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
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
turned into the Lord Iesus spiritually insomuch that wee become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and this conuersion beginneth in this life at the soule and is perfected both in bodie and soule in the life to come Here wee are conuerted in the same minde will and affections then our bodies shall bee made like his glorious Bodie And this conuersion is wrought by the reall vnion that is betwixt our Sauiour and vs represented in this Sacrament by the naturall vnion that is betwixt the bodie that is nourished and the food whereby it is nourished and is most cleerely set downe by our Sauiour himselfe in the sixt chapter of Iohns Gospell wherein the spirituall part of this Sacrament is most accurately described containing both the benefit which wee receiue and the meanes and manner whereby we receiue it The benefit the resurrection of our bodies and life euerlasting in these words Hee that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud hath life eternall and I shall raise him vp at the last Day The meanes and manner whereby wee receiue this benefit is our vnion and communion with Christ and touching the vnion hee saith Hee that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud remaineth in me and I in him Then followeth the communion As the Father liueth so liue I by the Father and hee that eateth mee shall liue by mee Here we haue a fellowship with the Father and with the Sonne in the greatest dignitie and honour whereof a creature can be capable in the blessed the eternall and glorious life of God which is signified sealed vp by the Sacramentall action of eating and drinking the Bread and the Cup of the Lord liuely then any gesture or position of body can expresse SECT 4. So likewise our fellowship amongst our selues is expressed sufficiently by eating the same Bread in the Sacrament AND thus much for our fellowship communion with Christ Our communion and fellowship amongst our selues is in the same place of the Epistle to the Corinths most euidently not shadowed but demonstrated in these words Because the Bread is one wee many are one Bodie for we are all partakers of one Bread Cyprian in the sixt Epistle of his first booke thinketh that our vnion amongst our selues is onely declared by this similitude As many graines are made one Bread and many grapes one Vine so the Church that is a multitude of people is made one spirituall Bodie But the Apostles reason is demonstratiue the ground whereof is that the Bread is one whereof wee are all made partakers one not in forme and kinde onely for so many persons and bodies may bee fed with one bread but one bread in number and therefore all that feed thereon must bee one bodie for two bodie in number cannot feed on the selfe-same bread in number the bread that I eate cannot feed thee and the same bread in number that thou eatest cannot feed mee It is one bread in number that feedeth thee and another bread in number that feedeth me but all the members of my body that are many are fed with one and the selfe-same bread that I receiue and eate and therefore although they bee many yet are they all but one bodie Euen so all the members of the Church which are many are fed with one and the selfe-same Bread in number that is Christ and therefore they must all bee one Bodie This is a demonstration of the cause by the effect It is the proper effect or affection of one bodie to be fed with one bread and therefore to whomsoeuer this effect agreeth they are one body And contrariwise the vnitie of the body or the vnion of the members in one body by one forme as the immediate and proper cause that all these diuers mēbers are fed with one bread As this therefore is a demonstration of the effect by the cause all that are one body feed on one bread All the members of the Church are one Bodie Ergo all the members of the Church feed on one Bread So this is a demonstratiō of the cause by the effect Al that feed on one Bread are one Bodie all the members of the Church feed on one Bread therefore all the members of the Church are one Bodie Here you may perceiue the ground of the reason to bee that the Bread whereof all are partakers is One And this is manifest whether by the bread the signe or the thing signified bee vnderstood for if by the Bread the elementall bread bee vnderstood although that materially it bee diuided in many parts and distributed yet all these parts and pieces are formally one and the selfe-same Sacrament So that although thou receiue not the selfe-same piece of bread in number which I receiue yet thou and I and all of vs receiue the selfe-same Sacrament in number But if by the Bread the Bodie of Christ which is the Bread of life be vnderstood as principally and chiefly it must seeing the Bread which wee breake is as the Apostle saith the communion of Christs Bodie which we participate in breaking of the Sacramentall Bread then the ground of the demonstration is strong and sure That the bread is one in number whereof wee are all partakers because the Bodie of Christ is not diuided and giuen by pieces but is all and whole one and the same in number giuen to all and euery one that worthily receiueth As for the breaking of the elementall bread it signifieth not the distribution of the Bodie of Christ by pieces but the breaking of his Body on the Crosse with the sorrowes of death for our sinnes And here marke by the way that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not alway signifie to receiue with others by parts for if the thing be such as cannot be diuided then it doth signifie the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receiue in common with others So in the third chapter to the Hebrews ver 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the participation of Christ of the heauenly Calling importeth not a diuision of Christ and of the heauenly Calling whereof wee are partakers but a communion of Christ and of the heauenly Calling And so in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to receiue not by parts but in common with others the selfe-same Bread of life in number to wit the Bodie of the Lord Iesus Christ and the selfe-same Sacrament thereof in number whereon it followeth most necessarily that wee who are partakers of that Bread must bee one Bodie Here contention being laid aside I would demand whether the Sacramentall elements and actions that are vsed about them do not sufficiently and fully declare our communion with Christ and amongst our selues or need they any accessarie gesture to supply their defects For is there or was there euer any gesture that can signifie so straite a coniunction as is represented in this Sacrament First betwixt Christ and vs and
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