Dispute Against the English-Popish Ceremonies, Part 4 · Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CHAP. IV.
Of the rule by vvhichwhich vve are to measure and trie, vvhat things are indifferent.
THat the Word of God is the onelyonly rule, whereby wee must Sect. I judge of the indifferency of things, none of our Opposites (we hope) will denie. Of things indifferent saith tApol. Part. 1. cap. …. sect. 1.Paybody, I lay downe this ground, that they be such, and they onelyonly, which Gods Word hath left free unto us.
Now these things which Gods Word leaveth free and indifferent (in respect of their nature and kind) are such things as it neither sheweth to be good nor evill. Where we are further to consider, that the Word of God sheweth unto us the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse, goodnesse or badnesse of things, not onelyonly by precepts and prohibitions, but sometimes also, and more plainly by examples. So that not onelyonly from the precepts and prohibitions of the Word, but likewise from the examples recorded in the same, we may finde out that goodnesse or badnesse of humane actions, which taketh away the indifferency of them.
And as for those who will have such things called indifferent, as are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of Cod, I aske of them, whether they speake of plaine and particular precepts and prohibitions, or of generall onelyonly? If they speake of particular precepts and prohibitions, then by their rule; the baptising of young children; the taking of water for the Element of Baptisme; A lectors publike reading of Scripture in the Church upon the Sabbath day; the assembling of Synods for putting order to the confusions of the Church; the writing and publication of the decrees of the same; and sundry other things which the Word hath commended unto us by examples, should all be things indifferent, because there are not in the Word of God, either particular precepts for them, or particular prohibitions against them. But if they speake of generall precepts and prohibitions, then are those things commanded in the Word of God, for which we have the allowed and commended examples of such as we ought to follow, (for in the generall wee are commanded to be followers of such examples, Phil. 4. 8. 9. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Eph. 5. 1.) Though there bee no particular precept for the things themselves thus examplified.
To come therefore to the ground which shall give us here some Sect. II footing, and whereupon we mind to reare up certaine superstructions: we hold, that not onelyonly we ought to obey the particular precepts of the Word of God, but that also we are bound to imitate Christ, and the commendable example of his Apostles, in all things wherein it is not evident, they had speciall reasons moving them thereto, which doe not concerne us. Which ground as it hath been of a long time holden and confirmed by them of our side, so never could, nor ever shall, our Opposites subvert it. It's long since the Abridgment confirmed and strengthened it, out of these places of Scripture. Eph. 5. 1, Be ye therefore followers of God. as deare children. 1 Cor. 11, 1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 1 Thess 1. 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, Phil. 3. 17, Bretheren be followers togither of me.
This ground is also at length pressed by ulib. 2. Epist. 3.Cyprian, who sheweth that in the holy Supper of the Lord, Christ alone is to be followed by us: that we are to doe what he did: and that we ought not to take heed, what any man hath done before us, but what Christ did, who is before all.
But Bishop xProc. in Perth. Assemb. part. …. …. 38. & 40.Lindsey asketh of us, if we hold this rule, what is Sect. III the cause why at the celebration of the Sacrament, we blesse not the Bread severally by it self, & the Cup severally by it self, seeing Christ did so, yet having no cause to move him which concernes not us.
Ans. 1. Beside the common blessing of the Elements in the beginning of the action, we give thankes also in the severall actions of distribution, saying after this or the like manner. The Lord Iesus, the same night he was betrayed, tooke Bread▪ and when he had given thanks (as we also give thanks to God who gave his Sonne to die for us) he breake it &c.
In like manner also after Supper, he tooke the Cup, and when he had given thankes (as we also give thankes to God who gave his Sonne to shed his blood for us) he gave it, &c. Which forme (we conceive) may be construed to be an imitation of the example of Chrict.
2. Though we did not observe such a forme, yet there were two reasons to move Christ to give thankes severally both at the giving of the Bread, and at the giving of the Cup, neither of which concerneth us.
1. The Eucharisticall Supper was one continued action with the other Supper which went before it, for it is said, That whiles they di… eat, he tooke Bread, &c. Wherefore for more distinction of it from that Supper which immediately proceeded, it was fit that he should give thankes severally at the giving of each Element.
2. He had to doe with the twelve Apostles, (y) whose hearts beeing (…) Io. 16. 6.so greatly troubled with sorrow, and (z) whose minds not well comprehending that which they heard concerning the death of (…) Io. 16. 12.Christ, much lesse those Misticall Symboles of it, especially at the first hearing, seeing, and using of the same, it was be…ofefull for their cause, distinctly and severally to blisse those Elements, thereby to help the weaknesse of their understanding, and to make them the more capable of so Heavenly Misteries.
Now having heard that which the B… had to say against our rule, Sect. IV let us examine his owne. (a) He holdeth, That in the actions of Christ (…) ubi supra.his Apostles, or the Customes of the Church, there is nothing exemplary and left to be imitated of us, but that which either beeing morall is generally commanded in the Deealouge, or beeing Ceremoniall and circumstantiall is particularly commanded by some constant precept in the Gospell.
Ans. 1. This rule is most false, for it followeth from it, that the example of the Apostles making choice of the Element of Water in Baptisme, and requiring a Confession of Faith from the person who was to be baptised; the example also both of Christ and his Apostles, using the Elements of Bread and Wine in the Holy Supper: a Table at which they did communicate, and the breaking of the Bread, are not left to be imitated of us; because these things are ceremoniall, but not particularly commanded in the Gospell. So that according to the rule which the Bishop holdeth, we sinne in imitating Christ and his Apostles in those things, for as much as they are not exemplary, nor left to be imitated of us.
2. His weapons fight against his owne fellowes, who alledge (as we have shewed bsupra part. 3. cap. 6. sect. 12.elsewhere) the Custome of the Church, is a sufficient warrant for certaine Ceremonies questioned betwixt them and us, which are not particularly commanded by any precept in the Gospell. These the B. doth unwittingly stricke at, whiles he holdeth, that such Customes of the Church are not exemplary, nor left to be imitated of us.
Wherefore wee hold still our owne rule for sure and certaine. Sect. V Christs actions are either Amanda, as the workes of Redemption, or Admiranda, as his miracles; or Notanda, as many things done by him for some particular reason, proper to that time and case, and not belonging to us, which things notwithstanding are well worthy of our observation; or Imitanda, and such are all his actions, which had no such speciall reason moving him thereto as doe not concerne us.
Calvine upon 1 Cor. 11. 1. saith well, that the Apostle there, cals back both himself and others to Christ. Tanquam unicum recte agendi exemplar. And Policarpus Lycerus, upon Math. 16. 24. VnderUnder that command of following Christ, comprehendeth the imitation of Christs actions.
Most certainly, it is inexcusable presumption, to leave the example of Christ, and to doe that which seemeth right in our own eyes, as if wee were wiser then he. And now having layed downe this ground, we are to build certain positions upon it, as followes.
CHAP. V.
The first Position vvhichwhich vve build upon the ground confirmed in the former Chapter.
FRom that which hath been said, of following Christ and the Sect. I commendable example of his Apostles, in all things wherein it is not evident that they had some such speciall reason moving them to doe that which they did, as doth not concerne us Our first inference is this: That it is not indifferent for a Minister to give the Sacramentall Elements of Bread and Wine, out of his owne hand, to every communicant; for as much as our Lord commanded his Apostles to divide the Cup among them, that is, to reach it one to another, Luk 22. 17. Some of the interpreters are of opinion; that the Cup spoken of by the Evangelist in that place, is not the same whereof hee speaketh after vers. 20. but they are greatly mistaken: for if it were as they thinke, then Christ did againe drinke before his death, of that fruit of the Wine, whereof we read vers 17. 18. which is manifestly repugnant to his owne words. Wherefore as ccom. in Math. 26. 27.Maldonat observeth out of Augustine and Euthimius, there was but one Cup, whereof Luke speaketh first by anticipation, and afterward in its owne proper place.
But dubi supra pag. 62.B. Lindsey falleth here upon a very strange speculation, Sect. II and tels us, that if all the Disciples did drinke, howbeit they did not deliver the Cup one to another, but received it severally from Christs owne hand, they divided the same among them: because when every one takes his part of that which is parted, they divide the whole among them. Alas that I should blot paper with the confutation of such foolleries. I beleeve, when his Majesty hath distributed and divided so many lands and revenues among the Prelates of Scotland, every one of them takes his part, but dare not say (though) that they have divided these lands and revenues among themselves. Cane 20. or 40. beggars, when an almes is distributed among them, because every one of them getteth his part, say therefore that they themselves have parted it among them: what then shall be said of the distributer, who giveth to every one his part feverally and by himselfe? That a man who required, eLuk. 12. 13.that his brother should divide the inheritance with him, did not (I trow) desire Christ to cause his brother to take his owne part of the inheritance: (there was no feare, that he would not take his part) but he desired, that his brother might give to him his part. So that to divide any thing among men, is not to take it, but to give it. And who did ever confound parting and partaking, dividing a Cup and drinking a Cup, which differ as much as giving and rec…iving: Thus we conclude, that when Christ commanded the Apostles to divide the Cup among them, the meaning of the words can be no other then this, that they should give the Cup one to another, which is so plaine, that fMaldon. ubi supra.a Iesuite also maketh it to follow upon this command, that Christ did reach the Cup, non singulis sed uni, qui proximo, proximus sequenti, & deinceps daret. Hence it is that gde re Sacram. lib. 2. pag. 31.Hospinian thinkes it most likely, that Christ brake the Bread into two parts, earumque alteram dederit illi qui proximus ei ad dextram accumbebat, alteram vero ei qui ad sinistram, ut isti deinceps proxime accumbentibus porrigirent, donec singuli particulam sibi decerpsissent.