A Reexamination of the Five Articles Enacted at Perth in 1618, Section 1 · Part 4 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
It maketh us conforme to the Papists in a rite devised, by man horribly abused, and not necessarie.
WE ought not to keepe conformitie in the worship of God with idolaters, Conformitie with idolaters forbidden.papists in speciall, in any rite or ordinance devised by man, specially the man of sinne, if after it hath beene abused, or be still abused to idolatry or superstition, if the same be not necessarie, though the originall were lawfull, farre more, if the first use or institution of it was unlawfull.
The Lord forbad his people to round the corners of their heads, or marte the corners of their beard, Levit. 19. 26. and 49. 32. The Egyptians and other Gentiles, saith Becanus, Becan. analogia vet. & novi testamenti.thought the Gods delighted in the round figure, therefore they rounded their heads, and builded round temples to them, least the Jewes should seeme to be like the Gentiles, they were forbidden to imitate them in this. The Lord would have his people to bee dignosced by other people, by their very habi…s. Therefore they were frobidden to wear linsey-woolsey, because the Gentiles used such in the worship of their gods, Aqui…, 1. 2. quaest. 10…, …rt. 6. ad 6.saith Aquinas. They were forbidden to sow their field with mingled seed. The priests were forbidden to make their heads bald, or shave off the corner of their beard for the dead, Levit. 21. 5. 5. These fashions were observed by Egyptians, Arabians, Syrians, Canaanits, and others, saith Iunius upon that place, The priests shall neither shave their head, nor suffer their locks to grow long, Bellarm. de monach. cap. 40.they shall only powle their head, Ezech. 44. 20. Bellarmine saith, This shaving was not forbidden, because it was evil in it selfe, but least they should seeme to be like to the priests of the Gentiles, beside whom they dwelt, who sacrificed to their idols with their whole head shaven. Iunius saith, Howbeit the matter was free, the equitie or reason remaineth. Ne vel sign…, vel specie quidem communicare nos cum superstitione piet iti adversa opertere. That is, We must not by any signe or shew communi…te with superstition, which is contrarie to pietie. They might not plant any groves of trees near the altar of the Lord, Deut. 16. 22. the Gentiles did so, Exod. 34. 13. Say not how did these nation… se, ve their gods. so will I do likewise, thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God, Deut. 12. 30. After their doing ye shall n…t do, nor after their ordinances, Levit. 18. 3. the words are generall, howbeit in that chapter be brought in some instances of their wicked and impious deeds: for he opposeth to that generall, the judgements and ordinances of the Lord in generall on the other side. And some instances, we have already brought of facts in themselfes not abominal le. Although rounding or cutting the haire was in it selfe indifferent, yet God would not have it indifferent to his people, but will have them to be altogether unlike to the aliens and uncircumcised, specially in those rites, wherein religion was shewed, Lyra on Lev. 18. …. Intendit excludere e filiis Israelitum omnem Gentilem ritum: Calvin on …He intended to exclude from the children of Isra…l every rite of the Gentiles. The Gentiles worshipped their Gods in and by images, God would not be so worshipped, but expresly forbad it in the second commandment. And therefore saith Zanchius, That the summe of the second precept, Zanch. de redempt, l…. r. c. 14. circa initium.is, that we must not devise of our owne heads any thing in ceremonies, or the worship of God, nor borrow from the rites of idolatrous nations, but to be content with these rites and ceremonies, which God hath prescrived.
Tertullian saith, That Christians might not wash their hands (meaning for a ceremonie) or lay aside their cloaks before prayer, Tertul. de oratio. c. 12.Sic enim adeunt ad idola nationes: because the Gentiles go after that manner to their idols. And such like, that they might not sit upon beds after prayer, meaning for a ceremonie, Por…ò cum perinde faciunt nation…s adoratis sigillaribus suis residendo, vel prepterea in nobis reprehendi meretur, quod apud idola c…e bretur: because the Gentiles do sit, after they h…ve …dored their small imag…s, it deserveth to be reproved in us, which is obs…ved beside ido…s. When he hath rebuked Christians for observing some of the Ethnicks dayes, De idol. cap. 14.he cryeth out, That the nations have a greater regard to their owne sect, who will claime to no solemnitie of the Christians, not the Lords day, nor pentecost, and if they know them, they will not communicate with them, in that observation, timerent enim ne Christiani viderentur, De corona militis.for, they wou…d be asray…d last they should seeme to be Christian. He standeth m…ch upon this, that a Christian man ought not to goe wich a lawrell garl…nd upon his head, because the Heathen used so to go. August. confess. l. 6. c. 2.August ne saith, his mother Menica le…t bringing of wine and cakes to the church, for that shee was war…ed, it was a resemblance of the superstition of the Heathen, Quòd superstitioni Gen ilium essent simillima. In the second councell of Bracara it was decreed, Brac. 2. can. 73.that Christians deck not their houses with laurell and greene boughes upon the first day of the monethmonth, quia tota haec observatio paganismi est, because all this custome is heathnish. The ancients having the like reason, carried themselfes after the same manner toward Jewes and Hereticks. Th…y would not keepe Easter on that day that the Jewes did. If they had carried themselfes so constantly, both toward Jewes and Gentiles, so much superstition had not entred into the Church, as wee heare of this day. Because the Manichees fasted on the Lords day, August epist. 86.they forbore fasting on that day, saith Augustine. The fourth councell of Tolledo decreed, Tolled. 4. can. 5.That once dipping in baptisme only be used, not three, n… videantur apud nos qui tertio m…rgunt haereticorum approbare assertionem, dum sequuntur & morem; least these who dippe thrice, seeme to approve the assertion of heretick, while they follow their custome. Brac. 1. can. 32.The first councell of Bracara forbad clergie men …bstinence from eating of flesh, to cut off all suspition of the Priscill…an heresie. To come to our owne times. S…are… in 3. part. tom. 3. dis…. sect. 2.Even Suarez the Jesuit saith, The Church shunneth all fellowship or appearant conformitie with Iewes or other infidels in ce…emonies and observances, as may be gathered out of Augustine epist. 119. and Epiphanius 3. booke against heresies about the end.
I said, That conformity is to be avoided not only in things impious, but even in things indifferent, when they are abused to idolatrie or superstition, except they have some necessarie uses, howbeit their first use or institution hath beene lawfull. Last ed…t. pag. 40….Zanchius hath this ground, writing upon the second precept. Rive…tus pag. 205.Rivetus likewise writing upon the fourth precept of the d…logue, It is a rule, that things indifferent, not being necessarie, if they be polluted with idolatrie, are to be abolished. Adiaphora non necessaria, horrenda idolomania polluta esse adolenda. Nay the light of nature hath taught even a Pope to acknowledge this much, howbeit it hath not beene put in practise, as oft, as occasion required. Distinct. 63. cap. Quia sancta.Si non nulli ex praedecessoribus nostris fecerunt aliqua, quae illo tempere potuerunt esse sine culp…, & postea vert…ntur in enrorem & superstiti…nem, sine tanditate aliqua, & magna cum authoritate destruantur, saith Pope Stephen. That is, If some of our ancestours have done some things, which in the meane time might be without blame, and after are turned to e…rour or superstition, let them be abolished without delay, for th…y have a good warrant, to wit, the exemple of Ez…kias, who brake the bra…en serpent in pieces. This is registred in Gratians detree. And the glosse upon this place saith, Successories debere mutare facta & instituta … …essorum etiam bona, si vid rint ea ess pern ci…sa exempl…, Successours should change the deeds and ordinaries of the …ancestours, howbeit good, if they see, they become pernitious by ill exemple. I added that clause, unlesse they be of necess…rie use, to answer to such, as object the abuse of Gods creatures, and things profitable for the use of man. For the sunne, moone, starres, and other creatures, have been abused and adored, but they are Gods creatures, and of necessarie use. Gold, silver, temples, are profitable helps unto the necessities of mans life, as Tertullian speaketh, Certa subsidia necessi…atibus vite humanae procur…nt. The gold, brasse, and iron of Jericho taken into the Lords treasurie, were the civill goods of idolaters, and had no state in their idolatrous worship, as kneeling hath.
Wee should shun conformitie with Papists in special, because the Pope their head is the great Antichrist, and wee are more troubled with rites abused, and polluted by him, then by any other, wee dwell neerer to papists then to any other idolaters, and they dwell or converse amongst us. Bellarm. d… Monach. cap. 40.For this c…use perhaps, saith B…llarmine, priests were not shaven in Hierome and Ambrose time: for yet in their time the priests of Isis, were shaven. Is it not very frivolous which our Doctor answereth, pag. 116.that by this reason, wee should not pray kneeling, nor rest upon the Lords day, because the papists pray kneeling to Saints, and rest on the Lords day, seeing the one is allowed by God to himself, and the other commanded. Suchlike the burning of incense, howbeit abused to the worship of the brasen serpent, our question is of humane inventions. If ye would know, what rite or ceremonie, to call popish, Cap. de tradition.Musculus will tell you, I call these rites pepish (saith hee) which either of the…r owne nat…re, or by abuse do s…rv… unto popish impuritie, superstition and blindnesse, allwhich, I am persw…ded, are to bee detested, as much as is possible. … saith, Censura. c. 4.That S…tan wrought powerfully and cunningly these many ages by his Roman Antichrist, to obtrude the bread upon us to be ador…d for Christ, therefore wee should put to flight whats…ever may seeme to nourish this bread worship in the mindes of the simple. Censura. c. 9.And in the ninth chapter, That; if wee love God and our Saviour Christ, none of these things, words, or gestures, will finde or keepe place among us, which have appearance of affinitie with the impieties, and abomin…tio…s brought in by Antichist upon the holy mysteries, or which may be taken hold of, to make up any commendation of them, howbeit unjustly and without cause offered. Nihilque loci vel invonient vel retinebunt apud nos, e…e…res omnes, verba, & g…stus, in quibus appareat esse aliquid tantis impietatibus affine, aut ad ullam rapiatur, quanquam improbe & absque data causa harum su…rum impi tatum commendationem.
The equitie of this rule or direction, The equitie of none conformity with idolaters.that wee should not conforme with idolaters in such rites and ordinances, as are above described, appeareth evidently, first, in that we show not, as we ought, our hatred and detestation of idolatrie, when we retaine any monument or memoriall of it. God will not have us to utter with our lips the very name of the idol, with respect or any honour. The brazen serpent, after the miraculous use of it, for which it was set up, ceased, was keeped 700 years for a memoriall of that miracle, and as a monument of Gods merciemercy, and benefite receaved at that time. Yet, when it began to be abused, and polluted with idolatrie, Ezekias brake it in pieces. Farre more ought the monuments and memorials of idols, or idolatrie. We honour the idol and idolatrous worship, when we retaine any monument or memoriall of idolatrie. Next, in so doing, wee keep a stumbling block in the Church, and both harden the idolater in his idolatrie, and lay a stumbling block and snare before our selfe and our brethren, by retaining of such allurements and provocations, to commit the same kinde of spirituall fornication and adulterie, and so to fall in an hainous and most derestable sinne. Woe be to him that giveth offence, it were better, that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the deep of the sea.
That kneeling in the act of receaving the sacrament, hath beene abused to idolatire, Kneeling a monument of idolatrie.can not be denyed. Nay, it is confessed, that kneeling in that act hath been abused to the vilest idolatrie, that ever was, to the worshipping of a piece bread, which the worshipper esteemed to be his god. To retaine it therefore, is to retaine a memoriall or monument of that vile idolatrie, because we use that same gesture, in that same very act, and without necessity. For our opposits affirme, That all the maine gestures are indifferent. pag. 370.Master P. hath a poore shift, when he saith, No ordinance of God can bee a monument of idolatry, gesturs are Gods ordinances, and his outward worship consists in them. Such like, that no creature of God can be a monument of idolatrie, but all gesturs are Gods creatures or abilities, whereunto man is disposed by creation. pag. 118.And our Doctour saith, That kneeling is not an humane invention, but a religious ceremonie appointed by God. But they should first have made good, that kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elemen…s w…s Gods ordinance, and then indeed the ret…ining of it had not beene a retaining of a monument of idolatrie. It is grosse, that he calleth gesturs abilities. The power or ability is naturall to man, but the gesture it selfe is volnntarie, free, and accidentall. A man hath abilitie to stand upon one of his legs, or with his back to the elements, is such a posture of the parts of a mans body, therefore lawfull in the act of receaving. Seeing neither by Gods ordinance, nor any naturall necessity wee are bound to kneel in that act, the retaining of kneeling so horribly abused in that act, is the retaining of a vile monument of idolatrie.
How dangerous it is, Kneeling scandalous to papists.consider it first in the papist. The papist is confirmed in his vile idolatry by our conformitie with him in that gesture. Do they not vaunt, that we are comming home to them, and hope for the full restoring of poperie againe, because we kneel at the receaving of the eucharist as they do. It is confessed also by conformitants. The ministers of Edinburgh, after they had vexed the people ten yeares with their kneeling, and seeming to bee wearied by contending with them, sent up a supplication to the king for dispensation with kneeling. In the instructions given to the bearer M. William Lev Lev…ngstoun, subserived also by them, they have these words, The Papists se…g us in that gesture, having some externall symbolizing with them, are thereby confirmed in their errours, as though that our practise were an approaching to them, and an increase to their idolatrie and bread worship. These instructions were subscrived by all the ministers of Edinburgh in April anno 1628. M. Struther, Sydserf, Maxwell, and the rest.
It is a scandall given to the godly, Scandalous to the godly.because it is not a necessar duetie, and is a provocation and Intisement to idolatrie. Wee are forbidden all provocations and entisements to idolatrie, as in all other precepts, wee are forbidden, as well the provocations and entisements to evill, as the evill it self. In 2. praecept. pag. 387.If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, that is, whatsoever is an impediment unto us to hinder us to do good, and to worship God, though it were never so deare to us, is to bee removed out of the way, much more if it bee a cause or occasion to do evill, saith Zanchias. Last edit. de redempt. pag. 541.Whatsoever bee the intention of the doer, intent … …ntis, ye…, if the qualitie of the work it selfe conditio operis bee induct…ve to scandall, it ought to bee eshewed. They ask, what apinesse there is in the gesture to intice us to idolatrie, We answere, it is the same in forme and fashion that idolaters use in that same very act, and it is done for reverence as they also do. We are more proue by nature to idolatrie, then any other sinne. Therefor… greater diligence is to bee used in avoiding the o…casions of this sin, then of any other, saith Zanchius. What needeth further proofe, if it bee true, which they seeme to grant themselfes, that adoration in the act of receaving the bread hath opened an occasion to breed worship or artolatrie. Beza in his 8. epist. faith, The event and lamentable face of the Church, doth more then sufficiently teach us, how hurtfull tis, and commendeth those Churches which abolished it with no lesse care then other manifest made idolatrie, apert as idolomanias. Peter Martyr being a stranger, when he was a professour in Oxford, was loath to contradict the order, which was retained for the appeasing the papists, who were a strong party at that time, excuseth the matter the best he could, but with all, privie to the insuffiencie of his excusus, he wisheth it were removed. And writing against Gardin…r, Col. 160.he wisheth, that it were not, howbeit the kneelers direct their worship not to the symbols themselfes, but to Christ reigning in the heavens. But after the revolt of England in Qu…ene Maries dayes, when he was in Zurich, writing to the Polonian ministers, he saith, Let the evil seed, and rotten rootes be plucked up at the first beginning, for if they be neglected at the first (I know what I speak) it is more difficill to take them away afterward: And this is wisely to be looked to, as in the sacraments, so specially in the e…charist, that it be most sincerely done. For there are there, beleeve me, pestilent seeds of idolatrie, which unlesse they be taken away, the Church of Christ will never be beautified with pure and sincere worship. Let not the sacraments be contemned, as empty and vo…d signes; And on the other side, let them not give greater honour to them, then their institution will suffer. Averruncentur sub ipsis initiis mala semina, & putres radices. Nam si principio negligantur, (scio to quod loquor) pestea difficiliùs tolluntur. Idque providendum est, ut in sacramentis, & prae…ipue in encharistiae quam sincerissimè fiat, ibi sunt, mibi crede, idololatriae pestifera semina, que porr…, …isis…i… lara suerint, ecclesia Christi puro sinceroque cul… nunquam erit o…nata. Non centemnantur sacramenta, ut in…nla & … signa. Rursmque non illis plus tribuant homines, quam … institutio ferat. This was his advice, after experience he had in England, and in the same epistle he …, That…ite in the ministration of the sacraments … be … which is most of all, and furthest rem…ue … from papisticall toyes and ceremonies, and commeth … to that puritie, which Christ and his Apostles used. … in his S. sennon upon Ienah saith, The outward gesthred and behaviour of the receaver should want all kinde … shew orinelination to idolatrie. Wherefore seeing kneeling is a shew and externall kinde of honouring and worshipping, and heretofore grieveus and damnable idolatrie heth beene committed by … the sacram…nt, I could wish it were commanded by the magistrat, that the communicants might receave it sitting or standing. Reply 2 part pag. 164.Master Cartamight reporteth, that in divers places the people have knocked on their breasts, and holden up their hands, whilst the minister was in giving the bread, and not only those who receaved it, but also those who looked on, and were in the Church. In a national synod of the Belgick and French Churches in the Low-countries holden in Junie 1578. they concluded against geniculation. Genuflexionem non admittimus ob periculum adorations … admit not kneeling for perill of the adoration of bread worship. And in a nationall synod holden at Midleburgh, it was likewise concluded, Genuflexio omnino omittetur propter periculum superstitiosae adoratienis; Kneeling shall altogether be omitted, because of the danger of superstitious adoration. Homij specimen controy Belg. in fine.Festus Homi…s out of these consti…utions, …th set downe their minde in the harmonie of their synods, to the same effect, That the communionibe not celebrated kneeling for the danger of bread worship. pag. 123.Our Doctour answereth, That they knew best, what served to the edification of their owne Church, as if the Hollanders were more prone to bread worship, then Scots on English. P. acknowledgeth, pag. 70.that they which kneel may receave too reverently. Cyprian answering to some maids, who walked with young men, talked with them, went to bed with them, and said, they abstained notwithstanding from the act, Cyprian. lib. 1 epist. 11.saith, Non est locus d…ndus Diabolo… mo diu tutus periculo proxim…s; We should not give place to the devill: No man that is near danger can be long in suretie.
They alledge a Polonian synod allowing kneeling or standing, The Polonian synods mistaking.but not sitting. But they must know first, that they were farre mistaken. For they thought in synodo Graconiensi anno 1573. and Vledislanitensi anno 1523. that none but the Arrians or Arrianabaptists among themselfes did sit. It is strange, that they should thereupon exhort to the forbearance of sitting, seeing the Arrians did not sit upon conceat of par…ie, or equality with Christ. It is grosse mistaking, saith P. that fellowship and societie necessarily imports equalitie, pag. 200.who knowes not, that a king and a meane man may be fellow-like and sociable, and yet remainefarre unequals. Next, it is as strange, that they should be ignorant, that the gesture of sitting was in use even then, to wit 1573. 1578. 1583. in sundry Churches in Europe, as in the Low-countries, Helvetia, Scotland. Yea, as a worthy Polonian, as that Church hath bred in his time, that Polonian Baron Iohannes Alasco, wrote before the holding of that synod more amply, and more earnestly for sitting; then any man else; and put it in practise in the Churches where he had credite and authoritie. We are not therefore conforme to Arrians in the gesture of sitting, for it is not their invention, nor is it approved only by them; It was in use before ever the name of Arrius was heard. Yet, howbeit their synods were mixed, and consisted partly of Lutherans, partly of such as adheared to the Boh…mian, partly of such as adheared to the Helvetian confession, they would urge no man, fearing that urging would draw on censures, which they thought neither commendable nor expedient. For they confesse, That it is neither the will of God, nor the custome of the pur…r Church, to smite m…n with ecclesiasticall discipline for externall rites. Propter externos ritus homines pios ferire, neque est Dom…ni v…tun…as, neque purioris ecclesiaemos. As ye may see in Synodus Petriconi insis, which was holden anno 1578.
Their next shift is, The pretended remedie of preaching naught.that …he people may be taught and informed to direct …he…r adoration internall and externall to God, and so all erroneous opinion may be removed. But we have told them, that it is better to fill up the pit in the way, then to set one beside to warne the passingers, that they fall not in. Watchmen are sometime negligent, sometime blinde and ignorant, or corrupt and perverse: meat doth not nourish so fast, as poison doth corrupt. Time should be better spent, then in leading poore souls through dangerous wayes, which may be forsaken. Their strength should not be tried by bringing them to the brinke of danger. Suppose information by doctrine were used at all times, and every where all are not alike capable, example and appearance of evil would worke more powerfully, then the doctrine. Epist. 121.Of the insufficiencie of this remedy, see Calvin in his epistle to the protectour of England.
The third shift is, Commandement of the magistrate no just e…cuse. In 3 praecept. col. 634.that the command of the supreme magistrat in things indifferent taketh away the scandall. There are two sorts of indifferent things, saith Z…n…hius, some that are manifest occasions of sinning, others are not of that kinde. Res adiaphorae duplices sunt. Quaelam su…t alicui aport…e occasiones peccatorum, ita ut exillis verè immineat p…ricul…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 Cour…-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, 1 King 20, 39.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 civili…, 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, Kneeling established by the Antichrist, and not by the ancient Church.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 poin… at the time when it first began: for there are many corruptions in the Romane Church, which can not bee ded…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, …itat the Centurie…, …nd say, Lord, I am not worthie, &c. but that works is acknowledged by the papists themselfs to be counterfite. See Riveti specimen critici sacri. lib. 2. cap. 13. Bellarm. de script. pag. 84.Suchlike counterfi…e Cyrillus of Jerusalem in his fifth catechisme saith, Then come to the cuppe of the blood, not stretching out thy hand, sed pr…nus & in modum adorationis & venerationis, dicens Anten… But stow…ing downward, or with the face bended downward in manner of adoration or veneration, saying, Amen. He sayeth not, Cade pronu…, fall down on thy fa…e, sed accede pronus, but come inclyning or bowing thy he…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, part. 2. pag. 65.the bishop of Spalato, and Plessie, who in his answere to the bishop of Evereux saith, Spalat. de rep. eccles. l. 5. c. 6. num. 69.These catec…ismes of Cyrillus are supposititious, and come not to light, but in our time. M. Down in his treatise of transubstantiation. pag. 3…. 38. saith, Ad E…roicensem epist. pag. 241.That these catecbeticall booke are but of a verie late edition, that Harding acknowledgeth, that in his time they were known to ve…ie few, and in …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 Theodor…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 the Lords supper, 2. part. page 24. translateth Theodoret foreign, reverenced, and disputeth against adored, as not agreeable to his meaning. And so Bilson expoundeth Theodoret, and to this purpose alledgeth the glosse of the Canon law. In hoc sensu possumus q…am libet rem sacr…m adorare, id est, reveren…iam exhibere. Ana. stasius saith, De consecratio. dist. 3. cap. venera …ilis. De consecratio. dist. 1. cap. Apostolica. Tertull. advers. Hermoginem.Dominica verba attentè audiant, & si leliter adorent 1. venerantur, saith the glosse. Adore plenitudinem scripturae. I adore the fulnesse of the scripture, saith Tertullian. Doctour Burges is forced to constru… the word adored, in this sense, when he would give a right sense to some words of Iewell. The sacraments in that sort, in respect of that, which they signifie, and not in respect of that which they are of themselfes, are the flesh of Christ, and are so understood and beleeved and adored, but the whole honour resteth not in them, but is passed over from them to the things, which be signified, D. B. of kneeling. pag. 85.saith Iewel. His meaning is (saith the Doctour) that no more is or may be done respectively to the sacrament, then that which wee call veneration, that, which in strict sense, we call adoration or divine worship is reserved to God. Chrysostome meaneth spirituall reverence, in 1 Corin. 11. and therefore he useth emphaticall speeches of ascending up to the gates of heaven, Fulk in 1 Cor. 11. sect. 18.even the heaven of heavens, like eagles, saith Doctour Fulk. … followeth not that they kneeled in Augustines time, because the Ethnicks objected, that Christians honoured Bacchus and Ceres. The reverene carriage of Christians at the participation of the sacrament all bread and wine, was sufficient to be an occasion of the mistaking. Averroes the Arabian Spaniard, about 400 yeares since, objected, That Christians adored that which they did eat. It may be, that in his time they kneeled, and gave just occasion to Averroes reproach. But his time is not within our date. In a word, looke how old they can prove kneeling, we shall prove reall presence.
Doctour Purges hath found out a place which was never found out before, Tertullians testimonie vindicated.wher… hee confidently concludeth, that the communicants k…eeled in Tertull…ans time, for (faith he) the people shunned to take the sacrament, when they might not kneel in the act of receaving or partaking of it, and therefore forbore to come to the communion table on the station dayes, because it behoved them the stand on these dayes. Tertullian, saith he, inviteth them to come, and take the bread standing at the table publikely, and to reserve and carry it away with them and receave it at home, as they desired, kneeling, and so both duties should be performed, the receaving of the eucharist, and the tradition of standing on these dayes observed. Lib. de oratione. c. 14.Tertullians words are, Similiter de stationum diebus, non putant plerique sacrificiorum orationibus interveniendum, qu…d statio solvenda sit accepto corpore Domini. Which last words he translateth, because station or standing is then to be performed in receaving the body of the Lord: whereas he should …ranst…te, because the fast is then to be brocken after the receaving of the bodie of the Lord. For the word statio in Tertullians language is taken for fasting, both in this place, and in his booke De corona militis, cap. 11. and in his booke De jejuniis, cap. 2. 10. 14. as Pamelius hath well observed upon that place, and after him Baronius in his annales. In his booke De jejuniis he bringeth in for illustration Moses persevering in prayer, till the going downe of the sunne, when the people was fighting against the Amalekits, Nonne statio fuit sera, saith he. Did Ioshua dyne that day, saith he, that he fought against the Ammorits, that commanded the sunne to stand in Gibeon, and the moone in Askalon? That God gave such authority to Sauls commandement concerning fasting till even, that I…nathan for tasting a little hony was scarce delivered at the instant request of the people, Tantam authoritatem dedit edicto stationis Saulis, ut Ionathan filius, &c. H. bringeth in such exemples for the custome their owne sect of the Mountanists had brought in, which was to keep these fasts till evening, whereas the custome of the Church was to keepe them only to the ninth, that is, our third houre afternoone. In the 2. and 14. chapter he maketh mention of weddensday and f…yday: appointed for these fasts, Cur quartam & sextam sabbathi st…tionibus dicamus? speaking of the custome of the Church at that time. The meaning of Tertullian, in the place above cited, is, They were in an errour, who thought that if they had receaved the sacrament, their fast should be broken, which should have continued to the set houre. For (saith he) d…th the encharist lose that service which wee have devoted unto God, or rather doth it binde us more to God. Nonne solennior erit statio tua, si & ad aram Dei steteris; Shall not thy fast bee the more solemne, if thou stand also at the altar of God; th… is, the communion table. Accepto corpore Domini & reservata (as Iunius reade…) id est stationis officio, (not reservato) that it may answer to the other member, both are safe, & participatis sacrificti & exc…utio off…cii, both the participation of the sacrifice …nd performance of thy service, id est, jejunii, (saith … his answer to the theologues of Burde…ux. pag. 54.… his answer to the bishop of Ever…ux, pag. 225.he saith, That Tertullian would remove that scruple, that after they had communicated, their fast was broken, they thought, a… si particip…tio euch aristiae jejunium abrumpere… … if the participation of the eucharist had broken up their fast: Ambrose giveth the reason, wherfore these set fasts were called Stationes, quod stantos & commarantes in eis inimicos insidiantes repellimus; because standing and sta…ing in them wee rep…ll our enemies lying in wait for us, meaning spirituall enemies. The metaphore is borrowed from souldiers, who behoved to fast so long as they were in statio…; Metaphora à militi…m sumpta quod quamdiu in statione erant, jejunare … oportebat. See Pamelius upon both the places. Doctour Burges finding, that Tertullian lib. 2. ad uxorem, maketh mention of jejunia, fasts, after hee had made mention of stationes, concludeth in his owne fancie, that stationes were not fasts, whereas he might have seene stationes distinguished, à jejuniis in the former place also, but by the one he meaneth of such as fasted at any time of their owe free accord; by the other the set dayes of fasting. Iejunium est indifferenter cujuslibet Di…i abstinentia, non perleg…m sed secundum propriam voluntatem, statio statutorum dierum vel temporum. And this difference Pamelius acknowledgeth, he hath out of Rabanus Ma… rus. The very phrase it selfe solvere stationem, might have guided him aright: For what more frequent a phrase for breaking of a fast, then solvere jejuniums. We denie not that they stood both these dayes, and other 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, Sitting or standing practised in the ancient Church. See Euseb. histor. lib. 7. cap. 9.but too confident antiquarie, his collection may be refuted by other testimonies, witnessing, that s…metimes they sa…e, of which we have alledged some before, or at other tim…s stood. Pionysius Alexandrinus writing to Xystus bishop of Rome, concerning one that was in sorrow, because hee was baptised by hereticks, saith, he du…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? Homil. in oncoeniis.In the homily which goeth under the name of Chrysostome, Stemus trementes timidi & demissis ocutis; Let us stand trembling with fear a…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, Bellarminus de cultu sanctor. cap. 11.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. s…ith, That no wayes might they kneel betwixt the evening service on satterday and the Lords day at evening. Tertull. de Corona militis.Die dominico de geniculis ad orarenesa…, 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 Alexand…r the third, they might not kneel upon the Lords day in publike, Decretal. l. 3. tit. de celebrat. Missa. cap. sarct.but only at the consecration of Bishops, and giving of orders▪ he that did consecrate, and he that w…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 communican…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, Quaest. 1…5.saith, Genu…m inclinatio in precatione magis peccatores Deo commendat, qu…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 Arm…n…ans, Muscovits, and in the kingdome of preste Iohn maketh no mention of kneeling, but of standing. Il…ssie in his 4. bo…ke of the Masse, trusseth up all in few words. Quarè orientales ecclesiae adorationem sacramenti admiserunt nusqu…m, non quae patriarchae Consta tinopolitano obsequuntur, n…n quae Antiocheno. Et in Abyssnis etiam ipsis hodie st…ntes sacramenta participant, nec …minus reverenter; The orientall Churches no where admitted edoration of the sacrament; not those which are obedient to the patri…rch of Constantinople, or yet the patriar…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, Synops. cuest. 8. of the masse, pag. 691.The Muscovite Graecians, … L…tine Priest chance to say Masse upon one of their altars, they forthwith breake them downe, as defiled and polluted. And they …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 …bout the yeare 1220. And he decreed nothing, … …owing, not of the knee, but of the head or superiour bulk of the body, at the elevation in …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, Bochel. decret. lib. 3. c. 140.anno 1583. Quoriam apud omnes sere catholicos usus modo obtinuit, ut procumbentes adorent divin… eucharistiam; Because the use … prevailed almost among all catholicks, that falling … they a…ore the divine eucharist, the holy synod exhorteth, that if there be any Church, useth another custome, a…d … the body of Christ in this sacrifice standing, that they f…ll downe her…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 i… hoc sacrificio adore…, 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 i… 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 wit… the bounds of his jurisdiction, where he is Pat…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 ri…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, Opposite to kneeling.yet there wanted nor faithfull witnesses to stand out against it. Of the Walden… yee heard before. Iohannes Slechta a Bohemian, writing to Eras… in the veare 1519, Erasm. epist. lib. 14.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 idolola…riam cadere omnes quot quot coram illo genua flectunt, & incu…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, Kneeling to be rejected, because abused.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 rem…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 speci…m mali, tamen toterit esse aliquando scandalum infi…niorum, quia secund…m illorum opinione… habet speciem mals. Domine. …s Bannes in 2. 2. … 43. in art. …. 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.