Why Some do Not Conform to Common Prayer, Section 2
SECT. II.
Of Miniſters and Peoples riſing and ſtanding up at every Reherſal of Glory be to the Father, &c.
THough the Geſture of riſing and ſtanding up during any part of Divine Service, ſimply conſidered in it ſelf, be a thing indifferent, and lawfull, as well as kneeling or ſitting, as the*2 Chron. 20. 13▪ Jer. 15. 1. Numb. 23. 6. 1 Kings 13. 1. 2 Kings 11. 14. c. 23. 3. 1 Kings 18. 54, 55. 2 Chron. 6. 3. c. 20▪ 5, 20. Ezec. 1. 21, 24, 25. Luke 18. 11, 13. 2 Chr. 30. 16. c. 34. 31, 32▪ c. 35. 10. Neh. 8. 7, 8. Exod. 20. 21. Neh. 8. 5. c. 9. 2, 3, 4. Ezr. 10. 10▪ Luk 4▪ 16. Acts 1. 15. c. 11. 28. Gen. 11. 22. Deut. 4. 10. Rev 7. 9. c. 8. 2. Marginal Scriptures evidence, yet the cuſtomary, conſtant uſage thereof at Gloria Patri in all Cathedral, moſt Pariſh Churches, Chapels, newly revived, gives great diſtaſt to many ſober Chriſtians, upon theſe enſuing Conſiderations, which make them to diſguſt the uſe of Gloria Patri it ſelf, as an unneceſſary ſuperfluity which may well be ſpared.
1. Becauſe there is no precept nor preſident for any ſuch uſage or cuſtom, in the old or new Teſtament, nor in the Primitive Church, when pureſt, devouteſt, for above 700 years after Chriſt.
2. There is no Rubrick, Law, legal Canon or Injunction for it in our own Church ſince the Reformation of Religion, as there was before in times of Popery; it being exploded upon the Reformation and Eſtabliſhment of the Book of Common-Prayer, though ſince introduced by Degrees in Cathedrals and Pariſh Churches, by innovating Prelates, and Prelatical Clergy-men, without any Law, againſt the minds of our firſt Reformers who exploded it.
3. Becauſe the frequent ſudden ſtarting & ſtanding up in the reading of the Pſalms, & other parts of the Liturgy, at and during every Rehearſal of Gloria Patri, & pronouncing it promiſcuouſly with a loud voyce, as well by Men as Women, who are to keep ſilence, and not ſuffered to ſpeak in the Church, whiles others ſit as before, (becauſe this Ceremony is not preſcribed) and then quatting down again, to the diſturbance of thoſe who ſit by or near them, and offence of thoſe who ſcruple, diſlike this illegal Innovation, is an undecent and diſorderly cuſtom introduced without any ſolid reaſon, contrary to the Apoſtles preſcription and direction, 1 Cor. 14. 33, 34, 35, 40. and 1 Tim. 2. 11, 12. Let all things be d…ne decently and in order, for God is not the Author of confuſion but peace; Let your women keep ſilence in the Churches, &c. This chaunting and rehearſing of Gloria Patri by all the people with a loud voyce, together with the Prieſt at the end of the Pſalm, was long ſince thus cenſured as a ſtrange diſorderly Innovation, by*Caſſianus Inſtitut l. 2. c. 8. Friderici …indebrogi Gl…ſſarium Tit…Gloria Patri. Caſſianus a Presbyter of Marſelles. Illud autem quod in hac Provincia vidimus, vt uno cantante in clauſula Pſalmi, omnes adstantes concinent cum clamore, Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui-ſancto, miſquam per Orientem audivimus; ſed cum ſilentio omnium, ab eo qui cantat, finito Pſalmo orationem ſuccedere: Therefore moſt ſit to be Reformed now, there being no Rubrick, Law or Canon that preſcribes it in our Church.
4. Becauſe it is directly contrary to the preſident and practiſe of the 24. Elders, and the great multitude of Saints of all Nations, and kinreds and people, Rev. 4. 11, 12. cap. 7. 10, 11, 12. Who when they gave praiſe and glory unto God, did all fall down on their faces (not ſtand up upon their feet) before the Throne, and him that ſat thereon, ſaying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and praiſe: Bleſſing, and glory, and wiſdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever Amen. The ſame in ſubſtance and words almoſt with Gloria Patri, &c. at which all now uſe to riſe and ſtand upright, inſteed of falling down on their faces; Yea riſe up not only from their ſeats, but knees, when they are praying, O Lord make hast to help us, to Chant or ſay Glory be to the Father &c. Subjoyned to that and other Prayers.
5. Becauſe this ſtarting and ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, was originally introduced, preſcribed by Popiſh Miſſals, Councils, Canons, Prieſts, and taken up in imitation of Popiſh Prelates, Priests, Monks, Papiſts, in their Celebration of their Maſſes, in which they all ſtand up together when Gloria Patri is repeated at the entrances of their ſeveral Maſſes, the end of every Pſalme, and other parts of their Maſſe. When and by what Popes and Councils it was firſt introduced, I cannot certainly define. Chronicon Reicheſpengenſe, aIn …is Gloſſarium▪ Tit. Gloria Patri. Frederic. Landebrogus Codex Legum Antiqu. p. 840. and his Gloſſarium, Gloria Patri.Fredericus Lindebrogus, with others fore-cited, inform us, That Pope Damaſus, Anno 368. in fine cujuſque Pſalmi Gloria Patri cantari primus invenit & constituit: But that he enjoyned all or any to ſtand up when it was thus ſung or read, no Author once records. The Capitularia of the Emperour Charles the Great, and Ludovicus Pius, collected by Abbot Anſegiſus, and Benedictus Levita, l. 1. Tit. 70. De fide Presbyterorum ab Epiſcopis diſcutienda, ordain; ut Epiſcopi diligenter diſcutiant per ſuas Parochias, &c. Ʋt Gloria Patri, cum omni honore apud omnes ca…tetur; & ipſe Sacerdos cum ſanctis Angelis & populo Dei communi voce, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus decantet: But that they ſhould ſtand up when they ſung it, there is not one ſyllable in this Conſtitution, nor in anybHere p. 9, 10, &c. fore-cited Council or Decretal, that enjoyns the uſe of Gloria Patri. Therefore it was not practiſed in that age; The firſt Council I have yet found that preſcribes ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, is the ProvincialcSurius Concil. Tom. 4. p. 740, 741. L…ur. B… chell…s Decret. Eccleſ. Gal. l▪ 1. Tit. 7. c. 31. p. 63. Council of Senns in France, in the year 1528. cap. 18. De hori… Canonicis diſtinctè, reverenter & honeſtè in Eccleſia decantandis, which enjoyns, that in Cathedral, Collegiate and Conventual Churches, (not Parochial or Chapels) cum dicitur Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui ſancto, omnes con…urgant; but why all ſhould thus riſe and ſtand up together when Glory be to the Father, &c. is ſaid, it renders no reaſon at all, nor any Council elſe I have yet peruſed; neither can I find any probable reaſon for it, but that which is intimated in Ritus celebrandi Miſſam, prefixed to Miſſale Romanum, reviſed by Pope Pius the 5th. and reformed by Pope Clement the 8th. De Principio Miſſae, ſect. 3. Sacerdos cum in fine Pſalmorum dicit, Gloria Patri, &c. caput Cruci inclinat; that the Prieſt when he ſaith Gloria Patri in the end of the Pſalms, may the better bow*Ordo Romanus Antiquus. Bibl. Patrum, Tom. 8▪ p. 397, 398. his head to the Crucifix or Altar, (and the people together with him) which he and they could not ſo conveniently perform, unleſs they ſtood up and raiſed themſelves from their ſeats. This Council of Senns, immediately ſubjoynes in the ſame Canon, Cum nominatur illud nomen glorioſum Ieſus, in quo omne genu flectitur (in, not at which every knee is bowed, in the paſſive, not active ſence) coeleſtium, terreſtrium & infernorum, omnes caput inclinent. A Canon contrary to the words of the Text, Phil. 2. 9, 10. which requires that every knee, not head ſhould be bowed, as well as repugnant to its ſence, which is only this, that God hath highly exalted Ieſus Chriſt to be the Soveraign Lord, not only of his Church, but all other Creatures; and that in the general day of judgment not only all Angels, Saints, but Devils, damned perſons, ſhould actually be ſubjected to his Soveraign power, as their ſupreme Lord and Judge, not Ieſus, or Saviour, (he being no Saviour, but only a Lord over Devils, damned perſons, and all other Creatures but men) and actually confeſs him to be their ‖Mat. 25. 37, 44. Rev. 5. 18.LORD, to the glory of God the Father: the genuine ſcope and meaning of this much abuſed, miſtaken Text, as it is evident by the words, and Iſaiah 45. 23. Rom, 14. 9, to 15. c. 2. 5, to 17. Mat. 25. 31, to 46. c. 28. 18, 19. Epheſ. 1. 19, to 23. Heb. 1. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. c. 2. 8. Col. 1. 15, to 20. Acts 2. 34, 35, 36. c. 10. 36, 42. Col. 1. 15, to 20. Rev. 1. 5, 6. c. 5. 11, to 14▪ c. 20. 12, 13. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 15. John 5. 20, 21, 22, 23. which fully explain this Text, as I have*Appendix to my Anti-arminianiſme concerning Bowing at the Name Jeſus. Lame Giles his Hal… ings. Quaeres propounded concerning Bowing at the Name Jeſus. elſewhere largely evidenced. The next Council I find preſcribing ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, (and bowing at the Name Jeſus joyntly together) is that of Bourdeaux, (Concilium Biturienſe) Anno 1584. thus regiſtred by ‖Decret. Eccl▪ Gal. l. 1. Tit. 3. c. 38. p▪ 86.Bochellus. In fine Pſalmorum & ubicunque Gloria ſanctiſſimae Trinitati redditur, omnes conſurgant: that is, in the end of Pſalmes, and whereſoever Glory is rendered to the moſt holy Trinity, let all riſe (or ſtand) up together, & in invocatione nomine Jeſu genu flectant; which laſt clauſe may be more properly interpreted of kneeling or bowing the knees to Chriſt, in the invocation of his Name in Prayer, then at the ſound or mention of his Name Jeſus, when not invoked in the Goſpels, Epiſtles, ſecond Leſſons or Sermons. Theſe are the only Councils and Canons I know, (and thoſe but of late years made by Popiſh Provincial Councils) enjoyning all to ſtand up when Gloria Patri is ſaid or ſung, and that principally in Cathedral, Collegiate and Conventual Churches, without any ſolid reaſon rendred for it: Which being a practiſe generally taken up and uſed onelyonly by Papiſts, Popiſh Prelates, Prieſts, Monks, and Popiſh Churches in Forein parts, and in no reformed Churches beyond the Seas, nor preſcribed by any Law, Rubrick, Injunction, or Legal Canon of the Church of England, I humbly ſubmit to the Judgements, Conſciences, of all zealous, ſober, judicious Proteſtants, Prelates and Cathedraliſts, whether upon conſideration of the Premiſes, they may not with more reaſon and diſcretion henceforth give over, not only their riſing and ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, but likewiſe the frequent Repetition, if not the uſe thereof for the future, and quite expunge it out of the Book of Common-Prayer, than any longer continue it to the offence and ſcandal of thouſands of their Proteſtant Brethren, who are both pious, peaceable, learned, judicious, and no Enemies, but Friends to a well-reformed Publick Liturgy, wherein they may all heartily accord.