A Dispute Upon Communicating at our Confused Communions, Chapter 1
A DISPVTE VPONUPON COMMVNICATING AT OVR Confuſed Communions.
If I build againe the things which I deſtroyed, I make my ſelfe a tranſgreſſor. Gal. 2.18.
Yee did runne well, who did hinder you, that yee ſhould not obey the truth. This perſwaſion commeth not of him that calleth you. A litle leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe. Gal. cap. 5. verſ. 7.8.9.
Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do thy firſt works, or elſe I will come unto thee quickly, and will remoue thy Candleſtick out of his place, except thou repent. Revel. 2.5.
As many as deſire to make a faire ſhew in the fleſh, they conſtraine you to bee circumciſed; onelyonly leaſt they ſhould ſuffer perſecution for the croſſe of Chriſt. Gal. 6.12.
Printed Anno 1624.
CƲrſe yee, Meroz ſayeth the Angel of the lord: curſe ye bitterlie the inhabitants therof, becauſe they came not to the helpe of the Lord, to the help of the lord againſt the mightie, Iudg. 5.23.
Curſed be he that maketh the blinde to goe out of the way, and al the people ſhal ſay Amen, Deut. 27.18.
Who ſhal offend one of theſe litle ones which beleev in me, it were better for him that a milſtone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the ſea, Matt. 18.6.
Woe to the world, becauſe of offenſes. For it muſt needes be that offenſes muſt come: But woe to that man by whom the offenſe cometh, Mat. 18.7.
CHAP. I. Of ſitting at the Lords table.
IT was or …in…d in the g…nerall aſſemblie hol…en at E…inburgh the yeere 1564.Sitting at table, and distributing by the cōmunicants, was not a Church constitution. that miniſt…rs in miniſtration of the ſacramē …s ſhould uſe the order ſet down in our pſalme b…oks. This order requireth that the communicants ſit at table, and breake bread with other. This order hath beene univerſallie, and perpetuallie obſerved in our kirk from the firſt yeere of reformation and ſome yeeres before, not as an order depending upon the varieties of times, places, perſons, or the like circumſtances, as doe church orders, and conſtitutions, but as moſt agreeable to the pattern of the firſt ſupper celebrated by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, as may be ſeen in the firſt booke of diſcipline, and in two Rubricks in our pſalme bookes. In the laſt of the two Rubricks it is ſaid, that Chriſt commanded, that the communicants divide the elements among th…mſ lues In the booke of diſcipline it is ſaid. That it is plaine Chriſt Ieſus ſat at table with his diſciples, Christ & his Apostles kneeled not but ſate at the first ſupper.and therefore doe we judge that ſitting at a table is moſt convenient for that action.
Chriſts uſual geſture in bleſsing bread at table was ſitting, as we may ſee at Emaus Luk. 2…. and when he was to worke the miracle of the five loaves Matt. 14.13. while the diſciples were eating, and conſequentlie ſitting, as the moſt learned among the Ieſuites themſelves confeſſe, Chriſt tooke bread, and after he had given thanks, brake it. If they kneeled not at the thankſgiving, or bleſsing, there is no likelihood, that they kneeled in the act of receiving. If there had been anie change from one table geſture to another, from ſitting at the paſchal ſupper into ſtanding about the table, as the Iſraelites did at the firſt paſchal ſupper in Egypt, wold not the Euangeliſts have made mention of it? farre more, if there had been a change from all kinde of table geſture into kneeling a geſture of adoration, yea kneeling ſhould then have been the only lawful geſture i…ſtituted by Chriſt. For to what end alſo ſhould the change have been made. And ſo al that communicated ſitting either in the primitive kirk, or in the reformed ſhould have ſinned in ſo doing. When Chriſt gave the bread he ſaid, This is my bodie. The formaliſt wil not utter theſe words to the kneeler, when he delivereth the bread. When Chriſt gave the cuppe to the neereſt, he badde them divide it among themſelves. They could not then be kneeling. For how could kneeling, a geſture of adoration, conſiſt with dividing, which is not an act of adoration. As it is cleere that they kneeled not, ſo likewiſe that they ſtood not, for how could they cōvenientlie ſtand in the places, where they ſate leaning upon beds? Farther the Euangeliſts make no mention of ſtanding, but onlie ſay, that while they were eating, Chriſt took bread.On the Lords ſupper 1. part. pag. 136 Even Pierr du Moulin ſayeth that the Apostles continued ſitting at the table to the verie end of the action. Who ever ſaid otherwiſe in anie age til this time?
Examples in ſetting down of a patterne ſerve ordinarilie for direction in times to come,Christ ratified ſitting the ordinarie gesture at religions feasts. if there be not ſome ſingular occaſion of the ſame, which will not agree to other times. But there was no ſingular occaſion of ſitting at the firſt ſupper. The waſhing of the diſciples feet, the putting on, and off of Chriſts upper garment preceeded the ſecond ſervice of the paſchal ſupper, when as Chriſt was not yet come to the celebration of the euangelical. The eventide, the unleavened bread, the parlour, the number of twelve, and other like adjuncts, and circumſtances were but onlie occaſional, & accidentarie to the Euangelicall ſupper, becauſe the legall ſupper to which they properly belonged, was celebrated immediatly before, and the laſt act of it changed into this ſupper. But ſitting was not a table geſture proper to the paſchal ſupper, and ſo occaſional, or accidentarie to the Euchariſtical. It was the common, and ordinarie geſture uſed at all religious feaſts both among the true worſhippers of God, and Idolaters. To the feaſts after the ſacrifices the Apoſtle compareth this Chriſtian feaſt 1. Corint. 10. So, to ſpeake properlie Chriſt did not ſo much inſtitute this geſture at this ſupper, as ratifie and approve the ordinarie, and uſual. Yee wil ſay, that if we ought to follow this exemple we ſhould ſit leaning. It followeth not. Their geſture was a kinde of ſitting geſture, as Doctor Morton confeſſeth. And not onlie the Engliſh tranſlaters expreſſe it by the word ſitting but alſo the holie ghoſt in the holie language. A man may be ſaid to ſtand whether he ſtand upright, …or l…aning to a wal, ſo ſitting. Our ſitting, and the Turk…s, and their ſi…ting at the paſchal ſupper anſw…re analogicallie to other, and the diff…rence is onlie national. Farth…r to ſit was the ordinarie geſture at religious feaſts, but to ſi… lea…ing was onlie occaſional, and acciden…arie to the Euangelical ſupper by reaſon of … canon which was made before the day…s of Ch… ſt, wherin manie diff…rences were made betwixt the paſ…hal feaſt, and other r…ligious feaſts, and among …he reſt to ſ…t forth the ſ…lemnitie of this feaſt above others, it was ordained that they ſhould ſit after his maner a… this feaſt, and not at other except they pl…aſed. Quod in omnibus noctibus tam edentes qu…m bibente… vel ſedemus, vel diſc…mbimus, or accum…imus, in hac autem omnes d ſc…mbimus, or accumbimus. They ſat of old even when the cuppe of praiſe was caried from hand to hand, and the cake of bread broken at the concl…ſioun of the ſupper, And yet the concluſion of the paſch…l ſupper where they did eat to the quātitie of an olive, and leſſe then the quantitie of an egge was as ſhort, as the euangelical ſupper wherunto it was changed. Chriſt ledde the Apoſtles fr…m their ſitting at table to the conſideration of their ſitting upon thrones, whereby we may not onlie collect that their geſture was a kind of ſitting geſture, but alſo that the end and uſe of their ſitting at table with him, was to note their fellowſhippe they had with him, and the dignitie, wherunto he had exalted them. Chriſt was as Ierome ſayeth both Conviva & convivium, the foode that they eate, and a banqueter with them. By eating him as food is repreſented our union with him, as foode is united with the feeder, but by ſitting is declared our fellowſhip with him, as of ghueſts with the maſter of the feaſt.
Howbeit ſitting had not bene the ordinarie table geſture at religious feaſts,The Apoſtolick churches ſatt at table. but a new example of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, yet ſeeing it was an example not occaſional, or accidentarie but of free choiſe in ſetting down the patterne, it is a direction for our imitation, and the Apoſtles themſelves tooke it ſo, they continued this geſture after the firſt ſupper as a geſture moſt ſutable with the forme of a feaſt. When they cal this feaſt the table of the Lord, & the ſupper of the Lord, it may very well be collected, that they uſed that geſture which was fit for a ſupper table. And beſide that a table is requiſite whatſoever be the matter of it, a boord, a bull hide, a plott of ground, whether high, or low, round, long, or ſquare. The love feaſts conjoyned with the Lords ſupper could hardlie admitt the geſture of kneeling, ſayeth Beza. The Corinthians fault was,Contra Ha… chium. that neither at common meates,Obed. pag. 461. nor at the Lords table they wold ſit together, but ſorted themſelves in factions, and companies,Secund ſerm pag. 61. ſayeth Doctor Bilſon Doctor Downame confeſſeth ſitting to receave the S…crament to have been vſed in the churches in the Apoſtles times.
Howbeit the ſupper of the Lord ſoon after the dayes of the Apoſtles be ganne to be defiledſitting continued after the dayes of the Apostles Calv. inſtitut. lib. cap. 17. Homil. 27. in 1. cor. 11. with ſome ruſt, as Mr. Calvine obſerveth, yet was this geſture continued in manie places, and at ſome times vniverſallie obſerved. Chryſoſtome maketh mention of ſitting at Chriſts table Auguſtine inſinuateth no leſſe, Epiſt. 118. where he ſayeth that ſome mixed this feaſt with their other repaſts. M. Foxe thus writeth of the Waldenſes, whom Beza calleth the pure ſeede of the ancient church. Concerning the ſupper of the Lord, Acts, and monument 1. Volum. pag. 209. edit. 1610.their faith was, that it was ordained to be eaten, and not to be ſhewed, and worſhipped; for a memoriall, and not for a ſacrifice; to ſerue for the preſent miniſtration and not for reſervation; to be receiued at table, not to be carried out of doores, according to the vſe of the primitive church, when they vſed to communicate ſitting. And this they prove both by an old chronicle, called Chronica geſtorum, as alſo by ancient Origen. When the manner of celebration after the pattern of the firſt ſupper beganne to be neglected almoſt everie where, and, as Mr. Calvine ſayeth, was changed into a Iewiſh forme of ſacrificing, it was appointed, that the ſupper of the Lord ſhould be celebrated according to the inſtitution vponupon the thurſday before Easter, which the ancients called Caena Domini, and is now called Maundi Thurſday becauſe vponupon that day the Lords ſupper was firſt celebrated. Al faithful Chriſtians (except offenders) were wont to cōmunicate upon this day,De conſecrat Diſt. 2 cap. 17. as may be ſeen in Gratians Decree. In caena Domini a quibuſdam perceptio euch. triſtia negligitur, quae quoniam in eadam die ab omnibus fidelibus (exceptis ijs quibus pro gravibus criminibus inhibitum eſt) percipienda ſit, eccleſiaſticus vſus demonſtrant. Now the gloſſe vponupon that place that hath theſe words, Sic olim, modo ſic eſt, ſed monachi faciunt. It wont to be ſo of old, it is not the cuſtome now, the Monkes onlie obſerue it. The monks ſpeciallie of Sanct Bennets order retain the ancient cuſtome. The two thouſand ſouldiers, who were reconciled to the Emperour Mauritius about the yere 590. by the travelles of Gregrorius Biſhop of Antioch, Euagrius lib. 6. cap. 12.and had accepted againe Philippicus to be their general captaine, receaved the Sacrament upon this day ſitting upon the ground. Whereby we may ſee that this cuſtome continued to that time among the faithfull, and not among the monkes onlie. Pope Vrbane the fourth about the yeere 1264. inſtituted the feaſt of Corpus Chriſti to ſupplie the defects, which had, eſcaped through negligence or humane frailtie in the celebration of the maſſe, and to make amends for anie miſſe: Quatenus in eo, Bulla Vrbani. 4,quod in alijs miſſarum officiis circa ſolennitatem eſt forſitam praetermiſſum, devotâ diligentiâ ſuppleatur, & fideles feſtivitate ipſa inſtante intra ſe praeterita memorantes, id quod in ipſis miſſarum ſolenniis, ſecularibus forte agendis impliciti, aut alia ex negligentia, vel fragilitate humana, minus plenè geſſerunt, tunc attentè in humilitate ſpiritus & animi puritate reſtaurent. But as Hoſpinian juſtlie taxeth the Pope, the defects, or omiſſions ſhould hauehave beene ſupplied ratione a Chriſto praemonſtrata, by that maner which Chriſt himſelf had ſhewed before, and not by carying the Sacrament with proceſſion through the ſtreets. It appeareth that the celebration of the Lords ſupper upon Maundie thurſday after the paterne of the firſt ſupper was appointed for the ſame end, to wit, to ſupply all defectes and omiſſions, which had happened at other times. For the Pope ſayeth, he was moved to chooſe this day for this end ra…her thē Maundy thurſday, becauſe that thurſday was ſpent in waſhing of feete, making of Chriſme, and reconciling of peniten s. In die namque coenae Domini, quo die Chriſtus hoc Sacramentum inſtituit, vniverſalis eccleſiae pro paenitentium reconciliatione, ſacri confectione chriſmatis, ad impletione mandati circa lotionem pedum, & alijs plurimum occupata plenè vacare non poteſt celebrationi huius maximi ſacramenti. Chriſts ordinance behooved to give place to everie toy invented by man.
Sitting onlie is not ſufficient for anie to communicate with kn…elers.The queſtion is now, whether it being permitted to me to ſitt, I may communicate with others, where ſome do kneele, and al doe receaue ſeverallie, and immediatlie out of the Miniſters hand. It ſeemeth ſtrange to manie, that this ſhould be denied to be lawful. It ſeemeth as ſtrange to me, that it ſhould be granted, what if all the reſt with whom I communicate did kneele, is it enough that I ſitt. Is this the communion of Saincts we profeſſe, not to have a regard to the ſtanding, or falling of others, the dignitie, and honour of that action, and the libertie of this reformed Kirk, wherof we ſtand members. I will ſett down the innovations which ar ſenſible to the eyes and eares of everie man, that the anſwer to the queſtion may bee the better underſtood in the particulars, and it may be ſeene where we are either actors, or acceſſory in communicating after this manner. Some things I muſt of neceſſitie repeate alreadie treated at length in ſundrie treatiſes both in Engliſh and latine, which I will illuſtrate, and whereunto I will adde.