A Reexamination of the Five Articles Enacted at Perth in 1618, Section 1 · Part 1
THE FIRST PART CONCERneth the defence of sitting.
CHAP. I.
That the Communicants sitting in the act of receaving eating and drinking is lawfull and warrantable.
WE have the exemple of Christ and his Apostles at the first supper to warrant the communicants Sitting warrantable.to sit in the act of receaving. No man ever doubted of it, till of late two or three wranglers hath called that in question, which hath been holden as an undoubted truth in all ages. After the ordinarie washing of their hands they sate downe to the first course of the paschall supper to eat the paschall lambe with the unleavened bread, then they rose againe to the washing of their feet. Thereafter they sate downe againe to the second course of the paschall supper, and did eat of a sallet made of sowre hearbs, which they dipped in a composed liquour as thick as mustard. This second course was a part of the paschall supper, Scaliger de emendat temporum lib. 6.as Scaliger and others of the learned prove out of the Jewish writers, and not their common and vulgar supper. M. P. yeeldeth to this, because the paschall supper was a sufficient meal of it selfe, and therefore they needed no other supper. It is clear that they sate howbeit not upright, yet leaning on their elbowes at the paschall supper. Scaliger citeth out of a booke set forth before Christs time, entituled Kidd…sh pesach, a canon for twice washing, and that kinde of sitting at the eating of the paschall supper. The Evangelists likewise make mention, that after they rose, and Christ had washed their feet, they sate downe againe. Now while they were eating after this sitting downe to the second course of the paschall supper, and consequently while they were yet sitting, Christ took bread, and gave thankes, &c. that is, he instituted, and ministred the evangelicall supper, Matth. 26. 26. Mark. 14. 22. Yea the very close or conclusion of the second course, or whole paschall supper was changed by Christ into the evangelicall supper. Luke and Paul relate that Christ tooke the cup after supper. The consecrating, breaking, and eating of the bread had interveened betweene the second course and the taking up of the cup. Therefore they might well say, After supper he tooke the cup. Yea they might have said also after supper hee tooke the bread, to wit after both the first and second course of the paschall supper, but then it must be meant immediatly, and without any other action interveening, because Matthew and Marke say, While they were eating. Hear Ba…radius a Jesuit, Barradas in concor. evangelist. Tom. 4. lib. 3. cap. 2Howbeit the whole Sacrament was instituted after supper, yet it was instituted in the end of the supper, while as they were sitting and eating, for they did eat other meat, till the time of the institution of the heavenly food, and therefore Matthew and Marke say, That the Sacrament was inst…tute while as they were eating, for they were yet eating when the Lord tooke bread, blessed, and brake. Quamvis autem totum sacramentum post coenam institutum fuerit, in ipsius tamen coenae fine institutum est, cum adhuc discumberent & m…nducarent, Nam manducarunt cibos alios quousque ad institutionem caelestis cibi ventum est. Ideoque Mattheus & Marcus aiunt, manducantibus ipsis effectum sse hoc sacramentum. Adhuc enim manducabant cum Dominus accepit panem benedixit & fregit. Barona…al. …om. 2. an. 34. num. 14.Baronius the Cardinall collecteth that they were sitting, beca…se Matthew and Marke say, they were supping or eating, Vnde quod dicit Matthaeus coenantibus autem iis accepit Iesus p…nom & benedixit, & quod Marcus ait, & manduoantibus illis accepit Jesus panem & benedicens fregit, idem est acsi dixisset, Chrys. hom. de prodit. Iud. And Pope Leo serm. 7. de passione Domini.recumbentibus illis. Chrys…stome likewise, that wh…le they were eating and drinking, Christ …ooke bread. The collection is so cleare, that none either of the ancient or moderne Writers, Popish or Protestant did call it in question. In steed of many testimonies therefore I co… tent me with the old hymnes. M John Mair on Matth. 26. bringeth in an old hymne to this purpose, as followeth, Rex sedet in coena turba cinctus duodena. Se tenet in manibus, Se cibat ipse cibus. And the like we have in the Romane Rituall, In supremae nocte coenae Recumbens cum fratribus, Observata lege plenè Cibis in legalibus, Cibum turbae ducdenae, Se dat suis manibus.
But it is likely, That Christ and his Apostles kneeled not. Athenaens lib. 4.say some, when Christ gave thank…s, that he and the Apostles kneeled. I answer, There is no likelihood at all. What the Naucratits did at their idol feasts on the birth day of Vesta, or Apollo Cumaeus, is …o matter. It is noted as singular in them, and not accordi…g to the custome of other Ethnicks. It was the custome of the Jewes to sit in time of blessing the bread and cup at the paschall supper. The words, which they used, were sooner uttered, then they could conveniently change sitting in kneeling and rise againe. Luk. 24. 30. Mat. 14. 13. Mark. 6. … 7. Luk. 9. Ioh. 1. & 27.We never read that the Jewes kneeled when they blessed their meat. Christ sate when he brake bread and gave thankes at Emaus. When hee sate with the multitude, which hee fed with five loaves, and two fishes he blessed the bread.
P. granteth that Christ and his Apostles used the same gesture in blessing and giving thanks that hee did in receiving. Suppose they had kneeled in time of the blessing before the breaking of the bread, it would not follow, Pag. 39.that they continued kneeling, or received the elements with that gesture. All agree, ancient and modern that they were sitting, when Christ spake to them, Haec verba (nempe bibite ex eo omnes) dicuntur solis Apostolis, De eucharist lib. 4. ca…. …5qui tum ad mensam cum Christo sedebant, saith Bellarmine, Becanus, and others, as ye may see in the testimonies cited in this and the chapter following. The Naucratits after they had supplicated upon their knees, sate downe againe upon their feasting beds, as Atheneus reporteth.
We prove also by collection from some circumstances, That Christ and his disciples sat.and the forme of the celebration, that they sat. They neither stood nor kneeled. Therefore they sate. They stood not, for the beds upon which they sate leaning on their elbowes, were so neer to the tables, that they might reach to it, so that they could not easily stand betwixt. It were ridiculous to alledge that they stood upon the beds. Iohn 14. 31And Christ when he had ended, sayeth to them, Arise, let us go hence. If they had beene standing, hee could not say to them, Arise. It may bee gathered likewise that they kneeled not. 1. If there had beene a change from sitting, which was the ordinarie gesture at the Paschall supper, into kneeling a gesture of adoration at the Evangelicall supper, some of the Evangelists would have made mention of it, for they make mention of other changes. 2. If there had beene such a change, then kneeling should have beene institute, and all have sinned that have not kneeled since the first supper, which our opposits dare not affirm. To what end should the change have been made, if not that that gesture might be observed afterward. 3. The form of celebration could not comply with the gesture of kneeling: for Christ spake in an enunciative form, and not prayerwise, and the elements were carried from hand to hand, and divided by the Apostles among themselves. The distributing of the elements by the Communicants among themselves is not compatible with kneeling, a gesture of adoration which should bee directed to God. Wee conclude then with Mouline, that the Apostles continued sitting at the table to the ve…y end of the action.On the Lords supper. 1 part pag. 136.
But say they, the site or posture of Christ and his Apostles at the first supper was lying and not sitting. Therefore their example is no warrant for sitting. That their gesture was a kinde of sitting gesture.I answere, it was not lying altogether, but partly sitting, partly leaning, and therefore saith Casaubone the Hebrew doctors call that posture sitting on beds. Hic situs neque plane jacentis est, Exercit. pag. 490.neque plane sedentis: idcirco Hebraei hoc dixerunt sedere in lectis. And to this purpose he alledgeth also Ezechiel 23. 41. where the Prophet expresseth that posture by sitting in a bed. And where the scriptures speak of upright sitting as in Genes. 43. 33. Onkelos expresseth it by a word which signifieth sitting with leaning: and Iosephus in his historie by a Greek word foreign, signifying the same, as if it were indifferent which of the expressions to use for any of the formes. Christ himself while he was at table expresseth it by another word, which expresseth upright sitting, Luke 22, 27, and alludeth unto it in the same word, verse 30. As a man may stand upright, or stand leaning, so hee may sit upright, or sit leaning. There sitting, our sitting, and the Turkes answere analogically to other. L. at Perth assemblie confessed the two gestures were analoga. D. Mortoun confesseth it was a kind of sitting gesture. The English translators expresse it by sitting, and not by lying. Neither are the words used by the Evangelists the proper words which expresse that gesture, but foreign, as Beza observeth on Matth. chap. 8. 11.
M. P. pag. 69, protesteth and witnesseth to the world, that the holdeth the gesture of sitting at the Lords table in it self lawfull and commendable. P. acknowledgeth sitting lawfull.What a madnesse is it then to drive poor souls from a sure way to a dangerous and doubtsome way: In dubiis animae insistendum est in via tutiori, In all doubts of the soul we should insist in the surest way. But we shall clear the doubts, and prove it pernicious.
CHAP. II.
That wee are bound to sitting in the act of receaving eating, and drinking.
THat the sitting of Christ and his Apostles at the first supper serveth not only for a warrant, but also for a direction to us to follow, appeareth by these reasons.
First, Christs example our direction.Examples in setting down a patern, serve ordinarly for directions in times to come, if there bee not some singular occasion to hinder him that setteth downe the patern to do otherwise. D. Mortoun in his late work of the institution of the Sacrament, pag. 47.while as hee is maintaining Communion under both kindes, layeth downe the same rule in these words, Were it not that wee had no precept of Christ to do this, but only the example of his doing it in the first institution, this should bee a rule for us to observe it punctuallie, except in some circumstances, which onlie occasionallie & accidentallie happened therein, and therefore dar not give a non-obstant against the example of Christ as your councel of Constance hath done, and which your Iesuite also teacheth, as if the example of Christ were no argument of proof at all. Ye see he acknowledgeth the force of Christs example, even where there is not a commandement in expresse words, unlesse there bee circumstances occasionallie or accidentallie hapning therein.
Moulius in his heavenlie alarum, pag. 56. saith, Christ and his Apostles sate at the table, without any kinde of adoration, and that the first institution was given for a patern, whereunto we ought to conforme. When our opposits object, that if we must imitate the patern, then we ought to celebrate in an upper chalmer, exclude women, put off and on our upper garment, wash our feet, sit leaning on beds, eat unleavened bread, with twelve in number, in the even-tide after supper. But these particulars were accidentall and occasionall, and therefore excepted in the rule, or were not in the time of the evangelicall supper. The washing of the disciples feet, the putting off and on of Christs upper garment, were ended before they sate down to the second course of the paschall supper, and consequently the second course interveened between and the evangelicall supper. The evangelicall supper being instituted after the paschall supper, to which it was to succeed, and Christs suffering so neere at hand, they might not lawfully eat leavened bread, nor at any other time eat the paschall supper, to which the evangelicall supper was to succeed, but in the evening.
The Jews were commanded to eat the lamb not in the temple, but in houses; and upper chalmers served for strangers that come to Jerusalem, as other private houses did to the inhabitants. There might not bee fewer then ten for one lamb, but their number might amount to twentie, as …eza upon Matth. 26. 20. observeth.
They might not eat the passeover but in one societie, and if two societies were in one house, they might not mixe together, as some have observed out of the Iewish Doctors. Those who eat of one lamb together, were called the sons of societie, as if wee would say Communicants at one table. There ye see, wherefore they were so few. And yet seeing there might be twentie in one societie, what warrant have we to affirme there were only twelve, to wit, the twelve apostles. The Canon of the masse sayeth, he gave to his Apostles and disciples. And by the same reason, what warrant have they to affirme that no women were present, seing the Iews among their precepts ordain that male and female celebrate the passeover rightly, Iudeorum praecept.ut mas & faeminae pascha rite faciant. It can not bee proved, saith Fulk, that no women were present. Yee may see his reason upon 1 Cor. 11. 23. Cassa…dri opera pag. 737Cassander in his tractar. de baptismo infantium, saith, that it is sufficient that they are fit for the communion, seing they appertain to the societie of the members of Christ. Satis est quod eas aplas off … communion… constet, cum & ipsae ad societatem membr…. Christi pert n…ant.
But let it be gr…ed, that none were present, but the Apostles, Answere to the Rhemists. Matth. 20. 20.the reason may bee partly the number was sufficient to make up one societie for the lamb, partly as M. Cariwright observeth, that as other things so the holy Sacrament should not come to the church but by the hands of the Apostles. Their manner and kinde of sitting with leaning on the left elbow was the forme observed among the Jewes at their common feasts, and at the paschall supper, by reason of the paschall canons, because it was the most solemne time the Jewes had. So all the particular instances above mentioned were only occasionall and accidentarie, falling out by reason of the paschall supper, which might not lawfully or conveniently bee changed, yea at whatsoever time it had beene celebrate, some circumstances might occurre, which belong not to the action, as at every action there occurre individuall circumstances, as time and place, nothing belonging to that action except it be so appointed. The Rhem…sts (sayeth M. Cartwright) assigne things done in the Lords supper some impossible to bee done by us, On. 1. Cor. 11. 23some inconvenient to bee done in our sacrament, which were necessarlie done in that action of our Saviour Christ. Their sitting might easily have beene changed in kneeling, and verie commodiously, seing they sate upon beds leaning on their elbowes, yet Christ would retaine the same gesture at the evangelicall supper which they used at the paschall.
But at the institution of the first passeover the Jews stood, Standing at the passeover changed.and yet afterward they sate, as ye see here, Christ and his Apostles sate. As they changed their standing at the first supper, which was their paterne, why may not we likewise change sitting into kneeling? I answer, when standing is changed in sitting, it is not changed into a gesture of adoration, as when sitting is changed into kneeling, which is no gesture for a feast. Next, it cannot be proved, that the people of God stood at the first passeover in the judgement of sundrie of the learned; let be at the rest following as P. acknowledgeth, pag. 57. Howbeit L. pag. 68. affirmeth that they stood. There is neither expresse mention made of their standing, howbeit every ceremonie be set downe punctuallie, nor can it be collected by necessarie consequence, Tom. 4. l. 1. c. 17.saith Barradius. But let it passe as undoubted, yet it was extraordinarie, and for that night only to signifie their hastie departure out of Egypt. Iunius & Tremel. in Mat. 26. 20. in Exod. 12. 11. Scaliger.All the Hebrew Doctours both ancient and moderne with full consent deliver, that the commandement of sprinkling the doore posts with bloud, putting on shoes, gird…ng up the loins, tak…ng staves in their hands, and eating the lambe with h…ste, was not to be extended to the following ages, but belonged only to that night that they were to depart out of Egypt. If standing had beene commanded, and that for times to come as well as for that night, the Jewes had transgressed in sitting, and Christ would not have applied himself unto their custome.
Next, Sitting suteable with the supper.it appeareth that sitting was the ordinarie gesture used at all religious feasts. The Gentiles no doubt borrowing their custome from the people of God, sate at their feasts made of the remainder of the sacrifices offered to their idols, Amos 2. 1 Corin. 8. 10. to professe their communion and society, with their idol, or fellowship with devils, as the Apostle calleth it, 1 Corin. 10. 20. The Ethnikes sate not at the altars of their Gods, but at tables in the idol chappel. Ethnicos insuis altaribus bibisse ne quidem fando auditum est, Alstedius in supplemento tom. 4. Paustrat…e cap. 10. The Lord instituting his supper to be the only religious feast to be used in the Christian Church, observed the same gesture, which was used at the paschall supper, and other religious feasts. So that the using of this gesture at the first supper, was as it were a ratification, that the common and ordinarie gesture of religious feasts should not be altered at this feast. Further, seeing this supper was in forme of a banquet, and represented another spirituall banquet, as sitting is the usuall gesture at banquets or feasts, even when men are invited by kings, in token of that familiar societie wherewith they are honoured, so it represents that which is answerable the familiarity of the soule with Christ at the spirituall banquet. Christ intended not only to represent unto us our spirituall nouritour, for then it had sufficed he had given the signes any way without a table, without dividing and distributing among themselfes, without sitting, but in celebrating after this manner, Piscator in Matth. 26. 26.in speciem convivii, as Piscator termeth it, he intended further then to represent spirituall nourishment, to wit societie and fellowship with him, and that he was to sup and feast with us, as it is said, Revel. 3. 20. Coenam Domini esse convivium v…lepulum liquet exeo quod d…scipuli de pane illo ederunt, & de po…ulo illo biberunt acc…mbentes simul ad mensam, Piscator in Matth. 26. in observat in vers. 26. & seqq. Kneeling obscureth that familiarity and rejoycing, which the Lordwould have signified and sealed at that time. The Polonian Baron Johannes Alasco, maintaineth further, That our sitting eating and drinking at the communion table is a figure and representation of our sitting at the heavenly. In Matth. 26Musculus saith, That this supper is a type of the supper to come. Aquin. par. quest. 60.Aqu…nas saith, it is not only a signe commemorative of Christs passion, which is past, and demonstrative of a present benefite, but also … futurae gloriae; A foreshewing signe of our glorie to come. Christ himselfe expresseth our peaceable fruition of the joyes of heaven by sitting with Abraham, Is…ac, and Jacob, in the kingdome of heaven, Matth. 8. 11. Alluding to feasts, where the feasters feasted at one table, sitting leaning on beds, as here at Christs supper. In another place he bringeth in Lazarus resting in Abrahams bosome; Luke 16. that is sitting at the heavenly table, and leaning upon Abrahams bosome after the same manner that Iohn lay on Christs bosome, when he sate at this table, Iohn 16 And Christ himself while hee was at table promised to his Apostles that they should eat and drink at his table in his kingdome, and sit upon twelve throns, Luke 22. 30. Hee hath slender affection to the glory of Christ, … forme & maniere du ministre ecclsiastique. fol. 84.or persuasion of his eternall felicitie, that would abolish out of the kirk that image of our eternall felicitie in the celestiall glory to co …e, which is so much recommended unto us by Christ himself our Lord, by the symbole of sitting at a banquet to the unspeakable comfort of all the faithfull, saith Alasco.
It followeth, that Christ precept Hoc facite, do this, comprehendeth sitting, Christs precept, Do this.as if Christ should have said, Celebrate this holy ordinance after the same manner as yee have now seen the patern set before your eyes, that is as a feast or banquet with the formes yee have now seene, sitting, eating, drinking, distributing▪ &c. Time and place were not comprehended, because they were more circumstances or occasionall. But gestures are meere then meere circumstances, as M. P. pag. 34. confesseth: and a a sutable gesture for a feast was chosen by Christ, whereunto he was not forced through necessitie. Iohn Alasco presseth this precept for sitting in speciall, both in the former work, and in book de …acramentis. Hoc faci…e. Ad totam illam actionem hoc referendum est, De sacramēt fol. 95.ut qued tum Christus cum discipulis fecit, itidem nos in sacris coetibus factitemas, & quemadmodum discipul… in illa ipsa vespera dispositi ab ipso Christo hoc acceperunt sacramentum, ita & nunc d…sponam is, saith Marlorat. in. 1. Cor. 11.
It appeareth thirdly by the practise of the Apostolicall kirks, The Apostles continued sitting.observing still this gesture, howbeit other circumstances of time and place and other things, which fell out occasionally at the first supper are not regarded. Their practise may be a commentarie to the precept Do this, that wee may take up what is comprehended under it. Howbeit Christ had not said Hoc facite, Do this, his example in setting down the patern, and put in practise by the Apostles afterwards, is equivalent to a precept: Christi & Apostolorum exempla sunt n…strum exempla… …exemplar Amesius in Bellarm. enervato. tom. 3. p. 177.autem rei faciendae probat rem esse praeceptam & necessariam. Christ himself after hee was sitting at table in Em…us with the two disciples, Luke 24. 30. hee took bread, blessed it, brake it, and gave to them. This place is interpreted by sundrie ancients and moderne of the breaking of the sacramentall bread, which may be granted without any vantage to the Papists for communicating in one kinde, because the example is extraordinarie: and by the Hebrew phrase of breaking of bread synecdochically may bee meant the whole supper.
M. P. thinketh likewise, pag. 86.that it is like, this breaking of bread was sacramentall: but, saith hee, the sitting was onlie occasionall. But there was no occasion to hinder him to use another gesture, when hee come to that action. Yee see then in the judgemeut of all the interpreters, who expound this place of the sacrament of the supper, that Christ celebrate this sacrament, while he and his disciples were sitting, and used no other gesture, but that which they had used at their ordinary eating before.
It is obiected, The Corinthians sa….that the Apostle in the rehearsall of the words of the institution, 1 Cor. 11. maketh no mention of sitting. I answer, that the Apostle rehearseth not all that was requisite for the celebration of the supper. His chief purpose was to correct the abuse of the Corinthians, that is, their not staying upon other; For the Lord that night he was betrayed said to all his disciples conveened together, 1 Cor. 11. 19.Take ye, eat ye, drinke ye all of this. Illa coena (Christi) omnes commun ver accumbentes habuit. That supper had all sitting in common together, saith Chrysostome, rebuking such as neglected to communicat with the poore. In illud oportct haereses esse.O…umenius hath the like. This is not to eat the Lords supper, he meaneth that supper, wh…ch Christ delivered, when all his disciples were present. For in that supper the Lord and all his servants sate together. Hierom in 1 Cor. 11. The Lords supper ought to be common to all, because he deliver…d the sacraments equally to all his disciples that were present. It was not the Corinthians fault that they sate …t table, but that neither at their common meats, nor at the Lords table would they sit together, but sorted themselfes in factions and companies, saith D. …ilson in his book of obedience. Page 654. edit. in 40.And again, Saint Paul, as Chrysistome thinketh, brought the table and supper, where the Lord himself was, and …t which his d…sc…ples sate, for an example to shew them, that that is rightly judged to be the Lords supper, [quae omn…bus simul convocatis concordi…er & commun…ter sumitur] which is received in common, Ibid.and with one consent of all assembled together. The Apostle saith not, I deliver to you here all that I receaved of the Lord, but I have received of the Lord, that which I have delivered unto you.
The Apostle presupposeth a lawfull minister, a table, and sitting at the table, and rehearseth only Christs actions, and his words uttered to communicants sitting at that table together, bidding them all eat, drink, &c. conveened together. Not yet all his actions and words, as giving of the bread, blessing of the cup, either severally or conjunctly with the bread, and the precept, to drink all of it. Decretal. l. 3. …t. 41. cap. 6.Ipsi et am Evangel stae mutuo inter se supplev…sse leguntur, quae ab e…rum aliquo vel aliquibus sunt om… ssa. The Evangel…sts themselses supply mutually, what is omitted by any of the rest, saith Innocentius 3 in the Decretals.
There was but one action, saith Casaubon, which consisted of the holy and common banquet, Exercit. 16. pag. 511.and from the nobler pa…t was called the supper of the Lord. Totam illam Corinth. orum actionem, quae sacro & communi convivio constabat, a potiori parte vocat coenam dominicam. The love-feast then and the Lords supper went together, the love-feasts in these times preceeding, Estius in 1. Cor. 11. 20.and the Lords supper immediately following. For as Estius a professour in Doway reasoneth. It is likely that in imitation of Christs example at the first supper, they celebrat after the love-feast. Next, they stayed not upon other at the commoun supper, which could not have beene, if they had communicated together before, as the Greek fathers conceave, who are of the other opinion. Thirdly, the Apostle putteth them in minde of triall before, and good behaviour. If these abuses had fallen forth after, the Apostles exhortation had not beene so pertinent. Fourthly, this opinion is confirmed by the custome, which was observed after in many Churches, even till Augustinus dayes. Will…ts in his synopsis. pag. 677. In the end of those feasts they used to r…ceave the sacrament. …or. 11.Cornelius a Lapide a Professour in Lovane affirmeth likewise, that the love-feast preceeded the holy supper. Agape haec tempore Paule fiebat ante non post sacram synaxin. Druthmarus who wrote about the yeare 800. saith, that the Apostles celebrated after meat, as Christ did: Fe…runt autem Apostoli multo tempore similiter post alium elbum dominicum fumentos. D. Bilson saith likewise, by Saint Pauls words, it should appear, the communion was distributed to them after meals, Obek. pag. 653.but (saith he) to us it is all one, whether before or after at their banquets and feasts it was ministred and even served at the…r t…bles, Pag…s Augustine noteth, epist. 118. And againe, Because these brotherly repasts did either end or begin with the Lords supper, they could not devide themselfes each from other, and disdaine the poore at the…r common meat, but they must off…r the same abuse at the Lords supper, which was m…nistred to them as they sate at the…r tabl…s immediatly before or af…er their usuall and corporall refreshings. M. P. pag. 86. and 94.M. P. a la …e champion for kneeling, thinking it likely that Christ ministred the sacrament at Emaus hath this observation. Hereupon I thinke together with the institution it selfe, after supper were grounded the love-feasts, by continued occasion whereof, the disciples might possiblie for a time use sitting in the very act of receiving. Second serm. pag. 61.D. Downame Bishop of Derrie confesseth sitting to receave the sacrament to have beene used in the Churches in the Apostles times.
I passe by the names of Table, Other circumstances not continued.and Supper, and breaking of bread, and the opposition made by the Apostle betwixt communicating at the Lords table, and sitting at the tables of Idols, which may import this gesture, because I will have occasion to treat of them in the second part. Only let it be observed that the occasionall circumstances of the first supper were not followed as the gesture was, but upon speciall occasion. By the practise of the Apostles, wee see the time was indifferent, Act. 2. and 20. Paraeus de symbolis & ritib. euchar. pag. 152.Neque Apostoli ad tempus vespertixum sese adstrinxerunt, sedipro o… asione coenam administraru…t, aliàs d…urno tempore, … lege…e est, Act. 2. 46. aliàs intempesta nocte ut, Act. 20. quo pacto satis ostenderunt tempus c…enae esse indi…e…ens. As for the denomination of supper, it doth not import, that we should celebrat ever at night. It is true, in our language this word Supper signifieth only the evening meal, but the originall word foreign, signifieth indefinitly the repast that a man take…h any time of the day. The proper Greek word for a supper is foreign or foreign. I referre the Reader for further clearing of this point to C…saubon his exercitations. Exercit. pag. 511.The like may be said of the number, the sex, the parlour, the manner of sitting, &c. They were not continued by the Apostolical Churches, as sitting was, which was also continued at some times, and in some places in the ages following.
CHAP. III.
That sitting in the act of receaving hath continued to our times.
HOwbeit the supper of the Lord soone after the Apostles dayes began to bee stained with some rust, Sitting continued in ages following.as M. Calvine observeth, yet was this gesture of sitting continued at some times, Calvin. instit. l. 4. c. 17. s. 13.namely upon the Thursday, which is now called Maundie thursday, the day of the Lords supper, because upon that day the Lords supper was f…rst celebrate, Mornaeus de missa lib. 1. c. 1. & 5.and institute. Mornaeus reporteth that in the monasteries of S. Bennet, they have no other forme of Masse for three dayes before Easter, but this following.
The Abbot sanctifieth the bread and the wine, and the Monks do communicate sitting, receaving the elements out of the Abbots hand, and this forme is by them called Mandatum, the commandement. But Bullinger more plainlie, that not only in the monasteries of the Benedictines, but also in the cathedrall kirks upon this day the tables are set in order, they sit downe, break bread, and reach the cup every one to other, every man following the footsteps of the ancient supper. Vnde nimirum ritus ille ad nos d…manavit, De origine error. pag 46quo vel hodie incathedralibus ecclestis, & in Monasteriis Benedict …orum …n die coenae Domini ante parasceuen, Coe…a Do…i… palam & splendidius celebratur. Nam Evangelium Iohannis à diacono publice praelegitun, & dulcissima c…llo …uia Christ … abiturus cum discipulis habuit, recita…ur, i…terim or … disposi is mensis convivae assident, panem azymum frangen es, & calioem invicem propinantes, & in to…um veteris coenae vestigium praeferentes. Now it was the custome of old, not onlie for the Monks, but also other Christians to communicate upon this day, except offenders, as appeareth evidently in Gratians decree. And therefore the glosse both old and new upon that place, hath these words, Decreti part. 3. de consecrat. distat. … cap. 17.Sic olim, modo non sic est, sed Monachi faciunt, that is, It was so of old, that the faithfull did communicate, but it is not so now, only the Monks doe it. Augustine epist. 18. ad Ianuarium reporteth, that in his time the custome was in many kirks to communicate after supper upon Thursday. And whereas there is sundrie Canons for communicating fasting, yet that anniversarie Thursday was excepted, as yee may see in Conc…l. Carthag. 3. can. 31. Ne Sacramenta altaris, n…si a jejunis hominibus celebrentur, excepto uno die ann…versario, quo coena Domini celebratur.
What the Monks of S. Bennets order retained, wee may verie well judge it to have beene the auncient forme of celebration upon that day. For no doubt in that other Christians celebrated after meat which they needed not, they neglected not sitting and distributing. The two thousand souldiers, who were reconciled to the Emperour Mauritius, about the year 590. by the travell of Gregorius Bishop of Antioch, receaved the Sacrament sitting upon the ground, Euagrius l. 6. cap. 13.as Euagrius reporteth. Doctor Lindsay alledgeth the like done to the Scottish armie at Bannockburn, in the dayes of King Robert Bruce.L. his defence, pag. 53. 54.
But beside this day, which was called Coena Domini, that all the faithfull did communicate, wee finde that at other times also the people communicated in sundrie places immediatly after meat, as Socrates reporteth of the Aegypt…ans, Hist. l. 5. c. 23who dwelt neere to Al…xandr…a, and the inhabitants of Thebais, Nam ubiepulati sunt, & var…is cibariis se satur…runt sub vesperam oblatione fact a mysteriis communicant, Ni…ephorus reporteth the same. Nicephor. l. 12. c. 34.Balsamo upon the 90 … of Concilium Trullanum saith, the devoter sort upon Saturday at midnight fate in the kirk and communicate. Alexander de Holes in the second part of his tractat. concerning the Masse, sayeth, The Pope communicateth sitting in remembrance, that the Apostles at the last supper communicated sitting. Si quaeratur quare Dominus Papa sed endo communicat, Potest dici quod hoc fit in recordation…m, quod …eatus Petrus, & alii Apostoli, sedendo corpus Domini in coena ultima acceperunt.
The Waldens…s, who are justly called the pure seed of the auncient kirk, and have continued since the dayes of Pope Silvester, some think from the dayes of the Apostles, saith Rainerius the Inquisitor, and their enemie, celebrated the Communion sitting. Concern…ng the supper of the Lord their faith was, that it was orda…n…d to be eaten, and not to bee shewed or worshipped, for a memoriall, not for a sacrifice: First volum pag. 209. edit. 1610.to serve for the present ministration, and not for reservation, to be received at table, and not to be carried out of doores, according to the use of the primitive Church, when they used to communicat sitting, and this they prove by an old Chronicle called Chronica gestorum, saith Master Fox in his acts and monuments. His warrant I finde in their apologie against one Doctour Augustine, which is extant in Lydii Waldensia, Existo manifestum est, quod primitiva ecclesia hane fidem habuit, & illam, confessa est, & non fecit reverentiam hu…c sacramento, quia illo tempore exemplo Christi sedentes statim acceperunt & nihil retinuerunt, nec extra domum extulerunt, & haec institutio di…stetit, sicut Chronica gestorum estendunt. The like they have in the confession of their faith sent to Vladiflaus king of Hungarie. Namque discipulis Christus discumbentibus dedie utendum.
Luther expounding the epistle upon Saint Stephens day, saith, Christ so instituted the sacrament, that in it wee should sit at the sacrament. But all things are changed, and the idle ordinances of men, are come in place of divine ordinances. Zwinglius setting downe the forme of c…lebration used at Berne, Zwingl. expositio fidei Christianae edita Bu… ling. anno 1536.Zurick, Basile, and other neighbour townes, saith, Sedentes & tacite auscultantes 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. Alas…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 Hel…etia sate, as we may see in Confensus Poloniae.Standing not so convenient as sitting.
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 f…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 …oresaid distribution, Of which more afterward.