A Reexamination of the Five Articles Enacted at Perth in 1618, Section 1 · Admonition
An advertisement to the Communicants.
WE are all bound to maintaine the puritie and integritie of Gods ordinances, which wee had in possession since the reformation. And therefore cannot communicate, where the gesture is changed, and distributing of the elements by the communicants is wanting. No man will be so carelesse of his legge or arme, as to suffer them to be cut off, but will venture himselfe for their preservation, or preservation of the least joynt of his fingers, howbeit they bee not such noble parts of the body, as the head and the heart, without which the body can not subsist. Farre lesse ought we to tollerate such a horrible stumbling block, as kneeling in the act of receaving the sacramentall elements, eating, and drinking. Whosoever countenanceth such communions, is accessorie to that deformation and mutilation. For if none would communicate with the ring-leaders and introducers, they would be forced to desist, had desisted long ago for shame, and had returned to our former practice. The kneeler is the thiefe, but the communicant is the recetter.
Some thinke, they may, if they have liberty to sit themselves, and to reach to the nearest. But they should not looke to their owne personall priviledge, but to the liberty of the whole Church and congregation, where they are members. If some citisens would give way to the enemie, upon condition they enjoyed their owne liberty, would they not bee counted traitours and betrayers of the city. Next, that liberty shall be permitted only for a time, till others be drawn in after them, and then they shall be deprived of that libertie.
But ye will say, shall I separate from a Church. I answer, when a congregation is devided, that part which doth not communicat is a part of that Church, as well as that which communicateth, and both maketh up but one congregation or Church, howbeit they bee devided in that particular act. As both the parts of the house make up but one house, notwithstanding there be a rift in the wall. Next, the part which communicateth not, adhereth to the reformed Church of Scotland, of which every particular congregation is but a part. Now, the most part, if not the two parts of the congregations have admitted no alteration. And as for the number of kneelers, it is very small in comparison.
Yet it is hard, say ye, to want the benefite and comfort of the sacrament. But what comfort or benefite can y…e finde, if ye be accessorie to the introduction of such alterations, and setling of such a stumbling block in the congregation. When we cannot communicate but by committing a sinne, our forbearing is no contempt, and the Lord who hath promised to bee a little sanctuarie to his people, when they were to bee scattered among the heathen, Ezech. 11. 16. will supply our want. Doctour Featlie saith, The great sacriledge of the Church of Rome, pag. 206.That neither the only, nor principall thing to bee regarded in the sacrament is our benefite, but Gods glorie, and the testification of our obedience to his ordinance. Non potest autem videri sacramenta contempsisse, cui non licet eaita percipere; ut sunt à Domino constituta, & a…sit ut ullos necessitatis casus imaginemur in quibus liceat ordinationem Domini viol…re. That is, Wee cannot seeme to have contemned the sacraments, who a…e not permitted to partake of them, as they are appointed by the Lord. Confess. c. 4.Farre be it from us to imagine any causes of necessity, by which wee may violate the Lords ordinance, saith Beza. This answer may serve, if the case were so hard, that they could not have the occasion of the right and pure administration of the sacraments else where. But, praised be GOD, as yet they may have it not farre from the dores.