Examination of 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 Gloria Patri, were the true original of those for standing up at the reading of the Gospel, and prefacing it with the Repetition of Glory be to thee O Lord, prescribed byaSee Rubricae Generales Missalis, & Ritus Celebrandi Missam, prefixed to Missale Romanum, Pii 5. & Clementis 8. Honorius Augustodunensiis, 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 now practise 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 Church, by innovating Clergy-men, and such as are over-much addicted to Ceremonies and Formalities; I shall next calmly examine the original grounds, lawfulnesse, 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. 66. 6. Clement the 1. and inserted into his spurious Apostolical Constitutions, in these words, Cum Evangelium legitur, omnes Presbyteri, Diaconi, & Laici Allurgant, 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 sede…t. But this Constitution, 1. As it was none of the Apostles, so neither this Pope Clements, but a spurious Imposture of far later dayes, as Mr. Cook in his Censura Patrum, Dr. Iames, 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 or 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 sober 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 Gospell tolGration de Consecratione distinct. 2. Surius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 518. Thomas Waldensis, Doctrinalis, Tom 3. Tit. 4. cap. 3…. sect. …. f. 66, 67. Gulielmus Duramus Rationale Divinorum, 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 fieri 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 Gospells; and that they received this practise by tradition from their Ancestors, which this 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 fit, and commands all (whether Priests or People to stand during all the reading of the Gospell, 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 Gospells (in the Plural, not Singular Number) here intended, are not those we now call Gospells; 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 Gospell, not to any other Chapter, Lesson read out of the Gospell, is to contradict this Popes Decree. 6ly. That the end why they are commanded to stand at the Gospells 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 Gospells. 7ly. If any stand up on this account, to adore the Gospells, 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, & stood up to read, not the Gospel or any of the four Evangelists, (then not writen) but the Book of the Prophet Isaias; out of which when he had read his Text standing; he closed the Book, gave it again to the Minister, and late down, and preached to the people in the Synagogues, who all fasined 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 sare 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, 1. 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 sedendo auditur, sicut statuit Anastatius Papa, de Consecr. Dist. 1. Apostolica, ut ad Praelium pro Christi fide servanda promp…itudo notetur, unde Lu. 22. Q…non … gl…lium vendat tunicam & emat illum. Et ex quo standum est, apparet, quod nec jac…re, nec appodiare d…bemus Evang…lium audiendo. Reclinatoria ergo tun… relinquuntur, ad not andum, quod non debemus considerare in principilus, nec sustentare interrenis, quia, vanitas vanit atum & omnia vanit as dixit Ecclesiastes. Et secundum ipsum Anastatium, stantes cur…i manere debemus, ut humilitatem quae à D…uno doceti… eviam corpore demonstremus. Auditur etiam Evangelium in silento, quia omnia soluta sunt in Evangelio quae in Lege & Prophetis promissa erant. Deponuntur etiam …un… caculi & arma. Primo, ne imitemur Iudaeos in co…spechi …fixi erundines & arma ferentes. Secundo, ad not …ndum quod Christo praedicanto omnes legales observantiae quae per …aculos significantur, deposit … sunt. Tertio depositio baculorum & armorum humilitatem not at, & Christiane per fectionis csse non se vindicare sed Domino … vindiciam. And then he proceeds to sundry other Ceremonies, Customes, Crossings of the Body in several places, and antique gestures which Priests and Prelates 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 thef… Tit. …. c. 115. p. …. Popish Council of …hemes 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.
Thi… Ceremony or Gesture of Standing, is likewise customarily used by most at the respective rehearsing of the Creed, commonly called the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasius Creeds, though not prescribed by any Rubrick, Law of our Church, nor yet by any Popish Canons or Decrees to my remembrance, as standing up at Gloria Patri, and the Gospels, 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 Synbolum verbum est Evangelium quoad sensum, ideo stando illud audire sicut & Evangelium & illo dicto signum Crucis facere debemus. Gul. Durantus, Ratio. Divimrum, 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 fastin 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. …4, 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 is in it self indifferent; and may b… kNeh. 9. 2, 5. Deut. 27. 12, 13. Ps. 122. 2. Ps 134. 1. Gen. 18. 22 Lu. 4. 16 1 Kings 8. …, 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 unanswerable grounds, but only to raise up our drowsie bodies, hearts, spirits more attentively, fervently, devoutly 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, asaTertull… an de Corona Mii…tis lib. De Iejunio lib. ad Vxorem, l. 2. & Apologeticut. See La Cerda & Beauss Rhenanus Ibid. Tertullian (b) Cyprian, cSermo de Oratione & Pamei…us. Ibid.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 L… dovicus 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 neither bowed their knees nor heads at the Name JESUS, when ever read or heard; first introduced bydSurius Concil. Tem. 1. p. 347. Tem 2. p. 1052 T…m. 3. p. 277. Pope Gregory the 10th. eSexti Decretalia, l. 2. Tit. 23. c. 2. See my Appendix to Lame Giles his Halting.about the year 1272. who restrained the use of it only to the Celebration of the Masse, and never practised before his time for ought appears by Ecclesiastical Historiaus, 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 Iesus) may now with much more reason be set aside and discontinued for our Churches Peace, Settlement, and Unity in Gods worship.