Lords inheritance but in humilitie serue one another and feed the Flocke committed to their charge This last Reason would neither teach them nor vs to match our selues with our Lord Master but to submit our selues to our equals The first sheweth that as in the rest of the parts of his Ministerie so in the institution of this Sacrament although hee was the Lord and Giuer of the inward and spirituall grace yet hee did carry himselfe as the Minister of the externall Element which person now the Pastor sustaineth and hee exalted at the right hand of the Father hath declared himselfe to haue laid down the person of a seruant and to bee no more an externall Minister but the Lord and Giuer of the Spirit and inward grace by sending down the Holy Ghost from heauen vpon the Apostles Hee then who now would sit with him as his fellow must either bring him downe from heauen and abase him againe in the forme of a seruant or else hee must exalt himselfe to Sit with him at the right hand of the Throne of Maiesty in the highest places Therefore let no man in this action thinke and esteeme of the Lord Iesus according to the condition of the person that hee sustained and the carriage that hee vsed when hee did institute this Sacrament The true and right estimation of him is to be learned without question from the doctrine and word of the institution Let vs then take diligent heed and marke how there hee is propounded to be considered and esteemed of vs. There hee is the great High Priest and Sacrificer of himselfe Hee tooke Hee brake wee are the sinners for whom the Sacrifice is offered with this Sacrifice hee payeth his Vowes in the midst of the vniuersall Church Take yee eate yee Wee are the poore and hungry that eate and are satisfied Hee is the Mediator Suretie and Testator of the new and eternall Testament This is the new Testament in my Bloud VVee are the Heires and Legators who haue neither right by Nature nor Merit but by his meere Donation and Disposition onely Hee is the honourable and glorious person who in this action is to bee remembred as the Authour of eternall saluation Doe this in remembrance of mee And we are the redeemed who for the benefit of our redemption should remember him with Thankesgiuing and Praise Thus wee are taught by the words of the Institution how in this action wee should esteeme both of him and of our selues and how therein accordingly wee should behaue our selues towards him Namely as the redeemed towards their Redeemer the poore and the hungry towards their Nourisher and Feeder The adopted heire towards their Adopter and Testator and they who should giue thankes and praise towards their Benefactor SECT 10. In what respect this Sacrament is called the Eucharist AND heere we rancounter with the other end of this Sacrament which I called the praise of the glorious grace of God and of our Sauiour the Lord Iesus In respect of this end it is a commemoration and predication of the death of Christ acted not in word onely but in deed both by the Pastor and the people By the Pastor when hee representeth Christs death in the mysticall action and by the Sacramentall word maketh the donation and application thereof to the people taking breaking giuing and saying This is my Bodie this is my Bloud and by the people when they take eate and drinke in doing whereof they expose in open view to the eyes of the world the Passion and Death of the Lord Iesus and the benefit that therby they acknowledge themselues to receiue and so doth publikely and solemnely remember his goodnesse and grace to his praise and glorie and testifie that their faith and thankefulnes towards him according to the direction of our Sauiour Doe this in remembrance of me In the which precept wee are commanded first to celebrate the action as hee hath done and secondly we are admonished of the end wherfore that celebritie should be obserued namely that thereby a solemne memoriall of his death ought to bee kept So Paul interpreteth the Precept in these words immediately subioyned For so often as yee eate this Bread and drinke this Cup that is so often as yee doe this yee shew forth or shall shew forth and preach the Lords death till hee come that is yee shall doe it in remembrance of me Hereby shewing and preaching the Lords death The Apostle meaneth not a verball Sermon or a preaching made by word in the Congregation for that wee know is not the part of the people whereof here hee speaketh but a reall preaching acted by the people for their part by taking eating and drinking and therefore the Apostle saith that if they eate and drinke vnworthily they shall be guiltie of the Lords Bodie The reason is because by eating and drinking vnworthily they shew forth preach the Lords death vnworthily that is without the reuerence and respect that the worthinesse of his death deserueth for if they eate and drinke like full and drunken persons their preaching is profane and vitious if they eate and drinke with contempt of the Church and despising of the poore their preaching is disdainefull and ignominious to Christ and his Church This was the Corinthians fault who did abuse this sacred memoriall of the Lords death to his dishonour and disgrace because therein looking too basely on the elements they did not discerne by their religious reuerence and carriage the Body of the Lord from other common food wherefore the Apostle exhorteth them to try and refine themselues from the drosse of the old man their pride their profanenesse their drunkennes and contentions and so eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup otherwise if they should eate and drinke vnworthily that is without a due regard to him who for a glorious remembrance of himselfe till his comming againe did institute this action they should eate and drinke damnation to themselues This action then as it is in respect of the end that belongeth to vs the communion of the Bodie and Bloud of Christ or the instrument and seale of that communion so in respect of this end that appertaineth to Christ himselfe and of our dutie that should be performed therein to him it is a solemne memoriall or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his death ordained to bee obserued for the praise of his grace and therefore by the ancient and recent VVriters and Doctors of the Church is rightly called the Eucharist not onely for the thankes-giuing wherewith it beginneth and which the Church is accustomed to giue after it is ended which is common to many other religious actions but because the very action it selfe is so to bee esteemed by reason of the end whereunto it is appointed from the which commonly actions receiue their nature and their name and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worthy and an honorable remembrance of Christ being one of the chiefe
once in the yeere But at what time and by whose authoritie Kneeling began to be vsed of the people at the receiuing of the Sacrament I hope shall not bee certainly designed For by the contrarie Honorius Canon seemeth to import that before his time the people vsed to Kneele when they receiued because it ordaineth that they should only Kneele at the eleuation and not at the receiuing which doubtlesse it would if it had not been in custome before for it is not probable but at the receiuing they should haue beene ordained to haue giuen the same reuerence that they were appointed to giue at the eleuation had it not beene already in practise therfore needles to be inioined SECT 6. An answere to the instance brought from the Custome of the Primitiue Church ANother instance is brought frō the custome of the Primitiue Church It was the custome of the Primitiue Church not to Kneele on the Lords day nor from Pasche till Whitsunday at any time in their Prayer by a Canon of the Councell of Nice this custome was allowed and commended to all Churches Therefore vpon the Lords day and during the whole time from Pasche till Whitsunday it is very likely that they receiued the Sacrament Standing and the words of Dionysius Alexandrinus making mention of one who receiued the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stāding at the Table confirmeth this strongly This instance I admit for the Lords day and for these wherein the Primitiue Church did not Kneele for other times and dayes it maketh no probation seeing on other dayes and at other times they might and did pray Kneeling Now although this instance may seeme to make somewhat against Kneeling at the first view yet being better considered it fauoureth the cause that wee defend very much For first if the Primitiue Church did stand sometimes at the Table and receiued certaine it is that they did not esteeme Sitting to be a necessarie gesture Next that they did not think that at this Table we should carry our selues as equall to Christ and plead for the Liberties and Priuiledges of a Table for in those dayes wee reade of none that stood at Table in time of Supper but such as serued Therefore it was ordained as a punishment of ignominie to be inflicted on Souldiours Vt cibum potumque caperent in coena stantes that is that they should sup standing on their feet Thirdly here I marke that the Primitiue Church did vse the same gesture in receiuing the Sacrament that they vsed in praying so that if wee would aduise with them what gesture they would esteeme most decent for our times they should answere That which we are most accustomed to vse at publike prayer The custome then of Standing on the Lords day and from Pasche till Whitsunday being now euanished and worne out many hundreth yeeres since and in stead thereof Kneeling receiued Kneeling now is the most decent gesture that can bee vsed at the Sacrament For if you reason well from our Sauiours Lying had it beene a necessarie ceremony to proue Sitting that hath succeeded Then this Argument must be strong from Standing at Prayer and the Sacrament to prooue that now Kneeling should be vsed which hath succeeded Standing and is now most frequently vsed in the time of publike prayer EPILOGVS THen to conclude this point If either wee shall throughly consider what gesture is most agreeable to so sacred an action or what gesture thereat may bee most euidently proued to haue had longest custome in the Church or what gesture is yet most vniuersally receiued in the reformed Churches And finally how the Primitiue Church did vse the same gesture at this Sacrament that they vsed at publike Prayer I hope no gesture shall be found more decent to bee vsed at the Lords Table then the Religious gesture of Kneeling And thus much for Decencie CHAP. III. That it agreeth with Pietie to Kneele at the Sacrament SECT 1. That Pietie requireth a most Religious Gesture I Come next to Pietie In respect of Pietie there be none of vs that doe not plead for Kneeling in deed when wee teach our people at the Sacrament not to settle their thoughts and mindes vpon the externall things but to lift vp their hearts from earth to heauen from the Pastor who giues the externall element to God the Father that giueth his Sonne and to God the Sonne who giueth himselfe from the Symbols the Bread and the Cup to the Bread that came downe from Heauen to the flesh and the bloud of Christ and therfore exhorteth them that as their hand is ready so their hearts may be prepared and their minds to receiue the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe with faith and thankfulnes and that they come with a Religious resolution in this action and by this action to celebrate the remembrance of his death till his comming againe All these considerations and diuine Meditations whereunto we stirre vp our people First of the order and forme of giuing Secondly of the gift Thirdly of the manner how we receiue Fourthly of the nature and chiefe ends of this Sacrament do al most euidently proue euince that Pietie craueth of vs a most Religious gesture to bee vsed in this action SECT 2. The consideration of the giuer and the maner of the Donation LEt vs take a view of euery one of them seuerally The giuer from whose hand wee should receiue the bread of Life is not a seruant such as couereth our tables brings our dishes serues and fils our cups to whom wee owe no reuerence He that here presenteth and propineth vs with these inestimable benefits is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords God in the person of the Sonne vnto whom when we present our gifts If we should Kneele as we are taught by the Holy Ghost in Micha chap. 6. verse 6. in these words Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the most high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calues of a yeere old How much more should wee come and bow our selues before him when we are to receiue at his hand the greatest benefit in heauen and earth The body and the bloud of his onely begotten Sonne the character of his Person the brightnesse of his glory the treasure of his grace another himselfe And vnto this shall we finde our selues much more bound when we haue considered after what manner this gift is giuen Euery good gift commeth from him that is the Father of lights and so should wee acknowledge it to bee but God giues not euery gift with a solemne externall testification of his Donation made as it were with his own hand not in generall but in particular to euery one that receiueth as hee doth in this Sacrament Other benefits he bestoweth by ordinarie meanes of his creatures and by a secret prouidence in such sort that the action of Donation is not perceiued at the instant of giuing and receiuing
prayer then wee come and receiue and our receiuing is in faith the mother of humility which in her selfe acknowledgeth nothing but miserie and therfore renouncing her selfe fleeth to the store-house and fountaine of mercy that is in Christ Iesus there eateth and drinketh feedeth and resteth vpon the merit of his death and the eternall Testament confirmed thereby the sense whereof is more pleasant and sweete to the taste of the soule then the hony the hony-comb is to the taste of the mouth For was there euer any thing more pleasant then the meditation of the death of Christ to the penitent soule which being wearied before vnder the burthen of sinne and bruised vnder the weight of the wrath of God well knoweth and is perswaded that Christ hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes That hee was wounded for our transgressions that hee was bruised for our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace was vpon him that with his stripes we were healed Thus by the meditation of faith we eate we drinke and feed on Christ with pleasure and ioy that cannot be expressed And is it possible that this ioy pleasure and delectation that wee haue in tasting the sweetnesse and goodnesse that is in him can possesse the soule without thankefulnes that is without such estimation of him and such affection towards him as presently resolueth in most earnest wishes and desires that all the world might ioyne with vs in setting forth his prayses Now what are these wishes and desires issuing from the ardent affection of loue kindled by a liuely and feeling faith but a true inward rendring of thankes Nam gratiam qui habet refert for hee that hath a thankefull heart after this sort giues thanks to God indeed So Christ is spiritually receiued first when with our eyes and eares wee deuoute him as Tertullian saith that is when by these things that wee see and heare in the Sacrament wee call to remembrance the breaking of his Bodie and sheading of his Bloud Secondly when with a spirituall hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse that wee know to bein him we ruminate we chew and eate not with the mouth and the teeth but with the minde and the serious thoughts of a celestiall meditation his death and Passion vntill wee haue sucked and drawne out of it by diuine contemplation the full assurance of reconciliation with God and of saluation And finally digest him and his death not in our belly but in our brest that is in the depths of our hearts by trusting in the All-sufficient fulnesse of the grace and goodnesse yea of the God-head it selfe that is in him wherewith our soules being satiate as with the fatnesse and sweetnesse of Marrow are enlarged with ioyes and filled with the wishes and desires of his eternall praise and glory And therefore as we do testifie our spirituall receiuing of Christ in faith by the outward actions of taking eating and drinking So should we testifie the serious wishes and desires of the heart for our owne saluation and his glory with such an outward gesture and carriage of bodie as is most agreeable to such sacred affections and exercises of the soule in this action And what is more agreeable to the humility of faith wherein we receiue and the hearty prayer and thankesgiuing wherewith wee receiue then the lowly and deuout bowing of our Knees Then to conclude vpon these three considerations first of the giuer and maner of giuing next of the gift thirdly of the manner of receiuing I ground and build this Argument Whatsoeuer Gift our Sauiour deliuereth to all not coniunctly but seuerally to euery one of them by himselfe and that all not coniunctly but seuerally should receiue from his hand with Prayer and Thankesgiuing in presence of the Congregation of the Saints and in a solemne act of Diuine Worship A gift I say that is giuen and should bee taken after such a manner may bee very lawfully receiued by euery one reuerently sitting on his Knees But the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ in the Sacrament is a gift that is giuen and should be taken after such a manner Therefore the Bodie and Bloud of Iesus Christ in the Sacrament may very lawfully be receiued by euery one reuerently sitting on his knees Thus I prooue the lawfulnesse of Kneeling the expediencie shall bee after cleered SECT 5. The Nature of the Sacrament NOW to come to the last thing which wee propounded to bee considered in this tryall of piety that is the nature of the Sacrament The nature of the Sacrament is to bee esteemed according to the chiefe end wherefore it was instituted and these bee two the one concerneth God and our Sauiour Christ the other the Church The end which concerneth the faithfull is their vnion with Christ and amongst themselues to saluation The end that concerneth God and our Sauiour is the prayse of his glorious grace In respect of the first end it is called The communion of the Bodie and Bloud of Christ the Table and the Supper of the Lord and in respect of the second it is the commemoration and predication of the death of Christ. The action in number is one whereby these ends are attained and produced but is diuersly to be considered according to the diuersitie of these ends In respect of the first it is a representation of the sacrifice of Christ and the application thereof to vs whereby our vnion with him and amongst our selues is performed and in this respect it hath two parts In the first the death of Christ the oblation and sacrificing of himselfe which really was onely done vpon the Crosse is mystically acted in the breaking of the bread and taking of the cup whereby the breaking of his Body and sheading of his Bloud is represented and therefore it may be and is rightly called a representatiue sacrifice The next part is the application of this sacrifice to the faithfull This part is acted first mystically by the command giuen in the name of Christ Take eate and by the obedience giuen by the people in taking and eating the externall elements like as vnder the Law first the oblation was made and then the people did eate of the sacrifices Next this application is acted really and spiritually by the Sacramentall word This is my Bodie which is broken for you This cup is the new Testament in my Bloud By this word accompanied with the power of the Spirit two things are done whereby the reall and spirituall application of the Propitiatorie Sacrifice is made first the mysterie that went before is opened vp and interpreted which represented the sacrificing of Christ and the application of his Sacrifice The sacrificing of Christ which was symbolically represented in taking and breaking of the bread is explaned by that parcell of the word This is my Bodie which is broken This is my Bloud which is shed The application of this Sacrifice to the faithfull which
end◠of this action The action it selfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an action of praise in respect of Christ for whom it is done and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an action of thankesgiuing in respect of these by whom it is done for as it is a memoriall of his praise so is it a testimonie of their thankefulnesse And what is a thankesgiuing but the remembrance and declaration of benefits receiued made and intended to the praise of the giuer whether it bee performed in word in deed or in both For thankesgiuing in word reade all the Psalmes and Orations in the Scripture conceiued for that effect and yee shall finde it so Psal. 135. 126. 1. Chron. 17. 29 10 c. The Passeouer and all the rest of the Feasts kept vnder the Law in remembrance of some great and extraordinarie benefits of God were Eucharisticall because they were obserued to the praise and honor of God not verbally but really Such amongst the Heathen were the Olympick Pythick and Isthmick games wherein the prayses and honour of their gods were remembred and celebrated not by Speeches and Orations but by the very Actions and Deedes of the Gamesters So Virgil hauing recorded the Pastimes and Games that Aeneas caused to bee acted to the prayse of his father Anchyses concludeth Hac celebrata tenus sancto certamina patri hitherto the pastimes were celebrated to the praise of his holy Father And heere it is to bee obserued that although in these superstitious solemnities no mention were made of their praises and honours for whom they were kept yet they are remembrances of their praise because they were instituted and ex professo professedy obserued for that purpose In the religious Festiuities some resemblance there was of the benefit that was remembred beside the profession of the end wherefore they were instituted and kept But amongst all the Celebrities and Solemnities that euer were obserued for the praise of God or man there was neuer any that had the end wherefore it was instituted set downe more cleerely to bee a memoriall of praise or an honourable remembrance then this Sacrament hath in these words Doe this for a remembrance of me and that had a more euident and plaine resemblance of the benefit that was to bee remembred with praise and thankesgiuing then this For what can more liuely expresse the praise of the glory of our Sauiours grace then that part of this action where hee is brought in breaking his owne Bodie and sheading his owne Bloud and offering himselfe in a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world And againe what can more euidently declare the faith and thankefulnesse of the people towards him then the other part of the same action where they are brought in feeding on the sacrifice of his Bodie and Bloud thereby testifying before the world that by him alone they doe acknowledge themselues to haue liberty and life that in him alone they repose and trust that hee alone is the meditation of their minds the desire of their soules the ioy and delectation of their hearts Caluin Instit. lib. 4. Cap. 18. Sect. 17. Huius generis sacrificio carere non potest coena Domini in qua dum mortem eius annunciamus gratiarum actionem referimus nihil aliud offerimus quam sacrificium laudis Aquinas Quotiescunque ederitis panem hunc c. Exponit verba Domini Hoc facite in meam commemorationem dicens mortem Domini annunciabitis represent ando scilicet eam per hoc Sacramentum Caluin saith that the Supper of the Lord cannot want in it an Eucharisticall Sacrifice because while wee declare the death of the Lord and giue thankes we doe nothing but offer vp a sacrifice of praise Aquinas affirmeth that wee declare and preach Christs death representing it by this Sacrament In diuers places of the Greek Liturgies this Sacrament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of praise and not onely is the action it selfe and the celebration of this Sacrament called the Eucharist by the Ancients but the Symbols themselues the Bread and the Wine Origen contra Celsum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bread which is called the Eucharist saith hee is a Symboll of our thankefulnesse to God and so is the whole action in deed because not onely in it are thankes giuen in word Sed gratiae aguntur vere re-ipsa but a solemne thankesgiuing is acted truly and in deed SECT 11. The conclusion of this point which concerneth the nature of this Sacrament HEreby it is manifest that as this action in respect of Christs part towards vs or the end that concerneth vs is a Mysticall representation and a reall application of the Propitiatorie sacrifice of Christ to vs So in respect of our part towards Christ againe and the end◠that concerneth him it is a spirituall and Eucharisticall Sacrifice done to his glorie Nay if we consider the action in regard of the one end or the other it is to bee performed of vs with such a religious and humble gesture as becommeth sinners to vse towards their Sauiour when they receiue from him the benefit of expiation of their sinnes and reconciliation with God Or when they offer back againe to him therefore the sacrifice of thankesgiuing both secretly in their inward affection and publikely in a most solemne action Now what gesture can better agree to sinners in receiuing their pardon and in giuing praise therefore to their Redeemer then the religious and humble gesture of Kneeling commanded by God himselfe to bee vsed in his worship practised by our Sauiour himselfe and by all the Saints both vnder the Law and the Gospell not onely when they did offer their supplications to God but when they ioyfully gaue thankes and praise Psal. 138. I will praise thee with my whole heart before the Gods I will sing praise vnto thee I will bowe my selfe Eshtachaue towards thy holy Temple and praise thy name for thy louing kindnesse Psal. 95. O come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs make a ioyfull noyse to the Rocke of our saluation let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing and make a ioyfull noyse to him with Psalmes c. ver 6. O come let vs humbly bowe our selues and fall downe and Kneele before the Lord our Maker Luk. 17. 16. When one of the ten Lepers perceiued that hee was healed hee returned with a loud voyce giuing glory to God and fell on his face at the feete of Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giuing thankes to him In the Apocalypse the 24. Elders when they giue praise and sing a new song to their Sauiour not onely fall they downe off the Thrones whereon he had placed them but they cast the Crownes off their heads the ensignes of the Kingdome that he had disposed to them thereby teaching how basely wee should esteeme of our selues and how highly wee should thinke of our Sauiour and with what gesture and carriage wee should expresse the same when
next amongst our selues by the participation of that one and selfe-same Bread which first sheweth the vnion betwixt Christ vs to be such as is betwixt the body and the food whereby it is nourished and next the vnion amongst our selues to bee such as is amongst the members of the same body SECT 5. That Sitting cannot bee a necessarie Sacramentall Ceremonie nor a proper Table-gesture NOW to conclude this point as I said before that all the Ceremonies and Actions that either appertaine to the Essence or Integrity of the Sacrament are fully set downe in the words of the Institution So here I affirme that all the significant Ceremonies and Actions that belong to the nature of the Sacraments are employed about the Elements or belong to the vse of them onely As in Baptisme the washing dipping and rising vp are Actions and Ceremonies that belong to the vse of the water In the Supper the taking blessing and breaking giuing receiuing eating and drinking are Ceremonies and Actions vsed about the Bread and the Wine And the reason is manifest because by the Elements onely our Sauiour Christ and his benefits are signified and by the Ceremonies and Actions the application of him to vs and our faith in him as by the Water his Spirit his Bloud his Death by the washing dipping and rising vp out of the water the cleansing of vs from the guilt and vitiositie of sinne by his bloud and Spirit the participation of his death and buriall whereby wee die to sin and of his resurrection whereby we rise to newnesse of life So likewise in the Supper the bread and the cup signifie his Bodie and Bloud the Ceremoniall Actions represent his Passion and the application thereof to vs and in both our obedience testifieth our faith Whereby it is manifest that if wee count the Table-gesture a Sacramentall Ceremonie the Table whereunto the vse of the gesture belongeth must also be some third symboll or signe representing Christ and consequently as necessarie and essentiall to the action as the elements of bread and wine and the gesture that is proper thereto if any be as necessary to bee obserued as the Ceremoniall Actions of eating and drinking are necessarie to be vsed in receiuing the Elements But this I am perswaded no man will affirme neither will any man thinke that a materiall Table is so necessarie that without it the Sacrament could not be ministred at least in places where it might not be had as in the Wildernesse in Dennes and Caues of the earth and such like places whereunto the Saints were forced to flye in the dayes of persecution And what shall we say of those who receiue the Sacrament lying sick on their beds Of him who in prison and fetters made his brest the boord If by the mercie of God the Turkes were conuerted to the Christian faith might they not receiue the Sacrament without any such Table as they do their common food sitting on the ground The thing that apparantly fostereth this conceit of Table-gesture is this Where mention is made of receiuing meate there commonly mention is made of a Table and that we conceit to be a materiall one such as in vse with vs but mensa albeit most frequently it be so taken yet it is also vsed for that whatsoeuer it be whereon meate is set whether it be a boord or the bare earth or the grasse or a cake of bread laid on the ground vnder the meat which some for hunger hauing eaten said merrily they had deuoured the Table Heus etiam mensas consumimus inquit Iulus And the meate it selfe is often called a Table as in the Psal. 78. Can God prepare a Table for vs in the Wildernesse When the Troians lay on the grasse fusique per herbam and were satiate it is said that the boords were remoued mensaeque remotae that is the rest of the meate was taken away And children know that the second seruice is called Mensae secundae Nec adhuc mensa secunda venit Here with one stroke it were possible if it might stand with the fauour of good brethren to cut this Gordian knot of Table-gesture if wee should onely deny that any Table is absolutely necessarie to bee vsed in the Sacrament but that which the Apostle calleth the Table of the Lord that is the Body of our Sauiour represented and offered in the visible elements or any Table-gesture necessary but that which hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to participate of that Table by eating and drinking which gesture is prescribed in the Institution and must be vsed and is not onely proper to the Lords Table but to all Tables of Repast as for sitting lying and standing there be none of these proper for neither hath any of them been or shall be euer in vse amongst all people or only in vse at a Table of Repast for men sit often else-where not at such a Table lie to sleep and stand at other businesse Nay none of these gestures are proper necessary but as for taking eating and drinking not onely are they necessary and proper to all Tables of Repast but are more significant and do farre better expresse both our fellowship and vnion with our Sauiour and amongst our selues then the gesture of Sitting or any other position of body whatsoeuer SECT 6. That by Kneeling wee symbolize not with the Papists in Idolatry NOW to proceed and come to the Scandall and Offence that may be giuen to our Church by Kneeling at the Sacrament as is alledged The greatest that I heare of is this that in Kneeling we symbolize with the Papists So doe wee in the place they receiue in a Temple so doe wee In the time they receiue on the Sabbath and so do we In the order they receiue before meate and so do we In habite for they receiue with their heads vncouered and so doe we And heere wee remember not that wee symbolize with the late Arrians in Sitting who to testifie that they beleeue not our Sauiour to be God but a meere Man will not receiue Kneeling but Sitting lest that they should seeme to adore him as God Against them therefore this conclusion is set down Petro Couiensi Synodo generali which is in number the fourth De ceremoniis Coenae Dominicae the tenor whereof is this Proinde ceremonias libertati Christianae donamus permittimus vt stantes vel genua flectentes pij Sacramentum corporis sanguinis Christi sumant Sessionis vero ad mensam Domini quia praeter ritus in omnibus per Europam Ecclesijs vulgo consuetas illi inter nos primi authores extiterunt qui omnia in Ecclesijs temere immutantes à nobis ad Arrianismum transfugae facti sunt c. Quare hanc propriam ipsis vt Christum ita sacra eius irreuerenter tractantibus tanquam minus honestam religiosam simplicioribusque admodum scandolosam ceremoniam reijcimus Here Sitting is discharged at the