Examination of 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. Ier. 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. Luke 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 Degree… 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 and standing up in the reading of the Psalms, & other parts of the Liturgy, at and during every Rehearsal of Gloria Patri, & pronouncing it promiscously 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, as 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 thingste done 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 Londebrogi Glossarium Tit. Gloria Patri. Cassianus a Presbyter of Marselles. Illud autem quod in hac Provincia vidimus, ut uno cantante in clausula Psalmi, omnes adstantes concinent cum …amore, Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spirituisancto, nusquam per Orientem audivimus; sed cum silentio omnium, ab eo qui cantat, finito Psalmo or ationem succedere: Therefore most fit 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 haste 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 his Glossarium. Tit. Gloria Patri. Fredericus Lindeb…gus Codex Legum Antiq. 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 cantariprimus 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 Emperor Charles the Great, and Ludovicus Pius, collected by Abbot Ansegisus, and Benedictus Levita, l. 1. Tit. 70. De fide Presbyterorum ab Episcopis discutienda, ordani; ut Episcopi diligenter discutiant per suas Parochias, &c. Vt Gloria Patri cum omni honore apud omnes cantetur; & 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 Decretall, 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 ProvincialdSurius Concil. Tom. 4 p. 740, 741. Laur. Bochellus Decret: Eccles Gal. l. 1. Tit. 7. c. 31. p. 63. Council of Senns in France, in the year 1528. cap. 18. De horis Canonicis distincte, reverenter & honestè in Ecclesia decantandis, which enjoyns, that in Cathedral, Collegiat and Conventual Churches, (not Parochial or Chapels) cum dicitur Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, omnes consurgant; 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 Psalmor …m 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 subjoyns 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 requirs, 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 judgement not only all Angels, Saints, but Devils, damned persons, should actually be subjected to his Soveraign power, as their supreme Lord and Iudge, not Iesus or Saviour, (he being no Saviour, but only a Lord over Devils, damned persons, and all other Creatures but men) and actually confesse 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 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. Iohn 5. 20, 21, 22, 23. which fully explain this Text, as I have*Appendix to my Anti-arminianise concerning Bowing at the Name Iesus. Lame Giles his Haltings. Quaeres pronounded concerning Bowing at the Name Iesus. 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 psalms, and wheresoever Glory is rendered to the most holy Trinity, let all rise (or stand) up together, & in invocatione nomine Iesu 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, Collegiat and Conventual Churches, without any solid reason rendred for it: Which being a practise generally taken up and used only 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 descretion henceforth give over not only their rising and standing up at Gloria Patri, but likewise the freequent Repetition, if not the use thereof for the future, and quite expung it out of the Book of Common-Prayer, then 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.