Why Some do Not Conform to Common Prayer, Section 3
SECT. III.
Of ſtanding up at the Reading of the Goſpel, and Three Creeds.
I Am yet of opinion that the Decretals and Canons preſcribing ſtanding up at the reading of the Goſpels, were the true original of thoſe for ſtanding up at the recital of Gloria Patri, and prefacing them with the repetition of Glory be to thee O Lord, preſcribed byaSee Rubricae Generales Miſſalis, & Ritus Celebrandi Miſſam. prefixed to Miſſale Romanam, Pii 5. & Clementis 8. Honorius Auguſtodunenſis, Gemma Animae, l. 2. & 3. Gulielmus Durantus, Rationale Divinorum l. 4. Roman Miſſals, Ceremonials, Pontificals, Popes Decrees, Popiſh Writers, and derived from them to thoſe who practice it in our Church, being the ſame in ſubſtance with Gloria Patri; which being now generally uſed in all our Cathedrals, and revived of late in many Pariſh Churches and Chapels, though not preſcribed by any Rubrick in the Book of Common-Prayer, nor binding Law or Canon of our Chuch, by innovating Clergy-men, and ſuch as are over-much addicted to Ceremonies and Formalities; I ſhall next calmly examine the original grounds, lawfulneſs, decency and expediency thereof.
The original of ſtanding up at the reading of that we call the Goſpel, ſpecially appointed at the Communion on Sundayes and Holy-dayes, is attributed by ſome to PopebSurius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 666. Clement the 1. and inſerted into his ſpurious Apoſtolical Conſtitutions, in theſe words, Cum Evangelium legitur, omnes Presbyteri, Diaconi, & Laici Aſſurgant, cum magno ſilentio, Scriptum eſt enim; cDeut. 5 & 27.Tace & audi Iſrael. Et rurſum, Tu verò hîc ſta & audies. Deinde verò moneant Presbyteri populum, ut ſedent. But this Conſtitution, 1. As it was none of the Apoſtles, ſo neither this Popes Clements, but a ſpurious Impoſture of far later dayes, as Mr▪ Cook in his Cenſura Patrum, Dr. James, and ſundry others have evidenced. 2ly. The ſtanding up thereby enjoyned, is not at the reading of that we now call the Goſpel, but of the Second Leſſon of Chapter out of one of the 4 Evangeliſts, as the preceding words demonſtrate. And why all Prieſts, Deacons, and Laymen ſhould ſtand up together at the reading of that we now uſually call the Goſpel, becauſe taken out of the Goſpel, rather then at the Second Leſſon or Chapter being the Goſpel as much as it, or at the Reading of the Goſpel only, rather then of the Epiſtle, (which is part of thec1 Theſ▪ 1. 5. c. 2. 2, 4, 8. Gal. 1▪ 6▪ c. 2. 2, 5, 7▪ Phil. 1. 5, 12, 17, 27. c. 2. 22. Col▪ 2. 5. 2 Theſ. 2. 14. 1 Tim▪ 14. 6, 59. Rom. 1. 15, 16, 17. c. 2. 16. c. 15▪ 16, 29. c. 16. 25. 1 Cor. 4. 15. c▪ 3. 17, 18. 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. Heb. 4. 2. Goſpel, and new Teſtament, as well, as much as any Chapter or part of a Chapter taken out of the 4 Evangeliſts) or any other part or Chapter of the Old or new Teſtament, being all alike, ſacred, Canonical, and to be read, heard, embraced, believed, obeyed, with the like attention, reverence, devotion, affection, faith; no …ober Chriſtian or Divine can render any ſolid convincing reaſon. 3ly. This Conſtitution, enjoyned all to riſe up with great ſilence; When now all riſe up with a loud voyce, ſaying, Glory be to thee O Lord; quite contrary thereunto. 4ly. The Texts produced out of Deut. 5. 31. c. 27. 12, 13. to juſtifie this ſtanding up at the Goſpel; are meant only of reading the Law; at which all now uſually kneel on their knees, not ſtand up; which is very prepoſterous and oppoſite to theſe Texts.
Others attribute the Original of ſtanding at the Goſpel tolGratian de Conſecratione diſtinct 2. Surius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 518. Thomas Waldenſis, Doctrinalis, Tom. 3. Tit. 4. c. 32. ſect. 5. f. 66. 67. Gulielmus Durantus Rationale Divin…um, l. 4. c. 5. de Evangelio Centur. Mag. 4. Baronius, Spondanus, and others. Pope Anaſtatius the 1. (or Athanaſius, as ſome ſtile him) about the year of our Lord 404. who thus decreed its future uſe; Significaſtis, quoſdam ſacerdotes in Eccleſia, quando leguntur Evangelia ſedere, & Domini Salvatoris verba non ſtantes, ſed ſedentes audire, & hoc ex majorum traditione ſe accipiſſe narrant; quod ut, nullatenus deinceps …ieri ſinatis, Apoſtolica authoritate mandamus. Sed dum ſancta Evangelia in Eccleſia recitantur, Sacerdotes et caeteri omnes praeſentes, non ſedentes, Sed venerabiliter curvi in conſpectu ſancti Evangelii ſtantes, Dominica verba intente audiant, et fideliter adorent. If this Decree be not forged (as moſt of this Nature are) yet I ſhall obſerve from it, 1. That a Pope was the firſt Author, Broacher of this Ceremony. 2ly. That it was not uſed before his time. 3ly. That certain Prieſts uſed to ſit, not ſtand, at the reading of the Goſpels; and that they received this practiſe by tradition from their Anceſtors which the Pope denyed not, yet decreed the contrary by his own Papal authority, without adviſe of any Synod or Council. 4ly. That he peremptorily prohibits any to ſit, and commands all (whether Prieſts or People) to ſtand during all the reading of the Goſpel, though aged, weak, lame, ſickly: in which Caſes Waldenſis, Durantus, and others grant, they may ſit down when they are unable to ſtand, or weary of ſtanding up, notwithſtanding this Decree. 5ly. That the Goſpels (in the Plural, not ſingular Number) here intended, are not thoſe we now call Goſpels; but any Leſſons or Chapters whatſoever read in the Church out of the four Evangeliſts or New Teſtament. Therfore to confine it only to that now ſtiled the Goſpel, not to any other Chapter, Leſſon read out of the Goſpel, is to contradict this Popes Decree. 6ly. That the end why they are commanded to ſtand at the Goſpel was, That they might more attentively hear and attend to it; which reaſon, as it is good and laudable, ſo it holds as well at the reading of the Epiſtles, 10. Commandements, Pſalmes, Chapters out of the Old Teſtament, or any other Texts of Scripture, Leſſons taken out of the four Evangeliſts, as at the Goſpels, at which all ſhould equally ſtand, as well as at theſe Goſpels. 7ly. If any ſtand upon this account, to adore the Goſpels, or yield them more reverence, attention, adoration than other ſacred Scriptures, (of equal authority with them) as the laſt clauſe of the Decree intimates; it is doubtleſſe not only a Superſtitious, but irreligious practiſe, contrary to the Goſpel and theſe ſacred Texts, 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Mar. 12. 44. John 5. 39. Acts 17. 2, 11. c. 18. 28. Rom. 1. 2. c. 10. 11. c. 15. 4. c. 16. 25, 26. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 8ly. It is obſerved of our Saviour himſelf, Lu. 4. 16. that comming to Nazareth, as his Cuſtom was, he went into the Synogogue on the Sabbath day, and ſtood up to read, not the Goſpel or any of the four Evangeliſts, (then not written) but the Book of the Prophet Iſaias; out of which when he had read this Text ſtanding; he cloſed the Book, gave it again to the Miniſter, and ſate down, and preached to the People in the Synogogues, who all faſtned their eyes on him, v. 20, 21. &c. Moreover we read of Chriſt, Mat. 13. 2. c. 15. 29. c. 24. 3. Mar. 4. 1. c. 13. 3, &c. Lu. 5. 3. Jo. 6. 3. c. 8. 2. that when he taught, or preached the Goſpel to the People, or his Diſciples, he uſually ſate down, not ſtood up, whence he uſeth this expreſſion, Mat. 26. 55. I ſate daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laid no hold on me. How then this Popes Decree can well ſtand with our Saviours own practiſe, let the Impartial judge.
Gulielmus Durantus in his Rationale Divinorum, l. 4. Rubrica, de Evangelio, writes thus of the original of ſtanding up at the Goſpel, and the reaſons of it, and other Ceremonies accompanying it: Sanè Evangelium ſtando, & non ſ…dendo auditur, ſicut ſtatuit Anaſ…atius Papa, de Conſecr-Diſt. 1. Apoſtolica, ut ad Praelium pro Christi fide ſervanda promptitudo notetur, unde Lu. 22. Qui non habet gladium vendat tunicam & emat illum. Et ex quo ſtandum est, apparet, quod nec jacere, nec appodiare debemus Evangelium audiendo. Reclinatoria ergo tunc relinquuntur, ad notandum, quod non debemus conſiderare in principibus, nec ſuſtentare in terrenis, quia, vanitas vanitatum & omnia vanitas dixit Eccleſiaſtes. Et ſecundum ipſum Anaſtatium, ſtantes curvi manere debemus, ut humilitatem quae à Domino docetur etiam corpore demonſtremus. Auditur etiam Evangelium in ſilento, quia omnia ſoluta ſunt in Evangelio quae in Lege & Prophetis promiſſa erant. Deponuntur etiam tunc baculi & arma. Primo, ne imitemur Judaeos in conſpectu crucifixi arundines & arma ferentes. Secundo, ad notandum quod Chriſto praedicante omnes legales obſervantiae, quae per baculos ſignificantur, depoſitae ſunt. Tertio depoſitio baculorum & armorum humilitatem notat, & Chriſtianae perfectionis eſſe non ſe vindicare ſed Domino reſervare vindictam. And then he proceeds to ſundry other Ceremonies, Cuſtomes, Croſſings of the Body in ſeveral places, and antique geſtures which Prieſts and Prelate… are to uſe in reading the Goſpel, fitter for the Stage than the Church or Goſpel, and to provoke Laughter than Devotion.
It ſeems this Cuſtom of ſtanding at the Goſpel began of late to be diſcontinued or neglected even by Popiſh Prieſts and Laicks; whereupon thefBochellus. Decreta Eccleſ. Gal. l. 1. Tit. 7. c. 115▪ p 72. Popiſh Council of Rhemes in France, Anno 1583. re-inforced it by this Canon; Dum legitur Evangelium, vel Praefatio, omnes aſſurgant; Let all ſtand up whiles the Goſpel, or Preface is read.
This Ceremony or Geſture of Standing, is likewiſe cuſtomarily uſed by moſt at the reſpective rehearſing of the Creeds, commonly called the Apoſtles, Nicene, and Athanaſius Creed, though not preſcribed by any Rubrick, Law of our Church (except only at the rehearſal of the Apostles Creed) nor yet by any Popiſh Canons or Decrees to my remembrance, as ſtanding up at Gloria Patri, and the Goſpells are. If it be only uſed out of pure devotion, more attentively to hear, mind what is read, or ſpoken, no prudent Chriſtian can juſtly cenſure, but approve it; But if done merely out of Cuſtom, or*Quoniam Symbolum verbum eſt Evangelium quoad ſenſum, ideo stando illud audire ſicut & Evangelium & illo dicto ſignum Crucis fa…ere debemus. Gul. Durantus, Ratio. Divinorum, l. 4. De Symbolo Rubrica. becauſe the Creed is the word of the Goſpel, according to its ſenſe, or to diſtinguiſh between the recital of the Creed, and other parts of Divine worſhip; or, to advance the Creeds compoſed by men out of the Scriptures themſelves of Divine inſpiration, authority; before the ſacred Fountains from whence they flow; or togPſal 94. 16. ſtand up for, orh2 Chron. 34. 32. ſtand to, ori1 Cor. 16. 13. Gal. 5. 1. 2 Theſ 2. 5. ſtand fast in them (as we uſe to ſpeak) more than to any other parts of thekNeh. 9. 2, 5. Deut 27. 12, 13▪ Pſ. 122. 2. Pſ. 134. 1. Gen. 18. 22. Lu. 4. 16. 1 Kings 8. 14. 15. Lu. 18. 11, 13▪ Rev. 7. 9. Scripture, being all of like ſacred inſpiration, and Divine authority: it is no wayes excuſable, much leſſe juſtifiable by any underſtanding Chriſtians.
To cloſe up this Diſcourſe touching standing up at Gloria Patri, Goſpels and Creeds, it is unqueſtionable, that the poſture of ſtanding up is in it ſelf indifferent; and may be kNeh. 9. 2, 5. Deut 27. 12, 13▪ Pſ. 122. 2. Pſ. 134. 1. Gen. 18. 22. Lu. 4. 16. 1 Kings 8. 14. 15. Lu. 18. 11, 13▪ Rev. 7. 9.lawfully uſed in any part of Divine publick worſhip; ſo as it be not done out of ſingularity, oppoſition to decency and order, or for ſuperſtitious or unwarrantable grounds, but only to raiſe up our drowſie bodies, hearts, ſpirits more attentively, fervently, devontly to read, hear, pray, and diſcharge that part of Gods worſhip wherein we uſe it. The Primitive Chriſtians, and Univerſal Church for above Eight hundred years after his Nativity, in memory of Chriſts reſurrection, did uſe to pray on all Lords dayes, and between Eaſter and Whitſontide, and worſhip God ſtanding, not kneeling, nor bowing their knees at all when they prayed or worſhipped; which they preſcribed; prohibiting kneeling on theſe days by ſundry Councils, and reputing it a kinde of crime or impiety: whence they ſtiled their Meetings on the Lords day, Stationes, à ſtando; Stations from this their ſtanding at them; and the Chriſtians of thoſe times Stationarii, asaTertullian de Corona Militis; lib. De Jejunio lib. ad Ʋx…rem, l. 2. & Apologeticus. See La Cerda & Beatus Rhenanus Ibid. Tertullian, bSermo de Oratione & Pamelius. Ibid.Cyprian, the Council of Nice, Can. 20. the 6. Synod of Conſtantinople in Trullo. can. 90. the Synod of Towers under Charles the Great, can. 37. the Council of Aquiſgrane under Ludovicus Pius, c. 47. the Century writers, Cent. 3. cap. 6. col. 153. & Centur. 3, 5, 6, 7. c. 6. with ſundry others atteſt. From whence it is apparent, 1. That they held this geſture of Standing lawfull, and that they ſtood at the reading of the Pſalmes, Epiſtles, and all Leſſons out of the Old Teſtament, as well as at the Goſpels, making no diſtinction between them. 2ly. That they received the Lords Supper ſtanding, not kneeling. 3ly. That they never bowed their knees or heads at the Name JESUS, when ever read or heard; firſt introduced bydSurius Concil. Tom. 1. p 347. Tom. 2. p. 1052. Tom. 3. p. 2…7. Pope Gregory the 10th. about the year 1272. who reſtraiued the uſe of it only to the celebration of the Maſſe, eSexti Decret. l. 2. Tit. 23. c. 2. See my Appendix to Lame Giles his Halting.and never practiſed before his time for ought appears by Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians, Fathers, Councils, or Decretals of Popes themſelves. Yet notwithſtanding this antient univerſally received Cuſtom of the Church, though ratified by ſundry Councils, of praying, performing all parts of Gods publick worſhip, only ſtanding, not kneeling, on every Lords day, and between Eaſter and Whitſontide; is long ſince quite laid aſide in all, or moſt Chriſtian Churches; and therefore the uſe of Gloria Patri, Of ſtanding up at it, and at the Goſpels and Creeds, not ſo antient nor univerſal, nor grounded on ſo good reaſons as theſe Stations, (together with the late cringing and bowing at the Name JESUS) may now with much more reaſon be ſet aſide and diſcontinued for our Churches Peace, Settlement, and Unity in Gods worſhip.