason in the narrative is the correspondence betweene the outward gesture of our body and then meditation and lifting up our hearts wheâ—â— wee remember and consider the mysticall union betwixt Christ and us and among our selfes whereof we are made partakers by the receaving of Christs body and bloud He shunneth to set downe the words of the narrative and of the conclusion answerable to them as he did in the former two reasons because he perceaved they could not be framed to his purpose For there is no mention made in the narrative of mysticall union nor is it said in the narrative that the most humble and reverent gesture of the bodie well becommeth the meditation and lifting up of our hearts when wee remember and consider the mysticall union betwixt Christ and us but that the most humble and reverent gesture of our body in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts becommeth well so divine and sacred an action to wit as is the receaving of the body and bloud of Christ. Wee are not directed by the act to meditate and lift up hearts but to use that kinde of gesture which becommeth meditation and the lifting up of the heart nor is kneeling a gesture well becomming meditation Wee meditate sitting lying walking Kneeling is a gesture well becomming prayer but not meditation By lifting up the heart no necessity to meane prayer for the minde and heart may be lifted up by faith and contemplation without prayer And to this lifting up the Communicants were exhorted of old with sursum corda least their hearts and mindes should be groveling and onely bent upon the elements And so the lifting up of the eyes may be a signe of lifting up of the heart and minde in token that wee looke confidently to have our desires granted by God who dwelleth in heaven as the casting downe of the eye as a token of humiliation for sinne Suppose by lifting up of the heart prayer should be meant yet kneeling is not the humblest gesture for prayer but prostration Then we should prostrat our selfes when wee receave the sacrament Next if the Communicant shall pray mentally when hee receaveth the sacrament and in that regard kneel he shall be exercised other wayes then the act of receaving requires Further a secret mentall prayer shall be commended to him in publike without a vocall and the signe of it the humble gesture of kneeling whereas the signes of secret and mentall prayer in publike should be concealed so farre as may be The minister when he delivereth the elements is not directed to use a vocall prayer to be followed by the Communicant And wee see the Conformitants are
Parcus in Rom. 16. 7. 1 Corin. 16. 19. Philemon 2. The names also given to this sacrament may teach us that tâ— should bee celebrated in the publicke assemblie The name synaxis importeth a gaâ—â—ering or assembling together Casaubon saith synaxis and synagogue are all one because derived from one word Liturgie signifieth a publicke service or ministrie both the names import the celebritie of the assembly and the solemnitie of the administration before the assembly The elements were sent to the absents in time or immediately after the action in Justinus Martyrs time Which was the first abuse we read of After followed reservation of the eucharist for the use of the sicke which was a greater abuse and carrying of it home to their houses The opinion of the necessitie of privat communious did grow to such an hight that the eucharist was given not onely to aged persons departing this life for their Viaticum to bee their voyage victuall as they call it but also to infants and babes and this indured for the space of 600. yeares The Papists themselves are ashamed of it and expresly inhibit it Yea of old in some parts it was the practice to use Master Perkins words to cram the eucharist into the mouth of them that were deceased or to lay it upon the breast and burie it with the corps Such horrible prophanations arose from the opinion of necessitie engendred upon these reservations and giving of the eucharist to the sicke The continuation of the like customes doth foster and entertaine the same opinion of necessitie The ignorant are fostered in superstition as if the grace of God were tyed to the sacrament and no comfort could be had by there receaving of it in former times but they must have it now for their voyage victuall whereby they may bee enabled to attaine to life eternall without fainting in the way Polyander after he hath concluded that the Lords supper should not bee celebrated in privat either for sicknesse of any person or other case of necessitie whatsoever granteth that not long after the Apostles times for condescending to the weaknesse of some this custome prevailed to send to the sicke the elements of bread and wine in the time of administration Sed hoc medium atque admâ—niculum quod infirmioribus juvandis ac consolandis ex zelo irregulari absque Christi mandato patres exhibuerunt paulatim in eam transiit idololatriam â—nt aliqui non minùs administrationi sacra coena quà m baptismi salutemex opere operato tribuerint That is The helpe and nemedie they used out of irregular zeale without Christs precept for the comfort and helpe of the weaker ended at last into such idolatrie that they ascrived no lesse their salvation to the administration of the holy supper then of baptisme and that by vertue of the worke wrought or deed done Therefore he adviseth us to beware that we foster not men in a superstitious opinion by privat or domestick administration of the Lords supper Calvin saith Difficillimum est hic cavere ne alios superstitio alios ambitio vanaâ—ostentatio ad petendum solliciter That is It is verie hard to bee avoided that superstition stirre not up some ambition and ostentation others to crave it Bullinger saith If wee bee contentious in the defence of this viaticum there will bee bred againe that which wee have seene receaved in some ages before a relying npon the very receaving it selfe of the sacrament as if for it wee were acceptable to God and departing out of this world did flie straightway to heaven and without it were carried straightway to hell And many 〈◊〉 errours will spring up Tilenus saith in his syntagma Whatsoever necessitie be pretended hardly cast any sufficient cause be rendered wherefore the publicke action should passe in a privat Because he ordâ—nance of God is supreme necessitie which wee must obey rather then faster the infirmitie of man Illa enim infirmorum levamenta ex â—â—ordinem olim adhibita infirmitatem publicam totius ecclesia magis foverunt auxerunt quà m privatam agrotan ium sanarunt That is The ease tendered by the cont non order upon the infirme dâ—d rather cherish and augment the publicke disease of the whole Church then heal the privat disease of the sicke As for the pretended necessitie of comfort to the sicke that same answer may be given that the English service book giveth when none can be had to communicate with the sicke or for extremitie of sicknesse or other just impediment he cannot communicate The carat shall instruct him that if hee doe truly repent him of his sinnes and stâ—edfastly beleeve that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the crosse for him and shed his bloud for his redemption earnestly remembring the ben sits he hath thereby and giving him hartie thankes therefore hee doth eat and drinke the body and bloud of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soules health although he doth not receave the sacrament with his mouth May not the like bâ—e said to the sicke in body but ignorant or superstitious in minde when the sacrament may not bee celebrated at their bedside without breach of Gods ordinance The Rhemists do acknowledge that they doe eat the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ which joyne in hart and desire with the part 〈◊〉 of the sacrament A man may die a martyr before he receave either baptisme or the Lords supper How many Catechumeni have died before they were baptized The comfort and benefit wee receave at any publicke communion is not restrained to the present time but serveth at all times for our use Wee were but once baptized yet the comfort and benefite endureth all our life long Our spirituall communion with Christ and to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by faith is ever so necessarie that otherwise we cannot be safe but so is not the participation of the Lords supper Onely wee must beware of neglect and contempt of the publicke administration The godly know in their agonie they never want shall which is chiefe and onely necessarie where in they so acquiesce that they will not without the Lords institution trouble the comlinesse and order of the Church for their owne privat satisfaction Norunt pij in agone nun quaâ—ijs dâ—esse quod praecipuum est soâ—ùm necessarium in quo ita acquiescunt ut extra Dom ni institutionem nolunt ecclesia ordinem decorum turbare ut sibi privatim satisfaciant This pretended necessitie grounded upon superstitious conceats hath drawne on a neglect of the publicke communion because in time of their need they looke for it in privat Ab ista manducatione clinica cui quisque in papatufidit ortho est in plerisque communicandi contemptus cum prospera valetudine fruuntur ad quod semel tantum in anno ex ecclesiae sua praescripto obligantur The whole congregation hath interest in the celebration and is
the supreme magistrat in things indifferent taketh away the scandall There are two sorts of indifferent things saith Zâ—nâ—hius some that are manifest occasions of sinning others are not of that kinde Res adiaphorae duplices sunt Quaelam suâ—t alicui aportâ—e occasiones peccatorum ita ut exillis verè immineat pâ—riculâ—m pèceandi alie vero non ita se habent For the first sort that we ought to abstaine from 〈◊〉 evill and all manifest occasion of evil For who saith he will venture to passe along a ruinous bridge if hee perceave manifest danger of falling into the river Can the supreame magistrat take away that aptnesse and fitnesse that any thing hath to intise and provoke men to sinne The Apostle Paul saith he had rather never eat flesh then offend a weake brother for eating flesh offered to the idol and sold in the market And I think he had greater authority in such matters nor any prince or generall assembly The Belgick synods yee see would not take so much upon them but for ad kneeling for fear of idolatrie If the Church to whom the rule for directing the use of things indifferent in maters of religion are laide down to wit that all things bee done decently in order to edification without offence may not presume so farre far lesse may the magistrate for his power is cumulative to assist the Church not privative to deprive the Church of her power The magistrates countenance maketh the scandall the greater and hee strengthneth it by his authoritie whereas hee should remove scandals and not lay stumbling-blocks in the way of the people The brasen serpent was but a passive 〈◊〉 active scandall and yet Ezekias brake it in pieces for more should active scandals bee removed These Courâ—-clawbacks tell us wee should rather offend the people then the supreme magistrate But better offend that is displease him nor offend that is give occasion to the poorest soule let bee many thousands to fall into any sin let bee so haynous a sin as is the sin of idolatrie The magistrate is not in danger of stumbling for yee say he esteemeth the matter indifferent Is not the supreme magistrate a sinfull man May hee not make Israel to sin May hee not abuse things indifferent and transgresse the rules above mentioned May hee not bee a secret friend to the pope or an a bettor of superstition Suppose hee have no such intention yet hee can not by his authoritie alter conditionem operis the qualitie of the work it self and make a thing which of it selfe is inductive to scandall not inductive Doth his commandment make all so sure that none can bee scandalized That is impossible considering the shew of evill in the deed it self the ignorance of many thousands the disposition of the ignorants to superstition the pronnesse of mens nature to idolatrie and the increase of papists Ioab was guiltie of Vriahs bloud notwithstanding of the Kings commandment so art thou of thy brothers falling Thy life for his life if hee bee a missing Say not therefore with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Active obedience to the magistrate ought not to bee a rule of thy love to Gods glory and the salvation of thy brother Passive obedience is not denied but defences by lawes aright first to bee heard Whereas they alleadge that sitting is dangerous for breeding contempt and prophanation To passe by the institution experience is a testimonie in the contrare Rusticitie in the behaviour of simple ones not acquainted with all the points of civiliâ—â— is not prophanation but may bee where the minde is in good order Horrible prophane were the words of our blind bishop to a gentle woman in the offering of the elements because shee would not kneel Wee maintain that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements was not devised or at least authorized till the great Antichrist overruled Wee need not to poinâ—â— at the time when it first began for there are many corruptions in the Romane Church which can not bee dedâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 a certain beginning by the Romanists themselfs It is sufficient that wee point out a time wherein it was not in use There can not be an authentick testimonie alleadged for kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements before the opinion of reall presence yea or of transubstantiation began to spread or to come to a more certain date for the space of a thousand years after Christ. I say authentick testimonie for wee regard not supposititions or counterfite works Origens first homilie in divers loca is brought in saying Thou therefore humbling thy self â—â—itat the Centurieâ— â—nd say Lord I am not worthie c. but that works is acknowledged by the papists themselfs to be counterfite Suchlike counterfiâ—e Cyrillus of Jerusalem in his fifth catechisme saith Then come to the cuppe of the blood not stretching out thy hand sed prâ—nus in modum adorationis venerationis dicens Antenâ— But stowâ—ing downward or with the face bended downward in manner of adoration or veneration saying Amen He sayeth not Cade pronuâ— fall down on thy faâ—e sed accede pronus but come inclyning or bowing thy heâ—d or upper part of thy body as men use to do when they make courtesie for men can not come falling flat But what need wee trouble our selfes with his words seeing hee is marked for a counterfite by Moulias on the Lords supper the bishop of Spalato and Plessie who in his answere to the bishop of Evereux saith These catecâ—ismes of Cyrillus are supposititious and come not to light but in our time M. Down in his treatise of transubstantiation pag. 3â— 38. saith That these catecbeticall booke are but of a verie late edition that Harding acknowledgeth that in his time they were known to veâ—ie few and in â—rite that they have beene published since in print and perhaps to winne more authoritie to them misfathered upon Cyrillus of Ierusalem This Cyrill directs the Communicant to touch his lips which are sanctified with the touch of Christs body and bloud that by the touch of that finger hee may sanctifie his eyes brow and others No authentick testimonie can they produce bearing the word kneeling which is an adoration not in a large but strict sense The testimonies bearing the word adore are either counterfite or to bee understood of inward adoration as Doctour Burges himself confesseth sundrie of the learned do construe them or of adoration in time of prayer before they communicate or adoration is taken taken only for veneration See Iewel in the article of adoration Bilson in his book of obedience and Mortoun the late defender of the ceremonies in his latest worke entituled Of the institution of the sacrament He bringeth in sundrie exemples to prove the latitude of the word Adore When Theodorâ—t saith dialog 2. that the mysticall signes are adored he should speake very grosly if the word adore meant not only reverent usage Moulines on
also but that statio signifieth only standing in Tertullians phrase when he saith Solennior statio or solvere stationem I have insisted the longer upon this testimonie because Doctour Burges doth so confidently gather out of it which never man did before that the Christians then did and before had used to take the sacrament kneeling This raw but too confident antiquarie his collection may be refuted by other testimonies witnessing that sâ—metimes they saâ—e of which we have alledged some before or at other timâ—s stood Pionysius Alexandrinus writing to Xystus bishop of Rome concerning one that was in sorrow because hee was baptised by hereticks saith he duâ—st not baptise him over againe because he had a long time stood at the table and reached forth his hand to receave the holy food and had beene for a long time partaker of the body and bloud of Christ. Iustinus telleth us That the people rose and the deacons gave to every one to partake of the bread and the wine Is it likely that they kneeled when the deacons gave the elements In the homily which goeth under the name of Chrysostome Stemus trementes timidi demissis ocutis Let us stand trembling with fear aâ—d our eyes casten downe So yee see both before and after Tertullians time testimonies for standing There was an ancient custome in the Church which Bellarmine saith was left off but about 500. yeare before his time to stand upon the Lords day even in time of prayer Zovaras in synod 6. can 90. sâ—ith That no wayes might they kneel betwixt the evening service on satterday and the Lords day at evening Die dominico de geniculis ad orarenesaâ— saith Tertullian And such like betwixt easter and pentecost not only upon the Lords day but no day of the weeke might they kneele Yea by the decree of Alexandâ—r the third they might not kneel upon the Lords day in publike but only at the consecration of Bishops and giving of orders he that did consecrate and he that wâ—s consecrated might kneel and this was decreed about the yeare 1159. at which 〈◊〉 it seemeth this one exception entred in Now will any man affirme That they never communicated upon the Lords day for a thousand yeare or 1159. or imagine as Doctour Burges doth that because they might not kneel that all this time they tooke the sacrament standing in the Church and went home to their houses where they eated kneeling or to their seats in the Church where they might not kneel L. page 52. confesseth That the communicanâ—s in the primitive Church stood at the table when they receaved the sacrament on the Lords day Well say they seeing they prayed standing they used that gesture in the receaving of the eucharist which they thought fittest for prayer I answer they thought not that gesture fittest for prayer The authour of the questions extant in Iustinus saith Genuâ—m inclinatio in precatione magis peccatores Deo commendat quâ—m sistantes orent He preferreth yee see kneeling in prayer before standing But both are indifferent They stood to signifie their joy for Christs resurrection and not because they though it the fittest gesture for prayer It was a conceat they tooke up which entred not in the Apostle Pauls minde for wee finde Acts 20. that he kneeled betweene Easter and Pentecost Alwise by that custome ye may see they communicated standing The testimonies above cited have not relation to any day and the custome observed yet to this day in the orientall Churches to communicate standing notwithstanding that other custome hath ceased declareth that they intended never geniculation in the act of receaving Ephraim Placit in his Christianographie descriving the manner of the administration of the Lords supper in the Greek Church in the Churches of the Mengrellians Circassians Georgians Muscovits Melchits or Syrians Armenian Iacobits the Christians falsly called Nestorians the Cophti or Egyptian Christians the Abyssinos or Ethiopian Christians produceth no instance for kneeling in the act of receaving eating drinking which he would not have pretermined being conforme and dedicating his booke to the bishop of Elie. Cassander in his Liturgicks descriving the order observed in the Churches of the Armâ—nâ—ans Muscovits and in the kingdome of preste Iohn maketh no mention of kneeling but of standing Ilâ—ssie in his 4. boâ—ke of the Masse trusseth up all in few words Quarè orientales ecclesiae adorationem sacramenti admiserunt nusquâ—m non quae patriarchae Consta tinopolitano obsequuntur nâ—n quae Antiocheno Et in Abyssnis etiam ipsis hodie stâ—ntes sacramenta participant nec â—â—minus reverenter The orientall Churches no where admitted edoration of the sacrament not those which are obedient to the patriâ—rch of Constantinople or yet the patriarâ—h of Antioch And the Abyssins themselfes participate of the sacrament standing and yet not without reverence Where by adoration he meaneth kneeling whereunto be opposeth standing If ever kneeling in the act of receaving had beene in use among them it had not beene left off considering mans pronnesse to idolatrie and superstition and delight to stick in the mire when he is wallowing in it It resteth then that kneeling is only found in the Churches subject to the Pope of old or at the present Other Churches howbeit they followed not the paterne using another forme and gesture not was sutable to this first yet they degenerated not so 〈◊〉 as the Roman Church did The Muscovite Graecians 〈◊〉 Lâ—tine Priest chance to say Masse upon one of their altars they forthwith breake them downe as defiled and polluted And they â—old the priests of the Latine Church to be no letter then hereticks and vouchsafe not to salute them Willets out of Sacranus We have not yet heard of any authentick testimonie for kneeling which is adoration in proper and strict sense for the space of a thousand year after Christ which is the date we set downe Nor yet till after the dayes of Pope Honorius the third who lived â—bout the yeare 1220. And he decreed nothing 〈◊〉 â—owing not of the knee but of the head or superiour bulk of the body at the elevation in â—he masse The bowing of the knee at the elevation entred not till afterward yea prevailed not universally even in our dayes For I finde in Bochellus a decree made in a popish synod at Rhems anno 1583. Quoriam apud omnes sere catholicos usus modo obtinuit ut procumbentes adorent divinâ—â— eucharistiam Because the use 〈…〉 prevailed almost among all catholicks that falling 〈◊〉 they aâ—ore the divine eucharist the holy synod exhorteth that if there be any Church useth another custome aâ—d 〈◊〉 the body of Christ in this sacrifice standing that they fâ—ll downe herâ—after while the holy mysteries are set forth to be adored Sancta synodus hortatur ut si quae ecclesia altero more adhuc utatur stando Christi corpus iâ— hoc sacrificio adoreâ— proeumbat 〈…〉 sancta
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
not uniforme among themselfes in the words uttered at deliverie of the elements If we may sit or stand or kneel in time of prayer then kneeling is not enjoyned in regard of prayer but some other thing intended But as I have said we are not direct by the act to lift up our hearts or pray and therefore I need not as yet to insist upon this pretext Giving that in the conclusion these words In remembrance of so mysticall an union â—e answerable in the narrative the meditation and lifting up of our heart then by meditation and lifting up of the heart is meant not prayer but remembrance And what is that to say to kneel in remembrance that were to kneel for a memoriall But suppone it were thus when we remember and as he addeth consider to remember and consider is not to pray Shall we kneel whensoever we are put in minde of that mysticall union And what is meant by this mysticall union It may meane as well a materiall conjunction as they call it or corporall union of the body of Christ with the bodies of the Communicants by touch in the mouth swallowing downe to the stomack and mixture with the bodies of the communicants as spirituall with the soule O Lord let thy bodie which I have taken and bloud which I have drunken câ—eave uutâ— my guts and enâ—rals saith a Romane missall But the spirituall eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his bloud and the mysticall union between Christ and us wrought by it is as well done out of the sacrament as in it saith Master Downe Wee are not united with Christ by receaving his flesh into our mouthes but by faith which may be done without ever participatâ—ing the sacrâ—ment That the Reader may perceave the better how the act is contrived let him read it without the two lies closed within the parenthesis seeing the act is whole and entire without them and he shall see that it may passe among Papists and Lutherans not one word or syllable sounding against a reall presence in the signes and that we are directed to kneel not in regard of any prayer but in due regard of so divine an action or mysterie as is the sacrament or sacramentall receaving of Christs bodie and bloud Wee may also consider the intent of the Church of England or rather of their prelats and adherents that wee may take up the better the intent of our act For conformitie with them is intended At the first Kneeling was left free in the dayes of King Edward the sixt The Papists making a stirre for want of reverence to the sacrament at the second reviewing of the booke of common prayer Kneeling was enjoyned upon this reason That the sacrament might not be prophaned but holden in a holy and reverent estimation this was done by the directours and contrivers of the booke partly to pacifie the Papists partly because their judgement was not cleare in this point They could not see every thing throughly at the dawning of the day Yet it was not altered but by a staâ—ute 1. Elizabeth that second booke of King Edwards was confirmed Doctour Burges bringeth in a passage to explaine the matter which saith he is left out by negligence of the printer But it is more likely that it hath beene done of purpose by such as were directours Doctour Mortoun saith That their Church thought it fit by outward reverence in the manner of receaving the eucharist to testifie their due estimation of such holy rites to stop the mouths of blasphemous Papists vilifying the sacrament with the ignominious names of bakers bread vintners wine profane elements ale-cakes But Doctour Ames in his reply to Doctour Mortoun answereth That it was not so much for the stopping of the mouths of Papists but that some close dissembling adversaries did hinder the worke of reformation so much as they could and that they have done so ever since and do so still to this day It may be such pretended the scoffing of Papists buâ— what matter of any glosse if kneeling be directed that the sacrament be not prophaned but hold in reverent estimation Then the sacrament is prophaned belike if wee either sit or stand and kneel not Master Huâ—ton saith They kneel to put a difference betweene the ordinarie bread and wine and these sacramentall to which they give the more reverence because it is more then ordinarie bread and wine What more plaine They say not they kneel to God that the sacrament may not be prophaned but holden in reverence c. But simply they are enjoyned to kneel that the sacrament be not prophaned c. And suppose they were it were no better shift then the Papists use when they say they dedicate temples to God in honour of this or that Saint And yet wee kneel not to God but in prayer and thanksgiving which are not compatible with the act of receaving eating and drinking of which more afterward A bare kneeling can not be presented without some signe of extraordinarie presence or apparition Some of their formalists pretend they kneel because of the prayer uâ—tered at the deliverie of the elements The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule unto everlasting life I answer That it is already proved that kneeling is enjoyned for the sacraments fakâ— Next Christ prayed not at the deliverie of the elements but in an enunciative forme uttered the word of the promise This is my body This cuppe is the new testament 2. The word of promise is the speciall clause of the charter The sacramentall signes are like seales hanging at the charter If at any time therefore the word of promise should be uttered then specially when the seales are delivered The Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and the Apostle Paul repeat precisely and constantly that word so that any man may perceave the sacramentall forme of words ought precisely to be observed and uttered in the name of Christ without change into a prayer in name of the Church The sacramentall forme of words is observed in baptisme why not here Our formalists forbeare to to utter the word of promise to the Communicant They say They have uttered it before It is not enough that they were uttered before narrâ—ivâ—ly or 〈◊〉 in rehearsall of the words of institution For this sacrament is an imitation of Christ not a recitall of his words and actions It is to doe as he did and not to report what he did saith Mouline The rehearsall of the words of the institution leâ—terh us see what warrant wee have to celebrate such an action and in generall of use I read and wine But it can not bee said demonstratively of this bread and wine in particular set on the table that it is the body and bloud of Christ till it be first sanctified by prayer and thanksgiving to that use and after delivered to the communicant with command to take eat and assurance
if he so doe the bread shall be a pledge of his body and the wine of his bloud Christ said not This is my body take eat but Take eat this is my body or actu continuo bad them both take and eat The promise is annexed to the commandment as conditionall and hath no effect otherwise but if the condition be performed It is a receaved action among the Divines Elementa extrausum non sunt sacramenta The elements out of the use are no sacraments And sacramenta perficiuntur usu If the elements after the blessing be not delivered shal they be sacramentally Christs body and bloud or if delivered and not eaten It fareth with the sacramentall elements as with pawnes and pledges in contracts and bargans A ring may bee set a part to bee a pledge in matrimonie yet it is not actuallie a pledge without consent of the other partie but only a meere sing A stone chosen out from among many to bee a signe of a march is not actuallie a march stone but in the use when it is set with consent of parties in the march to that end There was never a sign without the use wherefore it was appointed to be a sign Never a march but that which divided land nor a banquet but in eating and drinking saith Chamier So the elements are sanctified and set a part by prayer and rhanksgiving to this use but are not Christs bodie and bloud actuallie till they be receaved and used Panis nunquam est signum corporis Christi nisi in edendo nun quam vinum sanguinis nisi in potando And therefore this holie ordinance is properly defined a sacred actâ—on consisting of so many rites By a figurative kinde of speach it is true the bread may bee called the sacrament of Christs bodie because it is appointed to that end as when Isaac said to Abraham Where is the sacrifice that is the lamb or the ramme appointed for the sacrifice but not properly Now the Formalist presupponeth that the sacrament is made alreadie before hee come to deliver the elements and therefore hee sayth hee uttereth other words at the deliverie So yee see they place such vertue in uttering these words This is my bodie in the rehearsall of the institution as the papist doth that they thinke the read alreadie Christs bodie and therefore absurd to utter these words againe at the deliverie to the Communicants for then they should seeme to consecrate again So grosse poperie is the ground of omitting the comfortable word of promise at the delivering and snbstituting a prayâ—r or ministeriall blessing as P. calleth it in the rowme of it and such a prayer as presupposeth the bread already to bee Christs bodie and therefore they say The bodie of the Lord prâ—serve thy bodie and soule Heere also is a wil-worship for howbeit prayer bee of it selfe a pure of Gods worship instituted and allowed by God yet to pray unseasonablie and out of time at the will and device of man when you should bee serving God in another forme it is wil-worship neither is there necessitie of this a prayer alreadie preceeding And surely this their prayer is a senselesse one like that old prayer Anima Christi sanctificaine which is directed to Christs soule whereas wee should direct our prayers to his person not to his humanitie by it self Let it bee observed by the way that the words of the institution are rehearshed in the English service book and among the rest these ords This is my bodie to God in a continuall tenor with the prayer begun before just according to the order observed in the Canon of the masse when the priest offereth his sacrifice which is an horrible abuse of the words of the institution which Christ uttered to the Communicants and not unto God I dare bee bold to affirme the sacrifice of the masse had never enâ—red in the Church if the word of promise had beene uttered at the deliverie of the elements to the Communicants in an enunciative forme or demonstratively as Christ did Thirdly if in regard of prayer then if Christs sacramentall speach be uttered without addition of a prayer the Communicants must not kneel Christs forme of speach then must be thrust out that prayer and with it kneeling may enter in Fourthly suppose the prayer might be substituted in the roome of the word of promise kneeling should not be enjoyned nor urged more precisely at that bit of prayer then at other prayers Yea it is superstition to urge kneeling at one prayer more strictly then at another and absurd in my judgement to enjoyne it at all in any They may as well enjoyne any man to lift up his eyes to knock on his breast to bow the head or crouch as to kneel as they doe in the popish service which hath made it the more ridiculous for kneeling lifting up of the hands or eyes knocking on the breast are naturall expressions and adumbrations of the inward motions of the soule and proceed ex abundantia interni affectu as saith Chamier and therefore ought not to be extorted by injunctions for that were to command men to play the hypocrits and like comedians to counterfite outward signes of such inward motions as perhaps are not in them so vehement as to stir them up voluntarily to such expressions Yea some of them may serve for ejaculations as the lifting up of the eyes to knock on the breast and to bow the head which bowing is finished in one instant saith L. All undecent and unseemly gesture in prayer ought to bee forbidden but no gesture ought to bee commanded in speciall but left free Fiftly that prayer above mentioned is but a short ejaculation and sooner ended then the Communicant can addresse himself to his knees Sixtly that prayer or short wish is ended before the Minister offer the bread to the Communicant and bid him take it and yet the Communicant is enjoined to continue still upon his knees Nor is kneeling enjoined to them by statute or their service book in regard of mentall prayer for none such is enjoined what suppose kneeling were enjoined in respect of prayer also for if also or principallie for reverence of the Sacrament it is sufficient for our purpose for to adore any other thing but God or with God are both idolatrous Master Paybodie saith Concerning prayer I do freely confesse that in as much as it is but an occasion and not the principall exercise of the soule whither it be mentall or vocall in the sacrament all busiâ—esse I do neither deeme it the principall respect of lawfull kneeling neither have I reason to deeme it the principall respect upon which the Church enjoyneth it And againe Suppose there bee no prayer used in the time of receaving I think never the worse of the gesture of kneeling No wonder hee say so for hee layeth down a ground that any of the gestures may be used in any part of Gods worship
which is a begging of the question and yet hee can not prove kneeling at the hearing of the word let bee in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements but out of a misprinted place in Perth assembly pag. 45. where in is put for after Farre lesse can our Formalists pretend the respect of prayer For we have no act enjoyning either any vocall prayer to be uttered by the minister or mentall by the Communicant when he is to receave the elements Nor doe our Formalists observe one forme of words at the deliverie either for prayer or otherwise Wheresoever the publike intent of a Church is to kneel for reverence of the sacrament every Communicant following her direction is an idolater Howbeit his privat intent were divers from the intent of the act which is urged as the publike intent of the Church yet he is interpretativè an idolater and to be so construed both before God and man If any man receave the sacrament upon his knees at Rome or in any other Popish Church whersoever were his privat intent yet he must be interpreted to kneel according to the intent of the Church of Rome The heart may be carried one way and the outward action another way for feare or other respects but that outward action must be interpreted not according to the intention of the minde but the intent of the injoyner If ye fall downe before an idol in Spaine suppose for feare of the inquisition ye commit idolatrie and honoureth that idol in the sight of men If it be asked after what manner the Communicant must be interpreted to adore I answer That upon better consideration of the act then before I thinke the Communicant may according to the act kneel with a Popish intent carring both the inward motion of his spirit and outward submission of his body to the sacrament upon opinion of transubstantiation or with the Lutherans intent upon opinion of consubstantiation and that for two cases first because the words of the act make mention only of the body and bloud of Christ and of the blessed sacrament but not one word of the elements of bread and wine Next because some of our ministers the chief urgers of kneeling are popish and have taught in publike in the pulpits of Edinburgh that wee ought not to contend or descant curiously upon the manner of Christs presence in the sacrament and that he is present after an unknowne manner To this purpose they cite a saying of Durandus It is current among the English prelats The bishop of Rochester in his defence of kneeling commendeth the simplicitie of the ancients who disputed not whither Christ were present Câ—n sub in or trans in the supper See Hooker likewise in his fift booke of ecclesiasticall policie And Sutton on the Lords supper in his appendix They will talke more plainly when they shall see their time Our Doctour commendeth them for this They would have us beleeve that the manner of the presence of Christs body at the sacrament is unknowne whereas we know very well that Christs body is present after a spirituall manner to the soules of the godly receaving by faith â—ut to the sacrament or elemenâ—s only after a sacramentall manner that is relatively as things signified are to signes howbeit farre distant That incomprehensible or unsearchable manner whereof they talke is a lurking hole for adversaries to the truth as Beza can tell him Our Doctour from Christs personall omnipresence inferreth page 142. the flesh and bloud of Christ may be worshipped in the sacrament because wheresoever his person is his humanity is corjoyned with his divinitie By this Popish reason Christs flesh and bloud may be worshipped in a stone in the moone the sunne or any other thing else His argument is borrowed from the Rhemists note upon Heb. 1. 8. Our doctour rejecteth the Vbiquitaries conceat of Christs humanitie extended and diffused through every place yet notwithstanding of this personall omnipresence he hideth himself in the lurking hole of the imperceptible manner of the sacramentall presence He acknowledgeth a spiritual presence of Christs body in the sacrament Bâ—llarmine acknowledgeth as much for saith hee Non habet Christus in Eucharistia modum existendi corporum sed spirituum If ye will bear the word Bodily so will Bellarmine he content because saith he Christ is not present after that manner that bodies have existence of their own nature unlesse the right explication bee added He commendeth the expression of the councell of Treâ—â— Verè realiter substantialiter Truely reallie substantiallie as the best and surest For the popish sence When our doctours will not have us to contend about the manner of presence whither by consubstantion or transubstantiation yet this taketh not away Substantially in generall but leaveth place to substantially in an unknown manner But wee proceed If any will extend the words of the act to the elements of bread and wine and interpret the receaving of Christs bodie and bloud of the souls inward receaving then howbeit hee kneeleth not upon opinion of the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament yet his adoration is terminated and resteth someway upon the sacrament or sacramentall elements otherwise hee cannot bee said to kneel for receiving of the sacrament Now as the papists agree not among themselves about the manner of worshipping their images so the Communicants may differ in the manner and way of terminating that adoration or worship Therefore suppose he believe not the reall presence or existence of the body of Christ in the bread yet hee may in his apprehension and imagination unite them as the papist doth his image with the prototype and so adore the thing with the thing signified as the purple robbe with the King is coadored or adored per accidâ—ns or hee may consider the signe as substitute in the roome of the thing signified howbeit absent and performeth before it or about it that adoration which hee would bestow upon the thing signified and by it or in it honoureth the thing signified properly but the signe improperly As when a Kings Ambassadour or Vice-gerent is honoured at some solemnitie with the honour of his Master but improperly for the King is properly honoured Or as Vasâ—uez will have images to bee adored to wit with the inward motion of the minde to the thing signified the bodie of Christ and the exterior or outward signe of submission to the signe to bee transmitted to the thing signified or considering the signes as things sacred and in relation to God whom we are serving in the use of them So howbeit the way and manner of terminating the reverence in the Sacrament bee different according to the conceat of the Communicant all come to one end to wit to kneel for reverence of the Sacrament Now to kneel for reverence is a gesture of adoration and soveraigne worship as L. ackowledgeth It is nothing to the devil whether a man erre this
out of the hand of the minister not out of Christs owne hand Multum interest inter actionem Filii Dei perse per ministrum Illa enim est actio immediatè producta à divino supposito ista ab humano Bellarm. de Missa lil 2. cap. 4. Yea the Apostles at the first supper adored not on their knees when Christ himselfe ministred the sacrament howbeit upon occasion and at other times they adored not did they adore God the Father upon their knees for the benefite they were receaving The inward benefite Christs body and bloud are receaved by the soule not by the body by the godly only not by all that receave the sacrament by faith embracing Christ present by his spirit in the soul. The godly under the law receaved the same gift the same spirituall food and drink and yet kneeled not The D. pag. 113. saith that in the law they had but the shadow of the gift a popish speach whereas the Apostle saith the same food If the clearer revelation make the difference which is without ground or reason then adoration is not in respect of the gift The godly take eat and drinke Christs body and bloud by the act of faith and beleeving Now the act of faith or beleeving is not an act of adoration as the schoolmen acknowledge nor is it expressed outwardly by kneeling In a 〈◊〉 fidei non potest apprehendi aliqua submissionis nota propria religionis exhibenda ipsi excellentie Dei sicut nec ratio sacrificii aut laudis saith Vazquez Never man yet adored upon his knees if his principall work was actuall beleeving desire Christ short ejaculations of the soule and the acts of other graces concurre as concomitants to remove impediments that faith may put forth its act with greater strength which is the principall worke of the soule in the act of receaving the elements All dispositions which are required unto right receaving can not distinctly and solemnely bee expressed at the same time by outward gestures except wee would use divers gestures together saith P. 195. The principall therefore must be considered Next wee receave eat and drinke Christs body and bloud as soone as we are effectually called and beginne to beleeve and as oft as we heare the promises of the Gospell read and exponed and doe beleeve Christs body is as farre absent from us at the receaving of the sacrament as at the hearing of the word The symbols when they are added to the word while the mystâ—râ—s are celebrated I doubt not saiâ—h Pâ—ter Martyre serve very much for assurance for thâ—y sâ—ale the promise tamen illa Christi nobis praesentiam magis constituere quam verba aut promissiones constanter pernego That is but that they make Christ more present to us then the word and sacraments doe I utterly denie The Formalist speaketh as if Christs body were present in the sacrament or as if wee had never receaved Christs body till wee receaved this sacrament or never but when we receave this sacrament Whereas Augustine saith There is no doubt but every one of the faithfull is made partaker of the body and bloud of Christ when in baptisme he is made a member of Christ as ye may see in Gratians decree Againe he saith Credere in eum hoc est panem vivum manducare to beleeve in him is to eat the living bread The glosse saith Christ is eaten spiritually by faith without the sacrament We are united with Christ and made members of his body before we come to this sacrament and doe not receave his body of new at every communion as if wee had lost it since the former and yet there is but one body receaved at all the times The celebration of the Lords supper is not a new institution of the testament but a repetition of the same This sacramâ—â—◠〈◊〉 authentike instrument of the testament and as of as it â—s ministred the same authentike instrument is 〈◊〉 over â—gain See this illustration in Bellarmine and â—â—â—anus Wee are said then to take eat drinke Christs body and bloud at every celebration of the holy supper because wee put forth our faith in act at that time and renewing the act of faith wee take eat and drink by beleeving that same body and bloud which before our faith being strengthened by the outward signes and seales to that end and so grow in faith and by faith in union with Christ The holy mysteries do not beginne saith Jewel but rather continue and confirme this incorporation Whitaker saith Familiarâ—â— loquendi modus est ut fieri dicatur quod factum obsignaâ—ur That is It is a familiar kinde of speaking to saâ—â— that thing is in doing which being already done is sealed and confirmed Thirdly the manner or forme of receaving a 〈…〉 be answerable to the manner of the offering the nâ—ture of the gift and the will of the giver If a King call his nobles to a banket it is his will that they sit at table David and Jonathan sate at table with King Saul as you may see 1 Sam 20. Such as were called the Kings friends or companions for the originall word signifieth as well the one as the other Sociuâ— â—s amicus I take to have sitten ordinarily with Kings as Zabud 1 King 4. 5. and Hushaâ— the Archite who is called 2 Sam. 15. 37. Davids friend and 1 Chron. 27. 33. by the same translaters the Kings companion Such an one was Daniel to the Babyloniah Emperour as the Apocrypha historie of Susanna reporteth cap. 14. 1. To this Christ alludeth Joh. 15. 15. when he saith to his disciples at table Hence forth I call you not servants but I have called you friends Abraham for his faith was called Gods friend Jam. 2. 23. By the same reason all the faithfull are preferred to this dignity As wee are friends and fellow-heires with Christ so hath hee instituted this holy feast the onely feast in the Christian Church to assure us of our preferment and fellowship with him Howsoever then otherwise and at other occasions wee behave our selves as supplicants we are now according to our Lords will and pleasure to observe that externall forme of a feast which he hath left to his Church and to act thereat in our outward carriage the persons of guests and friends And therefore howbeit the inviter be a great person the manner of invitation is familiar and our not acceptance the more offensive Chrysostome declaiming against such as were present and did not approach to communicate saith The King table is here the King himselfe is present Why standeth thou yawning If thy garments be cleane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit downe and participat In the English booke of common prayer there is an exhortation to bee made to the people when they are negligent to come to the table where we have these words Ye know how grievous and unkinde a thing it is when a man hath prepared a rich
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
bound to see it performed reverently and religiously which they cannot see done when it is administred in privat Nor can the privat administration bee performed with such reverence as is requisite Wee read not that at any time it was the custome in the ancient church to celebrate at the bedside of the sick but onely to carrie the eucharist to him which notwithstanding was superstitious The synod holden at Laodicea cap. 58. ordained Ne fierent in domibus oblationes ab episcopis aut presbyteris And Justinian Novell constit 57. hath the like Not that I thinke the place of it selfe disgraceth the action but the paucitie of the communicants If the congregation were assembled in a barne or any like capacious place through want of a church the action might bee celebrated with no lesse grace The sicke mans chamber is not a fit meeting place for the congregation saith Riveâ—is Suppose it were such assemblies could not but breed or foster the opinion of necessitie Beside the paucitie the paines of the patient might enforce sundrie disorders Bellarmine alledgeth in defence of depriving the communicants of the cup howbeit more comfort might bee had by participating both the bread and the wine that there is lesse ill that men want some good thing not necessarie then that the sacrament be exposed to the hazard of irreverence For it could not be but the bloud of Christ would bee often split That which hee alledgeth against the Lords institution wee may farre more justly alledge against this privat communion which the Lord never ordained that the reverent usage of the sacrament is to bee preferred before the good or rather preposterous pleasing of the sick and feeding their ignorance and superstition FINIS Errata BLot out p. 11. last line not p. 12 l. 15. when 81. l. 27. that 99. l. 11. not 122. l. lest p. 56 lin l. the fourth part read p. 14. l. 4. canon 17. 22. more l. 23. meere 20. 28. Pauli 23. l. 24. that thursday 27. l. 25. Hospinian 29. l. 26. then 30. last line notable 3. l. l. 29. Encrarits 39. l. 2 sic l. 25. eat ve all of this 45. l. 14 great l. 25. Montanus l. 26. members 47. l. 4. l. 8. sic 54. l. 30. simpliciâ—er 57 l. last Israelitarum 60. l. 18. decree l. 19. successates 6. l. 18 popuâ—â— 6. â— l. 13. of 65. l. 18. excuses 67. l. 24. Cracouieni 6â— l. al 's 68. l. 4. al 's 69. l. 15. apertae 74. l. 19. to stand 76. l. 13. stantes commorantes 77. l. 30. Zonaras 79. l. 14. praetermitted 80. l. 24. quod â— 9. l. 12 to these words 98. l. 1. causes l. 13 whither 99. l. 11 if ye will bear 122. l. 3. bewray 128. l. 30. Christ. Desire stort ejaculations 135. d. l. 19. genuine 154 l. 7. commenting 157. l. 20. kindling fire 158 l. 1. mutabilitie 159 l. 7. rationem 160. l. 27. were not bidden fast 164. l. 26. 〈◊〉 10. logicall 165. lin 2. apolo l. 19. whereon 168. l. 5. makein 190. l. 29. â—â—gatorum 202. l. 20 salve 205. l. 23. ye observe 217. l. 22. concredite 220 lin 30. questions 22â— lin 12 suffraganes 226 l. 4. become Lesser escapes I remit to the correction of the understanding reader A PASSAGE OF MASTER WILLIAM Cowper peetended bishop of Gallaway his sermon delivered before the states anno 1606. at which time he was minister at Perth On 2 Corin. 6. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle wrote this epistle in his owne name and in the name of Timothie his brother as yee may penceave by the first verse of this epistle And now in both their names hee directeth the exhortation Preachers are workers together brethren and fellow-labourers Here a worthie Apostle claimeth no superiour stile to Timothie an Evangelist albâ—it justly hee might hâ—e bâ—ing an Apostle the other an Evangelist both which were temporarie and extraordinarie callings in the Church of God but the one namely the office of an Apostle more excellent then the other office of an Evangelist This may serve to make these men ashamed who being partakers of one office of pastorship with the rest of their brethren will bee separated from them by slately sitles Order is good I grant but away with such order as hath bred that I omane Hierarchie the tyrannie of the Antichrist Alwayes here our chiefe lesson is that ministers should work together They should not worke one against another We are the servants of one Lord wee have all one citie to build we are fortifiers of the wall of one Jerusalem what part of the wall wee stand and into that is no matter the worke and the waze is one to us all Vnion among brethren is ay the forerunnâ—r of blessing division againe bringeth on the fall for a kingdome devided against it selfe cannot stand In the primitive church S. Luke saith The multitude of beleevers were of one heart There upon followed a flourishing estate of the church notwithstanding the powers of the world were enemies to them Great things are alwayes performed by union yea suppese of mean instruments There is non saith Job can restraine the influence of the Pleiades it is but a constellation of the seven starres which we commonly call the seven sisters yet do they bring with them the spring of the year Thus a nature her self advanceth her greatest workes by unin A materiall building is made up by the uniting of stones and timbâ—r bâ—fore disjoyned and and the fall thereof is procured againe by their renting and sundring one from another I exhort you therefore brethren in the name of the Lord that as one man our hearts may bee joyned together to doe the worke of the Lord and this devision threatning a fearfull decay of Christ his kingdome in the midst of us may be eshewed Where if it be objected to me where is the blame or cause of division For I know that as Salomon saith every mans way seemeth good in his owne eyes I answer I have not a deligh to make a sport of the nakednesse of my father and I desire not to be cursed with Chaent If the division were not so evident that the most simpley perveaveth it I could willingly also misknow it but since the evill is manifest the cause of the evil is also easily espied for looke what part of the wall is gagged from the oâ—â—â—ation where upen the building stands and from that policie we receaved from our fathers let thâ—â— be drawne in to the rest againe then shall arise a happie union that may assure us of a continuance and increase of Gods work in the midst of us FINIS Admonition pag. 35. Sitting warrantable Scaliger de emendat temporum lib. 6. Barradas in concor evangelist Tom. 4. lib. 3. cap. 2 Baronaâ—â—al â—om 2. an 34. num 14. Chrys. hom de prodit Iud. And Pope Leo serm 7. de passione Domini That Christ and his Apostles kneeled not Athenaens lib. 4. Luk.