Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 12 – Section 15
Sect. 12.Ans. 4. Ans.
[That these Ceremonies have occasioned many Divisions, is no more fault of theirs, than it was of the Gospel, that the Preaching of it, occasioned strife betwixt Father and Son, &c. the true Cause of those Divisions, is the Cause of ours, which St. James tells us is Lust, and inordinate desires of Honour, Wealth, or Licentiousness, or the like: were these Ceremonies laid aside, there would be the same Divisions. If some, who think Moses and Aaron take too much upon them, may be suffered to deceive the People, and to raise in them vain fears and jealousies of their Governours; but if all men would, as they ought, study peace and quietness, they would find other, and better fruits of those Laws of Rites, and Ceremonies, as Edification, Decency, Order, and Beauty, in the Service and Worship of God.]
Repl. Whether the Ceremonies be as innocent, as to Divisions, as the Gospel (a strange Assertion) will better appear, when what we have said, and what is more fully said by Dr. Ames, Bradshaw, and others, is well answered. If the true Cause of our Divisions be as you say [Lust, and inordinate desires of Honour, or Wealth, or Licentiousness] then the party that is most lustful, ambitious, covetous, and licentious, are likest to be most the Cause. And for Lust and Licentiousness, we should take it for a great attainment of our ends, if you will be intreated to turn the edge of your severity against the Lustful and Licentious. O that you would keep them out of the Pulpits, and out of the Communion of the Church, till they reform! And for our selves, we shall take your Admonitions or Severities thankfully, when ever we are convicted by you, of any such sins. We are loth to enter upon such Comparisons, between the Ministers ejected, for the most part, and those that are in their rooms, as tends to shew by this Rule, who are likest to be the Dividers. And for inordinate desires of Honour and Wealth, between your Lordships and Us, we are contented that this Cause be decided by all England, even by our enemies, at the first hearing, without any further vindication of our selves; and so let it be judged who are the Dividers. Only we must say, that your intimation of this Charge on us, that seek not for Bishopricks, Deaneries, and Archdeaconries, or any of your preferments; that desire not, nor would accept pluralities of Benefices, with Cure of Souls; that never sought for more than Food and Raiment, with the liberty of our Ministry, even one place, with a tollerable Maintenance, whose provoking Cause, hath been our constant opposition to the Honours, Wealth, Lordships, and pluralities of the Clergy; yea, who would be glad on the behalf of the poor Congregations, if many of our Brethren might have leave to Preach to their Flocks for nothing. We say your intimation maketh us lift up our hands and hearts to Heaven, and think, O what is man! what may not by some History be told the World! O how desirable is the blessed day of the righteous universal Judgement of the Lord! How small a matter till then should it be to us, to be judged of man! We hope upon pretence of not suffering us to deceive the People, you will not deny liberty to Preach the necessary saving Truths of the Gospel, considering how terrible a Symptom and Prognostick, this was in the Jews, 1 Thes. 2. 15, 16. Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own Prophets, and persecuted the Apostles, and God they pleased not, and were contrary to all men, forbidding to Preach to the Gentiles, that they might be saved; to fill up their sins alwayes: for wrath was come upon them to the utmost. We can as easily bear whatever you can inflict upon us, as the hinderers of the Gospel, and Silencers of faithful Ministers, and troublers of the Churches, can bear what God will inflict on them; and so the Will of the Lord be done.
Sect. 13.
[There hath been so much said,Ans. not only of the lawfulness, but also of the conveniency of these Ceremonies mentioned, that nothing can be added. This in brief may here suffice for the Surplice, that reason and experience teaches, that decent Ornaments and Habits, preserve Reverence and awe; held therefore necessary to the solemnity of Royal Acts, and Acts of Justice; and why not as well to the solemnity of Religious Worship? and in particular, no Habit more suitable than white Linnen, which resembles Purity and Beauty, wherein Angels have appeared, Rev. 15. fit for those whom the Scripture calls Angels. And this Habit was ancient, Chrysost. Hom. 60. ad pop. Antioch.]
Repl. 1. If nothing can be added,Repl. then we doubt the answered Writings extant against these Impositions, will never be well answered. 2. We are desirous that no undecent Vestures or Habits, be used in Gods Service. Those that scruple the Surplice, do it not as it is a Habit determined of as decent; but as they think it is made an holy Vestment, and so a part of external Worship, as Aaron's Vestments were; (as may be seen in the Arguments of Cotton and Nichols, lately Printed together.)
Sect. 14.
[The Cross was alwayes used in the Church,Ans. in immortali lavacro, Tertul. And therefore to testifie our Communion with them, as we are taught to do in our Creed; as also in token that we shall not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ. It is fit to be used still, and we conceive cannot trouble the Conscience of any that have a mind to be satisfied.]
Repl. That the Cross was alwayes used in the Church in Baptism,Rep. is an Assertion certainly untrue; and such as we never heard nor read till now. Do you believe it was used in the Baptism of the Eunuch, Lydia, the Jalor, Cornelius, the 3000. Acts 3. or in those times? And when it did come up, it was with Chrysm, and not our airy transient Image; and therefore you so far differ from the users. 2. The Condemnation of Genuflection on the Lords dayes in adoration, was at least as ancient and universal, and commanded by Councils, when the Cross was not; and yet you can dispense with that, and many such usages. And if you will your selves fall in with Custom, yet every ancient common Custom, was never intended to be a matter of necessity to Union or Tolleration of our Brethren; use no other force about the Cross than the Church then did. Your saying, that you [conceive it cannot trouble the Conscience of any that have a mind to be satisfied] doth but express your uncharitable censeriousness, while your Brethren have studied, and prayed, and conferred for satisfaction, it's like, as much as you, and profess their earnest desires of it, and their readiness to hear or read any thing that you have to say, in order to their satisfaction.
Sect. 15.
[The posture of kneeling, Ans.best suites at the Communion, as the most convenient, and so most decent for us, when we are to receive as it were from Gods hand, the greatest of seals of the Kingdom of Heaven; he that thinks he may do this sitting, let him remember the Prophet Mal. Offer this to the Prince, to receive his Seal, from his own hand sitting, see if he will accept of it; when the Church did stand at her Prayers, the manner of receiving was, more Adorantium, St. Aug. Psal. 98. Cyril. Catech. Mystag. 5. rather more than at Prayers, since standing at Prayer hath been left, and kneeling used instead of that, (as the Church may vary in such indifferent things) now to stand at Communion, when we kneel at Prayers, were not decent, much less to sit, which was never the use of the best times.]
Repl. To all this about kneeling,Rep. we say, 1. We have considered the Text in Mal. and what you say; and yet, 1. We find that our Betters, even Christs Apostles, and the universal Church, for many hundred years, thought not kneeling most decent; nor did the Church, in the first Age, think sitting unmeet in that Service, to the King of the Church: And we hope you reprehend them not. 2. You require not the Adult, that are baptized, to receive that Seal or Sacrament kneeling. 3. When kneeling at Prayers was in use, in the Apostles times, yet kneeling in the reception of the Sacrament was not. 4. Why can you so lightly put off, both the Practice and Canons of the Church in this, more than in other such things? However you cannot here deny de facto, but that kneeling on the Lords dayes in the receiving the Sacrament, was for many hundred years, of the purer times of the Church, disused and condemned: And why do you not tell us, what other General Council repealed this, that we may see whether it be such, as we are any way bound by? When you say [the Church may vary in such indifferent things] 1. If kneeling or standing at Prayer, be an indifferent thing, then so are they at this Sacrament. 2. Then you follow the Changers, and we the old Pattern. 3. Then the Canons of general Councils and Customs, pretended to be from Apostolical Tradition, may be changed. 4. What is it, that you call the Church that changeth, or may change these? A Council, or a popular Custom? Bring us not under a forraign Power. 5. The thing then being so indifferent and changeable, you may change it if you please, for ends that are not indifferent. 6. And if now the Ministers may Pray standing, why may not the People receive standing? 7. When you say, that [to sit, was never the use of the best times] you deny the Apostles, and primitive times to be the best; as to the extent of the Church, they were not the best, but as to the purity of administrations they were.